《Kill Me More Times, I鈥檒l Become Invincible》


 Chapter 1:

    Chapter 1:


    The sky was cloudless, and the scorching sun shone above.


    The ancient town was filled with grand houses and buildings, while people walked continuously along the long street paved with bluestone.


    Qiao Mu walked through the crowd at the market, rubbing shoulders with passersby, and finally stopped at a pork stall.


    Behind the pork stall, Butcher Zheng, a burly man with a face full of rough skin and a shaved head, didn¡¯t seem easy to provoke.


    "Butcher Zheng¡­ It¡¯s obviously him." Qiao Mu recalled the information he had gathered earlier.


    This Butcher Zheng may appear to be a pig butcher, but he¡¯s actually the ruler of this outer city area.


    In troubled times, human lives are worth less than pigs. Besides ughtering pigs, Butcher Zheng is rumored to be involved with gangs and has been trafficking people.


    "Boss, bring me ten pounds of high-quality meat, finely chopped into minced meat, and make sure there is absolutely no trace of fat on top." Qiao Mu spoke up.


    After hearing Qiao Mu¡¯s question, Butcher Zheng looked up and nced at him.Qiao Mu had a pleasing appearance. Even though he was just a fourteen or fifteen-year-old boy, his face had a hint of innocence. However, he had a tall and strong figure, and his clothing and demeanor were of good quality. He looked like a wealthy young man, and on top of that, he even carried a sword at his waist, resembling a young knight from a storybook.


    The presence of such a young man in the outer city market was as eye-catching as a firefly in the dark night.


    "Okay."


    Seeing this, the butcher didn¡¯t show any negligence either. He nodded and started cutting the meat, finely chopping it into a minced state.


    There were many pounds of meat, and Butcher Zheng chopped and cut it for almost half an hour until he was covered in sweat.


    Just as he was about to wrap it up and give it to Qiao Mu, Qiao Mu raised his hand to interrupt.


    "Wait a moment, I want another ten pounds of fatty meat, with no lean meat on it. Please chop it finely for me."


    "Huh?"


    Butcher Zheng narrowed his eyes slightly as he carefully observed Qiao Mu in front of him. The smile on his face slowly disappeared, and his voice unconsciously grew a bit louder.


    "Are you here to cause trouble?"


    As soon as his voice came out, the bustling market suddenly became quieter.


    The people around feared Butcher Zheng. When they saw him getting angry, they quickly walked away. The market, which was just lively before, suddenly became empty.


    "I came to buy meat." However, the young Qiao Mu remainedpletely calm, and he simply ced a bulging money pouch on the table. "You go ahead and cut it, I have a purpose for it."


    Butcher Zheng frowned, his eyes quickly nced at the sword and purse on Qiao Mu¡¯s waist, and the anger that had just red in his heart was now overshadowed by doubt.


    Butcher Zheng had a strong and sturdy body, with a face full of meat. He had a fierce look, as if just now he shouted loudly. In front of him, even ordinary young men might not be able to speak smoothly.


    But Qiao Mu was too young and too calm.


    He has a strong body and looks like someone who has practiced martial arts, and his clothes give the impression of wealth and nobility.


    No matter how you look at it, it seems like he is fearless.


    Frowning and thinking for a moment, Butcher Zheng, in order to not offend Qian, temporarily held back and started chopping ten kilograms of fatty meat on the cutting board.


    In this chop, another half an hour passed, and he chopped until his back was soaked in sweat.


    When he looked up again, Qiao Mu was still standing there, except now he had an extra bag of watermelons by his side. It seemed like he had bought them from the fruit stall next to him while he was chopping meat.


    "All done. You don¡¯t want toe back for another ten kilograms of meat, do you?" Butcher Zheng said, wrapping up the ten kilograms of fatty meat and giving a sideways nce at Qiao Mu.


    "How could it be? I didn¡¯te here just to amuse you." Qiao Mu smiled while paying and ced two watermelons on the counter.


    "I just bought two watermelons, forgot to ask the seller to cut them. Boss, can you help me cut them?"


    "No problem, I can slice the melon for you," said Butcher Zheng. When he saw the money, he felt instantly at ease. He switched to using a sharp knife that had never been used to cut meat before. Just as he was about to cut open the watermelon, he heard Qiao Mu softly say from behind:


    "Cut these two watermelons into small pieces for me, with no trace of rind on top."


    Butcher Zheng suddenly looked up and nced at Qiao Mu, feeling an instant surge of anger.


    Without saying a word, he grabbed two sharp knives and forcefully chopped at the watermelon as if it was the troublemaker standing in front of him, smashing the watermelon into pieces and sttering juice everywhere.


    Bang! The meat counter made a crisp sound under the butcher¡¯s de. It was evident that Butcher Zheng was now angry, as the two sharp knives caused the counter to tremble and even crack.


    No one dared to speak. Seeing Butcher Zheng¡¯s anger, everyone had already distanced themselves. The once bustling market now only had a few people left.


    Bang!


    Another knife fell, and the chopping board waspletely split in half from the middle. The watermelon juice flowed down along the crack and dripped onto the ground.


    Butcher Zheng looked up and looked down at Qiao Mu in front of him.


    "Are you satisfied now?" Butcher Zheng shouted in a rough voice.


    Qiao Mu, however, smiled and said, "Butcher Zheng is truly exceptionally strong. Despite cutting meat for such a long time, he hasn¡¯t shown any signs of fatigue. It¡¯s a real waste for someone as talented as you to be a simple butcher."


    "You-" Butcher Zheng¡¯s heart skipped a beat, the anger on his face momentarily paused, but then he heard the second half of Qiao Mu¡¯s words:


    "Since you still have the strength, then give me those two chopping boards as well. Cut them carefully into minced meat, without a trace of pork on them."


    "I¡¯ll chop you into minced meat!" Butcher Zheng gotpletely furious. He took two or three steps, crossed the chopping board, held a sharp knife in one hand, and was about to grab Qiao Mu.


    "Well done!" The young man was fearless, he didn¡¯t step back even half a step. He directlyunched a set of military punches, and in an instant, he was hit by more than ten knives, covered in blood, and fell to the ground.


    "This¡­" Butcher Zheng was also shocked. He hadn¡¯t reacted yet, and the trouble-seeking young man had already fallen down.


    He stood there with a knife, getting closer and bending down to carefully look at Qiao Mu.


    But he saw that Qiao Mu, who had fallen to the ground and was no longer moving, had a slight¡­upturned corner of the mouth on his face?


    Despite being stabbed many times and near death, his expression was not fear or panic, but rather¡­satisfaction?


    "Now, I should be able to achieve a splendid Death Assessment, right?" This was the final thought of Qiao Mu before he passed away.


    He closed his eyes slightly andy on the long street paved with blue bricks, allowing the blood to gather underneath him, while his mouth unconsciously raised into a slight smile, portraying a peaceful expression.


    This smile made Butcher Zheng shiver instinctively, and reach out to check if Qiao Mu was still breathing.


    There was no breath left.


    Qiao Mu, passed away.


    He lived to be fifteen years old.

 Chapter 2:

    Chapter 2:


    "Someone has been killed! Someone has been killed! Someone has been killed¡­"


    Many people couldn¡¯t help but shout out loud, but when Butcher Zheng stared at them, they quickly covered their mouths and ran away, crawling and rolling.


    Before long, the whole market became empty, and everyone hurriedly ran away.


    Only Butcher Zheng stood still, looking at the young body lying on the ground with a look of confusion.


    He had a question echoing in his heart.


    What happened?


    Originally, he believed that this troublemaking young man was a martial arts-loving young knight.


    So, in the beginning, Butcher Zheng was patient and tolerant, but when he couldn¡¯t bear it any longer, he suddenly took out his knife and attacked without holding back at all.


    But unexpectedly¡­Remembering the young boy¡¯sst disy of his boxing skills, Butcher Zheng covered his face in disbelief.


    Of course, that is not the point.


    The point is, he killed someone!


    He killed someone right on the street! And many people witnessed it!


    "Run!"


    Butcher Zheng quickly packed his belongings and ran out of the small town.


    Despite hisrge and strong appearance, he ran swiftly and gracefully, soon disappearing from sight.


    Not long after.


    At the corner of the alley near the vegetable market, another Qiao Mu walked out that looked almost exactly the same.


    He casually nced down at his own body lying in the middle of the vegetable market and stretched his muscles.


    "The previous body was only 15 years old and hadn¡¯t fully grown yet."


    "Now it¡¯s much better."


    Compared to the body of the 15-year-old boy lying on the ground, Qiao Mu was much taller, with a more robust physique. Although Qiao Mu had a well-proportioned figure, there were faint muscle lines on his limbs.


    He closed his eyes.


    A long-life lock, with a texture like jade and stone, appeared in his mind.


    This strange long-life lock was a peculiar object that appeared with Qiao Mu after crossing over. On top of it was a peculiar pattern of a serpent with a tail in its mouth, and the circr body of the snake surroundedrge characters.


    Longevity and Immortality.


    "Longevity" and "immortality" are two concepts.


    Longevity means that Qiao Mu has eternal life and will never grow old.


    Immortality means Qiao Mu has an immortal body, even if he is killed, he can keeping back to life.


    The cost of resurrection is lifespan.


    Every time Qiao Mues back to life, he loses a certain amount of lifespan, and his body also grows older. But what¡¯s even more peculiar is that his power increases as his body ages.


    Consuming 10 years of lifespan can gain 10 years of power.


    The more deaths, the older one bes, and the older one bes, the stronger.


    "What is this Old Immortality Cultivation System?" Qiao Muined, gazing at the lock of longevity in his heart, while more information emerged in his mind.


    This Death Assessment: C (a martyr¡¯s death. Sadly, they died too quickly and were weak, using their life to exchange for the other party¡¯s escape out of fear of punishment.)


    Lifespan Consumption: 3 years


    Remaining Resurrections this week: 4 out of 5


    Current age: 18 years old


    Skill: Long Life Fist (Beginner)


    Before, Qiao Mu was 15 years old, just a young beginner who had recently started learning martial arts.


    However, he died once, losing three years of his lifespan.


    After resurrection, his body aged to 18 years old, and his martial arts skills also improved by three years.


    Just like this moment.


    Qiao Mu tightly clenched his fists, and in his heart, he could even recall the memories of the past three years spent diligently practicing the Long Life Fist.


    Three years like one day, dry and monotone.


    Each move and form of the Long Life Fist is formed step by step through three years of intense practice, creating muscle memory.


    "If I were to practice martial arts slowly on my own, I¡¯m afraid it would take more than three years to reach my current level."


    Qiao Mu thought to himself.


    A day consists of only twenty-four hours.


    Everyone needs to eat and sleep, and everyone hasziness and mundane matters to deal with. It¡¯s hard to find arge amount of time every day for martial arts practice.


    But an external aid is different.


    Qiao Mu¡¯s three years of martial arts practice were incredibly focused, and the time efficiency reached 100%, a theoretical existence.


    As for the price he paid, three years of life¡­


    Qiao Mu stretched his arms and legs, his arm muscles strong and powerful, with well-defined muscle lines.


    Aging from 15 to 18 is not a bad thing.


    "Death Assessment reached C level, consuming three years of my life in one go?"


    Ever since Qiao Mu traveled to this time, it was their first encounter with a C-level Death Assessment.


    Qiao Mu looked up, his eyes shifted from his own lifeless body to the small hill outside the city, which was the direction Butcher Zheng had escaped to before.


    "I don¡¯t have enough experience with death to know what caused me to receive a C level evaluation this time. Butcher Zheng must be more than just an ordinary person."


    A butcher who could effortlessly crush a cutting board is surely more than just a butcher.


    Qiao Mu, no longer concerned about his own lifeless body, briskly walked towards the outskirts of the city to chase after Butcher Zheng.


    "I can¡¯t let him go!"


    "I need him to kill me several times!"


    What Qiao Mu pursues is not just simple death.


    Otherwise, he would only need to keepmitting suicide.


    The meaningless act of suicide represents D-level death assessment. This kind of death only wastes one¡¯s lifespan without any benefit. It causes Qiao Mu¡¯s body to age but doesn¡¯t contribute to the growth of martial arts skills, making it utterly meaningless.


    So what Qiao Mu pursues is a high-quality and highly regarded death.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    In the forest outside the small town.


    Butcher Zheng rushed alone and entered the dpidated temple at the end of the mountain road.


    The old temple was in ruins, with leaves covering the courtyard and cracks on the Buddha statue in the shrine. The cushion in front of the Buddha statue also had dents.


    The temple was empty, except for a white dove perched on the wall of the temple, grooming its feathers.


    "No one here?" Butcher Zheng looked around and, realizing there was no one, took out a pen and paper to write down what had happened with Qiao Mu.


    He knew he had to escape as soon as possible.


    But what had just happened seemed suspicious, making him more cautious.


    "¡­That young boy was arrogant in his words, and I thought he had some kind of advantage or special skills, so I didn¡¯t hold back¡­" he wrote on the paper.


    "But what was even more peculiar were his martial arts moves¡­"


    Butcher Zheng paused his pen, recalling Qiao Mu¡¯s precise moves.


    "The martial arts he practiced seemed to be the Qiao family¡¯s Long Life Fist."


    When Butcher Zheng wrote up to this point, he quickly folded the letter and tied it to the leg of a white dove, but there was worry in his eyes.


    Qiao family¡¯s Long Life Fist was once famous, iming to be an internal martial art inherited from the Taoist school, which can extend life and improve health.


    A hundred years ago, the Qiao family had produced a martial arts grandmaster, said to be a hundred years old but with youthful appearance, and a strong vitality. Therefore, the news reached the Great Yan Imperial Court, and they invited him to the pce to teach Long Life Fist, which sparked a wave of martial arts fever among the aristocracy.


    But that was already a thing of the past.


    "Didn¡¯t the Qiao family already die out? Is there someone left?" Butcher Zheng muttered to himself.


    "If that person is really a vengeful orphan from the Qiao family, then this time it wouldn¡¯t be a bad thing."


    Butcher Zheng understood the principle of "if the roots are not removed, the weeds will grow again with the spring breeze."


    "It would be most secure if all the descendants of the Qiao family are dead."


    While he was thinking this, he suddenly turned around.


    Someone appeared at the broken temple gate, that looked almost exactly like Qiao Mu, who had previously died at the hands of Butcher Zheng.


    "Um¡­" Butcher Zheng shuddered as he remembered the smile on the face of young Qiao Mu before his death.


    Without waiting for him to speak, Qiao Mu let out a loud shout:


    "You killed my younger brother! I want you to pay for it with your blood!"


    After saying that, he rushed forward in big strides.


    Those words made Butcher Zheng certain about something instead.


    Upon careful examination, the Qiao Mu standing before him had indeed grown a few years olderpared to the young Qiao Mu who had previously died by his hands, approximately around the age of eighteen.


    "So you¡¯vee seeking revenge your brother," Butcher Zheng reached for the sharp knife at his waist, suddenly remembering something.


    "Young man, is yourst name Qiao?" he suddenly asked.


    Qiao Mu replied, "My surname is Li, my name is Li Jing, and I am adept at a technique called ¡®catching a de with bare hands¡¯ with a hundred percent uracy."

 Chapter 3:

    Chapter 3:


    "Myst name is Li, and my name is Li Jing. I am really good at a move called ¡®catching a de with bare hands¡¯ every time," Qiao Mu said, staring carefully at the sharp knife in Butcher Zheng¡¯s hand.


    "Fully catch a de with bare hands? What nonsense is that?"


    Butcher Zheng frowned and pondered for a moment, then he saw Qiao Mu rushing towards him while he was lost in thought.


    "Come, kill me!"


    Qiao Mu shouted, then confidently took big steps and lunged towards Butcher Zheng, who was holding a sharp knife, without any hesitation.


    He appeared just like a good older brother who disregarded his own life and sought revenge for his younger brother.


    However, Butcher Zheng remained unmoved, a smirk appearing on his face.


    The younger brother of Qiao Mu, who died in his hands before, looked quite impressive and intimidating at first, which made Butcher Zheng mistakenly believe that Qiao Mu¡¯s younger brother had someone to rely on and was not an ordinary person.


    What happened in the end?In the end, Butcher Zheng almost dropped to his knees and begged him not to die.


    If it weren¡¯t for the fact that the person was really dead, Butcher Zheng would have suspected that the young fellow was trying to scam for money.


    Both brothers have the same trick, do you think I will be fooled a second time?


    Butcher Zheng didn¡¯t dodge at all, he raised a sharp knife and chopped!


    There was a loud noise in the area!


    The next moment.


    Butcher Zheng¡¯s face suddenly changed.


    "Do you feel fear now that your knife is already in my hand?" Qiao Mu chuckled,ing to a halt in front of Butcher Zheng, his face adorned with the serene smile of a victor.


    "Am I afraid? Brother, perhaps you should take a look at your hand before speaking?" Butcher Zheng¡¯s face showed mixed emotions.


    Just before, he was wondering how this young man who called himself Li Jing would handle a de with bare hands, and how he should counterattack.


    What happened?


    In the end, just now he swung his knife, and Qiao Mu didn¡¯t evade at all. He even used his hand to directly block his knife!


    The butcher¡¯s knife struck Qiao Mu¡¯s palm right in the middle, slicing it almost in half along the gap between his index and middle fingers. There were obvious bone fragments at the severed part, and blood gushed out.


    Qiao Mu lowered his head and looked at his hand, which was cut in half by the butcher¡¯s knife. The sharp pain and heavy bleeding made his face turn pale. Then, he mustered the strength to speak through the pain:


    "It was indeed to face a de with bare hands, right?"


    "Insane! Both of you are insane!"


    Butcher Zheng suddenly realized that he shouldn¡¯t waste time talking to the other person and immediately grabbed the butcher knife in his hand and pulled hard¡­.


    Didn¡¯t budge.


    His butcher knife seemed to be stuck in the gap between Qiao Mu¡¯s bones, and when it wasn¡¯t pulled out this time, it made him lose his bnce slightly.


    In the next second, a fist quickly erged in front of Butcher Zheng¡¯s eyes and smashed onto his nose.


    Just one punch caused his nose to bleed profusely, and it twisted to one side, like a leak in a soy sauce store, with salty, sour, and spicy vors all pouring out.


    The tremendous force caused Butcher Zheng to stagger, instinctively letting go of the knife handle, and taking two steps back, looking at Qiao Mu with astonishment.


    This "Li Jing" is different from the earlier Li Jing¡¯s younger brother!


    The previous Li Jing brother was basically a decorative pillow, but this "Li Jing" is a young martial artist who has put in hard work and trained his strength!


    Just based on the strength of that punch, it couldn¡¯t have been thrown by an ordinary person.


    "It was my fault¡­ but it won¡¯t happen again."


    In Butcher Zheng¡¯s eyes, a fierce light shed as he rushed forward with his bare hands, engaging in a fight with Qiao Mu.


    Even though he was punched hard in the face, Qiao Mu had one of his hands cut directly in half, his injury was much worse than his.


    With such a determined move, Butcher Zheng immediately subdued Qiao Mu, who was left with only one hand to use.


    Not long after.


    Butcher Zheng leaned on his knees, gasping for breath. At this moment, he was already covered in blood, and at his feety another Qiao Mu¡¯s lifeless body.


    "This guy seeks revenge for his brother fearlessly, he¡¯s quite a man¡­ although a bit crazy."


    Butcher Zheng wiped the blood off his hands, stepped on Qiao Mu¡¯s arm, and struggled to pull out the butcher knife.


    Even though he managed to kill "Li Jing," Butcher Zheng still couldn¡¯t understand why "Li Jing" chose to "fight with bare hands against a de."


    "That¡¯s not important, the important thing is¡­"


    Butcher Zheng reached to his mouth and blew a whistle.


    The white dove that had been circling above the forest flew down andnded on a branch in front of Butcher Zheng.


    "The situation has changed, if we send out the secret message now, it will mislead the leaders."


    Butcher Zheng untied the paper that was tied to the dove¡¯s foot and continued writing on the nk part of the paper.


    "¡­ There is more than one descendant of the Qiao family! Another descendant of the Qiao family, who calls himself ¡®Li Jing,¡¯ hase to me again."


    "His martial arts are also the Qiao family¡¯s Long Life Fist, and it is obvious that he has been practicing diligently for several years!"


    "Perhaps there is still a branch of the Qiao family remaining in the world."


    Just as Butcher Zheng finished writing, his expression froze as he heard footsteps approaching from behind.


    "Dare to kill my younger brother Li Jing,e and face your doom!"


    He turned around to take a look.


    There stood a young man who looked almost identical to Li Jing earlier, only slightly older. He red at him with a fierce expression.


    Butcher Zheng instinctively looked at the opponent¡¯s left hand.


    His left hand waspletely unharmed, not a single scratch.


    "Twin brothers, huh? Fine then." Butcher Zheng picked up his butcher knife again, full of murderous intent.


    "Kill the young one and attract the old one, this never ends!"


    "Since you all want to die, I will kill everyst one of you!"


    "Onees, one dies. Twoe, and I¡¯ll kill both!"


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    Five minutester.


    Butcher Zheng snapped off another Qiao Mu¡¯s head andy in the forest, gasping continuously.


    "Just now I said onees, one dies, twoe, and I¡¯ll kill both¡­ but how many are there in the end? Is this ever going to end?"


    Butcher Zhengy in a pile of fallen leaves in the shape of a big letter "X," his arms feeling sore and weak as he took big breaths.


    It would be fine if they were just simple twin brothers.


    The key is that these Qiao Mu, which look extremely simr, each one is slightly stronger than the previous one.


    Their strength has increased, and their martial skills have be more exquisite each time.


    Butcher Zheng could still rely on his strength to suppress the first Qiao Mu in the small forest.


    But when it came to the second and third Qiao Mu¡­.he started to sweat cold.


    Every older twin brother Qiao Mu had improved in physical strength and martial arts.


    Just like the one who had just died in his hands, in terms of physical strength alone, he was almost as good as Butcher Zheng!


    The two of them struggled for a long time, and Butcher Zheng struggled hard to kill this Qiao Mu again.


    But he was already tired.


    At this moment, his whole body was injured, covered in blood, and there was even a shocking bloodstained bite mark on his neck. The clothes on his body were also torn in several ces, leaving little to the imagination.


    Not to mention his own flesh and blood, even the butcher knife in his hand had been used to the point of a dull de.


    "Is it over now?" Butcher Zheng gasped, struggling to stand up from the ground. He looked around and heard a voice behind him:


    "No."


    The familiar figure once again emerged from the shadows, this time he just appeared and Butcher Zheng clumsily fled.


    "You killed me, and you want to run?"


    Qiao Mu stomped his foot with force, swiftly gliding forward like a gentle wisp of smoke, easily catching up with Butcher Zheng.


    "Don¡¯te any closer!" Butcher Zheng raised the butcher knife and swung it fiercely!


    But this time, Qiao Mu simply moved his body slightly to avoid the strike, and at the same time, delivered a powerful chop to the wrist of Butcher Zheng, who was holding the knife, causing him to drop the knife in pain.


    <em>Exhales</em>


    Qiao Mu¡¯s fists were as swift as the wind, directly striking Butcher Zheng¡¯s face.


    This continuous barrage of punches caused Butcher Zheng¡¯s brain to burst, his eyeballs popping out, as if an array of colorful silks unfolded, with red, ck, and purple bursting forth.


    Butcher Zheng, dead.

 Chapter 4:

    Chapter 4:


    "He¡¯s finally dead."


    Qiao Mu looked at the body at his feet and let out a sigh of relief.


    Going back and forth dying several times, Butcher Zheng was finally worn out.


    Repeatedly dying and resurrecting in front of Butcher Zheng, this was no longer something that could be dismissed as "twins."


    When Qiao Mu resurrected and reappeared for the fourth time, Butcher Zheng copsed on the spot.


    Of course, anyone who encountered an enemy that couldn¡¯t be killed would question their existence.


    "Luckily it¡¯s me who cheated."


    Qiao Mu felt a stir in his heart, and a semi-transparent dialogue box appeared before his eyes.


    This Death Assessment: D (courageousness)Lifespan consumed by death: 0.5 years


    Remaining resurrection count for this week: 0/5


    Current age: 20


    Skill: Long Life Fist (Proficient)


    "Only the first death in the first vegetable market and the on who caught the de for the first time achieved a Death Assessment of C. In the following resurrections, the Death Assessment has been continuously declining."


    "By dying five times, my age has increased by five years, and I have gained five years of experience in diligently practicing Long Life Fist."


    Qiao Mu tightened his fist.


    The five years of dedicated practice in Long Life Fist shed through his mind.


    After five years of continuous training, his Long Life Fist has gone from beginner stage to the proficient stage.


    "The Death Assessment of the previous two times, when I died at the hands of Butcher Zheng, was a C. This shows that Butcher Zheng does match the intelligence and is a thoroughly wicked person."


    "I fought and died against such an evil person, which is why the Death Assessment reached a C."


    "I wonder if there are any additional effects if the Death Assessment reaches a B or an A?"


    Qiao Mu paused and thought carefully, suddenly feeling that something was a little off.


    "Why does my system feel like a leaderboard for best deaths? I need to seriously think about how to die in an impressive, innovative, and skilled manner in order to receive higher ratings and effects."


    He crouched down and searched on Butcher Zheng¡¯s body, finally discovering a piece of paper in Butcher Zheng¡¯s palm.


    The paper was crumpled and had torn marks on it.


    Butcher Zheng once tried to send a message using a carrier pigeon, but Qiao Mu came back to life too quickly and kept interrupting him. He didn¡¯t have any chance to release the pigeon.


    In the end, the secret message ended up in Qiao Mu¡¯s hands.


    After a quick look, Qiao Mu immediately revealed a look of sudden realization.


    On this trip, he finally found what he was looking for.


    This Butcher Zheng not only recognized his Long Life Fist, but also, before running away, made a special trip to this dpidated temple in the deep mountains, attempting to spread the message through carrier pigeons.


    "The power behind this Butcher Zheng must be the archenemy of Heyang City¡¯s Qiao Family."


    Other than this letter, Butcher Zheng had another secret message on him. However, the words on this second secret message were like tadpoles,pletely iprehensible to Qiao Mu.


    "Could it be some sort of secret code? If that¡¯s the case, this secret code message must be very important if even Butcher Zheng doesn¡¯t know its content."


    Qiao Mu carefully collected two letters, efficiently managed his own bodies, and then walked away quickly.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    Yan City, outer city district.


    Qiao Mu, wearing a straw hat, strolled along the long street of the outer city district paved with blue stone bs, brushing shoulders with the pedestrians.


    There weren¡¯t many pedestrians on the long street, and most of them looked tired and walked with their heads down, as if they had worries on their faces.


    Compared to the bustling city of River Sun where Butcher Zheng lived, Yan City was actually quite deste.


    Qiao Mu walked into a noodle shop by the street, chose an empty table in a corner, and ordered two bowls of longevity noodles.


    Soon, there were footsteps and the sound of a cane behind him, "tap-tap."


    A blind girl walked into the noodle shop, holding a cane and closing her eyes.


    This blind girl was probably in her early twenties, with beautiful features, long ck hair flowing down like a waterfall. Her graceful figure couldn¡¯t be hidden even in her coarse clothes, she looked like a character from a painting.


    As soon as she walked in, the many customers in the noodle shop couldn¡¯t help but lift their heads and their gazes followed her every move.


    She often looked away when she saw the blind cane in her hand and the always closed eyes, then sighed and patted her thigh.


    Such a pretty girl, too bad she¡¯s blind.


    The blind girl didn¡¯t seem to notice the hustle and bustle inside the noodle shop. She walked confidently to an empty table in the corner and sat down right next to Qiao Mu on the long bench.


    She picked up the bowl of longevity noodles on the table and took a bite, asking:


    "Why did you order these longevity noodles?"


    Qiao Mu replied, "Today is my 20th birthday."


    "Your 20th birthday? But I remember you were still quite young¡­" The blind girl paused for a moment, then said:


    "Then I¡¯m 21."


    Qiao Mu sneered in his heart, what¡¯s the point ofparing ages with him?


    Today is his 20th birthday, tomorrow he can celebrate his 30th birthday.


    As long as he is willing, not to mention having this little girl call him grandfather, he can even argue with primitive humans through tens of thousands of deaths.


    When he was lost in thought, the blind girl furrowed her eyebrows little by little.


    "Your voice¡­ doesn¡¯t sound right? You¡¯re not Qiao Mu?"


    Qiao Mu was slightly stunned.


    In order to kill Butcher Zheng, he died multiple times, and his physical age jumped from 15 to 20 in an instant. His voice had indeed matured quite a bit.


    He was about toe up with an excuse when he saw the blind girl tilt her head slightly, bring her nose close to his chest, and sniff it carefully. The cautious look on her face immediately rxed.


    "It is really you¡­ but why has your voice changed?"


    Perhaps due to her blindness, Qiao Canxue¡¯s other senses are much more sensitive than ordinary people.


    "During the period of voice cracking, you know, all men go through this, it¡¯s very reasonable," Qiao Mu casually brushed it off.


    "Why did youe back sote this time, and were you going to investigate Butcher Zheng again?" The blind girl¡¯s face turned serious.


    "I¡¯ve told you a long time ago, there¡¯s no need for you to do it."


    Speaking of this, Qiao Canxue¡¯s face showed a nostalgic look as she slowly said:


    "Since the night that the Qiao family was wiped out half a year ago, my eyes have been restless. It¡¯s obviously a sign that the celestial eye is about to open. I am the sole survivor of the Qiao family. The fact that the Martial Saint spared my life is not a coincidence, but rather because I have extraordinary spiritual awareness."


    "Why do you need to take action? When my divine eyes open, be it outsiders or Martial Saints, they will all disappear in the blink of an eye!" The blind girl proudly puffed up her chest and said.


    Qiao Mu didn¡¯t pay attention and continued:


    "Can you tell me when you n to teach me the training methods of the Qiao Family¡¯s Long Life Fist in Heyang City?"


    The blind girl¡¯s name is Qiao Canxue. She is the only orphan of the Qiao Family in Heyang City.


    Qiao Mu has no connection to the Qiao Family of Heyang City. He is called Qiao Mu simply because that was his name in his previous life.


    "Don¡¯t aim too high," Qiao Canxue said seriously. "To develop internal strength, you must first reach the utmost level in ¡®force training.¡¯"


    "The stage of ¡®force training,¡¯ which enhances physical strength and increases internal energy, requires hard work and patience. There are no shortcuts, even with good food, drink, and training under a famous master. It will still take at least five to six years."


    As a descendant of the Qiao family, a martial arts n, Qiao Canxue, although blind, has been exposed to it and has a profound understanding of martial arts theory.


    "I feel like I¡¯m almost done with the ¡®strength training¡¯ stage," Qiao Mu stretched his arm, admiring the muscles that had grown an entire circle.


    "You¡¯re just talking tough," Qiao Canxue didn¡¯t believe him at all.


    "Come, let me feel your bones and see how much progress you¡¯ve made."


    With that, Qiao Canxue reached out her hand to touch him.

 Chapter 5:

    Chapter 5:


    Qiao Canxue reached out her hand towards Qiao Mu, but quickly pulled it back as if getting an electric shock, showing a hint of fear on her fair face.


    "So hard¡­ What did you make me touch?"


    "My arm."


    Qiao Canxue stayed silent for a while, then reached out her hand again to explore and evaluate, but this time she was no longer calm.


    "In just over a month, you became this strong?"


    They had only known each other for a little over a month.


    After they first met, they quickly reached an agreement:


    Qiao Canxue taught Qiao Mu the ancestral martial arts of the Qiao Family from Heyang City, called "Long Life Fist," and in return, Qiao Mu would seek revenge on Qiao Canxue¡¯s behalf.


    So, Qiao Mu officially began practicing the "Long Life Fist" training manual, which took a little over a month.Blind girl Qiao Canxue couldn¡¯t see his age and body changes, but she could hear some slight differences in his voice. So, she only realized now that Qiao Mu¡¯s entire body has grown bigger.


    "Incredible," Qiao Canxue also eximed.


    "Training one¡¯s strength is a gradual process, there are no shortcuts, but you¡­"


    "Don¡¯t be shocked, let¡¯s move on to the next step quickly and teach me the martial arts." Qiao Mu urged.


    Qiao Canxue was taken aback, "Don¡¯t rush¡­Let me recall the rhymes for the strength training first."


    "Although my family¡¯s ¡®Long Life Fist Sutra¡¯ was taken away, I still remember the content until the strength training part."


    Qiao Mu had no choice but to wait silently on the sidelines.


    Although Qiao Canxue told him not to be impatient, he was indeed a little anxious.


    Qiao Mu has the extraordinary ability to live forever, which is like having the power of immortality.


    By sacrificing their lifespan and rapidly aging their own body, they exchange it for a rapid increase in strength.


    Just like his battle with Butcher Zheng, it didn¡¯tst more than an hour, but dying repeatedly during that time was equivalent to five years of hard training.


    However, there is also a cost.


    The peak period of physical fitness in a person¡¯s body is generally between the ages of eighteen and thirty.


    Even the mighty martial artists of this world, with a single palm, can shatter mountains and split rocks, but in theirter years, their vitality will decline.


    Qiao Mu cannot die, but he can still grow old.


    If it weren¡¯t for the Long Life Fist, even if Qiao Mu repeatedly risked his life, his power would grow to the point where a single punch could shatter a mountain. However, in hister years, his vitality would eventually wither and his strength would decline.


    Birth, aging, sickness, and death are thews of all things, and even the strongest martial artist is no exception.


    What¡¯s even more heartbreaking is¡­ Qiao Mu has eternal life.


    This means that unless he exhausts all his lives, life is eternal, and he will endure an endless period of old age and weakness.


    So in Qiao Mu¡¯s eyes¡­


    Long Life Fist is the missing piece of his puzzle!


    Long Life Fist£¡


    This is a superior martial arts that has produced many masters who lived past 100 years old. Its biggest feature is the ability to prolong life and stay youthful!


    Qiao Mu wants to be stronger, but he also doesn¡¯t want to grow old and weak because of sacrificing his life. Is this kind of thought wrong?


    It is because of this that he stands here.


    Qiao Mu must learn theplete "Long Life Fist" before he bes old and weak, and master it to the highest level, achieving the state of being forever young and vigorous.


    By then, with the ability of immortality and the state of being forever young and energetic, Qiao Mu can freely enjoy life and even die without any worries, right?


    Qiao Mu had already made up his mind.


    If anyone angers him, he will quietly choose a dark and windy night, and hang himself in front of the enemy¡¯s door.


    Then the next day, he will pretend to be his older brother and report the enemy to the authorities.


    ¡­¡­¡­.


    The two of them walked out of the noodle shop, turning left and right, and entered a small alley from the main street, going deeper and deeper.


    As they walked deeper, the alley became narrower, darker, and more cramped. The walls on both sides were peeling, and moss grew in the darkness.


    In the air, a disgustingly strange smell gradually spread, a mix of feces, urine and sweaty sourness, this caused Qiao Mu to unconsciously hold his breath and quicken his pace.


    "Why did you choose to live in such a poor ce in the first ce?" Qiao Mu asked, holding his nose.


    "My identity must remain hidden. Naturally, I had to find a vacant house in the outer city. It¡¯s better to have a ce to live than to starve like the famine victims," Qiao Canxue replied.


    In Yan City, there was a famine one month ago.


    This area outside the city is almostpletely empty, and even four or five out of ten houses are vacant, so there are many unused houses left.


    As long as Qiao Mu is willing, he can sleep in one house today and switch to another house tomorrow. It can be said that at a young age, he achieved the freedom of owning properties.


    After entering the wooden house deep in the alley, Qiao Canxue began reciting the mantras of the techniques she remembered:


    "¡­..Using what is visible to aid what is invisible, one thing bes real, but many be illusory¡­. Alright, I have already told you the mantra for the strength training chapter."


    "Once you generate a sense of qi and cultivate internal strength, you can be considered truly advanced in martial arts."


    Qiao Mu remained quiet, simply sitting on the side, silently meditating and adjusting his breathing. After a while, he gently shook his head.


    "I still sense no qi."


    This reaction actually made Qiao Canxueugh:


    "Everyone says not to aim too high. If you want to develop internal strength, you should practice strength training until the end of the training phase. Although you have been practicing well, you have only been practicing for a little over a month."


    "Butcher Zheng, who is suspected to be a member of the ¡®Wuji Association,¡¯ has been secretly practicing martial arts for many years. Although he hasn¡¯t developed internal strength, his arms also possess the strength of several hundred kilograms."


    "Once you reach the end of the strength training phase in the future, your arms will have the strength of five hundred kilograms. You will be able to defeat Butcher Zheng¨C"


    "No need to wait forter, I have already finished," Qiao Mu interjected.


    "This time, I killed Butcher Zheng and found a secret letter on him. He should be a member of the ¡®Wuji Association¡¯ that you mentioned."


    Qiao Mu briefly told the story of killing Butcher Zheng and emphasized the two letters found on Butcher Zheng, especially the encrypted one.


    Qiao Canxue was initially skeptical, but her expression changed immediately when she heard Qiao Mu mention the encrypted letter shaped like a tadpole.


    "A tadpole-shaped encryption? You actually found something like this. It seems you have indeed killed the member of ¡®Wuji Association.¡¯"


    Qiao Canxue searched through her belongings and pulled out a small notebook filled with densely written small characters.


    "Tadpole code is a secretnguage used formunication in the ¡®Wuji Association.¡¯ It is very difficult to master¡­ This is how the code is deciphered. Take a look and read it to me."


    "You actually understand it?" Qiao Mu was slightly surprised.


    Qiao Canxue remained calm and didn¡¯t offer any exnation, so he didn¡¯t ask further.


    After all, the Qiao Family in Heyang City used to be a prominent n. Being thest descendant of the Qiao family, Qiao Canxue naturally hadn¡¯t been idle during the past six months.


    Qiao Mu held the tadpole coded letter and the hand-copied book, quicklypared them, and his expression immediately changed.


    "It seems like this letter is saying¡­ Great Yan Emperor will be leaving the capital soon, and the Wuji Association is preparing to gather its members to assassinate the Great Yan Emperor?"


    Qiao Mu¡¯s heart was suddenly filled with shock and waves.


    An assassin who would assassinate the emperor!


    Whether the assassination seeded or failed, this assassin had almost no chance of surviving!


    It would be great if he could do such a dangerous thing!


    After all.


    If one were to die as an assassin, perhaps their name could be recorded in history books, the Death Assessment would surely be very high!


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 Chapter 6:

    Chapter 6:


    "Assassinate the Emperor?" Qiao Canxue¡¯s face changed immediately when she heard this.


    "Where is the Wuji Association nning to assassinate the Emperor? What is the Emperor¡¯s schedule? Do you have more details?"


    Qiao Mu carefullypared and looked at it, feeling a sudden chill in his heart.


    "The secret code in your little book is iplete. I can only piece it together and make sense of it. I can¡¯t decipher the specific time and location."


    Qiao Canxue sighed, "This Wuji Association is really audacious. But if it¡¯s them, it¡¯s not impossible."


    "Is the Wuji Association really that powerful? Please exin in detail."


    Qiao Mu became interested as soon as he heard it.


    Qiao Canxue exined, "The Wuji Association is a rising martial arts organization in recent years. They are dedicated to breaking the barriers between different martial arts sects, exchanging martial arts techniques and cultivation experiences, and exploring the ultimate pursuit of martial arts."


    Qiao Mu asked, "So you¡¯re saying that the gate of your Heyang City¡¯s Qiao Family was broken by Wuji Association?"Qiao Canxue£º"¡­."


    "It is said that the internal members of Wuji Association can easily ess the martial arts secret manuscripts cherished by various sects, after all, they were mostly obtained through looting. This should also include the martial arts passed down in my Qiao family, the Long Life Fist Sutra," she continued.


    "The martial arts of my Qiao family, the ¡®Long Life Fist Sutra,¡¯ has quite a background. It is said that the founder of the first generation received the boxing scripture from an immortal in a famous mountain. It must be extraordinary within the Wuji Association, which is why Butcher Zheng could see through your Long Life Fist technique at a nce."


    Qiao Mu didn¡¯t take the "learning from immortals" im seriously, he just treated it as a joke. It was quitemon in ancient dynasties to borrow the name of an immortal to add prestige. However, he was really interested in the "Long Life Fist Sutra" itself.


    Helping Qiao Canxue investigate the matter of Wuji Association, wasn¡¯t it all to obtain theplete "Long Life Fist Sutra" and free himself from the embarrassment of weakened strength and declining vitality in old age?


    "The leader of this Wuji Association is said to be the second-ranked martial artist supreme in the world, Martial Saint."


    "He calls himself Martial Saint? How arrogant," Qiao Mu eximed.


    "Originally, this Martial Saint was a high-ranking member of the Great Yan Imperial Court. However, after a disastrous defeat in battle against the supernatural beings, he left his official position and entered themon world. Since then, he has called himself Martial Saint and his strength has grown by leaps and bounds."


    "He established Wuji Association to single-handedly destroy many martial arts families and sects. Now, he dares to plot the assassination of the current emperor¡­ It truly seems like something he is capable of doing," Qiao Canxue¡¯s voice turned slightly cold.


    Back then, the Qiao Family in Heyang City was not a pushover either since they had produced a centenarian grandmaster.


    The one who could annihte Heyang City¡¯s Qiao Family was naturally a Martial Saint.


    Her enemy is not just a martial artist that even the Great Yan Imperial Court is struggling to handle, but also the second top martial artist of the present time.


    Qiao Canxue was not naive enough to think that training a Qiao Mu could kill the unattainable Martial Saint. She just hoped to clip his wings.


    After thinking for a long time, Qiao Mu suddenly said:


    "I have an idea."


    "Perhaps, I can find a way to infiltrate Wuji Association."


    Qiao Mu was already intrigued by Wuji Association.


    An organization established by the second martial artist of the era, owning many martial arts books, where members can easily read them, including the "Long Life Fist Sutra"¡­. Isn¡¯t this what he has always dreamed of?


    If he could obtain the martial arts secret books controlled by the Wuji Association¡­. then he could continuously risk his life, spend a lot of lifespan, and practice each and every martial arts secret book to the extreme!


    "You just said that you wanted to join the Wuji Association?"


    Qiao Canxue turned her head, expressionless, facing him.


    Only a slight sigh escaped her heart.


    "Not bad," Qiao Mu nodded. "First, I will join the Wuji Association internally, and then as an assassin of the Wuji Association, I will assassinate the emperor. This way, the Great Yan Imperial Court and the Wuji Association will surely never stop!"


    "If I can¡¯t infiltrate the Wuji Association, then I will continue to deal with the people of the Wuji Association and try my best to obtain theplete n of the Wuji Association¡¯s assassination of the emperor¡­ By then, I can also act as an assassin, stirring up trouble, and let the Wuji Association bear the wrath of the court."


    "With the foundation of the Great Yan Imperial Court, there should be a good chance of killing the Martial Saint," Qiao Mu pondered.


    Regardless of whether the assassination is sessful or not, the Great Yan Imperial Court cannot allow such a powerful person daring to assassinate the emperor to continue existing. The contradiction will inevitably reach its boiling point!


    After listening to Qiao Mu, Qiao Canxue stood still for a long time.


    "Do you want to be an assassin to overthrow the Wuji Association and assassinate the emperor? That is almost certain death," Qiao Canxue said word by word.


    Qiao Mu said seriously, "This is the best opportunity."


    "Since the Martial Saint is as strong as you say, seeking revenge is almost impossible, at most it will only cause trouble for the Wuji Association."


    "So, this is the best solution," Qiao Mu said decisively.


    "But you will die, won¡¯t you?" Qiao Canxue said slowly.


    "What¡¯s there to fear about death?" Qiao Mu not only showed no fear, but even almostughed.


    Seeing Qiao Canxue¡¯s puzzled expression, Qiao Mu thought up a reason to dispel her doubts and said boldly:


    "Kindness shown is double kindness returned."


    "You will teach me the secret martial arts of the Qiao family, and I will definitely repay you."


    Qiao Canxue listened silently, her expression showing some emotion.


    As a blind person, although she couldn¡¯t see, her other senses were much more sensitive than an ordinary person¡¯s.


    Hearing, smell, and even the sharp intuition that had kept her alive in turbulent times as a blind person¡­


    All of thesebined gave her, a blind person, an even stronger ability to "read people¡¯s expressions" than an ordinary person.


    Qiao Canxue¡¯s nostrils twitched slightly as she mumbled to herself, "There is no trace of deception, but rather an emotion of excitement and enthusiasm. Is he serious?"


    "Does he truly believe this is a great opportunity to destroy the Wuji Association, even to the point of assassinating the emperor and willingly sacrificing himself?"


    Qiao Canxue was greatly moved.


    The condition they had agreed upon earlier was for Qiao Canxue to teach the Long Life Fist to Qiao Mu, and once he mastered the martial art, he would seek revenge on behalf of her against the Wuji Association.


    But these two conditions are not actually the same.


    Although Long Life Fist is considered to be a good martial art, Wuji Association, which is a huge organization, is much more important than an iplete Long Life Fist.


    Is there any martial art in this world worth trading your life for?


    "He is serious, not lying, but what is he after?"


    Qiao Canxue couldn¡¯t understand, silently repeating Qiao Mu¡¯s words in her mind:


    Kindness shown is double kindness returned.


    If Qiao Mu were to assassinate the Emperor and sacrifice herself to repay Qiao Canxue, then how should Qiao Canxue repay this heartfelt intention?


    "Following this reasoning, should I also repay him with a big favor?" Qiao Canxue thought about this and almost opened her tightly closed eyes on the spot.


    "Could he be interested in me physically?"


    "Why are you daydreaming?" Qiao Mu asked, seeing Qiao Canxue lost in thought for a long time.


    "Tell me, do you happen to know if there are any members of the Wuji Association nearby?"


    Whether Qiao Mu wanted to infiltrate the Wuji Association or continue hunting down its members, he had to make contact with people from the Wuji Association first.


    "Yes," Qiao Canxue cleared her throat and snapped out of her reverie, speaking slowly.


    "This City Lord Guo Yan in Yan City seems to be a member of the Wuji Association."

 Chapter 7:

    Chapter 7:


    At the entrance of a teahouse on the long street, Qiao Mu and Qiao Canxue chose a table close to the door and listened to the tea drinkers to gather information.


    "Our City Lord Guo in Yan City is actually a kind-hearted person¡­" The tea drinkers nced around and spoke quietly.


    "He just spoils his child too much, to the point that the master¡¯s son¡­is too spoiled."


    "Things were fine on normal days. But a few days ago, when the City Lord was out and about, Childe Guo almost caused a mess in Yan City," the tea customer said with a bitter smile.


    "Luckily, the City Lord came back two days ago, so Childe Guo should behave for a while."


    "Otherwise, you folks from out of town, if you provoke the City Lord¡¯s son on the street, you¡¯d be in big trouble."


    The City Lord¡¯s son sounded like a typical spoiled child, perhaps he could be a way to get to the City Lord¡­ After the tea customer left, Qiao Mu discussed with Qiao Canxue.


    "If this City Lord is really a member of Wuji Association, then his recent outings might be rted to the association¡¯s n to assassinate the emperor," Qiao Mu guessed.


    "Makes sense. Maybe we can start by investigating the City Lord¡¯s son."Qiao Mu took a sip of tea, lost in thought.


    It had been a week since he killed Butcher Zheng.


    During this week, Qiao Mu and Qiao Canxue tried to gather information about the City Lord in teahouses and taverns in the city. They wandered around the City Lord¡¯s residence all day, but so far they hadn¡¯te across the City Lord or his son.


    After a week, Qiao Mu¡¯s number of revival per week returned to the limit of 5 times, which gave him the capital to continue adventuring.


    In these few days, although Qiao Mu has been diligently practicing, he still hasn¡¯t developed a sense of Qi and is temporarily stuck at the step of reaching the limit of his strength.


    "These days are quitefortable, and I can still revive, so it¡¯s fine to progress slowly."


    Qiao Mu continued to sip his tea with his eyes half-closed, leisurely watching the passersby on the street.


    Suddenly, his gazended on a young swordsman in a green robe on the street.


    The young swordsman was in his early thirties, with sword-like eyebrows and captivating eyes. He had a remarkable appearance, and there was also a simrly aged beauty by his side.


    "Those two seem extraordinary, clearly knowledgeable about breathing techniques," the blind girl Qiao Canxue seemed to guess who Qiao Mu was observing and calmly said,


    "They should be internal strength martial artists who have already cultivated their internal strength, but their rank shouldn¡¯t be high."


    Qiao Mu nodded, feeling a bit envious, "Both husband and wife are internal strength martial artists. I admire them, but I should soon be one too."


    He should be just one step away from arriving at the internal strength period.


    "This Yan City is strange. I heard that there was a famine in the outer city, with about 80% of the poor people gone. But in the inner city, you can¡¯t see any signs of famine. It¡¯s quite prosperous," said the sword-wielding man in blue to the beautiful woman beside him.


    "What¡¯s so strange about that? It¡¯s the same in any city. The outer city is where the poor people live, and the inner city is where the city lord lives. How can it be chaotic?" said the woman, unbothered.


    "In my opinion, this Yan City Lord is probably just seeking fame and reputation."


    Just as they were talking, there was amotion up ahead.


    A young gentleman dressed in silk rode a tall horse into the middle of the disturbance. He was apanied by several servants who wielded long whips, continuouslyshing at the passersby.


    "Make way for Young Master Guo!"


    These servants were shamelessly unrestrained. They didn¡¯t discriminate against anyone, whether men, women, young, or old. Anyone who dared to approach the young gentleman in the center would receive a whip.


    Among the servants, there were even strong martial artists. With a singlesh, they could even flip and send a person flying, causing the people on both sides to scatter in fear.


    Soon, the bustling market, which was once filled with people, became empty.


    "The Lord¡¯s son? The main character has arrived," Qiao Mu and Qiao Canxue in the teahouse were both excited.


    The beautiful woman beside the blue-d swordsman also watched Childe Guo, her gaze showing a hint of disgust, but she didn¡¯t say anything.


    But unexpectedly, at this moment, the City Lord¡¯s son, riding a spirited horse, suddenly looked up and his gaze seemed to briefly meet hers.


    "Someone," Childe Guo¡¯s eyes immediately lit up.


    "Bring that beauty over here."


    Immediately, several burly servants holding long whips rushed over.


    The blue-d swordsman and the beautiful woman¡¯s faces instantly turned pale, and the beautiful woman even took a few steps back, saying, "No, please don¡¯t."


    Just as she was about to dodge backwards, she saw the burly servants bypass her and firmly restrain the blue-d swordsman on her side by grabbing his shoulder.


    "Sir, my master would like to invite you for a conversation."


    The beautifuldy was puzzled for a moment before realizing, "When he says beauty, is he referring to¡­" She looked towards Childe Guo, who was proudly riding a tall horse, and suddenly felt a chill in her heart.


    This reaction made Childe Guo chuckle coldly.


    He lifted his horse whip and looked down disdainfully at the beautifuldy from his horse¡¯s back.


    "The thing I hate the most is you arrogant women who think highly of yourselves. Just one look and you think I desire your body? How shameless! Now get lost!" he scoffed.


    As the beautifuldy choked up, the swordsman in green clothes beside her became infuriated and drew his sword, engaging in a fight with the guards.


    "Oh, a ninth-ranked martial artist with internal strength," Childe Guo said calmly, still sitting firmly on his horse without moving.


    Soon, a burly bodyguard stepped forward and fought the swordsman in green clothes evenly.


    Childe Guo shook his head as he watched.


    "Can you do it or not? Hurry up."


    If he hadn¡¯t been so arrogant recently and angered his father, the scale of his travel now would be even bigger, with more attendants and guards. Dealing with a 9th ranked martial artist would still be a piece of cake, right?


    "Jiang Lang! I¡¯ll help you. We are a married couple, and even in death, we should stay together!" The beautiful woman drew her long sword and joined the battle, unexpectedly revealing herself to be a martial artist with incredible inner power.


    "Why won¡¯t you leave when you¡¯re asked to go? You insist on staying? Then stay here with your husband," Childe Guo said calmly on his horse as he directed his guards to surround them.


    On Childe Guo¡¯s side, there were clearly more guards. Among them, there were also two martial artists ranked as 9th. They quickly surrounded the two people and gradually gained the upper hand.


    "Didn¡¯t you just dislike me before?" The beautiful woman clenched her teeth, struggling against the guards¡¯ attacks, very difficultly.


    "Eh? Indeed." Childe Guoughed loudly and said:


    "But I also keep three fierce dogs at home¡­."


    The beautiful woman felt both ashamed and angry. Suddenly, she made a mistake and her arm was instantly cut with a knife, making blood flow out.


    The people around didn¡¯t find it strange anymore, as the strange habits of the City Lord¡¯s son were well known in the city.


    "It¡¯s a pity for this couple, they are already skilled martial artists, which is quite difficult. Yet they don¡¯t seem to value their lives, daring to oppose the City Lord¡¯s son."


    "These martial artists from other regions don¡¯t know when to retreat, and now both the husband and wife will be kept here."


    "If they had known, they shouldn¡¯t have resisted. Maybe they wouldn¡¯t have suffered any injuries."


    "Let¡¯s move away, so we don¡¯t get sttered with blood."


    The beautiful woman fought back while listening to the whispers of the people around her, and her mind started to waver.


    In the emergency situation, she made a difficult decision, feigning an attack with a sword and then swiftly jumping up, breaking free from the encirclement and fleeing into the distance.


    "Jiang Lang, bear with it for now. I¡¯ll immediately inform the elders at home¡­" Her voice drifted from afar.

 Chapter 8:

    Chapter 8:


    The beautiful woman escaped from the encirclement and ran away. The pedestrians on the street couldn¡¯t avoid her.


    "Wan¡¯er¡­" The green-clothed swordsman, shocked to see the beautiful woman breaking free from the encirclement and running away, blurted out unconsciously.


    "Jiang Lang, we are a married couple. How could I leave you behind?" The beautiful woman said while running.


    "You only lost your purity, but if I get caught, I will be attacked by three vicious dogs¡­"


    "¡­¡­Ah ah ah!" The green-clothed swordsman was speechless, only roaring furiously and waving his sword in chaos.


    "What are you saying? How disgusting." Childe Guo on horseback interrupted with a disgusted look on his face.


    "Ick a servant to feed the fierce dogs in my mansion. What are you thinking? Even a pervert like me thinks you¡¯re a pervert."


    Beautiful woman: ¡­..


    Her fleeing figure suddenly stopped. Now she didn¡¯t know whether it was better to keep running or stay and continue fighting."But you did give me a good idea," said the young lord, touching his chin and smiling.


    "Quickly surrender, and I will try something when we get back," he said.


    "Beast! I see through your intention, you are only amusing yourself with us!" The sword-wielding man in blue clothes said angrily and sorrowfully, his eyes filled with rage.


    Throughout the whole ordeal, the City Lord¡¯s son merely sat upright on his horse, continuously using words to mock and confuse them, causing them to bepletely disoriented.


    "Husband and wife are meant to fly together like birds in the same forest, but when great difficultyes, they each fly their own way." Qiao Canxue murmured to herself with her eyes closed.


    She came from a fallen noble family and had seen too much of the ups and downs in life, so she wasn¡¯t surprised by the scene unfolding before her.


    She had witnessed many examples of couples turning against each other in the face of life and death tests.


    "My dear, don¡¯t be angry, I am only helping you see the true colors of the person by your side," Childe Guo on horseback continued to smile.


    Throughout the whole ordeal, he remained calm andposed, sitting on his horse.


    "Chase her, don¡¯t let that woman escape!"


    With hismand, some of the guards immediately went after her, wanting to capture the beautiful woman again. At the same time, the originally wless encirclement suddenly had a gap.


    And in that moment.


    Qiao Canxue felt a breeze brush past her.


    She instinctively reached out her hand, but there was nothing there. Qiao Mu¡¯s previous position was already empty.


    "Why is he getting involved? The couple are both skilled martial artists and they were easily toyed with. He¡¯s a beginner in martial arts!" Qiao Canxue¡¯s heart suddenly skipped a beat.


    Then, she only heard a muffled sound.


    In the split second when the encirclement had a gap, he suddenly crashed into two guards, leapt up, and knocked Childe Guo off his horse.


    This sudden move caught the surrounding guards off guard. By the time they reacted, Qiao Mu had already tightly grasped Childe Guo¡¯s throat.


    "Young master!"


    All the surrounding guards turned pale, but seeing Qiao Mu firmly restraining Childe Guo¡¯s hand, they dared not approach.


    Disaster struck!


    Childe Guo is the number one yboy in Yan City, and no one dares to oppose him.


    At this moment, all the guards¡¯ attention is focused on the swordsman couple from another region, so they never expected someone to suddenly appear on the roadside.


    "The young master of the city lord has been kidnapped!"


    Themon people on both sides of the street never expected such a turn of events. While they felt a hidden satisfaction, they also felt uneasy.


    "Is this another outsider? How dare theyy a hand on the city lord¡¯s son! This is outrageous!"


    "This young man is too reckless. If things escte, he, an outsider, can simply walk away, but we might suffer the consequences!"


    "Brother, brother, let¡¯s talk." Childe Guo was held by Qiao Mu around his neck, his face turning red.


    However, he still tried to maintain hisposure and said:


    "Brother, you may not know, I am the son of Yan City Lord, and the whole city belongs to my Guo family."


    "So what?" Qiao Mu held Childe Guo¡¯s neck with one hand, lifting him up like a little chicken.


    Childe Guo continued, "This ce is not far from the lord¡¯s mansion. If you hurt me, my father wille immediately!"


    Is there such a good thing?


    Qiao Mu instantly became happy.


    At this moment, the Ouroboros Long Life Lock in his mind emitted a faint glow.


    This means that what Qiao Mu is currently doing is approved by the Ouroboros Long Life Lock and can improve the Death Assessment.


    He nned to be brave and kill the Lord¡¯s son, but then he would likely be killed by the guards.


    But if the Lord coulde in time, wouldn¡¯t the situation be even bigger?


    If he died at the hands of the Lord, his Death Assessment would surely reach a higher level, right?


    Thinking of this, Qiao Mu raised his hand and gave Childe Guo two big ps, one after the other.


    After killing Butcher Zheng, Qiao Mu went from a beginner in martial arts to reaching his maximum strength, with his arms having the strength of 500 kilograms.


    With Qiao Mu¡¯s current strength, if he were to p someone, not only would it cause a concussion, but it could also possibly kill them if he didn¡¯t hold back.


    Smack! Smack!


    The crisp and loud sound of a p echoed through the quiet street.


    With these two ps, Childe Guo¡¯s head was turned to the side, blood flowing from his nose and mouth, his head feeling dizzy, and his eyes almost unable to open.


    "Young master!"


    "How dare you!"


    Qiao Mu held Childe Guo by the cor with one hand, lifting him in front of him, and faced the guards expressionlessly.


    "Big¡­big brother, I admit defeat." Childe Guo struggled to open his swollen eyes and called out with his mouth open.


    As soon as he opened his mouth, his front teeth mixed with blood and saliva spewed out.


    Who would have expected that Qiao Mu would get angry when he heard it.


    "You are not allowed to admit defeat! Call your father here!" Qiao Mu swung another p, hitting Childe Guo¡¯s head to the side, making an unsettling cracking sound from his neck.


    "Wha¡­what are you staring at? Go find my father!" Childe Guo said indistinctly.


    His whole person was being held in Qiao Mu¡¯s hand, and his body couldn¡¯t help but tremble. The arrogant posture he had on the horseback before waspletely gone.


    On the other side.


    The sword-wielding man in a green robe leaned on his sword, breathing heavily. He had multiple knife wounds on his body, which were not light.


    He turned his head and looked back, a bitter smile appearing on his face.


    His wife hadpletely disappeared.


    When Qiao Mu caused amotion, she didn¡¯t even turn back. Instead, she took advantage of this opportunity to run far away. Now, her figure could no longer be seen.


    Thinking of this, he looked up at Qiao Mu, his eyes filled with disbelief.


    The two of them, both of the 9th rank, were locked in a bitter battle with the guards of the City Lord¡¯s son. Meanwhile, the young man over there seemed to have not yet cultivated internal strength, but dared tounch a sneak attack at this time?


    Moreover, he actually seeded?


    The man in the green robe was filled with bitterness.


    He had never expected that his beloved wife would run away during a critical moment, but instead, a stranger saved him.


    When his mind was filled with various thoughts.


    Suddenly, he realized something and looked up sharply.


    Tap, tap, tap¡­


    The loud sound of horse hooves merged together, approaching from a distance.


    At the end of his field of vision, a hundred-strong cavalry rushed towards him, the chaotic sound of horse hooves causing the ground to tremble.


    The leader, with a towering figure and a stern expression, exuded an extraordinary aura.


    He was the ruler of the city of Yan, named Guo Yan.

 Chapter 9:

    Chapter 9:


    Rumble¡­


    More than a hundred horsemen shook the ground of the street, like a dark cloud pressing down, making it hard to breathe.


    "The Lord of the City is here!"


    "This incident has really escted!"


    The people on both sides of the street dare not make a sound, all running away, leaving the street empty in an instant.


    Qiao Canxue hid among the crowd, with no expression on her face, just holding her staff with slightly whitened knuckles.


    She never expected that things would suddenly end up in such a situation.


    Who gave Qiao Mu the courage to get involved in a matter that could attract the attention of the Lord of the City, as a martial artist who had not yet reached his full potential?


    The hundred horsemen surrounded the street densely.The person leading at the front is the lord of Yan City, Guo Yan.


    He nced at Qiao Mu, who was holding Childe Guo in his hands. Childe Guo¡¯s eyes were swollen and his cheeks were puffed up, even his own father almost didn¡¯t recognize him.


    His face turned slightly serious and he dismounted from his horse.


    "Father¡­" Childe Guo struggled to open his eyes and called out.


    "Be quiet!" Guo Yan shouted, his voice booming like thunder, almost causing the already dizzy Childe Guo to faint.


    Guo Yan took a step forward and his gaze fell upon Qiao Mu.


    The moment their eyes met, Qiao Mu felt a strong pressure from the martial artist¡¯s instinct.


    The pressure from City Lord Guo Yan alone was even stronger than the hundred soldiers behind himbined.


    Even though Qiao Mu knew he had the ability to live forever, in that moment his breathing instinctively became slightly heavier.


    "The lord of this city looks quite extraordinary and very dangerous¡­. He must really excel in martial arts. It¡¯s not just a rumor that he¡¯s a member of the Wuji Association."


    Qiao Mu quickly adjusted.


    There was even a bit of excitement.


    After all, he was someone who befriended death.


    For ordinary people, death means the end of life, the end of everything.


    But for Qiao Mu, it was actually a good thing.


    Anyone who could kill him would make him stronger!


    Butcher Zheng killed him four times, and as a result, Qiao Mu went from being a beginner in martial arts to a young martial artist with extraordinary strength, with 500 pounds of force in his arms.


    Butcher Zheng, on the other hand, was just an untalented martial artist. Despite being a viin, he was ultimately just a big bully.


    And now?


    Qiao Mu was facing the owner of Yan City, City Lord Guo Yan!


    The situation has escted, and if Qiao Mu can be killed by the City Lord, the Death Assessment will surely be higher!


    Isn¡¯t this what Qiao Mu has been pursuing all along, high-quality death?


    As long as he dies¡­ he can directly be the big boss and kill this City Lord!


    If he can¡¯t kill the city lord, then let the city lord kill him more times!


    After all, even death itself is on Qiao Mu¡¯s side, so how can he lose?


    At this moment, City Lord Guo Yan, who got off his horse, was still moving step by step towards Qiao Mu.


    With each step he took, the heavy oppressive feeling rose.


    The noisy street became quiet, and even ordinary people who couldn¡¯t fight could feel the heavy atmosphere.


    Just a momentter.


    "Stop!" Qiao Mu grabbed Childe Guo by the cor and raised it high, stopping the City Lord who was approaching step by step.


    City Lord Guo Yan was slightly startled and immediately stopped.


    The oppressive feeling suddenly eased.


    Guo Yan had already noticed that Qiao Mu had not yet developed internal strength and was only in the stage of practicing martial arts.


    Based on the difference in their abilities, all he needed to do was approach step by step, and under the influence of his aura, the weak martial artist wouldn¡¯t even be able to speak.


    However, he didn¡¯t expect that not only could Qiao Mu speak normally, but he also continued to threaten him with Childe Guo in his hand without any fear.


    Not bad, showing courage¡­ Guo Yan remained calm on the surface, unable to discern any clear emotions, and spoke:


    "Little friend, don¡¯t be impulsive. We can talk about anything."


    "I have heard about what happened. Indeed, my child did something wrong and truly needs discipline. They should be punished."


    "I have been ineffective in disciplining my son. Please release my son for now, I will ensure to closely monitor him in the future."


    Qiao Mu was slightly startled. He never expected that the lord of this city would have such a humble attitude.


    He hasn¡¯t even started threatening yet, and the city lord apologized as soon as he spoke?


    This doesn¡¯t feel right. Shouldn¡¯t they be using various tactics to intimidate and coerce me?


    The city lord is supposed to be respected, but he starts off with such a low posture, being so kind and friendly. How can Qiao Mu strive for greatness, show her skills, and shine brightly?


    There¡¯s a problem, a big problem. This person is definitely a cunning trickster who only wants to deceive me and let go of his son¡­ Qiao Mu¡¯s face remained unchanged as she continued to speak:


    "If you really want to apologize, did you perhaps choose the wrong person?"


    "The people caught by the son of the City Lord are the couple in green clothes over there, not me. I am just an ordinary passerby, why should you apologize to me?"


    "Or perhaps, is City Lord Guo¡¯s apology only because I caught Childe Guo, not because Childe Guo did something wrong, like robbing someone on the street?"


    As the words fell, the whole street fell silent.


    Although the surrounding people dared not speak, their expressions changed.


    Even the City Lord, who usually maintained hisposure, twitched his eye slightly at this moment.


    That¡¯s how the world is.


    It¡¯s fine if this young man realizes it, but he really has to say it out loud in the middle of the street. That¡¯s too reckless, making him, the Lord of the City, feel a bit embarrassed.


    However, City Lord Guo Yan is a person who can handle and let go of things. At this moment, he solemnly nodded:


    "Young friend is right. It was my oversight due to my concern for my son¡¯s eager heart."


    Guo Yan turned around and looked at the swordsman in blue.


    Bang!


    The swordsman in blue standing beside him let go of his sword, his face turning slightly pale and not looking too good.


    He was already injured, and facing the lord of the city alone, under the pressure, he couldn¡¯t even hold his sword properly.


    "The lord of this Yan City is stronger than I expected¡­ but who is that person? He hasn¡¯t even developed his internal strength yet, yet he can remain calm in the face of the lord¡¯s intimidation. Does he have no fear at all?" The swordsman in blue felt surprised.


    When he was observing from the side just now, he didn¡¯t fully understand, but now, facing Guo Yan¡¯s pressure directly, he realized how difficult it was.


    "This¡­ young hero." At this moment, Guo Yan cupped his hand and spoke seriously:


    "On behalf of my son, I apologize to you."


    "This incident is indeed my son¡¯s fault." Guo Yan observed the swordsman in blue and said:


    "If I guess correctly, you must be a disciple of the Bright Moon Sect."


    "I actually have a good rtionship with the noble leader of your sect. But now, my son has made such a mistake, which truly brings me immense shame. In the future, I will definitely apologize at the gates of the Bright Moon Sect."


    The swordsman in the green robe froze, astonished that even his background and intentions were seen through¡­ Is this a partial threat?


    "I wonder if you, young hero, can ept my apology?" Guo Yan¡¯s eyes were like torches.

 Chapter 10:

    Chapter 10:


    "I wonder if you, young hero, can ept my apology?" Guo Yan¡¯s eyes were like torches.


    The swordsman in the green robe opened his mouth, but no words came out.


    City Lord Guo Yan didn¡¯t say anything either. He just waved his hand, and then the crowd of soldiers surrounding the long street dispersed. Two soldiers led a beautiful woman forward.


    "Jiang Lang¡­" The beautiful woman lowered her head, feeling ashamed and embarrassed. She never expected things to escte to this extent.


    Obviously, the beautifuldy was not able to escape far, and was discovered by the soldiers under themand of the city lords, and brought back again.


    This city, called Yan City, belongs to City Lord Guo Yan.


    Even if they were set free to run, it would be difficult for them to run outside the city.


    "It¡¯s all just a misunderstanding," said Guo Yan solemnly.


    "Luckily, the young couple didn¡¯t suffer too serious injuries.""As a gesture of apology, I will offer a hundred silver coins aspensation. Can you forgive my son¡¯s rudeness?" Guo Yan said sincerely.


    The couple in green robes nced at each other and saw a sense of helplessness in each other¡¯s eyes.


    This City Lord Guo Yan acts very differently from his son.


    He not only shows off his own strength, but also tries to build connections.


    And on the surface, Guo Yan, as the lord of the city, was willing to apologize to them, which was already very face-saving.


    This is almost the best result they could expect.


    So naturally, they could only nod.


    "Thank you, Lord Guo. Actually, when my wife and I first entered Yan City, we were a bit impulsive¡­" the swordsman in the green robe said.


    Seeing the swordsman in the green robe finally bowing his head, the surrounding people finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    It seems that this matter shoulde to an end with apologies from both sides.


    "To encounter such a situation, this is already the final result, being targeted by the City Lord¡¯s son. Not losing our lives and innocence is already good enough."


    "We originally thought that both of them would perish here, but the result turned out better than expected."


    "That¡¯s good, let¡¯s settle the matter peacefully, avoiding unnecessary trouble."


    When they arrived here, the tense atmosphere gradually eased.


    Even City Lord Guo Yan, who always had a serious face, showed a slightly rxed expression. He immediately turned his head to look at Qiao Mu.


    In fact, as a city lord, he had seen many young people like Qiao Mu who were impulsive and inexperienced.


    Therefore, after a brief confrontation, Guo Yan, who was the lord of the city, lowered his posture and sincerely apologized, avoiding any possible anger from Qiao Mu. He then shifted the focus to the couple of swordsmen in green clothes.


    Until this moment.


    The meaning in his eyes was very clear.


    Both he and the couple of swordsmen in green clothes had already reached a resolution and apologized to each other. So what about you, a mere bystander?


    Is it still necessary to keep holding onto his son?


    "City Lord, I have only one question." Qiao Mu had been quietly watching on the side without interrupting, and now she softly asked:


    "May I ask, can a broken mirror be pieced together again?"


    As the words fell, they resounded loudly.


    This question echoed far along the long street.


    The expression of the green-clothed swordsman slowly changed from gentle to confused, and he couldn¡¯t help but turn his head to look at the beautiful woman beside him.


    However, in his mind, he recalled the scene of the other person leaving just now.


    He also understood in his heart that it was impossible for their couple to pretend that nothing had happened.


    Can a broken mirror be pieced together again?


    Under this question.


    The false harmony created by the city lord just moments ago instantly shattered.


    The recent reconciliation was just an apology between City Lord Guo Yan and the other person.


    But for these weak ones, it was already the best oue.


    Being able to resolve the conflict peacefully is already good.


    However, Qiao Mu tore off thisyer of cover and showed them the bloody reality.


    Does he really want to reconcile and pretend like nothing happened deep down in his heart?


    Of course not. He just can¡¯t say it, he dares not say it.


    "Guo Yan!" Qiao Mu grabbed Childe Guo¡¯s neck and shouted:


    "Do you think that as a city lord, as long as youpensate and apologize, the matter will just go away like that? Is this just your one-sided reconciliation?"


    The sword-wielding person in green clothes red and clenched their fist instinctively.


    Even the person involved had no choice but to reluctantly nod in agreement, while Qiao Mu, an unrted bystander, dared to directly curse at the lord and spoke out his unspoken thoughts?


    The swordsman in the green clothes clenched his fists secretly, feeling somewhat inexplicably ashamed: This young hero is truly brave and righteous. He is clearly still just a beginner martial artist in the training stage, not as strong as me.


    Qiao Mu continued, "The fact that the swordsman couple escaped unharmed today, with neither side suffering any casualties or being sent as ves to the mansion, is all because of me, a meddlesome bystander!"


    "But what about before this? Your son has long had a reputation for being reckless, ordering the guards to whip the people and snatch others in the street. These things are not done for the first time."


    Qiao Mu pointed to the bloodstains on the long street paved with cobblestones.


    When Childe Guo paraded through the streets, his attendants always used whips to clear the way. Anyone who approached, regardless of age or gender, would receive a whip. The bloodstains still remained today.


    The whippings from the martial artist attendants were not as simple as just breaking the skin. They had the power to shatter bones and send a person flying.


    The weak ones could even be struck to death on the spot.


    "Guo Yan, have you ever reconciled with the swordsman couple and asked about the countless sufferings, including physical harm and the destruction of homes, suffered by the people because of you and your son?" Qiao Mu said sternly.


    The sound fell on the long street, causing the people on the street to be restless. Their eyes were fixed on Qiao Mu.


    Not to mention, many of them had just been whipped by Childe Guo¡¯s servants and still had whip marks on their bodies.


    A bystander spoke out in a righteous manner, expressing what they dared not say. How could their hearts not be moved?


    No one is born knowing how to endure mistreatment, they are just powerless to resist.


    City Lord Guo Yan remained silent for a long time.


    This time, Qiao Mu was asking him to apologize to all the people his own son had bullied over these years?


    But how is that possible?


    Even if he were willing, he couldn¡¯t possibly figure out how many people his son had bullied.


    After a long pause, he finally spoke:


    "Young friend, you asked me to apologize just now and I did. So why don¡¯t you just tell me how I can free my son?"


    Qiao Mu instantly became excited when he heard it.


    Wow, if you had asked me earlier, I wouldn¡¯t have had to go through so much trouble with you.


    "If you want me to let him go, it¡¯s very simple." Qiao Mu said firmly:


    "Unless I die!"


    All he asked for was just a single word: death!


    The power of immortality gave Qiao Mu the courage to face life and death.


    Speak if you have something to say, act if there¡¯s something to do, no need to weigh the pros and cons, don¡¯t care about gains or losses, and don¡¯t worry about offending the powerful.


    He wasn¡¯t just showing off his eloquence for a moment.


    Big talk won¡¯t save people, it can only give a moment of satisfaction to the victims waiting for the sword-wielding hero in blue.


    He scolded the lord of the city but it didn¡¯t change anything.


    Actions speak louder than words, a strong fist is more powerful than reasoning.


    As long as the Lord kills him in public, Qiao Mu will be able to transform into a powerful hero and personally seek revenge by crushing their evil ns!

 Chapter 11:

    Chapter 11:


    "Unless I die!" Qiao Mu was at his wit¡¯s end.


    The more spectacr the death, the higher the Death Assessment, and the stronger the revival afterward!


    He wished he could die at the hands of the City Lord right now.


    However, in the eyes of the crowd, his words and actions seemed to disregard life and death.


    "Even a passerby whose name is unknown would stand up and speak for the Sword Couple, disregarding life and death?"


    Everyone couldn¡¯t help but show reverence.


    Only City Lord Guo Yan sighed softly:


    "It seems like there¡¯s nothing more to discuss."


    In the moment he sighed, a pale figure appeared behind Qiao Mu.Qiao Mu only heard the sound of wind in his ears, and by the time he reacted, he felt an irresistible force in his hand.


    This was an old man dressed in gray clothes. His arms turned into a blur, and in an instant, he had Qiao Mu¡¯s hands locked. Childe Guo, who had been held in his hand all along, finally fell to the ground.


    Previously, Qiao Mu took the opportunity to attack and captured Childe Guo, who was protecting the crowd.


    Now, this gray-clothed old man also disappeared among the crowd. He quietly approached while Qiao Mu was talking to the city lord, and then suddenly made his move.


    Qiao Mu exerted force with his hands, trying to break free, but his hands were firmly fixed and could not resist at all.


    The strength of his arms, weighing five hundred kilograms, would easily overpower an ordinary person, but it had no effect against this gray-clothed old man.


    "The difference in strength is even greater than I imagined. What rank is he? I didn¡¯t even react just now."


    Qiao Mu was not panicked at all in his heart. He was even a little pleased.


    His mind sank and the Ouroboros Long Life Lock in his mind kept shining!


    At this moment, he and City Lord Guo Yan had the same thought in their hearts.


    The situation was settled!


    Suddenly, the crowd was in an uproar.


    Quickly, several guards stepped forward and helped the swollen-faced Childe Guo up, while several soldiers surrounded Qiao Mu with their swords.


    City Lord Guo Yan also breathed a sigh of relief. If they could have reached an agreement, he wouldn¡¯t have allowed his subordinates to secretly take action. Who knows if there would be any more mistakes?


    Then, his gaze silently swept across the faces of the many people around him, but a trace of gloom shed across his face.


    "Boy, what is your name?" he looked down on Qiao Mu, who was already surrounded by soldiers.


    "City Lord Guo is worrying too much." Qiao Mu, knowing that his time was almost up,ughed loudly, and his voice carried far:


    "I am called Qiao Mu, just a nobody, without any influential background, but it doesn¡¯t matter if City Lord Guo wants to kill me!"


    "He seems to have a bit of courage." City Lord Guo Yan stepped forward and carefully observed Qiao Mu, then suddenly said:


    "Let him go."


    The few soldiers were taken aback, but they naturally didn¡¯t defy the order and stepped back.


    City Lord Guo Yan said solemnly, "Qiao Mu, you have extraordinary courage and bravery, truly exceptional. If you intend to join the military and serve the country, you can report to my residence, Yan City Lord¡¯s Mansion, at any time."


    Qiao Mu£º£¿


    Is there something wrong with this script?


    Before he could respond, Childe Guo, who had just awakened from a daze beside him, shouted:


    "Father¡­"


    "Shut up!" Guo Yan turned around and pped his son, making him dizzy.


    "I have spoiled you too much in the past¡­ Take him back to me!"


    After saying that, City Lord Guo Yan quickly mounted his horse, and before leaving, he said onest thing to Qiao Mu:


    "Qiao Mu, if you change your mind, you cane to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion anytime."


    Immediately, he rode away with his soldiers on horses.


    Qiao Mu remained silent, quietly watching the City Lord riding away.


    He noticed keenly that when the City Lord said thest sentence, he nced at other people on the street from the corner of his eye.


    After the City Lord left.


    The crowd immediately became noisy with discussions.


    "Our city lord is really generous, he actually let go of the young hero named Qiao Mu!"


    "Tsk tsk, although the City Lord¡¯s son is a useless yboy, the City Lord can still be reasoned with."


    "That young hero Qiao Mu is also lucky. After this incident, he caught the attention of the city lord. If he joins the city defense army, he might even be an officer."


    The discussion among the people quietly shifted, with most of them praising the city lord¡¯s generosity and admiring Qiao Mu¡¯s heroic actions.


    Obviously, his recent actions had made him famous among the crowd.


    Qiao Mu just furrowed his brows and didn¡¯t pay much attention.


    He didn¡¯t care about his reputation, it was just an external thing.


    What he pursued was martial arts, his own strength.


    Just like today¡¯s event, the city lord¡¯s fist is the strongest, so he is thew, the embodiment of reason in this city.


    In the chaotic ancient times, strength was the rule.


    So, the only thing he cared about right now was actually one thing.


    "After going through all this, the atmosphere has reached this point, I¡¯ve thought about myst words, why am I still alive?" He looked up at the sky in confusion, feeling greatly devastated.


    "This lord and his son must have evil intentions, they actually won¡¯t let me die!"


    Qiao Mu felt indignant, but when his mind sank and he saw the Ouroboros Long Life Lock in his mind again, he was once again surprised.


    That Ouroboros Long Life Lock, at this moment, still emitted a faint glow in his mind, it didn¡¯t lose its radiance because Qiao Mu was out of danger.


    ording to Qiao Mu¡¯s previous experience, when the Long Life Lock glowed, it meant that his Death Assessment was rising.


    And now, this Long Life Lock, in his mind, was persistently shining like a light bulb.


    What does this represent?


    After thinking for a long time, Qiao Mu bravely made a guess.


    "My Death Assessment didn¡¯t disappear when the city lord left, does this mean¡­ if I die now, I can still get a higher Death Assessment?"


    So herees the question.


    Is the current Qiao Mu different from the previous Qiao Mu?


    Qiao Mu looked around.


    As his gaze fell on them, many people on the street smiled and nodded at him, and the green-clothed swordsman who had just helped him even bowed and thanked him sincerely.


    Qiao Mu suddenly understood.


    If he were to die now, it would be as a "brave youth who angrily scolded the Yan City Lord in public," not just as an insignificant nobody named Qiao Mu.


    And so, Qiao Mu realized.


    He suddenly understood the correct way to unlock the "immortality" superpower.


    Death is a good thing for Qiao Mu.


    But even if he doesn¡¯t die, it¡¯s still a good thing for Qiao Mu!


    As long as Qiao Mu continues to act bravely and righteously, his fame and reputation will keep increasing.


    In this way, when Qiao Mu finally dies, it will be a grand and high-quality death!


    Seeding in risking his life will make him stronger at the cost of his age!


    Failing in risking his life will continue to pile up buffs, improve Death Assessment, until the day Qiao Mu dies.


    It¡¯s like a gambling game.


    Qiao Mu puts his own life on the table.


    Winning the bet means life, losing means death.


    If he wins the bet, he will continue to umte chips and get more and more.


    The day he died was the day the chips on the gambling table were cashed in!


    In this game of life, whether he wins or loses, he earns in blood!


    Win-win! I win on both sides!


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 Chapter 12:

    Chapter 12:


    Inside the Lord¡¯s Mansion.


    Childe Guoy back on the long chair, with a doctor next to him applying medicine to his swollen face, trying to reduce the swelling that had turned it into a pig¡¯s head.


    City Lord Guo Yan sat nearby, his face showing a stern expression as he looked at the injuries of his only son.


    The old man in a gray robe who caught Qiao Mu earlier stood quietly aside.


    "Father, why do you want to recruit that viin named Qiao Mu instead?" Childe Guo said in a slurred voice, his eyes swollen.


    Guo Yan waved his hand, ordering the doctors and maidservants around to leave, leaving only the old man in the gray robe standing there before speaking:


    "Why be hasty? If he joins the Yan City Army, there are countless ways to end his life."


    Guo Yan closed his eyes, his tone calm andposed.


    Only just now did he realize the extent of animosity his son had among the people of Yan City, to the point where a stranger with righteous words could ignite this fire.After capturing Qiao Mu, he didn¡¯t kill him on the spot, only because he still wanted to be seen as apassionate and magnanimous lord in the eyes of the people.


    Inviting Qiao Mu to join the army was just a means for him to resolve this incident.


    Whether this seeds or not, it is still uncertain whether it will be a story of a virtuous and loyal subject in the future.


    In the end, even though his own son was beaten up badly, Qiao Mu was just a young martial artist who hadn¡¯t yet developed strong skills. He believed that City Lord Guo Yan, with his methods and abilities, could easily control him and didn¡¯t need to kill him in public.


    Thinking about this, he opened his eyes and looked down coldly at his only son. The look in his eyes made Childe Guo tremble and he stoppedining.


    "You rebellious child, you should have been disciplined long ago, or else you will surely bring great trouble."


    "A martial artist who has not yet developed internal strength is willing to sacrifice their life to capture you. What if in the future you encounter other people whom you cannot afford to provoke?"


    "Other people?" Childe Guo noticed this keyword.


    "Could it be that recently, some high-ranking person wants to visit Yan City?"


    As the biggest yboy in Yan City, he naturally couldn¡¯t be afraid of anyone.


    And an important person who the City Lord himself couldn¡¯t afford to offend must be a powerful figure from outside Yan City.


    City Lord Guo Yan looked at him coldly and said:


    "For the past month, you have been restricted to stay in the residence and are not allowed to go out."


    "Why?" Childe Guo suddenly became confused. He was walking on the road when someone suddenly attacked him and threatened him by grabbing his cor. And now, he has to be restricted as well? Is this fair?


    Guo Yan pondered for a moment before speaking softly.


    "It is said that the current emperor may visit the area near Yan City within the next month. You are being restricted in order to prevent any unforeseen danger that you might bring upon yourself."


    One of the main reasons why he tried his best to maintain his poprity in Yan City is because of the possibility of the Great Yan Emperor appearing.


    "The Great Yan Emperor? Is this information reliable?" Childe Guo widened his eyes.


    "How could I possibly expect to be informed about the emperor¡¯s travel ns? No one knows if it will attract assassins." The city lord sneered.


    "For this month, you will stay within this residence and not go out anymore."


    Childe Guo lowered his head in silence, but after a while, he couldn¡¯t help but ask again:


    "But Qiao Mu¡­"


    "You don¡¯t need to worry about him anymore," City Lord Guo Yan closed his eyes.


    "Whether he has been invited to join our Yan City defense force or not, we have ways to deal with him."


    "If he joins, it will be even easier."


    "Recently, outside the city there have been some fierce bandits causing trouble on Mount Dong, right? When the timees, we can send him to the battlefield to meet his demise."


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    On the streets of the inner city.


    Qiao Mu passed through the gradually bustling crowd, stooped down, and picked up the fallen blind cane near his feet.


    A few steps away, Qiao Canxue closed her eyes and felt around with a slightly anxious frown on her face.


    The recent turmoil was quite intense. People were avoiding whippings and the street was surrounded by soldiers. Qiao Canxue¡¯s cane was also squeezed away by the crowd.


    Although she used to be from a martial arts n, she was primarily a blind person.


    In everyday life, she could rely on her senses like hearing and smell to make up for herck of sight, living like an ordinary person.


    But if the surrounding environment was moreplicated, she would be at a loss.


    Qiao Mu picked up the cane and walked over to Qiao Canxue who was still groping around, and handed her the cane.


    Qiao Canxue instinctively nodded and thanked him, but after a moment, her nostrils twitched slightly, and her previously furrowed brows rxed a bit.


    "Did you just hit the son of the city lord?" Qiao Canxue asked.


    Apart from the initial bits that Qiao Canxue could vaguely guess, she wasn¡¯t quite sure about what happened afterwards.


    Qiao Mu led her back into the alleys of the outer city area and exined the situation that had just urred.


    "Did you give City Lord¡¯s son a few ps and now the City Lord wants to recruit you into the Yan City army?" Qiao Canxue paused for a moment and shook her head, saying:


    "That doesn¡¯t sound like a good thing to me."


    "If this City Lord is really a kind person who repays kindness, then how did he allow his only son to be so arrogant? So¡­"


    "So I will go and investigate the City Lord¡¯s mansion!" Qiao Mu decisively dered.


    "¡­didn¡¯t you understand what I said? If you enter the City Lord¡¯s mansion, it¡¯s like a sheep entering the mouth of a tiger."


    "Crises can also be opportunities." Qiao Mu¡¯s eyes sparkled with excitement:


    "Don¡¯t forget, this City Lord is very likely a member of the Wuji Association."


    If the City Lord has malicious intentions, then going to the City Lord¡¯s mansion would most likely result in death!


    If the City Lord is truly a wise person who repays kindness, then Qiao Mu can take this opportunity to join the Yan City Army and get closer to City Lord Guo Yan, who seems to be a member of the Wuji Association.


    The more dangerous it is, the more he wants to go inside.


    Anyway, whether he lives or dies, he won¡¯t lose!


    "If the city lord is a member of the Wuji Association, as a city lord, he must be extraordinary within the Wuji Association."


    "So either he has a decoding method for the tadpole cipher, or he has direct knowledge of the n to assassinate the emperor."


    Qiao Mu didn¡¯t forget, his ultimate goal is to infiltrate the Wuji Association and participate in the plot to assassinate the emperor as much as possible.


    And then, in the scene of assassinating the emperor, have a good death!


    Qiao Canxue listened to Qiao Mu¡¯s n, with a hint of surprise on her face.


    Just now, he bravely took action and threatened the city lord by grabbing the City Lord¡¯s Son by the neck.


    Now, he has decided to risk his life and join under the city lord, all because the city lord seems to be a member of the Wuji Association¡­ Does he really need to go to such lengths?


    "He said he nned to assassinate the emperor and destroy the Wuji Association with the help of the Great Yan Imperial Court. It¡¯s not just empty talk." Qiao Canxue followed Qiao Mu step by step into the deep alley.


    "By using only half of the ¡®Long Life Fist Sutra¡¯, can I really exchange it for his life and revenge? Should I pay something else for him?" Qiao Canxue even felt a bit uneasy in her heart.


    With this thought, Qiao Canxue had a sudden idea.


    The Qiao family had also produced centenarian martial arts masters in the past. They had a stronger foundation than most sects, and Qiao Canxue actually knew more than just the half part of the ¡®Long Life Fist Sutra¡¯ passed down by the family.

 Chapter 13:

    Chapter 13:


    Inside the small house in the deep alley.


    Qiao Mu held a small booklet just written by Qiao Canxue and read out the title:


    "Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method£¿"


    "Correct. This is one of the martial arts secrets collected by my Qiao family. It is a desperate survival technique that brings one to the brink of death." Qiao Canxue exined.


    "This secret technique is quite mysterious. It allows you to unleash the hidden potential of your body in an instant, at the cost of self-harm, and make your internal strength double or more in an instant."


    "Of course, first you have to cultivate your internal strength in order to use this Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method."


    "I am teaching you this Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method because I know you are about to enter the Lord¡¯s Manor, which is a very dangerous journey."


    "Oh, you think I have extraordinary aptitude and can cultivate internal strength at any time, so you taught me in advance?" Qiao Mu became excited.


    Qiao Canxue remained silent for a moment."That is irrelevant to aptitude," Qiao Canxue remembered the incident that happened outside the teahouse in the inner city.


    Although she was present, she could only hear various noises and discussions. She could only learn about the whole incident from Qiao Mu afterwards.


    "Qiao Mu, your actions resemble the chivalrous spirit of ancient times. This kind of mindset is in line with martial arts, so it is likely that you will progress in martial arts faster than others," Qiao Canxue only said half of the sentence.


    The remaining half of the sentence is: Such people often die faster than others.


    Of course, if she said it, Qiao Mu would probably be even happier.


    Qiao Canxue let out a soft sigh:


    "The so-called chivalry is actually an ancient remnant."


    "Ever since that year when the Martial Saint suffered a disastrous defeat in the war against the inhuman beings, the fortunes of the entire Great Yan Imperial Court have shifted from prosperity to decline, and the backbone of the warriors has been shattered."


    "In today¡¯s martial arts world, people only know about killing for treasures, frequently wiping out entire families¡­ The so-called chivalry has be a thing of the past."


    "So if you have recently developed internal strength, I won¡¯t be too surprised."


    "Of course, this ¡®Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method¡¯ is ultimately a self-destructive secret technique and should not be used. Once used, you may not only lose your life, but also suffer severe damage to your meridians."


    Is there such a good thing?


    Qiao Mu was instantly overjoyed upon hearing this.


    As long as he masters the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method with only a little internal strength, his efficiency in bringing death will definitely be high!


    However, at this moment, Qiao Canxue frowned slightly, sensing that Qiao Mu¡¯s emotions were different from what she expected.


    "Qiao Mu, I am giving you this ¡®Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method¡¯ not for you to risk your life, but to use this secret technique to seek survival."


    "This is a secret technique that seeks life in the face of death, not self-muttion or risking one¡¯s life."


    "I hope that you can stay alive," Qiao Canxue said solemnly, with her eyes closed.


    Qiao Canxue, as the sole survivor of the Qiao family¡¯s massacre, understood the value of life.


    Wuji Association may ughter others for their martial arts, but in the eyes of the survivor of the massacre like her, human life is much more important than any martial arts.


    This is also one of the reasons why she imparted her family¡¯s martial arts to Qiao Mu.


    "I understand," Qiao Mu nodded, suppressing the excitement in his heart. Suddenly, he thought of something and said:


    "Otherwise, it would be better for you to leave this Yan City. I pped City Lord¡¯s son in the street and provoked the city¡¯s master. I think it¡¯s a dead end."


    "If you stay in this Yan City, you might be affected by it."


    Qiao Canxue felt a tremor in her heart. Qiao Mu didn¡¯t care about her life and death, but spoke up for a stranger. Now he was worried that she would be affected?


    Qiao Canxue said seriously, "Don¡¯t mention this matter again. At this point, how could I leave this Yan City alone and let you face the city master¡¯s anger?"


    Qiao Mu said a few more words, but seeing Qiao Canxue stubbornly refusing to listen to him, he had no other choice. This issue could only be discussedter.


    Then he silently memorized this secret technique, and soon new words appeared beside the Ouroboros Long Life Lock in his mind.


    In the skill column, next to the lonely "Long Life Fist," there was a new addition called the "Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method."


    This secret technique appeared in a gray, unusable state. It could only be used after Qiao Mu cultivated internal strength.


    In the next half day, Qiao Mu silently practiced, but he still didn¡¯t feel any sensation of energy.


    Early the next day.


    Just as the east was starting to turn pale, Qiao Mu got up and prepared to leave.


    As he walked to the mouth of the alley, he heard footsteps behind him. It was Qiao Canxue walking with a cane.


    "Decided to go to the Lord¡¯s mansion?" she asked.


    "Yes," nodded Qiao Mu.


    Qiao Canxue didn¡¯t say anything. She stood at the mouth of the alley, closing her eyes and watching Qiao Mu step by step as he walked away.


    It was still early morning, and on the mossy green corners of the deep alley, there were dewdrops. There was a damp smell in the air.


    She heard Qiao Mu¡¯s footsteps getting farther and farther away, asionally stepping on the moss, causing tiny droplets to ssh.


    But this sound gradually faded away, eventually disappearingpletely, leaving only silence in the quiet alley of the morning.


    Qiao Canxue stood still for a long time, then leaned on her cane and turned back to the house.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    Qiao Mu walked step by step, walked out of the deep alley, and walked to the street outside, where the sound of bustling chatter filled his ears.


    "Young Hero Qiao, are you really going towards the inner city to join the Yan City Garrison?" The unfamiliar uncle selling pancakes on the street asked with a smile.


    The news of what happened yesterday has already spread throughout half of Yan City.


    "Young Hero Qiao is extraordinary brave. Joining the military and gaining the favor of the city lord, you will surely make a name for yourself soon."


    Make a name for yourself?


    Qiao Mu still prefers it when heads roll.


    He nodded in greeting to the stranger who struck up a conversation and walked step by step towards the city lord¡¯s mansion.


    Other people thought that he was highly regarded by the lord of the city, and they believed he could easily be a military officer. But they didn¡¯t know that his upation was extremely dangerous.


    Of course, if it really was a life or death situation, Qiao Mu would ignore the slim chance of survival and forcefully change it to zero chance of survival.


    As they walked towards the inner city, many strangers greeted them along the way, and even young children followed closely behind him. Qiao Mu felt a bit overwhelmed by their enthusiasm.


    However, when they reached the area near the City Lord¡¯s mansion, all the previousmotion disappeared.


    The City Lord¡¯s son had a reputation for being spoiled, and even the children knew better than toe near this ce.


    The City Lord¡¯s mansion was magnificent, with two imposing stone lions guarding the bright red gate. Several guards brightened up upon seeing Qiao Mu.


    "Are you Qiao Mu? You actually came today."


    Shortly after, a guard entered the mansion and soon an elderly man in grey robes walked out.


    "Qiao Mu? Your courage is truly remarkable." The corners of the elderly man¡¯s mouth curled upward.


    He is the person who was following the Lord in the street yesterday, and suddenly caught Qiao Mu.


    "Come with me, let¡¯s go to the military camp in the city."


    As the old man in gray clothes walked into the army camp, many soldiers looked up.


    Among these soldiers, some of them were among the one hundred riders who followed Lord Mah Taji along the long street yesterday. And now, they also recognize Qiao Mu as a famous person in Yan City with the nickname "Little Qiao".


    "Qiao Mu, with your bravery, you can be a centurion in our Yan City defense army. In the past, only martial artists with the strength of a 9th rank internal strength could hold such a position."


    "Work hard at your martial arts training, the Lord values you very much." The elderly man in gray clothes patted Qiao Mu¡¯s shoulder and then left.


    He was the only one left standing there, facing the gazes of many soldiers.

 Chapter 14:

    Chapter 14:


    "Ha!"


    In the martial arts arena, Qiao Mu holds a long spear in his hand and swiftly thrusts it forward, creating a piercing sound as it cuts through the air.


    After joining the Yan City defense forces, he practices Military Spear Skill, focusing on simple moves like thrusting, chopping, and shing, without any fancy techniques.


    Feeling focused, in his mind¡¯s inventory of skills, there is now an additional line that says "Military Spear Skill (Beginner)."


    Qiao Mu enlisted as a soldier, so naturally, he needs to train with weapons.


    The reason he chose a spear is mainly because in many novels, spearmen have bad luck and it¡¯s easier to die.


    After practicing in the martial arts arena for a few days like this, Qiao Mu has a pretty good understanding of his martial arts potential.


    In terms of appearance, he could be considered average or slightly above average, and with a slightly higher emotional intelligence, he is like arge cup.


    He has a bit of talent, but not much.As for Qiao Canxue¡¯s mention of temperament, that¡¯s a different story.


    His progress in spear practice wasn¡¯t much better than the average soldier, purely relying on the strength of his arms to swing it properly.


    "When can I die?" Qiao Mu was a bit lost in thought.


    He was looking forward to a high-quality way of dying.


    While Qiao Mu was practicing with the spear, some soldiers looked over, but their gaze held a hint of disappointment.


    When the city lord led a hundred horsemen down the long street, Qiao Mu, on his own, grabbed hold of the City Lord¡¯s son¡¯s neck, forcing the city lord to apologize¡­


    Although these soldiers were under themand of City Lord Guo Yan, that scene from before had left a deep impression on them.


    The name of the young martyr Qiao Mu had gained some fame within Yan City.


    After spending these past few days together, these soldiers couldn¡¯t help but feel that "fame often brings more trouble than it¡¯s worth."


    At first, they were quite curious and observed, but the more they observed, the more they realized it wasn¡¯t anything special.


    "I think this person is ordinary and doesn¡¯t seem to have practiced any weapons before. He just joined the army, so he is just starting to learn?"


    "Speaking of which, Qiao Mu only trains his physical strength to the maximum, but he haven¡¯t developed any internal strength yet. How can he be a centurion?"


    "Dealing with regr people is easy with maximum physical strength, but on the battlefield, without the protection of internal strength, maximum physical strength is just a vulnerable body. It¡¯s very easy to die."


    "Having a reputation means nothing in the army. Qiao Mu only became famous because they were daring enough to catch the City Lord¡¯s son. If it weren¡¯t for the magnanimity of the Lord, they wouldn¡¯t have survived."


    "Fighting as an ordinary martial artist ispletely different from battling on the army¡¯s battlefield. How many life or death battles has Qiao Mu experienced?"


    In this world of martial artists, they are divided into 9th ranks.


    The so-called 9th rank not only divides the realm and strength, but also the official position and rank within the Great Yan Imperial Court.


    A martial artist of the 9th rank, if they serve the court and contribute to the country, they will receive the sry of a 9th rank and their status would be equivalent to a half 9th rank military officer.


    If a 1st rank martial artist joins the court, their status would be close to that of a 1st rank senior officer.


    Although they are different from the military officers who hold real power, they are still officials, equivalent to high-level bodyguards supported by the court.


    The centurion of Yan City¡¯s soldiers is often taken by a 9th ranked martial artist.


    Qiao Mu, who has not yet practiced vigorously, also has some reputation in Yan City, so he stands out among these soldiers.


    On the small building next to the martial arts field, there were two pairs of eyes watching Qiao Mu practicing his spear.


    "This person is truly disappointing," the old man in gray clothes shook his head and sighed.


    "In the past, when he faced the city lord¡¯s power on the main street of the inner city, he didn¡¯t back down an inch. I thought he might be a young martial arts genius, which is why he showed off so boldly."


    "But today, he¡¯s nothing more than someone with bravery and youthful energy," the old man in gray clothes shook his head.


    "Military Officer Chu, this person is the impulsive Qiao Mu from a few days ago. You should know what the city lord means," the old man in gray clothes said.


    As City Lord Guo Yan¡¯s confidant, he often takes care of delivering messages.


    Next to him was Military Officer Chu, who was an officer of the 8th rank in this military camp and also an 8th rank martial artist.


    "I understand," Military Officer Chu smiled and asked tentatively:


    "So, in a few days, we will lead the troops out of the city to eradicate the bandits?"


    The old man in the gray robes also smiled and continued:


    "Outside the city, on the Dongshan Mountain, the bandits have been rampant, especially one called Bandit King Wang Songhe, who is particrly bold."


    "These mere bandits dare to call themselves kings? What a joke!" Military Officer Chu nodded and said:


    "These bandits must be eliminated! It¡¯s necessary!"


    "Since Qiao Mu has a reputation for bravery and has not yet trained enough, it is only logical for him to die at the hands of bandits."


    With just a few simple sentences, they arranged Qiao Mu¡¯s fate.


    But they didn¡¯t really care too much, after all, Qiao Mu¡¯s age and strength were there, naturally it was easy to handle.


    "Then, let him live a few more days." Military Officer Chu said.


    This matter should not be rushed, otherwise it will easily mess everything up.


    Qiao Mu had just joined the city guards, but died in a battle against bandits within a few days, it was too obvious.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    Qiao Mu didn¡¯t know about the lord¡¯s scheme, but it didn¡¯t stop him from mingling in the military camp.


    He guessed that the lord didn¡¯t let him join the city defense army just to practice martial arts and pass the time.


    It wouldn¡¯t take long before the lord made a move, and then he would respond ordingly.


    He shouldn¡¯t stay in the barracks for too long.


    So, even though Qiao Mu knows that some soldiers don¡¯t really respect him as a centurion who has just started learning how to fight and use weapons, he doesn¡¯t care.


    On this day, while training in the martial arts field until evening, Qiao Mu was about to return to camp to rest when he saw one of his soldiers, a man in his forties with yellow teeth, running towards him.


    "Boss, I heard that you want to buy some martial arts techniques, boxing manuals, and such?"


    "Yes," nodded Qiao Mu.


    During these days in Yan City Military Camp, he has roughly understood what kind of soldiers they all are.


    Being the 9th ranked martial artist in the military camp already makes him excellent, and he usually serves as a centurion.


    As for the ordinary soldiers, most of them are strong, hardworking men, and a small portion of them have some knowledge of farming techniques.


    So Qiao Mu thought to himself if he could learn some techniques from the hundred soldiers under hismand.


    After all, Qiao Mu is an immortal being.


    He might live for thousands and thousands of years, so he should learn some martial arts. He doesn¡¯t need to worry about wasting time and energy, because he has plenty of time.


    As long as his body can handle it, he wants to learn ten thousand different skills!


    While he¡¯s still in the army camp, before the city lord kills him, he wants to learn as much as possible.


    Of course, the main skill he wants to focus on is the Long Life Fist, and that won¡¯t change.


    "Do you have it, Old Huang?" Qiao Mu was a bit surprised.


    Actually, Old Huang¡¯sst name is not Huang, but Bai.


    The main reason he¡¯s called "Old Huang" is because he always smiles when he meets people, but his teeth are a bit yellow.


    "Yes, it¡¯s a tough skill. Do you want it, boss?" Old Huang asked with a smile.


    Tough skill?


    Qiao Mu¡¯s eyes lit up instantly. He hasn¡¯t mastered internal strength yet, so it would be great to have a strong external martial arts for self-defense.


    Although he¡¯s not afraid of death, having some defense skills would still be useful, of course.


    Of course, Old Huang is just an ordinary soldier, and Qiao Mu doesn¡¯t expect him to have any exceptional martial arts techniques.


    It doesn¡¯t matter if the skill is of a lower rank, anyway Qiao Mu is super powerful, he epts anyone whoes.


    Just as Qiao Mu was about to agree, there was a burst ofughter from his soldiers beside him.


    "Boss, why not ask first what this skill that Old Huang mentioned is?" a bald monk soldier next to himughed.


    "What is it?" Qiao Mu asked in suspicion.


    "It¡¯s the Iron Crotch Skill," Old Huang said with a heartyugh.


    Qiao Mu£º¡­..


    "Old Huang, I don¡¯t want the kind of hardness you¡¯re thinking of." Qiao Mu felt a bit speechless.


    Why are you here, distracting me?


    "Don¡¯t underestimate the Iron Crotch Skill," said the nearby Bald Monk Soldier.


    "Old Huang is already in his forties this year, and he has six children at home. Justst year, a new addition joined the family. Do you think this Iron Crotch Skill is impressive or not?"


    Qiao Mu suddenly showed deep respect.


    "I have always been passionate about martial arts, and I want to learn this Iron Crotch Skill."

 Chapter 15:

    Chapter 15:


    The Iron Crotch Skill is not an exceptional technique, but it still has some usefulness for Qiao Mu.


    In fact, the crotch region is also one of the human body¡¯s protection mechanisms.


    Qiao Mu was preparing to practice the Iron Crotch Skill, which had nothing to do with Old Huang being old and strong, but rather it was to study martial arts and make up for the weaknesses in the human body.


    But then the problem came up right away.


    Actually, Qiao Mu didn¡¯t have much money on hand.


    And the centurion¡¯s sry hadn¡¯t arrived yet, after all, he had just taken office.


    Qiao Mu did have the Long Life Fist and Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, but these two secret techniques were gifted to him by Qiao Canxue and were not suitable for exchange with outsiders.


    He didn¡¯t expect that his subordinates would quickly bring out martial arts techniques for him.


    After all, besides peculiar organizations like the Wuji Association, ordinary martial artists were quite particr about who they shared their skills with, even if it was just basic strength training, they wouldn¡¯t easily give it to others."Old Huang, you set the price for the Iron Crotch Skill, and when I receive my monthly sry as centurion, I wille and buy it from you," Qiao Mu said.


    He would not freeload, especially not from his subordinates, even if they had just met.


    Little did Old Huang know, he shook his head.


    "What nonsense is the Boss talking about? Money or not, it was never something valuable."


    He grinned, showing his yellow teeth, and handed a thin book from his pocket to Qiao Mu:


    "This Iron Crotch Skill, it¡¯s just a gift I¡¯m giving to the Boss."


    Qiao Mu narrowed his eyes, but didn¡¯t refuse.


    The other soldiers nearby were somewhat surprised.


    "When did Old Huang be so enlightened?"


    "This Iron Crotch Skill is at least a valuable skill for protection, and he willingly handed it over without asking for money?"


    "Tsk tsk, Old Huang, at such an old age, he finally gained some wisdom?"


    The other soldiers whispered secretly to each other.


    This Old Huang was just an ordinary foot soldier, a farmer before joining the army. He wasn¡¯t good at ttering others, but surprisingly, after the new centurion arrived, he suddenly became more clever.


    Qiao Mu held the Iron Crotch Skill manual in his hand and nodded.


    "Then I won¡¯t take advantage of you for nothing."


    "How about this, if there¡¯s a battle, you can follow behind me and I¡¯ll do my best to protect you."


    Old Huang smiled and expressed his thanks, but he didn¡¯t really believe it in his heart.


    The Bald Monk Soldier next to them couldn¡¯t help but smirk, struggling to hold back hisughter.


    The main duty of the Yan City garrison was to maintain order in Yan City. They basically just stood guard and watched the gate, as there hadn¡¯t been any battles for a long time.


    Although Qiao Mu was a centurion, he was still in the stage of training his strength. Ultimately, he was just a flesh and blood body and wouldn¡¯t be much stronger than an ordinary foot soldier on the battlefield.


    If an experienced martial artist with strong internal strength said this, it might be worth listening to.


    Qiao Mu seemed to notice and nced at the Bald Monk Soldier next to him, trying to hold back augh.


    This monk soldier was originally from a temple and was tall and muscr. However, during a famine, he had to leave the temple and be a soldier to survive.


    While ordinary soldiers learned basic farming moves, this Bald Monk Soldier had actually studied martial arts seriously.


    "Boss, please don¡¯t judge me. My skills are not that impressive," the Bald Monk Soldier quickly said.


    He had no intention of teaching Qiao Mu his techniques, especially since Qiao Mu seemed unwilling to pay or make a seriousmitment.


    Although Qiao Mu was a centurion, he couldn¡¯t force them to share their martial arts techniques.


    Moreover, the Bald Monk Soldier felt that the difference in their abilities wasn¡¯t that big. Both were still in the phase of training their strength, and if they were to fight on the battlefield, Qiao Mu might not perform better than him.


    On the surface, Qiao Mu was their leader as a centurion, but considering hisck of skill, he fell short.


    Qiao Mu didn¡¯t say much, he turned his head and looked at Old Huang, saying:


    "That¡¯s right, even though I, Qiao Mu, have always kept my promises, just talking about them feels empty."


    "How about this, let¡¯s rest today, and I¡¯ll treat you to some drinks?"


    Qiao Mu didn¡¯t have money to buy martial arts techniques, but he had more than enough money for drinks.


    When the soldiers around heard their superior say they were going to have drinks, they all cheered and agreed, of course, there was no reason to refuse.


    Before long, they arrived at the Yui Restaurant in the inner city area.


    The Yui Restaurant wasn¡¯t really a super luxurious ce, otherwise Qiao Mu couldn¡¯t afford it, but it had a decent decoration with a hint of sandalwood scent, looking presentable.


    The other soldiers were fine.


    When Old Huang followed Qiao Mu inside, his eyes wandered everywhere, like a country bumpkin entering a grand garden.


    "Old Huang, you shouldn¡¯t be making such a scene when entering this small restaurant, especially considering that you have been a soldier for several years," said the Bald Monk Soldier beside him.


    "Today, the boss invited us for a drink, and your behavior is embarrassing the boss," he added.


    Old Huang just grinned and smiled.


    Even though he had been a soldier for several years, he looked more like an ordinary farmer from the countryside.


    Perhaps his savings had been drained by his six children, and he was worried that he couldn¡¯t save much money¡­ Qiao Mu didn¡¯t say much but thought about how this person had taught him the Iron Crotch Skill. He probably rarely came to this restaurant, so Qiao Mu offered him a few drinks.


    After a few drinks, Old Huang¡¯s initial hesitation began to fade away.


    "Speaking of this Iron Crotch Skill¡­ Boss, you don¡¯t know, but I could have had a seventh child," Old Huang said with a sigh as he drank the alcohol.


    Qiao Mu was shocked instantly.


    Wow, it seemed that Old Huang really wanted to form a team of children! If he were born in modern times, he would definitely have received recognition and awards for his exceptional production ability.


    Old Huang, when ites to this, his smile disappeared from his face.


    "A few days ago¡­ maybe about four or five months ago, my wife became pregnant, so I took her to the inner city to buy some supplements, and then we happened to run into that City Lord¡¯s son¡­" Old Huang looked down at his cup of wine and slowly spoke:


    "One of his servants whipped my wife¡¯s belly, andter we lost the baby. My wife had to stay in bed for nearly three months. She just recently got out of bed, but she still feels weak¡­"


    Speaking of this, Old Huang suddenly stopped.


    "Enough of these sad things, boss, let me toast to you."


    The two wine cups collided in the air, making a crisp sound.


    In fact, the two of them had just met, but Old Huang had drunk too much and began to ramble on:


    "Boss, this Iron Crotch Skill, there¡¯s actually some technique to it. It was passed down by a family member of mine who was a bodyguard."


    "The Iron Crotch Skill has many wonderful uses. Once you reach a high level of mastery, you can retract your private parts into your abdomen and move them like fingers¡­"


    "In Yan City, when ites to martial arts, I might not be considered anything special. But when ites to the skill beneath my pants¡­"


    Old Huang was talking and he grinned, revealing a set of yellow teeth, and proudly said:


    "My dick is invincible!"

 Chapter 16:

    Chapter 16:


    After having a drink, Qiao Mu and his soldiers under him became somewhat familiar.


    However, the lord of the city didn¡¯t keep Qiao Mu in the army to let him get familiar with the troops slowly, nor did he leave him any time to practice Iron Crotch Skill.


    But after a few days, Military Officer Chu called for a roll call in the military camp, preparing to send out a thousand troops to leave the city and eliminate the bandits.


    "Qiao Mu, I¡¯ve heard that you are exceptionally brave. So, for this mission to eliminate the bandits, I appoint you as the vanguard, leading a hundred people to search the mountains!" ordered Military Officer Chu.


    "Yes, sir," Qiao Mu lowered his head, his gaze flickering slightly. He smelled a hint of danger.


    Among the thousand troops, there were ten centurions.


    And among these ten people, all of them were 9th ranked martial artists, except Qiao Mu.


    Yet, somehow Military Officer Chu chose him as the vanguard¡­


    "You say I have extraordinary strength? It¡¯s just the lord of the city finally making a move, using such ame excuse."Qiao Mu grumbled inwardly.


    However, not only did he not mind, he was even slightly excited.


    His martial talent could only be considered above average, not outstanding. If he were to rely on his own practice, it would naturally be very inefficient.


    And as long as he died, it would be time to cash in on his bargaining chips.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    This army of a thousand people left the city and headed straight for Mount Dong.


    Military Officer Chu didn¡¯t know the exact location of the bandit¡¯sir, but he knew it was somewhere around Mount Dong.


    Therefore, Qiao Mu, who was responsible for scouting the road, could be said to be the most dangerous, as he could be attacked by bandits hiding in the mountains at any time.


    Qiao Mu held a long spear and climbed a small hill. Looking out, he could only see a vast forest, without any signs of people or bandits.


    "Is anyone familiar with the terrain around Mount Dong? Take the lead ahead," Qiao Mu turned his head and looked at the soldiers behind him.


    These soldiers kept their eyes on their noses and pretended not to hear, some even whistled, just like students avoiding the teacher¡¯s attention during roll call.


    These soldiers weren¡¯t foolish.


    They had just been drinking with Qiao Mu before.


    But now, there could be bandits appearing in the mountains anytime, and leading the way ahead naturally meant facing greater danger.


    Everyone seeks advantages and avoids disadvantages. Most of these soldiers were just earning a living and what¡¯s the point of risking their lives for such a meager sry?


    Qiao Mu¡¯s face slightly darkened. He was about to continue speaking when he saw a familiar figure jump out again.


    "Boss, I¡¯m familiar with this area," Old Huang grinned, showing his yellow teeth, and said with a smile:


    "Since we can¡¯t see any trace of the bandit¡¯s hideout around here, maybe it¡¯s hidden in the valley to the west¡­ If we walk another mile towards the west, there¡¯s a small valley, shall we go in that direction?"


    "Okay," Qiao Mu nodded in agreement.


    Old Huang led the way, with Qiao Mu following closely behind, while the hundred soldiers spread out behind them.


    These soldiers unknowingly or intentionally took a few steps back, creating some distance between themselves and Qiao Mu at the front.


    Old Huang seemed to be unaware, as he was only focused on talking.


    Qiao Mu didn¡¯t mind at all, in fact, he even weed it.


    As they went further west, the bushes became denser and more lush, with some growing up to waist height.


    Old Huang raised his knife and hacked through the bushes, simultaneously walking forward and turning his head to speak to Qiao Mu:


    "Boss, my oldest son is really impressive. He has been strong since he was little. He¡¯s only fifteen this year, and he can lift a 300-pound stone lock. His strength surpasses mine¡­"


    Since that day when Old Huang drank alcohol, he became a bit of a chatterbox, always babbling about trivial matters.


    "Boss, when you were fifteen, how strong were you? Look at my eldest son, will he be able to develop internal strength in the future?"


    When I was fifteen, Butcher Zheng killed me with a single knife¡­ Qiao Mu didn¡¯t respond, just reminding:


    "Pay attention to leading the way, talk less."


    Just as Qiao Mu finished reminding, before they knew it, they heard several consecutive whooshing sounds, followed by several sharp arrows flying through the air. At this moment, Old Huang was still maintaining a turned-back posture¡­.


    In the blink of an eye.


    Qiao Mu took a step forward and kicked down Old Huang in front of them.


    Faced with the arrows shooting towards him, he held the long spear with both hands and quickly spun it in front of his body, then¡­.


    Plop, plop, plop.


    He hit three arrows in a row, and the long spear in his handpletely missed.


    As expected, the game is all a lie¡­ people can¡¯t block arrows with a spear! Qiao Mu didn¡¯t even have time to catch his breath when dozens of bandits with headscarves emerged from both sides of the grass.


    Qiao Mu¡¯s eyes were almost red!


    Bandits! He finally saw the bandits!


    Rounded up, he is going to die soon!


    Thinking of this, he didn¡¯t even remove the three sharp arrows stuck in his body and immediately roared:


    "Follow me! I will lead you in battle!"


    Before his words had even finished, without waiting for the soldiers behind him to respond, he immediately charged into the group of bandits, holding the long spear.


    The more courageous the battle, the higher the Death Assessment!


    No one can stop me from dying today!


    Hiss!


    Qiao Mu¡¯s spear in his hand swiftly stabbed the waist and abdomen of a bandit, making a sharp sound as it cut through the air.


    Although Qiao Mu had only started practicing with the spear a few days ago, he was strong, with arms capable of lifting five hundred pounds.


    Military Spear Skills were notplicated, he just practiced a few moves repeatedly.


    With a swift thrust, his spear pierced through the chest and abdomen of the bandit, and even with the remaining force, it skewered another bandit behind him.


    Hoo¡­


    He took a deep breath and kicked the body of the bandit on his spear, simultaneously pulling out the spear and flinging the shaft backwards.


    The body of another bandit was hit by the spear¡¯s spinning motion, and with a clear sound of bones cracking, he was sent flying.


    These bandits are actually ordinary people, but Qiao Mu¡¯s extraordinary strength of 500 kilograms allows him to have a significant advantage over them.


    After killing seven or eight people in a row, the hundred soldiers behind him also surrounded him.


    These dozens of bandits quickly retreated, leaving behind only a few bodies in the same spot, and then disappeared into the deeper parts of the grass.


    *sigh*


    Qiao Mu breathed out and then looked down at the three arrows lodged in his chest and abdomen. With a slight effort, he pulled out all the arrows with his bare hands.


    "Bring me some medicine to stop the bleeding."


    After Qiao Mu spoke aloud, he heard a deafening silence behind him. When he turned around, he saw many soldiers looking at him with a bewildered expression on their faces.


    Yan City is just a small town, and the defending soldiers aren¡¯t elite. These soldiers are seeing someone fight so bravely for the first time¡­


    "Boss, you fight so fiercely, it¡¯s like you don¡¯t care about your life at all." Bald Monk Soldier chuckled.


    He thought he had about four to five hundred pounds of strength, not much weaker than this young centurion. However, just now he realized the difference between them.


    This is not just a matter of strength or martial arts¡­ he thinks he can¡¯t do it.


    The most surprised person was Old Huang. He didn¡¯t suffer much injury, only a clear shoe print on his buttocks. At the start of the battle, Qiao Mu kicked him down, and it¡¯s still like that now.


    Old Huang looked at the three arrow wounds on Qiao Mu¡¯s body, stunned and amazed.


    In this world, there is actually a military officer who can shield an ordinary foot soldier from arrows?

 Chapter 17:

    Chapter 17:


    "These bandits are just inferior."


    Qiao Mu sat down under a tree, while a soldier beside him helped dress his wounds, with a face full of regret.


    Originally, he wanted to die, but the enemy turned out to be weak.


    Can only try harder next time.


    Qiao Mu got hit by three arrows right from the beginning, but the wounds were not too deep. He could still move freely, just lost some blood and his face looked slightly pale.


    And he was the most severely injured in this short battle.


    These bandits were not strong and didn¡¯t have much fighting spirit. They were not difficult to deal with.


    Plus, the official soldiers had the advantage in numbers, so other than Qiao Mu who bravely charged into the enemy lines, the others didn¡¯t get much hurt.


    However, at this moment, including the Bald Monk Soldier who was applying medicine to Qiao Mu¡¯s wounds, the faces of the other soldiers looked a bit unnatural.It was like a group of working-ss people who were just scraping by suddenly had one outstanding genius among them, and it seemed really strange no matter how you looked at it.


    "Boss, with this meager pay, what are you risking your life for¡­" said the Bald Monk Soldier while bandaging the wounds.


    "Joking, who would risk their life for such a small sry?" Qiao Mu firmly denied.


    "So, you¡­" The Bald Monk Soldier hesitated to speak, but from the corner of his eye, he saw Old Huang standing there dazed.


    Old Huang was quite cunning. He was over forty years old, and his energy and blood had started to decline. In the recent battle, he didn¡¯t directly engage with the bandits but instead kept hiding.


    Besides being kicked by Qiao Mu on the butt, he remained unharmed.


    The Bald Monk Soldier sized up Old Huang and suddenly said:


    "Boss, you wouldn¡¯t be protecting Old Huang because of the promise you made earlier, would you? The one about ensuring Old Huang¡¯s safety if there¡¯s a battle?"


    Upon hearing this, Old Huang was immediately stunned.


    A few days ago, when exchanging for the "Iron Crotch Skill," Qiao Mu did seem to mention something like that.


    However, nobody, including Old Huang himself, took it seriously.


    Although Qiao Mu was a centurion, he had not cultivated internal strength and was just an ordinary human body. How could he protect Old Huang on the battlefield?


    So, Old Huang quickly forgot about this incident.


    However, now they know.


    How to protect?


    Use body to block!


    "This¡­" Old Huang was a little at a loss now.


    He was already over forty, older in age, with a mouthful of big yellow teeth. Compared to the soldiers, he looked more like an old farmer. His strength was also ordinary, just an ordinary soldier. Moreover, the two sides were not rted, they had just met recently.


    Even the martial arts skills he practiced were not very serious, like the Iron Crotch Skill.


    People like him, who only work hard to earn money for their families, who would ever shield him? He¡¯s not some beautiful girl!


    If it were another military officer, it would be good enough if they didn¡¯t use him as a human shield, let alone shield him?


    Is that fair?


    Old Huang didn¡¯t understand no matter how he thought about it.


    "What¡¯s wrong, monk? Are you feeling a bit regretful?" Qiao Mu changed the subject.


    "If you had given me your learned skills at the beginning, I could have protected you too."


    This Bald Monk Soldier was originally a martial arts monk and should have a Buddhist name, but he refused to talk about his background and name, so he was given the nickname "monk" by other soldiers.


    The monk was somewhat different from the other soldiers. In addition to his martial arts skills, he was close to reaching his physical limits in training, so Qiao Mu paid more attention to him.


    "Boss is joking," Bald Monk Soldier chuckled.


    He was feeling a bit ashamed at the moment.


    He used to think that Qiao Mu was taking advantage of Old Huang¡¯s Iron Crotch Skill, so he never thought about teaching his own skills and martial arts to Qiao Mu. But now he has changed his mind.


    How could someone who can protect his subordinates from arrows not want to benefit from his martial arts?


    "I didn¡¯t bring my martial arts manual with me, but if the boss wants it, he can ask me when we return to Yan City," the Bald Monk Soldier said seriously.


    "As for money matters, we can talk about it when we receive our sry, no rush."


    He didn¡¯t really want to change his mind right away, he just wanted Qiao Mu to help him block the bandits¡¯ attacks next time.


    If he really had such intentions, he wouldn¡¯t have said it so tantly.


    The main reason was that Qiao Mu, a military officer who can protect his subordinates from arrows, made him feel inferior and he wanted to make friends with him.


    A soldier who doesn¡¯t care about life and death is always more likely to earn the respect of others.


    On the other side.


    In the rear of the army, Military Officer Chu also saw Qiao Mu¡¯s messenger.


    "The forward has encountered bandits, and centurion Qiao Mu was injured in the first battle?" Military Officer Chu scoffed.


    He got injured so quickly? Isn¡¯t he a little weak?


    In that case, it seems that this Qiao Mu is really easy to deal with, much easier than expected.


    If that¡¯s the case, maybe I don¡¯t even need to plot against them. Qiao Mu will die in the hands of the bandits.


    "Understood," nodded Military Officer Chu.


    "Then pass the message to Qiao Mu, and continue exploring. Since the bandits are fleeing, chase after them wherever they go."


    "If you find the location of their hideout, you will be credited for it."


    Military Officer Chu led arge force of a thousand soldiers, following behind at a steady pace, keeping a distance.


    From afar, they could hear the sounds of fighting and shoutinging from Qiao Mu ahead, clearly encountering the bandits again.


    Officer Chu was not in a hurry and slowly followed behind.


    Qiao Mu, as before, boldly charged into the group of bandits.


    After repeating this several times, Qiao Mu sustained a few more wounds.


    Unbeknownst to them, the soldiers behind him were gradually inspired by his bravery.


    During the second encounter with the bandits, they fought closely behind Qiao Mu.


    During the third encounter with the bandits, they began charging with Qiao Mu towards them.


    People¡¯s hearts are made of flesh.


    If you have a leader who is willing to shield you, always fighting at the front, others will naturally notg behind.


    Even if they couldn¡¯t shield their leader from a sword, they could still charge ahead with their leader.


    A brave warrior who fears no death, a warrior who shields his subordinates from arrows¡­


    Qiao Mu has earned the respect of all the soldiers through his actions.


    After repelling the fourth wave of bandits¡­


    Qiao Mu climbed a small hill and gazed at the small valley ahead.


    The mouth of the valley was quite narrow, only wide enough for three or four people to pass side by side. The trees in the valley were lush, and the grass was waist-high, making it an ideal ce for an ambush.


    "Old Huang, since you¡¯re familiar with this area, does this valley have a name?" Qiao Mu asked.


    "No."


    "Since it doesn¡¯t, let¡¯s call it ¡®Fallen Wood Valley¡¯."


    "Fallen wood? Does that mean fallen leaves? It¡¯s not even autumn yet, where are the fallen leaves from?"


    "It doesn¡¯t mean much, just for good luck."


    Qiao Mu held the tip of a long spear and carved the words "Fallen Wood Valley" on a nearby tree trunk, standing on a hillside overlooking the valley ahead.


    Where would be a good ce to dieter?


    He was looking for a pleasing feng shui spot to bury his bodyter. Maybe there would be some mystical benefits?


    When he reached the entrance of the valley, he stopped and took a temporary rest.


    Just now, he encountered several waves of bandits and had to fight and retreat, escaping in this direction.


    Qiao Mu pondered whether the bandit¡¯s hideout was in the valley ahead, or if there was an ambush up ahead, trying to lure the enemy deeper.


    So if he continued forward, it might be his deathtrap.


    At this very moment.


    Suddenly, footsteps could be heard behind.


    "Qiao Mu, why did you stop? Didn¡¯t I tell you to continue exploring ahead?" Military Officer Chu approached with a stern face.


    He had been following from a distance behind all along, and when he saw Qiao Mu stop at the entrance of the valley, he brought his men over.


    "There might be an ambush ahead¡­" Qiao Mu was interrupted halfway by an annoyed wave of Military Officer Chu¡¯s hand.


    "As a centurion, is it your responsibility to consider whether there are ambushes or not? If there are any, we will naturally provide assistance."


    "They are just a bunch of thieves. Those bandits cannot possibly be a match for our Yan City Army. Don¡¯t make excuses for cowardice."


    Qiao Mu looked at Military Officer Chu, who had a stern expression on his face, coldly staring at him.


    "Or are you telling me that you are defying orders?" Military Officer Chu said coldly.


    His hand was already resting on the hilt of his sword.


    He heard that Qiao Mu is very strong-willed. He once dared to grab the son of the city lord in Yan City and threatened the city lord.


    So he prepared himself for the possibility of the other person resisting his orders.


    As soon as Qiao Mu showed any signs of rebellion, he could immediately kill him by iming that he was disobeying orders.


    An 8th rank martial artist can kill an inexperienced martial artist at ease!


    Especially since he also had a thousand soldiers and nine 9th ranked martial artists by his side.


    Unexpectedly, Qiao Mu¡¯s reaction was beyond his expectations.


    "Understood." Qiao Mu obediently bowed and left, but there was something strange in his gaze as he looked back.


    Surprisingly, it seemed like he had achieved some sort of¡­contentment?


    He naturally couldn¡¯t understand Qiao Mu¡¯s mindset.


    Born immortal, he has always sought a high-quality death.


    If he were to die due to defying orders, killed by an 8th rank military officer, Qiao Mu would consider it a bit unfair.


    He doesn¡¯t find it appealing.


    But what if Military Officer Chu orders him to fight against the mountain bandits and die?


    Qiao Mu could barely hold back from immediately thanking Military Officer Chu.


    Military Officer Chu, from now on, you are my good brother!


    Once I cash in my chips and have money, I wille back and kill you!


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    "Boss, you are already injured. Shouldn¡¯t you talk to Military Officer Chu about whether we can have another centurion lead the way?" Old Huang chattered on the side.


    "Don¡¯t talk anymore, we can¡¯t defy Military Officer Chu¡¯s orders."


    "But even so¡­"


    Qiao Mu raised his hand to stop the soldiers behind him from discussing, and the voices behind him immediately stopped.


    From this simple action, it can be seen that after experiencing several battles, he had gained some respect within this hundred-person army.


    "Listen to me." Qiao Mu said:


    "Be smartter, if we enter the valley and find an ambush, or if the bandits are too powerful, retreat immediately. Military Officer Chu probably won¡¯t abandon us."


    Qiao Mu only suspected that Military Officer Chu was targeting him, but he had no evidence and couldn¡¯t bepletely sure.


    Anyway, he still had a hundred soldiers under hismand. The other side wouldn¡¯t just kill him alone and sacrifice these one hundred soldiers, right?


    So he gave this order.


    Qiao Mu walked forward, holding a long spear in one hand. His clothes were slowly soaked in blood, and his back was stained a light red from the bleeding.


    After several battles, he already had three arrow wounds and three or four knife wounds on his body.


    The martial artist who pushed his physical limits had reached the peak of an ordinary person¡¯s physical condition, but he was still flesh and blood.


    Qiao Mu could still fight, but he had little strength left.


    However, his injured figure, seen by the soldiers behind him, was surprisingly reliable.


    Especially Old Huang, who had been protected by Qiao Mu many times.


    "The boss seems to be only about twenty years old, but he¡¯s really reliable¡­" Just as he was saying this, suddenly, shouts and screams erupted from all directions in the valley.


    "Kill!"


    In the grass, in the forest, on the slope¡­ bandits with their heads wrapped in turbans emerged from everywhere, filling the mountains and fields.


    Roughly estimating, there are probably hundreds or even thousands of these bandits.


    "So many bandits hidden in Mount Dong?" Old Huang¡¯s eyes widened and he trembled with fear.


    From the beginning to the end, these soldiers thought that these bandits were just a disorganized group, probably not even totaling two hundred in number. The official soldiers naturally had a big advantage, but who would have thought¡­


    "Why are you staring? Run!" Qiao Mu¡¯smanding voice came from ahead.


    Old Huang and the others immediately turned and ran back. As they ran, Old Huang subconsciously looked back.


    And then they witnessed a scene that they would never forget for a long time.


    The bandits were spread all over the mountains, densely packed, rushing towards them like a tidal wave.


    Qiao Mu, on the other hand, held a long spear in his hand, standing alone in front of the soldiers like an isted reef about to be swallowed by the tide.


    "Is the leader staying behind to cover our retreat?"


    "Here he is the leader, and he¡¯s actually staying behind to protect us?"


    Old Huang and the others felt their minds go nk, not fully understanding what was happening, only their feet continuing to run unconsciously.


    Hundreds and thousands of bandits, this is different from the battles they have faced before.


    With such arge number, even a martial artist who has trained in internal strength wouldn¡¯t stand a chance. Their internal strength would be quickly depleted.


    Even within this army of thousands, the only 8th rank martial artist, Military Officer Chu, couldn¡¯t possibly fight against them alone.


    So¡­ is Qiao Mu risking his life to stay behind and protect them?


    While their heads were still confused, they had already reached the mouth of the valley.


    However, at the entrance of the valley, there was a group of soldiers appearing. They were supposed to be their reinforcements andrades, but now they were subtly blocking their retreat.


    "No unauthorized retreat! Anyone who disobeys will be executed!" Military Officer Chu¡¯s eyes widened as he shouted.


    "This¡­."


    "Does Military Officer Chu want to fight the bandits in this valley? Then we¡¯ll be stuck in the middle, won¡¯t we?" The soldiers¡¯ faces immediately changed.


    Military Officer Chu¡¯s loud shout echoed far in the valley, and Qiao Mu, who was at the front, suddenly felt a stir in his heart and turned around.


    His gaze traveled hundreds of meters and made contact with Military Officer Chu in the back.


    Military Officer Chu had an expressionless face, his gaze as cold and indifferent as before, as if he hadn¡¯t seen Qiao Mu at all, or as if he was looking at a dead person,pletely devoid of any emotion.


    Seeing Military Officer Chu¡¯s gaze like that, Qiao Mu suddenly understood.


    Military Officer Chu, indeed, was preparing for his death.


    In order to make sure he died without any doubt, Military Officer Chupletely blocked his escape route, and at the same time blocked the retreat of his hundred soldiers.


    The thousand soldiers behind were not just standing by, but slowly entering the battlefield, about to have a decisive battle with the bandits in the valley. However, the valley entrance was too narrow, so the thousand soldiers couldn¡¯t enter for a while, instead blocking Qiao Mu and the others¡¯ retreat. It could be anticipated that if a battle happened, these hundred soldiers caught in between would have little chance of survival.


    "If I don¡¯t die, will a hundred of my men have to be buried with me?" Qiao Mu immediately understood what Military Officer Chu meant.


    At this moment, a familiar voice came from behind.


    "Boss, what should we do now?" Old Huang¡¯s voice was filled with panic and fear.


    This old man has always been cunning. When he ran away, he ran very fast. Now that there is no escape route, he somehow ended up behind Qiao Mu.


    It appeared that he suddenly remembered Qiao Mu¡¯s promise.


    "Don¡¯t follow me this time, you don¡¯t need to charge with me," Qiao Mu picked up his long spear and took steps forward.


    "Boss, what are you talking about?" Old Huang and the others had fought alongside Qiao Mu a few times, and they could vaguely guess what he wanted to do.


    Although they felt afraid, gradually some people started moving their feet and followed behind Qiao Mu from a distance.


    At first, there were two or three, butter a few more joined. Around ten soldiers started moving their feet and followed behind Qiao Mu, including Old Huang whose legs were still trembling.


    "Don¡¯t follow me," Qiao Mu turned around and looked at the trembling Old Huang and others behind him, suddenly smiling.


    "Old Huang, do you want your wife to be a widow? Do you want your children to be bullied in the future?"


    "Huh?¡­ I don¡¯t want that." Old Huang was momentarily stunned by this strange remark.


    "You don¡¯t want that? Then why are you acting all dramatic?"


    Qiao Mu took a deep breath, swiftly moving his feet forward and leaving the soldiers behind. From the looks of it, he seemed like the one being chased down by the soldiers, desperately running for his life.


    Since Qiao Mu was born immortal, he was determined to live this life freely and joyfully.


    "What you can¡¯t do, I will do."


    "What you¡¯re afraid to say, I will say."


    "If you can¡¯t die¡­ then let me be the one to die!"


    A strange scene appeared in the eyes of the soldiers behind and the thousand soldiers at the mouth of the valley.


    A young soldier, dressed in blood-stained robes and bandages wrapped around his body, bravely charged towards the countless bandits with a spear in hand.


    If the previous Qiao Mu was like a solitary reef standing at the forefront of the tidal wave.


    Now, however¡­


    That solitary reef faced the surging tidal wave andunched a brave charge!


    "Attack!"


    The bandits¡¯ noisy shouts echoed in the valley, the soldiers couldn¡¯t hear any sound clearly, but this scene deeply imprinted in the eyes of many soldiers.


    The moment when the two sides made contact.


    That solitary reef was swallowed up by the roaring crowd in just an instant.


    PS1: <a href="https://amzn.to/3SNEeRF">Volume 3 has been tranted and published on Amazon (https://amzn.to/3SNEeRF)</a>;


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    <figure ss="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://amzn.to/3SNEeRF"><img /wp-content/uploads/2024/02/711X45eDZAL._SY342_.jpg" alt="" ss="wp-image-7475"/></a></figure>


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    PS2: The trantion of Volume 4 will be finished within 2 to 3 weeks.

 Chapter 18:

    Chapter 18:


    Qiao Mu had already been injured, with multiple cuts and arrow wounds on his body. After going through several battles before, even with a strength of 500 pounds, he was starting to feel tired.


    Qiao Mu was surrounded by the bandits. He continuously thrust his long spear forward, each thrust taking the life of a bandit.


    His spear technique was newly learned and not yet proficient, but with enemiesing from all directions, he had no room to dodge. Every thrust meant a life.


    Simrly, he had no room to dodge either.


    This time, he charged alone, facing enemies on apletely different scale. Soon, he had many wounds on his body.


    His strength was fading, blood was flowing, but his feet never took a step back.


    However, his movements gradually slowed down.


    In an instant, four or five bandits swarmed him, and his figure ultimately disappeared from the view of the soldiers behind him.


    "Is this¡­ him?"Old Huang and the other soldiers behind watched this scene, their emotions mixed.


    At this moment, they still didn¡¯t understand why Qiao Mu charged forward alone, even preventing them from following¡­ but seeing this scene, their hearts felt a pang.


    Meanwhile.


    A chilling light shed like starlight, followed by a sharp sound of breaking through the air.


    The bodies of the four or five bandits were struck by a tremendous force, flying sideways. In mid-air, their chests copsed and deformed, sending surrounding bandits flying and creating a small open space around Qiao Mu.


    The long spear in Qiao Mu¡¯s hand now shimmered with a cold and bright silver light. wherever the spear tip passed, armor was pierced, and blood flowed like a stream.


    "Is the leader developing internal strength at this critical moment?"


    The soldiers behind felt a sense of joy in their hearts.


    After practicing and cultivating their inner power, martial artists can channel it into their limbs or weapons, unleashing a radiant energy.


    Amongst these soldiers, only the monk soldier who came from the temple didn¡¯t have a joyful expression, but instead let out a soft sigh.


    Martial artists can dance on the edge of a knife, breaking through their limits between life and death¡­ Some martial artists can take advantage of the life and death struggle, using it as a whetstone to sharpen themselves.


    However, there are limits to this sharpening.


    In this siege of a thousand bandits, even a brand new 9th ranked martial artist with inner power could still die!


    "Have you cultivated your inner power?" The military officer named Chu on the hill behind furrowed his brows slightly, but quickly rxed them.


    When a martial artist with inner power unleashes their energy, their explosive force can be several times stronger than their physical strength. But Qiao Mu had too many enemies to face, enough topletely exhaust his inner power.


    Not only Qiao Mu, but even Military Officer Chu himself.


    After reaching the 9th rank, it took him over ten years of diligent training to step into the 8th rank, and the depth of his inner power was several times that of a 9th ranked martial artist. But even he, if ced in Qiao Mu¡¯s position, would have no chance of survival, let alone Qiao Mu who just cultivated his inner power.


    Thinking about this, he felt a bit lucky in his heart.


    "A martial artist who can develop internal strength at the age of twenty either has extraordinary talent or has exceptional perseverance and hard training for many years."


    "I underestimated him before, it¡¯s fortunate that he was eliminated early. If I report this to the city lord, it will surely be a credit."


    Thinking about this, Military Officer Chu¡¯s lips slightly curled up. He continued to stay put, preparing to witness Qiao Mu¡¯s ultimate demise before joining the battle.


    "Will this little bit of internal strength that he just developed be enough for him tost a few more breaths?"


    Just as he was thinking about this, he once again saw a sh of light ahead.


    The silver-white aura swirling around the tip of Qiao Mu¡¯s spear suddenly expanded, faintly tinged with a red blood glow.


    He was practicing the newly learned Military Spear Skill, with no fancy moves, just continuously gathering qi and thrusting straight ahead, straight ahead, straight ahead!


    The surging aura of the spear pierced through several meters in front, and the strong wind it caused blew away the surrounding bandits.


    At this moment, he was surrounded by mountain bandits, but he was the most shining star on the battlefield.


    "Something¡¯s not right, he has just developed internal strength, how could his internal strength be so powerful?" Military Officer Chu¡¯s eyes widened slightly, and he was truly surprised this time.


    "No, this must be some kind of explosive secret technique."


    "The boss has be so strong?" Old Huang and the other soldiers also widened their eyes, feeling ecstatic in their hearts.


    "He¡¯s so powerful, he will surely survive, right?"


    "I think so, just look at how he kills those bandits like ughtering dogs!"


    At this moment, they even had the illusion that Qiao Mu might be able to survive.


    The burly monk-soldier from a certain temple was the only one who was stunned at first, then a bitter smile appeared on his face.


    "Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method? He won¡¯t survive."


    The Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method was so famous that he quickly recognized it.


    This is a very famous exploding secret technique that uses self-harm to unleash the body¡¯s hidden potential, resulting in a sudden surge of internal strength in a short period of time.


    "The boss had just made a breakthrough and cultivated internal strength, which can be said to be a breakthrough in the face of death, finally having a glimmer of hope in life! But why¡­ why did he make such a decisive move and immediately activate the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method,pletely sacrificing his own vitality?"


    "Clearly he made a breakthrough, but instead of striving for a top position, he destroyed his own path?"


    The key is not about cultivating internal strength. There are many young martial artists who have cultivated internal strength, and there are also those who can make breakthroughs in crucial moments.


    The crucial point is that he clearly had a breakthrough in strength and had a chance at survival, but he chose to cut off his own path and go to his death willingly!


    He couldn¡¯t understand, but he was greatly shocked.


    In the gaze of thousands of soldiers, Qiao Mu, armed with a spear, charged into the midst of the bandits, leaving chaos and people falling to the ground wherever he went.


    Five breaths.


    The dazzling light on Qiao Mu¡¯s spear slowly faded away.


    Ten breaths.


    The fierce light on the tip of Qiao Mu¡¯s spearpletely disappeared. He had used up all the internal strength he had just cultivated. Blood seeped out from his pores, his meridians were broken, and he had be a bloody figure.


    Fifteen breaths.


    Qiao Mu¡¯s arms trembled, excessive loss of blood drained the color from his face, and even his physical strength was almost gone.


    Twenty breaths.


    Qiao Mu had lost his breath and died from exhaustion and severe injuries.


    He stood at the forefront of the battlefield, leaning on his spear. His body had not yet fallen, and he turned his back to the soldiers behind him. His clothes were stained red with blood, and there were almost mountains of bandit corpses at his feet. Within a radius of twenty meters, no bandit dared to approach.


    "Did¡­ he die?" The bandits held their knives, and their voices trembled slightly, showing fear.


    "Why don¡¯t you give it a try?"


    "Why aren¡¯t you going?"


    "Surely he¡¯s dead, don¡¯t believe me? Give it a try!"


    The bandits discussed among themselves, then made the same decision without saying a word.


    Go around.


    The remains of the person still held power.


    Like a tidal wave, the bandits split apart on both sides, avoiding the mountain of corpses in the middle and the young body that, with a long spear, remained standing.


    Eventually, this isted reef was separated by the tide.


    Qiao Mu, deceased, aged 20.

 Chapter 19:

    Chapter 19:


    "Kill!"


    "Charge!"


    After Qiao Mu died in battle, Military Officer Chu no longer hesitated and ordered the nine hundred soldiers in the rear to enter the battlefield.


    These nine hundred soldiers in the rear were unaware of the grudge between Military Officer Chu and Qiao Mu. They simply followed Military Officer Chu¡¯s orders.


    The scenes they saw with their own eyes were the same as what Qiao Mu¡¯s men, including Old Huang, witnessed.


    A young soldier bravely stood his ground, charging alone towards the thousands of bandits, unleashing his internal strength in the heat of battle, fighting until he exhausted his strength and sumbed to death.


    Such brave and gruesome battles were rarely witnessed by many of the soldiers in their lifetime.


    The silhouette of that young soldier standing on top of a mountain of corpses was destined to remain in their hearts from that moment on.


    Such a scene, with such brave and fearlessrades, made their hearts surge."That fierce warrior who fought to the death, is he the newly promoted centurion Qiao Mu?"


    "Is he the one who scolded the lord openly in the street, Qiao Mu?"


    "Is it him? I once watched him practice martial arts when he first entered the military camp. I thought he was ordinary, but it turns out I underestimated him."


    "This young man is truly courageous. We can¡¯t let him die in vain!"


    When Military Officer Chu gave the order to attack, the soldiers¡¯ fighting spirit was immediately ignited.


    The officials and soldiers already had the advantage in strength, and now, with their high morale, they quickly ughtered the bandits, causing them to flee in disarray.


    The situation was settled.


    Military Officer Chu looked at the hundreds of bodies in the valley, with his gaze faintly passing over the body of Qiao Mu.


    "This person was a bold troublemaker when alive, daring even to challenge the lord of the city. But when he died, he stirred the fighting spirit of the officials and soldiers, and died beautifully."


    Military Officer Chu was already satisfied.


    "In that case, let¡¯s return to Yan City," ordered Military Officer Chu.


    "Return to Yan City? But these bandits have only escaped, they haven¡¯t beenpletely wiped out yet, and we haven¡¯t found their hideout," a centurion questioned with doubt.


    "Am I the military officer, or you are the military officer?" said Military Officer Chu in an annoyed tone.


    He disliked it when his subordinates questioned his orders.


    The strength of this gang of mountain bandits at Mount Dong is much stronger than what Military Officer Chu had imagined before.


    Initially, he thought there were only two or three hundred bandits, so he brought a thousand people from the city to eliminate them.


    Who knew that there were nearly a thousand bandits, far more than what they had known from the intelligence.


    If thousands fight against thousands like this, even if the military is stronger, there will still be casualties.


    Besides, there¡¯s one thing that makes Military Officer Chu wary: until now, he still hasn¡¯t seen where the bandit¡¯s hideout is, and that so-called Bandit King Wang Songhe!


    Moreover, he has already achieved his goal.


    The main target of this operation is actually to kill Qiao Mu ording to the lord¡¯smand, dealing with the bandits is secondary.


    "The bandits are numerous, we cannot risk advancing further. What if there¡¯s an ambush?" said Military Officer Chu in a low voice.


    "Let¡¯s return to Yan City for now, we can send more troops in the future. Capturing this bandit Wang Songhe will be easy, there¡¯s no need to rush," he continued.


    These words from Military Officer Chu made his centurions fall into silence.


    What the military officer said does make sense¡­ but why didn¡¯t we act sooner?


    Now that they finally know there might be an ambush by the bandits, they shouldn¡¯t take any risks?


    It¡¯s a pity for the young centurion Qiao Mu, who fought and died as thest one standing¡­


    When Military Officer Chu was preparing to lead the troops back to the city, Old Huang and the other soldiers, including the monk soldiers, slowly approached Qiao Mu¡¯s body, silent for a long time.


    They spontaneously wrapped Qiao Mu¡¯s body with banners and together lifted the already mangled corpse to walk back.


    They couldn¡¯t charge into death with Qiao Mu earlier¡­


    Now, they could at least collect Qiao Mu¡¯s body and bring it back to Yan City.


    This was thest thing they could do¡­


    ¡­¡­


    On top of the mountain ridge to the left of the valley.


    Qiao Mu, who had resurrected once again, emerged from the shadows.


    He twisted his neck from side to side, adjusting to this brand new body.


    At this moment, he appeared even stronger than before, with his height increasing several centimeters. His facial features also looked more mature, and there was a thinyer of stubble on his chin.


    "How old am I now?"


    Qiao Mu¡¯s mind stirred, and the image of the Ouroboros Long Life Lock appeared in his mind again.


    After experiencing death once, the Ouroboros Long Life Lock¡¯s radiance had faded away, returning to its usual dull state.


    Death Assessment for this time: B (a young hero with a noble character, valuing honor over life and death).


    Lifespan consumed by death: 8 years.


    Remaining resurrection chances this week: 4/5.


    Current age: 28 years old.


    Skills: Long Life Fist (proficient), Military Spear Skill (mastered), Iron Crotch Skill (proficient)


    Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method (proficient)


    In his mind, memories of the past began to emerge, and Qiao Mu finally remembered the events of the past eight years.


    Eight years!


    For a full eight years, Qiao Mu practiced martial arts wholeheartedly every day.


    Eight years of tireless dedication, without sleep or rest!


    During these eight years, the strand of internal strength Qiao Mu just developed grew and became stronger bit by bit with the passing of time.


    Step by step, getting stronger little by little.


    Not only did Qiao Mu enhance his internal strength, but during these eight years, he also constantly honed his mastery of martial arts.


    When eight years passed, drops of water gathered to form rivers.


    Military Spear Skill, which he had just learned eight years ago, had now reached mastery.


    The Iron Crotch Skill, which Qiao Mu had not yet formally practiced, became proficient through his relentless efforts.


    Interestingly, Qiao Mu has be quite skilled in the self-harming Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method.


    At this moment, Qiao Mu felt that his internal strength in his dantian had be several times strongerpared to eight years ago when he first awakened it.


    "I have worked so hard!" Qiao Mu eximed.


    "For eight years, I have diligently practiced the Long Life Fist, spear techniques, the Iron Crotch Skill, and even the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method. I have be a true master of time management! This is not just an eight-year improvement in skills!"


    Qiao Mu noticed something unusual.


    When he had died at the hands of Butcher Zheng, it was deemed a ss C Death Assessment, which elerated Qiao Mu¡¯s martial arts progress by three years.


    This time, the death was a B-level Death Assessment, but it was more than just the simple improvement of martial arts skills for eight years.


    "Is this the extra benefit that high-quality death brings?"


    "Although it was also eight years, my time efficiency was much higher during these eight years. Not only did my internal strength increase as if I had been practicing diligently for eight years, but I also learned multiple martial arts."


    If a C-level death represents 100% time efficiency, meaning sacrificing sleep and rest, practicing tirelessly day and night, only able to have such perseverance in dreams.


    So, Qiao Mu¡¯s B-level death this time probably reached a time management efficiency of 150%, even surpassing what one can achieve in dreams.


    "If I can learn a few more hard skills and body techniques, I can quickly master various martial arts and techniques using the efficient time management brought by high-quality death," Qiao Mu pondered in his heart.

 Chapter 20:

    Chapter 20:


    At the valley entrance, the remaining soldiers had already started rushing towards Yan City.


    Old Huang, the monk, and others walked at the back of the formation, carrying a body wrapped in banners. They remained silent for a while.


    As soldiers, they have naturally seen the bodies of theirrades.


    But just now, Qiao Mu¡¯s brave and self-sacrificing appearance was so shocking and unforgettable that they still feel restless.


    "Speaking of which, what¡¯s the situation with the leader¡¯s family?" Old Huang asked incessantly.


    "If we bring the body back to Yan City, someone should exin the situation to his family, right?"


    Others began discussing as well, "Qiao Mucenturion seems to be from out of town, and he just arrived in Yan City recently?"


    "I once saw him helping a blind girl in her twenties walk. She¡¯s probably his rtive."


    "In his home, it seems there is only one blind person around his age, probably siblings relying on each other?"The other soldiers chatted for a bit and fell silent again.


    Old Huang, who wanted to start a conversation earlier, was now speechless.


    The leader¡¯s only rtive is a blind girl¡­ How can they continue to talk?


    When they thought about having to carry a body to see Qiao Mu¡¯s blind sister or younger sister, they suddenly felt the weight on their shoulders increase.


    "Why are there still words carved on this tree?" At this moment, the discussion among the nearby soldiers caught the attention of Old Huang and the others.


    "Fallen Wood Valley? It looks like these words were just carved with a sharp tool. How strange! Who has the leisure to carve words on a tree when we are about to go into battle?"


    Old Huang, who was carrying the body, suddenly froze.


    Fallen Wood Valley£¿


    Only now did he realize the meaning of this name, catching a glimpse of Qiao Mu¡¯s state of mind when she carved the words before.


    "So, before entering the valley, he was already uneasy and had thoughts of death!"


    "He wasn¡¯t fighting for survival. Before entering the valley, he suspected that the bandits had set an ambush. He had no choice but to go against his instincts and enter!"


    The scenes from before appeared in his mind again. He saw the stern face of Military Officer Chu when he gave the military orders, and he saw the figure of Qiao Mu charging forward alone¡­ It turns out that Qiao Mu¡¯s death in battle was not a coincidence, but a premeditated sacrifice!


    So as soon as we entered the valley, Qiao Mu ordered everyone to retreat if they found any bandits, leaving only himself as the rearguard.


    So when there was no way to retreat, Qiao Mu made a resolute decision to charge forward alone and eventually died from serious injuries.


    So before charging forward alone, Qiao Mu turned back and reminded Old Huang about his family, telling him not to follow and sacrifice himself¡­


    He knew he would die a long time ago and epted it willingly.


    Only at this moment did he realize this matter after the fact.


    He finally understood the motivation behind Qiao Mu¡¯s fight to the death.


    He bravely fought alone, not to save himself from the bandits, but to fight for the survival of his subordinates.


    It was said that he made a promise to protect Old Huang, but he didn¡¯t just protect Old Huang alone, did he?


    "He died for us¡­" Old Huang stopped in his tracks, murmuring suddenly.


    At this moment, a voice came from beside him.


    "What are you carrying?"


    The person speaking was Military Officer Chu. He saw that Old Huang and the others were hanging at the back of the group, so he walked over with a serious expression to ask.


    He didn¡¯t remember giving such an order.


    "Reporting, sir, it¡¯s the body of centurion Qiao Mu." Old Huang quickly lowered his head, feeling a bit afraid inside.


    It seemed that there was some resentment between Military Officer Chu and centurion Qiao Mu. Would carrying Qiao Mu¡¯s body arouse any displeasure from Military Officer Chu?


    However, Military Officer Chu¡¯s reaction was unexpected.


    "Qiao Mu¡¯s body? Ah, yes, centurion Qiao Mu died bravely in battle with the mountain bandits. It¡¯s indeed not right to leave his body exposed in the wilderness." Military Officer Chu patted Old Huang¡¯s shoulder and said:


    "After your hard journey, please take the body back to Yan City. I will arrange the funeral when the timees."


    Old Huang and the soldiers were a little surprised and looked up, but Military Officer Chu walked away with his back turned.


    "Could it be that we misunderstood? Is Military Officer Chu not deliberately making things difficult for the captain?" Old Huang was getting a bit confused.


    However, he didn¡¯t see the slight curve at the corner of Military Officer Chu¡¯s mouth as he walked away.


    In front of so many soldiers, he certainly wouldn¡¯t let hisrade¡¯s heart grow cold.


    Of course, there was also another very important reason.


    "These soldiers actually reminded me of something," thought Military Officer Chu.


    "The City Lord¡¯s son is a vengeful person. He was humiliated by Qiao Mu in the street before, losing face. Maybe the City Lord doesn¡¯t care that much, but his son won¡¯t easily forget."


    "Sending the body back to Yan City can inform the City Lord¡¯s son, which can be considered a favor done out of convenience."


    Military Officer Chu called his trusted subordinate over and instructed him to take care of collecting the bodies once they returned to the city. He also asked him to inform the City Lord¡¯s residence.


    As for the City Lord¡¯s son, it was no longer his concern whether he intended toe to witness Qiao Mu¡¯s gruesome state or to whip the body in the coffin.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    On the mountainside to the left of the valley.


    Qiao Mu casually picked up a long spear discarded by the bandits on the ground.


    The bandits were defeated and fled once again, leaving behind some weapons which Qiao Mu picked up at this time.


    Aftering back to life, Qiao Mu had a brand-new body, but the spear in his hand didn¡¯t return to him upon his resurrection.


    "After dying in battle, one¡¯s personal weapons are lost¡­ In that case, weapons can be trained with, but martial arts skills with fists and feet are still the most important and cannot be neglected."


    Qiao Mu picked up the long spear in his hand and casually waved it a few times, instantly feeling different.


    Before he died in battle, he only practiced military marksmanship for a few days. He could only be considered slightly better than someone who had never practiced before. He mainly relied on his strong physical strength and fast speed to fight with a spear.


    But as soon as he held the spear, Qiao Mu felt something different.


    He had already mastered Military Spear Skill, making him feel like the long spear in his hand was a part of his own body. He could effortlessly control it, hitting wherever he aimed.


    Holding the long spear in his hand, he swiftly thrust it towards the nearby tree trunk. There was a sharp whistling sound as the tip of the spear stopped steadily an inch away from the trunk, without touching it.


    Bringing the tip of the spear closer to his eyes, he saw that there was a ant impaled on it.


    The spear prated the ant, yet didn¡¯t hit the tree trunk that was close by. This showed that Qiao Mu¡¯s ability to control the long spear was as easy as using his own fingers.


    Furthermore, it was obvious that his physical strength had increased, surpassing the normal limit of five hundred kilograms of strength. That¡¯s why he could lift heavy things effortlessly.


    The powerful body gave birth to internal strength, and the gradually growing internal strength in turn widened the meridians, allowing the martial artist¡¯s body to surpass the limits of an ordinary person.


    "Next, I should thank my good brother who helped me cash in my chips." Qiao Mu held the long spear, looking down from a high position at the soldiers below, his eyes turning cold.

 Chapter 21:

    Chapter 21:


    The long spear in Qiao Mu¡¯s hand was abandoned by the mountain bandits.


    The spear tip of this long spear is made of iron, and the spear shaft is made of white waxwood. It is simr in length to the standard long spear Qiao Mu used before.


    He swung it a few times, quickly adapting to the long spear in his hand. At the same time, standing on the mountain ridge, he looked down at the crowd of official soldiers below, his gaze following Military Officer Chu¡¯s movements as he quietly waited for an opportunity.


    "Military Officer Chu, seems to be rank 8?"


    He closed his eyes and looked inward, he could see that his dantian and qi sea were already filled with abundant and invisible internal strength, forming a vortex in the center of his dantian.


    The vortex of the qi sea¡¯s internal strength is a sign that his internal strength has reached the limit of the dantian.


    In other words, Qiao Mu has now reached the peak of 9th rank in internal strength, just one step away from 8th rank.


    One death consumed eight years of Qiao Mu¡¯s lifespan and was equivalent to far surpassing eight years of hard cultivation. It directly surpassed the intermediate stage of internal strength umtion, reaching the peak of 9th rank.


    "If you kill me again, maybe I can break through to the 8th rank.""Military Officer Chu leads a thousand soldiers, but he is only an 8th rank martial artist, not much different from me. There is a chance to sneak attack him."


    A fearless peak of the 9th rank, attacking an 8th rank martial artist with their life at stake, has a high chance of sess.


    After assassinating, Qiao Mu can even continue to level up.


    The main question is how he should assassinate Military Officer Chu.


    At this time, there are still thousands of soldiers around Military Officer Chu. If Qiao Mu were to force his way, he would end up trapped, just like when he faced the bandits before. His internal strength would be depleted, and he would die again, unable to even reach Military Officer Chu.


    "Before Military Officer Chu returns to Yan City, there are thousands of soldiers around him. It¡¯s difficult to get close to him, but what if he doesn¡¯t get close?"


    Qiao Mu tightly grasped the long spear in his hand.


    After secretly practicing for eight years, Qiao Mu has already mastered Military Spear Skill. The long spear in his hand is an extension of his arm.


    "Let¡¯s try ambushing from a distant mountain ridge using a spear!"


    Although Military Spear Skill doesn¡¯t involve ambushes, Qiao Mu felt confident in his ability to try it with the long spear he had.


    "If the first shot misses, I¡¯ll temporarily give up and think of another n when he returns to Yan City."


    He crouched on the mountain ridge, silently waiting for the right moment.


    It didn¡¯t take long before he saw Military Officer Chu walking towards the back of the team, apanied by Old Huang and others who were carrying a body. They seemed to be having a conversation.


    Here theye!


    Military Officer Chu walked to the back of the team, closer to the mouth of the valley. From Qiao Mu¡¯s position, the straight-line distance between them was less than a hundred meters!


    He tightly gripped the long spear in his right hand, his arm muscles tense, aiming at Military Officer Chu below the valley.


    "Stay calm. Even if this assassination fails, I still have other opportunities."


    "So this time let¡¯s be cautious and steady¡­"


    "Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method!" Qiao Mu¡¯s internal strength soared instantly, and the spear in his hand spewed out a blood-colored aura, speeding through the air!


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    Below the valley.


    Military Officer Chu had just finished discussing the handling of Qiao Mu¡¯s body with Old Huang, and turned to leave.


    Military Officer Chu instructed his confidant by his side, "After returning to Yan City, take care of Qiao Mu¡¯s body and inform the City Lord¡¯s mansion."


    The confidant immediately understood and said,


    "Indeed, Lord Chu¡¯s brilliant strategy effortlessly dealt with a troublemaker that even the City Lord couldn¡¯t handle."


    "Hmph, just a reckless man with youthful courage!" Military Officer Chu sneered.


    "What¡¯s the use of knowing how to fight? In this world, you need power and connections to survive."


    "He¡¯s so arrogant in Yan City? Daring to challenge the city lord? I¡¯ll take care of this little nobody, without even breaking a sweat."


    Thinking of Qiao Mu¡¯s heroic sacrifice, a smile couldn¡¯t help but appear on his face.


    "He¡¯s so skilled inbat, so brave. After he dies, everything will be over. At that time, I will im credit for all the bandits he killed."


    "And if it weren¡¯t for his heroic death, our army would have suffered heavy casualties fighting against a thousand bandits in the valley."


    "Speaking of which, I have to thank him." Military Officer Chu smiled:


    "Having such a useful young man, it would be even better if we had more of them."


    Just as he finished speaking, Military Officer Chu suddenly felt a surge of fear, his pupils contracted.


    A sharp whistling sound came from behind his ear, a spear rapidly descending towards him!


    "There¡¯s a skilled attacker! Among the bandits, there is actually such a skilled person? It was right for me not to rush in!"


    Military Officer Chu quickly gathered internal strength in his toes and was about to dodge with all his might, but in a momentary nce, he saw the figure standing on the mountain ridge.


    Although it was hundreds of meters away, the figure¡¯s posture gave him a strong sense of familiarity¡­


    That person¡­.


    That person seems to be Qiao Mu?!


    In an instant, Military Officer Chu¡¯s mind was greatly shaken, and the surging internal strength in his meridians slowed down slightly.


    Swish!


    This spear, which came through the air, pierced through Military Officer Chu¡¯s throat in the blink of an eye. The immense force threw Military Officer Chu¡¯s body backwards, pinning him to a tree several meters away.


    Military Officer Chu¡¯s eyes widened, staring intently at the figure on the mountain ridge.


    At the very end of his life, he felt a great scare.


    He tried to open his mouth to shout, but all that came out was a weak sound, not aplete word.


    Blood gushed from the hole in his throat, and he quickly lost strength. His hands fell down, and he died.


    "The enemy is attacking!"


    The soldiers beside him were also in a panic.


    They had just won the battle and were ready to return to the city, but they didn¡¯t expect that at this moment, their leader, Military Officer Chu, would be ambushed by a skilled fighter and fatally struck with one blow!


    Old Huang and the others were equally terrified.


    But their fear was different from other soldiers¡¯.


    "Just¡­just now, did you see that figure on the mountain?" Old Huang stammered.


    The soldiers, feeling sad and carrying Qiao Mu¡¯s body, were walking at the back of the group.


    So, apart from Military Officer Chu, only a few of them saw the fleeting figure on the mountain.


    "¡­", the monk beside remained silent for a moment, instinctively flipping open the banner to take a glimpse of Qiao Mu¡¯s bloody body.


    "I saw it too, it was a bandit ambush," he said seriously.


    "Yes, it was bandits," Old Huang also realized, shouting loudly:


    "Bandits areing!"


    "Bandits areing!" shouted the few soldiers in unison.


    The group of soldiers, now without a leader, immediately panicked and ran away.


    No one went to collect Military Officer Chu¡¯s body. Instead, they quickly ran away like they were avoiding danger. After all, there was still a skilled person nearby who could kill Military Officer Chu in one strike, and he could attack at any time.


    Officer Chu¡¯s body was alone and hung on a tree on the small hill, with no one daring to approach.


    The gentle breeze blew, and the leaves rustled on the tree that Officer Chu was nailed to.


    Fresh blood flowed down the body, staining the tree trunk with the words "Fallen Wood Valley" in red.


    At Officer Chu¡¯s throat, the wooden handle of the long spear was still slightly trembling.

 Chapter 22:

    Chapter 22:


    On the mountains.


    Qiao Mu hid behind arge rock, his heart pounding and blood surging.


    Killing Officer Chu brought a sense of revenge, but what Qiao Mu cared about more was something else.


    "I am so strong!" Qiao Mu gave himself a thumbs up.


    Far away, a single strike instantly killed Military Officer Chu.


    Just an hour before, Qiao Mu was still a scout for Military Officer Chu, beingmanded by him to explore and kill enemies. Now, he was able to counterattack with just one strike.


    Qiao Mu had now mastered the correct way to achieve "immortality" and tasted the sweetness of high-quality death.


    "How should I die next in a more cool way? This time, I want to make a big show, so that I can definitely die impressively and with style!"


    Qiao Mu hid behind a rock, his heart pounding. His face was flushed, and he excitedly imagined his own deathly appearance.After killing Military Officer Chu, the officials and soldiers would naturally start searching the mountains to capture this assassin.


    Thinking of this, Qiao Mu lifted his right hand and looked at it.


    His entire arm was filled with a weak and sour sensation, with blood vessels bursting and blood continuously seeping out.


    This time, Qiao Mu didn¡¯t continuously stimte the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, but only had a momentary outbreak. So he didn¡¯t die on the spot, but the consequences were not small. His right arm was currently half useless.


    So, with my half-damaged arm, I couldn¡¯t escape the pursuit of the soldiers. This plot is very reasonable.


    And now, Qiao Mu has to consider how to die beautifully.


    "What cool lines should I shout before I die?" Qiao Mu fell into deep thought.


    He has always been very serious about ying dead.


    Before, Qiao Mu fought alone in the valley, battling a thousand men¡­ At that time, Old Huang and the others who were behind him only knew that Qiao Mu died heroically, leaving a deep impression in their hearts.


    Little did they know that this master actor had already rehearsed the inner monologue five times in his mind before charging into battle.


    While Qiao Mu was contemting his own death, he heard a familiar voice shouting from below the valley.


    "Bandits areing!"


    "Bandits areing!"


    The soldiers in Yan City weren¡¯t very experienced in battles. When their leader was suddenly assassinated and killed, chaos broke out.


    Before long, these soldiers started to flee, running towards Yan City instead of searching the mountains as Qiao Mu had expected.


    "They ran away? Why did they all run away? Then how am I supposed to die?" Qiao Mu was stunned.


    "I¡¯ve acted out the scenes in my mind twice already, I¡¯ve even rehearsed my lines. And now you all ran away?"


    He had originally nned to assassinate Military Officer Chu boldly, and then bravely sacrifice himself as Qiao Mu¡¯s older brother amidst the soldiers¡¯ encirclement. It would have been a glorious event. But the soldiers were scared away?


    "What should I do next? Go after them? This script doesn¡¯t seem logical anymore, considering I¡¯ve already avenged myself. I doubt it will earn me a high score."


    Qiao Mu pondered deeply and finally had no choice but to hide behind a rock, watching the soldiers gradually move further away.


    This shouldn¡¯t be happening! The plot is going in the wrong direction!


    Qiao Mu carefully reyed in his mind why he didn¡¯t seed in dying this time. The main reason should be because someone shouted that the mountain bandits wereing, and the soldiers probably thought it was another ambush, so they withdrew.


    "Wait, was that Old Huang calling?"


    Thinking about this, Qiao Mu became angry right away.


    You, Old Huang, I saved your life out of kindness, I blocked knives and spears for you, and you repaid me with harm?!


    And the crucial thing is, when Old Huang shouted like this, it wasn¡¯t Qiao Mu who killed Military Officer Chu anymore, the me fell on the bandit leader.


    In this way, how can Qiao Mu stack buffs and umte chips?


    "Damn it, let me show off and die quickly!"


    Just as Qiao Mu was raging helplessly, he heard a flurry of footsteps from all around.


    When he turned around, Qiao Mu was dumbfounded.


    The bandits appeared densely packed once again, surrounding himpletely.


    "Did those bandits reallye? It¡¯s not a lie, right?"


    "And they surrounded us so quickly. Could it be that the bandits didn¡¯tpletely retreat and actually set up an ambush?"


    Thinking about this, Qiao Mu began to have some admiration for these bandits.


    Then he became strong.


    His fist became strong.


    Qiao Mu stood up, clenched his hands into fists in front of him, and took the stance of the Long Life Fist. However, his right hand was trembling slightly and blood was continuously seeping out from his arm.


    "Let me tell you, the Qiao family has never been cowards!" Qiao Mu faced off against the bandits with a cold expression and his gaze was like a torch.


    "Even if I have to fight with just bare hands and one hand is already half crippled, I will never bow down to you bandits!"


    Qiao Mu instantly got into character.


    Since he tasted the sweetness of high-quality death, he fell into the abyss of showing off.


    Even in death, he wanted to show off! It would be even better if he could die because of showing off!


    In fact, what he meant was: I¡¯m half disabled now, easy to kill. Hurry up, guys,e and take my head!


    But as Qiao Mu stood up and walked towards them with clenched fists, the bandits surrounding him finally saw his appearance clearly.


    "Isn¡¯t this the soldier who charged alone with a spear?"


    "Isn¡¯t he already dead? I saw it with my own eyes! I even shot an arrow at him!"


    "That killer god is still alive?"


    "He had so many wounds all over his body, even pierced through, but how did the wounds disappear?"


    "It¡¯s impossible!"


    The bandits were first shocked, then scared, and finally terrified. They all took three steps back and made a big circle.


    Coming back to life after death? The key is that they had already seen the dead bodies!


    Superstitions are not good¡­ Qiao Mu felt it necessary to exin well, in order to calm down these bandits and let them kill him.


    "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m already dead. Now I am my older brother Qiao Lin¡­" Qiao Mu hesitated for a moment and then changed his words:


    "Yan City centurion Qiao Mu is my little brother, and he died tragically by your hands. I only regret that I arrived toote and couldn¡¯t save my¡­ save my own younger brother!"


    The bandits were in chaos for a while, until someone carefully looked at Qiao Mu¡¯s mature face, which was 28 years old.


    "It¡¯s definitely not the same person, obviously several years older."


    "I just saw him secretly attacking and using a spear to assassinate the leader of the soldiers, Military Officer Chu from Yan City!"


    "He¡¯s not a soldier, but he killed the leader of the soldiers? So is he an enemy or a friend?"


    The bandits got into a chaotic discussion.


    However, amidst the discussion, the nces towards Qiao Mu were still filled with fear and dread.


    The impression left by Qiao Mu, who fought bravely until death, was too deep!


    And Qiao Lin, standing before them, was evidently a formidable person with an even greater strength than Qiao Mu.


    So, what should they do now?


    "Why don¡¯t we ask the leader for his opinion?" someone suggested, quickly receiving nods from many bandits.


    Obviously, their leader had a high reputation.


    "Is it Bandit King Wang Songhe?" Qiao Mu also became interested.


    He only wanted a honorable death.


    From the recent encounters with the bandits, it is clear that this leader of the bandits, Wang Songhe, is not an ordinary person.


    By being able to quickly discover his attempt to assassinate Military Officer Chu and surrounding him, it is evident that the bandits didn¡¯t disperse in panic, but strategically retreated.


    If Military Officer Chu acts recklessly, he might really meet a tragic end.


    Qiao Mu enjoys interacting with strong individuals the most, as they are often more dangerous and offer greater opportunities for achievement.

 Chapter 23:

    Chapter 23:


    Yan City.


    Old Huang and the soldiers, including the monk, were walking among the troops.


    Military Officer Chu was brutally assassinated before the retreat, but these soldiers managed to safely return to Yan City without further incident.


    This expedition against the bandits cannot be considered aplete victory since even their leader died, resulting in somewhat lowered morale.


    Old Huang and the others were sad, but it had nothing to do with the sess or failure of fighting the bandits. They were more concerned about the dead body they were carrying on their shoulders.


    "We arrived in Yan City so quickly?"


    "I haven¡¯t figured out how to talk to the boss¡¯s family yet¡­"


    "Or maybe we should wait a little longer, until we receive thepensation money, and then go?"


    Old Huang and the others quietly discussed and identally noticed a blind girl sitting in a noodle shop by the street, her eyes closed, facing the road.They had a vague idea of what was going on, instinctively stayed silent, and continued carrying the body without saying a word.


    Luckily, the blind girl couldn¡¯t see, and it seemed like she didn¡¯t notice their passing.


    It wasn¡¯t until they reached the military camp that they finally felt relieved.


    Each of them had their own skills when facing the bandits. Even Old Huang, who only knew the Iron Crotch Skill, knew how to hide and escape on the battlefield.


    It was really difficult for them to face the families of their fallenrades, especially those who died for them¡­ This was much harder than facing robbers.


    Just as he was relieved that there was no danger, Old Huang felt a tap on his shoulder.


    "Thank you for handling the transportation of the bodies," said a centurion surnamed Chu.


    He and Military Officer Chu were rtives, so he became his confidant and had been instructed by Military Officer Chu to take care of Qiao Mu¡¯s body.


    "The burial of ourrades will be taken care of by the camp, so you don¡¯t need to bother."


    Old Huang hesitated for a moment and nodded in agreement.


    Although he wasn¡¯t directly under themand of the centurion, after all, the other was a 9th rank military officer. Rank determines power, especially since Old Huang and the others were just ordinary soldiers.


    He could only bow and bid farewell.


    After Old Huang left, the centurion looked at Qiao Mu¡¯s body and chuckled quietly.


    He was not interested in Qiao Mu¡¯s body, but some other people were.


    Even though Military Officer Chu had died, he might be able to take advantage of this situation to get involved with the City Lord¡¯s son.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    Outside the city, there was Mount Dong.


    Qiao Mu didn¡¯t resist much, allowing the surrounding mountain bandits to escort him deeper into the forest.


    First, he had just used the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method and now he felt weak and unable to break free. Second, he also wanted to see who the leader of these mountain bandits was.


    After walking through the forest and reaching a small hill, Qiao Mu saw a group of mountain bandits guarding an elegant middle-aged schr, who was waiting under a tree.


    "You¡¯re the king of the bandits?" Qiao Mu was a bit surprised.


    He had imagined that the leader of the bandits would have a rougher and more rugged appearance.


    But to their surprise, this person had a refined temperament, a face as fair as jade, and waspletely a well-mannered middle-aged schr.


    The schr sighed helplessly.


    "My surname is Wang, and my name is Songhe. The title ¡®Mountain Bandit King¡¯ is just a misunderstanding caused by people¡¯s ignorance and rumors." (Trantor: Wang means king in Chinese)


    As Wang Songhe said this, he suddenly covered his mouth with his hand and coughed a few times, with traces of blood in his cough.


    "Is he also a sickly schr? That can¡¯t be right," Qiao Mu furrowed his eyebrows slightly.


    Even though this person appeared weak and pale, giving Qiao Mu the feeling that he was even weaker than when he had just used the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, there was a faint sense of danger emanating from him.


    Under stress, Qiao Mu instinctively positioned his body to the side of Wang Songhe and took a half step back, raising his hands slightly in a defensive posture.


    Wang Songhe noticed Qiao Mu¡¯s reaction but only smiled lightly.


    "I heard that your surname is Qiao, and you are the older brother of centurion Qiao Mu from the Yan City Army?"


    "That centurion, Qiao Mu, was extremely brave and courageous. He truly was a good hero."


    Wang Songhe¡¯s attitude was very kind and friendly, so much so that it surprised Qiao Mu. It seemed like they were not sworn enemies fighting for their lives.


    He then said, "Qiao Lin, you have exceptional bravery and strength. You are truly a great hero. Are you interested in joining me on Mount Dong, and together we can aplish great things in this turbulent world?"


    Is he starting to recruit me?


    Qiao Mu felt doubtful and suspicious.


    "My younger brother, Qiao Mu, died at the hands of your bandits, and he also killed many of them¡­"


    "You are Qiao Mu¡¯s brother, not Qiao Mu himself. Besides, Qiao Mu is already dead, so any grievances have naturally been resolved. You even killed Military Officer Chu, who was leading the soldiers. Consider it as ending the siege on Mount Dong." Wang Songhe spoke confidently.


    "In today¡¯s world, it¡¯s like a cycle of killing ¨C you kill me, I kill you. There¡¯s no right or wrong, is there?"


    "Is it possible that neither of us is wrong, but rather it¡¯s the world that¡¯s wrong?"


    Qiao Mu remained silent for a moment.


    In the world of bandits, it seemed quite normal to recruit enemy generals.


    But that¡¯s not important, anyway he would never be a bandit hiding in the mountains.


    Qiao Mu said firmly:


    "A true man born between heaven and earth should carry himself with pride and honor. How can he stoop to robbing homes and living in the mountains?"


    As a ruthless point-scoring machine, Qiao Mu started to immerse himself in the role again. He deliberately provoked the other person, hoping to gain a good death.


    Wang Songhe wasn¡¯t annoyed, but instead smiled slightly, thinking "It seems that Brother Qiao has some prejudices against us bandits."


    "Brother Qiao, why don¡¯t you try guessing where these bandits came from?"


    "How can a barren ce like Mount Dong gather so many bandits? This is probably far beyond what the officials and soldiers expected, right?"


    Qiao Mu remained silent.


    Since he was not a local from Yan City, it was natural for him to be unable to guess.


    Seeing Qiao Mu¡¯s silence, Wang Songhe exined to himself:


    "Since the Martial Saint¡¯s tragic defeat in the war against the inhuman, the fortunes of Great Yan have been on the decline."


    "Our emperor in this era is weak and incapable, only knowing how to exhaust the national strength to gain favor from those unhumans."


    "As a result, taxes have be increasingly burdensome, causing the people to suffer, leading to decades of hardship."


    "Do you know that just a month ago, there was a famine in Yan City? The outskirts of Yan City, to put it mildly, were left with only four or five households out of ten."


    "Where do you think all those poor people who disappeared went?"


    Qiao Mu was slightly taken aback and nced at the surrounding bandits before asking again:


    "Is this your reason for being mountain bandits?"


    Wang Songhe exined:


    "Neither you nor I are saints. It is almost impossible to survive in this chaotic world without getting blood on our hands. All we can do is try our best to avoid doing evil."


    "Besides, the kind of bandits we want to be is not the type that robs and piges on the roads."


    "Oh? Are there other kinds of bandits?" Qiao Mu asked.


    The middle-aged schr said:


    "The so-called bandits are ouws who are not subject to thews of Great Yan. They are wild rebels."


    "And as for mountains¡­" Wang Songhe stood on top of the mountain, gazing far and wide at the rugged peaks.


    "There are many mountains in this world."


    "Some mountains are above the ins, massive enough to divide day and night."


    "Some mountains reside in people¡¯s hearts, shapeless yet making people¡¯s journey difficult."


    "Some mountains hover above people¡¯s heads, weightless yet able to break people¡¯s backs."


    Wang Songhe turned around and stared at Qiao Mu, speaking slowly and deliberately.


    "I, Wang Songhe, am willing to defeat the thieves that dwell within these mountains!"

 Chapter 24:

    Chapter 24:


    Qiao Mu listened quietly as Wang Songhe expressed his ambitions, feeling slightly moved, and his gaze also swept over the surrounding bandits.


    Perhaps he knew why these bandits had disyed discipline in previous battles against bandits, but how could a middle-aged schr like Wang Songhe gather so many bandits in these mountains?


    Wang Songhe¡¯s gaze and eloquence were extraordinary; he must have had an impressive background before bing a bandit.


    "Brother Qiao, let me ask you again, are you willing to join me in a great cause?" Wang Songhe asked sincerely.


    "But I refuse," Qiao Mu replied with a calm mind.


    "Actions speak louder than words. Whether you are bandits or revolutionaries, it ultimately depends on your deeds, not just slogans."


    Just like Qiao Mu, who wholeheartedly sought death, he was not just shouting slogans. In the end, he remained strong and alive.


    Wang Songhe was not angry. As the leader of the bandits, he appeared quiteposed and gentle from beginning to end.


    "I was impulsive.""Brother Qiao, if you want to know if we bandits live up to our reputation, why note and see our hideout with your own eyes?"


    "That¡¯s a good idea," Qiao Mu¡¯s eyes lit up and his heart started beating faster.


    Although Wang Songhe was trying to recruit him, Qiao Mu knew that he was still trapped amidst the bandits at this very moment!


    If he goes to the mountain stronghold and discovers where the bandits hide, Wang Songhe will definitely not let him leave just like that!


    It¡¯s like a robber taking off his mask right in front of him. If Qiao Mu knows the robber¡¯s true identity, his only choices are death or join them.


    I will go and decide on this mountain stronghold!


    "I¡¯m going to die¡­" Qiao Mu¡¯s heart raced, and he eagerly epted Wang Songhe¡¯s invitation.


    Surrounded by the bandits, he walked along the mountain road with Wang Songhe, one in front and one behind.


    The mountain road twisted and turned, and after about fifteen minutes of walking, the scenery ahead suddenly became clear and bright.


    The bandits¡¯ stronghold was built around a dpidated and neglected Taoist temple. The houses, although simple, were surprisingly neat and tidy.


    What surprised Qiao Mu even more was that within this bandits¡¯ stronghold, he actually saw terraced fields with fruits and vegetables. Men, women, and children were happily working in front of their houses.


    Rather than a stronghold, it was more like a small vige in the mountains.


    If it is a den of robbers who live by burning, killing, and looting, there can¡¯t possibly be women, children, and the elderly. Even if there were, they would be very few. It seems that this Wang Songhe is not just bragging¡­ Qiao Mu thought to herself.


    "Has the bosse back?"


    Several strong hunters wearing animal skin clothes were carrying a tiger carcass on their shoulders as they walked on the mountain path. Almost everyone was injured, covered in blood, but when they saw Wang Songhe, they nodded in greeting.


    This tiger was nearly three meters long and its fur had a strange dark blue color. It looked more like a demonic tiger than just a regr tiger. It didn¡¯t resemble any ordinary creature.


    The martial artists in this world had powerful vitality and could cultivate internal strength, far surpassing ordinary people. For example, with Qiao Mu¡¯s internal strength at the peak of the 9th rank, he could exert a strength of over a thousand kilograms.


    And in these mountains, there were also powerful and endless creatures and monsters,parable to martial artists among ordinary people.


    When Wang Songhe saw Qiao Mu¡¯s gaze focused on the tiger, he spoke:


    "Cruel rule is fiercer than a tiger, and taxes are more poisonous than a snake."


    "Although there are dangerous creatures and monsters in these mountains, it is still better than starving to death in Yan City."


    Speaking of this, Wang Songhe¡¯s gaze turned cold, and he said coldly:


    "Strange tigers and snakes may be venomous, but they are not as toxic as an unhuman heart."


    Qiao Mu seemed thoughtful and suddenly asked:


    "Mr. Wang, I have heard of unhumans many times, but I have never seen them. Do you know what these so-called unhumans are? Are they some kind of different race?"


    Qiao Mu had also heard Qiao Canxue talk about inhuman before.


    It is said that the Martial Saint was defeated by the inhumans. Even with the Martial Saint¡¯s reputation as the second best warrior in the world, he suffered a terrible defeat. It seems that these inhumans are a very powerful group.


    However, whenever Qiao Mu asked further, Qiao Canxue would remain silent.


    Qiao Mu¡¯s inquiry surprised Wang Songhe, who carefully looked at him and spoke:


    "You are a member of the Qiao family, and I¡¯ve seen you disying the stance of the Long Life Fist after assassinating Military Officer Chu. How could you be unaware of the unhuman?"


    Is there a connection between the Qiao family and non-human beings? Has my Long Life Fist been exposed once again?


    Qiao Mu¡¯s heart moved slightly, looking at Wang Songhe with suspicion, and asked tentatively:


    "Are you from the Wuji Association?"


    Anyway, he wasn¡¯t afraid of death, so he asked when he had questions, not afraid of saying the wrong thing.


    As soon as this question came out, Wang Songhe¡¯s expression became even stranger,ughing and saying:


    "The origin of the Qiao family¡¯s Long Life Fist Sutra is extraordinary. It¡¯s not only people from the Wuji Association who can see through your punching technique."


    "You are a member of the Qiao family, but you don¡¯t know the details of the inhuman. It seems that even though Heyang City¡¯s Qiao Family still maintains its bloodline, it has already declined, and its inheritance is iplete."


    "The Martial Saint is really ruthless."


    Qiao Mu narrowed his eyes slightly.


    Speaking up to this point, he understood that Wang Songhe had already regarded him as part of the Qiao family.


    He just didn¡¯t know why Wang Songhe went through so much trouble and warmly invited him, whether it was because of his connection to the Qiao family.


    Speaking up to this point, he naturally knew that Wang Songhe had an extraordinary background and his knowledge and manners were superior to ordinary people. Therefore, he wanted to continue the conversation.


    "The origin of the Long Life Fist is extraordinary?" Qiao Mu continued to probe:


    "I only know that the Long Life Fist is an internal martial arts style passed down from a master of the Taoist school. There is even a saying that it was bestowed by a Taoist immortal¡­"


    Qiao Mu didn¡¯t actually take this saying seriously.


    Many people im to have a majestic ancestor for their own martial arts.


    For example, in Qiao Mu¡¯s past life, there were some martial arts that worshipped Yue Fei as the ancestor, or revered Bodhidharma as the ancestor. Basically, they were just waving a big g and not truly genuine.


    Wang Songhe looked at him firmly.


    After a long time, he finally spoke:


    "Martial Saint is an extraordinarily talented martial artist who is said to be the second best in the world, but no one dares to call him the best."


    "Many decades ago, he was already a martial artist of the highest level, holding a prestigious position in the court as a high-ranking official, subtly regarded as the leader among the esteemed martial officers of Great Yan."


    "However, even someone as strong as Martial Saint, suffered a devastating defeat in the war against inhumans. He fought fiercely until the veryst person, but his 100,000 elite soldiers werepletely destroyed by the inhuman creatures, and he was the sole survivor."


    "After returning from that inhuman battlefield, he gave up his rank and pursued the ultimate mastery of martial arts. Thus, the Wuji Association was founded."


    "This remarkable figureter personally went to seize the Qiao family¡¯s Long Life Fist, naturally because the Long Life Fist itself is extraordinary."


    "As for the inhumans¡­"


    Wang Songhe silently looked at Qiao Mu:


    "The so-called unhuman, are actually not a different race, they are of the same origin as us."

 Chapter 25:

    Chapter 25:


    "Are the inhumans rted to my human race? Where can I find this inhuman being?"


    Qiao Mu waspletely confused by Wang Songhe¡¯s words.


    Before meeting Wang Songhe, he thought that the inhuman group capable of defeating the Martial Saint might be a fierce fighting race with three heads and six arms.


    After all, the Martial Saint was too powerful.


    Whether it was from Qiao Canxue¡¯s mouth or from this mysterious bandit Wang Songhe, the Martial Saint was a martial arts giant who was terrifyingly strong.


    Now, it seems that the beings who can defeat the Martial Saint are not what Qiao Mu imagined.


    "Brother Qiao, this is not the ce to talk. Follow me."


    As Wang Songhe coughed up blood, he led Qiao Mu forward, seeming to be in poor physical condition.


    Qiao Mu thought that Wang Songhe would take him to a secret room to talk, but unexpectedly, they walked to the central Taoist temple in the mountain stronghold.The Taoist temple was already in a state of decay, with walls full of mottled marks. The courtyard was filled with pots and pans, clearly taken over by the bandits.


    The various halls and pavilions of the Taoist temple had also be the bandits¡¯ makeshift shelters.


    Only the main hall, where the statues were enshrined, was an exception.


    Compared to other parts of the Taoist temple, the main hall was much neater. Although the altar and other objects were old and broken, there was not much dust, indicating regr cleaning.


    Behind the altar was a statue of a tall immortal in flowing white robes, holding a wooden staff, with a que that read "Immortal Qingmu."


    Just as Qiao Mu entered, a middle-aged couple also came in and respectfully knelt and worshipped in front of the altar, lighting three incense sticks.


    When they saw Wang Songhe enter, the middle-aged couple smiled and greeted him before leaving.


    "Doesn¡¯t this ce look more like an ordinary mountain vige than a bandit¡¯s den?" Qiao Mu felt that something was off about the scene.


    Although Wang Songhe considered himself a mountain bandit, the things he did might be closer to the rebellion at the end of the ancient dynasty.


    However, he was a bit strange. Wang Songhe just talked when he talked. Why did hee to this Taoist temple to talk?


    Wang Songhe closed the front door of the main hall, leaving only him and Qiao Mu in the hall. It was quiet inside, with only the lingering smoke of three incense sticks.


    At this moment, he finally spoke up and continued, "This so-called unhuman is actually not a big secret, it¡¯s just something that those who know prefer to keep to themselves."


    "The unhuman beings are not only rted to our human race, but they also have the same appearance as us. We canmunicate with them without any difficulties as we share amonnguage."


    "Then, what makes these ¡®unhuman¡¯ beings different?" Qiao Mu frowned.


    Wang Songhe pressed his chest and said coldly:


    "The difference lies in their hearts."


    "The unhumans possess a tremendous power that surpasses warriors, and they willingly, from the depths of their hearts, separate themselves from ordinary folks."


    "Of course, the unhuman don¡¯t refer to themselves as unhuman."


    "The term ¡®so-called unhuman¡¯ is just a deceptive phrase used by the imperial court to deceive the senses."


    Qiao Mu understood immediately.


    Wang Songhe continued, "The extraordinary beings are truly remarkable. They possess great power and have long lifespans. Once their existence is acknowledged by the world, they are often revered and worshipped, like beacons in the eyes of ordinary people."


    "And this is only the surface." Wang Songhe said solemnly.


    "The mountain on top of the heads of the world is the Great Yan Imperial Court, and above the Great Yan Imperial Court is the mountain of extraordinary beings."


    "For decades, the oppressive government policies and taxes imposed by the imperial court were a result of the war against inhumans that the Martial Saint lost."


    "The inhuman beings tower above us, the human race, and don¡¯t regard us as their equals. We, the human race, are merely viewed as resources and possessions in the eyes of the inhuman."


    "They raise arge number of humans asborers for mining, farming, and cultivation. Theseborers are also believers and followers who, in addition to their work, must worship them."


    "From birth to death, from soul to body, humans are providing resources and value to the unhumans, without even realizing it!"


    "The unhumans may appear dazzling and unmatched in their strength, but within every pore of their bodies flows the fresh blood of mortals!"


    What capitalists¡­ Qiao Mu listened and furrowed his brows tightly.


    In his past life, he had been a worker who earned his living, so when Wang Songhe said so much, he felt a strong sense of identification and started getting angry.


    But these words¡­ he vaguely thought of something, but couldn¡¯t figure it out upon careful consideration.


    "So, what are these unhuman beings you¡¯re talking about?" Qiao Mu asked again.


    Wang Songhe remained silent, standing with his back turned to him.


    Qiao Mu repeated the question, but Wang Songhe remained indifferent.


    The atmosphere reached this point, and just as Qiao Mu was about toin, suddenly his heart fluttered.


    Wang Songhe didn¡¯t keep it a secret, he gave the answer from the beginning, but Qiao Mu ignored it.


    During the conversation just now, Wang Songhe never faced him, but kept his gaze on a spot in the main hall.


    Qiao Mu followed Wang Songhe¡¯s gaze and saw a statue behind the offering table. It was Immortal Qingmu holding a wooden staff, looking down emotionlessly at them.


    A sh of insight came to his mind.


    The so-called "unhuman" that Wang Songhe mentioned were alchemists, cultivators, and their ultimate goal ¨C immortals!


    Immortals are high and mighty! Immortals are merciless!


    Immortals raise human servants to cultivate spiritual nts, tend spiritual fields, and gather the power of belief from followers. They see ordinary people as resources!


    From birth to death, followers provide their power of belief andbor in mining spiritual ores. They are resources in the hands of immortals throughout their lives.


    "Who is the Martial Saint fighting against¡­"


    Qiao Mu only realized the terrifying aspect of Martial Saint afterwards.


    While others pursue immortality, he trains in martial arts and bes the second best martial artist in the world, dubbing himself as the Martial Saint.


    Qiao Mu suddenly realized something.


    Even though Martial Saint is at least able to be Martial Saint, what about him?


    After practicing the Iron Crotch Skill for eight years, did he just find out about this world of immortal heroes?


    "Wait, if there are immortal gods in this world, then¡­"


    Suddenly, a thought shed through Qiao Mu¡¯s mind, his heartbeat instantly quickened, and his breath started to elerate too.


    He took a step forward, getting closer and closer to the towering statue of Immortal Qingmu.


    With a racing heart, the things he wanted to do made him incredibly excited just by imagining them.


    At this moment.


    Qiao Mu¡¯s adventurous spirit burned brightly!


    If there were immortals in this world, if they were heartless, treating the people as mere dogs¡­


    Qiao Mu leaped up, astonishing Wang Songhe, and boldly jumped onto the altar, standing shoulder to shoulder with the statue of Immortal Qingmu.


    "Brother Qiao Lin, this is¡­," Wang Songhe was shocked by this sudden change, unable to react.


    Suddenly, Qiao Mu shouted loudly:


    "We are born free, no one can look down on us!"


    With a loud shout, he threw a powerful punch towards the statue of Immortal Qingmu.

 Chapter 26:

    Chapter 26:


    When Qiao Mu suddenly punched the immortal statue, Wang Songhe, who was dumbfounded, finally reacted.


    He extended his hand and pointed, shooting out a silver light that cut through the air like a floating sword.


    However, the sword was slightly slow.


    Just as Qiao Mu¡¯s fist was about tond on the face of the immortal statue, the sword finally arrived, but was sent flying backward by the punch, embedding itself directly into the face of the Immortal Qingmu statue, almost splitting the head of the immortal statue in half.


    This scene seemed to suggest that Wang Songhe, rather than Qiao Mu, had attacked the immortal statue.


    Qiao Mu withdrew his fist and looked at Wang Songhe with suspicion.


    Since the other person mentioned so many disadvantages of being unhuman, why did he want to stop him?


    As he withdrew his fist, he noticed that the Ouroboros Long Life Lock in his mind was faintly glowing, indicating that his actions just now had contributed to improving the Death Assessment.


    That¡¯s enough.Wang Songhe was stared at by Qiao Mu, first coughed heavily twice, coughing out a few mouthfuls of blood foam, and then the flying sword plugged in the face of the immortal-like flew up again with a sh of light.


    "I only practice spell, not cultivating," Wang Songhe exined.


    "Immortal cultivation is powerful, beyond the reach of martial artists. Therefore, it is necessary to master magic in order to control immortals."


    "Then why are you excited? If you want to confront immortals, why stop me?" Qiao Mu said confidently.


    For a moment, Wang Songhe was speechless.


    It seemed as if he was in the wrong for trying to stop him from breaking the immortal-like figure.


    "This immortal-like figure is indeed a nuisance. I wish there were no immortals in the world," he finally said after a long time:


    "This Taoist temple has long been dpidated and lost. It¡¯s just asionally worshipped by bandits, just an ordinary y idol. It wouldn¡¯t matter if it were destroyed. But other thriving Taoist temples may not be so simple."


    "Brother Qiao is a man of integrity and fearlessness towards immortals. I admire you, but I believe that this matter should not be handled recklessly."


    Wang Songhe looked at Qiao Mu with a strange and resentful gaze. When he saw Qiao Mu punch the statue just now, he was very worried.


    Qiao Mu thought to himself, "This is exactly the effect I wanted. It would be even better if a bolt of lightning struck me right after I smashed the statue."


    "I understand. It was my mistake, and I feel ashamed," sighed Qiao Mu.


    The mistake was that he went to the wrong temple where the incense wasn¡¯t strong enough, so the matter didn¡¯t escte.


    Let¡¯s find a temple with strong incense next time we perform.


    However, after what happened just now, he really started to regard Wang Songhe in a new light.


    At first, he thought Wang Songhe was just a simple bandit, but it turns out that he aims to overthrow the mountain that weighs down the people and even confront immortals. He has even studied magic for this purpose!


    In addition to this, Wang Songhe seems to know quite a lot of things.


    Qiao Mu thought for a moment, then asked:


    "Is martial arts really weaker than immortal cultivation?"


    He now doubted whether he had chosen the wrong skill tree.


    Of course, practicing the Iron Crotch Skill is definitely not wrong!


    Wang Songhe said:


    "Martial arts emphasizes physical strength, while immortal cultivation focuses on the soul. These are two different paths. However, martial arts cannot achieve immortality and has limited lifespan. No martial artist has been able to explore martial arts to the levelparable to immortals."


    "After all, no matter how strong a martial artist is, the physical body always has limits and lifespan is limited. Ultimately, it is difficult to fight against immortals."


    "Immortal cultivation leads directly to longevity. Cultivators have long lifespans, but cultivation progress is slow and requires long years of practice. High-level cultivators often spend tens or even hundreds of years in seclusion for cultivation."


    "At the same time, immortal cultivation also ces a greater emphasis on aptitude, and not everyone can cultivate it."


    "Inparison, although martial arts don¡¯t require talent, they rely more on perseverance and resilience. It is a long and difficult process of enduring and cultivating one¡¯s physical strength and spirit, with no shortcuts avable."


    "Martial artists cannot live forever, their lifespan is limited. However, if they undergo rigorous training, their progress in cultivation can be much faster than those who often iste themselves for decades."


    "Brother Qiao is not even 30 years old, yet he has already reached the 8th rank in martial arts. What¡¯s even more admirable is his mastery of spear techniques, which must have been the result of ten years of daily hard practice."


    Qiao Mu nodded repeatedly while listening to these words, feeling deeply moved.


    "Mr. Wang, you have a keen eye. I have indeed been diligently training for eight years without missing a single day. It feels like it was only a few days ago when I first picked up the long spear. Time flies when you¡¯re practicing the spear."


    Upon hearing this, Qiao Mu finally understood the difference between martial arts and immortal cultivation.


    Qiao Mu himself possessed the ability of immortality, already being eternal. He could live until the end of time, so why would he need to cultivate immortality?


    Moreover, every time Qiao Mu died and came back to life, he would gain martial arts prowess equivalent to his age.


    If he were to switch to cultivating immortality, it would take him decades or even hundreds of years of cultivation just to make a small advance. It would be like trapping himself in a cocoon.


    For Qiao Mu, cultivating immortality is a safer path, but the power of the Longevity Lock will weaken.


    He has unlimited lifespan, so he can take his time and even hide deep in the mountains to practice for thousands of years before reemerging.


    Immortality cultivation emphasizes the importance of spiritual essence, so Qiao Mu doesn¡¯t have to worry about growing old and weak. He can live like a thousand-year old turtle.


    This is a path of survival at all costs.


    On the other hand, martial arts is a path of reckless danger, which can maximize the power of the Longevity Lock.


    As long as he keeps risking his life and dies to a higher level, his progress in martial arts will advance rapidly.


    The only problem is aging and physical decline¡­ and the solution to this problem lies in theplete "Long Life Fist Sutra" held by the Wuji Association.


    This is a path of recklessness.


    Two paths, two different directions.


    And Qiao Mu had already made a choice.


    He remembered the memory of fighting thousands of people and dying in the valley.


    At that time, Qiao Mu¡¯s main goal was actually to score points, but he wasn¡¯t a heartless score machine after all.


    He had many lives, while others only had one.


    If he could trade his own life to save others, he would willingly do so.


    So he charged forward alone, bravely embracing death.


    Since he was born immortal, he should live his life freely and die in a spectacr way!


    "Safety is not what I wish."


    "I will just act recklessly to get it done."


    Qiao Mu thought to himself and looked up at Mr. Wang Songhe, then asked:


    "Mr. Wang, do you think I have the talent for cultivating immortality?"


    Immortality can be pursued or not, but having more options is always a good thing.


    Mr. Wang Songhe shook his head lightly.


    "Without spiritual roots, one cannot cultivate immortality."


    "I haven¡¯t shown it yet, how do you know I don¡¯t have spiritual roots¡­?" Qiao Mu was very dissatisfied and said,


    "I have an iron spiritual root. Can I cultivate immortality?"


    "Iron spiritual root? I¡¯ve never heard of such a spiritual root." Mr. Wang Songhe frowned and patiently said,


    "If Brother Qiao has no other questions, then please leave."


    "Go? Where to?"


    "Of course, it¡¯s to leave this mountain stronghold." Wang Songhe¡¯s eye twitched when he saw Qiao Mu angrily smashing the statue, he couldn¡¯t hold it in anymore.


    "Leave? Wasn¡¯t Mr. Wang trying to recruit me as a bandit?" Qiao Mu asked again.


    "My small temple can¡¯t amodate such a big Buddha like you." Wang Songhe could only smile bitterly.


    He had ambitious ns, which could shake the imperial court and even the immortals, so he had to calcte every step carefully and be cautious.


    As for Qiao Mu¡­ he was too reckless! He caused trouble too easily!


    Wang Songhe really couldn¡¯t handle it!


    They had only just met today, but this person already made his blood pressure soar. Can he handle it in the future?


    If we really recruit him to be a bandit in Mount Dong, I¡¯m afraid the immortals wille knocking on our door in less than two days.


    However, despite his high blood pressure, Wang Songhe kindly answered all of Qiao Mu¡¯s questions, not wanting to offend this fierce star who dared to punch a statue, to avoid unnecessary trouble.


    "Are you really making me leave?" Qiao Mu was feeling a bit reluctant.


    After talking for so long, Qiao Mu confirmed that Wang Songhe was definitely not an ordinary person, and that he was nning something big that could cost him his life.


    It would be great if he could get involved in such a dangerous matter!


    "If you let me go, aren¡¯t you afraid that I will reveal the location of this hideout?" Qiao Mu asked.


    Although Qiao Mu wouldn¡¯t do such a thing, Wang Songhe was carrying the lives of many people and was someone who made big moves, so he wouldn¡¯t risk the lives of these bandits on whether Qiao Mu would betray them.


    "Brother Qiao, with such deep feelings and character, doesn¡¯t seem like someone who would do such a thing," said Wang Songhe.


    "Lately, things haven¡¯t been peaceful around Yan City, and we have attracted the attention of the officials. We were already nning to move away from here."


    Now that things havee to this point, Qiao Mu couldn¡¯t possibly have the nerve to stay any longer.


    The two of them said goodbye at the entrance of the vige.


    As soon as he turned around, Wang Songhe wiped his sweat forcefully, finally sending away this troublemaker.


    He was clearly the bandit nning something big, but Qiao Mu¡¯s recklessness made him fearful and unable to resist.


    Qiao Mu didn¡¯t think too much, he just decided to quickly return to Yan City.


    He had seen Old Huang and the others carrying his own dead body back to Yan City before.


    "I wonder how muchpensation the centurion will give? If it¡¯s a lot, then I¡¯ll join the army a few more times and take advantage of the city lord."


    "I need to hurry, maybe I can make it to my own funeral, and perhaps even have a taste of my own feast." Qiao Mu quickened his pace, walking along the mountain road.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    Yan City.


    Inside the Lord¡¯s castle.


    The City Lord¡¯s son trembled with excitement as he looked at a coffin ced in the courtyard.


    Inside the coffin was the body of Qiao Mu.


    Originally, it wasn¡¯t appropriate to bring the body into the Lord¡¯s castle. However, since he was forbidden by the Lord to leave, they had no choice but to bring Qiao Mu¡¯s body inside.


    "His name is Qiao Mu, but his fate is like dust." Childe Guo pped his hands andughed.


    "A good death! I should drink to celebrate it!"


    He took a sip of strong alcohol and then ordered:


    "Someone, open the coffin. I want to see how gruesome his death was."


    The nearby servant hesitated for a moment before opening the coffin.


    When the coffin lid was opened, a strong smell of blood came out. Childe Guo leaned over for a look, but quickly took two steps back with a pale face.


    The body, killed by thousands of chaotic knives, didn¡¯t look pleasing.


    He gagged a couple of times and almost vomited the drink he had just had.


    After seeing such a horrifying state of death, he couldn¡¯t help but let out a gasp¡­ How could it be that simple to finish?


    "Is there any family member of Qiao Mu here in Yan City?" Childe Guo asked.


    "There is only a twenty-year-old blind girl in the family," the servant replied.


    For the Guo family, there weren¡¯t many secrets in this city that couldn¡¯t be uncovered.


    "A blind girl? It¡¯s a pity she can¡¯t see the person¡¯s condition with her own eyes," Childe Guo sighed.


    "Then she can only smell it," he said.

 Chapter 27:

    Chapter 27:


    Inside the Lord¡¯s Mansion.


    Childe Guo, full of excitement, prepared to leave, followed by a group of servants carrying the coffin on their shoulders.


    This time, he was going to visit Qiao Mu¡¯s blind family members.


    Although Qiao Mu had died, he didn¡¯t die in front of him, so he felt happy but notpletely satisfied.


    Next, he nned to personally bring the coffin to visit Qiao Canxue.


    However, as soon as he reached the doorway, a stern voice stopped him.


    "Halt! Didn¡¯t I tell you that you were forbidden to leave for a month?"


    The one speaking was City Lord Guo Yan. He still had a strong and sturdy physique like a tower, but his face had a sickly paleness at this moment.


    "Father, I know my limits. How could I possibly cause trouble again?" Childe Guo smiled and apologized."I value my life too. How could I possibly provoke the emperor¡­ How could I possibly provoke a stranger from an unknown ce?"


    Guo Yan is a cunning and calcting person. Someone like him who has such qualities would naturally spoil his pampered son.


    At first, he stood his ground firmly, but after his only son persistently begged, Guo Yan impatiently waved his hand and let him go.


    "Ah Fu, go with him and make sure he doesn¡¯t cause any trouble." Guo Yan instructed.


    "Okay." A grey-d old man came out from the side and followed behind Childe Guo.


    This grey-d old man was the one who had previously attacked Qiao Mu from behind on the main street and swiftly captured him.


    He had been serving the Lord of the City for many years, already a highly skilled martial artist ranked 7th. He was also one of the few experts in the Lord¡¯s residence. Furthermore, he was older in age, behaved calmly, and was highly trusted by Guo Yan.


    A martial artist at the 7th rank, if serving the country, would have a status simr to that of a deputy official at the 7th rank. It¡¯s lower than being the head of a county like a 7th rank county magistrate, but still respectable.


    So there were only one or two martial artists like this in the Lord¡¯s Manor.


    After Childe Guo left, Guo Yan returned to the mansion and coughed, spitting out a mouthful of blood.


    "It¡¯s really been a busy autumntely," Guo Yan murmured to himself.


    "The Great Yan Emperor ising, and that old man Wang Songhe has appeared in the area around Yan City. Could it be that he also received the relevant information and came sniffing around?"


    When he thought of that schr, he couldn¡¯t help but feel uneasy.


    "They say that practitioners of the Dao progress slowly, with each closed-door cultivationsting years."


    "But I¡¯ve heard that Wang Songhe only abandoned his studies and turned to the Dao after he turned forty. And now he can fight me to an equal standstill¡­ If only I had known, why bother reading the books of sages and being a schr?"


    He shook his head, feeling a hidden unease in his heart.


    The emperor was about to arrive, and it was a critical moment. But he had been injured at this time, which was not good at all.


    "Maybe I should go and look for someone from the Immortal Gate, asking for a protective talisman¡­" Guo Yan wondered in his heart.


    He, at this moment, didn¡¯t have time to bother with his own son¡¯s small fights.


    As for the incident with that young hero named Qiao Mu who once threatened him on the long street, he had long forgotten about it.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    The outer city area.


    Old Huang was walking in this small alley with a few soldiers.


    "The boss¡¯s ce is too remote, hidden deep, and the road is quite difficult."


    Old Huang and the Bald Monk Soldier beside him chatted casually.


    A dayter, he finally recovered from Qiao Mu¡¯s sacrifice.


    He couldn¡¯t afford to be absent-minded. He was just a regr soldier. Even if it was Qiao Mu¡¯s immediate family who passed away, he still had to continue his training and stand guard at the military camp tomorrow.


    Working people only have time to earn a living, they don¡¯t have time to dwell on sadness and sorrow.


    "Old Huang, have you figured out how to ask yet?" asked the monk soldier next to him.


    "What¡¯s so difficult about asking? After all, we managed to gather enough money today. Not to mention the sacrifices we made, at the very least, we can have peace of mind."


    Old Huang weighed the heavy money bag in his hand.


    It took Old Huang half a day to recover and another half a day to find nearly a hundred colleagues under Qiao Mu¡¯smand. They pooled together a sum of money aspensation.


    It shouldn¡¯t have been the soldiers¡¯ responsibility to provide thispensation. It should have been funded by the Yan City Military Camp.


    However, after what happened that day, Old Huang and the others suspected that Qiao Mu was not well-regarded by Military Officer Chu and the others. They realized it would be difficult to obtain thepensation funds.


    So, they gathered some money and nned to give it to Qiao Canxue in the name ofpensation.


    On one hand, Qiao Mu repeatedly saved the soldiers under hismand.


    On the other hand, Qiao Mu charged forward alone, and hisst words before dying were for Old Huang and the others not to follow, not to sacrifice themselves.


    Upon hearing Qiao Mu¡¯s finalmand, Old Huang and the others didn¡¯t charge.


    They were also afraid of death.


    Qiao Mu gave them an opportunity to stop, so they halted.


    At first, they didn¡¯t quite understand why Qiao Mu was risking his life. Butter, when they learned that Qiao Mu was sacrificing himself to save all hundred of them, they felt somewhat uneasy.


    Therefore, it wasn¡¯t difficult to collect the money, as most people were willing to contribute.


    "It seems like the boss¡¯s house is just up ahead¡­" Old Huang was saying when suddenly he heard voicesing from the corner of a small alley.


    He turned his head and found a group of people carrying a coffin, squeezing into the alley.


    "Oh, who passed away from this family? Can a coffin fit into this narrow alley?" Old Huang was initially chattering away, but as it approached, his expression turned serious and he quickly shut his mouth.


    He recognized the people carrying the coffin, seemingly servants of the lord¡¯s mansion.


    Why would someone from the lord¡¯s mansion bring a coffin into this narrow alley?


    Before Old Huang could figure it out, he saw a young man in white clothes walking proudly into the alley, immediately capturing his attention.


    The lord¡¯s son?


    His body trembled slightly, his fist clenched instinctively, but quickly rxed. Then, he hurriedly lowered his head and moved aside to clear the path.


    The nearby monk soldier also nced briefly and followed suit, making way.


    He was a monk who enjoyed drinking and eating. He had heard at the tavern about how City Lord¡¯s son¡¯s servant had whipped Old Huang¡¯s wife, causing her to miscarry.


    He couldn¡¯t say much, so he simply patted Old Huang¡¯s shoulder.


    Several servants carried a coffin and walked through a narrow alley, nothing happened.


    The son of the City Lord naturally didn¡¯t recognize these big soldiers and just walked past them.


    Just before turning the corner of the alley, the old man in a grey robe named Ah Fu, who was following Childe Guo, nced at them and suddenly said:


    "Are you soldiers under centurion Qiao Mu¡¯smand?"


    A Fu had been to the military camp and secretly observed Qiao Mu¡¯s martial arts, so he had a bit of an impression of Old Huang and his group.


    Old Huang and the others¡¯ facial expressions changed slightly.


    As expected, Childe Guo immediately turned around with great interest.


    "Oh? Interesting."


    "Is this the doorstep of centurion Qiao Mu¡¯s home? Are you also looking for him? Thene with me."


    "Together?" Old Huang and the others were initially confused, then slowly turned their gaze towards the coffin.


    Is Qiao Mu¡¯s body inside this coffin? And Childe Guo had someone carry the coffin into this alley, so it turns out he was looking for Qiao Mu¡¯s family?

 Chapter 28:

    Chapter 28:


    Old Huang and several soldiers, including the monk, silently followed behind Childe Guo as they walked forward.


    Since Childe Guo opened his mouth, naturally they dared not refuse.


    However, their hearts gradually sank and they remained silent.


    These soldiers had gathered enoughpensation money and passed through the barrier in their hearts before daring toe and inform Qiao Mu¡¯s family of his death.


    Though a person may be dead, at least there would bepensation money, providing somefort.


    But now, they had arrived toote and unfortunately encountered the City Lord¡¯s son, who had a dispute with Qiao Mu.


    Old Huang and his friends already know what will happen next.


    But even the few soldiers they have are powerless.


    Very soon.They have reached the end of this narrow alley.


    A servant approached and knocked on the door. Soon, the door opened, revealing a blind woman that Old Huang and his friends had met before.


    "Who are you?" Qiao Canxue asked, a bit wary.


    Although she couldn¡¯t see, she could hear the sound of many footsteps in the alley, clearly indicating arge group of people.


    Normally, there aren¡¯t so many people in the deep alleys of the outer city. This is obviously unusual.


    When she appeared, the servants and attendants outside the door were immediately impressed, but their gaze fell on Qiao Canxue¡¯s tightly closed eyes and they felt a sense of regret.


    Childe Guo pointed at his chin and carefully looked at Qiao Canxue, then shook his head, "This blind person looks so beautiful, but unfortunately she is a girl."


    The servant who was knocking on the door in front of him was about to speak, but Childe Guo pushed him aside with one hand and made a quiet gesture with his index finger at his mouth.


    "Really can¡¯t see¡­" Childe Guo murmured softly, then said with a heavy tone:


    "Is this Yan City Army centurion Qiao Mu¡¯s home?"


    "I am one of Qiao Mu¡¯spanions¡­ Actually, I have something important to tell about Qiao Mu."


    "Are all of you Qiao Mu¡¯spanions? So many people came together?" Qiao Canxue¡¯s expression changed slightly as she realized something.


    Childe Guo looked behind him, scanning past Old Huang and others.


    "Yes."


    "We sure are."


    "A few days ago, I had a drink with the boss." Old Huang and the others could only say it reluctantly.


    Qiao Canxue¡¯s expression rxed slightly.


    "Come in and talk then."


    Those days, Old Huang and the others spent time with Qiao Mu, teaching him a special skill called Iron Crotch Skill. Qiao Canxue had some understanding of this matter.


    She fully opened the door and let Childe Guo and the otherse in.


    Childe Guo gestured to his servants behind him, instructing them to bring in the coffin containing the body.


    Qiao Canxue, who was walking into the house, turned back, confusedly asking:


    "What¡­ are you carrying?"


    "Since we¡¯re visiting, we can¡¯te empty-handed. It¡¯s just a small gift," Childe Guoughed and evaded.


    These few servants who carried the coffin were basically martial artists in the early stages of training. They had strength of several hundred pounds, so the coffin wasn¡¯t too heavy for them. Their footsteps were not heavy, so even though Qiao Canxue had sharp hearing, she didn¡¯t notice that they were carrying a heavy object like a coffin.


    "Since you¡¯vee, there¡¯s no need for any gifts." Qiao Canxue politely said, shaking her walking stick and returning to the house to prepare tea.


    Qiao Canxue¡¯s house was originally a normal empty house in a deep alley of the outer city.


    Because of the previous famine, the slightly valuable furniture in this empty house had long been gone. Only some worthless items, like the stone table in the courtyard used as a tea table, remained.


    There wasn¡¯t much furniture in this house, so it was not an exaggeration to say that it was empty. This scene made Old Huang and the others sigh.


    Old Huang looked at Qiao Canxue¡¯s back, his Adam¡¯s apple rolling up and down. In the end, he didn¡¯t say anything and remained silent.


    The people in the yard stood quietly like this, not making a sound. There was a coffin lying next to them, making the scene slightly eerie.


    Childe Guo watched Qiao Canxue busily moving up and down, boiling water and making tea, with great interest.


    "I want to ask, what happened to Qiao Mu? Why isn¡¯t he here?" Qiao Canxue finished brewing the tea and invited Childe Guo and the others to sit on the stone bench.


    "Oh, you¡¯re asking about that. Yesterday, the Yan City Army went out of the city to fight the bandits. Qiao Mu, he bravely charged into the midst of the bandits¡­" Childe Guo spoke calmly and took a sip of the clear tea on the table, causing his eyebrows to furrow deeply.


    The City Lord¡¯s son, who is ustomed to luxury, naturally couldn¡¯t stomach this kind of rough tea.


    However, in order to act, he suppressed his impatience.


    Qiao Canxue, seeing that Childe Guo only told half of the story and there was no continuation for a while, had to inquire:


    "He charged into the midst of the bandits, and then what happened?"


    "And then he broke through during the battle and developed internal strength." Childe Guo rested his chin on his hand and unabashedly scrutinized Qiao Canxue¡¯s expression, relieved to see her visibly rx.


    This City Lord¡¯s son¡­ Old Huang and the others stood at the back of the crowd, with their eyes twitching.


    Old Huang knew Childe Guo¡¯s character very well, as shown in the incident where he openly robbed and humiliated a 9th rank swordsman and his wife in the street. Childe Guo repeatedly used his words to taunt them, causing them to lose theirposure and focus.


    It was obvious that this visit was intended to bother the blind girl.


    "Unfortunately, there were too many bandits¡­" Childe Guo sighed.


    "There were easily over a thousand people! Such arge number, even a highly skilled martial artist would have no chance of winning, certain death!"


    Qiao Canxue didn¡¯t say anything, sitting on the stone stool, her body slightly leaning forward, showing a listening posture.


    Childe Guo continued, "Then suddenly, Qiao Mu¡¯s internal strength skyrocketed. It is said that he used some kind of secret technique and easily maneuvered through the bandits, shocking them into retreat. He gained valuable time to catch his breath¡­"


    He exaggeratedly described Qiao Mu¡¯s bravery, adding more and more exaggeration.


    "Did he use the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method¡­?" Qiao Canxue silently nodded, relieved.


    Before Qiao Mu went to the lord¡¯s mansion, she specifically taught him this explosive secret technique so that he could unleash his potential and survive in crucial moments.


    The so-called Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method is a secret technique that sacrifices one¡¯s life for survival. Once used, even if not dead, the body¡¯s meridians suffer great damage and energy and blood plummet.


    Once the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method is used, it basically means giving up one¡¯s future.


    Qiao Canxue and Qiao Mu had a simple trade rtionship. She taught him martial arts, and Qiao Mu was responsible for avenging him.


    So, teaching this secret technique didn¡¯t actually match the goal of revenge ¨C even if Qiao Mu survived, he would be too weak to take revenge after using the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method.


    It¡¯s just that at the time, Qiao Canxue thought that human life was more important than revenge, so she taught him this secret technique.


    Now it seems that she had foresight, and this Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method really came in handy.


    Thinking of this, she felt a little relieved in her heart, knowing that her preparation would at least be effective.


    "And then? What happens after using the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method?" Qiao Canxue asked again.


    Childe Guo didn¡¯t immediately answer; instead, he picked up his teacup, took his time drinking, and then looked at Qiao Canxue.


    "And then?"


    "And then, nothing." Childe Guo shrugged and a smile gradually appeared on his face. "He died."


    He stopped acting and revealed himself.


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 Chapter 29:

    Chapter 29:


    "He died?"


    Qiao Canxue was slightly surprised.


    "What do you mean?" A sense of unease rose in her heart as she slowly stood up from the stone bench.


    The atmosphere was somewhat heavy, only the sound of people¡¯s breath could be heard.


    No one was speaking in the entire courtyard.


    The old man in gray clothes closed his eyes and rested beside, with his position as the 7th ranked martial artist, his status in the City Lord¡¯s mansion was not low. Although he was ordered to protect the City Lord¡¯s son¡¯s life, he had no interest in getting involved in this farce.


    Childe Guo didn¡¯t say anything, only a silent smile appeared on his face.


    "Didn¡¯t you understand?" Childe Guo smiled when he reached a dead end.


    "He was killed."Childe Guo stood up and walked step by step towards the coffin holding Qiao Mu¡¯s body.


    He smiled and said, "Brother Qiao Mu was no match for those bandits. His internal strength quickly depleted and he ran out of strength. In the end, he was hacked to death by those bandits with chaotic knives, his body waspletely unrecognizable."


    "So, he is killed."


    Old Huang took a slightly heavy breath, he looked at Qiao Canxue, wanting to say something but held back.


    The monk next to him was even more impulsive. The veins on his forehead popped out, and he muttered to himself, "This is too much¡­"


    However, Old Huang quietly held him back at this moment.


    "Monk, don¡¯t be impulsive. We have no way to deal with Childe Guo." He pointed in the direction of Qiao Mu¡¯s coffin:


    "Boss was always the most stubborn one, he was the only one who dared to defy Childe Guo, but now he¡¯s lying there."


    Childe Guo was still talking over there, he spoke with excitement, and Childe Guo kicked open the coffin lid with a strong, bloody smell immediately dispersing.


    "Come."


    "You are Qiao Mu¡¯s family. Come over and confirm if this body is Qiao Mu. After all, his condition of death was too tragic, none of us could recognize him, we could only guess."


    Qiao Canxue didn¡¯t say anything, her face turned slightly pale as she took a step back.


    "No¡­" Before she finished speaking, Childe Guo interrupted her with wild gestures:


    "Are you trying to say¡­"


    "Impossible! Absolutely impossible!" Childe Guo¡¯s voice mixed with just the right amount of surprise, doubt, and grief.


    "This is fake, the body is fake, the coffin is fake, I am fake! Everything is fake!"


    "Actually, Qiao Mu didn¡¯t die at all. He¡¯ll be back safe and sound soon."


    Speaking of this, the extravagant expression on Childe Guo¡¯s face disappeared, and finally turned cold. He said lightly,


    "If I were to say this, would it make you feel a little better?"


    Qiao Canxue remained silent, unconsciously gripping the cane in her hand, her knuckles turning pale.


    But inside, her heart was inplete chaos.


    Outsiders thought that she and Qiao Mu were dependent on each other, like siblings.


    In reality, she knew that she was the only orphan of the Qiao family, while Qiao Mu was just an outsider, and they had no blood rtion.


    It was precisely because he was an outsider with no blood ties that all of this became even more precious.


    After the Qiao family was wiped out, Qiao Canxue went from being a noble descendant to a nobody overnight, long ustomed to the harsh realities of life.


    The other powerful families who had close dealings with the Qiao family avoided her like the gue, afraid of offending the Martial Saint.


    And as a blind girl navigating through this chaotic world, she had seen no shortage of tragic and destitute incidents.


    While the sword-wielding couple turned against each other under the pressure from Childe Guo, Qiao Mu was the only one who investigated the matter of the lord for her, and ended up being cruelly killed in the lord¡¯s enormous web of schemes¡­


    She stood there motionless with her eyes closed, as silent as a tree.


    Childe Guo had been observing Qiao Canxue¡¯s reaction from up close, and frowned when she remained silent for a long time.


    "Don¡¯t you have a conscience? Can¡¯t you even cry?"


    Qiao Canxue lifted her face and closed her eyes, speaking in a low voice to Childe Guo:


    "ording to the teachings of my Qiao family, we never show weakness to our enemies."


    "¡­.."


    Now it was Childe Guo¡¯s turn to stay silent.


    He didn¡¯t expect that this seemingly easy-to-deal-with blind girl would react like this.


    Did she guess that he came to make fun of her, so she deliberately acted so heartless?


    "Boring! You¡¯re as stubborn as a dead person, are you forcing me to be tough?"


    "Since you can¡¯t see the person¡¯s dead expression with your blind eyes, there is still a way for you to empathize with it."


    Childe Guo¡¯s face turned dark, the blind girl¡¯s behavior reminded him of the already tragic death of Qiao Mu.


    Qiao Mu became famous by stepping on his head, every time people in Yan City talked about Qiao Mu, it was like a p on his face.


    He pped his hands lightly, and soon a servant came forward. In the servant¡¯s basket was a pot of hot soup.


    Open the lid, a tempting fragrance wafted out.


    You can see that this pot of meat soup has been added with many spices, and it smells quite good.


    Childe Guo said softly,


    "Everyone in Yan City is saying that this Qiao Mu is brave and righteous, carrying on the traditions of ancient chivalry."


    "Come, take a whiff of this Hero Courage Soup and see if it has a unique taste."


    "You¡­" Qiao Canxue¡¯s body trembled uncontrobly.


    However, Childe Guo paid no attention to her reaction at this moment, and only said,


    "Servants, feed thedy the soup!"


    As soon as the words fell.


    Several servants behind him quickly rushed forward.


    Two strong servants, one on each side, held Qiao Canxue¡¯s hands. Another person reached out and handed her a bowl of soup.


    However, the monk at the back of the crowd suddenly froze.


    He suddenly realized that Old Huang, who had been beside him, had disappeared at some point.


    Looking up, he saw that Old Huang had somehow mixed in with the servants.


    "Old Huang£¿"


    While Qiao Canxue was being held down, Old Huang squeezed in front of the servant and directly poured the soup into his own mouth.


    His eating manners were ugly, eating like a starving ghost, afraid of losing even a bit.


    While drinking, he smiled tteringly at Childe Guo, showing his ugly big yellow teeth. "Young master, this soup is delicious."


    Childe Guo¡¯s face gradually darkened.


    "You dare to snatch food, you dog-like thing?" He approached and kicked it.


    Old Huang instinctively shrank back, wanting to hide, but dared not. He had to take this kick solidly, being knocked down to the ground, and the bowl in his hand shattered.


    But Old Huang ignored everything and crawled on the ground to pick up the meat scraps and forcefully stuffed them in his mouth.


    "Are you done or not?" Childe Guo moved forward to kick again.


    But suddenly, a voice came from outside the door.


    "It smells so good."


    A hat-wearing traveler carrying a long spear walked into the room as if he was nobody, sniffed the fragrance in the air, showing a intoxicated expression, and asked:


    "Drinking soup is such a delightful thing, may I also have a share?"


    While speaking, the masked traveler took off their mask, revealing their face.

 Chapter 30:

    Chapter 30:


    When the masked traveler entered the door.


    The gray-clothed old man, who had been resting with his eyes closed, finally opened them and nced at the masked traveler without showing any clear reaction.


    The gray-clothed old man was a martial artist ranked 7th. He could tell that although the masked traveler spoke boldly and had a decent presence, they were ultimately just a martial artist ranked 9th.


    "Although this person is ranked 9th, their vitality is depleted and they are far from reaching the peak of the 9th rank. It¡¯s not worth mentioning."


    He remainedposed, and his strength gave him confidence.


    As the saying goes, one higher level of official can crush people. The rankings among officials represent a distinct difference in status and hierarchy, while the 9th rank system among martial artists represents the gap in their strength.


    However, Childe Guo and the others were not asposed.


    Everyone¡¯s attention was drawn to this unexpected guest, who walked in and gently lifted off his hat, revealing his face.


    At the moment when the face was exposed to the sunlight, everyone was startled, their souls trembled.Qiao Mu¡¯s coffin was still lying there beside, the lid of the coffin had not been closed yet.


    Another Qiao Mu emerged under the bright daylight?


    "Qiao Mu£¿£¡"


    "Boss?"


    "Impossible!"


    Among them, Childe Guo was particrly shocked, and he immediately took two steps back.


    As soon as he removed his hat and revealed his face, Qiao Mu moved, astonishing everyone.


    The long spear appeared in his hand from behind, with a swirling aura around its tip, aimed directly at Childe Guo¡¯s throat!


    Without hesitation, he directly attacked Childe Guo, emitting a strong and intense sense of killing intent.


    However, at that moment, a grey figure quickly regainedposure from the shock, flew in front of Childe Guo, and pped the spearhead from the side with both palms.


    Buzz!


    With a dull sound, the long spear in Qiao Mu¡¯s hand violently trembled, causing his hands to bleed as the skin on his palm split open.


    The grey-clothed old man blinked his eyes and withdrew his hands behind his back.


    Childe Guo behind him turned pale, as a strand of his hair was grazed by the aura of the long spear, causing a slight cut on his forehead.


    However, Qiao Mupletely ignored the grey-clothed old man, his eyes fixed firmly on Childe Guo behind him, emanating a strong and intense sense of killing intent.


    This made Childe Guo feel as if he was being stared at by a fierce beast, causing goosebumps to rise on his body and a chill to run down his spine.


    He instinctively took a step back, but his mind once again recalled the scene when he was violently assaulted by Qiao Mu on the long street.


    "Qiao Mu is dead, who are you?" The old man in gray clothes was the first to react, his gaze fixed on Qiao Mu¡¯s face.


    There is a difference in appearance between the ages of 20 and 28. At this moment, Qiao Mu¡¯s facial features appear more mature and profound, with a hint of maturity. There is also a thin stubble on his chin.


    Compared to the difference in appearance, the gap between the two in the martial arts is more evident.


    Qiao Mu had just broken through the 9th rank before his death, while Qiao Lin in front of him, although also at the 9th rank and with some depletion in his energy and blood, is clearly not a beginner at the 9th rank.


    Moreover, the old man in gray clothes had seen Qiao Mu practice the spear at the military camp. It was obvious that he was trying the spear for the first time, and his talent in spear technique was only average. It was impossible for him to make such progress in just a few days.


    "Seems like he¡¯s not the boss¡­ He¡¯s a bit tougher and more reckless than the boss."


    Old Huang beside him had cleverly moved to the side and quietly discussed.


    "My name is Qiao Lin, Qiao Mu is my younger brother." Qiao Mu nced at his own body in the coffin, his eyes revealing a perfect amount of grief.


    "Disrespecting the body of my little brother¡­ I, Qiao Lin, am willing to risk my life to take all of you down with me!"


    The old man in gray clothing remained unchanged in expression, and even had a slight desire tough.


    "You¡¯re talking nonsense, making empty boasts¡­"


    The old man in gray clothing didn¡¯t finish his sentence, but his expression froze as he turned his head to look behind him.


    Childe Guo, who had been protected by him all along, seemed unable to withstand Qiao Mu¡¯s gaze and had already retreated to the entrance of the courtyard.


    "Uncle Fu, let¡¯se again next time."


    Childe Guo¡¯s voice trembled slightly.


    It wasn¡¯t that he was timid, but in the previous encounter on the main street, he was also subdued by Qiao Mu while being surrounded by guards.


    And now¡­ Childe Guo touched a spot of blood on his head, feeling that it would be better to y it safe this time.


    "Retreat!"


    Childe Guo came and went quickly, and the nearby servants exchanged nces and hurried to catch up.


    The old man in gray clothes, Ah Fu, remained silent for a while, and in the end could only turn and leave.


    Qiao Mu watched them leave, but his heart was still tense.


    He knew that the gray-clothed old man was only escorting Childe Guo away. The situation had developed to the point where once Childe Guo returned to the Lord¡¯s Manor, the Lord¡¯s Manor might send someone to attack¡­.


    He wasn¡¯t afraid of death, he even kind of wanted to die.


    But there were still people behind him, and this ce wasn¡¯t suitable for a battlefield.


    So, Qiao Mu gripped his long spear and, watching the figures of the people leaving, said loudly:


    "Tomorrow."


    "I, Qiao Lin, will bury my younger brother Qiao Mu¡¯s body in a mound outside the city."


    From his words, it meant that tomorrow I will leave the city and if he wants to have a fight, he cane.


    The gray-clothed old man, Ah Fu, paused slightly in his footsteps andughed.


    "This Qiao Lin indeed has some courage. He and his brother Qiao Mu are truly blood brothers with the same bad temper. It¡¯s a pity that they only have youthful bravery inmon."


    He didn¡¯t linger and turned around to leave.


    Qiao Lin put away his spear and turned to look at the other people in the courtyard.


    After Childe Guo and his group left, there were only Qiao Canxue, Old Huang, and a few other soldiers left in the courtyard. However, all of them were stunned and hadn¡¯t recovered from the shock just now.


    Next to it was an open coffin, and there were two cups of tea and a pot of soup on the stone table in the courtyard.


    "I happen to be hungry." Qiao Mu smelled the scent and walked over, still grumbling in his heart.


    Wang Songhe has no manners at all. He invited me to his cottage but didn¡¯t even offer me a meal before I left. I had to rush and eat my own meal quickly.


    Most of the soup was drunk by Old Huang, only a little less than half a bowl was left in the pot.


    Old Huang and the others were still puzzled. When they saw Qiao Mu going todle the soup, they immediately rushed over to stop him.


    "You can¡¯t drink this soup!"


    "You can¡¯t let me drink? It¡¯s just a bowl of soup, why be so stingy?" Qiao Mu stared angrily.


    "This is not an ordinary soup, it¡¯s¡­ Hero Courage Soup," Old Huang briefly exined.


    Just as he was halfway through his exnation, he himself felt nauseous and bent over, dry retching.


    Qiao Mu frowned for a moment, but quickly rxed.


    He ignored the obstruction of Old Huang and the monks and helped himself to a bowl, swallowing it down in big gulps.


    Unexpectedly, he drank the soup, his face remained normal, without any difort.


    "This is pig liver, pig heart, not the kind of thing you imagined."


    Old Huang was stunned for a moment, stopped retching, and said, "But Childe Guo said¡­"


    "Childe Guo? Are you talking about that wastrel just now? This person seems to be full of lies, not trustworthy. Most likely just trying to scare you."


    Qiao Mu spoke, ncing at his own body, pretending to be sorrowful.


    "Besides, I heard that my younger brother Qiao Mu died in a gruesome manner, with his organs all shattered. How can that be enough to make soup?"


    "Besides, it doesn¡¯t taste the same."


    When he said these words to Old Huang, Qiao Canxue, who had been silent all along, somehow came up behind him with a look of doubt.

 Chapter 31:

    Chapter 31:


    Lord¡¯s residence.


    Childe Guo hurriedly rushed into the door, and the hurried look on his face only slightly faded after entering.


    The old man in gray clothes, Ah Fu, followed closely, but his expression on his face was somewhat helpless, yet he didn¡¯t say anything.


    "Why are you back so soon?" Lord Guo Yan saw his own son returning, especially the unusual look on his face, and felt surprised.


    Going out and dealing with a newly trained martial artist¡¯s family, with a 7th ranked martial artist watching, could anything go wrong?


    "It¡¯s mainly because of Qiao Mu¡­ His restless spirit appeared!" Childe Guo said absentmindedly.


    He felt the threat of death once again, so he quickly retreated, not wanting to take any risks.


    Lord Guo Yan furrowed his brow and turned to look at the gray-clothed old man beside him, asking him to exin.


    "Actually, it¡¯s not Qiao Mu, but Qiao Mu¡¯s older brother from the family," said the old man in the gray robe."How can a persone back to life after death? Moreover, when Qiao Mu died, there were hundreds, even thousands of people who witnessed it. It¡¯s impossible to mix up the body," he said.


    "But that person¡­" Childe Guo hesitated.


    "Young master, you are unaware," the gray-robed old man, Ah Fu, exined patiently.


    "As a martial artist with strong internal strength, as their level improves, their physical body undergoes extraordinary changes."


    "For example, from being an 8th rank martial artist and above, it strengthens the five senses of the body, until reaching the 4th rank."


    "An 8th rank martial artist,pared to a 9th rank martial artist, has more powerful vision, which is their sight."


    "As for a 7th rank martial artist, they have a more sensitive sense of smell."


    "And as for a 6th rank¡­" The gray-robed old man looked towards the lord of the city.


    The lord took over the conversation, "The 6th rank is about taste, so after the improvement of both the sense of smell and taste, martial artists above the 6th rank are difficult to be poisoned, which is quite good."


    Lord Guo Yan is a martial artist ranked sixth.


    At his position, physical strength is actually less important, while the advancement in sense of smell and taste can protect him from being poisoned, so he is quite satisfied.


    The gray-robed old man said, "This Qiao Lin¡¯s body is indeed different from Qiao Mu¡¯s, there is also an inch difference in height, they are just simr-looking brothers."


    With his exceptional sensory abilities, the gray-robed old man had great confidence and was the first among everyone present to realize the person was not centurion Qiao Mu.


    Others only see the simrities between Qiao Mu and Qiao Lin at first nce.


    However, he was able to perceive the differences between the two individuals through his two sensory abilities.


    "How strong is Qiao Lin?" the lord asked again.


    "He is only at the 9th rank, his vitality iscking, but it¡¯s not a concern. The onlymendable thing is that he has achieved a high level of skill in spear technique," the gray-robed old man said.


    "What is his way of using the spear?" The lord furrowed his brows slightly.


    Qiao Mu had just died and Qiao Lin arrived, which made him suspect that Qiao Mu, who imed to be amoner, might be from a noble family. That¡¯s why he had such well-informed news. In that case, he would have to reconsider how to handle this matter.


    The old man in gray hesitated for a moment.


    "It seems to be¡­ a Military Spear Skill used on the battlefield? Maybe he has also served in the army?"


    "Oh, then there¡¯s nothing to worry about." Guo Yan immediately felt relieved.


    He was already injured and with the emperor approaching, there were more important matters to attend to. He didn¡¯t have the energy to deal with such trivial matters.


    Saying this, Guo Yan turned his head to look at his own son.


    "Regarding this matter¡­"


    Childe Guo instinctively shrunk his neck, then he heard Guo Yan say:


    "You did well."


    The old man in gray and Childe Guo were both slightly astonished.


    Only the Lord murmured:


    "The son of the rich and powerful should not be disrespected. After what happened in the street, it seems you also understand when to be timid and when to run."


    "If this Qiao Lin is like Qiao Mu, a fugitive, it would be best to leave early and not confront him directly."


    "As long as there is life, we can easily deal with himter."


    The old man in gray beside him was taken aback. He never expected to hear such words.


    "Until this matter is resolved, you should continue to stay in the mansion and not go out." Guo Yan then turned his head to the old man in gray:


    "Since killing a young one resulted in an encounter with an old one, this time we need to act more skillfully."


    "If you only cut the grass but don¡¯t remove the roots, it will grow back when the spring wind blows. I don¡¯t need to exin this, right?"


    "The 9th ranked martial artist with iplete qi and blood mastery, only his spear technique can be considered at an advanced level. Normally, he can easily crush a few 8th rank martial artists." Lord Guo Yan pondered for a moment and said:


    "But just to be safe, it¡¯s better for you to go and handle this. Show them your skills."


    "¡­..Okay." The old man in the gray robe nodded.


    He had already demonstrated his strength against Qiao Mu at Qiao Canxue¡¯s house, clearly showing his superiority.


    If it weren¡¯t for the fact that City Lord¡¯s son was quick to escape, preventing him from venting his frustration, he could have easily resolved this matter alone.


    However, it¡¯s not toote now.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    In the outer district¡¯s deep alley, Qiao Canxue¡¯s home.


    Qiao Mu finished drinking the meat soup and ced the bowl down.


    "Uh¡­ Brother Qiao," Old Huang stopped dry heaving and finally stood upright, uncertainly asking:


    "Are you saying that Childe Guo really tricked us with his evil sense of humor?"


    In the midst of speaking, Old Huang couldn¡¯t help but nce at the coffin next to him.


    Inside the coffin was Qiao Mu¡¯s body. To check if the Hero Courage Soup was genuine, all they needed to do was open the coffin and examine the body.


    However¡­


    "Of course it¡¯s a lie," Qiao Mu saw Old Huang¡¯s gaze and said firmly:


    "My brother died a gruesome death, his body is iplete. Let¡¯s not bother him anymore."


    With that, he took a step forward and carefully closed his own coffin lid.


    At this point, he finally rxed.


    Actually, he didn¡¯t know what that so-called Hero Courage Soup was, the thing Childe Guo mentioned. He couldn¡¯t say either.


    He quickly drank the remaining soup, to eliminate evidence, and also because Old Huang looked like he was about to vomit. He drank the soup just to calm down Old Huang and prevent him from having any psychological trauma.


    Even if he took a step back, that thing was the real deal¡­


    Qiao Mu would not feel too bad to eat his own flesh.


    After all, ever since he crossed over, he had risked his life many times to explore the supernatural ability of immortality. He had even fought with bare hands against sharp weapons. Would he be afraid of a bowl of homemade meat soup?


    As for the truth¡­ Qiao Mu didn¡¯t want to know.


    Just let the truth rot in his stomach like that.


    He turned around, about to speak, but suddenly looked back and saw Qiao Canxue standing nearby, tilting her head as if sniffing something.


    What a silly girl¡­ Qiao Mu was extremely surprised.


    When I was 20, we had a pure business rtionship, but now at 28, my body is so mature and tempting. You can¡¯t control yourself anymore?

 Chapter 32:

    Chapter 32:


    "Youngdy, please behave yourself," said Qiao Mu, tilting his head back tactically.


    "Miss Qiao, this year I am already 28 years old. I have thirteen concubines at home and I am skilled in thirty-six different martial arts techniques. You can¡¯t defeat me."


    Qiao Canxue was slightly surprised and had a skeptical expression on her face.


    She actually understood¡­. Qiao Mu took the opportunity to take a few steps back towards Old Huang and the soldiers.


    "Qiao¡­ Brother Qiao Lin." Old Huang was a bit restrained at this moment, without the usual familiarity.


    After all, facing Qiao Lin, his own younger brother who died in front of them, and died for their sake, made it all weigh heavily on them.


    Old Huang thought for a moment and quickly handed over a heavy money bag.


    "Brother Qiao Lin, this is the pension money issued by the government."


    "Pension money? My brother just died yesterday, how can the government be so efficient?" Qiao Mu frowned.Previously, he only suspected that the lord wanted to harm him, but had no evidence.


    But after experiencing these events, how could he continue to be ignorant.


    The lord¡¯s family all wanted him dead, so how could they issue the pension money so quickly.


    Since that¡¯s the case, it is clear that this pension money has a different source¡­


    Of course Qiao Mu didn¡¯t have any grudges with money, especially since nobody died and he didn¡¯t have any losses. In fact, he became stronger because of it, so there was no need for this pension money.


    Money is just material possessions, it is neither brought in life nor taken in death. After experiencing rebirth after death, it will be lost. Therefore, in Qiao Mu¡¯s eyes, it feels better to have the Iron Crotch Skill.


    He thought for a moment and said,


    "I don¡¯t need thispensation, I don¡¯t want that little money from the Yan City government."


    "If any of you are interested, perhaps you could help me with a small matter."


    "After my younger brother Qiao Mu got into trouble, he sent me a letter about this Yan City situation. He said the city lord Guo Yan had a good reputation, so he wouldn¡¯t die on the street at that time, but might dieter because of the city lord¡¯s revenge. Now it seems to be true."


    "Tomorrow, I will send my brother¡¯s body out of the city for burial. I invite you all to help spread this news."


    "By doing so, the city lord probably won¡¯t act hastily before tomorrow."


    Old Huang and the others naturally didn¡¯t refuse, and quickly agreed, then left.


    However, right before the monk left, he stuffed a paperback book into Qiao Lin¡¯s hands.


    "Since you don¡¯t want thepensation, then you must want the secret book, right?" the monk sighed.


    "Long ago, centurion Qiao Mu promised me that he would protect me in the battle against bandits, and if I were to return to Yan City, I would give him this manual as a token of gratitude."


    "Qiao Mu was a man of honor. He once said that a promise is worth more than gold, even more important than life itself. But now he is gone, and I cannot deliver this manual to him."


    "Brother Qiao Lin, since you also practice martial arts, you can take this manual as a gesture of apology from me."


    You, monk, are clearly deceiving me! The person I made an agreement with was Old Huang, and he is standing right there. How could you lie¡­ Qiao Mu didn¡¯t refuse and took a look at the manual. It was titled ¡®Iron Cloth Shirt Skill¡¯.


    Another ssic hard skill.


    Qiao Mu dly epted.


    As long as he dies excellently, he can transform into a time management master, simultaneously practicing and mastering multiple martial arts techniques.


    Of course, this hard skill must be practiced.


    Once they left, only Qiao Mu and Qiao Canxue remained in the courtyard, and the atmosphere became somewhat tense.


    After all, at this moment Qiao Mu is ying the role of Qiao Lin, and the two are considered to have just met.


    "Miss Canxue, my younger brother often mentioned you¡­ But time is running out, so let¡¯s not talk about these idle things. Tomorrow, I will have a battle with the City Lord¡¯s side. This is a matter for my Qiao brothers. I hope you can leave Yan City as soon as possible to avoid being involved, just like earlier."


    They didn¡¯tpletely fight just now, mainly because both sides had concerns.


    The grey-d old man wants to protect the safety of the City Lord¡¯s son, and Qiao Mu is simr.


    But if he is alone, he can start fooling around.


    After a moment of silence, it was Qiao Canxue who spoke first:


    "If you insist, I will leave."


    "But before that, I have one more thing to do with Qiao Mu. There is a noodle shop at the alley entrance, shall we go out and eat while talking?"


    The two of them left the small house and walked step by step through the deep alley towards the outside.


    Qiao Canxue always walked side by side with Qiao Mu, about a half to one step apart, following closely.


    When they arrived at the noodle shop, Qiao Mu subconsciously walked towards a corner and caught a glimpse of Qiao Canxue out of the corner of his eye. Only then did he choose a quiet spot to sit.


    As soon as they sat down, Qiao Canxue didn¡¯t choose a seat opposite him, but instead sat right next to him on a bench, even leaning her nose near to sniff him.


    "Youngdy, you are ying with fire," said Qiao Mu seriously.


    "I, Qiao Lin, am already twenty-eight this year. I have been practicing the Iron Crotch Skill for many years. This is the age when I am strong and fierce like a wolf. I already have six children from my thirteen concubines at home. Your figure can¡¯t match up to mine."


    Qiao Canxue fell silent again.


    After a while, she said slowly.


    "Stop pretending."


    "If you are twenty-eight, then I am twenty-nine."


    "You are purposely speaking strange words, trying to confuse my judgment. Even though I can¡¯t see, I can still see through you."


    Qiao Canxue said slowly,


    "The smell on your body, the tone of your voice when you speak, the way you end each sentence, the rhythm of your steps¡­"


    "In the gaps between the cobblestones of the deep alley, moss often grows in the dark. When stepped on, it makes a sound like tiny water droplets sshing. And just now, you stepped on the moss for eight out of ten steps."


    "This noodle shop is also a ce Qiao Mu often frequents. He usually chooses a quiet corner spot, seeking peace and quiet."


    "These are all his habits."


    "Of course, there¡¯s one more important thing¡­ intuition, right?" Qiao Canxue said, cing both hands on her closed eyelids, showing a clear expression of hesitation and confusion.


    Qiao Mu¡¯s eyes widened slightly.


    Well, how should I put it, being remembered for this kind of small habit is like running into your ex-girlfriend when you go to the small supermarket to buy spicy chips ¨C it feels strangely embarrassing.


    "You hesitated, which means I guessed right." Qiao Canxue smiled at this moment.


    "Blind people who can¡¯t see want to survive in this chaotic world, they need to have some small tricks up their sleeve."


    "Guessed? It looks like I was tricked too." Qiao Mu was surprised but didn¡¯t pay much attention.


    If I¡¯ll be exposed, so be it. Anyway, he ns to send Qiao Canxue away soon, so it¡¯s not a big problem.


    "So, how did you deceive them into believing that you¡¯re already 28 this year? Did you use makeup or disguise?" Qiao Canxue asked with her eyes closed.


    She couldn¡¯t see the change in my face, so did she rely on other things like scent to guess, and ultimately rely on intuition¡­ Qiao Mu casually brushed it off, "More or less."


    "Actually, during the battle against bandits that day, I was severely injured and trapped in the enemy camp. Myrades thought I was dead until I slowly regained consciousness and saw a celestial being named Wang Songhe. He gave me a fairy pill, and after swallowing it, my power greatly increased and my injuries were healed¡­"


    "A celestial being? Is there really such a thing as immortality in this world?" Qiao Canxue¡¯s smile froze on her face, clearly very surprised.


    Qiao Mu muttered to himself, "Back then, Wang Songhe said it was strange that I, a Qiao family member, didn¡¯t know about inhuman. I didn¡¯t expect that even a proper Qiao family person like you wouldn¡¯t know either."

 Chapter 33:

    Chapter 33:


    "Fairy path¡­inhuman¡­if it¡¯s like this, many things will make sense."


    After being educated by Qiao Mu, Qiao Canxue first felt confused and then gradually gained an unknown confidence.


    "Is there a possibility that I am different from others?" She said with her eyes closed.


    Qiao Mu nced at her closed eyes and nodded, "Indeed."


    "It¡¯s been two days since youst told me the story of the Night of Divine n¡¯s Destruction and the opening of the Heavenly Eye that would crush the Martial Saint."


    "I¡¯m serious," Qiao Canxue said seriously.


    "Do you think that the Qiao family waspletely wiped out, leaving behind only a blind person like me? Was it just my luck? Or did that Martial Saint have sympathy?"


    "A person like the Martial Saint, how could he have sympathy? If he doesn¡¯t kill me, it¡¯s surely because he has ulterior motives."


    "He wanted you to seek revengeter?" Qiao Mu casually asked.Qiao Canxue didn¡¯t respond, and continued speaking to herself:


    "When I was young, an inhuman came to my house and said that I had a natural spiritual sense, that I was not an ordinary person, and wanted to take me as their disciple. However, my Qiao family, being a prestigious martial arts n, naturally didn¡¯t want to associate with inhuman."


    "I am blind in both eyes, unable to progress on the path of martial arts, but perhaps there is another path I can take."


    "The path of immortality."


    Qiao Mu frowned, "Why are you boasting again? What do you really want to say?"


    "I want to say¡­ stop, Qiao Mu," Qiao Canxue pleaded.


    "The entire city outside is under Guo Yan¡¯s control. He himself is a seventh or sixth ranked martial artist, and with thousands of soldiers in the military camp, you have just entered the ninth rank and your energy is greatly depleted because of the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method. You won¡¯t be able to defeat them."


    "So, you should stop and let me handle it."


    "?" A question mark slowly appeared above Qiao Mu¡¯s head.


    Are you also trying topete with me?


    "After the son of the Lord of the City came to inform me of your death, I realized my indecisiveness," Qiao Canxue said lightly.


    "I have the intention to seek revenge, but Ick the power."


    "I want to exchange the secret manual for your help, but I don¡¯t want to see you die because of it."


    "And this half-hearted idea has no chance of seeding in revenge!"


    "So, it seems that revenge should not be entrusted to others." While speaking, Qiao Canxue searched her body and found a paperback book.


    "You almost gave your life for me, and I have no way to repay you¡­"


    "I am just a burden staying in Yan City. But before I leave, let¡¯s make one final deal, you and me."


    "The Long Life Fist of the Qiao family is extraordinary. Only after cultivating internal strength can one begin to grasp its essence."


    "There is a significant reason for this. Within the Long Life Fist, there is a secret technique that goes beyond the limits, which requires the cultivation of internal strength to attempt."


    Qiao Canxue exined, "The so-called ¡®beyond the limits¡¯ means surpassing the limits of the body and unleashing a force of over ten times its strength. For example, the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method exploits the hidden potential of the human body, forcefully pushing beyond its limits."


    "And the ¡®beyond the limits¡¯ secret technique of the Qiao family¡¯s Long Life Fist is a highly advanced martial arts skill that involves the technique of using internal strength."


    "It is called¡­Ripple Stacking Wave Strength."


    "Can your Ripple Stacking Wave Strength create a Stand?" Qiao Mu asked with anticipation as he rubbed his hands together.


    Immortality, longevity, and the ability to create Stands would make him invincible!


    "Ripple Stacking Wave Strength is the technique ofbining multipleyers of internal strength, continuously stacking them like waves, increasing in power beyond the limits."


    In the past, our Qiao family¡¯s leader was the only one who reached the ¡®Triple Wave¡¯ level in the cultivation of Ripple Stacking Wave Strength. With the explosive force of threeyers, its power was unrivaled¡­


    "Take it, this is myst secret technique. Ripple Stacking Wave Strength is extremely difficult andplex. Even though it¡¯s only one book, it can keep you studying for several lifetimes." She handed this book to Qiao Mu and said sincerely,


    "And my condition for the exchange is¡­ give up, leave Yan City as soon as possible, stop fighting with the lord. Otherwise, there¡¯s only a dead end."


    "You make a lot of sense." Qiao Mu was greatly moved.


    "Since it¡¯se to this, let¡¯s have some noodles first."


    He took the secret technique with one hand, while slurping down noodles andpletely ignoring Qiao Canxue¡¯s lengthy lecture.


    He had already made his own decision.


    She had her own fairy path to walk on, but Qiao Mu also had his own path.


    Silly road!


    No one can stop a reckless person from seeking their own destruction!


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    After finishing her noodles, the night gradually set in and Qiao Canxue left.


    Time was running out, and both parties silently parted ways.


    As for how this blind girl would leave, Qiao Mu didn¡¯t need to worry about it. He wasn¡¯t her caretaker, and even though she was blind, she had her own way of surviving in this chaotic world.


    What Qiao Mu was concerned about was how he would die tomorrow.


    Walking back from the streets to a deep alley, there were many passersby who nced at Qiao Mu, their eyes showing a hint of pity, whispering and pointing at him.


    Obviously, Old Huang and the others had been sessful in spreading the news.


    Yan City wasn¡¯t big, and the gossip of the town¡¯s busybodies could spread from one end of the city to the other in a day.


    Especially when ites to rumors about the important person Guo from this city.


    "If the people are with me, then I have no choice but to die." Qiao Mu bought a fancy urn at the funeral shop, preparing to be a fancy ghost.


    Whenever others gave him sympathetic looks, Qiao Mu would also make a sorrowful expression at the right moment.


    He was gradually getting into character.


    The martial artist with keen senses didn¡¯t see through Qiao Mu, but Qiao Canxue did, which was a reminder.


    From now on, try to be a strange character.


    Upon returning to the deep alley, Qiao Mu didn¡¯t enter the empty house, but randomly chose another empty house next to it.


    His consciousness sank into the depths of his mind, and the Ouroboros Long Life Lock emitted a faint glow.


    The so-called Long Life Lock is a lock-shaped ornament that parents hang around their children¡¯s necks. It is meant to protect against evil and disasters, lock in life, and the Long Life Lock usually has words like "long life of a hundred years" or "long life of wealth and prosperity" written on it.


    And the long-life lock that Qiao Mu had, it was written "immortality", and it really could lock his life.


    Even if he died in battle, he coulde back to life, and even his martial arts cultivation could improve.


    At this moment, the five chains beneath the ancient lock in his mind rapidly swelled, extending from Qiao Mu¡¯s heart outwards, and the five illusory chains were fixed in the surrounding void.


    "The resurrection point is set."


    In the long night, Qiao Mu burned his own body while using his remaining energy to read the two secret books in his hands by the light of the fire.


    As expected, "Ripple Stacking Wave Strength" waspletely iprehensible like a heavenly book. However, he could understand "Iron Cloth Shirt Skill," but it also required time to practice, and it was impossible to master it overnight.


    Unconsciously, the light outside the window was faintly white, and it was already the next day.


    "It¡¯s time for my funeral." Qiao Mu picked up the urn of ashes, preparing for the funeral.

 Chapter 34:

    Chapter 34:


    In the morning, the sky was slightly bright.


    A swordman in a green robe, with sleepy eyes, entered a tavern.


    This swordman in a green robe was around thirty years old, with disheveled hair and a scruffy beard on his chin, looking a bit untidy.


    However, his appearance was quite good, even without being tidy, he didn¡¯t give off a messy feeling, but rather a decadent charm.


    "A broken mirror can¡¯t be mended¡­"


    Whispering these words, he entered a tavern.


    Since the day they encountered the City Lord¡¯s son on the main street in the inner city, their rtionship fell apart.


    He originally came from another ce, but after the incident, he didn¡¯t leave Yan City. Instead, he drowned his sorrows in alcohol every day, unknowingly letting time pass by.


    "Bring a pot of wine, and a pound of beef¡­" Jiang Chen said as he reached into his pocket, but then hesitated and changed his request."I don¡¯t want beef, bring me a pot of wine first."


    "But the money for this pot of wine is not enough," said the waiter, shrugging.


    "No money?" Jiang Chen rubbed his eyes, feeling a bit confused. Then his gaze fell on the sword at his waist.


    "What use is this three-foot green de for?"


    Just as he was about to go to the opposite street to pawn the sword, he saw a figure in the distance, and his drowsy eyes suddenly opened wide.


    He saw Qiao Mu carrying a long spear on his back and holding an urn in his hand, heading towards the outskirts of the city.


    And it wasn¡¯t just him, many pedestrians on both sides of the street were watching this person, asionally whispering a few words, with expressions of pity and admiration.


    "Is this the same Qiao Mu from before? No, this person is obviously a bit older. Could he be his older brother?"


    Jiang Chen stopped a few passersby who were discussing and asked them a few questions. Suddenly, his eyes widened and he was no longer sleepy.


    "Qiao Mu, is he already dead?"


    Although he thanked Qiao Mu that day, due to his extremely bad mood, he only thanked him briefly and quickly left. Unexpectedly, when he heard the news about Qiao Mu again, it was news of his death.


    "Is there still justice?" Jiang Chen eximed angrily.


    "Justice? Don¡¯t forget that this Yan City belongs to the Guo family."


    "Be careful with your words, don¡¯t let others overhear. Don¡¯t forget how brave and courageous our friend Qiao Mu was, and now he¡¯s dead."


    Hearing these discussions, Jiang Chen couldn¡¯t help but ce his hand on the sword hanging from his waist, feeling a strong sense of injustice in his heart.


    "Our former benefactor, Qiao Mu, stood up for me and ended up losing his own life. How can I live a life ofpromise¡­" He pressed his hand against his longsword and walked faster, heading straight for the Lord¡¯s Manor.


    But when he reached the gate of the Lord¡¯s Manor and saw the guards, he hesitated again.


    "Sigh." He sighed and ultimately turned away.


    In Yan City, during these troubled times, there were many people who felt discontentment in their hearts, but only a few dared to wield their sword and rise up¡­


    On both sides of the street, eyes followed the figure of Qiao Mu, carrying a long spear and holding an urn. He walked out of the city and slowly disappeared into the distance.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    Qiao Mu left the city and walked alone along the mountain road.


    On the cliff by the road, an old man in gray slowly put on a pair of silver gloves, and looked at him with cold eyes.


    Thest time they fought was in a deep alley at Qiao Canxue¡¯s house. At that time, the old man in gray, with just his palms, gained the upper hand against Qiao Mu¡¯s long spear.


    And this time¡­


    The old man in gray didn¡¯t say much either. His figure flew towards Qiao Mu, and just as he reached the mid-air, he saw Qiao Mu¡¯s blood and energy suddenly rise, boiling like hot water.


    "Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method? Is he prepared to die as soon as he makes a move? Both of these brothers are equally fearless."


    "But it doesn¡¯t mean much. Although the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method is famous, it cannotst long, so there¡¯s no need to challenge him directly."


    Even a 9th ranked martial artist who used the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method would not be able to defeat him.


    However, since Qiao Lin has already made up his mind to die, he is likely to only attack and not defend, hoping to cause mutual harm.


    Facing a crazy dog, a person can certainly win, but if they get hurt, they would be at a disadvantage.


    So, the old man in gray clothes swiftly changed his move and pped the urn in Qiao Mu¡¯s hand.


    Since Qiao Lin is so determined, willing to die for his younger brother, naturally, his attack on this urn means¡­


    ng!


    Surprisingly, Qiao Mu showed no intention of protecting the urn, and even swung it forward, aiming at the old man in gray clothes.


    The urn cracked with a loud noise, and a cloud of white powder scattered all over the face of the old man in gray clothes. Immediately, a burning sensation overwhelmed his eyes, making it almost impossible to keep them open.


    "This¡­ ashes mixed with lime powder? This is your younger brother¡¯s urn!" The old man in gray was shocked.


    "We brothers fight side by side with one heart. What business do you have interfering?" Qiao Mu shouted loudly, unsheathing a long spear from his back. The tip of the spear emitted a swirling aura, and he took the opportunity to stab the old man in gray with it.


    In order to score points in the battle, he naturally went to great lengths.


    Besides, it wasn¡¯t a bad thing to be able to distinguish between the image of "Qiao Lin" and "Qiao Mu".


    ¡­¡­..


    After a moment.


    The old man in gray rubbed his reddened eyes with one hand. At his feet were shattered urns and Qiao Mu¡¯s body. He looked down and, filled with hatred, kicked the body off the cliff with one foot.


    There was quite a difference in strength between the two sides. He was originally capable of easily defeating him, but he didn¡¯t expect Qiao Lin to be so cunning¡­


    "Savage methods, fierce temperament, he could be considered a remarkable person. Too bad he¡¯s still a bit weak." The old man in gray muttered to himself, facing the cliff.


    "It¡¯s your weakness that makes things strange, in this world, fists are everything."


    "The Yan City Guo family is a powerful n, you two brothers are just brave in battle. Killing one small one, then another old one, it¡¯s nothing more than that."


    "If you don¡¯t destroy the roots when cutting the grass, it will grow again with the spring breeze¡­ Now, finally¡­"


    Right at this moment.


    A gentle spring breeze blew past.


    Suddenly, Qiao Mu¡¯s figure appeared on the mountain road.


    Every time he died and came back to life, he could choose to revive in a secluded area nearby or at a fixed location.


    "Old thief! Do you dare to deceive the Qiao family?" Qiao Mu shouted loudly and charged forward.


    His previous body was at the peak of the 9th rank, but because he used the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method to kill Military Officer Chu with a spear, his blood and energy declined.


    After being reborn and undergoing two years of intense training, he sessfully broke through to the 8th rank.


    "Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method£¡"


    At this moment, Qiao Mu was unarmed, but his aura was even stronger than when he held a long spear before!


    "There¡¯s actually another twin brothering? Luckily, I acted quickly, otherwise I would have to face both of them at the same time." The gray-clothed old man remained calm, showing no signs of panic.


    "Just entering the 8th rank and using the Divine Demon Breakdown Technique? Why are all the Qiao family members so fierce?"


    "But it¡¯s not a problem, my internal strength is much stronger than his. The Divine Demon Breakdown Technique is not sustainable, so I¡¯ll exhaust him."


    The gray-clothed old man remained calm. He unleashed his internal strength, swiftly evading with superior agility, not directly confronting Qiao Mu. After some time, Qiao Mu¡¯s internal strength was depleted, his body covered in blood, and he was kicked off the cliff by the old man.


    "That¡¯s all." The gray-clothed old man took a brief rest, slightly panting.


    Just at that moment, a gentle breeze brushed past from behind.


    The old man in gray clothes looked down at the cliff beneath his feet, then nced back to see another Qiao Mu behind him, his body stiffening.


    Spring has arrived, and fresh new Qiao Mu has grown again.

 Chapter 35:

    Chapter 35:


    "Hello, we meet again. Have you eaten?"


    A greeting from Qiao Mu carried on the wind.


    The old man in gray clothes couldn¡¯t help but shiver and his hair stood on end, covered in goosebumps.


    Mysterious.


    Too mysterious.


    He had just kicked Qiao Mu¡¯s body off the cliff to get rid of the evidence, so how is there another one?


    Twin brothers? Or maybe¡­ ghosts? Not human? Immortal cultivators?


    The gray-d old man felt an even greater sense of unease at the thought of the iprehensible methods of the inhuman.


    A martial artist only has a pair of iron fists, while an immortal cultivator who specializes in cultivating the soul has even more mysterious methods.The gray-d old man was a 7th ranked martial artist, holding an official position that was equivalent to a powerless deputy magistrate. He also held a high position in the City Lord¡¯s mansion.


    At the same time, he was also Guo Yan¡¯s trusted confidant. He had witnessed the inhuman before¡­


    It was precisely because he knew so much, yet not enough, that he couldn¡¯t help but let his imagination run wild.


    "When did I fall under an illusion? Am I in a dreand? Is my mind still clear?"


    The gray-d old man¡¯s heart trembled as he looked down at his feet.


    Although he had kicked Qiao Mu¡¯s body off the cliff, the blood stains on the ground remained. Especially the shattered Qiao Mu urn, the gray powder was scattered all over, and there wasn¡¯t another one¡­


    At this moment, Qiao Mu¡¯s voice came, "What are you looking at? Jealous of our deep brotherly bond and fighting side by side? Why don¡¯t you find yourself a good brother to fight alongside you?"


    The old man in gray almost spat out a mouthful of old blood upon hearing this, but after his anger, he felt something strange in his heart.


    This voice, this way of speaking¡­ it¡¯s too alike.


    "ying tricks! Do you think by pretending to be the same person, you can confuse my mind?" The gray-clothed old man suppressed his fear and bravely confronted Qiao Mu.


    And this Qiao Mu, once again, his blood and energy surged and boiled, obviously using the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method.


    "Why does everyone have the famous Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method? Why does everyone start with a Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method? Are they not afraid of death? Or are they not human?"


    More and more doubts surged up in his mind.


    The Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method is famous because of its great power and severe consequences, so it¡¯s well-known. But it¡¯s not something just anyone can do.


    Just like the Qiao family¡¯s Long Life Fist, a superior martial art practiced by many members of the Wuji Association who aspire to reach over a hundred years of age. Because of this, many people can figure out the way, but it doesn¡¯t mean that the Long Life Fist is an ordinary martial art.


    "Die!"


    He gathered all his strength and pped Qiao Mu on the head.


    This time, he forgot about the previous intentions of a prolonged battle. He unleashed this strike without reservation, pouring out a powerful force, wanting only to shatter the strange Qiao Mu in front of him as soon as possible.


    "Goodbye." Qiao Mu gave him a chilling smirk before his head tilted and he died.


    The gray-clothed old man: ¡­..


    Even though he had defeated the enemy, he felt no joy of victory.


    He stood at the edge of the cliff, a faint sense of horror creeping into his heart.


    Unknowingly, his strength was being drained more and more.


    His face turned green, and he gasped heavily. Facing several enemies in a life-or-death battle was not easy.


    Qiao Mu fought desperately, almost only attacking and not defending, while the gray-robed old man was even stronger, thinking about how to kill the enemy without getting hurt.


    "It must be a trick, fake, all fake!" The gray-robed old man kicked Qiao Mu¡¯s body off the cliff again with a determined kick.


    But standing at the edge of the cliff, looking at Qiao Mu¡¯s body quickly falling down the cliff, an unexpected thought arose in his mind:


    If he really fell for an illusion, really trapped in some kind of abnormal cycle, then if they kept fighting like this, would the bodies at the bottom of the cliff keep piling up, ultimately¡­ filling the cliff?


    At this moment, he had a big question in his mind.


    How many bodies of Qiao Mu are there at the bottom of the cliff now?


    The spring wind brushed by once again.


    However, the gray-robed old man broke out in a cold sweat, feeling a chill all over his body.


    He turned around once more.


    The spring breeze blew again, bringing a faint sound.


    "Old thief, why are you so rude? Didn¡¯t your family teach you to respond when someone greets you?"


    "Oh, at your age, I guess your family members are all in urns. Why don¡¯t you use them to fight alongside you? Do you not have any family, or did you already use them up fighting together?"


    Qiao Mu came again, bringing his trash talk.


    "Don¡¯t try to confuse me! Die!" The old man in gray yelled, and before Qiao Mu could approach, heunched a fierce attack, unleashing his inner strength.


    The old man in gray¡¯s anger and fear mixed together as he unleashed his inner strength.


    His inner strength was greatly depleted, and unknowingly, his movements slowed down a little.


    But this time, Qiao Mu¡¯s tactics were different.


    He forcefully took a direct hit to his chest, using the newly mastered Hard Skill Iron Cloth Shirt Skill to hold his ground. He charged forward, wrapping his arms around the old man in gray from the waist.


    The old man in the gray robe, who was using a lot of energy, started to move slower and couldn¡¯t break free.


    In the next moment, Qiao Mu jumped into the air and unexpectedly crashed into him, causing both of them to tumble down the cliff together.


    Violent winds blew in their ears as the old man in the gray robe and Qiao Mu plummeted rapidly.


    "I¡¯m going to die."


    The old man in the gray robe knew he was about to die, but before he did, he had a lingering question in his mind that made him look towards the bottom of the cliff.


    He could see several corpses of Qiao Mu down in the valley, their bodies twisted and broken from the impact of the fall, with blood and flesh all mixed up.


    "One, two, three, there are only three bodies in total, what a disappointment. It¡¯s not as many as I thought."


    "Including Qiao Lin, who jumped off with me, that makes four bodies."


    "¡­.No, it should be a total of five bodies."


    "I forgot to count my dead body."


    Bang, bang!


    Two bodies fell into the valley, startling several wild wolves drawn by the scent of blood.


    The wild wolves looked at the bodies and even shed tears. When did meat start falling from the sky?


    Thank you for the gift from above!


    The wild wolves pounced on the bodies and quickly devoured them.


    Then, they anxiously looked up, hoping for more gifts from above.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    The deep alley in the outer city of Yan City.


    Inside an empty house, Qiao Mu opened his eyes again.


    This time, he was reborn in a predetermined revival point, inside a vacant house in a deep alley.


    "My body should be eaten by wild animals in the wilderness, so it¡¯s not a problem."


    "So let¡¯s deal with the next problems."


    "The number of revival chances for the new week has been refreshed. I¡¯ve already used up four revival chances with the gray-clothed old man, which means I have onest chance to revive."


    Qiao Mu put on the prepared straw hat from the corner of the house and carried a long spear on his back, getting ready to go out.


    If he only wanted to kill a trusted aide of the city lord, why did he go through all this trouble? Sending Old Huang and others to spread the news, and making Qiao Canxue leave Yan City in advance.


    "I wonder if the city lord has had a meal?" Qiao Mu carried the long spear on his back and pushed the door to leave.


    He was about to do something reckless.

 Chapter 36:

    Chapter 36:


    Death Assessment for this time: C (both jumped off a cliff, sacrificing themselves for love is not an old legend)


    Lifespan consumed by death: 1 year


    Remaining number of revivals this week: 1 out of 5


    Current age: 32 years old


    Skills: Strong Fist (skilled), Expertise in Military Spear, Skilled in Iron Crotch, Skilled in Iron Cloth Shirt


    Proficient in Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, Not yet familiar with Ripple Stacking Wave Strength


    "Before I knew it, how did I be over thirty years old? Time passes so quickly."


    Qiao Mu closed his eyes and focused on his lower abdomen.


    In the lower abdomen, the invisible power inside was about half full.If there was a progress bar for the 8th rank, he would be at about 40%-50% now, which is considered the middle stage of the 8th rank.


    The peak of the 8th rank is marked by theplete filling of the power inside the lower abdomen, creating a whirlpool.


    Moving forward, the physical body would break through limitations, the power inside would expand, and it would enter a higher level. During continuous evolution, the body would also manifest new supernatural abilities.


    The enhancement brought by the 8th rank physical body is an improvement in vision.


    "Gaining battle points is just a small path, it¡¯s better to aim for high-quality deaths. That way, the cost-effectiveness of death is higher."


    After four years of arduous training, the Hard Skill Iron Cloth Shirt Skill was never just beginner level. It jumped to a proficient level.


    This is also the reason why Qiao Mu was able to push the 7th rank elder off the cliff relying on his strong perseverance at the critical moment.


    Each time you reach a new rank, the thickness of the power inside usually increases several times. This requires umtion over many years. That¡¯s why the stable Lord Guo Yan sent a 7th ranked martial artist, who thought he could easily defeat Qiao Mu.


    The more high-quality deaths, the more Qiao Mu can practice martial arts to a very advanced level, thanks to his efficient time management.


    Be friends with death, and time will be on his side!


    "I have walked that mountain road before. Last time I went, I was still a centurion, and there were many wild animals around¡­ If nothing unexpected happens, my bodies at the bottom of the cliff should attract beasts to feast on."


    "But just in case, it¡¯s better not to leave behind my intact body in the future. It¡¯s best to die in apletely unrecognizable state."


    "I still have one resurrection left, so I¡¯ll take another reckless attempt and go straight to the Lord¡¯s Mansion."


    Qiao Mu just left the city with the identity of "Qiao Lin," and now he needs to create a time dy.


    What happens if he dies again after using up all his resurrection chances?


    Qiao Mu doesn¡¯t know, he hasn¡¯t tried it, and he doesn¡¯t want to.


    So if thisst reckless attempt fails, he won¡¯t continue stubbornly fighting against the Lord.


    He cane again next week!


    Being reckless is not foolishness, it also has its ways!


    For example, when Childe Guo carried the coffin and came to the door, even a pot of Hero Courage Soup was served. Qiao Mu didn¡¯t act recklessly. At that time, just a spear was used to intimidate and stop, without forcefully attacking.


    He is not enduring for himself, after all, he is not afraid of death at all.


    Maybe Qiao Mu can die many times, but other people only have one life.


    During the battle of annihting bandits in the valley, when he realized that Military Officer Chu was preparing to bury a hundred soldiers along with him, he charged alone, wanting to die quickly so that others could live.


    Eating that Hero Courage Soup was tofort Old Huang, after all, no matter how carefree and unrestricted Qiao Mu is, he wouldn¡¯t eat his own heart, lungs, liver, and galldder.


    By announcing the funeral for the next day, he was intentionally holding onto his grudge, attracting the attention of the city lord, so as not to involve others and give Qiao Canxue a chance to escape.


    And now, he has no one by his side.


    So, he had no limits.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    Jiang Chen returned to the tavern feeling a little down.


    "Please warm up a bowl of wine."


    He didn¡¯t have the money for a whole pot of wine, but a bowl of wine would do, right?


    As the wine entered his gentle intestines, his courage instantly grew stronger.


    "It¡¯s not scary to hesitate for a moment, what¡¯s scary is getting used to hesitating."


    "It¡¯s normal to feel fear when facing the Lord¡¯s Manor, but I cannot let fear defeat me."


    "A true man feels shame and then bes brave. Just now was the shame, and now I will be brave."


    After finishing his drink, Jiang Chen felt confident again.


    He felt brave and headed straight for the Lord¡¯s mansion.


    But when he arrived outside the Lord¡¯s mansion, the confidence he had just built up unknowingly disappeared.


    He frowned, hesitated, and wandered aimlessly.


    "I understand now, I know where the problem lies," Jiang Chen realized.


    "The problem lies in not drinking enough alcohol,cking some courage." After careful deduction, Jiang Chen discovered the problem:


    "But the problem is, I¡¯m out of money and can¡¯t buy any more alcohol."


    "So there¡¯s only one solution, I have to earn some money first, then I can buy alcohol and challenge the Lord¡¯s mansion. I¡¯ll have toe back another day¡­"


    With this in mind, Jiang Chen immediately continued walking.


    Without realizing it, several soldiers had already approached from the side.


    "Stop! What are you doing?"


    "You¡¯re acting suspiciously, sneaking around here multiple times. Who are you?"


    The patrolling soldiers and the guards at the City Lord¡¯s Mansion had already noticed him, and now they approached cautiously.


    "I didn¡¯t¡­ " Jiang Chen tried to exin, but from a distance, he saw someone behind the soldiers at the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, casually tossing a straw hat into a drain and effortlessly flipping over the wall.


    The movements were smooth and effortless, as if this person was entering their own home without any hesitation.


    The person¡¯s actions were quick, and if it weren¡¯t for Jiang Chen being a martial artist with the ninth level of internal strength, he might not have been able to see clearly.


    "Another selfless hero like Qiao Mu, perhaps? Though the world is chaotic, there are still a few heroes¡­"


    Although he didn¡¯t know who the person with the straw hat was, Jiang Chen spected that with the City Lord¡¯s son¡¯s style of doing things, it wouldn¡¯t be difficult to imagine someone else also trying to forcefully enter the City Lord¡¯s Mansion.


    "Why can he go in without any hesitation, while I¡¯ve been waiting here for so long and still haven¡¯t gotten in yet.." His eyes widened slightly.


    "What are you looking at? I¡¯m asking you a question!" The patrol soldier shouted.


    "If you don¡¯t answer my question, it¡¯s definitely suspicious."


    The soldiers had their hands already resting on their swords.


    Some alert guards followed Jiang Chen¡¯s gaze and were about to turn their heads toward the direction of the Lord¡¯s Manor.


    Seeing this scene, Jiang Chen calmed down.


    He was afraid of Lord Guo Yan, not just a few soldiers. After all, he was an internal strength martial artist.


    "I¡¯m just a passerby," he said, his hand gripping his sword. He quickly unleashed his internal strength and escaped into the distance, breaking out of the soldiers¡¯ encirclement in an instant.


    Qiao Mu, the righteous hero, could stand up for justice, and the anonymous masked stranger could sneak into the Lord¡¯s Manor at the risk of his life.


    He can¡¯t do it.


    But he also has things he can do.


    "Qiao Mu, your death is definitely not meaningless!"


    "Although I don¡¯t know who that person is, I can help divert some people and give him a bit more chance."


    He quickly activated his body technique to escape, with the soldiers behind him quickly giving chase, gradually getting further away.


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 Chapter 37:

    Chapter 37:


    The back kitchen of the Lord¡¯s manor.


    Several home cooks were cooking beef, filling the air with the aroma of meat, and on the adjacent tray there was an unplucked bull¡¯s head.


    "Ah Cheng, what are you daydreaming for? Come and lend a hand." The family¡¯s cook hurriedly urged a young household servant standing behind him.


    "Are you going to say something? Why are you standing there with your mouth watering? This is something the young master specifically requested, if you steal it, you¡¯ll be beaten to death!"


    "I¡¯m not hungry." Ah Cheng stared directly at the ox head beside him and whispered,


    "This dahuang¡­ this dahuang cow used to be our plow ox at home."


    "Your plow ox? Did you sell it to the master¡¯s mansion?" The family chef¡¯s meat chopping slowed down slightly, but his mouth didn¡¯t stop,


    "Even so, you can¡¯t bezy, or you¡¯ll risk being punished by the young master for wasting time."


    "Okay." Ah Cheng had no choice but to step forward and start helping with the work, but his mind drifted back to the past, asionally ncing at the cow¡¯s head.Cows are gentle creatures, they arerge in size and strong, yet they have a gentle disposition and are easy to get along with.


    Ah Cheng originally came from a farming family in the outer city area, his parents made him work, but he found other tasks tiring, while tending to the cows was quite pleasant.


    When he was young, he was quite afraid of these huge creatures like cows, afraid that if they got angry, one kick would send his small body flying.


    Afterwards, they slowly got along and he started to y freely, riding on the back of this yellow cow, walking slowly for a good while.


    This big yellow cow can also be considered hispanion from childhood to adulthood.


    However, a few months ago, there was a famine in Yan City, so he had to sell the plow oxen and fields.


    Plow oxen and fields have always been the lifeblood of farmers, the ones that put food on the table. If it weren¡¯t for no other choice, who would be willing to sell them?


    Ah Cheng¡¯s family had no time for drama because not long after, Ah Cheng sold himself as a ve and became a servant in the lord¡¯s mansion.


    "Brother Chen, can I ask how much the lord¡¯s mansion bought this yellow cow for?" Ah Cheng asked quietly.


    "Not too sure, it seems like it was two or three taels of silver? Why do you ask?"


    "Well, it¡¯s a bit more expensive than me. The contract for selling myself was only for two taels." Ah Cheng fell silent for a moment and said.


    Now it was the turn of the house cook to be silent. It took him a long time to say, "Don¡¯t be too hard on yourself, this world is like this, filled with people with a hard life."


    "Yes, the world is not good, otherwise we can¡¯t me Lord Guo, can we?" Ah Cheng¡¯s voice trembled slightly with excitement.


    "If you want to me someone, me the famine, me that Martial Saint who is just famous but useless. When he lost that inhuman war, he had to paypensation, burdening the court¡¯s taxes even more. We farmers can¡¯t make a living anymore."


    "Do you want to die? Shut up! Can you say that? If anyone hears, they¡¯ll kill you." The chef scolded hurriedly.


    The concept of "inhuman" was quite distant to them, so much so that the ordinary people in their small town didn¡¯t even understand what it really meant. But it still had some impact on them.


    A single speck of dust from the era falls on an individual¡¯s head and bes a great mountain.


    Some people are responsible for carrying the heavy burden of the mountain on their backs, while others enjoy a peaceful life sitting on the mountain. Everyone has their own role.


    While Ah Cheng was chatting with the chefs, a dark figure suddenly jumped in through the window. With lightning speed, the figure attacked, and with a few soft sounds, the chefs all fell to the ground and couldn¡¯t get up.


    The 8th rank martial artist Qiao Mu naturally hadplete dominance over ordinary people, without any suspense.


    He held a short spear in his hand, just now he used the spear shaft to strike. With his current spear technique and control, he could knock out ordinary people without killing them. It was an easy mark to handle.


    This time, when infiltrating the Lord¡¯s mansion, a long spear was not easy to carry, so he specially purchased a customized short spear. The spear shaft is divided into two sections, and by twisting it, it can be connected to be a long spear.


    "As expected, it¡¯s the kitchen. The preparations I made earlier were not in vain," Qiao Mu muttered to himself.


    Qiao Canxue had long suspected that Lord Guo Yan, the city lord, was associated with the Wuji Association, so she conducted some investigations on Guo Yan and also learned some information about the Lord¡¯s mansion. That¡¯s why Qiao Mu was able to immediately know where the kitchen was.


    The Lord¡¯s mansion is divided into an outer courtyard and an inner courtyard. The guards in the inner courtyard are stricter, as it is where the Lord and his family reside.


    The kitchen is located in the outer courtyard.


    Qiao Mu is currently an 8th-rank martial artist, which is already quite high in Yan City. For example, Military Officer Chu, who was in charge of over a thousand soldiers in the military camp, was also an 8th-rank martial artist. Quite prestigious.


    If it weren¡¯t for Qiao Mu not practicing body techniques, he might have taken the risk of directly infiltrating the inner courtyard this time.


    And he sneaked into the kitchen with a n in mind.


    After all, isn¡¯t that how they act in TV dramas? First, sneak into the kitchen, then knock out the chef and the servant, and finally, change into the servant¡¯s clothes and go out.


    Qiao Mu didn¡¯t have any experience doing this, so he came to the kitchen first.


    "It smells so good." Qiao Mu didn¡¯t hear the conversation between the home chef earlier, he just felt a little hungry.


    "The Lord of this city eats so well? I never have such good food normally."


    He was a newly promoted 8th rank and hadn¡¯t had a chance to earn money yet.


    Although he was a centurion before, he died before receiving his sry.


    Old Huang and the others collected a lot ofpensation money, but since Qiao Mu was not really dead, he didn¡¯t ask for it.


    Qiao Mu¡¯s daily food expenses were still at the level of his previous training, and on his birthday, he would just go to a noodle shop to order a bowl of longevity noodles.


    "Today is my thirtieth birthday, thirty-first birthday, thirty-second birthday. We should celebrate. Otherwise, let¡¯s eat three big bowls of beef here."


    Qiao Mu was about to eat some beef when suddenly his eyes fell on the young servant Ah Cheng who had fainted on the ground.


    The 8th rank martial artist strengthened his vision. With Qiao Mu¡¯s current vision, he could sense that Ah Cheng¡¯s body had just moved slightly.


    "Pretending to faint? Shaking in fear? This kid is quite cunning."


    Of course, Qiao Mu¡¯s spear technique was skilled enough. But mainly because this young servant was only around thirteen or fourteen years old, with a childish look on his face. Qiao Mu instinctively held back.


    "I really am a good person."


    Qiao Mu approached Ah Cheng, who was pretending to be unconscious on the ground, and looked down at these few people. Suddenly, a thought crossed his mind.


    Should I just kill them all to avoid trouble?


    As soon as this thought emerged, he suppressed it and didn¡¯t think about it any further.


    After crossing over, Qiao Mu conducted many experiments, both big and small, to test his immortality abilities and how to improve Death Assessment.


    In these experiments, Qiao Mu mainly tried various ways to y with his own life, rather than ying with others¡¯ lives.


    Sometimes Qiao Mu also thinks about a very dangerous thing.


    This Death Assessment doesn¡¯t necessarily say that you have to save someone in order to have a high-quality death.


    If he massacres a hundred or a thousand people, and is executed as a viin or sinner, the impact of his death itself will definitely be significant. In theory, perhaps it could also be considered a high-quality death?


    With Qiao Mu¡¯s current strength at the 8th rank, it is easy for him to massacre ordinary people. It¡¯s much easier than storming the Lord¡¯s Mansion, a piece of cake to earn points.


    Qiao Mu is not afraid of death, so thews of Great Yan cannot punish him.


    If he really does this, it is estimated that he, who cannot die, can quickly earn points at lightning speed and soon be the biggest disaster on the nine continents. Even immortals would feel scared upon seeing him.


    However, as a human being, there should still be some moral bottom line.


    This might sound a little silly.


    While Qiao Mu may talk recklessly and seem reckless, he still has a moralpass in his heart.


    Judge by actions, not by thoughts. This idea just passed through his mind like a joke, and he didn¡¯t take it seriously.


    Speaking of actions, Qiao Mu¡¯s deaths these few times were really for saving people.


    Just as he was preparing to take action and knock out Ah Cheng who was pretending to be unconscious.


    But outside the kitchen door, there came the sound of dogs barking from far to near, as well as the sound of footsteps.


    The voice of Childe Guo resonated outside the door:


    "The cooked beef smells so good, the aroma can be smelled from this far away."


    "Tsk tsk, dogs¡¯ noses are really sensitive. When it¡¯s time to eat meat, they know to run to the back of the kitchen by themselves."


    Listening to the sounds outside the door, Qiao Mu¡¯s face turned dark.


    The cooked beef that he had almost put into his mouth, was it dog food?


    The servant Ah Cheng on the ground felt a tremor in his body, and unconsciously tightened his grip on his own thigh.

 Chapter 38:

    Chapter 38:


    Qiao Mu instantly stood up and approached the tightly closed back kitchen door, peering through the crack with his eyes.


    After reaching the 8th rank, his vision has greatly improved. At this moment, as he looked out from the door, he could see everything outside, and immediately spotted Childe Guo.


    It¡¯s ironic that they are now on bad terms. Qiao Mu initially nned to sneak in slowly and blend into the Lord¡¯s mansion, but now there is no chance.


    Looking outside through the crack in the door, Childe Guo was holding a dog leash and being pulled by arge ck dog as they ran.


    Therge dog seemed very excited, possibly due to the smell of cooked beef, and continued to pull, heading straight towards the back kitchen.


    As Qiao Mu carefully observed, he noticed that there didn¡¯t seem to be any servants or attendants following Childe Guo. Only a few patrolling servants asionally walked past the corners of the eaves, several tens of meters away.


    "Should I take action? If I do, will I be immediately discovered? There might also be servants in the blind spots of my sight through the door crack that I haven¡¯t noticed."


    Qiao Mu had this thought in his mind, but he quickly ran out of time to think.


    Because Childe Guo had arrived in front of the closed gate, the two big dogs he was holding had already jumped up on the gate and were barking continuously.The big dogs seemed to have caught a whiff of Qiao Mu¡¯s unfamiliar smell from behind the gate and were starting to be cautious.


    "This beast only knows how to eat." Childe Guoughed and cursed, then kicked the wooden door, causing it to shake.


    "Are they all deaf inside? Open the door already!"


    "Alright, young master, don¡¯t be angry, I¡¯ll open it!" Qiao Mu didn¡¯t hesitate anymore and immediately responded.


    He assembled two pieces of a long spear, pulled open the wooden door with his left hand, and shot out the long spear with his right hand.


    With the burst of internal strength, the spear urately pierced the ck dog¡¯s head, and with a strong pull, the hundreds of pounds of strength in his hand exploded, directly throwing the ck dog¡¯s body into the house.


    After advancing to the 8th rank, internal strength and physical strength were further enhanced. It was easy for the long spear to pierce the ck dog¡¯s head, and the movement was extremely fast. Before the blood even sttered, the ck dog had already been thrown into the house.


    "You ¡ª" Childe Guo widened his eyes and just as he saw Qiao Mu¡¯s face, a big hand grabbed his neck and lifted him up.


    The big door closed again.


    "Qiao Mu? No, Qiao Lin?"


    The sharp tip of the long spear pointed directly at Childe Guo¡¯s throat.


    "Shh." Qiao Mu coldly looked at Childe Guo and made a gesture.


    Childe Guo instantly broke into a cold sweat, the icy metal tip of the spear touched his throat, and his whole body felt chills.


    Previously, Qiao Mu had caught him on the street and pped him, but this was the first time Childe Guo had been humiliated like this in public, almost leaving him with a psychological scar.


    This Qiao Lin¡¯s killing intent was much stronger than the previous Qiao Mu, it was clear he had been in battle before. Qiao Lin was even more fierce than Qiao Mu, daring to barge into the city lord¡¯s residence like this?


    Childe Guo¡¯s legs felt weak. If it wasn¡¯t for Qiao Mu supporting him, he would have almost fallen forward, under the sharp tip of Qiao Mu¡¯s spear.


    After capturing Childe Guo, Qiao Mu pressed his ear against the closed door.


    He didn¡¯t hear any approaching footsteps or the shouts of the servants. It seemed that his actions had been quick enough and he was lucky enough not to be discovered for a while.


    While Qiao Mu¡¯s attention was focused on the outside of the door, Ah Cheng, the unconscious servant lying on the ground, secretly opened his eyes.


    "Did the young master just mention the names Qiao Mu and Qiao Lin? I¡¯ve heard those names before¡­" He nced at Qiao Mu, mustering up some courage, then quickly shut his eyes again, feeling slightly relieved.


    At first, he thought it might be some audacious criminal trying to forcefully enter the lord¡¯s manor, but Qiao Lin had a reputation as a righteous man. And Qiao Lin was said to be Qiao Mu¡¯s older brother? He probably wasn¡¯t a bad person either.


    Although he continued to pretend to be unconscious, his nervousness slowly eased without him realizing it.


    "Childe Guo, let¡¯s have a talk. Speak softly, I ask, you answer, or else you¡¯ll die." Qiao Mu¡¯s words were concise as he pointed his spear at Childe Guo¡¯s throat, his gaze icy cold.


    Childe Guo nodded vigorously.


    "Is this seasoned beef meant for dogs?" Qiao Mu asked.


    "Yes, what¡¯s wrong?" Childe Guo was puzzled by Qiao Mu¡¯s question, but noticed his cold gaze and quickly exined:


    "I bought it, I bought it! I honestly spent money on it, didn¡¯t steal or rob!"


    "We Guo family have money, it¡¯s not excessive to spend a bit, right?"


    "Buying beef is one thing, but¡­ feeding it to the dog?" Qiao Mu asked again.


    Since he entered Yan City, everything he saw was deste.


    Due to the famine, the houses in the outer city were mostly empty, allowing Qiao Mu to achieve property freedom at a young age. The former refugees became bandits in the mountains, setting up a small mountain stronghold inside Mount Dong¡­ It was called a stronghold, but it was more like a small vige.


    And Childe Guo in the inner city, buying and ughtering working cows to feed dogs?


    Qiao Mu was still eating longevity noodles for his birthday¡­ although his birthday was celebrated a bit frequently.


    "¡­ What else should I do?" Childe Guo, with innocent eyes, didn¡¯t quite understand why Qiao Mu had such a cold gaze, and could only argue softly:


    "We bought the beef with our own money, honestly and fairly."


    "Since we¡¯ve bought the beef, it naturally belongs to us. We can do whatever we want with it, right? Is it okay to give the extra meat to the dog?"


    Looking at Childe Guo¡¯s puzzled expression, Qiao Mu could only think of an ancient saying, "Dogs and pigs eat without discernment, they devour whatever is given to them¡­"


    After careful consideration, he realized that Childe Guo truly didn¡¯t see any problem with this logic, so he asked again:


    "What do your servants eat?"


    "Um¡­ I don¡¯t know, why does it matter to me?" Childe Guo looked confused.


    The unconscious servant Ah Cheng lying on the ground discreetly pinched his thigh again.


    Qiao Mu fell silent for a moment and had to give up on trying tomunicate with Childe Guo. He continued to ask:


    "How many skilled martial artists are there in the Lord¡¯s Manor?"


    Childe Guo quickly replied, "My father is ranked 6th. There are two other people ranked 7th, one is Uncle Fu, who just went out of the city to fight¡­uh, the other is named Zhou Wen. As for the 8th rank, there seem to be three or four or five or six of them. I don¡¯t know about the 9th rank."


    "Qiao Lin, you must stay calm. If something happens at the Lord¡¯s Mansion, it¡¯s not just these martial artists who will be guarding. The soldiers from the military camp will also be mobilized quickly. You won¡¯t be able to escape."


    Won¡¯t be able to escape? Then I can rx.


    With this kind of lineup, it¡¯s simply impossible to break through and reach Lord Guo Yan. Qiao Mu might even face a sixth-ranked martial artist head-on and still might not be able to get to him.


    But whether Qiao Mu lives or dies, he doesn¡¯t lose. He wins either way. It¡¯s all or nothing.


    "I ask, you answer. Don¡¯t say unnecessary words." Qiao Muspear pressed forward, continuing to exert pressure:


    "Do you know about the Wuji Association?"


    Childe Guo looked confused.


    "You are useless if you know nothing. You take care of your pet dog diligently, but you don¡¯t know anything about what¡¯s happening in the mansion?" Qiao Mu got a little impatient and mentioned something randomly, asking:


    "Do you know¡­ about the secret trip of the Great Yan Emperor?" Qiao Mu suddenly remembered this, it was the information from the Wuji Association, also the information he initially wanted to find out from the Lord¡¯s Mansion.


    Butter, the feud with the Lord¡¯s Mansion grew, and he couldn¡¯t spare any attention for this matter anymore.


    Who knew that when these words came out, Childe Guo¡¯s expression changed, "How do you also know?"


    Oh no.


    Unexpected joy.


    Qiao Mu squinted his eyes.

 Chapter 39:

    Chapter 39:


    Does this Childe Guo really know about the Great Yan Emperor¡¯s news?


    Thinking back to the previous situation where this prodigal son didn¡¯t know anything, Qiao Mu always felt skeptical.


    "Childe Guo, a person only has one life, so they should cherish it, not tell lies, and not do foolish things," Qiao Mu stared at Childe Guo¡¯s eyes intensely.


    Although Qiao Mu didn¡¯t understand interrogations, his observation skills were sharp. With Childe Guo¡¯s courage, if he was lying, there would probably be some unusual behavior, like averting his gaze.


    "I didn¡¯t lie," Childe Guo didn¡¯t even need Qiao Mu to urge him, he blurted out on his own:


    "Of course, I wouldn¡¯t have ess to such important information, but my father knows. He told me himself!"


    "He said that the Great Yan Emperor might be traveling to Yan City within a month, so he asked me to avoid getting into trouble recently¡­"


    Initially, from Butcher Zheng¡¯s coded message, Qiao Mu only knew that the Wuji Association had a n to assassinate the emperor, but he had no knowledge about the specific time and location.


    At the beginning, Qiao Canxue and Qiao Mu nned how to approach the Lord¡¯s Manor and obtain theplete decoding method for the coded message. Now, they were getting it straight from Childe Guo¡¯s mouth."Do you have more detailed information? A more specific location or time?" Qiao Mu asked again.


    Childe Guo widened his eyes, "This is a crucial matter concerning the whereabouts of the Great Yan Emperor. If my father knows about it, he must have connections that reach the heavens. How could there be any concrete news?"


    "However, since the emperor is said to being to this area around Yan City, it¡¯s unlikely for him to go to some mountain nest. Besides this Yan City, it could possibly be Heyang City to the north or Qingming Mountain to the west," Childe Guo guessed.


    Heyang City is the capital city, thergest city in the surrounding area of Yan City, and also the hometown of Qiao Canxue.


    The ancient town where Butcher Zheng was originally from is a small town under the jurisdiction of the capital city.


    Qingming Mountain is a famous mountain to the west, with towering peaks that reach the sky. There are asional stories of extraordinary people, making it a scenic spot in the Yan City area.


    After listening, Qiao Mu felt a bit disappointed.


    What Childe Guo said is mostly just pure spection. After all, who knows the emperor¡¯s thoughts?


    Qiao Mu thought to himself, "If I want to take part in the n to assassinate the Emperor of the Wuji Association, I should stay around this Yan City area for at least a month or so."


    "I have heard that the Great Yan Emperor is foolish and ipetent, only pleasing the inhumans. In recent years, his harsh rule and heavy taxes have burdened themon people. Although it is because of the inhumans, the Emperor cannot escape his responsibility. Killing him would be considered righteous."


    Qiao Mu pondered in his heart, but his face showed impatience.


    "After saying so much, there is no exact news¡­are you ying a trick on me?" He narrowed his eyes and a sense of threat immediately emanated.


    The spear in his hand moved slightly, and the spear transformed into a blur, fiercely hitting Childe Guo¡¯s belly. It caused his body to curl up like a shrimp, kneeling on the ground and dry heaving.


    This blow was considered payback for the whip that Old Huang¡¯s wife had endured on her belly in the past.


    In the past, Childe Guo had gone out on horseback with a fresh outfit, surrounded by servants holding whips and clearing the way. It was truly imposing.


    Qiao Mu would hold back when helping in the kitchen, cooking and preparing food. But when it came to those servants outside the door, he naturally wouldn¡¯t hold back.


    Not only would he not hold back, but he also nned to specifically keep an eye on a few servants and kill them.


    For example¡­yesterday when they carried the coffin into the house and threatened Qiao Canxue, the few coffin bearers who were following Childe Guo.


    Those few men were strong and powerful, usually assisting in cruel acts and clearing the way with whips.


    Yesterday, it was a great presumption for Old Huang to take the Hero Courage Soup before Childe Guo.


    If it weren¡¯t for Qiao Mu appearing and catching the attention of Childe Guo and the others, Childe Guo would haveter realized the importance of this. Even if Old Huang didn¡¯t die, he would have suffered greatly.


    Therefore, this time breaking into the main residence would be best to kill the guards from yesterday along with Childe Guo, to avoid Childe Guo seeking revenge on Old Huangter.


    "I knew all of this¡­" At this moment, Childe Guo finally finished vomiting and said intermittently:


    "Otherwise, how about I give you money? Since you are breaking into this main residence, you must want something, right?"


    "How about a book on fighting techniques? My father was at least a very skilled fighter¡­"


    "Oh, what is it?" Qiao Mu casually asked with little expectations.


    Training in martial arts is hard work. Childe Guo didn¡¯t train in martial arts, so even if the Lord had some great fighting techniques, Qiao Mu doubted if he would recognize their value.


    "That book is very special. My father always kept it secretly and didn¡¯t let me see it. I specifically stole it from his private room in the study, wanting to secretly practice it myself, but I couldn¡¯t seed." Childe Guo gasped and said:


    "Its name is¡­ Martial Saint Spiritual Technique."


    Martial Saint Spiritual Technique£¿


    This name seems different from the skills Qiao Mu practices, like Iron Crotch Skill and Iron Cloth Shirt Skill. Does it sound impressive?


    Could it be rted to the Martial Saint and Wuji Association?


    "It doesn¡¯t seem like a lie. He knows nothing about the Wuji Association. This technique¡¯s name doesn¡¯t sound like something he made up¡­"


    After thinking for a moment, Qiao Mu asked:


    "So, where can I find this Martial Saint Spiritual Technique?"


    Childe Guo replied, "In the inner courtyard, in my bedroom."


    Qiao Mu pondered for a moment and decided it might be worth the risk.


    He was already nning to enter the inner courtyard.


    This time, Qiao Mu¡¯s goal was to first kill those coffin carriers, and then try to assassinate Lord Guo Yan¡­ Whether the assassination was sessful or not was not important, what mattered was to make a grand exit.


    Just now, Childe Guo briefly exined the Lord¡¯s situation, saying that he is currently in the inner hall of the main residence, and no matter what, Qiao Mu wants to enter the inner hall.


    "You lead the way, no tricks. You¡¯ve seen my spear speed." Qiao Mu ended with a threat, then proceeded to take off his pants.


    Taking off his pants was not to prepare for a spear attack against Childe Guo, but to change into the clothes of a servant.


    While changing clothes, Qiao Mu carefully observed the fallen servant Ah Cheng, who seemed to be genuinely unconscious now, unlike before when he was pretending. Qiao Mu didn¡¯t pay him any further attention.


    "Let¡¯s go, keep moving!"


    Dressed as a servant, Qiao Mu closely followed behind Childe Guo as they walked out of the kitchen, and before leaving, he made sure to close the wooden door.


    Several people and a dog were knocked out in the kitchen, and there was no ce to hide. As long as someone came to the kitchen, they would surely notice something unusual!


    Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t mealtime now, and the kitchen was somewhat secluded. It shouldn¡¯t be discovered for a while.


    In short¡­ there wasn¡¯t much time left for Qiao Mu, but the "Martial Saint Spiritual Technique" in Childe Guo¡¯s mouth was worth the risk for Qiao Mu.


    They walked one after the other and quickly arrived at the entrance of the inner courtyard guarded by two bodyguards.


    The two bodyguards breathed evenly, their temples bulging, clearly aplished martial artists with developed internal strength. When they saw Childe Guo approaching, smiles appeared on their faces.


    "Get lost, get lost! Don¡¯t bother me!" Childe Guo¡¯s face was pale but his steps were fast,pletely ignoring the two bodyguards. Qiao Mu followed closely behind, keeping his head down.


    The two martial artists with developed internal strength were immediately obedient and made way when scolded like that. It was clear that they had some fear of the City Lord¡¯s son.


    Qiao Mu followed behind him and entered the inner courtyard, unexpectedly finding it simple and easy.

 Chapter 40:

    Chapter 40:


    The kitchen behind the outer courtyard.


    Ah Cheng, the young servant who fainted on the ground, slowly regained consciousness.


    Originally, he was a bit confused, but when he saw the servant and the cook beside him being stripped of their clothes, as well as the dead body of the ck dog, he immediately remembered what had just happened.


    "Childe Guo was abducted by Qiao Lin, who intruded into the mansion¡­" He stood up and was about to shout for help, but then he saw the cooked beef on the stove and the dead body of the ck dog next to it, and suddenly fell silent.


    He was forced to sell himself as a ve due to famine, because he was poor, he endured it, there was no other way.


    His childhood ymate, the cow used for farming at home, was sold for meat, and this was all because he was poor. Although he was sad, he had no choice but to endure it.


    But when the cow meat was treated as dog food by the Lord of the mansion, he couldn¡¯t bear it anymore¡­ Okay, he couldn¡¯t hold back.


    "I was knocked unconscious by the righteous man Qiao Lin who broke into the mansion." He quietly locked the doors and windows of the back kitchen from the inside, copsed on the ground again, and closed his eyes.


    Can he at least gain a little more time?¡­¡­¡­


    Qiao Mu sessfully infiltrated the inner courtyard, much to his surprise.


    Just when he lowered his head and followed Childe Guo closely, he could always feel the guards¡¯ hidden gaze from behind.


    "Who is that person? I don¡¯t seem to have seen him before. Why is he sticking so close to the young master?"


    "Stop looking, stop looking. Be careful, the young master might get angry."


    Clearly, Childe Guo had brought his servants into the bedroom before.


    Qiao Mu walked behind, keeping his head low to avoid attracting attention, and could only catch a glimpse of Childe Guo¡¯s nape from the corner of his eye.


    It could be seen that Childe Guo was quite nervous, with sweat on his nape. Whenever a guard approached, he would sternly scold them, afraid that they would uncover Qiao Mu¡¯s identity and put him in danger.


    They easily entered the young master¡¯s bedroom, and nothing happened.


    The bedroom was located on the west side of the inner courtyard. Upon entering, there was a half-wall of antique vases, which looked quite stylish. Childe Guo didn¡¯t y any tricks and quickly pulled out a thin booklet from under the pillow, handing it to Qiao Mu.


    Qiao Mu carefully browsed through it, his brows furrowing little by little.


    His martial arts skillse from Qiao Canxue, who is from a prestigious family and has practiced excellent boxing techniques like Long Life Fist. So, in terms of vision and understanding, he is not weak. With just a simple skim, one can tell that this so-called "Martial Saint Spiritual Technique" is not just a fancy name, but it actually has some substance.


    But the problem is also very obvious.


    What is taught in this manual is not about breathing techniques or martial arts with fists and weapons. It talks about a mysterious kind of intuition that, after practice, can reach the level of "sharp intuition, anticipating the enemy¡¯s moves."


    "Starting from the 8th rank, martial artists train their five senses of the body through sound, touch, smell, gradually advancing until the 4th rank."


    "Starting from the 3rd rank, it is the Spiritual Refining Method, which is equivalent to training an elusive sixth sense, intuition!"


    "The Martial Saint Spiritual Technique is a spiritual refining secret method that martial artists can practice before reaching the sharpness of the 4th rank of the five senses!"


    Qiao Mu quickly skimmed through this thin little book, and many thoughts shed through his mind.


    The Martial Saint Spiritual Technique, which allows even lower-ranked martial artists to practice, is naturally a very precious and excellent secret method. However, it also demands high mental qualities from martial artists.


    Mental qualities, just like intuition, are quite mysterious and don¡¯t have a definite standard.


    This secret technique practices the intuition in the unknown and seeks a relentless martial artist¡¯s mentality.


    "Precious, but also a bit disappointing¡­ Is there a second half?" Qiao Mu quickly browsed through it and looked up at Childe Guo, who anxiously awaited beside him.


    "Um¡­" Childe Guo broke out in a cold sweat and chuckled awkwardly.


    "It seems like there¡¯s more in my father¡¯s secret chamber in the study room."


    "My father is quite secretive. He likes to keep good things hidden. There¡¯s even a secret chamber in the study room with several martial arts manuals. Would you like me to take you there to have a look?"


    You¡¯re really a filial son¡­ Qiao Mu couldn¡¯t help butment.


    Now that he was alone, he felt free to do anything. If he could find something extra, it would be a pleasant surprise.


    He was actually quite curious. Could Childe Guo, who informed him about the emperor¡¯s message and the "Martial Saint Spiritual Technique," still bring him surprises?


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Time is running out, the two of them left the bedroom again, this time heading towards the study on the east side of the courtyard.


    Childe Guo walked ahead, feeling sweat forming on the back of his neck, and his heart pounding.


    His fear was not fake, not acted.


    But with a cunning and steady father like this, even though he usually acted arrogantly, in this critical moment, he disyed a bit of quick thinking.


    "Now Qiao Lin is behind me, ready to strike whenever I make a move, but he can¡¯t see my expression¡­"


    "In his eyes, I am just a timid and brainless yboy. I am afraid, I am scared, I dare not defy him. But if I don¡¯t use my brain at this time, I will truly be doomed."


    "Qiao Lin is tempted by the secret manual. As long as he is tempted and desires something, then there is a weakness¡­"


    Childe Guo broke out in a cold sweat, having countless thoughts running through his mind.


    The conversation he just had with Qiao Mu, nine parts truth and one part lie.


    Most of it is true, including the secret message of the Great Yan Emperor and even the book "Martial Saint Spiritual Technique" that he stole from the study¡¯s secret room.


    But they are all decoys.


    "Qiao Mu and Qiao Lin are ouws, he won¡¯t be able to escape the Lord¡¯s Manor. But before he dies, I¡¯m afraid I will die too!"


    "If there¡¯s anyone in the Lord¡¯s Manor who could possibly save me, it would only be my father or Zhou Wen¡­"


    Childe Guo is not skilled in martial arts and has no idea about "Qiao Lin¡¯s" current rank or strength.


    But he knows that the grey-clothed old man, Uncle Fu, who is a 7th ranked martial artist, went out of the city to kill "Qiao Lin". And now "Qiao Lin" has appeared in the Lord¡¯s Manor, clearly indicating that Uncle Fu has failed.


    So, the only ones who have a chance of saving him are either Zhou Wen, a skilled martial artist of the 7th rank, or his father, who is a 6th ranked martial artist.


    And both of them are actually in the inner courtyard study.


    Nine truths and one lie. Almost all of the previous words were decoys thrown out to gain Qiao Mu¡¯s trust, but the news about his father is false¡­ Guo Yan is not in the main hall of the inner courtyard, he is actually in the study¡¯s private room, practicing healing techniques!


    And Zhou Wen, the 7th ranked martial artist, stood guard outside the door.


    "As long as¡­ as long as I can reach that ce¡­ I should be able to survive, right?" Childe Guo¡¯s face turned pale.


    The study was only twenty steps away.


    Zhou Wen, the 7th ranked martial artist guarding the entrance of the study, noticed him and nodded.


    "Young master?"


    "Hmm, I¡¯m going to the study to read." Childe Guo said in a deep voice, without any hesitation in his tone.


    You? Reading?


    Zhou Wen instinctively looked up at Childe Guo¡¯s face and immediately noticed Childe Guo blinking his eyes at him two or three times.


    Huh? Something¡¯s not right.


    Zhou Wen nced at Qiao Mu, who stood behind Childe Guo, and his expression changed slightly.


    Finally, he understood my meaning¡­ Childe Guo silently breathed a sigh of relief.


    Then he saw Zhou Wen speaking seriously, his face grave:


    "Please behave yourself, young master. Do not flirt with me. I, Zhou Wen, am already over forty and have a wife. I don¡¯t have interest in such behavior."


    As his words fell silent.


    Little Guo widened his eyes.


    In an instant, he felt a sudden stiffness in his back, as if a sharp gaze pierced the back of his neck.

 Chapter 41:

    Chapter 41:


    When Zhou Wen said that sentence.


    Instantly.


    Childe Guo felt a coldness behind him. Obviously, his little trick had been discovered by Qiao Mu, who was closely following him.


    His heart was pounding. At this moment, he had no chance and no time to think!


    "Save me!"


    Childe Guo yelled, and threw himself forward.


    But Qiao Mu was already close to him and noticed his small movement. How could he easily escape?


    Just as Childe Guo had taken two steps forward, his running figure suddenly paused.


    A sharp tip of a spear came out from his belly and blood flowed out.Even though Qiao Mu coulde back to life, he only had one chance to enter the main mansion.


    If he missed this opportunity, he wouldn¡¯t be so lucky to seize Childe Guo next time. In the highly guarded situation, he might not even be able to enter the inner courtyard.


    So he definitely wouldn¡¯t let Childe Guo escape. He decisively drew out his spear without any hesitation.


    "Young master?! There¡¯s an assassin!"


    Zhou Wen, who was guarding outside the study room, immediately became alert and shouted loudly.


    Although he didn¡¯t like this Childe Guo, as a member of the main mansion, he naturally couldn¡¯t stand by and watch.


    Just as he was about to rush over, he saw the long spear in Qiao Mu¡¯s hand pointing directly at Childe Guo¡¯s neck, and he could only pause his steps.


    Soon, the door of the study room burst open, and the towering figure of Lord Guo Yan stepped out, his expression instantly trembling when he saw this scene.


    His son got stabbed in the stomach with a long spear? Luckily it¡¯s not a deadly wound, so he won¡¯t die for now¡­


    How did his own son get kidnapped again? And it¡¯s Qiao Mu¡­ Qiao Lin? Doesn¡¯t this scene feel familiar?


    "Qiao Lin? Why is it you? Weren¡¯t you supposed to be out of town for a funeral?" The lord¡¯s voice remained calm.


    "Don¡¯t be impulsive. You entered my mansion, so if you want something, just tell me."


    "The one who left town was another brother from my Qiao family." Qiao Mu kept his spear-stabbing motion unchanged and his face slightly darkened.


    "I came to Yan City today and came to the lord¡¯s mansion simply to reason things out with the City Lord."


    With Childe Guo interfering like this, his n to assassinate the city lord should be a failure.


    He had already experienced the strength of a seventh-ranked martial artist outside the city. Although he was slightly stronger now than before he jumped off the cliff, it was naturally impossible for him to withstand the pressure of a seventh-ranked martial artist and assassinate a sixth-rank city lord.


    A sharp whistle was heard from the side, indicating that the guards in the courtyard had noticed something unusual and many of them came running.


    ¡­¡­¡­


    Yan City Military Camp.


    Old Huang sat with a worried look at the side of the training field, he didn¡¯t seem like a soldier but more like a concerned farmer worried about crop harvest and slow sales.


    "What¡¯s the matter? Still thinking about our boss¡¯s brother?" the monk casually asked.


    "Are you talking about Qiao Lin?" Old Huang thought for a moment and had a very deep impression:


    "It¡¯s strange, his brother is just as brave and strong as him, or maybe even more so."


    "Wait, why am I talking about this¡­ I was just thinking about myself," Old Huang shook his head and said:


    "Monk, howe I¡¯ve lived so smoothly for most of my life, but suddenly felt impulsive yesterday?"


    Old Huang sighed and still thought about the Hero Courage Soup from yesterday.


    He is not a reckless person. When the monk was about to rush up yesterday, he was the one who stopped him.


    "What else can we do? If you don¡¯t drink that bowl of soup, it will have to be drunk by the boss¡¯s sister." The monk also sighed on the side.


    "But you did indeed defy the City Lord¡¯s son, which is a big problem. Childe Guo seeks revenge for the smallest grievances. If he didn¡¯t take care of you on the spot, it¡¯s because the boss¡¯s older brother is too important, and he didn¡¯t think of you for a moment."


    When mentioning Qiao Lin, Old Huang and others had a deep impression.


    As soon as he entered the door, he went after Childe Guo, almost scaring them silly.


    When Childe Guo and others were about to leave, he threatened to send his own younger brother out of the city for a funeral and challenged them¡­ This kind of behavior definitely left a deep impression on him.


    However, at this moment, a thought suddenly came to Old Huang¡¯s mind.


    "Do you think there is a possibility¡­ that Qiao Lin did it on purpose?" Old Huang suddenly thought of this question.


    "Did Qiao Lin act so recklessly on purpose, deliberately attracting the City Lord¡¯s son¡¯s attention? Just to save you?" The monkughed upon hearing this.


    "I don¡¯t mean to say, Old Huang, but are you acting a bit too important? Are you trying to be someone cute and lovely?"


    "Qiao Lin isn¡¯t our boss, we¡¯re not rted or close¡­"


    Old Huang thought carefully again and suddenly noticed something:


    "Wait, haven¡¯t we known our boss for a short time? Isn¡¯t his sacrifice also for¡­"


    When they talked about Qiao Mu, the two people looked at each other and couldn¡¯t find the words to say.


    After careful consideration¡­ From the result,pared to what Qiao Lin did, Old Huang¡¯s offense doesn¡¯t really matter anymore.


    At least before City Lord¡¯s son killed Qiao Lin, there wasn¡¯t time to worry about Old Huang¡¯s offense at all.


    "If that¡¯s really the case, he would be a person who seems rough on the outside but is actually skilled in delicate techniques. Maybe he¡¯s even a great person for practicing Iron Crotch Skill. He looks tough and rough, but actually has a lot of detailed skills that ordinary people can¡¯t achieve." Old Huang muttered.


    The monk next to him didn¡¯t understand at first, but after thinking carefully, he couldn¡¯t help butugh and cry:


    "Is this how it¡¯s used? Old Huang, read more books! Stop thinking about your Iron Crotch Skill."


    They were joking around, but Old Huang nced outside the city.


    At this time, "Qiao Lin" should still be attending his younger brother Qiao Mu¡¯s funeral, right? I wonder if the City Lord¡¯s son has sent anyone to stop him.


    While thinking about this.


    From the direction of the City Lord¡¯s residence, there came a sharp whistle.


    Not long after, a soldier on horseback came galloping from the direction of the City Lord¡¯s residence, heading straight into the military camp.


    "There¡¯s trouble at the City Lord¡¯s residence!"


    "Enemies forcefully entered the City Lord¡¯s residence and kidnapped the City Lord¡¯s son. Hurry, go rescue him!"


    Old Huang and the others were initially stunned, but then they exchanged a nce, suddenly struck by an unbelievable thought.


    The City Lord¡¯s son was kidnapped, sounds familiar? Could it really be¡­


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    In the lord¡¯s mansion, Qiao Mu, holding a long spear, confronted Guo Yan with the young master in his grasp.


    Guo Yan had a calm face, he was stillposed.


    Even though his own son was kidnapped, at least this incident of "Qiao Lin" barging into the lord¡¯s mansion was discovered.


    The mansion guards will arrive soon, and then someone will rush to the military camp to gather troops and horses. The mansion will be surrounded inside and out, and the culprit will have no chance to escape!


    What puzzled him was that Qiao Mu didn¡¯t panic at all.


    Seeing the guards in the courtyard surrounding him, he didn¡¯t show any signs of panic. What is he plotting?


    Of course, he didn¡¯t know that Qiao Mu simply sought death.


    Since the assassination attempt has already failed, why not make things bigger so that he can die in a more dignified and grand way?


    "Please stay where you are," City Lord Guo Yan raised his hand to stop the approaching guards, and said with a serious face.


    "If we are going to talk about reason, you might as well put down your weapon first."


    "Isn¡¯t this the technique personally taught by City Lord? This long spear is my reason," Qiao Mu said casually.


    "In the past, my younger brother Qiao Mu asked the City Lord, have you ever considered the countless sufferings endured by the people due to you and your father, even leading to their destruction and envement?"


    "And this was how the City Lord answered, right?"


    "Afterwards, my younger brother Qiao Mu died."


    At that time, City Lord Guo Yan didn¡¯t resolve the problem. He simply let his subordinatesunch a surprise attack and subdue Qiao Mu, thus dealing with the person who raised the question.


    Qiao Mu¡¯s current identity is the older brother of the Qiao family who has lost his younger brother.


    If he wants to die with dignity and honor, he should not be a wicked person who forcefully enters the Lord¡¯s Manor. Instead, he should be well-known and die with honor!


    "So it¡¯s Qiao Lin, the elder brother of Qiao Mu?" The guards surrounding them exchanged nces.


    Yan City is not big, and the young hero Qiao Mu is somewhat of a minor celebrity. They have heard of him to some extent.


    This time, it was even more outrageous than thest time.


    "I thought Centurion Qiao Mu was brave enough, daring to stand up for themon people and confront the Lord on the street. How can Qiao Lin be even braver?"


    "Just now, I heard him say that the Qiao family not only has these two brothers, but also another one who went out of town for a funeral¡­ What kind of family is this? Each one is more fearless than the other."


    Qiao Mu confronted Childe Guo in the street and demanded an exnation from the Lord.


    And what about Qiao Lin?


    He directly stormed into the Lord¡¯s Manor and stabbed the young master in the belly!


    Qiao Lin looked at the lord, looked at the crowd surrounding them, and calmly said:


    "I, Qiao Lin, came to Yan City and entered your lord¡¯s residence to ask for one thing."


    "Justice!"


    "You need to calm down first. If we calm down, we can have a discussion." Lord Guo Yan frowned, finding the situation a bit tricky.


    But since this "Qiao Lin" was willing to talk rationally, they could stille to an understanding, just like before.


    Lord Guo Yan, having experienced many challenges, was not easily swayed and calmly said:


    "Qiao Lin, you are new to Yan City, right? There might be some misunderstandings. You can ask the people of Yan City to find out what kind of person I, Guo Yan, am."


    "Your brother Qiao Mu is a centurion in my Yan City Army, known for his bravery in battle and leading by example. I have always admired him and gave him the position of centurion without hesitation. You can inquire about this. And the key point is that it was not me who killed him, but the bandits outside the city."


    Qiao Mu smiled.


    "What a wless City Lord you are, but your son is arrogant and cruel, causing harm and carrying all the me. Yet you manage to earn a good reputation, at most only being lenient in discipline."


    "The people don¡¯t speak up, is that how you see it?"


    The City Lord frowned, "You, an outsider, know more about what happens in this city than the local people? If the people haven¡¯t spoken, why are you so anxious?"


    Qiao Mu solemnly said, "The people in this city, Yan City, have their own families and naturally have concerns and apprehensions. They dare not speak recklessly."


    "The City Lord¡¯s son has a reputation for being a wastrel, he always has his servants clear the way for him and even openlymits crimes such as robbery and murder¡­ The people don¡¯t dare say you, City Lord Guo Yan, are wrong, at most they can only say that the spoiled son behaves arrogantly."


    "They dare not speak the truth and can only watch from the sidelines, but it¡¯s not their fault. If they have the ability, they should punish evil and promote good; if they have no ability, they should first protect themselves. That is being responsible to oneself and one¡¯s family."


    "But I am different from them."


    Qiao Mu tightened his grasp on the long spear in his hand, his gaze revealing a hint of sorrow. He was starting to get into character:


    "My family, my dear brother Qiao Mu, has already died."


    "Since I have no worries or obligations, I naturally want to be a fearless man!" Qiao Mu shouted loudly.


    "I will say and do things that others dare not!"


    Qiao Mu admitted that he was acting, he just wanted to die, he didn¡¯t have such a noble purpose as he imed.


    But this didn¡¯t stop him from feeling a surge of satisfaction after saying these words.


    Being born immortal, he was always someone with extra strength, so naturally he wouldn¡¯t stand idly by!


    As he spoke these words, the expressions of the guards surrounding him in the courtyard changed.


    Previously, they only knew this person as Qiao Lin.


    This time, breaking into the mansion, it was probably for avenging his brother.


    Seeking revenge for one¡¯s own blood, it¡¯s amon practice in the world.


    Just by looking at Qiao Lin¡¯s calm manner despite being in a difficult situation, it seems that seeking revenge for his brother is not the only reason for his actions.


    This Qiao Lin is not only risking his life because of Qiao Mu¡¯s death.


    Even though they are under themand of the lord, this matter still touches their hearts.


    In this chaotic world, there are many people who just struggle to survive, but few are truly brave enough to face life and death.


    Outside the lord¡¯s mansion, Swordsman Jiang Chen came and went, using his light footwork to hide on the nearby roof, quietly listening to themotion.


    He had already lost his pursuers, but upon hearing the signal from the lord¡¯s mansion, he returned only to witness this scene.


    "This Qiao Mu and Qiao Lin are true gentlemen¡­ I just wonder what kind of family the Qiao family is, to raise such remarkable siblings," he praised in his heart.


    Lord Guo Yan¡¯s face slowly darkened.


    He gradually realized that Qiao Lin¡¯s stubbornness surpassed even that of Qiao Mu, and it seemed impossible to persuade him.


    "Qiao Lin, you are a brave hero who doesn¡¯t fear life and death," Guo Yan could only say.


    "But your brother Qiao Mu has already been killed by bandits. Do you also not care about your own life, and insist on letting your Qiao familye to an end?"


    At this moment, Guo Yan was starting to have doubts about the so-called "Qiao¡¯s family."


    In the beginning, Qiao Mu also imed that he was a nameless and insignificant soldier, but in the end, he ended up killing one Qiao Mu and now there are two brothers. One openly attending the funeral, and the other sneaking into the lord¡¯s mansion.


    Surprisingly, this question struck right at the heart of Qiao Mu.


    When Childe Guo carried the coffin into the door yesterday, Qiao Mu acted so ostentatiously. It was obviously to firmly hold onto his hatred and allow Qiao Canxue to secretly escape.


    As long as she leaves this corner of Yan City, then the problem won¡¯t be big.


    "I, Qiao Lin, am also a reckless man! What do I fear about death!" Qiao Muughed loudly.


    "The family motto of Qiao family: to die in a worthy way!"


    "I, Qiao Lin, only hate that I cannot kill the wicked and heartless people, only worry that I cannot show my courage, and only fear that I will not die fulfilling my destiny!"


    When these words were spoken, it immediately struck a chord in the hearts of the people around and even made the lord of the city change his expression slightly.


    What kind of family would pass down "fulfilling destiny in death" as their family motto?


    In this world, every noble and prestigious family desires to have descendants and continue their lineage, don¡¯t they?


    Yet, this Qiao family is openly proiming their motto of fulfilling destiny in death. Do they want their own descendants to die quickly?


    But Qiao Mu didn¡¯t give the lord any time to react.


    Today, he is determined to make a big scene out of this situation!


    "Qiao Mu is already dead!"


    "He is weak, and he deserves to die!"


    "You are strong, you are right! Isn¡¯t this the lesson that the Lord taught my little brother personally on the streets of Yan City?"


    "No matter how good the reasoning sounds, it is no match for the Lord¡¯s power, that is the greatest truth in this world!"


    In the past, before Qiao Mu had learned any martial arts, he encountered an injustice on the street and angrily confronted the Lord, only to tragically die by the hands of bandits.


    He died, he became stronger.


    And now, he has an even greater truth.


    "Today, I, Qiao Lin, havee to share my reasoning with the Lord!"


    Just as he finished speaking.


    Qiao Mu¡¯s hand thrust out the long spear.


    Childe Guo, who was being pulled in front of Qiao Mu, trembled all over and looked down in disbelief at his own chest.


    A piece of spear pointed had pierced into his chest from his back, and fresh blood flowed out.


    The situation was too sudden.


    Lord Guo Yan, the ruler of the city, thought that if they wanted to threaten his son, there must be something to negotiate. And Childe Guo also thought that since his own father was involved, there might be a glimmer of hope for him.


    However, Qiao Mu¡¯s spearpletely shattered their hope.


    With blood soaking his robe, Childe Guo stumbled forward a few steps, his eyes looking towards his father, Lord Guo Yan, gradually losing their sparkle.


    "I¡­ I want to live¡­"


    After saying these words, his body copsed to the ground and never moved again.


    Qiao Mu silently looked at Childe Guo¡¯s lifeless body, silently saying to himself:


    You want to live? Old Huang also wished his seventh child could survive¡­

 Chapter 42:

    Chapter 42:


    Childe Guo has died.


    He died very suddenly.


    Everyone present, including Lord Guo Yan and the guards in the courtyard, believed that Qiao Mu had kidnapped Childe Guo for some kind of gain, be it gold, silver, jewels, or other rare treasures.


    As long as Qiao Mu had any demands, Lord Guo Yan would be willing to negotiate with him.


    However, nobody expected that Qiao Mu would be so decisive and abruptly take Childe Guo¡¯s life.


    What could he possibly be after? After all the effort to capture such an important and valuable hostage, he couldn¡¯t have killed him just to show off in front of Lord Guo Yan, right?


    The lord of the castle was also trembling.


    He, who always hid his true feelings, looked at the lifeless body on the ground, and his pupils trembled.


    ¡°Why?¡±He took a step forward and spoke softly.


    The city lord, Guo Yan, was as strong as a tower and had a certain sense of authority. But at this moment, his eyes gradually filled with blood vessels and his breathing became slightly heavy.


    He had originally thought that everything could be talked about.


    The tough stance Qiao Mu disyed, along with those righteous statements, were just a way to pressure him in negotiations, nothing more than exchanging chips.


    You are raising the price sky-high, iming the moral high ground.


    So as the city lord, I will bow to you, the criminal, and then we can settle other matterster.


    He had been through a lot all these years.


    But at this moment, he felt like he was being toyed with.


    Qiao Mu kidnapped Childe Guo, but it wasn¡¯t for any benefit! He didn¡¯t want to negotiate with him at all!


    ¡°Why?¡± Qiao Mu smiled.


    ¡°Instead of asking me, maybe you should ask the spirits of those who died under your father and you. Do you think they also wanted to know why?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m asking you why? Weren¡¯t you just trying to negotiate? Stop pretending to be righteous!¡± Guo Yan yelled, his voice getting out of control.


    Qiao Mu smiled.


    That¡¯s the effect I wanted.


    ¡°Lord, I¡¯ve already told you before.¡±


    ¡°Coming to Yan City this time, I just want to reason with Lord of the City.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just an ordinarymoner, with no power or influence. If I don¡¯t kidnap the City Lord¡¯s son, how can I reason with the City Lord?¡±


    ¡°Now, I have finished exining my reasons.¡±


    Qiao Mu held the bloody long spear and looked at the body at his feet.


    ¡°If good deeds go unrewarded, the world must be wrong!¡± He spoke with a determined gaze and a loud voice:


    ¡°If the world doesn¡¯t provide justice, I will!¡±


    Everyone was shocked.


    But after the initial shock, they couldn¡¯t help but recall Qiao Mu¡¯s words.


    No wonder he had kidnapped Childe Guo as a hostage, yet still wanted to kill him.


    It turns out his grand and righteous words were not just empty words.


    It turns out he didn¡¯t hold the banner of righteousness to negotiate with City Lord Guo Yan for his own benefit.


    In this world, there are brave and selfless heroes who are willing to put their lives on the line for justice!


    Bank robbers need hostages because they want to stay alive and escape.


    However, Qiao Mu doesn¡¯t need any hostages.


    Now, let the storm be even fiercer.


    With everyone¡¯s gaze fixed upon him.


    Qiao Mu bent down and approached the lifeless body of Childe Guo, drawing a beautiful sword from his waist.


    This sword is beautifully crafted, with intricate patterns on the hilt and a blue-white gem embedded on the top. It is obviously a fine piece, yet no one has ever seen Childe Guo use it.


    Qiao Mu pulled out the long sword and threw it effortlessly. The sword flew towards Lord Guo Yan andnded in front of him, its de sinking into the wooden floor, causing the hilt to vibrate slightly.


    Guo Yan remained motionless, his expressionless face locking eyes with Qiao Mu.


    ¡°Guo Yan.¡± Qiao Mu firmly eximed.


    ¡°Pick up your sword ande forward!¡±


    ¡°Kill me, this unruly and inflexible brute!¡±


    Guo Yan¡¯s expression suddenly became gloomy.


    He ced his hand on the sword handle beside his feet, and just as he exerted force to lift the precious sword, he suddenly felt a tightness in his chest and coughed up a mouthful of blood.


    He was already injured, and being provoked by Qiao Mu in this way, his blood surged, and he began to spit up blood even before taking action.


    However, after spitting up blood, he halted his steps.


    ¡°Are you trying to provoke me, aren¡¯t you?¡± he said in a low voice.


    With a calm face, he no longer attempted to move forward, but instead waved his hand towards the many guards in the distance.


    So, the many guards waiting in the distance quickly came forward, surrounding Qiao Mu in a small circle.


    ¡°You are not qualified to fight with me,¡± said the lord with a gradually chilling voice.


    His injuries became more severe. Although he believed he wouldn¡¯t lose to Qiao Lin, an 8th rank martial artist, there was always the risk of aggravating his injuries if he got involved.


    So, why should he take this risk?


    He had many guards under hismand. They could wear down Qiao Mu and even if the guards died, he could simply spend money to recruit new ones. There was no need for him to take the risk himself.


    At Guo Yan¡¯s level as the lord, individual strength was no longer the most important factor.


    ¡°Attack! Kill this intruder in the mansion!¡±


    With his loudmand, the guards in the courtyard rushed forward.


    Not just the courtyard guards, but also groups of soldiers in the streets of Yan City received orders and dashed towards the lord¡¯s mansion, intending to surround it.


    Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh¡­


    Arrows came flying from all directions.


    In his earlier days of training, Qiao Mu didn¡¯t know how to use a spear. He only relied on his brute strength, but he couldn¡¯t block the arrows from the bandits.


    But now, he was different.


    Qiao Mu tightly gripped a long spear and spun it rapidly in front of him. The burst of power swirling around him created waves of energy, almost knocking the arrows off course.


    ¡°Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method£¡¡±


    In an instant, the tip of the spear was surrounded by a shimmering aura, with a hint of blood-red gleam.


    After breaking through the first wave of arrows, Qiao Mu fearlessly charged toward the enemy, holding his long spear without hesitation! Charge!


    Qiao Mu had once faced thousands of bandits alone, and even when he was only a 9th rank martial artist, he had fought single-handedly against a 7th ranked martial artist.


    No matter if in a group battle or in a one-on-one fight, he is now considered experienced.


    Anyone who can kill him will make him stronger.


    This not only refers to Qiao Mu¡¯s martial arts progress after each death and revival.


    Every intense battle, every dance on the razor¡¯s edge, these fights themselves are of great benefit to the martial artist, and they are a huge test for character and martial skills.


    ¡°Come on! Kill me, Qiao Lin!¡±


    He charged into the crowd with a spear, his individual momentum overshadowing the dozens or even hundreds of bodyguards.


    ¡°One Qiao Mu dead, there is still Qiao Lin!¡±


    ¡°If one Qiao Lin dies, there are still thousands upon thousands of Qiao Lins rising up!¡±


    ¡°Justice lies in the hearts of the people. Guo Yan, can you kill all the righteous people in the world?¡±


    In the sound of a loud roar, Qiao Mu showed his bravery and fought his way out of the crowd of guards, impressively defeating thousands of soldiers.


    Even the guards and servants from the opposing lord¡¯s manor couldn¡¯t help but feel a mysterious fear in their hearts.


    Qiao Lin is about to die.


    But the indomitable spirit he showed before his death will be remembered by everyone.

 Chapter 43:

    Chapter 43:


    Whoosh!


    The long spear turned into a blur, causing the guard with arge hammer to copse on the spot, flying four to five meters and crashing into the edge of the courtyard well, creating cracks and vomiting blood beforending on the ground unable to get up.


    "One," Qiao Mu silently thought.


    Qiao Mu has already mastered the Military Spear Skill.


    This Military Spear Skill is known for its simple and practical moves, not the fancy techniques used by skilled martial artists in the martial arts world. It is a way to kill enemies on the battlefield.


    In the cold weapon battlefield where people surround you from all directions, there is very little room for dodging, so this spear technique doesn¡¯t have many defensive moves.


    On the battlefield, soldiers have each other¡¯s protection while killing enemies, but Qiao Mu, at this moment, is alone and has multiple knives, spears, and clubsing at his back every second.


    Boom!


    A 9th rank servant hits him on the back with a club, making a muffled sound. It makes Qiao Mu tremble but he doesn¡¯t fall down."Did this person also practice hard skills?" someone wonders in surprise.


    At this moment, Qiao Mu is not only an 8th rank martial artist with internal strength to protect his body, but he is also proficient in the Hard Skill Iron Cloth Shirt Skill. With thebination of internal strength, his whole body is as hard as a rock.


    Even if he stands still and lets people hit him, an ordinary 9th ranked martial artist won¡¯t be able to break his defense.


    "The second one."


    Qiao Mu swung his spear backwards, unleashing a burst of inner power. The servant holding the stick was sent flying backwards and crashed into the courtyard wall, causing it to copse.


    Qiao Mu wasn¡¯t counting how many enemies he killed.


    After all, the number of enemies killed was not important to him. He was more concerned about the number of his death.


    What he was counting was the number of pallbearers.


    Yesterday, Childe Guo¡¯s funeral procession made a grand entrance, just like when he used to go out. He was apanied by several strong servants carrying whips to clear the way.


    There were a total of seven servants, two carrying the coffin and the other five guarding the sides.


    Their strength was not particrly strong, mostly at a beginner level of training. One or two of them had reached the 9th rank of training, but they were all tall and imposing, serving as Childe Guo¡¯s trusted followers.


    Qiao Mu advanced with his spear, step by step, towards Lord Guo Yan at the entrance of the study. Along the way, he kept a watchful eye, ready to eliminate all the servants that day.


    Outside the copsed courtyard wall, the soldiers of the Yan City Army stood in formation, wielding weapons, ready for battle.


    They have surrounded the Lord¡¯s Manor, but they haven¡¯t joined the battle yet. They¡¯re just blocking his way.


    "The Yan City Army has arrived, and Qiao Lin is trapped." Guo Yan thought to himself.


    "He¡¯s so confident and fearless. Maybe this time he has someone else helping him break into the manor. So we can¡¯t let our guard down."


    The Lord¡¯s Manor is not a wide in for armies to fight on. Even if more peoplee in, it won¡¯t be very effective.


    Besides, we don¡¯t need the Yan City Army to intervene yet. With the estate guards that Guo Yan has, it¡¯s enough to wear down Qiao Mu.


    The Yan City Army is mainly here as a precaution, to prevent anyone from interfering and to stop Qiao Mu from escaping.


    As the courtyard wall copsed, themotion at the Lord¡¯s Manor also attracted a lot of attention.


    Many people peered out onto the street, curious about what was happening at the Lord¡¯s Manor. It¡¯s impossible for them not to be curious, considering the loud noise.


    Lord Guo Yan stood behind the crowd, watching Qiao Mu coldly. He didn¡¯t join the battle or make any harsh remarks. He just watched silently.


    They watched as Qiao Mu slowly moved forward with cold eyes.


    "Three."


    "Four."


    "Five¡­"


    "Six¡­"


    The sixth servant had already died.


    These servants were not difficult to kill, their strength was nothingpared to Qiao Mu¡¯s current Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method state.


    The difficult part was finding these servants among the crowd.


    After killing the sixth servant, Qiao Mu temporarily couldn¡¯t find the seventh person, so he could only continue to push forward.


    Come in! Come in! Come in!


    With every step Qiao Mu took, it cost him blood.


    His internal strength was rapidly depleting, and the Iron Cloth Shirt Skill was not an invincible technique against des and spears. His body began to show signs of cuts from knives and swords.


    Just ten steps away from Lord Guo Yan!


    In front of Qiao Mu, a figure of extraordinary height appeared.


    Zhou Wen.


    This person held a long sword and was the second-ranked martial artist under Lord Guo Yan¡¯smand. He had been guarding outside the study all along, and now he finally made a move.


    If Lord Guo Yan doesn¡¯t take action, Zhou Wen is the strongest in this courtyard.


    Moreover, he didn¡¯t rush to join the battle. Instead, he waited for Qiao Mu to approach him, already heavily injured and with a great depletion of internal strength.


    This time, he was sure to win.


    However, Qiao Mu¡¯s heart remained steady.


    Every battle was a valuable experience for him.


    7th ranked martial artist? He had already fought one when he was at the 9th rank.


    At this moment, the power gap between the two sides was evident, and Qiao Mu was already heavily injured. This gap couldn¡¯t be erased by the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method.


    However¡­ the difference in strength between the two sides was not so important.


    Before, outside the city cliffs, the old man in grey clothing, although ranked 7th in martial arts, believed that his strength was much stronger than his opponent. However, he valued his life and didn¡¯t directly confront Qiao Mu, who had unleashed the powerful Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method.


    So¡­


    When two brave people meet on a narrow path, the braver one is victorious!


    Qiao Mu looked angry, with his eyes wide open. The long spear in his hand was shining brightly, and every attack was aimed directly at Zhou Wen¡¯s weak points without any defense or retreat.


    Just as Zhou Wen had swung his sword from the side, it cut through Qiao Mu¡¯s waist. His skillful technique, the Iron Cloth Shirt Skill, was broken with that strike. He was about to use his internal strength to worsen the wound, but he was surprised to see that this fearless brute waspletely ignoring his own injuries. The spear pierced towards Zhou Wen¡¯s throat like a cold star, causing his heart to skip a beat.


    In the blink of an eye, he quickly unleashed his internal strength and retrieved his sword to protect himself.


    Blocking the attacks of the long spear with his longsword was a strategy of taking advantage of the opponent¡¯s weaknesses and utilizing his own strengths.


    With a muffled sound, he took a few steps backward to the side. The de of his sword made a cracking sound and showed a crack. His wrist also throbbed with pain, almost causing him to lose his grip on the sword.


    "I¡¯m injured, my wrist hurts, and I rely on the sword for my skills. Essentially, half of my abilities are gone." His steps intentionally slowed down by a fraction, just enough for Qiao Mu, who was advancing with the spear, to rush past him.


    The other martial artist, an elderly man in gray clothes known as "Uncle Fu," was trusted deeply by Lord Guo Yan, the ruler of the city. Unfortunately, he had already passed away.


    Besides, he never liked Childe Guo, let alone¡­


    Qiao Mu was already a man destined for death, so why fight him with all his might?


    Lord Guo Yan, despite being injured, is still the strongest in the Lord¡¯s Manor.


    Even he stands still, treating the guards in the courtyard as mere obstacles for Qiao Mu. How could others fight to the death?


    Besides, what¡¯s the point of risking their lives for a small amount of money paid for guarding the house?


    *sigh*


    Qiao Mu breathes heavily, covered in blood.


    Anyone would know that after defeating the 7th ranked martial artist Zhou Wen at the cost of his own injuries, Qiao Mu is now at his weakest point.


    However, no one dared to deliver the final blow.


    A martial artist who is not afraid of death will surely have a terrifyingst counterattack. Haven¡¯t they seen their master, Lord Guo Yan, avoid a confrontation?


    At this moment, Qiao Mu is only a few steps away from Guo Yan. The manor is vast, and Lord Guo Yan, who has been watching from the sidelines, finally shows a hint of worry.

 Chapter 44:

    Chapter 44:


    At this moment, Qiao Mu was only a few steps away from the city lord.


    After defeating the 7th-ranked martial artist Zhou Wen, although there were still people blocking his way, they were merely ordinary 9th and 8th-ranked martial artists.


    However, Qiao Mu was already at the end of his strength.


    Although the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method was incredibly powerful, it couldn¡¯t be sustained and had severe side effects. At this moment, Qiao Mu was bleeding all over and almostpletely devoid of internal strength.


    He knew that this was the final moment.


    "Bet it all!"


    In Qiao Mu¡¯s mind, he recalled the decisive strike that killed Military Officer Chu with a spear.


    At this moment, he didn¡¯t have the strength to ovee the obstacles in the final few steps. He could only hope for this spear.


    Lord Guo Yan, the ruler of the city, was calm and had a deep understanding. Although he was injured, he had never used force. Qiao Mu didn¡¯t even know the extent of his injuries.Qiao Mu didn¡¯t have confidence in killing Lord Guo Yan as ast resort.


    But that didn¡¯t matter anymore.


    "This is myst bit of internal strength!"


    Gasped Qiao Mu as he raised his spear with one arm. The once dull point of the spear began to emit a bright aura once again.


    "Qiao Lin is showing hisst moments of strength."


    "This might be his final strike, be careful!"


    The servants surrounding Qiao Mu unconsciously stepped back, nobody dared to challenge him at this moment.


    After all, Qiao Mu was not aiming at them.


    Guo Yan, who is always serious, had a slight change of expression, preparing to face Qiao Mu¡¯s final counterattack.


    The tightly closed guards¡¯ circle loosened a little at this moment.


    Just as Qiao Mu was preparing to make his final strike, he suddenly froze, his powerful eyes catching sight of a familiar and strong-faced servant behind the circle of guards.


    "Is he¡­ the seventh servant who followed Childe Guo and helped him do evil?"


    This strong-faced servant had a sturdy build, but seemed to value his own life, always avoiding hard work and hiding at the back of the guard circle.


    If it weren¡¯t for the guards being intimidated by Qiao Mu¡¯s sharpness and slightly retreating, causing the guards¡¯ circle to open up, Qiao Mu would not have noticed him.


    This strong-faced servant was more than twenty steps away from Qiao Mu. Although his strength was not formidable, he was still a martial artist in the training stage. If Qiao Mu were to fight him up close, he could probably defeat him in a single round.


    However, at this moment, Qiao Mu was already at the end of his strength. He only had thisst bit of power for his final strike.


    Finally, I¡¯ve found you!


    Although it¡¯s a bitte, it¡¯s not toote!


    Countless thoughts shed through his mind.


    Qiao Mu turned and changed direction, aiming his long spear at Lord Guo Yan, but suddenly threw it towards the servant¡¯s face behind the crowd!


    Whoosh!


    The long spear sliced through the air like an arrow, making a sharp whistling sound. It swiftly passed through the scattered crowd, hitting the servant with an urate aim behind them.


    The long spear pierced through the servant¡¯s throat, lifting his entire body and impaling him against the courtyard wall.


    The servant didn¡¯t even have time to react, and his final expression was one of shock.


    Why¡­ was it him?


    He never understood why, even in his final desperate act, Qiao Mu had targeted him, an ordinary servant.


    Not just him.


    The other servants and guards around, including Lord Guo Yan, couldn¡¯t understand, feeling surprised.


    What¡¯s this? Missed the target? This is a bit outrageous, isn¡¯t it?


    At thest moment, he coolly took out a minion¡¯s life with his final skill? What kind of amazing move is this?


    Only Qiao Mu knows in his heart.


    He was gasping heavily, his arms trembling slightly from exhaustion. The aftermath of the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method tore his meridians and burst blood vessels all over his body¡­


    Maybe it was the effect of his immortality ability, or perhaps it was the result of enduring numerous deaths over time. Qiao Mu possessed an endurance far beyond normal people, even to the point of being inhuman.


    However, he was still a mortal body, and at this moment, due to massive blood loss, his body was on the brink of death. The pain and exhaustion were gradually overwhelming him.


    But his heart wasn¡¯t heavy at this time, he only felt light and content.


    With the puzzled and bewildered looks of the servants and Lord Guo Yan, he suddenly burst into loudughter.


    In his final moments, he unexpectedly remembered the old face of a little old man in his forties, which made him want tough.


    When Qiao Mu returned home under the name of Qiao Lin, he saw the scene of Old Huang, who was as hungry as a dog, eagerly eating the Hero Courage Soup.


    Due to his identity as Qiao Lin, he couldn¡¯t say too much to Old Huang, who he was meeting for the first time.


    He couldn¡¯t say it out loud, but he would naturally remember the things that Old Huang did in his heart.


    So he came.


    The people who carried the coffin into the mansion yesterday¡­a total of seven servants, dead!


    The gray-clothed elder, Uncle Fu, dead!


    Childe Guo, dead!


    Besides Qiao Mu¡¯s own people, no one in the Lord¡¯s Manor knew about the audacity of the middle-aged soldier with yellow teeth towards the City Lord¡¯s son on that day!


    Qiao Canxue was secretly sent away from Yan City by him, and the matter with Old Huang has been resolved.


    With this, the cause and effect havee to an end!


    A person¡¯s life is only once, it is easy to kill but difficult to save.


    Lord Guo Yan can be killedter, but the matter with Old Huang might spread after Qiao Lin¡¯s death.


    So, in Qiao Mu¡¯s final strike, instead of attempting to kill Lord Guo Yan, he gave it to thest servant carrying the coffin into the house.


    Facing the dumbfounded gazes of the surrounding servants and guards, the nearly dying Qiao Mu felt an immense sense of satisfaction in his chest.


    "A heroic spirit, swiftly like the wind over a thousand miles!"


    At this moment, Qiao Mu stood amongst the crowd andughed heartily.


    He had no weapons, he was covered in blood, and he shone brightly.


    Old Huang! Since I, Qiao Mu, am immortal, I will not let anyone die because of me in this lifetime!


    No one canpete with me when ites to die!


    Since he was immortal, he would live freely and enjoyably!


    "Now, you can kill me." Qiao Mu stood with a smile, his eyelids growing heavy.


    "Death? Do you think you can die so easily?" Lord Guo Yan¡¯s cold and deep voice came.


    Ever since the battle began, he had not taken a step, but at this moment, when the dust settled, he finally moved, step by step towards Qiao Mu.


    "Qiao Lin, after you die, I swear I will hang your body on the city gate tower and let it rot for ten days as an offering to my deceased son¡¯s spirit!"


    As soon as these words were spoken.


    Qiao Mu, who had originally closed his eyes to await death, suddenly opened his eyes.


    This startled the surrounding guards and servants, causing them to take two steps back in surprise. Even Lord Guo Yan, the ruler of the city, momentarily stopped in his tracks.


    Almost forgetting, it would be best not to leave behind my intact body¡­ Qiao Mu thought to himself.


    His final blow was directed at an ordinary servant rather than giving his all against Guo Yan. Therefore, even though he was on the brink of death, he still had a fraction of strength remaining.


    "Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method£¡"


    With thest burst of his remaining internal strength, he started running at full speed.


    "Qiao Lin is trying to escape, stop him!" shouted Lord Guo Yan.


    The guards and servants in the courtyard quickly surrounded him, gathering below the courtyard wall to prevent his escape.


    However, Qiao Mu didn¡¯t run towards the courtyard wall. Instead, he crashed into the edge of the well in the middle of the courtyard.


    This well was affected by the previous battles and now it is full of cracks.


    At this moment, it was shattered by a collision with Qiao Mu. With a broken head and blood flowing, his body also fell into the well along with the broken stones.


    "This person, how daring!"


    "No wonder he is Qiao Mu¡¯s older brother, he is even more brave than Qiao Mu himself¡­" The guards in the courtyard were dumbfounded.


    Even his enemies were amazed by the heroic and resolute posture of this person before his death.


    Swordsman Jiang Chen, who was standing on the eaves outside the Lord¡¯s Mansion, trembled slightly at this scene.


    In the past, he was robbed in the street by Childe Guo, but it was the righteous youth Qiao Mu who stepped in and saved him from danger.


    As a result, Qiao Mu also had a grudge with the Lord¡¯s Mansion and soon met a tragic death.


    Now, Qiao Lin is also dead.


    He only witnessed the entire battle and saw Qiao Mu¡¯s final stance before he died¡­


    Qiao Mu didn¡¯t die for him, and Qiao Lin didn¡¯t die for revenge for his blood rtives.


    The two of them fought to the death for something higher in their eyes than their own lives.


    "The greatness of ordinary people lies in their noble stance in the face of fear and impending death!" His voice trembled:


    "Is this the spirit and beliefs of the Qiao brothers, Qiao Mu and Qiao Lin?"


    At this moment, a strong curiosity arose in his heart.


    What kind of family would make death their motto?


    What kind of family could raise two brothers who valued loyalty over life and death?

 Chapter 45:

    Chapter 45:


    "What happened?"


    Manymon people ran out on the streets in the inner city, looking towards the direction of the Lord¡¯s Manor.


    There was a lot ofmotion at the Lord¡¯s Manor.


    The soldiers in Yan City Military Camp were quickly assembled and surrounded the Lord¡¯s Manor from all sides.


    There were sounds of noisy fighting from inside, and a section of the courtyard wall copsed. Faintly, the guards inside could be seen besieging someone, engaging in a fierce battle.


    For Yan City, what happened at the Lord¡¯s Manor was a major event of the highest importance, naturally attracting the attention and spection of manymon people.


    "Someone broke into the Lord¡¯s Manor?"


    "I heard that a bad person broke into the Lord¡¯s Manor andmitted a crime!"


    "How dare they be so bold in broad daylight?!""Wait, that person looks somewhat like the young warrior Qiao Mu¡­ He seems to be Qiao Lin, Qiao Mu¡¯s older brother who just attended Qiao Mu¡¯s funeral this morning before leaving their house. Could it be?"


    "Qiao Mu¡¯s brother, why did he enter the Lord¡¯s Manor right after attending the funeral? Could it be¡­ he believes that Qiao Mu¡¯s death is connected to the Lord¡¯s Manor?"


    "It seems that the person who died is the son of the City Lord. That changes things."


    "This is for helping the people and eliminating evil¡­"


    The people talked and talked.


    Qiao Mu had a good reputation in Yan City. He became famous for stopping and pping the City Lord¡¯s son in the middle of the street. Heter died in a battle against mountain bandits. Over a hundred soldiers were saved because of him, and nearly a thousand people witnessed his brave act of charging alone and sacrificing himself for hisrades.


    These manymon soldiers, numbering in the thousands, are mostly local people from Yan City. Each of them has a family, so Qiao Mu¡¯s reputation spread quickly.


    Although Qiao Lin was a neer to Yan City, thanks to Qiao Mu¡¯s reputation, the locals also had a good impression of him.


    However, the soldiers surrounding the Lord¡¯s Manor would not let them continue to discuss.


    "Don¡¯t just stand there and watch! Move along!"


    "There¡¯s trouble at the Lord¡¯s Manor, stop gossiping!"


    The soldiers scolded and chased away the onlookers, forcing them to leave.


    Even though the locals left, many of them still murmured quietly, curious about what was happening at the Lord¡¯s Manor.


    After the soldiers had chased away the crowd, the leading Military Officer Zheng suddenly narrowed his eyes, looking up to a high ce, where he noticed Swordsman Jiang Chen silently observing from the roof.


    "Who¡¯s that lurking around?" he immediately shouted.


    "Military officer, isn¡¯t this the suspicious person who has been wandering around the Lord¡¯s Manor before?"


    "Maybe he is a bad guy who is responsible for keeping watch!"


    "We can¡¯t let him go!"


    The soldiers scolded and started chasing after Jiang Chen.


    But Jiang Chen had a smile on his face at this moment.


    These soldiers say he is Qiao Lin¡¯s aplice?


    At this time, he didn¡¯t think it was inappropriate, only felt honored.


    Since the inhuman war, the Great Yan Imperial Court¡¯s fortunes have declined, and all the warriors who dared to resist have died tragically.


    So someone said that there were no martial artists after the inhuman war, and the surviving martial artists all had broken spines.


    Most martial artists after that only knew killing for treasure and fighting for power and profit.


    The so-called heroic spirit is like a flower that will fade tomorrow.


    When he was young, he also dreamed of travelling the world with a sword, but as he experienced more, his passion gradually cooled.


    The youthful spirit faded away, and his martial arts skills quickly reached a teau at the 9th rank. He also gained a beautiful wife. This was pretty much how things were, just like other martial artists who lived simr lives. No one was more noble than anyone else.


    And today, he once again witnessed a chivalrous hero who was willing to sacrifice his life for righteousness.


    "People in Yan City say that the young righteous warrior Qiao Mu possesses the chivalrous spirit of the ancient times. But it¡¯s not just Qiao Mu who embodies this spirit, there¡¯s also Qiao Lin!"


    "The Qiao family, with their two righteous warriors, despises evil and values righteousness over life and death. They are worthy of admiration!"


    Standing on the eaves all along, he basically witnessed the entire incident of Qiao Mu forcefully breaking into the Lord¡¯s mansion. He saw Qiao Mu kill Childe Guo, who was being held hostage, and he saw Qiao Mu bravely fight and sacrifice himself.


    As an ordinary 9th ranked martial artist, even though the trouble that Qiao Mu and his brother caused at the Lord¡¯s mansion started because of him, he couldn¡¯t muster the courage and ability to sacrifice his life for a noble cause.


    Unable to join the battle and die alongside the righteous heroes, he could still be a witness.


    He quickly jumped off the roof, evading the soldiers¡¯ chase.


    "Are you going to abandon yourpanions at the Lord¡¯s Mansion and save yourself, you little thief?" Initially suspecting, the soldiers started chasing after Swordsman Jiang Chen when they saw him running away, feeling certain that he had something to hide.


    "Save myself? Absolutely! Of course, I want to save myself!"


    Swordsman Jiang Chen muttered to himself.


    He wanted to stay alive.


    Standing on the roof, he not only witnessed Qiao Lin¡¯s selfless sacrifice but also saw the soldiers driving away the people.


    "Lord Guo Yan is cunning and skillful."


    "After Qiao Lin¡¯s death, with the Lord¡¯s skill, this incident may quickly be twisted to make Qiao Lin look like a viin who brazenly intruded the Lord¡¯s Mansion in broad daylight¡­"


    "That¡¯s why I want to stay alive."


    "Whether it¡¯s Qiao Mu or Qiao Lin, your death is definitely not meaningless!"


    "How can we uncover the true face of Lord Guo Yan without running away?"


    "If we don¡¯t stay alive, how can we let the name and deeds of the Qiao brothers be known and not be tarnished by the Lord?"


    Afterwards, when his beloved wife left him after City Lord¡¯s son openly abducted him, his life shattered into countless pieces. He was depressed for a long time, drinking and living aimlessly.


    However, the sessive deaths of the Qiao brothers gave him a great shock.


    He reached for the sword at his waist.


    He almost sold this sword for alcohol, but now he was d he still had this sword in his hand, d that he still held onto some dignity as a martial artist.


    "I am but a dust, my life as insignificant as a de of grass, yet my heart soars towards the sky."


    "Though I may not reach it, my heart yearns for it."


    "Even I have things I should aplish!"


    He jumped up, lightly tapping his toes on the tiles of the roof, and disappeared from the soldiers¡¯ sight.

 Chapter 46:

    Chapter 46:


    Inside the Lord¡¯s Residence.


    After Qiao Mu identally broke the well edge and fell.


    The many guards and servants present let out a sigh of relief.


    Nobody wants to fight with a fearless enemy, and now they finally finished.


    Only City Lord Guo Yan still had a gloomy expression.


    After collecting the body of his son, he frowned and looked at the copsed well buried in rubble, ordering the servants to continue salvaging.


    Turning his head, he instructed Zhou Wen beside him:


    "Zhou Wen, you stay here and watch. Once the servants have finished moving the rubble, you must go into the water and salvage Qiao Lin¡¯s body."


    Zhou Wen frowned a little, seeming unwilling."I¡¯ll go retrieve the body? ¡­Okay."


    City Lord Guo Yan saw Zhou Wen¡¯s reaction and sighed softly in his heart.


    There were loyal subordinates who dared to give their lives for him.


    For example, another martial artist in the mansion, Ah Fu, who ranked 7th.


    But since Qiao Lin appeared in the mansion of the city lord, it meant that Ah Fu had already failed. It had been so long and he still hadn¡¯t returned, so the oue didn¡¯t look good.


    The other loyal subordinates, in this battle, were usually at the front lines and also killed by Qiao Mu.


    And Zhou Wen had already be a reliable and powerful subordinate by his side.


    Guo Yan himself was still injured and needed to rely on Zhou Wen¡¯s strength, so for now, he couldn¡¯t be too harsh on him.


    As for why Zhou Wen, a low-ranked martial artist, was made to do such a dirty job of retrieving a body from a well¡­ It¡¯s mainly because Guo Yan had a hard time exining.


    He was cautious and careful, secretly a member of the Wuji Association. If his identity were exposed, he would be immediately arrested and imprisoned. So, he built three secret rooms and two secret passages in the Lord¡¯s mansion¡­ Unfortunately, one of the secret passages led to an underground river beneath the well.


    "Qiao Lin¡¯s injuries were so severe that he should have died. But it would be best if we could retrieve his body¡­"


    With these thoughts in mind, City Lord Guo Yan quickly returned to his house and entered his study.


    By turning the statue of a white crane on the bookshelf, the floor split apart with a rumbling sound, revealing a hidden secret room. He swiftly entered and examined the room.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    After a while.


    "I¡¯ve been to all three secret rooms in my house, except for the one in the study. Something is missing."


    "¡¶Martial Saint Spiritual Technique¡·."


    "The secret room had a book stolen, and Qiao Lin found the hidden passage in the well. Could there be a spy in my mansion?"


    City Lord Guo Yan furrowed his brow and thought for a moment, then casually let it go.


    He didn¡¯t expect that what was lost would actually be this secret book.


    Or rather, luckily it was the "Martial Saint Spiritual Technique" that got lost, and not something else.


    The Martial Saint Spiritual Technique is not ordinary.


    "Qiao Lin has a good eye. He secretly infiltrated my secret room and stole a miraculous technique founded by the Martial Saint himself."


    "The Martial Saint is an extraordinary genius rarely seen in the world, the leading figure in martial arts today. This technique he created can only be described as unbelievable¡­"


    Thinking of the Martial Saint, City Lord Guo Yan also felt a sense of awe in his heart.


    Only martial artists with exceptional character can cultivate this Martial Saint Spiritual Technique. It is a secret technique used internally by the Wuji Association to select talented individuals.


    This incredible skill can be described as unimaginable, but practicing this skill is actually not a good thing.


    For example, Guo Yan himself didn¡¯t practice this kind of incredible skill.


    As the City Lord of Yan, he has enjoyed afortable life for many years and is no longer involved in frontline battles. He has long lost the temperament of his youth.


    But of course, that is secondary.


    The biggest reason is that he dared not practice.


    "This ¡®Martial Saint Spiritual Technique¡¯ is indeed miraculous. It allows even low-level martial artists with extraordinary temperament to practice. It cultivates their subconscious intuition. However, it is extremely difficult to master."


    "Of course, even if you manage to master it, it may not necessarily be a good thing. It could even be considered a path of death."


    Martial Saint Spiritual Technique.


    Martial Saint is derived from the founder of this skill, "Martial Saint," while the term "Spiritual" is inspired by the phrase "hearts connected by an invisible bond of the spirit."


    The so-called "hearts connected" doesn¡¯t only refer to the cultivation of a mysterious intuition.


    What¡¯s even more unbelievable is that a martial artist who has mastered the "Martial Saint Spiritual Technique" will have a vague sense of connection with each other, and can sense each other¡¯s general position within a certain distance.


    It should be noted that as the founder of the "Martial Saint Spiritual Technique," Martial Saint himself has naturally practiced this secret technique as well.


    In other words¡­ When both parties are within a certain distance, Martial Saint can sense the position of the martial artist who has practiced this technique!


    "Those martial artists who are able to master the ¡®Martial Saint Spiritual Technique¡¯ will eventually be Martial Saint¡¯s nourishment."


    Just the thought of Martial Saint¡¯s unfathomable methods sends a chill through Guo Yan¡¯s heart.


    "Although Qiao Lin stole the ¡®Martial Saint Spiritual Technique,¡¯ he himself was severely injured and won¡¯t survive. Even if the person behind him gets hold of the technique from his corpse, it would only lead to their own demise."


    Of course, Martial Saint is not in Yan City, and it wouldn¡¯t provoke him to personally take action.


    But as a member of the Wuji Association, City Lord Guo Yan happened to know that there was an extraordinary person who practiced the "Martial Saint Spiritual Technique" in the vicinity of Heyang City, near Yan City.


    This person was originally a student of Martial Saint, but then betrayed Martial Saint.


    Because of this person¡¯s actions, they should have been pursued and killed by Wuji Association, but instead they turned around and joined Immortal Gate, bing ackey under Immortal Gate¡¯smand. They have managed to survive until now¡­


    "No matter who stole the "Martial Saint Spiritual Technique," they are all shallow-minded and ignorant thieves. The only thing worth noting is the Qiao family behind Qiao Lin¡­"


    When mentioning the Qiao family, the first thing Guo Yan thinks of is the Heyang City¡¯s Qiao Family, which has already been wiped out.


    However, since Martial Saint personally took action, it is impossible for any remnants of the Qiao family to still exist in this world.


    Since Butcher Zheng, the informant of Wuji Association, exposed Qiao Mu¡¯s use of the Long Life Fist technique, he has been avoiding using it in front of the people in the City Lord¡¯s Mansion.


    Ever since joining Yan City Army, Qiao Mu has been using "Military Spear Skill" and "Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method" to fight, without revealing their specific origins.


    Therefore, in Guo Yan¡¯s eyes, the Qiao family behind Qiao Mu and Qiao Lin is still a mystery.


    Guo Yan pondered as he walked out of the secret room and returned to the courtyard.


    At this moment, the servants had already cleared the copsed well, and Zhou Wen had returned from below, wearing dry clothes. He shook his head silently at him.


    Obviously, Zhou Wen didn¡¯t find Qiao Lin¡¯s body in the well.


    "Since no body was found, we need to consider the possibility that the ¡®Martial Saint Spiritual Technique¡¯ has been stolen by someone else¡­ Could it be the Qiao family behind Qiao Lin?" Guo Yan pondered.


    "With their motto of ¡®dying where they belong,¡¯ cultivating fierce martial artists like Qiao Mu and Qiao Lin¡­ I¡¯ve never even heard of this Qiao family before, they must be extraordinary!"


    The thought of the Qiao brothers from the Qiao family causing chaos in his mansion, even causing the death of his own child, filled his heart with turmoil.


    This revenge must be avenged, he couldn¡¯t find peace!


    Guo Yan himself was a sixth-ranked martial artist, but he was far more than just a sixth-ranked martial artist.


    But at his level, personal strength was no longer the most important thing.


    In this world, sess depended on one¡¯s influence andwork, and on strategic calctions!


    Coincidentally, he had been doing business in Yan City for many years and had some connections with those powerful forces.


    Only knowing how to fight recklessly, he died long ago.


    Qiao Mu, who had just reached the 9th rank, didn¡¯t even have the qualifications to personally n, and was killed by Military Officer Chu with the help of bandits.


    Qiao Lin, an 8th rank martial artist, stubbornly barged into the city lord¡¯s mansion. In the end, he was surrounded and killed by a group of servants without Guo Yan needing to do it himself.


    So, in order to seek revenge on the Qiao family, Guo Yan naturally wouldn¡¯t be as reckless as Qiao Mu and Qiao Lin, investigating and fighting on his own.


    "I could try the approach from Immortal Gate, to investigate the connections of the Qiao family¡­" After being injured, Guo Yan realized it would be difficult to continue staying in Yan City during this troubled autumn, so he had the idea of contacting Immortal Gate.


    However, this n was interrupted because of the incident involving his own son and the Qiao brothers. Now that Qiao Mu and Qiao Lin were dead and many people were lost in the mansion, Guo Yan thought about contacting Immortal Gate again.


    It was not just Immortal Gate.


    Guo Yan was cautious and prudent, and he also had a membership with the Wuji Association secretly!


    "Even at great cost, using Wuji Association¡¯s connections¡­ I must thoroughly investigate this strange Qiao family!" Guo Yan¡¯s gaze gradually became cold.


    "Dare to kill my child¡­ no matter what tricks you Qiao family have, you will be buried with them!"


    Immortal Gate and Wuji Association are both top forces in the entire Nine Provinces.


    Although Guo Yan is not considered a significant figure in these top forces in the Nine Provinces.


    However, if he is willing to pay a great price, to offer the benefits that would entice some of the strong individuals in these forces, it is not impossible to stir up their power.


    At that time, an unheard-of Qiao family will be stripped to their underwear, and then uprooted!


    "The so-called Qiao Mu and Qiao Lin, challenging them one-on-one is really petty. At that time, I will uproot the entire Qiao family!"


    "Their so-called family motto led to their own demise? Then let them die thoroughly." Guo Yan¡¯s gaze flickered, already plotting.


    As the lord of a small city in Nanzhou, he has always struggled between various forces, trying every means to protect himself.


    Especially during this eventful autumn when there were suspicions that the Great Yan Emperor might travel around the Yan City area¡­ he felt even more exhausted.


    Now, after suffering such a big loss under the Qiao brothers, it allowed him to sessfully waver between choices and finally made up his mind¡­


    "To gain benefits, please request the Immortal Gate of Nanzhou and the Xuantian Sect to send cultivators to settle in Yan City."


    The Great Yan Imperial Court referred to cultivators as "inhuman," but in the eyes of the people, they were "immortals," "immortal beings," or "immortal masters."


    Once this decision is made, it cannot be undone.


    But now, Guo Yan is injured, there are casualties amongst the subordinates in the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, and his own child has tragically died. At this moment, he no longer cares about so much.

 Chapter 47:

    Chapter 47:


    The battle dust settled in the City Lord¡¯s Mansion.


    The soldiers who came to support the military camp earlier mainly maintained order outside the mansion. Only a few participated in the battle, and most of them were still waiting outside the mansion, vaguely hearing the sounds of the fighting inside without fully understanding the situation.


    After the matter was settled, the soldiers who had gathered outside the mansion began to leave. Only a few were sent to the City Lord¡¯s mansion to do some misceneous tasks like carrying bodies.


    Old Huang and the monk, along with other former subordinates of Qiao Mu, happened to be among them.


    ¡°What? The City Lord¡¯s son is dead? Killed by a murderer? Oh heavens¡ª¡±


    Old Huang couldn¡¯t help but exim, drawing the unfriendly gazes of the people around the City Lord¡¯s mansion.


    ¡°Heavens¡­heavens are jealous of talent indeed, to take away the City Lord¡¯s young son!¡±


    Old Huang¡¯s shoulders trembled slightly, his old face contorted with grief.


    Only when the onlookers saw this scene did their curious stares finally leave.In reality, Old Huang was tightly pinching his own thigh to suppress a burst ofughter.


    The wheels of justice turn slowly but surely!


    He thought that someone like him would never be able to get revenge in his lifetime, and could only swallow his anger andpromise like everyone else in the city.


    If he didn¡¯t drink three big bowls of wine when he returned home today, his wife, who had a miscarriage because of him, would be angry with him!


    In these past few years, he had asionally fantasized about taking a life for a life and killing the young master without caring about the consequences.


    But he still had six children at home¡­ If he did such a thing, it wouldn¡¯t be as simple as leaving them as orphans and widows, it would be aplete disaster.


    ¡°The person who broke into the Lord¡¯s Manor and killed the young master sounds very fierce, where did hee from? Is he a vengeful bandit?¡± Old Huang continued to inquire.


    ¡°Speaking of that person, almost everyone in Yan City should have heard of him.¡± said Ah Cheng, the chatty servant:


    ¡°He is Qiao Mu¡¯s older brother, who had a grudge with the young master before. I think his name is Qiao Lin? He is a neer to Yan City.¡±


    Qiao Lin£¿


    Old Huang instinctively nced at the monk behind him, and the joy that had just surged in his heart suddenly froze.


    No wonder he¡¯s so powerful¡­ So, it turns out he¡¯s Qiao Mu¡¯s older brother, Qiao Lin.


    ¡°So, you mean Qiao Lin was fighting alone in the Lord¡¯s manor earlier, and was eventually surrounded and killed?¡±


    Suddenly, Old Huang felt a bit overwhelmed.


    It¡¯s a cause for celebration when a great revenge is avenged.


    But to trade the life of a friend¡¯s own brother¡­ even though he and Qiao Lin only met yesterday, it still didn¡¯t sit well in his heart.


    ¡°Speaking of this Qiao Lin, he¡¯s really a peculiar person.¡± The other soldiers and servants whispered and gossiped.


    Earlier, he had locked the kitchen door, buying some time for Qiao Mu. But when Qiao Mu was eventually discovered, he stopped pretending.


    ¡°It¡¯s rare to see such selfless sacrifice, but I can still understand it to some extent. After all, such characters exist in the stories told by the tea house storytellers.¡±


    ¡°The strangest thing is, his final struggle before he died.¡±


    ¡°Qiao Lin¡¯s final blow was supposed to aim at Lord Guo with his spear. I was watching from afar, but it seems like he changed his mind or lost focus, and he ended up hitting¡­ that square-faced ghost.¡±


    ¡°Square-faced ghost? Are you talking about the big guy who always follows the City Lord¡¯s son?¡± Old Huang asked after a moment of surprise.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s him.¡±


    ¡°That guy looks fierce and strong, although he hasn¡¯t cultivated internal strength, he¡¯s quite powerful. He¡¯s always with the City Lord¡¯s son, apanying him on every outing.¡±


    ¡°I heard that Qiao Lin is already an 8th rank martial artist. If he were in the Yan City Army, he would be like a respected military officer. It¡¯s not strange that his final blow, as an 8th rank martial artist, was aimed at that inexperienced square-faced ghost.¡±


    ¡°What about those servants? They¡¯re not worth mourning. They¡¯re always following Childe Guo, brandishing their whips. This madman who barged into the Lord¡¯s Manor actually did a good thing,¡± the other soldiers chatted.


    ¡°Could they have some personal grudges?¡±


    Personal grudges?


    How can someone of the 8th rank martial artist have personal grudges that they hold onto even until their death?


    Old Huang listened and felt confused. Suddenly, he had an unbelievable thought in his mind.


    If he said this thought out loud, the monks around him would surelyugh at him, thinking that Old Huang was being too full of himself. He should look in the mirror and see what kind of person he really is.


    ¡°Where is the body of the square-faced ghost?¡± Old Huang suddenly asked.


    ¡°There, it¡¯s ced in the corner of the wall,¡± the servant pointed casually.


    Under the courtyard wall, there were about twenty bodies lined up. These were the servants and guards who died in the recent battle. There were even more people who were injured by Qiao Mu.


    The bodies were temporarily ced side by side in the empty corner of the wall, their faces covered with white cloth, making it difficult to see their faces.


    Old Huang hesitated for a moment, then ran over and reached the corner of the wall. He lifted the white cloth from the face of each body and took a quick nce.


    ¡°One.¡±


    ¡°This one is not¡­¡±


    ¡°Two.¡±


    ¡°Three¡­¡±


    ¡°Four?¡±


    Every time he counted a number, his voice trembled slightly, and as he got to theter ones, even his fingers shook a bit.


    Old Huang wasn¡¯t very brave.


    Although he was somewhat of a veteran, the only skill he had learned was one he couldn¡¯t show off ¨C the Iron Crotch Skill. He always fought sneakily in battles, never directly facing his opponents.


    Due to his limited courage, after eagerly drinking the bowl of Hero Courage Soup yesterday, he worried all night and couldn¡¯t fall asleep.


    Because he was timid, he remembered the faces of the servants who carried the coffin into the house yesterday very clearly. He nned to avoid them in the future to prevent them from bringing up that matter again.


    And now¡­


    ¡°Seven.¡±


    He put down the white cloth in his hand and stood still, feeling a bit confused.


    The worries that troubled him all day suddenly disappeared, everything was fine now.


    While feeling relieved, he also had an indescribable emotion in his heart.


    ¡°Old Huang, you¡¯re getting old, why are you suddenly acting crazy?¡± The monk next to him quickly walked over.


    This Old Huang opened the white cloth covering the face of the body in the corner of the wall¡­ this behavior was indeed inappropriate, if it was seen by the officials of the town, he would probably get punished.


    However, Old Huang still remained stunned.


    ¡°Monk, let me ask you, is that powerful gray-clothed old man who always follows Childe Guo also gone?¡± Old Huang suddenly asked.


    ¡°¡­..I heard he died?¡±


    ¡°Where is Childe Guo?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s dead. We were just talking about it earlier. Did you forget so quickly?¡±


    Old Huang stayed silent for a long time before slowly saying,


    ¡°Yesterday, when Childe Guo¡¯s coffin was carried into the house, the seven house servants who were with him are all lying here now. Do you think he did a meticulous job?¡±


    ¡°Is that so? You must have been worried for a long time, but now everything is fine.¡± The monk didn¡¯t think too much about it at that moment.


    ¡°Indeed, I heard from the boss before that people who smile often have good luck.¡±


    Old Huang smiled and revealed his unattractive big yellow teeth.


    ¡°Monk, don¡¯t you think I would look better as a beauty?¡±


    ¡°¡­.Dare you speak those words to yourself in front of a mirror?¡±


    Old Huang smiled silently.


    His luck was really good.


    What was great was that he coincidentally met two brothers, Qiao Mu and Qiao Lin¡­


    Suddenly, he remembered the promise that Qiao Mu made when they first met.


    They said that Qiao Mu will keep his word, but he had no money in his hands. In order to repay Old Huang for teaching him the Iron Crotch Skill, he promised to take care of himpletely¡­


    Qiao Mu is a man of his word, and Qiao Lin may seem rough, but he is actually observant¡­


    Old Huang stood up and started working again with the monk beside him, continuing to help with the post-war chores in the lord¡¯s mansion.


    Qiao Lin was a bad person who murdered people in the lord¡¯s mansion. He is already dead.


    So as a living person, he had to keep a clear line between himself and the dead, and not show any strange emotions on the surface.


    This thing should be just like that bowl of Hero Courage Soup he drank, just rotting in his stomach.


    He was just doing odd jobs while carrying the body, but an indescribable emotion unknowingly filled his heart.


    How did ite to this point? His Iron Crotch Skill isn¡¯t that valuable¡­.

 Chapter 48:

    Chapter 48:


    The well in the inner courtyard of the Lord¡¯s Mansion is filled with flowing water.


    This well not only connects to an underground river, but it is also one of the secret escape routes secretly built by City Lord Guo Yan in the mansion¡­


    When Qiao Mu broke through the cracked edge of the well, he fell into the well along with the copsing rubble.


    At first, Qiao Mu didn¡¯t think much about it.


    He just wanted to die a little further away.


    Leaving one¡¯s body for the enemy is not a good thing, because in the future, he might leave behind many simr bodies.


    Being reckless and taking unnecessary risks is not necessary.


    So, after falling into the well and discovering an underground passage leading to an unknown area, he immediately started charging forward.


    His internal strength had beenpletely depleted in the final collision, and he was left with only a fraction of physical strength. So, he exerted all his effort to swim along the water current.Unknowingly, the water current gradually became turbulent, and he changed from swimming downstream to drifting with the flow, his consciousness also bing blurry.


    "Now I must be dead far away, right?"


    Qiao Mu was content, his body floating along with the water current, while having a serene smile on his face.


    Now he is 32 years old, at the mid-level of 8th rank. Based on his performance in the Lord¡¯s Mansion, it seems that he is no worse than when he charged alone towards thousands of bandits.


    When he returns again, he will consider how to express his gratitude for the many years of skill given to him by City Lord Guo Yan.


    Wait, Guo Yan!


    As the saying goes, "Thirty arrives at the east of the river, thirty arrives at the west of the river, never underestimate the poor middle-aged!"


    You bully me when I¡¯m middle-aged and poor, just wait until I¡¯m old and I¡¯lle back to beat you up!


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    After a long time.


    Among the mountains outside Yan City.


    Wang Songhe led the bandits of Mount Dong to migrate, preparing to establish a new stronghold or vige among these mountains.


    While the bandit vigers were washing clothes by the river, they saw Qiao Mu¡¯s body, covered in blood and flesh, floating downstream¡­


    Upon hearing the news, Wang Songhe quickly arrived. He initially thought it was a corpse floating in the river, but after carefully identifying the mutted face of Qiao Mu, he furrowed his brows.


    "Is this Qiao Lin?"


    Wang Songhe had a strong impression of Qiao Lin, and even tried to recruit him before.


    "Qiao Lin is a person who hates evil and is very brave, but he sometimescks consideration in his actions. He still needs a bit of polishing, but he is like a precious gem. I¡¯ve seen people like him before, and they all died quickly."


    Wang Songhe¡¯s gaze wandered for a moment, as if remembering the past years.


    "I thought Qiao Lin would soon stumble, but I didn¡¯t expect it to happen so soon. I wonder who he fell into the hands of this time?"


    Saying that, Wang Songhe called out to the tall and strong man behind him.


    "Zhang Kui, carry him back to the mountain stronghold and bring him to my clinic."


    "Brother Songhe, are you nning to personally treat this person?" the tall and strong man asked in surprise.


    "Otherwise, should I just let him die without saving him?" Wang Songhe smiled and said to the unconscious Qiao Mu, "Qiao Lin, you¡¯re lucky this time. We have a connection. Such a serious injury would have killed anyone else. Fortunately, you met me."


    "Indeed, this kid is lucky," the big strong man chuckled.


    "When Brother Songhe saves him, who knows how he¡¯ll repay you for such a great favor."


    Wang Songhe walked back to the mountain stronghold with his hands behind his back, memories from the past swirling in his mind.


    He walked along the mountain road, talking to the bandits next to him as he went.


    "When I was young, I studied medicine and achieved something."


    "But healing one person is easy, healing a whole nation is difficult. So I abandoned medicine and pursued literature."


    "Later, I read books by sages and became an official in the court. I thought I could use what I had learned to make a difference, but after the inhuman war, I realized how useless my knowledge from the first half of my life was in front of inhumanity¡­"


    "But I¡¯m digressing¡­ Let¡¯s just put this person down here for now. Tsk tsk, the injuries are quite severe."


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    This treatment took three days.


    During this time, Wang Songhe gradually learned about the things happening in Yan City.


    In fact, he didn¡¯t even need to ask specifically, it seemed like someone was deliberately spreading this news, even the bandits in the mountains had heard of it.


    "I didn¡¯t expect Qiao Lin to fall into Guo Yan¡¯s hands¡­ His actions truly deserve the title of a hero. I misjudged him."


    Wang Songhe was also amazed.


    After learning the whole story, he looked at Qiao Lin with admiration and put even more effort into treating him, trying to save his life.


    The fourth day.


    Qiao Lin, lying in bed, opened his eyes with confusion.


    He saw an unfamiliar ceiling in front of him.


    "Are you awake?" came a familiar voice from beside him, it was Wang Songhe.


    Qiao Lin£º£¿


    His mind didn¡¯t quite grasp the situation for a moment. In theory, he should have been reborn in a deserted ce, right?


    Why were there so many unfamiliar people surrounding him now? This group of strangers looked at him with a mix of admiration and pity.


    "Qiao Lin, I am Wang Songhe. Your body is still in danger, don¡¯t move recklessly." Wang Songhe spoke with a friendly expression.


    "You and I have a connection. We saw you drifting to the riverbank, critically injured and near death, so we saved you."


    Qiao Mu, who was covered in bandages on the hospital bed, widened his eyes, then struggled to sit up.


    "There¡¯s no need to get up and thank me." Wang Songhe held Qiao Mu down.


    "I have already heard about your daring adventure in the Lord¡¯s Mansion and how you eliminated Childe Guo for the good of the people. Compared to what you have done, my help is just a small gesture, no need for formalities."


    Qiao Mu¡¯s eyes widened.


    Wang Songhe, we have no grudges against each other, why did you save me?


    At this moment, he was wrapped in bandages, with no strength in his limbs, unable to sense any internal strength. He could barely move his neck.


    "N-no¡­" Qiao Mu struggled to open his mouth, making a hoarse and unclear sound.


    "What do you want to say? I can¡¯t hear you," Wang Songheforted gently.


    "Don¡¯t rush, there¡¯s no need to hurry to speak. You can say whatever you want when you¡¯ve fully recovered."


    He wanted to cure me? With such wicked intentions?


    Qiao Mu¡¯s eyes widened in shock. He coughed up a mouthful of blood, almost passing out.


    With the blood spit out, he felt a bit relieved and managed to say aplete sentence in one breath:


    "Let go¡­ give up, don¡¯t¡­. treat me like this, I beg you."


    Just as Wang Songhe said this, his eyes turned to Qiao Mu with a hint of pity.


    He grabbed Qiao Mu¡¯s wrist and earnestly said:


    "Qiao Lin, I know you¡¯re in excruciating pain, feeling like life isn¡¯t worth living, but please don¡¯t give up!"


    "As long as you¡¯re alive, there¡¯s hope, hold on!"


    "I, Wang Songhe, will never let a hero die in front of me like this!"


    Upon hearing this, Qiao Mu spat out three mouthfuls of blood and finally fell unconscious.


    Meanwhile, Wang Songhe got busy again, starting to rescue him.


    ¡­¡­¡­..


    The time came to the fifth day.


    Wang Songhe stood by Qiao Mu¡¯s hospital bed with a nk gaze, reaching out to check Qiao Mu¡¯s breath and realizing there was none left.


    His expression couldn¡¯t hold up for a moment.


    Oh no, made a mistake?


    Indeed, the injuries were too severe. At most, he could only help sustain his life for a few more days, but there was no way to save him.


    He had boasted so confidently before, but in the end, Qiao Mu still passed away due to his grave injuries¡­ He suddenly felt a hot flush on his face.

 Chapter 49:

    Chapter 49:


    In the mountains and forests.


    Qiao Mu opened his eyes with a confused look on his face.


    Looking at his healthy body and feeling the full internal strength within him, Qiao Mu burst into tears.


    Finally died!


    It¡¯s not easy, finally escaped from Wang Songhe¡¯s clutches.


    In fact, whether Qiao Mu sessfully sought death or luckily escaped and survived after breaking into the main mansion, he is a double winner.


    Getting stronger after death, even if he stays alive, he can continue stacking buffs. No matter what, Qiao Mu is winning big.


    This time, Qiao Mu wanted to die mainly because his body, at the age of 32, was severely damaged after breaking into the main mansion, and even if he could survive under Wang Songhe¡¯s poison, he would only be barely hanging on with extremely poor quality of life.


    After one death, his body would refresh to a perfectly healthy state, which is even better.After being reborn, Qiao Mu is on the outskirts of this bandit vige, faintly hearing the vigers discussing inside.


    "s, Qiao Lin ended up dying in the end, what a pity."


    "Even though the person died, his life force was incredibly strong. It is said that his body¡¯s energy channels werepletely destroyed, and he had no internal strength left¡­ In other words, he went to the City Lord¡¯s residence with the intention of sacrificing himself by killing the City Lord¡¯s son."


    "He was a brave soul, holding on to hisst breath, stubbornly clinging to life for four or five days."


    In my final moments, my only resentment was towards your leader, Wang Songhe¡­ whispered Qiao Mu.


    He stood amidst the mountains and forests, and after listening carefully, he gradually learned about what had happened after his death.


    First, in the eyes of the City Lord¡¯s residence and the people of Yan City, the hero ¡®Qiao Lin¡¯ was already dead the moment he jumped into the well.


    Secondly, ¡®Qiao Lin¡¯ was saved by Wang Songhe and managed to hold on to his life for a few more days.


    From Qiao Mu¡¯s own point of view, Wang Songhe¡¯s attempts to save him were like a farce.


    But from the perspective of these bandits, the heroic ¡®Qiao Lin¡¯ showed incredible strength in his life and a tragic death¡­ This added a touch of legend and tragedy to the original story of ¡®Qiao Lin dying in the City Lord¡¯s residence.¡¯


    In that case, Wang Songhe¡¯s attempt to save himself, although it prolonged Qiao Mu¡¯s life for a few days, wasn¡¯t necessarily a bad thing¡ª¨Cording to the pattern Qiao Mu found, it could be seen as something that could improve the assessment of his death.


    With a thought, Qiao Mu¡¯s mind sank into the depths of his heart.


    Death Assessment this time: B+ (With the spirit of a chivalrous person, swift as the wind for a thousand miles)


    Lifespan consumed by death: 10 years


    Remaining resurrection chances this week: 0 out of 5


    Current age: 42 years old


    Skills: Long Life Fist (preliminary level), Ripple Stacking Wave Strength (beginner level), Martial Saint Spiritual Technique (novice level)


    Military Spear Skill (mastered)


    Iron Crotch Skill (mastered), Iron Cloth Shirt Skill (preliminary level)


    Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method (preliminary level)


    In the blink of an eye, ten years passed quickly.


    During these ten years, Qiao Mu worked diligently every day, day and night, without rest.


    Looking inward at his dantian, Qiao Mu discovered that his dantian¡¯s sea of qi had expanded by one circle, and a hidden internal strength had filled the center of the sea of qi, forming a dantian vortex.


    This meant that after this death, he had jumped from the mid-8th rank to the peak of the 7th rank.


    Compared to the growth in his martial arts cultivation, the biggest change after the B+ Death Assessment was the various martial arts techniques Qiao Mu had mastered.


    The Long Life Fist had reached a basic level, and two other hard techniques had achieved proficiency.


    Qiao Mu touched his own skin and felt that his previously fragile skin had be a bit thicker, as tough as cowhide.


    With a little effort, his already strong skin could be even tougher, as hard as solid rock.


    "In the future, I should try to learn more martial arts techniques. It will be of great help after high-quality deaths."


    The most fascinating thing that caught Qiao Mu¡¯s attention was the mysterious and profound martial art technique called "Martial Saint Spiritual Technique," which he had just obtained from the lord¡¯s manor.


    "They say it¡¯s extremely difficult to learn and requires a strong character, but I find it quite easy. While learning this technique, I have also managed to make significant progress in practicing multiple martial arts."


    The "Martial Saint Spiritual Technique" is a method of refining the spirit, cultivating the mysterious intuition within, which is hard to describe or understand.


    Without any actualbat experience, it¡¯s hard for Qiao Mu to say how much his intuition has improved. He only has a vague sense of something within him¡­


    He furrowed his brow and looked toward the north of the forest, but all he could see were mountains and thick woods. There didn¡¯t seem to be anything unusual to the naked eye.


    However, deep inside, he had a feeling that he should go north.


    Does this mean there¡¯s a hidden quest in the north? Can I trigger the main storyline by going there?


    Oh? So, I was already cheating? Well, that¡¯s alright then.


    Acting on his intuition, Qiao Mu took a few steps toward the north when suddenly he heard the faint sound of footsteps from beside him.


    "Who are you?"


    A big strong man came out of the bushes, followed closely by several bandits with turbans on their heads.


    The big strong man was surprised when he saw Qiao Mu. He stared with his big round eyes and the look of shock slowly faded away.


    "I thought it was the ghost of Qiao Lining out so soon, but it turns out you just look like him¡­ cough, cough."


    "Who are you? Why are you spying on our hideout?"


    Qiao Mu was 42 years old at the time, older than the "Qiao Lin" the bandits had seen by about ten years.


    Thanks to his advanced Long Life Fist technique, Qiao Mu, despite being in his forties, didn¡¯t feel any decline in his energy and blood. In fact, he even looked younger than his actual age, appearing to be in his thirties.


    However,pared to the deceased Qiao Lin, he still appeared noticeably older and more mature.


    Qiao Mu coughed lightly.


    He is now 42 years old, and since he is over 40, he can¡¯t act restless like a young person anymore, or else it would feel out of ce.


    "My name is Qiao Sen. I havee to find my son Qiao Lin," Qiao Mu said seriously.


    "Did this strong man just mention my son Qiao Lin¡¯s name? Is he here?"


    Upon hearing these words, the big and strong man¡¯s face immediately became a little embarrassed.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    After a short while, inside the infirmary in the mountain vige.


    Qiao Mu looked at his own body lying on the sickbed, with a mix of sadness and anger on his face.


    "The Qiao family¡¯s teachings are fulfilled in death. My son sacrificed himself and killed the mayor¡¯s son, which is fitting."


    Wang Songhe stood to the side, with a strange and awkward expression on his face.


    "Brother Qiao Sen, beforted. The departed are gone, the living continue." He said slowly.


    This Qiao Lin was not killed by him, he could only say that he couldn¡¯t save him.


    But Qiao Lin had just died and his father came knocking at the door. This made him, as a healer, feel a bit ashamed and reluctant to face Qiao Lin¡¯s father.


    "You¡¯re right, the departed are gone, the living continue." Qiao Mu said deeply.


    "The matter of the departed is settled, but the affairs of the living still need to be pursued."


    "That Yan City¡¯s Lord, Guo Yan killed my two children. I will go and kill him in a few days!"


    Wang Songhe£º¡­.


    Looking at Qiao Mu at this moment, Wang Songhe suddenly felt a strange sense of familiarity.


    No wonder the Qiao brothers are so strong and fearless, they are stubborn to that extent.


    So it was you, the person who is a dad, who taught this!

 Chapter 50:

    Chapter 50:


    The sky turned dark yellow.


    Old Huang walked alone in the alley, hurrying home.


    His house was also in the outer city. As he walked deeper into the alley, it became increasingly dim and quiet.


    Almost half of the vacant houses in the outer city were empty. The alleys he walked through showed no signs of people, only the echoes of footsteps inplete silence.


    "The Zhang family disappeared two months ago, and the Chen family¡¯s house over there, when did they leave Yan City¡­ about six months ago?"


    He walked slowly for a while, then turned a corner.


    At first nce, he saw a few kids ying in the alley.


    When Old Huang walked over, his own baby reached out with both arms and climbed onto him. Soon, he had a doll hanging on his thigh and another one on his back, shouting in a cute voice, "Daddy, y with me!"


    The previous silence was gone, and the liveliness suddenly returned.If it were any other time, Old Huang would definitely y with his two little babies at home. But at this moment, he didn¡¯t have the heart for it. He just let the two little ones hang on him and went back home.


    As he entered the house, he nced around at the remaining neighbors.


    Strangely, it wasn¡¯tpletely dark yet, but the neighbors in the surrounding area had mostly closed their doors and windows.


    If one were to listen carefully and sniff, they could sense the faintughter and a subtle fragrance of alcohol seeping through the door cracks.


    "The lord¡¯s eldest son, he¡¯s dead."


    "I need to get drunk."


    "The cycle of life is just so unpredictable! Today, I shall enjoy threerge servings of alcohol!" the neighboring old bookseller muttered to himself.


    "Joy! Joy! Joy! Joy! Joy¡­" This is the butcher next door going crazy with alcohol.


    Old Huang also closed the door and set up a table in the house. He brought out the old wine he had been hiding in the corner and talked to his wife about it.


    Soon it got dark and the night grew deeper.


    The noisy children had already fallen asleep, and his wife had finished cleaning up the leftovers.


    Old Huang looked out the window and saw the moon shining faintly. All the lights in the neighborhood were out, and everything was silent except for the faint sound of insects.


    Although he also felt tired, he didn¡¯t want to sleep yet. He poured himself three more cups of wine.


    One cup for himself, and the other two cups for the empty seats next to him.


    "This cup of wine is a toast to the Qiao brothers," he said in a low and slow voice, already a little tipsy.


    "I cannot speak for you, and this matter can only be kept in my heart. But our lives, the lives of our family, were saved by you. We must not forget this."


    In chaotic times, human lives are as insignificant as grass and dust.


    Old Huang lived in the outskirts of the city. Over the years, he had experienced famines and homelessness. He had be ustomed to the loss of family and the destruction of homes.


    However, the deaths of the brothers, Qiao Mu and Qiao Lin, truly disturbed him.


    He had seen many dead bodies, but he had never seen anyone die like the Qiao brothers.


    The more chaotic the world, the more cmities there are. People¡¯s hearts often reveal their cruelty and ugliness.


    ¡­¡­¡­.


    Inside the house, on the other side, there was a fifteen or sixteen-year-old girl talking with Old Huang¡¯s wife.


    "Is father drunk? The son of the city lord has died. This should be a joyful asion, but it seems his mood is not too good."


    "It¡¯s a pity that the city lord¡¯s son died too early. I couldn¡¯t wait a few more years for my martial arts to improve, so I could personally kill this thief."


    Old Huang¡¯s eldest daughter, around fifteen or sixteen years old, grew up to be tall and slim, with a graceful and strong figure. Her long hair was neatly tied into a ponytail behind her head, revealing a fair neck. Her eyes were determined, with a touch of umon feminine strength.


    When it came to the death of the lord¡¯s son, the eldest daughter felt a bit resentful.


    After some thought, she walked towards Old Huang.


    "Eldest one, don¡¯t disturb your father. Let him have some peace," said Old Huang¡¯s wife in a gentle voice.


    "I¡¯m not disturbing him. Since he¡¯s not in a good mood, I want to give him a surprise and alleviate his worries."


    As the eldest daughter approached Old Huang, he waved to her and walked over.


    "Eldest one, your younger brothers and sisters may not understand yet, but you must remember, one should not forget their roots."


    "Let me tell you about the story of the Qiao brothers¡­"


    Old Huang abruptly widened his eyes while speaking.


    He saw his own daughter and gently extended a finger, pressing it into the table.


    Without any visible effort, a clear small hole appeared on the wooden table.


    "When did you develop internal strength?" Old Huang eximed.


    "Just a few days ago, you were only able to lift a 300-pound stone lock. It¡¯s still a long way from reaching the limit of 500 pounds. How did you suddenly develop internal strength?"


    "Last month," the eldest daughter calmly replied.


    "Why didn¡¯t you say anything earlier about such a major aplishment?" Old Huang eximed in surprise.


    As the saying goes, "poverty favors the literary, wealth favors the martial." The early stage of martial artists¡¯ training involves strengthening the body and developing muscles. It¡¯s not just about practicing relentlessly, but nutrition is also important.


    Considering Old Huang¡¯s financial situation, it would be extremely difficult to support a fifteen-year-old internal strength martial artist.


    "I just tried my best," the eldest daughter shrugged innocently.


    "The storyteller at the teahouse tells stories that are not all like this. Those martial arts geniuses who don¡¯t hide their skills and talents will die quickly."


    Old Huang wanted to refute his own child subconsciously, but when he thought of the deaths of Qiao Mu and Qiao Lin, he suddenly became speechless.


    "Okay, okay. Our eldest child has grown up." Old Huang became excited, blinked his eyes a few times, and almost shed tears. But when he saw the two empty wine cups on the table, he sighed slightly again.


    "Eldest child, you are now much stronger than your father. There is nothing else your father can teach you, except for one thing ¨C never forget your roots."


    "I wonder if the Qiao family has any other descendants¡­ Eldest child, you have the ability. When you seed in the future, if you encounter the Qiao¡¯s family, remember to take care of them."


    "I understand," the eldest daughter nodded in agreement.


    Qiao Mu died to protect Old Huang, Qiao Lin broke into the lord¡¯s mansion and killed Childe Guo, and died as a result. They avenged their family¡¯s grudge, and she must remember this deeply and keep it in her mind.


    She is still young, unlike Old Huang who is experienced in the ways of the world. She has a sharp spirit.


    Although she vaguely understood the need to hide her skills after hearing the storyteller¡¯s story, how could she not feel a yearning, admiration, and gratitude for the chivalrous spirit of Qiao Mu and Qiao Lin?


    Even without Old Huang saying so, she would do the same.


    "Okay, you go to sleep first. You¡¯re at the age of growing, so you shouldn¡¯t stay up toote." Old Huang said with a smile.


    This time, his mood finally improved a lot.


    After the eldest daughter left, Old Huang looked at the empty wine sses on the table in front of the two empty seats, and suddenly smiled.


    He was about to pour the two wine sses onto the ground, tomemorate the spirits of the Qiao brothers.


    But just as he was about to spill them, he felt a little sorry, so he drank all three sses himself and smacked his lips, saying:


    "Boss, Old Huang didn¡¯t lie to you, right?"


    "I don¡¯t have any other skills, except the skills I have in my pants. And let me tell you, they are exceptional."


    As Old Huang said this, he grinned, showing a big yellow tooth, and proudly said:


    "My dick is unbeatable in the world!"

 Chapter 51:

    Chapter 51:


    Outside Yan City, in the mountains, there was a temporary mountain stronghold.


    Qiao Mu carefully ced his body in a coffin, without rushing to say goodbye. Instead, he chatted with Wang Songhe about Guo Yan for a bit.


    When Qiao Mu mentioned his n to kill Guo Yan in a few days, he wasn¡¯t just saying it casually.


    In a few days, he would have the chance to resurrect himself five times. With his current power at the peak of the 7th rank, he believed he would have no problem defeating a wounded City Lord Guo Yan in a one-on-one fight.


    If there was any problem, he could always continue on with another life!


    Although that¡¯s what he said.


    There was only one chance to storm the City Lord¡¯s Manor. If they failedst time, there would be no second chance.


    Last time, before Qiao Mu died, he delivered a final blow to an ordinary servant. He already anticipated this and knew it couldn¡¯t happen again.


    After the lord¡¯s mansion was alerted by disturbing the grass, it would definitely be heavily guarded in the short term. If you want to forcefully break into the lord¡¯s mansion, you will only end up being besieged to death likest time.The path to break into the lord¡¯s mansion is no longer viable.


    Since it would be difficult for Qiao Mu to kill Guo Yan by his own strength, perhaps another method can be found.


    For example, the leader of these bandits, Wang Songhe.


    This is not casting me on Wang Songhe, because as a bandit, Wang Songhe is naturally opposed to Yan City¡¯s City Lord Guo Yan.


    So, Qiao Mu looked at Wang Songhe with determined and earnest eyes.


    "Brother Wang, Guo Yan and his father have been tormenting the people in Yan City for a long time. Although my son is dead, Guo Yan is still alive."


    "My son mentioned to me before that many of your bandits are actually refugees who escaped from Yan City, right? Are you willing to continue watching Yan City deteriorate?"


    "A true man should not hide in the mountains and forests. He should aplish something and live without regrets. Brother Wang, even though you are known as a bandit, your heart epasses the world. Would you be willing to leave the mountains with me and achieve something great together?"


    Wang Songhe£º£¿


    Let¡¯s not talk about whether this "Qiao Sen" is a bit presumptuous.


    After all, Wang Songhe himself, previously also approached Qiao Lin as soon as they met¡­ and this line is also a bit familiar.


    "Brother Qiao Sen has good judgment. You saw right away that I have ambitious goals and I¡¯m not just an ordinary bandit."


    Wang Songhe pondered for a moment.


    He and Yan City City Lord Guo Yan were enemies to begin with. In the past, both sides injured each other, which was actually intentional on Wang Songhe¡¯s part.


    He was skilled in medicine and confident he could recover faster than Guo Yan. After his injuries healed, if he wished, he could also try to eliminate Guo Yan.


    "Dealing with Guo Yan¡¯s matter requires careful consideration, but we should not forcefully invade the City Lord¡¯s mansion," Wang Songhe said slowly.


    He had a group of mountain men behind him, so even though he was involved in rebellion, he was cautious in his thinking and would not immediately agree.


    Inparison, Qiao Mu is more reckless than him.


    "Then you take your time to think. If you make up your mind, you cane find me."


    Qiao Mu quickly bid farewell with his own corpse.


    If Wang Songhe refuses, he won¡¯t force it. He will seek revenge in his own way.


    But now, instead of killing City Lord Guo Yan, Qiao Mu has something more important to do.


    Qiao Canxue.


    The karma between Qiao Mu and Old Huang has been settled, but there is still unfinished business with Qiao Canxue.


    Before Qiao Mu left, Qiao Canxue gave him the final secret technique book, trying to persuade him not to be enemies with the City Lord¡¯s Mansion anymore and to leave Yan City with her¡­ At that time, Qiao Mu agreed on the surface to appease Qiao Canxue.


    Qiao Mu shamelessly epted the book "Ripple Stacking Wave Strength" and secretly arranged for Qiao Canxue to leave the city, agreeing to meet again in a small town outside Yan City. ¨C This was only a temporary solution to help Qiao Canxue leave Yan City.


    Because Wang Songhe took care of Qiao Mu for several days, this incident also caused a dy of several days. I wonder what the situation is like on Qiao Canxue¡¯s side now.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Panshan Town is a rtively remote town outside Yan City.


    The town is located in a remote area, close to the mountains, and many vigers are hunters.


    However, recently, an extraordinary storyteller came to the tea house in the town, and the business became very prosperous.


    Common storytellers dress in long robes, like schrs, but this storyteller wears a green robe and carries a sword, like a swordsman.


    This sword-carrying storyteller is about thirty years old and has sharp eyebrows and bright eyes. He has an extraordinary appearance.


    Every time he tells stories, at least half of the tea house is filled with audience members, both men and women.


    However, male customers often cheer for the stories told by this storyteller, while female customers often gaze at the handsome face of the storyteller, thinking that his stories might be true and he could be a traveler with interesting experiences.


    "After catching the City Lord¡¯s son, Qiao Lin didn¡¯t demand money, jewels, or high rank. He only asked for fairness."


    "The City Lord refused to believe and secretly called for his servants and sent the city guards to surround Qiao Lin from inside and outside."


    "But Qiao Lin remained fearless in the face of danger and publicly denounced the sins of the City Lord and his son."


    "Instead of being intimidated by the City Lord¡¯s threats to his life, Qiao Lin boldlyughed and said, ¡®I only hate the wicked who take lives for their own pleasure. I only yearn to show my true spirit. I only fear not dying with honor!¡¯"


    "Finishing his words, Qiao Lin thrust his long spear forward, piercing the wicked man¡¯s heart!"


    "The City Lord mistakenly thought Qiao Lin had a demand for him and was using someone as leverage. Little did he know that all Qiao Lin wanted was justice¡­"


    The narrator of the story spoke with great enthusiasm, and the audience apuded and cheered.


    Only a mysterious figure wearing a hat in the corner trembled slightly.


    "Wow, was I really that handsome?" Qiao Mu eximed.


    He carefully remembered the scene at that time and gave a good rating to the storyteller with the familiar sword on the stage.


    The meeting point for Qiao Mu and Qiao Canxue was right here in Panshan Town.


    Just arrived in this small town, he identally heard that there was a storyteller telling the story of the brave Qiao brothers from Yan City, so he came in.


    At the beginning, when he heard the storyteller telling his own story, Qiao Mu¡¯s feeling can be summed up in three words.


    Awkward! Awkward! Awkward!


    He felt so awkward that he got goosebumps all over his body.


    At that moment, he almost rushed up to cover the storyteller¡¯s mouth.


    However, as he continued to listen, he unknowingly became more and more absorbed.


    After the awkwardness passed, there was a indescribable feeling of relief.


    "Is this the feeling of showing off?" Qiao Mu realized.


    It is widely known that showing off is a basic human need.


    People are like iron, showing off is like steel, can¡¯t go a day without showing off.


    No, can¡¯t say showing off, too vulgar!


    While listening to the storyteller and seeing the amazed and admiring expressions of the tea drinkers around him, Qiao Mu unknowingly developed a bit of idol burden.


    It should be called "looking saintly in front of others".


    Showing off is vulgar, looking saintly in front of others is elegant.


    Qiao Mu started to seriously think about a question.


    "When I assassinate Guo Yan in a few days, how should I¡­how can I look more saintly in front of others?"


    Qiao Mu wanted to improve his Death Assessment, not just show off in front of people.


    While deep in thought, he suddenly spotted an elderly blind woman with closed eyes at the entrance of the tea house.

 Chapter 52:

    Chapter 52:


    The old blind woman at the entrance of the tea house looked very elderly, with loose skin and age spots on her face.


    She walked in with a blind cane, without saying a word, just silently listening to the storyteller.


    "How can Qiao Canxue, a blind person, possess such advanced level of makeup skills? The transformation into an old person looks so natural," Qiao Mu wondered in his heart.


    Qiao Mu muttered to himself.


    Generally, blind people are unable to apply makeup well because they can¡¯t see, right? The reason he could recognize her was because he had seen a simr makeup on Yan City¡¯s streets before.


    His gaze lingered on Qiao Canxue for a few seconds, and he noticed that the old woman subtly tilted her head in his direction without making a sound, causing him to quickly look away.


    "The only survivor of the Qiao family who managed to survive from Martial Saint¡¯s hands is indeed an extraordinary person."


    At this time, Qiao Mu was already an extremely skilled martial artist at the 7th rank. His vision and sense of smell were exceptional, and he had even practiced a special skill called "Martial Saint Spiritual Technique." His intuition was also remarkably sharp.


    However, it cannot be said that Qiao Mu, as a 7th ranked martial artist, can rely on his hearing or intuition with his eyes closed to sense their gaze. He is not yet capable of that.Qiao Mu didn¡¯t approach Qiao Canxue to introduce himself.


    In fact, he is currently hesitant and doesn¡¯t know in what capacity he should meet her.


    Qiao Canxue is the only person who knows that Qiao Mu is Qiao Lin.


    But Qiao Lin has already passed away.


    Qiao Mu is now 42 years old in body age, which is old enough to be her father.


    Of course, for blind Qiao Canxue, the difference may not be significant, as she cannot see Qiao Mu¡¯s physical changes at all.


    Qiao Mu picked up a cup of clear tea and took a sip, silently pondering.


    The changes in appearance were actually a small problem.


    Let¡¯s review the things that happened before.


    After entering Yan City, Qiao Mu and Qiao Canxue decided to investigate City Lord Guo Yan. So, for the first time, they encountered Guo Yan and his father on the main street of the inner city¡­


    Later on, things escted, and Qiao Canxue was also threatened by the City Lord¡¯s son showing up at her door with a coffin¡­


    In Qiao Mu¡¯s future life, it was destined that he would die many times, and the Qiao family would continue on endlessly from generation to generation.


    Someone who fears neither life nor death, breaks the rules, and sacrifices themselves is destined to be feared and threatened by those who hold the vested interests of the Nine Provinces.


    Qiao Mu is not afraid of death, and even wishes for it.


    However, he must consider the possibility of Qiao Canxue or Old Huang, these weaker individuals, being dragged into the situation after it esctes.


    Since he can live forever, he should live openly, freely, and happily, and naturally should not let others die because of this.


    "In the past, when I was young and reckless, relying on the ability to live forever, I bravely stood up against injustice, but actually I was a bit impulsive." Qiao Mu thought to himself.


    "Now that I am over forty, even though only my physical age is over forty, I shouldn¡¯t be as restless as when I was young."


    Qiao Mu started to reflect.


    "The ancients said, ¡®At forty, one is no longer confused.¡¯"


    "Now that I am over forty, I should also have the appearance of an elder."


    "From today onwards, I will be a gentle, rational, neutral, and objective person. I will no longer be youthful and reckless, and no longer be impulsive and stubborn. I will blend in with others and be as gentle as jade."


    "Oh, by the way, there is someone named Guo Yan that I still have to kill." Qiao Mu suddenly remembered something.


    "Starting from the day after tomorrow, after I kill Guo Yan, I will start to be a gentle, rational, neutral, and objective person. I will no longer be youthful and reckless, and no longer be impulsive and stubborn. I will blend in with others and be as gentle as jade."


    He didn¡¯t approach the old woman at the entrance of the tea house.


    Instead, he left through another side door.


    Since Qiao Mu¡¯s presence itself would bring danger, it is better to forget about it.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    As Qiao Mu left from the side, Qiao Canxue at the door unconsciously turned her head slightly and looked in the direction of his departure.


    She didn¡¯t notice anything, it was just a whim, a sudden feeling.


    Subconsciously taking two steps forward to chase the fading footsteps ahead, but behind her, the storyteller with a sword, Qiao Lin, was narrating the climax of his story.


    Hesitating, the footsteps ahead had already gradually disappeared.


    Only hearing the storyteller with a sword say, "In order to avoid the humiliation of the Lord¡¯s corpse, at thest moment, Qiao Lin crashed headfirst into the edge of the well, shattering it, and fell into the well, never to be seen again!"


    Is Qiao Lin dead? Or is it such a tragic ending?


    The tea house was filled with chatter, and no one expected the storyteller¡¯s tale to end like this.


    Some kind-hearted youngdies secretly wiped their tears with a handkerchief.


    Then they discussed with their close friends, shed a few tears, sighed, and ended it like that, leaving contentedly.


    For these tea house visitors, this was a thrilling story told by the storyteller with a sword.


    But for Qiao Canxue, who was standing at the tea house entrance¡­ it was something personal.


    She remained silent, holding a walking stick, and walked away step by step.


    Is Qiao Lin¡­ really dead?


    Looking back now, she realized that Qiao Mu¡¯s actions were only a lie to help her escape from Yan City.


    On purpose, she made her spend several days traveling to this remote town where few people had been before. It seemed like she wanted to prevent her from going back to Yan City, instead of actually wanting to reunite with her here.


    "He did so much for me, the first time barely escaping death, and the second time disappearing without a trace in a well¡­"


    "Since I¡¯ve been with him, Qiao Mu has always behaved properly towards me, so clearly he¡¯s not just interested in my body."


    "So besides his strong aversion to evil and love for justice, there surely must be another reason."


    "He must definitely like me."


    "Ah, he was so deeply in love with me, why did it take me until now to realize it?"


    Qiao Canxue walked silently, her tears blurring her vision without realizing it.


    Wait¡­ vision?


    Qiao Canxue was slightly astonished, opening her nk left eye and looking at the small hill in front of her.


    Ever since the Qiao family tragedy half a year ago, her eyes have been restless.


    If back then the progress bar reached 90%, now it has finally taken thest step.


    "Can I see now?" Qiao Canxue opened her bright, empty eyes, feeling lost inside.


    Unfortunately, it was a bit toote.


    "From the moment I met him until his death, I never had a chance to see what kind of face he had¡­"


    She let out a slight sigh, walking forward with a gradually determined gaze.


    She was truly gifted, standing out from the rest.


    Since all of this was not just a delusion from her teenage years, she was determined to take revenge with her own hands.


    Seek revenge against Martial Saint, as well as against Guo Yan, the City Lord of Yan City.


    If the martial path doesn¡¯t work, then take the immortal path.


    If the immortal path doesn¡¯t work, then create a thorny road.


    "Today is the first step on my journey to immortality!" Thinking this, Qiao Canxue took her first step forward.


    Then she stepped into thin air and tumbled to the ground, rolling twice.


    After falling, she didn¡¯t immediately get up; instead, she stood frozen in ce.


    Why did she step into thin air? Wasn¡¯t she already able to see?


    The scene her eyes saw seemed different from reality.

 Chapter 53:

    Chapter 53:


    Time arrived at the sixth day after Qiao Lin broke into the Lord¡¯s mansion.


    In the courtyard of the Lord¡¯s Manor, Guo Yan was sitting in the study.


    The door of the study opened, and he stared fixedly at the well in the courtyard, with a gloomy expression.


    Since that day, City Lord Guo Yan had be increasingly gloomy, his face still as pale as before.


    These days, Guo Yan had been thinking a lot, feeling worried and unable to eat or sleep.


    Although he hadn¡¯t fought with Qiao Mu seven days ago, he had been so angry about his son¡¯s death that he coughed up blood. His injuries were actually worse, and he hadn¡¯t been resting well these days, so he didn¡¯t look very well.


    Suddenly.


    A white dove with ck and red eyes fluttered its wings and flew into the courtyard,nding in front of the study door.


    Guo Yan immediately felt happy and walked forward to untie the note tied to the dove, but suddenly a breeze passed behind him.When he turned around, a figure covered in shadows, wearing a ck robe with a pitch-ck star-shaped mask on its face, had suddenly appeared in the study. And the dove with ck and red eyes was perched on its shoulder.


    Guo Yan squinted his eyes, unable to hide his astonishment.


    The Star Xuan Envoy of the Wuji Association?


    Such a figure should be active in a big city like Heyang City, why would theye to Yan City?


    "Why did the envoye in person?" Guo Yan¡¯s eyes twitched, quickly closing the study door.


    In the past seven days, he had paid a great price and used the Wuji Association¡¯swork of connections to investigate the Qiao family¡¯s matter. However, he never expected to rm someone as important as the Star Xuan Envoy.


    The Star Xuan Envoy is the leader of the Wuji Association¡¯s internal intelligencework.


    In fact, these intelligence agents were not known for their martial prowess. However, the Wuji Association, being the second most powerful martial arts organization in the world, established by a Martial Saint, ensured that its high-ranking members were not weak.


    Since its inception, the Wuji Association has dominated most of the sects and martial arts families across the world in a matter of decades, collecting countless martial arts manuals. Its foundation and strength far surpass those of famous sects from the previous era.


    Therefore, the Star Xuan Envoy of the Wuji Association cannot be judged bymon sense.


    "It¡¯s just on the way, you don¡¯t have to think too much." Star Xuan Envoy¡¯s voice was cold, and it was hard to tell if it was male or female.


    While it was said not to think too much, Guo Yan couldn¡¯t help but think¡­


    Is the news about the uing Great Yan Emperor true? Otherwise, why would someone like Star Xuan Envoye to such a small town?


    Guo Yan once thought optimistically, believing that the emperor¡¯s travel ns wouldn¡¯t be so easily exposed to the Wuji Association. But now, he could only sigh.


    "Guo Yan, there¡¯s a preliminary result for the Qiao family you wanted to investigate," but Star Xuan Envoy didn¡¯t care about Guo Yan¡¯s thoughts and continued talking:


    "I thought the Qiao family you were looking into would be rted to the Heyang City¡¯s Qiao Family, a prominent martial arts n at the time. That¡¯s why I spent some effort investigating¡­ but the results were disappointing."


    "Throughout Nanzhou, there is no trace of the Qiao family you mentioned."


    Guo Yan was taken aback.


    "What does the envoy mean?" he asked, pursuing for more information.


    "There are two possibilities," said Star Xuan Envoy.


    "First, this Qiao family may not be a family from Nanzhou but from a faraway ce. Otherwise, I would not bepletely unaware of such a unique and independent family."


    Guo Yan nodded, lost in thought.


    Star Xuan Envoy continued, "Second, this Qiao family may just be an insignificant small family, or amon family, or it might not even exist."


    "Fake?" Guo Yan was taken aback.


    It waspletely different from what he had imagined.


    He investigated the Qiao family behind Qiao Mu and Qiao Lin primarily to eradicate the roots andpletely remove this family that had be his enemy.


    However, he had never considered that there could be such a possibility.


    "Are you saying that Qiao Mu and Qiao Lin are only pretending to have a so-called Qiao family behind them?" Guo Yan couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    "You can think about it yourself," Star Xuan Envoy neither agreed nor disagreed.


    Obviously, he was quite disappointed with the results of the investigation.


    Heyang City¡¯s Qiao Family was a martial arts n that had produced grandmasters, so when Guo Yan first heard about this matter, it startled him.


    With a creak, the door of the room opened. The figure of Star Xuan Envoy blurred for a moment and disappeared from Guo Yan¡¯s sight.


    Only Guo Yan was left sitting there in a daze.


    After a while, a smile suddenly appeared on his mouth, followed by loudughter.


    If Guo Yan had used his own power to investigate and found no trace of the so-called Qiao Family, he would suspect that this Qiao Family might be even more influential than he had imagined, which is why he couldn¡¯t find anything.


    But if even the Star Xuan Envoy of the Wuji Association couldn¡¯t find anything¡­ surely this so-called Qiao Family couldn¡¯t be so mysterious that not even the Martial Saint¡¯s Wuji Association could figure them out, right?


    Impossible! Absolutely impossible!


    "ording to the Star Xuan Envoy, if this Qiao family is a distant family, then I don¡¯t need to worry about the Qiao family seeking revenge for now."


    "If this Qiao family is just an ordinary family that is not recognized by the Wuji Association, then there is even less reason to worry."


    "I knew it, there are no major families in this world that would pass down a motto like ¡®die where it fits¡¯."


    Thinking about this, his furrowed brows gradually rxed.


    Even though Qiao Lin had scared him with false threats, his mood improved.


    It makes sense when you think about it.


    If this Qiao family was really some martial arts powerhouse, then Qiao Mu and Qiao Lin wouldn¡¯t have gone to their deaths alone, especially when confronting Qiao Lin who infiltrated the lord¡¯s mansion.


    With Qiao Lin¡¯s strength, it was certain death to break into the lord¡¯s mansion. If the Qiao family truly had powerful individuals, why would they let Qiao Lin die alone?


    ¡­¡­..


    The Seventh Day.


    Guo Yan, sitting quietly in the study, received an important message brought by a servant.


    "Sir, Qiao Lin¡¯s body has been found!"


    "Where was he found? Tell me in detail," Guo Yan stood up suddenly.


    Although he knew that Qiao Lin was gravely injured and most likely dead, not seeing the body still caused a trace of worry in his heart.


    "It was found in Panshan Town outside the city," the servant exined.


    "A physician named Wang from Panshan Town said that Qiao Lin was found unconscious and near death, drifting downstream along the river while his family was washing clothes by the riverbank."


    "Out of kindness, the physician brought him home to treat him, but his medical skills were mediocre, and he ended up tormenting Qiao Lin for several days, causing him immense pain, only to ultimately fail to save him."


    "Later, upon seeing the wanted portrait issued by Yan City, the physician realized that this person was a wanted criminal who had forcefully entered the lord¡¯s mansion, so he promptly reported to the authorities."


    Guo Yan asked, "Where is Qiao Lin¡¯s body?"


    "It has been taken outside the manor."


    Guo Yan immediately walked out of the lord¡¯s manor, opened the coffin lid, and saw a familiar body. He carefully identified it and nodded.


    "It¡¯s not a fake, this is indeed Qiao Lin¡¯s body."


    At this moment, he finally felt relieved.


    The Star Xuan Envoy of the Wuji Association overcame his fear of the Qiao family.


    With Qiao Lin¡¯s body found, a big burden lifted from his heart.


    "Check if the physician is involved, if not¡­ then this matter is settled." Guo Yan silently watched Qiao Lin¡¯s body in the coffin, his face darkened.


    "Initially, I swore to hang your body, Qiao Lin, at the city gate for ten days to honor my fallen son¡¯s spirit. Though a few dayste, it¡¯s not toote."


    Tomorrow.


    After finding out about the doctor¡¯s situation, he prepared to fulfill his promise on that day and hang Qiao Lin¡¯s body on the city gate tower of Yan City, exposing it for ten days.

 Chapter 54:

    Chapter 54:


    Some time after leaving Panshan Town.


    Qiao Mu, holding a long spear, is fighting and practicing with Zhang Kui, a mountain bandit who holds a spear in each hand, between the mountains and forests.


    Both sides are using spears, and Zhang Kui is using tworge spears, one in each hand.


    But every time their long spears sh, the tremendous force transmitted through the spear shaft makes Qiao Mu¡¯s hand shake.


    "Zhang Kui¡¯s internal strength is obviously weaker than mine, but his physical strength is much greater than mine?"


    "Then¡ª-"


    "Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method!"


    With a long spear in his hand, there was a sudden burst of internal strength, creating a loud piercing sound.


    Qiao Mu swung down a spear, using the wooden shaft to hit Zhang Kui¡¯s waist, sending the big man flying two to three meters away.Holding the spear, Qiao Mu stood still in his ce, appearing calm and rxed.


    In reality, he was enduring the painful aftermath of the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, feeling a burning sensation in his internal meridians.


    After reaching the age of 42, Qiao Mu¡¯s Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method had reached a basic level.


    After ten years of hard training, he now had a deeper understanding of the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method.


    Generally speaking, martial artists who have mastered the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method can tap into their potential and unleash multiple times their normal internal strength in a short period of time.


    With his basic mastery of the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, Qiao Mu now had greater control over his abilities.


    The Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method suddenly burst forth in an instant, without any warning, and in the blink of an eye, it unleashed internal strength that exceeded Qiao Mu¡¯s own capacity by three to four times.


    Faster eruption, with slightly less physical damage.


    Self-harm doesn¡¯t affect Qiao Mu much, as he can refresh his condition by sacrificing himself.


    Furthermore, Qiao Mu gained a better understanding of how to exploit his potential with the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method. This means he can squeeze out more potential when using the method, but the cost is a shorter duration and stronger side effects.


    After all, the stronger the fire burns, the faster the firewood runs out.


    Now, Qiao Mu has a mysterious self-confidence: no one understands the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method better than him!


    This self-harming secret technique can only be used once or twice in a lifetime. Others don¡¯t have the opportunity to repeatedly use it and improve their proficiency like he does.


    However, Qiao Mu is still a little unsatisfied.


    "The side effects of this Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method are not big enough, it¡¯s simply not up to par!"


    "Isn¡¯t it called the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method? Why doesn¡¯t my body fall apart and disintegratepletely after I use it?" Qiao Mu pondered.


    "If it were that convenient, I wouldn¡¯t have to worry about dealing with my own body every time, it¡¯s so bothersome."


    If the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method could also disintegrate the body or even turn it into dust, wouldn¡¯t that be more convenient?


    While contemting, Zhang Kui climbed up from the ground and walked over with a sheepish smile.


    "Brother Qiao, your inner strength is so strong, indeed more powerful than mine."


    He didn¡¯t realize that Qiao Mu had just unleashed the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method in an instant, thinking it was just Qiao Mu¡¯s unexpectedly strong inner strength.


    Qiao Mu also had a question in his mind, "By the way, why is your strength so great?"


    Just now, he held a spear with both hands to deal with Zhang Kui, whose hands were also holding a spear, but his hands were slightly numb from the impact, and it was obvious that the opponent¡¯s inner strength was not as good as his.


    Zhang Kui exined, "Brother Qiao Sen, haven¡¯t you encountered any external martial artists? Martial arts can be divided into internal and external. Internal martial arts focus on developing internal strength, while external martial arts prioritize physical power. I practice external martial arts, which emphasizes physical training, and luckily, I also have naturally greater physical strength."


    "The burst of internal strength became stronger, and the physical strength became more enduring. It can only be said that each has its own strengths."


    Speaking of this, Zhang Kui sighed softly again.


    "Power, Strength, and Skill are the three paths of martial artists, each with its own strengths."


    "The internal strength and martial techniques of martial artists will continuously umte and improve with age and experience. It can be said that they be stronger as they grow older."


    "I heard that there was once a martial arts master who was over eighty years old, with declining vitality, but his swordsmanship had reached an extraordinary level. He defeated a second rank martial artist in their prime using only a wooden sword."


    "The umtion of internal strength is like building a sand tower, it bes more profound as the years go by."


    "Only physical strength, once past its prime, will decline."


    "I am strong now, but in another ten or eight years, if I am unable to continue to break through, my vitality will quickly decline, and my strength will weaken."


    "Vitality is the foundation of a martial artist. If one¡¯s vitality ispletely depleted due to old age and bodily decline, no matter how strong their internal strength and martial techniques are, they will be like castles in the air."


    "We martial artists cannot live forever, our lives are limited. It¡¯s a pity that we cannot go further in the paths of skill and strength. Otherwise, perhaps we could truly match that inhuman¡­"


    "Yes, mortal martial artists have limited lives. After a hundred years, they ultimately be a pile of dirt." Qiao Mu also sighed beside him.


    Except for me.


    Although Qiao Mu will also age, he will not die of old age. At the same time, his umted martial arts skills and internal strength will not disappear.


    Not to mention, he also has a solution for the decline of qi and blood during old age, such as the "Long Life Fist Sutra."


    While the two were talking.


    Wang Songhe came walking from afar.


    After Qiao Mu separated from Qiao Canxue in Panshan Town, he returned to this bandit¡¯s den to discuss their ns against City Lord Guo Yan.


    The sparring with Zhang Kui just now was only a private exchange of skills.


    At that time, Wang Songhe came over and asked about what happened earlier.


    "Brother Qiao, the matter we discussed earlier has been taken care of."


    "The body of your son, Qiao Lin, has already been reported to the authorities by a clean-background doctor under mymand. By now, it should have been delivered to the Yan City Lord¡¯s residence." With this, Wang Songhe hesitated for a moment before continuing:


    "But after all, the deceased deserves respect¡­ Wasn¡¯t this a bit too much?"


    Wang Songhe was shocked when he just heard that Qiao Mu wanted to use Qiao Lin¡¯s corpse to "fish".


    After all, respect for the dead is important.


    When City Lord Guo Yan made a statement, vowing to hang Qiao Lin¡¯s body on the city gates and expose it, Wang Songhe couldn¡¯t understand why Qiao Mu, being Qiao Lin¡¯s father, was rushing to deliver his own son¡¯s body. This actionpletely puzzled him.


    However, Qiao Mu had no reservations in his mind, after all, this was not really his son¡¯s body, but his own.


    If it wasn¡¯t necessary, Qiao Mu wouldn¡¯t leave behind his own body.


    If needed, he can fight alongside his own dead body and ashes without any hesitation.


    Qiao Mu said, "No need for more words. The deceased is gone. As a living person, I shall carry on with the unfinished matters of the deceased."


    "If I could kill Guo Yan, I would willingly use my current body as bait instead of my son. Unfortunately, it¡¯s not possible."


    Wang Songhe and Zhang Kui remained silent.


    Although they still couldn¡¯t fully understand, they all thought¡­ Qiao Sen is truly a ruthless person.


    Truly worthy of being the father of Qiao Mu and Qiao Lin!


    "But speaking of that, how confident is Brother Qiao Sen? After Qiao Lin¡¯s body is delivered to Yan City Lord¡¯s mansion, will Guo Yan fall for the trap and leave that heavily guarded residence?" Wang Songhe asked again.


    Guo Yan, who was hiding in the City Lord¡¯s mansion, is invincible.


    The chance to infiltrate the City Lord¡¯s mansion was only once, and now they have already alerted the guards. Qiao Mu naturally cannotunch another strong attack on the mansion.


    But if Guo Yan is not in the heavily guarded lord¡¯s mansion, maybe we can try.


    "I¡¯m pretty sure," said Qiao Mu.


    Actually, he only had a 50% certainty in his heart.


    From his previous encounters with Guo Yan, he was certain that this person valued his wastrel son greatly.


    Now that Childe Guo was dead, it was also normal for Guo Yan to do something like hanging Qiao Lin¡¯s body on the city gate to vent his anger.


    It¡¯s impossible to have a foolproof n. There is no one as wise as Zhuge Kongming, and Qiao Mu cannot read minds.


    A thousand ns are not as good as one reckless action.


    If it were someone like Wang Songhe, carrying the lives of many bandits on his back, it would be difficult to not hesitate and worry about things.


    But Qiao Mu is different.


    Other people¡¯s lives are valuable, but he is willing to risk his own life at any time to fight.


    So even if this mission fails, it¡¯s no big deal, they can just start over.


    He acted recklessly.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    The morning light is faint.


    The gates of Yan City are tightly closed, and a group of soldiers is guarding them.


    A merchant caravan wanted to enter the city, but they were stopped at the city gates. No matter how the leader of the caravan smiled and begged, or secretly bribed, the gates remained closed.


    Qiao Mu and Wang Songhe, along with a group of bandits, were on a small hill, observing the situation at the gates of Yan City.


    Wang Songhe said, "Since Qiao Lin broke into the city lord¡¯s mansion, Yan City has been sealed off for a full seven days. It¡¯s been difficult for outsiders to enter the city. Only Brother Qiao Lin¡¯s coffin was allowed in."


    "If this Guo Yan wants to move the body of the heroic Qiao Lin, it will probably happen in the next two days. But how do we get in?"


    "It seems like this Guo Yan is wary of outsiders like Brother Qiao Sen entering the city."


    Wang Songhe felt a bit helpless.


    The n couldn¡¯t keep up with the changes. They were originally nning to secretly enter Yan City and wait for Guo Yan to leave the Lord¡¯s residence before making a move on Qiao Lin¡¯s body. But now they can¡¯t even enter Yan City.


    Killing one Qiao Mu brought about an Qiao Lin.


    Now that they¡¯ve killed Qiao Lin, this Guo Yan has also be cautious and directly sealed the city. Even if the Qiao¡¯s family wanted revenge, it would be difficult for them to enter.


    "Then you can try using the underground passage beneath the Lord¡¯s residence." Qiao Mu suggested.


    "There is an underground river passage beneath the Lord¡¯s residence that leads to the mountains outside the city. That¡¯s where my son drifted out from."


    "Aside from that, there should be a hidden study chamber within the Lord¡¯s residence."


    "If nothing unexpected happens, there should be something from the Wuji Association inside the secret room."


    Wang Songhe stared at Qiao Mu, feeling a bit shocked.


    He was not only amazed by Qiao Mu¡¯s knowledge of the Lord¡¯s Manor, but also surprised by what he heard ¨C that Qiao Mu had no intention of joining them in their action.


    "I have my own way to enter the city, but you won¡¯t be able to follow this path."


    "I¡¯ll be blunt, no need for politeness." Qiao Mu said calmly.


    "When ites to killing Guo Yan, no one canpete with me."


    "I¡¯ll go kill Guo Yan, and after he leaves the manor, you can sneak in from the well to create chaos¡­"


    No one canpete with Qiao Mu when ites to throwing their life away!


    He won¡¯t be polite with anyone when ites to this kind of job!


    Wang Songhe and others immediately showed respect.


    Although they joined forces to deal with Guo Yan, assassinating Guo Yan was undoubtedly the most dangerous part.


    And Qiao Mu unexpectedly suggested they step back. From what he said, he even wanted to face Guo Yan alone?


    As the saying goes, actions speak louder than words. Taking the most dangerous part upon himself in such a proactive manner was more touching than ten thousand righteous lines.


    Does "Qiao Sen" have a grudge against Guo Yan? So he¡¯s eager to kill Guo Yan?


    These bandits have families to take care of, and most of theme from Yan City. Their grudges might not be any less than "Qiao Sen¡¯s."


    Especially Wang Songhe himself, who was injured in a fierce fight with City Lord Guo Yan.


    Seeing the bandits¡¯ strange reactions, Qiao Mu thought they might find him too righteous, which was abnormal. So he sincerely exined:


    "In my entire life, I have no other interests except showing off in front of good people and having excellent martial arts manuals."


    "If you don¡¯tpete with me for the chance to show off in front of others and help me steal some secret books from the Wuji Association, it would be the greatest help for me."


    Qiao Mu¡¯sck of exnation was better, as this exnation only made things more obvious.


    Showing off in front of others? Who would risk their own life to do that?


    And as for trying to take those possibly nonexistent martial arts secret books, it¡¯s simply ridiculous.


    Finally, Wang Songhe put an end to the quarrel among the bandits who were hesitant to speak.


    The two teams went in separate directions.


    Qiao Lin turned and walked along a familiar mountain path, arriving at a cliff edge.


    This cliff was where Qiao Mu had bid him farewell, and where they both jumped off with the gray-clothed old man.


    Without hesitation, he leaped and fell straight down, shattering his bones upon impact.


    The loud sound on the ground startled the wolves in the valley. The wolves opened their shiny green eyes and looked at Qiao Mu¡¯s body, then looked up at the sky.


    The weather is nice today, and it¡¯s starting to rain again?


    Thank you again for the blessings from above.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    When Qiao Mu opened his eyes again, he found himself back at the empty house in the outer city revival point.


    This kind of meaningless suicide is considered as E-level death in the judgment of the Immortal Lock. It wastes six months to a year of life span without any increase in martial arts skills.


    But for Qiao Mu, this was a great thing.


    His body refreshed once again,pletely recovered from the damage caused by the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, and returned to the best state.


    And more importantly, he had already infiltrated Yan City.


    The more the city was locked down by Guo Yan, the less he could imagine that someone could secretly enter Yan City.


    If Qiao Mu takes action, it will surely be unexpected for Guo Yan.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    Qiao Mu patiently waits for his chance in an empty house in the outer city area.


    After seven days of being on high alert in the Lord¡¯s Manor, the tense atmosphere finally eased after Qiao Lin¡¯s body appeared and City Lord Guo Yanughed heartily for the first time.


    Although nobody believed that Qiao Lin could survive such serious injuries, finding the body still brought some peace of mind.


    The Qiao brothers died tragically, and the so-called Qiao family is not a concern, and may not even exist.


    During this time, the threat to the Lord¡¯s Manor finally disappearedpletely.


    The next day.


    The sun was shining brightly.


    City Lord Guo Yan, who hadn¡¯t left his house for many days, finally stepped out of the City Lord¡¯s Mansion.


    He rode a strong horse at the front, with a sturdy body and a serious expression. Behind him were hundreds of servants, just like the grand procession he used to have when riding through the streets.


    The City Lord¡¯s grand appearance naturally caught the attention of the people on the streets. The crowd quickly made way, curious to see the coffin in the middle of the procession.


    "Is the City Lord¡­ attending a funeral? Is it for the young lord who was assassinated?"


    "But why isn¡¯t anyone wearing mourning clothes? It doesn¡¯t seem like a funeral."


    Guo Yan listened to the people¡¯sments without any expression on his face. His lips curved downward slightly, and his face darkened.


    He wasn¡¯t attending a funeral, but rather going on a public disy.


    He was going to carry Qiao Lin¡¯s body from the inner city to the gate of the outer city, crossing the entire Yan City. Then, he would hang the body on the city gate tower, making everyone in Yan City see the fate of the wicked Qiao Lin.


    "Open the coffin! Let them have a good look!" City Lord Guo Yan ordered decisively.

 Chapter 55:

    Chapter 55:


    "Open the coffin!"


    "Open the coffin!"


    Qiao Lin¡¯s coffin was being pulled by a carriage from the City Lord¡¯s team.


    As soon as the City Lord gave themand, two strong servants jumped onto the carriage and roughly kicked the coffin lid open.


    "What¡­ what are they doing?"


    "The coffin lid has been kicked open? This can¡¯t possibly be the City Lord¡¯s son. We must respect the deceased. How can they disrespect the dead like this?"


    "It¡¯s not a funeral procession. Why are they bringing out a coffin with a dead person?"


    "Who exactly is in the coffin?"


    The crowd gathered more and more.The actions of the lord¡¯s servant were very unusual, which aroused the curiosity of the people.


    The people on both sides of the long street were both astonished and curious, stretching their necks and leaning in to see who exactly was in the coffin.


    The servant Ah Cheng was also among them, he was a servant sold to the lord¡¯s mansion.


    Although he was a servant in the lord¡¯s mansion, given his position, he naturally didn¡¯t have the qualification to know about this matter, nor did anyone tell him what was inside the coffin.


    He was only thirteen or fourteen years old, not very tall, and could only stand on his toes at the back of the crowd, but he was blocked by the people in front and couldn¡¯t see clearly at all.


    "Ah!" The person at the very front of the crowd eximed.


    "The deceased in the coffin looks quite tragic, almost no part of their body is intact."


    "Was it a wound from a knife or a sword? There are still marks of a doctor sewing it up¡­ Otherwise, it might have fallen apart?"


    "Where? Let me have a look too."


    "So what kind of person was he? Was he a person whomitted a great crime? But he¡¯s already dead, why go through all this trouble?"


    The crowd didn¡¯t immediately recognize the identity of the body, after all, there was some distance between them, but they all stood on tiptoe, straining their eyes to see.


    City Lord Guo Yan seemed to know that these people were looking very hard, and a slight smile appeared at the corner of his mouth as he ordered:


    "Hang the body up."


    Soon, the servants brought out the prepared wooden frame and bound the Qiao Lin¡¯s body taken out of the coffin onto it, then raised the wooden frame high on the carriage.


    As a result, there were waves of exmations along both sides of the street.


    "I saw it, I saw it."


    "I saw it too."


    "The person who died had a terrible ending. They looked strange and creepy."


    "Could it be the leader of the mountain bandits who died in the battle against the enemy?"


    The crowd watching the spectacle became even louder with their discussions. Finally, after the body was hung up, they could finally see it.


    However, Ah Cheng at the back of the crowd instinctively took two steps back.


    That body seems to be¡­ Qiao Lin?


    On that day in the kitchen of the lord¡¯s mansion, he had a vivid memory of the formidable man who dared to threaten Childe Guo!


    After the incident, Ah Cheng also ran out of the kitchen and witnessed Qiao Lin¡¯s death in battle.


    Qiao Lin£¿Qiao Lin£¡


    After Ah Cheng saw the appearance of the body, he felt disgusted and took two steps back, despite the scorching sun, feeling a sudden chill.


    At this moment, he no longer had the desire to push forward. When he looked towards the crowd in front of him, all he saw was a group of people craning their necks, like ducks being held by an invisible hand.


    The crowd around him was bustling, but he felt very far away from the surging crowd.


    "That person is Qiao Lin! The one who broke into the Lord¡¯s Manor." He clenched his fist and whispered in the crowd.


    The noisy crowd suddenly quieted down for a moment, and then erupted inmotion.


    "The brother of the brave Qiao Mu?"


    "I heard that he broke into the Lord¡¯s Manor and killed Childe Guo."


    "Is it him? Did the Lord find his body?"


    "Both of them were brave men, but it¡¯s a pity¡­"


    "What nonsense are you talking about?" shouted the armored soldier nearby.


    "That Qiao Lin is a wicked criminal who uwfully entered the City Lord¡¯s residence in broad daylight and killed someone. ording to thews of Great Yan, he should be sentenced to death. How can he be considered a hero?"


    Most of the people actually didn¡¯t know the whole story of Qiao Mu¡¯s intrusion into the City Lord¡¯s residence that day.


    Because the Yan City Army arrived quickly and surrounded the City Lord¡¯s residence inside and out, the people only knew that Qiao Lin had killed the City Lord¡¯s son, but they were not very clear about the specific details.


    "But I heard people talking at the teahouse¡­"


    The soldier interrupted loudly, "Are you talking about that storyteller with a sword from a few days ago? He is Qiao Lin¡¯s aplice! How can you believe what he says?"


    The argument on this side became increasingly noisy.


    In the front of the crowd, City Lord Guo Yan seemed to sense something and nced briefly at the people here.


    Guo Yan, tall and imposing like a tower, had a prominent reputation in Yan City. With just a simple nce and without saying a word, he silenced the noisy argument on this side.


    Even if they felt unhappy in their hearts, nobody would speak ill of Guo Yan in front of him.


    At this moment, both sides of the long street were crowded with people, but the voices gradually quieted down, enveloped in a profound silence.


    On the long street, only the crisp sound of the city lord¡¯s team slowly marching and the creaking of the wheels could be heard.


    Guo Yan withdrew his gaze, his face remaining calm, but there was a hint of satisfaction in his heart.


    Based on the people¡¯s reactions, he knew that his authority as the city lord remained intact.


    Guo Yan had governed Yan City for many years, and he knew how to silence the people, how to make them say what they should say¡­ Some clever individuals would even realize it without him saying anything.


    He knew that as long as the Qiao brothers¡¯ incident passed and time went on, nobody would remember the Qiao surname anymore.


    Ultimately, Yan City belonged to his Guo family.


    And as soon as Guo Yan almost disappeared from sight, the murmurs in the crowd gradually resurfaced.


    "The City Lord still has amanding presence."


    "It¡¯s understandable that City Lord Guo is angry, after all, his only son has died."


    "City Lord¡¯s son was indeed spoiled, but setting aside that matter, City Lord Guo is not a bad person, justcking in discipline when ites to his beloved child."


    In front of the crowd, a schr spoke, his forehead covered in a bead of sweat.


    Just now, City Lord Guo Yan nced at the crowd from afar. Although he didn¡¯t feel they were targeting him, a strong desire to survive prompted him to speak.


    "Speaking of which, those two brothers Qiao Mu and Qiao Lin are quite reckless." The others in the crowd began to feel the same will to survive.


    The deceased are gone, but the living must continue on.


    Qiao Lin killing Childe Guo was satisfying for them, but now that the matter is over, if they want to survive in Yan City, they still have to consider the Guo family¡¯s face.


    "I admit their actions were indeed righteous, but weren¡¯t they a bit reckless? They only know how to kill, kill, kill. Can killing solve problems?"


    "In the end, they all died, and they died very tragically."


    "Both brothers acted without much thought. Qiao Lin killed Childe Guo, and it was indeed the right thing to do. But did it have to escte to this extent? Wasn¡¯t there a better solution?"


    "These so-called knights only care about their own satisfaction, their own sense of righteousness. They may have died, but we still have to go on living."


    "As a result, Yan City was put under strict lockdown. Neither the trade caravans nor themon people were allowed to enter or leave. The supplies couldn¡¯t be brought in. Yan City already suffered from a faminest month, and now, with this happening, the prices of firewood, rice, oil, and salt have skyrocketed. Did Qiao Lin not consider the difficulties faced by ordinary people like us?"


    "Fortunately, Qiao Lin¡¯s body has also been found. The lockdown in Yan City will soon be lifted, right? Life will soon return to normal."


    In the back of the crowd, the young servant Ah Cheng widened his eyes and was left speechless.


    Suddenly, he remembered Qiao Lin who had broken into the Lord¡¯s Residence, and he had spoken to the people of Yan City in front of the Lord:


    "¡­The people are afraid to speak the truth and can only watch from the sidelines. It isn¡¯t their fault. If they have the ability, they should strive for justice and good deeds. If they don¡¯t have the ability, then they should focus on protecting themselves¡­"


    Now, the ordinary people, who have no means to fight, have started speaking ill of the martyr Qiao Lin while stepping on his face.


    The servant Ah Cheng felt a little tight in his chest.


    He couldn¡¯t quite understand. The voices in the crowd were just cheering for the Qiao Mu and Qiao Lin brothers, how did the wind change so quickly?


    Was he just not smart enough? Or were others too clever?


    "Absurd," a person in the crowd with a straw hat said lightly.


    "You dare not me the City Lord Guo Yan for ordering the city to be closed and the strict security measures, but you me Qiao Lin for recklessly killing Childe Guo?"


    "A brave person gets angry and draws their sword against someone stronger; a coward gets angry and draws their sword against someone weaker."


    "You dare not criticize the lord of the city, but since the Qiao brothers are already dead and can¡¯t defend themselves, you think it¡¯s okay to speak ill of them while trampling on their bodies?"


    "It¡¯s not wrong to think of self-preservation when faced with a situation. However, right and wrong are not always straightforward. One must always have a bnced scale in their heart," said the person with the straw hat, their eyes as cold as electricity.


    "People can be as insignificant as ants, but they shouldn¡¯t be as twisted as maggots!"


    The words of the traveler stirred up amotion among the crowd.


    Many eyes in the crowd silently turned towards the schr, making his face start to feel a bit hot.


    The schr frowned in disagreement:


    "Using strong words to snatch reason, I never said it was wrong for Qiao Lin to kill City Lord¡¯s son, just that¡­ there could have been a better way to handle things, both brothers were just too reckless."


    "For example? What other solutions are there?" the traveler asked in return.


    The schr in front of the crowd choked for a moment, then said, "For example, City Lord Guo is cunning, he just dotes on his only son. If someone could clearly inform him of what Childe Guo did back then, he would surely handle it fairly."


    "Another example would be resorting to thews of Great Yan. If the bureaucrats in Yan City cannot handle it fairly, then appeal to Heyang City, and even all the way to the capital!"


    "Oh. That sounds like a possible solution¡­" the traveler eximed and went forward to ask:


    "You are a local of Yan City, right?"


    The schr saw that the traveler¡¯s attitude seemed to soften, so he snorted coldly and said, "Don¡¯t try to get close to me. Of course, I am! I have lived in Yan City for about forty years¡­ Are you a foreigner? Do you have the right to talk about Yan City? What do you know?"


    The traveler asked again, "Then you¡¯ve been living in Yan City for so many years. You must have tried those solutions you mentioned earlier, right?"


    The schr was speechless for a moment.


    The crowd began to grow noisy, and many pairs of eyes nced at the schr and the traveler.


    The traveler spoke earnestly.


    "If the sky is dark, then survive in the darkness; if making sound is dangerous, then remain silent; if you feel incapable of shining, then curl up in a corner. But don¡¯t get used to the darkness and defend it; don¡¯t take pride in yourpromise; don¡¯t mock those who are braver and more passionate than you. We can be humble like dust, but we must not be distorted like worms."


    The schr¡¯s face gradually turned red, veins began to pop on his neck, and he pointed his finger directly at the traveler¡¯s chest.


    "You¡­ You think you¡¯re so great and noble!"


    "Your high and mighty words may sound beautiful, but who can¡¯t say them? You, a foreigner, what have you actually done?"


    "Lord Guo is now ahead of that team, aren¡¯t you capable? If you can, why don¡¯t you go up?"


    However, the traveler¡¯s reaction went beyond his imagination.


    The traveler didn¡¯t argue fiercely like him, but nodded lightly.


    "Okay."


    "I can, so I¡¯ll go."


    He squeezed through the crowd and walked towards the Lord¡¯s team, without hesitation or looking back.


    Behind the crowd.


    Ah Cheng, the servant, watched the traveler¡¯s figure and suddenly trembled slightly.


    The crowd¡¯s figures were like ducks being lifted by the neck, but that traveler walked away from the flock, like a rock striding towards the waves.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    At this time, the Lord¡¯s team had reached the entrance of Yan City.


    Guo Yan was riding a horse at the front of the team, looking serious.


    As the lord of the city, he was clever and capable, acting cautiously and always considering things carefully. But now, he was starting to n something in his mind.


    "There¡¯s no need to worry about the Qiao family, they might not even exist¡­ It¡¯s all because I was fooled by that Qiao Lin."


    "I shouldn¡¯t have involved the Wuji Association, especially since the Star Xuan Envoy actually discovered something. I should be grateful to him, thanks to him, the Star Xuan Envoy was rmed."


    "As for the Immortal Gate¡­ cooperating with them is like dealing with a tiger for its skin."


    "It¡¯s easy to invite them, but difficult to send them away. If the people from Xuantian Secte, the Lord of Yan City might have to be reced¡­ It¡¯s all because of Qiao Lin¡¯s lies!"


    Guo Yan furrowed his brow deeply.


    As the lord of the city, it was very difficult for him to navigate between the big powers¡­ He needed to think and consider carefully about this matter.


    While he was thinking, they reached the city gate.


    "Hang Qiao Lin¡¯s body¡­" Guo Yan was saying, but there was amotion from the crowd behind him.


    Among the crowd, a masked guest picked up a long spear.


    "Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method£¡"


    He tightened his grip on the long spear in his right arm. His already muscr arm swelled up and even the pores on his skin started bleeding, and the aura on the long spear skyrocketed!


    A few days ago, it was "Qiao Lin" who didn¡¯t throw the long spear, but now it was "Qiao Sen" who would throw it!


    Guo Yan hadn¡¯t had a chance to turn around when suddenly there was a loud sound of breaking wind behind his ear.


    Whoosh!


    The long spear flew out quickly, like a streak of red light piercing through the air!


    The red rainbow seemed to have swallowed up the long spear, and the people could only catch a fleeting glimpse of a sh of blood.


    In the midst of a loud explosion and the sound of horses in distress, Guo Yan, who was at the very front of the group, tumbled off his horse!


    "Guo Yan, old thief, dared to bully the Qiao family when no one was around?"


    In the midst of a thunderous roar, the hat-wearing stranger threw off his hat and stepped forward. He swiftly twisted and assembled two pieces of a long stick, and a new long stick appeared in his hand.

 Chapter 56:

    Chapter 56:


    "City Lord£¡"


    "Master of the City?!"


    Suddenly, a dramatic change urred, and everyone was caught off guard.


    Just moments ago, Qiao Mu was passionately debating with the crowd, but in the next moment, he swiftly emerged from the crowd and attempted to assassinate Guo Yan, causing a sudden and unexpected shift.


    Guo Yan also didn¡¯t react in time.


    He was still contemting how to deal with the Immortal Gate when he was unexpectedly attacked by Qiao¡¯s family.


    In a split second, he barely had time to dodge, only to be struck down by the immense force of the spear that was thrown, bringing both him and his horse down.


    "There¡¯s an assassin!"


    "Protect the lord of the city!"In the midst of noisy shouts, the servant guards were about to run over.


    But right after, they saw Qiao Mu throw off his hat, revealing a familiar face.


    This face was noticeably more mature than the one hanging on the nearby wooden shelfbeled "Qiao Lin," and it was also more powerful and majestic.


    Qiao Lin£¿


    No! This is another elder from the Qiao family who is even older!


    Amidst the piercing sound of horses, Guo Yan crawled up from the ground, his face as dark as water.


    His left shoulder had already been pierced by a long spear, and his feet were still underneath the fallen horse, leaving him covered in blood and flesh.


    It was just when he saw Qiao Mu¡¯s face that his own face couldn¡¯t help but tremble.


    Another man from Qiao family?


    Didn¡¯t the Star Xuan Envoy of the Wuji Association say that the Qiao family is not worth worrying about, and may not even exist?


    The Star Xuan Envoy deceived me!


    Guo Yan felt the urge to vomit blood again. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that the Star Xuan Envoy of the Wuji Association informed him of this news, he would never have been so unprepared.


    Guo Yan¡¯s face turned dark.


    This Qiao family, just like the other two he encountered, is fearless.


    Although the gates of Yan City are closed at the moment, there are still soldiers guarding the walls. How dare he, Guo Yan, attempt an assassination at this time?


    "Why is the Qiao family not afraid of death?" Guo Yan murmured to himself.


    No one enjoys fighting against those who are unafraid of death.


    Even rich and important people, with bodyguards as many as a hundred, don¡¯t want to be bothered by fearless mad dogs when they go out.


    "Qiao¡­."


    Guo Yan just uttered his first word, but Qiao Mu¡¯s action startled him again.


    Qiao Mu took out a bow and arrow from behind and shot it into the sky.


    The arrow quickly shot into the sky, making a sharp and loud sound that spread far, far away.


    "Cloud-piercing arrow?"


    "A cloud-piercing arrow, to meet thousands of troops and horses! Does this Qiao¡¯s family have aplices? Are there other Qiao¡¯s families hidden in this Yan City?"


    City Lord Guo Yan¡¯s pupils shook directly.


    How many darn Qiao¡¯s families are there, after all?


    Before, a small one was killed, and now a big one hase.


    After killing a big one, now an old one is not enough, should juste in a group?


    Even though Guo Yan was extremely calm, he couldn¡¯t help but feel agitated at this moment and his expression changed on the spot.


    "Get him, kill him!"


    Guo Yan frowned and stepped back behind the guards.


    He had already been hit by the sneak attack just now, and coupled with his unhealed injuries, he had no intention ofpeting with Qiao Mu in the slightest.


    He didn¡¯t even want to fight the previous "Qiao Lin," let alone the current "Qiao Sen."


    In one word, dy!


    As long as the defending soldiers on the city walle down or the soldiers in the campe over, it will be like catching a turtle in a jar!


    Why do I need to face this fearless brute when I have the advantage?


    Guo Yan stepped back, while Qiao Mu held a long spear and bravely chased after!


    However, just as he took a few steps forward, hundreds of guards and servants by Guo Yan¡¯s side caught up and blocked Qiao Mu¡¯s way.


    "Do you want to die?"


    Qiao Mu held a long spear, and the tip of the spear emitted a sharp air, like a dragon.


    The spear technique he practiced was a battlefield technique, with almost no defense, only simple and quick stabs! Stab! Stab!


    With thebination of being at the peak of the 7th rank and the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, Qiao Mu was invincible among the group of guards. Every strike took away the life of a guard.


    "It¡¯s too simr!"


    Such a scene, such a grandeur, couldn¡¯t help but remind Zhou Wen and the other guards of the bloody battle that took ce at the Lord¡¯s mansion seven or eight days ago!


    Qiao¡¯s family never feared death, no matter what.


    In an instant, Qiao Mu took five or six steps forward, and there were already more than ten corpses under his feet.


    The only 7th rank guard, Zhou Wen, could only block Qiao Mu for a few rounds before clutching his wrist and retreating in embarrassment.


    "Lord, you know my condition. My injuries from that day haven¡¯t fully healed. If I go up now, it¡¯s just giving myself away."


    Qiao Lin, who fought to the death that day, left a deep impression on these guards.


    Most of the guards who dared to fight to the death died in the battle that day.


    The surviving guards were either protective of their own lives or had a cautious fear and respect for Qiao Mu.


    And the remaining ones were newly recruited into the Lord¡¯s mansion, so they naturallycked loyalty.


    This group of over a hundred guards, when Qiao Mu charged at them with just a spear on his horse, they seemed to struggle to stop him.


    The number of battles that Qiao Mu has experienced is actually not that many.


    After all, not long ago, he was just a 15-year-old boy.


    The number of battles he has experienced is not very high, but the quality is astounding.


    From charging alone into a valley facing thousands of bandits, to single-handedly fighting against a 7th rank gray-clothed old man, and battling to the death in the city lord¡¯s mansion¡­


    Every battle is a fight to the death, risking his life, dancing on the edge of the de.


    At this moment, he, alone, gripping the spear, his aura even making the faces of many guards turn pale.


    "How much money did Guo Yan give you, enough to buy your lives?!"


    Qiao Mu held his spear and charged forward, shouting loudly like thunder, with a powerful momentum.


    A matter of life and death?


    Yes, how much money is enough to buy a life?


    Why do the guards who protect the house fight so hard?


    The defenders of Yan City, who are also the official soldiers protecting Yan City, are not just Guo Yan¡¯s private army!


    It¡¯s okay for the Bureau of Favorable Wind to fight, after all, Guo Yan is still the lord of this city, and they still rely on him to eat.


    But to provoke enemies like Qiao Mu¡¯s fearless Qiao¡¯s family?


    I¡¯m sorry, I have to leave.


    So, Qiao Mu, holding a long spear, quickly dashed into the crowd, entering an empty area.


    And the soldiers on the city gate behind Guo Yan seemed to move a bit slower.


    In the blink of an eye.


    Qiao Mu has arrived in front of Guo Yan.


    The obstacles that "Qiao Lin" couldn¡¯t ovee until death are no longer considered difficult in front of "Qiao Sen" who has died again.


    This is not only the gap in strength between "Qiao Lin" and "Qiao Sen," but also because Qiao¡¯s family, who fought to death several times in a row, have left an indelible impression on the hearts of the guards in these city mansions!


    "Guo Yan£¡"


    Qiao Mu¡¯s shout made Guo Yan¡¯s face change dramatically.


    Unconsciously, as the lord of the city, with countless people responding to his call, there was no one in front of him at this moment?


    At this moment, thick smoke unexpectedly rose in the direction of the inner city in the distance.


    Guo Yan was extremely familiar with that direction, it was his home, the mansion of the city lord!


    "Is it really not just a bluff? Are there really other Qiao¡¯s family members sneaking in?"


    Guo Yan¡¯s heart was shaken.


    The so-called Qiao family, it was even more prosperous than he had imagined¡­


    In a moment of distraction, Qiao Mu¡¯s long spear in his hand shed like a cold star, directly aiming at his throat.


    Ding!


    Guo Yan¡¯s sword at his waist instantly unsheathed, blocking the spear aimed at his throat.


    "Do you really think I¡¯m afraid of you?" Guo Yan¡¯s voice was icy cold.


    But after speaking, he coughed lightly, a surge of blood and Qi rising in him.


    He was already injured and shouldn¡¯t engage in a fight, so this was the first time Qiao Mu had actually seen Guo Yan take action.


    Swish, swish, swish!


    His sword moves were exquisite and swift, much more refined than Qiao Mu¡¯s straightforward Military Spear Skill.


    Guo Yan was skilled in swordy, swiftly swinging his sword like lightning. After a few rounds, he had already stabbed two small holes in Qiao Mu¡¯s body.


    It must be said, Guo Yan¡¯s own strength was quite extraordinary.


    After all, Wuji Association was a martial arts organization. As a member of the Wuji Association, he was much stronger in his techniquespared to martial artists of the same level.


    Even with injuries and being sessfully ambushed by Qiao Mu, with a shoulder pierced by a long spear, only able to fight with one hand, he could still suppress Qiao Mu in his Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method state.


    However, after a few rounds of fighting, Guo Yan felt a surge of energy and blood rushing up. Unable to hold it in, he spat out a mouthful of blood.


    He could only take two steps back to catch his breath, but in the next second, Qiao Mu with two bloody holes in his body charged towards him again. Guo Yan immediately shouted:


    "Hold on!"


    "Brother Qiao, our strengths are simr. I am the Lord of a city, and as the elder of the Qiao family, I believe you are not an ordinary person either."


    "Since everyone here is decent and respectable, why do we have to fight like a rude martial artist on the street?"


    "Why can¡¯t we sit down and talk about it?"


    Guo Yan put down his sword and stood, quietly watching Qiao Mu.


    In his opinion, he had already shown his strength. Even if he was alone without any guards, he was not someone to be taken advantage of. So, whates next¡­


    "Do you want to talk with me?"


    Qiao Mu held a long spear and looked at Guo Yan with confusion. For a moment, he was also perplexed.


    "We¡¯ve reached this point, and you still think we can talk?"


    "Why not?" Guo Yan¡¯s demeanor was surprisingly pleasant at this moment.


    "By invading Yan City, are you trying to take Qiao Lin¡¯s corpse with you?"


    "If you can represent your Qiao family behind you, then we can have a good talk, seeking peace instead of war, after all¨C"


    Guo Yan couldn¡¯t finish his sentence before Qiao Mu burst into a longughter.


    "Hahaha, I get it now¡­"


    "What do you understand?" Guo Yan frowned, wondering if this Qiao family really didn¡¯t want to negotiate with him?


    "I think I understand." Qiao Muughed loudly.


    "Why could you restrain yourself from killing my son Qiao Lin when he stabbed that reckless fellow in front of you?"


    "So it¡¯s because¡­"


    "You¡¯re afraid of death!"


    Qiao Mu¡¯s eyes widened in anger as he grasped the long spear and struck like lightning!


    "How ridiculous!"


    "You, as a brave martial artist, have lost your courage. You fear for your life and spend your days plotting and negotiating¡­." Qiao Mu shouted loudly.


    "We martial artists should be fearless!"


    "Do you even deserve to be a martial artist?"


    Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method! Boom!


    Having already achieved some skill in the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, he was able to unlock more of his physical potential. In an instant, his whole body was filled with energy, unleashing an additional 15% of strength!


    This strike was faster and stronger than any previous strikes!


    Guo Yan hurriedly drew his sword, but he was still too slow.


    Just as his sword touched Qiao Mu¡¯s abdomen, Qiao Mu¡¯s spear had already pierced through his throat!


    A burst of strength pierced through Guo Yan¡¯s throat in an instant!


    He suddenly lost all his strength, his hand gripping the sword weakly, his mouth open and muttering something.


    Then he copsed to the ground with a loud crash.


    In his final moments, his eyes remained wide open, as if he couldn¡¯tprehend why, as the ruler of a city, he had ended up in such a tragic fate, fighting and dying in the streets against a rough martial artist!


    Oh, how the Star Xuan Envoy of Heyang City has deceived me!


    With hisst thought fading away, he lost all signs of life.


    *sigh*¡­¡­.


    Qiao Mu was gasping harshly, his whole body covered in oozing blood.


    If earlier his body was just leaking droplets of blood from every pore, now he was practically spraying blood out, looking extremely gruesome, like a person made of blood.


    He was already exhausted, barely able to stand with the long spear in his hand, and the lifeless City Lord Guo Yany at his feet.


    He turned around.


    The servants and guards from the Lord¡¯s Mansion behind him quickly stepped back, avoiding his gaze.


    Qiao Mu turned his head again.


    The soldiers from Yan City who had juste down from the city wall instinctively averted their eyes.


    The Qiao family¡¯s men¡­ they were too fierce!


    It made thempletely unable to consider the idea of opposing them.


    If Guo Yan was still alive, they could have fought against Qiao Mu.


    But with Guo Yan dead, who were they loyal to?


    Qiao Mu¡¯s gaze passed over the guards and soldiers, looking into the distance.


    Most of the onlookers on both sides of the street had dispersed.


    Only a small number of fearless individuals were still peering from a distance.


    Qiao Mu nced around and spotted the Confucian schr who had been engaging in a heated argument with him just moments ago.


    A subtle smile appeared on the corner of Qiao Mu¡¯s mouth as he softly said:


    "I can do it, therefore I will go."


    "So, what about you?"


    This schr locked eyes with Qiao Mu and immediately turned pale, running away in fear.


    At this moment.


    In the distance, several figures are disying light skills, quickly running towards this direction, approaching the city gate tower at a fast pace.


    It was Wang Songhe and several of his bandit subordinates. They sneaked into the lord¡¯s mansion and caused chaos by setting fires, diverting the attention of the army camp. Then, they hurried to the Yan City gate tower.


    Wang Songhe didn¡¯t bring many people, but they were all skilled experts with their own methods. They were exceptional in light skills and quick in their movements.


    In order to quickly assist Qiao Mu, he selected several skilled bandits who were proficient in light skills.


    However, when they arrived, what they saw was an unexpected scene.


    The long street is stained with blood.


    Every few steps, there lies a dead body of a guard on the street, and Qiao Mu¡¯s path is marked with blood and corpses.


    The soldiers at the city gate tower look in one direction with fear and awe in their eyes.


    About twenty steps away.


    A man covered in blood is barely standing, with the lifeless body of City Lord Guo Yan at his feet.


    Holding a spear in his hand, he stands there and uses the blood of City Lord Guo Yan as ink, writing a few words on the wall at Yan City¡¯s gate with his long spear, depicting a dance of dragons and snakes:


    "The killer is Qiao Sen from the Qiao family!"

 Chapter 57:

    Chapter 57:


    "It¡¯s over already? So fast?" Wang Songhe¡¯s eye twitched.


    They originally came to support Qiao Mu, but they didn¡¯t expect that when they arrived, the battle had already ended.


    Looking at the devastation on this street, and Qiao Mu covered in blood, he could also guess that Qiao Mu had just experienced a very fierce battle.


    His gaze finallynded on the corpse at Qiao Mu¡¯s feet, Yan City¡¯s Lord Guo Yan.


    "Although he was injured, I didn¡¯t expect him to actually die at Qiao Sen¡¯s hands¡­"


    "Like this¡­ is also good."


    Wang Songhe¡¯s eyes sparkled.


    Guo Yan was a person with some cleverness and wit. As the lord of a small town, he maneuvered between top forces such as the Wuji Association, Great Yan Imperial Court, and Immortal Gate. Not only did he not make a mess of things, but he also gained quite a bit.


    Just like¡­ Wang Songhe¡¯s past identity was also discovered by this person. Now that he¡¯s dead, Wang Songhe is relieved.Therefore, the two of them fought each other, battling until they were both injured.


    However, Wang Songhe didn¡¯t expect that Guo Yan, who was so scheming, would die so easily.


    Wang Songhe and the others were very surprised.


    Themanding officer of the soldiers guarding the city gate was even more shocked than Wang Songhe and the others. He almost couldn¡¯t hold on to his spear:


    "There are still so many members of Qiao¡¯s family?"


    Wang Songhe and his group came out of the secret passageway in the water well. There were only five or six of them, not many.


    Led by Wang Songhe, all the bandits in this group had their faces covered, hiding their appearance.


    Only Qiao Mu didn¡¯t wear a mask.


    He wanted everyone in Yan City to remember his face.


    So the captain of the city gate guards instinctively saw Qiao Mu as the leader of this group, the representative of the Qiao¡¯s family.


    "What Qiao¡¯s family? Does Brother Qiao Sen have other family members helping him?" Zhang Kui, the mountain bandit, stared nkly, feeling confused.


    "He¡¯s talking about us." Wang Songhe said helplessly.


    Wang Songhe¡¯s original surname is Wang.


    Some people think he should be surnamed Song, so they call him Songhe.


    Now, some people think he¡¯s surnamed Qiao.


    Strange enough, he had a new surname, which really puzzled him.


    But it wasn¡¯t the right time to think about these things. Wang Songhe quickly rushed towards Qiao Mu.


    "Brother Qiao Sen, it¡¯s time to go." Wang Songhe looked worriedly at Qiao Mu, who was covered in blood, and reminded him:


    "Since Guo Yan has been executed, we should leave now."


    "Although we set fire to the Lord¡¯s mansion, attracting the attention of the local garrison, it won¡¯t be long before the main forces from the military camp arrive."


    Wang Songhe¡¯s several bandits under hismand were all skilled in lightness skills, and they arrived quickly.


    But they didn¡¯t have much time left.


    Before the words even fell.


    In the distance, there came a rumbling sound of horse hooves, and the ground of the street beneath my feet trembled slightly.


    There appeared arge group of soldiers in the distance, swiftly approaching.


    Guo Yan, the ruler of the city, was assassinated in broad daylight. This was a major event that could make the entire Yan City shake, so it was natural for these soldiers to arrive quickly.


    "Why leave? It would be better if I died here¡­" Qiao Mu nodded and looked up at themanding officer of the soldiers on the city gate tower.


    "Open the city gate," Qiao Mu uttered.


    Qiao Mu was heavily injured at this moment and had little strength left.


    These words didn¡¯t sound like coercion, but rather like a naturalmand.


    Though not loud, this word made themanding officer of the soldiers startle.


    Even though there were many colleagues rushing for reinforcements from afar, it¡¯s hard to put out a fire that¡¯s close by.


    If he doesn¡¯t listen to Qiao Mu¡¯s words, he can certainly hold him back, but he will surely be killed by Qiao Mu and others before the reinforcements arrive!


    "Open the city gate!" he shouted loudly, giving the order.


    It¡¯s not that he¡¯s afraid of this Qiao Mu, but mainly because Yan City has been sealed off for too long, and he also wants to breathe some fresh air.


    Amidst the rumbling sound of the rotating axle, the gate of Yan City opened.


    "You go ahead, I¡¯ll stay behind."


    Qiao Mu grabbed a fine horse, but didn¡¯t gallop out of the city.


    In this critical moment, he turned his horse around at the city gate and faced the densely approaching Yan City guards.


    "Brother Qiao¡­." mountain bandit Zhang Kui and others were deeply moved.


    It is said that true colors are revealed in times of hardship, and every minute and every second is a matter of life and death. Yet, Qiao Mu actually wants to stay behind for them?


    These bandits sneakily infiltrated the lord¡¯s mansion and had a little skirmish with the remaining guards, but they didn¡¯t suffer serious injuries.


    Qiao Mu, who volunteered to cover the rear, got the heaviest injuries, right?


    "Brother Qiao Sen is truly a heroic man!" Zhang Kui and the others couldn¡¯t help but praise, then they quickly rode off on the swift horses.


    In this critical moment, nobody yed out those melodramatic scenes like "You go first" "No, you go first" "I won¡¯t go, you go first" "If you don¡¯t go, I won¡¯t go" "Then let¡¯s go together" ¡­


    Since Qiao Mu made the decision, they wouldn¡¯t be melodramatic either.


    So the bandits rushed out of the city at the fastest speed.


    Before leaving, they didn¡¯t forget to take down Qiao Lin¡¯s body from the wooden rack and carried the corpse with them.


    Meanwhile, Qiao Mu faced a sea of dark soldiers and showed a brave smile, ready to embrace death.


    He was about to die again.


    Hooray!


    However, what he saw next made his face turn dark.


    The masses of soldiers running towards him seemed to slow down when they saw Qiao Mu and the body beneath his feet.


    Even though they were running with great force, causing the ground to shake, Qiao Mu waited and waited, but this group of soldiers never came to kill him with their swords.


    Hurry up¡­ Qiao Mu shouted in his mind.


    Hurry up¡­ These soldiers also shouted in their minds, saying, "The city gates are open, why aren¡¯t you running?"


    Qiao Mu waited for a long time, looking up at these soldiers with confusion.


    "How dare he kill the lord of the city? Today I vow to kill this thief! Attack!" The leader, a military officer named Zheng, was filled with killing intent, but when he saw Qiao Mu¡¯s gaze, he instinctively looked away.


    And so, Qiao Mu understood.


    He understood them very well, he was familiar with their gaze.


    "A group of cowards! Gutless rats!" Qiao Mu hated and was angry, he was really furious:


    "They don¡¯t even have the courage to kill a dying man!"


    At this point, he had no choice left.


    To die forcibly at the hands of a demoralized army, this meaningless sacrifice, without thinking, is not considered a high-quality death.


    Therefore, Qiao Mu turned his horse around and galloped out of Yan City.


    Beside him, Wang Songhe sighed softly.


    "Brother Qiao Sen, it¡¯s not that they are weak. Don¡¯t you think about what the three of you, the father and son of Qiao Family, have done in this Yan City?"


    Qiao Mu pped Childe Guo in the street, angrily confronting City Lord Guo Yan.


    Qiao Lin bravely entered the Lord¡¯s Mansion, and in front of Guo Yan, he stabbed Childe Guo to death with a spear. Then he fought alone until his death.


    What about Qiao Sen?


    He directly led a group of people to sneak into Yan City and assassinate City Lord Guo Yan.


    Guo Yan is already the ruler of the city. He is considered the top figure in Yan City in terms of strength and influence. Now that such a person is dead, who would dare to provoke "Qiao Sen" from the Qiao family?


    There are people who dare to provoke the Qiao family, such as Guo Yan and his son.


    Now they have reunited as aplete family.


    Though "Qiao Sen" was severely injured and appeared to be dying, who would dare to touch him?


    Behind Qiao Mu, there are a few members of the "Qiao¡¯s family," like Wang Songhe, observing nearby.


    Qiao Mu£¬Qiao Lin£¬Qiao Sen.


    The Qiao family, consisting of three people, left a strong and impressive mark in the city of Yan with their blood.


    Even if they killed the dying Qiao Sen, the soldiers would not have much credit, given that Guo Yan was already dead. They would not risk their lives for nothing.


    "It¡¯s not that they are weak, it¡¯s just that your Qiao family is too much for them to handle," Wang Songhe said, feeling a bit dizzy.


    It¡¯s hard not to admire a daring man who sacrifices himself without fear of death.


    What¡¯s even more astonishing is that it¡¯s not just one brave man, but three! They keeping, making people tremble in fear!


    However, Wang Songhe¡¯s praise didn¡¯t make Qiao Mu happy.


    In fact, the more he thought about it, the angrier he became.


    He couldn¡¯t tolerate it any longer, the anger was building up inside him!


    "You¡¯re the one who can¡¯t be dealt with, your whole family can¡¯t be dealt with!" Qiao Mu retorted, turning his head to vent his frustration.


    He said a sentence and then a mouthful of blood sprayed out directly from his mouth.


    Feeling both angry and tired, he fell off his horse just as he was leaving the city, his vision going ck.


    "Qiao Sen has fainted!" Wang Songhe acted the quickest, catching Qiao Mu who fell off his horse, his face filled with an inexplicable emotion.


    "This father and son, Qiao Lin and Qiao Sen, are truly cut from the same cloth. They are brave, courageous, and dare to be the first. They are true heroes!"


    "Like father, like son. The three members of the Qiao Family, father and son, are all righteous men who value honor over life and death!"


    As he looked at Qiao Mu in his hands, he felt a deep sense of admiration and secretly made a vow in his heart.


    Previously, Qiao Lin bravely stormed the Lord¡¯s residence alone and was on the brink of death, suffering severe injuries. He boasted beforehand, but ultimately failed to save him, unable to change fate.


    Such a thing cannot happen again!


    How could he just watch this righteous man be critically injured and die?


    "After such a fierce battle, you managed to ovee everything. City Lord Guo Yan was killed by you. How can we let you die on your way back?"


    "I, Wang Songhe, will never let you die like this!"


    Last time, I failed in treating Qiao Sen, causing him to lose his beloved son. But this time, Wang Songhe will definitely not fail again!


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    Outside Yan City, among the mountains.


    Inside the mountain hideout of the bandits.


    As soon as Wang Songhe returned to the hideout, he gathered all the doctors from the hideout to assist him. They worked tirelessly to save the critically injured Qiao Mu.


    This treatmentsted for three days.


    By the third day, Qiao Mu¡¯s condition finally stabilized, although he still hadn¡¯t woken up.


    Wang Songhe felt a little relieved, and while resting inside the medical center, Zhang Kui came in.


    This Zhang Kui was a skilled subordinate of his, skilled in wielding dual spears, and was a master in martial arts with extraordinary powers.


    At the time, Zhang Kui also took part in the assassination of Guo Yan in Yan City, and now he was entering the medical center.


    "Brother." Zhang Kui hesitated for a moment and said seriously:


    "You see, should we divide the spoils first?"


    "Three days ago, we entered the Yan City Lord¡¯s mansion and found many valuable things, especially in the secret room, there were martial arts manuals from the Wuji Association, which were quite rare treasures!"


    "Qiao Sen has been unconscious for three days, should we divide the things first? When Qiao Sen wakes up, we can discuss it again."


    Zhang Kui was truly jealous.


    Clearly, they obtained good treasures, but they couldn¡¯t enjoy them, which made them feel really difficult to bear.


    "This is not right." Wang Songhe said seriously.


    "Even though Brother Qiao Sen is not part of the lord¡¯s mansion, we can secretly enter the lord¡¯s mansion and use the secret passage and secret room. It¡¯s all thanks to him. He is the biggest hero."


    "Let¡¯s not talk about dividing the spoils before Brother Qiao Sen wakes up."


    The two of them were in the middle of a discussion.


    Qiao Mu, who had been unconscious, finally opened his eyes.


    "Secret manual? What secret manual?"


    Just as he opened his eyes, he saw the unfamiliar ceiling and the old face of Wang Songhe beside him.


    Really unlucky.


    Qiao Mu looked away with a disgusted expression.


    Okay, this time I didn¡¯t die.


    But I didn¡¯t lose either, let¡¯s just say I stacked some buffs.


    Anyway, Qiao Mu always wins, he never loses!


    After experiencing this event, Qiao Mu had a deeper understanding of stacking buffs.


    Qiao Mu is a brave young hero.


    And Qiao Lin bing famous so quickly in Yan City is also because of the reputation Qiao Lin established.


    Qiao Sen is even more obvious.


    If Qiao Sen was just an ordinary righteous person, he would end up like Qiao Mu and Qiao Lin, being killed by the crowd!


    Qiao Mu and Qiao LinQiao Sen.


    Qiao Mu was already in Yan City and had made a name for himself in Qiao¡¯s family. And the fame of these three also continued to grow.


    It is imaginable that if "Qiao Sen" were to die heroically in another asion now, the news would definitely cause a sensation in Yan City.


    At that time, the quality of death will surely be high!


    "Brother Qiao Sen, wake up," said Wang Songhe with a slight smile, relieved.


    This time, finally, there was no ident.


    The earlier established character of being sessful in medical studies must not copse!


    "I don¡¯t want to talk to you. Zhang Kui, let¡¯s talk about the secrets of the Wuji Association," said Qiao Mu.


    He moved his body, feeling the pain throughout, but his condition was clearly stronger than thest time.


    His body could move, but there was barely any internal strength within the dantian and qihai, and the meridians throughout his body were greatly damaged.


    "Don¡¯t worry for now. We can talk about the secretter. The most important thing now is your health," Wang Songhe exined with a gentle expression.


    This time, Qiao Mu¡¯s physical injuries were not fatal, although they were still quite severe.


    After three days of rescue by Wang Songhe, he finally woke up sessfully.


    The more serious injuries were actually internal, caused by the self-destructive method called the "Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method," which put a great burden on the body.


    "Almost all of your meridians are destroyed, and your internal strength is nearly gone¡­ The injuries you have are mainly self-inflicted, not caused by enemy attacks¡­"


    As Wang Songhe spoke, he felt more and more puzzled.


    In his understanding, the father and son from the Qiao Family were masters of the Long Life Fist. It was obvious that they were survivors of the Qiao Family from Heyang City, perhaps from another branch.


    When did the Heyang City¡¯s Qiao Family, who practiced the Long Life Fist, be so fierce?


    This seems to be a bit inconsistent with his impression of the once prestigious martial arts family in Heyang City.


    "My injury is minor, let¡¯s talk about the secret manual of the Lord¡¯s Manor first," Qiao Mu eagerly rubs his hands.

 Chapter 58:

    Chapter 58:


    The external injuries on Qiao Mu¡¯s body, under Wang Songhe¡¯s treatment, were not particrly serious. It can only be said that with about a month of rest, he would fully recover.


    The real problem lies within his body.


    ¡°The meridians in your body are almostpletely destroyed, your internal strength is next to nothing. It can even be said that your path in martial arts has been severed!¡± Wang Songhe shakes his head and sighs.


    The side effects of the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method cannot be easily resolved through medical techniques.


    This is a famous self-harming and explosive secret method. If it could be easily saved with medical techniques afterwards, then what¡¯s the point of calling it a self-harming secret method?


    It is precisely because of the enormous cost that very few people use and master it.


    However, to Wang Songhe¡¯s surprise, Qiao Mu remains calm.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± he nodded.


    ¡°Since Guo Yan has already been defeated, what¡¯s a little price to pay?¡±Qiao Mu didn¡¯t mind because if he died again, his body would immediately reset to its optimal state.


    So, he didn¡¯t really care about his serious injuries.


    But his indifferent demeanor made Wang Songhe and the others respect him even more.


    After training for decades in martial arts, having it all destroyed in an instant would normally leave a martial artist devastated, even contemting suicide.


    ¡°Actually, there might be a solution¡­¡± Wang Songhe pondered.


    ¡°The damage to your meridians can¡¯t be repaired overnight, but I can prescribe a medicine that, if taken consistently for years, might slowly heal your meridians.¡±


    ¡°Even so, it will probably take at least ten to eight years¡­ and the medicine required for this prescription can only be obtained inrger cities. Yan City probably won¡¯t have it.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s Heyang City in the north, you should be able to buy it.¡±


    Heyang City£¿


    Qiao Mu¡¯s heart skipped a beat.


    He didn¡¯t really care about any damage to the meridians, but when he heard about Heyang City in the north, his interest suddenly piqued.


    After the assassination of the lord in Yan City, Qiao Mu understood.


    Even the lord was killed by his ¡°Qiao Sen,¡± so there probably aren¡¯t many people left in Yan City who dare to touch him or could kill him.


    So, if he wanted to seek a high-quality death, Yan City was already too small for Qiao Mu.


    And mentioning Heyang City in the north¡­


    Qiao Mu furrowed his brow and looked out through the window of the small house, only to see vast mountains and dense forests.


    ¡°Brother Wang, is this direction the North?¡± He pointed outside the window.


    ¡°Yes, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Wang Songhe replied.


    Qiao Mu was curious.


    Ever since he practiced the mysterious ¡°Martial Saint Spiritual Technique,¡± he sometimes had a vague feeling in his heart, as if something in the North was attracting him.


    Is that the direction of Heyang City by any chance?


    Heyang City, I remember it¡¯s also Qiao Canxue¡¯s hometown¡­


    ¡°It seems like I¡¯ve made up my mind to go to Heyang City,¡± Qiao Mu nodded.


    Of course, he also kept thinking about the information he got from Childe Guo, that the emperor woulde near Yan City in a month¡­ so maybe he woulde back to Yan City in the future.


    Wang Songhe quickly wrote down a prescription on paper and handed it to Qiao Mu:


    ¡°If you really n to go to that Heyang City, I can write a rmendation letter for you.¡±


    ¡°Brother Qiao Sen seems to be a person without a home, right? Nowadays, there are frequent natural disasters and famines, and there are refugees everywhere.¡±


    ¡°If Brother Qiao Sen goes directly to Heyang City, you might be treated as a refugee.¡±


    ¡°I have an old friend named Shen Qinghe who works as an official in Heyang City. It shouldn¡¯t be a problem for him to arrange a job for you.¡±


    In Wang Songhe¡¯s eyes, Qiao Sen¡¯s meridians were greatly damaged, making him almost disabled. His internal strength was nearly depleted, and there wasn¡¯t much martial arts ability left in his body.


    For Qiao Sen, who only has a small amount of remaining internal strength, it is a big problem to make a living and acquire medicine for treating his damaged meridians.


    That¡¯s why he took the initiative to propose.


    After all, ¡°Qiao Sen¡± also helped him kill Yan City¡¯s lord, Guo Yan.


    Qiao Mu had no choice but to ept after expressing his gratitude.


    After his body is refreshed, he won¡¯t need to worry about making a living or buying medicine. But having this rmendation letter can indeed save him a lot of trouble.


    However, there is something that Qiao Mu is a bit curious about:


    ¡°You, a mountain bandit, actually have connections with government officials? And you can rmend others?¡±


    ¡°They were just colleagues I knew when I was young¡­¡± Wang Songhe didn¡¯t borate and quickly moved on.


    Meanwhile, Zhang Kui couldn¡¯t wait any longer.


    ¡°Big brother, since Brother Qiao Sen is already awake, why don¡¯t we divide the treasures we seized from the Lord¡¯s Manor?¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, it¡¯s time to divide.¡± Qiao Mu became interested as soon as he heard it:


    ¡°I¡¯m not really interested in gold and silver treasures. After all, they are just material possessions that we can¡¯t take with us when we die. But if there are any martial arts manuals, I¡¯m quite interested.¡±


    Because Qiao Mu couldn¡¯t move yet, the bandits quickly brought the things they had seized from the secret room in the Lord¡¯s Manor for Qiao Mu to look over.


    Among them, there were many antiques, collectibles, and jewelry, shining brightly. But Qiao Mu didn¡¯t care and started flipping through a secret manual.


    ¡°If Brother Qiao Sen is interested in the secret manual, there is a top-notch ancient method martial arts technique here!¡±


    Zhang Kui eagerly handed a secret manual to Qiao Mu.


    The hardcover book had five words written on it.


    ¡¶Pure Yang Wuji Skill¡·.


    ¡°This thing is really impressive,¡± praised mountain bandit Zhang Kui.


    ¡°Pure Yang Wuji Skill is the exclusive skill of the Wudang Sect, the most advanced martial arts technique and mental cultivation method! It is said that it was created by the legendary Zhang Zhenren, who achieved enlightenment through martial arts. This technique is extraordinary!¡±


    ¡°Although Guo Yan only obtained the first half of the Pure Yang Wuji Skill, it is still amazing.¡±


    ¡°How did the exclusive skill of the Wudang Sect end up in Guo Yan¡¯s hands?¡± Qiao Mu was quite surprised.


    ¡°And what do you mean by ¡®ancient method martial arts¡¯ that you just mentioned?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all because of what the Martial Saint caused.¡± Wang Songhe shook his head and said:


    ¡°Several decades ago, there were still many martial arts sects in the world, such as the famous sects like Wudang and Shaolin, and martial arts ns like Heyang City¡¯s Qiao Family. They were prosperous¡­ but these are all things of the past.¡±


    ¡°After the appearance of Martial Saint, the martial arts of these various sects became ancient martial arts, while what Martial Saint founded is a modern method.¡±


    ¡°Since the establishment of Wuji Association by Martial Saint, almost all the famous sects and martial arts families in the world have had their gates broken.¡±


    ¡°Whether it¡¯s Shaolin, Wudang, Kongtong, Huashan¡­ or martial arts families like Heyang City¡¯s Qiao Family, Martial Saint singlehandedly shattered their narrow-mindedness¡­¡±


    ¡°It is because of this that Wudang¡¯s ¡®Pure Yang Wuji Skill,¡¯ the supreme skill of this once prestigious sect, has been passed down to the sixth-ranked martial artist Guo Yan.¡±


    ¡°If not for that, perhaps the only ones in the whole world who can practice ¡®Pure Yang Wuji Skill¡¯ would be the dozens of true disciples at the core of Wudang sect.¡±


    Volume 8 will be tranted within 2 weeks.

 Chapter 59:

    Chapter 59:


    The aim of Wuji Association is to seek the utmost in martial arts in the world.


    Martial Saint, with his own power, annihted numerous famous sects and martial arts families, seizing countless top-notch martial arts skills over the years.


    The members of Wuji Association under hismand can purchase the "Pure Yang Wuji Skill," which was once the most advanced martial arts technique, with a certain internal contribution, without necessarily spending money.


    Even someone like Guo Yan, a local official of the 6th rank, the ruler of a small town, can obtain this top-notch technique from the Wuji Association, even if it¡¯s only the upper half.


    In the past martial arts world, this matter is simply unimaginable.


    Qiao Mu carefully looked through this "Pure Yang Wuji Skill" and quickly discovered something strange.


    "It says in this ¡®Pure Yang Wuji Skill¡¯ that if one cultivates it with an untapped yang energy in a child¡¯s body, it can achieve twice the results with half the effort? So, isn¡¯t this ¡®Pure Yang Wuji Skill¡¯ just an enhanced 4K version of the ¡®Childlike Qigong¡¯?"


    As the most advanced martial arts technique in the world, even if one is not actually a child, they can still practice it. However, the progress of cultivation is slower, and it requires high martial arts talent, making it difficult to train.


    Upon seeing this, Qiao Mu finally understood why this "Pure Yang Wuji Skill," which is clearly the best technique, only elicited admiration from Zhang Kui and the bandits, but not extreme excitement."This skill is making me curious." Qiao Mu immediately said.


    However, Zhang Kui and the others then looked at him with a slightly strange expression.


    After all, this "Pure Yang Wuji Skill" is considered a skill for children. But Qiao Sen, who has two sons, Qiao Mu and Qiao Lin, is obviously not a child.


    But Qiao Mu knew in his heart¡­ In this world, he was an old child at the age of forty!


    After all, just a while ago, he was a 15-year-old teenager¡­


    "My meridians are severely damaged, and I¡¯m afraid my path in martial arts has already been cut off. Naturally, I can¡¯t practice this ¡®Pure Yang Wuji Skill.¡¯ But perhaps other members of my Qiao family can give it a try." Qiao Mu exined casually.


    Wang Songhe and the others suddenly showed respect, realizing that Qiao family, with its mysterious aura, had chosen this top-notch childlike skill that didn¡¯t benefit them personally but was very useful for their family. Curiosity about the Qiao family grew.


    Clearly, this mysterious Qiao family had a strong sense of unity.


    "But I still have a small question." Qiao Mu asked.


    "Master Zhang from Wudang practices martial arts and his techniques may represent the peak of ancient martial arts."


    "How skilled is this Martial Saint? Can he categorize martial arts like the ¡®Pure Yang Wuji Skill¡¯ as ancient techniques, and his self-created martial arts as modern methods?"


    Qiao Mu has always been curious about the Martial Saint.


    Although Qiao Canxue has decided to seek revenge on her own and not let Qiao Mu help, he won¡¯t stop because of that.


    "Brother Qiao Sen underestimated that Martial Saint." Wang Songhe smiled slightly.


    When mentioned the Martial Saint, Wang Songhe¡¯s eyes were filled with admiration.


    "The Martial Saint gave himself this title, imitating the wisdom of ancient sages and the meaning of a saint of Confucianism."


    "The sage of Confucianism educates and enlightens people, being revered by all."


    "The Martial Saintpares himself to a sage of Confucianism, considering himself a saint in the martial arts world. He aims to educate martial artists, explore the ultimate of martial arts, create a new generation of martial arts, and counter against immortals."


    "The members inside the Wuji Association can easily read the ancient and precious skills from famous sects, that¡¯s why we can obtain this ¡®Pure Yang Wuji Skill¡¯ from Guo Yan."


    "The modern method he created is much more magical than the ancient techniques. If Brother Qiao Sen has witnessed the martial arts established by the Martial Saint, you would understand what it is all about."


    Qiao Mu thought of the ¡®Martial Saint Spiritual Technique¡¯ that cultivates intuition and nodded thoughtfully.


    Wang Songhe continued, "The actions of the Martial Saint are unprecedented. If the Martial Saint lived in a different era, he would definitely be the pioneer of martial arts¡­"


    Wang Songhe suddenly remembered that this "Qiao Sen" is the survivor of the Qiao family, which was exterminated by the Martial Saint, so he quickly changed his words:


    "Of course, the actions of the Martial Saint are too ruthless and cruel, destroying entire families without mercy. He is an unforgivable wicked person."


    "The term ¡®breaking through the barriers¡¯ actually refers to breaking through the barriers of famous sects and martial arts families, making other martial artists have to follow his instructions."


    Wang Songhe seemed to feel a bit embarrassed, as he was boasting about the Martial Saint in front of a victim. He quickly searched through the stolen goods and found some secret manuals.


    "¡¯Shadow Transformation Sword Technique¡¯, this is a sword technique practiced by Guo Yan, known for itsplex and swift moves. Since Brother Qiao Sen has fought against Guo Yan, he must have some impression of this sword technique, right?"


    Qiao Mu nodded.


    Guo Yan¡¯s sword technique wasplex and swift, leaving a deep impression on him.


    At that time, he felt somewhat suppressed by Guo Yan, losing the upper hand, and he was stabbed twice, causing blood holes on his body.


    If it weren¡¯t for Guo Yan¡¯s loss of courage andck of the bravery to fight to the death like a martial artist, it was still uncertain who would have the upper hand.


    The strength of Guo Yan mostly relied on his exquisite sword technique.


    "The Martial Saint imitates the official system of the imperial court, dividing martial arts into three, six, and nine ranks, totaling nine grades. For members like Guo Yan from the Wuji Association, if they want to obtain martial arts of different grades, they naturally have to pay different prices and make contributions."


    "The ¡®Pure Yang Wuji Skill¡¯ is naturally the top-notch one, not to mention the fact that it is only half a book."


    "Guo Yan¡¯s ¡®Shadow Transformation Sword Technique¡¯ is a fourth-rank martial art, which is considered as the fourth level in the eyes of the Martial Saint¡­ As the lord of a city, Guo Yan¡¯s wealth and resources naturally surpass those of other sixth-ranked martial artists, which is why he is able to purchase these precious martial arts within the Wuji Association. It¡¯s quite a bargain for us now."


    Wang Songhe flipped through the manuals in the pile of misceneous items, casually bringing up other topics to ease the awkwardness just now.


    Flipping through the pages, he suddenly paused and took out another book, smiling:


    "Brother Qiao Sen, please have a look. This book, titled ¡®Flesh Changing Skill,¡¯ is the modern method created by Martial Saint."


    Flesh Changing Skill£¿


    Qiao Mu was surprised again. The name was simr to the previous "Martial Saint Spiritual Technique," but the style waspletely different from ancient method martial arts.


    The members of Wuji Association were like a treasure trove.


    Killing Yan City¡¯s City Lord Guo Yan, they actually found so many impressive techniques in the secret room of the city lord¡¯s mansion.


    "The drop rate today is really high," Qiao Mu felt quite pleased.


    Because of Qiao Canxue, he had been in conflict with the Wuji Association and was also attempting to obtain the book called ¡®Long Life Fist Sutra.¡¯


    Although Guo Yan didn¡¯t have it in his hands, he did have half of Wudang¡¯s top-notch martial arts. This wave of gain was considered a big win.


    "Come, tell me in detail what this ¡®Flesh Changing Skill¡¯ is all about?" Since Qiao Mu couldn¡¯t move, he eagerly watched Wang Songhe and the others exin.

 Chapter 60:

    Chapter 60:


    Qiao Mu has been unconscious for three days.


    Although Wang Songhe and the others didn¡¯t divide the spoils formally, they basically went through all the books in the secret room of the Lord¡¯s Mansion, and even made handwritten copies.


    That¡¯s why Wang Songhe and the others also have some understanding of the "Flesh Changing Skill."


    "In strict terms, this ¡®Flesh Changing Skill¡¯ is not considered a martial art."


    Wang Songhe exined:


    "This book is divided into multiple different stages, starting from the basic level and progressing to more advanced levels."


    "The beginning part can be seen as a unique technique thatbines the arts of makeup, disguise, and bone shrinking. When practiced to an advanced level, it can change body shape through bone shrinking and alter appearances through disguise¡­"


    "So, it¡¯s a technique to change one¡¯s appearance? No, if it¡¯s just a technique to change one¡¯s appearance, there shouldn¡¯t be a division between ancient methods and modern methods," Qiao Mu pondered.


    If what Martial Saint created was just simple disguises, how can itpare with the legendary martial arts of Wudang?Wang Songhe continued:


    "That¡¯s right, the art of disguises and bone shrinking is just a simple trick. It¡¯s a skill used by some performers in the martial world, although it is indeed effective, it is not considered refined and cannot be called a modern method."


    "The key lies in theter part of the ¡®Flesh Changing Skill,¡¯ which exins how to use a powerful ¡®spirit¡¯ to control the body¡¯s flesh and blood, to change one¡¯s appearance. If taken further, it aims to adjust a martial artist¡¯s physical body to the best and most suitable state."


    "The so-called Flesh Changing Skill is an attempt to use the ¡®spirit¡¯ to control the changes in one¡¯s flesh and blood¡­ Of course, this skill is still in its early stages of development by Martial Saint. Theter stages can only be considered as a direction of progress."


    Qiao Mu was amazed by what he heard.


    He initially thought it was just about disguises, but now it seems like they are heading towards the realm of mythical shape-shifting.


    This soundspletely different from the ancient method martial arts of those prestigious sects.


    From the book "Martial Saint Spiritual Technique" to "Flesh Changing Skill", you can see that this Martial Saint is indeed talented and not just famous in name.


    Qiao Mu carefully counted and put those secret books together.


    Guo Yan¡¯s clever sword technique called "Shadow Transformation Sword Technique" can overpower Qiao Mu¡¯s well-practiced Military Spear Skill.


    The most advanced ancient method martial arts called "Pure Yang Wuji Skill", and the peculiar skill that is difficult to categorize called "Flesh Changing Skill".


    If we want to calcte again, actually there is another book called "Martial Saint Spiritual Technique" that was obtained from Childe Guo. This book teaches modern method martial arts.


    Just by killing City Lord Guo Yan from Yan City, Qiao Mu gained such a huge reward that his mood became somewhat turbulent.


    "We canprehend these secret books together," suddenly said Wang Songhe.


    "Especially this ¡®Flesh Changing Skill¡¯, we actually need it. I¡¯ve already written a handwritten copy within these three days."


    "The ¡®Flesh Changing Skill¡¯? That does sound useful. As bandits, you and Wang brother are wanted by the government. If you have this Flesh Changing Skill, you wouldn¡¯t need to hide your faces when going to Yan City," casually remarked Qiao Mu.


    "That¡¯s not the case, actually we have another purpose." Wang Songhe smiled slightly.


    "Hiding in these forests and setting up a mountain stronghold can only protect the vigers of one vige."


    "If we want to achieve something big, we can¡¯t just stay hidden in these forests. This technique called ¡®Flesh Changing Skill¡¯ can allow us bandits to leave the forests and enter Yan City, and even Heyang City, in disguise."


    "As for what this big matter is¡­"


    Speaking of that, Wang Songhe looked at Qiao Mu, as if waiting for him to ask a question.


    "Since it¡¯s a matter of great importance and secrecy, I won¡¯t ask." Qiao Mu turned his gaze away, pretending not to see.


    He didn¡¯t want to get too involved with Wang Songhe.


    Wang Songhe was known as a bandit, but he was actually the leader of a rebel army. Getting involved with him would usually result in a quick death.


    If that¡¯s the case, then it¡¯s fine.


    The main reason is that this person¡¯s character is not good, always likes to rely on his medical skills to save people¡¯s lives without permission, causing him to have a bad ending.


    Therefore, after dividing the spoils, Qiao Mu immediately prepared to separate from this group of bandits, without any hesitation.


    Now this body¡¯s internal strength is almost nonexistent and still very weak. It is very ufortable. Qiao Mu ns to end his life as soon as possible, secretly refreshing it to return to full strength.


    The next day.


    Qiao Mu, who had slightly recovered from his injuries, immediately left the mountain stronghold using crutches, without any hesitation.


    Wang Songhe¡¯s gaze followed the direction of his departing figure and sighed softly:


    "Truly an extraordinary person."


    "No, this father and son, all three of them are extraordinary."


    Zhang Kui, a mountain bandit nearby, also nodded in agreement.


    Qiao Sen left a deep impression on them, being able to infiltrate the City Lord¡¯s mansion so easily, take down City Lord Guo Yan, and then leave. Qiao Sen must have put in a lot of effort.


    This brave knight, who is willing to risk his life, indeed earns the respect of these bandits.


    If it weren¡¯t for Qiao Sen, they would have secretly infiltrated Yan City and ended up trapped, possibly being attacked and killed by Guo Yan¡¯s army, just like what happened to Qiao Lin.


    "Big brother, are we just letting him go so easily? Shouldn¡¯t we try to keep him?" Zhang Kui said.


    "Trying to keep someone won¡¯t work. Both Qiao Lin and Qiao Sen have stubborn personalities," Wang Songhe said calmly.


    "It¡¯s not possible now, maybe in ten or eight years, there might be a chance to see him again."


    "Qiao Sen despises evil and has a strong temperament, but being too rigid can lead to breaking easily¡­ That¡¯s why I rmended him to go to Heyang City and meet Shen Qinghe."


    "I don¡¯t want to rmend him for an official position in the capital. I want him to be a low-levelw enforcement officer, so that he can temper his overly strong temperament."


    "With Qiao Sen¡¯s current physical strength, he is almost powerless. It¡¯s impossible for him to recover without at least ten or eight years of effort."


    "Let him see the dirty things in the city. At this time, he is weak and can¡¯t change anything, so he can only endure it¡­ After all, he is not a young person like Qiao Lin anymore."


    "Qiao Sen paid a heavy price to kill Guo Yan. He may not realize it now, but the loss of his vitality will haunt him for the next ten years."


    "After ten or eight years, when his strength is barely restored, he will understand the principle of being too rigid and easy to break. It won¡¯t be toote to recruit then."


    "Ten years? That¡¯s too long, isn¡¯t it?" Zhang Kui expressed surprise.


    Wang Songheughed silently.


    "What do you think we bandits do?"


    "To be enemies with the Great Yan Imperial Court and inhumans, it¡¯s impossible to achieve overnight. Without the mentality of hibernating for ten years, how can we change the world and break through those mountains?"


    "Let¡¯s wait quietly." Wang Songhe squinted his eyes, looked in the direction of Qiao Mu¡¯s disappearing figure, and was full of anticipation.


    "Brother Qiao Sen."


    "After ten years, when you break through and return to the 7th rank, maybe we can conspire for something big."


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    Bang!


    With a punch, Qiao Mu burst out internal strength, breaking a tree trunk as thick as a human head in the mountains.


    "Yay! My strength is restored. It was really ufortable being weak and sickly earlier."


    Feeling the surging power in his body, Qiao Mu felt satisfied.


    Consciousness sank into the sea of his heart, where the Long Life Lock still shone with a faint glow.


    This time¡¯s situation is different from when Wang Songhe killed himst time.


    "Qiao Sen," who attempted to assassinate City Lord Guo Yan of Yan City, didn¡¯t die.


    Since "Qiao Sen" didn¡¯t die, the Death Assessment cannot be settled, so it is still in the stage of stacking buffs.


    Qiao Mu regained consciousness in the present.


    His severely injured body from earlier was now lying on the ground, about seven to eight meters away, being consumed by a gray wolf.


    Qiao Mu was not bothered by his own corpse.


    He even wished for the wild wolf to hurry up and destroy his bodypletely.


    After leaving the bandits¡¯ hideout, Qiao Mu had been seeking death and subconsciousness led him to the same mountain where he had jumped off tomit suicide before.


    However, this time, before even reaching the mountain, he encountered a strange gray wolf.


    This wolf was peculiar, resembling a husky in appearance, although it was clearly a wild wolf. It had a plump body with a fleshiness to it. It didn¡¯t show any fear towards Qiao Mu and directly ran over to lick his hand.


    "What a strange dog?" At first, Qiao Mu thought he had encountered a husky among the wolves, but then the gray wolf unexpectedly bit his hand while licking it.


    At that time, Qiao Mu was still recovering from his injuries and had very little strength left. But he wasn¡¯t someone that a lone wolf could bully; he immediately gave the gray wolf a beating.


    Even more strangely, after Qiao Mu hit the gray wolf, it had a look on its face as if it had seen a ghost.


    It was unbelievable that Qiao Mu fought back after being bitten by the wolf. It was something unimaginable.


    Aftering to his senses, Qiao Mu didn¡¯t harm this foolish and silly wolf.


    He suddenly remembered the story of Buddha sacrificing himself to feed an eagle, so he waved his hand, inviting the gray wolf toe and have a buffet. At the same time, he used his fingers to unleash his remaining strength, inserting it into his own temple, resulting in his own death.


    This Death Assessment: D (sacrificing oneself to feed a wolf)


    Lifespan consumed by death: 1 year


    Remaining resurrection chances this week: 4/5


    Current age: 44 years old


    Skill:


    Skill of Changing Flesh (Beginner Level) Pure Yang Wuji Skill (Beginner Level)


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    "So sacrificing oneself to feed the wolves is considered as a D-level evaluation?"


    Qiao Mu was in a good mood.


    He just finished inspecting his dantian and discovered that it had expanded by one circle. At this moment, he had already broken through to the 6th rank.


    After experiencing the assassination of City Lord Guo Yan, Qiao Mu was determined to improve himself. He trained tirelessly day and night for a year, finally making a breakthrough and advancing to the 6th rank, which was very reasonable.


    Not only that, but during this year, Qiao Mu also found time to practice the "Flesh Changing Skill" and quickly mastered the Wudang sect¡¯s advanced skill, Pure Yang Wuji Skill, at the age of 43.


    "This silly wolf is actually my lucky star. I never expected that simply encountering a wolf would be considered as a D-level evaluation, and on top of that, they both quickly learned two new martial arts that I just acquired."


    After breaking through the 6th rank, Qiao Mu was in a good mood and didn¡¯t kill the wolf that was eating his body. Instead, he turned around and walked away.


    Just as he took a few steps, the wolf that had finished eating his body wagged its tail and followed him, excitedly sticking out its tongue and rolling on the ground, showing its belly when Qiao Mu looked over.


    Qiao Mu casually reached out and patted the grey wolf, but the wolf immediately started licking his hand like crazy.


    "Go away. I don¡¯t have that many bodies for you to eat." Qiao Mu pressed down on the wolf¡¯s mouth, ignored it, and continued on his way.


    Qiao Mu ignored him and continued on his way.


    Apart from giving him a rmendation letter, Wang Songhe also told him the route to Heyang City.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    Several dayster.


    Qiao Mu went through mountains and rivers and finally arrived at Heyang City.


    They travelled all the way, camping and sleeping under the stars. Apart from a foolish wolf that looked like a Siberian Husky following them from afar, there was nothing eventful along the way.


    Heyang City was thergest city in the area, bustling with activity and filled with tourists. It was much livelier than Yan City, which had experienced famine.


    Qiao Mu, however, didn¡¯t have much interest in sightseeing. After a simple rest at the inn, he followed Wang Songhe¡¯s previous instructions and went to find his old friend Shen Qinghe¡¯s mansion.


    Shen Qinghe wasn¡¯t a high-ranking official.


    He was a seventh-rank civil servant, serving as a local judge in Heyang Prefecture, handling legal matters.


    A seventh-rank official, if ced in Yan City, would naturally be a notable person, only a few ranks below Guo Yan. But in Heyang City, they were only considered low-level officials.


    The Governor held the fourth-rank official position, a prominent figureparable to a modern-day mayor.


    Shen Qinghe, on the other hand, was just a seventh-rank low-level official. His mansion was located in the western part of the city, and it wasn¡¯t veryrge.


    Following Wang Songhe¡¯s instructions, Qiao Mu spent some time finding Shen Qinghe¡¯s mansion and delivered Wang Songhe¡¯s rmendation letter.


    "There¡¯s another letter? Alright, I¡¯ll give it to the master to see. Please wait outside the mansion for now."


    The butler in the mansion took the letter, with a smile that seemed unsure, and stared at Qiao Mu for a while before turning away.


    Even though their master, Shen Qinghe, was just a low-ranking official, ranking seventh, everyone knew that he had a bad temper and was stubborn. He couldn¡¯t stand people using connections to get ahead. Otherwise, why would he have been demoted and sent to Heyang City as a low-ranking official?


    "Master, there¡¯s a letter here. It says it¡¯s from an old acquaintance and they want to rmend someone they know to you." The butler said respectfully.


    "Ha. I, Shen Qinghe, won¡¯t tolerate anyone who dares to use connections to get to me."


    Shen Qinghe was a middle-aged man, slim in figure, with short beard. His eyes were sharp and expressive, giving off a sense of authority.


    "Should I return this rmendation letter?" the butler asked again.


    "No rush. Let me see first who this old acquaintance is, trying to get close to me. Such audacity¡­"


    Shen Qinghe smirked as he opened the letter and casually skimmed through it, but his expression immediately changed.


    He puts down the letter and hurries out of the door to wee Qiao Mu inside.


    "Is it true that Wang¡­Wang Songhe rmended you?"


    Shen Qinghe doesn¡¯t say much, he reads the letter while carefully looking at Qiao Mu from head to toe, his eyebrows furrowed.


    ording to the letter¡­this person rmended by him has a strong character, detests evil and is an exceptional martial artist. However, recently he suffered a serious injury and his strength is greatly diminished.


    Wang Songhe, with the intention of testing his mettle, hopes to have this person serve as a small constable in this town and shape his character¡­


    Shen Qinghe¡¯s eyebrows furrow deeply as he watches.


    Just from reading this letter, it seems to make sense and the reasoning is logical.


    But whenbined with the person in front, Qiao Mu, there is a big problem.


    "This person is heavily injured and his strength is greatly diminished?" Shen Qinghe¡¯s eyebrows furrow even deeper.


    "His strength is not even close to being there, yet he is still a sixth-ranked martial artist? How powerful was he before he got injured? And they even want a mere sixth-ranked martial artist to be a lowly constable?"


    Shen Qinghe was already in a mess.

 Chapter 61:

    Chapter 61:


    Shen Qinghe looked at the man in front of him, Qiao Mu, with a worried expression on his face.


    Before entering the city, Qiao Mu followed the instructions in the book "Flesh Changing Skill" and quickly disguised himself.


    He simply groomed his eyebrows, tied up his hair, and shaved his beard,pletely transforming his appearance.


    After all, Qiao Mu had publicly assassinated the Yan City Lord in broad daylight, leaving behind a message that said, "Qiao Sen, the killer from the Qiao family."


    His face and name were already revealed at that time.


    If he didn¡¯t disguise himself, he wouldn¡¯t be able to enter even this Heyang City.


    Even though getting captured and executed wouldn¡¯t be a bad thing.


    But this simple death is not good enough.


    Since he has gained the BUFF, Qiao Mu is pursuing a passionate and high-quality death.If the Ouroboros Long Life Lock in his mind is the boss of the fun list, then Qiao Mu is an actor who wants to figure out how to make "Qiao Sen" die brilliantly.


    This is the best way to cash in his chips.


    So.


    Qiao Mu, who entered Yan City, should not use the name and face of "Qiao Sen", but should be someone else.


    "Qiao Pifu? I have never heard of this name before¡­but since Wang Shi admires him in the letter, he must not be an ordinary person." Shen Qinghe frowned and thought to himself.


    "He looks energetic and strong, clearly a sessful sixth-ranked martial artist, but Wang Shi says he has been seriously injured and his strength is almost non-existent?"


    "Wang Songhe would not lie to me, but we haven¡¯t seen each other for many years, and he wouldn¡¯t just force someone on me without a reason¡­"


    First of all, the contents of the rmendation letter will not be wrong. Wang Songhe¡¯s logic is clear and doesn¡¯t seem like he¡¯s trying to deceive him.


    Under this certain situation, Shen Qinghe gradually started to have an idea.


    "It seems that the injuries on Qiao Pifu¡¯s body may not be physical¡­ Could it be damage to his soul?" Shen Qinghe gradually figured it out.


    "In the realm of immortals, the soul is important, while in the realm of martial arts, the physical body is emphasized. If this person has soul damage, it is likely caused by a cultivator."


    Shen Qinghe can somewhat tell if the physical body is injured, but he doesn¡¯t have the ability to see problems with the soul.


    He can only guess that Qiao Pifu¡¯s physical body is uninjured, but since Wang Songhe wouldn¡¯t lie to him, it¡¯s obviously damage to the soul.


    "In that case, it all makes sense." Shen Qinghe¡¯s furrowed brow gradually rxed.


    "Injuries to the soul are significant, so it¡¯s normal for his strength to be greatly diminished. It also takes a long time for soul injuries to heal, and it¡¯s reasonable for someone to take many years to recover their mental state."


    Shen Qinghe has sorted out his thoughts.


    It seems that Qiao Pifu is a highly skilled martial artist who was wounded by a cultivator.


    A martial artist who dared to confront a cultivator and consequently suffered damage to his spirit and soul is truly extraordinary. No wonder Wang Songhe attaches such importance to him and specifically wrote a letter to rmend Qiao Pifu toe over.


    Even though Qiao Pifu¡¯s spirit and soul are damaged, he is still a martial artist of the 6th rank.


    If a 6th rank martial artist serves the court and joins the military, they can easily obtain the title of a 6th rank military officer. Isn¡¯t that higher than being a city constable?


    It seems like this cannot be easily understood. Did he misunderstand something?


    "Qiao Pifu?" Shen Qinghe inquired about Qiao Mu¡¯s background while pouring tea.


    "I will definitely give Mr. Wang face. But you have to be honest with me, after all, your abilities determine the rank you will hold."


    Qiao Mu naturally wouldn¡¯t reveal his true identity and background.


    But seeing Shen Qinghe, who is a close friend of the bandit Wang Songhe, he probably isn¡¯t a rigid bureaucrat.


    Qiao Mu responded with a serious expression:


    "My name is Qiao Pifu, and I am not from this area. I got angry because I couldn¡¯t stand the local bullies oppressing the people, so I killed them¡­ I mean, I killed the powerful people. It¡¯s been about five or six years now."


    So he was a person who did something wrong¡­ Shen Qinghe suddenly understood.


    Even though he could easily be a low-ranked martial artist, like the sixth ranked one without real power, there was still one big condition.


    That means he had a clean background, with no stains.


    If any mountain bandits or murderers could be officials just by learning some martial arts, even if they were low-ranked officials without power, that would be ridiculous.


    "If the local bullies were oppressing the people, then killing them would naturally not be a bad thing¡­" Shen Qinghe said, but then he felt that something was off.


    From Qiao Mu¡¯s words, it seemed like he was a knight who hated evil, and there was nothing wrong with that.


    But the problem is, is this ¡®Qiao Pifu¡¯ a highly skilled martial artist with a damaged soul?


    It seems like these so-called local bullies are not ordinary ones, could they be cultivators from the Immortal Gate?


    The Great Yan Imperial Court was wary of cultivators and called them "inhuman." But Qiao Pifu, as someone who hadmitted a crime, was worried about exposing his guilt, so he referred to "cultivators" as local powerful people, which wasn¡¯t entirely wrong.


    After all, rebelling against inhumans was a great sin.


    "Leaving that aside for now, do you know where Mr. Wang, who rmended you, is right now? I haven¡¯t seen him in years," Shen Qinghe asked again.


    While asking the question, although there was no change in Shen Qinghe¡¯s facial expression, his body leaned forward slightly in the chair. Although he quickly adjusted, Qiao Mu noticed this subtle movement.


    With enhanced eyesight, Qiao Mu could notice various subtle changes.


    "Is Shen Qinghe more interested in Wang Songhe than rmending me? They seem to be more than ordinary friends. He really wants to know about Wang Songhe but subconsciously tries to hide it."


    "From the sound of it, does he not know much about Wang Songhe¡¯s current situation?"


    After thinking for a while, Qiao Mu didn¡¯t borate and instead chose to say something vague:


    "Mr. Wang Songhe¡¯s whereabouts are mysterious. In fact, I¡¯m not quite sure either. It seems like he has retired to the mountains?"


    Wang Songhe was causing trouble, and Qiao Mu didn¡¯t know much about Shen Qinghe¡¯s details, so he naturally wouldn¡¯t say anything careless.


    "Went into hiding? Where did he hide?" Shen Qinghe asked several times, but Qiao Mu evaded the question and didn¡¯t give a direct answer.


    After a bit of back and forth, Shen Qinghe lost interest and gave up on asking further.


    "Since that¡¯s the case." Shen Qinghe nodded:


    "Then in a couple of days, you should go to the Six Gates and report, with your abilities, you¡¯ll be more than capable of being a detective in Heyang City."


    Shen Qinghe was a judge of the 7th rank and was in charge of handling detective cases.


    Although the position wasn¡¯t considered high in the capital, it was easy to arrange a mere detective.


    Detectives and heads of detectives weren¡¯t even considered officials, they could only be called minor officials.


    Shen Qinghe was an upright person, and he strongly disliked any kind of favoritism or using connections.


    But usually, using connections to get a job is for people who don¡¯t deserve it, to be a workce troublemaker.


    And someone as skilled as Qiao Pifu, a high-level martial artist, bing just a lowly police officer? Can that be considered using connections?


    Using the main entrance, even the official gate might not be able to amodate such a great god.


    "The master must have ulterior motives, but unfortunately, he didn¡¯t exin them in the letter¡­ there must be something he can¡¯t talk about." Shen Qinghe silently thought.


    He stood up and personally escorted Qiao Mu out the door, seeing him off.


    Qiao Mu also didn¡¯t pay much attention to the identity of being a police officer.


    He wanted to live in Heyang City and having such an identity would save him a lot of trouble. After all, Qiao Mu himself was an illegal resident and a wanted criminal for assassinating the Yan City Lord.


    He didn¡¯t really care about the identity of being a police officer, it was just a temporary measure.


    Qiao Mu came to Heyang City firstly because of a gut feeling, and secondly because Yan City could no longer tolerate him, so he came to the capital city to seek a high-quality death.


    But these are short-term goals.


    Talking about long-term goals¡­ he still wanted to assassinate the emperor and create a huge epic death!


    "Back then, Childe Guo said that the Great Yan Emperor would being to Yan City within a month. Since I am here in Heyang City, I won¡¯t be able to stay for long. So, there¡¯s no need to worry about this mere position as a capturer."


    ¡­¡­¡­


    Shen Qinghe personally escorted Qiao Mu out of the door.


    However, as soon as he left, the mansion butler quietly walked in.


    He picked up the rmendation letter from the desk, quickly scanned it, his face changed slightly, and then carefully put the envelope back in its original ce.


    When Shen Qinghe returned to the mansion, he saw the envelope and was taken aback. He quickly lit the rmendation letter on the candle and burned it.


    Afterpleting this task, he entered the study in the mansion and started reading the books there.


    "Is there a kind of injury that can affect a martial artist¡¯s energy without obvious loss, but still weaken their strength and make it difficult to perform well?"


    He didn¡¯t know much about injuries, so this time he was in the study, searching through books to confirm his thoughts.


    And all of this was quietly observed by a pair of eyes.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    After half a day.


    East of Heyang City.


    The butler of the Shen family walked through a dark alley and entered an ordinary courtyard, where a middle-aged man with raised temples and a deep gaze was inside the house.


    "Sir Chu, something major has happened," the butler reported:


    "Shen Qinghe, who never listens to advice, actually arranged for an acquaintance to be a lowly government official, so I kept an eye on him and secretly looked at that rmendation letter¡­"


    "The signature on that rmendation letter turned out to be from Wang Shanhe, who resigned many years ago!"


    Hmm?


    After listening to the report carefully, Chu Xing¡¯s face suddenly changed.


    A martial artist who had been seriously injured, with barely any strength left, but obviously full of energy and not weak?


    After the conversation, Shen Qinghe immediately went to the study to search for information on books rted to inhumans and souls.


    Is this mysterious person named Qiao Pifu the same person Wang Shanhe rmended back then?


    Looking at Shen Qinghe¡¯s actions, is this person named Qiao Pifu rted to the injuries, souls, and inhumans? But why is he full of energy?


    Perhaps, one must personally meet Qiao Pifu and find out more about him in order toe to a deeper conclusion.


    Various questions shed through Chu Xing¡¯s mind, and he started to have thoughts.


    Shen Qinghe, you¡¯ve been hiding for so long, and finally your true colors are revealed.


    "Qiao Pifu, Shen Qinghe, and¡­ Wang Shanhe, whom the emperor has been worried about? This is indeed a serious matter. Since the emperor is in the capital city, it must be reported immediately."


    Chu Xing thought for a moment and hurriedly went out.

 Chapter 62:

    Chapter 62:


    Westside Inn, Drunken Immortal Residence.


    Inside a private room on the second floor, a man in a yellow robe stood by the window, overlooking the busy street below.


    Heyang City is considered a big city in the southern region and is quite bustling. Peoplee and go on the streets.


    However, when a person with a mysterious appearance passes by asionally, nearby pedestrians would quietly move away, leaving a small empty space in the originally lively street.


    Meanwhile, behind the man in the yellow robe, Chu Xing, who had just entered, knelt down and addressed him as "Your Majesty," reporting what had just happened.


    Shen Qinghe, who used to be a seventh-ranked local county magistrate, was transferred to the capital city due to his outstanding achievements. Over the years, he has held many official positions, with the highest rank being fifth, as a deputy of the Ministry of Justice.


    As for what happenedter, he was demoted and expelled from the capital city, bing a low-ranking official, which is a different story altogether.


    The reason why Shen Qinghe received extra attention, and even had the Flying Fish Guard appointed as his steward in his residence, was not only because of himself, but also partly due to Wang Shanhe.


    "Finally, there¡¯s news about Wang Shanhe?" the man in the yellow robe turned around, showing a hint of interest in his eyes."Yes. Wang Shanhe rmended a person named Qiao Pifu. This should be the first time since resigning that he has contacted his former student, Shen Qinghe," Chu Xing replied.


    "Wang Shanhe? He certainly has great patience."


    "He disappearedpletely for about thirty years, didn¡¯t he?" the man in the yellow robe expressed a sense of emotion in his eyes.


    "In the past, he spoke directly to thete emperor when carrying the coffin, stating that the inhuman actions were the source of chaos in the world. Thete emperor ordered the Imperial Guard, Zhang Gong, to shoot him with arrows. Despite being unskilled in martial arts, he was immediately heavily wounded by multiple arrows, but still insisted on crawling towards the emperor¡¯s throne¡­ I was young at that time, but I was deeply impressed by him."


    "Later, there were rumors that after resigning, he turned to the Immortal Gate for cultivation, but that seems unlikely. He despised immortals so much, how could he possibly cultivate? Yet, here we are today, hearing news about him."


    Many years ago, when the previous emperor ruled, the Great Yan Imperial Court was filled with talented officials and brave heroes willing to sacrifice for their country.


    However, after the Inhuman War, the Martial Saint, who was once the leader among the military officials, suffered a disastrous defeat. The fortune of Great Yan started to decline, and they had to bow down andpromise before the cultivators.


    Those who stubbornly resisted the inhuman rulers, even the high-ranking officials, mostly met a tragic end.


    The Martial Saint was in his prime at that time, holding the highest military rank. He was undoubtedly the most shining star in the imperial court.


    On the other hand, Wang Shanhe was the Minister of Justice, holding the second highest rank among the civil officials. Although he wasn¡¯t as prominent as the Martial Saint, he was still an important figure in the imperial court.


    The Martial Saint survived the war through fierce battles, butter he chose to leave his position and title.


    Wang Shanhe risked his life by speaking out against the rulers, and he narrowly escaped death in the pce.


    Among the many officials, those who had a strong sense of integrity either died in the chaos or, like Wang Shanhe, survived by luck but eventually left the imperial court with disappointment.


    The backbone of the warriors and the integrity of the schrs were both shattered by the cultivators during these decades.


    People who have the courage to sacrifice themselves for their country are mostly extinct now.


    In the Great Yan court today, it is full of corrupt officials and even the Great Yan Emperor himself has topromise in front of cultivators.


    So he greatly misses that era from decades ago.


    It was a time when the country faced great difficulties, but warriors disyed strong backbones and intellectuals maintained their integrity.


    People like Wang Shanhe are a representation of the previous era.


    Every time he hears this person¡¯s name, it fills him with regret and sighs.


    "I really don¡¯t know how many loyal subjects are left in this court who are willing to sacrifice themselves for the country and die for the emperor," the man in the yellow robe sighed.


    As the Great Yan Emperor, he certainly wants to have more people like Wang Shanhe in his court.


    Chu Xing, who kneels before him, can only keep his eyes lowered and thoughts to himself, unable to respond to this statement.


    After the man in the yellow robe recovered from his emotions, he asked about what happened this time.


    Chu Xing replied, "Wang Shanhe¡¯s rmendation letter didn¡¯t mention his specific situation, so Shen Qinghe probably doesn¡¯t know either."


    "If there¡¯s a breakthrough point, it might depend on this Qiao Pifu that he rmended."


    The man in the yellow robe nodded slightly.


    Wang Shanhe, who had been missing for over thirty years, finally made contact with his former disciple. It seemed that he had a n in mind.


    After all, he used to be a high-ranking official, and now he suddenly rmends a Qiao Pifu to be a petty constable who is not even an official?


    It would be different if this Qiao Pifu was just an ordinary person.


    But ording to the information Chu Xing obtained, it¡¯s clear that this Qiao Pifu is not an ordinary person either.


    "This Qiao Pifu seems to be weakened in spirit. ording to his words, his strength is almost non-existent, and he is currently in a weak state."


    "But ording to the informant¡¯s information, this person is clearly strong and skilled in martial arts. It¡¯s hard to imagine that his strength is almost non-existent now¡­"


    "Introducing him to the city as a small constable is clearly underestimating his talent. Something doesn¡¯t feel right."


    "After visiting Shen Qinghe, he immediately went to the study to search for information about inhumans and souls¡­ This is worth deeply pondering."


    Hearing Chu Xing¡¯s report, the man in the yellow robe was quite surprised and became somewhat interested.


    Originally, it was only because of his childhood experiences that he looked upon Wang Shanhe, who spoke out against the raising of coffins, with admiration. So, when Wang Shanhe rmended Qiao Pifu, he couldn¡¯t help but have some thoughts.


    Now, after listening to the report, he also became somewhat curious about Qiao Pifu.


    "After thirty years of disappearance, they are finally taking action. It seems that Wang Shanhe¡¯s rmendation of this person is not just a casual move."


    "Then, let¡¯s take a good look at who this Qiao Pifu is." The man in the yellow robe said with his eyes closed.


    He didn¡¯t have much time left in Heyang City.


    Before leaving, take a look at the people rmended by Wang Shanhe, which is quite interesting.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    Yan City gate.


    In the shadows, a figure wearing a pitch-ck star-shaped mask silently appears, gazing through the mask at the words on the wall of the city gate.


    The murderer, Qiao Sen from the Qiao family.


    Star Xuan Envoy suddenly feels a wave of heat on his face.


    After a thorough investigation, he couldn¡¯t find any trace of the so-called Qiao family. So he confidently told Guo Yan that the Qiao family is not a concern, and may even not exist.


    And what is the result?


    As a result, two dayster, the Qiao family came to the door and Guo Yan was murdered in broad daylight!


    "Unfortunately, City Lord Guo Yan of Yan City passed away just as the Emperor was on his tour. Wuji Association has lost an important member, and we hope this won¡¯t affect the Martial Saint¡¯s assassination n."


    "Qiao family¡­. Qiao Sen? I need to remember this name," the gaze of Star Xuan Envoy gradually turned cold.


    In Guo Yan¡¯s perspective, perhaps he had some contribution to his unfortunate assassination.


    If it wasn¡¯t for him personally reminding Guo Yan, Guo Yan wouldn¡¯t have died so easily¡­. But he wondered why he couldn¡¯t find any trace of this mysterious Qiao family? This incident indirectly led to the tragic death of Yan City Lord, which was a huge mistake for Star Xuan Envoy, who was in charge of intelligence.


    "We can¡¯t leave Yan City unattended. Let¡¯s return to Heyang City and investigate this Qiao family thoroughly," Star Xuan Envoy disappeared into the shadows.

 Chapter 63:

    Chapter 63:


    The entrance of Yan City.


    The bloodstains of Guo Yan on the wall by the city gate had long dried up, leaving only faint marks. The words engraved by Qiao Mu with his long spear were still vivid.


    When passersby walked past this spot, most of them would nce up at the inscription and sigh.


    The recent assassination of the city lord was a major earthquake for Yan City.


    Considering Guo Yan¡¯s many years of managing Yan City, he could be called the "soil emperor" of Yan City. However, on that day, he tragically died on the street, followed by his son. All his efforts went up in smoke.


    "Good riddance, Guo Yan."


    A schr sat in a teahouse at the city gate, asionally ncing towards the city gate tower, engaging in lively discussions with other customers:


    "I witnessed Guo Yan¡¯s tragic death right here on this street."


    "Think about how powerful Guo Yan was in his daily life. Who would dare to criticize him? The most Yan City residents could say is that he spoiled his only son, but the me was all taken by his son while he himself came out clean.""Evil deeds will backfire. At that time, Guo Yan died under Qiao Sen¡¯s spear, like a stray dog on the side of the street¡­"


    "What? Were you there watching at that time?"


    "Please tell us more in detail."


    At the teahouse, everyone was talking about the recent assassination of the city lord in Yan City, which is still a topic of great interest among the people.


    When the wall falls, everyone pushes, and when the tree falls, the monkeys scatter.


    In the past, Guo Yan was the dominant figure in Yan City, and he had only one son.


    Now that both father and son have died tragically, and those loyal to Guo Yan have also passed away, the once powerful Guo family in Yan City is now in a precarious situation.


    In the past, no one dared to speak in Yan City. Just a nce from Guo Yan was enough tomand obedience. Smart people knew how to adapt and change their stance ordingly.


    Now that the wall has fallen, everyone is pointing fingers, and the former city lord has quickly be a topic of gossip among themon people.


    In the teahouse, a schr was speaking passionately, causing saliva to fly, and catching the attention of many tea drinkers. Soon, someone urged:


    "Tell us more about Guo Yan¡¯s death."


    "What¡¯s there to say about Guo Yan¡¯s death? Tell us about Qiao Sen from the Qiao family."


    And the schr, being watched by so many people, also subconsciously became slightly excited and gradually got into character:


    "On that day, I really was at the scene, and even had a chat with Qiao Sen, who killed Guo Yan, for several sentences."


    "At that time, I was passionately debating with Qiao Sen on the street, and after the debate, he became emotionally stirred up, so he brazenly took action and assassinated City Lord Guo Yan."


    "I can also be considered a witness to the death of City Lord Guo Yan, and half a participant. I have no credit, but at least I have half credit¡­"


    Among the discussions of the teahouse crowd, someone sneered:


    "It¡¯s one thing to discuss Guo Yan, but Guo Yan is already dead, and the Guo family is also in turmoil."


    "You dare to discuss even Qiao Sen from the Qiao family. Do you really think just because he¡¯s not here, you can freely discuss him? So many people were watching on the street that day, do you dare to take credit for yourself?"


    Amidst the noisy discussions, the schr felt his face getting hot and hastily fled.


    Below the city gate tower, Old Huang looked into the disturbance from a distance, with a slight smile on his lips.


    "When Guo Yan died, everyone scattered like monkeys when a tree falls."


    "The Qiao family had three noble heroes, and they have all passed away, but their influence remains."


    "Big Brother, lift your head and take a good look."


    Old Huang stood beneath the city gate and instructed his eldest daughter to look up at the inscription on the gate tower.


    The words that Qiao Mu carved with a long spear in the past are still there, still clear, only the dried blood has faded away.


    "Lord Guo Yan has built up his power in Yan City for many years, and no one dares to oppose him¡­ including me."


    "The father and sons of the Qiao Family were all noble heroes. In the end, it was these three outsiders who toppled the lofty Guo Yan family. Admirable, but alsomentable."


    We admire the fact that the Qiao family, together as one, detests evil and values righteousness over life and death.


    Wement the fact that Qiao Mu and Qiao Lin, the brothers who acted with chivalry, have already died tragically. Their father had toe to Yan City and take action to kill Guo Yan.


    "Daughter, remember it well," Old Huang sighed.


    "In the future, even if you can¡¯t be a brilliant knight, don¡¯t be a boring schr either. Be a clever person who can adapt to different situations."


    "¡­.I understand."


    While the father and daughter were talking, there were more people entering through the city gate.


    In the past few days since Yan City lifted its ban, there have been many more peopleing in and out of Yan City than usual.


    Some were merchant caravans, while others were idle people who came to see the excitement after hearing about the assassination attempt on Yan City Lord.


    Wang Songhe was one of those idle people.


    With a changed appearance, he swaggered into the crowd and entered the scene.


    "Howe these words are still here?" he was surprised as he looked at the words on the city gate tower.


    "After the killer assassinated the lord of the city, he left behind such a trace of words."


    "This trace of words is still here, isn¡¯t it showing the might of the Qiao family¡¯s Qiao Sen? Why not destroy it?"


    "Destroy it? Who dare?" Old Huangughed when he heard this.


    "Who will give the order? Who will take responsibility?"


    "You are an outsider who doesn¡¯t know the story, you¡¯re just going by hearsay," Old Huang shook his head and said, "The Qiao brothers are dead, but Qiao Sen and those Qiao¡¯s family members, they left Yan City confidently on that day, they are still alive!"


    "In this world today, the bold fear the strong, and the strong fear those who have nothing to lose."


    "The Qiao¡¯s family has power and they are willing to risk their lives, who knows if this trace of words will be destroyed just now, and they will die a tragic death on the street the next day, just like Guo Yan?"


    The father and son of the Qiao Family have left a remarkable mark in Yan City, using their own lives and the lives of Guo Yan and his son.


    Wang Songhe¡¯s eye twitched slightly.


    During the assassination of Guo Yan, everyone¡¯s attention was focused on "Qiao Sen". They all thought he was part of the Qiao Family because he and his band of bandits were wearing masks.


    He thought to himself, "Now the rest of the officials in Yan City don¡¯t even dare to erase the words left by Qiao Sen. They must be scared, afraid that the Qiao Family wille back with another spear attack."


    "When Guo Yan was alive, he was cunning and had a firm grip on power. He was the only influential figure in Yan City, while the other officials were ineffective."


    "Now that he¡¯s dead, the influence of the Qiao Family can still temporarily keep the officials in check."


    But only temporarily, it can¡¯tst forever.


    As time passes, Yan City will eventually have a new lord.


    The new lord is good or bad, it¡¯s hard to say, you can only rely on luck.


    "As long as the world remains the same, even the righteous heroes like the Qiao Family¡¯s father and son can only kill Guo Yan with their lives, but they can¡¯t change the world. It¡¯s not something that a few scattered heroes can do."


    And so, he came.


    "In the space between heaven and earth, how could one shrink within the mountains and forests?" Wang Songhe quietly thought, looking at the deste small town in front of him.


    The bandits could only hide in the mountains and protect the people of a vige, but their scope was ultimately limited.


    Since the local leader of Yan City isn¡¯t capable, then let him take on this role of being the leader.

 Chapter 64:

    Chapter 64:


    Nanzhou has many mountains.


    Among the various mountain ranges, the Qingming Mountain range to the west of Yan City is the most famous, with the towering Qingming Peak reaching into the sky. The Qingyun Temple on the mountain is flourishing, with a constant stream of incense-burning visitors.


    However, what Qiao Canxue arrived at was not the famous Qingyun Temple, but a small Taoist temple at the foot of Qingming Mountain to the south.


    The owner of this small Taoist temple, named Lingling Taoist Priest, was a plump and kind-hearted nun.


    Although the temple was small and had fewer worshippers than the famous Qingyun Temple, Lingling Taoist Priest was still respected by the passing pilgrims.


    Lingling Taoist Priest has been in a very good moodtely.


    Recently, a person she had been waiting for for many years came to this small Taoist temple.


    "Canxue, thest time I saw you, you were just a little child. In the blink of an eye, more than ten years have passed, and you have finally arrived here."


    "Only waited for ten years, it¡¯s nothing. For us practitioners, ten years is just a fleeting moment. It¡¯s our destiny to meet like this¡­""I have long known that we are destined to be together¡­"


    Inside the Taoist temple, the plump nun Lingling Taoist Priest squinted her eyes, looking very friendly.


    And in front of her, there were three or five young female disciples sitting on the ground, quietly listening.


    After the plump nun talked for a long time without Qiao Canxue responding, she asked,


    "Canxue, why aren¡¯t you saying anything?"


    Qiao Canxue was still sitting there, not moving, her eyes tightly closed.


    "Master, it seems like the junior sister is asleep," a young female disciple said.


    "Nonsense, your junior sister is blind, she can¡¯t see anything. Closing her eyes doesn¡¯t mean she¡¯s asleep, she¡¯s probably deeply focused in her meditation," Lingling Taoist Priest frowned and said.


    Just as the words fell.


    Qiao Canxue, who was sitting with her eyes closed, made a sound: zzzZZZ¡­.


    The chubby nun was at a loss for words and then changed her statement:


    "Your junior sister has a natural talent for cultivation. Two days of refining qi and one day of practice may not be equal to your ten years of hard work. Besides her innate talent and exceptional perception, she must also practice day and night, which is why she appears tired during the day¡­"


    "During the Qi refining period, cultivators still have physical bodies, so it¡¯s inevitable to feel tired during the day¡­"


    Just as the chubby nun finished speaking, she noticed another young female cultivator gradually closing her eyelids and nodding off. She immediately shouted:


    "Master is talking to you, and yet you dare to fall asleep?"


    This cultivator was startled awake by the shout, turned around, and saw that Qiao Canxue was still sitting there with her eyes closed, motionless.


    It turned out that the chubby nun used a technique simr to a martial artist¡¯s "transmission via sound" method. She only transmitted her voice into Qiao Canxue¡¯s ears, causing a buzzing sound in her ears.


    At this moment, Qiao Canxue, who had kept her eyes tightly shut, suddenly twitched her eyelids, revealing a small patch of bright white before closing them again.


    She turned her head and looked towards the entrance of the Taoist temple.


    At this time, several pilgrims were entering this small Taoist temple that had few worshippers. As they walked, they were discussing something.


    "Have you heard? The Yan City Lord from the east was killed in broad daylight by a man named Qiao Sen. I wonder who this Qiao Sen is and how strong he is to be able to break through the Lord¡¯s guards, kill him in public, and still manage to leave freely."


    "Hey, you¡¯re behind on the news. I heard that this Qiao Sen has two sons, Qiao Mu and Qiao Lin, who are both righteous heroes. They died one after another because of that Yan City Lord¡­"


    The pilgrims chatted briefly about the recent hot topic before entering the temple to burn incense.


    Qiao Canxue, on the other hand, listened in astonishment, feeling as if thunder was roaring inside her heart.


    "I never expected Qiao Mu to still have a living father who personally killed that Yan City Lord, Guo Yan."


    This news was incredibly good for Qiao Canxue.


    Originally, Qiao Mu died because of him, and she couldn¡¯t find a way to repay him, so she had the idea of killing Guo Yan for revenge.


    But since Qiao Mu still had a father alive, she had more ways to repay him.


    Although Qiao Mu has already passed away, it¡¯s a bit slow to show gratitude now, but it¡¯s different from before.


    Her emotions gradually stirred up, and her eyelids slightly opened, revealing a vast whiteness.


    "I originally wanted to wait until I had achieved great skills, and then personally kill Guo Yan for revenge."


    "Since he still has family members alive, that makes it easier."


    "Grandfather killed the Yan City Lord, which will likely cause trouble. When my divine skills are perfected, I will protect Grandfather¡¯s safety."


    The plump nun next to Qiao Canxue suddenly saw her eyes open slightly, and her aura surged three times in a row.


    "Hmm? Epiphany? Is she already at the fourth level of Qi refining period?" The plump nun first widened her eyes in shock, then happily narrowed them into slits.


    "With such a cultivation speed, she surpasses the disciples of the major sects who rely on the power of incense and practice with ¡®Incense Symbol of Divine Fire.¡¯ Perhaps this girl can truly forge a path in this world that is different from the Nine Immortal Gates¡­"


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    Heyang City.


    Inside the teahouse¡¯s Dawn Emerald Pavilion, a storyteller in a green robe and a sword at his side was energetically pounding on the wooden stage, telling a story:


    "Just listen to the heroic Qiao Sen shouting, ¡®We martial artists shall always charge forward!¡¯"


    "After saying that, he immediately pierced the Yan City Lord with a spear and left triumphantly¡­"


    The tea guests would cheer and apud from time to time.


    In a corner of the teahouse.


    Several soap-clothed constables with swords on their waists were also sitting at the Eight Immortals table, seemingly listening to the storyteller tell stories.


    "Captain Qiao, this doesn¡¯t seem right," one of the constables whispered:


    "We received orders that Qiao Sen, who hadmitted murder and assassination in Yan City, has just be a wanted criminal of the court. That¡¯s why we have to drive away the storyteller in this teahouse. But why on earth did youe here to listen to the storytelling?"


    "Why is it not right? If we don¡¯t listen to him finish, how would we know the twists and turns of the matter? We¡¯ll take action after he finishes."


    Qiao Mu satzily, sipping tea and listening to the storytelling.


    Ever since that day when he identally bumped into the storyteller praising himself, he had somewhat fallen in love with this feeling.


    Little did he expect that after arriving in Heyang City that day, he would encounter that familiar sword-wearing storyteller, who happened to be telling his own story.


    "Yes. This storytelling is indeed quite interesting," said the tea drinker at the neighboring table. He was a middle-aged man wearing a long robe, looking around forty years old. He smiled and struck up a conversation.


    "But since you are the chief of Heyang City, don¡¯t you have official duties to fulfill? Is this really the time to listen to stories? There are priorities and urgencies in all matters, aren¡¯t official duties important?"


    Qiao Mu frowned and turned to look at the middle-aged man in the robe at the next table.


    This stranger who struck up a conversation, his way of speaking is strange. Though he¡¯s clearly a stranger, there is a faint sense of condescension and inquiry.


    "Matters have their own priorities," Qiao Mu casually replied.


    "Trivial matters can be handled casually, but if there are major matters, I won¡¯t hesitate to risk myself."


    "It seems you enjoy teaching others how to do things. Why don¡¯t you give Emperor Yonghe some guidance on fighting the Inhuman War?"

 Chapter 65:

    Chapter 65:


    The middle-aged man who struck up the conversation wore a long robe and had a short beard. When he spoke to people, he would slightly raise his chin, exuding a certain air of dignity.


    As soon as Qiao Mu spoke, the middle-aged man with a short beard who was talking with her showed a look of surprise. It seemed that he didn¡¯t expect Qiao Mu to respond like this and was momentarily speechless.


    It was Guard Chu, who was sitting at the same table with him, who couldn¡¯t help but twitch his eye corner and nced at Qiao Mu.


    He knew the Great Yan Emperor beside him because the former Minister of Punishments, Wang Shanhe, who had been in seclusion for many years, rmended him to meet this Qiao Pifu.


    But this was just a sudden urge, which didn¡¯t mean that the Great Yan Emperor valued Qiao Pifu very much.


    Speaking in this way, directly mentioning the disastrous Inhuman War of the Great Yan Imperial Court, could anger the emperor and bring about fatal consequences, which was not impossible.


    After a while, the middle-aged man who had been talking suddenly regained his senses and frowned.


    "Why are you talking to me about the current emperor?" he asked.


    "Wasn¡¯t it you who gave advice on ruling the country first?" Qiao Mu casually sipped tea and said.It¡¯s not umon for themon people in teahouses and pubs to passionately debate and give advice on ruling the country.


    The middle-aged man with a short beard was momentarily speechless. He was about to react, but then his furrowed brow rxed.


    In the past, there was a government official named Wang Shanhe who worked in the Department of Punishments. He had a strong personality and didn¡¯t tolerate any nonsense.


    Temperament is one thing, but the important thing is whether someone has true talent and knowledge.


    If this person, Qiao Pifu, is like a second Wang Shanhe, maybe he can endure for a while.


    Then, a middle-aged man with a short beard said:


    "Since you want to guide the country, why not tell us about the current Emperor? What kind of person is he?"


    This question was not only testing Qiao Mu, but also showed a willingness to listen to the people¡¯s opinions.


    The Great Yan Emperor usually stays in the pce, but this time he secretly went out to listen to the voices of his people.


    Without hesitation, Qiao Mu said, "This Emperor deserves to be¡­"


    He suddenly stopped talking halfway and frowned, looking at the middle-aged man.


    Because he had discussed the assassination of the emperor with Qiao Canxue in Yan City, Qiao Mu has been obsessing over this matter ever since.


    Just now someone asked him this, and he almost blurted out that the emperor should die.


    The present-day Qiao Mu disguised himself and ventured into Heyang City, speaking without restraint.


    But speaking without restraint and courting death are two different concepts.


    Qiao Mu¡¯s brow gradually furrowed.


    What¡¯s the deal with this stranger who struck up a conversation? Intentionally trying to engage him in talk, intentionally seeking his opinions on ruling the country, and discussing the current emperor?


    How wicked is this person¡¯s intentions, wanting to harm me¡­. hmm? Harm me?


    Qiao Mu suddenly remembered, he is cheat-enabled.


    Is he afraid of death?


    What Qiao Mu is afraid of is a low-quality death, and what he longs for is a high-quality death.


    If it¡¯s something like ranting "the current emperor should die" in a teahouse, clearly dying would be meaningless.


    But if he could spout reasoning and speak at a high level, even if he were to die for his words, Qiao Mu could earn a reputation. Death Assessment shouldn¡¯t becking in that regard.


    "Are you talking about Emperor Yonghe of the current reign? Emperor Yonghe is naturally a good emperor, and that¡¯s all there is to it," said Qiao Mu.


    The middle-aged man with a tight frown on his short beard rxed.


    Who doesn¡¯t like disguising oneself and listening to others praise them?


    Qiao Mu likes it, and he also likes it.


    Now he is in disguise, secretly visiting to listen to the people¡¯s voices.


    And Qiao Mu was a small town constable, a low-ranking government official, who naturally belonged to themon people.


    Rounded up or down, this is what themon people of Great Yan are saying about him being a good emperor.


    How could he not feel happy?


    "You say the current emperor is a good emperor? What specifically makes him good?" The middle-aged man with a short beard suppressed a hint of joy in his heart and asked again.


    Please continue speaking, tell me more, I love listening.


    Only Qiao Mu continued:


    "The good thing is that he chose a good reign title."


    "Forever harmonious (Yonghe), forever harmonious (Yonghe), the current Imperial Capital surrendered without a fight to the inhumane, paid tribute and licked their feet. They didn¡¯t even dare to engage in warfare, so how could it not be forever harmonious?"


    "As long as we surrender before the enemy takes over, war cannot break out. Isn¡¯t this forever harmony?"


    When these words were spoken.


    The middle-aged man with a short beard, Guard Chu, instinctively looked down and didn¡¯t dare to look at the expression on the face of Emperor Yonghe next to him.


    The several clothed catchers next to Qiao Mu were also shocked with wide eyes.


    Captain Qiao, it¡¯s one thing for you to eavesdrop and ck off at the teahouse, but now you dare to criticize the current emperor, aren¡¯t you afraid of death?


    The strong will to survive made them instinctively take a few steps back and look around, afraid that this treasonous remark would be overheard by others.


    Fortunately, the storyteller was reaching the climax of the story, and the teahouse was full of customers who were captivated, seemingly paying no attention to Qiao Mu and hispanions in the corner.


    The middle-aged man with a short beard took a deep breath and took a while to barely calm his emotions before slowly saying:


    "The strength of the inhuman is overwhelming, something that the Great Yan Imperial Court cannot match. After all, even the Martial Saint of the previous emperor was defeated miserably, and the entire army of 100,000 elites perished."


    "Is there a possibility that the current emperor is prioritizing the overall situation?"


    "Are you implying that the emperor is making a big strategic move, Mr. Dong?" Qiao Mu interrupted him and casually said.


    The middle-aged man with a short beard paused, not understanding Qiao Mu¡¯s words.


    "My surname is Yan, not Dong¡­"


    "Why should I care about your surname and name?" Qiao Mu said casually.


    "By the way, I have a friend with the surname Guo."


    "Others say he is very strategic and smooth in handling things. He never shows his emotions and rarely gets angry."


    "Even when confronted by a bad person, he restrains himself because he knows that if he acts impulsively, it will disrupt therger n. At that time, it wasn¡¯t the best moment to make a move, better to y it safe."


    "The bad person killed his family members in front of him, but he endured it because he knew that a wealthy person¡¯s child cannot easily fall. His years of hard work could not be ruined by a moment of impulse¡­"


    The middle-aged man surnamed Yan waited for a while, but when he didn¡¯t hear Qiao Mu continue, he asked again:


    "What happened next?"


    "Afterward, nothing. The person was gone." Qiao Mu casually replied:


    "He was killed by that bad person."


    "If there were really strategies and calctions, then it would be a different story."


    "What I¡¯m afraid of is those so-called strategies and calctions, which are simply excuses for not wanting to face danger, cherish life, and fear death."


    The middle-aged man surnamed Yan¡¯s face quickly turned red, then to the color of pig liver.


    He felt like the person across from him was indirectly insulting him, but he had no proof.


    "Your friend is a person. But behind the current emperor is a whole country, so we can¡¯t generalize." he said again.


    "Yes." Qiao Mu nodded.


    "So, in order to prioritize the greater good, we should follow the example of Emperor Yonghe and spare no effort from the Great Yan Imperial Court to support those superior beings above us, establishing their residences in each major city and always weing their presence."


    At this point, the atmosphere had already changed.


    There were no longer any in-clothed constables beside Qiao Mu. Those few constables had moved away, appearingpletely absorbed in listening to a story, standing about ten steps away from Qiao Mu without making any eye contact.


    Who is this person? Hum? They didn¡¯t know or recognize this person.


    The other tea customers at the neighboring table also changed their expressions and hurriedly got up to leave.


    The middle-aged man surnamed Yan couldn¡¯t hide his sinking face anymore. His gaze unintentionally went past the other soap-d constables who were further away from Qiao Mu¡¯s, and he spoke in a deep voice:


    "Aren¡¯t you afraid of death for criticizing the current emperor?"


    Finally, the truth was revealed, and I¡¯ve been waiting for you to say this¡­


    Qiao Mu had always suspected this person had evil intentions and wanted to harm him, which yed right into his hands.


    Qiao Mu said, "I have always liked a saying from thete emperor."


    "Or rather, it was a wise decree issued by thete emperor."


    Thete emperor?


    The middle-aged man surnamed Yan hesitated again. The Inhuman War was fought during thete emperor¡¯s reign. How could Qiao Pifu dare to speak so boldly and im to like thete emperor?


    He felt curious unconsciously and didn¡¯t react immediately.


    Just listen to Qiao Mu continue saying:


    "I heard that, after the Inhuman War, a stubborn court official almost hit his head on the Golden Pce. After that, thete Emperor issued a famous decree."


    Qiao Mu said seriously:


    "Anyone who criticizes me to my face will be tortured; those who dare to advise me through written letters will be burned by hot iron; those who spread rumors about me in public will be beheaded after autumn."


    "I heard that before the order was issued, right after the Inhuman War, many ministers were passionately arguing, and there were a lot of peopleing and going."


    "After the order was issued, there were times when people could voice their opinions; but a few monthster, there was no one left to speak up. Anyone who dared to speak either died or pretended to be sick and quit their official positions to go back home."


    "I have to say, thete emperor¡¯s order was actually quite wise."


    Qiao Mu¡¯s gaze also swept across the fiercely determined constables around him, eximing:


    "Even if one was punished for speaking out, it wouldn¡¯t harm innocent people around them. At most, it would just be a slow and painful death."


    "Such an order allows knowledgeable people like me to speak freely without worries of harming others, eliminating any concerns for the future. How wonderful it is!"


    Guard Chu¡¯s face darkened as he heard.


    Was thete emperor¡¯s order really allowing people to speak freely?


    Is this person¡¯s mind different from others?


    And the other soap-d catchers beside him also had a slight change in their expressions.


    They noticed the gaze of the newly appointed catches just now.


    This is a reminder to them¡­ not to be afraid.


    I will first bring up the words of the former emperor, and I will defend myself. Even if I am executed after autumn, or even die a slow death, it will not harm your lives.


    This new appointed catch seems rough and arrogant, but there seems to be a level of detail in him¡­


    And the middle-aged man surnamed Yan also had a slight emotional response.


    He is not a foolish person, and he also understood the hidden meaning behind Qiao Mu¡¯s words.


    Although this decree was issued by the former emperor, after Emperor Yonghe ascended the throne, he didn¡¯t explicitly cancel it¡­


    He brought up the words from the time of the former emperor, so even if our current emperor, Qiao Pifu, wants to punish him, it wouldn¡¯t be right to harm others.


    Just like Wang Shanhe back then, aren¡¯t you afraid of death?


    The middle-aged man named Yan frowned slightly, feeling that something was not right.


    In tea houses and eateries like this, many people do give their opinions, but it¡¯s important to have a bnced perspective and not go too far with it.


    And this Qiao Pifu, he pointed at the emperor¡¯s nose and called him cowardly and afraid of death¡­.


    Did he already figure out my identity and purposely deceive me with false information? Emperor Yonghe frowned, realizing that the situation was not as simple as it seemed.

 Chapter 66:

    Chapter 66:


    The emperor disguised himself and went on a secret visit, which was definitely not a small matter. There were people specifically trying to conceal it, making it impossible for ordinary people to see through.


    And by his side, there was also a bodyguard named Chu Xing who had achieved a high level in the Spiritual Refining Method.


    The Spiritual Refining Method focuses on cultivating one¡¯s intuition in the mysterious realm.


    If this Qiao Pifu had malicious intent, Guard Chu by his side would quickly notice it, instead of the current situation.


    The man with the surname Yan frowned as he sat there, with a thousand thoughts swirling in his mind.


    He couldn¡¯t make a definite judgment on Qiao Pifu¡¯s actions yet. It must be said that Qiao Pifu was a brave warrior unafraid of death.


    It reminded him of his childhood, witnessing the ministers, led by Wang Shanhe, who would offer courageous remonstrations during court hearings.


    The tea guests had already left, and the surrounding tables were all empty.


    Qiao Mu seemedpletely unaware and was still casually drinking his tea.He nced around and saw that it waspletely empty with no sound, which made him feel even more rxed and at ease.


    It¡¯s good that there¡¯s no one around, no one to disturb him.


    The lone wolf is always fearless.


    At this moment, the stern middle-aged man with a serious face also spoke up:


    "It¡¯s rare for someone like you to speak without fear of death, but that doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re right. You don¡¯t understand the matters of the country and the military. Inhuman is strong while Great Yan is weak, so there are certain things that can only bepromised."


    Qiao Mu responded, "It¡¯smon sense in the world that those who are backward will be beaten. If there are no other choices, naturally we can onlypromise. But there¡¯s a difference betweenpromising to bide your time andpletely submitting."


    "The Emperor¡¯spromise may sound easy, but it costs the lives of the people below."


    "The Great Yan Emperor ims to be chosen by the heavens, tasked with taking care of the people. But if he sees the world as his own and treats the people like cattle, disposing them as he pleases for his own inhumane desires, then is this world the Emperor¡¯s alone or the people of Jiu Province?"


    Qiao Mu was getting more and more excited as he spoke.


    Originally, he only suspected that this middle-aged man with the surname Yan had a good character, and he wanted to trap him into criticizing the emperor, so that he could benefit from it.


    But now, he remembered his close friend with the surname Guo, who had been through life and death together.


    At first, he thought City Lord Guo Yan was extremely cunning and difficult to deal with.


    Later, he discovered that Guo Yan, even after witnessing the killing of his own child, could restrain himself from taking action. It showed that he had extraordinary self-control.


    Finally, he realized that¡­this person seemed to spoil his only son, but in reality, he valued his own life above all else and didn¡¯t want to take any risks.


    This was probably the main reason why Guo Yanpromised and negotiated all the way, unwilling to resort to real violence.


    And so, Qiao Mu foolishly killed him.


    The only question was whether the Great Yan Imperial Court was another person like Guo Yan, who appeared to be cunning but actually feared death?


    After he finished speaking, the guard at the neighboring table, Guard Chu, started trembling slightly. He was trembling out of fear.


    The middle-aged man with the surname Yan also trembled slightly, but his trembling was fueled by anger.


    If Qiao Mu had been questioning the weakness of Emperor Yonghe and the previous emperor before, now he was questioning the very foundation of the Great Yan Imperial Court¡¯s existence.


    If the Great Yan Emperor considered the world as his own possession, then pleasing the inhumane was simply offering one¡¯s own family¡¯s belongings to evil people. Although it was painful, it was not really cutting one¡¯s own flesh.


    Themon people suffered and the court was worn out, but the Emperor still remained above everyone else.


    "It is a great betrayal¡­"


    The middle-aged man with the surname Yan was having trouble finding the words. When he was young, he had also seen ministers who risked their lives to deliver blunt admonitions, but those ministers still had some sense of propriety when speaking, unlike the person in front of them, who was simply acting recklessly¡­


    Meanwhile, Qiao Mu remained calm.


    He raised a cup of clear tea from the table and took a gentle sip, moisturizing his throat.


    Since he came to Yan City, everything he saw and knew was deste and broken.


    "In recent years, whenever there is a natural disaster, there will be a famine."


    "In the small town, many houses are empty, and the people are scattered and forced to sell their farming animals. Some even turn to banditry."


    "The greedy eat people¡¯s food without feeling guilty, and the hungry steal without realizing the consequences."


    "These are the prices the people have paid." Qiao Mu looked at the middle-aged man named Yan with a hint of doubt.


    "Why are you so excited? Just because you have some money and status, you think you¡¯re not one of the people but a carnivore? Are you a bit twisted?"


    Qiao Mu thought this person spoke with an arrogant tone, looking down on others. He guessed that this person might be a bureaucrat in Heyang City, but he didn¡¯t think much about it.


    After all, even if the other person is a bureaucrat in the city, in the end, it¡¯s just a matter of getting in trouble for speaking out, and it¡¯s just death.


    What is there to be afraid of?


    At this point in the story, the teahouse was filled with a silent stillness.


    The tea drinkers who were eagerly listening to the storyteller had already left halfway through.


    And on the stage, the sword-wielding Storyteller Jiang Chen was left speechless.


    Boss, why don¡¯t youe up and tell the story?


    He knew that Qiao Sen, who had attempted to assassinate the Yan City Lord, was now a wanted criminal by the court. He also realized that his own storytelling carried certain risks, but he didn¡¯t expect one ordinary audience member in the crowd to be even bolder than him.


    The risks he took in telling the story were only to be chased away, but this tea drinker below him was speaking of matters that could cost him his life.


    At this time.


    Another middle-aged constable in ck robes hurriedly walked towards the entrance of the teahouse. He entered without noticing the unusual atmosphere in the teahouse.


    "Captain Qiao, why are you still here? Listening to stories in this teahouse?" He nced at the mute storyteller on the stage, furrowing his eyebrows slightly.


    "The Chief Constable has summoned us. Come with me quickly."


    "Sheriff Qian? I was just passing by the teahouse, taking a rest." Qiao Mu smiled slightly and stood up.


    He thought to himself that the words he had just said would probably get him killed three or five times.


    So he felt satisfied and in a very good mood.


    Before leaving, he didn¡¯t forget to say goodbye cheerfully to the middle-aged man named Yan at the neighboring table:


    "I¡¯m leaving, I won¡¯t argue with you anymore."


    "Actually, you¡¯re lucky too. You encountered me at this age, when I¡¯ve reached middle age and understand the principle of going along with the flow."


    "If you had encountered my hot temper when I was younger, this matter wouldn¡¯t have been resolved so easily."


    After speaking, Qiao Mu bid farewell to Sheriff Qian and left.


    At the end, Guard Chu next to him was really frightened.


    Does this person think the fire he set is not big enough, and wants to provoke the emperor¡¯s anger before leaving?


    He couldn¡¯t help but look up and met Qiao Mu¡¯s gaze for a moment, but then quickly looked away.


    After Qiao Mu left, the atmosphere in the tea house became even more silent.


    The middle-aged man surnamed Yan and Guard Chu got up one after another and left.


    The former straightened his back slightly, showing his own momentum.


    "Chu Xing, what do you think? Did that person see through my identity and intentionally speak in front of me?" he asked.


    "Um¡­"


    Guard Chu¡¯s forehead sweat, and he could only say with a stiff face:


    "Qiao Pifu is a sixth ranked martial artist, with abundant energy and no signs of weakness."


    "And, as he was about to leave, he noticed my gaze. It truly seemed like he had already embarked on the Spiritual Refining Method, but his soul was still weak."


    "A sixth ranked martial artist, heavily injured and with a damaged spirit, is definitely not an empty rumor."


    "As for whether he had the insight to see through the identity of the Emperor¡­ I guess he probably didn¡¯t."


    Emperor Yonghe nodded slightly and continued walking silently ahead.


    "So, should we test him a little more? Ordinary constables wouldn¡¯t say those things."


    "He was rmended by Wang Shanhe. Do his words represent the opinion of the former Minister of Justice?" Emperor Yonghe muttered to himself.


    The atmosphere became even more gloomy.


    Based on his years of serving Emperor Yonghe, Chu Xing knew deep down that the Emperor was probably considering an act of violence, but he still had some hesitation and hadn¡¯t made a definitive decision.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    Including Qiao Mu, many constables were gathered at the front gate of the yamen.


    The chief constable of Heyang City, a woman in her early thirties with a pair of narrowed phoenix eyes, asionally nced at Qiao Mu, perhaps noticing his absent-mindedness while speaking.


    The chief constable of this capital city was talking about a recent strange case called the "Case of Impermanent Monster".


    But Qiao Mu was indeed absent-minded.


    Because he was about to be imprisoned soon, it was not impossible for him to die as a result.


    He said about the incident at the teahouse in front of the official named Yan, and once the news spread, he, as a newly appointed constable, would immediately be punished and imprisoned.


    He didn¡¯t take his current identity as a constable too seriously.


    After all, his goal was to kill the emperor, and it was unlikely that this identity wouldst for more than a month.


    Coming to this city, I just want to find a high-quality death before killing the emperor.


    Heyang City is thergest city in this area, so Qiao Mu thought to himself, there are probably members of the Wuji Association in this city. He can try to get in touch with them to gather more information about the emperor¡¯s travels. Then he can find a way to blend in and earn a good death.


    At this very moment, he suddenly had a feeling again, the vague intuition that guided him to this city.


    This intuition isn¡¯t very reliable, sometimes it¡¯s there and sometimes it¡¯s not. Especially after he entered Heyang City, it became even more unclear.


    At first, he thought that aftering to the city, he might trigger some main quests.


    Butter he realized that this mysterious intuition started when he practiced the Wuji Association¡¯s "Martial Saint Spiritual Technique".


    So obviously, this intuition must be rted to the Wuji Association.


    If there is the Wuji Association, it means there is fatal danger, it means there is information rted to the n of assassinating the emperor¡­ Qiao Mu was starting to feel intrigued.


    He looked north and felt suspicious. He pulled Sheriff Qian next to him and asked:


    "Sheriff Qian, are there any famous people or attractions in the north of this city?"


    "I¡¯m in a meeting¡­" Sheriff Qian replied, slightly annoyed.


    Qiao Mu casually took out some small silver coins and handed them over.


    "We are all colleagues, why do you have to be like this?" Sheriff Qian smiled and whispered:


    "There used to be a famous martial arts n in the north of the city, also named Qiao. The Qiao family used to be quite well-known, but they disappeared six months ago. Now, there is a Taoist temple called Xuantian Temple built on thatnd."


    "By the way, Xuantian Temple is the headquarters of an inhuman sect. You may be aw enforcement officer, but you should remember¡­ there are certain ces that are not suitable for you to visit."

 Chapter 67:

    Chapter 67:


    Qiao Family of Heyang City was destroyed half a year ago.


    After the Qiao Family¡¯s downfall, the Immortal Gate Xuantian Sect settled in Heyang City and established their headquarters.


    It took six months for the residents of Heyang City to understand about these strange and powerful people called cultivators.


    Even someone like Sheriff Qian, a minor government official, had some knowledge about the Xuantian Sect in Heyang City.


    "Why can¡¯t we go to the Xuantian Sect?" Qiao Mu asked quietly.


    "We arew enforcement officers representing the Great Yan¡¯sws. Are you saying that even if the Xuantian Sect¡¯s cultivators break thews of Great Yan, we can¡¯t arrest them?"


    When these words were spoken, Sheriff Qian gave a strange look to Qiao Mu.


    "Captain Qiao, aren¡¯t you already quite old? How can you still say such naive things?"


    Sheriff Qian originally wanted to say ¡®childish,¡¯ but after considering the silver coins in his hand, he changed it to ¡®naive.¡¯Sheriff Qian confidently said, "The so-called ¡®inhuman¡¯ are immortals, powerful beings beyondmon people¡¯s reach. Great Yan¡¯sws govern the people of Great Yan, how can we govern the immortals of the Xuantian Sect?"


    Qiao Mu¡¯s heart skipped a beat as he listened. "Are you saying that even usw enforcement officers could invite danger upon ourselves by entering the Immortal Gate headquarters?"


    "Captain Qiao, let¡¯s not pretend to be confused. There are some facts that we don¡¯t need to say out loud," said Sheriff Qian with a slight smile.


    "Sheriff Qian is pretty easy to talk to. It saves me a lot of trouble. After this meeting is over, I¡¯ll ask him a few more questions," thought Qiao Mu.


    Sheriff Qian¡¯s real name is Qian Qian, and he is actually only in his thirties, younger than Qiao Mu.


    The only thing is that he has a slightly receding hairline, making him look older than the current 44-year-old Qiao Mu, but he is quite friendly.


    Qiao Mu believed that he wouldn¡¯t stay in this deputy position for too long. Since he was determined to die, getting too close to Sheriff Qian might involve him, so he didn¡¯t intend to have a good rtionship with his colleagues.


    It¡¯s fine not to have a rtionship, as long as there is silver to open the way, Sheriff Qian is quite detailed in his words.


    Qiao Mu currently has no shortage of silver coins.


    Previously, the bandits looted the Mansion of the City Lord in Yan City and took away a batch of antiques, collectibles, and jewelry from a secret room.


    Although the bandits have their methods to sell the stolen goods, it still takes some time.


    After learning that Qiao Mu would soon leave for Heyang City, Wang Songhe took the initiative to give him some gold and silver money, while leaving the antiques to be gradually sold by the bandits.


    The amount of silver money in Qiao Mu¡¯s hands is not that much, but for now, he doesn¡¯t really have to worry about food and expenses.


    "Sheriff Qian, please tell me more about this Xuantian Sect."


    "Captain Qiao, isn¡¯t it inappropriate? The Chief Constable is still talking about the Case of Impermanent Monster."


    Qiao Mu thought for a moment, then took out some silver coins.


    "Oh well, actually Captain Qiao can ask me after this meeting. It¡¯s not toote." Qian Qian discreetly epted the silver coins, but his gaze towards Qiao Mu became a bit warmer.


    This Captain Qiao is said to be from out of town and suddenly became a chief constable. It¡¯s rumored that he had connections and someone in higher positions.


    Now it seems that the rumors are indeed true. He is so generous in giving out information. It¡¯s worth getting to know him¡­


    The chief constable can only be considered a minor official, not even reaching the ninth official rank, and his sry is not high.


    Qian Qian, who was once a strong martial artist ranked 9th in internal strength, served as the head of the catching department. However, as he grew older, his energy and blood declined. Though he still had internal strength, he could no longerpare to the youthful martial artists ranked 9th. That¡¯s why he could only be a low-ranking official.


    Since the head of the catching department didn¡¯t earn much, it was obvious that Captain Qiao was either wealthy or powerful¡­


    Since Captain Qiao seemed to have some family wealth¡­


    Qian Qian smiled mysteriously and said:


    "Captain Qiao, you¡¯vee to the right person. If it were someone else, they may not know these inside information like me¡­"


    "More inside information? Tell me quickly," Qiao Mu¡¯s heart raced.


    "Half a year ago, the Qiao Family of Heyang City was wiped out overnight. It¡¯s said that even the Martial Saint personally took action¡­ Since then, the Qiao family became a notorious and abandoned ce, with no one daring to enter. Even the surrounding property prices plummeted by as much as thirty to forty percent."


    "The northern part of the city was already a prosperous area of Heyang City. To have property prices drop by thirty to forty percent is terrifying¡­" Qian Qian said with a slight smile, wearing a confident expression:


    "But, others fear what I desire!"


    "I¡¯m Qian Qian, not very powerful, but I have good vision. When thend prices dropped to their lowest point, I bought a house near the Qiao Family Courtyard to settle down."


    "And guess what? The Immortal Gate brought their immortal leader from the Xuantian Sect! They made the Qiao Family Courtyard and the surrounding area their headquarters, causing the prices to skyrocket, now it¡¯s two or three times higher than before."


    Qian Qian felt quite proud when it came to this.


    Actually, this statement of his is a bit of self-praise.


    He wasn¡¯t afraid of Martial Saints or haunted houses, he was just poor.


    In recent years, the court¡¯s taxes have been heavy, and he¡¯s already in his thirties.


    For ordinary people and ordinary martial artists, their physical peak is usually in their twenties or thirties. Once they pass that age, their vitality declines every year.


    Qian Qian was daring and fought bravely when he was young. Although he only had basic skills in external martial arts, he developed internal strength. However, as he grew older, his vitality declined year by year. This old guy found it difficult topete with the young constables in the government, so he gritted his teeth and bought a house in the north of the city.


    "As the ancients said, when you¡¯re close to red, you turn red; when you¡¯re close to ck, you turn ck. Now our Qiao family is close to the immortals, which means not only can we hope for spiritual advancement, but also let our daughter bask in some immortal aura and be influenced by it."


    Qian Qianughed and said.


    But Qiao Mu frowned secretly and said, "You¡¯ve said so much, but what about the inside story you mentioned?"


    Qian Qian mysteriously said, "The inside story is that I know there is a nearby empty house near the Xuantian Sect¡¯s headquarters in the north of the city. If Captain Qiao needs it, I can help make connections."


    This person mistakenly thought I wanted to buy a house¡­ Qiao Mu was a bit amused and helpless.


    Just as they were about to talk about something else, the Chief Constable Chen, who was in charge, finished talking about the case and walked towards Qiao Mu.


    Qian Qian immediately fell silent.


    Qiao Mu, on the other hand, remained calm. He had already killed the 6th-ranked city lord, so why would he be afraid of a city¡¯s chief constable?


    "Captain Qiao seems to have some thoughts on this case. The discussion was quite intense just now. Why don¡¯t you share your thoughts?" Chief Constable Chen raised her chin slightly, squinting her phoenix-like eyes as she looked down at Qiao Mu.


    She appeared to be around thirty years old, with a mature charm. Even though she was ring down at him, there was a faint hint of coquettishness, making Sheriff Qian next to him unable to help but think, "Can she give me a nce too?"


    "Actually, I don¡¯t really have any particr thoughts." Qiao Mu said calmly.


    He didn¡¯t pay any attention at all, so naturally he didn¡¯t have any thoughts.


    Chief Constable Chen frowned slightly, looking down at Qiao Mu with a hint of undisguised contempt in her voice:


    "If you have no thoughts, then just keep quiet."


    "I am curious about who sent you to the Six Gates¡­ but once you¡¯re through this gate, you have to listen to me."


    Chen Yingxue, as a woman who climbed to the position of the Chief Constable of the city without any outside help, naturally despised someone like Qiao Mu, a middle-aged man who relied on connections.


    Qiao Mu didn¡¯t have any emotional fluctuations upon hearing this.


    After all, he didn¡¯te here topete with these constables for a job.


    So he said solemnly:


    "Lady, please don¡¯t be curious about me. Curiosity often leads to trouble."


    "Uncle has been killing fish in the market for ten years. My heart has be as cold as the fish I killed. Please don¡¯te near me."


    Chief Constable Chen£º£¿


    She frowned at Qiao Mu,pletely bewildered by his strange words, and instinctively walked away.


    Actually, this is exactly what Qiao Mu wanted.


    As a man who had embarked on the path of seeking death, after experiencing the storms of Yan City, Qiao Mu hade to understand one thing:


    Women only slow him down in his pursuit of death.


    Men are the same.


    When there is no one around, he has no worries or weaknesses, making him the strongest.


    "Captain Qiao, you¡­" Qian Qian finally dared to speak beside him.


    "The chief constable is strict and upright. Although she won¡¯t give you a hard time, she¡¯s still your superior, after all."


    "Strict? Then I better stay away from her," Qiao Mu said seriously.


    "I am always against evil and treat life and death lightly. But to someone with a strong sense of justice, I must seem insignificant, like a firefly in the dark¡­ I¡¯m afraid she might actually be attracted to me."


    As the words reached this point, Qiao Mu looked on with satisfaction as the chief constable, who had already walked far away, trembled ever so slightly.


    Relieved.


    Meanwhile.


    A huge paper crane flew in from the sky, carrying a young woman with a bun on her head who appeared to be in her twenties.


    The paper crane quickly shrank to its ordinary size and the young woman reached out and tucked it into her embrace.


    "Immortal Ming Yue from Xuantian Sect has arrived."


    "Even a folded paper crane can make people fly, truly magical."


    The nearby constables all praised and admired.


    "Why did people from Xuantian Secte to the government office?" Qiao Mu wondered.


    Apart from Wang Songhe who only practices magic and not cultivation, this is the first time he has seen a cultivator.


    However, this female cultivator looked friendly and approachable with a warm smile. Though Qiao Mu had thoughts of death, he didn¡¯t want to pick fights easily¡­after all, she was not thepletely evil Butcher Zheng.


    "Hey, Captain Qiao, it seems like you didn¡¯t hear at all," Qian Qian said helplessly beside him.


    "Then exin it in detail," Qiao Mu said, habitually reaching for his silver, only to be stopped by Qian Qian:


    "It¡¯s a small matter this time, no need for that."


    "The fairy from Xuantian Sect hase to work with us to solve the ¡®Case of the Monster that doesn¡¯t stay the same¡¯."


    "Lately, there have been many evil creatures causing trouble and hurting people inside Heyang City."


    "ording to Immortal Ming Yue from Xuantian Sect, this evil creature is called the ¡®Impermanent Monster¡¯ and it feeds on death energy. It¡¯s a strange and dangerous beast."


    "Every time it appears, it takes someone¡¯s life, just like the messengers from the underworld in ancient legends, known as the ¡®Impermanent Ones¡¯. That¡¯s why it¡¯s called the ¡®Impermanent Monster¡¯."


    Life and death can change so quickly? Is that really lucky?


    Qiao Mu originally just wanted to be azy worker, but now he¡¯s feeling a bit curious.


    Wherever there is danger and death, there you will find Qiao Mu.


    "But, um, as a member of the police, should I also catch these evil creatures causing trouble?" Qiao Mu was a bit confused.


    At the moment, he is a very skilled martial artist, ranked sixth. He is now at the same level as the former Yan City Lord and has learned powerful martial arts like the Long Life Fist and Pure Yang Wuji Skill. He has good judgment.


    He could tell that most of the constables in this yamen were at a basic stage of training.


    Catchers like Qian Qian are only at rank 9 in their training, and even martial artists like Sheriff Qian, who are ranked 9th, have declined in their energy and blood, and their actualbat ability is not that great.


    The only one worth Qiao Mu taking a second look at is Chief Constable Chen, who has a martial skill of about 7th or 8th rank¡­but it¡¯s only a second look.


    Ordinary catchers usually only deal with small matters like local thugs, and they don¡¯t have the chance to handle big thieves or evil monsters.


    "Our regr catchers can¡¯t handle this, so the immortal from Xuantian Sect came," Sheriff Qian said with a smile, and looked at the face of the female cultivator with a faint longing.


    It is said that immortals can live forever, who wouldn¡¯t long for that?


    The female cultivator from Xuantian Sect, known as Bright Moon, smiled and said:


    "In this operation, we will need the help of all the catchers from the yamen."


    "You don¡¯t need to deal with this impermanent monster, it is quite powerful and might harm you. If you discover any traces of these monsters, just inform me."


    "The immortal is truly kind-hearted andpassionate."


    "The immortal still worries about the safety of us ordinary people." The constables all breathed a sigh of relief.


    They were all mortal beings and didn¡¯t want to deal with those so-called monsters.


    Female Cultivator Ming Yue continued to smile and said:


    "This monster feeds on death energy, so it often appears near dying people, such as in clinics and prisons. Please pay attention, everyone."


    "But in case you really encounter that monster, remember not to kill it. Bring it back instead."


    "Hmm? Why is that?" asked one of the constable leaders.


    "Because¡­ heaven has the virtue of being merciful. Killing this wicked creature is too easy, so I will bring it back to our sect and punish it separately. It will serve the Immortal Gate with its guilty body, slowly repaying the sins it hasmitted over the long years," the female cultivator answered.


    The constables fell silent for a moment.


    "Indeed. Heaven has a kind favor."


    "The immortal speaks rightly."


    At this moment, a brave constable cleared his throat and stepped forward.


    "ording to thews of Great Yan, the one who kills is surely subject to death penalty."


    "May I ask, immortal, how is it that this monster, who has killed, can continue to live within the Immortal Gate?"


    "So, does the life of this mixed creature, capable of smelling death, hold more value than the lives of my fellow Great Yan citizens?"


    Female Cultivator Ming Yue looked at Qiao Mu, who had stepped out from the crowd, and the warm smile that had been on her face unknowingly faded.


    Just as she was about to act out, a series of rapid footsteps could be heard outside the yamen (government office).


    A group of officials holding swords and knives pushed open the gate, barged in, and surrounded the constables inside.


    This made the constables very surprised, what was happening? The soldiers surrounded the six gates?


    "Which one is Qiao Pifu?" asked the leading soldier.


    "That¡¯s me," Qiao Mu guessed what was going on and smiled calmly.


    "Someone reported that you were discussing politics and ndering the current emperor in the teahouse¡­ Arrest him!"


    Capturing fugitives is usually the duty of the constables, but Qiao Mu himself is the chief constable, so this time he specially dispatched soldiers.


    However, as soon as these words were spoken, Sheriff Qian, who had been friendly before, quickly realized the situation and rushed over to apprehend Qiao Mu.

 Chapter 68:

    Chapter 68:


    Qiao Mu didn¡¯t resist and was quickly captured on the spot.


    However, the first person to take action was Sheriff Qian, who had just been talking happily with him, which surprised him.


    This guy changed his face a bit too quickly.


    "Captain Qiao, please don¡¯t me me." Qian Qian looked serious and leaned in closer to Qiao Mu, lowering his voice:


    "Speaking ill of the government and ndering the world, this is probably a definite death sentence¡­"


    "We were just having a pleasant conversation, that¡¯s why I need to draw a clear line. I have an elderly father in his sixties who went missing¡­"


    "Stop, stop, let¡¯s not talk about this kind of thing." Qiao Mu remained calm.


    He was calmly escorted by the group of officials, preparing to be led into prison.


    This sudden turmoil came and went quickly, making people unable to help but mutter.It was mainly because Qiao Mu was too calm, tooposed, not at all like someone about to eat prison food or even face death. One would think the officials were inviting him to a meal.


    "Captain Qiao has only just arrived, hasn¡¯t he?"


    "What did he do wrong? Did a constable dare to criticize the government?"


    "What exactly did he say to attract the attention of the officials and soldiers?"


    The unaware constables whispered to each other, while the few constables who had followed Qiao Mu into the teahouse remained silent.


    They were aware of the situation, but the words spoken by Qiao Mu earlier were truly treasonous¡­ They even hesitated to talk privately about it.


    It had only been a few days since Qiao Mu took office, and his way of speaking was somewhat rebellious and not very likable. So, the constables didn¡¯t have much emotional fluctuation. After being surprised, they quickly shifted their attention back to the case.


    Female Cultivator Ming Yue continued discussing the case with these constables, but after being confronted by Qiao Mu earlier, the warm smile on her face disappeared and she became indifferent.


    This even made the constables somewhat me Captain Qiao in their hearts.


    "In summary, this impermanent monster is not easy to deal with. Its true nature is unknown, and it might be a tiger-like demon. If you encounter it, don¡¯t rely solely on your bravery; notify me as soon as possible."


    After speaking, female cultivator Ming Yue raised her hand and tossed a paper crane into the wind. It elongated, and she leaped onto it swiftly, riding it to a distance, leaving only her back view for the others.


    "Such magical skills!"


    "Unlike us martial artists who only know how to punch and kick with bitterness¡­"


    The constables were filled with envy.


    Their eyesight was not strong enough to see the flying paper crane clearly, so they didn¡¯t notice the trembling shoulder of the female cultivator Ming Yue on the paper crane.


    "To appear saintly in front of others, what a wonderful feeling."


    This female cultivator Ming Yue had a satisfied expression on her face.


    Inside the Xuantian Sect, she was actually just a disciple who raised spiritual beasts.


    Although she was Saintess Wu Qingxin¡¯s disciple in the sect and was highly favored by the holy maiden, she was ultimately just a servant.


    Although she had cultivated the immortal path, her cultivation level was not high, and she was still in a mortal body. The only thing she could boast about within the sect was her skill in raising spiritual beasts.


    But if she came to this mortal realm, she would be a celestial being.


    Mortals can¡¯t distinguish between these cultivators, they are all celestial beings, all immortal elders.


    "Just now, I did something a little inappropriate. Initially, I treated these mortals with a smiling face, but it turns out it wasn¡¯t appropriate."


    She thought that by treating them with a smiling face, with her identity as a celestial being from Xuantian Sect, these mortals would probably be pleasantly surprised and work harder¡­


    "I didn¡¯t expect these mortals to not appreciate it and have no sense of propriety, and dare to contradict me?"


    "Forget it¡­. Anyway, that person has already been captured by the official soldiers, and is indeed on a dead end."


    "Currently, the most important thing is to capture that impermanent monster." Ming Yue thought to herself:


    "If that monster really feeds on death energy, able to sense death energy, then this time I can be considered to have made a contribution to the sect."


    Death energy is invisible and intangible, ethereal, but it does exist. It is a breath that only dissipates from beings in this world when they are about to die and vanishes in an instant.


    Only a few special creatures with extraordinary abilities can smell the deathly aura of these living beings.


    Originally, these creatures were not particrly rare.


    Many years ago, a sorcerer killed and skinned this creature, using its essence to create a sinister treasure. This cruel act led to the ughter of countless innocent creatures and earned the disapproval of righteous cultivators.


    This incident even angered the Martial Saint of the mortal realm.


    Not only did that sorcerer meet his demise at the hands of the Martial Saint, but the Martial Saint also ordered his Wuji Association to exterminate these creatures that can sense the deathly aura. As a result, they have be nearly extinct.


    "If I were to obtain one of these creatures, perhaps I could keep it together with the Saintess¡¯ Blue-eyed Flying Tiger. When the cub grows up, it might give birth to offspring that can perceive the aura of death¡­"


    The thought of Female Cultivator Ming Yue drifted further and further away as she rode the paper crane into the distance.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    Inside the city¡¯s prison.


    "Be honest."


    "Qiao Pifu, as a government official, when you go to prison, please behave and maintain some dignity."


    "He is a newly appointed martial artist, known as a government bounty hunter¡­. Put on the iron chains."


    Qiao Mu also didn¡¯t resist, cooperated like he couldn¡¯t afford not to, letting them lift his right hand and not moving his left foot, letting them do whatever they wanted.


    As he cooperated with the jailer to put on the iron chains, he asked with a hint of anticipation, "Brother, do you know when they will kill me?"


    "It probably won¡¯t be after autumn, right? It¡¯s still spring, too long to wait."


    "Don¡¯t wait too long, seize the day."


    "I think we shouldn¡¯t waste the taxpayers¡¯ money."


    "Are you finished yet? Are you in a rush to be reincarnated?" The jailer got annoyed and roared like a tiger.


    "Yes, it¡¯s urgent. We should do it while it¡¯s still hot¡­ No, we should do it now, no need to pick the right timing."


    "When the executiones, I hope it¡¯s a big scene. I love excitement. Otherwise, let the governor of Heyange and see, shall we?"


    The jailers looked at each other, unable to figure out this person¡¯s intentions.


    If we talk about his determination to die, this person is too calm andposed. Entering the prison is as natural as going home.


    It¡¯s too strange,pletely abnormal.


    Could it be¡­ fearless?


    He was certain that he wouldn¡¯t die, that¡¯s why he jumped like this?


    "I heard that this person is from another ce, just arrived in Heyang City and became a catcher. It seems like someone higher up is involved?"


    "If someone higher up is involved, then they must be someone important¡­ Hemitted offenses like criticizing the imperial government and insulting the current emperor! Which background is strong enough to not worry about getting caught?"


    The prison guards talked about it, but they couldn¡¯t figure out why.


    They spoke politely and cautiously, so as not to provoke Qiao Pifu, who might be someone they couldn¡¯t handle.


    The prison door closed, the guards left, and Qiao Mu was bound with iron chains in this tiny cell.


    There was a small square window on the prison wall. It was nighttime, and the faint moonlight shone through the window, illuminating a small grass mat on the floor. Dust particles floated in the beam of light.


    The air was humid, with a faint musty smell. Qiao Mu took a few steps, pulling the iron chain behind him, creating a clear sound that echoed through the empty cell.


    "It¡¯s so quiet¡­"


    Qiao Mu closed his eyes slightly.


    His official title was just a newly appointed constable, so even if he criticized the government, only a few soldiers would be sent to capture him, and there wouldn¡¯t be any highly skilled expertsing after him.


    So no one had discovered that he was a 6th rank martial artist. They just treated him as a beginner who had only reached the 8th or 9th rank, and put him in chains.


    Can the internal strength of the sixth ranked martial artist break this iron chain with a burst? Qiao Mu didn¡¯t have the intention to try.


    Mostly because the prison cell was quiet, it was quite nice, and he didn¡¯t really feel like leaving.


    Being born immortal, Qiao Mu was able to feel at ease no matter where he went, and his emotions were stable.


    "Ahem¡­" Soon, a voice broke the brief calmness.


    "Brother, judging by your appearance, you must have been here more than once."


    The person speaking was an old man in the adjacent prison cell. His hair was slightly gray, making him look around sixty or seventy years old. He was thin and pale, with a yellowishplexion, indicating that he had been in this prison cell for quite some time and was clearly not in good health.


    "Brother, what did you do to end up here?"


    "Publicly insulting the emperor."


    Old man: ?


    "Don¡¯t deceive me. Being used of insulting the Emperor is a serious crime, and you might not survive it. You seem quite calm about it." The old man looked doubtful.


    "Will I be executed after autumn?" Upon hearing this, Qiao Mu finally sighed with regret in his voice.


    "I only regret that I cannot directly challenge the Emperor¡¯s actions. That way, I could be sentenced to a slow and painful death."


    "Let me tell you, do you know what a slow and painful death is? I heard it¡¯s a very rare and skillful execution method. If I were to undergo that, I¡¯m sure many people woulde to watch, right?"


    The old man remained silent.


    Has he been in prison for too long that he can¡¯t keep up with the times?


    Why does he struggle to follow the conversations of the people outside?


    He awkwardly changed the subject, "Brother, those jailers earlier seemed to mention that you¡¯re the newly appointed chief constable?"


    "Yes, what¡¯s the matter?"


    "Do you have someone in charge? Are there influential elders in your family?" The old man lowered his voice and asked.


    Qiao Mu paused for a moment and thought.


    His Qiao family lineage was extensive, so it wouldn¡¯t be wrong to say that future Qiao family elders could have an influential status.


    "It¡¯s not exactly as you imagine, but you could say so," he said ambiguously.


    "Indeed, my young friend is not an ordinary person," the old man eximed.


    He paused for a moment and continued:


    "Actually, in my younger years, I was a righteous thief who robbed corrupt officials and distributed the wealth to the poor¡­ However, there was one time when I was caught by a wealthy family¡­"


    "That wealthy family had heard that one of their children was inhuman¡­ and that¡¯s how I ended up here?"


    "Did the inhuman person harm you?" Qiao Mu became interested.


    He is quite interested in the difference in strength between cultivators and martial artists.


    "There was no need for inhuman intervention¡­ After that powerful family produced an inhuman, there were more soldiers patrolling around¡­ I didn¡¯t have time to escape. Then I was thrown into jail."


    "Although I was in jail, I still had some stolen goods outside that I hadn¡¯t sold yet. They were some antique items that were inconvenient to give to the poor¡­ The total value is at least a couple thousand."


    "Brother, if you have a way to escape, if you can take me with you, I will give you all these valuable items worth a couple thousand."


    "Oh," Qiao Mu neither agreed nor disagreed.


    It seemed like this guy was just trying to gain sympathy and offer bribes by iming to be a righteous thief with stolen goods.


    "Most people wouldn¡¯t be able to reach my method of escape," Qiao Mu casually stated.


    "¡­.Go ahead and tell me, don¡¯t judge me based on my age, I still have some skills," the old man said, slightly excited.


    Qiao Mu then said seriously, "First of all, you have tomit a very serious crime."


    "Next, when going to the execution ground, kindly greet the executioner and ask, ¡®Have you eaten?¡¯"


    The old man felt even more suspicious in his heart.


    Eating? Is this some kind of secret code? This newly arrived prisoner has already made arrangements with the executioner. As long as he says the code word, he can escape?


    But if they¡¯re already going to the execution ground and can still talk to the executioner, wouldn¡¯t they be executed immediately? How can they possibly escape?


    "And then?" he asked eagerly.


    "There¡¯s nothing more, I¡¯ve already said everything," Qiao Mu closed his eyes and ignored him.


    The old man pondered for a moment before suddenly realizing¡­ Could it be that the person was talking about a way to escape by losing their head?


    Could it be that this person is just teasing me?


    The old man couldn¡¯t help but feel amused and frustrated. He wanted to test if the new prisoner had any connections, but it seems that even if there was a way, he couldn¡¯t seed.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    In a courtyard in the capital city.


    Emperor Yonghe paced in the courtyard with a deeply furrowed brow.


    He was still thinking about the experience of being scolded by Qiao Mu in the tea house earlier.


    He was of such a high status, yet in all these years, he had never been insulted like this before.


    Especially towards the end.


    "When Qiao Pifu was questioning, it wasn¡¯t about the difference in strength between my Great Yan Imperial Court and the inhuman¡­"


    "He doubted that I, for fear of my own safety, handed over the country and the people to the cultivators¡­"


    After understanding this point, his face became even more serious.


    If that man named Qiao Pifu were just an ordinary person, he might not be able to leave the tea house and would die.


    But he is not just a person.


    He is a talented person rmended by the former Minister of Justice, Wang Shanhe, during the reign of the previous emperor.


    If Wang Shanhe were still alive at this time, he would be in his seventies, an age close to death. By rmending a talented person to be the head of Heyang City, it is likely that he has the intention of nurturing and polishing this person.


    And Qiao Mu¡¯s political views mostly represent the political views of Wang Shanhe after he retired¡­


    In his heart, he is still willing to give some face to Wang Shanhe.


    After all, Qiao Pifu is not just Qiao Pifu, and Wang Shanhe is not just Wang Shanhe.


    Wang Shanhe represents a bygone era of ministers sacrificing themselves for the country, as well as Emperor Yonghe¡¯s ideal of bing a wise ruler who can turn the tide when he was young¡­


    While pondering, Guard Chu quickly walked into the courtyard.


    "Your Majesty, Qiao Pifu has been captured by soldiers and taken to prison."


    "It seems that someone in the teahouse reported him for speaking falsely about government matters, and he was apprehended and convicted by the officials in this city."


    "Hmm?" Emperor Yonghe squinted his eyes:


    "Even if this person deserves to be killed, it should be my order to do so."


    "Then¡­ should I inform Governor Lou of Heyang City? Ask him not to act recklessly?"


    "No need." Emperor Yonghe narrowed his eyes and said impatiently:


    "Capital crimes can be pardoned, but escaping punishment for serious wrongdoing is difficult."


    "Insulting the emperor¡­ if such a crime is not punished, how can the emperor¡¯s dignity be maintained? Even if we don¡¯t execute him, he will suffer greatly in prison for a few days, and we can retrieve himter."

 Chapter 69:

    Chapter 69:


    The moonlight entered the house, and the window frames divided the iing moonlight into four pieces. Under the glow, Qiao Mu stretched his body and the iron chains that bound him made a clear sound.


    "Why am I not dead yet?"


    Qiao Mu fell into deep thought.


    It was already the third night since he was imprisoned.


    For some reason, the prison guards looked at him differently.


    It wasn¡¯t exactly special treatment.


    However, in this prison, as long as his daily meals were not taken away, he wasn¡¯t bothered too much, and there was no dirty business of the guards beating and insulting him, that alone was already a great favor.


    This made the old man in the neighboring cell think that Qiao Mu had an amazing background. Even if he insulted the emperor, he could still live sofortably in the prison.


    With nothing happening in the prison cell, time passed slowly, and Qiao Mu spent most of his remaining time quietly practicing exercises and chatting nonsense with the old man in the neighboring cell, passing the days by bragging."Ahem¡­" The old man coughed lightly several times. He had been imprisoned for many years, and his face had turned yellow. He didn¡¯t look well.


    "Brother, actually I am not an ordinary thief¡­ I am the descendant of the legendary thief king from a hundred years ago."


    "In the past, that Thief Saint had unsurpassed agility, and his senior¡¯s manual for exceptional agility was actually hidden outside. As long as you take me out¡­"


    Qiao Mu casually said, "Well, I¡¯ll tell you a secret too. Actually, I am not an ordinary constable, but the founder of the previous dynasty."


    Old man: ?


    "This founder of the previous dynasty, must have been dead for thousands of years, right?"


    Qiao Mu said seriously, "That¡¯s not important. What matters is that if you give me 50 golden coins, I will make you a grand general once I am released from prison."


    "¡­.. Are you still teasing me?"


    "Wasn¡¯t it you who teased me first?" Qiao Mu didn¡¯t believe it at all.


    It¡¯s not a coincidence that next to the prison, one would encounter someone like the heir to the Thief Saint¡­ Besides, the old man next door looks weak and doesn¡¯t seem to understand the advanced breathing technique. He should have been a martial artist of around the eighth or ninth rank in his prime, not someone important.


    "You young one¡­ My child is probably around the same age as you, it would be great if she had your cleverness."


    "Unfortunately, he was not a clever person and couldn¡¯t understand jokes like you do¡­"


    The old man was both angry and amused. He shook his head and didn¡¯t talk to Qiao Mu anymore.


    He was old and weak, unlike Qiao Mu who was bound by iron chains, so he could freely move around in the jail cell.


    Suddenly, there was a meow sound.


    He looked up and saw a little window above his head. There was a small wild cat that had somehow squeezed through the window without anyone noticing.


    This wild cat had a mixed coat of white, yellow, and ck. Although the window was as small as a bowl, the cat managed to squeeze in. Qiao Mu couldn¡¯t help but marvel: cats truly are a unique kind of liquid.


    "Little one, this is not where you belong. Hurry up, go away!"


    The old man waved his hand to drive the wild cat away.


    The prison was dark, damp, dirty, and smelled of mold. A wild cat came in, and even if it wasn¡¯t chased away or scolded by the prison guards, it was not safe for it to eat something that wasn¡¯t clean.


    He was old and weak. He just waved his hand to shoo away the little cat, and he felt a bit tired.


    He continued to walk a few steps in the prison cell, and suddenly his feet gave way, and he fell onto the icy cold floor.


    "Hmm? Did I identally run into something this time? Seeking sympathy?" Qiao Mu, who had been meditating with his eyes closed, was distracted by the noise and looked up.


    The old man remained motionless on the ground.


    Qiao Mu, being a sixth-ranked martial artist with exceptional eyesight, noticed that there was no blood under the old man, indicating that he hadn¡¯t suffered any visible injuries from the fall.


    "This old man¡­"


    He stood up and took a few steps towards him, but before he could get close, the iron chains behind him were pulled tight, straightening out.


    "Where is the prison guard? Someonee!"


    Qiao Mu made the iron chains on him nk loudly, creating a noisy disturbance.


    Soon, the prison guards rushed over, grumbling andining. When they saw it was Qiao Mu, a hint of anger disappeared from their faces.


    "Qiao Pifu, don¡¯t cause trouble. You used to be a person of authority as well, let¡¯s maintain some dignity between us."


    However, Qiao Mu didn¡¯t pay any attention to what the prison guard said. He just pointed to the old man lying unconscious in the neighboring cell.


    "There¡¯s a prisoner who fainted."


    The prison guard followed Qiao Mu¡¯s direction and nced over.


    "Oh."


    "Why aren¡¯t you rescuing him quickly?"


    "Why are you in such a hurry? Is he your father?" The prison guard called a few colleagues, opened the prison door, quickly checked the old man¡¯s condition, helped him up from the floor and onto a mat, brought him a bowl of water, then closed the prison door and left.


    Throughout the whole journey, the old man didn¡¯t move at all, clearly still unconscious.


    "Is that all?" Qiao Mu looked at the backs of the prison guards as they left.


    "What else can they do? Old Qian isn¡¯t some serious criminal." The voices of other prisoners came from inside the cell.


    "He¡¯s just a thief, even though he¡¯s been locked up for many years, no one has ever paid to release him. What else can be done?"


    "When you get old, this is what happens. Life is rare after seventy, he¡¯s already in his sixties. It¡¯s remarkable that he has survived in prison for so long. His luck is good."


    "His health has never been great anyway, and it¡¯s about time."


    The prisoners chatted in groups of two or three.


    Suddenly, an old prisoner copsed. Although it saddened them to see someone from their own kind hurt, it didn¡¯t evoke much other emotion.


    Qiao Mu stayed silent for a moment, then stood up again and walked towards the old man¡¯s cell.


    The iron chains behind him rattled and were slowly pulled straight.


    The sixth-ranked martial artist¡¯s powerful internal strength surged, forcefully pulling the iron chains tight in an instant, making them groan under the strain.


    This suddenmotion also interrupted the prisoners¡¯ idle chatter.


    "What are you going to do?" someone asked in astonishment.


    Yeah, what am I going to do?


    In truth, Qiao Mu didn¡¯t have a clear or definite idea in his mind.


    After all, he and the old man next door had only just met, they couldn¡¯t be called friends, they had only exchanged a few meaningless chats these past few days.


    But this didn¡¯t stop him from taking action.


    He saves people or not, it doesn¡¯t matter whether he is familiar with the old man or not. The key is that he wants to save.


    Because he is immortal, he has no taboos.


    While others cherish their lives and fear death, he doesn¡¯t fear.


    "Let me handle this today."


    Qiao Mu took a deep breath.


    Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, activate!


    The iron chains binding him cracked and instantly broke apart!


    Amidst the astonished gazes of the other prisoners, Qiao Mu kicked open the cell door, but instead of taking the opportunity to escape, he kicked open the old man¡¯s cell as well and rushed inside.


    Since Qiao Mu didn¡¯t know medicine, he simply observed the old man¡¯s condition and felt that his breathing was weak and his vitality was depleted¡­


    "Do any of you know medicine?" Qiao Mu stood up and asked loudly, his voice echoing in the prison cell.


    No one replied, as they were still in shock.


    "No one knows medicine?" Qiao Mu frowned, picking up the old man on the straw mat, ready to leave.


    Although Qiao Mu could break free from the shackles and escape the prison easily, it didn¡¯t mean he could fight his way out with brute force. That would underestimate Heyang City too much.


    If he were to really walk out like that, he would soon be surrounded by soldiers and be killed. Moreover, he had to carry a unconscious old man with him, which would make it even harder to seed.


    At this moment, finally, one of the prisoners spoke up:


    "I know medicine!"


    Without hesitation, Qiao Mu kicked open the cells of the prisoner and asked him to check the old man¡¯s pulse.


    "The pulse is weak, the energy and blood are depleted¡­ In my opinion, this is not a serious illness, just that he¡­ is old," the prisoner disguised as a physician said.


    "¡­.These days, he can still talk to me as usual," asked Qiao Mu.


    "The old man is afraid of falling, once he falls it¡¯s over," shook his head the prisoner.


    "Life and death are unpredictable."


    "A person¡¯s lifespan is rarely seventy, especially for someone trapped in prison. It¡¯s considered rare for him to live to this age."


    "So, there¡¯s no medicine left?" Qiao Mu asked again.


    The prisoner thought for a moment and replied:


    "If he had someone to take care of him outside and receive medical treatment, perhaps he could live for another ten days to half a month."


    Qiao Mu didn¡¯t say anything more.


    At that moment, the noise from above gradually started, followed by the sound of the door opening and the footsteps bing more intense.


    The guards heard the noise inside the prison cell and rushed in together.


    "How did this prisoner escape?"


    "Did the iron chain break? Did we make a mistake?"


    "Tie him up again!"


    Qiao Mu didn¡¯t resist.


    Aging, sickness, and death aremon in life. Although he was an exception, it was difficult for him to save an elderly person in need.


    He had already tried to help, but he couldn¡¯t forcefully break out of prison alive. He could only say he did his best.


    So, the guards drove him back into the prison cell.


    This time, as an escaped convict, his treatment was not as good as before. The guards were afraid he would escape again, so they put on a thicker iron chain and tightly bound him from head to toe.


    In the past, I could walk four or five steps in this cell, but now it¡¯s difficult even to take one or two steps.


    "Why do you have to go through so much trouble¡­ for no good reason." The prisoner doctor shook his head and didn¡¯t say much.


    The other prisoners who witnessed Qiao Mu breaking free from the iron chains and escaping couldn¡¯t help but wonder.


    If Qiao Mu was an ordinary prisoner, they wouldugh at him for doing such a difficult and pointless thing.


    Not only did he fail to escape sessfully, but he also ended up being bound by severalyers of iron chains. His future days wouldn¡¯t be asfortable anymore.


    However, after witnessing the enormous strength of Qiao Mu breaking even the iron chains, their hearts were filled with more awe.


    The strong are destined to earn respect, even if they do something that seems foolish, it only makes people respect and fear them.


    The old man, who had been in a daze, opened his eyes and nced at Qiao Mu, smiling.


    "You, youngd, are unexpectedly kind-hearted. I must have misjudged you."


    "But is it worth it for an old man like me?" He looked at Qiao Mu, who was tightly bound with iron chains.


    Based on his many years of imprisonment, a prisoner who fails to escape will surely receive special attention from the prison boss.


    Qiao Mu¡¯s gaze remained calm. "What¡¯s worth it or not? In this life, why bother calcting so much?"


    "As long as our thoughts are clear, that¡¯s enough."


    "If your thoughts are clear, you¡¯re quite interesting," the old man said with his eyes half-closed. He took a sip of water, but a hint of fear slowly grew in his heart.


    Even in his semi-conscious state, he heard Qiao Mu discussing the illness with the prisoner.


    I can¡¯t die¡­ I still want to live.


    After spending so many years in prison, I wonder if my children have grown up¡­


    Even when you¡¯re older, it¡¯s not easy to be indifferent when ites to matters of life and death.


    Who doesn¡¯t want to live a long time, who doesn¡¯t want to live a long life?


    The night grew darker little by little.


    The old man, half asleep and half awake, suddenly found the faint moonlight sprinkled on him being blocked. He turned his head and saw a colorful stray cat squeezing in through the small window on the prison wall, peering at him.


    The cat jumped lightly andnded on the cold ground silently.


    Although it was a small, scruffy stray cat, it walked with a strange elegance, taking one step at a time, unhurriedly, and then jumped onto the old man¡¯s straw mat.


    "Go away, go away, this is not where you should be."


    The old man tried to shoo it away, but he was already a bit weak, his throat was dry and he couldn¡¯t make any sound.


    Yet, the little stray cat wasn¡¯t afraid of the old man. It climbed up and nestled against his chest.


    The old man could only feel a warm sensation in his chest, a furry little thing pressing against him, gently rubbing and emitting a soft purring sound.


    "This little thing¡­ can¡¯t be chased away, is it foolish?" The old man casually patted the wild cat on its back.


    Unknowingly, the fear and dread of death in his heart gradually faded away.


    Trapped in the prison, the old man had been lonely for so long, but having this little thing by his side at the end of his life wasn¡¯t too bad¡­


    Finally, he fell into a deep sleep, apanied by gentle snores.


    The little cat quietly snuggled up to him.


    Perhaps finding the prison floor too cold, it extended its tail in front of it and positioned its front paws on its fluffy tail, leaning against the sleeping old man and closing its eyes slightly.


    ¡­¡­.


    A night passed.


    When the prison guards came for their daily inspection the next day, they quickly discovered the old man¡¯s lifeless body.


    "Did the old man die? Didn¡¯t survive through the night?"


    "It was also his time to pass away."


    "Stop talking, let¡¯s deal with the prisoner¡¯s body."


    "¡­Did a ck shadow just sh by?"


    The wild calico cat woke up abruptly when the prison guard opened the door, and quickly ran into the shadows of the neighboring cell.


    Once the guards left, the prison cell became quiet again.


    Just as the wild cat was about to jump onto the small window to escape, it suddenly heard the sound of rattling chains beside it.


    It lifted its small head and in the faint morning light, it saw a tall man bound tightly by iron chains, gazing down at him.


    The little wild cat became cautious and suspicious, taking two steps back.


    Then it seemed to notice something, lifted its nose gently and sniffed, its pupils dting.


    Then it took two steps, its previously elegant steps bing slightly hurried.


    It continued walking forward, and when it reached the man¡¯s feet, it suddenly copsed to the ground, its eyes lifeless, its tongue hanging out, showing a cat¡¯s dazed expression during anesthesia.


    "What a silly cat, it¡¯s acting so weird." Qiao Mu stretched his body and nced at the empty straw mat in the adjacent cell.

 Chapter 70:

    Chapter 70:


    "What? Qiao Pifu is in prison?"


    Inside the mansion in the west of the city, Shen Qinghe looked at his butler in surprise.


    "The master has been in the study reading these days,pletely focused."


    "When I left this morning, I found out that this matter was causing quite a stir¡­" The butler looked at Shen Qinghe.


    These past few days, Shen Qinghe has been reading books about cultivators and spirits. Once he starts studying, he getspletely absorbed. It was the butler who reminded him of this matter.


    "It was my fault," Shen Qinghe said, feeling a bit embarrassed.


    His official position is a 7th rank judge, responsible for handling criminal cases. Since Qiao Mu was imprisoned, he shouldn¡¯t have been unaware of this matter.


    "But why does that Qiao Pifu always stir up trouble? The Emperor can¡¯t just let him say whatever he wants, even in a crowded teahouse, right?"


    Shen Qinghe is an upright official who only cares about right and wrong. He doesn¡¯t pay much attention to social connections. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have been demoted from a 5th rank court official to a 7th rank local official in Nan Province.He assigned Qiao Mu to the Six Gates as a detective. One reason is that he trusts Wang Shanhe, and the other reason is that Qiao Mu is skilled enough. Being a detective isn¡¯t enough for him; it¡¯s a waste of his talents. So, it doesn¡¯t contradict his principles as an official.


    Master, what should we do next? Should we go to the prison?


    This butler is a spy nted by the Flying Fish Guard. This reminder was actually to see how Shen Qinghe would react, as requested by Emperor Yonghe.


    "You mean go and rescue him? Hm."


    Shen Qinghe was calm and there was no obvious change in his facial expression.


    "When Wang¡­ Master Wang rmended him toe to the city, it was to polish his character. So why should I go and rescue him?"


    "If he says the wrong words and does the wrong things, he will have to pay the price. Experience is gained through hardship."


    After saying that, Shen Qinghe changed into his official uniform and prepared to leave.


    "Since you¡¯re not rescuing anyone, where are you going, sir?" the butler asked.


    Without hesitation, Shen Qinghe replied, "I¡¯m going to take a look at the case file. Of course I have to see what exactly Qiao Pifu did wrong, right?"


    ¡­¡­¡­


    Fifteen minutester.


    Shen Qinghe looked at the case file in his hand and couldn¡¯t help but p his thigh on the spot.


    "Good ¡ª¡ª"


    Just as he was halfway through saying "good," he saw the surprised look on the other officials¡¯ faces, so he deliberately dragged out the word:


    "So bold!"


    After saying that, his thoughts were in turmoil and he struggled to control himself.


    He originally thought Qiao Pifu had a lot of courage, daring to discuss political matters and insult the emperor¡­ but he didn¡¯t expect him to say it so convincingly.


    "The emperor sees his subjects as mere cattle and horses, so will he easily give way to immortals?"


    "Huh. He dares to say that."


    "I underestimated him."


    Shen Qinghe silently repeated Qiao Mu¡¯s words in his heart, and the more he repeated them, the more his emotions churned.


    When Wang Shanhe was the chief of the Ministry of Justice, he was a deputy of the 5th rank in the Ministry of Justice, and he greatly admired Wang Shanhe¡¯s courage to speak out against the emperor during the funeral procession.


    Now, seeing Qiao Pifu angrily insulting the emperor in a teahouse, he felt very pleased.


    "It¡¯s such a shame if this person were to die here." He had a thought in his mind.


    If Qiao Pifu was just a talented person rmended by Wang Shanhe, he wouldn¡¯t have bothered to save him, as it goes against his principles.


    But this time, he had a new idea.


    He immediately left the house and headed straight towards the residence of the governor of Huyang.


    Governor Lou was also his old ssmate from the past.


    However, now they held different ranks, with one being a high-ranking local official of the 4th rank, and the other being a low-ranking official of the 7th rank under hismand. Shen Qinghe was a person who cared about his reputation, so he didn¡¯t try to establish a rtionship with this old ssmate of his.


    But this time, he didn¡¯t care about these things.


    He walked all the way to the mansion¡¯s entrance, just about to tell the gatekeeper that he came to visit, but suddenly stopped his steps and choked for a moment.


    Shen Qinghe had been in office for many years, pleading and even bailing out serious offenders from the prison. This was the first time he couldn¡¯t figure out how to speak up.


    After hesitating outside the door for a while, he caught the attention of the gatekeeper. It was then that Shen Qinghe let out a sigh, put on a smiling face, and approached to speak.


    ¡­¡­


    "Shen Qinghe£¿"


    Governor Lou was practicing calligraphy in his study, dipping the brush in ink and writing a character "forever" on the spread-out rice paper. When he heard the news brought by the servant, he couldn¡¯t help but stop his brush and chuckled.


    "Hasn¡¯t he always been stubborn? Now he knows how to lower his head?"


    He knew Qiao Pifu¡¯s matter.


    Mainly because the words spoken by this person were really rebellious, which left quite an impression on him.


    As a governor, he found outter that Qiao Pifu was rmended by Shen Qinghe for this matter.


    These past few days, intentionally keeping Qiao Pifu in prison without immediately killing him, was also partly to satisfy his curiosity and see if Shen Qinghe, who doesn¡¯t listen to advice, would be willing to back down.


    "I won¡¯t see him," he said, waving his big hand.


    "Let him wait outside the mansion for a few days," he said.


    He picked up the brush again and continued writing.


    He wasn¡¯t in a hurry, after all, the person locked in the prison wasn¡¯t him.


    Continuing to write, time passed quickly, and the sun had already set.


    At this moment, another servant arrived at the study room¡¯s doorway.


    "What¡¯s up? Is Shen Qinghe still waiting outside the mansion?" Governor Lou put down his brush, smiled, and looked up.


    He saw a man with a raised temple and cold eyes, besides the subordinate.


    "Lord Lou." Guard Chu showed the waist token of the Flying Fish Guard.


    "I came this time carrying the emperor¡¯s decree."


    "Pardon the chief constable, Qiao Pifu, who was imprisoned for discussing politics."


    Governor Lou looked up at the visitor, with a slight twitch at the corner of his eye.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    The sun had set, painting half the sky red.


    Shen Qinghe had been standing outside the mansion for quite a while, his face gradually turning gray.


    The governor used the excuse of "feeling unwell and taking a nap" to make him wait until sunset¡­ He wasn¡¯t a fool and naturally understood the message from this old acquaintance.


    "Never mind, this matter didn¡¯t work out, and I¡¯ve done my best."


    Just as he was about to turn around and leave, the grand entrance of the mansion behind him suddenly burst open.


    "My dear friend Shen, you¡¯ve finallye to my mansion," Governor Lou said with a smile as he walked quickly towards Shen Qinghe, shaking his hand and leading him into the mansion.


    "Lately, I¡¯ve been feeling a bit under the weather, falling into a deep slumber by dusk. The servants in the mansion have been rude and disrespectful to my dear friend, please don¡¯t take offense."


    "Oh no, it¡¯s me who has troubled the master of the mansion¡­" Shen Qinghe forced a smile.


    Although he was puzzled and confused in his heart, he hade seeking help, so naturally, he wouldn¡¯t ask questions at this moment.


    The title of the governor is not an official position, but rather a respectful term.


    ording to the customs of the Great Yan Imperial Court, someone who holds the position of both a mayor and a martial artist, with considerable strength and responsibilities in both military and political affairs, is generally referred to as the "master of the mansion."


    His official title is mayor, but as the master of the mansion, he essentially holds the power of a local emperor.


    He entered the hall with the governor, patiently exchanged greetings for a long time, and then Shen Qinghe finally revealed Qiao Pifu¡¯s situation.


    "There¡¯s no need for Brother Shen to worry about this matter," Governor Lou smiled warmly.


    "Brother Shen may not know, but Qiao Pifu is a righteous and fearless person who dares to speak the truth. I actually admire him. However, this matter goes against thews of Great Yan, so I only n to keep him in custody for a few days and then release him with a suitable reason."


    "Oh?" Shen Qinghe suddenly showed a look of surprise.


    "Does the Governor think that the current emperor is afraid of death?"


    "Pfft¡­" Governor Lou almost choked on his tea, his heart pounding as he looked at Shen Qinghe.


    That official from the Flying Fish Guard by the emperor¡¯s side had just left not long ago.


    The Flying Fish Guard is not only the emperor¡¯s personal guard, but also responsible for monitoring the officials. If what was just said gets reported¡­ he immediately broke out in a cold sweat.


    This Shen Qinghe, indeed cannot be deeply trusted¡­


    Governor Lou awkwardly changed the topic and continued chatting for a while, then casually asked:


    "So Qiao Pifu seems to have just arrived in Heyang Prefecture, and his household registration identity was also arranged by Brother Shen, right?"


    "I wonder what the background of this brave truth-teller is?"


    Shen Qinghe¡¯s heart skipped a beat.


    The strange feeling he had before finally became clear at this moment.


    This Governor Lou, the master of a prestigious prefecture, seemed to be cautiously trying to find out about Qiao Pifu¡¯s identity?


    Could it be that Qiao Pifu, this martial artist with damaged soul, has a more distinguished background than what Shen Qinghe had imagined?


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    Inside the county prison.


    Qiao Mu, who was tightly bound by heavy iron chains, struggled to stretch his body.


    The silly cat from before had disappeared without a trace and escaped through the window.


    "That silly cat dared to flirt with me in front of me. If it weren¡¯t for these chains restraining me, I would definitely teach it a lesson." Qiao Muined, frustrated by his limited mobility.


    While Qiao Mu muttered to himself, the door to the prison suddenly swung open.


    This time, there were about ten people standing in front of him.


    Besides a few familiar prison guards, the others were wearing official uniforms, officials that Qiao Mu had never seen before.


    "With such a grand gathering, does this mean I am finally going to die?" Qiao Mu jokingly asked with a light-hearted tone.


    "Could you please tell me in detail how you n to kill me? Where will it take ce? How about the market? I like crowds." Qiao Mu eximed, enjoying the lively atmosphere.


    "¡­Captain Qiao, you¡¯re just joking." The leading prison official wiped his sweat, his body stiffening up.


    When Qiao Mu went to prison, they only thought he was a bit strange, but now they understand.


    The backstage is very strong and scary,pletely confident and already sure that he will be released.


    Insulting the emperor, and the prefect himself ordered to fetch him¡­ They can¡¯t imagine how strong their backstage support is.


    So, were they all being sarcastic with them before?


    The official could only smile and apologize:


    "This whole thing is a misunderstanding, Captain Qiao, please don¡¯t be angry."


    Then he turned around and scolded the nearby jailer with a cold face:


    "What are you standing there for? Don¡¯t you know what to do? Unlock the chains and release Captain Qiao!"


    The prison cell became restless, and the other prisoners stared in amazement.


    Qiao Mu had tried to escape from prison before, but now he was unexpectedly released, and there were so many officials ttering him?


    "Why am I not dead?" Qiao Mu sighed softly.


    His sigh made the prison officials¡¯ hearts beat rapidly.


    No matter how you listened, it sounded like he was sarcastically ming them for capturing and imprisoning him.


    "Oh well, it¡¯s fine. Just wait and see."


    He was winning no matter what!


    Although he had escaped from prison today, the name of Sheriff Qiao Pifu of Heyang Prefecture was sure to spread within the city.


    The death of an unknown nobody and the death of a famous person werepletely different!


    Qiao Mu whispered some strange words that nobody understood and walked out of the farewell from the officials, looking majestic and triumphant.


    After these prison guards bid farewell to Qiao Mu.


    In the quiet and eerie prison, there suddenly erupted a loud chatter.


    "Who is this Qiao Pifu, exactly?"


    "The crime hemitted is insulting the emperor. Who can rescue him? Who dares to rescue him?"


    "Is there a possibility that he is the emperor¡¯s illegitimate child?" Someone started to think outside the box.


    "Come on, at his age, Emperor Yonghe might be his illegitimate child¡­"


    Taking advantage of theck of supervision, the prisoners started a conversation without any taboos.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    After bathing and changing clothes, Qiao Mu put on the prison guard uniform, looking refreshed and lively.


    Even if he received extra attention from the prison guard, this jail is not a suitable ce for long stays.


    With nothing else to do, Qiao Mu, dressed in in clothes, went to the official office again.


    As soon as he entered, Sheriff Qian came up with a smiling face.


    "Congrattions, Captain Qiao, for returning safely¡­"


    "Sheriff Qian has sharp ears, hearing the news so quickly," Qiao Mu casually said.


    With those words, Sheriff Qian¡¯s smiling face immediately fell:


    "Captain Qiao, please don¡¯t be upset, I have an elderly father in his 60s and a young daughter at home who is dependent on me¡­"


    "Enough, let¡¯s not mention this," Qiao Mu actually doesn¡¯t mind Sheriff Qian¡¯s previous attempt to capture him.


    After all, if there were more people like him, then he could die more efficiently.


    And Sheriff Qian¡¯s smile became even more ugly.


    "Captain Qiao,ter we can go to the Moon-viewing Tower to wee you and help you clean up. It¡¯s on me," he said with a bit of pain.


    "No need," Qiao Mu waved his hand.


    "Then¡­ how about the Drunken Immortal Residence in the west of the city?" Sheriff Qian forced a smile, unconsciously squeezing his thigh.


    The Moon-viewing Tower is quite high-ss, a single drink there could cost him a month¡¯s sry.


    As for the Drunken Immortal Residence, it would be even more, at least two to three months¡¯ sry.


    "Stop talking, I have important matters to attend to," Qiao Mu didn¡¯t really want to pay attention to him.


    "Then¡­ how about going to the Yunyu Pavilion to listen to music?" Sheriff Qian furrowed his brow in deep thought.


    Qiao Mu turned his head to look at him.


    He knew that if he didn¡¯t nod, Sheriff Qian would probably think he still held a grudge and would be even more uneasy.


    After all, a constable who can insult the emperor without any harm, he must have offended someone he couldn¡¯t afford to offend.


    "Then let¡¯s go to the Drunken Immortal Residence. I, Qiao Pifu, don¡¯t have any particr hobbies in my life, except for my love of martial arts manuals. If you happen to have any martial arts manuals at home, you could lend them to me for a glimpse."

 Chapter 71:

    Chapter 71:


    Drunken Immortal Residence is a fancy restaurant west of Heyang City. Although the number of daily guests is not particrly high, everyone whoes and goes is either an official or a wealthy merchant. It is quite famous within Heyang City.


    On this day, the waiter was resting in the lobby when suddenly he saw two men in simple clothing, who werew enforcement officers, at the entrance.


    "Isn¡¯t this Sheriff Qian? What¡¯s happening in the neighborhood this week?"


    The waiter went forward, clearly puzzled.


    Drunken Immortal Residence is not an ordinary wealthy merchant. It is said that the owner behind the scenes has a connection with the Mayor of the city.


    Therefore, it is rare forw enforcement officers to visit this restaurant.


    The waiter subconsciously thought that there might have been a murder case in the neighborhood, and Sheriff Qian hade to inquire about the situation.


    "Why so suspicious¡­ I came to drink with Captain Qiao," Sheriff Qian said impatiently.


    "Please follow me, the two detectives." The waiter at the tavern was slightly surprised, but quickly smiled and led Qiao Mu and the others to a corner of the main hall.This kind of tavern waiter wouldn¡¯t do anything disrespectful.


    Although his expression changed quickly, Qian Qian still noticed the fleeting look of surprise.


    Drunken Immortal Residence¡­ It¡¯s indeed a ce I can¡¯t afford, so it¡¯s no wonder others are surprised.


    Qian Qian sighed inwardly, but quickly smiled and ordered a few dishes and drinks.


    "Captain Qiao, please enjoy this specialty dish from Drunken Immortal Residence, the Three-colored Deer Meat Soup."


    "This Three-colored Deer Meat Soup is quite precious. The three-colored deer is a mystical creature that lives in the Qingming Mountain outside the city. It has abundant vitality and is a great nourishment for martial artists like us."


    Sheriff Qian chuckled generously, scooped a bowl of soup for Qiao Mu, and mumbled to himself without thinking.


    "It worthes one month of sry¡­"


    "What month?" Qiao Mu was about to drink his soup and casually asked.


    "¡­It¡¯s nothing, just talking to myself, don¡¯t mind, Captain Qiao." Qian Qian scratched his head.


    "You might as well exin it a little clearer." Qiao Mu put down his chopsticks and looked at Qian Qian.


    Although he wasn¡¯t afraid of death, he still had a basic sense of caution in his interactions with others.


    Although he didn¡¯t think Sheriff Qian would poison him, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to be a little more cautious.


    "Actually, it doesn¡¯t mean anything else." Qian Qian smiled awkwardly.


    "This Three-colored Deer Meat Soup is one of the signature dishes of the Drunken Immortal Residence, but it¡¯s not cheap. Once a bowl of meat soup is served, it takes up my entire month¡¯s sry. Please forgive me, Captain Qiao."


    After speaking, Qian Qian scooped a spoonful of meat soup and made a delighted expression.


    It turns out he was worried about the cost¡­ Qiao Mu didn¡¯t think much of it and took a sip of soup, finding it delicious indeed.


    Qian Qian continued, "Captain Qiao, this is the Drunken Immortal Residence¡¯s Drunken Immortal Brew. It¡¯s said that even immortals get drunk after drinking it. It¡¯s even more precious than the Three-colored Deer Meat Soup¡­"


    "More precious? Do you mean it¡¯s more expensive?" Qiao Mu teased.


    He heard Sheriff Qian muttering quietly again, saying that his half-month sry was gone.


    Every time a dish was served, Sheriff Qian couldn¡¯t help muttering quietly about the cost, making Qiao Mu a little annoyed.


    Let¡¯s just eat the dish, there are always people nearby chattering away.


    Qiao Mu then spoke, "Sheriff Qian, money is just material wealth after all. You¡¯vee all this way, it¡¯s not very meaningful to keep counting it, right?"


    Qian Qian was taken aback for a moment, and could only smile bitterly, "I apologize¡­ I, Qian Qian,e from a humble background, and I¡¯m already past thirty. My vitality is declining, and indeed, I can¡¯tpare to Captain Qiao¡¯s astonishing background and generosity, so I can only be meticulous about these things."


    He realized the inappropriate nature of his words, and remained silent for the rest, only taking out two secret manuals from his pocket.


    The two secret manuals, one is the external martial art "Golden Bell Shield," and the other is the light skill "Shadow Step."


    Qian Qian introduced, "This art form called the ¡®Golden Bell Shield¡¯ is my chosen path in life. In the past, I relied on this practice to strengthen my body, develop inner strength, and achieve remarkable aplishments. At the age of twenty-eight, I nearly attained the rank of eighth in inner strength, just shy of bing the chief constable of Heyang Prefecture."


    "During my years as a constable, the ¡®Golden Bell Shield¡¯ has saved my life many times. It truly is remarkable."


    Qiao Mu nodded in agreement.


    Currently, he is practicing martial arts, including advanced techniques like the ¡®Pure Yang Wuji Skill.¡¯ While the ¡®Golden Bell Shield¡¯ is not considered top-tier, it is still valuable to have a variety of skills.


    "And then there¡¯s the ¡®Shadow Step¡¯¡­" Qian Qian hesitated.


    "Actually, our ancestors were skilled thieves, and this ¡®Shadow Step¡¯ is a technique passed down through generations. It teaches us how to move silently, hiding in the shadows, and even scaling walls with ease. This technique is even more advanced than the ¡®Golden Bell Shield,¡¯ but it is quite difficult to master. I can only im to have a basic understanding of it."


    Qiao Mu was slightly surprised.


    Currently, he has not formally practiced the art of light-footed movement. He relies solely on his strong physical abilities as a martial artist and his explosive internal strength.


    If he were to acquire light-footed movement and agility skills, it would certainlypensate for any weaknesses.


    Anyway, he is immortal and has plenty of time. Others may want more but he just needs to spend more time and die a few more times to master it.


    "These two secret books have helped me a lot, Sheriff Qian. Let¡¯s forget about what happened before," said Qiao Mu seriously.


    Actually, these words were intentionally spoken for Qian Qian to hear. After all, Sheriff Qian didn¡¯t offend him much, it was a small matter.


    If it wasn¡¯t to put him at ease, Qiao Mu wouldn¡¯t havee for this meal.


    Hearing this, Sheriff Qian felt relieved indeed.


    After eating and drinking enough, Qiao Mu took the two secret books and excused himself, saying he needed to study them.


    Sheriff Qian looked at the table full of leftover food and felt a bit regretful:


    "Three months worth of sry¡­"


    He took out a food container he had prepared and packed all the leftover food, including the soupy leftovers, taking them all away.


    Qian Qian lives in the north of the city, right beside the old Qiao Family Courtyard.


    Of course, now the Qiao Family Courtyard has be Xuantian Temple. There are always many pilgrimsing and going, crowded together.


    Qian Qian avoided the pilgrims and returned to his own courtyard. When he opened the door, he saw a cute little girl running towards him and hugging his leg.


    "Sweetie, don¡¯t be naughty. Daddy brought you something delicious this time."


    ¡­¡­¡­..


    Xuantian Temple is the main residence of Xuantian Sect, but it is not the only residence.


    Starting from the Qiao Family Courtyard in the center, the surrounding blocks, about half of the north of the city, are designated as the main residence of Xuantian Sect. Even the small mountain behind the Qiao Family Courtyard is included.


    Xuantian Temple is located at the foot of the mountain and is a temple where pilgrims can burn incense and worship.


    The small mountain behind it is where the disciples of Xuantian Sect live.


    Hoho¡ª


    The intense roar shook the air, causing several Xuantian Sect disciples in their Dao robes to take several steps back, showing fear involuntarily.


    In front of them was a three-meter long, two-meter tall white giant tiger. This giant tiger had wings on its back, snow-white fur, and eyes that were as blue as emeralds. It was currently baring its teeth and roaring at the disciples of the sect. Each roar created a strong gust of wind, almost blowing them away.


    "Senior Sister Ming Yue, this Blue-eyed Flying Tiger of the Holy Maiden is really fierce. Maybe you shouldn¡¯t go out for now?" a young disciple requested.


    "Yes, nurturing spiritual beasts is our duty. Senior Sister Ming Yue, you have been going out frequently recently. If the Holy Maidenes out of seclusion and there are punishments¡­"


    "After all, our sect¡¯s saintess is surnamed Wu."


    When they mentioned this Saintess, these disciples all showed a look of awe.


    The Xuantian Sect¡¯s Saintess, Wu Qingxin.


    The surname Wu is not particrly special.


    Especially, there was a very skilled martial artist named Martial Saint who was second to none in the world.


    In her early years, Wu Qingxin was once a disciple of Martial Saint. However, sheter betrayed him and sought refuge in Xuantian Sect. As a result, Xuantian Sect hailed her as their Saintess, and she began her journey on the path of immortality.


    "Shut up. We don¡¯t need your opinions."


    Female Cultivator Ming Yue scolded impatiently and then walked slowly towards the restless Blue-eyed Flying Tiger, gently soothing it.


    In front of Female Cultivator Ming Yue, the Blue-eyed Flying Tiger quickly calmed down and became obedient instead of being agitated.


    What do these fools know¡­ Ming Yueforted the Blue-eyed Flying Tiger, a fierce look shing in her eyes.


    This Blue-eyed Flying Tiger is the pet of the Saintess, already two meters tall and three meters long. It is actually still a young tiger, but it is already full of energy and can match a martial artist of the fifth or sixth rank.


    Cultivators in the Qi refining period are not yet extraordinary. If this Blue-eyed Flying Tiger really goes wild, these weak disciples nearby may not be able to handle it.


    Because of her merits in nurturing spiritual beasts, Female Cultivator Ming Yue has always been highly regarded by the Saintess.


    This is mainly because she is very good at dealing with people.


    "If this fierce tiger doesn¡¯t go crazy, how can I show that I have skills? How can I achieve merit in front of the holy woman?"


    "Ever since the Saintess joined our Immortal Gate, she rarely goes outside and has been in seclusion to focus on her spiritual practice. It¡¯s not a big issue."


    During these days, because of the Impermanent Monster case, Moon Spirit had to go out multiple times, neglecting the Blue-eyed Flying Tiger. Without herpanionship, this spiritual beast became even more ferocious.


    "As long as we capture that impermanent monster, all of this is just a small matter¡­"


    After pacifying the giant tiger, Moon Spirit quickly took out a paper crane from her pocket, breathed gently on it, and the paper crane quickly grewrger. She hopped onto it and flew away on the wind.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Half a dayter, in the Heyang Prefecture yamen (government office).


    The constables gathered together again, with Qiao Mu who had just been released from prison among them.


    These guards have obviously dealt with the prison guards before, and have obviously heard about what Qiao Mu did in prison before.


    Insulting the emperor is a crime punishable by death, and he even failed to escape from prison, yet he can still be released at the request of officials¡­


    It can only be said that this is beyond the understanding of these guards. They really can¡¯t figure out the background and connections of this person who can be so tough.


    The only thing that can be certain is that this new Sheriff Qiao, is not someone they can mess with!


    As a result, Qiao Mu, who was released from prison again, was quickly greeted warmly by the guards, getting treated like the center of attention.


    Among the crowd, Chief Constable Chen alone seemed somewhat arrogant, and her gaze towards Qiao Mu became even more hostile.


    She looked around and suddenly asked,


    "Why hasn¡¯t Sheriff Qiane?"


    Soon, a familiar guard answered,


    "Sheriff Qian got a stomachache, so he called in sick today."


    The crowd paused for a moment, then began whispering to each other:


    "Is he also a strong martial artist? How did he get a stomachache?"


    "Sheriff Qian is thirty-five this year? I remember he used to practice a strong external martial art when he was younger, but now that he¡¯s in his prime, his energy and blood have declined, and he¡¯s not as good as before."


    "He¡¯s only thirty-five? Why does he look like he¡¯s forty-five?"


    "Well, I heard he had a rare delicious meal, so he ate too much and got stuffed."


    Afterwards, the constables continued discussing the details of the case known as the "Case of Impermanent Monster."


    Ordinary cases don¡¯t usually involve the assistance of the Xuantian Sect¡¯s immortals, so the government office attached great importance to this matter and appointed Chief Constable Chen to lead the investigation.


    "Hasn¡¯t the ¡®Case of Impermanent Monster¡¯ been solved yet? It seems like the Six Gates are missing me, Qiao Pifu. It¡¯s really difficult to make any progress." Qiao Mu sighed.


    The policeman¡¯s eyes twitched a little, as if he didn¡¯t want to see this person¡¯s face anymore.


    The investigation had just begun, and he was thrown into jail, without making any contribution to the case at all.


    Moreover, this person had just started his job, never handled a case before. With or without him, it wouldn¡¯t make a difference, so why is he even here?


    So they were angry and eximed, "Captain Qiao is right!"


    "Captain Qiao has returned, it seems that the Case of the Impermanent Monster will be solved soon."


    While they were discussing, a white paper crane fell from the sky, and it turned out to be the Female Cultivator Ming Yue of the Xuantian Sect.


    Just as Female Cultivator Ming Yue was about to speak, she suddenly felt something, and took out a greenntern from her pocket.


    The light from thisntern had a strange blue color.


    As Female Cultivator Ming Yue walked towards Qiao Mu, the blue light of thentern grew slightly. It started as a tiny me, but by the time it reached Qiao Mu, the me was the size of a fist.


    "This is actually a lucky hit." Female Cultivator Ming Yue nced at the greenmp in her hand.


    "When I encountered that monsterst time, I manipted it a bit with a tracking spell¡­ If this greenmp gets close to the monster, the mes will rise¡­"


    "There is a trace of that monster¡¯s presence on you."


    "Tell me, in the past couple of days, where have you seen that monster, or have you seen someone who is about to die?"


    Qiao Mu was momentarily startled.


    "Could it be in the prison?" Chief Constable Chen spoke up, she was quite astute and was the first to react.


    "I have heard rumors of a prisoner dying in the prison recently¡­"


    Qiao Mu immediately understood as well.


    Speaking of someone about to die and the creature resembling a monster, it must be that strange foolish cat.


    Qiao Mu calmly nodded.


    "That¡¯s right, just as you all thought. Imitted a crime in advance in order to break the Case of Impermanent Monster. I secretlyid ambush in the prison, and I did indeed see that impermanent monster, and discovered its true form."


    Chief Constable Chen£º¡­.


    She used to have some respect for Qiao Mu, but now she hadpletely lost it.


    "Tell me, what does the true form of that monster look like?" Chief Constable Chen asked, pursuing the question.


    Qiao Mu exined:


    "It¡¯s a mixed-colored cat, with white, ck, and yellow¡­ "


    As he said this, he felt a bit confused. Was that foolish cat from a day or two ago really the killer monster in the case? And wasn¡¯t it said before that it was a tiger-like creature?


    "So it was a monster cat." Female Cultivator Ming Yue suddenly spoke up.


    "This creature is very clever and its true form is unknown. I just found out that it¡¯s a monster cat. Thanks to this detective."

 Chapter 72:

    Chapter 72:


    Inside the dark prison cell, there was a faint smell of mustiness in the air.


    Through a small and narrow window, a beam of sunlight shone in, with dust floating in its glow.


    Qiao Mu, who had recently been released from prison, returned once again to this cell. The scene remained unchanged.


    "Why has Qiao Pifue back again?"


    "Did he curse the Emperor again?"


    At first, the prisoners were surprised and started discussing, but soon they stopped talking.


    Following behind Qiao Mu, there was Chief Constable Chen from the city, several police officers in uniforms, and a female nun named Ming Yue, wearing a Taoist robe.


    "Is that the fairy leader of Xuantian Sect?"


    "Is this Qiao Pifu bringing back a fairy to be imprisoned? How daring!" someone muttered in their heart.Soon, a jailer tapped on the iron bars, asking the prisoners to quiet down and not cause trouble.


    Qiao Mu wasn¡¯t interested in catching up with these prisoners. He led the group to the cell where he had stayed before.


    "Back then, I saw the impermanent monster here," Qiao Mu reminisced.


    "However, the demon cat didn¡¯t harm anyone in front of me¡­ Chief Constable, were there any w marks or bite marks from a monster on the other victims in this case?"


    Chief Constable Chen furrowed her brow slightly and didn¡¯t answer immediately. Instead, a clever constable nearby quickly replied.


    "Captain Qiao, that impermanent monster is like the legendary envoy of the underworld, ck and White Impermanence. It has the ability to snatch souls."


    "Every time the impermanent monster appears, there will be casualties."


    "Some of the deceased had no visible injuries, while others had fatal w marks, like those caused by a cat or tiger-like creature."


    Chief Constable Chen had already exined these things when he first talked about the case, but Qiao Mu wasn¡¯t paying much attention at that time.


    Now, with this question, it¡¯s exposing the whole thing.


    However, Qiao Mu continued to stubbornly insist:


    "Is it possible that the creature didn¡¯t actually kill anyone, but was just attracted by the so-called aura of death from the dying person? It only appears at the crime scenes, which led to the misunderstanding that it¡¯s the killer monster?"


    Qiao Mu was the only one among the crowd who had seen the true form of the impermanent monster, hadn¡¯t read the case files, and didn¡¯t have preconceived notions, so he had his own opinion.


    Of course, this could also be another form of preconceived notion, so it¡¯s just spection.


    Upon hearing this, the nearby constables showed expressions of surprise.


    Chief Constable Chen frowned and said:


    "Captain Qiao, why are you speaking up for this creature?"


    "Creatures that harm and even eat humans, isn¡¯t that the norm in this world?"


    Qiao Mu argued, "Do the spiritual beasts nurtured by cultivators also eat humans? How are they different from ordinary creatures? Do they just have a stronger support?"


    As soon as these words were spoken.


    The people in the prison suddenly felt a chill.


    This person dares to speak so boldly, even in front of Immortal Ming Yue, he dares to say such things.


    "Be cautious with your words," said Female Cultivator Ming Yue, her gaze turning cold.


    "There is a distinction between immortals and mortals. How can the spiritual beasts nurtured by our Immortal Gate bepared to ordinary creatures?"


    This Female Cultivator Ming Yue looks very young, only about twenty years old. But when she scolds Qiao Mu, who looks to be in his thirties or forties, she exerts a sense of superiority.


    She didn¡¯t really pay much attention to Qiao Mu at first, until he just now spoke rudely, making her realize that he was the same person who had shed with her before and was caught by the guards.


    The atmosphere gradually became tense, and a chilly feeling started spreading. The surrounding prisoners couldn¡¯t help but shiver.


    This Female Cultivator Ming Yue was obviously a proud and hot-tempered person, showing no hint of backing down.


    It¡¯s starting, it¡¯s starting¡­ Qiao Mu excitedly rubbed his hands together.


    He had heard about cultivators many times, but had never actually fought against one.


    "Let me think, what kind of lines would be cool to kill her with, or to be killed by her."


    Qiao Mu started to ponder deeply.


    It¡¯s not that he likes to act cool, but because of the mistake in his mind with the Ouroboros Long Life Lock, it tainted his reputation as a good young man.


    One minute on stage, ten years of practice off stage. In order to appear saintly in front of others, Qiao Mu had always been thinking hard.


    And he didn¡¯t speak for a moment, which appeared to everyone as a silent confrontation with Immortal Ming Yue.


    The atmosphere became even more tense.


    Suddenly.


    "Immortal Ming Yue," a clear female voice broke the silence. Chief Constable Chen calmly stood between the two, raising her hand high and holding a few thin cat hairs.


    "These fur strands were found on the floor of this prison cell."


    "Ordinary animals cannot enter this prison. These hairs, I believe, are from that impermanent monster."


    Chief Constable Chen¡¯s interruption ended the confrontation between the two and shifted Immortal Ming Yue¡¯s attention.


    "Hmm? Not bad."


    Her face clearly showed delight:


    "You have done well this time."


    "With these few strands of hair, I can ask the sect¡¯s Saintess to lend a hand, to create a tool for tracking, and then it shouldn¡¯t be hard to catch this fleeting monster."


    She was so happy that she couldn¡¯t contain herself, and she turned and walked away.


    Qiao Mu, who had just struggled toe up with lines, hadn¡¯t reacted yet when the female cultivator had already gone far.


    Running so fast?


    Qiao Mu¡¯s eye twitched slightly as he nced at Chief Constable Chen, who was blocking his way.


    This annoying woman ruined my chance with that fairy sister! It was right to keep my distance from her after all.


    Chen Yingxue seemed to sense Qiao Mu¡¯s gaze, but she didn¡¯t say anything and just started discussing the matter at hand:


    "Captain Qiao, the deceased who had contact with the temporary monster, were they previously held in that prison cell?" Chief Constable Chen pointed to the empty cell nearby.


    "Good."


    Seeing Qiao Mu nod, Chief Constable Chen waved to signal the prison guard next to him.


    "Who is that prisoner? Bring me his file to have a look."


    The prison guard was briefly taken aback, then smiled awkwardly.


    "Chief Constable, that person¡¯s case has nothing to do with this matter. Moreover, his case is from many years ago, it won¡¯t be easy to find."


    "If you won¡¯t get it, then should I go?" Chief Constable Chen¡¯s gaze remained calm.


    So the prison guard quickly left and after some time, returned with a slightly yellowed file.


    Chief Constable Chen nced at it and suddenly froze, asking,


    "Sheriff Qian had stomach troubles today, so he was absent, right?"


    "Yes," the nearby constable nodded.


    After thinking for a moment, Chief Constable Chen put away the file and slowly said:


    "There is nothing unusual about this file, it is indeed unrted to this case."


    "You all go back and rest for now, and when Immortal Ming Yue has truly forged the weapon, we will make a concerted effort to catch that impermanent monster."


    Once the constables had left, Chief Constable Chen unfolded the file and read through it carefully, asionally furrowing his brow.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    Two nightster.


    Qiao Mu and a group of constables received a greenntern from Chen Yingxue at the entrance of the office.


    "After obtaining the previous strands of hair, the celestial being from the Xuantian Sect crafted a specialized tracking tool," Chief Constable Chen exined.


    "This greenmp can detect the location of that moving monster within a distance of 100 meters from Fang Yuan."


    "If you see the light of the greenmp drifting in a certain direction, immediately inform Immortal Ming Yue."


    After giving instructions, Chief Constable Chen divided all the officers into eight teams to search in the four directions of the city.


    Qiao Mu and Sheriff Qian are in charge of the west side of the city.


    While patrolling the west side of the city, Qiao Mu felt a little unwilling.


    "Why is Immortal Ming Yue not making an appearance this time? Instead, she handed over the magical greenmp to the chief constable?"


    If she doesn¡¯t show up, how can he find an excuse to let her kill him?


    On the other hand, Sheriff Qian, who was next to him, was more observant and thought to himself:


    "This chief constable is truly meticulous and perceptive, worried that Captain Qiao might sh with the celestial being, and has even taken this into consideration."


    He and Qiao Mu each led a team of constables, patrolling the streets in the west of the city, searching for the trace of the monster.


    "Why is it always in the west of the city? If I were in charge of the north, I would also visit Xuantian Temple and light an incense." Qiao Muined on the side.


    "Captain Qiao is really good at joking¡­hehe." Sheriff Qian smiled awkwardly, with cold sweat dripping down.


    "The north of the city is the residence of Xuantian Sect, ourw enforcement officers cannot easily enter even if we are investigating a case."


    This Captain Qiao is someone who openly insults the emperor. If he forcefully enters Xuantian Temple, it wouldn¡¯t be too surprising.


    While the two were chatting leisurely, they suddenly froze at the same time.


    The mes of thenterns in their hands started to shake violently.


    "What¡¯s going on? The chief constable said that if we were close to the cat monster, the mes would float in a certain direction. But what¡¯s happening now?"


    Just as they were puzzled, they heard a meow in the distance.


    A spotted cat, almost like a shadow in the darkness, quickly pounced towards them.


    "This¡­this is not what was said before, right? Wasn¡¯t it said that this monster cat would flee and we would chase after it separately?" Sheriff Qian was stunned.


    Under his astonished gaze, the cat rushed to Qiao Mu¡¯s side, then circled around him over and over again, while running and making a low growling sound.


    "Indeed, it¡¯s this silly cat."


    Qiao Mu looked at the trembling greenmp in his hand and reached out his hand.


    However, his attempt to grab it actually startled the running cat, causing it to instantly leap backward, instinctively avoiding the grab.


    Immediately after, the cat turned its head to nce at Qiao Mu, then turned and ran away.


    Though small, this cat ran extremely fast, much faster than an ordinary stray cat.


    Even with Qiao Mu¡¯s martial artist eyesight, all he could see was a fast-moving ck blur.


    "Chase!" Qiao Mu took the lead and ran at the front.


    "Don¡¯t we need to inform the Immortal?" Qian Qian paused for a moment and ordered a constable to contact Immortal Ming Yue, then ran after Qiao Mu.


    Strangely enough, this cat ran extremely fast and was agile, but couldn¡¯tpletely escape from Qiao Mu and the others chasing it. It kept them at a distance, neither too close nor too far behind.


    As Qiao Mu and the others ran, they made several turns from the wide street and entered the deep alleys of the western part of the city.


    "Captain Qiao, something doesn¡¯t seem right¡­" Qian Qian gasped as he followed behind and said:


    "It seems like this monster cat purposely led us here."


    Qiao Mu pondered for a moment.


    "Are you saying¡­ there might be an ambush waiting for us ording to this n? And dozens of big cats will suddenly appear, asking for petting?"


    Qian Qian didn¡¯t respond, and Qiao Mu wasn¡¯t in the mood for making any witty remarks.


    Because they smelled a faint smell of blood ahead.


    Qian Qian has been a constable for many years and naturally has a lot of experience with this smell of blood.


    Qiao Mu, on the other hand, is a sixth-ranked martial artist with a heightened sense of smell, so he noticed this earlier.

 Chapter 73:

    Chapter 73:


    In a courtyard to the west of the city.


    A middle-aged man in his fifties, with slightly gray temples, stood there with a pleased expression on his face.


    Jiang Long is the leader of the Red Water Gang, a newly-established faction in Heyang City.


    He was originally a sixth-ranked martial artist from another ce, with considerable strength. However, due to certain circumstances, he had to escape to Heyang Prefecture and wanted to establish a new foundation in Heyang City, bing a powerful figure.


    However, Heyang City is deep, and there is even a residence for the Immortal Gate.


    As the sixth highest ranked martial artist, he didn¡¯t dare to be too arrogant. So, he slowly recruited followers and currently only had a small gang.


    "You guys stay here and don¡¯t move. Don¡¯t go near the inner courtyard, and don¡¯t let anyone approach!"


    Jiang Long ordered a few gang members to guard the door, then he walked alone into the inner courtyard with his hands folded, making sure to close the door behind him.


    He turned his head and saw that a woman dressed in a Taoist robe named Ming Yue had already appeared in the inner courtyard."Elder." Jiang Long immediately lowered his head.


    "Have you thought it through?" Ming Yue asked softly.


    "It is my honor to work for the Immortal Gate," Jiang Long suppressed his inner joy.


    He was already afraid of the Immortal Gate Xuantian Sect in the Heyang Prefecture, so he didn¡¯t dare to act recklessly. Even though he was a sixth ranked martial artist, he only acted low-profile and mingled with some ordinary martial artist followers, fearing a catastrophic disaster.


    Instead of a catastrophic disaster, he earned the favor of the immortals.


    Xuantian Sect is one of the Nine Immortal Gates, with many cultivators, and it dominates Nan Province.


    Even though it is an Immortal Gate, there is still a need for some people to assist, doing the dirty and tiring work that cultivators don¡¯t want to do.


    Everyone dreams of the path to immortality, to live forever, and martial artists who are stronger than ordinary people are no exception.


    Therefore, martial artists join the Immortal Gate to assist cultivators, and it is actually amon thing.


    Red Water Gang leader, Jiang Long, also waited for such an opportunity.


    "I am a martial artist ranked sixth. I have decent strength. I believe Immortal Ming Yue must have noticed me, so shortly after I arrived in the capital city, they recruited me¡­"


    Thinking this in his heart, Jiang Long remained calm, waiting for Immortal Ming Yue¡¯s instructions.


    "Leader, it seems that you are a sixth-ranked martial artist? Very good. Your strength is indeed impressive. However, rank only represents the internal strength level of a martial artist. I want to see yourbat abilities¡­ but only to a certain extent," said Female Cultivator Ming Yue calmly.


    "We can¡¯t make too much noise. If you truly want to be a spy for the Immortal Gate, you must be cautious in your actions and not let outsiders know, including your subordinates."


    "I understand," smiled Jiang Long.


    He is over fifty years old and has reached the 6th rank, but he practices internal martial arts, so his energy and blood decline are not too severe, he feels that his strength is still strong.


    Of course, if he were a few years older, it would be hard to say.


    Right after that, he saw Female Cultivator Ming Yue gently shake her beast pouch, and a huge Blue-eyed Flying Tiger suddenly leaped out.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    After a moment.


    "Didn¡¯t we agree to stop at this point¡­?"


    Jiang Long fell into a pool of blood, his eyes widened, his life was in danger. At the critical moment of his life, he wanted to shout, but his voice seemed unable to escape.


    Immortal Ming Yue was standing beside him, holding a soundless spell charm in her hand, letting the massive flying tiger gnaw at his body.


    "Little Tiger, be patient for a moment, don¡¯t kill him immediately. It would be better to keep him alive for a while." Moonlight said gently.


    "That monster can smell death and only targets those who are dying. If someone is alreadypletely dead, it would be difficult to attract that monster."


    Based on Moonlight¡¯s spection, the impermanent monster is still in its youth, so in order to attract and capture it, using bait is essential.


    During this time, some of the cases were actuallymitted by Female Cultivator Ming Yue, all to lure the impermanent monster and capture it.


    This martial artist, who was ranked sixth and came from another ce, had abundant energy and was far stronger than ordinary people. Naturally, he had a greater chance of attracting the monster.


    However, as more cases weremitted, things started to change a little.


    For example, this Blue-eyed Flying Tiger belonging to the Saintess.


    "Little Tiger, calm down a bit, don¡¯t bite him to death¡­ he still has some use." Female Cultivator Ming Yue took a step forward, trying to stop him.


    In the next moment, the Blue-eyed Flying Tiger suddenly turned its head, with a piece of flesh from the man still in its mouth, its fangs covered in blood, and it looked at her fiercely.


    This creature that doesn¡¯t understand humannguage is starting to protect its food¡­ Cultivator Ming Yue felt a slight tremble in her heart and quickly stopped in her tracks.


    She also didn¡¯t want to face this fierce tiger.


    The flesh and blood of the monster is a great supplement for martial artists, and the flesh and blood of martial artists is also a great supplement for the monster.


    So it¡¯s a bit difficult to convince this Blue-eyed Flying Tiger to give up the flesh in its mouth.


    "Things are getting out of control a bit. After biting and killing people, this Blue-eyed Flying Tiger has be more aggressive. Even I am having trouble restraining it," Cultivator Ming Yue frowned.


    Actually, Immortal Ming Yue didn¡¯t want tomit a crime at this time either.


    Because the officials have already found the hair of the impermanent monster and are searching the entire city, it¡¯s only a matter of time before they find the monster¡¯s trail.


    She has the patience to wait for it.


    But the Blue-eyed Flying Tiger doesn¡¯t have that patience.


    If she doesn¡¯t take it out for hunting again, Min Yue herself will be scared.


    "Fortunately, as long as the constables who have seen the case files know how scary the impermanent monster is, and I have repeatedly told them not to go near the crime scene. If they notice anything unusual, they will inform me first, instead of taking action themselves¡­"


    The constables of Heyang City are not officials, they are only minor officials.


    They usually deal with cases involving troublemakers, thugs, and ordinary murders, rather than skilled river pirates or even strange monsters.


    So asking these constables to investigate the "Case of Impermanent Monster" is actually beyond their scope of duty.


    The constables are only responsible for tracking and tracing, not directly confronting the monsters. Once they find a trace, they are obliged to inform the Immortal Gate disciple Ming Yue ording to the rules, so she can take action.


    While she was thinking.


    An arrow shot up into the sky, this was the predetermined way for ordinary constables tomunicate, indicating that the trace of the impermanent monster had been found.


    Then she heard the faint noise and the sounds of swords shing outside the door.


    Her face changed slightly, and she opened her animal bag, urging forward:


    "Little Tiger, we have to go."


    The Blue-eyed Flying Tiger remained motionless, continuing to nibble on the body of the Red Water Gang leader,pletely unfazed.


    Things have be a bitplicated¡­ Ming Yue thought to herself.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    At the entrance of the courtyard.


    The gang leader at the entrance, upon seeing Qiao Mu and the others approaching, immediately became alert and asked:


    "Who are you?"


    "We are official investigators. There is a smell of blood inside¡­ Please move aside." Qiao Mu took the lead, shouting.


    "I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re saying, this is a private residence!"


    Maybe out of guilt, or maybe following the leader¡¯s previousmand, someone pulled out a knife and started attacking first.


    "Do you dare to obstruct our investigation?"


    Qiao Mu immediately drew his sword.


    His best weapon is a long spear, but as a government official, it is more appropriate to carry a sword or a de. Additionally, using a long spear would attract too much attention in the capital, so he switched to a long sword.


    Even so, his skill far exceeds these gang members.


    Under the moonlight, the gleaming sword in his hand strikes down one gang member with each swing.


    The swordsmanship Qiao Mu is currently using is the "Shadow Transformation Sword Technique" taught by Yan City¡¯s former city lord, Guo Yan.


    In the past, Guo Yan used this sword technique and was able to overpower Qiao Mu, who was proficient in the Military Spear Skill, leaving asting impression on him.


    This sword technique isplicated and constantly changing, making the long sword ripple like water.


    "You don¡¯t even have the qualification to let me use the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method."


    Qiao Mu took the lead and fought at the forefront of the crowd, breaking through on his own.


    Sheriff Qian and the other constables followed behind, fighting alongside the gang members.


    These gang members were not very strong. Qiao Mu singled out the limited few who were ranked eighth or ninth in martial arts.


    They often didn¡¯t have time to use their martial arts before Qiao Mu unleashed his internal strength and directly overwhelmed them.


    Before long, Qiao Mu had arrived at the gate of the courtyard and kicked it open with a fierce force!


    A loud bang.


    The scene in the courtyard appeared before Qiao Mu.


    "Captain Qiao£¿"


    Immortal Ming Yue was riding a paper crane andnding, pocketing the mini paper crane, looking down at him with a cold eye.


    "You¡¯re a bitte, and I¡¯m a bitte too."


    She turned her head and looked at the body lying in a pool of blood in the courtyard.


    This middle-aged martial artist¡¯s body was truly horrifying, with its belly cut open by sharp ws, clearly showing signs of being eaten by some fierce beast.


    "Immortal Ming Yue, you came unexpectedly quickly."


    Qiao Mu held his sword and walked in step by step, frowning.


    Just now, the amazing eyesight of the martial artist allowed him to vaguely see the fleeting silhouette of a big cat.


    But upon closer inspection, there was only Immortal Ming Yue in the yard who had just arrived.


    The female cultivator Ming Yue turned her back to him and didn¡¯t even look at him.


    "A dangerous monster caused trouble and even this strong martial artist, ranked sixth, fell victim to its poison¡­"


    Ming Yue looked at him with cold eyes:


    "I already gave you a special device to track it. I told you not to chase after the monster if you encounter one, but to inform me immediately. And what happened?"


    She pointed to the body next to her and said coldly:


    "You took matters into your own hands, got into a fight with those people, disturbed the dangerous monster, and let it escape."


    This female cultivator Ming Yue didn¡¯t give Qiao Mu a chance to speak. As soon as he entered the door, she scolded him like a machine gun.


    "You constables should think carefully and not act on your own next time."


    "What a waste¡­ I ran all the way here for nothing."


    The female cultivator named Ming Yue didn¡¯t care much about the body beneath her feet. After scolding, she took out the paper crane and quickly flew away.


    Qiao Mu held his sword and watched as Ming Yue, the female cultivator, left without any expression on his face.


    At this moment.


    The battle outside the door had alsoe to an end.


    "Captain Qiao, Immortal Ming Yue came and left so quickly? She really doesn¡¯t care about the dead person at all."


    Qian Qian also walked up, with a knife wound on his waist and abdomen. The wound wasn¡¯t deep, but blood was seeping out.


    A young constable stood behind Qian Qian, pale-faced, with his sword trembling slightly in his hand.


    This was his first time fighting and killing someone, and he was a bit frightened. He had almost been hit by a gang member just now.


    "Thank you, Sheriff Qian¡­" He looked at the wound on Sheriff Qian¡¯s waist and abdomen and quickly expressed his gratitude.


    He got very scared just now, but at a critical moment, Sheriff Qian stepped forward and took a knife for him.


    "No need to thank me. You are my deputy, so I have to take care of you. Besides, I practice Golden Bell Shield, so this small injury is nothing."


    Sheriff Qian said with a righteous look on his face and subtly made a hand gesture, rubbing a few fingers together.


    The young deputy instantly understood and immediately handed him some coins.


    "Sheriff Qian got hurt for my sake, you must take this money and take good care of yourself¡­ otherwise I will worry." the young deputy said.


    This boy is not too dumb¡­ Qian Qian smiled faintly, suddenly noticing that Qiao Mu was looking at him.


    Qiao Mu didn¡¯t have any special thoughts, after all, actions speak louder than words. The fact that Qian Qian was willing to take a knife for his subordinate made him slightly impressed.


    What he was thinking, was something else.


    "Sheriff Qian, did you happen to see the shadow of a big cat just now?" Qiao Mu asked Qian Qian behind him.


    Qian Qian blinked his eyes.


    "No¡­ no, I don¡¯t have it."


    "Then it¡¯s okay." Qiao Mu walked into the courtyard, leaned down beside the body, and carefully examined it.


    He had just been appointed as the new head of the police. He was skilled in fighting and killing, but he didn¡¯t know anything about solving cases.


    Although he didn¡¯t know, he still learned a little something by imitating others.


    Qiao Mu¡¯s gaze fell on the ground in the courtyard, and his fingers picked up a few long, white animal hairs.


    "The true form of the impermanent monster is just a kitten, its fur is not like this long, white hair."


    Qiao Mu pondered.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    Half an hourter.


    Qiao Mu and Sheriff Qian were in the yamen again, and they saw Chief Constable Chen.


    Qian Qian had a bandage around his waist, the bleeding had stopped, and he was in decent spirits, not seriously injured.


    Chief Constable Chen nced down at Qian Qian¡¯s wound and suddenly asked:


    "Why is there no smell of medicine? Did you only use a bandage to stop the bleeding, without applying any external ointment?"


    Qian Qian smiled and proudly patted his chest:


    "I practice the Golden Bell Shield. Although my energy has decreased now, I used to be at least 8th rank. This little injury is nothing, I don¡¯t need any medicine."


    In reality, he just didn¡¯t want to go to the clinic for treatment to save some money.


    This wound wasn¡¯t deep, even without a doctor¡¯s treatment, based on his experience, it could heal on its own, it just required a bit more time.


    After turning around, I went back home and found some herbs to use. It should be almost done, no problem.


    "Chief constable, I¡¯ve actually found a crucial piece of evidence," Qiao Mu said, taking out a few long white hairs from a small cloth bag.


    Let professionals handle professional matters.


    Qiao Mu doesn¡¯t know how to solve a case, but as long as someone else does, it¡¯s fine.


    Let others take care of solving the case, he¡¯ll be responsible for apprehending the real culprit.


    "This time, I should be able to go to Xuantian Temple in the northern part of the city to burn incense," thought Qiao Mu.

 Chapter 74:

    Chapter 74:


    "The hair of a white tiger? Are you sure?"


    Qiao Mu looked at Chief Constable Chen beside him with doubt.


    Just now, he told everything that had happened, including when he entered the crime scene and saw the quickly vanishing figure of a big cat.


    "Not certain, but this white fur is very different from the hair of the Impermanent Demon Cat we obtained from the prison before," said Chief Constable Chen with a worried expression, as she had already figured something out.


    Immortal Ming Yue, who suddenly appeared at the crime scene and had suspicious behavior, as well as the animal fur found on the ground¡­it seemed like the case might be pointing to a dangerous possibility¡­


    If Immortal Ming Yue is an ordinary person, then what these detectives should do is go investigate immediately,paring the long fur with the spiritual beasts raised by the Xuantian Sect at their headquarters.


    But they were considered as celestial beings and high-ranking members in the eyes of ordinary people¡­


    "Captain Qiao might be overthinking," Qian Qian was shaking his head constantly, sweating coldly:


    "Perhaps that impermanent monster has the ability to change its form, so it¡¯s not impossible for it to grow from a small size to a big one, right?"Suddenly, Qiao Mu turned around and asked:


    "Sheriff Qian, when we rushed into the inner courtyard earlier, didn¡¯t you see that figure resembling a big cat?"


    Qian Qian opened his eyes wide, without any doubt.


    "No, there isn¡¯t."


    "Captain Qiao, it¡¯s better for you not to blindly suspect. After all, Immortal Ming Yue is a member of the Immortal Gate. This case cannot be associated with the Immortal Gate¡­"


    "And when we investigate, we also need physical evidence and witness testimony. Doesn¡¯t the fur of those animals all look the same?"


    The cat fur that Qiao Mu found in the prison cell was taken away by Female Cultivator Ming Yue.


    Qian Qian¡¯s point was that even though the two types of fur look different, without a physicalparison, it¡¯s just empty wordscking evidence.


    Qiao Mu was about to say something, but Chief Constable Chen interrupted:


    "It¡¯s alreadyte today, let¡¯s discuss the case tomorrow. Sheriff Qian is also injured, so go back and rest for now."


    Qian Qian immediately felt relieved and left, as if a heavy burden had been lifted.


    But Chen Yingxue didn¡¯t mean to let Qiao Mu go. After Sheriff Qian left, she took the initiative to close the door and stayed in the same room with Qiao Mu.


    Qiao Mu¡¯s face immediately changed.


    "Chief constable, actually I am practicing a special martial art and have to avoid getting close to women."


    Chen Yingxue was choked for a moment, but she continued with determination.


    "Captain Qiao, what I want to tell you is about Sheriff Qian."


    "Sheriff Qian?" Qiao Mu¡¯s face looked even more strange.


    "He is not young anymore, with a receding hairline, and he already has daughters at home¡­"


    Chief Constable Chen no longer listened to Qiao Mu¡¯s nonsense, but spoke seriously.


    "Captain Qiao, I know that you have an extraordinary background, not an ordinary person."


    "But Qian Qian, he is also not easy, unable to control his own fate, I hope you don¡¯t hold a grudge."


    After speaking, she took out a file and handed it to Qiao Mu.


    "Captain Qiao, do you remember the old man who had already died in the cell next to you when you were sentenced? He was actually Qian Qian¡¯s father."


    "This file contains events from over ten years ago. Take a look first."


    Qiao Mu was startled and carefully looked at it.


    The file was quite simr to what Mr. Qian and Qiao Mu¡¯s father had said in prison.


    Mr. Qian was a righteous thief, who used to do things like robbing the rich to help the poor¡­ of course, in the eyes of the authorities, a righteous thief is still a thief, there¡¯s no difference.


    15 years ago, Mr. Qian was captured on the spot by the constables and soldiers during a secret mission to infiltrate the wealthy Luo family in the city, and was subsequently imprisoned.


    "Luo family?" Qiao Mu vaguely recalled something.


    The leader of Heyang Prefecture is surnamed Lou," Chen Yingxue said tiredly.


    During these past few days, she was not only investigating the Case of Impermanent Monster.


    After learning that the prisoner who died in the prison was Qian Qian¡¯s father, she spent a lot of time investigating this event from 15 years ago.


    Some things were not recorded in the official archives, so she had to put in a lot of effort.


    She said hesitantly:


    "The Lou family 15 years ago was just an ordinary wealthy merchant family, not considered a truly prominent family within Heyang City."


    "At that time, Governor Lou had not yet risen to power, he was just a minor official."


    "It wasn¡¯t the young Governor Lou who changed the fate of the Lou family, but a woman named Lou Yuxue. She joined the Xuantian Sect 15 years ago and became a celestial being in the eyes of the world¡­"


    "Qian Qian¡¯s father spent a full 15 years in the prison, until he passed away. But in reality, the stolen property that Father Qian took was not enough to justify being imprisoned for 15 years. But who could¡¯ve known that the Lou family had just produced a celestial being from the Xuantian Sect?"


    "As for Lou Yuee, you actually have met her before," Chen Yingxue said slowly.


    "After she joined the Immortal Gate Xuantian Sect, she no longer used her worldly name and took the Dao name¡­ Ming Yue."


    Qiao Mu was startled.


    "The meaning of chief constable is that, in those days, Immortal Ming Yue was the one responsible for taking action against Qian¡¯s father, leading to his imprisonment in jail for 15 years until his death."


    Qiao Mu frowned deeply.


    Immortal cultivation can lead to longevity, with cultivators often living much longer than ordinary people. Some aplished cultivators can indeed maintain their youthfulness for a long time.


    Just like Wang Songhe, who has sessfully cultivated. He looks to be in his forties, but his actual age is probably much older.


    And Female Cultivator Ming Yue clearly doesn¡¯t appear as young as she seems.


    "That¡¯s not the case," Chen Yingxue said with a faint bitter smile.


    "Immortal Ming Yue probably has no idea that Mr. Qian exists."


    "The people responsible for this are officials from the government office fifteen years ago. They saw Mr. Qian as a way to please the Lou family."


    "Xuantian Sect only established their temple and headquarters in Heyang City six months ago. Before that, Xuantian Sect was even more distant from the people and more respected by officials."


    Qiao Mu remained silent.


    When he first heard Wang Songhe talk about immortals in the mountains, it was just hearsay for him, with no firsthand experience.


    But now he was gradually understanding that the existence of immortals was truly like a towering mountain above the Great Yan Imperial Court.


    Many people even sought the favor of cultivators without the cultivators needing to act themselves. They went to great lengths to please them.


    In this incident, the officials were trying to please not the cultivators themselves, but a local family called the Lou family that had a connection to a cultivator.


    "Mr. Qian was imprisoned for fifteen years, right?" Qiao Mu suddenly remembered that Mr. Qian had mentioned having a son who was a constable.


    "When he was imprisoned, Qian Qian was only 20 years old?"


    "Yes." Chen Yingxue nodded, with a slight sadness in her eyes, a sorrow that seemed to touch her heart.


    She was a few years younger than Qian Qian, and they had worked together for many years, so they knew each other quite well.


    Although she had never heard Qian Qian mention anything about Mr. Qian before, after looking at the case files and conducting some special investigations, and considering their usual interactions, she could make a rough guess.


    "When Qian Qian was young, he was an honest and upright person."


    "But since his father was imprisoned, he tried to seek help from the Luo family, and their response was¡­ he could redeem his father¡¯s freedom for one thousand silver coins."


    "Captain Qiao, as you know, the monthly pay for a prefectural constable in Heyang is five silver coins. To gather this amount of money, it would take around sixteen or seventeen years without eating or drinking."


    Qiao Mu didn¡¯t bother asking a silly question like, "Did he manage to gather the money?"


    From the results, obviously not.


    The amount of money received in a month as a sry is clearly different from how much can be saved in a month.


    Chen Yingxue narrowed her long, narrow phoenix eyes and showed a hint of emotion:


    "Captain Qiao, your background is amazing; even if you go to jail, you can still live afortable life."


    "You may not know what life is like for ordinary prisoners in jail¡­ but Sheriff Qian understands it very well."


    "During these fifteen years, how much money did he spend to take care of the prison guards and officials, to make his old father¡¯s life a little easier¡­ I can¡¯t guess the exact amount, but it must be a lot."


    Qiao Mu squinted his eyes.


    When he talked to the other prisoners in the cell, they all said that living to over sixty years old and dying peacefully was a great blessing.


    Now it seems that this blessing is not enough for Mr. Qian¡¯s luck.


    Instead, someone made connections behind the scenes, allowing Old Qian to live for such a long time in that prison-like ce.


    Qiao Mu pondered for a moment and asked again, "If the constable¡¯s sry is not enough, what if we take it a step further?"


    "I heard Qian Qian say that he became an 8th rank martial artist at the age of 28. He also practices the Golden Bell Shield, which makes him even stronger than the ordinary 8th rank internal strength martial artist."


    "ording to thews of Great Yan, officials don¡¯t have to pay taxes on their sries, but as a low-ranking constable, it is required."


    "If he were to be an 8th rank internal strength martial artist, he could be a powerless 8th rank martial officer, receive an 8th rank sry, and be exempt from taxes. How could he not save up that one thousand taels?"


    Chen Yingxue let out a faint sigh.


    "The key lies here."


    "Even though thews of Great Yan specify this, in practice, one¡¯s social background often matters as well."


    Social background is very important.


    Qiao Mu was able to be a constable in Heyang City because of the rmendation from the 7th rank official, Shen Qinghe. Otherwise, he would just be considered an illegal resident, treated like a refugee.


    Qian Qian¡¯s background¡­ is even worse than Qiao Mu, the illegal resident.


    Because even though he is a constable, his father is a thief£¡


    What¡¯s even worse than having a father who was a thief¡­ is that the thief offended the powerful Lou family, who even the prison officials have to please!


    That¡¯s why.


    Qian Qian will never be a military officer in his life, whether it¡¯s the 8th rank or the 9th rank. The position of the chief constable in the capital city is the same.


    Chen Yingxue continued:


    "Qian Qian developed internal strength at the age of twenty-three, advanced to the 8th rank at twenty-eight, and then his energy and blood declined to the 9th rank at thirty-two. This year, at thirty-five, his energy and blood have declined again, andbined with the old hidden injuries, he is actually not as strong as an ordinary 9th rank."


    "He used to be brave and unafraid of getting hurt. He made quite a name for himself in Heyang City, but because of his background¡­ being able to be a constable in the government is already the limit."


    This is the resume of an ordinary constable in Heyang City.


    Qian Qian¡¯s martial arts qualifications are actually slightly stronger than those of an ordinary constable. At the age of 28, he reached the 8th rank¡­ But in front of cultivators, he is still insignificant.


    Immortal Ming Yue doesn¡¯t even know about the existence of Qian Qian and his father, and Qian Qian has already sacrificed half of his life for this.


    "Qian Qian was absent a few days ago because of a stomachache. He probably doesn¡¯t know that his elderly father in prison has passed away¡­"


    While speaking, Chen Yingxue kept her phoenix eyes tightly fixed on Qiao Mu, observing his reaction to Qian Qian¡¯s background.


    "So let¡¯s not involve Qian Qian in this case that may involve people from Immortal Gate. His elderly father has already passed away, but he still has a young daughter at home."


    "I think Captain Qiao is also a reasonable person. Let¡¯s just leave it at this between you and Qian Qian, okay?"


    Only after she said this did Qiao Mu understand.


    She said so much to protect Qian Qian from offending Qiao Mu, who has an astonishing background, and to avoid causing trouble. Also, this case is quiteplicated, and she wants to remove Qian Qian from it.


    "Oh, I see now," Qiao Mu suddenly realized.


    "Since the Chief Constable has considered so much, there must be a next step, right?"


    "Exactly."


    Chief Constable Chen took out a small cloth bag from the cupboard, filled with short yellow-ck cat hairs.


    She was cautious and didn¡¯t give all the cat hairs she found in the prison to Immortal Ming Yue. She kept some for herself in secret.


    The difference between these cat hairs and the white tiger hairs is quite big. You can tell them apart at a nce.


    Qiao Mu nced at Chen Yingxue with a bit of surprise, then nodded confidently:


    "Since we have two different pieces of evidence, I can now go straight to Xuantian Temple in the north of the city!"


    He already understood that this Chief Constable Chen is not someone who can be easily deceived. By removing Qian Qian, she must be trying to thoroughly investigate this case, right?


    Do you dare investigate, knowing that this case may involve someone from the Immortal Gate?


    She doesn¡¯t have a second life.


    Since traveling through time, Chen Yingxue had never encountered a character like him before, which made her look at him with admiration.


    However, as soon as he said this, Chen Yingxue showed a surprised expression.


    "Captain Qiao, we arew enforcement officers." She said in astonishment:


    "Law enforcement officers naturally abide by thews of Great Yan!"


    "The residence of Xuantian Sect is not under the jurisdiction of Great Yan. How can we trespass?"


    "Therefore, we should report this case and let the authorities decide."


    Qiao Mu paused for a moment and asked in a deep voice:


    "Do you mean we should report to the government office and let Lord Lou make the judgment?"


    "That¡¯s right," said Chen Yingxue, nodding firmly without sensing anything wrong.


    Hearing this reply, Qiao Mu could only fall silent.


    Thinking back to their previous experiences in Yan City, the people there had once trusted the renowned Lord of Yan City¡­


    This Governor Lou, hisst name is also Lou!


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    At the same time.


    In a mansion somewhere in the city, Emperor Yonghe stood with his hands behind his back, listening to the report from Guard Chu behind him.


    Ever since the incident at the teahouse, Emperor Yonghe had begun to see Qiao Mu in a different light, instructing Chu Xing to keep a close eye on Qiao Mu¡¯s every move with the Flying Fish Guard.


    Among them, this also includes tonight¡¯s murder case.


    Qiao Mu was a stepte and didn¡¯t catch Immortal Ming Yue on the spot.


    But Chu Xing, as a highly-skilled martial artist, witnessed the whole process, including the moment when Ming Yue released the ferocious tiger.


    "Your Majesty, the spiritual beast nurtured by Xuantian Sect¡¯s Saintess hasmitted murder¡­"


    After Guard Chu finished reporting, he didn¡¯t hear Emperor Yonghe¡¯s response for a long time.


    After waiting for a while, he finally heard Emperor Yonghe¡¯s weary voice:


    "I¡­ understand."

 Chapter 75:

    Chapter 75:


    The night had grownte.


    Chen Yingxue was writing diligently in the yamen, and the only sound in the room was the scratching of her pen.


    She didn¡¯t know how long it had passed until she finally stopped writing and took a deep breath.


    "Are you finished?"


    Qiao Mu, who had been resting with his eyes closed, opened them at this moment.


    As her subordinate, he had no intention of helping Chief Constable Chen with the paperwork. He had been cking off on the side until now.


    "Finished writing," nodded Chief Constable Chen, ncing at the deep night outside the window.


    "Once it¡¯s daylight, we¡¯ll deliver it to my boss."


    "This case runs deep and involves people from Immortal Gate. It will take the yamen at least a few days to make a decision. By then¡­""That¡¯s enough," Qiao Mu interrupted her.


    "What?" Chief Constable Chen was slightly surprised.


    "Let¡¯s stop here with this matter, it¡¯s time to give up." Qiao Mu said expressionlessly.


    "I was thinking all night just now, and finally understood."


    "This case is veryplicated, if we continue investigating, there won¡¯t be any good results. If you report it like this, it¡¯s too reckless."


    Chen Yingxue slightly widened her eyes.


    "You? You¡¯re saying I¡¯m reckless?" Suddenly, she felt a bit suffocated and her chest rose and fell irregrly.


    Just like when you¡¯re ying a video game and a younger teammate calls you a kid, but you can still type faster than them and give them a hard time, making them feel frustrated.


    "Don¡¯t judge me. I¡¯m not young anymore. When you¡¯re older, you think more before acting," said Qiao Mu, finally realizing that he was already a 44-year-old middle-aged person. So, he said with an air of maturity,


    "When I was young, I was just like you. I couldn¡¯t see past my own desires. But now that I¡¯m older, I understand the importance of going with the flow."


    Chief Constable Chen looked at him with confusion and asked, "You? Going with the flow? I don¡¯t understand."


    How could this detective, who had just been imprisoned for speaking against the emperor and spreading false rumors, be connected to the idea of "going with the flow"?


    "I was able to speak freely about politics before, but now that I¡¯m stepping forward to capture members of the Immortal Gate, it¡¯s a different matter altogether," exined Qiao Mu.


    Chief Constable Chen was taken aback by these words and, after some thought, blurted out,


    "You were able to speak before because of your influential background. Even if you were imprisoned for your words, they would find a way to get you out of jail."


    "Now that you have encountered someone from the Immortal Gate whom you know you can¡¯t provoke, are you backing down?"


    When these words were spoken, it seemed like they hit a sore spot for Qiao Mu, causing his expression to instantly darken.


    "Young man, this is called biding your time and having a broader perspective."


    "Your vision is so short-sighted, only knowing how to act recklessly. No wonder you¡¯re just a chief constable in a provincial city."


    Chen Yingxue was slightly surprised.


    "Didn¡¯t you defy Immortal Ming Yue before?"


    Without hesitation, Qiao Mu replied, "Defying Immortal Ming Yue is different from directly going to Xuantian Temple to arrest a suspect."


    "By acting recklessly like this, do you think you can speak out for those who died a tragic death? You are only seeking your own demise!"


    When Chen Yingxue heard these words, she could only remain silent.


    After spending these few days together, she originally thought that the new sheriff was someone cold on the outside but passionate on the inside. He seemed wild on the surface, but he had a proud spirit and was not afraid of the Immortal Gate. He dared to challenge Immortal Ming Yue.


    This was also why she intentionally took Qian Qian aside and discussed the case with Qiao Mu.


    She had originally thought they were of the same kind, but in the end, they still bowed down to the Immortal Gate.


    In fact, this is just human nature. It¡¯s more urate to say that it¡¯s reasonable to bow down.


    She had been a chief for many years, and finally she met someone who seemed to not fear those in power, even more outspoken and resolute than her. So naturally, she couldn¡¯t help but have higher expectations¡­


    She looked a bit sad and tired, with a hint of mncholy on her face.


    "Since that¡¯s the case, you should go back as well."


    "You don¡¯t have to worry about this case anymore, just go back and rest."


    Qiao Mu frowned, with a face that showed frustration:


    "Are you nning to continue investigating?"


    "Naturally, I have to investigate." Chen Yingxue¡¯s expression turned slightly cold, speaking seriously:


    "Not everyone in this world is like you, decisive in small matters and protective in big matters."


    "Even in the mighty Great Yan, even if this world bes dark, there are still people with a conscience and a sense of righteousness¡­ even if they may not achieve much."


    Qiao Mu listened silently, his expression gradually turning cold like Chen Yingxue¡¯s, until finally he had no expression on his face.


    "Woman, if you don¡¯t drink the toast, you must drink the penalty."


    Just as the words fell.


    He quickly moved, already rushing towards Chen Yingxue, his hand chopping at the back of her neck.


    "You¨C" Chen Yingxue¡¯s eyes filled with shock and anger.


    She didn¡¯t expect Qiao Pifu to dare to attack her in this official residence, and his martial arts skills were beyond her imagination¡­


    Before she could fullyprehend it, Qiao Mu had already knocked her unconscious with a chop and her body went limp on the ground.


    Qiao Mu lowered his head expressionlessly and nced at her.


    Stupid woman, after all the effort I went through, she still dares topete with me for the chance to die?


    Take a rest, okay?


    Qiao Mu picked up thepleted documents from the desk and also took the bag containing tiger fur and cat fur. He took out a few strands of tiger fur and carried them with him as he left.


    Chief Constable Chen, being a true official, thought about reporting to his superiors when encountering problems.


    In Qiao Mu¡¯s opinion, this was still a bit naive.


    He had previously met a high-ranking official surnamed Guo in Yan City¡­ Later on, this person became his sworn enemy.


    "Reportingyer byyer? It¡¯s appropriate for ordinary cases."


    "But for this kind of case, I¡¯m afraid it will be suppressed halfway."


    "Even if it really reaches Governor Lou¡¯s desk, it might not necessarily be a good thing, after all, he shares the same surname."


    Thinking this way, Qiao Mu had already walked out of the yamen gate.


    "Is Captain Qiao busy until thiste?" a night shift yamen clerk asked Qiao Mu with a smile.


    In this yamen, everyone knew that the newly appointed Qiao Pifu had a remarkable background and was not an ordinary constable. That¡¯s why he greeted him warmly.


    Unexpectedly, Qiao Mu walked straight towards him when he saw him.


    "Can you do me a small favor?"


    "After dawn, in about half an hour, please deliver these things to the residence of Sir Shen Qinghe in the west of the city. Let him know that I, Qiao Pifu, have urgent matters."


    "Remember, don¡¯t go too early. Wait for dawn and then wait another half an hour."


    After Qiao Mu finished speaking, he also handed a few pieces of silver to the night shift yamen clerk.


    Shen Qinghe was a 7th rank assistant magistrate. ording to the normal procedure, if Chief Constable Chen had reportedyer byyer, the written case report would have been sent to Shen Qinghe.


    Qiao Mu skipped the intermediate process and directly submitted it to the 7th rank official, Shen Qinghe, to avoid any potential trouble.


    As for Shen Qinghe, Qiao Mu didn¡¯t actually know much about him.


    But before, when Qiao Mu criticized the government, he was able to be released without trouble¡­ Does Qiao Mu have any background? If he does, maybe it¡¯s just that Shen Qinghe, a 7th rank official, helped him behind the scenes to get out of prison?


    Being able to get Qiao Mu, who ndered and criticized the emperor, out of prison, Qiao Mu thought that Shen Qinghe must be someone extraordinary¡­ So this time, he did it like this.


    This isn¡¯t about trying to implicate Shen Qinghe, it¡¯s just leaving some evidence, so that at least someone in the government knows the truth of the matter, and so that Qiao Mu isn¡¯t vilified after his death.


    After daybreak, Qiao Mu was prepared to go alone to the Xuantian Temple in the north of the city.


    And half an hour after daybreak, when Shen Qinghe received the documents and the animal fur as evidence, Qiao Mu should have already died.


    "This matter is settled."


    After careful consideration, Qiao Mu returned to the residence he rented in the west of the city, closed his eyes to rest, and gathered his energy.


    In the first half of the night, he searched the entire city for clues, and in the second half of the night, he discussed the details of the case. He needed to maintain good mental health in order to take action.


    When he opened his eyes again, the sky was already getting light.


    Qiao Mu changed into the attire of a constable, took his sword, and brought along the previously prepared animal fur, ready in every way.


    Just before leaving, he also took a nce at the calendar.


    "Today is the fifteenth."


    "It is advisable to burn incense and show respect to the gods."


    Qiao Mu went out, and the sky was only slightly brightening. There were not many people on the street.


    From the west side of the city to the north side, the number of passersby gradually increased.


    Xuantian Temple was located at the foot of a small hill in the north of the city. It was transformed from the former Qiao Family Courtyard, while the disciples¡¯ residence was on the mountain behind.


    "Is it the former Qiao Family Courtyard in Heyang?"


    After spending many days in Heyang City, he finally arrived at the entrance of Xuantian Temple.


    Just as he was about to approach, he heard a meow and felt a heaviness under his feet.


    He looked down and saw that the mixed-color cat had appeared silently beside him, holding onto his pant leg.


    As Qiao Mu took a step forward, the cat¡¯s four paws remained on the ground, being dragged along by Qiao Mu¡¯s stride.


    "Just arrived and already bumped into the cat demon? What a lucky start!"


    "But this Impermanent Demon Cat is indeed quite something. I didn¡¯t even notice when it appeared."


    Qiao Mu lowered his head and looked at the little cat by his feet.


    This mystical cat didn¡¯t look much different from an ordinary cat, except for always being a bit strange¡­


    The more lifeless it became, the more excited and happy it seemed. Inhaling the invisible strong death energy, its fur seemed to glow with a mysterious luster.


    But too much deathly aura made it feel weak in all its limbs.


    Otherwise, as a monster, it wouldn¡¯t have been led by Qiao Mu¡¯s footsteps like an ordinary kitten.


    Qiao Mu continued to walk forward, and with every step closer to Xuantian Temple, the cat became more weak and feeble.


    Today is the fifteenth day, and there are slightly more worshippersing to Xuantian Temple to burn incense as offerings. Peoplee and go in a constant stream.


    Qiao Mu was also in the crowd, but as soon as he reached the gate of the temple, he was stopped by a young Taoist disciple at the entrance.


    "Are you aw enforcement officer? Did youe to the wrong ce?" the young Taoist disciple said lightly.


    "This is the residence of Xuantian Sect. Law enforcement officers cannot trespass, let alone enter with a sword."


    "Alright," Qiao Mu said as he drew his sword, shocking the young Taoist disciple.


    "What do you intend to do? Didn¡¯t you hear clearly? This is Xuantian Temple, don¡¯t act recklessly."


    The noise at the entrance of the Taoist temple has attracted the attention of some people, and some Taoist practitioners in the distance are starting to walk towards this direction.


    Heyang City is thergest city in this area, and the Xuantian Temple in the city is rted to incense. Naturally, it is not a small matter.


    Qiao Mu pointed to the many incense worshippers passing by and asked again:


    "Can these pilgrims enter, but I can¡¯t enter?"


    He wanted to die with dignity, leaving behind a renowned legacy.

 Chapter 76:

    Chapter 76:


    "These pilgrims can go in, but I can¡¯t?"


    The young Taoist at the entrance of the Taoist temple listened to this and became a little impatient and said:


    "Precisely because you are a government official, you cannot enter."


    With that said, themotion at the entrance had already caught the attention of the surrounding crowd.


    Other Taoists from the temple frowned and came over, and some of the onlookers gradually got closer.


    "Why can¡¯t a government official enter?" Qiao Mu¡¯s gaze also nced at the crowding to watch, and his voice became more loud:


    "As a governmentw enforcer, the Great Yan¡¯sw enforcer, is this not Heyang City under the jurisdiction of Great Yan? Why can¡¯t I enter?"


    However, what surprised him a little was¡­


    After hearing this, the people didn¡¯t show any obvious surprise or approval on their faces. Some pilgrims even frowned, clearly not agreeing with what he said.Xuantian Sect has only been in Heyang City for half a year.


    But these people seemed to have already gotten used to the presence of the Xuantian Sect immortals.


    This is different from when Qiao Mu stood up against the City Lord¡¯s family in Yan City before.


    City Lord Guo Yan was quite famous back then, and although the people of Yan City didn¡¯t speak, they always knew right from wrong in their hearts.


    But now it¡¯s different.


    Qiao Mu is facing the Immortal Gate, the immortals who are seen as untainted by the secr world.


    The Taoists at the entrance of the Taoist temple just found it funny when they heard this.


    "Are you pretending to be ignorant while actually knowing everything, constable?" one of the Taoistsughed.


    "Thews of Great Yan belong to Great Yan. This is the residence of Immortal Gate."


    "What does thew of mortals have to do with Immortal Gate?"


    Speaking of this, the faces of these Taoists also showed a hint of undisguised superiority.


    They were once members of the Great Yan Imperial Court, but now that they have entered the Xuantian Temple and put on a Taoist robe, they have transformed into members of Immortal Gate.


    Even if they are just gatekeepers at the entrance of this Taoist temple, they are still considered higher than the citizens of Great Yan.


    Qiao Mu calmly said, "If a cultivator from Immortal Gate is suspected of killing innocent people andmitting violent acts within the city, what would happen?"


    Upon hearing this, the Taoists¡¯ faces slightly darkened.


    Just as they were about to reprimand, a young female cultivator walked over from a distance, also attracted by the smallmotion.


    "What happened?" the female cultivator asked.


    "Senior Sister Ming Yue."


    "Sister."


    These few Taoists quickly greeted each other.


    Female Cultivator Ming Yue is the servant of the Sect¡¯s Holy Maiden and is highly favored by Saintess Wu Qingxin because of her ability to control beasts.


    Therefore, her status naturally rises. Although she is a servant, she is slightly higher than the average Immortal Gate disciple, not to mention those misceneous disciples at the entrance of their Taoist Temple.


    "Are you¡­ that Sheriff Qiao Pifu?"


    After Female Cultivator Ming Yue examined him for a while, she recognized this person.


    Originally, she didn¡¯t pay much attention to the names of mortals, but this person had repeatedly provoked her andst night almost broke through her tiger-hunting technique, so she had a strong impression of him.


    "Now that the main character has arrived, I won¡¯t waste any more words." Qiao Mu spoke up.


    "Immortal Ming Yue, I have found the true form of that temporary monster."


    "Oh? Did youe here specifically to inform me? That¡¯s thoughtful." The moonlit face showed obvious joy.


    Without saying a word, Qiao Mu ignited the previous magicalmp, and the green me that appeared trembled sharply, floating towards the small cat lying at Qiao Mu¡¯s feet¡­?


    "Is this the true form of that mystical cat?" The moonlit face showed a slight astonishment.


    She had indeed dealt with this temporary monster before, but she failed to capture it. However, she never expected that the temporary monster she struggled to capture would be the small cat lying limply on the ground.


    "Good, well done." She quickly concealed her surprise and walked up:


    "This temporary monster hasmitted multiple homicides within the city, and such a beast must be brought into my Immortal Gate for punishment, to repay the sins it hasmitted with endless years."


    However, Qiao Mu remained motionless.


    "So, Immortal Ming Yue has also confirmed that this magicalmp points to the true form of the temporary monster?" Qiao Mu asked.


    "Of course." The moon gazed intensely at the cat at Qiao Mu¡¯s feet, sounding a little eager.


    Isn¡¯t this constable a bit silly? Why didn¡¯t he secretly give me the monster and why did he have to do it at the entrance of Xuantian Temple? If other disciples from different sects see this, they might try to take credit from me¡­ Ming Yue felt somewhat displeased.


    However, Qiao Mu remained motionless, not showing any intention to hand over the monster cat.


    "If this is what they call an impermanent monster, then¡­ what kind of creature was the one that appeared at the murder scene in the west courtyard with Immortal Ming Yuest night?"


    Qiao Mu¡¯s gaze turned cold, and his speech sped up:


    "Immortal Ming Yue, your whereabouts were suspiciousst night, unexpectedly appearing at the residence of the deceased, Jiang Long."


    "And next to the lifeless body of Jiang Long, I found this kind of fur."


    Qiao Mu took out the prepared animal fur from the small bag and held it in his hand.


    With one hand holding the fur, he lifted the limp little cat in his other hand.


    The fur of this creature is visibly longer and thicker, and it feels harder. The most special thing is that the fur shows a faint shimmering white color under the sunlight.


    Even without using any magical means to detect, just by using their naked eyes, ordinary people can easily tell that this long fur didn¡¯te from the small cat in Qiao Mu¡¯s hands.


    Speaking of this, Ming Yue finally stopped in her tracks.


    She had already realized that Qiao Mu was not a friendly visitor.


    "What do you want to say?" she asked, feeling a bit restless.


    Qiao Mu said, "In order to investigate the Case of Impermanent Monster, I, as the chief hunter, must enter the residence of Xuantian Temple andpare the fur of the spiritual beasts raised by the Xuantian Sect one by one, in order to find the killer monster in the Case of Impermanent Monster¡­."


    Before Qiao Mu could finish his words, the female cultivator Ming Yue waved her hand to interrupt him.


    "Stop!" shemanded.


    "As an esteemed member of the Immortal Gate, how dare you, a mere insignificant hunter, nder us?"


    "If you want to enter, can you just enter? Immortal Gate is a sacred ce, not a ce where you can act recklessly."


    Unknowingly, the crowd at the entrance of the Taoist temple had gathered more and more.


    Many pilgrims were attracted to thismotion, after all, a governmentw enforcement officer arguing with the Immortal Gate¡¯s deity at the entrance of Xuantian Temple¡­ This was something that would never happen in the past!


    "The deity of Xuantian Sect letting evil beastsmit murder? Impossible, right?"


    "But that constable seems very sure and even brought evidence¡­"


    "If the deity of Xuantian Sect is innocent, what harm is there in opening the temple gate and letting the constable take a look? It won¡¯t be troublesome."


    "That¡¯s the deity of Xuantian Sect, they have always protected the peace and harmony of Heyang City¡­"


    The people were discussing and talking.


    Public opinion was almost entirely in favor of Xuantian Sect.


    After all¡­


    Qiao Mu, dressed in a blue uniform, represents the government and thew enforcement officials of the Great Yan at the grassroots level.


    In the forty years since the Inhuman War, the Great Yan Imperial Court has imposed heavy taxes on the people, causing hardship for many years. Naturally, the government doesn¡¯t have a good impression in the eyes of the people.


    The immortals of the Xuantian Sect, on the other hand, are all highly aplished individuals who have achieved immortality and are free from worldly concerns. They are truly the aspiration of the people.


    With these two factions conflicting, right at the entrance of the Xuantian Temple, it is not hard to guess which side they lean towards.


    "The constable over there, please don¡¯t cause any trouble." Shouts could be heard from a distance.


    A middle-aged man wearing an official uniform and with a big belly hurriedly approached, sweat visible on his forehead.


    Today is the fifteenth day, and he had originallye to the Xuantian Temple to offer incense. However, he was surprised to hear that something had happened here even before he reached the temple. So, he could only rush over.


    "Constable over there, step back!" the official eximed.


    "Are you trying to disturb the peace of Immortal Gate and tarnish its reputation?"


    "What investigation? I have never heard of this matter being rted to Immortal Gate. Stop fooling around!"


    Qiao Mu turned his head to look at the sudden appearance of the official and suddenly asked,


    "May I ask, sir, what is your official position?"


    The chubby official immediately understood in his heart: even this constable didn¡¯t recognize him, it seemed that he was indeed just a minor character.


    He coldly said,


    "I am the Heyang Prefecture magistrate, holding the 5th rank."


    "ording to thews of Great Yan, government constables are not allowed to trespass into the residence of Immortal Gate. What is your intention?"


    "You, as a constable, have already made a serious mistake. If you cause trouble again in front of Xuantian Temple, I can immediately dismiss you from your position!"


    In Heyang Prefecture, a 5th rank assistant is equivalent to the deputy of a 4th rank governor, and their position is highly respected.


    With his position in Heyang City, he didn¡¯t need toe forward to defend Ming Yue, a disciple of the Female Cultivator and member of the Immortal Gate. It would lower his status.


    Ming Yue, a female cultivator, isn¡¯t that important, but the Blue-eyed Flying Tiger is the spirit pet of the Saintess from the Immortal Gate.


    Now that Qiao Mu has exposed this matter in public, it affects the reputation of the Immortal Gate. Therefore, he has to step forward and scold little constable Qiao Mu.


    Upon hearing suchmotion, Ming Yue¡¯s heart became slightly certain.


    Just a moment ago, when Qiao Mu exposed the truth in front of so many people, she felt a bit panicked.


    But now, taking a closer look¡­


    The opinions of the people in Heyang Prefecture clearly favor the Immortal Gate. Even the officials of the Great Yan Imperial Court are scolding Qiao Pifu and demanding his dismissal.


    When even the citizens and officials of Great Yan stand on her side, why would she panic?


    Instead, it was Qiao Pifu, the detective who persisted in investigating the case, who was all alone at this moment, almost being overwhelmed by everyone¡¯s criticism.


    It was Qiao Pifu who should be worried!


    It was just him, a meremoner, going against the rules of Heyang City!


    However, at this moment, Qiao Pifu remained calm.


    No matter how the officials scolded and threatened, no matter how the people gossiped, he stood alone, unwavering and unafraid.


    "You want to dismiss me from my job?"


    Suddenly, Qiao Mu smiled at this moment.


    As the chief constable of Heyang City, he naturally had to follow many restrictions and rules.


    "Is it possible that it¡¯s not me who is wrong, but thews of Great Yan?"


    The fat official first looked surprised, then his face turned dark and the muscles on his face trembled with anger.


    He heard the constable continue:


    "If even as aw enforcer, I cannot uphold justice¡­ then what is the use of wearing this official uniform?"


    As soon as he finished speaking.


    He stood in the middle of the street and, in front of everyone¡¯s eyes, he ripped off the police uniform he was wearing.


    Underneath the uniform, he was dressed in a martial artist outfit that allowed him to move freely. It was clear that he had prepared this in advance, rather than acting on impulse.


    "Aw enforcer? I am not one anymore."


    By taking off the official¡¯s attire, it also meant that Qiao Mu was no longer a member of the government and no longer represented thews of Great Yan.


    Holding his sword, Qiao Mu stood alone at the entrance of Xuantian Temple, facing the roaring crowd, the furious expression on the fat official¡¯s face, and the towering Immortal GateXuantian Temple in the north of the city.


    He walked step by step towards the gate of Xuantian Temple, his voice bing louder and echoing in the ears of the people around.


    "Now I am no longer a government constable, just amon man without a job."


    "Can immortals take lives and allow beasts to kill people?"


    "If thews of Great Yan cannot control immortals, then I, Qiao Pifu, will take charge!"


    The crowd was shocked.


    Even the Taoists guarding Xuantian Temple were momentarily stunned, unable to react immediately.


    The gazes of the people also subtly changed after Qiao Mu took off his official uniform.


    The official uniform of a constable represents the background of the government.


    The people didn¡¯t like the officials of the Great Yan government very much. They often feared them more than respected them. Most of them believed that these officials were only trying to take their money or get promoted.


    But if a constable bearing the pressure of a 5th rank official were to publicly remove his official uniform and enter the Xuantian Temple¡­


    This is obviously unrted to promotion and wealth.


    This constable who disregards his official uniform and enters the Xuantian Temple seems truly different from the officials they usually encounter, doesn¡¯t he?


    Suddenly.


    The little cat beneath Qiao Mu¡¯s feet suddenly perked up its cat ears.


    Originally limp on the ground, at this moment it seemed to sense something, its pupils narrowed and it became cautious, hiding in the shadow behind Qiao Mu.


    Next moment.


    A roar as loud as thunder echoed from a distance, the rolling sound waves shaking the air.


    This sudden eruption of a roar made those pilgrims involuntarily cover their ears, and even those who were closer were blown back a few steps by the sound waves.


    "The Saintess¡¯s Flying Tiger?"


    The Xuantian Temple cultivator who had just tried to stop Qiao Mu suddenly had a change in expression.


    This fierce tiger of the Saintess has quite a reputation at the Xuantian Temple¡¯s base. Being underage and ferocious in nature, it gives trouble to these low-level cultivators who can neither hide nor fight back.


    The one with the biggest change in expression was the Female Cultivator Ming Yue.


    Although the roar of the Blue-eyed Flying Tiger could be heard from a distance, the source of the sound wasn¡¯t from the back of the Xuantian Temple, but rather near the foot of the mountain?


    "Has this Blue-eyed Flying Tiger escaped from its spiritual beast cage?"


    "Justst night, I specifically fed it 6th rank blood to keep it calm for a while. How could it go mad again so quickly?" Ming Yue¡¯s heart trembled.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    The side entrance of the Xuantian Temple directly faced a street, separated by a corner from the main street where Qiao Mu was.


    Qiao Mu was causing a lot of trouble over there, but this street was calm and peaceful.


    Today is the fifteenth, and there are more pilgrims on the street than usual.


    On the street paved with blue stones, there was a family carrying a table out of their house and cing it in front of their door. They then put candles, steamed buns, rice wine, and a statue of a graceful white-robed immortal on the table.


    "There are too many pilgrims offering incense at Xuantian Temple today, and the smoke is too thick. It¡¯s not good for the child. Let¡¯s not go this time. We can worship right outside our own door," said Qian Qian.


    Qian Qian came out holding a delicate porcin doll, and the rest of the family lit incense candles.


    In the midst of the smoke, each member of Qian Qian¡¯s family took turns kneeling before the table, closing their eyes and praying silently while burning incense.


    "Little one,e and pray too."


    A woman held the hand of the little girl and taught her to kneel in front of the table like the adults and bow.


    The Qian family was not wealthy, and Qian Qian, whose vitality was declining, was thin. The little girl, on the other hand, had a slightly chubby face, with a round and smooth appearance. With her big blinking eyes, she looked adorable.


    "Little one, don¡¯t just bow down. Say some blessings for Immortal Xuantian," Qian Qian reminded with a smile.


    "What¡­what should I say?" the little girl asked, confused.


    "Just say something, like wishing for good health," he replied.


    "Okay." The little girl earnestly imitated the adults, kneeling down and closing her eyes, and said word by word:


    "I wish Immortal Xuantian good health and good luck in everything."


    "Haha¡­" Several adults by the altar burst intoughter. They never expected to hear such a prayer. The wrinkles on their faces rxed.


    "Did you teach her to speak like that just now?" Qian Qian alsoughed.


    These past few days, as he investigated the Case of Impermanent Monster, he felt quite exhausted. But as he looked at his little daughter like this, the tiredness in his heart seemed to fade away without him realizing.


    He was about to collect the offering table when suddenly there was a loud noise behind his ears.


    Roar!


    All of a sudden, there was a thunderous tiger roar that shook the ground, almost tearing apart eardrums.


    He turned his head to look.


    A towering emerald-eyed giant tiger with wings stretched out, descending from the sky, trampling several unsuspecting worshippers on the street under its feet.


    The tiger moved swiftly and fiercely. While everyone was terrified, the tiger¡¯s ws effortlessly tore apart the bodies of the worshippers beneath it. Its pristine white fur quickly became stained red with blood, emanating a terrifying aura.


    "This tiger¡­" Qian Qian¡¯s eyes widened slightly. He wasn¡¯t seeing the fearsome appearance of this tiger for the first time, as he caught a glimpse of itst night¡­ However, he was concerned about the cultivator and didn¡¯t reveal the truth.


    While he was in a daze, the giant tiger seemed to be attracted by the food on the altar. It spread its wings and pounced, stirring up a stench as it flew towards him.


    The Immortal Xuantian on the altar was blown away by the strong wind and smashed to pieces upon hitting the ground.


    The giant tigernded next to the altar, opening its jaws wide. The little girl in front of the table stood there, stunned, only half a meter away from the tiger.


    The little girl was so small that she didn¡¯t even reach the height of the tiger¡¯s mouth.


    "Nan¨C" Qian Qian¡¯s eyes widened, and he took a step forward with a burst of energy, but the injury in his chest caused a sharp pain, slowing him down.


    At this moment, time seemed to slow down.


    He watched helplessly as the tiger opened its mouth wide and pounced towards the girl next to the altar.


    He was very close to his own daughter, close enough to smell the foul odor from the tiger¡¯s mouth.


    But in the end, their footsteps slowed down a bit.


    Every action has consequences¡­ In this final moment, this thought crossed his mind.


    Suddenly, he remembered the injury he sufferedst night while protecting the young constable. He clearly saw a fleeting giant tiger figure next to Immortal Ming Yue in the courtyard, but he lied and imed not to know¡­


    In the blink of an eye.


    A familiar voice rang out like thunder.


    "Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method£¡"


    A figure covered in blood-red light, pounced on the giant tiger sideways, just like a hungry tiger attacking its prey, and actually sent the giant tiger flying several meters away.

 Chapter 77:

    Chapter 77:


    In the morning, the sun had just risen, and the sunlight was faint.


    Emperor Yonghe was sitting on the terrace of a small building, his eyes half-closed, feeling a bit sleepy.


    Ever since he left the pce, his sleep hasn¡¯t been very good. He woke up as soon as it was daylight, and now he was starting to feel drowsy.


    Downstairs on the street, more and more people were gradually appearing. Some familiar pedestrians stopped to chat and greet each other, while street vendors selling pancakes called out along the street. The voices were noisy but not sharp. This was a scene rarely seen by Emperor Yonghe, who had lived in the deep pce for a long time.


    "I wonder how long days like this canst¡­"


    Emperor Yonghe closed his eyes and gradually lost focus.


    Since the Inhuman War, the Great Yan Imperial Court has been in decline, and as the current emperor, he didn¡¯t have the mood or energy toe all the way to Heyang City in Nan Province for some undercover visit.


    Undercover visits are something only founding or prosperous emperors can do.


    But forty years after the Inhuman War, with heavy taxes and deep-seated grievances in the Great Yan, why would Emperor Yonghe engage in undercover visits?Without any understanding, isn¡¯t he afraid that his precious life will be taken by some fearless assassin?


    He did have a different purpose for this journey, and the so-called undercover visit was just the calm before the storm.


    But all that was in the future, even if he was in a hurry, he could still take a nap for now¡­


    "Your Majesty." At this moment, Guard Chu appeared in front of him.


    Unless necessary, he wouldn¡¯t disturb Emperor Yonghe¡¯s nap, after all, he was the current emperor.


    "Xuantian Temple had an incident. The person named Qiao Pifu was investigating the Case of Impermanent Monster and ended up at Xuantian Temple¡­"


    "Hmm?" Emperor Yonghe, with his eyes almost closed, suddenly became wide awake,pletely free of drowsiness.


    He immediately remembered the incidentst night, when Sheriff Qiao Pifu was investigating the case of the tiger that killed someone, involving the Saintess of the Xuantian Sect.


    "¡­How dare he act in such a way?"


    Emperor Yonghe¡¯s heart unexpectedly became heavier.


    The Blue-eyed Flying Tiger that injured someonest night was a spirit pet raised by Saintess Wu Qingxin, a member of the Xuantian Sect.


    Wu Qingxin was not an ordinary saintess.


    Her surname was Wu, and she was actually the adopted daughter of a Martial Saint and also a disciple of the Martial Saint.


    Once she escaped from the Wuji Association, she sought refuge in the Immortal Gate, where she was recognized as a Saintess by the Xuantian Sect. From that moment on, she began her journey on the path of immortality.


    Her existence itself is actually a symbol of the Immortal Gate.


    Wu Qingxin has a special identity, so Emperor Yonghe was hesitant and unable to make a decisionst night.


    "Go to Xuantian Temple to see the specific situation."


    Emperor Yonghe immediately stood up and walked downstairs, his previousziness vanished.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    On the street in front of Xuantian Temple in the north of the city.


    Suddenly, a figure covered in blood appeared abruptly and forcefully knocked the attacking giant tiger several meters away.


    "This ¡®Shadow Step¡¯ is even better than expected."


    Qiao Mu muttered to himself.


    His martial arts has reached the 6th rank, but he has actually never properly trained in light techniques before. He has always relied on his immense strength and sudden bursts of internal power to dash forward.


    However, this "Shadow Step" is a genuine light technique, with specific moves that unleash internal power. Its effects are much better than his previous brute force approach.


    Upon hearing the roar of the tiger, Qiao Mu, who was originally nning to forcefully enter the Taoist temple, immediately changed direction and rushed towards this side.


    With the eruption of internal power from the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, his figure had almost reached the point of creating afterimages. He rushed ahead of the people from Xuantian Temple and arrived here.


    "I was just rushing too fast and bumped my shoulder¡­"


    Qiao Mu stretched his shoulder and the pain made him grimace.


    Martial artists have strong bodies and abundant vital energy, but that is whenpared to ordinary people.


    Any martial artist with a brain would not fight head-on with demons.


    After all, humans shouldn¡¯tpare their strength, w sharpness, or bone hardness with wild beasts in the first ce.


    Behind him.


    Qian Qian quickly moved his daughter to the side and held her in his arms. Then he looked up at the figure of the man, who was dressed like a martial artist.


    The man in the martial artist outfit didn¡¯t turn around. He just left Qian Qian with a view of his back, filled with intense energy.


    "Are you¡­ Captain Qiao?" Qian Qian hesitated for a moment.


    Just now, when faced with Blue-eyed Flying Tiger, Qian Qian¡¯s mind was filled with memories shing before his eyes. He never expected that it was Captain Qiao, whom he was somewhat afraid of at the local office, who saved him and his daughter¡¯s lives.


    "You¡¯ve mistaken me." The man in the martial artist outfit still didn¡¯t turn around, but spoke lightly:


    "I am not a Captain, just an ordinary man."


    "I have always been shy and introverted, and I never talk to strangers. So please don¡¯t talk to me."


    Qian Qian, holding his own child, was momentarily stunned.


    Roar!


    At this moment, the Blue-eyed Flying Tiger shook its body, climbed up from the ground, opened its mouth wide, and let out a fierce roar again.


    The roaring sound waves twisted the air visibly. The tiger was not hurt much by the impact just now. Instead, it infuriated him and made him appear more fierce.


    Qian Qian shivered instinctively and hurriedly ran into the house, holding the little girl in his arms. The pedestrians and pilgrims on the street also naturally fled in panic.


    While running wildly, Qian Qian subconsciously looked back and saw the man in a strong suit suddenly step forward instead of retreating.


    With his internal strength bursting out, the man¡¯s feet shattered the blue stone bs, and his figure turned into an afterimage, pouncing towards the tiger like a hungry tiger attacking its prey.


    "Shadow Sword!"


    Yan City City Lord Guo Yan¡¯s sword technique relied on itsplexity and exquisite moves, while Qiao Mu was only a beginner, not having mastered those sophisticated sword techniques yet.


    However, with the eruption of the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, surging internal strength continuously flowed out from his limbs and bones. A sharp aura bloomed on his three-foot-long sword. Even if his sword technique was messy for a while, it still made the fierce tiger retreat again and again, whimpering.


    Qian Qian¡¯s attention was focused on Qiao Mu¡¯s footsteps, and his eye twitched slightly.


    "My family¡¯s ¡®Shadow Step¡¯? Is this how you use Shadow Step?"


    Shadow Step is mainly about stealth and invisibility, moving lightly on rooftops and walls in the night, with agile movements. It is a skill of a skilled thief.


    And the Qiao Mu before his eyes was extremely violent.


    Every step he took caused the ground¡¯s cobblestones to shatter loudly, and every step closely followed the attacking giant tiger. His figure was exceptionally quick, leaving Qian Qian only with a trail of afterimages in his sight and the sound of the cobblestones breaking in his ears.


    "This Shadow Step seems to be even faster than my father used to be¡­ Could it be that I¡¯ve trained it wrong?" Qian Qian feltpletely confused in his heart.


    This tiger was fierce, so fierce that Qian Qian couldn¡¯t gather the courage to resist it just a moment ago.


    But the figure filled with boiling energy and blood was even fiercer than it, each strike was an explosive disy of internal strength, without holding anything back.


    "Qiao Pifu, you must not act aggressively!"


    "This Blue-eyed Flying Tiger is the spirit pet of the Saintess from Xuantian Sect."


    At this moment, the moon and the chubby official from the main gate of Xuantian Temple arrivedte in the distance, and seeing this scene, they shouted loudly.


    "What does the rule of the Immortal Gate have to do with me, amon man like myself?" Qiao Mu just sneered, his actions not slowing down at all.


    He hadn¡¯t fought against a cultivator yet.


    Seeing the crowd of cultivators from Xuantian Temple rushing over, he had no choice but to act first, to avoid dying too quickly and not having time to kill this ferocious tiger.


    Puff!


    Qiao Mu¡¯s sword pierced the neck of the giant tiger, blood gushed out, and the Blue-eyed Flying Tiger also retreated in pain, almost standing up.


    Qiao Mu leaped onto the tiger¡¯s back, sping his legs tightly around it, one hand gripping the tiger¡¯s head tightly, while the other hand reached for the sword stuck in the tiger¡¯s neck.


    "An evil beast that rampages and kills on the street deserves to be beheaded!"


    Qiao Mu held the sword tightly and swung it with all his might, unleashing his hidden strength that pierced through the tiger¡¯s neck.


    Surrounded by astonished eyes of the people at Xuantian Temple, Qiao Mu swiftly beheaded the tiger.


    The headless body of the tiger, which had just stood upright, copsed onto the shattered street, spurting out a pungent smell of blood like a fountain.


    The tiger¡¯s corpsey on the street near the side entrance of Xuantian Temple, next to several other bodies of pedestrians, scattered offerings, and the shattered Immortal Xuantian statue¡­


    This scene petrified the pedestrians and the people at Xuantian Temple. They were frozen in disbelief.


    The street fell into a brief silence.


    Qiao Mu looked down at the massive tiger corpse, slightly stooping down to lift its head with one hand.


    With his other hand, he took out a shiny white tiger hair from a small bag and held it up high under the sunlight.


    He clenched the tiger hair in one hand while raising the blood-stained tiger head with the other.


    Qiao Mu looked around and said loudly, "This fur indeed came from the Blue-eyed Flying Tiger of the Xuantian Sect¡­"


    Qiao Mu is no longer a government¡¯s headhunter.


    And now, no one cares about the Case of Impermanent Monster at all.


    Even the Female Cultivator Ming Yue, who had spent a lot of effort catching the little kitten, didn¡¯t have the time to pay attention to it. She was trembling, her pupils contracted, and she was furious.


    This person ruthlessly killed the Saintess¡¯s spiritual pet right there on the street¡­


    However, Qiao Mu still exined the reasoning and the details of the case seriously, from the sudden appearance and the droplets of tiger fur left behind by the Female Cultivator Ming Yuest night, to the bite marks of various tiger-like monsters found on the bodies of previous victims¡­


    These detailed statements of the case were taken from the documents submitted by Chief Constable Chen, and Qiao Mu was just retelling them.


    Even though nobody cares about the case at the moment, and nobody wants to listen.


    The Taoists from the Xuantian Temple were furious, their faces pale with anger. The chubby official trembled and scolded, and the rest of the people stood in ce, their faces pale as they discussed fervently.


    And Qiao Mu pretended not to hear, and continued talking to himself.


    His eyes skimmed over the tiger corpse at his feet, the messy streets, and the half-eaten bodies of the pedestrians.


    "The damned beast that kills deserves to be killed!" He stood next to the tiger corpse, holding the blood-dripping head of the ferocious tiger, and said calmly:


    "This is not thew of Great Yan, nor the rules of Immortal Gate¡­"


    "But¡­ the principles of society!"

 Chapter 78:

    Chapter 78:


    Society¡¯s principles!


    When Qiao Mu held the blood-stained head of the huge tiger and utter those two words, the surrounding crowd became somewhat confused.


    When Qiao Mu drew his sword and tried to confront the Taoist at the entrance of Xuantian Temple, the people around mostly sided with the Taoist, scolding the ignorant constable for disturbing the peace of Immortal Gate.


    When Qiao Mu faced the scolding and threats from the high-ranking official and took off his dirty uniform, they were even more surprised. They couldn¡¯t understand what Qiao Mu was doing.


    And when the giant tiger killed someone on the street and was shot dead by Qiao Mu, they finally showed some emotions when talking about the Case of the Impermanent Monster.


    "This constable seems to be really getting things done?" someone¡¯s confidence began to waver.


    "He really saved someone just now."


    "And those Taoists at the entrance of the Xuantian Sect, were they trying to stop him?"


    Not everyone had the courage to face the man-eating tiger, especially when it seemed to be raised by the immortal of the Xuantian Sect¡­The bigger right and wrong they couldn¡¯t understand, but the obvious good and evil, themon people could stillprehend.


    They still stayed far away and dared not approach, but their gaze towards Qiao Mu had already changed to a certain extent.


    "This person named Qiao Pifu indeed got rid of the man-eating tiger."


    "Maybe there¡¯s a misunderstanding here. The monster tiger raised by the Xuantian Sect Immortals is still an animal, and animals can have wild instincts. It¡¯s not the immortals¡¯ fault either."


    "The kind-hearted immortals protect thend of Heyang Prefecture. When a man-eating monster appeared under their guidance, it¡¯s not something they would like to see. After all, a monster is still a monster."


    The people pointed at Qiao Mu, who stood in a pool of blood, holding the head of a giant tiger, and discussed it heatedly.


    When Emperor Yonghe hurriedly arrived under the escort of Guard Chu, this is what he saw.


    "How dare he¡ª" Emperor Yonghe¡¯s face also changed dramatically.


    His heart skipped a beat at first.


    Saintess Wu Qingxin¡¯s blue-eyed flying tiger, just died so easily?


    In the short time it took to travel here, things have developed to this extent?


    He watched Qiao Mu¡¯s figure on the street, feeling a wave of incredulity in his heart.


    Why?


    Why can this martial artist act so decisively on a matter that even the current emperor has to hesitate and ponder over?


    Worldly morality? Are you kidding¡­


    "Your Majesty, this matter has be a bit chaotic," said Guard Chu respectfully.


    "Should I intervene to stop it?"


    As a loyal guard to Emperor Great Yan during this undercover visit, Chu Xing was a highly skilled martial artist in Spirit Refining.


    Of course, he was not the only guard.


    There were plenty of people willing to intervene and prevent this turmoil.


    But¡­ what about afterwards?


    Thinking about this, Emperor Yonghe suddenly said, "Yes, Qiao Pifu is also a highly skilled martial artist with sessful spiritual refining."


    "Although his spirit is damaged and his power is greatly depleted, he is still not an ordinary sixth ranked martial artist."


    "Chu Xing, what do you think? Does Qiao Pifu¡¯s actions imply that he has another ace up his sleeve? Perhaps some kind of powerful secret technique that allows him to temporarily regain his peak strength, thinking he can deal with Saintess Wu Qingxin?"


    The secret technique of a highly skilled martial artist.


    This is a reasonable exnation that Emperor Yonghe came up with.


    Otherwise, he can¡¯t understand why a former highly skilled Spirit Refining martial artist woulde to the Xuantian Temple and kill the Blue-eyed Flying Tiger at the entrance, or even forcibly enter the Xuantian Temple. Isn¡¯t he afraid of being crushed by the cultivators?


    The higher a martial artist¡¯s skill level, the more they know about the terrifying cultivators.


    There are a total of nine ranks for martial artists in the world, but forty years ago, the Martial Saint, who was ranked first, was defeated miserably by the cultivators and only managed to escape with his life. Not to mention this Qiao Pifu.


    Breaking into the Immortal Gate is undoubtedly a death sentence!


    But maybe there is a chance if dealing with Saintess Wu Qingxin from the Xuantian Sect? The true level of her cultivation is unknown.


    Since joining the Xuantian Sect and being appointed as the Immortal Gate¡¯s saintess, Wu Qingxin rarely ventured outside, spending her days in seclusion, living a very low-key life.


    But even so, she is still the saintess of the Immortal Gate¡­


    Chu Xing frowned as he heard this.


    "I¡¯m not sure if he has the ability to temporarily unleash a high-level strength," Chu Xing hesitated.


    However, Emperor Yonghe¡¯s judgment is not unreasonable.


    It¡¯s not easy for a martial artist to reach a high level. A former high-level martial artist would have their pride and wouldn¡¯t die so easily. They should have some ways to protect their lives.


    "Your Majesty, he hasn¡¯t even entered the Xuantian Temple yet, maybe things can still turn around¡­"


    Chu Xing had just mentioned the words "turn around".


    Then, Qiao Mu was seen carrying the dripping blood of the tiger¡¯s head, step by step towards Xuantian Temple.


    This sudden move not only startled Guard Chu, but also amused the Taoists who had gathered menacingly at the entrance of Xuantian Temple.


    "How bold!"


    "This person hasmitted great sins. He dares to attack the spiritual beast of the Saintess and insult our Immortal Gate. We should quickly request our senior brothers on the mountain to suppress him ruthlessly."


    "Killing the Saintess¡¯s Blue-eyed Flying Tiger and not only not fleeing, but also daring to approach us?"


    "A mere ordinary martial artist, dares to show disrespect?"


    However, Qiao Mu remained calm in his expression.


    "Flee? Why should I flee?" he whispered:


    "I haven¡¯t finished what I need to do, why should I flee?"


    His eyes looked through the crowded people, ignoring the angry Taoists, andnded on the Female Cultivator Ming Yue at the back of the crowd.


    "The wicked beast who kills people has already been punished!" he said loudly.


    "But those who kill like tigers and disregard human lives will also pay with their own lives!"


    He started walking faster and faster, turning into a sprint, using the Shadow Steps to charge straight towards Female Cultivator Ming Yue!


    Qiao Mu didn¡¯t know how strong these Taoists were, nor how long he could survive. So, he decided to give it his all and kill this so-called Immortal Ming Yue!


    "How dare you, an ordinary martial artist, be so insolent!"


    "Why aren¡¯t you attacking already?"


    Female Cultivator Ming Yue frowned and retreated behind the crowd.


    She had been a member of the Immortal Gate for about twenty years. In reality, her cultivation in the immortal path was not outstanding. Instead, she excelled in nurturing spiritual beasts. That¡¯s why she was just a servant disciple to a Saintess.


    Even though cultivators may be seen as "immortals" in the eyes of ordinary people, they are far from being extraordinary. It would be foolish to fight directly with these ordinary martial artists.


    She actually didn¡¯t pay much attention to the undoubtedly doomed Qiao Mu, and only felt a deep sense of fear in her heart.


    The young tiger raised by the saintess had not yet grown, but it was unexpectedly killed by an ordinary martial artist¡­ Especially considering that today¡¯s incident was somewhat caused by her, if the secluded saintess were to find out¡­


    She shivered in fear.


    At this moment, the Taoists followed the orders of Ming Yue and rushed towards Qiao Mu.


    "Are you a cultivator? This is my first time meeting a cultivator¡­"


    Qiao Mu became wary in his heart, and then he was stunned to see that many of these Taoists took out swords and weapons from under their Taoist robes and swung them towards him.


    "Wait¡­ are you all martial artists?" This time, it was Qiao Mu who was surprised.


    But his question only angered all of these Taoists even more.


    "You are just a rude martial artist!"


    "Martial artists are just ordinary people, but we have now been epted into the Immortal Gate. Sooner orter, we will learn the orthodox immortal technique and achieve immortality!"


    Qiao Mu¡¯s innocent question made these Taoists angry and embarrassed.


    Seeing their reaction, Qiao Mu began to understand a little.


    "I see," he squinted his eyes slightly.


    "Real cultivators wouldn¡¯t be guarding this Taoist temple."


    "You are nothing more than traitors who joined the Immortal Gate."


    If it was a martial artist, he would have no fear in dealing with them, as he had plenty of experience.


    Although these Daoists were wearing Daoist robes, most of them were just martial artists with internal strength.


    He took steps under his feet and rushed into the crowd alone. The two pieces of the spear hidden on his body turned and twisted, and a long spear was already attached to his hand.


    Facing martial artists, especially in group battles, it¡¯s more handy to use a long spear.


    "You traitors¡­ Do you know that you¡¯re facing death?" The Taoists were also provoked by Qiao Mu and immediately retorted:


    "You must be around forty years old, right? At such an age, you¡¯re still so rash, ignorant of when to advance or retreat. It seems like you¡¯re really living like a dog!"


    "Who do you think you are? A moral saint?"


    "Ancient sages said that at forty you should be free from confusion, but here you are, over forty and only concerned with so-called righteousness, risking your life¡ª"


    As the Taoist was halfway through his speech, Qiao Mu stabbed him in the throat with his spear, causing him to die instantly.


    Qiao Mu kicked the Taoist¡¯s body off the spear and coldly said:


    "Being free from confusion at forty means that I can take on forty of you all by myself, without any hesitation."


    The expert warrior disyed his spear skills once again, along with the powerful Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, no one could match his strength.


    However, Qiao Mu found himself deep in thought because of what the person said.


    Turning forty, moral sage, principles?


    Qiao Mu knew deep down that he was not a moral sage nor did he aspire to be one.


    In the past, when he acted as a righteous hero in Yan City, under the names of Qiao Mu, Qiao Lin, and Qiao Sen, others praised him for his chivalry and prioritizing righteousness over life and death.


    But he knew he wasn¡¯t that noble.


    If he didn¡¯t actively seek death and cultivate his martial arts talent until the age of 44, he might not be much stronger than Sheriff Qian.


    He simply fulfilled his own desire to be stronger while doing some good deeds in the eyes of others.


    That¡¯s all there was to it.


    He was never a selfless moral saint, he always had selfish motives.


    But, what does that matter?


    Is it wrong to want to appear holy in front of others, as a heroic knight, while also wanting to stand up for the weak and fight for justice?


    "At the age of forty, one should understand their own heart, not be deceived by external things or people, and have their own principles to stick to."


    "And the principle I stick to is¡­"


    Qiao Mu looked around, his gaze passing over the people nearby.


    There were curious onlookers in the distance, officials with grim faces, and Female Cultivator Ming Yue, who red at him from behind the crowd.


    When he had just shed with the people at the entrance of the Taoist temple, even the officials and citizens of Great Yan didn¡¯t stand with him, but rather pointed and whispered about him.


    But if he was not understood, mocked by thousands, and seen as a foolish brute, so what?


    He is immortal, he wants to stick to his beliefs!


    "The world is dark, officials colluding, the court is exhausted, Immortal Gate is hypocritical¡­"


    "But I insist on practicing righteousness, supporting the weak, and fighting for the voice of the weak until death!"


    You don¡¯t agree? Come and fight me then!!! Qiao Mu held a long spear and charged into the crowd again,ughing recklessly.


    Emperor Yonghe, who had been observing from afar, narrowed his pupils and his hands behind his back trembled slightly at this arrogant and indulgent posture.

 Chapter 79:

    Chapter 79:


    Themotion caused by Qiao Mu at the entrance of the Taoist temple at the foot of the mountain had be big, attracting many people to gather and watch.


    After all, it is not unheard of but rather unheard of for a martial artist to forcefully enter Xuantian Temple and kill the Blue-eyed Flying Tiger of Immortal Gate.


    However, the back mountain behind Xuantian Temple remained calm and peaceful.


    The faint morning light and sunshine spread across these mountains and forests.


    A young man in a green robe walked slowly on the road, stepping over the short grass and getting his pants wet with dew from the grass on the side of the road.


    The waterfall at the edge of the cliff hung like a water curtain and made a loud roaring sound as it fell onto the smallke below.


    There were also cranes grooming their feathers by theke. As the young man in the green robe approached, schools of colorful carps jumped out of the water, as if they wanted to leap up the cliff against the flow of the waterfall.


    The melodious sound of an ancient qin came from somewhere far away. The sound flowed like running water, entering the ears of the Taoist.


    Under the big tree by theke, two middle-aged Taoists were ying chess in front of a chessboard. Neither of them spoke, they just quietly looked at the chessboard.Although these two Taoists ying chess were middle-aged, their faces were kind and gentle, giving off a hint of immortal charm. They seemed like immortals walking out of a painting, making people feel good at first sight.


    This was a tranquil and peaceful scene, like a peaceful paradise, truly in line with how ordinary people imagine immortals.


    However, it was in stark contrast to the noisy street at the entrance of Xuantian Temple at the foot of the mountain.


    Up the mountain, down the mountain, like two worlds torn apart.


    "Are the two senior brothers still ying chess here?" The young Taoist in the green robe smiled and walked over.


    "Something interesting happened at the foot of the mountain Taoist Temple. Don¡¯t you want to go and take a look, senior brothers?"


    "Oh? What happened?" The Taoist on the left looked up.


    "Don¡¯t be distracted, keep ying chess." The Taoist on the right remained unchanged, his eyes still fixed on the chessboard.


    The Taoist in the green robe said:


    "An ordinary martial artist hase down the mountain and wants to forcefully break into Xuantian Temple."


    "Oh." The Taoist on the left suddenly lost interest and returned his gaze to the chessboard.


    None of them bothered to ask what kind of trouble this ordinary martial artist had caused, nor did they inquire about the martial artist¡¯s level of strength.


    They are just ordinary people, not important.


    "Senior brothers, don¡¯t you care about this martial artist breaking into the daoist temple? This is about the prosperity of our Immortal Gate," the young daoist in blue clothes said with a smile.


    "Junior brother, you have not been cultivating for long and have less experience," the daoist on the left said calmly.


    "Just an insignificant martial artist, can¡¯t achieve anything. Otherwise, they are underestimating our Xuantian Sect too much."


    "Besides, at the entrance of the temple, there is a group of martial arts servants guarding, right?"


    "¡­.Martial arts servants?" The young daoist seemed to have heard this term for the first time.


    "They are the servant daoists who cultivate martial arts," the daoist on the left chuckled lightly.


    "Just a group of ordinary martial artists, thinking that by changing into daoist robes, they can enter our Immortal Gate and sit on equal footing with us?"


    "Oh, junior brother, you are different. We are formal disciples of the sect, naturally different from ordinary people."


    The young Taoist in blue clothes was a little hesitant.


    "But they are still under the Immortal Gate, that martial artist who broke in is not too weak. If these servants die and break into the Xuantian Temple¡­"


    "Why care about them?" said the Taoist on the left.


    "Those who have not entered the path of immortality are like mayflies, born in the morning and dead in the evening."


    Cultivators can stay in seclusion for a few months or several years.


    Elderly cultivators from the Immortal Gate with higher cultivation might enter seclusion for ten or even twenty years.


    Most ordinary people cannot live longer than a century. It is said that seventy years is already rare.


    Martial artists generally live a little longer, but they are still within the realm of ordinary people. In the eyes of true cultivators, they are just slightly bigger insects.


    "Just a group of martial arts ves, it doesn¡¯t matter if they die. There are plenty of martial artists willing to be ve servants under me, the Immortal Gate. Oh¡­ I mean, they should be called gatekeeping servant disciples."


    "And, these martial arts ves are not that simple." Speaking of this, the Taoist on the left side of the chessboard became interested.


    "Twenty years ago, I traveled to Zhong Province and passed through a small town, where the lord of the town was a martial artist."


    "ording to their mortal standards, he seemed to be at the 6th rank?"


    "Never mind, it¡¯s not important¡­ That martial artist happened to see me using magic, guess what happened?"


    "He thought he had found an opportunity and insisted on kneeling down to be my disciple, asking me to teach him immortal ways, and even offering his wife and children¡­ Of course, I didn¡¯t have the time for that, so I just left."


    "After another year, by chance, I returned to that town, guess what happened again?"


    "That martial artist killed his own wife and children, iming it was to kill his desires and achieve enlightenment. Because he believed that my previous refusal was a test for him and he felt he couldn¡¯t cultivate immortality as long as he had worldly attachments!"


    The Taoist on the left side couldn¡¯t help butugh as he continued speaking.


    "These martial arts ves, ordinary martial artists, they¡¯re all the same." The Taoist on the right, who had been silent, also chimed in.


    "Why do we need to take action to eliminate that martial artist who invaded the Taoist temple? If we don¡¯t take action, those martial arts ves will think that we are testing their dedication to the Dao."


    The two Taoists ying chess nced at each other and smiled.


    "Moreover, isn¡¯t Ming Yue down the mountain?"


    "Ming Yue? Oh, you mean the servant who takes care of the spiritual beast for the Saintess."


    When Ming Yue was mentioned, these Taoists couldn¡¯t help but smile.


    "Ming Yue has only been in our Xuantian Sect for about a dozen or twenty years. What kind of Dao has she cultivated?"


    "Although she possesses innate spiritual abilities, her heart is restless, and her cultivation is not refined. Because of this, she is merely a Saintess¡¯s servant who tends to and cares for a spiritual beast¡­"


    "I heard that she is quite favored by the Saintess. I assume the Saintess has bestowed upon her protective talismans or simr things for self-defense. Even if her cultivation is not refined, she should still be able to handle an ordinary martial artist."


    At this time, the young Taoist in the green robe interjected:


    "Speaking of which, the Saintess¡¯s young tiger-like spiritual beast rushed down the mountain and was already in by that ordinary martial artist."


    Speaking of this, the two ying Taoists showed a slight change in expression.


    "Saintess¡­ is she still in seclusion?"


    "So that¡¯s how it is¡­ themotion at the foot of the mountain is probably caused by that troublemaker, Ming Yue."


    "The trouble she caused? Haha."


    "Why bother talking about her? Let¡¯s y chess, y chess."


    The Taoists focused their attention and resumed ying chess, without any further chit-chat, ignoring themotion at the entrance of the Taoist temple at the foot of the mountain.


    The mountain regained its previous tranquility and serenity, like a fairnd.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    At the foot of the mountain, at the entrance of Xuantian Temple.


    Under the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, Qiao Mu¡¯s whole body was filled with excitement. He held a long spear andughed wildly.


    With such a posture and such bold words, even Emperor Yonghe, who knew him well, was impressed.


    Even the ignorant visitors in the distance couldn¡¯t help but feel dazzled and amazed, thinking to themselves, "What a heroic figure!"


    Although Qiao Mu bravely spoke his mind and disyed his skill in spearbat.


    But he encountered obstacles he had never faced before.


    Previously, in Yan City, Qiao Mu had repeatedly fought against the Qiao Family¡¯s father and son, making a name for himself by single-handedly taking on a crowd.


    Later, he even assassinated the Lord of the City in the street, and the city guard became afraid and wouldn¡¯t confront him directly.


    But this time was different.


    Qiao Pifu¡¯s name is not very famous in Heyang City.


    Before discussing politics and insulting the emperor, his name was only known among local officials and nearby people, but not widely known.


    These monks at the entrance of Xuantian Temple are not only stronger than the former city guards, but some of them also have a zeal in their eyes that Qiao Mu cannot understand.


    "How dare the thief trespass into our sacred ce, Immortal Gate!"


    "Uncultured martial artist, how dare you disturb the peacefulness of Immortal Gate, you shall be punished!"


    "There¡¯s no need for the senior brother on the mountain to take action, I can defeat you myself!"


    Although most of these menial monks cannot be called brave fighters, they still put in quite some effort, much better than thezy guards of Yan City Lord in the past.


    "Prepare to die! I, Chen Fei, will surely eradicate you, you thief!" A sturdy monk, as solid as a tower, shouted loudly, his voice booming and full of strength.


    However, after this loud roar, his gaze couldn¡¯t help but nce towards the direction behind the mountain before he charged forward bravely.


    The other people were first surprised, then they all understood.


    "I, Chen Shan, am willing to sacrifice myself for Immortal Gate, and kill this rude and savage martial artist!"


    "Today, I, Wang Ming, will shed thest drop of blood for our sect, and kill this murderous criminal!"


    "I, Liu Ziming, am also willing to go through fire and water for Immortal Gate¡­"


    These voices made Qiao Mu¡¯s eye twitch slightly.


    As someone who often ys the Death Assessment, he was slightly familiar with these lines.


    "Are they performing for their boss? Am I reviewing it?"


    Qiao Mu sneered, thrusting his long spear like lightning, piercing through two martial artists with one strike.


    His acting was really deadly, and he had indeed saved people.


    And whether these Taoists were just shouting slogans and showing their faces or really had the determination to fight¡­ Qiao Mu didn¡¯t really care.


    "Kill!"


    He thrust his spear, and his body continuously released his inner strength, causing his skin and pores to ooze blood once again.


    A muffled sound.


    A strong Taoist, with a body like a tower, pped Qiao Mu¡¯s spear from the side, and the powerful force made Qiao Mu¡¯s long spear tilt. He wore metal rings on his hands and had a cold gaze. It was Chen Fei, the Taoist who spoke first earlier.


    Does he really weigh that much?


    After the previous exchange, Qiao Mu roughly understood the level of this strong Taoist.


    Currently, Qiao Mu was at the early stage of the 6th rank. He relied on the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method to unleash his inner strength exponentially. The inner strength unleashed by this strong Taoist was just slightly inferior to him. It can be estimated that he was at theter stage of the 6th rank as a martial artist.


    "Even sixth-ranked martial artists have to beg for mercy from the Immortal Gate. Are they all just gatekeepers?"


    Qiao Mu held the spear in his hand and took a small step.


    "You shall not proceed any further," said the burly monk Chen Fei coldly, his voice booming like thunder.


    "Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method£¡"


    Surprisingly, he also unleashed the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, his body filled with immense power. Rays of energy burst from his fist, surpassing Qiao Mu in terms of strength.


    However, Qiao Mu simply smiled.


    "You¡¯re using the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method against my Qiao¡¯s family?"


    "Is this your first time using the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method? It¡¯s too simplistic and ineffective."


    Chen Fei was taken aback upon hearing this. Wasn¡¯t the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method known as a self-destructive secret technique? Based on what he heard, it seemed that it could be used multiple times in one¡¯s lifetime.


    He realized that this incident had escted, something he had never witnessed since joining the Xuantian Temple. Despite the significant damage it would cause to his energy meridians, he was determined to put on a good performance. After all, why would he self-destruct if not for seeking death?


    After seeing him use the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, Qiao Mu instead advanced without retreating.


    Qiao Mu angrily widened his eyes, and a burst of energy erupted from his body as he courageously moved forward.


    This person¡¯s internal strength, after unleashing the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, surpassed that of Qiao Mu, but Qiao Mu didn¡¯t step back, constantly thrusting his long spear and emitting silver light.


    Forward! Forward! Forward!


    This burly Taoist man hammered him several times on his body.


    With the first two punches, he could still rely on his partially mastered Hard Skill Iron Cloth Shirt Skill to withstand the impact.


    With the third punch, the Iron Cloth Shirt Skill failed, clearly unable to withstand the explosion of the same-level Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method.


    The fourth punch twisted and broke Qiao Mu¡¯s left arm, rendering it powerless.


    With the fifth punch, a clear fist mark appeared on Qiao Mu¡¯s waist and abdomen, with fractured bones copsing inward, creating a deep indentation and almost puncturing a hole, a horrifying sight.


    And the strong-looking Taoist stood still in one ce, covering his throat with one hand, but unable to stop the fresh blood flowing from the wound in his throat.


    He couldn¡¯t understand why this martial artist only attacked without defending, exchanging injuries for injuries, insisting on fighting him head-on. He had already used the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, and the level of his internal strength was clearly higher than his opponent¡¯s. Clearly, he was stronger, but why, why¡­ was it him who died?


    Qiao Mu took a slight breath and stood still, saying calmly:


    "The Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method is not used like this."


    "Without the determination to forge ahead, how can a martial artist make good use of the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method?"


    The towering Taoist fell to the ground with a loud crash.


    But Qiao Mu didn¡¯t have time to catch his breath.


    In that instant, a strange intuition emerged in his mind.


    A ball of mes surged towards him from the side, engulfing his entire being in the blink of an eye.


    Behind the crowd, Female Cultivator Ming Yue looked coldly. She ignited a fire symbol, thinking that Qiao Pifu should¡­


    Next moment.


    Hoo!


    Qiao Mu stepped into Shadow Step and his figure quickly became a faint shadow, charging out from the fire.


    The upper body of his sturdy armor was already burned by the mes, and his muscr upper body was also burnt and in a sorry state. But finally, he managed to burst out from the mes.


    Hoo¡­ Qiao Mu gasped heavily, his lungs burning painfully.


    The Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method erupted, repeatedly causing injuries. He had cuts from knives, spears, and burns from fire. His injuries were severe.


    Based on Qiao Mu¡¯s experience of countless life-or-death battles, his body was almost at its limit.


    "Let¡¯s see how tough you are." Ming Yue showed no hesitation.


    She, being Saintess Wu Qingxin¡¯s servant, had many magical charms in her possession. However, she was reluctant to use some of the higher-quality ones, as they were meant for battling fellow practitioners and she didn¡¯t want to waste them on mere martial artists.


    There were strong winds that swept through, forming sharp gusts like des, creating long marks on the ground. There were also mes and bright lights that appeared, instantly engulfing and burning several figures of practitioners.


    However, except for the first magical charm, Qiao Mu managed to avoid the rest almost entirely.


    He had already learned the Shadow Step technique and moved with great agility.


    In the distance, Guard Chu, standing beside Emperor Yonghe, had a brief flicker in his gaze.


    "Qiao Pifu¡¯s intuition is still sharp¡­ It seems he is indeed a Spirit Refining martial artist."


    "It¡¯s just¡­ the injuries to his spiritual soul are more severe than I expected. His ¡®spirit¡¯ is clearly much weaker than that of a Spirit Refining martial artist, very feeble."


    "¡­ Let¡¯s observe for now, he hasn¡¯t revealed his trump card yet." Emperor Yonghe showed no obvious reaction on his face as he continued to weigh the pros and cons.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Qiao Mu carries a spear and rushes forward, getting closer and closer to the Female Cultivator Ming Yue.


    Since the talisman from Ming Yue identally injured a few fellow cultivators during the chaotic battle, the circle of people around Qiao Mu gradually dispersed a little bit, which relieved some of his pressure.


    Seeing the distance getting closer, Ming Yue¡¯s face also became gloomy.


    "Why haven¡¯t the senior brothers on the mountain made a move¡­ are they just mocking me?"


    "They think they¡¯re superior because their cultivation level is slightly higher than mine. It¡¯s just a case of the pot calling the kettle ck. They have no sense of camaraderie as fellow disciples¡­"


    While the Saintess is in seclusion, she knew she couldn¡¯t rely on those senior brothers from the Immortal Gate.


    Therefore, she could only rely on herself.


    She used to feel a bit reluctant to waste high-quality talismans, but now she couldn¡¯t care so much about that anymore.


    Etching Bone Li Fire Talisman! Go!


    She made a hand gesture, and the yellow symbol burned, causing the air to twist suddenly.


    Qiao Mu, who was in the middle of charging with a spear, suddenly narrowed his pupils and nced at his own arm.


    The hairs on his arms stood up at this moment. Since he learned the "Martial Saint Spiritual Technique," his unreliable intuition came alive once again.


    Danger!


    Die! Die! Die!


    In that instant, he didn¡¯t have time to see where the attack wasing from. He instinctively burst forth with internal strength and swiftly rushed to the side.


    Next moment.


    A stream of red mes brushed past Qiao Mu¡¯s body fiercely.


    The stream of mes didn¡¯t hit Qiao Mu, but it swept up five or six nearby cultivators who couldn¡¯t dodge in time.


    "Ah, ah, ah¡­"


    In the heartbreaking cry, those few Taoists were instantly engulfed and turned into fiery figures.


    This cry onlysted for a single breath and then abruptly stopped, because they were already dead. Even their bodies burned quickly, and their bones were incinerated into ashes at a visible speed by the bright red mes.


    As a breeze passed by, those Taoists had turned into a pile of dust.


    "Did I manage to escape¡­hmm?"


    Qiao Mu only felt a burning pain in his right hand.


    It turned out that when the fire stream grazed past earlier, it scorched the spear he held in his hand. The bright red mes burned the entire spear, deforming and twisting it. The mes also spread onto his fingers along the spear¡¯s shaft.


    In an instant, he discarded the spear, forcefully shaking his hand, but he couldn¡¯t extinguish the zing mes that were burning on him.


    "You are already dead," said Female Cultivator Ming Yue calmly.


    "Li Fire, the fiery pain that burns your bones will not go out until your bones arepletely burned, and this excruciating pain is enough to drive a person mad."


    The previous brief panic also disappeared, and she was now certain of victory.


    "Dead?"


    "If I don¡¯t kill the wicked criminal who takes lives, how could I die?"


    The fire can¡¯t be extinguished? Then let it burn!


    With a surge of internal strength, Qiao Mu¡¯s right arm seemed to immediately start bleeding from the pores of his skin.


    Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method! Unleash itpletely!


    This explosive internal strength seemed to temporarily suppress the expansion of the mes to some extent.


    Qiao Mu abandoned the long spear that had be twisted from the burns and drew the long sword hanging at his waist with his right hand.


    His left arm was broken and deformed from the powerful blow of the sturdy roadman earlier, leaving only his right arm burning with strength.


    In the instant he drew out his long sword, the surging red mes spread onto the de. However, Qiao Mu immediately unleashed his internal strength, temporarily suppressing them.


    Does it hurt?


    With his innate immortality ability and years of training, Qiao Mu had developed an inhuman tolerance for pain by the time he was 15. He could withstand a de empty-handed and be unaffected.


    He looked up and saw Ming Yue, a female cultivator standing several meters away.


    Due to the astonishing power of the fire symbol just now, the cultivators in front of her were all eager to avoid it and had scattered far away.


    Therefore, there were hardly any people now who could stop Qiao Mu.


    "You beast, the killer, is dead!" Qiao Mu proimed loudly.


    "Anyone who kills others, takes lives like cutting grass, even if they are disciples of the Immortal Gate, will pay with their lives in the same way!"


    "Great Yanws don¡¯t matter, I do! Great Yan Emperor can¡¯t protect the people¡¯s lives, I will!"


    Almost using up all his strength, Qiao Mu bursted with a final surge of energy. The blue bricks beneath his feet cracked, and he shot forward like an arrow.


    His right arm and long sword were both burning in red mes, as he swiftly charged forward. A trail of fiery red light followed his figure in the air, like a shooting star.


    "Qiao family¡¯s Qiao Pifu asks you Immortal to face your death!"


    Qiao Mu transformed into an almost invisible blur, with his burning sword carving an arc of light.


    A silver line shed by.


    Female Cultivator Ming Yue, standing still, suddenly froze with an expression on her face.


    A bloodline appeared on her neck.


    In the next instant, a head soared into the sky.


    The head has just flown out, and the red mes suddenly lit up.


    Her head, which was split in half, was quickly ignited by the strange bright red mes, and in just a few breaths, it waspletely engulfed, even the bones were burned to ashes.


    Only leaving behind traces of dust, fading away with the wind.


    Xuantian Sect Female Cultivator Ming Yue, at this moment, perished and vanished without a trace.


    Huff¡­


    Qiao Mu, who was flying forward, rolled on the ground twice, barely managed to stand up, and threw away the sword that had already started to deform in his hand.


    But the mes on his right arm were spreading little by little, and the remaining internal strength couldn¡¯t suppress it anymore.


    However, Qiao Mu didn¡¯t care anymore.


    Because he was about to die soon.


    He turned around and stood beside the ashes of Female Cultivator Ming Yue. He looked at the silent Taoist beside him, the terrified fat official, and the crowd of pilgrims who were discussing in the distance.


    He stood up straight, straightened his chest, and loudly recited:


    "The motto of the Qiao family, when the world is in danger, every man has a responsibility."


    "I am just an ordinary man, neither an official nor a wealthy person. Even though I die today, I only hope that righteousness still exists in the world!"


    He took a long breath, swayed, and almost fell to the ground. He felt an uncontroble exhaustion and weakness in every bone and muscle.


    Although he enjoyed showing off his wisdom in front of others, he didn¡¯t have the energy to appreciate the shocked expressions of others at the moment.


    What a pity.


    He turned his body and looked ahead.


    The Taoists around him immediately took four or five steps back.


    At this moment, Qiao Mu was like a human torch. Whoever goes up (to him) will instantly turn into ashes, just like the nearby Female Cultivator Ming Yue!


    With no crowd blocking his way, Qiao Mu¡¯s gaze fell upon the sign of Xuantian Temple.


    A furiousmoner, blood sttering five steps, daring to raise his de against the immortal!

 Chapter 80:

    Chapter 80:


    "The immortal of Xuantian Sect was actually killed by that martial artist!"


    When the figure with its right arm aze beheaded Immortal Ming Yue with a sword, this scene struck the hearts of the many worshippers and even the chubby official of the previous 5th rank. It felt as if their worldview had copsed.


    Can immortals really be killed?


    That¡¯s not right!


    How dare hey a hand on the immortal of Xuantian Sect?


    All these years, the Immortal Gate¡¯s "immortals" and "cultivators" have been seen by ordinary people as mysterious and powerful figures.


    The immortal beings enshrined in the Taoist temple are objects of respect and worship for ordinary people.


    Before the Inhuman War forty years ago, there were martial artists who dared to challenge the cultivators.


    However, in the past forty years, the immortal beings have be idols worshipped by ordinary people in temples, and Taoist temples have spread throughout Jiu Province¡¯s major cities.Immortal beings represent mystery and nobility. They are the ultimate image of transcendence and immortality in the imagination of ordinary people. They are like lighthouses on the sea and idols on the altar.


    Although the terms "immortals" and "cultivators" are somewhatplimentary, they are also beings that ordinary people cannot disobey.


    And that person, Immortal Ming Yue, is already dead. With just one strike, even the body turned to ashes.


    In the midst of shock, they also felt an indescribable fear and panic.


    How could it be? How could someone kill the Immortal Gate¡¯s immortal?


    After feeling scared and anxious, they saw the figure with a burning right arm slowly walking towards Xuantian Temple, which made them feel conflicting emotions.


    That is sadness.


    This person is going to die.


    "What a brave and heroic figure¡­" someone sighed softly, but dared not speak loudly.


    Emperor Yonghe was also looking at that figure.


    He originally had his hands crossed behind his back, but now his hands were instinctively sped in front of him, appearing a bit absent-minded.


    "Does an ordinary person have the responsibility for the rise and fall of the world?"


    "The Qiao family has such a grand scale¡­ But which Qiao family is this?"


    At this moment, he suddenly understood the meaning behind Qiao Mu taking off that catcher¡¯s uniform.


    That was not because of being scolded and threatened by officials, so he angrily abandoned his position as a constable.


    He was not impulsive, but had nned ahead.


    "This is splitting his own identity, doing things on his own. If the officialdom is corrupt, abandon the official position and not involve others. In the name of an ordinary person, plead for the people, and y the immortals?" These thoughts crossed Emperor Yonghe¡¯s mind.


    The so-called ordinary person, neither an official nor a schr, neither rich nor noble, actually refers to the mostmon ordinary people.


    He unconsciously applied some force on his hand, and his nails hurt his palm.


    Such words, such attitude, only made him, the Great Yan Emperor, have a surging anger that he couldn¡¯t vent, and his face unconsciously became a little hot.


    If even a mere ordinary person knows to shoulder the responsibility of the rise and fall of the world.


    If even an ordinary person dares to go against the trend, challenge those above, and kill the immortals of the Immortal Gate.


    Then, what about him, this emperor? What about him, Emperor Yonghe?


    Should I carry arger responsibility? Should I strive to do better?


    In the teahouse, he felt that this person¡¯s words were sharp, perhaps mocking him.


    At this moment, he finally realized that Qiao Pifu¡¯s words and actions were consistent, truly a rare hero in the world!


    But Guard Chu beside him interrupted his thoughts.


    "Your Majesty," Guard Chu suggested at this moment:


    "The ¡®Etching Bones Li Fire¡¯ is quite troublesome. Even if a humble servant like me, who is only a 3rd rank Spirit Refining martial artist, were to touch it, I wouldn¡¯t be able to extinguish it and could only sacrifice my arm to survive. And now, Qiao Pifu is already at the end of his strength, it¡¯s a dead end for him."


    "Should I intervene and sever his arm to save him?"


    Chu Xing is an Emperor¡¯s Flying Fish Guard, who usually silently apanies and waits for orders, rarely making suggestions.


    But at this moment, as he watched that burning figure, he felt a sense of pity and spoke up.


    "Are you going to take action?" Emperor Yonghe fell into deep thought at this moment.


    The previous touch was just a touch, and the feeling was just a feeling.


    But if Guard Chu were to take action, that would be another problem.


    He is the emperor, not an ordinary man, so he can never make decisions based solely on his emotions¡­


    Meanwhile, Qiao Mu had already arrived at the entrance of Xuantian Temple.


    The misceneous martial artists retreated as he moved forward, no one wanted to provoke his bad luck.


    Qiao Mu looked up towards the inside of Xuantian Temple.


    Due to the recentmotion, there was no one inside Xuantian Temple, only a glimpse of the temple halls on theyers of steps in the distance.


    The huge incense burner at the entrance of the temple was filled with dense incense, creating a hazy and fragrant atmosphere.


    Through the misty scent of incense, you could faintly see the statues of the immortals inside the grand hall.


    These statues were all exquisitely crafted, clearly made by skilled artisans.


    The immortals¡¯ figures were all graceful and ethereal, with flowing robes that made them look like celestial beings. Their eyes slightly narrowed as they looked down upon the worshipers below, a look ofpassion and sorrow on their faces.


    Each and every immortal in the temple seemed to be gazing down through the hazy smoke, all focused on the ordinary martial artist who had daringly intruded upon their Taoist temple.


    Thanks to the martial artist¡¯s exceptional vision, Qiao Mu could read the names on the immortals¡¯ ques.


    Among the immortals standing guard was the "Great Virtue and Power, Immortal Xuantian."


    The statue positioned farthest and closest to the entrance was slightly smaller, and it belongs to "Immortal Chiyang".


    As he gazed into the distance, a sudden jolt shook his heart. An inexplicable intuition arose, directing his attention to the mountain behind Xuantian Temple.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Xuantian Temple¡¯s back mountain.


    Two Taoists beside the waterfall are still leisurely ying chess, while the young Taoist in green robes stands by, watching the game.


    Suddenly.


    The Taoist on the left puts down the chess piece and solemnly says,


    "Ming Yue, she¡¯s dead. Even the ¡®Etching Bone Li Fire Talisman¡¯ was used, all killed by that ordinary martial artist."


    The Taoist on the right is momentarily stunned, then nods slightly:


    "Is that so? She turned out to be even more pathetic than I expected, tarnishing the reputation of our Xuantian Sect."


    "Is it because her cultivation time was too short?"


    Practitioners have always been inferior to cultivators in martial arts, as proven by the solid achievements of cultivators forty years ago.


    So they always look down on those who practice martial arts.


    Although they have a low opinion of martial artists, there is one thing they must admit¡­


    The path of immortality requires many years of practice and cannot be achieved easily.


    The path of martial arts leads to a shorter life span, but it allows for faster progresspared to the path of immortality.


    After cultivating for over ten years, Female Cultivator Ming Yue was only seen as just entering the doorway of immortality.


    However, if a martial artist diligently trains for over ten years, it bes a different story.


    For external martial artists like Sheriff Qian, who focuses on physical training, over ten years is enough to reach their personal peak, but after that, they enter middle age and their vitality declines.


    "Ming Yue has passed away, and that ordinary martial artist has already arrived at the entrance of Xuantian Temple¡­"


    "So what? Isn¡¯t it Senior Chiyang who is in charge of guarding Xuantian Temple this year?"


    "Brother Chiyang? It looks like he has embarked on a spiritual journey and is not within the boundaries of this mortal city."


    "Brother Chiyang is really carefree¡­ but shouldn¡¯t it be up to you and me to take action? After all, Xuantian Temple is a sacred ce of worship. If we don¡¯t do something soon, things could really go wrong."


    "You¡¯re right¡­ let¡¯s finish this game of chess and then take action."


    The two Taoists ying chess calmly discussed while continuing to y.


    Suddenly.


    All these Taoists turned their heads together and looked towards a towering pavilion on a higher part of the mountain.


    "Saintess¡­ hase out of seclusion? Did she sense anything?"


    "Although the Saintess started practicing the path of immortality halfway through, her cultivation may not match that of a true sect disciple, but she is still a Saintess¡­ it seems like we don¡¯t need to get involved." The Taoists continued ying chess leisurely.


    ¡­¡­..


    At the foot of the mountain is Xuantian Temple.


    Behind the crowd, Chu Xing looked into the distance at the figure with the burning right arm. He saw the red mes spreading slowly on his arm and couldn¡¯t help but speak up again.


    "Your Majesty, if you don¡¯t make a decision soon, the opportunity will pass."


    "¡­He is amoner, I am the emperor. When the emperor acts, he must n and think carefully before taking action. We must not be hasty."


    After a moment.


    "Your Majesty¡­."


    "¡­.Do you think that Qiao Pifu has any hidden tricks up his sleeve that can be used in a desperate situation to seek ast chance for survival?"


    "Even if he does, it¡¯s gone now."


    Another momentter.


    "Your Majesty?"


    "¡­The Immortal Gate is powerful, while the Great Yan Kingdom is weak. Forty years ago, it was already struggling. What about now? It may be easy to protect him, but what about afterwards?"


    After a moment.


    Various thoughts shed through Emperor Yonghe¡¯s eyes, but in the end, he only let out a small sigh.


    Qiao Pifu is not a young man anymore, already in his middle age, so why can he make such decisive choices?


    In fact, Emperor Yonghe is also in his middle age, but¡­


    When Emperor Yonghe was young, he witnessed the awe-inspiring figures of ministers sacrificing themselves for the country¡¯s difficulties. During his youth, he had ambitious aspirations to be a wise ruler. However, as he entered middle age and faced the pressures of cultivators, his youthful spirit gradually faded away, leaving him only with continuous nning, constantly weighing the pros and cons¡­


    "Then¡­ go ahead and take action." After considering, he finally made a decision.


    In an instant, Chu Xing¡¯s hand held an extra flying knife, and his hand became blurred.


    Tee-hee!


    With a cold sh, in the blink of an eye, Qiao Mu¡¯s burning right arm was cut off at the shoulder!


    Chu Xing took a small breath.


    He bent his knees slightly, about to unleash his internal strength and perform lightness skill, to quickly take Qiao Pifu away. But suddenly, his movement froze, and he stood still in the same spot.


    Above Xuantian Temple, there was a woman in flowing white robes, riding the wind on a sword.


    She had a tall and graceful figure, with smooth skin and a transcendent temperament. At the same time, she exuded the vibrant energy of a martial artist.


    Chu Xing didn¡¯t move anymore.


    Because he knew, the moment to save Qiao Pifu¡­ was already gone.


    Saintess Wu Qingxin, as a disciple of the Martial Saint, was already a 4th rank martial artist before joining the Immortal Gate. Now, her cultivation in the path of immortality and martial arts is unknown, but she definitely cannot be weak.


    Just now, he stepped forward with a certain possibility of using his extraordinary speed and agility to secretly save the person without revealing his identity.


    But now¡­


    Was he ultimately a step toote?


    Opportunity waits for no one, time won¡¯te again.


    Chu Xing couldn¡¯t help but look up at Emperor Yonghe, only to see him standing there, slightly lost in thought, without saying a word.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Qiao Mu was already weak and didn¡¯t realize what had cut off his arm.


    His right arm, separated from his body, was almost instantly engulfed in mes, burning his bones and blood to ashes.


    However, a mysterious intuition arose in his heart again, this time pointing directly at the sudden appearance of Saintess Wu Qingxin.


    "The intuition cultivated by the Martial Saint Spiritual Technique should point to someone or something rted to the Wuji Association. How could it be a practitioner from the Xuantian Sect Immortal Gate?" Qiao Mu had this thought in his mind.


    Saintess Wu Qingxin nced around, pausing briefly on the corpse of the Blue-eyed Flying Tiger, a spiritual beast dead on the street in the distance. Then her eyes fell on Qiao Mu, and her brow slightly furrowed.


    "Who are you?" she asked, her voice cold and distant.


    Thinking it was someone from the Wuji Association, but upon closer inspection, realizing it was only a sixth ranked martial artist who had already lost an arm and was nearing death with dried up vital energy and blood.


    Qiao Mu spoke, "Someone seeking righteousness and justice-"


    He had intended to inquire about this female cultivator¡¯s background before his death, but to his surprise, disappointment shed across Wu Qingxin¡¯s face as soon as he finished speaking.


    "Righteousness? Justice? How boring," she said indifferently.


    "The Immortal Gate¡¯s actions are always right, even if they are wrong."


    After saying this, she only nced at Qiao Mu and made no other unnecessary movements.


    Suddenly, he jumped up.


    At Qiao Mu¡¯s shoulder and arm where it was broken, the strange Etching Bones Li Fire started burning again.


    The fire spread very quickly and in an instant, Qiao Mu¡¯s whole body was covered in this Li Fire, turning him into a burning fire person.


    Qiao Mu was burning fiercely, but he didn¡¯t die immediately.


    This was not because he had fought all the way here with a strong vitality.


    But this Saintess seemed to intentionally want to watch Qiao Mu slowly suffer from the burning pain until he died. This Etching Bones Li Fire should have quickly burned a person to ashes, but at the moment, it was burning a bit slower.


    Do you want to torture me?


    Within the engulfing mes, Qiao Mu¡¯s lips on one side of his mouth slightly twitched.


    He turned around for one final look in his life, not to see Xuantian Temple or the Saintess, but to gaze upon the bustling crowd of worshippers filling the streets.


    The people were not alone, but arge group of people.


    Some of them were attracted by themotion and had juste over to watch, without understanding the cause and effect.


    Although some people read from beginning to end, they consistently leaned towards the side of Xuantian Sect¡¯s Immortal Up there.


    Some people looked at him with pity and sorrow, some people opened their mouths in astonishment, some people frowned, and some people stared at him angrily.


    "On this fifteenth day, it is appropriate to burn incense and pay respects to the gods."


    Burning, Qiao Mu shouted in a hoarse voice:


    "You all should take a good look, what kind of immortal god you are worshipping!"


    "You all should take a good smell, how fragrant is this fragrance of mine, a mere mortal?"


    In front of the eyes of the incense-worshipping crowd, at the entrance of the Immortal Gate Taoist Temple, his body fell down in the midst of zing mes, burning away little by little.


    Qiao Pifu passed away at the age of 44.

 Chapter 81:

    Chapter 81:


    Fifteen minutes ago.


    Outside the government office, the night shift officer squinted his eyes, watching the rising sun and feeling a bit annoyed, murmuring to himself:


    "Why hasn¡¯t the person on the next shift arrived? It¡¯s already daylight."


    It¡¯s not that he¡¯s in a hurry to change shifts.


    Mainly, Captain Qiao, who has great skills and knowledge, instructed him to do a small task.


    Once the other officerse to change shifts, he can leave and deliver the items entrusted by Qiao Mu to Shen Qinghe¡¯s house.


    Dealing with the silver coins Qiao Mu packed is one thing, but this officer also wants to establish a good rtionship with Qiao Mu, so he puts extra effort into this task.


    While he was pondering, a thin middle-aged man in official attire appeared at the gate, and it was Shen Qinghe.


    "Lord Shen has been here at the yamen for a long time, and he is very diligent."The yamen officer was startled at first, and then he lifted the bag of things that Qiao Mu handed to him.


    If Shen Qinghe alsoes to the yamen, then it would be a bit rigid for him to rush to the Shen family mansion in the west of the town to deliver the thingster, which might dy the time.


    Looking at the sun on the horizon, there is still some time before the "half an hour after dawn" that Qiao Mu instructed, but it is not necessary to be so precise about the time.


    "Lord Shen, this is something that Captain Qiao Pifu Qiao instructed me to deliver to youst night." The yamen officer approached and handed the thing in his hand to Shen Qinghe.


    "Oh?"


    Shen Qinghe nodded, casually took out the items from the bag, and found that they were the bag containing animal fur and cat fur as evidence, as well as a written statement of the case.


    "Is there any progress in the ¡®Case of Impermanent Monster¡¯? Why was Qiao Pifu in such a hurry, even asking the officer to deliver it in the middle of the night?"


    "Hmm¡­ it¡¯s Chen Yingxue¡¯s handwriting."


    Shen Qinghe walked into the government office while casually looking around.


    As he kept looking, his footsteps slowed down and his expression became serious.


    "Could this case involve a cultivator from the Immortal Gate?"


    He quickened his pace and headed straight to the conference hall. Since the situation wasplicated, he nned to summon Qiao Pifu and the chief constable in charge of the case to ask about the situation face to face.


    Just as he entered through the door, his expression changed.


    The city¡¯s chief constable, Chen Yingxue, was lying on a bench with his eyes closed. His clothes were intact, as if he was peacefully sleeping.


    But knowing her temper, she wouldn¡¯te to the government office early in the morning to sleep, right?


    "Chief Constable Chen?" Shen Qinghe frowned and woke her up, "How did you fall asleep here?"


    When Chen Yingxue first woke up, she was a bit confused, but soon her expression changed. She checked her body and sighed with relief.


    When she recalledst night, she immediately felt angry and said through gritted teeth:


    "Mr. Shen,st night, while discussing the case with me, Qiao Pifu took advantage of my unguarded moment and knocked me unconscious."


    "He actually had the audacity to attack a colleague within these office walls, absolutely audacious!"


    Speaking of this, Chief Constable Chen nced at the empty desk beside her and indeed found that the documents she had been working on all night had vanished.


    "That Qiao Pifu must have taken the written statements and case files, and the physical evidence is probably destroyed by him. This person is truly¡­"


    Before she could finish her sentence, Chief Constable Chen saw Shen Qinghe shaking something in his hand with a strange expression.


    "You mean this?"


    Chief Constable Chen was suddenly taken aback and a bit confused. "How did this item end up in Mr. Shen¡¯s hands?"


    As the judge in charge of handling the case, if the documents of this case are submittedyer byyer ording to the normal process, they can also reach Shen Qinghe¡¯s hands, but it may take one or two days.


    "Qiao Pifu asked the guard to give this to me¡­ Wait, where is he?"


    Shen Qinghe realized what the problem was.


    Last night, Qiao Mu boldly attacked the chief constable, and clearly took away evidence and documents. He told the guard to give them to someone else¡­ This action is really confusing, I can¡¯t understand what he was thinking.


    Is it just that he wants to harm women?


    Shen Qinghe and the other person immediately went out and stopped the guard who was on dutyst night. They asked him a few questions about the situation at that time, and then furrowed their brows even more.


    "Anyway, let¡¯s find Qiao Pifu first. If we find him, we¡¯ll naturally get some answers." Shen Qinghe didn¡¯t continue guessing what Qiao Pifu was thinking.


    This person¡¯s thoughts seem to be quite different from others. Sinceing to Heyang City, his actions have surprised Shen Qinghe, who is known for being stubborn.


    So he doesn¡¯t n to guess.


    "He rented a house in the western part of the city, so I¡¯ll go there directly." Shen Qinghe said.


    "No¡­ Lord Shen," Chief Constable Chen suddenly said.


    "Maybe we shouldn¡¯t go to the west side of the city, we should go to the north side."


    Last night, Qiao Pifu¡¯s strange behavior shed in her mind.


    Looking back now, Qiao Pifu¡¯s transformation was very sudden. He went from being reckless and tough, not afraid of authority, to bing an ordinary official under the Immortal Gate, bowing his head and protecting himself wisely¡­


    This suddenly gave her a very daring guess in her heart.


    This guess seemed far-fetched. Just thinking about it in her mind made her heartbeat elerate and feel nervous.


    "North side of the city?" Shen Qinghe hadn¡¯t realized yet.


    "North side¡­ where Xuantian Temple is located," Chief Constable Chen said word by word.


    Shen Qinghe was taken aback, then his gaze became sharp all of a sudden.


    "Then¡­let¡¯s go to the north of the city."


    The seventh-ranked government official quickly mounted his horse, even faster than the chief constable named Chen Yingxue. They left one after another, leaving everyone behind.


    When they arrived at the street in front of the Xuantian Temple in the north of the city, they saw a scene they didn¡¯t expect.


    The crowded street was filled with people, who were gathered together and looking towards the entrance of the Xuantian Temple, discussing animatedly.


    At the entrance of the Xuantian Temple, there was arge blurry object burning fiercely.


    In midair, there was a woman dressed in white, her face hidden beneath her lowered eyebrows, silently watching the burning object.


    Further away, there were many martial arts practitioners from the Taoist temple, with strong builds, gathered around the fire. They hadplex expressions and nobody spoke.


    "Today is the fifteenth day, it¡¯s normal for there to be more visitors to the Xuantian Temple. But there shouldn¡¯t be this many, right?"


    "And when did it be a tradition at the entrance of the Xuantian Temple to burn paper offerings?"


    The things in the fire were blurry. Chen Yingxue and the others took a quick look, but couldn¡¯t see what was burning in the fire. They thought it might be some kind of paper used for rituals.


    Look up again.


    On the other side of the nearby street, there was a mess. There were a few bodies on the ground, broken Immortal Xuantian statues, and¡­ the body of a giant tiger with wings.


    Shen Qinghe¡¯s heart skipped a beat and he quickly took out the shiny white tiger fur from the bag. Hepared it for a while and his fingers trembled slightly.


    "Mr. Shen," Chief Constable Chen whispered and pointed to something in the middle of the street.


    It was a dirty police uniform, still new, thrown casually in the middle of the street.


    "Qiao Pifu¡­," a bad feeling arose in Shen Qinghe¡¯s heart.


    Chen Yingxue, in the crowded crowd, saw a familiar figure.


    "Sheriff Qian," she hurried over and bombarded him with questions:


    "What happened to the tiger with wings? Who killed it? Is the person in the middle of the road wearing a soap-colored robe Captain Qiao? Where is Captain Qiao now?"


    In her heart, there were so many questions popping up one after another.


    Qian Qian stood among the crowd, seemingly unaware. After Chen Yingxue asked three times, he finally snapped out of it and looked at her, but his eyes still seemed vacant, as if he had been greatly shocked.


    "Captain Qiao¡­" Qian Qian tugged at the corner of his mouth, revealing a bitter smile. He gestured towards the entrance of Xuantian Temple with his mouth.


    "Captain Qiao, he came to burn incense today."


    "But the incense he burned is too strong, who can endure it?"


    "What nonsense¡­ I¡¯m asking you where Captain Qiao is." Chen Yingxue frowned, her voice slightly raised.


    "Yes, he¡¯s right at the entrance of the Taoist temple." Qian Qian¡¯s gaze stillcked focus.


    Chen Yingxue frowned, and then she heard amotion among the surrounding crowd.


    "Fallen! Fallen."


    "It¡¯s burning for a really long time," someone praised.


    "Why are you speaking like this? Do you have no humanity?" someone rebuked.


    "But he offended the immortal¡­"


    She and Shen Qinghe both looked towards the entrance of the Taoist temple. Upon closer inspection, they could vaguely see the silhouette of a person-shaped object burning in the fire.


    With a thud, the object in the fire finally fell down, toppling over at the entrance of Xuantian Temple.


    The torch, burning for a long time, has now fallen.


    Only the mes still rise.


    In the main hall of Xuantian Temple, the immortals on the altar still maintained their graceful andpassionate demeanor, squinting their eyes through the swirling smoke and overlooking the person-shaped torch burning at the entrance of the Taoist temple.


    Qiao Mu didn¡¯t enter the door of Xuantian Temple, but just looked inside from the doorstep. After taking a few nces, he was burned to death by the approaching Saintess.


    The fire gradually died down, and the remains in the fire turned into ashes bit by bit.


    The Saintess stood in mid-air with her holy sword, remaining silent. With a brilliant sh, she gathered the corpse of the giant tiger from the street into a storage bag. Then, she swiftly departed, returning to the back mountain of Xuantian Temple.


    The gatekeeper at the entrance of the Taoist temple briefly caused amotion and began to drive away the onlookers.


    "Criminal Qiao Pifu, trespassed into the sacred grounds of the Immortal Gate,mitted murder in broad daylight. His crime is unforgivable. He has been personally dealt with by the Saintess, burned to death by the sacred fire, and will never be reborn again."


    "Criminal Qiao Pifu, trespasser of the sacred Immortal Gate,mitted murder in broad daylight¡­"


    The congested crowd gradually dispersed.


    Chen Yingxue still stood there, listening to Qian Qian beside her, who intermittently recounted the morning¡¯s turmoil.


    She gazed at the ashes in the fire, her eyes losing the same luster that Qian Qian had before.


    Memories from the past kept flooding into his mind one after another.


    This constable, who acted recklessly and always spoke strangely, didn¡¯t seem to have any intention of getting along with his fellow constables since he entered the police station.


    Every time he started to make a good impression, he would always say something strange.


    Looking back at that moment, it was obvious that he was deliberately keeping a distance from those around him.


    Finally, when Chen Yingxue began to respect him and discuss details of the case with him, he immediately changed his expression and knocked him unconscious without hesitation.


    Then, he bravely entered Xuantian Temple alone, killed the man-eating tiger, and drew his sword against the master of Xuantian Sect.


    In the end, he died, his martial artist¡¯s qi and blood transformed into fuel for the raging Etching Bones Li Fire.


    She remembered the strange words intentionally spoken by Qiao Pifu when they first met.


    "Women, don¡¯t be curious about me. Curiosity often leads to downfall."


    "I always hated evil and treated life and death lightly. In the eyes of a person with a strong sense of justice, this magnificent image is like a firefly shining brightly in the dark¡­ I¡¯m afraid she might really be influenced."


    Now, as she looked back on it, a different kind of emotion arose in her heart.


    The love between men and women was naturally out of the question.


    In reality, Qiao Pifu only appeared to be an ordinary middle-aged man in his forties. If a middle-aged man were to say these words, it would only seem greasy and artificial.


    In her heart, there was only a sense of reverence that slowly arose.


    "He has the courage and spirit of a young person, full of youthful vigor. But despite his seeming recklessness, he is actually sensitive and thoughtful¡­"


    "Truly a rare and great man in the world."


    The young man, fearless like a newborn calf, acted with his passionate spirit.


    The middle-aged man had been battered by life for over ten or several decades, and the youthful aspiration that once resided in his chest gradually dissipated.


    At the age of forty, it¡¯s not easy to remain steadfast, unaffected by external influences.


    This is also the reason why those pilgrims remained silent.


    The pilgrims aligned with the Immortal Gate are outspoken, while these people are often silent.


    Chen Yingxue admired but also felt a heavy sadness in her heart.


    However, such a great man had already passed away.


    She hurriedly rushed here with Shen Qinghe, but didn¡¯t get a chance to see Qiao Pifu onest time. She only saw his lifeless body slowly turning into ashes, disappearing into the air as light smoke.


    Storyteller Jiang Chen squeezed into the crowd, listening to their discussions. Unconsciously, he clenched his fist, with his fingernails digging into his flesh.


    He had been telling stories of the Qiao Family¡¯s father and son in Heyang City for some time. Recently, he had been evading the pursuing officials and had just arrived here after hearing themotion.


    "Qiao Pifu£¿"


    "Qiao family motto, when the world thrives or falls, every man has a responsibility¡­"


    With such a posture, such bold words, it reminded him vaguely of the heroic deeds of the Qiao Family¡¯s father and son in Yan City.


    At this moment, a breeze blew by, and the remnants of the burning mes were also blown away by the wind, leaving no trace.


    However, the previously burning fire, that incense, did exist after all.


    This is an incense of an ordinary man.


    The incense of an ordinary man burns his own body, showing no respect to the gods and disrespecting the heavens.


    This stick of incense was lit by the Immortal Gate¡¯s Saintess, and its flickering mes have already entered the sight and hearts of the worshippers.


    People have their own scale of hearts. The posture and words that Qiao Pifu had before he died will be remembered by the world.


    Even in death, the fragrance of chivalry lingers.

 Chapter 82:

    Chapter 82:


    Under the urging of the servants, the crowd and the pilgrims gradually dispersed.


    The soldiers quickly arrived and collected the remains of the people killed by the fierce tiger on the street.


    Gradually, the pilgrims returned to the temple, and everything seemed to return to normal.


    Emperor Yonghe, feeling a little sad, left the crowd and turned away.


    When he was young, he had seen officials and generals willingly sacrifice themselves for cultivators, but Qiao Pifu¡¯s death, so heroic and tragic, being honored as a hero, was something he had never seen before.


    Forty years had passed, and the previous generation had almost died out. Now, encountering a Qiao Pifu, he had wanted to take the risk to save him, but in the end, it was all in vain.


    ¡°At the moment when the building is about to copse, if I could leave behind a few loyal and righteous seeds, it would slightlyfort my heart, but¡­¡±


    He sighed faintly and gradually walked away.


    ¡°Your Majesty¡­¡± Guard Chu suddenly spoke.¡°The flying knife that I threw earlier and severed Qiao Pifu¡¯s armnded inside the temple of Xuantian Temple.¡±


    ¡°After the disappearance of the Saintess from Xuantian Sect, the flying knife also vanished. It is believed that she might have picked it up.¡±


    Emperor Yonghe paused for a moment.


    Although he had carefully weighed the advantages and disadvantages when asking Chu Xing to take action, thinking that he could take the risk of being discovered by the Immortal Gate.


    But when this moment truly arrived, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a heavy burden in his heart.


    ¡°Is there a risk of exposure?¡± he asked in a low voice.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Chu Xing replied.


    ¡°Although this flying knife of mine is an ordinary one with an unknown origin, the technique of throwing knives is a superior hidden weapon skill exclusive to the Flying Fish Guard, called ¡®Flying Star Hand.''¡±


    ¡°If it were any other Immortal Gate disciple, it would be fine. But the person who came happened to be Wu Qingxin.¡±


    ¡°Wu Qingxin was once a disciple of Martial Saint and a member of the Wuji Association. With her insight, she might be able to tell that the [Flying Star Hand]es from the Flying Fish Guard.¡±


    Chu Xing¡¯s voice also became low.


    If Emperor Yonghe could make a prompt decision, he believed he could save Qiao Pifu.


    If Emperor Yonghe hesitated for a while longer, and gave up when Wu Qingxin appeared, then Chu Xing wouldn¡¯t be able to save Qiao Pifu. But it would be better than the current situation, where he hadn¡¯t saved anyone and yet risked being discovered by the Immortal Gate.


    ¡°¡­Let¡¯s go back and ponder on a strategy.¡± Emperor Yonghe¡¯s heart sank even further.


    ¡°We can also investigate the Qiao family¡­ a family that takes ¡®the rise and fall of the world is the responsibility of each individual¡¯ as their motto. If there are any high-quality martial artists apart from Qiao Pifu, they might be potential warriors.¡±


    Beforehand, he hesitated, but afterwards, he didn¡¯t have so many distracting thoughts.


    ¡­¡­¡­


    Xuantian Temple¡¯s back mountain.


    After returning to the quiet room inside the top floor of the building, Saintess Wu Qingxin let out a breath and pressed her chest.


    ¡°That sixth ranked martial artist isn¡¯t someone sent by the Martial Saint, they just practice the ¡®Martial Saint Spiritual Technique¡¯¡­¡±


    In the world of martial arts, there is not a single person who doesn¡¯t fear the Martial Saint, including Wu Qingxin, who is a disciple and adopted daughter of the Martial Saint.


    So, when her intuition pointed towards the mountain below, she immediately came out of seclusion and went down the mountain to investigate.


    Unexpectedly, it was a false rm.


    ¡°Martial Saint Spiritual Technique? This person is also a fool. Although that secret technique is amazing, anyone who practices it will eventually die at the hands of the Martial Saint.¡±


    Those who cultivate the Martial Saint Spiritual Technique will ultimately be nourishment for the Martial Saint.


    Including her.


    So she joined the Immortal Gate Xuantian Sect, actually to protect herself.


    Although the Martial Saint is scary, as long as she remains the Saintess of the Xuantian Sect, it should be safe to be around her.


    After joining the Immortal Gate these years, she rarely went out and frequently closed her doors for two main reasons.


    First, she feared the Martial Saint and dared not go out.


    Second, although she was appointed as the Saintess, she knew she was just a g, a symbol in the hands of the Immortal Gate.


    As a disciple of the Martial Saint, Wu Qingxin is extremely rare in the world, with excellent talent in both martial arts and immortal cultivation.


    However, immortal cultivation cannot be aplished quickly.


    She is ate bloomer in her cultivation path, even though she has great talent. Because she has only been practicing for a short period of 20-30 years, her level of cultivation in the path of immortals is actually not deserving of the position of Saintess in the Immortal Gate.


    So she secluded herself day and night, diligently practicing, trying to be a genuine Saintess.


    Thinking about this, she waved her hand and a flying knife appeared.


    ¡°Are they people from the Flying Fish Guard? This might be someone close to the Great Yan Emperor¡­ Does the Great Yan Emperor want to save that sixth ranked martial artist?¡±


    Saintess Wu Qingxin muttered to herself, and another Message Jade Talisman appeared in her hand.


    ¡°Elder Sun, it seems that the Flying Fish Guard, who is by the side of the Great Yan Emperor, has appeared in Heyang City¡­¡± She pondered for a moment, then ryed the message.


    After a while, the Message Jade Talisman flickered and showed a line of writing.


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Wu Qingxin looked at the writing and her expression slightly froze.


    Not long after, the Message Jade Talisman flickered again.


    ¡°Please Saintess, continue to diligently cultivate, and enter the Foundation Building period soon.¡±


    After putting down the Message Jade Talisman, Wu Qingxin felt a little relieved.


    After sending such an important message that could affect the Great Yan Emperor, she felt she had contributed to the sect and could possibly receive some helpful medicine for her cultivation.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    Nan Province.


    Deep within the Qingming Mountain range is where the Xuantian Sect is located.


    At this moment, in the sect¡¯s conference hall, several elders with white hair from the Immortal Gate were having a discussion.


    ¡°Saintess Wu Qingxin sent a message, saying that the Flying Fish Guard of the Great Yan Emperor appeared in Heyang City, and it seems to be a martial artist who specializes in Spirit Refining,¡± Elder Sun said.


    ¡°Oh? That¡¯s good news.¡±


    ¡°Emperor Yonghe, has he already arrived at Heyang City? If it weren¡¯t for his cooperation, it wouldn¡¯t have been so easy for us to deceive others and achieve our hidden agenda,¡± these Immortal Gate eldersughed heartily.


    ¡°How much time is left?¡±


    ¡°Is it one month or half a month? Anyway, it¡¯s almost here, no need to rush.¡±


    ¡°The sect leader is currently in Zhong Province, carrying the treasured artifact ¡®Tianwu Mirror¡¯ of our Immortal Gate, deceiving the other Eight Immortal Gates and secretly luring the Great Yan Emperor to this Nan Province.¡±


    ¡°Half a monthter, on the first day of next month, the Great Yan Emperor will follow our n ande to the main peak of Qingming Mountain to pay respects to Qingyun Temple.¡±


    ¡°Emperor Yonghe will disguise himself as an ordinary pilgrim and bow three times and kneel nine times to the statues of our Xuantian Sect¡¯s immortals in Qingyun Temple.¡±


    ¡°With this kneel, the important matter will surely seed!¡±


    ¡°As the first Immortal Gate that the Great Yan Emperor bows to, our Xuantian Sect will rise greatly and have the chance to be at the forefront of the Nine Immortal Gates!¡±


    Although Xuantian Sect is strong, there are still other Eight Immortal Gates in the world, and they are not necessarily united.


    To gain more benefits in the Great Yan Imperial Court, they devised this clever n to deceive the world.


    In the meeting hall of the Immortal Gate at this moment, theughter of the elders fills the air.


    ¡°It¡¯sughable that Emperor Yonghe is indecisive and foolish, yet he still cooperates in this way.¡±


    ¡°He actually thought that weighing the pros and cons would allow him to survive under the hands of our Immortal Gate¡­ How ridiculous.¡±


    The Nine Immortal Gates, located high in the clouds, wiped out the elite warriors of Great Yan forty years ago. So why didn¡¯t they just overthrow the current ruler and let cultivators be the kings?


    The real reason is¡­ unnecessary.


    In this era, there¡¯s no need for violence and killing.


    The cultivator¡¯s desire is to take resources from the human world, including the power of incense, what use does it have to be an emperor among individuals?


    It¡¯s like someone keeping a group of monkeys in their backyard, and each monkey is treated as an asset.


    Among the monkeys, the monkey king can eat the most fruit and mate with any female monkey¡­ Why wouldn¡¯t the backyard owner be the monkey king if it¡¯s so enjoyable?


    Supporting a monkey king easily obtains the power of incense, isn¡¯t it wonderful?


    The Emperor Yonghe bears the eternal infamy, and the grievances of the people are only directed towards the Great Yan Imperial Court.


    The immortals live high above, unaffected by worldly troubles, and continue to be worshipped by people. They have both face and substance, isn¡¯t it fantastic?


    And the second reason is the traditional belief in fortune.


    It is said that mortal emperors bear the burden of fortune, unable to live long and have the same lifespan as ordinary people. But these cultivators shouldn¡¯t get involved with fortune, as they havemitted some taboos.


    Of course, the idea of luck seemed unreal to even these cultivators, and not all of them believed in it.


    ¡°Since Emperor Yonghe has already arrived in Heyang City, then this secretive n has already seeded halfway.¡±


    ¡°The only thing to be cautious about¡­ is a small matter,¡± Elder Sun frowned and said.


    ¡°An ordinary martial artist forcefully entered Heyang City¡¯s Xuantian Temple and died¡­ such a trivial matter is not worth mentioning.¡±


    ¡°What is worth noting is Emperor Yonghe¡¯s thoughts.¡±


    ¡°It seems that he sent the Flying Fish Guard to save that ordinary martial artist against my intentions? This is a bad sign.¡±


    With that, the elders of the Immortal Gate fell silent.


    ¡°It appears that even though Emperor Yonghe is cooperating with our Xuantian Sect¡¯s n, deep down he has not fully submitted and still harbors a sense of luck.¡±


    ¡°What should we do then? Keep hitting him?¡±


    ¡°¡­Don¡¯t use force. At this critical moment, we must notplicate things.¡±


    ¡°If Emperor Yonghe bes rebellious and betrays any other Immortal Gate, our n will be ruined.¡±


    ¡°If Emperor Yonghe wants to save that ordinary martial artist, let him do it. After all, a mere mortal is not important.¡±


    The elders nodded in agreement.


    Talking about this, Elder Sun felt a bit embarrassed.


    ¡°But ording to Saintess Wu Qingxin¡¯s message, that person has already died, couldn¡¯t be saved.¡±


    ¡°¡­Who killed him?¡±


    ¡°It was Saintess Wu Qingxin herself.¡±


    The elders looked at each other, and after a moment of silence, a hint of amusement appeared in their eyes.


    It¡¯s quite a coincidence when you think about it.


    Saintess Wu Qingxin, in fact, is just a symbol, a g of sorts.


    Having both excellent martial and immortal talents is indeed rare¡­ but these cultivators never pay attention to ordinary martial artists, what use is martial talent?


    Wu Qingxin is called the saintess because of herst name, Wu.


    Martial Saint¡¯s Wu.


    Simply put, it¡¯s just like buying a horse bone for a thousand gold coins, a sample to show their mercy.


    This doesn¡¯t mean that this horse bone is very important.


    Over the years, many martial arts ves havee to join Xuantian Sect, but that¡¯s about it.


    ¡°To appoint Wu Qingxin as the Saintess of the Immortal Gate, at first, it was just to use her as bait and defeat the Martial Saint.¡±


    ¡°The Martial Saint has been unresponsive for so many years, it seems like I have underestimated Wu Qingxin¡¯s value.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, what¡¯s the point of keeping her?¡±


    ¡°Does she really think she is the Saintess?¡±


    ¡°For the greater good, it¡¯s only right to sacrifice a pawn.¡±


    Saintess Wu Qingxin, a member of the Saintess Wu Qingxin n, didn¡¯t know yet that the important message she delivered to the n didn¡¯t bring her any credit, but instead became a symbol of danger.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    The moon shines faintly.


    In a dark alley in the north of Heyang City, a small, scruffy-looking cat is walking in the shadows.


    This little cat may seem like an ordinary stray, but its fur seems to be luxuriously spread out, with a hint of shimmer.


    What¡¯s even more peculiar is that this cat is walking as though it¡¯s drunk, swaying back and forth.


    Trying to remember what happened earlier this morning, the little cat¡¯s head is still a bit fuzzy.


    It belched, and a tiny invisible breath of death was expelled from its body, causing it to swell and weaken.


    The deathly aura was so strong, it was almost overflowing!


    In the short and brief life of this little magical cat, it had never seen such a strong and heavy feeling of death.


    This is very abnormal.


    It also didn¡¯t understand why, because it was just a little kitty.


    Thinking back to the daytime, it was so excited that it started to doubt the meaning of its cat life, feeling weak all over.


    It originally wanted to stop that person from seeking death, but it was too tired andcking strength.


    After all, being full after a meal or full at every meal, it could still tell the difference.


    Later, whether that person actually died or not, it wasn¡¯t quite clear to it, because it was already so excited that it fainted.


    The little cat continued walking in the dark alley, only to see the moonlight gently pouring down from the ground, covering everything in a silvery glow.


    Then suddenly it shivered all over, trembling with excitement.


    Because there was a mysterious figure that appeared in front, it had a strong and irresistible fragrance¡­


    This is an old man with slightly gray hair on his temples. He looks to be around sixty years old, but his eyes are lively and don¡¯t show the signs of old age.


    ¡°Life and death are uncertain? That¡¯s a suitable mascot for me.¡±


    Qiao Mu, who had died ande back to life again, smiled faintly.


    With a thought in his mind, his consciousness sank into the depths of his heart.


    Current Death Assessment: A (not respectful to gods or respectful to heaven, only burning flesh and blood for all beings)


    Lifespan consumed by death: 16 years


    Remaining resurrection chances this week: 4 out of 5


    Current age: 60 years old


    Skills:


    Long Life Punch (Intermediate level)


    Ripple Stacking Wave Power (Second Level: Double Wave)


    Martial Saint Spiritual Technique (Intermediate level)


    Pure Yang Wuji Skill (Third Level)


    Military Spear Skill (Advanced level)


    Shadow Transformation Sword Technique (Intermediate level)


    Iron Crotch Skill (Expert level)


    Golden Bell Shield


    Iron Cloth Shirt Skill (Intermediate level)


    Shadow Step (Intermediate level)


    Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method (Expert level)


    Flesh Changing Skill (Proficient level)


    ¡­¡­¡­..


    ¡°Time flies, and years pass by. Unintentionally, I am already sixty years old.¡±


    ¡°Thinking back to the young and vibrant years at the age of fifteen, it feels like it was just recently¡­¡±


    With mixed emotions, Qiao Mu entered a thatched cottage by the road and untied his pants.


    The worry in his heart finally vanished.


    With a mastery of the Iron Crotch Skill, not only could he be as solid as a rock, but he could also move up and down, left and right¡­


    ¡°Old Huang is still amazing!¡± Qiao Mu gave a thumbs up to Old Huang, who was far away in Yan City.

 Chapter 83:

    Chapter 83:


    Just now, he made a handsome profit and received an unprecedented A rating, instantly bing as respected as a sixty-year-old despite being in his forties.


    Closing his eyes, Qiao Mu reminisced about the sixteen years of hard training, as if in a dream.


    "Martial arts training is truly grueling. There are no shortcuts, only day by day, year by year umtion of sweat and continuous perseverance, to reach this point."


    "With hard work,es great reward."


    "I really am struggling."


    As Qiao Mu looked back on the sixteen years of training, he couldn¡¯t help but feel amazed.


    Luckily, he didn¡¯t give up and persisted all the way to this point.


    Currently, Qiao Mu¡¯s Long Life Fist is at a "basic level" because he was taught by Qiao Canxue, a blind woman. This iplete Long Life Fist Sutra only includes the training section, with no ess to the Spiritual Refining Chapter.


    Another iplete technique, the top martial skill of the ancient martial arts world, the "Pure Yang Wuji Skill", Qiao Mu was able to break through to the third level after this training.The profound Child Prodigy Skill at the age of sixty still holds great value.


    There were breakthroughs in other aspects such as hard skills, light skills, and weapon techniques.


    What truly caught Qiao Mu¡¯s attention was the breakthrough in two different techniques.


    First, of course, is the well-known Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method that he has already mastered.


    "Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method is truly a secret technique that I rely on for survival."


    Qiao Mu also felt deeply moved.


    This is a famous self-harm technique. Who knew that after using it repeatedly and practicing for years, he had be adept at it.


    When Qiao Canxue first taught it to him, she only hoped that he could rely on this technique for a way out of desperate situations.


    However, every time Qiao Mu used the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, he deliberately put himself in a dire situation and came up with cool lines in various poses through deep contemtion, resulting in his own death.


    The mastered Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method is quite different.


    The original Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method expended the body¡¯s potential by using internal strength as a catalyst to extract greater power from the limbs and bones.


    But now, the mastered Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method can also be performed using the Qi and blood as catalysts.


    Just like before, when Saintess Wu Qingxin lit him up with unique mes, his whole body turned into a fragrant incense, and his blood and qi can be used as fuel.


    Of course, this is the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, not self-immtion. There is a fundamental difference between the two.


    Another cultivation method that Qiao Mu is very interested in is called "Ripple Stacking Wave Strength".


    ording to what Qiao Canxue said before, back in the Heyang City¡¯s Qiao Family, only the Qiao Family Patriarch, who had profound understanding of martial arts, reached the third level of this renowned andplex martial arts technique, the Triple Wave realm.


    And now, Qiao Mu has already cultivated to the second level, the Double Wave.


    The higher his Death Assessment, the more efficiently he can utilize his time.


    In these sixteen years, what grew the fastest was his attainment in various martial arts techniques, not Qiao Mu¡¯s own martial cultivation.


    "I wonder how Cansnow is doing now, if she has already embarked on her immortal path¡­"


    "Time flies and now I¡¯m already sixty. The immortal path is different from the martial path, it progresses rapidly. I guess I won¡¯t have a chance to seek support anymore."


    Maybe because he was getting older, Qiao Mu would often think back to the old acquaintances of his youth, like Old Huang and Qiao Canxue.


    Qiao Canxue was like a guide for Qiao Mu in his martial arts journey.


    And inside Heyang City today, Xuantian Temple, where Qiao Mu encountered practitioners of the immortal path for the first time, happened to be the renovated Qiao Family Courtyard from his past in Heyang.


    Qiao Mu closed his eyes and focused on his lower abdomen.


    As expected, his lower abdomen¡¯s energy sea expanded rapidly once again.


    This time, he directly jumped from the initial 6th rank to the initial 4th rank.


    "Ah, a 4th rank martial artist. One more step and it will be spiritual refining."


    The martial arts techniques that Qiao Mu practiced now included top ancient methods like Long Life Fist and Pure Yang Wuji Skill, as well as modern methods like Flesh Changing Skill and Martial Saint Spiritual Technique.


    In terms of the grades and quantity of his martial arts, and his aplishments, Qiao Mu, who had experienced multiple high-quality deaths, especially this A-level death, had undergone a tremendous transformation.


    The better someone dies, the more progress they can make in a limited time, and the more they can improve their martial arts skills.


    Qiao Mu finished his business in the outhouse and walked out, feeling satisfied.


    When a person reaches sixty, they be old and tough.


    It truly made him happy.


    After feeling happy, he still had a second worry in his heart.


    "I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m already sixty years old. I¡¯m already at the 4th rank and I still haven¡¯t obtained the second half of the ¡®Long Life Fist Sutra¡¯ from the Wuji Association."


    The reason why Long Life Fist is considered a superior martial art is because it allows people to maintain their vitality even in old age.


    Qiao Mu has already reached the highest level of training and can¡¯t progress any further.


    Even though he is sixty years old, thanks to the effects of the Long Life Fist, Qiao Mu still feels energetic and doesn¡¯t notice any decline in his strength and vitality.


    But as time goes on and one gets older, it bes uncertain.


    "Where did the people from Wuji Association hide? Hurry up and let me kill them to obtain the second half of the ¡®Long Life Fist Sutra¡¯."


    Perhaps because of his old age, Qiao Mu started to miss his good friend with the surname Guo, who used to be very generous and helped him a lot.


    In the darkness of the night.


    Qiao Mu stopped by the side of the street, raising his eyes to look towards the distant Xuantian Temple.


    The turmoil during the day had already ended, yet the temple still stood there, bright with lights and bustling with worshippers who came and went.


    Qiao Mu slightly raised his head, his gaze shifting towards the mountains behind Xuantian Temple, a deep intuition growing in his heart.


    "Saintess Wu Qingxin from Xuantian Sect, she is the person my intuition is pointing to¡­"


    Just as this thought arose in his mind, Qiao Mu suddenly froze, his eyes staring in the direction outside the city.


    In that brief moment just now, he felt a presence outside the city, simr to Saintess Wu Qingxin from Xuantian Sect, that he could sense with his instincts.


    "Could it be someone from Wuji Association?"


    Qiao Mu nced at Xuantian Temple and looked away.


    Facing death during the day made him realize the gap between himself and a cultivator.


    Among the menial disciples he killed during the day, there was even a martial artist in thete stages of the 6th rank, yet such people are still guarding the entrance for Xuantian Sect.


    It¡¯s easy to imagine the vast difference between Immortal Gate Xuantian Sect and ordinary martial artists.


    Although Qiao Mu is not afraid of death.


    He doesn¡¯t want to die without any purpose.


    A regr martial artist, even if burned like incense, can only have a small impact on this dark world.


    "Let¡¯s first take a look and see if the person my intuition is pointing to is someone from the Wuji Association."


    At this point, Qiao Mu also vaguely perceived the strangeness of the "Martial Saint Spiritual Technique."


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    The next day.


    Inside a secretive mansion in the western part of the city.


    Emperor Yonghe was sitting on a reclining chair, closing his eyes to rest, feeling a bit tired.


    After realizing that he might have offended the Immortal Gate Xuantian Sect, he no longer had the interest or energy to y the disguised visit and observe the people¡¯s sentiments.


    Since that day, he had been contemting strategies and resting in the mansion.


    "Your Majesty, we have found some information about Qiao Pifu and the Qiao family he mentioned."


    Guard Chu appeared behind him and reported.


    The Flying Fish Guard is both the emperor¡¯s personal guard and his spy.


    The Flying Fish Guard has been investigating Qiao Pifu¡¯s identity for a while.


    Initially, Emperor Yonghe¡¯s interest in Qiao Mu started because of "Wang Shanhe." Emperor Yonghe wanted to find the Wang Shanhe who had protested while carrying a coffin through the newly appointed Captain Qiao.


    After Qiao Pifu openly discussed political matters in the teahouse, Emperor Yonghe became somewhat interested in Qiao Pifu himself.


    After searching all the way until now, some things have finally been discovered.


    "Is this Qiao Pifu rted to the Qiao Family of Heyang City that was exterminated by the Martial Saint?" Emperor Yonghe asked.


    The Qiao surname is not unique; there are many people with that name in the world.


    If you talk about a famous Qiao family, it would be the Heyang City¡¯s Qiao Family that was destroyed.


    "Your Majesty, when the Qiao Family of Heyang City waspletely destroyed, the Martial Saint was not a merciful person, so these two Qiao family members should not be rted."


    "Qiao Pifu is like a character that jumped out of a stone, seemingly ordinary but actually very mysterious."


    "We have investigated the lead on Shen Qinghe and it can be confirmed that Shen Qinghe¡¯s knowledge of Qiao Pifu is quite limited, even less than me, a member of the Flying Fish Guard."


    At this point, Chu Xing¡¯s expression also became slightly solemn.


    The more they investigated, the more they felt fearful.


    Setting aside the Immortal Gate above all else, even though the strength of Great Yan has declined over the years, it is still Great Yan.


    As a member of the Flying Fish Guard by the Emperor¡¯s side, naturally they are not to be taken lightly.


    After such diligent investigation, they didn¡¯t find any decent clues, which is truly unimaginable.


    Qiao Pifu is not ordinary.


    ording to the Flying Fish Guard¡¯s guess, he is a highly skilled martial artist who has lost his spiritual soul. It seems that he was injured by a cultivator in his early years, and the spirit he showed before his death truly lives up to his past as a sessful spiritual refining martial artist.


    Therefore, the Qiao family behind Qiao Pifu is obviously unusual.


    So, the following guesses are obvious: The Qiao family is a mysterious hidden family that even the Flying Fish Guard cannot trace much information about.


    "Besides, on the side of Yan City, there are also stories circting about Qiao Family¡¯s father and son, which has led me to discover some connections between Qiao Family¡¯s father and son and this Qiao Pifu."


    "People in Yan City call Qiao Family¡¯s father and son righteous men, carrying on the tradition of ancient chivalry, with ¡®dying for what is right¡¯ as their family motto."


    "And the family motto mentioned by Qiao Pifu is another phrase: ¡®It is the duty of everymoner to take responsibility for the rise and fall of the nation.¡¯"


    Emperor Yonghe listened with a sense of longing.


    "If these two Qiao families are the same Qiao family, I truly wonder what kind of extraordinary individuals their ancestor, who spoke these two family mottoes, must have been." He sighed.


    "Is there any further connection between these two?" Emperor Yonghe asked again.


    "Yes," Guard Chu replied.


    "Whether it¡¯s Qiao Mu and Qiao Lin, the father and son from the Qiao Family in Yan City, or Qiao Pifu from Heyang City¡­"


    "They all know the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method!"


    Emperor Yonghe£º£¿


    He was a bit confused, thinking, "Does this count as something they have inmon?"


    "If it¡¯s only the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, it wouldn¡¯t be enough. But considering the previous clues, I boldly hypothesize and carefully infer, which leads to a guess," Chu Xing said.


    "The mysterious and hidden martial arts family, Qiao family, with their motto of ¡®dying in the right way¡¯ and ¡®the responsibility of every man in the rise and fall of the world,¡¯ have the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method passed down in their family¡¯s martial arts."


    Emperor Yonghe was starting to think he was going crazy.


    The ancestral martial art technique of Heyang City¡¯s Qiao Family is the Long Life Fist.


    Is the martial art passed down in the Qiao family where Qiao Pifu is from called the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method?


    What kind of family is this? Aren¡¯t they afraid of the family line dying out and their bloodline being cut off?


    If Emperor Yonghe hadn¡¯t witnessed Qiao Pifu¡¯s resolute posture before his death, he would never believe that such a family could exist in this world.


    All prestigious families aim to expand and thrive by having many descendants.


    By producing a strong-willed and highly skilled martial artist like Qiao Pifu, the Qiao family is clearly not a small family.


    "Then continue the investigation," Emperor Yonghe ordered.


    "Qiao Pifu is already dead."


    "If there are other heroic figures like Qiao Pifu from the Qiao family, and if they are willing to serve the Great Yan, perhaps in a thousand years we can explore a martial path that is not inferior to the immortal path."


    Hearing this, Chu Xing, who is also a 3rd rank Spirit Refining martial artist, looked slightly saddened.


    Is martial arts as powerful as immortality?


    This grand goal is like a mirage, only visible from a distance, but unattainable.


    Before cultivators intervened in Great Yan, martial artists were actually the main body of the Great Yan Imperial Court. It¡¯s not an exaggeration to say that Great Yan Imperial Court stands on martial arts.


    However, the human body has its limits.


    The training of martial artists is a process of continuously pushing the limits of the human body, but breaking limits is also rtive.


    The limit of the 4th rank is the limit of internal strength in a martial artist¡¯s dantian.


    Martial artists before the 4th rank, with each advancement from 1st rank, the amount of internal strength will increase by double or even multiple times.


    But as a 3rd rank Spirit Refining martial artist, Chu Xing, when facing 4th rank martial artists like Wu Qingxin and Lord Lou, if wepare solely based on the richness of internal strength, he is not much stronger.


    The amount of internal strength is just one aspect, as a martial artist who has achieved spiritual refining, he is naturally more powerful.


    After reaching the 4th level of their inner power, the martial artist¡¯s strength had already reached the highest limit of the human body.


    It¡¯s not that it can¡¯t grow, but the limit of the inner strength can only be gradually increased through long years of umtion and slow breakthroughs. It¡¯s no longer like the previous levels where the inner strength can skyrocket after a breakthrough.


    It is because of this¡­ that previous martial artists gradually discovered the Spiritual Refining Method after reaching the limit of cultivating inner power, instead of foolishly continuing to stack inner strength.


    The Spiritual Refining Method is naturally stronger than just stacking inner strength.


    But in front of a cultivator¡­


    Just as he thought about this, Chu Xing suddenly felt a strong and powerful threat, surpassing his own abilities, thanks to his instincts as a Spirit Refining martial artist.


    "An assassin? No, it¡¯s a cultivator," Chu Xing blurted out.


    Emperor Yonghe, who had been resting with his eyes closed on the reclining chair, suddenly opened his eyes.


    Has the time finallye?


    Has it only been a day since the cultivator from Xuantian Sect came to visit?


    That flying knife that tried to save Qiao Pifu before, it seems like it caused trouble¡­. Is this why someone ising to ask for an exnation?


    Emperor Yonghe sighed quietly in his heart, stood up straight, and straightened his back.


    No matter how powerful Immortal Gate is, as the Emperor of Great Yan, he cannot lose his dignity in front of cultivators.


    Even if it¡¯s half a monthter, ording to the n, he will have to go to Qingming Mountain to pay respects to the immortals of Xuantian Sect.

 Chapter 84:

    Chapter 84:


    In a hidden courtyard in the western part of the city.


    "Chiyang from Xuantian Sect, I greet the Great Yan Emperor."


    A middle-aged Taoist dressed in a red daoist robe walked in, chin slightly raised, looking directly at Emperor Yonghe.


    "Emperor Yonghe stood up straight, with a calm expression on his face.


    "Is the Xuantian Sect here for something?" he asked.


    Taoist Chiyang, although he was actually just a low-ranking servant. In Xuantian Temple, there is a sign for "Immortal Chiyang" ced.


    "I came to urge you, Emperor, to start your journey," Taoist Chiyang said with a smile.


    "It¡¯s been half a month, and it¡¯s time to leave Heyang City and head to Qingming Mountain Range. Isn¡¯t it about time?"


    Emperor Yonghe remained silent.He had already made a decision, but he naturally dyed kneeling to the Xuantian Temple immortal beings.


    "By the way, regarding the incident of the ordinary martial artist breaking into Xuantian Temple yesterday¡­" Taoist Chiyang mentioned this, and Emperor Yonghe immediately held his breath slightly.


    The main business had arrived.


    After Saintess Wu Qingxin took away the flying knife yesterday, he has been thinking about how to deal with the Xuantian Sect leader who wille to hold him ountable¡­


    "Immo¡ª" He was about to utter the first word when Taoist Chiyang interrupted him earnestly.


    "What happened yesterday was indeed a misjudgment on my part, on behalf of the Immortal Gate, Saintess Wu Qingxin."


    "We, the Xuantian Sect, are after all a righteous sect, and we should handle things in a fair and just manner."


    "Since it¡¯s Saintess Wu Qingxin¡¯s fault, then the Xuantian Sect has decided to¡­"


    "Take away Wu Qingxin¡¯s title as a Saintess and banish her from Heyang City."


    Emperor Yonghe was slightly shocked.


    He never expected that this matter would turn out like this.


    Could it be that the cultivators of the Xuantian Sect are easier to talk to than the other Eight Immortal Gates? They even discuss right and wrong?


    Next to Guard Chu, his heart was greatly shaken.


    Although he couldn¡¯t understand why, he only knew one thing.


    This Saintess Wu Qingxin, is probably going to die soon.


    This woman was originally a traitor of the Wuji Association. As soon as she left Xuantian Temple, she would likely face the pursuit of the Wuji Association¡­


    "Great Yan Emperor, now that this matter is resolved. Shouldn¡¯t you also start your journey?" Taoist Chiyang smiled and said.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    At the same moment, outside Xuantian Temple in the north of the city.


    Yesterday¡¯s blood stains and signs of fighting have all been cleaned up. People areing and going on the streets, asionally pilgrims enter Xuantian Temple, everything is the same as before.


    Inside a noodle restaurant by the street.


    Qiao Mu chose a table near the street and sat down. He ordered a bowl of long life noodles.


    "Today is my 60th birthday¡­ I¡¯ll add some beef, no, maybemb instead."


    He sat there quietly slurping his noodles, asionally looking up at the busy street. He felt a rare sense of tranquility in his heart.


    Meow~


    About thirty or forty steps away, a little cat peeked out from a corner of the wall and let out a meow. When it saw Qiao Mu looking over, it quickly hid again.


    Qiao Mu noticed that whenever this silly cat got too close to him, it would be weak and limp, copsing on the ground with squinted eyes, as if offering itself to be picked up.


    He didn¡¯t hold back either. After encountering this magical catst night for the first time, he immediately grabbed it and petted it like crazy.


    Since then, the cat didn¡¯t dare to get too close to him.


    At first, it only dared to follow Qiao Mu from a distance of about forty to fifty steps away. Then it became slightly braver and approached a little closer.


    I wonder if the demon cat¡¯s body has gradually gotten used to the strong smell of death, or if the death on Qiao Mu¡¯s body has faded because of it.


    However, it doesn¡¯t matter. As long as it is willing to stay by Qiao Mu¡¯s side, that¡¯s good.


    The Impermanent Demon Cat, a creature that can smell death, usually only appears around people who are about to die.


    The closer Qiao Mu gets to death, the happier the cat is, and Qiao Mu also bes happier.


    Qiao Mu pondered, maybe he could judge how close he is to death based on the cat¡¯s reaction?


    He bowed his head to eat noodles, asionally ncing at Xuantian Temple.


    Qiao Mu continued to stay nearby because he was actually enamored with Saintess Wu Qingxin and wanted to personally see her off.


    But because he had practiced the "Martial Saint Spiritual Technique," his uncertain intuition made Qiao Mu believe that it would be impossible to sessfully assassinate her.


    Perhaps the intuition¡¯s warning is mutual; once he gets closer, Wu Qingxin should also sense it.


    "Is it really so magical?" Qiao Mu frowned.


    He had practiced the "Martial Saint Spiritual Technique" to the point of being "skilled," and had gained a deeper understanding of this secret technique.


    He felt that there was something fishy about this secret technique, maybe he should temporarily stop practicing it and focus on other martial arts instead.


    "Hmm? Isn¡¯t that Sheriff Qian?" Qiao Mu¡¯s gaze fell on a soap-clothed constable on the side of the street.


    Qian Qian, at this moment, was leading a team of constables patrolling the streets,ing and going in a hurry.


    There were more patrolling constables and officers on the streets near Xuantian Temple, it was clear that security was much stricter than usual.


    It is estimated that they were afraid of another person like Qiao Pifu, trespassing on the sacred grounds of the Immortal Gate.


    Suddenly.


    Sheriff Qian, in contrast to his serious expression, quickly put on a smile on his face and slightly bent his waist, bowing to a middle-aged man in official attire walking along the street.


    "Isn¡¯t that Governor Lou¡­" whispered the diners nearby.


    "Is Governor Lou going into Xuantian Temple?"


    "Has yesterday¡¯s incident be a big deal?"


    Qiao Mu was slightly surprised and his gaze fell on Qian Qian¡¯s face.


    Governor Lou didn¡¯t pay attention to Sheriff Qian¡¯s greeting on the street. He hurriedly entered Xuantian Temple with some guards.


    Qian Qian breathed a sigh of relief. There was no trace of hatred or any other emotion on his face as he resumed his patrol.


    "I wonder how many taels of redemption gold Qian Qian has paid to the Lous over the years for his old father?"


    "No¡­ there is no more redemption gold now."


    Qiao Mu silently watched as Governor Lou walked into Xuantian Temple.


    One cent can challenge a hero, but Sheriff Qian couldn¡¯t umte the thousand silver coins in his whole life.


    ¡­¡­¡­


    Inside Xuantian Temple, the main hall.


    Saintess Wu Qingxin silently looked at the statues of immortal beings on the altar of Xuantian Temple.


    The immortal beings are roughly divided into three levels based on their status.


    Led by the sect leader "Immortal Xuantian, the Great Virtue, Great Power," the elders of the sect upy the main position.


    The second level consists of the holy sons of Immortal Gate, as well as a few outstanding disciples of the younger generation.


    At the very bottom rank, there are attendants of Immortal Gate who protect temples, such as "Immortal Chiyang" and "Immortal Qingyang".


    But there is no que for Wu Qingxin, a saintess of Immortal Gate.


    "One day, I will also be one of the immortals in the Xuantian Sect."


    She looked back and saw that Governor Lou was approaching with his people.


    "Saintess," Lord Lou said with an apologetic smile on his face.


    "Regarding yesterday¡¯s incident with Qiao Pifu, although it was only his recklessness, it still vited the sacred grounds of the Immortal Gate. It has made me uneasy," the official said.


    "This ten thousand silver taels is the tribute from the city, given to Xuantian Temple. Knowing that Xuantian Temple needs funds for reconstruction, I have sent it in advance¡­"


    After speaking, the followers brought over arge box filled with neatly stacked silver coins.


    Wu Qingxin looked expressionless, her gaze cold.


    Even though she held the title of Saintess, it didn¡¯t quite live up to its name.


    Yet within the Heyang City, in the eyes of worldly figures like Lord Lou, she was still a significant figure representing both the Xuantian Sect and the Immortal Gate.


    Governor Lou was also a martial artist of the 4th rank, and also the ruler of a province.


    Now that something has happened, even though he has nothing to do with it, he immediately sent ten thousand silver pieces, afraid that the Immortal Gate would find a reason to me him.


    All the talk is about fearing the tiger¡¯s skin she has.


    As for the rebuilding of Xuantian Temple¡­ it¡¯s just an excuse.


    Yesterday, that Qiao Pifu burned to ashes, just as he had arrived at the entrance of Xuantian Temple, he hadn¡¯t even stepped inside, and it¡¯s just a small problem that some martial arts ves died.


    "Lord Lou, there¡¯s no need to worry, this matter has nothing to do with you," Wu Qingxin said calmly.


    "Our Immortal Gate acts with integrity and would never act recklessly."


    Governor Lou breathed a sigh of relief and soon took his leave.


    Wu Qingxin nced at the box filled with silver coins.


    On the path of cultivation, we should also follow the Law of Partnership in Wealth.


    The worldly possessions of gold and silver are not of great help to her, but they do have their uses.


    After some contemtion, she gathered all the servant practitioners from the Taoist temple.


    "Yesterday, you defended Xuantian Temple, but failed topletely stop that ordinary martial artist¡­"


    As the story goes on, the servants became extremely fearful and immediately knelt down to beg for forgiveness, worried that the Saintess would punish them.


    "Stand up, there¡¯s no need to plead guilty," the Saintess said calmly.


    "Our Immortal Gate¡¯s actions, even if they are wrong, are still right."


    "Your mistake lies in your weakness."


    "Although you are weak, many people were injured yesterday. Despite having no achievements, you have worked hard."


    "This is your reward," he said, waving his hand and giving some silver coins as a reward to these martial arts servants.


    "Thank you, Saintess," the servants eximed excitedly, expressing their gratitude repeatedly.


    This Saintess Wu Qingxin is the ideal in the hearts of these servants.


    If it weren¡¯t for Wu Qingxin, who turned from martial arts to cultivation, bing the Saintess, they might not have been willing to do these chores.


    "If you serve the Immortal Gate for me, there will be rewards. If you can aplish great feats, not only these ordinary things, but even the secret techniques of the sect may be bestowed upon you."


    After painting such a beautiful picture, she realized it was just an illusion:


    "Beyond the western hills outside this city, although there are monsters roaming, there are also asional treasures of heaven and earth¡­"


    Wu Qingxin dared not leave Heyang City, but if this martial arts ve could go to dangerous ces on her behalf to pick some spiritual fruits, it would be making the most of their abilities.


    It can only be said that the identity of the Saintess is incredibly useful.


    Whether it¡¯s the lord of the manor, Lord Lou, or the martial arts ve in the Taoist temple, they all treat her with great respect.


    After dealing with these trivial matters, Saintess Wu Qingxin once again took off with the wind and flew back into the building on the top of the hill.


    She hasn¡¯t been practicing daoism for a long time, so she needs to make the most of her time to seclude herself.


    However, this time, as soon as she returned to the hill, she saw a daoist dressed in a red robe at the entrance of the building.


    "Saintess, I havee to inform you of an important matter, which has been decided by the elders of the sect¡­" Taoist Chiyang said with a smile.


    After Taoist Chiyang finished speaking, Wu Qingxin¡¯s usual cold expression disappeared instantly.

 Chapter 85:

    Chapter 85:


    p!


    The sword-wielding storyteller mmed his hand on the stage and passionately said:


    "Qiao Pifu was ignited by a strange me and became a candle. In the midst of the fire, he shouted loudly: ¡®You all should smell how fragrant I am as a candle¡­¡¯"


    The audience below was listening attentively when suddenly, a tea drinker with slightly gray sideburns in the corner cheered loudly.


    "Great!"


    "Indeed, Qiao Pifu is a heroic figure in the world of men!"


    The cheering broke the tranquility, and soon other tea drinkers also started apuding, creating a lively atmosphere.


    "Comfortable," said the tea drinker with slightly gray sideburns, who was none other than Qiao Mu. He looked around at the reactions of the other tea drinkers, his "tail" wagging happily.


    When he was burned before, he didn¡¯t have the energy to appreciate the expressions of others, but now he felt satisfied by watching them.The storyteller was reaching an exciting climax when suddenly a series of footsteps were heard, and a group of constables in soapy clothes entered one after another.


    "Even in storytelling, there should be a mix of truth and fiction. This Qiao Pifumitted a serious crime and has already been personally burned by the Saintess of the Immortal Gate, sentenced to eternal damnation. Why are you still fabricating stories about this criminal?"


    The leader of the police shouted, and Jiang Chen, the sword-wielding storyteller, quickly jumped up and used his inner strength to move swiftly. Surprisingly, he jumped out of the window.


    "This sword-wielding storyteller is not just an ordinary person, he is a martial artist with inner strength?" The tea guests were slightly surprised.


    "All these storytellers are martial artists with inner strength. Could it be rted to the Tide Listening Building?" Someone whispered quietly.


    "Chase!" The police officers immediately followed and the storytelling came to a sudden stop.


    Qiao Mu looked at the faces of the police officers and squinted slightly.


    These police officers were all unfamiliar faces. And the leader of them, he had no impression of.


    Even though Qiao Mu hadn¡¯t been a police officer for long, he could still recognize faces.


    "Is someone impersonating a police officer?" He stood up, paid the bill, and followed them.


    Jiang Chen, the sword-wielding storyteller, he had seen him several times and didn¡¯t want to see him being threatened or killed by anyone.


    ¡­¡­¡­.


    Jiang Chen is a martial artist with 9th rank internal strength, skilled in lightness skills.


    After escaping from the teahouse, he continuously used his lightness skills to escape into the deep alley. He thought he could shake off the pursuers just like before, but this time the pursuers were surprisingly close behind him.


    The ordinary catchers in the city are generally martial artists in the strength-training stage,cking internal strength. They are much weaker in terms of explosivenesspared to martial artists with internal strength.


    However, what surprised him was that¡­all these catchers had internal strength, and even some of them seemed to have better lightness skills than him?


    "I am in trouble this time¡­"


    A figure suddenly appeared in front of him in the deep alley. It was the leader of the catchers, who had somehow already circled around to the front of the deep alley, blocking Jiang Chen¡¯s way.


    The pursuing catchers had also caught up and surrounded him.


    "¡­You guys are not ordinary catchers, considering your great skills," Jiang Chen finally regained his senses.


    "That doesn¡¯t matter." The leader of the hunters smiled slightly and said:


    "Jiang Chen, 31 years old. He is from Tiger City in Nan Province. When he was 14, he joined the local sword sect, ¡®Bright Moon Sect,¡¯ and when he was 20, he married his fellow disciple from the sect."


    "At the age of 31, he traveled with his wife to Yan City. There, he was humiliated by the son of the local City Lord, Guo Yan, in front of everyone. He was almost taken into the pce as a ve. Shortly after this incident, he voluntarily became a storyteller. He doesn¡¯t talk about martial arts stories or strange stories, but he loves to tell the stories of Qiao¡¯s family."


    "Am I right?"


    The expression on Jiang Chen¡¯s face had frozen. Although he didn¡¯t consider himself important, he couldn¡¯t believe that his background and origins had been so clearly revealed. It filled him with an inexplicable fear, even more than if someone had tried to kill him with a sword.


    "I only have one question for you. If you can answer it, you¡¯ll live." The fake leader of the hunters said with a smile:


    "You used to tell the story of the three people from Qiao Family in Yan City, and now you¡¯re telling the story of Heyang City¡¯s Qiao Pifu."


    "So, is this Qiao Pifu rted to the Qiao Family in Yan City? Are they from the same Qiao family?"


    Jiang Chen was slightly taken aback.


    Only now did he understand that he had attracted the attention of these mysterious people because of the Qiao¡¯s family?


    It is estimated that he was targeted by them because he had previous contact with the Qiao¡¯s family¡­


    "I don¡¯t know." Jiang Chen pondered for a long time, and could only say that.


    "Don¡¯t know? That¡¯s not a good answer." The catcher kept smiling, but the smile gradually turned cold.


    "Since you don¡¯t know, why did you specifically talk about Qiao Pifu and the story of Yan City¡¯s Qiao Family¡¯s father and son? Are you trying to deceive me?"


    Jiang Chen was stimted by the feeling of being killed, instinctively tensed his body, but still mustered the courage to say:


    "I was indeed saved by the Qiao Family, so I am grateful, which is why I became a storyteller."


    "But what I want to be is a storyteller who spreads the righteous deeds of the Qiao Family, not someone who tells stories for them or spreads their reputation."


    "As long as we have a sense of righteousness and take action, does it matter if our surname is Qiao or if wee from the same family?"


    The catcher was slightly stunned.


    Jiang Chen stood straight and serious, saying:


    "I am just a storyteller who enjoys telling stories about heroes. I have no connection with the Qiao family. It¡¯s just a coincidence that the famous heroestely happen to have the surname Qiao."


    The constable stared at Jiang Chen expressionlessly for a long time, until Jiang Chen felt a shiver down his spine and his hair stood on end. Then, the constable suddenly smiled.


    "There¡¯s one more question. If you answer correctly, you¡¯ll stay alive."


    "There aren¡¯t many wanderers in this world who dare to speak the truth. Are you willing to join Tide Listening Building and be a storyteller for them?"


    Tide Listening Building£¿


    Jiang Chen blinked his eyes, feeling a bit confused.


    "Yes, you are just a simple 9th rank, even though you are 31 years old, but joining a small sect like Tiger City¡¯s ¡®Bright Moon Sect¡¯ is normal to have limited knowledge and experience."


    The captain smiled lightly and said,


    "After the Inhuman War, Martial Saint became known as a warrior saint, and with his own strength, he broke through the entire previous martial arts world."


    "Shaolin, Wudang, Kongtong, Huashan, the four major martial arts families¡­ All the old martial arts sects and families have turned to dust."


    "On top of the bodies of the old martial arts sects, a formidable entity emerged, surpassing any sect or family: Wuji Association."


    "But there is still a mysterious martial arts force that survives in the world, not destroyed by the Wuji Association."


    "This is our Tide Listening Building, a gathering ce for collecting strange events and storytellers." The captainughed and said,


    "Tide Listening Building has a long history, even surpassing a thousand years, and it has existed since the previous dynasty."


    "Fifty years ago, Tide Listening Building produced a person, and perhaps you have heard of him."


    "He proimed himself¡­ the legendary All-known Man."


    Jiang Chen¡¯s heart suddenly shook.


    The legend of the All-known Man is well-known among the martial arts practitioners. He loves to arrange weapon catalogues, Hero Lists, and he never misses any strange events in the world of martial arts.


    He probably knows what kind of organization the Tide Listening Building is.


    As the centuries pass and dynasties rise and fall like the changing tides of the sea, the storyteller sits atop the building, listening to the ebb and flow of the world, recounting stories.


    The police officer continued:


    "The people in this Tide Listening Building can be roughly divided into two groups."


    "One group takes risks to spread the truth, often running afoul of the authorities or even cultivators."


    "The other group focuses on telling strange stories, not caring much about whether they are true or not."


    "If you join, which group would you like to be a part of?"


    This person said he was inviting Jiang Chen to join, and Jiang Chen wondered if he had no other choice as a mere 9th rank.


    "What kind of strange stories do the second type of people spread?" Jiang Chen asked.


    He was a bit curious.


    The constable just smiled.


    "For example, in my Tide Listening Building, there¡¯s a storyteller known as the ¡®Eavesdropper.¡¯ He loves to tell stories about¡­"


    "Counting down the top ten most beautiful women in the martial arts world, and counting down the top ten worst crotch rips in the martial arts world¡­ things like that."


    Jiang Chen£º£¿


    He almost wanted to ask the constable to tell him more.


    After thinking it over, he finally made a decision.


    "Such colorful events are indeed eye-catching¡­ but I would rather be part of the first group."


    "Okay." The head catcher pped his hands instantly.


    "From now on, you will be the storyteller of Tide Listening Building."


    "But for now, I have important matters to attend to. You follow him and leave first."


    The head catcher waved his hand and summoned a constable, instructing him to swiftly escort Jiang Chen away.


    Then, he turned back with a smile and looked towards a direction in the deep alley.


    "Are you a friend of Wuji Association?" the head catcher eximed loudly.


    "Your Star Xuan Envoy from Wuji Association has already issued a pursuit order. Instead of urgently hunting down Saintess Wu Qingxin, the former Martial Saint disciple and now a member of Immortal Gate, you¡¯vee to listen by the corner of my ce. Have you wandered into the wrong ce?"


    Upon hearing this, Qiao Mu, who was hiding in the shadows, not only didn¡¯t run away, but even voluntarily stepped forward.


    This kind of mysterious power is usually apanied by danger, and danger means death.


    He naturally went after it eagerly.


    Qiao Mu stepped out from the shadows and walked up to the imposter headman.


    "Wu Qingxin is, after all, the saintess of Xuantian Sect. It is not easy to hunt her. But before that, I would like to take care of the rats in the alley."


    Qiao Mu stepped forward, looking coldly at the imposter constable.


    He just liked this kind of mysterious power.


    Wuji Association is also Qiao Mu¡¯s enemy, and it would be a good thing for him if he could stir up some trouble.


    Unexpectedly, as soon as he said this, the imposter headman scrutinized him from head to toe.


    "Oh¡­ so you¡¯re not a member of Wuji Association, but close enough."


    He immediately smiled slightly.


    "Did you practice the ¡®Martial Saint Spiritual Technique¡¯? Then you can also be considered as a half-member of the Wuji Association."


    "Someone like you, the local Star Xuan Envoy also likes to recruit. If you go now, you might even catch up with the Saintess Hunting Mission."


    "Martial Saint hates inhuman beings and he also hates the Great Yan Imperial Court."


    "This former disciple has be an inhuman dog, which naturally angers the Martial Saint."


    "However, Wu Qingxin is a talented individual who cultivates both Immortal Dao and Martial Dao. She was also a former disciple of the Martial Saint. We must not underestimate her."


    "I can see that you are a person with exceptional skills. If you were to kill Wu Qingxin, it could be considered an achievement within the Wuji Association. Who knows, you might even gain the favor of the Martial Saint."

 Chapter 86:

    Chapter 86:


    Qiao Mu felt a little flutter in his heart when he heard it.


    The martial arts techniques he currently possessed only cover the first half of the top-notch martial arts like the "Long Life Fist Sutra" and the "Pure Yang Wuji Skill" in the Spiritual Refining Method.


    The "Martial Saint Spiritual Technique" is a spiritual refining secret technique that allows low-level martial artists to cultivate, but it is still different from true spiritual refining martial arts.


    If Qiao Mu wants to advance further in the martial arts, he will eventually have to get involved with the Wuji Association.


    "Where can I find the Star Xuan Envoy of the Wuji Association?" Qiao Mu asked directly, no longer hiding his intentions.


    "Didn¡¯t you already practice the "Martial Saint Spiritual Technique"? Those who have mastered it can naturally have a vague connection with each other. So whye and ask me?"


    The fake bounty hunter chuckled lightly, disyed his light footwork, and quickly disappeared into the dark alley.


    Qiao Mu didn¡¯t chase after him because from their brief conversation, he obtained some important information about Saintess Wu Qingxin.


    Qiao Mu was more worried about Saintess Wu Qingxin¡¯s safety than chasing after the mysterious Tide Listening Building storyteller."I have to be the one to defeat Wu Qingxin, I can¡¯t let anyone from the Wuji Association take it away."


    He stepped out of the deep alley, closed his eyes lightly, and silently operated the Martial Saint Spiritual Technique.


    The sometimes vague intuition became slightly clearer at this moment, guiding Qiao Mu towards a certain location in the west.


    What surprised Qiao Mu was that there were multiple figures that he could vaguely sense at that location.


    "In the west, that should be the whereabouts of the Wuji Association¡¯s Star Xuan Envoy and others." Qiao Mu opened his eyes.


    "The Wuji Association¡¯s Star Xuan Envoy has gathered experts to hunt down Saintess Wu Qingxin?"


    With this thought in his mind, Qiao Mu cast another nce towards the direction of Xuantian Temple in the north.


    Surprisingly, there was no intuitive sense towards Xuantian Temple¡¯s direction?


    This represents the present Saintess Wu Qingxin, maybe she is no longer at Xuantian Temple.


    "Listen to a storytelling, and the Holy Maiden just suddenly ran away? It¡¯s my fault for being cautious about the ¡®Martial Saint Spiritual Technique¡¯, always afraid of being sensed by Saintess Wu Qingxin¡¯s intuition. Otherwise, if she left Xuantian Temple, I should have felt something."


    Qiao Mu walked out of the deep alley and followed his vague intuition, heading west.


    While walking on the road, he heard the nervous expressions of passersby, constantly discussing something.


    "I heard that the Saintess of Immortal Gate has been stripped of her position as a Saintess?"


    "Did the fairy make a mistake? Was she punished by a higher fairy?"


    "I told you, that Qiao Pifu from a couple of days ago didn¡¯t seem like a bad person, but astonishingly he was burned alive by the Saintess of Xuantian Sect right at the entrance of the Taoist temple¡­"


    "So you¡¯re saying that Qiao Pifu is a true hero? I just saw someone telling his story, but he was chased away by the government¡¯s catchers."


    "I knew it, someone who can speak those words must be a heroic character!"


    "Justice is in the hearts of the people¡­"


    The crowd was discussing, and Qiao Mu, who was originally in a hurry, couldn¡¯t help but stop and listen to their praises.


    Qiao Mu didn¡¯t expect that he would suddenly be vindicated and public opinion would turn around.


    He felt a little relieved after hearing it.


    After all, he died for the people, even though his life was not valuable and his tolerance for pain was far beyond ordinary people¡­ but being burned alive was definitely not a pleasant experience.


    However, the reason for the change in public opinion made him slightly uneasy.


    Qiao Pifu was burned alive, and a portion of the people still stood on the side of Immortal Gate, and there were clearly more people speaking favorably about Immortal Gate.


    And now, the public opinion has unexpectedly shifted due to a change in Immortal Gate¡¯s attitude. Immortal Gate has actually revoked Wu Qingxin¡¯s title as a Saintess?


    His heart sank slightly, and he prepared to take a step and leave.


    As they walked a few steps further away, the people continued to talk:


    "Fairness lies in the hearts of people, and it seems that all the Immortal Gate members are indeed wise and sharp immortals. Even if the Saintess of Immortal Gate made a mistake by burning Qiao Pifu, who had pleaded for the people¡¯s lives, right on the street, Xuantian Sect would decisively expel the Saintess from Immortal Gate."


    "The wise and sharp immortals can handle situations fairly. They are truly not ordinary people¡­"


    Qiao Mu listened, feeling confused.


    He opened his mouth to refute, but couldn¡¯te up with any words. In the end, he could only walk away silently.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    Following his instinctive feeling, Qiao Mu arrived at the west side of the city.


    Before leaving, he secretly went back to the leased residence and took all the silver coins given to him by Wang Songhe.


    Guided by his intuition, he arrived at an inn.


    It was unusual because the inn¡¯s door was tightly closed, and there were a few big men with swords guarding outside.


    Qiao Mu¡¯s intuition guided him, right inside this inn.


    After thinking for a moment, he walked straight towards it and was immediately stopped by the big man at the door.


    "The inn is closed today, can¡¯t you see the door is closed? Go somewhere else."


    "I am a guest of your master," said Qiao Mu directly.


    The two big men nced at each other but remained cautious.


    "If you know our master, do you know his name?"


    "Is it safe to talk about this here?" Qiao Mu deliberately looked around, saw no one around, and then slowly said:


    "Your master is Wuji Association¡¯s Star Xuan¡­"


    As soon as they were halfway through their conversation, the two big men¡¯s faces changed dramatically and their eyes frenziedly signaled for Qiao Mu to be quiet.


    Oh no, even in this Heyang City, there are still Xuantian Sect cultivators. How can this person dare to say such things directly? Aren¡¯t they afraid of getting into trouble?


    At this moment, a voice came from inside.


    "Let hime in."


    Upon hearing this, the two big men opened the door and Qiao Mu stepped into the inn. He noticed that there were already seven or eight customers sitting at tables in the lobby.


    One of them was a middle-aged strong man, and the other was a swordsman in white. They had clearly also practiced the "Martial Saint Spiritual Technique." When Qiao Mu had just entered, they made eye contact with him for a brief moment before quickly looking away.


    "The eighth person has arrived, and it seems to be¡­ a 4th rank?" the swordsman in white smiled and said.


    "Although I haven¡¯t seen him before, he has also practiced the ¡®Martial Saint Spiritual Technique.¡¯ It seems he is not an ordinary person," he added.


    As soon as these words were spoken, the gazes of the others towards Qiao Mu subtly changed.


    Those who can practice the "Martial Saint Spiritual Technique" are extraordinary martial artists, with the potential to reach the 3rd rank by embarking on the "Spiritual Refining Method."


    Sitting at the same table as Qiao Mu was a swordsman who appeared to be around fifty years old. He nodded to Qiao Mu as a sign of acknowledgement.


    "Brother, you don¡¯t seem to be a member of the Wuji Association. Like me, are you also here for the Spiritual Refining Technique?" The middle-aged swordsman took the initiative to start a conversation.


    He was a 4th rank martial artist, and could tell that Qiao Mu was also at the same level. Impressed by Qiao Mu¡¯s strength, he took the initiative to strike up a conversation.


    "Yes, indeed." Qiao Mu nodded in a pretentious manner.


    "Brother, you must be around sixty years old. Despite your age, you appear to be full of vitality and energy. You must have practiced a superior internal martial art."


    The lifespan of a martial artist is not much longer than that of an ordinary person.


    Qiao Mu, who is sixty years old and still full of vitality, is not relying on ordinary internal martial arts, but rather on his aplished "Long Life Fist" technique.


    In the eyes of the swordsman, this is considered a sign of superior internal power.


    "The martial arts I practice, I learned from the Wuji Association¡­ but unfortunately, I only have half of it." The swordsman lowered his voice and said,


    "To obtain the second half of the spiritual refining technique, I have to deal with the Wuji Association."


    Qiao Mu suddenly realized upon hearing this, that this swordsman was in a simr situation, bothcking further advanced techniques.


    "Could it be that the Wuji Association did this on purpose?" he asked quietly.


    "They give out the first half of the advanced technique for a rtively low cost, but they hold onto the second half. If we want to progress further, we have to work for them?"


    The swordsman hesitated for a moment and then answered,


    "Isn¡¯t it normal for the Wuji Association to not easily share the techniques they¡¯ve obtained by force?"


    "Moreover, since the arrival of the Wuji Association, the martial arts world has undergone significant changespared to the past."


    "Martial artists like us can now obtain advanced techniques from the Wuji Association through various means, which would have been impossible in the past."


    Qiao Mu also thought it made sense.


    "Perhaps this is why Guo Yan, a Wuji Association sixth ranked martial artist, was able to obtain half of the ¡®Pure Yang Wuji Skill¡¯," guessed Qiao Mu.


    In the past, the Pure Yang Wuji Skill was known as the exclusive skill of the Wudang sect, and only a few disciples of the sect could practice it.


    The Martial Saint broke through the barriers of the past martial arts world and seized the secret manuals of the prestigious sects. Since then, members of the Wuji Association could obtain these top-level skills at a low cost.


    The swordsman sighed and said:


    "In the past, the high-level skills were held tightly by the major martial arts sects. Even disciples with slightly lower talent were not taught the core techniques."


    "Having half of a high-level martial arts skill is already sufficient."


    "Even if the best martial arts skills were given to martial artists from all over the world, most people wouldn¡¯t be able to reach a very advanced level."


    "There are no shortcuts in martial arts. Martial artists like you and me, who have achieved the 4th rank in training, have all gone through years of daily practice. Ordinary martial artists don¡¯t have this perseverance."


    "Indeed, it took me many years of daily practice to reach where I am today," nodded Qiao Mu.


    After chatting with the swordsman for a while, he became slightly impatient and asked when they would depart to hunt down Saintess Wu Qingxin.


    The swordsman in the white robe seemed to be the leader among the group and responded at this moment:


    "Once the Star Xuan Envoy appears, and once the two of them are ready, especially the famous 4th rank expert, Xu Cheng with his Soul Hook technique, we can set off."


    "With ten experts ranging from 4th rank to 5th rank, there should be no suspense in dealing with Saintess Wu Qingxin."


    We have to wait longer?


    Qiao Mu nced at the surrounding customers and furrowed his brow:


    "With a lineup like ours, not to mention hunting down a single Saintess Wu Qingxin, we would have a good chance of safely breaking into Governor Lou¡¯s mansion in this city. Why do we still have to wait?"


    "Another stubborn martial artist," the middle-aged man who also practiced the Martial Saint Spiritual Technique said with impatience on his face:


    "Wu Qingxin is not only the Immortal Gate Saintess, but also a disciple of the Martial Saint in the past. How could she be weak?"


    "She is now practicing both immortal cultivation and martial arts. Even if she is no longer a Saintess, she is still extraordinary. For example, the Etching Bone Li Fire Talisman that Wu Qingxin is good at ispletely unstoppable for us martial artists. We can only dodge using light skills."


    "Is she really that powerful?" Qiao Mu was skeptical.


    Before he was burned to death, he was only at the 6th rank. Now, after sixteen years of hard training, he has reached the 4th rank and feels a great improvement in his strength.


    "Ignorant," the middle-aged man shook his head.


    "A few days ago, that Saintess Wu Qingxin burned a martial artist to death with the Etching Bone Li Fire Talisman at the entrance of the Taoist temple."


    "That martial artist Qiao Pifu who was burned to death was no ordinary person. It is said that he used to be a highly skilled martial artist in spiritual refining. But in front of that fire talisman, he still had to die."


    "Is that so?" Qiao Mu was visibly surprised.


    "Have you been living under a rock?" the strong man scoffed.


    "It is said that Qiao Pifu had a mysterious hidden family behind him. He is not an ordinary martial artist. He even insulted the emperor and was able to be released from prison unscathed. His background is tougher than iron¡­ But even such a character can bepletely destroyed by a single fire."


    Seeing Qiao Mu¡¯s shocked expression, the strong man also felt greatly pleased.


    Just as he was about to continue speaking, a blurry figure shed by. It was a mysterious person wearing a ck robe and a ck star mask on their face.


    "Star Xuan Envoy."


    "Respected envoy." The people immediately bowed their heads in respect.


    "No need to wait, let¡¯s depart immediately. Saintess Wu Qingxin is no longer in this city." Star Xuan Envoy said directly.


    "The other three, including the famous soul-snatcher Xu Cheng, are ambushing Wu Qingxin outside the city."


    "And¡­ there are three more?" The swordsman in white clothing was taken aback, realizing that the numbers didn¡¯t add up.


    There are a total of ten people. Three are blocking outside the city, so why are there eight people in this inn?


    The Star Xuan Envoy quickly felt something strange and looked around, finally fixing their gaze on Qiao Mu¡¯s face.


    "Who are you?" their voice turning cold.


    The others immediately caught on, and the atmosphere became tense.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Inside a small Taoist temple at the foot of Qingming Mountain.


    The plump Taoist nun Lingling Taoist Priest called Qiao Canxue over, her face serious.


    "Cansnow, I recently heard some important news."


    "In your hometown, Heyang City, a martial artist with thest name Qiao has recently died¡­"


    Lingling Taoist Priest had visited Heyang City¡¯s Qiao Family when Qiao Canxue was a child, and she was one of the few people in the world who knew that Qiao Canxue was thest orphan of the Heyang City¡¯s Qiao Family.


    "That person¡¯s name is Qiao Pifu, do you know him?"


    After speaking, Lingling Taoist Priest looked at Qiao Canxue¡¯s face with a little anticipation, hoping to see if she would get excited and have a sudden breakthrough.


    "I don¡¯t know." Qiao Canxue slightly opened her left eye, revealing a white expanse, and reached out to touch the stone wall in front of her.


    Whether she used her hand to feel, gently tapped with her fingers to listen to the sound, or got closer to sniff¡­ it all indicated that this was just an ordinary stone wall.


    But in her eyes, this wall simply didn¡¯t exist at all.


    She turned her head and looked at Lingling Taoist Priest, but instead of seeing a plump nun, she saw a young girl in a dress with braided pigtails.


    Lingling Taoist Priest noticed Qiao Canxue¡¯s actions and felt a strange envy in her heart:


    "Her eyes are even more extraordinary than her exceptional spiritual aptitude. They don¡¯t seem like something an ordinary person can possess.."

 Chapter 87:

    Chapter 87:


    As Star Xuan Envoy looked at Qiao Mu¡¯s face, the atmosphere in the room gradually became tense.


    The swordsman with a bushy beard sitting closest to Qiao Mu also had a slight change in facial expression, quietly cing his hand on the sheath of his waist.


    Only Qiao Mu remained calm andposed:


    "You can simply call me Qiao Zhong. Tide Listening Building informed me that you want to hunt Saintess Wu Qingxin this time."


    He embarked on this journey with love at first sight, to bid farewell, so he purposely changed his name to show his sincere affection for the Saintess.


    At the same time, he didn¡¯t forget to use Tide Listening Building as a shield.


    If Tide Listening Building is an enemy of Wuji Association, then this action is like adding fuel to the fire.


    If Tide Listening Building is on good terms with Wuji Association, then waving the big g can help him blend in.


    After saying these words, he carefully observed the expressions of everyone, trying to determine the rtionship between the two organizations.The Star Xuan Envoy was wearing a mask, so you couldn¡¯t see any specific change in his expression.


    But the middle-aged strong man behind him started talking:


    "Star Xuan Envoy, how about I find out his true abilities?"


    After saying that, he stood up tall, leaped towards Qiao Mu, and threw a powerful punch towards his chest.


    However, Qiao Mu didn¡¯t dodge.


    When he stood up from the bench, he secretly used his strong skill, Golden Bell Shield Iron Cloth Shirt Skill, ignoring the strong man¡¯s punch. He also threw a punch towards the strong man¡¯s abdomen, just like he did.


    You fight your fight, I¡¯ll fight mine.


    Let¡¯s see who¡¯s tougher.


    It would be best if you are stronger and can defeat me.


    The strong man was about to pounce, although his face changed slightly, he couldn¡¯t change his move while he was in the air.


    Puff puff.


    But with two consecutive muffled sounds, Qiao Mu¡¯s robe was blown up by the strong wind, and a clear fist mark appeared on his chest. Under the impact of tremendous force, he took a slight step back.


    Without considering Iron Crotch Skill, Qiao Mu has achieved a high level in two hard skills, Golden Bell Shield and Iron Cloth Shirt Skill.


    Although it¡¯s impossible topletely block the attacks of four 5th rank martial artists, it is possible to reduce the damage.


    The strong man who was about to pounce stumbled and almost fell to the ground.


    "Are you skilled in hard skills? It¡¯s rare to live up to sixty years old." The strong man regained his bnce and turned around as if nothing had happened.


    Then, with his back to Qiao Mu, he rolled his Adam¡¯s apple up and down, quietly swallowing a little blood that welled up in his throat.


    The level of his internal strength is on par with Qiao Mu¡¯s. If it were a normal fight, the oue is still uncertain.


    But Qiao Mu stubbornly refused to dodge and relied on his strong skills to face the challenge head-on, trying to prove that he was tougher than anyone else.


    He was not good at using his strength and naturally found himself at a disadvantage.


    "So you practice martial arts that rely on strength. It¡¯s impressive that a martial artist who focuses on external techniques can live to this age," the strong man smiled.


    The strong man was just testing the waters this time, showing off his strength in front of Wuji Association¡¯s Star Xuan Envoy, but he had no intention of fighting Qiao Mu to the death. After one move, he turned and left.


    After taking a few steps away, and seeing that Qiao Mu was far enough from him, he said again:


    "Although your strength is admirable, it can only deal with martial artists like me."


    "No matter how skilled you are in physical training, when facing Wu Qingxin¡¯s Etching Bones Li Fire, it¡¯s like using firewood against a zing inferno."


    The others nodded in agreement.


    "In this room, there are several martial artists at the 4th rank of inner power."


    "If ced in the old martial arts world, a fourth rank martial artist would already be considered a top-notch expert. It was only after the establishment of the Wuji Association that more fourth rank martial artists started to appear." The burly man calmly licked his Star Xuan Envoy badge.


    "But even a third rank Spirit Refining martial artist, relying solely on internal strength, may not be able to withstand Saintess Wu Qingxin¡¯s symbol fire."


    The martial artists felt a sense of unease in their hearts.


    Even the Star Xuan Envoy of the Wuji Association could only nod in agreement and said:


    "That¡¯s right. You all need to be careful of Wu Qingxin¡¯s symbol fire."


    "In the face of Etching Bones Li Fire, the only chance for a martial artist is to rely on evasion."


    "By utilizing lightness skills to move swiftly within a small area and dodge the symbol fire."


    "Is it really that powerful?" Qiao Mu questioned once again.


    The Star Xuan Envoy nced at him and said, "Once touched by the Etching Bones Li Fire, flesh, bones, skin, and blood will all burn to ashes."


    "This Etching Bones Li Fire cannot be extinguished by water or buried by earth. Even if one¡¯s internal strength erupts, it can only temporarily suppress the burning speed of the Li Fire, but cannot extinguish it."


    "Once a martial artist is contaminated by it, there are only two options: either sever the arm for survival, or face death. There is no third possibility."


    "Therefore, one can only rely on lightness skills to evade before being hit, and naturally it will be unobstructed."


    Upon seeing the approving expressions of those around him, Qiao Mu also began to question in his mind.


    Could he have chosen the wrong skill tree?


    At present, besides his expertise in the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, he has actually practiced more in the realm of physical strength, including the Iron Crotch Skill.


    Pure Yang Wuji Skill, as the top-notch martial art of Wudang, is also a martial art that cultivates both internal and external skills. It can be considered as a half-top-tier hard skill. Qiao Mu has now practiced it to the third level, which can also enhance his body¡¯s resistance to attacks.


    It is also with the help of these several hard skills that he was able to withstand the attack from the strong man just now, only sustaining minor injuries.


    In the battles Qiao Mu has experienced in the past, almost all of them were one against many, fighting for life with life. He could onlyst longer with the help of his physical strength.


    And in a battlefield with one against many, there¡¯s not much room for disying light skills.


    If it hadn¡¯t been for Sheriff Qian giving him a book called "Shadow Step" a few days ago, he still wouldn¡¯t have practiced at all.


    "Your strength is good, and you excel in hard skills. Your internal strength has reached the fourth rank," Star Xuan Envoy looked at Qiao Mu andmented.


    "And you¡¯ve also practiced the ¡®Martial Saint Spiritual Technique¡¯, so you can also be considered as a half member of the Wuji Association."


    "Although it¡¯s an uninvited guest, it¡¯s still eptable."


    Just like the spection of the Tide Listening Building¡¯s fake capture head, the Star Xuan Envoy of the Wuji Association quickly epted this unexpected guest after seeing Qiao Mu¡¯s skills.


    The Star Xuan Envoy naturally knows the secrets of the "Martial Saint Spiritual Technique."


    Regardless of what this unexpected guest Qiao Mu wants to obtain, he will eventually be the Martial Saint¡¯s nourishment, so the Star Xuan Envoy doesn¡¯t pay too much attention to it.


    "Well then, let¡¯s depart," the Star Xuan Envoy said.


    "Among the eight of you, there are four people who are at the 4th rank and four people who are at the 5th rank. This is a team with the potential to break through and be high-ranking officials in the government and governor¡¯s mansion."


    "Among you, there are members from the Wuji Association as well as skilled individuals from outside. But that¡¯s not important."


    "Whoever can kill the traitor Wu Qingxin, regardless of background or origin, will receive generous rewards. This is a rule set by Martial Saint."


    With that, the Star Xuan Envoy paused and continued, saying:


    "Xu Cheng has already taken the lead. He has also practiced the ¡®Martial Saint Spiritual Technique¡¯ and can use his intuition to locate Saintess Wu Qingxin."


    "Just now, he has already sent me a signal, indicating that he has found the trace of Wu Qingxin¡­ There¡¯s no time to waste, let¡¯s set off!"


    Including the Star Xuan Envoy, the group of eight people left the inn, mounted the pre-prepared horses, and rode off.


    ¡­¡­¡­.


    With this, Qiao Mu and the others left the city through the west gate.


    "Old Hu, how strong is that soul-captivating hand Xu Cheng that the Star Xuan Envoy mentioned?"


    Qiao Mu rode his horse alongside the bearded swordsman he had spoken to earlier and asked at the same time.


    The bearded swordsman called himself Old Hu and didn¡¯t give a specific name.


    The other seven people were simr, either only giving theirst names or using titles like "Thunder Hand" or "Jade Faced Flying Dragon." Qiao Mu was the only one who gave his full name.


    "So, this Xu Cheng with the soul-captivating hand is a famous 4th rank expert, just like you. It is said that he once fought against two 4th rank martial artists at the same time and managed to kill one and escape from the other by risking his own life," the swordsman said.


    "As long as they haven¡¯t reached the level of spiritual refining and are just cultivating their internal strength, they are considered 4th rank. Therefore, there can be a significant difference in strength among 4th rank martial artists, and Xu Cheng is obviously one of the stronger ones."


    "Among all of us, he is the most well-known person. Even if he¡¯s not the strongest, I¡¯m afraid he¡¯s not far behind."


    "The ¡®Martial Saint Spiritual Technique¡¯ is a mysterious technique created by the Martial Saint. It focuses on spiritual cultivation and those who can master it have the potential to reach the level of spiritual refining, including Xu Cheng¡­ and you, by the way."


    The swordsman was talkative and spent the whole journey chatting with Qiao Mu, giving him a lot of knowledge about the martial world.


    As time passed, the group of people rode their horses wildly for ten miles, but the Star Xuan Envoy at the front suddenly pulled on the reins, gesturing for Qiao Mu and the others to be on guard.


    They saw a bright me lighting up beside the road ahead.


    As they approached, they realized that the me was a zing fire with a blurry human figure inside.


    A sharp wooden stake pierced through the lower part of the blurry figure, emerging from its mouth, pinning the person to the burning side of the road.


    "Our instinctual guide has led us here. He just died recently," the swordsman in white named "Jade faced Flying Dragon" furrowed his brow and spoke.


    "Is he Xu Cheng?"


    The group gathered around the zing wooden stake for a while, and the atmosphere grew heavy.


    "The soul-fetching hand Xu Cheng is dead. We just left the city and haven¡¯t even seen the Saintess yet," the swordsman with a stubble sighed.


    "This Wu Qingxin is just as ruthless as that Martial Saint."


    Everyone understood that Wu Qingxin¡¯s action was meant to intimidate.


    The death of a skilled person, especially in a horrifying way, naturally brings fear.


    "He was just burned to death. Wu Qingxin deliberately controlled the burning speed of Etching Bones Li Fire to make this person barely alive, attracting our attention and leading us here," Qiao Mu exined, drawing from his experience.


    "So dealing with Wu Qingxin requires caution and not relying solely on physical strength," Star Xuan Envoy warned.


    "If we let our guard down, we could end up like Xu Cheng, turning to ashes."


    "Xu Cheng made the mistake of relying too much on his strength and went after Wu Qingxin alone. My intention was only for him to dy Wu Qingxin, but unfortunately, we were toote."


    Xu Cheng was already dead, but there were still several people in the group who had practiced the Martial Saint Spiritual Technique. After a brief moment of shock, they followed their instincts and continued on the journey.


    As long as they weren¡¯tpletely dead, Wu Qingxin wouldn¡¯t be able to escape.

 Chapter 88:

    Chapter 88:


    Noon.


    Qiao Mu and hispanions arrived at a temporary inn by the official road to rest for a while.


    Most of them in the group were martial artists ranked above the 5th rank. However, even if they had reached the 5th rank in internal strength, they were still ordinary flesh and blood. Naturally, they would feel hungry and tired, just like their horses.


    The group of nine people were not familiar with each other, except for the mysterious Star Xuan Envoy. They had met for the first time, so they didn¡¯t talk much.


    After Qiao Mu ate and drank his fill, he brought along some food and walked out of the inn. He waited quietly for a while and then heard a rustling sounding from the grass. The little kitten popped its head out of the bushes to look at him.


    "So you followed me out of the city, huh? Can¡¯t outrun a horse? Well, after all, you are a demon cat."


    The little kitten had eaten its fill, but instead of going far away this time, it leaped behind Qiao Mu andnded in his shadow. Its figure gradually turned into a ck phantom until itpletely disappeared.


    "Hiding in the shadow? Such a peculiar ability¡­" Qiao Mu was slightly envious.


    Each demon creature had unique abilities, cultivators had various methods, but only martial artists took a beating.Walking back to the inn, the remaining few people had finished eating and were resting.


    The swordsman with the bushy beard who had spoken to Qiao Mu earlier chose a corner table for himself during the break, and started reading a thin hardcover book.


    "Is that swordsman reading a book?" Qiao Mu suddenly became interested.


    Martial artists are not schrs or literati. How could they take out a book to read while chasing after a Saintess? That¡¯s why he couldn¡¯t help but take a few more nces.


    The martial artist¡¯s excellent eyesight allowed him to see the big characters on the cover of the hardcover book at a nce.


    ¡¶Asshole Pointing Hand¡·


    Qiao Mu immediately became excited.


    He had only two hobbies in his life: being a saintly person in front of good people, and mastering martial arts techniques.


    "Acupoint technique? I haven¡¯t practiced that yet." After thinking for a moment, Qiao Mu decided to approach the swordsman.


    "Old Hu, are you studying a secret book? So diligent?" Qiao Mu approached him.


    "Hmm¡­" Old Hu, the swordsman, looked up at Qiao Mu with a slightly surprised expression. Then he made a sound, instinctively raising the book in his hand, as if he didn¡¯t want Qiao Mu to see its contents.


    Stingy¡­


    Qiao Mu also knew that most martial arts experts in the world cherished their martial arts secret books.


    Although Martial Saint had broken into the major martial arts sects and collected many martial arts secret books, he couldn¡¯t change the perception of martial arts experts.


    So it¡¯s actually quite normal for Old Hu not to want him to see the contents.


    "Old Hu, you and I are different from them. We are not members of the Wuji Association, but just wanderers in the martial world for the sake of the Spiritual Refining Technique."


    Qiao Muughed and said,


    "Since both of us are restricted by the Wuji Association when ites to martial arts secret books, why don¡¯t we share and discuss the ones we have?"


    "I can also exchange this book, ¡®Asshole Pointing Hand,¡¯ with a simr level martial arts technique. What do you think?"


    Qiao Mu is now at the 4th rank, and not just an ordinary 4th rank, but a super skilled 4th rank. So, for every martial arts he has mastered, it took years of hard training and he is very familiar with them.


    Give him some time and he can directly copy the martial arts manual word for word from his mind. That¡¯s why he made this proposal.


    Unexpectedly, Old Hu¡¯s expression became even more surprised when he heard these words.


    "You want to swap my book for a martial arts manual?" he eximed.


    "Yes, I haven¡¯t seen a manual for pressure point techniques yet. Are you willing?" Qiao Mu asked.


    "I am willing¡­" Old Hu¡¯s expression seemed to be half-smiling. Without saying much, he generously handed over the hardcover book in his hands to Qiao Mu.


    "So generous? Truly a fellow practitioner¡­" Qiao Mu nced through the book and suddenly froze.


    There weren¡¯t many words in this manual, almost all of it was filled with illustrations, and the content of these illustrations¡­


    "Asshole Pointing Hand? Isn¡¯t that a pornographic picture?" Qiao Mu¡¯s voice raised a bit, causing the people around to look over.


    "Of course not," said the bearded swordsman, Old Hu, with a serious expression.


    "This secret manual is called the Art of Lovemaking. Isn¡¯t the name already clear enough?"


    Qiao Mu£º£¿


    On the way to chase Saintess Wu Qingxin, he took the time to nce at the Art of Lovemaking secret manual?


    Old Hu, with his thick eyebrows, big eyes, and bearded face, looked to be in his fifties. It¡¯s surprising that he¡¯s not an ordinary person.


    It makes people suspect that this person¡¯s pursuit of Saintess Wu Qingxin has some other purpose.


    Thinking about this, Qiao Mu instinctively moved slightly further away.


    The bearded swordsman seemed to notice the change in Qiao Mu¡¯s gaze, so he kindly exined:


    "Actually, things are not as you imagine."


    "Have you also seen those haughty, inhuman beings in Heyang City who see themselves above others?"


    "I was thinking, since our martial artists cannot defeat the cultivators, is it because martial artists have shorter lifespans?"


    "If our lifespan is short, maybe we can pass on our skills to the next generation."


    "With each child born and each grandchild born, the descendants are boundless."


    "As long as these skills are passed down from generation to generation, gradually improved, perhaps one day we can truly develop martial arts to a level that can rival immortality."


    Qiao Mu was stunned after hearing this, almost amazed by Old Hu¡¯s grand ideals, and only snapped back to reality after a while:


    "Is this your reason for studying the Art of Lovemaking?"


    Old Hu confidently said:


    "Although I am not skilled in the Art of Lovemaking, spreading the Art of Lovemaking may allow the people of Great Yan to multiply more."


    "For the sake of everyone, I, Old Hu, am willing to put in this effort."


    "Since you are so proficient in the Art of Lovemaking, you must have a lot of offspring, right?" Qiao Mu couldn¡¯t help but make a sarcasticment.


    Unexpectedly, Old Hu was taken aback by these words and sighed heavily after a while.


    "They say that having children will ensure afortable old age, but raising children is a different story¡­"


    Qiao Mu was momentarily stunned. Although he was already in his sixties, this topic was indeed beyond hisprehension, so he abruptly changed the subject.


    "Do you have any other martial arts manuals? Perhaps we can exchange and learn from each other? Other than the Art of Lovemaking?"


    "Yes," Old Hu was about to speak, but then Star Xuan Envoy approached.


    "Besides Xu Cheng, the two remaining Ruan brothers who hadn¡¯t arrived yet, have also beenpletely burned by a fire from Wu Qingxin."


    "But before the Ruan brothers died, they found the direction for us." said Star Xuan Envoy.


    "In the depths of the forest, there is a vige known as the Guo family vige¡­ called the Saintess Vige."


    ¡­¡­¡­.


    Deep in the forest.


    Wu Qingxin¡¯s face turned serious, riding on a big paper crane as it flew into the distance.


    In her hand, a shining Message Jade Talisman, which disyed the final message from the elder of Xuantian Sect.


    "Fifty ways of the grand path, forty-nine ways of the heavens, and one way of escape for people."


    "Wu Qingxin, despite being expelled from the sect and losing your title as a Saintess due to your mistakes, every hardship is a test."


    "As long as you can reach the Xuantian Sect¡¯s gate deep in the Qingming Mountain Range, you can still be a disciple of our Xuantian Sect. The sect will still wee you with open arms."


    Wu Qingxin¡¯s face turned slightly dark, and her hand unconsciously gripped the Message Jade Talisman so tightly that it almost broke.


    "What slim chance¡­ once outside Xuantian Temple, where is there any slim chance?"


    "Perhaps¡­ Immortal Gate never considered me one of their own."


    As a disciple of Martial Saint and a Saintess of Xuantian Sect, she had certainly be quite well-known over the years.


    Once she left the city, she knew that she would inevitably face a relentless attack from the Wuji Association.


    How easy would it be to rush all the way to the Xuantian Sect¡¯s main gate?


    Not to mention, the people of Xuantian Sect have deliberately taken away some of the protective artifacts previously bestowed upon the Saintess¡­


    "I can¡¯t rely on Xuantian Sect anymore. If I can make it to the Saintess vige in the mountains, perhaps there is a glimmer of hope."


    Wu Qingxin pondered to herself.


    Over the years, she hardly left Xuantian Temple. However, she secretly sent a martial arts ve from the Taoist temple to build a small temple in a remote vige.


    In this small temple, people worship her as such an Immortal Gate Saintess.


    It is against the Immortal Gate rules to privately establish a temple in a rural area, especially if the statue being worshipped is herself.


    That¡¯s why she can only act in secret. She has never visited this small vige since joining the Immortal Gate many years ago.


    "By harnessing the long-stored power of faith in the vige, if I can break through to the Foundation Building period all at once, then it would truly be a chance for new beginnings."


    "If I seed, I can return to the sectter."


    Immortal Gate disciples in the Qi refining period are not extraordinary or strong physically. If they have a short cultivation time and engage in closebat, there is indeed a possibility of being defeated by ordinary martial artists.


    Wu Qingxin, who has practiced martial arts since a young age and is also a disciple of Martial Saint, is originally a 4th rank martial artist. If she were in the martial world, she would be considered a skilled expert and wouldn¡¯t fear closebat, as she doesn¡¯t have this weakness.


    "As long as it¡¯s not Martial Saint himself¡­ or any other Martial Saint disciple ranking higher than me."


    Wu Qingxin had made up her mind, but after careful thought, she still had an inexplicable feeling of fear.


    "Is it my intuition¡­ instinctively sensing danger?"


    Since she started practicing the path of immortality in the Martial Saint Spiritual Technique, she stopped cultivating, but her intuition still remained sharp.


    "Could it be that the Martial Saint has reallye?"


    She had run away from the Wuji Association for many years and had not seen the Martial Saint since then, but the fear that the Martial Saint had imnted in her when she was young had not subsided.


    "The intuitive perception in the Martial Saint Spiritual Technique works both ways. If the Martial Saint is also here in Nan Province and heading towards me, then my intuition should also respond¡­"


    Wu Qingxin had already mastered the Martial Saint Spiritual Technique many years ago, and based on her experience, she could indeed sense the existence of the Martial Saint.


    So herees the question.


    If it¡¯s not the Martial Saint, then where does this inexplicable feeling of feare from?


    While she was thinking, suddenly there was a sound of something piercing through the air.


    A big arrow, surrounded by a chilling aura, came shooting through the air, instantly piercing through the paper crane beneath her.


    Without the paper crane, she could only fall downwards.


    Standing a hundred steps away, the "Thunder Hand" of the 4th rank retrieved his bow, with a slight satisfaction on his face.


    "Chase!"


    Qiao Mu and the others were all experts with internal strength at the 5th rank or higher, so they covered the distance in an instant with their explosive internal strength.


    Waiting for them was a fiery red ze that grewrger as it faced the wind.


    Wu Qingxin, who had fallen from the sky, stood in mid-air on a flying sword and silently looked down at them, a talisman burning with a gust of wind.


    "Etching Bone Li Fire Talisman, go!"


    The sudden mes rushed forward, instantly enveloping the group of people.


    Unlike the Saintess¡¯spanion, the Female Cultivator Ming Yue, that Qiao Mu had met before, the spell fire unleashed by Wu Qingxin spread rapidly, covering an area of several tens of meters in the blink of an eye.


    "Hide!"


    For ordinary martial artists, this spell fire is extremely difficult to deal with. If they get even a little bit of it on them, they would either die or lose an arm.


    Wu Qingxin¡¯s spell fire had just appeared and already covered an area of several tens of meters, immediately causing those with weaker agility to be burned by the mes.


    When facing this Cultivator¡¯s Etching Bones Li Fire, the only option for the martial artist was to hide.


    And the people who dared to chase and kill Wu Qingxin, the Martial Saint¡¯s disciple, naturally had their own methods.


    The Jade-faced Flying Dragon, dressed in white, had the best agility among them. With swift movements on the trees in the forest, he used his momentum to avoid the swift flow of fire in the air.


    And Qiao Mu¡¯s method¡­ was to charge!


    He not only didn¡¯t hide, but also pushed the surprised swordsman, Old Hu, out of the range of the mes. At the same time, he swung his sword forward, suppressing the fiery momentum.


    And that strand of red mes silently wrapped around his right arm holding the sword.


    "Shadow Step¡¤Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method£¡"


    He stepped forward again, unleashing his internal strength from both feet. He faced the unstoppable Li fire head-on and rushed towards Wu Qingxin like an arrow released from a bow.


    This sudden attack not only surprised the swordsman, Old Hu, and the others, but also caught Wu Qingxin off guard.


    She was about to activate a talisman, but Qiao Mu charged towards her. His sword, surrounded by auras and Li fire, struck straight at her.


    "How dare you."


    She sped her hands together, abruptly unleashing her internal strength in her palms. She caught the descending sword with her bare hands. At the same time, she bent her knee and performed a knee strike to Qiao Mu¡¯s abdomen, sending him flying backward.


    Wu Qingxin nced at her hands, which were burnt by the Li fire. Without hesitation, she quickly extinguished the fire that the martial artist couldn¡¯t avoid. It only burned ayer of skin on her hands.


    "Up!" She stepped on the flying sword and soared into the sky again, disappearing in an instant before everyone¡¯s eyes.


    "She escaped again¡­ Why didn¡¯t you chase her?"


    Qiao Mu nced at his slowly burning right arm, then turned around and saw two blurry figures engulfed in mes, turning into ashes in the wind.


    After a short fight, Wu Qingxin only used up some magical power and had minor injuries on her hands, while Qiao Mu¡¯s side had already lost two people.


    Those two were both fifth-ranked fighters with subpar agility. They couldn¡¯t even withstand the first round of fire spells and were quickly reduced to ashes.


    "Qiao Zhong, why did you push me just now¡­" Old Hu, the bearded swordsman, approached Qiao Mu while observing his burning right arm, a strange expression on his face.


    "Hmm¡­ because you haven¡¯t exchanged secret techniques with me yet. It would be a shame if you died." Qiao Mu pondered.


    In reality, he didn¡¯t think too much about it. He was just used to risking his life to save others, so he instinctively charged forward earlier.


    "Truly¡­ like a soft-hearted woman." Old Hu slowly shook his head, looking at Qiao Mu¡¯s burning right arm and drawing his long de from its sheath.

 Chapter 89:

    Chapter 89:


    After Wu Qingxin left, the strange red Li fire gradually weakened and didn¡¯t turn into a raging fire.


    Only a few piles of ashes were left in the same ce, which were the ashes of two 5th rank martial artists.


    Plus the three people who were burned to death beforehand, including Xu Cheng, the Soul Hook Hand, among the eleven people recruited by Star Xuan Envoy, nearly half were lost.


    And Wu Qingxin¡¯s only injury was caused by Qiao Mu risking his life to rush forward and burn her hands with Li fire.


    "Don¡¯t worry, both martial artists¡¯ internal strength and cultivators¡¯ magic power require a long time of rest to recover," said Star Xuan Envoy in a deep voice.


    "Wu Qingxin is already a discarded child of the Xuantian Sect, so it¡¯s impossible for her to have arge amount of elixirs for recovery."


    "She has already consumed a lot, otherwise why would she have fled? When her strength is depleted, it will be time for her to be killed."


    Did the Star Xuan Envoy of the Wuji Association n to exhaust Wu Qingxin to death¡­ No wonder he gathered ten people this time.


    Qiao Mu had this thought in his mind, while his arm continued to emit internal strength, fighting against the burning Etching Bones Li Fire."Qiao Zhong, don¡¯t move." The bearded swordsman¡¯s expression became serious as he approached Qiao Mu with his sword, which shimmered with cold light. He stared closely at Qiao Mu¡¯s arm.


    In a sh of cold light, he quickly swung multiple consecutive strikes with his sword.


    Arge chunk of flesh entwined with Li Fire was forcefully carved out, causing Qiao Mu¡¯s arm to be a bloody mess, with blood gushing out.


    Thatrge chunk of flesh, once separated from Qiao Mu¡¯s body, burned away in the blink of an eye.


    And on Qiao Mu¡¯s bloody arm, the burning had also ceased, as if the precise strikes had cleanly separated the burning flesh from the rtively intact flesh and bones.


    The bearded swordsman casually threw the long sword entangled with Li Fire, nting it in the ground, where it quickly deformed and twisted within the burning Li Fire.


    "Wasn¡¯t it said¡­ that once entangled by Wu Qingxin¡¯s Etching Bones Li Fire, one must cut off their arm to survive?" Qiao Mu was slightly surprised.


    At first, he thought he was again being ignorant, but as he looked around and noticed that everyone, including the Star Xuan Envoy from the Wuji Association, was focused on the bearded swordsman, he snapped out of it.


    The swordsman said calmly,


    "Your inner strength is not bad. You can temporarily suppress the spreading of the Li fire. The fire hasn¡¯t reached the bones yet, so there is still hope."


    "Of course, I¡¯m just giving it a try and I¡¯m not certain. If I can¡¯t stop the spread of the Li fire, then I¡¯ll have to make another strike and cut off your arm."


    "You¡¯re amazing, my friend. Your sword skills are so precise, it¡¯s like carving tofu with a dragon-ying knife." The white-robed swordsman, Jade-faced Flying Dragon, also praised,


    "It seems that those who dare to pursue Wu Qingxin all have their own unique skills."


    "This swordsman has truly reached a high level in martial arts."


    This swordsman¡¯s hand is so steady and urate.


    It¡¯s as if the legendary butcher, Pao Ding, is carefully slicing open Qiao Mu¡¯s arm, fast and precise.


    With each consecutive strike, not only does it cut through flesh, but it also avoids harming the bones.


    With just one move, the serious injuries that could have crippled Qiao Mu were turned into minor injuries.


    "These two are really tough. One dares to use a knife, and the other dares to just stand still and let him attack¡­" The strong man muttered to himself.


    The hunting team this time was temporarily assembled by Star Xuan Envoy, and there wasn¡¯t muchmunication or trust among the members.


    However, the cooperation between the two during this mission surprised him.


    "Old Hu, your knife skills are amazing." Qiao Mu swung his arm, which was still bleeding, and quickly bandaged it.


    "It¡¯s just some minor paths, nothing worth mentioning," Old Hu casually said.


    "Didn¡¯t someone from Tide Listening Building introduce you?"


    "People from Tide Listening Building are well-informed. Only those who have achieved high rankings in Power, Strength, and Skill can truly be impressive."


    "Compared to them, what does my modest knife skill amount to?"


    "Power, Strength, Skill, can you exin them in detail?" Qiao Mu asked eagerly.


    "Qiao Zhong, you¡¯re not young anymore, howe you¡¯ve never heard of this before? You¡¯ve been training in martial arts behind closed doors for so many years," the swordsman was a little surprised but exined, considering Qiao Mu had just saved him from being attacked.


    "In the old days of the martial arts world, they only vaguely distinguished between internal and external martial artists."


    "Since the rise of the Martial Saint, the current martial arts world has gradually explored three paths in martial arts."


    "The path of Blood and Flesh Martial Arts is pursued by a group of martial artists who constantly seek physical strength and vibrant energy. They possess great strength and are simr to the previous external martial artists."


    "The path of Internal Strength Martial Arts believes that internal strength is the foundation of a martial artist. Even in old age, as long as their energy and blood don¡¯t decline too much, their internal strength can continue to grow. The older they get and the longer they practice, the stronger their internal strength bes."


    "Some of them even believe that as long as they break through the limit of their lifespan, they will eventually be able topete with those cultivators by relying on their ever-growing internal strength."


    "Just like the former head of the Qiao Family in Heyang City, who trained in the Long Life Fist to a profound level. Even in his eighties, his energy and blood remained vigorous, and his internal strength was incredibly powerful. He ranked in the top ten on the Strength List in the Tide Listening Building, known throughout the world."


    "As for the path of Techniques and Skills Martial Arts, it¡¯s like someone like me who specializes in studying extraordinary techniques and cunning moves, dedicating ourselves to mastering various martial arts skills to a high level."


    "The most famous legend in the martial world is about an elderly martial arts master whose strength had declined with age, but his sword skills were extraordinary. He defeated a strong martial artist from the imperial court using only a wooden sword."


    "Any martial artist who excels in strength, technique, and skill can earn a ce on the top three rankings at the Tide Listening Building."


    "Besides that, there is also a higher rank in spiritual refining martial arts, but I don¡¯t know much about it¡­"


    "Even someone like you, Old Hu, a martial artist of the fourth rank, couldn¡¯t make it onto the rankings?" Qiao Mu asked hesitantly.


    "Hehe, I¡¯m just a beginner." Old Huughed and then said,


    "Earlier, were you thinking about exchanging martial arts secrets with me, which made you push me away?"


    "Yes," Qiao Mu blinked his eyes.


    "That¡¯s a terrible lie. There¡¯s no such foolish person in this world." Old Hu shook his head.


    "Weren¡¯t you nning to read ¡®the Art of Lovemaking¡¯ for the world? How can such a grand ideal die here?" Qiao Mu casually remarked.


    "¡­Do you really believe it?" Old Hu frowned for a while, then took out a few paperback books from his pocket and threw them at Qiao Mu.


    Qiao Mu took a closer look, and all the titles on the books were not very serious, such as "The Art of Recognizing Scents," "Hard Hitting with a Big Stick," "Cloud Searching Hand of the Yellow Dragon," and so on.


    "No matter what you think, now you and I are even." Old Hu, the swordsman, nced at Qiao Mu¡¯s right arm and calmly said:


    "I don¡¯t need your help, and you don¡¯t need to meddle in this."


    "¡­Alright." Although Qiao Mu wasn¡¯t afraid of death, he didn¡¯t want to put himself in unnecessary danger.


    It¡¯s better this way.


    After all, this swordsman with a stubble beard seemed like a strange person. His sword skills were meticulous. What if Qiao Mu ended up being secretly saved by him and got into the same predicament as he did with Wang Songhe in the past?


    At that moment, everyone had already taken care of their injuries and continued to chase after the Saintess.


    As the sky grew darker and the mountain wind rustled, the leaves in the entire forest rustled along with it.


    In the wind, there were faint and eerie cries like ghosts and wolves.


    As they got closer, they saw a faint flickering fire beneath a distant big tree.


    It was a middle-aged vige woman in her forties or fifties, and her arm had identally touched that strange Li fire. It was now burning and she couldn¡¯t help but scream in pain.


    "It¡¯s Wu Qingxin again¡­ intentionally torturing people."


    Qiao Mu¡¯s gaze turned cold, and he was the first to rush forward.


    "Stay still," he immediately shouted, reaching for the sword hilt at his waist.


    He had learned from previous experiences with fire and knew that this Li fire burned fiercely. He needed to quickly cut off the person¡¯s arm to avoid being burned to death.


    However, just as Qiao Mu stepped forward, the woman with the burning arm had a look of fanaticism on her face that he couldn¡¯t understand. She lunged towards him.


    "Burning holy fire, consume my body. Protect our Saintess, I die without regrets¡­"


    Qiao Mu¡¯s eyes shed, and in an instant, he stomped on the burning vige girl¡¯s stomach, crushing her under his foot.


    But before him, there were more and more flickering mes.


    "Sacred me, burn my remains¡­"


    In the wilderness, suddenly there appeared around forty to fifty people, their bodies ame, their faces filled with fervor as they rushed towards him.


    These dozens of people seemed like ordinary vigers, but it seemed as if Wu Qingxin had concealed their presence with some kind of magic, deceiving Qiao Mu¡¯s sharp senses.


    Looking back now, he only found that the bearded swordsman and the others were standing about ten steps away, with no intention to approach. Only he charged forward alone.


    "He is too soft heart. It¡¯s not easy to survive until this age in the world as it is today," Old Hu sighed softly.


    They weren¡¯t certain if this was a trap, but these few people were deeply involved with the Wuji Association and wouldn¡¯t easily show kindness to save the burning vige girl in the wilderness.


    "So that¡¯s how it is¡­" Qiao Mu¡¯s face turned slightly cold as he trampled on the burning vige girl.


    He rushed forward to save people, knowing that he wouldn¡¯t die, so he dared to step on traps and act recklessly.


    "It turns out that no innocent person was tortured by that Wu Qingxin, only fools who were in cahoots with the tiger."


    Qiao Mu breathed a sigh of relief.


    Then he swiftly swung the sword in his hand, beheading the vige woman who was still reaching out for him with great effort.


    He didn¡¯t die because he was agile and quick to react, while the vige woman really wanted to kill him.


    "Although he shows mercy as a woman, it doesn¡¯t seem like his condition is critical yet, not too serious." The bearded swordsmanmented as he approached.


    The burly Thunder Hand and others in the distance were wary of this Li fire and didn¡¯te close. They only drew their bows and threw hidden weapons from afar to kill these vigers who were on fire.


    The bearded swordsman was the only one who dared to approach and engage inbat. He looked expressionless at the vigers and muttered:


    "Ignorant people blindly worship gods and idols, their minds filled with teachings that can¡¯t be saved. They must be killed!"


    He had excellent sword skills and was able to enter the crowd of vigers on fire without getting a single spark on him.

 Chapter 90:

    Chapter 90:


    The bearded swordsman went straight into the crowd, swinging his sword and attacking as if there was nobody around.


    His sword skills were extremely precise, every strike aimed at vital points, each strike taking a life.


    Jade-faced Flying Dragon and the others in the back only threw hidden weapons from a distance, observing from the side, their faces showing a hint of surprise when they saw this scene.


    With their strength, they naturally surpassed these vigers who were on fire.


    But as long as they were a bit careless and caught a single spark, they couldn¡¯t extinguish it, either dying or being left maimed.


    They didn¡¯t possess the meticulous sword skills of the swordsman, so they didn¡¯t approach for closebat.


    It¡¯s not that they were afraid to risk their lives, they just didn¡¯t want to fight to the death with ordinary vigers.


    "The person recruited by Star Xuan Envoy this time is quite extraordinary," the burly man Thunderous Handmented.


    "Is it true that the Hu family¡¯s master of swordsmanship is unknown on the Three Boards? Even if their internal strength is slightly inferior, they should still be famous on the Martial Arts Skills and Techniques Board¡­""Although they don¡¯t appear on the Power, Strength, and Techniques Board, there is a famous swordsman surnamed Hu on another list of the Tide Listening Building," Jade-faced Flying Dragon suddenly added.


    "What list? Is there something more prestigious than the Power, Strength, and Techniques Board?" Thunderous Hand asked again.


    "Naturally¡­ it is the Hero List that All-known Man ranked decades ago, the top ten martial artists in the world!" Jade-faced Flying Dragon startled everyone with this revtion, capturing their attention.


    Among the most famous figures in the mortal world, Tide Listening Building was best known for All-known Man from the martial world fifty years ago.


    The most famous thing that All-known Man did was create a Hero List, evaluating the heroes of the martial world.


    Martial Saint, forty years ago, was the top-ranked general in the imperial court and also the number one martial artist.


    He was thriving in the court and was vaguely considered the top martial official of Great Yan.


    The military officer leader, also known for his ability and power in government, rather than his personal strength.


    At that time, the Martial Saint was strong, but not yet the leader of martial arts.


    In fact, before and after the Inhuman War, the Martial Saint ranked 11th on the Hero List of All-known Man in the martial arts world.


    It is well known that there are two in the top 1, five in the top 3, and twenty in the top 10.


    And those who can be ranked in the top ten in the world by All-known Man are naturally the top ten outstanding individuals.


    "The tenth on the Hero List at the time was a swordsman surnamed Hu," eximed Jade faced Flying Dragon.


    "It is said that this swordsman used to be a chef in the pce and had been hunting and killing various rare monsters for twenty years in the pce kitchen."


    "One day, a 3rd rank assassin broke into the pce and tried to knock out the chef¡­"


    Qiao Mu¡¯s heart was moved, does this plot sound familiar?


    "Then, the assassin who ranked 3rd was swiftly beheaded by the royal chef who had raised his butcher knife for the first time."


    "From then on, he left the pce kitchen and trained with the ¡®Cow Cleaver Knife,¡¯ bing the most renowned swordsman in the world."


    When ites to the extraordinary stories of the martial arts world in the previous era, everyone is filled with nostalgia.


    The martial arts world of the old days, before the Inhuman War, waspletely different from the present. They could only catch glimpses of that bygone era through stories passed down by their ancestors.


    Jade faced Flying Dragon became more and more engrossed as he spoke:


    "Whether it¡¯s the All-known Man or the Hero List, they are all things of the past now."


    "With the arrival of the Inhuman War forty years ago, the old martial arts world quietly faded away, and the Hero List became a relic of the previous era."


    "The elite troops of Great Yan werepletely wiped out in the war, with only the Martial Saint surviving. As the sole survivor, heter resigned from his official position and disappeared into the world of martial arts amongst themon people."


    "After the Inhuman War, countless people ced their hopes on the top ten experts of that time, hoping they could turn the tide and defeat those inhumans."


    "But eventually, they fell silent and disappeared without a trace in the following years, with no news whatsoever."


    "Some say they suffered a tragic defeat just like the Martial Saint, or even died in battle; others say they became ves to inhuman martial arts¡­"


    "Forty years have passed, and still no one knows what happened to them, and gradually, no one cares anymore."


    "Since then, the Hero List has be nothing more than a piece of waste paper, and the so-called top ten heroes in the world are nothingpared to the inhuman."


    "And this swordsman with the surname Hu and his swordsmanship¡­" Jade-faced Flying Dragon¡¯s gaze fell on the sword of the swordsman with sideburns.


    He had seen the previous swordsman cut off Qiao Mu¡¯s arm swiftly and cleanly, avoiding every vital point and bone with precise strikes, ultimately leaving Qiao Mu injured but not disabled, which was no easy task.


    "You don¡¯t happen to think that he is the former tenth in the world, the leading master in swordsmanship, do you?" Thunder Hand asked.


    "That is certainly not possible," Jade-faced Flying Dragon shook his head.


    "But it¡¯s possible that he is a descendant or a sessor of the former master of swordsmanship, isn¡¯t it?"


    Everyone suddenly became a little confused.


    This swordsman is very violent, without any hesitation, he uses his sword to take the lives of those vigers who are on fire.


    If this person is really a descendant of the inhumane leader of the knife sect who was killed, then it makes sense.


    While speaking, Jade faced Flying Dragon nced at Star Xuan Envoy from the corner of his eye, but Star Xuan Envoy waspletely covered by his cloak and mask, showing no emotions at all.


    At this moment, most of the vigers who were on fire have been killed.


    The remaining people who tried to attack Qiao Mu and the others were burned to death by Li fire, letting out terrifying screams before dying.


    Further away, the vigers who were holding pitchforks were terrified and ran away.


    Swordsman Old Hu didn¡¯t chase after them, he stood still, leaning on his sword and catching his breath.


    "As you get older, it¡¯s normal for your vitality to decline," he sighed.


    "You don¡¯t need to guess anymore, I am indeed no longer in the top three of the Tide Listening Building."


    His hearing ability was outstanding. Even in the midst of a fierce battle, he heard the discussion of Jade faced Flying Dragon and others behind him.


    "I have used up a lot of my internal strength. I will need your help when I meet Saintess Wu Qingxin next."


    "¡­That¡¯s natural."


    "Old Hu, you should rest for now." The others naturally nodded in agreement.


    From beginning to end, Star Xuan Envoy didn¡¯t take action. He only instructed Qiao Mu and others to fight. Now, he continues to wave his hand tomand:


    "Since there are so many vigers from the mountains, we must have already arrived at the Saintess Vige."


    "Follow them!"


    The group used light steps to sprint for a while. Soon, the path ahead suddenly opened up, revealing a vige in the mountains.


    The vige is not very big, but right now every house has its doors and windows closed. Nobody is making a sound, it is quiet like a ghost town.


    But everyone is a martial artist with sharp senses, so they naturally realize that there are many vigers hiding in these houses.


    Qiao Mu takes the lead and kicks open a tightly closed wooden door. Inside the door, there is a middle-aged farmer and his wife and daughter, holding pitchforks with frightened faces.


    Qiao Mu has seen this farmer who is holding a pitchfork before. He saw this person earlier behind the crowd on fire, andter he was scared to death by Old Hu and ran away.


    "Tell me, where is your Saintess Wu Qingxin?" Qiao Mu demands.


    However, these vigers, although fearful, remain tight-lipped and cannot provide any useful information.


    "All your people have been burned to death, and you are still protecting your Saintess?"


    The farmer¡¯s face turns even paler after hearing this. Beads of sweat appear on his forehead. He had witnessed with his own eyes the vigers who were burned to death by Li, which obviously gave him immense mental pressure.


    "Saintess is the Celestial of Xuantian Sect, how could she be wrong?"


    "They didn¡¯t have enough sincerity just now, so they couldn¡¯t withstand the burning of the holy fire¡­ They died because of their own sins!" The farmer muttered to himself.


    Qiao Mu squinted his eyes, slowly unsheathing his sword, and looked at the little girl behind the farmer with a cold gaze.


    "I¡­," the little girl said with wide eyes, her pitch-ck pupils trembling intensely, hesitatingly saying,


    "I¡­ I don¡¯t know."


    At that moment, swordsman Old Hu¡¯s sigh could be heard at the door:


    "You won¡¯t get any answers by doing this."


    "In the past forty years of the Inhuman War, the trend of seeking immortality and worshiping gods has spread across the imperial court."


    "The celestial being is extraordinary and detached from worldly affairs. They have achieved immortality and possess immense power. As a result, they have be the object of admiration for many people, a guiding light in the human realm, and an idol in the realm of the divine."


    "The ignorant people blindly worship gods, even if their beloved deities are wrong, they would deceive themselves and make up a suitable reason."


    "They put on this cor by themselves."


    "Asking with your mouth won¡¯t lead to any results."


    After speaking, Old Hu took a step forward and crossed over Qiao Mu. Before he could react, a sh of light appeared from his hand with a knife.


    Sigh¡­


    The farmer, covered in blood, stumbled and almost fell to the ground.


    "Have you ever heard of Lingchi?" the bearded swordsman said lightly.


    "They say the most skilled executioner can put a person through a thousand cuts without killing them, making them experience every bit of pain, draining thest drop of blood. This is much more prolonged and painful than those who were burned to death in the past."


    "Guess, how many cuts can you endure? And your wife, your daughter, how many cuts can they endure?"


    The farmer¡¯s body trembled like a sieve, his face pale as he pointed in a direction.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    The original name of this Saintess Vige was Guo Family Vige, just a simple little vige nestled among the mountains.


    After Wu Qingxin built a temple here, it came to be known as "Saintess Vige".


    In the northeast corner of the vige, there is a lonely temple where the mountain dwellers bow three times and prostrate themselves nine times every day.


    Although the poption of the vige is not thriving, the incense is still continuous.


    Cultivators who are more powerful don¡¯t care about these trivial incense offerings, but for Wu Qingxin, who is not qualified to enter the Heyang City Xuantian Temple, it is as precious as a treasure.


    At this moment.


    In that temple, amidst the lingering fragrance of incense, there is a white-d woman sitting cross-legged.


    Her posture and demeanor vaguely resemble the statue behind her.


    At this moment, Saintess Wu Qingxin sat cross-legged at the entrance of the temple, closed her eyes, and rested.


    However, she could hear hurried footsteps, shouts, and the sounds of a fight getting closer and clearer.


    "Can¡¯t dy much longer, can we?"


    She let out a slight sigh and stood up.


    This Saintess vige was secretly established by her servant who had great martial arts skills. If it wasn¡¯t for the purpose of buying time to break through to the advanced stage of spiritual cultivation, she wouldn¡¯t have allowed these devoted followers to willingly sacrifice themselves.


    "If I hadn¡¯t been feeling restless and unable to calm down, how did ite to this?"


    "I can only¡­ kill them all first and then figure it out."


    She stood up, grasped a long sword beside her, her expression turned cold, and she murmured softly:


    "Besides the hidden Star Xuan Envoy who doesn¡¯t show themselves, there are a total of six people."


    In front of her, Qiao Mu and others had arrived.


    Two groups of people met, without any wasted words, and charged at each other.


    Except for swordsman Old Hu, who was catching his breath and recovering behind with a sword, the other five people rushed forward and surrounded Saintess Wu Qingxin.


    Wu Qingxin had already achieved the 4th rank thirty years ago, even though she had turned to cultivating the path of immortality, her martial arts cultivation was still extraordinary.


    Swinging her long sword wlessly, she surprisingly had superb swordsmanship and was surrounded by five people without any confusion.


    "Brute Bull Divine Strength Technique!" The strong man with a thunderous hand gripped the huge axe, and his muscr arms bulged. The already exaggerated and fierce muscles expanded even further.


    "Let go!"


    Just with a loud sound, although Wu Qingxin blocked the axe with her sword, the sudden increase in force made her unable to stop it, and her long sword flew out of her hand.


    Just as everyone was about to attack, they saw the flying sword turn in the air, swiftly piercing through the thunderous hand of the strong man¡¯s throat, and then returning to Wu Qingxin¡¯s hand.


    "Five."


    Wu Qingxin made a gesture and suddenly there were five identical Wu Qingxins, each holding a sword and facing a person.


    "This cultivator can make copies of themselves?"


    As everyone was astonished, the five Wu Qingxins started fighting fiercely. They were surrounded by red mes of Li fire. They abandoned their swords and instead opened their arms to embrace the people in front of them.


    Caught off guard, several people were instantly engulfed by the mes of the Saintess.


    The burning Wu Qingxin¡¯s body quickly twisted and distorted in the fire, revealing several lifelike paper men.


    In an instant, including Old Hu who was at the back, everyone was engulfed in a sea of fire.


    Only the Wuji Association¡¯s Star Xuan Envoy, who had not yet joined the battle, remained unharmed.


    However, even he felt a bit uneasy at this moment.


    The Etching Bone Li Fire Talisman is almost unbeatable for martial artists. Once it touches you, even a third-ranking Spirit Refining martial artist cannot escape. They can only cut off their own arm to survive.


    If the arm is touched, it will be cut off. If the leg is touched, it needs to be chopped off. But if both hands and feet are tainted by the mes, is there any way to survive?


    Cutting off both hands and feet? In that case, one would be like the livestock awaiting ughter in front of Wu Qingxin.


    Although swordsman Old Hu has superb and intricate knife skills, there are still things he cannot aplish. Could it be that after just seeking survival by cutting off flesh earlier, now he has to cut off all of his body?


    "Zero." Wu Qingxin glided through the air, standing on a flying sword and reappearing above, looking down at the five or six people trapped in the fire.


    "The oue is determined."


    Ordinary martial artists can only master skills in boxing, martial weapons, and kung-fu. How can theypare with the ever-changing spells and techniques of the immortal path?


    At this moment, the vige was no longer quiet. People from all directions flocked to the entrance of the Saintess Temple, gazing from afar at the human bonfire. It felt like a festive celebration. "The sinners have all been set on fire, destined to burn in purgatory for eternity¡­"

 Chapter 91:

    Chapter 91:


    The sky gradually darkened, and the night was about toe.


    The mountain wind blew, causing the red mes at the entrance of the temple to dance. This fire was the only light and heat in the vige.


    Saintess Wu Qingxin, who was standing on a flying sword, stood in mid-air, her figure illuminated by the fire.


    She wore a white robe that fluttered in the wind, with a tall and extraordinary figure, overlooking the fire below.


    Her silhouette faintly resembled the Saintess statue enshrined in the temple behind her, justcking a touch of the statue¡¯spassionate and sorrowful essence.


    This sight, witnessed by the vigers of Saintess Vige, was undoubtedly a miraculous manifestation of a divine being.


    The vigers from all around also gathered from afar. They were too scared toe close, so they just looked at the Holy Maiden Temple from a distance and circled around the wildly dancing fire, bowing three times and prostrating nine times.


    This fire was the only source of light and warmth in the vige at the moment.


    If someone who doesn¡¯t know what¡¯s going on sees this scene, they might think it¡¯s a festive celebration in this mountain vige, with people gathering around bonfires for a wild carnival."The Saintess has truly appeared!"


    "The viin who entered the vige was burned by the sacred fire and condemned to eternal damnation¡­"


    "The divine fire burns away all earthly sins."


    "The earthly realm is full of hardship. The governance of the Great Yan Dynasty is worn out and in a state of despair. Taxation in the capital city is burdensome, but in the mountains, there are no taxes. Only in the mountains can one find the Saintess¡­"


    And in the midst of those raging mes.


    Qiao Mu put down the hands that were surrounded by Li¡¯s fire and blocked his vision. He opened his eyes and heard the vigers murmuring and chanting.


    "So annoying¡­"


    He lowered his arms and his internal strength as a fourth rank martial artist gradually surged through his entire body, flowing through his meridians and limbs.


    When he was in the city of Heyang, he saw people who always sided with the Xuantian Sect and spoke for the Immortal Masters of the Xuantian Sect.


    When he was in the city of Yan, he also saw schrs who were too afraid to speak up and those who yielded to the power of Guo Yan and engaged in debates.


    But in both Yan and Heyang cities, he also saw soldiers who dared to steal a bowl of Hero Courage Soup and constables who persisted in investigating cases despite the heavy pressure from the Immortal Gate.


    He thought that no matter how dark the world was, there would always be a sense of justice within people, even if they were too afraid to speak up.


    But this small vige hidden in the mountains and forests, this vige that revered the Saintess,pletely changed his perception.


    "In fact, I am getting older now. I should be more steady, otherwise it won¡¯t fit my character portrayal."


    He murmured to himself in the fire.


    "Originally, I wanted to learn to be discreet and go with the flow, but every time it ends up like this¡­ I can¡¯t control myself."


    He lowered his head.


    "Let¡¯s meet again next time."


    His entire body was filled with strong internal power, shining and zing like fire.


    "Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method£¡"


    He didn¡¯t care at all about the entangled Li fire on his body, isn¡¯t it just death?


    Whether it was being burned by Li fire or experiencing death, he had gone through it more than once.


    This figure burst out of the fire, like a cannonball, and collided with the white-robed Saintess standing in mid-air, bnced on her sword.


    A crisp sound was heard from the area.


    The long sword that was burnt by Li fire, with great force, smashed into the flying sword in front of Wu Qingxin in an instant, causing a loud noise.


    Wu Qingxin reached out and grabbed the flying sword that was flying backwards, and her figure couldn¡¯t help but fall down,nding at the entrance of the temple that was unaffected by the mes.


    The vigers who were kneeling around the sea of fire suddenly stopped praying.


    Did the Saintess in the sky fall down because of the evil person burning in the fire?


    "Phew¡­"


    Several figures ran out from the mes, with some Li fire burning on their bodies, but it was burning slowly.


    The powerful internal strength can temporarily suppress the burning of Li fire, but it can neverpletely extinguish the fire.


    They didn¡¯t immediately join the battle, but watched the scene of Qiao Mu and Wu Qingxin fighting, feeling a hint of luck in their hearts.


    "He¡¯s quite a brave guy¡­ I hope he can buy us some time, so that we can figure out how to escape the burning of this Li fire."


    Those who are willing to ept the summons of Star Xuan Envoy ande to hunt down Wu Qingxin, a disciple of Martial Saint, are naturally martial artists who have a high opinion of themselves and great ambitions.


    Originally, they all had some hidden skills to varying degrees, but due to various concerns, they didn¡¯t use them right away. As a result, they were caught off guard and dragged into Wu Qingxin¡¯s sea of fire.


    Their survival instinct made them hopeful, thinking that maybe they could learn from the skilled swordsman with a beard and find another way to get rid of the burning Etching Bones Li Fire on their bodies.


    Only Qiao Mu stepped forward to fight to death.


    "Die!"


    The burning longsword in Qiao Mu¡¯s hand gradually started to deform, and he had to constantly pour in internal strength to resist the burning of the Li Fire, shing and chopping again and again.


    The mes gradually surrounded his whole body, yet he seemedpletely unaware, only focusing on his swordy.


    His Shadow Transformation Sword Technique had already reached a certain level of mastery. With each swing of his longsword, it seemed to split into multiple images and left behind several vague me traces in the air.


    "Why can¡¯t you just quietly burn to death?"


    Wu Qingxin¡¯s expression remained cold, but she felt a bit irritated deep inside.


    The existence or disappearance of the Etching Bones Li Fire was entirely in her control, so as long as she reacted in time, she would not be burned by the mes. However, if this Qiao Mu approached herpletely engulfed in fire, even if she didn¡¯t fear the Etching Bones Li Fire, she would still be somewhat cautious.


    "I can die!" Qiao Mu, with mes swirling around his feet, seemed like a terrifying demon in the eyes of the vigers, showing a fierce smile.


    "You cannot live!"


    Using the mastered Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, Qiao Mu, who had just reached the 4th rank, suddenly burst out with internal strength several times stronger. With each sword strike, there was a powerful gust of wind, causing the surrounding mes to sway and dance.


    Crack.


    After being burned by Li¡¯s fire for a long time, Qiao Mu¡¯s sword in his hand finally deformed and twisted, the de no longer intact, as Wu Qingxin¡¯s sword cleaved it in half.


    "Without a sword, I will use my fists!"


    Qiao Mu then decisively discarded the sword in his hand and fiercely punched with both fists.


    "Without fists, I still have feet!"


    His body was burning, but his movements showed no hesitation or pause.


    Compared to Jade and the others who were meditating behind, the figure in this scene appeared more decisive and tragic.


    "This Qiao Zhong¡­ is not an ordinary person."


    Jade faced Flying Dragon stood up, his eyes filled with sadness.


    He had tried every method, but still couldn¡¯t escape the strange Etching Bones Li Fire.


    Not only him, but the others also faced the same issue.


    And they all failed, unable to seed.


    No matter how hard they tried, the me was always like a stubborn disease, impossible to shake off or extinguish.


    Their hearts were filled with darkness, and despite trying everything, they couldn¡¯t find any hope¡­ until they saw Qiao Mu making another choice.


    "We martial artists should be like this."


    "Wu Qingxin didn¡¯t leave us any way out, even if it means death, she shouldn¡¯t get away with it!"


    "Let¡¯s go together." The swordsman Jade faced Flying Dragon, dressed in white, angrily yelled.


    Any martial artist who dares to chase and kill Saintess Wu Qingxin is skilled at the level of the fourth or fifth rank, and their character is not inferior.


    Previously, they held onto a glimmer of hope, always feeling that they were different and could find a way to survive death. But now they can¡¯t anymore.


    In a situation where all hope is lost, they finally exhaust all their strength andunch a full attack.


    "Mount Tai Sword, Opening Mountain Style!"


    "Taiyi God Fist!"


    "Little Diamond Palm!"


    These few people, following Qiao Mu¡¯s lead, in this desperate situation, attack without defense, not seeking to save their lives, only wanting to apany Wu Qingxin to the afterlife.


    "Ripple Stacking Wave Strength, Double Wave!"


    Qiao Mu, like the others, stood tall with mes swirling around him and threw a punch.


    As the fist struck, a rolling internal strength spread like ripples in water, with waves ovepping.


    Ripple Stacking Wave Strength£¬Double Wave£¡


    With thebined power of a bright and a dark force, multiplied several times by the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, the attacks struck Wu Qingxin¡¯s abdomen, causing her previously calm andposed expression to be thrown backwards into the embrace of the Saintess Temple.


    The mountain people were in turmoil, but those whose lives were in imminent danger paid no attention.


    "This Etching Bones Li Fire arose because of Wu Qingxin. Hurry up and kill her, there might still be a glimmer of hope!"


    Inside the temple, Wu Qingxin fell to the ground, her face pale and her white clothes stained with blood. The stark contrast to thepassionate Saintess behind her was striking.


    She nced back at the Saintess image behind her.


    "In the end, is it still a separation between immortals and mortals?"


    Over the past twenty or thirty years, she has secluded herself to practice bitterly. Her Qi refining cultivation progress is actually much faster than her fellow disciples, but she has always been stuck at the Foundation Building bottleneck, unable to make any progress.


    She had thought that because she was not a true saintess, and didn¡¯t hold a position in Xuantian Temple, shecked the support of incense and vows.


    With great difficulty, she spent many years gradually gathering followers in the mountain vige, establishing temples. She had thought that with years of umtion, she could make a breakthrough in one fell swoop.


    But at the critical moment, she was always restless and unable to calm her mind. Even if it meant sacrificing her followers, she could not achieve the moment of ascension she had hoped for.


    "If you kill me, do you think you can live? Don¡¯t be so self-righteous."


    She gently curled her lips. At this moment, she still had some strength to fight, but her heart was as bleak as the martial artists consumed by the Fire of Li.


    "Even a Spirit Refining martial artist of the 3rd rank would be powerless against the Bone-Etching Li Fire of a Qi refining cultivator."


    "Even if we take a step back, even if you manage to survive, you will eventually die." Her gaze fell on Qiao Mu and the others, who had arrived at the broken temple.


    "After practicing the Martial Saint Spiritual Technique, there was only a dead end ahead!"


    "Haven¡¯t you realized something is wrong? How can this secret technique make practitioners have a telepathic connection with each other? No matter how I try to escape, I can¡¯t escape your sensing."


    Wu Qingxin drew her sword and continued to fight fiercely against these burning martial artists, all while keeping a big smile on her face.


    "What Martial Saint? What telepathic connection? What kind of spiritual refining secret technique that even low-level martial artists can practice?"


    "This is the secret technique created by the Martial Saint himself back then, in order to easily track and hunt down practitioners of the ¡®Martial Saint Spiritual Technique¡¯."


    When they heard this, Qiao Mu and the others were briefly taken aback, and their movements paused for a moment.


    Wu Qingxin kept swinging her long sword, asionally letting go of it, all while continuing to speak, trying to shake their minds:


    "After the Inhuman War, the Martial Saint emerged as a revered figure in martial arts,paring himself to the great sage of Confucianism. It has been forty years since then."


    "During these forty years, he traveled through Jiu Province, establishing the Wuji Association and gathering three thousand exceptionally talented martial arts geniuses as adopted children and disciples."


    "The Martial Saint taught his best techniques and skills to three thousand disciples, including the Martial Saint Spiritual Technique!"


    "Those who were able to practice the Martial Saint Spiritual Technique, whether they were Martial Saint disciples or other exceptional martial artists, would eventually be nourishment for the Martial Saint."


    "Decades ago, the Martial Saint had three thousand disciples. Can you guess how many are still alive?"

 Chapter 92:

    Chapter 92:


    Anyone who practices the Martial Saint Spiritual Technique is nothing more than nourishment for the Martial Saint.


    When this news reached the ears of the crowd, it stirred up a storm of astonishment and fear in their hearts.


    With their minds in turmoil, even their attacks momentarily faltered, giving Wu Qingxin a precious moment to catch her breath.


    Wu Qingxin multitasked, manipting her flying sword while also increasing the strength of her voice:


    "From the moment you started practicing the Martial Saint Spiritual Technique, your fate was already sealed!"


    "Even if hiding at the ends of the earth, the Martial Saint will follow his instincts to kill you one by one."


    "Even if seeking refuge in the Immortal Gate¡­like me, I can only struggle for a moment and will eventually be considered a discarded pawn by the Immortal Gate!"


    Wu Qingxin initially only tried to shake their spirits, but as she spoke, sadness overwhelmed her heart¡­


    For several decades, she lived between the Immortal Gate and the Martial Saint, secluded in cultivation all day long, but in the end, she still reached this point.She sadly smiled and said,


    "From the vast sky and earth, from the rivers andkes to the temples, from the secr world to the Immortal Gate, there is no longer the chance for you and me to survive¡­"


    Before her words had even fallen, Qiao Mu used his internal strength to p her back, causing her to stumble forward two steps and spit out blood.


    "Please continue speaking, I¡¯m listening. Say more."


    Qiao Mu was calm andposed.


    He remained calm as if the fire didn¡¯t burn on him.


    Any martial artist in this world, who can reach the rank of fourth level, cannot rely solely on practicing in seclusion. They must go through many battles.


    No matter how much experience they have gained from their battles, when faced with a life and death situation, it is nearly impossible for their state of mind to remain undisturbed.


    Jade faced Flying Dragon, and the others had to endure the pain of being burned by the fire while also using their internal strength to suppress it. At the same time, they had to fight their enemy, Wu Qingxin, with all their might. Their hearts were already tight with tension.


    But Qiao Mu was different. He fought desperately as effortlessly as going to the bathroom.


    As Wu Qingxin spoke about the secrets of the Martial Saint, Qiao Mu¡¯s attack didn¡¯t slow down at all. He treated Wu Qingxin as a realbat target.


    He was practicing the essence of the Long Life Fist and Ripple Stacking Wave Strength on the sandbag. In fact, Qiao Canxue taught him this secret technique when he was in his twenties, as a member of Heyang City¡¯s Qiao Family.


    Now, in his sixties, Qiao Mu¡¯s Stacking Wave Strength has only just broken through to the second level, the level of Double Wave.


    He hit Wu Qingxin¡¯s back heart with a punch. The strength of his hand surged with two forces, one bright and one dark, like waves crashing. There were two light sounds as the punchnded.


    For a skilled martial artist, when they throw a punch, their maximum force is ten times their strength.


    And this Ripple Stacking Wave Strength is about not exhausting all your strength and leaving room for more.


    With each punch, only about 60-70% of their strength is used, but in that very short moment of explosive power, a second wave of force is delivered.


    When the two waves of force arebined, they be as powerful as crashing waves, unleashing a destructive force of more than 100%.


    "Double Wave, using 60% of my strength!"


    While Wu Qingxin was talking non-stop, Qiao Mu used the Shadow Step technique and suddenly appeared behind her, throwing a punch.


    "Double Wave, using 70% of my strength!"


    The simultaneous eruption of the two waves of force generates a destructive power of 140%, causing Wu Qingxin to stumble once again.


    However, after being repeatedly sneak attacked by Qiao Mu, she became cautious and used her internal strength, so this time she only stumbled momentarily.


    "A martial technique that surpasses full power? Is this your reliance? It¡¯s like sitting at the bottom of a well and looking at the sky."


    Wu Qingxin just sneered, she studied under the Martial Saint, so her perspective was extraordinary. When she followed the Martial Saint in her early years, she had seen all kinds of top-notch martial arts and techniques.


    When Qiao Mu charged at her again, she swiftly attacked with both palms, intending to directly face off against this six-decade-old martial artist who had just entered the 4th rank.


    However, behind her, a flying sword, as fast as a cold star, traced an arc and quickly aimed for the back of Qiao Mu¡¯s head.


    It was foolish of her to confront Qiao Mu head-on, especially since this was not a one-on-one duel at all¡­


    Punches against punches, palms against palms, she didn¡¯t aim topletely defeat Qiao Mu head-on. As long as she could block his attacks, that flying sword could silently sever his head!


    Qiao Mu didn¡¯tice the flying sword being controlled by Wu Qingxin in secret.


    However, he paid no mind to it, and he even relished it.


    Compared to dying once again under the scorching mes of Li Fire, going down to the underworld together with Wu Qingxin wouldn¡¯t be bad either.


    "Old Hu, and Jade-faced Flying Dragon¡­ I¡¯ll go ahead first!"


    Qiao Mu had a smiling expression, looking calm, but suddenly unleashed his hidden internal strength.


    "Double Wave, exerting 70% of my power¡­ plus the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method!"


    Within every bone and muscle in his body, Qiao Mu unleashed a vigorous internal strength several times greater, causing a sharp, tearing pain in his arm veins in an instant.


    Boom, boom!


    With multiple times the powerful force and the simultaneous eruption of Stacking Wave Strength, the sudden surge of power from Qiao Mu far exceeded Wu Qingxin¡¯s expectations.


    Under the immense force, her hands twisted, deformed, and broke bones, with the broken and twisted arm bones piercing into her chest.


    Blood gushed out as she took several steps back.


    The Jade-faced Flying Dragon and the others didn¡¯t stand idly by either.


    The clear sound of metal shing rang out.


    Jade faced Flying Dragon used his light skills and, in the blink of an eye, he raised his sword and sent the flying sword aimed at the back of Qiao Mu¡¯s head flying away.


    The other two martial artists whose bodies were on fire took the opportunity while Wu Qingxin staggered back, and stabbed her in the back with their knives and swords.


    Wu Qingxin froze, her eyes wide open, and the flying sword that was knocked away finally fell to the ground with a crisp sound.


    Her chest no longer rose and fell, her breath stopped abruptly.


    The vigers from the surrounding mountain vige were first filled with fear and panic, but then they started making a lot of noise andmotion.


    "It¡¯s over." Jade faced Flying Dragon, standing behind Qiao Mu, sighed softly and looked at the Li fire swirling around his hands and feet.


    The fire of this Li fire was a bit smaller, but it hadn¡¯t been extinguished.


    "If it¡¯s over, why did you save me?" Qiao Mu turned around and red at Jade faced Flying Dragon.


    Originally, he didn¡¯t want to get too involved with the Wuji Association. Just now, he had a few words with Old Hu, promptly stopping his actions. Unexpectedly, there was another twist in the story.


    Jade faced Flying Dragon didn¡¯t understand Qiao Mu¡¯s words, but it didn¡¯t matter because he was soon going to be burned to death.


    "¡­Wu Qingxin died, but Etching Bones Li Fire still hasn¡¯t disappeared, it¡¯s just a bit slower." Jade faced Flying Dragon¡¯s voice sounded tired.


    This time, Star Xuan Envoy assembled a team of eleven people, including several 4th rank members. However, in the end, they suffered aplete defeat.


    "I heard that the Etching Bone Li Fire Talisman is a symbol specifically designed by the Immortal Gate to target ordinary martial artists. There¡¯s no chance of winning head-on, even a 3rd rank Spirit Refining martial artist can only rely on extraordinary intuition to dodge."


    "I thought Saintess Wu Qingxin¡¯s cultivation in the path of immortality wouldn¡¯tst long, and we would have a chance to win. But I underestimated her¡­"


    Perhaps facing death, Jade faced Flying Dragon, who was previously dignified, started to babble.


    The martial artists whose hands and feet were on fire each sat in meditation, channeling their internal strength. Even though they knew they were doomed, they still wanted to struggle onest time.


    "Ah¡­" someone sighed, and the atmosphere suddenly became heavy.


    And with a sigh.


    The bearded swordsman walked out from the sea of fire.


    Unexpectedly, he not only had a steady breath, but also didn¡¯t have a single spark on him.


    "Old Hu, you¡­" At this moment, everyone realized that something was wrong.


    Without saying a word, the bearded swordsman ced his hand on the sheath of his waist, his hand became blurry.


    More than ten bright and sharp sword lights flickered one after another. Then, blood spurted out and chunks of flesh flew in the air.


    Including Qiao Mu, four martial artists were covered in blood. There was even one 5th rank martial artist whose arm was instantly cut off by the bearded swordsman.


    "You¡­"


    While the crowd was shocked and angry, they were stunned to find that the swirling Li fire around them had disappeared with that bright sword light in the air.


    "Did the fire of Etching Bones Li go out?" Jade-faced Flying Dragon felt a strong shock in his heart.


    He vaguely sensed that this waspletely different from the amazing swordsmanship disyed by the stubble-faced swordsman earlier.


    No matter how exquisite the swordsmanship, it is only a skill that can separate burning flesh from intact flesh.


    But they have already been burned by the Li fire for some time. Perhaps the Li fire has already prated their bones. How can it be divided?


    "Did someone forcefully extinguish the Li fire?"


    "Is it by a more powerful internal strength or some other kind of power¡­ It turns out there are martial artists in this world who can deal with the Li fire of cultivators¡­"


    Jade-faced Flying Dragon soon had no room for thought.


    Because in the instant when the stubble-faced swordsman made his move, an extremely intense trembling feeling suddenly emerged. He instinctively tensed up his whole body, and even his breathing seemed to pause.


    Qiao Mu nced down at his own body.


    The mes that were enveloping him had already extinguished. On the part of his skin that had not been burned by the mes, one could see his hair standing on end.


    This is a strong intuition that was cultivated through the Martial Saint Spiritual Technique, warning him crazily!


    Dead! Dead! Dead!


    This intuition was even stronger than when Qiao Mu first encountered Ming Yue, the Female Cultivator who released the Etching Bone Li Fire Talisman. It was as if even normal breathing required great effort.


    It wasn¡¯t just Qiao Mu and Jade faced Flying Dragon who practiced the Martial Saint Spiritual Technique.


    Even Saintess Wu Qingxin, who should have already died with her chest pierced by a sword, began to tremble slightly at this moment.


    First her fingers trembled, then her pupils, and finally her entire body.


    She slightly lifted her head and her trembling pupils looked at the person before her.


    Unbeknownst to them, a bright moon rose from behind the clouds, and faint moonlight passed through the mountains and forests, showering the ground in silver.


    In her eyes, the bearded swordsman walked slowly, step by step, getting closer and closer.


    As he took his steps, the lingering fire on the ground around him gradually extinguished.


    It seemed as if even the mystical fire of the ordinary martial artists¡¯ magic would bow down and disappear in front of this man.


    The bearded swordsman¡¯s face slowly transformed, changing his features and bing apletely different and unfamiliar face.


    It was a face that couldn¡¯t be pinpointed to a specific age. His deep eyes resembled an old man who had seen the sorrows of the world, but there were no visible age spots or wrinkles on his face. His countenance was broad, firm, andposed, but his brows were slightly furrowed.


    His long hair fell casually on his shoulders, disying a grayish-white color that only middle-aged people possess, yet it was also thick like that of a young person. Especially under the faint illumination of the night, it seemed to have a subtle shimmer.


    "Qingxin, I sent you to the Xuantian Sect for cultivation for a full twenty or thirty years, and gave you so much time to perform, but¡­" The man looked down at the dying Saintess Wu Qingxin under his feet, disappointment evident on his face.


    "Is this it?"


    "Martial Saint¡­" Wu Qingxin raised her head, clenched her teeth, and her captivating face looked slightly ferocious at this moment.


    "The Martial Saint Spiritual Technique is a two-way sensing. Even though you created this secret technique, you cannot hide your own traces in only one direction."


    "Why?"


    "Because I am a Martial Saint," said the Martial Saint casually.


    "Just because the Martial Saint from twenty or thirty years ago couldn¡¯t do it, doesn¡¯t mean the present Martial Saint can¡¯t do it."


    "If the Martial Saint can¡¯t keep up with the times and continue to break through, how can I be considered saintly? How can the martial path contend with the immortal path?"


    "The iron rule of the Martial Saint Spiritual Technique cannot be broken unless it is disassembled."


    "So, I specifically created another secret technique called the Xuanming Contain Breath Technique. It contains the ¡®spirit¡¯ of the martial artist, leaving only the level of training, evading the vague sensing of intuition."


    Wu Qingxin¡¯s pupils slightly contracted. She wanted to say something, but couldn¡¯t find the words.


    The cultivation of the immortal path is unknown for its length of time. She closed herself off every day, practicing bitterly, hoping to transcend the distinction between mortal and immortal, as if two or three decades were as fleeting as a blink of an eye.


    But the Martial Saint is different.


    The Martial Saint said lightly:


    "I named you ¡®Qingxin¡¯ because I hope your mind is clear and free from distractions, but your mind is slightlycking."


    "Your aptitude for martial and immortal cultivation is actually not bad, it¡¯s just your temperament that iscking. How can you enter the Spiritual Refining Method with such a fearful heart towards me?"


    "If your mind wavers and you dare not break through in martial and immortal cultivation, are you afraid that after breaking through, you will also die at my hands, lose confidence in your choices, andpletely copse your Taoist heart?"


    At this moment, the remaining mes aroundpletely vanished.


    The flickering of the Etching Bones Li Fire was in Wu Qingxin¡¯s control.


    The Martial Saint didn¡¯t intentionally extinguish the remaining fire on the ground, but the fire crawled and disappeared on its own.


    This means that Wu Qingxin haspletely lost control of her mind.


    The fire went out and the faint moonlight in the forest became the only source of light.


    In the moonlight, Martial Saint stretched out his hand, and his arm expanded visibly at an incredible speed.


    This was not the result of a strong martial artist tensing their muscles. The arm appeared to erge by a whole circle.


    Qiao Mu and the others could clearly see that the bones in Martial Saint¡¯s palm were making a light cracking sound, as his hand grew from the size of an ordinary person¡¯s hand to bigger than Wu Qingxin¡¯s face.


    "What kind of immortal have you been practicing all these years?"


    He extended his thumb and index finger, pinching Wu Qingxin¡¯s cheek and lifting her whole body off the ground.


    "Disobedient and useless children are meant to be killed."


    "So, finally, I ask you¡­" Martial Saint put away his previously absentminded expression and sternly questioned:


    "What is martial arts?"


    The voice of Martial Saint echoed in the mountains, carried far away by the cold mountain wind.


    Wu Qingxin¡¯s body began to tremble involuntarily, as if she had returned to her timid childhood self.


    She couldn¡¯t help but answer, "Martial arts emphasize physicality. The process involves refining and transforming energy into internal strength, which then strengthens the body. When the body is strong, the senses are sharp, and the dan tian is filled with internal strength, one can embark on the path of the Spiritual Refining Method¡­"


    "What is martial arts?" Martial Saint¡¯s expression showed no change as he asked again.


    She cautiously replied, "Martial arts, in essence, is the pursuit ofbat¡­"


    "What is martial arts?" Martial Saint asked once more.


    Shaking, she said, "Martial arts means putting down weapons before picking them up. It is a spirit that transcends mere aggression. A true warrior is fearless and invincible, guided bypassion rather than a thirst for violence."


    Martial Saint silently watched him, still without any expression on his face.


    "Are you trying to beat around the bush because you¡¯re studying cultivation? You can go to hell!" Martial Saint¡¯s face showed impatience.


    "The so-called martial arts is just a fist." He clenched his fist as big as a sand pot and said loudly:


    "A big and hard fist is martial arts."


    "Martial arts is the kung fu that can defeat and kill enemies."


    "Weakness is a sin, and those whog behind will be beaten. We martial artists should strive for self-improvement, constantly strengthen ourselves, and make our fists bigger and harder."


    He tightly clenched his fist, and under the moonlight, his fist gradually grewrger. The veins on his arm looked fierce like earthworms, and even slowly wriggled.


    "Then, I¡¯ll ask you again, what is Wuji?" he asked.


    This time Wu Qingxin didn¡¯t answer immediately, but pondered for a while before replying:


    "The Wuji Association¡¯s purpose is Wuji, to break through the prejudices of the old martial arts world, gather the top secrets of martial arts from all over the world, and elevate martial arts to a higher level, to fight against not only immortals, but also inhuman beings."


    Seeing that the Martial Saint showed a hint of impatience, she quickly continued:


    "The pinnacle of martial arts is to reach the extreme of martial skills."


    "The path of immortality emphasizes the spiritual soul, while the path of martial arts emphasizes the physical body. They are merely different in direction, without superior or inferior. The ultimate goal of martial arts is to defeat immortals using martial techniques."


    "No¡­ to train your fists to be as big and strong as inhuman, is the epitome of martial arts!"


    Just like not knowing how to answer multiple-choice questions, Wu Qingxin¡¯s mind was in chaos, with all the answers she could think of or couldn¡¯t think of blurting out of her mouth.


    Meanwhile, the Martial Saint simply shook his head gently.


    "We martial artists, if we only train our fists to be bigger and stronger, and act tyrannically by overpowering the weak, what is the difference from being inhuman?"


    "Martial arts aim to prevent war, and preventing war is the essence of martial arts!" the Martial Saint dered.


    This answer was the same as the previous answer that Wu Qingxin had denied, and she wanted to argue a little, but dared not.


    "Then, what about the so-called extreme of martial arts¡­" the Martial Saint raised his head, gazing at the moon, bathed in its faint moonlight.


    The muscles on his body looked strong and impressive, like a beautiful marble sculpture under the moonlight.


    "The pinnacle of martial arts lies in the ultimate strength to conquer all things inhuman and bring eternal peace to the world!"


    "This is the way of the martial artist!"


    After saying that, he fell silent.


    Wu Qingxin¡¯s pupils slightly dted between his two fingers.


    Her youthful face quickly shrunk, wrinkled, and lost its vitality, like withered yellow leaves.


    Then her head drooped heavily, and she diedpletely.

 Chapter 93:

    Chapter 93:


    The Martial Saint bathed in moonlight, with well-defined muscles as strong as steel.


    And Wu Qingxin¡¯s body, between his fingers, withered awaypletely, finally slipping through his grasp like a falling leaf.


    Jade faced Flying Dragon and the others looked up at this man¡¯s statue-like figure, their hearts trembling just like they did with the previous Wu Qingxin.


    People¡¯s name is like the shadow of a tree.


    Earlier, Jade faced Flying Dragon spoke confidently, talking about the regrets and emotions he had from the martial arts world that passed forty to fifty years ago.


    And now, they had encountered the person who single-handedly ended the old order of the martial arts world.


    Martial Saint.


    A person who achieved great martial arts skills and proimed themselves as the second greatest martial artist in the world, but had long been the leader of the martial arts world.


    His very existence was a bloody monument in the history of martial arts.From the moment he appeared, the martial arts world was divided into ancient and modern.


    They were faced with a Martial Saint standing in front of them. They felt a strong instinct of fear, like amb encountering a fierce tiger, and had no thoughts of opposing it.


    Everyone who practiced martial arts in the world feared the Martial Saint.


    This was the consensus among martial artists, a lesson taught by the Martial Saint through decades of sacrifice and bloodshed.


    On one hand, many martial artists respected and admired this holder of the martial arts, and even hoped that this legendary Martial Saint would one day use martial arts to defeat the immortals and bring them down from their high positions.


    But on the other hand, they also had a deep and genuine fear within their hearts.


    This Martial Saint was not someone to be taken lightly.


    He shattered the old order of the martial world, destroyed numerous famous martial arts families, and seized martial arts secrets. This was not aplished through persuasive charisma or limited martial artspetitions.


    It was achieved through killing.


    Qiao Mu also took a deep breath.


    The martial artist had sharp senses, and he also practiced the "Martial Saint Spiritual Technique." At this moment, his body¡¯s intuition was sounding the rm like the Jade-faced Flying Dragon.


    When a person is extremely fearful and suppressed, they feel tightness in the chest, shortness of breath, and their heart beats faster. Their legs feel heavy and difficult to lift, as if filled with lead.


    And at this moment, he was trying hard to ovee the instinctual fear of this body.


    "Is his facial change due to the ¡®Flesh Changing Skill¡¯? Using powerful ¡®spirit¡¯ to control the transformation of flesh and blood, thereby changing one¡¯s appearance¡­"


    Qiao Mu had also practiced this newly developed secret technique of the Martial Saint, so he quickly began to guess.


    However, he still felt a great sense of unreality in his heart.


    It was difficult for him to believe that the swordsman who used to read "The Art of Lovemaking" in his spare time and the renowned Martial Saint in front of him could be the same person.


    "So, the swordsman Old Hu from before was just your disguise, Martial Saint?" Qiao Mu asked in a deep voice.


    "Was everything about the Tide Listening Building¡¯s rankings just your nonsense? Is that why yourst name is Hu?"


    The sound came out.


    Martial Saint still hadn¡¯t reacted, and the faces of Jade Faced Flying Dragon and the others behind were already pale.


    Why did you provoke him? Ask him why? Seriously?


    None of these people dared to make a sound, trying their best to minimize their presence, afraid of attracting Martial Saint¡¯s attention.


    And what about this Qiao Zhong? He actually spoke at this moment? Has he never heard of Martial Saint¡¯s fearsome reputation?


    If it weren¡¯t for Qiao Zhong being the first to stand up from the sea of fire and confront Wu Qingxin, also fighting alongside them, they would all go up and strangle him first.


    Under the moonlight, Martial Saint slowly turned around.


    "It¡¯s not really a lie," his gaze locked onto Qiao Mu, revealing a slight hint of surprise.


    "Indeed, my name is not on the list at the Tide Listening Building."


    "After all, what qualifications does Tide Listening Building have to use my Martial Saint¡¯s name?"


    After saying that, he stared at Qiao Mu with great interest.


    Several decades ago, he did indeed do as Wu Qingxin said before, establishing the Wuji Association and gathering martial arts geniuses from all over the world.


    Martial Saint is extremely ruthless, often wiping out entire families, but he always shows mercy to exceptionally talented geniuses, epting them as his disciples or even adopting them as his own children.


    "Martial Saint Spiritual Technique" is a spiritual refining technique that can even be practiced by low-level martial artists, with a focus on one¡¯s character.


    Character is also a basic requirement for reaching the 3rd rank in Spiritual Refining Method.


    With Qiao Mu¡¯s current elderly body, he naturally has no connection whatsoever with being a martial arts genius.


    What Martial Saint wants to see more in someone is not their martial arts talent, but their character and willpower.


    "In such a short time, have you already ovee your psychological fear?" Martial Saint murmured.


    "Just based on this, your character is even stronger than a pure-hearted person."


    "And you¡¯re not young anymore, you must be in your sixties, right?"


    "To act like this at your age, it¡¯s worth a few more words from me."


    As the saying goes, a newborn calf is not afraid of tigers.


    Young people are stubborn. In the past few years, Martial Saint has encountered young people who dare to confront him head-on.


    But when people get older and wiser, they often know when to advance or retreat, consider the pros and cons, and think carefully before taking action.


    So, Qiao Zhong, who is already in his sixties, still acting like this in front of him, indeed made him take a closer look.


    Jade faced Flying Dragon and others also looked at Qiao Mu with surprise, only Qiao Mu himself remained calm.


    In fact, he didn¡¯t praise Qiao Mu as highly as Martial Saint did.


    He only had a strong desire for self-destruction, oveing his instincts for survival.


    "The ¡®Old Hu¡¯ you mentioned died decades ago. I killed him."


    Speaking of this, Martial Saint nced at Jade-faced Flying Dragon with a smile or a sneer.


    "Weren¡¯t you excitedly talking about Old Hu earlier? Haven¡¯t you realized yet?"


    This statement made Jade-faced Flying Dragon snap out of his reverie and gave rise to an incredible suspicion in his heart.


    Previously, he spected that the bearded swordsman Old Hu might be a descendant or disciple of the former leading master of swordsmanship decades ago.


    But ording to Martial Saint¡¯s current meaning, could it be that the face of that swordsman is indeed the former leading master of swordsmanship from decades ago?


    Considering Martial Saint¡¯s actions, it¡¯s afraid that this renowned figure from back then didn¡¯t die at the hands of cultivators but fell victim to Martial Saint¡¯s poisonous hands!


    "So, your words are mostly true? And Wu Qingxin¡¯s words are also true?" Qiao Mu smiled faintly.


    He has heard many lessons before.


    But it¡¯s one thing to talk about lessons, and another thing to act on them.


    Qiao Mu, who was born to live forever, didn¡¯t feel much respect facing the Great Yan Emperor, the Martial Saint, and the Immortals.


    And, he still remembered the goal he had set at the beginning.


    The reason he wanted to assassinate the emperor was actually to use the Great Yan Imperial Court to kill the Martial Saint.


    And the reason to kill the Martial Saint¡­ was Qiao Canxue¡¯s deep-seated hatred.


    Qiao Canxue was Qiao Mu¡¯s guide in martial arts, even though they have now gone separate ways. She once said that she wanted to personally avenge the Martial Saint, not let Qiao Mu do it for her.


    That was Qiao Canxue¡¯s choice.


    But Qiao Mu also had his own choice.


    At this moment, he took a deep breath and walked towards the tall and majestic man, his steps heavy like lead.


    "Just now, you spoke eloquently about the great principles with Wu Qingxin, advocating for ultimate peace through the use of extreme force."


    "But what you have done is to exterminate all the powerful families in the world, using your three thousand disciples as nourishment to achieve your own martial arts."


    "I have only heard that cultivators can suppress the Great Yan Imperial Court with their imposing presence, but after the defeat of the Martial Saint, they didn¡¯t ughter the immortals, but instead turned their des towards the weaker martial artists in the mortal world."


    "The strong wield their des against the stronger, while the weak wield their des against the weaker."


    "If someone like you were to truly defeat an immortal, can you really bring evesting peace?"


    These words directly made Jade faced Flying Dragon and the others break out in a cold sweat.


    Just listening by the side, his heart couldn¡¯t help but beat faster, afraid that in the next second the Martial Saint would be furious and turn Qiao Mu into dust.


    On the other hand, the Martial Saint remained calm and expressionless upon hearing this.


    "For a very long time, nobody dared to point their finger at me and insult me." He also smiled slightly.


    "People nowadays only know of my fame as Martial Saint, but they don¡¯t know that Martial Saint isn¡¯t born as a Martial Saint."


    Ripples appeared in his deep and mysterious gaze.


    "Forty years ago, I wasn¡¯t a Martial Saint, but rather a top-ranked general of the current era, ranked eleventh in the entire kingdom. If we talk about individual martial prowess, the top ten experts of that time were all beneath me."


    There is no number one in the world of literature, and there is no second in martial arts.


    Ranking among martial artists is already a challenging task.


    If there were truly a recognized Hero List, with the top ten martial artists epted by all, then the strength of the top ten would definitely surpass the eleventh position by a wide margin.


    Therefore, in the ancient martial world of forty years ago, Martial Saint couldn¡¯t even be considered the top martial artist.


    If there was someone who was the strongest since birth, undefeated all the way, then either they were confined to a small world, or they were cheating.


    The world is very big, and there are countless clever people wherever you go. Even Martial Saint was not the strongest in his time.


    "After the Inhuman War, I quit my official position and entered the martial arts world, and after creating the ¡®Martial Saint Spiritual Technique,¡¯ the first thing I did was to find the top ten martial arts masters in the world and meet them."


    "Besides telling about the immense power of the inhuman, I also did something." Martial Saint said lightly:


    "I taught them theplete ¡®Martial Saint Spiritual Technique¡¯ and agreed to have a decisive battle ten yearster."


    "The only victorious one after ten years would be Martial Saint."


    As soon as these words were spoken.


    Jade-faced Flying Dragon and the others felt their hair stand on end and couldn¡¯t say a word.


    Their initial reaction was shock, unable to express their astonishment.


    If listening to Wu Qingxin saying that Martial Saint taught three thousand disciples before was like achieving greatness through the bodies of the people, it was like ying a game of raising insects.


    So if you listen again at this moment, you will feel something different.


    It turns out that this Martial Saint¡¯s pet-raising game is not the first time.


    Even the Martial Saint himself is just one of the strongest insects.


    No¡­ he is not the strongest.


    In the ten-year battle of the strongest martial artists forty years ago, he was the weakest one.


    He didn¡¯t swing his sword at the weaker ones, but aimed his butcher knife at himself, forcing himself to fight to the death against the strongest ones of that year.


    The person who survives until the end will be the Martial Saint.


    The Martial Saint is not a chosen one.


    Over these years, more than just the top ten martial artists in the world, three thousand disciples, and one hundred thousand followers have died by his side or at his hands.


    He is not one, but many.


    He is a representation of martial artists from a previous era, abination of the strongest martial artists from that time.


    After the initial shock, Jade, Flying Dragon, and others felt a deep bone-chilling cold and fear.


    It turns out that the top ten on the Hero List didn¡¯t die at the hands of cultivators, but at the hands of the Martial Saint. They may have even died in the same way as Wu Qingxin.


    No wonder Martial Saint, who was ranked eleventh in the world forty years ago, could be called a saint through martial arts, and single-handedly destroyed the martial arts of the past¡­


    Characters like Martial Saint, who carry many secrets and have deceiving intentions, might face a dead end if one day their secrets from many years ago are revealed in front of them¡­


    "In the past, anyone in the top ten in the world could be a Martial Saint. I am just thest one standing."


    "This is the principle of me, the Martial Saint." Martial Saint lowered his eyelids and looked down at Qiao Mu beneath him.


    "So, what is your principle?"


    My reason?


    Qiao Mu fell silent for a moment.


    This Martial Saint is more determined and powerful than any character he had encountered before.


    This kind of power is not physical strength, but strength of mind and character.


    Regardless of whether his actions are right or wrong, he remains steadfast in his beliefs. Such a person cannot be swayed by mere words.


    "My reason is morality," Qiao Mu said in a low voice, facing the towering Martial Saint.


    "A noble person seeks not to harm others for the sake of their own survival, and is willing to sacrifice themselves for righteousness."


    "You speak of your reason, but what I see is that it is not you who sacrifices, but the top ten martial artists in the world, your three thousand disciples, and the countless lives affected."


    "So, why doesn¡¯t the Martial Saint die?"


    This saying, kills the heart.


    Qiao Mu didn¡¯t fully trust the Martial Saint¡¯s beautiful words because his hands were stained with countless blood.


    Jade faced Flying Dragon and others instinctively nced at the towering Martial Saint, but only saw him squinting slightly without revealing any expression.


    Qiao Mu took a deep breath.


    After thinking, and going through this period of time, his previous physical fears gradually subsided and his feet also became lighter.


    Qiao Mu wouldn¡¯t miss any chance to risk his life and seek high-quality opportunities for death.


    In the unbelieving gaze of Jade faced Flying Dragon and others, Qiao Mu took a breath, clenched his fist, and faced the mountain-like figure of the Martial Saint, assuming the starting position of the Long Life Fist.


    "The truth of a martial artist is not spoken, but shown through their fists," he said in a deep voice.


    "You are strong, you are right."


    "I¡¯m weak, I¡¯m guilty."


    "Let¡¯s see if your Martial Saint¡¯s reasoning is right, or if my Qiao Zhong¡¯s reasoning is right."


    "Do you want to challenge me?" Martial Saintughed, heughed loudly, his mouth almost reaching his ears, revealing two rows of forty clean white teeth.


    "Well¡­" he took a step and stood at the entrance of the Saintess Temple.


    The faint moonlight fell on his shoulders, as if his body was glowing slightly, making this person¡¯s figure appear more divine and god-like.


    He gently gestured a finger at Qiao Mu:


    "Come up, and meet your death."


    Under the moonlight, the two stood facing each other, one tall and one small, a striking contrast.


    Qiao Mu¡¯s body was already in his sixties, although much stronger than an ordinary sixty-year-old, butpared to Martial Saint¡¯s mountain-like physique, it appeared thin and small.


    Under the moonlight, the frail old man in his sixties imitated the movements of the Martial Saint and opposed the Martial Saint¡¯s gentle finger movement.


    "Come down and let me lead you to your death."

 Chapter 94:

    Chapter 94:


    Under the cover of night.


    The Martial Saint walked slowly into the not-so-spacious Saintess Temple. With a wave of his fan-like palm, he easily flipped over the roof of the temple, causing the Saintess statue to fall and crumble.


    Taking a step forward, his massive body squeezed into the tiny temple. He sat on the shrine, propping his chin with one hand, quietly waiting for Qiao Mu¡¯s challenge.


    Qiao Mu didn¡¯t immediately attack. Instead, he took the time to adjust his breath. His body was already in poor condition after being burned by the Li fire and using the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method.


    It wasn¡¯t just Qiao Mu. The Jade-faced Flying Dragon behind him was in slightly better condition, but still not good.


    The previous strike from the Martial Saint not only destroyed the Li fire, but also caused them to bleed profusely and suffer serious injuries.


    "What do we do now? Run?" someone suggested quietly.


    "Run? How could we possibly escape? This time we boarded the thief¡¯s ship of Martial Saint, there¡¯s no chance of surviving," Jade faced Flying Dragon could only force a bitter smile.


    They witnessed with their own eyes how Martial Saint sucked Wu Qingxin dry under the moon. This demonic act of consuming humans,bined with Martial Saint¡¯s recount of past secrets, made them fully aware of their impending death.You see, they, martial artists who had practiced the Martial Saint Spiritual Technique, were just like the previous Wu Qingxin who would face Martial Saint¡¯s Qiao Zhong ¨C all fodder for Martial Saint!


    "A Immortal eats humans, but still retains some dignity, allowing the world to struggle and survive. Martial Saint, on the other hand¡­" They couldn¡¯t help but nce at Wu Qingxin¡¯s corpse lying in the forest.


    This ethereal and pure-hearted Immortal Gate saintess, now almost just a thinyer of skin covering her bones, looked terrifyingly dead. It sent shivers down the spines of these wanderers of the jianghu who were ustomed to seeing the dead.


    After facing Martial Saint head-on, the fear they felt towards Martial Saint surpassed even that towards the lofty Immortal.


    "Jade faced Flying Dragon, if that Martial Saint truly holds the world in his heart, then why would Qiao Zhong challenge him? Isn¡¯t that seeking death?"


    A one-armed martial artist asked.


    His arm was cut off by Martial Saint, and now he was losing blood and had a pale face as he sat on the ground.


    The only surviving martial artist at the moment, aside from Jade faced Flying Dragon, were two others.


    Among them, Jade faced Flying Dragon had the highest martial arts skills and the widest experience, so he instinctively asked at this moment.


    "Didn¡¯t you hear what Qiao Zhong said?" sighed Jade faced Flying Dragon.


    Whether it was Jade faced Flying Dragon or the other two surviving martial artists, reaching the fourth rank naturally meant they had considerable experience. They wouldn¡¯t believe everything Martial Saint said.


    Regardless of their intentions, based on his actions, Martial Saint was even more cruel than Immortals.


    Just after finishing his meal and wiping his mouth clean, he turned around and said that in fact, he had secretly plotted for forty years, preparing to save the world. Who would believe that?


    They didn¡¯t believe it, and naturally neither did Qiao Mu.


    Having doubts is a normal human trait.


    After all, shortly after Qiao Mu came into this world, a friend named Guo kindly told him the truth about conflicting feelings.


    "Qiao Zhong didn¡¯t debate the right or wrong of Martial Saint¡¯s principles because he knew that someone like Martial Saint could not be convinced by words alone. What he was questioning was Martial Saint¡¯s humanity."


    "That¡¯s why he said: A true noble person values righteousness more than life itself, and is willing to sacrifice their life for righteousness."


    The Martial Saint, whose hands were stained with blood and who frequently killed people, made it difficult for them to trust him.


    After all, based on the information known to Jade Faced Flying Dragon and Qiao Mu, it was never Martial Saint who made sacrifices.


    Of course.


    Martial Saint also didn¡¯t care whether Jade Faced Flying Dragon and others trusted him or not.


    At this moment, Qiao Mu finished adjusting himself and stepped towards Martial Saint who sat in the ruined temple as steady as a mountain.


    Jade Faced Flying Dragon and the others widened their eyes, keeping his figure in sight.


    Why should a grasshopper try to shake a tree? This elderly man, who is over sixty years old, cannot possibly be a match for the legendary martial arts master.


    They knew that after Martial Saint had finished with Qiao Mu, it would be their turn.


    Ever since Martial Saint revealed his identity, they knew they had no chance of survival. They hadn¡¯t met the same fate as Wu Qingxin yet, but that was only because Qiao Mu caught Martial Saint¡¯s attention.


    However, he was soon going to die.


    "Qiao Zhong, do you need a weapon?" a voice sounded from the woods. It was Star Xuan Envoy speaking.


    Star Xuan Envoy had been observing silently from the sidelines all along. This was the first time he spoke or got involved in the battle.


    "How about a long spear or a long sword?" Qiao Mu said.


    His weapon had already been twisted and deformed by Wu Qingxin¡¯s mes, rendering it unusable.


    A long spear came flying through the air, and Qiao Mu caught it with his outstretched hand.


    He took a deep breath, stomped his foot, and dashed forward like an arrow, his long spear shining like a cold star in the night.


    Ding.


    The tip of the long spear stayed on the fingertip of Martial Saint.


    In an instant, Martial Saint only extended a finger and blocked the attack.


    The full force stab of a 4th rank martial artist was unable to pierce the skin of Martial Saint¡¯s fingertip, leaving no trace.


    "Come again!"


    Qiao Mu held the long spear and thrust it forward.


    In the dark night, specks of cold stars flickered, and the aura swirling around the spear tip left a streak of light in the darkness.


    The weapon Qiao Mu initially used was a long spear, and the only one that reached the "great aplishment" was the Military Spear Skill he used at the beginning.


    This kind battle skill, is to repeatedly practice a simple stab attack, until it is mastered.


    However, no matter how Qiao Mu attacks, Martial Saint just sits on that divine seat without moving, not even changing his posture.


    The only thing moving is his right index finger.


    No matter how his long spear moves in his hand, from which angle he attacks, Martial Saint¡¯s index finger always appears before his spear tip.


    "You¡¯ve trained this Military Spear Skill quite well, were you once a soldier in the Great Yan army? Hah."


    Martial Saint was once a high-ranking military officer who led troops into battle, but in the midst of the fight, he leisurely recalled his past:


    "In the first half of my life, I had smooth sailing in martial arts. At the age of twenty, I became the top martial arts schr. By the age of thirty, I achieved spiritual refining. At forty, I was already a first-ranked martial artist and a first-ranked general in the court,manding numerous elite soldiers."


    "In the first half of my life, I made great strides in martial arts and had a smooth career in the government. I mingled with high-ranking officials and top martial artists. When I returned victorious from expeditions, themon people cheered along the way, and the emperor bestowed honors upon me."


    "At the age of forty-five, the Inhuman War broke out, and only then did I realize that all the beauty of my earlier life was like a fleeting illusion, and that civilization and gentleness have always been just a pretense."


    The Martial Saint once again tapped on the tip of Qiao Mu¡¯s spear.


    Ding.


    With a crisp tremor, the spear tip shattered and disintegrated, breaking the spear into two pieces.


    "I only realized at the age of forty-five that the biggest truth in this world is survival of the fittest. The so-called civilization is just a disguise."


    He lightly moved his index finger, causing all the sword light illusions that had just emerged in the temple to disappear, once again blocking the swift sword light.


    "You want to know why it¡¯s always others who sacrifice and why it¡¯s not me, the Martial Saint, who dies, right?"


    The Martial Saint¡¯s gaze gradually turned cold.


    "Because they are weak."


    He bent his index finger and gently flicked it on the sword de.


    Buzz.


    With a loud trembling noise, Qiao Mu flew backwards, blood flowing from his torn mouth.


    "The essence of the world is the survival of the fittest," he said slowly.


    By this time, both the long sword and spear that Qiao Mu had were shattered, leaving him with only his fists.


    Yet he didn¡¯t retreat, and his charge became even more fierce.


    "Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method£¡Ripple Stacking Wave Strength£¬Double Wave£¡"


    With both fists striking, his body filled with boiling energy, he lunged towards the seated Martial Saint on the temple.


    At this moment, the Martial Saint even retracted his index finger, sitting still and allowing Qiao Mu¡¯s thunderous fists tond on his chest.


    Bang. Bang.


    In a soft sound, Qiao Mu¡¯s body trembled slightly, and his clenched fists made a clear cracking sound.


    "Being weak is a sin," Martial Saint sighed lightly.


    "And I, who survived till the end, am even stronger than them all."


    Finally, he extended one hand.


    After this hand stretched out, it quickly swelled and grewrger.


    Boom, boom.


    The small dpidated temple hadpletely copsed. Under the moonlight, Martial Saint once again used his index finger and thumb to pinch Qiao Mu¡¯s face, lifting him up high.


    This scene was exactly the same as before, except that between Martial Saint¡¯s two fingers, a different person had appeared.


    Jade-faced Flying Dragon and the others who were watching from afar were immediately tensed in their hearts.


    Qiao Mu, who was held between the two fingers of Martial Saint, was bleeding heavily and his bones were shattered, but he still tried to smile:


    "Martial Saint, can you defeat an immortal after just eating me alone?"


    "If you want to call it ¡®eating¡¯, go ahead," Martial Saint replied casually.


    "Of course, it¡¯s not enough."


    Judging by Martial Saint¡¯s actions, if he could defeat cultivators, then he would be able to defeat all the immortals in the world.


    As he said this, his gaze swept over Jade Faced Flying Dragon and others in the distance, causing them to tremble unconsciously.


    "You are a bit weak, not even worthy of being absorbed by me," he said with slight disappointment.


    "Hahaha¡­" Qiao Mu, who was squeezed between the fingers, burst into a loudughter.


    "Martial Saint, do you know who I am? I am from the Qiao¡¯s family!"


    "¡­boring." Martial Saint furrowed his brows slightly.


    "Before willingly sacrificing yourself, but then regretting it before death? Using your family background to pressure me?"


    "Take a guess, how many great ns have been destroyed by me? How many Qiao families?"


    "My Qiao family is naturally unique." Qiao Mu said loudly without blushing or panting.


    "Martial Saint, I, Qiao Zhong, am only the weakest in the Qiao¡¯s family. I¡¯m already in my sixties and haven¡¯t even started spiritual refinement, it¡¯s truly shameful."


    "However, above me, there are still many elders and experts in the Qiao family, hidden and retired."


    Martial Saint was slightly surprised, what was this person talking about before his death? nning to betray his own family?


    Only hearing Qiao Mu continue loudly:


    "Martial Saint, you have taken countless lives, all for the sake of your own martial arts."


    "My family motto, which is ¡®Not seeking survival at the expense of benevolence, willing to sacrifice oneself to achieve benevolence.¡¯"


    "In that case, you as the Martial Saint and my family from the Qiao¡¯s family are a perfect match, aren¡¯t we?" The elderly man in his 60s, held between the fingers of the Martial Saint, burst intoughter at this moment.


    "What¡¯s the meaning of eating those weaklings who are even inferior to me?"


    "Martial Saint!" His smiling face suddenly disappeared, and he shouted loudly.


    "Let me ask you, if you were to devour every bit of flesh and blood from my Qiao¡¯s family, will you be able to y an immortal?"


    Under the cover of the night, Jade faced Flying Dragon and the others listened to the terrifying conversation between the elderly Qiao family member and the Martial Saint, feeling shaken and almost copsing to the ground.

 Chapter 95:

    Chapter 95:


    "Let me ask you, if you were to devour every bit of flesh and blood from my Qiao¡¯s family, will you be able to y an immortal?"


    This statement was deafening, causing Jade faced Flying Dragon and the others who were observing to feel suffocated and have difficulty breathing.


    A brave eater.


    A brave one who let him eat.


    The conversation between Qiao Zhong and Martial Saintpletely exceeded the understanding ability of these wanderers.


    "What does this Qiao Zhong want to do? Betray the family?" Those two martial artists looked at Jade faced Flying Dragon beside them.


    "This¡­" Jade faced Flying Dragon¡¯s mind also stalled for a moment.


    If Qiao Mu suddenly spoke, willing to sacrifice himself who was already destined to die, in order to save them, his temporary teammates, they could still somewhat understand.


    After all, although these kinds of characters were extremely rare and mostly lived in the stories told by storytellers, they were notpletely nonexistent.However, sacrificing one¡¯s own family to save these few strangers they had just met?


    This obviously doesn¡¯t make sense.


    "Qiao Zhong must have had another purpose, perhaps there really exists a powerful Qiao family. He challenged Martial Saint in the name of Qiao¡¯s family." Jade faced Flying Dragon could only think of this exnation.


    "Challenging Martial Saint to a life-and-death battle in the name of Qiao¡¯s family, using the blood and flesh of Qiao¡¯s family to fill Martial Saint¡¯s voracious mouth."


    As for what Qiao Mu said, there are still many powerful hidden n elders in his family¡­


    The more Jade faced Flying Dragon thought about it, the less likely it seemed. He considered it as mere words to appease Martial Saint, exaggerating the situation.


    After all, Qiao Zhong is not young anymore, he ims to be in his sixties.


    Even if there are stronger elders in his family, how many could there be?


    The lifespan of an ordinary martial artist is not much longer than that of a normal person.


    The 85-year-old Martial Saint can¡¯t be counted, of course.


    Someone like Qiao Zhong, a martial artist who is still energetic at sixty years old, is already a rare and exceptional practitioner with high aplishments in internal cultivation.


    The leader of Qiao Family in Heyang City was originally destroyed. He practiced Qiao Family Long Life Fist, which is said to be extremely powerful. Despite being 80 years old, his vitality and blood remained strong.


    A hundred years ago, Qiao Family in Heyang City produced a martial arts master who was a hundred years old and had strong vitality. He was already a well-known figure in the world, and even the Great Yan Emperor at the time heard of this matter and specially invited him to the pce to teach him the secret of longevity.


    So, how many elders and experts in the Qiao family that Qiao Zhong mentioned could be older and stronger than him at the age of sixty?


    Martial Saint understood this better than people like Jade-faced Flying Dragon.


    Therefore, in response to Qiao Mu¡¯s words, he just lightly pulled the corners of his mouth, revealing a smile that made people like Jade-faced Flying Dragon shudder.


    "What Qiao family? If such arge n really existed in this world, I would have destroyed them long ago."


    "However, your fighting spirit is not bad."


    He loosened his fingers.


    Qiao Mu, who had already been squeezed into unconsciousness, fell to the ground.


    "Since you have already decided to die, then I will let you continue to live in hardship and let the Qiao family behind you seek revenge, challenge me, it doesn¡¯t matter how manye."


    The Martial Saint thought that Qiao Zhong was just talking tough before he died and didn¡¯t take it too seriously.


    "You are the same." The Martial Saint turned his head and looked emotionlessly at Jade-faced Flying Dragon and the others in the distance:


    "You can continue to fear and hate me."


    "Remember today¡¯s weakness and powerlessness as a weakling, then continue to live in hardship and survive."


    "Remember, every dog has its day." He spoke with great emphasis:


    "Go be stronger, train in martial arts, and one day stand in front of me again, challenge me like Qiao Zhong did, try to kill me, or die by my hands."


    The Martial Saint stood tall and looked down on Jade-faced Flying Dragon and the others, who were almost copsed on the ground:


    "Killing me is your only chance at survival."


    "Not kill us? No, it¡¯s not that he won¡¯t kill us, but rather that it¡¯s not yet the right time, right? In the eyes of the Martial Saint, we, the fruits¡­are not yet ripe." Jade faced Flying Dragon had a distressed expression.


    He deeply looked at the Martial Saint and Qiao Mu, who had fallen to the ground with serious injuries, as if wanting to deeply imprint these two people in his mind.


    Then, supporting the other two who were also seriously injured, he turned and left.


    Only one of them, a fifth-ranked martial artist with a severed arm, didn¡¯t move.


    His arm had been severed by the Martial Saint with a single blow earlier.


    "Why are you standing there? Hurry up and leave!" Jade faced Flying Dragon frowned, urging him.


    "The Martial Saint is unpredictable. If you don¡¯t leave now, he might change his mindter."


    "Leave? Where to? I¡¯ve also practiced the ¡®Martial Saint Spiritual Technique.¡¯ In this vast world, where would there still be a ce for us to stay?"


    The martial artist with the severed arm could only give a bitter smile.


    "After today¡¯s escape, for the rest of my life, I will live in fear, feeling anxious and helpless every day."


    This made Jade faced Flying Dragon fall silent for a moment.


    Wu Qingxin is stronger than all of them, and her talent is much stronger. She reached the 4th rank many years ago, andter she switched to cultivate the path of immortality and was honored as a Saintess by the Immortal Gate Xuantian Sect.


    Including Wu Qingxin and the three thousand disciples, even the previous generation¡¯s strongest martial artists, they are all the nourishment to achieve the rank of Martial Saint.


    No matter how hard they practice, how far can they progress?


    The martial artist with the severed arm clenched his teeth, his hair bristling, and stared at the Martial Saint:


    "I would rather die here than be one with a cannibalistic demon like you, be your prey-"


    He swung his long sword with his remaining left arm, aiming to sh his own neck.


    However, this sh didn¡¯te down.


    As a gentle breeze swept by, the one-armed fighter¡¯s eyes shrank, and his body was suddenly covered by arge shadow.


    The Martial Saint appeared behind him.


    "Did I allow you to die?" The Martial Saint lightly pinched the knife in the one-armed fighter¡¯s hand with two fingers, and the long de shattered loudly.


    "As weaklings, your lives are no longer in your hands."


    "Suicide? What use is there in wasting life like that? You¡¯d best let me take care of you."


    He lightly sped the one-armed fighter¡¯s head with two fingers, as if squeezing fragile porcin.


    "What kind of Martial Saint are you? Clearly, you are a demonic creature that feeds on humans!" The one-armed fighter, held in the Martial Saint¡¯s hand, shouted angrily.


    "If I am a demonic creature, then what is an immortal?" The Martial Saintughed uproariously in the darkness of the night, hisughter echoing far into the forest.


    In the next second, just like Wu Qingxin before, the one-armed fighter¡¯s body quickly withered, falling from the sky like leaves.


    "His character is decent, but his strength is a bit weak."


    He turned around.


    Jade faced Flying Dragon and another remaining martial artist barely disyed their light skills, flying away into the distance.


    "Master, should we just let them leave like this?" Star Xuan Envoy, who had been silent all along, asked.


    "If they leave, this matter will likely soon spread throughout the world."


    "Then let it spread throughout the world." Martial Saint casually said.


    "During the forty-year Inhuman War, starting from when I established the Wuji Association to spread top-tier techniques, the number of martial artists ranked below 4th rank has far exceeded any previous generation in the martial arts world¡­ but no martial artist has emerged who can challenge a cultivator. If things continue like this, they will ultimately be ves to inhumans."


    He walked onto the grass, holding the severely injured sixty-year-old Qiao Mu in his hands, as a powerful aura surged into the frail body, seemingly healing him.


    After a long while, Qiao Mu slowly woke up.


    "Why not kill me ¡­ to use me as bait, to attract Qiao¡¯s family?" he said.


    "If you kill me, Qiao¡¯s family can still be able to find you¡­"


    "Shut up," the Martial Saint said coldly.


    "Whether you want to die or not, it¡¯s up to you."


    "But whether you can die now is up to me, it has nothing to do with you."


    The Martial Saint lowered his head and looked at the withered and decaying body of Wu Qingxin next to him.


    "You¡¯re still a bit weak, not good enough."


    "Qiao Zhong, even though you¡¯re old, if you have such determination and spirit, you must still have potential, it¡¯s not time for you to die yet."


    "Since you have the will to die, why not use your body to do something for me?"


    "You wanted the Spiritual Refining Technique, right? If this happens, I will give you the best martial arts."


    Qiao Mu£º¡­.


    Just a moment ago, we were fighting each other to the death, and now you want me to do something for you?


    "Oh, don¡¯t rush to refuse. Listen first, with your determination, you probably won¡¯t refuse."


    Martial Saint held Qiao Mu between his two fingers and gazed calmly at a towering mountain range in the distance.


    That is a famous scenic spot in Nan Province, called Qingming Mountain Range.


    The main peak of the Qingming Mountain Range is Qingming Peak, soaring into the clouds. On top of it, there is a renowned Taoist temple bustling with worshippers called Qingyun Temple.


    "You dying in my hands right now would be too insignificant." Martial Saint said nonchntly.


    "If you were to assassinate the current Great Yan Emperor and confront the inhumane Xuantian Sect, wouldn¡¯t that be even better?"


    When ites to cultivators, a hint of darkness appeared in Martial Saint¡¯s deep ck eyes.


    "Let me see how brave you are. When faced with a true cultivator in the clouds, how much of your courage will remain?"


    Qiao Mu doubted the humanity of Martial Saint, and Martial Saint felt the same.


    A determined and powerful martial artist cannot be convinced with words.


    "If this matter seeds and you manage to survive, I will give you the most advanced martial arts techniques. I look forward to seeing you again many yearster."


    "If you die, the powerful elders from your family that you spoke of will seek revenge. I will handle them all."


    Martial Saint didn¡¯t ask if Qiao Mu was willing or not.


    The principles of martial artists aren¡¯t spoken but shown through fists.


    Since his principles are stronger, it¡¯s only natural for him to make the decision.


    He tightly pinched his fingers together, and after finishing speaking, immediately knocked him out.


    "Devouring Qiao¡¯s family, filling my appetite? Haha," the Martial Saint simplyughed.


    It doesn¡¯t matter what Qiao Mu thinks.


    It doesn¡¯t matter if there is a Qiao family behind him.


    Of course, if there is a powerful Qiao family that can also impress the Martial Saint, saying those words just now, then the Martial Saint would seriously consider.


    In the end, the sixty-year-old man named Qiao Zhong standing in front of the Martial Saint is not strong enough.


    The Martial Saint looked at him with respect, listened to him speak a few more words, but it was because of the determination and fighting spirit that the old man disyed, not his strength.


    "Qiao¡¯s family¡­ Which Qiao family is this?" Martial Saint asked the Star Xuan Envoy behind him.


    Qiao is just amon surname, and the Martial Saint has wiped out more than one Qiao family.


    "¡­.Qiao Zhong¡¯s identity is unknown. But when ites to the Qiao family in Nan Province, there should be two." said Star Xuan Envoy.


    "The first one is the Heyang City¡¯s Qiao Family, which has already been exterminated, practicing the Long Life Fist¡­. But they have been wiped out."


    Speaking of this, Star Xuan Envoy nced at Martial Saint.


    "It¡¯s not the Heyang City¡¯s Qiao Family." Martial Saint said calmly.


    "I only left a strange little girl from the Heyang City¡¯s Qiao Family¡­ Could there still be other n members? It has nothing to do with this matter, please continue."


    Although Qiao Zhong disyed the Qiao family¡¯s Long Life Fist and Stacking Wave Strength, the Long Life Fist Sutra had already been taken away by Martial Saint and circted within the Wuji Association to a small extent, making it difficult to trace Qiao Zhong¡¯s origin.


    "The second one is a few well-known individuals with the surname Qiao recently causing quite a stir in Yan City and Heyang City¡­"


    Star Xuan Envoy mentioned this with a slight toothache.


    The former Yan City City Lord, Guo Yan, was actually killed by Qiao Sen, which was also due to his misjudgment of the intelligence.


    But unexpectedly, the Qiao family, who was originally judged as "non-existent" by the Star Xuan Envoy, gradually became famous and even appeared in front of the Martial Saint, speaking those awe-inspiring words.


    "It sounds like there might be something to look forward to, let me eagerly await the revenge of the Qiao family," the Martial Saint said, signaling with his eyes to the Star Xuan Envoy.


    The Star Xuan Envoy, wrapped in his robe, stepped forward and lifted Qiao Mu¡¯s body, quickly disappearing into the night.


    However, the Martial Saint didn¡¯t leave immediately, but stood at the edge of the dpidated temple, looking up at the moon.


    Not long after, another figure gracefully arrived.


    It was a middle-aged man with a blood-stained robe, a determined expression on his face. He had a long gash across his waist, almost cutting him in half, but very little blood flowed from it.


    What was even more astonishing was that the flesh around this narrow wound was slowly wriggling, gradually healing itself.


    "Since you¡¯vee here, you must be the one who led the Xuantian Sect away?" the Martial Saint asked.


    The blood-stained middle-aged man didn¡¯t immediately respond, but instead cast a nce at the withered corpse of Wu Qingxin, furrowing his brows slightly.


    "Martial Saint¡­" he said in a deep voice.


    "If one day I die, it will not be for you."


    "Oh? Wu Qizheng," Martial Saint smiled lightly.


    "You can try to kill me¡­ but your heart is not set on that."


    Wu Qizheng has the samest name as Martial Saint, and he was also one of the three thousand martial arts geniuses of the past.


    Among these three thousand disciples, Wu Qingxin is special.


    She left the nurturing grounds of the three thousand disciples early and joined the Immortal Gate.


    Wu Qizheng, on the other hand, was different.


    The three thousand disciples of the past were martial arts geniuses that Martial Saint spent forty years searching for throughout the world.


    Each one is extraordinary, exceptionally talented, and has received guidance from the strongest warrior in the martial arts world, Martial Saint. They practice the best martial arts techniques.


    Among the three thousand disciples of that year, the number of those still alive today is actually less than a hundred.


    Wu Qizheng is one of the three thousand disciples who survived through this brutal selection process.


    He is still able to stand by Martial Saint¡¯s side to this day, not because he is strong enough.


    It¡¯s because even if one¡¯s martial arts skill is exceptionally strong, it¡¯s still difficult topare with Martial Saint.


    He is alive because he is useful.


    "Wu Qingxin¡¯s weakness lies in her state of mind, but you, Wu Qizheng¡­" Martial Saint said casually:


    "In today¡¯s world, being ¡®righteous¡¯ can be a fatal weakness."

 Chapter 96:

    Chapter 96:


    Heyang City.


    In the morning, sunlight lit up the sky, and a new day began.


    People walked back and forth on the street, asionally stopping to chat. It was a calm and bustling scene, just like any other day.


    Justing out of the familiar clinic, Jade faced Flying Dragon felt like he was in a different world when he saw this scene again.


    Yesterday morning, they received a summons from Wuji Association¡¯s Star Xuan Envoy to participate in the hunt for Saintess Wu Qingxin.


    One day and one night passed.


    Out of the eleven people who participated in the hunt, only Jade faced Flying Dragon and a 5th rank martial artist survived.


    What they saw and heard during this day and night was beyond their understanding of the martial arts world.


    In the first half of the night, Wu Qingxin was very dangerous. With the Etching Bone Li Fire Talisman in her hand, she almost burned everyone to ashes. They were nearly destroyed.Butpared to the Martial Saint who had been lurking in front of them all along, Wu Qingxin¡¯s threat was like night and day.


    After hiding for forty years, the Martial Saint finally appeared. And Qiao Zhong, remarkably, even discussed the topic of cannibalism with the Martial Saint¡­


    ¡°Martial Saint¡­¡± Jade faced Flying Dragon, his eyes somewhat lifeless, chanted:


    ¡°Is this the strongest martial artist? Is this the pinnacle of martial arts?¡±


    Thinking about this, Jade faced Flying Dragon instinctively nced towards the direction of Xuantian Temple in the north of the city.


    The surrounding streets of the temple had been mostly repaired. The traces of the fight when Qiao Pifu died had almostpletely disappeared, and the number of pilgrims passing by was simr to before.


    He withdrew his gaze, feeling only a sense of confusion in his heart.


    Immortal cultivation? Martial arts?


    Is there a path that someone can walk on here?


    ¡°Jade faced Flying Dragon, what do you n to do next?¡± asked the 5th rank martial artist.


    ¡°Are youprehending the Spiritual Refining Technique given by Star Xuan Envoy? Martial Saint doesn¡¯t value the weak. If we practice a bit slower, we should be able to live a little longer.¡±


    When they left the Vige of the Saintess, the Star Xuan Envoy of the Wuji Association also handed them two ordinary manuals for cultivating their spiritual abilities before leaving. It was a reward for their mission of hunting the Saintess.


    ¡°Saintess Wu Qingxin is dead, and we finally obtained the long-awaited spiritual refining manual. We should be happy¡­ but¡­¡±


    Thinking about what happenedst night, they didn¡¯t feel any joy, only deep fear.


    ¡°We can¡¯t act like nothing happened¡­¡± Jade faced Flying Dragon put the spiritual refining manual in his arms.


    Of course, he wouldn¡¯t give up on the technique, but before that, he had one more thing to do.


    ¡°I will go find someone from the Tide Listening Building,¡± Jade faced Flying Dragon suddenly said.


    Among the 11 people gathered by Star Xuan Envoy this time, Jade faced Flying Dragon is the most knowledgeable and experienced.


    The reason for this is actually because he had previous contact with Tide Listening Building and learned many secrets from them.


    He said, ¡°Tide Listening Building is the most well-informed force in the martial arts world. With their abilities, they might be able to handle this heavy news about Martial Saint and spread it out in the shortest time.¡±


    ¡°And, Qiao Zhong cannot die in vain¡­ It seems like his life and death are still uncertain, but if he falls into the hands of Martial Saint, his fate is sealed.¡± Jade faced Flying Dragon remembered the encounter with the old man in his sixties and felt quite shaken.


    If Martial Saint dares to eat, he dares to make people eat, even making him eat a few more members of the Qiao family.


    He could only say he was greatly shocked.


    ¡°If Tide Listening Building can spread the news, Qiao family should alsoe to know¡­ Although we don¡¯t know which Qiao family this Qiao Zhong belongs to¡­¡±


    After hearing the news, what kind of decision will Qiao family make? Will they go to rescue Qiao Zhong, or as Qiao Zhong said, sacrifice themselves as blood rtives of Qiao¡¯s family to fill Martial Saint¡¯s insatiable appetite?


    Jade faced Flying Dragon naturally doesn¡¯t know the answer to this question, he can only do his best.


    The martial artist of the 5th rank thought for a moment and then said,


    ¡°So, I will also try to spread the news of the Martial Saint through official channels. After all, I am just a minor official in Heyang City as a 5th rank martial artist¡­¡±


    ¡°Maybe in a few years, we will be defeated by the Martial Saint, but until then, I will not let the Martial Saint have an easy time.¡±


    They quickly said goodbye and went their separate ways.


    After Jade faced Flying Dragon left, he immediately went to a familiar teahouse in the west of the city. He spoke a secret code to the owner and requested a private room.


    Not long after, a storyteller dressed in a green robe with a sword entered.


    ¡°Is this the famous Jade Faced Flying Dragon in Heyang City? I¡¯ve heard that he is a skilled fighter of the 4th rank,¡± Jiang Chen entered the room with a smile on his face.


    He reluctantly joined the Tide Listening Building.


    But thanks to joining the Tide Listening Building, he had the opportunity to encounter a skilled fighter of the 4th rank, which he would not have had ess to based on his own strength and status.


    Tide Listening Building is famous for its strong intelligence abilities, and this is thanks to the informants spread throughout Jiu Province¡­ Many of the strange events and stories are actually provided by wandering adventurers like Jade-faced Flying Dragon.


    ¡°Is it a ¡®true story¡¯ or a ¡®strange tale¡¯?¡± Jiang Chen asked with a smile.


    If it¡¯s a true story, Tide Listening Building would ask the informants for more information to confirm its authenticity.


    If it¡¯s a strange tale, it¡¯s not necessary. The truth doesn¡¯t matter, as long as it¡¯s entertaining and grabs people¡¯s attention.


    ¡°It¡¯s a true story,¡± Jade-faced Flying Dragon sighed.


    ¡°But this true story is probably even more extraordinary than any strange tale.¡±


    ¡°You mustn¡¯t be afraid when you hear what I¡¯m about to say¡­¡±


    ¡°The notorious Martial Saint has appeared once again, and he¡¯s actually a man-eating demon¡­ He even killed the strongest martial artists from the previous generation¡¯s Hero List top ten¡­¡±


    ¡­.


    ¡°True story? Are you serious? Are you being silly or am I being silly?¡±


    ¡°Mr. iraudience¡± looked at Jiang Chen in disbelief.


    ¡°Mr. iraudience¡± is the code name of a member of the Tide Listening Building, just like the famous ¡°All-known Man¡± in the past.


    And he, Mr. iraudience, was actually the storyteller who pretended to be a fake catcher and forcibly brought Jiang Chen into the Tide Listening Building yesterday.


    ¡°Although I, Mr. iraudience, belong to the ¡®unusual news¡¯ faction in the Tide Listening Building, I prefer to talk about the top ten scandalous stories in the martial world¡­ But this Martial Saint matter, it¡¯s tens or hundreds of times more sensational than those scandalous stories!¡±


    He suddenly became enthusiastic.


    In his actions, he didn¡¯t really care about what was true or false, he valued the element of ¡°oddness.¡±


    But this Martial Saint matter indeed seemed absurd to him.


    ¡°I¡¯ve decided on this matter, I will go to the teahouseter,¡± Mr. iraudience said slowly.


    Although he made a decision, there was still something that puzzled him.


    ¡°If this is true, considering the way Martial Saint acts, how could he let both Jade faced Flying Dragon return to Heyang City alive?¡±


    ¡°What is he thinking? Is he intentionally spreading this matter through these two people?¡±


    ¡°Although he has been dormant for forty years, why did Martial Saint choose to reveal the truth of the previous generation of martial arts at this time?¡±


    With a squinted gaze, iraudience looked into the distance at Xuantian Temple in the north of the city, lost in thought.

 Chapter 97:

    Chapter 97:


    "Have you heard?"


    At the entrance of the teahouse, iraudience tapped the shoulder of a familiar customer:


    "There have been wild rumors about Martial Sainttely, saying that he has finally appeared¡ª-"


    "Yes, it is said that the top ten martial arts experts from the previous era all died at his hands," sighed the familiar customer.


    "I really didn¡¯t expect this¡­ So it wasn¡¯t the inhuman who killed the top ten experts, but it was the Martial Saint¡­"


    "The martial arts world of the previous era actually came to an end at the hands of the Martial Saint¡¯s family. No wonder many major sects like Shaolin and Wudang were destroyed. The top ten experts of that time didn¡¯t appear at all, turns out they had already died¡­"


    After conversing with the regr customer, iraudience moved on to the next familiar customer.


    "Have you heard? About the Martial Saint, they say he¡¯s a¡­"


    "A demon who eats people." The familiar customer turned his head and, without waiting for iraudience to finish speaking, eagerly continued the conversation himself."Just a few days ago, that Martial Saint fought a wild battle outside the city with the Immortal Gate Saintess Wu Qingxin. They fought passionately under the moonlight, and in the end, he mercilessly drained the holy maiden¡­ Can you believe that Martial Saint is such a beast? He did such a thing to his own disciple whom he had raised for so many years,pletely devouring them."


    iraudience:?


    "Wait, where did you hear about this?" iraudience gasped in shock.


    "Tide Listening Building, oh, do you know about Tide Listening Building? It¡¯s the most mysterious force in the martial arts world. Even Shaolin and Wudang were destroyed, but they couldn¡¯t defeat Tide Listening Building¡­"


    "Let me tell you, that Tide Listening Building actually loves spreading gossip like this. For example, there¡¯s someone who ims to have this special ability called iraudience¡­"


    "Ahem¡­ Even if it¡¯s the Tide Listening Building, we still need to provide evidence when discussing matters," iraudience said calmly, without blushing or gasping, and continued:


    "What you¡¯re saying is too unbelievable."


    "What¡¯s so unbelievable? Actually, I was there at the scene, and I even fully documented this incident," said the familiar customer, looking around and then mysteriously taking out a small notebook from their pocket and handing it to iraudience.


    iraudience, confused, took it and casually flipped through a page.


    "The Martial Saint looked down on the Immortal Gate saintess, with the same cold, arrogant, and wild expression as always. There was no warmth in his tone, like an eternal icy mountain: Woman, you¡¯re ying with fire."


    "If you dare to leave my side, not even the Immortal Gate can protect you."


    "Qingxin, your weakness is that your state of mind is not clear enough. Let me take a look at how much progress your state of mind has made¡­"


    "¡­."


    iraudience closed the book silently and had a slightly vacant expression.


    The book peddler, with a smiling face, pointed their finger in front of the listener.


    "One piece of silver coin."


    Ah, encountered a book peddler.


    These people are quite swift in their actions. It has only been a few days since Martial Saint appeared, and they have already arranged erotic stories.


    The book peddler, seeing iraudience remained silent, thought it wasn¡¯t to their taste. So, they took out another small book.


    "Don¡¯t like it? I have even more exciting ones."


    "This is a martial arts secret manual that even Martial Saint praised! Just two pieces of silver."


    iraudience stared at the book peddler holding the book titled "Asshole Pointing Hand" and fell into deep thought.


    Not long after.


    He held a stack of books in his hands and walked outside, only to run into Jiang Chen¡¯s strange gaze.


    "That book peddler is quite talented, with quick movements. Perhaps he possesses the qualifications of a storyteller from the Fantastic Faction," iraudience exined forcefully.


    "I want to thoroughly examine his writing skills. If they pass, maybe we can recruit him to join our Tide Listening Building."


    ¡­ Jiang Chen had nothing to say. He was just a neer recruited by iraudience. Whatever the seniors said, he would go along with it.


    "Putting aside this small matter¡­" iraudience stuffed the books into his bag and continued:


    "The matter of Martial Saint has already be well-known."


    "Originally, I thought of stirring up the waves and spreading the news a bit more. But now it seems unnecessary for us to get involved. This matter itself is already a colossal tsunami, why add fuel to the fire?" iraudience sighed.


    If this event was not shocking enough and didn¡¯t spread widely, how could there be book sellers rushing to produce and sell popr books?


    "By the way, Jiang Chen, weren¡¯t you interested in the story of Qiao¡¯s family? In this major event where the Martial Saint appeared, a member of Qiao¡¯s family also made an appearance."


    "Qiao Pifu died at the hands of Saintess Wu Qingxin, who burned him alive at the entrance of Xuantian Temple."


    "And right after that, the elder Qiao Zhong from the family participated in the hunt for the saintess organized by the Wuji Association¡­ Little did they expect that this matter would involve the Martial Saint, and even Qiao Zhong fell into the hands of the Martial Saint."


    "That Qiao Zhong.. is quite an extraordinary person," Jiang Chen said, feeling somewhat touched.


    He is a storyteller from the Tide Listening Building who had direct contact with the legendary Jade-faced Flying Dragon, so the impression was particrly deep.


    "If what Qiao Zhong said is true, that there are more and stronger members of the Qiao¡¯s family in this world, then that would be great."


    Jiang Chen let out a sigh.


    The strongest figures in the martial arts world turned out to be people like the Martial Saint, truly shocking the storytellers from the Tide Listening Building.


    While they were talking, there was suddenly amotion in front of the market.


    Vaguely, you could see that two travelers were arguing, and they were getting angry and started fighting right there in the street.


    Jiang Chen and iraudience leaned in to listen, and they found out that this disturbance was actually rted to the Martial Saint incident.


    These two travelers were originally drinking and chatting at a nearby restaurant, but they got into an argument because they were discussing the Martial Saint.


    "Martial Saint is thest hope for martial artists like us!" the swordsman drank his wine, his face turning red, and he angrily eximed at that moment:


    "Although inhumans and us humanse from the same origins, have they ever treated us humans as equals?"


    "In their eyes, we are mere mortals, ordinary people¡­ Martial Saint is the strongest in the world of martial arts. If there¡¯s anyone who can stand against immortals, it¡¯s him. He is the strongest, and his hope is the greatest!"


    "What a load of nonsense!" the swordsman also drank wine and spoke in a very refined and friendly manner. "Can the Martial Saint really represent anything? Can he represent us humans? Can he represent martial artists?"


    "You crooked fool! If the Martial Saint eats you tomorrow, would you also make a contribution to the world of martial arts?"


    The swordsman suddenly choked and his eyes widened.


    "What does it have to do with me? The Martial Saint consumes high-level martial artist, while I am only at the 8th rank¡­"


    "So it turns out you¡¯re just talking without considering the consequences." The swordsman also got drunk, his steps were a bit unsteady.


    "Thirty years ago, the Martial Saint consumed the top ten experts in the world. In the past twenty or thirty years, the Martial Saint consumed three thousand disciples. So what about now? What about in the future?"


    "If he has nowhere else to go, do you think he would devour you?"


    "You¡¯re making something out of nothing¡­ and this is a world where the strong dominate the weak." The swordsman¡¯s face turned dark, he drew his sword and began fighting with the swordsman.


    The surrounding audience formed several circles and cheered loudly.


    The Martial Saint is a top martial artist who has been in seclusion for forty years, distant from ordinary people and merely a legend of the rivers andkes several decades ago.


    The people of Great Yan have short lifespans, and when ites to events decades ago, it may have been a generation or two away.


    So even though it is said that Martial Saint feeds on martial artists, this knife cannot harm ordinary people at the moment.


    "Fight, fight fiercely! I want to see rivers of blood!"


    In the crowd, several Xuantian Temple monks watched this scene and found it amusing.


    "We don¡¯t need to intervene. These ordinary martial artists can bash their own brains out."


    "Perhaps Martial Saint didn¡¯t expect that even after his secret was exposed, there would still be martial artists who saw him as thest hope of humankind¡­"


    "Hehe¡­ That¡¯s why these mortals are so interesting."


    After watching for a while, the monks saw soldiers arriving, and even Governor Lou himself came. With an angry face, they arrested the two intoxicated martial artists.


    "Let¡¯s go back to the temple."


    "Luckily, we have already joined Xuantian Temple. We have be part of the Immortal Gate and are no longer ordinary martial artists." These low-ranking martial artists smiled and discussed.


    "The Martial Saint¡¯s matter is actually not a small matter. If we report it to our senior brothers on the mountain, will it be considered an achievement? Can we receive the teachings of the profound sect from our senior brothers?"


    These men were joking and returned to the Taoist temple.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    Deep in the Qingming Mountain range is the Xuantian Sect sect.


    "Disciple Chiyang, I respectfully greet the elders."


    Taoist Chiyang bowed to the elders in the main hall of the sect¡¯s temple.


    Taoist Chiyang served as an official in the Xuantian Sect, responsible for guarding the mortal city¡¯s Taoist temple. As a result, he also had the lowest position in the Xuantian Temple in Heyang City.


    The incense and offerings at the lowest position in the Taoist temple are equivalent to the wages of an official in the Immortal Gate.


    As an official, he naturally possessed the strength that was enough to suppress ordinary martial artists in the eyes of the elders of the Immortal Gate.


    "Chiyang, you didn¡¯t even manage to capture that Martial Saint?" Elder Sun frowned.


    "We expelled Saintess Wu Qingxin in order to pacify Emperor Yonghe¡¯s heart and prevent trouble, but it actually attracted the Martial Saint."


    "The Martial Saint has been a hidden rat in the gutter for forty years, but today, because of a character named Wu Qingxin, he showed up?"


    In the beginning, they appointed Wu Qingxin as the Saintess, but their true intention was to use her as a bait and lure out the Martial Saint.


    As a result, the Martial Saint hid for forty years, and just when the Xuantian Sect cultivators thought they had misjudged Wu Qingxin¡¯s value, the Martial Saint made his move.


    "This person is deceitful, and now that they have appeared, they must have some ulterior motive."


    "It¡¯s a pity that the path of immortality is the right way. This Martial Saint has fallen into the demonic path, strayed off the right path, and in the end, it will all be in vain," Elder Sun said lightly.


    "Without Wu Qingxin, we have an even bigger bait."


    "Emperor Yonghe."


    "If he dares toe to Qingming Mountain, the Martial Saint, then let¡¯s just get rid of him andpletely eliminate any future trouble."


    For Xuantian Sect, Emperor Yonghe¡¯s visit to the immortal beings in seven or eight days is much more important than a mere Martial Saint.

 Chapter 98:

    Chapter 98:


    Opening his eyes, he saw a unfamiliar ceiling.


    Qiao Mu looked around and saw that it was a simple and ordinary house.


    "Did the people from Wuji Association bring me to this unfamiliar ce?"


    Qiao Mu instinctively touched his face, feeling a slight shock in his heart.


    "The skill of changing flesh, the disguise technique of the Flesh Changing Skill, right?" A stranger, a middle-aged man, suddenly appeared at the door, smiling as he looked at him.


    "¡­.." Qiao Mu fell silent for a moment.


    Guo Yan, Qiao Mu¡¯s "good friend", gave him a book called "Flesh Changing Skill". From the moment he arrived in Heyang City, he disguised himself using the makeup techniques described in the book, pretending to be "Qiao Pifu" and "Qiao Zhong" at different times.


    "Flesh Changing Skill" is a special technique that is not strictly a martial arts secret manual.


    The first half of the book that Qiao Mu received teaches various skills such as makeup, disguise, and bone shrinking, showing people how to change their appearance.The second half of the book teaches how to directly control one¡¯s own flesh and blood by using the power of a martial artist, allowing them to change their appearance and adjust their body.


    In other words, the true "Flesh Changing Skill" can only be used by martial artists who have reached the 3rd rank of Spirit Refining, as it is a miraculous technique with a high level of difficulty.


    Qiao Mu has be skilled in using the "Flesh Changing Skill", which means he has mastered the art of makeup and can use it wlessly in his daily life, making it difficult for others to recognize him.


    But things are different now.


    While Qiao Mu was unconscious, his disguise on his face was removed.


    It seems that this "Flesh Changing Skill" was actually created by the Martial Saint.


    Can his makeup skills deceive others, and even deceive Martial Saint?


    But it doesn¡¯t matter.


    Even Qiao Mu¡¯s true appearance is already sixty years old.


    And "Qiao Pifu" is already dead, without being exposed, what is he afraid of?


    "Who are you again?" Qiao Mu didn¡¯t deny it, and asked directly.


    "My name¡­ Wu Qizheng." Wu Qizheng looked at Qiao Mu with a strange look in his eyes.


    But this name immediately made Qiao Mu alert.


    Wu Qizheng seemed to understand what Qiao Mu was thinking and exined with a smile:


    "That¡¯s right, I am also one of the three thousand disciples of Martial Saint."


    "The number of the three thousand disciples from the past who are still alive today is only a hundred."


    "As for me, Wu Qizheng, I can actually be considered as the seventieth among the ¡®seventy two wise men¡¯ under the Martial Saint."


    Three thousand disciples£¬seventy two wise men¡­.


    "This Martial Saint really thinks highly of himself, huh?" Qiao Mu shook his head secretly.


    He was deeply wary of both the Martial Saint and Wu Qizheng.


    However, Wu Qizheng ignored Qiao Mu¡¯s hostility and continued to exin himself.


    "The so-called ¡®seventy two wise men¡¯ who are still alive today are not only powerful in martial arts cultivation, because no matter how strong their martial arts cultivation is, it is still difficult topare to the Martial Saint."


    "Each of the so-called seventy two wise men possesses at least one talent or unique skill, and they can even be said to surpass the Martial Saint in a certain aspect."


    "This is the key to why we are able to survive until now."


    Are there seventy-two wise men who surpass the Martial Saint in a certain aspect?


    Qiao Mu squinted his eyes. He had personally experienced the power of the Martial Saint, and this was definitely the strongest person he had ever seen in his life.


    So this Wu Qizheng, who seemed ordinary and friendly, must be someone of significance.


    Wu Qingxin is special among the three thousand disciples. What makes her special is that she escaped the cultivation field of the three thousand disciples and didn¡¯t participate in this bloody trial.


    Although Wu Qizheng is not ranked high among the seventy-two wise men, since he is still alive now, he should be far superior to Wu Qingxin.


    Qiao Mu got up from the bed, stretched a bit, and suddenly realized a problem.


    "The injuries on my body are already almost healed?"


    Qiao Mu has a lot of experience with injuries and the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method.


    Before this, he experienced the burning of the Etching Bones Li Fire, challenged the Martial Saint, and used the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method multiple times. His entire meridian system had torn injuries, and both of his fists were fractured.


    Such injuries could actually heal so quickly, which is simply more outrageous than that cunning Wang Songhe.


    "Your injuries are indeed a bit tricky," Wu Qizheng smiled.


    "If treated with ordinary medical skills, it would probably take several months to half a year lying in bed."


    "But even though you are not young, you have already reached the 4th rank and your Qi and blood are not declining, you are not an ordinary person¡­ and I am the same, so naturally we can use some more radical medical methods."


    "Your talent surpasses that of a Martial Saint, could it be in the field of medicine?" Qiao Mu asked tentatively.


    He was trying to find out more information about the Martial Saint.


    "Medicine?" Wu Qizheng smiled, neither confirming nor denying.


    "Qiao Zhong, I have already heard about what you have done, daring to challenge the Martial Saint and saying such words, it is indeed quite bold."


    "The Martial Saint doesn¡¯t kill you because he believes that even though you are old, you can still make further progress and should be able to step onto the path of Spiritual Refining Method."


    "Not just you, but also the Jade faced Flying Dragon and another martial artist of the 5th rank."


    Speaking of this, Wu Qizheng paused, his expression looking a bitplicated:


    "In the past, the Martial Saint only targeted Spirit Refining martial artists of the 3rd rank. Someone like you is actually considered a martial arts prodigy. Unless necessary, he wouldn¡¯t bother with you."


    "After all, the key to the ¡®Martial Saint Spiritual Technique¡¯ is not just absorbing internal strength, that¡¯s just a side effect. The real key is absorbing the ¡®spirit¡¯ of Spirit Refining martial artists."


    "Spirit?" Qiao Mu was puzzled.


    But deep down, he felt something was not right.


    His conversation with Wu Qizheng went too smoothly. He didn¡¯t even need to use any tricks, yet this person willingly revealed important information?


    "Absorbing the ¡®spirit¡¯ of martial artists? Are you saying that this Martial Saint Spiritual Technique can also take in a person¡¯s personality, memories, and soul?" Qiao Mu continued probing.


    At these words, Wu Qizheng gave him a strange nce.


    "What are you talking about? The ¡®Martial Saint Spiritual Technique¡¯ is just a martial arts technique, it¡¯s not that mysterious. Can it really absorb people¡¯s souls?"


    Isn¡¯t it already mysterious enough? After facing the Martial Saint, Qiao Mu realized a very obvious fact: this Martial Saint ispletely different from other martial artists in the martial arts world, they¡¯re not even in the same style.


    Without considering their strength, justparing the modern martial arts created by the Martial Saint, they arepletely different from the ancient martial arts of the past.


    While Qiao Mu was training the Iron Crotch Skill in Yan City, the Martial Saint was training things like the ¡®Martial Saint Spiritual Technique¡¯ and the ¡®Flesh Changing Skill¡¯.


    "The Martial Saint is an extraordinary figure. Perhaps only under immense pressure and inhuman circumstances can such a genius like him be born. And much of his strength is attributed to the ¡®Martial Saint Spiritual Technique¡¯," sighed Wu Qizheng.


    "Thanks to this secret technique, the Martial Saint¡¯s achievements in the Spiritual Refining Method have reached an unprecedented level."


    "People in the martial arts world only know that the Martial Saint is extremely powerful and unbeatable, but they have no idea of the extent of his true strength."


    "The world doesn¡¯t know, the people in the martial arts world don¡¯t know, and even the Nine Immortal Gates have no idea how strong he is now."


    "Even the Immortal Gate doesn¡¯t know how strong the Martial Saint is?" Qiao Mu doubted the exaggeration in the words of this Martial Saint¡¯s disciple.


    Judging from Martial Saint¡¯s style, it is certain that he cannot defeat cultivators. Otherwise, he would not continue hiding, but would immediately wipe out the cultivators.


    "Cultivators have always looked down on ordinary martial artists and have never considered them as real opponents," Wu Qizheng sneered.


    "But they don¡¯t know how much the secr martial arts have progressed under the Immortal Gate¡¯s pressure on Jiu Province for the past forty years¡­ Or even if they know, they don¡¯t care."


    "After all, cultivators have long lifespans. For the great cultivators among them, forty years is just a few times of seclusion."


    "But it¡¯s different for us martial artists."


    "For Martial Saint, these forty years are like half a lifetime."


    Forty years ago during the Inhuman War, Martial Saint was forty-five years old and already ranked first among martial artists, eleventh in the world. At that time, he didn¡¯t yet have the Martial Saint Spiritual Technique.


    Now, forty yearster, things have naturally changed greatly.


    "Since Martial Saint established the Wuji Association, he has broken into many renowned sects, collected the top secret manuals from all over the world, and founded the Wuji Association. This allows martial artists from all over to obtain excellent techniques from the Wuji Association at a low cost."


    "Qiao Zhong, have you also received top martial arts directly or indirectly from the Wuji Association? I¡¯m sure you understand this."


    "In the past forty years, the number of martial artists practicing superior martial arts in the world is more than ten times that of the previous martial artsmunity."


    "And the number of fourth rank martial artists is actually much higher than in any previous era."


    "However, Martial Saints don¡¯t need fourth rank martial artists, they need Spirit Refining martial artists, or even those who can Use Martial Arts to Defeat Immortals, to change the current order where cultivators are superior to martial artists."


    Qiao Mu calmly walked towards the door and casually asked, "Since this Martial Saint is so powerful as you say, why haven¡¯t I heard about him killing many cultivators from the Nine Immortal Gates?"


    "Because in today¡¯s martial arts world, there is only one Martial Saint."


    "Although Martial Saint is strong, he knows that he is no match for the Xuantian Sect sect leader."


    "Martial Saint, though powerful, knows that he is far from being a match for the Xuantian Sect sect leader."


    "And the cultivators of Xuantian Sect have long lifespans, and the umtion of their long years is astonishing. There is more than just the sect leader who is strong."


    Is the sect leader of Xuantian Sect the imagined enemy of the Martial Saint¡­ Qiao Mu was a bit surprised.


    "So, is this the reason why the Martial Saint continues to hide and stay low?" he asked.


    "If the people from Immortal Gate were to know the true strength of the Martial Saint, they might fear ordinary martial artists and try to exterminate many martial artists, including the Martial Saint, to prevent future troubles."


    While speaking, Qiao Mu calmly walked to the front gate.


    From the courtyard, all he could see were a cluster of low, messy houses, and there was a faint smell of urine and feces in the air.


    The more Qiao Mu looked at the surrounding scenery, the more familiar it became to him¡­


    "Is this the residential area in the outer city of Yan City?" Qiao Mu paused for a moment, finally recognizing it.

 Chapter 99:

    Chapter 99:


    Yan City, the Lord¡¯s Residence.


    "Big brother, there¡¯s been a bigmotion in Heyang City recently¡­"


    "Don¡¯t call me big brother, call me the Lord. Even though this is the Lord¡¯s Residence, we must be more cautious in our actions, don¡¯t be careless¡­"


    In the study of the Lord¡¯s Residence, Wang Songhe was rebuking his subordinate mountain bandit Zhang Kui, who had suddenly barged in.


    Ever since Qiao Sen stabbed City Lord Guo Yan in the street, Wang Songhe also obtained the "Flesh Changing Skill".


    He deeply felt that as a mountain bandit, he could at most protect a small vige hidden among the mountains. With arge group of people, they wouldn¡¯t be able to deceive the government of Great Yan.


    So he used the "Flesh Changing Skill" to change his appearance and entered Yan City.


    The former City Lord Guo Yan was both scheming and powerful. During his rule, he held all the power, and the other officials and powerful figures in Yan City were far inferior to him.


    After Guo Yan and his son were killed by Qiao Mu, Wang Songhe expended some effort to subdue the various smaller forces within Yan City and assumed the position of City Lord under a false identity.Wang Songhe used to be a high-ranking official in the imperial court. His skills and strength were far superior to the ordinary forces in Yan City. It was quite easy for him to handle Yan City, so there was no suspense left.


    Zhang Kui agreed with what he heard and nodded.


    "Sure, big brother. You should read the news about Yan City first before we talk. This is news from the Tide Listening Building¡­ Although it¡¯s almost spread everywhere."


    Wang Songhe quickly nced over the news and his gaze froze instantly.


    The Martial Saint¡­ Can it still bring news about him?


    "What is he paying attention to? And Heyang City is also a ce of troubles."


    Wang Songhe let out a sigh.


    In the past, he gave Qiao Mu a rmendation letter and nned to rmend Qiao Sen, who had suffered a great injury, to be a small constable in Heyang City, so that he could temper his overly sharp edge.


    After ten or eight years, when Qiao Sen¡¯s injuries recoveredpletely, perhaps he could be a strong assistant for Wang Songhe¡­


    But soon after, news spread that the former head catcher of Heyang City, "Qiao Pifu," was killed and burned by the Immortal Gate Saintess.


    Although he didn¡¯t know the false name "Qiao Pifu," based on the style of his actions, it was not much different from that of Qiao Sen.


    "If I had known he would be so bold, why did I rmend him to be a catcher? Instead, it ended up costing his life¡­"


    Wang Songhe let out a small sigh.


    At that moment, a servant knocked on the door and entered the study.


    "Master Wang, there is a guest surnamed Wu who ims to be an old friend of yours, passing by Yan City and wishing to pay a visit."


    "Old friend?"


    Wang Songhe furrowed his brows.


    His current identity was a false name, "Wang He." He randomly took on this name after entering Yan City, so how could he have any old friends?


    "¡­.Then please invite him in," Wang Songhe pondered.


    It may seem like trouble ising, but we¡¯ll handle it when ites. If there¡¯s anything fishy, we¡¯ll deal with it when we meet. What¡¯s there to be afraid of?


    After a short while.


    Wang Songhe stared at the Martial Saint sitting in the study, dumbfounded.


    "Wang Shanhe, don¡¯t you know how to serve tea to old acquaintances?" Martial Saint said calmly.


    "Tea is for guests. We have different paths and cannot work together," Wang Songhe also realized and his face turned sour.


    Wang Songhe, originally named Wang Shanhe, was once a high-ranking official in the court and served as the Minister of Justice.


    Both were skilled in different fields, with Wang Songhe being slightly younger in age, but they could still be considered as contemporaries.


    Of course.


    When Wang Songhe was the Minister of Punishments, he was just a pure civil official without any martial arts or cultivation skills. Therefore, his position and fame in court were far inferior to the Martial Saint, who was already the leader of the military officials at that time.


    However, many of the civil officials and military generals from that generation forty years ago have died, and very few have survived till now. Moreover, most of them are already very old.


    The Martial Saint, who was unrivaled in martial arts, and Wang Songhe, who started cultivating after the age of forty, can be considered as two exceptional survivors.


    These two people can also be regarded as remnants of the officials from the previous era.


    "If the paths are different, we cannot work together¡­ Wang Shanhe, you devoted yourself to the cultivation path, only to be a small-town lord from a 2nd rank official. Where does your path lie?" Martial Saint asked calmly.


    "Among the inhumans, there is the belief in fate. Wang Shanhe, you are cultivating the path of immortality, serving as a worldly official, and even having thoughts of secretly forming a rebel army¡­ Will this grant you eternal life?"


    "What use do I have for eternal life? I only study magic and not immortality. If the path of immortality is stronger, then I will cultivate it; if the martial path is stronger, then I will practice martial arts¡­ Sadly, this martial path¡­" Wang Songhe looked at the Martial Saint before him with aplex expression.


    The person he knew was the ambitious 1st rank military official forty years ago, not the eighty-five-year-old Martial Saint who devoured people¡¯s lives to enhance his own.


    "You have your path, and I have mine," Martial Saint said.


    "My martial arts, is to use extreme strength, to y all inhumans and bring eternal peace to the world."


    "Martial Saint, do you still need to talk about this sense of righteousness in front of me?" Wang Songhe¡¯s face showed little emotion, he was calm.


    "The first-ranked general from forty years ago said these words, he said that you hold the world in your heart, and I believe him."


    "But now, with hands stained with blood and having ughtered half of the martial arts world, how can you make me believe?"


    Over the years, Wang Songhe had also heard about the infamous deedsmitted by the Martial Saint, so he didn¡¯t harbor much fear or respect for the Martial Saint in front of him.


    "There are no saints in this world at all. Talking about righteousness all the time but ultimately being a coward who cherishes life and fears death, how rare is that?" He stood up and shouted:


    "No matter how much righteousness is spoken, once blood is shed, human nature will decline."


    "Martial Saint, how much humanity do you have left?"


    "Whether you believe it or not, it has nothing to do with me." The Martial Saint casually touched his ear, paying no attention.


    Wang Songhe was speechless for a moment.


    "I hope to see the day when you sacrifice for the martial arts, rather than having others sacrifice for your sake," said Wang Songhe coldly.


    "But I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t live to see it. Even if I cultivate the path of immortality and have a longer lifespan than an ordinary person, I may not be able to wait for that day."


    "If I die, the martial arts will cease to exist, and there will be no one to resist the path of immortality. So I cannot die," said Martial Saint.


    Wang Songhe fell silent for a moment.


    Martial Saint is the strongest in martial arts, surpassing anyone else, so ording to his "survival of the fittest" philosophy, he is more important than any other martial artist in the world.


    If he were to die, it would only be after all the other martial artists have perished, and Martial Saint would be thest one to sacrifice himself.


    "No matter how you put it, it¡¯s all up to you," said Wang Songhe, shaking his head.


    "Before all the martial artists of the martial world are gone, no one can know whether you are a selfish person who demands the price of the entire martial world for your own achievements, or a sacrificial person who truly wants to make sacrifices."


    "Not bad," Martial Saint nodded too. He wouldn¡¯t prove his innocence, nor did he care about it.


    After speaking, he stood up directly and walked towards the door.


    "Wang Shanhe,e with me to meet someone," Martial Saint said.


    "Hmm?" Wang Songhe was slightly surprised.


    "Do you really think I came all this way to catch up with you? Don¡¯t think too highly of yourself," Martial Saint said lightly.


    "There¡¯s a person who has used the Flesh Changing Skill to change his appearance. He is also surnamed Qiao¡­ and you have had contact with Qiao¡¯s family more than once, right?"

 Chapter 100:

    Chapter 100:


    Yan City, in the outer residential area.


    Qiao Mu walked out of the door, looked around, and gazed at the familiar scenery of the past.


    In the outer area of the old Yan City, there were many empty houses.


    This time, the Wuji Association clearly found a vacant house in the outer area to temporarily stay in.


    Wu Qizheng didn¡¯t stop him from leaving, instead, he stood there with interest, holding his chin and observing Qiao Mu¡¯s every move.


    At the entrance of the courtyard, after looking around, faint footsteps could be heard in the distance. A passerby living in the outer area wasing over.


    Walking in the alley was a middle-aged man who looked like an old farmer. He had a big smile on his face, showing his yellow teeth, while chatting with people passing by.


    It seemed like the middle-aged man noticed Qiao Mu¡¯s gaze, so he turned around and looked at him, slightly surprised.


    "Old Huang£¿"Qiao Mu didn¡¯t expect to bump into an old acquaintance as soon as he arrived in Yan City. In a hurry, he turned his head and walked back into the courtyard.


    Qiao Mu¡¯s "Flesh Changing Skill" was currently only at the stage of makeup and disguise.


    Because he was knocked out by Martial Saint, his disguise was exposed, so the current Qiao Mu appeared with his original face.


    The current Qiao Mu is actually 60 years old.


    But because Long Life Fist has already achieved a certain level, Qiao Mu¡¯s vitality has not declined until now, and he looks younger than the ordinary sixty-year-old men from the Great Yan Imperial Court.


    It¡¯s just because of the disguise, Qiao Mu intentionally makes himself look like a sixty-year-old man in his daily life.


    Wu Qizheng observed Qiao Mu¡¯s reactions with a thoughtful expression.


    "As you can see, we are in Yan City." He exined the details of the n to assassinate the Emperor.


    "To the west of Yan City lies the Qingming Mountain range. So, for now, we will rest in Yan City."


    "The best opportunity to assassinate Emperor Yonghe is when he is on his way to Qingyun Temple¡­"


    "However, unfortunately, our Wuji Association still doesn¡¯t know the exact whereabouts of Emperor Yonghe."


    The Star Xuan Envoy from the Wuji Association used toe to Yan City to find Emperor Yonghe¡¯s trace and also met Guo Yan.


    However, it was clear that the information of the Star Xuan Envoy had a small deviation.


    Although Emperor Yonghe had already arrived in Nan Province, he was not in Yan City at that time but in Heyang City.


    Qiao Mu was shocked when Wu Qizheng briefly told him about the assassination of the emperor.


    As the emperor of Great Yan, Emperor Yonghe¡¯s every move was not just his own business.


    If he were to bow to the Xuantian Sect¡¯s immortals, even in the identity of an ordinary pilgrim instead of the Great Yan Emperor, it would definitely have serious consequences.


    "No wonder the Wuji Association has a n to assassinate the emperor¡­" Qiao Mu sighed softly.


    And for Qiao Mu, there was no psychological burden to assassinate this emperor who was known for his ipetence.


    Therefore, this operation was indeed in line with the interests of the Martial Saint.


    Not to mention, Martial Saint also offered Qiao Mu an irresistible condition: The best martial arts secret techniques.


    Wu Qizheng continued, "The time for the Great Yan Emperor to visit Qingyun Temple is the first day of next month, which is about seven or eight days from now."


    "If we fail to find the trace of the Great Yan Emperor and assassinate him before the first day, the hope of sess will be very slim once it reaches the first day."


    If not necessary, Wuji Association also doesn¡¯t want to directly ascend Qingyun Temple of Xuantian Sect, as that means directly confronting Xuantian Sect head-on.


    Not only is it highly likely to fail in assassinating the emperor, but there is also a possibility of beingpletely wiped out by Xuantian Sect.


    After finishing speaking, Wu Qizheng said solemnly,


    "Qiao Zhong, assassinating the emperor is an extremely dangerous action, even for Martial Saint, it can be equally dangerous, and you may have to face the cultivators of Xuantian Sect."


    "Martial Saint involving you in this matter is actually to train you as a future martial arts seed¡­ or martial arts resource."


    "If you die, it¡¯s your own fault for being weak."


    "If you can survive, then you will have passed his test. He will give you the best martial arts secret techniques¡­"


    "So, try hard to stay alive."


    Qiao Mu had been listening attentively, but when he heard this, he became a little confused.


    When Martial Saint mentioned it before, he hadn¡¯t grasped its meaning, but now he saw a spark of hope.


    His mission, unexpectedly, was to stay alive?


    Does that sound too difficult?


    Can he just die? Would that count?


    For Qiao Mu, it would be much easier to die than to live.


    "If I want the top-secret techniques in Martial Saint¡¯s hands, I must restrain my reckless desires and do my best to preserve my own life during the mission to assassinate the emperor¡­"


    "This is too difficult, I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t control it."


    Qiao Mu was amazed.


    However, when he carefully thought about it, he was already sixty years old now, although his energy and blood remained strong due to the Half Long Life Fist.


    But if a few more years passed, he might face the dilemma of physical aging and declining energy and blood.


    So he really needed the second half of the "Long Life Fist Sutra" in the hands of the Wuji Association, preferably getting it immediately.


    "Before obtaining theplete ¡®Long Life Fist Sutra,¡¯ I definitely shouldn¡¯t take reckless risks. I should cherish my life¡­ at least for now."


    "I¡¯ll take risks once I have it in my hands."


    Qiao Mu thought this in his mind.


    While deep in thought.


    Outside the door, footsteps were heard again, and the unexpected person who entered was someone Qiao Mu didn¡¯t expect.


    One of them was Martial Saint, and the other person was disguised as Wang Songhe.


    As soon as Wang Songhe entered the door, his gaze immediately fell on Qiao Mu¡¯s face.


    "Qiao Sen?" he unconsciously blurted out, feeling shocked and overwhelmed.


    Not long ago, he heard the news of "Qiao Pifu¡¯s" death, and he was burned to ashes by Saintess Wu Qingxin in front of everyone¡¯s eyes. How could he appear in Yan City again?


    Among the former Qiao¡¯s family, from Qiao Mu to Qiao Pifu, they all died in front of everyone¡¯s eyes.


    The only survivor was Qiao Sen, who sessfully assassinated Guo Yan back then.


    He nced at Wu Qizheng standing beside him and suddenly realized.


    If this wise person took action, perhaps there was a way to treat Qiao Mu¡¯s meridian injury, without having to suffer for ten or eight years.


    He thought to himself: After Qiao Sen left my hideout, did he mix with the people from Wuji Association? Did he end up turning his misfortune into fortune and healing his injuries?


    Is that already deceased "Qiao Pifu" from Heyang City¡­ another Qiao family member?


    "Oh¡­ It¡¯s nothing. I made a mistake. The Qiao Sen I know is actually younger than you." Wang Songhe quickly understood.


    No matter if the person in front of him is Qiao Zhong or Qiao Sen, he shouldn¡¯t have revealed it.


    Because the Martial Saint next to him is not a good person, it is not a good thing for Qiao Zhong to be standing with the Martial Saint.


    But all of his words and actions were being observed closely by the nearby Martial Saint.

 Chapter 101:

    Chapter 101:


    Martial Saint noticed Wang Songhe¡¯s subtle emotional changes but didn¡¯t pay much attention.


    "Wang Shanhe, why hide? It¡¯s just a fake name, isn¡¯t it? You¡¯re using a fake name and identity too, right? Or should I call you Wang Songhe now? Wang He?" Martial Saint casually remarked.


    After hearing these words, Qiao Mu suddenly realized that the disguised stranger before him was the same Wang Songhe he had met years ago.


    A hero breaks thew with martial arts.


    For wandering heroes, disguising themselves and using different names is actually verymon.


    Wang Songhe, a bandit wanted by the government, was known to have killed "Qiao Sen," the City Lord of Yan City, right on the street.


    However, Qiao Mu¡¯s disguises and change of identity were fundamentally different from others.


    His previous identities, like "Qiao Mu," "Qiao Lin," and "Qiao Pifu," were all seen dying in the public eye, unable to be resurrected even by gods. This was witnessed by countless people, with even the remains of his body as evidence, so it was impossible for him to y the fake death and escape tricks.


    So, the w in Qiao Mu¡¯s disguise was not "Qiao Mu" "Qiao Lin," but rather the "Qiao Sen" who survived in Yan City at the time.And the main reason he was exposed was because his disguise was removed after being knocked out by Martial Saint.


    "Qiao Zhong, is your real name Qiao Sen? So, the Qiao¡¯s family in Yan City and the Qiao PifuQiao Zhong appearing in Heyang City are indeed from the same family?"


    The Martial Saint actually doesn¡¯t care about what Qiao Zhong¡¯s real name is. It¡¯s just that after the incident in Saintess Vige, he became curious about the "Qiao¡¯s family" mentioned by Qiao Mu.


    After learning that Qiao Zhong¡¯s hidden identity was Qiao Sen, he became somewhat interested.


    "Is that it? The secret hidden behind Qiao Zhong¡¯s face is just killing a mere Yan City Lord?"


    Killed a Yan City Lord and then changed appearance and disguise to escape to another ce?


    In Martial Saint¡¯s eyes, such a crime is nothing worth mentioning.


    Martial Saint immediately lost interest.


    "Just a Yan City Lord, easily disposable¡­ After killing a Yan City Lord, you want to change your appearance and secretly escape? I can¡¯t believe I believed your previous lies, thinking you had the support of countless elders from the Qiao family."


    The current Yan City Lord, Wang Songhe¡­


    "Qizheng, you take Qiao Zhong¡­ Qiao Sen and go ahead." The Martial Saint waved his hand a bit impatiently.


    "Let¡¯s go to Qingming Town first."


    Is this it?


    He used to think that Qiao Mu¡¯s disguise was hiding a big secret, but now it seems it¡¯s nothing more than that.


    "Qingming Town?" Wang Songhe was slightly taken aback, sensing that something was not right.


    He also knew about Qingming Town, located at the foot of the main peak of Qingming Mountain range.


    The so-called Qingming Town was originally just a simple vige.


    As the powerful Great Yan Imperial Court appeared, more and more pilgrims came to climb and worship on the mountain.


    Over time, the small vige at the foot of the mountain grew bigger and became a town.


    Officially, it was still a town under the jurisdiction of the Great Yan Imperial Court, but in terms of poption, it was almost the same as Yan City.


    What¡¯s more important is that deep in the Qingming Mountain range lies the headquarters of the Xuantian Sect.


    Why did the Martial Saint bring Qiao Sen to the foot of the Qingming Mountain? What¡¯s his n?


    While Wang Songhe was pondering, Qiao Mu and the others had already walked far away.


    "Wang Shanhe," the Martial Saint reached out and casually threw a cultivator¡¯s storage bag,nding it in Wang Songhe¡¯s hands.


    The storage bag looked like an ordinary cloth bag, but it contained space that only immortal cultivators could create for storing and keeping items.


    Wang Songhe was a bit confused. He carefully examined the contents of the storage bag and his expression slightly changed.


    "The Xuantian Sect cultivator¡¯s Foundation Building method, the ¡®Xuantian Treasure Scripture¡¯?"


    "Not only the Foundation Building method, but also other symbols, treasures, and artifacts of other immortal cultivators? " Wang Songhe held the storage bag in his hand and felt it was a bit hot.


    "Martial Saint, what do you mean by this?"


    "We have different paths and cannot collude with each other." Martial Saint¡¯s face remained calm.


    "The things of immortal cultivators are useless to me, so it¡¯s better to give them to you, making the most of them."


    "In these years, I have not killed many immortal cultivators, but I can gather some immortal cultivation heritage. These things are much stronger than the half-hearted cultivation method you practice."


    Wang Songhe trembled slightly. As a solitary practitioner who didn¡¯t join the Immortal Gate, he understood the weight of the gift that Martial Saint had given him with just a few casual words.


    Little did he know how many martial artists are willing to serve under the Xuantian Sect¡¯s various temples, just to one day be taught the true mystical teachings of the Immortal Gate and achieve evesting life.


    Before Wang Songhe began his cultivation journey, he was once a second-rank official with high power and authority. However, even the Great Yan Imperial Court was defeated. Therefore, his status as a second-rank civil official was insignificant in front of the Immortal Gate.


    So, he tried to obtain some ordinary Taoist teachings from a small sect.


    He has been cultivating for over thirty years, although he has some achievements in the Dao of Immortality, his practicalbat skills arecking, and he alsocks corresponding spells.


    The proud symbol of the low-level cultivators of Xuantian Sect, the Etching Bone Li Fire Talisman, is a powerful weapon to deal with martial artists. It is natural that someone like Wang Songhe, who startedte, would not know about it.


    "Inhuman is said to have the aura of a mortal dynasty." The Martial Saint remained calm without any ripples on his face.


    "It is said that human emperors possess their own aura, so they cannot achieve immortality. Even if they cultivate the Dao, it would be like fishing the moon from the water¡­ Even if you seed in your cultivation, you won¡¯t live for too long, unable to achieve immortality."


    "Consider this piece as a tribute to your future grave."


    After saying that, the Martial Saint turned and left.


    He never had high expectations for Wang Songhe¡¯s path, but it didn¡¯t stop him from casually giving something to this old friend.


    "The martial way is the only possible way to counter the Dao of Immortality. Wang Shanhe cultivates the Immortal Dao to control the inhumans¡­ This path requires an extremely long time, and it is unlikely to seed."


    "The progress in martial arts is faster than in the path of immortality¡­. If we think in the long term, time is on the side of us martial artists. It¡¯s just that martial arts isgging behind too much, so I also need more time."


    The Martial Saint ignored Wang Songhe, who had aplicated expression on his face, and walked away by himself.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    The Wuji Association had no good way to search for the Emperor¡¯s whereabouts, so they could only conduct a thorough search from Yan City to the Qingming Mountain range.


    The Xuantian Sect is located deep within the Qingming Mountain range, so the Wuji Association can only operate in secret, fearing to alert the enemy.


    Until Qiao Mu arrived at Qingming Town at the foot of the mountains, there was no decent information about the Emperor¡¯s whereabouts.


    The towering Qingming Peak reached into the clouds, and from the foot of the mountain, one could vaguely see a majestic Taoist temple standing on the high ground. And this town was located at the foot of the main peak, Qingming Peak.


    Walking in this town, along the street, most of the shops were small stores selling incense paper and candles.


    Qiao Mu found a roadside restaurant, sat down, ordered some food, and casually looked at the street scenery while sitting on a bench.


    The town seemed to have a lot of people, with a constant flow of pedestrians.


    Among them, there were many pilgrims who came from other ces. These pilgrims would often rest briefly in the town and buy incense and candles before climbing the mountain and leaving.


    "Actually, several decades ago, this was just a small vige with less than a hundred households," Wu Qizheng exined quietly.


    "But as the influence of the inhuman grew, Qingyun Temple became the most famous Taoist temple in the vicinity. More and more pilgrims came to Qingyun Temple, and even regarded the temple on the mountain as a holy ce of some kind."


    "Every day, many pilgrimse from far away just to climb the mountain, pay their respects to the gods, and burn incense¡­"


    Qiao Mu listened silently.


    In a past life, the location of Qingyun Temple might have been just a popr Taoist temple with a lot of incense, arger tourist attraction, and nothing more.


    But in this world, it wasn¡¯t that simple.


    "I¡¯ve walked around this town, but I haven¡¯t seen any farms or fields. There are mostly shops selling incense paper and candles," Qiao Mu whispered.


    The sound was heard by an old man with a limp on the side of the road. He looked over and said with a smile:


    "Hey there, are you guys from out of town? You might not understand this."


    "In this town, most of the people are merchants selling incense paper, candles, and food. Actually, only a few of them are farmers who have to do hard work."


    This old man with a limp had gray hair on the sides of his head and looked a little older than sixty-year-old Qiao Mu.


    Although the old man had signs of aging on his face, like age spots and wrinkles, his face was glowing and full of energy, which Qiao Mu rarely saw since he time-traveled.


    The average lifespan formoners in ancient dynasties was not long, even if some could live to old age, they often looked older due to hardbor.


    Despite being old, the old man with a limp seemed to have good spirit. If people didn¡¯t know, they would think he had just married eighteen young wives.


    "Hey, do you guys earn enough money just by doing business and renting houses to out-of-town tourists without doing any farm work? That¡¯s amazing," Qiao Mu said.


    In the previous tourist towns, there were many people who made a living this way, which was why he asked.


    "Hey, we¡¯re allmon people. Who¡¯s running the shops?" The old man with a limp smiled proudly, as if he wanted to show off in front of the tourists from out of town.


    "This is the foot of the Immortal Gate Temple, where the Xuantian Sect¡¯s immortals pity usmoners for our hardships. As long as we recite the scriptures and pray every day, and worship the gods on the mountain, we can live without worries and don¡¯t have to toil in the fields."


    "Of course, it¡¯s only for the local town residents," the old man said with a hint of pride.


    It¡¯s not easy to obtain the town residents¡¯ registration.


    The Great Yan Imperial Court has imposed heavy taxes and strict policies for the past few decades. Other towns have already collected taxes for almost twenty years. It¡¯s rare to have enough food to eat with the frequent famines.


    Under such circumstances, there is a town at the foot of Qingming Mountain where the residents can live without worries as long as they recite scriptures and worship the gods. It¡¯s like a paradise on earth¡­


    If it weren¡¯t for this ce being managed by the Immortal Gate Xuantian Sect and the difficulty of obtaining town resident registration, there would be a flood of refugees from all over Nan Province trying to enter this town.


    "The local town residents¡­" Qiao Mu pondered for a moment before suddenly speaking:


    "Old brother, judging from your ent, are you from Yan City?"


    "Hmm? You can hear it?" The limping old man was slightly surprised, and his face smiled even more.


    "We used to be people from Yan City, but we ran away because of the famine at that time."


    "We¡¯ve had a lot of hardships on our way to this town, and this old bones of mine almost didn¡¯t make it. Later, it was the Immortal Elder from Xuantian Sect who took pity on my old age and allowed me to enter this town."


    In the beginning, I was a famine refugee, old and weak, living from day to day.


    Now, I am a resident at the foot of Immortal Gate mountain, with no worries about food and clothing. Life has changed tremendously.


    It¡¯s not surprising that the limping old man is beaming with joy, full of spirit, and unintentionally showing off in front of Qiao Mu, the outsider.


    "It sounds like Immortal Gate has done a great thing. The Immortal Elders from Xuantian Sect are truly great people."


    "Actually, it¡¯s because of your kindness and the umtion of good deeds, my old brother. That¡¯s why you have this good fortune. When a person grows old, they can also have a great turn of fortune. As an outsider like me, I don¡¯t have the same blessings."


    Qiao Mu¡¯s words made the proud limping old man happy. He had originally nned to leave with his crutch, but now he felt enjoyable talking to him and stopped to chat for a few more sentences.


    The old man with a limp gradually opened up after hearing kind words.


    Qiao Mu first subtly asked if there have been any abnormalities in the towntely, like the whereabouts of Emperor Yonghe.


    After getting no information, Qiao Mu felt a bit disappointed and finally asked:


    "But there¡¯s one thing I don¡¯t understand, my friend."


    "You say these Xuantian Sect immortals are kind-hearted, allowing the townspeople to have no worries about food and clothing without working."


    "But in this world, money and food are always necessary."


    "Where do the townspeople get the money and food they need?"


    The old man with a limp was startled, thought for a while, but couldn¡¯t figure out the reason.


    "Could it be that the immortals of Xuantian Sect create something out of nothing?" asked Qiao Mu again.


    "Maybe the immortal elders are the ones who created them," the limping old man believed him.


    Anyway, in the eyes of ordinary people, the immortal elders are very powerful, they can create money and food out of thin air, which is very reasonable.


    ng, ng, ng.


    At this moment, the sound of melodious bells rang out in the town.


    A servant wearing Taoist robe came out from the small building, carrying arge bucket of rice porridge.


    "The immortals from Xuantian Sect are distributing porridge¡­ I won¡¯t talk nonsense with you anymore," the limping old man hurriedly walked with his crutch.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    ng, ng, ng.


    The sound of the town¡¯s bells spread far, prating the faint mountain mist, all the way to the halfway up the mountain where the Taoist temple was located.


    Emperor Yonghe stood on a hill not far from Qingyun Temple, looking down on the town below, feeling a bit sad.


    Where does the money and food for the leaders of Xuantian Secte from? Can he not know?


    "The Immortal Gate looks righteous, but all the me falls on the court, on me."


    "Working with Xuantian Sect this time is actually like getting firewood from the fire¡­ but I¡¯m not acting blindly without a backup n." Emperor Yonghe pressed something on his waist and felt a little relieved.


    "It all depends on the day we worship the gods."

 Chapter 102:

    Chapter 102:


    ng ng ng.


    In the melodious sound of the bell, the servant Taoists dressed in Taoist robes started serving porridge, fillingrge bowls of rice porridge for the people swarming around.


    This porridge served to the people of the town can¡¯t be anything fancy, rice porridge is just enough to fill their stomachs and prevent hunger.


    But in difficult times like these, Nan Province is known to experience famines whenever there are natural disasters. A bowl of in rice porridge, in arger sense, could be a life-saving meal that can make themon folk grateful and indebted.


    Moreover, the townsfolk only need to perform the simple task of climbing the mountain to burn incense and pay respects to the gods.


    Compared to hard farming, this kind of work is much easier.


    "Don¡¯t push, everyone will get a portion,e one by one¡­"


    The servant monk who was distributing porridge shouted, but his brows unconsciously furrowed, and he instinctively covered his nose and mouth.


    Those who came to receive the rice porridge were mostly the lowest-ranking townsfolk, who had no other means of livelihood.The living conditions of the lowest-ranking townsfolk were not particrly good. At this moment, it was noon, and with so many people gathered in a circle, the smell made the servant monk¡¯s stomach churn every time.


    These people stood in such arge circle, with the smell of sweat, body odor, and foot odor mixing together. It was quite an unpleasant smell.


    Nevertheless, no matter how disgusting it was, the servant monk could only bear with it andplete the task assigned by the temple.


    The old man with ame leg also pushed through the crowd with his crutch.


    But he was old, and his leg was a littleme, so even though he leaned on his crutch, he walked slowly.


    By the time he reached the ce where the rice gruel was being served, most of the big buckets of gruel had already been taken, and there were two or three circles of people around.


    "Rice gruel¡­ can the fairy officials give me some too?"


    The old man with ame leg shouted.


    But the crowd was crowded, and no one paid attention to this frail and weak old man.


    When the crowd gradually dispersed, there was only half a bowl of watery gruel in his hands.


    "This¡­ is a bit too little, isn¡¯t it? Fairy officials¡­" The old man thought for a moment and looked at the servant who was serving the gruel.


    "Still not satisfied?" The strong servant seemed a little impatient.


    The workers at Xuantian Sect are mostly strong people who practice martial arts or beginners on the path of immortality.


    These workers are actually martial artists with inner strength, so they were already a little impatient with doing such menial tasks like cooking porridge. When they saw the old man approaching, their faces also showed some displeasure.


    "Are you a resident of this town? Or are you an outsider who came here to freeload and drink porridge?" The strong worker furrowed his brow.


    "Do you have a household registration in this town?"


    "Yes, yes, yes." Mentioning household registration, the limping old man immediately straightened his back a bit, feeling quite proud.


    However, when he felt around in his pocket, his face stiffened for a moment, then turned into an embarrassed smile.


    "Immortal Elder, I am getting old and it seems like I forgot to bring my household registration¡­"


    "No, really, I am a resident of this town. Every day, I go up the mountain to burn incense and worship the gods¡­. I just forgot today."


    He smiled on the outside, but in his heart, he cursed himself for being so forgetful.


    "I shouldn¡¯t have talked to those two people from out of town. It was a waste of time, and I almost missed out on this bowl of rice porridge¡­" he sighed in his heart.


    "¡­.What are you saying if you don¡¯t have a residency?" the servant said with a disgusted face, snatching the half bowl of porridge from the limping old man¡¯s hand. This action startled the old man for a moment.


    "Senior brother, this doesn¡¯t seem right," another nearby servant tried to persuade.


    "This is the rule of the Immortal Gate, we can¡¯t break it," the servant said calmly.


    The limping old man¡¯s face turned pale and then blue, it was the first time he had encountered such a situation.


    He couldn¡¯t catch his breath, his face slightly flushed, and his legs felt a bit weak. He just sat down, right here on the side of the road.


    "How did you get into this mess?" the servant¡¯s face changed slightly.


    Immortal Gate values its reputation. As soon as this old man sat on the ground like this, many people around started to look at him.


    The servant was about to speak, but suddenly his face stiffened.


    A long rainbow fell from the sky and transformed into a middle-aged Taoist wearing a red robe.


    "It¡¯s Immortal Chiyang!"


    "Oh, Immortal Chiyang, who has a memorial tablet at Qingyun Temple, how did hee down to earth?"


    "The Xuantian Sect immortal with a memorial tablet, that¡¯s a true immortal¡­"


    The appearance of Taoist Chiyang immediately caused amotion around, with many people gazing at him.


    Although themon folk called the people from Xuantian Sect immortal masters or celestial beings, they also knew that martial artists like them, who were menial workers, were clearly not to be confused with Taoist Chiyang, who had a memorial tablet in the Taoist temple.


    Taoist Chiyang pointed at the ground, and an invisible force lifted the limping old man who was sitting on the ground.


    Taoist Chiyang turned around and reprimanded the strong servant disciple who had just acted, "I¡¯ve said it before, the provision of rice porridge involves the livelihood of themon folk. We must not be careless just because it¡¯s a small matter. It¡¯s just a bowl of rice porridge, right?"


    "Bring some more and give another bowl to each person."


    When Taoist Chiyang spoke, these servant Taoists naturally dared not go against his words.


    Before long, the servant Taoists carried another bucket of rice porridge, attracting a crowd around them.


    The old man with a limp also received a big bowl of rice porridge as he wished, happily walking away.


    At the same time, he repeatedly bowed and thanked Taoist Chiyang.


    "Immortal Chiyang has a kind heart, descended to earth just to give me, an old man, a bowl of porridge¡­"


    "With continuous famine, if it weren¡¯t for the immortal from Xuantian Sect, people wouldn¡¯t know how to survive in the world today."


    Amidst the people¡¯s continuous praises and expressions of gratitude, Chiyang simply responded with a smile. Then, once again, he rose into the sky, swiftly disappearing from the sight of the townsfolk.


    He stood in the clouds, looking down at the small town, his smile gradually fading and his brows furrowing.


    "The servants below don¡¯t know how to treat the people properly, they need a good beating."


    "The people who can be residents of this town are excellent followers. Each person can provide the power of incense devotion, so they should not be neglected."


    The practice of immortal cultivation requires many years.


    While cultivators have a long lifespan,pared to ordinary people and martial artists, there are also many cultivators who exhaust their life force and perish.


    Therefore, the "Incense Symbol of Divine Fire" that can elerate cultivation and the followers who can provide incense devotion be more precious.


    Although Taoist Chiyang¡¯s que is at the bottom, he understands the benefits of the Incense Symbol of Divine Fire very well.


    "Speaking of which, it is quite an increase in incense devotion for the sect to establish a town specifically for the residents." With this thought, Taoist Chiyang smiled.


    "Brother Chiyang, you seem to have a deep understanding of the path of incense devotion. Can you give some guidance to your junior brother?" Another Taoist named Qingyang, who was in the sky, asked.


    Taoist Qingyang is a newly appointed sect official, rankingst among the immortals in the Taoist temple.


    "This path of incense devotion actually emphasizes bnce," Taoist Chiyang exined with a smile:


    "This Great Yan Imperial Court is supposed to be chaotic, if it¡¯s not chaotic, it won¡¯t work. But if it¡¯s too chaotic, it won¡¯t work either."


    "In the mundane world, people suffer and feel lost and in pain that they cannot exin. That¡¯s why more and more people burn incense and worship gods to seekfort for their hearts, providing a continuous source of spiritual power."


    "If everyone is happy and content, how many people will still long to worship immortals?"


    Taoist Qingyang nodded repeatedly, feeling enlightened.


    "Senior Brother has a truly insightful perspective."


    "However, if the world is too chaotic, what can be done?"


    Immortal Chiyangughed and said,


    "This makes it even easier to understand."


    "If war, natural disasters, and famine lead to a sharp decline in the poption, then it won¡¯t work either."


    "That¡¯s why there is a small town called Qingming Town, specially to provide shelter for believers to live."


    "There was an old man with a limp, who seemed toe from a homeless background. Giving him a bowl of porridge made people want to bow down to him like he was a demigod. If it wasn¡¯t for the famine, perhaps their sincere hearts would have been slightly diminished."


    Taoist Qingyang was also amazed after hearing it.


    "I never thought that the way of offering incense has so many details."


    Immortal Chiyang smiled and said, "For forty years, the Nine Immortal Gates have oppressed the Great Yan Imperial Court. What I just mentioned are actually just the experiences and insights that the Immortal Gate has discovered during these forty years."


    The towns under the rule of the Great Yan Imperial Court were burdened by heavy taxes, causing misery among the people, so they burned incense and worshipped gods.


    Whereas in ces like Qingming Town, believers could find shelter.


    Comparing the two, it was obvious that the people¡¯s grievances were directly aimed at the Great Yan Imperial Court, while the Immortal Gate could earn a good reputation. It could be said to be a win-win situation, winning twice.


    The two Taoists, Chiyang and Qingyang, chatted andughed as they turned into rainbow lights, returning to their sect and quickly disappearing into the clouds.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    On the table, Wu Qizheng ced a hardcover book and pped it on the table.


    "We¡¯re about to take action. Would you like to take a look at this secret technique first?"


    Qiao Mu took a nce at the book cover, which said "Flesh Changing Skill," but it was something he was already familiar with.


    "Your Flesh Changing Skill is still at the stage of makeup and disguise, right?" Wu Qizheng smiled.


    "The miraculous technique called ¡®Flesh Changing Skill¡¯ was created by the Martial Saint many years ago. However, it¡¯s still in its early stages and not perfected. The version that the Wuji Association has released is also in its early stages."


    "Only recently has it been gradually improved, and through practice, one can control their physical body with their mind, transforming their shape and appearance."


    "¡­. Is this what the Martial Saint intended?" Qiao Mu squinted his eyes.


    "You can say it¡¯s my intention," Wu Qizheng didn¡¯t exin further, and his gaze shifted abruptly towards the door, changing the topic abruptly:


    "Was it Immortal Chiyang who appeared on the street just now?"


    "Chiyang¡­ I remember that name." Qiao Mu also looked up at the sky, lost in thought.


    At the entrance of Heyang City Xuantian Temple, when he was burned to death, he also remembered the name on the memorial tablet at the gate.


    "That¡¯s right." Wu Qizheng squinted his eyes.


    "ording to the information from Star Xuan Envoy, Taoist Chiyang and Taoist Qingyang are the cultivators who publicly escort the emperor to Qingyun Temple."


    "Since Taoist Chiyang appeared here, perhaps the Great Yan Emperor is also nearby?"


    At this moment, a messenger from Wuji Association¡¯s Star Xuan Envoy approached:


    "Your Excellency Qizheng, we have received a confidential report stating that a member of the meeting has found a clue to the emperor¡¯s whereabouts."

 Chapter 103:

    Chapter 103:


    At the foot of Qingming Mountain to the south.


    "Walk, walk, hurry up."


    Inside a small Taoist temple, the nun Lingling Taoist Priest was urging several female disciples to pack their bags and leave the temple.


    Lingling Taoist Priest was a chubby nun who always had a kind and rxed expression, but at this moment, she seemed a little anxious, constantly urging the female disciples to hurry.


    "Lingling Taoist Priest, are you going on a long journey today? Why didn¡¯t you leave someone to take care of the temple?"


    A pilgrim who was originally nning to enter the temple to burn incense was surprised to see that everyone from the temple, including Lingling Taoist Priest, hade out.


    "Take care of what¡­ The Goddess of Fertility that you worship, as long as people believe in her, they will burn incense. If we, the disciples, are not here, why shouldn¡¯t you pray?"


    Lingling Taoist Priest is usually a slow person, but now she is very anxious, not even talking much to familiar pilgrims, and quickly leaving.


    "Recently, I had a sudden inspiration and I¡¯m afraid that something big will happen. As a humble disciple, I don¡¯t dare to get involved in the matters of the Nine Immortal Gates¡­""In this world today, the power of incense is the way to greatness. Those who follow the ancient method of cultivation are merely holding onto their old ways, and naturally cannotpete with it."


    She whispered something under her breath and hurriedly stepped outside.


    "Ah Zhen, what are you lingering around for? It¡¯s one thing if you fall asleep during my ss, but now in such a critical moment, you¡¯re just wasting time. I have no idea what you do all day."


    "¡­Ah Zhen, why are you walking so quickly? Haven¡¯t you noticed your fellow disciple, Can Xue, walking behind you?"


    "Ah Zhen, please support Can Xue, she can¡¯t see and can¡¯t walk fast."


    "Master," the female cultivator known as Ah Zhen said helplessly.


    "Junior sister has already embarked on the Immortal Path, she is no longer the blind person she once was. Her movement is naturally unrestricted and she is extraordinary. Why would she need me to assist her?"


    "Besides, haven¡¯t her eyes been able to open a little? It seems that she just can¡¯t see things very clearly."


    As soon as the words were spoken, Qiao Canxue stumbled, even though she was walking on level ground, nearly falling to the floor.


    Ah Zhen blinked her eyes, about to step forward, but she saw a chubby round shadow that was even faster than her. In the blink of an eye, it rushed to Qiao Canxue¡¯s front, and a chubby hand supported her.


    "At least she¡¯s a cultivator¡­ How could she fall on level ground? And even if she falls, it¡¯s not a big deal. Our master¡¯s favoritism is so obvious." The female cultivators taunted.


    "That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right."


    "If you all take a few less naps, then I¡¯ll listen to you. I really don¡¯t know where you found this group ofzybones." Lingling Taoist Priest helplessly shrugged, while looking at Qiao Canxue¡¯s already open, snowy white left eye.


    "This is not something that ordinary people can possess. Even though you have stepped into the path of cultivation, it¡¯s still too early for you. Don¡¯t open your eyes."


    Since Qiao Canxue¡¯s eyes could open, she discovered that the things she saw werepletely different from reality.


    Level ground in her eyes could be deep trenches, and hillsides could be vast oceans.


    What¡¯s even stranger is that these scenes in her eyes are constantly changing. When she opened her eyes in the morning, the hillsides were small rivers, but when she opened her eyes at night, the hillsides became deep trenches.


    Even she couldn¡¯t figure out what was going on with her strange eyes, she only had a vague guess.


    "Okay."


    Qiao Canxue obediently closed her eyes again and continued to follow these few female disciples on the road.


    As they hurried along, the sound of horses¡¯ hooves could be faintly heard in the distance, getting closer.


    The female disciples had long avoided to the grasnd at the edge of the road. They saw a few travelers riding fast horses, sprinting on the road.


    Qiao Canxue felt something and, ignoring Lingling Taoist Priest¡¯s instructions, quietly opened her eyes to take a look.


    In the rapidly changing view, she saw a young man in bright clothing and a furious horse galloping by, raising a trail of dust on the road.


    The young man wore a long sword at his waist, had rosy lips and white teeth, shining eyes, a tall and sturdy figure, and exuded a certain demeanor of a chivalrous figure in the martial world.


    This young man swiftly rode by on his horse, leaving only a simple silhouette in the brief moment.


    "Senior sister, that person just now¡­" Qiao Canxue tugged at the sleeve of the senior sister beside her.


    For some reason, she suddenly felt a strange sense of familiarity towards the young boy she had just met for the first time.


    "Is that person in the white clothes good-looking?" she asked.


    "Um¡­" The female cultivator was momentarily speechless and turned to look at the back of the old man in white.


    She didn¡¯t pay much attention to the appearance of the person just now, but it was clear that he was just an old man with slightly greying temples. He was already so old, why would she care if he was good-looking or not?


    Junior Sister¡¯s eyesight wasn¡¯t great, she often sees things incorrectly¡­


    After some thought, she realized that he was just a passing stranger. Even though he was an old man with a shadowy figure, leaving a good impression in front of Junior Sister with her poor eyesight wasn¡¯t a bad thing.


    So she whispered softly:


    "Although that person is slightly older, he still looks very handsome. If only he were a bit younger, I would wish to leave my sect right then and there."


    Qiao Canxue¡¯s steps faltered, her eyes widening in surprise.


    She couldn¡¯t help but take a step back from her fellow female cultivator, Sister Zhen. This senior sister has some issues¡­


    ¡­¡­¡­.


    Knock knock knock.


    Qiao Mu rode on a fast horse, racing alongside Wu Qizheng and Star Xuan Envoy wearing masks, kicking up a trail of dust on the official road.


    Although they asionally saw monks and nuns on the road, they didn¡¯t pay much attention to them.


    A Taoist wearing a Taoist robe doesn¡¯t necessarily mean they are immortal cultivators. They could be tricksters, servants of the Immortal Gate who practice martial arts, or even remnants of the martial arts sects from ancient times.


    Their attention was focused on the whereabouts of the Great Yan Emperor.


    "Star Xuan Envoy, is the source of the information reliable?" asked Wu Qizheng seriously.


    Although they just witnessed Taoist Chiyang appearing at the foot of Qingming Mountain, this matter is rted to the Great Yan Emperor. They have no choice but to act seriously.


    If the information is urate, they must immediately inform the Martial Saint and assassinate the emperor as quickly as possible.


    The Immortal Gate is in the open, while the Wuji Association operates in secret.


    In order to avoid exposure, the Wuji Association can only act in secret.


    Coupled with the fact that Xuantian Sect cultivators have never held ordinary martial artists in high regard, if they truly discover the emperor¡¯s whereabouts on the way, Wu Qizheng is quite confident that he can escape unscathed.


    The Star Xuan Envoy replied, "The informant who sent me the secret report, Old Mo, has been working in the Wuji Association for twenty years. He is already in his sixties and acts calmly, no longer like a restless young person. He has not made any mistakes all these years."


    "He reported that someone who appears to be the Great Yan Emperor has been seen in Tiger City, which is also near the Qingming Mountain range."


    "This matter is of great importance, so he immediately reported it to his subordinates."


    The Qingming Mountain range is a vast mountain range that stretches across Nan Province for an unknown distance. It is said that there are fierce beasts lurking in the deeper parts of the mountains, and few people have ever ventured there.


    It is said that the headquarters of Xuantian Sect is located in an unknown area deep in the Qingming Mountain range.


    Qingyun Temple and the Qingming Town at the foot of the mountain are actually located on the eastern side of the mountain range, near cities like Yan City. The poption there is not sparse.


    If Qingyun Temple is built too far, closer to the inner side of the Qingming Mountain range, even the Immortal Gate, a holynd, would probably have few followers. It would take a difficult journey to reach the temple and pray.


    This time, Qiao Mu and the others are going to Tiger City, which is not far from Yan City, located in the southeast part of the Qingming Mountain range.


    Tiger City isrger than Yan City. The city walls are old, and there are guards at the city gates who question people. However, with the abilities of the Wuji Association people, entering Tiger City is not a problem.


    "Sir Qizheng, Mo Mingzhi¡¯s house is in the north of the city. He has established his own martial arts school, imitating the name of the Immortal Gate and calling it ¡®Bright Moon Sect¡¯. He is a prominent figure in this area around Tiger City, with many disciples. We should go directly to his school."


    "Bright Moon Sect?" Qiao Mu vaguely feels that the name sounds familiar.


    Upon careful thinking, he remembers a long-ago event.


    When he first met Yan City¡¯s City Lord Guo Yan on the streets of Yan City, Guo Yan immediately recognized the swordsmanship style of the Swordsman Jiang Chen in his green clothes. He said that Jiang Chen was a disciple of the Bright Moon Sect and would personallye to visit and apologize.


    It is called the Bright Moon Sect, but it¡¯s actually a local sword sect in Tiger City.


    "Is the so-called Master of the Bright Moon Sect also a member of the Wuji Association in secret?"


    "No wonder Guo Yan was able to see through it all; turns out they are all members of the Wuji Association," Qiao Mu pondered.


    The Wuji Association is a secret power established by the Martial Saint, surpassing any well-known martial arts sects like Shaolin and Wudang in terms of the number of martial arts techniques and the size of its members.


    Not just Guo Yan, the Master of the Bright Moon Sect in nearby Tiger City has also been a member of the Wuji Association for twenty years.


    Because it concerns the Great Yan Emperor, the group swiftly and directly headed towards the Bright Moon Sect located in the northern part of the city.


    The so-called Bright Moon Sect is a spacious courtyard and buildingplex with the words "Bright Moon Sect" written on it.


    Although the name "Bright Moon Sect" may seem grandiose, it is indeed not a small force within this small Tiger City; even the local city lord gives it a significant regard.


    At the entrance, disciples in blue robes with swords were waiting, greeting Wu Qizheng and the others and leading them inside.


    After entering the courtyard, Wu Qizheng suddenly stopped.


    "Star Xuan Envoy, is it true that Master Mo you mentioned acts cautiously and has no problems?"


    The Star Xuan Envoy also fell silent at this moment.


    The Bright Moon Sect, arge sword sect, is very quiet after entering the gate, with hardly any visible figures. This feels suspicious.


    "It can¡¯t possibly be Mo Mingzhi, who has been a member of the Wuji Association for twenty years, rebelling, right? If he didn¡¯t find any trace of the emperor and instead fell into an ambush by the Immortal Gate, things would be quite chaotic.." Qiao Mu sighed slightly in his heart.

 Chapter 104:

    Chapter 104:


    "Rebellion? We can¡¯t make such statements casually," the voice of the Star Xuan Envoy also revealed rare emotional fluctuations, appearing slightly agitated:


    "Mo Mingzhi has been with the Wuji Association for twenty years and even served as the previous generation¡¯s Star Xuan Envoy. How is it possible for him to rebel?"


    "Then what¡¯s the situation now?" Qiao Mu looked around and clearly sensed that something was off.


    The wind blew, and the leaves in the courtyard made a rustling sound, making the quietness inside the sword sect even more terrifying.


    Along with the gentle breeze, there was a faint smell of blood in the air.


    Wu Qizheng, who was standing by, didn¡¯t say anything but nced at Star Xuan Envoy.


    "Now is not the time to act recklessly."


    "¡­. It was my subordinate¡¯s negligence." Star Xuan Envoy¡¯s voice returned to its usual calmness and introduced:


    "Mo Mingzhi was a martial artist at the 4th rank in his prime, but as he grew older, his Qi and blood weakened, gradually falling back to the 6th rank by the age of seventy. He also resigned from the position of Star Xuan Envoy.""Since then, although he still served as a source of intelligence for the Wuji Association, he was practically semi-retired and didn¡¯t involve himself too much in the internal affairs of the association."


    Star Xuan Envoy is the local intelligence leader of the Wuji Association.


    Any organization, no matter how big, always needs talents from all different backgrounds. Martial strength is not the only necessary factor.


    For example, in the Great Yan Imperial Court, the previous Wang Shanhe was just a weak schr, but he still achieved sess in the court and reached the 2nd rank.


    The Wuji Association is filled with martial artists skilled inbat, so the strength of the Star Xuan Envoy is not very important since they are generally not needed to fight.


    The Martial Saint destroyed the entire Qiao Family of Heyang City and took away the "Long Life Fist Sutra" over half a year ago.


    Before this happened, although the Wuji Association also had top-notch internal skills like the "Pure Yang Wuji Skill," it naturally couldn¡¯tpare to the "Long Life Fist Sutra" in terms of the effect of "old but not declining."


    As the previous Star Xuan Envoy, Mo Mingzhi could naturally exchange for top-notch techniques like the "Pure Yang Wuji Skill" from within the Wuji Association, so there was no doubt about it.


    But it¡¯s one thing to have a top-notch technique and another thing to be able to train in martial arts to a profound level and maintain one¡¯s vitality.


    "Let¡¯s go inside and have a look. We can¡¯t just stop because we suspect it might be a trap set by the Immortal Gate," Wu Qizheng made a decisive judgment, eyes gleaming.


    "The Martial Saint should also be on their way. If it really is an Immortal Gate trap, we can turn it around and capture the Xuantian Sect cultivators, interrogating them for information. It¡¯s a good strategy."


    Wu Qizheng took the lead, with Qiao Mu and the Star Xuan Envoy slightly behind, as they headed towards the main building of the Bright Moon Sect.


    The instinct cultivated from the Martial Saint Spiritual Technique pointed towards the main building ahead.


    Qiao Mu nced at Wu Qizheng¡¯s back and wanted to take a step forward and stand at the front. After all, he was used to others seeing his back, not the other way around.


    But upon careful thought, Qiao Mu slowed down his steps slightly. It wasn¡¯t like before when he would rush to the front of the crowd.


    First of all, even if someone like Mo Mingzhi rebelled, it was an internal affair of the Wuji Association. He only cooperated with them to assassinate the emperor, which didn¡¯t mean he joined the Wuji Association.


    Secondly, Qiao Mu was getting older.


    Before obtaining the Spiritual Refining Technique, dying again would often mean physical aging, and his vitality might start to decline, which wasn¡¯t very beneficial.


    "Going with the flow, going with the flow. This is what I should be doing at my age¡­"


    With a creaking sound.


    Wu Qizheng pushed open the gate of the main building of Bright Moon Sect.


    The main building¡¯s hall is spacious but a little dark, with a stronger smell of blooding from the front.


    An old man with white hair at his temples stood with his back to them, surrounded by bodies¡­ These bodies were not ordinary, they looked like mummies with skin and bones, a horrifying sight.


    "Are you here?" a voice old with age said.


    Thud.


    The old man dropped another dried-up body he was holding in his hands and slowly turned around to look at the neer.


    "Mo Mingzhi, are you out of your mind?" Star Xuan Envoy¡¯s gaze swept over the bodies on the ground, revealing a look of shock.


    All the bodies on the ground were dressed in the uniforms of the disciples of Bright Moon Sect.


    Especially the ten or so bodies, covered with blue disciple robes with a golden crescent moon symbol, were clearly the core disciples of Bright Moon Sect, known as the "Thirteen Swords of the Moonlight."


    "You used the ¡®Martial Saint Spiritual Technique¡¯ to drain the life force and power of your own disciples? Including those you have nurtured for half your life, the Thirteen Swords of the Moonlight?"


    Seeing the bodies on the ground, Star Xuan Envoy concluded that this old man must have serious mental issues.


    They just don¡¯t know if Immortal Gate is behind this or if there¡¯s another twist.


    "You came a bitte, but not toote."


    This Mo Mingzhi actually had a kind face, he didn¡¯t look like a small sect master, but more like a learned old schr.


    But in the next moment.


    The wind suddenly rose, and the old man swooped past like a giant eagle, his hands turned into palms flying towards Wu Qizheng¡­ and Qiao Mu behind him.


    Qiao Mu£º£¿


    I have disciples of the Martial Saint and Star Xuan Envoy standing beside me, and yet you picked me to fight? Do you really take me for a pushover?


    Even though Qiao Mu was getting older and didn¡¯t enjoy fighting, he couldn¡¯t back down when it was brought to his doorstep, especially when the other side was only a mere 6th rank¡­


    Bang!


    The two of them shed their palms, and a powerful force hit Qiao Mu, making him step back seven or eight steps. The wooden floor beneath his feet cracked.


    "Is this freaking 6th rank?"


    Qiao Mu stood firmly on his feet, looking angrily at Star Xuan Envoy beside him.


    Truly deserving of the title with a "Xuan (Mysterious)" in it, how urate is the information of this Star Xuan Envoy? Seems like it¡¯s all based on mysticism.


    "Previously, Mo Mingzhi was at the 6th rank," exined Star Xuan Envoy.


    "But it seems that Mo Mingzhi has absorbed the blood and power from many of his disciples, and now he may be even stronger than when he was in his prime. He has reached the 4th rank again."


    Before Star Xuan Envoy could say anything, Mo Mingzhi had already rushed towards them once again.


    "Why resist?" The old man¡¯s murky eyes were filled with blood vessels, and his voice was a bit hoarse.


    "I¡¯m stronger than you, if you resist, you¡¯ll be in big trouble. So it¡¯s better for you to surrender and let me absorb your power, it¡¯s only fair."


    "What nonsense? You think you¡¯re stronger than me?" Qiao Muughed immediately.


    Mo Mingzhi was about to attack again, but Qiao Mu had a sudden idea, and his blood started to surge rapidly:


    "Heavenly Demon¡ª-"


    No, I can¡¯t die yet, I¡¯ll do it next time.


    Suddenly, Qiao Mu remembered something and quickly changed tactics, hastily dodging to the side. However, Mo Mingzhi¡¯s palm wind grazed him, causing a slight sweetness in his throat.


    Luckily, Qiao Mu had trained in tough techniques, so he could barely defend himself. The injuries he sustained weren¡¯t too severe.


    "Ripple Stacking Wave Strength£¬Double Wave."


    Qiao Mu stepped into the Shadow Step, swiftly appearing beside Mo Mingzhi, and with a powerful strike of his palms, he hit Mo Mingzhi¡¯s waist.


    Just as he was about to unleash his second round of inner power, Mo Mingzhi ignored the injury on his waist and pped Qiao Mu¡¯s head directly.


    His originally thin arm swelled up, muscles bulging, as he swung his hand with a whooshing sound, aiming straight at Qiao Mu¡¯s head.


    You hit yours, I hit mine?


    This fighting style seems somewhat familiar.


    Qiao Mu forcefully restrained his strength, and with a burst of inner power from his feet, he barely dodged Mo Mingzhi¡¯s palm by leaning sideways.


    It wouldn¡¯t be worth it for Qiao Mu to exchange injuries.


    Due to having absorbed many disciples, Mo Mingzhi¡¯s level of inner power is estimated to be at least 60% or even 50% stronger than Qiao Mu¡¯s.


    In a direct confrontation, despite practicing hard techniques, it is apparent that Qiao Mu would find it difficult to withstand attacks from opponents stronger than himself.


    Therefore, in this battle, Qiao Mu relied more on his well-practiced Shadow Step, constantly evading Mo Mingzhi¡¯s attacks with all his might.


    Star Xuan Envoy and Wu Qizheng didn¡¯t get involved in this battle.


    "Qiao Zhong, if not seeds, then food." The look behind Star Xuan Envoy¡¯s mask was very calm.


    "If you die, it means you only have this level of ability and cannot be a Martial Saint¡¯s martial arts seed."


    Wu Qizheng took a few more nces at Qiao Mu, but his attention was mostly focused on looking around, as if he was trying to determine if any cultivators were lurking in the shadows.


    This battle, Qiao Mu fought with great danger.


    No, it shouldn¡¯t be said that it was dangerous, but rather that he fought with his hands and feet tied.


    Mo Mingzhi was obviously not in a clear state of mind, almost always attacking without defending, using a strategy of trading injuries.


    Compared to before, Qiao Mu definitely liked this kind of straightforward enemy.


    He wished that all martial artists in the world were like this, so that he could die at the speed of light.


    But now it¡¯s different.


    Concerned about his own safety, Qiao Mu couldn¡¯t fully unleash the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method. His strength was only about 70-80% and he was clearly at a disadvantage.


    This time, Qiao Mu finally understood the frustration his previous enemies felt when facing him.


    "Is this fucking 4th rank? Is this fucking 70 years old, and still so powerful?"


    Qiao Mu kept evading and couldn¡¯t help but feel confused.


    Mo Mingzhi, over seventy years old and even older than Qiao Mu, had entered his twilight years. His vitality and strength had declined to 6th rank.


    But by absorbing internal strength and vitality, he not only regained the 4th rank but also appeared full of vitality, like a muscr tortoise immortal.


    Every palm strike he made had the power to split stones and create craters.


    A thought crossed Qiao Mu¡¯s mind: Can one still regain their former glory even as they age, as long as their vitality is strong enough?


    Although martial artist¡¯s vitality may decline with age, this decline is rtive.


    For example,paring Sheriff Qian Qian Qian, who is in his thirties, with Mo Mingzhi, who is in his seventies, and even Martial Saint, who is eighty-five, their vitality is far inferior.


    As long as one¡¯s martial arts progress quickly and their vitality is abundant, what does aging matter?


    Of course, the decline of vitality in old age is only one aspect.


    The most important thing is having a strong spirit in one¡¯s heart.


    If a martial artistcks enthusiasm and fears death, even if they have great strength, they cannot fully unleash it.


    "I don¡¯t want to think about it, it¡¯s troublesome."


    Qiao Mu no longer distracted himself with random thoughts.


    He nced at Mo Mingzhi, who wasunching a swift attack, and the numerous disciples behind him, almost drained of blood, and an unnamed anger surged in his heart.


    "Sucking own disciple, what Martial Saint Spiritual Technique, what immortal demon cult?"


    Qiao Mu shouted loudly, his eyes wide open, and he stomped forcefully on the ground, facing Mo Mingzhi head-on.


    This time, he didn¡¯t dodge opportunistically, but faced Mo Mingzhi head-on as he used to do.


    "Never mind, Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method!"


    In an instant, Qiao Mu¡¯s whole body was filled with boiling energy, and his limbs and bones generated surging internal strength, multiplying several times in a short period of time.


    "Ripple Stacking Wave Strength£¬Double Wave£¡"


    Two forces, one bright and one dark, erupted in session, hitting Mo Mingzhi¡¯s chest.


    Just one strike.


    The terrifying force caused the old man¡¯s chest to copse in a small area, and his whole body flew backward, hanging on the wall like a painting. Cracks appeared on the wall, and dust fell down.


    Wu Qizheng quietly watched everything, and finally took a step forward.


    "Leave him alive," he said.


    "Is it Mr. Wu Qizheng?" After being struck by Qiao Mu, the bloodshot eyes in Mo Mingzhi¡¯s eyes seemed to fade slightly, and he became somewhat clear-headed.


    Trembling, he said, "If I, this old man must die, I hope to die at the hands of the Martial Saint, let him absorb my strength and energy."


    "Of course, if Mr. Wu Qizheng wants this power, you can take it too."


    Wu Qizheng frowned, not moving a step.


    "You still have energy and blood, although severely injured but not at the point of making final confessions, right?"


    "And instead of these boringst words, why not exin what happened?" Wu Qizheng pointed to the lifeless bodies drained next to him.


    Mo Mingzhi fell silent for a moment and began to recall:


    "Just yesterday, in the city called Tiger City, I identally encountered a person from the Xuantian Sect named Taoist Chiyang."


    "Taoist Chiyang was the one who protected the emperor, so I decided to follow him closely¡­ Soon after, Taoist Chiyang appeared at the entrance of my martial arts school."


    "I thought that my secret was exposed, but surprisingly, Taoist Chiyang didn¡¯t seem to notice. He just asked about my ¡®Bright Moon Sect¡¯ and why we chose that name."


    Actually, Bright Moon Sect is just a name, nothing more.


    It¡¯s just a way to attract more disciples to the school by riding on the poprity of Immortal Gate and choosing a more impressive name.


    Mo Mingzhi responded in the same way at that time.


    "Upon hearing this, Taoist Chiyang became very angry, saying that as an ordinary martial artist, choosing such a sect name was damaging to the reputation of the Xuantian Sect. He then came to attack, using his flying sword to kill my child and destroy the true teachings of our sect¡­ It¡¯s all the effort I¡¯ve put in for my whole life gone to waste!"


    Wu Qizheng nced at the many bodies under Mo Mingzhi¡¯s feet, and his serious expression softened slightly.


    Mo Mingzhi had to face such a tragic incident not because he was discovered while spying, but simply because of the name "Bright Moon Sect." It brought him deadly trouble?


    He felt a wave of weakness in his heart.


    "So, the body under your feet was actually killed by Taoist Chiyang from the Xuantian Sect?" he asked.


    "No," Mo Mingzhi looked up, his bloodstained robe still oozing blood. His face was indifferent like water.


    "I killed them with my own hands."


    At this moment, there was a burst of fast and light footsteps from the attic, and dozens of people rushed out from the shadows, vaguely surrounding Qiao Mu and the others.

 Chapter 105:

    Chapter 105:


    As these dozens of people surrounded Qiao Mu and the others, the voice of Star Xuan Envoy turned colder.


    "What do you mean? Immortal Gate killed your family and the true teachings of your sect, so you betrayed the Wuji Association?"


    At this moment, he no longer cared about their past friendship.


    "Betrayal? I haven¡¯t betrayed the Wuji Association."


    Mo Mingzhi gasped for breath and sat up straight. A faint sickly excitement flushed over his old face as he shouted in a deep voice:


    "I am just an ordinary person now, not lying about intelligence anymore. How can I attract the Martial Saint or the disciples of the Martial Saint."


    "I am already old, and my half a lifetime of effort has gone to waste¡­ Instead of living this old life, it would be better to let the Martial Saint kill me first. Then I can go and kill that inhumanter!"


    "We are also willing to die for killing the inhuman¡­" The other dozen martial artists were also filled with excitement.


    They held swords and knives stained with blood in their hands, surrounding Qiao Mu and the others, but they didn¡¯t show any intention to attack."They are all martial artists like me, who have lost their homes and loved ones because of the inhuman. Their character is still good, and I have also taught them the ¡®Martial Saint Spiritual Technique.¡¯ These are the people I have recruited over the years." Mo Mingzhi¡¯s eyes revealed a hint of sadness:


    "And now, with my restoration to the 4th rank, I am qualified to be the Martial Saint¡¯s food, right?"


    Wu Qizheng was slightly startled, then his gaze fell on the many corpses on the ground. He probably understood that these people had gone mad.


    "Unreasonable." His eyes grew colder.


    Those who could stand out from the three thousand disciples of the Martial Saint and survive until now, and were ranked among the so-called seventy two wise men, almost certainly had blood on their hands.


    However, at that time, he had fought against other disciples for survival, always opposing such strange and forbidden techniques like the "Martial Saint Spiritual Technique," which made him very different from these people.


    "Why die for the Martial Saint?" Wu Qizheng asked coldly.


    Although he was one of the disciples of the Martial Saint, known as one of the seventy two wise men, he didn¡¯t have much fondness for the Martial Saint himself.


    After all, he was also one of the Martial Saint¡¯s resources. If one day he became useless, he would have to die.


    "Because the Martial Saint is the top martial arts expert in the world, the strongest in martial arts. If there is still a martial artist in this world who has hope of fighting against the inhumans, it¡¯s most likely the Martial Saint," the old man Mo Mingzhi said firmly.


    "The inhumans are high and mighty, treating all the people like livestock, keeping them alive only to serve their own needs."


    "After forty years of the Inhuman War, once the first and second generations died out, the people today have already forgotten the initial humiliation. The major Taoist temples have even entered big cities like Heyang City, and it has be a custom for people to burn incense and worship gods during festivals."


    "The people cannot see, but we martial artists stand higher, so we can naturally see."


    "If this continues, martial arts will not exist, and we humans will eventually beplete ves of the inhumans, the cows and sheep they raise on their ranch."


    Mo Mingzhi was the previous generation¡¯s Star Xuan Envoy for the local Wuji Association. In addition, he was older, so he knew much more than the ordinary people and martial artists.


    "The Martial Saint¡¯s ¡®Martial Saint Spiritual Technique¡¯ may be the opportunity to change the fate of martial artists and the fate of all people," sighed Mo Mingzhi.


    It was only when the Martial Saint returned to the world that the truth about the "Martial Saint Spiritual Technique" was revealed through the Tide Listening Building. All martial artists from around the world knew that the Martial Saint had hidden for forty years and used the technique to select talents, considering them as resources.


    "Is this your reason for targeting disciples of martial sects?" Wu Qizheng¡¯s gaze became piercing.


    "Master Qizheng, the immortal path is strong while the martial path is weak. The martial path has beengging behind the immortal path for perhaps thousands of years," Mo Mingzhi said with emotion.


    "A thousand years ago, the path of martial artists had already reached its limit at the 4th rank. What remained was only the slow umtion of internal strength, relying on long years to make gradual progress, but without any qualitative breakthroughs."


    "Only in the past few hundred years have we gradually discovered a clear and distinct Spiritual Refining Method."


    "Leading the way is Master Zhang from Wudang. Although there are legends of martial arts leading to enlightenment, they only exist in stories."


    "Putting aside the mythical rumors, the person at the forefront of martial arts today is undoubtedly the Martial Saint."


    "The Martial Saint has umted the skills of the top martial artists in the martial world over the past forty years. He founded the Wuji Association and developed the modern method. The progress of martial arts in the past four decades may rival that of centuries past¡­ but it¡¯s still not enough."


    As the former Star Xuan Envoy, Mo Mingzhi¡¯s experiences and knowledge are unparalleled.


    Because he knows so much, he realizes the vast difference between the path of immortals and the path of martial arts. It might take thousands of years to catch up.


    Led by the Martial Saint, the top martial artists of the previous generation propelled martial arts forward by shedding blood in the martial world for centuries, but it still wasn¡¯t enough.


    Filled with despair and nearing the end of his life, he finally made a decision.


    Blood oozes from the corners of the old man¡¯s mouth, but heughs with sorrow.


    "Our intention is not to die for the Martial Saint, but to die for the foremost position in the martial world!"


    If inhuman is the long night in Jiu Province, then Martial Saint is the zing sun that briefly scorches the earth.


    "The world has suffered from inhuman for a long time!" the old man shouted hoarsely.


    "We are willing to challenge the stepping stone of inhuman as the leader of the martial arts, even if it can only narrow the gap by one or two years, we are willing!"


    "We are willing to be the stepping stone of the leader of the martial arts!" the other dozen martial artists shouted in unison.


    Qiao Mu looked at these martial artists with surging blood and then looked at the corpses under their feet, without saying a word.


    Leaving aside the character of Martial Saint.


    Martial Saint is indeed the deserving leader of the martial arts, the strongest among martial artists in the world, and the bearer of the martial path.


    In this lofty era of inhuman, the so-called strongest martial artist is not the same as the "number one master in the martial world" or the "number one master in the world" that appeared in the martial arts over the past hundreds or thousands of years.


    The so-called number one master in the martial world represents a certain honor, being the person with the strongest martial arts in each era.


    The current leader in martial arts doesn¡¯t necessarily mean the strongest or most honored. They also naturally shoulder the expectations of other martial artists and the possibility of fighting against inhuman beings.


    The world has suffered from inhumans for a long time!


    All of these martial artists, led by Star Xuan Envoy Mo Mingzhi, see the Martial Saint as theirst hope in times of desperation.


    As for whether this hope can withstand their expectations, or if this hope may even be a poisonous thorn¡­ These desperate people can¡¯t worry about that anymore.


    "The Martial Saint will spend forty years pioneering the modern method, advancing martial arts by hundreds of years. He is the greatest hope for martial artists like us!"


    Time is the most ruthless, it doesn¡¯t change based on human will.


    The long gap between martial artists and inhuman beings can only be closed by umting bit by bit over the same long years.


    "Is this your final words?"


    Quietly, the Martial Saint stepped forward. He looked down at Mo Mingzhi and the others, his gaze filled with a hint of disappointment.


    His feeling of disappointment was not because Mo Mingzhi and others fabricated the news of the Great Yan Emperor¡¯s appearance, but because of something else.


    "Martial Saint¡­." Mo Mingzhi and others trembled slightly unconsciously.


    The trembling body was both instinctual fear and a kind of hidden anticipation and excitement.


    "A group of cowards." Martial Saint¡¯s gaze, however, was very cold.


    "Finding yourself powerless against inhuman beings, after feeling utterly hopeless, you then put your hopes on the so-called ¡®supreme leader of martial arts¡¯?"


    He took a big step forward, his muscr arms swelling and bing engorged, suddenly gripping Mo Mingzhi¡¯s elderly body.


    "No wonder you couldn¡¯t step onto the Spiritual Refining Method for so many years. In the end, it was because of a slightck of bravery and character. All cowards!"


    Being able to cultivate the "Martial Saint Spiritual Technique" represents extraordinary character. If one¡¯s martial arts aptitude and determination keep up, they have the hope of stepping onto the 3rd rank of the Spiritual Refining Method.


    However, a martial artist¡¯s character, determination, and so on are not unchanging.


    The Martial Saint showed no emotions on his face, just standing there quietly as the old man in his hand slowly shrunk.


    Mo Mingzhi¡¯s eyes gradually lost their brightness and finally he took hisst breath. His frail, aging body fell down and dropped into the pile of other withered corpses below.


    "As for all of you¡­ it¡¯s too early for you to die," he looked at the remaining dozen martial artists.


    These martial artists had varying levels of strength. The weakest ones had just reached the 9th rank in internal strength, while the stronger ones weren¡¯t much better. Not a single one was a 4th rank martial artist.


    "If you want to be my stepping stone, you¡¯ll need to prove yourselves," said the Martial Saint with an indifferent tone.


    "If you truly want to die, then go and practice hard, engage in life-or-death battles, ande back to me after ten or twenty years."


    The faces of these dozen martial artists turned pale, and their bodies copsed onto the ground.


    Some of them naturally revealed a sense of relief, as if they were lucky to have survived a disaster.


    Confronting the Martial Saint, the strongest warrior in the martial world, was an immense mental pressure for them.


    Just now, maybe some people got a little too excited, but now they snapped out of it, calmed down, and ran away.


    "So, Mo Mingzhi didn¡¯t actually betray us? He just lied about the information?" Star Xuan Envoy breathed a sigh of relief.


    "Of course, lying about important information is almost the same as betrayal."


    This time, it wasn¡¯t Star Xuan Envoy¡¯s fault.


    Nobody could have predicted that inhuman would suddenly attack Mo Mingzhi, nor could anyone have predicted that Mo Mingzhi, who had been a member of the Wuji Association for twenty years, would suddenly go crazy.


    Martial Saint bent down slightly and picked up a corner of a secret letter from Mo Mingzhi¡¯s robe pocket.


    "It¡¯s not exactly lying about the information." His face darkened slightly.


    "Although he wanted to die, Mo Mingzhi did discover something before he died."


    "Emperor Yonghe has already arrived at Qingyun Temple on the mountain and is staying temporarily in the Taoist temple. No wonder Star Xuan Envoy couldn¡¯t find any clues to Emperor Yonghe no matter how hard he looked."


    Emperor Yonghe was at Qingyun Temple, so the n to assassinate the emperor along the way could no longer work.


    In front of the Martial Saint, there were only two options left:


    Either give up now or directly enter Qingyun Temple and kill Emperor Yonghe!

 Chapter 106:

    Chapter 106:


    Qingming Town.


    It was already night time, but the town was still brightly lit.


    The pilgrims who had gone up the mountain to pay respect to the gods were making their way back along the mountain path. There were many peopleing and going.


    Speaking of the number of pilgrims alone, perhaps Qingyun Temple had slightly fewer than Xuantian Temple in Heyang Prefecture. However, the level of devotion of the pilgrims and believers here was much greater. Even though it was already night time, there were still many pilgrims on the mountain road.


    Ding, ding, ding.


    The sound of the town¡¯s bell rang again. The limping old man had arrived early this time and was standing at the front of the crowd, happily receiving his rice porridge.


    The strong young Taoist who had distributed the rice porridgest time was still doing so, but this time he had received a special instruction from Taoist Chiyang. Naturally, he had a good expression on his face.


    Since Qingming Mountain was right at the foot of the town, there were also many Taoists stationed here. So, the town was not a ce where ruffians and troublemakers dared to cause trouble.


    This small town at the foot of the mountain is actually safer than many cities under the rule of the Great Yan officials.Qiao Mu stood on the balcony of his room at the inn, looking out into the distance. He saw the scene of a Taoist monk serving porridge to the servants, and then he gazed at the towering Qingming Peak. He felt that this town had a particrly harmonious and peaceful atmosphere, unlike anything he had seen since he traveled through time.


    "Are you ready? Take off your clothes," came Wu Qizheng¡¯s voice from behind.


    "Okay."


    Inside his room at the inn, Qiao Mu took off his jacket, revealing his strong and muscr body.


    His main martial arts practice was the Long Life Fist and the prestigious Pure Yang Wuji Skill of the Wudang sect. Although he also trained in various other martial arts, his muscles were not overly bulky or abrupt. They had smooth and distinct lines.


    If you only looked at his body and not his face, you would never guess that this was the body of a sixty-year-old man.


    Previously, during the battle with the previous Star Xuan Envoy, Qiao Mu had also sustained some injuries. Taking off his clothes was just to facilitate the treatment from Wu Qizheng.


    "The external wounds on your body are not a big concern, but the internal injuries caused by the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method are a bit troublesome," Wu Qizheng assessed.


    The Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method is the most famous form of self-injury secret technique, and he naturally recognized it.


    Of course, a skilled and decisive user of the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method like Qiao Mu, he had indeed never seen before.


    "Ordinary medical techniques cannot treat your internal injuries in a short period of time¡­ Although I have another method, it is a bit special and requires cutting open your chest," Wu Qizheng asked.


    "Do I have to take an oral dose of anesthetic?"


    "No need," Qiao Mu fiercely expressed that he didn¡¯t need it.


    Mainly, he was somewhat curious about Wu Qizheng¡¯s treatment method.


    If he were to take an oral dose of anesthetic, he would naturally lose consciousness and be unable to feel anything.


    As a remarkable man who was unafraid of entering the battle empty-handed, his pain tolerance was already inhuman. He didn¡¯t pay attention to trivial pain.


    "That works too," Wu Qizheng also readily agreed, immediately taking out a sharp de and fiercely cutting it¡­ on his own arm.


    Qiao Mu£º£¿


    Did the doctor start by cutting himself?


    But the next scene refreshed his understanding of the martial world.


    On Wu Qizheng¡¯s arm, a piece of flesh the size of a fist was cut off, but strangely, not much blood flowed out. The wound not only stopped bleeding on its own, but also slowly wriggled, healing at a visible speed.


    Immediately after, Wu Qizheng held the fist-sized piece of flesh in his left hand and held the knife in his right hand, walking towards Qiao Mu.


    Qiao Mu¡¯s face changed slightly, "What does this mean?"


    He had experienced near-death situations before, but he had never experienced such a bizarre scene.


    "The flesh and blood of monsters are great supplements for martial artists. And my flesh and blood¡­is somewhat special, also a great supplement for martial artists, it can be used for healing." Wu Qizheng said calmly.


    "Compared to consuming the flesh and blood of monsters, after my flesh and blood enters your body, it can save you the process of digestion and absorption, directly repairing your internal body."


    "The main reason is that I am stronger than you, so a small piece of flesh the size of a fist can repair the damage to your meridians."


    "¡­ Is this the modern method created by Martial Saint?" Suddenly, Qiao Mu remembered Mo Mingzhi¡¯s words before he died.


    In the forty years since the establishment of the Wuji Association, martial arts have progressed in Mo Mingzhi¡¯s estimation by hundreds of years.


    Although this statement is a bit exaggerated, looking at Wu Qizheng¡¯s style of painting, there has indeed been significant breakthrough in martial arts. It¡¯s just that the style of painting is a bit distorted.


    However, Qiao Mu still had some hesitation.


    With this foreign flesh entering his body, not to mention any rejection reactions, he even doubted whether, ording to this style of painting, this mass of flesh could still control his body?


    Seeing Qiao Mu pondering, Wu Qizheng also guessed his concerns and smiled faintly.


    "Don¡¯t worry. If the Wuji Association wants to control you, they can simply use force. Why would they need to resort to such methods?"


    "Besides, in the Wuji Association¡¯s arsenal, they have collected all sorts of martial arts and strange techniques from all over the world. Things like life and death symbols, lethal poisons that can cause near-death if not taken an antidote for a month¡­ We have those too, so there¡¯s no need for these extra measures."


    Qiao Mu thought for a moment.


    The most important thing is that he is not afraid of death. Why panic? Just be reckless and get it done.


    So he didn¡¯t resist and let Wu Qizheng use a sharp de to cut open his chest. Then, forcefully, Wu Qizheng stuffed the fist-sized chunk of flesh into the wound.


    The fist-sized chunk of flesh seemed to have a life of its own. It wriggled a little and gradually ttened from its original bulge, eventually seeming to be a part of Qiao Mu¡¯s body.


    "Three or four days should be enough to repair your damaged meridians. It won¡¯t affect your participation in the n to assassinate the emperor," Wu Qizheng breathed a sigh of relief, his face slightly pale.


    Clearly, this "treatment" was not an easy task for him either.


    Wu Qizheng stood up and walked towards the door, saying,


    "Qiao Zhong, including you and the other members of the Qiao¡¯s family, are brave souls who value honor over life."


    "But for the assassination mission in a few days, I hope you can take better care of your own life."


    It seems that Wu Qizheng is a little talkative tonight because he saw Mo Mingzhi¡¯s death with his own eyes during the day in Tiger City.


    "After all, only by surviving can one pass the test of the Martial Saint and obtain the top martial arts from the Martial Saint."


    "I understand," Qiao Mu nodded.


    When ites to people like Mo Mingzhi, who took their own lives and harmed their disciples before, it¡¯s a different story. But for those who truly sacrifice themselves for a noble cause, who wouldn¡¯t admire them? Qiao Mu naturally feels the same way.


    However, Qiao Mu never considered himself to be a moral saint. He has his own scale in his heart and knows himself well.


    He was born with the ability to live forever, and he can experience repeated deaths to transcend the umtion of long years, living day after day for decades.


    In order to pursue a quality death, doing good or evil is just a thought away for him. He simply chose the path he liked better, nothing more.


    "In fact, there have always been heroes who sacrifice themselves for a noble cause throughout history. It¡¯s just that in the present Great Yan Imperial Court, such people have basically be extinct¡­" Qiao Mu thought to himself.


    Wu Qizheng had already pushed open the door and was about to leave, but suddenly remembered something and said,


    "People like the Martial Saint have always been stubborn and only believe in themselves¡­ Since establishing the Wuji Association, his martial arts skills have progressed rapidly every day."


    "In reality, we can only specte about his hidden cards and tactics, and how strong he truly is, even as a disciple of the Martial Saint like me, one of the ¡®seventy-two wise men¡¯¡­"


    "Therefore, someone like Mo Mingzhi, who is so insane, must have made a deal with non-human forces. The Martial Saint is definitely not a lifeline¡­"


    "What do you want to say?" Qiao Mu asked.


    "Most of the people who trusted the Martial Saint are already dead," Wu Qizheng left these words behind, pushed open the door, and left, leaving Qiao Mu alone in the room.


    "This Wu Qizheng seems to be quite friendly towards me¡­ I wonder if he has any ulterior motives."


    Qiao Mu pressed his hand against his chest.


    He and the Wuji Association were never on the same page, and now they are only cooperating, they can¡¯t be considered as allies.


    He still had some guarded feelings towards Wu Qizheng.


    Qiao Mu carried a set of tables and chairs to the balcony and sat down. While brewing himself a pot of tea, he looked at the scene of people downstairs lining up for porridge.


    Under the moonlight, Qiao Mu¡¯s shadow stretched long.


    Suddenly.


    This long shadow twisted strangely, and a mixed-color cat darted out from within the shadow.


    "This cat¡­" Qiao Mu paused for a moment.


    Only now did he remember that this Impermanent Demon Cat seemed to have slipped into his shadow when he went hunting for the Saintess. It had only just emerged after nearly ten days.


    What¡¯s even stranger was that this cat¡¯s small body had expanded by a whole circle. It was round and fat all over, with its belly almost touching the ground. It had turned into a chubby cat.


    Meow¡­ The cat stumbled a few steps, walking crookedly just like before.


    Actually, it wasn¡¯t its fault. During the previous hunt for the Saintess and challenge against the Martial Saint, the sudden strong death energy directly caused it to be unconscious from the fumes while hiding in the shadow. It only recently regained consciousness.


    "In a few days, I might have to sneak into Qingyun Temple to kill Emperor Yonghe¡­ This kind of important mission, even if I don¡¯t need this impermanent monster, I know it¡¯s a matter of life and death¡­ It¡¯s not an exaggeration to say it¡¯s a matter of life and death."


    After thinking for a moment, he grabbed the fat cat by the back of its neck and wondered whether he should release it or not.


    The fat cat seemed to sense something. After being lifted up by Qiao Mu, its short legs iled in the air desperately, and then it tightly clung to Qiao Mu¡¯s legs and refused to let go.


    In the blink of an eye, the fat cat suddenly became blurry in Qiao Mu¡¯s hand. It forcibly broke free and quickly turned into a shadowy figure, slipping into Qiao Mu¡¯s own shadow.


    "¡­." Qiao Mu cautiously stepped on his own shadow a few times, but seeing no response, he had no choice but to give up.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Four days passed quickly.


    During these few days, Qiao Mu¡¯s internal injuries gradually improved each day.


    The strange flesh in his chest seemed like a second heart, asionally generating a faint warmth that flowed through his blood, repairing the damaged meridians throughout his body.


    On thest day, Qiao Mu¡¯s internal injuries had almostpletely healed.


    But the strange lump in his chest had only slightly decreased in size, leaving Qiao Mu extremely surprised.


    He could sense that the lump was still there.


    In the past few days, he had repeatedly questioned Wu Qizheng several times, but Wu Qizheng intentionally or unintentionally brushed him off. He could only give up, but his heart became more guarded.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    This day was a rare auspicious day, suitable for burning incense and worshipping gods.


    The sky was just beginning to turn a pale blue, and Qingming Town woke up from its slumber. There were already pedestrians and worshippers on the streets.


    Many incense and candle shops on the roadside had opened early today, with customers flocking in. It was quite lively.


    The old man with a limp got up early in the morning and joined the crowd to get incense and candles in preparation for climbing the mountain to worship the gods.


    Although they burned incense and worshipped the gods almost every day, today was a bit different. There were more pilgrims climbing the mountain to worship the gods than usual, and the crowds seemed endless.


    The main peak, Qingming Peak, stood tall in the clouds, with beautiful scenery like a fairnd.


    Even though Qingyun Temple was not located at the highest point of the mountain, it still required climbing three thousand steps to reach the temple.


    For ordinary people, especially for the old man with the limp legs, it was not an easy task.


    But he was content.


    He considered climbing up and down the mountain every day as a way to exercise his body, far better than working hard in the fields and worrying about next year¡¯s harvest and taxes.


    "Hmm? That person seems somewhat familiar¡­" The old man with a limp nced at Qiao Mu standing next to him, tried to recall their brief conversation, but couldn¡¯t remember much.


    Qiao Mu, just like him, joined the crowd of pilgrims and climbed the stone steps one by one.


    His identity is special. He is not a member of the Wuji Association, but he was chosen by the Martial Saint to participate in this matter.


    As one of the assassins, he doesn¡¯t know the Wuji Association¡¯s entire n, nor does he know who all the participants of this operation are¡­


    But that doesn¡¯t matter.


    He only needs to find Emperor Yonghe¡¯s presence among the worshippers and, when the timees, assassinate him.


    ¡­¡­..


    "Great Yan Emperor, it¡¯s time to go."


    The two Taoists, Chiyang and Qingyang, stand side by side, urging Emperor Yonghe, who is already in Qingyun Temple, to get up.


    Emperor Yonghe took a deep breath, looked at the swirling clouds in the mountains, his eyes deep, and took a step forward.


    Chu Xing, the bodyguard, followed closely behind.


    Emperor Yonghe, who was secretly traveling this time, actually disguised himself with magic spells, and with the protection of two cultivators, Chiyang and Qingyang, he was able to reach Qingyun Temple safely.


    In the eyes of the other pilgrims around him, he didn¡¯t look like himself, so they naturally couldn¡¯t recognize him.


    At this moment, he was just an ordinary pilgrim, blending into the crowd without attracting attention. However, Taoist Chiyang and his apprentice Qingyang always kept a close eye on him, no matter where he went.


    "Do you think the Martial Saint wille?" Taoist Chiyang casually asked his fellow disciple Qingyang.


    "It would be even better if he does. We can capture all the rats from the Wuji Association in one fell swoop and eliminate any future troubles," Qingyang said with a smile.


    "The Martial Saint has strayed into the path of evil. If we kill him, it would be for the greater good," Qingyang added.


    The extraordinary deeds of the Martial Saint in the mortal realm had been widely heard at the Tide Listening Building.

 Chapter 107:

    Chapter 107:


    The sun hung high in the sky, and the sky was a clear and blue expanse, as if it were a huge blue jade.


    The sky was clear with no clouds, and the sunlight was just right.


    The long procession of pilgrims had reached the end of the three thousand steps, guided by the Taoist servant, and entered the grand hall to worship the immortals of the Xuantian Sect.


    Qiao Mu was among the crowd of pilgrims, still searching for the figure of the Great Yan Emperor.


    He didn¡¯t recognize what the Great Yan Emperor looked like, but he had heard the Star Xuan Envoy of the Wuji Association specte that a cultivator might have used an illusion.


    So finding the presence of the Great Yan Emperor couldn¡¯t be done with just the naked eye.


    In other words, he could only rely on his intuition.


    Qiao Mu had not yet reached the third rank of the Spiritual Refining Method, but through practicing the "Martial Saint Spiritual Technique," he had developed an unreliable intuition.


    However, martial artists who had truly achieved the third rank in the Spiritual Refining Method had honed their intuition to the point of being able to "anticipate the enemy¡¯s moves."ording to the spection of the Star Xuan Envoys of the Wuji Association in the Nan Province, if the Great Yan Emperor were to travel, they would surely be apanied by Spirit Refining martial artists of at least the third rank.


    Even though the Great Yan dynasty is currently in decline, it is still the same.


    The existence of Spirit Refining martial artists allows them to keenly sense the fluctuations in an assassin¡¯s intent to kill, thereby preventing it in advance. That is why it is difficult to sessfully assassinate the emperor.


    A martial artist who practices martial skills can only reach the 4th rank at most. To progress further, they can only rely on umting internal strength over a long period of time, without any qualitative breakthrough.


    The reason why Spirit Refining martial artists can reach the 3rd rank is naturally because of this so-called spiritual refining martial art, which is more powerful than simply stacking internal strength.


    Once martial skills reach their peak at the 4th rank, apart from a few exceptionally talented individuals, the umtion of qi and internal strength has basically reached the human body¡¯s limit.


    The internal strength and qi of Spirit Refining martial artists may not necessarily be deeper than those of martial artists who have umted for many years at the 4th rank, but when ites to actualbat, it¡¯s a different story.


    Essentially, the Spiritual Refining Method is already the fourth path for martial artists, apart from Power, Strength, and Skill. Although it may not have a major advantage in terms of quantity, it achieves a qualitative breakthrough.


    "So there is only one method," Qiao Mu pondered:


    "To provoke the instincts of the spiritual refining guards around the emperor by creating an intent to kill."


    "Finding the protector of the emperor is almost like finding the Great Yan Emperor."


    Qiao Mu looked at the many tourists in front of him, closed his eyes slightly, and ced his hand on the sword hilt at his waist.


    With a burst of internal strength and a hidden aura, he imagined himself ughtering all these faithful followers in his mind, picturing the scene where the Great Yan Emperor was killed among the crowd.


    Not far away.


    Guard Chu seemed to sense something and discreetly nced at Qiao Mu from the corner of his eye.


    Because Qiao Mu didn¡¯t have the face of "Qiao Pifu" at the moment, he didn¡¯t recognize the person in front of him. His lips curved slightly, as if smiling but not really.


    "Without real killing intent, are you intentionally trying to provoke my instincts with this stance? Perhaps you¡¯re an assassin, just a bit inexperienced."


    Wanting to deceive the instincts of a Spirit Refining martial artist, relying on imaginary thoughts in the mind is not enough.


    Unless Qiao Mu truly harbors the thought of exterminating the surrounding followers in the next moment, he cannot deceive Guard Chu¡¯s intuition.


    And this time, Guard Chu was able to notice Qiao Mu¡¯s presence,pletely unrted to intuition.


    Mainly because the distance between the two was already not far, andbined with his extensive experience, he detected Qiao Mu¡¯s subtle movements.


    Chu Xing had no intention to attack the enemy.


    Qingyun Temple is the main venue of Immortal Gate Xuantian Sect, so it would be inappropriate for him to handle this matter.


    As for Immortal Gate¡­


    "It seems that there is a mortal behaving differently?" Taoist Chiyang said calmly.


    "Carrying a sword, could it be a martial artist among mortals?"


    "If he is a member of Wuji Association, that would be even better. We could achieve somethingter." Taoist Qingyang smiled.


    Wuji Association and Martial Saint, although they have been insignificant in recent years and not considered by Immortal Gate, they are still a hidden danger.


    "So, let¡¯s wait and watch, and make sure we don¡¯t disturb anything." Qingyang said calmly.


    "I wonder if the Martial Saint wille today? If he does, that would be great¡­"


    Ding ding ding.


    The melodious sound of the bell rang three times, startling countless birds, and even the clouds and mist in the mountains seemed to disperse.


    Emperor Yonghe, among the crowd of pilgrims, had already reached the top of the three thousand steps and stood in front of the main gate of the Taoist temple.


    At the square in front of the main entrance of the Taoist temple, there was a giant tripod that could fit ten people hugging it. Inside the tripod, there were thick incense sticks, and the fragrance drifted up to the sky, slowly disappearing into the blue clouds.


    Inside the main hall of the Qingyun Temple, there were numerous ques of the Xuantian Sect immortals, easily numbering hundreds.


    upying the central position was the current sect leader of the Xuantian Sect, with the que reading "Great Virtue, Great Power, Immortal Xuantian."


    The Taoists who had been guarding him these days, Chiyang and Qingyang, also had ques, but they were ced in a inconspicuous corner of the hall.


    "The Xuantian Sect, with a number of over one hundred immortal beings¡­" Emperor Yonghe felt an immense heaviness in his heart.


    "How can the Great Yan Imperial Court oppose these Xuantian Sect immortal beings?"


    Emperor Yonghe, of course, knew that cooperating with the Xuantian Sect was as dangerous as walking on a tightrope over a cliff.


    However, he still made a decision.


    Making a decision was one thing, but when it came to the point of Emperor Yonghe, as the Great Yan Emperor, bowing to the Xuantian Sect immortal beings, he still felt a difficult-to-express sense of powerlessness.


    Even though Emperor Yonghe, at this moment, was only a regr pilgrim rather than the Great Yan Emperor, openly and respectfully worshipping the gods.


    With this in mind, he slightly slowed down his steps.


    "Emperor Yonghe, now that you have seen the immortal beings, why not bow?"


    Suddenly, a faint voice sounded.


    Emperor Yonghe was slightly startled, then turned around in fear.


    Behind him, a crippled old man was staring at him with eyes that seemed detached, as if looking down upon the world from above the clouds.


    Guard Chu¡¯s eyes widened in an instant.


    He knew very well that this crippled old man was just an ordinary pilgrim from beginning to end, nothing special about him, just an average person, so why¡­


    He didn¡¯t know when.


    The once bustling Great Hall suddenly became quiet.


    Even though there were thousands of pilgrims all around, it was suddenly as silent as a graveyard.


    "Why not bow?"


    On Emperor Yonghe¡¯s left, a middle-aged woman also suddenly turned her head, her expression equally detached.


    "Why not bow?"


    "Why not bow?"


    "Why not bow?"


    More and more incense worshippers turned their heads to look, and their indifferent gazes fell on Emperor Yonghe like needles.


    All these countless incense worshippers wore the same expression at this moment, as if different faces belonged to the same person. Each person had a unique face, all looking down on the world.


    At this moment, Emperor Yonghe, who was clearly surrounded by the crowded crowd, suddenly became alone. His entire body involuntarily shivered, and his body hair stood on end.


    Within this trembling, there was not only fear of unknown means, but also overflowing anger.


    The methods of cultivators are ever-changing. If they encounter means that ordinary people cannot understand, it is likely that cultivators are behind it.


    And this time¡­


    "On the surface, I deceived everyone and traveled from the Zhong Province Imperial Capital to the Qingyun Temple in Nan Province."


    "Once I enter the territory of the Xuantian Sect, will I have no control anymore?"


    Emperor Yonghe felt a sense of sadness in his heart.


    His coboration with the Immortal Gate Xuantian Sect was actually just him visiting as an ordinary pilgrim to pay respects to the Xuantian Sect immortals.


    Emperor Yonghe pondered that the Xuantian Sect probably saw this as an opportunity to slowly expand, as cultivators have plenty of time.


    However, the cultivators of the Xuantian Sect clearly weren¡¯t satisfied and used the mouths of these ordinary people to expose his true identity as the Great Yan Emperor.


    As this thought arose in his mind, his clenched fist within his sleeve tightened unconsciously.


    "Please, Your Majesty, bow to the gods!"


    "Please, Your Majesty, bow to the gods!"


    At first, only one or two people spoke up, and then more and more people joined in, bing more and more united.


    The voices of thousands of people gradually came together and formed a steady and unified wave of sound that shook the heavens.


    Emperor Yonghe¡¯s face also started to turn slightly pale, caught between going forward and going back.


    The so-called pointing fingers of a thousand peoplee to nothing.


    The gazes and words of these thousands of visitors no longer belonged to these ordinary visitors themselves, but represented the will of the Xuantian Sect cultivators.


    The thousands of gazes and the thousands of voices naturally formed a tremendous pressure, intending to make Emperor Yonghe bend his spine and knees, kneeling and kowtowing before the Xuantian Sect immortals!


    Far away.


    Taoist Chiyang and Taoist Qingyang smiled as they watched this scene.


    "How can a mortal emperor know the countless methods of our Immortal Gate?"


    "The situation is set."


    Today, there are thousands of devout worshipers who came to worship the gods, and almost all of them are faithful believers nurtured by Xuantian Sect at the foot of the mountain. There are very few outsiders.


    These believers go up the mountain to worship the gods almost every day, and they have already been imnted with a seed by the Immortal Gate cultivators in their souls.


    When the time is right, the seed will sprout.


    Therefore, every believer in Qingming Town is a valuable resource and cannot be lost.


    And at this moment.


    With the unanimous shouts of thousands of worshipers, the few worshipers who didn¡¯t make a sound in the crowd became even more noticeable.


    Taoist Chiyang and others don¡¯t care whether people from Wuji Association will mix in and affect today¡¯s events.


    Because these worshipers have long been their people, what difference does it make if a drop of oil from Wuji Association mixes into the clear water?


    When the timees, no matter what disguise the assassins of Wuji Association may have, they will bepletely exposed!


    "Please bow to the gods, Your Majesty!"


    Amidst the thunderous cheer of the worshippers.


    Emperor Yonghe¡¯s back and knees trembled slightly.


    And at that moment, among the crowd, an unremarkable worshipper suddenly stretched his muscles, making a sound like popping beans throughout his body.


    His figure gradually erged, and then he cleared his throat.


    "Ah¡­ Ahem!"


    This ¡®ahem¡¯ was not loud, but it faintly overshadowed the synchronized cheer of a thousand worshippers, interrupting the unified rhythm of a thousand voices.


    A thick phlegm sprayed out of the worshipper¡¯s mouth like a released arrow, directly aiming at Emperor Yonghe in the crowded crowd.

 Chapter 108:

    Chapter 108:


    As a thousand pilgrims shouted together, the members of Wuji Association were exposed, which also meant that Emperor Yonghe was exposed!


    In an instant, the attack of the Martial Saint had already arrived.


    It was just a thick phlegm, but it flew out like a bursting cannonball, covering a great distance at a very high speed.


    The first one to react was Guard Chu, who was always attentive to his surroundings as a Spirit Refining martial artist.


    His whole body was covered in goosebumps, and his instincts instantly rmed him. With a slight movement of his hand, he used the "Flying Star Hand" technique to throw the flying knife towards the phlegm.


    At the same time, he stepped forward and forcefully pushed Emperor Yonghe, who was standing still, to the side.


    Swoosh!


    The flying knife hit the phlegm, instantly creating arge hole in its metal de. It released white vapor while still in the air, and when itnded, only half of the broken handle remained.


    "Martial Saint, you finally arrived."Taoist Chiyang and Qingyang, along with others, didn¡¯t get scared but insteadughed.


    "Today is the day Emperor Yonghe worships the gods, and the long-hidden Martial Saint, who has been in hiding for forty years, hase. It can be said that it is a double delight!"


    They were afraid that Martial Saint wouldn¡¯te!


    At that moment, Taoist Chiyang reached out and lightly tapped the empty space in front of him. Using his hand to draw symbols, a bright blue me rose up.


    Taoist Qingyang stretched out his hand and a golden bell appeared, growing in size as it faced the wind. In the blink of an eye, it turned into the size of a house and intercepted the iing attack in the air.


    In an instant.


    The thick phlegm pierced through theyers of mes, crashing onto the golden bell with a loud boom, causing it to crack and fly dozens of meters away.


    Taoist Qingyang¡¯s face changed slightly, and blood surged up his throat.


    The magic weapon was shattered by a powerful punch, which shocked him deeply.


    Taoist Chiyang also let out a surprised sound, looking quite amazed.


    "The leader of martial arts among mortals¡­"


    "Compared to mortals, it is indeed quite astonishing. It seems that there has been progress in recent decades, but¡­ as you have entered the demonic path, you must be eradicated!"


    This Taoist temple is located on the outer edge of the Qingming Mountain range¡¯s main peak.


    And deeper within the Qingming Mountain range is the headquarters of the Xuantian Sect, the stronghold of these cultivators.


    It is not an exaggeration to say that the Qingyun Temple is the main venue of the Xuantian Sect, so although Taoist Chiyang and the others are surprised, they cannot be intimidated.


    Even if they can¡¯t hold on, there is the sect behind them. Who is afraid?


    Qiao Mu stood among the crowd of pilgrims, his gaze slightly moving.


    As one of the temporary assassins who was pulled in, he didn¡¯t know the whole n, nor did he know if Martial Saint would personally take action.


    But he knew the general direction of the n.


    When strong characters like Martial Saint make a move, they will surely be the focus of attention for Xuantian Sect cultivators, attracting the most attention.


    Of course, this is the home ground of Xuantian Sect, and the number of cultivators is not small. Even if they are careless, it is impossible for Qiao Mu and the other assassins to take advantage and kill Emperor Yonghe in one go.


    What Qiao Mu and the others have to wait for is an opportunity.


    Cultivators have always looked down on ordinary martial artists, ever since they defeated Martial Saint forty years ago.


    And this is their chance.


    When Martial Saint goes against the immortals with martial arts, it will surely cause a sensation in the Immortal Gate. That will be the best time for the assassins to make a move!


    Opportunities onlyst for a moment.


    It¡¯s the same for both Qiao Mu and Martial Saint!


    At this moment.


    More than ten rainbow lights rose into the sky. They were the cultivators from Xuantian Sect, some standing on flying swords, some sitting on magical items like gourds, looking down at the Martial Saint who stood out from the crowd.


    The Martial Saint smirked, revealing a row of sharp white teeth.


    "I am from the dark path, so you must be from the immortal path?"


    He took a deep breath, creating a strong suction force on the ground, swirling up fallen leaves in the surroundings.


    His entire body seemed to inte like a balloon, shooting up to a height of three to four meters. The well-built muscles looked like they were made of metal under the scorching sun, and his skin even seemed to reflect a faint glimmer in the sunlight.


    His long hair cascaded casually, thick and showcasing a mix of gray and white, making it difficult to determine his exact age.


    At this moment, he stood against the cultivators of Xuantian Sect in mid-air, his figure towering like a majestic mountain on the earth.


    "Whether demon or immortal, the winner has the final say!" he shouted loudly, causing the air to distort, and the indifferent pilgrims around him to cover their heads and cry out in pain.


    "You have quite the audacity." Taoist Qingyang¡¯s gaze turned cold as he casually pointed his finger.


    Swoosh!


    A sh of green light passed by as Taoist Qingyang¡¯s flying sword aimed directly at the head of Martial Saint.


    In the path of immortality, with a powerful cultivator able to control a flying sword, one can easily decapitate someone from thousands of miles away, naturally looking down upon a martial artist who only knows how to use fists and kicks.


    However, just as that swift sword approached, Martial Saint¡¯s figure blurred in ce for a moment.


    The swift green sword passed through the afterimage of Martial Saint, yet not a drop of blood was spilled.


    "Hmm?" Taoist Qingyang¡¯s smile slightly stiffened.


    In the next moment, dozens of flying swords descended from the sky like rainfall, enveloping Martial Saint within.


    This time, it was not just Taoist Qingyang who took action.


    Although cultivators from Xuantian Sect look down on ordinary martial artists, Martial Saints have astonishing fame among ordinary people and are regarded as the top martial artist in the world.


    Regardless of his strength, if he can take him down here, it would naturally be an aplishment.


    Swoosh swoosh swoosh!


    The dense flying swords cut through the air, creating wide and deep trenches on the square in front of the grand hall. In the midst of this sword rain, the Martial Saint¡¯s figure constantly blurred and flickered, not a single wound appearing on him.


    "Is it the ¡®anticipate the enemy¡¯s moves¡¯ of a Spirit Refining martial artist?" Qiao Mu pondered.


    I heard from people of the Wuji Association that the Martial Saint has achieved unprecedented aplishments in the Spiritual Refining Method.


    When Qiao Mu challenged the Martial Saint before, no matter how hard he tried, the tip of his spear could only ever hit the Martial Saint¡¯s fingertips¡­ He hadn¡¯t expected that now, facing the attacks led by Chiyang and Taoist Qingyang, the Martial Saint still effortlessly handled it.


    In the midst of the sword rain and symbol fire, his figure continuously blurred but advanced step by step.


    "This is Martial Saint," Emperor Yonghe, who was knocked down by Guard Chu, stood up at this moment.


    Martial Saint¡¯s actions also relieved him from the pressure of being called out by thousands of pilgrims, making him feel much easier at this time.


    "Is Martial Saint here to kill me?" Emperor Yonghe naturally noticed the phlegm that was just spat out, and at this moment, his brow furrowed, but his expression was somewhatplicated.


    "Once upon a time, Martial Saint was also a general of the Great Yan Imperial Court."


    "After lurking for forty years, can he nowpete with the cultivators of Xuantian Sect who have a position? It¡¯s a pity¡­"


    "You evil spirit, breaking through my Golden Bell, you shall be beheaded!" Taoist Qingyang formed a sword seal in his hand, and the blue flying sword that just passed by Martial Saint¡¯s body suddenly circled around and diagonally shed towards Martial Saint¡¯s lower back, instantly piercing through.


    "Hit! He¡¯s just an ordinary martial artist after all," Taoist Chiyang next to him calmed down slightly.


    "Although Spirit Refining martial artists have some skills in small-scale teleportation, no matter how strong they are in martial arts, they are ultimately flesh and blood. How can they withstand the flying swords refined by cultivators?"


    "Once they make a mistake, they will die and vanish!"


    He and Taoist Qingyang were in the main hall, with their own ques, serving as attendants to the Immortal Gate, where they could receive offerings from ordinary people.


    In the eyes of ordinary people, they were "true immortals" who were unattainable.


    Faced with such an ordinary martial artist as the Martial Saint, if he failed, it would bring shame to the Immortal Gate.


    However, Taoist Qingyang beside him had a stiff expression and suddenly had a bad feeling.


    He realized that his flying sword had lost connection with his consciousness at this moment. It was no longer within his perception.


    Didn¡¯t his flying sword already strike the body of the Martial Saint? So why¡­


    In an instant, like a sh of lightning.


    The Martial Saint opened his blood-stained mouth, mping down on another flying sword that flew towards him with his sharp white teeth.


    Crack, crack.


    Cracks quickly appeared on the flying sword, which shattered with a bite from the Martial Saint. It broke into several fragments, which he then swallowed.


    "What evil demon, is this still a human¡ª"


    While the cultivators were dumbfounded, the Martial Saint¡¯s flesh around his waist quickly wriggled, and a sword tip emerged.


    Swish!


    He straightened his waist slightly, muscles trembling. The half of the flying sword encased in flesh instantly tore through the air, apanied by a streak of blood light, directly aiming at the empty space!


    Huh?


    Taoist Chiyang suddenly turned his head, only to witness a scene that deeply shook his mind.


    His junior brother, Taoist Qingyang, was struck by his own half of the flying sword. His head shattered like a broken porcin object, scattering into the air¡­


    His headless body then fell from the sky,nding weakly on the za below the grand hall.


    The noisy temple square suddenly became quiet for a brief moment.


    "Senior Qingyang has died?"


    The impatient attackers, the cultivators, all trembled at this moment.


    In the Inhuman War that hassted for forty years, although there were casualties among the "true immortals" with memorial tablets, they were all inflicted by the conflicts between cultivators.


    As for being defeated by ordinary people, at least on the surface¡­this was the first time!


    He died suddenly, even without a chance to activate his protective treasure. He died like a stray fish¡­ which made the cultivators, including Taoist Chiyang, feel a chill in their hearts.


    "The Immortal Qingyang on the altar¡­ died like this?"


    The originally indifferent pilgrims were greatly shaken at this moment, and their numb and indifferent expressions showed signs of wavering.


    "The time hase!"


    At this moment, including Qiao Mu, several assassins from the Wuji Association boldly attacked Emperor Yonghe from all directions.


    Within the Wuji Association, there were loyal followers like Mo Mingzhi who admired the Martial Saint. Although they hadn¡¯t seen the Martial Saint disy his true power, they still had some expectations in their hearts.


    The Martial Saint at this moment no longer concealed himself. With one big hand like a fan, he swept away the dense flying swords around him. He slightly bent his knees, causing the ground beneath his feet to shake, and then his body shot towards Emperor Yonghe at the entrance of the grand hall like a cannonball.


    "The strong be immortals, the weak be demons!" The Martial Saint shouted angrily, his thick gray-white hair billowing in the wind.

 Chapter 109:

    Chapter 109:


    ¡°Kill!¡±


    At this moment, several assassins from the Wuji Association acted in coordination with the Martial Saint.


    Qingyun Temple was a vital ce for the Immortal Gate, so the members of the Wuji Association who dared to participate in this operation were mostly those who disregarded their own lives.


    Either they were people like Mo Mingzhi who admired the Martial Saint, or they were people like Qiao Mu who had thoughts of death.


    These people are usually very few, not even considered many within the Wuji Association.


    When they witnessed the Xuantian Sect¡¯s Qingyang fairy falling from the sky, with a headless body crashing down to the ground, the pent-up anger in their chests for many years suddenly dissipated.


    ¡°This is martial arts!¡±


    ¡°The Martial Saint is the current leader of martial arts, the strongest in martial arts. One day, he will bring you down from the clouds!¡±


    ¡°If we win, martial arts will be the path to immortality! And you, who plunder incense and treat sentient beings as sacrificialmbs, are the path of evil!¡±Many martial artists from the Wuji Association couldn¡¯t help but shout out, showing obvious excitement.


    For an ¡°assassin,¡± this kind of turbulent emotion is a dereliction of duty.


    But they were never real assassins to begin with, so at this moment, they were all extremely excited, their faces turning red, their blood boiling.


    Not only the assassins from the Wuji Association, even Chu Xing, the emperor¡¯s bodyguard, involuntarily clenched his fist at this moment.


    As a guard by the Emperor¡¯s side, from his perspective, Martial Saint was naturally a rebellious viin.


    But when this Martial Saint defied the norms and killed the Qingyang Immortal in mid-air, he still felt an unnamed excitement in his heart.


    Martial Saint¡­.


    Regardless of his character and behavior, he was ultimately the leader of martial arts!


    This was the first ¡°true immortal¡± to die at the hands of an ordinary martial artist in forty years.


    With his own strength, he shattered the boundary between cultivators and mortals!


    Perhaps from today onwards, the idea of using martial arts to defeat immortals would no longer be an unrealistic fantasy. One day in the future, so-called ordinary martial artists could also rival cultivators in the clouds¡­


    Crack, crack.


    The sound of clear and loud shattering echoed.


    Many people turned their heads to look.


    In the corner of the grand pce, there stood a statue of the ¡°Qingyang immortal,¡± still in that position high above the clouds, with a sorrowful andpassionate expression. However, at this moment, it made cracking sounds, and a crack appeared from its head.


    Emperor Yonghe looked at this scene, his gaze suddenly losing focus for a moment.


    In front of him was the cracked statue of Immortal Qingyang.


    Behind him, a vigorous and roaring Martial Saint approached, intending to take his life.


    In this split second, various emotions filled his heart.


    ¡°Can an ordinary martial artist defy immortals¡­?¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s true, then have I been wrong all these years with my patience, with my choices¡­?¡± He gazed somewhat confusedly at the imposing Martial Saint.


    ¡°This Martial Saint was once a great general of Great Yan.¡± He sighed inwardly.


    There was a loud boom.


    The imposing Martial Saint swept past, punching the giant cauldron at the entrance of the hall, toppling it over easily.


    The cauldron fell, scattering ashes and dust all over the ce.


    The Martial Saint¡¯s figure didn¡¯t slow down at all. Anything or anyone in his way was pierced through by his powerful punch, like thunder and wind.


    Victory or failure hangs on this one move!


    This is a Taoist temple closest to the headquarters of the Xuantian Sect. It is not an exaggeration to say that it is the Xuantian Sect¡¯s home turf.


    The number and strength of the cultivators are undoubtedly higher than those of the Wuji Association, so his opportunity is only a fleeting moment.


    Qiao Mu, on the other hand, remained calm, without the same excitement as the other members of the Wuji Association.


    It¡¯s because he doesn¡¯t have any expectations for the Martial Saint. However, the strength and charisma disyed by this martial arts leader truly broke his heart¡­


    He looked in all directions, but his attention was drawn to the cultivators led by Taoist Chiyang in the sky, who were shocked and in disbelief after Martial Saint killed Qingyang.


    And Immortal Chiyang¡¯s face turned pale as his body transformed into a rainbow, swiftly disappearing into the high sky.


    However, despite this¡­ these cultivators were amazed but not panicked.


    Qiao Mu had a sense of unease in his heart and turned to look back at the direction of Xuantian Sect¡¯s main hall.


    Although the statue of Qingyang was shattered and lost its previous charm, there were still nearly a hundred immortal statues inside the hall.


    Led by the ¡°mighty and powerful Immortal Xuantian,¡± these many immortal statues still had apassionate and condescending expression, as if the death of Qingyang Immortal just now had not caused any ripples.


    Beside Immortal Xuantian, the leader.


    A statue named Immortal Tianxing suddenly moved its eyes and looked down at the approaching Martial Saint and others.


    At that moment, the wind started to blow.


    A strong wind blew through the mountains, making Qiao Mu and Emperor Yonghe stumble. They almost got blown away by the sudden gust.


    Suddenly, the sky turned ck.


    Just a moment ago, it was a sunny day with no clouds in sight. But now, dark clouds had gathered above, as if a king was ruling over thend.


    Qiao Mu looked up.


    The rolling dark clouds seemed closer to the ground than ever before. It felt like the sky was about to copse, with the swirling clouds resembling a ck ocean about to pour down.


    ¡°You, a martial artist of the human world, havemitted a great mistake.¡±


    A distant and ethereal voice echoed through the air.


    The voice seemed toe from the raging wind, yet also from high above in the heavens.


    At that moment, everyone, including Guard Chu and the other Wuji Association martial artists who had learned the Spiritual Refining Method, felt an indescribable fear. A heavy weight, like Mount Tai, was descending from the sky, threatening to crush them.


    The strong wind swept through, swirling the dark clouds and forming a whirlpool in the center. The whirlpool had tworge empty spaces surrounded by clouds¡­


    No, this is not an empty space, nor is it a storm eye.


    Those are a pair of eyes looking down upon the world.


    The dark clouds in the sky rolled endlessly, and faintly formed a blurry giant face the size of mountains, shrouding the entire mountain peak.


    Qiao Mu¡¯s body was covered in goosebumps, he knew this face.


    Ever since being burned alive by Saintess Wu Qingxin, he remembered the names of the immortals in the Xuantian Sect within the temple.


    The giant face in the sky resembled the immortal Tianxing by the side of the immortal Xuantian, which was simr to the Xuantian Sect¡¯s divine immortals who controlled thunder punishment, as rumored among mortals.


    The so-called Heavenly Punishment is the punishment carried out on behalf of the heavens!


    As the giant face in the clouds watched¡­


    The fierce storm swept through, no matter how hard the martial artists from the Wuji Association tried, they could not break through this seemingly short distance.


    There seemed to be an invisible storm barrier in front of Emperor Yonghe, no matter how they threw hidden weapons or shed with their swords, everything was shattered by the invisible storm barrier, leaving no trace.


    Even the powerful Martial Saint, who could easily break through obstacles set by cultivators, experienced a sharp decrease in speed at this moment, as if sinking into an invisible quagmire.


    ¡°It¡¯s Elder Tianxing!¡± Taoist Chiyang finally breathed a sigh of relief at this moment, with a calm expression on his face.


    ¡°Elder Tianxing is an elder in charge of punishments in the sect. Although he has a hot temper, his strength is beyond doubt.¡±


    ¡°This grand ceremony of Emperor Yonghe¡¯s worshiping of the gods is of great importance, so it is natural to have elders presiding over it.¡±


    ¡­¡­¡­


    Above the clouds.


    Several elders from the Xuantian Sect looked down at the scene in the Taoist temple.


    From beginning to end, their expressions didn¡¯t change much. Only when Martial Saint suddenly attacked and killed Taoist Qingyang, did some people show a hint of anger on their faces.


    As elders of the Immortal Gate, they carried their status in front of other elders and didn¡¯tpete with younger generation for credit, to go and hunt down Martial Saint. But now that Qingyang is dead, the situation has changed.


    ¡°Tianxing, it¡¯s up to you. You are skilled in the five thunder techniques, which are perfect for handling this kind of situation.¡± Elder Sun said with his eyes half-closed.


    ¡°Although Qingyang was only an outer disciple, his death is still a matter for our Immortal Gate in the mortal world.¡±


    ¡°This matter concerns the reputation of our Xuantian Sect. We must swiftly eliminate Martial Saint with overwhelming force!¡±


    Although Chiyang and Qingyang were in the same main hall as Elder Sun, Elder Tianxing, and the Immortal Gate sect leader, there were still differences in status among the immortals.


    If the sect leader Immortal Xuantian is the ¡°emperor¡± among the immortals in the main hall, then Chiyang and Qingyang can only be considered as low-ranking officials, just doing their duties.


    As disciples of the Immortal Gate, Chiyang, Qingyang, and other Taoists possessed powers beyond those of ordinary martial artists. In the eyes of the elders of the Xuantian Sect, they were enough to suppress the mortal world.


    Their existence represented the Immortal Gate¡¯s presence in the mortal world and also upheld the Immortal Gate¡¯s reputation.


    If they died in a fight between cultivators, it would be alright. But they must never die at the hands of mortals!


    Otherwise, their Xuantian Sect will surely be theughingstock of the other Eight Immortal Gates.


    Since the situation has already reached this point, there is no other choice but to¡­ nt the iron rule of ¡°the boundary between immortals and mortals must not be crossed¡± in the hearts of mortals in the most dazzling way!


    At this moment.


    Above the sky, a giant face formed by clouds of various sizes looked down, observing the Martial Saint of the mortal world.


    ¡°Those who use mortals to kill immortals shall face the punishment of being struck by lightning five times, with both their physical and spiritual forms annihted.¡± His voice was like thunder, deafening.


    His words fell.


    Endless bolts of zing white lightning pierced through the rolling dark clouds, like dazzling swords, striking down.


    Only an instant.


    The Martial Saint¡¯s body was engulfed in a dazzling sea of electric lights, so bright that people couldn¡¯t even open their eyes.


    Along with the nearby worshipers and a few members of the Wuji Association, they were all instantly submerged and disappeared without a trace.


    The dazzling electric lights illuminated the dim sky.


    In the midst of the rolling thunder, the punished Martial Saint naturally became the center of attention for everyone.


    Within the rolling lightning, the surface of his skin instantly turned into a ck charcoal-like substance under the thunder¡¯s power. The Martial Saint¡¯s body continuously burst open and writhed, as if trying to repair his injuries.


    He opened his mouth wide, seemingly shouting something to the heavens, but all the noises were drowned out by the rolling thunder, making it impossible to hear clearly.


    His eyes gazed into the direction of the grand hall, as if looking at Emperor Yonghe, or perhaps Qiao Mu, or maybe no one at all, as he met the gaze of the various divine statues within the hall.


    Boom!


    His towering, muscr body, three to four meters tall, turned into charcoal under the thunder, instantly disappearing into the lightning.


    The thunder suddenly stopped, and the bright light disappeared as if it had never existed.


    Simrly, the Martial Saint who fiercely shouted ¡°the winner bes an immortal¡± also vanished.


    Under the thunder, he was crushed to powder and vanishedpletely.


    The entire world suddenly fell into silence, the swirling dark clouds quickly dispersed, and the sunlight once again lit up the earth.


    A ray of sunlight shone down and illuminated the mountain peak below.


    The square in front of the temple was now in ruins, leaving only a terrifying giant pit where the Martial Saint no longer existed.


    ¡°Finally¡­¡± Taoist Chiyang breathed a sigh of relief.


    But as soon as he thought that there might be elders watching him from above, he quickly straightened his back and resumed his lofty immortal appearance.


    After a brief silence, someone suddenly shouted from the crowd:


    ¡°The Martial Saint was challenged and angered the heavens. He suffered the punishment of thunderbolts, turning into dust, and his soul disappeared!¡±


    Amongst the worshipers, the old man with a limp showed fanatical expression and shouted loudly.


    ¡°Good riddance!¡±


    ¡°There will never be another Martial Saint in this world. Those demonic creatures that feed on humans should have been struck by thunderbolts long ago!¡±


    The voices of the people gradually became lively.


    Amongst the crowd, a few remaining Wuji Association Spirit Refining martial artists wore a bewildered look.


    In the midst of the crowd, under the scorching sun, they felt a chilling and terrifying sensation deep into their bones.


    The Martial Saint has died?


    His death was as sudden and shocking as the death of the Qingyang immortal.


    ¡°This is impossible¡­ How could Martial Saint die?¡±


    ¡°He is the leader of martial arts, our greatest hope against the inhuman¡­¡±


    ¡°I joined the Wuji Association, hoping to see when this inhuman will die, but now¡­¡±


    The strength of Spirit Refining martial artists lies in their unwavering spirit.


    But when their spirits waver, their strength greatly diminishes.


    They were as excited just now as they are despairing now.


    Martial Saint showed them a faint hope of Using Martial Arts to Defeat Immortals with his own fists.


    But just momentster, Martial Saint used his own death to reveal the vast difference between mortals and immortals!


    ¡°If even Martial Saint dies, easily falling under the heavenly thunder of the inhuman, then what use is all our years of martial arts training¡­¡±


    The Martial Saint is not one person, but a group of the strongest warriors from the previous generation.


    This fact has spread rapidly across thend of Nan Province, thanks to the Tide Listening Building, and has be the hottest gossip in recent times.


    In the present martial world, the Martial Saint stands out above all others, unmatched by anyone else. This is an undeniable fact.


    The strength of the Martial Saint has left the members of the Wuji Association feeling hopeless.


    His death in battle is not just his own death, but represents the death of the leader of martial arts, and symbolizes the failure of martial arts.


    ¡°The winner bes a god, the loser bes a demon?¡± A faint voice echoed above the clouds.


    ¡°Is this the so-called Martial Saint that they mortals speak of?¡±

 Chapter 110:

    Chapter 110:


    The Martial Saint, who had been so arrogant, boasting about challenging the immortal, waspletely wiped out under the heavenly thunder, not even a trace of ashes left.


    The endless arrogance before has now disappeared.


    What is the cruelest thing in the world for a martial artist?


    It was the Martial Saint, who was unrivaled in martial arts in the world, who just gave them a false hope, but now he died suddenly.


    That ray of hope has quickly turned into nothingness.


    For martial artists, the Martial Saint is like a fierce sun that illuminates the sky in an instant.


    If they had never seen the light, perhaps they could still endure the darkness.


    And when the zing sun in the hearts of martial artists also falls, all their lofty ambitions disappear at this moment.


    The Martial Saint is an extraordinary genius, a martial arts leader who achieved his status by ughtering half of the martial world, and abination of the strongest martial artists of the previous generation.But if even he dies, and so easily at that¡­ how can they resist cultivators? Should they use their heads to fight?


    "Haha, after practicing martial arts for fifty years, I finally learned the Spiritual Refining Method. Now I realize that I had been on the wrong path from the very beginning¡­"


    "I refuse to ept this. If only I had spiritual roots, if only I had the talent for the immortal path, I could also be a celestial in the eyes of the world¡­" The assassin from Wuji Associationughed wildly, waving his sword and charging towards Emperor Yonghe.


    Even without Guard Chu¡¯s help, the invisible storm barrier surrounding Emperor Yonghe shattered his figure into pieces, scattering limbs and blood.


    A martial artist of the third level in Spirit Refining died more easily than the Martial Saint.


    Elder Tianxing was no longer in this mountain at the moment.


    After dealing with a Martial Saint, he hung up high and no longer took action.


    Except for one Martial Saint, all the other martial artists were weak and were taken care of by people like Taoist Chiyang.


    If even small matters like this required the personal involvement of an elder, what is the use of the Immortal Gate¡¯s officials?


    Nevertheless, the protection spell he left behind still left this third-level Spirit Refining martial artist helpless.


    "What are you staring at? Hurry and follow my lead to defeat these arrogant ordinary martial artists." Taoist Chiyang regained hisposure and gave orders.


    The cultivators once again activated their magical treasures and talismans, and beams of colorful light soared into the sky.


    "Attack!" The assassins from the Wuji Association disyed a sense of sadness in their eyes. Their minds were greatly shaken by the recent death of the Martial Saint. They drew their swords, looked around in confusion, and didn¡¯t even know what they should do or if they could do anything at all.


    The Wuji Association was an organization established by the Martial Saint himself. On the surface, it collected martial arts from all over the world and pursued the ultimate level of martial arts. In reality, it was meant to counter the immortal way with the martial way.


    And now, the Martial Saint had died, and he died so easily and casually. This left them bewildered and they could only rely on their instincts to dodge the cultivators¡¯ magical fires and flying swords.


    With the leader of the organization dead, and the organization¡¯s purpose proving to be nothing more than an illusion, what could they possibly do now?


    Even Emperor Yonghe, who stood on the opposite side of the Martial Saint, couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of sorrow and destion in his heart.


    The presence of this martial arts leader represented the pinnacle of ordinary people.


    But now that he was also dead, does this mean that¡­ the era of martial artists hase to an end and martial arts no longer exist in the world?


    Qiao Mu silently watched this scene.


    He possessed the power of immortality and was not afraid of death.


    Therefore, even in this critical moment, he could still calmly observe and listen to everything happening around him.


    When the heavenly thunder struck and turned the Martial Saint into dust, he also saw everything that happened after the thunder.


    He saw the limping old man and the crowd cheer and celebrate, he saw the assassins from the Wuji Association drawing their swords and looking lost, he saw Immortal Chiyang quietly straightening his back andmanding other cultivators to surround them.


    The death of the Martial Saint instantly changed the course of the battle, shocking everyone.


    "The Martial Saint is dead¡­" sighed Qiao Mu.


    He found it hard to believe that the Martial Saint would die so easily, but things in this world never go as nned¡­


    "The Martial Saint, my Martial Saint¡­ what does his death have to do with me? Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method!"


    In an instant, Qiao Mu¡¯s body filled with energy and he quickly rushed towards Emperor Yonghe.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    At the moment of using the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, a strange mass of flesh in his chest trembled faintly. A warm flow surged through his meridians as the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method erupted.


    In that moment, his speed increased dramatically, his body creating a gust of wind with each step, moving so fast that it almost disappeared from sight.


    "Another assassin? Hmm¡­ How fast! What rank is this?" Guard Chu was surprised.


    Being a Spirit Refining martial artist at the 3rd rank, Qiao Mu had surpassed the previous three levels of martial arts.


    In terms of strength techniques, there may not be a significant differencepared to a 4th rank martial artist, as the 4th rank is already the upper limit of the human body¡¯s capabilities for martial artists.


    But in this moment, Qiao Mu¡¯s sudden burst of speed exceeded Guard Chu¡¯s understanding. It not only surpassed his own abilities, but also reminded him of the Martial Saint¡¯s superhuman feats from before.


    However, despite Qiao Mu¡¯s speed, Guard Chu¡¯s intuition didn¡¯t alert him¡­ Was it because of the wind barrier next to Emperor Yonghe? He wondered.


    Taoist Chiyang was only slightly surprised.


    The strongest Martial Saint among mortals has already been eradicated, can the remaining remnants of the Wuji Association still make waves?


    Just in the blink of an eye.


    Qiao Mu, who was running wildly, directly bypassed Emperor Yonghe, his speed didn¡¯t diminish at all, and he rushed into the pce.


    Elder Tianxing¡¯s wind barrier may not even be able to be broken by the Martial Saint who died in the thunder, let alone him.


    So he decisively gave up the thought of continuing to assassinate the emperor and went straight into the pce of Qingyun Temple.


    After the dissipating of the thundercloud giant face in the sky, Qiao Mu noticed that the immortal figure in the pce seemed to have dimmed slightly.


    While others were shocked by the sudden death of the Martial Saint, Qiao Mu, who had been observing everything, noticed this fleeting sight.


    Thus, he made a decision.


    The situation hase to this point, surrounded by these immortals, with Elder Tianxing present, assassinating Emperor Yonghe is now an impossible n.


    So, all he can do now is focus on other matters.


    At this moment, Qiao Mu was enveloped in a strange light, his internal strength surged, and the lump of flesh in his chest quickly heated up, with warm energy flowing throughout his body.


    "That lump of Wu Qizheng¡¯s flesh is truly extraordinary, I am not this strong¡­ but there¡¯s no time to think about that now¡­"


    He red angrily and kicked towards the dim and lifeless Immortal Tianxing statue on the altar.


    As he kicked, Qiao Mu felt as if all his internal strength and blood were being sucked dry, even the strange lump of flesh in his chest was rapidly shrinking.


    His whole body seemed to transform into a ray of blood light, sweeping across the hall, delivering a powerful kick to the dimly glowing Immortal Tianxing statue!


    "We were born to be free, who dares to be high and mighty!"


    Amidst the resounding roar in the hall, he descended from the sky and stood directly on the altar. Drawing his sword from its scabbard, he wildly shed at the leading figure of Immortal Xuantian.


    With a loud ng, his sword shattered into pieces, but the burst of sword light left a long crack on the statue of Immortal Xuantian.


    Apart from these two statues, the rest of the statues were protected by an unknown power. Even when Qiao Mu tried his best to cut them, he couldn¡¯t break through.


    The force of the impact made Qiao Mu¡¯s body bleed, and the lump of flesh in his chest wriggled quickly, melting at an astonishing speed. The surging heat that filled his whole body gradually faded away.


    Behind him, the statue of Elder Tianxing cracked into pieces under tremendous force, toppling over and shattering into small andrge fragments.


    The hall fell into silence, only the sound of the copsing statues could be heard.


    Emperor Yonghe in front of the hall was stunned, his hair standing on end, suddenly unable to speak.


    How could this person be so daring? Martial Saint had just died right in front of them, and he dared to destroy the statues in front of the Xuantian Sect cultivators?


    Taoist Chiyang, who came flying on a flying sword, also twitched his face, feeling a chill run down his spine.


    Oh, the statue of Elder Tianxing¡­


    "This martial artist, was intentionally disrupting Emperor Yonghe¡¯s sacred ceremony? Ruining a good thing for my Xuantian Sect?" This thought suddenly came to his mind.


    At this moment.


    Within the entire grand hall, the atmosphere suddenly became tense.


    Even though no one moved, there was an invisible aura of danger that made it difficult for Emperor Yonghe and the others to breathe.


    Silently.


    Inside the grand hall, the numerous statues of celestial beings from all directions began to subtly change.


    The originalpassionate and sympathetic expressions on the statues of the celestial beings turned indifferent and scornful, their eyes silently staring at Qiao Mu from all directions.


    If Emperor Yonghe, who had faced the gaze and cries of a thousand pilgrims under the maniption of Xuantian Sect¡¯s cultivators, had felt pressure like a copsing mountain, trying to crush his knees and spine.


    Then now, Qiao Mu standing proudly on the shrine, was being watched by the hundred celestial beings of Xuantian Sect ¨C the pressure was iparable.


    "Humans disrespect gods and insult immortals, which is a great disrespect." A mysterious voice echoed in the hall,ing from an unknown source.


    "He should be struck by five thunderbolts, body and spirit will be destroyed." Another voice started to sound.


    "He should enter the Nine Underworlds, eternal damnation awaits."


    The entire hall resonated with these mysterious voices, as an invisible force surged, lifting Qiao Mu¡¯s body into the air.


    In this moment, Qiao Mu felt as if he was trapped in a muddy swamp, unable to exert any strength, only his mouth could move.


    Then, heughed.


    "ying tricks as gods, what kind of immortals are you?" He grinned, hisughter filled with mockery.


    "You dare to cultivate immortality? You dare to call yourselves immortals!"


    "Born in this world of dust, there are no true saints, no one can transcend, no one can be an immortal!"


    "You all are just beings in the disguise of immortals, boasting of your immortality!"


    Qiao Mu¡¯s body surged with energy as he struggled to reach his hand into the air and gently tapped his temple with his finger, bursting intoughter, saying:


    "In this world, there are no fairies at all, only a group of inhumans sitting on the divine altar, a group of individuals with minds different from ordinary people, treating humans as something other than human!"

 Chapter 111:

    Chapter 111:


    Qiao Mu is an immortal time traveler, so he doesn¡¯t have any fear of emperors, Martial Saints, or even so-called gods.


    When his words reached the ears of everyone in the hall, they were more shocking than the lightning that just killed the Martial Saint.


    Even the Wuji Association assassins, who see inhuman as their enemy, felt an inexplicable shock in their hearts.


    "Another crazy one," Taoist Chiyang thought as he watched martial artist Qiao Mu angrily smashing the statue.


    The Martial Saint is dead, the situation is settled.


    The few surviving assassins were barely hanging on under the siege of cultivators.


    They themselves didn¡¯t even know what they were fighting for anymore, feeling lost and only driven by their instinct to survive.


    Just like the spiritual refining assassin who tried to assassinate but was crushed by the wind shield next to Emperor Yonghe.


    No matter how angry and using the mortals are, so what?In the end, they couldn¡¯t assassinate Emperor Yonghe, couldn¡¯t disrupt this divine worship ceremony, and couldn¡¯t change the overall situation. At most, it caused a little trouble.


    "A mite trying to shake a tree? Even the strongest among you mortals, the so-called Martial Saint, has died. Your courage is useless."


    Taoist Chiyang waved his sleeve, causing a gust of wind in the hall. The shattered stone fragments of the deity statue reassembled and returned to the altar, forming aplete statue again.


    The statue¡¯s body still had cracks, but it had aplete human form, no longer as messy as before.


    If Elder Tianxing doesn¡¯t take action, it means that his role as a steward is sufficient to deal with this mortal.


    Although this person¡¯s destruction of the statue is surprising, the surprisees from their audacity, not anything else.


    Qiao Mu was now imprisoned by an invisible force in the hall, with almost his entire body immobilized except for his mouth.


    But he still held his ground.


    Qiao Mu shouted, "Martial Saint is dead. If we follow his logic, then it¡¯s his own weakness to me, not others."


    "The deceased is gone, shall the living throw themselves into despair? It¡¯s better to remember my name, Qiao Zhong."


    "Even if I die today, I wille to toll the death bell for you fake immortals!"


    As these words were spoken.


    The remaining assassins of the Wuji Association were also provoked.


    Although Martial Saint acted fiercely and had a thirst for killing, there were indeed many members of the Wuji Association who had obtained top martial arts techniques from him. Thus, there were naturally loyal supporters within the Wuji Association.


    "Even though Martial Saint is dead, he was still the strongest in martial arts, as he died at the hands of an immortal!"


    "For decades in the martial world, no one could match him. He has just died, and you¡¯re already rushing out?"


    "What¡¯s this? Are you going to worship Martial Saint, too? Worshipping the immortals is not enough, now you want to worship Martial Saint as well?" Qiao Mu retorted sarcastically.


    Taoist Chiyang was quite surprised by what he heard.


    He thought all the mice causing trouble this time were supporters of the Martial Saint, but now it seems¡­ that¡¯s not the case.


    Despite the surprise, he wouldn¡¯t hesitate at this moment.


    He was about to attack and kill this Qiao Mu when suddenly, someone stepped forward two steps inside the hall.


    As this person walked, everyone¡¯s eyes were drawn to him, causing quite a surprise.


    Even the hundred immortals on the altar in the hall, who were overlooking Qiao Mu, turned their heads to look.


    This person is Emperor Yonghe.


    Someone that nobody expected.


    The Martial Saint and the Wuji Association wanted to assassinate him, while the cultivators of the Xuantian Sect wanted him to kneel before the immortals.


    He is the main character of this event, but he is always ignored like he is in the center of a storm. No one has ever paid attention to him, even though he is known as a foolish and ipetent emperor.


    The opponent of Martial Saint is a cultivator from Xuantian Sect, but no one pays attention to him.


    The cultivators from Xuantian Sect have a sneaky n to deceive others. They pretend to be enemies of the other Eight Immortal Gates and are just using Martial Saint as bait. Naturally, they look down on him, as he is just a mortal emperor.


    But at this moment, the atmosphere feels a bit different.


    "Emperor Yonghe, what do you mean by this?" a soft voice asked.


    "Before the Xuantian Sect cultivators let me worship the gods, can I ask a few questions first?" Emperor Yonghe asked in a deep voice.


    At this moment, he seemed to have suddenly gained some confidence, and his actions and words had the demeanor of a former emperor.


    The hundred immortals in the great hall stared at Emperor Yonghe for a long time, and a silence fell.


    "Qiao Zhong, it seems like you are not a subordinate of Martial Saint. So why have youe?" Emperor Yonghe asked.


    At this moment, his face is deeply frowned.


    Qiao Zhong? This name surprises him.


    Qiao Mu¡¯s current appearance is a disguise made through the Flesh Changing Skill technique. Naturally, he doesn¡¯t recognize him.


    But the name Qiao Zhong, he naturally knows. It reminds him of Qiao Pifu, the one he hesitated to save at the entrance of the martial arts hall in Heyang City, and ended up being burned alive.


    Another Qiao family member¡­


    "Of course, I came here to kill you¡­" At this moment, Qiao Mu even feels that the invisible sense of restraint on his body has weakened a little.


    Although he doubts the strangeness of Emperor Yonghe, he also seriously considers it.


    The n to assassinate the emperor by Wuji Association is something he has been considering for a long time.


    But at that time, it was just a crude n to kill Martial Saint and use the power of the Great Yan Imperial Court as a tool.


    But now it¡¯s different.


    A high-quality death can make Qiao Mu stronger over the years.


    So, he can act without worrying about gains and losses, without fearing the powerful and cherishing life and fearing death, and he can do whatever he wants.


    The Martial Saint is dead, no one can give him any top-secret techniques, but what difference does it make?


    Since crossing over to the present, everything he has done, although driven by his own desire for strength, wasn¡¯t that done with a proud heart?


    And this is what he wants to do.


    "I came to kill you, but more importantly, I came for a proud heart." he said.


    Whether it¡¯s thews of Great Yan or the rules of the Immortal Gate, the greatest punishment for a person is death.


    And if Qiao Mu is not afraid of death, even longing for it, what can stop him or restrain him?


    If he is willing, he can be a powerful ancestor at any time, just thinking about it makes him feel excited.


    When he indulges his desires and dies, he might discover a new way to have a quality death: dying for evil.


    But after feeling that excitement, he still wants to do what he truly wants.


    He is not an ancestor, nor a superhero of justice, but an ordinary person with a bnced heart who wants to do what he desires.


    Since he came into this world, he has interacted more with ordinary people. They aremon folks rather than prominent figures.


    Along the way, he experienced the difficult lives of the people and their hardships. His heart naturally filled with a sense of injustice. Even if he fought and died many times, he couldn¡¯tpletely get rid of the obstacles in his heart.


    "When a figure like the Martial Saint dies, the people of the Wuji Association be distraught and unable to fight anymore," he said.


    "And as the Emperor of the Great Yan Imperial Court, everyone in the world will be watching you. If you also kneel, it will only lead to others following suit and the people¡¯s confidence will be lost."


    "If you want to kneel, it is better to die like me, with a greater sense of release."


    The ruler of a country cannot kneel.


    Just like in the eyes of a martial artist, a Martial Saint represents the leader of the martial arts rebellion against the immortal way, carrying their hope for resistance against the immortal way.


    If even the ruler kneels, can we expect the subjects to fight to the death?


    "This person really wants me to die¡­" Emperor Yonghe squinted his eyes, these words made him think even more about the already deceased Qiao Pifu.


    He continued, "Even the powerful Martial Saint, who surpassed the limits of a martial artist, is dead. What use is your struggle now?"


    Emperor Yonghe was talking about the Martial Saint, but he might as well have been talking about his own situation.


    The Martial Saint, who had been in hiding for forty years, had grown much stronger, but still ended up easily crushed by a heavenly thunder.


    As the Great Yan Emperor, he hadpromised and endured all the way until now, already exhausted in body and spirit. He couldn¡¯t see any bright future anymore and now recognized the huge gap with the Immortal Gate.


    "If I don¡¯t struggle, should I kneel down like you?" Qiao Mu said.


    "If this generation¡¯s martial arts leader is not capable, then the next generation, and the one after¡­ If the previous generation only knowspromise and submission, without any sacrifices, how can we expect the next generation to have courage?"


    While saying this, Qiao Mu¡¯s gaze swept past Emperor Yonghe and looked towards the square outside the pce.


    The body of the Martial Saint, who was previously struck by the thunderbolt, had long turned to dust and no longer existed.


    The worshippers had indifferent expressions, sometimes clear-headed and sometimes confused, only instinctively dodging the fighting.


    The remaining seven or eight Wuji Association assassins also had numb and painful expressions. They were only relying on theirbat instincts to resist the onught of cultivators, and had long lost their fighting spirit.


    The Martial Saint was the support and reliance in the hearts of these Wuji Association members. With his death, despair engulfed the martial artists of the Wuji Association, and they cried out that the way of martial arts no longer existed, and no one could oppose the path of immortals.


    "The Martial Saint was the pir of martial arts, and he is already dead," said Qiao Mu.


    "From now on, let me, Qiao Zhong, carry the mantle of martial arts, let me be the martial arts leader!"


    "A single tree cannot make a forest; if I am incapable, there will still be sessors thousands of yearster."


    The so-called leader of the martial arts is not just the best martial artist.


    Born in this era where the Immortal Gate is high above, the leader of the martial arts naturally carries the expectations of martial artists and the heavy responsibility of using martial arts to confront the immortals.


    Coincidentally, Qiao Mu has strong shoulders.


    Today, he witnessed the huge gap between the path of immortality and the path of martial arts, a gap that cannot be filled by the efforts of one or two generations.


    Without him, the modern method of martial arts developed by the Martial Saint might have taken decades, hundreds, or even thousands of years to gradually catch up with this gap.


    But he is different.


    As long as he dies multiple times, he can eventually surpass the umtion of the long years and stand at the pinnacle of martial arts, just like the Martial Saint who defeated Immortals using Martial Arts.


    "With my death alone, there is hope to shorten the suffering of the people in this realm by hundreds or even thousands of years¡­ Isn¡¯t that a huge gain?" This thought emerged in Qiao Mu¡¯s mind.


    Since the Martial Saint is already dead, from this day forward, he is determined to be the leader of the martial arts.

 Chapter 112:

    Chapter 112:


    Carry the mantle for the path of martial arts!


    This is not a stirring and heroic statement, because the previous Martial Saint, the leader of martial arts, had just died under Elder Tianxing¡¯s heavenly thunder, reduced to dust.


    Martial Saint had a notorious reputation, known as the supreme expert in the world of martial arts.


    But even he died so easily. Talking about carrying the Ding for martial arts in front of the immortals in Xuantian Sect at this time is obviously knowingly walking into danger.


    The so-called carrier of the mantle for martial arts doesn¡¯t mean the strongest, but it means taking the heavy responsibility like carrying a Ding on one¡¯s iron shoulder.


    When Guard Chu and others heard this, they only felt the tragic sacrifice of a martyr, but not the heroic ambition to soar through the clouds.


    And at this moment.


    Suddenly, a clear sword sound rang out.


    In Emperor Yonghe¡¯s arms, a faint earth yellow light suddenly rippled.The statues of the Xuantian Sect on the divine altar trembled together and turned their attention once again.


    However, this time, their gazes didn¡¯t go to look at Qiao Mu.


    Because no matter how boldly he spoke, he was nothing more than an ordinary martial artist. Even if he really became the so-called martial arts leader, what could he do?


    The gazes of these immortals fell on Emperor Yonghe¡¯s arms at this moment.


    Emperor Yonghe¡¯s face was calm as he slowly pulled out something from his arms.


    It was a sword.


    A sword radiating a heavy glow like a mountain.


    As the long sword was drawn out, the hundred immortals on the divine altar fellpletely silent, without any movement.


    This sword is not extremely powerful, enough to make the Xuantian Sect, who can easily kill the Martial Saint, fear.


    It¡¯s not the sword itself, but a mysterious presence that they don¡¯t want to get involved with or can¡¯t exin.


    "This is the Human Emperor Sword of our founding emperor." Emperor Yonghe¡¯s eyes suddenly lit up, and there was a hint of redness in his eyes.


    The concept of destiny is so elusive and intangible that even cultivators find it hard to grasp.


    This time, he took a risk and epted the invitation from the Xuantian Sect, secretlying to the Qingyun Temple to worship the gods. One of his secret weapons is this former emperor¡¯s sword.


    "Thete emperor¡¯s testament mentioned the concepts of destiny and national fate. It seems that they are not mere fantasies¡­"


    Before cultivators intervened in the affairs of the dynasty, the mortal world in Jiu Province belonged to the martial artists.


    The title of emperor naturally belonged to those who were strong in martial arts and had a powerful army.


    The founding emperor of Great Yan Imperial Court in the past gained control from horseback, not only having the strongest military force of that time, but also being the number one martial artist in the world.


    After the founder¡¯s passing, his cherished sword became the Human Emperor Sword, worshipped in temples. It, along with the Imperial Seal and the Jiu Province Tripod, became a symbol of the human race¡¯s supreme ruler and the dynasty¡¯s imperial authority.


    It was originally just a powerful sword, sharp but not possessing any supernatural abilities.


    Even though it was once ranked high in the Tide Listening Building¡¯s weaponry, after hundreds of years, no matter how sharp a sword is, it cannot resist the erosion of time.


    Therefore, this sword is no longer a weapon for martial artists to kill with. It has lost its sharpness and exists only as a symbol.


    Emperor Yonghe agreed to worship the gods, intending to push himself, as the emperor, into the most dangerous situation. He wanted to see if this so-called Human Emperor Sword and the talk of "the fortune of the nation" and "the fortune of the empire" were true.


    cing hope in an uncertain legend meant that he was almost at his wits¡¯ end, with nothing else to rely on.


    Even the current courtcks absolute certainty in dealing with the Martial Saint, let alone confronting the Immortal Gate head-on.


    Emperor Yonghe nced at the silent statues of the immortals on the shrine.


    It seemed that he had made the right bet.


    Next, we will see how much Immortal Gate fears this matter of meddling with the country¡¯s luck.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    Above the clouds.


    Elder Tianxing and others couldn¡¯t help but frown.


    "Is this Emperor Yonghe¡¯s reliance? We really underestimate him, Great Yan¡¯s emperor."


    Ever since Emperor Yonghe suddenly became tough and stood up for Qiao Mu when they were about to execute him, they had a sudden realization that something was wrong.


    This doesn¡¯t match their impression of Emperor Yonghe.


    Since he is acting so unusual, he must have something to rely on¡­


    "The sword itself is just an ordinary object, not worth mentioning. It seems to have attracted the luck of an earthly emperor over many years of worship¡­"


    "Don¡¯t worry, the fortune of emperors and kings is unpredictable. Even if we get involved, it may not necessarily have any effect on our lives as cultivators."


    "Then why don¡¯t you give it a try?"


    The elders remained silent for a moment.


    With their abilities, if they disregarded the consequences and forcefully oppressed Emperor Yonghe as they had done before, it would certainly be achievable.


    However, who will take the lead?


    Their personal interests and the interests of the sect are ultimately notpletely the same.


    Faced with unknown things they have never encountered before, these long-lived cultivators naturally prefer to act cautiously.


    "¡­If we give up on Emperor Yonghe¡¯s act of worshipping the gods, wouldn¡¯t it harm our reputation?" Elder Sun frowned and said:


    "Since none of you are willing, then let Chiyang, the caretaker currently in the Taoist temple, give it a try."


    "He took the incense from the sect to aid in cultivation. Though only a steward, he was also one of the hundred immortals, naturally having responsibilities."


    The other elders also nodded in agreement.


    Just as he was about to inquire about Taoist Chiyang, Elder Tianxing¡¯s face suddenly changed. Ignoring the previous discussion, he transformed into a rainbow and flew away.


    "Elder Tianxing is still hot-headed, always acting decisively¡­ but to be so proactive¡­"


    Elder Sun let out a sigh, but then his face also changed as he sensed something unusual.


    Unbeknownst to them, there appeared a figure of a Taoist in a blue robe above the clouds of Qingyun Temple. He directly blocked Elder Tianxing¡¯s path.


    "Tianxing, my friend, and the other friends from Xuantian Sect, I hope you are well?"


    The Taoist in the blue robe stood above the clouds, with a smiling face, but his eyes were cold.


    "Qingyi, my friend from Zhong Province Great Dao Sect?"


    Elder Sun and the others immediately changed their expressions.


    This time, they secretly brought Emperor Yonghe to this Taoist temple without the knowledge of the other Eight Immortal Gates. They had him pay respects to the immortals, so they could gain an advantage among the Nine Immortal Gates and be the first Immortal Gate to be worshipped by the Great Yan Emperor.


    If they were sessful in monopolizing this opportunity, they could still escape me. However, it just so happened that before they seeded, Taoist Qingyi from the Great Dao Sect in Zhong Province discovered them?


    "This cannot be a coincidence¡­" Elder Sun¡¯s face turned grim.


    The Nine Immortal Gates each upy a territory and establish Taoist temples to receive offerings from the people in each province.


    The Great Dao Sect is an Immortal Gate located in Zhong Province.


    Although Taoist Qingyi is only one person, his arrival suggests that their strategy of deceiving and manipting others may have been exposed¡­


    With the Xuantian Sect¡¯s sect leader in Zhong Province, who possesses the treasured Tianwu Mirror, it seems they may be in danger¡­

 Chapter 113:

    Chapter 113:


    "Friends from Xuantian Sect, I will not waste words with you."


    Taoist Qingyi said in a cold voice:


    "The other seven Immortal Gates have also learned about your deceptive actions, and the deeds of your sect leader in Zhong Province have been revealed."


    "The matter of Emperor Yonghe worshipping the gods muste to an end here."


    Taoist Qingyi appeared very tough, his personal aura vaguely overpowering the elders of Xuantian Sect.


    Even Elder Tianxing, who was always hot-tempered, fell silent at this moment, not showing his might.


    Each of the Nine Immortal Gates upies one province, and Xuantian Sect holds the mountainous Nan Province, which is rtively less populous and less prosperous.


    Zhong Province is mostly t ins, densely popted, and it is also where the Imperial Capital is located. The Great Dao Sect that can upy Zhong Province is naturally extraordinary, and even faintly regarded as the leader among the Nine Immortal Gates.


    Theprehensive strength of the Great Dao Sect may not necessarily be the first among the Nine Immortal Gates, but it is said to have extraordinary heritage that makes the other Eight Immortal Gates fearful and can only yield the incense in Zhong Province to the Great Dao Sect.And the Taoist Qingyi that appeared here represents the Great Dao Sect, making them instantly shorter.


    This is not just about personal strength differences, or whether it¡¯s right or wrong.


    After all, this is the Qingming Mountain Range, not far from the Xuantian Sect¡¯s sect. Even though Taoist Qingyi has profound cultivation, he is still outnumbered.


    If Elder Sun and others from the Xuantian Sect insist on having Emperor Yonghe worship the deity, although it can be done, the consequences need to be carefully considered.


    From the implied meaning of Taoist Qingyi¡¯s words, the Xuantian Sect sect leader, who is far away in Zhong Province and holds the sect¡¯s treasure, has be his leverage.


    Keeping it a secret from the other Eight Immortal Gates and being discovered just as they are about to devour it, the consequences would be severe.


    Once matters are not settled here, Xuantian Sect will not only lose the Xuantian Sect sect leader and the sect¡¯s treasure, the Tianwu Mirror, this will only be the beginning. Xuantian Sect will likely be jointly attacked by the Eight Immortal Gates.


    Taoist Qingyi seemed to have sensed the hesitation of Elder Tianxing and others, and said again:


    "Indeed, the Xuantian Sect has gone too far with this matter, but if you can stop now, it may not be toote."


    "The Nine Immortal Gates each hold their own secrets, and if it¡¯s not necessary, we Immortal Gate members won¡¯t have to go all-out."


    This statement isn¡¯t entirely an excuse to keep Xuantian Sect stable.


    If the other Eight Immortal Gates can unite, dealing with Xuantian Sect is a piece of cake, but the Immortal Gates are alsopeting for followers.


    In the eyes of the Nine Immortal Gates, their true enemies are each other, not the Great Yan Imperial Court or the Martial Saint.


    Elder Sun sighed softly in his heart, but there was nothing he could do.


    "How did this matter get exposed at such a critical moment? Who secretly informed the people from the Great Dao Sect? Unfortunately, Emperor Yonghe also has a Human Emperor Sword that can carry and manifest qi fortune."


    The timing of the exposure is crucial.


    If we follow Xuantian Sect¡¯s n, it¡¯s worth it to expose everything after the Xuantian Sect leader returns from Zhong Province, even if there are consequences to payter.


    But now¡­


    The elders looked at each other and had already made up their minds.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    Inside the temple of the Taoist temple.


    As Emperor Yonghe drew his sword, all the immortals in the hall fell silent.


    Even Qiao Mu, who was previously held in mid-air by an invisible force, slowly descended andnded in the hall.


    Although Taoist Chiyang didn¡¯t fully understand what had happened, he dared not make a move after seeing the immortals fall silent. He stayed in ce, waiting for the elders tomunicate.


    For a moment, the hall fell into a brief calmness.


    "The words spoken by Qiao Zhong just now, as a ruler, I cannot kneel down, but have I ever truly wanted to bow down to the Immortal Gate¡­" Emperor Yonghe held the Human Emperor Sword and silently repeated in his mind.


    Although he didn¡¯t want to in his heart, he felt that this was something he had no choice but to do.


    The existence of the Human Emperor Sword was a desperate move, he didn¡¯t have any confidence in it, and it was not carefully nned.


    If it wasn¡¯t for the Human Emperor Sword appearing and bringing luck, he wouldn¡¯t be sure if the concept of luck was true. So he would have to kneel before the Xuantian Sect inside this temple.


    So what Qiao Mu said was not wrong.


    He did have the intention to kneel and bow to the immortals, but it was purely by luck this time¡­


    Did it really just happen by luck?


    Emperor Yonghe couldn¡¯t help but nce at Qiao Mu falling from the sky, and his mind was filled with countless thoughts.


    Even though Emperor Yonghe had ns in his mind, he was taking a risk, preparing to worship the gods as the emperor to test the truth of the concept of luck.


    And did the awakening of this Human Emperor Sword happen because he, as the Great Yan Emperor, was in a dangerous situation?


    Maybe it was, maybe¡­ it¡¯s not just because of him.


    This Human Emperor Sword, before bing a symbol of royal power and receiving worship, was a top sword for a skilled martial artist who refines their spirit.


    In other words, this sword possesses both the weapon of a martial artist and the connection to the fortunes of a nation.


    Emperor Yonghe realized something strange about the precious sword in his embrace, and it was not the time for him, as the emperor, to be criticized and surrounded by people, preparing to worship the gods.


    Instead, it was when that white-haired martial artist boldly broke into the main hall, smashing statues of gods and speaking boldly.


    "The fortunes of the Human Emperor Sword are not just because I, as the emperor, was forced by immortals, but perhaps also because of Qiao Zhong¡¯s martial will, which resonates with the martial will of the past emperor, thus ¡®awakening¡¯ this sword?"


    Emperor Yonghe had this thought in his mind and involuntarily squinted his eyes.


    And at this moment.


    Several streaks of rainbow light flew in, one after another,nding on this main hall. It was Taoist Qingyi from the Great Dao Sect, Elder Sun and Elder Tianxing from the Xuantian Sect.


    As soon as these cultivators entered the main hall, their gazes immediately fell on the Human Emperor Sword, revealing jealousy, but they didn¡¯te too close.


    "Emperor Yonghe, the matter of worshiping the gods ends here. This is the Xuantian Sect¡¯s doing, it has nothing to do with our Immortal Gate. Now this matter is resolved," Taoist Qingyi spoke first, with a gentle tone.


    "Are you willing to return with me to the Imperial Capital of Zhong Province?"


    Elder Sun and the others behind Taoist Qingyi didn¡¯t look too pleased, but they didn¡¯t object. It seems they have already negotiated the terms with Taoist Qingyi.


    However, when speaking, Elder Sun¡¯s gaze fell on Emperor Yonghe¡¯s face, as if trying to judge something from his expression.


    The fact that Emperor Yonghe holds this Human Emperor Sword truly surprised them.


    This made him secretly suspect if Taoist Qingyi from the Great Dao Sect is also another ace up Emperor Yonghe¡¯s sleeve, and if he had secretly learned about other Immortal Gates long ago.


    However, Elder Sun couldn¡¯t make out anything from Emperor Yonghe¡¯s face, unable to judge.


    Emperor Yonghe felt slightly relieved in his heart, naturally, he would not refuse.


    Though he held the Human Emperor Sword, in front of the Immortal Gate, he was still in a weak position, but now he had some bargaining chips.


    "Well¡­"


    Once Emperor Yonghe¡¯s matters were discussed and settled, the attention of these cultivators fell upon the surroundings of the grand hall.


    At this time, the assassins from the Wuji Association had already been eradicated under the siege of cultivators such as Taoist Chiyang.


    As for those pilgrims who luckily survived the fight, their minds had already been influenced by the Xuantian Sect, and there would be no problems.


    The only person who happened to survive was Qiao Zhong, who had just bravely shattered the statue.


    "This person sphemed the deities. He must be punished," Elder Sun thought to himself, but just as he was about to make a move, he heard Emperor Yonghe take a step forward.


    "Wait, Xuantian Sect elders."


    "Hm? What do you mean by this?" Elder Sun¡¯s gaze turned cold.


    "Do you think the earthly emperors, who believe they are blessed with fortunes, are still the same as before? Do you want to protect this person?"


    Although they didn¡¯t want to get involved in luck, it was a fact that Immortal Gate was strong and Great Yan Imperial Court was weak.


    Not forcing Emperor Yonghe to worship gods now doesn¡¯t mean there won¡¯t be other ways to deal with him in the future.


    Taoist Qingyi nced at the broken statue, his gaze slightly chilled:


    "This person has indeed made a huge mistake and must not be allowed to live."


    Qiao Mu smashed the statue of Xuantian Sect, but in this matter, Taoist Qingyi naturally stood on the side of Immortal Gate.


    An ordinary martial artist who sphemes against the gods cannot live!


    "Why would the Emperor himself need to intervene?" Qiao Mu became anxious:


    "I, Qiao Zhong, have long disregarded life and death. I only regret not being able to expose the true nature of you inhumans earlier!"


    Talking is one thing, causing trouble is another, but don¡¯t joke about saving lives.


    Emperor Yonghe also fell silent for a moment.


    "This person conspired with members of the Wuji Association to assassinate the king, a crime that cannot be forgiven," he said.


    "ording to thews of Great Yan, he shall be sent to the heavenly prison and then be executed to set an example."


    Emperor Yonghe knew very well that this person named Qiao Zhong indeed intended to assassinate him.


    The assassination attempt failed only because Qingming Mountain is territory belonging to the Xuantian Sect, and Chu Xing was not able to fully utilize his power.


    If it weren¡¯t for the protective spell cast by the Xuantian Sect cultivator, Qiao Mu¡¯s sudden burst of speed might have been unstoppable, and Chu Xing might be unable to save him.


    Towards an assassin who wanted to kill him, regardless of his intentions, the Imperial Capital of Yonghe would not show mercy.


    Moreover, he seemed to be aligned with the martial will of the founding emperor and resonated with the Human Emperor Sword, which made him wary.


    Based on his spection, this was only because of their alignment with the martial will, and there was no deeper meaning or intention.


    But there was always a knot in his heart.


    "This Great Yan¡¯snd, cannot be given to inhumans, and definitely not to others¡­" His thoughts were swirling in his mind.


    Qiao Mu immediately felt relieved when he heard it.


    Just now, he almost changed his opinion about Emperor Yonghe. Who would¡¯ve thought that this person was actually a good person, not intending to save his life at all.


    Qiao Mu must die.


    This was the agreement reached between Emperor Yonghe and the two major Immortal Gates.


    As for who would kill him and who would carry out the execution, it was a matter of face.


    "Regarding this matter¡­ it can be done." Elder Sun made a decision.


    "Friend Qingyi, when we enter the Imperial Capital, please supervise this matter on our behalf."


    He was just a bold and reckless martial artist, and as long as he died, it would be fine.


    As for who would kill him¡­ they didn¡¯t mind giving the Great Yan Emperor face in this situation.


    After the matter of worshipping gods was abandoned halfway, the Xuantian Sect was about to face the anger of other Immortal Gates, and he didn¡¯t have the energy to care.


    "Rest assured, friend," Taoist Qingyi nodded as well.


    Emperor Yonghe goes against his own principles, secretly releasing people like this wouldn¡¯t be possible if he was supervising.


    spheming gods is something that offends all cultivators from the Nine Immortal Gates, naturally there would be no way out.


    The straightforward agreement of these two people also startled Emperor Yonghe.


    Initially, he just wanted to test the deterrence power of the Human Emperor Sword against the Immortal Gate by engaging with the other party and figuring out exactly how strong it was.


    But he didn¡¯t expect them to agree so quickly.


    Emperor Yonghe was a little distracted as he held the Human Emperor Sword in his hand.


    Since he became emperor, it was the first time he had the chance to negotiate face-to-face with someone from the Immortal Gate, right?


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Several dayster.


    In a mountain vige in Nan Province.


    A radiant red sun rose from the clouds, illuminating the mountains and piercing through the faint mist.


    Wu Qiankun walked slowly along the small path in the mountains, getting his trousers wet with dew from the grass.


    In the distance, a cemetery could vaguely be seen. A man with white hair could also be seen, bowing his head and doing something in front of a tombstone.


    As he approached, Wu Qiankun saw that the man with white hair was using his index finger as a pen, writing on the tombstone.


    Wu Qizheng¡¯s tomb.


    "Father." Wu Qiankun stopped and respectfully bowed.


    "No need to call me father, there are no more Martial Saints in this world." Martial Saint said lightly.


    The 85-year-old man was talking to himself in front of the tombstone.


    "Wu Qizheng, I¡¯ve said it before, ¡®righteousness¡¯ is your fatal weakness."


    "That¡¯s why you would inevitably use the ¡®Flesh Changing Skill¡¯ to disguise yourself as me, sacrificing yourself for me. Even if in your eyes, you¡¯re not dying for my sake."


    "The martial way is inferior to the immortal way, so your death can buy me and the martial way more time."


    Wu Qiankun fell silent for a moment and asked,


    "Father, I still don¡¯t quite understand, is Wu Qizheng¡¯s sacrifice worth it?"


    "Although Wu Qizheng had a low ranking, his best skill was the amazing technique called ¡®Flesh Changing Skill.¡¯ He should have aplished more."


    "Why didn¡¯t my foster father personally enter the Immortal Gate and forcefully kill Emperor Yonghe?"


    As one of the seventy-two wise men selected from the three thousand disciples of the Martial Saint, each person possessed at least one talent or secret skill that exceeded that of the Martial Saint.


    Wu Qizheng, ranking 70th among the seventy-two wise men, excelled in the incredible secret skill called ¡®Flesh Changing Skill.¡¯


    The so-called ¡®Flesh Changing Skill¡¯ was initially created by the Martial Saint, but Wu Qizheng was the one who fully developed it.


    Speaking solely in terms of martial artists¡¯ mastery of the ¡®Flesh Changing Skill,¡¯ Wu Qizheng was first, followed by the Martial Saint.


    The one who died under the Heavenly Thunder was Wu Qizheng, who disguised himself as the Martial Saint using the Flesh Changing Skill, not the actual Martial Saint.


    In reality, the true Martial Saint didn¡¯t appear at Qingyun Temple that day.


    Ever since receiving the secret letter from the previous generation¡¯s Star Xuan Envoy, Mo Mingzhi, which revealed that Emperor Yonghe had arrived at Qingyun Temple.


    There were only two choices in front of Martial Saint:


    Either give up now or directly go to Qingyun Temple and kill Emperor Yonghe.


    Martial Saint chose the former and gave up on the n to assassinate the emperor.


    "If the Emperor of Great Yan is determined to kneel, no one can stop him," Martial Saint said calmly.


    "Even if we stop him this time, he will kneel again next time. So if we can¡¯t kill him, then let it be."


    Martial Saint paused for a moment and engraved a tombstone inscription underneath the name "Wu Qizheng":


    "With extraordinary skills, walking the righteous path."


    This was his interpretation of Wu Qizheng¡¯s short but meaningful life from his perspective.


    Wu Qizheng willingly went to his death.


    Because Martial Saint is the strongest martial arts practitioner in the world, he is the most capable of fighting against immortals.


    That¡¯s why Martial Saint cannot die yet.


    Thinking about this, Martial Saint looked up and gazed at Qingming Peak in the distance.


    His eyes quickly narrowed and blood vessels appeared, with his sharp eyesight, he could see the mark left by the thunderbolt on the Taoist temple from a long distance away.


    "So this is the Xuantian Sect¡¯s thunder technique¡­" Martial Saint muttered to himself.


    "If I can use it to catch a glimpse of the strength of the Xuantian Sect Elders, then the sacrifice this time will be worthwhile."


    "I still need more time¡­ I need to fake my death to deceive the Immortal Gate, to continue hiding."


    "The Martial Saint Spiritual Technique is the secret technique I rely on for survival. However, this technique is currently at a bottleneck and requires more time toprehend¡­ It is not yet time for the decisive battle with the Immortal Gate."


    "If you¡¯re only hiding, why do you need to fake your death?" Wu Qiankun couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    Martial Saint¡¯s thoughts are always hard to understand.


    Wu Qiankun is called "Little Martial Saint" within the Wuji Association and is seen as one of the closest disciples to the Martial Saint. He ranks third among the seventy two wise men.


    But even he dares not say how much he can guess about the Martial Saint¡¯s thoughts.


    "This martial arts world doesn¡¯t need any Martial Saints," said the Martial Saint calmly.


    "I¡¯ve waited for forty years. Although the number of practicing martial artists in this martial arts world has far exceeded the past, there hasn¡¯t been a martial artist who canpare to me yet."


    "Perhaps, my existence as the Martial Saint has be an obstacle in this martial arts world."


    The Martial Saint remembered those martial artists who died in front of him, like Mo Mingzhi, the previous Star Xuan Envoy who willingly let him absorb his power with the Martial Saint Spiritual Technique a few days ago.


    "The people only know blind admiration for strength. They need an idol on a pedestal, be it a celestial being or me, the Martial Saint."


    "But I am not a celestial being, why do I need followers? Why do I need people to worship and pay homage to me?" said the Martial Saint nonchntly.


    "That coward Mo Mingzhi, it¡¯s better if he is dead and gone. What I need are strong challengers who dare to face me."


    Wu Qiankun remained silent and frowned slightly.


    "But if that happens, many people will die."


    "If even the Martial Saint easily dies under the inhuman thunder, then most martial artists will likely lose hope and fall into despair."


    "Let them die then," dered the Martial Saint firmly.


    "What use is there to keep these cowards who ce their hopes on me, the Martial Saint?"


    The Martial Saint stood up and brushed off the dust from his body.


    "After hiding for forty years, I, the Martial Saint, could only defeat a mere Immortal Gate supervisor. That would only make inhumans be even more arrogant."


    "Starting from today, with my, the Martial Saint¡¯s, death, the human realm will turn into a furnace. The weak will die, and the strong will survive."


    "Or maybe the adoptive father¡¯s ns were far-sighted," Wu Qiankun sighed in admiration.


    "In this way, perhaps, after the initial chaos, a new top-notch martial artist will emerge in the martial world?"


    "What ns? How would I know if a stronger martial artist will be born?" Martial Saint shrugged his shoulders.


    Wu Qiankun paused for a moment.


    Since he wasn¡¯t confident, why did Martial Saint act so decisively?


    "When one is at a dead end, change is necessary. Whether the oue of the change is sessful or not, I cannot predict," Martial Saint coldlyughed.


    He was only trying to bring about change in the martial arts world.


    However, he didn¡¯t know, nor could he guess, whether the results of this change would be good or bad.


    If the martial artists were topletely decline because of this, then let it be destroyed quickly.


    Even if things got worse, it couldn¡¯t be worse than Martial Saint suppressing the martial arts world for forty years, right?


    "Wu Qiankun, from now on, I will hide in the shadows and no longer walk in Jiu Province under the name of ¡®Martial Saint¡¯ until I break through," said Martial Saint.


    "You¡¯ve done well with recent events, timely enabling the undercover agents of Great Dao Sect to act and allowing Taoist Qingyi to arrive in Nan Province on time."


    "So, while I¡¯m away, you will be in charge of Wuji Association," he said calmly.


    The former Saintess Wu Qingxin of Xuantian Sect was actually an undercover agent sent by Martial Saint.


    However, this undercover agent rebelled and was personally drained by Martial Saint.


    In Great Dao Sect of Zhong Province, Wuji Association also has undercover agents.


    Taoist Qingyi¡¯s arrival was not a coincidence, but rather the result of Wuji Association¡¯s behind-the-scenes intervention, disrupting Xuantian Sect¡¯s ns.


    Wu Qiankun nodded slightly with a heavy heart, but there wasn¡¯t much joy in his mind.


    In the assassination mission against Emperor Yonghe this time, all the assassins from the Wuji Association were destroyed, and there were no survivors.


    Among them, there were even Spirit Refining martial artists of the top 3rd rank, but they all became sacrifices.


    Because if the Martial Saint wanted to assassinate the emperor, the Wuji Association under hismand couldn¡¯t have sent no Spirit Refining martial artists, otherwise it might have aroused suspicion from the Immortal Gate.


    Wu Qiankun said, "All the assassins who went to Qingyun Temple were wiped out, except for one person¡­"


    "Qiao Zhong, or should I say, Qiao Sen¡­ his performance that day was truly moving."


    "He didn¡¯t die?" The Martial Saint was quite surprised.


    Suddenly, he remembered his simple agreement with Qiao Mu.


    If Qiao Mu could survive this assassination mission against the emperor, then the Martial Saint would teach him the most advanced martial arts.


    But now, the situation was a bit special.


    Qiao Mu¡¯s current situation cannot be said to have survived, only that he hasn¡¯t died yet.


    "He should have already been sent to the heavenly prison in the Zhong Province Imperial Capital. It¡¯s a bit troublesome to get the martial arts techniques to him there," said Wu Qiankun.


    However, the Martial Saint waved his hand and said, "It is indeed surprising that he is still alive, but that is not a reason for me to break my promise."


    "Sending him the martial arts techniques is a small matter."


    "Which one should we send to him then?" Wu Qiankun asked again.


    The Wuji Association also has many top-notch martial arts techniques.


    For example, there is the exceptional Long Life Fist Sutra, the extraordinary Pure Yang Wuji Skill from Wudang Sect, and even other top martial arts from the past.


    "Tell me, how did he perform back then?" asked the Martial Saint.


    He was always generous with martial arts techniques, but which one to give depends on the person¡¯s performance.


    "On that day, he boldly rushed into the pce, smashing the statues of the immortals and openly dering himself as the bearer of martial arts¡­" Wu Qiankun recounted.


    Although the assassins of the Wuji Association werepletely wiped out that day, not all the witnesses on the scene died, and he had sources for other information.


    "Ah, this person is already in his sixties, yet he is still valiant in his old age. He truly deserves that I didn¡¯t kill him back in the day." Martial Saint squinted his eyes, seriously contemting which martial arts technique to pass on.


    "The techniques he primarily cultivates are ¡®Pure Yang Wuji Skill¡¯ and ¡®Long Life Fist Sutra,¡¯ but underestimating him is a mistake even if I were to give him these two techniques."


    Whether it¡¯s ¡®Pure Yang Wuji Skill¡¯ or ¡®Long Life Fist Sutra,¡¯ these Spiritual Refining Techniques, even if cultivated to the fullest, will not be able to defeat him.


    Because he is Martial Saint, he has already explored the utmost in Spiritual Refining Methods, confidently believing that no one can rival him.


    There was no way forward.


    Therefore, those who came after him could only seek another path if they wanted to surpass him.


    "In Zhong Province, there has always been a legendary tale of attaining enlightenment through martial arts, like the founder of Wudang, Master Zhang¡­ It¡¯s just that I have reached the pinnacle of spiritual refining, and yet, I still cannot fully grasp what it truly means to attain enlightenment through martial arts."


    "Perhaps, Qiao Zhong, a talented fighter, should try exploring other martial arts paths¡­" After thinking for a moment, he made a decision.

 Chapter 114:

    Chapter 114:


    The idea of using martial arts to cultivate oneself originated from a legend in the Zhong Province.


    But it¡¯s just a legend.


    The foundation of Martial Saint¡¯s martial arts lies in the "Martial Saint Spiritual Technique." With the help of this secret technique, he reached an unparalleled level in the Spiritual Refining Method that no one had achieved before.


    However, even so, Martial Saint still felt that he wasn¡¯t strong enough to confront the Immortal Gate.


    This is the fundamental reason why he gave up on assassinating Emperor Yonghe because if he went to Qingyun Temple, there was a possibility of facing losses there as well.


    "Now that I, Martial Saint, am deceased, it means that the Spiritual Refining Method alone is not enough to rival the Immortal Gate. Other martial artists in this world who wish to surpass me should explore new paths instead of following my old one."


    The essence of the Martial Saint Spiritual Technique lies in absorbing the "essence" of martial artists, which means only one can be the strongest along this path, while the rest be nourishment.


    And in the world of martial artists, besides the most popr Spiritual Refining Method, there are also power, strength, and skill.


    These three martial artsbined cannot defeat the top-level Spirit Refining martial artist, so the practitioners of power skills can only reach the 4th rank."It¡¯s time to go back to Zhong Province."


    With one step, the Martial Saint¡¯s face quickly transformed into the face of a stranger, disappearing from Wu Qiankun¡¯s sight.


    Wu Qiankun sighed softly, his gaze resting on Wu Qizheng¡¯s tombstone.


    "How many sacrifices is this now?" he whispered to himself.


    ¡­¡­¡­.


    Several dayster.


    It started to rain lightly in the mountains, wetting the grass and shrouding the forest in a misty atmosphere.


    A lonely tomb stands quietly in the rain, the rainwater slides down the tombstone and wets the words "Wu Qizheng¡¯s grave".


    At this moment, a long umbre stretches out from the side, providing shelter from the wind and rain for this tombstone.


    At some point on this lonely tomb, stood a pale-faced man with ck hair. He leaned over and quietly examined the engraved words on the tombstone.


    "Using strange arts and tricks, walking the righteous path? An epitaph?" A self-deprecating smile shed across the man¡¯s face.


    "Martial Saint, is it considered walking the righteous path as long as my death can ultimately benefit you?"


    "But I¡¯ve said it before, even if I die, I will never die for you."


    His name is Wu Qizheng.


    Among his name, the extraordinary characteres before the ordinary character.


    Wu Qizheng leans against the tombstone, taking slight breaths in the mountain rain.


    At this moment, he looked very pale and obviously weak, even if he just walked along the mountain road, he felt extremely tired.


    Wu Qizheng was not an ordinary person, even among three thousand disciples and seventy two wise men, he was considered unique.


    Some of the three thousand disciples of that year were adopted and raised by Martial Saint as his sons and daughters.


    Some learned martial arts under the guidance of Martial Saint as their master.


    There were also a few who were more special.


    For example, Wu Qizheng¡­


    In fact, he was considered the biological son of Martial Saint. Besides inheriting a part of Martial Saint¡¯s physique, he was also born with a unique constitution.


    Even without martial arts training, his physical body was stronger than an ordinary Spirit Refining martial artist.


    And this was the cause of his death.


    If other three thousand disciples are not martial art seeds, they be Martial Saint¡¯s nourishment.


    Then Wu Qizheng¡­ if not a seed, he bes a scapegoat.


    "Perhaps I, as his son, was destined to die for him from the moment I was born¡­"


    Wu Qizheng gently touched his own tombstone, aplex expression on his face.


    Being born as the biological child of a Martial Saint and excelling in the Flesh Changing Skill, he is undoubtedly the best candidate to cosy Martial Saint, without a doubt.


    Also, it was indeed his own voluntary decision to go to Qingyun Temple to assassinate the emperor, it is not false.


    He did indeed have a determination to die.


    But being willing to sacrifice oneself and attempting to save oneself, seeking life within death, are not contradictory.


    If given a choice, who would want to die?


    And the secret of Wu Qizheng¡¯s miraculous escape from death is actually relying on his best skill, "Flesh Changing Skill".


    Before setting off, he divided his body into three parts.


    Most of his flesh and blood belonged to Wu Qizheng¡¯s original body, but it died under the heavenly thunder.


    A small part of it attached to Qiao Mu¡¯s body.


    Thest part is his current body, housing a bit of the mind and spirit of the Spirit Refining martial artist.


    The surviving Wu Qizheng is like a person who has cut himself with a knife, his strength is greatly reduced, and he is not much stronger than an ordinary person.


    Compared to the weakness of his physical body, the greater injury is to his mind and spirit.


    But now, he, like the previous Wu Qingxin, has escaped from the chessboard of the Martial Saint.


    He is temporarily free now.


    This is something that only the incredibly skilled Wu Qizheng, who has mastered the "Flesh Changing Skill", can do.


    When ites to the proficiency in the "Flesh Changing Skill", Wu Qizheng is the best, followed by the Martial Saint.


    ording to Wu Qizheng¡¯s spection, even the Martial Saint would not be able to achieve the level of "blood and flesh substitution."


    Otherwise, if the Martial Saint knew that he could still survive, he would surely be waiting here for him. It¡¯s impossible for him, as one of the seventy-two wise men, to escape the clutches of the Martial Saint.


    This is something that only Wu Qizheng can do.


    "After my mind was heavily damaged, the current me is no longer the same Wu Qizheng as before. And because of that, I managed to avoid the Martial Saint¡¯s intuitive detection¡­"


    Wu Qizheng thought about this and a smirk appeared on his face.


    Currently, the only method to evade the intuitive detection of the "Martial Saint Spiritual Technique" is the specialized technique created by the Martial Saint called the "Xuanming Contain Breath Technique".


    However, it is clear that the Martial Saint would never pass on this technique to him.


    And now Wu Qizheng has discovered a second one.


    First, he pretended to be dead as both "Martial Saint" and "Wu Qizheng" with the "Flesh Changing Skill".


    Then, he revived by attaching a strand of his consciousness to the pre-allocated flesh.


    After the revival, both his physical body and consciousness were incredibly weak, and he lost most of his strength.


    Even Wu Qizheng himself couldn¡¯t be sure if the "Wu Qizheng" after the revival was the real Wu Qizheng.


    "Perhaps the real Wu Qizheng is already dead, and now I am just someone who mistakenly believes I am Wu Qizheng."


    "Maybe, this is the true reason why I can deceive the intuition of the ¡®Martial Saint Spiritual Technique¡¯."


    This thought crossed Wu Qizheng¡¯s mind, leaving him with a sense of mncholy.


    He stopped pondering this question because it was already toote, and it was destined to remain unanswered.


    "Qiao Zhong, or should I say Qiao Sen, I heard that he seems to have survived, although only temporarily¡­ but my efforts were not in vain," he murmured to himself.


    Wu Qizheng imnted a fist-sized piece of flesh in Qiao Mu¡¯s body, partly to experiment with the "Flesh Changing Skill" and partly to give Qiao Mu some power, attempting to save his life during the assassination.


    The so-called n to assassinate Emperor Yonghe was just a trick. The assassins who went to Qingyun Temple, including Wu Qizheng, were destined to be defeated.


    The fist-sized piece of flesh in Qiao Zhong¡¯s chest was actually his small act of kindness towards Qiao¡¯s family.


    "In this world, there are still people like Qiao Zhong who dare to challenge the Martial Saint, and the Qiao¡¯s family who would rather die than submit¡­ Whether it¡¯s Qiao Zhong or any other member of Qiao¡¯s family, I hope that someday someone will be able to defeat the Martial Saint."


    By this time, the rain had gradually stopped.


    Wu Qizheng no longer used an umbre. He used the umbre in his hand as a walking stick and struggled to take step by step along the mountain road, leaving behind a muddy footprint.


    "I have already given Qiao Zhong the perfected ¡®Flesh Changing Skill¡¯ in advance, hoping that he will realize the extraordinary nature of this secret technique."


    "The secret technique I possess,pared to the Martial Saint¡¯s ¡®Flesh Changing Skill¡¯, is slightly different. Perhaps it would be better to call it the ¡®Shape Changing Skill¡¯."


    "No matter what, my secret technique finally found a sessor¡­ If in the future, they can be a help to Qiao Zhong or other members of the Qiao¡¯s family in killing the Martial Saint, then that would be even better."


    Wu Qizheng walked away gradually, using an umbre as a walking stick.


    He pretended to be the Martial Saint and forcefully entered Qingyun Temple, but in reality, he had no guarantee of survival.


    So, the book "Flesh Changing Skill" that he had given to Qiao Mu beforehand was actually a way of entrusting his legacy.


    Before his death, passing on his lifelong understanding of the techniques can be considered as his final wish.


    In the martial arts world of the old days, many martial artists had simr wishes before their death ¨C to pass on their lifelong knowledge to their descendants, leaving behind a bit of a legacy.


    But life is unpredictable, Wu Qizheng didn¡¯t die and actually managed to survive.


    Qiao Zhong is still alive for now, but he will probably die soon¡­ This was not within Wu Qizheng¡¯s expectations.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Zhong Province£¬Imperial Capitalheavenly prison.


    "Have you heard? The new prisoner this time is really extraordinary," the prison guards whispered to each other.


    "It is said that he witnessed the Martial Saint¡¯s tragic death with his own eyes!"


    "Not only did he witness the Martial Saint¡¯s tragic death, but he also smashed the statue of a true immortal from the Xuantian Sect," a young gaoler named Fang Yuan interrupted.


    "He even openly dered that he wants to be the next leader of martial arts after the Martial Saint, and carry the banner of martial arts," he continued.


    "Hmm? Fang Yuan, how do you know all this so clearly? Were you also present at the scene?" the other prison guards asked.


    "It¡¯s what the prisoner himself said. He loves to talk about his own deeds," said Fang Yuan.


    Fang Yuan was responsible for delivering meals, and he was in charge of the cell where Qiao Mu was held.


    Over the past few days, he had heard many shocking deeds from the other prisoner.


    "Stop talking, stop talking, Lord Wei will be here soon. This time, the Emperor seems to value this prisoner very much and specially sent for Lord Wei from Six Gates to interrogate him."


    "Lord Wei?" Gaoler Fang Yuan, a young man with ck hair, became excited as soon as he heard it:


    "Is it the ¡®ck Wing Bat King¡¯ Wei En, the number one detective in the Imperial Capital?"


    "I heard that his interrogation skills and lightness techniques are the best in the world."


    "After the Martial Saint¡¯s death, some even im that his lightness technique is the best in the world, and he can go anywhere in the world."


    "Hey, no matter how good his lightness technique is, what can he do? Even the Martial Saint died. There is no hope left for martial arts practitioners¡­" The other jailers showed little interest.

 Chapter 115:

    Chapter 115:


    Opening his eyes, it was the familiar prison ceiling.


    The window divides the sunlight into four pieces, scattering dust in the prison floor.


    Qiao Mu looked up and gazed out through the window, only able to see a small patch of blue sky.


    "Back in jail again¡­" Qiao Mu muttered to himself.


    His shadow twitched in the sunlight, and a little cat emerged from it. The catzily stretched and yawned against the corner of the wall, then settled down there.


    This little cat seemed even rounder than before, with a chubby face and fluffy fur that shone mysteriously. It looked as if it had just absorbed the energy of ten young boys, like a fox spirit who had just finished its mischief.


    Maybe because Qiao Mu had been in jail for so long, even a chubby cat started to look delicate and charming after staring at it for a while.


    "You fat pig! You don¡¯t even move after crawling out of your shadow. Just lying there like azy cat." Qiao Mu said, annoyed.


    This fat cat treated its shadow as a home,ing in and out as it pleased. As a martial artist who only knew how to throw punches and kicks, Qiao Mu had no way of driving away this particr tenant."Wuchang, it¡¯s time to pay the rent. Quickly give me your powers."


    Qiao Mu shook the paw of the cat, who looked at him with disdain, and then licked the paw that Qiao Mu had touched.


    "¡­was treated as something dirty, very rude."


    At first, this cat was quite timid and didn¡¯t dare to approach him, but now they are gradually getting familiar and bing more and more unruly.


    "Wuchang, go to the kitchen and bring some food. These days, my mouth is almost getting tired of the taste." Qiao Mu said quietly.


    The prison he is squatting in now is a top-notch heavenly prison, which is very different from when he was in Heyang City before.


    In the heavenly prison, the imprisoned individuals are either wicked and ruthless like Qiao Mu or influential and high-ranking officials.


    Ordinary prisoners don¡¯t have the qualifications toe in.


    So the heavenly prison¡¯s kitchen is divided into two types. One is for cooking for poor and evil criminals like Qiao Mu, providing simple porridge to keep them from starving.


    The other type is for serving luxurious dishes and abundant meat, exclusively for wealthy and influential people.


    Qiao Mu patted the cat¡¯s bottom and urged it to hurry up.


    From the beginning of Heyang City, every time he saw this cat, its appearance changed slightly, as if it was growing rapidly and remarkably.


    It¡¯s unknown how much lifeless energy he pulled out from Qiao Mu¡¯s body.


    Even though this cat iszy, surprisingly it has strong hiding abilities.


    It hid within his shadow, apanied him in challenging Martial Saint, and broke into Qingyun Temple without being noticed by anyone.


    So, letting this chubby cat move in the heavenly prison made Qiao Mu feel at ease.


    At this moment, a burst of softughter came from the neighboring prison cell.


    "This wild cat you¡¯re raising seems quite intelligent. Where did ite from to sneak into this heavenly prison?" The person in the neighboring cell was an old man named Hai Wuya. His temples were gray, and he looked to be around seventy years old.


    Although this person was old, he had broad shoulders and a robust body, with calloused hands and feet. In his younger days, he was likely a martial arts practitioner, focusing on physical training. ording to Qiao Mu¡¯s spection, he was probably an external martial artist who focused on strengthening his body.


    However, this man always held books in his hands and read quietly, speaking in a cultured manner that contrasted with his appearance.


    "Where else can ite from? It must have crawled in through the window. Don¡¯t be fooled by its chubby appearance, it¡¯s all just for show. It can squeeze through even the tiniest windows," Qiao Mu casually remarked.


    He didn¡¯t underestimate his cellmate named Hai Wuya.


    Back when they were in Heyang City, their neighbor in the cell, Old Qian, imed to be a descendant of the Thief Saint. Qiao Mu didn¡¯t believe a word of it.


    But not just anyone can enter this heavenly prison. If Hai Wuya ims to be a descendant of the Thief Saint or a Sword Saint, Qiao Mu needs to seriously consider whether it¡¯s true or not.


    Hai Wuya¡¯s cell wasn¡¯t big, but the whole floor was filled with various books.


    This is not amon urrence within the heavenly prison.


    The fact that Hai Wuya was able to bring so many books into the heavenly prison indicates that he must have some kind of background, possibly someone of high rank or status.


    What¡¯s even more unusual is that¡­ Qiao Mu sensed the presence of the Martial Saint Spiritual Technique from him.


    Qiao Mu thought to himself, "Clearly, there are many people in the Imperial Capital who practice the ¡®Martial Saint Spiritual Technique.¡¯ Having so many instinctive feelings is quite annoying. No wonder the Martial Saint practices the ¡®Xuanming Contain Breath Technique.¡¯"


    Hai Wuya doesn¡¯t talk much and is always immersed in the world of books.


    At this moment, after exchanging a few words with Qiao Mu, there was no response. The sound of flipping pages filled the cell.


    Unable to resist, Qiao Mu spoke up, "Hey, Hai Wuya, what kind of martial arts manual are you reading? Let me have a look, maybe we can exchange books?"


    Hai Wuya is not young anymore, and his vitality is clearly declining. Based on his vitality, he is probably around the 8th rank in strength.


    "You want to see?" Hai Wuya happily took the book in his hand and held it up to the sunlight, allowing Qiao Mu to see the title of the book clearly.


    "¡¯The Medical ssics of Qingnang¡¯? It¡¯s a medical book? I thought it was ¡®The Art of Lovemaking.¡¯"


    Qiao Mu¡¯s words made Hai Wuya frown instantly.


    "I am a schr who reads the ssics of sages, how could you think I am reading ¡®The Art of Lovemaking¡¯ in the prison cell?"


    Qiao Mu simply smiled awkwardly.


    Although the Martial Saint is already dead, he still had doubts in his heart. He was afraid that one day, someone he knew would suddenly transform into a Martial Saint and drain him dry.


    And¡­ what kind of schr are you?


    Even though he was over seventy years old, this person had a wide and strong physique. Though his vitality had declined, he still possessed the strength of an 8th rank. When he was in his prime, he must have been formidable. Moreover, he also practiced the "Martial Saint Spiritual Technique." Who knows if he is another member of the Wuji Association?


    Hai Wuya didn¡¯t say anything else and continued to read his book.


    Qiao Mu closed his eyes and waited for a while, but then he heard a meow. It was the Impermanent Demon Cat returning.


    However, when Qiao Mu opened his eyes, he was stunned for a moment.


    What the Impermanent Demon Cat was carrying in its mouth wasn¡¯t food, but arge red woman¡¯s abdomen wrap, which was immodest clothing.


    "What¡¯s going on? How is there this thing in the heavenly prison? Where did it bring it from? And I want something to eat."


    Qiao Mu rubbed the cat¡¯s head in anger, trying to make the dumb cat understand his meaning.


    The kitty had a face that said, "I¡¯m just a little cat."


    Qiao Mu stroked the cat against its fur a few times, and finally made it realize it was looking for the wrong thing. Then, in a sh, it ran away.


    "What underwear thief? This is clearly a female cat, why is she so interested in women¡¯s clothing?"


    Qiao Mu closed his eyes and waited, silently practicing his breathing.


    His current physical condition was not good. The lump of flesh that Wu Qizheng gave him had already been depleted when he severed the statue of the deity.


    So at this moment, once again due to the side effects of the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, almost all the veins in his body were severed.


    If it weren¡¯t for the help of extraordinary people like Wu Qizheng, it would be difficult to get better.


    However, Qiao Mu gradually got used to it. Every once in a while, his veins would be severed. He got used to it because, after all, he was a death row inmate and would soon be refreshed. It wasn¡¯t a big problem.


    At this moment, he heard a cat meowing again.


    Qiao Mu opened his eyes and saw that the cat hade back again.


    This time, it didn¡¯t have a red belly pouch in its mouth. Instead, it had¡­ changed into a light pink, sheer dress?


    And this dress was clearly one size bigger than before?


    Qiao Mu was shocked. Did this chubby cat think that he was not satisfied with the previous one, thinking it wasn¡¯t colorful or big enough? So it brought another one?


    "You foolish cat¡­" Qiao Mu was about to scold, but in the distance, he heard footstepsing closer.


    The Impermanent Demon Cat twitched its ears and, with a speed that was difficult to see with the naked eye, suddenly pounced back into Qiao Mu¡¯s shadow, quickly fading away into nothingness.


    "Why does it feel like I have azy, not very smart daughter who never goes out?"


    Life isn¡¯t easy, sighed Qiao Mu.


    At that moment, the prison door opened, and several guards surrounded a middle-aged man in ck, who had a furrowed brow.


    The middle-aged man in ck was about to speak when his eyes caught sight of the woman¡¯s revealing clothes on the ground, causing a slight twitch in the corner of his eye.


    "It wasn¡¯t me, I promise it wasn¡¯t me." Qiao Mu opened his eyes wide, and cold sweat started to pour out.


    "I can exin if you want to know something, but I really didn¡¯t do it."


    Not afraid even if torn to pieces, wanting to remain innocent in this world.


    He wasn¡¯t afraid of death, but carrying this stain with him made it difficult to bear.


    "Don¡¯t panic, Qiao Zhong. Come with me to the interrogation room first."


    A faint smile barely appeared on the corner of the middle-aged man¡¯s mouth.


    This person had a stern and serious appearance, with a straight face that gave the impression of being a serious and humorless person. However, his intentional smile at this moment sent chills down the spines of the surrounding wardens.


    "Lord Wei En is the best detective in the world, skilled in interrogation and punishment. If Qiao Zhong falls into his hands, it will be much harder than being in our heavenly prison, for sure."


    ¡­¡­..


    After a moment, inside the interrogation room.


    "Qiao Zhong, you¡¯re being so uncooperative. Whenever you mention the so-called Qiao family, you¡¯re vague. Are you trying to force me to use torture?"


    Wei En¡¯s gaze was sharp like a knife as he stared intensely at Qiao Mu, exerting a heavy pressure on him.


    Wei En was a highly skilled martial artist who had achieved spiritual refinement. His specialties were the most renowned lightness skill in the world and a technique called Eye Attacking, which could only be practiced by spiritual refining martial artists.


    The so-called Eye Attacking technique used one¡¯s eyes as a weapon, directly pressuring the enemy with "spirit," achieving victory without fighting.


    That¡¯s why he was known as the world¡¯s greatest catcher.


    However, when facing Qiao Mu, he felt as if he was punching cotton.


    This person had no fear of death or punishment. No matter how brilliant his Eye Attacking technique was, it couldn¡¯t shake this person¡¯s state of mind.


    Generally, this kind of situation only happens to martial artists with a strong spirit who practice Spirit Refining, and Qiao Mu¡¯s strong spirit impresses him.


    "Indeed, Qiao¡¯s family lives up to its reputation."


    Suddenly, a sigh escaped Wei En¡¯s heart.


    "It¡¯s a pity that his meridians are severed. Even if he is given top-notch martial arts techniques, how can he cultivate?"


    With a book in his embrace, he looked at Qiao Mu with a hint of sympathy in his eyes.

 Chapter 116:

    Chapter 116:


    "What? You want to torture me? Hurry up, even if I frown, consider me defeated."


    As soon as Qiao Mu heard Wei En¡¯s threat of torture, he immediately became excited, even more than Wei En himself.


    Being an extraordinarily tolerant person to pain, Qiao Mu said he wasn¡¯t scared at all.


    Of course, he is not a masochist, he won¡¯t get more excited as the pain increases.


    His strong desire for a high quality death outweighs his resistance to pain.


    Wei En frowned slightly.


    "This person refuses to listen to reason and is stubborn. Moreover, the things he says about the Qiao family have many loopholes¡­"


    "How can I help him cover up so that the emperor won¡¯t suspect me?"


    "If we can¡¯t find any clues about the Qiao family, and the emperor gets angry, this person might be executed in a few days¡­"Wei En sighed.


    Wei En is not a member of the Wuji Association.


    Being known as the world¡¯s number one bounty hunter who detests evil, he naturally cannot associate himself with a martial arts butcher covered in blood.


    It¡¯s just that he received a great favor from the Martial Saint when he was young, owing a huge debt of gratitude.


    Now, he heard that the Martial Saint has already died. One of hisst wishes was to fulfill his promise by passing on top martial arts techniques to Qiao Mu who is imprisoned, nurturing him as a martial arts seed.


    This kind of thing doesn¡¯t go against Wei En¡¯s principles, as the Wuji Association didn¡¯t ask him to help with things like releasing prisoners or jailbreaks. So, he nodded and agreed.


    As a bounty hunter, beforeing for interrogation, he also specifically investigated information about the Qiao family, including Qiao Zhong.


    Qiao¡¯s family, including Qiao Zhong, became famous in the capital city recently.


    Originally, Qiao¡¯s family¡¯s reputation was limited to Nan Province and didn¡¯t reach the Imperial Capital of Zhong Province.


    However, recently, Qiao¡¯s family gained poprity due to being associated with the Martial Saint, and their reputation soared.


    A few days ago, the Martial Saint, who had been dormant for forty years, suddenly appeared, and the story of Qiao Zhong challenging the Martial Saint spread.


    In just about two weeks, the Martial Saint tragically died under the heavenly thunder of an immortal, which was a shocking event for ordinary martial artists.


    If the appearance of the Martial Saint caused a tsunami in the rivers andkes.


    Then, soon after, the tragic death of the Martial Saint was like the copse of the sky.


    Whether it¡¯s the tsunami or the sky copsing, Qiao Zhong¡¯s name is closely associated with the Martial Saint.


    In the assassination of Emperor Yonghe event, all the assassins of the Wuji Association were wiped out, and Qiao Zhong, as the only survivor saved by Emperor Yonghe, naturally attracted the attention of the world.


    Wei En was very interested in Qiao Zhong because of this.


    The more he searched, the more amazed he became.


    There is a great terror between life and death. In this world, people who can disregard life and death and hold on to their principles are very few.


    And Qiao Zhong, in front of him, was obviously one of them.


    "He is just like Hai Wuya, someone who is not afraid of life and death and can remain calm even in prison."


    At that time, Wei En praised him and took over the tasks of the Wuji Association.


    However, Wei En now felt remorse in his heart.


    He originally thought that bringing a manual was just a simple and effortless thing. But when he arrived in this heavenly prison, he discovered that Qiao Mu¡¯s meridians had long been severed, and his martial arts path had basically been cut off.


    In this way, the situation became awkward.


    If Wei En continues to follow the Wuji Association¡¯s suggestion and takes out the secret book to give it to Qiao Mu, it would be too rigid.


    It¡¯s like giving erotic paintings to a eunuch, it¡¯s extremely cruel.


    How much sorrow can one bear, it¡¯s just like a eunuch entering a brothel.


    At this moment, Wei En feels troubled. If he takes out this secret book, he fears that Qiao Mu will think he is mocking him. Despite knowing that his meridians are blocked, he tempts him with this top-notch secret book.


    In the end, he still didn¡¯t take out the secret book from his chest.


    "I, Wei En, have always been righteous and detest evil. How can I do such a cruel thing?"


    Although he sighs softly in his heart, he maintains a cold and distant demeanor, continuing the interrogation as usual.


    Since he can¡¯t help Qiao Mu with his blocked meridians, he can only contribute in other matters to find a sense of peace.


    So, he writes on the paper:


    "¡­.The Qiao family, where Qiao Zhong belongs, has been a hidden and wandering n for many years, without a permanent residence. They are not familiar with the recent significant changes in the world. It is suspected that their ancestors have secluded themselves in the mountains or on overseas inds."


    "The Qiao family is not prosperous, but they have strict family rules and many family teachings that are passed down, emphasizing self-discipline."


    "The Qiao family¡¯s ancestors didn¡¯t have a prominent reputation, indicating a preference for detachment from fame and fortune and being skilled in martial arts¡­."


    To Wei En, the number one detective in the world, it was easy to see through the ws in Qiao Mu¡¯s words.


    Then, he used persuasive words to gradually guide Qiao Mu to discover the ws, leading him closer to the truth¡­


    "Finally, I seeded." Wei En wiped the sweat off his forehead, feeling a bit tired.


    He never expected that as the top detective in the world, there would be times when he helped criminals cover up their lies.


    Although he didn¡¯t have much reverence for thews of Great Yan, this was still the first time he had done something like this, and it was indeed a bit challenging for him.


    He stood up and instructed the guard waiting outside the door to take Qiao Mu away and put him back in the prison cell.


    He hesitated for a moment and advised the official waiting beside him.


    "Do not easily use torture on him. He is an important criminal in the eyes of the emperor and must not be harmed."


    "This person has an incredibly strong will and is not afraid of punishment or death. Normal punishment is useless against him."


    When Condor Wei En spoke, the officials from the heavenly prison naturally agreed.


    As the top divine catcher in the world, Wei En had naturally interacted with the people from the heavenly prison many times and knew what kind of people they were.


    When ordinary high-ranking officials entered the heavenly prison, they would immediately be subjected to beatings and various tortures to suppress their arrogance.


    If he didn¡¯t bring up this matter, in no time, this Qiao Mu might be subjected to severe torture.


    Just as he was about to leave, Wei En suddenly remembered something.


    "How has Hai Wuya been recently?"


    He is not a member of the Wuji Association, but Hai Wuya can be considered one.


    Furthermore, Hai Wuya is also a remarkable person within the gathering of talents in the Wuji Association, being listed as one of the seventy-two wise men, ranking sixtieth.


    "He is still studying." replied the official from the heavenly prison.


    "Throughout his thirty years in the heavenly prison, he has been studying various books on medical skills, meridians, herbs, and human acupoints. Although he also has some martial arts manuals, his knowledge in that area is not profound. They are merely some basic external martial arts techniques."


    "He is indeed extraordinary." nodded Wei En.


    "To be able to study books in a ce like the heavenly prison, and continuously for thirty years, is truly remarkable."


    Hai Wuya is an extraordinary person.


    In his early years, he was a somewhat renowned schr, but unfortunately, he could not pass the imperial examinations year after year.


    Displeased, he shaved his head and became a monk, joining the Shaolin Temple that had not yet been destroyed at that time, and became a martial monk.


    At that time, everyone thought he had suffered a great blow and wanted to give up studying and focus on martial arts instead.


    Little did they know, this person had extraordinary talent in martial arts, specifically the powerful martial arts practiced at Shaolin Temple. His progress was rapid, and within just ten years, he had reached the 4th rank of training strength.


    Later on, officials from the imperial court invited him to be a military officer, and he dly epted.


    People initially thought that when a martial arts superstar emerged, Hai Wuya surprisingly gave up martial arts and became a civil servant. He imed that he had no interest in fighting on the battlefield or in petty fights, and instead, he chose to serve as an official to help the world and the people, showcasing his knowledge and skills.


    He spent another ten years transitioning from a military officer to a civil servant and eventually, at the age of fifty, became the Minister of Rites, a high-ranking official in the current dynasty. His story became well-known and admired.


    Hai Wuyater mentioned this past event, stating that when he was young, he received guidance from an esteemed person who told him that practicing martial arts was a shortcut to bing an official. Thus, he decided to be a monk by shaving his head.


    The shortcut for warriors to be officials in the Great Yan Imperial Court is to practice martial arts diligently.


    As long as the martial arts are strong enough and there is no tarnish in one¡¯s background, even the worst can be a minor official.


    Hai Wuya¡¯s martial arts training was actually an idea that arose after being guided by a noble person.


    Hai Wuya¡¯s martial arts training is never the goal itself, but rather a means to be an official.


    "How far has Hai Wuya¡¯s martial cultivation declined now?" Wei En asked.


    The heavenly prison is a ce where people usually eat only watery porridge to fill their stomachs. The environment is dark and damp, and snakes, insects, rats, and ants are not umon. It¡¯s not a fancy ce at all.


    Martial artists who stay in such a ce for a long time would naturally see their vitality decline.


    Moreover, considering Hai Wuya¡¯s advanced age, in his younger years, he was an external martial artist.


    This question left the prison officials in a dilemma. They quickly waved their hand and called for Gaoler Fang Yuan, the young man responsible for the area where Qiao Mu and others were held.


    "It¡¯s the 8th rank," Fang Yuan said respectfully.


    "The 8th rank? Howe I remember that his vitality has already declined to the 9th rank?" Wei En eximed in surprise.


    Fang Yuan said respectfully,


    "About half a year ago, he returned to the martial arts 8th rank."


    "Can it still go back up?" Wei En also eximed in astonishment.


    Growing old and weak, aging and dying, is amon urrence for people.


    It is normal for a martial artist to experience a decline in vitality after getting old, especially for external martial artists like Hai Wuya.


    External martial artists often progress faster than internal martial artists, especially when practicing hard techniques and training methods like Golden Bell Shield, Iron Cloth Shirt Skill, and Iron Palm. As long as they are tough and not afraid of pain, they can progress much faster than those who train slowly.


    However, the injuries umted in the early years often erupt in middle and old age.


    Some improper martial artists who didn¡¯t train properly when they were young, are full of energy. However, when they grow old, they be even weaker than ordinary people, feeling extremely discouraged.


    In Hai Wuya¡¯s case, for those who practice martial arts only to gain fame and be officials, their decline is naturally faster than ordinary martial artists.


    What surprised Wei En was that Hai Wuya was already over 80 years old, but he could still improve?


    Moreover, this is the heavenly prison. How did he manage to train with just a little in porridge?


    Thinking of this, Wei En unconsciously held onto the secret book in his arms and a strange idea came to his mind.


    He knew that Hai Wuya was also a member of the Wuji Association.


    The noble person who guided him to practice martial arts was the Martial Saint, who had not yet been recognized as a Saint at the time.

 Chapter 117:

    Chapter 117:


    Inside the heavenly prison.


    "Master Qiao, this is a special dish from the capital city called honey-zed roasted chicken. Can you check if it¡¯s cooked well enough¡­ no, if it¡¯s fragrant enough?"


    The young prison guard Fang Yuan handed a roasted chicken to Qiao Mu, making his mouth full of oil as he ate.


    "Not bad, it¡¯s vorful," Qiao Mu nodded happily.


    He never expected to enjoy such treatment within this heavenly prison, almost making him suspect if someone maliciously wanted to keep him alive.


    But after careful consideration, Qiao Mu rejected this possibility.


    As an assassin who tried to kill the emperor and a martial artist who shattered statues, he had offended both the Nine Immortal Gates and Emperor Yonghe.


    Even if it was him or even if a Martial Saint were to be resurrected, it would be impossible to walk out alive from the heavenly prison.


    No one could guarantee Qiao Mu¡¯s life, this situation is definitely secure.And the person who invited him to eat the roasted chicken, it must be none other than the small prison guard in front of him.


    "This young man has good eyesight," Qiao Mu chuckled and deliberately said with a smile.


    "After being full and satisfied, should you start punishing me? Or should we start with pulling out my toenails?"


    He purposely spoke like this.


    Anyway, his Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method has reached an unparalleled level of proficiency, even though his meridians are broken. As long as he has a trace of blood and energy, he can still use it. If the punishment bes too much, he can justmit suicide on the spot. What is there to fear?


    "Um¡­" The words spoken by Qiao Mu with a smiling face left Fang Yuan, who was ustomed to punishment and torture, at a loss for words. All he could do wasugh awkwardly and say:


    "Sir, you are just joking. You are a notorious criminal targeted by the emperor himself. Without the approval of Lord Wei En, you cannot be punished without authorization."


    Qiao Mu gave Gaoler Fang Yuan a seemingly smiley but not really smiling look.


    This kid is truly cunning.


    Ever since his interrogation by Wei En yesterday, Qiao Mu had noticed a slight change in the attitudes of the prison guards towards him.


    He thought that maybe it was Wei En¡¯s influence, so he deliberately spoke to test it just now.


    Although this boy named Fang Yuan is young, he is quite clever.


    He heard Qiao Mu¡¯s probing and cooperatively mentioned a little about Wei En¡¯s matter.


    "I¡¯m full. Give this remaining half chicken to the neighbor, Mr. Hai," said Qiao Mu.


    When he ate the chicken, it was just a small satisfaction for his appetite.


    As for the neighbor Hai Wuya, he seemed a bit weak. Qiao Mu didn¡¯t want to see this neighbor prisoner, just like Mr. Qian before, suddenly burping, so he casually mentioned it.


    "Old Qiao, you have a good heart," Hai Wuya nodded and didn¡¯t refuse.


    After all, he was an old martial artist with declining energy and blood. It would be a good thing to have roasted chicken to nourish his body.


    However, he was silent and only said a simple thank you before immersing himself in the world of books again.


    Qiao Mu didn¡¯t care, anyway he borrowed a chicken to give a Buddha, just did it casually.


    He then turned to look at Gaoler Fang Yuan.


    "Tell me, what do you want from me? Is it to have some blood on the bread for the sick person at home?" Qiao Mu said indifferently.


    "Master Qiao, you regard life and death as trivial matters, Fang Yuan admires¡­" Fang Yuan ttered and deeply said;


    "But how did Master Qiao know that there is another sick little sister in my house¡­ but she has already gone missing."


    Start talking about their tragic life experiences?


    Qiao Mu was very familiar with this pitiful routine, deliberately remained silent without asking further.


    Seeing that Qiao Mu was unmoved, Fang Yuan had no choice but to continue:


    "Actually, since I was young, I have wanted to be a wandering hero like Master Qiao, traveling the world with a sword¡­"


    "So you were interested in my martial arts? But the era of martial artists has passed, what¡¯s the use of practicing martial arts? Even the Martial Saint has died."


    Qiao Mu decisively advised against it.


    The kind of hanging pretenders like the Martial Saint died under the immortal¡¯s heavenly thunder. Their bodies were not even cold, so practicing martial arts at this time is going against the trend, isn¡¯t it?


    What? Why would Qiao Mu still want to practice martial arts? Because he is also a pretender.


    Plus, he has no talent for cultivation, and cultivating immortality takes a long time. For Qiao Mu, it¡¯s not very effective, so practicing martial arts is better.


    "Is Master Qiao talking about those inhuman beings who cultivate immortal techniques?" Fang Yuan chuckled lightly.


    "I don¡¯t have the same grand aspirations as Master Qiao. I just want to practice martial arts to improve my physical well-being, and in the future, I hope to defeat my enemies."


    Fang Yuan sighed deeply and said,


    "Although my family has a modest wealth, after my parents passed away, our ancestral home had to be sold, and my little sister, who got a strange illness, left without saying goodbye to avoid burdening me."


    "And relying on the influence of my ancestors, I managed to squeeze into the heavenly prison and became a prison guard, which could be considered a job."


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    The night had grownte, and darkness covered thend.


    In the southern part of the Imperial Capital, there stood a famous scenic spot called the Swallow Tower.


    The tower rose as if emerging from the ground, towering high like a pce in the sky. The Swallow Tower had a total of nine levels, and it was a tall square tower built with bricks. During the day, there were often touristsing and going.


    However, at the moment when the night fell, there was a dark figure moving through the darkness like arge bird. Swiftly evading the sight of the patrolling guards, the figure made its way to the top of the Swallow Tower.


    Dressed in ck night clothes, Wei En stood on the tower top, looking down upon the Imperial Capital beneath the night sky with a nk expression.


    This huge city, shrouded in darkness, stood like a silent giant beast on the ins.


    His gaze was deep and distant, looking towards the north of the city.


    In the forty years of an inhuman war, the Nine Immortal Gates¡¯ temples have sprouted up in many big cities in Jiu Province, including the Imperial Capital.


    In the north of the city, there lies the residence of the Great Dao Sect, where a thriving temple can be found. Even at thiste hour, the lights still shine brightly.


    "Why did you choose to meet here, Wei En?"


    Suddenly, a figure appeared silently behind Wei En. It was a middle-aged man with a stern and calm face, the current leader of the Wuji Association, known as "Little Martial Saint" Wu Qiankun.


    Wei En didn¡¯t answer Wu Qiankun¡¯s question and just continued speaking to himself:


    "The wishes of the Martial Saint cannot be fulfilled. Qiao Zhong¡¯s meridians have already been severed, so no matter how good the cultivation techniques are, he can¡¯t practice them."


    "Qiao Zhong¡¯s meridians have been severed?" Wu Qiankun frowned slightly and sighed:


    "So be it. It seems this was his fate after all."


    "I intended to pass on the cultivation techniques to him, fulfilling the wishes of the Martial Saint. After he practiced them, perhaps there would have been a slim chance for him to save himself¡­ But it seems fate had other ns, and there¡¯s nothing we can do."


    On that day at Qingyun Temple, all the assassins from the Wuji Association were wiped out. Although Wu Qiankun had other ways to gather information, he didn¡¯t know the details about Qiao Mu¡¯s disrupted meridians.


    So, even though the Martial Saint had prepared extraordinary techniques for him, they probably wouldn¡¯t be of any use to someone whose meridians were disrupted and rendered useless.


    However, Wei En frowned slightly, feeling surprised.


    "You guys from the Wuji Association, aren¡¯t you nning to save Qiao Zhong? If that¡¯s the case, why give him techniques?"


    "That¡¯s a different matter," said Wu Qiankun seriously.


    "Giving him techniques is just fulfilling the Martial Saint¡¯sst wish. The Martial Saint once said that if Qiao Zhong could survive the assassination of the Emperor, he would give him the most top-notch techniques. That¡¯s all there is to it."


    "Whether he can escape on his own and survive depends on his abilities."


    The Martial Saint¡¯s actions were like imitating the naturalw of survival of the fittest, just like how the heavens choose the strongest in thepetition between creatures.


    He¡¯s like an old farmer who, if the animals in his pasture don¡¯t look good, get sick, or be depressed, he would ughter them in advance¡­ because on his farm, useless trash is never kept.


    Only seventy two wise men with special abilities can survive and avoid being killed by Martial Saint.


    Qiao Zhong gained the attention of Martial Saint due to his previous challenge, which led to him being recruited to assassinate the emperor¡­ but this favor also has limitations.


    If Qiao Zhong didn¡¯t survive the assassination of the emperor, it would be his own weakness to me.


    Even if Qiao Zhong practiced martial arts, if he couldn¡¯t sessfully escape from the heavenly prison, it would still be his own weakness to me.


    Therefore, Wuji Association wouldn¡¯t attempt a prison break¡­ especially in the heavily guarded heavenly prison, where such attempts would likely fail, let alone someone like Qiao Mu who broke the rules of the Immortal Gate.


    This is the Imperial Capital, not the Nan Province.


    Emperor Yonghe, who likes to secretly visit Nan Province, would be surrounded and killed by Wuji Association if he ever showed up there.


    But now, the situation is reversed because we¡¯re in the Imperial Capital.


    Even someone as close to being a Martial Saint as Little Martial Saint Wu Qiankun can¡¯t act recklessly in the Imperial Capital.


    The Great Yan Imperial Court has been going through difficulties for forty years£¬but its strength remains. The Human Emperor Sword is one of its treasures.


    "I understand," Wei En frowned and spoke with a low voice.


    "You don¡¯t really care about whether Qiao Zhong lives or dies, you are only acting to fulfill Martial Saint¡¯s dying wish."


    "I really don¡¯t like all of you bloody rats," Wei En turned his head, his sharp eyes ring at Wu Qiankun, a strange pressure started to emerge.


    "Is Martial Saint¡¯s dying wish really that important?"


    "Or maybe, Martial Saint didn¡¯t actually die at all?"


    Wei En had seen Martial Saint in his early years, and because he knew about the man¡¯s way of doing things, he doubted whether Martial Saint¡¯s death was real.


    After all, someone like Martial Saint, when uncertain, would he really attack the Immortal Gate and put himself in danger?


    However, in the face of Wei En¡¯s intense pressure, Wu Qiankun remained calm andposed.


    "Martial Saint has passed away, it is an undeniable fact, after all, people¡¯s ns can¡¯t beat fate¡¯s ns."


    "The deceased is gone, don¡¯t treat him as some kind of miraculous savior, he is not thest hope for the human martial artists¡­ And of course, that hope has already been shattered."


    "This hope, Martial Saint extinguished with his own hands," Wu Qiankun whispered in his heart.


    After Martial Saint¡¯s death, whether there will be silence or a mor from various factions, can only be witnessed firsthand.


    After all, one outstanding person alone cannot bring spring, it takes the collective blooming of many flowers to fill the garden with spring.


    Perhaps this will be a long era of darkness, stained with blood and fire, where the immortals reside in the sky and the mortal realm bes a furnace.


    Wu Qiankun has now started taking over the great work of the Wuji Association. The higher he stands, the farther he can see, and he gradually begins to understand Martial Saint¡¯s ideas.


    "But to get back to the topic, about Qiao Zhong¡­ Since the prepared cultivation method is not suitable, we can only find another one," Wu Qiankun said.


    "Your Wuji Association, can a disabled person whose meridians are severed still practice top-notch martial arts?" Wei En asked.


    "I have some martial arts skills, but I¡¯m not considered top-notch yet. Maybe soon," answered Wu Qiankun.


    "Not yet?" Wei En frowned, unsure of Wu Qiankun¡¯s vague response, causing him to look a little unfriendly.


    He wondered who this person with the riddles was in front of him.


    Do you believe that he could immediately shoot an arrow through the clouds, gather the Imperial Capital¡¯s army, and send you to the heavenly prison for a vacation tonight?


    Wu Qiankun seemed to sense Wei En¡¯s unhappiness but didn¡¯t pay too much attention. He continued to exin:


    "The Wuji Association¡¯s martial arts treasury has collected martial arts from all over the world, but none of them are suitable."


    "Just because they¡¯re not in the martial arts treasury, doesn¡¯t mean the Wuji Association doesn¡¯t have any."


    "Wei En, didn¡¯t you go to heavenly prison? Haven¡¯t you heard about Hai Wuya?"


    Hai Wuya is ranked sixty among the seventy-two wise men under Martial Saint¡¯s teachings.


    The so-called seventy two wise men were not ranked based on their martial arts skills, as pure martial arts skills are not very important for a Martial Saint. No matter how strong others are, they are not stronger than him.


    Martial arts skills are just one aspect that measures the seventy two wise men. What truly allows them to survive under the Martial Saint is their unique skills and remarkable talents.


    Wu Qizheng, as the Martial Saint¡¯s biological child, inherited his incredibly powerful physical body, which is why he is exceptionally strong. Furthermore, he has long had the intention to hide his true abilities, which is why his rank is the third from the bottom among the seventy two wise men.


    "Are you suggesting that Hai Wuya might have martial arts techniques suitable for Qiao Zhong?"


    Wei En now looked at Hai Wuya with newfound admiration.


    The Martial Saint¡¯s arsenal is well-known for its vast collection of martial arts, including the essence of the old martial world and the peculiar new martial arts created by the Martial Saint.


    Even the Martial Saint couldn¡¯t find top-notch martial arts techniques suitable for Qiao Zhong, but Hai Wuya might possibly have them?


    "Perhaps he does, perhaps he doesn¡¯t. You¡¯ll have to ask him, not me," Wu Qiankun said with a deep gaze.


    The Martial Saint is unmatched in martial arts, and his dominance is overwhelming. As a result, the entire Wuji Association follows the will of the Martial Saint alone.


    Martial Saint said it was right, even if others knew it was wrong, they might not dare to point it out face to face.


    Therefore, within the entire Wuji Association, there can only be one martial path, which is Martial Saint¡¯s Spiritual Refining Method.


    Hai Wuya is somewhat special.


    Although he is one of the seventy two wise men, he is currently in the Imperial Capital heavenly prison, which is an isted environment from the outside world.


    No matter how powerful Martial Saint is, he cannot easily influence him inside the sacred grounds of the Imperial Capital heavenly prison.


    Therefore, he can freely explore new martial paths instead of following Martial Saint¡¯s path.


    This is not considered to be working in istion or merely discussing on paper.


    Because Hai Wuya is indeed a genius who has reached the 4th rank, his life has been full of hardships. Despite being imprisoned, he can still read many books, so he is not simply working in istion.


    Hai Wuya is one of the martial seeds recognized by Martial Saint.


    This seed doesn¡¯t sprout immediately, but it brings benefits for a long time.


    A brand new martial arts method different from Martial Saint and ancient martial arts from the past, is bound to be imperfect and requires countless practitioners to improve it over time.


    Perhaps many people will lose themselves and die while practicing this imperfect technique, and it¡¯s also possible to realize halfway that it is a dead end.


    To Wu Qiankun, Qiao Zhong, a condemned prisoner, seems suitable to be an explorer¡­ or a sacrifice for this new martial arts.

 Chapter 118:

    Chapter 118:


    "Shadow Step? It seems like the light movement skill of a thief?"


    "Correct," nodded Qiao Mu, reciting the mantra of the Shadow Step technique from his memory and teaching it to Fang Yuan.


    This Shadow Step cannot be obtained in just a few days; it also requires something else: money, the money Qiao Mu will have after being released from prison.


    Fang Yuan imed toe from a fallen family, being oppressed by enemies and creditors, and forced to sell their ancestral home to their own enemies.


    Although it was like that, after selling the ancestral house, he still had some extra money on hand, otherwise he wouldn¡¯t bring roasted chicken into the heavenly prison every day.


    As a death row inmate in the heavenly prison, Qiao Mu¡¯s money had naturally been confiscated a long time ago. Although there was still some savings in Nan Province, where he was originally from, at this moment in Zhong Province, he waspletely penniless.


    Qiao Mu pondered, thinking that after his head fell, he should still have some money on hand, and this was just an advance preparation.


    Gaoler Fang Yuan heard Qiao Mu¡¯s words, but understood them as a dying hero entrusting his orphan: to pass on martial arts to Fang Yuan, only to leave some money for the family¡­


    Indeed, the tiger had fallen and the hero was fading."However, why is it the light skill of a thief?" Fang Yuan¡¯s mind wandered.


    Qiao Mu seemed to understand his thoughts and simplyughed:


    "What¡¯s wrong with light skills? You can¡¯t beat an inhuman by fighting head-on, you can only rely on light skills to hide."


    Several martial artist figures burned to ashes in the Li fire shed in his mind, and his mood became slightly downcast.


    Shadow Step was given to him by Sheriff Qian of Heyang Prefecture, but it is not easy to learn and master. Sheriff Qian himself was just a beginner when he first started.


    Let¡¯s see how much Fang Yuan can learn and how quick his understanding is.


    Just as the words fell, there was amotion outside the heavenly prison, and the sound of footsteps grew closer.


    A young handsome Taoist in a green robe walked straight towards Qiao Mu.


    "The immortal leader of the Great Dao Sect is here¡­" whispered a prison guard.


    "Why would the immortal leader of the Great Dao Secte to this heavenly prison? It¡¯s not a good ce at all."


    "I heard that this Immortal Dao Zhen is the new disciple of Immortal Qingyi."


    "Immortal Qingyi was a witness to the assassination of Emperor Yonghe. Sending a disciple now, I wonder what they want to do."


    Amidst the voices of discussion, Dao Zhen walked leisurely until he reached Qiao Mu¡¯s prison cell, his expression calm.


    "Are you Qiao Zhong?" The young Taoist carefully examined Qiao Mu.


    "Did Qingyi send you to supervise?" Qiao Mu casually asked, vaguely remembering the incident.


    "No, I am here to seek enlightenment." The young Taoist chuckled softly.


    Just when Qiao Mu thought the other person was causing trouble, the young Taoist turned his head and looked at Hai Wuya, who was reading in the neighboring cell.


    Supervising Qiao Mu was just a side task, what truly interested him was Hai Wuya.


    "Your name is Hai Wuya, right? I¡¯ve heard that you¡¯ve been studying in the heavenly prison for thirty years, and your desire for enlightenment is quitemendable." The young Taoist instructed the jailer to open the cells, then walked into the cell as if he owned the ce, casually flipping through the books scattered around Hai Wuya.


    As a disciple of the Great Dao Sect and a closed-door disciple under Elder Qingyi, he naturally had some privileges.


    The heavenly prison, being a heavily guarded ce, is not easily essible even for the usual privileged individuals.


    But as a disciple of Elder Qingyi, he was different.


    Hai Wuya just furrowed his brows slightly and ignored him.


    Meanwhile, Dao Zhen casually flipped through a pile of books on the ground, feeling a bit disappointed.


    "These are just ordinary misceneous books. Have you wasted thirty years like this?"


    He looked at Hai Wuya, his mind filled with the information he had gathered about Hai Wuya before.


    Hai Wuya was a civil servant during the reign of the former emperor. After the Inhuman War, he was imprisoned due to his remonstration with ministers like Wang Songhe.


    Later, Emperor Yonghe ascended the throne and pardoned this minister. Unexpectedly, after Hai Wuya was reinstated, he believed that Emperor Yonghe was wise and capable. As a result, he repeatedly entered the pce to offer advice, even getting involved in inhuman matters.


    Although Emperor Yonghe didn¡¯t kill him on the spot, he ordered him to be imprisoned in the heavenly prison again.


    Two generations of emperors, two imprisonments in the heavenly prison, havested for a full thirty years.


    As the saying goes, the power of a ruler is hard to predict. Hai Wuya has been confined in the heavenly prison without a definite execution time, which means he could die at any moment.


    If the punishment is unpredictable, then its power is immeasurable.


    It is apletely different concept to know the exact time of executionpared to not being informed about it, but being at risk of dying at any time because of an emperor¡¯s decree.


    If it were an ordinary person, they would most likely be restless and live in fear all day long.


    Hai Wuya was the same at first.


    However,ter on, he did something that even the prison guards at the heavenly prison couldn¡¯t understand.


    He asked his family to send him misceneous books, and every day in prison, all he did was read, disregarding sleep and food.


    At first, the guards didn¡¯t doubt him; they thought he was intentionally acting this way to gain attention and fame, hoping that Emperor Yonghe would hear about it and pardon him.


    "Hai Wuya, in this world, who could perform acting for thirty years? And in the heavenly prison, no less?"


    Dao Zhen seemed unaffected by Hai Wuya¡¯s disregard and continued talking to himself:


    "Mortal lives are limited, not much stronger than the brief life of a Mayfly. It is because of their weakness and brevity that their resilience shines."


    Hai Wuya is almost eighty years old, not much younger than Martial Saint.


    He had a difficult life, starting as a schr in his early years, bing a martial monk in his prime, andter using all his efforts to briefly be a high-ranking official in the imperial court. But after a few years, he entered the heavenly prison and stayed there for half a lifetime.


    And Dao Zhen, he liked to observe these extremely resilient mortals.


    Qiao Zhong, in his eyes, was one of them too, but he had only been in the heavenly prison for a short time, so he was currently more interested in Hai Wuya.


    "You¡¯ve disturbed me." Hai Wuya put down his book and nced at Dao Zhen casually.


    "Old Qiao, can you kick him out?" he called out to his neighbor, Qiao Mu.


    He was usually quiet and rarely talked to Qiao Mu, but now he suddenly remembered his neighbor in the next cell.


    "I don¡¯t have the ability. I¡¯m just a cripple with severed meridians. Just have to endure it." Qiao Mu shrugged, indicating his helplessness.


    Hai Wuya nodded, showing no signs of anger on his face. He ced the book down and sat cross-legged on the grass mat, closing his eyes to rest.


    Qiao Mu thought for a moment before casually making a mocking remark:


    "Hey, you over there, dare toe and challenge me? Let¡¯s see if you have the guts to enter my prison cell, old man."


    Fang Yuan, who had been silent, was stunned by this reckless statement, while the young man Dao Zhen seemed rather pleased, with a hint of curiosity on his face.


    "Qiao Zhong, you truly live up to your name, bold and observant¡­ But isn¡¯t this provocation too obvious? Are you worried I might harm your friend Hai Wuya?"


    "Ha, don¡¯t worry. Mortals, like insects in the world, fragile yet resilient creatures, how could I bear to harm them with my own hands?"


    As Dao Zhen spoke, Hai Wuya, who had been meditating with his eyes closed, suddenly trembled slightly, his breath undergoing a subtle change.


    Qiao Mu was taken aback, his eyes fixed on the aging body of Hai Wuya¡­ This old man, whose vitality seemed to be diminishing, had just stepped back from the 8th rank to the 7th rank right in front of him?

 Chapter 119:

    Chapter 119:


    "Is this already the 7th rank?" Qiao Mu was quite surprised.


    As one enters old age, it ismon for one¡¯s Qi and blood to decline. Being able to rejuvenate oneself is already extremely rare. But in the environment of the heavenly prison, to still be able to make a breakthrough truly shattered his understanding of martial arts.


    Dao Zhen originally didn¡¯t notice anything strange about Hai Wuya. It was only after seeing Qiao Mu¡¯s expression that he turned his head to look at Hai Wuya, and then his brows unconsciously furrowed slightly.


    "Hai Wuya, during the thirty years you stayed in the heavenly prison, were you practicing martial arts?"


    He originally came with excitement, hearing that Hai Wuya was different from the others. But now, he suddenly felt a wave of disinterest.


    "What¡¯s the use of practicing martial arts? Even the Martial Saint that you guys speak of is already dead." Dao Zhen questioned with confusion.


    "With martial arts falling behind, continuing to cling to old ways, what¡¯s the point?"


    "If you seek power, why not join the Immortal Gate and cultivate immortality?"


    The dominance of the immortal path is an indisputable fact.Forty years ago, and still so after forty years.


    He didn¡¯t understand why he didn¡¯t cultivate the Immortal Path since there was already a path to immortality in front of him.


    "The Martial Path and the Immortal Path are just two different paths, why try topare them?" Hai Wuya, who had been silent all this time, suddenly spoke up.


    "Of course, in the past, martial artists only knew how to train their martial arts techniques ¨C how to punch, how to make their fists stronger, and how to generate more powerful force ¨C but they didn¡¯t understand the principle of observing and understanding the world."


    "The exploration in the Immortal Path does go further than the Martial Path."


    "If one only pursues personal strength, then it is indeed more suitable to seek the Immortal Path."


    To Qiao Mu¡¯s surprise, he actually agreed with Dao Zhen¡¯s words.


    "Then why don¡¯t you cultivate the Immortal Path? Could it be that youck the necessary qualifications? No spiritual roots?" Seeing that Hai Wuya finally responded to him, Dao Zhen asked again.


    Instead of directly answering this question, Hai Wuya sighed and said:


    "For forty years, there were many people in the imperial court who had the idea of learning inhuman techniques and joined various Immortal Gates to seek immortality."


    "After forty years, many of them have be inhuman."


    Inhuman is not a different race, but their difference lies in their hearts.


    They have flexible standards for what it means to be human.


    On the surface, inhuman are also human, as they were born from the human race.


    But the difference between immortals and mortals is not only in their power.


    Only cultivators like them are seen as human in their eyes.


    The rest of the mortals are seen as symbols of backwardness and ignorance, only being used as a means to offer devotion and exploit resources.


    "You¡¯re called ¡®Dao Zhen,¡¯ right? How many true cultivators from your Nine Immortal Gates are therepared to the number of martial artists in this Zhong Province?" asked Hai Wuya suddenly.


    Normally, regr people would address cultivators as "immortal masters" or "upper immortals".


    Hai Wuya obviously didn¡¯t have this kind of respect for Dao Zhen, and Dao Zhen also seemed not to mind.


    "Naturally, the number of cultivators from the Nine Immortal Gates is far less." Dao Zhen said proudly.


    "Cultivating requires innate talent, which is quite rare."


    "Cultivating requires innate talent, so the number of cultivators is much smallerpared to martial artists. It¡¯s just that they have umted over the years, making it seem like there are more." Hai Wuya said.


    "But martial arts is different."


    "Martial arts focus on willpower and character. As long as one has enough willpower and character, anyone can practice martial arts, so martial arts is for everyone."


    "What I pursue is not just personal strength." Hai Wuya said, his eyes filled with nostalgic memories.


    He practiced martial arts at a young age and became a martial monk at Shaolin Temple, enduring a lot of hardships. He trained diligently for ten years and eventually reached the 4th rank.


    But in his heart, he still identifies himself as a schr, not a martial monk.


    "As schrs, our ultimate pursuit is to cultivate ourselves, take care of our families, govern the country, and bring peace to the world, rather than solely focusing on martial arts and being brave and fierce."


    Hai Wuya said lightly:


    "In my early years, I practiced martial arts only to enter the government and apply the knowledge I gained to benefit society and help the people."


    "And now, studying martial arts is also for the purpose of cultivating ourselves, taking care of our families, governing the country, and bringing peace to the world."


    "Martial arts is synonymous with humanity. If everyone practices martial arts, martial arts will thrive, and so will humanity."


    Qiao Mu listened quietly, with many thoughts emerging in his mind.


    Hai Wuya also practiced the Martial Saint Spiritual Technique, so Qiao Mu concluded that he was likely a member of the Wuji Association too.


    However, upon hearing his ideas, Qiao Mu realized that Hai Wuya¡¯s martial path was quite different from that of a Martial Saint.


    Martial Saint¡¯s martial arts are about everyone fighting for me, and as the strongest martial artist, I challenge the immortal.


    Hai Wuya¡¯s martial arts, on the other hand, are about everyone practicing martial arts, and martial arts are the way of the people.


    Dao Zhen listened and pondered, starting to see Hai Wuya in a new light.


    "Mortal lives are limited, and you are already old. This is not a great feat that you, a mortal, can aplish."


    "It is precisely because of your weakness and vulnerability that it bes even more precious."


    What Dao Zhen liked most was observing the individuals among these mortals who had exceptionally strong and resilient spirits.


    Hai Wuya was clearly one of them, which made Dao Zhen feel that he had note in vain.


    At this moment, a shadow approached quickly from the direction of the heavenly prison entrance.


    It was Condor Wei En.


    He heard that Dao Zhen, a disciple of Taoist Qingyi from the Great Dao Sect, had arrived in the heavenly prison, so he hurriedly came, afraid that something might go wrong.


    Little did he know that as soon as he arrived, he saw this cultivator named Dao Zhen, seemingly engaged in a happy conversation with Hai Wuya.


    "Immortal Dao Zhen." Wei En nodded, then looked at Hai Wuya.


    "Hai Wuya, get up,e with me to the interrogation room, I need to interrogate you."


    Hai Wuya nced at Wei En, stood up, and left the prison under the escort of the jailer.


    Just as he left, Dao Zhen also stood up and followed behind.


    "Immortal Dao Zhen, are you here to supervise the inmate Qiao Zhong? Hai Wuya has nothing to do with this case, it is another matter. It is inappropriate for you to follow like this," Wei En said coldly.


    Dao Zhen innocently shrugged his shoulders and stopped there.


    "Do all of you think that I am going to harm this prisoner? This time, you specifically want to take Hai Wuya away?"


    "Okay, suit yourselves."


    Dao Zhen wasn¡¯t bothered either. He casually sat down in Hai Wuya¡¯s cell and skimmed through his books.


    ¡­¡­..


    Inside the interrogation room.


    "Hai Wuya, I know you¡¯re part of the Wuji Association. I¡¯ll keep it short and simple, as I¡¯ve been asked to do so."


    Wei En didn¡¯t waste any time and went straight to the point, saying in a deep voice:


    "People from the Wuji Association say that you possess the top martial arts techniques that even a disabled person can practice. They want you to teach everything you¡¯ve learned to the prisoner in the adjacent cell, Qiao Zhong."


    "Qiao Zhong? Wasn¡¯t he a condemned criminal who angered the Immortal Gate?" Hai Wuya asked, confused:


    "He¡¯s just like me, living on borrowed time, with the possibility of being executed at any moment. So, even if he masters my techniques, what good would it do?"


    "Hai Wuya, you said it¡­" said Wei En.


    "These thirty years in a heavenly prison, weren¡¯t you also living from day to day? Were these thirty years just wasted?"


    Wei En broke through Hai Wuya¡¯s thoughts, leaving him momentarily stunned before his eyes lit up.


    Finally, he realized that Qiao Zhong was in a simr situation.


    Perhaps¡­ in hister years, he might just find a sessor in the martial arts.


    Even if this Qiao Zhong, like him, was not young anymore and in immediate danger.

 Chapter 120:

    Chapter 120:


    After the initial happiness, Hai Wuya became aware of another issue, and his eyebrows furrowed.


    "Maybe it¡¯s not appropriate," Hai Wuya said.


    "I studied diligently in the heavenly prison for thirty years and created a unique martial art. It is actually different from ancient martial arts and the present martial arts."


    "This path is not yet perfect. Currently, I am the only one practicing it, so there may still be shorings. It may not be suitable for others to practice."


    "If martial arts cultivation goes astray, it can be deadly."


    "Although Qiao Zhong is a death row inmate with a life-threatening situation, it is not yet appropriate to promote this iplete martial art."


    Hai Wuya¡¯s martial arts focus on humanity, but this proposition is too big for him.


    Human effort is sometimes limited. Even after studying in the heavenly prison for thirty years, the martial art he discovered is still just a beginning.


    "Mr. Hai is indeed kind and just. Despite being overwhelmed, you still has the capacity to concern himself with other people¡¯s lives." Wei En¡¯s lips slightly curled, and his usual cold expression softened a bit at this moment.Hai Wuya is advanced in age, but now it seems that his exploration of martial arts has yielded results.


    The most urgent matter for him is probably spreading the teachings, but he can¡¯t hold back at this moment.


    "However, Mr. Hai doesn¡¯t need to make a hasty decision. You can personally ask Qiao Zhong if he is willing to take the risk of bing obsessed or even dying, in order to practice your techniques."


    "Whether to pass on the teachings or not is the suggestion of Wuji Association, but ultimately it depends on your own decision."


    "To practice or not, it ultimately depends on Qiao Zhong¡¯s own thoughts."


    Hai Wuya pondered.


    ¡­¡­¡­..


    When Wei En and Hai Wuya returned from the interrogation room, they discovered that Dao Zhen from the Great Dao Sect was no longer there.


    He seemed to be aware that he was not wee in this heavenly prison, so he decided to leave first¡­ temporarily, of course.


    His duty was to monitor Qiao Mu. Although Qiao Mu couldn¡¯t leave the heavenly prison, it was still necessary to go through the motions.


    Wei En dismissed the guards around him and found a reason to send them away, then he left himself.


    In the corner of this heavenly prison, only Qiao Mu and Hai Wuya are left for now.


    It was silent around, and for a moment, they could only hear the sound of mice scurrying in the corner.


    Hai Wuya first tidied up the messy prison cell, arranging the books on the floor neatly and creating a small empty space.


    This small empty space was his "desk," with sunlight shining through the window, casting a glow on his shoulder and dust floating in the light.


    He turned his head to look at Qiao Mu and suddenly asked,


    "Qiao Zhong, someone asked me to pass on all my lifelong knowledge to you¡­ but before that, I have a question."


    "You are already in your sixties, not young anymore, and have achieved the 4th rank in martial arts, practicing for many years. It is likely that you already have your own martial arts philosophy¡­"


    "Let me ask you, why do you practice martial arts?"


    Qiao Mu squinted his eyes.


    From Hai Wuya¡¯s Martial Saint Spiritual Technique intuition and this sentence, he should be the person sent by the Wuji Association to pass on his top-level techniques.


    So, he entered this heavenly prison and happened to be arranged in the neighboring cell to Hai Wuya¡¯s. It doesn¡¯t seem like a coincidence.


    So, he started thinking seriously about Hai Wuya¡¯s question.


    Based on his extensive experience of doing dangerous things, he keenly realized that this was a great opportunity to show off his skills and impress others.


    If he were to talk extensively in front of Hai Wuya about helping people and defeating immortals using martial arts, considering Hai Wuya¡¯s hostile stance towards inhuman beings, he would certainly earn high marks this time.


    But after listening to Hai Wuya¡¯s understanding of martial arts, he suddenly didn¡¯t want to answer like that anymore.


    "Training in martial arts is naturally for bing stronger." This is what Qiao Mu truly thinks, rather than some lofty and righteous ideology.


    "My goal is to make my fists bigger and stronger."


    Hai Wuya remained silent, showing no expression on his face.


    He spent thirty years in the heavenly prison, but he was not oblivious to the outside world.


    He heard about the death of the Martial Saint and the several disturbances caused by his cellmate.


    However, he didn¡¯t show any disappointment on his face when he heard Qiao Mu¡¯s simple intention.


    Qiao Mu continued, "Only with a big fist can one stand up and fight against injustice and unfairness."


    "If the fist is not big enough and the abilities are insufficient, standing up rashly may not only invite danger, but also fail to save people, or even harm family members."


    "What I seek is nothing more than a clear understanding and adherence to human morality."


    It is said that Qiao¡¯s family is righteous and courageous, willing to take the lead for the world, but Qiao Mu naturally knew that he was not a moral saint, nor did he ever think of bing one.


    Qiao Mu was not afraid of danger to his own life, he even wanted it.


    But if he couldn¡¯t save people, or if the trouble extended to those around him, that was not what he wanted.


    When Qiao Mu first came to this ce, he acted foolishly. Butter, when he saw that things could be serious and might affect the people around him, he started to act more carefully.


    Of course, he still acts rashly sometimes, but not as impulsively as before.


    "Being considerate of oneself and seeking righteousness. It is indeed something desirable," Hai Wuya nodded, showing his approval.


    "Hmm? Old Hai, don¡¯t you have something else to say? My pursuit in martial arts doesn¡¯t have the grand idea of martial arts being equivalent to righteousness, like yours," Qiao Mu was slightly surprised.


    "Hehe, that is just an idea," Hai Wuya chuckled.


    "There are no saints in this world. In my younger years, I simply wanted to be an official and gain fame. It was only after failing the imperial examinations several times that things took a different turn."


    "When I entered Shaolin Temple to practice martial arts, I saw it as a shortcut to bing an official."


    "Before I angered the emperor with an inhuman act and was imprisoned in the heavenly prison, I was just a regr second-rank civil servant who happened to know some martial arts. In the court, there were officials higher in rank and stronger in martial arts than me."


    Hai Wuya, the martial monk of Shaolin in his prime, didn¡¯t initially hold the belief that martial arts were equivalent to righteousness. This belief slowly formed after being imprisoned in the heavenly prison.


    "The Confucianists talk about self-cultivation, family harmony, governing the country, and bringing peace to the world. They don¡¯t set ¡®bringing peace to the world¡¯ as their goal from the beginning," said Hai Wuya.


    Hai Wuya stood up and searched through the surrounding piles of books for a while before finally finding a manuscript.


    "There is another question."


    Hai Wuya held the manuscript in his hand, and the ray of sunlight shining through the heavenly prison window fell on his shoulder. His gray-white hair seemed to shimmer in the sunlight at that moment.


    "My cultivation method is not some extraordinary divine technique."


    "In my n, this will be a martial arts technique that anyone can practice. Even people with dull aptitude can cultivate it as long as they have enough perseverance, though their progress might be slower."


    "This technique was created for everyone in the world, not just for the top-notch martial artists with exceptional talents. It¡¯s not dazzling or miraculous."


    "Most importantly, this technique was created by me and is not perfect. Learning it might lead to the wrong path and even lead to demonic possession and death! Even so, are you still willing to learn?" Hai Wuya asked.


    "Hahaha¡­" Laughter echoed from within the heavenly prison, Qiao Mu¡¯sughter.


    "What could be unwilling? Only death. I, Qiao Zhong, long for it!"


    Hai Wuya¡¯s face slightly changed, handing over the manuscript.


    With the strong eyesight of a martial artist, Qiao Mu could clearly read the title of the first page of the manuscript.


    ¡¶Human Path Sutra¡·


    However, what surprised him was that the three words "Human Path Sutra" had a horizontal line crossing through them, indicating that they were crossed out.


    And beside this "Human Path Sutra", there was a smaller subheading:


    ¡¶Xumi Mountain King Sutra¡·


    "Why does this technique have two names?" Qiao Mu asked.


    "At first, I named this technique ¡®Xumi Mountain King Sutra¡¯," Hai Wuya said calmly.


    "But Mount Xumi is too small to hold my beliefs about humanity, so it was renamed as ¡®Human Path Sutra¡¯."


    "But the name ¡®Human Path Sutra¡¯ is too grand."


    "This martial art is not yet perfect, it has not reached the level where itbines martial skills and humanitarian principles, allowing anyone to practice it. In the future, if this ¡®Xumi Mountain King Sutra¡¯ is thoroughly developed, it can then be renamed as ¡®Human Path Sutra¡¯ and truly live up to its name."


    Hai Wuya used to be a young martial monk, that¡¯s why his name sounds like a Buddhist scripture.


    However, deep down, he is still a Confucian schr, that¡¯s why he would say something like "Mount Xumi is too small."


    "Qiao Zhong, do you know why the path of martial arts is inferior to the path of immortality? Can you pinpoint the exact reasons?" Hai Wuya asked.


    After pondering for a moment, Qiao Mu replied:


    "Aside from the fact that the path of immortality has explored further than martial arts, in my opinion, the fundamental difference between a martial artist and a cultivator lies in two points."


    "The decline of vitality in old age and the limitation of lifespan."


    "As people grow older, their energy and blood decline, and they cannot reach their peak anymore."


    "Some martial artists who have suffered many hidden injuries when they were young, even start to experience a decline in their energy and blood after the age of thirty."


    "At the same time, the lifespan of martial artists is not much longer than that of ordinary people. Compared to immortals, they naturally have less umtion."


    Speaking of this, Qiao Mu suddenly remembered the Heyang City¡¯s Qiao Family¡¯s Long Life Fist that he had been thinking about all the time.


    "By the way, the leader of the Heyang City¡¯s Qiao Family in the past is said to have maintained strong energy and blood even at the age of eighty."


    "The grandmaster of the Heyang City¡¯s Qiao Family a hundred years ago could even maintain strong energy and blood at the age of one hundred."


    "Long Life Fist?" When Hai Wuya heard this name, he couldn¡¯t help but smile:


    "By the way, isn¡¯t your surname also Qiao? Maybe you and they were all from the same family five hundred years ago."


    "Do you know where the Long Life Fist originated from and why only this martial art has the special feature of maintaining strong energy and blood in old age?"


    "I¡¯ve heard about the origin of Long Life Fist," Qiao Mu recalled what Qiao Canxue had said.


    "This Long Life Fist is said to be an internal martial art of the Taoist sect. It was passed down by a master to the ancestors of Qiao Family in Heyang City. There is even a saying that it was taught by immortals¡­"


    At this point, Qiao Mu suddenly stopped.


    He had already dealt with cultivators before, so he knew very well what kind of people these so-called immortals were.


    "Never aging?" He remembered those cultivators he had dealt with.


    Immortal cultivation emphasizes the cultivation of the soul, but many of these cultivators look like young people in appearance, like the Xuantian Sect disciple Ming Yue from before, and the Great Dao Sect¡¯s disciple, Dao Zhen.


    Hai Wuya said calmly:


    "In fact, among these Nine Immortal Gates, there is one Immortal Gate called the Long Life Gate."


    Long Life Gate, Long Life Fist, never getting old¡­ These things are not unrted.


    Hai Wuya said, "Each of the Nine Immortal Gates is different. The Great Dao Sect in Zhong Province, which dominates, is full of cultivators like Dao Zhen, who follow their instincts and only seek enlightenment."


    "As for the cultivators of the Long Life Gate¡­ they became interested in martial artists many years ago."


    "Even the saying ¡®The immortal path focuses on the spirit, while the martial path focuses on the physical body; there is no superiority, only a difference in sequence¡¯ was first proposed by the cultivators of the Long Life Gate."


    "Many years ago, the cultivators of the Long Life Gate began to study the martial path¡­ and their aplishment is actually the ¡®Long Life Fist Sutra¡¯."


    Qiao Mu was first surprised, then doubtful.


    "But as far as I know, the Qiao Family in Heyang City has no connection to the Immortal Gate. They have no background in the Immortal Gate and are purely a martial arts family, right?"


    Qiao Canxue, who was once blind, didn¡¯t even know that "inhuman" referred to cultivators.


    "The Qiao Family in Heyang City is indeed just a martial arts family, unrted to the immortal path," said Hai Wuya.


    "The cultivators of Long Life Gate attempted to study martial arts and created the Long Life Fist Sutra. However, they didn¡¯t fully seed in this path and ultimately abandoned it."


    "Otherwise, the Long Life Fist Sutra would not have been an evesting technique, but rather a remarkable skill thatbines both martial arts and Taoism!"


    In the ancient martial arts world, the Long Life Fist naturally ranked among the best martial arts.


    However, if we were topare it with the new techniques of the Martial Saint, it stillcked a bit of confidence.


    Qiao Mu remained silent for a moment.


    Is the Long Life Fist really an unfinished path? And it was abandoned by cultivators who have long lifespans?


    Judging from Hai Wuya¡¯s words, perhaps there are shorings in this Long Life Fist, otherwise why would the cultivators of Long Life Gate abandon it?


    "Don¡¯t dwell on the Long Life Fist,e and practice my Human Path Sutra instead," concluded Hai Wuya.


    "From what you¡¯re saying, old Hai, does your Human Path Sutra also enable martial artists to stay forever youthful?" Qiao Mu¡¯s eyes lit up.


    He remembered that this Hai Wuya was in the heavenly prison, entering the 7th rank as a person of seventy or eighty years old.


    Qiao family¡¯s Long Life Fist is not good enough!


    The top-notch martial arts created by Martial Saint are not suitable!


    Because Hai Wuya has a better "Human Path Sutra"?


    He looked forward to flipping through the manuscript in his hands, but then he heard Hai Wuya¡¯s words:


    "Old but not declining? That is definitely impossible," Hai Wuya said calmly.


    "Life, old age, sickness, and death, aging and weakening are the normal state of the world, and why should it be resolved?"


    "I heard that you, Qiao Zhong, have already met Martial Saint, right?"


    "Martial Saint is already eighty-five years old this year, do you see his declining vitality?"


    "Moreover, ordinary martial artists in this world experience a decline in their vitality and energy after their thirties or forties."


    "Compared to a regr martial artist who is thirty years old, which one has more vigorous energy, the eighty-five-year-old Martial Saint or the thirty-year-old martial artist?"


    Qiao Mu shrugged his shoulders. "These two things can¡¯t bepared," he said.


    "That¡¯s right," said Hai Wuya.


    "It ismon for the elderly to be weak, but as long as their energy continues to grow stronger and they continue to break through, what does it matter if they grow old?"

 Chapter 121:

    Chapter 121:


    Hai Wuya¡¯s book "Human Path Sutra" has two unique characteristics different from ancient and modern martial arts.


    Firstly, it requires low aptitude for martial arts. As long as you have enough perseverance, you can gradually improve over time.


    Secondly, this martial art has the potential to maintain the increase of vitality and blood for martial artists even in their old age.


    Aging is unavoidable, but as long as vitality and blood continue to rise, what does age matter?


    Hai Wuya said, "In my early years, I was a martial monk at Shaolin Temple, practicing external martial arts. Now, this ¡®Xumi Mountain King Sutra¡¯ is a technique of vitality and blood, not just a martial art."


    The four aspects of a martial artist are strength, power, technique, and spirit.


    However, Hai Wuya believes that the so-called "strength" is actually the martial artist¡¯s physical body and vitality and blood, which are fundamental.


    "After a martial artist reaches the peak of physical strength and achieves a strong vitality and blood, internal strength is generated by it."


    "If a person reaches old age, their body will be weak, and the first thing to decline would be their energy and blood.""Once the energy and blood weaken, even if one still possesses internal strength, it will be difficult to maintain the same level¡­ not to mention further progress."


    "That¡¯s why my book, ¡®Xumi Mountain King Sutra,¡¯ is a cultivation method focused on improving energy and blood."


    "Just as the saying goes, ¡®umting soil creates mountains, and wind and rain bring forth sess; umting water forms deep ponds, where dragons are born.¡¯"


    "The name ¡®Xumi Mountain King Sutra¡¯ signifies the gradual umtion, from tiny particles, of the human energy and blood into a towering mountain."


    So, this is about training the human body to be a vast and boundless mountain, just like the Xumi Mountain?


    Qiao Mu was speechless.


    "However, the current major drawback of this cultivation method¡­ is the amount of time it consumes." Hai Wuya sighed deeply as he said this.


    "The future of ¡®Xumi Mountain King Sutra¡¯ will be the ¡®Human Path Sutra.¡¯ In order to make it essible to everyone, ites with such a significant drawback."


    "The earlier levels of the cultivation technique are manageable, but with each subsequent level, the required practice time almost doubles."


    "Perhaps this is because the cultivation technique is still iplete. I spent thirty years in the heavenly prison, but my actual martial arts training time was not much¡­ It¡¯s roughly equivalent to fifteen years of practice for an average martial artist. Currently, I have only reached the fourth level. Reaching the 7th rank again¡­ the path to the fifth level is still uncertain."


    "Considering my lifespan, I may not live long enough to reach the fifth level of the cultivation technique," Hai Wuya said.


    The fourth level takes about fifteen years, and the fifth level takes thirty years. Each subsequent level after that would double the time, eventually reaching an astronomicallyrge number.


    "The Xumi Mountain King Sutra" is a unique martial art that offers a different approach from traditional martial arts, focusing on countering the decline of vitality in old age.


    Compared to its incredible effects, the longer time required for practicing is just a minor w.


    Not to mention, as an immortal, time always favors Qiao Mu.


    If we continue to specte, when the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra" bes the true "Human Path Sutra," it might have the potential to address this w.


    While Qiao Mu was deep in thought, a faint sound came from nearby in the dark.


    "Who?" Hai Wuya turned his head and saw the young Gaoler Fang Yuaning out from the corner of the prison wall, smiling awkwardly.


    "You were eavesdropping too?" Hai Wuya frowned slightly at first, but then his brow rxed.


    Before Wei En left, he found an excuse to distract the jailer, but it turned out this guy was cunning and had already been secretly listening.


    "Qiao Zhong, what do you think? If we follow your suggestion, how should we deal with this person?" Hai Wuya thought for a moment, then turned his head to Qiao Mu, looking at his face and observing his expression.


    Even though Qiao Mu¡¯s meridians were broken and he was trapped in prison, he was still a skilled martial artist at the 4th rank, with a strong foundation.


    If there was a n to scheme against the jailer, there might still be a chance.


    "Deal with him? Why should we deal with him?" Qiao Mu didn¡¯t seem to care:


    "We are just prisoners in this heavenly prison, and this heavenly prison is not our family¡¯s. It¡¯smon to have jailers watching over us."


    "Moreover, this ¡®Human Path Sutra¡¯ is a martial arts technique for humanity. If we treasure it selfishly like it was the best martial art in the world, only a few selected individuals could practice it. How can it be called ¡®humanity¡¯ or reach the level of everyone practicing martial arts?"


    Hai Wuya nodded slightly, showing agreement in his eyes.


    At this point, he was confident that his choice¡­ was not wrong.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Great Yan Pce, Imperial Study.


    Emperor Yonghe stood with his hands behind his back, looking at the Human Emperor Sword hanging on the wall, lost in thought.


    "The Human Emperor Sword¡­. Why did my ancestor name this sword the Human Emperor Sword?"


    He still remembered that scene on Qingming Peak in Nan Province, where the Human Emperor Sword resonated and silenced all the immortal statues.


    Lost in thought for a long time, he returned his gaze to the documents on the desk.


    This document came from Wei En of the Six Gates and contained the findings of the interrogation of Qiao Mu a few days ago.


    The above tells the result of Emperor Yonghe¡¯s questioning about what he wanted to know about Emperor Yonghe, Qiao Zhong, Qiao¡¯s family.


    "The hidden n, it seems there are many n elders?" Emperor Yonghe looked carefully and shook his head secretly. Even Wei En, who was proficient in interrogation, couldn¡¯t obtain much detailed information.


    This Qiao Zhong is already sixty years old, his family is big, how many n elders can be stronger than him?


    "Although he has not yet reached the 3rd rank of the Spiritual Refining Period, his mind is firm and difficult to be coerced by torture¡­ the interrogation is also of limited effect."


    At this time, Guard Chu walked in quickly.


    "Your Majesty¡­ Hai Wuya within the heavenly prison has made a breakthrough in recent days. At the age of almost eighty, he has returned to the 7th rank in the heavenly prison."


    "These days, he has had contact with that Qiao Zhong, it is said that the two of them often have private conversations¡­"


    "Hai Wuya?" Emperor Yonghe first frowned, then slowly rxed.


    He has always been concerned about figures like Wang Shanhe, but at the same time, he can¡¯t help but feel some resentment towards Hai Wuya who is close to the Imperial Capital.


    Because Hai Wuya insulted him, Emperor Yonghe didn¡¯t give him face.


    Emperor Yonghe didn¡¯t kill Hai Wuya, but rather imprisoned him in heavenly prison, which he considered an act of mercy.


    As forter hearing that Hai Wuya was studying in heavenly prison, Emperor Yonghe thought it was a surprising move. He wanted to spread the news to his ears¡­ so he intentionally kept Hai Wuya hanging, wanting to see how long this performance couldst¡­


    "They¡¯ve been in heavenly prison for nearly thirty years, haven¡¯t they?"


    "If he doesn¡¯t get released soon, he might just die in that heavenly prison¡­ so let hime back," Emperor Yonghe said.


    He lost because hecked patience.


    "So, what should we do with the other prisoner, Qiao Zhong, in heavenly prison? Your Majesty, the people from Great Dao Sect have been urging us recently."


    Qiao Mu wouldn¡¯t stay in heavenly prison for long because his fate was not only decided by Emperor Yonghe, but also influenced by Xuantian Sect and Great Dao Sect, the two major Immortal Gates.


    If he stayed in heavenly prison for a long time, then these two major Immortal Gates would suspect that Emperor Yonghe was deceiving them by pretending to imprison him, while actually protecting Qiao Zhong¡¯s life.


    Emperor Yonghe heard what was said, looked up at the Human Emperor Sword hanging on the wall.


    "Since that¡¯s the case¡­ then let¡¯s cut it off." Emperor Yonghe said.


    The emperor¡¯s intentions were hard to fathom. Two prisoners in simr circumstances, one dead and one alive, were both at the mercy of the emperor¡¯s whim.

 Chapter 122:

    Chapter 122:


    North of the Imperial Capital.


    At the Great Dao Sect¡¯s Taoist temple, Taoist Qingyi and others were standing high, gazing towards the distant direction of the pce.


    "Fate is invisible and intangible, something that cannot be grasped¡­ but now, that Human Emperor Sword can manifest the destiny of the kingdom, making us all wary." Taoist Qingyi said slowly.


    Among the senior elders of the Great Dao Sect, he was the only one who had reached the Qingyun Temple in Nan Province and witnessed the existence of the Human Emperor Sword.


    Before this, including the Nine Immortal Gates, there were many cultivators who didn¡¯t believe in the concept of Qi fortune.


    But now they have no choice but to believe.


    Cultivators cultivate immortality, so they naturally avoid anything that may endanger their earthly Qi fortune.


    "It¡¯s still the Xuantian Sect acting recklessly, trying to deceive and make Emperor Yonghe worship a god beforehand¡­" an elder suggested.


    "Our Great Dao Sect is right here in Zhong Province. If we were to worship a god, it should be Emperor Yonghe worshipping our Great Dao Sect, why would it be the Xuantian Sect from Nan Province?""It¡¯s their own fault for being too ambitious. They tried to steal the chicken but ended up losing the rice."


    When the actions of the Xuantian Sect are mentioned, the elders are still somewhat upset.


    But after their frustration, they are actually satisfied in their hearts.


    The bomb called Human Emperor Sword exposed the impulsive actions of the Xuantian Sect.


    After this event, Xuantian Sect was under pressure from Eight Immortal Gates and naturally gave up many benefits, leaving those in the Great Dao Sect satisfied and content.


    The leader of Xuantian Sect in Zhong Province, who relied on the sect¡¯s precious treasures to interact with other Immortal Gates, was besieged by the upper echelons of Eight Immortal Gates after the truth came to light.


    Although the Xuantian Sect¡¯s leader didn¡¯t die from the incident thanks to the Tianwu Mirror, their situation didn¡¯t improve either, and their cultivation suffered greatly.


    After this battle, the entire Xuantian Sect is afraid that their vitality is greatly diminished.


    The n to worship Emperor Yonghe as a god failed, not only did they fail to win the coveted first ce in the Nine Immortal Gates, but the sect leader was also severely injured and had to give up many benefits as a result.


    Don¡¯t even mention being first in the Nine Immortal Gates, it¡¯s likely that they will even drop tost ce among the Immortal Gates after this incident.


    This is the result of Xuantian Sect¡¯s remaining strength.


    If Xuantian Sect¡¯s strength doesn¡¯t recover and they continue to carry out such deceptive actions, they will undoubtedly be dismembered andpletely destroyed by Eight Immortal Gates.


    "This Xuantian Sect is quite ambitious and cunning," suggested an elder.


    "Sect leader, I don¡¯t think the Xuantian Sect is qualified. It would be better for our Great Dao Sect to handle the ceremony of worshiping the gods."


    "Of course, our Great Dao Sect can¡¯t be as stingy as the Xuantian Sect in our actions."


    "Why not let Emperor Yonghe worship gods to all the Eight Immortal Gates except the Xuantian Sect?"


    When Xuantian Sect stole the chicken, they naturally faced a united attack.


    Even the secretly leading Great Dao Sect cannot confront all eight alone, so the elder suggested involving the other seven Immortal Gates.


    "This is not right. Do we really believe that the fate of the dynasty is insignificant?" Taoist Qingyi was the first to voice opposition.


    "If this is possible, why would we need the Xuantian Sect to ¡®steal the chicken¡¯?"


    "In the matter of worshiping gods in Nan Province, the Martial Saint died, and the Xuantian Sect¡¯s n failed."


    "However, it was Emperor Yonghe who seemingly could manipte things freely that managed to survive until the end."


    "With good luck, he turned a bad situation into a good one. Emperor Yonghe was, after all, a great ruler in the human world¡­"


    Among the group of monks, the sect leader, positioned in the center, nodded slightly. His true self was not in the Imperial Capital, but rather just a faint shadow, slightly blurred.


    "Let¡¯s not mention this matter again," said the sect leader of the Great Dao Sect.


    "The Human Emperor Sword can manifest the fortune of a dynasty, which is not necessarily a bad thing."


    The elders were surprised, but quickly regained theirposure and nodded in agreement.


    Previously, the Nine Immortal Gates didn¡¯t oppress Emperor Yonghe too harshly, for one reason being that the Immortal Gate needed to harvest incense offerings and required a seemingly ipetent ruler to bear the anger of the people.


    Another reason was the uncertain concept of fortune.


    "Knowing that this fortune indeed exists, we can find a way to deal with it," said the sect leader calmly.


    "The Great Yan Imperial Court still has its fortune intact now, but what about in twenty or forty years?"


    For a high-level cultivator, forty years is simply a period of seclusion.


    Forty years ago, the Great Yan Imperial Court was still prosperous and far from being a match for the Nine Immortal Gates.


    In the short span of forty years, the dynasty has already faced numerous challenges.


    So, what will happen in another forty years?


    "If the Human Emperor Sword can embody the destiny of a nation, then we just need to stay hidden and wait patiently," the sect leader said calmly.


    "Once the destiny of the Great Yan Imperial Court is depleted and its fortune is gone, the Human Emperor Sword will be nothing more than scrap metal."


    Cultivators are wary of the intangible and elusive concept of destiny.


    As for the Human Emperor Sword, which can already manifest destiny, dealing with it is just a little more troublesome.


    Time is on the side of the Immortal Gate. As long as we wait patiently, the threat of the Human Emperor Sword to cultivators will only grow weaker.


    "Speaking of hiding behind the scenes¡­" the sect leader suddenly turned his head and looked at Taoist Qingyi.


    "Qingyi, have you recently recruited some so-called Spirit Refining martial artists from the Imperial Capital?"


    "Ordinary martial arts are insignificant, but Spirit Refining martial artists have enough power to suppress other martial artists. It¡¯s worth our effort to manipte them."


    After the Martial Saint¡¯s tragic death, the Nine Immortal Gates realized the ipetence of ordinary martial arts.


    Despite their earlier boasting, the hope of human martial artists has now beenpletely destroyed.


    However, the appearance of the Human Emperor Sword doesn¡¯t mean that the Immortal Gate will be afraid. They will simply be more cautious.


    The Great Dao Sect will begin to hide behind the scenes, focusing only on gathering followers and supporting so-called Spirit Refining martial artists. This will be enough to dominate the mortal realm.


    "I heard that there have always been legends in the mortal realm of Zhong Province about using martial arts to attain enlightenment," the sect leader asked.


    "Sect leader, you are joking. The potential of martial arts in humans is limited. The human body has its limits. How can they use martial arts to attain enlightenment? It¡¯s just a rumor," Qingyi replied with a faint smile.


    Cultivators from Nine Immortal Gates often ignore the presence of ordinary martial artists.


    However, there are exceptions when ites to cultivators. For example, the Long Life Gate within Nine Immortal Gates used to study martial arts of mortal beings, but they were not sessful.


    Qingyi is one of them.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    Inside the heavenly prison.


    These few days, Qiao Mu and his neighbor Hai Wuya discuss martial arts daily and both benefit greatly from it.


    Hai Wuya, although an external martial artist,es from an academic background, well-versed in various books. His perspective differs greatly from ordinary martial artists and often takes a unique approach.


    As the two were engrossed in their conversation, suddenly a meow came from within the heavenly prison, interrupting Qiao Mu.


    Qiao Mu lowered his head and saw a multicolored cat, gripping his pant leg, as if trying to pull him away. However, its footsteps were clearly weak and floating.


    He suddenly understood.


    "Life is impermanent, my life shall cease."


    From a distance, a concentrated footstep sound could be heard. Gaoler Fang Yuan walked in front with a not-so-good expression, staring directly at Qiao Mu.


    "Qiao Zhong, it¡¯s time to set off."

 Chapter 123:

    Chapter 123:


    Upon hearing the disheartening news of his impending execution, Qiao Mu remained calm.


    Qiao Mu pulled the cat clinging to his pant leg off his body, gripping the back of its neck with one hand, and turned to face Hai Wuya in the neighboring cell from all sides.


    This heavenly prison was not a ce that could provide peace for a prisoner like him to practice martial arts.


    Qiao Mu knew he wouldn¡¯t be able to stay in the heavenly prison for long, but he didn¡¯t expect things to escte right after he and Hai Wuya started their martial arts training.


    Did someone not want the death row prisoner to practice martial arts in the heavenly prison?


    After thinking for a moment, Qiao Mu handed the cat he had in his hand through the prison bars.


    As soon as the cat touched the ground and left Qiao Mu¡¯s palm, it quickly regained its ability to move. It twisted its body and was about to dive back into Qiao Mu¡¯s shadow, just like before.


    But this time it didn¡¯t dive in.


    The heavenly prison was dark and damp, with only a small window through which a beam of light from the outside world entered.At this moment, Qiao Mu was not standing under that window, and there was no obvious shadow behind him.


    "Go away, you stupid cat, don¡¯t bother me." Qiao Mu grumpily passed the chubby cat to Hai Wuya through the bars.


    This Impermanent Demon Cat, as long as it didn¡¯t get too close to him and consume excessive death energy, could freely use its supernatural abilities. For example, it could easily hide in the shadows and deceive the perception of many powerful beings.


    When they stayed together, they turned into azy cat that ate and slept all day long.


    "Let¡¯s go." He turned around and looked at Gaoler Fang Yuan and the others.


    "No, Qiao Zhong. A person like you can¡¯t just die in the heavenly prison. You need to go to the execution ground," Fang Yuan said.


    Thetter then put special steel handcuffs on Qiao Mu to prevent him from escaping.


    "Qiao Zhong, we didn¡¯t punish you much in the heavenly prison, and you behaved yourself¡­ But when you get to the execution ground, don¡¯t y tricks. Don¡¯t disgrace yourself in the end," young Gaoler Fang Yuan said.


    Qiao Mu had severalyers of shackles on his body, making his steps heavy, and his whole body ngs as he gradually moved away under the escort of the prison guards.


    Hai Wuya, slightly lost in thought, watched Qiao Mu¡¯s figure. He had just taught him martial arts and thought Qiao Zhong was someone in a simr situation, who would spend some time in the heavenly prison. But he didn¡¯t expect the death sentence toe so suddenly.


    At this moment, a head officer of the heavenly prison rushed over and opened the cell door for Hai Wuya.


    "Should I also leave?" Hai Wuya stood up, preparing to follow Qiao Mu.


    "Sir, you¡¯re joking." The prison head said with a friendly smile.


    "The emperor¡¯s kind heartedness led to an official decree that reinstated Lord Hai to his original position."


    ¡­


    Inside the Great Dao Sect¡¯s temple, located in the northern part of the Imperial Capital.


    As thergest temple in the Imperial Capital, the incense here was far more abundantpared to other temples. Pilgrims flocked in and out, and the incense burned day and night.


    Inside a side hall solely dedicated to the "Immortal Qingyi," it was rarely visited. In this spacious hall, there was only one middle-aged man standing there, holding a long incense stick as he paid respects to the immortal statue.


    This middle-aged man appeared to be in his fifties, with thin lips and a bnced, vigorous physique. Only his eyes had a calm and distant look.


    Only when he looked at the immortal statue on the altar did the distant look in his eyes slightly dissipate, revealing an undeniable longing.


    Suddenly.


    "Qin Shiqing." A voice resounded in the mind of the middle-aged man.


    He looked around, but found that there was still no one around except for the Immortal Statue on the altar, looking down at him just like before.


    "Greetings, Immortal Qingyi," said the middle-aged man named Qin Shiqing as he respectfully knelt to the ground.


    "You have done well, your determination to pursue the Path is unwavering, and you have passed the test¡­" echoed the ethereal voice in the side hall, as the door mmed shut.


    "However, you don¡¯t possess spiritual roots, youck the qualification for cultivation¡­"


    A momentary look of joy appeared on Qin Shiqing¡¯s face, but quickly froze.


    He was a fairly well-known martial artist in the world of Spirit Refining, but spiritual refining was not his desired path; he longed for the path of immortality.


    After sacrificing much over the years, he finally managed to join the prestigious Great Dao Sect, and after going through the test of the immortals, he realized that he could not cultivate due tocking spiritual roots?


    "Although you cannot cultivate, have you ever heard of the rumors of entering the Dao through martial arts?" the ethereal voice seemed to have guessed his thoughts, and continued.


    "Entering the Dao through martial arts?"


    "Not bad. If you can achieve this, your achievement will surpass bing a disciple of my Great Dao Sect." Immortal Qingyi said.


    "With Martial Saint¡¯s tragic death, the world of martial artistscks a leader. But if you can achieve this, naturally it will be an extraordinary feat. You can be the one who carries the weight of the martial world, with the possibility of bing a king and representing my Immortal Gate and Great Dao Sect, aiming for a position as a king."


    After deliberation, the Great Dao Sect has made a decision.


    Temporarily stepping into the background, Immortal Gate focuses on gathering followers instead of attracting attention.


    Mundane matters are mundane. Since Emperor Yonghe has drawn the Human Emperor Sword, naturally, Immortal Gate also has a way to deal with it.


    By creating a so-called invincible martial artist, naturally, they can be the leading figure in this era where Martial Saints have already died, bing the pioneers of a new era.


    With the Human Emperor Sword in hand, the cultivators who long for immortality don¡¯t want to directly suppress Emperor Yonghe, so they can only take a more indirect approach.


    Creating an invincible martial artist to be a king is false.


    Taking advantage of this opportunity to disintegrate the Great Yan Imperial Court and gradually establish the Earthly Immortal Kingdom belonging to the Great Dao Sect is true.


    As the Great Yan Imperial Court was gradually destroyed, the fate of the country was lost, and the Human Emperor Sword would also lose its radiance.


    As for this person Qin Shiqing, whether he is courageous or qualified to be the representative of the Great Dao Sect, depends on whether he can survive¡­


    In a small room in the dark.


    Dao Zhen, a disciple of Elder Qingyi, was boredly flipping through a book in his hands.


    "Qin Shiqing, who killed his wife and sought the path, is also a determined ordinary person." Dao Zhen looked at the records of Qin Shiqing¡¯s life in the book and smirked.


    Twenty years ago, this Qin Shiqing used to be the lord of a city in Zhong Province. Later, he encountered a cultivator from the Xuantian Sect. In order to prove his unwavering devotion to the path to the immortal elders of the Xuantian Sect, he resolutely killed his wife as proof.


    The cultivator from the Xuantian Sect, of course, didn¡¯t ept him.


    However, he was not discouraged, and during these twenty years, he made great progress. Eventually, he sessfully entered the Spiritual Refining Method, with a strong mind and willpower. He held the position of the chief jailer in the heavenly prison of the Imperial Capital, and was one of the top spiritual refining experts in the Great Yan Imperial Court.


    "Speaking of the heavenly prison, it¡¯s almost time for Qiao Zhong¡¯s execution." Dao Zhen thought of this and felt a little excited.


    "Ordinary people are like the mayfly of the sky and earth, fragile and short-lived."


    "Even if as small as a mayfly, as dim as a grain of rice, in the face of life and death, ordinary people can still have a moment of fleeting brilliance."


    Whether out of personal interest or as a disciple of Elder Qingyi, he had to go to the execution ground.

 Chapter 124:

    Chapter 124:


    The sun was rising, and the sunlight shone through the clouds.


    Under the sun, the vegetable market gate in the Imperial Capital was bustling, as it was the time for the market.


    Today, the street of the vegetable market gate was bustling with people, with street vendors carrying baked cakes and shouting for business, their voices constantly heard.


    At the entrance of the shops on both sides of the street, the owners brought out a wooden table and ced it in front of their own doors, then brought out a wine jug and wine cups, setting up three cups of white wine.


    "Shopkeeper, are you worshipping the gods at your doorstep today? Not going to the north of the city?" A passerby, who was a regr customer, happened to see this scene and asked.


    "To pay respects to the gods, we naturally have to go to the Taoist temple in the northern part of the city. Which god are we paying respects to today?" The shopkeeper said, busy and mysteriously.


    "Don¡¯t you know? The government has posted notices these past few days, and today is the day for the execution parade. I¡¯m serving soul wine here."


    "Otherwise, why do you think the market square is particrly lively today, with some visibly strong martial artists?"


    "The execution parade?" The passerby¡¯s eyes lit up instantly."Who is going to the execution ground to lose their head? What crime did theymit, and how many people?"


    The passerby looked around and indeed saw many strong-looking individuals at the market square today.


    And at the entrances of the shops on both sides, not just one, but several had set up offering tables or small cases, with bowls of soul wine poured or some fried snacks cooked. For a moment, the aroma of food and alcohol filled the air.


    And this is not the most borate part; there are even people who newly put up red couplets at the entrances of their shops, hanging up bright red silk, exuding a festive atmosphere.


    If you didn¡¯t know, you might think today is a major festival or a good time to celebrate something auspicious.


    "There are many people offering soul wine, but who is the important person losing their head today? With such a grand scene, how many people will die?" The familiar customer observed and was amazed.


    "I have been in the Imperial Capital for so many years, and this is the most spectacr one I¡¯ve seen. They say a group of rebels were escorted to the Imperial Capital, and hundreds of them died along the way. The executioner¡¯s executioner¡¯s axe must be blunt by now. It seems that there was never such a grand setup as today."


    Executions at the market entrance have happened throughout history.


    Especially in the Imperial Capital, this execution ground at the market entrance has continued since ancient times, for hundreds, even thousands, of years. Countless heads have been severed, and it has be famous.


    The remnants of the previous dynasty, the powerful and influential people of this dynasty, and the wicked and evil criminals¡­ the number of the dead is countless.


    The more wicked and evil the deceased, and the more prominent their status, the more onlookers there are. The market entrance bes even more lively.


    This execution ground at the market entrance has be one of the famous sights in the Imperial Capital!


    When youe to the Imperial Capital, if you don¡¯t go to the market entrance to witness an execution, it¡¯s like going to Sichuan without eating spicy food. It¡¯s missing something.


    "This time, there is only one person who died, and his name seems to be Qiao Zhong," said the shopkeeper.


    "Only one?" This regr customer instantly lost interest.


    "Then it¡¯s not interesting at all."


    "Killing someone is too easy. One swipe of a knife and the person is gone. It¡¯ll be over in a sh. What¡¯s the point of watching?"


    They were people from the Imperial Capital, their perspective and knowledge were certainly notparable to those from the countryside.


    People from the countryside, when they see a dead person, they all gather around noisily to get a look.


    As for people from the Imperial Capital, they have witnessed countless beheadings at the market square, including prestigious officials and nobles. Now, it was just one person being executed, it simply couldn¡¯t pique their interest.


    When a person loses their head, it¡¯s not like there will be a river of blood. What¡¯s so exciting about that?


    "Well, you just don¡¯t understand," the innkeeperughed.


    "If there¡¯s such a big fuss over just one person being executed, it naturally means this person has an extraordinary status or hasmitted something extraordinary!"


    "And this guy Qiao Zhong, he did a lot of bad things, not only assassinated the current Emperor, but also sphemed the idols in the temple¡­"


    "Oh my, how can this person be so foolish? Isn¡¯t he afraid of angering the gods in the heavens? All the high-ranking immortals in the temple are also there."


    "Well, the retribution hase now. He was caught on the spot by the Emperor and imprisoned in the heavenly prison for some time. It must have been very torturous for him."


    On a bench outside the tea house entrance.


    Dao Zhen, dressed in casual clothes, nced slightly upwards and had many thoughts running through his mind as he looked at the two people chatting next door.


    "How can thesemon people be so foolish? The knife didn¡¯t fall on their heads."


    "This guy Qiao Zhong and the people from the Wuji Association died while trying to assassinate the Emperor and resist our Immortal Gate."


    The execution of Qiao Zhong was extraordinary.


    In the matter of assassinating Emperor Yonghe, the infamous Martial Saint is said to have been struck dead on the spot by a heavenly thunder,pletely obliterated.


    And Qiao Zhong, as the only death row prisoner who didn¡¯t die on the spot, naturally received a lot of attention from martial artists.


    Martial Saint¡¯s notorious name spread throughout the world. In the past, the Wuji Association¡¯s arsenal gathered martial arts from all over the world. Countless martial artists from the Imperial Capital wanted to find this Qiao Zhong and inquire about the situation on that day.


    "Ever since the death of Martial Saint, even the Wuji Association has been silent. We rarely hear any news from them."


    Dao Zhen looked around. Besides him, a lot of martial artists had gathered at the marketce, including some powerful ones.


    "I heard that some martial artists refuse to give up and want to use Qiao Zhong to find Martial Saint¡¯s arsenal. Hah, they are fools. Even if Martial Saint¡¯s arsenal exists, what value does it have? No matter how strong they are in martial arts, can they surpass Martial Saint? They are just mortals who can be killed by a single heavenly strike from a cultivator¡­"


    Dao Zhen sat quietly, sipping his tea, feeling quite content.


    Martial Saint was a zing sun, but now this sun was easily devoured by the night. From now on, the sky of martial artists would be a long night, while the immortals reside high above the sky, looking down on the mortal world.


    And at this moment¡­


    ng, ng, ng!


    The tight sound of drums suddenly rang out, overshadowing the noisy voices in the marketce.


    The people who were in the middle of bargaining at the market stopped talking and turned their heads to see where the sound wasing from.


    Finally, the time hase!


    Arge group of sturdy soldiers and officials, numbering in the hundreds, approached from a distance. Their long knives were already unsheathed, emitting a chilling and menacing aura as they forced the pedestrians blocking their path.


    Leading these soldiers was the Heavenly Prison Warden named Qin Shiqing, who was riding a horse.


    As one of the Spirit Refining martial artists stationed in the heavenly prison, he was appointed as the executioner to oversee the execution site and prevent any unexpected incidents.


    "Here theye!"


    "Oh, indeed it¡¯s quite the spectacle. Although only one person will lose their head today, this show of force is no less grand than beheading a hundred men before."


    The people at the vegetable market hurriedly moved to the sides, making way for the soldiers, and then eagerly craned their necks to look towards the center of the soldier formation.


    It was a prisoner carriage pulled by horses, with only one person inside.


    Inside the carriage was an elderly man with slightly gray temples, who looked beyond sixty and no longer young.


    Despite his advanced age, the old man had a strong physique. He was dressed in prisoner¡¯s clothing, covered in dirt, with disheveled gray hair hanging over his shoulders. His lips were dry and cracked, as he stood in the narrow confines of the carriage.


    The cage he stood in was very small, a several-hundred-kilogram iron cage that could only amodate a person standing. There was no room to sit or stretch, with only his head poking out for the crowd to see his appearance clearly.

 Chapter 125:

    Chapter 125:


    Ding ding ding.


    The brave soldiers yed the drums ahead to clear the way for the prisoner car in the middle.


    The loud sound of the copper drums startled arge crowd of people around, making them scatter a little, but more people gathered from afar to watch the old man standing in the cage.


    "Another beheading at the vegetable market!"


    "Darling,e out and see the execution. I heard that only one person will lose their head this time. If youe outte, you¡¯ll miss it!"


    "No wonder the famous market in the Imperial Capital, known as the Imperial Market, is said to be the ce where many high-ranking officials and nobles have lost their souls. We just arrived in the Imperial Capital and already encountered such an event¡­ Come, let¡¯s go and have a look."


    "Is this old man named Qiao Zhong? He was quite famous recently. I heard the storyteller say that he dared to challenge the divine gods. But I can¡¯t see anything special about him, he only has two eyes and a nose."


    "I heard he witnessed the Martial Saint dying under the heavenly thunder. He is the only assassin who has not died yet. But it seems that today is the end of the line for him."


    "This person shows no respect for gods and emperors. How can they live in this world without any dignity?""Today I had nned to go to theater in the east of the city to watch a y. Why did the government choose to execute someone at this moment?"


    "What theater are you talking about? You can go to theater anytime. Beheading isn¡¯t an everyday urrence."


    At the entrance of a tea house by the street, Jiang Chen looked at the crowd that had gathered around and felt a hint of bitterness in his heart.


    "I thought that since the Imperial Capital is the capital of the Great Yan Imperial Court, the residents here might be different. It seems I was mistaken. Whether it¡¯s the Nan Province or the Zhong Province, the Immortal Gate is above everything." Jiang Chen sighed inwardly.


    After Emperor Yonghe worshiped the gods, Qiao Mu has been staying in the heavenly prison for about a month.


    During this month, Qiao Mu and Hai Wuya discussed martial arts and the unfinished "Human Path Sutra" all day long, and time flew by without notice.


    In the course of a month, the intelligence obtained from the Qiao family, interrogated by Condor Wei En, was not as expected.


    Emperor Yonghe and the Immortal Gate gradually lost patience, and Emperor Yonghe finally ordered Qiao Mu¡¯s execution.


    And during this month, Jiang Chen traveled through mountains and rivers from Heyang Prefecture in Nan Province, and arrived in Zhong Province together with iraudience.


    Where there are tide followers, there is the Tide Listening Building.


    Inside the Tide Listening Building, there are many storytellers chasing the waves, especially Jiang Chen, who is interested in the Qiao family¡¯s story.


    "So, have you seen clearly? This Qiao Zhong¡¯s face," iraudience asked.


    "Yes, I have seen it clearly. It does have some simrities to the Qiao Sen father and son we encountered in Yan City, but obviously much older," Jiang Chen judged.


    "Since Qiao Zhong has already entered the heavenly prison, he naturally can¡¯t use any disguise technique to change his appearance. The face he has now is his true appearance."


    "So, this Qiao Zhong is indeed a rtive of Qiao Sen and his father, he is also a member of the Qiao¡¯s family."


    Along the way, he might have heard or witnessed some deeds of the Qiao¡¯s family.


    And now, he hase to Zhong Province to witness the death of a member of the Qiao¡¯s family.


    When he thought of this, he couldn¡¯t help but feel sad.


    What really made his emotions fluctuate was not Qiao Zhong¡¯s death.


    After all, he had already witnessed the death of Qiao¡¯s family more than once.


    Before bing a storyteller, Jiang Chen was a wanderer in the martial arts world. He was used to killing people and risking his life.


    What made his thoughts fluctuate were the onlookers at the nearby market.


    Amongst the people, there were strong and fierce-looking martial artists, schrs in long robes, well-dressed wealthy families, and thin and palemoners, including children.


    The crowd was diverse, but they all came to watch the lively scene at the food market, creating a bustling atmosphere even more lively than usual.


    ¡­¡­¡­


    The prison cart passing through the bustling market naturally caught the attention and following of many people.


    When the prison cart arrived at the execution ground in the food market, a crowd had already gathered, making it even more lively than the market.


    The people behind pushed and squeezed the people in front, and a tall and strong martial artist at the front frowned angrily and said:


    "What are you pushing for? Hurrying to be born? If you want to be born, hurry up and go to the front!"


    The tall man turned around and saw that the person pushing him was actually a short hunchbacked old man.


    "Excuse me, please let me through. Someone in my family is sick." The hunchbacked old man held two or three slightly yellowed steamed buns in his hands and smiled apologetically at the big man.


    The tall man seemed to understand something, and his slightly furrowed brows rxed a bit. He showed apassionate heart and moved aside a little, allowing the old man to step forward.


    "Why let him do it? You don¡¯t know who this hunchbacked Old Zhang is." A voice came from the crowd.


    "There are no sick people in his family. Once this bun is dipped in blood, the price can immediately increase tenfold. He can easily sell it to desperate and poor people who are willing to try anything. Do you think you¡¯re doing a good deed?"


    As this voice sounded, the hunchbacked old man¡¯s face changed suddenly, clearly being exposed on the spot.


    "I¡¯m just helping others by dipping some blood and making a little money. It also gives people a sense of peace. What¡¯s wrong with that?" The old man stubbornly said.


    "No mistakes, no mistakes. How much blood do you need? Will three buns be enough? If not, I can hold on a bit longer and spray more blood." Suddenly, a voice came from up front.


    The old man looked up and saw that it was Qiao Mu, the recently released death row inmate. It seemed he had overheard their conversation. He forced himself to take a small step, and the heavy specially-made shackles on his feet made a nging sound as he did. He was smiling at them.


    "Uh¡­" The hunchbacked old man, who was eager to dip the blood, also froze and instinctively took two steps back.


    It wasn¡¯t his first time seeing a beheading, but it was the first time he had ever seen someone as calm andposed as the old man in front of him. It was as if he himself was the one about to be beheaded.


    "Shut up! Who told you to speak?" immediately shouted the officers.


    Because Qiao Mu¡¯s meridians were severed, he became a useless person. Moreover, with Wei En¡¯s instructions, he didn¡¯t suffer much in heavenly prison during his time there.


    He was simply brought into the cage at the prisoner¡¯s wagon station near the execution day.


    And when Qiao Mu faced the soldiers¡¯ questions, he remained calm and cleared his throat to prepare for whates next.


    "As the saying goes, a dying man¡¯s words are often wise."


    "I, Qiao Zhong, am about to die, but there are a few things I still want to say¡­"


    Qiao Mu was in a good mood, because he would soon meet his end.


    He had been pondering a few lines in the heavenly prison, just for this moment.


    What? An escape?


    Since Qiao Mu entered the heavenly prison, he never thought about getting out alive. Even Jesus couldn¡¯t save his life, he said it himself!


    Facing the crowd, Qiao Mu boldly said:


    "Do you want to know where the Martial Saint¡¯s treasure is? If you want it, go and find it."


    "Even though the Martial Saint is dead, the treasure trove of martial arts from all around the world still exists. The Martial Saint hid it deep in the mountains¡­"


    "Shut up!" Suddenly, a thunderous shout burst out,pletely drowning Qiao Mu¡¯s voice. It made everyone¡¯s ears ring so loudly that they couldn¡¯t hear what Qiao Mu was saying.


    The expert in spiritual refining, Qin Shiqing, was the judge presiding over the trial.


    He knew very well that Qiao Mu had an extraordinary identity and that this execution should not be turned into a farce, especially when it involved the death of the Martial Saint.


    "Do you have something to say?" Judge Qin Shiqing only sneered, showing no emotion in his gaze.


    As the overseer of the heavenly prison, Qin Shiqing had long heard about the deeds of the notorious criminal Qiao Zhong. He naturally wouldn¡¯t let anyplications arise at this moment.


    "Once you¡¯re in court, you won¡¯t have any say in it." Qin Shiqing said coldly.


    "Formitting the crimes of assassinating the emperor and insulting the gods, do you really think you have time to give yourst words?"


    "Save your words for the underworld, where you can speak to the Lord of the Underworld!"


    "Why are you just standing there? Take action!" he shouted loudly.


    The executioners in this ce were big and strong men, wearing rough and red clothes, with a red headscarf wrapped around their heads.


    Hearing Qin Shiqing¡¯smand, they didn¡¯t dare to dy and immediately approached.


    "Kneel down!" the executioner ordered.


    With an executioner pressing hard on Qiao Mu¡¯s shoulder, trying to make him kneel down and be beheaded on the spot.


    However, at this moment, Qiao Mu, who had been calm and smiling, suddenly stopped smiling, struggling fiercely.


    "If I have to kneel down, I absolutely cannot!" Qiao Mu¡¯s eyes were filled with seriousness.


    He was already a disabled person with no pulse, with only a little strength left from a leftover 4th rank martial artist, and wearing specially made heavy shackles, his hands tied behind his back.


    Struggling at this moment, his whole body made a nging sound, preventing these strong executioners around him from approaching.


    "Taking a life is as easy as turning the palm of your hand, and you have taken this life." Qiao Mu shouted loudly.


    "But my knees are strong, and I won¡¯t kneel down!"


    The noise from the surrounding spectators grew louder, with several people in the front row even widening their eyes, afraid of missing any moment.


    "Fight, fight! I want to see blood flowing like a river."


    "I heard that this Qiao Zhong is also a skilled martial artist with strong internal strength. He shouldn¡¯t just sit and wait for death!"


    "I told you, beheading just isn¡¯t exciting enough. Let¡¯s make a scene."


    The people wanted to see what was happening, but Qin Shiqing, who was in charge, couldn¡¯t just ignore it.


    He stood up and walked quickly towards Qiao Mu from behind.


    "You keep acting up before you die? I guess you need some punishment."


    Qin Shiqing swiftly kicked Qiao Mu¡¯s leg behind the knee twice in a row.


    Those kicks were quite powerful.


    There was a loud snap, and Qiao Mu¡¯s legs bent backwards from the knees, about to fall down.


    However, at that moment, Qiao Mu twisted his waist and instead of falling forward, he sat sideways on the execution tform. His legs bent and twisted unnaturally, with bones breaking through the skin. The crowd gasped in horror at the gruesome sight.


    "What are you waiting for? Cut him!" Qin Shiqing stood aside, urging the executioner again.


    The executioner tightly gripped the executioner¡¯s sword and with determination, struck a powerful blow.


    A big head flew up into the sky, and blood sttered everywhere.


    "Hmm, he¡¯s dead!"


    There was a noisy scene in front of the execution ground. The hunchbacked old man and a few others hurriedly dipped their bread into the blood. In the chaos, someone bumped into them and the bread fell to the ground. When they tried to pick it up, someone stepped on it, making the old man frustrated. All his efforts went to waste.


    It was bustling and chaotic all around.

 Chapter 126:

    Chapter 126:


    The executioner raised his knife and a big head flew up, with fresh blood spurting out, staining the yellow soil beneath their feet.


    The headless body sat slumped on the ground, but didn¡¯t fall over.


    Both of his knees had broken bones, and the stubs were already stained red with blood. He stubbornly supported himself on those broken knees, not falling down, still standing there.


    This sight of death was truly horrifying. Even people from the Imperial Capital who were used to seeing executions at the market were amazed and speechless.


    After the admiration, there was a rush and scramble, with the crowd pushing forward eagerly to dip into the blood.


    Storyteller Jiang Chen, behind the crowd, silently watched this scene, feeling a bit mncholic in his heart.


    He was a person saved by Qiao¡¯s family, so his emotions were in turmoil at the moment, making him feel a bit uneasy.


    As for the martial artists hidden in the crowd, their eyes were dull and they silently began to leave.


    Among them, some people came because of the Martial Saint.Some martial artists saw the Martial Saint as theirst hope, even though they knew the Martial Saint had already died under the Heavenly Thunder. They still believed that the Martial Saint might have somest resort, perhaps it would fall onto Qiao Zhong, who witnessed the event firsthand.


    But now, their hopes havepletely been dashed.


    Dao Zhen also noticed the changes in the expressions of the martial artists in the crowd. He nced at the body sitting on the ground, supported by the broken knees, and felt a hint of intrigue in his heart.


    ¡°Could they not have died with dignity and without suffering? Why must they struggle like this, ending up like this?¡±


    ¡°However, it is because of this, because of their weakness and pain, that the resilience of ordinary people can be shown.¡±


    Dao Zhen sat at the entrance of a tea house facing the street, watching this scene in awe, without passing judgment.


    ¡°This trip to the market was worth it.¡±


    ¡°As for Qiao Zhong personally, his attitude before dying was no different from his past deeds, but unfortunately¡­¡±


    Dao Zhen nced at the bustling crowd around him.


    In front of the crowd, the hunchbacked old man finally picked up the bread from the ground. He carefully tore off the dirty parts on the surface, wiped it with his sleeve, and looked at the bloodstains on it, finally sighing in relief.


    ¡°Unfortunately, his death was of no benefit to the country or the people. The so-called bravery of an ordinary man is nothing more than that.¡±


    ¡°Breaking a statue, thinking that one can kill an immortal?¡±


    ¡°One moment of passion and hot-bloodedness, only to gain a topic for people¡¯s idle talk after meals.¡±


    ¡°Even this topic of conversation is just temporary,¡± Dao Zhen continued sipping tea, making judgements to himself.


    It¡¯s just that his attitude of guiding the country has long been heard by others.


    ¡°If one believes that the deaths of a few heroes can change the course of the world, that is too arrogant.¡±


    ¡°But even so, their deaths are not meaningless.¡±


    A voice sounded from the side.


    Dao Zhen turned his head and saw a person dressed as a swordsman in green attire, who was none other than Storyteller Jiang Chen.


    He witnessed the deaths of the Qiao family again, and his emotions couldn¡¯t help but stir.


    He was someone who had been saved by the Qiao family, and the words of this masked guest made him feel a little uneasy, with a thousand thoughts swirling in his mind.


    Throughout history, whenever a dynasty changes, there will always be rebellions.


    And the earliest rebels only earned a posthumous reputation, ending in a tragic death. They often faced the full force of the entire dynasty, just like a mere stepping stone or two.


    So in his eyes, Qiao¡¯s family were just a few stepping stones.


    ¡°A giant tree grows from a tiny seed; a tower rises from a pile of soil.¡±


    ¡°A seed doesn¡¯t instantly grow into a towering tree. It takes years of nurturing to grow, definitely not something that happens overnight,¡± he angrily said.


    ¡°If you see a tiny seed just breaking through the soil and expect it to be a towering tree, saying that the seed can¡¯t provide shade, that would be ignorant and arrogant.¡±


    ¡°Even if it¡¯s as small as a couple of stepping stones, it¡¯s not without meaning.¡±


    In the past, Guo Yan and his family ruled over Yan City without any rivals. He was particrly cunning and experienced.


    Therefore, despite Childe Guo¡¯s arrogance and unruly behavior, no one dared to challenge him because the difference in strength was too vast. He wasn¡¯t a target that ordinary martial artists like Jiang Chen could handle.


    And so the days passed one after another, with the Guo family growing stronger and turning Yan City into their territory. Gradually, people stopped speaking up, at most only daring to mention how Guo Yan excessively spoiled his young son.


    Until a stubborn stone died in Guo Yan¡¯ hands.


    Then came the second, the third¡­


    For Jiang Chen, who had witnessed the copse of the former City Lord Guo Yan¡¯s high-rise, he could empathize and his emotions were stirred.


    Because he was a person who had been moved by witnessing the tragic deaths of Qiao¡¯s family.


    ¡°So, you mean¡­ Qiao Zhong is a stepping stone for a mortal to climb to the clouds and defy immortals?¡± Dao Zhen squinted his eyes, but didn¡¯t get angry.


    The sharp words of mortals, in his view, were like a naughty little puppy barking at people. He didn¡¯t feel angry at all, but rather found it somewhat interesting.


    ¡°¡­.¡± Jiang Chen opened his mouth, but this time he didn¡¯t respond.


    ¡°Stop talking and let¡¯s go.¡± However, iraudience next to him suddenly changed his expression and pulled him out.


    Dao Zhen was left sitting at the tea house entrance, continuing to drink tea. He saw the crowd at the market square gathering and dispersing, with only traces of blood remaining on the yellow ground in the execution ground.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    ¡°Jiang Chen, you did something wrong this time.¡±


    iraudience pulled Jiang Chen to a secluded ce and sternly scolded the young disciple.


    ¡°Do you know who that person in the straw hat was?¡± he asked seriously.


    ¡°¡­.Who is he? Does he have a powerful background?¡± Jiang Chen¡¯s heart skipped a beat.


    Still filled with a bit of fiery passion, Jiang Chen realized that arguing with a stranger in the market was indeed inappropriate.


    This is the Imperial Capital, after all, and the bystanders on the street could very well be nobles or royalty.


    Judging by the way he spoke, he definitely seemed arrogant and full of entitlement.


    ¡°How would I know?¡± iraudience shrugged confidently.


    Jiang Chen£º£¿


    His heart was about to jump out, thinking that he offended some important person, you say you don¡¯t know?


    ¡°You dare to speak like that without knowing who he is?¡± iraudience¡¯s face turned serious.


    ¡°The way that man in the hat spoke was indeed somewhat extraordinary.¡±


    ¡°With that kind of tone, there are generally only two possibilities.¡±


    ¡°First, he could be a cultivator from the Immortal Gate,¡± he said.


    ¡°When they face ordinary people, they have an inherent arrogance, and the way that person spoke just now does indeed resemble that.¡±


    Jiang Chen, who had just arrived at the Imperial Capital, got into a fight with someone who seemed to be a cultivator in the middle of the street?


    Jiang Chen suddenly felt a bit uneasy.


    ¡°So, what about another possibility?¡± he asked again.


    ¡°Another possibility would be to be a corrupt ruler,¡± iraudience sneered.


    ¡°Heughs at the foolishness of the people who only know how to dip their mantou in blood. Heughs at Qiao Zhong who tries to shake a tree like a tiny insect. Little does he know that he himself is one of themon people, but he likes to stand in a high ce and give orders.¡±


    ¡°There are many people like this in the Imperial Capital. Why bother paying attention to them?¡±


    Jiang Chen£º¡­.


    ¡°In any case, you acted rashly in this matter. Don¡¯t make the same mistake again in the future,¡± iraudience said while looking at this junior.


    He was the guide for Jiang Chen to enter the Tide Listening Building, but in truth, they were not from the same faction within the building.


    The storyteller who tells ¡°true events¡± and ¡°fantastic tales¡± may not sh like fire and water, but their ideas are vastly different.


    And now he finally understood the difference between the two.


    At the very least, iraudience would never engage in a debate with a passerby in the Imperial Capital¡¯s market who appeared to be a cultivator.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    The moon was shining dimly, and its soft light covered the vegetable market.


    At this time, there were no pedestrians in the vegetable market anymore. The little traces of blood on the ground were covered with yellow soil by the officials, and only a deep dark red color remained on the soil.


    Qiao Zhong¡¯s headless body had already been taken away. After all, he was a 4th rank martial artist. If the body was not dealt with, it could attract bloodthirsty monsters.


    Under the moonlight, Qiao Mu¡¯s head was hung on a sharpened wooden stake, and the flowing blood stained the stake red.


    The beheading at the vegetable market was a warning to others.


    This is not an ordinary beheading. The head of the wicked criminal had to be hung on the wooden stake for the public to watch.


    A tall and strong martial artist looked from afar at the head on the stake, picked up the wine bottle at his waist, and guzzled it down.


    He is a tall martial artist who used to give way to the hunchbacked old man.


    There are actually quite a few martial artists like him who disguise themselves and secretly observe executions. He is just one of them.


    From the morning of the execution until now, there hasn¡¯t been the turning point he imagined, which makes him resort to drinking to drown his sorrows.


    ¡°This Qiao Zhong guy, this Martial Saint guy, they are all just dust¡­¡±


    He walked crookedly on the street and suddenly stopped in his tracks.


    In front of him, there was an figure enveloped in a long robe.


    ¡°The former expert in spiritual refining, Sword Ghost, has now be a drunkard. So, do you really think the Martial Saint is thest hope for us martial artists? Now the martial arts ideals have copsed,¡± the robed person said scornfully.


    ¡°What does it have to do with you? What does it have to do with me?¡± Sword Ghost, with drunken eyes, belched.


    ¡°Although the Martial Saint is dead, for hundreds of years, there has been a legend of martial artists following the path of martial arts enlightenment, led by the founder of Wudang, Zhang Zhenren,¡± the robed person said.


    If Martial Saint is thest hope in the hearts of some martial artists, then the dream in the hearts of some martial artists is to enter the path through martial arts.


    ¡°Wake up, the Wuji Association has never been able to shoulder great responsibilities, while our Martial Arts League pursues entering the path through martial arts!¡±


    ¡°By entering the path through martial arts and cultivating the Martial Arts Golden Body, one bes impervious to knives and spears, immune to fire and water, capable of destroying thousands of techniques with a single force, and fearless against inhuman!¡±


    ¡°¡­..¡±


    Under the cover of night.


    Wei En, dressed in a ck night cloak, stood in the shadows, gazing into the distance at the robed figures engaged in conversation.


    ¡°Ever since Martial Saint¡¯s death, all kinds of monsters and demons have emerged¡­¡± He swiftly disappeared into the darkness.

 Chapter 127:

    Chapter 127:


    The night was gradually growing darker.


    In the busy market during the day, it¡¯s quiet now with not many people around.


    In the execution ground, there stood a wooden stake, and Qiao Mu¡¯s head was stuck on top of it.


    When he died, his eyes were still wide open. Even in death, his eyes remained unclosed, with a proud and imposing look that was hard to confront.


    With a cool breeze passing by, his hair fluttered in the wind, asionally covering his face, but the fierce look in his eyes didn¡¯t diminish.


    And there stood Qiao Mu at the corner of the street, looking at his own head in the faint moonlight.


    "I truly died with great grandeur."


    "There¡¯s no need to retrieve a head like mine anymore," Qiao Mu thought in his heart.


    His headless corpse had already been collected by the officials, leaving only this head for disy. In truth, there was no need for a proper burial.He nced around with a sidelong look, and under a shelter, several soldiers were guarding and chatting, obviously keeping watch over Qiao Mu¡¯s head to prevent any idents.


    "So, why not let Qiao Zhong¡¯s head stay a little longer?"


    Qiao Mu didn¡¯t mind, as he wasn¡¯t bothered by his own body. He could fight alongside his ashes any time. What¡¯s another head?


    Just as he was about to turn and leave, he came face to face with patrolling soldiers. They exchanged nces and quickly walked up to him.


    "Old man, it¡¯s sote. How did you end up here? Why don¡¯t you go home and rest?"


    "Well¡­" Qiao Mu nced around, thinking for a moment about what to say.


    Before the words could leave his mouth, the soldiers could already tell that Qiao Mu was hesitating. They frowned and said,


    "Can¡¯t find your way home, huh? Where do you live? Howe no one is looking after you and letting you wander outside sote?"


    "My home¡­ is on the east side of the city?" Qiao Mu¡¯s eyes darted around as he hesitated.


    The two soldiers exchanged another nce, both showing a bit of helplessness.


    "This is the west side of town, the market is over there. You went the wrong way."


    "It¡¯ste at night, so be careful on the road." After a casual reminder, the soldier turned and left.


    They didn¡¯t question the old man, Qiao Mu, in detail¡­ It seemed they didn¡¯t find the elderly man appearing at the market suspicious.


    "Am I already a harmless old man? So I¡¯m not suspicious?" Qiao Mu unconsciously touched the wrinkles on his face, feeling a bitplicated.


    Now he is already very old, at the ripe age of ny.


    His skin sagged, wrinkles appeared on his face, and his hair has turnedpletely white.


    Seventy years of life is already rare, and now Qiao Mu, at the age of ny, is considered a rare old man in this Imperial Capital.


    "Am I already in my old age?"


    When Qiao Mu was sixty years old, due to the benefits of the Long Life Fist, he didn¡¯t feel any weakness in his vitality, and there was no difference from when he was young and strong.


    As for the now of ny years old¡­


    "When people get old, they be useless," Qiao Mu sighed. He activated his inner strength, bending his knees and lightly stepping on the tips of his toes.


    Zoom!


    His figure instantly disappeared from where he was, turning into a quick blur that raced across the street.


    A night watchman carrying antern patrolled the street. Suddenly, a strong gust of wind blew towards him, almost extinguishing hisntern, but he didn¡¯t notice anything unusual.


    In the darkness of the Imperial Capital, he disyed his light-footed skills, running and leaping effortlessly.


    Using his light-footed skills all the way, no one noticed his figure for a moment.


    At the same time, his consciousness delved into his mind, where the Long Life Lock floated and sank with a faint presence. A stream of information emerged from it.


    This Death Assessment: S (Immortal Bell Keeper)


    Lifespan consumption: 30 years


    Remaining revival attempts this week: 4 out of 5


    Current age: 90 years old


    Skills:


    Long Life Fist (intermediate level,plete training)


    Ripple Stacking Wave Strength (third level: Triple Wave)


    Martial Saint Spiritual Technique (intermediate level)


    Pure Yang Wuji Skill (third level,plete training)


    Xumi Mountain King Sutra (fifth level)


    Military Spear Skill plete training)


    Shadow Transformation Sword Technique (mastered)


    Iron Crotch Skill (mastered)


    Golden Bell Shield Iron Cloth Shirt Skill (mastered)


    Shadow Step (advanced level)


    The Angelic Spirit Destruction Technique (Complete)


    Skill of Transforming Flesh (Intermediate Level)


    ¡­¡­¡­


    Starting from the pursuit of Saintess Wu Qingxin, the umted achievements and reputation along the way, with Qiao Sen¡¯s stories interspersed in between, all became his nourishment, ultimately culminating in a beheading at the market gate of the Imperial Capital, marking the end of Qiao Zhong¡¯s life.


    The memory of thirty years of diligent martial arts practice suddenly flowed through his mind like a dream.


    The umted S-level evaluations along this journey aged Qiao Mu by thirty years in an instant, twice as much as the previous A-level evaluation, catapulting him to the age of ny.


    Not only did the increased evaluation mean a longer time span, but it also implied greater efficiency in utilizing time.


    With a simple nce, Qiao Mu realized that he had achieved at least an intermediate level or higher in almost every martial art he had practiced.


    Especially the simpler and earliest practiced Military Spear Skill had reached a perfect level.


    Furthermore, while Qiao Mu was immersed in his thirty years of martial arts experience, he suddenly heard a crisp sound of breaking in his mind.


    Right in the center of his mind, the Ouroboros Long Life Lock, with five chains swinging at the bottom, saw one chain shatter and turn into shes of golden light; disappearingpletely.


    A stream of information flowed into Qiao Mu¡¯s mind.


    "After the first chain broke, from now on, the time of aging after each death will be doubledpared to before? Is this the breakthrough brought by the S-level Death Assessment?"


    This thought shed through Qiao Mu¡¯s mind.


    At this point, he vaguely understood that the cultivation techniques he practiced after each death were not random; they tended to have different focuses based on his thoughts.


    Just like¡­ when chasing after Saintess Wu Qingxin, someone once said that the Etching Bones Li Fire martial artist couldn¡¯t resist with force but could only rely on lightness skills to evade. Hard skills wouldn¡¯t work.


    Therefore, during these thirty years, Qiao Mu¡¯s memory of martial arts practices clearly leaned more towards lightness skills.


    The lightness skill of the thief, Shadow Step, was clearly only practiced after Heyang City, but now it suddenly advanced by leaps and bounds, reaching a high level all at once.


    What made Qiao Mu feel even more absurd was that behind all these martial arts, there was a line of small characters, with "the Art of Lovemaking" written on top (intermediate level).


    Can you practice the Art of Lovemaking? Is it a martial art skill? Wait, when did I practice the Art of Lovemaking?


    Qiao Mu was shocked.


    As his attention focused, a few familiar names slowly appeared in the section of "the Art of Lovemaking".


    "Asshole Pointing Hand", "The Art of Recognizing Fragrances", "Hard Hitting Stick", "Yellow Dragon Probing Cloud Hand"¡­.


    At the same time, rted memories started to emerge in his mind.


    In his memories, Qiao Mu diligently studied the secrets of the Art of Lovemaking, practicing in the scorching summers and freezing winters. As the saying goes, with deep effort, a iron rod can be ground into a needle. After years of studying, Qiao Mu had achieved a certain level of mastery in the Art of Lovemaking¡­

 Chapter 128:

    Chapter 128:


    "Don¡¯t mix up my memories. I practice the orthodox Wudang Pure Yang Wuji Skill."


    Qiao Mu shook his head and rested his body on the eaves of a house in the eastern part of the city for a while.


    After calming down, he felt that he was running swiftly and attracting attention in the night.


    After all, this is the Imperial Capital, where there are many skilled people, and the Immortal Gate dominates.


    With a thought, he shifted his focus to the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra" that he cared about the most.


    The so-called "Xumi Mountain King Sutra" is just a prototype of the "Human Path Sutra."


    This martial art, which is not yet perfected, naturally became one of Qiao Mu¡¯s main martial arts in the past thirty years.


    Thirty years have passed, and Qiao Mu¡¯s "Xumi Mountain King Sutra" has directly reached the fifth level.


    "Already on the fifth level? I remember even Hai Wuya, the founder of this martial art, only reached the fourth level. Although the fifth level has been deduced, it only exists in theory. Even Hai Wuya himself hasn¡¯t reached this level."Xumi Mountain King Sutra means umting earth to form a mountain and umting little by little.


    This martial art doesn¡¯t focus on internal strength, but specifically trains the physical body and blood. Hai Wuya, whoes from an external martial artist background, believes that the physical body and blood are the foundation of a martial artist.


    Every time you go to a higher level, the time required doubles.


    The first level takes two years of hard training, the second level takes four years, and the third level takes eight years.


    Hai Wuya himself trained up to the fourth level, iming it was equivalent to fifteen years of hard training¡­ He spent thirty years in the heavenly prison, but it¡¯s not considered full-hearted practice.


    On the other hand, Qiao Mu trained for thirty years and instantly surpassed Hai Wuya, the founder of the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra," reaching theoretically fifth level.


    Going further is the unknown territory that Hai Wuya hasn¡¯t yet figured out.


    And achieving thirty years of power in the fifth level of the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra"¡­


    Qiao Mu clenched his fist and looked at his current face in the puddle under the moonlight in the alley.


    At the age of ny, Qiao Mu naturally looked much older than sixty.


    From the outside, this old man looked thin and withered, with wrinkles all over his face. Whenever patrol soldiers saw him, they felt a sense of safety.


    Of course, this face has also been adjusted to some extent through the Flesh Changing Skill.


    "Has my vitality truly declined?" Qiao Mu clenched his fist, a strange thoughting to his mind.


    One of the ideas in the book "Human Path Sutra" is to fight against aging and allow martial artists to maintain an increase in vitality even in old age.


    Qiao Mu clenched his fist and then immediately rxed it.


    He knew very well that this ny-year-old body was indeed much older than when he was sixty, and the wrinkles on his face were not fake.


    But despite the age, Qiao Mu knew deep down that his current physical body was not weaker than when he was sixty, and it even seemed to have slightly increased in vitality.


    "I may be old, but I have also be stronger. In a way, it¡¯s like achieving the dream of Long Life Fist with endless vitality in a different manner."


    Ny years old and "ageless," this seemed to surpass the leader of the Qiao Family in Heyang City, right?


    Qiao Zhong had this thought in his mind.


    Qiao Canxue once praised the head of her own Heyang City¡¯s Qiao Family, saying he was strong and healthy at the age of 80, and he was also the only master in the martial arts family of Heyang City¡¯s Qiao Family who had reached the third level of the Stacking Wave Strength, the Triple Wave state.


    In no time, Qiao Mu also reached this state, and even took a different approach, surpassing others by practicing the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra." After the age of 90, not only did his energy and blood not decline, but it also slightly increased.


    From this perspective, the effectiveness of the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra" is even stronger than Heyang City¡¯s Qiao Family¡¯s "Long Life Fist Sutra."


    With this in mind, new information began to flow into his mind again.


    Energy and blood: 70%.


    "Does this mean that the aging process has caused my energy and blood to decline by 70%pared to my prime years? But thanks to the Xumi Mountain King Sutra, my energy and blood actually increased again?"


    "Hai Wuya¡¯s ¡®Xumi Mountain King Sutra¡¯ is not yet perfect. If I continue to practice and explore, the effect might be even stronger¡­"


    "If the ¡®Long Life Fist Sutra¡¯ is a way to fight aging by conserving energy, then the ¡®Xumi Mountain King Sutra¡¯ is a way to enhance it."


    This thought crossed Qiao Mu¡¯s mind.


    Compared to the continuous increase in physical vitality, the greater impact brought by the S-level Death Assessment is actually the improvement in martial arts and internal strength umtion.


    From the age of 60 to 90, Qiao Mu¡¯s physical vitality has increased.


    However, the increase in internal strength took a full thirty years of umtion.


    As for breakthroughs in martial arts, it goes without saying that any martial technique Qiao Mu has practiced has reached at least an intermediate or advanced level of mastery.


    The physical bodies of martial artists may age, but internal strength and martial skills continue to improve with time.


    Of course, if the physical body bes too old and unable to move, even the deepest internal strength would be of no use.


    At the age of ny, his umtion in strength and skill might already surpass his peers.


    Qiao Mu demonstrated his lightness skill and continued traveling through the dark night, quickly arriving at the outskirts of the city.


    Although the Imperial Capital is prosperous, the outskirts of the city are also filled with many poor people, empty houses, and barrennd.


    Qiao Mu arrived at a piece of barrennd in the outskirts of the city, next to a graveyard.


    "Under the crooked-neck tree that Gaoler Fang Yuan agreed upon, there is a hidden treasure of one hundred silver coins. It is the reward for teaching him martial arts. It is time to go and take it¡­"


    After a simple search, Qiao Mu found the crooked-neck tree.


    He effortlessly plucked a dogtail grass from the side of the road, held it in his hand, and infused it with strong internal energy. The grass instantly became as straight as a sword.


    From the age of 18 to 90, Qiao Mu has been practicing martial arts, starting with advanced techniques like the "Long Life Fist Sutra" and "Pure Yang Wuji Skill." After nearly seventy years of umtion, his internal strength has long surpassed the so-called 4th rank limit of human body conditioning.


    At his current level, with the infusion of abundant internal energy, even nts and rocks can be swords. He is no longer dependent on external weapons.


    Holding the grass in his hand, he thrust it into the ground, as if wielding a sword.


    Astonishingly, the grass easily prated the earth like a sharp sword at that moment.


    Qiao Mu used the grass in his hand as a makeshift shovel and started digging rapidly.


    Before long, a blue little package appeared in the small hole, and inside were neatly stacked silver coins.


    Qiao Mu counted carefully, but his eyebrows furrowed:


    "This is 200 silver coins, not the agreed 100 silver coins, is it?"


    While deep in thought, he heard a cat meowing from behind, along with a somewhat familiar voice of a young man.


    "Are you a senior of the Qiao family?"


    He turned around and saw the young Gaoler Fang Yuan, with the mischievous cat, looking at him eagerly.

 Chapter 129:

    Chapter 129:


    In the darkness, near the chaotic burial mound.


    Qiao Mu looked at the person and cat standing in front of him.


    Fang Yuan£¿


    Has he been waiting nearby?


    I think he found me with the help of that fat cat.


    This thought crossed Qiao Mu¡¯s mind.


    Before being taken away by the jailer, he had entrusted his Fate to Hai Wuya. With Hai Wuya being imprisoned for thirty years, it is likely that he will be imprisoned for even longer, and it is uncertain if he will be executed suddenly like Qiao Mu.


    And now, Fate has appeared by the side of Gaoler Fang Yuan, so it seems there has been a change of events.


    The cat under Gaoler Fang Yuan¡¯s feet meowed and lifted its big round face to sniff carefully, before approaching with some confusion, finally lying down by Qiao Mu¡¯s feet, its eyes once again bing unfocused.Although the cat sniffed with its nose, Qiao Mu knew that it didn¡¯t find him by relying on its nose.


    It relied on death aura.


    Qiao Mu kept dying anding back to life, which turned out to be a great food source for this fat cat.


    Qiao Mu lowered his eyelids and noticed that every time the fat cat breathed, its fur would stretch out, even emitting a faint glow under the moonlight, making it look quite extraordinary.


    The current Grim Reaper was very different from the one Qiao Mu had first encountered in Heyang Prefecture prison.


    Absorbing the lifeless essence was a great tonic for the Grim Reaper, and this demonic cat body was undergoing a transformation that Qiao Mu couldn¡¯t understand.


    Qiao Mu looked up at Fang Yuan.


    "Indeed, my name is Qiao Shuanglin, and I am an elder of the Qiao family." He weighed the package in his hand.


    "I am Fang Yuan, a prison guard from the heavenly prison. During this period of time, Senior Qiao Zhong has been teaching me martial arts in the prison. And these two hundred silver coins are a small amount of wealth I am giving to the Qiao family, ording to the agreement with Senior Qiao Zhong."


    Qiao Mu nodded.


    This kid wasn¡¯t lying or exaggerating; he was being honest.


    It was a surprise that the two hundred taels had doubledpared to the original agreement.


    "Elder Qiao Shuanglin, I¡¯ve been waiting here because there is an important item I need to give you¡­"


    Fang Yuan walked over and handed over a handwritten manual.


    Qiao Mu nced and realized that it was Hai Wuya¡¯s "Xumi Mountain King Sutra"?


    Back when Hai Wuya was teaching martial arts, this young prison guard had been listening attentively nearby. Little did he expect that he would actually transcribe andpile the techniques into a written manual.


    "What do you mean by this? Qiao Zhong imparted his martial arts skills to you, and you repay me with these two hundred taels of silver. Our transaction with the Qiao family is settled, so why are you giving me this manual now?"


    Fang Yuan briefly exined, emphasizing the exceptional nature of this manual and Hai Wuya¡¯s greatness.


    "Senior Qiao Zhong learned this technique toote and was beheaded shortly after. It¡¯s quite regrettable. Therefore, I thought that if I could pass this manual to the Qiao family, it would help to fulfill Senior Qiao Zhong¡¯s regret," Fang Yuan said with a smile.


    "Of course, I sought the approval of the founder of this technique, Mr. Hai Wuya, before making any decisions. I wouldn¡¯t dare take matters into my own hands otherwise."


    Qiao Mu quickly looked through the handwritten copy of the book "Xumi Mountain King Sutra" he had on hand.


    He didn¡¯t need Fang Yuan to teach him this technique, because now Qiao Mu was the highest achiever of this technique, the only one at the fifth level.


    With his understanding of the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra," he quickly confirmed a fact after browsing through it:


    This "Xumi Mountain King Sutra" had not been tampered with or altered in any way, such as changing important words or intentionally omitting the second half; it was an original copy handed down by Hai Wuya.


    Qiao Mu was a little surprised that Gaoler Fang Yuan was so capable and tactful, and he hadn¡¯t intentionally deceived or tricked him when it came to the technique.


    Previously, he had imed to be from a wealthy merchant family in the Imperial Capital, and now it seemed like it might be true.


    "I understand," Qiao Mu epted the technique. ording tomon sense, he had no reason to refuse this inheritance from Qiao Zhong.


    At this moment, the young Gaoler Fang Yuan sincerely bowed and said:


    "I don¡¯t seek to be your disciple; I only ask you to teach me a move or half a technique so that I can practice martial arts and stay healthy, and one day seek revenge."


    Can I exchange an extra hundred pieces of silver and an extra copy of the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra" for the opportunity to be taught martial arts?


    It must be said that Fang Yuan is young but quite clever, and the conditions he offered are indeed generous¡­ Of course, Qiao Zhong is Qiao Shuanglin, so this extraordinary "Xumi Mountain King Sutra" doesn¡¯t have any allure for Qiao Mu.


    But after spending many days together in the heavenly prison, this young man has also sent him roasted chicken many times, and Qiao Mu appreciates this kindness.


    Qiao Mu approached Fang Yuan, ced his palm on Fang Yuan¡¯s chest, closed his eyes, and silently channeled internal strength. A burst of internal strength flowed directly into Fang Yuan¡¯s body to investigate. After a while, Qiao Mu opened his eyes and was quite surprised.


    Fang Yuan¡¯s progress in practicing the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra" is not slow.


    This Gaoler Fang Yuan, before Qiao Mu taught him martial arts, was already a 9th rank internal strength martial artist. But now his progress is faster than expected.


    It has only been a little over a month since hearing Hai Wuya¡¯s teachings in the heavenly prison, and he has already made progress. His body is full of vitality, and his qi and blood are stronger than an ordinary 9th rank.


    "You have good talent, but what¡¯s more important¡­ is diligent practice," Qiao Mu eximed with excitement.


    The "Xumi Mountain King Sutra" is very magical. It can take a different path and remain evergreen, while requiring very low requirements in martial arts aptitude.


    So, in contrast, his requirements for martial artists¡¯ perseverance are higher, and the training time needed is longer.


    To master this technique, it requires years of hard training. By the time Qiao Mu reached the fifth level, he had to train tirelessly for thirty years, which is even higher than the requirements of ordinary martial arts.


    Of course, as a "cheater", Qiao Mu has been practicing martial arts for thirty years. In addition to the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra," he has also trained in more than ten other martial arts techniques.


    "With good talent and diligence, how can an ordinary person like me, who is not so gifted, live?" Qiao Mu felt a bit angry, but suddenly remembered something, and then felt relieved.


    Upon careful consideration, Fang Yuan can reach the first level in a month, so Qiao Mu, in that same month, leaped directly to the fifth level.


    ¡­¡­¡­.


    In the east of the Imperial Capital, there was an old residence with peeling walls.


    Hai Wuya walked around in the courtyard, gently touching a tree that was nted there. His hands felt the rough bark, and heartfelt emotions arose.


    After being imprisoned in the Heavenly Prison for a total of thirty years, the family home has be old, and even this tree in the courtyard has aged.


    "The passing light is a pity, time is the most merciless thing."


    Hai Wuya remained silent.


    He was the pir of the Hai family, but ever since he became a high-ranking member of the 2nd rank and a condemned prisoner in the heavenly prison, thirty years have passed, and the Hai family has fallen on hard times.


    "I am already nearly eighty years old. How many more years will it take for me to deduce aplete ¡®Human Path Sutra¡¯ that meets my expectations¡­ so that everyone can practice martial arts and triumph over the way of immortals?"


    Without a doubt, this will require a considerable amount of time.


    It could be several hundred years or even thousands of years.


    This is an impossible task to aplish overnight. Hai Wuya is also seen as a seed in the eyes of the Martial Saint, not meant to benefit the present but perhaps to grow into a towering tree centuriester.


    Falling behind will result in getting beaten. Talented individuals and gifted geniuses can only elerate this process, but they cannot surpass the umtion of time in a single step.


    "The Martial Saint¡¯s martial path has be close to the path of demons. He is too stubborn and is no longer the first-ranked martial official who guided me in my martial arts training¡­"


    Thinking of the deceased Martial Saint, Hai Wuya also sighed in his heart.


    "But setting aside their conduct, the martial arts of Wuji Association indeed surpass ancient martial arts¡­"


    In Hai Wuya¡¯s eyes, Martial Saint was a prodigious talent that could elerate the progress in martial arts, and he himself, Hai Wuya, was also one, though their martial arts differed.


    Thinking of this, he suddenly remembered someone.


    "Qiao Zhong¡­."


    "Qiao Zhong has already passed away, but Qiao Zhong is not alone, behind him stands Qiao¡¯s family. They are not alone."


    After thirty years in the heavenly prison, almost all the civil and military officials who dared to sacrifice their lives during the reign of the previous emperor had perished, only a few like Hai Wuya survived.


    And in hister years, being able to see someone like Qiao Zhong, who had the intention to inherit his martial arts and was not afraid of life or death, truly brought him greatfort in his heart.


    "In my lifetime, I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t live to see the day when humanity flourishes."


    "As long as there are ten or a hundred more Qiao Zhongs in this world, continuing to pass on the me, there will eventually be a day when the wildfire spreads."


    Hai Wuya thought this in his heart.


    "Sir¡­ I found out about Qiao¡¯s family matter that you wanted to know."


    A old butler with gray temples walked in quickly, holding a document in his hands.


    "The person who was appointed by the emperor himself to interrogate that Qiao Zhong was the number one Condor Wei En in the world. This was found out from the Wei family."


    Hai Wuya took a look at it and was amazed.


    It said on it that Qiao¡¯s family is actually a secluded martial arts family living on a remote ind overseas, with ancestors who were experts in martial arts.


    That overseas ind is called Taoyuan Ind, also known as Taoyuan Land. Qiao¡¯s family has been residing there until now.


    Qiao¡¯s family takes it upon themselves to support the weak and uphold justice, with strict family rules and self-discipline.


    Generation after generation, the Qiao family has diligently practiced the martial arts passed down by their ancestors, and they continue to practice diligently till today.


    Thus, this secluded Qiao family has inherited the chivalrous spirits of ancient times, aspiring to be the "heroes of Peach Blossom Vige".


    Therefore, this ind is called Taoyuan Ind by the Qiao family¡­


    "Hero Ind".


    "What a great hero of Peach Blossom Vige.." Hai Wuya muttered after reading.


    "The Qiao family has close blood ties and is very protective. After a few members of the Qiao family died in Nan Province, their rtives quickly appeared, seeking revenge for their nephews and nieces."


    "Now that Qiao Zhong has died in the Imperial Capital, perhaps the next generation of the Qiao family will soon emerge, right?"


    Hai Wuya contemted in his heart.


    The "Human Path Sutra" is not something he alone can deduce. To treasure such a thing and not share it would be like the old martial arts world, stuck in old ways and closed-minded.


    Qiao Zhong has passed away. If other members of the Qiao¡¯s family, like the rumors say, are also righteous and strong-willed, then it would be possible for him to pass on the "Human Path Sutra" to them.


    "Go and find out if there have been any new Qiao¡¯s family members appearing in the Imperial Capital recently," Hai Wuya instructed the butler.

 Chapter 130:

    Chapter 130:


    At first, when Qiao Mu discovered that this Gaoler Fang Yuan seemed to be a talented and diligent martial arts genius, his spirits immediately lifted.


    Then he realized¡­ that he also has a cheat.


    Your talent lies in exceptional martial arts aptitude and exceptional diligence, while my talent lies in immortality and elerated training. We both have talents, and it¡¯s very fair.


    With this in mind, his spirits were immediately lifted.


    Not to mention Gaoler Fang Yuan in front of his eyes.


    Taking Martial Saints for example, Martial Saints are top-tier geniuses with exceptional talents, so why can¡¯t I, Qiao Mu, be a different kind of genius as well?


    Everyone has a bright future.


    "You¡¯re really good for reaching the first level in such a short time," said Qiao Mu in an elder-like manner, patting his shoulder.


    "There are no shortcuts in martial arts, only sweat that won¡¯t disappoint you.""Practice makes perfect. It takes two years to reach the first level in just one month, which means you have good talent and are diligent¡­" Qiao Mu thought of Hai Wuya.


    Hai Wuya¡¯s "Human Path Sutra" requires martial arts seeds like this.


    Teaching him martial arts is also a good thing.


    Fang Yuan was a little overwhelmed by favor.


    After all, as far as he knew, Qiao Shuanglin was a senior member of Qiao Zhong¡¯s family. ording to Qiao Zhong¡¯s boasts in prison, Qiao Shuanglin was much stronger than him, a member of the Qiao family.


    In his eyes, this scene was like a martial arts master grandfather greeting him for the first time, smiling and encouraging him. How could he not be overwhelmed by favor?


    "Then let me ask you again, why do you practice martial arts?" Qiao Mu asked.


    Fang Yuan thought for a moment and replied, "I want to practice martial arts to improve my health, regain our ancestral home, seek revenge on my enemies, and find my little sister who left without saying goodbye¡­ These are all things that I, as a heavenly prison guard, can¡¯t aplish."


    Qiao Mu nodded and asked again:


    "Tell me more about your enemies, are they strong?"


    The stronger the enemies, the happier Qiao Mu was.


    If he could be involved and die because of it, Qiao Mu couldn¡¯t be any more thrilled.


    Although he had only died once during the day, Qiao Mu¡¯s desire for death was like a student craving for a holiday, never satisfied.


    Everyone will die at some point, and it may be as heavy as a mountain or as light as a feather.


    One high-quality death is better than several low-quality deaths.


    Fang Yuan¡¯s eyes filled with memories, he began to speak slowly:


    "Let me start from the beginning of my family¡¯s history."


    "My family used to be antique dealers in the Imperial Capital, somewhat famous and had some wealth. We also had a shop in the antique street."


    "A few months ago, my father purchased a mysterious ancient painting worth ten thousand taels of silver. The painting was called the Blood Sun Chart."


    "Ten thousand taels of silver?" Qiao Mu eximed in surprise.


    Considering the purchasing power of the Great Yan Imperial Court, ten thousand taels of silver would be equivalent to tens of millions of dors in the previous world, it¡¯s indeed very expensive.


    From this perspective, the financial strength of this family¡¯s antique business is even more substantial than Qiao Mu had imagined before. It¡¯s not just at the level of having ¡®some wealth¡¯.


    "The Blood Sun Chart is said to have been painted by a highly skilled Spirit Refining martial artist several hundred years ago. The martial artist was also a painter, but went mad in hister years and used his own blood as ink to create the painting."


    "When the painting was finished, he had exhausted all his blood and died."


    "Father thought it was just a normal story, just a way to increase the value of the calligraphy and painting. These things aremon in the antique world, and he didn¡¯t pay much attention to it."


    "Who would have thought that strange things happened just three days after acquiring the Blood Sun Chart?"


    "What strange things? Did a monster with a blood red sun on its heade out of the painting?" Qiao Mu interrupted and asked.


    Fang Yuan looked at him strangely without saying a word.


    "That¡¯s not so strange. It¡¯s just a painting. What kind of strange story is Senior Qiao talking about?"


    "Actually, three dayster, a Spirit Refining martial artist disguised as a customer who wanted to buy calligraphy and painting came to the door."


    "Oh, it¡¯s a martial arts style painting. It¡¯s a bitte to change the style now," Qiao Muined in his mind.


    Fang Yuan continued:


    "That Spirit Refining martial artist ¨C at that time, we didn¡¯t know that he was a highly skilled Spirit Refining martial artist. We treated him as an ordinary customer."


    "The man wanted to buy the Blood Sun Chart, but only offered a thousand taels, which is one-tenth of the price. It¡¯s unreasonable, isn¡¯t it? Of course, my father refused."


    "The man didn¡¯t argue either, but just before leaving, he suddenly turned around and nced at my father and mother."


    "Since then, both my father and mother fell sick. They would often wake up in the middle of the night from terrible nightmares, drenched in sweat. All they could remember from their dreams were a pair of sharp, sword-like eyes. Ever since then, both my father and mother visibly declined day by day."


    "At that time, my family was quite wealthy, so we searched high and low for renowned doctors in the Imperial Capital¡­ However, when those doctors heard about this matter, they all avoided us. We, the Fang family, spent a lot of money, but we still couldn¡¯t figure out the cause of the illness."


    "Until one day, we finally found an old doctor who had also practiced martial arts. It was only then that we learned the truth."


    "That old doctor said that what afflicts my father and mother is not a disease, but a ¡®spiritual injury¡¯."


    "This is a technique called ¡®Eye Attacking Method¡¯ that can only be mastered by highly skilled Spirit Refining martial artists. It can kill people without leaving any visible trace!"


    Fang Yuan said this with an unavoidable expression of sorrow in his eyes.


    Why was he so diligent in martial arts training?


    When a prison guard with an iron rice bowl in a heavenly prison, he must be enjoying his life, right?


    Isn¡¯t it Hai Wuya and Qiao Zhong, these two amazing experts in his eyes, that give him hope for revenge?


    "Although my parents are wealthy and there are martial artist guards in the mansion, how can we deal with a Spirit Refining martial artist ranked 3rd? We only found out about this even after being ambushed for a long time."


    "When I snapped back to reality, that Blood Sun Chart had already been stolen."


    "Honestly, when I heard the news of the Blood Sun Chart being stolen, I felt relieved deep down."


    "Although it is a valuable ancient painting worth thousands of taels, this kind of Spirit Refining martial artist desires it. If it remains in our family, it¡¯s afraid it will continue to bring troubles."


    "Although the paintings were stolen, my parents¡¯ illness didn¡¯t improve. After another half a month, they both passed away without any illness."


    As Fang Yuan spoke, a trace of sadness appeared on his face.


    From a wealthy young man with abundant wealth to a prison guard with an iron rice bowl in a heavenly prison, it can be said that it¡¯s a world of difference.


    "After spending a lot of money and energy to treat their parents, it all turned out to be in vain."


    "Not only that, when we were exhausted and had no time to spare for anything else while taking care of our sick family members, the wealthy businessman Wan Ronghua from the Imperial Capital took advantage of the situation and used various sneaky methods to undermine us."


    "Our family¡¯s antique shop kept losing money and we were eventually forced to sell it to him¡­ We even ended up owing him a debt and had to sell our ancestral home."


    "At the same time, our younger sister fell ill and left home without telling anyone, and we still don¡¯t know where she is."


    "With the help of my father¡¯s connections¡­ I barely managed to secure a job as a prison guard at the heavenly prison."


    "Later on, I spent some time trying to find out¡­ mainly by talking to the former martial arts experts who were once in the heavenly prison, to learn about the background of that Spirit Refining martial artist."


    Inside the heavenly prison, there were not only high-ranking officials and prominent figures, but also martial arts experts who hadmitted serious crimes.


    Perhaps they were once famous, but once they entered the deep ocean of the heavenly prison, those like Hai Wuya, who studied inside the prison and had a background in the Wuji Association, were exceptional cases within exceptional cases.


    Generally speaking, the higher the rank and the more skilled in martial arts, the more likely they would be subjected to severe torture by the heavenly prison guards.


    For them, a roasted chicken might not exchange for any martial arts secret techniques, no matter how great the secret.


    But if it¡¯s a trivial piece of information like "Sword Ghost," if it¡¯s given, it¡¯s given.


    From this point of view, Fang Yuan¡¯s ability to inquire about the enemy¡¯s information from a repeat offender in the heavenly prison is both his opportunity and his talent.


    Fang Yuan eximed angrily, "That martial artist called ¡®Sword Ghost¡¯ not only possesses exceptional sword skills but also mastery in the Eye Attacking Technique. And¡­ he is actually a devotee of the wealthy merchant Wan Ronghua."


    Speaking of this, Fang Yuan couldn¡¯t help feeling a bit bitter.


    "Wan Ronghua¡¯s business has grown bigger and bigger. He even hired a Spirit Refining martial artist as a devotee. After seizing our family¡¯s shops, he quickly became one of the four wealthiest merchants in the Imperial Capital."


    "It is said that he even established connections with the inhuman Great Dao Sect, with a background in immortality¡­"


    Qiao Mu remained silent for a moment.


    Whether it be a cultivator or a martial artist, they are not people who live an easy life or are detached from worldly affairs.


    Long ago, there was a saying that being skilled in martial arts required not only determination but also the support of food and wealth.


    In the practice of cultivating immortality, there was also an emphasis on wealth, with wealth being the most important aspect.


    People have limited lifespan and energy, and while those with exceptional talent can elerate their progress, money can also speed up one¡¯s cultivation.


    So, it was normal for someone like Wan Ronghua, a wealthy person from the Imperial Capital, to attract the attention of Spirit Refining martial artists and forge connections with the Great Dao Sect.


    If someone like Wan Ronghua, who was a wealthy person from the Imperial Capital, didn¡¯t have any background, it would actually be quite strange.


    "In other words, the enemy you want to kill is Sword Ghost, a Spirit Refining martial artist, and also Wan Ronghua, who seems to have a background in cultivation and has taken over your family¡¯s property?"


    "Yes¡­" Fang Yuan replied nervously.


    Qiao Shuanglin was a stranger to him, unlike Qiao Zhong, whom he had spent a month with in the heavenly prison.


    He didn¡¯t know much about Qiao Shuanglin, and now he had to face a Spirit Refining martial artist like Sword Ghost, as well as someone like Wan Ronghua, who was a wealthy person from the Imperial Capital and seemed to have a background in cultivation¡­


    If it were an ordinary person, they would probably avoid them like the famous doctor that the Fang family found before, afraid of being involved in the turmoil.


    Just¡­


    "You have courage." The ny-year-old in front patted his shoulder.


    "So, I will teach you martial arts!"


    Fang Yuan was slightly shocked, then his expression gradually changed.


    The old man in front of him obviously couldn¡¯t be a passionate young person¡­.


    Those who can live to old age in this era are basically astute. Yet, when Qiao Shuanglin heard about his background, he immediately agreed¡­ Hasn¡¯t he even thrown out his bait yet?


    However, he didn¡¯t notice that Qiao Mu¡¯s expression had already changed as he spoke.


    Turtle, how could he not get involved in such a dangerous matter?


    In the world of martial artists, there are nine different ranks. Each rank is simr to the difference in official positions of nine ranks.


    And the top three ranks represent the three stages of Spirit Refining martial artists.


    This means that in today¡¯s era, the Spiritual Refining Method is the mainstream for martial artists.


    Martial artists who practice slowly and umte internal strength have long been eliminated by the martial arts of the past, representing outdated cultivation methods.


    No matter how much they improve their strength and techniques, they can never match Spirit Refining martial artists¡­ It¡¯smon knowledge among martial artists, just like how martial arts practitioners cannot defeat those who cultivate immortal powers.


    "This Spirit Refining martial artist named Sword Ghost can kill with just a nce. Sounds pretty impressive. I wonder if they can kill me?"


    Qiao Mu couldn¡¯t help but feel a little excited as he thought about it.


    Despite being ny years old, Qiao Mu has not embarked on the path of the Spiritual Refining Method.


    He has chosen a different path.


    Sixty-year-old Qiao Mu just entered the 4th rank. Now he can only say that he feels he has reached the limit of the 4th rank, which is the maximum for martial artists.


    Ny-year-old Qiao Mu has a slight doubt about whether Spirit Refining martial artists are stronger than him.


    If he wins, it would help Fang Yuan seek revenge. He thinks it¡¯s a good idea and worth a try.


    If he loses and gets killed by the Sword Ghost¡­ Wait, there¡¯s really such a thing?


    Qiao Mu¡¯s heart is filled with longing just imagining it. He can¡¯t wait to go and sacrifice himself tomorrow.


    At this moment, Fang Yuan interrupts Qiao Mu¡¯s beautiful fantasy and says:


    "Senior Qiao, actually there¡¯s something else I discovered after our family estate was sold."


    Fang Yuan forces a smile and says:


    "My father was always cautious. In reality, he not only obtained a Blood Sun Chart, but also a Blood Moon Chart from the same person."


    "But my father secretly concealed the existence of the Blood Moon Chart and never mentioned it to anyone, not even me¡­"


    "If nothing goes wrong, this Blood Moon Chart should still be in the secret room of our ancestral home."


    "I only found out about the Blood Sun Chart and the Blood Moon Chartter from a former inmate in the heavenly prison¡­ These charts were created by Spirit Refining martial artists hundreds of years ago, and there are rumors that they contain the essence of martial arts, which caught the attention of the Sword Ghost¡­"


    A Blood Sun Chart alone was enough to make the wealthy Wan Ronghua in the Imperial Capital interested and prompted the Spirit Refining martial artist Sword Ghost to try and seize it.


    The Blood Moon Chart, created by the same person, must be equally fascinating and has its own secrets.


    The existence of this Blood Moon Chart was actually a bait that Fang Yuan prepared to convince Qiao Mu to help him.


    In their previous conversation, he deliberately withheld some information to see Qiao Shuanglin¡¯s reaction first before deciding whether or not to disclose everything.


    After all, if Qiao Shuanglin turned out to be another Sword Ghost, it would only bring trouble.


    Despite his young age, Fang Yuan has faced many hardships, so he naturally has a bit more insight than most people.


    But he didn¡¯t expect that Qiao Shuanglin would be so generous and agreed to teach him martial arts directly.


    "So the next question is¡­ how do we reim your old house?" Qiao Mu pondered.


    "Hmm, are we going to reim it right away? Shouldn¡¯t you teach me martial arts first?" Fang Yuan was surprised once again.


    From what he understood, not only did Qiao Shuanglin agree to teach him martial arts, but he also offered to help him reim their ancestral home. This made him feel a bit overwhelmed with gratitude.


    "Martial arts is not a problem¡­"


    Right away, the two of them returned to Gaoler Fang Yuan¡¯s residence and spent the rest of the night talking about martial arts.


    With Qiao Mu¡¯s current level of martial arts skills, he had already achieved proficiency in many different martial techniques, so teaching a 9th ranked martial artist would be a breeze.


    ¡­¡­¡­


    "Senior Qiao, our ancestral home has already be the property of the Wan family¡¯s Wan Ronghua." Fang Yuan exined in detail.


    "Wan Ronghua has now be one of the four wealthy families in Imperial Capital. They have many businesses, much stronger than our family was back then¡­ One of the industries they are involved in is house renting."


    "And he took our ancestral home and rented it out. Actually, it¡¯s not difficult to retrieve the Blood Moon Chart from the secret room. Just renting the old house would be enough. Of course, if we have enough money, we can also buy it directly."


    "So why don¡¯t you do it?" Qiao Mu asked.


    "First, it¡¯s easy to alert Wan Ronghua and make him suspicious. He¡¯s not a kind person. Second¡­a man who is innocent may still be wrongly used. Even if I obtain the Blood Moon Chart, what can I do? It will just repeat the tragic event that happened to my parents." Fang Yuan first forced a smile, then looked at Qiao Mu.


    "Of course, the old master¡¯s martial arts skills are impressive, so naturally he can guard such a treasure."


    "You make a¡­ very good point." Qiao Mu agreed deeply.


    "To retrieve the Blood Moon Chart, it should be done effortlessly. But a gentleman keeps his word. Since I said I will help you retrieve the old house, I won¡¯t go back on my word."


    Qiao Mu¡¯s gaze was intense as he looked at Fang Yuan;


    "Fang Yuan, be honest, how much savings do you have after spending all these years in the heavenly prison? Is it a significant portion of your ancestral home¡¯s selling price?"


    Fang Yuan, the prison guard, may have had a difficult life due to his family background in business. Despite being young, he was shrewd and cunning in his actions.


    Qiao Mu suspected that giving food and drink, like roast chicken and fine wine, to the prisoners in the heavenly prison was not an umon practice.


    Perhaps Fang Yuan had received some benefits from other influential and skilled individuals who were imprisoned.


    Fang Yuan blinked and cautiously extended a finger to test the waters.


    "One-tenth? If I manage to borrow a bit more, I could maybee up with twenty percent. After all, that mansion may be old and not worth much, but it holds significant sentimental value as my ancestral home."


    "One-tenth? This is an Imperial Capital house. Although it¡¯s an old one, you¡¯ve been making quite a profit these past few years, haven¡¯t you?" Qiao Mu smirked.


    "Since there¡¯s one-tenth, maybe we can give it a try."


    Qiao Mu had a mysterious smile on his lips as he walked out the door, not saying much to Fang Yuan.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    "Mr. Lu Renjia, this is the house you rented."


    A middle-aged man with a square face led Qiao Mu to the entrance of the old Fang family house and briefly introduced it to him with a key.


    "Hmm, very good, I¡¯m very satisfied," Qiao Mu smiled and watched him leave.


    "Easily entering the Fang family house, now it¡¯s my turn," Qiao Mu thought.


    After thirty years of hard practice, Qiao Mu¡¯s Flesh Changing Skill has reached a level of proficiency.


    Starting from proficiency, Flesh Changing Skill no longer limited to simple cosmetics and disguises, but began to involve the maniption of flesh and blood with a "godly" degree.


    It was from here that Qiao Mu realized the uniqueness of the "Flesh Changing Skill" that Wu Qizheng had given him.


    Based on his previous understanding, only martial artists who have reached the 3rd rank of Spirit Refining can practice the essence of the "Flesh Changing Skill," because only when they step onto the Spiritual Refining Method can martial artists actively change their body¡¯s flesh and blood through strong spiritual will.


    But Wu Qizheng¡¯s "Flesh Changing Skill" is different.


    If Qiao Mu learned the "Flesh Changing Skill" from Wuji Association member Guo Yan, it would be a version 1.0.


    On the other hand, the "Flesh Changing Skill" in Wu Qizheng¡¯s hands is at least a version 4.0, perhaps it can be called the "Shape Changing Skill" now.


    Clearly more advanced, with more techniques and deeper understanding.


    With the version 4.0 of the "Flesh Changing Skill", even a martial artist like Qiao Mu, who has been practicing the Martial Saint Spiritual Technique for many years and sometimes has unreliable instincts, can still slightly control the changes in his flesh and blood.


    In other words,


    Now, Qiao Mu can change his appearance and disguise himself without using make-up techniques.


    Therefore, in situations like being trapped in the heavenly prison before, where all disguises were washed away and only the true identity remained, he can never go back to that anymore.


    And now, "Lu Renjia" is a person who lookspletely different from Qiao¡¯s family.


    This new disguise is naturally useful.


    "Let¡¯s cause some trouble!"


    First, Qiao Mu searched this old mansion, but couldn¡¯t find any secret rooms.


    Because he changed his appearance, he didn¡¯t inform Fang Yuan and acted secretly.


    So Qiao Mu gave up searching and closed his eyes to meditate.


    Soon, the sky darkened, and the surroundings became quiet as night fell.


    Next, Qiao Mu started doing something.


    Holding a pen and paper, he drew and asionally fell into deep thought.


    He was deducing the techniques, specifically the sixth level of the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra."


    ording to the rules, practicing the sixth level would take six times longer, which meant sixty years of intense training to master. It would also bring significant increases in energy and blood, giving Qiao Mu hope for further progress.


    There is no path ahead, Hai Wuya stopped exploring the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra" at the fifth level, and now it¡¯s Qiao Mu¡¯s turn.


    Hai Wuya is a pioneer of humanity, Qiao Mu is not as caring for people as him. So as a sessor of humanity, with Qiao Mu¡¯s current martial arts skills, it seems more than enough.


    Poof.


    Qiao Mu spit out a mouthful of blood, his whole body surged with blood and the blood vessels in his neck burst, blood flowing down his neck.


    "Just a small scene, just a small scene."


    "Ordinary martial artists can¡¯t do things like deducing martial arts techniques."


    "Even with ordinary martial arts, there is always a risk of going astray or getting possessed by the wrong ideas. What more with pioneering the new path of the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra"?"


    Even the founder of the martial arts technique, Hai Wuya, had to be extremely cautious when deducing the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra", thinking twice before taking action.


    Because he only had one life, if he made a mistake in his practice and died in the dungeons, then everything would be ruined.


    And Qiao Mu was different.


    He was reckless, wild, and yful!


    He practiced martial arts in a more radical way than Hai Wuya, conducting experiments directly with his own body, without considering the potential risks to his life.


    Pff¡­.


    A burst of bloody stter shot out from Qiao Mu¡¯s eyes, hitting the wall five to six meters away. His vision went ck, and his left eye was temporarily blinded.


    "Maybe I went too far, was I too radical?"


    Qiao Mu reflected for a moment, then continued.


    Soon, a powerful force surged through his entire body, his blood rushed, and his face turned liver-like in color¡­.


    His left hand tingled, and fine droplets of blood oozed out of his pores. Just when Qiao Mu thought the aftereffects wouldn¡¯t be too severe, there was a thunderous explosion, and his back muscles were torn apart, blood sshing out.


    "In this wave, I am mainly to me for being too strong. My internal strength is too deep, which is not a good thing."


    Qiao Mu sighed.


    He closed his eyes and practiced cultivation, alone in this endless night, continuing to deduce martial arts as though stepping into madness.


    After a few hours, it was alreadyte at night, and Qiao Mu¡¯s body was weak and feeble.


    "It should be almost done¡­"


    He stood up and looked around the hall he was in.


    Sttered blood and torn flesh were scattered everywhere, resembling a murder scene¡­ and a particrly eerie one at that.


    His once mighty body, which had surpassed the limits of the fourth rank, was now battered and bruised. His blood and energy were declining, and every meridian in his body felt torn, as if he had suffered serious injuries from the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method.


    Qiao Mu walked to the front door of the old mansion and nced at the moonlight outside.


    It was very windy and the moonlight was hidden by clouds. Everything around was silent.


    The idea of a dark night where people are killed is just right.


    "Agreed."


    Qiao Mu took a piece of white cloth and hung it at the front door of the old house. Then he moved a stool and leaned his neck closer¡­


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    The next day.


    The middle-aged man with a square face who led Qiao Mu to the old house of the Fang family had just arrived at Wan family¡¯s store and noticed that something was not right. Everyone was staring at his face.


    "Chen, you finally came. Yesterday, you led Lu Renjia to that old house on the east side of town, right?"


    "Yes, what¡¯s wrong?" the middle-aged man with the square face asked in surprise.


    "Lu Renjia hanged himself."


    "What? He just rented the house yesterday, and today he¡¯s alreadymitting suicide? Is he deliberately bringing us bad luck? That can¡¯t be."


    "No no no, hanging himself, but the way he looks, it doesn¡¯t seem like suicide¡­"


    "If he hanged himself, how can it not be suicide?"


    "Sigh¡­ it¡¯s hard to exin. Go see for yourself, but if nothing unexpected happens, the authorities¡¯ constables will be here soon."


    The middle-aged man with a square face frowned and walked quickly towards the old Fang family mansion in his memory.


    He had just arrived when he saw the figure hanging lifeless at the front gate¡­


    He gasped in shock.


    Atst, he understood why they said this person didn¡¯tmit suicide even though he hanged himself, because of the horrifying injuries on his body.


    Self-harm? Those injuries don¡¯t look like they were made by a sword or knife¡­. It¡¯s very strange, very, very strange.


    It¡¯s as if something from inside the body is drilling out and exploding into a flesh-like mass of blood.


    As soon as he entered the hall, his face quickly changed color and his steps became unsteady.


    Blood was everywhere, and there were even pieces of flesh in the blood?


    On the walls of the hall, someone used their finger dipped in blood to write a messy "ghost" character!


    "Is this the word he left before he died? Is there a ghost in this house?" The middle-aged man with a square face instinctively stood up with bristled hair.


    In the ancient and feudal Great Yan Imperial Court, the existence of cultivators and mysterious supernatural events are widely known and much feared.


    His facial expression quickly changed:


    "It must be wiped off immediately, once word of such mysterious activities spread, who would want to rent this mansion?"


    But before he could give the order, a group of in-clothed constables had already arrived at the entrance of the mansion.

 Chapter 131:

    Chapter 131:


    Teahouse in the Imperial Capital, Natural Inn.


    There was a refined storyteller named "iraudience" dressed in a moon-white robe, speaking to the tea guests below:


    "Today, I will tell you about a recent strange phenomenon in the Imperial Capital¡­ It is quite mysterious and is known as the Ten Mysteries of the Imperial Capital!"


    "Now, let me tell you about an old house in the east of the city, which was originally owned by a family named Fang¡­"


    "One night, the head of the Fang family suddenly woke up in the middle of the night and saw a ghostly figure in a red robe standing by the courtyard gate, appearing and disappearing¡­"


    "The head of the Fang family didn¡¯t take it seriously, but little did he know that every night, the red ghostly figure, which seemed to be getting closer to him, appeared."


    "On the first day, it was still at the front gate of the house. On the seventh day, it was already at the bedroom door. On the tenth day¡­ it had entered the bedroom and stood silently behind a folding screen, watching him. On the fifteenth day, it was already standing by his bedside!"


    "Since then, the head of the Fang family and his wife have been gued by sleepless nights, nightmares, and drenched in sweat, even after seeking numerous renowned doctors in the Imperial Capital."


    "One day, he finally met an old doctor who told him that he wasn¡¯t sick but rather frightened. The doctor said that there were unclean things in his ancestral home and advised him to move out soon.""The head of the Fang family believed in doing no harm and having no fear of ghosts. He thought his years of trading had kept him clean and safe. Little did he know that ghosts didn¡¯t need reasons to harm people."


    "After another half month, both the husband and wife of the Fang family suddenly died with no apparent illness¡­"


    "¡­After the Fang family¡¯s old residence became a leased courtyard, a strange event urred just half a month ago¡­"


    "¡­The next day, when the sun rose, the tenant named Lu Renjia was found hanging dead at the entrance gate of the courtyard. The hall was covered in blood, and there was a ¡®ghost¡¯ word written on the wall!"


    This iraudience was an experienced storyteller, who could effortlessly tell stories in a flowing and endless stream of words.


    The tea guests stared wide-eyed, feeling a chilling breeze even in broad daylight, causing cold sweat to form on their backs.


    A corner of the teahouse.


    Storyteller Jiang Chen listened to the story, only to smirk.


    The storytellers of Tide Listening Building are divided into two factions, "Real Events" and "Strange Tales".


    This group called iraudience is a fantastic faction. Today, news of a haunted old house in the eastern part of the city has spread like wildfire in the Imperial Capital. Of course, iraudience couldn¡¯t overlook this matter.


    As a storyteller belonging to the "Strange Tales" faction, iraudience tells stories regardless of their truth or falsehood, with the sole aim of creating something "strange".


    So after hearing about the haunted old house, he carefully investigated and then started embellishing the story.


    Of course, ording to iraudience, this is called "artistic embellishment".


    Who came up with "the Ten Mysteries of the Imperial Capital"? It was all created by iraudience himself, and this wasn¡¯t the first time he had done something like this.


    "Can it really be like this?" Jiang Chen sighed inwardly.


    "In this world, there are indeed cultivators and also creatures."


    "Though I have yet to see ghosts or monsters with my own eyes, I have heard many rumors¡­ I just don¡¯t know if they are true or false."


    "If they hear about iraudience, these tea patrons from the Imperial Capital will probably believe it."


    Jiang Chen was originally a martial artist, butter became a storyteller who focused on practical matters. He was a little ufortable with this kind of thing, but when iraudience spoke up, he felt a bit uneasy.


    The storyteller iraudience continued:


    "That tenant named Lu is just the beginning."


    "A few days ago, another tenant arrived at the old Fang family mansion. He was a small, elderly man in his sixties who lived alone. He used to practice martial arts and was quite skilled!"


    "The people from the Wan-family Chamber of Commerce thought that this old man¡¯s martial arts skills were impressive and that he could keep the mansion in check. So, they deliberately hid the rumors of ghosts to let him move in, in order to debunk the rumors."


    "But unexpectedly, this highly skilled old man met a tragic death in the hall on the second day."


    "When he was found, his body was covered in blood, his face pressed against the ground in a pool of blood in the hall. Before he died, he stretched out one finger, dipped it in blood, and wrote a strange message: ¡®Don¡¯t stop¡­¡¯. Next to it, there were the words ¡®haunted¡¯ written in ck and red."


    "From this, we can see that the elderly martial artist was tormented by a fierce ghost before his death, to the point where he went insane and wrote nonsensical words."


    When the upper and lower lips touched, a strange story popped out of the mouth, which fascinated the tea guests.


    "The people from the Wan-family Chamber of Commerce were thinking of something bad this time. It seems that the name of this haunted house will spread throughout the Imperial Capital, so they dare not continue to rent it out."


    "The next day, after the authorities¡¯w enforcement officers were properly arranged, they immediately sealed off the house, not allowing anyone to enter or exit."


    "When the neighbors around the old house heard that it was haunted, they naturally avoided it like the gue. Some even went to stay at their rtives¡¯ houses for a few days, fearing to disturb the vengeful spirits. From then on, the area near the old house became sparsely popted, with hardly anyone daring to wander around there even in broad daylight."


    "Who would have thought that two days ago, another unexpected incident urred."


    "Non-stop drizzling rain fell over the Imperial Capital, making the weather damp and cold, causing great difort."


    "There was an old beggar on the street who, to seek shelter from the rain, sneaked into the Wan family¡¯s old house. He didn¡¯t dare to barge in but took cover under the eaves to stay dry."


    "However, the unexpected still happened¡­"


    The tea guests listened to the story with great fascination.


    In a corner of the teahouse, there was an old tea drinker with all white hair. He wrinkled his nose disapprovingly.


    "This person sure knows how to talk big. How can things be so mysterious?"


    This old tea drinker was actually Qiao Mu.


    The things he did weren¡¯t actually that exaggerated, but this skilled storyteller exaggerated them, turning it into a spooky story about the Imperial Capital.


    This ghost story spread more widely and became even more bizarre than Qiao Mu had expected.


    Qiao Mu picked up the teacup on the table, took a gentle sip, and let his mind wander.


    It¡¯s time for the Death Assessment: D+ (humanity as fuelwood)


    Lifespan consumed by death: 1 (0.5*2) years


    Remaining resurrection chances this week: 3/5


    Current age: 93 years old.


    Vitality: 66%.


    Skills: A little bit.


    In a blink of an eye, three years had passed.


    Qiao Mu felt that time flew by like a white horse, and the years made people age.


    These three deaths were caused by tenant Lu Renjia, a stubborn fourth-ranked martial artist, and an old beggar.


    Because of Qiao Mu¡¯s proficient Flesh Changing Skill, he would make subtle adjustments to his appearance and even his body shape every time he changed his identity.


    Clearly, he seeded, and the result was better than expected.


    Otherwise, the officials would not have treated this as a haunting, and the situation would escte to a more eerie level.


    After all¡­the three old triplets disguised themselves and died consecutively in the Fang family¡¯s old mansion. There was an evil presence in this matter. It might not just be the Ten Mysteries of the Imperial Capital, it could be the biggest mystery in the Imperial Capital.


    Qiao Mu stood up, paid for the tea, and walked towards the door. He secretly stretched his muscles, twisted his neck, and turned his waist.


    Every joint in his body made crackling sounds.


    "Am I really getting old?" Qiao Mu had this doubt in his mind.


    It¡¯s an undeniable fact that his appearance has indeed aged.


    It is true that his vitality has declined. As he aged from 90 to 93 years old, his vitality also decreased by 4%, reaching 66%.


    But these are just numbers on paper.


    Qiao Mu clenched his fist secretly, feeling the surging vitality in his body.


    "The Xumi Mountain King Sutra, or should I say the Human Path Sutra, is truly an extraordinary skill in this world. Hai Wuya¡¯s progress in martial arts may be no less than that of the Martial Saint, who cultivates weird martial arts and feeds on humans."


    Qiao Mu only knew that Hai Wuya seemed to be connected to the Wuji Association, but he didn¡¯t investigate his background further.


    He didn¡¯t know that Hai Wuya was actually considered one of the "seventy-two wise men" under the Martial Saint. This meant that he possessed abilities or special techniques that surpassed the Martial Saint in a certain aspect.


    "However, no matter how impressive Hai Wuya is, his energy and lifespan are limited. It¡¯s impossible for the ¡®Xumi Mountain King Sutra¡¯ to transform into the ¡®Human Path Sutra¡¯ that Hai Wuya envisions in just one step. It will require a long passage of time."


    "And perhaps my talent can be seen as elerating the progression of time?"


    This thought crossed Qiao Mu¡¯s mind.


    Even after experiencing three deaths, he still couldn¡¯t deduce the sixthyer of the ¡®Xumi Mountain King Sutra¡¯.


    However, he already had a certain direction in mind. He was no longer blindly rushing and practicing techniques, which made it simr to the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method.


    Qiao Mu walked out of the teahouse, and as he continued walking, he heard a familiar voice.


    "Senior Qiao, are you also here at the teahouse to listen to stories?"


    The person speaking is Gaoler Fang Yuan.


    These past few days, when Qiao Mu wasn¡¯t causing trouble, he often appeared in front of the young prison guard, teaching him martial arts. "Qiao Shuanglin" and Gaoler Fang Yuan were gradually bing familiar with each other.


    "Yes, listening to a book." Qiao Mu casually said.


    "Speaking of which, I heard that your old house has recently been haunted."


    Fang Yuan paused for a moment, then replied.


    "Indeed. I heard that several tenants suddenly died¡­ Is it a haunting? Perhaps only a cultivator has such mysterious methods?"


    He didn¡¯t look at Qiao Mu, his expression unchanged.


    "Yes. By the way, did the value of your family¡¯s old house decrease?" Qiao Mu asked.


    It was at that moment that Fang Yuan suddenly realized.


    "Naturally, the price dropped significantly, and people naturally avoid such a haunted house."


    "Doesn¡¯t Wan Ronghua have a background in the Great Dao Sect? Why not ask for help from the inhuman members of the Great Dao Sect?" Qiao Mu asked.


    "Who would ask a subordinate to do things for their master? Wan Ronghua may have climbed the high branch of the Great Dao Sect, but expecting someone as proud as the inhuman members to do things for him is just wishful thinking," Fang Yuan sneered.


    "Of course, we can¡¯t guess the thoughts of the inhuman members urately, but if there is an inhuman member willing to do so, it is not impossible."


    "Let¡¯s not talk about that. The price of our ancestral home has dropped by¡­ one-tenth in the past month or so!"


    One-tenth?


    It dropped even more than Qiao Mu imagined.


    But if you think about it, it makes sense.


    In Qiao Mu¡¯s past life, there were also so-called "haunted houses", and their prices would typically be discounted by about thirty to forty percent.


    And in the Great Yan Imperial Court, which is a feudal kingdom where cultivators exist, it is perfectly normal to have evil spirits like monsters and ghosts. It is true that people might actually die because of them.


    Therefore, it is not too surprising for this house, suspected to be haunted by a fierce ghost, to drop to only one-tenth of its original price.


    If Qiao Mu were even more ruthless and caused a few more deaths, no one would want this house, even if it was given away for free.


    However, there is also a saying that too much of anything is not good.


    During these three deaths, Qiao Mu tested his already advanced "Flesh Changing Skill" and managed to hide it from the authorities in the Imperial Capital.


    That would be enough.


    If the situation continues to escte, it may attract cultivators or even alert the most powerful Condor Wei En in the entire world.


    If things go wrong at that time, it will be quite a spectacle.


    "With only one-tenth of the price, can you afford it with your savings?" Qiao Mu asked.


    "Nature is enough," Fang Yuan said with a smile.


    "This time, the Fang family business really suffered a disaster. We can only say that those who do wrong will eventually face their downfall."


    "Indeed, it is a disaster."


    Qiao Mu nced at Fang Yuan and then walked away.


    When Fang Yuan buys the ancestral house, he will obtain the Blood Moon Chart that every Spirit Refining martial artist desires. He can also take this opportunity to have a showdown with Sword Ghost, another Spirit Refining martial artist.


    Fang Yuan stood in ce, watching Qiao Mu¡¯s departing figure. Many thoughts shed through his mind, but in the end, he didn¡¯t voice the lingering questions in his heart.


    Did Qiao Mu send three assassins just to stage this y and end up dying?


    Did they really go to such extreme lengths just to lower the price of the house?


    Did he use some clever technique, like a secret technique called Turtle Breathing, to make the three assassins fake their deaths? But can they really fool the authorities?


    Fang Yuan, as a 9th ranked martial artist, couldn¡¯t understand at all.


    But he didn¡¯t ask either.


    Everyone has secrets, just like "Qiao Shuanglin" and Fang Yuan.


    Qiao Mu never asked why he couldplete the first level of the Xumi Mountain King Sutra in just one month, and he also didn¡¯t ask Qiao Mu how he managed to do such strange things.


    He was young, but a smart person who knew when to advance and retreat.


    Moreover, what Qiao Mu did was obviously beneficial to him and was helping, acting to lower the price of the ancestral home. It¡¯s just that his methods were a bit strange.


    Fang Yuan naturally didn¡¯te forward to question things.


    "I need to start preparing money. If I can really buy the ancestral home, it will fulfill a great wish in my heart."


    Fang Yuan¡¯s eyes showed a little excitement.


    Although he was confident and had excellent martial arts skills, and he trained diligently and had many adventures, he knew it would be extremely difficult to face someone as formidable as Wan Ronghua.


    He had thought that it would take decades of hard work and mastery of his skills before he could hope to redeem his ancestral home, but now he saw a glimmer of hope.


    "It¡¯s a pity that my little sister who left home couldn¡¯t wait for this day," he murmured to himself.


    As the moment of his wishing true drew near, memories of the past started to resurface in his mind.


    "Ever since my little sister got that strange illness called ¡®Yu Yu Syndrome¡¯ and ran away from home, I haven¡¯t seen her again."


    "If I buy back the ancestral home and she hears the news, she should know that I, Fang Yuan, am no longer in the same difficult situation as before. Maybe there will be a chance for us to reunite¡­ if she¡¯s still around the Imperial Capital area."


    The deceased is gone.


    Buying an old mansion is just a symbolic gesture that can only bring some peace to Fang Yuan¡¯s heart.


    Deep down, what he really cared about was his little sister who left home without telling anyone.


    The parents passed away and had to sell the old house. The little sister ran away from home.


    Bought an old house, didn¡¯t call it home because being alone, the family ancestral home was only an old courtyard.


    Having family is what makes a home.


    This is Fang Yuan¡¯s obsession with buying the ancestral home.

 Chapter 132:

    Chapter 132:


    Several dayster.


    Inside Fang Yuan¡¯s residence.


    Young Gaoler Fang Yuan took out a small box filled with silver coins and looked at Qiao Mu.


    "Senior Qiao, the money to buy the old house is ready. However, I think we can wait a bit longer and buy itter, no need to rush."


    "Oh? What¡¯s the matter?" Qiao Mu raised an eyebrow.


    Qiao Mu was a bit impatient.


    If he could get his hands on the Blood Moon Chart soon, he would be able to provoke the Spirit Refining martial artist Sword Ghost, as well as Wan Ronghua from the Great Dao Sect who was standing behind him. The sooner they died, the sooner they could be reborn.


    Fang Yuan exined:


    "After all, if I, Fang Yuan, took the opportunity to acquire the Fang family ancestral home, there¡¯s a chance that Wan Ronghua would hear about it.""It¡¯s actually quitemon for haunted houses to sell at a lower price. If I were to buy the house after causing amotion with ghosts, it might reveal my intentions too soon."


    Upon hearing this, Qiao Mu nced at Fang Yuan.


    Fang Yuan came from a merchant family. Despite being young, he was careful in his actions and had a lot of insight.


    However¡­


    "You, youngd, why are you so cunning and cautious at such a young age?" Qiao Mu frowned.


    "Let me ask you, is it possible that Fang Yuan being a prison guard in the heavenly prison has escaped Wan Ronghua¡¯s notice?"


    Fang Yuan¡¯s eyes widened slightly, clearly startled.


    "Clearly, it can¡¯t deceive him." He appeared slightly discouraged.


    Wan Ronghua, along with his Sword Ghost, were the enemies who brought destruction to his family.


    If Wan Ronghua were to inquire, as a mere prison guard, he wouldn¡¯t be able to hide it at all.


    Now, if the enemies don¡¯tpletely eliminate him, it¡¯s simply because as a prison guard in the heavenly prison, he hasn¡¯t caught Wan Ronghua¡¯s attention at all.


    "So, don¡¯t think too highly of yourself." Qiao Mu squinted his eyes and spoke of the past:


    "I had a friend before, someone I shared a strong bond with. He also liked to overthink and n before taking action. Later, he realized that all his calctions couldn¡¯tpare to a reckless move. It was because he considered too much, losing the courage of a martial artist and missing opportunities. As a result, my friend was killed by evil people."


    "Of course, what I¡¯m saying is not an elderly lecture. If you don¡¯t like it, you can ignore it. Whether to seek revenge or when to purchase your family¡¯s estate, it¡¯s up to you."


    "And I, just a mere outsider, leave the decision to you."


    If Fang Yuan continues to hesitate, Qiao Mu will naturally find another way to approach Wan Ronghua and the Sword Ghost, who can kill with their eyes.


    Fang Yuan couldn¡¯t help but be moved by Qiao Mu¡¯s old and nostalgic appearance.


    Senior Qiao is said to be ny years old, and at this age, most of his friends have already passed away.


    For a ny-year-old man whose close friends died at the hands of an evil person, merely recalling this past event must be a cruel way to reopen old wounds.


    For Senior Qiao, inflicting wounds upon himself was to help Fang Yuan make a firm decision, warming his heart in the process.


    Fang Yuan didn¡¯t make a decision right away, but instead thought carefully for a long time.


    Qiao Mu couldn¡¯t help but stand up, preparing to leave first and giving him some time to think. Finally, he spoke:


    "I probably¡­ understand now."


    "Actually, I am just scared." he said mockingly.


    "If I take the first step towards revenge, it might invite Wan Ronghua¡¯s hostility¡­ It¡¯s better to continue being a timid person, train hard for decades."


    Even though he was cunning, Fang Yuan was just a young man in his twenties.


    When facing important matters, it is normal to hesitate and feel afraid.


    But how many more decades can he wait in life?


    Time is the most merciless.


    Even after several decades, even if Fang Yuan bes a Spirit Refining martial artist, what can he really do?


    He redeemed the ancestral home, actually using it as a beacon of hope. He thought as long as he bought back the ancestral home, his little sister mighte back¡­ maybe?


    If it¡¯s another few decades from now, not to mention that little sister will be an olddy, with the average lifespan of the people in the Great Yan Imperial Court, it¡¯s hard to say if the little sister can live until then.


    So¡­


    "Buy a house early." Fang Yuan came to such a conclusion.


    Qiao Mu:¡­..


    "Senior Qiao, why not buy a house today? I have already prepared the money," Fang Yuan said seriously.


    "Did I lead you astray with my words?" Qiao Mu started to reflect.


    How strange, when did he change careers to be a real estate agent?


    "No, no, no, it was not Senior Qiao¡¯s words that made me change my mind." Fang Yuan¡¯s eyes brightened as he said firmly:


    "It¡¯s just that I finally saw my inner fears clearly."


    "This is my decision, unrted to Senior Qiao," Fang Yuanughed.


    "Allow me to repeat a somewhat impolite phrase," he said.


    "Senior Qiao, don¡¯t think too highly of yourself, this is definitely my own decision."


    "Oh ¨C since it¡¯s unrted to me, should I leave?" Qiao Mu pretended to walk away.


    "No, Senior Qiao, I was just joking, I was rude," Fang Yuan suddenly became anxious.


    Bantering with this young person in his twenties made Qiao Mu, who often yed the role of an elderly person, feel unusually rxed.


    In reality, if we talk about actual age, Qiao Mu¡¯s age is actually simr to this Fang Yuan¡¯s.


    "Let¡¯s discuss the next course of action," Qiao Mu stopped walking.


    "After finding the Blood Moon Chart in your old house, I will take this painting and also release information about the Blood Moon Chart," Qiao Mu said.


    "From Sword Ghost¡¯s attitude towards the Blood Sun Chart, it seems that he must be eager to get his hands on this Blood Moon Chart, which can lure the enemy out."


    "By then, I will have the upper hand," said Qiao Mu confidently.


    "If Senior Qiao is so sure, and can deal with that Spirit Refining martial artist ¨C the Sword Ghost, I heard he¡¯s at the 3rd rank?" Fang Yuan asked, puzzled.


    At this time, Fang Yuan was only at the 9th rank of martial artists. Qiao Mu and the Sword Ghost were far beyond his level, he couldn¡¯t gauge Qiao Mu¡¯s strength and didn¡¯t know if Qiao Mu was stronger or weaker than the Sword Ghost.


    Of course¡­ Qiao Mu didn¡¯t know either.


    Winning means revenge, losing means using a resurrection coin to start over!


    "So, what do I need to do, Junior?" Fang Yuan asked.


    "Saving money to buy a house and finding the Blood Moon Chart, that is your main task," said Qiao Mu.


    This statement once again stunned Fang Yuan¡­ He never imagined that in this revenge n, he was just a minor character whose role was to save money to buy a house.


    From what I understand, is Qiao Mu the one who took the Blood Moon Chart and fought against Sword Ghost? And did he provoke Wan Ronghua?


    Did he take on both good and bad things on his shoulders?


    "At this point, there¡¯s no need to be polite with me," Qiao Mu said with a faint smile.


    "Actually, I¡¯m just very curious about the Blood Moon Chart and Blood Sun Chart. Helping you seek revenge is just a side matter."


    "After all, my martial arts skills are unparalleled. It¡¯s just a matter of time before I be the number one in the world. Killing a mere 3rd rank Sword Ghost is just child¡¯s y for me."


    Fang Yuan was slightly stunned.


    "I¡¯ll speak frankly, without sparing your feelings," Qiao Mu said without any hesitation.


    "Fang Yuan, with your current strength, you are still too weak."


    "I¡¯m not judging whether it¡¯s right or wrong for you to continue cultivating and training in seclusion."


    "There is only one better solution in front of both of us right now."


    "That is¡­ Let me do it."


    I¡¯ll take the me, I¡¯ll sacrifice myself, and hold onto the hatred firmly.


    Fang Yuan only needs to be responsible for watching.


    If you¡¯re weak, take a rest.


    If I¡¯m strong, I¡¯ll take charge.


    Fang Yuan blinked his eyes and showed some emotion.


    What does "There is only one better solution in front of both of us right now" mean?


    This is clearly Fang Yuan¡¯s private matter!


    And his solution, surprisingly, was to let Fang Yuan watch and let this senior handle it?


    Fang Yuan remained silent for a long time.


    Just like before, he didn¡¯t ask Qiao Mu how he managed to make the old house haunted, nor did he inquire about Qiao Mu¡¯s reasons.


    But he couldn¡¯t help but take a deep look at the elderly senior in front of him, feeling deeply moved inside.


    "Such demeanor is truly captivating." he sighed in his heart.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    One hourter.


    In front of the main gate of the Wastern House in the eastern part of the city.


    The middle-aged man with a square face from the Wan family was looking at the young gaoler Fang Yuan beside him.


    "Mr. Fang Yuan, have you truly decided to buy this old house?"


    The middle-aged man furrowed his brow and slightly raised his chin as he looked down at the young man in front of him.


    Before Fang Yuan suggested buying the Fang family¡¯s old house, he roughly checked Fang Yuan¡¯s background.


    He discovered that Fang Yuan had numerous connections to their Wan-family Chamber of Commerce.


    "My mind is made up." Fang Yuan nodded and took out a bag of silver coins he had prepared in advance, totaling five hundred coins.


    The market value of the Fang family¡¯s old house, before it plummeted due to the haunting incident, was approximately five thousand silver coins.


    One-tenth, which is five hundred silver coins.


    In fact, when Fang Yuan was in the heavenly prison before, he exchanged two hundred silver coins with "Qiao Zhong" for a technique, and now he still had around eight hundred coins.


    If he needed money, he could try to borrow some, and at most, he could gather one thousand silver coins.


    For Fang Yuan¡¯s age, it can be considered quite rare.


    After all, Captain Qiao of Heyang City couldn¡¯t be a military officer because of his background, and he didn¡¯t gather the one thousand and two taels of silver to redeem his father¡¯s life for half a lifetime.


    "Wait, Mr. Fang Yuan, you may have misunderstood," the middle-aged man smiled and said.


    "Five hundred taels was the market price some time ago. Now, this house is not priced the same. It needs¡­ seven hundred taels."


    "Are you raising the price here?" Fang Yuan frowned slightly.


    From the middle-aged man¡¯s words and actions, he probably already knew Fang Yuan¡¯s identity. He was intentionally raising the price just to annoy him.


    "Seven hundred taels it is then, that¡¯s settled. Do you want to sign an agreement with life and death as well?" Fang Yuan mocked.


    "Haha, Mr. Fang Yuan is indeed generous¡­ This is the house deed," the middle-aged man smiled and instructed his subordinate to bring out the prepared deed.


    Fang Yuan didn¡¯t argue over these two hundred taels.


    After all, the ancestral home was originally worth five thousand taels, but because of Qiao Mu¡¯s troublemaking, he has already made a lot of money.


    Let this side of the family eat another two hundred taels, it doesn¡¯t matter.


    The deal was reached, and both sides were very satisfied.


    For the Wan family, having such a famous haunted house is like holding a hot potato. They can¡¯t wait to get rid of it.


    Being able to swindle two hundred taels from Fang Yuan is already a pleasant surprise.


    "If I had known that this boy was so attached to the ancestral home, I should have raised the price, or perhaps Icked some courage." The middle-aged man¡¯s mood slightly improved as he looked back at the old house and quickened his pace to leave.


    He didn¡¯t want to stay in such a haunted ce any longer.


    "This boy actually wants to reim his ancestral home amidst the chaos? I wonder if he has the guts to do it," the middle-aged man sneered.


    He didn¡¯t connect the haunting incident with Fang Yuan.


    Because Fang Yuan was just a prison guard for heaven, this was a decent job for ordinary people, but in the eyes of the Wan family, one of the four wealthy merchants in the Imperial Capital, he was just average.


    How could someone like Fang Yuan be involved in the haunting incident?


    After all, the tenants who died tragically in the old mansion were even Fourth Rank martial artists. It would be ridiculous to think that someone like Fang Yuan would be involved in this matter just for an old house.


    ¡­.


    Fang Yuan opened the mansion gate with the key and walked into this recently famous haunted house.


    As he looked at the furnishings andyout of the mansion, his childhood memories gradually ovepped. He stared attentively, and memories flooded his mind involuntarily.


    This old mansion was still the same¡­ except for one small difference. On the floor of the hall, there were faint traces of dark red¡­ bloodstains?


    Fang Yuan¡¯s expression became slightly strange, and he couldn¡¯t help but nce at Qiao Mu beside him.


    Qiao Mu remained focused and coughed lightly, saying:


    "Kid, you should find the Blood Moon Chart."


    "That¡¯s what the senior said."


    Fang Yuan seemed unsure about the location of the secret room, but he searched repeatedly relying on his familiarity with the mansion.


    It took a whole half hour, but after lifting a wooden board in the backyard bedroom, a staircase appeared without the expected rumbling sound.


    The secret room was actually quite small, almost like arge hiddenpartment. The room was covered in a thickyer of dust, clearly untouched for many years.


    Lighting a match, the only thing that came into view in the empty disy case was a painting.


    Blood Moon Chart.


    Qiao Mu pondered and looked up at the image of the Blood Moon Chart.


    As evening fell and stars dotted the sky, a crimson red moon hung high above. The moon was enormous, almost covering half of the sky, and its red color resembled that of blood.


    The red moonlight in the painting flowed down like thick, sticky blood, dropping little by little onto the ground. Even the frame of the painting was soaked in blood, and the blood continued to trickle down, dripping onto the floor of the secret room¡­


    Huh?


    Qiao Mu squinted his eyes and took a closer look. He realized it was just an illusion. The so-called Blood Moon Chart was just a painting. How could real blood be flowing from it?


    Qiao Mu nced at Fang Yuan beside him and saw that he showed no signs of surprise.


    "Did this painting, created by a Spirit Refining martial artist hundreds of years ago before their death, stir my spirit?"


    Qiao Mu had practiced the Martial Saint Spiritual Technique. Although he didn¡¯t haveplete spiritual refining martial arts, he still had moments of intuition. At this moment, he vaguely sensed the extraordinary nature of this painting.


    "With this painting, I can use it as bait to lure out that Sword Ghost¡­"


    "And then either it will kill me, or I will kill it."

 Chapter 133:

    Chapter 133:


    The old house of the Fang family is a little old, but still quite spacious.


    The old house is divided into two courtyards, and Qiao Mu is temporarily staying in a guest room in the back courtyard. These days, he spends some time every day to observe a painting called the Blood Moon Chart.


    "The creation of the Spirit Refining martial artist several hundred years ago, can it make me have illusions?"


    Qiao Mu quietly watched.


    Every time his mind immersed in the painting, his eyes would feel as if the moonlight in the painting was flowing like thick blood, giving it a somewhat eerie feeling.


    What¡¯s even stranger is that if Qiao Mu¡¯s mind stays immersed in the painting for a little longer, he would feel a surge of energy and blood in his body, as if his blood is flowing faster.


    At first, when he noticed something strange, he quickly broke free from it, feeling a bit wary of this mysterious painting.


    Later, he had a change of mind¡­


    "Why am I so anxious?" Qiao Mu snapped back to reality."Maybe dying from looking at a painting will give me a chance to brush up on my evaluations?"


    So Qiao Mu boldly went ahead.


    He spent a whole hour observing the painting, allowing himself to bepletely absorbed in it, feeling his energy and blood surging more and more intensely.


    Half an hourter, his blood was nearly boiling, his body filled with a strange force coursing through his limbs and organs. He also felt a vague and pulsating pain in his veins, making him want to shout to the heavens.


    This feeling¡­ it¡¯s like¡­


    "Isn¡¯t this simr to the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method?" Qiao Mu snapped back to his senses.


    After reaching the age of ny, Qiao Mu had mastered the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method to an unprecedented "consummation" level. He could proudly im that no one understood the art of self-dissolution better than him.


    As for the explosive nature of the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, Qiao Mu was more familiar with it than anyone else.


    "So, this so-called Blood Moon Chart, the ancient painting that even Spirit Refining martial artists desire, actually contains a burst technique simr to the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method?"


    "So, what about the Blood Sun Chart that was taken by the Sword Ghost?"


    Qiao Mu controlled his rising blood rush, took a moment to catch his breath, and tried to make his whole body energized following the feeling he had when observing the painting just now.


    As a master of the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, Qiao Mu learned quickly, and after several attempts, he had seeded.


    "The explosive technique derived from the Blood Moon Chart can be called¡­ Red Moon Burning Blood Technique," Qiao Mu said to himself.


    The Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method is the most famous type of self-destructive explosive technique. It uses a trace of internal strength as a trigger, stimting the body¡¯s potential and making the blood boil almost to a frenzy.


    Only after Qiao Mu mastered the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method could he use his blood as a trigger to perform the technique.


    The Red Moon Burning Blood Technique itself is also a blood-triggered explosive technique. It has many simrities with the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method. However, in Qiao Mu¡¯s present wise perspective, it seemed even more brilliant than the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method.


    "It seems that the spiritual refining painter who painted the Blood Moon Chart is not simple either."


    The Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method held extraordinary significance for Qiao Mu; it was a set of secret techniques that defined his existence.


    "If I canbine this Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method with the Red Moon Burning Blood Technique and other explosive secret techniques, gathering knowledge from various sources, could I create a more efficient explosive secret technique?"


    Qiao Mu, a long time ago, was disappointed with the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method because it didn¡¯t actually disintegrate his body into pieces, but only left him with a fatal injury.


    Not fast enough, not good enough!


    Now, after learning the Red Moon Burning Blood Technique and gaining experience in deducing martial arts, he felt the urge to create his own secret technique in the future.


    Afterprehending the mysteries of the Blood Moon Chart, Qiao Mu walked out of the room, holding the painting, preparing to spread the news and attract the attention of the Sword Ghost.


    When he arrived at the front yard, he happened to see Fang Yuan sitting under a tree in the courtyard, lost in thought.


    "Senior Qiao," Fang Yuan looked at the two trees in the courtyard, his eyes filled with reminiscence, as if talking to himself:


    "This tree is a jujube tree, and the other tree is also a jujube tree."


    "These are two tree seedlings my father specially found back then. They are the same age as me and my younger sister. Now, after so many years, both trees have grown beautifully."


    These two trees in the yard, one on the left and one on the right, the one on the left is slightly bigger and more lush.


    "What my father means is that he wants us siblings to support each other in the future, like these two jujube trees, after all, a single tree can¡¯t make a forest¡­"


    Fang Yuan¡¯s eyes were filled with nostalgia as he returned to his childhood home, every de of grass and tree reminding him of the past.


    He pointed to a corner of the courtyard, where there was an abandoned small vegetable garden. The small patch ofnd had already dried up and cracked,pletely overgrown with weeds.


    "Actually, I¡¯m the stepson of the Fang family. I came here when I was four years old after my mother remarried. At that time, the Fang family¡¯s antique business was still very small."


    "My mother was a hardworking woman. After the antique business grewrger, she didn¡¯t have to do everything herself anymore and couldn¡¯t find leisure time."


    "She nted peas, chives, grapevines, tomatoes and other nts in the courtyard of her home. As a result, the small courtyard became lush and green."


    "During summer, I often sat on the steps in the courtyard to enjoy the breeze. I would secretly pick and eat the tomatoes that my mother grew. Sitting there, I watched the intertwined shadows of the grapevines and jujube trees on the wall, swaying gently in the summer wind. I could spend a couple of hours just sitting andzily passing the day. And so, the summer days went by."


    "At that time, my father would point to the shadow of the jujube tree and say, ¡®When your sister and I grow up, the tree will be full of branches and leaves. Then, in the summer, we can sit under it to enjoy the cool shade.¡¯"


    "If in the future we each start our own families and the jujube tree blossoms and bears fruit, we can bring our families and rtives back to this ancestral home. We can sit under the tree, enjoy the shade, and eat some jujubes."


    Fang Yuan kept talking nonstop, looking more like an elderly person in their seventies than a young man, recalling the past years.


    Returning to the old house, the memories of past years appeared before his eyes, as if they could be touched.


    Living this way for over a decade, until the building copsed.


    Now, as he revisited this ce, he was all alone.


    As a stepson in the family, Fang Yuan was not his father¡¯s biological child. His surname was not actually Fang, so the so-called ancestral home of the Fang family was just a wishful thinking for him.


    He put in a lot of effort to save money and continuously please heavenly prison inmate, Qiao Mu, in hopes of mastering martial arts. One of his ultimate goals was to return to his childhood old house.


    Qiao Mu didn¡¯t say anything, he just listened quietly. He knew the other person was just talking to themselves and needed a listener, without any interruptions.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    The entrance of the Fang family¡¯s old house.


    This house, because of rumors of haunting in recent days, rarely had any pedestrians even during the day. And even if someone passed by, they would often get suspicious and quicken their pace.


    At this time, however, a young woman came and stood by the road, tiptoeing and looking towards the Fang family¡¯s old house.


    This woman was a youngdy of about twenty, with a pretty appearance, although her heavy makeup somewhat masked her youthful charm.


    Tiptoeing, she gazed at the old house for quite some time, strolling around the area.


    Suddenly, the gate of the house creaked open, and young Gaoler Fang Yuan walked out and headed in another direction.


    The woman stared nkly at Fang Yuan¡¯s figure, then looked at the old Fang family house. Unable to control her emotions, she bit her lip, clenched her fair fist, and dug her fingers deeply into her palm.


    "Brother¡­"


    "Now that you¡¯re wealthy, can you buy back our ancestral house for me?" she murmured to herself.


    "I think you have spare money now, and life has be much better than before. Seeing you thriving, I am simply¡­"


    She sighed softly and said to herself,


    "It¡¯s even more painful than losing money."


    At this moment, a cry came from behind her.


    "Fang¡¯er£¬Fang¡¯er."


    An overweight middle-aged man with a round face approached and embraced the young woman, Fang Fang, from behind.


    "Why don¡¯t you go and meet your brother?"


    "He¡¯s not my brother!" Fang Fang¡¯s eyes shed with anger.


    "He¡¯s my stepson. He just took on thest name Fang after his birth mother remarried. He¡¯s not part of my Fang family."


    "Oh well, let¡¯s not meet then. It¡¯s fine not to meet." The middle-aged man chuckled and didn¡¯t pay much attention.


    "But you¡¯re already my husband Wan Ronghua¡¯s third mistress. Our Wan family is wealthy and has arge business. It¡¯s not a big deal to let this man Fang Yuan have an old house as an advantage for him."


    He really didn¡¯t care about Fang Yuan. He was just a small prison guard in this heavenly prison, and couldn¡¯t be anything important.


    Over the years, the Wan family has lost more than just the Fang family in the business world.


    Fang Fang frowned upon hearing this, her face not looking good.


    "No, definitely not."


    "This ancestral home was originally the Fang family¡¯s ancestral home. What does it have to do with Fang Yuan?"


    "And now, this old house is the property of Sir Wan Ronghua¡¯s. How can we casually hand it over to someone else?"


    "Oh?" The rich middle-aged man Wan Ronghua¡¯s face had a smile that wasn¡¯t really a smile.


    "Fang¡¯er, even though you and Fang Yuan are not blood-rted siblings, you have been living under the same roof for many years. Why do you hate him so much?"


    Wan Ronghua smiled and said,


    "Did he bully you when you were little? I, Lord Wan Ronghua, will have a talk with him."


    "It¡¯s up to Lord Wan." Fang Fang, the youngdy, acted shyly.


    "Actually, this Fang Yuan did something that made me deeply resentful when we were young. Lord Wan Ronghua, please let me exin¡­"


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    More than ten years ago.


    After Fang¡¯s mother married into the Fang family, Fang Yuan was not well-treated. After all, he was just a burden, not the father¡¯s biological child. How could they treat him well?


    Fang Fang was his father¡¯s biological child, not Fang Yuan.


    After Fang Yuan came to the Fang family, hisst name was changed. He couldn¡¯t use his originalst name anymore, and had to change it to Fang.


    The young child, Fang Yuan, who was taken in by others, naturally knew that his father was not his real father, and could also see how his father treated the two children differently.


    Spoiled children are often arrogant due to their spoiling. Fang Yuan, who was also a stepchild and experienced neglect, naturally matured faster and had a bit more understanding than children of the same age.


    Fang Yuan¡¯s only option was to try his best not to cause trouble, not to be mischievous. He had to restrain the nature of children, always follow his stepfather¡¯s wishes, and not dare to go against them.


    The turning point happened in the third year after Fang Yuan¡¯s mother remarried into the Fang family.


    In that year, Fang Yuan was seven years old.


    During the Qingming festival, the Fang family naturally had ancestral worship customs.


    As a stepchild, Fang Yuan was led by his father to worship the ancestors, bowing to the Fang family ancestors who had no blood rtionship with Fang Yuan.


    The act of bowing to the ancestors was not a big deal, but it triggered emotions in seven-year-old Fang Yuan, reminding him of his own biological family.


    He didn¡¯t originally have thest name Fang, but now he must have thest name Fang.


    Although he worships the ancestors of the Fang family, he actually has his own biological father, as well as a grandfather and ancestors.


    Since he is now the adopted son of the Fang family, he must cut ties with his biological father¡¯s family, and this is a reasonable thing to do.


    Fang Yuan, who was constantly neglected and dependent on others, had a surge of emotions during the ancestral worship, recalling his deceased biological father.


    Soter on, he secretly found an empty space in a hidden area, picked up mud and stones, and built a pile as a memorial for his biological father.


    Then he quietly kowtowed three times and bowed nine times in front of the memorial, mourning his deceased biological father and the ancestors of his father¡¯s family.


    Fang Yuan matured early and was quite intelligent, but he was still a seven-year-old child after all.


    He didn¡¯t know that his father had already noticed the unusual behavior of this child and secretly followed him, witnessing the scene of the child¡¯s secret worship.


    When his father stepped forward, Fang Yuan was extremely panicked, thinking that he had done something wrong, broken the rules, and would surely be heavily punished by his stepfather.


    Little did he know, his father was also a understanding person, and he said to Fang Yuan:


    "You, my child, at the young age of seven, despite being dependent on others, you still remember your ancestors. You have ambitions and perseverance at such a young age, and you will surely achieve great things in the future."


    "However, your little sister Fang Fang is stubborn and willful, and she may have difficulty seeding in the future. If you truly seed in the future, don¡¯t forget to take care of her."


    Since then, his father treated Fang Yuan as his own son and began teaching him business skills.


    Fang Fang, who used to be the family¡¯s pride and joy, suddenly had her father¡¯s favor divided equally among them, which naturally bred resentment in her heart.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    When the youngdy Fang Fang brought up this matter, there was still some grudge in her heart:


    "One day, my father, who was drunk, talked about this matter with the guests, and I happened to overhear it¡­"


    "But he never treated us equally. Clearly, I am his biological child."


    Fang Fang¡¯s eyebrows almost frowned when she said this.


    "For example, in the will that was made by my father and stepmother before their deaths, it was stated that the shop on Antique Street would be inherited by my stepbrother, Fang Yuan, while I would only receive some antiques and assets as dowry."


    "The value of these two things seems to be evenly split, but the antique shops in Imperial Capital are not ordinary. It¡¯s like a goldying hen, but Fang Yuan got the share. I¡¯m not happy about it."


    Fang Fang spoke angrily, but didn¡¯t notice that Wan Ronghua, who was listening nearby, couldn¡¯t help but slightly smile.


    What a goldying hen¡­this Fang Fang didn¡¯t even consider the possibility of the shop making losses in business?


    Whether it¡¯s a goldying hen or not, that depends on who has it.

 Chapter 134:

    Chapter 134:


    Wan Ronghua squinted his eyes and suppressed the slight upward curve of his mouth.


    This Fang Yuan, who is Fang Fang¡¯s father, can also be considered as one of his rivals in the business world.


    Although his father¡¯s antique business is not as big as Wan Ronghua¡¯s, he does have some understanding of it.


    For example, his father gambled and spent a lot of money to acquire the Blood Sun Chart, which is truly extraordinary.


    However, as good as his vision is, he couldn¡¯t hold onto the Blood Sun Chart, and it was ultimately taken away by the Sword Ghost offered by the Wan family.


    His father has a good eye for judging people.


    For instance, his own daughter, Fang Fang, doesn¡¯t have much talent in appraising antiques.


    Fang Fang always says that the value of the store and the antique treasures is 50/50.


    But these antiques ended up in Wan Ronghua¡¯s hands, and he hired a special appraiser to evaluate them, so their value is not low at all.In reality, the value of the Fang family antique store and its treasures is roughly 30/70.


    This is just how people usually are.


    After all, even if Fang Yuan was highly regarded by his father, he was still his stepson and naturally not as important as his own daughter.


    And if the antique shop falls into Fang Fang¡¯s hands, it may not be worth much.


    "Fang¡¯er, let¡¯s stop talking about these troublesome matters and go back home."


    Wan Ronghua embraced his young and beautiful mistress and walked back.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    The Antique Street in the Imperial Capital.


    Like the vegetable market, the Antique Street also has some reputation in the Imperial Capital.


    This Antique Street is not veryrge, with antique shops on both sides and street vendors selling goods, making it quite lively.


    Here, you can find many ancient relics from the previous dynasty, as well as some unearthed jade and other items.


    Sometimes when people find high-quality spirit stones, it can even attract cultivators toe.


    There are many tomb robbers who sell stolen goods here, and gamblers who want to try their luck. It is a bustling street in the whole Imperial Capital.


    On this day, the sun was shining brightly, and an old man followed the crowd and came here alone.


    His purpose today is to go fishing.


    He wants to go fishing using the Blood Moon Chart.


    Since he already knows that the Sword Ghost is worshipped by the Wan family, and there is a Wan family antique shop on this antique street, if he casually sells the item on the street, the news will probably quickly reach the Sword Ghost.


    Qiao Mu looked at the antique stalls along the street, found an empty space in the corner, and squatted down by the roadside like other vendors.


    But just as he had just squatted down, something happened that made him cry andugh at the same time.


    Some passersby who saw him squatting down stopped for a moment, took out a few copper coins from their money bags, and threw them on the ground in front of Qiao Mu.


    When one person does something, others will imitate.


    "Oh, nowadays the country is weak, and there¡¯s famine whenever there¡¯s a natural disaster. Although the Imperial Capital is better than other ces, there are still unfortunate people everywhere."


    "Sir, take it easy. It¡¯s so sunny outside, don¡¯t get sunstroke."


    While Qiao Mu was lost in thought, many passersby had already thrown coins in front of him, leaving him stunned as he touched his now aged face.


    "Am I really that much like a beggar?" He was speechless.


    Although Qiao Mu used the Flesh Changing Skill to change his appearance, it only partially changed, so at this moment, his appearance really resembled an ordinary old man in his nies.


    His face was now covered in wrinkles, with drooping eye corners, and his long hair had turnedpletely white. He truly looked like a very old person.


    At high noon, under the scorching sun, this elderly man with a frail appearance crouched down like this¡­ Can¡¯t help but feel sympathy for him, right?


    "I¡¯m really not a beggar."


    Qiao Mu coughed softly and quickly took out a scroll from his pocket, gently spreading it out on the ground.


    "Blood Moon Chart, an ancient painting from hundreds of years ago, worth a fortune. Take a look!"


    He shouted loudly, and the space in front of him instantly cleared.


    "I thought he was an old beggar, turns out he¡¯s an old trickster?"


    The pedestrians turned pale, some even stooped down to retrieve the coins they had just thrown down. Qiao Mu didn¡¯t pay any attention.


    Like Tai Gong fishing, willing souls take the bait.


    He wasn¡¯t here to sell paintings at all, but to go fishing.


    "This painting is worth a fortune? Is your paper made of gold, or is the scroll made of gold?" mocked one of the pedestrians.


    Qiao Mu didn¡¯t mind, he just sat quietly, resting his eyes.


    This Blood Moon Chart can make him, a martial artist like him, fall into illusions and cause his blood to surge.


    But for Fang Yuan, a martial artist ranked 9th, or even an ordinary person who doesn¡¯t practice martial arts, it is just an ordinary painting. The artistic conception of the painting is still considered good, but to say it¡¯s worth ten thousand liang, that would be absurd.


    "Are you deliberately calling for an exorbitant price to gain poprity? Old man, you¡¯re clever, but unfortunately, you¡¯ve miscalcted." The vendor next to him shook his head.


    "There are plenty of smart people in this world, do you think it¡¯s enough to just call for an exorbitant price?"


    "Hehe, whether it sells or not, I¡¯m fine with it. I have a good mindset," Qiao Muughed happily.


    Time passed quickly, and people kept walking by.


    asionally, pedestrians would stop, attracted by the Blood Moon Chart, including even a martial artist ranked 7th.


    But after asking about the price, they all shook their heads and left without making a deal.


    Ten thousand liang for a painting, that¡¯s really outrageous.


    If this painting is not on a street stall, but in a fancy antique shop, perhaps it would be more credible, at least it would make people observe it seriously.


    But on the roadside¡­ naturally, nobody cares.


    Only a few people walked out of the Wan family antique shop on that street, casually nced at it, and their faces changed unconsciously, but they quickly left.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    Sword Ghost has been a little absent-minded and his thoughts have been fluctuating these past few days, feeling a bit lost.


    Since he witnessed Qiao Zhong¡¯s execution and encountered an envoy from the so-called "Martial Arts League" on the night of that day, his life has stepped into a fast-flowing current.


    "The Martial Saint is dead," he murmured.


    "But the path of martial arts is a reality."


    That night, after meeting the envoy of the Martial Arts League, he was greatly shocked and epted the invitation to be a member of the "Martial Arts League."


    "The body of the ¡®cultivator¡¯ King Qin was not at all like a human body, far surpassing the limits of the human body."


    "We Spirit Refining martial artists may not necessarily be much stronger than 4th rank martial artists in terms of strength and techniques. At most, some Spirit Refining martial artists may just live longer and have more umtion."


    "Perhaps, this is another path different from the Spiritual Refining Method ¡­"


    While Sword Ghost was lost in thought, a messenger from the Wan family hurriedly arrived, interrupting his contemtion.


    "On the antique street, it seems that there is a Blood Moon Chart by a spiritual refining painter?" Sword Ghost suddenly became interested.


    Whether it was the Martial Arts League or the cultivation path, they were both too distant for him.


    If he could obtain the Blood Moon Chart, which seemed to be rted to the Blood Sun Chart, maybe he could further progress¡­

 Chapter 135:

    Chapter 135:


    Wan family residence.


    "Did a Blood Moon Chart, simr to the Blood Sun Chart, appear? Is Sword Ghost nning to go to the antique street?"


    Just learned about this, Wan Ronghua was suddenly reminded of the past.


    Sword Ghost is one of the honored members of the Wan family, with a high status.


    The so-called experts in spiritual refining are all at the top 3rd rank.


    The martial artists of the world are divided into 9 ranks, and the system called "the 9 ranks of martial artists" was actually established by the Great Yan Imperial Court, imitating the official system.


    Officials of the 3rd rank and above are already high-ranking members in the Great Yan Imperial Court, at the top level of the court with great importance and influence.


    As long as Spirit Refining martial artists have a clean background, they can be a 3rd rank military officer by joining the court.


    Even if they don¡¯t have real power, at this stage, their sry and status are naturally respectable.Sword Ghost, however, is a Spirit Refining martial artist with a somewhat shady background.


    Of course, as long as he is strong enough, even if he can¡¯t be an imperial officer, he can still be one of the worshippers of the Wan family, a wealthy family, and enjoy a good life.


    Especially, the Sword Ghost¡¯s rare Eye Attacking Method is a martial art that can kill without being seen, using spiritual refining.


    In these past few years, with the help of Sword Ghost¡¯s unique martial art, Wan Ronghua has saved himself a lot of trouble.


    For example, there was a antique dealer named Fang who caught the attention of Sword Ghost because of a painting called the Blood Sun Chart. Later, Wan Ronghua took advantage of the situation andpletely took over everything.


    ¡­¡­¡­..


    Antique street.


    Qiao Mu casually squatted by the road, asionally shouting to sell the Blood Moon Chart on his stall.


    Most passersby only stopped for a moment, attracted by the Blood Moon Chart, but as soon as they heard the sky-high price announced by Qiao Mu, they quickly turned and left, and hardly anyone tried to negotiate.


    It wasn¡¯t until the sunset that some martial artists of the 5th rank started to appear. It seems that the news of Qiao Mu selling the Blood Moon Chart had spread throughout this antique street in the Imperial Capital.


    "Sir, your price is way too high, can¡¯t you make it cheaper?" asked a cold voice.


    Qiao Mu looked up and his eyes instantly brightened.


    Okay, the main character has arrived.


    The person who came was a strong and tall man, with a sword and a wine gourd hanging from his waist. His hair was messy, his eyes were sharp and cold.


    It was the 4th rank Spirit Refining martial artist, Sword Ghost, as described by Fang Yuan.


    While Qiao Mu was sizing up Sword Ghost, Sword Ghost was also sizing up the old man in front of him.


    The old man was already very old, not only was his hair white, but his body was also loose, with sagging corners of his eyes. This was a clear sign of declining vitality, indicating that he was very old.


    "Cheap things are not good, good things are not cheap. This painting of mine is worth this price," the old man smiled, showing no intention of lowering the price.


    Sword Ghost casually tried to negotiate, but seeing that the old man didn¡¯t budge, he pretended to be angry.


    "Well, sir, you can just wait for a fool toe along."


    But he had a clear mind.


    The Drunkard¡¯s intention is not about the wine, right?


    Sword Ghost chuckled to himself.


    This old man is obviously extraordinary.


    Although his skin is loose and his vitality is declining, his breathing is rhythmic. Clearly, he has been under the scorching sun for most of the day, but he remains calm and rxed, showing little signs of fatigue.


    This indicates that this person is clearly a martial artist with internal strength, and his skill in internal cultivation is not bad.


    But it¡¯s just not bad.


    Aging and declining vitality in old age is a naturalw and cannot be countered by human effort.


    The Qiao Family of Heyang City, who were able to "stay young forever," had already been extinct. The Martial Saint who had taken away their martial arts skills had also died.


    Even if Long Life Fist spiritual refining was sessful and could keep one young forever, it was clearly not like this.


    The essence of the Long Life Fist was to lock in the vital essence and prevent it from leaking out. That¡¯s why the Qiao Family patriarch and even the martial arts master from a hundred years ago appeared old but didn¡¯t show signs of aging, with white hair but youthful looks.


    The old man in front of them¡­ He dared to hold the Blood Moon Chart and even shouted a high price, which probably meant he wasn¡¯t a fool who didn¡¯t know the value of the treasure, but someone who thought he had something to rely on.


    But no matter what he relied on, he was already old and his vitality had declined, never to return to his youthful vigor.


    "Did he underestimate his own abilities? This is the Imperial Capital after all," thought Sword Ghost with a hiddenughter in his heart, ncing at the Blood Moon Chart again.


    As a martial artist who had seen the Blood Sun Chart, Sword Ghost had no doubt that these two paintings were the work of the same person.


    However, unraveling the mysteries within these paintings would require a long time of observation. It was not something that could beprehended overnight.


    After witnessing those rumors about martial artists who had achieved enlightenment through martial arts, Sword Ghost had an even greater desire for artworks rted to spiritual refining techniques.


    He suppressed his desire, turned and left without looking back.


    Even if not counting the Immortal Gate cultivators stationed here, this Imperial Capital has always been a ce with hidden talents.


    This old man¡¯s actions were really thoughtless. In less than a day, he had alerted his Sword Ghost, obviously seeking death.


    ¡­¡­..


    As the sun set behind the western mountains, the sky gradually darkened and a bright moon rose slowly.


    Qiao Mu had already put the Blood Moon Chart in his pocket and walked alone on the road in the outskirts of the city.


    Along the way, he always walked on rarely traveled paths and unknowingly arrived at the entrance of a suburban alley.


    It was a dark alley, quite spacious, but no one could be seen in every direction. Only the sound of Qiao Mu¡¯s lonely footsteps could be heard in the alley.


    However, silently and without notice, a figure appeared and blocked his way.


    It was a tall man called Sword Ghost, who had a sword and a gourd of wine hanging from his waist.


    "Sir, long time no see, are you well?"


    Sword Ghost simply smiled a little, without saying much.


    He put his hand on the sheath of his sword at his waist, but the sword itself didn¡¯te out. Instead, a sharp gleam shed in his eyes.


    No sword in hand, but a sword in his eyes.


    His two eyes were as sharp as two powerful swords, as if they were going to cut open Qiao Mu¡¯s brain, and a tremendous pressure immediately appeared.


    In that instant, Qiao Mu felt like he had been struck by lightning, his whole body trembling slightly, his eyes temporarily losing focus and bing confused.


    And Sword Ghost¡¯s sword was drawn.


    The sword came out, like a shimmering pool of autumn water, the bright sword light shing towards Qiao Mu¡¯s neck, but at thest moment, the sword suddenly turned and struck behind Qiao Mu instead.


    Just at this moment.


    Two figures emerged from the corner of a dark alley. They had originally nned to pounce on the absent-minded Qiao Mu in the confusion, but now this pounce was like rushing towards the Sword Ghost¡¯s sword in his hand.


    Hiss.


    The sword light cut through the air, shing open the left arm of the swordsman on the left. The wound was deep, exposing the bone, and blood flowed out profusely.


    "Have you sensed the two of us lurking in the darkness¡­ or is this the intuition of a 3rd rank Spirit Refining martial artist?"


    These two swordsmen are both at the 4th rank in skill. They are also somewhat famous figures in the Zhong Province, known as the "Flying Snow Double des."


    Today, Qiao Mu was selling paintings at a stall. They happened to pass by the antique street, which naturally caught their attention.


    However, when theyter caught sight of the "Sword Ghost" appearing to inquire about the price, they hid in the shadows, thinking of taking advantage in secret.


    They originally didn¡¯t want to sh head-on with the Sword Ghost, who had already reached spiritual refining. They just wanted to make a brief fight, seize the Blood Moon Chart, and then escape with one person taking the opportunity.


    However, just as they emerged, one person¡¯s arm was shed by the other with a sword, almost getting it severed.


    "Have you never fought against a Spirit Refining martial artist? Your vision is limited."


    Sword Ghost held the sword with one hand and smiled at these two swordsmen.


    Facing two opponents alone, he remained calm and even took the initiative to attack, continuously thrusting his sword.


    His sword was not extremely fast, and his swordsmanship was not particrly exquisite, but it was still far superior to these two 4th rank swordsmen.


    However, what made these two swordsmen extremely frustrated was that even though they were attacking together and could see openings in Sword Ghost¡¯s sword moves, Sword Ghost always managed to dodge them in the blink of an eye.


    "Can¡¯tnd a hit!"


    "His movements are not fast, his swordsmanship is not extremely advanced, and his internal strength is not much stronger than ours, but why¡­"


    After so many exchanges, they couldn¡¯t even touch Sword Ghost¡¯s de, and their impatience grew.


    "Ignorant." The Sword Ghost seemed to know what they were thinking, with a slight smile at the corner of his mouth.


    "Do you think that a Spirit Refining martial artist at the 3rd rank is superior to a simple strength-training martial artist, even if they are stronger, they are still at the 4th rank?"


    "If there is not much difference, why does the imperial court ssify martial artists into different levels and grant them different official positions?"


    The way of a martial artist is proven through punches.


    A thousand years ago, there was no Spiritual Refining Martial Art in this world. The limit of martial arts was the 4th rank. The limit of the 4th rank was the limit of a martial artist, the body¡¯s inherent limitation.


    Afterwards, only by relying on the umtion of internal strength over a long period of time.


    Only when martial artists discovered a clear Spiritual Refining Method did they surpass strength-training martial artists and reach the upper 3rd rank.


    Instinct!


    This is the strength of a martial artist at the upper 3rd rank.


    "Only knowing to practice strength and power is ultimately insignificant." Sword Ghost narrowly avoided the swordsman¡¯s strike on his left side, but sessfully stabbed the swordsman¡¯s shoulder with his sword, causing blood to flow.


    He effortlessly evaded the attacks of two swordsmen, as if strolling in a leisurely garden.


    "How do hunters in the mountains ovee fierce jackals, wolves, and leopards?" His eyes were sharp like swords as he stared intently at the two swordsmen.


    "Is it byparing strength with a ferocious tiger? Or byparing the sharpness of teeth and ws?"


    "Of course not!"


    In the midst of the fight, he asionally used the Eye Attacking Technique and used words to attack their hearts:


    "The human body has its limits. The 4th rank is the limit!"


    "Mortal beings can defeat jackals, wolves, and leopards by relying on their minds and the sharp des of their weapons!"


    "You only know how to train your strength and power. You are fools whopare strength and speed with jackals, wolves, and tigers."


    "As Spirit Refining martial artists, we cultivate our instincts, just like a hunter wields a sharp de to hunt down tigers and leopards. This is a breakthrough from nothing to something. What do you have to stop us?"


    In that moment, his gaze pierced through the air like an invisible sword, causing the swordsman with a bone-deep arm injury to tremble uncontrobly and slow down his movements.


    ng!


    Amidst the crisp sound of the sword, a head flew up into the sky.


    The voice of Sword Ghost echoed like thunder, as he roared:


    "Only a strong and resolute mind is true strength. This is the way of us martial artists!"

 Chapter 136:

    Chapter 136:


    Before the emergence of Spiritual Refining Martial Arts.


    The top-notch internal strength martial artists mainly rely on the abundance of their internal strength, the strength of their bodies, and the sophistication of their techniques inbat.


    For Sword Ghost, a martial artist like this Spirit Refining one, things are already different from before.


    The fights between martial artists are not only physical battles, but also shes of the mind.


    When brave heroes meet on a narrow path, the winner emerges!


    Whether it¡¯s Sword Ghost¡¯s Eye Attacking Technique or the words he speaks to attack the heart, they are no longer limited to physicalbat.


    Even if there is a great difference in physical strength and internal power between them, Sword Ghost¡¯s powerful mind gives him keen intuition to avoid thebined attack of the Flying Snow Double des in the blink of an eye.


    As he effortlessly maneuvers between the two swordsmen, it adds tremendous psychological pressure on both of them.


    "From training strength and power to spiritual refining, this is a breakthrough from zero to one."Sword Ghost watches as the severed head flies andnds on the ground, and the headless body copses with the usual calm expression on his face.


    "How can foolish fools who only know how to train their physical strength be my enemy?" His voice is deep, and he continues to aggressively attack with his sword.


    As the Sword Ghost swung his sword, he beheaded the swordsman on the left, leaving the other swordsman in shock.


    "How dare you kill my brother?"


    The swordsman was filled with both surprise and anger. He clenched the handle of his knife tightly, his knuckles turning pale, clearly reaching the peak of his rage.


    "Bloody Shadow Technique!"


    His entire body seemed to boil with energy, as if he had unleashed a powerful technique simr to the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method. In an instant, he transformed into a streak of blood-red light!


    Huh?


    Suddenly, the Sword Ghost¡¯s eyes lit up with curiosity.


    In that moment, he suddenly sensed a chilling sense of danger, a natural instinct warning him of imminent harm.


    A well-trained martial artist who has achieved spiritual refinement can even reach a state of being extremely perceptive, able to sense danger before it happens, making it difficult to be assassinated or ambushed.


    And in that brief moment of the swordsman¡¯s sudden outbreak, he felt the intense threat that made his hair stand on end¡­


    He¡­might die?


    But how could this be possible? The other side is just an average 4th rank, who only gained fame in Zhong Province by joining forces with his brother. But now one of them is dead, so how could it be possible¡­


    In a sh, the Sword Ghost switched from offense to defense, holding his sword in a defensive posture in front of his chest.


    Then he saw the swordsman¡¯s figure quickly escaping towards the¡­rear.


    "Brother, if I die here, there will be no one to avenge you," the swordsman gritted his teeth and said:


    "Just wait, within a hundred years, I will definitely find the Sword Ghost¡¯s misfortune."


    Even with the Flying Snow Double des joining forces, they were no match for Sword Ghost alone, and he easily killed one of them.


    Now that one of them is already dead, what chance does the remaining one have?


    While running away quickly, the swordsman also took a quick nce backward.


    He already knew how terrifying the Spirit Refining martial artist was. Maybe his sharp intuition could sense that he wasn¡¯t nning to fight hard, but instead was just bluffing.


    However, when he turned back, he was surprised to see that the Sword Ghost was still standing in the same spot.


    Did the swordsman deceive him with his bluff? And did he give up on chasing him?


    No, something isn¡¯t right!


    The swordsman noticed something strange.


    Behind the Sword Ghost.


    The elderly man, who was being treated as a mere pawn by both sides, had somehow crawled up from the ground. His old eyes were filled with curiosity.


    "¡­Odd." The swordsman didn¡¯t even step into the Spiritual Refining Method, but at this moment, he instinctively felt a strong sense of unease. His speed increased, not just staying the same but actually getting faster.


    The old man with lots of wrinkles stretched his body, and his bones made crackling sounds.


    As an immortal, he had no fear in his heart. He didn¡¯t even react to Condor Wei En¡¯s Eye Attacking Technique, let alone the Sword Ghost in front of him.


    Qiao Mu wasn¡¯t afraid.


    But in the Sword Ghost¡¯s heart, there was a strong sense of fear at this moment.


    The intuition of a Spirit Refining martial artist was very strong. They could sense danger and perceive its location in advance.


    And now, he sensed a source of danger behind him that was far beyond his expectations.


    "Is this the Spirit Refining martial artist?"


    A aged voice came from behind, filled with curiosity.


    Qiao Mu had encountered some Spirit Refining martial artists before, but the only one he had truly fought against was the Martial Saint.


    When he initially challenged Martial Saint, Martial Saint showed extremely strong ability to anticipate the enemy¡¯s moves. No matter how hard he attacked, the Martial Saint relied on just one finger to block the storm-like assault.


    However, it was clear that Martial Saint was an extraordinary individual.


    Facing a true 3rd rank of Spiritual Refining Period like Sword Ghost, it was his first time engaging inbat, and he couldn¡¯t help but feel a strong sense of anticipation.


    Great! He¡¯s going to die next!


    "Turn around and try to kill me."


    Sword Ghost heard such an old voiceing from behind him.


    He slowly turned around and met the deep eyes of the old man. A heartbeat began to race in his chest, and his whole body became covered in goosebumps.


    His instincts told him that if he made a move, death was inevitable!


    Who exactly was this old man?


    His judgment should be correct. The old man is obviously weak, and doesn¡¯t seem to be a skilled martial artist. Why does he give him such a strong sense of danger?


    Although not quite sure why, Sword Ghost believes in his intuition as a Spirit Refining martial artist.


    "What kind of joke is this, old sir?" Sword Ghost¡¯s mouth curled up into a smile.


    "I came here just to remind you, old sir, not to walk alone in dark alleys, or else you may be attacked by such evildoers."


    As he spoke, he nced at the headless body beneath his feet.


    "It¡¯s gettingte, so I won¡¯t disturb you any longer. Be careful on your way, I still need to deal with this corpse to avoid alerting the authorities."


    He was about to flee at the same speed as the previous swordsman, but heard the old man in front of him say lightly:


    "Young man, do you think I¡¯m so easily fooled?"


    "Be straightforward and take action!"


    "Didn¡¯t you say that only a strong and determined mind is the way of a martial artist? Where is your martial spirit?"


    The old man urged him to take action, but the more he urged, the greater the sense of danger in Sword Ghost¡¯s heart.


    What nonsense! His martial spirit is not about knowingly challenging stronger opponents, even if it means death!


    "Come on, let me see how strong a Spirit Refining martial artist is. You said training is nothing, but you, a Spirit Refining martial artist, should be something, right?"


    Faced with the old man¡¯s pressure, Sword Ghost could only awkwardly smile.


    "No, in front of you, I am naturally nothing, while you are something. How could I dare topete with you?"


    The old man: ?


    Sword Ghost didn¡¯t know why the old man suddenly choked, but he quickly seized this momentary opportunity!


    Run!


    He quickly jumped onto the high wall at the entrance of the alley and disappeared into the dark night.

 Chapter 137:

    Chapter 137:


    The Imperial Capital is thergest city in the Zhong Province, but even in the most bustling city, there are still deste slums and uninhabited areas in the outskirts.


    And at that moment.


    Sword Ghost stepped quickly, leaping and moving rapidly on the rooftops of brick houses, his figure blurred into a lingering shadow as he escaped swiftly.


    His heart pounded, and all he could think of was the old face of the old man who sold paintings just now.


    "That old man just now, there¡¯s something wrong, something really wrong. What does it mean to have weakened energy and blood?"


    He felt annoyed in his heart.


    Aging in old age is a naturalw that ordinary people cannot escape, only cultivators who have transcended the realm of ordinary mortals can be an exception.


    But that old man is clearly not a cultivator, and it seems that he is not a fully aplished martial artist in spiritual refining either.


    The old martial artist, who is advanced in age, is actually very strong.For example, Sword Ghost has also heard that there was once an elderly martial arts master over eighty years old, whose blood had weakened, but his sword skills were extraordinary. He defeated a Second-Rank martial artist from the imperial court using only a wooden sword.


    But there¡¯s a condition for that.


    This elderly master, Lu Yanbei, reached a very high level in his skills. In his prime, he was also a Spiritual Refining martial artist. Although his blood had declined, his skills and mental strength didn¡¯t weaken at all.


    Moreover, Sword Ghost heard that the fight at that time was a sparring between martial artists, not a life-or-death battle.


    If it were a real battle to the death, the oue is still unknown.


    It is a rule among martial artists that youth is feared inbat. Even martial artists who practice the Long Life Fist can only try their best to maintain their blood and energy.


    "Where did this old monstere from?"


    The Sword Ghost felt a sudden shock in his heart and stopped in his tracks.


    Before him, a faint figure gradually appeared, and it was the old man who sold paintings before.


    "I don¡¯t even have the qualification to use the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method and Red Moon Burning Blood Technique."


    Qiao Mu frowned, the Sword Ghost¡¯s lightness skill was not particrly outstanding, only slightly stronger than the two swordsman earlier.


    He chased after him from behind, and even before he had a chance to use the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, he caught up to him.


    "Looking at it this way, my physical blood and energy have indeed increased quite a bit in these thirty years¡­" Qiao Mu muttered to himself.


    After the 4th rank, it is the Spiritual Refining Method, because at this point, further umting blood and internal strength would have very little effect.


    The Spiritual Refining Method is the righteous path for martial artists.


    Therefore, on this path, Qiao Mu, who has practiced the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra" to the fifth level, can be said to be alone and has not found any other martial artist topare with.


    Originally, I wanted to test my skills with this Sword Ghost that sounds a bit formidable, but who knew that the opponent¡¯s intuition was too strong. They didn¡¯t even have the intention to fight and immediately ran away.


    "Why are you forcing me so much, old man? Obviously, my Eye Attacking Technique didn¡¯t hurt you. You¡¯re not injured at all."


    Sword Ghost¡¯s expression changed a bit at this moment. After thinking for a while, he said:


    "Actually, I am a member of the Martial Arts League¡­"


    Hearing this, the old man paused and showed a curious expression on his face.


    "What is this Martial Arts League? I¡¯ve never heard of it. I¡¯ve only heard of the Wuji Association. Is this Martial Arts League powerful?" he asked curiously.


    Sword Ghost¡¯splexion improved slightly. As long as they didn¡¯t immediately take action, there was still hope. So he said seriously:


    "This Martial Arts League is not simple."


    "It is a martial arts organization established by ¡®King Qin,¡¯ who embodies thebination of martial arts and enlightenment."


    "The Wuji Association, established during Martial Saint¡¯s lifetime, pursued the utmost in martial arts. However, after Martial Saint¡¯s death, the Wuji Association went into hiding and declined."


    "And our ¡®King Qin¡¯ is the one who carries the torch of martial arts in this era after Martial Saint¡¯s passing! He has ¡®martial arts enlightenment¡¯!"


    This statement subtly belittled both Martial Saint and the Wuji Association.


    Qiao Mu immediately became interested.


    He never expected to hear the term ¡®martial arts enlightenment¡¯ from the mouth of Sword Ghost.


    ¡®Martial arts enlightenment¡¯ had always been a vague and elusive legend.


    "What does ¡®martial arts enlightenment¡¯ mean?" he asked.


    "Those who achieve martial arts enlightenment can cultivate the Martial Arts Golden Body, breaking the limits of the human body. No de or spear can harm them, and they are impervious to fire and water!" Sword Ghost dered proudly.


    "The influence of the Wuji Association spreads throughout Jiu Province, but there are also many mediocre martial artists among them. However, my Martial Arts League is different."


    "Only martial artists with Spirit Refining ability are qualified to join the Martial Arts League, and naturally, they are all top elites."


    "Embarking on the Spiritual Refining Method is also one of the prerequisites for achieving mastery in martial arts."


    After Sword Ghost described the greatness of the Martial Arts League, he noticed the increasingly curious expression in the old man¡¯s eyes.


    A sense of unease arose in his heart.


    He heard the old man sigh and say, "So, you guys are this strong, then I¡­"


    "Don¡¯t worry."


    A cold light pierced the night sky, like aet streaking across.


    The old man held a long spear that resembled a dragon, pointing it straight at Sword Ghost¡¯s forehead.


    His movements were extremely fast, and his strength was tremendous. But what amazed people was that this long spear thrust had not even made a sound, as if it had merged with the air.


    Qiao Mu¡¯s Military Spear Skill can be said to be one of the earliest and rtively simple spear techniques.


    Now at the age of ny, his Military Spear Skill has reached perfection, being the only technique that has reached such level among all the martial arts and skills.


    The strong intuition warned him, and the Sword Ghost desperately dodged to the side before the old man thrust the long spear.


    The long spear narrowly grazed the Sword Ghost¡¯s scalp, emitting a sharp aura that cut off a section of his messy hair, leaving a long bloody mark on his scalp, with blood quickly oozing out.


    "Is it the intuition of a Spirit Refining martial artist?" Qiao Mu muttered to himself.


    Although the "Martial Saint Spiritual Technique" also gave him sharp intuition, it was not a true Spiritual Refining Technique, so it was sometimes effective and sometimes not, and it also had the side effect of being sensed by other cultivators¡¯ intuition.


    The Sword Ghost hurriedly dodged Qiao Mu¡¯s spear, feeling a chilling sensation on his head, followed by intense pain.


    "So fast¡­ that spear from the old man earlier was not just about speed¡­"


    The speed of his movements indicated that the old man¡¯s physical strength was definitely not weak, perhaps even stronger than that of the Sword Ghost, a third-rank young man.


    When he was uncertain and puzzled, he could only hear the old man¡¯s feeble voice in front of him.


    "All along, I have had a tiny doubt about what advantages Spirit Refining martial artists have over other martial artists."


    "You can fully utilize your learned skills and rely on your instincts as a Spirit Refining martial artist. Let me observe closely."


    Under the night sky, the moon gently cast its light on the tiled roof of the house. The old man, despite his wrinkles and old age, had bright eyes. The sharp tip of his long spear reflected a chilling cold light in the moonlight.


    "Next, I will stab your left shoulder," calmly said the old man.


    There was no murderous intent in his eyes, only thick curiosity.

 Chapter 138:

    Chapter 138:


    In the outskirts of the Imperial Capital under the cover of night.


    A silhouette of a swordsman swiftly moved on the eaves of the house.


    This swordsman got injured, and there was blood falling from time to time. He kept looking back and was quite scared.


    "This Imperial Capital is indeed full of hidden talents." He couldn¡¯t help but smile bitterly.


    "The praying mantis catches the cicada, while the oriole lurks behind. Who knows, in the end, the cicada almost swallowed the oriole."


    "I don¡¯t know where this strong old man came from. He seems to be around ny years old¡­"


    The swordsman was extremely shocked.


    He had originally intended to take the risk and snatch the Blood Moon Chart from the Sword Ghost, but he didn¡¯t expect it would cost his brother¡¯s life. From now on, it seems that he might be the only one known as "Flying Snow de," instead of "Flying Snow Double des."


    Just as he was feeling emotional, a voice suddenly came to his ears."What praying mantis? Who is the praying mantis? And who is this ny-year-old man?"


    The swordsman was almost scared out of his wits. He quickly turned his head and saw a burly man in ck clothes and a ck cloak draped over his shoulders, running on the eaves together with him.


    The strangest thing is that this person in ck robes is not fast or slow, just at the same speed as him. And even after saying this sentence, he remains calm andposed, showing no signs of breathing heavily.


    "After the yellow sparrow, there is actually a child holding a slingshot?"


    This swordsman, named "Flying Snow de," is too scared to speak. In his heart, he is extremely terrified. He quickly changes direction and clenches his teeth, forcing himself to use the "Blood Shadow Technique" to continue fleeing.


    "You haven¡¯t answered my question yet," the person in the ck robe says calmly. They are less than a meter away from each other, almost side by side. No matter how fast the Flying Snow de runs, it cannot increase the distance between them by even a slight bit.


    It is important to know that the strength of a Spirit Refining martial artist lies in their mental power. So, even though this Spirit Refining martial artist called the Sword Ghost may not be much better than the Flying Snow de in lightness skills.


    In contrast, the Flying Snow de uses a secret technique to increase its running speed by thirty to forty percent more than usual. Not even the Sword Ghost can catch up. Now, the person in the ck robe seems to be handling it with ease.


    The Flying Snow de looks at the person in the ck robe and suddenly remembers something. Instantly, all hope seems to vanish, and they stop in their tracks.


    "So it¡¯s the number one divine capturer in the world, the person with the best lightness skills, Mr. Wei En Wei. This time, I¡¯ve lost."


    He says in despair.


    In his heart, he felt a bit resentful.


    Whether it¡¯s the Sword Ghost or martial artist like Wei En who refines their spirit, fighting is no longer just about fists and kicks, but also about the sh of their minds.


    Wei En deliberately showed off his light skills to taunt him, clearly not to show off in front of others, but to overpower his mind and attack him mentally.


    It must be said that this mental attack strategy is extremely effective.


    Because Wei En is extraordinary, not only is he the best in light skills, but he is also one of the few 1st ranked martial artists in the Great Yan Imperial Court!


    A person¡¯s reputation casts a shadow on others.


    Even a Sword Ghost at the 3rd rank of the Spiritual Refining Period left Flying Snow de almost defenseless with the Flying Snow de, let alone Wei En who is already at the 1st rank of the Spiritual Refining Period?


    Unable to win the fight and unable to escape, what else could he do?


    After recognizing who Wei En really was, Flying Snow de immediately lost any intention of being his enemy.


    "Do you recognize me? Then let¡¯s speak nicely." Wei En¡¯s mouth slightly curved, revealing a chilly smile.


    "The Imperial Capital is a hidden dragon and crouching tiger? Have you even considered where you are? How dare you run wild under the cover of night?"


    This "Flying Snow Double des" is actually a wanted criminal from the Great Yan Imperial Court.


    Killing for treasure and smuggling goods is not something new for him.


    And today, running wild in the outskirts of the city, it seems like he hasn¡¯t done anything good.


    "Tell me, what happened?" Wei En stared into the eyes of the Flying Snow de, his gaze sharp like an eagle, as if he could see through his secrets and uncover all the hidden, dirty things in his heart.


    As the number one divine hunter in the world, Wei En¡¯s Eye Attacking Method is even more brilliant than the Sword Ghost.


    "It¡¯s the Sword Ghost, the Sword Ghost attacked an old man who sells paintings¡­"


    Under the pressure of the Eye Attacking Technique, the immense pressure quickly made the Flying Snow de¡¯s mind copse and reveal his true thoughts, leaving Wei En lost in thought.


    "A ny-year-old man, suspected of suppressing the Sword Ghost, a third-ranking martial artist?"


    Wei En was very knowledgeable.


    So he knew how absurd this matter was.


    Life at seventy is already rare, but a person in their nies is extremely rare.


    But the most rare thing is that there was a very strong old man, even able to overpower a 3rd rank martial artist.


    After a famous expert named Lu Yanbei defeated a 2nd rank martial artist with a wooden sword back then, Lu Yanbei¡¯s reputation and deeds quickly spread throughout Jiu Province.


    And now, there is unexpectedly another powerful old man in his nies who has appeared out of nowhere? It is likely that he will surely create some waves in the Imperial Capital!


    Hold on¡­ an old man with an unusually high age and profound martial arts skills.


    Does this sound a bit oddly familiar?


    Wei En frowned, suddenly remembering the exaggerated stories Qiao Zhong had told him during their previous interrogation.


    This Qiao Zhong was actually a man in his sixties. With Wei En¡¯s guiding questions, he made up a legend about a ce called Taoyuan Land.


    Qiao Zhong had once imed that the Qiao family actually had many hidden elders who were even stronger than him.


    ording to the swordsman, even when the old man reached the age of ny and his vitality had declined, he was able to suppress a Sword Ghost of the third rank spiritual power. If this was the case during his prime, one can only imagine what kind of monster he was¡­


    "Could it be that one of the hidden elders of the Qiao family has appeared?" Wei En wondered, but then chuckled to himself:


    "Hold on, didn¡¯t I help Qiao Zhonge up with the story of the hidden elders of the Qiao family? How did I even start believing in it?"


    Heughed at his own self-mockery and dismissed the thought. He then urged the Flying Snow de to lead the way towards Qiao Mu¡¯s direction.


    Regardless of anything else.


    As a divine catcher, he couldn¡¯t ignore the fact that there were spiritual refining Sword Ghosts robbing and looting during the night.


    Wei En held the Flying Snow de in his hand and swiftly flew by like a big bird.


    He could only hear the strong wind blowing by his ears as the Flying Snow de quickly disappeared into the distance, leaving him startled.


    After a moment, they could faintly hear the sound of a battle ahead.


    However, when they followed the sound, they saw a scene that even these experienced individuals didn¡¯t expect. It was not the serious battle they had imagined¡­


    At this moment.


    The Sword Ghost was already covered in wounds, with several holes pierced through his chest and shoulders. His body was bleeding heavily, and he was gasping for breath, unable to hide his fatigue on his face.


    The old man stood just two steps in front of the Sword Ghost, facing him.


    "Are you ready?" the old man calmly said.


    "Next, I will strike your left cheek."


    As he spoke, his hand trembled and the long stick of the spear shook slightly, turning into a blurry image, swiftly aiming for Sword Ghost¡¯s cheek.


    The Sword Ghost¡¯s pupils suddenly shrank, already trying to crouch down and dodge before Qiao Mu even made a move.


    Guided by instinct, he "saw" the trajectory of the spear swinging in the air, feeling a strong sense of threat on his left cheek.


    He bit his tongue and quickly crouched down.


    However, the old man¡¯s spear changed its move ordingly, sweeping horizontally to a diagonal sh, still very fast.


    "Although he noticed the trajectory of the long spear, he just couldn¡¯t dodge it!"


    Sword Ghost felt a wave of helplessness welling up inside him. His pupils suddenly contracted, but he could only watch as the spear¡¯s stick rapidly grew bigger in his field of vision.


    With a cracking sound.


    The Sword Ghost was sent flying two to three meters by the horizontal strike of the spear, several teeth were forcefully broken, and he fell from the air with a bloodstain in his mouth.


    "Left shoulder." The old man didn¡¯t stop, he swiftly moved forward and came to a stop one meter in front of Sword Ghost.


    The long spear quickly aimed at Sword Ghost¡¯s left shoulder and made a small hole in the flesh.


    "Right arm." As fast as a dragon, the spear stabbed directly at Sword Ghost¡¯s right arm.


    "Left thigh."


    "Left side of the waist."


    "Right calf." The old man appeared very polite and didn¡¯t attack aggressively.


    Before every strike, he always shouted in advance.


    If it weren¡¯t for the few blood holes he actually pierced into Sword Ghost¡¯s body, this scene would be like a martial arts master guiding a apprentice¡¯s practice and testing their evasive skills!


    "What¡­what are you doing?"


    The swordsman, Flying Snow de, felt confused at first, but after watching the battle closely, he felt satisfied in his heart.


    This Sword Ghost had killed his brother. Before, he had been quite arrogant in front of their Flying Snow Double des, easily avoiding theirbined attack.


    But now, in front of the old man, it felt like a master teaching a student, as he tried his best to dodge but had no fighting back power.


    However, the more he looked closely, the more he felt scared in his heart.


    While it was satisfying to see the Sword Ghost fail, their Flying Snow Double des had also targeted the old man, and now they had attracted such a terrifying enemy¡­


    "What rank is this old man?" he couldn¡¯t help asking Wei En beside him.


    Wei En was a highly skilled martial artist with extensive knowledge. With his discerning eyes, he could probably see through the old man¡¯s true abilities.


    "Rank doesn¡¯t matter anymore."


    Wei En stared directly at Qiao Mu¡¯s face.


    After the age of ny, Qiao Mu had mastered Wu Qizheng¡¯s book "Flesh Changing Skill" to a small extent, no longer just makeup.


    Today, when Qiao Mu appeared, he deliberately didn¡¯t use makeup to change his appearance, but instead used "Flesh Changing Skill" to subtly alter his looks.


    This means that the ny-year-old Qiao Shuanglin now looks somewhat simr to the sixty-year-old Qiao Zhong.


    "Could it be that he really is an elder of the Qiao family?" Condor Wei En¡¯s mind was shaken, and even self-doubt arose.


    "Could it be that what Qiao Zhong said that day wasn¡¯t a lie? Does the Qiao family really have elders who are not only older but also more skilled in martial arts than him?"


    As Wei En pondered, the situation on the field also changed.


    "Enough! Until when will you keep humiliating me?"


    The Sword Ghost¡¯s eyes were bloodshot as he shouted,


    "Elder, your physical body is very strong, and your spear speed is extremely fast, obviously surpassing the limits of a 4th rank martial artist, right?"


    "Despite being very old, you have such an unusual body. Maybe you are rted to those who pursue martial arts. Tonight, it seems like there might be chaos within the family¡­"


    Qiao Mu¡¯s gaze turned cold as he held a long spear to the throat of the Sword Ghost, without actually piercing it.


    Through the previous test, he finally realized the strength of a 3rd rank Spirit Refining martial artist.


    This keen intuition is truly useful, allowing a 3rd rank Spirit Refining martial artist to gain the upper hand against a 4th rank martial artist.


    However¡­ his speed was still a bit slow.


    "Are you asking if I, Qiao Shuanglin, have any connection to those who pursue martial arts? Why do you ask?" Qiao Mu secretly chuckled, questioning.


    He intentionally revealed his name.


    "Anybody who pursues martial arts has an incredibly strong and inhuman body¡­" The Sword Ghost reminisced, with a face filled with longing.


    "Hold on, I remember you mentioned earlier that to achieve martial arts mastery, one must first enter the Spiritual Refining Method?" Qiao Mu furrowed his brow and asked.


    "First, spiritual refining, then body training?"


    "Yes. The Golden Body Technique practiced by those who pursue the path of martial arts is divided into three realms: Copper Skin, Iron Bones, and Golden Body¡­" Feeling the urgency of the situation, Sword Ghost volunteered information before Qiao Mu could ask:


    "It is said that the strength of a martial artist¡¯s body is closely rted to the level of spiritual refining. As a 3rd rank Spirit Refining martial artist like myself, I can only achieve the Copper Skin realm at most."


    At this point in the story, Sword Ghost¡¯s face suddenly showed extreme fear.


    His eyes widened, filled with terror, then slowly turned nk. Finally, he lost focus, his pupils dted, and he fell to the ground.


    He died abruptly, out of nowhere.


    "Just when the story was halfway through, why did he die so suddenly? I hadn¡¯t even had a chance to ask about that Blood Sun Chart¡­"


    Qiao Mu pondered. The Blood Sun Chart was probably in the possession of the Wan-family Chamber of Commerce¡­ but that was not important. What concerned him more was the concept of martial arts leading to enlightenment.


    Sword Ghost¡¯s death was clearly not due to sudden death or a sudden illness, but because of the words he left unfinished.


    "Ghosts? Life and death spell? Poison? Or the forbidden spells of the fairy path?" Many thoughts crossed Qiao Mu¡¯s mind.


    Whether it is martial arts or the fairy path, there are many ways to control people, but the fairy path spells are more clever and inconspicuous.


    The abrupt death of the Sword Ghost adds a touch of mystery to the so-called "using martial arts to enter the path".


    "Is he dead¡­" Qiao Mu suddenly turned his head and looked at Wei En and the person secretly watching from afar.


    He had long noticed their surveince, but he didn¡¯t care, and even hoped that someone would watch.


    The more people witnessed his impressive victory over the Sword Ghost, the more famous he would be.


    "Are you the emperor¡¯sckeys?" He looked coldly at Wei En from a distance and sneered:


    "When Sword Ghost tried to steal my Blood Moon Chart, you didn¡¯t show up, but now youe, hoping to take advantage? Come on, I can handle as many people as you bring!"


    "There are no cowards in my Qiao family who fear death!"


    Qiao Mu spoke loudly and said:


    "Remember my name well!"


    "I am Qiao Shuanglin, one of the elders of the Qiao family in this generation!"


    "The Qiao family¡¯s motto is to repay kindness and repay debts!"


    "My son, Qiao Zhong, died at the vegetable market, and his death will not end like this!"


    Qiao Mu¡¯s voice was like thunder, echoing in the darkness.


    What humility? What endurance? What stability? What cowardice?


    As someone who has been reckless since childhood and is still reckless in old age, Qiao Mu is always either causing trouble or on the path to causing trouble!


    The more notorious he bes, the bigger the trouble he can cause, and the higher the death toll!


    As long as Qiao Mu keeps causing trouble, Qiao¡¯s family¡¯s reputation will eventually grow bigger and bigger like a snowball, and finally be famous in Zhong Province!

 Chapter 139:

    Chapter 139:


    Qiao Mu has an insatiable thirst for death.


    He finally realized that after the Martial Saint¡¯s death, his ultimate goal was to be the current martial arts leader, and his smaller goal¡­ was to fully understand the "Human Path Sutra".


    The "Human Path Sutra", or the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra", was taught by Hai Wuya in the heavenly prison.


    The reason for teaching the martial arts technique was the promise made by the Martial Saint in the past. It was a transaction between the two parties, but it didn¡¯t mean that Qiao Mu could simply ept Hai Wuya¡¯s teachings.


    Wuji Association belongs to Wuji Association, and Hai Wuya belongs to Hai Wuya.


    Being born immortal, one must repay gratitude and fulfill debts, that¡¯s how a fulfilling life of avenging and repaying unfolds.


    "Hai Wuya is already old, almost eighty years old," thought Qiao Mu, who was ny years old.


    "He had a great ambition to develop the "Human Path Sutra"."


    "As an immortal, I can elerate the progress of developing the "Human Path Sutra" and try to make sure that Hai Wuya can see the day when the real "Human Path Sutra" is born during his lifetime."This is the method that Qiao Mu came up with to repay Hai Wuya.


    Of course, developing the "Human Path Sutra" also naturally benefits Qiao Mu himself.


    Now that he is ny years old and destined to continue aging, he and Hai Wuya¡¯s "Human Path Sutra" have be inseparable.


    This is the reason why Qiao Mu is taking a risk.


    He is extremely eager for fame and is obsessed with the idea of death.


    Therefore, when he met the renowned Condor Wei En, he not only didn¡¯t avoid him, but instead felt a slightpetitiveness.


    "I have already experienced the taste of being a 3rd rank martial artist. What about the top-ranked 1st martial artist in the world?" This thought shed through his mind.


    "If the Spiritual Refining Method reaches the 1st rank, how strong would it be?"


    "Wei En, are you also here to steal my ancient painting?" Qiao Mu leaped forward, not only evading but also swiftly charging towards Wei En.


    He didn¡¯t know much about Wei En.


    Wei En was a calm person. In the past, he was instrumental in connecting the "Wuji Association" and "Qiao Zhong", and yed a crucial role in teaching martial arts to Hai Wuya and Qiao Zhong.


    However, Wei En didn¡¯t reveal his strong ties to the Wuji Association in front of Qiao Mu. In Qiao Mu¡¯s presence, he remained the number one imperial detective belonging to the Great Yan Imperial Court.


    Qiao Mu didn¡¯t have a good opinion of government officials, so he took the initiative at this moment.


    As he swiftly dashed past, his fist struck Wei En¡¯s chest with great force. In an instant, it went straight through, but there was no sensation in his hand.


    Looking up, Wei En had already turned into a blur and dissipated right in front of Qiao Mu¡¯s eyes.


    At the same time, Qiao Mu¡¯s pupils shrunk as his instincts fluctuated, sensing a hint of danger.


    "Frostbite God w!"


    Wei En¡¯s tall figure had appeared behind him without Qiao Mu noticing. His hands turned into ws, leaving a chilling w mark on Qiao Mu¡¯s shoulder as it forcefully struck through the air.


    Qiao Mu quickly dashed out more than ten meters and stood still in the distance, looking down at his shoulder.


    They didn¡¯t fight for long, just a brief touch and separation.


    "Is this the power of a martial artist ranked first?" Qiao Mu looked down at the w marks on his shoulder, blood trickling out and staining it red.


    Although the wound is not shallow, it¡¯s not deep either. While the skin is broken, it hasn¡¯t reached the bone, so it can¡¯t be considered a serious injury.


    As the w marks formed, a chilling internal strength started to seep into the wound. Although it wasn¡¯t a big problem, it made him feel ufortable.


    With the agile movements of a third-ranked martial artist and instinctive spiritual refining, Qiao Mu waspletely defenseless.


    The first-ranked martial artist¡¯s swift movements,bined with their first-ranked intuition, already surpassed Qiao Mu¡¯s speed.


    And Wei En¡¯s w skill, although not bad, is clearly inferior to his light skill.


    Just like a moment ago.


    When Qiao Mu¡¯s sometimes unreliable intuition sensed danger, he actually had a chance to dodge Wei En¡¯s attack.


    He was just too stubborn, thinking of using his own hard work to test the depth of Wei En¡¯s w skill.


    So he intentionally stayed in ce without dodging, secretly using his own physical body to resist this w.


    Although he got injured, Qiao Mu also saw the truth of Wei En¡¯s abilities.


    "Wei En¡¯s strength is worthy for me to use the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, but his light skill is too good. Even with the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, it¡¯s unlikely to catch up, can¡¯t hit, and there¡¯s no point in getting entangled¡­"


    This thought crossed Qiao Mu¡¯s mind and he immediately stopped thinking about fighting Wei En.


    He wasn¡¯t afraid of death.


    But how to die, when to die, and the quality of death, are all very important questions worth exploring.


    So, he swiftly disappeared into the night using his lightness skills.


    The voice of the old man echoed in the darkness.


    "Remember, my name is Qiao Shuanglin. I came to this Imperial Capital to seek justice for my son Qiao Zhong!"


    Qiao¡¯s family always repays their debts!


    However, when people like Wei En hear the name Qiao Zhong and know the whole story, they feel an immense sense of heaviness in their hearts.


    Who killed Qiao Zhong?


    It was Emperor Yonghe, the current ruler, along with the two powerful Immortal Gates: The Great Dao Sect in Zhong Province and the Xuantian Temple in Nan Province.


    Although Qiao¡¯s family is known for standing up for their loved ones, this is quite bold. It¡¯s like dering war against the Great Yan Imperial Court and the Immortal Gates¡­


    "Why is Qiao¡¯s family so fearless and brave?"


    Wei En sighed softly, watching Qiao Mu walk away, but he didn¡¯t chase after him.


    This Qiao Shuanglin harbored hostility towards him, and he understood because he was an official of the Great Yan Imperial Court, seen as a henchman in the eyes of the martial artsmunity.


    However, Qiao Shuanglin¡¯s hostility didn¡¯t affect his admiration for Qiao¡¯s family.


    The reputation of Qiao¡¯s family was built upon the sacrifice of countless lives, this was a solid fact, naturally resounding and renowned.


    "Is the hidden sect of Qiao¡¯s family really exist? This Qiao Shuanglin is truly extraordinary."


    Wei En nced at his right hand.


    He had just used his w technique to push back Qiao Mu, although he had held back, he had no intention of taking Qiao Mu¡¯s life.


    "Not only is his martial arts skill impressive, but his internal strength is also incredibly strong? Although my w technique can cut through his flesh, it is difficult to make further progress."


    "The extent of his inner strength was even more surprising than his physical body."


    As the Imperial Capital¡¯s chief detective, Wei En had encountered countless cunning and wicked criminals, among them, there were nock of powerful Spirit Refining martial artists.


    The disyed power that Qiao Shuanglin showed tonight left him amazed.


    Qiao Shuanglin¡¯s lightness skill and body movements were not as good as his, but it didn¡¯t mean Qiao Shuanglin was weak.


    Because the Martial Saint had passed away, he was now considered the best in lightness skill.


    In addition to Qiao Shuanglin¡¯s intuition as the top-ranked spiritual-refining martial artist, it was difficult for anyone to get close to him.


    "How did Qiao Shuanglin cultivate his martial arts? It seems that he¡¯s not a true Spirit Refining martial artist, but rather someone who has practiced the ¡®Martial Saint Spiritual Technique¡¯. Is his intuition unreliable at times?"


    Wei En furrowed his brows.


    Being knowledgeable and having encountered the Wuji Association before, he could see through Qiao Mu¡¯s true and false.


    So he was even more surprised.


    Ever since the appearance of the Spiritual Refining Method, the path of the martial artist has expanded to include the 3rd rank.


    After reaching the upper limit of the 4th rank, no one foolishly focused on cultivating internal strength for physical growth. Instead, they all worked hard towards mastering the Spiritual Refining Method.


    Because the intuition of a Spirit Refining martial artist far surpasses that of a traditional martial artist, this is a fact proven through fist fights!


    The current version of martial artists has long been focused on refining their intuition, but suddenly an opposite version of Qiao Shuanglin appears?


    There are no shortcuts to cultivating strength and power, only years of umtion and perseverance can lead to results.


    Even so,pared to the Spiritual Refining Method, this path can be said to be half the effort for half the result. It is a path that has been obsolete for hundreds of years.


    And now¡­ at the age of ny, Qiao Shuanglin effortlessly defeats a 3rd rank Spirit Refining martial artist, Sword Ghost, as if a master defeats an apprentice.


    If Qiao Shuanglin has extraordinary talent, then it is understandable.


    After all, Jiu Province was full of talented people and amazing adventures.


    People with natural divine power, astonishing talents, unique physical abilities, or those who have consumed special fruits to enhance their internal strength¡­ Although they were rare, Jiu Province was very big.


    ording to what he knew, the Martial Saint¡¯s disciples, known as the "seventy-two wise men," were a gathering of extraordinary talents like these.


    But Qiao Shuanglin was different from them.


    Because he belonged to the Qiao¡¯s family.


    "The Qiao¡¯s family was never just one person. If Qiao Shuanglin¡¯s exceptional physical body and internal strength were not solely his own talents, but instead a result of the mysterious Qiao family from Taoyuan Land, who had truly discovered an effective path, then?" This thought crossed Wei En¡¯s mind.


    If that¡¯s really the case¡­ then how could he just watch Qiao Shuanglin walk towards a path of self-destruction?


    He shivered with a sudden surge of killing intent.


    "Qiao Shuanglin, I know you want revenge for your son and wanted me to help you be famous, but facing Immortal Gate and the current emperor, your strength is like hitting a stone with an egg, without any way out!"


    "But I, Wei En, have always been righteous and hate evil. How could I sit back and watch you die miserably?"


    He naturally kept silent and didn¡¯t mention Qiao Shuanglin¡¯s audacious words tonight.


    But that¡¯s not enough.


    Wei En¡¯s gaze was sharp like a de, once again using the Eye Attacking Technique, deeply intimidating the nearby Flying Snow de, forcing him not to reveal anything.


    Then he shot an arrow into the air, and soon the Six Gates¡¯ pursuers hurriedly arrived, escorting Flying Snow de away, and also took the time to clean up the bodies of Flying Snow de¡¯s brother and the Sword Ghost.


    After doing all this, Wei En didn¡¯t stop there.


    He knew this was only the beginning, there was more to be done tonight.


    The Imperial Capital¡¯s hidden talents are not just empty words.


    Qiao Mu was selling ancient paintings loudly on the street, and those who were attracted to him were probably not just the Sword Ghost and the Flying Snow Double des brothers.


    Moreover, from Wei En¡¯s perspective, the Sword Ghost suddenly copsed halfway through speaking, which was obviously abnormal.


    There may be other people lurking around here¡­ It is very possible that they are from the "Martial Arts League," so they made a move with unknown means at a critical moment, killing the Sword Ghost to prevent him from revealing the secrets of the league.


    "There are so many rats in the gutter." Wei En¡¯s gaze turned cold. He spread his cloak and disappeared into the night like a big bird.


    "Qiao Shuanglin was honest and straightforward, talking to himself about avenging his son. But I cannot let him die like this."


    "So, I will put the glory of being the number one divine catcher in the world at stake. I want to catch all those rats lurking in the dark, to prevent the information from leaking out and causing Immortal Gate to be hostile towards Qiao Shuanglin."


    "The second half of the night will be busy." He muttered, his voice low.


    Wei En was extraordinary, his lightness skill unrivaled in the world.


    In the past, when he was not in the Imperial Capital, he had served in the city of Gottang in Zhong Province.


    And so, overnight, he single-handedly rid the entire city of the gang of thieves. The prisons were overflowing, and when it was all over, the sun hadn¡¯t even risen yet. It seemed as if time had frozen in that one night.


    Wei En became famous because of this battle and was known as the greatest bounty hunter in the world. When Emperor Yonghe heard of his reputation, he specifically appointed him to the Imperial Capital, where he has been for many years.


    As the greatest bounty hunter in the world, he now risks his own honor to deal with these insignificant rats in the gutter. Isn¡¯t it a piece of cake for him?


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    One hourter.


    Wei En was bleeding profusely, his face pale as paper. However, his expression was extremely serious as he used all his strength to perform light-footed techniques, moving through the night like a wisp of smoke.


    "Qiao Shuanglin, my power is limited this time. I cannot prevent your fame from spreading in the Imperial Capital¡­ even though that is your wish." Wei En¡¯s lips had lost their color, and his injuries were severe.


    If it weren¡¯t for his unparalleled light-footed skills, he would have lost his life at the hands of that mysterious person just now.


    "Is he the ¡®martial arts enlightenment¡¯ that the Sword Ghost mentioned? From the Martial Arts League?"


    Wei En didn¡¯t quite understand what "martial arts enlightenment" meant.


    However, after a brief encounter with the mysterious person known as "martial arts enlightened one," Wei En was seriously injured and narrowly escaped death.


    "That person¡¯s physical body doesn¡¯t seem like an ordinary human¡­ Is this what they call the Martial Arts Golden Body?" Remembering the mysterious man from earlier, Wei En¡¯s face became extremely serious.


    "I can¡¯t die yet¡­"


    He used his lightness skills and quickly disappeared into the darkness of the night.


    ¡­¡­¡­..


    The night gradually grew darker.


    Inside a house on the outskirts of the city, iraudience, who was listening to the movements on the ground with his ears, suddenly raised his head.


    Wherever there are troublemakers, there is a Tide Listening Building.


    "Tonight, it is surprisingly lively." It was alreadyte at night, but iraudience showed no signs of tiredness and was actually very energetic.


    "This Qiao Shuanglin just arrived in the Imperial Capital, and he¡¯s already causing a stir¡­ Not only him, but the effects of Martial Saint¡¯s death have also stirred up the hidden currents in the darkness¡­"


    The name iraudience was not randomly chosen.


    As a transcendent and mysterious force in the martial world, Tide Listening Building must have something to rely on in order to survive Martial Saint¡¯s hands.


    iraudience, among the storytellers of Tide Listening Building, is a naturally gifted genius.


    He has exceptional hearing ability since birth, and with training, he can perceive even the subtlest details. He can even hear the sound of martial arts from a distance, making him a remarkable figure in the world.


    "Qiao Shuanglin£¿Martial Arts League£¿"


    "Heh, with the death of Martial Saint, the stagnant martial arts world has indeed brought about many changes, but whether they are good or bad, it¡¯s still unpredictable."


    iraudience¡¯s eyes sparkled as he heard the secret rumors of tonight. Keeping it to himself was simply impossible.

 Chapter 140:

    Chapter 140:


    To the east of the Imperial Capital was the old residence of the Fang family.


    After confirming that no one was following him, Qiao Mu disyed his light skills and leaped over the courtyard wall,nding in the old residence¡¯s garden.


    It was nowte at night, with the moonlight illuminating half of the wall. With a gentle breeze, the rustling of leaves could be heard, and the shadows of two jujube trees swayed on the wall.


    Fang Yuan, who was still awake, sat under the eaves and watched as Qiao Mu flew into the courtyard. He felt a inexplicable excitement in his heart.


    "Is Senior Qiao injured?"


    He naturally knew about Qiao Mu¡¯s mission to bring the Blood Moon Chart. However, with his own abilities, if he were to get involved, not only would he be of no help, but he might also die in vain.


    "Just a minor injury," Qiao Mu replied casually.


    He was indeed very calm.


    Other than severe injuries like fatal wounds or severed meridians, everything else is considered minor injuries, and he is already used to it."Compared to this little matter, I have already avenged a part of your parents¡¯ enemies," he said.


    "Wan Ronghua¡¯s offering, the Sword Ghost, has already died, and died by my hands."


    Fang Yuan¡¯s mind shook, then he looked at the injury on Qiao Mu¡¯s shoulder.


    "So Senior Qiao¡¯s injury was caused by the Sword Ghost¡­"


    "Don¡¯t underestimate me, what abilities does that Sword Ghost have to harm me?"


    Qiao Mu didn¡¯t exin further.


    Suddenly, there was a meow, and a very fast ck shadow darted out of the shadow of the courtyard wall.


    It was the Impermanent Demon Cat, currently circling around Qiao Mu¡¯s body, looking extremely anxious and meowing in a distressed manner.


    "Ghost, did you secretly go out to do something dangerous in the middle of the night? Without taking me?"


    Qiao Mu naturally couldn¡¯t understand what the cat meant, so he just imagined it in his pure mind.


    He noticed that this cat didn¡¯t show the same obsessed look as before when sucking in life energy.


    Perhaps this meant that his journey tonight didn¡¯t actually encounter any real life-threatening danger?


    In the next moment, the cat pounced on his face like a butterfly and then its ws held onto his shoulder, while its tongue licked the wound on Qiao Mu¡¯s shoulder.


    The tongue of a feline animal has barbs, and this Impermanent Demon Cat is a creature of the supernatural, so it wouldn¡¯t be impossible even if its tongue grew sharp fangs.


    With this lick, Qiao Mu felt a strangebination of pain and numbing relief.


    After the licking session, the pain on his shoulder actually lessened and even the bleeding stopped.


    "I can¡¯t believe there¡¯s such a use for tongues? Massaging with a tongue?"


    Qiao Mu seemed quite surprised.


    The cat seemed to vaguely know that Qiao Mu was praising him, and proudly raised its round little head, with a look that said "keep praising me!"


    Qiao Mu gently scratched the cat¡¯s chin, making the little kittyfortably close its eyes and stick out its tongue.


    "It has a rough tongue." In the moment when the cat closed its eyes, Qiao Mu swiftly moved and pinched its unpredictable tongue, truly experiencing the sensation of a cat¡¯s tongue.


    "Meow meow¡­" The unpredictable cat struggled and swiftly pped Qiao Mu¡¯s hand twice, then after breaking free, it hid in the shadow under the eaves, looking at Qiao Mu cautiously from a distance.


    Fang Yuan didn¡¯t pay attention to Qiao Mu¡¯s yfulness with the cat, his attention was always on the wound on Qiao Mu¡¯s shoulder.


    "Senior Qiao, this seems to be more than just an ordinary external injury." Fang Yuan said.


    Although the wound on the shoulder was no longer bleeding, it emitted a faint chill and there were even faint traces of frost forming.


    "Wei En¡¯s ws carry a poisonous chill¡­ Although the wound isn¡¯t deep, it¡¯s a bit troublesome," Qiao Mu thought to himself.


    This injury is not serious.


    Those minor cold toxins are not difficult to handle, and Qiao Mu didn¡¯t pay much attention to them.


    In fact, this is also a warning from Wei En.


    Intentionally striking with such force, injuring Qiao Mu but still holding back, it is a warning to him.


    ording to Wei En¡¯s thoughts, these minor cold toxins are not a big problem and will fade away in about seven days. However, it will eventually affect Qiao Mu¡¯s internal strength, so if Qiao Mu wants to fight with others before the cold toxins arepletely eliminated, it will have some impact.


    In other words, with this strike, it means that Qiao Mu should refrain from causing trouble in the short term and at least recover from the injury first.


    "Senior Qiao, I know a famous doctor in the Imperial Capital named Dong Xinglin."


    Fang Yuan couldn¡¯t help but speak up.


    Qiao Mu avenged him, and he naturally felt grateful, but he couldn¡¯t repay the favor. So, when he saw that Qiao Mu was injured at this moment, he expressed his willingness to introduce the renowned doctor.


    "In the past, he did a kind thing, not afraid of offending the Sword Ghost, and told me that my parents were hurt in their spirits by the Eye Attacking Technique. Perhaps he can help treat the older generation¡¯s injuries."


    "Why bother seeking medical treatment for such a minor injury?" Qiao Mu didn¡¯t pay attention.


    "Tomorrow, I will continue to sell paintings in the antique street."


    "If I¡¯m still not better tomorrow, I will go the day after."


    If it¡¯s a serious injury, Qiao Mu will just end his own life right there, exchanging old age for a refreshed body, not caring about any injuries.


    What he is more concerned about is when Qiao Shuanglin will die this time.


    The Imperial Capital hides many talented individuals, which means that by acting so conspicuously, it¡¯s estimated that his reputation will spread quickly.


    Fang Yuan had no objections.


    Or even if he had objections, it wouldn¡¯t change Qiao Mu¡¯s decision.


    He just took a deep look at Qiao Mu and his figure deeply imprinted on his eyes.


    When he was young, his father told him that he was only seven years old when he was ced under someone else¡¯s care, but he never forgot the kindness of his biological father. So now, he naturally cannot readily ept Qiao Shuanglin¡¯s kindness towards him.


    He repays others in the same way they treat him.


    His father treats him as his own, and he sees his father as his biological father.


    He is currently weak and only holds the 9th rank, which doesn¡¯t allow him to help Qiao Mu. But it doesn¡¯t stop him from setting goals in his heart.


    ¡­¡­¡­


    The next day.


    It was just dawn when Qiao Mu appeared once again on Antique Street in Imperial Capital.


    He was still the same as yesterday, promoting the Blood Moon Chart, boasting that the painting is worth ten thousand silver taels.


    The street vendors around were all gone.


    Anyone who was well-informed or had some experience would know that this old man was extraordinary.


    Holding a valuable ancient painting worth thousands of taels, capable of attracting martial artists of rank 4th and above, he was shouting and selling it in the busy market. The next day, he appeared unharmed and continued to sell it as if nothing had happened¡­ Who wouldn¡¯t know that this old man was an expert fisherman?


    ¡­¡­..


    "Qiao Shuanglin£¿"


    Inside the Hai family¡¯s mansion, when Hai Wuya heard this news from the old butler, his usually calm andposed heart started to ripple.


    "After Qiao Zhong, is the next member of the Qiao family really appearing in the Imperial Capital so soon? But he¡¯s even more high-profile than I imagined."


    Hai Wuya squinted his eyes and thought of Qiao Zhong in the heavenly prison.


    In the past, when he was in the heavenly prison, he didn¡¯t know if he would be able toe out alive.


    So, in reality, he treated sixty-year-old Qiao Zhong as a disciple inheriting his legacy.


    Now, Qiao Zhong passed away before him, and he also heard that Qiao¡¯s family appeared in the Imperial Capital. How could he not be filled with mixed emotions?

 Chapter 141:

    Chapter 141:


    Inside the House of the Hai Family.


    This house appears quite old, with peeling walls and worn-out furniture.


    Hai Wuya stood in the empty courtyard, with only the old butler behind him.


    He silently gazed at the equally ancient tree, feeling a surge of emotions.


    Thirty years had passed since his imprisonment in the heavenly prison, and the glory of the Hai Family had faded. His wife had passed away many years ago, and their two sons were no longer in the Imperial Capital.


    Upon his return, the once grand house was now only attended by the loyal old butler.


    The house had lost its liveliness, feeling empty and filled with a heavy air, but Hai Wuya didn¡¯t mind.


    Because his time was running out.


    "Ahem¡­"Hai Wuya coughed softly, hunching his body slightly.


    He was nearly eighty years old, and had spent thirty years in the dark and damp environment of the heavenly prison, causing irreversible damage to his body.


    Though martial artists are strong, their lifespans are still within the range of ordinary people.


    Hai Wuya, despite practicing martial arts in his early years, came from a different branch of the Shaolin monks. Over the years, his body had umted some hidden injuries, which had now be chronic illnesses in his old age.


    His remaining time might not be much, and he knew his life was nearing its end.


    Even though he had left the heavenly prison, the sight of the Imperial Capital didn¡¯t bring him much joy.


    Thirty years had passed, and the Great Yan Imperial Court was in decline, resembling the final years of a dynasty, with natural disasters and man-made tragedies urring throughout thend.


    Not only were there natural disasters and man-made tragedies, but even "Inhuman Disasters" were happening frequently, especially after the Martial Saint¡¯s death.


    "Fifteen days ago, the vige of Tan County in Zhong Province was attacked by evil sorcerers from the Blood Lotus Sect. One hundred thousand people died and it was all because they were trying to make something called the Ten Thousand Souls Banner."


    "Dao Zhen, a disciple of the Great Dao Sect, heard about this and went to Tan County. He fought against the disciples of the Blood Lotus Sect. Although he seeded in killing them, it also caused great damage to two nearby mountain viges, and many people were injured or killed."


    "One month ago, there was a sudden thunderstorm with lightning in the sky above Dan City in Zhong Province. It seemed like it was caused by two immortals fighting each other. Half of the city was destroyed by the lightning, and around one hundred thousand people were hurt or killed."


    "The local officials informed the disciples of the Great Dao Sect about this, but they haven¡¯t received any response yet. They can only guess that this incident may be rted to the Great Dao Sect or other Immortal Gates."


    "Even until today, our Great Yan Imperial Court still doesn¡¯t know where those two immortal cultivators came from, why they were fighting, and why they chose to fight in the sky above Dan City¡­ maybe they don¡¯t even care."


    All of these things are called the "Inhuman Disaster."


    The so-called Inhuman Disaster means a disaster caused by inhuman beings. It is not exactly the same as the concept of natural and man-made disasters.


    Natural disasters are things like earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, and hurricanes. They cannot be predicted and humans cannot stop them. When they happen, it is all about luck.


    Man-made disasters are disasters caused by regr people, such as robberies, fights, and even wars, big or small.


    The so-called Inhuman Disaster is caused by something inhuman. It is much more destructive than human-caused disasters, like a natural cmity. Ordinary people cannot predict it or fight against it.


    It¡¯s like when the heavens decide to rain, sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn¡¯t. Whether it happens or not depends on fate.


    After thirty years in the heavenly prison, the Inhuman Disaster bes more and more intense.


    If the Martial Saint is still alive, perhaps the Immortal Gate will tone down a bit¡­ Hai Wuya thought to himself and shook his head in disappointment.


    After leaving the heavenly prison, the sky above was even darker than the prison ceiling.


    It was only when he heard the news about Qiao¡¯s family that he felt a little relieved.


    "Qiao Zhong unexpectedly died before me, just as he had grasped my power¡­ I can only pass on the Human Path Sutra to the next Qiao¡¯s family."


    "No, it¡¯s not just the Qiao¡¯s family. Deciphering the true Human Path Sutra will be a long process and requires teamwork."


    "Passing it on to the Qiao¡¯s family is just the beginning."


    Hai Wuya lowered his eyelids, and he also needed to start nning for the future.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    Tea House in the Imperial Capital, Natural Abode.


    A swordsman with a long sword at his waist entered the door, took out a little silver and exchanged it for a small booklet to read. On it were the words "Martial Artists Ranking".


    The business of the Tide Listening Building is not only limited to storytelling.


    Depending solely on a storyteller¡¯s words is too slow.


    The rankings of the martial arts world released by the Tide Listening Building evaluate martial arts heroes from all over, and are quite popr, with stories of martial artists, both true and false, mixed in.


    "On the Strength List, at number ny-nine, there¡¯s a ny-year-old martial artist named Qiao Shuanglin."


    "Hmm, this is really strange. There¡¯s actually a ny-year-old on the Strength List¡­"


    "Even though internal strength umtes with age, it doesn¡¯t decline rapidly like a martial god¡¯s physical vitality due to aging. However, the growth of internal strength is also limited."


    "The physical body is the foundation of a martial artist, and in old age, the martial artist¡¯s vitality declines. It is not easy for internal strength to continue to grow¡­ Could this Qiao Shuanglin have eaten some precious treasure?"


    "Ah, it says here that he has defeated the famous Imperial Capital 3rd rank martial artist ¡®Sword Ghost¡¯¡­. So this Qiao Shuanglin is probably in this Imperial Capital too? Is this a recent event? Tide Listening Building is really well-informed¡­"


    In the corner, iraudience listened to the discussions of these martial artists and smiled proudly in his heart.


    It was his idea to rank Qiao Shuanglin 99th on the Strength List.


    However, since he didn¡¯t personally witness it and only relied on his exceptional hearing through his ¡®iraudience,¡¯ there may be some inuracies.


    With his keen insight, iraudience was certain that Qiao Shuanglin¡¯s level of internal strength must be astonishing, being able to defeat Sword Ghost. Therefore, he was more than qualified to climb the Strength List!


    In the Martial Arts Rankings, there are three lists for power, skills, and techniques, each with a hundred people, selecting the top heroes from various martial arts fields.


    Basically, only martial artists of 4th rank or above, who have reached the limits of the human body, are qualified to be included.


    Besides these three lists, there is also a list called the "Spiritual Refining List", which ranks the top Spiritual Refining Method practitioners in the world.


    The current Spiritual Refining List is simr to the "Hero List" during the "All-known Man" era decades ago, because Spiritual Refining martial artists represent the pinnacle of martial artists in the world. The strongest among them is considered the strongest martial artist in the world.


    The iraudience didn¡¯t notice that in a corner of the teahouse, there was a bearded customer sitting, enjoying tea and reading a book, listening to the casual chat of the martial artists.


    "Ny-nine on the Strength List, Qiao Shuanglin¡­" the bearded customer put down his book.


    On the cover of this paperback book were the words "Asshole Pointing Hand".


    A slight smile appeared on the corner of the bearded customer¡¯s mouth, with a hint of anticipation in his eyes.


    "In the past, you asked if I could wipe out my Qiao¡¯s family, but can you defeat an immortal?¡­ I¡¯m curious to see if the elders of this Qiao family you mentioned are as tough as you were."


    Gurgling sounds.


    He tilted his head back and drank arge cup of tea, with his Adam¡¯s apple moving up and down.


    He was a little thirsty.

 Chapter 142:

    Chapter 142:


    Antique Street in the Imperial Capital.


    Qiao Mu satfortably on the side of the road.


    In front of him, the valuable Blood Moon Chart worth ten thousand silver taels was spread out on the stall, covered with ayer of white cloth, serving as a simple stall.


    The surroundings became empty, and the stall owners on Antique Street instinctively kept their distance from him, afraid to get close to the old man.


    But when they called out to sell their antiques, they couldn¡¯t help but nce at the old man from the corners of their eyes, observing his every move.


    At this moment, Qiao Mu seemed unaware of the gaze of others as he stared at a small booklet in his hand, reading undisturbed.


    This small booklet was found during the search of the Sword Ghost¡¯s body.


    Last night, as Qiao Mu left, he didn¡¯t forget to search for something on Sword Ghost.


    Among them, besides a valuable silver ticket worth a thousand taels, what caught Qiao Mu¡¯s attention the most was this little booklet.This little booklet contains the personal martial arts experiences of Sword Ghost, a 3rd rank martial artist, but it¡¯s not strictly a martial arts secret manual.


    However, it does indeed record Sword Ghost¡¯s proud skill ¨C the ¡°Eye Sword Technique.¡±


    This is a rare spiritual refining expert¡¯s Eye Attacking Method, which reveals the secret of Sword Ghost¡¯s ability to kill with his eyes.


    ¡°Martial artists who step into the Spiritual Refining Method have a much stronger and more resilient mind than ordinary people.¡±


    ¡°One of the external manifestations of a 3rd rank Spiritual Refining Period martial artist is sharp intuition, anticipating the enemy and being able to sense danger in advance.¡±


    ¡°If one reaches the 2nd rank of the Spiritual Refining Period, their powerful mind can perceive everything around them, and all memories from childhood to adulthood can be vividly recalled in their mind.¡±


    ¡°And the so-called Eye Attacking Method is a means for Spirit Refining martial artists to actively use their powerful ¡®spirit¡¯ to cause mental impact on their enemies.¡±


    ¡°With a focused mind like a sharp sword, it is as if the eyes are the sword, able to harm others invisibly, without the need for directbat.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°This technique called ¡®Eye Sword Technique¡¯ is quite unique, but ording to its requirements, one must first reach the 3rd rank of the Spiritual Refining Period in order to practice it.¡±


    Qiao Mu, at the moment, is no longer following the mainstream Spiritual Refining Method. He can be said to be on the path of Qi and Blood, further exploring the ¡°Xumi Mountain King Sutra¡± derived from Hai Wuya¡¯s teachings.


    Even though he has practiced the ¡°Martial Saint Spiritual Technique,¡± it is merely a bait thrown out by the Martial Saint, a method to select talented individuals,cking the possibility for further advancement.


    ¡°For now, I cannot make use of this ¡®Eye Sword Technique,¡¯ but if my ¡®spirit¡¯ continues to grow stronger through constant honing, perhaps it is not entirely impossible.¡±


    This thought crossed Qiao Mu¡¯s mind.


    He didn¡¯t really care much anymore whether he would be able to sell the Blood Moon Chart at his booth.


    The next day, he carried on with his booth, simply for the purpose of showing it to others.


    This 3rd ranked martial artist, Sword Ghost, is not a lone ranger.


    He is not only a household enshrined by wealthy merchant Wan Ronghua, but also a member of the Martial Arts League, an organization of Spirit Refining martial artists.


    Even if ced among the martial artsmunity in the Imperial Capital, this character is not a small fry. His death will definitely not go unnoticed.


    As long as Qiao Mu continues to set up his stall as usual, the news of Sword Ghost¡¯s death will continue to spread.


    At that time, there will be obstacles to defend against the soldiers, and measures taken to hide the truth.


    ¡­¡­.


    Qiao Mu¡¯s guess was not wrong.


    At this moment, on the attic of Wan family¡¯s antique shop on Antique Street.


    Wan Ronghua stood in front of the attic window, his gaze peering through the shutters, watching Qiao Mu selling antique paintings on the street.


    ¡°Fang¡¯er, are you really telling the truth? Have you really seen that painting?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely true.¡± Behind Wan Ronghua, Fang Fang nodded quickly.


    ¡°I remember seeing my dad take out this painting in the old house¡­ I just confused this Blood Moon Chart with the Blood Sun Chart. Only now, seeing this Blood Moon Chart, I realize there were two simr ancient paintings.¡±


    ¡°So, in addition to the Blood Sun Chart, the Fang family also had a second Blood Moon Chart¡­¡± Wan Ronghua suddenly realized, then his gaze fixed on the painting in front of Qiao Mu, the antique street vendor.


    The Blood Moon Chart, originally belonging to his father, was now in Qiao Mu¡¯s hands.


    This made him unable to help but think of Fang Yuan, who had recently purchased the Fang family¡¯s old house.


    ¡°If this Qiao Shuanglin has ns to support Fang Yuan, then we might be in trouble¡­¡± Wan Ronghua spected in his mind.


    Although it was just a guess, the fact that Qiao Shuanglin had just in the Sword Ghost, a formidable martial arts expert, put immense pressure on him.


    ¡°How is Fang Yuan so lucky?¡± Fang Fang furrowed her eyebrows in concern.


    ¡°My father valued me at first, and now there is a powerful martial artist to stand up for him¡­¡±


    Wan Ronghua was worried.


    ¡°Sword Ghost was one of the deities worshipped by my Wan family. He used our Wan family¡¯s sources to hear about the Blood Moon Chart, but ended up being killed by Qiao Shuanglin¡­ It seems that our Wan family might have a grudge against this Qiao Shuanglin. Why else would he purposely sell things in front of my shop? He¡¯s afraid that I won¡¯t know that he killed Sword Ghost.¡±


    If it¡¯s not necessary, Wan Ronghua naturally wouldn¡¯t provoke Qiao Shuanglin, a powerful martial artist.


    But if they be enemies and it bes a fight to the death, even if the enemy is strong, he will have to find ways to defeat him.


    Moreover, Qiao Shuanglin might also be avenging Gaoler Fang Yuan from the heavenly prison. This means that the grudge between the two sides might be bigger than he imagined.


    Trying to confront him head-on will obviously not work.


    Although the Wan family still has other Spirit Refining martial artists, they might not be willing to risk their lives for Wan Ronghua, especially since Sword Ghost has already died.


    Therefore, they can only find other solutions.


    ¡°The story of a person named Qiao Shuanglin has spread throughout the Imperial Capital sincest night. There are definitely forces who want to get rid of him, they justck an opportunity.¡± Wan Ronghua calmly analyzed.


    ¡°After all, this is the Imperial Capital.¡±


    ¡°Even someone like Qiao Shuanglin, who has achieved a lot, needs to follow the rules of the Imperial Capital when they arrive here.¡±


    ¡°No matter how powerful a martial artist¡¯s fist is, it cannot match the might of the Great Dao Sect¡­¡±


    ¡°So in order to get rid of Qiao Shuanglin, we need to use the proper rules andws.¡±


    He wasn¡¯t impulsive. After hearing the news of Sword Ghost¡¯s death, he immediately investigated Qiao Shuanglin and the story behind Qiao¡¯s family.


    ¡°Qiao¡¯s family is known for their honorable reputation.¡±


    ¡°And this is the weakness of that old man.¡±


    Wan Ronghua had a thought and made a n.


    ¡­¡­¡­.


    As the sun went down, Qiao Mu had been watching the Sword Ghost practicing martial arts by the street all day, and he was starting to get a bit impatient.


    ¡°Why hasn¡¯t anyonee to kill me yet? Am I too strong?¡±


    After fishing all day without any bites, he started to feel a bit frustrated.


    ¡°Since I didn¡¯t catch any fish for now, I better take care of my injuries first.¡± He nced at the wound on his shoulder.


    He had thought the injury would heal in a day or two, but even after spending the whole day in the sunlight, it didn¡¯t seem to make much difference.


    It seemed like it would take more than a day or two, probably around seven to eight days to heal.


    In that case, since he didn¡¯t have any luck on Antiques Street either, he decided to move on to a different ce¡­ and maybe try to find that Famous Doctor Dong Xinglin to treat his injuries.

 Chapter 143:

    Chapter 143:


    Famous Doctor Dong Xinglin¡¯s clinic is located to the west of the Imperial Capital.


    He is a very skilled doctor, and it is said that he also had some experience in martial arts. Among his patients, there are also martial artists.


    In the past, Fang Yuan¡¯s parents were troubled and searched all over the Imperial Capital for a famous doctor, but either the doctors had limited knowledge or they feared the reputation of the Spirit Refining martial artist, Sword Ghost. Only Dong Xinglin, who was righteous and frank, told Fang Yuan¡¯s parents that they were injured by the Spirit Refining martial artist¡¯s Eye Attacking Method.


    Otherwise, Fang Yuan would have thought that his parents had some strange illness, and they might still be in the dark until today.


    On this day, when the sky was just getting bright, Qiao Mu followed Fang Yuan¡¯s guidance and arrived at the clinic.


    The clinic signboard reads "Apricot Forest Clinic," and there were already several patients waiting at the entrance. Among them were wealthy people dressed in fancy clothes, as well as ordinary folks in simple clothing. However, all these people were patiently waiting in the waiting area, in an orderly manner.


    Fang Yuan was quite upset about this, so he found a middle-aged doctor he knew well and talked about getting treatment for Qiao Mu¡¯s injury. However, the middle-aged doctor shook his head.


    "If you want treatment, you¡¯ll have to wait in line like everyone else."


    "This is a rule set by the master. It doesn¡¯t matter who you are or where youe from as a patient. If youe to this Apricot Forest Clinic, you have to follow this rule."Fang Yuan wanted to say something, but was stopped by Qiao Mu raising his hand.


    His injury was not serious, just a little troublesome because of the cold poison.


    It¡¯s not a bad thing for this Famous Doctor Dong Xinglin to talk about rules, and he doesn¡¯t mind this temporary situation, so there¡¯s no need to break his rules.


    Fortunately, Qiao Mu and his friend arrived early, and there weren¡¯t many patients waiting in the lobby.


    Finding a stool to sit on, Qiao Mu casually nced at the Sword Ghost martial arts notes in his pocket, while observing the people in the lobby.


    Famous Doctor Dong Xinglin is already old, and now his clinic is mainly run by three disciples who treat patients. There are also several apprentices below them, responsible for fetching medicine and performing acupuncture, clearly dividing the tasks.


    The patient in front of Qiao Mu was a middle-aged person holding a five or six-year-old child.


    The middle-aged person was wearing a long gown, slim but straight, with meticulously groomed hair. He looked like a schr, with a schrly air, probably in his forties or fifties.


    However, his gown was slightly yellowed and his cloth shoes were dirty and muddy, indicating a poor background and the possibility of being an outsider from a distant ce, not a local of the Imperial Capital.


    This middle-aged man is obviously not sick. The sick person is a five or six-year-old child holding his hand.


    The child is only five or six years old, andpared to the thin middle-aged man holding his hand, he looks more prosperous with a round face.


    These two people, one big and one small, are supposed to be the child¡¯s father, but they don¡¯t look like it. That thin man looks too old, probably over forty.


    They say this middle-aged man is the child¡¯s grandfather, but this thin man doesn¡¯t look that old.


    Qiao Mu was bored and kept guessing their ages, and ended up staring at these two people for a while.


    Although the child is young, he is sensible.


    He stood in the clinic, not crying or making a fuss, but his little face had a slightly red and swollen nose. He kept breathing with his mouth open, and there was nothing else unusual.


    Time passed quickly, and it was soon the child¡¯s turn.


    The middle-aged doctor examined him and asked many questions. His eyebrows unconsciously furrowed.


    He asked the child to wait in the lobby and beckoned the thin man toe behind the screen, lowering his voice and saying:


    "There seems to be something foreign inside your child¡¯s nose."


    "It appears to be a creature called the ¡®Shadow Ghost Spider¡¯rva, which is quite troublesome¡­" At this point, the doctor¡¯s words carried a hint of me:


    "Almost all the major cities in Zhong Province have Immortal Gate stationed there, so these weak creatures rarely cause trouble in the cities. They mostly appear in the wilderness¡­ It¡¯s because you, as the father, haven¡¯t paid much attention to your child¡¯s activities, otherwise it wouldn¡¯t havee to this."


    The thin man¡¯s face looked unpleasant, and he smiled bitterly:


    "That¡¯s true."


    "Actually, I used to be a resident of Tan County. Half a month ago, Tan County suffered from an Inhuman Disaster, with tens of thousands dead or injured. Afterward, I could only bring this child and leave my hometown, seeking a safe ce here in the Imperial Capital."


    "It¡¯s true that I may have been negligent during our journey¡­," the middle-aged man hesitated for a moment and asked:


    "May I ask, how much money is needed to treat this illness?"


    The doctor shook his head slightly.


    "Although this ghost spider is not strong, it is still a monster. Since it has already entered the body, it can¡¯t be easily dealt with using normal medicines. It cannot be cured just by applying or taking medicine."


    "If you want to treat it, you need to take the ¡®numbing and boiling powder¡¯ first, and then use a sharp de to open the nasal cavity¡­ Afterwards, you have to be careful with the recovery, especially since your child is still young, we can¡¯t be careless."


    "Considering everything, it will amount to¡­ fifty taels of silver."


    "Fifty taels? Is it that serious?" The thin man was stunned for a moment and didn¡¯t say anything.


    "Too expensive? After all, it¡¯s caused by a monster¡­" The doctor nced at the man¡¯s clothes and remembered the man¡¯s background, realizing that he wasn¡¯t wealthy. He pondered for a moment and said:


    "Then¡­ five taels it is."


    Five taels of silver, in terms of the purchasing power of the Great Yan Imperial Court, corresponded to five thousand in Qiao Mu¡¯s past life.


    This was clearly a great discount. ording to the doctor¡¯s exnation, for the patient to recover, they would need to take herbal medicine for a long time. Apart from the surgery fee andbor cost, five taels of silver might not even be enough for the medicine expenses.


    The thin man read the number "five taels" and didn¡¯t show any expression on his face.


    After a while, when the doctor became a little impatient, he suddenly spoke:


    "What will happen if it¡¯s not treated?"


    The doctor was startled and looked fixedly at the thin man. They both stayed silent for a long time.


    He wanted to persuade the man to think it over a little more, but when the words came to his mouth, he didn¡¯t know what to say.


    Just as he was silent, an old man quickly walked over and went straight to the screen.


    "Here, this is fifty taels."


    The old man was quite forceful and forcefully stuffed fifty taels of silver into the doctor¡¯s hand.


    "I don¡¯t have the patience to see you haggle and act pitiful. I¡¯ve given you the money, when will you treat my injury?" Qiao Mu urged the doctor directly without even looking at the man next to him.


    "The kind old man." The skinny man blinked his eyes and bowed deeply to express his gratitude:


    "Even a penny can trouble a hero. Now that my family is poor, I have nothing to offer. I hope the kind old man can tell me his name, so that I can repay him in the future."


    Qiao Mu hadn¡¯t initially thought about leaving his name, but then he realized that it would be a good thing for him to be famous, so he spoke up:


    "I am Qiao Shuanglin."


    "Qiao Shuanglin?" The doctor, who had been standing by the whole time, found it a bit strange when Qiao Mu voluntarily came forward to give money.


    It wasn¡¯t until Qiao Mu introduced himself that the doctor had a moment of realization.


    "So, you¡¯re Qiao Shuanglin, Elder Lao¡­ Why didn¡¯t you say so earlier?"

 Chapter 144:

    Chapter 144:


    Once the doctor knew that Qiao Mu was Qiao Shuanglin, he immediately became polite and friendly.


    "Elder Lao, pleasee inside."


    "Master Dong Xinglin is waiting in the inner hall."


    The middle-aged doctor pulled the thin man and his son aside, entered the room, and waited inside, also taking Qiao Mu with him.


    While leading the way, he also took the opportunity to exin:


    "Elder Lao is a renowned member of the Qiao¡¯s family, who has gained fame recently. I know you have your own beliefs and you are a strong martial artist, with a firm mind that cannot be swayed by others¡¯ words, but there are some things I still want to say."


    The middle-aged doctor was somewhat helpless, obviously still thinking about the incident with the thin schr earlier.


    "Five taels of silver, or maybe fifty taels of silver, although not a small amount, can at most help one or two people in need."


    "Actually, Master Dong Xinglin is not a greedy person, but rules are rules.""A few years ago, Master Dong Xinglin also tried offering free consultations, not taking a single penny as consultation fee, only asking the patients to nt an apricot tree in the outskirts of the city after they recover."


    "In the early years, there were countless apricot trees in the outskirts of Imperial Capital, forming a lush forest."


    "The reputation of my master soared, and the name of a kind-hearted and skilled doctor spread throughout Imperial Capital, earning him the nickname ¡®Dong Xinglin¡¯."


    "This could be a beautiful tale, a story that could be passed down through the ages." Qiao Mu nodded in approval.


    However, upon hearing this, the middle-aged doctor could only wryly smile.


    "Indeed, it was like that in the early years."


    "But as time went on, things didn¡¯t stay so beautiful."


    "Even with my teacher, Dong Xinglin, being such a brilliant doctor, offering free consultations without any fees, what could other doctors in the same field do?"


    "In the following years, rumors and gossip gradually started to circte."


    "Some people said that our teacher was seeking fame and using fellow colleagues as a backdrop to highlight his exceptional character."


    "Other doctors who travel with him often face criticism,paring their medical skills with thepassionate and skilled doctor ¡®Dong Xinglin¡¯ from the Imperial Capital. They say you are not as good as Imperial Capital Dong Xinglin and yet you dare to charge such high fees for your consultations."


    "These are idle people gossiping, why should we care about what they say?" Qiao Mu furrowed his brow.


    "If that¡¯s the case, the master of the house can tolerate it¡­ but in recent years, the world has been in chaos, with Inhuman Disasters and natural cmities everywhere, just like the middle-aged schr we saw earlier, there are many sick people among the refugees."


    "When they heard that the master of the house was offering free consultations, they naturally flocked to the clinic, almost breaking down the door."


    "Apart from these refugees, there are also some ordinary people who are stingy and unwilling to pay for medical treatment. Even when they fall ill, they refuse to go to other clinics and specificallye to our clinic, waiting for the free consultations."


    Qiao Mu was astonished.


    "Even among the patients, there are different levels of severity and urgency."


    "With so many patients, both serious and mild, all waiting for free consultations, how do we determine the order? The mild patients may not be willing to wait and let others go first¡­"


    "Actually, our clinic is short-staffed, how can we treat so many refugees¡­ As a result, one day, some seriously ill patients were dyed and died in the waiting room of our clinic." The middle-aged doctor sighed heavily.


    "¡­It¡¯s not your fault," Qiao Mu had to say so.


    "Since then, various opinions have been in an uproar, and the master had no choice but to stop the free consultations."


    "Who knew that by doing so, things would actually get worse."


    "They all say that the master is seeking fame and reputation; in his early years, free consultations were just for gaining recognition. But now, with his reputation spreading throughout Zhong Province, the clinic is bustling with patients every day. He has stopped collecting consultation fees and is making a lot of money. He¡¯s quite shrewd."


    "Later¡­ well, the master is getting older, and he left a few of us apprentices to handle the inquiries at the clinic. We don¡¯t dare to do any more free consultations."


    Speaking of this, the middle-aged physician couldn¡¯t help but give Qiao Mu a deep look.


    Qiao Mu understood.


    The middle-aged physician was telling a story about Dong Xinglin¡¯s past aplishments, but in a subtle way, he was also referring to Qiao Mu¡¯s recent act of paying the consultation fee.


    Good intentions can sometimes lead to bad oues. It¡¯s hard to predict what will happen next after being generous at the clinic¡¯s entrance.


    "So that¡¯s what you wanted to say¡­" Qiao Mu chuckled and stayed silent.


    Remembering the doctor¡¯s strange look earlier, Qiao Mu finally understood.


    However, the doctor¡¯s intention was actually well-meaning, but everyone has their own thoughts.


    Qiao Mu understood what the doctor meant, but it didn¡¯t mean he was convinced.


    As they chatted, they entered the inner chamber of the clinic.


    An old man, whose hair was all white and had a healthyplexion, sat on the grand chair. He was none other than the famous doctor from Imperial Capital, Dong Xinglin.


    Beside the grand chair, Qiao Mu recognized another old man.


    It was Hai Wuya, the one who had taught him the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra" in the heavenly prison.


    Originally, the two old men were having a pleasant conversation, but when they saw Qiao Mu and Fang Yuan being brought in, they stopped talking.


    "Are you Qiao Shuanglin?" Dong Xinglin and Hai Wuya looked up.


    Especially Hai Wuya, even though the current Qiao Shuanglin is different from Qiao Zhong in the heavenly prison, it still caught his attention.


    Hai Wuya used to read various books in the heavenly prison, including "Medical Scriptures." Now, after being released, he unexpectedly met Qiao¡¯s family, which made him a bit excited.


    ¡­¡­..


    The wound on the shoulder is not difficult to treat, and the injury itself is not serious, just a little troublesome due to the cold poison.


    In less than half an hour, Dong Xinglin finished treating the injury and said that the cold poison would be resolved in another half day, so there shouldn¡¯t be any major problems.


    "By the way, it is rumored that you have a Blood Moon Chart left by a Spirit Refining martial artist hundreds of years ago. Can I borrow it to have a look?" Dong Xinglin asked.


    Dong Xinglin is not an ordinary doctor, he is considered a half martial artist, and he has also heard about Qiao Shuanglin¡¯s recent deeds.


    Qiao Mu nced at Fang Yuan behind him. Strictly speaking, this painting is one of Fang Yuan¡¯s possessions, but he just took it out for fishing.


    "Senior Qiao, do as you wish," said Fang Yuan quickly.


    "I have no use for this painting, keeping it with me will only bring trouble. Senior Qiao can decide what to do with it," Fang Yuan replied.


    Qiao Mu had been carrying that ancient painting with him, so he took it out from his pocket.


    Dong Xinglin and Hai Wuya, two elderly men, examined the painting closely. They became more and more fascinated, feeling their energy and blood stirring, until suddenly they snapped back to reality.


    "Truly extraordinary. This ancient painting from hundreds of years ago still exudes a spiritual charm," Hai Wuya spoke up first.


    "From the looks of it, the martial artist who did the spiritual refining hundreds of years ago might have been a highly skilled 1st ranked martial artist," he continued.


    "I underestimated the power of this Blood Moon Chart," Dong Xinglin smiled.


    "Qiao Shuanglin, your injury is just a minor matter, not worthy of exchanging with this Blood Moon Chart. I won¡¯t take advantage of you either. I¡¯ll use a superior martial art technique to trade for your ancient painting. How does that sound?" Dong Xinglin proposed.


    "What kind of martial art technique?" Qiao Mu suddenly became interested.


    Time is on his side. As long as he dies enough and practices martial arts diligently, he will eventually master the advanced skills without worry.

 Chapter 145:

    Chapter 145:


    Dong Xinglin is a renowned doctor in the Imperial Capital. Although he has also practiced martial arts, the skills he demonstrates are not solely focused onbat and killing.


    This is a technique called "Fragmented Virtual Finger."


    "The ¡®Fragmented Virtual Finger¡¯ also includes some pressure point techniques, which can cause stagnation of one¡¯s energy and make the body stiff and immobile. It can also be used for medical purposes¡­ However, for a martial artist like you, this finger technique is also formidable."


    "ording to the Strength List of Tide Listening Building, you are ranked ny-nine. This means your internal strength umtion is quite profound, making you a perfect fit for the ¡®Fragmented Virtual Finger.¡¯"


    "The essence of the ¡®Fragmented Virtual Finger¡¯ can only be executed by martial artists with deep internal strength. It allows one to use their finger as a sword, striking with invisible force. From this aspect, it surpasses ordinary martial arts."


    Once a martial artist develops internal strength, they can release powerful energy with their fists or weapons, but they struggle to strike from a distance or harm others without physical contact.


    The ¡®Fragmented Virtual Finger,¡¯ on the contrary, is a superior form of martial arts developed by martial artists with deep internal strength. It is specifically designed for striking from a distance or targeting pressure points without physical contact.


    Qiao Mu is unstoppable.


    Dong Xinglin immediately ordered someone to bring the secret manual of "Fragmented Virtual Finger" and let Qiao Mu read it in the inner hall, while he himself carefully pondered over the Blood Moon Chart, gradually bing engrossed.At that moment, Hai Wuya walked towards Qiao Mu.


    When Qiao Mu was having a medical check-up earlier, Hai Wuya had already talked to Fang Yuan for a while and learned that Fang Yuan had given the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra" to Qiao Mu.


    Hai Wuya had no objections to this.


    After all, he had created this imperfect martial art and had no intention of boasting about it.


    The only thing that surprised him was that the current state of "Qiao Shuanglin" in front of him was not right.


    From the appearance, Qiao Shuanglin looked even older than him, with deep wrinkles, which indicated a decline in vitality.


    However, based on Qiao Shuanglin¡¯s recent events, it was clear that his vitality was still abundant, which led Hai Wuya to have a vague guess in his mind.


    "At the age of ny, looking old on the outside but full of energy and vitality, this is clearly the goal that I have been longing for in my dreams, the ¡®Xumi Mountain King Sutra¡¯."


    Hai Wuya felt a rush of excitement in his heart, and his steps toward Qiao Mu quickened slightly.


    He spent thirty years studying in the heavenly prison and created the ¡®Xumi Mountain King Sutra¡¯, with two goals in mind.


    One goal was to create a martial art technique that anyone can practice regardless of their talent, which means it requires a lot of effort and time.


    The other goal was to try to imitate the ¡®Long Life Fist Sutra¡¯, using a different approach to ensure that martial artists still have abundant energy and vitality in their old age.


    It¡¯s important to know that a martial artist¡¯s foundation lies in their physical energy and vitality, and internal strengthes from a strong physical body.


    Only when the energy and vitality are abundant can a martial artist continue to improve and progress even in their old age.


    As the founder of the technique, Hai Wuya reached the fourth level in practicing the Xumi Mountain King Sutra, allowing him to regain his vitality in histe seventies and achieve the 7th rank, experiencing a rejuvenation.


    However, even so,pared to Hai Wuya¡¯s strength in his prime at the 4th rank, his energy and vitality had still declined significantly.


    And the person in front of him, Qiao Shuanglin¡­ not only is he older than him, but he also proved his own strength just a few days ago, showing that he is not an old man in his nies with declining vitality.


    Isn¡¯t this precisely the dream of the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra"?


    Hai Wuya couldn¡¯t help but walk up to him. The more he looked at Qiao Mu, the more he saw that Qiao Mu seemed to have reached a high level of mastery in the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra."


    "Brother Qiao, I heard that just a few days ago, Fang Yuan gave you my "Xumi Mountain King Sutra."


    "I see that Brother Qiao has achieved a high level of skill, even though he is old and his vitality is declining. I wonder how far you have practiced my iplete skill?" Hai Wuya looked closely at Qiao Mu with an intense gaze.


    After giving it some thought, Qiao Mu ultimately decided to tell the truth.


    After all, Hai Wuya is the founder of this skill and has studied the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra" in the heavenly prison for thirty years. No one understands it better than him. Qiao Mu¡¯s level of aplishment in this skill is unlikely to deceive Hai Wuya.


    He just had some disbelief in his heart when he asked such a question.


    "The fifth level," Qiao Mu honestly replied.


    Hai Wuya suddenly stood up.


    This sudden movement even startled Famous Doctor Dong Xinglin who was still carefully looking at the paintings.


    He couldn¡¯t help but say, "The¡¶Xumi Mountain King Sutra¡·I created doesn¡¯t prioritize talent, but rather perseverance. Therefore, the practice requires a long time and cannot be achieved instantly."


    "To reach the fourth level, an ordinary person would need 16 years, while reaching the fifth level would require 32 years for an ordinary person."


    "Even though a talented martial artist can progress faster in their training, Brother Qiao just got hold of this¡¶Xumi Mountain King Sutra¡·less than half a month ago. How could he achieve the fifth level?"


    This was something Hai Wuya couldn¡¯t understand no matter how much he thought about it.


    He was considered one of the early members of the Wuji Association and was acknowledged by the Martial Saint as one of the seventy-two wise men.


    He was very aware of how many exceptional talents there were among the Martial Saint¡¯s three thousand disciples.


    Even Hai Wuya himself had a high aptitude in martial arts, but in his early years, he didn¡¯t focus on cultivating his skills, viewing martial arts only as a shortcut to fame and sess in government.


    But¡­ this "Xumi Mountain King Sutra" requires 32 years of hard practice for the fifth level. How is it that Qiao Shuanglin was able to master it in less than half a month, surpassing the founder of this technique?


    Even for a martial arts genius, it would take 32 years of hard practice for an average person to achieve what he did in just two weeks. This progress in his training must be thousands or even tens of thousands of times faster than an ordinary person¡¯s.


    "Brother Hai, there¡¯s something you don¡¯t know," Qiao Mu said with a slight smile, as he prepared to make up a story.


    Although he was several years older than Hai Wuya, out of respect for Hai Wuya, he still addressed him as "brother".


    Hai Wuya might be able to judge the depth of his understanding of the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra," so Qiao Mu already had a n in mind. If the two of them were to meet in the Imperial Capital, how could he exin his progress?


    "Brother Hai, do you know the origins of my Qiao¡¯s family?" Qiao Mu asked.


    "Is it from the overseas Taoyuan Land?" Hai Wuya asked.


    "Correct," Qiao Mu¡¯s eyes filled with nostalgic memories.


    "In this Taoyuan Land, there¡¯s a cave with walls that are filled with intricate patterns. These patterns were all carved by the heavens themselves," Qiao Mu exined.


    "When my ancestors arrived at this Taoyuan Land, they spent many years facing the wall. From this stone wall, they realized exceptional martial arts skills."


    "In reality, this ¡®Xumi Mountain King Sutra¡¯ coincides with the ancestral martial arts passed down in the Qiao family."


    "These two martial arts skills were originally very different, but through mutual verification, I managed to reach the fifth level."


    "So, the fifth level of ¡®Xumi Mountain King Sutra¡¯ that I learned can also be considered as the fifth level of the Qiao family¡¯s ancestral martial arts."


    Hai Wuya was amazed, "Can such a coincidence really happen in this world?"


    "The truth is always alike. ¡®Xumi Mountain King Sutra¡¯ is almost the essence of martial arts, and the top-notch martial arts naturally connect with each other," Qiao Mu smiled, with no ws visible on his face.


    Initially, Hai Wuya didn¡¯t believe it.


    However, he had to believe it, even if he didn¡¯t want to.


    This was because in just two weeks, "Qiao Shuanglin" mastered the fifth level of ¡®Xumi Mountain King Sutra,¡¯ which usually takes thirty years of rigorous training. It was evidently more absurd than the coincidence between the Qiao family¡¯s martial arts and ¡®Xumi Mountain King Sutra.¡¯


    Thetter can be said to be a coincidence that is closely rted to the principles of martial arts, while the former can be said to be too absurd, far exceeding the category of martial arts geniuses.


    He tested it and discussed with Qiao Mu about the fifth level of the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra" and the yet-to-be-deduced sixth level.


    As a result, he found that Qiao Mu responded fluently and had indeed reached the fifth level of the martial arts technique.


    Even in the yet-to-be-deduced sixth level of the martial arts technique, he showed great insight, surpassing the founder of this technique and going further in his understanding.


    "It seems that this can only be true. It is a coincidence that it matches the Qiao family¡¯s inherited martial arts, so it makes sense." Hai Wuya eximed in admiration.


    Qiao Mu¡¯s understanding of the sixth level of the martial arts technique had already surpassed him.


    Little did he know that through Qiao Mu¡¯s responses, a dream-like memory gradually emerged in his mind.


    After turning 90 years old, Qiao Mu died multiple times in the old Fang residence due to getting lost in the process of deducing the sixth level of the martial arts technique, bing fuel for the Human Path Sutra.


    And now, within Qiao Mu¡¯s newfound memories, during the time from age 90 to 93, he tirelessly deduced the techniques of the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra."


    After three years of persistence, he deepened his understanding of the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra" and finally deduced the sixth level of the technique.


    "Can the Ouroboros Long Life Lock in my mind not only allow me to skip through time and elerate my martial arts training, but also help me deduce martial arts techniques?" Qiao Mu wondered.


    He noticed that every time he died, the progress of his martial arts techniques didn¡¯t happen randomly, but changed ording to his thoughts.


    Before dying, Qiao Mu thought about practicing lightness skills, so after resurrecting, he would focus on practicing lightness skills for several years.


    And now, Qiao Mu discovered that this thing could not only be used to practice martial arts, but also the Art of Lovemaking, and even for deducing techniques?


    While Qiao Mu was contemting, hispanion Hai Wuya also had many mixed feelings.


    "I am not alone in my path!" he eximed from the bottom of his heart.


    The inhuman are high and mighty, while the Great Yan Imperial Court bows and kneels, but Hai Wuya hopes that everyone will practice martial arts, and that humanity will prosper, pioneering a path that no one has taken before.


    He originally thought he was a solitary pioneer, but now he knows that in this world, there is a Qiao family who walks a simr path. The two styles of martial arts converge and can validate each other¡­


    "Maybe I underestimated the Qiao family. They might have traveled further on this road than me, and they seem even more mysterious and powerful than I imagined." This thought crossed Hai Wuya¡¯s mind.


    He had also heard Qiao Zhong bragging about the Qiao family in the heavenly prison, boasting about their countless elders with extraordinary skills, even stronger than him.


    Qiao Zhong was just the weakest among the Qiao family members in Jiu Province. There were even stronger ones behind him¡­


    Now he finally understood why the Qiao family had so many powerful elders. They had a martial arts technique simr to the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra" and "Long Life Fist Sutra," which achieved the unique effect of staying forever young.


    "Someday, I really hope to visit Taoyuan Land and personally see the mystical stone wall that inspired the Qiao family¡¯s ancestors to create their martial arts technique¡­" eximed Hai Wuya.

 Chapter 146:

    Chapter 146:


    I am not alone on this path!


    After hearing from Qiao Mu that he had reached the fifth level of the Xumi Mountain King Sutra, Hai Wuya clearly became excited. He enthusiastically discussed martial arts with Qiao Mu, feeling as if he had finally found a kindred spirit, unable to contain his chatter.


    Hai Wuya said:


    "Throughout history, people in the martial arts world only focused on being brave and fierce, and on learning how to increase their martial skills and develop more powerful moves. They never thought about exploring the essence of martial arts."


    "Without the strong pressure from the Nine Immortal Gates, the martial arts would have remained the same for thousands of years, with only a repetition of bravery and fierceness, and no significant progress."


    "Just like the rise and fall of countless dynasties throughout history, it is merely a repetition of events, with different rulers but little real difference."


    Qiao Mu¡¯s gaze flickered slightly.


    He had also heard about Hai Wuya being reinstated to his position. As one of the six ministers of the Great Yan court, Qiao Mu found Hai Wuya¡¯s words to be quite rebellious.


    He truly lived up to his reputation as someone who had spent thirty years in the heavenly prison, enduring both physical and mental challenges."In the present era, the biggest differencepared to the past is the tremendous pressure exerted on our Great Yan Imperial Court by the emergence of cultivators! This is an unprecedented catastrophe in the history of Jiu Province." Hai Wuya sighed softly.


    "Without the inhuman force, the Great Yan Imperial Court would not be much different from those forgotten dynasties in history, and the martial arts world would be the same."


    Gaoler Fang Yuan couldn¡¯t help but break into a sweat upon hearing these words, wondering if he was even allowed to listen to such things.


    Famous Doctor Dong Xinglin was lost in thought, as if he couldn¡¯t hear anything, or maybe he heard but pretended not to.


    Qiao Mu nodded deeply.


    Hai Wuya said deeply, "If it weren¡¯t forinhuman breaking the order of the martial arts world, breaking the doors of Great Yan, how could there be more ambitious talents seeking change, exploring the essence of martial arts, and striving for the great feat of Using Martial Arts to Defeat Immortals?"


    "People from the Wuji Association often say that the Martial Saint is a natural genius. He has dominated the martial arts world for forty years, and his breakthroughs in martial arts can rival those of the past few hundred years."


    "In reality, this statement is also an attempt to take credit for oneself. It was not solely the effort of the Martial Saint, but the sacrifice and dedication of a whole generation of martial artists. Although the Martial Saint shines brightly, he is just one of them." Hai Wuya said deeply.


    "The so-called salvation and survival cannot be achieved by just a few talents."


    "Just like the Martial Saint, like you and me, all we can do is elerate the process and narrow the gap between inhumans and our human race in terms of umted time."


    Qiao Mu nodded in deep agreement.


    Not to mention, his ability happens to be elerating the process, skipping through time umtion through death.


    "Brother Hai, can you exin the fundamental of martial arts?"


    Qiao Mu knew that Hai Wuya was different. He was a schr who excelled in martial arts. Although he had a deep understanding of martial arts, he still had the knowledge and mindset of a schr, which allowed him to create the unique martial arts technique called the "Human Path Sutra."


    "In my opinion, the essence of martial arts today lies in the process of refining one¡¯s energy and cultivating the Soul Changing technique," exined Hai Wuya.


    "With abundant energy and blood, internal strength is cultivated. When the internal strength fills the dantian, the next step is the Spiritual Refining Method."


    "The so-called techniques of strength, skill, spirit, and martial artist can be seen as the cultivation of a martial artist¡¯s energy, spirit, and skills."


    "However, the Spiritual Refining Method is currently far ahead, especially in the hands of the Martial Saint," said Hai Wuya, ncing at the Blood Moon Chart next to him.


    The concept of spiritual refining is actually quite mysterious and intangible, a path of cultivation that is elusive.


    "The birth of this martial arts path seems to be connected to the lofty Immortal Gate. This can be seen from the fact that hundreds of years ago, the Long Life Gate deduced the top spiritual refining martial art called the ¡®Long Life Fist Sutra.¡¯"


    Both Qiao Mu and Hai Wuya had ack of trust in the cultivators of the Nine Immortal Gates.


    And Hai Wuya¡¯s "Human Path Sutra" is not about Spiritual Refining Method, but takes a different approach, focusing on energy and blood.


    "The true path of a martial artist, the true path of humanity, requires the efforts of countless martial artists, not just a few of us." Hai Wuya said deeply.


    "Since the martial arts of your Qiao¡¯s family are so different from my "Human Path Sutra," I hope that your Qiao¡¯s family can pave a true path in the future."


    To Hai Wuya, Qiao Mu is not just one person, but represents a family, a group.


    That¡¯s why he said such words.


    Hai Wuya and Qiao Mu had a deep conversation, discussing their understanding of martial arts and their desire to save others.


    It wasn¡¯t until the sun was setting that Qiao Mu and Fang Yuan prepared to leave, and Hai Wuya reluctantly stopped talking.


    For him, seeing a fellow traveler on the path of humanity was a great fortune, so he couldn¡¯t stop talking.


    "Brother Hai, we had a great conversation today, didn¡¯t we?"


    After Dong Xinglin saw Qiao Mu leave, he spoke and looked away from the Blood Moon Chart.


    Hai Wuya nodded happily and said, "After seeing Qiao Shuanglin, I made a decision."


    He gently coughed a few times, hunched slightly, and then looked at Dong Xinglin next to him with a spark in his eyes.


    "In my lifetime, I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t live to see the day of human prosperity."


    "So in the time ahead, I want to spread the Xumi Mountain King Sutra as much as possible, leaving a small spark for the future."


    Dong Xinglin was initially startled, but then showed a worried expression.


    Hai Wuya spent thirty years in the heavenly prison, which caused irreversible damage to his old body.


    Although martial artists have stronger bodies than ordinary people, their lifespans are not much longer.


    From what Hai Wuya was saying, it seemed like he was aware that his time was running out and he had started nning for the future.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    Dong Xinglin is old and no longer treats patients most of the time. The medical clinic is run by his three disciples.


    In theory, Qiao Mu¡¯s conversation with Dong Xinglin and Hai Wuya in the inner hall doesn¡¯t affect the efficiency of the three doctors¡¯ treatment.


    However, when Qiao Mu returned to the lobby of the clinic, he was surprised.


    In the lobby, there were three to four times more patients than before he entered. It was crowded like a busy market.


    And when he walked out, many people in the bustling crowd looked at him, their eyes fixed on him.


    "It¡¯s the generous Qiao Shuanglin, Mr. Qiao!"


    Someone in the crowd shouted, causing the crowd to almost boil over.


    "Mr. Qiao, please be kind, I don¡¯t have money to treat my illness¡­"


    "You, kind-hearted person, cannot just sit and ignore me."


    "Sir, I am also a victim of the disaster from Tan County¡­"


    The crowd surged towards Qiao Mu, reaching out and grabbing his sleeve, and some even knelt down directly on the ground.

 Chapter 147:

    Chapter 147:


    In the blink of an eye.


    Qiao Mu had already been surrounded by the crowd, embraced within it.


    Countless hands pulled at his trousers and sleeves, not allowing him to leave like that, while the surrounding area was filled with chaotic cries for help.


    "Kind-hearted person, you cannot simply turn a blind eye to us, can you?"


    "Fifty taels of silver may be a casual donation for you, but for us, it is life-saving money."


    Qiao Mu generously gave fifty pieces of silver to help the thin and struggling schr who couldn¡¯t afford to pay for his child¡¯s medical treatment.


    You should know that at that time, the doctor had already discounted the consultation fee from fifty pieces to five pieces, but Qiao Mu generously gave fifty pieces.


    This scene caught the attention of the other patients at the clinic, who saw Qiao Mu¡¯s generous act as that of a rare and kind-hearted person.


    And now, half a dayter, there was a crowd of people at the entrance of the clinic. Countless people who had heard the news rushed over to catch a glimpse of this generous man named Qiao Mu."Is it reallye to this point¡­"


    Behind Qiao Mu, the middle-aged doctor who had reminded him earlier sighed quietly in his heart.


    Dong Xinglin¡¯s clinic had also done charitable medical services in the past.


    However, they were forced to stopter, and they had experienced situations simr to the one happening now.


    The middle-aged doctor just didn¡¯t expect that these people woulde so fast and in such great numbers.


    After a while, so many people unexpectedly came to the clinic, making it as lively as a bustling market.


    "Mr. Qiao Shuanglin is in a difficult situation now, isn¡¯t he?" he sighed softly.


    Being kind-hearted may lead to bad consequences.


    He had reminded Qiao Mu when he generously offered money before.


    Of course, he also didn¡¯t anticipate that there would be so many peopleing.


    "Are all of you disaster victims in urgent need of life-saving money?" Qiao Mu¡¯s face showed no expression, just calmly looking at the crowd.


    He was pulled by the hem of his pants and sleeves, surrounded by the crowd, but only furrowed his brows slightly without any obvious anger.


    "Yes, Mr. Qiao," a thin, yellow-faced man with sores on his head shouted loudly.


    "I am from Dan City. One day, the sky shed with lightning and thunder, and half of the city was destroyed in an instant. My home copsed too¡­ and since then, I have been wandering away from my hometown."


    "I don¡¯t expect Mr. Qiao to save my life, I just hope Mr. Qiao can help with some money for medical treatment. I came to the Imperial Capital and have suffered from illness along the way¡­"


    "I am also from Dan City¡­" Another person, a skinny old man with a missing arm, pushed through the crowd and approached Qiao Mu.


    "On that day, there was thunder like rain, and half of the city copsed. Unfortunately, I, the old man, was trapped under the copsed city wall. Although I luckily survived, my arm was crushed¡­"


    "I am also¡­"


    The crowd chattered incessantly, surrounding Qiao Mu and sharing their own stories of sorrow and hardship.


    Qiao Mu didn¡¯t interrupt, but listened attentively. As a 4th rank martial artist, his senses were sharp. Even though the surrounding noise was loud, he patiently and carefully listened to these cries.


    From their words, it didn¡¯t seem like they were lying.


    However, Qiao Mu was not a doctor after all, and with so many people talking, he couldn¡¯t be sure if someone was trying to deceive him.


    So he pondered for a moment, took out a note worth one thousand silver coins from his pocket, and handed it to the physician behind the counter at the Apricot Grove Clinic.


    "This thousand-silver ticket is only for medical treatment," he reminded.


    "The medical expenses for these few victims of the disaster will be on me. But if the money runs out¡­"


    "You want more?!" The doctor widened his eyes, getting a bit excited as well.


    "If it runs out, then it¡¯s gone." Qiao Mu shrugged his shoulders.


    The money Qiao Mu had on hand was actually just the two hundred silver coins Fang Yuan had given him before, and the thousand-silver ticket he had gotten from Sword Ghost.


    As someone who frequently met his end, Qiao Mu didn¡¯t really ce much importance on wealth, as there was a possibility that his coins would vanishpletely upon his next death.


    Adding the fifty silver coins he had previously given to the skinny schr, Qiao Mu now only had one hundred and fifty silver coins left on him.


    Over the years, Qiao Mu naturally used the money for his own daily expenses in the Imperial Capital, both for himself and for his future self after death, without giving it all away.


    "Oh, kind and venerable Mr. Qiao Shuanglin, your great kindness will never be forgotten."


    "Tears of gratitude, if we meet again in the future, there will be rewards."


    Several of the front row victims spoke words of gratitude, then quickly left and headed towards the Apricot Forest Pavilion.


    After all, the donation provided by Qiao Mu was only one thousand taels, but it was also limited.


    With so many patients here, if we don¡¯t hurry, we might be robbed by others.


    In the blink of an eye, about half of the crowd surrounding Qiao Mu dispersed.


    However, the remaining crowd swarmed over again, once again surrounding Qiao Mu tightly, not letting him leave.


    This group of people seemed to be healthier than the victims just now. They didn¡¯t have missing limbs and theirplexion looked decent. It seemed that they were not seriously ill patients.


    "Hmm? What¡¯s going on with you again?" Qiao Mu¡¯s expression turned slightly cold.


    Normally, people in urgent need of medical treatment money should have gone to seek treatment. What about the group of people in front of them?


    Mr. Qiao, you are kind-hearted. We are also victims of the disaster in Tan County. Although we are not seriously ill, we are now reduced to being beggars, living in uncertainty. We hope Mr. Qiao can give us some money¡­


    "Sir, it¡¯s not only those who are seriously ill that suffer in this world. I am also in a difficult situation, with a broken family and no wealth¡­"


    "Mr. Qiao, just look at me. I was abandoned by a rich man after bing pregnant, and then my parents kicked me out of the house¡­"


    Listening to the noisy voices, Qiao Mu finally understood.


    The group of people a while ago were lower-ss civilians who couldn¡¯t afford medical expenses. The current group of people has a moreplexposition.


    The doctors in the Apricot Grove can naturally tell if someone is seriously ill.


    However, it is not something that can be seen with the eyes whether these people have less severe symptoms or no illness at all, but still talk about their unfortunate background.


    "I have no money left, so there¡¯s no use looking for me," Qiao Mu shrugged his shoulders.


    He casually shrugged and wanted to leave after speaking.


    But right after, his pant legs and sleeves were grabbed by seven or eight pairs of hands, making it impossible for him to take a step.


    "Please, Mr. Qiao, have mercy."


    "I can¡¯t make a living anymore¡­"


    "Mr. Qiao must be incredibly wealthy to give away a thousand ounces of silver without blinking an eye. I¡¯m not asking for much, just a hundred or eighty ounces from Mr. Qiao¡­"


    "Oh, pity my newly born, hungry child¡­"


    It seemed like people around Qiao Mu got excited, fearing that he was going to leave. Some held onto him, others started crying, and some even hit their heads on the ground, kneeling down.


    "The child is not mine, why bother looking for me? Go find the yboy who abandoned you," Qiao Mu bluntly said, brushing his sleeves and wanting to leave.


    With just one sentence, the young woman¡¯s face froze, and then she burst into loud cries on the ground.


    The surrounding noise and discussions briefly paused, and then grew louder, bing even more chaotic.


    "I¡¯m not saying, Mr. Qiao is very rich. What¡¯s wrong with helping this poor woman? It¡¯s just a small effort for him, right?"


    "I do know this woman, she is really suffering. Mr. Qiao is being too cruel."


    "Just a moment ago, he was willing to give a thousand silver coins, but now he won¡¯t give a single one. What¡¯s the matter, did he go over budget?"


    "In the end, this so-called morally righteous Qiao¡¯s family and this Mr. Qiao Shuanglin are just hypocrites. They only give when they feel like it, and leave when they¡¯re in a bad mood."


    "Saving a person¡¯s life is more valuable than a seven-tiered pagoda. Isn¡¯t Mr. Qiao Shuanglin, being so old, supposed to understand this?"


    "How can you say that? At least Mr. Qiao really did give a thousand silver coins¡­"


    "That¡¯s all for his reputation, he just wants a good name¡­ He wants fame, we want money, it¡¯s beneficial for both sides, isn¡¯t it?"


    "Do you really think he¡¯s kind-hearted? We are just tools for him to gain fame. Now that things have escted, he¡¯s unwilling to part with his money. That thousand silver coins earlier was just for show."


    "Just a moment ago, he was able to offer a thousand silver coins. His family has at least ten thousand or even tens of thousands of them. The amount of money needed to treat the sick is just a drop in the bucket. But now that things have beplicated, he¡¯s hesitant to let go of that money."


    Among the crowd, whispering became more and more frequent.


    At first, it was just a few people, but thesements gradually ignited a sense of disappointment in the hearts of the people. Gradually, their eyes towards Qiao Mu changed too. From the previous humility and respect, it turned into disappointment and anger.


    But in a moment, the wind direction suddenly changed.


    The once highly respected man, Qiao Shuanglin, seemed to have transformed into a representative of greed.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    On a small attic in the distance.


    The wealthy Wan Ronghua from Imperial Capital hugged his mistress Fang Fang, looking through the window at themotion at the entrance of the clinic,ughing without saying a word.


    Qiao Mu¡¯s actions didn¡¯t catch their attention.


    Half of the crowd gathered at the clinic were secretly instigating the chaos, including several actors among the masses. Otherwise, the clinic wouldn¡¯t have suddenly be so crowded.


    "Qiao Shuanglin is very strong, we can¡¯t confront him directly¡­ unfortunately, this is the Imperial Capital, and the Imperial Capital has its own rules."


    "Even if Qiao¡¯s family is sessful, they have to be careful here."


    "Horses are good for riding, and kind people are often taken advantage of. In this world, having a kind heart is a big weakness." Wan Ronghua smiled.


    "People with a good reputation will always be burdened by it."


    He won¡¯t directly confront Qiao Mu, he can¡¯t bear the losses or risks thate with it.


    But he can make Qiao Mu¡¯s reputation crumble, step by step, falling into his trap.


    "Crushing his reputation isn¡¯t enough?" Fang Fang worriedly asked.


    "After all, he is a powerful martial artist. If he gets angry andes looking for us on behalf of Fang Yuan, our Wan family¡¯s remaining members may not always be able to protect uspletely."


    "Hehe, there¡¯s no need for us to handle the killing." Wan Ronghua casually said while hugging his mistress¡¯ slender waist.


    "This Qiao Shuanglin is so arrogant, there must be more than just me trying to deal with him."


    "When he falls from grace and bes a street rat in this Imperial Capital, the people who want to kill him will probably line up from the city gate to the pce gate."


    ¡­¡­


    Around the corner of the street.


    A middle-aged man with a beard shifted his gaze from the attic, his mouth twisted unnaturally and he sat down on the ground, side by side with a little beggar, disregarding his appearance.


    "Hahaha¡­. it¡¯s so funny, it¡¯s killing me."


    The middle-aged man with a beard burst intoughter, hisughter seemed a bit wild, causing others to frown and pay attention, thinking the beggar had gone crazy.


    "There." He lightly kicked the little beggar next to him with his foot:


    "Do you think those people have lost their minds?"


    The middle-aged man with a long beardughed loudly and said, "In the past, this Martial Saint imed to be a saint and killed many people in the martial arts world, causing a lot of bloodshed."


    "As a result, many martial artists saw him as theirst hope and idolized him as a symbol of the human martial arts world."


    "People were only afraid of the Martial Saint, very few dared to speak ill of him. Even though he is dead now, the Wuji Association still exists."


    "But this kind act by the Qiao¡¯s family, helping the sick and donating money, now they are being criticized and used of being hypocrites."


    "Good people are expected to meet the standards of a perfect saint, being generous to the point of giving away all their wealth and even sacrificing themselves. Otherwise, they are called hypocrites."


    "Although the Martial Saint imed to be a saint, no one dared to demand such things from him. Instead, they held him in awe and even had followers who admired and epted him."


    "If the Martial Saint were to kill just one or two people less, they would immediately build a shrine and worship him as a god."


    The little beggar next to them listened calmly and contentedly.


    This little beggar was quite strange. Heidzily in the sun without moving, with a broken bowl in front of him. Even when he heard that a kind person had arrived at the clinic, he didn¡¯t budge. It was as if his bottom was rooted to the ground.


    The man with a long beard beside him said these words, but the little beggar didn¡¯t respond. He seemed calm and rxed.


    "This confirms an old saying," the man with a long beard grinned.


    "Those who carry firewood for others will eventually be beaten by everyone and smell bad!"


    "Don¡¯t make so much noise," the little beggar said with a piece of grass in his mouth, lying down on the ground with his hands behind his head. He seemed impatient.


    "Why do you care? Why should I care?"


    The middle-aged man with a long beard was taken aback, but then he burst intoughter.


    He seemed to have a special patience for the little beggar. Even when the beggar challenged him, he didn¡¯t get angry but instead grinned widely.


    "That¡¯s clever, you¡¯re right," he looked towards the noisy crowd.


    "Why should you care, and why should I?" the middle-aged man with a long beard smiled to himself.


    "If Qiao¡¯s family didn¡¯t interfere, they wouldn¡¯t have caused so many problems by giving the fifty taels of medical fees."


    ¡­¡­¡­


    At the entrance of the medical clinic.


    Qiao Mu listened to many usations around him, and found it amusing.


    Before entering the main hall of the clinic, he was still known as a kind-hearted person, Mr. Qiao.


    Once inside the clinic, he engaged in deep discussions with Hai Wuya about the essence of martial arts, saving the nation, and the future prosperity of humanity.


    However, as soon as he stepped out, he became the target of finger-pointing and criticism from the Great Yan public.


    Those who didn¡¯t know might have thought that he had not only provided medical fees, but also desecrated the ancestral graves of these people right in front of their eyes.

 Chapter 148:

    Chapter 148:


    The noisy sounds around him were getting louder and more chaotic.


    Qiao Mu was deeply surrounded by a crowd, being pointed at by many people. Countless gazes felt like countless needles, piercing him.


    And he stayed silent, with no expression on his face.


    As a result, under the instigation of some people with intent, the public became more and more agitated.


    "What¡¯s wrong with giving a little bit of money to a good person like Mr. Qiao? Why is it as difficult as cutting meat?"


    "I¡¯ve heard of the reputation of Qiao¡¯s family. I¡¯ve heard they are a powerful martial arts n, producing many skilled martial artists. Naturally, they are much wealthier and more influential than ordinary people."


    "He generously gave a thousand ounces of silver just now, but now he¡¯s being stingy? He only cares about his reputation and doesn¡¯t want to give more money?"


    "Seeking fame and fishing for reputation, seeking fame and fishing for reputation!"


    "I clearly saw that he still had silver coins in his money bag, he just didn¡¯t want to give them."Qiao Mu still didn¡¯t speak, he quietly listened to the noise of the people around him, and he felt a bit irritated in his heart.


    "Are you finished or not?" came a low roar from beside him, drowning out the noisy crowd at the entrance of the clinic.


    The person speaking was Heavenly Prison Gaoler Fang Yuan.


    Although he wasn¡¯t particrly strong, he was still an internal strength martial artist, so it wasn¡¯t difficult for him to overpower these ordinary people.


    Not to mention Qiao Mu, who was in the midst of the storm, even Fang Yuan, who was listening beside him, felt an unnamed anger in his heart.


    Fang Yuan is not an ordinary person either.


    He is the son of a merchant and now a Heavenly Prison guard, so naturally he is not someone to be trifled with.


    He has seen countless despicable things, and this kind of tantrum by the people is of no use in front of him as a Heavenly Prison guard.


    "Get out of the way!"


    He opened his eyes wide and a fierce look appeared.


    As a guard in the heavenly prison, he had naturally seen blood before, and was skilled in using torture to extract confessions. But now, with just one sharp stare and a low growl, his deadly aura as a heavenly prison guard was unleashed.


    The ordinary people gathered in front of the clinic couldn¡¯t withstand such intimidation and immediately took a few steps back.


    But then, a man with a pointed face in the crowd shouted:


    "Someone¡¯s fighting! Someone¡¯s fighting!"


    "The kind-hearted Qiao Shuanglin from the Qiao family had his follower start a fight¡­"


    Different voices from the crowd mixed together in themotion.


    "Is it really necessary to resort to violence?"


    "What did they do, just blocking your way?"


    "Oh, how can wemon people dare to block the way of the noble gentleman? Shouldn¡¯t we kneel and wait for Mr. Qiao to have a good mood, and give us some reward money so that we can afford the medical treatment?"


    The prison guard Fang Yuan frowned, as he just took a step forward, intending to push aside the crowd blocking the way. But just as his hand was raised, the crowd erupted in voices again.


    "Qiao Shuanglin ordered his followers to beat people¡­" This kind of voice could be heard everywhere.


    This put Fang Yuan in a dilemma.


    As a prison guard in the heavenly prison, naturally he was not afraid of these people resorting to tricks such as throwing tantrums and acting shamelessly.


    After all.


    Moral ckmail can only be used on people with morals.


    As long as he has no morals, there is no one who can ckmail him.


    As a prison guard in the heavenly prison, he would not hesitate when ites to taking action.


    Just¡­Now, Fang Yuan is not a heavenly prison guard anymore, but a follower of Qiao Shuanglin¡­


    Although he is not a follower, if he gets involved in a fight, it will damage Qiao Shuanglin¡¯s reputation.


    This made him hesitate for a while, standing there unsure of what to do.


    "Fang Yuan, step aside." At this moment, a gentle voice sounded in his ears.


    "Let me handle this."


    Qiao Mu, with his aged body, took steps forward and looked at the crowd blocking their path.


    "Impressive, Senior Qiao. After all these years, your calmness and martial arts skills are remarkable. I can feel my anger rising just by standing next to you¡­" Fang Yuan looked at the old man¡¯s back and secretly admired him.


    Qiao Mu took a deep breath and let out a powerful roar:


    "Get out of the way! Don¡¯t block our path!"


    "If you knew, you would say that I did a kind deed by paying for the medical expenses of a patient. If you didn¡¯t know, you might have thought that I dug up your ancestral grave, right?"


    This loud shout was like thunder, immediately forcing the crowd to step back, creating arge empty space.


    Although they stepped back, they certainly didn¡¯t keep their mouths shut.


    "He¡¯s anxious, he¡¯s anxious."


    "I¡¯ve always said that he is hypocritical, that he pretends to be kind. And now, look! His true colors are finally showing."


    "Saving a life is more valuable than building a seven-level pagoda. Your attitude towards us disaster victims has truly brought shame upon Qiao¡¯s family!"


    "I¡¯ve heard that when Qiao¡¯s family was in Nan Province, they were known for their sense of justice, prioritizing righteousness over life and death. Now, I realize they were just seeking fame and reputation. It¡¯s truly disappointing."


    Meanwhile, Qiao Mu continued to smirk, stepping forward without paying any attention to the usations from the crowd.


    "I don¡¯t give a damn how you see me, whether you think I¡¯m hypocritical or not is your business, not mine. I will help, I will donate money!"


    His eyes were as cold as electricity, coldly looking at the people who were gossiping.


    Although Qiao Mu hadn¡¯t learned the Spiritual Refining Method or the Eye Attacking Method, he had fought fiercely multiple times, and when he became serious, a strong killing intent emerged. When his gaze swept past the people who had just med him, they all lowered their heads like grass under a strong wind, and no one dared to meet his eyes.


    "Today even if the Great God himself came, taking out money to help cure someone¡¯s illness is a kind deed, a good thing! How could you criticize it?"


    He took big strides and walked forward.


    The crowded crowd unconsciously scattered to both sides, creating a pathway for Qiao Mu to move forward. The courtyard that was just packed with people a moment ago made way for him, as if rocks parting the waves.


    He didn¡¯t care whether the gazes of the crowd were using or angry, he only left them with the back of his silver-white head. He didn¡¯t even turn around or stop.


    Fang Yuan stood dumbfounded for a while, then quickly followed after him.


    Although Qiao Mu¡¯s actions were vastly different from what he had imagined, as he followed behind Qiao Mu, he couldn¡¯t help but feel countless gazes staring at his back, making his heart tremble.


    His heart trembled with excitement.


    "At the age of ny, despite being criticized by many, his determination remained unshakable¡­ How can this old man, who is already in his nies, have such a pure heart that cannot be swayed? Truly admirable."


    He admired him in his heart, following behind Qiao Mu, and disappeared at the end of the crowd.


    ¡­¡­..


    After Qiao Mu left.


    "Ugh, a group of disorganized people." On the attic, Wan Ronghua withdrew his gaze, feeling somewhat frustrated.


    "Why should the master be angry? How could those ordinary people have the courage to stand in front of Qiao Shuanglin?" Mistress Fang Fang said.


    "And now, those people who angered Qiao Shuanglin and urgently need money for treatment, doesn¡¯t it fit perfectly into our ns?"


    "From today onwards, as long as we spread the word a little, Qiao Shuanglin¡¯s reputation in this Imperial Capital will be ruined."


    "Exactly." Wan Ronghua nodded happily.


    "This Qiao Shuanglin is a stronger martial artist than the Sword Ghost who is worshipped. It¡¯s too simple to expect these ordinary people to stop him."


    "Now, this is just the first step."


    "The real show is yet toe. It¡¯s not enough to just make Qiao Shuanglin defeated and disgraced with this step."


    He sat at the table, closed his eyes, and tapped his fingers lightly on the armrest of the chair.


    Fang Fang understood and stood behind Wan Ronghua, gently squeezing his shoulder. The fragrance filled the air, and the warmth on his back made Wan Ronghua feelfortable.


    "By the way, there¡¯s Qin Shiqing, Lord Qin." Wan Ronghua suddenly opened his eyes.


    "Qin Shiqing is the warden of the heavenly prison. He was the executioner who beheaded Qiao Zhong at the vegetable market!"


    "I heard that on that day, Qiao Zhong refused to kneel down, and it was the executioner Qin Shiqing who kicked and broke Qiao Zhong¡¯s legs before the executioner carried out the sentence."


    "These past two nights, Qiao Shuanglin has been saying that he wants revenge for his 60-year-old son, Qiao Zhong. It¡¯s not just a challenge to the Great Yan Imperial Court and the Immortal Gate. I¡¯m afraid that the executioner Qin Shiqing was also involved."


    "With Qin Shiqing¡¯s vengeful nature, how can he tolerate Qiao Shuanglin¡¯s arrogant words?"


    "Sir, do you intend to¡­ use someone else¡¯s hand tomit murder?" Fang Fang asked.


    "This is not using someone else¡¯s hand tomit murder, it¡¯s just taking advantage of the situation," Wan Ronghua chuckled.


    "Once we create a sensation, there will be people lining up from the outskirts of the city to the pce gates, wanting to kill Qiao Shuanglin¡­"


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    A long time passed.


    Inside the clinic, Hai Wuya finally came out.


    He was absorbed in a painting with Dong Xinglin in the clinic and had no idea about what had just happened outside.


    As Hai Wuya listened to the exnation from the middle-aged doctor, his face immediately changed and he hurriedly walked out.


    "Sea brother, where are you rushing to?"


    "I¡¯m going to find that Qiao Shuanglin," he said hurriedly.


    "This Qiao Shuanglin and Qiao Zhong from the heavenly prison, they truly deserve to be father and son. Both of them are as passionate as fire¡­ If such people get stuck in their own thinking, treated with contempt by the foolishness of the people, and lead astray because of it, it would be a great misfortune for my Great Yan."


    Dong Xinglin blinked his eyes, deep in thought.


    "Sea brother, you seem to hold Qiao Shuanglin in high regard¡­"


    ¡­¡­¡­..


    Half an hourter.


    In the old Feng family mansion, Hai Wuya arrived in a rush.


    He didn¡¯t know Qiao Mu¡¯s residence, but he hoped to pass a message through Gaoler Fang Yuan. However, when he arrived at the Feng family mansion, he coincidentally found Qiao Mu in the courtyard.


    "Brother Qiao, please don¡¯t get angry," Hai Wuya said quickly.


    "I already heard about what happened at the doctor¡¯s office just now."


    "Although the people are foolish and rough, this situation seems a bit suspicious to me. I suspect someone is secretly stirring up trouble¡­"


    "Did Brother Qiao Mue specifically to talk to me about this?" To Hai Wuya¡¯s surprise, Qiao Mu appeared calm and unaffected by the recentmotion.


    "Brother Qiao, I will personally investigate who is behind all this trouble-making," said Hai Wuya confidently. He was now a high-ranking official, one of the ministers of the six departments, so he had the authority to say such things.


    "Before we uncover the truth, I hope Brother Qiao can keep a low profile and try not to go out too much," Hai Wuya said, looking at Qiao Mu¡¯s face and observing any changes in his expression.


    "In my opinion, no matter who is hiding behind the scenes, the incident at the doctor¡¯s office is probably just the beginning."


    "Keep a low profile? Sure," Qiao Mu replied with a smile, agreeing to the request.


    "I am a peaceful person who doesn¡¯t like fighting. I prefer peace," said Qiao Mu, his face full of smiles.

 Chapter 149:

    Chapter 149:


    When Qiao Shuanglin imed to be one with the light, Hai Wuya¡¯s eye twitched slightly, but he didn¡¯t say much.


    No matter who hears about what happened at the medical clinic, they wouldn¡¯t associate this ny-year-old man with being one with the light, right?


    But since Qiao Mu had already said his piece, he had nothing more to say.


    Just as he was about to leave, Qiao Mu called out to Hai Wuya.


    "Brother Hai, there¡¯s something I don¡¯t understand," Qiao Mu said.


    "Inside the clinic, we talk about the essence of martial arts, restoring the world and saving the people¡­ But as soon as I step outside, I¡¯m immediately framed by wicked people and subjected to public scrutiny. Don¡¯t you find that contradictory, Brother Hai?"


    Previously, in Hai Wuya¡¯s words, he and people like Qiao Mu were seeds of martial arts, pioneers of martial arts against the Immortal Gate, and they imed that martial arts were synonymous with humanity.


    However, once he stepped outside, the martial artist who upheld humanity in Hai Wuya¡¯s words was immediately pointed fingers at by the people, seemingly framed by someone behind the scenes.


    Hai Wuya heard this and turned around to nce at Qiao Mu.Obviously, in Hai Wuya¡¯s eyes, although Qiao Mu was not affected by the ridicule of the people at the medical clinic, he did feel a bit resentful in his heart.


    He thought for a moment and replied,


    "In this current era where peopleck wisdom and are ignorant¡­ that¡¯s why we martial artists should strive even harder."


    Qiao Mu didn¡¯t answer.


    Hai Wuyaposed himself and said,


    "Whether it¡¯s a cultivator or us martial artists, both are much stronger than ordinary people."


    "Cultivators and martial artists don¡¯t engage in production, but they require far more resources than an ordinary person could consume in a lifetime, after practicing diligently on their path."


    "In this world, there are no deities who can live without the secr world. Cultivators need the offerings from mortals, while we martial artists also require arge amount of meat and medicinal supplements."


    "You and I have the martial power we have today, not only because of our own continuous efforts, but also thanks to the support of themon people in this world. The stronger a martial artist is, the more true this statement bes."


    "If you want to wear a ck veil, you have to bear its weight."


    "Since that¡¯s the case, we must do something for themon people¡­ even if they are shortsighted, foolish, easily manipted, and constantly criticizing each other."


    Qiao Mu looked at Hai Wuya.


    Perhaps because Hai Wuya has spent too much time in heavenly prison, even though he is a high-ranking official, he hasn¡¯t had the chance to enjoy much power.


    From his response, he felt that this person was not a serious martial artist or high-ranking official at all, but more like a shining idealistic schr.


    "Ahem¡­ If Brother Qiao has no other matters, I¡¯ll take my leave."


    Hai Wuya gave a slight cough and turned to leave.


    Qiao Mu didn¡¯t argue either, silently watching Hai Wuya walk away in the courtyard.


    Hai Wuya is a very kind person, who always treats others well even if they have treated him badly.


    Qiao Mu is just like Hai Wuya, he has a big heart. He considers anyone who tries to harm him, especially those who could kill him, as his close friends and remembers them deeply in his heart.


    Then, send them to heaven early.


    "Hai Wuya wants me to be low-key? Wait for him to investigate slowly?" Qiao Mu silently shakes his head.


    He certainly wants to know who is scheming against him¡­ after all, he has made quite a few enemies and it¡¯s hard to keep track of them all.


    How to quickly deduce the "Human Path Sutra" without any high-quality deaths?


    Qiao Mu had once been hindered in his progress in the Spiritual Refining Method because of the intentional obstruction from the Wuji Association, and he couldn¡¯t make any progress, making it difficult for him to break through to the 3rd rank of the Spiritual Refining Period.


    But now he has alreadye to terms with it.


    After the death of the Martial Saint, he has also realized the limitations of the so-called Spiritual Refining Method¡­


    People say that Martial Saint is unparalleled in the martial arts world. No one canpare to him. The existing Spiritual Refining Method might truly not be able to match up with cultivators.


    So now that I have obtained the "Human Path Sutra," why should I hold myself back?


    "When the sun rises tomorrow, go to the market square and fetch my head." Qiao Mu made a decision.


    The heads of executed prisoners at the market square will be disyed on wooden racks for many days.


    Forcibly taking someone¡¯s head goes against thews of Great Yan and is sure to draw the attention of the court.


    At that time, I won¡¯t worry about dying with high quality.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    "Qiao Shuanglin? Will Qiao¡¯s family finally appear in the Imperial Capital next time? Let me wait eagerly for that."


    Within the Great Dao Sect temple in the north of the Imperial Capital, the returning disciple, Dao Zhen, heard this news and couldn¡¯t hide his excitement on his face.


    These few days, he was not in the Imperial Capital but outside enforcing thew, battling with several magic students to stop the Inhuman Disaster in the Zhong Province.


    The Zhong Province is like a garden belonging to the Great Dao Sect, and it naturally doesn¡¯t allow others to forcefully take from it.


    However, Dao Zhen couldn¡¯t control or care much about the destruction caused during the battles.


    Mortals are like tiny insects that provide offerings, if they can be protected, they should be, but if they cannot be protected, then they can¡¯t be protected.


    Dao Zhen stood up, and his figure turned into a streak of light that just broke through the sky, but he also heard the voices of the cultivators behind him:


    "Hey, Senior Brother Dao Zhen, are you going out again?"


    "Senior Sister Dao Xu from the sect said she recently obtained a treasure and has been searching for you to have a battle?"


    Dao Zhen and Dao Xu are senior brothers in the same sect, both disciples of Elder Qingyi.


    Their cultivation levels are simr, and they both entered the Immortal Gate around the same time, so Dao Xu has apetitive spirit.


    But Dao Zhen was azy person, who usually only liked observing outstanding ordinary people, and didn¡¯t like fighting orpeting, intentionally avoiding it many times.


    "Senior Sister Dao Xu?" Dao Zhen heard the name and slightly furrowed his brow, but immediately rxed, maintaining a calm expression as he smiled and said:


    "Well then, I should go now."


    He turned into a streak of light and finally disappeared into the sky above this observatory.


    After finally returning to the Imperial Capital, his interest was focused on observing ordinary people. How could he have the desire to fight with his fellow senior martial brothers?


    "This Senior Brother Dao Zhen is quite friendly¡­ It¡¯s a pity that Senior Sister Dao Xu is not."


    "If he can¡¯t find any trace of Senior Sister Dao Xu on this trip, I wonder what he will do¡­" other disciples sighed.


    Although they were from the same sect, disciples of Elder Qingyi naturally held a different statuspared to other fellow disciples.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    "Qiao Shuanglin, a disgrace in Qiao¡¯s family, seeking fame and reputation?"


    "While Qiao¡¯s family in Nan Province is willing to sacrifice everything, Qiao Shuanglin in Zhong Province only cares about gaining fame¡­"


    Storyteller Jiang Chen looked at the secret information in his hand, furrowing his brow unintentionally and nced at iraudience beside him.


    "Sir, isn¡¯t this inappropriate?"


    "We don¡¯t know if this matter is true or false yet. Isn¡¯t it too early to make a statement?"


    "What do you know?" iraudience chuckled:


    "As members of the Tide Listening Building, it¡¯s our job to report even the smallest snippets of information. Whether it¡¯s true or false, does it really matter that much?"


    "Just tell me, isn¡¯t this matter extraordinary enough? Does it not disrupt martial artists¡¯ previous impression of Qiao¡¯s family in Nan Province?"


    Jiang Chen opened his mouth but remained silent for a moment.


    iraudience is a part of the Fantastic Faction in the Tide Listening Building. The things they were tracking before were both strange and true, but now iraudience understands the simrities and differences between them.

 Chapter 150:

    Chapter 150:


    The next day.


    Qiao Mu left the house and headed directly towards the marketce in Imperial Capital.


    The marketce was always bustling, especially in the early morning when people gathered.


    As Qiao Mu got closer, the number of pedestrians on the road gradually increased, making it lively.


    Qiao Mu walked at a slow pace and didn¡¯t disguise himself, deliberately showing his true appearance to the world.


    While walking, he also paid attention to the people around him, expecting that some force would not be able to resist jumping out to confront him.


    However, after walking for a long time, he didn¡¯t sense any strong individuals. Instead, relying on his exceptional hearing, he heard people whispering around him.


    "That person over there is Qiao¡¯s family, the somewhat famous Qiao Shuanglin, right?"


    "I heard he is a heartless old man, but very concerned about his reputation. Yesterday, even if someone just blocked his path in front of the clinic of that famous doctor, he would order his followers to beat them up.""Quiet, it seems like he¡¯s looking over here?"


    "¡­."


    Qiao Mu didn¡¯t pay attention to the whispers of themon people. He was just curious about how fast these rumors spread, which indeed exceeded his imagination.


    Hai Wuya¡¯s guess was probably true. Someone must have been fueling the fire behind the scenes. After all, Imperial Capital is not a small ce like Yan City, where even trivial matters can spread throughout half of the city overnight.


    "Hmm¡­ Is that Dao Zhen from the Great Dao Sect?" Qiao Mu spotted a slightly familiar figure from the entrance of a tea house on the side of the road.


    The other person was enjoying morning tea, but when he noticed Qiao Mu¡¯s gaze, he smiled and nodded, appearing friendly and approachable.


    Qiao Mu¡¯s gaze hardened, but he only nodded slightly.


    His current identity is the father of Qiao Zhong, a prisoner in the heavenly prison, so he naturally doesn¡¯t know this Dao Zhen.


    He can see through Dao Zhen¡¯s uniqueness at a nce, and can exin it with Qiao Mu¡¯s extraordinary insight. If he were to chat with him for a few more sentences, it would go against the setting of not having met before.


    Qiao Mu turned his head and continued walking as if nothing had happened.


    Soon, they arrived at the market street in the Imperial Capital, and the pedestrians around them became gradually dense,ing in a continuous stream.


    "Why hasn¡¯t anyonee to challenge me yet? With this great head of mine, who will be able to chop it off this time?"


    Qiao Mu rubbed his head with his palm, feeling slightly disappointed.


    Apart from Dao Zhen from the Great Dao Sect, he didn¡¯t notice the presence of any strong individuals that would impress him.


    Since there were no disturbances, he shifted his attention to the execution ground at the market entrance in the far distance.


    On one side of the execution ground, there was a sharpened wooden stake, where Qiao Zhong¡¯s head was impaled as a deterrent.


    This head seems to have been specially preserved by the government officials, and it still looks very lifelike with all its facial features intact, frozen in the moment before Qiao Zhong¡¯s death.


    The people at the vegetable market are already used to seeing such things, they didn¡¯t pay much attention to the head.


    Only some children whoe to the vegetable market for the first time would look at it for a bit longer, feeling both shocked and scared, then they couldn¡¯t help but look at it again.


    "They should take my head." Qiao Mu whispered.


    Just as his attention was focused on his own head in the distance.


    But suddenly, a figure behind him intentionally or unintentionally approached.


    Qiao Mu sensed something and slightly moved to the side to avoid it.


    However, this figure stubbornly approached, and then suddenly eximed, sounding like a frightened woman¡¯s voice.


    He turned his head to look and saw a woman in her early twenties, with a plump figure, looking at him with a mix of surprise and anger on her face.


    "How dare you!" The young woman screamed, blushing with anger, standing at the side of the road.


    Her voice was sharp and loud, piercing through the bustling market.


    In the Imperial Capital market, there were many idle onlookers who enjoyed the excitement. On any other day, they couldn¡¯t get enough of the beheading shows. But now, upon hearing this scream, many people turned their heads to look.


    "What happened?"


    The butcher at the nearby stall, who was ughtering a pig, ced his cleaver on the chopping block and strode over.


    He nced at the young woman¡¯s curvaceous figure, instinctively wiping his hands on his apron before approaching.


    "Miss, what¡¯s wrong?" he asked gruffly.


    The young woman, with teary eyes and a mix of anger and embarrassment, pointed at Qiao Mu standing next to her.


    "This old man, just now¡­ he¡­ he¡­" She couldn¡¯t finish her sentence, as tears streamed down like beads, wetting her blouse and evoking pity in the hearts of those who saw her.


    At this time, more and more people gathered around and formed a small circle, enclosing Qiao Mu in the middle.


    "You shameless person, don¡¯t even think about running¡­" The butcher shouted loudly and bravely stepped forward to grab Qiao Mu.


    But just after taking two steps, they saw Qiao Mu standing there, without any intention of running at all.


    Moreover, this old man seemed aged, but stood tall and straight like a pine tree, with sharp eyes. With just one look, the butcher instinctively withdrew his hand.


    "He almost embarrassed me with these tricks¡­ but I won¡¯t be fooled." Qiao Mu sighed softly in his heart, his gaze falling on the young woman¡¯s face.


    He faintly felt a sense of familiarity in the appearance of this young woman. Upon careful thought, it seemed that she appeared among the crowd that blocked him outside the clinic yesterday¡­


    "This old man is Qiao Shuanglin, I remember him! He¡¯s the one who fought outside the Apricot Forest Clinic yesterday!"


    "Right, is he the one from Qiao¡¯s family in Nan Province? How dare he act so arrogantly in our Imperial Capital?"


    "Seeking fame and stirring up trouble, Qiao Shuanglin couldn¡¯t hold back after fighting with the nobles yesterday, huh?"


    In the crowded market, a brave person stepped forward to point out Qiao Mu and exin to the curious crowd who Qiao Shuanglin was and what happened.


    "Are you done yet?" Qiao Mu became a little impatient listening to all the gossip around him.


    Now, he became even more certain that someone had been instigating the crowd at the clinic yesterday.


    The events from yesterday and today were very simr, both involving someone manipting the public from behind the scenes¡­


    "This job was really poorly done," Qiao Mu smirked to himself.


    The incident at the clinic yesterday was forgivable, as he voluntarily paid the medical bill for someone else, giving the other person an opportunity to take advantage of it.


    And today¡¯s job was to frame him, a highly skilled martial artist with sharp senses?


    Although Qiao Mu¡¯s attention was focused on his own problems, he didn¡¯t notice the approach of an ordinary woman beforehand. However, he knew that he hadn¡¯t touched her body just now, and instinctively avoided any contact.


    Even if he was distracted, present-day Qiao Mu, being a martial artist, was not someone an ordinary person could take advantage of.


    So, the truth is obviously clear¡­ It can be easily seen by people who are knowledgeable, they can see through the mystery in it.


    "Old fellow, your cheek is really thick. You did such a shameless thing, but you still have a carefree look on your face?"


    "He is old but won¡¯t die, he must be a thief! Surround this shameless old man, don¡¯t let him escape, quickly report to the authorities!"


    The noise around grew louder and louder as the angry crowd surrounded Qiao Mu, just like themotion at the clinic¡¯s entrance yesterday.

 Chapter 151:

    Chapter 151:


    The crowd on the vegetable market street surged, surrounding a man and a woman in the middle of the road.


    The man is a very old man in his nies. He is surrounded by people, with a cold expression.


    The woman, on the other hand, is a plump and graceful young woman. She has a mixture of shame and anger on her face, with tears streaming down her cheeks, smudging her makeup.


    More and more pedestrians on the vegetable market street are drawn to this situation, constantly gathering from all directions. The situation is gradually escting.


    Meanwhile.


    There are also many hidden gazes, focusing on this scene.


    Among them, there is Dao Zhen, a disciple of the Great Dao Sect, sitting at the Eight Immortals table in front of a tea house at the vegetable market street entrance.


    He is sitting leisurely, gently blowing on the hot tea, and raising the cup of hot tea to drink.


    While tilting his head back to drink tea, his eyes were fixed on Qiao Mu, just like a primary school student watching TV while eating, afraid to miss any exciting content."I wonder how Qiao Shuanglin will handle this?"


    One of Dao Zhen¡¯s hobbies was observing ordinary people, especially those with extraordinary personalities and perseverance.


    After witnessing Qiao Zhong¡¯s beheading, he became somewhat interested in Qiao¡¯s family.


    And now, with Qiao Shuanglin caught in a dilemma, he naturally would just sit by and watch, even refusing to tolerate any disturbance to this entertaining drama.


    "Actually, the Qiao¡¯s family members from Nan Province have a pretty good reputation."


    "Although there is the unruly criminal Qiao Pifu who forcefully entered Heyang City¡¯s Xuantian Temple, there are no cowards among them."


    "But Qiao Shuanglin seems a bit different. His reputation in the Imperial Capital doesn¡¯t seem to be good, right?"


    "Among the few Qiao¡¯s family members who have appeared so far, this elderly man is considered an outlier."


    Dao Zhen was also curious about what kind of person Qiao Shuanglin was.


    So he continued watching the y.


    ¡­¡­¡­.


    The sound of people gradually became noisy.


    The crowd always blindly followed, naturally standing on the side of the calm but cold-faced old man, and the weeping young woman.


    "Surround him, don¡¯t let him escape!"


    "I heard that this old man has martial arts skills, even though he¡¯s old now, he can easily bully a woman with a little remaining strength."


    "Old man, if you¡¯re really innocent, why not stand there and wait for the government officials toe? They will be able to determine your innocence."


    There were various sounds around.


    Qiao Mu remained calm and observed carefully. He realized that not all of the people in the crowd were actors brought by the mastermind. Some of them were genuinely angry and came forward to protect the woman.


    "Unreasonable¡­" Qiao Mu silently shook his head and turned to leave.


    He originally thought that the truth among them could easily be seen by wise individuals.


    But the pedestrians in the market square at this moment didn¡¯t have such good insight.


    Of course, there was also a possibility¡­ that these onlookers didn¡¯t actually care so much about the truth. They were simply spectators, instinctively taking the side of "justice."


    Qiao Mu had no intention of wasting time with these people.


    His eyes suddenly became sharp, and a strong aura of killing arose once again.


    Even though he hadn¡¯t mastered the true Spiritual Refining Method or the Eye Attacking Method, due to not having entered the Spiritual Refining Method, Qiao Mu could still imitate it and use his own intimidating aura to awe these ordinary people.


    When he red at them like that, the noisy crowd around him immediately quieted down and unconsciously made way for him.


    Qiao Mu was about to leave when suddenly he heard a shout from afar.


    "Hey! You shameless person! Don¡¯t even think about leaving like this. I, ¡®Dragon w¡¯ Hu Han, cannot tolerate such disrespect towards virtuousdies!"


    A strong man with a square face stood in front of Qiao Mu.


    He nced at the plump woman next to him and unconsciously stood up straighter, making his already sturdy chest even more erect and magnificent.


    "It¡¯s the hero ¡®Dragon w¡¯ Hu Han!"


    "Even Hero Hu is here? Now that old man won¡¯t dare to act tough!"


    Amidst the noise, the woman seemed to notice Hu Han¡¯s gaze and blinked her eyes, her eyes bing even redder.


    "I beg Hero Hu to help me."


    "This old man seems to have some martial arts skills. He was disrespectful towards me earlier, and now he¡¯s trying to leave when he hears someone is reporting him to the authorities. Without a heroic figure like Hero Hu¡¯s assistance¡­"


    Hu Han opened his eyes wide and stood firm when the young woman begged with red eyes.


    "Old man, you can¡¯t leave!"


    "What? You believe her just based on her words?" Qiao Mu stopped and said calmly.


    "How do you know that this isn¡¯t just her falsely using me? Did anyone see me do anything inappropriate to her just now?"


    Strong man Hu Han hesitated for a moment, then shouted loudly.


    "False usation? Who would risk their own reputation to falsely use an old man like you?"


    Upon hearing this, others nodded one after another.


    In this feudal dynasty, the reputation of virtuous women has always been highly valued.


    Many young girls and married women were kept hidden in their homes, not allowed to go out freely or show their faces, as it could invite gossip.


    And this young woman now ims that she was harassed on the street, and if this incident spreads, it will definitely have an impact on her reputation.


    Once her reputation is tarnished, she will probably be subject to criticism for the rest of her life, so in the eyes of others, it¡¯s only natural for her not to falsely use others of wrongdoing.


    Seeing everyone nodding in agreement, Hu Han the hero gained a bit more confidence and proudly said:


    "Don¡¯t worry, if you are truly innocent, when the authoritiese and investigate the matter thoroughly, they will clear your name."


    "But if you truly did it, I can¡¯t pretend that I don¡¯t know."


    Strong man Hu Han crossed his arms and let out a cold snort.


    "Good!"


    "Today, thanks to the presence of Hero Hu, we won¡¯t let this old thief escape!" The people around immediately cheered.


    All eyes fell on Hero Hu, making him unconsciously stand taller and more imposing.


    They are people who like to watch the excitement and don¡¯t mind getting involved in things. When they heard about an unusual event where a ny-year-old man was flirting with a young woman on the street, they couldn¡¯t resist going to see it.


    If this Qiao Shuanglin is really someone important and powerful from the Imperial Capital, maybe they wouldn¡¯t dare to gather around and watch.


    But this so-called Qiao¡¯s family is not that famous in the Zhong Province Imperial Capital. Its reputation is mostly in the Nan Province. It can only be considered ordinary here and is far from being influential in the Imperial Capital.


    Maybe they have heard some rumors about Qiao¡¯s family during their tea time, but that¡¯s about it.


    Compared to Qiao¡¯s family, Wan Ronghua, who is a local tycoon, is the one who really makes them feel afraid and respectful.


    However, Qiao Mu frowned.


    The government?


    The powerful force that he offended includes the government of Great Yan. It¡¯s possible that this whole thing is a plot by some government official¡­


    Moreover, his head is still hanging on that stake in the vegetable market. It¡¯s a bit unreasonable to expect him to trust the government of Great Yan to clear his name.


    "Are you really interested in the truth or do you just want to show off in front of others, Mr. Foolish Hero? Do you want to turn me in to the officials?" Qiao Mu said coldly.


    "You also seem to have the reputation of a hero in the martial world. Do you truly believe that the government can distinguish right from wrong and clear my name?"


    "Besides, whether I touched that woman or not just relies on her words. Who saw it? Today, she can frame me, Qiao Shuanglin, and tomorrow she can frame someone else."


    "¡­ " Hu Han, the great hero, was momentarily speechless. But then he carefully looked at the calm andposed Qiao Mu and said in a rough voice:


    "I have heard a bit about your famous Qiao¡¯s family. Although you are old, I suppose you still have the skills of a martial artist, which must be much better than an ordinary person."


    "With the speed of a martial artist, it wouldn¡¯t be impossible for you to make advances on this youngdy in public without anyone noticing, right?"


    The great hero, Dragon w Hu Han, no longer argued. He shouted loudly, took a step forward, and pressed his w-like hand on Qiao Mu¡¯s shoulder.


    However, despite his attack, Qiao Mu remained unscathed, looking at him calmly as if to say:


    Is that all?


    Instead, Hu Han¡¯s face turned red and he felt uncertain.


    He secretly summoned his inner strength, hoping to overpower Qiao Mu with a single move.


    Dragon w Hu Han was a well-known hero in the Zhong Province area. Although he hadn¡¯t yet mastered the Spiritual Refining Method, he had already reached the impressive 4th rank in training, showing great strength.


    It was fine when they didn¡¯t move, but as soon as they unleashed their inner strength, a powerful burst of energy erupted from Qiao Mu¡¯s shoulder, causing Hu Han to stumble back several steps and fall onto the road. He looked at the old man in front of him with disbelief and confusion.


    "How can an elderly person with declining vitality possess such deep inner strength?"


    Hu Han could vaguely sense that he had met his match today.


    However, countless onlookers¡¯ gazes felt like needles pricking his back.


    "Isn¡¯t Hu Han a famous hero in the Zhong Province?"


    "Even this elderly person in his nies can¡¯t defeat him? Could this be staged?"


    The words around him made him very angry and he couldn¡¯t bow his head here.


    "You have good skills, old man, but you are so confident because you think no one can see your actions clearly¡­." Hu Han opened his eyes and shouted.


    He just lost face and knew that he couldn¡¯t beat the seemingly old man in front of him.


    Hu Han thought he could easily defeat this old man just now, so he bravely started, but now that he couldn¡¯t use force, he didn¡¯t want to admit defeat and had to find another way.


    Fortunately, this is the Imperial Capital, not a ce for martial artists to show off, the size of their fists is not that important.


    No matter how big it is, can it be bigger than the Great Yan Imperial Court? Can it be bigger than the Immortal Gate?


    Qiao Mu, on the other hand, remained calm. He stood still, raised his hands, with a smile-like expression on his face.


    "So you have no evidence, just pure spection. Just because that woman looks pitiful, does it make me the bad guy?"


    "The one who uses has to provide evidence. That woman can stop me just by talking, and you all just enjoy the show without caring about the truth. So you bully a ny-year-old man like me?"


    Qiao Mu had no constraints and started criticizing the crowd around him. The people around naturally became excited and said all sorts of things.


    "What evidence? You, who harasses women on the streets, what evidence do you have?" The voices in the crowd were noisy.


    "Are you suggesting that the youngdy publicly undress to see if her buttocks are red from your pinching?"


    "¡­Well, maybe that could work? I think it¡¯s possible," a passerby in the crowd brightened up.


    "You old man, you are so fearless, it¡¯s most likely that you did something dirty!"


    Qiao Mu shook his head and didn¡¯t say anything else.


    He already realized that he couldn¡¯t clear his name with words alone.


    This situation was like smearing mud on his pants, even if it¡¯s not feces, it would still be considered as such. Moreover, it¡¯s highly likely that this was not a coincidence but rather someone setting him up behind the scenes. Naturally, the authorities wouldn¡¯t support justice¡­


    "Perhaps the person behind all this wants me to realize that they are intentionally provoking me¡­ If I were to truly vent my anger on these pedestrians, I would be falling into their trap." His gaze grew icy.


    No matter if he uses his hands against these people blocking the way, or escapes, he is afraid that he will bebeled with a bad reputation.


    He thought for a moment, then suddenly moved his hand.


    A loud ng of the sword sounded.


    Qiao Mu drew his sword, a three-foot de gleaming with a cold light, forcing the people around him to take a few steps back, thinking that they had angered this old martial artist, and that blood would be spilled.


    However, Qiao Mu didn¡¯t act. Instead, he held the long sword horizontally against his own neck and said proudly:


    "I, Qiao Shuanglin, have a lifetime of good reputation, how can I allow others to defame me?"


    "Since you dare to use my reputation as a bet, I will also bet my own life."


    "Let it be known that Qiao¡¯s family has never been the kind to fear death or seek fame."


    "If you dare to tarnish my good reputation, then I will risk my old life to kill you here at the market in the Imperial Capital, and then take my own life to prove my innocence!"


    "How about it, are you brave enough to bet with me?" The old man stared at the young woman, radiating a strong presence that left her speechless and too afraid to meet his gaze.


    The crowd fell silent for a moment, but soon some murmurs could be heard:


    "What kind of man threatens a woman?"


    "He¡¯s desperate, willing to kill and thenmit suicide just to earn a good reputation. Who knows how many times he¡¯s done it before? He¡¯s probably too scared to face the authorities, so he¡¯s asking for death."


    "If only he had known, why did he have to do such dirty things earlier?"


    Qiao Mu¡¯s gaze was sharp as lightning, scanning through the crowd one by one.


    It would have been fine if it had happened just once, but repeatedly causing trouble in the crowd. Did this old man really think his hearing and eyesight were impaired, unable to figure out who was causing the problems?


    However, even so, Qiao Mu still couldn¡¯t act immediately¡­ If he did, it would only confirm his bad reputation.


    Of course, just because "Qiao Shuanglin" couldn¡¯t act now didn¡¯t mean the next Qiao family elder couldn¡¯t seek revenge.


    Qiao Mu has always been a very kind person to his friends.


    The person who forced him to die and sent him down the road to death would always be considered his closest and most trusted friend, just like that friend with the surname Guo, who will forever reside in his heart.


    "Hehe¡­this Qiao Shuanglin is quite brave, but it¡¯s a shame that he wasted a good life just to die because of this group of ragtag people, really such a pity."


    At the entrance of the teahouse, the disciple Dao Zhen from the Great Dao Sect sighed with regret.


    Although he sighed, he had no intention of stepping in to stop it.


    "Human life is fleeting and fragile, only at the moment of death will it bloom with a momentary brilliance."


    As a spectator, he most looked forward to that moment when ordinary people faced death.


    However, at this moment, a faint voice suddenly resounded in his ear.


    "Junior Brother Dao Zhen, you really made it difficult for me to find you, were you intentionally avoiding Senior Sister Dao Xu?"

 Chapter 152:

    Chapter 152:


    Suddenly, a voice came out of nowhere, surprising Dao Zhen who was sitting peacefully at the entrance of the teahouse. His hand, which was holding a cup ready to drink, froze in mid-air.


    Dao Xu£¿


    Dao Zhen turned his gaze and indeed saw a female cultivator wearing a bright red robe, looking at him with curiosity.


    The female cultivator appeared to be in herte twenties or early thirties, with a well-rounded figure even though it was hidden under the loose robe.


    Dao Zhen immediately felt a sense of unease in his heart.


    This Senior Sister Dao Xu, although from the same sect as him and both disciples of Elder Qingyi, had joined earlier than him. However, Dao Zhen had progressed quickly in his cultivation and caught up with her at one point. Therefore, they had always been secretlypeting with each other.


    Dao Zhen was azy person and didn¡¯t have the inclination for battles unless required by the sect. He would usually wander around the Imperial Capital in the name of enlightenment, observing mortals.


    But Dao Xu waspletely different from him, with a fiery personality as a cultivator.


    Both of them didn¡¯t say that they were like water and fire, but they oftenpeted with each other.Dao Zhen wasn¡¯t really afraid of this senior sister.


    The main reason is that if things escte due to the other person¡¯s temper, it will be difficult to handle and it will also disturb his interest in observing mortals.


    "Oh, senior sister is here¡­ Would you like a cup of tea?" Dao Zhen smiled and greeted, trying to appear calm.


    "I just returned to this Imperial Capital yesterday, and I forgot to say hello to senior sister. It¡¯s quite a coincidence today."


    "Is that so?"


    This woman cultivator Dao Xu, wearing a red Taoist robe, sat confidently across from the round table, poured herself a pot of tea, and drank it in big gulps.


    "Now that we¡¯ve finished the tea, can we begin?" Dao Xu got straight to the point.


    "Begin¡­ what?" Dao Zhen looked confused.


    "Acting silly in front of me, you¡¯re being a bit naive," Dao Xu smiled.


    "Junior brother, I have obtained a new magical treasure recently and I want to test it against you."


    She opened her bare hand, and a light blue bead floated above her palm, spinning around on its own.


    As the bead spun, a faint cold air emerged.


    Dao Zhen was calmly enjoying his tea, but when he brought the cup to his lips, he wore a helpless expression and set the cup down.


    Within an instant, the tea inside the cup had frozen into a block of ice.


    "This item is called the Mysterious Ice Pearl. I purchased it from a friend in the Long Life Gate. It is said to be made by refining thousand-year-old ck ice from the extreme northern region. It contains bone-chilling coldness, which ordinary treasures cannot withstand once unleashed," Dao Xu exined gently.


    "Senior sister, this is the Imperial Capital, especially a marketce. It¡¯s not a suitable ce. How about we continue our duel tomorrow?" he could only suggest.


    "The Imperial Capital is a crucial ce for the Great Yan Imperial Court and also affects the prosperity of our sect. If a bigmotion were to happen here, it would incur punishment from the sect," Dao Zhen exined.


    "Oh, don¡¯t y tricks in front of me, using mortals as your shield?" Dao Xu sneered.


    "If I were to give up now, who knows where you¡¯ll hide tomorrow?"


    "Why would I behave like that?" Dao Zhen shrugged, looking innocent.


    "Senior Sister, tomorrow I will still be within this Imperial Capital, I won¡¯t go out to hide."


    "So, you n to continue hiding in this Imperial Capital market tomorrow, making me wary of you?" Dao Xu saw through her junior brother¡¯s intentions and coldly snorted.


    Without saying much, she had a thought and the Mysterious Ice Pearl in her hand emitted a bright light.


    In an instant.


    A cloud of ice mist rapidly spread, enveloping the surroundings.


    Dao Zhen¡¯s expression changed slightly, a small golden bell appeared in front of him, a golden light immediately unfolded, forming an egg-shaped barrier around him.


    And the frost continued to spread, forming ayer of ice on the tabletop with a cracking sound.


    "This¨C" The waiter saw themotion and hurried over, but before he could scream in rm, frost hung on his eyebrows, turning him into an ice sculpture.


    "The cmity of inhuman¡­ Run!" The other customers and the innkeeper showed fear and panic as they fled.


    "Senior sister¡­ You still have time to stop now," Dao Zhen¡¯s expression was filled with sorrow.


    "As cultivators, we mustn¡¯t indiscriminately kill mortals unless necessary."


    Mortals are important resources of incense for the Nine Immortal Gates.


    Therefore, Immortal Gates usually restrain their cultivators and prevent them from killing unless necessary.


    Indiscriminately killing innocent beings may damage the reputation of the Immortal Gate and hinder their acquisition of incense¡­ However, the rules of the Immortal Gate are rtive, not absolute.


    "These rules are not absolute."


    Dao Xu quickly stretched out her hand and the frozen body of the innkeeper shattered into ice fragments. With a gust of wind, the fragments were sucked into her storage bag, disappearing without a trace.


    "The battles among true high-level cultivators can destroy an entire human city and engulf hundreds of thousands of ordinary people. What we are doing here is just a small-scale fight, insignificant."


    When Dao Xu mentioned the level of destruction caused by the Inhuman Disaster that could wipe out cities, it was no less terrifying than floods or earthquakes.


    Compared to those, the fight between the two cultivators seemed quite mild.


    "After all, the lives of a few ordinary people are insignificant. Even if we don¡¯t kill them, in a hundred years, they will turn to dust." Dao Xu was being defiant.


    "Sometimes, even battles between ordinary martial artists can result in the deaths of several or dozens of people."


    "shes between factions, bandits, and warlords can leave thousands or even millions of people disced and their homes destroyed."


    "Even if I don¡¯t take action, ordinary people can still be affected by various natural and man-made disasters¡­ So, what difference does our involvement makepared to the unknown disasters?"


    The cold light shone brightly as the pale blue bead spun rapidly in her palm.


    A small frosty whirlwind appeared in her palm.


    As she extended her hand, the frosty whirlwind rapidly expanded when released, covering the entire teahouse in an instant.


    ¡­¡­¡­.


    The market square.


    Qiao Mu was surrounded by over a hundred people in the middle of the road, facing their usations.


    With a sword in his hand, he pointed the sharp edge towards thedy protected by the strong men, his expression cold and fierce.


    "Speak!"


    "Are you willing to bet or not!"


    His thunderous voice became even more intimidating, causing thedy¡¯s face to turn pale as paper.


    She only came to frame the old man after listening to Wan Ronghua¡¯s orders, but she had no intention of risking her life.


    At this moment, Qiao Mu was being pointed at by thousands of people, but his presence was still remarkable, overpowering the fierce usations of the crowd.


    Meanwhile, at this time.


    Suddenly, there was a loud noise from the teahouse behind.


    A chilling whirlwind erupted, causing the doors and windows of the entire teahouse to rapidly freeze, twist, and break off. The teahouse was almost copsing, on the verge of copse.


    Two rainbow lights shot out in session, entangling in the sky above this marketce.

 Chapter 153:

    Chapter 153:


    Wan Ronghua¡¯s family had a thriving business, and naturally, they had their own industry in the market square of the Imperial Capital.


    At this time, he was observing themotion caused by Qiao Mu from a room in a tavern facing the street.


    Qiao Shuanglin killed the sacred Sword Ghost of the Wan family, whom he saw as a great enemy.


    So he came here in person, prepared to witness how Qiao Shuanglin would handle this, and then based on Qiao Shuanglin¡¯s reaction, make his next move.


    When he saw Qiao Mu draw his sword and dere that he would risk his life to prove his innocence, he was amazed.


    "This Qiao Shuanglin is courageous¡­ but if he dies like this, then the mission will be sessfullypleted, and it will be easy."


    From his perspective, if Qiao Mu were to die as a result, it couldn¡¯t get any better.


    He only lost an ordinary pawn who wasn¡¯t even an internal strength martial artist, but he exchanged it for the formidable enemy Qiao Shuanglin, who was above the spiritual refining fourth rank. This deal was definitely a win-win!


    Wan Ronghua could never have imagined that Qiao Mu was an immortal.Once Qiao Mu dies, the situation won¡¯t end here.


    Instead, there will be a second and third even more powerful Qiao Muing back, determined to fight to the death!


    A powerful enemy who cannot be killed and even bes stronger as they kill more, it¡¯s really despairing!


    What¡¯s even more despairing is¡­ they don¡¯t know about Qiao Mu¡¯s special powers, so they still hold onto hope of killing Qiao Mu.


    "But that young woman seems tock courage." Wan Ronghua frowned and pondered.


    "Being threatened by Qiao Shuanglin like that, she¡¯s having trouble speaking clearly. Others might start to suspect something, don¡¯t you think?"


    The situation is constantly changing.


    As a wealthy person in the capital city, Wan Ronghua naturally has some skills.


    Only by being present at the scene does he believe he can understand people¡¯s true intentions from their subtle expressions and take appropriate actions.


    So, what should he do now?


    Should he give new orders to his subordinates at the scene to intimidate and coerce that young woman?


    But soon, with a loud noise from the tea house next door, the tea house almost copsed, and two beams of rainbow light rushed out, transforming into two figures wearing Great Dao Sect robes.


    The icy cyclone wreaked havoc in the market square, sweeping away the stalls and meat cases, turning them into icy streams, blowing against Dao Zhen, who was enveloped in golden light.


    The crowd in the market square was chaotic, filled with screams and shouts.


    "People from Great Dao Sect? How could they be fighting in the bustling market square?"


    Wan Ronghua¡¯s heart skipped a beat.


    He was unexpectedly involved in an Inhuman Disaster?


    This is the Imperial Capital! Not some deserted countryside or small town!


    Even as a cultivator from Great Dao Sect, shouldn¡¯t they still follow the rules?


    As a wealthy person in the Imperial Capital, Wan Ronghua¡¯s biggest background was Immortal Gate Great Dao Sect. How could he not recognize the robes of Dao Zhen and Dao Xu?


    Wan Ronghua felt miserable in his heart, watching the hired actors disperse and run away on the street.


    No matter how many ns he made, they were no match for the Immortal Gate¡¯s powerful fists.


    Dao Xu, a female disciple of the Great Dao Sect, behaved recklessly, daring to fight openly in the bustling city without fear of harming innocent people.


    This was something he couldn¡¯t predict, and he could only attribute it to his bad luck.


    He stood up quickly, and an old man in ck appeared, blocking in front of him. With a punch, the air seemed to ripple, shattering the ice spike that hade through the broken window.


    "Master Wan, when inhuman goes crazy, we won¡¯t be able to stop them. We should run!" The old man¡¯s face also grew serious.


    "This is the Imperial Capital. Once things escte, the Immortal Gate elders of the Great Dao Sect shoulde and put an end to the fight between those two cultivators¡­ but that will beter. If we stay here, we won¡¯t wait until then!"


    He was a skilled bodyguard hired by the Wan family, and he had also reached the spiritual refining stage. His responsibility was to protect Wan Ronghua.


    But even he didn¡¯t dare to face the sharpness of the Great Dao Sect cultivator, so he could only urge his master to leave quickly.


    "Leave? Yes, hurry away!"


    Wan Ronghua looked at Qiao Mu in the bustling central market with hatred. With the old man¡¯s escort, they quickly left the tea house and left at the fastest speed.


    Just as they stepped onto the street, they happened to encounter a crowd of people running and escaping at the vegetable market.


    "Master Wan is here too¡­" someone¡¯s eyes flickered. This person was the butcher who was ughtering pigs at the vegetable market before. When the young woman caused trouble, he was one of the first actors to step forward from the crowd.


    Now that he saw Wan Ronghua, naturally, he gritted his teeth and followed behind Wan Ronghua with full force.


    Right now, there are cultivators fighting at the vegetable market. It is certain that ordinary people who get involved in the aftermath of the battle will die.


    As for someone like Wan Ronghua, who is a big shot, he must have experts escorting him. Even if he can¡¯t directly confront the cultivators from the Great Dao Sect, his chances of surviving are higher than blindly running around, right?


    Even if the sky falls, someone tall will hold it up!


    There are still quite a few smart people like the butcher. Several people are closely following behind Wan Ronghua.


    "Why are you following me?" Wan Ronghua widened his eyes, feeling a sudden sense of danger. He felt as if there were sharp thorns on his back, and a piercing gazended on him from behind.


    With a brave face, he turned around and saw Qiao Mu in the distance, their gazes meeting.


    "Hisss¡­" Wan Ronghua turned around with a forced smile and continued to run away, silently praying that Qiao Mu wouldn¡¯t recognize him.


    But of course, this was impossible.


    "Wan Ronghua? It¡¯s not a coincidence to see you here." Qiao Mu squinted his eyes, his intentions turning deadly.


    If only Wan Ronghua could continue hiding inside the house from afar.


    However, he had a skilled spiritual refining expert guarding him, and several people were running on the streets behind him. If Qiao Mu didn¡¯t realize that something was wrong, it would be strange.


    "Is he the mastermind behind all this?" Qiao Mu suddenly became interested.


    He had initially thought that he had angered some high-ranking official or even Emperor Yonghe himself, but he never expected it to be this wealthy figure from the Imperial Capital.


    "If I seek revenge now, it shouldn¡¯t be a problem." He tightly gripped the sword in his hand, filled with a strong desire to kill.


    Wan Ronghua has caused trouble repeatedly, how could there be no anger in his heart?


    At this moment, the two individuals from the Great Dao Sect, Dao Zhen and Dao Xu, are engaged in a fierce battle.


    The thoughts of others are focused on escaping, and the only one who can stop him is the spiritual refining guard by Wan Ronghua¡¯s side.


    But this is not a big problem.


    Because others are concerned about their lives, their thoughts are focused on avoiding the aftermath of the battle between the two cultivators.


    Qiao Mu has never been afraid of death.


    The battle between Dao Zhen and Dao Xu is actually a great help for Qiao Mu.


    As long as he is determined to chase and kill Wan Ronghua, he should have a good chance of sess¡­


    And at this moment, Dao Xu and Dao Zhen in the sky above Cai Shi Kou started to fight for real.


    "Senior sister, if you act so recklessly, you will definitely be punished by the sect."


    Dao Zhen remained calm and watched the crowd below at Cai Shi Kou fleeing.


    Allowing a cultivator to use spells in the busy Imperial Capital would surely result in a great disaster.


    As the Mysterious Ice Pearl emitted a brilliant light, a chilling cold spread rapidly, covering the stalls at Cai Shi Kou with frost, which was then swept up into the air by the storm.


    "If that¡¯s the case, then don¡¯t hide in your shell. Let¡¯s finish this quickly!" Dao Xu¡¯s expression turned cold, refusing to budge an inch.


    With things reaching this point, how could she possibly back down now?


    Whether in victory or in punishment, defeating this Junior Brother Dao Zhen would at least bring her some satisfaction¡­


    Not only did she not stop, but she continued to cast spells, invoking the power of the Mysterious Ice Pearl.


    Tap tap.


    The whole market square was covered in ayer of frost, and the harsh frosty whirlwind grew stronger, threatening to engulf Dao Zhen, who was surrounded by golden light.


    Dao Zhen quickly reacted and transformed into a rainbow, narrowly avoiding the frosty whirlwind¡¯s collision with the golden light.


    Boom!


    The wooden tform at the execution grounds behind Dao Zhen was swept up by the whirlwind, and icy crystal frost swords carved terrifying long trenches on the tform.


    With a creaking sound, the wooden tform copsed and fell to the ground, but before it could hit the floor, it was covered in frost and turned into a big chunk of ice, lopsided and frozen.


    The roaring ice storm drowned out the cries and noise of the crowd.


    "This is a cultivator¡­"


    Dragon w Hu Han¡¯s eyes twitched, and his heartbeat echoed loudly.


    He was a well-known martial artist of the 4th rank in Zhong Province, so he had seen and encountered many powerful martial artists.


    No matter how much he trained his strength and power, their destructive abilities were limited to that of an ordinary person.


    Although his physical body was strong, it was still flesh and blood and couldn¡¯tpare to gold and iron.


    Even if his internal strength was strong, it could neverpare to that of a cultivator who could easily demolish a prison or a teahouse.


    As for Spirit Refining martial artists?


    The strength of spiritual refining lies in the mind, but that doesn¡¯t mean their power can surpass that of a 4th rank martial artist or go head-to-head with a cultivator. It is impossible to win in a direct confrontation between martial artists and cultivators.


    Moreover, these were just the aftermath of the battle between the two cultivators.


    Dao Xu from the Great Dao Sect had to consider the sect¡¯s rules, so even if he didn¡¯t care about the lives of ordinary people, he restrained himself to some extent.


    "Why are we martial artists fighting against cultivators¡­ Can I still switch to cultivating in the immortal path now?"


    Hu Han felt bitter in his heart. When he was young, he had a passionate spirit topete with ruthless opponents, but over time it faded away. Now, seeing the huge gap in martial and immortal arts, it shook him deeply.


    The icy whirlwind continued to sweep in with lingering force.


    At this moment.


    In the howling cold wind, there came a few faint cries.


    Among these voices were cries of young girls and boys, as well as cries from middle-aged men and women.


    Hu Han clenched his teeth but didn¡¯t look back.


    He didn¡¯t need to look back to know what had happened from those cries¡­ but he felt helpless.


    When he stood before an elderly man with the surname Qiao, he could still uphold justice. But now, he couldn¡¯t even protect his own life. Like a mud statue crossing the river, he couldn¡¯t take care of others anymore.


    He dared not look back, afraid that if he did, he would feel unable to endure the guilt and develop a sense of being unwilling to save lives¡­


    While he was gritting his teeth and rushing forward.


    A familiar figure, but going against the fleeing crowd, Hu Han quickly and astonishly charged towards the oing icy storm.


    "Such a fast speed, definitely a martial artist above me¡­" This thought shed through his mind, and suddenly his eyes widened:


    "That person seems to be¡­"


    He couldn¡¯t help but look back.


    He saw an elderly figure, enveloped in a burst of bloody light, exploding with speed, surpassing the crowd, arms wide open, using his flesh and blood to face the aftermath of the icy storm.


    This was an old man, his figure seeming thin, but his outstretched arms were like a protective eagle, shielding several civilians who were about to be swept up by the whirlwind.


    It was almost instantaneously.


    The twin swords within the storm cut through his entire body, blood gushing out.


    The blood hadn¡¯t even dripped to the ground yet, and it had already frozen into ice.


    The sound of freezing could be heard constantly with a crackling sound.


    Not only the blood, but his entire body had frozen like an ice sculpture.


    The old man maintained a pose with his arms outstretched, leaving the others with a silhouette, standing there lifelike, like a sculpture.


    "Is this person¡­ not that Qiao Shuanglin?"


    Hu Han was stunned, his eyes wide open.


    Even Dragon w, the great hero of Zhong Province, couldn¡¯t help himself and could only escape for his life just now, afraid that he would miss out on saving himself because of saving others. But this old man, who seemed like a provocativedy, was willing to sacrifice himself?


    He looked closely, and among the people protected by the old man, one or two faces were slightly familiar, they were among the crowd of onlookers who had used Qiao Shuanglin earlier¡­


    At this moment, he, just like Hu Han, was frozen in shock, obviously experiencing a tremendous impact in his heart.


    "What are you standing there for? Run quickly," Hu Han shouted suddenly, urging the stunned group of three or four to escape.


    And he stood still, feeling the tumultuous waves surging in his heart¡­


    "Not saying a word, yet willing to risk his own life for the sake of others?" he murmured.


    "And amongst the people he protected, there were even those who had ndered him?"


    "Are there really heroes in this world who sacrifice themselves for others and repay hatred with kindness?" Hu Han mumbled to himself.


    He couldn¡¯t understand, but he was deeply inspired.


    "But how could such a hero possibly stoop to doing something outrageous to a woman on the street?"


    And what shocked him even more was yet toe.


    While he deeply respected him in his heart, deciding to burn incense for Qiao Shuanglin¡¯s soul after escaping alive.


    Crackling sounds suddenly rang out.


    A crack appeared on the icy figure, then quickly spread, covering arge area.


    "Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method£¡"


    Qiao Mu¡¯s powerful internal strength erupted from his body, and his blood-red aura surged out. He forcefully broke free from the ice sculpture, his whole body boiling with energy.


    "What a joke to repay kindness with resentment? Don¡¯t be so sentimental, child," the old man still had his back turned to them, not giving them a single nce. He spoke with an air of arrogance.


    "I stepped forward, not for your praise or admiration, so whether you admire or criticize me, I don¡¯t care¡­Don¡¯t think I¡¯ll sacrifice myself for such shallow reasons."


    Qiao Mu¡¯s gaze was sharp as he clenched his fist tightly.


    He had understood a lesson early on, that killing is easy, but saving is difficult.


    Do we still need to rely on inhuman power to kill Wan Ronghua? Laughable.


    Even though Qiao Mu liked to show off in front of people and then brag about himself, he didn¡¯t die just to show off. He died while trying to be impressive, but these are two different things.


    "There has always been only one reason for me to willingly go to my death even though I didn¡¯t have to."


    "Because there are many unfair things in this world." Qiao Mu raised his head and narrowed his eyes as he looked at the two Taoist priests fighting in the sky.


    "And they just happened toe across me."

 Chapter 154:

    Chapter 154:


    Don¡¯t be so sentimental, child.


    If someone else were to say such old-fashioned and condescending words, Hu Han, with his temper, would not be able to resist punching them in the face.


    After all, Hu Han was already a middle-aged man in his forties. In the Great Yan Imperial Court, people his age might already have grandchildren.


    Regardless of seniority, experience, or status in the martial arts world, he was no longer a small role.


    The person who can say this is Qiao Shuanglin.


    An old man who is over ny years old.


    Age is not the most important thing. There are many old people who are not respected. If we only rely on age, it¡¯s impossible for Hu Han to respect him.


    Qiao Shuanglin is not only over ny years old, but he was also mistaken by him as a dirty old man who was about to be held down in the street. While Hu Han was running away, he didn¡¯t hold a grudge and helped several pedestrians who were almost involved in the fight.


    With such actions and such a character, what¡¯s wrong with calling him a child from a superior position?Hu Han didn¡¯t feel insulted.


    On the contrary, he even felt ashamed.


    He was ashamed because he helped out with righteousness, but almost used an old man, ruining his reputation.


    He was ashamed because in times of danger, he only cared about saving himself, while the old man who was almost falsely used by him was able to step forward and help others. In Hu Han¡¯ view, it was just human nature to only think about saving oneself, so he didn¡¯t think he was wrong.


    The mud statue forgot about saving itself when facing danger and couldn¡¯t afford to care about others either.


    His actions cannot be considered wrong. Perhaps no one can me him¡­ except for those who sacrifice themselves to save others.


    However, Qiao Shuanglin didn¡¯t criticize him for not saving people from a superior position. It was Hu Han whopared himself to others and suddenly felt ashamed, as if he had be shorter out of nowhere.


    Regardless of the era or the world, individuals who can sacrifice themselves to save others in times of danger are a rarity and will undoubtedly earn the respect of others.


    Like the Qiao¡¯s family in the past, Qiao Shuanglin¡¯s reputation in the Imperial Capital was almost tainted, and he was also the same.


    "Mr. Qiao repays resentment with virtue, disying great righteousness!" He respectfully raised his fists and bowed to the old man who had his back turned towards him.


    Whether this old man repays resentment with virtue or has other motives, judging by actions rather than intentions, no one can criticize such behavior, because even Hu Han, who ims to be a chivalrous hero, cannot do it.


    "Go, go, go! Stop behaving dramatically here! It would be better if you go away." Qiao Mu impatiently waved his hand, not staying at all, and his figure swooped across like arge bird once again. This time, he used his own flesh and blood chest to block several fleeing civilians.


    Qiao Mu doesn¡¯t feel like he is repaying resentment with virtue.


    Because saving people and holding grudges are not contradictory.


    He didn¡¯t have the time to carefully identify the people in the crowd who had insulted him earlier, and then choose whether or not to save them¡­


    This isn¡¯t important.


    Qiao Mu, instead of seeking revenge, was a very good friend. He would keep a special list of trusted friends in his heart and visit each of them after he died, guiding them on their way.


    Once Qiao Shuanglin, who was involved in the situation, died, Qiao Mu could re-enter the scene as an outsider and resolve the situation.


    "Don¡¯t try to justify or be blindly moved, because once this matter is resolved, I will personally report those responsible behind the scenes."


    As a thought shed through Qiao Mu¡¯s mind, he swiftly crossed the market square.


    The invisible icy whirlwind created by the cultivator was indomitable, and Qiao Mu didn¡¯t know how to defend against it. He could only use his own body to resist.


    However, the cost of doing so was that his strong physical abilities were easily shattered, leaving a series of wounds that quickly chilled with frost before any blood had a chance to flow.


    Using your own body to block is a very inefficient method.


    After all, Qiao Mu¡¯s body is not a tall wall, how can it withstand the cold and the whirlwind?


    He can only save a portion of the people, while more people helplessly get swept away by the cold, their bodies rapidly freezing and then shattering into ice shards under the wind des.


    "It¡¯s easier to kill than to save, so why not solve the problem at its root¡­"


    He looked up at the sky.


    The two rainbows collided rapidly, and with each collision, a surge of cold air swept out.


    Dao Xu had obviously started a fire, her entire focus was on suppressing her junior, not paying much attention to the casualties at the market.


    The punishment from the sect is a future matter, now that things have escted, whether one stops or not, they will face the sect¡¯s punishment. It¡¯s better to just go all out.


    Both Dao Zhen and Dao Xu were of simr cultivation level, but now that Dao Xu has obtained a formidable new weapon and is using her full power, it naturally puts Dao Zhen at a disadvantage, forcing him into a defensive position.


    In the midst of a strong wind.


    Qiao Mu reached out and grabbed a pole that was blown next to him.


    Holding the pole with one hand, he took a deep breath. Suddenly, a surge of internal strength burst from his arm as he swung it towards the sky.


    Whoosh!


    The pole acted like a spear, piercing through the air and swiftly heading towards Dao Xu, who was floating in the sky.


    However, before it could touch Dao Xu¡¯s body, it quickly frosted and froze in mid-air, shattering into icy fragments.


    This attack caught Dao Xu¡¯s attention.


    She looked down from above, her gaze slightly chilling, clearly displeased.


    "Where did this mortale from?"


    She noticed the mortal¡¯s act of saving someone below, but she didn¡¯t care. Dao Xu¡¯s attention was mostly focused on her junior brother.


    Qiao Mu also ignored her.


    He just wanted to get the attention of these two cultivators.


    "Dao Zhen," he shouted loudly.


    "Don¡¯t you want this matter to be too big and end without resolution? Let me help you take care of this crazy woman, how about that?"


    Qiao Mu easily defeated the 3rd rank Spirit Refining martial artist, Sword Ghost. But now, his target was Dao Xu, who was in the air.


    He was naturally very arrogant.


    Even Hu Han, who had previously fled far away, couldn¡¯t help but turn back and look at Qiao Mu, feeling shaken.


    In a time when even Martial Saints were dying miserably, there were still martial artists who were not afraid of death, challenging something inhuman?


    Just the aftermath of their fight swept through the entire market, freezing Qiao Mu multiple times until he could unleash the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method and break free. Anyone with eyes could see the difference in their strength.


    With such a boastful attitude, it could only anger Dao Xu.


    "Elder Lao, are you really not seeking revenge?" Hu Han felt a shock in his heart.


    "This is clearly knowingly walking into danger. Trading his own life to buy time for others to escape."


    "This is the Imperial Capital market. I¡¯m sure the battle between the two Great Dao Sect cultivators won¡¯tst too long. It won¡¯t be long before people from the Immortal Gatee to stop them."


    "Elder Lao is powerful. The aftermath of their fight won¡¯t endanger his life¡­ He didn¡¯t have to die."

 Chapter 155:

    Chapter 155:


    Crazydy?


    As soon as these words were spoken, the swirling wind that enveloped the market paused for a moment, momentarily silent like the sky before a storm.


    The cultivator looks down on ordinary martial artists as insignificant bugs.


    And Qiao Mu, too, insulted her directly and called her a crazy woman.


    "Mortal life is short and fragile, like grass and insects. Yet, foolish people alwaysin that they live too long," Dao Xu said coldly.


    "It¡¯s true that mortals are as fragile as grass and insects, but even grass and insects have their own resilience," Dao Zhen brightened, his reaction contrasting to that of Dao Xu.


    And this actually matched Qiao Mu¡¯s expectations.


    He didn¡¯t really intend to team up with Dao Zhen.


    Dao Zhen and Dao Xu, these two people, were clearly disciples of the Great Dao Sect. They were the ones on his side.The two of them fought at the market square, appearing to be engaging in a fierce battle, but it was only mortals who suffered injuries or died. They were actually just sparring, not fighting for their lives.


    As a cultivator who saw mortals as insignificant, what right did he have to ally with Dao Zhen and confront Dao Xu, who was also a disciple of the Great Dao Sect?


    Normally, the two of them killed Qiao Mu together.


    But there was something different about Dao Zhen. He had interacted with Qiao Mu before when he was imprisoned in the heavenly prison under the name of Qiao Zhong, so he had some understanding of this person¡¯s character.


    "Qiao Shuanglin, you¡¯re quite bold. I wonder how you, as just an ordinary martial artist, can team up with me?" Dao Zhen said with a faint smile.


    Upon hearing this, Dao Xu was the first to react. She raised her eyebrows and looked displeased.


    "Junior brother, are you really nning to join forces with this mortal to deal with me, a ¡®crazy woman¡¯?"


    "I dare not. I just thought that sister¡¯s actions today were indeed inappropriate," Dao Zhen said calmly with a smile.


    "I just don¡¯t want sister to make a big mistake and be heavily punished by our master. So I¡¯m doing my best to stop her."


    Qiao Mu squinted his eyes and looked at Dao Zhen¡¯s face.


    Although Dao Zhen appeared to be kinder, he didn¡¯t trust this disciple of the Great Dao Sect.


    It was very clear that although Dao Zhen said things about considering the overall situation, he didn¡¯t really care much about the life and death of ordinary people. Otherwise, as a cultivator, even if he was at a disadvantage, he had many ways to protect the ordinary people running towards the vegetable market.


    Dao Zhen only looked differently at certain resilient ordinary people, so as long as Qiao Mu earned a good death, Dao Zhen would be on Qiao Mu¡¯s side and watch Qiao Mu¡¯s death while opening champagne on the side.


    "Dao Zhen," Qiao Mu said calmly, his tone arrogant.


    "Did you misunderstand? I never said we should join forces."


    "Oh?" Dao Zhen¡¯s eyes immediately lit up.


    Instead of getting angry, he looked at Qiao Mu with even higher regard.


    Cultivators often have a very high opinion of themselves, especially disciples of the Great Dao Sect.


    They are confident in their status and won¡¯t get angry because of a mantis that threatens them.


    The more arrogant someone is, the more likely Dao Zhen is to see them in a higher light.


    "Dao Zhen, if you can¡¯t do it, then let me handle it," Qiao Mu said with a mocking smile.


    "Since you can¡¯t even defeat her, just stand by and block the aftermath of the fight. Can you do that?"


    Dao Zhen and Dao Xu are on the same team. Even if they have the advantage, it will only go so far.


    Qiao Mu doesn¡¯t just want it to go so far, he wants to send Dao Xu packing.


    Dao Zhen£º¡­..


    Although he has good self-control and doesn¡¯t easily get angry, Qiao Shuanglin¡¯s words brought a trace of anger that he hadn¡¯t felt for a long time.


    However, he quickly suppressed that trace of anger and understood Qiao Mu¡¯s intention:


    "Let me handle the aftermath while you have a one-on-one fight?" He chuckled and said:


    "So you want me to take responsibility for blocking the aftermath and protecting the people of the Great Yan Imperial Court? You sure have a lot of indirect thoughts."


    "This is okay, after all, it is our duty to protect the people of the Imperial Capital from disasters in my Great Dao Sect."


    He slowly descended from the sky, with a warm smile on his face.


    Dao Zhen nned to observe Qiao Shuanglin during this trip, but his n was interrupted by his own Senior Sister Dao Xu.


    Being able to witness another death in Qiao¡¯s family is like a good show for him, so he naturally won¡¯t refuse.


    However, suddenly, a cold and harsh voice came from the sky.


    "Dao Zhen, do you even have the attitude of a junior brother?"


    "Am I invisible? Shall we y rock-paper-scissors to decide who will deal with me?"


    Dao Xu was clearly furious, her scarlet Dao robe fluttered in the wind, and the Mysterious Ice Pearl in her hand spun around. A stream of frosty water burst out, aimed directly at Dao Zhen.


    "The strongest among ordinary martial artists, the madman who ims to be the Martial Saint, only managed to fight and kill Qingyang, a disciple in the mid-stage of Foundation Building in Xuantian Sect." She sneered.


    "Thanks to him, from now on, the intermediate level of Foundation Building might not qualify for a divine position in the Taoist temple."


    "You don¡¯t really think¡­ just because that worthless person from Xuantian Sect died at the hands of the Martial Saint, it means you are qualified to challenge the experts in the realm of immortals, do you?"


    She had never regarded Qiao Mu, an ordinary martial artist, highly. All along, there was only one person, Dao Zhen, in her eyes.


    But at that moment¡­


    "Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method£¡"


    Qiao Mu flew through the air, his figure blurred for a moment, stepping on the wall of the attic, then rushed straight towards Dao Xu.


    Under the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, Qiao Mu¡¯s whole body was almost boiling with energy and his gaze locked onto Dao Xu, who stood empty-handed.


    "As long as I can touch her¡­"


    Martial artists don¡¯t have as many varied techniques as cultivators; all their martial arts moves revolve around punches, kicks, and weapons.


    Although Qiao Mu tried using the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method and throwing a stick, he clearly couldn¡¯t harm Dao Xu.


    So, the only option is to fight up close.


    Martial artists excel in physicalbat, and close-quarters fighting is their strong suit.


    As long as Qiao Mu can make contact with Dao Xu, he can fully unleash his power and employ the Long Life Fist, which has reached the Triple Wave level.


    The Triple Wave level is a level of punching power that only the head of the Qiao family in the previous Heyang City achieved. The power of three waves oveps like tidal waves, resulting in multiple times the destructive force.


    Both the path of immortality and the path of martial arts emphasize different aspects.


    Qiao Mu witnessed how the Martial Saint killed Taoist Qingyang with his own eyes, and he believed that as long as he could get close¡­


    Qiao Mu widened his angry eyes, and like a flying arrow, he didn¡¯t hit Dao Xu in the air.


    Coming at him was a swirling frost storm covered in ice crystals. The frosty ice crystals struck his face like swords, making his body sway and once again slicing through his flesh. The frost prated his bones with a chilling sensation.


    In a blink of an eye, he was swallowed up by a whirlwind and his whole body turned into solid ice, falling from the sky.


    "Red Moon Burning Blood Technique, activate!"


    This is one of the explosive secret techniques that Qiao Mu learned from the Blood Moon Chart, just getting started, simr to the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method.


    At this moment, he unleashed the Red Moon Burning Blood Technique, feeling his almost frozen blood burning intensely, a surge of new power erupting from within him.


    Crack, crack.


    He spread his arms, shattering the frost covering his body once again. With a light tap of his feet and a slight bend of his knees, he leaped up again.


    His movements were quick and nimble, almost invisible to the naked eye.


    Hu Han, who was fleeing, couldn¡¯t help but look back. He only saw Qiao Mu¡¯s figure shing continuously ¨C one moment he was on the ground, the next moment he slightly paused on the outer wall of a teahouse by the road. His figure behind him blurred once again, turning into a bloody silhouette.


    Even with his vision as a 4th rank martial artist, Hu Han could no longer clearly see Qiao Mu¡¯s movements under the eruption of the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method and the Red Moon Burning Blood Technique.


    But no matter how fast, it is still a human body.


    Dao Xu held the Mysterious Ice Pearl in her hands, standing in mid-air within the eye of the storm.


    If Qiao Mu wants to get close, he has to throw himself into the bone-chilling wind with his own flesh and blood.


    He obviously failed, again and again, the same result every time.


    The so-called courage didn¡¯t give him any extra strength. His body repeatedly lunged towards the red-robed female cultivator surrounded by a whirlwind, only to stiffen and freeze as he fell to the ground.


    The cycle went on and on.


    From Hu Han¡¯s perspective, this old man seemed tireless, as if he knew no fatigue or pain. He had fallen into the valley countless times, but each time he charged forward again.


    This made Hu Han stop in his tracks, feeling the weight in his heart increasing.


    And the movements of this old man gradually slowed down.


    His injuries became more severe, almost covering his whole body, and his movements became increasingly stiff. His joints were too rigid to flex, and his speed greatly decreased.


    The aftereffects of the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method and the Red Moon Burning Blood Technique gradually took effect. Qiao Mu¡¯s body was almost drained of blood, and his movements became stiff.


    "A flea dares to challenge a mighty tree, how foolish and overconfident." Dao Xu stood in mid-air, with a cold smile on her lips.


    "Just now, you were spouting nonsense, but unfortunately, you couldn¡¯t see your own insignificance. You wasted your life in vain."


    "Hahaha¡­" Qiao Mu gasped for breath, with ayer of frost forming on his eyebrows. His limbs were stiff, and only his mouth continued to mouth off, but he was alsoughing coldly.


    "You think I¡¯m a flea trying to shake a tree, but I consider myself a Jingwei filling the sea!"


    Qiao Mu was about to die soon. At this moment, he wasughing out loud in the cold wind, but his body had also stiffened and was covered in frost.


    Dao Xu¡¯s expression turned cold. She formed a hand seal in her hand and casually pointed it towards Qiao Mu¡¯s chest.


    Once again, Qiao Mu, who had been thrown into the whirlwind, was covered in frost. Under this remote pointing gesture, the frost on his whole body shattered inch by inch.


    And his body, covered in icy frost, shattered and fell to the ground.


    Only his head remained intact, with a smile on the corner of his mouth, stillughing.


    The head fell from the sky,nding with a thud among the body parts on the ground, rolling to the feet of a figure.


    The figure looked up at the sky, then nced at a fallen wooden stake nearby.


    On top of the stake, Qiao Zhong¡¯s head was impaled. As the execution grounds in the market were destroyed by the strong wind, the stake flew andnded perfectly by the street.


    The two elderly heads of Qiao Zhong and Qiao Shuanglin, still with wide-open eyes, met each other¡¯s gaze at this moment, shining with amusement.


    Qiao Shuanglin, deceased, at the age of 93.

 Chapter 156:

    Chapter 156:


    Imperial Capital, at the market in Chai Shi Kou.


    Qin Shiqing looked down at the two skulls by his feet, his face calm.


    "I thought I would take care of this old and arrogant Qiao Shuanglin, but I didn¡¯t expect him to get involved in a dispute with the leader of the Great Dao Sect¡­ Haha, this old man is so arrogant, he deserves this disaster."


    Qin Shiqing manages the Imperial Capital heavenly prison and is also one of the powerful beings who suppresses the heavenly prison. He has reached the highest level of martial arts cultivation, the 1st rank of Spiritual Refining Period.


    As the executioner who oversees Qiao Zhong, he had some impression of him.


    On the night Qiao Shuanglin killed the Sword Ghost, he made bold ims, saying he would investigate the death of Qiao Zhong at the vegetable market¡­ How could Qin Shiqing and the Great Yan Imperial Court not know? How could they let him boast like that?


    That¡¯s why Qin Shiqing came here.


    However, he didn¡¯t expect Qiao Shuanglin to be so trouble-prone. Before he could arrive, Qiao Shuanglin had already met a gruesome end.


    "This matter is getting a bit out of hand, it¡¯s damaging the reputation of the Great Dao Sect." Qin Shiqing looked up at the sky.With Qiao Mu¡¯s death, Dao Xu once again focused on Dao Zhen, and the two cultivators engaged in a fierce battle as if nobody else was around.


    Shortly after that, a rainbow light burst through the sky from the north of the city and transformed into an Elder named Qingyi, whose hair was all white.


    At this moment, the market was in a mess. There was no one on the street, and there were some scattered corpses on the ground, one of which was Qiao Mu.


    After Qiao Mu died in battle, Elder Qingyi finally arrived, walking slowly.


    He had a calm expression as his gaze swept over the corpses on the ground. Finally, his eyesnded on Dao Xu¡¯s face, and his eyebrows slightly furrowed, almost imperceptibly.


    "Dao Xu¡­. Did I spoil you too much? How dare you act so recklessly this time." He nced at Dao Zhen beside him and then lowered his head slightly, scanning both of them with his spiritual sense:


    "Both of your souls are unharmed. It seems you both showed some restraint¡­ Come with me."


    Taoist Qingyi waved his robe, instantly dispelling any coldness and bringing back the light to the sky. The weather became clear and bright again.


    The figures of Taoist Qingyi and his disciples, Dao Zhen and Dao Xu, had already disappeared without a trace,ing and going like shadows.


    Only the ground of the market was left in ruins.


    Qin Shiqing walked alone on the deserted street, his face also turned gloomy.


    He had seen this Taoist Qingyi before, but the other party appeared and disappeared without saying a word to him, so the meaning was quite obvious.


    It turned out that the Taoist Qingyi from the Great Dao Sect didn¡¯t take this tragedy at the market seriously.


    Since Qin Shiqing had an official position and was present, naturally he would handle the aftermath.


    "Count the corpses, assess the damages to the shops, and reassure the affected people¡­ This is what the Great Yan Imperial Court should do, needless to say."


    "As for the Great Dao Sect¡­ this matter is neither big nor small. If it spreads, it will also damage the reputation of the Immortal Gate."


    "There must be someone held responsible for the deaths at the market." He lowered his head, his gaze falling on the two heads lying on the ground, facing each other from a distance.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    Half an hourter.


    Fang Yuan hurriedly arrived at the chaotic vegetable market.


    At this time, the vegetable market had already been blocked by soldiers, and the ground was covered with white cloth, with hundreds of casualties.


    Fang Yuan couldn¡¯t go in either, so he could only tiptoe at the intersection and look inside from a distance.


    Just saw a group of soldiers gathered together, re-erecting a fallen wooden stake and fixing it to the ground.


    On top of the re-erected wooden stake, two elderly heads with simr features were hanging, their white hair waving in the wind, creating a picturesque scene.


    "An elderly man in his 60s and an elderly man in his 90s, such a rare father and son pair." The soldiers also eximed in admiration.


    "What¡¯s even more remarkable is that both of them are said to have high martial arts skills."


    "Indeed, but unfortunately we took the wrong path, and encountered an old crazy person."


    "I have met Qiao Zhong before, he faced death without fear, he can be considered as a brave man¡­ but when ites to his father, this Qiao Shuanglin, oh my, he¡¯s truly a crazy person."


    "After being found indecently assaulting a woman in the street, he became angry and drew his sword, indiscriminately killing innocent people. Luckily, the immortal from the Great Dao Sect was nearby and hurried over to suppress him¡­ thus preventing the situation from escting further."


    "Is that so? Then he deserves to die."


    "The matter hasn¡¯t been investigated thoroughly yet, so don¡¯t jump to conclusions¡­ Once the Immortal Gate gets involved, things be unclear."


    "¡­"


    Fang Yuan couldn¡¯t hear the voice behind him clearly anymore. It felt like his head had been struck by a heavy hammer, leaving him feeling a bit dazed.


    "Senior Qiao died just like that, and who exactly did he provoke this time?"


    Fang Yuan stood there, his heart sinking heavily, filled with self-me and guilt.


    When he was young, his stepfather reminded him not to forget his roots even when relying on others. Now, having received kindness from Qiao Zhong and Qiao Shuanglin, he naturally kept it in his heart.


    Though he didn¡¯t know who Qiao Shuanglin had provoked before dying, from his perspective, it was likely rted to Qiao Shuanglin¡¯s decision to help him seek revenge.


    After all, Wan Ronghua was also a wealthy person in Imperial Capital, one of the four wealthy merchant families, and even climbed up the high branch of the Great Dao Sect.


    "Senior Qiao naturally could not have acted so indecently towards women on the street as those soldiers said, and be angry and kill innocent people¡­ There must be something suspicious going on."


    "Lord Hai Wuya should know the inside story." Fang Yuan suddenly remembered something:


    "Did Lord Hai Wuya¡¯s previous promise to investigate the mastermind behind the disturbance at the medical clinic have anything to do with this?"


    "With his power, the truth about what happened in the market should not be hidden from him."


    As one of the six chief ministers, Hai Wuya had already stood at the top of the Great Yan official field, and there were few people in the civil official system who had more power than him.


    Rumors may deceive someone like Fang Yuan, a low-ranking officer, but it seems unlikely to fool him.


    "I must find a way to see Lord Hai Wuya¡­" Fang Yuan hurriedly left, as he had more things to do.


    ¡­.


    The sun had set, and the night was falling. The bright moon was high up in the sky.


    An old man, who looked tired and aged, slowly walked onto this vegetable market street and looked inside.


    "Old sir, don¡¯t bother looking. This vegetable market street is closed today. The market isn¡¯t open either," a passerby kindly reminded him.


    However, the old man ignored it as if he didn¡¯t hear. He stood on his tiptoes and nced inside. His gaze passed through the distance andnded on the two proudly standing heads.


    "Another head has been sent."


    The old man muttered to himself.


    "Well, that¡¯s good too. Qiao¡¯s family always pays its debts. So, should I visit those friends of mine from before?"


    These words sent a shiver down the spine of the kind passerby. What did it mean to visit old friends?


    Just as he was about to ask for more details, his vision suddenly blurred.


    The old man with a hunchback suddenly disappeared in front of him.


    "Uh¡­" The passerby got goosebumps when he looked at the empty market street under the night sky.

 Chapter 157:

    Chapter 157:


    The night fell.


    Qiao Mu moved through the darkness, his figure turning into a faint shadow.


    With a thought, the Ouroboros Long Life Lock in his mind emitted a faint light, and a message appeared in his mind.


    Death Assessment for this time: B- (helping others to escape, even a tiny ant¡¯s efforts are meaningful)


    Lifespan consumed by death: 10 years (5 * 2)


    Remaining revival chances this week: 3 out of 5


    Current age: 103 years old


    Energy level: 46%


    Abilities:Hmmm¡­


    ¡­.


    Shadow Step (proficient)


    Red Moon Burning Blood Technique (skilled)


    Fragmented Virtual Finger (skilled)


    Eye Sword Technique (beginner)


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    ¡°Is criticism like a small bug trying to shake a tree?¡±


    Qiao Mu smiled.


    He didn¡¯t think of himself as a small bug trying to shake a tree, but as Jingwei filling the sea.


    Because each time he died, it would turn into nourishment for his next self, making him stronger.


    Qiao Mu didn¡¯t fear failure or death, or rather, he feared not being able to die as he wished¡­


    This time, another ten years passed in a hurry, as if it were a dream.


    ¡°Time passes so quickly. It feels like I¡¯ve been in the Imperial Capital for forty years.¡±


    The memory of ten years of rigorous martial arts training was deeply ingrained in his bones.


    Summer practices in the ninth month, winter practices in the hottest three months.


    In his memory, after suffering a terrible defeat at the hands of Dao Xu, he made up his mind to train hard day and night, drenched in sweat every day. This memory is bitter but fulfilling. Whenever he recalls the past ten years, it fills him with emotions.


    ¡°Time will not deceive your efforts.¡±


    During these ten years, Qiao Mu, after experiencing the pain, focused on practicing martial arts, besides his main study of the ¡°Xumi Mountain King Sutra.¡± His energy was mainly devoted to two aspects.


    First, he perfected the lightness technique ¡°Shadow Step.¡±


    Second, he also practiced the ¡°Red Moon Burning Blood Technique¡± and the ¡°Fragmented Virtual Finger¡± to a proficient level.


    This time¡¯s Death Assessment was a B-. He simultaneously trained in four martial arts and achieved breakthroughs in each, showing great effectiveness.


    If he were to reach an A or an S, like Qiao Mu had done in the past, he would have extremely high time efficiency, mastering multiple martial arts techniques at once.


    ¡°Each time I revive and age, the martial arts techniques I practice, they are exactly what I desire¡­ It is not a random breakthrough, but rather directed cultivation based on my thoughts before I die, right?¡±


    ¡°Well, this is interesting. The Ouroboros Long Life Lock must hold even bigger secrets.¡±


    Qiao Mu closed his eyes, knowing that this time it was his own fault.


    No matter how strong a martial artist is, they are still mere mortals.


    When the body is cold, it bes stiff and muscles spasm. Even with great strength, it is difficult to move freely.


    Qiao Mu¡¯s performance was better than other martial artists. He was able to break free repeatedly when his whole body was frozen because of his deep internal strength. He had been cultivating for nearly eighty years since he was a teenager until he turned ny, which was truly remarkable.


    However, he was still just a mortal.


    Martial artists only know how to fight with punches and kicks, they cannot fly. When cultivator Dao Xu stood in mid-air, theycked effective means of counterattack.


    So, in Qiao Mu¡¯s opinion, either he had to learn archery or hidden weapons, increase his speed, or master the technique of projecting force from a distance, like the Void Break Finger¡­


    And then, his dream came true.


    After ten years of hard practice, he became proficient in using the ¡°Fragmented Virtual Finger¡± technique.


    ¡°Thank you, Sister Dao Xu, for the ten years of cultivation you have given me. If we have the chance to meet again, I will definitely give you an early passage to the Western Heavenly Realm.¡±


    As for the Qi and Blood section, it decreased from 66% to 46%¡­ This thing, ever since it appeared, has been as unpredictable as the weather forecast. Qiao Mu didn¡¯t even bother to look at it.


    Due to the continuous practice of the ¡°Xumi Mountain King Sutra,¡± Qiao Mu didn¡¯t feel any signs of decline in his Qi and Blood. That was enough for him.


    Instead of caring about these cultivation techniques, loyal and righteous Qiao Mu was more concerned about his dear friends.


    Qiao Mu estimated that even if he used up the remaining four chances of resurrection, it might not guarantee victory in battle against Dao Xu. It would be meaningless to waste his life on her.


    If he couldn¡¯t cure immortals, how could he cure ordinary people¡­


    Before he died, Qiao Mu took a good look at the outstanding individuals among the onlookers.


    Including the nderous married woman, the heroic Dragon w hero Hu Han, and¡­ the suspected mastermind, the wealthy tycoon from the Imperial Capital, Wan Ronghua.


    Qiao Mu leaped into the air and disappeared into the darkness of the night.


    Now, he has perfected his skills as a thief, mastering the art of sneaking and hiding. He is ready to uncover the whereabouts of these people and follow them to their homes.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    That night.


    ¡°Qiao Shuanglin, is he also dead?¡±


    Inside the Hai family¡¯s mansion, Hai Wuya listened to Fang Yuan¡¯s story. Suddenly, Hai Wuya¡¯s old eyes lost focus, looking empty.


    Hai Wuya¡¯s eyes filled with sadness. He had specifically warned Qiao Shuanglin to keep a low profile and avoid attracting the attention of the hidden enemies. But why didn¡¯t Qiao Shuanglin listen¡­


    With his advanced training in the Xumi Mountain King Sutra, even if he got involved in the fight between Dao Zhen and Dao Xu, he could still stand his ground. But why¡­


    ¡°There are always foolish people who dare to challenge the authority of Immortal Gate¡­¡± he sighed softly, memories from the past resurfacing.


    In the time of the previous emperor, among the schrs and military officers, there were many people who sacrificed their lives for the country. But when these people died one by one, were imprisoned, or retired, the court of Great Yan became quiet.


    ¡°First it was Qiao Zhong, then Qiao Shuanglin¡­ No, it¡¯s not just the two of them.¡±


    Hai Wuya knew that before Qiao Zhong, there were many other Qiao¡¯s families who fought bravely like them.


    Qiao Shuanglin won¡¯t be the first, and certainly won¡¯t be thest.


    If Qiao Shuanglin dies, then ording to the Qiao¡¯s family¡¯s tradition of avenging their blood rtives, there might already be a stronger Qiao¡¯s family on their way to the Imperial Capital, right?


    ¡°Master, I have brought the person.¡±


    The old butler of Hai family¡¯s mansion pushed the door open, and with him came two or threemoners dressed in ordinary clothes.


    Among them were farmers who went to the market today, as well as merchants who lived on Market Street. There was even one of Hai family¡¯s mansion¡¯s servants who happened to be buying vegetables at Market Street.


    This incident happened in a bustling market like Market Street, and there were thousands of eyewitnesses, including those who lost their homes or lives as a result.


    Although the response from the court was not slow, it is naturally difficult to silence the thousands of people¡¯s voices.


    Fang Yuan¡¯s judgment was not wrong, he came to Hai family¡¯s mansion for the right reason.


    Hai Wuya is one of the few who is willing to risk and investigate the truth, and he indeed holds enough power as a high-ranking official in the Imperial Capital to uncover the truth.


    From the ounts of these few witnesses, Hai Wuya was able to piece together about seventy to eighty percent of the truth¡­


    ¡°Fang Yuan, you can rest assured. I will handle this matter myself,¡± Hai Wuya said as he stood up and sighed.


    ¡°Those who carry firewood for others have already frozen to death in the wind and snow.¡±


    ¡°I cannot save the one who carries the firewood, but at the very least, I cannot let him be unjustly used. After death, his reputation will bepletely destroyed.¡±


    As the story goes, the old man¡¯s face rarely showed a bit of anger.


    ¡°Tomorrow, when I go to court, I will inform the emperor about this matter! I must clear Brother Qiao¡¯s name!¡±


    Vol 14 will be tranted within 2 weeks.

 Chapter 158:

    Chapter 158:


    The sky was getting dark, and the night was cool like water.


    The streets were already devoid of any trace of pedestrians, and the lights in every house and courtyard gradually extinguished, leaving aplete silence.


    "Be careful with the candles in this dry weather." The night watchman, with his copper gong, patrolled the streets and alleys, but failed to notice a shadow that shed by.


    A cool breeze rustled as the plump young woman closed her wooden door. She suddenly felt an inexplicable chill and instinctively wrapped her robes tighter around her body.


    In a split second as she turned her head, she felt a sudden chill on her scalp. In the pitch-ck night, it seemed as if a pair of cold, indifferent eyes were staring at her through the door crack.


    The young woman¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She reached for a pair of scissors on the table and cautiously took a step towards the door, peering outside through the crack.


    No one was outside the door.


    However, just as she stared intently, the window suddenly banged open with a tter, chilled by the cold wind, sending shivers down her spine.


    "Why is the window open when everything was fine¡­"She shivered and slowly walked to the window, tiptoeing to look outside. Her heart was pounding, but this time she found nothing.


    Just as she reached out to close the window, a cold breeze suddenly blew into the room, brushing against her pale neck and sending shivers down her spine.


    "I closed all the doors and windows, so where did the winde from?"


    What seemed like a draft before now felt different to her. It didn¡¯t seem like a regr gust of wind anymore, but rather like someone was breathing lightly on the back of her neck.


    This thought shed through the woman¡¯s mind, and she turned around in shock.


    The room was empty except for a flickering candle me by the bedside, casting a dim yellow light.


    Suddenly, everything seemed unusually quiet around her. The sound of the night watchman banging the copper gong outside was fading away, gradually bing inaudible. It felt as if the whole world had be silent.


    The woman¡¯s breathing became slightly heavier, and she instinctively tiptoed towards the bed. It was only by getting closer to the faint candlelight that she could find a moment offort.


    "Could it be that bad luck befell me today at the market?" She closed her eyes, folded her hands together, and murmured a prayer.


    "Every wrongdoing has its perpetrator, and I didn¡¯t kill anyone. If someone must be sought, it should be those heavenly beings¡­"


    It¡¯s fine as long as I don¡¯t close my eyes.


    As soon as she closed her eyes, the scenes from broad daylight appeared vividly in her mind.


    From the old man she used, angrily pulling out his sword and holding it to his own throat, to the two beams of light shooting up into the sky, to the market filled with distress and a devastating whirlwind, bodies scattered on the ground¡­. And finally, the image of the old man freezing into an ice sculpture, shattering into pieces in front of her, protecting her.


    "If everyone in this world repaid bitterness with kindness, and could still use it as a shield in the end, I wouldn¡¯t have to worry or fear revenge¡­"


    For an ordinary person, the things that happened during the day were too exciting, making it hard for her to forget. Her chest kept rising and falling.


    But at that moment.


    There was a soft whooshing sound.


    It sounded like the wind, and also like a breath.


    Even though the young woman tightly closed her eyes, she could still sense the warmth of the candle on the bedside being extinguished, and the surroundings were enveloped in darkness.


    Her heart trembled, and she quietly opened her eyes slightly, then her whole body trembled.


    She saw a blurry silhouette resembling a person standing at the bedside, watching her.


    The woman was so scared that she immediately closed her eyes again and continued to pray.


    "It¡¯s not my fault, someone else is to me for this debt."


    "I only cheated people, I didn¡¯t kill anyone."


    Without realizing it, she curled up at the edge of the bed, waited for a while, and then quietly opened her eyes when it was quiet around.


    That dark shadow was nowhere to be seen.


    As she was rxing, she heard creaking soundsing from under the bed.


    Startled, she gathered her courage and lit a candle again. Holding it in her hand, she slowly bent down and looked under the bed.


    No one was under the bed.


    However, she suddenly felt something and quickly turned around, shining the candle behind her.


    She saw a disheveled, bloodied old man in a white robe, hidden in the shadow. His eyes were dark like an abyss, yet sharp like a sword. It felt as if a single nce from him could tear apart her soul.


    This appearance was almost identical to the old man she had encountered during the daytime.


    And she¡­


    "Sir, your death is not my fault¡­ " The young woman¡¯sposure shattered instantly, and her body almost copsed.


    If a dead person she had seen during the day appeared at her bedside, then what else could it be other than a vengeful spirit?


    "I am so unlucky¡­ everything goes wrong¡­" The old man¡¯s figure blurred and disappeared in front of the young woman, while his voice echoed around the entire room, sometimes near and sometimes far away.


    "I can ept death, but I cannot let my lifelong reputation be ruined¡­"


    "Come on,e on,e with me to see the Lord of the Underworld, where I will exin the twists and turns of my past life¡­"


    "Please spare me, sir¡­ I was just blinded by greed, but I never intended to take your life¡­ Besides, I wasn¡¯t the one who plotted against you, it was Mr. Wan Ronghua and Miss Fang Fang."


    The young woman, frightened, exined theplicated truth in detail.


    Qiao Mu chuckled to himself.


    Even though he previously imed that he wouldn¡¯t seek revenge or care about others¡¯ respect or nder¡­ it didn¡¯t mean that Qiao Mu was willing to forgive those who ndered him.


    After all, if it were someone else in Qiao Mu¡¯s position, they would likely suffer a severe blow to their reputation.


    The ghostly scare he yed was just a spur-of-the-moment act, a small act of revenge, and an opportunity to test the "Eye Sword Technique" that he hadn¡¯t fully mastered.


    The Eye Sword Technique is a method of attacking with the eyes that the Sword Ghost, a third-rank Spirit Refining martial artist, has mastered. It can only be mastered by Spirit Refining martial artists.


    But when Qiao Mu thought about it, a memory came to his mind. It was the memory of the ten years he spent practicing the "Eye Sword Technique" day and night. Although he didn¡¯t seed because he didn¡¯t enter spiritual refining, he didn¡¯t leave empty-handed either.


    "In these ten years, my ¡®spirit¡¯ has be stronger, and even the memories of my training seem to be clearer."


    Qiao Mu didn¡¯t seed in mastering the Eye Sword Technique, but it was more than enough to intimidate an ordinary person.


    However, the information he obtained from the young woman¡¯s words confused him a bit.


    "So, Wan Ronghua is the mastermind behind the scenes. But who is this Fang Fang? When did I provoke this person?"


    When Qiao Mu thought about this, he asked, but little did he know that the young woman¡¯s response would surprise him.


    "Fang Fang was originally Miss Fang, a member of the Fang family who worked as an antique dealer. Later, she married into the Wan family and became Wan Ronghua¡¯s mistress," the young woman replied.


    "When I was still in the Fang family, I was actually Miss Fang¡¯s personal maid. I naturally left when the Fang family fell on hard times."


    "One day Miss Fang found me and taught me these tricks to deceive people, and asked me to do things for her."


    From what the young woman said, it seemed like she had done this thing more than once or twice¡­


    "Fang Fang? Is that the sister Fang Yuan is concerned about?" Qiao Mu furrowed his brows and asked again.


    "Why doesn¡¯t young master Fang Yuan know about this? Does he still think Fang Fang is ill and ran away from home?"

 Chapter 159:

    Chapter 159:


    The young woman was so scared that she lost her mind, and had no idea what to do.


    Under Qiao Mu¡¯s pressure, she spilled all the details of the matter.


    "Miss also cares about her reputation. She knows that marrying into the Wan family as Wan Ronghua¡¯s mistress is not something honorable, so she changed her name and abandoned her own surname¡­"


    "Young master Fang Yuan doesn¡¯t know, and I think Miss deliberately hid this matter from him¡­"


    Qiao Mu nodded quietly, pleasantly surprised.


    Fang Yuan had been searching for his sister all along, and now he unexpectedly found information about Fang Fang first¡­


    He said again, "Every wrong has a doer, and I have lived a righteous life. Even in death, I don¡¯t want to carry a burdened soul to the Lord of the Underworld."


    "Apart from framing me, what other mischief have you been up to? Tell me everything."


    "Whether I bring you or Wan Ronghua to the underworld depends on your actions."While speaking, Qiao Mu¡¯s eyes became sharp like swords, and he unleashed the Eye Sword Technique, intimidating with his killing intent.


    The young woman nodded absentmindedly, confessing her past crimes without realizing it. She said she would turn herself in to the authorities at sunrise tomorrow and pleaded for mercy while kneeling on the ground.


    After learning everything he wanted to know, Qiao Mu¡¯s figure flickered and disappeared like a ghost within the small room.


    Since the young woman had already expressed her intention to report to the authorities, let the officials be the ones to judge her. It wouldn¡¯t matter if she changed her mind after tomorrow.


    Because Qiao Mu already learned from her story about several times when she falsely used others for personal gain, there are actually more victims like Qiao Mu.


    If she changes her mind and doesn¡¯t turn herself in tomorrow, then Qiao Mu will report her to someone, but it won¡¯t be a big problem.


    "This story tells us that superstitious beliefs can harm people¡­"


    "Ghosts are more useful than living people¡­ After all, vengeful spirits can drag people to hell, but living people¡­ especially good ones, will only be pointed at with a spear."


    Qiao Mu left the cottage and moved through the streets and alleyways like a ghost.


    He dealt with one of the people who framed him that day, but there are still a few more to go.


    Especially the main orchestrator behind the scenes, Wan Ronghua, Qiao Mu will have to pay him a visit.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    The old ancestral home of the Fang family.


    It was alreadyte at night, but Fang Yuan still couldn¡¯t fall asleep.


    Qiao Shuanglin¡¯s death made him feel guilty, and Hai Wuya had a vague idea that the matter might be rted to the wealthy Wan Ronghua, but there was no evidence.


    Fang Yuan felt that Qiao Shuanglin¡¯s death might have something to do with himself. His mind was in chaos, so he decided to get up in the middle of the night and sit in the courtyard of the old house.


    "Tomorrow morning, Lord Hai will attend the court meeting to restore Senior Qiao¡¯s reputation¡­ This night feels so long."


    It waste at night, the moon was high in the sky, a cool breeze gently swayed the leaves of the two jujube trees in the courtyard.


    Moonlight spread a silver glow on the ground, illuminating the walls. The shadows of trees on the walls intertwined and swayed with the breeze, just like the scenes he used to see when he cooled off in the courtyard as a young boy.


    But now he was alone again. Qiao Zhong Qiao Shuanglin and his son had given him hope, but that hope was quickly shattered, and it ended up putting an outsider¡¯s life at risk.


    "How can revenge be entrusted to others? From the beginning, I should have relied on my own strength and not taken others¡¯ help for granted¡­"


    Fang Yuan sat alone in the courtyard in the middle of the night, and his heart gradually calmed down. He silently started meditating and practicing¡­ Hai Wuya had also taught him the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra," and at this moment, he made a vow in his heart, determined not to rely on the luck of having someone influential help him.


    Not long after, he suddenly heard a meowing sound.


    Opening his eyes, he saw the little cat that Qiao Shuanglin had raised.


    The cat was still very young. During this time, Qiao Shuanglin frequently went out, so he entrusted this cat to be taken care of at the old house.


    "Do you miss your owner?" Fang Yuan sighed softly in his heart, reaching out to caress the cat. However, he didn¡¯t expect the cat to suddenly leap up and onto the top of the courtyard wall, its eyes staring towards a certain ce outside the wall.


    "Is someoneing?" Fang Yuan became alert out of the blue.


    But then, he saw the cat suddenly lose bnce and fall from the top of the wall to the ground.


    Fang Yuan was surprised and went closer to take a closer look. He noticed that the cat didn¡¯t have any signs of injury. Instead, its limbs twitched slightly, its pupils dted, and its tongue hung out of its mouth, looking like an idiot.


    "Looks like this little one noticed." An old voice suddenly sounded abrupt.


    Fang Yuan trembled all over and didn¡¯t know when an old man had appeared where the cat had fallen down.


    The old man was extremely aged, with many wrinkles on his face. Fang Yuan couldn¡¯t tell how old he was, but he looked somewhat simr to Qiao Shuanglin, just a bit older.


    "You must be Fang Yuan, right? Shuanglin mentioned you to me," the old man turned to face Fang Yuan, giving him a slight smile as he exined.


    "My name is Qiao Senlin, and Qiao Shuanglin is my younger brother from the Qiao family."


    "The Qiao family is connected by blood, and this demon cat named ¡®Wuchang¡¯ is raised by the Qiao family. It can sense the presence of the Qiao family¡­"


    The little cat at their feet blinked its eyes, its scattered pupils momentarily focused before returning to their scattered state, seeming to give up on something.


    You can say whatever you want, I don¡¯t understand anyway, because I¡¯m just a little kitty.jpg.


    Fang Yuan had many things he wanted to say, but all that came out was a sigh. "Senior Qiao Senlin, you came so quickly¡­"


    Qiao Mu exined:


    "I have a blood connection to the Qiao family, and we can feel each other¡¯s presence, especially at moments of death¡­ I was already in the Imperial Capital area, and rushed here as soon as I sensed my younger brother¡¯s passing."


    Every member of Qiao¡¯s family practiced the "Martial Saint Spiritual Technique", so they could intuitively sense each other, which made sense.


    "Senior Qiao Senlin¡­." Fang Yuan hesitated for a moment, wanting to speak, but Qiao Mu shook his hand.


    Fang Yuan and Qiao Senlin weren¡¯t familiar, but Qiao Mu knew Fang Yuan well, so he got straight to the point without wasting time:


    "My younger brother has been framed, and I have already investigated it thoroughly. Several people, led by that wicked woman, will surrender to the authorities tomorrow¡­"


    Qiao Mu had a busy night, and the young woman he saw earlier was the first person he met.


    During the day, there were many people who pressured Qiao Mu, and they will naturally face consequences for plotting against him.


    At that time, Qiao Shuanglin, who was in the bureau, couldn¡¯t take action against them, but it was easy for Qiao Senlin, an outsider who came back to life.


    He could easily find them when they were alone, and by pretending to be a ghost or scaring them, he could break their mental defenses one by one and make them confess their crimes.


    The reason he found Fang Yuan was to have a backup n through this prison guard called the heavenly prison.


    If, after daybreak, the young woman and the others refuse to surrender, then Qiao Mu will use Fang Yuan¡¯s identity to expose their crimes.


    "This Senior Qiao Senlin, he is too decisive and has great powers¡­"


    After listening to Qiao Mu¡¯s exnation, Fang Yuan was simply amazed.


    Tomorrow morning, the young woman and herpanions will surrender, and Hai Wuya will also strive in the court¡­ One step at a time, perhaps there is hope to shake the hidden forces, restore Qiao Shuanglin¡¯s reputation, and also confront the Great Dao Sect behind this tragic incident.

 Chapter 160:

    Chapter 160:


    At midnight, a cool breeze began to blow, rustling the leaves of the two jujube trees in the courtyard.


    Two jujube trees stood side by side, with the one on the left slightly taller. It was nted by Fang Yuan¡¯s father when he was alive, at the same time as Fang Yuan and his sister Fang Fang.


    Its meaning was that a single tree cannot make a forest, and it symbolized the support between the two siblings, just like these two treesplementing each other.


    Standing in the darkness of the night, listening to Qiao Mu¡¯s words about Fang Fang and Wan Ronghua, Fang Yuan felt lost and a mysterious coldness.


    After discussing the matter of Qiao Shuanglin, Qiao Mu also shared what he had learnt from the young woman about Fang Fang.


    Qiao Mu didn¡¯t say much, this was his family matter.


    Actually, if you think about it carefully, it is.


    Before Fang Yuan just returned to this old family mansion, he mentioned his childhood memories, saying his father nted two date trees and his mother had a small vegetable garden in the courtyard.


    Memories of the past are vivid, but there is only no memory of his little sister Fang Fang. The only thing rted to her is the two trees his father nted.Perhaps, he was determined to redeem the old mansion, but in his heart, he wasn¡¯t thinking of finding his lost sister Fang Fang. He just wanted to find the reunion of their family¡¯s life in their youth.


    It¡¯s just difficult to mend a broken mirror, and the changes that Fang Fang has gone through over the years are probably greater than Heavenly Prison Gaoler Fang Yuan, who diligently practices martial arts¡­


    Qiao Mu picked up the cat and quickly walked inside, leaving Fang Yuan standing alone in the cold wind.


    ¡­¡­¡­..


    On the second day, very early in the morning.


    Inside a private room at the Natural Residence of the Imperial Capital Tea House, Storyteller Jiang Chen and iraudience were having a heated argument.


    Where there are troublemakers, there will always be the Tide Listening Building. How could a matter of great importance in the Imperial Capital be without the assistance of the Tide Listening Building?


    However, before they could assist, there was one matter on which they had not reached a consensus.


    This time, should they tell tales of wonders, or reveal the truth?


    The tragedy at the market square in the Imperial Capital resulted in over a hundred deaths and thousands of affected people. It was because someone had tried to resist the wind and snow with their own flesh and blood.


    Such an event was not insignificant, especially since the affected people mostly kept quiet about it, afraid to speak out.


    However, their silence and the blockades by the officials only aroused more curiosity among others, adding a touch of mystery to it.


    Since the market square tragedy, there had been various rumors circting, and within a day, three or four different versions had already emerged¡­ and among them, the name Qiao Shuanglin often held a significant position in the rumors.


    The most famous story is about an old man named Qiao Shuanglin. He flirted with a woman on the street and got angry when she refused him, so he killed someone right there. The disciples of the Great Dao Sect came and killed him¡­ This is considered a strange event.


    But Jiang Chen had a different opinion.


    "There is something strange about this." Jiang Chen said.


    Since those who practice martial arts can¡¯t defeat Immortal Dao Zhen from the Great Dao Sect, it¡¯s natural for him to easily kill Qiao Shuanglin.


    "Since that¡¯s the case, why would the fight between them cause so much damage? Half of the marketce was destroyed, even the teahouse on the street copsed."


    iraudience just shook his head.


    "This matter is veryplex, involving the Immortal Gate and the Great Dao Sect. The truth doesn¡¯t really matter anymore. It¡¯s enough for me, from Tide Listening Building, to tell stories and strange events."


    His words implied that he also knew something was not right, but it wasn¡¯t important.


    However, Jiang Chen seemed to take it seriously. He pped his hands and after a while, a strong man opened the door. It was Hu Han, one of the survivors from yesterday, known as "Dragon w."


    "This whole thing started because of two disciples from the Great Dao Sect, including me, Qiao Shuanglin, we were just innocent bystanders¡­" Hu Han exined.


    This made iraudience look at Jiang Chen with new respect.


    This person was clearly a neer that he had recruited, but after joining the building, he quickly grew and now he had started to stand out. He even managed to find one of the people involved, Hu Han, without him knowing.


    In fact, this was the result of their mutual efforts.


    Jiang Chen wanted to uncover the truth of this case, and Dragon w Hu Han, who had a reputation, naturally didn¡¯t want to see Qiao Shuanglin taking the me and being falsely used after his death. So he took the initiative to find someone from Tide Listening Building.


    The two of them quickly foundmon ground.


    "You managed to find Hu Han, you¡¯ve really made some progress." iraudience praised.


    Hu Han was not just an ordinary martial artist of the 4th rank. What made him extraordinary was the fact that he had a famous master.


    His master, Lu Yanbei, was a renowned figure in the martial arts world. He was ranked 30th on the Tide Listening Building Skill List. Even at the age of over 80, with declining vitality, he effortlessly defeated a young 2nd rank martial artist from the imperial court with just a wooden sword.


    "But since the truth is like this, we should be even more cautious." iraudience said calmly.


    "In my experience, the Great Yan Imperial Court will also cooperate with the Immortal Gate to conceal this matter¡­"


    "They need someone to me, but the deceased can¡¯te forward to refute."


    Such things have happened many times in the past forty years.


    At first, people were filled with righteous indignation, but then they realized it was just futile anger, and eventually they let it go.


    The reputation of Emperor Yonghe being weak and ipetent is not without reason.


    When the king acts this way, the people in the court and themoners naturally follow suit.


    When even the higher authorities have softened their stance, it¡¯s a bit unrealistic to expect the people to resist spontaneously with love power.


    "Even the imperial court is most likely preparing to cover up this matter, so do you still want to be the sacrificialmb?" iraudience said.


    This made Jiang Chen and Hu Han remain silent.


    iraudience can always perform "the Ten Mysteries of the Imperial Capital" without fear of making enemies¡­ but when ites to something rted to Immortal Gate, he cannot talk nonsense.


    "The bird that sticks its head out is always the first to die, just like Qiao Shuanglin." iraudience said calmly.


    "The world has always been like this. Most likely, this matter will end up like the previous cases involving Immortal Gate, unresolved."


    Jiang Chen felt his heart sink, as if a dark cloud was suffocating his breath.


    At that moment.


    A young storyteller rushed in through the door, looking at the debating group of iraudience in this private room.


    "Something big has happened." There was excitement in the young storyteller¡¯s eyes, as if they had just tasted fresh fruit.


    "There are urgent people going to the officials to confess their crimes, and one of them is the young woman from the market. She confessed that she framed the old man named Qiao Shuanglin at the market yesterday¡­"


    "I heard that the recently released Minister of Rites, Hai Wuya, wrote a document consisting of thousands of words, to inform the current Emperor Yonghe about this matter."


    Now, at this point in time, this matter is no longer just about Qiao Shuanglin¡¯s reputation, but rather the conflict that has been lingering between the immortals and mortals in Jiu Province for the past forty years.

 Chapter 161:

    Chapter 161:


    The Golden Throne.


    Emperor Yonghe, who wore a crown on his head, frowned deeply as he looked down at the courtiers standing in an orderly manner in front of the pce. His eyes appeared distant, and his face seemed tired, clearly burdened by heavy thoughts.


    Since ascending to the throne, whenever something troubled him, it was often rted to the Immortal Gate.


    And today¡¯s thoughts were no different.


    Two disciples from the Great Dao Sect in the Foundation Building period fought at the market square in the Imperial Capital, causing a tragedy that affected hundreds of people.


    It¡¯s important to know that this is the Imperial Capital, and such an incident clearly brought great shame to the court and Emperor Yonghe¡­


    If he were twenty years younger, he might have flown into a rage and demanded an exnation from the Great Dao Sect.


    However, now in his forties and as the emperor of this dynasty, he had to act with caution and not be driven by impulse.


    Starting from the moment he pulled out the Human Emperor Sword, he felt that he held the power in his hands. The attitude of the Nine Immortal Gates towards him was noticeably different from before, and they appeared to be more restrained¡­ Especially the Xuantian Sect, which was targeted by the Eight Immortal Gates together.Emperor Yonghe felt that he had already jumped out of the chessboard and became a yer qualified to y against the Immortal Gate.


    Therefore, every move he made had to be cautious and careful.


    No task is too small for an emperor.


    Therefore, he naturally had to think twice before making a decision¡­.


    "Your Majesty."


    While he was pondering, suddenly an old voice rang out.


    "I have a memorial to present, Your Majesty."


    He lifted his eyes and saw Minister of Rites Hai Wuya clearing his throat a few times and stepping forward.


    The attendant by the side quickly took the memorial and presented it.


    But Emperor Yonghe didn¡¯t even nce at the memorial, instead, he stared at Hai Wuya.


    Hai Wuya was already in histe seventies, with white hair and age-rted frailty. Hisplexion was slightly yellow, and despite being a martial artist, he didn¡¯t appear very strong.


    Among the court officials, this elderly man stood out prominently.


    Hai Wuya, at present, was one of the few remaining senior officials from the time of the previous emperor. He was a generation or two older than the other court officials.


    The court officials from the previous emperor¡¯s time were either dead or retired, like Wang Shanhe, or trapped like Hai Wuya in a heavenly prison.


    Besides Hai Wuya, the only other person able to firmly stand in the current court was the prime minister, known for his smooth and amodating nature, called Bai Xiang.


    After casually scanning through a few memorials, Emperor Yonghe gradually furrowed his brows.


    The content of the memorial was not much different from what he had expected.


    Hai Wuya didn¡¯t try to clear Qiao Zhong¡¯s name, but only said that Qiao Shuanglin was a loyal and righteous person, and should not die with a bad reputation¡­ especially since he also took the me for Immortal Gate.


    "I¡­. am tired. Let¡¯s continue this tomorrow, let the court adjourn."


    The court officials looked at each other and left one by one.


    However, Hai Wuya didn¡¯t leave.


    He stayed in the Golden Hall, even after most of the court officials had scattered, and suddenly looked up, and said seriously:


    "Your Majesty, can we let the reputation of someone who sacrificed themselves for others be tarnished after they have frozen to death?"


    "Countless people were affected by the disaster at the market, and there were probably thousands of people who witnessed it with their own eyes. Even if they cover it up, can they hide the words spreading throughout the world?"


    "The inhumane tyranny, the inhumane disaster is everywhere. This kind of thing has happened more than once. This time, the disaster caused by inhumane actions has appeared in the Imperial Capital. If the court retreats as usual, then what about the next time?"


    "Your Majesty, if you take one step back, you will keep retreating. When will you stop retreating?"


    Hai Wuya was very bold this time. Ignoring Emperor Yonghe¡¯s order to leave, he spoke out forcefully and made a strong statement.


    Most of the ministers who used to be bold and courageous have almost disappeared. Nowadays, the court is filled with tterers who only know how to please others. There are very few people as courageous as Hai Wuya.


    Emperor Yonghe frowned and showed obvious displeasure, but still patiently said:


    "As the emperor, I must consider my actions carefully before taking action."


    "A small hesitation can lead to a great n¡¯s failure. Today¡¯s retreat is only for the sake of future calctions, for the sake of the descendants of Great Yan."


    Hai Wuya remained silent for a moment and then said with emotion:


    "Your Majesty, the Inhuman War has been going on for forty years. The retreat by the previous emperor forty years ago led to the opening of the Nine Immortal Gates¡¯ temples in the major cities of Jiu Province. It also led to the current widespread Inhuman Disaster."


    "May I dare to ask¡­ where is Your Majesty¡¯s grand n?"


    Emperor Yonghe¡¯s face turned gloomy.


    When he was young, he once saw Wang Shanhe¡¯s determined appearance when he raised objections at a funeral, and he was very inspired by it.


    But now, after Hai Wuya came out of the heavenly prison, perhaps because he knew his days were numbered in old age, he became even more resolute than when he was young. He unexpectedly remembered the same resolute Wang Shanhe, who led a group of loyal ministers to speak out against the emperor¡¯s decisions.


    However, now that he was the emperor, he realized at this moment that having ministers stubbornly objecting to him was not a pleasant thing.


    "Since you brought up the Inhuman War, let¡¯s talk about it today."


    Emperor Yonghemented and said,


    "Forty years ago, the Martial Saint led a hundred thousand elite troops, following the orders of thete emperor to suppress the rebellion of the inhumans. But before the army even left the Zhong Province, they encountered the inhumans of the Great Dao Sect in the Anxi City area."


    "What was the result? Our Great Yan¡¯s hundred thousand elite troops werepletely wiped out, and Anxi City was ttened. They didn¡¯t even leave behind ruins."


    "The Martial Saint was seen as the army¡¯s only hope, so before the annihtion of the whole army, his soldiers sacrificed their lives to send him away."


    "Even though the Martial Saint¡¯s martial arts skill improved by leaps and bounds every day, he has now be a handful of yellow soil. I witnessed his death with my own eyes."


    When Emperor Yonghe thinks of the Nan Province praying to the gods, he feels a bitter sorrow in his heart.


    Martial Saint is not a savior, nor is he thest hope of the human race. His tragic death only shows Emperor Yonghe the vast difference between mortal life and the Immortal Gate.


    "Such a great disparity cannot be erased by mere ¡®grand ns¡¯," Emperor Yonghe said, looking at the Human Emperor Sword at his waist.


    Hai Wuya fell silent once again.


    The implication is¡­ Emperor Yonghe himself doesn¡¯t have a grand n powerful enough to turn the tide?


    His talk of nning for future generations is actually just a desperate hope, as there are currently no effective strategies to counter the inhuman threat. So he ces his hopes on future generations?


    Hai Wuya said, word by word, "I only know that if we keep retreating, when we finally want to advance, will we be able to?"


    "If we lose the support of the people, when the timees to advance, we may find ourselves helpless," Emperor Yonghe replied.


    The Great Yan Imperial Court is not one person. Whether advancing or retreating, it cannot be controlled as easily as a real person.


    The words made Emperor Yonghe unconsciously nce at the Human Emperor Sword around his waist, giving him a sudden awakening feeling likeing out of a dream.


    What people desire is not just an empty statement.


    In the present Great Yan Imperial Court, what people desire is closely connected to the fate of the country and also closely rted to this Human Emperor Sword at their waist.


    If they lose the support of the people and the country¡¯s fate declines, then this Human Emperor Sword will likely lose its brilliance too, won¡¯t it?


    After hearing this, Emperor Yonghe didn¡¯t reject it anymore. He remained silent for a long time before slowly saying,


    "Could you give me¡­ some time to think?"


    The people are like chess pieces, and the emperor is the yer. He needs more time to weigh the pros and cons, just as he usually does.


    Perhaps¡­ now that he is already a chess yer, he doesn¡¯t need to be as cautious as before?


    The thought of testing the Immortal Gate crossed Emperor Yonghe¡¯s mind.

 Chapter 162:

    Chapter 162:


    Tea House in the Imperial Capital, Nature Residence.


    Inside the attic room, Jiang Chen, iraudience, Hu Han, and others were sitting quietly, waiting for news.


    They were waiting, waiting for news from the pce.


    Tide Listening Building had many peopleing and going, including nosy people like iraudience.


    Even if they sat still in this room, there were people who could constantly gather information from inside and outside the city.


    "News from the pce hase. Hai Wuya did indeed raise a proposal."


    "Emperor Yonghe is having a conversation with Hai Wuya in the Golden Chambers. It must be about the market at Tsuimen."


    "¡­Hai Wuya has left the pce. He looks normal and unhurt, so it seems that Emperor Yonghe is not angered."


    "The people from Six Gates moved and went to the Great Dao Sect temple in the north of the city? But how can thews of Great Yan constrain the immortal leader of Immortal Gate?""¡­.."


    "Immortal Gate¡¯s attitude is as tough as usual."


    "Dao Xu, a disciple of the Great Dao Sect, has been taken back to the sect by Taoist Qingyi and will spend ten years in self-reflection on the mountainside, following the sect¡¯s rules."


    "¡­ Thetest news has arrived. The incident in the vegetable market has been resolved. The government has posted a notice: it is said that this incident was caused by a dispute among disciples of the Great Dao Sect, resulting in idental injury. The involved cultivators have been punished by the Immortal Gate and will be imprisoned for ten years in self-reflection."


    "Qiao Shuanglin, a righteous man who sacrificed himself to save others, will be rewarded with a thousand taels of silver. If no one from the Qiao family ims the body, the government will provide a decent burial¡­"


    From early morning until dusk, one piece of news after another kepting.


    The two storytellers looked at each other in surprise. They had not expected the situation to end like this.


    The Great Dao Sect would never simply hand over the cultivators who identally killed innocent people in the dispute to the authorities of Great Yan.


    Everyone, including the storytellers and the Great Yan Imperial Court, surely understood this point very well.


    So, ording to the rules of the sect, it seems that both the Immortal Gate and the Great Yan Imperial Court have reached apromise.


    On the surface, this incident still caused some loss of face for the court. Butpared to what iraudience previously estimated, the fact that Qiao Shuanglin took the me and the Immortal Gate cultivators became heroes for hunting down the culprit, was actually better.


    "The Great Yan Imperial Court didn¡¯t try to hide their actions as they usually do, and even the Great Dao Sect took the me for this matter¡­" iraudience frowned and pondered, feeling greatly puzzled.


    It is unknown how many hidden conflicts and games were yed during all this.


    However, without realizing it, the current situation seemed slightly different from what the Great Yan had expected in the past.


    "What exactly has changed?" iraudience was bewildered. "This is not Emperor Yonghe¡¯s style, right?"


    Meanwhile, Jiang Chen suddenly burst intoughter, which surprised iraudience.


    "Do you still remember Hu Han from earlier, iraudience? He wasn¡¯t someone I invited, he came to find me." Jiang Chen chuckled.


    "What¡¯s wrong with that?"


    "There are also Minister of Rites Hai Wuya, who gives advice to the court, and the woman who confessed to the authorities¡­iraudience, what do you think, why did they have the idea to try to clear Qiao Shuanglin¡¯s name and make the Great Dao Sect take responsibility?"


    iraudience felt curious and doubtful, and asked:


    "Are you suggesting that there is some force behind all this, causing them to change their minds and mobilize people from the court to themon folk to speak up for this case?"


    Jiang Chenughed silently and shook his head, saying:


    "There aren¡¯t so many conspiracies, mysterious forces."


    "In my opinion, it¡¯s simply what people desire."


    Jiang Chen reached out and ced his hand on his own chest, feeling the heartbeat in his chest, once again recalling the past events in Yan City.


    "The death of every righteous person will not be in vain, after all, people have warm hearts. How can those who hold the firewood for others be in vain? How can they be in vain?"


    He was saved by Qiao¡¯s family, so he started on the path of being a storyteller.


    And in his view, Hu Haning to his door was clearly for simr reasons.


    Hai Wuya, as well as the poisoner who turned herself in, may also have had others working behind the scenes, changing their desires.


    Is there a mysterious force manipting it all? Although this conspiracy theory is not impossible, Jiang Chen believes more in people¡¯s hearts.


    Because he has experienced simr things too, and he has also changed his thoughts because of Qiao¡¯s family¡¯s actions.


    The spark from Qiao¡¯s family may not be enough to start a wildfire, illuminating this long night, but as a campfire warming the people, it is more than enough.


    ¡­..


    iraudience stretched and yawned, left the tea house private room, and unexpectedly saw Hu Han waiting quietly in the lobby.


    When thetter saw him, he nodded and walked towards him.


    "Master Hu, is there more than just informing us about Qiao Shuanglin that brought you here?" iraudience asked.


    Hu Han is stubbornly staying here, clearly having other matters to attend to.


    "Mr. Hu has good insight. In fact, I have another matter that I want Tide Listening Building¡¯s help in investigating," Hu Han sighed.


    "My mentor, ¡®Wooden Sword Walker¡¯ Lu Yanbei, has gone missing recently. I, as his disciple, cannot find any trace of him. He seemed to have appeared around this Imperial Capital before disappearing, so I came to seek information from you at Tide Listening Building."


    iraudience paused.


    The so-called Wooden Sword Walker is a martial arts legend who, even in his 80s, can defeat a young 2nd rank martial artist one-on-one. Would someone of such skill really go missing?


    If the Martial Saint were still alive, it wouldn¡¯t be too umon for martial arts legends to mysteriously disappear.


    Many of them may have already be feed for the Martial Saint.


    But now that the Martial Saint is dead, it¡¯s strange for someone like Lu Yanbei, a martial arts legend, to go missing without a trace.


    iraudience furrowed his brow and said, "Since Martial Saint¡¯s death, this Imperial Capital has not been peaceful."


    "The rumors of martial artists entering the Dao are getting more and more intense, bing the new hope¡­ even with an organization called ¡®Martial Arts League,¡¯ where the higher-ups im to be those who enter the Dao through martial arts¡­"


    "Um¡­ what does this have to do with my master?" Hu Han asked.


    "Those who enter the Dao through martial arts naturally need to have strength surpassing ordinary martial artists. Otherwise, how dare they call themselves Dao practitioners?" iraudience said.


    "The principles of martial artists are demonstrated through their fists."


    "These Dao practitioners want to make a name for themselves in the Imperial Capital, so they naturally have to step on the heads of former experts to rise. Only then can they establish the banner of entering the Dao through martial arts."


    "The 1st ranked martial artist of the imperial court, Wei En, the ckwing Bat King, was said to have fallen at the hands of the Dao practitioners. Even though he had unparalleled lightness skills, he almost couldn¡¯t escape and suffered serious injuries."


    "By the way, Qiao Shuanglin had also killed a new recruit recently absorbed by the Martial Arts League, Sword Ghost¡­ You may have heard about this, and perhaps Qiao Shuanglin being framed might also be due to retaliation from the Martial Arts League."


    The meaning between the lines was quite obvious.


    The first-ranked martial artist, Wei En, and the skilled Qiao Shuanglin, both seemed to have fallen into the hands of the Martial Arts League.


    The more famous a martial artist is, the more likely they be the league¡¯s prey.


    Lu Yanbei, a renowned figure in the martial arts world, has a widespread reputation. It is evident that iraudience¡¯s words imply that Lu Yanbei¡¯ disappearance may be connected to the Martial Arts League.

 Chapter 163:

    Chapter 163:


    Fang Fang is in a very good mood today.


    She hummed a tune as she strolled through the Wan family mansion¡¯s courtyard, enjoying the flowers and feeling content.


    She is not the Tide Listening Building, so the news has not reached her as quickly to inquire about Qiao Shuanglin overturning this matter.


    Therefore, in her opinion, the oue of this matter is already determined.


    Qiao Shuanglin was framed twice andter met a tragic death at the hands of an inhuman person, so her friend Fang Fang no longer needs to be restrained.


    Recently, she felt a bit unsettled in her heart.


    Ever since he found out that Fang Yuan¡¯s life was improving and he even had enough money to buy an old house, and had formed a close rtionship with the martial arts expert Qiao Shuanglin, he felt uneasy.


    Unfair!


    She sacrificed a lot, bing Wan Ronghua¡¯s mistress, just to gain what she has now.The Fang family¡¯s shops, the Fang family¡¯s old house¡­ all belonged to the Wan family now, and she naturally had a share in it.


    Even though Fang Yuan had hit rock bottom in the past, if it weren¡¯t for the connections left by his father, he couldn¡¯t even secure a job as a heavenly prison guard.


    Why did it have to be Fang Yuan, who from a young age gained his father¡¯s favor and received the blessings and inheritance that should have belonged to her as his biological daughter?


    Since Fang Yuan bought back the family house, there has always been a voice roaring in her heart.


    Watching Fang Yuan rise again step by step on Mount Dong was even more painful for her than losing money.


    She just didn¡¯t dare to make any rash move.


    Because behind Fang Yuan, there was also Qiao Shuanglin, who stood up for him!


    This martial arts master who could kill the Sword Ghost worshipped by the Wan family, even Wan Ronghua didn¡¯t want to provoke him actively¡­ but since both sides had already established enmity, Wan Ronghua had to resort to all means to scheme and plot against Qiao Shuanglin.


    And Wan Ronghua¡¯s scheme had already seeded.


    "Even someone like Qiao Shuanglin, who is an aplished fighter, has to be cautious in the Imperial Capital¡­ Sir¡¯s n really worked," Fang Fang praised.


    "After all, Sir made his fortune from scratch in the Imperial Capital. So what if Qiao Shuanglin has high martial arts skills? Isn¡¯t it easy for Sir to resolve him without shedding blood?"


    "However, Sir¡¯s attention has been focused on Qiao Shuanglin recently. How could he find time to deal with someone like Fang Yuan?"


    "But it¡¯s actually fine this way¡­ it allows me to personally settle this grudge."


    With an idea in her mind, Fang Fang stood up and walked towards the exit.


    Wan Ronghua isn¡¯t here today, he left early in the morning.


    In her opinion, this is a great opportunity for her.


    As Wan Ronghua¡¯s mistress, although she isn¡¯t the maindy, she has enough power to control the servants and maids of the Wan family.


    As for how to make Fang Yuan fall¡­ Fang Fang has learned a lot from following Wan Ronghua these years, so she definitely has some ideas.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    In the west of the Imperial Capital.


    Fang Fang, who usually ns and strategizes without getting her hands dirty, sees Wan Ronghua sweating nervously as he paces back and forth in the courtyard of a mansion in the west of the city.


    There is arge locust tree nted in the courtyard, with lush branches and leaves. It provides shade even during the bright day.


    But Wan Ronghua seems to be feeling hot, with sweat on his forehead, and his heart can¡¯t calm down.


    "Is Lord Qin still in seclusion?" he couldn¡¯t help but ask the steward beside him.


    "Indeed, please wait a moment longer, Mr. Wan." The steward seemed strange, a middle-aged man with an expressionless face. He had a noticeably robust figure, with bulging muscles that pushed his robe high, making people feel intimidated.


    But what caught Fang Fang¡¯s attention even more was the man¡¯s very yellowplexion, although not in a sickly way.


    Judging by his physique, he didn¡¯t seem like an invalid gued by various illnesses.


    For some reason, Wan Ronghua didn¡¯t dare to meet the steward¡¯s gaze. He instinctively looked away and continued to wait in the courtyard.


    Qin Shiqing was not in a hurry.


    Because he was a top-ranked martial artist and also an official of the court, he even had some vague connections with the Great Dao Sect.


    But Wan Ronghua was truly anxious.


    As soon as he learned that Fang Fang¡¯s former handmaids and a few others had fallen into a trap and surrendered themselves to the yamen, he couldn¡¯t sit still anymore.


    The young woman, although scared by Qiao Mu¡¯s ghostly tricks, dared not reveal Wan Ronghua¡¯s involvement when confessing to the authorities.


    However, since she had already turned herself in, she couldn¡¯t possibly hold back and only reveal a partial truth. Did she think the authorities were fools?


    This young woman was just an ordinary person, easily frightened by the yamen¡¯s bailiffs, just like when she encountered Qiao Mu that night. Her mental defenses quickly crumbled, and she spilled the whole truth.


    But that¡¯s not important.


    Even if the authorities knew that Wan Ronghua was secretly framing Qiao Shuanglin, what could they do?


    Wan Ronghua was a wealthy tycoon in the Imperial Capital, a prominent figure who had reached his current position. He supported a wealthy family and couldn¡¯t have achieved all that on his own.


    Coboration between officials and merchants has existed since ancient times.


    Even if the Imperial Capital yamen discovered Wan Ronghua¡¯s misdeeds, it would simply require some mary arrangements from top to bottom.


    It¡¯s not a big problem, at most a minor inconvenience, certainly not enough to seriously harm Wan Ronghua.


    Wan Ronghua was not afraid of the other bigwigs in Imperial Capital.


    Because the bigwigs were all about following the rules.


    It was actually the powerful martial artist Qiao Shuanglin, who didn¡¯t follow the rules, that gave him a massive headache.


    In the past, Wan Ronghua had twice framed Qiao Shuanglin, always hiding in the shadows and never showing himself directly.


    If it hadn¡¯t been for the incident at the market that day, where they happened to witness an inhuman fight, Qiao Mu still wouldn¡¯t have seen Wan Ronghua¡¯s face.


    But unfortunately¡­ that young woman revealed his identity.


    The authorities knew this was not something to be scared of, but they were afraid that it had already been leaked to another person or group.


    "Could it be Qiao¡¯s family? They are so mysterious. Did they force the woman to surrender to the authorities?"


    The more Wan Ronghua thought about it, the more uneasy he became.


    Ever since he unintentionally got into a conflict with Qiao Shuanglin, he has been thoroughly investigating Qiao¡¯s family.


    He discovered that Qiao¡¯s family is very protective and holds grudges.


    If a member of Qiao¡¯s family were to die, another elder from the Qiao family would quicklye to their aid.


    Picking a fight with someone smaller led to an encounter with someone older.


    Provoking an older person led to an encounter with someone even older.


    Wan Ronghua initially thought that Qiao Shuanglin, who was ny years old, was a rare long-lived elder, so he presumed that there wouldn¡¯t be many elderly members in the Qiao family.


    Therefore, if Qiao Shuanglin were to die, being powerful enough to easily defeat the martial arts expert from the Wan family, there wouldn¡¯t be too many individuals like him in Qiao¡¯s family.


    However, due to caution, Wan Ronghua knew he had to continue hiding himself.


    Unfortunately, his ns couldn¡¯t keep up with the changes. The confession of the young woman made Wan Ronghua realize that he may have already exposed this possibility.


    "They are so disgusting, the Qiao family. Are they shameless? Just because the Qiao family is powerful, they want to fight with me to the end¡­"


    Wan Ronghua muttered to himself while sitting in the hall, enjoying the cool breeze and gazing at the silent sophora tree in the courtyard.


    Under the sunlight, the expressionless middle-aged steward with a yellow face wasing out from the backyard.


    In the sunlight, the yellow-faced steward¡¯s face faintly glowed, as if there was a subtle metallic luster like copper or iron on his skin.


    "Mr. Wan, sorry for the wait. My master hase out from the meditation room."


    Qin Shiqing followed closely behind and walked out from inside. His face was also calm as he nodded gently at Wan Ronghua.


    "Long time no see, Mr. Wan."


    "I apologize for disturbing Lord Qin." Wan Ronghua also smiled and nodded sincerely:


    "Lord Qin holds a prestigious position and has reached the first rank of the Spiritual Refining Period in martial arts. It¡¯s truly embarrassing for me to see him working so diligently on his cultivation¡­"


    There were rumors going around that Wan Ronghua had joined the prestigious Great Dao Sect, and although that wasn¡¯t entirely true, Wan Ronghua himself knew it was not far from the truth.


    It was true that Wan Ronghua was one of the four wealthiest individuals in the Imperial Capital, but in the eyes of the truly powerful, such as those in the Great Dao Sect, he was merely a sacrificial pig.


    That¡¯s why he came here.


    If he were to be an official in the court, as a 1st ranked martial artist, he would receive the title of 1st rank martial official.


    A martial official is a prestigious title that grants a sry and status, but no real power. It should not be confused with officials who hold actual positions of power.


    A 2nd rank official, both in civil and military affairs, was already considered an important figure in the Great Yan government.


    Although a 1st rank martial official was lower in status, it still held considerable significance.


    Qin Shiqing was deeply devoted to martial arts and had no intentions of bing an official. He only sought a position to establish his identity, so he settled for a rather low-profile job as the warden of the heavenly prison, a ce that suppressed criminals. He rarely had official duties and seldom made any moves.


    The heavenly prison was heavily guarded all year round, with martial experts stationed there. No reckless daredevil had ever dared to attack it.


    Even the Wuji Association finds it troublesome to reach into the heavenly prison, and can only ask someone like Wei En, the former debtor of favors, to handle it.


    So Qin Shiqing is actually very free on regr days, which suits him just fine.


    He only needs toe out and keep things in order when dealing with a small number of criminals.


    This includes the time when Qiao Zhong was executed at the market.


    And one of the reasons why Wan Ronghua came to the Qin Mansion is also for this purpose.


    "So, are you worried that Qiao¡¯s family will behave recklessly like Qiao Shuanglin did before, relying on their martial arts skills and forcefully intruding into your mansion?" Qin Shiqing smirked as he looked at Wan Ronghua.


    "Lord Qin indeed has keen insight," Wan Ronghua sighed.


    "This Imperial Capital is a ce of great importance and naturally cannot tolerate Qiao¡¯s family¡¯s audacity. But if Qiao¡¯s family truly dares to take action, they will surely perish, although it might be difficult for my Wan family to stop them."


    Both the offerings and the guards of the Wan family are paid to do their jobs.


    With Wan Ronghua¡¯s wealth, it is easy to bribe a 3rd rank spiritual refining expert with money, but it is difficult to make someone give up their life.


    But Qin Shiqing is different.


    On the surface, Qin Shiqing is Qiao Zhong¡¯s executioner, he broke Qiao Zhong¡¯s knee with a kick, which settled their grudge.


    However, in secret, Qin Shiqing has a connection with the Great Dao Sect¡­and this is another reason why Wan Ronghua came here.


    "Qiao¡¯s family is very protective, it seems they already have other people in the Imperial Capital, hiding in the shadows¡­" Wan Ronghua exined carefully, but he didn¡¯t notice a hint of impatience in Qin Shiqing¡¯s eyes.


    "Is that all? Afraid of retaliation from Qiao¡¯s family?"


    Qin Shiqing¡¯s expression remained unchanged, a half-smile still on his face.


    "It doesn¡¯t matter, I will intervene when the timees." He said calmly andposed.

 Chapter 164:

    Chapter 164:


    Inside the Taoist temple in the north of the Imperial Capital.


    Taoist Qingyi¡¯s face didn¡¯t look good, and he was scolding Dao Zhen in front of him.


    He already understood the whole story about what happened at the vegetable market.


    "The fault is not yours, but during this time, you should also be more cautious in your actions and not mingle too much with ordinary people," Qingyi scolded.


    Regardless of whether the fault lies with Dao Zhen or Dao Xu, Immortal Gate will not bow to the Great Yan Imperial Court and hand over the disciples who caused a ruckus in the marketce.


    Since Emperor Yonghe manifested the imperial fortune of the Human Emperor Sword, the attitudes of Great Dao Sect and other Immortal Gates have inevitably changed, whether intentionally or unintentionally.


    Using oppressive force is not advisable; it might backfire. If it provokes the resistance of the Great Yan Imperial Court or Emperor Yonghe, things will be difficult to resolve.


    With the foundation of the Nine Immortal Gates, they naturally don¡¯t fear a mere mortal emperor who holds the Human Emperor Sword.


    But Immortal Gate belongs to Immortal Gate, and cultivators belong to themselves.In the eyes of Elder Qingyi, Emperor Yonghe now is like a dirty mop, while Lv Bu is alive.


    Although they don¡¯t think highly of this ordinary king, they also don¡¯t want to take the initiative to touch Emperor Yonghe¡¯s bad luck.


    Therefore, Elder Qingyi made his disciple Dao Xu face the wall and reflect for ten years at the gate of the mountain. In Qingyi¡¯s view, Immortal Gate has already lowered its head.


    If this matter spreads to the ears of other Immortal Gates, they would probably be ridiculed.


    The people in the immortal path have long transcended the mundane world. They are revered and greatly admired by worldly mortals who worship them like gods.


    How can thews of the mundane world restrain cultivators?


    Despite Elder Qingyi¡¯s scolding, Dao Zhen appeared sincere in admitting his mistake, but his mind was somewhat absent.


    He was pondering over a question that had been lingering in his mind for a long time.


    "I have personally witnessed the untimely deaths of Qiao Zhong and Qiao Shuanglin, two members of the Qiao¡¯s family."


    "But why¡­ after their deaths, my soul-binding spell didn¡¯t work?"


    When mortal bodies die and souls scatter, although it happens quickly, there is still a process.


    Cultivators like Dao Zhen, who have mastered soul-binding spells, naturally have no problem capturing the soul of a recently deceased mortal.


    But why¡­ two consecutive failures?


    "These two members of the Qiao family seem to be extraordinary¡­" Dao Zhen observed quietly, but suspicion arose in his heart.


    However, he didn¡¯t ask Elder Qingyi at this moment when she was angry.


    Just after Elder Qingyi warned him not to get too involved with mortals, he asked, fearing that he would meet Senior Sister Dao Xu on the Introspection Cliff of the sectter.


    He kept his doubts deep in his heart, but his curiosity about the Qiao family grew stronger.


    "I wonder how many more people are in the Qiao family. If they are all such exceptional individuals, it would be worth taking a closer look," Dao Zhen¡¯s lips curled slightly upwards.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    The old house of the Fang family.


    Qiao Mu left the old house alone, while Fang Yuan saw him off at the door.


    The two of them were a bit reserved in their interactions and didn¡¯t exchange many pleasantries.


    After all, Fang Yuan had initially met Qiao Zhong, who had introduced him to Fang Yuan¡¯s mentor Qiao Shuanglin, and Qiao Senlin was another elder of the Qiao family who had just arrived in the Imperial Capital.


    Moreover, Qiao Senlin hade for revenge, which made Fang Yuan feel a slight sense of guilt.


    Of course, this was what Fang Yuan thought in his heart, not Qiao Mu.


    Whether it was Qiao Zhong, Qiao Shuanglin, or the current Qiao Senlin, they were all just wearing different disguises, but inside they were the same.


    The same thoughts, the same determination, always consistent.


    "It¡¯s time to solve the feud between Wan Ronghua and Qiao Mu," thought Qiao Mu.


    At first, there was no feud between him and Wan Ronghua. He only became interested when he heard that this wealthy man from Imperial Capital had caused the downfall of Fang Yuan¡¯s family.


    Later, he discovered that he had been framed twice and suffered damage to his reputation, which caused the grudge to form.


    Knowing Wan Ronghua¡¯s methods, it was clear that he wanted more than just ruining Qiao Mu¡¯s reputation. There would definitely be more ruthless actions toe¡­ but Qiao Mu wasn¡¯t going to sit back and don¡¯thing.


    When the young woman confessed to the authorities and revealed Wan Ronghua as the mastermind, and when the authorities cleared Qiao Shuanglin¡¯s name, Qiao Mu was a bit surprised.


    So he waited for a few more days, hoping to see if the Great Yan authorities would uphold justice and cause some trouble for Wan Ronghua, even if it was just a little bit.


    However, his wait was in vain.


    Since that was the case, it was now his time to step into the spotlight.


    Breaking into the mansion of a powerful and wealthy person was something he had done before.


    ¡­¡­..


    At the entrance of the old house, after saying goodbye to Qiao Mu, Fang Yuan also left, preparing to go on duty at the heavenly prison.


    Qiao Senlin had just met him, and Qiao Senlin didn¡¯t mention the fact that he was nning to confront Wan Ronghua.


    If he knew, he would surely feel uneasy.


    Once on the street, Fang Yuan¡¯s thoughts were still a bit chaotic, immersed in the recent dramatic changes.


    After buying the old Fang family house, he thought he could prosper and establish the Fang family¡¯s name in the Imperial Capital. If his little sister was still here, maybe she woulde back too.


    However, things didn¡¯t turn out as he expected.


    Qiao Shuanglin, who had helped him, quickly died. And there were enemies who added fuel to the fire. Afterward, he even heard from Qiao Mu that his little sister had changed her name and married into the Fang family¡­


    Lost in these thoughts, he didn¡¯t notice a wrinkled old man with a white beard quietly approaching among the pedestrians on the street.


    Then, as they brushed past each other, the old man purposely or identally bumped into the shoulder.


    "Oh dear¨C"


    The old man slipped and fell to the ground, hitting his head on the cobblestone street. Blood was flowing, giving him a somewhat terrifying appearance as he cried out in pain, unable to get up.


    "Young man, did I offend you? Can¡¯t you restrain yourself from causing such trouble for an old man like me¨C" The fallen old man shouted at the top of his lungs.


    Fang Yuan was taken aback for a moment and before he could gather his thoughts, he tried to reach out and help the old man with the bleeding head.


    However, just as he was about to make a move, a crowd started gathering, drawn by themotion.


    "Don¡¯t you young people look where you¡¯re going?"


    "Tsk tsk, isn¡¯t this old gentleman already in his seventies or eighties? At such an old age, even a minor fall¡­"


    The surrounding pedestrians crowded in, voicing their disapproval and creating a noisy atmosphere.


    Meanwhile, Fang Yuan suddenly felt a sense of familiarity as his heart grew calm¡­


    When the incident happened at the market, he wasn¡¯t present, but he witnessed the amazing show at the entrance of the clinic.


    "Is it Wan Ronghua?" he wondered to himself.


    No, it couldn¡¯t be, Wan Ronghua wouldn¡¯t make such a foolish mistake for the third time¡­


    If he wanted to frame me, a mere pawn, he would use a more clever method.


    This simple framing tactic wasn¡¯t enough to fool a wicked person.


    As a guard of the heavenly prison, he wasn¡¯t a good person either and knew how to handle troublemakers with appropriate methods.


    Fang Yuan¡¯s heart sank, his eyes squinted slightly, and he lowered his head to grab the old man¡¯s cor, lifting him up from the ground.


    However, he felt a sadness in his heart that was hard to put into words.


    If the situation wasn¡¯t like Wan Ronghua¡¯s, then perhaps there would be an even worse possibility¡­


    Does that sister who isn¡¯t rted to him by blood want him to end up like Qiao Shuanglin, or die a tragic death?

 Chapter 165:

    Chapter 165:


    Manor of the Thousand.


    There was a sharp sound, like a snap.


    Wan Ronghua pped his mistress Fang Fang¡¯s face, leaving her with an incredulous expression. This only made Wan Ronghua even more angry.


    "Who allowed you to provoke Fang Yuan at such a crucial time?" Wan Ronghua said angrily.


    He was breathing heavily, his face turning red with frustration. Clearly, he was very angry.


    Seeing Wan Ronghua¡¯s expression, Fang Fang, who was feeling somewhat aggrieved, couldn¡¯t help but feel a little fearful. She lowered her voice and said:


    "Didn¡¯t the master promise to help me and punish Fang Yuan?"


    "I thought Qiao Shuanglin, who supported Fang Yuan, had already died due to the master¡¯s ns?"


    Wan Ronghua was at a loss for words.This Fang Fang is still a young concubine, her status within the Wan family is neither high nor low.


    As soon as the official matters arrived, Wan Ronghua immediately rushed to the Qin Shiqing¡¯s residence,pletely disregarding his own concubine.


    And this concubine, she can¡¯t really be considered the one in charge of the Wan family.


    So the information that Wan Ronghua had, Fang Fang was unable to know at the first moment.


    This made her take matters into her own hands, causing Wan Ronghua to worry.


    "What happened to Fang Yuan? Did your little n seed?" Wan Ronghua sighed and sat down on the armchair, asking.


    "He doesn¡¯t follow the rules." Fang Fang frowned and said angrily.


    "This time, Fang Yuan yed the role of a viin. He grabbed the old man who intentionally caused an ident and beat him up in the street. He even nned to take him to the authorities. But the viin reported first, saying that the old man was provoking him and dying his duty at the heavenly prison."


    "Although the people I sent were loudly denouncing Fang Yuan on the side, he remained unfazed."


    Wan Ronghua fell silent, holding his forehead and letting out a long sigh.


    "How can we apply the same method we used for dealing with Qiao Shuanglin to deal with Fang Yuan? It wouldn¡¯t work."


    "Huh?" Fang Fang blinked her eyes.


    "This method was enough to handle someone as skilled in martial arts as Qiao Shuanglin. It almost ruined his reputation in the Imperial Capital. Dealing with someone like Fang Yuan should be a piece of cake."


    Wan Ronghua decided not to speak.


    "There¡¯s no such thing as a universal magic n in this world. Different people require different strategies."


    "Qiao Shuanglines from a famous family of heroes, just like Qiao. That¡¯s why my previous n was able to trap him, because he is always careful and thinks things through. Before he takes action, he considers whether themon people around him are innocent or intentionally causing trouble."


    "But someone like Fang Yuan, who grew up as a prison guard in a heavenly ce, doesn¡¯t care about his reputation being tarnished. He doesn¡¯t care whether others have good or bad intentions."


    "And this situation has already happened twice in front of Qiao Shuanglin before. Do you really think Fang Yuan would be foolish enough to have no defenses?"


    Wan Ronghua said this while shaking his head and sighing.


    No wonder his father¡¯s will didn¡¯t give any of the Fang family¡¯s shops to Fang Fang, but instead gave them to Fang Yuan.


    If Fang Fang had been given those shops, with her intelligence, it wouldn¡¯t take long for her to lose everything.


    "His father was a very wise person. Although he wasn¡¯t my opponent, he indeed had the ability to judge people urately. He saw through both of his own children."


    Wan Ronghua thought of his father, who was defeated by him in the past, and sighed a little.


    His father¡¯s will divided the family¡¯s assets into two parts: one part consisted of antique shops and the old mansion on Antique Street, while the other part included the collection of antiques and calligraphy within the shops.


    The first one only has three, but the second one has seven, and that¡¯s the big part.


    After all, Fang Fang is his real daughter.


    And for Fang Yuan, his father¡¯s way of handling things is great too.


    Ever since his father found out that Fang Yuan was only seven years old and felt bad about not being able to visit his biological father, he knew that this kid was careful in his thoughts and had deep emotions.


    So he treats Fang Yuan well, like his own.


    As for leaving the old house to Fang Yuan who is not his biological son, in Wan Ronghua¡¯s opinion, it¡¯s actually a clever move.


    Thend value of the old house was not high back then, and it¡¯s also not well-maintained and a bit old.


    But for Fang Yuan who values emotions more, the old house has more meaning.


    In Wan Ronghua¡¯s view, by giving the shop and the old house to Fang Yuan, his father is clearly ying the emotional card.


    The so-called seeing things and having feelings. Every time Fang Yuan sees the two jujube trees in the courtyard, he must think of his father¡¯s advice at that time: to support each other with his little sister Fang Fang.


    As long as Fang Fang doesn¡¯t go too far, Fang Yuan will also take care of his non-blood-rted little sister Fang Fang for the sake of his stepfather¡¯s face.


    The so-called sitting and eating away, the inheritance left by his father may not be enough for Fang Fang to spend her whole life.


    But with Fang Yuan, who manages an antique shop, at least he can ensure that Fang Fang has no worries about clothing and food¡­ This is Wan Ronghua¡¯s spection on the thoughts of his opponent before his death.


    "This woman, I¡¯m afraid she willpletely ruin Fang Yuan¡¯s feelings today¡­"


    Wan Ronghua shook his head, he made up his mind that from now on he absolutely cannot let Fang Fang take control of the house, just treat her like a canary.


    Although this woman is good-looking, shecks rity in her mind and is prone to jealousy. She causes too much trouble.


    Wan Ronghua sighed.


    If it were in the past, he would definitely send experts to use force immediately, and kill Fang Yuan right away, to cover up for Fang Fang.


    But now he doesn¡¯t have the strength for this.


    Although Qiao Shuanglin has died.


    But several troublemakers hired by Wan Ronghua to falsely use Qiao Shuanglin have already turned themselves in to the authorities¡­ This means that there must be someone, or some power, siding with the deceased Qiao Shuanglin.


    And what Wan Ronghua is afraid of is Qiao¡¯s family appearing in Imperial Capital again.


    At this moment, it is already different from when Qiao Shuanglin was here.


    Back then, Wan Ronghua was hiding in the darkness, but now he is very likely to be targeted by Qiao¡¯s family. How can he have the capacity to cover for Fang Fang?


    "Immediately bring all the guards and attendants from the mansion here. We must keep a close watch on the mansion these nights." Wan Ronghua ordered immediately.


    Relying solely on guards or attendants is not enough, he is not at ease.


    Although Qin Shiqing has already dered that he will take action, if he is a littlete, even if he manages to kill the next Qiao family elder, what good will it do?


    "Someone, quickly go to the Qin Mansion and deliver a message for me," Wan Ronghua nced at the sky and immediately called a trusted person.


    It was already nighttime, the surroundings were dark, and the night sky was without a moon.


    It was the perfect night for skilled warriors to take action.


    If it weren¡¯t for Wan Ronghua being afraid of dying, he wouldn¡¯t have sent someone else and would have gone himself.


    Soon, the Wan Family Mansion was brightly lit, every room had lights on, and guards were patrolling back and forth. The whole mansion was busy.


    Wan Ronghua sat on the main seat in the hall, holding prayer beads in his hand, but a sense of unease rose in his heart.

 Chapter 166:

    Chapter 166:


    "I understand."


    Qin Shiqing sat calmly in front of the table, closed his eyes to rest, and nodded towards the trusted person sent by Wan Ronghua.


    Although this trusted person had many words in his heart that he wanted to say, he didn¡¯t say much since Qin Shiqing was an important person invited by the master of the house, and quickly took his leave.


    "No wonder Lord Qin is esteemed, calm in the face of change, and has the demeanor of a great general. It¡¯s no surprise he is favored by the elders of the Great Dao Sect and considered one of the potential candidates to be ¡®King Qin¡¯."


    The butler had this thought in his mind and nodded secretly.


    This butler was clearly not an ordinary person either. His exaggerated muscles lifted his robe high, making him look more like a bodyguard than a butler.


    In reality, he was indeed not an ordinary person. Even now, after joining the Martial Arts League and breaking through, he was even stronger than the Qin Shiqing he currently served.


    Nevertheless, he was still just a butler.


    In the eyes of the Immortal Gate cultivators, the strength of a martial artist was not the most important, because strengths and weaknesses were always iparable to those of the great cultivators.However, in the eyes of the Immortal Gate, Qin Shiqing was obviously much more important than someone like him, a mere butler.


    Luohan is the name used for this butler in the Jianghu, and he is actually one of Qin Shiqing¡¯s protectors.


    The so-called King Qin carried the hopes of bing the king and was extraordinary.


    The second guardian of Qin Shiqing, Dao Zhen, was even more extraordinary¡­ He was actually a disciple of Elder Qingyi from the Great Dao Sect.


    This is very unusual.


    You should know that in the eyes of the elders of the Immortal Gate, the identity of a martial artist cannot bepared to any cultivator, especially since Dao Zhen is not just an ordinary sect disciple, but a disciple of Elder Qingyi.


    Making Dao Zhen be a guardian of Qin Shiqing, a martial artist, can be considered unusual.


    Although it is unusual, it shows how important Qin Shiqing is to Taoist Qingyi.


    "Brother Luohan, tonight you will apany me to Wan Ronghua¡¯s mansion and wait for an opportunity," Qin Shiqing said.


    Martial artists are naturally respected as the strong. On the surface, Luohan is a steward, but his strength is already stronger than Qin Shiqing. Therefore, Qin Shiqing cannot treat him as a lowly servant.


    "Hmm¡­ Should I go too?" Luohan was surprised.


    Qin Shiqing used to be so calm. Could it be that he considered himself a hidden card after making a breakthrough?


    No wonder he is so confident. It turns out he relies on him, Luohan!


    "Of course," Qin Shiqing smiled and said seriously.


    "A gentleman doesn¡¯t stand under a dangerous wall. I promised Wan Ronghua to eliminate the trouble caused by Qiao¡¯s family, not just for his wealth¡­ Since we are dealing with Qiao¡¯s family, we must do our best and eliminate any risks."


    "¡­That¡¯s true." Luohan¡¯s face slightly showed a strange expression as he began to feel puzzled in his mind:


    "Actually, it makes sense. Maybe Qin Shiqing caught the attention of the Great Dao Sect because his mindset is different from ordinary people?"


    "I heard that his determination to pursue the Dao is extremely strong. He was even willing to sacrifice his spouse and children in his early years for the sake of enlightenment. It seems remarkable now."


    Luohan had doubts in his heart, and he left with Qin Shiqing, vanishing into the darkness of the night.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Outside Wan Ronghua¡¯s mansion.


    Qiao Mu stood on the roof of a small building, looking down at the busy scene of the security guards patrolling inside the mansion.


    "The security is quite tight. Did someone leak the information?"


    Qiao Mu had no idea that it was because of Fang Fang¡¯s scheme against Fang Yuan that startled Wan Ronghua, causing him to be suspicious and order tight security.


    But that didn¡¯t matter.


    Anyway, Qiao Mu didn¡¯t n to get out alive.


    As long as he could kill Wan Ronghua, what did it matter if he was discovered?


    Originally, Qiao Mu wanted to take a page from when he visited his friend with thest name Guo and first go to the kitchen to capture a servant, but now it seemed impossible to sneak in slowly.


    So, he had to resort to a physical infiltration.


    He slightly bent his knees, leapt into the air, and disappeared in a blur, leaving only a gust of night wind.


    Shadow Step was originally a skill of thieves. Now, Qiao Mu has focused all his training on Shadow Step and has reached a perfect level.


    Landing and breaking the window, all without making a sound.


    Even the guards on patrol didn¡¯t notice the blurry figure passing by.


    With a burst of internal strength under his feet, Qiao Mu swiftly moved through the Wan Mansion, hearing countless whispers, footsteps, and voices.


    "Wan Ronghua¡­ is in the guest room to the east of the backyard."


    Qiao Mu¡¯s ears twitched. He swiftly jumped andnded lightly on the eaves, taking out a small stone from his hand.


    Inside the guest room.


    Wan Ronghua was sittingfortably on the master¡¯s chair, looking slightly anxious. He was speaking to his concubine, Fang Fang, who was beside him.


    Qiao Mu hadn¡¯t received proper training in hidden weapon techniques, but his martial arts skills were so advanced that with the infusion of internal strength, even a flick of a leaf could be dangerous, let alone a stone.


    Holding his breath, Qiao Mu made a slight movement and the stone in his hand was instantly thrown out.


    The stone blurred in the air, emitting a sharp sound as it pierced through the air, directly aiming at Wan Ronghua.


    It happened in a split second.


    However, a hand suddenly reached out from the side and caught the stone in its palm.


    In front of Wan Ronghua in the room, a figure suddenly appeared standing.


    Qiao Mu felt familiar with this figure, as they had crossed paths before. It was Qin Shiqing, the executioner at the market execution ground that day.


    Being a highly skilled 1st rank spiritual refining expert with keen intuition, sneak attacks and ambushes were almost ineffective against Qin Shiqing. Naturally, he had sensed Qiao Mu¡¯s attempted attack in advance and quietly made his move.


    As Wan Ronghua trembled in shock and fear, the guards in the mansion also reacted.


    "There¡¯s an assassin!"


    An old man in ck clothes quickly appeared and pulled Wan Ronghua back.


    The rest of the guards patrolling the mansion rushed over and quickly surrounded Qiao Mu, who was on the roof of the house.


    Qin Shiqing tiptoed and leaped onto the roof, looking at the old man in front of him with a bit of surprise.


    "It seems like it really is Qiao¡¯s family?"


    "Perfect, tonight we¡¯ll put an end to the trouble."


    Qiao Mu didn¡¯t disguise himself or wear any kind of night-sneaking mask¡­ he wished he could write his name on his own face.


    At this time, Qiao Mu looked quite old. His physical age had exceeded a hundred years. His hair and beard were all white, and his silver long hair flowed down his shoulders. After using the "Flesh Changing Skill," Qiao Mu now looked simr to, but not the same as, the ny-year-old Qiao Shuanglin he used to be.


    "Did Qin Shiqing and Wan Ronghua team up? Well, it seems like it¡¯s just right for me too, to solve both sides at once."


    Qiao Mu didn¡¯t have a strong impression of Qin Shiqing, because Qin Shiqing only kicked him and broke his knees, but it wasn¡¯t a deadly injury.


    But now Qin Shiqing made it clear that he wanted to help Wan Ronghua and looked like he wanted to kill Qiao Mu, so Qiao Mu naturally wouldn¡¯t be kind-hearted.

 Chapter 167:

    Chapter 167:


    "Lord Qin has reallye¡­"


    Wan Ronghua truly breathed a sigh of relief.


    Both he and Qin Shiqing actually had a mysterious rtionship with the Great Dao Sect.


    In theory, as a wealthy person in the Imperial Capital, he had to pay arge amount of money to the Great Dao Sect every month, and the Great Dao Sect wouldn¡¯t disregard his life.


    But in reality, cultivators were beyond understanding, and Wan Ronghua couldn¡¯t figure out what the cultivators of the Great Dao Sect were thinking.


    Now that Qin Shiqing hade as promised, there was no need for him to worry about trivial matters.


    Qin Shiqing is extraordinary. Although the name "Kill Wife to Prove Qin Shiqing" is not particrly prestigious, this ruthless person undoubtedly earns fear and awe from many people in the martial arts world.


    The old man in ck helped Wan Ronghua to leave, but Wan Ronghua waved his hand to stop him.


    He cannot leave.It¡¯s not that Wan Ronghua is daring, wanting to witness the fight between the two top martial artists on the scene. The main reason is that he dares not leave.


    Qin Shiqing, being such a ruthless person, is naturally someone he doesn¡¯t dare to offend.


    The fact that the other party is willing toe and help already gives Wan Ronghua a great deal of face.


    If Wan Ronghua hurriedly leaves the mansion to save his life, leaving Qin Shiqing to fight the old man from the Qiao family, Wan Ronghua worries that Qin Shiqing will kill everyone and then turn around to stab him.


    Though Wan Ronghua didn¡¯t leave, Qiao Mu no longer has the leisure to deal with such a rich man.


    Because all of his attention is focused on Qin Shiqing.


    "This person called Qin Shiqing seems to have something special."


    Qiao Mu furrowed his eyebrows, looking down at his own arm. The hairs on his arm were standing up, and goosebumps had appeared.


    Spirit Refining martial artists have sharp intuition, allowing them to anticipate their opponents.


    As for Qiao Mu, who has been practicing the "Martial Saint Spiritual Technique" up until now, he could be considered a half Spirit Refining martial artist. However, his intuition was unreliable at times.


    But this time, his body sensed a great danger.


    And in that instant¡­


    Qin Shiqing made a move.


    He held a stone in his hand and lightly threw it towards Qiao Mu. The throwing motion was identical to Qiao Mu¡¯s, clearly meant to deliberately use the same move against him.


    Hiss!


    The stone flew through the air like an arrow, aimed directly at Qiao Mu¡¯s forehead, but it wasn¡¯t very fast.


    This actually matched Qiao Mu¡¯s understanding of Spirit Refining martial artist.


    The strength of a Spirit Refining martial artist lies in their "spirit," rather than their physical strength or the level of their internal power, which may not necessarily be stronger than a 4th rank practicing martial artist.


    Even if it was a stone thrown by a 1st ranked martial artist named Qin Shiqing, it wasn¡¯t very fast and posed no threat to Qiao Mu.


    With this thought in mind, Qiao Mu quickly turned his head to dodge, but his heart was filled with a sense of impending danger.


    Thud.


    In a blink of an eye, the stone actually made a small arc in the air and hit the side of Qiao Mu¡¯s face, causing his skin to break and blood to flow.


    "The stone changed its course?" Qiao Mu wondered.


    When he had fought Saintess Wu Qingxin, who practiced both the Dao and martial arts in Nan Province, Wu Qingxin, who was in the Qi refining period, disyed a sword technique that had nothing to do with martial arts, but rather belonged to the realm of immortal cultivation.


    At this moment, Qin Shiqing, the best martial artist, skillfully maneuvered the stone in a manner simr to the sword technique of the Qi Refining cultivator.


    "Is this surprising? You¡¯ve lived long enough to see it all, haven¡¯t you?" Qin Shiqing smiled, taking a few steps forward.


    "The ¡®godly¡¯ power of the best martial artist is now so powerful that it can control objects independently. The path to greatness may differ, but the end result is the same. What is there to be amazed about?"


    Qin Shiqing¡¯s gaze was sharp as a knife. With his green longsword, he swiftly sliced through the night, releasing a ze of light as it shed diagonally towards Qiao Mu¡¯s left shoulder.


    In that moment, Qiao Mu felt a chill run down his spine, and goosebumps erupted on his right shoulder.


    "He seems to aim for my left shoulder, but my instincts warn me about my right shoulder. Is he nning a trick?"


    Thoughts raced through Qiao Mu¡¯s mind, but he had no time to ponder. He acted based on his body¡¯s instincts and quickly lowered himself, while twisting his right shoulder.


    Swish!


    Qiao Mu¡¯s left shoulder was struck by the sword, tearing open a long gash in his robe. The fierce force of the blow widened the wound, causing blood to flow profusely.


    Qiao Mu was surprised that his instinctive warning was wrong. He wasn¡¯t trying to strike my right shoulder?


    Although his instincts were sometimes urate and sometimes not, this was the first time they had been so off during his martial arts training.


    Qin Shiqing didn¡¯t give Qiao Mu any time to think. His gaze remained sharp as a knife, and he continuously swung his long sword, like relentless waves in the ocean.


    What made Qiao Mu ufortable was that his half-hearted instinctual perception kept making mistakes in this process.


    In a short amount of time, Qiao Mu had already been struck by six or seven swords, with blood flowing from all over his body.


    Even though Qin Shiqing was a 1st rank Spiritual Refining Period practitioner, with superior speed, strength, and the internal strength infused into his de, he still couldn¡¯t match Qiao Mu, who had already reached the age of a hundred.


    Despite this, Qiao Mu was being constantly suppressed by Qin Shiqing¡¯s continuous onught of sword strikes, and new wounds kept appearing on his body.


    Qiao Mu was already ustomed to getting injured, and his physical training was not low. With his whole body protected by internal strength, although he had many wounds, they were not severe.


    "The fight between Spirit Refining martial artists is not just physical, but also a battle of mind and spirit¡­" Qin Shiqing chuckled to himself as he effortlessly swung his sword.


    The first-ranked martial artist, "god," has be so powerful that it can influence tangible things. It is easy for him to suppress Spirit Refining martial artists who are weaker than him and make them misjudge their intuition.


    All the martial artists above the third rank are spiritual refining.


    The difference in strength and weakness between martial artists from the third rank to the first rank lies in their proficiency in the Spiritual Refining Method.


    The nine ranks of martial artists are a human-made distinction. One of the reasons why a first-ranked martial artist is stronger than a second or third-ranked martial artist is that they can form a Qi traction against weaker opponents and exert pressure during mental confrontation.


    Although Qiao Mu has not yet embarked on true Spiritual Refining Method, he can still be considered as a half Spirit Refining martial artist.


    His intuition is sometimes urate and sometimes not, but at this moment, it turns out to be an advantage. If Qiao Mu were an ordinary third-ranked Spirit Refining martial artist, he would be suppressed by Qin Shiqing in a mental confrontation.


    Ding, ding, dong.


    Sparks flew as the swords shed. Qiao Mu sustained another wound, but Qin Shiqing was getting a little impatient.


    Although he is aware that his strength surpasses Qiao Mu¡¯s, this old man, despite his weakened vitality and inability tost in a fight, is surprisingly tougher than he imagined.


    He was cut and covered in blood, but he didn¡¯t react at all. He didn¡¯t even frown or slow down.


    "Why are you just standing there? Let¡¯s go together," he waved to the many guards surrounding Wan Ronghua.


    There were dozens of guards by Wan Ronghua¡¯s side, including several Spirit Refining martial artists. However, they only stood by and watched without joining the fight between Qin Shiqing and Qiao Mu.


    Startled by Qin Shiqing¡¯s urging, the old man in ck beside Wan Ronghua asked:


    "Lord Qin is powerful enough to deal with this old thief, right? Can we just stand by and support from the sidelines?"


    It¡¯s not that they want to ck off.


    In their eyes, the 1st ranked martial artist Qin Shiqing clearly had the upper hand and could overpower Qiao Mu.


    The martial artists of the world are divided into 9 ranks, with the 1st rank being the very best.


    Such a strong person should naturally have the dignity of a strong person.


    Qin Shiqing was clearly in a dominant position, bullying the weaker ones. If they were to interfere, it might only upset Qin Shiqing more.


    After all, Qin Shiqing has a bad reputation and is known for being a mean and unpredictable person. They can¡¯t afford to provoke him.


    Qin Shiqing nced at them from the corner of his eye and quickly guessed what they were thinking. He smirked:


    "What? Do you think I rely on my strength to bully the weak, and by outnumbering them, I would lose my status and dignity as a strong individual?"


    "Instead of easily surrounding and killing this beast, you choose to y a one-on-one game, acting all high and mighty. That¡¯s just foolish."


    "Wan Ronghua, if your people don¡¯te forward soon, I will leave."


    Wan Ronghua hesitated for a moment, and then quickly ordered the nearby guards and attendants to step forward.


    In no time, the courtyard was filled with people, each holding weapons and shouting as they moved forward.


    The only person who remained still in the corner of the courtyard at the Qin Mansion was the steward, Luohan.


    He is Qin Shiqing¡¯s protector, stronger than the other, and saves Qin Shiqing¡¯s life, not one of his subordinates.


    But at this moment, he nodded secretly after hearing Qin Shiqing¡¯s words.


    "He¡¯s clear-minded and not burdened by his identity¡­ Is this what the Immortal Master of Great Dao Sect values?"


    ¡­..


    Seeing the guards surrounding him, Qiao Mu frowned.


    "It¡¯s like being treated as the main boss."


    Qin Shiqing doesn¡¯t have an advantage in pure strength and speed, but he can predict his moves, avoid them in advance, and control the rhythm of the battle, making it his own domain.


    Isn¡¯t this like a yer with low-level equipment fighting a powerful boss monster alone?


    "I originally wanted to test my strength in normal mode, but since it¡¯s outnumbered, I won¡¯t hold back. I¡¯ll go straight to the second phase¡­" Qiao Mu thought to himself.


    "Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method£¡"


    In an instant, Qiao Mu activated the Magical Demon Breaking Technique. His whole body was filled with an intense power, like a raging force flowing through every part of his body.


    With theplete mastery of the Magical Demon Breaking Technique, Qiao Mu could unleash four or five times more internal strength in a short amount of time. His meridians were now filled with a swollen and throbbing internal strength, causing a faint sensation of swelling and tearing throughout his body.


    He swung his sword, shing with Qin Shiqing¡¯s knife. In an instant, his internal strength surged forth, four or five times stronger, causing Qin Shiqing¡¯s hand to tremble and almost lose grip of his knife. His body even slightly staggered.


    Even though Qin Shiqing had a premonition¡­ Qiao Mu¡¯s punches and kicks, powered by the overwhelming strength of the Magical Demon Breaking Technique, were impossible for him to resist.


    At the same time, Qiao Mu extended his other hand and pointed it towards a spot in front of him.


    "Fragmented Virtual Finger."


    Invisible and powerful internal strength burst out from his fingertip, condensing into an arrow-like projectile that shot through the air with a chilling force.


    Qin Shiqing quickly moved his body backward, appearing ten meters away. But to his surprise, the Splitting Palm Strike¡¯s piercing finger force crossed that ten-meter distance, leaving a finger-sized hole in his shoulder.


    With a loud "thud", Qin Shiqing stumbled and his face became serious.


    "To have such power, even with internal strength projecting ten meters away? How many years of rigorous training did it take? Eighty years? One hundred years? Just how old is this strange Qiao family elder?"


    When projecting internal strength at a distance, its power quickly diminishes.


    Spirit Refining martial artists are slightly stronger in this aspectpared to martial artists who only train their inner strength, possessing a longer attack range but still limited to ten meters.


    However, the power Qiao Mu disyed at this moment astonished him.


    The maximum limit of a martial artist¡¯s internal strength is just the 4th rank.


    To progress further, one can only rely on the passage of time, slowly umting strength and internal strength.


    Therefore, martial artists beyond the 4th rank devote themselves to the Spiritual Refining Method.


    Continuing to train inner strength is a long and arduous path, with no qualitative breakthroughs in internal strength, only the umtion of quantity. Compared to the Spiritual Refining Method, it can be said to be half as effective, a foolish method that has long been eliminated from the martial arts world for hundreds of years.


    And the strange Qiao family person appeared in front of him, but ording to the current ssification of martial artists, he was only at the 4th level of training, not yet at the level of spiritual refinement.


    But he was able to forcefully prate Qin Shiqing¡¯s shoulder, even though Qin Shiqing was a 1st ranked martial artist, using his strong internal strength.


    "So he¡¯s also a skilled fisherman."


    Qin Shiqing frowned and stepped back behind the others.


    Even though he believed his strength was still superior to Qiao Mu¡¯s, it was still better to avoid getting injured if possible.


    "Can you escape?"


    Qiao Mu¡¯s eyes widened, he stomped his feet forcefully, and activated his abundant internal strength. The blood vessels in his lower legs were on the verge of bursting as he swiftly moved through the air and disappeared into the wind.


    Before unleashing the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, the hundred-year-old Qiao Mu already possessed nearly a century of pure internal strength, umted from relentlessly training day and night for a hundred years.


    Solely considering the extent of his abundant internal strength, the hundred-year-old Qiao Mu could dominate the martial arts world, with very few who could match his skill.


    Under the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, internal strength skyrocketed to four or five times its original power.


    The explosive force in an instant isparable to the rich internal strength cultivated through four or five hundred years of arduous training.


    Martial artists in the mortal world have a simr lifespan to ordinary people.


    The umtion of internal strength can only be achieved through the practice of countless years.


    Except for a few exceptionally talented geniuses or those who are lucky enough to consume extraordinary treasures¡­


    Even if an ordinary person starts practicing from the womb and trains for four or five lifetimes, it is unlikely to attain the power of four or five hundred years.


    At this moment, Qiao Mu¡¯s level of internal strength has already surpassed theprehension ability of Qin Shiqing, a first-ranked martial artist.


    As he ran and threw himself forward, Qiao Mu¡¯s invisible and incorporeal internal strength burst forth, causing his entire body¡¯s blood vessels to rupture and turn him into a bloody figure.


    The inhumanly powerful internal strength naturally signifies an explosive load that far surpasses the capacity of a human body. Qiao Mu¡¯s life will be shorter than before, but it will also be more brilliant!


    Boom!


    With a powerful burst of internal strength, Qiao Mu¡¯s figure rushed forward like a cannonball, causing a strong gust of wind even with just this simple action, making several guards stumbling.


    "Witness my Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method Shadow Sword!"


    The Shadow Transformation Sword Technique is a sword technique that was famous for itsplexity and sophistication in Yan City, once practiced by City Lord Guo Yan.


    Under Qiao Mu¡¯s current disy, the ovepping sword shadows were no longer illusory trickery, but a series of images formed by the extremely fast sword speed.


    With a single swing of the sword,yers of ovepping sword shadows enveloped the surroundings, violently cracking the air in front!

 Chapter 168:

    Chapter 168:


    The ovepping sword shadows, the roaring strong wind, and the zing aura seemed to shatter the silent night.


    Qin Shiqing¡¯s pupils contracted as he watched Qiao Mu approaching at an astonishing speed.


    The strong wind blowing past made Wan Ronghua¡¯s guards stumble as he rushed towards them.


    The so-called guards and servants of the Wan family were mostly people who were just paid to do their job. They were okay with going along for an easy task, but when it came to fighting desperately, they didn¡¯t seem as interested.


    At this moment, including the spiritual refining guards and servants of the Wan family, they all involuntarily slowed their pace, as if the strong wind had made them stumble.


    Qin Shiqing¡¯s heart sank slightly as the intuition of being a first-ranking practitioner in the Spiritual Refining Period warned him frantically!


    It¡¯s impossible to resist!


    "Did they use some kind of powerful forbidden technique simr to the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method? But the power of the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method isn¡¯t that extreme¡­"


    Although he was a first-ranking practitioner, his strengths didn¡¯t lie in his physical body or internal strength. Though stronger than an ordinary fourth-ranking practitioner, his strength was still limited.Once hit directly by the current Qiao Mu, even if it was just a collision, his body would probably be crushed under the immense force¡­


    Qin Shiqing¡¯s pupils contracted. In the blink of an eye, he became even calmer than before, with thoughts racing through his mind.


    Spirit Refining martial artists can be considered as the top 3rd rank because they are stronger than ordinary martial artists.


    Even if there isn¡¯t much difference in physical strength and the level of internal strength, Spirit Refining martial artists can rely on their powerful "spirit" to perform precise moves on the tip of a sword, achieving a level of finesse that is difficult for ordinary martial artists to reach.


    All martial arts in the world are invincible, only speed can¡¯t be broken!


    While this is indeed a correct principle, how are martial artists any different from those powerful beasts if they are only fast and strong?


    "No matter how powerful a move is, if it doesn¡¯t hit, it¡¯s all for nothing!"


    This thought brushed through Qin Shiqing¡¯s mind, and in his mind shed the battle that took ce in the market a few days ago.


    Actually, he was also at the market at that time, but he stayed hidden and didn¡¯t participate. He saw how the 90-year-old Qiao Shuanglin exhibited astonishing speed and strength, how he was repeatedly frozen by the techniques of cultivator Dao Xu without even touching her, and how he ended up in pieces.


    With a thought, Qin Shiqing¡¯s whole body surged with boiling energy and blood. He stomped heavily on the ground, revealing a self-sacrificing forbidden technique.


    "Red Blood Skill£¡"


    Instead of trying to fight back, he tried to dodge using the keen intuition of the best martial artist.


    But although he reacted quickly, there was no one in the world like Qiao Mu, who repeatedly used the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method many times, reaching the highest level of mastery.


    This was the first time Qin Shiqing used the explosive forbidden skill called Red Blood Skill. Although he had no hesitation in his heart, he was still a little slower.


    Qiao Mu¡¯s figure was like a giant eagle, stirring up a strong wind in the darkness of night, and suddenly he was there!


    In the blink of an eye, Qin Shiqing twisted his body to dodge with all his strength as Qiao Mu swung his sword towards his chest.


    Just as the long sword was about to strike his chest, Qin Shiqing took a deep breath, and his bones made a clicking sound. Surprisingly, his chest slightly caved in.


    The long sword didn¡¯t hit Qin Shiqing directly, but its sharp de left a long bloody mark on his chest, and the powerful force made Qin Shiqing fly backward for over ten meters.


    At the same time, there was a muffled sound.


    Qiao Mu¡¯s arm, holding the sword, was bleeding profusely, making it almost impossible for him to hold the sword steady.


    Qin Shiqing tiptoed, leaving long marks on the ground as he dragged his feet. He took a moment to catch his breath, and his chest, which had sunk before, returned to its normal state, rising and falling rapidly.


    The wound on his chest wasn¡¯t fatal, butbined with the aftermath of the powerful Red Blood Skill he had just used, he was feeling unwell, with weak energy and blood.


    Interestingly, Qiao Mu¡¯s injuries were worse than his own.


    Even though Qiao Mu was the one attacking and Qin Shiqing couldn¡¯t fight back, it was Qiao Mu who was more severely injured. His arm was bleeding heavily, hanging limply, and he couldn¡¯t stop panting.


    "Is my current body unable to withstand theplete release of the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method? Is one strike all I have?" Qiao Mu thought to himself.


    With the brief burst of power, his immense internal strength was equivalent to five hundred years of intensive training. This far exceeded the limits of an average person and even surpassed what this physical body could endure.


    With just one attack, the arm that held the sword suffered severe damage to the meridians, causing it to hang weakly. His entire meridian system had also been greatly damaged.


    As Qiao Mu¡¯s understanding and proficiency with the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method deepened, the power of his explosions grew stronger, but so did the damage to his own body.


    "Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, Red Moon Burning Blood Technique, activate!"


    Qiao Mu kept walking without stopping, ignoring his injuries and taking a deep breath, he pounced again.


    Even though his body was badly damaged now and he couldn¡¯t exert as much strength as before, as long as his moves could hit, it shouldn¡¯t be a problem to kill this Qin Shiqing.


    Qin Shiqing frowned secretly as well.


    He didn¡¯t n to confront Qiao Mu head-on, even though he believed he still had the strength to fight against him. However, he didn¡¯t intend to risk his life fighting in this Mansion just to help Wan Ronghua.


    "A noble person doesn¡¯t stand beneath a precarious wall.." he cast a sidelong nce and looked at the steward "Luohan" who was observing the battle on one side.


    This Luohan is not his subordinate thug, but a guardian who has greater strength than him. Qin Shiqing is usually unable tomand him.


    But now that things hade to this point, as a guardian, Luohan naturally couldn¡¯t just stand by and watch Qin Shiqing being in a dangerous situation.


    Under the moonlight, Luohan took a step forward, standing in front of Qin Shiqing.


    His face was cold and stern, his chest straight, and his whole body muscles seemed like they were made of iron, with a faint yellow glow under the moonlight.


    He didn¡¯t say a lot, but just stretched out his big hand like a fan and stopped Qiao Mu.


    There was a loud thud.


    Qiao Mu was originally going to throw a punch forward with one hand, but the palm of the punch made him feel as if he had mmed into a solid iron wall. The tremendous force of the impact caused Qiao Mu to stumble back, his arm twisted and deformed, blood gushing from his whole body, and the lingering effects of the secret technique quickly erupted.


    The strong and sturdy body of Luohan, resembling an iron tower, trembled slightly. He looked down at his thick palm and absentmindedly ced that hand behind his back.


    "Another one¡­ when will this end?" Qiao Mu was covered in blood, finally copsing and sitting on the ground.


    This short and intense fight was exhausting, he fought fiercely repeatedly, and had already reached his limits.


    But along with him, another person also fell.


    Wan Ronghua¡¯s forehead was bleeding, with a sharp stone hanging on his forehead, he looked confused, blood covered his face, before he could react, he had already fallen to the ground.


    Qiao Mu didn¡¯t forget, the purpose of tonight¡¯s mission was to kill Wan Ronghua.


    While the guards around were busy and no one was watching, he seemed to attack with all his might, but he always had some of his energy focused on Wan Ronghua.


    Now, he can consider his mission aplished and retire.


    "Haha, I¡¯m going to die again." Qiao Mu smiled faintly, closed his eyes, and passed away.

 Chapter 169:

    Chapter 169:


    As Wan Ronghua¡¯s body fell to the ground, the entire Wan family fell into chaos.


    "Sir?"


    "Sir has passed away."


    The guards were numerous and bustling around. Some Spirit Refining martial artists were also present, their faces slightly embarrassed.


    In tonight¡¯s battle, although they were many in number, they didn¡¯t have much impact, just standing on the sidelines.


    Although not to the point of sacrificing himself for Wan Ronghua, the employer¡¯s death under their care indeed made their faces look unpleasant.


    The members of the Wan family had a drastic change in their expressions. The death of their family head was a major event, equivalent to an earthquake for them.


    After the earthquake, several people quickly developed unusual thoughts in their minds.


    The Wan family was arge and influential family, one of the four wealthiest families in the Imperial Capital. Now that the family head had died, the Wan family needed a sessor¡­In the back of the crowd, the concubine Fang Fang¡¯s face turned slightly pale.


    She had married into the Wan family only a few years ago.


    Fang Fang¡¯s position within the Wan family depended solely on Wan Ronghua¡¯s favor and affection. It all depended on his whims.


    Now that Wan Ronghua had died, it is likely that she would face more than just falling out of favor¡­


    With Wan Ronghua¡¯s death, the faces of the people varied.


    At first, they were shocked, found it hard to believe, and then more and moreplex thoughts arose in their minds.


    But in the end, all theplex thoughts quickly disappeared. The gazes of the crowd, which was enormous and dense, couldn¡¯t help but fall on Qiao Mu.


    But the story wasn¡¯t over yet!


    Qiao Mu was already dead.


    At the final moment of his life, he sat cross-legged on the ground, slowly closed his eyes, and had a faint smile on his lips.


    This appearance waspletely that of an elder who had fulfilled theirst wish, smiling as they passed away, without regrets.


    Uninformed passersby might even think that this old man was happily mourning.


    However, the Wan family, who had witnessed the entire process, couldn¡¯t help but feel a deep sense of fear and dread when they saw the faint smile on Qiao Mu¡¯s face after his death.


    Qiao Mu had serious injuries on his body.


    But several experts in spiritual refining could tell that most of Qiao Mu¡¯s injuries were actually self-inflicted. He had used a life-threatening secret technique that put an immense strain on his own body.


    They watched as Qiao Mu rushed in, and then watched as Qiao Mu died. His death was swift and clean, like a brilliant firework that lit up the night sky in an instant.


    "This person appears so old, probably at least eighty or ny years old, right?"


    "I¡¯ve seen many old people, and most of them be more protective of their lives as they age, especially those from wealthy families¡­ But this old person from the Qiao family, tounch such a determined attack at our Wan Mansion, it¡¯s quite surprising."


    "What a grudge this must be! Lord Wan seems to have been extremely unlucky for the past eight generations, to have provoked someone from the Qiao family¡­ They must really not care about their own lives."


    Therge group of guards surrounding them, including the two servants called "spiritual refining", were somewhat intimidated by Qiao Mu¡¯s presence.


    In any era, people who are not afraid of death are very few.


    These guards, who were paid to do their duty, naturally didn¡¯t want to confront Qiao Mu to the very end.


    And one of the reasons for Wan Ronghua¡¯s death is also due to the negligence of these guards¡­


    "Mr. Wan¡­ such a pity, he was very smart, had great strategies, and had a sharp eye¡­ but he didn¡¯t expect to be caught by an old country man."


    "He nned everything, but he didn¡¯t lose because of a chess mistake, but because an old martial artist sacrificed his life instead, and died in a reckless way?"


    "We shouldn¡¯t mess with this fearless country man, luckily there aren¡¯t many people like him, and this old man is already dead." Those two spiritual devotees exchanged a nce, feeling relieved in their hearts.


    Their martial arts skills were still strong, without this Wan Ronghua, they could find someone else to work for, and they had no worries about earning money.


    But after witnessing Qiao Mu recklessly kill Wan Ronghua, they couldn¡¯t help but feel a little scared.


    Qiao Mu¡¯s target was Wan Ronghua, they were frightened for a moment and didn¡¯t stop him.


    So, what if Qiao Mu¡¯s target changed to one of them?


    It would definitely be a dead end, with no way out.


    With this thought, their eyes became even more afraid when looking at the old man¡¯s body.


    Right after that, a figure suddenly appeared in front of them and took steps towards Qiao Mu¡¯s dead body.


    This person is Qin Shiqing, who also sustained some injuries, but not too serious.


    At this moment, he held his chest wound with one hand, and slowly approached Qiao Mu¡¯s dead body step by step.


    His pace was steady, his face serious, his eyes sharp, and his body tense. He seemed to be on high alert, without rxing his guard.


    "Could it be that the old man from the Qiao family hasn¡¯t died yet? Has his breathing stopped? Could it be some kind of secret technique, faking death?"


    These several spiritual refining followers had such thoughts in their minds, instantly feeling a great threat.


    As the top-ranked martial artist, Qin Shiqing had strong skills, great fame, and broad knowledge. If even Qin Shiqing treated this matter seriously, naturally they would follow suit.


    They saw Qin Shiqing casually walking up to Qiao Mu¡¯s body, lifting his long knife and chopping it down, one sh at a time.


    The shining de cut through the darkness,pletely shattering Qiao Mu¡¯s head into several pieces.


    Qin Shiqing held the knife in his hand and mercilessly cut Qiao Mu¡¯s body apart.


    Throughout, Qiao Mu¡¯s body showed no signs of life, clearly dead.


    "Looks like he¡¯s really dead." Qin Shiqing calmly sheathed his long knife.


    At this point, the body of Qiao Mu under his feet was not recognizable, it was beyond human.


    Even the guardian behind him, Luohan, furrowed his eyebrows slightly and discreetly took two steps backward.


    It¡¯s normal to finish the job, it shows careful thinking.


    But to continue striking until the body became unrecognizable, even Luohan, who was ustomed to seeing the dead, was somewhat speechless.


    "Why go to such extremes? That Qiao family elder has long been dead."


    "Though he was our enemy, he was indeed a brave martial artist. Since he¡¯s already dead, why mistreat the body out of anger?" Several members of the Wan family muttered to themselves.


    Qin Shiqing wasn¡¯t venting his anger, but seeking revenge.


    He just added a few more strikes than an ordinary person.


    Afterpleting all of this, his anxious heart finally calmed down.


    "It¡¯s all over now." He thought this, and his mind rxed slightly.


    The battle with Qiao Mu was intense but short. However, fighting against a 1st rank Spirit Refining martial artist was mentally exhausting, like dancing on the edge of a knife.


    If Qiao Munds a hit and in case Luohan cannote to the rescue in time, the oue will be either death or severe injury.


    Now that Qiao Mu was dead, the tension in his heart loosened slightly, and he felt fatigue and pain throughout his body.


    In order to evade Qiao Mu¡¯s attacks, he also used a forbidden technique, but his current condition was not great¡­


    And in that instant¡­


    A loud shout suddenly came out, causing him to feel scared.


    "You thief, how dare you bully my Qiao family?!"


    An old figure covered in a red aura, like aet in the night sky, brought a strong wind.


    "Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method¡¤Fragmented Virtual Finger£¡"


    Pointing towards the empty space, a powerful force surged through the air like an invisible sword, aiming directly at Qin Shiqing¡¯s forehead!


    "You came back?"


    "There¡¯s one more?"


    Many thoughts rushed through their minds. The sudden reappearance of the second Qiao family member caught them off guard. They didn¡¯t have time to react.


    Even Qin Shiqing himself, due to a momentarypse in concentration, only managed to slightly turn his head.


    With a gentle sound, like a soft popping noise.


    An invisible force pierced through the right temple of Qin Shiqing, prating his skull and bursting out from the back of his head!


    Blood mixed with shattered bones surged out, causing Qin Shiqing¡¯s mind to tremble. At that moment, his pupils shrank to the size of a needle, sharp like a knife, as if a terrifying attack was brewing.


    But it was still a bit too slow.


    His lifeless body fell heavily backwards.


    The once sharp gaze gradually lost its brilliance and became scattered.


    His death.


    His death, just like Wan Ronghua¡¯s sudden death, left everyone present guessing, their hearts filled with unexpected shock and fear.


    "You audacious thief of the Qiao family!"


    The angry Luohan opened his eyes wide and charged towards Qiao Mu with a fierce body. He attempted to grab Qiao Mu with his huge hand, which was as big as a fan.


    However, this grab was empty.


    Because Qiao Mu¡¯s figure didn¡¯t stay for a moment, at this moment he stepped on Shadow Step,bined with the bursting internal strength of the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method. His figure flew up like the night wind, crossing over the Wan family¡¯s courtyard wall and disappearing into the night.


    "How could Qin Shiqing¡­ How could he die¡­"


    Luohan¡¯s face turned pale, and with a sudden step on the ground, the blue bricks in the courtyard cracked. His tower-like figure also disappeared into the night, vanishing from everyone¡¯s sight.


    The people inside the Wan family¡¯s courtyard looked at each other in surprise.


    This sudden change in the situation caught them off guard.


    Just a moment of carelessness, and Wan Ronghua was killed under heavy protection.


    After Qin Shiqing killed Qiao Mu and whipped his body, he rxed for a moment. As a result, another reckless member of the Qiao¡¯s family immediately appeared and assassinated him?


    They couldn¡¯t even see who the person was. If it wasn¡¯t for Luohan mentioning the words "Qiao family thief," they wouldn¡¯t even know who killed Qin Shiqing.


    At this moment, everyone in the courtyard couldn¡¯t help but break into ayer of sweat under the night breeze. Some even shivered and involuntarily nced around the dark corners, feeling afraid.


    "Maybe, there aren¡¯t any other Qiao family members lurking in the dark, right?"


    Wan Ronghua¡¯s children were not concerned about fighting for the family fortune anymore. Their gaze was fixed on the two spiritual refining servants standing in the courtyard.


    "Zhang, if you can keep me safe tonight, I¡¯ll double your monthly offering!"


    "Chen, stay here tonight to protect our family. If we can safely make it through, there will be great thanks¡­"


    Surrounded by Wan Ronghua¡¯s children, the two spiritual refining servants had stern faces and simultaneously brushed their sleeves as they left.


    It¡¯s one thing to have money, but you also need a long life to spend it!


    "I¡¯m sorry, I can¡¯t afford to provoke the Qiao family. I¡¯m scared," the servant named Zhang forced a bitter smile, disyed his light skills, and swiftly left, afraid of being targeted by the lurking Qiao family.


    The person with the surname Chen suddenly sped their hands and said seriously to the dark figure in the night:


    "Wan Ronghua is rich but heartless. He frequently takes lives, seizes others¡¯ wealth. I am ashamed to be associated with him!"


    After saying that, the person paid no attention to the strange looks from others and walked away quickly.


    Tonight, the fierce actions of two members of the Qiao family left a deep impression on them. It didn¡¯t matter if it was the dedicated disciple already in spiritual refining or a member of the Wan family, arge n.


    The Qiao family, a unique and entric martial arts family, had be an avoidable taboo in their hearts.

 Chapter 170:

    Chapter 170:


    Inside the dark alley.


    Fang Fang, with a calm and pretty face, carried a package on her shoulder and left alone.


    Yet memories kept reying in her mind, of Wan Ronghua¡¯s hurriedly dying old face and his main wife¡¯s cold expression.


    In the past few years, Fang Fang was loved by Wan Ronghua because she was young and beautiful. Although she was a concubine, she was even more dazzling than the legal wife.


    Now that Wan Ronghua has passed away, it is not as simple as falling out of favor overnight.


    Not to mention the ridicule from the legal wife, Wan Ronghua¡¯s several children were all born to the legal wife. Once one of them inherits the position of the head of the family, it won¡¯t be a good thing waiting for Fang Fang.


    That¡¯s why she left decisively, even before dawn, she had made up her mind.


    Before leaving, she didn¡¯t forget to go back to her chamber and take all the exquisite antique jewelry.


    The servants of the Fang family didn¡¯t intend to stop her, and even the legal wife of Wan Ronghua was happy to see her go, ordering others not to stop her.For this former mistress of the head of the family, leaving on her own was not a bad thing in her opinion, so as to avoid an unpleasant confrontation in a few days and have a falling out.


    The sky was gloomy, and the night was getting darker.


    As Fang Fang was walking alone in this alley, feeling a surge of resentment, she suddenly noticed that there was a figure standing still in front of the alley.


    Her heart sank and her heartbeat began to speed up, thinking that she had encountered some kind of robber.


    As she focused her gaze, she was taken aback to see that the person in front of her vaguely resembled her half-brother, Fang Yuan.


    ¡­


    Under the cover of nightfall.


    Two figures, one in front of the other, swiftly darted through the streets and under the eaves, blending into two blurry shadows.


    With one strike, they vanished a thousand miles away.


    Qiao Mu had already killed Wan Ronghua and Qin Shiqing, exceeding his target for the night. There was no use in staying there any longer.


    What amazed him even more was the person following behind him.


    Luohan appeared alongside Qin Shiqing, unimpressive in appearance, yet during their brief encounter, he gave Qiao Mu a peculiar feeling.


    "His body is unlike anything made of flesh and blood¡­"


    When Qiao Mu unleashed his full power using the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method on his opponent, it ended up backfiring, resulting in his arm getting fractured and twisted due to the rebounding force.


    Qiao Mu himself had trained in rigorous martial arts, and his internal strength was also quite powerful.


    He was well aware that this effect could not be achieved purely through martial arts or the protection of internal strength.


    After all, the so-called hard training only makes the body tougher and more resilient, but no matter how much you train, you are still flesh and blood.


    But at that moment, the Luohan¡¯s presence gave him a feeling as if he had run into a solid iron wall, causing his arm to naturally break and twist.


    Is this really the extent that hard training can achieve?


    "Although his skills in hard training are extremely high, it seems like his lightness skills arecking a bit?"


    The speed of Luohan behind him wasn¡¯t particrly fast, it was about the same as Qiao Mu¡¯s usual speed.


    Although much faster than an ordinary martial artist of the 4th rank, it was still difficult for Qiao Mu to catch up with the explosive power of the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method.


    The distance between them quickly stretched out. When it reached a hundred meters, Luohan finally seemed to give up. After a cold nce at Qiao Mu¡¯s back, he turned around and walked back towards the direction of the Wan family estate.


    "He ran? That¡¯s fine too."


    Qiao Mu¡¯s speed also slowed down.


    Even though he could revive repeatedly, Luohan behind him was a bit strange. If he continued to struggle, using up his remaining four lives, it would probably just be a pointless waste of his lifespan.


    After some contemtion, he used his lightness skill to depart towards a certain direction.


    ¡­¡­¡­.


    The Wan family mansion.


    During the chaos at the Wan family caused by the sessive deaths of Wan Ronghua and Qin Shiqing.


    Luohan who just left quickly returned again.


    Everyone recognized him as Qin Shiqing¡¯s subordinate, but at this moment his expression was uncertain, with a terrifying momentum, making them afraid to ask.


    Luohan didn¡¯t feel like chatting with them. He quickly walked to Qin Shiqing¡¯s body, checked it briefly, and his expression showed a bit of worry. He picked up the body and turned around to leave.


    "People cannote back to life after death, it¡¯smon knowledge," Luohan muttered to himself.


    "But perhaps the Immortal Gate¡¯s immortal elder can¡­"


    Just as he left the Fang family¡¯s courtyard, he saw a young Taoist holding a white jade bottle, wearing the robes of the Great Dao Sect, standing at the corner of the street, looking at him.


    "Immortal Dao Zhen?" Luohan felt a moment of joy, followed by a sudden sense of unease.


    Dao Zhen, a disciple of the Great Dao Sect, was another protector of Wan Ronghua.


    To put it urately, Luohan is in charge of protecting the safety of Qin Shiqing, ensuring that he doesn¡¯t meet an untimely end.


    And if he encounters a big problem that he can¡¯t handle, Immortal Gate disciple Dao Zhen will step in.


    Luohan was delighted because, just as he was about to figure out how to find Dao Zhen, thetter appeared right in front of him.


    What made him feel cold-hearted was¡­ from the looks of it, Dao Zhen doesn¡¯t seem to have just arrived?


    "The difference between immortals and mortals, is it that mortals¡¯ lives are not that important after all?" His heart shook.


    "I already know how things unfolded." Dao Zhen¡¯s face was calm, even though the Qin Shiqing he was protecting had already died, there was no sign of shock or anger on his face.


    "Once a person dies, they can¡¯te back to life, that¡¯smon knowledge."


    "Even us cultivators can¡¯t fully revive mortals, so even if you bring me his body, it won¡¯t be very useful."


    Although he said that, Dao Zhen stretched out his sleeves, shook the storage bag on his waist, and collected Qin Shiqing¡¯s corpse inside.


    "Luohan, this matter is over. Although you made a mistake, it¡¯s understandable. Please go back first," Dao Zhen admonished.


    "As for the running away Qiao¡¯s family, I will handle it."


    Luohan heard the words and went silent, then turned and walked away.


    Only Dao Zhen was left in the alley, and his gaze fell upon the white jade bottle in his hand, with a flicker of interest on his face.


    "It¡¯s no wonder Qingyi Master sees something special in him, Qin Shiqing is indeed somewhat extraordinary."


    "In the critical moment of danger, the spirit undergoes a transformation, and a breakthrough is made on the brink of battle¡­ but it was a step toote, and he still couldn¡¯t escape the fate of death."


    "As for the elderly person from the Qiao family¡­" Dao Zhen¡¯s body transformed into a rainbow light and quickly vanished into thin air.


    Compared to Qin Shiqing, he was more interested in Qiao¡¯s family.


    "Qin Shiqing, Wan Ronghua, and the unnamed elderly person from the Qiao family have just died."


    "But my soul-binding technique didn¡¯t capture the souls of Qiao¡¯s family, instead, it bound the souls of both Qin Shiqing and Wan Ronghua."


    Inside the white treasure bottle, two faint dots of light drew close to each other, revealing a blurry male face. It was the face of the recently deceased Qin Shiqing.


    Dao Zhen extended two fingers and pinched the light dot representing Wan Ronghua, casually extinguishing it.


    "Qiao¡¯s family¡­how many is this?"


    "Three people died in front of me, one after another, the three attempts to capture their souls failed¡­ It seems that this so-called hidden martial arts n is even more interesting than expected¡­"


    He turned into a rainbow and quickly chased after.


    No matter how skilled Qiao Mu is at martial arts, he can neverpare to a cultivator who can fly through the air.

 Chapter 171:

    Chapter 171:


    In the alley.


    Fang Yuan stood alone at the entrance of the alley, with the shadows on the wall covering half of his face, making it difficult for Fang Fang to see his expression.


    Under the moonlight, the two of them stood still, neither of them spoke. Their shadows stretched long on the stone pavement.


    Fang Yuan came here by coincidence.


    From "Qiao Senlin¡¯s" mouth, he learned that Fang Fang had married Wan Ronghua under a false name, and even made the former maid, intentionally or unintentionally, frame Qiao Shuanglin¡­ this had happened a few days ago.


    In these past few days, Fang Yuan had no intention of visiting the Wan mansion to search for rtives.


    It was not until today¡¯s outing when Fang Fang instructed an old man to provoke a fight and was severely beaten, that Fang Yuan finally made up his mind to sneak into the Fang mansion tonight to investigate.


    Who knew that many unexpected events happened at the Wan family mansion this night. Fang Yuan, hearing themotion, didn¡¯t dare approach and hid in the distance, listening by the corner of the wall. He could only vaguely deduce that Wan Ronghua was assassinated by the Qiao family, and his long-missed childhood sister was leaving the estate with a package.


    So he came here."Fang Fang?" Fang Yuan spoke first, taking a step forward and emerging from the shadows on the wall, allowing Fang Fang to see his expression.


    "Why do you look like this? Have you gotten married and run away from home?" Fang Yuanpletely ignored Wan Ronghua¡¯s situation, only showing concern on his face.


    Fang Fang was first surprised, but then forced a slight smile.


    "It¡¯s not running away from home, I just went out to visit a friend."


    "My¡­husband is very generous to me and he has bought me many valuable jewelry pieces."


    As she spoke, she casually raised her wrist, showing off the moon-like white jade bracelet and the golden hairpin in her hair, illuminated by the moonlight.


    "Is that so?" Fang Yuan still had a smile on his face, he stepped aside, giving her space to pass:


    "If you have free time, remember to visit the old house."


    "I have bought back our old house that our parents had long ago. The two trees in the courtyard have grown much taller, but the small vegetable garden that our mom nted in the corner of the courtyard has been neglected¡­"


    "Hehe, I¡¯m tired tonight, next time for sure¡­" Fang Fang forced a smile.


    "Do you still remember what dad said before he passed away? He nted those two jujube trees, saying that they would bear fruit for future generations. In a few years, when you have children, it will be time for the jujube trees to bear fruit too. You shoulde back in the autumn then¡­"


    The two siblings walked in the alley, one in front and one behind. Although the atmosphere was slightly awkward, they asionally smiled and chatted about everyday matters, not too ufortable.


    As they continued walking, Fang Fang¡¯s smile became more and more forced, and eventually, she became a little impatient.


    "Stop pretending, Fang Yuan," suddenly said Fang Fang.


    Fang Yuan was shocked and paused his steps slightly. "Pretending what?"


    "Pretending to be this friendly brother-sister act," Fang Fang¡¯s face lost its fake smile at this moment, only leaving indifference.


    "You showed up at this time just to see how miserable I am, right?"


    "Yes, it¡¯s true. I am now very poor and have been kicked out of the Wan family¡¯s house. But I still have money and jewelry that I can pawn. I believe that one day I will be able to rise again like the Mount Dong."


    While talking, Fang Fang also patted the swollen package, making a sound of gold and silver objects clinking inside.


    Fang Yuan stopped walking and turned around, his face also became dark.


    "Why won¡¯t you continue acting with me? Even if it¡¯s just a y, it could bring me somefort."


    When he returned to the old house, he talked a lot with Qiao Mu about the beautiful memories they had there ¨C the two jujube trees nted by their father, their mother¡¯s vegetable garden¡­ But astonishingly, there was no mention of Fang Fang, his younger sister.


    Fang Yuan pressed his hand against his waist and slowly drew out a long knife. The de shimmered in the moonlight.


    You?!" Fang Fang felt a mixture of fear and shock, thinking to herself, "Oh no, this is not good.


    Upon seeing her non-blood rted brother, she secretly felt the need to prove herself and impulsively showed off her wealth¡­


    This is not good, Fang Yuan seems to have be interested in her fortune. She feared that he might ambush and kill her here¡­


    "Fang Yuan, what do you want to do? I¡¯m your sister," Fang Fang couldn¡¯t help but say.


    "Now you know that you¡¯re my sister and I¡¯m your older brother?" Fang Yuan¡¯s voice turned cold.


    "How can you marry Wan Ronghua?"


    "Our real parents, both dad and mom, died at Wan Ronghua¡¯s hands¡­"


    "Not only them, but also Senior Qiao, who courageously intervened, was involved and died¡­ It seems like you had something to do with his death too."


    He held a knife in his hand, looking at his sister Fang Fang in front of him.


    Fang Fang was so scared that her lips turned white, but she still stubbornly refused to bow down, staring with wide eyes and saying:


    "Who made dad biased? It¡¯s not fair at all. Clearly, I¡¯m the biological daughter, so why should the family inheritance be given to you? It¡¯s better to be a concubine in the Wan family."


    "At least after the Wan family takes over the Fang family¡¯s inheritance, there will be a portion for me inside.." Fang Fang sneered.


    "My dear brother, all you¡¯re saying is that you want to find a noble reason to justify your robbery."


    She hadn¡¯t even finished speaking.


    A bright sh of a knife de passed through the alley, sttering Fang Yuan with blood.


    Fang Fang¡¯s eyes widened, and her body slowly fell to the ground.


    The package she had been holding tightly slipped from her hand, and the gold and silver jewelry inside rolled onto the ground. Some of it rolled into a smelly gutter, mixing with blood and mud.


    Fang Yuan slowly lowered his knife, stood there staring at Fang Fang on the ground, and then casually grabbed a handful of the gold and silver jewelry.


    "In this chaotic world, life is not easy. Money is very important, sometimes even more important than life itself," he murmured.


    "I also like money a lot. Who doesn¡¯t like money?"


    Fang Fang took deep breaths, with only one breath left in her, she watched helplessly as Fang Yuan snatched her jewelry and instinctively reached out trembling hand towards Fang Yuan.


    Fang Yuan¡¯s expression suddenly turned cold, and he loosened his tightly clenched hand.


    Regardless of the gold and silver jewelry in his hands, they fell to the ground with a jingling sound and dropped into the nearby smelly drain.


    Fang Fang widened her eyes and could only hear her brother, who looked somewhat unfamiliar, saying:


    "But in life, it¡¯s not all about money. There must be something more important than wealth."


    He stood up and looked at the mixture of blood and mud, as well as the scattered gold and silver, on the floor. Instead of picking them up, he just turned around and walked away.


    These things came from the Wan family and Fang Fang herself, but he didn¡¯t take them because they were dirty.


    When he reached the corner of the alley, he couldn¡¯t help but turn back and take a look at Fang Fang¡¯s lifeless body.


    "Now, I have no family left."


    ¡­¡­¡­.


    Half an hourter.


    Fang Yuan, alone, returned to the courtyard of the old Fang family house.


    The night breeze picked up, the tree shadows swayed. He sat cross-legged under a tree, watching the shadows dancing on the wall. He also looked down at his bloody hands, feeling a bit dazed.


    They all died, everyone died, only he was still alive.


    Apart from his family, those who died because of this, even included two elderly Qiao family members who got involved in this matter, Qiao Shuanglin and Qiao Senlin.


    Fang Yuan wasn¡¯t very familiar with thetter, they were quite distant.


    It¡¯s because he was afraid of this old man, who looked even older than Qiao Shuanglin. He was also a kind-hearted old man, and got involved in that Wan Ronghua¡¯s matter.


    But things didn¡¯t go as he had expected, Qiao Senlin still died.


    When he felt helpless, someone helped him with an umbre, giving him a glimpse of fleeting hope. But not long after, the person who helped him with the umbre also died.


    Even though he had avenged his great enemy, his heart felt empty and hollow.


    No need to look for little sister anymore, because little sister had already died in his hands.


    No need for revenge anymore, because both Wan Ronghua and Sword Ghost had died at the hands of the old Qiao family.


    In his current state, his heart was filled with confusion.


    He sat cross-legged on the ground, practicing the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra" over and over again. Unaware of the passing time, the eastern sky gradually turned pale.


    The sky gradually brightened, with the rising sun casting a golden glow on the clouds, gradually illuminating the sky.


    Fang Yuan opened his eyes, feeling slightly relieved of the heavy burden in his heart.


    When a person is alive, they always have to find some purpose and direction for themselves.


    As he looked at the rising sun, his heart still felt empty, but asionally, he caught a glimpse of the retreating figure of an old man who was not particrly generous.


    "It would be nice if I were part of Qiao¡¯s family."


    Fang is not his realst name. Fang Yuan¡¯s biological father has thest name Qiao, but he¡¯s just an ordinary person without much background.


    Fang Yuan lowered his head and looked at the dried bloodstains on his hands.


    "Even if my hands are stained with blood, even if I¡¯ll be scorned by the world andbeled with shame¡­ I still want to know what it feels like to shelter someone, to hold an umbre for them."


    He doesn¡¯t aspire to be a righteous and heroic figure in the human world. He doesn¡¯t have such noble ambitions.


    It¡¯s just that in the past, Qiao¡¯s family had sheltered him with an umbre, so he thought¡­ if he could also be someone who shelters others, maybe the pain and emptiness in his heart would fade a little.


    The morning light illuminated the sky, and the sound of roosters could be heard from outside the courtyard. Fang Yuan sat cross-legged on the ground, silently practicing.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Two hours ago, when it was still dark.


    Qiao Mu has escaped from his pursuers and is determined to rush towards the vegetable market.


    This Death Assessment: C (You have died, but the mighty and wealthy will now consider you a taboo not to be messed with).


    Lifespan consumed by death: 5 (two times 5 equals 10) years.


    Remaining resurrection attempts this week: 3 out of 5.


    Current age: 108 years old.


    Vitality: 41%.


    Skills: None.


    Fragmented Virtual Finger (Intermediate level).


    One death, followed by five years of arduous cultivation.


    Memories became like a dream for Qiao Mu. In his memories, he practiced day and night, sweating profusely, and tasted the sweetness of "Fragmented Virtual Finger". He continued to practice hard and finally mastered Fragmented Virtual Finger to a small level of proficiency.


    Now, he had a stronger control over his internal strength, allowing him to condense it even more. This extended the range of the Fragmented Virtual Finger¡¯s long-distance attack to ten meters away.


    Coming back to reality, Qiao Mu swiftly passed through the market and finallynded on the eaves. His gaze locked onto Qiao Zhong¡¯s head stuck on the wooden stake.


    Qiao Shuanglin, who had already been proven innocent, remained silent.


    But Emperor Yonghe considered Qiao Zhong a traitor. His severed head was disyed in the market for many days, even with special preservation to dy dposition.


    Qiao Mu was not afraid of taboos when it came to corpses.


    Even if Qiao Zhong¡¯s head continued to be disyed in the market for half a month, it would not make him unhappy.


    But since the Qiao family members have set up the plot of seeking revenge on their blood rtives, it is only right and logical for him to make a trip to the market and take away the head of Qiao Zhong, who is a "descendant of the family."


    Just as Qiao Mu was about to take action.


    A rainbow light came down from the sky and hung in the air. It was Dao Zhen, a disciple of the Great Dao Sect.


    "Okay, it seems like the Qiao family¡¯s martial artists are strong and unyielding. They can¡¯t be defeated. Even this Dao Zhen knows I¡¯m going to the market to collect heads."


    Qiao Mu felt helpless, and stretched his muscles. He ced his hand on the sword sheath at his waist.


    "Elder Lao, please don¡¯t be in a hurry," Dao Zhen smiled and raised his hands, indicating that he had no intention of attacking.


    Dao Zhen was very curious about the Qiao family.


    At first, he was just interested and casually observed those among ordinary people who showed extraordinary determination.


    Whether it was the Qiao family, Hai Wuya in the heavenly prison, or Qin Shiqing who killed his wife to achieve enlightenment, they were all extraordinary in his eyes and worth observing closely.


    After a few failed attempts to use Soul Capturing Technique, he sensed that something was wrong.


    Naturally, Soul Capturing Technique couldn¡¯t be sessful every time. There was indeed a possibility of failure.


    After failing three times in a row, he came up with a more interesting idea.


    "Don¡¯t be too quick to attack. It would be meaningless for you to die by my hands, Qiao¡¯s family. You deserve a more meaningful way of dying," he smiled.


    "If you dare, why not let me show you a spectacr path to death?"


    Qiao Mu blinked his eyes in interest, but still had a cold smile on his face.


    "What? Are you suggesting that I sneak into the pce at night?"


    "What does it matter to you why I fight, why I die?"


    Dao Zhen couldn¡¯t figure out the thoughts of this person and instinctively questioned, not wanting to follow the path pointed out by the other side.


    Who knows what this person is plotting in his mind?


    "Sneaking into the pce at night? That sounds interesting," Dao Zhen actually pondered it seriously.


    "If you really want to sneak into the pce at night, it can be done. I can show you the way."


    "This could also be a way to meet your demise. But are you really willing to die like this? If you are a true hero who values honor over life and death, you should have other options."


    Qiao Mu frowned, wondering if this cultivator was using a provocation technique.


    He spected that as a member of Qiao¡¯s family, who feared neither life nor death, he was preparing to entice him with something.


    "Why don¡¯t you tell me about it?" he asked.


    "Forty years ago, during the Inhuman War that shook Jiu Province, there was another hidden story," Dao Zhen smiled.


    "The world only knows that the entire army of the Great Yan Imperial Court, consisting of a hundred thousand elites, was annihted, with only one Martial Saint surviving. But they don¡¯t know that it was actually a deception."


    "What if I told you that there are other survivors among those hundred thousand elites, still fighting in the depths of the Immortal Gate to this day?"


    "Qiao¡¯s family has always valued honor over life and death. If you are a true hero, are you willing to go to that ce of certain death and meet the remnants of the ancient army who have been resisting all this time?"


    Dao Zhen held his chin and carefully observed Qiao Mu¡¯s expression.


    Although Qiao¡¯s family had already gained a reputation, the family name couldn¡¯t represent a person¡¯s character, so he asked this question.

 Chapter 172:

    Chapter 172:


    "Is it true? I don¡¯t believe it."


    After listening to Dao Zhen¡¯s constant chatter, Qiao Mu really didn¡¯t believe it.


    If you were to talk about the Inhuman War forty years ago, he had actually heard about it so many times that his ears were almost calloused.


    "Given the difference in strength between the Immortal Gate and the Great Yan army, how can the army defend a solitary city for forty years?"


    "Moreover, I heard that after that battle, the original elite army of one hundred thousand waspletely wiped out, and within a hundred miles of Fang Yuan became a desert with no vegetation. You couldn¡¯t even find a trace of that city, it no longer exists."


    One hundred thousand soldiers, that¡¯s equivalent to one hundred thousand families.


    And the battlefield location, right in Zhong Province, not some remote wilderness.


    So, logically, in the past forty years, there should have been many people from the court and the people who visited that battlefield, but they didn¡¯t find any survivors, so the result is predictable.


    But Dao Zhen remained calm and didn¡¯t show any emotional fluctuations in response to Qiao Mu¡¯s questioning."How can mortal eyes see through the illusion technique of the Immortal Path?" he smiled and said.


    "That isted city, Fang Yuan, is within the range of the Immortal Gate¡¯s illusion formation for dozens of miles. Mortals won¡¯t be able to reach that city no matter which way they go."


    "And as for why the Immortal Gate kept those remnant soldiers for forty years, there must be a hidden purpose."


    Dao Zhen didn¡¯t state it explicitly.


    For cultivators, mortals are a type of resource.


    They not only provide incense offerings, but the souls of mortals are also materials for refining magical treasures.


    The magic cultivators used a city in a blood sacrifice to refine the Thousand Soul Banner, while the Immortal Gate, who follow the right path, would never do something so obvious.


    The great formation that covered the desert not only had the power of illusion, but also the ability to capture souls, with the souls of the dead in the city being drawn into it.


    After several failed attempts at capturing the souls of Qiao¡¯s family, Dao Zhen had a different idea and wanted Qiao¡¯s family to try the soul-capturing formation of the Immortal Gate.


    As for him convincing Qiao Mu as bait¡­


    "The remnants of the Great Yan army have guarded the lonely city for forty years, unaware of the changes that have taken ce in the outside world. Even the Imperial Capital has changed, and the Nine Immortal Gates have spread to the major cities in Jiu Province. The Imperial Capital of Yonghe almost paid homage to the immortals of Xuantian Sect."


    "Their desperate battle is only foolish loyalty and holds little meaning. If you are a true hero who fears no death, you might consider entering that lonely city and let them know of the great changes in the outside world, giving them a chance to rest." Dao Zhen said.


    "Of course, once you enter the formation, there¡¯s no way out. You¡¯ll be trapped inside until death."


    After listening to Dao Zhen, Qiao Mu carefully considered it and thought it made sense.


    He was not from this world, so he had no reverence for the Great Yan Imperial Court or the Imperial Capital.


    ording to the characters of Qiao¡¯s family, if Dao Zhen¡¯s words are true, then he should definitely agree.


    Trapped in a siege, defending the isted city for forty years, this really sounds like an unbelievable thing.


    As for being trapped in a big formation, only able to enter but not able to exit, they would remain there until death.


    Qiao Mupletely didn¡¯t care anymore.


    Every time he came back to life, it was actually a choice. He could determine a resurrection point in advance, or resurrect in an empty area around the corpse¡­


    This was something he already knew while he was still in Yan City.


    Initially, both he and Guo Yan¡¯ subordinates died on the mountain cliffs outside the city, but then they stormed into the city lord¡¯s mansion using this method.


    However, Dao Zhen mistook Qiao Mu¡¯s contemtion for hesitation.


    He extended his hand, and a yellow talisman appeared in his palm.


    "This is a special symbol that breaks boundaries. Its only purpose is to allow you to enter the lonely city in the desert formation."


    After thinking for a moment, he threw out a powerful bomb:


    "Actually, in these years, there have been more than just a few people from the outside entering that lonely city."


    "Among them, there was one person who was called the Earth Sword Immortal, known as the number one in the martial arts world forty years ago."


    "Although he was just an ordinary martial artist, during the time when the Immortal Gate didn¡¯t appear in the mortal world, he was seen by mortals as a remarkable figure, surpassing all others in the martial arts world before the Martial Saint."


    "He should still be alive now, but trapped within that lonely city, unable to leave the outside world."


    The Nine Immortal Gates didn¡¯t just appear out of nowhere. Their history is even older than the Great Yan Imperial Court, but in the past, the realms of immortals and mortals were separate, and they didn¡¯t interfere too much with worldly affairs.


    It was not until a certain cultivator refined the first Incense Symbol of Divine Fire.


    Qiao Mu listened to Dao Zhen¡¯s detailed ount and believed it to some extent.


    To know, the Martial Saint was already the strongest martial artist in the world, but he imed to be second in the world, which was confusing for some people.


    However, Dao Zhen¡¯s statement actually has some doubts.


    The Martial Saint of the past once said that after the Inhuman War, as the eleventh martial artist in the world, he made an agreement with the top ten martial arts experts in the world to teach them the "Martial Saint Spiritual Technique" and have a decisive battle after ten years. Only the Martial Saint would survive if he won.


    If what the Martial Saint said is true, then this so-called "Earth Sword Immortal" should have died at the hands of the Martial Saint thirty years ago, shouldn¡¯t he?


    So, who is lying?


    The Boundary Breaking Symbol in Dao Zhen¡¯s hand floated up out of thin air and floated towards Qiao Mu.


    Dao Zhen continued. The Martial Saint dominated the world for forty years after the Inhuman War, but before those forty years, he was only eleventh in the world. Above him, there were eleven martial artists who were even more dazzling.


    "And the most dazzling among them was none other than the number one in the world, the Earth Sword Immortal," Dao Zhen said.


    "Even the title of the Martial Saint itself represents a rivalry with the Earth Sword Immortal, who once ruled the martial arts world."


    "People call you the Immortal of the Sword, so I want to be the Saint of Martial Arts¡­"


    "And Earth Sword Immortal, as his name suggests, was not among the hundred thousand soldiers of the past, he joined the Lonely Cityter."


    "Forty years have passed, as the previous generation¡¯s leader in martial arts, has he discovered a different path from the Martial Saint?" Dao Zhen smiled slightly.


    "I have finished speaking," Dao Zhen looked at Qiao Mu with keen interest.


    "Whether to go or not is all up to you."


    Dao Zhen threw out two baits, one being the remnants of the once elite army, and the other being the former martial arts leader Earth Sword Immortal.


    One was the remnants of the once elite army of a hundred thousand, and the other was the former martial arts leader Earth Sword Immortal.


    It was indeed difficult to refuse someone like Qiao, who had a strong moralpass and valued honor over life.


    In reality, Qiao Mu also found it difficult to refuse.


    Wan Ronghua and Sword Ghost died, and they had already helped Fang Yuan achieve his revenge wish. The matter was now resolved.


    So temporarily leaving the Imperial Capital to explore that lonely city is also eptable.


    Qiao Mu reached out his hand and grabbed the hovering yellow charm in his palm.


    If it were an ordinary person, suddenly having an enemy appear in front of them at midnight, bbering on and on like this, nine times out of ten it¡¯s a trap.


    An ordinary person naturally wouldn¡¯t agree andply with the enemy¡¯s intentions.


    But Qiao Mu is different, he is not normal.


    Being born undying, Qiao Mu has always acted without any restrictions. Why should he be bound by the principles of ordinary people?


    Is there a trap ahead? Are there thunderstorms ahead? Touch it and you¡¯ll die?


    What, there are still good things like this?


    Qiao Mu didn¡¯t care if the enemy wanted him to step on andmine or not.


    He would even get excited if there werendmines ahead, eager to give it a try.


    The only thing he cared about was the way he would die after stepping on andmine, whether it was cool enough or impressive enough.


    "Hehe, it¡¯s just death. I have lived for so many years, what¡¯s there to fear about death?"


    Qiao Muughed loudly, holding the yellow talisman in his hand, and walked away.


    In the first half of the night, he thought about speaking up for Fang Yuan¡¯s justice, so he used thunder twice and silently fled after killing Wan Ronghua and Qin Shiqing consecutively.


    In the second half of the night, upon hearing news about the remnants of the Great Yan army, he willingly set off, determined to leave this Imperial Capital.


    Where the heart goes, the body follows. With no inhibitions, he eventually returned to where he belonged.


    Ordinary rules and restrictions couldn¡¯t hold back his thoughts. As long as he had something in mind and wanted to do it, he could set off before dawn without any other concerns.


    And Dao Zhen watched the old man¡¯s back with amazement in his eyes.


    One of his intentions was to test this old man from the Qiao family, to see if he was as sincere as other Qiao family members he had met before.


    And Qiao Mu in front of him didn¡¯t disappoint him as expected.


    Knowing it was a dead-end road, he still willingly went forward.


    Such a heroic attitude truly impressed Dao Zhen, who enjoyed observing ordinary people as a cultivator.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    In thete night, Qiao Mu had the idea of leaving.


    Before leaving, he visited the old residence of the Fang family.


    He had nned to see Fang Yuan once again before leaving, but to his surprise, Fang Yuan was not in the Fang family¡¯s old residence in the middle of the night, and he had no idea where he had gone.


    "Didn¡¯t return all night, did he go to listen to music in the garden?"


    Without much thought, Qiao Mu was about to leave, but he heard a meow. The cat suddenly darted out from the corner of the wall, whimpering towards him, and couldn¡¯t resist getting closer, taking a deep sniff with its nose.


    "Is this the aura of death from before I died at Wan Ronghua¡¯s house, or is it a sign that my journey away from the Imperial Capital will be a dead end? How auspicious."


    Qiao Mu couldn¡¯t help but feel delighted and gave the cat a pat, but out of the blue, the cat wriggled free and jumped right into his shadow.


    "Hmm? Although this cat looks a bit silly and dumb, it seems to have some intelligence."


    Qiao Mu shook his head.


    When he sneaked into the Wan family mansion at night, the cat didn¡¯t follow along.


    On the contrary, when preparing to leave the Imperial Capital this time, the cat seemed to sense something and took refuge in Qiao Mu¡¯s shadow ahead of time.


    Perhaps this extraordinary creature, sensitive to the aura of death, can truly sense good or bad fortune.


    He knew that going to the Wan family was just a small matter, so he didn¡¯t go with him. Now he wants to leave the Imperial Capital and explore the whereabouts of the remaining ten thousand soldiers, so he suddenly hid in the shadows.


    Just follow along, since Qiao Mu couldn¡¯t get it out of the shadow anyway.


    So, taking advantage of the night, Qiao Mu left the old house alone.


    He killed Wan Ronghua, and maybe after daybreak, he would be wanted, so he left the Imperial Capital in the deep of the night to avoid trouble.


    As for the guards on the outer city walls of the Imperial Capital, they naturally couldn¡¯t stop him now that he had sessfully mastered Shadow Step, allowing him to easily cross over.

 Chapter 173:

    Chapter 173:


    The gentle drizzle fell on the surface of the river, creating small ripples.


    Leaning against the ship¡¯s railing, Qiao Mu casually looked towards the direction of the riverbank.


    The rain wasn¡¯t heavy, but the small path by the riverbank had already been soaked by the gentle rain, turning into a muddy mess.


    Although it was raining and the road was a little muddy, many people were walking quickly with umbres.


    "There are quite a few pedestrians¡­" Qiao Mu pondered.


    He is feeling pretty good.


    In the Imperial Capital, he used the self-harm technique called the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method to assassinate Qin Shiqing and escape.


    After leaving the Imperial Capital, he found a ce tomit suicide and rejuvenate his body, at the cost of aging, to refresh his physical condition to its best.


    "The Qingming Festival ising soon. Those people rushing along the coast are probably going to Anxi Pass to pay tribute to the deceased." A voice came from beside him, the captain was striking up a conversation.After the Inhuman War, Anxi City was reduced to ruins overnight, disappearing without a trace, and Fang Yuan Bai Li turned into a desert.


    Later, the court sent people to build a pass in the border area of the desert. It was supposed to be called Anxi Pass, but since it became a resting ce for thousands of soldiers, it came to be known as Anxi Pass. As a result, the disappeared city also gained the name Anxi City.


    Qiao Mu is very old, his physical age is over a hundred, looking very elderly.


    The captain of the ship knew that Qiao Mu wanted to go to Anxi Pass because he had lost his rtives in a war forty years ago. That¡¯s why he traveled a long way to pay respects at Anxi Pass.


    The captain felt sorry for Qiao Mu when he thought about it. Out of sympathy, he took care of the hundred-year-old man, Qiao Mu, throughout the journey.


    Seeing Qiao Mu leaning against the ship¡¯s railing lost in thought, the captain walked over and had a chat with him.


    "Actually, in previous years, many people came to pay respects. Some people didn¡¯t believe that their rtives had died and insisted on going to Anxi Pass to find their families in Anxi City, even crossing the desert."


    "In recent years, there have been frequent natural disasters and famines, so fewer people have been going to Anxi Pass. After all, they are too busy taking care of themselves to have time tomemorate the souls of the deceased."


    Large-scale wars involving a hundred thousand people usually ur in the border areas of Jiu Province.


    But the Inhuman War forty years ago was different.


    The former Martial Saint gathered a hundred thousand soldiers and left the Imperial Capital, only a few hundred miles away from Zhong Province. However, they encountered cultivators from the Immortal Gate and werepletely defeated in one battle. Fang Yuan, a hundred miles away, turned into a desert.


    The previous emperor¡¯s heart was broken almost overnight, and he, who was originally eager for war, bowed down to the Immortal Gate¡­ After all, the disappeared Anxi City was only a few hundred miles away from the Imperial Capital.


    The Nine Immortal Gates can destroy Anxi City, so it shouldn¡¯t be difficult to destroy the Imperial Capital as well.


    Because Anxi City is in the heart of Zhong Province, many people spontaneously go there to pay tribute.


    "Look, we¡¯ve arrived at the shore, and we¡¯ve reached Anxi Pass." The boat captain parked at the riverbank and casually pointed ahead.


    "Remember, sir, once you leave the pass and enter the desert, there¡¯s noing back. There¡¯s a cemetery at the entrance of Anxi Pass, so if you want to pay respects to the departed souls, go there."


    Qiao Mu followed the boat captain¡¯s gesture and was slightly surprised.


    As a martial artist, his senses were sharp, and he could see and know more than just the distant pass.


    The terrain at the pass was several tens or hundreds of meters lower, allowing a panoramic view of Anxi Pass ahead and the vast desert beyond the pass.


    The londs werepletely barren, with sparse and withered vegetation, creating a stark contrast to the lush greenery behind Qiao Mu.


    Beyond Anxi Pass, there was lush greenery in front and a barren desert behind, creating a striking contrast.


    ¡­¡­..


    Anxi Pass used to be a small town, with just a few hundred households. It was a resting ce for travelers and merchants passing through.


    Qiao Mu sat down in the lobby of the inn at the entrance of the town and ordered a bowl of long-life noodles, in ordance with tradition. He was celebrating his 109th birthday and also trying to gather some information.


    "What? Old man, you want to go to Anxi Pass? You better give up on that idea," said the innkeeper, hearing Qiao Mu¡¯s words and quickly trying to persuade him.


    "The one in charge of guarding Anxi Pass is an Iron Lady, who is firm and fair. She won¡¯t let anyone pass without good reason."


    "If you want to pay tribute to the deceased, the memorial forest of one hundred thousand soldiers is located to the north of the town¡­"


    "Why can¡¯t I leave? Why did the court decide to establish a checkpoint in this ce?" Qiao Mu asked, feeling puzzled.


    "How would I know¡­."


    The innkeeper seemed a bit upset:


    "This town was only built in the past twenty years. Almost all the families in the town are rtives of the soldiers who were blocked at Anxi Pass."


    "If there was a way to leave the border, why wait till now?"


    "Actually, leaving the border may not necessarily be a good thing." The man with big and bright eyes at the next table interrupted.


    "Before Anxi Pass was established, there were many people who ventured into the desert, but never returned. Some even imed to have encountered ghostly soldiers passing through the desert¡­"


    "Da Yan, why are you telling such exaggerated stories? It¡¯s not believable." The innkeeper shook his head.


    "In my opinion, perhaps it¡¯s because the government fears the inhuman creatures and worries that if the people visit the battlefield to pay tribute to the departed souls, it might anger the inhuman creatures. That¡¯s why they set up this checkpoint."


    This inn is not big, and business is usually slow.


    Nowadays, Qiao Mu¡¯s conversation with the group of people has attracted the attention of several nearby tables.


    "Innkeeper, is that Iron Lady who guards the pass really so strict?" A middle-aged man at the neighboring table furrowed his brow and asked.


    "I wonder if she would give it, even in front of the important person of the 2nd rank in the government?"


    The shopkeeper was immediately shocked upon hearing this, carefully examining the middle-aged person who spoke.


    The middle-aged person didn¡¯t have any official imposing manner, just a middle-aged martial artist dressed in strong clothes, with an average physique that didn¡¯t look too muscr.


    "The 2nd rank official is already a high-ranking minister in the court, so the Iron Lady must be willing to give it." The shopkeeper didn¡¯t dare to neglect and quickly lowered their head, saying:


    "May I ask, sir¡­"


    He felt a bit uncertain in his heart. He had just criticized the court in front of so many customers, and now could it be that a 2nd rank government official came to this small inn?


    "Oh, I¡¯m not an official, just asking casually." The middle-aged person smiled slightly.


    The shopkeeper froze, feeling a surge of anger. He was about to speak when he saw the middle-aged person continue:


    "But I am an official of the 2nd rank in the current government, the son of the Minister of Rites."


    The shopkeeper¡¯s face changed again, and finally he sighed with a bitter smile:


    "Sir, are you deliberately taunting me?"


    "No, not at all. I just want to see how powerful the son of a 2nd rank official is." The middle-aged man chuckled, causing the shopkeeper to smile wryly and secretly roll his eyes.


    Qiao Mu quietly listened beside them, feeling puzzled in his heart.


    It was true that being a 2nd rank official was a prestigious position, but as for the Minister of Rites, well, he happened to know¡­


    "Is this person really Hai Wuya¡¯s son?"

 Chapter 174:

    Chapter 174:


    The Ministers of the Six Departments, at the top level of the Great Yan imperial court hierarchy, held tremendous power.


    The innkeeper didn¡¯t suspect the possibility of this person impersonating someone else.


    Because Anxi Pass is still in Zhong Province and is only a few hundred miles away from the Imperial Capital, impersonating the identity of a high-ranking official¡¯s family member is equivalent to seeking death.


    When the middle-aged man revealed his identity, the innkeeper repeatedly apologized, afraid of offending such a son of a high-ranking official.


    However, the other guests at the neighboring table unconsciously nced at each other and quickly got up to leave.


    Qiao Mu witnessed this scene and said nothing, quietly eating his noodles on the side.


    Although children of the privileged ss tend to be spoiled.


    But Hai Wuya is different. He was just recently rescued from the heavenly prison by Emperor Yonghe¡­


    Other children of the privileged ss can act spoiled because of their stable status and the power they possess, being chased after and praised by others.However, Hai Wuya has already spent thirty years in the heavenly prison, and he has only been out for a few months. Yet, Hai Wuya¡¯s son is already getting carried away with pride?


    Furthermore.


    This person is not a young person in their teens or twenties anymore. They already look like they are in their middle age. Is it a bitte for them to start acting arrogant and indulgent?


    ¡°Haha, it seems that the position of the Secretary of Great Yan still holds some authority¡­ I have lived for half a lifetime and didn¡¯t expect to gain a bit of reputation. It puts my mind at ease.¡±


    The middle-aged person also noticed the departure of the guests at the neighboring table. They didn¡¯t feel anything inappropriate, but instead felt pleased with themselves.


    ¡°Mr. Hai is just joking¡­¡± The innkeeper wiped off some sweat and became even more respectful.


    After being praised by the innkeeper for a few more sentences, Mr. Hai gradually became bored.


    After eating and drinking his fill, he was about to get up, but unexpectedly, the innkeeper hurriedly approached. After several hesitations, he finally made up his mind and said sincerely:


    ¡°Mr. Hai has a distinguished identity and is not an ordinary person. I believe even that strict Iron Lady who guards the pass will give you face, sir.¡±


    ¡°If Mr. Hai can really leave Anxi Pass, could you also help this humble person with a small favor?¡± The innkeeper hesitated for a moment and took out a letter from his pocket.


    However, before he could finish his words, Mr. Hai impatiently interrupted him.


    ¡°Did you get it backwards?¡±


    ¡°I am the son of a high-ranking official, and you want me to help you? When did I have to run errands for you? Owe you?¡±


    ¡°I dare not.¡± These words almost made the innkeeper kneel down in fear, but then he quickly continued:


    ¡°Mr. Hai insists on going to Anxi Pass, I suppose he also lost rtives in that terrible war, right?¡±


    ¡°One of my brothers at home was actually a soldier in the army of a hundred thousand, perhaps he was arade of yours or someone rted to you.¡±


    ¡°I only hope that, based on ourradeship, when you enter the desert to pay respects to the deceased, you can also take my family¡¯s book and burn it.¡±


    Speaking of this, the innkeeper looked earnestly and performed a deep bow.


    When Mr. Hai was slightly surprised, several people arrived at the entrance of the inn, the same ones who had hurriedly left before.


    ¡°Sir, I also have a family book, please burn it on my behalf after you leave the border, as a way to express my mourning¡­¡±


    ¡°If the adults are willing to help me, I am willing to work very hard for them¡­¡±


    ¡°Actually, for the past few years, I have been having dreams of my brothers who joined the army back at home. I always feel like they are still there, their spirits lingering in the desert. I cannot leave the Anxi Pass, but since the adults can, please burn this family book on my behalf.¡±


    At first, Mr. Hai was a bit impatient, but as he listened, he was slightly moved.


    The customs in the Great YanZhong Province formemorating the deceased are mainly in two ways.


    The first one is returning fallen leaves to their roots.


    It means that when alive, one should be seen by others, and when dead, one should be seen with a corpse.


    Even if the family members who died in a distant ce have to go through countless hardships, they still want to bring back their remains and bury them in their hometown.


    The second one is burning family books in front of the deceased¡¯s remains. It is said to send the letters to the underworld, a way of expressing grief.


    Whether it¡¯s Mr. Hai or many people in this inn, they all insist on crossing the Anxi Pass into the desert for these two reasons.


    This is rarely done in other ces.


    After all,rge-scale battles with a hundred thousand people usually only ur in the remote areas of Jiu Province.


    Although Zhong Province has the custom of ¡°falling leaves return to their roots,¡± practical situations still need to be considered.


    The people of Zhong Province cannot possibly cross mountains and rivers to collect the bones of their rtives and bring them back to their hometown in the remote areas.


    However, Anxi City is too close, not in the remote areas, but in the hearnd of Zhong Province, and is only a few days¡¯ journey from the Imperial Capital.


    Therefore, over the years, many people havee here spontaneously to pay their respects, and gradually a small town has formed in front of Anxi Pass.


    ¡°They are all affectionate and righteous men¡­¡± Mr. Hai chuckled and helped the kneeling shopkeeper up from the ground, saying with a smile:


    ¡°Old Chen, I visited your inn over a decade ago, but at that time, I was stopped by that strict Iron Lady at the checkpoint. Remember?¡±


    The shopkeeper was startled at first, then became embarrassed, and then had a sudden realization.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re Brother Hai¡­ It¡¯s been a long time since west met.¡±


    These two people seem to know each other. Earlier, Mr. Hai purposely showed off his status, like friends joking around. But the shopkeeper didn¡¯t recognize him and knelt down directly.


    ¡°No need for nostalgic talk. I came to Anxi Pass not to catch up with an old rugged man like you.¡± Mr. Hai smiled slightly.


    ¡°If anyone in the town has letters or other offerings, they can give them to me as well.¡± He patted his chest and said boldly.


    Including the shopkeeper, everyone became emotional, and in Mr. Hai¡¯s eyes, there was also a hint of sentiment.


    He was already in middle age, with no time to show off his status in front of strangers and y these childish games of pretending to be important.


    The words he said to the shopkeeper weren¡¯t lies. He just wanted to see how much respect and power Minister of Rites Hai Wuya had.


    Hai Wuya recently regained his power aftering out of the heavenly prison.


    If Mr. Hai, a son of a high-ranking official, was truly a middle-aged dandy yearning for power, he should immediately rush back to Imperial Capital and experience the luxurious life of a top official¡¯s child.


    But he didn¡¯t.


    After visiting his old father in the Imperial Capital, he didn¡¯t stay there and quickly arrived at this Anxi Pass.


    When alive, one wants to see people; when dead, one wants to see corpses.


    Even though his elder brother has been dead for many years, he still wants to explore the ruins of the sand city that disappeared in the desert.


    ¡°More than a decade ago, that female general guarding the pass was quite arrogant, saying that weaklings who couldn¡¯t defeat her were not allowed to leave Anxi Pass.¡± Mr. Hai murmured to himself.


    ¡°My martial arts talent is mediocre. Even after practicing martial arts for more than ten years, I don¡¯t consider myself her opponent. However, I didn¡¯t expect a turning point toe now.¡±


    It doesn¡¯t matter if you¡¯re not an opponent in martial arts, you can rely on power to suppress!


    With this in mind, Mr. Hai stood up from his desk, tilted his head back, poured a bowl of sweet wine, and a few drops of wine trickled down his chin.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, to Anxi Pass!¡±


    He angrily mmed his big bowl and walked out of the inn with big steps, full of confidence and pride.


    ¡°Another important person is here to pass through the checkpoint!¡±


    ¡°This time, this important person has a formidable background and doesn¡¯t need to fight with that female general at all.¡±


    ¡°This time, we have hope to pass through Anxi Pass!¡±


    ¡°That female general is in charge of guarding Anxi Pass on behalf of the imperial court. Her high rank can crush people. Now, a son of a high-ranking official of the 2nd rank has arrived. Let¡¯s see if she can still be dominant!¡±


    Including the innkeeper, everyone else in the inn followed suit, their emotions gradually rising.


    The townspeople have suffered under the long-time rule of the strictdy guard at the checkpoint.


    Because of the existence of Anxi Pass, ordinary people cannot enter the Hundred-Mile Desert and can only stay in front of Anxi Pass.


    At this moment, Mr. Hai stood up for them, and they immediately became excited, spontaneously spreading the news.


    On the outskirts of the town, there was a huge cemetery.


    Inside the cemetery, there were countless tombstones, tightly packed together.


    The people from Zhong Province, before reaching Anxi Pass, were unable to enter the Hundred-mile Desert. They could only ce tombstones in front of this checkpoint to pay tribute to the deceased.


    Over time, the area in front of the checkpoint became filled with a forest of tombstones. It seemed endless, extending as far as the eye could see.


    It was almost Qingming Festival, and many people were in the tombstone forest, mourning the dead. As someone started running to tell others, they became excited as well.


    Soon, arge group of people crowded behind Mr. Hai, creating a bustling scene.


    After finishing his noodles, Qiao Mu silently stood up and followed behind the crowd.


    Dao Zhen, a disciple of the Great Dao Sect, gave him a Boundary Breaking Symbol. With this symbol, he could ignore the effects of the Hundred-mile Desert Array and enter the real Anxi City.


    But before that, he had to leave Anxi Pass.


    Since Hai Wuya¡¯s son can do this, he followed along to make things easier.


    Once they left the inn and approached Anxi Pass, Qiao Mu suddenly felt a bit uneasy, his instincts sensing something odd.


    This feeling¡­ he was very familiar with it.


    His instincts pointed straight to someone inside Anxi Pass¡­


    ¡°Are there people who practice the ¡®Martial Saint Spiritual Technique¡¯ within Anxi Pass? The Wuji Association really is persistent.¡±


    Qiao Mu instantly became interested.


    If Wuji Association members are guarding Anxi Pass and refusing entry to ordinary people, things could be mysterious.


    Forty years ago, the Martial Saint escaped from the desert alone.


    And ording to Dao Zhen, there are still remnants of the Great Yan army fighting hard within the desert.


    And during these forty years, if there was really a member of the Wuji Association guarding the Anxi Pass, not allowing people from the Zhong Province to enter, then does this represent the attitude of the Martial Saint? Is the Martial Saint covering up something?


    Qiao Mu followed the crowd and arrived at the Anxi Pass.


    But the closer he got to the Anxi Pass, the more his intuition sensed something strange.


    ¡°Something¡¯s not right, it doesn¡¯t seem like the Martial Saint Spiritual Technique. What¡¯s going on?¡± Qiao Mu frowned.


    Along the way, he had encountered quite a few martial artists who practiced the Martial Saint Spiritual Technique.


    But including Hai Wuya, Wu Qizheng, and even the Martial Saint himself, these practitioners of the Martial Saint Spiritual Technique had a slight difference in their intuitive sensespared to the people inside the Anxi Pass.


    While he was pondering.


    The gates of the Anxi Pass in front of him suddenly burst open, and two rows of heavily armored soldiers rushed out. Following them was a female general riding a warhorse, wearing a scale armor and with a face partially covered by a face mask. She held a spear and walked out surrounded by the soldiers.


    And indeed, the intuition of Qiao Mu¡¯s Martial Saint Spiritual Technique confirmed that she was among the crowd.


    Volume 14 for Kill Me More Times, I¡¯ll Be Invincible on Amazon

 Chapter 175:

    Chapter 175:


    The intuition of the Martial Saint Spiritual Technique is two-way.


    Although this person¡¯s intuition is different from other practitioners of the Martial Saint Spiritual Technique, Qiao Mu noticed a momentary change in the female general¡¯s expression when he nced at her.


    Qiao Mu moved back into the crowd, using the figures of others to block his view. He could only catch a glimpse of this armored female general from the corner of his eye.


    The female general was fully armored, with a face mask covering her face. It was difficult to see her features, which piqued Qiao Mu¡¯s curiosity even more.


    It¡¯s well known that people who intentionally hide their appearance often have suspicious identities.


    Qiao Mu has experienced countless near-death situations and frequently disguises himself to change his identity, so he is particrly sensitive to this matter.


    Especially since this person seems to have cultivated the Martial Saint Spiritual Technique, there is an unclear connection with the Wuji Association.


    "What¡¯s all the noise?" The female general, riding on a tall horse, spoke with a buzzing, chilling voice from beneath her face mask.


    "Anxi Pass is a special ce. Do you want to disturb the peace of the hundred thousand brave souls who died in battle? Intruders will be killed!"Her voice was cold and solemn.


    It was noticeable that the townspeople were somewhat fearful of thedy general. When she spoke, the gathered townspeople remained silent, afraid of angering this Iron Lady.


    At this moment, a person stepped forward, and it was Mr. Hai.


    Naturally, everyone¡¯s gaze focused on him, including thedy general¡¯s sharp eyes that examined him through her mask.


    "Madame Bai," Mr. Hai stepped forward, pretending to be arrogant andughed loudly:


    "I¡¯ve heard that as long as I can defeat you, I can enter this Anxi Pass of yours."


    "But no matter how strong your martial arts are, how can theypare to power and influence? If I want to enter, do you dare to stop me?"


    Thedy general stared at him with two cold eyes, her voice low:


    "Who are you?"


    "My father is the Minister of Rites, Hai Wuya." The middle-aged man stood tall, confident and proud.


    Although he was older and had no followers or servants with him, he didn¡¯t seem as extravagant as one might expect.


    "Do you have an imperial travel permit?" The female general¡¯s voice remained cold and unaffected.


    "What travel permit?" Mr. Hai frowned.


    "My father¡¯smand is the travel permit."


    "Ha! Even if the Minister of Rites himself were here, without the permission of the court, you still wouldn¡¯t be allowed to leave!" The female general¡¯s gaze held a hint of disdain.


    This person lied about being the son of a high-ranking official, which might deceive the townspeople, but now he was showing off in front of her?


    "Disrespectful." Mr. Hai seemed angry, and eximed,


    "Wait until I return to the Imperial Capital, I will immediately remove you from your position!"


    "Please go ahead." The female general¡¯s tone was harsh and dismissive, as she turned her horse¡¯s head and walked away.


    Unexpectedly, Mr. Hai didn¡¯t retreat, instead his gaze intensified.


    "Bloodthirsty Skill£¡"


    He trembled slightly, his eyes widened, pupils uncontrobly trembling, blood vessels gradually bing dense, as if blood was about to drip from his eyes.


    A buzzing sound of a sword rang out.


    Mr. Hai flew forward, gripping the sword and shing diagonally towards the waist of the female general, a blood-colored brilliance trailing behind the sword in the air.


    This was originally an unintentional sneak attack, but the immediate female general didn¡¯t even turn her head, only facing away from him, not even ncing at him, sweeping her spear backwards with a casual motion.


    A loud noise in the surroundings.


    Mr. Hai let go of his sword and it fell from his hand. His hand bleeds and his eyes slowly regain rity. He stands still in the same spot, looking dazed.


    "Can¡¯t it be done this way?" he sighed.


    He originally intended to act arrogant to make the female general look down on him, then find a chance to ambush and try to defeat her. By doing so, he can pass this challenge in a righteous manner.


    "You have underestimated the situation," the female general said calmly.


    "You actually thought you could ambush a martial artist of the 3rd rank of the Spiritual Refining Period? How naive¡­"


    Mr. Hai forces a bitter smile, and then his eyes start to bleed. The two streams of blood flow down, apanied by his bitter and somewhat terrifying smile.


    This type of explosive secret technique is also known as a forbidden spell. Although it can temporarily exceed the limits of the physical body and unleash immense power, it alsoes with equally powerful side effects.


    He used deception in his words and employed forbidden spells; he exhausted both internal and external strategies, but in the end, he had no choice.


    Blood drips down his cheek, and Mr. Hai closes his eyes, quickly taking out the letter from his bosom.


    These letters are the letters that the townspeople asked him to deliver. If they were stained with blood, they might be med by the spirit of those soldiers¡­.


    The townspeople watched this scene with longing in their eyes, but they could only sigh in their hearts.


    The Iron Lady guarding the gate was right in front of them, but they didn¡¯t dare to express their indignation and could only keep it to themselves.


    And at this moment.


    Among the crowd, there was an old man with white hair walking out slowly.


    "Child, don¡¯t cry, it¡¯s just delivering a letter, right?" The old man walked up to Mr. Hai and reached out to take the letter from his hand.


    "The water here is deep, you can¡¯t handle it. Let grandpa do it."


    Mr. Hai was first shocked, wanting to snatch the letters back from the old man¡¯s hand. But suddenly, he sensed a powerful internal energy, which passed through the envelope in his hand and entered his body, temporarily relieving his injuries from the forbidden art that he had used on himself.


    "Huh?" At this moment, Mr. Hai realized what kind of powerful and extraordinary old being he had encountered. Instantly, he no longer resisted and let go of the letters in his hand.


    Despite being a middle-aged man, Mr. Hai felt a bit embarrassed when an old man called him "child" in front of everyone.


    But in such a critical moment, having this old monster help out was a great thing.


    The older this man acted, the more reliable Mr. Hai felt he was.


    After taking the package, the old man looked up at the female officer guarding the checkpoint.


    He smiled and said softly:


    "Miss, if I wanted to pass through the checkpoint, would you dare to stop me?"


    The female officer was silent for a moment, sensing that the old man in front of her was not easy to provoke. After a long silence, she asked:


    "And who might you be?"


    Asking the same question, but when it came to this old man, she asked with a bit more caution.


    "I, well, the old man¡¯s surname is Qiao, and my name is¡­"


    The old man, halfway through his words, suddenly got stuck and frowned as he pondered.


    The townspeople saw this scene and couldn¡¯t help but have doubts and wonder if the old man was too old to remember even his own name, taking a long time to think.


    "By the way, my name is Qiao Shuangsen, you all should remember this name well."


    "Because next¡­"


    "I, the old man, am going to disy my holiness in front of everyone."


    As soon as he finished speaking, the old man¡¯s figure suddenly became blurry.


    "Dis¡­disappeared?" The townspeople widened their eyes.


    In broad daylight, right before everyone¡¯s eyes, the old man¡¯s figure unexpectedly appeared like a ghost, flickering in front of the female general who was riding a tall and majestic horse.


    And at that moment, the female warrior suddenly came to her senses and tightly gripped the long spear in her hand.


    But it was already toote.


    Because Qiao Mu drew his sword.


    He simply pulled out his sword and shed upwards.


    It was just a simple movement, but it was quick and powerful.


    The sword was surrounded by a heavy aura that seemed to distort the air.


    The eyes behind the female warrior¡¯s face mask widened suddenly.


    Even though the Spirit Refining martial artist¡¯s instincts were sharp enough to anticipate the enemy¡¯s moves, she still felt overwhelmed when facing a formidable opponent who could easily overpower her.


    Hiss!


    The sword light soared upwards, making a loud whooshing sound.


    Then came the sound of loud horse neighing.


    In that instant, the armored female general didn¡¯t have time to dodge. She and her horse were struck by the sword light, crashing to the ground and forming a pool of blood.


    "Let me see your true face¡­"


    With a move from Qiao Mu¡¯s hand, he uncovered the female general¡¯s face mask and helmet. But when he saw her real face, he was stunned for a while.


    "Sir!"


    "Sir¡­"


    The soldiers rushed forward in panic, swinging their long spears and big knives, surrounding Qiao Mu.


    "Everyone, calm down and step back." The female general on the ground spoke calmly.


    But she was clearly no match for Qiao Mu, as his sword only managed to scratch her armor, causing little damage.


    Qiao Mu¡¯s Military Spear Skill was already perfected, and he had mastered the Shadow Sword Technique. He could control his strength and movements effortlessly.


    It was obvious that Qiao Mu had held back.


    The female general pushed the dead horse off her and stood up from the ground.


    Qiao Mu removed her helmet and face mask, revealing long gray hair that waved in the wind.


    To their surprise, it was an old woman with white hair, wrinkles all over her face, and tiredness apparent in her sunken eyes.


    The townspeople gasped in astonishment.


    Clearly, they had never expected that this Iron Lady, representing the Great Yan Imperial Court and guarding Anxi Pass, would be an elderly woman much older than them.


    "Anxi Pass cannot stop a true warrior," the old woman bowed to Qiao Mu.


    "If Mr. Qiao wants to enter this Hundred-mile Desert, we naturally have no power to stop him."


    "But that desert is not ordinary, it can be said to be a forbidden zone for life¡­ This is not the ce to talk, please Mr. Qiaoe inside, we can talk more."


    The olddy with white hair pointed to the checkpoint behind her and said seriously.


    After being easily defeated by Qiao Mu and revealing her true identity, she became much easier to talk to than when she was fully armed before.


    "Okay." Qiao Mu nodded.


    Ordinary people may be afraid of what the olddy might do, like setting a trap or closing the door to catch the dog, but Qiao Mu is not afraid at all.


    "Mr. Qiao, can I follow you in? If we enter the desert, I can help Mr. Qiao and carry the luggage." Mr. Hai asked hurriedly from behind.


    "He can¡¯t, he is too weak." The olddy said coldly.


    "Before the establishment of Anxi Pass, that desert was a forbidden zone for life, and it could be said that people who entered may never return."


    "Letting him in, actually harmed him."


    Qiao Mu nodded.


    Just as he was about to enter Anxi Pass with the old woman, he heard someone calling him from behind again.


    "Mr. Qiao Shuangsen¡­"


    The one speaking was the innkeeper from earlier.


    This innkeeper was already in his middle age, but at this moment, his eyes were slightly teary as he bowed deeply to Qiao Mu.


    "We can¡¯t enter Anxi Pass. I hope that Mr. Qiao Shuangsen can help to take good care of the family letters, maybe don¡¯t burn them for now¡­"


    "If¡­ if by any chance they are still alive, this family letter might be able to reach their hands."


    As the innkeeper said this, he shook his head and sighed.


    "I was talking nonsense, let¡¯s pretend I didn¡¯t say it. Mr. Qiao is very skilled, but please be careful when entering the desert."


    After saying this, the other townspeople looked at him without any strange expressions, instead they were deeply moved.


    The people from Zhong Province who came to settle outside Anxi Pass, how could their true reason be something like burning letters to send to the underworld?


    They gathered outside Anxi Pass because they foolishly believed that their loved ones were not dead, but only lost somewhere in the Hundred-mile Desert.


    The Inhuman War forty years ago was unprecedented.


    The entire army of one hundred thousand elite soldiers perished, only one person survived. This was an unprecedented and brutal battle in the history of Jiu Province.


    Speaking of death tolls, there have been more in history, but none as many as one hundred thousand.


    However, with one hundred thousand people extinct, including Anxi City, everyone disappeared without a trace¡­ this made the situation very mysterious.


    In the years immediately after the war, many people believed that those soldiers didn¡¯t actually die, so many people from Zhong Province rushed to the desert to search.


    As time passed and Anxi Pass was established, their hope gradually faded away.


    Including the innkeeper, these townspeople¡¯s letters¡­ were not meant to be sent to the deceased, but to the living.


    This tiny bit of hope is what kept them clinging outside of Anxi Pass.


    ¡­..


    The gate of the checkpoint closed with a bang.


    Qiao Mu and the old woman¡¯s figures disappeared from the sight of the crowd.


    Mr. Hai sighed, silently adjusting his breath and repairing the damage inside his body.


    "Da Mu¡¯s idea this time is really not good." Mr. Hai shook his head and said.


    "The ¡®Bloodthirsty Skill¡¯ he gave me can temporarily enhance my vision and reaction speed, but even with this ¡®Bloodthirsty Skill¡¯, it is still no match for that Iron Lady."


    "Maybe we should discuss this matter in more detail¡­ Huh? Where did Big Brother go? Wasn¡¯t he just in the crowd?"


    He looked through the crowd but found nothing.


    ¡­¡­¡­..


    The interior of Anxi Pass is not big, and the buildings inside are just the living quarters for the soldiers.


    The number of soldiers stationed here is notrge either, totaling only one or two hundred, and these soldiers are clearly not elite warriors, their strength is ordinary at best.


    Less than one-third of the martial artists with rank in internal strength are inside.


    It can be seen that the Great Yan Imperial Court doesn¡¯t seem to attach much importance to Anxi Pass, which can be observed from the number and strength of the soldiers.


    The only unusual person is the female general guarding the pass.


    She is a martial artist of the 3rd rank of the Spiritual Refining Period, although she has also aged and her vitality has declined, her strength is still apparent.


    Weak soldiers paired with strong generals? That¡¯s not fair.


    A martial artist, who is at the 3rd level of the Spiritual Refining Period, appeared at Anxi Pass. This is quite unusual.


    The old woman led Qiao Mu up the walls of Anxi Pass and instructed the soldiers apanying her to step back.


    Looking down from the walls, you could see a distant cemetery with countless tombstones densely packed like a forest.


    "Mr. Qiao, your martial arts skills are amazing. I can¡¯t stop you," the old woman said, looking towards the cemetery and speaking first:


    "And if you have any questions about the Hundred-mile Desert outside the city, you can ask me here."


    "Is this how you guard the pass? And weren¡¯t you quite powerful towards that ordinary townsfolk just now¡­ Qiao Mu was having trouble understanding why the old woman¡¯s attitude suddenly changed.


    But he didn¡¯t pay much attention to these details and after a moment of thought, he asked the first question:


    "Where did you learn the ¡®Martial Saint Spiritual Technique¡¯? Is it rted to the Martial Saint or the Wuji Association?"


    The old woman was clearly surprised when Qiao Mu asked his first question.


    "I don¡¯t practice the ¡®Martial Saint Spiritual Technique¡¯, I have no connection with Martial Saint or the Wuji Association."


    "If you want to know why I guard this pass, it¡¯s simply my personal choice."


    "If you haven¡¯t practiced the ¡®Martial Saint Spiritual Technique,¡¯ how can you have a sense of intuition about me?" Qiao Mu asked again.


    The old woman¡¯s eyes were deep and she remained silent for a moment, but she didn¡¯t exin further.


    "Mr. Qiao, this question has nothing to do with the desert."


    "You are a rare master, and there might be some opportunities for you in the desert, so I just wanted to help in any little way I can."


    "But that¡¯s not a reason for you to pry into my personal details."


    "You want to help an old man who wants to enter the desert, yet you¡¯re also blocking the townspeople from crossing the pass?" Qiao Mu asked again.


    "This is because the desert is very dangerous, it¡¯s a forbidden zone for life," the old woman said calmly.


    "Ordinary people who enter will face certain death, but someone as skilled as you might have a slim chance of survival¡­ Of course, whether you go or not, I can¡¯t stop you."


    "Can you tell me specifically what dangers there are in this desert?" Qiao Mu asked again.


    "Although this desert, called Fang Yuan, is only a hundred miles long, it can¡¯tpare to the vast wilderness desert in the west of Jiu Province. But over the years, almost everyone who entered the desert got lost and never returned. It¡¯s a natural maze."


    "Besides that, there are also rumors of ¡®ghost soldiers passing through.¡¯ It¡¯s said that travelers who venture deep into the desert sometimes encounter an illusion of ghostly soldiers as white as paper, and hear the sound of horns¡­"


    Qiao Mu nodded.


    These words seemed to align with Dao Zhen¡¯s exnation as well.


    "So, you¡¯re saying that Anxi Pass can¡¯t stop true masters, which means there were other skilled individuals who attempted the challenge before me?" Qiao Mu asked again.


    "That¡¯s right. The most recent skilled challenger had quite a reputation, you might have heard of them," the old woman said.


    "Walker Lu Yanbei, a swordsman with exceptional skills, ranks thirtieth on the ¡®Skill List¡¯ of Tide Listening Building. His swordsmanship is among the top ten in the world."


    "He also has a talented disciple named Hu Han, who is known as ¡®Dragon w¡¯. He has gained quite a reputation in Zhong Province in recent years."


    "Hmm¡­ So, what about Earth Sword Immortal, the number one martial artist from forty years ago? Did he also pass this test?" Qiao Mu asked again.


    The old woman¡¯s face showed a clear sh of surprise.


    Earth Sword Immortal was the top martial artist forty years ago, and his fame naturally spread far and wide among martial artists like her who were getting older.


    "I¡¯m not sure about that," she said.


    "The top ten martial artists, led by Earth Sword Immortal, disappeared ten years after the Inhuman War, which is now thirty years ago. But at that time, Anxi Pass didn¡¯t exist yet."


    Qiao Mu nodded thoughtfully and asked his final question:


    "I heard someone say that the hundred thousand soldiers from back then didn¡¯t die outpletely. There are still people trapped inside Anxi City in the desert¡­ As themander of Anxi Pass, have you heard any rumors about this?"

 Chapter 176:

    Chapter 176:


    As soon as Qiao Mu said this¡­


    The old woman standing next to him, looking into the distance at the stone forest, appeared visibly stunned. She instinctively gripped the railing beside her, her knuckles turning slightly white. It was evident that her heart was not at peace.


    "Mr. Qiao is just joking," the old woman¡¯s tone, however, remained calm.


    "The Inhuman War has been going on for forty years. Even if there were survivors after the war, not everyone perished. Can they really defend this desert for forty years?"


    "Even if it¡¯s a strange story made up by a storyteller, it would be incredibly absurd for a decimated and isted army to defend a city for forty years. Even storytellers wouldn¡¯t dare to invent such a tale."


    The old woman paused, and her gaze swept towards the small town beyond the gates.


    "In this town, most of the people are rtives of the hundred thousand soldiers from the past. Many of them used to hold onto hope years ago, but now the number of people in the town is gradually decreasing."


    "What a long forty years," the old woman¡¯s gaze grew distant, and her silver-white long hair fluttered in the wind.


    "The lifespan of martial artists is not much longer than that of ordinary people. Forty years of time can turn youth into white hair and heroes into old age.""Only inhuman pursuit longevity, with a long lifespan, able to cross the long years¡­"


    Speaking of inhumans, the female general guarding Anxi Pass¡¯s gaze became deeper, like a bottomless pool.


    "Mr. Qiao, with your impressive martial arts skills, I¡¯m afraid you have already reached the 1st rank, right?"


    "You, as a 1st ranked martial artist, may understand better than me just how powerful inhumans are." The old woman sighed softly.


    Among martial artists in the world, there are 9 ranks, with the 1st rank being the pinnacle of martial arts, recognized by the court as the top martial artist.


    Although there is also a difference in strength among the 1st rank, only by being on this peak can one see how far away the path of martial arts is from the immortal realm above the clouds.


    "The imposing Nine Immortal Gates shattered the integrity and courage of the schrs and warriors of Great Yan in a single Inhuman War."


    "So, how great is the disparity between the powerful Nine Immortal Gates and the strength of the original hundred thousand Great Yan soldiers? How is it possible for those soldiers to survive until now, struggling to breathe?" The old woman asked in a deep voice.


    "If Mr. Qiao is feeling lucky and wants to venture into the desert with such a mindset, then please go back."


    "Although I can¡¯t stop you, I know that this path will lead to certain death."


    It sounded like she was questioning the outrageous rumors from Qiao Mu¡¯s mouth, but upon careful listening, it seemed like the old woman was talking to herself, pouring cold water on her fleeting hope.


    Qiao Mu could only remain silent. In truth, he also didn¡¯t understand this question and had no answer.


    Disciple Dao Zhen from the Great Dao Sect told him that there was still a lone army in the desert, and what they were facing was the Nine Immortal Gates, who were much stronger than them.


    Let¡¯s not even mention whether they still had the will to fight after forty years¡­


    The strength of the Immortal Gates surpassed that of the Great Yan Imperial Court. If this lone army was still standing, then the first possibility was that the Immortal Gates simply didn¡¯t care about their lives, or they had another purpose and were intentionally letting them survive.


    The Immortal Gates viewed mortals as insignificant creatures, like a cat ying with a mouse. The difference between the two was like night and day.


    "Since I, Qiao Shuangsen, havee, I will not leave," Qiao Mu said seriously.


    "If there are still soldiers holding their ground in this vast desert, I will do my best to help them find relief."


    "If this is just a trick, a baseless rumor, then it¡¯s not bad." Qiao Mu said softly.


    "At least there isn¡¯t really a lonely and unsupported iron army fighting until now. Just thinking about those days feels bitter."


    If there really is such an iron army that has held its ground for forty years, what would be the most bitter thing?


    It¡¯s not that they are lonely and unsupported, nobody knows that they are still fighting.


    It¡¯s that while this remnant army has been fighting bloodily for forty years, the Great Yan Imperial Court has already bowed down to the Nine Immortal Gates, providing all the human and material resources from Jiu Province to those high above in the Nine Immortal Gates.


    There are even many people in Jiu Province who are unaware that the inhumans are the so-called immortals, still worshiping and providing offerings to the gods on that shrine.


    Qiao Mu was born immortal, his life is worth nothing, he can always squander it as he pleases. That¡¯s why he bravely entered this forbidden zone alone.


    But in the eyes of this old woman, a veteran who has guarded Anxi Pass for many years, it made her feel dizzy and overwhelmed for a while.


    "Just for a vague rumor? Are you willing to gamble with your own life?" Her voice remained as cold as before, but there was a noticeable change in her expression.


    Qiao Mu replied with a faint smile.


    "If there really is a group of Great Yan remnants, their lives would be more important than an old man like me who is already halfway to the grave."


    "How could I sit idly by when I know about this?"


    Qiao Mu¡¯s words were sincere.


    After all, his life was worthless, not to mention the possible existence of the once revered Earth Sword Immortal, which made it worth the gamble.


    Besides, he was doing a win-win business, making a profit whether he won or lost the bet!


    However, these words had a different taste when heard by the elderly female general.


    "Mr. Qiao, you have great integrity." The elderly woman suddenly showed respect and performed a formal bow to Qiao Mu, who had always been icy and indifferent.


    "I will stay here and wait for Mr. Qiao¡¯s return. If the old gentleman needs anything else, he can just ask."


    After saying that, she called the soldiers next to her and got some water and dry rations from the warehouse, telling Qiao Mu to take them away.


    "There is nothing else I need¡­ It would be better to spread my name widely."


    Qiao Mu stroked his white beard andughed boldly.


    "I have no other hobbies in my life, only a love for fame, and I enjoy appearing wise in front of others."


    "Remember my name well and don¡¯t let me die silently. That would be the greatest support for me."


    After saying that.


    Qiao Mu turned around with a big smile and leaped towards the open gate of Anxi Pass, walking alone.


    Outside the gate was a deste desert, with strong winds bringing in clouds of yellow sand, distorting the view with heat waves.


    Anxi Pass is the boundary line between Zhong Province and the desert.


    The olddy, the guardian, watched the back of the old man as he went away, and her heart filled with respect once again.


    Qiao Mu¡¯s final words were actually sincere.


    But saying them in this situation seemed like a boastful joke.


    "Spread your name? Such a heroic character, if they really cared about mere fame, why would they mention it?" the olddy sighed.


    "The implied meaning is simply that they don¡¯t need our help¡­"


    Boom¡­


    The heavy gate of the checkpoint closed loudly, trapping the swirling sand and the old man who was going away outside.


    However, in a corner near the wall, a blurry figure appeared. It was a middle-aged man withrge, expressive eyes. A vertical line quietly appeared between his eyebrows, as he tightly stared in the direction where Qiao Mu had gone.

 Chapter 177:

    Chapter 177:


    The setting sun was as red as blood, and the clouds beneath it looked like they were stained with blood. Half of the sky turned red.


    Underneath the low, earthen hill, the soil cracked and the pale yellow weeds sparsely covered the ground. An old man with wrinkles on his face walked alone, carrying arge bag that was half his height. The hot wind blew, and the sand rolled in.


    "Years after the Inhuman War, both the imperial court and the people ventured deep into the desert in search of the ruins of Anxi City, but they found nothing. And so, the legend of that sand city beingpletely wiped away by immortals emerged."


    "ording to Dao Zhen¡¯s words, the city wasn¡¯t erased by powerful cultivators, but rather concealed by a grand illusion formation that ordinary people couldn¡¯t see through¡­"


    Qiao Mu took out a map from the package and quickly scanned it.


    This map, along with the dry rations and other items in his bag, were gifts from the female general of Anxi Pass.


    Over the years, although the Great Yan Imperial Court didn¡¯t find any survivors in this desert, they did leave behind a map.


    Except for the part of the desert that was covered by the illusion formation, the rest of the area had already been explored by the Great Yan Imperial Court.


    "The Immortal Gate´óÕó, covers the core area of this Hundred-mile Desert¡­""As long as we find that formation, and use the Boundary Breaking Symbol left by Dao Zhen, we should be able to escape the illusionary effects of the Immortal Gate´óÕó, and find the city located within this Hundred-mile Desert."


    Qiao Mu thought about this, but suddenly felt something in his heart and looked ahead.


    On top of the mound ahead, he saw white figures passing by, as if a group of soldiers holding spears and wearing armor.


    "They found the remnants of the army so quickly?"


    Qiao Mu¡¯s thoughts moved, he hastened his steps and quickly climbed up the mound to get a better view.


    But upon this gaze, his heart sank.


    These figures in armor indeed appeared to be soldiers, with a total of about a few hundred.


    It¡¯s not possible for such a sizable army to move through the desert without making any noise, ording tomon sense.


    But this army was very quiet, no one chatted, they just marched silently, even their footsteps were very soft.


    Qiao Mu¡¯s pupils shrank, and when he looked closely, he saw that these soldiers wearing armor had pale faces like paper, with no expression.


    If it wasn¡¯t the time of sunset, it would look more like a night of ghosts.


    Qiao Mu furrowed his brows, feeling curious.


    He was also a fearless person, so he quietly followed along.


    He practiced a light skill called Shadow Step, which was good at sneaking and hiding. Although this desert had few shelters, his light skill was already perfect, leaving no trace when he stepped on the snow.


    Every time he leapt and floated, like a great eagle soaring through the desert, only leaving shallow footprints that were almost invisible if you didn¡¯t look closely.


    Just as Qiao Mu thought he could follow this silent army, a sudden change urred.


    This army with pale faces, starting from the soldiers at the front of the line, gradually disappeared into the air, bit by bit, from front to back.


    A group of hundreds of soldiers disappeared in front of Qiao Mu.


    Qiao Mu stopped in his tracks and looked down at the ground, immediately furrowing his brow.


    His light footwork was wless, reaching a level where he left almost no footprints.


    However, it was peculiar that this group of hundreds of soldiers ahead left no footprints at all.


    It couldn¡¯t be possible for these few hundred people to have the same level of light footwork as Qiao Mu, right?


    "I have trained my light footwork diligently for decades, working so hard to reach a perfected level. How could I suddenly be caught up by a few hundred soldiers?" Qiao Mu immediately felt a sense of injustice.


    "So they must not be human. Are they the mythical Shadow Warriors mentioned in rumors?"


    Qiao Mu thought of this and suddenly burst intoughter.


    Although he wasn¡¯t clear on what exactly the so-called Shadow Warriors were, their disappearance reminded him of the Illusion Formation of the Immortal Gate that Dao Zhen had mentioned.


    "It seems like it¡¯s time to try that so-called Boundary Breaking Symbol," Qiao Mu thought to himself.


    Talismans are tools used by cultivators, and the Boundary Breaking Symbol given to Qiao Mu by Dao Zhen seemed to be specially made. It didn¡¯t require the cultivation power of a cultivator, but could be activated just by the blood of an ordinary martial artist.


    Qiao Mu bit his tongue and sprayed a mouthful of blood onto the talisman paper. Suddenly, a faint golden light emitted from the paper and it slowly ignited.


    At the same time, Qiao Mu¡¯s vision seemed to slightly distort. About a hundred meters away, the army of Yin soldiers appeared again within his sight.


    However, Qiao Mu didn¡¯t immediately chase after them.


    Instead, he slightly bent down, picked up a handful of yellow sand, and activated his surging internal strength. Then, in a sh, he turned around and cast the sand towards a specific direction behind him.


    Each grain of sand contained a powerful force, like bullets shooting through the air.


    But he heard a cry of pain from a man walking out behind a mound in the distance. He had a bitter smile on his face and pleaded with Qiao Mu:


    "Please spare me, sir!"


    This middle-aged man looks unusual. His eyes are big and bright. What¡¯s most special is that there is even a horizontal line at the center of his eyebrows, and a horizontally positioned eye is growing there.


    At the moment when Qiao Mu took out the Boundary Breaking Symbol from his pocket, he sensed a slight disturbance in the dark behind him, realizing that there was a follower hidden behind him.


    However, although this person is skilled in stealth, his strength doesn¡¯t seem astonishing. Qiao Mu forced him to reveal himself with just a handful of yellow sand.


    "Who are you? Did the old general at Anxi Pass send you to follow me? Or is it Mr. Hai from before?" Qiao Mu¡¯s eyes were sharp, and he kicked the three-eyed middle-aged man to the ground.


    The more he looked at this person, the more he felt that he looked familiar. Upon careful thought, it seemed that he had seen this person sitting at the same table with Mr. Hai at the inn outside Anxi Pass before.


    "Please speak but also be mindful of the Boundary Breaking Symbol in your hand," the three-eyed middle-aged man said with a bitter smile.


    "This Boundary Breaking Symbol should be from the Nine Immortal Gates, right?"


    "Once this object burns out and we haven¡¯t found the lone city in the vast desert, I¡¯m afraid there will be no more opportunity."


    "If you have any questions, I will answer them to the best of my abilities."


    "But before that, please don¡¯t waste any more time on the Boundary Breaking Symbol."


    The middle-aged person looked longingly at the Boundary Breaking Symbol, as if it hurt deeply.


    "Let¡¯s talk as we walk," said Qiao Mu, grabbing the middle-aged person with one hand and holding up the slowly burning Boundary Breaking Symbol with the other, following behind the army of shadow soldiers.


    "First, tell me, who are you? Why have youe? And what¡¯s with the eye on your forehead?" Qiao Mu asked.


    "Please, don¡¯t worry, let me exin," the middle-aged person said slowly.


    "Have you ever heard of the Tide Listening Building, where irvoyance and iraudience reside? They are the talented leaders among storytellers."


    "This so-called ¡®irvoyance¡¯ is extraordinary, ites from the third eye of a mystical three-eyed monkey¡­"


    "When this third eye matures, it is said to have the power to see thousands of miles, revealing truth amidst illusions¡­"


    "And that¡¯s me, the ¡®irvoyance¡¯ of the Tide Listening Building."


    After capturing the middle-aged man, Qiao Mu remained calm and immediately exined the background of his Tide Listening Building and the origin of his special forehead eye.


    These words are actually a self-description, stating their own value to avoid being killed.


    And these words indeed had an effect, causing Qiao Mu to loosen his grip on the man¡¯s hand slightly.


    The Tide Listening Building is famous, known for its extensivework and widespread intelligence. Being a living storyteller naturally holds much more value than being dead.


    "And I entered this Hundred-mile Desert with the same goal as the old man, which is to search for the ruins of Anxi City."


    As the middle-aged man spoke, a look of sadness appeared in all three of his eyes, almost shedding tears.


    "Actually, I also had rtives who died in this desert¨C"


    "Stop, I don¡¯t have time to listen to your empty words." Qiao Mu impatiently waved his hand, pondered for a moment, and then understood:


    "Do you want to follow me and find that city?"


    "Yes¡­" The middle-aged man nodded vigorously, as if pounding garlic.


    He initially just wanted to secretly follow Qiao Mu, but unexpectedly saw him take out the Boundary Breaking Symbol, which startled him and made Qiao Mu sense his presence.


    Qiao Mu nced at the Boundary Breaking Symbol in his hand and nodded slightly.


    "If you want to follow, it¡¯s not impossible. But since you¡¯re hitching a ride, you should show some appreciation, right?"


    irvoyance showed a subtle understanding and immediately smiled.


    He wasn¡¯t afraid of Qiao Mu asking for favors from him, but he feared that Qiao Mu might be ungrateful.


    "How about the ¡®Bloodthirsty Skill¡¯?" irvoyance smiled and asked.


    "Mr. Qiao has also witnessed Mr. Hai using the Bloodthirsty Skill, right? It¡¯s a self-damaging forbidden martial technique that temporarily enhances visual acuity and reaction speed¡­"


    "And it can also be used inbination with the Qiao family¡¯s Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method."


    Qiao Mu blinked his eyes.


    As the storyteller of Tide Listening Building, it¡¯s not surprising for him to have heard of the reputation of Qiao¡¯s family.


    But what does Qiao family¡¯s Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method mean¡­ Has Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method truly be Qiao family¡¯s signature martial art?


    But for this kind of self-damaging martial arts secret, Qiao Mu found it beneficial.


    Nowadays, apart from Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, he also had a Red Moon Burning Blood Technique that heprehended from a painting.


    When heprehended the Blood Moon Chart, he had also imagined.


    If he could use Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method as the foundation, learn from various explosive self-damaging forbidden techniques, then perhaps one day in the future, he could achieve the literal meaning of the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method.


    Which means he could disintegrate his physical body directly after using it, skipping the need to destroy the corpse.


    "Good, but not good enough." After listening to irvoyance¡¯s description of the secret manual, Qiao Mu still felt unsatisfied.


    More, the more the better!


    Anyway, he¡¯s not afraid of having too much and not being able to handle it. The more the better.


    irvoyance just gave a slight bitter smile.


    He didn¡¯t carry the martial arts manual with him, like the short ones like "Bloodthirsty Skill," he could still recite it. Now that Qiao Mu¡¯s greed hase up, how can he satisfy him?


    "I really can¡¯t recite other martial arts manuals¡­" irvoyance said bitterly.


    "Mr. Qiao, how about I exchange it with a big secret?"


    He nced at the Boundary Breaking Symbol in Qiao Mu¡¯s hand and figured that by the time he finished speaking the secret, the Boundary Breaking Symbol would soon be burned out.


    By then, whether he could find the ruins of that solitary city or not, Qiao Mu probably won¡¯t bother to pressure him anymore.


    "This secret is extraordinary, it is rted to the Martial Saint from forty years ago and Madame Bai who guards Anxi Pass." irvoyance acted mysteriously.


    "What? They were a couple 40 years ago? If you¡¯re talking about secrets of love and romance, I¡¯m not interested," Qiao Mu said casually.


    irvoyance paused, looking very odd, before finally speaking:


    "Mr. Qiao, you¡¯re thinking too little. The secret I¡¯m about to reveal is anything but trivial."


    He said solemnly:


    "In today¡¯s world, everyone knows that the Martial Saint was revered as the strongest warrior before his death."


    "And the foundation of his martial strength was actually the so-called ¡®Martial Saint Spiritual Technique¡¯!"


    "Since the Martial Saint revealed his identity in Nan Province, the world has known that he devoured the top ten martial artists using the incredible power of the Martial Saint Spiritual Technique."


    "But people only know part of the story. The ¡®Martial Saint Spiritual Technique¡¯ was created by the Martial Saint, but it evolved from another extraordinary technique¡­"


    "It¡¯s called the ¡®Spiritual Technique¡¯ and it¡¯s the practice Madame Bai, who guards Anxi Pass, follows."


    Qiao Mu was slightly startled.


    If that¡¯s the case, it does make sense.


    Madame Bai is also within Qiao Mu¡¯s intuition, but she is different from other practitioners of the Martial Saint Spiritual Technique.


    But in that case, when he caught Madame Bai before and asked her if she practiced the Martial Saint Spiritual Technique, wasn¡¯t it like a father asking his son?


    "So, this Spiritual Technique, is it a secret technique from a famous sect?" Qiao Mu asked.


    Based on the Martial Saint¡¯s past actions, he spected that this Spiritual Technique might have been stolen.


    "The person who created the Spiritual Technique is Li Changge, a former deputy under the Martial Saint," irvoyance exined:


    "General Li Changge is also a 1st ranked martial artist, actually older than the Martial Saint, but with slightly less strength and fame. Although not as dazzling as the Martial Saint, he is still a rising star in the Great Yan Imperial Court¡¯s martial world."


    "And this Spiritual Technique is said to have been created by General Li when he was young."


    "About forty to fifty years ago, even though Immortal Gate didn¡¯t actively involve in politics, Jiu Province was not very peaceful. There were often monsters causing troubles in various parts of Jiu Province, and sometimes evenunching beast waves that flooded the towns¡­"


    "When Li Changge was young, he joined the military and frequently led troops to suppress monsters. As a result, the couple often lived apart, with little time together."


    "At that time, Madame Bai was just a low-ranked martial artist, and her martial arts abilities were far inferior to General Li¡¯s."


    "And this ¡®Spiritual Technique¡¯ was specially created by General Li. It means ¡®the body without colorful phoenix, but the heart has a telepathic connection.¡¯ It allows the couple to feel connected even when they are separated, providingpanionship."


    "Although this ¡®Spiritual Technique¡¯ at that time was mysterious and could be practiced by low-ranked martial artists through spiritual refining, it was actually quite different from theter ¡®Martial Saint Spiritual Technique,¡¯ which only General Li Changge and his wife practiced."


    "Even though the story of the couple¡¯s achievements became a good tale, this secret technique of ¡®Spiritual Technique¡¯ didn¡¯t spread to the world, so its impact was limited."


    "It was not until after the Inhuman War, when the entire elite army of one hundred thousand soldiers from Great Yan was wiped out. It is said that when the Martial Saint left the desert, he had mastered that ¡®Spiritual Technique.¡¯"


    "After many more years, Zhong Province gained a daughter who was a Spirit Refining martial artist. She willingly stationed herself at Anxi Pass and has been there for twenty years¡­"


    Although the Martial Saint was strong, his martial arts skills were built upon the foundations of his predecessors.


    Just a long time ago, the "Spiritual Technique" was known as a harmonious story among a couple, butter transformed into the "Martial Saint Spiritual Technique" that martial artists who refine spirits would practice. Perhaps even the General Li who created it would never have expected this.


    "The ¡®Spiritual Technique¡¯ sounds like a secret technique belonging to the couple Li Changge. Why did it end up in the hands of the Martial Saint?" Qiao Mu wondered.


    In the couple¡¯s private phone calls, a third person¡¯s number appeared, which seemed quite strange.


    Especially, the disciples who practiced theter "Martial Saint Spiritual Technique" were scattered across Jiu Province and became the means for the Wuji Association to select talents.


    "We can¡¯t know for sure," irvoyance said slowly.


    "Although the Tide Listening Building has many eyes and ears, this story from forty years ago has long faded away into this vast desert."


    "Since the hundred thousand soldiers have already perished, only the Martial Saint knows the truth."


    "Unfortunately, even when the Martial Saint was alive, they kept quiet about this very event during the Inhuman War, and our Tide Listening Building couldn¡¯t uncover it either."


    "Now that even the Martial Saint has passed away, the only ones who might understand this story are the Great Yan army resting in the underworld, right?"


    irvoyance shook his head and smiled bitterly.


    But halfway through his smile, his smile gradually froze.


    With the help of the Boundary Breaking Symbol¡¯s effect, he also crossed the illusion array of the Immortal Gate like Qiao Mu, and saw the true face of the desert.


    The setting sun was blood-red, and crows flew in flocks.


    In the depths of the desert within sight, a broken old city stood alone.


    The city walls of this old city were already in ruins, uneven in height, with many gaps. The que on the city gate was blurred, and only faintly discernible as the word "°²" ("peace").


    The shadow army regiment that Qiao Mu was tracking continued to move forward, and their target was obviously the towering isted city ahead.


    "It is the remains of Anxi City¡­ Although this city is in ruins, it is still rtively intact. Could there still be people in the city? Could it be the travelers who disappeared in the desert in the past?"


    irvoyance had never considered the possibility that the 100,000 elite troops from back then still had surviving soldiers fighting today, he was just astonished.


    But Qiao Mu¡¯s heart sank.


    Is what Dao Zhen said true?


    Are there really soldiers who have defended a solitary city for forty years in this world?


    Thinking of this, he instinctively lowered his head and nced at the Boundary Breaking Symbol in his hand.


    By the time he saw this solitary city, the talisman in his hand had already burned to ashes, carried away by the wind.


    Dao Zhen¡¯s Boundary Breaking Symbol only brought him to this solitary city in the desert, but it didn¡¯t show him the way out.


    The wind blew, and the army of shadow soldiers seemed to be weightless, floating with the wind, as if they were going to charge up the city walls.


    "Indeed, not an ordinary army¡­" Qiao Mu was about to step forward when he suddenly heard a mournful horn sound.


    In the twilight, the mournful hon trumpet sounded from the city walls, low and loud, spreading far and wide.


    Next, he saw the old city gate burst open, and soldiers rushed out from it, heading straight towards the dark army.


    For some reason, the defending army didn¡¯t hold onto the advantage of the city walls, but instead chose to fight the dark army outside the city.

 Chapter 178:

    Chapter 178:


    The sound of horns filled the desert, their sorrowful and deep tones echoing in the vast expanse.


    The old city¡¯s army charged out from the city and engaged in a battle with the dark army outside the walls.


    The soldiers were also silent, and all that could be heard on the battlefield were the sounds of their footsteps and the nking of their armor.


    Qiao Mu stood on a sand dune, carefully observing the soldiers who had charged out from the city. He noticed that these soldiers were all older, with white hair and wrinkled faces.


    The soldiers were clearly seasoned warriors who had fought on the battlefield for many years. Their movements with their swords and spears were swift and decisive,cking any unnecessary actions. Their coordination was seamless, making them appear like a silent war machine.


    Qiao Mu was highly skilled in military spear techniques and could easily recognize the years of training and expertise that these soldiers had in their battlefield spear and sword skills.


    They rarely talk, without any passionate slogans or shouting, they just fight silently under the setting sun.


    Fighting on the battlefield is always a dangerous dance on the edge of a knife, easily resulting in death. It is normal to feel nervous and fearful when entering the battlefield, but these veteran soldiers remain calm.


    "Are there really any remnants of the army still alive¡­"Qiao Mu remained silent for a moment, finding it somewhat difficult to understand. He then shifted his focus to the shadowy army legion.


    The soldiers emerging from the old city were unusual, but this shadowy army legion was even more extraordinary.


    They seemed weightless, their bodies floating in mid-air with the desert winds, disying remarkable agility. They didn¡¯t resemble living beings.


    Advancing with faces as pale as paper, the shadowy army legion moved in unison. They appeared to be a seasoned army, their charging movements with spears executed in perfect synchronization. Almost all of the hundreds of soldiers performed the exact same action. However, even in the midst of their charge, their faces remained expressionless, devoid of vitality.


    Charge!


    A Great Yan veteran soldier shouted loudly, the longsword in his hand emanating a dazzling aura, cutting a pale-faced shadowy soldier in half.


    Only the changes that followed shook Qiao Mu¡¯s heart as he looked from afar at the sand dunes.


    The wound where the shadow soldier was cut into two didn¡¯t bleed, but the whole body suddenly became t, thin, and then in the blowing wind, it turned into two fragments as thin as pieces of paper, falling to the ground¡­


    No, not as thin as paper, this is a paper man from the beginning.


    Although they are paper men, the weapons in their hands are as sharp as golden and iron weapons.


    In the battle outside the lonely city, each paper spear and paper sword pierced the bodies of the old soldiers, causing a bloody hole, very sharp.


    The old Yan soldiers who emerged from the old city also began to suffer losses. Several old soldiers had their heads chopped off by the paper swords, their bodies separated, dyeing the yellow sand with red blood.


    The leading old general roared lowly, and his war spear swung in the air, creating an invisible qi that stirred up the yellow sand, tearing several paper men soldiers in half around him.


    The rest of the old soldiers were also filled with righteous indignation, following behind the old general and tearing a gap in the formation of the Paper Man Legion.


    "Are the people who came out of the old city really alive? How is that possible to still have living people? Is this a mirage illusion in the desert?"


    Storyteller irvoyance¡¯s three eyes were staring nkly, and he couldn¡¯t understand what he saw.


    Qiao Mu¡¯s gaze slightly focused on the Paper Man Legion.


    "It looks like a paper man?"


    The paper man technique is a magical art. When he fought against Saintess Wu Qingxin from Xuantian Sect in the past, he had seen her use it.


    So, the so-called passing of the Yin Soldiers in the desert is actually controlled by a cultivator using paper men?


    Without waiting for irvoyance, who was stunned by the battlefield, Qiao Mu lightly tapped his toes on the sand dune, disying his light footwork as he swiftly moved across, like an eagle skimming the water¡¯s surface.


    His light footwork was very good, making hardly any sound.


    The paper man soldiers were not observant, and they didn¡¯t notice Qiao Mu rapidly approaching from behind.


    However, there were no hiding ces in the desert, and the seasoned soldiers who emerged from the deserted city immediately spotted Qiao Mu¡¯s tracks.


    But they didn¡¯t show much excitement on their faces, they just exchanged a nce.


    "It¡¯s been many years since Ist met someone from the Great Yan outside¡­"


    "Another skilled warrior? Unfortunately, even if an individual¡¯s martial arts are high, it¡¯s difficult to change the overall situation¡­ We are ultimately alone and helpless." Someone whispered in the battlefield, then quickly returned to the fight.


    Qiao Mu, at this time, skillfully took out two short spears hidden on his waist and back. With a quick twist, a long spear appeared in his hand.


    He charged directly at the Paper Man Legion from behind, like an eagle, with the spear moving like a dragon.


    Qiao Mu, who was over a hundred years old, unleashed the umted internal strength of nearly a hundred years. His long spear was almost unbeatable.


    With a gentle jab of the long spear, it created arge hole in the body of the paper soldier, who then fell to the ground like a thin piece of paper, lifeless.


    The Paper Man Legion quickly reacted, with a small group of soldiers turning around and surrounding Qiao Mu. The sound of bowstrings kept going, and arrows made of white paper cut through the air.


    Qiao Mu was also quick in his movements.


    He held a spear in front of him and spun rapidly, swinging the long spear like the wind. There was a continuous nging sound as arrows were knocked away by the spear.


    When Qiao Mu first started out, he used a long spear to block arrows and was hit by three in a row. But now, his Military Spear Skill had reached perfection, and he wielded the long spear so skillfully that no water could get through, without any weaknesses.


    "Fighting against lifeless objects like this¡­ not good enough."


    "Dying like this is not worth it!" Qiao Mu looked deeply at the old soldiers in front of him. The tip of his spear shot out with fierce momentum. Facing the endless waves of the Paper Man Legion on the battlefield, he fought alone, going in and out seven times.


    At first, the old soldiers who walked out of the lonely city didn¡¯t pay much attention to Qiao Mu charging out from the desert.


    Although they were surprised when he demonstrated his martial arts prowess and broke through the Paper Man formation like a unstoppable force, they weren¡¯t too excited.


    After all, they had seen the world.


    Being simply powerful wouldn¡¯t astonish these experienced old soldiers.


    After all, in the past, they were led by the Martial Saint, a great general of the Great Yan Imperial Court, and their former enemies were the Nine Immortal Gates¡­


    No matter how skilled they were in martial arts, it was not enough to impress them.


    However, at this moment, they were moved, almost losing focus on the battlefield despite their experience.


    This old man, who seemed even older than them, showcased his mastery of spear techniques on the battlefield.


    The Military Spear Skill was not considered an advanced technique,cking the intricate and sophisticated movespared to the various profound spear techniques of the martial arts world. It can only be seen as a basic skill.


    But Qiao Mu¡¯s Military Spear Skill was evidently of exceptional proficiency, swinging his spear with such uracy and without any ws.


    Any martial technique requires daily practice for years to master it to an advanced level, going through extensive sweat and bloodshed.


    And yet, this old man who appeared from beyond the desert already had a perfect mastery of the Military Spear Skill?


    "Is he a soldier of Great Yan?"


    Such thoughts crossed the minds of the veteran soldiers, causing their hands gripping their weapons to tremble slightly.


    After being trapped in the lonely city for forty years, a soldier from Great Yan finally arrived?


    The leading old general looked towards the direction where Qiao Mu wasing from, but only saw a middle-aged man standing on the sand dune, without seeing any other soldiers besides Qiao Mu, feeling slightly disappointed in his heart.


    But as they hadn¡¯t seen any foreign soldiers for a long time, their minds still fluctuated.


    And at this moment¡­


    Qiao Mu raised his spear and struck down, piercing through the head of thest paper man soldier, leaving a hole behind.


    He took a few breaths and looked down at the long and narrow wound on his waist and abdomen.


    Despite practicing martial arts for a hundred years and having deep skills, his body was still made of flesh and blood.


    The weapons of the paper man were very sharp, not inferior to those made of gold or iron, easily cutting his waist and abdomen and causing blood to gush out.


    No matter how well he trained, he was ultimately made of flesh and blood, unable to withstand sharp weapons.


    Behind Qiao Mu, Storyteller irvoyance approached slowly.


    After the initial shock, he gradually regained his senses. His gaze swept over the guards of the lonely city and finally fell upon the bodies of a few soldiers.


    The third eye on his forehead quietly opened, and in that moment, he saw a soul orb that was invisible to the naked eye dissipating from the bodies.


    Just as the soul orb dissipated, it seemed to be drawn by some force and disappeared into the sandy earth beneath his feet, leaving no trace.


    Squinting his eyes, irvoyance pondered silently, and nced discreetly in a certain direction.


    ¡­¡­¡­


    On a nearby hill, two cultivators dressed in robes were looking down at a sand table.


    Hundreds of small paper men on the sand table had be motionless and gradually broke apart.


    "Senior Brother Dao Shun, this time, you lost the bet," a Taoist said with a smile, looking towards the tall Taoist beside him.


    "The Paper Man Soldiers, numbering three hundred, only managed to y thirteen of the Great Yan soldiers. Your paper man technique has regressed?"


    The tall Taoist named Dao Shun let out a cold snort.


    "Those soldiers who have managed to survive until now are not ordinary individuals. Naturally, they be increasingly difficult to kill."


    "Moreover, there is a martial artist from elsewhere who is causing trouble."


    "From elsewhere? It¡¯s fortunate that they stumbled upon this isted city. There have been asional instances like this over the past forty years."


    "It¡¯s not just luck. It seems they entered with the Boundary Breaking Symbol."


    "Boundary Breaking Symbol? That exins it." The Taoist smiled slightly.


    "In this ce, once you enter, there is no way back, no way out. If an outsider martial artist can inspire the remaining old soldiers of this isted city, it would be a good thing."


    "Forty years ago, there were one hundred thousand soldiers. Now, there are only three hundred old soldiers left."


    "If your determination is diminished, all previous efforts will be wasted."


    Dao Shun nodded slightly.


    "I heard that under the mountain of Nan Province¡¯s Xuantian Sect, there is a small town specially designed for worshippers and pilgrims."


    "They say that the world is filled with hardships and famine, butparing that to Qingming Town, a ce where worshippers can have a full meal, naturally there will be a continuous stream of pure spiritual wishes and offerings."


    "And my Great Dao Sect¡¯s soul-binding array spans a hundred miles, muchrger than that of Xuantian Sect."


    For immortal cultivators, ordinary people in Jiu Province are like cattle and sheep providing them with spiritual offerings.


    At first, they only knew how to make the mortals devoutly worship, but as the Immortal Gate cultivators¡¯ understanding of the way of spiritual offerings deepened, they started to experiment with various methods.


    Mortals with strong wills and powerful souls are more valuable resources for immortal cultivators than ordinary worshippers.


    So, Nan Province has Qingming Town at the foot of Qingming Mountain, and Zhong Province has the vast Soul-binding Array in the Great Desert.


    "Senior Brother Dao Shun, this time I am willing to bet and ept defeat. All these are just excuses."


    Dao Shun frowned, took out a storage bag from his waist, and handed it to another Taoist.


    Thetter¡¯s divine consciousness moved, scanned the spirit stones inside the storage bag, and then felt satisfied.


    "Senior Brother Dao Shun, don¡¯t be discouraged."


    "Our Great Dao Sect¡¯s method of refining Taoist soldiers is more exquisite than any other Immortal Gate. Naturally, it is profound and difficult to master."


    "Senior Brother still needs to practice more¡­"


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    Before the lonely city.


    Qiao Mu sat on the ground and used bandages to simple dress his wounds.


    These bandages, medicines, and even food and water bags were prepared by the female general of Anxi Pass, obviously military supplies.


    This made the old soldiers who were observing Qiao Mu from a distance slightly excited.


    The old soldiers who walked out of the isted city at this moment started walking towards Qiao Mu. The leading old general bowed to Qiao Mu and thanked him for his help just now.


    The leading old general took off his helmet at this moment, revealing a weathered face.


    There were many cut marks on his armor, and it was heavily worn. His skin had a bronze color, and he was slightly slim with white hair. Only his old eyes remained bright as he examined Qiao Mu from head to toe.


    In his eyes, Qiao Mu, who was over a hundred years old, appeared even older than these old soldiers, but when it came to fighting, he was fearless and fierce. He wasn¡¯t wearing armor or military uniform, but his hands disyed a wless skill with the Great Yan Military Spear.


    This made him very puzzled about Qiao Mu¡¯s identity.


    It¡¯s too old to say that he¡¯s a veteran.


    He said he wasn¡¯t, but the impable Military Spear Skill he possessed was truly unforgettable.


    "We were once part of General Li¡¯s army, which conquered the inhuman¡¯s hundred thousand remaining soldiers," the old general sighed lightly.


    "Those were Paper Man Soldiers manipted by Immortal Gate¡¯s cultivators."


    "In recent years, the inhumans have rarely appeared on the battlefield, only hiding behind the scenes and using some magic tricks."


    "Both of you are citizens of Great Yan, as guests,e with me into the city."


    Although the old general said he would take him into the city, his eyes unconsciously nced at Qiao Mu. After hesitating to speak several times, he couldn¡¯t help but ask:


    "May I ask, sir, are you a soldier of Great Yan?" the old general asked as he posed the first question.


    "¡­.I used to be," Qiao Mu thought for a moment and replied.


    He used to join the army in Yan City in the past, although for a short time, he was still considered a soldier of Great Yan.


    This answer made the old general¡¯s eyes slightly dim.


    He wanted to ask in his heart if this brave foreign veteran was the vanguard of the Great Yan reinforcements¡­ but now he couldn¡¯t ask.


    "May I ask if the current Great Yan Emperor still remembers the soldiers and civilians trapped in this city?" the old general asked again.


    Qiao Mu was speechless for a moment.


    As a result, the surrounding old soldiers also fell silent. No one spoke anymore, they just continued to dress wounds and prepare the bodies of fallenrades.

 Chapter 179:

    Chapter 179:


    The setting sun had already sunk halfway into the clouds, like a huge clot of blood frozen in the sky.


    The bloody sunlight fell on the battlefield outside this lonely city, casting long shadows on the shoulders of the old soldiers.


    This isted army was cleaning up the battlefield, preparing the bodies, and the old general intended to take Qiao Mu and two others into the city. However, when they reached the city gate, their footsteps suddenly stopped.


    "Sir, let¡¯s not rush into the city. Before entering, I have some words I would like to say¡­ This is not the ce to talk. Please follow me," the old general turned around.


    Since he asked Qiao Mu those two questions, he started to think deeply and made a decision at this moment.


    The other soldiers also stopped their steps and sensed something unusual in the atmosphere. They discreetly nced at the old general and quietly gathered around.


    They didn¡¯t know what the old general was thinking, but they thought that he had noticed something suspicious about Qiao Mu and didn¡¯t want them to enter the city.


    However, the old general shook his head slightly at them and turned to Qiao Mu, saying:


    "In this lonely city, there are only three hundred old soldiers left, as well as women and children who cannot go to the battlefield¡­"Instead of taking Qiao Mu into the city, he led him along the damaged city wall.


    "The city wall doesn¡¯t have much effect against the inhuman Paper Man Soldier, especially considering the current state after forty years. The city wall is already in ruins and cannot withstand the ravages of war."


    "Nowadays, the city wall only serves to resist the sandstorms¡­"


    As they walked around the corner of the city wall, their vision suddenly widened.


    The view that appeared before Qiao Mu was a vast desert full of tombstones, tightly packed like a forest.


    Outside Anxi Pass, there are a hundred thousand tombstones, but they are just empty graves. Underneath this solitary city in the desert, there are also a hundred thousand tombstones, but they bury the remains of soldiers.


    "Forty years ago, there were a hundred thousand soldiers, but now only three hundred old soldiers remain."


    The old general¡¯s eyes dimmed slightly and he bowed to Qiao Mu.


    "My name is Hai Siyuan, the Sixth-ranked Captain of Great Yan."


    "Qiao Shuangsen," Qiao Mu also introduced himself, but then a thought arose in his mind.


    "Captain Hai, have you heard of Minister of Rites Hai Wuya from Great Yan?"


    Hai Siyuan¡¯s hands trembled slightly as he looked into Qiao Mu¡¯s eyes.


    "Hai Wuya is my father¡¯s name¡­ Is my father still alive?"


    "Still alive, and now serving as the current Minister of Rites, I¡­ my several younger family members have also received Hai Wuya¡¯s care." Qiao Mu didn¡¯t mention that Hai Wuya had just been released from heavenly prison, and continued:


    "Not only that, but I also encountered someone outside this vast desert who ims to be Hai Wuya¡¯s son, who should be your younger brother¡­"


    Hai Siyuan¡¯s lips trembled a bit, as if he had a lot to say and ask, but in the end, he just slightly turned his head and looked at the dense tombstones below the city wall.


    His white hair flew up with the yellow sand, and his figure appeared somewhat lonely.


    If Hai Wuya is still alive, he must be close to eighty years old now, right?


    Seventy years of life is rare in ancient times. It is indeed a cause for celebration that his father can live to such an old age.


    Even his younger brother at home still misses his existence, which is truly unexpected.


    It¡¯s just that in this current situation, it¡¯s difficult for him to feel any joy.


    He enlisted in the military at the age of twenty, but hasn¡¯t returned at the age of sixty.


    When he went to war, he was still a young and handsome man, but now he is old and looks even older than his middle-aged father in my memory.


    "Even though he is the Minister of Rites¡¯ son, why is he only a Captain ranked sixth? Are there still other higher-ranking officers in the city?"


    It wasn¡¯t Qiao Mu who asked the question, but the storyteller irvoyance standing next to him.


    He was very curious about this lonely army trapped in the desert, and he couldn¡¯t hold back his question any longer.


    He used to think that this old general might have been amander under the Martial Saint back then, but he didn¡¯t expect him to just hold the rank of a Sixth-ranked Captain.


    "Who needs any other officers?" Hai Siyuan looked at the rows of tombstones and smiled softly.


    "They are all lying here."


    "A Sixth-ranked Captain is already the highest ranking officer in this isted city."


    irvoyance was clearly taken aback, and asked again:


    "Is General Li Changge still with us?"


    Among the military officials of the Great Yan Imperial Court, Li Changge was a prominent figure. In the past, among the 100,000 elite soldiers, he was second only to the Martial Saint.


    With the Martial Saint gone, Li Changge should be the leader of this isted army.


    Hai Siyuan didn¡¯t say anything, he simply took a few steps forward and halted in front of a tombstone.


    "General Li led us in resistance for twenty years¡­ but he¡¯s also dead, died twenty years ago."


    This tombstone was no different from the others, just positioned slightly forward. If it weren¡¯t for Hai Siyuan¡¯s guidance, irvoyance wouldn¡¯t have been able to notice it.


    Twenty years¡­ Qiao Mu¡¯s gaze flickered slightly.


    The establishment of Anxi Pass also dates back twenty years.


    Judging by the timeline, it was precisely when Madame Bai, the guardian of the pass, appeared at Anxi Pass.


    This doesn¡¯t seem like a coincidence.


    The original "Spiritual Technique," which means the connection of hearts, was a secret method to guide the Li Changge couple in telepathy.


    Perhaps it was this "Spiritual Technique" that made Madame Bai know that Li Changge was still alive, so she arrived at Anxi Pass.


    "Spiritual Technique" is a mysterious intuition. The mind can reach across the Hundred-mile Desert and the Immortal Road Array through telepathy, but the physical body cannot gather together due to this array.


    And Li Changge¡¯s death¡­ could it also be rted to this "Spiritual Technique"?


    "You have suffered too much," Storyteller irvoyance sighed slightly.


    "And your enemies are not flesh and blood, nor any foreign barbarians, but the ¡®paper man¡¯ of cultivators."


    "Paper man, without blood or tears. Even if the paper man is crushed to pieces, as long as the cultivator¡¯s magic power recovers, they cane back again."


    "You have fought bravely until now, which is indeed admirable, but what have you gained in return?"


    The words deeply touched Hai Siyuan and the others, causing much sadness in their hearts.


    If their enemies were just ordinary foreign barbarians, it would be fine.


    As elite soldiers of Great Yan, they were braver than ordinary soldiers.


    If they killed the foreign barbarians, even if it was a one-for-one exchange, it wouldn¡¯t be too much of a loss. Killing two would break even, killing five or ten would be even better, and even if they died, they would still make a profit.


    However, this group of soldiers was not ordinary frontier guards. The enemies they faced were far more terrifying than the barbarians of enemy countries. They were cultivators, who had no blood, tears, or feelings in their paper man bodies.


    The paper man was just a creation of immortal techniques. Even if a soldier lost their life, to exchange it for a hundred or a thousand paper men, it would still be considered a loss.


    Fighting and dying on the battlefield against enemy countries, for Great Yan soldiers, could perhaps be considered an honor.


    However, fighting and dying against paper men was a different matter altogether.


    The sacrifices of these soldiers were of no benefit to the overall war situation, and perhaps of no benefit to Jiu Province¡¯s greater cause.


    irvoyance felt sorrowful in her heart, realizing that perhaps no one knew that this lone army still existed in Great Yan today.

 Chapter 180:

    Chapter 180:


    "What did our struggle bring us?" Hai Siyuan shook his head.


    "Why so many questions? It¡¯s just about survival."


    "There are still women and children alive in this lonely city. That alone is worth it."


    He didn¡¯t say anything profound to the stranger, Storyteller irvoyance.


    He was a soldier, skilled in battle, not dealing with the storyteller in front of him.


    However, irvoyance wasn¡¯t quite satisfied.


    As the storyteller of Tide Listening Building, he keenly realized that if the story of this lone army spread, it would surely shake the entire Jiu Province.


    Even the news of the Martial Saint¡¯s brief appearance before dying may not be as shocking as this news.


    After pondering for a moment, he asked again, "Captain Hai, do you know that these inhumans are not the barbaric foreigners who torture and peel the skin off the people of Jiu Province? If Captain Hai considers the overall situation and the lives of the people in this isted city, wouldn¡¯t it be more appropriate to surrender to the Immortal Gate sooner?""In that case, perhaps the residents of the city can live a little longer."


    As soon as these words were spoken, the faces of several soldiers around them changed immediately.


    "What the heck is this damn person talking about?"


    "I¡¯ve been guarding the city for forty years, and finally someonees through the desert, and the first thing they ask me is why I didn¡¯t surrender earlier?"


    If it weren¡¯t for Qiao Mu standing next to them, who helped them in battle and saved some of theirrades from dying, they would probably have drawn their swords uncontrobly.


    Even the leader, Captain Hai Siyuan, frowned and nced back and forth between Qiao Mu and irvoyance.


    He sensed that these two people were not on the same side.


    "Mr. Qiao Shuangsen is a former soldier from Great Yan, and who are you?" He turned to irvoyance and asked.


    "He is a storyteller from the Tide Listening Building, and I just happened to meet him," Qiao Mu also decided to keep his distance.


    This irvoyance talks too much, and always brings up sensitive topics, making Qiao Mu, who is more straightforward, feel overwhelmed.


    Does anyone speak like you?


    Actually, Qiao Mu and the others misunderstood him.


    His name is irvoyance, not Clueless.


    There is a reason behind his sarcastic way of speaking.


    The Tide Listening Building has eyes and ears everywhere, and if you want to obtain the most reliable and authentic information, you have to be very persuasive in your words.


    We are all adults, not children.


    Both have secrets and defenses, and understand the principle of deepening rtionships through shallow conversations. It¡¯s unlikely that a storyteller like you woulde and share their innermost thoughts.


    irvoyance is skilled at using the art of saying things that hit where it hurts.


    Appears to have low emotional intelligence, but actually does it on purpose.


    These seasoned soldiers have been guarding the isted city for forty years, so they naturally have strong defenses.


    irvoyance wants to break through their defenses, so intentionally uses provocativenguage.


    The more these soldiers¡¯ defenses are shattered, the angrier they be. They feel their passionate hearts are wasted, and this increases the likelihood of revealing their true thoughts due to emotional fluctuations.


    Of course, this type ofnguage technique has both advantages and disadvantages.


    The biggest disadvantage is¡­ being easily refuted by others.


    "I seem to have heard of the Tide Listening Building¡¯s storyteller before," Hai Siyuan pondered for a moment before remembering.


    Forty years ago, Hai Wuya was already the Minister of Rites and he was also a martial artist from the rivers andkes. That¡¯s why Hai Siyuan is quite knowledgeable.


    "I heard that within Tide Listening Building, there are two factions called ¡®Real Events¡¯ and ¡®Curious Tales¡¯. Which faction are you from?" Hai Siyuan looked at irvoyance with a meaningful gaze.


    "Naturally, I belong to the ¡®Real Events¡¯ faction," irvoyance replied without hesitation.


    "No matter how extraordinary the curious tales may be, they cannotpare to the power of true events that touch the heart."


    This is a lie!


    The two people from Tide Listening Building, irvoyance and iraudience, are both talented storytellers with extraordinary abilities. They are the pirs of the ¡®Curious Tales¡¯ faction and are inseparable.


    Tide Listening Building is not an ordinary martial arts force. Being a pir among the storytellers doesn¡¯t necessarily mean their martial arts skills are exceptional. It simply represents their outstanding abilities in the art of storytelling.


    In fact, it means they have superior eloquence, rhetoric, and even stronger imaginationpared to regr storytellers. They can weave even more astonishing tales.


    Although irvoyance ims to belong to the ¡®Real Events¡¯ faction, it is also because storytellers from the Fantastic Faction don¡¯t have a good reputation.


    After all, it¡¯s not surprising that the reputation is good when you¡¯re always doing strange things like the "Top 10 Bad Pants Crotch."


    "As a practical storyteller, my purpose in venturing into the desert is to visit the ruins of Anxi City and uncover the true events of the Inhuman War," said irvoyance excitedly.


    "Captain Hai, your answers are very important to me."


    "If one day I can leave this desert, I will definitely share the story of the remnants of Great Yan with the outside world, spreading it throughout Jiu Province through the Tide Listening Building."


    irvoyance almost believed the words herself.


    His purpose ining here wasn¡¯t so noble and righteous. Originally, he only suspected that the secret of the Inhuman War was hidden in this desert, and it seemed to be rted to the Immortal Gate¡­ If he knew the secret was so big and involved the Immortal Gate so deeply, he would nevere, even if you paid him.


    The reason why the Tide Listening Building has survived until now is not because they are strong, but because they adhere to the principle of not causing trouble, only sitting high up in the building, listening to the tides rise and fall, and not personally getting involved.


    However, seeing how excited the old soldiers were, irvoyance didn¡¯t dare to push the conversation too far.


    After all, Qiao Mu wasn¡¯t on his side either. In fact, just a moment ago, he was Qiao Mu¡¯s captive.


    If the old soldiers are really angered and draw their swords to hack at him, perhaps no one here will be able to protect him.


    I dare to ask, soldiers, please don¡¯t be angry¡­ It is likely that outside Jiu Province, nobody knows your whereabouts, nobody knows that you are still fighting, including the current emperor¡­ So why are you still defending this lonely city? Why not surrender to the inhuman?


    "If you surrender, more soldiers and civilians in this lonely city will be able to survive, which is better than everyone in the city perishing in the desert."


    Hai Siyuan took a deep breath subconsciously, trying to calm himself down, restraining the urge to unsheathe his sword, and said in a low voice:


    "In the past forty years, there have indeed been a small number of deserters in this lonely city, as well as people who fled¡­ They disappeared in this vast desert, whether they are alive or dead, we don¡¯t know the oue either."


    "If you are asking why our remaining three hundred soldiers refuse to surrender¡­"


    Hai Siyuan looked at the old soldiers behind him, who also had gray hair.


    "Zhao Dayong, why didn¡¯t you surrender?"


    This old soldier appeared to be in his sixties or seventies, older than Hai Siyuan. He replied:


    "Captain, I am a person from Nan Province, Yan City. My wife and children are there. If even thest remaining elite soldiers of Great Yan surrender, how can the people of Jiu Province have any fighting spirit?"


    "If a country doesn¡¯t protect its people, how can it be called home? And what about the safety and well-being of my family?"


    Hai Siyuan nodded and looked at another old soldier.


    "Chen Zhi, why don¡¯t you surrender?"


    "If the inhumans be powerful, they will see ordinary people as insignificant. Surrendering may be easy, but afterwards, we might be nothing more than inhuman¡¯s cattle and horses. It¡¯s better to die in battle."


    "Chen An?"


    "We are already the most elite army of Great Yan, we can die, but we cannot surrender!"


    "What about you, Guo Huaizhong?"


    "Is there really so much reason to surrender?"


    "Can Ie up with a hundred or even a thousand reasons to surrender? Is it because the water is too cold?"


    "There¡¯s only one reason not to surrender, because I am a soldier! A soldier of Great Yan! A soldier of Jiu Province! Is this reason enough?"


    These old soldiers gradually became excited in their speech.


    In the past few years, very few outsiders havee to this isted city. In front of Qiao Mu and Storyteller irvoyance, they couldn¡¯t help but open up.


    "They said a lot. So, let me share my thoughts." Hai Siyuan¡¯s gaze was deep as he looked at the numerous gravestones of soldiers before him.


    "Forty years ago, I was only twenty years old, and among the hundred thousand army, I was considered one of the youngest group of officers."


    "Mr. Qiao, do you know why I have survived till now, while several generals with higher ranks than me have all perished?"


    "Is it because I am the son of the Minister of Rites? Is it because I have excellent qualifications and high martial arts skills, that¡¯s why I¡¯m still alive?"


    He smiled lightly and shook his head.


    "My father¡¯s reputation is not that great. The elite soldiers of the Great Yan army, totaling one hundred thousand, included individuals of even higher status and power than my father."


    "But they all died."


    "I was able to survive because those few generals sacrificed themselves and told me I was still young, not to rush into death¡­." Captain Hai, who has already reached old age, looked at the tombstones covering the mountainside, tears streaming down his face:


    "The old soldiers and generals died for me in the past!"


    "But now I, an old soldier, should die for the women and children of the lonely city, for the future generations of Jiu Province!"


    Some thought about their families back home, some were filled with love for Jiu Province, some simply couldn¡¯t ept the inhuman cruelty, and some carried on the will of the old soldiers.


    Each soldier in this isted army had their own thoughts, their own reasons.


    But in the end, they all stood within this lonely city, ory outside the solitary city in the desert, buried in graves.


    The old soldiers and generals finished speaking.


    Qiao Mu and irvoyance both looked at the silent desert with angry old soldiers, unable to say a word.


    Especially irvoyance, who was a storyteller.


    As part of the Fantastic Faction in the Tide Listening Building, he had heard many strange and absurd stories and had created many touching stories.


    But those were all fictional stories, either exaggerated or embellished, not real.


    What was in front of him now was the truth, the historical facts.


    With white hair all over, they held onto their battle swords till death. They had fought for forty years, how could they forget Great Yan?


    "Sacrificing oneself for the nation, seeing death as returning home. The power of a true story cannot be created by even the most skilled storyteller," Qiao Mu nced at the storyteller beside him and said slowly.


    Storyteller irvoyance was momentarily stunned, then nodded slowly.


    In front of these brave Great Yan soldiers, who were willing to die for their country, he realized that he had used rhetoric to prate their defenses¡­ and felt a sense of shame.


    Between life and death, there is great terror!


    Regardless of which era it is, those who dare to courageously sacrifice their lives and face this great terror are very few.


    Very few, but never extinct.


    In the vast Jiu Province, from ancient times until now, there has always been a group of true heroes who have faith and willingly give their lives.


    The soldiers guarding the borders, the troops defending the territory.


    The schrs who raised their coffins to advise against wrongdoing, the militarymanders who died in battle.


    Their names are recorded in history, and these figures have been passed down through the ages, running through the entire ancient history of Jiu Province.


    This is the power of reality, a magnificent epic that even a skilled storyteller like irvoyance cannotpose!


    "Storyteller of Tide Listening Building, are you satisfied with our answer?" Hai Siyuan asked again, his voice echoing in the desert.


    "I have nothing more to say." The storyteller kept silent and bowed deeply towards Hai Siyuan.


    He surrendered.


    "Captain Hai, he has nothing more to say, but I still have something to ask," Qiao Mu spoke up at this moment.


    "I want to ask Martial Saint¡­ the former General Li, why he can live while you all can only wait to die in this lonely city?" Qiao Mu¡¯s eyes were piercing.


    He had witnessed and challenged Martial Saint before, and now, upon encountering the remnants of the Great Yan army, he felt it was unworthy for them.


    "Martial Saint was the only survivor among the hundred thousand army of Great Yan who invaded Immortal Gate forty years ago. He even obtained General Li Changge¡¯s ¡®Spiritual Technique.¡¯ Why was it him who survived and not you?"


    As soon as these words were spoken.


    The elderly soldiers¡¯ gazes changed, bing quiteplicated.


    Within Anxi City, there were indeed outsiders, but they were extremely rare.


    And they have heard about the things that the former General Li, now known as the Martial Saint, has done.


    They know very little about the outside world¡¯s Jiu Province, but not nothing.


    Especially when ites to the Martial Saint.


    "General Li is definitely not a deserter¡­." Captain Hai¡¯s gaze turned deep as he recalled the events from many years ago:


    "I happen to know the reason behind why he possesses General Li¡¯s ¡®Spiritual Technique.¡¯"


    "Back then, even though I was just a Sixth-ranked Captain in the army, I was the son of the Minister of Rites. So, there are some things that I know as well."


    ¡­¡­¡­..


    In the vast desert forty years ago, outside a solitary city.


    Inside arge tent, two generals erupted into a fierce argument.


    "Li Changge, you are underestimating me, Martial Saint! I, Martial Saint, am not afraid of death. If you can die, why can¡¯t I? Is it logical for soldiers to fight to the death while the marshal flees alone?"


    The Martial Saint, in his prime, had a tall and sturdy figure like a tower, with eyes as cold as lightning, exuding an astonishing aura.


    Inparison, Li Changge appeared more gentle, with starry eyes, sword-like eyebrows, fairplexion, and a schrly air. However, her presence was no weaker than that of the Martial Saint.


    "Brother Wu, stop acting tough here! Hurry, let¡¯s go! What meaning is there to die at the hands of these inhumans? You are the strongest among the hundred thousand troops, with the greatest hope!"


    "Why don¡¯t you go? Li Changge, isn¡¯t there a beloved wife waiting for you at home?"


    "Do you think I don¡¯t want to leave? If it weren¡¯t for your superior martial arts aptitude and greater hope, why would I need to rely on you to escape? By that time, I¡¯ll definitely run faster than you!"


    Li Changge twisted her mustache and stared wide-eyed, leaving Martial Saint speechless for a moment.


    "Brother Wu! I hope that Brother Wu will consider Jiu Province¡¯s interests and the interests of the world," Li Changge sped her hands and said again.


    "To die is simple. It is much harder to endure humiliation and silently hide away¡­"


    "The tactics and strategies of our army are not significant in the face of inhuman beings. In my opinion, the hope of Jiu Province lies in martial arts¡­ not the martial arts of today, but the martial arts of the future."


    "At 45 years old, you are already the eleventh best martial artist in the world. If you hadn¡¯t been distracted by your official duties and studying tactics, your achievements in martial arts would have been even higher! In this respect, I am not as good as you."


    "Great Yan needs a pioneer in martial arts, not a general who dies at the hands of inhuman beings. Among the hundred thousand troops, no one is more suitable than you to be the pioneer of martial arts."


    Martial Saint remained silent for a long time.


    "Even so, I cannot abandon the hundred thousand soldiers¡­" he hesitated.


    Li Changge didn¡¯t say anything, she just walked to the front of therge tent and lifted the curtain of the tent door.


    Outside the door curtain, there were many military officers waiting in the tent, about a hundred of them. Among them was the young military lieutenant Hai Siyuan.


    "Please, General Li, escape," said one officer.


    "If the general stays in this ce, he will surely meet his death. With the general¡¯s talents, if he escapes and focuses on studying martial arts, perhaps many yearster, there will be hope for martial arts in the world and Jiu Province will have a chance!"


    "Here are 100,000 elite soldiers from Jiu Province, each willing to sacrifice themselves for our country!" The other soldiers also spoke up, causing amotion in the tent.


    "General Li, it¡¯s fine if you leave, but please help the rest of us 100,000 soldiers to survive!"


    "Please, General Li, save yourself!"


    "Please, General Li, save yourself!"


    Martial Saint¡¯s face was met with hundreds of eyes. The soldiers¡¯ words started off chaotic but gradually became unified and orderly.


    Inside the tent, Li Changge also made a move. He took out a prepared package and handed it to Martial Saint.


    "You even prepared the package? Keeping it a secret from yourmander?"


    "What¡¯s inside this package¡­ ¡®Spiritual Technique¡¯?"


    Inside the package Li Changge gave him were not just water and food supplies, but a series of martial arts manuals with ¡®Spiritual Technique¡¯ as the leading one.


    "This was gathered by the soldiers¡­it was urgent and there was not enough time to collect much. And no one had their secret manuals with them when they went on the expedition, so these are just recently transcribed parts, not veryplete¡­"


    "What does this mean?"


    "This is a little bit of provisions for the pioneers of martial arts. Immortal cultivation is strong while martial arts are weak, if we martial artists want to progress, we can¡¯t cherish our belongings!"


    Martial Saint didn¡¯t say anything else, he just silently picked up his baggage, mounted his horse, and rode off into the distance, with the gaze of the soldiers following him.


    He was not a hesitant person, so once he saw the soldiers¡¯ determination to die, he naturally wouldn¡¯t let them down.


    Before they even left the main camp, the sky to the west was covered in dark clouds, with lightning crisscrossing through the clouds, and a majestic voice came from the clouds, echoing through the sky.


    The inhumans from the Nine Immortal Gates have arrived!


    "The inhumans are attacking¡­" Li Changge mounted her horse, leading many soldiers, pointing their swords at the rainbow lights in the sky:


    "The sons of Great Yan, follow me in battle, for General Li¡¯s cause!"


    "Take care, General Li!"


    A Martial Saint rode a horse and thunderous roars followed him, shaking the heavens with cries of battle.


    He didn¡¯t look back, but silently took off his general¡¯s helmet and threw it onto the sandy ground.


    "Don¡¯t call me ¡®general¡¯ anymore."


    "From now on, there is no General Li in this world, only the Martial Saint," he whispered to himself, making a vow.


    "Soldiers, when I return, I will already be a Martial Saint."


    "If not a saint, then a beast!"


    A fleeting sh of lightning illuminated the sky, as well as the solemn and sorrowful expression on the face of the Martial Saint.


    "If being gentle and humble can deal with the inhumane, then I can also be a saint."


    "However, the iron rule of this world is still survival of the fittest, with the strong overpowering the weak and disregarding thews of civility."


    "Survival of the fittest is not the path of a saint, but rather the path of a beast!"


    Sheep eat grass, wolves eat sheep, and tigers eat wolves.


    The weak can only be food, while the strong can enjoy avish life and be high above all!


    From now on.


    He wanted to be the most savage creature in the Jiu Province, treating the weak as food, and embarking on a path covered with blood and thorns.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    After listening to the story about Martial Saint, Qiao Mu also pondered.


    irvoyance sighed:


    "Surprisingly, the Martial Saint had such a past¡­ People might have thought that he was born a wicked demon who ate people whole."


    "General Li in his prime and the Martial Saint in his old age were almost like two different people."


    "Forty years is a long time, and it¡¯s hard to say whether it was his strong determination or the despair of the long years that drove him mad¡­"


    irvoyance didn¡¯t hide her disgust towards the Martial Saint.


    He had respect for the lone soldier guarding the deserted city for forty years, but his feelings towards the Martial Saint werepletely different.


    With forty years of bloody killings in the martial world, sacrificing a whole generation of martial arts heroes, this was a path stained with uncleanable blood.


    Without a doubt, among those who died directly or indirectly at the hands of the Martial Saint, there were the rtives and loved ones of one hundred thousand elite soldiers from Great Yan.


    The martial world and the royal court of Great Yan were notpletely opposed. Among the one hundred thousand soldiers, many came from prestigious martial arts families that had already been wiped out by the Martial Saint.


    Hai Siyuan remained silent. He didn¡¯tment on the Martial Saint, but instead recounted a past experience.


    "The matter is finished." Hai Siyuan looked at the stone forest outside the city, lost in thought.


    "Mr. Qiao, next, I would like to ask for your help." Hai Siyuan said.


    Instead of bringing Qiao Mu into the city, he brought him to the stone forest outside the city to pay respects to the spirits and share their stories, satisfying Qiao Mu¡¯s curiosity. Naturally, there was a reason for it.


    At this time, Qiao Mu had not yet entered the city, but Hai Siyuan had already exined the situation of this lone army.


    "Help with what? You can tell me." Qiao Mu said.


    "I would like to ask Mr. Qiao to y a role." After pondering for a moment, Hai Siyuan said:


    "I hope Mr. Qiao will pretend to be a current high-ranking officer of Great Yan, representing Great Yan entering the city, and deceive the residents by iming that the Great Yan reinforcement army ising and that you are the vanguard."


    Qiao Mu was initially taken aback, then looked at Hai Siyuan in astonishment.


    "Spread lies to the people of this isted city? Are you trying to find sce in wishful thinking?"


    Hai Siyuan was silent.


    Before, he asked Qiao Mu if the Great Yan Emperor still cared about the soldiers and civilians trapped in this city, but the answer he received was silence.


    He no longer held any hope for the Great Yan Imperial Court.


    But this isted city cannot be without hope.


    The more difficult the times, the more isted and helpless they be, the more precious hope bes.


    Of the initial 100,000 elite soldiers who managed to hold on until now, one source of hope was given by the Martial Saint.


    "Out of the 100,000 elite soldiers, now there are only 300 elderly soldiers left. We have defended this city for forty years, but manpower is ultimately limited. How much longer can we hold on with just 300 elderly soldiers?" Captain Hai said in a deep voice.


    "After forty years of istion, we have no way out," he continued.


    "If we are destined to die, and our time is near, then before the entire city falls, why not let the soldiers and civilians in the city have a little more hope?"

 Chapter 181:

    Chapter 181:


    In the middle of the deserted city.


    Lu Yanbei stood at the entrance of the military camp in the city, looking worriedly towards the direction of the city gate.


    "Why haven¡¯t Captain Hai and the others returned yet? This time the battle has been going on for a while. Did the inhumans use exceptionally powerful methods, or did something unexpected happen?"


    Behind Lu Yanbei, the women and children who sought refuge in the military camp were buzzing with chatter.


    Whenever the inhumans attacked, the old soldiers on the city wall would blow their horns.


    If the inhumans were too strong and the situation became critical, the residents of the city would be evacuated in advance.


    This military camp in the city was still rtively intact, with the former arsenal and granary. It was tall and spacious, serving as a refuge for the desperate women and children in the lonely city.


    After all, there were only three hundred old soldiers left in the city, so arge military camp was useless."


    "Don¡¯t worry. If any bad people quietlye into the city, I will use my sword to send them to heaven."Lu Yanbei gently rubbed the head of a young child behind him, with a smile on his face tofort.


    After whispering a few words to the children, he turned around and unconsciously ced his hand on the sheath of his sword at his waist. His old face also showed some seriousness.


    Lu Yanbei is an old man with a tall figure. He looks very old, with wrinkles and age spots scattered on his face. His left arm is wrapped in bandages, indicating that he is injured.


    What is even more striking than his old age is that he has two swords hanging at his waist.


    One of them is a regr wooden sword.


    The other sword is called the Xuanji Sword. It was once ranked tenth on the Tide Listening Building¡¯s weapon list, a divine weapon that can cut iron like mud and break gold and jade.


    Lu Yanbei reached out and touched the Xuanji Sword at his waist, his eyes filled with memories.


    "Xuanji Sword, old me never imagined that I would have the chance to wield you in battle again in myter years¡­" he murmured.


    Lu Yanbei is a famous expert in swordsmanship from Jiu Province. He is regarded as one of the leaders of swordsmanship in Jiu Province and is known as the "Wooden Sword Walker".


    Despite being over eighty years old, he has achieved remarkable sess in the realm of skill and technique. Even with his aging body, he can still defeat a second rank Spirit Refining martial artist with a wooden sword, leaving behind stories in the martial arts world.


    In his prime, Lu Yanbei¡¯s swordsmanship had already reached the level of being unrivaled by anyone using a wooden sword. He was not limited by external objects and could use anything, even grass and trees, as a sword. He could be described as having the aura of a true master.


    But now, he is old.


    In old age, one¡¯s vitality and strength decline. This is a naturalw and amon feeling for people.


    The former Wooden Sword Walker, Lu Yanbei, was the same.


    Even with great skills, the weak body can¡¯tpare to the strength of the younger years when stepping onto the battlefield. It is like a skilled cook can¡¯t make a meal without rice.


    Lu Yanbei is not native to this city.


    He is one of the few surviving foreign martial artists in this lonely city.


    He fell into this city for about a year. At first, he fought with a wooden sword, butter he had to rely on the advantage of a treasure sword.


    But even so, in each battle, there were times when he stumbled.


    After his left arm was injured, he no longer fought side by side with the three hundred senior soldiers, but retreated to the city to recover.


    "Old Lu, your martial arts level is higher, your hearing is still good, can you hear any movement in the direction of the city gate?"


    Old Chen, who had one leg, walked over with a crutch, his face equally solemn.


    His temples were gray, and he was over eighty years old, a veteran who had experienced the Inhuman War forty years ago.


    He was much older than Captain Hai, who used to be a young soldier, but because of aging and disability, he could no longer go to the battlefield.


    In this lonely city, besides the three hundred senior soldiers who can still fight, there are basically only women, children, and the disabled veterans from that year.


    "There is no sign of fighting." Lu Yanbei frowned, nced at the women and children taking shelter behind him, took a few steps away quietly, and lowered his voice:


    "In theory, the fighting should have already ended, but why is there no one blowing the horn on the city wall to give us a signal?"


    "Could it be¡­" The thought simultaneously crossed the minds of Lu Yanbei and the others, their expressions growing even more serious.


    Either the casualties of this battle were unusually high, or they encountered some other unexpected situation¡­


    "Let¡¯s go and see what¡¯s happening at the city gate tower."


    Lu Yanbei suggested.


    Although he was a martial artist from outside the realm, not a soldier of Great Yan, he had been trapped in this city for a year.


    This past year, he had already been influenced by the indomitable spirit of this small army and fought alongside them.


    Sensing that something was amiss, he ignored the injury on his left arm and decided to go to the city gate to investigate.


    Two old men, one with an injured arm and the other with a broken leg, supported each other as they walked towards the direction of the city gate tower.


    It was only after turning a few streets that they heard a sad crying voice echoing through the air.


    They were a group of old soldiers walking towards the city gate, carrying the bodies of their fallenrades with white cloths covering their faces. They were surrounded by family members of the soldiers who rushed there upon hearing the news.


    "In this battle, thirteen more people have died." whispered one of the old soldiers.


    "There used to be a hundred thousand soldiers, and now there are only around three hundred left."


    For the past forty years, there had been casualties in every battle. But with only thirteen deaths this time, it was actually much smallerpared to previous wars.


    However, this number of casualties was not a simple figure.


    "Such a tragedy¡­" cried a frail old woman, kneeling beside the two bodies covered in white cloth.


    The body on the left belonged to an old soldier in his sixties, and the one on the right was younger, maybe in his thirties or forties.


    A middle-aged man and an elderly man, the two bodies had a faint resemnce, as if they were father and son.


    Many of the soldiers in the city were old veterans from the Inhuman War, but there were also new recruits who had joined in the past forty years.


    "They say that father and son fight together on the battlefield, so you two should support each other, not go on the same journey¡­" The old woman cried out in the wind.


    "My child, you have lived in this city for over thirty years, grown up here, and yet you have never seen the scenery beyond this vast desert. Why did you leave¡­"


    "Old man, why couldn¡¯t you have died earlier? Why did you have to ruin my son and make him yearn for a Great Yan he has never seen before, taking his ce on the battlefield¡­"


    "Guarding this city for forty years, the once hundred thousand strong army has dwindled down to only three hundred old soldiers. Where is this Great Yan that you speak of in these forty years?"


    "Guarding the city? Guarding a useless city!"


    "What good is righteousness and loyalty? It only moves oneself! Does anyone in Jiu Province still remember the soldiers and civilians in this city?"


    Lu Yanbei, who had rushed over from a distant block, remained silent.


    It had be the norm in this city for soldiers to die in battle, but whenever he saw scenes of farewell between loved ones, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of sadness.


    But at that moment, the old woman saw Lu Yanbei rushing over and, somehow finding the strength, she grabbed hold of his shirt cor.


    "Mr. Lu, you came from outside of Jiu Province. Say something," the old woman wailed.


    "Why is there silence about the situation in Great Yan outside? What exactly is the situation in Jiu Province now?"


    "Was the sacrifice of my husband and son meaningless?"


    Over the years, there have been very few martial artists from the outside world like Qiao Mu who entered this isted city.


    After hearing about the achievements of the military and civilians in this city, including Lu Yanbei, a few martial artists from the outside world made the same decision.


    They remained silent about the Great Yan Imperial Court and the inhuman matters, keeping them deeply hidden.


    Despite the old woman grabbing onto Lu Yanbei¡¯s shirt cor, he still kept his mouth tightly shut.


    By now, the old woman had cried herself out, only shaking her head.


    "I understand, actually no one is a fool."


    She knelt on the ground, closed the old soldier¡¯s eyes, and sadly smiled, saying:


    "In the past, one hundred thousand brave soldiers didn¡¯t betray Great Yan, sacrificing themselves for their country, refusing to kneel before inhumanity. But Great Yan has disappointed the remaining soldiers defending this city!"


    Lu Yanbei wanted to speak but hesitated.


    What else could he say?


    Actually, the situation in the Jiu Province outside is much worse than this old woman imagines!


    He remained silent, not because of anyplicated reason, but simply because he couldn¡¯t bear it.


    More tragic than "we were about to fight to death, why did Your Majesty surrender first" is the fact that this isted army has been fighting for forty years, while the Great Yan Imperial Court behind them has been kneeling for forty years!


    "The Jiu Province outside has long been rotting!"


    "The brave warriors who died in the tragic Inhuman War are now thest hope of the people in Jiu Province. Since then, the backbone of the warriors has been broken, the spirit of the schrs has been shattered, and the heroes have be a thing of the past!"


    "The Taoist temples of the Nine Immortal Gates have almost spread throughout the major cities of Jiu Province!"


    "And now, the people of Jiu Province worship the Immortal Gates as if they were shrines for True Immortals, and even the folks in remote small towns don¡¯t know what ¡®inhuman¡¯ means."


    "What has been forgotten by the world is not just this remaining army and this lonely city. If a few decades pass, the people of Jiu Province mightpletely forget about the ¡®Inhuman War¡¯."


    How could Lu Yanbei possibly utter these words!


    He would rather stay silent and not talk about it.


    If the truth is revealed, countless people in this lonely city will lose all hope and motivation.


    That¡¯s why he prefers to remain silent, even if silence in itself is a stance.


    After a while, Lu Yanbei could only offerforting words:


    "This desert has been isted from the outside world for many years. The powerful magic barrier is not something ordinary people can pass."


    "The Great Yan outside is not unwilling toe and help, they just don¡¯t know¡­"


    As he said these words, he felt a slight sadness in his heart.


    ording to what Lu Yanbei knew, there are still remnants of soldiers defending this isted city until now. Nobody in the outside world should know about this, he was not lying about it.


    But¡­ what difference does it make to know?


    If Emperor Yonghe knew, would he really risk the pressure from the Immortal Gate and send arge army to help?


    The old woman¡¯s words, in Lu Yanbei¡¯s opinion, were actually correct.


    Lu Yanbei silently thought in his heart:


    "The one hundred thousand soldiers have not let down Great Yan, defending the isted city and itsnd until now. It is Great Yan Imperial Court that has let you down!"


    The crying and shouting gradually became quieter, and their tears had dried up, leaving only sadness in their hearts.


    Lu Yanbei took heavy steps and walked a few steps away to ask the old soldiers who were carrying the bodies about the details of this battle.


    "Thirteen soldiers killed in action, and there are still over three hundred wounded¡­ How much longer can this city hold on?" he couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    However, none of the old soldiers answered.


    Everyone knew that this isted city was destined to fall, and even when it would fall was not determined by them, but by the emotions of the inhuman.


    How long could the three hundred old soldiers hold on? A year? Half a year? Or maybe just a month?


    When inhuman attacked the isted city, it was like the rain from the heavens, unpredictable, sometimes clear and sometimes rainy, without a fixed pattern.


    Today, they may be Paper Man Soldiers, and tomorrow they could be scattered soldiers, using various tactics from the Immortal Gate to attack the city. It was difficult to predict.


    Nobody had any certainty in their hearts.


    At that moment, the direction of the distant city gate suddenly became noisy. Many people were talking loudly and Lu Yanbei and the others instinctively looked towards the sound.


    The sound of a trumpet came from the direction of the city gate tower.


    However, this time the sound of the trumpet was not as deep as before, but instead carried a faint sense of excitement.


    This trumpet sound meant that the battle had ended, the city¡¯s curfew was lifted, and the evacuated residents could return¡­ but it seemed there was more to it?


    Everyone was puzzled.


    A young boy with a yellow face ran from the direction of the city gate tower, his mouth almost reaching his ears:


    "There¡¯s someone from the outside at the city gate!"


    The people on the street were startled, but only for a brief moment.


    A martial artist cannot change the overall situation and cannot save this city.


    Even the best martial artist, ranked 1st, cannot escape this desert blocked by the Immortal Gate with them.


    "People from the outside? Are they martial artists from another world? Could they be another disciple deceived by the Great Dao Sect?" Lu Yanbei sighed in his heart.


    I hope the peopleing this time will have a higher level of martial arts cultivation, so maybe fewer people in this city will die.


    "He said he¡¯s not a martial artist from another world¡­ He said he¡¯s a soldier, a soldier from Great Yan!" the child shouted.


    Upon hearing this, Lu Yanbei and the others were all astonished.


    The old woman, who had just cried until her voice was almost hoarse, also froze, withplex and fluctuating thoughts in her heart.


    "Soldiers from Great Yan havee from outside? How many people? Finally, we have reinforcements?" She fired a rapid series of questions, grabbing the running child and not letting go.


    "One¡­ two people."


    The soaring emotions of the crowd were suddenly doused with a bucket of cold water.


    Only the old soldier with a single leg suddenly remembered something. His hand, gripping the crutch, began to tremble slightly as he asked in a trembling voice:


    "Did only one soldiere? Is hisst name Wu? Is General Li back?"


    One person cannot change the overall situation.


    But if that General Li returns, perhaps there will be a different scene.


    General Li, who was once a pivotal figure in the army, if he doesn¡¯t show up, it means he is not confident.


    If he returns, it means he has the awareness to change the situation.


    The young child was frightened by the excited reaction of the old soldier with a single leg. Their lips stuttered for a moment, unable to speak.


    And at that moment.


    An elderly voice, however, came from a distance.


    "I have the surname Qiao."


    An old man with white hair, holding a long spear, walked slowly from the end of the street, followed by Captain Hai and other old soldiers.


    The old man had many wrinkles on his face, even older than the old soldiers in this city, but his eyes were bright and determined, not cloudy like other old people.


    "My name is Qiao Shuangsen, themander of the Great Yan Immortal ying Army."


    "Great Yan has not forgotten you¡­ all the sacrifices and defenses of this lonely city for the past forty years will be known throughout Jiu Province."


    "I am not alone, I am just a humble pioneer paving the way. As you can see, I have already passed through the Immortal Gate formation and entered this city by myself."


    "Reinforcements are on their way, and behind me are thousands of brave soldiers!"

 Chapter 182:

    Chapter 182:


    Street at the city gate.


    Qiao Mu held a long spear, and behind him were old soldiers like Hai Siyuan, who were giving their support to Qiao Mu on behalf of Captain Hai and others.


    This solitary city is not small, and it used to be a big city in Zhong Province.


    Although the streets are dpidated, they are spacious, and the old houses on both sides are tall and can vaguely be seen as the former magnificent city of Zhong Province.


    Even as a magnificent city, it couldn¡¯t withstand the forty years of wind and sand, the forty years of harsh weather.


    This city has aged, be old, and even older than the city are the elderly people in it.


    Qiao Mu walked on the long street and saw countless elderly women with white hair, a few young children, and disabled veterans who couldn¡¯t go to the battlefield.


    In the past forty years, the young adults in the city have been the only source of new soldiers for the remaining troops of Great Yan, and even they are nearly extinct.


    Men, women, and children in the city have a paleplexion, thin and aged, not much better than the impoverished victims Qiao Mu saw in Nan Province.But it shouldn¡¯t be like this.


    This ce used to be the hearnd of Zhong Province and it¡¯s only a few days¡¯ journey from the Great Yan Imperial Capital.


    Zhong Province was a fertilend with abundant water and grass, and the cows and sheep were fat and delicious. How did it turn into a hundred miles of desert?


    Behind the crowd.


    Storyteller irvoyance looked at the lonely city in front of him and sighed.


    Previously, he had heard many secrets behind the scenes of the Inhuman War from Captain Hai Siyuan Hai.


    In fact, this lonely city was not the main battlefield of the Inhuman War.


    Powerful cultivators could turn the ocean into mulberry fields and turn the ins into deserts, making a hundred thousand ordinary soldiers vanish into thin air.


    If the main battlefield had been in this lonely city, how could it still exist?


    Forty years ago, the hundred thousand soldiers didn¡¯t defend the lonely city and fight against the inhumans.


    Because the ordinary people¡¯s city walls are not very meaningful to cultivators who can fly and disappear.


    Butter, it seems that the inhumans changed their minds and turned from attacking to trapping. They set up a hidden formation in this desert, trapping the remaining soldiers and civilians of Great Yan in this isted city, unable to escape.


    In the past forty years, trapped in this desert, the soldiers and civilians in the city have already spent a lot of effort just searching for water sources and food, as well as farming and herding.


    "What exactly did the Nine Immortal Gates want to do?" irvoyance frowned.


    "They could have killed the entire army of one hundred thousand, but they didn¡¯tunch a full-scale attack¡­ And the Immortal Gate formation, its function is probably more than just an illusion, it might also include the capture of souls."


    Although irvoyance had extraordinary abilities, he was still just an ordinary person. He couldn¡¯t understand the intention behind the Immortal Gate.


    "Could it be deliberate torture of ordinary people? I don¡¯t think so." irvoyance puzzled over it.


    At this time, as Qiao Mu moved further away, the crowd on the street became more and more gathered.


    There were more and more pedestrians, silently staring at this old man who had returned from beyond the desert, for a moment not knowing how to react.


    Only Walker Lu Yanbei with the Wooden Sword hesitated for a moment, looking confused.


    "The Immortal ying Army? Howe I¡¯ve never heard of it? Such things still exist?"


    Lu Yanbei, just like Qiao Mu, was a martial artist from outside. He arrived in this lonely city a year ago.


    But in his memories, Great Yan was already in a state of decline and chaos. Where did this Immortal ying Armye from?


    Can the imperial court really raise arge army to conquer the Immortal Gate within a year?


    As an informed outsider, he had doubts in his heart, but the others in this lonely city didn¡¯t.


    After the initial confusion, this lonely city had be lively and excited.


    "The soldiers of Great Yan, you havee toote! Why did it take you so long?" The old woman, who had lost her husband and son, burst into tears.


    The residents of this lonely city had imagined countless times over the past forty years the scene of the imperial court sending reinforcements to the city. But no matter how they imagined, they couldn¡¯t have anticipated this appearance.


    The old woman thought she would go forward to question and scold the old man who imed to be a veteran of Great Yan.


    But he was too old, which made people feel sorry for scolding him.


    This old man looked very old, estimated to be at least eighty or ny years old. Perhaps in this deserted city filled with old soldiers, there couldn¡¯t be any soldiers older than him.


    It wouldn¡¯t be easy for such an old man to reach this deserted city¡­ but if Great Yan really had reinforcements, really had thousands of soldiers, why would they send such an even older veteran?


    Children ran around to tell the news, and the disabled veteran walked over with a cane, following the sound of people, wanting to take a good look at this soldier from Great Yan.


    For the children in the city, as well as all the young and middle-aged people under forty, Great Yan was just a legend, just a legend passed down by their elders.


    As far as the eye could see, there was only a vast desert, besides yellow sand, there were no reinforcements, no Great Yan.


    The younger people in the city were curious, while the older people in the city were feeling sad, excited, and thrilled.


    They have seen outsiders before.


    Lu Yanbei stood among them and fought alongside the old soldiers in the city for a year.


    But this situation is different, it is not the same as when Lu Yanbei and other martial artists entered the city.


    Martial artist Lu Yanbei from the martial world represents only himself.


    Whereas Qiao Mu is a soldier, he ims to be the Commander of the Immortal ying Army, and he says he will bring thousands of soldiers to help.


    He doesn¡¯t represent himself, but he represents the Great Yan.


    How can this not make the elderly in the city shed tears?


    In the crowd, an old one-legged soldier with white hair and a walking stick slowly approached Qiao Mu.


    He let go of his walking stick and, using his one leg, stood in front of Qiao Mu with trembling body. Tears filled his old eyes as he performed a bow to Qiao Mu:


    "The Great Yan Western Conquering Army, reporting for duty, paying respects to themander."


    There was no one behind him, no horses either. Only the wind with yellow sand blowing on the street, making his empty trousers flutter.


    "May I ask, is it true that the Great Yan¡¯s soldiers and horses areing back?"


    For forty years in the lonely desert, the elderly have been waiting year after year for their return.


    Holding back tears, he asked the messenger, "When will the army reallye?"


    Qiao Mu showed no emotion on his face, but he tightened his grip on the long spear in his hand.


    "Yes, the Great Yan¡¯s army is about toe, very soon." He silently straightened his chest, his gaze bing even more determined.


    Although he was speaking lies, he knew that at this critical moment, he had to appear confident.


    "The Great Yan¡¯s army ising back, and our Immortal ying Army will surely break through this desert and take you all home."


    Among the crowd, old people constantly approached him, asking question after question. And he kept speaking to the old soldiers in the crowd, repeating the lie he had just told.


    "Yes, Great Yan has always been here."


    "There are people guarding the Lonely City, and there are people guarding other parts of Jiu Province."


    "The reinforcements are about to arrive, but it¡¯s not easy to enter the Immortal Gate formation, it will take some time."


    "Great Yan has been burdened by you for the past forty years, but from today onwards, it won¡¯t be anymore."


    "We, the Immortal ying Army, will take on the heavy burden of these forty years from now on."


    He was weed by women, children, and old soldiers all over the city, walking in the middle of the road. He looked like a triumphant general returning home.

 Chapter 183:

    Chapter 183:


    The soldiers and civilians of the Lonely City have been trapped in this city for forty years, and all evidence of their lives has disappeared. All they can see is a vast desert.


    Today, an old man entered the city, causing the entire city to almost boil with excitement, shaking off the past troubles.


    He walked down a street, and everyone in the street began to cry.


    He walked through half the city, and the whole city burst into cheers.


    Hai Siyuan followed behind Qiao Mu, witnessing the reactions of the people. He felt both joy and a slight sadness.


    Qiao Mu entered the city alone, bringing new hope and a glimpse of light to the lives of the people, who had been living in darkness for forty years.


    But Hai Siyuan knew that this hope was ultimately false.


    The three hundred exhausted soldiers could not hold onto the city for much longer. The people in the city felt the same¡­ When the three hundred soldiers fell in battle, the city would be filled with despair unless Qiao Mu came and brought them hope.


    In this vast desert, hope is more precious than gold.With hope, people have a purpose.


    Even if the hope is false, it is still the same.


    Just looking at the half of the city filled with cheerful sounds and half filled with sorrowful tears, Hai Siyuan¡¯s heart felt a mix of emotions.


    Qiao Mu was willing to cooperate and act in this y¡­ but where is the real Great Yan?


    When Qiao Mu started to think about this, he had already arrived at the military camp in the city.


    The military camp was tall and spacious, it served as a refuge for the people of the lonely city. Many residents gathered here, which made it Qiao Mu¡¯s final destination.


    Inside the camp, he made promises to the old and young citizens, repeating lies over and over again, making the elderly cry and the childrenugh.


    As more people followed Qiao Mu, there were eventually voices of doubt.


    "Are the reinforcements from Great Yan finallying? Why is there only an old man here?" someone in the crowd asked.


    "I don¡¯t have anyints against the old soldiers¡­ After all, it was the old soldiers of Great Yan who protected our city until now. Without them, we wouldn¡¯t have survived."


    "But he is too old. If there really are external reinforcements daring to challenge the inhuman, then why would they send an old man as the vanguard?"


    The voice of doubt caused everyone to nod in agreement.


    After the initial excitement and joy, they began to re-evaluate the old man in front of them.


    The city was filled with elderly soldiers, and white-haired ones could be found everywhere.


    But Qiao Mu was different.


    At his current age, he was already 109 years old. Not only within this isted city, but even in the entire Jiu Province, there were very few people who could match his longevity.


    He looked extremely old.


    The average age of the elderly soldiers in the city was probably half of his age. Compared to Qiao Mu, they were considered young.


    Although themon people couldn¡¯t determine Qiao Mu¡¯s exact age, based on his appearance, they estimated him to be at least in his eighties or nies.


    So, herees the question.


    What kind of army would let an old man over eighty or ny years old take the lead and enter the resourcecking, water and crop-poor Hundred-mile Desert?


    This is a logical loophole. After a short moment of thought, many people realized this.


    "Do you think I am too old? Unable to bear the responsibility of being the vanguard? Is there something fishy?"


    Qiao Mu looked at the doubtful eyes of the people in the military camp, but he just smiled slightly.


    This doubt is reasonable.


    To make the people in the city believe that he is really a reinforcement and not an actor recruited by Captain Hai, he cannot rely solely on his words.


    After all¡­ Qiao Mu doesn¡¯t have an official seal, nor has he spent too much time in the military and official circles of Great Yan. If he doesn¡¯t establish his identity properly, he will definitely be exposed.


    If exposed, it would be counterproductive, and the morale of the soldiers and civilians in this isted city would surely plummet.


    Thinking of this, he lifted his body, and his figure became blurry in ce. In an instant, he leaped into the sky andnded on the Appointing Commander tform in the military camp.


    Even though there were a lot of people watching, he moved so sneakily that he was almost like a ghost.


    This move called Shadow Step was done perfectly, and it amazed Captain Hai and the experienced soldiers, they would say it was wonderful.


    "But why did he show off his martial arts skills? Did he want to show off his fighting skills in front of the soldiers and civilians?" Captain Hai was skeptical.


    "Even if someone¡¯s martial arts skills are really high, it¡¯s still just like that."


    "Just like Mr. Lu Yanbei, who is skilled in swordsmanship and although he is old, it doesn¡¯t matter. It¡¯s ultimately not helpful to the overall situation."


    When Hai Siyuan was skeptical, he saw Qiao Mu standing on the Appointing Commander tform, clearing his throat, using his internal energy, and his loud voice spread like thunder to the people in the camp.


    "Are you curious why I, an old man whose life ising to an end, am leading the charge?"


    "Are you curious about how much Jiu Province has changed in the past forty years?"


    "Do you think that even if Great Yan sends out a hundred thousand elite soldiers, what would they aplish? Even if they rescue the people in the city from the desert, what can a hundred thousand troops do against inhuman creatures? It will just repeat the tragedy from forty years ago!"


    After these words were spoken, the whole camp became silent, clearly Qiao Mu¡¯s words spoke to what they were thinking.


    Captain Hai was also speechless in an instant.


    It was a spur-of-the-moment decision to have Qiao Mu act, he didn¡¯t really think through this situation.


    The gap between mortals and immortals was toorge. Great Yan Imperial Court didn¡¯t have the power to challenge the Nine Immortal Gates. How could they save people?


    Thinking about this, he also felt a bit embarrassed.


    Previously, he only thought about fabricating a Great Yan reinforcements to give the people in the city some hope. He didn¡¯t think it through, and now he realizes there were indeed some oversights.


    "If you want to listen, today I will talk to you all." Qiao Mu¡¯s eyes were bright, without a hint of lying:


    "For forty years in the Inhuman War, Jiu Province faced unprecedented pressure."


    "The soldiers and civilians in this lonely city are fighting, and people all over Jiu Province are also fighting. You are not alone."


    "Under the heavy pressure of inhumanity, in the past forty years, the progress of martial arts in Jiu Province has surpassed the previous several hundred years!"


    "And now, the development of martial arts in Jiu Province is changing rapidly. There is a distinction between ¡®ancient method¡¯ and ¡®modern method¡¯ in martial arts¡­"


    Qiao Mu didn¡¯t lie when he repeated the words of the Wuji Association members.


    "The so-called modern method, the martial arts of today, is about stealing the yin and yang, taking control of creation, gathering immense power within oneself, breaking through the path of immortals with the physical body¡­"


    "The techniques of immortals can turn the vast sea into dust, and turn a hundred miles into scorched earth, but our modern method is to explore a way to use martial arts to fight against the immortals, to use martial arts to defeat immortals."


    As the numerous people listened, they gradually became dumbfounded, as if they were hearing a book from the heavens.


    Qiao Mu¡¯s depiction was simply like a fairy tale, a beautiful dream, making them feel that even imagining it was too unreal and absurd.


    Meanwhile, Lu Yanbei frowned as he listened.


    What is this Qiao Shuangsen saying?


    He is also a martial artist from outside, just entered one year before Qiao Mu.


    The development of martial arts in the outside world is so unbelievable, how could he not know?


    Can anyone really achieve the feat of breaking through ten thousandws with their physical body? The people from the Wuji Association wouldn¡¯t dare to boast like that, right?


    These words may deceive people in the city, but they can¡¯t fool him.


    Captain Hai frowned deeply, he couldn¡¯t quite figure out what Qiao Mu was doing right now.


    You¡¯re bragging instead of cooperating in acting?


    Acting is meant to give hope to the people in the city, but if Qiao Mu exaggerates like this, it will seem too idealistic, too fake, and it may actually make people suspicious.


    What does he really want to do? This wasn¡¯t discussed before, right?


    Hai Siyuan naturally has no idea about Qiao Mu¡¯s thoughts.


    "Why don¡¯t you guess, I¡¯m Qiao Shuangsen, how old am I now?" Qiao Mu smiled.


    "Judging by the appearance, maybe around eighty?" someone guessed.


    "Probably around eighty-five?"


    "There are elderly people in the city who are eighty years old, but they look even older. I guess he is around ny."


    "What a joke? How is it possible for a ny-year-old soldier to cross this desert alone? I guess he is seventy, just looks old."


    Listening to everyone¡¯s various spections, Qiao Mu smiled and revealed the answer.


    "I am one hundred and nine years old this year."


    The crowd eximed.


    "The focus is not on my age, but on the fact that despite being one hundred and nine years old, I am still the captain of the Immortal ying Army and can cross the desert."


    Qiao Mu spoke confidently, with a strong voice:


    "People can live a long life and stay young because I have practiced the modern method."


    Lu Yanbei frowned, thinking about something.


    "Is he talking about the Long Life Fist of Heyang City¡¯s Qiao Family?"


    "No, even though the Long Life Fist is said to keep you young, it requires a high level of martial arts talent."


    "For so many years, only the Qiao Family¡¯s patriarch can stay young at eighty, but if he gets older, his skills may not be enough to sustain it."


    "Furthermore, the essence of the Qiao Family¡¯s Long Life Fist is to prevent the loss of energy and blood, just like those immortals who practice Taoist cultivation and not show signs of aging¡­ and Qiao Shuangsen clearly doesn¡¯t practice the Long Life Fist."


    Qiao Mu, on the Appointing Commander tform, seemed to hear Lu Yanbei¡¯s murmurs and exined:


    "The secret to my youthfulness lies in a martial arts technique that anyone can practice, called the ¡®Xumi Mountain King Sutra.¡¯"


    "This is the current way of martial arts."


    "With such martial arts, there is a possibility to resist immortals."


    The whole military camp was in amotion, with people discussing eagerly.


    This solitary city is not an ordinary city, because it constantly faces threats from inhuman beings and frequent battles. Every adult resident has some understanding of martial arts.


    And what Qiao Mu said was a subversion of their understanding of martial arts.


    Captain Hai heard a buzzing sound in his mind.


    It wasn¡¯t until this moment that he roughly understood what Qiao Mu wanted to do.


    He didn¡¯t just want to give hope to the people in the city to venture out into the desert, but also wanted to give hope to the active and disabled veterans in the city, who have retired from the front lines, that they can use martial arts to defeat immortals.


    However¡­ is this lie a bit too big and unrealistic?


    Hai Siyuan was determined to fabricate a false hope, unaware that Qiao Mu¡¯s goal was more than that.


    He came to this isted city not to witness the inhabitants clinging onto false hope, enduring their difficult lives until the end.


    Hai Siyuan¡¯s lies were like a matchstick given to the residents in their desperate situation, allowing them to see their own illusions and longings before their demise, embracing this false hope, and perishing in the midst of the snowstorm.


    Qiao Mu, on the other hand, was different.


    What he attempted to do was to bring a spark to the people of this isted city.


    It was to give them a belief in survival, rather than a fleeting illusion of happiness before death.

 Chapter 184:

    Chapter 184:


    In the military camp, Qiao Mu passionately recounted the forty years of great changes and hardships in the martial arts of Jiu Province from the Appointing Commander tform.


    The isted city was not lonely; there were people outside who were also holding their ground, cultivating martial arts in the long nights.


    Hai Siyuan was confused and wondered why this outsider, Elder Lao, suddenly started acting.


    I asked you to act, not to brag so much¡­


    If Hai Siyuan¡¯s original wish was just to use this lie to give a boost to the soldiers and people of the dying city.


    Qiao Mu, on the other hand, didn¡¯t need a boost, he was like a strong medicine, ready to train and strengthen the elderly.


    When Hai Siyuan was feeling confused and unsure of Qiao Mu¡¯s intentions, someone gently tapped his shoulder.


    He turned around and saw a thin old man with two swords at his waist.


    "Captain Hai, even though this old man is from the outside, is he telling lies?" the old man whispered to Hai Siyuan.Hai Siyuan¡¯s heart skipped a beat.


    Wooden Sword Walker Lu Yanbei is one of the only two martial artists from the Jiu Province who survived in this isted city.


    Moreover, he is not like the famous Earth Sword Immortal, who entered the lonely city thirty years ago. Lu Yanbei only came herest year.


    This means that the false story about the dramatic changes in Jiu Province¡¯s martial arts forty years ago can deceive others, but it can never deceive Lu Yanbei!


    "True," Hai Siyuan reluctantly admitted.


    He revealed his n, expressed his intentions, and tried to persuade Lu Yanbei not to expose the truth.


    "I won¡¯t expose this lie¡­ but¡­" Lu Yanbei sighed softly.


    Once this lie is spoken aloud, there is only one path left to follow.


    Exposing such a colossal lie that would deceive the entire city¡¯s military and civilians would surely deal a severe blow to their morale.


    In that case, it would be better to remain silent¡­


    "At this point, all we can do is help him keep it hidden." Lu Yanbei also made a decision, though he couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit resentful:


    Acting is just acting, you¡¯re speaking so eloquently, elevating the martial arts of Jiu Province to such a high level. Are you acting too much?


    It¡¯s like walking on a tightrope on a cliff, once you slip and get exposed, there¡¯s no turning back.


    So, what happened to Qiao Mu?


    After he stepped onto the tightrope, not only did he walk very cautiously, he even tied sandbags to his legs to make it harder for himself, and then did somersaults on the tightrope.


    He himself was full of enthusiasm on the Appointing Commander tform, but Hai Siyuan and Lu Yanbei, who knew the truth, were sweating nervously.


    Concern is understandable.


    Lu Yanbei and the others did see that the people in the military camp who listened to Qiao Mu¡¯s speech were gradually being influenced by the martial arts vision of Jiu Province that he described.


    "The lonely city is not lonely, our difficult survival until now has meaning."


    A soldier with a broken leg couldn¡¯t help but shed tears, saying, "Back then, General Li Changge led me and the other soldiers to hold off, wasn¡¯t it all to secure a future for Jiu Province?"


    "Today, the situation in Jiu Province is strong and powerful, so we will quietly wait, knowing that one day there will be sessors who will carry the torch."


    "The rapid progress of martial arts in the outside world indicates that there are indeed like-minded people in other parts of Jiu Province, unseen by us, who are resisting the inhumans, just like us."


    For the old soldiers who have fought bravely in these isted cities for forty years, they are not afraid of death, nor sacrifice.


    What they fear is that their sacrifice will have no meaning, that it will only move themselves.


    Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, the lonely city of only three hundred old soldiers is about to be engulfed in the vast desert sand, resisting for forty years without any knowledge from the outside world.


    No one knows their desperate fight, no one inherits their will to resist¡­


    At that time, the destruction of the lonely city will be theplete annihtion of the once mighty Great Yan¡¯s hundred thousand elite soldiers.


    And now, in Qiao Mu¡¯s portrayal of the martial arts scene in Jiu Province, it is simply as beautiful as a ethereal dream¡­ How can it not stir their hearts?


    Lu Yanbei listened quietly, his tightly strung heartstrings also rxed a bit.


    Lies are lies, boasting is boasting, just let it be.


    Even if it¡¯s false, he doesn¡¯t want to expose it. Lu Yanbei is tired, having fought on the battlefield all year long in his old age. Even if someone deceives him with hope, he is willing to be deceived.


    He is also tired.


    No one is invincible. Even if they were ambitious back in the day, after forty years, they will feel weary and disappointed.


    Characters who are always hopeful and never discouraged or lost only exist in the words of storytellers.


    When even Lu Yanbei himself is ready to ept lies and deceive himself.


    On the Appointing Commander tform, Qiao Mu looked down at the crowded audience and pointed to one person with a smile.


    "Words alone are not enough evidence."


    "Even if I can speak persuasively, I believe none of you will fully trust me."


    "We martial artists are not just skilled in talking, today you will witness the changes in martial arts after forty years."


    "You, the old man with two swords hanging from your waist,e forward."


    "Let¡¯s have a little exchange to show you what skills I, an old man over a hundred years old, have as a leader in both ancient and modern martial arts."


    The audience erupted into murmurs as Qiao Mu pointed towards Lu Yanbei on the stage, attracting countless gazes.


    Even in this isted city, Lu Yanbei was not a small character. As one of the few foreign martial artists, at least half of the city¡¯s residents recognized him.


    The name of Wooden Sword Walker Lu Yanbei holds great prestige in Jiu Province. He was once highly regarded by the military and civilians of the isted city¡­


    Even Lu Yanbei was taken aback.


    Invite him to a martial artspetition?


    He frowned, realizing that if this Qiao Shuangsen on the Appointing Commander tform wanted to show his fighting skills, he had chosen the wrong target.


    Even though he was old, he was still a worthy master of Jiu Province Swordsmanship. Despite his old age, he could easily y with the young 2nd rank martial artist from the Great Yan Imperial Court using a wooden sword.


    As a former representative of martial arts, he had more than enough status, identity, and strength.


    Moreover, as a martial artist who specialized in swordsmanship, Lu Yanbei was best at one-on-one duels on the arena.


    If it was a battle on the battlefield, an old man like him would be much weaker in endurancepared to a young martial artist, due to his declining physical strength and energy.


    But in an arena fight? He wouldn¡¯t be at a disadvantage at all.


    "Why did you have toe and find me?" Lu Yanbei felt a slight resentment in his heart.


    Qiao Mu, who was on the Appointing Commander tform, noticed that Captain Hai was whispering to him below. Qiao Mu realized that Lu Yanbei had chosen not to expose him, prioritizing the overall situation. So, did they want him to be a puppet on stage this time?


    "This old man with the surname Qiao, brought by Captain Hai, is quite cunning¡­ He knows that I will cooperate with him in acting, and that he will defeat me. This will highlight the ¡®Xumi Mountain King Sutra¡¯ and the ¡®modern method¡¯ of martial arts he talks about." He deliberately spoke like this.

 Chapter 185:

    Chapter 185:


    Lu Yanbei frowned, then stood up tall and walked towards the military training ground in front of everyone¡¯s eyes, step by step.


    Lu Yanbei didn¡¯t like Qiao Mu, but he would still cooperate.


    Facing the eager gaze of the audience below, he hid his dissatisfaction and smiled.


    "Elder Lao has good insight, knowing my skills."


    "You may already know that in Jiu Province, I am known as the ¡®Wooden Sword Walker,¡¯ trained in swordsmanship by the legendary Earth Sword Immortal."


    "I am already eighty-seven years old this year, practicing Brother Qiao¡¯s ancient method of martial arts. Today, I will learn Brother Qiao¡¯s modern method."


    After saying this, the entire audience became focused and attentive.


    Lu Yanbei, a well-known martial arts expert in Jiu Province who has been fighting in this lonely city for a year, has gained great fame both in Jiu Province and within this city.


    These words were spoken to let the people know about his abilities, and also directed at Qiao Mu.He exined his age clearly, deliberately mentioning that he practiced an ancient method, which actually meant hinting that he would cooperate with Qiao Mu in acting.


    Qiao Mu also clenched his fist and solemnly said:


    "I am Qiao Shuangsen, aged 109, and my wise nephew is 22 years old."


    Wise¡­ wise nephew?


    Lu Yanbei¡¯s eye twitched slightly as he looked at Qiao Mu¡¯s solemn expression.


    In theory, if Qiao Mu really is 109 years old, there is no problem with the twenty-something age difference and calling him a wise nephew.


    But is he really 109 years old? Lu Yanbei had his doubts.


    Life at seventy is rare in ancient times, let alone in this era of widespread famine. In the entire Jiu Province, centenarians are extremely rare.


    A normal centenarian who can walk without a cane and rely on themselves is likely to attract the attention of local officials who woulde to ask for tips on longevity.


    And what about Qiao Mu?


    This person may look old, but the light skill he just showed is quite extraordinary, definitely not like someone in their hundreds.


    If it is a true hundred years of age with unimpaired vitality¡­ Lu Yanbei can only think of one person, the Grandmaster of the Long Life Fist from the Qiao Family in Heyang City a century ago.


    That Grandmaster was actually so remarkable that he caught the attention of the Great Yan Emperor at that time and was summoned to the pce to teach martial arts.


    However, the Qiao Mu in front of them clearly hasn¡¯t reached that level. His appearance is full of signs of old age, with wrinkles and loose skin. This is clearly a normal decline in old age and a decline in vitality.


    So there is only one answer.


    Are you still pretending to be a 109-year-old?


    I know your background, Captain Hai has already informed me.


    Lu Yanbei thought to himself, but then pulled out a wooden sword from his waist with his right hand¡­ His left arm was injured, but it wouldn¡¯t matter much in a arena match.


    "Wooden sword?" Qiao Mu wondered.


    "Brother Qiao can rest assured," smiled Lu Yanbei.


    "I am known as Wooden Sword Walker in the martial arts world. Even an ordinary wooden sword in my hands is not inferior to a typical treasure sword."


    "Oh," Qiao Mu said, and he inserted the long spear he had just taken out into the ground in front of him, raising his fists in a defensive position.


    "I don¡¯t want to take advantage of you, so how about I fight barehanded?" Qiao Mu said.


    Bullying the small with the big?


    Lu Yanbei took two deep breaths, his chest rising and falling continuously.


    Since he turned sixty, no one dared to talk to him like that¡­


    He didn¡¯t want to speak anymore in case it would ruin his image. He immediately grabbed his wooden sword and rushed forward.


    He originally wanted to cooperate with Qiao Mu in acting, but unexpectedly this old man had no manners and didn¡¯t understand how to respect the elderly, so he decided to show off his power.


    As he swung his wooden sword, strands of green sword light burst out, forming a lotus of sword light that enveloped Qiao Mu¡¯s position.


    Lu Yanbei¡¯s swordsmanship has reached the level of ¡®unrivalled wooden sword,¡¯ which means he has reached the pinnacle in sword moves and also possesses powerful internal strength. Even though he wields a wooden sword, with the support of his strong internal strength, it is no different from an ordinary treasure sword.


    "Lu Yanbei seems to be an experienced swordsman." Storyteller irvoyance¡¯s eyes lit up, as arena duels were his favorite asion:


    "Mortal beings will eventually grow old, and it¡¯s natural for their vitality to decline. The saying ¡®fists fear the young¡¯ applies even to legendary martial artists. As they reach old age, their physical strength and speed will inevitably weakenpared to their prime."


    "However, the umtion of internal strength and sword skills will continue to grow stronger with age¡­"


    Storyteller irvoyance was preparing to talk about Lu Yanbei, but unexpectedly, Lu Yanbei¡¯s amazing sword skills were disyed in the martial arts arena, only hitting a shadow.


    In an instant, Qiao Mu lightly tapped his toes, his figure blur into a shadow, swiftly gliding across the ground and appearing behind Lu Yanbei.


    "Hmm?" Lu Yanbei frowned slightly and turned around, striking with his sword, but only hitting another shadow.


    Light body movement?


    No¡­ Not just simple light body movement, it¡¯s like dancing on the tip of a knife, more agile in small-scale dodging and shifting.


    What Qiao Mu showed at this moment was not only his skill in light body movement, but also pure speed.


    Lu Yanbei furrowed his brows, swinging his wooden sword again. A green sword light enveloped the surroundings, and the strong energy dispersed with the sword light, creating deep grooves on the ground of the practice field.


    However, his sword still swung through empty air.


    Qiao Mu seemed to have no intention of engaging him directly. He kept dodging with astonishing speed, avoiding closebat.


    This didn¡¯t seem like a sh between two elderly martial artists, confusing irvoyance and other martial artists in the city.


    The sh between the two elderly masters, as they imagined it, should be like the pushing hands of Tai Chi,paring the abundance of their internal strength and the heights of their martial arts skills.


    Lu Yanbei also became a bit impatient.


    As a martial arts expert who ranks 30th on the Tide Listening BuildingSkill List, he is exceptionally skilled in sword techniques and possesses a deep inner strength umted over many years.


    However, Qiao Mu relies solely on his physical speed, avoiding direct confrontation with him, making it difficult for his sword techniques to shine, no matter how advanced they are.


    "If all you do is dodge, what¡¯s the point ofpeting?" Lu Yanbei couldn¡¯t help but say.


    "Whatpetition? Surely no one actually thinks we arepeting?" Qiao Mu was taken aback, his figure flickering quickly and his voiceing from all directions.


    "I am merely showcasing the enduring power of the ¡®Xumi Mountain King Sutra.¡¯"


    "At the age of 109, if my power endures, not only can I move swiftly, but my physical speed is also on par with a young and strong martial artist."


    He had no intention ofpeting with Lu Yanbei, instead randomly selecting a lucky audience member to assist him in performing acrobatics, demonstrating something that a hundred-year-old person theoretically couldn¡¯t achieve.


    Lu Yanbei£º¡­.


    He had to admire the other person¡¯s acting skills, thinking to himself, "Where did Captain Hai find such an experienced actor?"


    Qiao Mu¡¯s physical speed is very fast, so the faster he shows it, the less likely he is to be 109 years old.


    After all, which hundred-year-old person in any family would not spend their days lying in a rocking chair, but instead go up on a stage topete in speed?


    Lu Yanbei guessed that Qiao Mu probably used some kind of advanced disguise technique, and his real identity should be a young and skilled martial artist.


    "However, what my wise nephew said does make some sense."


    Qiao Mu suddenly stopped moving while he was in rapid motion.


    He was indeed putting on a performance.


    But just relying on pure speed to dodge is not good enough.


    In this moment, because of his swift running in the martial arts arena, the sand under his feet was kicked up, engulfing the surroundings in a cloud of dust, making it difficult for Lu Yanbei to see Qiao Mu¡¯s expression on his face.


    "Hmm?" Lu Yanbei suddenly felt a shock in his heart.


    In that moment, his inner feeling suddenly sensed a strong feeling of danger, which was the first time since they started fighting.


    He underestimated him¡­ Lu Yanbei¡¯s eyes became sharp in an instant, abandoning his previous underestimate.


    He rushed forward, the wooden sword in his hand once again bursting with a green lotus sword light, enveloping Qiao Mu in an instant of hesitation.


    And Qiao Mu remained motionless.


    Despite being a hundred years old, his vitality was not weakened, not weaker than when he was in his prime. This meant that his physical body was strong, his reflexes and speed much faster than the opponent.


    In Qiao Mu¡¯s eyes at this moment, the sword in Lu Yanbei¡¯s hand seemed to be in slow motion.


    In this fleeting moment, he simply lifted his head.


    Facing the wooden sword shing down from above, he unleashed a radiant blue lotus-shaped sword light.


    Looking straight at the dust scattered in the practice area being split apart by the sword light, causing the dust to scatter in all directions.


    He clenched his fist.


    His whole body emitted a strong inner energy, and white air, as thick as fingers, covered the surroundings.


    His robe fluttered without wind, and even the scattered sand dust on the martial arts arena was blown away by the released energy.


    Lu Yanbei¡¯s pupils suddenly shrank.


    At the age of eighty-seven, he had been practicing martial arts since he was young. In his old age, when his vitality declined, he could only rely on the abundant inner energy he had cultivated since childhood topensate for the weakness of his physical strength.


    But at this moment, Qiao Mu¡¯s abundant inner energy seemed to be twice as strong as his.


    He had umted this inner energy for sixty or seventy years, and he had never cked off in his practice¡­ Why could Qiao Mu¡¯s inner energy be twice as abundant as his?


    Because reaching the 4th rank was already the limit of practice, further progress in umting inner energy was like polishing, and the amount of inner energy often indicated the number of years spent in martial arts training¡­ So what was this old monster in front of him? Did he start practicing martial arts when he was still in the womb?


    There was no time to think.


    In the blink of an eye, he saw Qiao Mu¡¯s fists tighten gradually.


    The powerful white internal strength emanated from within him and gathered in his fists.


    "Ripple Stacking Wave Strength, like a stack of waves."


    With a punch, he struck first with incredible speed.


    The white stream of internal strength in Qiao Mu¡¯s hand surged out like rushing waves, crashing against the green sword light.


    Lu Yanbei¡¯s wooden sword trembled, and the green sword light became unstable.


    "Double Wave."


    The second wave of strength erupted, like two waves crashing together, forming a higher wave.


    The green sword light was quickly shattered, and his wooden sword nearly slipped from his hand.


    "Triple Wave."


    The immense internal strength surged like waves, with the potential to be as powerful as a roaring sea and a howling mountain, engulfing Lu Yanbei instantly.


    There was a loud boom.


    A visible shockwave disrupted the sandy arena, causing Lu Yanbei¡¯s body to fly backwards like a kite with a broken string.


    When he finally came to a stop, his first reaction was to stare nkly at the wooden sword in his hand.


    The wooden sword in his hand shattered with a loud crash, leaving only a broken hilt in his grip.


    This was a disy of martial arts in the arena, not a fight to the death, so in the end, Qiao Mu still held back¡­


    Looking up, he noticed a newly formed pit several meters away from where he had been standing. Standing before the pit was an old man with wrinkled face, calmly exhaling and putting his hands down.


    There was still invisible energy swirling around him, and the lingering waves of energy brushed against the surroundings, stirring up the dust in the arena.


    Lu Yanbei blurted out, "The amount of internal strength cannot deceive people. This is a skill that can only be umted over many years. Are you really a hundred and nine-year-old elder?"


    If Lu Yanbei felt that Qiao Mu was a little strange before, now he had a definite conclusion in his heart.


    After reaching the 4th rank of training, martial artists can further progress by practicing the 3rd rank Spiritual Refining Method.


    The so-called spiritual refining is the refinement of one¡¯s mind and willpower.


    When the body and mind be strong, one¡¯s intuition bes sharp and can predict the enemy¡¯s moves.


    Therefore, even if the physical strength and internal strength of a Spirit Refining martial artist are simr to that of a 4th rank martial artist, they can still dominate thetter and gain the upper hand in a fight by relying on their keen intuition.


    It can be said that the pursuit of the 3rd rank Spiritual Refining Method is not purely about destructive power and speed, but also about achieving a strong body and sharp intuition through a different path.


    And the Qiao Mu who just fought him¡­


    No, it¡¯s not just a simple hundred-year-old elder.


    "This¡­ This isn¡¯t Spiritual Refining Method at all! Are you still stuck at the training level?" Lu Yanbei eximed, filled with doubt.


    "That¡¯s right." Qiao Mu stood with his hands behind his back and said slowly:


    "This is the martial arts of Jiu Province forty yearster, the so-called modern method."


    He turned his head and looked at the soldiers and civilians gathered around the demonstration field.


    "With a strong body and unyielding vitality, this is the cutting-edge martial arts of Jiu Province today, the¡¶Xumi Mountain King Sutra¡·that anyone can practice."


    "If your punches are not strong, how can you defeat the immortals?"


    His voice was full of strength, not at all like a hundred-year-old man. His voice echoed through the military camp, reverberating all around.


    Lu Yanbei looked at this old man with a determined presence, feeling a mix of emotions: three parts disappointment, three parts confusion, and four parts genuine joy from within.


    His disappointment and confusion came from his devastating defeat in the martial artspetition.


    To their delight¡­ Qiao Mu really had umted internal strength for a hundred years. Is he really a 109-year-old man? Could it be that the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra" is not fake after all?


    This means that a glimmer of hope has shone on the martial arts world of Jiu Province, which has been enveloped in darkness.


    In this duel, Lu Yanbei, who was once a renowned martial arts master, suffered a miserable defeat.


    This is a confrontation in the world of martial arts throughout history. It represents the old man¡¯s shorings and the progress of the younger generation!


    "I think I understand now," Lu Yanbei said with a bitter smile.


    "It¡¯s not the Qiao Shuangsen in front of me who has been acting this whole time, he¡¯s speaking the truth."


    Lu Yanbei looked over at a corner of the crowd and saw Hai Siyuan, who had a confused expression on his face.


    "Captain Hai, how did someone with such thick eyebrows and big eyes like you end up acting?"

 Chapter 186:

    Chapter 186:


    The military camp was on the Appointing Commander tform.


    Qiao Mu gave an impassioned speech and spoke about the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra" in public after the fight.


    He wanted to sow the seeds of martial arts in this lonely city.


    While speaking, his gaze unintentionally swept across Hai Siyuan Captain Hai, who looked puzzled.


    This "Xumi Mountain King Sutra" was passed down from Hai Wuya and now it is being shared with the military and civilians of the lonely city, including Hai Siyuan.


    Qiao Mu has practiced and studied Hai Wuya¡¯s "Xumi Mountain King Sutra" and it won¡¯t lead to fatal consequences, so naturally he wants to promote it.


    He thought that if Hai Wuya were here, he would probably make the same decision, after all, the ultimate purpose of the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra" is to be the "Human Path Sutra."


    Promoting this still-imperfect "Xumi Mountain King Sutra" within the entire lonely city will naturally contribute to further study and improvement of this martial art technique.


    So, he transformed into a martial artist motivator and talked passionately about practicing martial arts on the Appointing Commander tform."The Xumi Mountain King Sutra is a martial arts technique that anyone can practice, even those who are not naturally talented. It doesn¡¯t require much skill in martial arts."


    "As long as you work hard and persist day after day, even someone who is not naturally talented can reach higher levels of mastery."


    "Young man, put in the effort, sweat will never deceive you, time will give you the answers."


    "There are no shortcuts in martial arts, it is a long and challenging path, but our sweat can prove our hard work."


    "Under the heavy burden of inhumanity, the only way to resist is to strengthen oneself through martial arts."


    "I have been practicing martial arts for nearly a hundred years, training in the harsh winters and scorching summers. I¡¯ve gone from a young and vigorous youth to having silver hair, and that¡¯s how I gained my hundred years of skill." Qiao Mu reminisced about his youthful years, with a nostalgic expression on his face.


    "Actually, practicing martial arts isn¡¯t that difficult."


    "As long as you are dedicated enough, and serious enough, a hundred years will pass in the blink of an eye."


    The soldiers and civilians who have been trapped in the lonely city for forty years have never experienced such a bombardment of chicken soup.


    Moreover, Qiao Mu is not just casually talking, he has already shown the extraordinary "Xumi Mountain King Sutra" in front of the crowd.


    This is truly talented and knowledgeable, even Lu Yanbei, who just lost earlier, has to admit this.


    Within this isted city, there used to be 100,000 elite Great Yan warriors led by the former Martial Saint. Even after forty years of bitter battles, there are still martial artists with a broad perspective.


    Captain Hai said¡­ There are no higher-ranking and stronger officers than him on the battlefield anymore.


    However, there are still a few elderly soldiers and veterans in the city who can no longer go to the battlefield. They either have physical disabilities or are too old and weak to fight.


    Although they are powerless to kill enemies, they still have a keen eye for detail.


    They have already seen through Qiao Mu¡¯s true abilities and extraordinary qualities, naturally igniting their enthusiasm.


    "If this technique can truly make people ageless, then do we still have a chance to return to the battlefield?"


    "We are already old, weak, and nearing the end of our lives. This is a naturalw that even a highly skilled martial artist cannot escape¡­"


    "However, anyone with high aptitude who practices martial arts can achieve twice the results with half the effort¡­ This Qiao Shuangsen is even older than me, and he can practice. Why can¡¯t I, with my aptitude?"


    "We were once the elite of Great Yan, seen as the hope of Jiu Province in the fight against inhuman beings¡­ Even if we suffer a terrible defeat, we are not ordinary soldiers."


    Many old soldiers and veterans murmured to themselves.


    The once young and strong military martial artists naturally refuse to ept their aging and weakening.


    They still have the will to resist, but theyck the ability.


    But the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra" mentioned by Qiao Mu gave them a glimpse of hope.


    So countless elderly and young people gathered around the Appointing Commander tform, listening to Qiao Mu tell the story of "Xumi Mountain King Sutra" and sharing words of encouragement.


    "Grandpa Qiao, you¡¯ve been practicing martial arts for nearly a hundred years. Isn¡¯t it tiring?" a child with shining eyes asked softly.


    "Tired, of course tired," Qiao Mu said seriously.


    "But in today¡¯s Jiu Province, how many people envy the opportunity to practice superior martial arts? If we don¡¯t work hard now, we¡¯ll be stepped on by inhuman beings."


    "Charge forward, practice until we drop, and don¡¯t stop until we can¡¯t open our eyes!"


    "When I was young, I made up my mind to sacrifice my life. I would rather die than kneel in front of inhuman beings. I¡¯ve had enough of them ruling over the people of Jiu Province!"


    "Grandpa Qiao, if you work so hard, how many hours a day do you practice martial arts?" the child asked again.


    Qiao Mu was momentarily speechless, finally saying,


    "Martial arts has be a part of my life, integrated into my existence. So it¡¯s hard to distinguish how many hours I spend practicing martial arts in a day."


    "If you ask me, I can only say that I practice martial arts at all times, there is never a time when I am not practicing."


    "Grandpa Qiao is really amazing!" the children suddenly realized, their eyes filled with admiration.


    The chicken soup is fake.


    But the lesson is true.


    This is also part of Qiao Mu¡¯s lies, as he boasts and tries to guide the people in the lonely city to practice the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra".


    The practice of "Xumi Mountain King Sutra" doesn¡¯t depend on talent, but on perseverance.


    Even Hai Wuya, who was trapped in the heavenly prison for thirty years, can rejuvenate himself through this martial art technique.


    The people in the lonely city face constant life-or-death challenges. Martial arts training is their only means of resistance. Under such intense pressure, martial arts training is not just about how strong their perseverance is, but about whether they can survive.


    ¡­¡­.


    Lu Yanbei stands at the back of the crowd, watching Qiao Mu deliver an impassioned speech on the Appointing Commander tform. Strange thoughts fill his mind.


    This man with thest name Qiao has single-handedly changed the atmosphere of the lonely city.


    This kind of forceful encouragement, he had never experienced it in his life¡­ but it is also a good thing.


    Lu Yanbei¡¯s gaze fell on several senior generals under the Appointing Commander tform, who looked even older than him, and his gaze softened slightly.


    The old man named Qiao Shuangsen brought the greatest change to this lonely city, allowing the soldiers and citizens to regain their fighting spirit and face death with determination.


    He turned around and walked back, heading towards Hai Siyuan.


    He had a lot of questions in his mind, such as why Hai Siyuan wanted to impersonate him, and what exactly was the situation with the so-called Immortal ying Army¡­


    After all.


    Since the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra" can be real, why can¡¯t the Immortal ying Army also be real?


    Unconsciously.


    Even in Lu Yanbei¡¯s heart, a glimmer of hope arose.


    ¡­¡­.


    When Hai Siyuan looked at the crowd in confusion, he noticed someone silently staring at him with deep eyes.


    He turned his head and saw that it was Lu Yanbei, who had just suffered defeat.


    "Captain Hai, you are really good at acting. Did you purposely hide it from me? Are you deliberately trying to make fun of me?" Lu Yanbei was quite upset.


    "What acting? Mr. Lu¡¯s acting?" Captain Hai didn¡¯t understand, thinking that Lu Yanbei wanted to discuss his own acting skills, so he promptly raised his thumb in praise and said,


    "Mr. Lu¡¯s acting is truly superb. Even I couldn¡¯t spot any ws."


    "Especially when he was defeated in the end, the look in Mr. Lu¡¯s eyes as he nced at the senior Qiao Shuangsen, aplex expression that had a mix of one-third disappointment, one-third confusion, and four-thirds joy. Only someone with extensive experience could truly portray it."


    Lu Yanbei£º£¿


    Why are you speaking in such a strange and mysterious way when scolding me? Don¡¯t bring up old matters.


    "Captain Hai, your words are not enjoyable. It¡¯s one thing to pretend to be confused, but why do you have to mock me like this?" Lu Yanbei was truly annoyed.


    "I think you¡¯re the one with great acting skills, you naturally pretend to be confused."


    "What do you mean by pretending to be confused?" Captain Hai still lookedpletely bewildered.


    "I won¡¯t argue with you about these things. Let me straightforwardly ask, if the ¡®Xumi Mountain King Sutra¡¯ is real, then is there really an Immortal ying Army beyond this desert?" Lu Yanbei¡¯s eyes were filled with excitement.


    "What? The ¡®Xumi Mountain King Sutra¡¯ is real?" Hai Siyuan was shocked.


    The two old men stared at each other for a while, finally understanding the reason behind the situation.


    "The Immortal ying Army is fake, but the progress of martial arts in Jiu Province is real. The ¡®Xumi Mountain King Sutra¡¯ is also real, right?"


    The truth was right in front of them, making them increasingly aware of Qiao Mu¡¯s extraordinariness.


    After some thought, Hai Siyuan turned to Storyteller irvoyance and wanted to ask about Qiao Mu¡¯s background.


    "The storyteller of Tide Listening Building, weren¡¯t you the one who traveled through the desert with Qiao Shuangsen? Tell me, what makes Qiao Shuangsen so special?" Hai Siyuan asked.


    "Qiao Shuangsen, the old man, is truly extraordinary. But to be honest, I only met him briefly and don¡¯t know much about him," irvoyance pondered and replied.


    "From my perspective¡­ Qiao Shuangsen has mastered the Ripple Stacking Wave Strength of the Long Life Fist, reaching the level of Triple Wave."


    "In the past, even the Qiao family, who ruled over the vast Heyang City, only had one n leader who could reach the Triple Wave. Looking at this, Qiao Shuangsen has achieved considerable sess in the martial arts field. With this skill alone, he could easily rank among the top thirty in the martial artist Skill List."


    "Considering that Ripple Stacking Wave Strength is known for being difficult to cultivate and understand, if Qiao Shuangsen had practiced an easier martial art, his ranking could have been even higher."


    Lu Yanbei, the renowned martial artist ranked thirtieth in the Skill List, could not use his martial skills effectively in the recent battle.


    Previously, he relied on pure speed to dodge attacks. Later, he used his century-long experience and surpassed his limits by using extraordinary martial techniques to overpower others.


    "By the way, Qiao Shuangsen uses a spear, doesn¡¯t he? He has already mastered the Military Spear Skill and has good lightness skills too," irvoyance mentioned, feeling a bit intrigued.


    The Skill List is a ranking of martial artist skills.


    Qiao Shuangsen thought that the longest board he had was undoubtedly the martial art called "Long Life Fist-Stacking Wave Strength." With this skill alone, he was able to rank in the top 30 of the Skill List.


    But upon careful consideration, was this old man practicing more than just martial arts?


    Before Qiao Shuangsen revealed all his martial skills, even irvoyance¡¯s sharp insight couldn¡¯t determine the extent of his martial arts abilities.


    "What defeated Lu Yanbei in the end was his profound ¡®technique¡¯ and ¡®strength¡¯ that surpassed the limits of a 4th rank," irvoyance said.


    "Compared to his martial arts skills, his internal strength is truly astonishing."


    Even the experienced Tide Listening Building irvoyance was filled with astonishment.


    "With a hundred years of umtion and pure internal strength, his amount of internal strength alone is enough to rank in the top ten of the Strength List at Tide Listening Building," irvoyance said with seriousness.


    "Only in the top ten? But this is a hundred years of cultivation!" Hai Siyuan eximed in disbelief.


    "Has the martial artists of the outside world, the Jiu Province, be so strong after forty years that even a hundred years of cultivation can only rank in the top ten? I thought it would at least be in the top three."


    Hai Siyuan was a Captain ranked sixth, which was his rank in the military forty years ago.


    After being trapped in the isted city for forty years, the rank of his position no longer had any meaning.


    In the forty years of bloody battles, his martial arts cultivation had already broken through to the third rank of the Spiritual Refining Realm.


    Based on his knowledge of the martial arts world forty years ago, Qiao Mu¡¯s hundred-year power disyed should easily be ranked in the top three.


    "Could it be that there are more than one hundred-year-old people like him in the outside world?" Hai Siyuan eximed in surprise.


    "Of course not," irvoyance exined.


    "In the past forty years, Jiu Province¡¯s martial arts world has been oppressed by inhumans from the outside, and threatened by Martial Saints from within. Under the double heavy pressure, if they don¡¯t make progress, they will die, and it will be a gruesome death, beingpletely devoured by the Martial Saints."


    "Among the top ten of the Tide Listening Building¡¯s powerful techniques, those who can make it are the extraordinary talents and prodigies born under this heavy pressure."


    "Being in the top ten of the four rankings is no longer a realm that ordinary martial artists can achieve through hard work alone. They are all gifted individuals who have had multiple fortunate encounters. They can be called the descendants of martial arts fortune, walking at the forefront of martial arts today."


    "Just speaking about the Strength List, the other people in the top ten have had idents and fell off cliffs by chance, but in turn, they gained good fortune and consumed special fruits, transforming their bodies and gaining a hundred years of power for no reason."


    "There is also a martial arts family named Xue who is said to be cursed with inhuman blood, unable to live past fifty years old."


    "So, each generation¡¯s family leader will use their lifelong power to pass on their skills to the next generation before they turn fifty. Although there is some consumption, the umted power surpasses that of ordinary martial artists. This is rted to the martial arts practiced by the Xue family."


    "And this person, Qiao Shuangsen, is different from those gifted descendants of fortune," irvoyance said with emotion:


    "He didn¡¯t rely on coincidences, but rather on consistent and unwavering years of hard work, gathering sand to build towers, collecting soil to create mountains. He can be called a role model for our generation of martial artists¡¯ efforts."


    "Listen to what he said on the Appointing Commander tform, after years of hard work, he has finally reached this point. Even us onlookers are amazed."


    Those with exceptional talent often attract jealousy.


    But for those who work hard and diligently, they are admired and respected even more.


    "What¡¯s more important is that this represents a path that future generations can follow," said irvoyance.


    "Even if progress is slow, as long as you have enough determination, the ¡®Xumi Mountain King Sutra¡¯ can continuously break through. The so-called levels of power only represent different stages, and there is no concept of a bottleneck in cultivation."


    Hai Siyuan was filled with admiration as he listened. I wonder who this extraordinary person is, to create such a powerful martial art like the ¡®Xumi Mountain King Sutra¡¯. This person will surely leave a mark in the martial history of Jiu Province.


    Just as they were talking, Qiao Mu had already finished speaking on the Appointing Commander tform and walked down from it.


    Dao Fei was spreading the martial art in just one day, and he was very interested in Lu Yanbei.


    After all, just now on the stage, this old man personally said that his swordsmanship was learned from the former Earth Sword Immortal, who was known as the number one swordsman in the world¡­ He was also one of Qiao Mu¡¯s targets on this journey.

 Chapter 187:

    Chapter 187:


    "Do you want to meet the Former Earth Sword Immortal?"


    When Qiao Mu finished exining his purpose, Wooden Sword Walker Lu Yanbei¡¯s face showed a strange expression.


    It wasn¡¯t just him, when Qiao Mu mentioned the name Earth Sword Immortal, Captain Hai beside him also showed a puzzled look, wanting to speak but hesitating, and his brow furrowed.


    Earth Sword Immortal was one of the reasons why Qiao Mu came to this lonely city.


    He usually liked to deal with strong people because strong people were often dangerous and brought a lot of trouble, easily causing death.


    So he eagerly approached them.


    But Captain Hai frowned heavily at this moment.


    "Elder Lao, although Earth Sword Immortal is powerful, he has a heart of stone. Why are you looking for him?"


    "He has been in this lonely city for thirty years, never drawing his sword or fighting for the soldiers and people in the city. He just watched us soldiers die on the battlefield.""Twenty years ago, General Li Changge went to ask him for help before dying, but he was unmoved. He still hid in the Taoist temple in the city until today."


    If it were just ordinary residents of the city, Hai Siyuan could understand theirck of strength and courage to fight the enemy. But he would still despise cowards.


    However, Earth Sword Immortal was different.


    In the previous generation of martial arts, Earth Sword Immortal was a very bright figure.


    At that time, the Martial Saint was only the eleventh in the world, and there were ten more dazzling people in the martial arts world.


    Earth Sword Immortal was the leader of martial arts at that time, the leader of swordsmanship. He was also known as "Earth Sword Immortal" by martial artists all over the world.


    Even if it was just the title of exile immortal, even the nickname given by martial artists in the martial arts world, it was not insignificant.


    Because there are immortals in this world, and they do possess powers far beyond ordinary martial artists.


    Earth Sword Immortal, as a martial artist of the rivers andkes, being bestowed the title of "Immortal of the Sword" by the world is quite incredible. It represents that in the eyes of martial artists in the previous generation of martial arts, he is their "exiled immortal," a person like and-bound sword immortal.


    Such a person, clearly possessing unparalleled martial arts skills, but always refusing to draw his sword and hiding in the city, naturally makes Captain Hai and other soldiers despise his character.


    He is very powerful, so even if Captain Hai and the others have grievances in their hearts, they can only hold it in and dare not provoke him.


    But it is impossible for Captain Hai and the other experienced soldiers in the city to have a good impression of Earth Sword Immortal.


    After listening to Captain Hai briefly talk about Earth Sword Immortal¡¯s life story, Qiao Mu was greatly amazed.


    The one who reacted even more significantly was Lu Yanbei.


    His face was rather embarrassed, not knowing whether to advance or retreat, standing there awkwardly.


    "Uncle Lu, don¡¯t worry, let¡¯s stick to the matter at hand," Captain Hai also noticed Lu Yanbei¡¯s embarrassment and waved his hand, saying:


    "What Earth Sword Immortal does is up to Earth Sword Immortal. Since Uncle Lu arrived in the city a year ago, he has fought alongside us several times, and naturally, we understand his sincere intentions."


    "Uncle Lu, don¡¯t overthink it. You are you, and he is he. You don¡¯t need to go to such lengths for him."


    Qiao Mu pondered, it seems like there is quite a deep connection between Lu Yanbei and that Earth Sword Immortal?


    "Could Uncle Lu possibly be the disciple of Earth Sword Immortal?" Qiao Mu asked casually.


    This time, he didn¡¯t call him "nephew" but changed to a more formal title.


    But as soon as these words came out, Lu Yanbei¡¯s face became even stranger, he sighed softly and said:


    "To be honest, Earth Sword Immortal¡¯s real name is Lu Yannan, he is my own younger brother."


    "When I was young, I taught him swordsmanship, but as he grew up, his swordsmanship became even better than mine. Eventually, he ended up teaching me swordsmanship."


    "People in the martial arts world call me ¡®Wooden Sword Walker¡¯, saying that I am a master of swordsmanship who is skilled and not bound by the sword. The truth is, if it wasn¡¯t for my younger brother¡¯s guidance, I may not have reached where I am today."


    Qiao Mu pondered for a while and suddenly asked:


    "Besides swordsmanship, did Master Lu also practice Iron Crotch Skill?"


    "Iron Crotch Skill? Why would Brother Qiao ask about that?" Lu Yanbei was puzzled.


    Because your second brother is invincible in the world¡­ Qiao Mu thought to himself, suddenly reminded of Old Huang he had met in Yan City before.


    Speaking of which, Old Huang¡¯s Iron Crotch Skill is truly amazing. He is now 109 years old and still as strong as a rock, free from worries about his health.


    While the two people were talking, Hai Siyuan took a few steps back and nned to leave.


    He wasn¡¯t interested in talking about the Earth Sword Immortal.


    But before he went far, Qiao Mu called him back.


    "Captain Hai, do you remember what I said before? Your own brother is waiting outside Anxi Pass."


    Hai Siyuan stopped in his tracks and saw Qiao Mu take out a stack of envelopes from his bag. He picked one out and handed it to Hai Siyuan.


    Anxi Pass was built twenty years ago, and Hai Siyuan had heard about its existence from martial artists like Lu Yanbei in the outside world.


    The letter in Qiao Mu¡¯s hand was actually a family letter from Mr. Hai outside Anxi Pass.


    He had a total of 31 letters like this in his possession, sent by the settled people from the town outside Anxi Pass.


    They said they wanted Qiao Mu to help them enter the desert and burn this letter sent to the underworld, secretly hoping that their own rtives didn¡¯t die in the Inhuman War and still held onto a glimmer of hope¡­


    "Please give me these letters as well," said Hai Siyuan with a slightly heavy tone.


    "They were all my former colleagues¡­ Although these 31 family letters were delivered to this lonely city, how many of the old soldiers who could survive until now are left¡­"


    Hai Siyuan took the stack of family letters and walked away.


    ¡­¡­¡­


    Inside the lonely city, there was a Taoist temple.


    This city had been trapped in the desert by inhuman beings for forty years, so it was obviously impossible for there to be a Taoist temple that worships inhuman beings in the city.


    Therefore, it was clear that this Taoist temple had long been abandoned, worn out with time, and its walls were covered in faded marks.


    The courtyard was covered with ayer of fallen leaves that made a crunchy sound when stepped on, and there was an Immortal Statue leaning sideways in the mud in the courtyard.


    The Immortal Statue was simr to the Immortal Statue Qiao Mu had seen before, with a transcendent temperament, ethereal and godlike, giving off a sense ofpassion for the world.


    The Immortal Statue had fallen over, with half of its face buried in the mud.


    What concerned Qiao Mu more than the Immortal Statue in the courtyard were the people in the courtyard.


    The person was wearing a green robe, with white hair like frost. They were sitting on the head of the Immortal Statue as if using it as a chair.


    From the side, although this person¡¯s temples were already white as snow, their face didn¡¯t look old. They were clearly much younger than the old man, Lu Yanbei.


    They had a stubble on their face, and their appearance was somewhat untidy. They were just casually sitting in this abandoned courtyard. However, their appearance was undeniably handsome, even though it was untidy, it still made people¡¯s eyes light up.


    It was sigh-inducing to think that if this person were still young, let alone their swordsmanship, just based on their face, they would probably be enough to be a popr person in the martial arts world.


    This middle-aged person in the green robe sat on top of the head of the Immortal Statue, holding a carving knife in their hand. They were deeply focused, meticulously carving a statue of a woman.


    Their carving skills were truly extraordinary. They had carved a figure of a woman in a pce dress to be lifelike, as if her eyes would open in the next moment.


    And the area that this middle-aged person was currently carving was the eyes.


    It is said that adding the finishing touch is important whether it¡¯s carving or painting. The eyes are the key.


    If the finishing touch is done well, this sculpture will have a divine charm and won¡¯t just be a lifeless stone figure, but will be lively like a real person.


    At that moment, the middle-aged man put down the carving knife in his hand.


    "Love always brings emptiness and regret, and the best dreams are the easiest to wake up from."


    "After many years, I still can¡¯t escape from this city in my heart. Ah Zhen, I¡¯m ashamed to let your eyes see how I am now." He sighed softly, and the outline of his face in the evening sunlight became coated with a delicate golden edge.


    "Let¡¯s not carve these eyes after all."


    With his back turned to Qiao Mu, who entered the courtyard, it seemed like he was talking to him, but also like he was talking to himself.


    "Thirty years have passed in the blink of an eye, and beauty fades. Have you also grown old now?"


    "I regret that my skills are limited, I dare not carve your eyes, I dare not fully capture your beauty."


    "He is a sentimental person." This thought crossed Qiao Mu¡¯s mind.


    However, Lu Yanbei, who was leading Qiao Mu, suddenly moved. He ignored the "Earth Sword Immortal" who was carving a female statue and walked straight towards the main hall of the Taoist temple. He pushed open the tightly closed door.


    The door made a creaking sound, and the things in the main hall came into Qiao Mu¡¯s view, causing him to pause.


    On the altar of the main hall, there were as many as ten stone statues¡­. They were not the usual Immortal Statues found in Taoist temples. Without exception, all these stone statues were of women.


    There were delicate and petite women, graceful and elegant swordswomen holding long swords, and voluptuous women who seemed like they could be molded out of water¡­. The postures and figures of these dozen or so female stone statues were all different, vivid and lifelike,peting for attention on the altar.


    "Big brother, you¡¯re ruining my spotlight again." The middle-aged man said absentmindedly.


    He simplyid back on the head of the tall Immortal Statue in the courtyard and let out a yawn.


    "Didn¡¯t you lose face by not carving the eyes? Let them have a good look at how you look now, aren¡¯t you embarrassed?" Lu Yanbei said impatiently.


    "The main hall of the Taoist temple is bing like an exhibition hall for a harem because of you."


    "Big brother, I am sincere with them." Lu Yannan said softly.


    "But my heart has already broken, shattered into many pieces, each piece loving a different person."


    "You cannot belittle the sincerity between me and them just because you were not as popr as me when we were young."


    Lu Yanbei took a deep breath, almost suffocating.


    "So he is the Earth Sword Immortal?" Qiao Mu carefully observed this so-called Earth Sword Immortal.


    Although this person has a good reputation, now it seems that besides his attractive appearance, nothing reflects the demeanor of a celestial being.


    "Never mind the celestial being, what about your sword? It seems there is not a single sword inside this Taoist temple," Qiao Mu looked around and asked.


    This so-called Earth Sword Immortal has no weapons, only a penknife used for carving? What kind of Earth Sword Immortal is this?


    "Haha," the Earth Sword Immortal chuckled softly.


    "Big Brother¡¯s swordsmanship is still at the level of ¡®unmatched wooden sword¡¯."


    "While I have already reached the state of ¡®no sword in hand, no sword in heart¡¯."


    Beside him, Lu Yanbei said coldly:


    "In other words, he doesn¡¯t have a sword in his hand, and he has lost the spirit and determination of a swordsman in his heart."


    "The entire lonely city is facing the siege of inhuman beings, with a strong fighting spirit to fight to the death, but he has long lost this spirit."


    The former number one Earth Sword Immortal no longer exists, now he is just the number one loser in the world.


    Speaking of this, Lu Yanbei also felt a surge of frustration in his heart, as if hating that iron cannot be steel.


    Thirty years ago, his own younger brother, Earth Sword Immortal, inexplicably disappeared. In fact, he also had the intention to find him, butter he was deceived by a disciple of the Great Dao Sect and trapped in this lonely city.


    It doesn¡¯t matter if you don¡¯t enter the lonely city, but once you enter the lonely city, you will know what Earth Sword Immortal, Lu Yannan, has been doing all these years.


    Captain Hai said it well. Over this past year, Lu Yanbei fought alongside the old soldiers, protecting the lonely city. In fact, it also meant taking care of his own younger brother, and he felt a little guilty about it.


    "Isn¡¯t that right?" Qiao Mu frowned secretly. It was a bit different from what he had heard about the Earth Sword Immortal beforehand.


    "Earth Sword Immortal, I came here today because I have something to ask." Qiao Mu thought for a moment and said.


    "I have heard the Martial Saint talk about the past."


    "Forty years ago, after the Inhuman War, the Martial Saint who escaped alone created the ¡®Martial Saint Spiritual Technique.¡¯"


    "ording to him, at that time, he quickly found the top ten martial artists in the world, which includes you, right?"


    The half-reclining Earth Sword Immortal thought for a moment and nodded.


    "That was a long time ago, about thirty years ago. As an old man like you, are you still concerned about such old matters?"


    Qiao Mu continued speaking.


    "Martial Saint said that at that time, he and the other ten people made a ten-year agreement to teach you the ¡®Martial Saint Spiritual Technique¡¯ and decided to have apetition to determine the only survivor after ten years¡­ Is this true?"


    "Yeah, what¡¯s up?" Earth Sword Immortal said casually.


    "If that¡¯s the case, why are you still alive?" Qiao Mu asked directly.


    And now, Earth Sword Immortal was standing right in front of him, and he could tell that this person had not practiced the ¡®Martial Saint Spiritual Technique¡¯.


    This contradicted Martial Saint¡¯s initial statement.


    "You¡¯re talking about this matter." After thinking for a while, Earth Sword Immortal said:


    "That Martial Saint kid made a big deal out of this."


    "I never intended to agree to practice that ¡®Martial Saint Spiritual Technique¡¯, but he was acting so serious and the atmosphere was all serious, so I nodded along without realizing that Martial Saint was being serious¡­"


    Earth Sword Immortal shrugged his shoulders, looking helpless.


    "We are just ordinary people. Should we, the ordinary people, have to bear the burden of the world?"


    "That Martial Saint guyes from a government official background. He wants to take on the impossible."


    "But I am different. With my three-foot sword, I can only protect myself and have no grand ambitions like Defeating Immortals with Martial Arts."


    "So, you ran away? Hiding in this lonely city?" Qiao Mu asked sharply, disregarding the other person¡¯s identity.


    Earth Sword Immortal smiled but didn¡¯t confirm or deny.


    "Do you think the other nine people, besides me, would willingly sacrifice their lives?"


    "When the ten-year agreement just started, maybe they were still full of ambitions."


    "But they also have families and friends. After another ten years, they may not have the same initial aspirations. One or two of them indeed feel regret now, but it¡¯s toote."


    "Once you shoot an arrow, you can¡¯t take it back. Once they have mastered the Martial Saint Spiritual Technique, there is no turning back. Only one of them among them is destined to survive." Earth Sword Immortal said calmly.


    "So the other nine people all achieved the martial path of the Martial Saint."

 Chapter 188:

    Chapter 188:


    In the past, the top ten martial artists in the world, except for Earth Sword Immortal, were all killed by the hand of the Martial Saint.


    When the ten-year agreement was fulfilled, among those nine people, some regretted their actions while others bravely sacrificed themselves¡­ Regardless of their attitudes, the final result was the achievement of the one and only victor.


    The victor is the Martial Saint.


    Thest survivor is not just one person, but a collective of the strongest martial artists. In his eyes, he will eventually carry the aspirations of a generation of warriors and the souls of one hundred thousand soldiers, resisting the inhuman.


    Forty years ago, Earth Sword Immortal, and forty yearster, the Martial Saint. They are the Martial Path leaders of two generations.


    It is unknown whether Earth Sword Immortal deliberately avoided the battle or if there were other reasons, but these two powerful individuals didn¡¯t determine the superior at the moment of fulfilling the ten-year agreement.


    "So, you¡¯re afraid to fulfill the agreement with the Martial Saint, to decide life and death, so you hide in this lonely city?" Qiao Mu said directly.


    He was fearless and not afraid of this Earth Sword Immortal.


    Moreover, the deeds of Earth Sword Immortal that Captain Hai and Lu Yanbei had heard before were not glorious and impressive, and Qiao Mu didn¡¯t think highly of them.Others may admire strength, but personal character doesn¡¯t matter.


    But Qiao Mu wouldn¡¯t. He had no fear of death, so he had no taboos. Being a strong person with power alone couldn¡¯t make him afraid or earn his respect.


    "Hmm?" Earth Sword Immortal nced sidelong at Qiao Mu, with a smile that wasn¡¯t quite a smile:


    "Old man, stop provoking me here. Do you think I would care about such a poor attempt at stirring up trouble?"


    "Forty years ago¡¯s Martial Saint is not qualified to challenge me yet."


    "Don¡¯t try to glorify yourself. Forty years ago is one thing, what about thirty years ago, and even now?" Lu Yanbei interjected.


    Martial Saint was not the most brilliant martial artist forty years ago. There were ten others who were stronger than him at that time. However, among those people, only Martial Saint made it to the end.


    Lu Yanbei seemed quite happy to mock his own younger brother. After a few words, Earth Sword Immortal was left speechless.


    "Fine, believe whatever you want. Talking to you is boring. I¡¯m sleepy."


    Earth Sword Immortal waved his hand and closed his eyes. Soon, the sound of snoring could be heard. He fell asleep in just a few breaths.


    Lu Yanbei watched with a twitching corner of his eye, but there was nothing he could do.


    "Sorry, my brother has always been unruly. It¡¯s my fault for not being able to resist saying a few more words to him." Lu Yanbei sighed.


    "When we were young, my brother and I roamed the world. I, as the older brother, always wanted to guide him more, thinking of myself as an older father figure. Little did I know¡­ forget it, let¡¯s not talk about it."


    Lu Yanbei rested his forehead on his hand, feeling somewhat helpless.


    "Brother Qiao is dedicated to helping the people of Lonely City. He openly teaches the ¡®Xumi Mountain King Sutra¡¯ and wins people¡¯s hearts. If there¡¯s ever a need for me, I will definitely assist Brother Qiao."


    "But this time, even though I brought Brother Qiao here, I couldn¡¯t help but say a few more words and interfere with Brother Qiao¡¯s important matters."


    "No need, especially since I don¡¯t have anything important to do," Qiao Mu casually said.


    He acted on his own whims and had no serious intentions when meeting this celestial being.


    If this celestial being is a big boss, he¡¯s prepared to spend his gold coins; but if this celestial being is an old man, he¡¯ll try to take advantage.


    However, this celestial being seemed unresponsive, like a stubborn person who refuses to listen. In that case, there¡¯s nothing else to say.


    Unexpectedly, Lu Yanbei interjected and said:


    "Weren¡¯t you looking for him to obtain the ¡®Pure Yang Wuji Skill¡¯ technique?"


    Qiao Mu was taken aback.


    From Qiao Mu¡¯s reaction, Lu Yanbei roughly guessed what was happening and simply said:


    "Having traveled the world for a lifetime, I consider myself well-informed. I even had a fight with you in the martial arts arena, so it¡¯s not easy to hide your true abilities from me."


    "The martial arts that you specialize in should be the ¡®Long Life Fist Sutra¡¯ from the Qiao Family in Heyang City, as well as the ¡®Pure Yang Wuji Skill¡¯ from the former Wudang sect, am I right?"


    The ¡®Long Life Fist¡¯ is quite famous, and Lu Yanbei is even more familiar with the ¡®Pure Yang Wuji Skill¡¯.


    "My younger brother was noticed by a Taoist from Wudang in his youth and was epted as a true disciple, therefore he practiced the ¡®Pure Yang Wuji Skill.¡¯ of course, this was many years ago."


    "He has long been an abandoned disciple of Wudang, and now even the Wudang sect no longer exists." Lu Yanbei¡¯s expression was slightly embarrassed.


    It seems that this past event also makes him reluctant to look back on it. Obviously, it was not a pleasant experience.


    "By the way, it seems that the Wudang sect was destroyed by the Martial Saint, right?" Qiao Mu couldn¡¯t help but nce at the sleeping Earth Sword Immortal.


    Even though he is an abandoned disciple of Wudang, he still has a connection to the sect. To witness the sect being destroyed, this person seems to be quite heartless.


    Unexpectedly, as soon as these words were spoken, the snoring sound from the Immortal Statue on top of his head stopped.


    "Talking about me behind my back when I¡¯m not paying attention, huh?" Earth Sword Immortal¡¯s voice was quite annoyed.


    "The group from Wudang is not a good bunch of people. They just made me represent the school andpete in a martial artspetition, and I ended up losing."


    "I was seriously ill at that time! I almost lost my life. As a result, they used me of tarnishing the reputation of Wudang School and wanted to kick me out."


    "I¡¯d rather not join such a school!"


    "Even without joining Wudang, I can still be the top swordsman!" said Earth Sword Immortal, speaking with a powerful and resounding voice.


    He seemed to hold a grudge against the Wudang sect. At this moment, he appeared slightly more rxed and showed the spirit of a strong person.


    It would have been better if Earth Sword Immortal kept quiet. As soon as he spoke, the well-mannered old man named Lu Yanbei couldn¡¯t hold back.


    "So many years have passed, and now you think you can start twisting the truth? I am still alive, you know?"


    "Can you rify what illness you were suffering from at that time?" Lu Yanbei asked sternly.


    "I won¡¯t talk to you about these old matters," Earth Sword Immortal said without saying anything more. He leaped into the backyard of the Taoist temple and disappeared.


    Lu Yanbei looked in the direction where Earth Sword Immortal disappeared and sighed.


    "Sorry, whenever I see him, I can¡¯t help but get angry. It¡¯s just unbearable."


    Lu Yanbei sighed.


    In front of Earth Sword Immortal, he lost his grace and dignity as a renowned martial arts master.


    Qiao Mu, on the other hand, looked puzzled. From their appearance and the way they spoke, it seemed more like a father-son rtionship rather than brothers.


    "Uncle Lu, what kind of illness does Earth Sword Immortal have?" Qiao Mu asked curiously.


    Lu Yanbei looked embarrassed and didn¡¯t answer immediately, avoiding the question.


    Qiao Mu¡¯s curiosity was piqued and he thought for a moment before intentionally asking:


    "I think the Wudang Sect has gone too far. Sickness and death are part of life, how can they expel a disciple just because they are seriously ill and it affects the reputation of the sect? They reallyckpassion."


    Lu Yanbei hesitated for a moment before finally opening his mouth to exin:


    "It¡¯s not Wudang¡¯s fault."


    "Because before thepetition representing our martial arts sect, my younger brother was afflicted with¡­ a sexually transmitted disease."

 Chapter 189:

    Chapter 189:


    A sexually transmitted disease?


    Qiao Mu gasped in shock and instinctively nced in the direction where Earth Sword Immortal had left the temple courtyard. He eximed in terror.


    After all, he was a Wudang Taoist and could represent the sect in battle. He practiced the rare and powerful Zhenpai skill called "Pure Yang Wuji Skill." Earth Sword Immortal¡¯s status in the Wudang sect was definitely not that of an ordinary disciple.


    When these core disciples go out topete with other sects, they represent the sect¡¯s reputation¡­ especially Wudang, which is a renowned and prestigious Taoist sect. Being afflicted with this sexually transmitted disease is indeed groundbreaking for the Wudang sect.


    Seeing Qiao Mu remain silent and look towards the temple courtyard, Lu Yanbei misunderstood and thought he wanted to enter. He quickly waved his hand to stop him.


    "Brother Qiao, don¡¯t go into the backyard of the Taoist temple."


    "The backyard is his forbidden area, nobody can enter except for him, not even me as his older brother."


    Qiao Mu became interested when he heard this.


    "Is there a secret hidden in this backyard?"Lu Yanbei was taken aback and shook his head.


    "I once asked him about it, but he avoided giving a direct answer. He just said that the yard only contained unfinished stone sculptures, which were not worth showing to outsiders." Lu Yanbei pondered for a moment.


    "If it was just an ordinary woman, I have seen plenty of them before. There is no need for him to hide anything from me."


    "Brother Qiao, do you think he secretly has a thousand swords buried in the backyard, waiting for the day to rise and be a legendary hero?"


    "I think you¡¯re giving your brother too much credit." Qiao Mu shrugged.


    "I think it¡¯s more likely in the backyard, with his many female friends¡¯ statues, but they might not be wearing clothes."


    Lu Yanbei was speechless for a moment, imagining his younger brother¡¯s actions and realizing that it could really be possible.


    He could only sigh, leading Qiao Mu out of the abandoned Taoist temple.


    "If Brother Qiao wants other Spiritual Refining Techniques, there should still be a few stored in the military arsenal in the city. Brother Qiao could try his luck there," Lu Yanbei suggested.


    "The arsenal was established by General Li Changge in the past, and it is now guarded by General Li Changge¡¯s younger brother."


    "If Brother Qiao publicly reveals the ¡®Xumi Mountain King Sutra,¡¯ the military arsenal may also open its doors to you."


    Upon hearing about the secret martial arts manuals, Qiao Mu immediately became excited and expressed his desire to go, with Lu Yanbei also showing enthusiasm and offering to guide them.


    However, as they walked, Lu Yanbei intentionally or unintentionally brought up the topic of the Earth Sword Immortal.


    "As ¡®Wooden Sword Walker¡¯, I have been traveling the martial world for many years and have gained some reputation. Over the years, I have also been diligent in upholding morals and carefully selecting students with a sense of chivalry."


    "As the elder brother is regarded as a father figure, my brother and I ventured into the world at a young age. I hoped to set a good example, but he ended up going astray. Perhaps it was my fault for not guiding him properly."


    Lu Yanbei chatted on and on.


    As people age, their speech bes more fragmented.


    In reality, he brought Qiao Mu along to find Earth Sword Immortal with some ulterior motives.


    Earth Sword Immortal had been neglecting his responsibilities for many years, and when Lu Yanbei saw Qiao Mu arrive alone, he used a lie about an Immortal ying Army to inspire the entire city, dispelling past pessimism.


    Holding onto a glimmer of hope, he believed that bringing Qiao Mu, who was a variable, might bring some change to the long-neglectful Earth Sword Immortal.


    As for cultivation techniques and such, they were just external things. In his opinion, even Wudang had lost its significance for decades. The "Pure Yang Wuji Skill" had already been stored in the Wuji Association¡¯s library, so there was no need to treasure them excessively.


    Therefore, he brought Qiao Mu along.


    If Qiao Mu could find a way to alter Earth Sword Immortal, whether it was demanding cultivation techniques or something else, Lu Yanbei didn¡¯t mind lending a hand with this small favor.


    "My little brother actually has a good reputation, Brother Qiao can start from this point and cater to his interests," suggested Lu Yanbei.


    "I think Brother Lu has an even better reputation," Qiao Mu spoke frankly.


    If Earth Sword Immortal really had a good reputation, why would he have such a bad reputation in this isted city?


    Lu Yanbei, on the other hand, was different.


    He tirelessly rushed around, fought alongside the old soldiers, and guided Qiao Mu to find Earth Sword Immortal. He was always concerned about how to clean up the mess for his own younger brother.


    Hearing Qiao Mu¡¯s words, Lu Yanbei could only smile bitterly.


    Despite the bitter smile, he still wanted to restore some dignity for his younger brother in front of Qiao Mu. This was thest stubbornness of an old man like him.


    "Actually, he wasn¡¯t like this when he was little, and this probably has to do with the background of us two brothers."


    "Both of us, in fact,e from the noble Lu family in the Imperial Capital, we are the illegitimate children of the former Minister of Rites¡­"


    Lu Yanbei is very honest and openly talks about his background.


    At his age, with almost one foot in the grave, he has be indifferent to many things.


    The secretive background that he used to hide when he was young, he can now openly share with Qiao Mu.


    Of course, this is also rted to the impression Qiao Mu has given him.


    In his eyes, Qiao Mu is an old man who has lived more than a hundred years, older than him by more than twenty years, strictly speaking, a venerable senior with extraordinary magnanimity.


    If Qiao Mu were reced by a twenty-year-old inexperienced youngster, even if he were preaching the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra" on the street, Lu Yanbei, relying on his seniority, would probably not expose his shorings.


    "My father was a former Minister of Rites, an exemry schr and teacher. My mother, on the other hand, was a somewhat famous female knight-errant¡­"


    "Originally, they werepletely different and only had a chance encounter¡­"


    Thebination of a refined official and a female knight-errant is not really that extraordinary.


    It was unbelievable that the next day, the female warrior told Lu¡¯s father to feel at ease and leave. She had strong inner power and could use it to force it out. There would be no more connection between you and me.


    Lu¡¯s father believed her.


    Many yearster, when Lu¡¯s father became the Minister of Rites, his position was soaring. The former female warrior, however, came to his door with the two children she had given birth to, using them as a bargaining chip for money ¡­


    "Those days of being dependent on others were really tough. Later, my two brothers quickly left home and went on adventures in the martial world, keeping each otherpany ¡­"


    When talking about the past, Lu Yanbei¡¯s expression was calm and his eyes were mysterious, showing the indifference of an old man.


    Seventy to eighty years passed.


    Whether it was the Minister of Rites or the martial world female warrior, they had already passed away.


    So Lu Yanbei didn¡¯t have much resentment towards his adoptive parents, and even if there was any before, it was gone now.


    As for his brother, Earth Sword Immortal Lu Yannan, it seems he wasn¡¯t as scheming¡­


    When the two of them were chatting about the past, they had already reached a corner of this lonely city and stood in front of an old warehouse in the military camp.


    "This is the city¡¯s armory, I won¡¯t go there," Lu Yanbei said as he bid farewell, but before leaving, he didn¡¯t forget to remind:


    "If Brother Qiao insists on asking for the book ¡®Pure Yang Wuji Skill¡¯ from my younger brother, maybe he would be interested."


    "Interested?" Qiao Mu pondered for a moment.


    "Are there any prostitutes in this city?"


    Lu Yanbei chuckled silently and didn¡¯t answer, then turned and left.


    Qiao Mu pushed the door and entered the warehouse.


    There was an old man with white hair sitting at the front desk, dozing off. When he saw Qiao Mu approaching, he opened one sleepy eye and raised his head.


    This old man¡¯s face was scarred and half of his face was destroyed. His left eye socket was empty, giving him a somewhat scary appearance.


    When Qiao Mu noticed the hesitation in the old man¡¯s gaze, he calmly exined:


    "It¡¯s the Etching Bones Li Fire, a powerful martial art that can quickly strike back and protect oneself."


    "Did Elder Laoe to this martial arts library to browse through the various martial arts collected in the city?" The old man clearly recognized Qiao Mu and had a strong impression of him.


    After all, in this isted city, there are only a few martial artists from outside who have managed to survive, let alone someone like Qiao Mu who made such a grand entrance into the city.


    "That¡¯s right." Qiao Mu looked up at the shelves filled with martial arts manuals in this library. There were quite a lot of hidden treasures here.


    "Elder Lao¡¯s public lecture on the Xumi Mountain King Sutra was truly noble. I admire you, even with only half of your face visible." The old man tugged at his damaged flesh, attempting to smile but it looked quite unsettling.


    "If it were up to me, with Elder Lao¡¯s contributions, you could freely browse through the books in this martial arts library."


    "However, especially in times of chaos, rules must be observed. Without rules, this isted city wouldn¡¯t have survived until now."


    "Here¡¯s the deal, there are a total of nine different Spiritual Refining Techniques in this city. Elder Lao can choose one to read and study."


    The old man led Qiao Mu directly up to the third floor of the storage room and personally brought out a few Spiritual Refining Techniques, cing them in front of Qiao Mu.


    As the two walked, a person in the corner of the storage room was attracted by their movement and approached.


    "Why is Elder Lao also here in the armory?"


    The person speaking was Storyteller irvoyance, who arrived in the city with Qiao Mu. He was also holding a thick bound book in his hands.


    "What are you looking at? Let me have a look too?" Qiao Mu became curious.


    The storyteller at Tide Listening Building was renowned for his vast knowledge, and irvoyance was clearly not an ordinary storyteller either.


    The martial arts that caught his attention were likely not ordinary.


    However, Storyteller irvoyance was taken aback for a moment, then handed the book to Qiao Mu.


    Qiao Mu casually flipped through the pages and realized that it was not the martial arts manual he had imagined, but¡­ a book of records?


    "This is the history book of our city," the old man with half a face sighed.


    "Jiu Province may have forgotten us, but we must not forget the brothers who sacrificed their lives¡­ thus, this history book was created."


    "Even if we all perish, the future generations who arrive at these ruins of the city may catch a glimpse of the forty years of blood and tears shed by the military and civilians. Our deeds can be passed down through generations."


    "If nobodyes, recording the stories of our fallen brothers will at least bring us some constion."


    For forty years, in the vast desert, a hundred thousand soldiers perished one after another, leaving only half the city¡¯s women and children. The history of this isted city is soaked in blood and fire.


    While the remaining soldiers and the young men from the city fought battles outside, some powerless officials and disabled veterans recorded andpiled a book about the history of this isted city.


    irvoyance the storyteller was reading such a history book.

 Chapter 190:

    Chapter 190:


    "You¡¯re actually reading a history book?" Qiao Mu looked at the heavy tome in his hand, surprised, and nced at irvoyance.


    The old man with only half a face from the arsenal exined:


    "This warehouse in the military camp is not only an armory, but also a library."


    "In addition to the history of this city, there are also the histories of Great Yan and even the previous dynasties. These books were collected before the city was surrounded."


    "No, what surprised me is that you, a Tide Listening Building storyteller, entered the armory to read history? Don¡¯t you find this full collection of martial arts enticing?" Qiao Mu was very surprised.


    Although Tide Listening Building is aloof, it is also a force in the martial arts world.


    And this extraordinary armory in the isted city was established by Li Changge and contains the secret collection of martial arts techniques from the remnants of the 100,000 soldiers of Great Yan.


    This armory can be regarded as a youthful version of the Wuji Association armory of the Martial Saint.


    The concept of the Martial Saint transcends prejudice and can be said to have originated from here.Of course, the martial arts techniques included in this armory are ancient methods from the previous generation of martial artists forty years ago.


    The Martial Saintter became famous in the world of martial arts, and created a modern method that was iparable to the weapons arsenal of this lonely city.


    A storyteller from the Tide Listening Building entered the weapons arsenal, expecting to read about martial arts, but ended up reading history instead.


    irvoyance smiled softly.


    "Elder Lao, I am a storyteller, actually part of the ¡®Fantastic Faction¡¯ in the Tide Listening Building."


    "And since I entered this city, I realized that ¡®real stories¡¯ are notcking. They have a magical power that touches people¡¯s hearts more than fictional wonders."


    As one of the main pirs of the Fantastic Faction, irvoyance excelled at creating sensational stories, the more oundish the better.


    "Not to brag, but as a storyteller for many years, I still have some craftsmanship."


    "Stories like the Top Ten Terrible Trouser idents, The Ten Scandalous Tales of Martial Arts World, and the Schr who Stumbled into a Vige of Daughters¡­"


    "How to create sensational stories, how toe up with unexpected yet usible tales, I have experience in this matter."


    "With this skill, I joined the Tide Listening Building and became somewhat famous in the martial arts world over the years."


    irvoyance looked at the thick book in his hand, and his tone became unintentionally heavy.


    "But reality is different."


    Creating sensational stories can easily captivate attention, but itcks truth.


    irvoyance flipped through the pages of the book.


    "During this dynasty, with this solitary city, we resisted the inhuman threat in the desert for forty years. And in previous dynasties, although there was no unprecedented threat like the inhumans, we still had barbarians causing trouble at the borders and soldiers fighting to the death."


    "The storytelling skills I possess are no match for the ¡®reality¡¯."


    "As a storyteller, I already know enough about martial arts. Whether I look at the martial arts in this arsenal or not, it doesn¡¯t matter. But when ites to the historical facts recorded in these books, I feel like I still don¡¯t understand enough."


    Qiao Mu slightly changed his opinion, wondering where that unruly demeanor of the storyteller went when he was in front of Captain Hai?


    While the two people were talking, the old man in the library came and put the total of nine books on spiritual refining in front of Qiao Mu.


    There are nine secret books, and Qiao Mu can exchange them for preaching the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra".


    However, at this moment, irvoyance, who was reading next to them, interrupted:


    "Elder Lao¡¯s main cultivation techniques for refining strength are the ¡®Long Life Fist Sutra¡¯ and the ¡®Pure Yang Wuji Skill¡¯, both of which are top-notch advanced skills."


    "But if you want to choose the Spiritual Refining Technique, it¡¯s actually best not to practice other techniques."


    "It is said that the ¡®Long Life Fist Sutra¡¯ was taught to the ancestors of the Qiao Family in Heyang City by an immortal they encountered in the mountains. It seems to have a background in a certain Immortal Gate. The internal strength cultivated from it is bnced and can be practiced together with other techniques."


    "But the ¡®Pure Yang Wuji Skill¡¯, the signature skill of Wudang, is a pure yang attribute technique. If you casually choose other Spiritual Refining Techniques to practice together, the internal strength may be mixed, and there is a risk of losing control." irvoyance exined.


    During the martial arts performance in the military camp, Lu Yanbei himself revealed the truth that Qiao Mu was not actually practicing spiritual refining, indicating that he was on a different path. So irvoyance also knew it very well.


    "I understand," Qiao Mu thought to himself that he actually knew this point very well, so now he was focusing on how to take advantage of Earth Sword Immortal and obtain the second half of the "Pure Yang Wuji Skill".


    The Spiritual Refining Technique in this library is not bad, but it can¡¯tpare to the outstanding martial arts of Wudang. I came here just to try my luck and have a backup n.


    "Since that¡¯s the case, Elder Lao might consider choosing this book, Military Martial Arts ssic," suggested the old man in the library.


    "This technique is not only the Spiritual Refining Technique but also includes many martial arts moves, such as Military Spear Skill, swordsmanship, archery, and other battlefield weapon techniques, as well as strategies for battles."


    "Even without using the Spiritual Refining Technique, the martial arts moves recorded in it are enough to be of great use."


    Speaking of this, a sad expression appeared on the old man¡¯s remaining eye.


    "This book waspiled by my elder brother, Li Changge, over the past twenty years. It is not just about martial arts but an attempt to create aprehensive martial arts thatbines military skills and principles."


    "This library was built under the supervision of my elder brother, General Li Changge, with the intention of allowing the remaining soldiers after the Inhuman War to contribute their martial arts techniques and share them with each other, so as to enhance their martial skills."


    "But he was too naive. In the past twenty years, we¡¯ve faced too many obstacles¡­"


    "Even with Li Changge leading the way, those skilled soldiers in the army, even if they knew they would die, were unwilling to contribute their own martial arts or the ones they learned from their masters."


    The barrier is not easily broken, even at the moment of death.


    The so-called 1,000 ounces of gold cannot buy friendship, it can only be given freely on the street corner.


    The "way" that one personally possesses, the martial arts that sustain and define oneself, will never be leaked for any amount of money.


    "Only a few people answered the call in the first ten years, butter there were too many deaths¡­ The remaining skilled soldiers gradually let it go." The old man with half of his face looked at the books in the library and said:


    "And so, the library was filled with these books."


    "But in the following years, problems kepting one after another."


    "The abilities of the remaining soldiers and the young men in the city varied, and those who entered the martial arts library often chose the well-known techniques, such as the basic volume of the 8 other parts of the Spiritual Refining Technique. Progress was often slow."


    "And so, Li Changge dedicated more than ten years of effort to create the ¡®Military Martial Arts ssic¡¯ and a secret technique within it called the ¡®Military Spiritual Technique¡¯."


    "Military Spiritual Technique?" This name caught Qiao Mu¡¯s attention.


    "Li Changge, my older brother, is the founder of the book ¡®Spiritual Technique.¡¯ The title means connecting hearts through the spirit and seeks for couples to have a deep spiritual connection. Even if they are far apart, their hearts can still feel each other."


    And ¡®Military Spiritual Technique¡¯ is a further development of ¡®Spiritual Technique,¡¯ which is a secret method of spiritual refining that even low-ranked martial artists can practice. It was created by Li Changge for the soldiers, aiming for a strong connection of hearts among them.


    "With this ¡®Military Spiritual Technique,¡¯ the battle formations andbined attacks in the book ¡®Military Martial Arts ssic¡¯ can be effectively used."


    The old man with half of his face was staring straight at Qiao Mu.


    In fact, he highly rmended the book ¡®Military Martial Arts ssic¡¯ because he had his own hidden motives.


    After Li Changge¡¯s death, there was no capable general left in this lonely city who could lead the entire army and take on major responsibilities. Captain Hai is good, but only just enough.


    Before Li Changge¡¯s death, he went to seek the help of the Earth Sword Immortal in that city, but it seemed like the person wasn¡¯t willing to take responsibility.


    Elder Lao has already practiced the ¡®Martial Saint Spiritual Technique,¡¯ so it would be easy for him to learn the ¡®Military Spiritual Technique.¡¯ Storyteller irvoyance also chimed in from the side.


    "Li Changge was also one of the outstanding former warriors of the imperial court, second only to the Martial Saint of the past. From his ability to create ¡®Spiritual Technique¡¯ and ¡®Military Spiritual Technique,¡¯ one can glimpse his talent and brilliance."


    "The other eight Spiritual Refining Techniques may not be as good as Li Changge¡¯s ¡®Military Martial Arts ssic¡¯."


    Qiao Mu thought for a moment and decided to choose this one.


    However, a thought crossed his mind.


    When oranges grow in Huainan, they are called oranges; when oranges grow in Huaibei, they are called kumquats.


    Starting with the couple¡¯s telepathic technique as the foundation, Li Changge created the ¡®Military Spiritual Technique¡¯ for battle, while Martial Saint created the ¡®Martial Saint Spiritual Technique¡¯ that involved absorbing others¡¯ achievements. They have already split into two distinct paths.


    After choosing the secret manual, Qiao Mu stayed in the armory all night reading the book.


    The next day, dawn arrived.


    Qiao Mu spent half a day returning to the military camp in the city to exin the ¡®Xumi Mountain King Sutra¡¯ to the soldiers and answer any difficulties they encountered in their practice.


    Qiao Mu¡¯s foundation was solid, considering he had special abilities. He had already mastered the first five levels of the ¡®Xumi Mountain King Sutra¡¯, surpassing even Grandpa Hai Wuya. He was so familiar with the first five levels that he could effortlessly answer beginners¡¯ questions.


    The soldiers and civilians in the city were very interested in the book called "Xumi Mountain King Sutra," especially the elderly veterans who had retired from the battlefield.


    Qiao Mu¡¯s actions brought unprecedented prosperity to this lonely city after forty years.


    Only Captain Hai, who knew the truth, sighed in his heart. He knew very well that this prosperity was mostly due to the news that Qiao Mu had brought about reinforcements from Great Yan, but it was just an illusion.


    Over time, people will eventually start to suspect.


    However, with only three hundred elderly soldiers left in the lonely city, it may not hold up until the people in the city start to doubt.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    In the afternoon.


    After finishing his speech, Qiao Mu once again arrived at the residence of Earth Sword Immortal, in front of the old and dpidated Taoist temple.


    "To cater to their interests¡­ it¡¯s actually not that difficult," he muttered to himself.


    "This Venereal Disease Sword Immortal, his lifelong passion is nothing more than that thing in his pants. If you want to trade for the ¡®Pure Yang Wuji Skill,¡¯ you simply need to offer something that will entice him, it¡¯s very simple."


    Qiao Mu lowered his head and nced at the secret books in his hands. These were the ones he had transcribed in the libraryst night.


    One part is a book called the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra," and the other part is¡­ "Iron Crotch Skill"!

 Chapter 191:

    Chapter 191:


    Qiao Mu walked into the entrance of the Taoist temple, stepping on the fallen leaves in the courtyard, and passing by a small artificial mountain at the entrance. Sure enough, on the top of the towering Immortal Statue that had fallen over, he once again saw the Earth Sword Immortal.


    The Earth Sword Immortal looked almost the same as yesterday, still sitting on top of the stone carving of a god, but the statue in front of him was no longer ¡°Ah Zhen¡± from yesterday, but now had a different face, resembling a female cultivator in a Taoist robe.


    Qiao Mu thought to himself, ¡°This is a bit strange. This statue wasn¡¯t here yesterday, it¡¯s not one of the dozen statues in the main hall¡­ Could it be that he¡¯s thinking of a female cultivator from the Immortal Gate?¡±


    The Earth Sword Immortal didn¡¯t even look at Qiao Mu as he entered, he just continued to carve the stone statue, seemingly unconcerned about Qiao Mu¡¯s arrival. It wasn¡¯t until Qiao Mu cleared his throat and started mocking:


    ¡°Earth Sword Immortal, you¡¯re already quite old, can you still wield a spear on the battlefield?¡±


    ¡°Is it because you¡¯re too weak now, that you spend your days carving female statues here in the temple, feeling helpless?¡±


    The Earth Sword Immortal abruptly stopped carving, and with a slight force from his t de, it sank deep into the head of the stone statue, causing a small piece of debris to fall off.


    ¡°Old ghost, who do you think you¡¯re talking about?¡± He frowned and turned his head, looking down at Qiao Mu with a displeased expression.


    ¡°You, a 109-year-old old ghost, have the nerve to say I¡¯m getting old?¡±Even so, he didn¡¯t exude the imposing aura and killing intent of a high-level martial artist, as if he was just an ordinary person, giving Qiao Mu no sense of danger.


    ¡°No need to get angry, we¡¯re both not young anymore, sometimes we have to ept that we¡¯re getting old.¡± Qiao Mu smiled.


    He wasn¡¯t afraid of provoking the Earth Sword Immortal, he was afraid that the Immortal wouldn¡¯t be interested and wouldn¡¯t pay attention, so he deliberately used words to provoke him.


    However, what made him slightly concerned was that the Earth Sword Immortal actually knew his exact age?


    He didn¡¯t know if it was Lu Yanbei who said it or if there was another reason.


    But for Qiao Mu, it was a good thing that the Earth Sword Immortal knew he was older.


    ¡°My Qiao family has many children, and they rely on two secret manuals. These two secret manuals might be helpful to you¡­¡± Qiao Mu said, reaching into his pocket to retrieve the prepared secret manuals.


    Before he could finish his sentence, Earth Sword Immortal let out a coldugh.


    ¡°Would you like to listen and see what you¡¯re saying?¡±


    ¡°Since you know I am the number one Earth Sword Immortal, why are youing to sell martial arts secrets?¡±


    ¡°Xumi Mountain King Sutra? This secret manual is a little interesting, but not very meaningful. It might be useful for the soldiers in the city, but not for me.¡±


    Qiao Mu was surprised by Earth Sword Immortal¡¯s understanding of the ¡°Xumi Mountain King Sutra.¡±


    Earth Sword Immortal noticed Qiao Mu¡¯s astonishment and coldly snorted.


    ¡°Just like a frog in a well.¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t yet entered spiritual refining and don¡¯t know the wonders of the 3rd rank of the Spiritual Refining Period.¡±


    ¡°With the 3rd rank of spiritual refining, you can have sharp intuition and anticipate the enemy¡¯s moves.¡±


    ¡°If you reach the 2nd rank, your powerful mind can further explore the surroundings and vividly recall all memories from childhood.¡±


    ¡°First level of Spiritual Refining Period, the mind can control physical objects and possess simr skills to the magical power of immortals.¡±


    ¡°As the Earth Sword Immortal, I am the number one in the world. Even if I don¡¯t leave this monastery, I can still see through everything happening in the city.¡±


    ording to the Earth Sword Immortal, Qiao Mu¡¯s speech in the military camp yesterday was already noticed by him.


    Qiao Mu nodded in understanding, but still insisted on continuing:


    ¡°Earth Sword Immortal, when you imed to be the number one, it was already forty years ago.¡±


    ¡°Just now, Jiu Province has faced immense pressure. The progress in martial arts over the past forty years has surpassed the previous hundreds of years.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why the secret technique I¡¯m presenting is extraordinary. It represents the modern methods that are at the forefront of martial arts today.¡±


    The Earth Sword Immortal remained aloof, saying, ¡°Whether it¡¯s modern methods or ancient methods, those words might work on those country bumpkins who have never left this city.¡±


    ¡°Even if I sit in this city for thirty years, I am still invincible in the world. What modern methods do the martial artists of Jiu Province have? They are not worthy of my attention, not even a glimpse.¡±


    ¡°You are too arrogant, don¡¯t even know who has a limited perspective?¡± Qiao Mu responded, taking out the two books from his hand.


    ¡°I have two kinds of secret techniques here, one can keep you in good health as you age, and the other can make you resilient even in old age.¡±


    ¡°If both are practiced together, you can feel the youthful madness in your old age, and see all the flowers in Chang¡¯an in a day.¡±


    Stay strong as you age? Resilient even in old age? What are these strange things?


    While Earth Sword Immortal was contemting this, he noticed Qiao Mu bending down and picking up a huge stone the size of a grinding disc from the yard. He suddenly smashed it towards his own groin!


    Groin?


    Earth Sword Immortal instinctively felt a sharp pain, but in the next moment, he saw the stone, which was the size of a grinding disc,pletely shattered, while Qiao Mu stood firm in the same ce, not even swaying a bit.


    ¡°Physical training from the outside?¡± Earth Sword Immortal immediately understood.


    He could naturally see that Qiao Mu had not used any hidden internal strength to protect himself just now, but relied solely on his physical strength to withstand the attack.


    Earth Sword Immortal sat on top of the Immortal Statue, with a cold expression.


    ¡°Your martial arts skills are just passable, what are you showing off in front of me for?¡±


    ¡°In the past, there was a highly regarded monk in the Shaolin Temple, known as the strongest in physical power, unbreakable like a diamond. However, I was able to defeat him with a single sword strike. Your physical strength, on the other hand, is ordinary. The only thing special about it is the unique way you train certain body parts.¡±


    But in the next moment, his pupils trembled.


    It was because Qiao Mu picked up the giant stone, about the size of a grinding disc, and waved it in front of him.


    In the center of the stone, there was a hollow space as thick as a child¡¯s arm, and cracks spread like a spider¡¯s web around it.


    This was not smashed, but stabbed open?!


    ¡°This is the Iron Crotch Skill, which is now practiced in Jiu Province. It is the martial art that has been passed down in my Qiao family for generations!¡± Qiao Mu¡¯s expression remained calm, disying his mastery:


    ¡°When you reach a high level of proficiency, it¡¯s not just about having a rock-hard body, but also being able to control it like your own fingers. Up, down, left, right, or even curling it into your abdomen.¡±


    ¡°A true man can bend and stretch, only then can he be great. This Iron Crotch Skill aligns with the way of a gentleman, it is quite extraordinary!¡±


    In this world, it is unlikely to find another person like Qiao Mu, who has practiced the Iron Crotch Skill for almost a hundred years.


    If we are solely discussing the aplishment of the Iron Crotch Skill, he can be considered the best in the world!


    Earth Sword Immortal¡¯s eyes widened, just a moment ago he had dismissed the Xumi Mountain King Sutra, but now he waspletely astonished by the extraordinary power of the Iron Crotch Skill.


    Forty years ago, he was already the number one in the world as Earth Sword Immortal. He had defeated heroes from all over, what kind of advanced martial arts hadn¡¯t he seen?


    Breaking through a millstone-sized boulder? This damn thing, he really hasn¡¯t seen it.


    ¡°So this is the modern method of Jiu Province? It seems I have underestimated the heroes of the world.¡± Earth Sword Immortal gaze was fixed on the pierced giant stone, eximing:


    ¡°Talents arise in the world, each leading in their own way for hundreds of years.¡±


    ¡°There is actually such a miraculous hard skill in the world, my path is not lonely!¡±


    He felt deep resentment in his heart.


    If he had practiced this Iron Crotch Skill earlier, he might not have suffered so much and almost fallen seriously ill.


    After Earth Sword Immortal finished speaking, he reached out to grab the Iron Crotch Skill manual in Qiao Mu¡¯s hand, but Qiao Mu skillfully dodged it without saying a word.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that outsiders have no qualifications to even glimpse at martial arts? I actually prefer your rebellious attitude just now,¡± Qiao Mu said.


    Earth Sword Immortal hesitated for a moment, then stubbornly said:


    ¡°To me, all martial arts in the world are just useless pieces of paper, with no meaning.¡±


    ¡°Actually, I¡¯m not interested in martial arts. It¡¯s mainly because this skill harmonizes with the principles of a true gentleman, and I am clearly a righteous person. There is no reason for me not to practice it.¡±


    Earth Sword Immortal¡¯s desire intensified.


    Qiao Mu smiled and said. Since you are a gentleman, you wouldn¡¯t just take my manual for nothing, right?


    Earth Sword Immortal was startled.


    Then he got off the Immortal Statue and gently patted the dust off his pants and knees. He slowly bent his knee towards Qiao Mu.


    Qiao Mu£º£¿


    ¡°Why go to such lengths?¡± Qiao Mu hurriedly approached to support Earth Sword Immortal, preventing him from kneeling down.


    ¡°It¡¯s not about that.¡± Earth Sword Immortal said emotionally:


    ¡°Meeting Brother Qiao today can be described as a missed opportunity.¡±


    ¡°I know there is a skill called Iron Crotch Skill in this world. Like clearing away the clouds to see the blue sky, I now know that my path is not lonely!¡±


    My path is not lonely?


    So, it turns out he mistook me for a fellow disciple of Venereal Disease Sword Immortal because of this Iron Crotch Skill¡­.Qiao Mu took a while to catch up with the thinking of Venereal Disease Sword Immortal.


    At that moment, Earth Sword Immortal looked up at the sky, gazing at the vast desert outside the city filled with rolling yellow sand.


    The city was shielded by a magical formation, only able to see the desert but unable to see Anxi Pass beyond the desert, nor the other areas of Jiu Province outside.


    ¡°In these years, Jiu Province must have been lonely without me, Earth Sword Immortal,¡± he murmured.


    Earth Sword Immortal straightened up, feeling restless.


    Is it Jiu Province that is lonely or is it you?¡± Qiao Mu whispered to himself. ¡°After all, this city doesn¡¯t even have a brothel¡­


    Excitedly, Earth Sword Immortal dered. I, Earth Sword Immortal, am invincible with my sword skills, while Brother Qiao is invincible with his unique Iron Crotch Skill. From today onwards, Brother Qiao is my sworn brother, as we share the same father but different mothers!


    Even sworn brothers have to settle their debts,¡± Qiao Mu thought to himself. ¡°This guycks any real martial arts dignity. I bet he just wants to exploit Brother Qiao and learn his Iron Crotch Skill for free.


    ¡°I¡¯lle straight to the point. I want to trade my Iron Crotch Skill for your Wudang School¡¯s ultimate Pure Yang Wuji Skill¡¯s Spiritual Refining Chapter.¡±


    Earth Sword Immortal was taken aback.


    ¡°Oh, I see. But learning martial arts from the Wudang school is just a small matter. Why bother asking the big brother toe in person?¡± Earth Sword Immortalughed.


    ¡°Actually, the big brother has already practiced the Martial Saint Spiritual Technique, and has been stuck at the spiritual refining stage for many years, right?¡±


    ¡°The Martial Saint Spiritual Technique is actually a secret method of spiritual refining. Although it¡¯s not the true Spiritual Refining Technique, it can still train the mind¡­¡±


    ¡°Even though you haven¡¯t reached the spiritual refining stage, your foundation is actually deeper than an ordinary 3rd rank disciple.¡±


    ¡°Even without the Spiritual Refining Chapter technique, it seems like you¡¯re just one step away from breaking through to the 3rd rank of the Spiritual Refining Period.¡±


    Earth Sword Immortal changed his previous cold and proud attitude and appeared quite friendly, taking the initiative to give guidance.


    In reality, Qiao Mu has only been stuck at the spiritual refining stage for a few months, but it¡¯s equivalent to several decades for ordinary people, almost half a lifetime.


    With such umtion, it is naturally profound.


    The two of them had a lively conversation in the courtyard and made a simple agreement.


    From today onwards, Qiao Mu teaches Earth Sword Immortal the ¡°Iron Crotch Skill,¡± and Earth Sword Immortal teaches Qiao Mu the ¡°Pure Yang Wuji Skill¡± in the Spiritual Refining Chapter.


    ¡°Earth Sword Immortal, speaking of the Pure Yang Wuji Skill, there is actually something I don¡¯t understand.¡± Qiao Mu took this opportunity to ask a lingering question in his mind.


    ¡°Big brother, there¡¯s no harm in talking. I have nothing to hide, and I hope you treat me the same way.¡± Earth Sword Immortal said.


    Qiao Mu said. The Pure Yang Wuji Skill, which is the ultimate skill of the Wudang Sect, can be considered as a top-tier child skill.


    ¡°Although it won¡¯t cause a cultivation failure due to the leakage of Yang energy, maintaining a child-like body will make the cultivation progress twice as effective, umting profound internal strength.¡±


    ¡°And you¡­¡± Qiao Mu looked at Earth Sword Immortal suspiciously.


    As the Venereal Disease Sword Immortal, known throughout the world as a confidant, he obviously couldn¡¯t have a child-like body.


    Earth Sword Immortal smiled gracefully.


    ¡°Big brother, with a hundred years of umtion, enduring what others can¡¯t bear, possessing the legacy of Wudang¡¯s founder Zhang Zhenren, I truly admire you. That¡¯s why your internal strength is so extensive and profound.¡±


    ¡°But you have your own way, and I have my own way.¡±


    ¡°In my opinion, darkness cannot give birth, and light cannot grow alone. Thebination of darkness and light gives birth to everything. This is the way of nature,¡± Earth Sword Immortal said with a smile.


    ¡°What you have gained is a long and profound internal strength, while what I have gained is the way of nature. We each have our own aplishments.¡±


    Just then, a voice of reprimand came from outside the courtyard.


    ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? You can deceive others with these words, but can you deceive yourself?¡±


    The sound of footsteps grew closer, and it turned out to be Lu Yanbei carrying two food boxes filled with dishes entering.


    ¡°You¡¯re here too, second brother?¡± Earth Sword Immortal greeted Lu Yanbei as he walked in and nced at the two food boxes in his hands.


    ¡°Why did you only bring two food boxes? Didn¡¯t you prepare a meal for my elder brother as well?¡±


    Lu Yanbei£º£¿


    If he wasn¡¯t afraid of losing, he would have taught his younger brother a good lesson.


    However, after he entered the gate, he nced at Qiao Mu without saying a word. He saw that Qiao Mu seemed to be having a pleasant conversation with Earth Sword Immortal, and the wrinkles on his face unconsciously rxed a little.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    The army¡¯s weapon storage.


    After Qiao Mu left, in arge library, there was only irvoyance left reading, apanied by an old man with half a face.


    Just as he was reading, irvoyance suddenly stood up from his chair, and his pupils trembled slightly.


    From the history books of this lonely city, he saw a past event that shook him.


    He quickly left his seat and went to the old man who was dozing off in front of the library door. He pped the thick history book onto the table and asked:


    ¡°Has there never been anyone who left this city?¡±


    ¡°Several decades ago, there was a child with a special gift called the Heavenly Spirit Root. You sent him away and he joined the Immortal Gate Great Dao Sect, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± the old man opened his one eye and exined.


    ¡°That child¡¯s name was Gu Zhen, and he grew up in this city.¡±


    ¡°The Heavenly Spirit Root is one of the top spiritual roots, and at that time, General Li Changge suggested that this child join the Great Dao Sect and learn immortal techniques, hoping that he could break the siege of this city.¡±


    ¡°Even if he cannot break the siege, this child is innocent. If his talent allows him to join the Immortal Gate and leave this desert, it would be a good thing for him to have his own freedom and live a good life.¡±


    The old man narrated the story, not quite understanding why Storyteller irvoyance suddenly became excited.


    ¡°Is your secr name Gu Zhen?¡± irvoyance¡¯s expression was a bitplicated as she slowly said,


    ¡°Perhaps others wouldn¡¯t know, but I happen to have information about this person in my Tide Listening Building.¡±


    ¡°After he entered the Immortal Gate, he worshipped under Elder Qingyi and was given the name ¡®Dao Zhen.''¡±


    Volume 15 for Kill Me More Times, I¡¯ll Be Invincible on Amazon

 Chapter 192:

    Chapter 192:


    Inside the dpidated Taoist temple.


    "It seems that Brother Qiao has already obtained what he wanted," Lu Yanbei smiled.


    At his age, he no longer cared much about cultivation techniques and the like.


    Qiao Mu¡¯s arrival could bring some changes to Earth Sword Immortal, who had been indifferent for thirty years. In his opinion, it was a good thing.


    Anyway, can it get worse than it is now?


    The only thing that made him a little uneasy was that Qiao Mu gave him something he liked, "Iron Crotch Skill"?


    "What¡¯s wrong with the Iron Crotch Skill?" Earth Sword Immortal asked, feeling indignant and strong.


    "The most difficult skill is the one between the legs."


    "Qiao Shuangsen Big Brother is my adopted father, I wish I had met him earlier. If it wasn¡¯t for me identally breaking the statue in the temple, I would have taken his hand and be sworn brothers with him."Big Brother? Adopted father?


    "Your family background seems a bit confusing¡­." Qiao Mu whispered to himself.


    In contrast, Lu Yanbei remained calm, seemingly ustomed to the Earth Sword Immortal¡¯s words.


    The elder brother knew very well that his own younger brother, Earth Sword Immortal, may seem affectionate, but is actually a ruthless person.


    Although Qiao Mu imed that Qiao Shuangsen was his adopted father, it wasn¡¯t just because of his impressive Iron Crotch Skill. In reality, their parents didn¡¯t hold as much significance in Earth Sword Immortal¡¯s heart as they did in the eyes of ordinary people.


    Their father was a former Minister of Rites, a pompous and morally upright schr. It was an idental affair that led to the birth of the two brothers.


    Their mother was a female martial artist from the martial world, but fame often brings unintended consequences. She only saw her two biological children as bargaining chips for seeking wealth and glory.


    Naturally, Lu Yanbei and his brother, being illegitimate children of their father, didn¡¯t receive any warm wee from their father¡¯s rtives.


    With various means, the two brothers were forced to run away from home and wander around.


    And Qiao Mu gave him an invincible spirit, making him strong and resilient, almost like having new parents.


    After all, in the eyes of Earth Sword Immortal, so-called parents were only responsible for giving him a good body.


    Therefore, Earth Sword Immortal never respected the heavens or the earth, disregarded customs and manners, and lived recklessly.


    The only person he had a little respect for was his elder brother Lu Yanbei, who had been with him since they were children.


    This person had extraordinary martial arts skills, so exceptional that he defeated all martial artists forty years ago, earning the title of the Immortal of the Sword.


    The title of the Immortal of the Sword was not something ordinary martial artists could bear.


    Even the best martial artist in the world would be presumptuous to im to be an immortal.


    After all, there are truly superior immortals in this world.


    Lu Yanbei put his thoughts away and frowned, saying, "But what use is this Iron Crotch Skill that you practice?"


    "Is there a ce in the city where you can use the Iron Crotch Skill? You better not go out and cause trouble¡ª-"


    "What are you talking about, Second Brother? How could I, an old woman in half of the city, appreciate it?" Earth Sword Immortal¡¯s face changed suddenly, and he spoke very inly.


    "This Iron Crotch Skill is a gentleman¡¯s martial art."


    "As the saying goes, a gentleman keeps his capabilities hidden, waiting for the right opportunity to act."


    "It¡¯s not that I won¡¯t act, but the timing is not right yet."


    Hearing that Earth Sword Immortal was nning to hide his capabilities, Lu Yanbei felt relieved.


    But thinking about it, maybe this is a good thing.


    There is no ce in the solitary city where the Iron Crotch Skill can be used.


    Around the lonely city, there is a vast desert.


    Even if you practice the Iron Crotch Skill, what good is it?


    Lu Yanbei already knows that what Qiao Mu said about the Immortal ying Army is actually a lie, and there is no backup from the Great Yan Army.


    Therefore, this lonely city has no hope of turning things around, it is destined to be destroyed, just a matter of time.


    And with only three hundred remaining soldiers defending this city, the time of its destruction is not far away.


    If there is anyone in this city who still has a chance to survive the copse, it may only be the former martial arts leader, the Earth Sword Immortal.


    If this Iron Crotch Skill can make the Earth Sword Immortal consider leaving Jiu Province, even if it¡¯s just a tiny possibility, Lu Yanbei sees it as a good thing.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    To the west of the Hundred-mile Desert is the Great Dao Sect.


    The mist was mysterious, with flickering rays of light appearing and disappearing like magic.


    "To go to the ¡®Hundred-mile Desert¡¯ to practice magic, it will cost a hundred spirit stones?"


    "I went there recently, and it only cost fifty spirit stonesst time. Isn¡¯t the price increase a bit too fast?"


    Dao Shun, a disciple of Great Dao Sect, looked at the deacon in front of him with a hint of dissatisfaction.


    The deacon calmly said. Don¡¯t cause trouble.


    "You know that the city in the Hundred-mile Desert has reached a critical point. Without reinforcements, its destruction is not far away."


    "Once this city is destroyed, the Hundred-mile Desert will be closed off."


    "Furthermore, this is not an ordinary practice. You have gained something from it. Why are you causing trouble?"


    Dao Shun was speechless for a moment. Of course, he knew what the deacon was talking about.


    The big formation surrounding the lonely city is not only capable of illusion techniques.


    Only a little bit of dissatisfaction grew in his heart.


    When hest controlled the paper man to attack the solitary city in the desert, he happened to encounter a rare outside martial artist, who seemed to be holding the "Boundary Breaking Symbol" to enter the formation.


    As a result, this martial artist had impressive strength, and his trip of three hundred Paper Man Soldiers only killed thirteen old soldiers in total.


    After removing half for the sect, he got a total of six soul soldiers.


    Although it is difficult to quantify the value of mortal souls, the value of souls varies greatly from person to person.


    The old soldiers who have persisted for forty years until now are extraordinary and cannot bepared to the initial one hundred thousand elites of the Inhuman War.


    The solitary city in the desert is an extremely harsh environment, with a shortage of water and food, so no matter how much martial arts training one undergoes, the progress in martial arts cultivation will not be fast in the end.


    Nevertheless, for martial artists, this desperate ce is a sacred ce for spiritual refining.


    In the eyes of Immortal Gate, it is considered a good ce for soul refining.


    The Soldier Souls received a total of six, which can¡¯t be considered too bad. But if Dao Shun were to exchange them for one hundred spirit stones, he would have to think it over carefully.


    He was about to give up and leave when he heard a voice from behind.


    "Is Dao Shun Junior Brother unable to afford to go to the Hundred-mile Desert?"


    As he turned around, he saw a young man in a robe smiling at him, and it was Dao Zhen.


    "Has Senior Brother Dao Zhen returned to the sect?"


    Dao Shun nodded at the approaching person, his expression not looking too good. He thought the other person was here to mock him.


    As a rare Heavenly Spirit Root cultivator, Dao Zhen may have an awkward background, but at the very least, he was a disciple of Elder Qingyi, not an ordinary sect disciple.


    Dao Shun had no intention of chatting with Dao Zhen much and casually found an excuse to leave, but Dao Zhen smiled and stopped him.


    "Dao Shun, I recently acquired a special technique of Taoist soldiers, which is quite amazing. I heard that you are skilled in controlling Taoist soldiers. Take a look at this technique and see if it matches your preferences, Dao Shun?"


    After finishing speaking, he threw a small bag towards Dao Shun.


    "I don¡¯t have that many spirit stones¡­" Although Dao Shun was hesitating and didn¡¯t want to get too involved with Dao Zhen, he already had the bag in his hand. He subconsciously scanned it with his divine sense and was immediately surprised.


    Inside the bag, there was not only the technique for Taoist soldiers, but also one hundred spirit stones.


    "What do you mean by this, Brother Dao Zhen?" Dao Shun asked cautiously.


    "Is there something you want me to do?"


    He understood the principle of no work, no reward. How could he be given a technique and one hundred spirit stones by an unfamiliar senior fellow disciple for no reason?


    "I want you to return to the Solitary City in the Desert and try to kill someone," Dao Zhen said calmly.


    "You should have seen that person before. His name is Qiao Shuangsen, a very old mortal. It was him who entered the desert with the ¡®Boundary Breaking Symbol¡¯ on that day."


    Dao Shun was slightly startled, kill a mortal?


    He noticed that the mortal¡¯s martial arts were extraordinary, but in the end, he was just an ordinary martial artist.


    Instead of immediately agreeing, he scanned the storage bag with his divine sense, searching for the jade slip containing the spell.


    "Is this the art of turning beans into soldiers?" Dao Shun was curious in his heart.


    His expertise lies in manipting Taoist soldiers, mainly through the refinement of paper men.


    The material for paper men is not special, just ordinary paper, sustained by the cultivation power of the cultivator.


    The strength of paper men depends entirely on the strength of the cultivator¡¯s cultivation power.


    However, it is different for bean soldiers. They are created by using specially prepared spirit beans, which are transformed into bean soldiers through the art.


    The higher the grade of the spirit bean itself, the stronger the resulting bean soldier.


    If someone as wealthy and powerful as Dao Zhen spent a fortune to obtain a top-notch spirit bean, it might be able to catalyze a powerful Taoist soldier that is close to the strength of a cultivator himself.


    From this perspective, the method of cultivating this bean soldier is actually superior to the ordinary method of making a paper man.


    Dao Shun actually didn¡¯t want to get too involved with Dao Zhen, but unfortunately, Dao Zhen was only interested in what Dao Shun was good at, which is the method of refining Taoist soldiers, and he gave him way too much¡­


    Dao Shun¡¯s eyes shimmered as he made a decision:


    "My senior brother¡¯s affairs are my own affairs, killing a mortal is nothing."


    He didn¡¯t ask Dao Zhen, who was an esteemed disciple, why he had a conflict with an ordinary mortal.


    Since Dao Zhen personally came to ask about it, that mortal named Qiao Shuangsen must have some extraordinary qualities. Otherwise, even someone as willful as Dao Zhen wouldn¡¯t have paid such a price to have him take action.


    But it doesn¡¯t matter.


    Taking someone¡¯s money and helping them resolve troubles, just like that.


    "Wait for me to retreat for a few days, as long as I master this ¡®Bean Soldiers¡¯ technique, I will immediately go to the Hundred-mile Desert to share the worries of my senior brother."


    Dao Shun said seriously.


    ¡­¡­¡­.


    On top of the city walls of the solitary city.


    Several old soldiers were guarding on the lookout tower, with a slightly livelier expression than usual, asionally chatting.


    "Elder Lao has entered the city for a month, and during this month, this solitary city has shown a prosperous state."


    "Every morning, they must lecture on modern methods and recite the ¡®Xumi Mountain King Sutra¡¯ in the military camp."


    "Tomorrow morning is my rest time, so when I¡¯m free, I have to go and seek advice¡­"


    A few old soldiers stood on the lookout tower, asionallyughing and chatting.


    Qiao Mu brought vitality and hope to this isted city that had been trapped for forty years, causing the remaining soldiers and civilians in the city to be filled with unprecedented energy.


    However, during their conversation, one of the old soldiers saw dust rising in the distance, with the sound of roaring yellow sand, shaking the ground.


    His face immediately became serious, disregarding the conversation and reaching for the trumpet.


    The attacks from the inhumans were erratic, sometimes frequent and sometimes scarce, like rain from the heavens.


    This time they had gone through a whole month of emptiness, but now it seemed like a brief calm before the storm.

 Chapter 193:

    Chapter 193:


    Zhong Province.


    A small town on the outskirts of the Imperial Capital.


    This town is not big, located several tens of miles from the Imperial Capital, just one of the many towns outside the Imperial Capital with a small poption.


    Only the stations, teahouses, and restaurants near the main road often attract passing merchants and travelers, making it a lively and bustling ce.


    Inside the teahouse, there was a storyteller who captivated the audience by telling popr stories from the Imperial Capital.


    Some passersby didn¡¯t care about the storytelling and instead discussed thetest news and rumors in a corner.


    They talked about one of the Ten Mysteries of the Imperial Capital ¨C the tenant who was found hanged in the middle of the night.


    They also talked about the recent Inhuman Disaster that happened in front of the market. There was an old man named Qiao who used his own body to shield others, but froze to death in the snowstorm.


    There were also rumors about martial arts secrets in the Imperial Capital. Some imed to have mastered martial arts and defeated many skilled martial artists, even almost defeating the renowned Condor Wei En, who was known for his exceptional lightness technique.In a corner of the teahouse, several female cultivators in Taoist robes listened to the storyteller in excitement. They whispered to each other, clearly very enthusiastic.


    It had been a while since they arrived in the bustling Zhong Province Imperial Capital area from Nan Province, but their excitement was still evident.


    Qiao Canxue, however, remained silent. She closed her eyes and listened quietly, seemingly lost in her own thoughts.


    She came from a family of martial arts experts, but she didn¡¯t understand inhuman things. She had heard too much about the secrets of the martial arts world since she was young, and she didn¡¯t feel as excited as her fellow martial sisters.


    Her heart was calm like still water, yet there was also a sense of confusion.


    The Martial Saint had died.


    This was something she had heard about only a few months ago.


    The Martial Saint had wiped out her entire family, and Qiao Mu died because of it. So she took it upon herself to take up the mantle of seeking revenge, no longer seeking help from others. She focused solely on training to achieve her revenge.


    But before she could have her revenge, the Martial Saint died.


    Although this could be considered a major vengeance, it had left her feeling lost recently.


    "Since you have avenged your great revenge, Candice, it is time for you to seek your own path." Lingling Taoist Priest said this when she was feeling confused.


    So what would her path be?


    Her life hade to a halt due to the annihtion of the Martial Saint sect. From then on, she lived as a blind girl in the impoverishednd of Nan Province, where things were even worse for her than for the ordinary refugees, until she met Qiao Mu.


    And Qiao Mu had long been dead.


    However, when she arrived in Zhong Province, she discovered that the story of Qiao¡¯s family had already spread far and wide.


    Unconsciously.


    The mysterious Qiao family that Qiao Mu was a part of had already gained a reputation that could rival that of Heyang City¡¯s Qiao Family, the martial arts n before its downfall.


    "I wonder if Qiao Sen, the one who assassinated Yan City¡¯s Lord Guo Yan¡­ I wonder if he¡¯s still alive," she murmured to herself.


    "Qiao Zhong and Qiao Shuanglin, the elders of the Qiao family, also seem to have passed away. But as for Master Qiao Sen, it seems his fate is still unknown."


    Each deceased member of Qiao¡¯s family held significance in her heart.


    After all, in the beginning, Qiao Mu had only crossed paths with City Lord Guo Yan and the Wuji Association because of her.


    Later on, even though it wasn¡¯t strictly rted to her, she naturally wouldn¡¯t just stand by and watch.


    "Let¡¯s set a small goal, find Grandpa." she whispered to herself.


    "If I can protect Grandpa or any other Qiao family elders, it would be a way to resolve this entanglement."


    Searching for Qiao¡¯s family shouldn¡¯t be too difficult.


    Where there is injustice, there must be traces of Qiao¡¯s family¡­ It¡¯s just that ever since thest member of Qiao¡¯s family died in the Wan Ronghua family, Qiao¡¯s family hasn¡¯t appeared for a very long time.


    Thinking of this, the confusion in her heart faded slightly.


    At this moment.


    An old man with white hair covered his mouth and coughed lightly, walking into the teahouse.


    As he entered, he unconsciously nced at Qiao Canxue in the corner and felt slightly surprised in his heart: She¡¯s quite remarkable, but it¡¯s a pity she¡¯s blind.


    Thetter seemed to notice something and turned his face, closing his eyes to look at him.


    The old man instinctively turned his head, and then the four nuns went upstairs. Following their intuition, they arrived at the door of a private room in the corner of the second floor and pushed the door open.


    "Hai Wuya? Weren¡¯t you convinced that you couldn¡¯t conspire with the current Wuji Association? Why are you still contacting me?"


    The person speaking was the current leader of the Wuji Association, Little Martial Saint Wu Qiankun.


    He put down the teacup in his hand and looked up at Hai Wuya with a slightlyplex expression.


    Hai Wuya joined the Wuji Association very early, and he was among the first group of elders who responded to the Martial Saint. However, shortly afterward, he was imprisoned in heavenly prison and cut himself off from worldly affairs.


    Although the Martial Saint counted him as the sixtieth person among the seventy two wise men, he is not actually a disciple of the Martial Saint. They can only be considered as senior and junior in the official circle.


    In terms of qualifications, he is actually higher than Little Martial Saint.


    Even the current helmsman, Little Martial Saint,cks understanding of this old man who has been confined in heavenly prison for a long time.


    "I don¡¯t have much time left," said Hai Wuya calmly.


    "In urgent matters, we don¡¯t have time to hesitate."


    "To aplish this, it¡¯s best to use the power of the Wuji Association."


    He slowly took out a book from his pocket, and the cover of the book read "Xumi Mountain King Sutra."


    "Martial Saint ranked you as the sixtieth among the seventy-two wise men. It seems he underestimated you."


    "But if you n to selflessly hand over this secret manual to the Wuji Association, with the condition that they distribute this martial arts technique widely through their channels, have you made up your mind?" Wu Qiankun asked seriously.


    Little Martial Saint, who was the closest person to the Martial Saint within the Wuji Association, was entrusted with an important role and became the second leader of the Wuji Association. He was certainly not an ordinary person.


    With his insight, he could naturally see the extraordinary nature of this martial arts technique.


    Hai Wuya didn¡¯t exin further, his mind was filled with various thoughts.


    If Martial Saint is around, the martial arts world bes silent, like a stagnant pool.


    But after Martial Saint¡¯s death, the martial arts in Zhong Province have turned into muddy waters.


    Among the recently famous figures, there is the mysterious Qiao¡¯s family, and there are also those who im to have achieved enlightenment through martial arts, equally mysterious.


    As for Qiao¡¯s family, the idea of achieving enlightenment through martial arts has always been a folk legend, but strangely enough, it emerges after Martial Saint¡¯s death, sweeping away the long-established renowned high-level martial artists, as if inheriting the banner of martial arts leadership and saving a copsing building.


    Acting so openly has obviously attracted a considerable number of martial artists, showing great momentum.


    However, the more high-profile this "Martial Arts League" bes, the more doubts arise in Hai Wuya¡¯s mind.


    It emerges at a time when it could have easily gone unnoticed, but instead, it shows clear signs of trying to recruit people.


    "The martial arts world has already be a muddy situation, and I can¡¯t see what¡¯s happening behind the scenes. I just have a sense that a storm ising," Hai Wuya deeply expressed.


    "These individuals who achieve enlightenment through martial arts are clearly up to something¡­ If I wait any longer to spread my techniques, I¡¯m afraid all the high-level martial artists will be practicing that ¡®Golden Body Technique¡¯ instead."


    "Xumi Mountain King Sutra" is a type of human power practice. Many martial artists need to practice it together in order to gather the collective strength of all the martial artists and make up for the imperfections of this technique.


    But now the martial arts world is in chaos, and Hai Wuya can¡¯t wait any longer.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    Solitary city in the desert.


    In the afternoon, inside a dpidated Taoist temple, Qiao Mu and Earth Sword Immortal chatted casually.


    Since arriving in the city a month ago, every morning Qiao Mu gave lectures in the military camp, and in the afternoons, he would mix with Earth Sword Immortal inside the Taoist temple, teaching and learning from each other.


    It must be said that Earth Sword Immortal has extraordinaryprehension, something Qiao Mu has rarely seen in his lifetime.


    In just a month¡¯s time, Iron Crotch Skill has already been practiced to a considerable level by him. With just a thought, he can move his energy and blood, and his practice is fast and efficient.


    Although not as aplished as Qiao Mu, who has practiced for nearly a century, his achievements are still impressive.


    And as for the "Pure Yang Wuji Skill," Earth Sword Immortal doesn¡¯t keep it a secret.


    "Practicing martial arts, regardless of one¡¯s skill level, is ultimately limited to weapon techniques. Only by delving into spiritual refining can one bring forth more supernatural abilities," Earth Sword Immortal exined the martial arts, revealing a hint of strength, and proceeded to discuss the Spiritual Refining Method:


    "Being strong both physically and mentally is the path of us martial artists."


    "If one enters spiritual refining, they can try to cultivate the Eye Attacking Method, which allows them to subdue opponents without fighting¡­"


    In reality, the special martial arts that Qiao Mu can only learn after spiritual refining is not limited to just the "Eye Sword Technique." There is also the "Flesh Changing Skill."


    The essence of Qiao Mu¡¯s "Flesh Changing Skill," obtained from Wu Qizheng, lies in manipting one¡¯s own flesh and blood with one¡¯s mind and willpower. Therefore, it can only truly be mastered after reaching the 3rd rank of the Spiritual Refining Period.


    Before reaching the 3rd rank, one can only grasp tricks such as disguises and shrinking bones.


    Although Wu Qizheng¡¯s "Flesh Changing Skill" is slightly different, it allows Qiao Mu to grasp the basics of the skill before reaching the 3rd rank. He can slightly change his appearance. However, since he hasn¡¯t entered spiritual refining, he cannot master the essence of it.


    While the two were happily chatting, they suddenly heard the distant sound of trumpets blowing.


    "Did Inhuman finallye?!"


    "Inhuman is here again¡­"


    The two of them looked at each other, with different expressions.


    "Yannan, are you really not joining the battle?" Lu Yanbei looked towards the direction of the city wall and couldn¡¯t help but ask again.


    He had originally harbored some hope, thinking that Qiao Mu¡¯s attitude may have changed since he became close with Earth Sword Immortal this month.


    "No, there¡¯s no point in going."


    Earth Sword Immortal seemed uninterested, losing enthusiasm in an instant, just waving his hand at Qiao Mu.


    Lu Yanbei let out a slight sigh.


    Earth Sword Immortal had already been in this city for a full thirty years, and nobody had any expectations of him¡­ except for his elder brother, Lu Yanbei.


    But he also knew deeply that his own younger brother, who seemed to have many close friends, actually only loved himself mercilessly.


    Only as his older brother could he make his own younger brother pay attention to him, but that was all.


    "Mr. Lu, I¡¯ll go first." Beside him, Qiao Mu stood up resolutely, eager to give it a try.


    Whether Earth Sword Immortal goes or not is not important to him.


    What¡¯s important is that he needs to go.


    "I¡¯m in a hurry, I¡¯m so anxious. There are only three hundred old soldiers left in the city. If I gote, someone else will take the job of delivering death ahead of me. What should I do?"


    Qiao Mu¡¯s heart was burning, his figure leaped up and disappeared in a blur, already far away.


    In this rundown Taoist temple, only Lu Yanbei and his brother were left, silent and unspoken.

 Chapter 194:

    Chapter 194:


    The sun sets in the west.


    A mournful sound of the bugle spreads throughout the surroundings.


    The old city gates slowly rise, Captain Hai puts on his armor, and leads the remaining old soldiers out of the city to meet the enemy as he has done in the past.


    Over the past forty years, fighting has be a habit.


    However, this time, their mindset for battle is different from before.


    Before this, the city was destined to perish.


    Every soldier and civilian in the city knows that the city cannot be defended. They are destined to die, unable to withstand the inhumans, only differing in the timing.


    There are no reinforcements, as Great Yan is also no match for the inhumans.


    They cannot fathom the thoughts of the inhumans, why they onlyy siege and not attack with full force.But everyone knows: this city will be destroyed, they will die, there is no other possibility.


    The final battle of the remaining soldiers of Great Yan was just a desperate resistance.


    The veteran soldiers, who have fought for forty years knowing they would die, are indeed admirable, but it¡¯s like a mantis trying to stop a car.


    But Captain Hai and Qiao Mu¡¯s lies brought false hope to this city and this small army.


    And just as they boldly left the city, they found that the approaching enemy army was different from before.


    This was a group of tall bean soldiers, standing at a height of two meters, wearing armor, but with round and tall bodies, reaching a full height of two meters.


    With every step they took, they left deep footprints in the sand, unlike the light and floating posture of the Paper Man Soldiers before.


    There were only fifty bean soldiers, led by a three-meter-tall bean general, making a total of fifty-one people.


    Compared to the previous three hundred Paper Man Soldiers, the number was much smaller, but the feeling of oppression was still strong.


    Captain Hai¡¯s eyes narrowed, and his sharp intuition instantly sensed the spine-chilling danger.


    Even before the battle began, he had a faint understanding in his heart that the enemy today was different from those in the past.


    "This city may not be able to hold on today," Captain Hai thought at this moment.


    He didn¡¯t feel sad or fearful, only a littleforted:


    "Fortunately, I had previously made a pact with Qiao Shuangsen to deceive the young and old in the city with lies. This month¡¯s time has quenched their thirst, and it is enough."


    An old soldier who had crossed the desert, news of the approaching Great Yan Immortal ying Army was enough to dispel the city¡¯s past ailments and make the entire city, which had beennguishing for the past month, thriving like never before in forty years.


    The news was fake, but it truly brought hope to this isted city.


    This was already enough.


    This remaining army could stand alone in the desert and sustain itself for forty years without reinforcements, which was already a miracle worthy of being recorded in history.


    Forty years had already been half of their lives, and now their journey wasing to an end.


    Captain Hai no longer felt scared, he only felt relieved.


    "Attack!" he shouted angrily as he held a long spear in his hand.


    The setting sun cast a hot wind across the desert, bringing a sweltering heat.


    Three hundred seasoned soldiers unsheathed their swords and des, reflecting the cold light of the sun. Under their helmets, their grey beards trembled in the wind.


    Leading his troops, Captain Hai bravely thrust his spear at a towering bean soldier who stood two meters tall.


    The sharp tip of the spear pierced through the gap in the bean soldier¡¯s armor, deeply embedding itself in its waist.


    No blood flowed from the bean soldier¡¯s wound, indicating that it was not a real soldier but rather a lifeless Taoist soldier.


    If this were a real person, the wound would have been severe, and if it were a Paper Man Soldier, it would have been destroyed. However, the towering bean soldier seemed unaffected, only pausing momentarily and trembling slightly.


    Captain Hai suddenly felt something and his face changed a little. In the next moment, he dropped the long spear in his hand and dodged to the side to avoid the giant knife swung by the bean soldier.


    With a loud bang, the sandy ground under his feet trembled and shook, and a narrow trench of about two to three meters appeared when the sand exploded.


    "This bean soldier is heavier than Paper Man Soldier, stronger, and more resilient¡­"


    Captain Hai stepped back a few steps, and a sword appeared in his hand, pulled out from his waist. He could only hear the sound of wind behind his ears.


    When he turned around, he saw that the formation of three hundred old soldiers was easily torn apart by this incredibly powerful bean soldier. The towering bean soldier swung its huge weapon, sending both the soldiers and their weapons flying seven to eight meters away.


    Touch it and you die, get close and you get hurt.


    They had plenty ofbat experience against Paper Man Soldier, but they had none against this first-rank bean soldier with extraordinary strength.


    "Are there only lifeless Taoist soldiers instead of bean soldiers? Even though it¡¯s a bit of a disadvantage to be thest enemy, we have no choice."


    Captain Hai raised his sword and looked around, only to see endless yellow sand. There was no trace of any bean soldier.


    The Paper Man Soldier was hard to defeat, and although there were asional instances of using magic beans to create soldiers, he hadn¡¯t seen a living inhuman like that in many years¡­


    Captain Hai, holding a knife, charged into the enemy¡¯s formation and climbed onto the shoulder of a tall bean soldier. With one hand grabbing the bean soldier¡¯s neck and the other hand gripping the knife, he swung it fiercely, cutting open the bean soldier¡¯s neck with a sharp gleam.


    The tall bean soldier¡¯s body trembled slightly, while Captain Hai heard a sharp whistling sound behind his ear. His instinct made him break out in a cold sweat on his back.


    Without enough time to turn around, he felt a tremendous forceing from behind. Even the powerful gust of wind brushing past his shoulder lifted his entire body and sent him flying.


    Looking up, he saw a towering bean general, standing at three meters tall, holding a huge hammer in his hand. He stared expressionlessly at Captain Hai, with the broken body of a tall bean soldier lying beneath his feet.


    Their eyes locked, even though Captain Hai knew the other person wasn¡¯t real, his whole body bristled again, sensing a powerful threat.


    "Just a gust of wind brushing past me was enough to knock me down¡­ I can¡¯t match this strength¡­"


    "Unfortunately, even in this final battle when the city was about to fall, I still didn¡¯t get to see the inhuman hiding behind the scenes¡­"


    He gripped the sword tightly in his hand, knowing that he was nearing the end. Memories surged in his mind uncontrobly.


    Hai Siyuan is not a general, just a sixth-ranked captain, barely surviving till now.


    Among the former hundred thousand troops, there were many officials higher than him, with stronger martial arts skills, and older elders.


    But almost all of them have died and those who are still alive are too old and weak to go to the battlefield, only leaving him, the former sixth-ranked captain, to shoulder the burden.


    The former generals in the army may have deeper feelings or a greater understanding of righteousness, with deeper ideals and stronger determination.


    But he doesn¡¯t, he is just a mere sixth-ranked captain, a "young sessor" who took over the torch from his predecessors.


    And he should have died a long time ago.


    "The former generals in the army used to say that being inhuman to a besieged city without overpowering it is like ying with a mouse."


    "The old general said that inhuman sees us humans as insignificant and we are just ordinary people, but we also have the spirit of humans."


    "Those who came before us sacrificed themselves for the country, and aster generations, we must not let them be ashamed!"


    "If the city is breached today, we will only have death left."


    Captain Hai red and bellowed, this was his final call as amander.


    He and a group of seasoned soldiers raised their swords with high spirits, ready for their final battle in their lives.


    And at this moment.


    A stream of blood-red light, like a shooting star in the sky, with a sharp sound that caught the attention of even the experienced soldiers on the battlefield.


    It turned out to be a long spear wrapped in a bloody aura, its tip pierced through several tall bean soldiers¡¯ bodies effortlessly, and then remained nted in a sand dune in the distance, the spear trembled slightly.


    "Young man, don¡¯t rush to meet death." An even older man than these lonely old soldiers walked forward, with a profound gaze.


    "Let me go first!"


    When he appeared, these tall bean soldiers seemed to sense something, their small green eyes turned towards this Qiao Mu, as if they were all attracted by him alone.


    From a deserted hillside several miles away, the monk Dao Shun gazed out over this ce.


    "Elder Lao?" Captain Hai visibly startled, briefly surprised.


    The atmosphere was tense, and he was prepared to die, almost thrown off bnce by Qiao Mu¡¯s remark of "young man."


    Qiao Mu teased. Child, your age is only about half of mine. In such a big matter, naturally I, as an old man, should step aside first!


    "Children, the reinforcements areing, don¡¯t rush to your deaths!"


    Since he had arrived, he naturally took position at the forefront of the battlefield.


    He had said it earlier, he wouldn¡¯t let others rush to their deaths in front of him.


    Standing in the wind, his robe rustled, emitting a powerful surge like a crashing wave.


    This surge initially presented a pale color, but quickly took on an indelible shade of blood red.


    "Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method£¡"


    Under the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, his internal strength surged several times, and his visible whole-body energy suddenly exploded, like waves of blood-colored tides rushing out.


    He took a heavy step, leaving deep footprints on the sandy ground, his body already gone like the wind.


    The figure shrouded in blood light, like a shooting star attacking the moon, advanced without any hesitation.


    Arrivingte to the battlefield, he quickly surpassed the soldiers in front of him in an instant, leaving them only able to see his back.


    "Did he just call out Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method? Is this the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method I know? Did the Jiu Province¡¯s Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method outside also turn out like this?"


    Captain Hai¡¯s gaze became focused, his thoughts in turmoil.


    He did know about the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, which could be considered the most well-known self-destructive secret method, even recorded in the city¡¯s arsenal. But it seems different from what Qiao Mu is using now?


    Of course, whether the secret method Qiao Mu is using is called Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method is not very important.


    The important thing is that this person just entered the battlefield and used the most fierce secret technique, his whole body was almost boiling with energy, this is a way of fighting by burning one¡¯s life.


    A martial artist from Jiu Province came from afar, at this moment running faster than these old soldiers from the city, charging to the front of the battlefield.


    "Reinforcements areing?" Captain Hai forced a smile.


    "It¡¯s one thing to deceive the people in the city, but is Qiao Shuangsen deceiving himself too?"


    He took a few breaths and rallied the old soldiers behind him to go forward and fight.


    As thest surviving soldiers of the hundred thousand troops, who had defended this city for forty years, how could they fall behind on the battlefieldpared to this outsider Qiao Mu?


    Seeing that Captain Hai and the others were nning to approach the battlefield, Qiao Mu became even more anxious.


    "Don¡¯t rush, let me rush first."


    "Bloodthirsty Skill£¡"


    His eyes suddenly became filled with bloodshot veins, and in a blink of an eye, his vision seemed to improve. Time slowed down, and all the surrounding bean soldiers came into his sight.


    "The blood-igniting technique."


    The blood in his body suddenly flowed faster, like a rushing tide. At that moment, he could almost hear the sound of his blood flowing inside his body.


    His skin turned a faint red color, his heart beat faster, and his internal strength infused with blood became visible from within and spread outward.


    Qiao Mu pulled out the long spear that was stuck in the sand dune, and a bright burst of energy shot out.


    With each thrust of the spear, the thick red aura surrounding him burst forth.


    If normally Qiao Mu relied on the Pure Yang Wuji Skill, which had been cultivated for a hundred years, his cultivation was of the highest quality.


    However, under the influence of the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, he suddenly unleashed hundreds of years worth of power that an ordinary martial artist could not reach in a short period of time.


    The spear pierced through the body of a tall bean soldier, and the immense internal strength, like a raging tide, erupted inside the soldier¡¯s body. In an instant, the two-meter-tall bean soldier¡¯s body split apart from within and fell to the ground.


    Faced with the incredibly strong and tall bean soldier, Qiao Mu didn¡¯t dodge, but instead unleashed his maximum power at the fastest speed, colliding head-on.


    The internal strength that ordinary people umte through great hardships must be carefully used on the battlefield, as once an internal strength martial artist loses their internal strength, they be like a tiger without its ws.


    But Qiao Mu is different, he is like a newly wealthy gambler entering a casino,pletely disregarding the consequences and unleashing his powerful internal strength without hesitation, fully and unreservedly.


    The power cultivated over hundreds of years is not something a normal person can withstand.


    When Qiao Mu fully unleashes the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, his life has already entered a countdown.


    Since that¡¯s the case, he fights against time, and his life will burst forth like the most splendid blood-colored fireworks.


    He collides head-on without caring about his injuries, unleashing his power at the fastest speed and reaping the lives of these bean soldiers.


    Each time the spear¡¯s internal strength erupts, his face bes even paler.


    Moreover, ever since he appeared, these dozens of bean soldiers have almost exclusively targeted him, leaving the three hundred old troops aside.


    This certainly gave Captain Hai and the others precious breathing time, but Qiao Mu himself was also trapped.


    Even with the explosion of the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, which was equivalent to four or five hundred years of power in a short period of time, it couldn¡¯t withstand his wastefulness, and it was rapidly consumed.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    By the side of the city wall.


    Storyteller irvoyance also heard the news and came. He climbed onto the city wall and leaned on the railing to look at the fierce battle before the city gate.


    Like Qiao Mu, he was a visitor from Jiu Province outside.


    So, Qiao Mu and Captain Hai¡¯s lies naturally couldn¡¯t fool him.


    "Although the spreading of the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra" by Elder Lao in this city is amazing, the Immortal ying Army doesn¡¯t exist at all." His eyes shone brightly as he looked at the figure of the old man fighting bravely on the front line, feeling a sense of sorrow.


    "Without reinforcements, it is doomed to a dead end."


    "So, why was he fighting to the death?"


    A third eye opened silently on his forehead, and he unconsciously turned his head slightly to look towards a certain direction in the deep desert.


    With the naked eye, that direction was just a vast expanse of yellow sand, with no noticeable difference from the other directions.


    But he saw something different.


    The Tide Listening Building is a supreme power in the martial arts world. Despite the destruction of Shaolin and Wudang, it still exists, naturally possessing extraordinary qualities. Among them are people like irvoyance, who have unique abilities.


    "Fighting to the death is indeed admirable, but how much meaning does sacrificing oneself truly hold?" irvoyance¡¯s expression wasplex.

 Chapter 195:

    Chapter 195:


    It won¡¯tst long!


    This is a well-known truth among people.


    So when Qiao Mu unleashed the powerful Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, Captain Hai and the others knew that he was fighting with his own life.


    The more bravely he fought, the more he disyed a power that surpassed their understanding of hundreds of years, which greatly shook Captain Hai and the others.


    Because such an unrestrained burst of power would inevitably push the limits of the human body, it was a brutal fighting style that guaranteed death on the battlefield. Even Captain Hai and the veteran soldiers who were used to risking their lives in battle couldn¡¯t help but be amazed.


    They were ustomed to life and death, and ustomed to sacrificing for theirrades.


    However, individuals like him were always radiant and rare. Even if they died, their images would be deeply imprinted in their memories.


    That figure seemed to unleash a storm of blood within the bean soldier formation, each spear strike releasing a dense and indelible blood-red light, piercing through therge bean soldier¡¯s body and causing it to shatter from the inside out.


    The bean soldiers were unaffected by pain or tears, though they had a physical form, they were not flesh and blood beings, but rather inhuman Taoist soldiers manipted by others.So, that dense, indelible blood-red light was, in fact, the blood of the elderly Qiao family member.


    A fight to the death! A fight to the death!


    It¡¯s unclear what he did, but the tall bean soldier was mesmerized by him. They surrounded him from all sides and even managed to temporarily hide Qiao Mu from Captain Hai and the others¡¯ view.


    "He won¡¯tst long¡­ how much internal strength does he have left?"


    Captain Hai couldn¡¯t help but shiver in his heart. He led his soldiers bravely in battle but they struggled to break through the thick wall of bean soldiers.


    These bean soldiers may easily crumble under Qiao Mu¡¯s long spear, but even with his immense strength, Qiao Mu had to use the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method to fight desperately in order to achieve such unstoppable momentum.


    It may seem effortless, but it¡¯s actually a fight for his life.


    For Captain Hai and the others whose internal strength couldn¡¯t match Qiao Mu¡¯s, these tall bean soldiers were tough monsters. Even fatal wounds like piercing through the chest or abdomen would only momentarily stiffen the bean soldiers¡¯ bodies.


    Only Qiao Mu, unleashing a massive force from within and disregarding the loss of internal strength, could achieve such a level.


    "Is he still alive?" Captain Hai and the others couldn¡¯t help but think of this.


    Unknowingly, Qiao Mu, a veteran from Jiu Province, had be the sharpest spear on the battlefield.


    Captain Hai thought to himself that with his three hundred veteran soldiers, he might meet his end in this desert today.


    Even if he fought to the death against these fifty small soldiers, there would likely be few survivors.


    And Qiao Mu is a variable.


    He showed Captain Hai and the veterans a glimpse of turning the tide of battle, so if he is alive, their morale is still intact.


    If even Qiao Mu, the strongest and most powerful, with hundreds of years of strength, dies at the hands of these small soldiers?


    Then this battle will be a battle to destroy the city.


    And at this moment.


    "Fight to the death in all directions!"


    Spear shadows, one after another, apanied by sharp shes of blood, pierced through the human wall formed by the tall small soldiers.


    In the tightly woven, there was a dazzling sh of blood.


    The crimson internal strength surged like waves, roaring out repeatedly with each swing of Qiao Mu¡¯s spear.


    This is a military technique recorded in Li Changge¡¯s "Military Martial Arts ssic," a book about the military and martial arts.


    Qiao Mu had already perfected the Great Yan Military Spear Skill to the point where it had no ws and could not be improved further, but he felt limited.


    The Military Spear Skill was not a profound spear technique, but rather one practiced bymon soldiers in Great Yan.


    However, in Li Changge¡¯sption of martial arts that focused on spiritual refining, called the "Military Martial Arts ssic," there were battlefield techniques that were closely rted to the Military Spear Skill and knife techniques.


    With Qiao Mu¡¯s perfected battlefield Military Spear Skill as a foundation, it wasn¡¯t difficult to learn.


    The styles were simr, both being battlefield spear techniques that focused on facing multiple opponents and had straightforward bursts of internal strength, but the techniques were more efficient.


    "This should be a martial technique that surpasses full force, like the Long Life Fist Ripple Stacking Wave Strength, but I am still not proficient¡­" Qiao Mu thought to himself.


    Manyyers of spear shadows covered the bean soldiers in an instant, engulfing everything around them.


    The emotionless and tall bean soldiers suddenly had holes appearing all over their bodies, then their bodies shattered and fell to the ground.


    "Kill¡­ thirty." Qiao Mu leaned on his spear, starting to catch his breath.


    Qiao Mu¡¯s gray hair, soaked in sweat, stuck to his forehead, mixing with blood, making him look disheveled.


    The intense red aura that enveloped Qiao Mu¡¯s body gradually faded, bing less visible to the naked eye.


    Just like a short-lived burst, this was a naturalw that couldn¡¯t be changed even with desperate efforts.


    The more ferocious the outburst, the closer it represented Qiao Mu¡¯s proximity to death.


    Behind the unstoppable breakthrough of the bean soldiers, Qiao Mu¡¯s internal strength was rapidly declining throughout his body.


    However, there was no room to catch a breath on the battlefield.


    After he had just defeated a group of bean soldiers, new bean soldiers approached.


    This time, it was a tall bean general who was three meters tall, taller than the rest of the bean soldiers.


    The bean general had a funny appearance, with a tall and upright figure, a round and full belly, and small green bean-sized eyes. He also carried a giant hammer that was as tall as a person on his shoulder.


    A loud sound came from the air as the giant hammer swung around and swept towards Qiao Mu.


    Qiao Mu suddenly turned around, sensing something, but it was already toote to avoid it.


    There wasn¡¯t much space to dodge on the battlefield, especially when he was intentionally targeted by the bean soldiers. They were surrounding him from all directions.


    Although Shadow Step was already perfected, it was still a skill of a thief, specializing in jumping across roofs and sneaking around.


    "Why should I hide?"


    Qiao Mu¡¯s blood was rushing through his body. He was used to a life of fighting to the death, experiencing the thrilling battles that most people had never experienced from birth to death. It had be his daily routine.


    His whole body hurt, but it made him more focused. The more dangerous it was, the calmer he became.


    "Can¡¯t hide, can¡¯t escape."


    "His internal strength has weakened, if he tries to resist, he will surely die."


    "So¡­" He looked up and saw the tall bean general holding a heavy hammer.


    "I deserve to die too."


    At that moment, Captain Hai, who was leading his soldiers against the bean soldiers, seemed to sense something and looked up.


    The bean general, holding the heavy hammer, stood on top of the sand dune, casting a shadow over the old man trapped in the midst of the battle.


    The huge hammer created a strong gust of wind, blowing Qiao Mu¡¯s white hair, mixed with blood, off his scalp.


    The wind blew fiercely.


    The old man¡¯s eyes were sharp like a knife¡¯s edge, as he tightly gripped the long spear in his hand. The red aura once again shimmered on the tip of the spear, like a fleeting shooting star.


    Boom!


    Amidst the thunderous roar, his figure flew backward like a kite with a broken string, crashing onto the sandy ground.


    The tall bean general was half-kneeling on the sandy ground, with a deformed and twisted long spear pierced through his chest, impaling him.


    But that was all.


    However, the bean general maintained a nk expression on his face, and no fresh blood flowed from the wound.


    After a brief stiffness, the bean general slowly stood up again, only this time with slightly more rigid and slower movements.


    On the sandy ground.


    Qiao Muy on the ground, his body like shattered porcin, blood pouring out from his entire body, staining the yellow sand red.


    The right arm of Spear was broken, and his waist and abdomen bones were clearly deformed. He fell into a pool of blood, looking calmly at the sky.


    Captain Hai and the other old soldiers were shocked, but they didn¡¯t turn back.


    If even someone as skilled as Qiao Mu fought to the death, then it meant that there was no hope in this battle.


    Is it because human strength sometimes runs out?


    No matter how brave the martial artist was, in the end, they were powerless to change the course of fate. Just like the old generals in the army, they met a tragic end, with their bodies dead, their spirits extinguished, and the sands stained with their blood.


    They didn¡¯t look back.


    The battlefield is not a ce for mourning the dead. If they distracted themselves by mourning the deceased, then the next one to die on the battlefield would be the old soldiers themselves.


    The dead are already gone. The living will step over the bodies of the dead and continue fighting until their own demise.


    A dark figure shed by, and Lu Yanbei, covered in blood, rushed forward.


    Lu Yanbei is not an experienced soldier, he is a wanderer, so he rushed over.


    He nced at Qiao Mu¡¯s injuries and felt heavy-hearted, he helped the badly injured Qiao Mu up from the sandy ground.


    With his eyes open, Qiao Mu looked at the battlefield. He saw the bean general with a long spear pierced through his chest, as well as the soldiers who were still fighting.


    He was very calm, so calm that even the experienced martial artists at the inn were a bit surprised.


    This was not a pretense, death had no power over Qiao Mu, it could even be considered as a painful reward.


    Qiao Mu calmly surveyed his surroundings.


    He keenly noticed that, despite not defeating the bean general with his final attack, the soldiers had a subtle change in morale, even though they didn¡¯t turn back¡­


    The battlefield was not just Qiao Mu¡¯s battlefield.


    But he stood at the forefront, like the sharpest edge of a de on the battlefield, so his every move naturally affected the morale of our soldiers.


    Lu Yanbei didn¡¯t know what Qiao Mu was thinking and just asked in a low voice:


    "Did you leave a final message?"


    The old man in this pool of blood, as if seeing a glimpse of light, weakly reached out his remaining left hand and grabbed Lu Yanbei¡¯ wrist, his eyes fixed on this old man.


    Fresh blood gushed out from all his wounds as he fell into the pool of blood, his eyes wide open and his mouth struggling to speak:


    "Tell them¨C"


    "The reinforcements are real¡­the Immortal ying Army does exist!"


    "The remnants of the Great Yan army are not fighting alone, hold on for a while longer, the reinforcements will arrive soon¡­"


    This feeble and aged voice echoed throughout the battlefield, carried far by the hot desert wind.


    This final message, seemingly exhausting the old man¡¯sst strength, may be weak, but it carried far.


    The voice swept across the battlefield, over the vast number of soldiers¡¯ tombstones beneath the lonely city, and over the broken city walls.


    Storyteller irvoyance felt a tremor in their heart, and the old soldiers on the battlefield subconsciously nced sideways.


    Captain Hai turned back for the first time, his expressionplicated and his heart filled with mixed feelings. He tightened the war sword in his hand, causing his knuckles to turn white.


    He had been feeling fortunate that he had made a quick decision and lied with the help of the outsider martial artist, Qiao Shuangsen, which led to a month of prosperity and contentment for the lonely city.


    But now, he only felt lost in his heart.

 Chapter 196:

    Chapter 196:


    The setting sun was red like blood.


    Under the sunlight, Qiao Mu was lying half on the ground, his body casting a long shadow on the barren sandy field.


    However, at that moment, the shadow slightly twisted.


    A cat paw emerged from it, followed by the whole body of a cat appearing from the shadow.


    It was a small, scruffy multicolored cat. After jumping out of the shadow, it didn¡¯t run or make noise. It gently stepped on the sandy ground, silently approaching Qiao Mu.


    It lifted its nose and sniffed carefully, stopping in front of Qiao Mu. It rubbed against him and got blood stains all over its body.


    It licked its fur in a somewhat disgusted manner, sat on the sandy ground, and softly whimpered. Its tiny body leaned against Qiao Mu.


    Qiao Mu was already on his deathbed, about to die. However, at the moment of his imminent death, he faintly felt a warm and fuzzy little thing entering his embrace.


    He slowly opened his eyes and smiled unconsciously.This magical cat, Impermanent Demon Cat, followed him from Heyang City to Zhong Province, and then came to this lonely city in the desert. During that time, Qiao Mu died several times, intentionally or unintentionally leaving the cat aside.


    It was the first time he had a cat by his side at the end of his life.


    "Was it a simr feeling when Qian QianSheriff Qian¡¯s biological father was dying in the prison of Heyang City?"


    The small furry thing in his arms pressed tightly against his chest, as if transferring ast bit of warmth.


    However, Qiao Mu¡¯s heartbeat gradually slowed down and eventually stopped. His pupils dted, losing their spark of life.


    Storyteller irvoyance arrived at this moment, casting a surprised nce at the sudden appearance of the little cat. The third eye on his forehead gently opened, carefully observing the mottled fur of this cat.


    As a gifted storyteller with the ability of Tide Listening Building, irvoyance¡¯s eyes could see through illusions and track the distant traces of the inhuman Dao Shun. However, he didn¡¯t notice when and where this cat appeared from.


    But¡­ that was not important anymore.


    Because Qiao Mu has already died.


    Storyteller irvoyance looked up and gazed at the battlefield in front.


    With Qiao Mu¡¯s death, the incredibly strong inhumanbean soldier¡¯s attack inadvertently eased a bit.


    ¡­¡­¡­.


    On a small hill in the distant wastnd.


    Dao Shun gazed into the battlefield beyond the solitary city, and felt a slight relief in his heart.


    "Finally dead, the mortal Dao Zhen brother whom Senior Brother respected, indeed has some tricks up his sleeve."


    With Qiao Mu¡¯s death, his objective has already been aplished.


    As for how to proceed next¡­ Dao Shun, however, was caught in hesitation.


    Fifty bean soldiers had already suffered more than half casualties under Qiao Mu¡¯s fierce attack, even the leading bean general was injured.


    These bean soldiers were different from the previous Paper Man Soldiers. The Paper Man Soldiers relied solely on Dao Shun¡¯s magic power, which could be continuously replenished.


    However, these bean soldiers were created using a more advanced method called "beans turning into soldiers." Their strength depended not only on Dao Shun¡¯s magic power but also on the quality of the spirit bean itself.


    As long as there were enough spirit stones, Dao Shun could even create bean soldiers or bean generals stronger than himself.


    Dao Shun hesitated. Should we continue the battle or return to rest? Or maybe wait and replenish the bean soldiers before fighting again?


    If they fought again, they could indeed harvest more souls, but the bean soldiers would suffer more damage, and it pained him a bit.


    For him, the life or death of the mortal city was merely a question of how many spirit stones would be consumed and whether it would be worth it.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    On the battlefield, the remaining bean soldiers¡¯ offensive clearly stagnated.


    Captain Hai and hispanions finally had a valuable moment to catch their breath. But as he looked back at the lifeless body of Qiao Mu, surrounded by a pool of blood, he couldn¡¯t help but remember his final dying words. His heart was filled with confusion and bewilderment.


    "To die for a lie? Is it worth it?" whispered Storyteller irvoyance.


    When they first ascended the city walls, he had asked why Qiao Mu fought to the death. Sacrifice was admirable, but it also had to have meaning, didn¡¯t it?


    This city was destined to perish. There had been no reinforcements for forty years, neither before nor after. The Immortal ying Army was nothing but a lie!


    And yet, after going through so much trouble, facing the inhuman bean soldiers in a deadly battle, all he got in the end was a bloody and futile oue?


    Even now, he still didn¡¯t have a definite answer. He only felt a sense of invisible blockage in his heart.


    Captain Hai stood on the sand dune, leaning on his sword, trying to catch his breath. He too was filled with confusion. He wanted to ask the elderly man who had already passed away, why a lie about the Immortal ying Army had led them to this point.


    It is said that people have different views on death. Some consider it heavier than Mount Tai, while others consider it lighter than a feather.


    This outsider martial artist fought to the death for the people of this city. Even in his final moments, he still had concerns about the so-called lie of the Immortal ying Army.


    Thosest words, left in Captain Hai¡¯s heart, had a truly enormous weight, like a mountain.


    How did ite to this?


    Even though you are on the verge of death, you still mention Immortal ying Army as if it were real, still urge me and the soldiers to hold on for just a little longer, saying that reinforcements will arrive soon¡­


    How could suchst words not weigh heavily on Captain Hai¡¯s heart?


    However, at this moment, he suddenly had a realization, gripping tightly onto his sword, a small smile appeared on his face.


    "Is it really important whether there is an Immortal ying Army?" he suddenly smiled:


    "Did thete Lord Qiao Shuangsen truly mean to talk about the Immortal ying Army with hisst words?"


    The words he wanted to say were clearly meant to boost morale, to encourage this exhausted and worn-out army to keep fighting.


    The actual content of thest words is not important.


    Because Captain Hai sensed an emotion, a feeling that Qiao Shuangsen wanted to convey through his final words.


    It was the same feeling that Captain Hai had once experienced from an old veteran in the army, forty years ago when he was still young.


    The building was about to copse, the enemy was strong and we were weak, yet they bravely chose to sacrifice themselves, knowing that they would lose. They did the impossible!


    Qiao Shuangsen and Lu Yanbei were both visitors from Jiu Province, from outside.


    There is a lone city and a lone army in the desert, fighting against inhuman forces.


    And in Jiu Province, there was Qiao Shuangsen.


    This remaining army of Great Yan has been fighting alone in the desert for forty years, but they are not alone.


    Because there are still other heroes in Jiu Province working tirelessly, just like this lonely city, resisting the inhuman, it is enough here.


    Lu Yanbei, who fought side by side with the old soldiers in the city for a year.


    Hai Wuya, who created the humane technique "Xumi Mountain King Sutra".


    Qiao Shuangsen, who shed blood in the yellow sand for a lie.


    This is a spiritual me that spans a desert and forty years.


    "Isted and helpless for forty years, today we finally know that the backbone of Jiu Province is still there," Captain Haiughed heartily.


    "This lonely city was meant to be conquered. This lonely army was meant to be extinguished. But even if we die today, we can have no regrets."


    He raised his battle sword.


    The three hundred old soldiers behind him also gasped for breath.


    These silent old soldiers didn¡¯t cken or weaken because of the attack of the bean soldiers, instead theyunched a charge towards the remaining bean soldiers at this moment.


    Just like Qiao Mu charging through the bloodshed before.


    Once upon a time, Captain Hai took the torch from the old general in the army.


    And now, he saw the torch in the hands of martial artist Qiao Shuangsen from Jiu Province.


    So, that¡¯s enough.


    Storyteller irvoyance silently watched Captain Hai and the others charge forward, knowing vaguely the reason for their fierce fight.


    "The enemy is strong and we are weak. We know that giving our all won¡¯t make a difference, and we know it¡¯s a one-way journey to death. We know it¡¯s impossible, but we still do it¡­"


    "This is an epic of mortal beings," he sighed.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    At the same time.


    On one side of the city wall, in a deserted area beneath the sand dunes.


    An old man opened his eyes.


    His eyes became more spirited, filled with the wisdom of age and the energy of youth. A single nce revealed his extraordinary nature.


    However, at this moment, he looked older in appearance, with not only wrinkles on his face but also age spots.


    His hair waspletely white and flowed down to his waist like a waterfall.


    This time¡¯s Death Assessment: A (passing on the torch, backbone of Jiu Province)


    Lifespan consumed by death: 32 (16 * 2) years


    Remaining resurrect attempts this week: 4 out of 5


    Current age: 141 years old


    Vitality: 34%


    Skills:


    Long Life Punch (intermediate level,plete training section) Ripple Stacking Wave Technique (fourth level: Fourfold Wave) Martial Saint Spiritual Technique (intermediate level) Pure Yang Wuji Skill (fifth level) Xumi Mountain King Sutra (sixth level) Military Martial Arts ssic (intermediate level)


    Broken Virtual Finger (Master)


    Shadow Transforming Sword Technique (Complete)


    Iron Groin Technique (Complete)


    Golden Bell Shield


    Iron Cloth Shirt Technique (Great Achievement)


    Shadow Step (Complete)


    Heavenly Demon Dissolving Method (Complete)


    Red Moon Burning Blood Technique (Partial Achievement)


    Bloodthirsty Technique (Partial Achievement)


    Shape Changing Technique (Partial Achievement)


    Eye Sword Technique (Master)


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    More than thirty years of long and arduous years seemed like a dream.


    In Qiao Mu¡¯s memory, even after his death, he still trained martial arts diligently, without anyziness, always striving to improve.


    The previous S-level Death Assessment allowed Qiao Mu to skip thirty years of time, but this time, with an A-level evaluation and double the rewards, Qiao Mu skipped even further than before.


    Just a few days ago, he learned Li Changge¡¯s "Military Martial Arts ssic," and today, he has already mastered it to some extent.


    It can be said that he is making rapid progress.


    It seems that due to bing a Spirit Refining martial artist, the experiences of training hard for over thirty years are even clearer than before.


    And the Xumi Mountain King Sutra has also sessfully reached the sixth level.


    Qiao Mu practiced the Xumi Mountain King Sutra, which improved his energy and blood. Breaking through the sixth level meant that his 141-year-old body became much stronger than when he was 109 years old.


    Although there were more wrinkles and age spots on his face, Qiao Mu tried to move his muscles and didn¡¯t feel any stiffness.


    Wu Qizheng¡¯s "Flesh Changing Skill" had now transformed into the "Shape Changing Skill".


    As Qiao Mu focused his mind, his bones made cracking sounds and his entire body, including his height and facial features, started to undergo subtle changes.


    "In an instant, it felt like he could even control the transformation of his own flesh and blood¡­ After the spiritual refining, it seems that the martial artist truly gained some extraordinary powers."


    Instead of spending more time studying his martial arts progress from thirty years of self-imposed seclusion, he swiftly moved like a wisp of smoke and went straight into the battlefield.

 Chapter 197:

    Chapter 197:


    Below the crumbling city walls.


    Qiao Mu¡¯s bodyy in a pool of blood, still and lifeless, staining the yellow sand with fresh blood.


    The little kitten nestled quietly in his arms, until his heart stopped beating, leaving only warmth in his lifeless body.


    Storyteller irvoyance asionally nced at the sudden appearance of the cat from the corner of his eye, with a flicker in his forehead.


    As one of the pirs of the Tide Listening Building Fantastic Faction, irvoyance had heard countless stories, so he pondered on the origin of this strange cat.


    While he was carefully watching, he saw the cat suddenly tremble and then swiftly crawl out from Qiao Mu¡¯s lifeless body.


    "When someone dies, do they prepare to leave?" irvoyance frowned and pondered.


    "Appearing by the side of the deceased and leaving after death, I have heard of such creatures vague before. It is said that there used to be a kind of demon that fed on death energy, called the Underworld Messenger¡­"


    As he was contemting, he noticed the demonic cat¡¯s pupils dting slightly. The small body started to tremble on the sandy ground, eventually lying down weakly. Even its tongue hung out to the side, disying a powerless and limp appearance."What¡¯s happening now? Would a demon that feeds on death energy show such behavior? Or am I thinking too much?" irvoyance silently nodded.


    "Seeing it with my own eyes is better than hearing about it a hundred times. So, creatures that temporarily weaken after consuming death energy¡­ then¡­"


    Just as he was about to finish that thought, all three of his eyes twitched slightly as he suddenly looked in one direction.


    A light breeze swept by, lifting the dust from the ground.


    In front of him appeared an elderly man with long white hair reaching his waist.


    The caty still on the ground, sticking out its tongue, and looked weakly at the standing Qiao Mu, then nced at the lying down Qiao Mu.


    Ordinary people rely on vision to recognize characters, while cats and dogs rely more on smell. But for the Impermanent Demon Cat, it recognizes characters with invisible death energy using its eyes.


    It doesn¡¯t understand now.


    Because it¡¯s just a little kitty.


    But as the strong death energy entered its body, its little belly started to swell.


    Even though it didn¡¯t understand, it felt so good¡­. The cat stopped thinking and continued to lie still on the ground.


    "You are¡­." Storyteller irvoyance was uncertain.


    The old man appeared suddenly, with his white hair scattered on his shoulders, almost reaching his waist in length.


    He looked very old, with a face that vaguely resembled the Qiao Shuangsen lying on the ground.


    Of course, Qiao Shuangsen¡¯s body was right there, dead for everyone to see. No one would connect the old man in front of them with the clearly dead Qiao Shuangsen.


    So Lu Yanbei was stunned, only guessing that this old man might be rted to Qiao Shuangsen based on his appearance.


    Storyteller irvoyance had a passing guess in her mind.


    The people in this lonely city had no idea about the famous hidden Qiao family outside, and Lu Yanbei, who had been in the lonely city for a year, didn¡¯t know either.


    But he did know.


    "Is this another centenarian of the Qiao family?" he guessed.


    The hidden Qiao family followed an ancient blood revenge principle, with family members not supporting each other in their daily lives. They seemed like ordinary people with no family ties.


    But once a descendant of the Qiao family died wrongly, the next elder of the Qiao family woulde one after another and seek revenge for the deceased Qiao family member.


    However, irvoyance didn¡¯t expect this.


    In other ces it might be fine, but this lonely city in the desert is covered by the mysterious illusions of the Immortal Gate. Can all the elders of the Qiao familye in?


    Thinking of this, he felt a little hope in his heart.


    "I am Qiao Ruosen (ruo, fourth tone), Qiao Shuangsen is my son," Qiao Mu turned to look at irvoyance:


    "Although our bloodline is connected to the Qiao¡¯s family, I am still a step toote. In my old age, I still have to collect the body of my own son¡­"


    Qiao Mu sighed softly, looking into the distance.


    The lonely city is shrouded in a grand illusion, so we cannot see the scenery of the Jiu Province, including the existence of the Anxi Pass.


    But Qiao Mu can still sense it.


    After stepping into spiritual refining, the intuition is no longer intermittent, but constantly guided by the "Martial Saint Spiritual Technique", sensing the presence of Madame Bai in Anxi Pass.


    "Li Changge¡¯s "Spiritual Technique" can sense the existence of Madame Bai from a distance, even through therge formation of the Immortal Gate. But because of the existence of the mysterious formation, they cannot meet in person."


    "The people in the city say that Li Changge died twenty years ago, which happens to be the year Anxi Pass was established and when Madame Bai guarded the pass. It doesn¡¯t seem like a coincidence."


    Let¡¯s talk about Li Changge¡¯s situation another time.


    Since both Spiritual Technique and Martial Saint Spiritual Technique can ignore illusions, their intuition can be relied upon.


    So if Qiao¡¯s family all practice Martial Saint Spiritual Technique, they can sense each other¡¯s presence, or maybe they have some even more advanced means to enter the formation, which makes sense, right?


    "Elder Lao.." Lu Yanbei stuttered, unsure of what to say.


    He understood the feelings of someone bidding farewell to another with a heavy heart.


    Even though the "ck-haired person" is older than him, it must feel ufortable for an elder to personally bid farewell to a younger person.


    Qiao Ruosen appeared calm andposed on the surface, but it seems like he is deeply concealing his sadness inside¡­


    In his eyes, Qiao Ruosen stood facing away from him, with his hands trembling slightly behind his back, as if he was desperately trying to control his inner emotions.


    And Qiao Mu¡¯s heart was really filled with mixed emotions.


    "Wow, after thirty-two years of hard training, I¡¯ve be stronger again. I really want to show off. I can hardly control my unicorn arm. But first, I have to hold back and ask a few questions."


    Just before stepping onto the battlefield, he couldn¡¯t help but nce at irvoyance and said lightly,


    "Are you the storyteller of Tide Listening Building? Your eyes seem different from ordinary people."


    "There are only Taoist soldiers in front of me, no inhuman creatures on the battlefield. Tell me, besides the enemies in front of you, what else do you see?"


    Qiao Mu keenly noticed that both the cat and irvoyance had obvious movements when he arrived, indicating they sensed his presence.


    The former was not surprising, as for Impermanent Demon Cat, Qiao Mu was like a human-shaped catnip to her.


    irvoyance¡¯s response was actually faster than Lu Yanbei, who was a Spirit Refining martial artist with sharp intuition. This was very unusual.


    By using magic to control bean soldiers that are considered inhuman, even though they are not physically present on this battlefield, it can be inferred that they shouldn¡¯t be too far away, right?


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    On the sandy battlefield.


    Captain Hai led a group of three hundred old soldiers, charging forward and engaging in fiercebat with the remaining dozen or so bean soldiers.


    Captain Hai regarded this battle as the final one in his life, so he fought with all his strength and embraced the determination to die.


    Dao Shun looked out at this battlefield from a small hill in the distance, but his mood was not very pleasant.


    He was in pain.


    Cultivation emphasizes the use of wealth, with wealth taking the priority. Whether it¡¯s pills, spells, or the spirit beans used to make bean soldiers, they all need to be purchased with spirit stones.


    "Only in the Hundred-mile Desert, where people are fearless of death, can such arge number emerge."


    "Once you leave this desert, it¡¯s difficult to find forces of simr strength, and high-quality souls outside of the Jiu Province." Dao Shun sighed.


    The desert says no grass grows, which is an exaggeration, but it is true that there is ack of water and food, making it a ce where no living beings can survive.


    Martial artists cannot train their muscles and internal strength properly without proper food. It is especially difficult to develop a strong internal strength.


    Moreover, the tougher the environment, the better it is for developing one¡¯s willpower and character.


    Therefore, the martial arts skills of this lone army don¡¯t match their achievements in spiritual refining.


    "Unfortunately, I have lost too many soldiers, and it¡¯s difficult to harvest all three hundred old soldiers¡­ Continuing to fight would be a losing proposition."


    "Ah, if only I were like Senior Sister Dao Xu, with influential elders like Elder Qingyi to protect me and plenty of wealth¡­"


    "It¡¯s also thanks to that Martial Saint in the mortal world. If he hadn¡¯t killed a mid-level Foundation Building disciple from Xuantian Sect, once I reached the mid-level, I could have be a deacon in the mortal world¡¯s Taoist temple¡­"


    Dao Shun¡¯s face suddenly changed color while he was speaking to himself.


    He quickly shook the storage pouch around his waist, and two spirit beans fell onto the sandy ground, instantly transforming into two towering bean generals over three meters tall, guarding in front of him.


    But the bean general on the left has just appeared and straightened its body suddenly.


    Arge hand, much bigger than a normal person¡¯s, grabbed the bean general¡¯s head tightly.


    With a surge of internal strength, the three-meter-tall bean general shattered into pieces.


    Qiao Mu stood there and nced at his right hand.


    At this moment, his right hand seemed to swell up in a big circle, with the skin turning red, hot, and hard. A bright white aura emitted from his palm.


    The Flesh Changing Skill, or rather, the Shape Changing Skill in Qiao Mu¡¯s hand, was a mysterious technique of Wu Qizheng¡¯s.


    After achieving spiritual refining, one could manipte the human body¡¯s flesh and blood through powerful "spirits" and make certain changes ording to one¡¯s desires.


    And just now, he was manipting his blood and qi, simr to how he controlled the internal strength within the meridians, trying to adjust his right hand to a more suitable state for exerting strength.


    "Where did this mortale from?" a rebuking voice sounded in his ear.


    Dao Shun shook his storage bag around his waist, and many magic beans were scattered on the sandy ground. Then, more than ten bean soldiers, each two meters tall, rushed out.


    Meanwhile, Qiao Mu stood frozen in ce, as if he couldn¡¯t move, staring at Dao Shun, who was being guarded by these bean soldiers led by a bean general.


    Seeing that Qiao Mu seemed scared, Dao Shun furrowed his brow and calmly said,


    "You¡¯ve damaged one of my bean soldiers¡­you¡¯ve caused trouble. Leave now, and I may forgive your offense. Otherwise, you will face eternal doom¡ª"


    Before he could finish speaking, the surprised expression on the elderly mortal¡¯s face disappeared, reced by a sigh.


    "So, this is all there is? Just a few people?" he sighed.


    At that moment, Dao Shun saw the elderly mortal gently tap his foot on the ground, and his figure transformed into a swift shadow, rushing towards Dao Xu.


    The speed of the mortal elderly man¡¯s figure wasn¡¯t astonishingly fast.


    However, he skillfully dodged the knives and spears about to strike from the bean soldiers¡¯ hands, moving like a dancer twirling on the tip of a knife, advancing step by step through the forest of weapons.


    "Spiritual refining is aplete version of sensing your opponent¡¯s moves ahead of time, just like breathing, it has be a natural instinct of the body."


    Even Qiao Mu asionally had some carefree thoughts in his mind, but he followed his intuition and instincts, casually dodging and moving around in the midst of the attack.


    He didn¡¯t have any weapons in his hands, just fists clenched tight.


    "A stack of waves."


    His entire body was filled with strong and heavy white internal strength, surging and bursting out with the force of his punch.


    "Double Wave."


    "Triple Wave."


    The internal strength surged with waves upon waves, gradually resembling the roaring and raging of the sea, a powerful gust of wind blew away the dust and sand, and with a heavy punch, it struck the body of the bean general three meters in front of him.


    A loud booming sound resonated.


    "Four-fold ¡ª-"


    Qiao Mu suddenly froze, unclenched his fists, and stood still.


    As the intense internal strength surged like a raging tide, it slightly stagnated.


    In front of him, the only remaining bean general had been shattered and copsed, while the rest of the bean soldiers had fallen behind him, leaving only Dao Shun in front.


    "So that¡¯s it." The old man suddenly realized with a faint surprise.


    "Controlling the bean soldiers that can crush three hundred old soldiers in the city has already reached your limit?"


    "That¡¯s the extent of my skills."


    He pointed forward with his finger.


    A burst of invisible force shot out from his fingertip like a sharp arrow, piercing through Dao Shun¡¯s forehead in an instant.


    "Craze¡ª" Dao Shun¡¯s face slightly changed, as he just took out a talisman, but his body shook and the power of the Fragmented Virtual Finger pierced through his forehead, shattering it.


    He slumped to the ground.


    Qiao Mu turned his head to look behind him, the remaining bean soldiers had stopped moving. He then lowered his head to look at Dao Shun¡¯s body, lost in thought.


    "If inhuman bodies were as formidable as martial artists, then what¡¯s the point of training in martial arts?"


    He thought for a moment, took a few steps forward, and lifted Dao Shun¡¯s body.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    On the sandy battlefield in front of the deserted city.


    Captain Hai was leading three hundred old soldiers, fighting bravely and covered in blood.


    Their inner strength was not as strong as Qiao Mu¡¯s. Even though they were determined to die, they could not recklessly squander their inner strength like Qiao Mu.


    Therefore, they were having a difficult time in this battle. Even with high spirits, it was hard to make up for the gap between them and the powerful bean soldier and bean general.


    In the midst of the fierce fight.


    The remaining bean soldiers suddenly froze in ce, motionless.


    Captain Hai didn¡¯t understand, but took this opportunity to swing his sword into the chest of the bean soldier, using all his strength to cut the bean soldier¡¯s body in half, and then panting heavily while leaning on his sword.


    The other soldiers did the same, taking down the remaining bean soldiers and standing together, keeping a close eye on their surroundings.


    The inhuman¡¯s methods were always unpredictable, and they knew it could be another trick, so they remained vignt and didn¡¯t let their guard down.


    But when they looked around, they saw an old man walking slowly towards them, getting closer and closer.


    "Who are you?" Captain Hai asked cautiously, his hand on the hilt of his sword.


    There haven¡¯t been many outsiders in this desert for years, and they had just been fighting the inhuman¡¯s bean soldiers, so they didn¡¯t dare to approach a stranger.


    The old man had many wrinkles and looked very old. He had long, silver-white hair that reached his waist and swayed in the wind.


    This person¡¯s face was somewhat simr to Qiao Shuangsen¡¯s.


    But what amazed them even more than this person¡¯s appearance was the object he held in his hand.


    It was a young daoist dressed in the robe of the Great Dao Sect, whom he held in his hand as if he were holding a dead dog.


    "Immortal ying Army, Qiao Ruosen," the old man squinted his eyes and threw the body of Dao Shun, which he held in his hand, onto the sandy ground.


    "You all have fought hard and died for the people of this city," he said respectfully, sping his fists.


    "I am the reinforcements."

 Chapter 198:

    Chapter 198:


    The battlefield of sand in front of the deste city.


    Qiao Mu appeared again, carrying Dao Shun¡¯s body, but now he had a different identity.


    Qiao Ruosen!


    After Qiao Shuangsen, the second Qiao¡¯s family to enter the desert, the second member of the so-called Immortal ying Army.


    The presence of such a character naturally brought a shock that just a "Qiao Shuangsen" alone could not reach to Captain Hai and others.


    "Is there really reinforcement?"


    Captain Hai¡¯s hand holding the sword trembled slightly as he looked at the old man in front of him, his gaze unintentionally falling on the body of Dao Shun, dressed in the Great Dao Sect robe, at his feet.


    Immortal ying Army! Using Martial Arts to Defeat Immortals!


    This is the magnificent blueprint that Qiao Shuangsen depicted when he entered the lonely city, in front of the military and civilians of the entire city!It was as beautiful as an unrealistic dream.


    Just like the little girl who sold matches and was about to die from hunger and cold, she lit the matches and saw the fantasies from deep inside her heart.


    Captain Hai knew that it was just an illusion, a lie he deliberately made up.


    It was supposed to be like this.


    But at this moment, he hesitated. He looked at the lifeless body of Qiao Mu, and his mind was filled with turmoil.


    Don¡¯t say kill someone who is inhuman.


    How many years has it been since hest saw a real inhuman on the battlefield?


    The number of old soldiers trapped in the isted city decreases every year, to the point where they can¡¯t even see the true face of an inhuman anymore.


    asionally, when an inhuman attacks the city, they only encounter Taoist soldiers like paper manbean soldiers, who sacrifice their lives for generations but can¡¯t even exchange one life for another.


    And now, when he thought the isted city was about to perish, he saw the day when the beautiful dream came true.


    The person in front of them was Qiao Ruosen, not the previous Qiao Shuangsen.


    Their different identities naturally meant that there was an important message behind it.


    "The so-called Immortal ying Army really has the possibility of using martial arts to defeat immortals."


    "Has the outer Jiu Province finally mastered the way to enter this vast desert after the existence of the great formation for forty years?"


    This Hundred-mile Desert is not without outsiders, there are just very few of them.


    Just like the Wu Ling people identally entering the Peach Blossom Paradise, asionally there are people who can enter this vast desert.


    Other than that, there are only a few martial artists like Qiao Mu who are intentionally or unintentionally deceived by the people from the Immortal Gate toe in.


    But today, they see a third type of person.


    With unknown means that they have yet to understand, the Immortal ying Army actively enters the desert from the outside!


    "Does the Immortal ying Army really exist?"


    Captain Hai¡¯s heart echoed with Qiao Shuangsen¡¯sst words, his emotions rising and falling.


    At this time, he was not quite sure about the truth of the matter.


    The "Xumi Mountain King Sutra" is real, and there has indeed been remarkable progress in martial arts in the outside Jiu Province under the pressure of immortals.


    It is true that Qiao Shuangsen has already died in battle, and Qiao Ruosen, who was the second to enter the desert and appeared with Dao Shun¡¯s body, is also real.


    As for their mention of the Immortal ying Army¡­


    After the initial joy of surviving the cmity and the shock of realizing the existence of the Immortal ying Army, when they came back to their senses and looked at Qiao Ruosen before them, Captain Hai felt a heavy burden in his heart again.


    "Elder Lao, Qiao Shuangsen¡­?"


    "He died in battle, I already know. It was his personal choice, unrted to any of you," Qiao Mu said with a deep gaze.


    "The Qiao family motto, guiding the heart and leading the way."


    "He chose this path for himself, so even if he dies, he can¡¯t me others."


    "But a tree cannot grow into a forest alone. Even though Qiao Shuangsen is dead, there will still be sessors."


    "Beyond the great formation, there are still remaining members of the Immortal ying Army, and I am the second vanguard."


    Does it have nothing to do with us?


    Captain Hai remained silent.


    He turned around and looked at the twisted and bloody body of Qiao Shuangsen on the battlefield, then nced at the ruined town behind him.


    "You and your father are outsiders, right? It¡¯s correct that the matters within this city have nothing to do with you," thought Captain Hai.


    "With your strength, perhaps you can also be self-sufficient like the Earth Sword Immortal¡­."


    Earth Sword Immortal is the pinnacle of a martial artist who has been in the martial world for forty years.


    Heroes who vite thew with their martial arts often sh with the imperial court. Officials see martial artists aswless troublemakers, while martial artists see officials as loyal followers of the court.


    Although many martial artists joined the military forty years ago, more martial artists focused on their own matters.


    Clearly, Earth Sword Immortal is also one of the representative figures in the martial world forty years ago.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    Three people arrived in the lonely city.


    There were two bodies and one live person.


    The bodies were Dao Shun, a disciple of the Great Dao Sect, and Qiao Shuangsen who was there before.


    The live person was Qiao Ruosen, the father of Qiao Shuangsen.


    But a short fifteen minutes of time.


    Qiao Ruosen arrived and the news of Qiao Ruosen ying the inhuman spread throughout this isted city.


    "The second Immortal ying Army has arrived!"


    "The inhuman of the Great Dao Sect is dead, and the Immortal ying Army has truly in someone from the Immortal Gate!"


    "Is he also practicing the ¡®Xumi Mountain King Sutra¡¯? Is martial arts really effective? Is this the progress happening outside in Jiu Province?"


    The soldiers and civilians within the isted city immediately became excited.


    If Qiao Shuangsen had entered the city before and spread the ¡®Xumi Mountain King Sutra,¡¯ it would have been like painting a beautiful picture for the people in the city.


    And now, when Qiao Ruosen returns after ying the inhuman, it truly shows these people in the city that the possibility depicted in this picture cane true.


    "But why is there only one personing in?" Some people wondered about this.


    Soon, an old soldier retorted. What era is this? Are we still fighting traditional battles?


    "Since Qiao Shuangsen and his son have surpassed us old soldiers and have the ability to form an army on their own, why can¡¯t one person be a whole army?"


    He personally witnessed Qiao Shuangsen fighting to the death on the battlefield and saw his impressive strength, so he naturally held him in high regard.


    The old soldiers were already old, and their vitality was declining due to their age.


    This isted city desperately needed a hero to turn the tide.


    Even if it was false, these old soldiers would try their best, just like Captain Hai¡¯s previous lies, to make the soldiers and civilians in the city believe this lie.


    Moreover, Qiao Mu truly did kill the inhuman Dao Shun.


    ¡­¡­..


    Inside the dpidated Taoist temple.


    Earth Sword Immortal looked calm and unaffected by the noisy crowd in the city, continuing to carve the statue in his hands.


    Lu Yanbei, with his wound bandaged, sat beside him and chattered on about the adventures of Qiao Shuangsen and Qiao Ruosen, full of emotions.


    "Second brother, are you done talking? You¡¯re bothering me," Earth Sword Immortal said impatiently.


    "Just killing a disciple from the Great Dao Sect, what¡¯s there to be so happy about?"


    The higher you stand, the farther you can see.


    Earth Sword Immortal once stood at the pinnacle of the martial arts world, hailed as the Sword Immortal in exile by martial artists everywhere.


    He stood taller than any other martial artist, naturally allowing him to see farther as well.


    "Remember, the Nine Immortal Gates are involved. After killing a disciple from the Great Dao Sect, have you considered how the Nine Immortal Gates will handle this?" Earth Sword Immortal said calmly.


    "This ce is already under the control of the Nine Immortal Gates. It won¡¯t be easy to hide today¡¯s events from them."


    "Killed a young one, attracted an old one, this is amon urrence, after all, Nine Immortal Gates are really powerful."


    "How many people are in the Immortal ying Army you mentioned, enough to be killed by inhumans?"

 Chapter 199:

    Chapter 199:


    Night falls, the bright moon hangs high.


    The lone city¡¯s old soldier returned victorious, Qiao Mu also killed an inhuman, bringing rare joy to this city that had suffered for forty years.


    This night, the half city is restless and unable to sleep.


    The bodies of Qiao Shuangsen and Dao Shun were taken out of the city again and Captain Hai, along with the old soldiers, prepared to bury them on a small hill next to the city walls, amidst the countless soldier gravestones.


    Qiao Shuangsen is being buried, while Dao Shun¡¯s body is naturally used to mourn the deceased.


    Among the gravestones of these one hundred thousand soldiers, there is now a tomb belonging to Qiao Shuangsen.


    "It has been forty years¡­" Captain Hai, facing the night breeze, raised a cup of wine and poured it onto the gravestone.


    The wine flowed down the stone monument, seeping into the soil silently, apanied only by the rustling sound of the wind.


    The lonely city had been besieged for forty years, where could they find surplus food to make wine?These turbid wines were nothing but the remaining stock from the city¡¯s wine cer forty years ago. Drinking one bottle meant one less bottle, and they had long be a scarce luxury in the lonely city.


    Yet at this moment, Captain Hai poured the scarce wine in front of the grave.


    Without any other intentions, it was simply a mix of various emotions, using the wine to pay tribute to the deceased.


    "Qiao Shuangsen Elder Lao, leading the Immortal ying Army, fought side by side with us, and died on the battlefield. He deserves this cup."


    "General Li was fond of alcohol¡­ but he didn¡¯t live to see the day when this lonely city would have a turning point. Today, I hope he can have a great drunkenness."


    Captain Hai¡¯s eyes were tearless, but the desert wind made his elderly eyes appear red. His words were nothing more than the fragmented mutterings of an old person.


    They all grew old.


    Qiao Mu is not here.


    Although he didn¡¯t shy away from his own body, it felt strange to join others in mourning himself, so he didn¡¯te.


    So at this moment, there were only three hundred old soldiers on the hill.


    "Tonight, myrades can have a great feast." Captain Hai took off his helmet and poured a cup of wine towards the mountain full of gravestones, solemnly said.


    As the night wind blew, the three hundred old soldiers in front of the gravestones all took off their helmets, and their hoary white hair swayed in the night breeze.


    Inside the tombstones were one hundred thousand soldiers, and outside the tombstones were three hundred old soldiers.


    The night wind howled, and you could faintly hear the bustling noise from the city.


    People of all ages in the city were obviously celebrating in their own way, and the sounds were quite lively.


    Captain Hai stood quietly in front of the monument and listened to the noiseing from the city, feeling a rare sense of tranquility in his heart.


    "Laugh not at those who lie drunken on the battlefield, for few return from the ancient wars¡­" He raised his ss and drank it all in one sip.


    Suddenly, he felt a slight movement in his heart and turned his head to look.


    Beside him, a white-haired man in a blue robe had quietly appeared, though he wasn¡¯t sure when.


    Although this person¡¯s hair was already gray, there were no wrinkles on his face. His long hair was disheveled, giving him a slightly unkempt look, but it couldn¡¯t hide his heroic spirit.


    "Earth Sword Immortal? What brings you here?" Captain Hai frowned.


    He had never liked Earth Sword Immortal.


    As the top martial artist in the world forty years ago, and with the reputation of Earth Sword Immortal, he was actually highly regarded by the people, hoping that he, as the strongest warrior, would lead the fight against the inhuman.


    Earth Sword Immortal Lu Yannan had been in this city for thirty years, but he had never drawn his sword.


    Lu Yanbei is different from his big brother Wooden Sword Walker Lu Yanbei. After entering the city for a year, he fought alongside the old soldiers for a year.


    Although Captain Hai doesn¡¯t like Earth Sword Immortal, he also doesn¡¯t want to provoke this former martial arts powerhouse.


    After Li Changge was refused by Earth Sword Immortal to take on a big responsibility before her death, the remaining soldiers in the city no longer held any expectations for him. There was no interaction between the two sides, and they rarely saw each other.


    Unexpectedly, Earth Sword Immortal appeared before him from that Taoist temple on this night.


    "I smelled the aroma of wine, I haven¡¯t had a drink in years, so I came to ask for a bowl of wine." Earth Sword Immortal casually said.


    "There¡¯s not much wine left in the city¡¯s wine cer, it¡¯s all meant for the dead. Do you want topete with the dead for it?" Captain Hai said calmly.


    "If the living want to drink, that¡¯s fine, but you¡¯ll have to exchange it for military achievements."


    Captain Hai also had a little bit of wine, and he seemed a bit drunk.


    Normally, even if he doesn¡¯t like Earth Sword Immortal as a person, he wouldn¡¯t talk like this.


    After all, Earth Sword Immortal was once the leader of the martial arts world. Captain Hai wouldn¡¯t provoke him if there was nothing wrong.


    "Military merits? Do you consider killing inhumans as military merits?" Earth Sword Immortal said calmly.


    "Killing one inhuman will bring endless troubles."


    "If we kill one small one today, another old one wille tomorrow. How long can we hold on?"


    "Both father and son of the Qiao Family are over a hundred years old, rare longevity in the world. But how many such people can Jiu Province have?"


    "Martial artists who live past a hundred years are rare, but as for inhumans who live past a hundred years¡­ guess how many exist in the Nine Immortal Gates?"


    Earth Sword Immortal¡¯s gaze was deep.


    As a former strongest martial artist, it is natural that he had dealings with the Immortal Gate.


    That¡¯s why he became the most worthless person in the world.


    "Have you said enough?" Captain Hai frowned.


    The night wind was chilly, and the atmosphere was slightly tense.


    "You never unsheathed your sword before. But today, when Elder Lao killed the inhuman, you appeared?" Captain Hai frowned and said,


    "What¡¯s this? Are you showing off your wide knowledge? Showing off your high vision and foresight? Only now you know about the bigger picture?"


    "I¡¯m just here to ask for a bowl of wine." Earth Sword Immortal¡¯s face remained calm, he simply said,


    "If you¡¯re willing to listen, you can consider this as a reminder."


    "Killing one inhuman will surely bring thunderous revengeter, and this city will only be destroyed faster."


    "A reminder?" Captain Hai sneered.


    Grave stones covered the mountains, shrouded in the darkness of the night. He pointed at the forest of tombstones and his voice trembled slightly:


    "Everyone is drunk, but you alone are awake?"


    "You are the only one who is rational? You are the only one who knows the enemy is strong and we are weak? You are the only one who knows that our city cannot be defended?"


    "Zhong Province was once a fertilend, how did this Hundred-mile Deserte about? How did the hundred thousand soldiers die in the past? We understand it better than you!"


    "Captain¡­ " Some old soldiers stepped forward, wanting to stop Captain Hai from acting unruly while drunk.


    Angering Earth Sword Immortal is very dangerous, they are not willing to take such risks at this critical moment.


    Meanwhile, Captain Hai became even more excited.


    "Since forty years ago, when Zhong Province turned from a fertilend into the Hundred-mile Desert and this city was besieged, everyone has known that this city cannot be defended."


    "If we don¡¯t do our utmost to kill that inhuman, how many more days can we survive?"


    "You knew it was impossible, yet you still did it, that¡¯s why so few of you are left alive," Earth Sword Immortal said indifferently.


    "Can sacrifice be meaningful? Or just self-indulgence?"


    He didn¡¯t talk to Captain Hai anymore and walked away carrying a wine jug.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Great Dao Sect (a sect or organization).


    Dao Zhen stepped into a small attic, and soon a deacon dressed in Taoist robe approached.


    "How did Junior Brother Dao Zhene here?"


    "I came to check Dao Shun¡¯s Soul Jade Slip. He went out to explore a Secret Realm of the sect but hasn¡¯t returned yet."


    "Oh? Which Secret Realm did he go to explore?"


    "Hundred-mile Desert."


    "The Hundred-mile Desert? Can anything happen there? Junior Brother Dao Zhen is worrying too much," the deacon nced at the shelves disying Soul Jade Slips of disciples in the Foundation Building stage, suddenly freezing in expression as he noticed a broken Soul Jade Slip.


    "Is he really dead? Can someone die in such a ce?" the deacon was greatly puzzled and lost in thought.

 Chapter 200:

    Chapter 200:


    "Can someone really die like this?" the deacon was very confused.


    What a useless person?


    It seems that Dao Shun is not as good as he appears.


    He didn¡¯t know much about Dao Shun, a disciple in the Foundation Building stage, except that he heard he practiced the popr method of refining Taoist soldiers in the sect.


    It would be quite a remarkable tale for an immortal cultivator to be defeated by a mortal.


    Taoist Qingyang, who was once in the mid-stage of Foundation Building in Xuantian Sect, died at the hands of a Martial Saint in the mortal world and has be aughingstock within the Nine Immortal Gates.


    But the person who killed him was at the highest level among ordinary martial artists, a Martial Saint.


    And what about Dao Shun?


    He didn¡¯t die in an ordinary city outside, but in a secret realm controlled by the sect, in the Hundred-mile Desert.Dao Zhen quietly observed the deacon¡¯s expression and saw that he was surprised but not concerned, understanding it in his heart as well.


    The difference between immortals and mortals is like night and day, so if there happens to be a Dao Shun who was killed by ordinary people, it would only make other cultivators think¡­ that Dao Shun is truly weak.


    But that¡¯s not the kind of reaction Dao Zhen wanted.


    "Brother, why don¡¯t you go and check the Soul Restriction Array? Is there perhaps the soul of a person named Qiao Shuangsen?" Dao Zhen said.


    "Hmm? What do you mean by that? Is this matter rted to an ordinary person?"


    "To be honest, before losing contact, Dao Shun contacted me through a Message Jade Slip and told me that he killed a strange ordinary person¡­"


    "So, what you¡¯re saying is¡­ Dao Shun didn¡¯t die from the attack of an ordinary martial artist, but from the hands of an ordinary martial artist?" Deacon¡¯s expression changed slightly.


    "That¡¯s right."


    Dao Zhen has always been curious about Qiao¡¯s family.


    After several failed attempts to capture his soul, now that he knows Qiao Shuangsen is dead, he is eager to find an answer.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Introspection Cliff on the hill behind.


    Dao Xu, a female cultivator, sat silently in front of the mountain wall, with asional shes of anger on her face, feeling somewhat upset.


    "Ten years of introspection¡­ ten years is not considered long for us immortal cultivators."


    "But why am I the only one in introspection? Doesn¡¯t Dao Zhen have to do it too?"


    While deep in thought, a sh of rainbow light appeared behind him and a middle-aged cultivator named Dao Ni, dressed in a daoist robe with a smooth face,nded on the cliff.


    "Senior Sister Dao Xu," the middle-aged man Dao Ni respectfully bowed his head.


    "Senior Brother Dao Zhen suddenly returned to the sect and even went to find Dao Shun, asking him to go on a trip to the Hundred-mile Desert¡­"


    At Introspection Cliff, Dao Xu was forbidden to go out, but visitors from outside were allowed to visit.


    Dao Xu couldn¡¯t leave Introspection Cliff, but Dao Ni visited her daily, sharing information about Dao Zhen.


    Naturally, this included the interactions between Dao Zhen and Dao Shun.


    "Died in the ¡®Hundred-mile Desert¡¯? What a failure. It seems that Dao Zhen¡¯s judgment is nothing special."


    Dao Xu¡¯s gaze suddenly fell on Dao Ni.


    "If Dao Zhen can do it, so can I. And if Dao Zhen can¡¯t do it, I can."


    "Dao Ni, aren¡¯t you also talented in Taoist soldier techniques and formations?"


    "Dao Zhen gave him one hundred spirit stones, so I¡¯m giving you one thousand spirit stones. Will you dare to go and conquer the Hundred-mile Desert?"


    Dao Ni¡¯s eyes shimmered.


    Dao Ni came from a humble background as an ordinary martial artist. Although he had only reached the 6th rank in training his body, he was a person who had experienced the ups and downs of the world.


    Later, he switched to cultivating the path of immortality, sessfully achieving Foundation Building. He was more cautious and tactful in his actionspared to other arrogant disciples of the Immortal Gate.


    Taking advantage of Dao Xu¡¯s ten-year seclusion, Dao Ni took the initiative to regrly report Dao Zhen¡¯s matters to her, thereby gaining a foothold in this high position.


    Therefore, he didn¡¯t want to get involved in this mess.


    "Since it¡¯s what senior martial sister wants, going there is just a small matter," Dao Ni decisively said.


    "But there is something suspicious about Dao Shun¡¯s death."


    "Dao Shun was particrly skilled in refining Taoist soldiers, but not proficient in other methods. So when facing an army of mortal soldiers, he wouldmand his Taoist soldiers to fight while staying far away."


    "So, how could he be killed by mortal soldiers?"


    "Are you afraid?" Dao Xu dismissed it, but she knew this person was always cautious, so she said:


    "Dao Zhen has good judgment. Since he acts this way against mortal soldiers, it means those mortals must have something extraordinary."


    "In that case, I¡¯ll give you an additional one thousand spirit stones. You can use the Message Jade Slip to stay in constant contact."


    "If anything changes, the sect¡¯s deacon will rescue us immediately."


    Dao Ni felt relieved.


    Using formations and the methods of Taoist soldiers both require a considerable amount of spirit stones in the realm of immortality.


    The more spirit stones he had in his hands, the more confident he became.


    Dao Shun only had basic knowledge of the method of transforming beans into soldiers, and he could onlymand fifty bean soldiers. However, it was enough to defeat three hundred old soldiers in the solitary city in the desert.


    Now, his mastery of the method of transforming beans into soldiers has deepened, and he possesses two thousand spirit stones. It is estimated that he can summon more than ten times the number of bean soldiers.


    With Dao Xu¡¯s support, this trip is expected to earn hundreds or even thousands of spirit stones, which will be used against ordinary people¡­


    "In that case, I will willingly sacrifice my life," said Dao Ni solemnly.


    But Chrisopher found it a bit funny to think about.


    The fate of the people in the solitary city is just apetition of will between Dao Xu and Dao Zhen, and their survival or demise is just a single thought away.


    "Fortunately, I am also a cultivator of the immortal path," Dao Ni brushed off such thoughts.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    Solitary city in the desert.


    Morning.


    Qiao Ruosen inherited Qiao Shuangsen¡¯s aspirations and continued to teach the martial arts of the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra" in the military camp of the Immortal ying Army.


    This time, not only the women and children in the city were in attendance, but also Captain Hai and Lu Yanbei.


    However, after Qiao Mu finished speaking and the crowd dispersed, Lu Yanbei found Captain Hai.


    "Captain Hai, I heard about what happenedst night," Lu Yanbei said with an embarrassed smile.


    "My younger brother is straightforward, he didn¡¯t mean it that way."


    "You also know that my two brothers have poor backgrounds."


    "Our father is a supposedly upright minister of the current dynasty, and our mother is a renowned martial arts heroine¡­ That¡¯s why my brothercks trust towards both the court and the martial arts world."


    "Lao Lu, stop bringing up our background all the time," Captain Hai shook his head.


    "Why is your brother the only one with a cold and indifferent nature, even though you both have the same background?"


    "The oppressive atmosphere in Jiu Province is not a happy ce, both inside and outside the desert. There were many people with tragic backgrounds among the hundred thousand soldiers in the past. Is it because of his tragic background that he behaves like this?"


    "Don¡¯t bother washing up or trying to mediate. As long as our group doesn¡¯t cause trouble, there isn¡¯t much time left anyway."


    "Master Lu, I know your true character. You are who you are, and he is who he is. We, the remaining soldiers, also respect you. You don¡¯t need to go to such extremes for that person." Captain Hai turned and bid farewell.


    Only Lu Yanbei remained in the same spot, smiling bitterly.


    He hadn¡¯t seen his own younger brother for a whole thirty years.


    Even he wasn¡¯t too clear about Lu Yannan in the past. Although he wasn¡¯t a hero who saved the world, he was the peerless swordsman who dominated the world and was known as the sharpest sword in the mortal realm.


    Thirty years seemed like a dream, and their reunion now turned into a disappointing encounter.

 Chapter 201:

    Chapter 201:


    In a house beside the military camp of the lonely city.


    In the past forty years, many people have died in the lonely city, especially young men who joined the military. They are almost extinct, with only one survivor out of ten.


    The city only has elderly, young, women, and children left, and there are naturally many empty houses.


    Because Qiao Mu exins the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra" every day, he temporarily resides in this vacant house next to the military camp.


    On this day, inside the house.


    Qiao Mu stands alone in the yard, smiling and approaching a little cat in the corner of the wall.


    "Kitty, don¡¯t pretend. You just like to stick to your owner."


    "Usually, you always hide in my body and act all cool, but in the end, when I¡¯m about to die, you can¡¯t help bute out and stick with me, right?"


    The Cat-Demon cowered in the corner, looking terrified."Stop pretending ande into my arms quickly."


    With an evil grin, Qiao Mu lunged forward.


    But this lunge turned out to be empty.


    In an instant, the nimble Cat-Demon leaped high in the air, almost as fast as Qiao Mu.


    "Hiding? Hiding won¡¯t help you."


    Qiao Mu continuously lunged in the yard, trying to catch the cat, but he missed every time.


    This chubby cat, with its belly almost touching the ground and round chubby cheeks, was unexpectedly agile.


    As Qiao Mu yed with the Cat-Demon, he felt curious.


    At this time, Qiao Mu had been practicing martial arts for over a hundred years, and all his martial arts skills were acquired through special training, so his foundation was extremely solid andprehensive.


    With his perspective, it was easy to see that the cat¡¯s dodging movements were well-organized and not just about speed.


    "So, you also practice martial arts?"


    "Since you also practice martial arts, then I¡¯ll have to use my full strength," Qiao Mu smirked.


    "Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method ¡¤ Instantaneous!"


    Qiao Mu had been practicing the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method for many years, reaching a state of perfection. It had almost be instinctual, and he could activate it with just a thought.


    This time, he only used the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method for an instant. Although it still put a strain on his body and drained his energy, it wasn¡¯t a big problem. It could be considered as a practical exercise.


    In an instant, Qiao Mu¡¯s feet stomped the ground, creating a shallow pit. His figure moved like the wind, leaving behind a trail of blood-colored aura.


    "Gotcha!"


    Qiao Mu grinned and caught the cat that couldn¡¯t dodge in his hand. While stroking it wildly, he slowly brought his old face closer to the cat with shrinking pupils.


    Then¡­


    The cat in his hand suddenly seemed to turn into an untouchable shadow and abruptly became faint, making it impossible for Qiao Mu, who had caught the cat, to exert any force. The cat broke free in an instant.


    The striped cat quickly jumped onto the courtyard fence and looked at Qiao Mu with a puzzled expression.


    It wanted to run away, but it couldn¡¯t bear the scent on Qiao Mu¡­It had been raised by Qiao Mu for several months, and the cat had grown much bigger than when it was first seen in Heyang City¡­ especially its belly.


    Just at this moment.


    The gate outside the house was knocked.


    "Elder Lao, I am a storyteller from Tide Listening Building, named ¡®irvoyance¡¯. I havee to visit with something important."


    After Qiao Mu responded, irvoyance pushed the door open and entered, but with a slight awkwardness.


    After all, he is more familiar with Qiao Shuangsen, instead of Qiao Ruosen, the father of the Qiao Shuangsen in front of him.


    "What¡¯s the matter?" Qiao Mu asked.


    irvoyance¡¯s gaze shifted to the Impermanent Demon Cat on the fence.


    "This demon cat by Elder Lao¡¯s side is truly extraordinary," irvoyance eximed.


    "I heard that there was once a kind of monster in this world that feeds on death energy, known as the messengers of the underworld. They are like the grim reapers, appearing only by the side of those who are nearing death. But such affectionate creatures are very rare¡­"


    "Are you here for this cat? It¡¯s raised by a Qiao family elder and is very close to our Qiao¡¯s family." Qiao Mu casually made up a lie.


    "I see. But actually, the reason I came here was to remind Elder Lao¡­"


    irvoyance nced at the almost sagging belly of the Impermanent Demon Cat and said earnestly:


    "This demon cat feeds on death energy, but too much death energy may not necessarily be a good thing."


    "Being surrounded by death energy is very beneficial for the monster cat, it can even undergo a transformation. However, if the umted energy is too strong, it will be a hindrance when trying to transform into a human form in the future."


    Why transform into a human form? Can¡¯t being a cat be enough?" Qiao Mu thought, "I¡¯m not obsessed with fortune-telling, why would a monster cat want to transform?


    Just like raising a cat or a dog, it¡¯s best to y with them when they¡¯re still young, otherwise they might grow up with disabilities.


    "¡­I worried too much," irvoyance smiled.


    "Transforming into a human form is just one option for monster beasts, not a necessary path to take."


    He was about to say goodbye, but Qiao Mu stopped him.


    He thought that since the Tide Listening Building storyteller had broad knowledge and experience, he should ask for more advice while he was here.


    "When this monster cat, ¡®Wuchang¡¯, ys with me, its evasive movements have a certain rhythm. Do you know why?" Qiao Mu asked.


    irvoyance was initially surprised, but then looked at the monster cat and pondered for a while before guessing:


    "Elder Lao, I heard that humans have their own martial arts, immortals have their own magic, and monsters have their own sorcery."


    "Human martial arts are passed down through written records and books."


    "But monsters are different. The inheritance of monsters is not through books, but through bloodlines."


    "It¡¯s called bloodline inheritance."


    "It is an instinctive inheritance recorded in the bloodline of monsters. It is the message left by the previous monster king in the bloodline. It usually awakens gradually as the descendant monster grows."


    "So you mean it has a great background? Is there a powerful monster king ancestor?" Qiao Mu asked.


    "Yes, and no." irvoyance said.


    "If we trace back the origins of bloodlines, most existing monsters can be traced back to ancient monster kings. Not only that, every human in Jiu Province is also a descendant of ancient emperors, immortal ancestors, and other important figures. But what does it matter?"


    Inhumans and humans share the same origins, they are from the same race, no different from each other.


    But can theplexities of the world really be distinguished simply by bloodline or race?


    "The strong are those who can inherit the legacy of their ancestors, carry it forward, innovate, whether they are creatures or humans," said irvoyance.


    Qiao Mu nodded, his gaze unconsciously falling on irvoyance¡¯s third eye on top of his head.


    "You seem to know a lot about creatures¡­"


    Speaking of which, when irvoyance had just met him, he briefly exined the fact that he had a "third eye monkey" on his forehead.


    "¡­It¡¯s just that Tide Listening Building has extensive knowledge," said irvoyance.


    "Many extraordinary people gather in Tide Listening Building. I just happen to have the eye of a creature, nothing special," irvoyance quickly brushed it off, standing up to take his leave.


    Seeing that the other party was unwilling to speak, Qiao Mu couldn¡¯t force it.


    After all, everyone has secrets, and digging too deep may do more harm than good.


    Just like himself, and just like the strange Earth Sword Immortal who has been trapped in this city.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    In the old Taoist temple.


    Earth Sword Immortal, as usual, sat on top of the Immortal Statue¡¯s head, holding a t knife to carve a stone sculpture.


    He carved very seriously, but Lu Yanbei beside him didn¡¯t look too happy, constantly nagging by his side.


    "Yan Nan, you weren¡¯t like this before¡­"


    "Before, you were the sharpest sword in the human world."


    "What you didst night was inappropriate, it¡¯s not like you¡­" Lu Yanbei kept on babbling next to him.


    "Have you said enough?" Earth Sword Immortal stopped his carving knife, but his expression remained cold and hard.


    "I don¡¯t owe them anything, what¡¯s wrong with that?"


    "What does the Great Yan Imperial Court look like? You don¡¯t know? Why should we fight for the Great Yan Imperial Court?"


    "Don¡¯t owe anything?" Lu Yanbei frowned.


    "It¡¯s one thing to give up on yourself, but even if you give up on yourself, you should know right from wrong!"


    "If you¡¯re not in this city, hiding in any mountain or wilderness in Jiu Province, then it¡¯s understandable."


    "But when you were carving stone statues in this Taoist temple, the veteran soldiers were fighting outside, and every surviving woman and child in the city owed them."


    "Without those veteran soldiers fighting to the death, this isted city would have perished long ago. So why is there still a ce for you to carve stone statues here?"


    Some people enjoy a peaceful and easy life, while others carry heavy burdens and fight to the death.


    Lu Yanbei meant that if the Earth Sword Immortal caused trouble elsewhere, no one would bring him out to demand that he resist the inhuman and go to the battlefield to fight to the death.


    But since he was in this city, Earth Sword Immortal, who had never drawn his sword in thirty years, naturally had to bear the feelings of the old soldiers.


    "After forty years of wind and rain, there is not even one young person left in this city, only half of the city is left with women, children, and the elderly. So, it is eptable for you to be here, carving stone statues?"


    "The women, children, and elderly in the city have more courage than you!" Lu Yanbei furrowed his brow deeply and couldn¡¯t help but angrily rebuke.


    He was also a wanderer, not a soldier of Great Yan, and had no duty to go to the battlefield.


    Why did he join the city and fight alongside the old soldiers after only one year?


    Although there were reasons that were moved by the will of the old soldiers in the isted city.


    But the biggest reason was actually a sense of guilt that arose because of his own younger brother¡¯s ipetence.


    Only now did Earth Sword Immortal finally turn his head and cast a nce at his elder brother, who had white hair and a face full of anger.


    "Since you¡¯ve gone this far with your words, then I will debate with you on the matter." Earth Sword Immortal¡¯s gaze also showed some fluctuations.


    Captain Hai and other experienced soldiers scolded him angrily, but his older brother¡¯s reproach clearly affected him.


    He used to be the strongest warrior in the world, standing at the highest point and seeing far. He had dealt with inhuman many times and knew some secrets that ordinary people didn¡¯t know.


    "Do you know why inhuman besiege this city but spare the lives of its soldiers and people?" Earth Sword Immortal asked.


    "How can we guess what inhuman is thinking? It¡¯s just ying cat and mouse," Lu Yanbei replied.


    "Do you know what inhuman calls this Hundred-mile Desert?" Earth Sword Immortal asked slowly.


    "They call it¡­"


    "Sect Secret Realm."


    "It¡¯s a ce where disciples can enter to train, practice magic, and acquire resources."


    "The souls of soldiers who die in battle cannot be reborn, but instead fall into the hands of inhuman as nourishment. This Immortal Gate formation not only has the ability to confuse, but also the power to capture souls."


    "The braver and more resilient the soldier is, the higher the quality of their spirit will be. Inhuman, on the other hand, became happier¡­"


    Earth Sword Immortal stood tall, looking down at Lu Yanbei who was frozen in shock.


    "This is the truth about the ¡®Hundred-mile Desert¡¯, it is actually a ce in the Immortal Gate for nurturing souls."


    Earth Sword Immortal squinted his eyes, lifted the wine bottle, and took a sip.


    "So that night, I asked Captain Hai¡­"


    "Does sacrifice have meaningfulness? Or is it just self-indulgence?"


    Lu Yanbei stood still, seemingly stunned by this cruel reality.


    The lonely city, with forty years of tears and sorrow, has unexpectedly be the money and food supply in the hands of inhuman?


    The remnants of the army, who used to resist fiercely, have actually brought some benefits to inhuman?


    "Um¡­." Lu Yanbei hesitated.


    "Why do you know so much? Where did you learn it from?"


    "No, if you know about Dao Zhen, why didn¡¯t you tell Captain Hai and the others?"


    "Tell them for what purpose?" Earth Sword Immortal said calmly.


    "Those old soldiers have an extremely strong fighting spirit. I¡¯m afraid even in the vast Jiu Province, they can¡¯t gather a small iron army of only three hundred soldiers."


    "But after all, they are still human, not made of iron. After forty years of bloodshed, they are getting weaker."


    "Revealing the truth to them would be pointless. It may even strike a blow to their determination."


    "Once even those white-headed soldiers lose their willpower, this city will cease to exist."


    Lu Yanbei remained silent for a long time.


    After not seeing each other for thirty years, he suddenly felt a little confused about his own younger brother.


    "Since you know so much¡­ then have you been prepared for these thirty years? I knew you were still the Earth Sword Immortal from back then¡­" Lu Yanbei couldn¡¯t help but blurt out.


    Unexpectedly, the Earth Sword Immortal just helplessly shrugged his shoulders.


    "Brother, why after all these years, do you still harbor a lucky feeling towards me?" the Earth Sword Immortal said indifferently.


    "Whether it was forty years ago or now, I have never cared about the life and death of themon people, or about any great righteousness. You just treated me differently because I am your younger brother."


    "I never cared if the people in the city were well-fed and warmly dressed, or if they could survive and how long they could live."


    "They belong to them, and I belong to myself. Why should I risk my own life for others?"


    "Speaking of which, twenty years ago, Li Changge came to this Taoist temple to ask for my help," the Earth Sword Immortal shook his head and said.


    "He said he was seriously injured and close to death, and his wife was still waiting outside the desert, suffering. The ¡®Spiritual Technique¡¯ had be an obstacle. In order to cut off her thoughts, Li Changge decided to be at the forefront of the next city defense battle, risking his own life."


    "So Li Changge hopes that I take on the important task¡­"


    Earth Sword Immortal paused andughed:


    "The funniest thing in this world is to threaten others with one¡¯s own life¡­ Do you think it¡¯s funny or not?"


    Lu Yanbei stared at his own younger brother, speechless for a moment.


    Outside the Taoist temple.


    Qiao Mu paused his footsteps and listened to the conversation between the two brothers inside the Taoist temple.


    He originally wanted to visit Earth Sword Immortal as Qiao Ruosen, but unexpectedly heard such a secret.

 Chapter 202:

    Chapter 202:


    Qiao Mu stopped outside the Taoist temple, waiting until he heard the sound of carving stone sculptures again in the courtyard before preparing to go inside.


    He came as Qiao Ruosen to visit Earth Sword Immortal.


    Earth Sword Immortal was a powerful martial artist from forty years ago. If Qiao Mu wanted to progress further, it would be great if he could benefit from him.


    After all, Wudang is no longer existent. Even if there are still a few descendants of Wudang, it is unlikely that there would be anyone who canpare to Earth Sword Immortal.


    Qiao Mu specializes in Long Life Fist and Wudang¡¯s Pure Yang Wuji Skill. So, it doesn¡¯t matter how Earth Sword Immortal¡¯s private morality is, it doesn¡¯t affect Qiao Mu¡¯s benefits.


    However, after taking only a few steps, a person walked towards him.


    It is Lu Yanbei.


    Lu Yanbei¡¯s face looked quite deste at the moment. It was obvious that he was not in a good mood. It took him a while to notice Qiao Mu walking towards him.


    "Elder Lao, what are you doing here?" Lu Yanbei eximed in surprise.Qiao Mu pondered for a moment and said:


    "Mr. Lu¡­"


    Considering his current status, it¡¯s not appropriate to address him as ¡®brother¡¯ or ¡®friend¡¯, so it¡¯s more fitting to call him ¡®Mr. Lu¡¯, which is different from how Qiao Mu used to act all-knowing in the past.


    Qiao Mu said. Mr. Lu, there¡¯s no need to listen to someone who has given up on themselves. A little spark can light up like a firefly in the darkness. There¡¯s no need to wait for a torch.


    "If everyone waits for a torch in the dark, there will never be a torch."


    "Do your best, and knowing your ce in the grand scheme of things is enough."


    Lu Yanbei was puzzled:


    "So, Elder Lao has already heard?"


    He forced a slight smile, pondering over Qiao Mu¡¯s words, feeling somewhatforted.


    In the final years of the dynasty, when the great building was about to copse, who would dare to im they could single-handedly save the situation and prevent the copse of the building?


    But whenever the dynasty wasing to an end, brave warriors would rise up, full of confidence that they could win. They believed that their efforts would surely lead to good results.


    It¡¯s just about doing what we can and epting our fate.


    So, the essence of this lonely city is a carefully crafted cage created by the Immortal Gate. It¡¯s like a theme park for inhuman creatures to visit. But what can they really do?


    Without the desire to resist, one would still spend their life to death in this cage, enduring the long nights.


    Life is like this, death is like this, and future generations are also like this.


    Lu Yanbei nodded farewell and left.


    Qiao Mu, on the other hand, sorted out his thoughts and walked into the Taoist temple.


    ¡­¡­¡­..


    As he walked into the courtyard of the Taoist temple, Qiao Mu saw Earth Sword Immortal standing there in deep thought, unaware of Qiao Mu¡¯s arrival.


    Earth Sword Immortal didn¡¯t look back, he just kept holding the carving knife and continued carving.


    This stone statue is still in its rough stage, barely showing a human shape, but the general outline is different from previous statues, not like a female figure.


    Qiao Mu calmly looked at it for a while, suddenly recognizing something from the outline of the statue¡­ This statue seems to resemble¡­


    "Heaven didn¡¯t create Qiao Shuangsen, yet he still shines throughout eternity."


    Earth Sword Immortal¡¯s eyes were filled with nostalgia. He poured the wine in the sk, drenching the soil in front of this blurry statue.


    "It is difficult to revive the beauty of mountains and flowing water, and now my path is lonely," said Earth Sword Immortal slowly.


    Hearing these words, Qiao Mu was a bit stunned.


    Last night, he specifically didn¡¯t attend thememoration of the oldrades, but it seems he coincidentally ended up here?


    However, at this moment, as he looked at the back of Earth Sword Immortal, he felt a mysterious intuition in his heart.


    Qiao Mu, who is now on a spiritual journey, has a different intuitionpared to before.


    He feels that Earth Sword Immortal¡­is unfathomable? Is his strength greater than expected?


    "Earth Sword Immortal said before that, after reaching the 2nd rank of the Spiritual Refining Period, the powerful mind can¡¯t only sense one¡¯s own body, but also radiate further into the surroundings."


    It¡¯s like how even though a person doesn¡¯t have eyes on their back, sometimes they can have an intuitive sense of being watched from behind.


    The strength of spiritual refining intuition surpasses the limitations of the five senses, enabling one to explore the surroundings further, simr to the so-called divine perception in the realm of immortals.


    "ording to Earth Sword Immortal¡¯s previous words, even if he doesn¡¯t leave this observatory, it would be difficult for any matter, big or small, in this city to escape his notice¡­"


    So herees the question.


    As the previous leader of martial arts, Earth Sword Immortal, wouldn¡¯t he notice Qiao Mu approaching this observatory?


    At this moment, he suddenly opens up to his older brother Lu Yanbei, maybe on purpose.


    The words he said might not just be for Lu Yanbei to listen, but also for "Qiao Ruosen" to hear.


    The words spoken at this moment seem to be the same.


    As for Earth Sword Immortal¡¯s ns and goals, they are still unknown.


    Qiao Mu coughed lightly, "My son Qiao Shuangsen probably mentioned it before, the Iron Crotch Skill is actually a martial arts skill passed down from my Qiao family."


    Earth Sword Immortal suddenly turned around and looked at Qiao Mu with eyes full of gratitude:


    "In the past, my eldest brother Qiao Shuangsen and I made a promise to each other. He taught me the spiritual refining martial arts, and I taught him the Iron Crotch Skill. I thought that after his death, there would be no more knowledge of this skill in the world, but it turns out I was wrong¡­"


    "From now on, you will be my second brother."


    "Please, teach me, second brother."


    "So, you mean my son Qiao Shuangsen is your oldest brother, and I, Qiao Ruosen, am your second brother. What about Lu Yanbei?"


    "Isn¡¯t it simple to figure out? He is now my Third Brother," said Earth Sword Immortal straightforwardly.


    "Is this a math problem?"


    Earth Sword Immortal replied seriously, "My second brother¡¯s words are incorrect."


    "It¡¯s all about the order of learning and specializing in different skills. I admire the outstanding talents of my oldest and second brother, so I am willing to be inferior."


    "So, it¡¯s not about the order of age. In the path of Iron Crotch, there is no superiority or inferiority, no older or younger. The way exists, and so does the teacher."


    Qiao Mu fell into deep thought.


    If what Earth Sword Immortal said was not referring to Iron Crotch Skill, then there doesn¡¯t seem to be any problem with that statement¡­


    "The Iron Crotch Skill is one of the martial arts passed down in my Qiao family," Qiao Mu spoke up.


    "Actually, I have some other things¡­"


    Speaking, Qiao Mu took out a handwritten book titled "Asshole Pointing Hand" from his pocket.


    "Hiss," Earth Sword Immortal took a sharp breath.


    "Is this Art of Lovemaking also passed down in your Qiao family?"


    "¡­Actually, I obtained it from Martial Saint," Qiao Mu said straightforwardly.


    What belongs to the Qiao family is the impressive martial arts, while what doesn¡¯t is rted to Martial Saint.


    Speaking of this, he was actually preparing to give a precautionary injection.


    After all, Qiao Shuangsen doesn¡¯t know the Spiritual Refining Chapter of the Pure Yang Wuji Skill, but Qiao Ruosen has already embarked on the Spiritual Refining Method through the Pure Yang Wuji Skill.


    Actually, it¡¯s not difficult to exin. After the downfall of Wudang, the entire Pure Yang Wuji Skill fell into the hands of the Wuji Association.


    Although the Wuji Association has a tight grip on the spiritual refining martial arts, given Qiao Ruosen¡¯s strong skills, it is quite normal for him to obtain the Pure Yang Wuji Skill Spiritual Refining Chapter from the Wuji Association.


    But Earth Sword Immortal didn¡¯t even bother to ask, he seemed not to care whether Qiao Mu knew Pure Yang Wuji Skill, he just impatiently said,


    "I understand, you mean I have to pay extra."


    "So Big Brother learned the bargaining skills from Second Brother, they¡¯re exactly the same¡­ I wonder what Second Brother wants in exchange for this Iron Crotch Skill and Asshole Pointing Hand?"

 Chapter 203:

    Chapter 203:


    "What do you have?" Qiao Mu asked directly.


    "How about exchanging with your swordsmanship?"


    Earth Sword Immortal gained fame many years ago, his legend faded away along with the abandonment of the Tide Listening Building Hero List. In the martial arts world forty years after the Inhuman War, there was only Martial Saint, and no Earth Sword Immortal.


    Therefore, Qiao Mu alsocked understanding of Earth Sword Immortal and didn¡¯t know what he was capable of, so he casually mentioned it.


    After a long pause, Earth Sword Immortal nced at the Asshole Pointing Hand in Qiao Mu¡¯s hand, then said seriously,


    "The secret must not be easily revealed."


    "Since my second brother is willing to inherit the promise of Big Brother Qiao Shuangsen, I will not casually use any low-quality goods to deceive my second brother."


    "In that case, let¡¯s exchange it with my self-created sword technique, ¡®Heavenly shing Swordsmanship,¡¯ which was renowned in the world back then."


    Earth Sword Immortal spoke casually and effortlessly.However, to Qiao Mu, this ¡®Heavenly shing Swordsmanship¡¯ sounded extraordinary.


    "Heavenly shing Swordsmanship? The name alone sounds extraordinary. This Earth Sword Immortal is indeed remarkable and not as simple as he appears¡­" This thought crossed his mind.


    Earth Sword Immortal was easygoing. He didn¡¯t care about the treasured ¡®Pure Yang Wuji Skill¡¯ that others regarded highly, and he could casually use his self-created sword technique, ¡®Heavenly shing Swordsmanship,¡¯ as an exchange. In a sense, he was quite open-minded.


    "This ¡®Heavenly shing Swordsmanship¡¯ is a sword technique that Iprehended myself. It only has one move, but it is the deadliest move among all killer moves." Earth Sword Immortal began to exin:


    "Once the sword is unleashed, there is no turning back. With my invincibility, I gather the spirit and energy of the martial artist into one ultimate strike, thus creating the so-called ¡®Heavenly shing Swordsmanship¡¯¡­"


    "Physical strength, internal strength, and focus. When all your strength is concentrated in this sword, then Heavenly shing Swordsmanship is mastered."


    When Earth Sword Immortal is serious, one can catch a glimpse of his past martial arts expertise.


    But this made Qiao Mu think even more, so he inquired:


    "It¡¯s difficult to exin sword techniques just by talking. Why don¡¯t you demonstrate, Earth Sword Immortal?"


    Qiao Mu wanted to see how skilled Earth Sword Immortal truly was, but faced with this obvious test, Earth Sword Immortal readily agreed.


    "Demonstrate? What¡¯s difficult about that?"


    Earth Sword Immortal became interested and casually picked up a dry branch from the courtyard. He closed his eyes and focused, seemingly preparing.


    "Heavenly shing Swordsmanship, sh!"


    He opened his eyes, gripped the dry branch with both hands, and shed diagonally forward.


    The dry branch cut through the air, making a faint sound, and then disappeared.


    Besides that, there was no other movement.


    There was no dazzling sword light breaking through the sky, nor any powerful explosion of internal strength. It was like a child pretending to shout a famous move while holding a dry branch,cking any momentum and even a hint of embarrassment.


    "No, are you joking?" Qiao Mu didn¡¯t understand.


    What¡¯s with this weird game?


    "I never joke," Earth Sword Immortal said seriously.


    "I have long reached the state of having no sword in hand and no sword in the heart."


    "So, the invincible ¡®Heavenly shing Swordsmanship¡¯ cannot be disyed naturally. Even if forcefully disyed, it would only be tangible butcking spirit."


    Qiao Mu was speechless.


    "So, in these thirty years, have you really been giving up on yourself without any hidden motives?"


    He directly and boldly asked this question.


    "Who do you think I am?" Earth Sword Immortal smiled lightly.


    "I, Earth Sword Immortal, am always straightforward. If I say I¡¯m going to bezy, then I¡¯ll bezy. I am not a hypocrite who secretly cheats."


    The phrase "beingzy" was something Earth Sword Immortal and "Qiao Shuangsen" learned from each other when they exchanged martial arts techniques in the past. Now they are using it on the spot.


    After beingzy for thirty years, he has lost the drive he had in his youth.


    Lu Yanbei said that he was once the sharpest sword in the human world, but that is now just a thing of the past.


    Qiao Mu was speechless for a moment.


    Even though he had no words, he continued to diligently learn swordsmanship from Earth Sword Immortal until sunset before leaving.


    But as soon as he left, the faint smile on Earth Sword Immortal¡¯s face disappeared.


    He looked down at the paperback book in his hands and chuckled silently.


    "Asshole Pointing Hand? Just a mere Art of Lovemaking. Did he really think that I, Earth Sword Immortal, have never explored it before?"


    "The Asshole Pointing Hand is just a minor skill. When ites to the Art of Lovemaking, the top rmendation is the Dragon w technique, followed by the thirty-six styles of the Eagle¡¯s w."


    "This Asshole Pointing Hand is nothing special."


    Did they really think that Earth Sword Immortal was a simpleton? Did they really believe that any random book on the Art of Lovemaking was worth exchanging for his renowned "Heavenly shing Swordsmanship"?


    Knowledge should not be shared lightly.


    Earth Sword Immortal wasn¡¯t concerned about Wudang Sect¡¯s "Pure Yang Wuji Skill," but his self-created "Heavenly shing Swordsmanship" was a different story altogether.


    Of course, the Iron Crotch Skill is different.


    Qiao Shuangsen¡¯s incredible Iron Crotch Skill made Earth Sword Immortal¡¯s head spin and sparked a deep longing in his heart.


    Iron Crotch Skill is truly amazing, who wouldn¡¯t want to practice it?


    And the reason he decided to teach the "Heavenly shing Swordsmanship" was definitely not because of any secret lovemaking techniques.


    "Qiao Ruosen killed an inhuman, such things don¡¯t happen twice. The city is not far from destruction."


    "I just don¡¯t understand, I really don¡¯t." Earth Sword Immortal took a sip of wine and furrowed his brow.


    From the legendary Li Changge of the past to the present-day Qiao Shuangsen, from the hundred thousand soldiers of the past to the three hundred old warriors of today, there are plenty of people in this city who willingly sacrifice their lives.


    This actually made Earth Sword Immortal feel somewhat out of ce.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    The Great Dao Sect, a sect or organization.


    After leaving Immortal Gate market, Dao Ni was finally content and transformed into a rainbow light as he flew towards Hundred-mile Desert.


    In the beginning, Dao Shun summoned fifty bean soldiers and two or three bean generals, but ended up being killed by ordinary humans.


    With a total of two thousand spirit stones and a cautious nature, he spent arge amount of spirit stones setting up several defensive measures.


    "This time, I bought three hundred bean general-level Sky Silkworm Beans, along with arge amount of pills to replenish mana, to support the mana consumption of the three hundred bean generals. How did I lose?"


    "I¡¯ve heard that there is a top-level method for refining bean soldiers in the sect, called ¡®Bean Breaks Through the Sky.¡¯ It is said to be able to refine bean soldiers of the Bean Emperor level. Once we sessfully pass the Hundred-mile Desert this time, perhaps I can truly climb the heights of Dao Xu¡¯s fame."


    Dao Ni is also an ambitious person. Hees from a background as an ordinary martial artist and has always cherished his own life. Therefore, after entering the sect, he focused on practicing Taoist soldier refining and formations, avoiding direct confrontations with other cultivators, and seeking stability.


    His ultimate goal is, of course, to earn spirit stones and one day exchange for the Great Dao Sect¡¯s "Bean Breaks Through the Sky."


    Learning from Dao Shun¡¯s previous lessons, he naturally exercised extreme caution even when facing ordinary humans. With the financial support of senior disciple Dao Xu, he immediately deployed three hundred bean generals.

 Chapter 204:

    Chapter 204:


    A small building outside the military arsenal.


    Storyteller irvoyance stood on the stage, facing a crowd of children and elderly people eagerly looking at her. She pped her hands to get their attention.


    "Today, we will tell the story of ¡®The Foolish Old Man Who Removed the Mountains¡¯¡­"


    "Another story!"


    The children cheered and jumped with excitement. It was clear that they were looking forward to the stories from the storyteller who came all the way from Jiu Province.


    In a corner nearby, there was an old man named Li, with only half of his face visible. He quietly watched this scene, feeling a bitforted in his heart.


    The library in the military camp was not just a warehouse for weapons, but also a ce for books and literature.


    The books in the library mainly consisted of historical texts from the Great Yan Empire forty years ago, as well as a chronicle of the isted citypiled by the elderly people who couldn¡¯t go to the battlefield.


    However, these books had been ignored for forty years.After all, this city is in great danger, and the young people have no time to study literature and history. The wise books cannot save the people in the city.


    Especially the historical books of the lonely city, they are too heavy. Every page is soaked with blood and tears.


    But Storyteller irvoyance is different.


    He is actually one of the pirs of the Tide Listening Building Fantastic Faction, and he cane up with all sorts of unbelievable stories.


    Although they are not true, they are indeed strange enough to attract not only the children in the city, but also many women and elders.


    The children don¡¯t read heavy historical books, but they are still willing to listen to the stories told by the storyteller.


    That is enough.


    The young generation who grew up in the city must first learn how to fight in order to survive.


    But fighting only for survival, in the eyes of the half-faced old man, they are nothing but empty beasts.


    This lonely city doesn¡¯t need wild beasts that can adapt to the battlefield, it needs young people who can carry on the torch.


    Storyteller irvoyance said. ¡­ Wise old man chuckled and said: You foolish old man, in your remaining years and with your feeble strength, you cannot even move a single hair of the mountain, let alone the earth and stones?


    "The foolish old man said, even though I may die, I have a son. My son will have a grandson, and the grandson will have a son; the line of descendants will go on endlessly¡­"


    After the story was finished, many young listeners in the audience started discussing.


    "This is too difficult. Instead of moving the mountain, why don¡¯t we just move away ourselves? The foolish old man is indeed too ignorant."


    There were also older listeners who refuted. Moving away only considers the gains and losses for oneself, but moving the mountain brings benefits in the present and for future generations.


    "Then why don¡¯t we all move our families away? Wouldn¡¯t that be simpler?"


    "Who said there are no mountains outside? What if the mountains beyond are even bigger and more numerous? Shall we continue moving? "A determined old soldier with one leg said. Moving the mountain is a bold feat that we know is impossible, but we still do it. It is a great task that cannot be aplished in this lifetime, just like our struggle against inhuman¡­


    Soon, the old soldiers linked this matter to the current situation of the solitary city in the desert and argued with reason.


    Listening quietly, he was just a storyteller, interpreting the stories was the audience¡¯s job.


    Even the awakened consciousness of the children and elderly in the city impressed this knowledgeable Tide Listening Building storyteller.


    In the past month or two, since Qiao Mu entered the city, what he knew and saw waspletely different from his experiences in Jiu Province, giving him a sense of not fitting in.


    Great Yan on the outside has already surrendered; the hundred thousand soldiers who perished in the desert are thest struggle of Great Yan. From now on, schrs have lost their integrity, warriors have lost their backbone, and chivalry has be a thing of the past.


    In Jiu Province on the outside, in this present era, kindness has be a weakness. Revealing your kindness will only subject you to exploitation by those with ill intentions.


    Loyalty isbeled as "foolish loyalty" and is ridiculed by the masses.


    The so-called benevolence and righteousness are merely seen as old-fashioned and deserving of being taken advantage of.


    But this city is different.


    This secluded and independent city existed in a previous era, living forty years before Great Yan surrendered. The entire city is filled with remnants of the previous era.


    People without strong determination have long died within these forty years.


    And the ones still alive are the strong ones who have gone through forty years of bloody selection.


    The remaining three hundred old soldiers in the city are not particrly skilled in martial arts cultivation.


    If we were to judge based on their martial arts cultivation, these three hundred old soldiers have be old and weakened due to the insufficient food supply in the isted city. They are not as formidable as the elite soldiers of Great Yan in the past, and probably not as good as the elite troops of Jiu Province outside the city.


    However, when ites to the level of mental fortitude, I¡¯m afraid it would be difficult to find three hundred iron soldiers in the entire Jiu Province who canpare to them.


    It¡¯s not only the old soldiers in the city who are resilient, but also the remaining half of the city¡¯s women, children, and elderly. They are also the remnants of the past era.


    "If the Jiu Province outside were to hear the story of this isted city and see the forty years of blood and tears, I really wonder what their reaction would be¡­"


    "Jiu Province has suffered for too long, can the story of this isted city ignite a fire?"


    Such thoughts swept through irvoyance¡¯s mind.


    If these three hundred old soldiers who have experienced forty years of bloody battles go to the outside world and have enough food to eat, they might be spiritual refining seeds.


    But can they really hold on until that time?


    While lost in irvoyance, an out-of-ce voice came from the audience below.


    "Storyteller of Tide Listening Building, would you like to tell the ending of this story as well?"


    As the voice spoke, the whole building quieted down a bit, with everyone¡¯s eyes ncing at the neer.


    The person speaking was Earth Sword Immortal, with white hair and a rugged beard, but exuding a heroic spirit. He casually asked as he walked past the small building.


    Earth Sword Immortal rarely left that Taoist temple.


    But everyone in the whole solitary city knew his name.


    In the past, many people had high hopes for him, just like Li Changge, but they were all disappointed in the end.


    Earth Sword Immortal ignored the surrounding gazes and said to himself:


    "If you won¡¯t speak, then I will." he said slowly.


    "The Heavenly Emperor, touched by his sincerity,manded the goddess Kuanyin¡¯s two sons to carry two mountains, one called Shuo Dong and the other called Yongnan. From then on, the south of Ji and the shadow of Han had no more broken ridges."


    "The Heavenly Emperor, moved by Foolish Old Man¡¯s sincerity, allowed the gods to move the Taihang and Wangwu mountains. From then on, there were no more mountains to hinder Foolish Old Man¡¯s way."


    "In the end of the story, did Foolish Old Man seed in moving the mountains?" Earth Sword Immortal asked.


    "It was the gods, not Foolish Old Man, who moved the mountains."


    "You see, even the person who made up this story didn¡¯t dare to create an ending where Foolish Old Man¡¯s descendants worked together and after countless years, finally moved the mountains."


    "The ending of Foolish Old Man moving the mountains is the Heavenly Emperor being moved by his sincerity, not ordinary people moving the mountains."


    "So, where is our Heavenly Emperor?"


    Words spoken, the whole room fell into silence.


    In reality, there is no Heavenly Emperor who can feel Foolish Old Man¡¯s sincerity. Instead, sitting on the divine altar are the various immortals of the Nine Immortal Gates.


    But at this moment, the old man with half a face from the arsenalughed.


    "Herees the wise old man," said the old man from the arsenal, causing everyone in the room to burst intoughter.


    The Old Librarian was also an old soldier, but he was too old and physically impaired. He withdrew from the battlefield long ago. He would not let Earth Sword Immortal boast on such asion.


    "We are all foolish and ordinary people, with limited strength. We cannot move mountains, and no one can see the future oue," the Old Librarian said slowly.


    irvoyance also nodded. Yes, it is one thing to seed or not, but moving mountains or not is another matter altogether.


    "Knowing it¡¯s impossible but still doing it, even if one¡¯s life is as fragile as thin paper, there is still a spirit of indomitability. This was the backbone of the previous era¡¯s Jiu Province."


    Earth Sword Immortal neither confirmed nor denied it.


    "The wise words effortlessly came to mind."


    "Words of wisdom?" irvoyance smiled gently.


    "You think too highly of me. I am just a simple storyteller in the Tide Listening Building. I am not a great schr. I only tell stories, not preach."


    irvoyance opened the folding fan with a snap andughed as he rubbed his hands together.


    "Speaking with words is called reason."


    "Only when actions are taken can it be called a way."


    "When knowledge and action align, it can be called reasonable."


    "I may not preach, but in this city, there are plenty of reasonable people."


    Strange stories can only grab attention, but true stories can touch hearts.


    This is irvoyance¡¯s opinion.


    And at this moment.


    Suddenly, there came a long and deste sound of a bugle from the direction of the city wall.


    "The bugle sound is ringing again¡­ it¡¯s time for battle again," the old man of the arsenal, with half of his face, stood up instinctively, then stood motionless for a while.


    Only then did he realize that he was no longer a soldier.


    But soon after, the bugle sound kept ringing, three times in a row, with a more urgent and high-pitched tone,pletely different from before.


    The old man of the arsenal¡¯s remaining half face changed color abruptly.


    The bugle sound ringing three times, this is a dangerous signal.


    The usual bugle sound is a reminder for the old and young in the city to immediately go to the military camp and other safe ces to avoid being affected by the fighting.


    But if the horn is sounded three times, it¡¯s a different matter.


    This represents the old soldier on the lookout tower of the city wall, who determines that the enemy is numerous and we are few, and the isted city has no chance of survival. It is a desperate situation with no hope of survival.


    Thest time the horn sounded like this was twenty years ago, when General Li Changge made a final effort to break through the enemy lines, but was unable topletely turn the tide. In that battle, tens of thousands of soldiers died, and Li Changge also perished.


    And this time there are only three hundred old soldiers in the city. Are they going to sacrifice themselves?


    So the meaning of this signal is¡­ there¡¯s no need to seek refuge anymore, make the most of your time to do what you want before you die, so you won¡¯t have any regrets.


    irvoyance stopped telling stories and left in a hurry.


    The purpose of the Tide Listening Building is to only listen to the tides, not to make waves, and not to interfere with worldly affairs.


    But since irvoyance is already in the isted city, he is like a grasshopper on a string, and naturally needs to take action.


    The hall was full of guests, but after the horn sounded, they dispersed like a receding tide.


    Only Earth Sword Immortal stood still, watching the dispersing crowd.


    "Is it that time again?" Earth Sword Immortal¡¯s thoughts fluctuated.


    He had a reason for passing on the Heavenly shing Swordsmanship to Qiao Ruosen, as the path should not be taken lightly.


    The Heavenly shing Swordsmanship is the ultimate move among moves, either defeating enemies or being defeated myself.


    So, will Qiao Ruosen meet the same fate as Qiao Shuangsen?


    For the past thirty years, he never understood the thoughts of the city¡¯s military and civilians, nor why there were fools willing to sacrifice themselves for others.


    Although Qiao Shuangsen was an external martial artist, he had be quite prominent in this isted city over the past forty years.


    Qiao Shuangsen was apletely different person from him, just like Li Changge and others from the past.


    "Let¡¯s go witness the final battle of this city," Earth Sword Immortal squinted his eyes and walked forward slowly.

 Chapter 205:

    Chapter 205:


    On top of the solitary city wall.


    Captain Hai and others looked out at the three hundred bean soldiers approaching slowly in the distance, their faces grave.


    These three hundred bean soldiers are all three meters tall and of bean general rank.


    In the previous battle, there were only fifty bean soldiers and one bean general attacking the city head-on, but this time there were a full three hundred bean generals. In terms of both quantity and quality, it waspletely different from before.


    If Captain Hai thought that the three hundred old soldiers might die in battle during the previous attack by Dao Shun, this time facing three hundred bean generals, it can be said that there was no chance of survival, no slightest bit of hope.


    "These bean soldiers have tough skin and flesh, even if a knife or spear cuts into their bodies, they won¡¯t die immediately. Only by using arge amount of internal strength, just like how Qiao Shuangsen used to do it, can they be truly killed. It¡¯s a ystyle that relies on overpowering others¡­ but we can¡¯t do it."


    "That¡¯s Qiao Shuangsen, he has a hundred years of experience, what can we do?" The old soldiers furrowed their brows.


    These old soldiers had rich experience of life and death on the battlefield of demons, and their judgment was very urate.


    If they are given more time to fight and spend more time, they might be able toe up with strategies and tactics to deal with these powerful bean generals.But they ran out of time.


    The experienced soldiers are strong-willed and skilled in battlefieldbat from years of fighting, but they are not as physically strong anymore.


    Qiao Mu quickly joined them, having learned from past experiences. He arrived quickly and climbed up the city wall with the seasoned soldiers to get a better view from above.


    However, Captain Hai spoke up at that moment.


    "Elder Lao, you should leave. This city is on the brink of destruction. With your strength, you might survive, but if you get involved in a direct battle, even your strong internal strength will be drained and you¡¯ll perish."


    Captain Hai had observed Qiao Shuangsen¡¯s fighting style before. He would push his body to its limits, unleashing extraordinary power that seemed as if he had trained for hundreds of years. He could easily defeat bean soldiers.


    However, this strategy couldn¡¯tst long. After killing thirty bean soldiers, Qiao Shuangsen ultimately met his end at the hands of the bean general.


    The person standing before them now was not Qiao Shuangsen, but his elderly father, Qiao Ruosen.


    Qiao Ruosen should be stronger than Qiao Shuangsen, but there are three hundred powerful enemies in front of him.


    One against three hundred?


    The Spiritual Refining Method trains the mind, not just physical strength or internal strength.


    Like Qiao Ruosen and his son, they are already exceptional among martial artists, but if they keep fighting head-on, they will still be worn down.


    In Captain Hai¡¯s eyes, Qiao Ruosen is definitely strong.


    But he is alone.


    Even if one person is strong, they cannot protect this city, as ordinary martial artists are still vulnerable.


    And since Qiao Shuangsen fought and died in the battle, Captain Hai cannot let Qiao Ruosen¡¯s elderly father die in this desert.


    "You and your father have done enough for the lonely city¡­" Captain Hai advised.


    The father and son from the Qiao Family brought life to this lonely city, but it¡¯s clear that the enemy came too quickly and they didn¡¯t have time to escape.


    But this doesn¡¯t matter because the old soldiers have long had the will to die, it¡¯s just a matter of time.


    If there really is an Immortal ying Army in Jiu Province, losing an elderly man like Qiao Ruosen here would surely be a significant loss.


    "We are not afraid of death, but sacrifice should have meaning, not just dying for the sake of death."


    "Since you can join the battle, it is hopeful that the Immortal ying Army, including you, will also have the chance to fight¡­ So it is more useful for you to stay alive."


    "This is about considering the bigger picture." Captain Hai began to persuade, using the perspective of the bigger picture.


    "It¡¯s up to you how you think," Qiao Mu casually remarked.


    "The Qiao Family motto: follow your heart and your path."


    "What I want to do in my heart is my own path, and it has nothing to do with you."


    Born immortal, Qiao Mu has always acted without any restrictions. He doesn¡¯t care about gains or losses, is indifferent to others¡¯ opinions, and doesn¡¯t consider the bigger picture. He does whatever he wants.


    Hepletely ignored Captain Hai¡¯s chatter and turned around to see Storyteller irvoyance and Lu Yanbei arriving one by one.


    "irvoyance has arrived," Qiao Mu¡¯s eyes flickered.


    He continued to wait on the city wall, not to act out any y with Captain Hai of "you go first" or "you go quickly," but to wait for irvoyance to arrive.


    In Qiao Mu¡¯s eyes, the extraordinary irvoyance from Tide Listening Building, with three hundred powerful generals, would exhaust their internal strength if they were to face a direct confrontation. Therefore, irvoyance was the key to breaking the deadlock.


    As long as they could find the inhuman hiding behind these three hundred powerful generals, they could easily deal with them, just like how they killed Dao Shun.


    "irvoyance, can you locate the whereabouts of the inhuman?" Qiao Mu asked.


    irvoyance stood on the city wall, her third eye on her forehead opening and scanning the surroundings. However, she frowned gradually.


    "Perhaps they have concealed their location with an illusion formation¡­ I need some time," irvoyance said directly.


    "If I find out, I will inform Elder Lao secretly using a special way ofmunicating."


    Sending messages secretly is a special martial art that allows you to send sounds through the air, reaching only specific individuals.


    Qiao Mu nodded, without any hesitation. He slightly bent his knees, gathered his energy, and leaped down from the ancient city wall.


    Swish!


    Holding a long spear in his hand, he seemed like a white shooting star cutting through the sky.


    As hended like a falling star, his spear pierced through the head of a bean general, unleashing a powerful surge of internal strength that tore the bean general¡¯s body apart instantly.


    After obtaining the "Spiritual Refining Chapter" of the "Pure Yang Wuji Skill," he not only gained over thirty years worth of power, but his "Pure Yang Wuji Skill" also broke through to the level of spiritual refining, making his power even stronger and purer.


    Even if he didn¡¯t need the "Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method," he could still defeat this bean general by using strategic tactics to exhaust his internal strength.


    However, this time, the situation was different from the previous one.


    Three hundred three-meter-tall bean generals gathered into a mighty crowd and rushed forward. Only about twenty or thirty bean generals around turned around and attacked Qiao Mu, while the rest of the two hundred bean generals didn¡¯t stop at all.


    "The first goal is not to kill me, but to break the city?" Qiao Mu tightly grasped his long spear, and then the sound of the wind started.


    Without looking back, as if having eyes behind his back, he turned around and pierced through the body of a bean general holding a giant hammer.


    After stepping into spiritual refining, he felt like a fish in water on the battlefield, instinctively evading the siege of these bean generals.


    But that¡¯s not enough.


    If Qiao Mu were alone, he could slowly carry out guerri attacks, gradually wearing down these bean generals.


    But behind him, there was still a city. Even though the battle was taking ce outside the city, it was still a defensive battle.


    These bean generals couldn¡¯t kill him in a short time.


    However, at the same time, Qiao Mu was just one person, and he couldn¡¯t stop these three hundred bean generals.


    "I couldn¡¯t stop them, we were trapped in a desperate situation. irvoyance was also confused by the illusion formation and needed time. I had to hold on for a while¡­ So¡­"


    "Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method£¡"


    When in doubt, use the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method!


    As long as I use the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, everything will be fine!

 Chapter 206:

    Chapter 206:


    Above the white energy that scattered, a thick and unbreakable blood-red light emerged. Qiao Mu held a long spear and dashed recklessly through the crowd of bean generals, like a blood-coloredet streaking back and forth.


    His body oozed blood from every pore, but he felt a strange sense of calm inside, as if he could sense the bean generals surrounding him from all directions.


    At this moment, he was like a big fish in a fast-flowing stream.


    He didn¡¯t need to see with his eyes or hear with his ears. He relied on his intuition to perceive everything. He could feel the bean general behind him wielding a giant halberd, the sharp sound of the halberd cutting through the air, and the subtle sensation of the airflow against his skin.


    And so, Qiao Mu made his move.


    With the instincts of a fish in a fast-flowing stream, he swung his long spear like a fish flicking its tail. The spear created ripples of blood-colored energy in the air, smashing the waist and abdomen of a bean general behind him and unleashing a violent burst of energy.


    With over a hundred years of martial arts practice and countless battles on the battlefield, he had finally entered the Spiritual Refining Method, and he feltpletely at ease in battle.


    Wherever he went, armor was shattered, and bean generals standing three meters tall copsed into pieces.


    However, even though he was strong, he was constantly bleeding, which was the price of the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method.His injuries were not caused by the enemy, but by self-infliction.


    His powerful energy was rapidly depleting, and the damage to his internal meridians was getting worse.


    At this moment, he was the brightest star on the battlefield, but also a fleeting meteor, shining only for a moment!


    This scene, seen by Captain Hai and others behind, made them even more amazed.


    Qiao Ruosen is not Qiao Shuangsen.


    Qiao Shuangsen is the one who brought lies to the lonely city, the first to tell them that there is still an Immortal ying Army in Jiu Province, the person that the lonely city has not forgotten. So, even though he is dead, he still holds significance in the hearts of Captain Hai and others.


    After Qiao Shuangsen¡¯s death in battle, Captain Hai and others buried him in the slope of the cemetery under the city, sleeping alongside a hundred thousand soldiers, symbolizing recognition.


    A veteran from Jiu Province who died for them is also theirrade, their fellow warrior.


    But Qiao Ruosen is different.


    He is Qiao Shuangsen¡¯s elderly husband, who just inherited Qiao Shuangsen¡¯s unfinished business when he entered the lonely city. He took on the role of the second vanguard of the Immortal ying Army and continued to preach the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra" in the city.


    But in the end, he is still a stranger, unlike Qiao Shuangsen who has been with Captain Hai and the others for a month.


    So Captain Hai let him escape, actually out of guilt towards "Qiao Shuangsen."


    Qiao Shuangsen died, so his elderly father Qiao Ruosen cannot die here either.


    This is a simple kindness towards Qiao Ruosen, towards his fellow warriors, but it is not a bond between fellow warriors.


    However, when Captain Hai saw Qiao Ruosen rushing to the front line covered in blood, he suddenly understood in his heart.


    This scene is remarkably simr to when Qiao Shuangsen entered the enemy¡¯s ranks with a spear.


    Equally fearless of death, using the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method from the start, and appearing as if afraid that others might take his ce and die¡­


    Such a scene, such a posture, how can it not remind us of Qiao Shuangsen who died in previous battles?


    "Both the father and son of the Qiao Family are heroes," Captain Hai held his sword tightly, his heart filled with a heroic spirit.


    "The son died on the battlefield, and the father with white hair continued to fight, worthy of respect and pity!"


    "Oldrades, how can we let the Qiao Family¡¯s father and son steal all the attention?"


    Captain Hai raised his arm and called out, and so three hundred old soldiers unsheathed their swords and rushed forward.


    The sun was setting in the desert, casting a cold light on the swords.


    The three hundred old soldiers charged silently, following closely behind Qiao Mu. Facing the three-meter-tall bean general, who seemed nothing like an ordinary person, theyunched another attack, just like they had done countless times over the past forty years.


    Storyteller irvoyance on the city wall looked down at this scene, feeling an overwhelming surge of emotions.


    Emotions can be contagious, they can be transmitted from one person to a group of people.


    This world needs heroes.


    A hero who sacrifices everything, like a beam of light in the dark night, can make people see hope.


    The general leads the troops, the emperor personally goes into battle, risking arrows and stones, inspiring the soldiers to be brave.


    And as an outsider martial artist, Qiao Ruosen¡¯s willingness to risk his life naturally has a great motivating effect.


    But the world needs more than just heroes.


    Because heroes can also get hurt, bleed, and die.


    How can a single hero stand against the waves of time?


    A general without soldiers is a dead end, and an emperor without soldiers going into battle is a joke.


    A lone hero can only be a martyr, unable to influence the course of history.


    If there are no followers, even the most fearless hero is just a fleeting firework, splendid but not helpful.


    But the lone soldier in this city is different.


    In the past, the hundred thousand soldiers who marched with Martial Saint and Li Changge can be said to be the bravest group of people in the Jiu Province of the previous era. They were highly expected by the Great Yan Imperial Court at that time, and they were the warriors who tried to save the copsing heavens in the past.


    Even if they died in battle, even if they were defeated, there are still three hundred veteran soldiers who inherited the will to resist the inhuman, fighting against all odds to this day.


    That¡¯s why they won¡¯t let Qiao Ruosen go to death alone.


    "It¡¯s unlikely that Jiu Province outside will find such a group of soldiers who are willing to sacrifice their lives¡­" irvoyance admired in his heart.


    But despite the admiration, he was not optimistic.


    The front battlefield cannot be defended.


    The advantage of a Spirit Refining martial artist lies in their strong body and mind. Even a 1st ranked martial artist is still a human body, with limited attack range.


    Once separated from the body, internal strength quickly weakens. Most of the time, it can only be unleashed when attached to fists, feet, or weapons, erupting with the force of internal strength during an attack.


    It is possible to release energy in mid-air, but even for a Spirit Refining martial artist, the range of attack with internal strength is limited to about ten meters.


    Qiao Mu had over a hundred years of experience. At this moment, under the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, he temporarily unleashed a power equivalent to five hundred years of experience, which was quite astonishing in terms of the amount of internal strength.


    However, the martial artist¡¯s attack methods are limited, so no matter how he unleashes his power, his efficiency in killing is also limited.


    It is impossible to create a sword light that extends tens of meters. Such things mostly exist only in the storyteller¡¯s tales and go beyond the capabilities of a first-ranked martial artist in spiritual refining.


    Therefore, irvoyance knew that Qiao Ruosen would die.


    No matter how strong an individual martial artist is, they cannot control the overall situation on a battlefield with a certain scale. This is the understanding of the storyteller at the Tide Listening Building.


    The turning point of the battle, instead, fell on the shoulders of a storyteller like him.


    This was also quite a rare event for irvoyance. The storytellers at the Tide Listening Building usually only listen and observe the tides, and their deep involvement in the war was a first for irvoyance as well.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Qiao Mu didn¡¯t think as much as irvoyance.


    After stepping onto the battlefield, he focused on one thing only.


    Death!


    Bringing death to the enemy, and experiencing a grand death himself.


    But when he heard the footsteps of the veteran soldiers behind him, and heard Captain Hai¡¯s praise, he couldn¡¯t help but find it amusing.


    Just at that moment, Storyteller irvoyance¡¯s voice reached his ears.


    irvoyance was guiding Qiao Mu, pointing to the location of the inhuman hiding behind these three hundred brave generals.


    Despite the chaotic battlefield, irvoyance¡¯s telepathic message managed to reach him urately, piercing through the distance of hundreds of meters and into his ears.


    At this time, Qiao Mu was covered in blood, his skin shattered like a spider web, and blood seeped out, sttering on the yellow sand beneath his feet.


    His speed began to slow down, and the long spear in his hand didn¡¯t dodge the enemy¡¯s weapon, as it was struck by the giant hammer of the bean general.


    The terrifying strength caused the long spear to instantly twist and deform, and Qiao Mu¡¯s body trembled as his hand cracked, with more blood overflowing.


    Instead of retreating, he moved forward without the long spear, using his bare hands.


    Amidst the bloodshed, his muscles bulged in both arms, and his right hand suddenly swelled up, stabbing like a knife into the chest of a bean general.


    His weakened internal strength erupted, but this time his attack only caused the bean general to violently shake, with cracks appearing on his body. However, the bean general took advantage of the opportunity to grab and notpletely free Qiao Mu¡¯s right hand that was inserted into his chest.


    "Exhausted¡­"


    Qiao Mu gasped heavily, giving up struggling.


    109-year-old Qiao Mu killed thirty bean soldiers, only to die at the hands of a bean general.


    141-year-old Qiao Mu reached the stage of spiritual refining and made a breakthrough in the Pure Yang Wuji Skill. He became much stronger than when he was 109 years old. He could easily kill fifty enemy generals in one breath, but even so, he was exhausted.


    And as for the Heavenly shing Swordsmanship obtained from Earth Sword Immortal?


    Sorry, my abilities are limited. I haven¡¯t mastered it yet.


    Just before he died, he suddenly remembered Captain Hai¡¯s praise for him.


    "Are the father and son of the Qiao Family both heroes?"


    "You guys are the real heroes, but I¡¯m just an actor who does it for fun¡­"


    As for now¡­ let this lead actor, who has yed many death scenes, have his final curtain call.


    He still had some unfinished business, but he was already exhausted.


    He only managed to kill fifty enemy generals, and there were still two hundred and fifty left¡­ as well as inhumans hiding in the shadows.


    "Please, future me."


    From all directions, there was a loud sound of strong wind breaking, and more than ten Taoist soldiers surrounded him.


    Qiao Ruosen, deceased, lived to be 141 years old.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Death Assessment for this time: B (died from exhaustion, the whole family in order)


    Lifespan consumed by death: 16 (8 * 2) years


    Remaining resurrection attempts this week: 4/5


    Current age: 157 years old


    Vitality: 29%


    Skill: Simple


    Heavenly shing Swordsmanship (Cut me, skilled)


    Shape Changing Skill (Average)


    Opened my eyes, and sixteen years passed by in a hurry, as if in a dream.


    In these sixteen years, Qiao Mu focused on two martial arts skills, which are Earth Sword Immortal¡¯s Heavenly shing Swordsmanship and the Shape Changing Skill.


    Earth Sword Immortal¡¯s Heavenly shing Swordsmanship, in fact, has only one move.


    This is a strange sword technique for refining one¡¯s spirit. The specific movements are not important. The first level is named "Cut me" by Earth Sword Immortal.


    First, cut me; then, cut the heavens.


    This level focuses on how to pour all of one¡¯s strength into a single move and unleash it to the extreme.


    The level of skill that limits my abilities represents that Qiao Mu isn¡¯t able to unleash all of his power in just one move, but he is quite skilled in sword techniques.


    His Shape Changing Skill is still at a basic level, but after umting sixteen years of experience, Qiao Mu has be even more proficient in this incredible ability, with more transformations at his disposal.


    "Let me recall how I trained in Flesh Changing Skill during these sixteen years¡­"


    Qiao Mu carefully remembered, and a memory surged in his heart.


    He realized that during these sixteen years, he had a strange idea: to attempt separating his flesh from his mind and practice creating a "flesh clone."


    "So this is what I had in mind, such a wondrous and ingenious idea. I truly deserve praise."


    Qiao Mu nodded approvingly to himself.


    If he were to die and revive one or two times, he could use the excuse of forming an Immortal ying Army as a single person.


    But it would be even more reasonable if he could truly create multiple versions of himself, forming a real Immortal ying Army.


    Qiao Mu started studying the concept of "flesh clone" over the course of these 16 years in order to solve such problems.


    He didn¡¯t fully seed and couldn¡¯t achieve the desired effect in his mind.


    "I can only leave it to my future self to continue working hard. Maybe I just need to die a few more times to solve it?"


    Qiao Mu temporarily put these problems aside as he didn¡¯t have any spare time at the moment.


    He was reborn on the other side of the lonely city wall, and the battle continued.


    Unlikest time, when Qiao Shuangsen died in battle, only about ten bean soldiers and a badly injured bean general were left to Captain Hai and the others.


    Dealing with Captain Hai and the three hundred old soldiers was not too difficult, but they were only able to maintain a stalemate. Even with the strength of the three hundred old soldiers, they couldn¡¯t eliminate all of the bean soldiers before Qiao Mu killed the inhuman.


    But this time¡­ Captain Hai was facing approximately two hundred and fifty bean generals.


    This can¡¯t even bepared to thest time.


    Last time, they had the upper hand, but this time, they might not even have a chance to stand their ground.


    The three hundred older soldiers are already old, and with their remaining strength, they probably can¡¯t stop the approaching army of bean generals.


    That¡¯s why Qiao Mu is in a hurry this time; he doesn¡¯t have much time.


    "Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, Shadow Step."


    He used the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method to speed up, with the strong wind whistling in his ears.


    The Shadow Step is a skill of thieves, but with the eruption of the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, it has almost reached the level of "leaving no trace," as if the person has turned into a gust of wind.


    Ahead, about a hundred meters away, they could already see Dao Ni, a disciple of the Great Dao Sect, wearing a Taoist robe.


    He was sitting on the ground below a small hill, with his back facing Qiao Mu. In front of him was a small sand table, representing the hundreds of glowing dots of the bean generals.


    There was a bottle of Qi-enhancing pills on the ground next to him. He would asionally swallow a few to replenish the intense consumption of his magical power.


    The mighty army of three hundred bean generals was enough to sweep this lonely city, which only had three hundred old soldiers, ten times over. But Dao Ni found it difficult to control such a powerful army of bean generals.


    So, he kept taking drugs without feeling guilty, using Dao Xu¡¯s money.


    "The inhuman body is weaker than a martial artist. As long as I can get close to him¡­"


    Qiao Mu slowed down his speed slightly and silently approached Dao Ni, who had his back turned towards him.


    But as the thought of approaching Dao Ni slowly formed in Qiao Mu¡¯s mind, there was also a faint sense of fear and excitement, as his instincts warned him.


    "Facing the threat of death? Am I afraid of death? Laughable." Qiao Mu ignored his instinct¡¯s warning and quickly approached.


    Fifty steps, twenty steps¡­


    Just when he was only twenty steps away from Dao Ni, the ground beneath his feet suddenly glowed with a bright light, and intense mes erupted, quickly merging into a sea of fire.


    The mes rapidly spread all over his body, and the familiar pain made Qiao Mu suddenly realize. In his mind shed the half face of the old man of the arsenal, and Saintess Wu Qingxin¡¯s face from Heyang City¡­

 Chapter 207 (1)

    Chapter 207 (1)


    Qiao Mu felt the familiar pain as the red mes surrounded his body. This was the Etching Bones Li Fire that Qiao Mu had experienced before.


    This was a special symbol created by a powerful cultivator from Immortal Gate, designed to use martial artists as opponents. It used internal strength and flesh as fuel, even burning bones to ashes.


    Even a first-ranked martial artist in spiritual refining couldn¡¯t withstand it head-on.


    They could only rely on their spiritual refining intuition to avoid it in advance or cut off the limbs engulfed by the Etching Bones Li Fire to prevent the whole body from igniting.


    Dao Ni was obviously cunning.


    He had prepared a trap near himself in advance,posed of dozens of Etching Bone Li Fire Talisman. It was a prepared trap.


    Qiao Mu was pressed for time and every second counted, so he ignored his intuition and identally stepped into the fire array.


    In an instant, the mes spread throughout his body, turning him into a burning man.


    Dao Ni was startled by the sudden change. He turned back and looked in surprise while holding the bottle of medicine."I have ignited again¡­ but it¡¯s not important."


    Ignoring the roaring mes around him, Qiao Mu¡¯s entire body suddenly unleashed a burst of inner strength. He wanted to take advantage of the moment and break through the sea of fire.


    Just as the surging inner strength flowed out of his body, it immediately ignited the Etching Bones Li Fire, burning even more intensely than Qiao Mu had expected. He couldn¡¯t temporarily suppress the mes, not even as much as before.


    Inner strength and the Etching Bones Li Fire of the immortal path were like water and fire.


    Although a sufficient amount of inner strength couldn¡¯t extinguish the fire, it could temporarily suppress the mes. However, this time, Dao Ni had prepared a lot of fire symbols, which unexpectedly turned Qiao Mu¡¯s entire body of inner strength into fuel.


    Qiao Mu could barely open his eyes now. Surrounding him was a raging sea of fire, with the spreading Etching Bones Li Fire scorching his eyes. His tears evaporated as soon as they flowed out. He tightly closed his eyes, only able to hear the howling wind beside his ears.


    "Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method!"


    Qiao Mu once again unleashed the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method. Within his limbs and bones, a new force emerged. Hundreds of years worth of inner strength flowed out again, bringing forth a thick stream of blood amidst the zing fire.


    With a sudden burst, the mes that were swirling around him temporarily subsided and retreated a little.


    Meanwhile, Qiao Mu bent his knees slightly, preparing to unleash his power and break free from this sea of fire.


    He took a heavy step forward, but at this moment, the ground beneath his feet suddenly sank, causing him to not only lose the opportunity to break free, but also be trapped in a patch of quicksand, unable to escape.


    The raging mes engulfed his figure, and the more he struggled, the deeper he sank in the quicksand.


    "Luckily, I am not a martial artist but a cultivator," a voice came from afar. This voice belonged to Dao Ni, a disciple from the Great Dao Sect.


    Dao Ni had lived for a long time. Though he appeared middle-aged, his actual age was over a hundred. He had been a martial artist centuries ago.


    His martial talent was ordinary, only reaching the 6th rank in his cultivation. He relied more on wit than superior martial skills to win.


    This habit persisted even after he joined the Immortal Gate, up until now.


    As he watched Qiao Mu being gradually swallowed by the quicksand and surrounded by mes, he couldn¡¯t help but feel relieved.


    No matter how good a martial artist¡¯s lightness skills are, what does it matter if they can¡¯t fly over rooftops, walk on walls, and leave no footprints in the snow?


    Without a wall to borrow force from, how can one fly over rooftops? Without any snow under their feet, how can they leave no footprints?


    Even if one has immense strength, they will still struggle to perform in a ce where there is no support to be found.


    This quicksand sea is actually a trap he set up in advance¡­ Since Dao Shun had a simr experience before, how could Dao Ni not be cautious of an ordinary martial artist approaching?


    In fact, his cultivation in the immortal way is simr to Dao Shun¡¯s, both in the early stages of Foundation Building, but he has just a tiny bit more spirit stone and a tiny bit more cunning.


    However, the figure burning in the whirlpool of quicksand didn¡¯t fall down.


    As Dao Ni¡¯s voice came through, the distorted face burning inside the mes slightly turned and looked towards the source of the sound.


    The distance between both sides is about twenty meters.


    When a martial artist releases their internal strength outside of their body, it quickly weakens and generally can only be effective within a range of ten meters.


    Even though Qiao Mu also practices martial arts, he has been cultivating for over a hundred years and can temporarily unleash powerful skills that are equivalent to more than five or six hundred years, using the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method.


    He has an immense amount of internal strength, and even if it diminishes, he is notparable to an ordinary martial artist.


    "Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method: Shattered Illusion Finger!"


    Amidst the ze, his qi and blood surged throughout his body, giving it hisst burst of strength. He pointed his finger towards the sound, reaching it from afar.


    A fierce red force from his fingertip shot out like a fleeting blood-colored arrow, breaking through a distance of twenty meters in an instant.


    The bloody aura faded slightly, but his finger still prated Dao Ni¡¯s forehead.


    The force from his finger pierced through Dao Ni¡¯s forehead, sending his entire body soaring in the air with tremendous impact, and then¡­ transforming into a thin sheet of paper, slowly drifting down to the nearby sandy ground.


    "It¡¯s not a real person?" Qiao Mu could no longer see anything, but he could vaguely sense that what he struck was not a real person. The surrounding mes and flowing sand also didn¡¯t stop.


    Gradually losing his breath, Qiao Mu began to lose consciousness, his body gradually disappearing within the mes and being gradually swallowed up by the swirling quicksand beneath his feet.


    Once his figurepletely disappeared, after a while, a rainbow light flickered andnded in this barrennd.


    "Luckily, I outperformed him," Dao Ni had a somewhat frightened expression on his face.


    The viin understood the reason behind talking too much and dying. When he was young and still a martial artist in the world, he heard simr stories from storytellers.


    Therefore, the paper man who spoke out was just another trap. It enticed Qiao Mu to unleash hisst burst of strength when he lost his sight and senses.


    The paper man and the spell array were all prepared in advance. His true form had been hiding in the air all along.


    "This mortal named Joe is indeed extraordinary. He made Senior Dao Zhen see him in a different light, just as expected."


    Dao Ninded and casually picked up a Qi-restoring pill from the medicinal bottle to replenish his rapidly consumed mana.


    First, he used the paper man to impersonate himself and set up an illusion formation to conceal his figure. Then, he arranged two formations, quicksand and fire runes, in the surroundings. Finally, he summoned three hundred bean generals and continuously took Qi-restoring pills to make up for the quickly depleted mana.


    Going back and forth several times, each step was costly; it could be said that it was an invincible fortress built with spirit stones.


    Dao Ni was surprised to see that his backup n was actually put to use.


    The tricks he used on the immortal cultivators he usually targeted were generally not easily fooled.


    "There¡¯s no time to waste, I need to contact the sect immediately and inform them of these matters," said Dao Ni, who was always cautious. After confirming that the enemy was dead, he immediately took out two messages.


    Dao Xu¡¯s message was originally intended for Dao Ni to use as a means of seeking help.


    If things got out of control, he could seek help in a timely manner, and a deacon from the sect would soone to assist.


    Dao Ni had already won the battle and was not in danger, but he still took out two messages.


    One to inform Dao Xu and one to inform Dao Zhen.


    Dao Ni usually kept Dao Xu informed, but he also secretly had contact with Dao Zhen.


    His talent in cultivation was not particrly good, not as promising as the other elders¡¯ children, so he had to be a bit more cunning than others.


    Nothing else, be prepared to avoid trouble, just seeking for the word "stability" only.


    But when he finished doing this, he suddenly felt something and looked down at the sand table beneath his feet.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    A moment ago.


    On the sandy battlefield in front of the lonely city.


    Qiao Ruosen¡¯s figure was torn apart by more than a dozen giant soldiers, blood sttered on the yellow sand, and he died.


    Qiao Ruosen was the sharpest spearhead in this lonely army, but when the spearhead was broken, there were still over two hundred bean generals left, indicating that the situation had gone.


    However, the more than three hundred old soldiers didn¡¯t stop, but instead bravely led the way.


    The total number of old soldiers was a little over three hundred, already slightly more than the number of bean generals. But as the two armies collided head-on, casualties quickly urred on the side of the old soldiers.


    They haven¡¯t yet figured out how to ovee the tough and resilient bean general, so engaging in battle would be like hitting a rock with an egg.


    Although the veteran soldiers didn¡¯t retreat, they all knew deep down that the situation was already lost.


    Qiao Ruosen couldn¡¯t stop them, and they couldn¡¯t be stopped either.


    Their lives were nearing their end, just like the lonely city that had stood in the desert for forty years approaching its doomsday.


    Captain Hai, covered in blood, raised his sword and let out a long roar:


    "My dearrades, today please join me on the journey to the underworld."


    "We are soldiers of Great Yan, we can die but we cannot bow down. If we were to kneel, would Great Yan still exist?"


    The veteran soldiers behind him also raised their swords high and fought fiercely, drenched in blood.


    Up on the city gate tower, Storyteller irvoyance let out a faint sigh.


    The purpose of Tide Listening Building is to only listen to the tide and not interfere with worldly affairs. He, irvoyance, had already be one of the pirs of the building, but after living a stable life, he unexpectedly had the urge to venture into this Hundred-mile Desert.


    This is his first time getting involved in the great tide of the world, but who would have thought that under this attempt, he would risk his own life.


    The rules of Tide Listening Building should not be easily broken, even if he is irvoyance, a person with extraordinary abilities.


    While he sighed, a middle-aged man with white hair dressed in green robes walked slowly behind him. He was not affected by the somber atmosphere, with only a hint of confusion on his face.


    "Storyteller, tell me, are their deaths worth it? You are good at talking, aren¡¯t you?" Earth Sword Immortal asked slowly.


    "Since you came from Jiu Province, you naturally know how chaotic it is outside, both in Jiu Province and Great Yan."


    Although Earth Sword Immortal had also been trapped in the city for thirty years, Lu Yanbei was his brother. Although Lu Yanbei kept silent about the experienced veterans in the city, he informed Earth Sword Immortal about the situation in Jiu Province.


    "The remaining soldiers of Great Yan who are loyal to the Great Yan Imperial Court have already decayed and fallen." Earth Sword Immortal said calmly.


    "The veterans said that if they kneel, there will be no more Great Yan¡­ but what if Great Yan had already knelt?"


    "Is this considered a kind of foolish loyalty?"


    "In the past, many officials and generals of the Great Yan Imperial Court pursued the goal of leaving their names in history."


    "Even in death, can their names be remembered in history?"

 Chapter 207 (2)

    Chapter 207 (2)


    "No, these old soldiers are facing an even harsher situation." Earth Sword Immortal said slowly.


    "The court has long forgotten about them. They will die without leaving a trace, no matter how heroic their deaths may be. Their names will not be in the history books¡­"


    Storyteller irvoyance paused for a moment, then turned around.


    "Foolish loyalty?" irvoyance said deeply.


    "At this point, do you still think they are loyal to a Great Yan Imperial Court that has ignored the lonely city for forty years?"


    "From the perspective of people today, or even from the perspective of something not human, perhaps this can be considered a kind of ¡®foolishness¡¯."


    "Knowing he was weak but willing to sacrifice his own life, he died for the safety of the people behind him, he died for the so-called honor of the human race. This can truly be considered a kind of ¡®foolishness¡¯."


    "But if everyone is cunning and only cares about personal gain, pursuing small benefits and forgetting about righteousness, pursuing great achievements and valuing one¡¯s own life¡­ then the human race in Jiu Province is destined to live forever under the control of inhuman beings," Storyteller irvoyance said.


    "The most outstanding and clever people don¡¯t need to resist the inhuman beings, because the best choice is to join them if you cannot defeat them. Why risk your life for the life and death of others?""There are always many clever people, but there are still some fools in this world who seem to never die. It has always been like this from ancient times until now," irvoyance said no more, silently overlooking the battlefield.


    He wanted to witness the final battle of these fools who dared to try to move mountains.


    Earth Sword Immortal remained silent and leaned against the railing on the city gate tower, gazing into the distance.


    And beneath the city wall, the situation in the battle had be extremely perilous.


    Lu Yanbei was also on the battlefield, charging at the front line along with the other veteran soldiers.


    As a renowned martial arts master with a Skill List ranking of thirty, Lu Yanbei¡¯ internal strength skills were much more advanced than those of the veteran soldiers, so his situation was slightly better.


    Under the long sword, several enemy generals were pierced through and fell to the ground.


    Lu Yanbei is old, he is eighty-seven years old and has lost a lot of energy, but his years of practice have kept his internal strength strong.


    Although not as powerful as Qiao Mu with his hundred years of experience, he is much stronger than the old soldiers.


    However, wasting internal strength like Qiao Mu is not a long-term n. In just a moment, he has already consumed a lot of internal strength, sweating and panting heavily.


    He is also close to death.


    This old traveler had a sudden realization in his heart.


    Eighty-seven years of long life passed through his mind like a revolvingntern.


    When the two brothers were young, they were looked down upon in the Imperial Capital, so they left and traveled together in the martial world for several decades.


    Lu Yanbei is a talkative and kind-hearted old man. Whenever someone speaks ill of his younger brother, Earth Sword Immortal, he always defends him, saying that his brother is cold-hearted because their birth parents were dishonest and hypocritical, and he never experienced any love or care since childhood.


    Don¡¯t say the deep affection of licking and licking¡­ The father, who was the Minister of Rites at the time, even hired skilled martial artists to chase after them to avoid exposing the deeds of these two illegitimate sons.


    The two brothers had simr experiences in their early years. Why is the younger brother cold-hearted, while only he is a good person?


    Just because his brother Lu Yanbei always believed that as the older brother, he had to lead by example, even if he had to act, he had to portray himself as a good person for his younger brother to see.


    He is the older brother. He practiced swordsmanship and taught Earth Sword Immortal the ways of the sword. He learned to act as a good person.


    At first, he just acted.


    But slowly, he gradually lost himself in the voices of the people he helped, who called him a "great hero."


    As he continued acting, he eventually reached old age. That¡¯s all.


    Lu Yanbei is not a soldier of Great Yan. He doesn¡¯t have the righteous sentiments of Captain Hai and others.


    For the past year, fighting side by side with the old soldiers of this city, at first, it was only because he wanted to take care of his younger brother.


    He didn¡¯t have much understanding and foresight.


    He once reached the top rank, and in hister years, his swordsmanship was among the top ten in the world. One of the reasons for this was the teachings of Earth Sword Immortal.


    Although his martial arts were not considered top-notch, he had be a legendary figure in his generation of martial artists, and had long been known as a hero of Zhong Province.


    In hister years, he finally found his long-lost younger brother, Earth Sword Immortal, who had been missing for thirty years.


    After eighty-seven years of a long life, although filled with twists and hardships, when he looked back at his past now, he felt that he could say¡­


    "In my life, I have no regrets."


    The corners of Luyan¡¯s mouth slightly curved upwards as he slowly unsheathed his Xuanji Sword, which had apanied him for many years.


    "Heavenly shing Swordsmanship¡­"


    Lu Yanbei was the mentor who introduced Earth Sword Immortal to the art of swordsmanship, butter on, Earth Sword Immortal surpassed him and taught his own swordsmanship to Lu Yanbei in return.


    This is a sword that is about to burn its life away, the remaining strength inside the body converges at the tip of the sword, the frail old man¡¯s vitality is rapidly drying up.


    Before the sword was even drawn, it shone like a brilliant star, its sharpness unparalleled.


    The surrounding soldiers seemed to sense the threat, quickly approaching.


    However, the sword was not fully unsheathed, and the newly emerged sharpness uncontrobly retracted.


    Because there was now another person in front of him.


    "Using my swordsmanship in front of me?" a calm voice said.


    "Let¡¯s skip the part where you sacrifice yourself and move me, shall we?"


    Earth Sword Immortal, without a sword in hand, disyed no fierce momentum, still aszy and listless as usual.


    However, Lu Yanbei unintentionally restrained his sword¡¯s potential.


    Even the bean general, who was not a living being around, seemed to be intimidated by an invisible force and stood frozen in ce.


    "Yannan?" Lu Yanbei showed a surprised expression and involuntarily turned his head to look at the ancient city gate tower of the lonely city.


    After so many years, this should be the first time Earth Sword Immortal stepped out of this city gate tower and set foot on this battlefield soaked in blood and tears.


    "Yannan, have you finally realized? I knew you-" Lu Yanbei had a lot to say, but before he could finish, Earth Sword Immortal impatiently interrupted:


    "Don¡¯t be so sentimental, Third Brother."


    "¡­. What did you just call me?"


    Ignoring his own brother¡¯s question, Earth Sword Immortal continued self-absorbedly:


    "Whether it was forty years ago or now, I have never cared about the lives and deaths of themon people, the righteousness of the world, whether the women, children, and elderly in the city have enough to eat and wear, whether they can still survive, or how long they can survive¡­"


    "So, I¡¯m only here to protect your life, nothing more." Earth Sword Immortal said slowly.


    He stood in the center of the battlefield, with a slight look of confusion in his eyes, like a lost traveler.


    His birth father was an important official in Great Yan and a respected schr, so he felt no sense of belonging to the Great Yan Imperial Court and scoffed at the teachings of Confucianism about benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trust.


    His birth mother was a female hero in the martial world, so he had no fondness for the so-called righteousness of chivalry.


    In the journey of life, everyone is a transient traveler, passing through the ages, ultimately alone and lonely. Others are merely temporarypanions on this journey.


    In this world, no one is obligated to be good to you, not even your birth parents.


    Just like when he was once seriously ill and on the verge of death, his close female friends all left, and the Wudang Sect expelled him, too.


    Only his elder brother, Lu Yanbei, stood by him through life and death.


    Earth Sword Immortal still didn¡¯t understand the so-called righteousness, but he probably understood why these veteran soldiers were willing to sacrifice themselves.


    "I¡¯ve asked many times, what¡¯s the point of sacrificing oneself for others¡­ This question is too broad, no wonder I feel trapped." Earth Sword Immortal shook his head in frustration.


    "It turns out that he couldn¡¯t bear to see its death."


    Earth Sword Immortal is not a soldier, not a hero. He has no concept of home or country, and he has no pursuit of righteousness. He seems easygoing but is actually a heartless person.


    However, in this world, he is notpletely alone after all.


    So even if he has beenzy for thirty years, he will not sit and watch his own brother die before his eyes.


    "Unable to bear seeing its death, so he is willing to fight for others, only this." He silently said in his heart.


    He loves a specific family member, a unique person.


    But the old soldiers of the Lonely City and the previous and current generations of the Qiao¡¯s family they have seen have a greater perspective. In their hearts, they not only care about their own family members, but also about the families of the young and old in the city, and perhaps even the Jiu Province outside¡­


    Although he cannot achieve it, he has a vague understanding now.


    "So now, we can¡¯t let them continue to outshine us."


    The Earth Sword Immortal had no sword in his hand and no killing intent on his body.


    He formed a sword shape with his fingers and invisible sword energy burst out from his fingertips, sweeping through the surrounding bean generals in an instant and piercing them all.


    The bean general, measuring three meters tall, suddenly froze, and then his upper body slowly slid down from the waist, with a smooth cut that was as sharp as a mirror.


    He walked casually on the battlefield and pointed forward with his fingers, generating invisible sword lights that caused the bean generals to quickly perish wherever they touched.


    Captain Hai, gasping for breath, had just blocked a vertical strike from arge halberd. His arms sounded strained under the heavy burden, but in the next moment, he saw the bean general¡¯s body suddenly split in two. However, behind the bean general, he caught sight of an unexpected figure.


    How could it be him?


    However, the Earth Sword Immortal ignored him.


    After killing all the bean generals, he finally stopped his steps on a sand dune in front of the battlefield.


    The sand dune was surrounded by fragmented bean general corpses, and in the middle of the corpses was the body of an old man torn apart by more than a dozen Taoist soldiers, with his flesh and blood scattered.


    ¡­¡­¡­.


    Far away.


    Dao Ni, a disciple of the Great Dao Sect, looked at the rapidly disappearing dots on the sand table beneath his feet, and a serious expression appeared on his face.


    This situation was something he couldn¡¯t understand.


    Dao Ni immediately took out the Message Jade Slip, this time he was truly preparing to seek help.


    Just as he had just taken out the Message Jade Slip, halfway through transmitting the message, an extra figure appeared behind him without him realizing it.


    Arge hand rapidly expanded at a visible speed and tightly grasped Dao Ni¡¯s entire body.


    Suddenly attacked, a golden light shed on Dao Ni¡¯ neck, wrapping his whole body in a faint egg-shaped golden aura.


    Dao Ni was shaken all over. He tightly gripped the Message Jade Slip and suddenly turned around, only to see another familiar old man and a familiar shouting voice.


    "Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method!"


    The red internal strength surged and exploded, instantly shattering the golden glow that covered Dao Ni¡¯ entire body.


    Dao Ni, along with the Message Jade Slip in his hand, instantly turned into a mass of shattered flesh, with blurred blood and twisted bones.


    Therge hand let go, allowing the lifeless body to fall to the ground.


    "Phew, luckily I have cheat codes, my skills are superior." Qiao Mu breathed a sigh of relief.

 Chapter 208:

    Chapter 208:


    Qiao Mu looked at Dao Ni¡¯s lifeless body beneath his feet and let out a long breath.


    The battlefield situation in front of the city gate must be very urgent. The three hundred old soldiers are probably not a match for the over two hundred bean generals.


    The longer the time drags on, the more casualties the old soldiers will suffer.


    So Qiao Mu, this time, wanted a quick death, even if it was a trap, he still rushed in and cost another life, finally killing Dao Ni.


    Dao Ni¡¯s cultivation in the immortal path was actually simr to Dao Shun¡¯s, and there was not much difference in their magical aplishments.


    The only difference was that Dao Ni was much wealthier than Dao Shun, with a wealthy backer, you could say he was rich and powerful.


    As long as there were enough spirit stones, cultivators like Dao Ni, proficient in the Taoist soldier technique, could freely purchase mana-replenishing pills, use their own power to create soldiers out of beans, and form a powerful Taoist soldier army capable of overwhelming three hundred ordinary soldiers.


    As for his own cultivation in the immortal path¡­ it was already irrelevant in the face of such a bean soldier army.


    Whether it was the old soldiers who died on the main battlefield, or Qiao Mu¡¯s two lives, they could be said to have died in the hands of spirit stones, rather than Dao Ni."Dust settles." Qiao Mu crouched down and searched Dao Ni, finding a storage bag on him.


    Storage bags of immortal cultivators usually have restrictions, and generally, only immortal cultivators with higher cultivation than the original owner can forcefully break them.


    Other than that, there is still a small method, which is to directly destroy the storage bag.


    The storage bag was destroyed, and the things inside might also be damaged. If lucky, a few intact items might remain, like opening a surprise box.


    But Qiao Mu didn¡¯t have time to open a surprise box, as he had something else to do at the moment.


    Qiao Mu was in a hurry before killing Dao Ni.


    But once Dao Ni died and the main battle ended, Qiao Mu wasn¡¯t in a rush to go back.


    His mind sank into deep thought, and a stream of information appeared.


    Death Assessment this time: C (using a smoothbo to kill, leaving no trace of the enemy¡¯s corpse, although dead, it sessfully made the enemy lower their guard)


    Lifespan consumed by death: 6 (3*2) years


    Remaining resurrection attempts this week: 3/5


    Current age: 163 years old


    Vitality: 27%


    Ability: Shape Changing Skill (Mastered)


    Briefly


    ¡­..


    The Death Assessment is consistent with Qiao Mu¡¯s expectations, and it is not high.


    It is not significant to die recklessly at the hands of the enemy like this.


    If it wasn¡¯t for the fact that Dao Ni believed the situation was settled in the end, and everyone startedmunicating and let their guard down, the Death Assessment might have been even lower.


    Although the evaluation is not high, after six years of diligent practice, the Shape Changing Skill has sessfully progressed from "mediocre" to "mastered".


    This was not aplished overnight, most of the progress actually came from the previous death.


    Thest time Qiao Mu died, he was studying "flesh clone" but it didn¡¯t work.


    This time, after six years of non-stop hard work, he finally came up with something new. He studied a peculiar magic trick based on Shape Changing Skill.


    Flesh clone!


    He did manage to master it, but the actual effect was a bit different from what Qiao Mu had originally expected.


    In his imagination, a flesh clone would be like Sun Wukong, able to create a duplicate just by plucking a hair.


    But what he actually managed to create waspletely different.


    After all, the secret techniques of Flesh Changing Skill and Shape Changing Skill were created by a Martial Saint, Wu Qizheng, who further perfected this extraordinary skill. Naturally, it followed the style of Martial Saint¡¯s martial arts.


    "The ¡®flesh clone¡¯ that I managed to create is not about splitting flesh and creating a duplicate¡­"


    Qiao Mu sighed, closed his eyes, and focused on his inner energy.


    He sneak attack and killed Dao Ni with just one strike, using all his strength and even employing the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method.


    As a result, his current body has suffered damage to his meridians and has also experienced some loss of qi and blood.


    Although the duration of the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method is short and doesn¡¯t cause immediate death, it still causes significant internal injuries, which might require several years of dedicated rest to recover his vitality.


    Now, the question is, where in this solitary city in the desert can he find a ce to recuperate?


    Not to mention the various medicinal herbs needed to treat his body, even the food supplies in this isted city are scarce.


    In Qiao Mu¡¯s eyes, this injured body has limited usefulness.


    "So¡­ let¡¯s do it." Qiao Mu reached out his finger, channeling energy to the tip, and forcefully stabbed it into his own temple.


    "I feel so high right now! I¡¯m literally high to the point of almost dying.." Qiao Mu constantly stirred his brain with his finger, causing blood to stter out.


    He copsed and died.


    Before long, another Qiao Mu emerged from the shadows and looked down at his own body.


    Death Assessment for this time: D (Do I have any idea how high or how low it is in my heart?)


    Lifespan consumed by death: 2 (1 multiplied by 2) years.


    Remaining resurrection attempts for this week: 2 out of 5.


    Current age: 165 years old.


    Health: 25%.


    Skills: Not specified.


    ¡­¡­¡­


    "So, dressing up as a character doesn¡¯t improve the Death Assessment, huh?"


    This time, when Qiao Mu died, it was like he aged two years in exchange for refreshing his body to its best uninjured state, and also obtaining a fresh corpse.


    He crouched down, cing his fingers on the forehead of his own corpse.


    His fingers moved like living creatures, the skin on the fingertips cracked on its own, connecting with the hole in Qiao Mu¡¯s corpse¡¯s head.


    After a moment, Qiao Mu stood up again, there was no longer a hole in his corpse¡¯s head, only a trace of blood remaining on the temple.


    Qiao Mu lowered his head to look at his fingers.


    His fingers became shriveled, as he had just put a piece of his own flesh into the hole in his corpse¡¯s head.


    This behavior was actually imitating Wu Qizheng¡¯s previous actions, but with different intentions.


    Wu Qizheng¡¯s original intention was only to heal, but Qiao Mu¡¯s current action¡­


    "Truly a mind-boggling sorcery." Qiao Mu¡¯s corpse crawled up from the ground, locking eyes with Qiao Mu and eximing in unison:


    "I am so strong."


    This is what Qiao Mu has achieved, the so-called "flesh clone."


    While pondering on the concept of "flesh clone," he suddenly had a creative idea:


    Instead of separating out a piece of flesh and hoping to control it with his mind, transforming it into a humanoid clone¡­ It would be better to just use his own fresh and intact corpse.


    The corpse was veryplete and fresh, just recently deceased, with most of the body organs still in an active state, not yet losing their vitality.


    The most important point is, this is Qiao Mu¡¯s own corpse.


    Isn¡¯t it better than splitting off a piece of flesh to transform into a clone?


    And so, Qiao Mu¡¯s "flesh clone" was achieved with a creative approach.


    Two bodies, one consciousness.


    And this clone hardly affects Qiao Mu¡¯s original power.


    He didn¡¯t have any physical damage or power dispersion because of this.


    However, it¡¯s ultimately a mentally exhausting maniption from a distance, just like a puppeteer manipting a puppet through invisible mental threads. The farther the distance, the more mental energy it consumes.


    Essentially, it¡¯s just a mass of flesh and blood controlled by Qiao Mu.


    While not as impressive as Sun Wukong¡¯s ability to transform his hair into monkeys, it can still be considered a form of general skill in creating clones.


    "Shape Changing Skill" is a technique created by Martial Saint and further perfected by Wu Qizheng.


    And Qiao Mu¡¯s flesh clone is a method derived from this technique.


    "Although it¡¯s a unique way to create a clone, even I feel that it¡¯s a bit unusual, at first nce it doesn¡¯t look like a martial art skill at all."


    "These modern methods of the Martial Saint indeed surpass the realm of ancient martial arts."


    Qiao Mu lied in this lonely city, but there was one thing he didn¡¯t lie about.


    In the forty years of the Inhuman War, there was indeed a tremendous change in the world of martial arts.


    Like the "Martial Saint Spiritual Technique" and "Flesh Changing Skill" by Martial Saint, or Hai Wuya¡¯s "Xumi Mountain King Sutra."


    Although Qiao Mu was not as talented in martial arts as Martial Saint or Hai Wuya, he had more than a hundred years of martial arts experience and had trained in a wide variety of martial arts, reaching advanced levels.


    He couldn¡¯t be the first-generation ancestor, but being a second-generation ancestor who could refine techniques and create new ones was more than enough.


    Afterpleting this scene, Qiao Mu nced at his own body, then began to subtly alter his appearance, changing the features on his face.


    "Next, it¡¯s time to go to the main battlefield."


    The two Qiao Mus, one in front and one behind, gradually walked away.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Inside the Great Dao Sect.


    Dao Zhen looked at the Message Jade Slip in his hand, which was emitting a faint light, and fell into deep thought.


    "Dao Ni is also dead, all three hundred of his bean general troops were wiped out, and it happened within a short period of time. This shows that the enemy¡¯s strength is far superior."


    "Dao Ni¡¯ transmission abruptly stopped. He was probably attacked by someone while in the middle of transmitting¡­"


    "Not only that, but the Qiao¡¯s family, who entered the ¡®Hundred-mile Desert¡¯, cannot be restrained by the big formation¡­ I have already informed Elder Qingyi, our sect leader, about this, but he is currently in the Imperial Capital and has not responded."


    Dao Zhen looked at the middle-aged deacon in front of him.


    This deacon was in charge of the Sect Secret Realm and was also responsible for rescuing disciples in the Secret Realm. At this moment, his expression became increasingly serious.


    Dao Shun made a major mistake, perhaps due to his carelessness or ipetence. He messed up big time.


    But such matters can only happen once and cannot be repeated.


    Dao Ni was well prepared and known for being careful. Even he had an ident, which indicated signs of the Immortal Gate losing control in the "Hundred-mile Desert" of the Sect Secret Realm.


    "I understand, I will take action," nodded the Secret Realm deacon.


    In fact, there was another person, Dao Xu, who entrusted him to act.


    But this was within his responsibilities, so it was appropriate for him to take action.


    The deacon was about to soar into the sky, but saw a beam of light descending from above, transforming into a white-browed old Taoist with a sinister expression.


    "You¡¯re going to take action? Are you rushing to your death?" said the cold-faced white-browed old Taoist.


    "Why is Elder Qingzhuo here too?" the deacon quickly bowed, feeling uncertain and surprised.


    This Elder Qingzhuo, like Elder Qingyi, was a figure of the same generation as the current sect leader. Even if the "Hundred-mile Desert" suddenly copsed, it probably wouldn¡¯t rm such important individuals, right?


    Why did Elder Qingzhuoe here? And from his tone, it seemed that he had some understanding of this matter?


    In the Secret Realm, Deacon looked unconsciously to the side at Dao Zhen.


    "How did Uncle Qingzhuoe?" Dao Zhen¡¯s eyebrows twitched.


    "Your master has been busy recently, busy with the task of conquering and dividing thend," said Taoist Qingzhuo.


    "King Qin has already gained power, and next is the task of conquering and dividing thend, establishing another Earthly Immortal Kingdom within the Zhong Province."


    "However, this matter couldn¡¯t be kept a secret from the other Eight Immortal Gates. Aside from the Nan Province Xuantian Sect, which suffered losses before, the other Eight Immortal Gates will probably follow the lead of our Great Dao Sect and establish Earthly Immortal Kingdoms in various states, while the Immortal Gate will remain hidden behind the scenes¡­"


    Since thest incident, Xuantian Sect has suffered a big hidden loss, even our sect¡¯s treasured "Tianwu Mirror" was taken away.


    Although our foundation is still there and the other Eight Immortal Gates dare not go too far, we are already starting to fall behind the other Eight Immortal Gates.


    "One step wrong, all steps wrong. Xuantian Sect¡¯s greed is the cause of this disaster."


    Taoist Qingzhuo sneered a few times and continued:


    Although this matter is ordinary, it is also crucial to the Immortal Gate¡¯s n. Taoist Qingzhuo, unable to attend, informed me about this.


    "He is shrewd, calcting that I would not refuse¡­"


    "Could it be because of Qiao¡¯s family? Qiao¡¯s family cannot be trapped by the big formation, which is very suspicious," Dao Zhen quickly said.


    He has always been interested in Qiao¡¯s family. The more he secretly observes, the more he feels that they are extraordinary.


    And the matter of the solitary city is rted to his origin, so he has always been concerned about it.


    That solitary city in the desert should be destroyed. The forty-year tragic story has no meaning. It¡¯s better to end it early and find peace in the grave. It can be considered a good deed.


    Continuing on this path leads to nowhere, only causing more torment.


    However, when Dao Zhen said this, Taoist Qingzhuo couldn¡¯t help butugh.


    "Dao Zhen, your perspective is still shallow," Taoist Qingzhuo chuckled without saying anything.


    "An ordinary person who cannot be captured¡­ Although this matter is strange, it¡¯s not enough to make mee over. After all, he is just an ordinary person."


    "Does Senior Qingzhuo mean that he knows why the formation cannot capture souls?" Dao Zhen asked.


    "There are only two possibilities," Taoist Qingzhuo casually said:


    "Either the Qiao family is not an ordinary person with aplete soul, but a strange and soulless creature¡­"


    "Or it could be the work of other powerful beings¡­ even the influence of ancient gods is possible. For example, some ordinary people who believe in ancient gods and demons have contaminated souls, so the soul-capturing formation is notparable to them."


    "Although these things are rare, they are not unheard of, and they wouldn¡¯t make me personallye over¡­"


    Taoist Qingzhuo didn¡¯t pay much attention to these details. Obviously, what startled him was not the matter of Qiao¡¯s family that Dao Zhen mentioned, which cannot be captured.


    "Does Senior intend to take action personally?" Dao Zhen eximed.


    He originally thought that asking the Secret Realm deacon would be enough, but he didn¡¯t expect this matter to also startle the elders of the Immortal Gate, who are on the same level as his master.


    He knew that among the elders of the Immortal Gate who established the Great Formation forty years ago, there was Taoist Qingzhuo.

 Chapter 209:

    Chapter 209:


    On the sandy battlefield in front of the gate of the Lonely City.


    Earth Sword Immortal stood in front of the blood-stained sand dune, looking at the torn and fragmented body of the old man, who had been shed by more than ten Taoist soldiers. He remained silent for a long time.


    After Captain Hai and the other old soldiers had ovee their initial shock, they looked at the back of Earth Sword Immortal withplex expressions.


    Earth Sword Immortal¡¯s thoughts could not be understood by his own brother, Lu Yanbei, let alone them.


    But regardless of his true intentions, since Earth Sword Immortal had joined the battle, Captain Hai naturally represented the remaining surviving soldiers on the battlefield to express their gratitude to him.


    As for the words with a hint of moral pressure like, "If you had intervened earlier, the old soldiers might not have been injured or killed¡­" the old soldiers were not naive kids and naturally wouldn¡¯t say it out loud.


    Although they wouldn¡¯t say it out loud, this kind of thought did asionally cross their minds¡­ It¡¯s just human nature.


    After showcasing his strength, Earth Sword Immortal surprised the old soldiers and nted simr thoughts in their minds.


    Earth Sword Immortal¡¯s reputation was still well-known, especially among the military and civilians of this isted city.During the forty years of the Inhuman War, Jiu Province experienced great changes. The heroes on the Tide Listening Building Hero List vanished, and the list was abolished. After forty years, only the name of Martial Saint remained in Jiu Province, with no mention of Earth Sword Immortal or the other ten individuals.


    However, the military and civilians in this isted city were all remnants from forty years ago. In their time, Earth Sword Immortal, as the leading martial artist, had a reputation that surpasses even Martial Saint, who was a top-ranking official in the court.


    Being an ordinary martial artist in the era of the Nine Immortal Gates, being called Earth Sword Immortal by martial artists was extraordinary and brought high expectations from ordinary people.


    "Respected senior Earth Sword Immortal." Storyteller irvoyance, with a hint of respect in his tone, also stepped onto the battlefield at this moment.


    "Even though the inhuman bean soldiers have been in, there should still be at least one inhuman hiding in the shadows. This matter is not yet resolved¡­" irvoyance pondered how to convince Earth Sword Immortal to take action and hunt down the inhuman.


    irvoyance was now on the same boat as the old soldiers and naturally cared about his own and everyone¡¯s safety.


    After secretly passing on Dao Ni¡¯s location to Qiao Ruosen, he had expected Qiao Ruosen to make a desperate escape from the battlefield and attack Dao Ni.


    Unexpectedly, Qiao Ruosen was already on hisst breath and soon after he transmitted his message, he died of exhaustion.


    After Qiao Ruosen¡¯s death, the situation in the battle was clearly at a disadvantage. Storyteller irvoyance believed she was doomed and had no time to worry about Dao Ni hiding in the dark.


    If there was anyone left on the battlefield with enough strength to chase after Dao Ni, it was clearly only Earth Sword Immortal.


    Just as the words were spoken, irvoyance¡¯s gaze became fixed and she suddenly sensed something, looking towards a direction.


    Behind the sand dunes in the distance, two figures were quickly running towards them, one in front and one behind.


    Both figures appeared very old, with vaguely simr features, as if they were brothers, and bore some resemnce to thete Qiao Ruosen.


    "Could it be the Qiao¡¯s family?"


    The thought crossed the minds of irvoyance and the others.


    In the Hundred-mile Desert, there were very few outsiders, but recently several members of the Qiao¡¯s family had entered, seemingly having a grasp on how to enter the formation.


    "My name is Qiao Zhuosen Qiao Ruosen. I am the younger brother in my family. The two of us have already killed the inhuman Taoist soldier who was controlling us, but unfortunately, it was toote."


    Qiao Mu looked at his body, which was already broken into pieces on the sand dunes, with an unmistakable expression of regret in his eyes.


    irvoyance showed a surprised expression, actually having already guessed vaguely that Qiao¡¯s family had simr secret methods like the Jade Slip of the Immortal Cultivators, which couldmunicate across space.


    Now that two more members of Qiao¡¯s family appeared, it also confirmed his suspicion.


    At this time, an elderly member of the Qiao family behind Qiao Mu also stepped forward, carrying a blood-stained storage bag in their hand.


    Dao Ni¡¯ body had already twisted and deformed, so it wasn¡¯t brought along, but the storage bag was enough proof of Dao Ni¡¯ death.


    Since Dao Ni was already dead, that meant this matter hade to an end.


    The people on the battlefield rxed slightly, and Captain Hai approached.


    "Are you Mr. Qiao Zhuosen? Then may I know what to call this person behind Qiao Mu?" Captain Hai looked at the elderly member of the Qiao family.


    When these words were spoken, everyone couldn¡¯t help but look to the side.


    Before, there were two brothers named Qiao Shuangsen and Qiao Ruosen, and now another brother named Qiao Zhuosen has appeared.


    These two people look simr and are brothers. The older brother¡¯s name is Qiao Zhuosen, so the question is, what should the younger brother be called?


    "Qiao Xiaoming," said the elder of the Qiao family seriously.


    Both sides briefly exchanged information about the situation of the battle.


    However, what surprised Qiao Mu was that Captain Hai and the others didn¡¯t dig deep and ask too many questions, such as how Qiao Mu and the other person entered and why there were two of them¡­ these small details.


    This is because their attention was actually focused on another person.


    Earth Sword Immortal.


    Earth Sword Immortal¡¯s actions today did indeed surprise them, so much so that the appearance of the two elder Qiao family members didn¡¯t steal much of their attention.


    And at this moment, Earth Sword Immortal also noticed themotion and walked over.


    "Is it Qiao¡¯s family again?" Earth Sword Immortal walked over, his eyes lighting up when he saw Qiao Mu and the others.


    "Do you guys know the Iron Crotch Skill too?"


    "Of course," Qiao Mu replied.


    The Iron Crotch Skill is actually just a simple and widely spread martial arts technique, nothing fancy or extraordinary.


    If the Long Life Fist is considered high-level martial arts, then the Iron Crotch Skill can only be considered a low-level technique.


    But what¡¯s extraordinary is that Qiao¡¯s family has taken this low-level technique to an unprecedented level of mastery.


    In a way, it¡¯s not necessarily the Iron Crotch Skill itself that is impressive, but rather the fact that Qiao¡¯s family has taken it to an unprecedented level.


    Upon hearing this, Earth Sword Immortal couldn¡¯t help but be intrigued.


    "I see! I feel a strong connection with both of you. I would be honored to be brothers with you and learn and share martial arts together¡­"


    "Yannan, are you ever going to stop? Is it time for teasing now?" Lu Yanbei walked over and assumed his older brother¡¯s stance.


    "Let¡¯s follow the rules of seniority. I am talking to Fourth Brother, so please don¡¯t interrupt, Fifth Brother." Earth Sword Immortal¡¯s face turned slightly pale and his breathing became a bit heavier in the middle of his words.


    "Are you injured?" Lu Yanbei asked, surprised.


    Just now, he saw his own younger brother sweeping through the enemies, disying an invincible presence thatpletely exceeded his expectations. He had not noticed when his brother got injured.


    "How could those small fries hurt me?" Earth Sword Immortal said calmly.


    "I¡¯ve just exhausted my internal strength a bit too much, that¡¯s all."


    "It¡¯s already good enough if my internal strength hasn¡¯t beenpletely wasted after decades of not practicing."


    "Exhausted internal strength?" Lu Yanbei was confused for a moment.


    The Earth Sword Immortal just defeated more than 200 bean generals effortlessly, without even drawing his sword. He simply pointed his finger, and his enemies were no match for him.


    Even his older brother thought that his younger brother¡¯s strength was far beyond imagination, but in reality, it took a great toll on him.


    But when you think about it, it makes sense.


    The two brothers were born from the same mother and are both 87 years old.


    Although the Earth Sword Immortal practices the Pure Yang Wuji Skill, a martial arts technique from the Wudang Sect, his inner energy is not very profound because he lost his vitality at an early age and didn¡¯t train during his childhood.


    What¡¯s even more important is that he has been living in this city for thirty years without aplishing much.


    The level of proficiency in martial arts is different from the level of one¡¯s martial arts realm.


    The depth of one¡¯s skill, or their internal strength, depends on the techniques they practice and the umtion and perseverance over the years.


    The Earth Sword Immortal was already the number one in the world forty years ago, but that is now just a thing of the past.


    Practicing martial arts is like rowing against the current. If you don¡¯t move forward, you will fall behind. After thirty years of negligence, you will have to bear the consequences of declining skills.


    "I told you to train diligently earlier¡­ Otherwise, how could it end up like this?" Lu Yanbei said helplessly.


    "This is called the breath of a hero," Earth Sword Immortal said confidently.


    "Can someone be called a hero if they are not breathless?"


    "Besides, we don¡¯t even have time to train." Earth Sword Immortal said calmly.


    "Elder Qingzhuo from the Great Dao Sect is probably already on his way. The destruction of this isted city will happen today. Why bother training?"


    Earth Sword Immortal seemed to know a lot, but he never revealed it to others on ordinary days.


    It was only at this moment, when everyone was rarely rxing after the battle, that Earth Sword Immortal suddenly revealed it, causing Captain Hai and the others to be startled.


    "Earth Sword Immortal, what is the meaning behind your words?" Captain Hai asked with a furrowed brow.


    Barely surviving the bloody battle, but now finding out that there are even stronger enemiesing, and suddenly jumping to the level of Elder Qingzhuo from Immortal Gate?


    "As a simple martial artist, I actually only have a vague understanding of the internal situation of Great Dao Sect," exined Earth Sword Immortal.


    "This Elder Qingzhuo is said to be a cultivator of the same generation as the Great Dao Sect sect leader. As an elder of the sect, his status should be only below the sect leader and a few other high-ranking elders."


    An elder at the top level of one of the Nine Immortal Gates¡­


    Captain Hai felt a bitter sourness in his heart, and his heartstrings tensed once again.


    His doubts grew, as he looked at Earth Sword Immortal¡¯s peculiar behavior, but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to ask a single question.


    "It seems like you know a lot about Immortal Gate," Qiao Mu also asked.


    Earth Sword Immortal, who had been walking slowly towards the city gate, responded to Qiao Mu¡¯s question with a counter-question:


    "Why does Third Brother think I came to this lonely city?"


    "Was it because of hiding from Martial Saint?" Lu Yanbei blurted out.


    Qiao Mu was tricked into Great Dao Sect by Dao Zhen, a disciple, using cunning tactics, and Lu Yanbei was too.


    But Earth Sword Immortal? Obviously, there was another reason.


    "Martial Saint? I am indeed hiding from him," Earth Sword Immortal admitted candidly.


    "The Martial Saint from forty years ago wasn¡¯t qualified to challenge me."


    "As for thirty years ago, I didn¡¯t want to determine life and death with the Martial Saint."


    When the two shed, one would surely die. The victor would be the Martial Saint, bearing the responsibility of eleven top-notch martial arts experts.


    Earth Sword Immortal didn¡¯t want to bear the responsibility.


    Although he believed that his strength surpassed that of the Martial Saint at the time, he had already started to deteriorate thirty years ago.


    The top Spirit Refining martial artist¡¯s battle was not just about techniques, but also a sh of spirits.


    Since Earth Sword Immortal didn¡¯t want to take responsibility, it meant that he no longer had the desire topete against Martial Saint.


    A swordsman without the desire topete, even if their skill level was high, might not be able to fully disy it.


    To fight for life and death against someone like Martial Saint, losing the desire topete would be a huge weakness.


    "But that¡¯s a different matter. If I wanted to avoid Martial Saint, why would Ie to this isted city?"


    Earth Sword Immortal entered the city gate and walked towards the old Taoist temple, talking as he walked,pletely ignoring the gaze of others.


    "Do you remember, this isted city is not a ce where no one has ever left?"


    "There was once a child in this city named Gu Zhen, who had a rare Heavenly Spirit Root. Because of this, Great Dao Sect Elder Qingyi took him as a disciple and took him out of this prison."


    "As for me, thirty years ago, I was just a prisoner captured by Taoist Qingzhuo and brought here."


    "Thirty years ago, that old guy Qingzhuo told me that I was naturally gifted with sword skills and he wanted me to cut off worldly ties and join the Immortal Gate."


    "How did you respond then?" Lu Yanbei asked anxiously.


    He knew that his little brother was cold-hearted by nature. If he really became a cultivator, he would probably be a huge disaster for the Jiu Province.


    And cutting off worldly ties¡­ wasn¡¯t his elder brother, Earth Sword Immortal, part of those worldly ties?


    "At that time, I told that old guy Qingzhuo, ¡®You are just a seed of the sword, your whole family is a seed of the sword.¡¯"


    "Then I was imprisoned in this city," Earth Sword Immortal continued.


    "That old guy muttered to himself, saying that he wanted me to personally witness the difference between immortals and mortals, to see the weakness of mortals, and then cut off worldly ties and eventually join the Immortal Gate."


    "Qingzhuo left a restriction inside me. If I assist the old soldiers of this city, he wille and kill all the soldiers and civilians of this city."


    Captain Hai felt a chill in his heart upon hearing this.


    If Earth Sword Immortal is a good person, then he might worry about this and witness the deaths of tens of thousands of soldiers over thirty years, while Earth Sword Immortal, who is famous but has never fought, will surely be criticized by the whole city.


    Thirty years have passed, and Earth Sword Immortal, who has witnessed the life and death, sacrifices, love, and hatred of mortal beings, will he, as Elder Qingzhuo thought, cut off worldly bonds and join the Immortal Gate?


    "Are you enduring the criticism of the entire city for thirty years without drawing your sword because of this?" Lu Yanbei couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    Captain Hai, who was beside him, still didn¡¯t like Earth Sword Immortal, but he listened quietly, with fluctuating emotions in his heart.


    "Don¡¯t be too impressed with yourself," Earth Sword Immortal said lightly.


    "Using the lives of others to threaten me, I find such a foolish thingughable."


    As long as he has morals, no one can kidnap him.


    Earth Sword Immortal observed the sacrifices of the remaining soldiers in the city for thirty years, feeling puzzled and unable to understand their actions.


    However, he didn¡¯t choose to join the Immortal Gate like Elder Qingzhuo did, but made a third choice.


    He started directly.


    Earth Sword Immortal didn¡¯t help the old soldiers in the city, nor did he try to escape the isted city. Instead, he stayed and carved stone statues in the Taoist temple. Thirty years passed in a sh.


    "Since I have made a move today, that old Qingzhuo guy will probablye soon."


    "So, today is indeed your final battle, because from now on, this city will be history," said Earth Sword Immortal calmly.


    Captain Hai and the others felt a chill in their hearts, only Lu Yanbei still had some expectations for Earth Sword Immortal.


    He still had some understanding of his younger brother.


    These thirty years were a waste.


    But since he made a move today, it must mean that he has already made some kind of decision in his heart.

 Chapter 210 (1)

    Chapter 210 (1)


    "After today, this city will be history." Earth Sword Immortal¡¯s tone was calm, as if he was casually chatting.


    He remained calm; he had known the truth of the matter early on, but didn¡¯t disclose it to others. He had been silently observing in the isted city for thirty years.


    In a sense, he truly was a person with an unwavering heart.


    He didn¡¯t take Taoist Qingzhuo¡¯s threats to heart, nor did he care about being imprisoned in this cage. He only spent his days carving stone statues.


    Over the course of thirty years, the remaining soldiers of Great Yan gradually dwindled, leaving only half the city¡¯s women and children. Even their sacrifices couldn¡¯t truly move Earth Sword Immortal; he simply observed from the sidelines.


    However, Lu Yanbei still held hope for him.


    "So, how do you n to proceed? Since you¡¯re well aware that Taoist Qingzhuo ising, you surely won¡¯t just wait around, will you?" Lu Yanbei asked.


    "Why, Brother Five, do you still hold on to the hope that things will turn out in my favor?" Earth Sword Immortal said helplessly.


    "Thirty years ago, I was no match for Taoist Qingzhuo, otherwise I wouldn¡¯t have been imprisoned in this cage.""As for now, I have wasted thirty years, and even the strength of killing more than two hundred bean generals has weakened. How can I oppose Taoist Qingzhuo?"


    Captain Hai and the others felt their hearts grow cold when they heard it.


    They had only heard of the strength of Earth Sword Immortal before, but this was the first time they had witnessed him in action.


    It can only be said that there are no weak warriors under a famous name. Even after thirty years of decline in his power and vitality, the old Earth Sword Immortal still had an invincible presence.


    Thirty years ago, Earth Sword Immortal was fifty-seven years old. Although he had entered his middle-aged years, as the leading martial artist practicing Pure Yang Wuji Skill, he was not weaker when he was in his prime.


    Martial arts can be categorized into internal and external skills. Although Pure Yang Wuji Skill is not a specialized internal martial art like "Long Life Fist Sutra," it is still one of the top ancient martial arts. With Earth Sword Immortal¡¯s martial arts attainment, it is not surprising that he maintains his strength in his fifties and sixties.


    Even at his peak, Earth Sword Immortal was defeated by Taoist Qingzhuo, let alone now.


    Captain Hai and the others personally witnessed the strength of the old Earth Sword Immortal, so they knew how incredibly powerful he was.


    However, at this moment, Qiao Mu interrupted.


    "If your strength is weakened, your internal strength iscking, how about I help you?" Qiao Mu said seriously.


    "I heard that in the Strength List of the Tide Listening Building, there is a special martial arts family called the Xue family."


    "The Xue family never lives past the age of fifty, so before reaching their limit, they pass down their lifelong cultivation skills to the next generation. Therefore, the next family leader possesses extremely deep internal strength."


    "I also practice Pure Yang Wuji Skill, which has the same source of power as you. If I pass on my strength to you, do you have confidence?"


    Captain Hai and the others showed surprise, but they were notpletely unexpected.


    Even though the Qiao¡¯s family was meeting for the first time, Qiao Shuangsen and Qiao Ruosen had already left a deep impression on the people of this city.


    Qiao Zhuosen also showed this selfless attitude, which actually aligned with their understanding of the Qiao¡¯s family.


    However, Storyteller irvoyance shook his head.


    "Elder Lao, passing on strength is not that simple."


    If someone keeps "putting others before themselves" in their heart, they will be able to achieve the highest level of martial arts, inherited from a hundred thousand warriors, in this lonely city.


    The Jiu Province outside is the same.


    If martial arts can be easily passed on to the next generation, then there would be countless Xue families in the martial world.


    Anyway, before the old man¡¯s lifees to an end, they can pass on their martial arts to the next generation.


    "There is only one Xue family in the martial world," irvoyance said.


    "This is actually because the Xue family is very special, with a unique physique and a special method of transferring martial arts, which is difficult for others to replicate."


    "Besides the Xue family, there is actually a Martial Saint who excels in this."


    "The Xue family actively transfers their martial arts to the younger generation, while the Martial Saint uses the Martial Saint Spiritual Technique to absorb the internal strength of others and absorb the ¡®spirit¡¯ of a Spirit Refining martial artist. This is forcefully taking the achievements of others to enhance their own martial arts."


    Generally speaking, whether it is absorbing the martial arts of others or actively transferring martial arts, there are significant limitations.


    The process of transmitting power is not without loss, and even if sessful, it may not necessarily be a good thing.


    Eating ten kilograms of fatty pork will not make you gain ten kilograms of weight.


    However, if your power bes mixed and chaotic, it will actually hinder your progress in martial arts, like cutting off your own future.


    "Absorbing internal strength is just a small way," Earth Sword Immortal also said.


    "Why not be more direct and just eat people?" he casually remarked.


    "The essence of the Martial Saint Spiritual Technique lies in spiritual refining, rather than simply absorbing internal strength. The Martial Saint achieves the pinnacle of the Spiritual Refining Method through this method. If he is still alive after thirty years, his attainment in spiritual refining is unrivaled," he said.


    "Moreover, Third Brother, although your power is profound, your level is slightly lower," Earth Sword Immortal bluntly stated.


    "You have already umted enough quantity, but for now, you are still at the 3rd rank."


    "Although both of us practice the Pure Yang Wuji Skill, we can¡¯t generalize¡­ Third Brother, what do you think is the rank of my martial artist level?"


    After thinking for a long time, Qiao Mu, who was the best martial artist, killed someone in the Imperial Capital.


    Although there is a difference in strength among the best ranked martial artists, the difference between Qin Shiqing and Earth Sword Immortal is huge.


    "Does that mean Qiao Mu is ranked below the best?" Qiao Mu guessed.


    Earth Sword Immortal immediatelyughed and looked at Qiao Mu strangely.


    "Actually, it can be called¡­ a superb rank."


    "Among all the martial artists in the world, they are divided into nine different ranks. But who determines these ranks?"


    "By following the ranking system of the ninth rank officials, martial artists are divided into three, six, and nine ranks. Each first-ranked martial artist is awarded an official position and can join the army to receive the corresponding sry¡­"


    "It¡¯s the imperial court that divides the ranks of martial artists," Earth Sword Immortal exined with a smile.


    "So, within the Great Yan Imperial Court, is a first-ranked official considered the most top-ranking and influential person?"


    "That¡¯s not true."


    "Being a 1st rank official is indeed a prominent position in the government, but there are also people in Great Yan who have even more power and influence than 1st rank officials."


    "For example, the queen, the former emperor, and the prince are important members of the royal family and naturally hold high positions."


    "For example, the feudal lords whomand powerful armies."


    "And even the emperor of Great Yan himself."


    The position of a 1st ranked martial artist in the martial arts world is simr to that of a high-ranking official in the court.


    "Although 1st rank is high, it is still within the control of the Great Yan Imperial Court. A 1st ranked martial artist is also mortal and cannot face thousands of people alone. They are not opponents of the imperial army," said Earth Sword Immortal.


    "On the other hand, the so-called superb rank surpasses the hierarchical system set by the court and refers to martial artists who are beyond the control of the Great Yan Imperial Court."


    "Forty years ago, there were only ten superb rank martial artists in the world, which were the top ten on the Tide Listening Building Hero List in the past."


    Storyteller irvoyance nodded in agreement.


    Forty years ago, Martial Saint was the eleventh person below the superb rank, and could be considered the strongest below the superb rank.


    "The reason it¡¯s called superb rank instead of something like zero rank or negative first rank is because it is already the forefront of martial arts today, with no further paths ahead," irvoyance nced at Earth Sword Immortal and added.


    "asionally, there are a few geniuses who, even if they can surpass the first rank, have not found aplete martial arts path for future generations to follow, so there are only a few scattered superb rank individuals."


    The highest level of the martial artist¡¯s path is the first rank.


    Just like in Qiao Mu¡¯s previous life, the national team was already the best group of people in a certain sport, and the most outstanding could win championships.


    But championse every year, it is the athletes who can break world records and push the limits of human capabilities that represent the ceiling of the sport.


    The national team can select and train from arge number of athletes, but athletes who can break world records are rare and hard to find.


    Earth Sword Immortal has long been at the superb rank, so his internal strength cannot bepared to Qiao Mu¡¯s.


    "In the current martial arts world, the one with the most hope to create a path for future generations to follow is the Martial Saint, who pioneered the modern method. Even though he has passed away, there is still a Wuji Association behind him," said irvoyance.


    Although the Martial Saint imed to be a saint, he indeed possessed extraordinary insight into people and the ability to teach others.


    During the Martial Saint¡¯s youth, he met Hai Wuya and recognized his exceptional talents. He guided Hai Wuya to practice martial arts at the Shaolin Temple, which ultimately led him to be the Minister of Rites through a shortcut in Mount Zhongnan.


    The Martial Saint had three thousand disciples and seventy-two wise men, all of whom were extraordinary individuals.


    As the story progresses, the group arrives at the entrance of the Earth Sword Immortal¡¯s residence, a Taoist temple.


    Before entering, they heard a meowing sound. A small cat with its belly almost touching the ground appeared on the street, standing still in front of Qiao Mu.


    Ever since Qiao Mu caught the cat in the courtyard and yed with it, it no longer hid in his shadow. Instead, it roamed around the city like an ordinary stray cat, and Qiao Mu rarely saw it.


    This time seemed no different. After Qiao Mu miraculously came back to life twice, the cat sensed the smell of death and approached.


    However, when the little cat darted over and saw Qiao Mu and Qiao Xiaoming among the crowd, its pupils contracted, revealing a wise expression. It stood there, dumbfounded.


    The cat sniffed the invisible and intangible smell of death and began to suspect that the cat had given birth, as it looked back and forth at the two simr-looking families of Qiao.


    What is death, what is life, and why are there two?


    When the cat stood motionless, Qiao Mu took the opportunity to grab it by the back of its neck and held it in his hand.


    On the other hand, Earth Sword Immortal next to them nced at the mysterious cat, intentionally or unintentionally.


    Nothing in the city could escape his sight, and naturally he knew about the demonic cat that could hide in Qiao Mu¡¯s shadow.


    "But let¡¯s get back to the point," said Earth Sword Immortal calmly:


    "Taoist Qingzhuo will arrive in this city today, so we should also leave."


    "Staying here would be a dead end."


    Captain Hai and the others were momentarily surprised.


    "Do you have a way to break the Immortal Gate formation?" Captain Hai asked urgently.


    "There is naturally no way to crack the formation, otherwise why would I stay here?" Earth Sword Immortal casually replied.


    In reality, Qiao Mu, who was highly expected by the people in the city, still had no way to leave this isted city.


    Before entering the city, Qiao Mu left a mark of the Long Life Lock in a town outside Anxi Pass, so that if he died, he could choose to revive outside.


    However, Qiao Mu naturally didn¡¯t have a way to bring out the military and civilians of the isted city and break the Immortal Gate formation.


    He just followed the agreement with Captain Hai and concocted a beautiful lie for the people in the city, since the city was already at a critical juncture of life and death.


    He only had a vague idea in his heart, which was to die multiple times and perhaps one day break through the formation through sheer force.


    And Earth Sword Immortal also had his own thoughts.


    "Yannan, what is your confidence in facing Taoist Qingzhuo?" Lu Yanbei asked with a furrowed brow.


    "Twenty percent."


    "Only twenty percent?"


    "Currently, we still have a twenty percent chance. If we continue to dy, we will lose even that twenty percent certainty," Earth Sword Immortal said lightly.


    From the moment he stepped forward to help his older brother Lu Yanbei, he had anticipated a rematch with Taoist Qingzhuo.


    In this world, there is no such thing as a foolproof n like Zhuge Liang. The so-called percentage of certainty is just a subjective idea. The situation in battle changes in an instant, and no one can see clearly.


    "Come with me to the backyard."


    The backyard?


    Lu Yanbei and Captain Hai exchanged nces.


    Ever since Earth Sword Immortal took control of this Taoist temple, the backyard has been off-limits to everyone. No one knows what he is hiding there.


    Before, Qiao Mu guessed that there might be stone sculptures inside without clothes. Now, thinking about it, it seems really unreliable¡­ Could it be that Earth Sword Immortal thinks Taoist Qingzhuo ising and invited Qiao Mu and them to join a party with stone people in the backyard?


    Earth Sword Immortal lifted his feet and stepped into this dpidated old Taoist temple.

 Chapter 210 (2)

    Chapter 210 (2)


    The courtyard was almost filled with fallen leaves, making a creaking sound when stepped on.


    Three or five damaged Immortal Statues leaned against the ground, half buried in the soil.


    A carving knife used for sculpting was casually ced on the stone steps in front of the main hall, while inside the main hall, the altar was piled with dozens of lifelike stone sculptures of beautiful women.


    Crossing the main hall, they pushed open the tightly closed door.


    Finally, the back yard that had always been inessible came into view for Qiao Mu and the others.


    Indeed, in his back yard, just as Qiao Mu had expected, it was filled with stone statues everywhere.


    However, the types of statues were different from what he had imagined.


    There was a stone sword carved in the shape of a sword, nted into the ground. The most eye-catching thing was a grand stone carved ancient city.


    The stone carved city was grand and exquisite, with streets and houses. When Qiao Mu looked at it, he felt a strange sense of familiarity."Is this the stone carving of this city? Why did you carve it?" Captain Hai asked, filled with astonishment and uncertainty.


    Having lived in this city for forty years, he naturally recognized it at first nce.


    "Just for passing the time." Earth Sword Immortal gently stretched out his hand and pointed. The miniature stone city rose from the ground, quickly shrinking in the air, and finally floated in the palm of Earth Sword Immortal¡¯s hand, supported lightly by him.


    Captain Hai and the others were greatly shocked. Even though they had witnessed Earth Sword Immortal¡¯s extraordinary techniques effortlessly killing two hundred bean generals, they still found it unbelievable.


    Especially irvoyance, a knowledgeable storyteller, couldn¡¯t help but say:


    "This is not a martial arts technique at all! Even with the modern methods of martial arts after forty years, this can¡¯t be achieved."


    "That¡¯s right, this is a technique of the immortal path." Earth Sword Immortal calmly looked at the floating Stone City in his palm and said lightly:


    "I am Earth Sword Immortal, why should I bow to Immortal Gate? I can also ascend the path of immortality."


    Earth Sword Immortal was the leading martial artist forty years ago.


    Surprisingly, the previous generation¡¯s leading martial artist had secretly started cultivating immortality at some point.


    Lu Yanbei suddenly nced at his younger brother¡¯s face, only realizing itter.


    They were twin brothers from the same mother, actually the same age.


    However, Lu Yanbei appeared elderly, truly being an old man over eighty.


    Earth Sword Immortal Lu Yannan, on the other hand, only had gray hair, with no wrinkles on his face, still looking like a charming middle-aged man.


    Lu Yanbei didn¡¯t think about it much in his daily life.


    Because Earth Sword Immortal had much greater power than him, he thought that Earth Sword Immortal¡¯s profound skills made him look younger, but he didn¡¯t expect this twist.


    A sessful monk can stay young forever, but that is different from the immortal life that people long for.


    The physical appearance of an immortal cultivator is only an expression of their soul.


    In other words, the appearance of a cultivator¡¯s body reflects the nature of their soul.


    If the heart grows old, then it is old age. If the heart stays young, it shows as evesting youth.


    Of course, there are exceptions. For instance, in the world of immortality, there are techniques such as illusions and shapeshifting. Some female cultivators also take special elixirs to maintain their youthful appearance.


    Therefore, it is impossible to determine the true age of a sessful cultivator based on their appearance alone.


    "When did you start cultivating the immortal path? Was it before entering the city, or after? Could it be that your ability to rival Taoist Qingzhuo from the Great Dao Sect is because of your proficiency in these immortal techniques?" Lu Yanbei blurted out his doubts.


    "No, it is impossible topete with that old man Qingzhuo solely through cultivation. Earth Sword Immortal stated frankly,


    "Even I would need to cultivate for hundreds or even thousands of years to have a chance at catching up to him in the realm of immortality."


    Taoist Qingzhuo was not an ordinary immortal cultivator. He was an elder of the Nine Immortal Gates Great Dao Sect, with a respected status and strong abilities. He was well-known in the entire cultivation world.


    Even a talented wandering cultivator who didn¡¯t join an Immortal Gate would not be able topete with them in a short period of time.


    As an elder of the Nine Immortal Gates, he had excellent treasures, techniques, and spells. On the other hand, Earth Sword Immortal was just a prisoner trapped in the Hundred-mile Desert, in a worse situation than an ordinary wandering cultivator.


    Without any external opportunities, it was impossible topete with Qingzhuo.


    "My cultivation is just a small attempt, not worth mentioning."


    Although Earth Sword Immortal imed it wasn¡¯t worth mentioning, his voice unintentionally became louder and echoed in the distance.


    He cultivated not for immortality, but because he had the idea of escaping from this city in the beginning.


    Later, he realized that his unconventional methods were not a match for Taoist Qingzhuo, and that he couldn¡¯t rely on his own cultivation to break the Immortal Gate¡¯s formation. So, he continued to wallow in despair.


    The hope of opposing Taoist Qingzhuo through cultivation was even more unlikely than the hope of martial arts training.


    And the stone city in his hands is actually a magical treasure that he refined using immortal techniques.


    In the first twenty years, some of the cultivators from the Immortal Gate actually fell, but it was very rare.


    After the cultivators died in battle, Earth Sword Immortal secretly stole the storage bag from the military camp in the city, obtaining some of the teachings of the Immortal Gate.

 Chapter 211:

    Chapter 211:


    In the first twenty years of the Inhuman War, there were still Inhumans dying at the hands of both the military and the civilians in the city.


    However, since the Vice General Li Changge, who served under the Martial Saint in the past, died in battle twenty years ago, there haven¡¯t been any Inhumans dying inbat.


    Not only that, but in the following twenty years, Captain Hai and the others rarely saw the true form of the Inhumans. Most of the time, they were fighting against Taoist soldiers called "paper men," who came and went like waves.


    In the past forty years, the Inhumans that were lost in the hands of the remaining soldiers in the isted city were only the early-stage cultivators of Foundation Building. Therefore, the immortal techniques that Earth Sword Immortal stole were naturally limited.


    So, in fact, Earth Sword Immortal¡¯s path in the Immortal Dao was not very smooth. It was just a means he tried when he attempted to escape from this prison.


    He may have reached a high cultivation level, but his methods in the Immortal Dao were actually inferior to those of the Nine Immortal Gates cultivators at the same level, not to mentionparing with Taoist Qingzhuo.


    This was a path that Earth Sword Immortal gave up on. The only two achievements were to show off in front of Qiao Mu and the others, and to possess this Stone City in his hands at this moment.


    Stone City was a treasure that Earth Sword Immortal refined using the alchemy methods he learned from the Nine Immortal Gates. The only two functions of this treasure were to erge and shrink, and to contain an inner space like a storage bag.


    And this is the reason why he took out this city.Stone City spins in the palm of Earth Sword Immortal, floating in the air with his thoughts.


    "Qingzhuo ising, and you, Wu Ge, are too weak, too weak to look at," Earth Sword Immortal said bluntly.


    "When two powerful warriors like us fight, mountains crumble, the earth splits, and sand and stones fly. The great path itself is at risk of being destroyed. But you, Wu Ge, are too weak, you don¡¯t even have the qualification to be shocked on the sidelines. I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t be able to withstand the aftermath," he continued.


    Lu Yanbei: ¡­


    "So, juste in, don¡¯t make trouble for me," Earth Sword Immortal pointed his finger, and an invisible force captured Lu Yanbei and flew towards the stone city floating in his palm.


    "Wait¡­" Lu Yanbei only then realized what Earth Sword Immortal intended to do and without thinking, he said:


    "Yan Nan, there are still half of the elderly in the city. Protecting me alone is one thing, but protecting them is another. Why not let them in as well?"


    Earth Sword Immortal slightly frowned, feeling a little impatient.


    He didn¡¯t care about the life or death of others, but when he remembered Lu Yanbei fighting to death with the old soldiers on the battlefield, his heart softened.


    He didn¡¯t argue, just nodded slightly.


    "Are there people secretly cultivating immortality in this city?" he asked, raising his voice.


    "Yes."


    Sure enough, someone in the crowd responded.


    The person who walked out of the crowd was an old man with a hunched figure and half of his face scarred from burns.


    The old librarian only had half of his face left, but his single eye glowed brightly:


    "I may not be strong, only at the peak of Qi Refinement, not yet at Foundation Building. Earth Sword Immortal, do you have a need for me?"


    The old librarian was Li Changge¡¯s younger brother. He destroyed half of his face with the Etching Bone Li Fire Talisman, but he courageously cut off his own half face in time, saving his own life.


    He is even older than the old soldiers like Captain Hai. He was one of the former generals in the army, but he couldn¡¯t go to the battlefield anymore. He usually only guards the armory and enjoys his retirement. But little did he know, he was also secretly cultivating immortality.


    "I¡¯ll leave the troublesome task of capturing the elderly in the Lonely City to you," said Earth Sword Immortal casually.


    "Although my magical powers are weak, it should be enough to simply control this Stone City," he thought.


    The stone city in his hand floated up and flew into the hands of the elder in the library.


    The elder in the library bowed and thanked him, then left.


    "So now¡­" He turned around and looked at Qiao Mu, Captain Hai, and others who were still standing in the courtyard.


    "So now, you should tell the truth, right, Earth Sword Immortal?" Suddenly, Qiao Mu, who had been silently listening, spoke up.


    "The truth? What do you mean, Third Brother?" Earth Sword Immortal showed surprise.


    Captain Hai was also puzzled. Although he had only recently met Qiao Zhuosen, he had a good impression of him based on the previous Qiao family members. He subconsciously thought that Earth Sword Immortal was secretly doing something and silently signaled a few old soldiers to surround Earth Sword Immortal.


    "Your words can deceive your own brother, but not me," Qiao Mu pondered.


    "Thirty years ago, you were not a match for Taoist Qingzhuo from the Great Dao Sect. He captured you and ced you in this isted city."


    "Since you have been deteriorating for forty years, with declining vitality and weakening internal strength, can your martial arts skills really be stronger than they were thirty years ago?"


    "As for your cultivation in the immortal path, you yourself admitted that trying topete against Taoist Qingzhuo using immortal techniques would be like bringing a hatchet to a master carpenter, with no possibility of winning."


    "After thirty years, your immortal techniques are not enough to confront him, and your martial arts skills have also declined. So where does the confidence you mentionede from?"


    Earth Sword Immortal fell silent and looked at Qiao Mu with a hint of surprise.


    "Third Brother indeed has sharp insight¡­"


    His previous boastful attitude was actually for Lu Yanbei¡¯s benefit.


    If he didn¡¯t sound confident, how could he persuade Lu Yanbei to leave the city with all his might?


    If he wasn¡¯t afraid of bragging too much, he would have just said he was 80% certain, instead of 20%.


    But Lu Yanbei is not a stupid person either, after all, he is a famous martial arts master of 87 years old, with a lot of experience.


    However, as the older brother of Earth Sword Immortal, he has always had a blind trust in Earth Sword Immortal, believing everything he says.


    "When I said I was 20% certain, it actually meant 20% certainty of my older brother¡¯s survival."


    Earth Sword Immortal looked straight at Qiao Mu¡¯s eyes, as if trying to see his slightest emotional fluctuation from the old man¡¯s eyes.


    "Third Brother, if I were to say that in order to have just a little more certainty of sess, I would need your life, what would you do?"


    "Is there such a good thing?" Qiao Mu blurted out, with a joy in his eyes that Earth Sword Immortal couldn¡¯t understand at all.


    He had already seen many fearless people who were willing to die in the past thirty years.


    But seeing a glimpse of hope for survival and still willingly choosing a dead-end, while being so joyful¡­ It truly puzzled him.


    "Earth Sword Immortal, even though we¡¯ve just met, you should know¡­ my Qiao family has no greedy or cowardly people." Qiao Mu smiled and touched his own neck, bravely saying:


    "If you want to use my precious head to sacrifice the sword, feel free!"


    Earth Sword Immortal silently watched Qiao Mu¡¯s expression, her face also showing slight changes.


    In fact, he and Qiao Zhuosen had just met.


    The one who had been with him day and night for over a month was Qiao Shuangsen, who was the first to enter the lonely city.


    Qiao Zhuosen had this question because he was not Qiao Shuangsen.


    Qiao Zhuosen had this question because he was also a member of the Qiao family.


    And now he had the answer in his heart.


    "After thirty years without leaving Jiu Province¡¯s martial arts world, there unexpectedly appeared a Qiao family in the martial arts world? It seems that in these thirty or forty years, the martial arts world has finally undergone some changes that have never happened before." Earth Sword Immortal nodded:


    "Third Brother, you¡¯re worrying too much. Your life should not be sacrificed for the sword."


    "I practice swordsmanship, not magic."


    Speaking of this, Earth Sword Immortal also felt a bit gloomy in his heart.


    These thirty years, in the end, were still wasted.


    His skills not only stagnated but also regressed, there must be a reason for his decline.


    "But do you need my help in battle?" Qiao Mu asked again.


    Apart from Earth Sword Immortal, he was already the most skilled fighter in this lonely city.


    Although not a match for the elder of the Immortal Gate, perhaps he could still contribute in his own small way.


    Seeing Earth Sword Immortal nod, Qiao Mu even offered his help proactively:


    "If that¡¯s the case, then let¡¯s just do it this way."


    "You and I stay in this city to fight, even if we can¡¯t win, we can still act as bait."


    "And my younger brother in my n¡­" Qiao Mu looked at his silent dead body behind him and took a while to remember the name he casually mentioned earlier.


    "Qiao Xiaoming is also quite skilled in martial arts. With him leading Stone City to hide in the shadows, we can wait for the right moment to strike."


    Speaking of this, Qiao Mu remembered something and picked up the little kitten that was greedily sucking on him:


    "This enchanted cat¡¯s name is Wuchang. It can hide within my shadow, even a powerful immortal might not be able to find it. If it carries Stone City in its mouth and hides within my shadow, Lu Yanbei¡¯s chances of survival will increase."


    Qiao Mu prepared to split his troops into two directions.


    One route is him, and the other route is also him.


    In the meantime, the streets outside the Taoist temple grew quiet.


    The old man in the book library held Stone City in his hand, sending all the old men, women, and children in the city into the palm of Stone City.


    If Earth Sword Immortal were to do this, the remaining elderly in the city would not trust him easily, and it would take some convincing.


    As for Li Changge¡¯s younger brother, the half-faced old man who hade down from the battlefield, the remaining elderly in the city naturally trusted him.


    Taoist Qingzhuo was about to arrive, and time was of the essence. There wasn¡¯t much time for exnations, but there were no objections either. The speed of entering Stone City was fast.


    Soon, this isted city quieted down, and there was no sound on the streets.


    In this surrounding area, only Qiao Mu, Earth Sword Immortal, Captain Hai, and other old soldiers remained.


    "Earth Sword Immortal¡­" Captain Hai also spoke up at this time.


    "Is there anything we can do?"


    "You?" Earth Sword Immortal nced at him.


    "Just you guys?"


    He and Captain Hai never got along, but now they happened to be on the same side.


    "Oh, even though Qingzhuo¡¯s target is me, if the entire city is empty, he might start to suspect something."


    "How about this?" Earth Sword Immortal pointed at the dozens of stone statues inside the Taoist temple.


    "You old soldiers, drip your own blood on the statues. These statues were made by me imitating the Immortal Gate¡¯s method to create Taoist soldiers. Although they are crude and unfit for the battlefield, with the blood of martial artists like you, perhaps they can pass as soldiers."


    "¡­ Will this work?"


    Captain Hai had some doubts, but his understanding of the immortal path was shallow, so he could only nod.


    After all, most of these old soldiers were wounded in the recent battle and alreadycked the strength to fight. Being able to make a small difference with a little blood was considered giving it their all.


    However, when Captain Hai carefully examined the stone statues, his expression gradually became awkward.


    These stone statues are all women, and they are extremely beautiful, especially the one given by Earth Sword Immortal, which is a mature woman with a graceful figure and broad-mindedness¡­


    Captain Hai suspects that Earth Sword Immortal is targeting him, but he has no evidence.


    However, at this critical moment, Captain Hai didn¡¯t have time to be emotional. He took out a knife and cut a small wound on his wrist, letting the blood drip onto the stone statues.


    After finishing this, Stone City¡¯s library elder had also returned, allowing these old soldiers to enter Stone City one after another.


    At this point.


    The once bustling city is now empty and silent.


    Only a few people remained inside this Taoist temple.


    "The treasure refined by the immortal path is indeed extraordinary¡­" Qiao Mu carefully picked up Stone City, feeling that it was quite heavy, but not to the point of being unable to lift it.


    He casually pressed Stone City on top of Impermanent Demon Cat¡¯s head, but this heavy object on its head seemed to go unnoticed. The cat continued to stick out its tongue andy down at Qiao Mu¡¯s feet.


    "The troublesome people are all gone."


    "So, before Qingzhuo arrives, let¡¯s talk about our n to confront him." Earth Sword Immortal casually picked up a stone sword that was leaning diagonally in the corner.


    "Forty years ago, I was already the number one in the world. I could kill anyone in this world."


    "But even so, it¡¯s still not enough."


    "My sword can kill all the talented people in the world, but if I want to y immortals, it¡¯s not enough."


    Earth Sword Immortal held the stone sword in his hand, looking as if lost in another world.


    The sword in his hand was made of stone, but it could still be considered a sword.


    This was the first time in thirty years that he, as Earth Sword Immortal, raised a sword.


    Thirty years passed in the blink of an eye.


    As Lu Yanbei was about to die, he finally understood the confusion in his heart and roughly understood why the old soldiers of this city were willing to die for others.


    But it was toote.


    Earth Sword Immortal is eighty-seven years old this year.


    Four decades ago, he was already the strongest martial artist in the human world, known as a legendary figure, an extraordinary talent selected from countless martial artists in Jiu Province who dominated an era.


    But he wasted thirty years of his life.


    In the eyes of the Earth Sword Immortal at that time, giving up might have been a form of rebellion, even though it meant self-destruction.


    Although Earth Sword Immortal didn¡¯t care about the lives of soldiers and civilians, the Hundred-mile Desert had an Immortal Gate¡¯s soul-capturing array. If he intervened and died at the hands of Taoist Qingzhuo who woulde upon hearing the news, his soul would also fall into Taoist Qingzhuo¡¯s hands.


    He didn¡¯t want to die in battle because staying alive was better than a good death. His own life was the most important.


    However, giving up alwayses at a cost.


    Practicing martial arts is like rowing a boat against the current, if you don¡¯t move forward, you¡¯ll fall behind. He has grown old and his skills have declined, even though he is still at the same level, he has regressed in terms of ability.


    If he still had time, perhaps he could start practicing martial arts again. It wouldn¡¯t be too difficult to spend some time rejuvenating himself, after all, he still has a foundation.


    But he doesn¡¯t have any more time.


    Earth Sword Immortal raised the stone sword in his hand and looked at Qiao Mu beside him.


    "The sword of a mortal martial artist is not enough to y immortals."


    "In extraordinary times, extraordinary measures are required. I just wonder how determined Third Brother is?" he asked.


    "Tell me, how do you want me to die?" Qiao Mu was very straightforward, and even a bit eager.


    "Have you ever heard of the Heavenly shing Swordsmanship?" Earth Sword Immortal looked up at the sky.


    The sky over the solitary city was always gray, covered by arge formation. Looking up, all you could see was a scorching sun and boundless yellow sand.

 Chapter 212:

    Chapter 212:


    "This Heavenly shing Swordsmanship, only one move, a sword that cannot be returned once unleashed, making me invincible¡­"


    "In the first realm, I call it ¡®Cutting Myself.¡¯"


    "First, cut off the path of retreat, cultivate the idea of invincibility, and then concentrate all your power, unstoppable in all directions¡­"


    Earth Sword Immortal demonstrated a few simple gestures to Qiao Mu in the dpidated Taoist temple.


    Before Taoist Qingzhuo arrived, he nned to teach the essence of his swordsmanship.


    It must be said that although Earth Sword Immortal was the leader of the previous generation of martial arts, it didn¡¯t mean he was a good teacher.


    He simply demonstrated a few gestures, without further exnation. He vaguely mentioned, "To concentrate all your power in one sword¡­" but didn¡¯t borate on how to gather all the power in one move.


    "Time is tight, I won¡¯t go into details. That old Qingzhuo won¡¯t give us much time."


    "How is it? Have you learned?" Earth Sword Immortal casually asked.This feels lonely to learn¡­. Qiao Muined to himself. It¡¯s like just handing you a few hundred pages of an English dictionary and then asking if you¡¯ve memorized it yet, and if you have, quickly go to the Level 6 exam.


    What else could Qiao Mu do? He could only honestly answer:


    "Is this it? Such a simple thing, do I still need to learn? Can¡¯t you understand it at a nce?"


    "It¡¯s okay if you haven¡¯t learned it, I didn¡¯t expect you to learn it immediately anyway. Well, I¡¯ll.. um?" Earth Sword Immortal looked at Qiao Mu with suspicion.


    "What did you say?"


    At first, he didn¡¯t believe, and even let Qiao Mu try to demonstrate.


    Qiao Mu didn¡¯t say much, he just held the sword in his hand, gradually focusing his energy, his eyes sharp as a sword.


    The so-called pulling out the sword is just a movement, the technique is heavy but the intention is light. So the act of pulling out the sword is not important, the essence lies in how to gather strength and how to give it your all with each move.


    "Enough." Earth Sword Immortal waved his hand to stop Qiao Mu from really swinging the sword.


    He could tell that Qiao Mu had some understanding of the "Heavenly shing Swordsmanship". Although he may not have fully grasped its secrets, he was quite proficient in the "attack me" technique.


    Earth Sword Immortal¡¯s gaze became slightly vacant for a moment.


    He knew very well about his own abilities and that teaching martial arts was quite ordinary. Over the years, the only person who could master the "Heavenly shing Swordsmanship" was his brother Lu Yanbei, with whom he had a close bond.


    He couldn¡¯t believe that someone dared to pretend to be a skilled swordsman in front of him, Earth Sword Immortal.


    How infuriating. He actually fell for it.


    "It¡¯s already impressive that you have reached this level with the ¡®Heavenly shing Swordsmanship¡¯ without any realbat experience. Perhaps your talent is only second to mine, Earth Sword Immortal." Earth Sword Immortal didn¡¯t hesitate to praise:


    "But a true talent is hard toe by. Only I was able to find a glimmer of hope before the arrival of Elder Lu Yanbei, who has the ability to recognize talents at Immortal Gate."


    Although he was praising himself indirectly, Earth Sword Immortal¡¯s face did show a hint of satisfaction.


    Clearly, Qiao Mu was able to master it so quickly, which surprised him.


    This is a great thing considering the current situation.


    "Well, let¡¯s start practicing sword here," said Earth Sword Immortal.


    "Third Brother, as you know, once internal strength is depleted, it takes time to recover and rest."


    Qiao Mu, "Ah yes, yes, yes."


    He really wasn¡¯t sure how long it would take to recover his internal strength after it was depleted.


    After all, every time his internal strength was depleted, either he would fight to the death and then revive in full condition.


    Or he would luckily escape from death, but because of the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, his meridians werepletely severed and his internal strength couldn¡¯t recover at all.


    Earth Sword Immortal said. So, after defeating those 200+ bean generals, my internal strength was depleted, and I still haven¡¯t fully recovered.


    He held a long sword made of stone in his hand, with a mysterious look in his eyes.


    As he aged, his internal strength declined¡­ as a person, his condition was not as good as it was thirty or forty years ago during his prime.


    Both his strength and power werecking, but his sword skills and the intensity of his "spirit" were still as strong as before.


    Even witnessing his older brother Lu Yanbei¡¯s close brush with death made him realize his own confusion and expectations, so he boldly took action thirty yearster.


    His "spirit" had progressed further than before, which was why he chose to wield the sword again on this day.


    But that was still not enough.


    His sword could kill, but it was not enough to y immortals.


    "The sword of a mortal is not sharp enough," he said suddenly, looking at the stone sword in his hand.


    Qiao Mu was confused and furrowed his brow, urging him on.


    "Stop talking to yourself, what exactly are you nning to do to me?"


    "It¡¯s not me who wants to kill you¡­" Earth Sword Immortal looked at Qiao Mu, his usually cold eyes now appearing mysterious.


    Although Qiao Zhuosen was considered his Third Brother, they were still meeting for the first time in the end.


    His impression of Qiao Zhuosen can actually be traced back to when they spent over a month together, with Qiao, a member of the Qiao family, being the first to teach him the Iron Crotch Skill.


    Being in this isted city for thirty years, he had always been watching from a distance, watching the old soldiers in the city gradually wither away.


    He didn¡¯t understand other people¡¯s sacrifices because he was powerful. The fires in the Hundred-mile Desert couldn¡¯t reach him, even if the entire city perished, he would still be fine on his own.


    It was only when Lu Yanbei was about to die that he was pulled from the other side of the river to this side.


    And on this side of the river, Qiao, a member of the Qiao family, was undoubtedly one of the most dazzling figures in the isted city.


    "The enemy is strong and I am weak. If we want to win, relying on just your life isn¡¯t enough," Earth Sword Immortal said calmly.


    "But I wasted thirty years, and there¡¯s always a price to pay."


    Suddenly, Earth Sword Immortal reversed the tip of the sword and stabbed it into his own chest, amidst the uncertain gazes of everyone.


    This wasn¡¯t suicide, as there was no fresh blood flowing from the wound, only a faint and radiant glow.


    Rather than saying the sword pierced his body, it would be more urate to say that it merged with his body, gradually bing one in the circting light.


    Before anyone could react, Earth Sword Immortal¡¯s body had already be withered and decayed, while the sword inserted in his chest emitted a faint glow, silently floating in mid-air.


    "Mortal Body Transformed Sword." The sword tip trembled gently, and Earth Sword Immortal¡¯s voice echoed in the ears of Qiao Mu and the others:


    "Now, the sword is me, and I am the sword."


    "When that old man Qingzhuo arrives, I will guide you to unleash the true Heavenly shing Swordsmanship, seeking a glimmer of hope."


    As a human, he was no match for Taoist Qingzhuo, thirty years ago and even more so now.


    If you want to win, you have to be willing to make changes and use special techniques.


    And this is the answer from Earth Sword Immortal.


    Qiao Mu and the others were surprised. No one expected Earth Sword Immortal to have such methods, and they were even more surprised by his choice.


    At this moment, Earth Sword Immortal¡¯s body became dry and decayed, losing its color. It looked like a pale stone statue.


    On the other hand, this stone sword emitted a faint light and seemed to float in the air, as if it were alive.


    "A mortal¡¯s sword can¡¯t kill an immortal." The voice of Earth Sword Immortal from within the stone sword remained calm:


    "I, as Earth Sword Immortal of the mortal world, now transformed into the Mortal Body Transformed Sword. Naturally, I am notparable to an ordinary sword."


    "Today I am a sword, and I will surely y the immortals!"


    "How¡­ Captain Hai frowned. It was difficult for him to connect the stone sword in front of him with the Earth Sword Immortal who had been trapped in the Taoist temple carving statue.


    "The thing I hate the most in my life is being self-absorbed," the flying stone sword sensed something and rotated, facing Captain Hai directly.


    "Don¡¯t specte about my thoughts or tter me. Don¡¯t disgust me and let him enter Stone City."


    The old man of the arsenal paused for a moment, raised his hand and gestured, allowing Captain Hai and the other old soldiers to enter the palm of Stone City.


    The previously crowded courtyard of the Taoist temple suddenly became empty, and the city was also empty. Only the sound of the wind rustling through the leaves could be heard.


    "Earth Sword Immortal, how confident are you now?" Qiao Mu asked again.


    Instead of answering, Earth Sword Immortal asked in return:


    "Third Brother, have you heard of the story ¡®Foolish Old Man Moves Mountains¡¯?"


    "In the storyteller¡¯s version of the story, Foolish Old Man¡¯s descendants are endless, but the mountains don¡¯t increase. So Foolish Old Man believes that after countless years, he can use all his mortal strength to move the mountains."


    "However, our enemy is not the mountain."


    "Killed Dao Shun, now Dao Ni ising; killed Dao Ni, and now Qingzhuo ising."


    "In the past forty years, the number of old soldiers in the city has decreased, but the cultivators of the Nine Immortal Gates seem endless, they keeping back¡­"


    "Even if, by chance, we can defeat that old Qingzhuo, what happens afterwards?"


    "If the elders of the Nine Immortal Gates are killed by ordinary people, it will surely rm the other elders and even the sect leader of Immortal Gate, right?"


    "What do you want to say?" Qiao Mu was confused, maybe Earth Sword Immortal felt that he was nearing his end, he became even more talkative than usual.


    "In the face of a mountain that keeps growing taller, how confident do you think I am?" Earth Sword Immortal asked back.


    The answer is self-evident.


    But not every question needs an answer.


    "It¡¯s time to go." Qiao Mu nced at the old man of the arsenal, who immediately understood, and they left with Qiao Xiaoming, bringing along the Impermanent Demon Cat, disappearing into the sandstorm outside the city.


    Dozens of stone statues of women took stiff steps into the streets, their footsteps echoing through the empty city.


    Qiao Mu stood at the top of the city gate tower, watching another version of himself gradually move further away.


    This lonely city only had one person and one sword left, and there was no other sound besides that.


    They were waiting.


    They were waiting for the moment Taoist Qingzhuo arrived, which would mark the end of forty years of hardship for this lonely city, regardless of sess or failure.


    "Earth Sword Immortal, it seems like you know quite a bit about the Immortal Gate. Can you tell me where these Nine Immortal Gates came from?" Qiao Mu casually asked during the dull wait.


    "Ah, the Nine Immortal Gates¡­ that old man Qingzhuo wanted me to join the Immortal Gate, so I heard some things from him¡­" Earth Sword Immortal seemed to be aware that his time was limited, so he was particrly talkative at the moment.


    "These Nine Immortal Gates didn¡¯t just pop out of nowhere, of course."


    "The path to immortality has always been there, and so has the Immortal Gate. It¡¯s just that the previous Immortal Gate chose to live in seclusion and didn¡¯t bother with worldly matters."


    "Of course, what they mean by not interfering in human affairs is simply that they don¡¯t directly control and pressure Great Yan like they did in the past. In the past, Inhuman Disasters caused by inhumans also urred in various ces in Jiu Province, just less frequently."


    "In the realm of immortality, when they fight, it affects the lives and towns of ordinary people. Cultivators of the demonic path sacrifice innocent people to refine magical treasures¡­ These things have been happening since ancient times."


    "Butter, I heard that there was a great change in the world, and the spiritual energy declined, so things became a little different."


    "In the past, cultivators of the immortality path were proud of their identities and didn¡¯t interfere in mortal affairs," Earth Sword Immortal mocked.


    "But now, the overall situation is changing. We are all in the same boat, so who still cares about appearances?"


    Cultivators of the immortality path used to have high aspirations and looked down on the resources of ordinary people.


    After all, there is a significant gap between immortals and mortals. The abundant spiritual energy and spirit stone resources required for cultivation by cultivators of the immortality path are difficult for mortal dynasties to provide.


    Butter, things became different.


    "Ever since ¡®Immortal Qingmu¡¯ refined the Incense Symbol of Divine Fire, the Nine Immortal Gates also sessively mastered it. They gradually appeared in the world, established their divine positions, and set up temples."


    "The Immortal cultivators who follow the ancient method of cultivation cannotpete with those who use incense to assist their cultivation. Nowadays, incense cultivation has be mainstream among the Nine Immortal Gates."


    "However, even with the assistance of incense, the cultivation level of the Immortal cultivators is still inferior to that of the ancient times when there was abundant spiritual energy¡­"


    "So, not only is the cultivation of martial arts changing, but the cultivation of immortality is also undergoing changes. The Incense Symbol of Divine Fire is the method they use now¡­"


    "The neers rece the old, this is the inevitable change of the times," Earth Sword Immortal¡¯s voice gradually became low.


    He was a predecessor in the martial arts, but in front of Taoist Qingzhuo, he became ater generation.


    Just don¡¯t know who will rece whom today.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    A rainbow light shuttle through the clouds as Taoist Qingzhuo held a Message Jade Slip,municating through the air.


    "Today, because of the matter concerning Earth Sword Immortal, I have dyed important matters and missed the major event of King Qin¡¯s territorial expansion¡­"


    "If the Earthly Immortal Kingdom seeds, we should hide in the background and let King Qin carry the destiny of the human world¡­ This matter is crucial to the foundation of the Immortal Gate, indeed it is a great aplishment¡­"


    Unfortunately, he had no choice but toe.


    Earth Sword Immortal is locked within the Hundred-mile Desert, so naturally he has to take care of the aftermath.


    Lost in thought, he descended from the clouds, transforming into a rainbow light.


    The setting sun melted into gold, the remaining sunlight resembled blood.


    The evening sun seemed like a huge clot of blood, congealed in the sky, casting a dim redness over half of the sky.


    The elderly residents of the lonely city left in a hurry, with some houses still emitting lingering wisps of smoke from the cooking fires. However, the entire city now appeared empty, and these strands of smoke only made the loneliness more apparent.


    In the vast desert, a solitary wisp of smoke rose, as the sun set over the wide river.


    Qiao Mu sat alone on the city gate tower, an old and weathered sword leaning against the wall behind him. He had be thest defender of this city.


    Suddenly, a gust of wind blew.


    The strong wind passed by, covering the sky with yellow sand. It blocked the setting sun, making it as if blood-red, and the ck clouds threatened to destroy the city.


    However, this lonely city no longer had any defending soldiers, and there were no armored soldiers reflecting the evening sun.


    In this city, there was only one person left with a sword, nothing more.


    Amidst the swirling yellow sand, a rainbow light stayed in the air, transforming into an old taoist with a stern expression and white eyebrows.

 Chapter 213:

    Chapter 213:


    "Taoist Qingzhuo seems to have arrived."


    Qiao Mu, who went by the name Qiao Xiaoming, looked towards the direction of the lonely city through a crack in the window. He saw a rainbow light descending from the sky, turning into an old taoist with white eyebrows.


    At this time, he was inside a fortress outside the lonely city.


    This fortress was built by the soldiers and civilians as a hidden refuge. In fact, Qiao Xiaoming and the others came to this fortress to avoid being affected by Taoist Qingzhuo¡¯s magic. They didn¡¯t run deeper into the desert.


    After all, this desert is covered by Immortal Gate¡¯s illusionary formation. If they continue to run, they will only get lost in the sandstorm. Where could they hide?


    If they go too far, and Taoist Qingzhuo, who entered the desert, finds them first, it would be awkward.


    So for now, they stayed in this fortress, not too far nor too close.


    Captain Hai and the old man from the arsenal were also waiting and watching, while taking care of Captain Hai and the other injured soldiers from the previous battle.


    There were emergency medicines prepared in this fortress, and they were being used now."Are we just going to wait here?" Captain Hai asked with a bit of confusion.


    "Can we only rely on Elder Lao and Earth Sword Immortal?"


    He fought all his life, from the age of twenty to sixty. Eventually, he became the highest-ranking officer in the city.


    He had to rely on them now, as he could only wait anxiously at the back of the battlefield.


    "Earth Sword Immortal is no match for Taoist Qingzhuo. He was imprisoned thirty years ago¡­ and probably still is," Captain Hai tried to analyze the situation.


    "So, does that mean the uncertainty falls on Qiao ZhuosenElder Lao?"


    Although Captain Hai didn¡¯t know how strong Qiao Zhuosen was, he must be weaker than Earth Sword Immortal.


    And if Earth Sword Immortal is weaker than Taoist Qingzhuo¡­ could it be possible that the two weaker people can join forces and defeat him?


    Captain Hai was deeply worried.


    He had always stood on the front lines of the battlefield, but now someone else had to fight for him, leaving him restless as he tried to analyze the situation.


    "No¡­ spiritual refining means refining the heart. The strength of a Spirit Refining martial artist lies in their willpower," Qiao Mu spoke up.


    At this moment, he, the real him, was on the city wall, but he could still remotely sense and control his flesh clone on this side.


    "Forty years ago, the Earth Sword Immortal was the best in the world. But thirty years ago, the Earth Sword Immortal didn¡¯t fulfill his promise, didn¡¯tpete with the Martial Saint. It¡¯s because he didn¡¯t want to win, didn¡¯t want to take responsibility, so he lost the spirit ofpetition."


    "A swordsman without the spirit ofpetition, even if he has excellent sword skills, may not be able to defeat the Martial Saint. So it¡¯s understandable that he lost to Elder Qingzhuo of the Immortal Dao. If he had won thirty years ago, it would have been unbelievable."


    "But now, things should be different," said Qiao Mu.


    "By embodying his sword, he has gained the belief of being invincible. This actually aligns with his spiritual refining sword technique, the Heavenly shing Swordsmanship."


    When the Earth Sword Immortal first demonstrated the "Heavenly shing Swordsmanship" to Qiao Mu, he simply showed a few simple movements.


    At that time, Qiao Mu thought he was just fooling around, but he didn¡¯t expect the Earth Sword Immortal to say that he had no sword in his heart, so the Heavenly shing Swordsmanship could not be truly demonstrated.


    "But¡­" Captain Hai frowned, wanting to say something.


    "That¡¯s enough, Xiao Hai. Why are you hesitating now?" The old man of the arsenal smiled and shook his head.


    "War is never child¡¯s y, it¡¯s not simplyparing the strength of the enemy and us. Just because the enemy is strong and we are weak, does that mean we shouldn¡¯t fight?"


    "If that¡¯s the case, we should have surrendered forty years ago."


    The old man from the arsenal actually knew that Captain Hai and the other old soldiers were just onlookers.


    These old soldiers are only three hundred left, and they can only leave the battlefield when they are seriously injured. Where would they have the opportunity to watch from the rear?


    Qiao Mu also heard these words and squinted his eyes slightly.


    Qiao Mu and Earth Sword Immortal waited on the city wall for half a day, guarding the empty city for half a day.


    They waited until the sun was leaning west and the sunset was sinking.


    In fact, this process was not just waiting.


    Both of them cleared their minds and prepared themselves.


    In Qiao Mu¡¯s eyes, listening to the words of these experienced old soldiers was also a preparation, a sharpening of swords before the battle.


    Sharpening the sword, only then can the true meaning of Heavenly shing Swordsmanship be unleashed.


    Then, Qiao Mu can also die with dignity.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    A strong wind began to blow.


    Qingzhuo, an old Taoist, arrived alone. He looked down upon the empty city below, his brows furrowing gradually.


    Naturally, he knew that this was an empty city.


    Whether the city is empty or not is not important, as there were already very few elderly people left in the city.


    The souls of the military and civilians in this city held value for those cultivators at the Foundation Building period like Dao Ni, but as an elder of the Immortal Gate, his perspective was broader, and he didn¡¯t need to fuss over such matters.


    Perhaps the military and civilians in the city had gone to seek refuge somewhere else. He could search for themter; it was a small matter.


    He didn¡¯te for this purpose.


    The reason why he rushed over from a faraway ce is actually a person.


    "Where is Lu Yannan? Where is Earth Sword Immortal?" He looked down suspiciously and gradually scanned this empty city with his divine sense.


    He unconsciously overlooked Qiao Mu on the city wall.


    Because Qiao Mu clearly is an elderly martial artist, only one person, not worth mentioning.


    Martial Saints are all dead, Earth Sword Immortal lost thirty years ago, the path of martial artists hase to an end long ago and is notparable to the path of immortality, this is an undeniable fact.


    But Earth Sword Immortal can make him look up, so Taoist Qingzhuo deliberately imprisoned him in this Hundred-mile Desert, using the army and civilians of a city to gradually temper his temperament.


    He originally thought that Earth Sword Immortal would not make a move for thirty years because he had experienced positive changes, but unexpectedly heard that he finally took action. After thirty years of tempering his temperament, he ended up going astray, so he came for this purpose, hoping to see if he could salvage the situation¡­


    While Taoist Qingzhuo¡¯s divine sense swept through the empty city, a voice sounded from the gate tower.


    "Jianzhong, your father is here!"


    The voice sounded mocking and disrespectful, causing Elder Qingzhuo to furrow his brows.


    "How could you¡­" His gaze fell upon the stone sword next to Qiao Mu, and his facial expression suddenly twitched, clearly showing surprise, to the extent that he momentarily forgot how to speak.


    "After thirty years, you, Jianzhong, finally decided to visit your old man. What a filial son¡­" the stone sword continued sarcastically.


    However, Qiao Mu suddenly interjected. Earth Sword Immortal, by calling him Jianzhong and acknowledging him as his father, you¡¯re also insulting yourself, aren¡¯t you?


    "Lu Yannan? How did you end up like this¡­" Elder Qingzhuo¡¯s voice trembled slightly, filled with both confusion and anger.


    He cast a sharp gaze and pointed with his finger.


    A wild wind swept by, causing over ten houses along the street to copse, and dozens of stone statues of women that had just emerged were shattered into pieces by the sweeping wind, forming a messy pile on the ground.


    "Captain Hai¡¯s stone statues¡­ didn¡¯t they serve any purpose at all?" Qiao Mu muttered under his breath.


    "I was just teasing him a little. Did you really believe it?" Earth Sword Immortal¡¯s voice was still yful, as if it didn¡¯t matter.


    "You don¡¯t walk the path of longevity, but you¡¯re skilled in these kind of hidden arts. What kind of demonic practice is this transformation from flesh to sword?" Taoist Qingzhuo furrowed his brows, exuding an intimidating presence as he sighed.


    Speaking of the Mortal Body Transformed Sword, Earth Sword Immortal also felt mncholic.


    If there were other choices, who would willingly resort to this n?


    But facing Taoist Qingzhuo who had trapped him here, his heart was filled with more resentment:


    "This deste city has nothing. It¡¯s even devoid of birds. What use is this iron rod when I possess the Iron Crotch Skill?"


    "Enough!" Taoist Qingzhuo scolded. His voice reverberated in the city, causing the swirling winds and sand to rise and fall:


    "Lu Yannan, don¡¯t waste your talent!"


    "Now,e back with me to the sect immediately. I will plead with the higher powers in the sect to help you rebuild your physical body¡­"


    Even though they had just met, Elder Qingzhuo could tell that Earth Sword Immortal seemed to have thoughts of self-destruction. So, he didn¡¯t pressure him, but instead had a sincere attitude, like a wise teacher advising a wayward child.


    Taoist Qingzhuo locked Earth Sword Immortal in here, using the Hundred-mile Desert as a prison, the remnants of a lonely city as a chessboard, slowly shaping Earth Sword Immortal¡¯s character with the blood and tears of Jiu Province¡¯s soldiers over forty years. With such a grand n, how could Earth Sword Immortal end up failing at thest moment?


    "Go to the Great Dao Sect? You want me to be the sect leader?" Earth Sword Immortal casually said.


    "You want to be the sect leader? That¡¯s ambitious."


    Taoist Qingzhuo patiently continued to persuade, not willing to let his efforts go to waste:


    "The current sect leader of our sect is one of the few Soul Changing Taoist Lords in this world. Even if your talent is exceptional, don¡¯t be arrogant."


    "There are plenty of talented people among the beings in this realm. Don¡¯t think too highly of yourself."


    "The path of immortality can only be taken through the Nine Immortal Gates. Mortal martial arts is a dead end without longevity, and the other small sects and independent cultivators can only hold onto what little they have. No matter how good your talent is, you won¡¯t go far, and even with high cultivation, it¡¯s difficult to maintain in the mortal world."


    The overall situation is already chaotic, and the top cultivators each have their own ce. Even with the assistance of the Incense Symbol of Divine Fire for cultivation, there are only a few Soul Changing Period Taoist Lords in this world.


    After the great changes in the world, the Nine Immortal Gates ced great importance on cultivators with outstanding talents.


    Cultivators with exceptional talents and extraordinarybat abilities can be invincible at the same level and overpower their peers.


    This is also why Taoist Qingzhuo had a rtively tolerant attitude towards Earth Sword Immortal.


    A martial artist who can be a leader in the world of martial arts naturally has good character and skills. Even if they possess inferior spiritual roots and cultivate the path of immortality, they shouldn¡¯t fare too poorly.


    Moreover, Earth Sword Immortal is a genius born with the potential to be a sword immortal. Elder Qingzhuo specially arranged for him to be ced in this prison, using a city to gradually refine his character.


    Due to the scarcity of spiritual energy, geniuses who cultivate against the odds in such an environment are even more precious than before.


    "I think I understand¡­" Qiao Mu¡¯s gaze became profound.


    "As an elder of the Immortal Gate, you came to this deserted city and didn¡¯t ask a single question about it. You only cared about that Earth Sword Immortal¡­"


    "I thought the Immortal Gate was ruthless and merciless, not even allowing the souls of ordinary people to rest in peace after death¡­ But it turns out, whether the souls exist or not doesn¡¯t really matter. They are just ying a role in your process of cultivating Immortal Gate disciples, like a theatrical stage."


    In the stronghold, Captain Hai and the old soldiers were scared.


    They didn¡¯t know that even after the old soldiers died in battle, their spirits would be taken away by Immortal Gate. It was only revealed by Qiao Mu today, which made them feel sad.


    The forty-year history of tears and blood in the lonely city was like fighting a losing battle. However, they didn¡¯t know that in the eyes of Immortal Gate, it was just used as a whetstone.


    "Who are you? Is it your turn to speak now?" It was not until this moment that Taoist Qingzhuo took a careful look at Qiao Mu.


    Ordinary martial artists have never been valued by immortal cultivators. Earth Sword Immortal was not considered remarkable because he was a martial arts leader, but because of his talent in immortal cultivation.


    "Qiao familyQiao Zhuosen," Qiao Mu looked down at the empty city:


    "A soldier guarding the city."


    "Guarding the city? I find it amusing. Not to mention that this city is already deserted¡­" Taoist Qingzhuo teased, but his gaze gradually became deep. He asked sternly:


    "This is just an borately constructed stage, Lu Yannan. After watching it for thirty years, don¡¯t you understand the meaning behind this y?"


    He didn¡¯t pay attention to what Qiao Mu was saying, his mind was still focused on Earth Sword Immortal.


    "The difference between immortals and mortals, what can mortals do even if they sacrifice their lives? What¡¯s the meaning of sacrifice?"


    "The more bravely we fight, the better performance we give for our Immortal Gate. Lu Yannan, do you want to continue being an actor on this stage, or transcend this stage and achieve eternal life?"


    With a stern warning like this, it seemed like he used some kind of magic. His voice echoed through the entire deserted city, just like the sound of a bell reverberating in the desert wind.


    "Lu Yannan, you have always been a heartless person, what does the life and death of mortals have to do with you? Your worldly attachments only hold you back from achieving enlightenment, don¡¯t hinder yourself!"


    Thick ck clouds loomed over the city, with lightning snakes darting through the gaps.


    The floating stone sword remained silent, as if also enduring the interrogation of this spell, only trembling slightly.


    His spell seemed to be simr to the ability of a Spirit Refining martial artist to perceive people¡¯s hearts directly.


    "Sigh¡­" Taoist Qingzhuo let out a soft sigh.


    "It seems that I have to help you see the meaninglessness of these old soldiers¡¯ perseverance¡­" He then turned his gaze towards Qiao Mu.


    "Qiao Zhuosen, you too are just a mere mortal¡­ Since you are a veteran defending the city, aware of its situation, if I offer you a ce in the Immortal Gate, you will have the opportunity to gain immortality¡­"


    Every word spoken by Taoist Qingzhuo was apanied by thunder and strong winds, creating a mighty spectacle.


    Before he could finish speaking, Qiao Mu couldn¡¯t help but burst intoughter.


    Immortality?


    Even if I die many more times, you would still have to call me ancestor. Don¡¯t use these phrases in front of me.


    "Sacrificing for the sake of death is meaningless, but sacrificing for the sake of the living naturally holds meaning." Qiao Mu ced his trembling stone sword with one hand.


    "With me here today, their sacrifices will have meaning." His eyes were bright, staring directly at Taoist Qingzhuo, sharp as a sword¡¯s edge.


    Facing Elder Qingzhuo of the Immortal Gate, he unleashed a move called the "Eye Sword Technique" as a martial artist specializing in Spirit Refining.


    Using eyes as swords, this is the invisible sword of the mind.


    "If no one sacrifices themselves, how can there be future generations?" His gaze was like a sword, and he shouted at Taoist Qingzhuo.


    The soldiers and civilians who died in this city forty years ago are the ancestors, so now he should take over the fire that has not been extinguished in this city for forty years.

 Chapter 214 (1)

    Chapter 214 (1)


    "Hmm?"


    After receiving a silent Eye Sword Technique from Qiao Mu, Taoist Qingzhuo¡¯s pupils slightly shook, then calmed down. For the first time since he arrived, his face showed a hint of surprise.


    He has never paid attention to Qiao Mu. Since he came to this city, his attention has mostly been on Earth Sword Immortal.


    A member of the Qiao family? This kind of mortal family practicing martial arts is only worth Dao Zhen¡¯s attention; it is nothing to him.


    But if Qiao Mu actively offends him as an elder of the Immortal Gate, that¡¯s a different story.


    "Showing off one¡¯s skills to the wrong audience."


    "This matter has nothing to do with you ordinary folks, yet you insist on seeking a path to self-destruction."


    He didn¡¯t know much about Qiao Mu¡¯s background, nor did he care. He had only heard that Qiao Mu imed to be a defender of the city, so he assumed he was one of the old soldiers in the city.


    Taoist Qingzhuo frowned and sighed heavily."Lu Yannan, I am doing this for your own good. The path to immortality is filled with hardships, and one must first sever earthly ties."


    "If you won¡¯t sever them yourself, then today I shall assist you in severing your earthly ties. After all, you have already intervened to help the soldiers in the city, breaking the agreement we made initially. Now that I havee to fulfill my part, I shall aid in the liberation of the soldiers and civilians in this city¡­"


    Taoist Qingzhuo looked down at the empty city below him and drew a talisman in the air in front of him with a casual flick of his hand.


    He had just roughly scanned the entire city with his divine consciousness, but only to find the trace of Earth Sword Immortal, not to search for the mysteriously disappeared ordinary people of this city.


    Although he didn¡¯t know where the other civilians of this city were hiding, this isted city was enveloped by the Immortal Gate formation. Where else could they hide without it?


    It¡¯s nothing more than hidden cers and mud forts built in the city¡­


    Taoist Qingzhuo didn¡¯t care where they were hiding, because wherever they hid was the same result.


    And at the moment he had the thought in his mind, the sky suddenly turned ck.


    Qiao Mu instinctively looked up at the sky, holding the stone sword beside him, and felt a sense of confusion in his heart.


    The whistling wind passed by his ears, and the rolling yellow sand in the boundless desert seemed to be manipted by invisible hands, as the heavy sand rose into the sky, giving a feeling of blocking the sun.


    The endless yellow sand swept in, and the lingering smoke in the empty city was instantly scattered by the strong wind, erasing all the silence of the empty city.


    The houses on both sides of the road instantly copsed, and whether it was soil, stone, or wooden beams, they were all swept into the air in an instant, and then broke into pieces in the sharp wind des like knives.


    The blood-red setting sun was already covered by the yellow sand, and the whole sky became dark, leaving only Taoist Qingzhuo in his robe standing in the air, with his robe fluttering.


    Such a storm seemed like it could swallow this lonely city in an instant.


    Hiss¡­ Qiao Mu instinctively wanted to take a breath of cool air, but identally breathed in a mouthful of dusty sand. He quickly closed his mouth, but couldn¡¯t hide his overwhelming shock.


    People often say ¡®Inhuman Disaster, Inhuman Disaster¡¯ in the Zhong Province Imperial Capital. They say that disasters caused by inhuman beings areparable to natural disasters like earthquakes, floods, and heavy rains, and are disasters that humans cannot resist.


    Before, Qiao Mu actually thought this was a metaphor, indicating the difference between immortals and mortals. The immense power of immortal cultivators is something that ordinary humans cannot contend with. But now, it seems that it¡¯s just the simple literal meaning.


    Back in the past, at the Xuantian Sect¡¯s mountain Taoist temple, although Xuantian Sect Elder Tianxing¡¯s Heavenly Thunder was terrifying, its power was limited to the square area in front of the temple. But the Elder Qingzhuo before them, could really create a disaster that could almost destroy the city?


    What kind of profession is a ¡®martial artist¡¯¡­ Qiao Mu cursed silently in his heart.


    "Unfortunately, I only have one Iron Spiritual Root¡­"


    "This city was destroyed because of all of you." Taoist Qingzhuo¡¯s voice pierced through the roaring storm, echoing in Qiao Mu¡¯s ears.


    "All this talk about ancestors and descendants¡­ they are all mortals, just dead people."


    "Your ancestors are lying in the cemetery on the mountainside outside the city. Where are your descendants?"


    "The path to immortality is straight and clear. When will you, Lu Yannan, stop being lost?"


    At first, Taoist Qingzhuo didn¡¯t want to use force, only hoping to wake up the stubborn Earth Sword Immortal.


    But now he has mostly given up on this fantasy.


    Earth Sword Immortal is actually a person with an unwavering heart, and Taoist Qingzhuo knows it well.


    So he focused his attention on Qiao Mu, looking for a breakthrough.


    These two people guarding this lonely city must have a deep connection.


    With the techniques of the Elder of the Immortal Gate, it is easy to destroy the physical body of a mortal, and killing Earth Sword Immortal is not difficult either.


    But it¡¯s better to destroy his fighting spirit instead of killing him¡­ perhaps that can change his mindset.


    "This will help you sever your worldly attachments¡­." His gaze intensified, an invisible gust of wind swept through, directly aiming at Qiao Mu standing alone on the city gate tower.


    Taoist Qingzhuo reacted very quickly, so fast that Qiao Mu didn¡¯t even have time to use the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method.


    In a sh, Qiao Mu instinctively swung the stone sword in his hand forward, unleashing his full strength as usual.


    But this time, something was different.


    When the internal strength surging through Qiao Mu¡¯s limbs and bones infused into the stone sword in his hand, he immediately felt something unusual.


    The zing sword energy emitted by the stone sword swept past at this moment.


    The sword energy, spanning dozens of meters, swiftly sliced through theing sharp wind des like a de itself, briefly dissipating the swirling yellow sand in the air in front of the city wall.


    "Dozens of meters of sword energy¡­" Qiao Mu looked down at the stone sword in his hand.


    It was then that he realized that the sword in his hand was not actually a real sword but the Earth Sword Immortal, who had once been the leader of martial arts and had transformed into the shape of a sword.


    "Superb rank?" he asked in astonishment.


    Even if at the 1st rank of Spiritual Refining Period, the range of internal strength projection is only up to ten meters. Once separated from the body, it quickly weakens. That¡¯s why martial artists have limited attack range, unless they use hidden weapons.


    Even Qiao Mu, who has umted more than a hundred years of martial arts strength, cannot break this iron rule.


    His internal strength is extremely powerful and pure, but it differs in quantity rather than qualitypared to Spirit Refining martial artists¡¯ internal strength. It may be slightly purer, but there is no qualitative change.


    But it was clearly different just now.


    "I¡¯ve told you before, your internal strength and mine arepletely different¡­ Don¡¯t get distracted."


    The voice of Earth Sword Immortal came from the stone sword in his hand.


    The stone sword in his hand seemed like an amplifier with intelligence. It could transform and elevate the internal strength he inputted, allowing him to release attacks in mid-air in a way that Qiao Mu didn¡¯t yet understand. The sword light rushed dozens of meters¡­ but obviously, it also required Earth Sword Immortal¡¯s efforts and cooperation.


    "Unfortunately, we are not truly united, and we still need to adapt." Earth Sword Immortal sighed.


    "Heavenly shing Swordsmanship only has the power to strike once. If not adapted, it would be a dead end."


    He and Qiao Mu each held a sword and waited for Elder Qingzhuo at the city gate tower, naturally not wasting time.


    They had been preparing and clearing their minds, waiting for the right moment.


    But it wasn¡¯t enough yet.


    While they were talking, the howling wind suddenly roared fiercely, engulfing the sword light in an instant and sweeping Qiao Mu, who was standing on the city gate tower, away in the storm.


    The wind was like a sharp knife.


    Without Qiao Mu on the city gate tower, the dpidated gate tower was quickly consumed by the storm. The stone walls, built with bricks, were torn open by the strong wind, and then copsed with a thunderous boom, turning into rubble.


    The wall copsed! The gate tower copsed too!


    The earth, stones, and debris were swept back into the wind, disappearing into the gloomy sky.


    Captain Hai and others inside the earthen fort outside the city couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of sadness.


    The fort was hidden among sand dunes, and Taoist Qingzhuo¡¯s attention was only on the empty city. He didn¡¯t seem to notice them, so they were temporarily safe.


    But at this moment, they felt a sense of sadness in their hearts.


    They had guarded this city for forty years, from a hundred thousand soldiers to three hundred elderly soldiers. Generation after generation, they had defended the city without ever being conquered.


    But today, when Elder Lao from the Immortal Gate arrived, the walls they had defended for forty years were easily swallowed up by the storm. They knew they were powerless to stop it.


    "Although we knew we were no match for the inhuman opponents, the difference is just too great¡­"


    "And how can Elder Lao stop¡­" Captain Hai sighed.


    They knew that the powerful cultivators within the Immortal Gate could turn the fertile Zhong Province into a hundred miles of yellow sand. It was an unimaginable ability for ordinary people. But they didn¡¯t know that just one Elder from the Great Dao Sect could use magic to create a sand disaster and destroy their city.


    For the past forty years, their lives had actually been hanging by a thread, dependent on the Immortal Gate¡¯s other ns. This lonely city was nothing more than a puppet theater to them.


    And now, this puppet theater was about to copse.


    When the city wall fell, the city behind the wall was exposed to the swirling yellow sand.


    The raging storm scattered the cooking smoke, and the yellow sand crushed the houses on both sides of the street, like a yellowish devouring monster that swallowed everything, leaving only rubble on the ground.


    Taoist Qingzhuo was searching for the surviving residents in this city. He thought these people were hiding in a corner of the city, so he had the idea of destroying the city.


    Captain Hai and the other old soldiers were not locals of this city, but they were trapped here for half of their lives. They guarded the city from their youth until old age, leaving their footprints on every street in the deserted city.


    Now all the footprints and memories have disappeared in the swirling yellow sand, and only the old Taoist standing in the howling wind is left in the field of vision.


    "Yes¡­ unstoppable." Qiao Xiaoming suddenly spoke from beside him, softly saying,


    "But even if it¡¯s unstoppable, we still have to resist."


    "Isn¡¯t that how we¡¯ve spent the past forty years?"


    Qiao Xiaoming is actually Qiao Mu, so when Qiao Xiaoming speaks, it¡¯s Qiao Mu speaking. At the same moment, Qiao Mu also stood up from the sandstorm.


    He held a stone sword and stood up from a pile of rubble.


    At this moment, he had dozens if not hundreds of bloodstains on his body, his wounds were covered with ayer of shallow yellow sand. He looked dirty and disheveled.


    "Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method."


    The energy that permeated his body turned into a blood-red color. Right now, Qiao Mu¡¯s entire body was filled with hundreds of years worth of internal strength.


    Under normal circumstances, Qiao Mu already had over a hundred years of internal strength. This is something that ordinary martial artists could never achieve even in their whole lives, and it was also pure "Pure Yang Wuji Skill".


    Under the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, new strength surged within his limbs and bones, multiplying several times over.


    The blood-colored aura swirling around his body seemed to make the wind and sand retreat. Qiao Mu grasped the stone sword, and the blood-red sword aura on the de was as fierce as the sun.


    With a swing of his long sword, the yellow sand in front of him instantly cleared, allowing Qiao Mu to catch a glimpse of Taoist Qingzhuo fluttering in the wind for a brief moment.


    He faced the direction where the storm wasing and silently charged forward.


    "The struggle of ordinary people¡­" Taoist Qingzhuo didn¡¯t pay much attention to it.

 Chapter 214 (2)

    Chapter 214 (2)


    "During these forty years, there were actually quite a few ordinary people who were trying to stop the inevitable. But they all died. Do you think you are noble?"


    "When ites to the actions of ordinary people, it¡¯s mainly about fame and fortune. Seeking titles and positions while alive is for seeking benefits in this lifetime, and being remembered after death is for seeking fame."


    "To resolve all matters of the world and gain fame before and after death¡­ it sounds extraordinary, but that¡¯s all there is to it. It¡¯s nothing more than having this little achievement."


    He not only wanted to destroy the physical body of the ordinary person in front of him but also to shatter his spirit and will. He wanted Earth Sword Immortal to see how insignificant his resistance was and how longevity was the true path. Only then could they hope to break the delusion of Earth Sword Immortal.


    The strong wind swept through, and this time his attack was not limited to this isted city. Even the stone forest on the side of the city wall, where a hundred thousand soldiers were buried, was swept up. Stone tablets flew into the air one after another.


    "Nameless in life, and the same in death¡­ Ordinary people are born and die every day, like mayflies. Struggling is futile."


    "The destruction of this city will also happen silently. The outside world, including Jiu Province, will never know that you still exist, and now you have reached your end."


    "Brave or not, heroic or not, in the end, we all turn to dust. Without attaining immortality, we are nothing more than ants and mayflies."


    As Taoist Qingzhuo used his magical skills, his voice rang like a loud bell through the strong wind, echoing in Qiao Mu¡¯s heart.He saw Qiao Mu running through the fierce wind, holding a stone sword, struggling to move forward in this empty and deserted city.


    Upon hearing Taoist Qingzhuo¡¯s deep voice, both Qiao Mu and his sword burst intoughter.


    "Unknown and insignificant? I have no need for fame in history," Earth Sword Immortalughed, and at that moment, the stone sword shone even brighter, its brilliance increasing.


    "Unknown and insignificant? With me in this city, it will be famous!" This was Qiao Mu¡¯s reply, his body filled with vitality and his spirit high.


    "The nameless heroes who have passed away, I will make them famous. Their blood and tears will not be in vain. If the history books of Great Yan don¡¯t include them, then it is the fault of the books, and I will personally add a few strokes!"


    Taoist Qingzhuo¡¯s eyebrows furrowed slightly.


    He hadn¡¯t expected that not only was Earth Sword Immortal unwavering, but even the lone soldier from the Qiao family by his side, despite being thest one, also had an indomitable spirit.


    And this was not the only curious thing going on.


    This city has almost been destroyed by him, and such a big battle will surely consume a lot of magic power. Originally, destroying the city and killing people would establish his authority, and it¡¯s not an unthinkable thing.


    The key is that he has never seen half of the hiding soldiers and civilians in the city until now.


    However, at this moment, he suddenly had a thought and a slight smile appeared on his lips.


    "I think I understand now," he smiled.


    "This city has already been half destroyed, and we haven¡¯t even seen a single person. I thought they were hiding somewhere."


    "No wonder you all appear nervous but still have high fighting spirit. It turns out that my attempt was in vain."


    The old wizard in the sky smiled slightly and suddenly turned his head.


    The old eyes, slightly squinted, looked through the distant distance and fell on the hidden fortress outside the city, covered by sand dunes.


    "I found you¡­"


    Taoist Qingzhuo¡¯s body suddenly turned into a rainbow light and swiftly arrived. He formed a hand seal, and an invisible gust of wind transformed into sharp des. It sliced through the soil mound, lifting the entire ceiling and letting in the howling wind from outside.


    Qiao Mu felt a shock in his heart.


    "Qingzhuo, you old thief, even if I have to die, I won¡¯t let you¡­" The librarian held Stone City in his hand, wanting to say something, but Qingzhuo, the old Taoist, ignored his intention.


    In a sh of light, the old man of the arsenal was sent flying, and the Stone City in his hand finally fell into Taoist Qingzhuo¡¯s hands.


    "You neglect the path of eternal life, yet you¡¯re distracted by practicing such small tricks¡­" Taoist Qingzhuo coldly snorted.


    At this moment, the Stone City was in his palm. To the elderly inhabitants within Stone City, it seemed as though a towering deity had appeared above their heads, epassing them within his grasp.


    However, Qiao Mu arrived at this time.


    "Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method!"


    "Bloodthirsty Skill!"


    "Red Moon Burning Blood Technique!"


    He seemed to blend into the strong wind, and had already rushed over at a critical moment when Taoist Qingzhuo held Stone City. Surprisingly, he remained calm in his heart.


    Heavenly shing Swordsmanship is a spiritual refining sword technique, focusing not on the moves, but on the intent.


    To sever the heavens, first sever me.


    How to sever oneself, how to epass one¡¯s entire vitality and spirit within a single sword, how to give everything.


    For this sword technique created by the generation¡¯s top martial artist, Earth Sword Immortal, the most important aspect is actually¡­ a spirit, a state of mind.


    Rather than long years of cultivated vitality or umted internal strength.


    In an instant when Taoist Qingzhuo held Stone City, he had already seen his own emotions and aspirations.


    This sword is not merely about seeking death.


    It is not meaningful to die for the sake of death, it just moves oneself.


    "This sword is not for seeking death, but for ending the bloodshed in this city, and seeking a peaceful path for the elderly and children of this city!" Qiao Mu grasped the stone sword, his eyes filled with fury, and his whole body boiling with energy, as the centuries of internal strength surged into the stone sword in his hand.


    The stone sword in his hand trembled violently, and Earth Sword Immortal¡¯s heart was also surging at this moment.


    Earth Sword Immortal is not a good person in the worldly sense.


    He lived a carefree life, wandering among the flowers. Although he experienced all kinds of flowers, he didn¡¯t leave a single one in his heart. He didn¡¯t care about worldly etiquette and moralws, and the praise or criticism of others didn¡¯t concern him.


    The sky is vast, the earth is vast, and he, the Great One, doesn¡¯t care even if Elder Qingzhuo locks him in the isted city, because it doesn¡¯t endanger his life.


    But even so, he still has some humanity.


    In the first twenty-nine years, he watched the fire from the other side of the river, but in thest year, his own brother Lu Yanbei came to this side.


    Being on this side, the fire he saw was not just a distant light, but also had a warm heat.


    The Qiao family members from different generations have always been fiery like this.


    Earth Sword Immortal¡¯s heart is as cold as iron, and he always avoids such people.


    Even the moss growing in the dark and humid corners of the wall eventually faces the sun.


    Do you really think he¡¯s such a fool that he can exchange his lifelong swordsmanship essence, Heavenly shing Swordsmanship, with just any book, The Art of Lovemaking?


    "We were originally two people, and in order to disy the Heavenly shing Swordsmanship, our hearts must be in perfect harmony. But this time¡­" Earth Sword Immortal said softly.


    "I can¡¯t help butugh. I¡¯ve lived a carefree life, but before I die, I have be the kind of conservative person that I used to look down upon¡­"


    In the stone city held in Elder Qingzhuo¡¯s hands, there are also people who voluntarily undergo the Mortal Body Transformed Sword and fight to the death¡­


    Qiao Mu has hundreds of wounds bleeding profusely all over his body, but he ignores them, allowing the surging internal strength of hundreds of years to continuously flow in, as if the blood and the living stone sword were absorbing each other.


    "Without predecessors sacrificing their heads and shedding hot blood, how can there be sessors to carry on?"


    "The people before have passed away, so let me be the one to die, wishing to open a clear path for the elderly in this city!"


    "Amazing Swordsmanship from the Heavens!"


    This is the Earth Sword Immortal, who stood at the peak of martial arts several decades ago,bined with Qiao Mu, a mortal who could never reach the hundreds of years of pure martial arts prowess.


    The sword is out!


    A fierce beam of light shot up into the sky, its color as rich as blood, yet it resembled a blood-red glow, illuminating the dim sky for a moment.


    The blood-red light tore through the wind and sand, tearing apart the gloomy clouds that enveloped the sky, instantly engulfing Taoist Qingzhuo who stood in the wind.


    The momentum of the blood-red sword light is still strong, shooting straight into the sky.


    The heavy clouds split open, creating arge hole. The void above the sky shook violently like water ripples, and then shattered like a spider¡¯s web, resounding with clear cracking sounds throughout the vast desert.


    The old man of the arsenal had blood at the corner of his mouth, grasping Stone City that fell from the sky.


    A ray of sunshine fell on his face, and he looked up at the sky.


    The howling strong wind gradually became smaller.


    The swirling yellow sand in the sky began to fall like raindrops and hailstones, making thunderous sounds as they hit the ground.


    The once majestic city, copsed by the sandstorm, was now only half left. The evening sunlight fell like blood among the ruins.


    The setting sun, like a huge clot of blood, condensed in the sky. Although it was about to fall, it still remained as the sun.


    The old soldiers looked up at the setting sun on the horizon, trembling slightly. Their lips trembled for a long time, but they couldn¡¯t utter a word.


    What shook them deeply was not that the storm had passed, but the sky after the storm.


    Under the setting sun, at the end of their sight, where the yellow sand and the sky met on the horizon, they were astounded to see a¡­passageway?


    "Is that the Imperial Anxi Pass?"


    "Can we see the Anxi Pass in the outside world? Has the illusionary formation of the Immortal Gate failed?"


    "Can we go outside?"


    Captain Hai and the others widened their eyes, but there were no tears of excitement.


    Their blood and tears had dried up over the past forty years, but they didn¡¯t shed a tear.


    In the next moment, they suddenly thought of something and quickly turned back to look towards the direction of the lonely city.


    Qiao Mu was already lifeless in front of the broken walls, with his skin cracked and bleeding. Next to him, a dimly shining stone sword was inserted diagonally into the ground.


    "This sword is not actually for killing enemies, because even if we kill the enemy, there will be sessors to the Nine Immortal Gates. If the elders of the Immortal Gate fall here, it will definitely alert the Great Dao Sect leader¡­" Storyteller irvoyance let out a long sigh.


    "So, this sword is not for killing enemies, but for our survival¡­"


    How many deceased Qiao family elders had he seen in the lonely city?


    Just as he sighed, a rainbow shed.


    Taoist Qingzhuo¡¯s face was pale as paper as he looked down at Qiao Mu, who was exhausted and died in front of the ruins. He looked up at the hole in the cloudy sky, his expression constantly changing.

 Chapter 215:

    Chapter 215:


    Taoist Qingzhuo reached out his hand and with a wave, the stone sword stuck in the ground was lifted by an unseen force and turned into a streak of light,nding in Taoist Qingzhuo¡¯s palm.


    He nced at the stone sword in his hand and carefully examined it, furrowing his brow. Then, he nced at Qiao Mu, who remained motionless.


    ¡°Is he really close to death?¡± Taoist Qingzhuo wondered in his heart.


    Taking the sword from a distance was to test how much strength Qiao Mu had left.


    At the same time, it was also to take away Earth Sword Immortal.


    Taoist Qingzhuo hadn¡¯t forgotten that the purpose of his journey was to obtain Earth Sword Immortal.


    After going around in circles, even though Earth Sword Immortal had already transformed into a sword and it was uncertain whether returning to the sect immediately could still save him, it could still be considered as indirectly achieving his objective.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to fight against this ordinary person. I have lived for more than a year and I don¡¯t need topete with someone so much younger. I will go to heal first.¡±


    Taoist Qingzhuo transformed into a rainbow and soared into the sky, ultimately disappearing into the clouds.He didn¡¯t take advantage of the dying Qiao Mu.


    Not sure if it was disdain or doubt in his heart, suspecting that this Qiao Mu was faking his death, once he approached, another Qiao family member would appear mysteriously.


    Captain Hai and hispanions drew their swords and stood on guard for a long time, but as martial artists, even with bows and arrows, they couldn¡¯t pose a threat to Taoist Qingzhuo, who had turned into a streak of light and disappeared.


    They had to hurry over and try to treat the dying Qiao family elder.


    However, as they approached, they found that this unnamed Qiao family elder, though still with his eyes open, had already lost his breath at some point.


    ¡°Why did it have toe to this¡­¡± Captain Hai let out a sigh.


    Although they had witnessed the deaths of several Qiao family members, they had only just met this person for the first time. They had no acquaintance with him, no expressions, and they didn¡¯t even know his name¡­


    ¡°If I had the strength, I would join this elder on the battlefield,¡± Qiao Xiaoming said softly, holding his head.


    ¡°Captain Hai, there is no need to worry. Follow your heart and the path you choose, that¡¯s all it takes.¡±


    ¡°The direction of the heart, the path it takes¡­ This is a principle to be put into action.¡±


    Storyteller irvoyance mused about this family motto that several generations of Qiao family members had recited, feeling nostalgic about it.


    Taoist Qingzhuo said that people spend their whole lives chasing fame and fortune, which is not necessarily wrong.


    When ordinary people do something, they usually have to consider whether it is beneficial, whether it can make money. If it is beneficial, they then assess how likely they are to seed.


    But some fools are not like that.


    The heart¡¯s direction, the path it takes.


    When you want to do something, without considering whether it will be sessful, whether it will bring benefits, or even if it will end in failure or death¡­ as long as your heart believes it is right, you do it without hesitation.


    ¡°The direction of the heart is where the path lies. You can go beyond the brink of death, and even if you die, you won¡¯t stop¡­ Is this the reason why generations of Qiao family members died in battle? They truly are a respectable and admirable family¡­¡±


    Storyteller irvoyance sighed.


    He and the members of the Qiao family are all from the outside world.


    He knew in his heart that the people in this isted city had no choice, and all their fates led to eventual death.


    All efforts couldn¡¯t avoid destruction, the only difference was the timing.


    Unlike the previous andter generations of the Qiao family.


    irvoyance knew the situation outside in Jiu Province and had a rough idea of what the Immortal ying Army was all about¡­


    The members of the Qiao family were different from the people in this isted city. They had a choice, and with their abilities, even if they couldn¡¯t defeat the inhumans, they could still live a prosperous life in thend of Jiu Province.


    Although they were no match for immortals, this mysterious and powerful martial arts family could live freely, just like the Earth Sword Immortal back then, right?


    This was also the reason why Captain Hai and others were repeatedly shocked by the deaths of the Qiao family members: They didn¡¯t need to die, but they willingly sacrificed themselves and eventually perished in battle.


    They didn¡¯t care about gains, life or death, conspiracies, or whether they would be condemned by the powerful or killed by immortals. They cast aside all concerns, rules, and followed their own hearts.


    Is this stupid?


    ¡°This is a great warrior,¡± Storyteller irvoyance sighed:


    ¡°When an ordinary person sees insult, they draw their sword and fight back. This is reckless, or at most, we can say it is bravery driven by emotion.¡±


    ¡°But true bravery is different.¡±


    ¡°In this world, a truly brave person remains unaffected when suddenly faced with danger, and doesn¡¯t get angry for no reason. They possess great strength, and their ambitions are far-reaching.¡±


    ¡°They uphold integrity in their hearts, don¡¯t prioritize fame and fortune, and consider life and death as insignificant. This is true bravery.¡±


    After irvoyance spoke these words, Qiao Xiaoming¡¯s face turned slightly red.


    He was like a regret before Qiao Mu¡¯s death, not an independent will. He was just temporarily surviving by relying on a small piece of tissue, waiting for the next Qiao Mu to die and be reborn, so he could gain the power of Qiao Mu and continue his existence.


    Deep down, Qiao Mu also knew that he couldn¡¯t be considered brave.


    Between life and death, there is great terror, so people¡¯s highest praise for warriors is ¡°setting life and death aside¡±.


    He was born immortal, but apart from the point irvoyance mentioned about ¡°setting life and death aside¡±, everything else he said was urate.


    He had already put life and death aside, so he could act recklessly without any restrictions.


    ¡°It¡¯s rare to feel such satisfaction..¡± He lifted his own body, allowing the old man of the arsenal to control him and enter Stone City.


    Now is not the time to rx.


    The elder of Immortal Gate fled, but that doesn¡¯t mean we can let our guard down.


    No one knows if Elder Qingzhuo will return or not, even if he doesn¡¯t¡­ who knows what kind of person wille next from the Nine Immortal Gates?


    Another elder? Higher-ups from another Immortal Gate, or even the Immortal Sect Leader?


    ¡°The Hundred-mile Desert is no more, the secret hidden by the Nine Immortal Gates for forty years can no longer be concealed, and the existence of the white-headed soldier in the isted city is about to be exposed.¡± Storyteller irvoyance looked at the white-headed soldier in front of him, with many thoughts brewing in his mind.


    ¡°But is the Immortal ying Army real or fake?¡±


    If there were an Army that can kill immortals in this world, it would be hard to hide from the watchful eyes of the Tide Listening Building.


    irvoyance¡¯s mind told him that this thing was probably not real, but after witnessing several generations of Qiao family members who called themselves the Immortal ying Army and died for it, he became unsure again.

 Chapter 216:

    Chapter 216:


    A crimson sunset hung in the sky, casting a deep red hue on the clouds. It looked as if the entire sky had been stained with blood.


    Underneath the crimson sunset, the desert stretched endlessly, with no boundaries in sight. An old man stood atop a sand dune, practicing his boxing.


    The old man was focused and immersed in his practice. He was alone in this vast desert, with no other living creature in sight.


    In the desert of the crimson sunset, the old man practiced his boxing alone. The desert seemed boundless, with only asional hot winds blowing and picking up traces of yellow sand, as if he was the only person left in the world.


    It was evident that his boxing skills were extremely proficient. Each move flowed effortlessly, as if it was as natural as breathing. It had be ingrained in his body, a part of him.


    He waspletely absorbed, focused. He immersed himself in this desert world, feeling both lonely and resolute.


    Suddenly.


    There was a sound in this desert.


    That was the sound of metal breaking, and faintly visible in the blood-red sky, there was a shattered shadow of a golden chain.The old man suddenly looked up, snapped out of his previous concentration, and continued to move his hands, still punching, but his eyes looked around in confusion.


    "Where am I?" He first looked around, then noticed his own body movements.


    Is he practicing the Long Life Fist?


    Even stranger, in his memory, he was only a hundred miles away from the Fang Yuan Desert, but at this moment, how could he be in a desert that seemed endless for thousands of miles? The vast expanse all around him seemed to be the only desert left in the whole world.


    As this thought came to his mind, this desert seemed to change silently.


    At the edge of his sight, it was no longer an endless yellow sand, but a pass appeared, which was the Anxi Pass that Qiao Mu remembered.


    And behind Qiao Mu, there was no longer boundless yellow sand, but a quiet and dpidated old city had suddenly appeared.


    Qiao Mu suddenly turned around, feeling a strong shock in his heart. He was certain that just a moment ago, there was no such deserted city behind him, so how could a city suddenly appear out of nowhere?


    The strange thing is, in reality, the gate tower of the lonely city has already copsed, and the whole city has been destroyed by the sandstorm brought by Taoist Qingzhuo, why does this city in front of him, although old, still remain intact, just like the lonely city he originally imagined?


    As this thought arose in Qiao Mu¡¯s mind, the lonely city in front of him silently changed. The gate tower crashed down, the road behind the city walls was filled with sand and dust, and the houses on both sides were crushed by yellow sand¡­


    Qiao Mu frowned, and he had a vague guess in his mind. With a move of his thoughts, the Ouroboros Long Life Lock in his mind emitted a faint light, and a stream of information gushed out.


    Death Assessment this time: C- (exhausted in battle, scared away inhuman)


    Lifespan consumed by death: 5 (1 * 5) years


    Remaining resurrection chances this week: 0/5


    Current age: 205 years old (remaining time 5 years)


    Energy and blood: 21%


    Skills: None


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    "Wow, he¡¯s really going to spend 5 years in a small dark room training and then erase his memory?"


    Qiao Mu realized something, but then immediately furrowed his brows and realized that things weren¡¯t simple.


    This isn¡¯t some small dark room where time flows differently inside and outside, like a time room or something. It¡¯s¡­a dream.


    "That¡¯s right, it¡¯s a dream."


    Qiao Mu¡¯s senses were sharp, and at this moment, he had already noticed the strangeness of this world.


    After experiencing the death of S-, the second chain of the Long Life Lock shattered.


    But in reality, his body went through a change. It¡¯s just that at that time, time was pressing, and he didn¡¯t have time to carefully recall.


    He broke through to the 2nd rank of the Spiritual Refining Period.


    The second level of Spiritual Refining Period is characterized by a stronger mind than the third level. After entering the second level, memories from childhood to adulthood can be vividly recalled in the mind, simr to what is known as super memory, which is almost like having a photographic memory and being able to remember forgotten childhood memories.


    At the same time, a strong mind can further explore the surroundings, unlike the third level of spiritual refining, where intuition is limited to oneself.


    So, it was only when Qiao Mu reached the second level that he barely began to remember all the memories that had been forgotten or buried in his brain¡­


    No wonder every time hees back to life and recalls the details of his martial arts training, it feels like a dream¡­ It turns out that it was really a dream, just that the details were forgotten by him.


    Fun fact: Actually, most people dream every night, on average having 4-6 dreams.


    So-called dreamless nights are actually just when people forget the content of their dreams after waking up.


    The self-perception in dreams is different from reality, as time in dreams tends to pass more slowly than in real life.


    In ancient times, there was a story of a Dream of Red Mansions, where a traveler fell asleep in an inn and dreamed of going through his entire life, from being amoner to bing a prime minister, and even dying at the age of 80. Upon waking up, he realized that it was all just a dream, and the rice of the inn was still not cooked.


    There is also the story of the Dream of the Butterfly, where someone dreams of living a life of wealth and glory for thirty years, only to wake up and realize they were still in a dream.


    In a blink of an eye, decades passed in the dream world.


    "So, I have been dreaming all along¡­"


    Suddenly, Qiao Mu remembered something and quickly walked into the solitary city in his dream. He pushed open the door of the mansion where he used to live and stopped in front of a mirror in the bedroom, gazing at his own reflection in a daze.


    The person in the mirror looked very aged, and Qiao Mu had never seen anyone older than the person in the mirror before.


    His skin had be loose, with age spots on his face. Wrinkles covered his face, and his cheekbones had be prominent. His hair was now white and fell loosely behind his head, almost reaching his waist.


    Qiao Mu had seen this kind of aged appearance many times before; it wasn¡¯t his first time looking in the mirror.


    In the past, he hadn¡¯t paid much attention to it.


    Although aging in appearance could be considered a kind of price, in Qiao Mu¡¯s eyes, this price was actually very small.


    Ordinary people who practice martial arts also have to spend many years before seeing results, but he had skipped the long years of umtion.


    Now it seems different.


    Every time he died, his consciousness was trapped in this dream world, and he spent nearly two hundred years here.


    "So, I am really over two hundred years old?"


    Memories from his youth began to emerge in his mind.


    At the age of twenty, he died fighting against bandits alone. In the dream valley, he diligently trained for eight years, neglecting food and sleep, and became a master of the Military Spear Skill, with the muscle memory ingrained.


    In his forties, he was burned alive in Heyang City, Nan Province. In the dream, he continued to practice martial arts until his hair turned gray.


    At the age of sixty, he was executed at the vegetable market and had buns dipped in his blood. In the dream, he trained diligently for thirty years and mastered the fifth level of Hai Wuya¡¯s Xumi Mountain King Sutra, which Hai Wuya hadn¡¯t even achieved yet.


    Hai Wuya¡¯s Xumi Mountain King Sutra at that time was onlyplete up to the fourth level, but Qiao Mu deduced and perfected the fifth level during his thirty years in the dream. Later, he used the excuse of it being a "family secret technique" to give the perfected fifth level to Hai Wuya, as a way to repay his favor.


    The memories of the past nearly two hundred years are vividly present in his mind, with every detail crystal clear.


    Qiao Mu looked at himself in the mirror and unconsciously took a step back. Suddenly, he felt a strange unfamiliarity towards the old man in the mirror.


    He always believed that he was still a young man, and the aging of his appearance was just a superficial change. But now he realized that he had indeed lived for over two hundred years¡­


    Thinking of this, he suddenly understood.


    No wonder every time he came back to life, the martial arts he practiced coincidentally matched the martial arts he wanted to practice.


    No wonder when practicing the "Shape Changing Skill," Qiao Mu created a new technique and derived a flesh clone from it, which perfectly matched his abilities.


    It turned out that he himself deduced it, but he had just forgotten about the events that happened in his dreams.


    Dream and reality don¡¯t share the same timeline.


    Qiao Mu lowered his head, and the Ouroboros Long Life Lock in his mind emitted a faint glow.


    The Long Life Lock, also known as a life-saving lock, is an ancient gold or silver ornament worn by children. It is simr to a jade pendant or ne, typically hung around the child¡¯s neck in the shape of a lock. Its meaning is to "lock" life, preventing the child from an early death.


    Often, ancient children¡¯s Long Life Locks would have inscriptions such as "longevity" and "good luck" to bring good fortune.


    However, Qiao Mu¡¯s Long Life Lock was different.


    On the Long Life Lock, there was a clear image of a snake with a tail, not made of stone or jade, but only existing in Qiao Mu¡¯s imagination.


    The four words on the Long Life Lock were "eternal life"!


    "The Long Life Lock¡­ locks my life. I won¡¯t die, but every death means my consciousness will be trapped in a dream for a long time¡­ However, the training process in my dreams is forgotten, only leaving me with vague memories and strong muscle memory."


    It¡¯s hard to say if this is a reward or a punishment.


    Life in this world is difficult, and no matter how hard and tired a person is, there will be an end, a day of liberation.


    But not for Qiao Mu. He is a person who cannot die. Every time he dies, he spends a long time practicing alone in his dreams. Even after death, he doesn¡¯t find release. He is like a prisoner in a dream in a certain sense.


    If there is an underworld in this world, Qiao Mu¡¯s life clearly cannot be taken by the underworld. The Immortal Gate formation cannot confine him. His life is always securely locked by the Ouroboros Long Life Lock, constantly cycling between life and death.


    "If this is a dream, then what on earth is Death Assessment with different levels?"


    Qiao Mu furrowed his brow, deep in thought.


    The different levels of Death Assessment represent varying qualities of death, with higher ratings indicating longer dream durations.


    A C-level ratingsts only about 1 year, while an S-level canst several decades.


    Lost in the passage of time within the dream, Qiao Mu pondered for who knows how long beforeing up with a hypothesis:


    "Perhaps, the different levels of Death Assessment actually represent the depth of the dream."


    "The higher the Death Assessment, the deeper the dream I will enter after I die."


    The time within the dream is not the same as in reality.


    As the dream gets deeper, the speed at which time passes bes slower and slower.


    In the shallower levels of dreams, a moment in the outside world is equivalent to one year in the dream. In the deeper levels of dreams, a moment in the outside world is equivalent to several decades in the dream, just like what is said in the ancient book "a dream of yellow millet".


    "So herees the question, how can I wake up? Do I really have to stay in this dream for a full six years?"


    What¡¯s the joke?


    Qiao Mu rarely practiced martial arts in the real world, but now he has to practice hard for a full six years in this dream?


    Qiao Mu walked alone on the empty streets, feeling lost in his heart.


    He looked out at the vast desert beyond the city, and saw only the unchanging sun in the sky. Standing still on the street, he didn¡¯t know what to do.


    At this moment, he wandered aimlessly in this empty city, as if the world had already been destroyed and he was the only survivor.


    At first, he was confused, just walking in the empty city in his dream.


    He had never practiced martial arts before, and for the first time in his life, he felt a strong resistance towards it. He just walked aimlessly, letting different thoughts echo in his mind.


    "Are all my memories of martial arts real? Is it just because I haven¡¯t undergone spiritual refining that I am unable to recall my dream memories, and they are naturally forgotten when I wake up?"


    "What on earth is this Ouroboros Long Life Lock?"


    In the endless passage of time within the dream, he wandered alone.


    From the deste city to the vast desert, from the desert to the dream Imperial Capital, from the dream Imperial Capital to the Heyang City, and finally back to the original Yan City.


    The scenery in his dream constantly changed ording to his desires, but what remained constant was the emptiness wherever he went, as if it were a prison with only him inside.


    In the endless passage of time within the dream, he didn¡¯t know how long he had been walking until he finally stopped in confusion.


    Maybe it was a few days, maybe it was a few months?


    In the past, he acted without any taboos, without considering whether it would offend the powerful, without weighing the pros and cons. His heart and actions were guided by his desires, doing whatever he wanted in a reckless manner.


    And the only cost he had to bear was the aging of his physical body.


    But now he just realized that every time he dies, he has to spend decades in prison in his dreams?


    It didn¡¯t matter that he couldn¡¯t remember dreams before, but now he can¡¯t pretend to know nothing about everything.


    "Why bother like this?" He suddenly felt a little discouraged.


    It¡¯s like a corporate worker passing by a school suddenly hearing the bell for ss, instinctively thinking they¡¯rete, and then realizing they¡¯ve already graduated.


    Qiao Mu always considered himself a young person, but who would have known that he was actually a real amnesiac old man in his two hundred and odd years?


    "I¡¯ve been drifting for over two hundred years, and only today do I realize that I¡¯m already an old man."


    "What am I aiming for? A face full of wrinkles now, pretending to be older? No, not pretending, I truly am older."


    Qiao Mu felt inexplicably cold in his heart, feeling no interest at all.


    irvoyance¡¯s previous spection as Storyteller was actually quite reasonable.


    Qiao Mu always had choices. He could have chosen the easy mode, where he wouldn¡¯t have to ughter the Jiu Province and be a demon while chasing after negative high-quality deaths¡­ With his strength, he could have already be a king in the world of martial arts.


    Can¡¯t defeat inhuman, can¡¯t defeat martial artists either?


    Instead of being treated like a dog by the Nine Immortal Gates, he could easily be a superior person and enjoy wealth and luxury. Why should he struggle and die, only to be trapped in a dream prison for decades after death? Why suffer unnecessarily?


    With those thoughts in his heart, he once again started practicing the Long Life Fist on the streets of Yan City in his dream, flowing smoothly like water, over and over again.


    No matter what he thought in his heart, after nearly two hundred years of practicing his fists, it had be a habit in his muscles, a part of his life.

 Chapter 217:

    Chapter 217:


    Qiao Mu had no answer to what the Ouroboros Long Life Lock was, but since he couldn¡¯t find a way to wake up from his dream early, how would he spend the next five years?


    After aimlessly wandering in the dream world for three months, Qiao Mu unconsciously started practicing his punches on the streets of Yan City in the dream.


    After all.


    Life is like a roller coaster, if you can¡¯t fight against it, then just enjoy it.


    Qiao Mu thought this carelessly.


    He wasn¡¯t a bitter person, always a bit out of line. So, after the initial three months of confusion, even though he couldn¡¯t say he had epted it¡­epting it was impossible.


    "Being isted for five years, I¡¯m afraid anyone would go crazy, let alone two hundred years. What can I do to ept it¡­"


    The mental strength of being in the 2nd rank of the Spiritual Refining Period far surpassed that of an ordinary person. He could vividly remember the dusty memories of his childhood, and now the experiences of training martial arts in the dream world for over two hundred years surged in his heart, making him feel a mix of emotions.


    "Speaking of roller coasters¡­how did I practice my Iron Crotch Skill? Well, even though Iron Crotch Skill is a low-level skill, it¡¯s still a martial art.""Compared to the Iron Crotch Skill¡­how did I be proficient in the Art of Lovemaking, which I received from the Martial Saint, in my dreams?"


    Qiao Mu fell into contemtion.


    "Asshole Pointing Hand," "The Art of Identifying Fragrances," "Hard Hitting with a Big Stick," "Cloud-Seeking Hand of the Yellow Dragon"¡­


    Memories appeared clearly in his mind.


    Qiao Mu remembered clearly that he had studied the secrets of the Art of Lovemaking in his dreams, practicing diligently day and night, enduring the sweltering heat of summer and the extreme cold of winter.


    With years of study, Qiao Mu had managed to achieve some mastery in the Art of Lovemaking.


    "If the Art of Lovemaking doesn¡¯t involve any practical exercises, how do you practice? Do you have to recite and write down the entire text?"


    Qiao Mu suddenly realized this problem.


    No! That¡¯s not right!


    It shouldn¡¯t be like this!


    If he was in a dream, there shouldn¡¯t only be cities and streets around him, there should also be people.


    Just like the Art of Lovemaking, even without practical exercises, there should be an imaginary training partner.


    As Qiao Mu thought in his heart, suddenly there were people on the streets of Yan City.


    The pedestrians were few and far between, probably only seven or eight people. They had pale faces and were thin, just like the impression Qiao Mu had of the residents of Yan City in the past.


    However, these few pedestrians seemed to be covered with a thin veil on their faces. Their facial features were blurry and indistinct, without clear features.


    "Are the pedestrians in a lucid dream not real people? Is it difficult to imagine real people?"


    "If my mind is stronger, or if I am more familiar with someone, I should be able to clearly manifest them in my dreams."


    "Although I cannot wake up from the dream, I am indeed the master of this dream."


    So Qiao Mu realized.


    At this moment, there was a loud thunder from the sky, and five big characters fell from the sky.


    This! Is! Not! A! Big! Deal!


    Qiao Mu looked up at the words in the sky, and suddenly understood something in his heart.


    Since this is in a dream¡­


    "Then it¡¯s time to use my original secret technique, the Big-Wave Visualization Method," said Qiao Mu.


    With a curious mind to explore the mysteries of the dream world, Qiao Mu decided without hesitation.


    A blurry figure quickly formed in front of Qiao Mu.


    It was a broad-minded woman, with flowing ck hair and eyebrows like distant mountains. However, her eyes were tightly shut, like a fairy who had walked out of a painting¡­ Everything was fine, except that Qiao Mu felt increasingly familiar with her facial features.


    After careful consideration, it turned out that she bore a striking resemnce to the blind girl, Qiao Canxue, from before.


    "Let¡¯s try a different subject¡­" After pondering for a while, the person in front of Qiao Mu disappeared, leaving only a blurry figure without a clear face.


    "Regardless of whether they are male or female, it seems like there are not many people I am familiar with and can vividly appear in my dreams," Qiao Mu said in astonishment.


    After careful thought, the time that has passed in reality sinceing to this world is less than a year.


    This less than a year is almost two hundred years for Qiao Mu.


    Every time he died, it often meant a change in identity and name. His original name was Qiao Mu, andter he became Qiao LinQiao Sen¡­Qiao Zhuosen.


    In theory, a person of two hundred years old would have a wealth of experience. They would have met countless people in their lifetime, and there should be quite a few characters that can appear in their dreams.


    But Qiao Mu is not like that.


    In this less than a year, he didn¡¯t really have too many people that he got to know or be familiar with.


    From Yan City in Nan Province to Heyang City, and then to the Imperial Capital in Zhong Province, it seemed like he had seen a lot of scenery and experienced a lot of human emotions along the way, but it was just a passing nce.


    No one maintained a long-term rtionship with Qiao Mu, because he died too quickly.


    Before they could get to know each other well, he was already a pile of bones.


    Old Huang from Yan City, Sheriff Qian from Heyang City, a female chief constable, or Hai Wuya from Imperial Capital¡­ they were all like that.


    In fact, this was a deliberate choice he made.


    As a peculiar man who was either seeking death or on the path to death, being with him meant danger and death. So from Yan City onwards, Qiao Mu intentionally or unintentionally kept his distance from others.


    So along the way, from small towns to big cities, every region held multiple sets of Qiao Mu¡¯s bones.


    People say that members of the Qiao family value loyalty over life and death, carrying on the spirit of ancient chivalry. But he was always alone, with nobody knowing his true identity, believing that there was a mysterious and powerful martial arts family in the world.


    Familiar long-term friends andpanions didn¡¯t exist, and the onlypany he had was his own bones. So for a moment, Qiao Mu couldn¡¯t think of any familiar figure that could appear in his dreams.


    Earth Sword Immortal still had an elder brother named Lu Yanbei, while Qiao Mu had many brothers, they were all him in disguise.


    After thinking it through, there were only two "characters".


    One of them was Qiao Canxue, who Qiao Mu had known before he started his crazy pursuit of death.


    Second, there was an Impermanent Demon Cat that couldn¡¯t speak but kept following him persistently.


    "Life is as lonely as a snow avnche¡­"


    A colorful cat dashed out from the shadows, then cautiously approached Qiao Mu step by step, eventually copsing at his feet and sticking out its tongue, pretending to be paralyzed.


    "Although, however¡­isn¡¯t it a bit pitiful to dream about stroking a cat?"


    Qiao Mu sighed, and all the figures, both people and cats, vanished without a trace from his dream.


    In their ce stood a tall and strong man, with cold and stern features that didn¡¯t reveal his actual age.


    This was the Martial Saint.


    Although Qiao Mu didn¡¯t have many familiar friends, he still had familiar enemies.


    In this dreamlike world, the sky was adorned with a bright moon, casting a gentle moonlight on the well-defined muscles of the Martial Saint, just like when Qiao Mu first encountered him.


    Even though it was in a dream, the appearance of the Martial Saint still felt very overwhelming.


    "Come and face your doom." The Martial Saint in the dream beckoned gently to Qiao Mu.


    "This is not the real Martial Saint, but the Martial Saint in my mind. It is limited by my understanding of the Martial Saint and doesn¡¯t represent the true power of the Martial Saint."


    "But it can represent his true character¡­"


    Qiao Mu took a deep breath and shot through the air like an arrow.


    "Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method!"


    His whole body¡¯s energy surged like a tidal wave, as if an endless sea of blood-red internal strength rushed out.


    No matter how hard Qiao Mu fought, the Martial Saint just sat on the divine altar, effortlessly blocking all his attacks with a gentle finger.


    If Qiao Mu¡¯s internal strength was like an unstoppable river, then the Martial Saint was like a dam blocking the river. No matter how violently the water surged, the dam always stood higher, stopping all attacks.


    "Is there really such a strong Martial Saint in reality?"


    Suddenly, memories flooded Qiao Mu¡¯s mind of when the Martial Saint first appeared, shing with his sword and extinguishing Saintess Wu Qingxin¡¯s Etching Bones Li Fire, overpowering herpletely.


    With his current perspective, he naturally noticed the extraordinary aspects of it all.


    Etching Bones Li Fire was a technique created by the Immortal Gate cultivators specifically to deal with ordinary martial artists, so it was definitely not something to be taken lightly.


    The internal strength and the Etching Bones Li Fire of the Immortal Gate were like water and fire, simr yet different in their own ways.


    Even someone as strong as a first rank Spiritual Refining Period cultivator couldn¡¯t withstand the Etching Bones Li Fire head-on, they could only rely on their spiritual refining instincts to evade. If they happened to be burned by it, they could only unleash their internal strength temporarily to resist, and then swiftly strike to escape.


    However, the Martial Saint¡¯s performance on that night was far beyond just that.


    In Qiao Mu¡¯s eyes, he was the only martial artist who could extinguish the Etching Bones Li Fire of the Immortal Gate. No one else could achieve such a feat.


    "Could it be superb internal strength? Is the Martial Saint in the same superb rank as the Earth Sword Immortal?"


    "So, what makes superb internal strength different? How can itpletely defeat Etching Bones Li Fire? And how can a martial artist reach the superb rank?"


    With a single thought, Qiao Mu stopped his actions and stood up straight, looking at the Martial Saint in front of him.


    Quietly and without a sound, another figure appeared beside the Martial Saint.


    Earth Sword Immortal.


    Qiao Mu had never seen Earth Sword Immortal make a move himself, but he had fought alongside him when he transformed into a sword. So, even though he could imagine Earth Sword Immortal in his dreams, he couldn¡¯t picture how he fought.


    "Although limited to my own understanding, in this dream, both the Martial Saint and Earth Sword Immortal can be my training partners."


    "Perhaps, from both of them, I can discover a path to the superb rank."


    In the martial world, there are a total of nine ranks. However, this is a ssification created by the Great Yan Imperial Court.


    Forty years ago, there were only ten superb martial artists in the entire martial world. Each one, like Earth Sword Immortal, was a powerhouse of their era, pioneers of martial arts who managed to forge a path even when there seemed to be no way forward.


    "What is superb rank¡¯s internal strength? Maybe I can learn something from it."


    With a thought, an old man in a Taoist robe appeared beside him.


    This person is Elder Taoist Qingzhuo from the Great Dao Sect. His face is blurry and his figure is faint, not as solid as Earth Sword Immortal and Martial Saint.


    The surroundings suddenly changed into a half-copsed desert city, while Taoist Qingzhuo floated in the air, holding a spell in his hand.


    After reaching the 2nd rank of the Spiritual Refining Period, his memory became extremely strong, able to remember everything at a nce. That¡¯s why Qiao Mu in his dream could rey the battle that just happened.


    After carefully observing the previous battle, Qiao Mu noticed something obvious.


    As a person in the Spiritual Refining Realm, Qiao Mu couldn¡¯t actually threaten Taoist Qingzhuo¡¯s life.


    Even though Taoist Qingzhuo was injured, both of Qiao Mu¡¯s sneak attacks were dodged in time, without sess.


    Taoist Qingzhuo only got hit by one sword throughout the whole fight, which was the first move of the "Heavenly shing Swordsmanship" guided by Earth Sword Immortal.


    "Without Earth Sword Immortal, my inner strength can only reach a limited distance, which is qualitatively different from superb inner strength, and I am not qualified to challenge Elder Qingzhuo¡­"


    After reying the battle in his dream, Qiao Mu came to this conclusion.


    "Perhaps, this is the correct way to enter dreams."


    This thought emerged in Qiao Mu¡¯s mind.


    Putting aside the matter of imprisonment, being able to have a lucid dream in the second rank of the Spiritual Refining Period is actually a good thing.


    In his lucid dream, Qiao Mu can have more freedom than before. He can manifest Earth Sword Immortal and Martial Saint as his training partners.


    He is no longer limited to closed-door cultivation. He can also deduce techniques, explore the path to a superb rank, or rey a battle.


    "If I break through to the first rank of the Spiritual Refining Period, or even a superb rank, I believe the world in my dreams will be even more real¡­ But that¡¯s a story for another time."


    The biggest problem Qiao Mu faces now is time.


    "There is¡­ five years left."


    "In the dream, I isted myself for five years¡­"


    "If I concentrate enough, maybe time will pass faster in my perception?"


    In the dream, Qiao Mu raised his fist and struck at Martial Saint.


    ¡­¡­¡­..


    On the edge of the desert, Anxi Pass.


    The soldiers on the city wall looked puzzled, discussing in whispers. Not long ago, they noticed something strange deep in the desert, where there was a flickering lightning-like sh.


    General Madame Bai, dressed in armor, was also among them. Her face was solemn as she put down the monocr All-seen Mirror in her hand, her eyes filled with deep astonishment.


    Suddenly, in the depths of the desert, she saw a copsed solitary city?


    That city, wasn¡¯t it destroyed in the Inhuman War forty years ago, leaving nothing behind, not even a single piece of tile?


    In the past twenty years, she had tried countless times to use the All-seen Mirror to look into the depths of the desert, but had never seeded. Why was she able to see that lonely city today?


    Various questions lingered in Madame Bai¡¯s mind. When she was feeling confused, she suddenly felt something and looked towards a corner of Anxi Pass.


    Madame Bai practiced the original "Spiritual Technique" which allowed her to connect with practitioners of the "Martial Saint Spiritual Technique."


    And with this nce, she also saw an old man walking out from the corner, freely moving in this important ce of Anxi Pass, with a vacant expression in his eyes.


    "Stop! Who goes there?" she suddenly shouted.


    The old man visibly startled, looked up and nced at Madame Bai before realizing:


    "So it¡¯s a real person¡­"


    "I am surnamed Qiao, Qiao Shui," said Qiao Mu, his eyes calm and serene.


    "You may have met the young descendants of the Qiao family, who are passionate and strong-willed. Now, I will take them back home."


    The passionate and strong-willed descendants of the Qiao family have passed away.


    Being kind is like water, benefitting everything without contention.


    From today onwards, Qiao Mu ns to be a gentle, rational, neutral, and objective person, cherishing life and staying away from prison, going with the flow, and finding contentment.

 Chapter 218:

    Chapter 218:


    "Qiao Shui? A young descendant of the Qiao family?"


    Madame Bai pondered for a moment and recalled the Qiao Shuangsen who had ventured alone into the desert a month or two ago.


    At that time, she didn¡¯t know much about Qiao Shuangsen¡¯s background. However, after sending him into the desert, she made inquiries and learned that the Qiao family members had gained some fame in the Zhong Province, especially in the Zhong Province Imperial Capital.


    "Do they call a centenarian like him a young descendant?" Madame Bai¡¯s mind was unsettled as she gazed at the remote ruins of the abandoned city.


    "Could it be that the appearance of a member of the Qiao family is rted to the appearance of the solitary city in the vast desert?"


    The Qiao family member has be a widely spread rumor in Zhong Province recently. It is said that this mysterious and powerful martial arts family has many elders.


    For ordinary martial artists, "the young are afraid of fists" is actuallymon knowledge.


    Even the most amazing martial artist will experience a decline in strength and vitality as they age, no longer reaching their peak.


    But the Qiao family member is different; they have many elders, and each one is stronger than thest.For the Qiao family member, it is an objective fact that the older they are, the stronger they be.


    The age of the Qiao family member signifies a higher level of martial arts cultivation and reliability.


    If the elderly man Qiao Shuangsen, who was a hundred years old when he entered the Hundred-mile Desert, could easily defeat herself when she was at the 3rd rank of the Spiritual Refining Period, then what kind of strength does this man iming to be Qiao Shui possess?


    Regardless, this mysterious person who calls himself Qiao Shui brings a strong sense of danger to Madame Bai. She can¡¯t help but think that perhaps this person will also enter the desert after Anxi Pass.


    Since she started guarding Anxi Pass, she only stops those below the third rank. She has no intention to stop Qiao Shuangsen from before, now Qiao Shui, and she has no power to stop them either.


    So no matter if Qiao Shui wants to cross Anxi Pass, she will not block him.


    While she was thinking, the soldiers on the city wall suddenly became noisy and chaotic.


    Everyone looked at the desert in front of Anxi Pass in disbelief, their eyes wide open.


    "Madame Bai, someone¡­ a living person has walked out of the desert!" a sergeant shouted.


    "A living person? Could it be the Qiao Shuangsen from before?" Madame Bai thought to herself.


    She didn¡¯t think too much and instead connected Qiao Shui¡¯s appearance with the astonishingly strong Qiao Shuangsen from before.


    "This is truly a remarkable event. A living person has actually emerged from this Hundred-mile Desert¡­ this Qiao family member must be extraordinary. Perhaps we can learn the secret of this forbidden zone from Qiao Shuangsen, and ask Qingyi about it."


    However, the reaction of the soldiers at Anxi Pass greatly surprised her.


    "Mr. Bai, there are more than just one person¡­"


    Madame Bai held her breath, not even paying attention to Qiao Mu¡¯s presence, and turned her head to look towards the vast desert ahead.


    Slowly walking out from behind a sand dune, came a group of people.


    This group of people was not just one person, but a whole two to three hundred people, far beyond their expectations.


    The Hundred-mile Desert has always been a forbidden zone for living beings. Although there have been people who attempted to cross it in the past forty years and some who got lost unintentionally, even if you add up all of them, it wouldn¡¯t be possible to have two to three hundred people. So where did these peoplee from?


    Madame Bai raised the All-seen Mirror and looked carefully, finally getting a clear view of the appearance of the people who came from behind the sand dune.


    They were a group of soldiers.


    The armor worn by these soldiers was already worn-out and had a sense of age to it. Despite everyone being heavily armed, their tired expressions were evident, only their eyes still shining with determination.


    "How can there be soldiers? Are there troops from Great Yan deep in the desert?"


    "Isn¡¯t Anxi Pass the front line guarding the big desert? Hasn¡¯t the Great Yan Imperial Court set up another checkpoint inside the desert?"


    The soldiers were talking.


    They didn¡¯t connect those soldiers with the sudden appearance of the ruined city deep in the desert.


    After all, the ruined city represented the Inhuman War that happened forty years ago, which was already a thing of the past, so how could it be rted to the soldiers from before?


    Only Madame Bai was shocked, as if a thunderbolt suddenly exploded in her mind.


    She had practiced Li Changge¡¯s "Spiritual Technique" and in the first twenty years of the Inhuman War, she could always sense Li Changge¡¯s presence deep in the desert.


    "Open the gate!" she suddenly ordered.


    The heavy gate of the checkpoint opened suddenly, and Madame Bai, dressed in armor, led the crowd out, stepping into the desert outside, waiting silently.


    And finally, the soldiers from deep within the desert arrived at the Anxi Pass checkpoint.


    "Stop, who are you soldiers and why have youe out from deep inside the Hundred-mile Desert?" Madame Bai suppressed her racing heart and calmly asked.


    Before Anxi Pass, Captain Hai and the veteran soldiers finally stopped walking.


    Although Taoist Qingzhuo had left, they didn¡¯t let their guard down. After all, inhuman beings were known for their cunning and tricks, and it was not rare for them to return after leaving.


    Therefore, the old man of the arsenal released the three hundred veteran soldiers from Stone City again.


    Even though they knew they were not a match for Taoist Qingzhuo, they had fought for forty years. Even if the lonely city had copsed, they would not surrender.


    "We are the Western Conquering Army of Great Yan."


    Captain Hai walked at the forefront of the veteran soldiers, licking his dry lips and answering in a hoarse voice.


    Western Conquering Army?


    The soldiers of Anxi Pass were all taken aback by this unfamiliar term.


    After losing the Inhuman War forty years ago, Great Yan no longer had any army that could be called "Western Conquering" and conquer territories outside of Great Yan.


    Moreover, to the west of the Hundred-mile Desert is where the Great Dao Sect is located.


    Since the Inhuman War, which army would dare to have such a name? Who gave them the courage? Emperor Yonghe?


    Only Madame Bai¡¯s face showed a great shock, and she couldn¡¯t speak for a moment.


    For ordinary people, forty years is actually quite a long time, it¡¯s a whole generation.


    The Western Conquering Army is already a thing of the past for the previous generation. Most of the soldiers stationed at Anxi Pass from the current generation of Great Yan have never even heard of it, and even if they have, they don¡¯t remember it.


    But Madame Bai, who voluntarily guards Anxi Pass, naturally remembers.


    Because she remembers, that¡¯s why she finds it even harder to believe what she is seeing nowpared to other soldiers.


    "The Great Yan Western Conquering Army from forty years ago waspletely destroyed in the Inhuman War, so which Western Conquering Army are you talking about?" Madame Bai asked with a trembling voice.


    Captain Hai and the other veterans remained silent.


    "No."


    "The Western Conquering Army has always been here."


    Captain Hai took off his helmet, revealing his snowy white hair.


    He joined the Western Conquering Army when he was only twenty years old. Now, he is over sixty, with grey hair on both sides of his temples.


    In the Hundred-mile Desert, there is ack of food and water. Combined with years of battles, Captain Hai appears much older than sixty. He looks like a seventy-eight-year-old veteran.


    And he¡¯s not the only one.


    The veterans behind him are equally gaunt and aged.


    As Captain Hai took off his helmet, the three hundred veterans behind him did the same. Their faces were covered in deep wrinkles. Their once frosty white hair now floated in the wind.


    The distant lonely city has already copsed halfway, like an old giant beast under the setting sun, casting a huge shadow.


    The city of Bai Li, only one left, filled with white-headed soldiers.


    Resisting the enemy for forty years, the young have turned white-haired.


    Captain Hai led three hundred elderly soldiers and bowed respectfully, saying, "The entire Great Yan Western Conquering Army is here. The city has stood for forty years, not losing a single inch ofnd, living up to Great Yan."


    This voice echoed in front of Anxi Pass, leaving the soldiers there unable to speak for a long time, only feeling silently amazed.


    Is it possible that there are still survivors from the Inhuman War forty years ago?


    And judging from what they said, it seems this isted army has been resisting since forty years ago, from the time when there were once a hundred thousand soldiers, down to only three hundred elderly soldiers?


    The Hundred-mile Desert has long been a forbidden zone for life, isted from both the inside and outside. In other words, this isted army has actually held their ground for forty years in this deserted forbidden zone, with no support whatsoever.


    Moreover, as the defense force of Anxi Pass, their duty was only to guard and prevent ordinary people from entering the desert. No one would have imagined there were still survivors in the desert.


    Not only Anxi Pass, but the whole Zhong Province, even the entire Jiu Province, it is unlikely that anyone could have imagined that the 100,000 troops from back then still had remnants defending until now, 40 yearster!


    Did this really happen?


    The soldiers of Anxi Pass found it hard to imagine.


    Even though this fact is now right in front of them, they still find it hard to believe and think it¡¯s not logical.


    Only Madame Bai couldn¡¯t help but take a step forward, searching among these old soldiers for a familiar figure, and anxiously asked:


    "Is General Li Changge still here?"


    No one answered.


    A man with only half a face stepped forward from behind the old soldiers. He was Li Changge¡¯s younger brother. At this moment, he came forward, gazing at Madame Bai, themander of Anxi Pass, and vaguely guessed something. He spoke directly:


    "My brother, General Li Changge, sacrificed his life 20 years ago. Before his death, he broke through the enemy lines and single-handedly killed the inhuman creatures, allowing the remaining troops to survive and allowing us to continue defending in the vast desert."


    Madame Bai shook slightly.


    In fact, she had already anticipated this answer twenty years ago when she lost connection with the Spiritual Technique.


    But when the soldiers walked out of the vast desert, she couldn¡¯t help but feel a flicker of hope in her heart again.


    However, this hope turned out to be in vain.


    "Inside the Hundred-mile Desert, there is a mysterious formation set up by the Immortal Gate, which istes the inside from the outside. The so-called Forbidden Zone is actually intentionally created by the Immortal Gate¡­"


    "inhuman refers to this area as the ¡®Hundred-mile Desert,¡¯ which is one of the Secret Realms of the Great Dao Sect. After we die in battle, our souls will also fall into the hands of inhuman¡­" The old man of the arsenal rambled on about the past years.


    He had already learned the bloody truth from Lu Yanbei, and now he was revealing it to the outside world.


    As he spoke, a small stone city in his hands suddenly grewrger, and the residents of the city walked out from the floating stone city.


    These residents were only women, children, and the elderly, there were no young adults.


    The elderly are old soldiers who retired from the battlefield because they were too weak to fight anymore.


    The women and children are the remaining residents of the city from the old days.


    There are no young and strong men, because almost all of the young men in the city have joined the army. Either they have turned gray and weak, or they have died in the war and their names are engraved in the graveyard below the lonely city.


    Forty years of blood and tears, can only be understood by the vast desert.


    Now that they have finally left the desert, the old soldiers have many things to say to the women and children in the city.


    Besides talking about the past of the lonely city, they also have a strange thought lingering in their hearts.


    Why are the guards at Anxi Pass so surprised?


    Didn¡¯t the captain of the Immortal ying Army, Qiao Shuangsen, say that Great Yan has never forgotten this lonely city, and even specially formed an Immortal ying Army?


    Now that they havee out alive, why are these guards so surprised, as if they have never heard of this group of soldiers from the lonely city?


    Where is the so-called Immortal ying Army that the Qiao family member talks about?


    "Sir Bai, Sir Bai¡­" a sergeant reminded the dazed and stunned guard, Madame Bai.


    "Sir Bai, please ept our condolences, but the matter today is of great importance and must be reported immediately!"


    At first, the sergeant didn¡¯t believe that a lone army could hold out for forty years in the deste desert. However, when he saw the appearance of the old soldiers and the ragged women and children emerging from the stone city, he had no choice but to believe.


    "Yes, it should be reported to the court¡­ I will write a letter immediately," Madame Bai regained herposure and nodded hesitantly.


    "No, Sir Bai¡­ it¡¯s not to report to the court," the sergeant reminded.


    "Have you forgotten?"


    "In this area around Anxi Pass, it has already been designated as King Qin¡¯s territory by the court, and King Qin has just taken control recently. So what we should report to is King Qin."


    "King Qin? That¡¯s right," Madame Bai nodded.


    And at this moment.


    Captain Hai, who walked up to Madame Bai eagerly, said:


    "Madam."


    "May I ask what is the current situation in Jiu Province? Have you heard of¡­ the Immortal ying Army?"


    "The Immortal ying Army? What is the Immortal ying Army?" Madame Bai instinctively asked.


    Her mind was a bit cloudy, and she directly asked this question.


    Captain Hai¡¯s body stiffened, and his expression gradually became bitter.


    He should have known¡­


    It wasn¡¯t just Madame Bai who harbored a glimmer of hope, but also himself.


    The conversation between these two people quickly spread among the soldiers and the people behind them, leaving them all stunned.


    The Qiao family members from several generations ago who entered the isted city brought them hope.


    Even though the Qiao family members have died in battle, their memory remains deeply etched in the hearts of the people.


    At this moment, an old man silently walked out from the crowd.


    Qiao Mu had been silently observing from the side, without saying a word. He seemed very quiet.


    However, now he had to step forward and speak up.


    "You¡¯ve all worked hard," he said in a deep voice.


    "I am Qiao Shui, a member of the younger generation of the Qiao family. Qiao Shuangsen, Qiao Ruosen, Qiao Zhuosen, and the others are also part of our family, and I havee here for them."


    "The younger generation of my family is hot-blooded and impulsive, that¡¯s why they lied to all of you."


    Qiao Mu said in a low voice:


    "I¡¯m sorry everyone, but the Immortal ying Army has actually never existed."


    Fake¡­ it was all fake?


    Captain Hai and the rest of the old soldiers were shaken.


    Initially, the Immortal ying Army was just a lie created by Captain Hai and Qiao Shuangsen together.


    At that time, the people of the lonely city were desperate, and even if Qiao family member acted a little fake, some people believed it.


    Just like the little match girl seeing illusions before freezing to death, no matter how unreal, they were willing to believe.


    But Qiao family member acted too convincingly.


    With the powerful "Xumi Mountain King Sutra" and repeatedly breaking through the Immortal Gate formation in the name of the Immortal ying Army, these were real aplishments that went beyond what Captain Hai and the others imagined.


    So they really believed it.


    Generation after generation, members of the Qiao family sacrificed themselves in battle to protect their escape from the desert. But now, in front of them, Qiao Shui tells them the Immortal ying Army is fake?

 Chapter 219:

    Chapter 219:


    There has never been an army called "Immortal ying Army" in this world.


    This is the real truth.


    Rather, this is what should be expected.


    Going against the tide of cultivating immortality is a rare and courageous act.


    Like that Earth Sword Immortal.


    As the strongest martial artist from forty years ago, his talent was considered extraordinary. He even cultivated the path of immortality. However, as he aged, his vitality declined, and he needed Qiao Mu¡¯s nearly a thousand years of cultivation to transform his body into a sword and confront the elder of the Immortal Gate, Taoist Qingzhuo.


    When the residents of the lonely city left the desert, it became difficult for Qiao Mu to continue cooperating with Captain Hai¡¯s lies.


    Although the Qiao family members of this generation may have been lying, with a little bit of thought, people can understand that it was done with good intentions.


    Not to mention, they have sacrificed their lives for this lie, shedding blood on the yellow sand and turning into a handful of yellow soil.At this moment, the old man who called himself Qiao Shui and Qiao Xiaoming, who was holding the body of the unnamed Qiao family elder, reunited and looked at each other in silence.


    Storyteller irvoyance let out a slight sigh.


    "There really is no Immortal ying Army in this world, only Qiao family members who face death calmly."


    Coming from Tide Listening Building, even irvoyance had never heard of the existence of the Immortal ying Army, so he had always been skeptical. Now his doubts had been confirmed.


    "The Immortal ying Army is a lie. Inparison to the current situation in Jiu Province, this matter is trivial," irvoyance sighed lightly.


    More tragic than "Why surrender before we engage in the battle?" was the fact that the lonely city and its remaining soldiers had held on for forty years, while the Great Yan Imperial Court behind them had been kneeling for forty years!


    The people and soldiers of the lonely city managed to escape the desert, surviving with the help of Earth Sword Immortal and the Qiao family member, opening up a path of escape.


    But what awaited them was not the hope brought by the Immortal ying Army, nor the magnificent blueprint that Qiao Shuangsen had painted for them in the past, but the gory truth.


    Great Yan is ruined.


    Forty years ago, there were one hundred thousand soldiers, who now represent thest resistance of the Great Yan Imperial Court.


    That¡¯s why the guards at Anxi Pass are so astonished, finding it hard to believe the aplishments of the old soldiers before them.


    ¡­¡­¡­


    Above Anxi Pass, in the clouds.


    Taoist Qingzhuo, with a pale face, overlooks Anxi Pass below, observing the various appearances of the residents and soldiers with his divine perception.


    Although he was repelled by a member of the Qiao family.


    As an Elder of the Immortal Gate, he shouldn¡¯t be afraid of mere martial artists and flee in panic.


    He didn¡¯t flee, he simply achieved his goal of taking Earth Sword Immortal and temporarily withdrew due to some damage to his foundation.


    Hundred-mile Desert is a special secret ce created by Immortal Gate. It¡¯s not for everyone to know, or it might harm the trust and belief of the followers.


    It¡¯s not right to just let the people and soldiers of the lonely city leave like that.


    So he came again.


    Even though he was injured and not in his best condition, it would be easy for him to kill all the remaining enemies and bury them together with Anxi Pass.


    Just as he was about to take action, his eyesnded on the face of an old man iming to be Qiao Shui from the Qiao family.


    "Are there really other Qiao family membersing to support? Or should I be cautious and not act immediately," said Taoist Qingzhuo, frowning and stopping his unfinished spell.


    At first, he didn¡¯t care about the Qiao family members. When Dao Zhen mentioned them to him, heughed at Dao Zhen for underestimating amon martial arts family like that.


    And then, as an elder of Immortal Gate, he almost fell into the hands of the Qiao family members.


    He didn¡¯t die, but he got injured and his spiritual foundation was damaged. He couldn¡¯t reach his full potential anymore, paying the price for his arrogance.


    "This matter can only be done once and not repeated¡­" Just as Taoist Qingzhuo was about to say this, he remembered the second strike of the "Heavenly shing Swordsmanship" that made the elderly member of the Qiao family (who temporarily avoided the danger) and changed his words, saying:


    "No, things shouldn¡¯t happen more than three times."


    The first Qiao family member was Qiao Zhuosen, who joined forces with Earth Sword Immortal to strike with a sword, sacrificing himself to pierce through the sky and break the Immortal Gate formation, but also causing damage to Elder Qingzhuo¡¯s foundation.


    At that time, Taoist Qingzhuo thought such things couldn¡¯t possibly happen a second time.


    After all, it¡¯s rare to find a second fool who would sacrifice themselves for others.


    And then the second Qiao family member arrived immediately.


    Fortunately, he reacted quickly and escaped in time.


    Now that the third Qiao family member has appeared, would he simplye forward so easily?


    After cultivating the immortal path for over a thousand years, why should he fight desperately against an ordinary martial artist who is not even close to his age?


    Taoist Qingzhuo¡¯s spiritual foundation is damaged now, even if Qiao Shui only has a small chance of threatening him, he is not willing to take that risk.


    "Don¡¯t worry. Mortal lives are short, like the ephemeral mayflies. By the time I finish my recovery, this Qiao family member might have already passed away. I can patiently wait for that."


    In the end, Taoist Qingzhuo made a decision, holding the stone sword in his hand, he transformed into a rainbow of light and flew from Anxi Pass towards the Great Dao Sect.


    Although Taoist Qingzhuo is afraid of Qiao Shui, and unwilling to fight him while injured, the Sect Secret Realm called "Hundred-mile Desert" has already been forcefully destroyed, and this is not a small matter.


    It is estimated that someone from the Great Dao Sect will soone.


    As the Elder of the Immortal Gate, who is responsible for the current situation, Taoist Qingzhuo naturally needs to take care of the aftermath.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    The Great Dao Sect.


    Dao Zhennded in front of a grand hall, and in front of the hall, there was a shimmering water mirror. In the mirror, there was a vast desert and a partially copsed empty city.


    Except for him, there were several deacons from the sect. They frowned and stared at the scene in the water mirror, discussing a few words.


    When Elder Qingzhuo dismissed the deacons from the sect and decided to take matters into his own hands, Dao Zhen and others naturally thought that it was settled and could be resolved properly.


    Therefore, the deacons didn¡¯t pay too much attention to this matter anymore.


    Just a moment ago, they noticed something bad. The Immortal Gate¡¯s Soul-Restraining Array that shrouded the Hundred-mile Desert was broken. They investigated the current situation of the Hundred-mile Desert through this water mirror and only saw this partially copsed empty city.


    "The array being broken is not a small matter. If the matter of the Hundred-mile Desert leaks out, it might affect the incense."


    "This Secret Realm in the Hundred-mile Desert has existed for forty years and has already reached its end. Even if it wasn¡¯t broken today, in the future, the isted city and the remaining soldiers will eventually perish. The array will be removed. Now, it¡¯s just a bit earlier than expected."


    "So where are the soldiers and civilians in the city? Are they dead or did they run away? Does Elder Qingzhuo have an exnation?"


    "Don¡¯t talk too much. Elder Qingzhuo is personally handling this matter. When Elder Qingzhuo returns, he will definitely give the sect a response¡­"


    Speaking of which, a rainbow light shed in the sky, it was Taoist Qingzhuo.


    His face no longer had the previous paleness, but looked serious and dignified like before.


    "This Sect Secret Realm is already in its final stages. Today, I will personally break it. Do any of you have objections?" Taoist Qingzhuo asked calmly.


    He released a stone sword from his hand, which hovered in the air, emitting a faint glow.


    In the eyes of Earth Sword Immortal, this was more valuable than three hundred old soldiers and half the city¡¯s poption.


    Thetter were just spirits of soldiers, while the former¡­


    Earth Sword Immortal had already proven his extraordinary abilities. Even if trapped in a solitary city in the desert, he could still enter the path of immortality.


    Even if he turned himself into a sword, he could still break through the Immortal Gate formation and injure Elder Qingzhuo.


    "..No objections," the deacons could only answer like this.


    With Elder Qingzhuo¡¯s status and power, the deacons of the sect couldn¡¯t say anything even if he acted arbitrarily.


    After all.


    Elder Qingzhuo was one of the elders who set up the Hundred-mile Desert Immortal Gate formation in the first ce. This Secret Realm is indeed his creation.


    Elder Qingzhuo didn¡¯t intend to have a long conversation with them. He simply appeared and said two sentences, then quickly left.


    The other deacons had no choice but to scatter like birds and beasts. Elder Qingzhuo¡¯s attitude was clear, and they had no right to interfere.


    Dao Zhen had a curious expression on his face, as if he were deep in thought.


    Elder Qingzhuo turned into a streak of rainbow and flew in the sky above the sect.


    He was already injured at the moment and needed to return to his cave as soon as possible to take healing pills and treat his injuries with the fastest speed¡­


    Just before reaching his cave, a streak of rainbow light blocked his way, and a familiar figure appeared.


    "Junior Brother Qingzhuo, are you safe?"


    The person speaking is also a wise old man with white eyebrows. He is the master of Dao Zhen and Dao Xu, and is a senior at the Immortal Gate in the Imperial Capital, named Qingyi.


    "Brother Qingyi." Taoist Qingzhuo frowned secretly, but remained calm on the surface and bowed respectfully.


    "Brother, aren¡¯t you busy with worldly matters? Why do you have leisure time toe back to the mountain gate today?" Taoist Qingzhuo asked.


    Previously, Elder Qingyi imed to be busy with affairs and asked Taoist Qingzhuo to handle the matter of the Hundred-mile Desert.


    Now that there is a conclusion to the matter of the Hundred-mile Desert, why did hee back to the sect so confidently?


    "The matter of boosting King Qin¡¯s momentum has been well dealt with. Perhaps we will soon establish an underground immortal kingdom. I heard that Junior Brother caused destruction in the Sect Secret Realm of the Hundred-mile Desert?" Taoist Qingyi smiled.


    "I see that Junior Brother¡¯s aura is unstable. Did he get injured in the Hundred-mile Desert?"


    Taoist Qingzhuo¡¯s eyebrows immediately furrowed deeply, and he said coldly:


    "What kind of joke is Brother making? In the Hundred-mile Desert, there are only remnants of Great Yan¡¯s army, just ordinary martial artists. As a senior of the Immortal Gate, how could I be harmed by ordinary people?"


    What a joke, how could he possibly admit it?


    Regr martial artists have always been weak and poor, not being respected by immortal cultivators.


    Taoist Qingyang of Nan Province¡¯s Xuantian Sect died at the hands of a Martial Saint, causing the entire Xuantian Sect to be looked down upon by the other Eight Immortal Gates.


    It¡¯s like when the national ser team wins a match, others might not think it¡¯s because the team has suddenly improved, but rather because the opponents made mistakes.


    If Taoist Qingzhuo were to be injured by a mortal, if news of this goes out, how will his reputation be? It¡¯s likely that he will be theughingstock of the Immortal Gate.


    Moreover, this is not a matter of reputation at all¡­.


    Because Elder Qingzhuo is truly injured, his cultivation has been affected.


    "Well, I was just being overly concerned. It seems like you¡¯re doing fine, junior brother." Elder Qingyiughed and nced at the stone sword in Elder Qingzhuo¡¯s hand, finding an excuse to take his leave.


    It wasn¡¯t until his figure disappeared into the clouds that Taoist Qingzhuo withdrew his gaze.


    Qingyi was waiting outside my cave, could he see that my cultivation had been damaged? Was he kindly reminding me?


    "If my injuries are already obvious enough for him to see, then I must immediately retreat and heal, there¡¯s no time to waste."


    The matter of my damaged cultivation must not be exposed, even within the Great Dao Sect.


    I just don¡¯t know if Elder Qingyi is kindly reminding me or trying to deceive me.


    Without hesitation, Taoist Qingzhuo grasped his stone sword and entered the cave, activating the protective formation inside, preparing to retreat and heal.


    The damage to his cultivation was not a trivial matter at this point, it was not just about face anymore, it could even harm his status as an elder.


    In this era of declining spiritual energy, aside from a few exceptional genius cultivators, most immortal cultivators who have reached a high level can only progress further by relying on the assistance of the Incense Symbol of Divine Fire.


    In the past, when the spiritual energy was abundant, immortal cultivators often needed to rely on pills like Foundation Building Dan or Nascent Soul Dan to break through to the next realm.


    But in the current era, many cultivators can no longer rely solely on pill cultivation, they need arge amount of mortal worshippers¡¯ incense.


    So, the number of high-level cultivators in the Immortal Gate is limited. The number of senior cultivators in the Great Dao Sect is basically equivalent to the number of top-ranked immortals in the Immortal Gate¡¯s main hall.


    This is also one of the main reasons why Elder Qingzhuo values Earth Sword Immortal so much.


    In a ce like the Hundred-mile Desert, where even ordinary people can cultivate the Immortal Way, it is definitely rare for someone to have exceptional talent in cultivation.


    "If the foundation of my cultivation is damaged¡­ if it is discovered by Qingyi or other members of the sect, my position as an elder might be unstable," Taoist Qingzhuo muttered to himself.


    Elders are already high-ranking members of the sect, they are not just some easy-to-find individuals that anyone can be.


    But now the overall situation has be difficult. In this era of scarce spiritual energy, there is a shortage of many things, except for talented individuals.


    Within the Great Dao Sect, there are several rising stars who are stuck at a bottleneck. If they obtain Elder Qingzhuo¡¯s position, and receive the support of the sect, they will have a good chance of recing him in the sect.


    So¡­

 Chapter 220:

    Chapter 220:


    The fact that Taoist Qingzhuo¡¯s foundation is damaged, injured by an ordinary martial artist, cannot be known to outsiders until he recovers from his injuries.


    Losing his position as an elder might just make him worry too much, maybe the situation will only beughed at by the other elders¡­ but Taoist Qingzhuo doesn¡¯t want to take the risk.


    "In theory, if I want to keep this matter from spreading, I should eliminate all the mortals who know about it¡­"


    "But what about Qiao Shui¡­" Taoist Qingzhuo frowned.


    If he returns to the sect, then he will be a senior elder with a weakened foundation, as long as he goes into seclusion to heal and rest, there is hope for recovery.


    If he goes to Anxi Pass and kills the soldiers and civilians of the lonely city, and angers the fiery Qiao family member, the consequences will be even more serious.


    Even if there is only a ten percent chance of a one-to-one exchange with the Qiao family member, it would be a great loss for Taoist Qingzhuo, who looks down on ordinary martial artists.


    "Although that¡¯s true, it wouldn¡¯t be appropriate to let the matter spread among the people of Zhong Province."


    Elder Qingzhuo is contemting a strategy, as his own foundation has been weakened, he naturally cannot personally go up against mortals.So, should he let his disciples and juniors handle it instead?


    This might not be a good idea, but if we try to deal with the soldiers and people in the lonely city, we might end up in trouble with that Qiao family member. And the best way to deal with the Qiao family member is actually not to go there ourselves.


    Everyday matters are just ordinary things.


    Since Emperor Yonghe held the Human Emperor Sword, the Great Dao Sect has been nning to let King Qin take the stage and handle worldly matters.


    With the Immortal Gate personally boosting him, King Qin is gaining more and more power. He has already been appointed in the Great YanZhong Province. Therefore, it would be better for him to take care of worldly matters.


    If King Qin can handle them, he should. If he can¡¯t, he should use a few lives to test the Qiao family member¡¯s strength. Then Taoist Qingzhuo can personally go and kill them using immortal techniques. With thisbination, we can be sure that everything will go smoothly¡­


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    The night has grown deep.


    But the entire Anxi Pass, as well as the small towns outside of it, are brightly lit, engulfed in a sea of crying.


    There are about a few hundred households in the small towns outside of Anxi Pass. Apart from a few merchants, almost all of them are the families of the former Great Yan soldiers who now call this ce home.


    In the past, when Qiao Mu entered the checkpoint, he had sent letters to these hundreds of households. But today, their letters received an unexpected response.


    Mr. Hai is still waiting in this small town, meeting with Captain Hai from the lonely city. They are Hai Wuya¡¯s two sons, reunited after forty years. They look at each other in silence, unable to speak due to emotions.


    However, being able to reunite with loved ones like the Hai brothers is very rare.


    After all, out of the hundred thousand soldiers from the past, only three hundred old soldiers remain. Among them, only a few could wait for letters from home and see their loved ones again.


    There are more people like Madame Bai here in Anxi Pass. They have waited for forty years, only to receive news of death.


    Forty years is a very long time for ordinary people. Even if they are still alive, most have changedpletely.


    The old man of the arsenal, with half of his face remaining, feels some sadness. His worry is not for himself, but for the women and children who followed the old soldiers out of the desert.


    These women and children are different from the remaining soldiers of the Great Yan.


    The majority of the Western Conquering Army were recruited from Zhong Province and neighboring states, while the people in the lonely city are locals.


    If the old soldiers still have a hometown that they are unsure if it exists, then the people of the solitary city actually have no home to return to ¨C even though the solitary city in the desert still exists, it is not a suitable ce to live, and no one wants to go back.


    Even though many of these women, children, and elderly people died during the forty years, when added together, there are still quite a few left¡­ For Zhong Province today, it is not easy to properly settle the sudden increase of half a city¡¯s worth of women, children, and elderly.


    Led by Qiao Shuangsen, the Qiao family members weaved a fictional hope for the solitary city using a lie, allowing them to harbor the hope of leaving the desert and leaving behind their past troubles.


    Who would have known that after sacrificing several Qiao family members, they actually managed toe out now.


    However, where should they go next?


    No one has an answer.


    Qiao Mu reopened Qiao Xiaoming¡¯s imagination, injecting new growth, allowing him to continue "living."


    He walked towards the inn in the small town, after being isted in his dreams for five years, he felt an unexinable exhaustion upon returning to reality.


    His physical body had returned to its optimal state, but his mental and emotional state was not that good.


    Just arrived at the inn, ordered a pot of strong alcohol, and a bowl of long-life noodles. Found an empty Eight Immortals table in the corner and quietly stared at the food on the table.


    Starting from Yan City, every time he had a birthday, he would always order long-life noodles. And now, this bowl of long-life noodles¡­


    "How old am I now? Qiao Mu looked at the reflection of an old face in his cup and started counting on his fingers.


    So, he was actually 210 years old.


    Life is very rare to reach seventy, and he has already lived three lifetimes of an old person who has reached seventy.


    At the next table, there were several drinkers, seemingly travelers passing through the town. At the moment, they were in high spirits, engaging in lively conversations.


    "Can you believe that there are still surviving remnants from the Inhuman War forty years ago? It¡¯s like something out of a fairy tale¡­"


    "Never in a million years did I expect there to be such a steel-blooded lone army in this world. While Great Yan has forgotten about them, there are still people holding their ground. If I hadn¡¯t seen those white-headed soldiers with my own eyes, I wouldn¡¯t have believed it!"


    "Those old soldiers have endured suffering¡­ but as long as they¡¯re still alive, that¡¯s a good thing! These people deserve to live to a hundred!"


    "Getting better, everything is getting better. Ever since the evil demon who ate people, known as Martial Saint, died, everything has gotten better."


    "Martial Saint had suppressed the martial arts world for forty years, and now, just a few months after his death, the martial arts in Jiu Province is thriving. The backbone of Jiu Province not only consists of the remnants of the past army, but also includes the Qiao family member and the newly rising King Qin."


    "King Qin is also an extraordinary person. He is the first one to step up and embrace the path of martial arts after Martial Saint¡¯s death. He resolutely raised the banner of ¡®Using Martial Arts to Defeat Immortals,¡¯ even making the inhuman members of the Great Dao Sect suffer in secret."


    "Even our Majesty is pleased. He has grantednd to King Qin, who carries the banner of Jiu Province¡¯s martial artist. The newly established ¡®Great Qin Prefecture¡¯ in Zhong Province is a testament to it. Moreover, the generous wealthy man, Li Gongde, from the Imperial Capital, has made contributions. Now, the Great Qin City is thriving and full of potential."


    "Speaking of which, it¡¯s quite pitiful for the residents who havee out of the isted city. If they have nowhere to go, they can go to the newly established Great Qin City. It¡¯s also a way out."


    Qiao Mu quietly eats his noodles and asionally listens to the conversations of the travelers. Only then does he realize that many things have happened within Zhong Province during the one or two months he has been trapped in the isted city.


    "King Qin? I haven¡¯t heard of him before. If someone can truly carry the banner of martial arts, it would be a good thing."


    Qiao Mu is starting to feel tired. He didn¡¯t inquire further, focusing on eating his noodles.


    Meanwhile, at the nearby table, someone suddenly ms the table with a loud bang. This draws the attention of others in the inn, even causing the other customers to stop talking.


    Qiao Mu nced to the side and saw two familiar faces.


    It was Hai Siyuan and the former Mr. Hai, the two brothers.


    The two of them sat at the inn, crying and sharing their pasts.


    At first, Captain Hai spoke of the forty years of blood and tears in the solitary city in the desert.


    After Captain Hai roughly finished talking, he couldn¡¯t wait to ask about the current situation of Great Yan from Mr. Hai.


    "The truth cannot be hidden any longer," Qiao Mu said quietly.


    He could make up a lie about the Immortal ying Army, but could he also make up a story about Great Yan united against the inhumans?


    That¡¯s not called a lie, it¡¯s called a fairy tale.


    Lies don¡¯t harm, it is the truth that is like a sharp knife.


    To give hope to the lonely city, Qiao Mu weaved a lie about the "Immortal ying Army," igniting hope in the hearts of the people, seeking survival rather than death.


    However, when they truly stepped out of the desert, what awaited them was naturally the bloody truth.


    Captain Hai, whose temples had turned gray, trembled slightly as he said incredulously:


    "We, the lonely army, have fought for forty years, enduring the unbearable pressure from the inhumans, while Great Yan behind us has been kneeling for forty years?"


    "Has the Immortal Gate¡¯s Taoist temple spread throughout Jiu Province?"


    He suddenly stood up, swaying slightly, feeling a surge of energy and blood, suddenly feeling dizzy.

 Chapter 221 (1)

    Chapter 221 (1)


    Captain Hai was an old man in his sixties. He was one of the brave soldiers who had experienced the Inhuman War. For forty years, he had defended the city, standing tall even in the face of the Inhuman. He would say to himself, "The remaining soldiers of this lonely city may die, but they will never kneel."


    But now, he was confused. His eyes were cloudy like any ordinary elderly person, and his steps were unsteady.


    "The Inhuman War we experienced was already a thing of the past, forty years ago¡­"


    "In the remote areas of Jiu Province today, there are even people who don¡¯t know that the Inhuman are immortal beings in the temples, and they even worship them¡­" As he listened to his younger brother¡¯s ount, his heart felt heavy.


    It wasmon knowledge that the Inhuman were incredibly powerful.


    Captain Hai, who was trapped in the Hundred-mile Desert and was unaware of the events in the outside world of Jiu Province, could not imagine how the Great Yan Emperor had been able to resist the immortals in these forty years and unite everyone against them.


    The fact was that the enemy was stronger than us.


    Whether we could defeat the Inhuman was a matter of capability.


    Do you still have the courage to oppose the inhumans? It¡¯s a matter of attitude.Faced with the inhumans, the former Great Yan army of 100,000 soldiers resisted stubbornly and held on until now.


    Simrly, facing the inhumans, the current Great Yan Imperial Court¡­ has allowed the inhumans¡¯ sects to spread throughout the major cities of Jiu Province?


    Upon hearing this news, Captain Hai felt dizzy and a sense of indescribable sadness.


    Hai Siyuan holds a rtively low position, only as a Sixth-ranked Captain.


    Although he is already over sixty years old, most of his life has been spent guarding the desert city, so he doesn¡¯t understand much about the scheming of the imperial court.


    Therefore, he doesn¡¯t know whether Emperor Yonghe is enduring hardships for future sess or if he has already submitted¡­ He hopes for the former, but¡­


    "Is there really a difference between the Great Yan Emperor enduring hardships for future sess and not?" Captain Hai sighed deeply.


    The emperor of Great Yan is revered as a supreme figure, the master of the entire dynasty. Every word and action of his is observed by the people of Jiu Province.


    If the emperor leads the troops personally, and the general risks facing arrows and stones, then the soldiers will often be greatly encouraged.


    The people of the isted city have not copsed for forty years because they still have a brave and resilient army resisting in front of them.


    This resilient army can hold out until now because the previous valiant warriors, led by Li Changge, sacrificed themselves, so Captain Hai and the others have the courage to take up the heavy burden.


    The me of hope is passed on, just like that.


    But what if the emperor goes to lie on a bed of firewood and willingly serves the enemy like a dog?


    How would ordinary soldiers and themon people know if you are the capable Prince Goujian or just a mere dog?


    After much contemtion, Captain Hai could only sigh.


    "It¡¯s all the fault of that Qiao family member, it¡¯s all the fault of the Qiao family member."


    Qiao Mu silently nced aside.


    "Those Qiao family members were so brave and magnificent, visiting the isted city as martial artists from Jiu Province and the Immortal ying Army, giving us unreal expectations about the outside world," Captain Hai sighed again.


    After the Qiao family members visited the isted city as members of the Great Yan Immortal ying Army.


    The old soldiers believed that the isted city would stand strong, passing on its me for forty years. Although it hung in the vast desert, cut off from the outside world of Jiu Province, there were also members of the Immortal ying Army outside, holding up torches and watching over from afar, ready to help.


    In their imaginations, the situation outside should be dominated by the Immortal Gate, exerting great pressure on Jiu Province, while the Great Yan Imperial Court secretly initiated the formation of the Immortal ying Army, silently umting power¡­


    If "inhuman" was the endless night that loomed over the people of Jiu Province, then the remaining soldiers of the isted city and the Immortal ying Army were the two fires within the darkness.


    Although weak, they were passed down from generation to generation, never extinguished.


    But the old soldiers were mistaken.


    Because there really was no such thing as the Immortal ying Army in this world.


    The Qiao family members, though courageous, were just an ordinary family. How many people could they be?


    They can¡¯t be called a bonfire, but more like fireworks that sh in the night sky and disappear, although they are brilliant and bright, they are ultimately too short-lived to light up this dark night.


    At first, Captain Hai felt sorry for his misfortune and angry at his helplessness.


    But aftering to his senses, he only felt deeply exhausted.


    They were tired and weary.


    "Captain Hai, there¡¯s no need to be too sad. In this world, there are still people who resist the inhuman, just like the soldiers defending a lonely city."


    At this moment, Qiao Mu finally interrupted, and the Hai brothers, who were engrossed in their conversation, noticed his presence.


    "For example, the founder of the Xumi Mountain King Sutra is actually your father, Hai Wuya," Qiao Mu said frankly.


    Hai Wuya is the founding ancestor of the practice, while Qiao Mu is the second-generation ancestor who continues to iterate on the version 1.0, deducing it to higher realms and more perfected versions.


    Captain Hai clearly paused for a moment.


    Mr. Hai also noticed his older brother¡¯s tired look, so he changed the subject:


    "Big brother, what are your ns next? Will you go back to the Imperial Capital to see father?"


    "Go back to the Imperial Capital¡­" Captain Hai¡¯s expression became gloomy.


    Normally, as the only surviving Sixth-ranked Captain from the defeated army forty years ago, Captain Hai should lead the old soldiers and represent them in returning to the Imperial Capital to report to the court.


    But now, the situation has be a bitplicated.


    Themander of Anxi Pass, Madame Bai, has already reported this matter to both the Great Yan Imperial Court and King Qin who rules over this region, but there has been no response yet.


    And Captain Hai also has some doubts about the current Great Yan Emperor¡­ Especially after learning that his own father, Hai Wuya, had spent thirty years in the heavenly prison after the Inhuman War, and was released only recently.


    In the past, when they were in the desert, even though the environment was harsh, there weren¡¯t any unnecessaryplications, and the situation wasn¡¯tplicated.


    But now, after leaving the desert, Captain Hai is bewildered by the current situation in Jiu Province.


    Because Great Yan had made peace with Nine Immortal Gates forty years ago, the current Nine Immortal Gates is now regarded as an honored guest of the Great Yan Emperor, and they are also the group of immortals who receive the blessings from the Great Yan people.


    If he, as the leader of three hundred old soldiers, resists the inhuman army, he might be used by the court of disturbing the friendly rtions between immortals and mortals and causing conflicts between them.


    "What kind of person is Emperor Yonghe now? How will he treat us old soldiers and the women, children, and elderly who havee out of the city?" Captain Hai worried and was not optimistic.


    And Mr. Hai naturally had no answer to this question, he could only force a smile.


    "I really want to ask the current emperor, does he still remember the Western Conquering Army from forty years ago? Why did we fight for forty years while the Great Yan Imperial Court kneeled for forty years¡­" Captain Hai let out a deep sigh.


    "The Great Yan of today is not the Great Yan of forty years ago."


    "Let¡¯s wait for Madame Bai¡¯s message here first. Hasn¡¯t she already sent messengers to report?"


    Storyteller irvoyance of the Tide Listening Building quietly approached, listening to Captain Hai and the others¡¯ conversation before suddenly speaking up.


    "Captain Hai, this is not the time for resting yet."


    "If we quietly wait here, we might be sitting ducks."


    Captain Hai looked confused, he didn¡¯t understand what irvoyance meant.


    Since we have already crossed the desert, why would we just sit and wait for death?


    "Captain Hai, this matter concerns Immortal Gate, it¡¯s not over yet," irvoyance shook his head slightly.


    irvoyance had some understanding of Immortal Gate¡¯s methods.


    Inside Immortal Gate, there are many old monsters, so it is normal to start with a small one and attract an older one.


    Elder Qingzhuo has already been defeated, so ording to irvoyance¡¯s estimation, Great Dao Sect is unlikely to give up easily and will probably have follow-up ns.


    The soldiers and civilians of the Lone City have left the desert, but that doesn¡¯t mean this matter is finished and resolved.


    We still need to see how Immortal Gate will deal with them next.


    "Hundred-mile Desert is a secret ce of the Great Dao Sect. If this secret is revealed, it will ruin the reputation of the sect. That¡¯s why we must spread the news quickly! Let everyone know what happened in this city."


    irvoyance made a prediction.


    If we don¡¯t spread the message in time, Immortal Gate mighte to silence us¡­ and then the soldiers and people in Anxi Pass will die just like that!


    So ording to irvoyance, spreading the message quickly is their only chance of survival.


    Captain Hai also agreed, knowing that Qiao Mu only scared away Elder Qingzhuo without killing him.


    Even if Taoist Qingzhuo is killed, it might not be a good thing.


    If even the elders of Immortal Gate are defeated in the Hundred-mile Desert, it will definitely rm the higher-ups of the Great Dao Sect, maybe even the sect leader.


    "So, what do you suggest I do?" Captain Hai asked.


    "Naturally, we should spread the news before Immortal Gate¡¯s pursuers arrive to silence us."


    irvoyance said solemnly:


    "Captain Hai, I suggest we leave immediately for the Imperial Capital and personally tell the current emperor about this matter."


    In irvoyance¡¯s view.


    "Hundred-mile Desert" is a secret that Immortal Gate has concealed for forty years.


    The more people who know this secret, the more attention it will attract, making it harder for Immortal Gate to silence the remaining elders in the isted city.


    "In that case, I will leave tonight," Captain Hai immediately stood up.


    As soon as he heard that the safety of the military and civilians in the isted city might be at risk, he made a decisive decision.


    They have defended this isted army for forty years. They cannot let the people who have sought refuge in the city for forty years die at the hands of immortals when they finally step out of the desert, right?


    Just as Captain Hai was about to leave, another voice came from beside him.


    "Captain Hai, if you want to go to the pce, why not let me apany you?" Qiao Mu spoke up.


    Where there is danger, there is Qiao Mu.


    When he heard that Captain Hai was rushing to Imperial Capital to meet Emperor Yonghe that night, he got excited.


    How could he ignore such an exciting event?


    After saying this, he also paused for a moment, realizing what he was saying.


    He is now Qiao Shui, but still acts the same way as before, bravely facing danger head-on, with his head held high.


    But his current situation is different from before.


    Each time he faced death, he ended up in jail. He had just served five years and hadn¡¯t had a chance to catch his breath yet.


    Captain Hai¡¯s face showed no sign of surprise.


    "Indeed, Qiao Shui is a person who can see things clearly. He knew that entering the pce this time was like entering a dangerous ce, and he might be chased by the Immortal Gate. Therefore, he volunteered to go¡­"


    Although it was their first meeting, he was not surprised by Qiao Shui.


    The deaths of several generations of Qiao family members had already formed a strong impression in his mind.


    If Qiao Shui was a cowardly person, he would have been more surprised.


    The two of them didn¡¯t talk much, quickly settled the bill, and left in a hurry.


    irvoyance stopped in his tracks, reached into his pocket, took out the thick book of the history of the lonely city, and his thoughts were swirling in his mind.


    This history book was given to him by the old man of the arsenal, and it waspiled by the minor officials and elderly of the city in the past.


    Since he has left the desert, he should share the story of the lonely city.

 Chapter 221 (2)

    Chapter 221 (2)


    This is not only his favorite job as a Fantastic Faction storyteller, but also something that makes him happy.


    As a storyteller of the Tide Listening Building, irvoyance is actually quite unique. He has a third eye on his forehead and is half-demon with some demon ancestry.


    His father was once one of the generals of the past, who bravely explored the Hundred-mile Desert, searching for his roots.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    Before Qiao Mu and Captain Hai set off, they nned to borrow two fast horses from Madame Bai, the guardian of Anxi Pass.


    When they found Madame Bai, she was chatting happily with the old man of the arsenal in front of the city walls of Anxi Pass.


    The old man of the arsenal is Li Changge¡¯s younger brother, so Madame Bai is actually his sister-inw. They are old acquaintances and have amon rtive.


    Qiao Mu and Captain Hai were getting ready to go to the Imperial Capital, but the old man of the arsenal stopped Qiao Mu before they left.


    "If you are going to the pce to meet the Emperor, you might as well take this with you."The old man of the arsenal suddenly produced a storage pouch.


    "The storage bag is a magical item for cultivators, usually protected by a spell. It requires greater power than the original owner to forcefully break it open."


    "And this storage bag was stolen by Earth Sword Immortal from the storeroom. He managed to unlock the spell using an unknown method, so even non-cultivators can use it, although the space inside is a bit small."


    "I already have Stone City left by Earth Sword Immortal. It¡¯s an unrestricted storage bag, so let¡¯s give it to Elder Lao," said the old man of the arsenal.


    "The things inside the storage bag may be useful for your audience with the pce."


    For cultivators, a storage bag is nothing special, and every cultivator from Nine Immortal Gates has one.


    But a storage bag without a spell, that can be used by ordinary martial artists, is quite rare.


    All the people of Lonely City are grateful to the Qiao family member.


    That¡¯s why, even though Qiao Shui is just newly acquainted, the old man of the arsenal is willing to give him a valuable item as a gift.


    Qiao Mu sighed softly, "I¡¯ve been around for nearly two hundred years, and I finally have a usable storage bag."


    He weighed the storage bag in his hand and saw that it was full, as if it was stuffed with things.


    The old man of the arsenal exined. In addition to the things needed for the Mission Statement, there are actually many hand-copied manuscripts of ancient techniques from the lonely city arsenal in the storage bag. There are a total of nine Spiritual Refining Techniques, as well as other secret techniques collected in the arsenal. They are all inside, considered as a gift to the Qiao family.


    Qiao Mu was slightly stunned; this was indeed a generous gift.


    Obviously, it wasn¡¯t a gift for "Qiao Shui," but a gift for brave warriors like Qiao Shuangsen who sacrificed themselves for the lonely city.


    Since the old man of the arsenal was generous to him, naturally he wouldn¡¯t be stingy either. He conveniently took out another storage bag from his body and handed it to the old man of the arsenal.


    "This was handed over to me by Qiao Xiaoming, it¡¯s something from a cultivator named Dao Ni."


    "I don¡¯t really know any cultivators, so you might as well have this item. It¡¯s better to make full use of it."


    As they were about to part ways, Qiao Mu casually asked the old man of the arsenal about his ns.


    The Li family, where the old man of the arsenal was from, wasn¡¯t a big family. Returning to Jiu Province meant that they were already homeless and had no way to go, so he just sighed lightly.


    "Having guarded the city for half a lifetime, even though I can no longer go to the battlefield, at least I have practiced some magical skills and possess Stone City left by Earth Sword Immortal. It can provide some shelter for the people of this lonely city."


    "I have nowhere else to go. If I can find a ce to settle down for myself and for the women, children, and elderly who havee out of this lonely city, it would be considered a regret-free life from now on."


    The old man of the weapon store paused for a moment and continued,


    "I heard that when Great Qin Prefecture was first built, it was a time of great potential. And King Qin of Great Qin Prefecture is said to be someone who holds the g of martial arts. I¡¯m curious about what it means to enter the Dao with martial arts¡­"


    "Perhaps Great Qin Prefecture could also be a ce for retirement and settling down."


    The old man of the weapon store had already started practicing the path of immortality, but he still found the rumored martial arts practitioners who were expected to challenge immortals quite interesting.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    The three hundred elderly soldiers from the depths of the desert, as well as the considerable number of women, children, and elderly, if so many people suddenly appeared in Anxi Pass, it naturally could not be hidden from others.


    Besides, there was no one hiding it.


    Tide Listening Building was probably an audience chasing the trend of the times. When they heard about the old warrior appearing outside Anxi Pass from irvoyance, one of the pirs of the Fantastic Faction, the whole Tide Listening Building was shocked by this incident.


    "Having defended the desert for forty years, if it weren¡¯t for irvoyance witnessing it with your own eyes, I wouldn¡¯t believe it."


    "This incident may be more sensational in Jiu Province than the ¡®Death of the Martial Saint¡¯ previously¡­" Someone immediately made a judgment.


    After all.


    The Martial Saint was just a simple martial artist.


    While he had great fame and had been ughtering the martial world for thirty to forty years, his reputation mostly remained within the martial world.


    But the matter of the solitary city in the desert is different.


    This matter is connected to the Inhuman War forty years ago. For every hundred thousand soldiers, there were a hundred thousand families from all over Jiu Province, plus the original residents of the isted city¡­


    This matter was both real and strange, causing both the Tide Listening Building and the storyteller factions to be moved by it.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    To the north of Anxi Pass there is a city called Dan City.


    Several months ago, Dan City experienced a terrible disaster, with constant thunder and lightning in the sky. It seemed like an epic battle between immortal cultivators, and half of the city was destroyed by the thunderstorm, resulting in numerous casualties.


    The city was severely damaged, but after King Qin rose to power, the Great Yan Imperial Court renamed the city "Great Qin Prefecture."


    Great Qin Prefecture was only newly established, but both Anxi Town and Anxi Pass were also within King Qin¡¯s jurisdiction.


    At this moment, inside the King Qin¡¯s Mansion in Great Qin City.


    After listening to the report from the envoy sent by Madame Bai of Anxi Pass, King Qin waved his hand and dismissed him.


    However, his expression was somewhat displeased.


    Today, along with the envoy from Anxi Pass, there was also an order from the Great Dao Sect. It was said to be a request from an elder of the sect.


    "Elder Qingzhuo wants me to handle his tail?"


    King Qin felt a little helpless.


    Although he became King Qin, a hope for the people to fight against the immortals with martial arts, and had a glorious reputation, he actually acted as a puppet for the Great Dao Sect to handle worldly affairs.


    His reputation was good, but he was actually just a disciple of the Great Dao Sect, using their influence to give him the name of King Qin and be known as a martial arts king.


    This matter was crucial for the Great Dao Sect¡¯s ns. With the help of their cultivators, it would not be difficult to deceive Emperor Yonghe and create a fake "King Qin" who was expected to use martial arts to defeat the immortals.


    Emperor Yonghe might realize the truthter, but by that time it would be toote to change anything.


    "Many people havee out of the desert, what can I do about it? If a few dozen people snuck out, I could easily eliminate them, but can I really massacre the women and children in half the city? Can I kill everyone in Anxi Pass who knows about this?"


    King Qin furrowed his brow andined a little.


    He wasn¡¯t a soft-hearted person, if ughtering a city or a fortress could solve the problem, he wouldn¡¯t hesitate.


    The situation is not that simple.


    Tide Listening Building received this information from somewhere and is spreading the history of the solitary city in the desert in the surrounding area.


    Therefore, even though Great Qin Prefecture is not far from Anxi Pass, King Qin, who has reached the level of martial arts, went there personally at the risk of ruining his reputation, but it was already toote.


    "You can¡¯t hide the truth forever. Even if Immortal Gate elder requests it, I am powerless." King Qin murmured to himself.


    "Even so, isn¡¯t Elder Qingzhuo trying to deal with a member of the Qiao family? There might be a way to remedy this situation¡­"


    Mentioning the Qiao family member, King Qin¡¯s expression immediately turned cold.


    The Qiao family member is not just one person, but a whole family.


    He had suffered losses at the hands of the Qiao family member in the past, and even though it turned out to be a blessing in disguise as he became the first person in the Great Dao Sect to reach the level of Golden Body in Martial Arts, it doesn¡¯t mean he should be thankful to the Qiao family member.


    "Unfortunately, the Qiao family elder who fought against me back then is already dead, and even though I have achieved the level of Golden Body, I can¡¯t take revenge with my own hands." King Qin murmured to himself.


    "But the Qiao family still has other elders, which can bring somefort to me."


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    The city of the Emperor.


    During the faint dawn, the Hai family¡¯s mansion weed some unexpected guests.


    Hai Siyuan Captain Hai, who has been away for forty years, the 210-year-old Qiao Mu, and the old man of the arsenal with half of his face remaining.


    All three of them are elderly, with Captain Hai, the youngest among them, already in his sixties, reaching the age of sixty.


    Captain Hai, who is sixty years old, has spent years in the desert, fighting continuously, and his appearance is not much younger than his father Hai Wuya¡¯s.


    The two of them don¡¯t look like father and son, but more like brothers.


    After the Inhuman War, Hai Wuya entered the heavenly prison, while Hai Siyuan was trapped in the desert for forty years. The Immortal Gate¡¯s formation cut off the inside from the outside, and Hai Wuya had no idea that his eldest son was still alive in the world.


    Captain Hai and Hai Wuya reunited after forty years, and tears naturally flowed down their faces.


    However, Qiao Mu¡¯s time was limited, and he rudely interrupted their conversation, not considering their reunion.


    "Mr. Qiao means that he wants me to take you to the pce and meet the emperor?" Hai Wuya understood Qiao Mu¡¯s intention.


    "Yes," Qiao Mu nodded.


    This time, they were going to listen to the stories of Captain Hai and the old man of the arsenal, who had witnessed the events of the past forty years in the solitary city in the desert.


    But the pce was not an easy ce to enter freely.


    If they followed the regr procedures, they would have to wait for Madame Bai of Anxi Pass to report step by step. By the time the message reached the pce, it would be toote.


    Hai Wuya, as a high-ranking official and second-inmand, held a significant position and power.


    With his status, it wouldn¡¯t be difficult for him to take a few people to the court.


    Hai Wuya also knew the importance of the matter, and after roughly listening to Captain Hai¡¯s story about the lonely city, he immediately agreed.


    But after waiting for a few days and seeing the magnificent pce before reaching the imperial pce, these old men all felt emotional.


    Captain Hai and the old man of the arsenal were reflecting on how things had changed in the Imperial Capital after forty years. They had grown old themselves.


    Qiao Mu, on the other hand, was different.


    What he remembered was his wild and reckless youth.


    When he was young, he spent his days plotting to assassinate the emperor. When he was over sixty, he attempted to assassinate the emperor at the Xuantian Sect temple. And in his hundredth year, he left the Imperial Capital with the intention of breaking into the pce at night and meet his end.


    But now, at the age of two hundred and ten, he was a gentle and peaceful old man. This time, entering the imperial pce, he simply went through the main entrance without any urge to kill the emperor, which could be considered a form of growth.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    The golden hall of the imperial pce.


    The morning meeting proceeded as usual, without any surprises.


    Emperor Yonghe absentmindedly listened to the ministers¡¯ discussions, asionally ncing at the Human Emperor Sword hanging in front of the Golden Pce. He seemed distracted.


    The Human Emperor Sword was no ordinary object; it represented the destiny of the Great Yan Imperial Court.


    However, for some reason, the brilliance of the Human Emperor Sword had dimmed slightly in recent times, as if indicating a decline in the country¡¯s fate.


    But why? There hadn¡¯t been any significant events happening in Jiu Provincetely.


    Ever since the awakening of the Human Emperor Sword, the Nine Immortal Gates, including the Zhong Province Great Dao Sect, had kept a low profile and been quiet. Could it be that the decline in the country¡¯s fate had nothing to do with the Immortal Gates?


    While he was pondering, a court official stepped forward from the crowd. It was Minister of Rites Hai Wuya.


    "Your Majesty, Minister Hai Wuya has something important to report."


    "Speak."

 Chapter 221 (3)

    Chapter 221 (3)


    "Do you remember, Your Majesty, when you mentioned the Inhuman War from forty years ago to me after the court meeting?"


    "Hai Wuya, why are you bringing up this old story again?" Emperor Yonghe¡¯s face looked a bit sad.


    The Inhuman War was a disgrace for Great Yan and a turning point when the country¡¯s fortune declined.


    Such past events should not be repeatedly mentioned, especially during court meetings, in front of all the officials.


    "Your Majesty, if I were to say that there is a hidden truth behind the Inhuman War from forty years ago, that the hundred thousand soldiers from back then were not entirely wiped out, and have actually been holding on for forty years, still present today."


    After saying these words.


    The entire court fell into a silence.


    "Hai Wuya, what are you saying? The oue of the Inhuman War from forty years ago has long been determined." Emperor Yonghe frowned.


    The news of the soldiers and civilians from the isted city just emerging from the desert has only been limited to the area around Anxi Pass, and hasn¡¯t reached the Imperial Capital yet. Therefore, Emperor Yonghe and the court officials are still unaware of this news.The other courtiers talked a lot:


    "Minister Hai, what are you talking about? It sounds like a fairy tale."


    "The ce where the Inhuman War happened has turned into a Hundred-mile Desert. It¡¯s barren and nothing can grow there. How can there still be soldiers holding their ground?"


    Hai Wuya said. That desert has be a forbidden zone for life. People who wander into it often get lost. It¡¯s because Immortal Gate set up a maze inside the desert.


    "Minister Hai, don¡¯t you want to listen to what you¡¯re saying? It has been forty years, which is a whole generation. Are you suggesting that a hundred thousand soldiers have been trapped in the desert for forty years and still resisting?"


    Someone whispered. I heard that Minister Hai¡¯s beloved son, Hai Siyuan, was involved in the Inhuman War¡­ Maybe it¡¯s because Minister Hai is desperate for his son, or maybe it¡¯s because Minister Hai has been locked up in the heavenly prison for too long and his mind isn¡¯t clear¡­


    Nobody believed Hai Wuya¡¯s nonsense, even though he held a high position as a second-rank official and a bookkeeper.


    After all, Hai Wuya had been imprisoned in the heavenly prison twice, for a total of thirty years. Despite having a high rank, he didn¡¯t have many acquaintances in the current court. He was like a lonely loyalist from the previous emperor¡¯s era.


    Besides, this is too absurd. Even storytellers wouldn¡¯t dare to make up such a story.


    "Your Majesty, I have two witnesses waiting outside the hall," Hai Wuya said calmly, but his hands were trembling slightly, revealing his fluctuating emotions.


    How could he not be excited to reunite with his beloved son, whom he thought was separated by life and death?


    Knowing that his beloved son had been trapped by the Immortal Gate in the Hundred-mile Desert for forty years, how could he not feel raging anger in his heart?


    Emperor Yonghe frowned.


    He knew that Hai Wuya was not a person who made things up, but this matter was just too absurd¡­


    "Then let your witnesses enter the hall," Emperor Yonghe spoke up.


    "Announce the entrance of the witnesses!" the eunuch shouted loudly, and the sound echoed in the Golden Hall.


    Captain Hai and Qiao Mu walked side by side, attracting the attention of the officials in the hall as they step by step entered the pce.


    Qiao Mu was still okay.


    The elder of Immortal Gate had fought with Earth Sword Immortal¡¯s help¡­ but when he saw the imperial pce, he felt excited.


    Hai Siyuan, on the other hand, was different.


    He was breathing quickly, his white beard trembling, and his footsteps a little stiff.


    It wasn¡¯t fear,ck of knowledge, or fear of the emperor¡¯s authority.


    It was the fluctuating emotions in his heart, unable to control himself for a moment.


    The imperial pce!


    This was the ce he had fantasized about for forty years.


    Trapped in the solitary city in the desert for forty years, fighting with ten thousand soldiers and ending up with only three hundred old soldiers left¡­ he had countless times fantasized about one day leaving the desert and being able to enter the imperial pce to meet the emperor, telling the tale of the forty years of bloodshed in the lonely city!


    However, when he finally left the city and heard about the current bleak situation in Jiu Province, his emotions and expectations unknowingly changed.


    Now, what I want to express is not about how Iin, how I recount the forty years of blood and tears of the lonely city and the remnants of the army, how I recount the heroic deeds of the former soldiers, and pass down the stories of the brothers in arms so they will not be forgotten by the world or underestimated by the historians.


    I just want to ask Emperor Yonghe¡­ Do you still remember the hundred thousand soldiers who were trapped in the desert? I want to ask why the inhuman temples have spread everywhere in Jiu Province?


    After fighting for forty years as a lonely army, why did Great Yan kneel first?!!


    However, when it came to the point, Captain Hai ultimately restrained himself, but his nails silently dug into his palm, desperately suppressing his inner impulse.


    He was no longer the determined young man who enlisted in the army, but an old man nearing his seventies.


    "I am Hai Siyuan, a captain in the Great Yan Western Conquering Army. I bow before Your Majesty."


    "I am Qiao Shui, and I bow before Your Majesty." Qiao Mu also bowed, but didn¡¯t kneel.


    "How dare you not kneel when you see Your Majesty?" A pce guard immediately reprimanded.


    "I am old and frail, and find it difficult to bend. I hope Your Majesty understands." Qiao Mu cleared his throat and said.


    This sentence isn¡¯t too exaggerated.


    ording to the customs of Great Yan, elderly people in their seventies or eighties can meet officials without bowing, which is considered as respecting the elderly.


    As for the person named Qiao Mu in front of us¡­ he looks incredibly old.


    A hundred-year-old person can be called a centenarian, and he is already a whopping 210 years old this year.


    Even before he disyed any martial arts skills, he already looked like an elderly person nearing the end of their life.


    The courtiers couldn¡¯t even distinguish how old this Qiao Mu in front of them was, they could only guess that he must be in his eighties or nies.


    "These are trivial matters, no need to be formal." Emperor Yonghe on the dragon throne also became interested in what Hai Wuya had mentioned, he looked at the two elderly men in the pce and asked again:


    "Hai Siyuan, are you Minister Hai¡¯s eldest son? Are you a surviving member of the Western Conquering Army?"


    Hai Siyuan¡¯s chest kept rising and falling, and he trembled as he spoke:


    "Your Highness, the Western Conquering Army has not beenpletely defeated. We have held our ground for forty years, with our city still standing and our soldiers and civilians still here. Not one of our hundred thousand soldiers has begged for mercy from the inhuman, nor be their ves. In these forty years, we have had fallen heroes, but no one who would bow down. We uphold the dignity of Jiu Province, and we don¡¯t betray the grace of the Great Yan Emperor!"


    Emperor Yonghe trembled slightly all over.


    Although he couldn¡¯t yet determine the truth in Captain Hai¡¯s words, he already felt an indescribable aura from the man¡¯s words.


    Fallen heroes, no ves!


    After these words were said, there was a momentary silence in the Golden Pce Hall, and the gazes of the civil and military officials all fell upon Hai Siyuan.


    Hai Siyuan¡¯s words made them feel somewhat uneasy¡­


    What does it mean to have fallen heroes and no ves?


    The civil and military officials during the Inhuman War period are different from the present generation.


    People say that after the elite hundred thousand fell in the Inhuman War, a generation of literati and military strategists sacrificed themselves, and the Great Yan no longer had men of letters or backbone.


    In the time of Great Yan, the current generation of government officials and militarymanders, who live high up in the Nine Immortal Gates, naturally don¡¯t have many strong individuals among them.


    Hai Siyuan¡¯ words vaguely hurt their feelings, making many court officials angry.


    "Minister Hai, where did you find this actor? His speech is quite decent."


    Hai Siyuan ignored them and just turned his head to look at Qiao Mu beside him.


    "Elder Lao, please present the Tiger Token of the Western Conquering Army from the past."


    Qiao Mu nodded and reached into the storage bag given to him by the old man of the arsenal, raising the Tiger Token high.


    This Tiger Token was originally held by the Martial Saint, who led the Western Conquering Army. When the Martial Saint left the desert alone, he left the Tiger Token to his deputy, Li Changge, and itter passed into the hands of the old man of the arsenal.


    The discussions in the court calmed down.


    The eunuch in front of the hall received the Tiger Token from Qiao Mu¡¯s hand and presented it carefully to Emperor Yonghe and the court officials, instantly changing the atmosphere in the Golden Pce.


    "This tiger token is not a forgery." Emperor Yonghe¡¯s mind buzzed, and his gaze towards Captain Hai was noticeably different.


    "The former Western Conquering Army, really defended the desert for forty years?" The other court officials and military generals were also filled with doubt.


    "Stranded in the desert for forty years, holding firm until now, without surrendering or bowing down?"


    "If this is true, it will surely be recorded in history!"


    "What kind of willpower and integrity is this? How can they manage to hold out for forty years, resisting until today?"


    Everyone knew how powerful inhuman was, especially these highly influential officials of the Great Yan Dynasty.


    So when the tiger token was confirmed as genuine, their attitude abruptly changed.


    Emperor Yonghe¡¯s whole being was revitalized. It wasn¡¯t that he was overly suspicious, but this matter was truly bizarre.


    In this world today, there are still such loyal soldiers of the Great Yan?


    "Please tell us in detail, how have you managed to survive until now, and why were you trapped in the Hundred-mile Desert?" Emperor Yonghe asked eagerly.


    Captain Hai nced at Qiao Mu beside him and said. There used to be a 100,000-strong army, but now there are only three hundred old soldiers left.


    "If it weren¡¯t for the help of Qiao family member Qiao Shuangsen and others who ventured into the desert, we would have been nothing but a pile of dirt by now."


    Hai Siyuan looked thoughtful.


    "For forty years, our remaining troops have been trapped and isted in the desert, unaware of the rise and fall of the outside world, Great Yan."


    "Immortal Gate, a powerful sect in the desert, has set up a mysterious formation that traps souls. Both inside and outside the formation arepletely cut off, making it difficult for ordinary people to enter or leave¡­"


    "Every ten days or so, inhuman beings use magic to attack our city. Over the past forty years, the defending army has be fewer and fewer¡­ We only found outter," Hai Siyuan trembled as he spoke.


    "inhuman Great Dao Sect calls this ce the ¡®Hundred-mile Desert,¡¯ which is a Sect Secret Realm controlled by the sect."


    "To the Great Dao Sect, this Hundred-mile Desert is just a ce for disciples to train and practice magic."


    Great Dao Sect?


    Speaking of the Great Dao Sect, the atmosphere that had gradually heated up in the court suddenly turned cold.


    The officials¡¯ faces slightly stiffened.


    Even Emperor Yonghe, who had a flushed face, had his smile freeze.


    The Inhuman War was already a thing of the past forty years ago.


    Praising someone like Captain Hai, an old veteran of the past, is easy and insignificant.


    But the Great Dao Sect still stands tall as a massive presence in Zhong Province!


    Now, forty yearster, the Great Yan Imperial Court has reached a "reconciliation" with the Nine Immortal Gates. They consider the disciples of the Immortal Gate as honored guests, invest all their resources in setting up Taoist temples in the major cities of Jiu Province, and allow the people to worship gods and revere immortals.


    But now, on this court, Captain Hai is using the Great Dao Sect of treating the spirits of a hundred thousand soldiers in the Hundred-mile Desert as resources¡­


    "Do not speak without thinking¡­" The court official wiped his forehead and tried to smooth things over.


    "This matter concerns the reputation of Immortal Gate, it is of great importance¡­ Hai Siyuan, even though you are Minister Hai¡¯s son, you should understand the gravity of this matter¡­"


    Hai Siyuan looked at the court official in astonishment, not quite understanding what he meant.


    Was he implying¡­ that he should keep these words to himself and not nder Great Dao Sect?

 Chapter 222:

    Chapter 222:


    Captain Hai looked at the court official who had hinted at him with a puzzled feeling in his heart.


    Was this Great Yan¡¯s court official really the one he had imagined?


    Was he implying that he shouldn¡¯t nder Immortal Gate? Even after hearing about the tragedy of the lone city¡¯s remaining army?


    Who knew he couldn¡¯t even speak?


    He looked around without thinking, feeling a bit confused.


    Hai Wuya seemed to notice Captain Hai¡¯s hesitation and spoke up at this moment.


    "Si Yuan, keep going, say whatever you want without worries."


    Hai Wuya widened his eyes, and the minister who spoke earlier immediately shifted his gaze elsewhere and stopped talking.


    Although Hai Wuya had only been out of the heavenly prison for a few months, as a high-ranking official, he still held an important position in the court.Not to mention that Hai Wuya himself was also a martial artist, even though his rank wasn¡¯t very high and he was aging, he still exuded an imposing aura.


    Captain Hai exchanged a nce with his own father, although feeling somewhat confused, he continued speaking:


    "It is undoubtedly the Great Dao Sect who created the ¡®Hundred-mile Desert¡¯!"


    "They turned the fertilend of Zhong Province into a barren desert, blocked the news, and isted the inside and outside with a great formation, making the outside world, including Jiu Province, believe that our hundred thousand soldiers had been wiped out forty years ago, and it was all their doing."


    "In the most difficult and challenging environment, excellent soldiers can be born¡­ Even if we die in a bloody battle, we may not find peace after death. From birth to death, we will be used for its purpose¡­"


    Captain Hai began to tell the tragic history of the isted city over the past forty years.


    From General Li Changge¡¯s breakthrough at the moment of death, ying inhuman enemies but also sacrificing their own lives, to the gradual decline of the remaining troops, leaving only a few hundred elderly veterans.


    In the forty years of fighting, it was not only the former Western Conquering Army, but also the able-bodied young men of this city.


    However,ter on, these young men in the city continued to die. Now, forty yearster, there are only a total of three hundred soldiers able to go to the battlefield. The city is left with only women, children, and the elderly, hardly able to form intact families.


    While Captain Hai was speaking, many courtiers wanted to interrupt, but Hai Wuya intentionally or unintentionally suppressed them with his gaze.


    Captain Hai spoke with a dry mouth and tears in his eyes. The forty-year history has vanished like smoke, from the past to the present, which is thest year with only three hundred old soldiers left on the city walls.


    "Three hundred old soldiers cannot withstand inhuman¡¯s attacks for long, so the destruction of this city was inevitable this year, the only difference was just a matter of time¡­ That¡¯s what we thought until an elder from the Qiao family, named Qiao Shuangsen, entered the isted city¡­"


    "That would be Elder Lao, a descendant of Qiao Shui¡¯s family." Captain Hai said, pointing to Qiao Mu standing beside him.


    Qiao family member? Qiao Shuangsen?


    The name instantly made Emperor Yonghe¡¯s heart skip a beat.


    At first, he didn¡¯t pay much attention to this old man who entered the pce without bowing. He thought he was just a representative of the lonely city soldiers, like Captain Hai.


    The surname Qiao is quite ordinary, amon surname.


    But upon hearing this, he vaguely remembered the troublesome Qiao family from before and the "Qiao Zhong" he ordered to be beheaded.


    Captain Hai continued. Qiao Shuangsen made a promise to me. He pretends to be a soldier from Great Yan, calling himself part of the Great Yan Immortal ying Army, the vanguard of Great Yan¡¯s reinforcements.


    "He falsely ims that Great Yan outside still cares about us, the people of the lonely city, and has specially formed an Immortal ying Army to rescue us from the desert."


    ording to Hai Siyuan¡¯s description, a scene began to unfold.


    In the lonely city, which was battered by wind and sand, every inch ofnd soaked with blood and tears, a soldier from Great Yan appeared.


    He said Great Yan had not forgotten this city, had not forgotten the deserted city destroyed by inhuman hands, had not forgotten the 100,000 brave soldiers who embarked on the journey regardless of their own safety¡­


    The disabled old soldier in the city couldn¡¯t help but ask the visitor with tears, "When will the reinforcements truly arrive?"


    A soldier from Great Yan brought false hope.


    But ironically, it was this false hope that swept away the city¡¯s past despair and brought new vitality to the city that was already on the verge of destruction.


    And then¡­


    "He died," Captain Hai said slowly.


    "Qiao Shuangsen died in the next round of attacks from the inhuman bean soldiers. He led the soldiers and fought bravely till his death, before us old soldiers."


    This sudden turn of events startled the courtiers, some of them didn¡¯t react in time.


    "But the next Qiao family member arrived one after another," Captain Hai continued.


    "Qiao Shuangsen died in battle, his father Qiao Ruosen carried his body like a dead dog and told us that he was the reinforcements from Great Yan!"


    "The relentless attacks were like waves, one wavees and goes, another wave wille tomorrow, repeating endlessly."


    "After Qiao Shuangsen died, then came Qiao Ruosen."


    "After Qiao Ruosen died, Qiao Zhuosen came next, generations of Qiao family elders passed through the battle lines, always united as one, always willing to sacrifice, telling us that reinforcements wereing, asking us to hold on a little longer, but in the end they were the first to sacrifice themselves before us!"


    "They followed the Qiao family motto, following their hearts and beliefs. They believed in doing what they felt was right, regardless of the strength of the enemy or the consequences."


    "They were known as the Immortal ying Army, true heroes who made us believe that beyond the Great Yan, there were still people like us, soldiers who never forgot to resist the inhumane, even after forty years!"


    These words echoed in the pce, leaving all the officials and generals pale-faced.


    Qiao family members were already quite famous in Zhong Province, especially after Emperor Yonghe ordered one of them, named Qiao Zhong, to be imprisoned in heavenly prison a few months ago, andter executed at the market square.


    The demeanor of Qiao family members mentioned by Captain Hai indeed bore some resemnce to what they had heard about this martial arts family in the past.


    "They are all good boys from the Qiao family," Qiao Mu nodded in agreement.


    "But the boys from the Qiao family have only taken over the torch from the people of the deserted city, they are the true heroes."


    Qiao Mu was not being modest, he just didn¡¯t want to stand out now.


    Because he had be Qiao Shui, as gentle as water, benefiting all things withoutpeting.


    Volunteering to go to court with Captain Hai was actually a way to protect his life, to avoid death from inhuman pursuit and persecution.


    Today, he is not the protagonist, Captain Hai and other unseen veterans are.


    If things go smoothly, it¡¯s fine for him to y a supporting role.


    Anyway, if he stirs up trouble and ends up dead again, he will have to be isted for another three to five years, which is not a good life.


    Emperor Yonghe sat nkly on the dragon throne, with mixed feelings in his heart.


    He was the emperor, although he had to consider the big picture in his actions, and couldn¡¯t act impulsively, he still knew right from wrong.


    When the Qiao family member at the Great Yan Imperial Court pretended to be the "Great Yan Immortal ying Army" to rescue the besieged city, it truly shook him inside.


    Because this was something that the emperor himself should do.


    The elderly in the city asked. When will the Six Armies truly arrive?


    The one who should answer is the Great Yan Emperor, not the Qiao family member pretending to be a Great Yan soldier¡­


    When he saw Qiao Pifu go to his death in Heyang City, he also felt deeply and hoped that one day the valiant Qiao family could be of use to him.


    But then there was the assassination attempt on Emperor Yonghe by Qiao Zhong¡­ that was a different story altogether.


    At this moment, one of the court officials seized on the key point in Captain Hai¡¯s words.


    "Did the Qiao family member kill someone from the Great Dao Sect?"


    The man speaking is the chief minister of the dynasty, hisst name is Li, with a fairplexion and a plump body, a round face and a dignified demeanor.


    Minister Li frowned, expressing some doubt in his words:


    "How can a martial artist kill an inhuman? How can they kill an inhuman? Are you making up a story?"


    "Hai Siyuan, let¡¯s leave the past in the past, don¡¯t mix in personal emotions."


    "The martial artists of the Qiao family might have a debt of gratitude to you, but this matter is indeed a bit absurd."


    Many court officials pondered upon hearing this.


    Minister Li is the chief minister of the country, a highly-ranked official. Regardless of the correctness of his words, they all must respond in some way.


    "Indeed, it is a bit absurd."


    "The immortal path is not one that ordinary people can tread, even with the most basic spiritual roots, only one in a thousand can. That¡¯s why inhumans are the elite of the human race, with exceptional talents among inhumans being the elite of the elite, the cream of the crop."


    "Even the best mortal martial artists, the top of the top, can theypare to inhuman beings?"


    "Mortal martial artists are limited to the 1st rank. How can they kill inhuman beings when even a group of mortals can defeat them?"


    Many courtiers chimed in agreement.


    "Your statement is too far-fetched and absurd," he said.


    They were discussing the gap between martial arts and immortal cultivation on the surface, talking about the difference between immortals and mortals, but that wasn¡¯t what they really meant to convey.


    When the Martial Saint invaded the Immortal Gate in Nan Province and sessfully killed a Qingyang immortal, they had naturally heard about it.


    Whether a martial artist can kill an immortal is one thing.


    But revealing it openly after killing an immortal in court is another matter altogether.


    Li Xiang squinted as he listened to the courtiers, narrowing his long eyes and saying slowly:


    "The Inhuman War happened forty years ago and is now a distant memory."


    "The Nine Immortal Gates have protected our kingdom from the elements for forty years."


    "Times have changed, and things are different now."


    "Our kingdom is now allied with the Nine Immortal Gates, and Immortal Gate disciples are appointed as deacons to deal with disasters caused by dark magic."


    "Hai Siyuan, holding out for forty years has been truly remarkable. Imend your resilience," said Li Xiang earnestly.


    "But that¡¯s all in the past. Why bring it up now? Are you suggesting we fabricate a story about a martial artist killing immortals?"


    "So many people died forty years ago. Do you want more bloodshed, hoping for Jiu Province to descend into chaos again?"


    Captain Hai¡¯s eyes widened, his mouth agape, speechless.


    After enduring countless hardships and the sacrifice of tens of thousands, shedding tears and blood for forty years within the solitary city, he finally ventured out of the desert and reached the once-dreamed-of Golden Pce. There, he was able to recount the forgotten stories of the military and civilians to the Emperor over the past forty years under the rule of Great Yan.


    He wanted to share his feelings and talk about the past heroic stories of the fallen warriors, including the sacrifice of a Qiao family member who was also a martial artist. He didn¡¯t want hisrades to die in obscurity, so he came to the magnificent pce.


    Hearing many rumors in Anxi Town about the Great Yan Dynasty, he felt lucky.


    Today, standing in the magnificent pce, he talked about the past in front of the Emperor and his officials, but was wrongly used. Feeling discouraged, he had nothing else to say.


    It¡¯s no wonder people say that after the brutal war, the schrs in the court lost their integrity and the warriors lost their backbone.


    Captain Hai looked ashen-faced, feeling like something intangible had copsed inside him.


    The great building had already copsed.


    With no fighting spirit left in their hearts, what¡¯s the use of soldiers fighting to the death?


    Emperor Yonghe remained silent, torn between speaking out or staying quiet.


    Knowing the value of loyal soldiers in Jiu Province, and the enduring forty-year struggle of the isted troops, Emperor Yonghe recognized it as a remarkable achievement that would go down in history.


    He also knew he couldn¡¯t upset the veteran soldier in front of him¡­ but¡­


    If this veteran soldier only focuses on guarding the city and protecting the people in the city, then naturally there will be harmony between ruler and subjects.


    It¡¯s not impossible to mention inhuman¡­ but pointing out the Great Dao Sect in Zhong Province¡­


    "We mustn¡¯t act rashly¡­ we must think carefully before acting." Emperor Yonghe remained silent instead of speaking.


    So the entire Golden Pce fell into a brief silence.


    Hai Wuya frowned too. He wanted to say something but was pulled back by hispanion Li Xiang.


    "Hai Wuya, don¡¯t act on impulse," Li Xiang warned.


    "If you¡¯re thinking for the greater good, you should act modestly and not offend the Immortal Gate," they continued.


    Hai Wuya was slightly taken aback and furrowed his brows, sensing that Li Xiang was hinting at something.


    Captain Hai stood in front of the Golden Luan Pce, looking at the officials and generals with a slightly confused look in his eyes. At sixty years old, he was still fighting on the frontline of the isted city, but now his posture was a bit stooped,cking his former vigor, showing only signs of aging and weariness.


    Qiao Mu stood by Captain Hai¡¯s side, quietly and unobtrusively like a green leaf.


    But seeing Captain Hai¡¯s aged appearance, Qiao Mu couldn¡¯t hold back his emotions.


    Life in this world ultimately cannot be reckless, actions must consider many factors, and think about the bigger picture¡­


    So even though Qiao Mu saw that Captain Hai¡¯s visit to the imperial pce this time was filled with suppressed indignation, what he really wanted to ask was, "Does the emperor still remember the people of the isted city?" and "Where are the reinforcements from Great Yan?"


    But when it came to speaking out, all he could do was recount the tragic history of the isted city.


    He just wanted to seek justice, to let the court and the world know about the steadfastness of the isted city¡¯s people over the past forty years, not wanting the heroes of the past to be forgotten.


    Living a life of obscurity, forgotten by Jiu Province in his lifetime, isn¡¯t it reasonable to at least seek some posthumous fame?


    So this was hispromise.


    Without questioning, only seeking justice for our fellow soldiers, seeking a good reputation in the future.


    But hispromise didn¡¯t really make a difference.


    When Captain Hai talked only about perseverance and sacrifice, everyone in the court praised him generously, saying that such a great achievement would be recorded in history.


    Anyway, praising someone doesn¡¯t cost a thing.


    But when the topic shifted to Immortal GateGreat Dao Sect¡­they couldn¡¯t praise enough.


    The civil and military ministers of the same generation as Hai Wuya were already a thing of the past, and nowadays, there are only a few tough officials left in the court of Emperor Yonghe.


    "You all have your concerns¡­everyone has to consider the bigger picture¡­"


    Qiao Mu spoke to himself and took two steps forward.


    He walked from behind Captain Hai to in front of him, standing up straight.


    Though old, still standing straight like a spear.


    Captain Hai and Hai Wuya both had some concerns one way or another.


    So today, let him y the role of the Hai family father and son.


    "Robbers have already robbed your home once, yet you talk about the big picture here, boasting that the robber cane again in the future? The reason is if you anger the thief, he mighte back to rob again?"


    The officials were slightly surprised and turned their gaze towards the old man who had been silent for a long time.


    "Do robbers reason with you? If you are nice, kneel down to them, and serve them kindly, they won¡¯t rob you?"


    Kneeling down only makes it easier for robbers to rob you. What makes robbers wary is always a sword that can be used to fight against them.


    "Rude martial artist!" scolded one of the court officials.


    "Is this childish y what you call a national matter?"


    Qiao Mu didn¡¯t speak, he just reached into the storage bag given to him by the old man of the arsenal, took out something, and threw it on the floor in front of the pce.


    It was a paper man torn in half, though made of paper, it still had a faint lingering scent, unlike ordinary things.


    The old man of the arsenal seemed to be the only one among the old and lonely in the city who had embarked on the path of cultivation. He cherished every move left by the cultivators, even the corpses of Taoist soldiers.


    "Don¡¯t y¡¯all believe in using martial arts to defeat immortals?" Qiao Mu shouted:


    "Then let me show you the inhuman Taoist soldiers that the old soldiers of the lonely city have dealt with over the years."


    Every time he spoke, he kept pulling out new things from the storage bag.


    There were broken Paper Man Soldiers, bean soldiers with holes in their bodies, bean generals standing three meters tall¡­


    Finally, even a corpse was thrown out of the storage bag.


    It turned out to be the body of Dao Shun, a disciple of the Great Dao Sect, draped in the robes of the Great Dao Sect.


    The ministers were about to scold the elderly Qiao family member for bringing a corpse into the pce, causing a disturbance. But upon closer inspection, they were shocked to find that it was actually the body of a disciple from the Great Dao Sect?


    Qiao Mu ignored the ministers¡¯ surprise and pointed to the body of Dao Shun, saying:


    "The member of the Qiao family who went to the battlefield and died called themselves the Great Yan Immortal ying Army, merely carrying on the me that had not been extinguished for forty years by the lone survivors of the army."


    "When Qiao Shuangsen entered the city, the elderly half-city residents wept and asked when the real reinforcements would arrive¡­ This question should have been answered by the true Great Yan reinforcements, not by us, the descendants of the Qiao family. Today, I will pose the question on behalf of the sorrowful elderly residents of the city¡­"


    Qiao Mu looked directly at Emperor Yonghe on the dragon throne and dered loudly:


    "The lone survivors of the city have stood firm for forty years without surrendering. How many in the halls of Great Yan still harbor the spirit of resistance?"


    "In today¡¯s Great Yan, is there anyone daring to take up the unextinguished me from the hands of the white-headed soldiers of the lone city?"


    "As the soldiers fought to the death over these forty years¡­ where is the Great Yan now? Are the esteemed officials in the halls feeling any shame?"


    Qiao Mu, a highly skilled martial artist, appeared elderly but spoke with vigor and strength.


    His voice was like ocean waves, with one question after another, echoing in the hall and drowning out all other voices.

 Chapter 223:

    Chapter 223:


    Are the dignitaries in the court ashamed?


    His words resonated in the Hall of Supreme Harmony like a bell, creating faint visible ripples in the air.


    His voice, at this moment, overshadowed all the usations and angry looks of the courtiers.


    Although this elderly member of the Qiao family appeared aged, his posture was as straight as a pine tree, showing no signs of frailty, only a sharp and determined presence like a rainbow.


    The civil and military officials of the court showed a slight change in expression.


    Because Qiao Shui was not alone.


    From the tales recounted by Captain Hai earlier, they knew that members of the Qiao family had several generations who died on the battlefield of the lone city.


    Next to him, Captain Hai is the leader of the remaining white-headed soldiers, representing the old soldiers who are guarding the lonely city.


    Just now, Captain Hai was consideringpromise, thinking they could take advantage of the situation in the name of the greater good, but if someone like Qiao Mu confronts directly at the Golden Pce without any manners, even throwing out inhuman bodies¡­ few courtiers would dare to stand up against him at this moment.The officials and generals at the court were all pale, some even feeling weak, unconsciously stepping back half a step from his imposing presence.


    In the silence, Qiao Mu finally realized what was happening.


    "Why do I keep acting rashly again?"


    He wondered in his mind.


    His ability to live and never die allowed him to act recklessly, following his heart¡¯s desires without considering the consequences or being diplomatic.


    This was his usual way of acting, so when he saw Captain Hai standing in front of the Golden Pce in a weak and old posture, he didn¡¯t think much and just stood up directly.


    As long as he didn¡¯t die recklessly, he would keep on being reckless.


    Now he realized that the courtiers around him were looking at him strangely, he finally understood that the consequences of his embarrassing actions in the Golden Pce might be serious.


    The courtiers in the Golden Pce were the most powerful group in the country¡¯s officialdom, even though Great Yan now had Nine Immortal Gates above its head, it was still the same.


    However, he had changed from before.


    He would not die, he could stille back to life.


    But death had be a long, endless nightmare for him.


    Thest nightmare of deathsted for five years.


    Five years was an extremely long time for a dream, an istion, simply not the kind of days a person should live through.


    But for Qiao Mu¡¯s past experiences, it was very short.


    Previous high-quality deaths would often bring decades of physical aging, which meant enduring a long nightmaresting for decades.


    After breaking the second lock on the Long Life Lock, the multiplier for the year of death has reached five times, which means the shortest dream starts from five to ten years¡­


    "Scars forget pain, nightmares unconsciously rush in again after waking up¡­"


    Qiao Mu muttered in his heart, but his eyes inadvertently nced at Captain Hai beside him.


    Since Qiao Mu spoke up, he became the focus of the entire pce, and the courtiers and officials didn¡¯t pay much attention to Captain Hai.


    Captain Hai¡¯s reaction was first astonishment, then realization, and finally concern showed in his eyes.


    It was clear that Captain Hai was not calm inside; the palms hanging at the sides of his body trembled slightly¡ªQiao Mu had indeed yed the mouthpiece for Captain Hai, speaking the words he could not say from his heart.


    Although Qiao Shui didn¡¯t have a deep rtionship with this person, he understood that Qiao family members adhere to the family rules for generations.


    From Captain Hai¡¯s perspective, Qiao Shui was not just speaking for him, but also speaking for the unnamed soldiers who died in the lonely city over the past forty years, and for the generations of Qiao family members who had passed away.


    While his emotions were in turmoil, he also felt worried.


    He may not understand the ins and outs of the royal court, but he knows that these courtiers are the most powerful group in the Great Yan Imperial Court. When Qiao Shui scolded them in front of the pce, things could not end well.


    What¡¯s more, he wasn¡¯t just criticizing these courtiers.


    If there¡¯s anyone feeling guilty or not guilty in their heart, it¡¯s the current emperor seated on the throne.


    It was only then that the courtiers started to react.


    "Bold."


    "How dare you speak so recklessly in the pce?"


    "Disgraceful in front of the pce¡­ Minister Hai, did you bring some vulgarmoner into the pce?"


    "Today it¡¯s inhumane remains in secret, what will be next? Bringing weapons openly another day?"


    The courtiers started to be noisy, filled with righteous indignation.


    They naturally didn¡¯t answer any guilty or not guilty questions from Qiao Shui, but just criticized Qiao Shui for his behavior in front of the pce.


    Qiao Mu wasn¡¯t angry as he listened, but he felt a little bit cold inside.


    This time, he spoke not to seek fame for himself, not to seek death.


    Having just emerged from a five-year istion, he didn¡¯t want to go back to dreaming for another ten or twenty years.


    "Am I about to die again?" Qiao Mu frowned, and aftering to his senses this time, he started seriously considering his path in life.


    You can¡¯t just leave the pce with Captain Hai, right?


    Or perhaps¡­ capture the thief before catching the king?


    Qiao Mu¡¯s gaze swept over the noisy crowd of courtiers, unabashedly looking up to see Emperor Yonghe sitting high on the dragon throne.


    Emperor Yonghe was very quiet, seeming a bit unusual.


    The officials were arguing noisily, but Emperor Yonghe remained silent.


    He seemed a bit absent-minded, not paying attention to the angryints of the officials, and his gaze fell on the Human Emperor Sword hanging in front of the hall.


    The Human Emperor Sword was the sword worn by the founder of the dynasty, and it had manifested great power in the Xuantian Sect Taoist temple in Nan Province. It had be a symbol of the nation, and Emperor Yonghe always carried it to court.


    Since the awakening of the Human Emperor Sword, a faint golden light would always radiate from its de, symbolizing the country¡¯s fortune.


    At that moment, the Human Emperor Sword hanging in front of the hall started to show unusual movements.


    Buzz¡­


    Although no one was holding the sword, it was trembling slightly. The golden light flowing on it shimmered like ripples on water, as if a candle flickering in the wind. The golden light flickered uncertainly, showing signs of dimming.


    Emperor Yonghe¡¯s eyes widened slightly. He usually dealt with state affairs but didn¡¯t notice any changes in the Human Emperor Sword¡­


    If there was any change, it was that since King Qin¡¯s reign, the glow of the Human Emperor Sword seemed to have dimmed slightly.


    His heart suddenly felt a little empty. As the current ruler of the Human Emperor Sword, he knew that since he paid his respects to the gods in Nan Province, the situation in the Great Yan Imperial Court had improved. The hidden opportunity of the Nine Immortal Gates was the awakening of the Human Emperor Sword.


    Holding the Human Emperor Sword, he was the ruler of Jiu Province that the Nine Immortal Gates needed to pay more attention to.


    The Human Emperor Sword is a crucial weapon for the country and cannot be lost.


    Suddenly, he remembered the past when he and Hai Wuya discussed the events of the Inhuman War forty years ago in the court, and talked about Emperor Yonghe¡¯s "great n"¡­


    "If people¡¯s hearts are lost, when they truly want to advance, perhaps there will be nothing they can do."


    The Human Emperor Sword is not only a potential factor to deter the Immortal Gate but also a symbol of the dynasty¡¯s fortune.


    In the current Great Yan Imperial Court, the direction of people¡¯s hearts is closely linked to the fortune of the country and is closely connected to the Human Emperor Sword at his waist.


    If the people¡¯s hearts are lost and the country¡¯s fortune declines, then perhaps this Human Emperor Sword will lose its brilliance, won¡¯t it?


    And what caused the unusual activity of the Human Emperor Sword today is¡­


    Emperor Yonghe looked down and saw Qiao Mu and Captain Hai in front of the pce, along with the inhuman corpse wearing the robe of the Great Dao Sect.


    Captain Hai represents the veteran soldiers of the isted city.


    Qiao Shui represents several generations of the Qiao family members, and is a key figure in the veterans¡¯ journey out of the Hundred-mile Desert.


    Which one has caused the Human Emperor Sword to react?


    Emperor Yonghe narrowed his eyes, suddenly recalling the time in Nan Province when there was a Qiao family member named Qiao Zhong¡­ that was the day when the Human Emperor Sword awakened and manifested its power.


    Let¡¯s not discuss this matter for now.


    After enduring in the desert for forty years, fighting alongside the three hundred veteran soldiers¡­ such deeds would have been recorded in history books in the past.


    The threat posed by the Great Dao Sect is very real.


    Emperor Yonghe saw this as another dilemma.


    "If the Great Yan Imperial Court loses the support of the people, deviates from righteousness, the country¡¯s fortune will naturally decline¡­"


    Emperor Yonghe suddenly stood up, and with a clear sound of a sword being drawn, he unsheathed the Human Emperor Sword and held it in his hand.


    The ministers¡¯ mor and anger abruptly ceased, staring in astonishment as Emperor Yonghe drew his sword.


    "I, feel ashamed in my heart!" Emperor Yonghe said deeply.


    The ministers were slightly taken aback.


    Qiao Mu was also quite surprised, but he hid his emotions in his eyes and didn¡¯t show them.


    "For several generations, the Qiao family¡¯s sons sacrificed their lives in the desert to save a lonely city, they are truly courageous." Emperor Yonghe praised.


    "No matter the intentions in their hearts, no matter the era, those who sacrifice themselves for others are noble individuals, this is beyond doubt¡­ I only regret that the Immortal Gate has yed so many tricks, setting up such arge array, deceiving me for forty years, and deceiving the entire Great Yan for forty years!"


    At this point, Emperor Yonghe¡¯s eyes darkened, consumed by deep self-me.


    Qiao Shuangsen and other brave fighters, although falsely iming to be Great Yan soldiers, were actually bringing honor to our Great Yan. They went to battlefields and died as Great Yan soldiers¡­ I feel guilty about it."


    The courtiers were stunned and speechless for a moment.


    Emperor Yonghe¡¯s acting skills were not particrly outstanding, his words were a bit exaggerated, but the courtiers were clever enough to notice the change in Emperor Yonghe¡¯s attitudepared to usual.


    Despite not knowing the exact reason, as loyal subjects, they naturally wouldn¡¯t disobey.


    "Your Majesty is wise, not dwelling on the martial artist Qiao Shui¡¯s breach of etiquette before you, speaking frankly about feeling guilty openly¡­"


    "The Emperor disys humility, making us feel ashamed¡­"


    "¡­."


    Qiao Mu¡¯s eyes widened slightly, realizing what it means to lead by example with this generation of courtiers. Emperor Yonghe¡¯s words directly influenced the courtiers¡¯ opinions, broadening his horizons.


    He cleared his throat and said seriously:


    "The King doesn¡¯t owe anything to the Qiao family member, there is no need to feel guilty."


    The court ministers looked slightly surprised.


    The old man named Qiao Shui, who had just acted like a stubborn and rough martial artist, turned out to be a wise and perceptive person. Could it be that he was moved by Emperor Yonghe¡¯s actions?


    Qiao Mu continued speaking:


    "Even though the Qiao family member has passed away, they are not the first nor thest ones to die."


    "The Qiao family member was just trying to carry on the me that has not been extinguished in the isted city for forty years."


    "The true heroes are the one hundred thousand soldiers who defended the city for forty years, sacrificing their lives in the vast desert for the nation and the people."


    "What the King owes is not just the Qiao family member, but the citizens trapped in the isted city for forty years, and the one hundred thousand brave souls who stood strong and didn¡¯t surrender."


    Qiao Mu paused, gazing directly at the embarrassed Emperor Yonghe, speaking firmly:


    "One hundred thousand brave soldiers didn¡¯t let down Great Yan, but Great Yan let down the soldiers who defended the lonely city!"


    "Three hundred loyal soldiers never forget about Great Yan, Your Majesty, why have you forgotten the soldiers fighting at the frontline?!"


    These words were powerful, like sharp swords, pointing straight to the heart.


    Captain Hai trembled uncontrobly all over.


    His already clouded old eyes grew slightly warm, almost shedding tears in front of the pce.


    These words revealed the hardships and loneliness of their old soldiers trapped in the heart of the desert for years.


    Given a choice, who would want to endure forty years in such a deste ce until their hair turned white.


    Stranded in the desert for forty years, Great Yan was not just a ruling country over Jiu Province, but a distant spiritual symbol for these old soldiers.


    They didn¡¯t let Great Yan down, this isted army represented thest will of resistance of the Great Yan Imperial Court forty years ago!


    As time passed, when they left the desert, they found that the Nine Immortal Gates had now be important guests of the Great Yan. The sadness in their hearts was too much to put into words.


    In the past, Earth Sword Immortal kept asking them whether sacrificing was meaningful, or it moved themselves?


    Captain Hai already had an answer in his heart, but now it seemed that there were not many people in the court who held the answer.


    The court officials who were just full of anger and passion a moment ago suddenly fell silent, looking around only to see the other officials withplicated and inexplicable expressions.


    Can this be said¡­


    They had thought that the old man named Qiao Shui was stubborn and prideful, so being treated with such respect by Emperor Yonghe made them feel unworthy¡­


    Who knew that after scolding all the officials in the court, he unexpectedly turned his anger towards Emperor Yonghe?


    Do you usually respond to jokes like this?


    Emperor Yonghe wants to y the role of a prodigal emperor today, can¡¯t you just go along with what he says, why do you have to stir things up, afraid that his temper is too good?


    If we continue with his words, which means harmony between the ruler and his subjects, and the prodigal son returning, it might be a good story of harmony between the ruler and his subjects if it were to spread, and could even be recorded in history by the historians.


    The courtiers were too scared to look up at Emperor Yonghe¡¯s face, they just kept their heads down.


    But Emperor Yonghe¡¯s face was a mixture of green and white, feeling like there were countless invisible eyes watching him.


    The white-headed soldier didn¡¯t let down the Great Yan, being the Emperor of this Great Yan, he felt ashamed in front of these old soldiers!


    In recent years as the Emperor of Great Yan, although he had bowed to immortals before, that was with immortals, which was a different matter altogether.


    As an Emperor, has he ever been used like this in front of others?


    Thinking back, perhaps only back in Nan Province¡¯s Heyang City, there was a Qiao Pifu who didn¡¯t know his identity talking about court affairs¡­ hmm? Why is it someone surnamed Qiao again?


    But that was different from today.


    That day was just a secret visit incognito, besides the Flying Fish Guard around him, no one knew he was Emperor Yonghe.


    But today, this ce is the Golden Pce, today he is Emperor Yonghe, in front of this group of ministers¡­

 Chapter 224:

    Chapter 224:


    Inside the Golden Pce.


    Emperor Yonghe¡¯s face kept changing.


    As the Emperor of Great Yan, being questioned so openly by his subjects, especially in front of the Golden Pce, was a first for him.


    But now that things have reached this point, can he stop pretending halfway?


    If he does that, his image as Emperor Yonghe in front of Captain Hai and the old soldiers might copse soon.


    Emperor Yonghe ys the role of a humble and caring ruler, focusing more on the message than the acting.


    Because as the Emperor of Great Yan, even if hecks acting skills, as long as he can deceive others in the court, the courtiers will still support him.


    The key point is whether he still wants to continue ying the role himself.


    Emperor Yonghe looked down at the Human Emperor Sword in his hand, his eyes showing a slightly deep expression.He felt a difficult frustration in his heart at this moment, almost unable to suppress the emotions churning within him.


    He had to bow down before the Immortal Gate, as the situation forced him to do so.


    When could an old man from the Qiao family dare to question him in the Golden Luang Hall?


    However, at this point, he was finding it hard to back out, so he could only continue down the same path.


    "You are right. Great Yan owes it to the old soldiers who have defended the lonely city for forty years," said Emperor Yonghe solemnly.


    "Immortal Gate is powerful and cunning, deceiving Great Yan for forty years. But now that I know the truth, I will not mistreat these veterans who havee out of the Inhuman War battlefield. I will reward them ordingly," the Emperor stated.


    "Hai Siyuan, for your leadership and bravery in defending the troops, I appoint you as the 3rd rank General of Guider. Emperor Yonghe dered thoughtfully.


    "Of the remaining three hundred soldiers, all officers and soldiers have been promoted five ranks for their military achievements and rewarded with gold and silver."


    "These elderly soldiers with white hair should not go to battle anymore. Let them enjoy their old age," Emperor Yonghe said solemnly.


    "As for the people in the isted city, I will also consider resettling them to a safe ce."


    The official position in Great Yan is at the 9th rank, which is the 18th level. The promotion of the three hundred elderly soldiers by five ranks means that even the most ordinary soldiers who have survived until now will be granted the 7th rank as military officials.


    As a current Sixth-ranked Captain in the army, Hai Siyuan has been promoted to the 3rd rank as a non-office general.


    Of course, these are all non-office officials with sries but no real power.


    Great Yan cannot suddenly appoint over three hundred military officials with real power, so Captain Hai and others are naturally appointed as non-office officials without real power.


    "You have defended Great Yan for most of your lives, diligently guarding our borders," Emperor Yonghe said solemnly.


    "Great Yan is a magnificent country, how can we let white-headed soldiers over sixty continue to go to battle?"


    "Those who have survived many battles, should return home in glory, this is only right!" Emperor Yonghe said emotionally.


    "The forty years of hardship in the solitary city in the desert will be recorded by historians, leaving a mark in history and making Jiu Province famous."


    In reality, he wasn¡¯t acting.


    The unwavering resistance of the old soldiers for forty years truly touched the heart of this Emperor in the Imperial Capital.


    However, as the Emperor of Great Yan, he couldn¡¯t solely rely on emotions in his decisions, he needed to think carefully before acting.


    Of course.


    Pondering deeply doesn¡¯t necessarily mean making the right decision, it¡¯s two different things.


    Sometimes his pre-decisions actually dyed matters, leaving others feeling disheartened.


    Emperor Yonghe had made his words very clear this time.


    He can give Captain Hai and other old warriors a good reputation, promote them to higher ranks, and reward them with money and valuable items.


    But that¡¯s it for now.


    Although he was touched by the old warriors¡¯ brave resistance, the Inhuman War was already over, so he didn¡¯t n to promote Captain Hai and the others under the current circumstances.


    "Hai Siyuan represents the three hundred warriors, thanking Your Majesty for the honor," Captain Hai said loudly.


    However, for some reason, he still felt a bit empty inside.


    When he returned to the Imperial Capital Golden Pce, one of his goals was to speak up for the hundred thousand fallen warriors, to ensure they were not forgotten by the court and the people.


    He had actually achieved his goal now, but Captain Hai still felt a bit empty inside.


    This recognition was not something he sought, as it was partly earned through the efforts of Qiao Shui Mr. Qiao, who stood up for him.


    The deceased are remembered in history, while the living are rewarded with promotions and wealth¡­


    Captain Hai actually understood that for the old soldiers of the lonely city, this was actually a good ending.


    Now, forty yearster, probably only a few old soldiers would not want to retire and go back to their hometown, to remove their armor and return to farming.


    Especially in the current situation of Jiu Province, which is very different from what they had envisioned before.


    He had achieved his goal.


    But¡­


    Captain Hai nced at the courtiers around him from the corner of his eye.


    After the Inhuman War, the backbone of civil and military officials has been lost, and in this generation of courtiers, there are more smart people who go with the wind.


    The questioning and scolding of the courtiers just now, he remembered clearly, and he also took note of Emperor Yonghe¡¯s stance.


    Even though he had achieved his goal and had made a name for himself for the fallenrades of the past battles, he couldn¡¯t say he was very happy.


    As for the Qiao family members who died in battle¡­ Emperor Yonghe furrowed his brow slightly.


    Among the Qiao family members, there were assassins like Qiao Zhong who he personally ordered to be executed, and there were martial artists like Qiao Shuangsen, who imed to be part of the Great Yan Immortal ying Army, which Emperor Yonghe considered as bringing glory to Great Yan.


    Let¡¯s address each issue separately.


    Qiao Zhong is responsible for what he did, and Qiao Shuangsen is responsible for his actions.


    "The Qiao family members who died in battle will also receive rewards, and the fallen warriors will bepensated."


    For the Qiao family members, they are rewarded with money aspensation for their sacrifice, without official titles or honors.


    The court officials continued their discussions, while Qiao Mu, a martial artist not involved in court affairs, was naturally escorted out by the pce guards.


    It wasn¡¯t until Qiao Shui and Captain Hai were escorted away that Emperor Yonghe finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    Today¡¯s drama has finallye to an end.


    The king was humble, and there was peace between him and his officials. They honored the white-headed soldier in the lonely city with great rewards. If this event were recorded in history or passed down through generations, it would be considered a beautiful tale.


    With these thoughts in mind, Emperor Yonghe continued the morning court session.


    The group that walked out from the solitary city in the desert consisted not only of three hundred elderly soldiers but also many women, children, and elderly people from the city.


    Finding a proper ce for these extra people was a significant task.


    At the same time, he ordered Minister of Rites Hai Wuya from Great Yan to go to the Anxi Pass monument forest to pay respects to the deceased.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    One dayter.


    Inside Hai Wuya¡¯s mansion.


    "A reward of five thousand taels of silver?" Qiao Mu was very surprised.


    He thought Emperor Yonghe would just pretend, but surprisingly, he wasn¡¯t stingy with money and riches.


    In terms of purchasing power, five thousand taels of silver is a huge amount that most people can¡¯t earn in their lifetime.


    "This is the allowance for Qiao Shuangsen, Qiao Ruosen, Qiao Zhuosen¡­ and others," exined Hai Wuya.


    Five thousand taels of silver is not just one allowance, but four.


    This amount made Qiao Mu quite tempted and of course he didn¡¯t refuse.


    Not only did he not refuse, but he even had an impulse to fake his death multiple times to cheat¡­ to cheat the royal family¡¯s allowance.


    Just the thought of the long dream after death, Qiao Mu just went through this idea in his mind, not taking it seriously.


    "I couldn¡¯t hold back even in the Golden Dragon Hall yesterday. After seeing Emperor Yonghe, I really couldn¡¯t control myself¡­" sighed Qiao Mu.


    Pretending to be cool for a moment.


    Crematorium afterwards.


    Before, Qiao Mu had no good qualities, he only liked to appear holy in front of people, regardless of cremation, burial, or water burial, he liked them all. The more tragic the death, the happier he was.


    But that was all in the past.


    Now, he is Qiao Shui. Before, he only temporarily suppressed himself in the Gold Pce and still unconsciously acted ording to his previous style.


    From now on, he will naturally not be the same.


    "What are your ns for the future, Elder Lao?" Hai Wuya politely asked.


    He had interacted with several Qiao family members before, and now the Qiao family members paid with their own lives to save his son Hai Siyuan from the Hundred-mile Desert, allowing him to reunite with his son in his old age, naturally increasing his goodwill towards the Qiao family members.


    Apart from gratitude, he was actually more curious inside.


    He was very curious about the future activities of the Qiao family members, always feeling that the Qiao family members would eventually create other major events.


    ns for the future?


    This question left Qiao Mu speechless.


    "For over two hundred years, I haven¡¯t really enjoyed life. Most of my memories so far are just about hard work¡­" Qiao Mu looked at the five thousand silver tickets in his hand, feeling a bit weary.


    Having juste out of istion after five years, all he wanted to do now was to have some fun.


    After dying many times and meditating for over two hundred years, can¡¯t he have a little enjoyment?


    "I¡¯m thinking of buying him a few houses in the suburbs of the Imperial Capital to rent out," Qiao Mu casually said.


    Hai Wuya and his son were slightly shocked.


    He didn¡¯t expect Qiao Mu¡¯s future ns to be so¡­ordinary.


    It doesn¡¯t seem like the usual style of a Qiao family member.


    If Qiao Mu said that he was nning to attack the Royal Pce tomorrow, the Immortal Gate Taoist Temple the day after tomorrow, and the Great Dao Sect the day after that, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising at all.


    "What else can I do? I¡¯m already old," Qiao Mu said with a hint of sadness.


    He aged before he could enjoy life to the fullest.


    Luckily, his Iron Crotch Skill had reached its peak, making him strong and resilient despite his age.


    "Being a wealthy man and enjoying life isn¡¯t so bad."


    Qiao Mu left with a bunch of silver coins.


    Next, Hai Wuya was about to leave the Imperial Capital for Anxi Pass. He hadn¡¯t seen Hai Siyuan Captain Hai in forty years. Qiao Mu, being observant, wanted to give the father and son some time to bond.


    As Qiao Mu walked away, Hai Wuya watched him go, his eyes shimmering with admiration.


    "I never imagined that a member of the Qiao family would be in the solitary city in the desert spreading the ¡®Xumi Mountain King Sutra.¡¯ It¡¯s quite a coincidence."


    Hai Wuya coughed softly, a faint sickly flush appearing on his face.


    During this time, he had listened to Hai Siyuan talking about the lonely city¡¯s stories of the past forty years many times, hearing about the Qiao family member¡¯s sacrifice and the remarkable achievements of Earth Sword Immortal, feeling quite emotional.


    "Father, the gap between immortals and mortals is like a vast chasm, do us martial artists really have hope?" Hai Siyuan finally asked this question out loud.


    Even though he had left the desert¡¯s solitary city, after the joy of surviving the disaster, seeing the current state of Jiu Province, he felt even more disappointed.


    "The gap between immortals and mortals is indeed huge, that is an undeniable fact," Hai Wuya sighed.


    "Those with spiritual roots who can step onto the path of immortality are rare elites, geniuses, and those with exceptional spiritual roots are the elite among elites."


    "For us ordinary martial artists, any cultivator who has sessfully built their Foundation on the path of immortality is considered elite."


    Immortals have long lifespans, something that cultivators find hard to match.


    Throughout history, mortal dynasties don¡¯t usuallyst more than three hundred years, while immortal cultivators with high cultivation levels often have umtions of several hundred or even thousands of years. If they can be easily killed by martial artists, it would indeed be a wonder.


    "But because of this, there are actually not many cultivators on the path to immortality." Hai Wuya said.


    "It may seem like a lot, but in reality, these are the elites and talents umted over hundreds and thousands of years in Jiu Province¡¯s history, from past dynasties to now."


    "In today¡¯s era, bing a sessful cultivator in the path of immortality takes a long time, although it¡¯s not as if one person is lost after another."


    Upon mentioning this, Hai Wuya grew slightly mncholic.


    The smartest and most talented people in Jiu Province, those with spiritual roots, have mostly embarked on the path of immortality. There are not many fools who would hang themselves on a crooked tree of martial arts.


    Those who walk the path of immortality are already elites, and the best among them are the elite of the elites. Why would they stand on the same side as ordinary people?


    Even someone as talented as Earth Sword Immortal, the foremost martial artist of the generation¡­ in reality, for him to catch up to the Nine Immortal Gates in the path of immortality, the hope is extremely slim.


    Even if he were to seed, it would likely take over a thousand or even thousands of years.


    In a thousand years, a mortal kingdom could change rulers three or four times; even if he truly seeded, Great Yan would have long ceased to exist.


    Moreover, as an outsider who practices alone with no temple to worship at, how can hepare himself to the Nine Immortal Gates?


    "Although Earth Sword Immortal is strong, he is not a Martial Saint," said Hai Wuya calmly.


    "His Heavenly shing Swordsmanship can only be considered a ¡®skill¡¯, not a ¡®path¡¯."


    For example, in a small poor country, there arises a naturally talented sprinter who breaks a world record with one swift move.


    Does this mean that the sprinting project of this small country has already reached the top level in the world?


    Other athletes in the small country may find it difficult to replicate his achievements due to theirck of talent.


    Individuals like the Martial Saint, who are both top athletes and coaches capable of nurturing first-ss and top athletes, represent the forefront of martial arts in Hai Wuya¡¯s view.


    "With the city besieged for forty years, your strength has been spent on survival and fighting against inhuman forces, leaving you with no energy to explore martial arts," said Hai Wuya solemnly.


    "The Qiao family members were notpletely lying. In these forty years, the martial arts in Jiu Province have undergone dramatic changes, with a clear distinction between ancient and modern methods."


    Just looking at their martial arts skills, the veteran soldiers of the isted city who hadn¡¯t been in the world for forty years were actually falling behind.


    Even if there is an Earth Sword Immortal in the Hundred-mile Desert, it cannot represent the cutting edge of martial arts today.


    When Hai Wuya went to Anxi Pass this time, he not only wanted to pay respects to the deceased.


    He was more eager to see the three hundred veteran soldiers and the elderly who couldn¡¯t go to the battlefield.


    The harsh and extraordinary environment of the Hundred-mile Desert was carefully created by the Immortal Gate as a "soul nurturing ce", also considered as a "spiritual refining sanctuary" for martial artists.


    But for martial artists to improve in martial arts, they need a lot of nourishing food¡­ It seems that the veterans who can survive countless battles in that environment are extraordinary.

 Chapter 225:

    Chapter 225:


    On the outskirts of the Imperial Capital, at the entrance of a courtyard.


    Sunlight shining down, asional gentle breeze blowing, tree shadows swaying, and leaves rustling.


    An old man with long gray hair that almost reached his waist was lying on a reclining chair under a tree, trying to cool off. He was holding a palm-leaf fan, half-closed his eyes, and seemed a bit sleepy.


    A round-faced calico cat on the treetop was also dozing off. This cat was a bit chubby and slightly sluggish. It identally bent the tree branch due to its weight and fell directly from the tree, heading towards the sleeping old man on the chair.


    The old man, still keeping his eyes closed, as if foreseeing the scene, reached out his hand and skillfully caught the calico cat that fell. He embraced the cat gently and lightly scratched its chin, making the cat feel asfortable as the old man, with both of them squinting their eyes.


    "Stealing half a day of leisure, it is indeed rare tranquility."


    Qiao Mu lounged on the reclining chair with his eyes half-closed, asionally ncing at passersby.


    He who climbed the Emperor¡¯s Hall in the morning bes a country dweller in the evening.


    Just a few days ago, he was chatting andughing in the Golden Chamber, pointing fingers at the Emperor and scolding, striving for fame for the elderly in the forlorn city.After finishing his business, he left in a huff and bought a mansion in the outskirts of the Imperial Capital to retire and lead a peaceful life.


    Although Qiao Mu felt young, he was actually 210 years old, an age in ancient times where one could live from the early to thete years of a dynasty.


    There was no one older in the whole world than him, even people half his age were very rare.


    The only people left who couldpare their age to him were the cultivators from the Immortal Gate.


    "Retirement life is not bad at all." Qiao Mu shook his fan, looking quite content.


    He squinted slightly.


    As dusk approached, smoke rose from the neighbors¡¯ homes, delicious smells of food filled the air, children ying outside were called back home by their parents, and the streets became quieter.


    Martial artists have very keen senses, especially Qiao Mu, who has been practicing martial arts for two hundred years in an extraordinary way.


    He could hear a couple calling their child to dinner on the left, a schr studying in a house on the right, a woman scolding a mischievous child foring homete on another side, and yet another couple arguing about the husband drinking too much¡­


    The Wan family¡¯s lights were on, cooking smoke rising, and another day with the usual chores.


    Since arriving in this world, he rarely had such leisure time.


    He used to be reckless, always seeking danger and eating more prison food than home-cooked meals.


    Everywhere he looked, Wan familynterns lit up the surroundings, giving it a unique charm.


    As the time was gettingte, Qiao Mu got up and carried the cat back to his own home.


    This house was a typical courtyard in the Imperial Capital, with ayout simr to the Fang family house where Qiao Mu had briefly stayed before, reminding him of his past life in the Imperial Capital.


    Looking at the empty house, Qiao Mu felt a bit lonely.


    Instead of cooking himself a meal in the kitchen, he spent a long time looking at himself in the mirror in the hall.


    His reflection in the mirror remained the same, but after mastering the Shape Changing Skill through spiritual refining, Qiao Mu could change his appearance to some extent.


    While he couldn¡¯t turn back time, he could at least improve his wrinkles.


    Yet, Qiao Mu remained unchanged, keeping his aging appearance.


    "For two hundred years, most of his life was spent practicing martial arts in his dreams for the same period. Only a small part was lived in reality¡­ But life in reality, either leads to death or is a path towards it. Everyone is sacrificing themselves for others, blindly following orders."


    "In the end, as I aged, no one recognized me, I had no close friends. The Wan family¡¯s prosperity shone ringly, while I aged alone¡­"


    "What¡¯s this useless golden finger? Why bother with all theseplicated things, isn¡¯t a simple and enjoyable check-in system better?"


    Qiao Mu couldn¡¯t help butin a bit.


    A few days ago in the Golden Pce, he acted recklessly out of habit.


    He hasn¡¯t truly moved on from the five years of istion in his life.


    He had developed a habit of talking to himself in his dreams, and now in reality, he still did the same.


    A warm and fluffy little creature rubbed against his leg, and when Qiao Mu looked down, he saw a chubby little cat staring at him.


    "That¡¯s right, no close friends, no old acquaintances, but still, a cat forpany." Qiao Mu muttered softly.


    "But cats can¡¯t rece people."


    The cat¡¯s pupils dted, wagged its tail, looking somewhat distracted.


    After learning the truth about the Ouroboros Long Life Lock, looking back at his own life, he felt different.


    Every time Qiao Mu died, he would be reborn, aging, and appearing in different identities, under the name of elders in the Qiao family.


    So he didn¡¯t have any old acquaintances.


    For example, in prison, Qiao Zhong was familiar with Hai Wuya, but when Qiao Mu reappeared as Qiao Shuanglin, even though there was a reason to perfect the deduction of the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra" in the clinic and re-teach it to Hai Wuya, their interactions were no longer the same.


    Take Qiao Shui now, for Hai Wuya and Captain Hai, he is just a stranger elder, a former acquaintance, nothing more.


    He kept dying and changing identities, having no familiar faces around him; even if there were any, they would be strangers in the next death.


    Qiao Mu didn¡¯t look in the mirror anymore; he just lost the interest in cooking alone.


    After thinking for a moment, he changed into morefortable clothes for moving around and walked out of the courtyard.


    He had lived in the Imperial Capital a few months ago, and there were still some loose ends to tie up. With nothing to do now, he decided to find something to upy his time.


    ¡­¡­..


    A short whileter, he arrived at the marketce in the Imperial Capital.


    Even as night approached, the marketce was still bustling with passing pedestrians.


    Months ago, an Inhuman Disaster had urred here, involving a battle between immortal cultivators. But now, all traces had been erased, the copsed teahouse had been rebuilt, and everything was lively once again.


    Qiao Mu nced at the execution ground where he had once faced punishment but saw several unfamiliar heads on stakes¡­Qiao Zhong was not among them.


    Even the most wicked criminals, after being executed, couldn¡¯t rest in peace; their heads had to be disyed at the marketce for all to see.


    Qiao Mu had once been one of them, but not anymore.


    "It¡¯s been several months now, even if my head has been preserved, I don¡¯t think it canst that long." Qiao Mu suddenly lost interest.


    Before leaving the Imperial Capital, he went to the market to retrieve his head but was stopped by the Great Dao Sect disciple Dao Zhen, who tricked him into going to the deserted city in the Hundred-mile Desert.


    He walked away along the street.


    A quarter of an hourter when he stopped again, he was already at the Fang family¡¯s old mansion.


    The Fang family¡¯s old mansion was the residence of the heavenly prison warden Fang Yuan, where Qiao Mu had temporarily stayed before.


    It was nighttime, but the mansion was dark and silent, with no one around.


    Qiao Mu frowned, realizing that it might not be convenient for him to meet Gaoler Fang Yuan again with his current identity. Nevertheless, out of boredom, he wanted to nce at it from afar.


    Since Fang Yuan¡¯ martial arts had been taught by him, although not as a formal disciple, they were somewhat acquainted.


    After five years of istion, catching up with old acquaintances might break the monotony.


    Qiao Mu thought something bad happened to Fang Yuan, so he went to ask around the neighborhood. He found out that Fang Yuan had left Imperial Capital a month ago, quit his job as a prison guard, and even abandoned his old mansion.


    "Didn¡¯t he value his family¡¯s old mansion a lot? Why would he leave Imperial Capital willingly?"


    Qiao Mu shook his head and walked away.


    A momentter, he arrived at the third ce.


    Wan Manor.


    A wealthy mansion in Imperial Capital that belonged to Wan Ronghua.


    Wan Ronghua had passed away, but the Wan family still lived there.


    Qiao Mu had once sneaked into Wan Manor and encountered Qin Shiqing, the top martial artist from the heavenly prison, and nearly lost his life here in the Wan familypound.


    Qiao Mu had rushed away before, chased off by Qin Shiqing¡¯spanion Luohan. Heter left for the Hundred-mile Desert outside Anxi Pass.


    This time he revisited the old ce with a purpose in mind.


    "Isn¡¯t this Elder Lao?"


    Before Qiao Mu could enter the mansion, as he reached the gate of Wan Manor, a stranger resembling a butler approached him with a big smile on his face.


    "Do you know me?" Qiao Mu asked in confusion.


    The butler warmly said:


    "Elder Lao was at the Imperial Capital a few days ago, speaking up bravely in front of the Jinluan Pce, advocating for the white-headed soldier of the city. And the current emperor was also gracious, not minding Elder Lao¡¯s opposition¡­ How could Wan Manor not know about such significant matters?"


    "Our family¡¯s master has also heard about Elder Lao¡¯s courage in facing authority, and has admired him for a long time. We nned to visit you on an auspicious day, but since Elder Lao is passing by our Wan Manor today, why note in for a cup of tea?"


    Qiao Mu was slightly surprised as he didn¡¯t understand the intentions of Wan Manor.


    In theory, Wan Ronghua was the one he had killed.


    And as a senior member of the Qiao family, "Qiao Shui" had also lost a family member in the Wan Manor, leading to a grudge between the two sides, with no friendly faces to be seen.


    Qiao Mu lowered his head, noticing the beads of sweat on the butler¡¯s forehead and the pounding of his heart, as a certain suspicion arose in his mind.


    "Well then, I shall take my leave."


    Qiao Mu confidently strode into the manor.


    He always acted without any restrictions, and although they were considered enemies with the Wan Manor, being invited in meant he dared to enter.


    Walking casually into the manor¡¯s living room, he saw the sweating butler hurrying out.


    Before long, the new head of the Wan family hurried over.


    The new head was a well-built middle-aged man with a round face and small eyes, though his face was full of smiles.


    It was clear he had rushed over, as his shoes were not even properly on, showing how hurried he was.


    Elder Lao came, and Mr. Wan was nervous, sweating just like the butler from before.


    "I heard you admire me. Do you want to visit me?" asked Qiao Mu directly.


    "Yes, I admire the Qiao family¡¯s courage. We, the Wan family, are very respectful¡­" Mr. Wan realized his words were inappropriate and quickly changed them:


    "The soldiers in the Hundred-mile Desert have defended Great Yan for forty years, and the Qiao family members are willing to die for their cause. I greatly admire those who are brave enough to sacrifice their lives. I heard that many people who left the city have nowhere to go. The Wan family is willing to donate ten thousand silver pieces to help them have a ce to stay."


    After speaking, he instructed his steward to hand over a silver ticket, which Mr. Wan handed over with both hands.


    "You are indeed thoughtful," Qiao Mu said, taking the ticket without hesitation.


    Was he treating him like a ckmailer?


    It¡¯s no wonder Mr. Wan was cautious and polite towards Qiao Mu.


    The previous Wan family master, Wan Ronghua, was also a sessful merchant with a widework, and even had connections with the Immortal Gate.


    After getting into a fight with members of the Qiao family, he quickly invited a stronger martial artist than Qiao Mu toe over, which led to Qiao Mu losing his life.


    And the result¡­ Wan Ronghua still died.


    Even the best martial artist couldn¡¯t save him, as Qiao Mu used a small rock as a hidden weapon in a surprise attack before he died, ending Wan Ronghua¡¯s life.


    The elderly member of the Qiao family who died in the Wan family clearly sacrificed his own life to assassinate Wan Ronghua¡¯s assassin, even though he was a fearless warrior¡­ who wouldn¡¯t be afraid of such a fighter?


    The new master of the Wan family was definitely scared.


    Even when someone like Wan Ronghua brought in a skilled fighter who could defeat members of the Qiao family, it didn¡¯t guarantee his safety.


    So when "Qiao Shui" arrived at the Imperial Capital and shed with the Emperor Yonghe and the courtiers in the Golden Pce, he realized¡­ this person was just like the Qiao family member the Wan family had encountered before, unafraid of death.


    A person¡¯s reputation is as important as their actions.


    Though the Qiao family member was not alone, they were much more fearsome than just one person.


    All united as one, willing to sacrifice their lives, giving up their own life to bring Wan Ronghua down from his horse.


    A person brave enough to risk their life is a lonely hero, a lone warrior, destined to be rare.


    But a group of Qiao family members who are willing to sacrifice themselves, continuing endlessly¡­ Who can withstand this?


    The tale of the solitary guards in the desert is a truly strange story, enough to be recorded in history, spreading quickly throughout the Imperial Capital.


    Not just in the Imperial Capital¡­ such a remarkable tale that is enough to be recorded in history will surely spread even further, reaching the Zhong Province and even other regions in the Jiu Province.


    Alongside the solitary guards, there were also the Qiao family members who stood their ground in front of the Golden Pce.


    It must be said that the Qiao family members have gained quite a reputation, their fame and reputation far more terrifying than their individual martial prowess.


    Therefore, the master of the Wan family decisively took a humble approach and yielded.


    Seeing Qiao Mu take the ten thousand silver taels, the master of the Wan family rxed slightly and continued:


    "Actually, within our Wan family, there is still a dusty treasure hidden."


    "As they say, if virtue doesn¡¯t match up, there will be disasters. The former head of the family, Wan Ronghua, acted without any taboos and will eventually face consequences¡­ So, in my opinion, this treasure should be handed over to someone like Elder Lao who is virtuous."


    After saying this, he pped his hands, and the butler promptly brought out an item.


    This is an ancient painting, in which you can vaguely see a blood-red sun¡­ The butler simply showed it briefly and quickly put the painting away.


    The Blood Sun Chart¡­something that Wan Ronghua took from the Fang¡¯s home by force. Qiao Mu looked intrigued.

 Chapter 226:

    Chapter 226:


    At the entrance of Wan family¡¯s mansion.


    The master of Wan family smiled as he watched Qiao Mu, holding the ancient painting Blood Sun Chart, leave. Only after Qiao Mu left did the master finally stop smiling, wiped the sweat off his forehead.


    "Master, is it necessary to go this far?" the steward asked softly.


    "Even if this Qiao Shui is a fearless martial artist, there is no need to act in such a manner, right? After all, our Wan family is a prominent one. Behaving like this would be losing face and causing other prestigious families to look down on us."


    The steward was the one who weed Qiao Mu into the mansion earlier, but as a steward, he naturally followed the will of the master.


    When Qiao Shui rose to fame in the Golden Pce and a member of the Qiao family reappeared in the Imperial Capital, the newly appointed master of Wan family was restless.


    So he ordered someone to wait outside the mansion, anticipating Qiao Mu¡¯s possible visit.


    If Qiao Mu didn¡¯te, he would indeed make up his mind to personally visit Qiao Mu¡¯s residence and present the Blood Sun Chart.


    "Do you understand anything¡­" The head of the Wan family restrained his smile, shaking his head."Is saving face really that important?"


    "Besides, he is not just a fearless martial artist who dares to challenge ministers and the emperor in the Golden Court, he has a powerful family supporting him," said Wan family¡¯s master seriously.


    A lone martial artist, no matter how strong, is not too scary.


    In the Imperial Capital, it is Emperor Yonghe and the Immortal Gate who have the final say, it is a ce of rules and power.


    However, the Qiao family member has gained fame in the Imperial Capital through generations of bloodshed, representing a mysterious and powerful martial arts family influence, not just a mere warrior.


    That is why Wan family¡¯s master dares not confront the Qiao family member.


    Losing one¡¯s head is scarier than losing face.


    Nevertheless¡­


    "We can¡¯t let others look down on us," thought the head of the Wan family.


    He believed that there was a deep-seated feud between the Wan family and the Qiao family, with lives lost on both sides. It couldn¡¯t be resolved simply by making concessions.


    He didn¡¯t dare to openly confront a member of the Qiao family, let alone do anything in secret.


    After all, it was this very step that Wan Ronghua stumbled on in the past.


    If he didn¡¯t dare to confront them, he would let others who dared to deal with members of the Qiao family take action.


    With the way members of the Qiao family operated, it was more normal to offend the powerful and influential than not to.


    "Then let¡¯s help bring fame to the Qiao family members," mused the head of the Wan family.


    "We can spread news about Qiao Shui being in the Imperial Capital¡­and about his heroic actions in the Golden Pce and the tragic death of the Qiao family member in the solitary city in the desert."


    These actions were only minor maneuvers, not direct attacks on the Qiao family member; they were merely meant to boost their reputation.


    He knew that big trees attract wind, and it was the Immortal GateGreat Dao Sect that hindered the Qiao family member and the old soldier from Solitary City in the desert to leave the desert.


    "Why is the Great Dao Sect being so low-key? The news about the Solitary City in the desert has spread, why haven¡¯t we heard anything?" The master of the Wan family was a little confused, but didn¡¯t think much about it.


    It wasn¡¯t his ce to think about these things, all he wanted was to smoothly take over the Wan family that Wan Ronghua left behind.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    At the suburban mansion.


    Qiao Mu casually opened the Blood Sun Chart and carefully examined it several times.


    Simr to when he looked at the Blood Moon Chart before, his mind was quickly drawn into the Blood Sun Chart, feeling as if he was immersed in the world depicted in the painting.


    The blood-red sun hung alone in the sky, and the sunlight, like thick dark red blood, seeped down bit by bit from the clouds, sttering with each tremor of the sun.


    The blood-red sun in the painting seemed like a living being, rhythmically trembling, like a constantly pulsating heart, and also like a dazzling blood-red eyeball.


    When Qiao Mu stared for a long time at the bloody sun, he felt like there was an eye silently staring back at him.


    This sudden intuition made Qiao Mu¡¯s hair stand on end and he instinctively turned around.


    "Indeed, the Blood Moon Chart must be made by the same person¡­" Qiao Mu frowned.


    "It is said that the Blood Sun Chart and Blood Moon Chart were drawn by a highly skilled martial artist from hundreds of years ago. The martial artist was also a painter, but went mad in his old age and used his own blood as ink to create them. He diedter due to blood loss."


    "I am already at the 2nd rank of spiritual refining, but from my current perspective, the way this painting affects others¡¯ minds and leads to illusions is truly mysterious. It seems that the mad painter from the previous dynasty is even stronger than I had initially anticipated."


    "But why does he have such inspiration again¡­" Qiao Mu didn¡¯t think much and just carefully felt the flow of energy throughout his body.


    The martial arts hidden in the Blood Moon Chart, like the "Red Moon Burning Blood Technique," which is simr to the "Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method," are both forbidden techniques that burn one¡¯s life force.


    The difference is that the Red Moon Burning Blood Technique can elerate the cirction of blood throughout the body. He once used it to counter the freezing spell of the Immortal Gate cultivator, Dao Xu.


    And the martial arts hidden within this Blood Sun Chart¡­


    Qiao Mu suddenly felt something in his heart. He bit his finger, let the fresh blood drip onto the tip of the sword.


    As he waved his sword, the drops of blood on it instantly turned into a cloud of blood mist, swirling with the movement of his sword, resembling ink sttering in the air, leaving a wide trail of blood light.


    "This is a sword technique that uses fresh blood from the body to unleash inner strength, known as the ¡®Blood Sword Technique¡¯."


    "Internal strength is intangible, so once separated from the body, it quickly weakens and diminishes."


    "A martial artist¡¯s weapon is an extension of their body, and this blood mist can be seen as an extension of the weapon."


    "By using the Blood Sword Technique, with the blood mist sshing from the sword tip, it carries the vigorous energy of the martial artist¡­ enhancing their attacking range."


    "The ¡®Red Moon Burning Blood Technique¡¯ from the Blood Moon Chart indeedplements the martial arts¡­ just a bit blood taxing."


    After practicing martial arts for over two hundred years, Qiao Mu¡¯s vision and experience were enough to dominate the world¡­ probably unmatched by any martial artist of his time.


    "Let¡¯s keep this Blood Sun Chart for now."


    Qiao Mu wasn¡¯t paying much attention to the Blood Sun Chart anymore. He casually set it aside, feeling a bit uninterested.


    Back in the Imperial Capital, he visited three ces that day, but didn¡¯t achieve his initial goals. He felt a bit of nostalgia in the air.


    As night fell, Qiao Mu lit amp and entered the courtyard. Taking a few steps in the deserted house, he suddenly felt bored.


    "Why do I feel like I¡¯m living a life isted in a dream?" Qiao Mu chuckled softly.


    In the long night, he suddenly didn¡¯t know what to do.


    Standing in the courtyard, he moved his hands and effortlessly started practicing the Long Life Fist, a routine deeply ingrained in his muscle memory.


    Just like in a dream.


    His days were so dull and tasteless that he had to practice martial arts to pass the time.


    "I¡¯ll just keep practicing martial arts. In the future, I will probably have to do the same in the real world, so I need to get used to it," Qiao Mu squinted his eyes.


    He is immortal, even if he dies, he can keeping back to life forever.


    At first, he worried about growing old and weak, but he actually already found a solution.


    It¡¯s not Long Life Fist Sutra, it¡¯s Xumi Mountain King Sutra.


    As long as he continues to practice diligently with Xumi Mountain King Sutra, advancing his skills to higher levels, he can keep increasing his vitality and stay young forever.


    Since death feels like being imprisoned, why not practice while alive?


    In the real world, you can rest while practicing, but in dreams, it feels like being imprisoned for decades.


    "I might as well take the easy way out, since I¡¯m immortal anyway, I can live for thousands of years, who can oust me?" Qiao Mu used to see death as a shortcut, but now that he understands the essence of it, he feels uneasy¡­


    Just like a naive high school student suddenly realizing they have a lot of life experience, Qiao Mu, who always thought he was young, suddenly discovers he has memories of centuries, he¡¯s really old, and naturally feels ufortable.


    And there¡¯s also a question he has been pondering in his dreams for five years, without finding an answer, always lingering in his mind.


    "What is this Ouroboros Long Life Lock all about?"


    Qiao Mu frowned, feeling a bit irritated as he pushed aside the question.


    "These days are really dull, maybe I should apany Hai Wuya to Anxi Pass tomorrow. As a member of the Qiao family, I should attend as well."


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    The next day.


    As a messenger of the Great Yan Imperial Court, the Minister of Rites went to Anxi Pass to honor the three hundred old soldiers, read out the decree of Emperor Yonghe, and pay tribute to the hundred thousand spirits who died during the Inhuman War over forty years at the monument forest in Anxi Pass.


    News spread like wildfire, with some people clearly stirring the pot, and within a few days, it had almost reached all the major cities in Zhong Province.


    The suffering of the people had been endured for too long, and both themon folk and the martial arts world were restless, as the resilience of the lone army that had held on for forty years was truly remarkable.


    Among them, the storyteller of the Tide Listening Building was inspired to share the story of the solitary city in the desert in both big and small towns.


    When Hai Wuya arrived at Anxi Town, he was joined by countless martial artists from all over.


    Ever since the Martial Saint passed away, the martial arts world fell into silence, with only one person, known as "King Qin," showing potential but stillcking.


    They came from different areas of Zhong Province like a flood, with almost a pilgrimage-like mentality, gathering in the small town under Anxi Pass to meet the old soldiers who had defended for forty years and witness the ceremony led by the Great Yan Minister of Rites.


    At that moment, the streets of Anxi Town were crowded.


    Not only Anxi Town, even the deserted stele forest outside the town, which had been ignored for forty years, had many people paying their respects during those days.


    There were travelers, martial artists, and curious tourists who came because of the fame¡­


    The offerings of fruits and melons almost filled the entire stele forest, with a constant stream of passersby, creating a bustling scene unseen for forty years.


    Among them, the area in front of a few new graves attracted the most attention, with around twenty to thirty people gathered.


    Qiao Mu had originallye to see what was happening, but when he saw the words on the grave, he couldn¡¯t move.


    The writing on the tombstone says, "Earth Sword Immortal Lu Yannan¡¯ Tomb."


    Nearby, a group of martial artists in fancy clothes were gathered, paying their respects at the tomb and chatting excitedly.


    "Thete Earth Sword Immortal was truly extraordinary. Forty years ago, he was the best in the world. Even after hiding for forty years, he remained fierce. It¡¯s said that in the end, he turned into a sword, pierced through the sky, allowing the people of the city to escape."


    Speaking was a slender woman in a blue outfit with a sword at her waist.


    This young woman¡¯s eyes lit up with admiration as she talked about Earth Sword Immortal¡¯s deeds.


    "Hiding for forty years, shining his sword at Jiu Province, this extraordinary swordsman had toy low for a while!" A sturdy man beside her added.


    "In my opinion, Earth Sword Immortal is truly the unmatched leader in martial arts. Those demonic creatures like the Martial Saint have no cepared to him."


    "It¡¯s a pity he eventually died. Turning into a sword, his body fell into the hands of the Immortal Gate. Like the other hundred thousand brave souls, he may never find peace even in death."


    "If there¡¯s another Earth Sword Immortal in this world, the martial artists of Jiu Province would have something to look forward to¡­"


    "But the inscription in front of the Earth Sword Immortal¡¯s tomb seems to have a slightly different meaning, right?" someone suddenly said.


    Initially ignoring it, Qiao Mu approached and carefully examined the inscription upon hearing this, realizing it was a short sentence.


    Before asking about the world, ask about your own heart.


    Do as you please, act as you wish.


    "¡¯Act as you wish¡¯ doesn¡¯t seem like a good phrase, is that what I think it means?" the sword-wielding woman wondered.


    At this moment, an elderly voice came from beside them.


    "It¡¯s just the literal meaning. Earth Sword Immortal Lu Yannan wasn¡¯t exactly a great person to begin with."


    Qiao Mu heard footsteps and saw that it was Lu Yanbei, the brother of Earth Sword Immortal.


    After not seeing each other for many days, Lu Yanbei looked visibly tired, a bit thinner, but his eyes were brighter and more determined.


    "Why are you ndering the heroic fallen warriors?"


    "He was never a hero," sighed Lu Yanbei.


    "Don¡¯tpare him to the hundreds of thousands of heroes, because he was never that kind of person."


    "Before caring for others, one must first care for oneself. He only followed his own desires and interests. He was only coincidentally on the same side as the white-headed soldier of the lonely city."


    "The soldiers of Great Yan hold patriotism in their hearts, but Earth Sword Immortal doesn¡¯t. If you want to honor the deceased, go pay your respects at the graves of other heroes." Lu Yanbei was not very friendly towards these martial artists who came seeking fame, and he seemed ready to drive them away.


    Being a renowned martial arts master from Zhong Province, Wooden Sword Walker¡¯s reputation was well known. Some of the martial artists recognized him and avoided conflict, choosing to leave quickly instead.


    "Let¡¯s go and see the tomb of a member of the Qiao family, who knows what the inscription on the tombstone will say."


    After the crowd dispersed, only Qiao Mu and Lu Yanbei remained in front of Earth Sword Immortal¡¯s tomb.


    Lu Yanbei nodded slightly, showing little interest, "Let Elder Lao be amused."


    "People really want a martial arts leader to take charge, but my brother, he is not suitable to be the idol on this pedestal."


    Lu Yanbei looked somewhat tired.


    Earth Sword Immortal turned into a sword and was taken by Elder Qingzhuo, which was also a big blow to him.

 Chapter 227:

    Chapter 227:


    Lu Yanbei seemed a bit downcast.


    Once a person dies, they cannote back to life, even immortal cultivators are no exception.


    Although immortal cultivators have soul-binding techniques, it is not truly resurrecting from the dead; at most, it is just manipting souls.


    Therefore, in Lu Yanbei¡¯s eyes, Earth Sword Immortal, as a mortal, is indeed dead.


    If he were to "live" in the Immortal Gate in a different way in the future, judging by Elder Qingzhuo¡¯s methods, it might not be a good thing.


    "Perhaps someone behind the scenes is spreading the glorious deeds of the fallen heroes of war¡­" Lu Yanbei stood solemnly at the grave of Earth Sword Immortal.


    "Many people havee to Anxi Town, including martial artists and storytellers. They are all praising the hundred thousand brave martyrs who died in battle, as well as the Qiao family member and my brother who died in the final battle."


    "But I always feel something is not right. The image of Earth Sword Immortal in their minds is too shining, different from the real him¡­"


    Lu Yanbei spoke slowly.Earth Sword Immortal rose to fame forty years ago, disappeared after the Inhuman War, but now regained his reputation. His heroic deeds in his prime have been brought to light by someone.


    Thus, the image of a sword immortal who hid his sword for thirty years and then rose to fame, has deeply rooted in people¡¯s imagination.


    To themon people, Earth Sword Immortal is a brave swordsman with the heart of a tiger, lurking in disguise, waiting for the moment to shine.


    This exactly meets the expectations of martial artists andmon folks in the martial world.


    The world has been suffering from inhumanity for a long time. Such a character truly fits their hopes, quickly bing one of the names spreading across Zhong Province.


    Some of the other names were Qiao Shuangsen, Qiao Ruosen, Qiao Zhuosen¡­ and of course, the white-headed soldier leader Hai Siyuan.


    "So you mean, someone is creating an image for the war heroes who died?" muttered Qiao Mu.


    Creating an image is a very dangerous thing, as the image can copse.


    "Indeed, they are almost turning my brother into a saint¡­" Lu Yanbei shrugged, with a bitter smile.


    "Not only my brother, Elder Lao and your Qiao family member, in the eyes of the public, have simr images."


    Speaking frankly, he was happy that his brother gained fame after dying in battle.


    But for Lu Yanbei, who knew what kind of person his brother was, hearing all this praise and having people worship Earth Sword Immortal as a saint felt ufortable.


    While they were talking, a group of people walked slowly towards them from a distance, dressed as young swordsmen and carrying swords.


    "Is this the tomb of the legendary Earth Sword Immortal from forty years ago?" eximed someone.


    "The leader of martial arts who has hidden his sword for thirty years, the leader of swordsmanship. If there were more Earth Sword Immortals in this world, what would Immortal Gate have to be arrogant about?" Someone sighed.


    Their discussions were simr to the ones from before.


    Lu Yanbei was just listening quietly at first, but eventually couldn¡¯t hold back and spoke in disagreement, as he did before:


    "Earth Sword Immortal is not the person you imagine him to be. Don¡¯t praise him too much; he¡¯s not that amazing."


    This time, the crowd didn¡¯t recognize Lu Yanbei as the legendary figure of his generation. These young adventurers saw the old man in front of Earth Sword Immortal¡¯s grave insulting their respected ancestors. They almost drew their swords, getting red-faced and angry.


    Meanwhile, a group of people was approaching from afar, chattering as they came closer.


    They were all wearing the uniforms of Great Yan officials, led by Minister of Rites Hai Wuya. It was clear that they were drawn by themotion on this side.


    Although Hai Wuya was not a high-ranking martial artist, as a second-ranking official, he naturally carried himself with dignity.


    When he arrived, the people on both sides silently stopped arguing.


    The young swordsman quickly backed away, showing fear like avoiding dangerous creatures. In the world of martial artists, there has always been a hidden hostility towards the high officials of the Great Yan Imperial Court.


    "Before caring about others, one must first understand oneself. Doing whatever one pleases ording to one¡¯s own desires¡­ Is this the epitaph that Mr. Lu Yanbei Lu personally wrote?" Hai Wuya¡¯s words revealed Lu Yanbei¡¯s identity, and the argument suddenly stopped, with the swordsmen looking embarrassed.


    After all the fuss, it turned out they were arguing with the older brother of Earth Sword Immortal?


    Despite the awkwardness, they became even more puzzled in their hearts.


    As his older brother, why would he tarnish his younger brother¡¯s reputation in front of his tomb?


    Earth Sword Immortal sacrificed himself in the deste city, transforming his body into a sword to cut through the sky, an act of righteousness. Why then did Lu Yanbei have this attitude?


    It wasn¡¯t just these young swordsmen who didn¡¯t understand; many other martial artists and people in front of this stone forest were also puzzled.


    In recent days, countless martial artists from Zhong Province havee to pay their respects, as Earth Sword Immortal, as the leader of the previous generation of martial arts, was renowned. Therefore, when the martial artists arriving in Anxi Town visit his tomb, it¡¯s a way to honor the hero.


    Lu Yanbei has been guarding the vigil in Anxi Town these days.


    During this time, he had encountered many hostile people. If he was not well-known and the older brother of Earth Sword Immortal, he would have been in trouble by now.


    Despite this, he left an impression among the people as "the Earth Sword Immortal brothers not getting along, with the older brother causing trouble at the younger brother¡¯s grave".


    "The old soldiers of Great Yan are willing to sacrifice for the greater good, but Earth Sword Immortal is not one of Great Yan¡¯s soldiers," said Hai Wuya slowly.


    "The people desire a hero who can transform into a sword and cut through the heavens. As for who the hero is specifically, it¡¯s not that important."


    "What Mr. Lu has been trying to do is to make everyone see Earth Sword Immortal as a person, rather than just a hero."


    Lu Yanbei blinked and sighed softly to show his agreement.


    "My brother has never talked about achieving the grand goal of ¡®Using Martial Arts to Defeat Immortals¡¯¡­"


    The soldiers of Great Yan hold noble intentions and are willing to sacrifice for a cause, but Earth Sword Immortal is different.


    The well-being of themon people, the righteousness of the nation, for the lonely Earth Sword Immortal, are big but vague concepts.


    So for a whole thirty years, he couldn¡¯t understand the sacrifices made by the old soldiers over those thirty years.


    Earth Sword Immortal never cared about patriotism; he cherished individuals, like his elder brother whom he supported till old age, rather than the vague concept of the masses.


    If you don¡¯t love yourself, how can you love others?


    Start by loving individuals first, then talk about serving the greater good, or else it might end up being empty talk.


    Hai Wuya nodded in approval, gazing at the endless array of tombstones before him, feeling a sense of sorrow in his heart.


    "The martyrs who defended the lonely city for forty years are indeed respectable, but even among the hundred thousand who died in battle, not all of them had noble character and private virtues."


    "Wee here to pay respects to the deceased, not to elevate all the heroic fallen to the status of gods, not to symbolize and exalt them as heroes or saints."


    Hai Wuya looked at the puzzled martial artists from the Jianghu, feeling a bit weary in his heart as well.


    Creating an idol of oneself on a pedestal is essentially setting an unattainable distance from oneself.


    On the altar are noble heroes, wless saints.


    Those who make gods are ordinary people, waiting for heroes to save themon people.


    "Before bing a hero, heroes are just like you and me," Hai Wuya said.


    He was trying to persuade these passionate martial artists.


    The recent ceremony was bustling, attracting many people from Zhong Province and martial artists toe and watch.


    But then problems started to arise.


    There were too many people, it seemed like someone was secretly manipting things, trying to glorify characters like Earth Sword Immortal and members of the Qiao family who were involved in past city incidents.


    What Hai Wuya wanted to say was to urge these martial artists not to see the fallen heroes as unattainable saints on the altar, but as real people.


    For example, someone told Earth Sword Immortal to fight for themon people, to take on the responsibility of being the top martial artist, to confront the Nine Immortal Gates and defeat immortals using martial arts.


    Earth Sword Immortal only sees the other person as silly and acts carelessly.


    But if someone tells Earth Sword Immortal, "Your older brother will die, killed by a cultivator," then Earth Sword Immortal won¡¯t remain indifferent.


    Hai Wuya is trying to exin the same thing to these martial artists in the martial world.


    Not many people can be noble heroes who sacrifice themselves for others and the world, but when danger approaches, many martial artists can step forward to protect their loved ones.


    Treat heroes as regr people, rather than worshiping them from afar.


    Qiao Mu listened quietly beside them and couldn¡¯t help but think:


    "Hai Wuya has big ambitions."


    "Emperor Yonghe appointed him to represent the court at the memorial service for the deceased, surely not expecting him to have such aspirations."


    What Hai Wuya is doing is trying to awaken the rebellious spirit of these martial artists in the martial world, encouraging them to love themselves first before loving others, and regarding the task of saving the world as more important than idolizing heroes.


    However, Lu Yanbei, who was beside him, had a different focus than Qiao Mu.


    "Lord Hai, do you mean¡­ my brother is considered a hero?" Lu Yanbei looked a bit confused.


    "Of course," Hai Wuya said firmly.


    "A gentleman judges actions, not hearts. No one is perfect in this world."


    "His decision at the end of his life, along with the Qiao family member, truly opened a new path for the elderly in the deste city. This act is truly deserving of a hero."


    Lu Yanbei opened his mouth, but in the end, he didn¡¯t say anything, just sighed quietly.


    Hai Wuya was the Minister of Rites, representing the Great Yan Imperial Court.


    Such praise indeed broughtfort to Lu Yanbei¡¯s heart.


    He took two steps, suddenly drew the wooden sword hanging from his waist, pinched the sword handle with two fingers, secretly used inner strength, and broke the sword into two pieces.


    Qiao Mu looked at him with some surprise and doubt.


    Lu Yanbei was known as Wooden Sword Walker in the martial arts world. After reaching middle age, his swordsmanship had be renowned, so he abandoned his steel sword and began using a wooden one.


    But now he was breaking the wooden sword he had been using for decades?


    "Wooden sword, not sharp enough, not capable of ying immortals," Lu Yanbei said casually.


    "What I want is a sword that can y immortals."


    "My sword skills and the sword in my hand are not enough yet, still need more practice, so why bother pretending with this wooden sword?"


    Qiao Mu was slightly moved, feeling that Lu Yanbei¡¯s aura and demeanor were somewhat simr to the legendary Earth Sword Immortal from the past.


    "Do you still desire to y immortals?" Qiao Mu asked aloud.


    What he actually wanted to ask was, at your age, isn¡¯t it a bitte?


    Lu Yanbei was already an 87-year-old man, his energy and blood had decreased, no longer at his peak, so in his old age, he became famous for his exquisite sword skills.


    Lu Yanbei seemed to know what Qiao Mu was thinking, and replied:


    "Although I am already 87 years old, the ¡®Earth Sword Immortal¡¯, who shares the same mother as me, is also 87 years old."


    "In fact, I didn¡¯t have many good years left in my life, but my foolish younger brother tried hard to extend my life. So, in return, I n to bring back his sword body from the Great Dao Sect Immortal Gate, which seems reasonable, right?"


    Although there was a huge gap in the martial arts achievement between Lu Yanbei and Earth Sword Immortal, this didn¡¯t stop Lu Yanbei from setting his goals.


    "You are as strong as ever," Qiao Mu praised.


    While feeling a hint of envy in his heart, he said:


    "Lu Yanbei, your younger brother is like a brother to the descendants of my Qiao family, so as an elder, I cannot ignore this matter."


    "One day in the future, whether Earth Sword Immortal is alive or not, my Qiao family will bring it back from the Great Dao Sect for you."


    Lu Yanbei was surprised at first, then a bright expression appeared on his face, and he thought to himself:


    "The Qiao family is truly remarkable. I wonder what kind of great ancestors they had, to create so many family rules that have been passed down from generation to generation."


    "I suppose¡­ they were exemry ancestors who led by example."


    While the two were talking, Hai Wuya was leading the government officials to pay tribute to the deceased at the Anxi Pass monument forest.


    Night fell, and stars dotted the sky.


    Three hundred elderly soldiers stood in front of the monument forest, their gray-white hair swaying in the wind as they sang songs from their past military campaigns.


    "Amidst the dark clouds of Qinghai, overlooking the distant snow-capped mountains, a lone city gazes towards the Yu Men Pass.


    Through countless battles in the yellow sand d in golden armor, they never returned until Lon was restored."


    Lanterns were slowly rising into the night sky, joining together to form a brilliant constetion of lights, resembling a dazzling starry sky.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    In the newly established Great Qin City in Zhong Province.


    Inside King Qin¡¯s Mansion.


    "The master of the Wan family in the Imperial Capital said that the elderly Qiao family member, Qiao Shui, is in the Imperial Capital, and they even found out where he lives."


    King Qin¡¯s expression darkened at the mention of the Wan family in the Imperial Capital, bringing back memories of the past.


    "Unfortunately, time is running out, I am tired and have to manage the situation in the capital city. We also need to help the refugees from the desert city."


    Earlier, the Great Dao Sect¡¯s Immortal Gate asked him to do some dirty work, but by then it was toote. The news about the desert city had already spread near Zhong Province, so he was stuck.


    Even though he was stuck, he could still try to help in a subtle way. For example, volunteering to help and telling the court that Great Qin City is a good ce to ept refugees¡­


    "Luohan, go to the Imperial Capital and find out more about that old man Qiao Shui from the Qiao family? Don¡¯t underestimate him," King Qin said.


    The old person from the Qiao family is already over a hundred years old, while "Qiao Shui" is a remarkable 210 years old.


    People can imagine how an 80-year-old and a 90-year-old person look like. But have you ever thought about how a person of a hundred or two hundred years look? Well, no one knows!


    No one has seen it before.


    So, in the eyes of people, "Qiao Shui" from the Qiao family, just like "Qiao Shuanglin" and "Qiao Senlin" before, are very old. But it¡¯s hard to tell exactly how old they are.


    Both Qiao Shui and "Qiao Shuanglin" from the Imperial Capital are elders in the Qiao family. It¡¯s difficult to say who is stronger. It¡¯s reasonable for Luohan who once repelled "Qiao Senlin" to be on guard.

 Chapter 228:

    Chapter 228:


    "Is the struggle between immortals and mortalsing soon?"


    "The truth behind the Inhuman War has been exposed, causing the Immortal Gate to lose face. They have been quiet, which goes against their usual behavior¡­ The newly formed Martial Arts League has quietly be an organization spanning the Jiu Province, with nine kings emerging."


    "And there are more and more appearances of Qiao family members¡­ Rumors say they originate from Hero Ind overseas¡­"


    Wu Qiankun frowned and pondered.


    After the Martial Saint faked his death and went into hiding, chaos ensued in the world.


    Now that he is the leader of the Wuji Association and the Martial Saint has retreated from the public eye, he must make preparations for the Martial Saint¡¯s return.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Immortal Gate and Great Dao Sect are sects.


    In Elder Qingzhuo¡¯s cave, an unexpected guest arrived, prompting him to open the long-closed cave formation to let the visitor in."Brother sect leader, why have youe?" Elder Qingzhuo feigned surprise.


    He had been in seclusion for some time to heal, but the damage to his foundation was not easy to recover from, so he still could not say that his injuries were fully healed.


    Now that the sect leader had personally arrived, Elder Qingzhuo felt even more anxious.


    The more anxious he felt, the more he tried to appear calm. If the sect leader sensed that he had been injured by a mortal, it would be a big problem.


    Being teased could be embarrassing, and even worse, the elder¡¯s position could be in danger.


    The sect leader¡¯s expression remained unchanged as he nced at the stone sword next to Elder Qingzhuo, furrowing his brow slightly.


    "Is this your only achievement during the journey in the Hundred-mile Desert? A stone sword transformed from a mortal?" the sect leader asked.


    Elder Qingzhuo¡¯s face stiffened slightly, but to save face, he naturally exined himself.


    In his opinion, the other mortals were not important and didn¡¯tpare to the significance of Earth Sword Immortal alone.


    However, since Elder Qingzhuo was injured, he didn¡¯t immediately seek out powerful figures in the sect upon returning, attempting to restore Earth Sword Immortal¡¯s physical body. Instead, he chose caution and went to his cave for recovery.


    Earth Sword Immortal currently had no new body to inhabit, with his soul still residing in the stone sword.


    "A genius in the way of immortality? Indeed worth attention, far more important than a thousand or even a million mortal souls," the sect leader of the Great Dao Sect agreed with Elder Qingzhuo¡¯s perspective.


    "There are two kinds of talented people who improve really fast in their training, one type has exceptional talent¡­ Some people just seem to learn things faster, with no clear exnation."


    "The second type are powerful beings like great cultivators, great demons who have been reincarnated¡­ It seems that Earth Sword Immortal fell into your hands so easily, which indicates you belong to the first type."


    "Now that he has lost his physical body, it¡¯s a shame." The sect leader also felt regret for losing a talented individual.


    He didn¡¯t think Elder Qingzhuo did anything wrong.


    What he didn¡¯t approve of was¡­ Elder Qingzhuo messed up the situation. Even though he got hold of the Earth Sword Immortal, he exposed the secrets behind the Inhuman War, which damaged the reputation of the Great Dao Sect and affected their followers¡¯ support.


    "This incident has indeed tarnished the sect¡¯s reputation. Since it was caused by you, it¡¯s your responsibility to clean up the mess," the sect leader said calmly.


    "Of course, why would I need the sect leader¡¯s reminder for such a trivial matter?" Elder Qingzhuo replied firmly without hesitation.


    The more injured he was, the less he could hesitate and show his weakness.


    The sect leader quickly left like a rainbow, leaving only Elder Qingzhuo pondering while holding a stone sword in his hand.


    If given a choice, he also wanted to seclude himself and continue to heal.


    But when the sect leader personally came to his door, he continued to act aloof, hiding in his cave and refusing to deal with matters outside. That¡¯s when things really started to seem suspicious.


    "How did we end up in such a difficult situation because of just a few ordinary people?" Elder Qingzhuo frowned.


    In any case¡­


    Let¡¯s first remind King Qin, the leader of the Immortal Gate, to take action.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    In Anxi Town, located in Zhong Province.


    After Hai Wuya¡¯s ceremony, although there were fewer tourists and travelers passing by, there were still someing and going.


    The ruins of the solitary city in the Hundred-mile Desert were too remote and barren for ordinary people to visit and pay their respects. Therefore, most ordinary martial artists stopped at the stele forest below Anxi Pass.


    Some old soldiers who had lost their families stayed in Anxi Town for now because they had nowhere else to go. They would guard the graveyard every day and take care of theirrades¡¯ tombs.


    Hai Siyuan was one of them.


    He had been appointed as a third-ranked general by the court, even though his position was only honorary, his status and pay were real.


    Instead of going to the Imperial Capital, he chose to stay in Anxi Town with dozens of other old soldiers.


    He stayed for two reasons: to honor his father Hai Wuya¡¯s words and see how many of his fellow soldiers were still ready for battle, and also because after witnessing Emperor Yonghe and all the officials in the court, he felt disheartened despite his strong will.


    After a light rain, the graveyard¡¯s soil was damp and muddy.


    With this weather, there were very few people worshiping in the graveyard, only Hai Siyuan and a few other old soldiers.


    Hai Siyuan and the old soldiers patrolled the graveyard as usual, chatting casually. At one point, they found themselves standing in front of the Qiao family members¡¯ graves.


    The graves of Qiao Shuangsen, Qiao Ruosen, Qiao Zhuosen, and others were all together, and they were somewhat famous in Zhong Province, attracting more worshippers in the graveyard.


    "Just now it was drizzling lightly, why are there peopleing to pay their respects again?" A veteran suddenly said.


    "It¡¯s a young girl¡­ Hey, shouldn¡¯t this young girl be going to pay respects at the tomb of Earth Sword Immortal Lu Yanbei?"


    "Huh? Why is there also a blind person?"


    Earth Sword Immortal is a renowned martial arts master, so naturally very famous. His tomb has almost be a must-visit spot for every worshipper.


    Hai Siyuan looked up and saw a young girl with flowing ck hair standing in front of Qiao family member¡¯s tomb, her eyes tightly closed, silent.


    Hai Siyuan noticed keenly that the blind girl was holding a bound book in her hands, seemingly for the worship.


    "This is strange, when worshipping the deceased, people usually bring fruits, paper money and such, why is she worshipping with a book?"


    Hai Siyuan felt puzzled, focused his gaze, and after reading the writing on the cover of the book in the blind girl¡¯s hand, he was even more astonished.


    The cover actually read "Long Life Fist Sutra".


    "They even used martial arts sutra for the offering? How strange¡­ Wait, Long Life Fist Sutra? Is it the Long Life Fist of Qiao Family from Heyang City in Nan Province?"


    Hai Siyuan and the other old soldiers were like relics from forty years ago.


    The Qiao Family from Heyang City had gained fame a hundred years ago, so Hai Siyuan had heard of them even forty years ago.


    Thinking back, when Qiao Shuangsen and the others entered the city, they indeed showed signs of practicing the Long Life Fist Stacking Wave Strength. Hai Siyuan noticed it back then, but didn¡¯t pay much attention.


    Instead of being impressed by Qiao Shuangsen¡¯s Long Life Fist skills, Hai Siyuan was more amazed by the Qiao family member¡¯s proficiency in the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method.


    Now that he hade to his senses, he realized something btedly.


    "Could it be that Qiao Shuangsen¡¯s family, the Qiao family members, are actually descendants of the old Long Life Fist practicing Qiao Family from Heyang City? Howe I¡¯ve never heard of their family martial arts including the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method?"


    With these thoughts in mind, Hai Siyuan quickly took a few steps forward and waved his hand to ask:


    "Youngdy, are you from the Qiao Family in Heyang City? Why are you using a martial arts sutra to pay respects to the Qiao family ancestors?"


    "Yes," the blind girl nodded softly, then gently opened her eyes a bit and looked at these few old soldiers.


    In her eyes, these were a few middle-aged soldiers with determined expressions, lean yet tough figures, calm yet resolute gazes.


    Thinking of this stele forest, and the recent events in the solitary city in the desert, she roughly guessed the identities of these people.


    Perhaps one of the three hundred old soldiers who survived until now in the Inhuman War?


    "It¡¯s true¡­ You¡¯re a bitte, a few days ago, your elders, Qiao Shui, personally came by." Hai Siyuan said.


    Without much thought, he confused the Qiao family member with the Qiao Family of Heyang City.


    But when Qiao Canxue heard this, it made her heart tremble.


    During this period of cultivating immortality, she had naturally been keeping an eye on the movements of the Qiao family member.


    Unfortunately, the Qiao family member died too quickly, and she had to cultivate immortality herself, never catching up.


    "Qiao Shui¡­" Qiao Canxue decided to tell a small lie:


    "That is my ancestor¡­ do you know where my ancestor is? I have been away from home for several years, I still don¡¯t know where my ancestor currently lives."


    "He bought a house in Imperial Capital, it is in the outskirts of the city¡­" Hai Siyuan didn¡¯t think much, and revealed Qiao Mu¡¯s address.


    Since this girl looked pleasant and didn¡¯t seem malicious, he didn¡¯t think Qiao Canxue was lying.


    Also¡­ who would dare to cause trouble for Qiao Mu? Aren¡¯t they afraid of getting hurt?


    The brave deeds of Qiao family members from several generations had already left a profound impression in Hai Siyuan and others¡¯ hearts.


    If Earth Sword Immortal was the strongest in the ancient city, then Qiao Shuangsen and the others were the second strongest, the third strongest, the fourth strongest¡­


    And they were much more reliable than the moody Earth Sword Immortal, they could be considered the most reliable people in the ancient city.


    "Since you are Elder Lao¡¯s junior¡­" Hai Siyuan hesitated for a moment.


    "Not being able to see well can be inconvenient¡­ so why not let us old folks take you on our way to the Imperial Capital to find Elder Lao?"


    Hai Siyuan is indeed on the way.


    He was getting ready to take a few days to bring along his rtives and brothers who had passed away and had nowhere to go to the Imperial Capital to find their father, Hai Wuya.


    With a Qiao family descendant who couldn¡¯t see added now, it also made him feel a bit protective towards her.


    After all¡­ in front of the Qiao family members, he had been a junior for so long, and had received great kindness from the Qiao family members, so now protecting a weak descendant who couldn¡¯t see was just a small effort.


    "I must say, even though the Qiao family is strong in martial virtue, how can we let a visually impaired young woman go out alone¡­ I heard that the current situation in Zhong Province is quite chaotic."


    Hai Siyuan kept talking, with his mouth full of elders¡¯mon advice.


    He was slightly excited, finally seeing a young person from the Qiao family, and a woman at that.


    He almost thought that Qiao family members were born as hundreds of years old monsters?


    Qiao Canxue was a little distracted, but quietly gripped the "Long Life Fist Sutra" in her hand.


    This "Long Life Fist Sutra" was not just the first half like before, but theplete version.


    The Martial Saint was dead, and she had finally avenged her family.


    She had taken the second half of the "Long Life Fist Sutra" back from the remnants of the Wuji Association.


    It was like returning something to its rightful owner, her wish fulfilled.


    Qiao Canxue was thest orphan of the Qiao Family in Heyang City, and she had given up on martial arts a long time ago, so even though she had the fist scripture, she had no one to practice with.


    After obtaining theplete "Long Life Fist Sutra," she felt a bit lost, still processing the fulfillment of her wish and unsure of what the future held.


    Just then, news of the truth about the Inhuman War emerged, with three hundred veterans emerging from the desert, including several Qiao family members who had died.


    So she decided to take action.


    Instead of the secret manual in her hands, she was more concerned about¡­


    "How should I face the elder named Qiao Shui from the Qiao Mu family?"


    In the Nan Province, Qiao Canxue only knows one Qiao Mu from the famous Qiao family.


    She had never imagined that behind Qiao Mu, there was actually arge martial arts family with deep-rooted enmity.

 Chapter 229:

    Chapter 229:


    Early morning in the outskirts of the Imperial Capital.


    Lately, Qiao Mu has been picking up new hobbies, such as bird-walking.


    "Elder Lao, out walking your bird again? Your bird is quite unique."


    "Oh my, why do you smell like alcohol so early in the morning? How can you walk your bird after drinking?


    On the side of the road, a middle-aged man with a birdcage was talking to Qiao Mu who was approaching.


    Qiao Mu also had a birdcage in his hand, inside was a delicate little canary chirping non-stop.


    On his shoulder, there was a calico cat who seemed very interested in the canary in Qiao Mu¡¯s hand, constantly trying to reach for the birdcage.


    But Qiao Mu¡¯s movements were faster than the cat¡¯s, as if he could predict the future. Every time the cat¡¯s ws were about to hook the canary, he would timely twist the birdcage, letting the canary escape.


    "I¡¯m happy to do so," Qiao Mu said casually."If you want to stay healthy and live a long life, drink, walk birds, and eat fatty meat."


    "This is the longevity secret of my Qiao family members, in one word, be in a joyful mood."


    Although a few days ago, he couldn¡¯t control his mouth and argued with Lu Yanbei, saying he would go to the Great Dao Sect to retrieve the Earth Sword Immortal¡¯s sword on his behalf.


    But after thinking about it, Qiao Mu realized that it was just a temporary n to prevent Lu Yanbei from putting himself in danger.


    Qiao Mu doesn¡¯t break his promises, but he can goter.


    It¡¯s the same whether it¡¯s in a hundred years, two hundred years, or five hundred years.


    It¡¯s said that Elder Qingzhuo is over a thousand years old. Even though he¡¯s a cultivator, not immortal, Qiao Mu can outlive him and then take action.


    As for now¡­ we should just enjoy life.


    After learning the truth about the Long Life Lock and changing his name to Qiao Shui, Qiao Mu started living a different life.


    Why go to your death? Being isted year-round is a dull process.


    Anyway, Qiao Mu is an immortal, he can live in the real world for a long time without sacrificing himself, living a long and prosperous life.


    As long as he takes some time in his daily life to study the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra" and maintain his progress in it, he can prevent his blood and energy from declining too much so he won¡¯t be unable to walk when he¡¯s old.


    So these days¡­ instead of calling it Qiao Mu¡¯s retired life, it¡¯s more like taking a summer vacation.


    On the first day, drink alcohol.


    On the second day, walk the bird.


    On the third day, y with the cat.


    On the fourth day, listen to music by the fence.


    On the fifth day, "Qiao Mu, oh Qiao Mu, you can¡¯t keep living this way, if you don¡¯t practice martial arts, you¡¯ll soon be weak, old, and unable to walk."


    So on the fifth day, Qiao Mu felt ashamed and decided to practice very hard in the yard for a whole half hour.


    Then he realized a great truth:


    Time is meant to be wasted.


    Moreover, he was not an ordinary person; as an immortal with a long life, why should he cherish time?


    If life were money, then Qiao Mu would be the richest person in the world from birth, with endless wealth in his hands. Why bother about every penny and cherish time?


    So, Qiao Mu continued his summer life happily, practicing martial arts and living in a cycle of walking birds and teasing cats.


    In fact, this is the life of a normal person.


    The previous Qiao family members were like raging fires, with most of them not surviving more than ten days or half a month. Life is brilliant like fireworks but fleeting.


    Now Qiao Mu has figured it out.


    Between repeatedly dying and going to prison, and slowly practicing martial arts while enduring, he naturally chose the simple mode.


    Earth Sword Immortal Lu Yannan is a transient figure in the world, like a swallowing and going between the north and south, witnessing the mountains and rivers of Jiu Province. However, he has no permanent home in the world.


    The only one who can apany him, who has a ce in his heart, is his elder brother Lu Yanbei, who grew up supporting each other.


    As a time traveler who changes identities frequently, Qiao Mu also has no so-called permanent home in this world.


    In his mind, he didn¡¯t belong to the Great Yan Imperial Court, he felt no connection to it.


    This is simr to Earth Sword Immortal.


    The difference is that Earth Sword Immortal had a supporting older brother named Lu Yanbei, while Qiao Mu was always alone, growing old after numerous deaths.


    After what seemed like a glorious sacrifice, a young man kept dreaming of being imprisoned and aging, living until he was 210 years old.


    Martial arts training is always a boring process, especially when isted in a dream for decades to train.


    "Life is truly empty¡­"


    Qiao Mu yed with the canary in his hand, thinking such thoughts.


    Lucky for him, he was immortal, his life endless, even if he wanted to end it, he couldn¡¯t.


    So it didn¡¯t matter if his previous life was dull.


    There is still plenty of time, being a bit happier in lifeter on.


    Qiao Mu was notzy, he just wasn¡¯t rushing to train.


    In life, the most important thing is to be happy, everything else is less important.


    Training is the same.


    Walking boredly down the street, suddenly a big man appeared in front of him, apanied by a young girl, blocking his way.


    "But Qiao Shui, in front of the Qiao family seniors?" the big man asked.


    "Yes, you are¡­" Qiao Mu replied casually, his eyes resting on the big man.


    After examining him closely, he recognized the visitor.


    The visitor was named Hu Han, known as Dragon w hero, who had once crossed paths with Qiao Mu at the market.


    Hu Han is a student of the famous wooden sword master Lu Yanbei, which is quite a twist of fate.


    The girl standing behind Hu Han looks somewhat simr to him, possibly his daughter.


    The girl, dressed in typical martial arts attire, stood behind Hu Han. Her eyes asionally nced at Qiao Mu, showing admiration.


    "Elder Lao, it¡¯s like this¡­" Hu Han briefly introduced himself and then started talking about the matter:


    "The other day, there was a sudden flood in Cangshe County, causing many people to suffer. Although King Qin provided relief, I was in Cangshe County at the time and witnessed some unusual things. I felt that the flood might have been suspicious."


    Hu Han moved closer to Qiao Mu and whispered:


    "I suspect there is a hidden truth behind the sudden flood, perhaps caused deliberately by someone inhuman¡­"


    "Inhuman?" Qiao Mu didn¡¯t speak, just silently observing Hu Han, waiting to hear what he had to say.


    Hu Han continued:


    "I know that there may be something strange happening behind the scenes, but I can¡¯t do anything about it¡­ The Qiao family has always been against evil, hoping that Elder Lao can help me go to Cangshe County and find the possible culprit behind this."


    "Do you think this flood is not a natural disaster, but a strange disaster?" Qiao Mu understood what Hu Han meant.


    Then he spoke:


    "I¡­ can¡¯t do anything about it either. Wasn¡¯t Cangshe County already under the jurisdiction of the newly established Great Qin Prefecture? In that case, why not report to King Qin?"


    If it was the old Qiao Mu, he would usually dive into danger wherever it was. Even though the idea of something strange happening behind the scenes was just a guess, he probably had volunteered to go to Cangshe County by now.


    After traveling through the desert for so long, Qiao Mu also casually asked about the situation of King Qin.


    King Qin was truly remarkable. He imed to be a martial artist who followed the path of martial arts, gaining fame for the first time by defeating a sorcerer in Zhong Province who had harmed innocent people.


    The reputation of a martial artist is usually earned through battles.


    King Qin¡¯s rise to fame and even being crowned by the court was not only because he surpassed the previous 1st rank Spirit Refining martial artist.


    Many evil cultivators were killed by his powerful punches.


    It is said that these martial artists who cultivate both martial arts and Dao possess incredibly strong bodies, and can even resist the spells of immortal cultivators,pletely changing people¡¯s understanding of martial artists.


    With the body of an ordinary martial artist, he defeated many cultivators and resolved numerous disasters, quickly gaining fame in Zhong Province. He even surpassed the reputation of the Great Dao Sect¡¯s Immortal Gate for a while and was crowned king.


    After the Martial Saint died and the Earth Sword Immortal disappeared, King Qin became the top martial artist in the world, with some people in the martial artsmunity believing that he was the hope of martial arts today, the leader of a new generation of martial arts.


    However, when Hu Han refused, Qiao Shui was slightly surprised.


    Although it was their first meeting, he never expected Qiao Shui to refuse.


    "Why did Elder Lao refuse¡ª" Hu Han stopped himself halfway and quickly realized, saying with respect:


    "In that case, I¡¯ll take my leave now, I have troubled Elder Lao."


    He also knew what he was talking about.


    The Elder Lao in front of us is not the same person as many deceased members of the Qiao family.


    So it is understandable that Qiao Shui in front of us refused.


    After all, many previous Qiao family members died for the so-called righteousness.


    Put yourself in their shoes, so many descendants of our own have died for righteousness and chivalry, so the older generation must also feel weary and disheartened.


    Hu Han turned to leave, but his daughter beside him didn¡¯t.


    The young girl was surprised by Qiao Mu¡¯s rejection. The admiration in her eyes gradually faded, and her eyebrows unconsciously furrowed.


    "It turns out that the Qiao family members are not as glorious as they seem, are they afraid of inhumanity?"


    Qiao Mu nced at her and remained silent.


    Hu Han¡¯s face changed slightly and he quickly scolded:


    "Wan¡¯er, please don¡¯t speak nonsense."


    He turned his head, showing a look of apology:


    "Elder Lao, please don¡¯t be angry. I have not taught my daughter well, making Elder Laough at us."


    "What did I say wrong?" The young girl widened her eyes, feeling both admiration and disappointment:


    "As soon as I heard that someone inhuman might be the mastermind, I got scared. What¡¯s the difference between such a member of the Qiao family and a regr martial artist from the martial world?"


    "Be quiet." Hu Han furrowed his brow:


    "How many loyal warriors of the Qiao family have died because of this? The number of people they have saved is countless. How can we me them?"


    Qiao Mu looked calm and didn¡¯t show anger.


    He didn¡¯t care whether this father and daughter were acting or speaking their minds impulsively, he was not bothered.


    Just a regr martial artist?


    He¡¯s not a firefighter, he¡¯s not a superhero who can do everything.


    He has died many times before, spent hundreds of years in prison, now he just wants to take a break, enjoy his summer life, is that not breaking thew?


    After countless deaths, what¡¯s his life like now as an ordinary martial artist?


    In life, don¡¯t pretend to be a saint.


    "I¡¯m getting old and tired, I¡¯m going home to rest first," Qiao Mu casually made up a reason and walked away.


    Practicing martial arts is inevitably a boring and tough process, the shadow of the istion from five years ago, Qiao Mu has notpletelye out of it yet.


    Now he just wants to continue walking his bird.


    Qiao Mu walked away with a birdcage, while Hu Han and his daughter stood in ce arguing.


    The Qiao family member characters in the story are so perfect that they are almost like saints.


    The sudden appearance of the disheartened Qiao Shui truly surprised them.


    "Although unexpected, it makes sense," Hu Han said to his daughter.


    "When we realized there might be dark forces behind the sh flood, we didn¡¯t rush into danger but came to this Imperial Capital to find the Qiao family member, right?"


    "We both value our lives, so what right do we have to me the Qiao family member?"


    Hu Han remembered the image of the Qiao family member who sacrificed himself in the market square.


    Despite his past reputation as a hero, he was impulsive and almost manipted by others. After witnessing the death of the Qiao family member, he became more cautious.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    "Actually, living a peaceful life is not so bad."


    Qiao Mu walked towards the house in the outskirts with a birdcage in his hand and a cat on his shoulder.


    "If you want to drink, drink. If you want to walk the bird, walk the bird. Indulge yourself to the fullest."


    "In one¡¯s lifetime, it¡¯s important to prioritize your own happiness. Why bother doing things that are hard and not appreciated by others?"


    After realizing there is a "simple mode" option in life, Qiao Mu started to change his style and pursued a carefree way of living.


    Since he is immortal, he wants to waste time and squander the moments.


    As Qiao Mu walked along, the cat on his shoulder suddenly perked up its ears alertly, ignoring the birdcage in Qiao Mu¡¯s hand.


    "Hmm?"


    Qiao Mu slowed down his pace and let out a soft sigh.


    "The trees are quiet but the wind keeps blowing¡­. Looks like I have to get rid of those foolish troublemakers first before I can continue my summer vacation."


    He gently pushed open the courtyard gate.


    The gate creaked and crashed loudly into the yard.


    Inside the mansion that he had recently purchased, it was already a mess.


    Tables and chairs were overturned and broken, screens and decorative paintings were torn into pieces, and the floor was covered with debris, with not a single intact piece of furniture in sight.


    Arge figure stood in the courtyard.


    Although the man was wearing a butler¡¯s uniform, his body was extremely strong and burly, almost like arge steel pir in human form, giving off a strong sense of incongruity.


    His extremely strong muscles pushed the clothes up high, almost bursting out of them.


    "You¡¯ve noticed my presence here, it seems you¡¯ve already reached the 3rd rank in spiritual refining?" Luohan smirked, eager for a challenge.


    Today, he would thoroughly investigate the Qiao family member.


    This person¡¯s name is Luohan, and he had a confrontation with Qiao Mu before.


    He appears to be a butler, but in fact, he is the protector of the former top martial artist named Qin Shiqing.


    "Strong martial artists who can reach the level of spiritual refining are extraordinary individuals, but they often meet their demise due to overconfidence." Luohan smirked:


    "Sometimes, ordinary people should listen to their instincts and run away, instead of acting arrogantly like experts. It¡¯s easier to survive that way."

 Chapter 230 (1)

    Chapter 230 (1)


    "Listen to your instincts¡­ and run away?"


    The instincts of Spirit Refining martial artists are very sharp. While instincts don¡¯t guarantee no mistakes, most of the time, they can save lives.


    "But my instinct tells me that you¡¯re about to die soon."


    Qiao Mu didn¡¯t pay much attention to the person Luohan in front of him. His gaze scanned around the messy mansion and finallynded on a fat cat sitting on his shoulder.


    The fluffy cat sniffed in the direction of Luohan, looking a bit excited ¨C it seemed like it was using its nose to smell, but in reality it was sensing something eerie.


    Qiao Mu casually mentioned the spiritual refining of martial artists couldn¡¯t predict the future, but this cat did indeed "smell" the deathly aura around Luohan.


    After reaching the 2nd rank of Spiritual Refining Period, Qiao Mu¡¯s memory became excellent, recalling details of past events from long ago.


    He also recognized this person.


    In the past, at the grand mansion in the Imperial Capital, the 1st ranked martial artist Qin Shiqing was resurrected by Qiao Mu using the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, only to be ambushed and killed in the end.This Luohan also left an impression on the Qiao Mu of that time.


    He seemed to be Qin Shiqing¡¯s attendant, a servant.


    Strangely, his strength appeared to surpass even the initial 1st ranked martial artist Qin Shiqing by arge margin?


    Back when he was still known as "Qiao Senlin", Qiao Mu once exchanged blows with Luohan, discovering the opponent¡¯s physical resilience was astonishing.


    Under the influence of the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, the internal strength wasparable to five hundred years of martial arts power, but it still could not defeat this Luohan¡­ It was very unusual.


    The lifespan of martial artists is limited, so it¡¯s practically impossible to reach a five hundred years of power through normal training; a hundred years of power is usually the maximum.


    Although Qiao Mu¡¯s Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method¡¯s power of four to five hundred years was only a temporary burst, not as strong as true five hundred years of hard-earned power, it still shocked the world of ordinary martial artists.


    With this kind of power, just one direct hit could kill the 1st ranked martial artist Qin Shiqing.


    However, when Qiao Mu once punched Luohan, who seemed to be under Qin Shiqing¡¯s influence, Luohan directly blocked Qiao Mu¡¯s attack head-on.


    Not only that, but the tremendous bacsh force at that moment twisted and deformed Qiao Mu¡¯s hand bones.


    The present-day Qiao Mu is no longer a youngster who hasn¡¯t seen a hundred years; his knowledge, experience, and insights are quite extensive. Naturally, he noticed something suspicious from his recollection.


    "This person is problematic."


    This thought shed through Qiao Mu¡¯s mind.


    "I¡¯ve met many stubborn people," Luohan wasn¡¯t surprised.


    Since mastering the "Golden Body Technique" and achieving the "copper body," he has defeated many former martial arts experts who used to be unbeatable.


    Besides¡­ Luohan has dealt with members of the Qiao family before.


    The old man Qiao Senlin from the Qiao family he dealt with before seemed very old and had profound martial arts skills, but so what?


    He managed to kill the 1st rank, but still forced him to retreat.


    He has experience dealing with Qiao family members.


    With this thought in mind, Luohan suddenly looked up.


    A loud noise of breaking air pierced his ears, and a fist grew rapidly in his field of vision!


    Boom!


    Amid a loud bang, Luohan¡¯s eyes widened slightly, and he took a step back.


    There was a faint bruise on his face, with the skin slightly sunken and a trickle of blood seeping out.


    But that was all.


    Instead, Qiao Mu, who remained standing in ce, furrowed his brow and looked at his fist.


    He held back some of his strength and didn¡¯t punch with full force.


    Despite this, the tremendous recoil force caused his fist to burst open, blood flowing heavily, even the bones in his hand throbbing with pain¡­


    His brow furrowed not from the pain.


    Having lived for over two hundred years, his tolerance for pain had reached superhuman levels.


    He felt strange in his heart.


    "Practicing hard skills?" Qiao Mu still felt something was wrong in his heart.


    Well, he had practiced hard skills before.


    Putting aside Qiao Mu¡¯s best Iron Crotch Skill, he also mastered the Golden Bell Shield Iron Cloth Shirt Skill, and perfected it over the years.


    Compared to hard skills,pared to physical body, even when Qiao Mu was less than a hundred years old, he was already stronger than the 1st ranked martial artist Qin Shiqing.


    The broader version of martial artist is the Spiritual Refining Method, spiritual refining excels in intuition, able to instinctively dodge attacks. So, before Qiao Mu unleashed the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, dealing with Qin Shiqing was like a tiger staring at the skies, unable to start.


    So, herees the question.


    The muscle butler Luohan in front of him, why was Qiao Mu, who had perfected the Golden Bell Shield Iron Cloth Shirt Skill, a little puzzled about his proficiency in hard skills.


    "Something¡¯s not right¡­"


    Instead of clenching his fists, he formed his hands into palms and alternated strikes at Luohan.


    A cold silver light shone out, as Qiao Mu¡¯s hands kept striking Luohan like waves crashing down.


    Qiao Mu moved like a light smoke, continuously hitting Luohan with his palms.


    This time, he didn¡¯t use his fists, but relied on strong internal strength to strike from a close distance.


    Even without using the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, Qiao Mu had nearly two centuries of deep internal strength, a level of power that ordinary martial artists couldn¡¯t achieve even after a lifetime of practice.


    Despite the powerful force of his strikes, Luohan only heard dull thuds as they hit him.


    Luohan didn¡¯t fall down or get knocked back by the strong strikes, just forced to step back a few paces.


    He had dozens of palm prints all over his body, looking a bit disheveled, but they seemed to be only minor injuries.


    He didn¡¯t even bend his waist, standing straight as ever.


    "Had enough yet?" Luohan felt frustrated and let out a roar.


    At that moment, he lifted his right foot and stamped heavily on the ground, causing a loud bang.


    The blue bricks under his feet shattered into pieces, causing the ground of the entire courtyard to tremble. A circle of dust swept up, and the courtyard behind Qiao Mu made a creaking sound, making the whole house shake with that one step.


    "What are you, some kind of monster?" Qiao Mu swiftly jumped back ten meters, frowning as he looked at the Luohan in front of him.


    "This kick, without any special power, relying solely on physical strength?"


    This was very unusual.


    You see, the human body has its limits. Otherwise, training would not be stuck at the 4th rank, with only the 3rd rank achievable through the Spiritual Refining Method.


    The upper limit for the human body is the 4th rank, no matter if you train in Qi energy or special abilities; to go further, one can only rely on umting strength slowly over long periods of time.


    Qiao Mu¡¯s "Xumi Mountain King Sutra" follows the path of Qi energy and blood cirction.


    He has practiced the Xumi Mountain King Sutra for over a hundred years, with a vast amount of Qi energy mostly used tobat the natural aging process of the human body. So, although Qiao Mu¡¯s physical strength is stronger than that of ordinary Spiritual Refining martial artists, it¡¯s not extraordinarily strong.


    Luohan heard those words, his face changed slightly at first, then a smile slowly appeared on his lips.


    "It seems that you still have some sharp eyes."


    When Spirit Refining martial artists sparred, it was not only a physical exchange but also a sh of the mind.


    After being seen through by Qiao Mu, Luohan¡¯s face changed briefly, then returned to his proud demeanor.


    "This is the way of martial arts, this is the Martial Arts Golden Body!"


    "Once achieving the Martial Arts Golden Body, physical strength and internal power merge into one, there is no longer a distinction between inside and outside. Each punch or kick is as heavy as a mountain, able to withstand the magic of immortal cultivators."


    Luohanughed three times, swiftly stepped towards Qiao Mu.


    His movements were forceful, each step seemed to make the ground beneath him tremble slightly, each punch carried a mighty power.


    When hitting the trees in the courtyard, the trees snapped in half, hitting the rockery caused it to copse and shatter.


    "How many years have you been practicing martial arts, eighty years? Ny years? One hundred years?" asked the old master from the Qiao family.


    "Even if you have been training for a hundred years, it doesn¡¯t matter. Being a martial artist is not about how long you have been training," he continued.


    "If you are on the wrong path, no matter how hard you practice, it will be inefficient. You old-timers from the past have already reached a dead end, it¡¯s time to make way for us," he added.


    Luohanughed heartily. Although he wascking in speed, his continuous attacks almost demolished half of Qiao Mu¡¯s recently bought mansion without actually hitting him.


    The ground cracked like a spider web, the mansion teetered on the edge of copse, looking crooked and ready to crumble, creating a mess.


    Qiao Mu watched the chaos and sighed slightly.


    He remained somewhat indifferent emotionally, his main concern being the damage to his wallet.


    Money was just material and could be sorted out. If needed, he could ask Emperor Yonghe for somepensation or borrow from the generous Wan family.


    Money issues could be resolved, but one¡¯s life was a different matter.


    The Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method is a self-harming technique that either leaves you dead or severely injured once used.


    Especially when Qiao Mu mastered the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, he was very effective at self-harm, often sumbing to internal injuries in battles.


    After the second chain of the Ouroboros Long Life Lock breaks, the time for resurrection in dreams bes 5 times longer.


    This means that from now on, every time Qiao Mu dies, it will likely be at least five or ten years before he cane back to life.


    Under the influence of the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, killing the Luohan in front of him was no problem for Qiao Mu.


    However, he didn¡¯t see the point in getting trapped in a dream prison for five or ten years for this arrogant fool.


    "You have a point, martial arts isn¡¯t about time but about who wins with their fists," Qiao Mu said with a pained expression.


    Pretending to be shaken, he was actually preparing to trick his opponent.


    "The new waves surpass the old, in this world, there¡¯s never been anyone older or more skilled in martial arts than me. I¡¯ve trained longer, so I¡¯m stronger, which means you deserve to be defeated."


    "Learn by day, die by night¡­ What does it mean to use martial arts to understand the Dao? Why are you so strong?"


    Under Luohan¡¯s fierce attacks, Qiao Mu was struggling and had to rely on his instincts to barely dodge Luohan¡¯s punches.


    Despite his efforts, his robe was torn by Luohan¡¯s punches, leaving him disheveled.


    Anyone watching would think that this old man was clearly losing and was close to death.


    "By using martial arts to achieve enlightenment¡­ this is the proud path of us martial artists!" Luohan said cheerfully as he attacked fiercely.


    Since achieving a "copper body," he has defeated countless past strong enemies, and his favorite moments are these.


    Before joining the Martial Arts League, Luohan was a 3rd rank Spirit Refining martial artist.


    Upon entering spiritual refining, he had already be one of the best martial artists.


    Butpared to other 3rd rank martial artists, Luohan¡¯s strength seemed insufficient.


    He was not a genius, and it took him decades of hard training to finally reach the 3rd rank of Spiritual Refining Period, but by then, he was already middle-aged.


    It ismon for one¡¯s vitality to decline in middle age¡­ not to mention, in the martial world of Great Yan, there is also a Martial Saint.


    An ordinary 3rd rank of Spiritual Refining Period like Luohan, seeing no hope of advancement, having no possibility of progressing further, can only be food for the Martial Saint.


    About five or six years ago, he almost died at the hands of a martial artist from the Wuji Association.


    After narrowly escaping, as a third-ranked Spiritual Refining Period practitioner, he could only act discreetly, hiding his identity like a mouse in a gutter, living worse than when he was practicing at the fourth rank¡­


    It wasn¡¯t until the Martial Saint died and the Wuji Association went into hiding that he finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    Upon arriving at the Imperial Capital and joining the Martial Arts League, mastering the copper body technique, he felt like he was reborn and his life took a turn for the better.


    Now, he no longer needs to hide. The martial arts enemies who once drove him to a dead end have all been taken care of by him.


    Watching old school martial artists helplessly sumb to his iron fist brings him great excitement.


    "Choosing wisely is more important than working hard."


    "Once I achieve the Martial Arts Golden Body, I will be the new martial arts genius of our generation, defeating all of you old-timers who just won¡¯t die!"


    Luohan roared loudly and hurled his fists like powerful gusts.


    Hecked internal strength and relied solely on his brute force.


    However, his iron fists seemed to carry the weight of mountains.


    With a loud bang.


    The huge stone pir in the front yard, as wide as three people hugging together, shattered with a single strike from him, causing the entire front yard to copse in an instant, making the ground tremble incessantly.


    The streets and alleys fell into silence, as the locals nearby knew that a skilled showdown was taking ce and dared not approach, fleeing long ago.


    Luohan stomped through the roof tiles and frowned at Qiao Mu, who was a dozen steps away.


    Under the sunlight, his bare skin had a faint golden hue, resembling a golden Luohan statue, exuding a majestic presence.


    "Slippery but not bad in agility," Luohan muttered.


    Qiao Mu stood on the half-copsed courtyard wall, frowning as he locked eyes with him.


    After fighting for so long until his own house copsed, he finally understood Luohan¡¯s skill level to some extent.


    In reality, this person is only at the 3rd rank of Spiritual Refining Period with no internal strength, but his exceptional physical body sets him apart from ordinary people.


    Initially, Qiao Mu suspected him to be a monstrous being with formidable physical strength. After their exchange, he began to find answers in his heart.


    Before entering the solitary city in the desert, Qiao Mu was puzzled about Luohan, but now he had a better idea.


    "What martial arts do you practice? What kind of martial artist are you?"


    Qiao Mu shouted:


    "Has practicing martial arts made you silly? You are clearly a Taoist soldier of a cultivator in the immortal path!"


    "Taoist soldier? What are you talking about? Are you trying to confuse my martial arts mind? I am who I am!" Luohan remained calm and cold, raising his iron fist to continue attacking Qiao Mu.


    "I am a pioneer of using martial arts to enlighten the path, a trailzer in martial arts!"


    "Is this what using martial arts to enlighten the path looks like?" Qiao Mu dodged like lightning, finding it amusing.


    After understanding Luohan¡¯s background, he lost interest in him.


    No wonder they say using martial arts to enlighten the path is known for its strong physical body, stepping on the former 1st rank Spirit Refining martial artist to rise to fame.


    It seems like the Immortal Gate¡¯s Etching Bone Li Fire Talisman, specially tailored to deal with martial artists, can easily handle 1st ranked martial artists.


    What? Use the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method to defeat him?


    Qiao Mu is no longer a young man of over a hundred years old. Now, he is calm and gentle, not fond of fighting and killing.


    Moreover, what¡¯s the point ofparing with a Taoist soldier?


    Qiao Mu had fought bravely in the Hundred-mile Desert, but killing paper man and bean soldiers only used up some of the hidden practitioner¡¯s power and materials.


    The Taoist soldier in front of him was obviously special, different from the one Qiao Mu had met in the abandoned city, but they were both Taoist soldiers in the end.


    Qiao Mu fought initially because there was a deserted city behind him, guarded by three hundred white-headed soldiers.


    If he didn¡¯t step forward, it would be others who died.


    Even though Qiao Mu was over a hundred years old, he wouldn¡¯t have died in the hands of the bean soldiers. He could have run away, hidden, and fought back slowly.


    If he had a bit of a cunning n, he could have taken advantage of the bean soldiers attacking the city and ambush them. Why rush in and die recklessly?


    Now, with no worries or ties, what¡¯s the point ofpeting with a Taoist soldier?


    "Let¡¯s go."


    Qiao Mu leaped into the distance with graceful movements.


    The Impermanent Demon Cat had disappeared into the shadows without a trace.


    Even though a newly bought mansion was damaged, it was not a big issue for Qiao Mu, who had been through many life and death situations and remained calm.


    "Where do you think you¡¯re going! Don¡¯t you have any dignity as a warrior?" Luohan growled lowly, chasing after them with determined strides.


    He emitted a faint golden glow all over his body, as if he was made of steel and iron, exuding a daunting aura.


    Qiao Mu, on the other hand, looked like a disheveled old man with dirt smeared on his face and clothes, clearly in a sorry state as he was relentlessly pursued by Luohan.


    The two figures swiftly passed by the copsed mansion, causing pedestrians in the distance to fearfully retreat, afraid of being caught up in their battle.


    "Who dares tomit violence in the Imperial Capital in broad daylight¡ª"


    Speaking was a spirited young woman with a sword at her waist. She had a brief encounter with Qiao Mu earlier that morning and was Hu Wan, the daughter of the renowned hero Dragon w, Hu Han.

 Chapter 230 (2)

    Chapter 230 (2)


    The girl and her father, who were both hot-tempered in the past, saw two figures rushing out into the distance. She quickly reached for her sword at her waist, ready to draw it out.


    The Luohan didn¡¯t even look back or at the girl, he just shook his hand.


    Even though he was at the 3rd level of Spiritual Refining Period, with sharp senses, how could he not feel anything?


    A stone flew out from his hand like a sharp arrow, making a chilling piercing sound under the Luohan¡¯s strange strength.


    In a sh, Hu Han¡¯s face changed drastically as he swiftly pushed his own daughter away.


    Suddenly, a loud sound was heard as the stone hit the stone lion at the entrance of the restaurant where Hu Han and his daughter stood, causing the lion¡¯s head to explode, and sending shattered stones sshing onto Hu Wan¡¯s face, leaving tiny bloodstains on her delicate face.


    Hu Wan turned pale, looking at Hu Han next to her whose face was darkened, her mind went nk. She lowered her head slightly, her head trembling slightly, as Luohan¡¯s figure passed by in the distance.


    Hu Han sighed, blood streaming down from his right wrist, barely grazed by the shattered stone, leaving a long thin bloodstain.


    He quietly hid his right hand behind his back, gently rubbing his daughter¡¯s numb head with his unscathed left hand,forting her:"Wan¡¯er, in this world, there are no saints who sacrifice themselves for others¡­ You don¡¯t need to me yourself too much¡­"


    "Having a sense of righteousness is already better than many people¡­ It¡¯s just a matter ofcking strength."


    Before the voice fell.


    From the street side came a sudden sound of hurried footsteps, at an unknown time.


    These footsteps were numerous, clearly quite fast and urgent, yet surprisingly orderly and neat.


    Hu Han seemed to sense something and turned his head to look.


    He saw a group of elderly men with gray beards running from the street corners, as many as dozens of people.


    Their steps faintly organized, while running they seemed to form a somewhat orderly battle formation, facing towards that Luohan.


    Hu Han was slightly stunned.


    Although these old people were not wearing military uniforms, for some reason, he always felt that these people¡­ were soldiers, or perhaps experienced veterans!


    The leading old man also had gray hair, indicating he was very old, but at this moment, he red with amanding presence, shouting at Luohan from a distance:


    "You scoundrel! Bullying the Qiao family when they have no one to protect them?"


    The old man¡¯s voice was full of energy, clear as a bell.


    Far away, Qiao Mu, who was disying light skills as he left, was slightly surprised, hesitated for a moment and looked back, only to see several familiar faces.


    These people¡­ all used to be soldiers who came from the solitary city in the desert.


    The leader, a former captain in the army, was Hai Siyuan.


    At the edge of the soldiers¡¯ formation, there was a beautifully dressed woman, but Qiao Mu¡¯s attention was focused on the soldiers, just passing by without paying much attention.


    "Hmm?" Even Luohan paused for a moment, a smile appearing on his lips.


    It¡¯s clear that his jumping skills are not as good as Qiao Mu¡¯s, he might not be able to catch up if he continues chasing.


    Judging from the words of these old soldiers, it¡¯s obvious that they know this old man from the Qiao family, so¡­


    He turned around, stopped chasing Qiao Mu, and instead walked slowly towards these old soldiers.


    With each step he took, the ground seemed to tremble slightly.


    "Elder Lao, you can go to the Hai family¡¯s mansion to find my father," Hai Siyuan said confidently.


    "Today, let us protect Elder Lao," he dered.


    Before the words had even finished, several of the old soldiers had already drawn their bows and shot arrows swiftly, but Luohan easily caught and snapped the arrows.


    Undeterred, they formed a formation, wielding swords and spears, surrounding Luohan.


    Clearly, they were no match for Luohan.


    Even Hu Han¡¯s daughter, Hu Wan, who was not considered to be skilled in martial arts, could see this.


    Facing the Luohan with a body unlike mortal flesh, their deaths in battle were only a matter of time.


    She was still trapped in the fear of almost losing her life just now, and could only say in a daze:


    "Father, didn¡¯t you say¡­ there are no saints in the world who sacrifice themselves for others?"


    Hu Han was momentarily speechless.


    At this moment, there was the sound of a cane hitting the ground nearby.


    It was an elderly man with one leg, equally old with white hair, but standing tall with a firm demeanor, clearly not part of the group of old soldiers.


    "This is medicine for your wounds, apply it yourself." He casually tossed over a package of medicine, which Hu Han caught with his left hand.


    Hu Wan just noticed her father¡¯s right hand was injured, hanging weakly, and she cried out in shock.


    "Your father was right," the one-legged old man sighed softly.


    "In this world, there are no true selfless saints, right?"


    The old man with a cane turned around, looking at the white-haired old soldiers on the street, his pants fluttering in the wind.


    Initially, he asked Qiao Shuangsen who entered the city if the Great Yan¡¯s army wasing back.


    At that time, Qiao Shuangsen said he was the leader of the Great Yan¡¯s Immortal ying Army, and that Great Yan had oppressed them for forty years. From now on, the Immortal ying Army would bear this heavy burden.


    Only after these white-headed soldiers crossed the desert did they realize there was no such thing as the Immortal ying Army in this world!


    They are all lies, they are all deceivers!


    The Qiao family member who fooled everyone in the whole town, has already died in the desert.


    In this world, there has never been an Immortal ying Army, there are only Qiao family members.


    The old man with one leg leaned on a cane and said slowly:


    "There are no saintly people in the world. Who isn¡¯t afraid of death?"


    "It¡¯s just that people¡¯s hearts are made of flesh."


    "In the past, a member of the Qiao family died for us. How can we sit back and watch their elderly parents suffer now?"


    The Qiao family member risked their life for them many times.


    Now they are repaying each other¡¯s kindness, that¡¯s all.


    Hu Wan was slightly shocked and fell silent for a moment.


    Qiao Canxue closed her eyes and silently listened to these words.


    Her surname is also Qiao. Lately, she has been hearing more and more about the Qiao family member. These words and events reminded her of the old days in Yan City¡­ Back then, there was a reckless but determined teenager who insisted on standing up for the Swordsman Jiang Chen, a stranger, and even kidnapped the lord¡¯s son in the streets.


    Far away.


    Qiao Mu quietly watched the old soldiers forming a battle formation, squinting slightly.


    Even though he was very old, his hearing was still very good, and he could hear those words very clearly.


    "A group of nosy old men¡­."


    "I was just pretending before."


    Qiao Mu let out a light sigh.


    There¡¯s no need to fight all the time; one¡¯s own life is the most important.


    In life, the most important thing is to be happy.


    But¡­.Qiao Mu¡¯s definition of happiness is quite broad.


    You made me run, I can¡¯t think clearly anymore, how can I be happy?


    He lifted his head again and clenched his fist.


    He was always immortal, he wanted to live freely and happily!


    When will anyone be able topete with him in this suicidal situation?


    Since I, Qiao Mu, am immortal, I will not let others die because of me in this lifetime!


    His whole body¡¯s blood was boiling rapidly, and the thick internal strength that seeped out of his body had an indelible blood color. His skin, covered with age spots, began to turn red, oozing blood from his pores.


    "Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method!"


    In an instant.


    His figure seemed to turn into a blood-colored lightning, crossing vast distances in a sh, and also crossing through the soldiers¡¯ battle formation.


    Qiao Canxue seemed to sense something and looked up.


    The old man¡¯s figure was engulfed by a blood-red aura, the surging aura was like an endless sea.


    "Water has no constant form."


    "Calm is like a deep pool, movement is like raging waves."


    "And today¡­ I want to defeat you!"


    "Ripple Stacking Wave Strength¡¤Fourfold Wave!"


    The blood-red internal strength boiled almost like rolling waves endlessly, one wave higher than the other, in an instantpletely submerging Luohan.

 Chapter 231:

    Chapter 231:


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    Qiao Canxue felt something, she quietly opened her eyes which had been closed all this time.


    In her eyes.


    The veteran soldiers forming a battle formation around her were lean but tough middle-aged soldiers.


    The steward, Luohan, who was as sturdy as a tower with muscles bulging, almost bursting out of his uniform, was actually a thin old man.


    And the one whose whole body was boiling with blood and surrounded by a fierce aura, was not an old man so aged that his age couldn¡¯t be distinguished, but clearly a young man with sharp eyes and high spirits.


    "This person¡­" Qiao Canxue furrowed her delicate brows slightly.


    She felt like she had seen him somewhere before?


    There was always a faint sense of familiarity.Before he could think carefully, a figure that turned into a lightning-like red shadow had already pressed its palm onto Luohan¡¯s chest from a distance.


    "First Wave."


    The intense force crashed against Luohan¡¯s chest like fierce waves hitting rocks. Ripples were visible spreading from his chest, and with a dull sound like hitting metal, Luohan¡¯s ill-fitting servant clothes were easily torn apart, revealing pale golden skin with a metallic shine under the sunlight.


    "Well done!" Luohan¡¯s mouth curved into a smile, and the tremendous impact made him stagger, almost falling over, but he managed to stand firm.


    He was now literally like a man of metal and flesh. But the human body has its limits ¨C how could ordinary martial artists, with their flesh and blood,pete with him?


    Is he really human?


    The veteran soldiers¡¯ expressions changed slightly, and a certain thought crossed their minds.


    Looking at him now, his body didn¡¯t seem like a typical human body at all. Rather than an extremely strong and burly man made of flesh and blood, it was more like a lump of metal covered in human skin.


    "Double Wave."


    Layers of red energy piled up one after another, the second palm reached Luohan¡¯s chest, a huge amount of energy pressed down Luohan¡¯s chest, causing it to copse several inches directly downwards.


    The cold smile at the corner of Luohan¡¯s mouth froze slightly.


    "Triple Wave."


    The skin around Luohan¡¯s copsed chest suddenly cracked, with cracks spreading rapidly like a spider web from the chest, covering his whole body.


    Only now did Luohan barely react from the attack. The arrogance that was on his face just now froze, looking at his proud "bronze skin and iron bones," he temporarily froze.


    "In the past, in Heyang City¡¯s Qiao Family, only the chief with the highest martial arts skill mastered the Long Life Fist-Stacking Wave Strength up to the Triple Wave level¡­ And why is this person?" Qiao Canxue opened her eyes, feeling surprised.


    Although she had heard of the Qiao family members¡¯ reputation, she had only heard rumors and had never met any of them in person¡­ right?


    The raging red energy, like real sea waves, showed no signs of stopping, endlessly surging, wave after wave higher than the previous one.


    But with a loud bang, Qiao Mu¡¯s palm directly pierced through Luohan¡¯s chest from his abdomen.


    In his pierced chest and belly, there were hardly any organs exposed, not much blood either.


    "Phew¡­." The blood-red energy dissipating from his body quickly receded, leaving only his skin still oozing blood, sending sharp pains throughout his limbs and body.


    Oh, the familiar pain¡­.


    But¡­


    "When thoughts clear, all is well." Qiao Mu rxed his clenched fist and exhaled deeply.


    "Elder Lao¡­" Hai Siyuan watched the scene unfold, sighing softly.


    Could he not be familiar with such a scene?


    Yet, the Qiao family member could not be saved in the end¡­ How did this Qiao family member end up in trouble again?


    "Don¡¯t get too emotional just yet." Blood-soaked Qiao Mu calmly raised his hand to stop them.


    "I¡¯m not dead yet."


    He actually doesn¡¯t look as disheveled as he seems.


    The previous retreat was just a tactical move, no need to fight to the death with this fool.


    After battling Luohan for a long time, he wasn¡¯t really injured, just trying to provoke Luohan into saying something.


    However, this Taoist soldier, Copper Body Arhat, is quite strange. He is beyond the realm of martial arts, almost like a human-shaped iron block.


    This guy is like an iron turtle. If you can¡¯t break through his copper skin and iron bones, it¡¯s like a tiger trying to eat the sky, unable to take any action.


    But if you can break through this "flesh body" of his, Luohan¡¯s weaknesses will be exposed.


    After all, his martial arts cultivation only reached the 3rd rank of Spiritual Refining Period, with no internal strength and mediocre speed.


    In front of the explosive Qiao Mu, he¡¯s like a sitting duck that can¡¯t even evade.


    So Qiao Mu¡¯s outburst this time onlysted for a moment, even though his blood vessels were damaged, it was not fatal yet.


    Qiao Mu took a deep breath and looked down at his hands, now covered in blood.


    Focused entirely, his arms¡¯ skin seemed to move and breathe like independent creatures, and the overflowing blood instantly stopped.


    With his mastered Shape Changing Skill, making the wound move to stop the bleeding was incredibly easy.


    Qiao Mu wasn¡¯t just trying to stop the bleeding and heal the minor injuries.


    Through the Shape Changing Skill, he was attempting to repair the damaged internal blood vessels caused by the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method.


    Although he couldn¡¯t resist using the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method in the end, it didn¡¯t mean Qiao Mu wanted to die.


    Not wanting to seek death, nor to use death to refresh his body¡¯s injuries, naturally, he had to try Wu Qizheng¡¯s Shape Changing Skill.


    "Back then, Wu Qizheng healed my Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method injuries with a piece of his own flesh¡­ Looking at it now, Wu Qizheng was quite extraordinary."


    "My skill at changing shapes is not as good as his, but it¡¯s worth a try."


    Qiao Mu stood still, trying to heal his wounds while looking down at Luohan, whose upper body he had almost beaten to a pulp, and lifted him up with one hand.


    He stopped at the final Fourfold Wave, realizing Luohan¡¯s pitiful state, not wanting to finish him offpletely, and spared his life.


    Qiao Mu was also very curious about this so-called martial artist who follows the path of martial arts.


    He leaped up, carrying the half-broken body of Luohan towards his own residence.


    "General Hai, this is not the ce to talk, follow me."


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Qiao Mu¡¯s residence was in shambles, with rubble everywhere, the front yardpletely copsed, but the backyard still intact.


    Qiao Mu cleared a small area, looking at the old soldiers in front of him, and¡­ a blind woman with her eyes tightly shut?


    Huh?


    Qiao Mu suddenly realized she was there.


    Isn¡¯t this Qiao Canxue? His attention was on Hai Siyuan and the other soldiers and he didn¡¯t notice her at first, thinking she was just a passerby?


    Hai Siyuan noticed Qiao Mu looking and coughed lightly to exin:


    "Elder Lao, I brought this youngdy to visit you and the senior Qiao Xiaoming¡­ Where is Qiao Xiaoming?" Could it be that he¡­


    "Qiao Xiaoming? Oh, he¡¯s also doing well."


    It¡¯s well known that people named Xiaoming don¡¯t really stand out.


    It took Qiao Mu a moment to remember this was actually his flesh clone.


    Maintaining the flesh clone required him to focus some of his energy. Although it wasn¡¯t much, Qiao Mu had been drinking and cking offtely, even neglecting his flesh clone.


    Flesh clone Qiao Xiaoming was ced in a coffin in the guest room by Qiao Mu and went into a standby mode, but with a single thought, he could wake Qiao Xiaoming up.


    The Copper Body Arhat seemed to have not looked closely, thinking Qiao Xiaoming was just a normal corpse. Otherwise, if they disturbed the sleeping Qiao Xiaoming, Qiao Mu would have sensed it in time.


    "How is Elder Lao¡¯s injury? Do we need to find a doctor?"


    Qiao Mu said, "It¡¯s nothing serious, just need some time to recover." It¡¯s just a minor injury to the meridians, can be healed easily.


    "Compared to my insignificant injury, this person¡­" Qiao Mu¡¯s gaze fell on Qiao Canxue¡¯s face.


    After a long time, the two met again, but Qiao Mu was no longer Qiao Mu, he was now Qiao Shui, 210 years old.


    He was unsure how to face Qiao Canxue, his old friend, in this new identity.


    Looking back, the Long Life Fist, her entry into martial arts, and the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method that the Qiao family member relied on, were all taught by her. It was fitting to say she was a mentor in martial arts.


    The two looked at each other in silence for a moment.


    Hai Siyuan immediately felt confused. He had never thought before that Qiao Canxue¡¯s identity might be fake, but now seeing how they interacted, it didn¡¯t seem like a typical reunion between grandparents and grandchildren. He furrowed his brow.


    "General Hai, please don¡¯t me Qiao Canxue," said Qiao Canxue with her eyes closed as she exined.


    "My real surname is Qiao, from the Qiao Family in Heyang City, Nan Province. Just like you, I was once helped by a member of the Qiao family. The young man from the Qiao family who I met back then was named Qiao Mu."


    "Qiao Mu¡­ he has passed away. I just wanted to find his family to show my gratitude."


    Qiao Mu looked deep in thought, feeling a mix of emotions.


    It had been a long time since anyone had mentioned the name Qiao Mu to him.


    There were so many names in his memory that Qiao Mu¡¯s had be lost in the forest.


    "I see," Hai Siyuan¡¯s tightly furrowed brow rxed slightly, as he epted the exnation.


    Qiao Canxue quietly opened her eyes a little, observing the sharp young man named Qiao Shui in front of her:


    "Has Qiao Shui ever been to Nan Province?" Qiao Canxue asked cautiously.


    When Qiao Canxue was in Yan City, she was already blind, she had never seen Qiao Mu¡¯s true face, only remembered his voice.


    People¡¯s looks, voices, and smells are not always the same.


    The current Qiao Mu is already 210 years old, with the added refinement of the Shape Changing Skill, making him unrecognizable.


    Although she didn¡¯t recognize Qiao Mu, she vaguely remembered a glimpse of a well-dressed young man on a horse as she left Nan Province with her master Lingling Taoist Priest.


    So she asked this question.


    "Never been." Qiao Mu firmly denied and quickly changed the subject, raising the beaten Copper Body Arhat:


    "Copper Skin, do you want to live?"


    Luohan reluctantly opened his eyes and angrily said:


    "You think I¡¯m a child and can be easily fooled? Do as you wish!"


    Before, this Luohan was quite arrogant, but he was a skilled martial artist at the third level, with a strong mind.


    He already suspected that Qiao Mu spared his life to force him to reveal his martial arts secrets, showing a tough attitude.


    Qiao Mu tested him and found the man was tough both on the outside and inside, stubborn and unyielding. Threats didn¡¯t work.


    Just as Qiao Mu was unsure how to proceed, a calm female voice sounded nearby.


    "Cloud Patterns Mountain Copper, right?"


    Qiao Canxue crouched beside Luohan, focused on his torn chest. His newly opened eyes were filled with mist.


    Luohan, who had just been defiant, shivered.


    "His body is no longer flesh and blood," Qiao Canxue exined.


    "This is a special Taoist soldier made mainly of Cloud Patterns Mountain Copper through the use of Taoist techniques. It looks like a person, but it¡¯s more like Cloud Patterns Mountain Copper disguised as a person."


    Speaking of this, Qiao Canxue couldn¡¯t help but nce at Qiao Mu, her emotions fluctuating.


    "Cloud Patterns Mountain Copper is a pricey Taoist material known for its hardness. It is usually used to create treasures like protective copper bells for Taoist cultivators in the Foundation Building period or Golden Core period."


    Qiao Shui being able to shatter this Cloud Patterns Mountain Copper Taoist soldier implies that this old martial artist from the Qiao family can break the protective treasures of Taoist cultivators with just one strike?


    Luohan¡¯s eyes twitched, wanting to argue but ultimately staying silent.


    Qiao Canxue describing him as Cloud Patterns Mountain Copper disguised as a person truly made him, who held himself in high regard, feel humiliated.


    But this was just the beginning.


    "This is the first time I¡¯ve heard of a Taoist soldier made from a living person, but I imagine that this method is not easy."


    Qiao Canxue began to exin:


    "This Taoist soldier is very brave, not afraid of the threat of death. He believes that even if his body is destroyed, as long as the immortal cultivator behind himes, he can exchange for another copper body."


    "So tricky? Can they still live even if they are smashed?" Hai Siyuan frowned.


    In the desert, facing the bean soldier and bean general was already very difficult for him. Who would have thought there were also Copper Skin Soldiers with metal bodies?


    "It¡¯s not that simple," Qiao Canxue shook her head.


    "The eternal goal of immortal cultivation is to live forever, but it¡¯s hard to achieve," said Qiao Mu.


    Qiao Mu, "Oh."


    Qiao Canxue continued. Even the senior cultivators of the Nine Heavenly Immortal Gates cannot bring people back to life, they can only manipte souls.


    "By continuously changing to new copper bodies after each death, it¡¯s a kind of alternative immortality. If attaining immortality is that easy, the Nine Heavenly Immortal Gates would be filled with Taoist soldiers like this."


    She looked down, her gaze fixed on the Copper Body Arhat, and said slowly:


    "Giving up the achievements of a martial artist to be a Taoist soldier is not the right path. Without a physical body, one is like a rootless floating duckweed, how can they easily attach themselves to the people at Cloud Patterns Mountain Copper?"


    "The soul of a 3rd rank Spirit Refining martial artist is naturally iparable to ordinary people, although it can be restrained by immortal techniques on a copper body, it cannotst forever."


    "Not only can you not achieve longevity, but from the moment you abandon your physical body, your life is like a flickering candle in the wind, with little time left."


    The eyes of Copper Body Arhat widened slightly, and his breath almost stopped.


    Copper Body Arhat didn¡¯t take Qiao Mu¡¯s threat seriously, because even if he lost in battle, he still believed he was superior to ordinary martial artists and had immortal techniques to resurrect himself.


    However, Qiao Canxue was clearly an immortal cultivator he needed to look up to, and with a single sentence, she saw through the vague unease in his heart.


    Luohan wanted to retort but the growing unease in his heart almost consumed him, making him unable to speak.


    After transforming into Copper Body Arhat, he somewhat noticed the peculiarity of this body, having some suspicions in his mind.

 Chapter 232:

    Chapter 232:


    Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/PazjBDkTmW


    Verbal threats couldn¡¯t shake the mind of a martial artist at the 3rd rank of Spiritual Refining Period, who was looked up to as a Copper Body Arhat by Qiao Canxue, a cultivator on the immortal path. With just a few words, Qiao Canxue managed to unsettle him.


    It was clear that she knew more, and coupled with her identity as a cultivator, she revealed the truth about Luohan¡¯s soon-to-be fate with his copper body, causing Luohan to lose hisposure.


    At that moment, as Qiao Canxue gestured a spell with her hand and softly uttered a word, it was like a sudden winter thunder, making the barely conscious Luohan¡¯s mind tremble and his expression be confused.


    "Qiao¡­ If Elder Lao wishes to ask this person something, he can do so now," Qiao Canxue said softly.


    "When his mental defenses were down, I used a soul-stunning technique on him. Now his spirit is shaken, confused, and ready to answer any questions."


    Qiao Canxue¡¯s interjection clearly aimed to assist.


    However, instead of immediately inquiring about Luohan¡¯s situation, Qiao Mu¡¯s gaze fell upon Qiao Canxue, showing a hint ofplexity.


    If we count the memories spent in the dream world, the two haven¡¯t seen each other for over a hundred years. Qiao Canxue has truly embarked on the path of immortals and be an immortal cultivator.The magic of immortals is really convenient¡­ Qiao Mu is a bit envious.


    Under the explosion of the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, a single strike could defeat the Copper Body Arhat, but without specific information, it was difficult to get Luohan to talk.


    If we look at Qiao Mu¡¯s past experience of ying games, it¡¯s obvious that the path of immortals is the sessor of the current version.


    The path of immortals has been evolving and flourishing for many years, giving rise to a variety of magical techniques over the long years.


    Spell techniques, formations, refining Taoist soldiers, crafting tools, alchemy¡­just like the peak professions in games, giving rise to various specialized professions.


    Rather than martial artists resembling warriors in games, Qiao Mu realized they were more like assassins.


    The human body has its limits. After reaching the 4th rank, martial artists embark on four paths of strengthening techniques¡­ but the first three paths are almost dead-ends for ordinary people, with only one path leading to the 3rd rank, the Spiritual Refining Method.


    The Spiritual Refining Method is the mainstream practice for martial artists today, taking a different approach by focusing on spiritual refinement rather than physical limits, honing their intuition.


    Even at the 1st rank of the Spiritual Refining Period, facing the Etching Bone Li Fire Talisman of immortal cultivators in the path of immortals, one could not resist head-on, relying on sharp intuition to evade.


    Eithere out unscathed, or bepletely destroyed.


    Compared to the prosperous and flourishing immortal path, the martial path is like a stumbling baby, only at the 9th rank, not yet reaching the 3rd rank, which is like a small path called Spiritual Refining Method.


    "The human body has limits. The physical bodies of martial artists are weakerpared to the immortal techniques of the immortal path, they have not surpassed the limits of the human body. Immortal cultivators always see martial artists as mundane, and it is not without reason," Qiao Mu shook his head silently.


    The physical body cannot resist immortal techniques, this ismon knowledge.


    Even after training in martial arts for nearly two hundred years, Qiao Mu cannot possibly use his fists tobat Luohan, whose body is made of Cloud Patterns Mountain Copper.


    In the end, he relies on his powerful martial internal strength under the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, which is like a surging wave, rather than relying on the toughness of his physical body.


    No matter how much one trains in martial arts, the muscles and bones of a person cannotpare to steel, let alone the immortal material Cloud Patterns Mountain Copper.


    "It¡¯s a pity, the human body ages. Hai Wuya¡¯s Xumi Mountain King Sutra is a cultivation technique specializing in Qi and blood training, but after practicing for over a hundred years, most of my Qi and blood have been used tobat my own aging," Qiao Mu sighed.


    With a thought, Qiao Mu nced at the Ouroboros Long Life Lock in his mind.


    Information appeared, showing that his Qi and blood were at 21%.


    This means that Qiao Mu¡¯s total Qi and blood volume is only about one-fifth of what it was at its peak.


    Of course, this so-called peak period is a false proposition. Just like the property of a frictionless smooth incline, it only exists in theory.


    When Qiao Mu was in his prime, his physical body was actually not as strong as it is now at the age of 210.


    Qiao Mu has always treated his Qi and blood volume as air, because it didn¡¯t decrease with age, but instead increased with the breakthrough of the Xumi Mountain King Sutra.


    The path of immortality has been thriving for countless years, the result of generations of long-lived great cultivators, while the path of martial arts, the strength of techniques, and the power of gods are still a vast unknown territory.


    Qiao Mu had originally thought that if the Martial Arts League could truly open up a path where martial arts lead to enlightenment, it would be a great deed.


    But now, it all seems like an illusion.


    "How did you obtain the cultivation method of Taoist soldier, and how did you cultivate this copper body that you have now?" Qiao Mu demanded from the Copper Body Arhat, who seemed dazed.


    "I was among the first to join the Martial Arts League as a Spirit Refining martial artist, and also one of the first to cultivate the Golden Body Technique¡­"


    Copper Body Arhat was lost in memories¡­


    He was actually over seventy years old, experiencing a decline in his energy just like many martial artists in theirter years.


    Even though he had reached the 3rd rank of Spiritual Refining Period, breaking through seemed distant, and he had once been hunted by assassins from the Wuji Association, bing food for Martial Saints.


    In such a difficult situation, he made a decisive choice and became one of the earliest members of the Martial Arts League.


    "The Golden Body Technique¡­ is a martial art skill bestowed by the elders of the Great Dao Sect. It is divided into three levels: Copper Skin, Iron Bones, and Golden Body, corresponding to the 3rd rank, 2nd rank, and 1st rank of Spiritual Refining Period."


    "As someone at the 3rd rank of Spiritual Refining Period, I can only reach the level of Copper Skin. Once achieved, I will be stuck at that level for life, unable to break through to a higher level."


    "To master the Golden Body Technique¡­ most Spirit Refining martial artists find it hard to achieve alone. Just having the skill is not enough; you also need the pills provided by the Martial Arts League¡­ trying to practice alone, although not impossible, is very challenging."


    The pills he mentioned were probably specially processed Cloud Patterns Mountain Copper¡­ Qiao Mu thought to himself as he nced at the shattered chest of the Luohan.


    This Luohan still had some flesh and organs intact in his body, not purely human, nor purely Cloud Patterns Mountain Copper.


    He encountered a Taoist soldier in the Hundred-mile Desert who was different from Qiao Mu, Hai Siyuan, and others.


    The paper men, bean soldiers, and bean generals were not intelligent, but this Copper Body Arhat still had consciousness, with little difference from ordinary people apart from his physical body.


    Without revealing his true appearance by taking off his clothes, Luohan looked more like a tall and strong martial artist.


    "Who is the leader of the Martial Arts League?" Qiao Mu asked again.


    "It¡¯s¡­" Luohan started to speak but stopped abruptly, his voice disappearing, his previously dazed eyes suddenly freezing.


    At the same time, Qiao Canxue opened her eyes again, a faint light appearing in her pure white eyes, enveloping Luohan¡¯s whole body.


    "There is a restriction from a Taoist cultivator¡­ but it¡¯s temporarily suppressed," she chanted a spell in her hand, a talisman appearing without wind, forming a blue ghostly me that surrounded Luohan.


    As the me appeared, Luohan¡¯s eyes, which were previously frozen, moved again, and he continued speaking:


    "It¡¯s King Qin."


    "King Qin?" Hai Siyuan, who had been quietly listening beside, suddenly turned pale:


    "Are you talking about the King Qin recently honored by the Great Yan Imperial Court? The King Qin from Great Qin Prefecture?"


    "Yes, it¡¯s King Qin. I was also sent by King Qin to meet with a member of the Qiao family in the Imperial Capital." Luohan, with a nk expression, continued:


    "Before mastering the ¡®Golden Body Technique¡¯, King Qin was already at the 1st rank of the Spiritual Refining Period. His original name was Qin Shiqing, and he died at the hands of Qiao Shuangsen from the Qiao family."


    "During his life and death crisis, his soul underwent a transformation. So, after being captured by the Immortal Dao Zhen of the Great Dao Sect, Qin Shiqing became the first warrior to achieve the level of a golden body cultivator."


    "The Elder of the Great Dao Sect said that he survived a great cmity perhaps due to his extraordinary martial fate, and his heart was firm, so they put all their effort into cultivating him¡­"


    After saying this, the clear light surrounding Luohan suddenly shattered, the surrounding symbols extinguished, and Luohan slumped, bleeding from seven orifices, and died.


    Qiao Canxue opened her eyes, then closed them again, but now her face was as white as paper, clearly indicating that resisting the recent divine prohibition was also a significant drain on her.


    Meanwhile, Qiao Mu, Hai Siyuan, and the others were already engrossed in the final message revealed by Luohan before his death.


    King Qin, whose real name is Qin Shiqing.


    He was once a top martial artist who was supposedly killed by Qiao Mu.


    The way he was brought back to life, along with using special medicine to strengthen his body, seemed different from others.


    Despite losing his physical body and experiencing strange changes in his soul, he managed to survive and be the legendary "King Qin."


    Hai Siyuan looked sad and troubled.


    He had been silent until now, but couldn¡¯t hold back anymore.


    "Elder Lao, do you remember the royal rewards my father Hai Wuya received after he honored the spirits at Anxi Pass?"


    The Great Yan Imperial Court was quite generous with their rewards at that time.


    Although the rewards didn¡¯te with real power, the three hundred soldiers were each given gold and silver, and their ranks were raised by three to five levels. The lowest rank among the three hundred was a fifth-rank martial officer.


    And for the people of the isted city who were not old soldiers, the court also made proper arrangements with a wave of its hand¡­


    "The court arranged for the people of the isted city to go to the newly established Great Qin Prefecture!"


    After Hai Siyuan said this, his eyes seemed a bit dull for a moment.


    At first, they thought that once they left the isted city, the Immortal ying Army would still be out there.


    Later, Dao Zhen was rewarded in the imperial pce Jinluan Hall, although it was not as expected at the beginning, it was still considered a good oue.


    The old soldiers had fought their whole lives, and although they didn¡¯t see the people from Jiu Province and Immortal Gate resist, now they could return to their fields with the rewards of gold and silver, which was not bad.


    Who knew¡­ it was all just an illusion.


    The rtionship between the Martial Arts League and the Immortal Gate¡¯s Great Dao Sect is unclear, but it is clear that Qin Shiqing clearly sought help from the Great Dao Sect cultivators, transforming into a Taoist soldier with a golden body after "dying anding back to life".


    So, if the court arranges for the people of the isted city to be resettled in the newly established Great Qin Prefecture, wouldn¡¯t it be like leaving the wolf¡¯s den and entering the tiger¡¯s den?


    "No wonder after the truth about the solitary city in the desert came out, the Great Dao Sect didn¡¯t react. They were waiting here all along!"


    Hai Siyuan instinctively clenched his fists, but only felt a deep sense of powerlessness.


    When in the Hundred-mile Desert, the threats from the Immortal Gate cultivators were visible on the surface, no ying tricks, just direct attacks.


    In the outside Jiu Province, the struggle between the Immortal Gate and the Great Yan Imperial Court was in the shadows, making even this old soldier nervous.


    He had lived for over sixty years, most of his life spent trapped in the lonely city, fighting on the battlefield, but he couldn¡¯t understand these visible and hidden conspiracies at all.


    "Elder Lao¡­." Hai Siyuan looked up at Qiao Mu.


    "Elder Lao."


    "Elder Lao." The other old soldiers reacted simrly, their gazes converging on Qiao Mu.


    They all had something to say, but stopped themselves before speaking, hesitating.


    Qiao Shui¡¯s actions made them unconsciously see Qiao Shui as Qiao Shuangsen and others who fought side by side with them in the lonely city.


    Qiao Shuangsen may be an outsider martial artist, but he is more than just arade fighting side by side.


    If it were their usualrades, Hai Siyuan and the others would naturally not hesitate and would immediately speak up, saying that the elderly Qiao family member in front of them should join them to venture into the Great Qin Prefecture, where the Great Dao Sect¡¯s den lies behind.


    But Qiao Shuangsen is already dead, and before them is Qiao Shui.


    So after realizing this, they all held back, not speaking, not making any demands.


    After all, enough Qiao family members have already died, there is no need to bring this elderly man out again.


    If Qiao Shui dies again, wouldn¡¯t they owe the Qiao family even more?


    Qiao Mu is also not a fool and understood the old soldiers¡¯ intentions.


    Honestly, he doesn¡¯t really want to go.


    It was one thing to step forward before, he wouldn¡¯t let the old soldiers die because of him, otherwise it would be unreasonable, but now it¡¯s another matter.


    Once you go to the Great Qin Prefecture, it¡¯s basically a dead end.


    Although Qiao Mu is immortal, he doesn¡¯t want to die for no reason now.


    Dying once means you have to practice martial arts in jail like Qingzhuo Bond for decades, almost like being sentenced, which is really difficult to bear.


    If you have the ability to be immortal and resurrect at full strength after sudden death¡­ would you be willing to work as a secret agent for decades or even centuries, constantly risking sudden death, just to build yourself a luxurious mansion?


    Don¡¯t joke around, once you¡¯ve achieved immortality, who would want to bring trouble upon themselves? Naturally, one would seek a morefortable way of living.


    Practising martial arts in prison for decades is truly dull, it will always be a difficult and arduous process.


    A martial artist¡¯s life cannot only consist of training, just like a worker¡¯s life cannot only be about work, and an author¡¯s life cannot only be about writing. Otherwise, it would be considered a rtively unsessful life.


    With this in mind, Qiao Mu¡¯s attitude was already very obvious.


    "I will go to King Qin¡¯s ce in a couple of days and fire him."


    Don¡¯t be silly, even the Luohan from the Martial Arts League have shown up at our door. Thinking we can close the door and continue rxing, ying with birds and cats in retirement?


    If you want to continue living a retired life, you must have strength surpassing ordinary martial artists like the Earth Sword Immortal from forty years ago and a heart as cold as iron, watching the people in the city die one by one without mercy.


    But even the powerful Earth Sword Immortal could only hide for ten years after the Inhuman War, unable to staypletely uninvolved.


    After ten years, Great Dao Sect Elder Qingzhuo finally came looking for him and locked him in the Hundred-mile Desert to temper his character.


    Luohan is now dead¡­ behind him, there is not only King Qin, but also the Great Dao Sect.


    Behind a Taoist soldier, there must be a cultivator of the immortal path¡­ so the trouble that follows is inevitably caused by the Great Dao Sect.


    Instead of waiting at home for death, it¡¯s better to take the initiative and seek death.

 Chapter 233:

    Chapter 233:


    Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/PazjBDkTmW


    "I will fire King Qin in a few days."


    This was said out loud.


    The old soldiers¡¯ reactions were calm, they were just a bit surprised for a moment before returning to their previous calmness.


    Even though Qiao family member was not just one person, their image in the old soldiers¡¯ minds was well-established.


    Qiao Canxue, who was feeling extremely tired, was startled by the words and couldn¡¯t help but open her eyes again.


    What she saw was still a spirited young man, with a fierce gaze, but the voice she heard sounded quite old.


    This appearance, this posture, made her involuntarily think of the past events in Yan City.


    When Qiao Mu died in battle, Childe Guo came for the coffin, and Old Huang snatched the bowl of Hero Courage Soup, a person iming to be Qiao Lin also returned, threatening Childe Guo with a spear to leave¡­ butter on, she, who was blindfolded, discovered the true identity of Qiao Lin and guessed it must be some kind of disguise.The age difference between Qiao Mu and Qiao Lin was not that big, with Qiao Lin returning as "Elder Brother Qiao Mu".


    But the Qiao Shui in front of them was said to be a man over a hundred years old¡­ No matter how skilled he was in disguises, it was probably impossible for him to hide ws from Hai Siyuan, who was a strong-willed and intuitive martial artist.


    That¡¯s what they say, but Qiao Canxue still held a glimmer of hope in her heart.


    What if¡­ Qiao Mu isn¡¯t dead?


    The thought made her heart beat a little faster, and she couldn¡¯t help but take two steps towards Qiao Mu.


    She wanted to get closer, even closer.


    With these eyes, she tried to see if she could make out the figure of Qiao Shui in front of her.


    She cautiously asked:


    "King Qin is well-known in Zhong Province, his reputation is built on his iron-fisted approach to dealing with dark cultivators, and his role as a martial artist in resolving conflicts with the Inhuman Disaster."


    "ording to the Copper Skin Soldier, King Qin has strong ties with the Great Dao Sect¡­ and his previous reputation was likely boosted with the help of the Great Dao Sect."


    "Not to mention how to kill King Qin, if King Qin really died, it would be like tearing off the hypocritical outeryer of the Great Dao Sect. Then the struggle between immortals and mortals would have no turning back."


    After she finished speaking, she saw that Qiao Mu and the old soldiers were all quietly listening, without any change in expression.


    "When has Jiu Province ever been peaceful? Has Jiu Province really been a time of peace and prosperity for thest forty years? Are there fewer people dying?" Qiao Mu said.


    The Great Yan Imperial Court regards the Nine Immortal Gates as honored guests, pouring all the national resources to support the Immortal Gate. Now the people see them as immortal deities on the altar, and worship them respectfully.


    Forty years ago, during the Inhuman War, one hundred thousand soldiers died.


    In these forty years, the Great Yan imposed heavy taxes, frequent famines urred, the Inhuman Disaster spread everywhere. The once thriving city of Yan in the Nan Province is now empty, with many refugees scattered around Nan and Zhong Provinces.


    Although there were no major wars in Jiu Province for forty years, the number of deaths was much higher than during the Inhuman War period.


    Qiao Canxue didn¡¯t argue back¡­. In fact, she only saw shadows of Qiao Mu in Qiao Shui, and was just testing the waters with her words.


    She continued to probe:


    "But even so, the gap between the immortal path and the martial path needs a long time to catch up."


    While talking, she unconsciously took two steps towards Qiao Mu, as if wanting to get closer, opening her eyes wide to see his face clearly.


    "The immortal path is the great path of ancient and modern times," she said.


    "Since the ancient barbaric era, the ancestor of the path opened the immortal path, guiding the human race to start the path of cultivation. The human race used this to resist natural disasters and fierce beasts and embarked on a path of longevity cultivation."


    "From ancient times to the present, the smartest and most outstanding elites of the human race have followed the immortal path, while the martial path is only the path of cultivation for those without spiritual roots, naturally iparable."


    Speaking of this, Qiao Canxue seemed to realize that she had misspoken. Talking about these things in front of the old martial artist in this mansion seemed a bit thoughtless.


    She exined:


    "Elders, please don¡¯t be upset. Ie from the martial family Qiao Family of Heyang City. Naturally, I don¡¯t look down on martial arts. It¡¯s just that I was blind in both eyes in my early years, had poor aptitude for martial arts, and it was difficult for me to practice martial arts. In order to avenge my family, I had to follow the immortal path and join a branch of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths Immortal Gate¡­"


    Hai Siyuan and others waved their hands; they were not so sensitive as to treat this young girl who switched to cultivating the immortal path with cold eyes.


    After all, General Li Changge¡¯s younger brother, an elderly man who guarded the weapons arsenal of the lonely city, was also a cultivator, and yed a significant role. He once held up Stone City to help them cross the desert.


    "What is the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths Immortal Gate?" Qiao Mu asked.


    It was rare to meet an old friend who had ascended to immortality, and hecked understanding of cultivators on the immortal path, so he naturally had questions.


    "The Nine Heavens and Ten Earths actually refer to the 19 sects in this realm that have inherited the legacy of True Immortals, and have produced ascended beings. Of course, in this current world, no one can ascend anymore."


    Qiao Canxue seemed to understand what Qiao Mu wanted to know, and even without him asking, she continued to talk about the things that mattered most to Qiao Mu.


    Throughout history, those without spiritual roots cannot cultivate immortality.


    Therefore, cultivators on the immortal path are the elites among ordinary people, and the cultivators from the 19 sects of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths are the elite among the elites.


    As we all know, the behinds of many elites are not in the same position as the behinds of ordinary people.


    During times of abundant spiritual energy, it¡¯s fine, as the cake is veryrge, with a big gap between cultivators and ordinary folks. The resources of mortal kingdoms are not even considered by cultivators on the immortal path.


    But as the spiritual energy declined, the overall situation worsened. Everyone had topete for limited resources, without caring about manners.


    The world was like a furnace, and all living beings were trying to survive. Even immortal cultivators with long lifespans were not an exception.


    Immortal cultivators¡¯ first targets were not the Great Yan Imperial Court or ordinary people, but those with simr strength.


    Only when Immortal Qingmu created the "Incense Symbol of Divine Fire," did the Nine Immortal Gates first pay attention to the Great Yan Imperial Court.


    "After the decline of spiritual energy, half of the Neen Immortal Gates with True Immortal heritage were destroyed in battles, losing their foundation and nearly cutting off their inheritance."


    "Of the victorious Nine Immortal Gates in the Immortal Gate battle, each holding a state, including the present Great Dao Sect, Xuantian Sect, and the Nine Immortal Gates."


    "As for our ancestors, many years ago, they inherited part of the Earth Origin Temple, which belonged to the Immortal Gate but was destroyed long ago¡­"


    Qiao Canxue narrated.


    The current Nine Immortal Gates were the winners of the cultivation world after the decline of spiritual energy, where only the fittest survived.


    Ordinary martial artists are at a disadvantage when facing ordinary immortal cultivators, not to mention enemies of the Nine Immortal Gates.


    "In the immortal cultivation path, one can ascend to be an immortal."


    "What can one achieve at the end of the martial cultivation path? Still just a mound of earth after a hundred years." Qiao Canxue looked up at Qiao Mu and asked tentatively:


    "Even knowing the vast difference between immortality and mortality, do you still proceed without hesitation?"


    Qiao Canxue remembered Qiao Mu¡¯s friend with the surname Guo from the past.


    Initially, Yan City Lord Guo Yan was also like a huge mountain in Qiao Mu¡¯s path. He was the ruler of the city, skilled and cunning, while Qiao Mu hadn¡¯t even cultivated any internal strength.


    But he continued without hesitation, without any doubt or dy.


    So, what about this "Qiao Shui" in front of them now?


    Hearing these words, Qiao Mu actually sighed in his heart.


    He wanted to ask if there is a way to cultivate with an Iron Spiritual Root in the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths Immortal Gate. He only has one Iron Spiritual Root. Is it still okay to start cultivating now?


    Of course, he didn¡¯t say that out loud, because Qiao Mu was already a mature and steady 210-year-old man. Saying that to a girl would seem too oily.


    You should do things ording to your age.


    As a mature man, Qiao Mu naturally gave a response suitable for his age:


    "I¡¯ll go and knock him out!"


    "The secret to my longevity is four words: clear mind and thoughts."


    "With a peaceful mind, one can live a long life. This is the principle of our Qiao family!"


    Qiao Canxue was slightly startled, her expression changing for a moment.


    As they chatted, she had already walked up to Qiao Mu and the two were now close.


    "Since Elder Lao is so determined, I have a gift for him."


    From her pocket, Qiao Canxue took out the book "Long Life Fist Sutra" and handed it to Qiao Mu.


    "I am thest member of the Qiao Family in Heyang City, but I have given up martial arts. This book has been collecting dust with me¡­ This book, a secret martial arts manual passed down in my Qiao family, will surely benefit Elder Lao."


    Qiao Mu looked down and was stunned.


    It¡¯s like finding something without searching when you¡¯ve worn out your iron shoes.


    Before obtaining the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra," he had pursued the "Long Life Fist Sutra" diligently. However, once he acquired the former, his interest in thetter faded.


    After all, the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra" can also dy aging, serving as a superior alternative to thetter.


    Qiao Mu always weed martial arts manuals, he had plenty of time.


    As he reached out to take the manual from Qiao Canxue, she not only didn¡¯t let go but also quietly pressed his hand.


    Qiao Mu sighed and thought, "Wow, it¡¯s been so long since west met, but his tastes have changed so much. He looks like an old man now, can he still handle this?"


    When he nced down, he saw Qiao Canxue opening her eyes again, with a nk stare fixed straight at him.


    Vaguely, she seemed to see a ghostly image of a snake with its tail connected, hovering over Qiao Mu¡¯s figure.


    The image came and went quickly, disappearing without a trace in a blink of an eye, as if it were just a dream.


    Qiao Canxue¡¯s newly regained sight had not fully developed, and sometimes she would see things that were hard to understand¡­ Was this time no different?


    She instinctively closed her eyes again, a drop of blood trickling from the corner of her eye. She looked as though she had been hit hard, her face turning pale as she swayed unsteadily, almost falling over.


    Qiao Mu took the Long Life Fist Sutra and found a sturdy chair for her to sit on.


    "Are you hurt?" Qiao Mu and Hai Siyuan exchanged a nce, feeling somewhat helpless.


    They were all martial artists and knew little about mystical injuries, so they were powerless to help her.


    "If you rest your eyes for a bit, Qiao Canxue, you¡¯ll feel better," Qiao Canxue tried hard to open her eyes again, but this time she couldn¡¯t even find the strength to do so.


    She had no choice but to take out a Message Jade Talisman from the storage bag and hold it in her hand.


    About fifteen minutester, a rainbow light silently appeared andnded in the ruined courtyard, transforming into a plump-faced nun, who was Lingling Taoist Priest.


    Lingling Taoist Priest seemed friendly at first, but as soon as she saw Qiao Canxue¡¯s current condition, her expression changed.


    "I told you before, don¡¯t open your eyes too easily¡­ This is not something ordinary people can possess." She sighed softly, took out a bottle of elixir, and fed Qiao Canxue a few pills.


    After doing all this, her expression finally softened a little.


    Her attention remained focused on Qiao Canxue, hardly noticing the nearby old men and Qiao Mu.


    "A member of the Qiao family, known for their longevity in martial arts?" Lingling Taoist Priest nced at Qiao Mu, nodded slightly, as a way of greeting.


    Seeing the Long Life Fist Sutra in Qiao Mu¡¯s hand, Lingling Taoist Priest roughly guessed what it was about.


    "Different paths in the world of martial arts, no need to get too involved¡­ Since all debts are settled, I will leave with the lingering snow."


    After saying this, before Qiao Mu could respond, she had already turned into a rainbow and disappeared into the distance.


    The Great Dao Sect has a base in the Imperial Capital, but she didn¡¯t want to stay there for long.


    Practitioners like Lingling Taoist Priest, who have received the inheritance of the ancient Immortal Gate, have always kept their distance from the flourishing Nine Immortal Gates.


    If it wasn¡¯t for Qiao Canxue¡¯s message, she wouldn¡¯t have risked getting close to the Imperial Capital.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Lingling Taoist Priest arrived quickly and left just as swiftly.


    Without time for farewells, she had already left with Qiao Canxue.


    Holding the Long Life Fist Sutra in his hand, Qiao Mu could still feel the warmth lingering on the ancient scroll.


    Hai Siyuan also bid farewell to the old soldiers.


    The injuries from the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method on Qiao Mu were not something that could be healed in a day or two. They didn¡¯t immediately urge Qiao Mu to set off, but left first.


    There was amotion outside the mansion, it was the bted official constables, but with Hai Siyuan, a third-ranked general present, dealing with the constables was easy. They didn¡¯t let anyone disturb Qiao Mu.


    In the copsed mansion, only Qiao Mu was left.


    He found a somewhat intact chair, leaned against the old tree in the courtyard, and sat down, casually flipping through the "Long Life Fist Sutra" in his hand.


    With a nce, he saw that the sun was already setting and became engrossed, reading for several hours.


    "The Spiritual Refining Chapter of this Long Life Fist Sutra may indeedplement the ¡®Xumi Mountain King Sutra¡¯."


    Qiao Mu was no longer an ordinary person, he possessed nearly two hundred years of martial arts experience, had a wide range of knowledge in martial arts, and had almost mastered them to a high level. He was no longerparable to an ordinary martial artist.


    His mastery of the Xumi Mountain King Sutra surpassed that of the ancestor Hai Wuya by two levels, and he had already perfected the training section of the Long Life Fist Sutra.


    So he immediately saw the extraordinary aspects of the Long Life Fist Sutra Spiritual Refining Chapter at first nce.


    If the Xumi Mountain King Sutra follows the path of open-source, carrying Hai Wuya¡¯s humane beliefs, allowing martial artists to continuously umte qi and blood, pile up earth into mountains, thereby resisting human aging and prolonging life.


    On the other hand, the Long Life Fist Sutra follows a path of conservation, and when practiced to the end, one can live to be over a hundred years old without aging.


    "The qi and blood cultivated from practicing the Xumi Mountain King Sutra are mainly used tobat human aging¡­ If one practices both sutras, relying on the Long Life Fist Sutra to stay young, then¡­"


    Qiao Mu nced at the qi and blood column, the number above was¡­ 21%.


    Could it be that the absolutely smooth frictionless inclined ne is about to appear?

 Chapter 234:

    Chapter 234:


    Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/PazjBDkTmW


    "Hai Wuya, what do you think? If the Xumi Mountain King Sutra and the Long Life Fist Sutra are practiced together, can theyplement each other?"


    Realizing theplementary potential of these two martial arts techniques, Qiao Mu, whose injuries had slightly improved, visited Hai Wuya at the first opportunity.


    Hai Wuya is the ancestor of the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra".


    This cultivation method focuses on cultivating one¡¯s qi and blood, and it has two characteristics.


    The first is that it has very low requirements for one¡¯s aptitude, even those who are less intelligent can still practice it, they would just need more time to cultivate.


    The second is as long as one¡¯s proficiency in the cultivation method keeps up, there is hope for a martial artist to maintain an increase in qi and blood even in theirter years, thereby achieving a certain effect of prolonging their life, leading to a unique state of aging gracefully.


    As for how long the effectsst¡­Qiao Mu really didn¡¯t know, he didn¡¯t feel anything.


    If we categorize using the four paths of power from martial artists, "Xumi Mountain King Sutra" undoubtedly belongs to the path of strength, focusing on training the body¡¯s energy rather than spiritual development.Strengthening the body¡¯s energy and blood makes one stronger and faster, improving physical strength and speed.


    However, human bodies are too weak, only as strong as steel, unable to withstand magical techniques, and their lifespan seems shortpared to cultivators.


    Although Qiao Mu practiced the Xumi Mountain King Sutra, while his energy and blood greatly increased, they also decreased due to aging.


    With gains and losses bncing each other out, maintaining a slow upward trend, it could also be seen as a way to stay "ageless".


    But by adding the "Long Life Fist Sutra," this delicate bnce of slowly increasing energy and blood might be disrupted.


    Hai Wuya looked at the "Long Life Fist Sutra" in his hands, carefully flipping through the pages, lost in thought.


    He didn¡¯t give a clear conclusion, but instead asked:


    "Among all martial artists in the world, forty years ago Earth Sword Immortal was the leader, and forty yearster Martial Saint became the leader."


    "As the top martial artists of thest two generations, even when they were still alive their age had already exceeded eighty years, well into old age¡­ I wonder how these two individuals have dealt with the decline of their strength in their old age?"


    It¡¯smon sense that aging brings weakness, but for Hai Wuya, the question raised by Qiao Mu was too difficult, so he couldn¡¯t answer right away and could only say he would first look at the senior¡¯s answer.


    And indeed Qiao Mu could answer, as he had dealings with these two individuals.


    Earth Sword Immortal had no way to deal with the decline of strength in old age¡­. he simply had no solution.


    When Qiao Mu met Earth Sword Immortal in the deste town, he was no longer as strong as he used to be.


    Due to aging, his energy and blood had severely declined, as for internal strength¡­. he practiced the Pure Yang Wuji Skill which weakened his internal strength, and after years of idleness in the deste town, he had long neglected martial arts, thus he always fell short of his former self.


    Qiao Mu felt that if he didn¡¯t make a big mistake, thirty yearster, he might not need to turn into a sword to make a breakthrough with the Earth Sword Immortal, and he could also possiblypete with Elder Qingzhuo.


    And being a Martial Saint is a different matter altogether.


    "Heyang City¡¯s Qiao Family was wiped out, and the Martial Saint took away the Long Life Fist Sutra¡­ this might be the Martial Saint¡¯s way."


    Remembering the first encounter with the Martial Saint in Nan Province, the Martial Saint looked like a strong martial artist with gray hair but no signs of aging on his face, which indeed matched the achievement of the Long Life Fist, showing "aging gracefully" outwardly.


    "Martial Saint, perhaps relies on the Long Life Fist," Qiao Mu pondered.


    But the Martial Saint didn¡¯t practice the Xumi Mountain King Sutra.


    Because the emergence of the Xumi Mountain King Sutra is a recent event.


    Hai Wuya practiced until the fourth level, while Qiao Mu reached the sixth level. The others had less experience and lower skill levels.


    Even though they knew the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra" was extraordinary, without practicing it themselves, it was difficult to fully understand this martial art.


    In this world, only Qiao Mu has been able to master both of these martial arts to such a high level.


    Hai Wuya started to ponder again and after a long time, he slowly said:


    "Perhaps these two martial arts canplement each other¡­ but it¡¯s just a possibility, not necessarily as perfect as Elder Lao imagines."


    "The ¡®Xumi Mountain King Sutra¡¯ is already an imperfect martial art. Combining it with another martial art may notplement each other, but instead, they could sh and lead to danger¡­ there is a high possibility of that."


    Hai Wuya spoke with caution, not wanting to make any promises.


    Now, he and Qiao Mu were at the forefront of martial arts in the Jiu Province. Although the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra" seemed to pave the way for a new martial art, whether it led to sess or failure was still unknown.


    To find out if this path led to sess, there was only one option ¨C to explore it firsthand.


    Hai Wuya said. Exploring new martial arts is not easy. It requires many practitioners to dedicate years of training and exploration to gradually find a perfected path.


    Qiao Mu listened thoughtfully.


    Many practitioners, a lot of time?


    I wonder if there are enough members in the Qiao family. Are their lifespans long enough?


    "But aren¡¯t these two martial arts techniques both inherited skills of the Qiao family? Why does Elder Lao ask me?" Hai Wuya wondered.


    The Long Life Fist is indeed a martial art passed down in the Qiao family, but not in Qiao Mu¡¯s branch of the family.


    Previously, as "Qiao Shuanglin," Qiao Mu had shared martial arts techniques with Hai Wuya under the guise of family traditions and taught him the perfected "Xumi Mountain King Sutra" that he had refined in his dreams.


    Qiao Mu nodded in agreement, "Yes, these two Qiao family martial arts techniques, one yin and one yang, are the two methods our family has to address ¡®aging and declining strength.¡¯"


    "I just had a wild idea, wanting to merge the two¡­"


    "If this can happen¡­ I wonder how far away the ¡®Human Path Sutra¡¯ that we have been thinking about is."


    Just the mention of the Human Path Sutra made Hai Wuya feel excited.


    He actually saw a possibility of the ¡®Xumi Mountain King Sutra¡¯ evolving into the ¡®Human Path Sutra¡¯ in his lifetime?


    Time!


    After reading the ¡®Long Life Fist Sutra¡¯, Hai Wuya felt that the most important thing now was time.


    If he were given another ten or twenty years toplete the entire ¡®Long Life Fist Sutra¡¯, perhaps he really had hope of deducing the long-awaited ¡®Human Path Sutra¡¯¡­


    No, twenty years wouldn¡¯t be enough, maybe it would take fifty years, a hundred years, or even several hundred years to deduce and perfect it!


    "There is a faint hope in the martial arts world now. I really wish I could live another five hundred years¡­" Hai Wuya coughed lightly, but his face was glowing with a healthy blush.


    Eldest son Hai Siyuan returning from the battlefield after forty years was already a pleasant surprise, and now being able to see such hope only made him feel that his life was fulfilled.


    Next, Qiao Mu copied a version of the "Long Life Fist Sutra" to give to Hai Wuya as a way of returning the favor.


    After leaving the Hai family¡¯s mansion, he immediately prepared to do something¡­ that didn¡¯t involve practicing martial arts.


    Why bother practicing martial arts in life, when you can do itfortably in the afterlife.


    Although the "Long Life Fist Sutra" was good, his body was injured from the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, his meridians were damaged, and it would take several days for him to recover. Practicing new martial arts with a damaged body was like asking for trouble.


    Several days for recovery was already exaggerated¡­ After all, in Wang Songhe¡¯s eyes, it would take ten years or even several decades to recover from the meridian injury caused by the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    "Dad, is your hand healed? When are we going to the Great Qin Prefecture? To expose the true face of the inhuman Great Dao Sect?"


    In a small house in the Imperial Capital, Hu Wan was practicing martial arts in the courtyard, while also reminding Hu Han beside her.


    Hu Wan seemed very energetic, ever since the day she encountered the Copper Body Arhat on the street and faced a life-threatening situation for the first time, she had changed almostpletely.


    These past few days, knowing that he was not strong enough, he practiced diligently every day while also reminding Hu Han to do the same.


    This left Hu Han feeling puzzled and amused.


    His daughter had a lot inmon with him when he was young, being straightforward, quick-tempered, and causing some trouble with her sharp tongue and impatience.


    A few days ago, she tried to stop Copper Body Arhat from chasing Qiao Mu in the street, but was scared silly on the spot by a stone thrown by Luohan.


    At first, Hu Han was worried that his daughter might be traumatized by the incident, but he was surprised to see her bounce back so quickly, maybe even a little too quickly.


    "Dad, I¡¯ve learned my lesson, I¡¯m not the same as before¡­ I won¡¯t make the same mistake again. So, when are we going to Great Qin Prefecture?" Hu Wan urged once again.


    She clenched her fists, the embarrassment from a few days ago fresh in her memory. She silently vowed never to back down again.


    Hu Han could only smile wryly.


    "Child, too much of anything is not good," he said with a wry smile.


    "You used to be a good child, you used to do heroic and kind deeds."


    "The good deeds you did before won¡¯t lose their shine just because you feel more aware now."


    "Once you have a realization, feeling that you were too naive and silly before is a good thing, but you don¡¯t have to be so extreme about it, orpletely separate yourself from the past."


    At that moment, an old voice could be heard from outside the door.


    "Well said."


    "Only a little devil would keep saying ¡®I¡¯ve grown up¡¯, ¡®I¡¯m more aware now¡¯, ¡®I¡¯m different from before¡¯."


    Going to a new and unfamiliar ce, starting a new chapter in life, feeling like you¡¯ve grown, wanting to draw a line between your old self and the present¡­ these are all things young people like to do.


    "So, Hu Han, when are you nning to go to Great Qin Prefecture?" the old voice asked slowly.


    Hu Han looked surprised, then Qiao Mu entered by pushing the door.


    And behind Qiao Mu, there were also several older soldiers including Hai Siyuan.


    "Elder Lao?" Hu Han asked in surprise.


    It didn¡¯t surprise him that Qiao Mu could find his residence in the Imperial Capital¡­ he was just curious about the reason for Qiao Mu¡¯s visit.


    "I heard you mention before, that behind Great Qin Prefecture, it seems like there are cultivators up to mischief?" Qiao Mu asked.


    When he went to Great Qin Prefecture this time, it wasn¡¯t just to deal with a simple King Qin.


    Qin Shiqing was a Taoist soldier trained by the Immortal Gate, so if there are Taoist soldiers, there must be cultivators as well.


    Great Qin Prefecture is a newly established city, so it is quite vast. Instead of rushing in like headless flies, it¡¯s better to make some preparations first.


    "Exactly," Hu Han said solemnly.


    "Before the mountain torrent broke out in Cangshe County of Great Qin Prefecture, I once encountered what seemed like inhuman beings from the Great Dao Sect¡­"


    "One female cultivator, known to others as¡­ Immortal Master Dao Xu."


    Dao Xu?


    Qiao Mu was shocked. He had once saved this nun at the market in Imperial Capital, which was a life-saving favor between them.


    Qiao Mu values loyalty a lot, so he felt obligated to repay the favor.


    But soon, Qiao Mu realized something was wrong.


    "After the Inhuman Disaster at the market in Imperial Capital, I remember that the Immortal Gate Great Dao Sect had punished Dao Xu by making her reflect on her actions facing a wall for ten years. Is that correct?" Qiao Mu asked.


    Hu Han smirked awkwardly and chuckled twice, without saying a word.


    Seeing Hu Han¡¯s reaction, Qiao Mu fell silent.


    Perhaps the ten-year reflection punishment by the sect was just a show for the public? Or to give some respect to the Great Yan Imperial Court?


    "Elder Lao, that day in Cangshe County, not only the strange Dao Xu appeared, but also a martial artist called ¡®Iron Wolf¡¯ who is at the 2nd level of Spiritual Refining Period," exined Hu Han.


    "¡¯Iron Wolf¡¯ is a notorious thief wanted by the government, skilled in lightness skills and w techniques. He used to be my rival before he reached the 2nd level of Spiritual Refining Period. We fought several times," Hu Han shared.


    "To get rid of Iron Wolf, I made some preparations¡­ Elder Lao, please look," Hu Han said.


    Hu Han took out a small bottle from the cab in the room, which had a small hole for air to pass through. Inside the bottle was a tiny insect the size of a fingernail.


    "This is called a ¡®Fragrant Insect.¡¯ The ce where this strange insect stays for a long time will have a scent that no one can smell, not even sensitive martial artists, only the Fragrant Insect can detect it," Hu Han exined.


    "Iron Wolf¡¯s body was sabotaged with powder made from Fragrant Insect. This scent won¡¯t go away for a month or two, so once in the Great Qin Prefecture, it would be easy to track Iron Wolf using this Fragrant Insect," Hu Han borated.


    "If we find Iron Wolf, we might also find Dao Xu," Hu Han added.


    Qiao Mu pondered. Iron Wolf? Dao Xu always looks down on martial artists. How can this 2nd level Spiritual Refining Period Iron Wolf qualify to be with Dao Xu, who is a senior disciple?


    Most likely, Iron Wolf is like the Copper Body Arhat, also a Taoist soldier of the Martial Arts League, probably at the 2nd level of the tough Taoist soldiers.


    The Copper Skin Soldier is made from Cloud Patterns Mountain Copper, a type of material used for making 2nd rank Taoist soldiers. Perhaps it is made from another kind of immortal material.


    Qiao Mu also wanted to stop and focus on practicing the Spiritual Refining Chapter of the "Long Life Fist Sutra", but he doesn¡¯t have the time right now. The Long Life Fist Sutra is a top-notch technique that requires years to master.


    It¡¯s better to practice after death than to die in vain.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    Great Qin Prefecture, Cangshe County.


    A pale-faced Taoist man chuckled strangely. With a hand gesture, he conjured a ball of Etching Bones Li Fire, causing destruction everywhere it went. The sound of cries filled the air.


    The cries didn¡¯tst long before abruptly stopping. Mortals usually cannot survive under the influence of Etching Bones Li Fire for more than a few breaths.


    Amidst the cries, a strong voice suddenly rang out like thunder:


    "How dare you cause trouble within Great Qin Prefecture!" eximed Iron Wolf.


    A strong middle-aged martial artist leaped up and fiercely fought the white-faced Taoist for dozens of rounds. In the end, with a pair of iron fists, he broke through the mes and pierced the old man¡¯s body.


    "It¡¯s one of King Qin¡¯s four great generals, the Iron Wolf general!" Some people recognized the neer and cheered in excitement.


    "Martial artists can really defeat those evil inhumans, there is hope for martial arts¡­" Some people who had practiced martial arts were so excited that tears welled up in their eyes.


    "After so many years, I actually witnessed ¡®Using Martial Arts to Defeat Immortals¡¯¡­"


    "We martial artists will also have a day to confront the immortals."


    Iron Wolf appeared quite graceful, afterforting the people of Cangshe County, he quickly used his light skills to leave.


    "Having finished the task, he left without seeking fame or credit, truly a great hero¡­"


    "After all, as one of King Qin¡¯s generals, in a vast ce like Great Qin Prefecture, relying on these few martial artists who integrate martial arts with Taoism to deal with inhuman disasters and natural cmities, it is still quite challenging."


    "The Iron Wolf general left in haste, perhaps he is entangled in other important matters?"


    Amidst the discussions, Iron Wolf disappeared without a trace.


    ¡­¡­¡­..


    After a moment, he appeared in the deserted mountains and respectfully greeted the female cultivator Dao Xu who was waiting there.


    "Using Martial Arts to Defeat Immortals¡­ such a boring act, mortals never seem to get tired of it," Dao Xu scoffed.


    "It¡¯s just wishful thinking of mortals. Martial arts simply cannotpare to the immortals, that¡¯s why they have such fantasies," Iron Wolf chuckled.


    It¡¯s a joke. If martial arts could keep up with immortality, why would he abandon his physical body to practice the Golden Body Technique?


    The pale-faced Taoist from earlier was just a puppet controlled by Dao Xu.


    For months, Dao Xu had performed many simr ys in Great Qin Prefecture, and she was tired of it, feeling a bit annoyed.


    "It¡¯s rare to leave the Introspection Cliff sect, only to be sent to such a boring ce like Great Qin City¡­ it¡¯s not fun."


    "Even though I left Introspection Cliff, my master forbade me from entering Great Yan Imperial Capital for ten years, from looking for Dao Zhen, and advised me to hide my identity using disguises, and not using the name ¡®Dao Xu¡¯¡­ Then what am I supposed to do outside?"


    Dao Xu shook her head and chuckled quietly.


    Elder Qingzhuo is a senior member of the Great Dao Sect responsible for mundane affairs, and yed a significant role in establishing the Martial Arts League and the enfeoffment of King Qin.


    There is much work to be done in Great Qin City to establish the Earthly Immortal Kingdom that the sect desires, and it will not happen overnight.


    After putting in so much effort to cultivate a "King Qin," even enlisting the help of senior disciples like Dao Xu, it is clear that the Great Dao Sect has big ns in motion.


    Boosting King Qin¡¯s reputation and that of those on the path from martial arts to enlightenment are crucial steps in building the Earthly Immortal Kingdom.


    "My master insists on sending me to Great Qin Prefecture for these menial tasks. If I had known earlier, I wouldn¡¯t have left Introspection Cliff¡­"


    While Dao Xu was feeling irritated, she suddenly had an idea and furrowed her brow as she retrieved a jade token from her storage bag.


    The Taoist soldier who has mastered the "Golden Body Technique," while having what appears to be free will, is not a puppet like a bean soldier or a paper man, but fundamentally, is still under the control of the Immortal Gate.


    Holding this jade talisman in her hand, Dao Xu suddenly realized something.


    "The former protector of King Qin, Copper Body Arhat, has already passed away?" Dao Xu frowned.


    "Who was behind this? Did the other Eight Immortal Gates turn a blind eye and secretly plot?"


    She didn¡¯t even consider the possibility that an ordinary martial artist had killed Luohan, as cultivators always fought against other cultivators, not martial artists.

 Chapter 235:

    Chapter 235:


    Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/PazjBDkTmW


    Great Qin Prefecture is a newly established city.


    Previously, it was a city that suffered greatly from the Inhuman Disaster, with half of the city destroyed by thunder, causing many deaths and discing numerous refugees.


    The imperial court decided to rebuild this half-ruined city into a new prefecture, as King Qin¡¯s domain.


    Over the past few months, there has been a flurry of activity in Great Qin City. When Qiao Mu arrived on the outskirts of the city, he saw a bustling scene.


    It was noon, and most of the buildings along the road were under construction.


    The houses in this outskirts area were mostly wooden or thatched houses, but there were many pedestrians passing by, including hardworking craftsmen andborers, making this new city quite lively.


    "Mr. Li Gongde is giving out porridge¡­" Someone under a shade by the road was banging a copper gong, the sound traveling far along the street.


    Soon, there were even more pedestrians on the street, rushing like a tide."There should be rules for giving out this porridge." The middle-aged official holding the copper gong said loudly:


    "This porridge is only for the elderly, young, women, and children, not forzy or idle men."


    "Our Great Qin Prefecture doesn¡¯t support idlers. If there are young and strong individuals, there are plenty of job opportunities within the city. Don¡¯t cause trouble here; it will spoil Mr. Li Gongde¡¯s goodwill."


    Although there were many people in the crowd, quite a few officials overseeing the porridge distribution were watching the line. At first nce, the situation was surprisingly orderly; everyone was patiently waiting in line, and there were no able-bodied men trying to take advantage of the situation.


    "So this is how Great Qin Prefecture is?" Qiao Mu was quite surprised.


    After parting ways at Anxi Pass, the old man from the arsenal led a group of elderly and children from the lonely city to settle in the newly established Great Qin Prefecture.


    Qiao Mu, Hai Siyuan, and others thought that since the Great Qin Prefecture was connected to the Great Dao Sect Immortal Gate, the people from the lonely city might face danger and persecution, simr to their past experiences in the Hundred-mile Desert.


    However, when they arrived, they realized that their expectations werepletely wrong.


    The old man from the arsenal, with only half of his face remaining, shook his head and said. If it wasn¡¯t for Elder Lao and Captain Hai¡­


    "Oh yes, now we have to call him General Hai¡­ If you hadn¡¯t informed me about this, I wouldn¡¯t have believed the connection between the Great Qin Prefecture and the Great Dao Sect."


    Qiao Mu didn¡¯te to the Great Qin Prefecture alone.


    Along with him from the Imperial Capital were Hu Han and his daughter, as well as Hai Siyuan and some other soldiers.


    Knowing that the Great Qin Prefecture was a dangerous ce, it wouldn¡¯t be easy for Qiao Mu to take the elderly and children from the lonely city back. He couldn¡¯t do it alone.


    Hundreds, even thousands, of elderly, children, and women followed the old man from the arsenal to the Great Qin Prefecture. If Qiao Mu came alone, it would take him a long time to gather everyone.


    "Elder Lao, is this news reliable?" The old man from the arsenal frowned and couldn¡¯t help asking.


    If someone else had said this, he definitely wouldn¡¯t believe it.


    Their life in Great Qin City over the past month was much better than the uncertain days in the solitary city in the desert. It was like night and day.


    The solitary city in the desert was a Sect Secret Realm created by the Great Dao Sect, while Great Qin Prefecture, a bustling new city, also established by the Great Dao Sect, the gap between the two is too big¡­


    The old man from the arsenal didn¡¯t distrust Qiao Mu and Hai Siyuan, but he dared not believe them.


    "The hustle and bustle of Great Qin Prefecture might just be superficial. After all, who knows if one drinks this soup, their soul might be sold to the Immortal Gate." Qiao Mu casually remarked.


    "Who is Mr. Li Gongde, the one who gave porridge to the people, is he someone under themand of King Qin?"


    "Li Gongde is a very wealthy man from Zhong Province," exined the old man of the arsenal.


    "I heard that among the four rich merchants in the Imperial Capital now, he, Li Gongde, ranks second¡­"


    "Li Gongde seemed to believe in doing good deeds. Even though he was very rich in Zhong Province, he often helped Great Yan Imperial Court with disaster relief in the name of umting merits."


    "Originally, he was in the Imperial Capital, but he heard about the reconstruction of Great Qin Prefecture and came here specially for it."


    Very rich?


    It was a coincidence that among the four wealthy people in the Imperial Capital, Qiao Mu happened to know one named Wan Ronghua.


    Although Wan Ronghua didn¡¯t mention it, his family descendants were very generous. Part of the money Qiao Mu used to buy a house in the Imperial Capital was raised by this generous person.


    "The Wan family reportedly has a background in immortal ways and has connections with the prestigious Great Dao Sect," Qiao Mu pondered.


    In this era dominated by the Nine Immortal Gates, even the Great Yan Imperial Court is somewhat influenced by the Immortal Gates, not to mention wealthy merchants.


    Wealthy merchants like Wan Ronghua naturally recruit Spirit Refining martial artists as offerings to please the Immortal Gates.


    Therefore, Qiao Mu spected that Li Gongde, who came all the way from the Imperial Capital to Great Qin Prefecture, might also have ties to the Immortal Gates.


    At that moment, the crowd started to get excited.


    "Herees Mr. Li Gongde¡­"


    "Is Mr. Li personallying over to distribute porridge?"


    Qiao Mu followed the voice and saw a round-faced prosperous middle-aged maning around the street corner, apanied by several well-built bodyguards with bulging temples.


    Li Gongde looked prosperous, with a friendly face and a faint smile on his lips, looking like a kind and gentle person, resembling aughing Buddha.


    With the arrival of Li Gongde, all eyes were on him. People of all ages in the queue were grateful, thanking him as he passed by.


    Li Gongde was down-to-earth, stopping by the roadside to chat with the poor people waiting in line for porridge. After the conversation, a middle-aged councilor behind him quickly stepped forward to give some silver coins to the poor people Li Gongde had spoken to ¨C who naturally felt grateful once again.


    Li Gongde¡¯s face beamed with joy. He was not only there to distribute porridge, but also to visit andfort the craftsmen andborers in the outskirts of the city.


    This scene was reminiscent of the leaders Qiao Mu had seen in his past life inspecting work on the front line, except for one difference¡­ Li Gongde always had a few middle-aged counselors by his side. After praising theborers, Li Gongde would directly give them some silver coins.


    A lively child who spreads wealth while walking.


    The power of money is greater than mere praise.


    Li Gongde gave away a lot of money on his journey, and the poor andborers visibly brightened up with smiles, truly inspiring.


    "Is he really here to earn merit?" Qiao Mu thought to himself.


    After Li Gongde left, Qiao Mu and Hai Siyuan discussed how to discreetly evacuate the helpless in the city.


    Their next target was King Qin and the powerful cultivators of the Great Dao Sect behind him.


    If the women and children in the city were still there, they would have been more cautious.


    "I wish I could crush King Qin to pieces¡­" Qiao Mu felt the urge, but held back.


    King Qin¡¯s Mansion was easy to find in the center of the city, and Qiao Mu understood the saying ¡®catch the thief by catching the leader¡¯.


    But the "Íõ" of this Great Qin Prefecture is not actually King Qin, but a cultivator behind King Qin.


    It¡¯s not about strength, but King Qin is essentially a Taoist soldier, even if he is powerful, he is ultimately inferior to a true cultivator.


    So, the "Íõ" that Qiao Mu needs to kill first is actually Dao Xu.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    Half a dayter.


    Qiao Mu sat inside a wooden house, closing his eyes and resting.


    Although it seemed like he was resting, strangely, his body was subtly moving, slightly undting with each breath, and a warm mist was rising from the top of his head.


    After a while, he opened his eyes.


    "The injuries in the meridians from the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method are almost healed," Qiao Mu sighed in relief and clenched his fist.


    Now that he was fully recovered, it meant he could continue using the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method.


    Right at that moment, there was a knock on the door of the cottage, and in came two travelers wearing straw hats, who were none other than Hu Han and his daughter.


    "Elder Lao, I have located the whereabouts of the ¡®Iron Wolf¡¯," said Hu Han as he took off his straw hat, his expression turning serious.


    "He and his men are hiding in the mansion on the east side of the city recently purchased by Li Gongde."


    With the help of the "Fragrant Insect" he had prepared beforehand, he was going to locate his former rival, Iron Wolf, effortlessly.


    However, Dao Xu¡¯s presence was unexpected to him, so he didn¡¯t act rashly, but instead quickly contacted Qiao Mu as per their previous agreement.


    "Is this matter really rted to that Li Gongde?"


    Qiao Mu had thoughts racing through his mind, but he simply nodded without showing any emotions on his face.


    The timing was just right ¨C his injuries had only just healed when he received news from Dao Xu, like being on the brink of despair and having someone offer a helping hand, very caring.


    "Do you have any news about the Great Dao Sect¡¯s Dao Xu? Is she with Iron Wolf?" Qiao Mu asked.


    Hu Han looked troubled on his face.


    "I¡¯ve heard about the appearance of inhuman beings before, but I haven¡¯t seen them with my own eyes in the past few days."


    Qiao Mu nodded in understanding.


    "Instead of waiting for the right moment, I¡¯ll just go now." Qiao Mu decisively stood up.


    "Wait." Hu Wan, Hu Han¡¯s daughter, suddenly spoke up at this moment.


    "It is very dangerous for a martial artist to fight against inhuman beings. Although I have modest strength, I don¡¯t want to see the Qiao family members in danger."


    "Elder Lao, let me go with you."


    Before she could finish speaking, Hu Han¡¯s expression changed.


    "This is a dangerous situation¡­ Your martial arts skills are not high enough, what can you do if you go?"


    "It¡¯s precisely because it¡¯s dangerous that I want to go." Hu Wan gritted her teeth, looking determined as if she had made up her mind.


    Qiao Mu stood quietly by, watching the father and daughter argue while yawning.


    He actually had some impression of Hu Han¡¯s daughter¡­


    "Kid, risking your life shouldn¡¯t be done like this." Suddenly Qiao Mu interrupted.


    Hu Wan was slightly taken aback.


    Hu Han and his daughter had been saved by a member of the Qiao family in the past. They both admired the Qiao family, so when Qiao Mu spoke, they temporarily stopped arguing.


    Qiao Mu continued, saying:


    "Were you ashamed because you were scared by a stone thrown by Luohan in Imperial Capital before, feeling fearful in the face of life and death crisis?"


    Hu Wan opened her mouth but couldn¡¯t say anything back.


    "What a clever child," Qiao Mu shook his head.


    This girl is full of bravery and wants to prove herself, so she decided to follow him and challenge the dangerous Dao Xu.


    "Why are you following me? Are you trying to do good deeds and help people, or are you trying to show off your bravery and act like a hero?"


    "If it¡¯s the first one, then you shouldn¡¯t havee," Qiao Mu¡¯s eyes showed a hint of reminiscence.


    He may have looked old but not in spirit, yet in front of this girl, he remembered the past events in Yan City as if he was an old man.


    He remembered how he fought to protect Old Huang by targeting a servant carrying a coffin instead of Guo Yan during a battle with Childe Guo.


    "Saving someone is harder than hurting them."


    "Instead of satisfying your own desires, it¡¯s better to apany your father and take care of more women and children outside the city for a few days."


    Hu Wan¡¯s lips twitched, as if she wanted to argue, but in the end she didn¡¯t say anything.


    Prove oneself? Fulfilling a hero dream?


    Given Qiao family¡¯s seniority and reputation in the martial world, she didn¡¯t want to challenge Hu Han like she did.


    Qiao Mu didn¡¯t expect a few words to change the child¡¯s mind. He wasn¡¯t a sage who enlightens people or interested in being a life mentor.


    Saying the words, whether she listens or not, he won¡¯t let the young girl follow him.


    Iron Wolf should have be a Taoist warrior, no longer someone Hu Han can handle.


    The physical body of a martial artist can¡¯t face the immortal Golden Steel Body directly. It seems only through Qiao Mu¡¯s profound internal strengthbined with the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method¡­


    So not to mention Hu Wan, even her father, and the old soldiers like Hai Siyuan, can¡¯t be of much help.


    After getting the information about Iron Wolf and the mansion from Hu Han, Qiao Mu took Hu Han¡¯s Fragrant Insect Bottle and left alone.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    On a dark night with a strong wind, at midnight.


    On the edge of the roof of Li Gongde¡¯s house on the east side of the city.


    A dark figure was running on the roof, moving swiftly like the wind, but with slightly heavy footsteps, breaking a tile as he stepped on it, creating a faint sound in the night.


    With Qiao Mu¡¯s perfected Shadow Step technique, which was as silent as walking on snow, if he wanted to hide his presence, not even a sound would be heard.


    In fact, he did it on purpose, ying the role of a night fisherman.


    Hu Han¡¯s Fragrant Insect Bottle could help him track down the Iron Wolf, but what Qiao Mu really wanted to find was Dao Xu, who was behind the Iron Wolf.


    So, he decided to act like a clumsy thief to lure out Dao Xu.


    Before long, another agile figure silently leaped onto the roof in the dark night.


    The person was not as big and strong as Copper Body Arhat, but he had a pair of long and deep eyes that seemed to glow like a wild beast in the dark. He was the Iron Wolf that Hu Han mentioned.


    "Who¡¯s this gentleman on the beam, trying to steal from me?" Iron Wolf smirked at Qiao Mu from a few steps away on the eaves, then suddenly became serious and saluted.


    "Praying Mantis Fist, Iron Wolf."


    Still using that move?


    Qiao Mu casually saluted back.


    "Long Life Fist, Qiao Shui."


    Before the words had even finished, Iron Wolf¡¯s eyes narrowed, and he swiftly lunged towards Qiao Mu as he responded.


    There was a sharp ringing sound.


    His wrists split open, revealing a long de that popped out from the flesh, glinting coldly in the moonlight like a mantis de, pointed straight at Qiao Mu¡¯s throat.


    "Cyberpunk martial artist still pretending to be a traditional martial artist?" Qiao Mu thought to himself.

 Chapter 236:

    Chapter 236:


    Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/PazjBDkTmW


    The de on Iron Wolf¡¯s wrist glinted coldly, like a thunderbolt cutting through the night sky, aimed at Qiao Mu¡¯s throat.


    Simr to the previous Copper Body Arhat, his de was simply fast and strong, without any internal strength.


    After abandoning his ordinary flesh, Iron Wolf used his martial arts skill at the 2nd rank of Spiritual Refining Period to control his iron body, bing even stronger than when he was a regr martial artist.


    Despite his speed, Qiao Mu had also reached the 2nd rank of Spiritual Refining Period.


    Although he tried to sneak attack, Qiao Mu¡¯s intuition allowed him to predict and dodge the attack with a quick step back.


    "Faster than the previous Copper Body Arhat? Is this the characteristic of a 2nd rank Iron Bone Taoist soldier?"


    This thought crossed Qiao Mu¡¯s mind.


    Copper Body Arhat possessed immense strength and a body as hard as Cloud Patterns Mountain Copper, almost equivalent to a humanoid magic treasure, making it challenging to confront even before using the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method.But his speed was not as fast as usual¡­ faster than an ordinary Spirit Refining martial artist, but he still couldn¡¯t catch up to him.


    The Iron Wolf in front of him was different.


    Although he attacked first, his speed was only slightly faster than Qiao Mu¡¯s.


    They were both at the 2nd rank of Spiritual Refining Period, and their speeds were simr, which meant that Qiao Mu couldn¡¯t escape as easily as he did when facing the Copper Body Arhat.


    "It¡¯s not time for the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method yet¡­"


    Qiao Mu let his mind go nk, moving like a ghost on the eaves, blending with the night breeze.


    The Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method was not longsting, and Qiao Mu didn¡¯t intend to trade his own life for a Taoist soldier¡¯s life.


    What if he appeared too strong and scared off Dao Xu?


    His target was the cultivator Dao Xu, so his n was to¡­ startle the snake in the grass.


    First, Qiao Mu fought with the Iron Wolf without using the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, to show he was a strong opponent that the Iron Wolf couldn¡¯t handle, which might alert the people behind the Iron Wolf.


    "This is a bit difficult¡­"


    Qiao Mu dodged to the side, narrowly missing the long de in the Iron Wolf¡¯s hand, leaving a long bloodstain.


    The injury was minor, no direct hit, but it made Qiao Mu more cautious.


    "He¡¯s almost as fast as me, but since this Iron Wolf is a tough Taoist soldier, he might be stronger than the Copper Body Arhat¡­. In other words, as an ordinary martial artist with flesh and blood, I probably can¡¯t withstand his attacks head-on."


    Before using the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, Qiao Mu was in a precarious situation, relying on his instincts to dodge constantly, asionally releasing internal strength with a Fragmented Virtual Finger strike towards the Iron Wolf, but it only resulted in a few dull thuds with no effect.


    Fighting with the Iron Wolf was like dancing on the edge of a knife, but for a Spirit Refining martial artist, the battle was not just about techniques and power, but also about mental strength and willpower.


    "Iron Wolf, more like a mantis than a wolf."


    "Look at yourself, you¡¯ve forsaken your physical body and all the hard-earned internal strength, what kind of martial artist are you now? You¡¯re walking the wrong path," Qiao Mu shouted.


    But Iron Wolf didn¡¯t care.


    "The path of a martial artist is too narrow," he said with a slow smile spreading across his face.


    "The mortal body is too fragile."


    "The skin is not tough enough, as one ages, the blood flow decreases, strength declines, and the body weakens."


    "After practicing martial arts for decades, one still ends up aging and weakening like ordinary people, eventually losing teeth and bing unable to walk."


    In the moonlight, his upper body clothes suddenly tore open.


    Beneath his tough body, long des emerged alternately from under the skin, glinting with a chilling light.


    Not only did he have long des on his wrists, but astonishingly he had a total of ten long des distributed across various parts of his body.


    "I am exploring the limits of martial arts! How could you, an old conventionalist, understand?"


    "My powerful and beautiful posture now¡­"


    "This is the symbol of martial arts in the new era!"


    Iron Wolf leaped, moving as fast as the wind and spinning like a top, as ten long des struck out in turns.


    "New Praying Mantis Fist ¨C Cross Hand Strike."


    His ten long des didn¡¯t swing randomly, but followed a pattern, coordinating with each other to strike from different angles, surrounding Qiao Mu.


    For a moment, Qiao Mu felt like he was not fighting one person, but being attacked by seven or eight people. The alternating strikes of the long des made him run for his life, as he was grazed on the side again, leaving another blood mark.


    "Iron Wolf, do you know what you are? You are just a soldier in the hands of a cultivator!" Qiao Mu shouted as he dodged.


    "What? I¡¯m just a soldier?"


    Iron Wolf was shocked by Qiao Mu¡¯s words, his mind in turmoil. He looked at his hands, realizing his inhuman nature toote, his face shrouded in shadows in the darkness, making it hard to see his expression.


    "I am a soldier of the Taoist n, I can¡¯t believe I am a Taoist soldier¡­" he murmured, looking distressed, but secretly raising a knife in his hand.


    But in the next moment, he suddenly leaped, moving like lightning, turning into a ck shadow in the wind, the de in his hand shining coldly. His face was no longer uncertain but cold and hard.


    "So what if I am a Taoist soldier? In today¡¯s world, how can ordinary people fare well?"


    The long de sliced through the night sky, aiming not only at Qiao Mu¡¯s body but also shing through the roof under his feet as if it were brittle twigs.


    Suddenly, with no time for Qiao Mu to dodge instinctively, in the next moment, his feet slipped, and he fell down along with the shattered tiles.


    Amidst the resounding sound of shattering, Qiao Mu felt like something shattered behind him, and his entire back was soaked in cold water.


    He quickly stood up, looking around, only to realize that he was now in a spacious warehouse.


    The warehouse was quite roomy, with water barrels ced all around, dozens of them.


    When Qiao Mu fell down, he smashed two or three water jars, causing water to spill all over the floor, and a few fish were flipping and struggling in the water puddles on the ground.


    "Are all these dozens of water tanks used to raise fish?"


    Qiao Mu was puzzled but didn¡¯t think much of it, assuming that the wealthy merchant Li Gongde was also involved in aquaculture.


    In the next moment, Iron Wolf¡¯s figure had already pounced forward.


    "Shadow Sword." Qiao Mu¡¯s face was serious, he leaped onto the edge of the water tank, and with a flick of his long sword, under the moonlight, it seemed as if hundreds of sword shadows emerged.


    This was the sword technique of the former Yan City Lord Guo Yan, focusing on intricate and exquisite moves, with sword shadows constantly changing in countless ways.


    The Shadow Transformation Sword Technique had been perfected over the past two centuries. When Qiao Mu unleashed this sword, the room was filled with countless changing sword shadows, even more so than the ten long des in Iron Wolf¡¯s hands.


    Even Iron Wolf¡¯s expression changed slightly. His ten long des continuously swung, but they only cut through air, not reaching Qiao Mu¡¯s sword.


    Despite the multitude of sword shadows, the real sword was ultimately just the one in his hand.


    His long sword infused with internal strength, the hundreds of sword shadows converged into one, piercing Iron Wolf¡¯s chest and abdomen with a single sword thrust.


    But the sword only pierced about three or four inches, making Iron Wolf stumble for a moment before regaining his bnce. He then swung his longer de again, and unexpectedly chopped Qiao Mu¡¯s sword into three or four pieces in one swift motion. The broken pieces ttered into the water tank at their feet, causing the tank to shatter from the powerful impact.


    "He¡¯s also a tough guy, if he was just a normal fighter, he would have been dead a long time ago.." Qiao Mu¡¯s gaze turned slightly icy.


    If he hadn¡¯t let go of the sword in time, he might have lost his arm.


    Meanwhile, urgent footsteps could be heard outside the warehouse, followed by the voices of the household servants.


    "Master, you can¡¯t go in, there¡¯s an assassin inside!"


    "Iron Wolf, the warrior, is currently fighting with the assassin¡­"


    "Out of the way! Move!"


    The warehouse doors burst open, and a chubby, wealthy-looking middle-aged man walked out, none other than Li Gongde, whom Qiao Mu had seen before.


    As Li Gongde entered the room, he saw the shattered water tank on the floor, with a few struggling fish in the puddle, causing his eyes to widen in shock.


    "Oh my goodness¡­."


    "Li Gongde, stop crying. If someone tries to harm you, I will protect you." Iron Wolf noticed Qiao Mu¡¯s gaze shifting towards Li Gongde and coldly snorted.


    Li Gongde holds a high position, which is crucial for rebuilding the city. That¡¯s why King Qin ordered him to protect this person¡¯s safety.


    But in the end, he¡¯s just a regr man who happens to be very rich.


    Iron Wolf, as an Iron Bone Warrior under King Qin¡¯smand, believes he is not on the same level as Li Gongde. So, if Qiao Mu tried to harm him, Iron Wolf wouldn¡¯t be too concerned.


    "Don¡¯t delude yourself. These fish were just bought from the market. Even if you release them tomorrow, what good deed does it really count as?"


    This Li Gongde, is quite a peculiar person.


    He is a wealthy man from Zhong Province, but he values doing good deeds. He often talks about doing good and being virtuous, and over the years, who knows how much wealth he has donated.


    If he didn¡¯t repeatedly donate his wealth, he wouldn¡¯t be the second richest merchant in the Imperial Capital. Perhaps he would have been the wealthiest in Zhong Province, leading in wealth and influence.


    The fish in these storerooms were actually bought by him from the fishmonger at the market, but instead of eating them, he released them back into the wild. He told others he was umting good karma, hoping to be a immortal in a hundred years¡­


    Li Gongde also had a cold expression towards Iron Wolf and snorted:


    "Don¡¯t bark, do you understand the saying ¡®Do not disregard small acts of kindness¡¯?"


    "And you¡­ if you can¡¯t even defeat this martial artist who is ruining my karma, when I inform the immortal leader, once she knows you are useless, will you still survive?"


    "Who are you calling Iron Wolf?" Iron Wolf¡¯s anger red up, his attacking stance bing even faster, almost imprable.


    Li Gongde didn¡¯t respond this time, he actually knew the situation was dangerous, just hesitated at the door, not daring to approach Qiao Mu and the other person already fighting at the other end of the storeroom.


    The storeroom was spacious, and the water tank was far from Qiao Mu. So, he urged the servants beside him, "What are you waiting for? Save my good karma fish, they can¡¯t die easily."


    The servants looked at each other and with courage, walked slowly towards the tank, picking up a few fish that were still alive on the ground and throwing them back into the intact water tank.


    "Sir, a few of the good karma fish are dead¡­ what should we do?" asked a servant cautiously.


    "The dead fish¡­ let¡¯s braise it." Li Gongde licked his lips and walked slowly out of the storeroom with a few servants.


    After leaving the storeroom, his expression became serious.


    "Send someone agile to the North Ridge Mountains in the city."


    Li Gongde spoke in a low voice.


    But Qiao Mu was sharp, and he caught this order with intent ears.


    "Li Gongde seems like a good person, he must be going to invite the Elder of the Great Dao Sect, right?"


    Qiao Mu granted him a ¡®good person¡¯ card in his heart, feeling more certain.


    However, Iron Wolf next to him visibly darkened.


    "With my strong body, I can¡¯t kill a weak old man¡­ if the Elderes, where should I hide my face?"


    Even King Qin, who is very strong, practiced the "Golden Body Technique" at the 1st rank of Spiritual Refining Period, bing the first Taoist soldier with a golden body in the Martial Arts League. He could use his strong fists to suppress magic powers, showing that his strength was far above others.


    But due to his own status, King Qin still had to obey the orders of the Immortal Gate.


    This is not a difference in strength, but in status.


    Because behind Dao Xu is Elder Qingyi, and behind Elder Qingyi is the Immortal Gate Great Dao Sect.


    Even King Qin¡¯s body was created by the Immortal Gate, so how could he rebel against them?


    "Thirty seconds, and I will defeat you."


    "Thirty seconds?" Qiao Mu replied with a mysterious smile.


    Iron Wolf¡¯s ten long des sliced through the air, making sharp sounds.


    His attacks were suddenly fierce, like a violent storm, relentless as he chased Qiao Mu through the warehouse wall into the courtyard of the house.


    Twenty seconds.


    The battle was on the edge, at this moment Qiao Mu was covered in long, narrow wounds, blood pouring out, flesh turned inside out ¨C all from his desperate efforts to dodge.


    Facing an opponent with simr speed and spiritual refinement, simply relying on evasive maneuvers was like ying with one¡¯s own life.


    Qiao Mu relied on his perfected technique, Shadow Step, but no matter how good his skills were, there would always be moments of failure.


    Ten seconds.


    At that moment, a rainbow light shimmered in the sky,ing closer and closer.


    It was Dao Xu, standing on a spinning orb, looking down coldly from above.


    Iron Wolf¡¯s face darkened once again, clearly noticing Dao Xu¡¯s proximity.


    "Take my Praying Mantis Fist ¨C Seven Star Combo!"


    He roared like a tiger, then lunged towards Qiao Mu. Suddenly, two long des shot out from his wrists, shing two cold lights in the air, shooting towards Qiao Mu¡¯s chest and abdomen.


    But it wasn¡¯t just him who saw Dao Xu appear.


    A powerful force emanated from him, stopping the flying des temporarily with a burst of energy, then gently grabbed by two palms.


    "Can¡¯t hold on for thirty seconds?" Qiao Mu held two des and said slowly:


    "I have endured your face overnight, do you know why?"


    Iron Wolf frowned. He wanted to keep attacking, but suddenly felt a bit scared. He subconsciously stopped his steps.


    "Because you are just a humble Taoist soldier¡­"


    Qiao Mu let go of his hands, allowing the two long des to fall to the ground, making a clear sound.


    "Bowing to Immortal Gate, losing the fighting spirit of a brave warrior,cking the courage to draw a sword against immortals, admitting weakness and giving up the physical body¡­ You don¡¯t even have the qualification for me to use the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method."


    A flowing stream of blood-colored energy emerged continuously from Qiao Mu¡¯s body, his gaze sharp like a sword, aiming directly at the depths of Iron Wolf¡¯s soul.


    Without throwing a punch, his gaze was like two sharp swords, piercing through him in an instant.

 Chapter 237:

    Chapter 237:


    Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/PazjBDkTmW


    In the darkness, Qiao Mu¡¯s whole body was filled with boiling energy and blood, a blood-colored aura emanating from him like a tidal wave, his robe fluttering without any wind.


    From the moment heid eyes on Dao Xu, he activated the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method and locked eyes with Iron Wolf.


    Using his eyes as swords, he employed the Eye Sword Technique!


    This is an invisible sword that pierces the heart, it doesn¡¯t shine brightly, nor can it cut Iron Wolf¡¯s skin, but it points directly at the depths of the heart.


    This sharp gaze, along with those deafening words like a sudden thunder, in an instant, Iron Wolf¡¯s whole body stiffened briefly.


    What Qiao Mu said is also right.


    A martial artist can be better than others.


    But being better than others is different from bowing down.When he gave up his body and trained in the "Golden Body Technique," bing a Taoist soldier in the Martial Arts League, it meant admitting his own weakness from deep within, with no courage left to challenge immortals.


    The same sentence can mean different things depending on who is saying it.


    There are not many martial artists in this world who can criticize Iron Wolf forcking the courage to fight against immortals.


    Because of the prevailing atmosphere, everyone is like this, so who is nobler than whom?


    But the one saying this is Qiao Shui.


    Several members of the Qiao family died in battles against immortals, but the Qiao family has long interpreted the members¡¯ unyielding spirit with their own lives.


    Even Dao Xu, who had just arrived, had once touched the blood of Qiao family members at the vegetable market.


    So facing the Qiao family member who would rather die than surrender and dare to draw his sword against immortals, Iron Wolf seemed to be a bit shorter invisibly.


    At this moment, Qiao Mu¡¯s eyes were sharp as a sword.


    Before mastering the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, his sword in hand couldn¡¯t prate Iron Wolf¡¯s body that was impervious to spears and swords.


    But at this moment, Qiao Mu¡¯s gaze was even sharper than before, piercing into Iron Wolf¡¯s heart, causing him to instinctively look away, avoiding eye contact, feeling slightly confused during this crucial moment of confrontation.


    And in the split second when Iron Wolf¡¯s movements were slightly slow, Qiao Mu had already made his move.


    Surging internal strength gathered in his palms, as he struck out a palm strike in the air, invisible internal strength flowing through his palm, turning into a surging internal strength tsunami, engulfing Iron Wolf in an instant.


    There was a muffled bang.


    Iron Wolf¡¯s entire body was sent flying more than ten meters away under this immense force, his feet plowing the ground, leaving long trenches.


    The power of this strike was not a hit, but a push.


    Iron Wolf, as a strong Taoist soldier with a body tougher than the Copper Body Arhat before him, was known to be impervious to des and spears.


    Qiao Mu didn¡¯t expect to defeat the tough Iron Wolf with just one punch. His real target was Dao Xu, a cultivator from the Great Dao Sect.


    "*sigh*"


    He took a deep breath, bent his knees, leaped into the air, and disappeared into the wind.


    His target was clear to everyone present.


    It was the cultivator Dao Xu, standing high in the sky and looking down upon everyone.


    "This is the Qiao family¡¯s renowned martial art, the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method! Only members of the Qiao family can possess this high-level technique, right?"


    The wealthy Li Gongde didn¡¯t join the battle but watched from a distance, only realizing Qiao Mu¡¯s identityter on.


    "I thought it was a thief breaking into my house at night to ruin my merits, but who would have thought this old thief is the famous Qiao family member from Zhong Province?"


    Li Gongde looked into the distance, many thoughts crossing his mind.


    Using Martial Arts to Defeat Immortals, it was the long-awaited wish of the martial world in Jiu Province for forty years.


    The former Martial Saint was fierce in his methods, leading to a massacre in the martial world, causing renowned martial arts families to be history¡­ but even so, he still had many followers.


    The newly established Martial Arts League, just a few months old, was able to recruit many Spirit Refining martial artists, bing arge organization sweeping through Jiu Province¡­ with Immortal Gate¡¯s support ying a role, but their significant growth was also due to¡­


    The people have long suffered under the immortals, and both the Martial Saint and the Martial Arts League carrying the banner of "Using Martial Arts to Defeat Immortals" naturally won many hearts.


    Recently, the Qiao family from Zhong Province, already famous, was also heard of by Li Gongde.


    "Not long ago, the truth of the Inhuman War was revealed, and three hundred white-headed soldiers and a city of women, children, and elderly emerged from the Hundred-mile Desert."


    "So here¡¯s the question, after guarding for forty years, why were they able to turn the tide when facing destruction, resist the Immortal Gate, and walk out of the desert?"


    Li Gongde was not too clear on the details of this matter.


    He only roughly knew that Earth Sword Immortal and a member of the Qiao family yed a big role in it.


    So this member of the Qiao family can also be considered one of the pioneers of Using Martial Arts to Defeat Immortals.


    But Li Gongde also knew that this Dao Xu was extraordinary.


    Li Gongde, as the second richest in the Imperial Capital, naturally heard about the recent Inhuman Disaster in the marketce.


    She was not just an ordinary disciple of the Immortal Gate, but rather the favorite disciple of an elder. Clearly breaking the rules, causing an Inhuman Disaster in the Imperial Capital, and yet she was only required to make a show at the Introspection Cliff of the sect and then could continue appearing in Zhong Province¡­


    If such a character were to be defeated by a martial artist¡­ if word of this were to spread, Zhong Province would indeed be shaken.


    With this thought in mind, the night wind suddenly turned icy.


    The wind howled fiercely, and tiny ice particles congealed in the wind.


    The wind was sharp as a sword, the frost was like ice, and in an instant, ayer of frost covered the entire courtyard, sending a chilling feeling deep into Li Gongde. He involuntarily wrapped his coat tightly around himself and, escorted by guards, continued to walk away step by step.


    Look back.


    The blurry silhouette that had originally disappeared into the wind was now slowing down abruptly, and even Li Gongde¡¯s few bodyguards could see Qiao Mu¡¯s movements clearly.


    He moved swiftly in the piercing cold wind, his agility still agile and nimble, weaving through the hailstorm of countless icicles without any injuries.


    But no matter how good his skills were, he could not avoid the chilling wind that filled the sky and earth.


    In just a short period of time, a thinyer of frost had formed on his entire body, and his movements had be noticeably stiff.


    The Iron Wolf that he had pushed back was also in hot pursuit in the snowstorm. The Iron Wolf was no longer just a flesh and blood body, but had even stronger resistance to the cold wind.


    Dao Xu remained standing in the air, looking down coldly.


    The Qiao family member who had died at her hands before¡­Dao Ni, who she had sent into the Hundred-mile Desert, ended up perishing in the desert. She naturally would not underestimate the current Qiao family member in front of her and would not be arrogant.


    So she stood in the air, noting down, teasing the martial artist who couldn¡¯t fly.


    Until she saw Qiao Mu¡¯s body frost over, stiffen, and rxed slightly in her heart.


    "In the end, he was just an ordinary martial artist."


    The human body has its limits, no matter how much training, it cannot be turned into steel.


    A mighty beast with limitless strength that can smash through ice caps would still freeze to death in the bitter cold of winter.


    "In martial arts, we train the body to be as strong as wild beasts and monsters."


    "The naturalws, how could an ordinary martial artistpete?" Dao Xu slowly rotated a bead in her hand, a fierce chill swept through like a storm. Qiao Mu¡¯s frost-covered body instantly froze, turning into an ice sculpture.


    Seeing this scene, Dao Xu quietly shook her head.


    "I have been overly concerned, treating mere martial artists too seriously."


    She had not yet entered the Golden Core period, where cultivators could refine a personal magical artifact.


    Because cultivators have fragile bodiespared to immortal techniques, many practitioners create protective treasures as their life-saving treasures to seek stability.


    With a protective life-saving treasure in hand, even when facing the reckless Qiao family member, she remained cautious and didn¡¯t descend from the sky.


    "Is that all? Isn¡¯t this ackluster ending?" Li Gongde mumbled from afar.


    However, Iron Wolf remained vignt. As he approached the ice sculpture that was once Qiao Mu, ready to raise his de to cut him into pieces, a sense of alertness suddenly arose within him, causing him to take two steps back.


    In the next moment.


    Another figure dashed out into the night.


    This person appeared as old as Qiao Shui, making it difficult to discern their age. However, their aura was significantly weaker than Qiao Shui¡¯s.


    While everyone¡¯s eyes were fixed on the ice sculpture Qiao Mu, as soon as he leaped out, he swiftly shot into the sky like an arrow, clearly targeting Dao Xu who stood in the air.


    "Praying mantis catching the cicada? Is this Qiao Shui just a sacrifice?" Iron Wolf¡¯s expression darkened.


    He was about to strike, but suddenly felt a warning sign and heard a clear cracking sound behind his ear.


    The frozen Qiao Shui somehow broke free from theyers of icy surroundings. His inner strength was powerful, and with a palm strike, he sent Qiao Shui flying forward with a loud thud.


    "Phew¡­"


    At that moment, Qiao Mu unleashed the Red Moon Burning Blood Technique, causing his blood to flow fiercely like a raging river within his body.


    In the blink of an eye.


    Two elderly members of the Qiao family kneeled and leaped into the air one after the other, soaring likerge birds.


    "Qiao family members are united and loyal. Can you defeat all of us from the Qiao family?"


    Qiao Mu shouted loudly, fighting side by side with his corpse, Qiao Xiaoming.


    Qiao Xiaoming was also prepared, hiding in the shadows, pretending to be a lifeless body, concealing his presence¡­


    At that moment, Qiao Mu was full of energy. In the blink of an eye, he leaped into the sky to meet Qiao Xiaoming, who was also airborne. Hended on Qiao Xiaoming¡¯s hands.


    He reached out and grabbed the long sword on Qiao Xiaoming¡¯s back, using the momentum to leap up again. In mid-air, he changed direction, narrowly avoiding arge ice shard.


    Qiao Xiaoming was pierced through the chest by therge ice shard, and his body fell weakly.


    Meanwhile, Qiao Mu used the momentum to jump high like a shooting star.


    "You can fly? Well, I can jump with my own strength!"


    Dao Xu was clever too. Seeing Qiao Mu leap into the sky, instead of confronting him with magic, she made a slight movement and jumped up using a bead, flying even higher. She kept a distance of about twenty meters from Qiao Mu.


    She seemed humble, as twenty meters exceeded the external range of a martial artist¡¯s internal strength, allowing her to continue casting spells.


    When Qiao Mu¡¯s leap ends, he will fall from the sky, bing an easy target.


    Yet, Qiao Mu remained indifferent.


    Qiao Mu raised his hand, and the sword de cut between his left palm, leaving a wound with fresh blood sshing out.


    The blood didn¡¯t drip down, but flowed unnaturally along the de of the long sword in his hand, dyeing the whole sword into a blood sword.


    The two styles of martial arts, derived from the pictures of blood sun and blood moon, were originally rted andplemented each other.


    Looking up from the ground, Li Gongde saw only the full moon hanging high in the night sky. Qiao Mu held a blood sword, standing as if in the moon. His whole body exuded a powerful energy.


    "Red Moon Burning Blood Technique ¡¤ Blood Sword Technique!"


    It was as if a god or immortal was flicking a brush in the night and painting the scene with ink.


    Hiss!


    The blood-red sword light cut a huge arc in the night sky, spreading out like ink on white paper, creating arge circle in the night.


    The arc started from the sword in Qiao Mu¡¯s hand and ended at Dao Xu¡¯s throat.


    "I¡­"


    Dao Xu¡¯s expression changed for the first time, the previous coldness on her face vanished.


    She was a disciple of Elder Qingyi, she had not yet reached the Golden Core stage, she had not surpassed her fellow disciple Dao Zhen who she couldn¡¯t forget, and she still had a life-saving talisman given by her master¡­


    At this moment, her body was shattered like a porcin vase by the sttered blood-red sword light, leaving only a rtively intact head, falling helplessly from high above along with Qiao Mu.


    "Master Dao Xu, are you immortal?"


    Iron Wolf was originally going to use his lightness skill to leap into the air, but at this moment he felt a chilling sensation, and in his eyes as he looked at Qiao Mu again, there was only fear.


    The elderly man from the Qiao family was not boasting, he actually performed a martial arts move to defeat immortals in front of him, truly killing a senior disciple from the Great Dao Sect.


    He should have taken advantage of Qiao Mu being in the air, unable to gain leverage.


    But the immense shock in his heart made him hesitate, unable to take a step forward for a moment, only able to watch as Qiao Mu¡¯s figurended firmly on the ground like a giant eagle, effortlessly catching Dao Xu¡¯s head.


    Qiao Mu looked fierce, casually tossing Dao Xu¡¯s head towards Iron Wolf.


    Iron Wolf instinctively tried to dodge, but seeing Dao Xu¡¯s lifeless face, he reached out and caught it, feeling overwhelming emotions inside.


    "Iron Wolf, Inhuman is dead, why have you not surrendered?" Qiao Mu took a step forward, his body covered in blood, numerous wounds visible, yet he stood strong and powerful, his voice booming like thunder.


    His sharp gaze cut like a sword!


    Iron Wolf unconsciously took a step back, feeling a bitter taste in his heart.


    It was not a difference in strength, but in their mental abilities.


    As an unyielding Taoist soldier, he was impervious to des and spears, no ordinary martial artist couldpare.


    In fact, the method of refining Taoist soldiers was originally used tobat other cultivators. Now, the Great Dao Sect uses it against regr people, which is like using a sledgehammer to kill a fly when facing ordinary martial artists.


    Iron Wolf could resist magical techniques, confront cultivators with his iron-strong body¡­ but if Dao Xu offered her neck to him to kill, even he would hesitate to act.


    Because Dao Xu is supported by Elder Qingyi, who is supported by the Great Dao Sect, a type of Immortal Gate with a total of nine. If he truly kills Dao Xu, how will he deal with the consequencester?


    Cowards can find countless reasons to retreat, but before warriors brave enough to sacrifice even their lives and use Martial Arts to Defeat Immortals, these reasons are insignificant.


    At this moment, his state of mind copsed like a mountain.


    "Iron Wolf, you have been weak for a long time! Since the day you abandoned your physical body, you are no longer worthy to be my enemy, Qiao Shui!"


    With a stern shout, Qiao Mu lunged forward, forcing Iron Wolf to repeatedly retreat, losing his defensive stance.


    His body was impervious to spear attacks, but his mind still had vulnerabilities.


    "Perhaps the Eye Sword Technique, a spiritual refining technique, is the true way to deal with such Taoist soldiers¡­" Qiao Mu thought to himself.


    Facing the Copper Body Arhat head-on is like using their weaknesses against their strengths.


    The mind and will of the Taoist soldier are still stuck in practicing the "Golden Body Technique," so the Eye Sword Technique can directly target their hearts and expose their vulnerabilities.


    "Ripple stacking wave strength forms a triple wave."


    The intense internal strength surged like waves, one after another, each higher than thest.


    Iron Wolf, distracted, was hit head-on by the continuous powerful force of these waves, leaving his chest wide open, relying only on martial artist instincts.


    "Fourfold Wave!"


    The surging internal strength rose again like waves, as Qiao Mu¡¯s palm struck his chest and abdomen, causing Iron Wolf¡¯s chest to cave in and distort inward, forcing him to stagger back four or five steps with a pale, lifeless face, before finally falling to the ground in defeat.


    Qiao Mu stood up after his attack, looking at the shattered and twisted bodies of Iron Wolf and Dao Xu, feeling a sudden inexplicable sense of disappointment.


    "Two useless people, couldn¡¯t even take my life."


    He turned around, gazing at Qiao Xiaoming¡¯s body, then at his own bloodied and mutted body, with a constant buzzing in his ears and his vision gradually fading to ck.


    The Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, Red Moon Burning Blood Technique, and Blood Sword Technique were all forbidden arts¡­ coupled with his previous injuries, he was losing too much blood at this point, and even if he had won, it would have been a hollow victory.


    He looked at Dao Xu¡¯s body, feeling a sense of relief in his heart, but also a hint of regret.


    "Impulsivenesses with a price."


    Showing off for a moment, the whole family ends up in the crematorium.


    Qiao Mu alone is the Qiao family. After cremating the body, he will have to calmly spend several decades in prison.


    What happens next¡­


    "Rest in peace, next, King Qin, you wait." He closed his eyes and finally fell down, motionless.


    After his body had been lying there for a while, Li Gongde and the many guards beside him cautiously approached, afraid that the old man might fake his death like before and suddenly attack them.


    But the old man remained still, no longer as imposing as before, causing them to only watch from afar.


    "Sir, what should we do about such a big problem?" someone asked shakily.


    The story of the Hundred-mile Desert is just a tale told by storytellers, touching hearts but also very distant.


    But now, a living cultivator has fallen before them, allowing them to witness the feat of Using Martial Arts to Defeat Immortals.


    Moreover, the person he killed was not just an ordinary disciple, but a senior disciple of the Great Dao Sect in Zhong Province who had returned ten years ago. His status was iparable to that of regr disciples.


    "This person has killed an Immortal Elder,mitting a grave mistake. If this news spreads, it will surely enrage Immortal Gate¡­ If we present him to King Qin, would it be considered a merit?" someone asked.


    Li Gongde, a wealthy figure in the Imperial Capital, yed a significant role in the reconstruction of Great Qin City in the Great Yan Imperial Court.


    Although he didn¡¯t fully understand matters concerning King Qin, the Great Dao Sect, or Immortal Gate, he could still guess some parts.


    Li Gongde stroked his chin, pursed his lips, his eyes flickering in contemtion:


    "This indeed is¡­ quite a meritorious deed."


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    PS: Push the book.


    Book Title: Racehorse Girl, please don¡¯t curl up


    Brief Introduction, "Racehorse girls are the best treasure given by the heavens to the world, they are like flowers in a greenhouse, pure and beautiful."


    "Running is their innate talent, running faster than any other racehorse girl is a point they will never back down from."


    "But talent is innate, some racehorse girls are destined to shine brightly, while others are destined to remain unknown."


    "In this path ofpetition, there can only ever be one winner."


    "Many trainers hope that the racehorse girls they are in charge of can fulfill, and even surpass, the talent they should have."


    "But only a few people can ultimately achieve this."


    "To struggle against talent is to struggle against fate, every victory is luck."


    "However, I don¡¯t believe in luck, I only believe in my own strength!"


    "-Deep Blue, attack!"

 Chapter 238:

    Chapter 238:


    Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/PazjBDkTmW


    Cold, damp.


    The cold fish were pped randomly on his face.


    When Qiao Mu regained consciousness, this was his first feeling.


    He opened his eyes and felt surrounded by darkness. He was in a big water tank, and the top seemed to be covered by something with no lighting through.


    "Not dead?"


    Qiao Mu checked his body and felt a dull tearing pain inside. His ears were buzzing, but the surface of his body seemed to have some kind of healing medicine on it, giving a cool sensation. There was also a strong medicinal smell in his nose.


    He didn¡¯t move, but instead, he first recalled his memories before death¡­ no, it was before he lost consciousness.


    In his memory, after killing Dao Xu and the Taoist soldier Iron Wolf, he fell into aa due to injuries from the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, loss of blood from the Red Moon Burning Blood Technique and Blood Sword Technique.As for Qiao Xiaoming¡­ Qiao Xiaoming¡¯s body was destroyed by Dao Xu, and Qiao Mu also lost his connection to Qiao Xiaoming, now it seems nonexistent.


    Since he¡¯s still alive, he must have fallen into the hands of the wealthy magnate Li Gongde from Zhong Province.


    But why does he still have healing supplies? Qiao Mu frowned, immediately thinking of the ruthless Wang Songhe who had saved his life multiple times in the past.


    "Wait, this is too strange. If he wanted to save people, why am I in a big water tank, with so many live fish inside?" Qiao Mu closed his eyes, grabbing a fish that was flopping on his face, looking a bit puzzled.


    He calmed his mind, trying to ignore the pain all over his body, carefully feeling the movements outside¡­


    This big water tank wasn¡¯t still, at this moment he should be on arge carriage, he could feel the slight bumps of the carriage and faint sounds of horse hooves outside.


    He remained silent, as an immortal, he naturally remained unfazed by sudden changes.


    At that moment, he didn¡¯t want to alert anyone, but instead sat quietly in arge tub, focusing his mind to slowly heal his wounds by guiding his body to move gently.


    Last time when he killed the Copper Body Arhat, Qiao Mu used the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method with just threeyers of Wave Strength, so the fight ended quickly and his internal injuries were not too severe.


    If he had sought treatment at a regr clinic, it would have taken several years to heal the internal injuries.


    With his Shape Changing Skill, it took him about six to seven days.


    This time, his injuries were clearly more severe, and healing in six to seven days would not be enough. Although most of the skin injuries on his body had already healed, it appeared that he had received timely treatment after falling unconscious, and the healing medicine used seemed to be quite expensive.


    Qiao Mu sat quietly, continuing to heal through his Shape Changing Skill, adapting to changing circumstances.


    After about fifteen minutes, the carriage finally came to a stop.


    Qiao Mu could faintly hear the sound of rushing water.


    It seemed like the carriage had stopped by a big river.


    "We finally arrived."


    "Master Li has done a lot of good deeds this time." Some people chatted as they unloaded items from the carriage. It was clear that there was more than one water tank on the carriage that Qiao Mu was in.


    "This water tank is quite heavy."


    "Don¡¯t say unnecessary words, just do as the master instructed."


    Before long, Qiao Mu felt the water tank he was in being lifted, and taken about five or six steps away.


    Afterwards, the lid of the water tank was opened, allowing light to shine in from above.


    Qiao Mu opened his eyes and looked up.


    He saw a strong and muscr man standing next to the water tank, staring at him without speaking.


    "What a big fish, releasing it this time is another good deed." The man blinked, then lifted the water tank and poured it out.


    Qiao Mu: ?


    He momentarily stopped struggling, as the big water tank toppled over. Some clear water and fish from the tank spilled out, falling into the rushing river.


    Once in the river, the fish around him, struggling for breath, all started swimming. Only he was in the river, eyes open, sinking down.


    He felt a bit puzzled¡­ Was he just released like this?


    He thought that no matter what Li Gongde wanted to do, they would at least meet face to face, and then he could decide what to do.


    Unexpectedly, he didn¡¯t even see Li Gongde¡¯s face, like being released along with the fish from the water tank?


    In the midst of confusion, he heard a conversation from a few Li family workers on the river bank:


    "Hey, that fishing guy is here again."


    "Is he really taking advantage of our Master Li? He alwayses here to fish whenever we release the fish?"


    "They don¡¯t even bother to cover this up? How dare theye in front of us like this? Isn¡¯t this bullying honest people?"


    "Stop talking, let¡¯s go back to the mansion."


    "¡­¡­¡­"


    People¡¯s voices faded away, reced by the sound of horses neighing and wheels creaking.


    The carriage went far away, but a person in a straw raincoat appeared on the riverbank, holding a fishing rod, and tossed it into the river.


    The fish hook was thrown urately, piercing through the scattered fish around, andnding right next to Qiao Mu in the water.


    Qiao Mu looked closely and saw that the fish hook was straight and had no bait attached.


    "Anyone taking the bait?"


    He stayed silent in the water for a while, reached out to grab the straight hook, and pondered for a moment.


    As expected, in the next moment, there was a huge force on the fishing hook, forcefully pulling him out of the river and onto the surface.


    Qiao Mu moved slightly andnded lightly on both feet, looking around.


    At this moment, he found himself in the mountains and forests, with no one around except for the fisherman in straw hat. The only traces left by the river were the imprints of wagon wheels, with no sight of the wagon itself.


    "Elder Lao is indeed old but spirited. After ying the Iron Bone Taoist soldier and the inhuman from the Immortal Gate all night, he could still go out for a swim the next day."


    The fisherman took off his straw hat, revealing a familiar face.


    Qiao Mu was slightly surprised as he had seen this person a few times in the Imperial Capital before ¨C he was the former number one warrior, Condor Wei En.


    Known as the "ck Winged Bat King," in the current martial world after the death of the Martial Saint, Condor Wei En ranked first in the lightness skill list on the Martial Arts Ranking List of the Tide Listening Building, being unparalleled in lightness skill.


    However, he had disappeared without a trace afterwards, and it was unexpected to meet him in the Great Qin Prefecture today.


    "It seems that Elder Lao recognizes Wei En¡¯s face, so there¡¯s no need for me to say much." Wei En keenly noticed Qiao Mu¡¯s expression change and calmly said:


    "In the past, I had dealings with Qiao Zhong and Qiao Shuanglin¡­ Of course, that was a few months ago."


    A few months ago, when Qiao Mu was still Qiao Shuanglin, the Martial Arts League began to shine in the Imperial Capital, attracting a wave of Spirit Refining martial artists to join.


    As the top bounty hunter in the world, Wei En had noticed the existence of the Martial Arts League early on.


    So, relying on his excellent light skills, he secretly tracked and investigated the Martial Arts League¡­


    Wei En recalled, "I initially thought the Martial Arts League was just a group of fame-seeking petty thieves, but little did I know that when I went there, I almost didn¡¯te back after poking the ho¡¯s nest."


    It was only then that Qiao Mu had some recollection.


    At the beginning of the rise of the Martial Arts League, they relied on the reputation of Spirit Refining martial artists to make a name for themselves.


    Condor Wei En was well-known for his agility and interrogation skills, but his skills in directbat werecking, so he became a stepping stone for the Martial Arts League¡¯s fame.


    "Are you and Li Gongde working together?" Qiao Mu twisted the water stains on his clothes, then used the Shape Changing Skill to control a slight tremor throughout his skin, causing water droplets on the surface of his skin to ssh out.


    Li Gongde had just released someone, then Wei En came pretending to be a fisherman. Qiao Mu didn¡¯t believe there was no connection between them.


    "That¡¯s not true. I don¡¯t really know Li Gongde," Wei En shook his head.


    "As for why I¡¯m here, it¡¯s simply because¡­"


    Just mentioning this topic made Wei En¡¯ expression subtly change.


    "I, too, was released by Li Gongde before."


    Qiao Mu: Huh?


    Wei En didn¡¯t exin much, just stood up, took off his outer and inner garments to reveal his clean but broad back.


    On his back was a shocking long scar, located near his spine.


    "Months ago, when I was investigating the Martial Arts League, I was defeated by a martial artist and almost died there. I barely escaped using my light skills."


    "Later on, being able to survive was also thanks to Li Gongde¡¯s help."


    "The reason I came to the Great Qin Prefecture was half to investigate the Martial Arts League, and half to investigate Li Gongde."


    Wei En almost died at the hands of the Martial Arts League, and the fact that they even trampled on the reputation of the world¡¯s best martial artist weighed heavily on his mind.


    "Elder Lao, pleasee with me. I have a residence in the mountains with some medicine for healing, to help Elder Lao rest and recover."


    Wei En dressed and walked with Qiao Mu, weaving through the mountain paths.


    "So, what did you find in your investigation? Do you know what the Martial Arts League is? And who is this Li Gongde?" Qiao Mu asked eagerly.


    "Those whobine martial arts and philosophy be Taoist soldiers. Heh."


    Wei En shook his head with a bitter smile.


    People thought he lost his skills after being injured by the Martial Arts League, but they didn¡¯t know he had been hiding his identity and secretly investigating the League all along.


    "Behind the Martial Arts League is the Great Dao Sect. The name of this organization is a joke. Some people in the martial arts world mistakenly believe that King Qin of the Martial Arts League is a great figure in martial arts."


    "As for Li Gongde¡­ he is very wealthy."


    "Rich, and then what? Who doesn¡¯t know that he is rich?" Qiao Mu was puzzled.


    "Does Elder Lao know about the master of the Wan family, Wan Ronghua, in the Imperial Capital back then? In this world, if merchants want to be extremely rich, they must deal with the government and the Immortal Gate."


    "Wan Ronghua is like this, and so is Li Gongde."


    "As wealthy tycoons in the Imperial Capital holding vast amounts of wealth, no one can stay out of trouble. Instead of just being a wealthy man who keeps to himself, they must take sides."


    "What do you want to say?" Qiao Mu asked.


    "Li Gongde is known for his kind heart and generosity, he likes to spend money and make friends widely," Wei En said.


    "Elder Lao, think about it. If there really is a wealthy person in this world who is kind-hearted and helps the poor, how long do you think he can survive in today¡¯s society?"


    Qiao Mu remained speechless.


    "If one has good intentions butcks sharpness, no matter how sessful one¡¯s business is or how much wealth one possesses, they will only be seen as a fat pig in the eyes of others."


    "Leaving out the Immortal Gate, leaving out the Great Yan Imperial Court¡­ Remember Wan Ronghua, who was once one of the four richest in the Imperial Capital, but the Qiao family member didn¡¯t hesitate to take him down, right?"


    In front of true powerful individuals and true big forces, a rich person with lots of money actually doesn¡¯t hold much value.


    Their wealth may be impressive to these big forces, but they can¡¯tpete with them on an equal footing.


    "I have already told you the reason why I am here," Wei En said honestly.


    "So, why did Elder Laoe to Great Qin Prefecture?"


    "Do you need a reason toe and kill Dao Xu?" Qiao Mu asked in return.


    Wei En hesitated for a moment, then smiled.


    He was a famous detective who hated evil, but he was not very powerful. When Dao Xu caused the Inhuman Disaster at the market, he was badly injured and never fully recovered, so he naturally didn¡¯t have a good impression of Dao Xu.


    "Elder Laoing to Great Qin Prefecture probably has more reasons than just that. Dao Xu from the Great Dao Sect has already killed, does that mean they also want to keep King Qin alive?" said Wei En.


    Qiao Mu squinted his eyes.


    The character of the Qiao family member has been well established, so Wei En didn¡¯t need to guess. He already knew his target.


    But that¡¯s not important.


    "Elder Lao, I advise you, assassinating King Qin is a serious matter," said Wei En.


    "One month ago, the truth about the Inhuman War came out. Three hundred old soldiers and half the city¡¯s women and children emerged from the desert¡­ such a big event is a huge scandal for the Great Dao Sect Immortal Gate. Why did the Great Dao Sect react so calmly?"


    "Because the Immortal Gate has always been arrogant?" said Qiao Mu.


    "No, it¡¯s because of King Qin¡¯s presence," said Wei En.


    "Hmm? King Qin is just a Taoist soldier after all, no matter how strong he is, he can¡¯tpare to a true Great Dao Sect cultivator¡­ Why is he so important?" Qiao Mu didn¡¯t believe it.


    "King Qin is an important piece of the Great Dao Sect, a puppet of the Immortal Gate," Wei En shook his head.


    "For months, the Great Dao Sect has been paving the way for King Qin, building his reputation."


    "As a result, the Immortal Gate has lost its honor and reputation? This can be used to boost King Qin¡¯s reputation at the expense of the Immortal Gate and gradually push them out of the spotlight."


    "King Qin acts as a buffer between the immortal realm and the mortal world. As long as King Qin is alive, the Immortal Gate will stay in the shadows and only pull the strings from behind the scenes."


    "So, if King Qin dies¡­ Elder Lao and the whole Zhong Province will face the wrath of the Great Dao Sect."


    "If King Qin dies, Zhong Province will descend into chaos!"


    Qiao Mu squinted his eyes.


    "Are you suggesting that I should back off? Not kill King Qin?"


    His expression turned cold, showing he was now more wary of Wei En.


    Unexpectedly, Wei En shook his head again.


    "Elder Lao knew that in the Martial Arts League, besides a King named Qin, there were eight other Martial Arts Kings who were not as famous as King Qin yet."


    The other eight Martial Arts Kings were not in Zhong Province, but their status in the Martial Arts League was simr to King Qin, suggesting they might also represent the Eight Immortal Gates. Wei En shrugged:


    "The Great Dao Sect appointed King Qin as the king in Zhong Province."


    "The other Eight Immortal Gates are unlikely to be left behind, so if King Qin remains alive and the Great Dao Sect¡¯s n proceeds as usual, there may be nine kings in Jiu Province, leading to unrest in the world."


    "By then, even the Great Yan Imperial Court may face decline."


    Qiao Mu silently watched Wei En.


    "You¡¯ve exined the downsides of both sides, what are you trying to say?"


    "Does Elder Lao still not understand?" Wei En paused for a moment, looking tired.


    "The Great Yan Imperial Court is at a critical moment, every step forward or backward is a dangerous path. The brief peace of the forty years after the Inhuman War is like walking on thin ice after bowing in submission. Our future path has never been easy."


    "I just want to remind Elder Lao¡­"


    "If we want to kill King Qin, we must be prepared for the storm that will follow."


    "There is no peace to be found, no matter which way we turn."


    With that said.


    Wei En and Qiao Mu arrived at a simple wooden hut in the mountains.


    The hut was near a majestic waterfall towering a hundred meters high, cascading down like a silver gxy hanging in the sky, with a thunderous roar.


    Wei En led Qiao Mu into the hut and heated water to make tea for him at the table.


    "Lately, there has actually been something strange."


    "It¡¯s the Wuji Association," said Wei En softly.


    "Since the Martial Saint passed away, the Wuji Association has been hiding in the shadows, keeping low-profile. But recently, it seems to be gaining momentum again, I wonder why."


    "There are many things you know¡­" remarked Qiao Mu.


    Once again, the Wuji Association and the Martial Arts League were mentioned, followed by a brief analysis of the overall situation in Jiu Province.


    "Not all martial artists can use martial arts to defeat immortals. If your fists are not strong enough, you have to rely on your wits," Wei En said with a bitter smile.


    He had already reached the 1st rank of the Spiritual Refining Period, specializing in lightness skills. Despite being known as the best in the world, he knew he couldn¡¯tpare to cultivators.


    "No matter how skilled you are in lightness skills and how sharpened your spiritual intuition is, you can only evade a cultivator¡¯s techniques, not confront them head-on."


    "Cultivators can control flying objects, making it extremely difficult for martial artists to challenge them in the air."


    Qiao Mu nodded in agreement.


    He used Qiao Xiaoming as a stepping stone, seeding in killing Dao Xu. However, he also destroyed his own body in the process.


    Wei En looked deep in thought and said, "Having good evasion skills is useful against cultivators, but it¡¯s not enough to resist them."


    "There¡¯s a famous light-foot technique called ¡®Chasing Cicadas in Eight Steps¡¯, which ims that one can catch up to a flying cicada within eight steps once mastered."


    "Chasing cicadas is one thing, but trying to catch up with a cultivator is just wishful thinking."


    With that, Wei En searched around the wooden house and found a bound book, which he presented to Qiao Mu.


    The four words written on it read, "Heavenly Dragon Eight Steps".


    "There are very few martial artists in the world who dare to challenge immortals. This ¡®Heavenly Dragon Eight Steps¡¯ isn¡¯t about chasing cicadas; it¡¯s about transforming like a carp into a dragon and ascending to the heavens."


    "If martial artists continue to staycent in these troubled times, it¡¯s likely that in decades, there will be no more tough martial artists left."


    Wei En softly said, pushing the secret manual in his hand forward.

 Chapter 239:

    Chapter 239:


    Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/PazjBDkTmW


    A pond beside the wooden cabin.


    The waterfall cascaded down, roaring as it hit the pond with a loud ssh.


    The boulders next to the cliff had been smoothed and dampened by the waterfall¡¯s constant flow.


    Ordinary people couldn¡¯t even get close, let alone climb these boulders, they were too slippery.


    At this moment, a figure glided through the air like a big bird,nding firmly on top of the boulders under the waterfall.


    "The best agility in the world, Heavenly Dragon Eight Steps, known as the Carp Transforming into Dragon, the extraordinary eight steps to the heavens."


    "This agility technique actually originated from a powerful martial artist from many years ago, the ¡®Eight-armed Heavenly Dragon¡¯, but it eventually fell into the hands of a Martial Saint¡­"


    After Martial Saint died, the ck Winged Bat King Wei En was known as the best at light-footed skill in the martial arts world.However, as a top practitioner in the first level of spiritual training, he was actually very different from Martial Saint, and it was almost impossible topare them.


    While it was impressive that he was considered the best, part of the reason was because the skill he mastered, the "Heavenly Dragon Eight Steps", was not just an ordinary light-footed skill.


    When Wei En was young, he had received a great favor from Martial Saint, owing him a huge favor¡­ actually, this favor was the exceptional light-footed skill, the "Heavenly Dragon Eight Steps", passed down from Martial Saint.


    This top-notch light-footed skill could take eight steps to catch a cicada, cross a river with a single reed, or fly over a river.


    No matter how skilled someone was in light-footed techniques in the world, they could not literally step on one foot and reach the sky.


    This skill was very difficult to train in, originating from the superb eight-armed Heavenly Dragon of ancient times, surpassing the concept of light-footed techniques in ancient martial arts.


    "To master this skill, one must step on the rocks next to this waterfall, go against the current to climb up the hundred-meter waterfall, only then can it be considered mastering the ¡®Waterfall Climbing¡¯ technique, which is the basics of the Heavenly Dragon Eight Steps."


    Wei En demonstrated it himself, moving like a soaring eagle, lightly stepping on the protruding rocks and cliffs, continuously propelling himself upward, increasing in height step by step, until he reached the top of the hundred-meter cliff by the waterfall.


    Next, he quickly put on his cloak and glided down like a big bat,nding smoothly beside Qiao Mu.


    "To improve his agility further, he would need to walk on the flowing water of the waterfall and climb it against the current. This kind of agility is much harder than typical water-walking skills¡­"


    "If one masters the ¡®Heavenly Dragon Eight Steps¡¯ to the highest level, it is said that they can defy gravity and soar through the air in just eight steps, earning the nickname ¡®Dragon Gate Ascension¡¯." Wei En exined.


    With his mastery of agility, he exuded a confident air and spoke differently than before.


    "Wei En, you mentioned earlier that this agility skill is from the Martial Saint. If your skill were to be evaluated in the Martial Saint¡¯s Wuji Association, what level would you be?" Qiao Mu inquired.


    Qiao Mu asked.


    After witnessing Wei En personally demonstrate the Heavenly Dragon Eight Steps, even he was impressed.


    However, since Wei En possessed this agility skill, it was likely included in the Wuji Association¡¯s arsenal, much like the ¡®Long Life Fist Sutra.¡¯


    "It¡¯s not that simple," Wei En chuckled at the remarks.


    In facing directbat, Wei En isn¡¯t skilled, but when ites to agility and lightness, perhaps even among the top martial artists in Wuji Association, none may match his mastery of the "Heavenly Dragon Eight Steps", except for the Martial Saint.


    Within the Wuji Association led by the Martial Saint, there is a renowned arsenal containing nearly all ancient and modern martial arts techniques from prestigious schools and families, including newly devised martial arts by the Martial Saint and his seventy two wise men.


    However, due to the vastness of the arsenal, even the Martial Saint cannot master all the martial arts stored within it, let alone anyone else in the world.


    The university library has a vast collection of books. Which student has read them all?


    "Even top-tier techniques like the ¡®Long Life Fist Sutra¡¯ and ¡®Pure Yang Wuji Skill¡¯ have been taken by the Wuji Association. So, do all members seen by Elder Lao from the Wuji Association practice the ¡®Long Life Fist¡¯ and the ¡®Pure Yang Wuji Skill¡¯ from Wudang?" Wei En asked.


    "Why wouldn¡¯t they practice them? Do they not think these top-notch techniques are good enough?"


    It¡¯s not that they don¡¯t want to, but that they cannot.


    "Human capacity is limited. Even for the most talented martial artists, time and energy are finite," Wei En shook his head.


    "It takes many years to truly master a martial art to a profound level¡­ Even for the Martial Saint, it¡¯s impossible to grasp all the martial arts in the arsenal."


    Qiao Mu, "Yes, you are right."


    Wei En said, "Although I have notpeted with the experts of the Wuji Association, when ites to the lightness skill of the ¡®Heavenly Dragon Eight Steps¡¯, perhaps few people in the world canpare with me."


    He was cautious with his words, not iming to be the best in lightness skill in the world, but stating that his proficiency in the ¡®Heavenly Dragon Eight Steps¡¯ is only below that of a Martial Saint.


    Wei En¡¯s lightness skill is top-notch in the world.


    Even if he may not be the true best in the world, he is still among the top in the world.


    Such a person is determined to pass on the best lightness skill in the world, which is indeed a great thing.


    Of course, this is not a selfless gift, but done with a purpose, as Wei En has his own ns.


    "As long as the Qiao family members still have aspirations for ¡®Using Martial Arts to Defeat Immortals¡¯, Elder Lao can certainly teach this lightness skill to other n members," Wei En deeply stated.


    "Wei En, you are generous and selfless," Qiao Mu praised.


    In front of the Qiao family, how could I im to be selfless? Martial arts skills are just possessions, the real heroes are those willing to risk their lives. Wei En said calmly:


    "It¡¯s not only the Qiao family who disapprove of the actions of the Nine Immortal Gates."


    "It¡¯s just that the martial arts have weakened, with no one strong enough or seeing any hope."


    Wei En almost lost his life to those who enter the path of martial arts, how could he not hold a grudge?


    The Nine Immortal Gates are like a never-ending night, ordinary people are in the dark, but now the Qiao family has shown a glimmer of hope, so clinging to old ways is limiting.


    Wei En didn¡¯t have many options.


    There are very few ordinary forces in the world that dare to challenge the Immortal Gate.


    After some thought, there¡¯s only the Wuji Association led by Martial Saint, and then there¡¯s¡­ the Great Yan Imperial Court controlled by Emperor Yonghe?


    Strong figures like the Earth Sword Immortal may be powerful, but one person cannot change the overall situation.


    The Qiao family members is a group, maybe Qiao Mu hasn¡¯t realized it yet, thinking he is alone.


    But in the eyes of the people, in Wei En¡¯s eyes, the Qiao family members have long been seen as pioneers holding torches in the darkness.


    Being alone is different from being with a group of people.


    As you sow, so shall you reap.


    Wei En paused for a moment, then said:


    "Dao Xu is a disciple of Elder Qingyi from the Immortal Gate. Since she is dead, this matter will not end easily."


    "King Qin is a cunning man, he will definitely take action, or he will face the anger of the Immortal Gate¡­ Elder Lao has been quietly healing and practicing here these days, let¡¯s wait and see."


    Li Gongde¡¯s medicine for wounds is of extremely high quality, and his body¡¯s skin injuries healed very quickly.


    As for the internal bleeding and the damage to the meridians caused by the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, these are not easily treated by medicine.


    He can move his body, but it¡¯s not easy to use internal strength.


    What about practicing light skills in the mountains?


    Although this fits Wei En¡¯ idea, King Qin may not give them time.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    King Qin¡¯s Mansion.


    "Immortal Master Dao Xu, dead?"


    King Qin paced in the hall, with a mix of emotions on his face.


    The first thing that came to his mind was actually a kind of excitement.


    As a senior disciple, Dao Xu has always been difficult to get along with.


    She is in the Great Qin Prefecture, actually representing Elder Qingyi, representing the Great Dao Sect faction, to restrict him, who is the king of Qin.


    People all say that King Qin is a strong warrior, able to use his fists to suppress magic, but he knows deep inside that he has reached this point because of the power of the Immortal Gate from the Great Dao Sect.


    Different from Taoist soldiers like Luohan and Iron Wolf.


    After Qin Shiqing¡¯s physical body died, his soul attached to the zing Essence Gold body created by the Immortal Gate, rather than taking internal medicine for continuous cultivation, which sets him apart from them.


    His body is more expensive and powerful, but also more easily controlled by the Immortal Gate cultivators because of its different nature¡­ after all, it is not his original physical body.


    The name of King Qin sounds glorious, but he is just a tool in the hands of the Immortal Gate.


    The stronger he bes, the sharper this tool bes, but he also loses the possibility of breaking free from the control of the Immortal Gate.


    Only when Dao Xu dies, there is no one to hinder him in the Great Qin Prefecture for a short time¡­


    "No, this is not a good thing¡­If not handled properly, Elder Qingyi may soon me me for this," King Qin said with a deep look in his eyes.


    As the messenger for the Great Dao Sect, he needed to exin quickly to the Elder of the Immortal Gate.


    But¡­


    "Another problem caused by a member of the Qiao family¡­"


    King Qin¡¯s body was once destroyed by a member of the Qiao family. He thought that today he was King Qin,pletely different from before. However, the Qiao family member surprised him¡­


    "I have given up worldly desires along the way to pursue the path of dao. I have let go of so many things over the years to reach this point. Yet, the Qiao family member is just a group of older martial artists. Why¡­"


    He didn¡¯t understand.


    Whether he understood or not, it didn¡¯t stop him from deciding how to deal with the Qiao family member.


    Although the Qiao family member was stronger than expected, living in this world required more than just physical strength.


    Since the incident in the Hundred-mile Desert, Earth Sword Immortal and the Qiao family member had gained great fame in the Zhong Province, almost worshipped like gods.


    In King Qin¡¯s opinion, this was the Qiao family member¡¯s weakness.


    "People have a deep impression of the Qiao family member¡­ They say the Qiao family member are noble warriors who value loyalty over life, and that is their weakness."


    Nobility is the epitaph of the noble, and baseness is the pass of the ignoble.


    "Have Li Gongdee see me," King Qin ordered after much thought.


    Li Gongde informed him of Dao Xu¡¯s death.


    Along with this news, a body of Qiao Xiaoming was also delivered to King Qin¡¯s Mansion.


    But that wasn¡¯t enough.


    He had to use this body to respond to Elder Qingyi, risking certain death.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    One hourter.


    Li Gongde arrived at King Qin¡¯s Mansion with a full stomach and met him in the main hall of the mansion.


    Li Gongde was very polite. He was a wealthy merchant from the Imperial Capital. Even though he had a vast fortune, he followed King Qin to Great Qin Prefecture, as if acknowledging a new boss and naturally listened to the boss¡¯s orders.


    "Li Gongde, even though a member of the Qiao family has died¡­ isn¡¯t one dead person not enough?" King Qin smiled.


    "What do you mean by that, Your Highness?"


    "The Qiao family members are the most cunning, and I have a deep understanding of this." King Qin recalled the past and said deeply:


    "Although the Qiao family appears to be lone fighters in the jianghu, they are actually very deceitful and cunning, often having many more Qiao family members hidden in the shadows,ing to their aid quickly and fiercely protective of each other."


    "While only one Qiao family member has appeared in Great Qin Prefecture, it is very likely that a whole bunch of them has already arrived!"


    "Oh¡­ is that even possible?" Li Gongde gasped in surprise.


    "So I wanted to find my friend Li Gongde, borrow a treasure as bait to lure out the Qiao family member, and catch all the hidden Qiao family members at once."


    "Do we have this kind of treasure at home? Can it catch the attention of the Qiao family member?" Li Gongde also seemed surprised:


    "If the king has a need, just give me a task."


    "With your words, I feel assured." King Qin smiled and replied:


    "So, could I bother my friend Li Gongde to borrow your expertise for a moment?"


    Li Gongde¡¯s smile froze on his face, his expression twitched slightly as he locked eyes with King Qin.


    King Qin¡¯s gaze was deep and calm, making it hard to read his emotions.


    "Where did you get that idea, Your Majesty?" Li Gongde forced a smile.


    "Brother Li, would you like to make a bet with me?" King Qin smirked:


    "If I publicly use you of colluding with that Qiao family member, secretly plotting with inhuman beings, and threaten to execute you, do you think that Qiao family member will show up?"


    Li Gongde furrowed his brow slightly and said slowly:


    "But where in this world is it morally right to use one¡¯s own life to threaten an enemy?"


    "Because they are good people, good people should be bound by moral principles and exchange their lives for respect," King Qin chuckled:


    "There have never been living saints in this world, but the dead can be sanctified and revered like gods."


    "I guess¡­ not." Li Gongde shook his head and said:


    "Good people who act like that won¡¯t live long."


    King Qin said lightly:


    "Is that so? I don¡¯t believe it. Since we both agree, it couldn¡¯t be better. Next, let¡¯s witness it with our own eyes."


    King Qin felt a bit excited secretly at this moment and thought it would be even better if no Qiao family members showed up.


    He practiced martial arts to reach the 1st rank before bing King Qin through martial arts. His martial arts ambition was extremely strong, showing ruthlessness along the way, sacrificing family to achieve enlightenment.


    The character of Qiao family members is opposite to him.


    If Qiao family members didn¡¯t appear, their character would naturally copse. In a sense, this would be more significant than killing one or two Qiao family members.

 Chapter 240:

    Chapter 240:


    Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/PazjBDkTmW


    The waterfall roared loudly, sshing water on the rocks, making them wet.


    The cliffs were a bluish color with a thinyer of moss, making them quite slippery.


    Qiao Mu¡¯s figure soared like a giant eagle, using slightly unfamiliar steps to quickly reach the top of the rocks, climbing higher along the cliff step by step.


    Just halfway up the one hundred meters cliff, Qiao Mu slipped, losing bnce and falling from the air. In the end, hended with a "Shadow Step" technique, lowering his body to the ground.


    "Another failure."


    Qiao Mu thought deeply, looked up at the sky, and the sound of the waterfall continued rumbling.


    He stayed in Wei En¡¯ wooden house for only one or two days, and after his external injuries slightly healed with the help of Shape Changing Skill and medicine, he started practicing light skills.


    Qiao Mu had only learned one set of light skills before, which was the Shadow Step passed down by the Heyang City Sheriff Qian.Qiao Mu had already mastered Shadow Step, reaching a high level where his footsteps left no traces in the sand¡­ But Wei En insisted that he climb the waterfall using the newly learned Heavenly Dragon Eight Steps instead.


    Wei En, who was nearby, also watched for a long time, with an expression that seemed hesitant to speak.


    "Elder Lao¡¯s talent andprehension¡­ seem a bit different than what I imagined? He is learning a bit slowly," Wei En felt somewhat puzzled.


    As an elder of the Qiao family, Qiao Shui¡¯s appearance was so old that it was hard to determine his exact age¡­ Wei En estimated he was over eighty years old, but just how much older was uncertain.


    In this age, being able to live a long life as a martial artist also signifies a certain kind of strength.


    The martial artist who can use martial arts to defeat immortals is seen as a rare talent in Jiu Province, with exceptional natural abilities.


    So, in Wei En¡¯ opinion, Qiao Shui, as a man around a hundred years old, has martial arts skills and power that can break boundaries and defeat immortals, showing his exceptional talent.


    When teaching Qiao Mu lightness skill, Wei En was prepared to amaze onlookers, expecting Qiao Mu to quickly excel in his training.


    He was indeed amazed, but in a different way¡­


    "Why are you progressing so slowly, much slower than I did at your age?" Wei En wondered.


    "Could it be that Elder Lao¡¯s talents andprehension are just average? No, that¡¯s not possible. Even with a lifetime of practice, one cannot reach Elder Lao¡¯s level with average talents. It must be my fault."


    "Did I make a mistake somewhere, causing a dy for Elder Lao? Or maybe this lightness skill is not suitable for him?"


    "Or perhaps Elder Lao has serious internal injuries? Unable to practice effectively?" Wei En began to reflect seriously.


    After pondering for a long time without figuring out the reason, he cautiously raised the issue, afraid of leading others astray in their training.


    "So that¡¯s what it is¡­" Qiao Mu chuckled lightly.


    "I¡¯m not really talented in martial arts, not a genius. I just spent a little more time practicing than most people."


    "How much more can you improve?" Wei En was puzzled.


    In this world, a martial artist who reaches the 3rd rank of the Spiritual Refining Period is already outstanding. Which Spirit Refining martial artist doesn¡¯t work hard?


    Martial arts is not an easy and short road. It¡¯s dull and lengthy.


    It takes decades of daily diligence and perseverance, along with excellent mental strength, to enter the Spiritual Refining Method.


    Wei En, as a well-known 1st ranked martial artist, naturally has top talent, perseverance, and mental strength. Is Qiao Mu better than him despite his efforts?


    "It¡¯s different," Qiao Mu said calmly.


    "While ordinary martial artists sleep, I¡¯m practicing martial arts. While ordinary martial artists dream, I¡¯m still practicing. By doing this throughout my life, it bes natural."


    When ordinary people sleep, Qiao Mu continues to have adventures, even in his dreams, for almost two hundred years. That¡¯s how it goes.


    "I see¡­Elder Lao is truly extraordinary," Wei En admired.


    Although Qiao Mu said it casually, upon careful recollection, living almost two hundred years in a dream feels like an impossible journey.


    Born immortal, one should live a little more joyfully, without restraint.


    When ites to martial arts, it¡¯s about participation, being decent is enough. There¡¯s no need to strive to be the best in the world.


    Upon reflection, it might seem thrilling to be the best in martial arts, fulfilling Qiao Mu¡¯s desire for fame and glory. But working towards it for hundreds of years in dreams seems pointless.


    Anyway, he has plenty of time, so he can take it slow.


    With endless lifespan, there¡¯s no need to rush. Living in this world for a thousand years, practicing martial arts slowly can work too.


    Of course, there¡¯s one condition¡­he has to defeat King Qin first.


    "If this wave kills King Qin, then I¡¯ll change my face and go on vacation," Qiao Mu thought to himself.


    Qiao Mu practiced by the cliff for half an hour, while Wei En suddenly nced towards the distance.


    Two people were approaching on the mountain path in the distance, it was Hu Han and his daughter.


    Hu Han was holding another Fragrant Insect Bottle, obviously he found Qiao Mu¡¯s trail based on this strange insect.


    Qiao Mu had lost his own Fragrant Insect Bottle after passing out, but his body had a scent beforehand, so Hu Han could still find him.


    "So, Elder Lao is here." Hu Han led his daughter forward, and they exchanged information.


    "What? The news of Dao Xu¡¯s death hasn¡¯t spread?" Qiao Mu was slightly surprised, but quickly understood:


    "It seems King Qin purposely kept the news suppressed¡­ Covering things up when faced with difficulties is quite normal."


    "It¡¯s okay, once he¡¯s dead, the lid won¡¯t stay on anymore."


    Qiao Mu thought King Qin must be very worried because the Immortal Gate has a special way to confirm the life and death of disciples, and the truth cannot be hidden.


    "King Qin is indeed in a hurry," said Hu Han with a serious expression.


    "Today, King Qin took action¡­ He mentioned that a man named Qiao, who called himself Qiao Shui, recently caused trouble in the Great Qin Prefecture."


    "This man named Qiao visited King Qin, iming to be from the famous Qiao family!"


    The famous Qiao family¡­ obviously refers to the Qiao family that Qiao Mu belongs to.


    "King Qin weed the visitor, thinking that they both oppose inhuman practices. But to his surprise, Qiao Shui betrayed him and secretly joined forces with the Great Dao Sect, inhuman beings, and the wealthy Li Gongde from the Imperial Capital."


    "Fortunately, King Qin has great skills and managed to defeat Qiao Shui. However, Qiao Shui narrowly escaped, leaving Li Gongde, his aplice, captured by King Qin."


    "Early this morning, King Qin ns to publicly torture Li Gongde in the market square of the Great Qin Prefecture, as a warning to others, showing the consequences of working with inhuman beings."


    "King Qin mentioned that Qiao Shui may be a rebellious member of the Qiao family, disregarding their rules. If a true and honorable Qiao family memberes forward to exin and uphold their values, the misunderstanding can be resolved."


    Hu Han felt puzzled when he heard this.


    "Elder Lao, which y do you think King Qin is acting in?" asked Hu Han.


    "I went to the market this morning and saw Li Gongde, who weighs hundreds of pounds, hanging there, his skin peeled off, one of his hands chopped off and left to feed dogs at the market," said Elder Lao.


    "How can anyone use their own men to deceive Elder Lao with such an obvious plot of pretending to be a victim? Who would fall for it?" Hu Han wondered.


    After Hu Han spoke, Qiao Mu and Wei En remained silent.


    They exchanged a nce, their brows furrowed unconsciously.


    Li Gongde¡¯s intentions were unclear, making it difficult to determine if he was a friend or a foe.


    Wei En suspected that it might be a performance but wasn¡¯t entirely sure, considering that he had been spared by Li Gongde before.


    "Wei En, do you think King Qin has discovered that Li Gongde is acting against him? Might he have secretly¡­ spared my life?" furrowed Qiao Mu.


    "This is King Qin¡¯s cunning n, he always acts recklessly. If he doesn¡¯t catch Li Gongde as bait, he can easily catch some townspeople." Wei En sighed.


    "King Qin is always ruthless and decisive. He made such a decision in just one day."


    "Whether it¡¯s true or false depends entirely on King Qin¡¯s words. If Elder Lao goes to the market square execution ground, he might end up unfairly med."


    "If Elder Lao doesn¡¯t go¡­" Wei En didn¡¯t continue.


    The oue was easy to guess.


    Ever since Qiao family member and three hundred old soldiers left the Hundred-mile Desert, gaining fame in Zhong Province, they were also acimed alongside Earth Sword Immortal.


    The higher you climb, the harder you fall.


    "It seems there is no time at all for rest and training." Qiao Mu stood up.


    "Hold on. Elder Lao should think carefully." Wei En gestured.


    "I¡¯m not stopping Elder Lao from going, but if Elder Lao goes, it will be falling into a trap."


    "If this happens once, then the enemy will know it¡¯s a weakness of the Qiao family member, and there will be more in the future."


    Wei En, as a skilled detective, has met many people and understands the minds of those who are hard to read.


    "Elder Lao shouldn¡¯t rush to go, change into some night clothes, change his identity¡­"


    Wei En talked about this matter with a lot of experience.


    Many martial artists in the martial arts world have two masks, one for the public and one for hiding.


    When faced with a problem, you can use a fake name and identity to separate yourself from your public identity.


    The killings and fires are done by impostors, while publicly they can be respected heroes.


    Among the criminals Wei En has caught, there are quite a few people like this, even Wei En himself had a fake identity when wandering in the martial arts world, just for a different purpose.


    Wei En is like a detective in the story, so he must speak and act politely and follow thews of Great Yan.


    But when there are situations that thews of Great Yan cannot handle, like cases involving rich and powerful people, Wei En sometimes has to wear his night clothes ande back at night.


    Wei En got more and more excited as he spoke, and even in front of Qiao Mu, he opened the secret door in the cer of the house.


    The house in the mountains looked simple, but inside the cer, there were actually seven or eight spare sets of night clothes, and Wei En generously offered to give two sets to Qiao Mu.


    "You make a lot of sense," Qiao Mu nodded.


    "But I don¡¯t want to," he said.


    "Wei En, you have your experience, but I have mine," Qiao Mu calmly said.


    "I once had a friend named Guo, who taught me a lesson with his life," he continued.


    "A thousand ns are not as good as being bold."


    After saying this, he stood up, walked out, and didn¡¯t look back.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    He stopped his steps only when he reached a ce in the mountains where no one was around.


    Although it¡¯s described as reckless, it doesn¡¯t mean acting without thinking.


    Acting without thinking is falling into the trap of King Qin¡¯s deception, as Wei En mentioned. Even if it seeds this time, there will be another King Qin, and another one after that.


    Wei En has his own experience, and Qiao Mu has his own thoughts.


    On this trip, he wasn¡¯t going to save people, but to harm them.


    In TV shows, when someone is threatened, they are usually shown to drop their sword. But in reality, both the hostage and oneself are likely to die.


    "Next, I need a fresh body asplete as possible."


    Qiao Mu stood alone in the forest, pointing at his own forehead with one finger, pressing hard and piercing his skull.


    "Five years, indeed feels quite long when you think about it."


    His eyes quickly lost focus, and his body slumped to the ground.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    Opening his eyes, Qiao Mu found himself in a dream.


    His thoughts sank into the Long Life Lock in his heart, and a message appeared.


    Death Assessment this time: C- (very creative)


    Lifespan consumed by death: 5 years (1*5)


    Remaining resurrection chances this week: 4 out of 5


    Age: 210 years old (5 years remaining)


    Health: 21%


    Skills: basic


    "Is it really five years?" Qiao Mu muttered to himself.


    Self-harm refresh allows the body to restore to optimal condition.


    The original body would take a long time to recover with the Shape Changing Skill, so Qiao Mu made this decision.


    However, the resurrection time is at least one year, and with the Long Life Lock¡¯s two chains broken, time in dreams is multiplied by five.


    "The next step should I practice the Long Life Fist first, or the light skill Heavenly Dragon Eight Steps?"


    "King Qin, as a more expensive Golden Body Taoist soldier, must have a stronger body than the Copper Skin and Iron Bone Taoist soldier."


    "After practicing Long Life Fist for five years, even if one¡¯s energy and blood may increase a little, it cannot bepared to the use of the body and immortal materials."


    "Let¡¯s start by practicing light skills."


    With a single thought, the surroundings suddenly changed, turning into the familiar cliffs and wooden houses, only without Wei En beside.


    He leaped up, releasing his internal strength, and swiftly climbed up the waterfall wet with water droplets.


    Soon after, he slipped again, falling into the water basin, sshingrge water flowers.


    With another thought, the water stains on his clothes had dried up, and he stood once again at the bottom of the waterfall.


    "In dreams, you are not afraid of getting hurt, and you won¡¯t truly die. Practicing martial arts in dreams allows you to be more unrestrained, with much better efficiency than practicing in the real world."


    "The only downside is¡­ it can be boring."


    Qiao Mu sighed softly.


    He had been reading for ten or twenty years without falling in love with studying. He had been practicing martial arts for nearly two hundred years, but even though it had be a habit for his muscles, he still found it dull.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    In the forest, another person emerged and helped up the fallen "Qiao Shui" who had just died. They gently pressed their fingers against Qiao Shui¡¯s head.


    Next to them, a colorful stray cat sat licking its paw, tilting its head and staring nkly at the two Qiao family members.


    Okay, even though it didn¡¯t understand why, it wasn¡¯t as surprised anymore.

 Chapter 241:

    Chapter 241:


    Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/PazjBDkTmW


    When Qiao Mu emerged from the forest, he had transformed into two people.


    The five years in the dream were just a shallow dream of C-. During these five years, Qiao Mu only practiced light skills and continued to study the Xumi Mountain King Sutra.


    After five years, his energy and blood levels had dropped from 21% to 19%.


    Having learned Wei En¡¯s superb rank light skill, the Heavenly Dragon Eight Steps, through five years of hard training, Qiao Mu had be quite proficient. Although he had not yet climbed the hundred-meter cliff, he was more than halfway there.


    In these five years, martial arts training was just a small part. The important thing was actually refreshing his physical condition and obtaining a rtively intact "Qiao Shui" corpse.


    "Then, it¡¯s time to split up," Qiao Mu thought to himself.


    Following King Qin¡¯s script would clearly not lead to a good oue, so Qiao Mu had his own script.


    Hu Han brought news from the market square, saying that King Qin was in the Great Qin Prefecture market square, carrying out his old tricks just like when he was executed in the Imperial Capital.This time, Qiao Mu decided to split up.


    Qiao Shui went straight to King Qin¡¯s Mansion to steal.


    Qiao Mu went to the market to observe secretly, hoping to distract King Qin and take action.


    If not¡­ then go in headfirst.


    At this point, Qiao Mu didn¡¯t have any hope of saving Li Gongde¡¯s life.


    When he set out, Qiao Mu only had one goal in mind ¨C to defeat King Qin.


    Wei En lived in a secluded forest outside the city, not too far from Great Qin City.


    Qiao Mu used his Heavenly Dragon Eight Steps technique to move swiftly like a dragon.


    Passersby only saw a shadow passing by, losing sight of Qiao Mu.


    Around noon, Qiao Mu returned to King Qin¡¯s Mansion and parted ways with his own body¡­. This time, the piece of flesh he left in Qiao Shui¡¯s brain was quite big, different from Qiao Xiaoming¡¯s before.


    In a blink of an eye, Qiao Shui arrived alone at the entrance of King Qin¡¯s Mansion.


    Being a royal residence, the mansion was quite grand, with a red gate, two guardian stone lions, and sturdy soldiers standing at the entrance.


    Qiao Mu took a few steps closer, calmly drew his sword from his body, and looked up at the sign of King Qin¡¯s Mansion.


    "Stop right there, what are you up to?" The guard at the entrance could tell Qiao Shui had ill intentions, with his hand on the hilt of his sword.


    However, Qiao Shui paid no attention to them, but took a deep breath.


    With a swift motion, the long sword in his hand shed like lightning, slicing the sign of King Qin¡¯s Mansion in half in an instant.


    The momentum of the sword was not diminished, leaving a long trench at the front entrance of King Qin¡¯s Mansion, with the sign crashing to the ground.


    This time, he wanted to make a statement, to create a disturbance.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    At the market in the Great Qin Prefecture.


    King Qin sat upright at the desk, squinting his eyes as he looked down at the execution ground.


    Hundreds of people crowded around the execution ground, making it very lively.


    People from all over were curious to watch the spectacle, just like in the Imperial Capital and the Great Qin Prefecture.


    Qin Shiqing was fed up with the ups and downs of human nature long ago. He had seen too much of the same performance and felt bored. He had cut off worldly desires years ago, leaving only a strong determination to follow the path.


    Despite his strong determination, he was tired of such performances.


    "Don¡¯t you like dipping your mantou? Dip it then!" Qin Shiqing picked up a bloody severed leg, held a mantou in one hand, and squeezed it into the hand of a middle-aged man at the edge of the execution ground, smearing the severed leg¡¯s cut onto the man¡¯s hand.


    Suddenly, the entire white steamed bun was stained red with blood, and even some pieces of flesh were attached to it.


    "Such fresh blood, surely can cure all diseases!" King Qin said lightly.


    However, at this moment, the people gathered at the execution ground showed fear on their faces and started to step back.


    "Why are you leaving? Look closely, this is the fate of those who collude with inhumans."


    King Qin pointed above the execution ground to where Li Gongde was hanging by a rope.


    By now, Li Gongde was barely alive, covered in blood and almost unrecognizable with his skin all torn and barely any flesh visible.


    What¡¯s worse, both his hands and feet had been cut off at the joints, turning him into a human pole. Only his face remained intact enough for people to barely recognize him as Li Gongde.


    "What are you afraid of?" King Qin shouted.


    "Although inhumans and our human race are of the same kind, they are already different from us."


    "Being kind to enemies is being cruel to our own people."


    "Li Gongde colluded with members of the Qiao family in a cruel way, bringing this disaster upon themselves!"


    The crowd beneath the execution ground chattered noisily, but their faces looked grim.


    Suddenly, a person rode in on a fast horse, it was a servant from King Qin¡¯s Mansion, rushing to report to King Qin.


    "What? Has Qiao Shui really appeared? But he didn¡¯te to the execution ground, instead, he went to raid my pce?" King Qin was a bit surprised, but not panicked.


    In the Great Qin Prefecture, there are currently four Iron Bone Warriors, aside from the deceased Iron Wolf, there are three others remaining.


    One trusted aide is stationed at King Qin¡¯s Mansion, while another person is in the execution ground.


    Although there are some secrets in King Qin¡¯s Mansion, they are not big issues, just minor problems.


    To King Qin, apart from himself, everything else is external, as he cut ties with his family in his youth, so he doesn¡¯t care much about King Qin¡¯s Mansion now.


    King Qin turned his head and looked at the person hanging on the rope, covered in blood, and simply smiled.


    "Li Gongde, it seems like that person from the Qiao family really doesn¡¯t care about you."


    "The Qiao family member came, but didn¡¯t even bother toe here."


    The bloody person on the stick was already losing consciousness. He could only make some noises and couldn¡¯t sayplete words.


    Seeing this, King Qin stood up and walked outside.


    "Keep torturing, don¡¯t stop. I will be back soon," he instructed the Iron Bone Warrior, then rode away on his horse.


    The Iron Bone Warrior nodded and decided to stand on the execution tform, crossing his arms while standing behind the bloody person on the stick.


    "Li Gongde, can you still hear me? Should have listened earlier," the warrior standing with arms crossed there, yawned.


    "me yourself for being too wealthy. Even though you may spend your money sensibly, you are still a very rich man in the Zhong Province. Do you think spending money can save your life? Don¡¯t be foolish."


    "What wealthy merchant, as long as your fist is big and strong enough, you¡¯re just like a pig in a pen," the warrior joked.


    As an Iron Bone Warrior in the Martial Arts League, his spiritual refining in martial arts has reached the second rank.


    However, with so many people in the market, he couldn¡¯t carefully observe each person and didn¡¯t have the time for it either.


    While he was casually chatting with that person with a stick, a sudden change urred.


    Two pale white finger forces broke through the air, these finger forces were very condensed, only as thick as half a finger, but very fast.


    One finger broke the rope holding the stick, while another finger force hit the Iron Bone Warrior¡¯s chest, making a dull sound, like hitting metal.


    The stick fell to the ground with a sound, and the Iron Bone Warrior looked down at his chest, where there was a slight half-inch indentation.


    "That finger force is really scary, if it were before I reached this level, I might have died."


    The warrior smirked, unsheathed his battle knife, and shed towards the airborne figure of Qiao Mu.


    "But now that I have reached this level, it will be you who dies today!"


    "Is it?" Qiao Mu¡¯s expression was very cold.


    "If you are still a 2nd rank Martial Artist in the Spiritual Refining Period, then you might be worth a second look from me. But sacrificing your own body and cutting off your martial path, you are no longer worthy of being my enemy."


    "Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method!"


    "Eye Sword Technique!"


    The sword in his hand turned into a blood-red glow, exuding a surging energy throughout his body.


    At the same time, Qiao Mu¡¯s gaze was as sharp as a sword, he simultaneously unleashed the Eye Sword Technique.


    After defeating Iron Wolf, he realized the weakness of these Taoist soldiers, that their level of spiritual refinement was actuallycking.


    Facing such tough Taoist soldiers head-on, it¡¯s better to exploit their weaknesses rather than confront their strengths, no need for direct confrontation.


    Human physical strength and speed are far inferior to fierce beasts like tigers and lions, but which hunter would go and wrestle arm to arm with a lion or tiger?


    The warrior was confused, and under the pressure of the Eye Sword Technique, his mind shook, and his movements slowed down. In the blink of an eye, he was hit in the head by Qiao Mu¡¯s consecutive sword strikes. Qiao Mu¡¯s strong internal energy burst out, causing the warrior to stagger back.


    The internal energy surged like a raging tide, Qiao Muunched a continuous strong attack like relentless waves, intending to defeat the Iron Bone Warrior.


    However, at that moment, he suddenly felt a warning sign, as mes rose behind him.


    He hurriedly jumped up, using the Dragon Soaring Step to leap high into the air. Looking down, he saw a scene that filled him with excitement.


    Behind him, Li Gongde, who had been reduced to a stick figure, was now engulfed in mes and moving towards Qiao Mu with an unnatural agility that a stick figure shouldn¡¯t possess.


    Although Qiao Mu dodged swiftly, he was grazed on the heel of his right foot by Li Gongde¡¯s leap, causing the mes to quickly spread, bringing a familiar sensation of pain.


    "It¡¯s the Etching Bones Li Fire again? This Li Gongde¡­"


    Qiao Mu felt a shock and quickly made a decision. While he was floating in the air, he decisively cut off his own leg that was on fire, slicing through flesh and bone together.


    The intense pain hit him, blood gushing from his foot. He slightly tilted his body and managed tond on the ground with only his left foot.


    Li Gongde, who was all on fire, waspletely still, his body quickly turned into ashes, not even a single bone left.


    A dark figure emerged from the distance, walked up to the execution tform, it was Qin Shiqing who had returned.


    At this moment, King Qin had a faint smile on his face.


    "I have said it before, I will be back soon."


    "You really dare toe back?"


    King Qin¡¯s smile slowly grew wider.


    Although there were secrets in King Qin¡¯s Mansion, they were not very important.


    If they could really lure a member of the Qiao family, use them as pawns, it might not be a bad idea.


    After all, if this matter is not handled properly, if Elder Qingyi is not given an exnation, then the future for this King Qin wouldn¡¯t be good either.


    If this matter can be resolved, even if King Qin¡¯s Mansion ispletely destroyed, as long as the Great Dao Sect is still supporting him, he can still recruit followers even if it takes more time.


    "It¡¯s clearly a trap, yet you dare to step into it. How bold." King Qin smirked, observing Qiao Mu¡¯s leg dripping with blood.


    "Bold, but you won¡¯t survive, and neither will Li Gongde."


    "Is it worth it?"


    "So much nonsense." Qiao Mu stood on one leg, his gaze still calm. "Do you really think you can see through human nature and question it here?"


    His pain tolerance was as extraordinary as his age, gradually reaching an inhuman level through countless experiences of death.


    What concerned him were not the injuries on his body, but Li Gongde, who ignited the Etching Bone Li Fire Talisman on his body, and the current King Qin before him.


    "I¡¯m not very agile on my feet right now, so make it quick." He gestured with the sword in his hand, signaling a throat-slitting motion.


    "Come and meet your end."


    "With your life added, it will be enough to settle the score."


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    King Qin¡¯s Mansion.


    The mansion had turned into ruins, with blood everywhere. Luxurious decorations were smashed during the fierce fighting.


    The servants and guards fell to the ground, those who could still stand dared not approach. Qiao Shui entered the heavily guarded backyard alone.


    Another Iron Bone Warrior, holding a long spear, knelt down with his head pierced by powerful force, gradually losing his breath.


    Qiao Shui¡¯s battle strategy naturally mirrors Qiao Mu¡¯s.


    A Spirit Refining martial artist with a wed mind has a big weakness under the Eye Sword Technique.


    With strong force, it is not impossible to kill this Iron Bone Warrior.


    However, Qiao Shui¡¯s body was not in good condition, still injured from before. After using the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method forcefully, his body was full of wounds and blood was flowing out continuously.


    Even though Qiao Mu¡¯s spirit was still there, it was difficult to control this damaged body.


    After all, the Shape Changing Skill¡¯s clone is not the same as resurrecting the dead.


    At this moment, Qiao Shui ignored his injuries and limped past the kneeling Iron Bone Warrior, making his way to a closed room behind the warlord.


    In fact, he had no knowledge about King Qin¡¯s Mansion, relying solely on his recklessness.


    If the Iron Bone Warrior wasn¡¯t guarding the door, he wouldn¡¯t have noticed anything wrong with this room.


    "This Iron Bone Taoist soldier guarding the door¡­ there must be something suspicious."


    "Since the Iron Bone Taoist soldier is known as one of King Qin¡¯s four great warlords, his status in Great Qin Prefecture must be high. Therefore, the secret behind the door¡­ must be significant."


    The task of Qiao Shui¡¯s flesh clone was just to create a distraction.


    It is already a pleasant surprise to have defeated a Taoist soldier with iron bones. There is no need to ask for more.


    Now he just wants to take a good look at the secrets within the Great Qin Prefecture beforepletely losing his breath.


    With a kick, Qiao Shui kicked down the tightly closed door and stepped inside.


    The room appeared to be just a normal chamber, with a folding screen at the door and various antique objects ced on the side, looking ordinary. Qiao Shui felt disappointed at first nce.


    However, when he went around the folding screen, he couldn¡¯t help but stop in his tracks.


    In the hall behind the screen, there is a bigfy chair with a chubby person sitting on it.


    It was Li Gongde.


    He had no injuries on his body, but there was no smile on his face like before. Instead, his eyes looked a bit serious as he gazed at Qiao Shui.

 Chapter 242:

    Chapter 242:


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    "Li Gongde?"


    "Qiao Shui?"


    The two men in thepartment nced at each other.


    In Li Gongde¡¯s eyes, the "Qiao Shui" in front of him was the one who had broken into his private residence that night and killed Dao Xu. They had a slight connection between them.


    However, the current appearance of Qiao Shui was miserable, covered in injuries, worse than the night he was let go by Li Gongde.


    If that night he passed out due to excessive blood loss, then the Qiao Shui standing in front of him today, with a pale face and a broken body, was clearly on the brink of death¡­ If Qiao Shui hadn¡¯t been able to move, think, and speak normally, Li Gongde would have thought he was already dead.


    Qiao Mu quickly looked away and focused on the armchair where Li Gongde was sitting.


    On the mahogany table next to the chair, there was a clear water globe floating above it.The surface of the water globe reflected an image, which was the execution ground at the market square of Great Qin Prefecture.


    Qiao Shui even saw himself in the reflection on the water balloon, standing on the execution ground just after cutting his own throat.


    He looked at Li Gongde doubtfully, feeling more and more that this person¡¯s behavior was strange, and said:


    "Are you also a cultivator?"


    Li Gongde was surprised when he saw Qiao Shui staring at the water ball, and quickly exined:


    "No, this was left by King Qin as a gesture of goodwill."


    He pointed to the image of the marketce on the water ball, and said:


    "Qiao Shui, by now you must understand what those who use martial arts like King Qin are truly about. They are no longer just martial artists."


    "Especially the leader, King Qin," Li Gongde said.


    "The Great Dao Sect is nning to groom King Qin to be their public representative. He is no longer just a martial artist; after special modifications, he can even use a few types of magical talismans."


    "Including the disciplined martial artist, the ¡®Etching Bone Li Fire Talisman¡¯ fueled by Qi and blood, and the ¡®Art of Water Mirror¡¯ in front of him."


    Li Gongde saw that Qiao Shui was clearly at death¡¯s door, seemingly wanting to satisfy his curiosity before dying, he sighed deeply in his heart and without much concealment, he revealed the truth.


    "Are you really Li Gongde?" Qiao Shui frowned.


    His original body lost a leg on the execution ground because of Li Gongde¡­ Although he had a much higher tolerance for pain than ordinary people, pain was still very real.


    "The you at Caishikou is fake, and the you sitting here, are you real or fake?" He looked slightly cold, evidently being cautious of Li Gongde.


    But now, his body was already at itsst breath, despite his cold demeanor and a faint hint of a murderous aura, he posed no real threat, not even being able to draw his sword.


    In Li Gongde¡¯s eyes, this threatening appearance was like that of a dying tiger showing its fangs and ws, failing to intimidate him, only stirring up his emotions.


    "Don¡¯t worry, Qiao Shui my friend, you are about to die, why would I lie to a dead man?" Li Gongde sympathized.


    Qiao Shui: ?


    "In fact, all of this was King Qin¡¯s idea," Li Gongde raised his hands in surrender to show he meant no harm.


    "He used me as bait to lure a Qiao family member into the Great Qin City, and caught them all in one fell swoop."


    "But as Li Gongde was a wealthy person in Zhong Province and quite prominent in the whole Jiu Province, he couldn¡¯t just kill someone without consequences."


    "So he found someone who looked simr to me in size, used a magical spell to disguise, and transformed into my appearance."


    "To show sincerity and transparency, King Qin imprisoned me in this mansion while also leaving me a symbolic token of the Art of Water Mirror, allowing me to catch a glimpse of the current situation."


    Qiao Mu whispered to himself: If King Qin truly saw you as a significant figure, he wouldn¡¯t have considered you as bait.


    However, he didn¡¯t argue back.


    At this moment, he btedly realized something: Li Gongde also saw Qiao Mu cutting off his own leg through the Art of Water Mirror. And the body pretending to be "Qiao Shui" was barely hanging on due to trespassing in King Qin¡¯s Mansion.


    Perhaps there was a hint of guilt in Li Gongde¡¯s heart, so in front of the dying "Qiao Shui," he seemed to let down his guard and revealed some forbidden secrets.


    "So, even a dying person can still deceive others?" Qiao Mu realized this suddenly.


    Li Gongde and King Qin schemed to deceive him into taking on a dead body¡­ whether intentional or not, Qiao Mu had been preparing for five years to confront this situation.


    It was impossible for him not to feel any anger towards Li Gongde or have any guard up.


    So, with a sudden idea, he calmly started acting in front of Li Gongde, ready to gather information before his impending death.


    "Cough, cough¡­" Qiao Shui¡¯s face turned paper white, he coughed up arge amount of blood, with even a few pieces of internal organs in it, and his body almost falling to the ground.


    Quick to react, Li Gongde promptly helped him up and seated him on another chair.


    "Why are you helping me?" Qiao Shui red, blowing his mustache.


    "I, Qiao Shui, barged into King Qin¡¯s Mansion, and now have one foot in the grave."


    "My elder brother Qiao Gui caused chaos at the courthouse and lost a leg."


    "And now I realize this was all a scam you conspired with King Qin¡­ cough." He kept coughing up blood, spraying it everywhere like it was cheap.


    "Li Gongde!" Qiao Shui widened his eyes, reached out and grabbed Li Gongde¡¯s wrist, leaving a bloody mark on it.


    "As you wish, I am close to death. Before I die, I have one wish¡­"


    Li Gongde looked serious and asked, "What is yourst wish?"


    My dying wish is to give Qiao Mu 50 KFC meals¡­ Qiao Mu struggled to speak, his breath weak, but he kept his eyes wide open and said hoarsely:


    "Even in death, I want to die with rity, as a ghost who understands!"


    "Li Gongde! Tell me, was our deaths in vain, did you conspire with King Qin to deceive me?"


    "What is the truth about the man with the sticks at the market, Li Gongde?"


    Being truly sincere with hidden intentions is like a suicide move, but Qiao Shui, with the added power of st wish" and "dying wish," is a super finishing move.


    "Friend Qiao Shui, don¡¯t get too worked up," said Li Gongde as he wiped his sweat, feeling a bit impatient.


    "I didn¡¯t lie to you. I really don¡¯t know who this ¡®Li Gongde¡¯ at the market is. Maybe King Qin set up an innocent person¡­"


    He shrugged his shoulders, feeling somewhat helpless.


    "Is that so?" Qiao Mu frowned.


    "But you, Li Gongde, also behave strangely. As a wealthy person from Zhong Province, you often donate money, provide porridge to help refugees, do good deeds, and people call you a great person."


    "Now you¡¯re telling me that all of this has nothing to do with you, that you are apletely innocent victim, and all the dirty work was done by King Qin? You were just forced to do it?"


    This question seemed to leave Li Gongde speechless for a moment, making him silent.


    But it wasn¡¯t long before he pointed to the scene in the water mirror where Qiao Mu, who had lost a leg, was fighting fiercely with King Qin, with a deep meaning in his words:


    "My usual good deeds have a reason behind them," said Li Gongde.


    "Because¡­ I don¡¯t want to be a good person," said Li Gongde deeply.


    "In today¡¯s world, the fate of being a good person, like a Qiao family member, will be entangled by moral righteousness and won¡¯tst long."


    "Doing good deeds may not always lead to good oues. Instead, it may attract danger by exposing one¡¯s kind intentions."


    "Revealing kindness is like exposing a weakness."


    Qiao Shui was even more puzzled in his heart, not wanting to be a good person, yet still doing good deeds and charity actively?


    Li Gongde seemed to sense Qiao Shui¡¯s deep confusion and continued to exin.


    "My dear Qiao Shui."


    "You just mentioned that I frequently give to charity, and the people see me as a great phnthropist, but when you first heard of my reputation as a phnthropist, did you truly believe I was a genuinely good person both inside and out, a rare saint in this world?"


    "Do you secretly think¡­that I, Li Gongde, might be a hypocritical rich man, possibly having a guilty conscience from past wrongdoings, so I adhere to the belief in umting merits and seek a good reputation, hence building this facade for myself?"


    Qiao Shui was at a loss for words.


    "I¡¯m not saying that your thoughts are wrong," Li Gongde said.


    "Many people think this way because in this world, there are indeed many wealthy people who are unkind, but pretend to be generous and kind-hearted."


    "As for me, Li Gongde¡­ Don¡¯t look at me like that, Qiao Shui, I am not a truly good person either."


    "They say that kindness doesn¡¯t wield power, and righteousness doesn¡¯t umte wealth. For me, Li Gongde, to be the second richest person in Imperial Capital, my hands must have been dirty a long time ago."


    Li Gongde said lightly,


    "Themon people think I¡¯m a good person, while those more discerning see me as a fake kind-hearted wealthy man¡­ And what I need is precisely this kind of image."


    "People hear rumors about my good deeds, which is actually a weakness of mine exposed to the public. With this weakness, whether it¡¯s the Great Yan Imperial Court, Immortal Gate, or King Qin, they all think I, Li Gongde, are just so-so and easy to deal with, considering it as a way to show my vulnerability to enemies."


    The firstyer of persona is a kind person named Li, and the secondyer is a wealthy person with a good reputation but pretending.


    "Without these twoyers of disguise, could I, Li Gongde, have survived in a world surrounded by wolves and still be wealthy now?" Li Gongde chuckled.


    Li Gongde is a very skillful actor.


    On the outside, he appears to be doing good deeds, but in reality, he is truly doing good deeds and sessfully deceiving people into thinking he is a typical hypocritical wealthy man.


    "Are you tarnishing your own reputation?" Qiao Shui asked, frowning.


    Li Gongde didn¡¯t deny it, nodding in response.


    "The world is like a big dyeing vat, if one doesn¡¯t tarnish themselves, are they supposed to remain untouched by the mud?"


    "Indeed, there are people in this world who remain untainted by the world, like the three hundred old soldiers who emerged from the Hundred-mile Desert, or the Qiao family members who bravely sacrificed themselves. However, you are indeed a rare few among a rare few, hardly seen throughout the entire Jiu Province." Li Gongde said seriously.


    "I, Li Gongde, admire such people, but I myself will not be one."


    "Those who remain untainted by the world, don¡¯t live long."


    "I may be stained, rising from the dirt, my hands tainted with filth, but I can still do some good in this dirty world, helping the struggling people have slightly better days."


    "But I cannot sacrifice myself like a member of the Qiao family or like one of the three hundred white-headed soldiers, to fight and die in order to save the people."


    In front of the dying Qiao Shui, Li Gongde showed great honesty.


    From his words, it is easy to see his respect for the elderly soldier in the lonely city and the Qiao family member, which may also be one of the reasons why he released Qiao Mu in the first ce.


    But when they first met in private, Li Gongde didn¡¯t reveal his true feelings at all, he only opened up to the dying Qiao Shui.


    "I don¡¯t want fame, just doing good deeds is enough for me. As long as I do good things with a clear conscience, that¡¯s all that matters."


    Speaking of this, Li Gongde looked again at Qiao Mu in the water mirror with mixed feelings on the execution ground.


    "Although I, Li Gongde, have good intentions, my first thought was to protect my own life and fortune."


    "Qiao family member can challenge strangers like Li Gongde and King Qin, showing great righteousness that I cannot match."


    Li Gongde didn¡¯t want to be seen as a good person because good people might be threatened with a spear.


    In his eyes, the Qiao brothers were brave heroes who knew the risks but still faced danger to confront King Qin¡¯s traps.


    "Don¡¯t get ahead of yourself," Qiao Mu said decisively.


    "We didn¡¯te here for you," the two brothers stated firmly.


    He stopped pretending and revealed his true intentions.


    "All I seek is to settle a score with King Qin. I came here to take revenge for myself, nothing more."


    "King Qin has you captured. Your fate is in his hands. Even if Martial Saint were alive and tried to save you, it might not be possible."


    "I came here not to save you, but to take a life."


    If King Qin wanted to kill Li Gongde, with his cunning ways, Li Gongde¡¯s fate would be sealed long before any rescue attempt.


    Just like the innocent chubby guy whose name we don¡¯t know, he was cut into a stick by King Qin even before Qiao Mu entered the city, and made into a tool for the surprise attack called "Etching Bone Li Fire Talisman", not even immortals could save him.


    If Martial Saintes to rescue me¡­ Li Gongde¡¯s eyes flickered for a moment, and he continued:


    "So, Qiao Shui, my brothers, actually didn¡¯te to save me? They just came to kill King Qin?"


    "That¡¯s right," Qiao Shui nodded.


    But Li Gongde¡¯s gazended on Qiao Mu, who had lost a leg in the water mirror, and he said softly:


    "You can say that."


    "But before Qiao Shui, did you consider the feelings of your older brother Qiao Gui?"


    Qiao Shui wanted to say something, but Li Gongde waved his hand to interrupt:


    "I don¡¯t understand why Qiao Shui doesn¡¯t want to admit¡­but everything your Qiao family members have been doing, isn¡¯t it simr to what I, Li Gongde, have been doing?"


    "The difference is that the Qiao family members have helped more people and done greater things than me. My small actions cannot bepared to theirs¡­"


    Li Gongde thought to himself: Was he ashamed to admit his good intentions? Or like me, did he feel that having a good reputation was not beneficial and could attract trouble instead, bing a tool for those with ulterior motives?


    With this thought in mind, he suddenly felt that the barely breathing Qiao Shui in front of him seemed to growrger out of thin air.


    "Qiao Shui my friend, please hold on a little longer. It¡¯s good to stay alive in this difficult world. We need more people like you, Qiao Shui," Li Gongde said.


    "Actually, I have a miraculous medicine that is highly effective for healing both internal and external injuries."


    Saying this, Li Gongde took out a beautiful box from his pocket.


    It¡¯s not that he didn¡¯t want to take out the medicine earlier, it¡¯s just that the earlier Qiao Shui seemed wary of him. If he had offered the medicine to save him, he might have been seen as having bad intentions.


    Also, the medicine in his hand was truly unbelievable.


    Upon opening the box, Qiao Shui looked closely and found that inside the box was a fist-sized¡­ chunk of meat?


    This meatball looks round and squishy, like jelly. If you look closely, you can see it slowly expanding and contracting, as if it¡¯s breathing like a living creature.


    Qiao Shui: ???


    Do you call this a magical pill for healing wounds?


    "This thing is called the Spiritual Meat Pill. Although it looks a little strange, it¡¯s indeed very effective," said Li Gongde with conviction.


    In fact, when Qiao Shui was unconscious before, Li Gongde also used a small amount of Spiritual Meat Pill to help his wounds heal faster.


    Just by looking at this one Spiritual Meat Pill, Qiao Shui suddenly felt a sense of familiarity. Memories from years ago in Nan Province surfaced in his mind:


    "Wuji Association?"


    He looked up at Li Gongde in front of him.


    This so-called Spiritual Meat Pill is clearly just a lump of meat.


    This is probably the same kind of thing as the blood and flesh that Wu Qizheng left in his body before.


    Li Gongde was a little surprised, but he didn¡¯t deny it in front of the dying Qiao Shui.


    Saving the dying Qiao Shui seemed like a risk worth taking to him, even if it meant revealing the identity of the Wuji Association.


    Ever since the incident in Gu Cheng Desert, the reputation of Qiao family members in Zhong Province has surpassed that of Qiao Sen and his son in Nan Province.


    This old man named Qiao Shui had killed the Great Dao Sect disciple Dao Xu in thete Foundation Building stage right in front of Li Gongde¡¯s eyes using martial arts to defeat immortals.


    To him, this was a different kind of hope from the Martial Saint.


    Li Gongde admired the idea of merit, thinking that the Martial Saint had be increasingly radical over the past forty years, so different from the pir of the court, General Li. He felt like he was trying to rise above his circumstances.


    In his eyes, the Martial Saint had already be a marsh of his own making.


    He was in the Wuji Association only because he had no other choice¡­ Otherwise, would he join the Great Yan Imperial Court, or stubbornly raise his own g and go it alone?


    The renowned Qiao family member, whose reputation has been soaringtely, has long been an object of his admiration.


    What¡¯s more crucial is¡­ The Wuji Association actually no longer has a reason to remain low-key.


    The former Martial Saint¡¯s fake death wasrgely due to his need for time.


    But now¡­ the Wuji Association has been dormant for a long time, the time hase.


    This is also the reason why he appeared in Great Qin Prefecture.


    Just as he thought about it, Qiao Shui, who was barely breathing, tilted his head and took hisst breath at that moment, leaving only the lump of meat in the brocade box in his hand still moving.


    "Is he dead?" Li Gongde hesitated for a moment as he reached out, adjusted Qiao Shui¡¯s body, and then looked into the water mirror.

 Chapter 243 (1)

    Chapter 243 (1)


    Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/PazjBDkTmW


    Vegetable Market Execution Grounds.


    King Qin held a sword and slowly approached Qiao Mu.


    This sword seemed like a weapon held in hand, but upon closer inspection, it seemed to merge seamlessly with the bones of the hand, indicating it was also made of the same mystical material, zing Essence Gold.


    With a swift strike, a beam of light from the sword cut through the air, leaving a long gash on Qiao Mu¡¯s belly, causing blood to gush out like a spring.


    The flesh clone he controlled from a distance lost connection with him because of this andpletely vanished.


    In fact, he had been multitasking, engaging inbat with King Qin while controlling "Qiao Shui" to deceive Li Gongde.


    With a leg already injured, he couldn¡¯t use his agility skills and quickly found himself at a disadvantage,pletely overwhelmed in the fight.


    His mortal body was no match for the Taoist soldier made of precious metal. With a leg injured, he struggled to move swiftly and could only face King Qin head-on.As a result, Qiao Mu soon gained more than a dozen wounds¡­ He was somewhat surprised himself, how was he still alive?


    King Qin appeared very restrained.


    He continuously attacked Qiao Mu like a cat ying with a mouse, but he wasn¡¯t in a rush to end Qiao Mu¡¯s life.


    He was very patient, he was waiting.


    Qin Shiqing was not an impulsive person, his goal was not to kill the person iming to be a Qiao family member named Qiao Gui, but to capture all Qiao family members and give an exnation to the Immortal Gate Great Dao Sect.


    Killing one Qiao Gui was not enough!


    In the Wan family mansion in the Imperial Capital, Qin Shiqing let his guard down after killing Qiao Mu and got killed by the resurrected Qiao Mu who ambushed him.


    With King Qin¡¯s intellect, how could he make the same mistake twice?


    He was prepared for more than one Qiao family member, so after hearing about Qiao Shui¡¯s attack on King Qin¡¯s Mansion, he pretended to leave but quickly returned.


    "Finding one Qiao family member in the city means there might be more, they must all be captured."


    "If Qiao Shui attacks my King Qin¡¯s Mansion, I will first kill you, Qiao Gui, here, and see who frowns first." King Qin coldly smirked.


    Many years ago, he lost his family and became a lonely man with a strong belief in the dao. He didn¡¯t care about the newly established "King Qin¡¯s Mansion".


    On the other hand, the Qiao family members werepletely different from him.


    It was clear that this was a flourishing martial arts family, and the Qiao family members were known for their loyalty and protectiveness.


    When one Qiao family member died tragically, another blood rtive would quickly seek revenge.


    So, if they attacked the point guarded by Qiao Gui, the other Qiao family members would likely be drawn in like moths to a me, one by one ending up at the execution ground.


    King Qin was already alone, no one¡¯s death would make him frown.. So when both sides started switching sides, how could he possibly lose?


    "Why haven¡¯t the other Qiao family members arrived yet? What about Qiao Shui who intruded into my King Qin¡¯s Mansion?" King Qin wondered.


    He was getting impatient.


    ¡­¡­¡­.


    The room inside King Qin¡¯s big house.


    While Li Gongde was looking at the floating image on the red wooden table, he suddenly felt a movement in his heart as footsteps came from outside the room.


    "Someone dares toe?" He was slightly surprised.


    The guards of King Qin¡¯s Mansion, as well as the Iron Bone Warrior, were all scattered by Qiao Shui.


    Especially the Iron Bone Warrior, his body was still half kneeling outside the door.


    Although Qiao Shui was already dead, the guards had no choice but to run away. How could they regain their spirits ande back so quickly?


    However, when he turned around, he saw a figure with a ck starry mask on its face. This figure was shrouded in a robe, making it hard to see the specific body shape. It was the Star Xuan Envoy of the Wuji Association.


    "Greetings, Envoy." The Star Xuan Envoy lowered his voice and bowed slightly.


    Li Gongde¡¯s face twitched slightly. Instead of looking at the Star Xuan Envoy, he nced at the silent courtyard outside.


    In broad daylight, how dare youe in here? This is King Qin¡¯s Mansion." Li Gongde frowned but quicklyposed himself:


    "What urgent matter do you have?"


    His contact with the Wuji Association naturally had to be in secret, and this was after all King Qin¡¯s Mansion, not his own home.


    For the past couple of days, Li Gongde had been confined in this room by King Qin, unable to go out, so it was impossible for the Wuji Association to contact him.


    The Star Xuan Envoy of the Wuji Association had just managed to slip away from the surveince of the people in King Qin¡¯s Mansion, Qiao Shui had just died, with no one around him, he hastily rushed over. This obviously meant that something big was about to happen!


    "Hello. Perhaps we of the Wuji Association no longer need to remain hidden." The Star Xuan Envoy raised his head, his entire face covered by a mask, speaking in a calm and emotionless tone, trying not to show any personal feelings.


    Yet, the emotion in the words of this Star Xuan Envoy at this moment was nearly impossible to conceal.


    "The Martial Saint is not dead, and he is about to return!"


    Li Gongde¡¯s eyes flickered for a moment, suddenly hearing this news, but his face showed little excitement.


    He put his chin on his hand and started thinking deeply.


    "It seems like the world is about to get chaotic again¡­. No, this world has never been peaceful."


    "I¡¯m just not sure if I can continue using my identity as a wealthy man." He let out a slight sigh in his heart, feeling a bit reluctant.


    In the end, although King Qin didn¡¯t kill him, Li Gongde, instead using a decoy, he also didn¡¯t really care much about Li Gongde.


    Otherwise, why would King Qin detain him and not return to help¡­. Perhaps King Qin never thought about how Li Gongde would restore his reputation after being executed, and how he would handle the aftermath.


    Thinking about this, Li Gongde lightly tapped his hand in the air.


    The floating water mirror on the mahogany table quickly shrank, turning into a sparkling transparent water droplet, which he then drew into his wide sleeve with a hand gesture.


    Although Li Gongde had told Qiao Shui, who was on his deathbed, some things, he naturally couldn¡¯t reveal all of his own secrets.


    The Wuji Association is a group of ordinary people resisting the power of the Nine Immortal Gates, mostly consisting of martial artists, but there are also some unusual members.


    In search of ways to defeat the Nine Immortal Gates, the Wuji Association tried different paths. One example is Saintess Wu Qingxin, who was sent by the Martial Saint to the Xuantian Sect to practice immortal cultivation.


    He turned around and left the chaotic King Qin¡¯s Mansion with the Star Xuan Envoy from the Wuji Association, quietly disappearing.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    In a remote area of the Zhong Province, deep in the mountains.


    Wu Qiankun once again ventured into the forests, but this time he was not alone. He was apanied by dozens of people.


    These dozens of people were senior members of the Wuji Association, including the seventy-two wise men under the Martial Saint.


    Hai Wuya was also among this group of people.


    Hai Wuya was not considered a senior member of the Wuji Association. He had been imprisoned shortly after the Inhuman War, and although he was included among the seventy-two wise men, he had been outside the Wuji Association¡¯s system for forty years, spending over thirty years studying alone in prison.


    Not to mention senior members, before being released from prison and reinstated as Minister of Rites, he rarely interacted with people from the Wuji Association.


    Among all these people, Hai Wuya is actually quite different.


    The other seventy two wise men are mostly descendants of Martial Saints, some of whom were personally raised by Martial Saints.


    But Hai Wuya is unique.


    He was a colleague of the Martial Saint before he became a saint, belonging to the same generation, at most being of different ranks in the officialdom.


    The reason he is here is partly due to his recent contact with the Wuji Association in order to spread the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra".


    The second reason is¡­


    Wu Qiankun¡¯s news was so shocking that Hai Wuya feltpelled toe here, wanting to witness the truth behind the outrageous rumors.


    However, as he walked into the forest, he already had a growing sense of the answer in his heart.


    Intuition!


    It was the instinctive sensing of the Martial Saint Spiritual Technique!


    Walking among the mountain paths, Hai Wuya followed the crowd up the steps, unconsciously coughing lightly, with beads of sweat forming on his forehead.


    As he got closer to the cave at the mountaintop, he could feel his own intuition frantically warning him.


    With each step closer, each step up the stairs¡­ that immense pressure kept increasing.


    Hai Wuya nced at the other people in the crowd.


    Among these people, young and old, fat and thin, many of their facial expressions were simr to his.


    The group was very quiet, with an inexplicable sense of unease spreading.


    "Is the Martial Saint really still alive?" someone couldn¡¯t help but ask, holding onto a glimmer of hope.


    The mystery of the Martial Saint¡¯s life and death, even within the Wuji Association, was a secret known only to a very few.


    And these high-ranking people, referred to as seventy two wise men, were only recently informed by Wu Qiankun about this fact, and brought them personally.


    "A Martial Saint won¡¯t easily die," Wu Qiankun ahead of the group casually replied.


    He seemed very calm, having held the power of Wuji Association for the past one or two years. Now, he had gained momentum, increasingly showing the style of a Martial Saint in his early years.


    "The Immortal Gate has always looked down on us ordinary martial artists, viewing themselves highly, and the Martial Saint just used their arrogance."


    "But¡­" the person expressed doubt:


    "If the world, if the Nine Immortal Gates were to know that the Martial Saint is still alive, the Immortal Gate would surely be furious!"


    If the Immortal Gate sees martial artists as mundane, as ephemeral beings, then the strong Martial Saint managed to deceive the Nine Immortal Gates. If this matter were to be exposed, the consequences would surely be the fury of the Immortal Gate.


    This person was worried, fearing that having so many people know that the Martial Saint was still alive would lead to trouble.


    "Fury, who cares if they are furious or not?"


    "Now is the time," Wu Qiankun calmly said.


    As they talked, a group of people reached the mountaintop.


    At the mountaintop, there was a very noticeable cave. Despite the bright sun, no light could enter the pitch-ck cave.


    At the cave entrance, the boundary between light and darkness was clear.


    The deep cave was filled with darkness like a tidal wave. Nothing could be seen inside, making Hai Wuya and the others feel a shiver.


    They felt that the Martial Saint was inside.


    With this thought in mind, as they continued to look at the cave, something seemed off.


    Upon closer inspection, they noticed that the cave seemed to be slightly moving, giving an eerie feeling.


    Wu Qiankun stayed silent, waiting with the others outside the cave.


    Nobody said a word, and the silence spread quickly like the tide.


    But Hai Wuya¡¯s intuition became even stronger, suddenly feeling like he couldn¡¯t breathe.


    Not long after.


    Inside the cave, darkness surged like a tide, a tall figure bathed in darkness slowly walked out.


    He emerged from the cave, standing under the sunlight, his skin faintly gleaming, still with an ageless appearance, except for his long white-gray hair turning half ck and half white at some point.


    Without looking at Hai Wuya and the others, he turned around and stood at the mountaintop, gazing at the sun in the sky.

 Chapter 243 (2)

    Chapter 243 (2)


    Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/PazjBDkTmW


    Even though the sun was shining brightly, it seemed unable to fully illuminate his figure, a strange chill enveloping him.


    "Greetings, Martial Saint."


    Wu Qiankun and the others unconsciously said in unison.


    Many of them, like Hai Wuya, didn¡¯t believe that the Martial Saint was still alive. They wanted to see for themselves to be sure.


    But when they saw the Martial Saint appear, they believed, knowing he was not pretending.


    The sensation of the Martial Saint¡¯s Spiritual Technique was proof enough.


    This made them tremble all over, feeling powerless against such immense strength that was unmatched except by the Martial Saint.


    The Martial Saint, however, didn¡¯t respond, only gazing up at the sun.It seemed like he had lived in a cave for so long without seeing sunlight, closing his eyes at that moment.


    Memories of the past shed before his eyes, one by one.


    The first half of his life was spent for over forty years as General Li at the court, and the second half as the Martial Saint for forty years in martial arts.


    "Forty years," he murmured.


    "I have waited for forty years."


    Forty years, from Li Changge¡¯s special technique, to Martial Saint special technique, and then to Taotie Swallowing Heaven Skill.


    The Martial Saint special technique allowed him to break through to the highest level of spiritual refinement, bing a leader in martial arts.


    Later on, he united the martial world, sacrificing a generation of people, using the top martial families as fuel, achieving a level of progress in spiritual refining unseen before by any Martial Saint.


    But that was not enough.


    Because there were almost no more resources in the martial world to help him advance further.


    If we say Martial Saint is a fierce tiger.


    Then ordinary people are like grass, low-tier martial artists are like insects, and mid-to-high-tier martial artists are like deer, wolves, and other wild animals.


    A fierce tiger looks down on eating insects, let alone eating grass.


    Now, after forty years of practice, the Taotie Swallowing Heaven Skill has reachedpletion.


    He opened his eyes and then reached out towards the sun in the sky, as if trying to grab hold of it.


    He was no longer a fierce tiger, about to transform into a Taotie.


    As a Taotie, he had the ambition to swallow the heavens.


    "On the day when the Taotie Swallowing Heaven Skill is perfected, I shall swallow the sky and sun." He turned around and looked at Hai Wuya, Wu Qiankun, and the others behind him.


    "From now on."


    "Wuji Association, will use Martial Arts to defeat Immortals, and exterminate the Immortal Gate¡¯s inhuman deeds."


    The Martial Saint¡¯s eyes were like dark abysses, making everyone avoid direct eye contact and unconsciously lower their heads.


    Only Hai Wuya felt a sense of sorrow in his heart.


    Because he was different from others, he was more familiar with General Li from the past than Martial Saint.


    For thirty to forty years, Hai Wuya was a schr devoted to a career, considering martial arts as a shortcut to sess.


    Present-day Hai Wuya, who is already a high-ranking official, has put aside his career ambitions to focus on perfecting the "Human Path Sutra" in his old age after spending thirty years in the heavenly prison.


    Time is the most relentless, and people¡¯s hearts are fickle. Who can stay true till the end?


    Hai Wuya looked worried; he didn¡¯t doubt the Martial Saint¡¯s martial skills but was concerned about his mental state.


    The Martial Saint¡¯s gaze was like a deep abyss. He saw Hai Wuya in the crowd but didn¡¯t pay much attention.


    At that moment, he had only one simple thought in his mind.


    What should he eat next?


    Although Taotie Swallowing Heaven Skill had been mastered, it only provided techniques without food. How could he progress further?


    "Wu Qiankun, what¡¯s been happening at the Nine Immortal Gates in Jiu Province?" Martial Saint licked his lips.


    "The Nine Immortal Gates have been quiet in the past few months. The reason might be rted to the Martial Arts League," Wu Qiankun reported.


    "Moon Xuan Envoy Li Gongde from Zhong Province informed us earlier that he uncovered the truth about the Martial Arts League¡­ It¡¯s a scam. They are not practicing real martial arts but a Taoist soldier cultivation method using their bodies," he continued.


    "And behind them are the Nine Immortal Gates¡­"


    Among the Wuji Association¡¯s Moon Xuan Envoys, there are a total of nine, with one stationed in each region of Jiu Province for overseeing intelligence matters.


    Zhong Province is located in the central region where the Great Yan Imperial Court¡¯s Imperial Capital lies. It is known for its fertilends and bustling poption. Both the Immortal Gates and Wuji Association members in this region are extraordinary individuals.


    Therefore, the Zhong Province Moon Xuan Envoy is subtly superior to the other eight Moon Xuan Envoys, holding a higher position within the Wuji Association.


    "Taoist soldiers? I thought the Martial Arts League was exploring new Superb Martial Arts, but it turns out they are a bunch of useless people." Martial Saint narrowed his eyes.


    "This is what they call martial enlightenment?"


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    "Actually, soldiers like Luohan and Iron Wolf who joined the Martial Arts League were once strong martial artists in their prime, otherwise they wouldn¡¯t have reached the 3rd rank in the Spiritual Refining Method."


    Li Gongde and Star Xuan Envoy walked down the street, talking as they went.


    He used a disguise, blending in with the bustling crowd, yet no one noticed anything strange about him or heard his words.


    "If one¡¯s heart stays young, their spiritual refining abilities won¡¯t decline," whispered Li Gongde.


    "But many people are not like that."


    "As they age, their strength wanes, their spirit weakens, and their will falters, they truly aren¡¯t like they used to be, so their spiritual refining abilities naturally weaken as well."


    "People¡¯s hearts change easily, it¡¯s really difficult to stay true to one¡¯s original intentions."


    "What did you want to say?" asked Star Xuan Envoy beside him.


    "I want to check if a person¡¯s spirit has changed, it¡¯s not that difficult," lightly said Li Gongde.


    "Don¡¯t just listen to what they say, watch what they do."


    "So¡­"


    "Before leaving, I have onest personal matter to attend to," Li Gongde spoke, gazing into the distance at the market square execution ground.


    At the market square execution ground, there was an "Li Gongde" turned into a stick figure, burned to ashes by the Etching Bones Li Fire, all flesh and bones gone.


    There was also an elderly man iming to be Qiao Gui from the Qiao family, charging into the execution ground to fight against the golden body of King Qin.


    Li Gongde wouldn¡¯t risk his life to save others.


    But the thought of pretending nothing happened, watching Qiao Shui and Qiao Gui, the two brothers, die at the hands of King Qin, didn¡¯t sit right with him.


    So he had something to do.


    He took big steps towards the marketce of Great Qin City.


    The closer he got to the marketce, the denser the crowd became.


    When he arrived at the marketce, he sawyers of people surrounding the area, making it exceptionally lively, even more so than during the usual gatherings.


    "Look, King Qin is about to kill the old man who barged into the court."


    "Who is that old man, and why is he fighting with King Qin?"


    "Who cares who he is? Just watch the show. Wasn¡¯t that fight really exciting? It¡¯s rare to see King Qin personally step in."


    "That old man, isn¡¯t his name Qiao Gui?"


    "Didn¡¯t he forcefully enter thew court to save that wealthy man? What kind of person is this Li Gongde? I¡¯ve known for a long time that he¡¯s not a good guy, a rich man with a wolf¡¯s heart and a dog¡¯s lungs."


    "With such a good reputation, that rich man must have done many dirty deeds behind the scenes, or else how could he live with himself, just giving us money so easily."


    "The old man surnamed Qiao is up to no good, partnering with him doesn¡¯t seem like a good idea!"


    The crowd buzzed with excitement as they discussed.


    King Qin not only didn¡¯t drive away the crowd but also openly fought in front of them, treating the battle as a performance. Among the onlookers, piece by piece, Qiao Mu¡¯s flesh was sliced off.


    He looked like a skilled butcher, with each swing of his sword bringing forth a spray of blood.


    Li Gongde watched the scene unfold, unaffected by the many discussions around him.


    He had sessfully deceived the crowd with a diversion. Though surrounded by people, no one noticed his peculiarity.


    With a swift motion of his sleeve, a water droplet emerged and floated in his palm.


    This Art of Water Mirror was actually not the talisman of King Qin he spoke of, but a technique he performed.


    As a spy for the Wuji Association in the Zhong Province, his status was not low. It was not just because of his meticulous thoughts and skill in disguises.


    Because he knows a few magical spells, he is good at hiding and passing on information secretly.


    Besides the Water Mirror Art, there is another kind.


    He flicked his finger.


    The floating water droplet quickly rose into the sky, then burst open into a mist, spreading in the sky above the market.


    The sunlight shone through the mist, revealing images on it.


    This Mirage Gate can bring back memories from a cultivator¡¯s mind, reflecting a past moment.


    At this moment, the mirage mist above the market slowly took shape, showing a faint image.


    This sudden phenomenon naturally caught the attention of many people.


    King Qin rarely uses his power, but this mirage mist is an unheard-of magical method.


    In the mist.


    Qiao Shui¡¯s face suddenly appeared again.


    In the scene, Qiao Shui was in a mansion, fighting fiercely with Iron Wolf.


    A streak of light from afar transformed into the figure of Dao Xu, a disciple of the Great Dao Sect, standing in the sky.


    What Li Gongde wanted to show was the memory of that night ¨C Qiao Shui breaking into the mansion, discovering Taoist soldier Iron Wolf conspiring with disciple Dao Xu from the Great Dao Sect, using martial arts to defeat immortals, and killing Dao Xu!


    "Dao Xu? Iron Wolf? What¡¯s going on?" This sudden change also startled theposed King Qin, he looked up at the sky, furrowing his brows for the first time.

 Chapter 244 (1)

    Chapter 244 (1)


    Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/PazjBDkTmW


    The water curtain appearing in the sky instantly attracted everyone¡¯s attention.


    Even after forty years of the Nine Immortal Gates intervening in mortal affairs, cultivators and their techniques are still very mysterious to ordinary people.


    The water curtain released by Li Gongde was seen as a never-before-seen spectacle by many people in Great Qin City, naturally attracting their attention.


    But when they saw the figure in the water curtain, they were confused.


    "Isn¡¯t that old man from the Qiao family in the execution ground?"


    The figure in the water curtain is "Qiao Shui", while Qiao Mu on the execution ground is actually in the disguise of "Qiao Gui".


    But Qiao Mu decided to confuse King Qin by splitting up, so Qiao Shui and Qiao Gui didn¡¯t intentionally change their appearances, looking very simr. Therefore, the people in the vegetable market saw them as the same person at this time.


    At first, the people were still chattering, discussing and not clearly seeing what kind of good show was happening on the stage.King Qin was also puzzled, as he was always very cautious and suspicious. For a while, he didn¡¯t do anything, just watching like themon people would, looking up.


    "This water curtain is obviously a magical technique¡­ In the Great Qin Prefecture, has a cultivator arrived? What does he want to do? Which Immortal Gate is he from?"


    Although King Qin has already joined the Martial Arts League, it has only been a short time.


    Since he was originally a martial artist, his understanding of immortal techniques was not very deep. He just took out a Message Jade Talisman, preparing to send a message to the immortal elder at the Great Dao Sect when necessary.


    "Could it be a cultivator from the Eight Immortal Gates of another region,ing here to cause trouble?"


    This thought arose in King Qin¡¯s mind, as he looked up at the sky like everyone else.


    Inside the water curtain.


    They saw one of the war generals under King Qin, Iron Wolf, fighting fiercely with Qiao Mu in the darkness, with long des protruding from their flesh in a non-human stance.


    "Iron Wolf, do you know what you are now? You are just a Taoist soldier in the hands of a cultivator!" Qiao Mu shouted in the water curtain.


    This unusual posture immediately startled the people.


    "Isn¡¯t that Iron Wolf, one of King Qin¡¯s four war generals? How did he be like this?"


    Iron Wolf and the other three war generals have gained quite a reputation in Great Qin Prefecture and even the entire Zhong Province.


    For Great Qin Prefecture, "Inhuman Disaster" is a particrly special term.


    This newly established Great Qin Prefecture is special because it is ruled by King Qin.


    King Qin was a martial artist who believed in using martial arts to pursue the path of enlightenment. Not only was King Qin highly respected, but even his warriors like Iron Wolf had dealt with terrible disasters in the area of Great Qin Prefecture, Cangshe County, using their strong fists to defeat the threats and protect the people.


    King Qin and his followers were known as defenders of Great Qin Prefecture. In the months since the city had been rebuilt, many people who had suffered from disasters hade to settle in the newly rebuilt city.


    However, the true appearance of Iron Wolf revealed in the water curtain made them feel unfamiliar and puzzled.


    "What is a Taoist soldier in the hands of a cultivator? How does it rte to being a cultivator?"


    Many people were still confused, but looking at Iron Wolf¡¯s stance in the picture, they started to have some guesses in their minds.


    After Qiao Mu spoke, everyone¡¯s face changed dramatically. "A Taoist soldier is a puppet soldier created using mystical arts, but how can this be true?" One person who had encountered the disasters quietly whispered:


    "Isn¡¯t Iron Wolf a martial artist? I¡¯ve heard that these martial artists have reached the peak of their skills, with skin as tough as metal!"


    "Wake up, which kind of hard work can make a hidden knife in the flesh look?" Another martial artist argued.


    They vaguely understood what the Taoist soldier meant, but many people were still stubborn and didn¡¯t believe.


    They are not stupid.


    In the newly built Great Qin City, among the migrants who relocated there, there were refugees like the widows and children of the lonely city who had suffered from inhuman disasters.


    There were also martial artists who admired the King Qin¡¯s iron-fist suppression of inhuman disasters, seeing him as a martial arts hope.


    They crossed mountains and rivers toe here, but now someone is telling them that this is just a scam, and that those who pursue martial arts enlightenment are just part of a lie carefully woven by cultivators?


    They are not stupid, they just don¡¯t want to believe!


    The Martial Saint, leader of martial arts, died under the heavenly thunder of the Immortal Gate. Now, after finally seeing a glimmer of hope, they are being told it¡¯s all a scam?


    "Don¡¯t trust easily, the old man in the water curtain in the sky is the one who¡¯s going to rescue Li Gongde, that rich man¡¯s dog. He might not be a good person either."


    "Thinking this is just nder.."


    Before the words were spoken, the actions of Iron Wolf appeared on the water curtain screen.


    "Taoist soldier?" Iron Wolf pretended to be agitated at first, then suddenly attacked Qiao Mu, knocking him off the roof:


    "So what if it¡¯s a Taoist soldier? In today¡¯s world, how can ordinary people be good?"


    He didn¡¯t argue at all, and seemed to have already known this fact, pretending to be agitated on the surface, but actually just pretending to attack?


    The scene switched again¡­ they saw Dao Xu, wearing a Taoist robe, descending from the sky to join forces with Iron Wolf to surround Qiao Mu.


    The Immortal Gate Great Dao Sect actually knows how to maintain the good reputation of the Immortal Gate, so their fame among ordinary people is not too bad.


    The cultivators of the Nine Immortal Gates sit high in the temple, honored guests of the Great Yan Imperial Court, worshipped by the people in the temple and revered as immortals.


    The cultivators who trigger the Inhuman Disaster are mostly a few demonic cultivators who have fallen into the demonic path, considering ordinary people as ants, acting recklessly, and asionally fighting each other, leading to the Inhuman Disaster¡­ Indeed, cultivators like Dao Zhen have really dealt with the Inhuman Disaster.


    When everyone was feeling unsure, they heard a sharp sound in the air.


    An arrow flew through the air towards a water curtain up high.


    Looking over, they saw King Qin at the execution ground lowering his bow, looking displeased.


    Just now he was curious about what the unfamiliar cultivator was doing and what his intentions were. He was considering asking for advice from the Great Dao Sect¡¯s immortal, but now he couldn¡¯t hold back anymore.


    As the arrow flew up, a pale finger force struck and broke the arrow with a touch.


    The one who acted was Qiao Mu.


    "I¡¯m not sure who helped me act cool, but I can¡¯t let King Qin ruin everything."


    Qiao Mu smiled lightly in his heart, secretly pleased.


    Before facing death, an unknown cultivator helped him act cool, disying the scene of Using Martial Arts to Defeat Immortals before everyone. This should improve his Death Assessment, possibly leading to¡­ more years in prison?


    Qiao Mu suddenly felt a twitch in his eye and realized something was wrong.


    He traveled from his teens to over two hundred years old, his whole being turning into a reckless man, so sometimes his thoughts haven¡¯tpletely changed, still following old habits.


    In the end.


    He came to Great Qin Prefecture to kill King Qin, not to die, or to pass a Death Assessment.


    He would prefer not to die if possible¡­ but the problem is that if he stays in the Imperial Capital, King Qin will eventuallye for him, so he made this trip.


    As for now¡­ his injuries are severe, he is at the brink of death, with only one leg left, naturally having no chance of survival.


    "Dare to stop me?" King Qin¡¯s eyes narrowed, anger rising in his heart atst.


    He gripped the long knife in his hand, shouting loudly:


    "Don¡¯t believe it! The water screen above is fake, there must be some inhuman sorcery going on in the shadows!"


    "Everyone, leave this market now. Today, I, King Qin, must find and expose the inhuman hiding in the shadows, and bring prosperity to Great Qin City! If you stay here, innocent people may get hurt by weapons!"


    With a shout, the soldiers surrounding the execution ground immediately obeyed the order to drive away the many civilians.


    At the same time, he swiftly moved and leaped towards the water curtain in the air, the light of the knife shing in his hand.


    "Open your eyes and see clearly!" Qiao Mu shouted loudly, unleashing the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method once again. The fierce blood-red aura surged like a tide, blocking another knife light from King Qin¡¯s hand.


    However, in that moment, his longsword was also cut in half by the knife light, leaving him weaponless.


    Clenching his fists, he stared straight into King Qin¡¯s eyes like a sharp sword.


    "You are deluding yourself, a coward who has abandoned the spirit of a martial artist by giving up your physical body!"


    This time, Qiao Mu¡¯s Eye Sword Technique was ineffective, and King Qin just gave a cold nce without any other reaction.


    "Ridiculous."


    "The era of martial artists has long passed," he whispered in a voice only Qiao Mu could hear.


    "The immortal path is the true path. You are just a stubborn old man clinging to the past, while I have turned to the righteous path!"


    Under the pressure of the Eye Sword Technique, King Qin¡¯s mind didn¡¯t waver in the slightest.


    Throughout his life, his belief in the Tao was unwavering, but it was not martial arts that he sought, but the path of immortality!


    Training in martial arts was just a temporary strategy. Now transformed into a Taoist soldier with a golden body, achieving the status of King Qin was like a crucial step in his transformation from mortal to immortal, in his eyes.


    "Wrong? What wrong is there?"


    "In this world, it is the weak who are wrong! And now¡­"


    With a sharp gaze, King Qin sheathed his long sword at his waist, took a deep breath, clenched his fist, and looked towards Qiao Mu.


    "You are the weak one!"


    He spared Qiao Mu¡¯s life to lure the Qiao family members so Qiao Mu, with a broken leg, couldn¡¯t fight back.


    The situation is changing now, if Qiao Mu blocks his way, he won¡¯t hold back anymore.


    "Fourfold Wave!"


    Qiao Mu¡¯s punches were like continuous waves, getting stronger with each punch.


    The Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, with its powerful stacking wave strength, was as strong as a thousand years of practice.


    Qiao Mu had used this technique to defeat tough opponents before, even immortal materials couldn¡¯t withstand it.


    However, when Qiao Mu¡¯s powerful punch hit King Qin, it was like a powerless attempt, King Qin didn¡¯t even flinch.


    "See that?" King Qin said calmly.


    "You¡¯re on the wrong path, no matter how hard you try, it¡¯s futile."


    The former top martial artist, Qin Shiqing, died by Qiao Mu¡¯s hands, but now he is King Qin!


    "The era of martial artists ended forty years ago."


    "Taking the wrong path, no matter how hard you try, leads to nowhere."


    He took a deep breath and threw a punch.


    Without any swirling energy, because of his new body filled with zing Essence Gold, he had lost his inner strength, but his physical strength far surpassed before.


    With no inner strength, only simple speed, strong force, and hardened fists.


    However, he exceeded the limit of strength that a normal body could produce. His punch created a sharp explosion in the air, his fist even rubbed against the air violently, turning red and heating up like burning mes.

 Chapter 244 (2)

    Chapter 244 (2)


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    Fist against fist!


    With sheer force, he tore through Qiao Mu¡¯s strong blood-colored energy with a single punch that hit Qiao Mu¡¯s face.


    A huge force made Qiao Mu¡¯s fist and wrist bend backwards, causing his fist to strike his own chest like a hammer.


    Then his glowing iron fist moved with great force, piercing through Qiao Mu¡¯s chest and fist, twisting and deforming the bones.


    "See that," he whispered.


    "How can flesh and blood withstand metal and iron?"


    He stood up straight, his eyes coldly scanning the audience below the execution ground.


    "See that, my unparalleled hard work and martial arts skills¡­ Of course, I am a martial artist, while Qiao Gui is the imposter." He finished speaking, lifted his head, and looked at the watery screen in the sky.In the watery screen, there was a scene of Qiao Mu leaping into the sky, as if in the middle of a full moon, a sword spreading out like red ink, killing Dao Xu.


    The scene showed Qiao Mu using Martial Arts to defeat Great Dao Sect disciple, Dao Xu.


    Outside the screen, Qiao Mu died under King Qin¡¯s strong punch and fell to the ground.


    Qiao Gui, the soldier, passed away at the age of 215.


    Themon people at the market square watched this scene unfold, feeling a shiver down their spines.


    King Qin imed that the Qiao family member who trespassed into the execution ground was pretending to be from the Qiao family, but was actually coborating with evil beings, saying that the water curtain in the sky was the work of these evil beings.


    However, the Qiao family member argued that the idea of using martial arts to achieve enlightenment was a lie, and that everyone, including King Qin, were followers of the Taoist path, colluding with the Great Dao Sect!


    Should they believe King Qin, or the Qiao family member who practiced martial arts to fight immortals?


    The crowd¡¯s eyes flickered, unsure of what to believe.


    "I think I¡¯ll trust King Qin. After all, he was appointed as king by the emperor," someone whispered, though not entirely convinced.


    "King Qin has done a lot for us, while this Qiao family martial artist, despite his reputation, is just an imposter as King Qin mentioned," another person added.


    People tend to believe in what benefits them rather than the harsh truth.


    If King Qin is fake, controlled by the Immortal Gate Great Dao Sect like a puppet, then the situation is really hopeless for Martial Saint¡­ After the silence that fell upon the martial arts world following his death, a neer appeared, only to be told now that everything is fake?


    Some chose to believe in King Qin and obediently followed the soldiers under hismand, leaving the market square.


    A few others gritted their teeth and frowned in the crowd, harboring doubts about King Qin.


    But in reality¡­ whether they believe or not doesn¡¯t matter.


    King Qin is someone who only believes in himself and doesn¡¯t give them a choice.


    He took arge bow from one of his soldiers, pulled back the bowstring, and aimed at the watery curtain in the sky, letting an arrow fly.


    The arrow pierced through the watery curtain, but to King Qin¡¯s dismay, it only rippled slightly before returning to its original state.


    "How can this magic be broken?" King Qin was puzzled.


    He couldn¡¯t figure out how to dispel this illusion in the short term or uncover the cultivator behind it.


    So¡­ he quickly made a decision.


    The Message Jade Talisman in his hand glowed, and he had informed the Immortal Gate behind the scenes.


    Now this matter obviously had slipped out of King Qin¡¯s control, continuing to insist would end badly.


    Not long after.


    The Message Jade Talisman in his hand glowed again, signaling the response from the Great Dao Sect¡¯s immortal leader.


    King Qin held onto the Message Jade Talisman, looked down, and his expression suddenly became nk for a moment.


    The order from the Great Dao Sect¡¯s immortal leader had arrived, it was a simple sentence.


    Close the city, kill people.


    "The immortal leader of the Great Dao Sect sees things clearly," King Qin pondered.


    Dead people can¡¯t talk, killing someone to keep them quiet is the simplest and most direct way.


    King Qin initially tried toe up with excuses to justify his actions, relying on his reputation gained over time to persuade the people to believe him.


    Now he suddenly realized¡­ there was no need to go to such lengths.


    He looked down at the square below, bustling with people.


    Among them were refugees from various provinces of Zhong, as well as martial artists drawn to King Qin¡¯s fame¡­ but none of that mattered.


    King Qin turned around.


    Behind him, twenty towering generals stood ready, waiting.


    These people were all former martial artists of the 3rd rank in the Spiritual Refining Period from Zhong Province¡­


    With King Qin¡¯s reputation, the Martial Arts League quickly expanded and attracted many martial artists to join.


    "And now¡­ If no other Qiao family member shows up, then this matter will end here," ordered King Qin, his gaze coldly sweeping across the entire market.


    He was still thinking about the Qiao family member who had once tried to kill him, trying to find out if the Qiao family member still existed.


    Twenty tall and sturdy generals approached step by step, their footsteps heavy and loud, each footfall almost making the street tremble slightly, imposing a mountain-like pressure.


    Ordinary martial artists were no match for these Taoist soldiers specializing in Spirit Refining martial arts, as they were butchers specifically created by the Immortal Gate.


    Even the 1st rank of Spiritual Refining Period, using techniques such as the "Eye Sword Technique" to attack their minds, could not harm these knives and spears made from immortal materials.


    "If you choose to trust King Qin, then you must be prepared to pay the price for your choice."


    "If we had realized sooner that King Qin was suspicious, and escaped earlier, perhaps we could have survived¡­" Li Gongde and Star Xuan Envoy stood in the shadows, watching the scene unfold.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    Opening his eyes, he found himself in a dream again.


    At that time, Qiao Mu was still at the execution ground, but there was nobody around, as if he was the only one left in the whole world.


    Two lines of words slowly drifted down from the sky.


    Winning and losing aremon in warfare,


    The hero, please start over


    As Qiao Mu¡¯s mind stirred, these two lines of words immediately disappeared without a trace.


    "How many years will I be sentenced this time?"


    Qiao Mu felt a little nervous and couldn¡¯t help but rub his hands.


    Killing Dao Xu was satisfying at the moment because he enjoyed it.


    But if given the choice, he definitely wouldn¡¯t want to go to jail, after all, he had endless life and a long future ahead.


    Today, since everyone knows he killed Dao Xu and defeated Iron Wolf, it¡¯s likely that his Death Assessment will be high.


    People are contradictory and hypocritical. Sometimes they want to show off, but when faced with real danger, they can¡¯t help but feel regret.


    With a thought, the Ouroboros Long Life Lock in his mind sent a rush of information into his brain.


    Death Assessment for this time: A (Using Martial Arts to Defeat Immortals)


    Lifespan consumed by death: 80 years (16 x 5) (remaining: 80 years)


    Remaining resurrection chances this week: 3 out of 5


    Current age: 215 years old


    Energy level: 19%


    Skills: Limited


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    80 years?


    Qiao Mu looked up at the sky and his face turned green.


    Even though his actual age was 215 years due to memories of martial arts training in his dreams, the total age of his past and present lives was actually around 20 years.


    And 80 years?


    This is basically equivalent to the lifetime of a mortal¡­ and many people don¡¯t even live to be eighty years old.


    "Is this the price of immortality?" Qiao Mu felt the Ouroboros Long Life Lock in his heart, looking at the words "immortality" on the lock, feeling slightly confused.


    Although he had spent two periods of five years in his dreams before, the difference between five years and eighty years was as huge as the difference between a weekend and summer vacation.


    Initially a young man in his twenties when he entered the dream, after living through eighty years in the dream, he had truly be a hundred-year-old man.


    "When I wake up from my dream, my physical age is 295 years old."


    This number made Qiao Mu silent once again.


    Ancient feudal dynasties in historysted less than 300 years from establishment to destruction.


    This means Qiao Mu¡¯s age is alreadyparable to a dynasty.


    "Which sneaky cultivator is secretly plotting against me, causing me to receive an A rating? I will definitely expose him when I resurrect, strip off his disguise, and must p his face."


    Qiao Mu takes a deep breath.


    He is a bit conflicted, wanting to show off, but also not wanting to receive a high rating leading to imprisonment in the dream¡­ but this is already a fact.


    Apart from the eighty years of dream hardships looming in front of Qiao Mu, there is actually another challenge.


    Decline in vital energy.


    Xumi Mountain King Sutra is a way to keep your energy strong. It is Hai Wuya¡¯s idea to help people keep their energy levels up as they get older.


    After practicing Xumi Mountain King Sutra, Qiao Mu¡¯s energy levels seemed to be dropping on the surface, but actually, they were staying bnced as Qiao Mu progressed in the practice. His energy stayed stable as he slowly got older.


    At the age of 215, Qiao Mu¡¯s energy levels dropped to 19%, influenced by his practice of theplete Long Life Fist Sutra.


    If there really was a 215-year-old person who had never practiced martial arts, their energy levels would probably be below 10% of what they were in their prime years. This means they would be much weaker than normal people, and even standing and walking would be very difficult.


    "Xumi Mountain King Sutra" and theplete "Long Life Fist Sutra" ¡­ maybe it¡¯s worth trying if these two different practices can bebined and be one.


    Eighty years is a very long time, and Qiao Mu was trying to keep busy.

 Chapter 245 (1)

    Chapter 245 (1)


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    Many years ago, when Qiao Mu was still in Yan City, he had heard Qiao Canxue talk about the glorious history of Heyang City¡¯s Qiao Family Long Life Fist.


    It was said that this martial art could keep a person young and strong even when they were old. There was a legendary master over a hundred years old who stayed youthful and strong, so much so that the Great Yan Emperor invited him to the pce, causing quite a stir.


    The effect of "Xumi Mountain King Sutra" is unique ¨C Qiao Mu looks old with loose skin and many wrinkles, appearing very old, but his energy can still slowly rise.


    If time is like a never-ending river, then "Xumi Mountain King Sutra" goes against the flow, moving slowly but still progressing.


    On the other hand, "Long Life Fist Sutra" merges with the flow like water, maintaining energy and vitality, showing no obvious signs of aging until the martial artist reaches their limit, at which point aging bes visible.


    "What happens if both are practiced together?"


    Qiao Mu had a thought, and suddenly a copy of "Long Life Fist Sutra" appeared in his hand.


    He had just fallen asleep, feeling well, temporarily setting aside the dreams of eighty years, and focusing on the "Long Life Fist Sutra" in front of him.His attention was on the pages, spending half a day reading.


    In half a day, he finished reading the entire Spiritual Refining Chapter, deeply absorbing its contents.


    At this moment, he suddenly realized something.


    "Why do I feel so immersed that half a day has passed in the blink of an eye?"


    He had experienced lucid dreams before, but those two times onlysted a total of 5 years, and the Death Assessment was at a C level.


    ording to his deduction¡­.the higher the Death Assessment, the longer the dreamsts, which means he will enter deeper dream levels, causing time in the dream to pass slowerpared to the outside world¡­.


    In the past, high-quality deaths not only meant the body aging more years, but also indicated higher time efficiency.


    During C level, he could focus on practicing two or three martial arts within a few years at most.


    Whereas with high-quality deaths at A and S levels, one could practice seven or eight different types of martial arts in a few decades simultaneously, earning the title of time management master.


    This time, Qiao Mu entered the 2nd rank and achieved A-level death for the first time after realizing he was in a dream.


    He quickly noticed something unusual.


    "In the deep dreams of A-level, is it easier than before to immerse oneself in practicing martial arts and reading? Is this what is called time management?"


    To confirm his idea, Qiao Mu tried practicing Long Life Fist in his dream.


    Meanwhile, the dream world scenes changed at will, with the sun rising in the east.


    When Qiao Mu came back to his senses again, he looked up and saw the moon and stars shining brightly, indicating that it was already deep into the night.


    "It is indeed true," Qiao Mu realized.


    Both Buddhism and Daoism have the concepts of entering tranquility and meditation, and in the modern era, there is a simr concept known as ¡®flow state¡¯.


    Flow state refers to a highly focused state where a person ispletely immersed in what they are doing, temporarily forgetting about external disturbances, and even losing track of time.


    "If that¡¯s the case, then spending eighty years in this A-level realm might be more effective than practicing for two hundred years in the outside world," Qiao Mu pondered.


    This thought crossed Qiao Mu¡¯s mind.


    Despite being highly focused, the length of time he experienced would not change at all ¨C eighty years would still be eighty years, with not a single second reduced.


    He forcefully set aside the issue and continued to focus on practicing the "Long Life Fist Sutra" Spiritual Refining Chapter.


    At the age of 215, Qiao Mu¡¯s experience in martial arts was far beyond that of an ordinary martial artist. He had mastered several martial arts practices and reached a high level of proficiency.


    Despite being of average talent, 215-year-old Qiao Mu was highly respected in the world of martial arts due to his experience and insight. He had already perfected the practice of the Long Life Fist.


    Now, as he read through the second half of the Spiritual Refining Chapter, it all came naturally to him without any obstacles.


    Within a couple of days, he had already grasped the basics of the Spiritual Refining Chapter. However, during his intense training under the morning sun, he suddenly coughed up blood and lost his focus.


    His body trembled uncontrobly as an invisible but powerful internal strength surged through him, causing his blood to rush and his blood vessels to burst, leading to bleeding from his pores.


    His upper body felt like it was on fire while his lower body went numb and cold, almost losing sensation in his legs. It was clear that something was seriously wrong inside Qiao Mu¡¯s body.


    Qiao Mu was familiar with this phenomenon ¨C it was called deviating from the correct path in practice,monly known as "going astray."


    The "Xumi Mountain King Sutra" was originally created by Hai Wuya and was iplete. Qiao Mu had improved and perfected the technique through his own insights.


    When Qiao Mu practiced the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra" and the Long Life Fist separately, he didn¡¯t notice any obvious conflicts in their techniques. But when he started practicing the Spiritual Refining Chapter, he suddenly felt something was wrong.


    "It¡¯s like trying to have your cake and eat it too¡­ These are twopletely different ¡®ageless¡¯ martial arts techniques headed in opposite directions. They definitely sh. It¡¯s hard to practice both."


    If Qiao Mu were just a regr martial artist, he would probably give up at this point.


    Only just beginning the Spiritual Refining Chapter, and already getting into trouble. Even though he didn¡¯t die, the damage inside his body was clear. How could he continue practicing like this?


    "But a grown-up doesn¡¯t make choices¡­ I want it all!"


    If he gets into trouble with his practice, then let¡¯s deal with it when the timees.


    In his dreams, he couldn¡¯t die. He had tried before, even after attempting suicide countless times, he couldn¡¯t leave that dream. So Qiao Mu could push himself as hard as he wanted. Even if he got injured from practicing, he would be back to normal in the next moment.


    With a single thought, Qiao Mu¡¯s mind sank into the Ouroboros Long Life Lock, and a message appeared.


    Energy: 20%


    "Did it really increase by one percent?" Qiao Mu wondered.


    Now that the current Long Life Fist Spiritual Refining Chapter can truly help him increase his energy and blood flow, it shows that this path should be feasible, albeit with risks of going astray or experiencing paralysis.


    Sprinkle some water.


    Qiao Mu tried to stand up by cing his hands on the ground, but at that moment his feet felt numb and temporarily lost sensation, making it difficult for him to stand up.


    "So troublesome¡­" he pointed to his temple, pierced through it, blood dripping.


    The next moment his injuries had healed, and he stood back up in full condition.


    He looked at the Long Life Fist Sutra in his hand, continuing to mutter to himself:


    "In theory, there are two possible ways to practice simultaneously, but it¡¯s only theoretically possible¡­"


    "But even if there¡¯s only a one in a thousand chance of sess, I will keep trying until I find theoretical solution."


    Qiao Mu¡¯s time is very long in the dream, and he will not die in the dream, so he can try his best to create and practice the techniques.


    "In order for both techniques to bepatible for practice, Hai Wuya¡¯s "Xumi Mountain King Sutra" may need a major revision¡­" Qiao Mu mumbled to himself.


    "No, it¡¯s not a major revision. Because this "Xumi Mountain King Sutra" is originally a rough draft and not perfect."


    "This is not a major revision, it¡¯s called making it better."


    With a single thought, the surroundings changed again.


    At this moment, Qiao Mu was inside the military arsenal in the solitary city in the desert.


    The arsenal of the former white-headed soldier stored many martial arts skills from top soldiers of the army forty years ago. Before the old man of the arsenal sent Qiao Mu to the Imperial Capital, he gave him all the martial arts books from the arsenal in a storage bag.


    Qiao Mu quickly scanned through the books and remembered everything with his powerful memory at the 2nd rank of Spiritual Refining Period, now appearing in his dream.


    In the arsenal of the solitary city, there were many martial arts skills, but the most advanced ones included nine Spiritual Refining Techniques, such as Li Changge¡¯s "Military Martial Arts ssic".


    These martial arts techniques are no match for the Wudang¡¯s ultimate skill, the "Pure Yang Wuji Skill". So when they fell into Qiao Mu¡¯s hands, they were simply ced at the bottom of a box as part of his collection.


    However, now in his dream, he felt a strong urge to carefully explore and study them to broaden his knowledge.


    The Martial Saint collected martial arts from all over the world, just as Hai Wuya needed to immerse himself in a wide range of books even while in prison. The martial arts of their predecessors, regardless of theirplexity or simplicity, served as the foundation for their own cultivation techniques.


    And now, Qiao Mu was about to do the same thing.


    "Hai Wuya spent thirty years studying in the heavenly prison and created the ¡®Xumi Mountain King Sutra¡¯."


    "And now, I have eighty years¡­"


    Hai Wuya had to be very cautious in deducing his techniques, as he had to stay alive and avoid being consumed by evil spirits. Therefore, his approach was very conservative, like feeling his way across a river one step at a time.


    In contrast, Qiao Mu was different; he could simply jump into the river in front of him.


    If he drowned, it meant the water was too deep, and he had gone astray in his training.


    After being revived, he changed his position and jumped into the river again, until he found a shallow area, slowly moving further into the river until he reached the other side!


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    Two dayster, Qiao Mu practiced martial arts excessively and his arms¡¯ veins were severed, blood flowing heavily.


    After refreshing through suicide, Qiao Mu looked at the books in his hands and thought carefully for half a day:


    "It¡¯s okay if this path doesn¡¯t work out; every mistake is a lesson for the future."


    "I will make use of it next time!"


    Half a dayter, Qiao Mu confidently practiced martial arts again. This time, his arms were fine, but his body temperature was imbnced, feeling like he was burning up. His body was in chaos, so he had to once again open his mind and put an end to his wicked life.


    Three dayster, Qiao Mu¡¯s head exploded, red and white liquid spilled all over the ground, this was the first time he fell into a state of instant death due to demonic possession.


    But the next moment he fully recovered, propping his head with one hand and sinking into contemtion.


    Thanks to being deeply focused in a dream, he immersed himself in practicing martial arts, temporarily forgetting about the passing of time.


    In the first year, every other day he would struggle with inner demons, getting severely injured or killed, only to revive and start over from scratch each time.


    Over the course of a year, he died hundreds of times due to the inner demon struggles.


    Even though he could revive endlessly, Qiao Mu started feeling restless after dying so many times.


    With a thought, the figure of King Qin holding a long knife appeared before him.


    "Let¡¯s start by beating up King Qin to relieve stress."


    "It¡¯s all your fault that I died." Qiao Mu punched King Qin in the face, turning him into a swollen mess.


    In reality, this was not the real King Qin, but a figment of Qiao Mu¡¯s imagination, so his strength didn¡¯t match the real King Qin and could be altered at will by Qiao Mu in the dream.


    After beating up the imaginary King Qin for half an hour, Qiao Mu felt relieved and started contemting on how tobine two different martial arts techniques.


    In his dreams, Qiao Mu lived a very dull life, with time swiftly passing by as he practiced, studied, and analyzed techniques.


    Life in his dreams was like a circle, a series of ellipses, monotonous and repetitive.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    "I¡¯ve been in school for many years, but I still don¡¯t love my job."


    "I¡¯ve been training in martial arts for two hundred years, and I still find it a boring and challenging process¡­"


    Qiao Mu talked to himself in front of the mirror.


    Ordinary people practice martial arts, enduring the cold of winter training and the heat of summer practice, with years of sweat and effort, who would see this as enjoyable?


    He certainly didn¡¯t.


    "Wearing threeyers of clothing in summer, thirty-nineyers in winter, that¡¯s what I call enjoyment." Qiao Mu muttered to himself in front of the mirror.


    The person in the mirror looks much older now, with deep wrinkles on their forehead and between their eyebrows.


    Ten years have passed since he fell asleep, and during this time he developed a habit of talking to himself.


    His mind sank into the Long Life Lock, and a message appeared.


    Current age: 225 years old


    Energy: 15%


    In these ten years, he not only practiced martial arts, but also studied the Xumi Mountain King Sutra. Sometimes, he would also practice the Heavenly Dragon Eight Steps and other martial arts for variety.


    As a result, his body is still strong, his energy has not declined, but the proportion has decreased.


    However, he has yet to find the bnce between the two martial arts techniques he imagined. This makes him restless, and not even beating King Qin a hundred times can calm his emotions.


    Twenty years.


    Thirty years passed.


    Every year, Qiao Mu in his dreams would go crazy andmit suicide hundreds of times.


    By the thirtieth year, Qiao Mu in his dreams had died tens of thousands of times.


    This meant that on the path of exploring the ways of practicing both the "Long Life Fist Sutra" and the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra," ten thousand Qiao Mus, ten thousand martial arts masters with two hundred years of experience, failed in deducing the techniques and died.


    Also, in that same year.


    Qiao Mu, who was meditating with closed eyes, opened his eyes once again. He repeatedly opened and closed his eyes, checking his inner and outer conditions, before reaching a conclusion.


    "Is it done? Have I seeded this time without going crazy and smoothly?"


    There was no ecstatic joy.


    Only a sense of relief.


    Joy had faded away during the long and dull years, and now Qiao Mu didn¡¯t feel any anger when he saw King Qin¡¯s face.


    Finally achieving the goal, Qiao Mu felt content in his heart.


    Focusing on the Long Life Lock, a message appeared.


    Lifespan consumed by death: 80 (16*5) years (50 years remaining).


    Current age: 245 years old.


    Vitality: 10%.


    "Only 10% of vitality left? No, this number means something else."


    Qiao Mu stood up, his fists clenched.


    "The meaning of this number is¡­ when my vitality returns to its peak of youth, I will be ten times stronger than now!"


    With a thought, a long table, a stack of white paper, and a brush appeared in front of him.


    Qiao Mu¡¯s hand swiftly wrote row after row of characters.


    The stack of white paper turned pages automatically in the dream, eventually forming a half-bound book.


    After thirty years of major changes, the current martial arts technique had significant differencespared to both the "Long Life Fist Sutra" and the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra."


    However, it was only half of theplete book.


    This new martial arts technique, like Hai Wuya¡¯s "Xumi Mountain King Sutra," only had the initialyers, and further developments had to be explored.


    "The technique is developed, now what should we call it?"


    Qiao Mu¡¯s brush lingered on the cover of the book for a while before writing down a few bold characters.


    "Human Path Sutra"


    This martial art technique is not some exceptional skill that requires extraordinary talent to practice. Qiao Mu himself is not a prodigy.


    His ability to practice it means that even ordinary martial artists can follow his path and practice it too.


    This is a tree grown by the lives of ten thousand ordinary martial artists, a tree of martial arts belonging to ordinary people.


    So, naming it after Hai Wuya¡¯s cherished "Human Path Sutra" is also very fitting.


    Of course¡­ this "Human Path Sutra" is only halfplete, still only a prototype, and probably not meeting Hai Wuya¡¯s vision of perfection.


    However, this doesn¡¯t stop Qiao Mu from iming the name.


    Writing these words, Qiao Mu finally feels a faint sense of joy.


    It seems like thirty years, but if shown to the outside world, it might take three hundred years to deduce.


    After all, even if all the martial artists in Jiu Province for three hundred years werebined, it would still not be possible to have ten thousand martial artists with two hundred years of experience.


    "The Human Path Scripture isplete, so what¡¯s next?" Qiao Mu thought about it, the slight joy fading away.


    "There are still fifty years ahead, not even halfway through yet."


    In the first thirty years, he focused all his energy on deducing the Human Path Scripture.


    Now that the martial arts technique isplete, his motivation diminished and he lost his drive.


    "Fifty more years, how should I spend them?" he mumbled to himself.


    He looked up at the sky, the vast, cloudless expanse reminding him of his dreams with only the sun shining brightly.


    Achieving his goal in thirty years, mastering the divine technique, now all he desired was the impulse to conquer all upon waking from his dreams.


    The following fifty years ahead seemed like they would be much harder to endure than the first thirty.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..

 Chapter 245 (2)

    Chapter 245 (2)


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    Qiao Mu tried to numb himself through martial arts practice.


    By focusing all his energy on practicing martial arts, he could immerse himself in it, highly concentrated, entering a state of flow.


    Even though 80 years will not have a second shortened, he will have a false sense of time passing faster.


    However, martial arts practice is ultimately a tough process. Whenever he is exhausted, he alsoes out of the state of concentration.


    So the many distracting thoughts that he forcefully set aside consumed him like an abyss.


    At the execution ground of the vegetable market, King Qin looked at Qiao Mu who cut off his own leg and asked him with a smile:


    "You¡¯re courageous, but you¡¯ve lost your life, just like Li Gongde."


    "Was it worth it?"At that moment, Qiao Mu didn¡¯t have a moment of hesitation, just like in the first thirty years of his dreams.


    But at that moment, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a little regret in his heart.


    "Being a heroes with a price," he muttered to himself.


    "If one¡¯s skills are inferior, then death is inevitable."


    For ordinary people who step forward, the price is death.


    Qiao Mu won¡¯t die.


    But after experiencing three to four decades in his dreams, he now feels a bit like dying.


    This is the price he paid.


    But he could have stayed out of it, could have avoideding to the Great Qin Prefecture.


    So what if Copper Body Arhat arrives at the Imperial Capital? Qiao Mu has mastered Shape Changing Skill, he can simply change his appearance and leave, who can find him then?


    When regret surged, other emotions followed one after another.


    "This is not right," Qiao Mu was shaken, his gaze sharp as a sword, cutting off his many distractions, and then he continued to talk to himself:


    "Eighty years is like a lifetime for an ordinary person. If I continue like this, before I reach eighty years, I might go mad."


    It is impossible for an ordinary person to spend eighty years in istion with a sound mind.


    Qiao Mu briefly sobered up, he thought back to his days in the dream, feeling his mind clouded.


    He needed to find a convincing reason for himself, one that could face King Qin¡¯s questioning and provide a genuine answer.


    If he felt regret in his heart, then the next fifty years would truly be like being imprisoned, thetter part of his life immersed in this regretful emotion, self-pitying.


    Even if it¡¯s a lie, he muste up with a reason that can deceive himself.


    Otherwise, he will forever regret in the following fifty years, until he goes insane.


    "I can¡¯t regret, I need a reason, an answer," he continued talking to himself.


    As his thoughts shifted, the scenery in the dream world changed again.


    At this moment, Qiao Mu found himself in the battlefield of the solitary city in the desert, this was a memory from before.


    Paper manbean soldiers kept attacking, he watched as Captain Hai led three hundred white-headed soldiers out of the city to fight to the death, one by one the soldiers fell under the Taoist soldiers, still fighting bravely.


    These veteran soldiers were the bravest Qiao Mu had seen since he arrived, so he pondered at this moment, asking himself:


    "If I were one of the veteran soldiers who defended the lonely city for forty years, facing King Qin¡¯s questioning, I probably wouldn¡¯t waver, right?"


    Qiao Mu reyed this memory scene dozens of times, but eventually realized he was being foolish.


    "Am I trying to move myself?" Qiao Mu chuckled self-deprecatingly.


    People cannot deceive their inner feelings.


    Qiao Mu used to charge into battle with the old soldiers, even leading them to their deaths.


    But just because he fought alongside the old soldiers doesn¡¯t mean he could also defend for forty years like Captain Hai and others.


    He wasn¡¯t from this world, so he didn¡¯t feel belonging to the Great Yan Imperial Court, and naturallycked patriotism.


    What moved him in the past was not the noble sentiments of the old soldiers, but their brave sacrifice.


    So, he couldn¡¯t copy the old soldiers¡¯ answer because he couldn¡¯t rte to it.


    "What will my answer be?" He closed his eyes, but his body, following muscle memory, began practicing the Long Life Fist once again.


    He had fifty years to ponder.


    If he had no answer and spent the full fifty years immersed in regret, he might have gone crazy by the time he woke up from his dreams.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    Market square.


    Blood water flooded the gaps between the cobblestones on the ground, spilling over the moss in the corner.


    A boot stepped on the moss, making a light sound, and blood water once again seeped out from the moss.


    The square-faced official raised his foot, furrowed his brow as he looked at the sole of his boot, deeply puzzled.


    He was a martial artist of the 3rd rank in the Spiritual Refining Period, who had joined the Martial Arts League and mastered the Golden Body Technique, enabling him to transformpletely.


    In fact, although he was not a great hero originally, nor was he bloodthirsty, for some reason upon hearing King Qin¡¯s order to massacre the market square civilians, he surprisingly felt little resistance in his heart.


    "People¡¯s hearts can change, have I changed too?" The square-faced official remained silent, carrying the axe on his shoulders and continuing to walk.


    Although he had developed ayer of bronze skin through practicing the Martial Arts Golden Body, his original specialty was axe techniques, not fist techniques, so he still preferred using the axe.


    He raised his battle-axe once again, about to strike amoner who had copsed and couldn¡¯t get up, but suddenly his vision blurred.


    He felt a sudden warning in his heart and turned to look at the figure.


    It seemed to be an old man with all white hair, his long hair almost touching the ground.


    However, upon closer inspection, he noticed that the man¡¯s face had very few wrinkles and didn¡¯t seem too old, perhaps in his middle age?


    The white-haired middle-aged man didn¡¯t speak, standing in the middle of the road like a statue, hands hanging down, eyes void of life, as if lost in thought, motionless, with many ws.


    Despite walking away, the military official inexplicably felt a sense of dread, so he quickly walked around the corner of the street, leaving the middle-aged man behind.


    Although he had walked far, themand of King Qin still lingered in his mind.


    Walking onto another street, he caught sight of a thin man crouched under the butcher¡¯s stall table, and he immediately strode over, lifting the battle-axe on his shoulder and swinging it down with force.


    However, before he could strike, his vision blurred, and the eerie white-haired middle-aged man reappeared in front of him, staring at the falling giant axe.


    The axe, initiallying down fast, slowed to a stop just an inch away from the middle-aged man¡¯s face, as the wind force lifted his white hair in front of his forehead.


    His wrist was shaking violently, feeling sore, and the huge axe in his hand was shaking too.


    "Scaredy-cat, why did you stop?" came another Copper d General¡¯s mocking voice beside him.


    "Now you realize your conscience and want to stop? Isn¡¯t it toote?"


    "I am not stopping." The square-faced officer clenched his teeth and slowly lifted the massive axe in his hand.


    "This seems to be a martial artist at the first level of Spiritual Refining Period," he said with a hoarse voice.


    The first level of Spiritual Refining Period is already the peak in the hierarchy of the nine ranks of martial artists.


    At this stage, the overwhelmingly strong mind can already influence external physical objects.


    Former first-ranked martial artist Qin Shiqing could make thrown stones change direction, subtly disying simrities with the cultivator¡¯s maniption techniques.


    But that¡¯s where it ends.


    He just felt as if the huge axe in his hand had struck an invisible mountain, not because he intended to hold back, but because he couldn¡¯t bring himself to strike down.


    Is the 1st rank of Spiritual Refining Period really this strong? The square-faced official wondered.


    If an ordinary 1st rank of Spiritual Refining Period could stop his axe with just their eyes without even moving, then what¡¯s the point of him practicing the Golden Body Technique?


    With this thought in mind, he suddenly felt a violent earthquake, and darkness filled his vision.


    It was actually the middle-aged man with white hair who opened his palm and held the square-faced official¡¯s face in his hand.


    Only heard a sour creaking sound, the square-faced man twisted the head made of copper from Cloud Patterns Mountain in the palm of the white-haired man and took it off from his neck.

 Chapter 246 (1)

    Chapter 246 (1)


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    Li Gongde and the Star Xuan Envoy were walking through the streets, and with a flick of their fingers, a strong wind suddenly appeared, lifting three or four carriages in the middle of the street up into the air.


    The few carriages in the middle of the street were brought by the strong Copper d Generals to block the roads around the market, in order to silence the witnesses.


    In the middle of the road, a carriage overturned, and the trapped people were immediately excited and cried tears uncontrobly.


    "The magical beings have appeared¡­"


    "We prayed to the gods every day, offering incense and showing respect to all the deities."


    In the dark, Li Gongde¡¯s eyes twitched.


    He was the one who took action, but in the end, the people thanked the "immortals." So, did he gain merit once again?


    "Never expected to see the day when someone would step in to save the civilians," the eyes behind Star Xuan Envoy¡¯s mask flickered slightly,nding on Li Gongde.Li Gongde wasn¡¯t a fortune-telling immortal, so how could he predict King Qin¡¯s actions to be so extreme as to close the city and kill people?


    But they couldn¡¯t just stand by either, because if news of the events in Great Qin Prefecture didn¡¯t spread, it would be for nothing, which didn¡¯t align with Wuji Association¡¯s interests.


    The soldiers under King Qin¡¯smand were quick to react.


    Soon, two Copper d Generals heard the sound and rushed over swiftly.


    "Do you know where the people from Tide Listening Building are? If King Qin is nning to eliminate all the onlookers at the market square, there must be some people from Tide Listening Building among them," Star Xuan Envoy found it tricky upon seeing the two Copper d Generals.


    "You can¡¯t rely on anyone from Tide Listening Building. When they hear rumors, they run faster than anyone else. When things get tense, they run even faster," Li Gongde casually remarked.


    The motto of Tide Listening Building has always been to only listen to the tides and not cause any disturbances.


    In the new city of Great QinCity, King Qin, a mighty ruler, presides not like a usual town. Following the tradition of the Tide Listening Building, there are sure to be skilled storytellers hiding in the shadows.


    "Without the help of Tide Listening Building, just relying on the two of us¡­" Star Xuan Envoy looked at the two Copper d Generals, feeling a bit overwhelmed.


    With the power of the Wuji Association, they should have no problem dealing with two Copper Skin Soldiers.


    However, since the Martial Saint faked his death, the Wuji Association has been hiding in the shadows and keeping a low profile.


    In the past, only individuals like Moon Xuan Envoy Li Gongde and Star Xuan Envoy were active in the martial arts world on behalf of the Wuji Association.


    Star Xuan Envoy is a spy who gathers intelligence. While not weak, he prefers not to engage in directbat.


    "Copper Skin Soldiers also have their weaknesses," said Li Gongde.


    "Don¡¯t try to fight them head-on. Even cultivators at the Foundation Building stage would find it difficult to deal with these tough opponents. Taoist soldiers were originally created by cultivators forbat."


    "The Great Dao Sect easily deals with martial artists. However, Spirit Refining martial artists who abandon their physical bodies and serve inhuman beings show weaknesses in their mindset."


    "But using Spirit Refining martial artists¡¯ ¡®Eye Attacking Technique¡¯¡­"


    Li Gongde had witnessed how the Qiao family members dealt with these Taoist soldiers firsthand, so he knew what he was talking about.


    "Using only the ¡®Eye Attacking Technique¡¯ may not be enough; we also need the power to break through the ¡®Cloud Patterns Mountain Copper¡¯." Star Xuan Envoy hesitated.


    Although the Eye Attacking Technique is rare, the Wuji Association, with its vast collection of martial arts, naturally possesses various techniques.


    In battles of spiritual refining martial artists, the Eye Attacking Technique is generally used to impact the opponent¡¯s mind, causing a moment of confusion and slowing down their movements¡­ For skilled spiritual refining experts, even a slight dy in movement can determine victory or defeat.


    However, the Taoist soldiers have surpassed the realm of martial artists.


    Even with just oneyer of the Golden Body Technique, a Copper Skin Soldier who has achieved the level of a 3rd rank Spirit Refining martial artist would be impervious to des and spears. Not to mention a brief moment of distraction, even if the Copper Skin Soldier stood still without fighting back, a regr martial artist would not be able to harm them.


    "If they were easy to deal with, why would the Great Dao Sect go through so much trouble to create these Taoist soldiers? The human body has its limits, unable to withstand gold and iron, let alone materials from the immortal path," Li Gongde shook his head.


    Luckily, he is also a cultivator, so there is a way to deal with this Copper Skin Soldier.


    In this world, cultivators are the main characters, while martial arts are just tricks for ordinary people to survive in the world, not worthy of attention.


    While Li Gongde was preparing to secretly deal with the two Copper Skin Soldiers, a loud noise suddenly came from afar.


    Suddenly, a tea house next to them copsed with dust and a tall dark figure flew out,nding at the feet of the two Copper d Generals.


    The two generals looked closely and immediately recognized the neer at their feet: a round-faced big man, just like them, a Copper Skin Soldier.


    However, the round-faced general¡¯s skin was cracked like a spiderweb, with a fist-sized hole clearly visible on his stomach.


    "Who attacked him?" the two Copper d Generals asked in shock.


    Since they had mastered the Golden Body Technique, even a 1st rank of Spiritual Refining Period was no match for them. Seeing theirrade fallen before their eyes truly surprised them.


    "It seems like a¡­ white-haired martial artist?" The round-faced general hesitated, unable to describe the person who pierced his chest and abdomen.


    "Could there be a traitor among us?"


    "A martial artist? Impossible, there are no traitors under King Qin¡¯smand," the generals countered.


    At that moment, under the copsed tea house, footsteps could be heard approaching.


    This is a middle-aged man with white hair, his eyes calm like a deep pool, as if looking at them, yet also looking into the distance.


    "It¡¯s him!" The round-faced military officer who was stabbed in the chest and abdomen coughed up blood as he spoke.


    Li Gongde¡¯s gaze sharpened, "This person¡­ looks a bit like Qiao Shui and Qiao Gui¡¯s younger generations?"


    "Qiao family member? Qiao family member has Taoist soldier too?" Star Xuan Envoy was surprised.


    "What nonsense, Qiao family is a mysterious martial arts n, how could they have Taoist soldier¡ª" Before Li Gongde could finish his sentence, there was a sharp snap.


    Turning his head, Qiao Mu, who had just been standing in the distance, appeared next to the fallen round-faced military officer, stepping on his chest with one foot and holding his head with one hand, pulling his head off his neck.


    "¡­." Li Gongde fell silent for a moment, then said:


    "Clearly, Qiao family is an ancient, vast n with a rich heritage, so it¡¯s reasonable for a few cultivators to emerge from this n."


    "But why did this Qiao family make their Taoist soldiers look simr to Qiao Shui and Qiao Gui, the two elder members of the n?"


    Li Gongde was surprised, but the two Copper d Generals who Qiao Mu approached were instantly terrified, feeling a strong sense of danger through their instincts.


    "Who are you?!" one of the Copper d Generals shouted, his voice booming like thunder, echoing in all directions.


    In reality, he was not shouting but pretending to, actually loudly calling for help in hopes that others woulde to their rescue.


    King Qin had also given orders that there might be a Qiao family member hiding near the vegetable market, now that Qiao Gui was dead. If any Qiao family members were to seek revenge, he would naturally have to eliminate them all.


    At that moment, the white-haired man finally spoke:


    "Physical body¡­."


    "Physical body? What is he talking about? He can¡¯t possibly be named ¡®physical body¡¯, he¡¯s not answering the question at all." Each of the two Copper d Generals tried to escape using their light skills, but the white-haired man¡¯s figure was like a ghost, constantly following just three steps behind them.


    "The vitality of the physical body is the foundation of a martial artist," the white-haired man continued to exin:


    "The level of vitality can generally be seen as the physical strength of a martial artist."


    "The beginning of the 9 ranks of martial artists starts with building up physical strength. When muscles are full and energy is abundant, internal strength will be built up."


    "As people reach old age, it¡¯s inevitable that their energy levels decline and their bodies weaken. The human body has its limits in the end."


    While speaking, he reached out and pierced through the chest of a Copper d General, who immediately fell to the ground and didn¡¯t get up.


    "Why is this person talking to himself all the time, acting so strangely? Is he a madman?" Just as this Copper d General had this thought in his mind, suddenly his whole body shook, everything spun around, and he saw a hand passing through his chest.


    Two Copper d Generalsy on the ground, already lifeless.


    Qiao Mu stood beside their bodies, his eyes looking slightly empty.


    Around the thirtieth year in his dream, he realized that his mind was clouded and something was different, he understood one thing:


    The eighty years in the dream equated to a lifetime for an ordinary person, and it was a lifetime without rest.


    During these eighty years, emotions within would magnify when alone.


    In the first thirty years, Qiao Mu was able to focus on studying martial arts techniques, but in the following fifty years, his restlessness made it difficult for him to concentrate.


    If one regrets helping others and getting trapped in an eighty-year-long dream, those emotions will slowly consume him during the long period of solitude, leaving him no peace.


    Ordinary people cannot spend a whole lifetime in a dream while maintaining their sanity, so when Qiao Mu woke up again from the dream, there were only two possible oues.


    Either he would be tormented by regret until he goes mad.


    Or he would find an answer that would give him strength.


    And now¡­ he actually already had the answer in his heart.


    So when he woke up from the dream, he reached the 1st rank of Spiritual Refining Period.


    "How can a mortal flesh withstand gold and iron? That¡¯s not wrong at all."


    "But I am no longer just a mortal." His eyes focused slightly, and at this moment he just managed to snap out of the lifetime in the dream.


    With a thought, information emerged from the Ouroboros Long Life Lock submerged in the sea of his heart.


    This Death Assessment: A (Using Martial Arts to Defeat Immortals)


    Life Consumption from Death: 80 (16*5) years


    Remaining chances of revival this week: 3/5


    Current age: 295 years old


    Vitality: 60%


    Skills:


    Techniques¡ªHuman Path Sutra (half, seventh level) Pure Yang Wuji Skill (ninth level) Military Martial Arts ssic (mastered)


    Martial arts¡ªFragmented Virtual Finger (mastered) Ripple Stacking Wave Strength (fourth level: Fourfold Wave)


    Weapons¡ªShadow Transformation Sword Technique (mastered) Heavenly shing Swordsmanship (mastered) Military Martial Arts ssic Weapons section (mastered)


    Light body technique¡ªShadow Step (mastered) Heavenly Dragon Eight Steps (mastered)


    Strength training¡ªIron Crotch Skill (mastered) Golden Bell Shield Iron Cloth Shirt Skill (mastered)


    Forbidden Techniques ¨C Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method (Perfect), Red Moon Burning Blood Technique (Completion), Bloodthirsty Skill (Completion), Blood Sword Technique (Proficient)


    Mystical Techniques ¨C Eye Sword Technique (Completion), Shape Changing Skill (Completion), Martial Saint Spiritual Technique (Proficient)


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    During these eighty years in his dreams, Qiao Mu did many things.


    For example, he discovered that the information appearing in his mind was actually a type of "inner vision" rted to himself.


    Simr to controlling his lucid dreams, this information could actually change based on Qiao Mu¡¯s thoughts, leading to unexpected developments.


    In his dream of eighty years, he focused on practicing martial arts and searching for answers to support his inner self. In a way, it was also a further exploration of the Spiritual Refining Method.


    Other martial arts training was not his main focus in the dream; at most, it served as a distraction after practicing martial arts became tiring.


    Despite that, eighty years was too long, and he made breakthroughs in various martial arts, such as the superb rank light skill Heavenly Dragon Eight Steps.


    As for the seventh level of the Human Path Sutra, it was actually derived from the Xumi Mountain King Sutra already at the seventh level.


    The prototype of the Human Path Sutra deduced by Qiao Mu was different from the Xumi Mountain King Sutra, but it still retained some characteristics of thetter.


    Each level he advanced, the time needed almost doubled.


    For ordinary martial artists with average aptitude, as long as they persist in training, the first level requires 2 years, the second level requires 4 years, the third level requires 8 years, and so on.


    If Qiao Mu could practice it, ordinary martial artists could too; it was not a martial arts technique that required high aptitude.


    With this thought, the sound of approaching footsteps could be heard in the distance.


    Two Copper d Generals¡¯ cries for help before their death were heard by others. Far away, King Qin led his many generals and hurried towards them.

 Chapter 246 (2)

    Chapter 246 (2)


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    "Who is this betrayer blending martial arts with the Tao? It¡¯s clearly a member of the Qiao family! Are you all blind?" King Qin¡¯s gaze fell on Qiao Mu¡¯s face, and he felt a weight lifted off his heart.


    Before seeing Qiao Mu¡¯s true face, he felt a bit uneasy.


    As a leader supported by the Great Dao Sect, King Qin actually had the authority tomand other Taoist soldiers¡­ Although these strong Taoist soldiers were obedient, they didn¡¯t haveplete free will, their minds subconsciously influenced by King Qin or the Great Dao Sect¡¯s Cultivator¡¯s hints and orders.


    So theoretically, the so-called blend of martial arts and Tao could not betray¡­


    As King Qin hurried over, he wondered if the other Eight Immortal Gates were also supporting Taoist soldiers? Were they causing trouble inside Great Qin City now?


    If that were the case, then King Qin would be stuck between several major Immortal Gates, which was not a good situation¡­


    All his worries disappeared when he saw Qiao Mu¡¯s face.


    Isn¡¯t he just a member of the Qiao family? He had just killed one.The Qiao family member is really strong, even stronger than the usual Spirit Refining martial artist. When using the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, they can easily take on a Taoist soldier with strong defenses.


    But that relies on an unusually powerful internal strength.


    Such individuals are rare because reaching the 4th rank is already the soft limit for internal strength. Therefore, ordinary 4th rank martial artists who don¡¯t focus on Spirit Refining Method, but instead slowly cultivate internal strength, often cannot match a 3rd rank spiritual refining opponent before reaching their life¡¯s end.


    So it¡¯s clear that both Qiao Shui and Qiao Gui were exceptional among martial artists.


    They are either exceptionally talented individuals, or they have benefited from some rare urrence that caused a sudden increase in their power.


    Whether through natural talent or extraordinary circumstances, these are things that cannot be easily replicated and are very rare.


    Now, another Qiao family member has appeared¡­ Hmm, they look like a middle-aged person, probably a descendant of Qiao Shui and Qiao Gui?


    "It seems like the elder of the Qiao family has finally passed away." King Qin smirked slightly, his smile carrying a hint of mockery:


    "Your elders have all perished by my hands, their bodies not even cold yet, and you daree seeking revenge?"


    "Revenge?" Qiao Mu¡¯s eyes were as deep as a pond.


    Eighty yearster, seeing King Qin again, there was no obvious emotion in his eyes. It was as if this person was not the formidable enemy who once tried to kill him, but just an ordinary passerby.


    "If one holds onto that kind of emotion, they can only sink into madness over the eighty years." His voice was as calm as his expression, like a gentle breeze in the mountains.


    "Besides, you¡¯re not worthy of making me remember you for eighty years."


    Eighty years?


    Although King Qin didn¡¯t understand Qiao Mu¡¯s words, in the moment their eyes met, he felt a fleeting sense of warning in his heart.


    "Bring him to me." With a wave of his hand, he stepped back behind his Copper d Generals.


    King Qin was always thoughtful. He may have looked down on this Qiao family member, but how could he ignore the brief warning in his heart?


    Since this person was so peculiar, he would let his Copper d Generals test him first. Then, he would seize the opportunity to strike during the siege.


    Previously, it was enough to just bully Qiao Gui who broke his leg.


    Great Qin Prefecture was his main base, why should he fight alone against the enemy?


    Around twenty Copper d Generals looked at each other, hesitating briefly.


    Under King Qin¡¯s cold gaze, they slowly moved their feet and encircled Qiao Mu.


    As 3rd rank Spirit Refining martial artists, although their spiritual abilities had regressed, their intuition was still sharp.


    Without King Qin¡¯smand, they would definitely choose to follow their hearts and retreat decisively.


    But as soon as King Qin spoke, they unconsciously moved their feet and closed in on Qiao Mu.


    "Twenty Copper Skin Soldiers¡­" Li Gongde, hidden in the shadows, reacted slightly.


    Any Copper Skin Soldier could use their imprable bodies to crush ordinary Spirit Refining martial artists. Even a 1st rank of Spiritual Refining Period couldn¡¯t break through their defense, their only choice was to run.


    "The Taoist soldiers under King Qin¡¯smand, if ced in the martial world of Jiu Province, would surely cause a great uproar. The martial artists who practice ancient martial arts would have a hard timepeting against them," said Star Xuan Envoy.


    "But this member of the Qiao family¡­ it¡¯s hard to say," Star Xuan Envoy frowned.


    "Let me see how he will handle this¡­ Hmm? Is he closing his eyes? Is he underestimating the situation?"


    In the middle of the street.


    Qiao Mu stood with his hands down, showing no defensive stance, looking rxed and even closing his eyes.


    He had already reached the first rank of the Spiritual Refining Period.


    As he closed his eyes and everything turned pitch ck, the sounds he heard and the intuition he felt became clearer.


    "Can you hear it?" He stood surrounded by the Copper Skin Soldiers, whispering with his eyes closed as if in a trance.


    The twenty burly Copper Skin Soldiers didn¡¯t respond, simply holding their weapons ready as if facing a formidable enemy, closing in on the white-haired man, gradually tightening their circle.


    So Qiao Mu remained silent, only quietly listening.


    He heard the footsteps of these twenty sturdy Taoist soldiers approaching, the heavy boots inadvertently crushing the sound of the shattered blue bricks under their feet.


    He heard the prayers from the thin man hiding under the butcher¡¯s stall table, "May the gods bless us, may the gods bless us¡­"


    He heard the sound of the wind passing by, the noise of a teahouse copsing in the distance, and the faint breathing and heartbeat of two onlookers in the shadows¡­


    But these were not the sounds he wanted to hear.


    The sound he wanted to hear was not from the outside, but from the depths of his own heart.


    King Qin was not worth his thoughts for eighty years.


    But King Qin¡¯s question had truly lingered in his heart for eighty years, seeking an answer as if it would take a lifetime for an ordinary person.


    In that past life, he had reviewed his life since crossing over hundreds, thousands of times, vividly recalling every choice and every suicidal attempt from Yan City onwards.


    As an immortal, Qiao Mu was destined to be the strongest in this world sooner orter, with the only difference being the timing, as he always had an easy mode to choose from.


    The safest way is to endure.


    Once Qiao Mu obtains both the "Long Life Fist Sutra" and the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra," he can hide in the deep mountains and forests, practicing until the end of time, witnessing the rise and fall of dynasties, aiming for mastery of his skills before re-emerging into the world.


    The quickest way is to fall into temptation.


    Killing is much simpler than saving lives, as one only needs to abandon their moral standards and ughter others, embracing darkness with a single thought, obtaining negative evaluations but achieving high-quality deaths, rapidly growing stronger.


    Even if he insisted on bing a hero seeking both fame and wealth, there were actually more cost-effective ways:


    For example, when he raided the mansion in Yan City, kidnapped Childe Guo, and killed Guo Yan, his final blow in the deadly battle was not against Guo Yan, but against an inexperienced coffin bearer, ensuring the well-being of Old Huang.


    This was not the most cost-effective or beneficial choice.


    Since arriving in this world.


    Qiao Mu always made choices based on what he truly believed in, not for quick gains or at the expense of others.


    He chose what resonated with his heart.


    All his decisions came from within.


    He took full responsibility for his actions.


    The consequences of his actions in the dreamlike eighty years were solely his own doing.


    When hispanions like Hai Siyuan risked their lives in the Imperial Capital, it was also his own doing.


    "This is the path I chose, and every sacrifice was my own heartfelt decision."


    "So, this is my answer."


    Qiao Mu woke up and continued talking to himself.


    In the story, none of the twenty Copper Skin Soldiers surrounding them dared to step forward. They simply looked at each other, waiting to see who would be the first to make a move.


    "Can you hear it?" He finally opened his eyes.


    The voice that has been echoing in my heart for eighty years."


    The moment when I opened my eyes.


    It felt like a precious swording out of its sheath in a box, where the gaze passed by, the empty space seemed to sh with tangible illusionary sword light.


    Twenty Copper Skin Soldiers in front of them all felt a strong shock in their minds, as if a sword had stabbed their brains, making them dizzy and almost losing their weapons.


    While they were feeling dizzy and angry, they also noticed a sudden gust of wind on the street.


    It was a violent gust of wind.


    This gust of wind came blowing from the direction where Qiao Mu was standing, making the clothes of many Copper d Generals fluttering noisily.


    Look up.


    Only saw the figure of the white-haired person standing in the middle of the road at this moment, the powerful internal energy like the tide was spreading out from his body, surging outward wave after wave.


    "Just the outward release of internal energy has such power? Both Li Gongde and Star Xuan Envoy hidden in the dark were stunned: ¡®This powerful amount of internal energy actually surpasses Qiao Shui and Qiao Gui by arge margin¡­No, that¡¯s not the focus.¡¯"


    "The focus is¡­he actually has internal energy? He is not a Taoist soldier, but a true martial artist?"


    Even Li Gongde, who was a cultivator, was astonished at this moment.


    The bodies of Iron Wolf, Luohan, and other Taoist soldiers were no longer purely flesh and blood.


    It was precisely because of the extensive transformation from the so-called "Golden Body Technique," to the point where even the meridians in the body ceased to exist, that their whole bodies could turn into bronze skin and iron bones.


    However, Qiao Mu¡¯s situation waspletely different from those Taoist soldiers who practiced the "Golden Body Technique."


    "¡¯He doesn¡¯tck internal energy¡­he just doesn¡¯t need to use internal energy. Relying solely on physical strength, he can just take the head of that Copper Skin Soldier?¡¯ Li Gongde¡¯s mind raced with thoughts, and only at this moment did he understand the meaning of the scene just now.


    "Using their flesh and blood, relying solely on strength to tear open Copper Skin Soldiers made from the immortal material Cloud Patterns Mountain Copper?"


    He unconsciously looked at Qiao Mu, feeling shocked.


    He saw a strong aura surrounding Qiao Mu, whose long white hair almost touched the ground, with a slight smile on his face.


    Since he woke up and appeared in Great Qin City again, he showed emotion on his face for the first time.


    It was a faint smile.


    "So, this is my answer." His deep eyes, staring sharply like a sword, met the gaze of King Qin behind the crowd.


    "Talking to yourself, you lunatic?" King Qin countered, his eyes bright and his mind firm, showing no sign of weakness.


    Qiao Mu didn¡¯t reply, he just stomped his foot.


    The ground of the street near the market shook slightly, then copsed into a small pit with a bang, as he dashed out.


    "Joe was born with a clear conscience and sharp mind, why regret anything?"


    "Even if I die a thousand deaths, I will not regret!"


    In the loud whistling air, Qiao Mu soared like a swift arrow, his whole body enveloped in powerful energy that transformed into a bright red color:


    "Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method£¡"


    The twenty sturdy Copper d Generals were just hit hard, now their faces were pale, their formation was in disarray, and they could only watch as the figures beside them passed by.


    Only King Qin¡¯s gaze remained firm:


    "The zing Essence Goldes from the mes of the earth¡¯s core, taking possibly thousands of years to form. After being refined by the Great Dao Sect¡¯s immortal fire for forty-nine days, it finally bes refined gold."


    "How can an ordinary martial artist¡¯s flesh and blood body resist immortal dao gold and iron?"


    He didn¡¯t retreat or yield at this moment, but instead took a deep breath and clenched his fist.


    The fist pierced the air with a loud bang, heating up and turning red from the intense friction with the air, like a zing me.


    A fist against a fist!


    Since this martial artist was foolish enough to use his own body to resist him, he naturally obliged!


    King Qin didn¡¯t have confidence in himself, but in the methods of the Great Dao Sect, havingplete faith in the immortal way¡ª¨C


    A thunderous sound echoed in the wind, he felt a powerful force striking his fist, causing his zing Essence Gold-made fist to crackle, and his wrist to bend backwards, like a heavy hammer hitting his chest.


    King Qin¡¯s gaze briefly showed surprise, then his chest copsed in the next instant, leaving a hollow void.

 Chapter 247 (1)

    Chapter 247 (1)


    Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/PazjBDkTmW


    There was a loud bang.


    A fierce gust of wind stirred up a whirlwind of dust, sweeping in all directions.


    King Qin looked down at the hole in his chest, and stumbled unconsciously.


    Unlike other Taoist soldiers like Luohan, he hadpletely transformed into a golden body, strong and indestructible.


    There was no fresh blood flowing out from the hole in his chest, nor any flesh or organs.


    For an ordinary person, this would undoubtedly be a fatal wound, and even for King Qin, this injury was very serious.


    More severe than the wound on his chest was the huge impact suffered by his spirit.


    King Qin¡¯s mind was extremely determined.Twenty years ago, when he was still the lord of Zhong Province small town, he showed the utmost sincerity towards the Tao when he killed his wife in front of the Xuantian Sect cultivator to prove his dedication, severing worldly ties.


    Although the Xuantian Sect cultivator didn¡¯t ept him as a disciple, Qin Shiqing¡¯ mind became as sharp as a de, his martial arts practice became smooth sailing, stepping into the Spiritual Refining Realm effortlessly, eventually reaching the 1st rank of the Spiritual Refining Period and overseeing the Imperial Capital¡¯s heavenly prison.


    But martial arts was never his sole pursuit, the path of immortality was what he sought in life.


    The dust can be thrown away, the physical body can be thrown away, the more things he abandons, the further he gets from ordinary people, and the closer he gets to the Great Dao, until he transforms into King Qin, achieving the Martial Arts Golden Body.


    But this time¡­.


    "He didn¡¯t use a strong internal strength like Qiao Gui to strike from a distance, butbined his physical strength with internal strength, directly facing my iron fist with strength?"


    King Qin¡¯s heart was only filled with shock at this moment, even his palms were slightly trembling.


    This kind of power was what he had dreamed of back then¡­


    Due to this kind of physical strength and internal strength, it has already surpassed the level of the 9 ranks of martial artists¡­. This is known as the superb rank.


    The so-called superb rank doesn¡¯t refer to a martial arts realm, but a title, indicating martial artists who are far superior to the 1st rank, subtly surpassing the control abilities of the Great Yan Imperial Court.


    In the world of martial arts, the ultimate is the 1st rank, and there is no way forward.


    Therefore, a superb martial artist is someone who goes further after reaching the end of the 9th rank of martial arts and there is no specific realm to describe the difference.


    "Why can he achieve a superb rank in martial arts? And it¡¯s a double superb rank in both Qi and internal strength."


    Unconsciously, King Qin felt a sense of resentment rising in his heart.


    "I have been devoted to the martial way for decades without any rxation. I have cut off all external things and people that could shake my mind. Walking alone in this vast life, I am left with a heart as firm as iron dedicated to the martial arts. I have paid a great price to achieve the Martial Arts Golden Body. What makes you think you canpare to me?"


    King Qin clenched his teeth and once again raised his only remaining left fist.


    What greeted him was a torrent of blood-colored energy that engulfed him in an instant, along with a pair of eyes as sharp as sword edges.


    For an instant, it felt like a sword was stirring back and forth in his mind, making his consciousness unclear.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    Amidst the intense rumbling, punches and strikes came like a fierce storm. King Qin could only see a dense cluster of punch shadows in front of him.


    He raised his only remaining left fist to protect himself, but after only two or three breaths, the single arm was forcefully pushed aside, leaving his chest and head wide open.


    Qiao Mu grabbed his one-armed opponent tightly and punched him repeatedly in the head.


    Visible ripples of energy spread through the air as the head made of zing Essence Gold twisted and deformed under the continuous blows.


    The twenty Copper Skin Soldiers, who had formed a circle surrounding Qiao Mu, widened their eyes in shock.


    Although Qiao Mu didn¡¯t use the Eye Sword Technique to attack their minds at that moment, they still felt greatly frightened as their minds were stirred.


    If their physical bodies could press down on King Qin, who had already achieved the 1st rank Golden Body, then what was the point of practicing the Golden Body Technique?


    Furthermore, this was not a strike from a distance like Qiao Gui¡¯s powerful internal strength attacks, but a direct and powerful exchange of punches without any fancy techniques.


    After three breaths.


    Qiao Mu stopped punching and stood still, looking at King Qin in his hand.


    At that moment, King Qin¡¯s head was visibly deformed, ttened by the immense force, with a crooked nose, twisted eyes, and multiple dents and deformities, looking less human-like.


    "Almost done," said Qiao Mu as he took a deep breath.


    In his dreams, he had repeatedly attacked King Qin in the first thirty years tofort himself.


    After putting in a lot of effort, he finally restored King Qin to his appearance with a crooked nose and off-center eyes after being attacked in the dream.


    His mood improved.


    "Well, struck!" King Qin, barely alive and severely injured both physically and mentally, burst intoughter:


    "This punch not only ends my life but also the lives of the entire martial arts Qiao family n. Congrattions!"


    "I am King Qin, supported by the Great Dao Sect, one of the Nine Immortal Gates. If I die, the immortals will seek retribution! It¡¯s a pity that all other Qiao family members will die because of your rash actions!"


    "You are too selfish and reckless! If you cared for the rest of the Qiao family and for the people, you wouldn¡¯t have acted and invoked the wrath of the immortals!"


    "If you spare my life, there is still a glimmer of hope in this matter¡­."


    "Okay, I¡¯ll spare your life," Qiao Mu readily agreed.


    This reaction even left King Qin somewhat puzzled, as hepletely didn¡¯t understand what he meant.


    Just now, due to the injury from the Eye Sword Technique, his mind was in agony, blurting things out only under the threat of death, but didn¡¯t expect¡­ it actually convinced him?


    King Qin gritted his teeth, trying to control his zing Essence Gold body again, but at this moment, he felt his usually agile body as heavy as a thousand pounds, finding it almost impossible to even lift a finger.


    "My mind has suffered a heavy blow¡­" King Qin, who had practiced martial arts for many years and was at the 1st rank of the Spiritual Refining Period, instantly understood his current condition with a single thought.


    Before facing Qiao Mu¡¯s fist, he was full of confidence, with a determined heart, enduring Qiao Mu¡¯s Eye Sword Technique head-on.


    However, when his iron arm was directly broken and his chest was pierced, his mind had already been breached.


    "My Dao heart is showing signs of copse¡­ I must hold on," King Qin gritted his teeth in secret.


    As a top-ranked Spiritual Refiner, he knew the consequences of a mental breakdown. So, he quickly calmed his mind and said to himself inwardly:


    "It¡¯s me who lost, not the leader of the Great Dao Sect, nor the Dao of Immortality!"


    "My decision was absolutely right! It was just a moment of carelessness¡­"


    "As long as I keep my mind steady and not copse, as long as the leader of the Great Dao Sectes, there will still be hope for Mount Dong to rise again!"


    Even if this body is damaged, as long as my mind remains intact, King Qin can still survive¡­ This was due to a change in his soul after his body died for the first time.


    The real Qin Shiqing had already died at that time, and the current King Qin is actually simr to a wandering soul, although he cannot live long in this world, he is notparable to ordinary people.


    It was because of this that he caught the attention of the leader of the Great Dao Sect and was appointed as King Qin, entrusted with the task of establishing the Earthly Immortal Kingdom!


    "This member of the Qiao family is quite amusing, so naive," thought King Qin, feeling both a cold sneer in his heart and a sense of relief.


    Did he really spare his life?


    As long as he¡¯s alive, there¡¯s still hope!


    Qiao Mu could somewhat guess his thoughts.


    He thought he was very strong and important, so he was willing to challenge King Qin without hesitation. He decided to go through with his n.


    "Being skilled and fearless? Many martial artists trust their abilities too much¡­ unfortunately, they don¡¯t understand the ways of the immortals, they don¡¯t understand the depth of the Immortal Gate," King Qin sighed to himself.


    There was a time when he was as ignorant and arrogant as Qiao Mu in front of him, until one day he identally witnessed the mysterious abilities of an immortal cultivator, and then he realized that his martial arts practice was actually misguided.


    Qiao Mu noticed the change in his expression, but he didn¡¯t speak, he just looked down at his own fist.


    His fist was cut and bleeding, his bones were visibly fractured and sunken.


    Although he could harm King Qin¡¯s zing Essence Gold body, his physical body, made of flesh and blood, was not as strong as the immortal iron in terms of hardness.


    But fighting is not the same as fencing. It¡¯s not about who is tougher.


    With a single thought, the bleeding on his fist stopped quickly, the torn skin began to heal and close up, even the sunken bones started to slowly mend themselves.


    Now he has reached the highest level of Spiritual Refining Period, with a much stronger energy level than ever before.


    With the strong mind at the highest level of Spiritual Refining Period, mastering the "mastery" of the Shape Changing Skill makes it easy to heal skin and bone injuries.


    "It seems like I should practice some tough skills¡­" thought Qiao Mu.


    After he turned sixty, he mainly relied on his strong internal strength and the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method to fight. The punching power of his body is much weakerpared to the destructive power of internal strength that has been building up for hundreds or thousands of years.


    So practicing tough skills had very little effect.


    But now things have changed.


    Qiao Mu practices three types of tough skills.


    Apart from the specialized Iron Crotch Skill training, he only practices two tough skills, the Golden Bell Shield and Iron Cloth Shirt Skill.


    These two tough skills are not of high quality, and are somewhat outdated now.


    As for the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method¡­


    Qiao Mu took two deep breaths, calming down his almost boiling blood and energy swiftly.


    Painful sensations like tearing spread through his body¡¯s meridians as usual. With a slight movement in his mind, his whole body followed suit¡­


    Qiao Mu¡¯s Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method was actually on a different levelpared to other martial artists. Its explosive power and aftermath far surpassed theirs.


    Taking the Qiao family member¡¯s Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method as an example, just a moment of using it could damage the body¡¯s meridians enough to require a normal person twenty years to recover.


    Damages to the body¡¯s meridians are hard to heal withmon medicines, usually requiring slow recovery over a long period of time.


    For Qiao Shui, it takes about seven days.


    For Qiao Mu now, about three days.


    If the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Methodsts for three to four breaths, the time needed forplete recovery will also extend to around seven days¡­


    But it¡¯s not a big problem.


    Even if his meridians were damaged and it was difficult to unleash internal strength, with his current physical body, relying solely on physical strength was enough to handle many things.


    "As for now¡­" Qiao Mu nced at King Qin beside him.


    Keeping King Qin alive was naturally useful.

 Chapter 247 (2)

    Chapter 247 (2)


    Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/PazjBDkTmW


    Qiao Mu lifted King Qin onto his body, exposing his clearly swollen face to the sunlight, and then walked step by step towards the Copper Skin Soldiers who were on guard as if facing a great enemy.


    "My name is Qiao Miao."


    "King Qin has surrendered, do you all still want to meet your doom?"


    He nced at many Copper d Generals, and although he didn¡¯t use the Eye Sword Technique, these generals subconsciously avoided eye contact and dared not meet his gaze.


    King Qin is the king of the Great Qin Prefecture, the apparent ruler of this area.


    Even if a powerful cultivator from the Great Dao Sect came, they couldn¡¯t avoid King Qin and give orders directly.


    Not long ago, King Qin gave the order to seal the city and kill people.


    The quickest way to end this conflict is to tter King Qin."King Qin, are you ready with your lines and have you confessed your crimes?" Qiao Mu stood at the execution ground and kicked King Qin¡¯s butt.


    Whatever mischief the Great Dao Sect has been up to here, and whatever role King Qin has been ying in Great Qin Prefecture, these things are about toe to light.


    What about the consequences? How will the Immortal Gate react?


    King Qin is preparing to ughter the city and keep it a secret, so how can things get any worse?


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    In the shadows.


    Li Gongde and Star Xuan Envoy looked at each other, feeling quite shaken.


    "Qiao Miao¡­ There really is a superb martial artist among the Qiao family members," Li Gongde said slowly.


    "And he is¡­ a superb rank achieved through two paths of strength, even though his spiritual refining cultivation is only at the 1st rank."


    The mainstream martial arts method in Jiu Province is the Spiritual Refining Method.


    The techniques of the Four Divine Forces are almost a dead end for the majority of martial artists, and even after practicing hard for decades beyond the 4th rank, it is still difficult to rival a spiritual refining martial artist above the 3rd rank.


    That¡¯s why earlier, Li Gongde and Star Xuan Envoy mistakenly identified Qiao Mu, who easily defeated the Copper Skin Soldier, as a Taoist soldier under the orders of a cultivator.


    Superb martial artists, especially those with exceptional strength or energy levels, are much rarerpared to Taoist soldiers.


    "It¡¯s unbelievable." Star Xuan Envoy wouldn¡¯t have believed what he was seeing if he hadn¡¯t witnessed it himself.


    Superb martial artists are above the 9 ranks of martial artists system and are already surpassing the control capabilities of the Great Yan Imperial Court.


    In the martial arts world forty years ago, there were only about ten superb martial artists, including theter breakthrough Martial Saint.


    Bing a superb martial artist in a world dominated by cultivators is considered outstanding. It is a legendary story in Tide Listening Building and earns a top spot on their list.


    "The Qiao family is very mysterious. It¡¯s surprising that they have a superb martial artist that is unknown to Wuji Association and Tide Listening Building," Li Gongde remarked.


    King Qin¡¯s unexpected defeat makes it unlikely that he survived.


    By revealing the secrets of the Qiao family, Li Gongde has angered the Immortal Gate. Great Dao Sect¡¯s reputation suffers as a result.


    "If King Qin is still alive, there may be hope for resolution," Star Xuan Envoy suggested.


    "Star Xuan Envoy reflected on a past event involving a solitary city in the desert that led to Immortal Gate staying calm. This resulted in King Qin¡¯s rise to power."


    "No, that¡¯spletely wrong," Li Gongde disagreed.


    "There¡¯s no turning back now. Any hesitation will only make things worse," he insisted.


    "¡­A superb member of the Qiao family has emerged in the Great Qin Prefecture. This matter has been settled, and there¡¯s no need for us to get involved. Besides us, there are also other people in the city."


    Li Gongde cast a thoughtful nce towards a corner of the city.


    The market square in Great Qin City is the most central stage in the city, with King Qin and Qiao Miao being the most eye-catching figures at the center of the stage.


    But this city is veryrge, and in other areas of the city, there are some people resisting¡­


    In a corner on the outskirts of the city.


    An old man with only half a face and white hair, holding a small Stone City sculpture in one hand, guiding fleeing civilians into the Stone City.


    The old man of the arsenal was one of the earliest arrivals in Great Qin City, although heter practiced daoism and relied on the treasure left behind by Earth Sword Immortal. While he couldn¡¯t match the Copper Skin Soldiers in strength, he could still save some people through the Stone City.


    "It¡¯s time to go."


    "A powerful dual superb rank has emerged in the Qiao family¡­ I¡¯m sure the newly emerged Martial Saint will be very interested."


    "This Qiao family from Taoyuan Land overseas is even more mysterious than we previously understood¡­"


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    Above the clouds.


    A flying boat soared past, with dozens of cultivators in Dao robes standing on the boat, overlooking the Zhong Province below.


    These cultivators were chatting andughing, looking rxed.


    However, Elder Qingzhuo in the upper deck of the flying boat had a lingering gloom on his face.


    "What a useless fellow Qin Shiqing is¡­ Even though he spent a fortune on transforming into a body of Crimson me Golden body, he is still just an ordinary martial artist, unable to handle such a trivial matter and letting other cultivators sneak into the Great Qin City?"


    Elder Qingzhuo¡¯s expression was not very pleasant.


    The incident in the Hundred-mile Desertst time, where a Sect Secret Realm was destroyed, was no small matter.


    Elder Qingzhuo relied solely on his seniority to avoid investigation by the younger generation deacons and let the matter go unresolved.


    However, Immortal Gate also has its own rules; while Elder Qingzhuo could use his seniority to pressure the deacons, he could not do the same to the sect leader who arrivedter.


    The previous incident was handled poorly, leading to today¡¯s situation in Great Qin Prefecture¡­ and now it was his turn to clean up the mess.


    Unfortunately, he had previously been injured by the Qiao family member and Earth Sword Immortal working together, damaging his foundation.


    Cultivators have long lifespans, with elders at Nascent Soul Stage like him often spending ten to several decades in seclusion, which is almost equivalent to half a human lifetime.


    Healing the foundation injury would require more than just one or two seclusions.


    From the incident in the solitary city in the desert until now, only one or two months have passed¡­ in such a short time, he wouldn¡¯t be able to fully heal his foundation.


    When a cultivator in the Golden Core period reaches the end of their practice, their core breaks into pieces like an infant¡­ he was close to breaking his core during that previous sword strike.


    Currently, he wasn¡¯t in the best condition to perform magic, but he had no choice but to do so.


    In order to hide his injuries and maintain his elder status, Qingzhuo intentionally used a secret technique to disguise himself. Now, in the eyes of other cultivators, he still appears as a mysterious Nascent Soul Immortal, even managing to deceive the previous sect leader briefly.


    But more problems kepting.


    Since he was not injured and rumors from outside were false, after creating such a mess, how could he, as an Elder of the Immortal Gate, continue hiding within the sect with any dignity?


    Since he chose to disguise himself, he had to stick to this path to the end¡­


    Although he couldn¡¯t take action directly, the aura of a Nascent Soul Elder remained, showing no signs of weakness.


    "Dao Fei."


    "Here, Master." A tall, thin-faced young disciple bowed.


    "It seems that some cultivators from other Immortal Gates are causing trouble in Great Qin City," Elder Qingzhuo said calmly while sitting cross-legged at the head seat.


    "The other Eight Immortal Gates have not openly shed with us, these conflicts are still simmering in the shadows."


    "I naturally won¡¯t bother with younger generations from other Immortal Gates and won¡¯t intervene. If things escte, it won¡¯t end well."


    Despite conflicts among the Nine Immortal Gates, they generally restrain themselves in thepetition for followers¡¯ devotion.


    Even in the midst of conflicts, they don¡¯t let it escte and harm rtionships.


    Except for major events like Emperor Yonghe¡¯s recent incident of worshiping gods, the elders at the Nascent Soul Stage usually refrain from interfering.


    "If it is found that a golden core cultivator is causing trouble, then it will be up to you."


    "If it is a cultivator in the Foundation Building period, naturally your junior brothers and sisters will handle it, you should not act rashly," Elder Qingzhuo said lightly.


    "I understand," Dao Fei nodded, his gaze resolute.


    Just before, King Qin received news that at the market square, there seemed to be a cultivator using techniques like the Water Mirror Art, exposing Dao Xu¡¯s shady activities.


    "Which Immortal Gate would act so recklessly?" a voice next to them asked in confusion.


    The cultivator who was speaking also looked like a young man. He stood a bit away from the crowd, seeming a bit out of ce.


    This person is Dao Zhen.


    Dao Zhen is a student of Elder Qingyi. This time, he boarded Elder Qingzhuo¡¯s flying boat simply because he was in the Great Qin City area.


    Heard that Dao Xu may have died at the hands of the Qiao family¡¯s martial arts, he seemed very interested.


    Even though he had nothing to do with it, he managed to board Elder Qingzhuo¡¯s Sky Boat.


    Unlike other cultivators chatting casually, Dao Zhen¡¯s expression was serious:


    "Hasn¡¯t the Nine Immortal Gates already agreed on the Taoist soldier¡¯s matter? If this esctes, other regions¡¯ Immortal Gates wanting to establish the Earthly Immortal Kingdom might face obstacles¡­."


    "Is it really the work of other Immortal Gates meddling in this matter?"


    "Junior Brother Dao Zhen, as disciples, we just need to focus on our own responsibilities." Dao Fei smiled lightly.


    Dao Fei was a bit puzzled, but didn¡¯t think too much about it.


    Since the master was in charge of big matters, what was there for him to worry about?


    With the master overseeing this mission, it was obvious that there wouldn¡¯t be any problems. It was just a small test to assess the disciples¡¯ skills¡­


    As a senior disciple under Elder Qingzhuo during the Golden Core period, all he needed to do was to lead by example and perform well. He didn¡¯t need to worry about these big sect matters.


    "Junior Brother Dao Zhen just reached the Core Formation stage, and his desire to impress the elders is too obvious," Dao Fei shook his head inwardly.


    Dao Zhen just reached the Golden Core stage a few days ago, his Dan Formation was of high quality, a Great Tao Golden Pill, and therefore highly valued by the sect.


    He had great potential, but he had just reached the Core Formation stage.


    Dao Fei actually wanted to say something harsh, "You, a disciple who just reached the Golden Core stage, what are you trying to achieve with the elders of the sect?"


    Could it be that he also wants to make an impression in front of Elder Qingzhuo?

 Chapter 248:

    Chapter 248:


    Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/PazjBDkTmW


    In the market square, King Qin once ordered the city to be closed off and sent the Copper d General and his soldiers to kill people and keep the news from leaking out.


    The order was given not long ago, and the massacre had just begun. Therefore, besides the many deaths and injuries around the market square, there were still many survivors in the rest of the city.


    Especially in the more remote suburbs.


    The old man of the arsenal was among the first group of people to arrive at Great Qin Prefecture. He was the younger brother of the former general Li Changge. However, after forty years, the Li family no longer existed, leaving him alone without a home to return to.


    After arriving at Great Qin Prefecture, Qiao Mu and Hai Siyuan, along with other old soldiers, split up and went their separate ways.


    Qiao Mu tried to assassinate King Qin, while the other old soldiers attempted to relocate women and children from the past.


    However, what surprised Qiao Mu a bit was¡­


    "Why is he still here?" As Qiao Mu walked along the road in the outskirts of the city, he immediately saw the old man of the arsenal holding Stone City in his hands.Beside the old man of the arsenal stood Hai Siyuan, who had now be a general.


    Only the two of them were present at the moment, as the other old soldiers who usually apanied Hai Siyuan were not around.


    It would have been expected that the old man of the arsenal should have already left the troublesome Great Qin Prefecture along with the women and children of the city.


    "Qiao¡­ Mr. Qiao Miao."


    The old man of the arsenal and Hai Siyuan nodded to each other from a distance, showing a hint of restraint.


    The Qiao family member died suddenly, and now there was a new stranger¡­ who appeared to be a middle-aged man with no wrinkles on his face, making it hard to determine his exact age.


    Qiao Mu spared King Qin¡¯s life on purpose, using him as a negotiator, and King Qin cooperated to save himself, thinking he could deceive Qiao Mu.


    Therefore, after the dust settled, Hai Siyuan and the others learned what had happened at the market square, and that Qiao Shui and Qiao Gui from the Qiao family had tragically died.


    "I¡¯ve heard about this from our n brother Qiao Shui¡­ General Hai, why aren¡¯t you leaving yet?" Qiao Mu asked directly.


    Now, Qiao Miao is a stranger to Hai Siyuan and the others, while Qiao Mu, although familiar with them, has no intention of catching up, and gets straight to the point.


    The old man from the arsenal spoke, "I have already sent away the women and children of the deserted city, and there are a few old brothers outside the capital aiding us."


    "Since we know that this Great Qin Prefecture is a dangerous ce, it wouldn¡¯t be wise for us to just leave."


    "The women and children of the deserted city are human beings, and the othermon people in this ce are also human beings."


    The tired-looking old man from the arsenal, with half of his face remaining, relied on the Stone City left behind by the Earth Sword Immortal to evade Taoist soldiers in the Great Qin City, asionally rescuing ordinary people, experiencing dangers and escapes.


    Qiao Mu remained silent, feeling a bit nostalgic in his heart.


    Having lived a lifetime in a dream before, when Qiao Mu realized his mind was clouded and not clear, the first thought that came to him was of the old soldiers of the deserted city like Hai Siyuan and the old man from the arsenal.


    Reflecting on the deeds of the old soldiers, though it didn¡¯t provide Qiao Mu with the sought-after answers, it didn¡¯t stop him from holding them in high regard.


    "General Hai, I have something very important that I hope you can leave immediately and deliver to your father."


    After Qiao Mu finished speaking, he hastily took out the "Human Path Sutra" that he had written.


    Hai Siyuan only nced at the book cover, and he was immediately shocked.


    "He widened his eyes in surprise."


    "Actually, my ancestor from the Qiao family was a naturally talented person. He was truly exceptional." Qiao Mu turned around, hands behind his back, white hair fluttering in the wind, leaving Hai Siyuan with an impressive image.


    "This is a martial arts technique that my Qiao family ancestor just developed, although it¡¯s not perfect, only halfplete, but it¡¯s still not bad."


    Like practicing martial arts, showing off gradually became ingrained in Qiao Mu¡¯s memory over hundreds of years.


    "Qiao family ancestor¡­" Of course, Hai Siyuan knew what the "Human Path Sutra" pursued by his father Hai Wuya was all about¡­


    This Qiao Miao, who could easily defeat King Qin, a superb martial artist, even he had to acknowledge the exceptional talents of the Qiao family ancestor¡­ one could only wonder what kind of extraordinary person he must be.


    Since this Qiao family ancestor dared to name this technique with the title "Human Path Sutra," does it imply that this newly developed technique¡­


    Thinking of this made him shiver all over, and he unconsciously got goosebumps.


    "General Hai, stay alive and go on." Qiao Mu said lightly.


    At this moment, he had reached the top rank of Spiritual Refining Period, his perspective and vision werepletely different from before.


    From Qiao Mu¡¯s perspective, including Hai Siyuan, the three hundred old soldiers at Jiu Province had been holding the most intense battlefield for forty years, they were all seeds of spiritual refining.


    No, not just them.


    Qiao Mu nced at the old man named Li Changshi who was standing quietly beside.


    The old man¡¯s real name was Li Changshi, he was actually older than Hai Siyuan in terms of age and seniority, belonging to the same generation as Li Changge and Martial Saint.


    Besides the three hundred old soldiers, there were more than ten elderly people in the old city like Li Changshi with the same seniority.


    Whether due to physical disabilities or old age with weakened blood and qi, they were no longer able to go to the battlefield.


    If the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra" can help the three hundred old soldiers walking out of the desert, they can stay strong as long as they have enough food.


    So, Qiao Mu¡¯s "Human Path Sutra" may be able to help the old men from the arsenal¡­


    "They are the first group of practitioners of the ¡®Human Path Sutra¡¯¡­"


    Hai Siyuan sensed Qiao Mu¡¯s hidden meaning:


    "And what about you, Mr. Qiao Miao?"


    "This matter is notpletely resolved yet, we can talk about itter on." Qiao Mu said casually.


    This time, let¡¯s try our best to survive.


    Although he said no regrets before, being in jail is a different story.


    Haha, does anyone really like being in jail?


    After finishing reading the "Human Path Sutra," Qiao Mu turned around and left.


    Nowadays, "Qiao Miao" is just a stranger to the old soldiers, there¡¯s not much to talk about.


    Although he had disabled King Qin and left him with a faint consciousness, barely able to control his body, Qiao Mu still kept a close eye on him. It would be a joke if he managed to escape.


    After wandering through several streets, Qiao Mu casually entered a small teahouse next to the market on Caimen Street.


    This teahouse, located by the market, had its owner passed away in the previous turmoil, leaving behind an empty teahouse which Qiao Mu now used as a temporary resting ce.


    In the backyard of the teahouse, there were two corpses, one belonging to Qiao Mu and the other also belonging to Qiao Mu.


    "These two bodies are too damaged, there¡¯s no thought of using them again." After inspecting the bodies, Qiao Mu abandoned that idea.


    Looking down, Qiao Mu noticed a calico cat lying by Qiao Shui¡¯s body, as usual with its tongue hanging out of its mouth in a silly manner.


    "It¡¯s been eighty years." Qiao Mu casually picked up the calico cat and gently pet it, feeling a bit relieved.


    In his dream, he could imagine the unpredictable, but that was different from a real cat.


    Gently stroking the increasingly silky fur of the unpredictable cat, he felt a strange sense of calm in his heart.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    King Qin¡¯s attempt to capture the city failed, and the incident was halfway interrupted.


    The recently closed city gates opened again, and refugees fleeing out poured out like a tide.


    Hai Siyuan and the old man of the arsenal, Li Changshi, followed the crowd, heading quickly towards a farmhouse outside the city.


    Around this newly built city, there were many viges and towns of all sizes scattered not too far apart.


    The women and children who came out of the deserted city were temporarily settled there, and all the remaining soldiers, except for Hai Siyuan, were also waiting there.


    "Brothers, it¡¯s time to go." Hai Siyuan held the "Human Path Sutra" in his hands, feeling an inexplicable excitement, eager to return to the Imperial Capital immediately.


    However, as they entered the room with Li Changshi, the veteran soldiers inside didn¡¯t rise or show any intention to leave, their expressions somewhat unusual.


    "Captain Hai, are you back?"


    Several old soldiers sitting by the door looked over and secretly signaled to Captain Hai.


    Hai Siyuan¡¯s expression changed slightly as his hand rested on the sheath at his waist, then he heard a soft sigh.


    A sh of golden light, a phantom of a golden clock appeared out of thin air, ripples of sound waves spread out, causing Hai Siyuan and the others to feel dizzy and almost unable to stand, let alone draw their swords.


    A young Taoist priest in Taoist robes emerged from the shadows in the room, looking somewhat familiar, with a calm and expressionless face.


    "How did a cultivator manage to hide?" Hai Siyuan was suddenly shocked.


    On the other hand, Li Changshi¡¯s gaze fell on the face of the young Taoist priest, carefully trying to recognize him, vaguely forming a guess.


    "Are you¡­Gu Zhen?" the old man of the arsenal asked tentatively.


    "My current name is Dao Zhen," said Dao Zhen, looking down at the many veteran soldiers in front of him.


    Hai Siyuan and the old man of the arsenal exchanged a nce and fell silent for a moment.


    Dao Zhen, a disciple of the Great Dao Sect, was originally named Gu Zhen in the secr world.


    Decades ago, he was the only person to walk out of the Hundred-mile Desert¡¯s lonely city.


    To be precise, Dao Zhen was not the one who walked out of the lonely city but was taken away by the cultivators of the Great Dao Sect.


    He possessed the Heavenly Spirit Root, which was one of the top spiritual roots, even catching the attention of the Great Dao Sect¡¯s Immortal Gate.


    "Back then, your elder brother Li Changge thought highly of your extraordinary talent. If you can join the Immortal Gate, it would be a good thing," Li Changshi said deeply.


    "The people and soldiers of the lonely city are trapped in the Hundred-mile Desert, unable to escape. Even if one person can walk out of the desert, it would be considered a good thing¡­ But you¡­"


    The old man of the arsenal didn¡¯t continue with what he was going to say.


    The original storyteller irvoyance briefly mentioned Elder Qingyi¡¯s disciple Dao Zhen.


    After leaving the desert, they tried to find out some information¡­ but it turned out to be better not knowing anything.


    "Since you have entered the Immortal Gate, you are now in between the mortal and immortal realms," said the old man of the arsenal.


    "The path to immortality is long, we don¡¯t expect you to bear the heavy responsibility alone to rescue us from the desert¡­ so why have youe today?"


    "I just want to talk with you," calmly replied Dao Zhen.


    "Is this how you talk?" Hai Siyuan sat down gasping for breath, his face filled with anger.


    Whether it was him or the other elderly soldiers in the farmhouse, they were all subdued by Dao Zhen using some kind of spell, unable to fight back.


    "It¡¯s better to be safe than sorry," said Dao Zhen calmly.


    "I have be what you call ¡®inhuman¡¯ now," he added.


    "Since we have different beliefs, if we don¡¯t do this, how can you be willing to talk to me?"


    Dao Zhen¡¯s expression has always been very calm.


    After many years of not seeing each other, there was no excitement on his face, no intense emotions, just a faint¡­ curiosity?


    "If you consider yourself inhuman, then what is there for us to talk about?" Hai Siyuan said angrily.


    "The idea of being inhuman is actually nonsense," Dao Zhen shook his head.


    "There is no such thing as inhuman in this world. Wee from the same origin."


    "So¡­" Dao Zhen lowered his head, looking at the old man Li Changshi.


    "Grandpa Li, actually I¡¯ve been wanting to ask for many years¡­" Dao Zhen¡¯s voice sounded slightly puzzled.


    "Why do you insist on fighting? Why do you resist?"


    "You¡ª" Hai Siyuan was momentarily speechless, and angrily said:


    "The Immortal Gate looks down on us, treating us like pigs and dogs¡­"


    "Before you hastily refute me, you have already crossed the desert, and witnessed firsthand the current decline of Jiu Province in the past few months," Dao Zhen continued:


    "The Immortal Gate may be aloof, but isn¡¯t the Great Yan Imperial Court also high and mighty?"


    "The Immortal Gate only seeks incense offerings, while the Great Yan Imperial Court imposes heavy taxes and exactions. What is the difference between the two?"


    Hai Siyuan widened his eyes, unable to speak for a moment, just staring intently at Dao Zhen¡¯s face.

 Chapter 248 (2)

    Chapter 248 (2)


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    Before meeting Dao Zhen, Hai Siyuan still harbored some glimmer of hope.


    After all, the old man of the arsenal, Li Changshi, also turned to cultivation after retiring from the army, so he harbored no bias against cultivators.


    Thinking that since Dao Zhen was a descendant from the isted city, he should show some empathy towards the old soldiers who had defended the city.


    Perhaps Dao Zhen pretends to join the Immortal Gate on the surface, but his heart actually longs for the Lonely City, doesn¡¯t it?


    It had been decades since Hai Siyuanst saw Dao Zhen, and his heart was starting to feel a bit chilly.


    After many years apart, Dao Zhen showed no obvious emotional fluctuations on his face ¨C no nostalgia, no excitement, no intense love or hate, only a faint sense of¡­ curiosity?


    This young Taoist seemed like an inexperienced child, with a kind of¡­ innocence in his eyes?


    But this innocence made Hai Siyuan feel a bit frightened.Just like an innocent child ying with ants, he might throw a piece of meat to watch the ants carry it away when the mood strikes. Or he might pour boiling water over an ant nest when the mood fades.


    To a cultivator, ordinary people may seem no different from ants.


    "Do you know what kind of ce this Great Qin Prefecture is?" Dao Zhen asked calmly.


    "It¡¯s the Earthly Immortal Kingdom that the Great Dao Sect intends to establish."


    "Here will be a heavenlynd created with great effort by Immortal Gate. With soldiers like King Qin¡¯s zing Essence Gold Taoist guarding, they can suppress Inhuman Disasters and deal with troublemaking ordinary martial artists."


    "Any resident entering Great Qin Prefecture, as long as they worship the Group Immortals of Great Dao Sect devoutly, offer incense to the gods, they can receive protection from Immortal Gate, free from disasters and difficulties."


    Hai Siyuan and his friend felt absurd.


    "Heavenlynd?"


    Li Changshi shivered and pointedboriously to the Great Qin City.


    Looking from here, one could see refugees pouring out of the open city gates. Upon closer inspection, blood-stained streets inside the city gates could also be seen, yet to be cleaned.


    "Is this the heavenlynd you mentioned?" Li Changshi said indignantly.


    "This is because ordinary people have rebelled," Dao Zhen said lightly.


    "Before you rebels acted, was this Great Qin City not thriving and prosperous, with people living in peace and contentment?"


    "Since you mentioned the prosperity, where does the money to build Great Qin Prefecturee from?" asked Li Changshi with a frown.


    "The fundse from the royal treasury, they don¡¯t just magically appear. The people moved here from other parts of Zhong Province," exined someone.


    "With refugeesing from other regions, it shows that those areas in Zhong Province must be facing great difficulties and suffering," added the speaker.


    "That¡¯s true," admitted Dao Zhen calmly, without argument.


    "Other areas in Zhong Province are struggling, but it¡¯s beyond our capabilities to help them all," expressed someone.


    "While other areas are in turmoil, Great Qin Prefecture can stand as a paradise on earth," borated another person.


    "As cultivators, we seek to maintain a continuous and stable spiritual energy supply," emphasized another.


    "We don¡¯t seek to torment ordinary people, as they are not part of our spiritual pursuits," rified the speaker.


    "So¡­ the benefits of the Immortal Gate are actually not opposed to the benefits of ordinary people. Why would cultivators intentionally torture ordinary people?"


    Hai Siyuan felt a chilling sensation creeping into his bones.


    "You joined the Great Dao SectImmortal Gate, and your heart changed so much?" Hai Siyuan couldn¡¯t believe it, feeling a bit confused.


    Dao Zhen shook his head, "Just by cultivating the immortal path and joining the Immortal Gate, one realizes the vastness of the world, and the perspective is different from before."


    "The old soldiers sacrificed for the country, but does Great Yan still remember your names?"


    Hai Siyuan was once again speechless.


    "So, this is where we can¡¯t agree." Dao Zhen sighed softly.


    "If ordinary people don¡¯t cause trouble or rebel, the Great Qin Prefecture will still be a happy ce, eventually bing the Earthly Immortal Kingdom. How did it end up like this now?"


    "You think of the Immortal Gate as tyrannical and look down on ordinary people, but do you know how powerful the Nine Immortal Gates are? Resisting is a dead end, only bringing suffering to the people and causing more deaths."


    In Dao Zhen¡¯s view, the Great Qin Prefecture smoothly bing the Earthly Immortal Kingdom is a good oue.


    The Immortal Gate receives offerings. People living there are safe and happy as long as they believe in the group of immortals. It¡¯s a win-win situation.


    Cultivators usually don¡¯t care much about ordinary people¡¯s lives, but there are only a few like Dao Xu who act recklessly.


    Now that themon people have exposed King Qin¡¯s true identity, the Great Dao Sect can no longer deceive others.


    Instead, it would invite disasters and cause more harm than good to the overall stability, resulting in more casualties.


    "I¡­" Hai Siyuan felt nervous and tongue-tied.


    Although he held the position of a 3rd rank general, his status was not considered low.


    Spending most of his life on the battlefield in the Hundred-mile Desert from the age of twenty, he found it hard to argue with Dao Zhen¡¯s words.


    Li Changshi behind him sighed. Being older, he had a deeper understanding of the situation.


    "Captain Hai, arguing with him is pointless."


    "Dao Zhen is a Heavenly Spirit Root, with exceptional talent, a rare genius in the path of immortality, and an elite among the human race."


    "So since he entered the Immortal Gate, he¡¯s no longer with us here."


    Li Changshi was feeling a bit discouraged.


    Initially, it was Dao Zhen¡¯s older brother General Li Changge who insisted on letting Dao Zhen join the Immortal Gate, hoping at least to send the innocent child into the desert¡­


    "Since we can¡¯te to an agreement, there¡¯s nothing more we can do."


    Dao Zhen reached out his hand, the golden bell shadow was collected by him, shimmering with golden light in his palm.


    The lonely city was where he grew up, and these former guards of the lonely city were also familiar to him.


    Allowing them to stay here any longer would likely be a dead end.


    "Either way leads to death, so why not follow me?" Dao Zhen sighed softly.


    "I have already be a powerful Taoist leader, so protecting a few ordinary people is an easy task for me now."


    "Come with me back to our Taoist sect¡¯s sacred ce."


    He waved his robe sleeves and a bright light shot out, pulling these old soldiers into his sleeves.


    But at this moment.


    From outside the door, a cold voice could be heard:


    "Great Tao Golden Pill? I wonder what that tastes like."


    Dao Zhen suddenly stopped waving his sleeves and looked back.


    Behind him, a tall figure had appeared out of nowhere.


    The figure leaned against the door frame, standing calmly with broad shoulders, half-ck and half-white long hair cascading down casually. His deep eyes sparkled like an abyss, exuding a powerful presence.


    "Is he a martial artist?" Dao Zhen turned around, looking quite surprised.


    In just a blink of an eye, it seemed like a strong wind swept by.


    Dao Zhen looked down and saw that his robe sleeve was torn apart by a huge force, splitting it in half from the middle.


    His body quickly slumped, eventually turning into two pieces of shattered paper, falling to the ground.


    "Hmm, ¡®inhuman¡¯ refers to a ghostly spirit, he¡¯s just a paper man." The tall man said coldly.


    He turned and walked away, showing no intention of stopping.


    With his robe sleeve torn open, Hai Siyuan and the others who were just put into it, saw the figure leaving.


    Li Changshi watched the figure walking away, feeling a sudden excitement in his heart as he reached his old age, causing his heart to beat faster uncontrobly.


    Without thinking, he took a step forward and shouted:


    "War¡­."


    He shouted just one word, then fell silent, not saying anything else.


    After forty years of brutal warfare, everything had changed beyond recognition.


    He hesitated whether to call out "General Li" or "Martial Saint".


    The Martial Saint didn¡¯t respond, nor did he turn around, disappearing swiftly into the wind.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    "Adoptive father, have you made up your mind?" Wu Qiankun watched this scene with aplex expression.


    "In fact, entering the Great Dao Sect¡­ is not a good breakthrough opportunity."


    "In Jiu Province, there are Nine Immortal Gates. Although we martial artists don¡¯t know who is the strongest among them, we can judge from the territories they upy."


    "The Great Dao Sect may seem simr in strength to other Immortal Gates, but since they can control the Zhong Province, they must have remarkable abilities."


    "My adoptive father¡­ just by making a move this time, he will turn everything upside down. I thought that, considering the bigger picture, we could first target the Yunxiao Sect in the Qi Province or the Xuantian Sect in the Nan Province."


    The Qi Province is a barrennd, with many mountains and few people. There are not many inhabitants, so naturally the spiritual practices there are not prosperous.


    Therefore, ording to the assessment of the Wuji Association, the Yunxiao Sect in the Qi Province, which upies it, should be the weakest among the Nine Immortal Gates.


    As for the Xuantian Sect in the Nan Province¡­ mainly due to the incident of Emperor Yonghe worshipping the gods, they were defeated by a coalition of the other Eight Immortal Gates, and it seems they have suffered severe losses.


    "Shut up." The Martial Saint looked indifferently at the gate of the Great Qin City in front of him.


    "Over the past few decades, I have had enough of the phrase ¡®bigger picture¡¯."

 Chapter 249:

    Chapter 249:


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    On Taoist Qingzhuo¡¯s flying boat.


    The cultivators¡¯ chatter came and went, sounding quite leisurely.


    Elder Qingzhuo¡¯s presence gives them confidence, so even though the situation is serious, they don¡¯t take it too seriously, just considering it as a customary test in the sect.


    Dao Fei ranks second among the golden core cultivators under Elder Qingzhuo, having reached the third level of the Golden Core.


    The other cultivators on this flying boat are like his younger martial siblings. As an older martial brother, he is naturally popr, receivingpliments wherever he goes, making him a prominent figure on this Sky Boat.


    "I heard that Senior Brother Dao Fei¡¯s cultivation has reached the third level of the Golden Core, with powerparable to double or triple that of someone who just formed their core. He possesses the Samadhi True Fire of alchemy and the zing Essence Golden Bell for defense. This time, he is sure to leave a good impression before our sect leader."


    "zing Essence Golden Bell, that¡¯s expensive. Is it Senior Brother Dao Fei¡¯s personal treasure?"


    "Of course.""If I could form a core, I¡¯d also need a personal defense treasure like that to protect my body."


    "Come on, even if you formed a core, you might not be able to afford such an expensive item."


    During the discussion, a cultivator in the Foundation Building period whispered:


    "Speaking of¡­ Brother Dao Zhen from Elder Qingyi¡¯s sect, they say he has a rare Heavenly Spirit Root, and has already formed a Great Tao Golden Pill? I wonder who is stronger between him and Senior Brother Dao Fei?"


    "Hard to say. I heard that right after Brother Dao Zhen formed the golden pill, Elder Qingyi summoned him and even gave him a protective treasure¡­ Maybe he has a chance topete for the position of the third Taoist Child in the sect in the future."


    "Stop gossiping, be careful if Brother hears about it¡­"


    While the cultivators were discussing, suddenly a figure appeared behind them, it was Dao Fei.


    But he had a warm smile on his face, looking like he wasn¡¯t angry:


    "Brother Dao Zhen has a Heavenly Spirit Root, he stands out among others, and with the protective treasure given by Elder Qingyi, the ¡®Xiaojian Sword¡¯, I just have stronger magical powers than him, and have practiced more spells, but my treasure is not as good as his, so how can Ipare myself to him?"


    "Alright. We are about to embark on a journey, so don¡¯t talk about these trivial matters."


    With the arrival of the main character of the gossip, the cultivators naturally stopped chatting and scattered like birds and beasts.


    After everyone left, Dao Fei¡¯s smile slowly faded away.


    Dao Fei stayed in the Golden Core period for many years. He was confident that he was stronger than Dao Zhen, who had just formed his core, in terms of magical powers and skills.


    But in the battles of cultivators, victory is not determined by the external disy of cultivation levels.


    For example, it alles down to the treasures they possess.


    In the cultivation world, the quality of treasures can greatly influence one¡¯s strength.


    Dao Zhen, as a rare Heavenly Spirit Root, was highly valued by Elder Qingyi and bestowed with treasures, a privilege that Dao Fei couldn¡¯t match.


    It¡¯s a good thing Dao Zhen is not on this Sky Boat.


    Upon boarding the Sky Boat, being the only two golden core cultivators on board, they naturally drewparisons with the Foundation Building cultivators.


    Comparing items leads to throwing away goods,paring people leads to resentment.


    With his mind wandering, he saw Dao Zhen walking out of the quiet room inside the Sky Boat, looking quite serious with a furrowed brow.


    "Senior Brother Dao Fei, this journey to Great Qin Prefecture might not be simple¡­" Dao Zhen said.


    "I had a paper man that was cut by a mortal martial artist in Great Qin Prefecture."


    Dao Zhen didn¡¯t know the Martial Saint, and since it was just a paper man that was destroyed, not his actual self, he was surprised but not afraid.


    "A paper man?" Dao Fei was initially surprised, then a slight smile appeared on his lips unconsciously.


    Though a paper man¡¯s strength is nowhere near that of a real cultivator, Dao Zhen, as a Great Tao Golden Pill cultivator, was actually defeated by a mortal?


    In theory, even if it¡¯s just a paper man, suppressing a so-called Spirit Refining martial artist among mortals should be a piece of cake. It truly opened Dao Fei¡¯ eyes.


    Seeing Dao Fei¡¯ expression, Dao Zhen roughly understood what he was thinking and exined,


    "Senior Brother, don¡¯t forget, Dao Xu died at the hands of a mere mortal."


    "That was just a trick called Mirage Technique used by other cultivators," Dao Fei shook his head.


    Forty years ago, during the Inhuman War, cultivators had a significant advantage, with the fallen cultivators mostly at early stages of Foundation Building.


    Over a year ago, in Nan Province¡¯s Xuantian Sect, a mid-level Foundation Building Taoist named Qingyang was killed by the so-called Martial Saint of the mundane world¡­ this was already the limit.


    Although Dao Xu died at the hands of a member of the Qiao family, most Immortal Gate cultivators believed there was something suspicious about it¡­ especially after traces of cultivators appeared at the market square in Great Qin Prefecture.


    "Junior Brother Dao Zhen, don¡¯t think too much," Dao Fei said slowly.


    "We are only here this time to find out the hidden cultivator in Great Qin City. We have never dealt with ordinary people."


    "In the past forty years, the opponents of the Great Dao Sect were not ordinary people or the Great Yan Imperial Court, but other cultivators."


    Elder Qingzhuo and the others were still unaware of the news that King Qin had been defeated.


    Thest time King Qin contacted Elder Qingzhuo, it was when Qiao Gui broke his leg and Li Gongde intervened secretly.


    The order to close the city came from Immortal Gate, and Elder Qingzhuo came this time only to deal with some suspicious cultivators from other Immortal Gates who were hiding in the dark, as well as to handle the aftermath of the city massacre.


    Would King Qin, who achieved the golden body, be defeated by the ordinary martial artist Qiao Miao? They wouldn¡¯t even imagine something so absurd.


    Talking about this, Dao Fei also found it boring, quickly turned around and left, leaving Dao Zhen frowning at his back.


    Dao Zhen was not a fool, he naturally sensed Dao Fei¡¯s displeasure.


    Dao Fei is not foolish, he simply didn¡¯t consider the matters of the Great Qin Prefecture too seriously.


    The Great Qin Prefecture is the future Earthly Immortal Kingdom, which is indeed important. But since it was a training experience apanied by senior members of the sect, what could go wrong?


    "Is he secretlyparing himself to me?" Dao Zhen shook his head silently.


    Cultivators are far superior to ordinary people, and there is a huge gap in their status and perspectives.


    So much so that the fate of a prefecture city was merely a stage for the two disciples topare and sulk with each other in Dao Fei¡¯s eyes.


    "Forget it. I will prepare by myself." Dao Zhen originally wanted to report to Elder Qingzhuo, but now he had changed his mind.


    On the flying boat, Elder Qingzhuo, who had been resting with his eyes closed, now opened his eyes.


    "Dao Zhen¡¯s paper man was destroyed by a mortal martial artist?"


    Other cultivators might underestimate ordinary martial artists.


    But Elder Qingzhuo no longer did, because he had really messed up before, damaging his foundation as a result.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    The market square of Great Qin Prefecture.


    The streets around the market square were nearly empty at this time, with almost no people on the main road. There were only overturned stall tables and chairs, and blood that had not been cleaned up yet.


    This city was not abandoned; there were still a few civilians who had not yet left.


    They were devoted believers, not believing in the order to massacre the city before King Qin, nor the true face of the Great Dao Sect on the mirage of the sea market.


    Besides these few people, the market square was indeed empty at this moment.


    In the vast execution ground, only Qiao Mu and King Qin were present.


    Qiao Mu was meditating, knowing that King Qin was a Taoist soldier of the Immortal Gate Great Dao Sect, so there must be a way for the Immortal Gate to track them.


    As long as King Qin stayed, the Immortal Gate woulde back sooner orter, like a shark sensing blood.


    What Qiao Mu didn¡¯t expect was that the visitors were not only from the Great Dao Sect.


    "Is he Qiao Miao?" The Martial Saint stood in the shadows, looking out at the distant execution ground.


    "Yes. It¡¯s him who defeated King Qin, with a suspected superb rank in both Qi and internal strength," Wu Qiankun briefly recounted the words of Moon Xuan Envoy, Li Gongde.


    "Superb rank, huh¡­" The Martial Saint fell silent.


    Among excellent fighters, spiritual improvement is the mainstream.


    Qiao Miao, who broke through the superb rank with his powerful strength, deserves a closer look from the Martial Saint.


    "Just being of superb rank is not enough, what this era truly needs is a martial artist who can create a path of superb rank," said the Martial Saint indifferently.


    Even though superb rank is strong, it is still not a match for immortals.


    Even the former Earth Sword Immortal was defeated by Elder Qingzhuo.


    Earth Sword Immortal was very strong, but it was not sufficient as his martial arts had no sessor.


    Not only the technique, even his famous sword technique "Heavenly shing Swordsmanship" of Earth Sword Immortal seems to be lost.


    A solitary superb rank is not powerful enough to defeat immortals, nor is it a match for the Martial Saint.


    So the best oue would be to serve as nourishment for him.


    But as he said this, he also shook his head:


    "Oh well, one should not harbor any illusions. Back in the days, that so-called King Qin, I thought he had paved a new path to greatness, but in the end he couldn¡¯t even be counted as a skilled fighter."


    The Martial Saint snorted, but his gaze stayed fixed on Qiao Mu, not saying a word for a long time.


    "Adoptive father?" Wu Qiankun, seeing the Martial Saint lost in thought for a while, asked in confusion while looking at Qiao Mu.


    "It¡¯s nothing. Just reminiscing about some past events," said the Martial Saint lightly:


    "In the days when I was in Nan Province, I also met a member of the Qiao family."


    "The Qiao family member at that time said that the Qiao family had numerous elders, and he was just the weakest one among them."


    "He asked me back then¡­ Would I devour all the flesh and bones of my Qiao family members in exchange for bing an immortal?"


    Wu Qiankun was slightly surprised, nced sideways at the Martial Saint, only to see that he remained emotionless, with no hint of any emotional fluctuations.


    "Adoptive father, are you going to take action?" Wu Qiankun looked towards Qiao Mu and asked.


    But Martial Saint didn¡¯t answer, only looked up at the sky.


    In just a few words, the market square darkened, casting arge shadow in the sky.


    It was a huge Sky Boat, with magnificent pces and pavilions on board, flying between the clouds. It indeed looked somewhat ethereal, not like something earthly.


    Just the appearance of this Sky Boat made a few remaining residents in the city kneel down and worship, calling it a divine being.


    "They have finally arrived."


    King Qin and Qiao Mu both looked up at the same time.


    At this moment, King Qin was barely hanging on, with a Message Jade Talisman around his waist flickering constantly, obviously someone from the Great Dao Sect was trying to contact him.


    "Where is King Qin?"


    A voice echoed in the sky.


    Beams of rainbow light shot out, and dozens of cultivators descended from the Sky Boat, each standing in the sky above the vegetable market on their flying swords, gourds, and other magical treasures.


    The leader was none other than Dao Fei.


    Elder Qingzhuo only sat in charge, not taking action unless necessary. This time, the main person in charge of the challenge was the golden core cultivator Dao Fei.


    Dao Fei stood in the air and looked down, surveying the empty vegetable market street, nodding slightly.


    Since the vegetable market was quiet and deserted, with unwashed blood still visible on the street, it was obvious that¡­King Qin had carried out the orders of the Great Dao Sect thoroughly and sessfully.


    "Where is the hidden cultivator? Any clues?"


    Dao Fei asked.


    Hepletely ignored Qiao Mu standing beside King Qin, thinking that he was just one of King Qin¡¯s followers and didn¡¯t pay much attention to him.


    As for King Qin himself, he had put on a brand new robe that covered his body which had been beaten up by Qiao Mu, but at a nce, there was nothing unusual.


    King Qin felt a bit excited in his heart, he had finally waited for this moment.


    The leader of Great Dao Sect had arrived, whether they could turn the tables depended on what happened now.


    However, Qiao Mu was standing by his side, with just a thought he could end his life, so although King Qin was thrilled, he didn¡¯t dare to act rashly.


    "There¡¯s a clue," King Qin answered nervously:


    "This matter seems to involve other Immortal Gates, it¡¯s very secretive and shouldn¡¯t be spread around. Pleasee down and exin in detail, Sir."


    "Hmm." Dao Fei didn¡¯t doubt him, he descended by stepping on the gourd under his feet,nding steadily on the ground.


    But at this moment, a voice came from behind.


    "Hold on," the person speaking was Dao Zhen.


    There were dozens of cultivators present, not paying any attention to Qiao Mu, only focusing on King Qin.


    Only Dao Zhen kept watching Qiao Mu with great interest.


    "Are you a fighter from the Qiao family?"


    Qiao Mu hesitated for a moment.


    In fact, he had already changed his appearance with the Shape Changing Skill, so theoretically Dao Zhen should not recognize him.


    He was nning to wait until all the cultivatorsnded before making a move.


    Even though he had reached the superb rank, he didn¡¯t have wings, so dealing with cultivators in the air was quite troublesome.


    "Immortal, help¨C" At that moment, King Qin suddenly shouted loudly at his side.


    King Qin was already barely alive, almost unable to control his body. Now, he exerted all his remaining strength just to tear off the robe covering his chest, revealing his heavily injured body to Dao Zhen and the others.


    But in the next moment, Qiao Mu also moved.


    "You¡¯re not going to cooperate?" He grabbed King Qin¡¯s leg, lifted him up, and stomped on the ground.


    The floor cracked beneath his feet as Qiao Mu swiftly moved, hitting a foundation building cultivator in the face with King Qin in his hand.


    With just one blow, the cultivator¡¯s bones twisted and nearly turned into a mix of blood and flesh, making the ground tremble.


    Qiao Mu held King Qin¡¯s leg in his hand and smirked at Dao Zhen and the other cultivators, saying:


    "This sword is named King Qin Sword. It is eight feet two inches long and made of zing Essence Gold."


    "zing Essence Gold is taken from the mes of the earth¡¯s core, taking thousands of years to form. It is then refined by the Great Dao Sect cultivators with real fire for forty-nine days to be a precious metal."


    "I wonder if the bodies of inhuman creatures can withstand this celestial gold and iron?"


    ¡­..

 Chapter 250 (1)

    Chapter 250 (1)


    Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/PazjBDkTmW


    Fresh blood trickled down King Qin¡¯s face, dripping onto the ground.


    This blood isn¡¯t King Qin¡¯s, because King Qin is no longer a living body.


    This bloodes from a cultivator at the Elder Qingzhuo sect who is at the Foundation-Building stage. Just like the other cultivators, he looks rxed, and was chatting andughing with his fellow sect members just a moment ago.


    With a senior brother at the Golden Core stage leading the way, and an elder at the Nascent Soul stage overseeing the situation, even if the sky were to fall, there would be someone tall enough to hold it up. What could he possibly be afraid of?


    In an instant, he had turned into a blurry lump of flesh, smeared on the ground, with a little blood remaining on King Qin¡¯s face.


    At this moment, the cultivators¡¯ first reaction was confusion and astonishment.


    The Inhuman War had been going on for forty years. Can you believe there are still martial artists who resist against it?


    And, why did they start a fight at a time when the elders were present? The timing couldn¡¯t have been worse.Even though a powerful cultivator had died in front of them, the monks still found it hard to believe what they were seeing.


    This doesn¡¯t make sense¡­


    The most confused ones are not these cultivators, but King Qin in Qiao Mu¡¯s hands.


    He suddenly felt dizzy and Qiao Mu lifted him up.


    King Qin was barely conscious, struggling to control his body.


    When he realized, blood from the Great Dao Sect cultivator was dripping down his cheek.


    "Who am I? Where am I? What am I doing? No, what is Qiao Miao doing with me?"


    King Qin waspletely puzzled and didn¡¯t react.


    "How dare you!" quickly shouted a cultivator.


    "How dare mere mortals act so boldly!"


    "Quickly, drop your¡­ drop your weapons and surrender!"


    In response, another fleeting figure swept past.


    "Heavenly Dragon Eight Steps!"


    At this moment, Qiao Mu suddenly stomped his foot, and his figure disappeared into the wind, almost turning into a faint shadow like Dao Xu under the bright sun. He swung the King Qin Sword in his hand once again.


    This time, the cultivator in front of him seemed to be prepared. After a moment of panic, he quickly gestured a secret spell with his hand. His Taoist robe fluttered in the windless moment, emitting a faint blue light.


    The faint blue light faintly formed a circle, enveloping his whole body.


    Obviously, this was a protective treasure garment. It looked like a light Taoist robe, but it actually had strong protective abilities, being invulnerable to water and fire, and shielding the cultivator¡¯s physical body from knives and spears.


    After activating the protective garment on his body, the Foundation Building cultivator with a horse face immediately became calm. The previous brief panic disappeared without a trace, and he smirked, saying:


    "asionally in this world, there are foolish insects trying to shake the tree¨C"


    Before he finished speaking, there was another deafening boom.


    "Junior Brother¨C" Dao Fei¡¯s face changed color.


    As one of the only two cultivators with a golden core, his spiritual awareness was naturally sharper than those junior disciples in the Foundation Building period, and his reactions were quicker.


    But he was still a bitte.


    He saw the faint blue light surrounding his body shatter in an instant, hearing a clear crack in the emptiness, and the light dimmed in a blink of an eye.


    Within the dim light, he saw the smile on the face of the horse-faced cultivator slowly turn into horror, as he witnessed Qiao Mu¡¯s hand holding King Qin¡¯s head, which then fell heavily on the face of the horse-faced cultivator like a heavy hammer.


    Seeing the horse-faced cultivator¡¯s face distorted and deformed under the heavy blow, with his flesh and bones sinking and morphing, eventually bing a bloody mess.


    With a loud bang, the street copsed into a small pit, and a ring of smoke and dust drifted away.


    The second Foundation Building period cultivator died.


    Unlike the previous cultivator who was ambushed and killed by Qiao Mu, this horse-faced cultivator quickly reacted and activated the treasure on his body in time.


    The situation hasn¡¯t changed at all. The only difference is that this cultivator with a horse face died a bit more "dazzlingly"?


    "How could the Qingyun Dao robe not withstand the attacks of ordinary martial artists?" The cultivators were in an uproar, only realizing the danger after the fact this time.


    However, it was already toote.


    These cultivators had no idea that they would encounter an attack from a superb martial artist here, with about half of the cultivators already on the ground, only tens of meters away from Qiao Mu.


    This distance was just a moment for Qiao Mu.


    "Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method ¡¤ Heavenly Dragon Eight Steps!"


    A thick blood-colored energy emanated from his body, with energy bursting from under his feet, leaving behind afterimages on the street in the blink of an eye.


    Heavenly Dragon Eight Steps is the best light-footed skill in the world. Even though it wasn¡¯t Qiao Mu¡¯s main focus in his lifelong practice, he mastered it to a great level during his long life.


    In the advanced stage of Heavenly Dragon Eight Steps, climbers need to step on wet mountain rocks for support and ascend up a hundred-meter waterfall against the current.


    Completing the advanced stage means Qiao Mu can ascend waterfalls against the current with ease, showing exceptional body bnce and speed.


    Today, when Qiao Mu unleashed the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method andbined it with the Heavenly Dragon Eight Steps, chaos erupted among the cultivators, creating a bloody scene.


    The King Qin in his hand had no strength left to fight back, as he wielded it with great power. Wherever he went, blood and flesh scattered, staining the robes of the cultivators. Their protective auras shattered in an instant, almost feeling like entering a desertednd.


    Dao Fei¡¯s expression darkened in an instant. As the supervisor of this training, he couldn¡¯t just stand by and watch his fellow disciples being killed.


    He quickly formed a hand seal, summoning a golden bell that rapidly expanded from his palm, growing to the size of a house, and aimed it towards Qiao Mu¡¯s King Qin Golden Body.


    The golden bell shimmered, with glowing runes flowing across its surface like tadpoles, briefly emitting a bright light.


    As a cultivator of the immortal path, using magic treasures requires more than just their physical hardness; it involves skillfully harnessing their power.


    Dao Fei¡¯s zing Essence Golden Bell, although made of the same material as King Qin¡¯s golden body, had long been cultivated as his essential treasure for the Golden Core period, so he was not afraid at all¡­


    Next moment.


    With a loud noise, the roaring sound waves turned into visible ripples sweeping in all directions. The entire market street shook, the ground copsed with a bang, and a cloud of dust burst.


    Dao Fei trembled slightly all over, his face paled slightly.


    With a sweep of his divine consciousness, he discovered a dent on his treasured golden bell that he held dear.


    And this damage was caused by just an ordinary martial artist?


    No¡­ this must be because Qiao Mu still had the King Qin Sword in his hands!


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    When the golden bell collided with King Qin¡¯s golden body, the roaring sound waves swept in all directions, resonating throughout the entire city.


    The Great Qin City wasn¡¯t totally empty, some people didn¡¯t leave with the majority.


    The faithful believers saw a flying boat descend from the sky and thought it was a sign of divine intervention, so they worshipped and paid their respects.


    "The Immortal Boat is descending from the sky, the True Immortals are arriving!"


    "Look, are we headed to the market square? I heard there was a bigmotion there today, with martial artists from afar causing trouble¡­"


    Witnessing this scene almost brought tears to his eyes.


    As the clouds parted, a magnificent Sky Boat appeared in the sky, with immortal beings transforming into various colors of rainbow light, descending like rain from the sky.


    For a moment, they thought it was the gods descending to earth, almost moved to tears.


    Some brave members of the public, driven by a sense of pilgrimage, wanted to get closer to see the true faces of the immortals.


    However, as they approached the market street, they witnessed a scene that would remain unforgettable for them.


    On the Sky Boat, there were indeed dozens of cultivators descending from the sky in rainbow forms.


    However, they didn¡¯t look as peaceful and wise as they appeared from afar, instead they had grim faces, showing their anger without disguise.


    They each cast spells and disyed their skills, conjuring mes, lightning, flying swords, and other magical techniques that rained down from the sky like drops of rain, creating a colorful and dazzling scene that was almost blinding.


    "What are the elders doing?"


    The people were confused at first.


    "Wait, inside those lights, it seems like there¡¯s a person? Hmm? It looks like two people?"


    When they finally saw the figures in the light clearly, they were stunned.


    It was a middle-aged man with white hair, who appeared to be a martial artist, but was holding a strange and unusual weapon.


    Dozens to hundreds of spell lights inundated the white-haired martial artist.


    The people saw the unattainable Immortal Elders of the Great Dao Sect actually joining forces to besiege a martial artist?


    What¡¯s even more strange is that this martial artist stood firm amidst the siege, wielding a strange-shaped mysterious weapon that seemed imprable, blocking the Immortal Elders¡¯ magical attacks? All deflected?


    "What¡¯s happening? Howe the immortals are attacking a martial artist?"


    "Wait¡­am I seeing it right? What¡¯s that thing the martial artist is holding, why does it look like a person?"


    The people were surprised at first, but when they saw King Qin¡¯s appearance clearly, they were almost turned into stone.


    King Qin was the king of the Great Qin City, and in the recent months, he was the most dazzling martial artist in the Zhong Province, seen as the potential leader of the new generation of martial artists and even titled as a king by the court.


    But such a prominent figure was being held as a weapon by the white-haired martial artist, swirling in the wind?


    The followers found it hard to understand this scene, it was overturning for them, almost shattering their worldview.


    King Qin, who was known to be able to suppress the Inhuman Disaster with an iron fist, was being carried as a weapon by someone.


    The lofty leaders of the esteemed Great Dao Sect were outnumbering and attacking the white-haired martial artist as if facing a formidable enemy siege.


    Not only were they puzzled, even King Qin himself was very confused.


    At this moment, his whole body was stained with blood, as Qiao Mu continuously struck down on the cultivators.


    King Qin was no longer a mere mortal body; the blood on him at this moment didn¡¯t belong to him, but to the leaders of the Great Dao Sect.


    King Qin¡¯s proud golden body could indeed withstand the immortal techniques head-on, but even if he were to be killed, he never expected it would be in such a way.


    The most vicious killing strikes at the heart!


    Decades ago, King Qin willingly cut off worldly ties, abandoning all earthly matters and dedicating himself solely to the Dao, with a firm and unwavering heart.


    Even if defeated by Qiao Mu, he would quickly stabilize his Dao heart, notpletely copsing but cing his hope in the leaders of the Great Dao Sect.


    But now, his mind was filled withplicated thoughts.


    He had abandoned everything he ever pursued in his life, the Great Dao Sect cultivators he admired all his life suffered heavy casualties in Qiao Mu¡¯s hands, dying when they met and getting injured when they were close.


    "Is this Qiao Miao really just a regr fighter?"


    "Can a normal superb fighter really break through to the 1st rank? This thought couldn¡¯t help but cross King Qin¡¯s mind."


    For the first time in his life, he felt some regret about his choices.


    "King Qin, what are you doing?" At that moment, Dao Fei asked.


    "Why are you helping the Qiao family¡¯s martial arts?"


    "I¡­" King Qin was at a loss for words.


    Is he really helping Qiao Mu, or is he just resisting?


    "Well, King Qin has long had the ambition to fight against immortals, boasting that he would suppress you Inhuman Disasters with an iron fist," Qiao Mu smirked.


    "He was willing to turn into a sword to help, resembling the Earth Sword Immortal."


    "Today, I will lend him a hand."


    Qiao Mu used the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method and flew across the sky like lightning.


    "Samadhi True Fire." Dao Fei and Dao Zhen both opened their mouths, two streams of light red true fire flowed down like water.


    The Samadhi True Fire, which forms after reaching the Golden Core stage, is actually the practitioner¡¯s "heart fire." As the cultivator¡¯s cultivation level increases, the heart fire will also gradually transform.


    The Samadhi True Fire in the Golden Core period is more fierce than the Etching Bones Li Fire, which is specifically designed to restrain martial artists. Whether it is flesh and blood or soul and spirit, they can be burned to ashes under the Samadhi True Fire.


    At this moment, Dao Fei and Dao Zhen both took action, casting their fires to block Qiao Mu¡¯s path from both sides.

 Chapter 250 (2)

    Chapter 250 (2)


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    However,pared to the angry Dao Fei, Dao Zhen seemed somewhat distracted.


    He was not a disciple of Elder Qingzhuo, just a fellow disciple with the others on this Sky Boat, not very familiar with them.


    Seeing many cultivators die one after another, he showed no emotion on his face, only looking at Qiao Mu with interest.


    He liked observing ordinary people in daily life, especially those who were brave¡­ and now, Qiao Miao, who dared to take the initiative to attack while facing dozens of cultivators, piqued his curiosity.


    If he was alone in this ce, maybe he wouldn¡¯t even consider taking action, just preferring to quietly watch.


    But since there were so many fellow disciples around him, he naturally couldn¡¯t just stand by.


    Although Qiao Mu didn¡¯t know how powerful Samadhi True Fire was, he naturally didn¡¯t think about resisting it with his physical body.


    Seeing the true fire approaching, Qiao Mu furrowed his brows and decisively protected King Qin in front of him.The pale red Samadhi True Fire surged towards them, engulfing the zing essence gold body of King Qin, who was already formed, causing him to scream as if he had been severely injured.


    The martial arts golden body that had already taken shape unexpectedly began to slowly deform on the surface under the burning of Samadhi True Fire, and the soul sheltered within King Qin also shook violently.


    With the raging fire surrounding them, Qiao Mu vigorously swung King Qin in his hand, the majestic blood-red energy swirling around him, cutting open arge circle in the air.


    "King Qin swept across thend!"


    With a burst of immense strength, powerful internal energy swept through all directions, extinguishing the mes of the Samadhi True Fire in an instant.


    "Come at me again!" At this moment, Qiao Mu was covered in wounds, but he paid no attention, swinging his King Qin fiercely towards Dao Fei¡¯s protective golden bell.


    "Red Moon Burning Blood Technique ¡¤ Blood Sword Technique!"


    Qiao Mu¡¯s swordsmanship had reached a level where he no longer relied on the physical form of the weapon, treating King Qin¡¯s body as a real sword.


    Blood overflowing from his body, guided by his mind, naturally gathered on King Qin¡¯s Martial Arts Golden Body, vaguely forming the shape of a long sword.


    Originally in human form, through the gathering blood, King Qin¡¯s body formed a huge blood sword, eight feet long, held in his hand.


    In that moment, he exuded a domineering aura, surrounded by many cultivators, appearing as fierce as a demon, shing through the air with King Qin to create threerge crimson circles.


    Knock! Knock! Knock!


    The first ring, the protective golden bell¡¯s runes shimmered brightly on the surface.


    The second ring, the runes on the golden bell¡¯s surface twisted and disappeared in a trembling sound, the whole bell shook violently, and the surface visibly dented.


    The third ring, the golden bell shattered with a loud bang!


    As the golden bell shattered with clear cracking sounds, Dao Fei behind the bell spat out blood, his face turning pale as paper.


    The life-bound treasure is a cultivator¡¯s most importantpanion throughout life.


    With the zing Essence Golden Bell destroyed, Dao Fei¡¯s soul was severely shaken at the same moment, his body exposed in the air amidst the chaos.


    The great circle, like a celestial artist¡¯s brushstrokes, Dao Fei¡¯s body fell from within the broad blood-red light,nding with a thud on the ground.


    The world seemed to quiet down, leaving the spell-casting cultivators momentarily stunned.


    Dao Fei, the leader of this journey, a golden core cultivator¡­ died just like that?


    "Did Dao Fei the immortal also die?" King Qin was also deeply shaken, experiencing a great shock.


    No matter how strong King Qin was, his Martial Arts Golden Body could resist immortal techniques, but ultimately he was just a soldier for the Taoists, merely a pawn in the hands of the Immortal Gate.


    Even elder disciples like Dao Xu, who seemed proud and lofty, had to cooperate with King Qin in the Great Qin Prefecture to help raise King Qin¡¯s reputation.


    However, in reality, how could someone like King Qinpare in status to the elder disciples?


    Especially when facing Dao Fei, who had already reached the third level of the Golden Core in immortal cultivation.


    This sword struck straight at the heart!


    It killed Dao Fei, a cultivator from the Great Dao Sect with a golden core.


    But in reality, it struck at King Qin¡¯s heart.


    King Qin had pinned his hopes of being saved on Dao Fei and other cultivators.


    The cultivator, who had high hopes ced on him, and even the revered golden core cultivator, both died at the hands of Qiao Mu¡­


    "Was my choice wrong?"


    With this, his mind was greatly shaken. He was already suffering from the burning Samadhi True Fire, and his sanitypletely copsed.


    As thest trace of consciousness faded, King Qin, who was already dying, dissipated into nothingness.


    The blood-colored sword light spread out like ink in the air, forming threerge circles that intertwined.


    The bodies of cultivators with extraordinary demeanor rained down to the ground, indistinguishable from ordinary people, with blurred flesh, and twisted bones.


    This scene falling into the eyes of the believers left them speechless, their mouths hanging open in shock.


    Immortals, too, bleed, and can be killed by skilled martial artists¡­


    Not only was he killed, but this martial artist even faced the bombardment of spells from dozens of cultivators, and with three or four strikes, killed the leading golden core cultivator.


    At that moment, they were surprised and confused. Who among these people is a warrior, and who is a fairy?


    In the midst of the blood glow, the white-haired man¡¯s eyes were sharp like a sword, holding the King Qin Golden Body Sword, scanning many cultivators around.


    "Today, Using Martial Arts to Defeat Immortals!"

 Chapter 251 (1)

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    A golden core cultivator died in battle!


    Dao Fei is not an ordinary person. He has reached the second level of the Golden Core stage and is the second-ranked disciple under Elder Qingzhuo.


    However, he still met his end at the hands of Qiao Mu, even in front of many onlookers!


    Fear swept through their hearts, and one by one, cultivators decisively controlled their treasures to rise into the sky.


    However, the Sky Boat was still suspended in the air, and Elder Qingzhuo was watching, so these cultivators didn¡¯t dare to escape.


    Elder Qingzhuo has a bad temper. If even facing ordinary martial artists, he would escape in the face of danger, the consequences could be dire¡­


    ¡­¡­¡­.


    In the shadows.Martial Saint and Wu Qiankun watched silently, feeling ripples in their hearts.


    "Did the golden core cultivator really die?" Wu Qiankun was quite surprised.


    "Under the sky, there really exist martial artists who can kill a Golden Core cultivator. Is it because Qiao Miao is exceptionally strong and skilled?" Wu Qiankun wondered.


    If it was Martial Saint who killed the Golden Core cultivator, Wu Qiankun would not be surprised.


    But the one who killed was a previously unheard-of Qiao family member named Qiao Miao, which puzzled him.


    "Qiankun, do you think if it were you, could you have killed that golden core cultivator just now?" Martial Saint asked.


    Among the Wuji Association, there naturally existed superb martial artists, including Little Martial Saint Wu Qiankun himself.


    "I don¡¯t know. I have to fight to find out." In front of Martial Saint, Wu Qiankun naturally didn¡¯t lose his spirit.


    Martial Saint despised the weak. If Wu Qiankuncked fighting spirit, how could he be called "Little Martial Saint" and lead the Wuji Association?


    But whether he can defeat a powerful cultivator with a golden core, it¡¯s hard to say. Although he is confident, he has never fought against a golden core cultivator before.


    Superb martial artists are very rare in this world.


    In the ancient martial arts world, each era had around ten superb martial artists, with variations but not too different.


    Cultivators interfering in worldly matters has been happening for about forty years. Before that, cultivators were very mysterious, and only a few superb martial artists had experience fighting against high-level cultivators.


    Moreover, the paths of immortality and martial arts are different. The path to bing a superb martial artist is not clearly defined, and it doesn¡¯t directly correspond to the realm of immortal cultivators.


    This is not a pay-to-win game, why focus on bncing professions?


    Moreover, when ites to spending money on cultivation, immortal cultivators spend much more than martial artists.


    Even a Martial Saint must admit that cultivators are the main characters in this world. They have dominated this realm for countless years and controlled numerous resources and treasures. ??¦­??????


    For example, Dao Zhen and Dao Fei are both golden core cultivators, but the difference in their treasures at the same level is quite obvious.


    Poor golden core cultivators use talismans mostly made of Cloud Patterns Mountain Copper.


    However, Dao Fei, as an elder disciple, had different tools.


    A Great Tao Golden Pill cultivator like Dao Zhen, valued by Immortal Gate seniors, was given precious protective items.


    "Strength and powerbined¡­ " Martial Saint frowned.


    "It seems not that simple."


    "Qiao Miao¡¯s brute force can rival the great demons."


    Martial Saint thought King Qin was a pioneer in exploring Superb Martial Arts, but he was deceived. He wasn¡¯t even a true martial artist.


    Therefore, he didn¡¯t have high hopes for Qiao Miao. But who knew that despite checking him out in person, he couldn¡¯t see through his true ability?


    Upon hearing these words, Wu Qiankun felt a stir in his heart and quickly said:


    "Does ¡®adoptive father¡¯ mean that this Qiao Miao from the Qiao family has demon blood and is a half-demon?"


    "If we look at it this way, is his exceptional bloodline strength actually because of his demon ancestry?"


    The demon n in this world was once very powerful, at its peak able to rival human cultivators.


    But eventually, they were defeated by the cultivators, and now they are no longer as glorious.


    Some descendants of Great Demons and Demon Kings who are half-demon mixed blood, are born with powerful bodies that canpete with superb martial artists.


    "Did you not see clearly? Qiao Miao¡¯s internal strength is quite robust¡­ While there may be the influence of forbidden techniques, his martial arts skills alone likely exceed two hundred years."


    "Most half-demons, while having strong bodies, find it difficult to cultivate internal strength," the Martial Saint shook his head.


    The demon n¡¯s cultivation methods differ from the martial arts and immortal ways of the human n.


    Half-demons with bodies rivaling superb martial artists are actually hard to ssify as part of the "human n."


    The stronger the body of a half-demon bes, the more influenced by the demon¡¯s bloodline it is, the closer it gets to being a pure-blood demon, and the harder it is to practice both human martial arts at the same time.


    "If not a half-demon, could it be a special physique? Jiuyang body? Nine Yin body? Pure body?" Wu Qiankun wondered.


    If someone is at the third rank in spiritual refining, they possess some divine qualities as a human.


    Then, a superb martial artist starts to show signs of aplete transformation.


    However, the exploration of Superb Martial Arts is still unclear, far from being able topete with the path of immortals.


    "Stop guessing." Martial Saint waved his hand.


    In fact, he had been pondering a question:


    What will Martial Saint eat today?


    His gaze asionally passed over Qiao Miao, asionally over Dao Zhen who had formed the Great Tao Golden Pill, but mostly rested on the Sky Boat in the sky.


    After forty years of brutal war, Martial Saint remained hidden for another forty years.


    The Elder of the Nascent Soul Stage was a great cultivator whom he could only admire from afar in the past.


    As for Elder Qingzhuo, he was actually one of the initiators of the ancient formation in the City of Zhong Province.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    As the golden core cultivators fell in battle.


    The few surviving foundation building cultivators quickly unleashed their treasures and soared into the sky, attempting to keep a safe distance from the martial arts of the Qiao family.


    However, they dared not stray too far, as the Sky Boat was still watching over them.


    Yet, a big question lingered in their minds at that moment.


    "Why is Elder Qingzhuo just standing by and watching?"


    "Senior Brother Dao Fei is a student of Elder Qingzhuo, how can he remain indifferent?"


    If the golden core cultivator Dao Fei dies, it is because Qiao Mu is extremely fast in battle, life and death are decided in an instant, even Elder Qingzhuo may not be able to protect Dao Fei in time.


    After Dao Fei¡¯s death, there was no movement on the Sky Boat, no response at all, which is quite puzzling.


    "Elder Qingzhuo, what are you considering?" the cultivators were puzzled.


    But Elder Qingzhuo is not a kind elder, he has a bit of a temper, so even though they had questions, they dared not ask.


    On the Sky Boat.


    Elder Qingzhuo frowned, looking down at the battlefield below.


    He¡¯s not blind, how could he not notice Dao Fei¡¯s death.


    The more aggressive Qiao Miao behaved, breaking the rules, the more cautious Elder Qingzhuo became.


    Because he learned from the recent battle that the martial artist below was named Qiao Miao.


    Even though the previous Qiao family¡¯s martial artists he dealt with had all died, it still caused Elder Qingzhuo some trouble and injured his Dao foundation.


    Mortals often have a saying that if a snake bites them once, they will be scared of the well rope for ten years.


    As a Nascent Soul Elder who has cultivated as an immortal for over a thousand years, how could he risk his life against a mortal who lives and dies in a day?


    "Just now he was surrounded by many cultivators and he was not unharmed either. This Qiao Miao used a powerful forbidden technique, although he seemed fierce just now, perhaps he is nearing hisst breath¡­"


    Elder Qingzhuo sneered.


    If it was an inexperienced cultivator, they would probably take advantage of his weakness and try to end his life.


    But Elder Qingzhuo was different, he no longer underestimated martial artists.


    Last time in the Hundred-mile Desert, the Qiao family member seemed to have fought bravely, exhausted their energy and blood¡­ and then what happened?


    Then the next Qiao family member jumped out from between the rocks. If it wasn¡¯t for Elder Qingzhuo¡¯s sharp awareness, even though getting injured, he reacted quickly, might really have got hurt there.


    So.


    When Dao Fei and the others were fighting just now, Elder Qingzhuo used his awareness to scan the entire city, to see if there were any Qiao family members hiding in secret.


    It¡¯s one thing not to scan, but once this awareness sweeps through, he really sensed something unusual.


    "There really is a Qiao family¡¯s martial artist hiding among them¡­ two of them? Ha, the Qiao family member is well-known in the worldly realm, appearing to like fighting alone, but actually deceitful and cunning, hiding in secret." Elder Qingzhuo snorted coldly.


    But just after he snorted coldly, his expression suddenly changed slightly.

 Chapter 251 (2)

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    Under the scrutiny of his awareness, the tall "Qiao family¡¯s martial arts" hidden in the dark seemed to have sensed something, and at this moment, looked up at the Sky Boat.


    "To actually sense my awareness?" Elder Qingzhuo also hesitated for a moment.


    A cultivator¡¯s awareness scan is actually a somewhat impolite practice.


    It¡¯s like shining a shlight on someone¡¯s face in the dark, you might get hit¡­ If there are other powerful cultivators in Great Qin City, Elder Qingzhuo wouldn¡¯t do this.


    No cultivator likes their mind being read by others, it can cause conflicts.


    It¡¯s impossible for a Nascent Soul Elder to hide in Great Qin City, right?


    "Is my cultivation base really damaged this badly? Have I regressed?" Elder Qingzhuo muttered to himself.


    He doesn¡¯t understand martial artists, or perhaps he doesn¡¯t care to understand them.He only vaguely knows that Spirit Refining martial artists in the mortal world have strong instincts¡­ But for a martial artist to sense his mind¡¯s attention? That truly surprises him.


    With this thought, Elder Qingzhuo¡¯s eyes suddenly shed, and he started to calcte with his fingers.


    "I am not skilled in divination¡­ Perhaps in the future, I can seek out a friend from the ¡®Soul Predicting Path¡¯ to exchange divine techniques for divination. After all, ¡®Soul Predicting Path¡¯ is the top divination sect among the Nine Immortal Gates."


    After mumbling to himself for a while, Elder Qingzhuo¡¯s expression suddenly turned dark.


    "Bad omen?"


    He was a bit persistent, carefully calcted five times, three bad omens, one good omen, one neutral omen.


    "Although my divination skills are not precise¡­"


    Elder Qingzhuo, thinking of this, suddenly changed his facial expression slightly.


    He noticed that in the dark alley of Great Qin City, the long-haired "Qiao family¡¯s martial arts" person¡¯s gaze became noticeably cold, although he was alone, his eyes seemed to shine with a beast-like light.


    "There is no need for divination anymore¡­ Unfortunately, my true body is not here, coupled with the loss of cultivation, no longer at its peak, otherwise I would surely crush this Qiao family¡¯s martial arts practitioner, never to be reborn!"


    Elder Qingzhuo snorted coldly.


    Then decisively controlled the Sky Boat to ascend into the air, breaking through the sky and going far away, without a second of hesitation.


    A dead Taoist is not a poor Taoist.


    Dao Fei passed away, he was indeed furious, but as a wise old fox of over a thousand years, he wouldn¡¯t let this jeopardize himself.


    "Disciples, listen up." Before the flying boat ascended, hemunicated through his divine knowledge to the more than ten surviving foundation building cultivators:


    "There is something strange in this Great Qin City, today¡¯s events end here, it is of great importance. I must immediately return to the sect to report this matter to the sect leader."


    "The waters here are deep, possibly involving other Immortal Gates. It¡¯s best for you all to leave soon as well."


    Leaving behind these two divine knowledge transmissions, Elder Qingzhuo controlled the flying boat to soar into the sky.


    With many foundation building cultivators standing bewildered in the sky, suddenly feeling the cold wind in the sky¡­


    Goodness, did they just run away like that? Are they really avoiding trouble.


    It took them a while to react.


    "Master, we haven¡¯t boarded the flying boat yet?" A foundation building cultivatormunicated through divine knowledge, but the Sky Boat had already left, not stopping for a second, not taking a single cloud. ?


    So they also changed their facial expressions.


    If Senior Brother Dao Fei¡¯s death during the Golden Core period shook them¡­ but although shaken, they weren¡¯t too terrified.


    When disaster strikes, there¡¯s always someone to handle it. This time, the Master led the team out for training, and everything was stable¡­


    "Isn¡¯t this too absurd? The Master is an elder, a Nascent Soul Stage elder! Why would he run?"


    "Didn¡¯t the Master say? The waters here are deep, likely obstructed by other Immortal Gates¡­." A young cultivator argued softly.


    "Do you really believe that? Since we arrived on this journey, have we seen any cultivators at all? None at all, just ordinary martial artists!"


    "Then, what worries the Master?"


    The crowd fell silent.


    They naturally couldn¡¯t guess the Master¡¯s thoughts, but there was one thing they could be sure of.


    "Something suddenly happened that startled the master, and he left without even taking us disciples? Just like that?"


    Although the cultivators couldn¡¯t figure it out, wasn¡¯t there just something that happened recently¡­.


    "Did Qiao Miao from the Qiao family use their martial arts to kill Senior Brother Dao Fei in the Golden Core stage?" someone whispered.


    "So you mean, Qiao Miao scared away our Nascent Soul Stage master?"


    Everyone fell silent.


    This spection was far-fetched, even more so than Qiao Miao killing Dao Fei. It was simply unbelievable and hard to understand!


    But it was indeed a possibility facing them.


    "Run!"


    "Junior brothers and sisters, follow me to the sect!"


    "Oh no, is it toote to join another elder now?"


    They never thought about using the speed advantage of cultivators to escape before¡­ It¡¯s a joke! Dozens of cultivators surrounding a mortal and still wanting to escape. If this spreads out, the Great Dao Sect will lose all face!


    As for now¡­ face? What face?


    Elder Qingzhuo took the lead in the charge, and they simply followed closely behind.


    One by one, cultivators used their techniques and in the blink of an eye, transformed into streaks of rainbow light soaring into the sky.


    Martial Saint and Wu Qiankun, hiding in the dark, were also momentarily stunned.


    "Escaped?" Martial Saint furrowed his brows and nodded towards Wu Qiankun:


    "You keep an eye on the Qiao family member here, I will go after them!"


    After saying this, he had already gone far.


    The Martial Saint has never battled a cultivator at the Nascent Soul Stage. Before Elder Qingzhuo fled, he was somewhat cautious and had concerns. But now he doesn¡¯t care anymore.


    Go!


    In the blink of an eye.


    The Martial Saint and Elder Qingzhuo left one after another, and the foundation building cultivators also scattered and left in beams of light.


    "What¡­what happened?"


    Inside the mansion city, there were originally other people attracted by the Sky Boat.


    They naturally couldn¡¯t guess the thoughts of the elders of the Immortal Gate and the cultivators, but they were not blind.


    In their eyes, this scene was astonishing¡­


    Qiao Miao from the Qiao family¡¯s martial arts resisted the spells of many cultivators, fought all the way, bathed in the shadows of those spells, covered in blood, and managed to kill the leading golden core cultivator, Dao Fei.


    In the midst of blood and light, the white-haired martial artist Qiao Miao, holding the King Qin Golden Body Sword, dered, "Today, Using Martial Arts to Defeat Immortals!"


    And in the next moment, those cultivators from the Great Dao Sects turned into rainbow lights, ascending into the sky and even the Sky Boat, considered a miracle by them, left just like that?


    With just a few words, more than ten celestial beings were shocked and even the imposing Sky Boat fleeing?


    "A member of the Qiao family shocked the Sky Boat!"


    Among the crowd, aside from the believers, there were actually a few brave martial artists from the rivers andkes, as well as people from the Tide Listening Building, who were almost boiling with excitement at this moment.


    "Today, the Qiao family member is Using Martial Arts to Defeat Immortals!"


    "Today, the Qiao family member shocked the immortals with his words, making the Elder of the Immortal Gate flee!" A martial artist from the rivers andkes raised his arms and shouted with excitement, almost moved to tears.


    This was their most distant dream, a fantasy for a whole generation after all the hardships they faced.


    But unexpectedly, a member of the Qiao family actually achieved it today?


    Instead, Qiao Mu stood still, looking surprised.


    Just after he shouted "Using Martial Arts to Defeat Immortals," people disappeared in the blink of an eye, even the flying boats in the sky were gone.


    Qiao Mu¡¯s senses were sharp, he didn¡¯t understand the thoughts of cultivators, but he could hear the cries and cheers of the martial artists from afar.


    "Am I really so amazing? Do even the senior elders of the Immortal Gate have to hide from me? Am I that strong?"


    Thinking this, Qiao Mu felt a swell of pride.


    "You¡¯re next, Dao Zhen!" his voice thundered, echoing all around.


    Beams of light broke through the sky and disappeared into the distance. After Elder Qingzhuo¡¯s reminder, even the Foundation Building cultivators ran away.


    But Dao Zhen was different.


    Qiao Mu was a very emotional person, he valued his friends greatly, and Dao Zhen, born in a lonely city, was clearly an old acquaintance of his.


    Friends leaving, how can we let them go easily without saying more goodbyes? That would be impolite.


    So after golden core cultivator Dao Fei died in battle, Qiao Mu shifted his focus entirely to Dao Zhen, chasing after him.


    There were a couple of times when Dao Zhen tried to fly away, but Qiao Mu stopped him in time, waving King Qin in his hand to bring him back down from midair.


    "Qiao Miao, you are ying with fire," Dao Zhen said calmly.


    "How much longer can your bodyst? Are those so-called superb martial artists in the mortal realm able to easily kill a Golden Core? If a superb rank could effortlessly kill a Golden Core, would Jiu Province still be the Immortal Gate¡¯s Jiu Province?"


    His gaze remained calm as always, even after Dao Fei died in battle, Elder Qingzhuo flew away, and the other foundation building cultivators left. He didn¡¯t panic even though he was now alone.


    "Not long now, I can only hold on until after you die," Qiao Mu exhaled deeply, but blood uncontrobly seeped from his mouth and nose, and his skin began to crack.


    The shorter the lifespan, the stronger the momentum. He might die, but even in death, his spirit remains strong.

 Chapter 252:

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    Dao Zhen is very calm.


    Unlike other cultivators who look down on others, he has met and interacted with several members of the Qiao family.


    Even when facing Qiao Mu at this moment, he still doesn¡¯t underestimate him.


    "Xiaojian Sword."


    A small sword flew out from his sleeve and hovered in front of him.


    Dao Zhen formed a spell with his hand and the Xiaojian Sword split into two, then four, then eight, quickly changing at an astonishing speed.


    "One hundred swords."


    One hundred and twenty-eight identical flying swords fell from the sky like raindrops, converging on Qiao Mu from all directions.The powerful spiritual sense of the cultivator controlled the one hundred flying swords as easily as if they were extensions of his own arms, giving Qiao Mu the illusion of being surrounded and attacked by over a hundred swordsmen.


    "Are these swords all real? Not illusions? There are over a hundred of them?"


    Qiao Mu wielded the King Qin Sword, sweeping in all directions, sending flying swords soaring out.


    The King Qin Sword wasrge, as tall as a person and as wide as a person, swung by Qiao Mu in a relentless manner.


    After City Lord Guo Yan passed away, he left Qiao Mu a manual on the "Shadow Transformation Sword Technique", aplex and skilled sword technique where with only one sword in hand, one could produce over ten sword shadows with intricate and swift moves.


    However, Dao Zhen¡¯s flying swords truly transformed into a hundred, each one a genuine flying sword.


    The sword techniques of martial artists and the sword attacks of cultivators werepletely different.


    Martial artists held their swords, no matter how varied their moves were, they were ultimately bound to it, having limitations. Some experienced martial artists could even predict their opponent¡¯s sword moves by observing the wrist movements of a skilled swordsman.


    Dao Zhen¡¯s flying swords, on the other hand, were different. Each flying sword moved ording to Dao Zhen¡¯s will, their trajectories elusive like a deer¡¯s horn, untraceable, and in great number.


    "A thousand swords." Dao Zhen lightly pointed, and those one hundred flying swords rapidly multiplied, turning into a total of one thousand and twenty-four flying swords.


    The flying swords wereing at Qiao Mu like a storm, making it hard for him to handle King Qin, and he was getting tired.


    Dao Zhen used this opportunity to rise into the air by stepping on a flying sword.


    Instead of running away, Dao Zhen stood in the sky, silently watching Qiao Mu being attacked by numerous flying swords.


    Although Dao Zhen was a powerful Golden Pill cultivator, his swords were no match for thebined attack of many foundation building cultivators and Dao Fei.


    However¡­


    "His movements are slowing down¡­ It¡¯s normal for him to exhaust his energy." Dao Zhen thought to himself.


    Qiao Mu, who had mastered the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method to a superb level, disyed astonishing strength as he held off the attacks of many cultivators, smashing Dao Fei¡¯s golden bell and causing Dao Fei, a golden core cultivator, to meet his end. ?


    "Senior Brother Dao Fei underestimated the martial artist, not seeing Qiao Miao as a worthy opponent. The other cultivators thought the same way, just wanting to defeat him quickly."


    "He is at the third level of Golden Core, with double the power of mine, but his misuse of power left him almost powerless. What¡¯s the use of having more power and higher cultivation if it¡¯s not utilized? He paid the price for it."


    Dao Zhen was very calm.


    As a rare Heavenly Spirit Root cultivator, he had formed the Great Tao Golden Pill, naturally gaining favor at the Immortal Gate. The Xiaojian Sword in his hand was bestowed by his master Elder Qingyi, capable of transforming into a sword array with just one swing.


    However, the Xiaojian Sword was not his only treasure.


    "Heart Demon Mirror." A magical mirror floated above his head, reflecting the sword rain in the sky.


    In the next moment, numerous flying swords flew out from the mirror, joining the thousands of flying swords outside, forming a total of two thousand flying swords.


    The two thousand flying swords densely surrounded Qiao Mu, spinning rapidly.


    Not to mention blocking with the King Qin Sword, the sheer number of flying swords even obscured the immediate view.


    Qiao Mu swept through with the King Qin Sword in hand, with this strike, five to six flying swords were knocked away, while more than ten hit flying swords twisted and then vanished into thin air.


    "Are the ones in the mirror illusions? Now there are a thousand real flying swords and a thousand illusions?"


    Qiao Mu frowned, unable to tell if these flying swords were real or not, so he tried his best to knock away the swords in front of him while moving towards Dao Zhen.


    Sword after sword pierced through him, and he couldn¡¯tpletely block them anymore, leaving many holes in his body.


    But he didn¡¯t care, just frowned and kept walking forward, letting his body be pierced.


    Just as he knocked away another wave of flying swords and his vision cleared, he saw Dao Zhen¡¯s figure soaring to a height of tens of meters in the sky.


    "Dao Zhen¡¯s style is really different from Dao Fei¡¯s," Qiao Mu squinted his eyes.


    Dao Fei¡¯s eyes were higher than the peak, standing out among other cultivators, thinking very highly of himself.


    Dao Zhen¡¯s style can be summed up in one word: dragging.


    Xiaojian Sword, Heart Demon Mirror, all were dying tactics, seeing Qiao Mu¡¯s injuries worsening, he showed no urgency, no arrogance as a cultivator, just slowly wearing him down.


    "Dozens of meters high in the sky¡­" Qiao Mu had a sh of thought in his mind, thinking of how to climb up, but then he saw Dao Zhen in action in the sky.


    He held a handful of light gold round beans in his hand. With a flick, the beans quickly transformed into several tall and round bean soldiers.


    "I heard that the Great Dao Sect excels in the art of creating Taoist soldiers¡­" Qiao Mu¡¯s eyes widened.


    He had dealt with the Great Dao Sect¡¯s Taoist soldiers many times before and knew that fighting them head-on would only lead to exhaustion and being overwhelmed by their vast numbers.


    So¡­


    "Phew¡­" He took a deep breath, leaped into the air, and used King Qin as a shield to scatter the sword rain in front of him.


    Although the sword rain in front was dispersed, many swords, some real and some illusions, attacked from the side, leaving him with several bloody wounds.


    "Red Moon Burning Blood Technique¡¤Blood Sword Technique!"


    At this moment, his entire body was bleeding, and the blood droplets gathered once again on the King Qin Golden Body, forming a giant sword made of blood.


    "Heavenly shing Swordsmanship!"


    This is the spiritual refining sword technique of the Earth Sword Immortal, which requires a very high level of mindset and fighting spirit.


    Even the Earth Sword Immortal, who created this sword technique, couldn¡¯t perform it during his years of mediocre practice. He said itcked spirit and couldn¡¯t be drawn out.


    When Qiao Mu first learned this spiritual refining sword technique, he struggled to master it until he confronted Elder Qingzhuo in the Hundred-mile Desert. With the guidance of the Earth Sword Immortal, who could transform into a sword, Qiao Mu sessfully used it for the first time.


    Strictly speaking, this was the first time Qiao Mu had performed the Heavenly shing Swordsmanship on his own.


    All his remaining internal strength eruptedpletely, turning into a blood-colored sword light rising into the sky.


    The dazzling sword light flew out for about twenty to thirty meters, but quickly dimmed with each meter it traveled, until it finally struck Dao Zhen¡¯s body.


    In the next moment, Dao Zhen¡¯s body twisted and then disappeared on the spot¡­


    This scene was simr to the earlier vanishing of the phantom swords, but now Dao Zhen had also transformed into a mirror-like projection¡­


    "Phantom Swords."


    At that moment, Dao Zhen¡¯s figure appeared higher in the clouds.


    His true form had already disappeared into the clouds, suddenly pointing a sword in his hand, at the moment when Qiao Mu was in mid-air with no support, a thousand flying swords turned into a dense sword rain falling.


    In an instant, Qiao Mu¡¯s body was pierced by a thousand swords, filled with countless holes, almost like a hedgehog made of blood, his body fell from the sky.


    "A member of the Qiao family has finally died."


    Dao Zhen remained expressionless, with little emotional fluctuation, just nced around the city.


    He had observed more than one member of the Qiao family, and had already figured out the first rule of the Qiao family: once one member died, the next one would quickly arrive.


    He didn¡¯t believe that one Qiao Miao could scare off Elder Qingzhuo, even if he killed a Golden Core period disciple in front of Elder Qingzhuo.


    "As Elder Qingzhuo said, there are still other high-level cultivators from the Immortal Gate in this city, or there is another hidden reason."


    After scanning with his spiritual sense and finding nothing unusual, his gaze finally fell on the edge of a market street in the city.


    That was a group ofmon people attracted by the Sky Boat.


    Among them were devout followers of the Great Dao Sect, as well as some talented and bold martial artists who had not left the city.


    At that moment, watching Qiao Miao¡¯s body, full of swords, fall from the sky, there was an immediate gasp from the crowd.


    "He¡¯s dead, after all, he¡¯s dead¡­"


    "We martial artists who want to use martial arts to defeat immortals, in the end, still have to pay a price."


    "Even in death, he died as a hero, look at the bodies around him¡­"


    "Though the body is dead, the Qiao family member¡¯s spirit lives on."


    Beside Qiao Miao¡¯s body pierced by a thousand swords, almost devoid of aplete human form.


    It was the King Qin Golden Body, long dead and soul departed, with a twisted face and eyes askew.


    They found the bodies of dozens of powerful Great Dao Sect cultivators.


    As they looked at the bodies, their excitement turned to sadness and regret.


    Dao Zhen stayed silent, squinting at the people before reminiscing about a tragic event from many years ago.


    Even when he was just a child, Dao Zhen had seen such expressions before¡­


    Every time the ruthless attack happened, and the soldiers of the Western Conquering Army carried their fallenrades into the city, the people in the streets wore simr expressions.


    After a moment of silence, Dao Zhen disappeared into the sky in a sh of light.


    Having long understood the firstw of the Qiao family, how could he stay after taking the life of a member of the Qiao family?


    He opened his eyes, only to find himself in a dream again.


    Back to the beginning, Qiao Mu had no expression on his face.


    His mind sank into the Ouroboros Long Life Lock, and a piece of information immediately appeared.


    Death Assessment this time: A (Facing many enemies alone, using martial arts to defeat immortals)


    Lifespan consumed by death: 80 (16*5) years


    Remaining resurrection chances this week: 2 out of 5


    Current age: 295 years old


    Vitality: 60%


    Eighty years, equivalent to a mortal¡¯s lifetime without rest or sleep.


    "It¡¯s great, I have plenty of time to practice now," Qiao Mu said with no expression.


    To examine our hearts and ask ourselves if we regret something is one thing, but going to jail is another.


    In this world, sometimes there are true heroes who are willing to risk everything for others, even if they get hurt, they still say they have no regrets.


    But that doesn¡¯t mean anyone would like being stabbed with a knife.


    "This time, I only hope to stay strong in words and thoughts, and not let time change my mind," Qiao Mu muttered to himself.


    There is an old saying that goes: you learn from your mistakes and be wiser.


    But in life, people tend to repeat the same mistakes and go down the same path over and over again.


    Former martial artists like King Qin and Luohan, who possessed high spiritual power, were once strong and determined martial artists in their youth.


    However, theyter retreated, regretted their decisions, and chose the so-called path of "using martial arts to achieve enlightenment."


    When someone is twenty, they may feel very confident and think they are the best, but in another ten, twenty, or thirty years, they may not feel the same.


    "People¡¯s bodies grow old, but what¡¯s equally dreadful is their hearts growing old."


    "If the heart stays young, spiritual development will not regress, even at the age of eighty or ny, one can still remain at the third level of spiritual refinement."


    "But¡­"


    The challenges Qiao Mu faces are actually more difficult than those faced by ordinary elderly Spirit Refining martial artists.


    Martial artists like Luohan and King Qin, even if their hearts grow old and they choose shortcuts, at most their focus may waver and their spiritual development may decline.


    Because Qiao Mu¡¯s lifespan is endless, he will spend countless long years in his dreams.


    If there¡¯s one retreat, one moment of regret, regretting why he stood out and pushed himself to the point of imprisonment¡­ then he will be consumed by his negative emotions in the long solitude.


    Eighty years ago, when Qiao Mu chose to pursue his true heart¡­


    He embarked on a one-way road with no way back.


    Every time he fell asleep, he had to question his true feelings in the long dream repeatedly until his mind copsed or reached the end of this dead-end road.


    Last time in the dream, Qiao Musted for eighty years, but that doesn¡¯t mean he can get through this challenge this time.


    There is no sudden enlightenment in this world. The road ahead is not smooth after crossing this threshold¡­ obstacles always exist and cannot be avoided.


    "Next, let¡¯s practice first. Once you enter the state of flow, you may feel like time is passing faster."


    Just likest time, Qiao Mu temporarily put aside these matters. With a thought, he found himself in the solitary city arsenal.


    "To advance to the next level in the ¡®Human Path Sutra,¡¯ it will take more than two hundred years¡­ Although this technique is the foundation of my current strength and cannot be neglected, expecting rapid progress in the ¡®Human Path Sutra¡¯ in eighty years is unrealistic."


    "To deal with a cultivator, you need to further enhance your lightness skill."


    "If you want to live a little longer, you can find a hard skill in the solitary city arsenal."


    Qiao Mu spent half a day browsing through the solitary city arsenal. The hard skills he found inside were of average quality, mostly like "Iron Head Skill," "Overlord Elbow," "Iron Palm," primarily used by martial artists training below the 4th rank of strength.


    Because most martial artists practice Spiritual Refining Method, traditional external martial arts like hard techniques are considered outdated.


    After searching for a while, he finally found the only high-level hard martial arts book called "Dragon Tiger Vajra Skill."


    This "Dragon Tiger Vajra Skill" originated from a general in the Western Conquering Army, who was once a skilled fighter in the Shaolin Temple. Before the Inhuman War forty years ago, he left the temple and joined the army¡­ but he died in the Hundred-mile Desert.


    Before his death, he submitted this exceptional hard martial arts book to the city¡¯s arsenal.


    In the world of ancient martial arts, the top hard technique is called "Vajra Immortal Skill," which is a secret skill of the Shaolin Temple, on par with Wudang¡¯s "Pure Yang Wuji Skill."


    The general actually practiced the "Vajra Immortal Skill," but he didn¡¯t reach the highest level of mastery.


    Due to the traditional views of the martial arts world at the time, the general didn¡¯t submit the Shaolin secret skill of "Vajra Immortal Skill"; instead, he submitted his self-created "Dragon Tiger Vajra Skill."


    In a way, this "Dragon Tiger Vajra Skill" can be seen as a lower-level or simplified version of the "Vajra Immortal Skill."


    He said, "I have plenty of time, so I can practice multiple martial arts, as long as they are beneficial."


    Having found the hard work he wanted, Qiao Mu thought again, this time appearing in front of a hundred-meter cliff.


    Qiao Mu leaped forward, this timending lightly on the flowing water of the waterfall beneath him, instead of the damp mountain rocks.


    The Heavenly Dragon Eight Steps are also known as the Fish Leaping Dragon Gate.


    After the Climbing Waterfall Stage,es the Fish Leaping Stage where one must use light skills to step on the waterfall curtains flowing straight down, reaching the top of a hundred-meter cliff at the waterfall¡¯s end.


    If you can reach this level, your lightness skill will basically reach the pinnacle of ordinary people¡¯s lightness skill, and it could be considered unbelievable.


    In this world, skills like walking on water or crossing a river on a reed are already considered extraordinary. The Heavenly Dragon Eight Steps of the Fish Leap period are even more advanced than them. Even if there is a bit of flowing water, one can jump high in the air with this technique.


    When Qiao Mu woke up again, he found himself in a deserted alley behind the market street of Great Qin City.


    "Another lifetime has passed." He blinked his eyes, and his gaze gradually returned from the still ancient well, now with a bit more humanity.


    Without hesitation, when he walked out of the dark alley and rushed back to the previous vegetable market battleground, all he saw was his own body pierced by a thousand swords, with no trace of Dao Zhen.


    "Where¡¯s Dao Zhen gone?" he frowned.


    "Is he a senior member of the Qiao family¡­ that inhuman guy from earlier has already run away," a young martial artist from the rivers andkes responded.


    Qiao Mu furrowed his brow, but then noticed under his horrifying corpse a scruffy multicolored cat, meowing at him.


    The impermanence took two steps in one direction, turned into a ck shadow and gracefully jumped onto the roof, then turned back to look at him and meowed twice, its tail swaying gently.


    "Huh? Do you want to lead me somewhere?" Qiao Mu blinked slightly.


    The human-sucking cat always had a silly expression and sprawled on the ground, hardly doing anything useful, to the point that hepletely forgot that the cat¡¯s true nature was a monster.


    "Please ask this young man to take care of tidying up Qiao Miao¡¯s remains for me, I, Qiao Shuanggui, will be back soon."


    Leaving these words behind, the man and the cat quickly departed along the roof.

 Chapter 253:

    Our Discord Server: .gg/PazjBDkTmW


    Two dark shadows, one in front and one behind, were swiftly moving across the eaves, light and agile like swallows.


    Even in broad daylight, these two shadows were so fast that ordinary people could hardly see them clearly.


    Qiao Mu followed behind, watching the agile and nimble Impermanent Demon Cat ahead, feeling surprised.


    This cat, with its belly almost touching the ground, how could it still be so flexible and fast.


    After eighty years of practicing the Heavenly Dragon Eight Steps in his dreams, Qiao Mu had achieved a basic level of proficiency and could now leap like a fish, reaching heights of tens of meters.


    At this stage of lightness skill, Qiao Mu could easily move across roofs and walls, effortlessly walking on overhangs, cliffs, or rivers as if they were t ground.


    Although he had taken King Qin¡¯s body before leaving, carrying the heavy zing Essence Gold King Qin Sword in his hand did affect his lightness skill.


    However, this fat cat was not slow either, continuing to lead the way ahead.Qiao Mu¡¯s mind sank into the Ouroboros Long Life Lock, and a message immediately appeared in his heart.


    Death Assessment this time: A (fighting against many using martial arts to defeat immortals).


    Lifespan consumed by death: 80 years (16*5).


    Remaining resurrection chances this week: 2 out of 5.


    Current age: 375 years old.


    Vitality: 65%.


    Skills: basic.


    Agility¡ªHeavenly Dragon Eight Steps (leaping like a fish, basic proficiency).


    Strength¡ªIron Head Skill (mastered) Iron Palm (advanced) Dragon Tiger Vajra Skill (basic proficiency).


    Power Burst Technique ¨C Red Moon Burning Blood Technique (Perfected) and Blood Sword Technique (Great Achievement)


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    In this life, Qiao Mu chose to practice several tough skills from the martial arts arsenal of the lonely city. He practiced skills like Iron Head Skill and Iron Palm to perfection and great achievement levels during the long years of training. ?


    Qiao Mu is also familiar with the techniques of the "Human Path Sutra" and the "Pure Yang Wuji Skill". However, mastering the "Human Path Sutra" takes a long time for ordinary martial artists.


    Qiao Mu has reached the seventh level. Continuing to train further, although the increase in qi and blood seems to be only 5%, it doesn¡¯t mean that Qiao Mu¡¯s total qi and blood has only increased by 5%.


    There is a difference between someone who is 295 years old with 60% and someone who is 375 years old with 65%.


    "Following the practice principles of the ¡®Human Path Sutra¡¯, by the time I reach the eighth level, I should be around 508 years old. By then, the breakthrough in martial arts will likely lead to a significant increase in qi and blood."


    The percentage of qi and blood actually measures the proportionpared to the body¡¯s prime period, which is the ratio of qi and blood during youth and adulthood.


    If one day Qiao Mu¡¯s blood reaches the ideal 100%, it means his body will be as strong as when he was a young adult, as if hundreds of years have passed without any harm. It¡¯s like an old tree getting a new lease on life.


    Thinking this, Qiao Mu quickly climbed up onto the city wall and left the Great Qin City.


    The Impermanent Demon Cat sniffed the air carefully, then continued chasing after the direction of the forest outside the city.


    It could sense deathly energy, but as a demon cat, its other senses were also excellent.


    As Qiao Mu chased after it, a faint mist appeared in the small forest on the hillside.


    Normally, at this time of the afternoon with the sun shining brightly, there shouldn¡¯t be any mist.


    Qiao Mu sensed something strange but didn¡¯t look back and kept walking at the same pace.


    Come on, he was super brave, why would he chicken out?


    Qiao Mu just called out to the demon cat leading the way, ced it on his shoulder, and walked into the thin mist.


    In the dark depths of the forest on the hillside.


    Dao Zhen stared at where Qiao Mu was, his eyes shimmering.


    In his palm, a small sword only two fingers long slowly rotated, with tiny runic symbols like tadpoles flowing on its de.


    His most precious two treasures, the Xiaojian Sword and the Heart Demon Mirror, were gifted by Master Elder Qingyi.


    The Xiaojian Sword was granted after forming the Golden Core, while the Heart Demon Mirror had been with him for decades.


    However, both the Xiaojian Sword and the Heart Demon Mirror were not only used for fighting.


    When not activated, the Xiaojian Sword was only two fingers long; using it as a flying sword was underutilizing its potential.


    The Xiaojian Sword could multiply into a thousand, as long as one infused it with power, inscribed runes on the main sword, and created a thousand identical swords with the same runes inscribed on them.


    Formation deployment using the Xiaojian Sword was one of its abilities but consumed a considerable amount of power.


    As for the Heart Demon Mirror, its name derived from inner demons, and it was not just a simple mirror for replicating images.


    Today, Dao Zhen is setting up a magical formation using the Heart Demon Mirror as the foundation and the Xiaojian Sword as part of the formation.


    Dao Zhen enjoys watching brave ordinary people, including members of the Qiao family.


    He has been observing the members of the Qiao family for a long time, witnessing the deaths of many of them, and even having killed an Qiao Miao himself.


    "Let¡¯s see, if it¡¯s a member of the Qiao family, what choices will they make in the magical illusion of the Heart Demon¡­" Dao Zhen said to himself calmly.


    There was noplex expression in his eyes, only the usual curiosity, as innocent as a child.


    The mist in the small forest became thicker and thicker.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    Qiao Mu held the King Qin Sword in his hand, with a cat that sucked people¡¯s blood on his shoulder, stepping into the misty small forest.


    Although he didn¡¯t like death, he wasn¡¯t afraid of it to the point of running away.


    "If it¡¯s here, then ept it."


    "Since you¡¯re here, let¡¯s bury my body here. The scenery is beautiful here."


    Qiao Mu walked into the thin fog, the view suddenly cleared, revealing a vige ahead, and in the deep desert, there was a city.


    "Is there a desert in the depths of the forest?" Qiao Mu¡¯s mind was a bit confused at first, but he quickly sensed something strange and became alert.


    In the time of just a few breaths, he found himself inside an old city deep in the desert.


    This familiar old city was the lonely city in the Hundred-mile Desert.


    "This feels like a dream." Qiao Mu looked at his hands.


    The King Qin Sword in his hand was gone, the vampire cat disappeared without a trace, and even his own body had turned into that of a young boy of around ten, much shorter than before.


    In the dream, he was not Qiao Mu but a strange young boy.


    "Ah Zhen, why are you wandering around? Don¡¯t run around during wars, don¡¯t cause trouble." A woman holding Qiao Mu¡¯s hand walked through the streets.


    The woman had a round face, slightly plump, and was dressed in red silk, clearly not from an ordinary family.


    "Let¡¯s go home."


    "Really?"


    Qiao Mu was slightly surprised.


    He had heard from Storyteller irvoyance that Dao Zhen¡¯s real name was Gu Zhen.


    So in this dream, he was ying the role of young Dao Zhen? What was going on?


    Is this an illusion created by magical means? A dream?


    Qiao Mu couldn¡¯t figure it out, and didn¡¯t want to. Whatever tricks Dao Zhen pulled, he would just go along with it.


    The dream struck Qiao Mu¡¯s surfboard just right. As someone who had spent over three hundred years in dreams, no one understood dreaming better than him. So, he knew how to stay awake in a hazy dream and have a lucid dream.


    At this moment, he was feeling brave and daring, not trying to stay awake but letting himself get lost in the dream, as if he had truly be a child named Dao Zhen.


    Then, a blurry memory came to mind.


    At this time, his real name was Gu Zhen, a local born in a lonely town.


    Gu Zhen¡¯s father was a localndlord with a hundred acres of good farnd. After taking over the family business, he also became a rice merchant, managing the business quite well, thriving in recent years and expanding his business.


    Even though his business was thriving, during these years when cultivators appeared in the world, he had also led efforts to open up granaries to help during disasters, earning a good reputation in the city.


    Gu Zhen¡¯s mother was also a wealthy local, with the family¡¯s influence even greater before Gu Zhen¡¯s father became sessful.


    In addition to his parents, Dao Zhen had a middle-aged older brother who was a somewhat famous martial artist in the city, skilled in dancing with a spear and stick. He joined the army after the town was besieged.


    Gu Zhen¡¯s mother guided Dao Zhen through winding streets and alleys, leading him to the main road at the city gate.


    At this moment, there were many people on the main road, with many citizens stopping at the street corner, craning their necks in anticipation.


    Qiao Mu followed their gaze and saw the gates of the solitary city wide open, with a group of soldiers in blood-stained armor walking in from outside the gates.


    Leading them was a middle-aged general riding a tall horse, with sharp eyes and a noble appearance mixed with a schrly air.


    Despite his good looks, he was already half covered in blood at this moment, showing clear signs of fatigue in his expression, indicating that the battle just fought was far from optimistic.


    The soldiers in front were stained in blood, while the rear carried bodies in horse-drawn carriages, their faces covered with white cloth.


    "This time, even fewer soldiers have returned," remarked a passerby sorrowfully.


    "After all, they are fighting against immortals, how could mortals possibly stand a chance against them¡­ They must pay the price."


    "Though they have died, they all died as heroes¡­"


    The Hundred-mile Desert had formed for two to three years now, while the remnants of the Great Yan army had been trapped in this city for two to three years.


    "Stop looking." As Qiao Mu stared at the corpse on the carriage, Gu Zhen¡¯s mother reached out and turned his head back.


    "How did you alle here?" Among the soldiers, a young man took off his helmet and looked at Dao Zhen and his mother. He was Dao Zhen¡¯s older brother.


    "Came to see when you would die." The woman visibly rxed, but there was still no kindness in her words when she saw the young man.


    "Don¡¯te here again in the future." The older brother of the Gu family spoke in a low voice.


    He was full of spirit, but the thought of his own gruesome body being brought back if he died was unbearable to him.


    The scene changed, and in the blink of an eye, they were already inside the Gu family¡¯s home.


    Dao Zhen squatted in the courtyard, ying with ants with a straw. But then he heard his parents arguing inside the house.


    "Still dividing the grain? Haven¡¯t we already received enough in our family?" Gu Zhen¡¯s father spoke, clearly getting a bit worked up.


    "We are businessmen. Distributing grain for disaster relief earns us some face, some reputation. Gu family has already done enough, what more do you want?"


    Gu Zhen¡¯s mother¡¯s voice said, "Don¡¯t we still have three full granaries at home?"


    "Sending some food to the garrison is not too much. Do you think we are dying for someone? Every time the garrison goes out to fight, there are many casualties."


    Gu Zhen¡¯s father became angry, "Are you trying to act like a saint here? If we give away the food, what will happen to our family?"


    Gu Zhen¡¯s mother replied, "We still have three granaries, and there are only a few of us here. It¡¯s okay to give away a small portion, I¡¯m not asking you to give away all of our family¡¯s food."


    Gu Zhen¡¯s father became even more upset, "It¡¯s not your family¡¯s food, and you don¡¯t feel sorry for giving it away? Thend outside the city has turned into a desert, how much of our ancestors¡¯ hundred acres of good farnd is left to cultivate? This city has been besieged for two or three years, the food in the city is decreasing day by day, sooner orter we will face famine, I am just preparing for the worst."


    "If this city continues to be besieged, money will soon be useless, food is the real currency, I am setting aside a family fortune for our old family. Many families have fallen in troubled times, but we are not wealthy enough to be in that position yet."


    As andlord who built up a sessful business as a rice merchant, Gu Zhen¡¯s father had foresight¡­ but this city was not experiencing ordinary unrest, it had beenpletely cut off from the outside world. No matter how much food he had, it couldn¡¯t be exchanged for wealth, and even if it could, it would be meaningless.


    Gu Zhen¡¯s mother argued back, "How can soldiers fight on empty stomachs? If the garrison can¡¯t hold on, will we still survive? Your eldest son is also a soldier, why don¡¯t you think about that?"


    Gu Zhen¡¯s father¡¯s face stiffened, but he continued to argue:


    "These grains are grown in our fields, which have been passed down from our ancestors. They belong to our family. Why should we give them away for free?"


    Gu Zhen¡¯s father and mother stopped arguing when they noticed Dao Zhen, the two brothers, standing at the door.


    The argument came to a sudden stop.


    "Father, didn¡¯t you donate grains to help during disasters in the past years? Why are you being selfish today?" Gu Zhen¡¯s older brother looked disappointed.


    He thought their father was a kind merchant, a "great phnthropist", which was why heter joined the army.


    Gu Zhen¡¯s father looked a bit embarrassed, and simply said:


    "It¡¯s all about seizing opportunities. As businessmen, we must assess the situation and act ordingly."


    "The city is cut off from the outside world, and the army is trapped inside. If I don¡¯t donate grains, Li Changge will soone to ¡®borrow¡¯ some."


    "If he doesn¡¯te to borrow, other people in the city mighte to steal. And then they might even tear us apart."


    "Send out the grain earlier, at least can earn some respect."


    Gu Zhen¡¯s father said this and gradually calmed down.


    "Just send out the grain." Gu Zhen¡¯s father said impatiently:


    "Our family is big and wealthy, sending a bit is no problem."


    Considering his eldest son¡¯s feelings, he finally nodded.


    After a while, when there was no one around, Gu Zhen¡¯s father secretly brought Dao Zhen over and whispered:


    "Child, don¡¯t listen to your brother, his brain is messed up, always talking about fighting for Great Yan, fighting for the people."


    "In this desert, where is there even a Great Yan? If the court had intentions, they would have sent reinforcements long ago, how could ite to this?"


    "With your brother¡¯s temperament, he¡¯ll likely end up seriously ill sooner orter."


    "Okay," Dao Zhen answered seriously, blinking his eyes.


    "You have always been very thoughtful since you were little, just not very talkative¡­ sigh, don¡¯t be like your brother in the future," Gu Zhen¡¯s father sighed.


    "Your brother is not suitable to inherit the family business, our Gu family still needs to rely on you¡­ in any case, in business, we should go with the flow with these four words."


    The scene changed.


    Dao Zhen was still ying with ants in the yard, but inside the house, there was now an extra coffin.


    Gu Zhen¡¯s mother sat numbly in front of the coffin, tears washing her face.


    Gu Zhen¡¯s father showed no tears on his face, just a nk expression.


    "You wanted to be a hero, do you know the price now?"


    Gu Zhen¡¯s father walked to the door of the pantry at home and looked at the full storage of grains inside, feeling empty inside.


    Dao Zhen was still ying with ants, his eyes clear and without much emotion.


    But at that moment, he suddenly looked up.


    The shadows in the sky changed, and above the clouds appeared an old daoist with white eyebrows, standing on a cloud in the sky.


    "The great way is fifty, the sky extends to forty-nine, and there is a glimmer of hope." The old daoist with white eyebrows looked down at the city below, waved his sleeve, and dozens of sparkling stones fell like raindrops, scattered throughout the city.


    "This item is called the Spirit Measuring Stone." The voice of the old daoist with white eyebrows echoed:


    "If any ordinary person in this city can make the Spirit Measuring Stone show anomalies, they have spiritual roots and can cultivate the immortal way."


    "If there is truly someone with spiritual roots among the ordinary people, they can join the Immortal Gate and leave this ce."


    The old daoist with white eyebrows came and left quickly. By the time the generals in the military camp in the city gathered upon hearing the news, he had already disappeared into the clouds, leaving only dozens of Spirit Measuring Stones scattered throughout the city.


    One of the stones fell right in front of Dao Zhen¡¯s house.


    The sound of hooves approached, and a middle-aged general picked up the Spirit Measuring Stone. He looked at it carefully and noticed a faint glowing from it.


    "Changshi, do you really have spiritual roots? Our Li family won¡¯t die out now." A voice came from the side, and a middle-aged general with stern eyebrows and bright eyes walked over, bearing a resemnce to the first speaker.


    When Qiao Mu heard this name, he looked up, starting to make guesses in his mind.


    Li Changshi, the old man guarding the armory in the deserted city, appeared to Qiao Mu as quite elderly. He only had half a face remaining, but it was clear that he must have been quite handsome in his middle age.


    Next to Li Changshi stood Li Changge, as Qiao Mu presumed.


    Qiao Mu had heard the elderly soldiers of the deserted city mention Li Changge¡¯s name many times. He was the former deputy of Martial Saint and the founder of the Spiritual Technique, passing away prematurely.


    When Li Changshi heard this, he furrowed his brow and casually tossed the Spirit Measuring Stone in his hand, frowning as he said:


    "Brother, are you kidding me? You want me to join the Immortal Gate?"


    "Clearly, this is a trick from the Immortal Gate. They are trying to cause chaos and confusion among the people in the city."


    "In my opinion, we should gather up all the stones scattered by Taoist Qingyi, not leaving any behind."


    Li Changshi remained calm and clear-headed.


    If the inhuman don¡¯t leave any way out for the people in the city, then the people will have no choice but to fight to the death until the city falls.


    If it is really discovered that there are talented individuals with spiritual roots, people¡¯s attitudes may change.


    It¡¯s possible that some people may be willing to send talented individuals to the Immortal Gate just to save their own lives.


    Li Changshi is a strong-willed Spirit Refining martial artist, but not everyone can resist the temptation to save their own lives.

 Chapter 254:

    Our Discord Server: .gg/PazjBDkTmW


    "Changshi¡­ You still don¡¯t understand," Li Changge shook his head slightly, showing signs of tiredness on his face once again.


    After the Martial Saint left, Li Changge became the strongest person in this city, as well as the leader in the military.


    He held great power and had strong abilities, so he could see farther than the usual soldiers and generals.


    He knew clearly that their small army could notpete with the Immortal Gate.


    Even though he didn¡¯t know why the Immortal Gate didn¡¯t attack forcefully, Li Changge knew that this city would eventually fall, and they would ultimately perish with no chance of survival.


    This was also why he advised the Martial Saint to leave.


    "If you stay in this city, everyone will die, including me," Li Changge calmly said.


    "If there are talented individuals in this city who can even tempt inhuman beings, then it¡¯s better to send them away. Surviving alone is better than joining us in death."As he finished speaking,


    He saw a young child in the distance picking up the Spirit Measuring Stone, which shone brightly.


    "Li Changge and his brother exchanged a shocked look."


    "To make the Spirit Measuring Stone show such a strong sign¡­ Is Taoist Qingyi waiting for someone like this?"


    Li Changge looked at the child who picked up the stone and said slowly:


    "I heard that among the immortal cultivators, there is a top-tier spiritual aptitude called the Heaven¨C"


    "It¡¯s the Iron Spiritual Root, yes, the Iron Spiritual Root." The child suddenly interjected.


    From the moment he spoke, there was a subtle change in the child¡¯s expression, although he was still the same person, he seemed different.


    In reality, Qiao Mu was getting a little tense.


    Without mentioning spiritual roots, he could pretend to be in a dream. But when Heavenly Spirit Root was mentioned, he was immediately snapped out of his immersive state.


    How could he not know about his own spiritual root? Even in his dreams, he never thought he would have a Heavenly Spirit Root one day.


    The feeling of immersion is poor, negative review.


    "What kind of spiritual root is Iron Spiritual Root, unheard of, this might be a Heavenly Spirit Root?" Li Changge questioned in her dream.


    "Limited perspective. By mastering the Iron Crotch Skill to the highest realm, one can achieve the ultimate sublimation, using martial arts to enter the way, using the martial way to enter the immortal way, condensing a supreme Iron Spiritual Root. How can it bepared to a mere Heavenly Spirit Root?" That young boy said so.


    Since he had emerged from the immersive state, Qiao Mu stopped pretending.


    He then tried to explore within the illusion¡­ Now it seems that this dream-like illusion is not just a memory rey, the Li Changge in the illusion will also react to Qiao Mu¡¯s answers.


    Outside the illusion, Dao Zhen also showed slight surprise, his eyes filled with wonder.


    In fact, what he wanted to do was very simple, it was just to integrate the Qiao family¡¯s martial arts into the dream, forget about his own existence in the dream, experience Dao Zhen¡¯s memories firsthand, in order to probe the true feelings of this renowned member of the Qiao family.


    However, why can this Qiao family member wake up from the dream? This was an unexpected situation Dao Zhen had never encountered before.


    "Perhaps this Qiao family member is too strong? I have never seen such a powerful martial artist, maybe by cultivating martial arts to a certain level, one can also have some resistance to magical illusions." Dao Zhen had no doubts.


    He is carefree by nature, Qiao Mu¡¯s behavior surprised him, but it made him even more intrigued.


    He didn¡¯t get involved in the fantasy, instead, he continued to watch quietly from the sidelines.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    "Supreme Iron Spiritual Root?" Li Changge pondered, he seemed to truly believe, and said seriously:


    "In the city, there is actually such a genius in the immortal path¡­ You shouldn¡¯t stay in this city."


    "Why can¡¯t I stay?" Qiao Mu asked with the curiosity of a young child, tilting his head.


    "If it¡¯s a dead end to stay in this city, then why not leave? Why not let Li Changshi pretend to surrender first and then join the Immortal Gate?"


    Qiao Mu looked up, not at Li Changge, but towards the sky, and asked loudly:


    "Since you already know that staying in this city is a dead end, why not leave? Why not let Li Changshi pretend to surrender first and then join the Immortal Gate?"


    "Since you already know the ending, why choose the path of death?"


    "What child in this world doesn¡¯t show respect?" Li Changshi seemed a little unhappy.


    "If a soldier questions me like that, I would definitely teach him a lesson."


    Li Changshi muttered a few words, frowning at the child in front of him.


    "I refuse to surrender, even though staying in this city means certain death, because¡­ bec


    Li Changshi stopped mid-sentence, staring straight at Qiao Mu, his expression turning nk, trying to speak but no sounding out.


    Not just him, Li Changge beside him was the same.


    The two middle-aged generals had turned into emotionless statues, both staring fixedly at Qiao Mu.


    "This feels like something out of a dream, doesn¡¯t it?" Qiao Mu was now trying to test the situation.


    The unusual behavior of Li Changshi felt like a spring dream for a virgin, always stopping abruptly at critical moments¡­ Unable to load due to missing DLL files.


    If we see this illusion as a dream created by Dao Zhen, even with Li Changge appearing in his dream, these two dream characters find it difficult to voluntarily state the reason for their willingness to die.


    Because Dao Zhen cannot create such dreams.


    Distorted, losing authenticity.


    If forced to continue, it will crash because of missing DLL files.


    Qiao Mu thought about it, and the surrounding scene changed again. Even though he had walked out of the courtyard, he found himself back inside Dao Zhen¡¯s house. Li Changge had disappeared, leaving only Gu Zhen¡¯s father, Gu Zhen¡¯s mother, and a coffin in front of him.


    At the same time, Qiao Mu felt confused once again, apparently his mind was being influenced by something¡­ Clearly, someone couldn¡¯t keep pretending and just directly disrupted the scene, skipping over this part.


    Qiao Mu¡¯s lips curved slightly, but he didn¡¯t resist, allowing his mind to stay confused and continue watching the y.


    This time, Gu Zhen¡¯s father and mother were still arguing.


    Only the topic of the argument changed.


    "Regret it now?" Gu Zhen¡¯s father red angrily at Gu Zhen¡¯s mother, his eyes full of anger.


    "Our eldest son joined the army and you sided with him, talking about righteousness and now that he¡¯s be a hero, you must be pleased. Are you satisfied?"


    Gu Zhen¡¯s mother¡¯s face was expressionless, silent, just sitting there not saying a word.


    Clearly, she also regretted it, wavered, and therefore didn¡¯t argue with her husband.


    While Gu Zhen¡¯s mother remained silent, she caught sight of Dao Zhen standing at the door with the glowing Spirit Measuring Stone in his hand, and she was startled for a moment.


    She nced at Dao Zhen a few times, then looked outside at the coffin.


    "It¡¯s better to be alive. If a child can walk out, that¡¯s also good," she gazed at the coffin, speaking absently.


    ¡­¡­¡­.


    "Congrattions, Brother Qingyi, for finding such a talented disciple in this earthly city. It¡¯s a Heavenly Spirit Root."


    Taoist Qingzhuo¡¯s expression showed a hint of envy.


    "I never thought that among mortals, there would asionally be such talents. I might also go to the mortal kingdom to find one in the future."


    "Brother, you¡¯re joking," said Taoist Qingyi, stroking his long beard and smiling lightly.


    "Having a Heavenly Spirit Root naturally makes one a genius in the immortal path, but many geniuses also perish halfway."


    "Spiritual talent is indeed very important, but the path to immortality is long. One¡¯s character should not becking. Otherwise, even an immortal genius may find it hard to endure."


    Taoist Qingyi smiled as he looked at the young boy in front of him.


    He said slowly, "Although this child possesses a Heavenly Spirit Root, he still has living rtives, which poses some obstacles. The worldly connections are not yet severed."


    "Oh? Shall we eliminate his worldly ties to help him sever those connections?" Taoist Qingzhuo suggested.


    "That¡¯s too deliberate. He has to pass this challenge by himself, it¡¯s best this way," Taoist Qingyi looked at the young child in front of him.


    "Listen closely, my disciple."


    "The decision to send you out of the city was made by your parents, not by yourself."


    "Normally, this challenge would be considered premature for a cultivator, but with your Heavenly Spirit Root, how could you be the same as ordinary cultivators? I will test you early on this challenge and let you choose for yourself."


    Two elderly Taoists and a child stood on the clouds, looking down at the lonely city below.


    The city had just experienced a battle, with some soldiers perishing in the field. The morale in the city was low, with asional sounds of weepinging from a few households.


    Taoist Qingyi smiled and said, "The world is full of suffering, ordinary people face five sufferings and five obstacles: The suffering of attachment to fame and appearance, the suffering of love and attachment to others, the suffering of greed and attachment to material possessions, the suffering of the pursuit of worldly pleasures, and the suffering of attachment to the physical body."


    "Attachment to fame, love, greed,petition, and the physical body all arise from impure thoughts in ordinary people."


    "In cultivation, as you progress, you must let go of emotions and desires, sever worldly ties, in order to step onto the path of immortality, and achieve enlightenment."


    "Without getting rid of the three corpses, removing attachments¡­ even if attaining immortality, one will still endure the torment of the five agonies, why bother?"


    Speaking of this, Taoist Qingyi asked the young boy in front of him:


    "Child, can you guess how old I am?"


    "Eighty?" the young boy guessed.


    "I have already lived for over a thousand years," Taoist Qingyi said with a faint smile:


    "Middle-aged people in their thirties and forties may shed tears when reminiscing about their unattainable lovely partners from the past, but when an eighty-year-old recalls, there is only a slight sense of nostalgia."


    "Now, as an ancient Taoist of a thousand years, if I were to think of the unattainable beauty from mortal life, what do you think I would feel?"


    Taoist Qingyi¡¯s smile gradually faded from his face, turning solemn:


    "This is to eliminate attachments, to be heartless and abandon desires."


    "Without cutting off the three corpses and eliminating attachment, without severing emotions and abandoning desires to break free from worldly entanglements, one cannot alleviate the five sufferings in the human world. No matter how high one¡¯s cultivation realm in the immortal path is, one ultimately cannot attain true enlightenment."


    "Do we really have to eliminate attachment in cultivation?" the child asked, looking up.


    "Well, there is actually another diverging path." Taoist Qingyi smiled faintly, ncing at Taoist Qingzhuo beside him.


    "Qingzhuo, do you remember the mortal general who hurriedly escaped from this desert several years ago, surname Wu?"


    "Hmm? Is there such a thing?" Taoist Qingzhuo didn¡¯t pay much attention.


    "Brother Qingyi, why do you remember the details of a mortal so clearly?"


    "That mortal was a martial artist. I let him go because he had strayed onto a divergent path, his attachments were too strong, he couldn¡¯t make it big." Taoist Qingyi said calmly.


    "The immortal path has been passed down since ancient times and continues to this day."


    "Martial arts are just a method for mortals to protect themselves in the world. They don¡¯t have predecessors who have achieved longevity, there is no path ahead for them, so even if they have strayed onto a divergent path, they are unaware."


    Taoist Qingyi chuckled and said:


    "To truly achieve enlightenment, one must let go of desires, eliminate attachments, and keep a pure heart devoted to the Dao."


    "But that ordinary martial artist named Wu took apletely different path, allowing his attachments to grow instead of cutting them off. It¡¯s impossible for a mortal to control such intense attachments. Walking on the edge like this will only lead to a downfall sooner orter."


    "It¡¯s just that ignorant people are fearless." Taoist Qingzhuo wasn¡¯t interested in discussing mortals and brushed it off with a few words.


    Suddenly, Taoist Qingyi turned to the young child with a serious expression:


    "In this world, the path of immortals is the true path, and cultivating immortality is the way to go."


    "You have the rare Heavenly Spirit Root, which sets you apart from others. As long as you let go of desires and follow the path, you can enter the realm of immortality and achieve enlightenment."


    "If you resist the natural order, you will remain mortal. Not only will you fail to attain immortality, but you will also suffer greatly in this world."


    "Flowing with the natural order leads to immortality, while going against it leads to mortality."


    "You cannot deceive your own heart."


    "So, which path will you choose?"


    Taoist Qingyi¡¯s voice rang in Qiao Mu¡¯s ears like a bell.


    His mind gradually became unclear, at that moment he seemed to have truly be Dao Zhen himself, experiencing an old childhood memory.


    At this moment, too many pictures and sounds appeared in front of him and in his ears.


    In the middle of the housey a coffin. Gu Zhen¡¯s mother looked lost, and his father kept giving instructions. Memories from childhood flooded his mind, with many voices echoing in his ears.


    "Why are you forcing me¡­"


    "Why are you forcing me¡­" The teenager looked like he was in great pain as he clenched his fists, his fingernails digging deep into his palms.


    But no matter how hard he tried, no matter how much he resisted¡­ he couldn¡¯t help but see a small smile forming on his lips.


    "I really can¡¯t hold it in anymore." The child couldn¡¯t help but burst outughing.


    "Is this all?"


    The young boy looked up at the sky, his expression turning indifferent.


    He wanted to see what Dao Zhen was up to, but this turn of events surprised him.


    "Well, he¡¯s just a young guy, not even sixty yet. It¡¯s normal for him to act this way."


    "Are you expecting me to understand your experiences, your choices, and then feel better about my decision? Will that ease your conscience?"


    Qiao Mu just smiled and looked up.


    "Laughable. Even if I made the same choice as you, it just means I¡¯m a bad person too. I am bad, what does it matter if you are too?"


    The young boy¡¯s eyes were sharp like a sword, staring directly at Taoist Qingyi in front of him, as if a sword light shed through the empty space in front of him.


    Ha!


    The figure of Taoist Qingyi blurred and transformed into Dao Zhen¡¯s face.


    He was slightly distracted by the sudden impact of the Eye Sword Technique, one hand holding his forehead, palm trembling slightly, and for the first time, his usual calm demeanor showed some unrest.

 Chapter 255 (1)

    Our Discord Server: .gg/PazjBDkTmW


    When Qiao Mu unleashed the Eye Sword Technique, Dao Zhen¡¯s true appearance momentarily appeared.


    The Heart Demon Mirror at the center of the illusion formation quietly cracked with fine lines.


    The illusion had not beenpletely broken. At this moment, Qiao Mu was still deep in the sky above the solitary city in the desert, but Dao Zhen in front of him finally recovered from the sudden mental shock.


    Qiao Mu, who still maintained the appearance of a child, took a deep breath, clenched his fists, and dashed forward with swift steps.


    However, as he dashed forward, the surroundings swiftly flew past.


    Qiao Mu was clearly running forward, but suddenly found himself in a lonely city below, his view falling from the clouds. Surprisingly, he was getting farther away from Dao Zhen.


    "You¡¯re overconfident. I was just caught off guard for a moment, revealing my true self¡­ It doesn¡¯t mean the game is over," Dao Zhen took a deep breath, calming his emotions.


    This was not the script he wanted to see.The Qiao family member was known for valuing honor over life and death, but Dao Zhen wanted more than just making the Qiao family member experience his past memories.


    The more the truth is debated, what he wanted to do was to have a philosophical debate with the Qiao family member after the story of the magical realm was told, as a Heavenly Spirit Root cultivator.


    This way, his spiritual cultivation would further progress towards perfection without obstacles.


    It¡¯s just that for some reason, the Qiao family¡¯s martial arts seemed to have seen through his carefully arranged illusion ahead of time, almost causing him to make a mistake.


    If it wasn¡¯t for the Heart Demon Mirror, a unique treasure given to him by Elder Qingyi, which had protective powers, even if he suddenly encountered a mental shock, he would have been able to withstand it.


    Dao Zhen, who had been struck by the Eye Sword Technique at close range, might not escape from Qiao Mu¡¯s attack.


    "Why can you stay awake in the dreand?" Dao Zhen stepped back, his expression returning to its usual calmness.


    The hand supporting his forehead was trembling slightly, apparently Eye Sword Technique had not left him unharmed.


    "Because your dreand is too fake," Qiao Mu casually remarked.


    He didn¡¯t intend to talk more with Dao Zhen, just that cultivators had many skills. He had only managed to hit Dao Zhen with "Eye Sword Technique," while his punch missed.


    This dreand had its own mysteries that he had notpletely unraveled. In the brief moment of speaking, he was also thinking about a n.


    "You don¡¯t understand the old soldiers led by Li Changge, so you can¡¯t create a realistic dreand," Qiao Mu said lightly.


    Qiao Mu looked around, now he had fallen from the sky into the military camp of the solitary city. He gazed at those training in the camp, the not yet aged illusions of the Great Yan veteran soldiers.


    "Indeed, there are heroes in this world who sacrifice themselves for others, and even the selfish cannot deny the existence of such fools in this world."


    "You don¡¯t understand, so you can¡¯t imagine how Brother Li Changshi would respond. Even if you invent an answer, it would be insincere,cking in truth¡­"


    It¡¯s normal not to understand.


    Heroes are called heroes by people precisely because they are extremely rare.


    "I don¡¯t understand." At this moment, Dao Zhen nodded in agreement, then asked in confusion:


    "So, do you understand?"


    "If it were a member of your Qiao family, what would you choose?"


    Just moments ago, they were fighting as enemies, and Dao Zhen even killed a member of the Qiao family with his own hands.


    At this moment, Dao Zhen¡¯s face showed no intention to harm, his eyes were filled with a gentle curiosity, or a sense of wanting to know more.


    He really didn¡¯t understand, but he was indeed hoping for Qiao Mu to give him an answer.


    This reaction caused a twitch in the corner of Qiao Mu¡¯s eye.


    "If a child around ten years old doesn¡¯t understand what the old soldiers did, it¡¯s not surprising."


    Actually, Qiao Mu did think carefully about this question.


    The first time he spent eighty years in a dream, he feltpelled to search for an answer to support himself, and the first thing he thought of was to copy the answers of old soldiers like Hai Siyuan. ??


    The wise ancestors and patriotic soldiers are indeed noble and admirable. True heroes do exist in this world.


    Qiao Mu considered copying the answers, but he didn¡¯t seed.


    Because one cannot deceive their own heart.


    During the long years, what he needed was an answer from deep within.


    This answer doesn¡¯t have to be so noble or lofty.


    Fancy words may impress others, but when alone and questioning oneself, there¡¯s no need for such prettiness.


    "The old soldiers care for Great Yan, holding noble ideals in their hearts, but I don¡¯t," Qiao Mu took step by step towards Dao Zhen who was far in the distance.


    This was the answer he had in his heart over a hundred years ago.


    His determination was not as noble as the old soldiers in the past, nor did it need to be forced to be noble.


    In fact, this was also the answer from Earth Sword Immortal in the past.


    For thirty years, Earth Sword Immortal stayed aloof in the lonely city, watching the old soldiers gradually wither without understanding their actions and feelings.


    Only in the final battle when the lonely city was about to be destroyed, and he saw his brother Lu Yanbei about to die, did he see clearly into his own heart.


    Qiao Mu¡¯s answer made Dao Zhen visibly bewildered.


    It was thought that the Qiao family member, known for valuing righteousness over life and death, would have such an answer. Could this also be a kind of character copse?


    "As for your question about my choice¡­ haven¡¯t I chosen long ago?"


    Dao Zhen¡¯s choice is to follow the path of immortality or the path ofmonality.


    Qiao Mu also has his own choices to make.


    The simplest choice is to endure, to be undefeatable before revealing oneself. The quickest choice is to turn to the dark side, even if one seeks both fame and fortune, there¡¯s the option to maximize benefits through gaining evil powers.


    Following the wind is always the easiest way, but he is not willing to take that path.


    While speaking, Qiao Mu also closed his eyes.


    As he closed his eyes, his vision naturally turned to darkness, no longer seeing the lonely cityscape around him.


    The illusion created by Dao Zhen could not be broken simply by closing one¡¯s eyes.


    But Qiao Mu was no longer an ordinary person, even with his eyes closed, he had instinctual awareness as a 1st rank spiritual refiner.


    With his vision obscured and his other senses in disarray, it was difficult to discern Dao Zhen¡¯s true whereabouts within the illusion.


    "In this fantasy realm, are your actions based on your choices?" Dao Zhen looked serious, without a doubt.


    He was not interested in life and death battles, but he cared deeply about right and wrong.


    This illusion was his way of keeping a safe distance from Qiao Mu, so they could discuss matters safely.


    "In this world, cultivating immortality is the way to go."


    "Follow the path to immortality, or go against it and remain mortal."


    "The Qiao family member truly made a different choice from me," Dao Zhen said calmly.


    As a cultivator with the Heavenly Spirit Root, Elder Qingyi had high expectations for him. Therefore, at the beginning of his cultivation journey, he was given a test of letting go of emotions.


    The two elders from the Immortal Gate had different views on letting go of emotions. Elder Qingzhuo was more direct, advocating for killing close rtives to end everything.


    Elder Qingyi, on the other hand, had a different perspective.


    He didn¡¯t ask Dao Zhen to kill his parents himself, but to let go of it.


    If one¡¯s heart is free from worldly desires, unaffected by suffering, and no longer attached to blood rtions, then why kill family members to prove oneself in the path of enlightenment?


    And that was Dao Zhen¡¯s choice.


    Although Dao Zhen is nearly sixty years old now, which is considered young for a cultivator, his parents have passed away during the forty years they spent isted in the deserted city, leaving behind only barrennd covered in sand.


    "You and I have different paths. The immortal path requires letting go of attachments and earthly desires to transcend above; whereas the so-called Spiritual Refining Method in martial arts seems to sharpen one¡¯s attachments, the stronger the attachment, the deeper the worldly entanglement, making it harder to break free."


    Dao Zhen began to exin:


    "The trend is towards the Immortal Gate, martial arts is just a small path, going against the Immortal Gate is going against the flow, leading to a dead end, just like the fate of the one hundred thousand old soldiers who died in the deserted city over forty years."


    Seen through Dao Zhen¡¯s or others¡¯ eyes, the Qiao family members have indeed chosen a path towards death. How many Qiao family members have died at the hands of cultivators until now?


    No matter how many have died, the Qiao family members seem to be stubbornly hitting a wall, just like the old soldiers who died in the deserted city forty years ago.


    "In the world, there are five kinds of suffering and five doors to enlightenment. If we don¡¯t let go of our attachments, we will have to pass through the doors of suffering caused by desires, love, and greed."


    "Using so many unfamiliar words to convince yourself that cultivating immortality is the right path is really difficult for you," Qiao Mu sarcastically responded to Dao Zhen.


    "Too bad I¡¯m just a simple martial artist and don¡¯t understand!" replied Qiao Mu.


    He had no intention of arguing with Dao Zhen about the superiority of immortal cultivation or martial arts at this moment. Instead, he gathered his energy and struck the lonely city wall next to him.


    His fist disappeared into the wall like a rock sinking into the sea. Momentster, he heard the rustling of leaves as Qiao Mu¡¯s fingers pierced into the trunk of an old tree, creating several holes.


    Swift as lightning, he pped his hands rapidly on the tree trunk.


    Despite his strong and unyielding internal strength, it didn¡¯t damage the tree trunk. The powerful internal strength flowed along the trunk like a tide.


    Suddenly, a continuous sound of "chi chi" was heard, with every single leaf on the branch now filled with internal strength. They flew out like sharp arrows, sweeping in all directions.


    Dao Zhen quickly reacted by leaping sideways to avoid the flying leaves, but his expression was frozen in astonishment.


    Some leaves were aimed at Dao Zhen¡¯s location, while others were directed towards different parts of the illusion.


    The continuous tinkling sound echoed around the small forest, as thousands of rune-inscribed sub-swords were hit by the leaves, causing them to tilt and sway.


    The leaves infused with internal strength were not powerful enough to cut through the sub-swords, but disrupting the formationposed of a thousand swords would suffice.


    The Heart Demon Mirror, which was already showing cracks, trembled slightly, and at this moment, the light on its surface finally dimmed.


    "Finally¡­" It was only at this moment that Qiao Mu opened his eyes.


    He only noticed a warm yet rough little tongue licking his face, the tongue was small and soft, giving a strange tingling sensation.


    Qiao Mu focused and saw the Impermanent Demon Cat was licking his cheek wildly, with a blissful expression on its face.

 Chapter 255 (2)

    Our Discord Server: .gg/PazjBDkTmW


    Goodness, this fat pig took advantage of him being trapped in a fantasy and did such a thing to his body?


    Normally Qiao Mu would have teased this silly cat, but now¡­ he just looked up at Dao Zhen.


    Seeing the illusion broken, Dao Zhen¡¯s first reaction was to fly back and create some distance.


    "Where are you going? Weren¡¯t you supposed to discuss with me, Dao Zhen?" Qiao Mu suddenly spoke.


    His words seemed enchanting, causing Dao Zhen to pause for a moment.


    "Discuss?" Dao Zhen asked.


    "Sure, you¡¯ve said a lot, now it¡¯s time to listen to my reasoning." Qiao Mu took a deep breath and spoke confidently:


    "I will just say a few words¡ª¨C""Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method£¡"


    In an instant, he was almost boiling with rage. He was surrounded by a strong glow of blood, and with a heavy step, he lunged towards Dao Zhen.


    His lunge was in a straight line.


    Along the way, he broke over a dozen old trees in half, with tree trunks, wood chips, and falling leaves flying everywhere, swirling like snowkes in the air.


    Debate? Argument of reason? What¡¯s the use of that?


    The immortal way is the great way, the practice of immortality is the trend. The Nine Immortal Gates are numerous and powerful, towering high and strong. Compared to them, martial artists are just tiny fireflies under the scorching sun, not even visible. But so what?


    The practice of cultivating immortality has a set of convincing theories for being ruthless and detached from desires, for being extraordinary and transcendent, passed down by generations of cultivators since ancient times.


    But how is this relevant?


    A criminal was sentenced by the court, but many people raised money topensate. Even after that, hundreds of people continued to support him. Does having hundreds of people supporting him mean he is right and wrongly used?


    Still arguing? There are so many silly people in the world, does anyone really think they can change someone¡¯s mind with just a few words?


    "The lesson of a martial artist is always taught with fists!"


    Qiao Mu¡¯s eyes sharp like a sword, holding the King Qin Sword in one hand, he leaped high into the sky like a bullet.


    At that moment, Dao Zhen was summoning back thousands of scattered swords surrounding the small forest, with only dozens of swords in front of him, he quickly soared away.


    "Heavenly Dragon Eight Steps!"


    Qiao Mu flew across the sky like a big eagle, and despite being at a moment of exhaustion, he lightly stepped on the broken branches and tree trunks floating in the air.


    After eighty years of hard training, his Heavenly Dragon Eight Steps had reached a preliminary stage of reversal.


    He could climb up a cliff with a waterfall rushing down, and now he was stepping on the broken branches, miraculously levitating step by step, using each step as a boost to soar into the sky.


    "Red Moon Burning Blood Technique¡¤Blood Sword Technique!"


    The body of King Qin in his hand transformed into a giant blood sword, but as it approached Dao Zhen, the King Qin Sword slipped out of his hand and flew out like a blood-colored meteor, smashing into the sky. ??


    In a sh, dozens of flying swords swiftly spun and formed a shield in front of Dao Zhen, while the Heart Demon Mirror emitted a faint blue light that enveloped his entire body.


    Thud!


    The swords in front of Dao Zhen quickly started to break apart, and the Heart Demon Mirror shattered like a spider web, with clear cracking sounds echoing in the air.


    Dao Zhen¡¯s body was hit hard by King Qin¡¯s head in mid-air, and he fell heavily onto the trees below.


    "Is this¡­ what you call reasoning?" Dao Zhen¡¯s eyes widened slightly, looking miserable with blooding out of his nose and mouth.


    "Relying only on fists is too shallow."


    In front of him, there was still an ancient mirror with spider-web cracks floating in front of him, emitting a flickering and uncertain light.


    Dao Zhen¡¯s most treasured magic weapon was the Heart Demon Mirror, a treasure bestowed by Elder Qingyi, with the ability to protect him.


    "So what if it¡¯s shallow? Can you still debate with me now?" Qiao Mu breathed out, swiftly moving like a big eagle soaring,nding his feet on a tree trunk, chasing after Dao Zhen like a sharp arrow.


    He was not a native of Great Yan, and he believed that he didn¡¯t have the same patriotism and sense of duty as the old soldiers of the past.


    Therefore, his martial arts heart was not about righteousness, but about the spirit of resistance.


    Life is like a big wave, with some going with the flow while others struggle against it.


    Throughout his life, Qiao Mu always stood on top of many of his own struggles.


    Despite the ups and downs of life, he only sought inner peace and hoped to stay true to himself without being swayed by external influences.


    "Ripple Stacking Wave Strength!"


    He swung his fists like the wind, their power resembling crashing waves, one after another getting stronger.


    With the build-up of his power, the Fourfold Wave internal strength surged like a rising tide.


    "Why follow the waves? Why go with the flow?" Qiao Mu¡¯s intense gaze and relentless punches pounded the ancient mirror, like waves crashing onto rocks.


    "I am the force of nature!"


    The roaring crimson energypletely submerged the ancient mirror, the sound of shattering ss faintly heard.


    Without the protection of the Heart Demon Mirror, Qiao Mu¡¯s fists rained down on Dao Zhen¡¯s body like a storm, causing him to shake uncontrobly and be flung backwards like a kite with a broken string.


    "Do you understand now? This is my decision," Qiao Mu exhaled and stood still, hands unclenched.


    The blood-red energy that had been swirling around dissipated, leaving him calm and indifferent:


    "Members of the Qiao family are not shining heroes. We are not that noble, and there¡¯s no need to praise me."


    "But to be a righteous knight with a clear conscience is already more than enough."


    Gasping for air in a pool of blood, Dao Zhen struggled to lift his head onest time, gazing at Qiao Mu¡¯s figure.


    In his final moments, memories flooded back to when he was a child in the solitary city in the desert, witnessing brave soldiers from Great Yan meeting their heroic deaths, including his own older brother.


    At that moment, he could not distinguish between the figure of the Qiao family member and the memory of a Taoist soldier, blending together in his mind.


    "A member of the Qiao family like this¡­ in the eyes of the world, is already a hero," Dao Zhen¡¯s eyes zed over as he took his final breath.


    Qiao Mu quietly watched as Dao Zhen choked, slowly picking up the fallen body of King Qin from the air.


    Seeing the two bodies, he finally felt a bit relieved.


    "From King Qin to the Great Dao Sect cultivators behind the scenes¡­ Dao XuDao Zhen, it¡¯s alsoing to an end, time for a summer break."


    He looked up at the sky, absentmindedly rubbing the head of the capricious cat on his shoulder.


    After enduring a hundred and sixty years of hard training in his dreams, Qiao Mu actually didn¡¯t have anything particr to do now. He just wanted to take a break and recover¡­


    ¡­¡­¡­..


    Meanwhile, at the edge of a small grove.


    Wu Qiankun stood in the shadows, his eyes filled with astonishment and confusion:


    "This Qiao family¡­ first a skilled superb martial artist suddenly appears, and now a second one?"


    "What kind of martial arts family is this?"

 Chapter 256:

    Our Discord Server: .gg/PazjBDkTmW


    On the edge of a small forest.


    Wu Qiankun stood in the shadows, watching Qiao Mu carry King Qin Golden Body and go far away.


    "This member of the Qiao family unexpectedly has two superb rank levels all at once¡­ This is very unusual," Wu Qiankun muttered to himself.


    "A superb rank already surpasses the 1st rank experts of this era. Such individuals are rare in the martial world of Jiu Province today, much less having two superb ranks from one family? And their paths are very simr."


    "Could it be that¡­ this is not just a coincidence? Could it be that in the hands of the Qiao family member, there is also a rtivelyplete path of superb rank?"


    Wu Qiankun and Martial Saint once believed that King Qin, as a ¡®martial artist who enters the Dao through martial arts,¡¯ had opened up a new path of superb rank martial arts. That¡¯s why they didn¡¯t act when the Martial Arts League rose, but silently watched its growth.


    But the result disappointed them.


    The King Qin they had high hopes for turned out to be a fake, while the Qiao family member they didn¡¯t expect much from has now be a pleasant surprise to them?"Howe both members of the Qiao family have such outstanding abilities?" Wu Qiankun wondered to himself.


    "Centuries ago in the martial arts world, there existed techniques like the Absorbing Energy Method that could steal others¡¯ inner strength."


    "The Absorbing Energy Method was considered powerful a thousand years ago, but in today¡¯s martial arts world, it is actually an outdated and impractical ancient technique with drawbacks."


    "It¡¯s possible for one or two martial arts prodigies to cultivate their inner strength to a superb level using the Absorbing Energy Method, but it doesn¡¯t seem to be the case for the Qiao family members."


    Wu Qiankun didn¡¯t understand why, he just watched silently as Qiao Mu left.


    Qiao Mu was clearly heading towards Great Qin City to retrieve the bodies of the fallen Qiao family members.


    However, Wu Qiankun chose not to follow him.


    Before leaving, the Martial Saint instructed Wu Qiankun to keep a close eye on the Qiao family members, so logically he should have pursued Qiao Mu.


    But this time, he hesitated.


    Until Qiao Mu and the cat disappeared into the distance, he came out from the darkness and looked at the messy little forest.


    Dao Zhen¡¯s body on the ground was covered in blood, with twisted bones, clearly dead.


    Wu Qiankun didn¡¯t hesitate to approach the dead body and carefully searched it.


    "The storage bag was indeed taken by that person named Qiao Shuanggui," muttered Wu Qiankun to himself.


    Most cultivators¡¯ storage bags have restrictions, making it difficult for ordinary martial artists to use them.


    It was not surprising that the storage bag was taken away, but what concerned Wu Qiankun more were not the external items.


    He stared at the body of Dao Zhen in the pool of blood at his feet.


    "He just died."


    "This person¡¯s name is Dao Zhen. I heard he is a Great Tao Golden Pill cultivator. He¡¯s someone you wouldn¡¯t want to miss."


    He thought back to the teachings of the Martial Saint when he was young and taught three thousand students.


    The former three thousand students, who were mostly martial arts geniuses who had fought in bloody battles¡­ Hai Wuya was not among them, as he was studying in the heavenly prison while the others were fighting. The title of "seventy two wise men" in the Wuji Association was more like a nickname for Hai Wuya.


    Apart from the unique ones like Hai Wuya, the former three thousand students were opponents to each other, where the winner lived and the loser died.


    Therefore, the majority of the former three thousand students had blood on their hands from fighting each other.


    Among them, Wu Qiankun was considered one of the best and was given the title of "Little Martial Saint" because he was the most fierce of them all, acting in a ruthless manner closest to the Martial Saint.


    Wu Qiankun reached out and gently touched Dao Zhen¡¯s remains, ignoring the blood on his hands. A strange look appeared on his face as he muttered to himself.


    "For martial artists, diet and nutrition are crucial, as they can nourish the body and aid in martial arts progress."


    "Among these, there are two best types of supplements."


    "The first type is rare treasures from nature, like the Centennial Vermilion Fruit and thousand-year-old ginseng, which are usually controlled by immortal cultivators, and only a few lucky ones manage to obtain them."


    "Secondly, there are various powerful monsters with strong bodies."


    "But actually¡­ other martial artists also have strong blood and energy, which can be considered a supplement for martial artists, although not as good as monster beasts, but still useful."


    For Wu Qiankun and others who have practiced the Martial Saint Spiritual Technique.


    Other martial artists are also stepping stones that can help them progress further.


    More than just plundering blood and internal strength, the essence of the Martial Saint Spiritual Technique lies in spiritual refining. Just based on this alone, it is far superior to the Absorbing Energy Method from a thousand years ago.


    The Martial Saint Spiritual Technique has produced a Martial Saint unparalleled in spiritual refining methods.


    But that¡¯s not enough yet.


    Wu Qiankun calmly closed his eyes, his palm reaching towards the head of Dao Zhen¡¯s corpse on the ground.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    "The recipe for Martial Saint Spiritual Technique is not wide enough."


    "A fierce tiger can eat cattle and sheep, can eat jackals and wolves, but cannot eat this darn sky."


    "So, I shall name this technique¡­"


    "Taotie Swallowing Heaven Skill."


    Sitting on the copsed Sky Boat, Martial Saint held the distorted Elder Qingzhuo in his hands and calmly said.


    The description of Elder Qingzhuo being distorted is not an exaggeration. His features are twisted, his limbs deformed, but Martial Saint¡¯s hands have an invisible suction force, firmly holding him down.


    "You call this being a martial artist?" Elder Qingzhuo¡¯s expression was cold, with anger in his eyes, but no fear.


    "When can martial artist¡¯s skills be a match for a dharma body?"


    Elder Qingzhuo was indeed not in his true form.


    His cultivation was damaged, ever since he returned from the Hundred-mile Desert, his real body has been hiding inside the Great Dao Sect¡¯s cave, never leaving, only letting his Nascent Soul Dharma Body act on his behalf.


    Although the Nascent Soul Dharma Body is not as strong as a cultivator¡¯s real body, it is not too far off either.


    Elder Qingzhuo¡¯s cultivation was damaged, even his real body is not as strong as other Nascent Soul Immortals¡­ so he is more cautious in his actions.


    This Nascent Soul Dharma Body is actually not made of flesh and blood, but was crafted by Elder Qingzhuo at a great cost.


    His Nascent Soul Dharma Body was created by refining the essence of the five elements, not a physical body.


    Normally, if a Nascent Soul Immortal wants to craft a dharma body, it takes hundreds of years, even for a Nascent Soul Immortal, it is not something to be easily discarded.


    The Martial Saint didn¡¯t say much to him.


    Qingzhuo¡¯s body was swiftly elongated and distorted by an invisible force, before it strangely entered the Martial Saint¡¯s mouth and nose, disappearing without a trace.


    "Isn¡¯t this a physical body, not a real one?" the Martial Saint frowned.


    The bodies of these cultivators appear weakpared to their powerful techniques, so the higher their level and the longer they live, the more unique ways they have to protect themselves.


    The Martial Saint let out a breath, visible heat rising above his head, his skin slightly turning red.


    After a while, he returned to normal, the unusual signs disappearing from his body, with a glint of light in his eyes.


    "Even if it¡¯s not my real body, it¡¯s enough," said the Martial Saint, opening his eyes and smiling slightly.


    By killing a Nascent Soul Immortal¡¯s illusion body and consuming it, it proved that his Taotie Swallowing Heaven Skill was effective.


    The curve of his mouth grew wider, and he burst intoughter, the sound echoing in the surroundings.


    If the earlier Martial Saint was like a fierce tiger, he was now like a beast that had devoured a whole mountain, reaching the peak.


    Sacrificing a whole generation of martial artists would not be enough to create a powerful martial artist capable of overturning the chessboard.


    So if he wanted to keep moving forward, he only had two options.


    One must acknowledge that they are on a one-way path and patiently wait for future martial artists to pave a new way.


    As for the second¡­ it is like him, transforming from a fierce tiger to a voracious beast, reaching for the immortals dwelling in the clouds.


    This is destined to be a bloody and thorny path. Without consuming immortals, he cannot progress in martial arts. If he shes with immortals, he will surely incur the wrath of the Nine Immortal Gates.


    Lurking for forty years, the current Martial Saint has a momentum of swallowing the sky.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    Great Qin City.


    This newly established city was already empty, with deserted streets where not a single soul could be seen.


    After witnessing a member of the Qiao family using martial arts to defeat the immortals, even those who considered themselves wise and independent believers were thrown into chaos.


    Without needing great foresight, even an ordinary person could tell that something astonishing had urred within Great Qin City.


    King Qin, who was granted a title by the imperial court, was killed, and it seems like the Immortal Gate Great Dao Sect is involved.


    The leaders of the Great Dao Sect were killed by a martial arts expert from the Qiao family. In the battle, Qiao Miao used powerful magic to defeat them. The bodies of the leaders fell like rain, including a couple of powerful cultivators.


    At the entrance of Great Qin City at this moment, thest group of refugees fleeing the city left, leaving the entire city in a state of eerie silence.


    At this moment, it was almost nighttime. Therge newly built city had very few lights, and it was very quiet.


    Wei En stood on the top of a small hill outside the city, quietly looking down at the silent Great Qin City below, watching as people fled with torches in hand, saying nothing.


    "The world is in chaos¡­ Well, when is it not chaotic?" Wei En¡¯s face turned serious.


    Soldiers facing soldiers, and the Qiao family members charging towards King Qin as their target.


    Other people had their own tasks too, so they couldn¡¯t just charge forward recklessly, as that would only lead to death.


    Wei En, known as the top divine catcher in the world, excelled in light skills instead of directbat. He had only reached the 1st rank in martial arts, so blindly rushing into the battlefield of the Great Qin City would spell doom for him.


    He turned around and saw several new graves behind him.


    Several Qiao family members, Qiao Shui, Qiao Gui, and Qiao Miao, died before and after the battle in Great Qin City.


    Wei En looked back at Qiao Mu meditating below the waterfall, feeling heavy-hearted and noticing a strange look in his eyes.


    When he taught Qiao Mu the "Heavenly Dragon Eight Steps," he told him that if they wanted to kill King Qin, they needed to be prepared for the storm that would follow.


    The Great Yan Imperial Court was in a turbulent time, facing a dilemma whether to kill King Qin or not, feeling like a bottomless abyss with no peace in sight.


    Little did Wei En realize that¡­ he was not mentally prepared himself.


    "I thought the Qiao family members were going to assassinate King Qin, but what did they actually do?"


    "Two superb martial artists appeared, killing many cultivators from the Great Dao Sect, including two golden core cultivators, and even repelling an elder from the Great Dao Sect¡­."


    Wei En had only prepared himself for the Qiao family members to kill King Qin and leave, but he never expected that their actions would also cause trouble for the Immortal Gate and the Great Dao Sect.


    It¡¯s important to note that there are many strong individuals from the Immortal Gate. If one is injured or killed, even stronger elders from the sect will step forward to avenge them, as the dignity of the Immortal Gate cannot be vited.


    Forty years ago, there were many courageous schrs and martial artists in the Great Yan who feared nothing, and they generally reaped what they sowed. Even the grass on their graves had grown tall.


    "Wait, how does this sound simr to the actions of the Qiao family members?" Wei En was shaken by the thought.


    Although knowing that the Qiao family was powerful, he had neverpared the Qiao family with the Immortal Gate in his heart.


    But now, the Qiao family has produced two consecutive superb martial artists, which made Wei En have to reconsider this mysterious and powerful martial arts family.


    "Where on earth did this Qiao familye from?" Wei En was deeply puzzled.


    People thought that the Qiao family came from the overseas Hero Ind¡­ but Wei En knew very well that this was just a rumor he made up initially, and now he was truly bing more and more puzzled.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    Great Dao Sect¡¯s sect.


    Inside the cave, Qingzhuo quietly watched the Message Jade Talisman flickering with light, holding his head with a hand, feeling a bit of a headache.


    Every cultivator above the Foundation Building level in the sect keeps a Life Jade Slip, once it shatters, the sect will know quickly.


    Perhaps the sect deacon wouldn¡¯t immediately notice the death of a few cultivators.


    However, if dozens of foundation building cultivators, along with golden core cultivator Dao Fei, and the potential next Taoist Child Dao Zhen were to die together in a short time, it would undoubtedly be a big enough event to rm the sect.


    As the one responsible for this operation, Nascent Soul Elder Qingzhuo would naturally be questioned by the sect.


    "Qingzhuo." A voice came from outside the cave at this moment, and a middle-aged Taoist with an imposing presence, the current sect leader of Great Dao Sect, had arrived at the door.


    "Even the sect leader hase to question us."


    Qingzhuo sighed, opened the formation at the entrance of the cave, stepped out for the first time in his true form, and then exined the whole situation in detail.


    This time he didn¡¯t hide anything.


    Because it was obvious and couldn¡¯t be hidden anymore, trying to hide it from the sect leader was impossible.


    "Dao Fei died at the hands of a member of Qiao family among mortals, and your spiritual body was destroyed by the Martial Saint?"


    "The Martial Saint isn¡¯t dead? Didn¡¯t he already die at the hands of Elder Tianxing from Xuantian Sect? What a bunch of useless people in Xuantian Sect, not even figuring out the life and death of a mortal?"


    In his anger, the sect leader also came back to his senses.


    "Leaving aside the Martial Saint for now, he was already the leader among mortals in martial arts. Although it was unexpected for him to hide for forty years, it is also reasonable¡­ What¡¯s the deal with Qiao family member? Did theye out of nowhere?"


    A Martial Saint who can kill a Nascent Soul Dharma Body is undoubtedly powerful, but within the Immortal Gate, there is more than just Elder Qingzhuo, while there is only one Martial Saint among mortals.


    "Sect leader, I have already investigated this matter," Elder Qingzhuo quickly spoke at this moment.


    He also had a falling out with Qiao family member and Earth Sword Immortal before, and he had secretly investigated itter.


    "This Qiao family memberes from a hidden ce overseas called Hero Ind¡­"

 Chapter 257:

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    "Hero Ind? Is it a faraway ind beyond thends of Jiu Province?"


    The leader of the Great Dao Sect pondered deeply after hearing this.


    This information, reportedly revealed by a Qiao family member named Qiao Zhong, mentioned the secretive origins of the Qiao family.


    It¡¯s not unreasonable, considering that while the martial arts of the Qiao family and those in Jiu Province share the same roots, there are many differences when examined closely.


    For example, the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, which the Qiao family is famous for, is practically twopletely different explosive forbidden techniques despite sharing a simr name.


    "Senior sect leader, in my opinion, we should be cautious of this Qiao family member even though they are an ordinary martial artist," Elder Qingzhuo said solemnly.


    "A dike may copse because of an ant hole. Although this ordinary martial artist may not beparable to us cultivators, their actions have already harmed the great cause, hence we must be wary," Elder Qingzhuo cautioned.


    Elder Qingzhuo had changed his mind now.Before, he was always worried that his mistake would be discovered, which would damage the reputation of the Elder at the Immortal Gate.


    After all, as a Nascent Soul Elder who had lived for over a thousand years, having his mistake exposed by ordinary people who hadn¡¯t even lived a fraction of his years would be too humiliating.


    But now the truth can¡¯t be hidden, he had to inform the sect leader about this matter, and he had toe up with a new excuse, trying to make it sound more exaggerated.


    Above all, he just couldn¡¯t lose to ordinary people.


    What if he did lose?


    If he lost, then it would mean that the opponent was not an ordinary person at all!


    Elder Qingzhuo said solemnly, "In recent decades, Jiu Province martial artists have indeed changedpared to forty years ago, with the presence of Martial Saints and members of the Qiao family, they are not to be underestimated."


    Elder Qingzhuo was indeed qualified to say this, considering that forty years ago, the renowned Earth Sword Immortal, who was the best in the world, was defeated by his subordinate.


    However, when his words reached the ears of the sect leader, the sect leader just looked at him quietly, with eyes as deep and silent as an abyss.


    "What you said is not unreasonable." the sect leader said lightly:


    "Among the ordinary people in the Qiao family, they are known for protecting each other. If one Qiao family member is killed, another person quicklyes to avenge them, seeming endless."


    This kind of behavior is simr to powerful groups like the Nine Immortal Gates.


    But the problem is¡­ Qiao family members practice martial arts, while the others are just ordinary people.


    "In theory, the Qiao family¡¯s martial artists can defeat even the golden core disciples. So next, they should send a deacon from the Golden Core period, or even a Nascent Soul Elder, to eliminate those Qiao family members with wrong intentionspletely," pondered the leader of the Great Dao Sect.


    "But this¡­ is too slow."


    Why would he, as the leader of the Immortal Sect, y by the rules?


    "We should directly find the main base of the Qiao family member on Hero Ind, uproot their entire family, this way it will be faster," said the leader of the Great Dao Sect calmly.


    "For the overseas Hero Ind¡­ let¡¯s head to the southeastern seaside town, find the origin of that Qiao family member, and eradicate them at the root!"


    Haizhou, also known as Southeast Province.


    As everyone knows, Jiu Province is the collective name for nine provinces.


    Since there are Zhong Province, Nan Province¡­ it is easy to see that the other seven provinces are Dong Province, Bei Province, Western Province, in addition to Southeast Province, Southwest Province, East Bei Province, and Northwest Prefecture, which is very reasonable.


    "Brother sect leader has considered everything thoroughly, with great insight," Elder Qingzhuo nodded and smiled.


    In front of the sect leader, feeling guilty for his damaged reputation and repeated mistakes, he was slightly nervous and showed a humble attitude.


    The more Elder Qingzhuo felt guilty, the more he sensed the stern gaze of the sect leader fixed on him.


    "Could it be that Brother sect leader¡¯s intention is¡­ for me to go?" Elder Qingzhuo asked btedly.


    "If not you, then who?" sect leader snorted coldly, his face frowned:


    "After doing so many good deeds, do you still have the face to stay behind closed doors in the sect¡¯s cave dwelling?"


    Elder Qingzhuo¡¯s face turned slightly pale, hesitantly remaining silent.


    "The Immortal Gate in the Southeast Province specializes in divination known as the Soul Predicting Path," the sect leader calmly stated.


    "We only know of a Hero Ind, but not its exact location. We can¡¯t just search blindly like headless flies, right? We have to deal with cultivators of the Soul Predicting Path," he continued.


    "As you are an elder of our Immortal Gate, your visit to the Southeast Province naturally represents our Great Dao Sect¡­"


    The matter concerning the Qiao family member ended there, which also caught the attention of the sect leader, along with a Martial Saint.


    "The Martial Saint had long perished at the hands of the elder of Xuantian Sect. How could another Martial Saint emerge here?" The sect leader furrowed his brows, finding it all very suspicious.


    Several years ago.


    This world still belonged to cultivators, even during the so-called "Inhuman War" when the Great Yan Imperial Court¡¯s fortune declined. Not many cultivators died in battle. So why is there a Martial Saint now, followed by a Qiao family member?


    It all happened too suddenly. Within just a few decades, barely half a human¡¯s lifespan¡­


    If the two golden core cultivators hadn¡¯t really died, the sect leader wouldn¡¯t have believed it.


    "Could it be that someone from Xuantian Sect is up to something? The Martial Saint was killed by their people, and now the Martial Saint has reappeared, there must be something fishy going on." The first thought that came to the sect leader¡¯s mind was Xuantian Sect.


    In this world, cultivators¡¯ biggest enemies are each other, and Great Dao Sect¡¯s biggest enemy is naturally the other Immortal Gates.


    Instead of believing that ordinary people can suddenly use Martial Arts to defeat immortals, it¡¯s better to consider whether there are other Immortal Gates causing trouble behind the scenes.


    Remember, Xuantian Sect has always been bold and reckless. They almost forced Emperor Yonghe to worship a god before, which led to the emergence of the Human Emperor Sword.


    If the people from Xuantian Sect are not satisfied and secretly do something to harm the Great Dao Sect, then that would make sense.


    "Qingzhuo, please tell us more about the Martial Saint who was able to kill your Nascent Soul Dharma Body," the Great Dao Sect sect leader suddenly asked.


    "This person indeed doesn¡¯t seem like those ordinary martial artists who only know martial arts. He is very strange," Elder Qingzhuo recalled.


    "The Martial Saint¡¯s methods are very different from the martial arts that ordinary people talk about. I doubt if it can be called martial arts at all."


    "Maybe this so-called Martial Saint is just a cover," thought Elder Qingzhuo quietly.


    "Perhaps he is the ¡®South King¡¯ supported by the Xuantian Sect?"


    Each of the Nine Immortal Gates focuses on different immortal cultivation paths. The Great Dao Sect¡¯s immortal cultivation techniques, known as the method of refining Taoist soldiers, are highly regarded. The top method for refining Taoist soldiers is called ¡®Bean Breaks Through the Sky.¡¯


    So the Martial Arts King supported by the Great Dao Sect is the golden-bodied Taoist soldier, Qin Shiqing.


    Although King Qin appears human, he is actually aplete immortal creation. Therefore, he easily overwhelms ordinary Spirit Refining martial artists.


    The specific background of the so-called ¡®Martial Arts Kings¡¯ from the other Eight Immortal Gates remains unclear to the leader of the Great Dao Sect.


    However, Martial Arts Kings are definitely not ordinary martial artists. They simply take on the appearance of one to gain trust from the people. By carrying the banner of martial arts like King Qin, they aim to establish the Earthly Immortal Kingdom for their grand endeavor.


    "If this Martial Saint truly has only a human form as you say, but is inwardly different from regr people, he could indeed be the ¡®South King¡¯," the sect leader nodded slightly.


    Seeing the sect leader¡¯s reaction, Taoist Qingzhuo felt a bit relieved.


    People cannot lose the battle.


    He was injured by Qiao family member and Earth Sword Immortal when he was in the Hundred-mile Desert. It can be said that he was careless at that time. He thought that if he had another chance, he would definitely make Earth Sword Immortal and Qiao family member pay the price.


    When Nascent Soul Dharma Body died at the hands of Martial Saint, he had learned from past mistakes and was not careless.


    However, if Martial Saint turned out to be the Martial Arts King of Immortal Gate, then things would be different.


    Losing to the so-called Martial Arts King was essentially losing to the secret plots of Xuantian Sect, losing to other Immortal Gates that couldpete with Great Dao Sect.


    Even though Xuantian Sect had been suppressed by other Eight Immortal Gates after Emperor Yonghe worshipped the gods, it was still a formidable force.


    As cultivators, winning and losing is normal.


    When you think about it this way, things start to make sense.


    "But losing face in this matter is uneptable¡­" said the serious Great Dao Sect leader.


    He had a n to deal with a member of the Qiao family and the Martial Saint.


    But when trouble happened in Great Qin City, King Qin died, many cultivators also died, and the truth of everything was revealed to the believers in Zhong Province. The n of the Earthly Immortal Kingdom failed.


    "Forty years, still too short," said the leader of the Great Dao Sect quietly.


    "Short enough for many ordinary people to have already passed a generation, the new generation has forgotten about the war back then, and there are fools in this world who underestimate their own strength."


    "So whates next¡­ naturally is to make sure these ordinary people remember."


    Regardless of whether the Martial Saint or the Qiao family member are involved with another Immortal Gate, since they are enemies of the Great Dao Sect, the oue is destined to end thempletely.


    The n of the Earthly Immortal Kingdom was a scheme prepared by the Great Dao Sect to step back behind the scenes.


    Now that this n has been ruined, the Great Dao Sect must once again step forward just like during the Inhuman War forty years ago.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    Outside the Great Qin City, in a deserted mountain forest.


    "Did you lose a member of the Qiao family?"


    The Martial Saint walked towards Wu Qiankun with firm steps, every bone in his body crackling. As he approached, his body grew taller and more imposing.


    By the time he stood in front of Wu Qiankun, he appeared over three meters tall, like a towering iron tower.


    The Martial Saint looked down at Wu Qiankun expressionlessly from above.


    Wu Qiankun remained silent, his face slightly turning pale.


    The Wuji Association¡¯s arsenal housed martial arts from all over, including the Eye Attacking Technique practiced by Spirit Refining martial artists.


    Without using any special techniques, the Martial Saint¡¯s gaze alone made Wu Qiankun break into a cold sweat, feeling as if facing a mountain that almost suffocated him.


    After a while, Wu Qiankun saw a faint smile appear at the corner of the Martial Saint¡¯s mouth. Was he actually smiling?


    "You have some courage, but this behavior is not to be repeated, we must focus on what¡¯s important and not be distracted by bloodlust," said Martial Saint coldly.


    He was willing to pass on the Taotie Swallowing Heaven Skill to Wu Qiankun, and he had no intention of hiding it.


    While Wu Qiankun¡¯s actions may seem like a mistake, in the eyes of Martial Saint, it wasn¡¯t a bad thing, and it even brought him some joy.


    Among the three thousand disciples, Wu Qiankun was the strongest and most simr to Martial Saint.


    Since he and Martial Saint were simr, how could he willingly be a sycophant following behind Martial Saint?


    It could be said that this actually pleased Martial Saint.


    Having fangs is a good thing.


    In the Martial Saint¡¯s sect, there were all kinds of people, but no weaklings, as the weak had already be food for the strong.


    "Within the Wuji Association, you are known as ¡®Little Martial Saint¡¯, let¡¯s see if one day in the future, you can make me be ¡®Great Universe¡¯," Martial Saint said slowly.


    If Wu Qiankun was a mediocre person, how could he be entrusted to lead the Wuji Association?


    "Wu Qiankun¡¯s adoptive father was joking," a shiver ran down Wu Qiankun¡¯s spine.


    He also knew that this matter was closed, then he continued:


    "It¡¯s actually easy to find a Qiao family member, they like to meddle in other people¡¯s business and often cause trouble. To find the trace of a Qiao family member again is not difficult, just go to where the trouble is."


    "This is a minor issue. Our main enemy is the Immortal Gate, not martial artists," the Martial Saint nodded lightly.


    For the past forty years, the Martial Saint has been hunting down Spirit Refining martial artists and superb martial artists, also trying to train superb ranks.


    But now that the Taotie Swallowing Heaven Skill is perfected, after experiencing the taste of the Nascent Soul Dharma Body, his vision naturally goes beyond just the mortal world.


    So even though Qiao family¡¯s martial arts are strong, they are not the focus of the Martial Saint and the Wuji Association.


    What the Martial Saint has to do is very simple, it¡¯s not fundamentally different from what he has been doing for the past forty years, just the target has changed¡ª¨C


    "The cultivator has been hunted." He whispered.


    Both him and Wu Qiankun, among others, need the essence of cultivators to make breakthroughs.


    Mortal armies can easily defeat Spirit Refining martial artists, and even superb martial artists can be ousted, but when ites to dealing with cultivators who can fly and disappear, it¡¯s a different story ¨C this was something Martial Saint understood forty years ago.


    In reality, the cultivators from Great Dao Sect can summon soldiers effortlessly, they understand naval warfare better than Great Yan Imperial Court, and Martial Saint had learned this lesson long ago.


    Therefore, the second Inhuman War forty yearster, was not a battle of tens of thousands on the battlefield, but a deadly game of hide and seek between hunters and prey deep in the forest.


    In the Imperial Capital, in the Imperial Study of the Great Yan Pce.


    Emperor Yonghe overturned the pile of documents on the long table, causing them to scatter all over the floor.


    He lifted his gaze towards the shimmering Human Emperor Sword hanging on the wall, feeling lost and confused.


    King Qin was actually a Taoist soldier from the Immortal Gate¡­ Several members of the Qiao family died again, but they really seeded in using martial arts to defeat immortals, able to contend with immortal cultivators on their own, and even frighten away Nascent Soul Elders?


    When did such an unbelievably strong martial artist suddenly appear in this world?


    Emperor Yonghe was very confused. Great Qin Prefecture was clearly in Zhong Province, yet he knew so little about such a big event happening there. He didn¡¯t know about the ns of the Great Dao Sect, nor did he understand where the powerful martial artists from the Qiao family came from.


    "Sometimes I envy how freely the Qiao family members can act," he said.


    "But as the Great Yan Emperor, I bear the weight of the Great Yan state and all its people, so I must always prioritize the bigger picture. However, this time¡­" Emperor Yonghe shook his head.


    "It¡¯s too soon."


    "I am not ready yet, Great Yan is not prepared to start a war again. It¡¯s not the right time."


    Flying Fish Guard Chu Xing stood quietly at the entrance of the Imperial Study, observing his breath and heartbeat as usual.


    At this moment, a slightly rebellious idea crossed his mind:


    "The king always says to wait for the right time, that we shouldn¡¯t act without proper consideration for the country and its people. But is there really a perfect moment to act in this world?"

 Chapter 258 (1)

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    Inside the Imperial Study.


    Emperor Yonghe organized the messy memorials.


    As an emperor, he couldn¡¯t act on impulse, so even if his emotions got out of control at times, he had to calm himself down afterwards.


    The Flying Fish Guard was Emperor Yonghe¡¯s eyes and ears, with the most outstanding members being at the 3rd to 1st ranks of the Spiritual Refining Period. Chu Xing was at the 3rd rank of the Spiritual Refining Period.


    Martial arts in the world had progressed significantly over the past decades, mainly referring to the Martial Saint and the Wuji Association.


    The Great Yan Imperial Court, as well as major sects like Wudang and Shaolin destroyed by the Martial Saint, all practiced what the Wuji Association called the "ancient method," which was stuck in the martial world of forty years ago.


    Therefore, relying on the Spirit Refining martial artists in the Flying Fish Guard to gather deep intelligence in Great Qin City from either King Qin or cultivators behind him was quite beyond expectations.


    Whether it¡¯s a mysterious Qiao family member or the secrets of King Qin, the Flying Fish Guard can¡¯t uncover¡­"Your Majesty." At this moment, the Flying Fish Guard Chu Xing stepped inside:


    "The Medicine Man you ordered to find the medicine has been found."


    "Oh?" Emperor Yonghe¡¯s eyes lit up immediately, and he quickly said:


    "Quickly present it to me, let me take a look."


    Chu Xing opened the jade box, inside it was a sparkling and translucent snow lotus flower, as beautiful as jade.


    "This is a Winter Snow Lotus grown in the extremely cold regions of Bei Province, very precious and rare," Chu Xing exined:


    "It only blooms once every ten years, for just a moment. It must be picked at that exact moment and stored in a special jade box to preserve its medicinal properties."


    "The Medicine Man waited for three months in the snowy mountains of Bei Province before finally witnessing the flower blooming¡­ However, he stayed in the snow for so long that his toes got frostbitten."


    Emperor Yonghe pondered for a moment and said:


    "Then, as a reward, I will give you ten thousand silver coins."


    "Your Majesty, shall we handle this Winter Snow Lotus as usual? Split it into two parts, with three parts sent to the Qianyuan Pce and seven parts sent to the Great Dao Sect¡¯s monastery?" Chu Xing asked again. ?


    "Yes," Emperor Yonghe nodded, sighing slightly.


    Most of the precious treasures in this world are controlled by cultivators.


    The remaining parts are usually found in remote and dangerous ces, either difficult to extract, extremely perilous, guarded by monsters, or inherently dangerous. Even cultivators could risk their lives there.


    As a result, Medicine Men emerged.


    Though cultivators have long lifespans, they are much more efficient at gathering herbs by hand than ordinary people.


    However, herb gathering is a tiresome and dangerous task, better suited for ordinary folks.


    Over the years, the pce has collected various precious materials, keeping three parts for themselves and contributing seven parts.


    As for the three parts that the pce keeps for itself¡­


    "This main ingredient is extraordinary. With this main ingredient, the power of the magical medicine furnace can be enhanced. I wonder how much progress can be made this time? Our ancestors have been waiting for many years, so we must send it immediately."


    Emperor Yonghe thought for a moment, then changed his mind:


    "Forget it, you can put it down. I will go there myself."


    Recently, there were troubles in Great Qin Prefecture, and the Great Dao Sect supported King Qin. Emperor Yonghe was feeling tired and also wanted to see the esteemed ancestor of the royal family, known as the Sea God Needle.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    The pce kitchen.


    A tall and muscr chef was skillfully using a knife, effortlessly cutting through the muscles and bones of a cow. The cow was quickly being butchered under his knife.


    His knife skills were excellent, the kitchen knife in his hands moved like a butterfly, dazzling the eyes with its speed and precision.


    "Xiaohu, you really have some skills with that knife. What do you work as in the kitchen?" other kitchen staff praised.


    "It¡¯s not that the chefs in the royal kitchen are not good, for a kitchen hand to enter the royal kitchen, that¡¯s truly reaching the top¡­"


    "Honestly, with such good knife skills, but only average cooking skills, even if you enter the royal kitchen, you might just end up as a meat cutter¡¯s assistant, it¡¯s somewhat underusing your talent."


    The young chef with the surname Hu smiled slightly.


    "Being a chef is not my preference; I aspire to practice martial arts."


    "?" The other kitchen assistants were surprised.


    "What are you saying? Did youe to the wrong ce? This is the Royal Kitchen, you are in the wrong ce."


    "Just because you don¡¯t want to work as a helper for martial artists, does that mean you can¡¯t be a good chef? The skills needed in the Royal Kitchen for cutting meat are different from the sword techniques of martial artists, they are not the same, right?"


    Among the people¡¯s discussions, the young cook named Hu remained unfazed, even seeming a bit strange.


    "Haven¡¯t you heard of it before?"


    "Decades ago, there was another imperial chef named Hu in the royal kitchen. After heid down his butcher¡¯s knife, he immediately became the top martial artist in the world, wielding the legendary ¡®Cow Cleaver Knife¡¯ that no one could match."


    "Wasn¡¯t his knife skills honed in the royal kitchen?"


    "Do you also believe in such absurd rumors?" The others remained silent.


    "Why wouldn¡¯t I believe it? Slicing meat in the royal kitchen is a process that sharpens a martial artist¡¯s mindset. He spent decades ughtering cattle to be the top in knife skills. What¡¯s wrong with following in his footsteps?" said the young man surnamed Hu.


    Just then, footsteps were heard outside the door, and the Emperor¡¯s guard Chu Xing approached.


    "Prepare medicinal meals for the Qianyuan Pce¡­ get red fruit, snow bone ginseng, purple smoke fruit¡­ make sure to have all these ready, the medicinal meals are necessary."


    Chu Xing had no intention of chatting with the imperial chefs and hurriedly left.


    Before leaving, he also nced at the young helper surnamed Hu out of the corner of his eye and shook his head silently:


    "This chicken soup is not something you can just drink anytime."


    "The former swordsman surnamed Hu did indeed achieve the top position in swordsmanship in the Royal Kitchen of the pce¡­ but rumors are just rumors, they only tell half the story, the truth is more than that."


    "How could a chef in this world suddenly have an epiphany, give up the butcher¡¯s knife, and be a master of the martial arts? Are the other martial artists just silly pigs?"


    Chu Xing was not only a guard for the emperor, but also a spy known as the Flying Fish Guard, who knew a lot more things than ordinary people.


    "When that former master of martial arts was still working in the imperial kitchen, he was skilled in cooking, which greatly pleased the ancestors in the deep pce."


    "When the old ancestor was in a good mood, he saw him as a talented and promising individual. His understanding of martial arts was good, so he would often give him guidance."


    "So, this young man named Hu wanting to imitate the master is not as easy as he thinks¡­. Bing a master of the martial arts is not something that can be achieved easily."


    "Even if your knife skills are excellent, without guidance from your predecessors, it¡¯s as good as futile¡­"


    In the first forty years of the martial arts world, there were ten superb martial artists.


    The royal ancestor in the deep pce lived for a very long time, so his martial arts skills were even better than those of ordinary superb martial artists, giving him a bit more advantage. Teaching the younger generation was a piece of cake for him.


    After giving instructions to the royal kitchen, Chu Xing headed straight to the deep pce.


    The presence of the royal ancestor was also considered a secret.


    Ordinary people only knew that there was a senior member of the royal family in the deep pce, but they didn¡¯t know specifics like how long this senior member had lived, or if they possessed martial arts skills¡­ Chu Xing himself wasn¡¯t too clear either.


    However, being a Spirit Refining martial artist and spending a lot of time with Emperor Yonghe, Chu Xing could make some guesses about things without knowing everything for sure.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    It was early morning, with the soft morning light shining gently in the royal garden.


    Some noblewomen and royal family members got up early to practice martial arts in this royal garden.


    They gathered in small groups, iming to practice martial arts, but actually just passing the time.


    How can the noblewomen in the pce endure the hardship of martial arts practice?


    They practiced martial arts under the morning sunlight, their movements slow and weak,cking strength and vigor. It was more like a gentle exercise than actual martial arts practice.


    If Qiao Mu were here, he would surely recognize that these people were practicing a modified version of the Qiao Family Long Life Fist.


    A century ago, a hundred-year-old grandmaster emerged from Heyang City¡¯s Qiao Family, gaining worldwide fame. Later on, the art of martial arts was introduced into the pce for teaching. However, it was evident that these nobles only desired longevity and not the dedication to endure the hardships of martial arts practice.


    Except for an elderly man in the corner with white hair.


    Despite his white hair, this elderly man had few wrinkles, looking youthful. His sharp eyes were full of vigor, unlike ordinary elderly people.


    Although his movements were slow, there was a harmony between the path of his fist and his breathing. Two visible streams of white vapor even emanated from his nostrils as he executed his fist techniques, revealing a clear distinction from the other nobles nearby.


    "Hoo¡­" Afterpleting a set of fist techniques, the old man stood still, gently exhaling a breath of white vapor.


    However, in the morning light, the white vapor was surprisingly condensed, like an arrow released, lingering for a long time before dissipating.


    "Is he here?" The old man didn¡¯t even turn around, he just asked quietly.


    From some time onwards, there were no people around the royal garden, and it became quiet.


    The pce nobles who were chatting in small groups a moment ago had already left on their own, and now Emperor Yonghe was walking briskly, followed by several guards.


    "Grand Ancestor." Emperor Yonghe slightly bowed, showing respect.


    "Since you are here, listen to some words of wisdom from this old man." The white-haired old man spoke:


    "In the past, the founding emperor of Great Yan used the Human Emperor Sword to establish the country through martial arts. Not only was he strong in battle, but the martial arts skills of the emperor himself were also the best in thend at that time."


    "If someone¡¯s martial arts reach a superb level, they be a powerful warrior on the battlefield. During the chaotic times two to three hundred years ago, the founding emperor naturally had countless followers who responded to his call."


    "The ¡®Imperial Extreme True Skill¡¯ created by the founding emperor was also considered the top martial arts skill at that time."


    "Besides the martial art "Imperial Extreme True Skill," the Qiao Family in Heyang City also practices the "Long Life Fist," a special skill that is said to be connected to the Long Life Gate of the Nine Heavenly Immortal Gates."

 Chapter 258 (2)

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    "This martial art allows one to stay young and healthy, but unfortunately, a hundred years ago when the hundred-year-old master from the Qiao Family in Heyang City taught this martial art in the pce, the nobles in the pce lived a pampered life and couldn¡¯t endure the hardships of training. They all died young, unable to master the skills, so they didn¡¯t live long, unlike me."


    "So¡­ do you understand, Emperor," the old man with white hair casually picked up a ginseng next to him and started eating it, just like biting into a sweet potato.


    "In the past, the founding emperor was strong and skilled in martial arts, which was the foundation of his great achievements in the chaotic world."


    "Emperor, those who are strong and skilled in martial arts should be respected!"


    Emperor Yonghe couldn¡¯t help but twitch at the corners of his eyes as he listened.


    If anyone in this world were to say these words, it would be considered treason.


    Even the rtives of the emperor would not dare to say such things in front of Emperor Yonghe, as it may be seen as a sign of rebellion.


    But only the person in front of him could.Because of his existence, he is like the most important person in the Great Yan Royal Family.


    The old man with white hair continued:


    "But in today¡¯s world, cruel beings live in the sky, even if we are very strong, we can¡¯t defeat them."


    "So we people from the Yan family need more than just being strong, we also need to have strength of our own, our fists are the most important."


    "Emperor, how long has it been since you practiced martial arts?"


    "Regr physical training from outside might actually shorten your life, but the royal family has many exceptional martial arts skills in its arsenal."


    "Even if you don¡¯t train too intensely, practicing martial arts can keep you healthy and live longer."


    Faced with the old man¡¯s words, Emperor Yonghe could only smile bitterly:


    "Running the country is very busy, especially with the Immortal Gate bing more aggressive in recent years. I have been walking on thin ice for forty years, trying hard to maintain a fragile bnce. Where would I find the time to train in martial arts?"


    The founding emperor established the country through martial arts, and his descendants have continued for two to three hundred years until now. The direct line naturally belongs to the Emperor Yonghe¡¯s lineage.


    Although the emperor¡¯s status is prestigious, even if they are not skilled in martial arts, they can still make all martial artists bow down to them. Therefore, most emperors don¡¯t have high martial arts skills nor need to have them.


    As for the princes and grandsons of the royal branches, their numbers are countless, and among them are also those who practice martial arts.


    Yan Shenji is one of them.


    The saying goes "rich in martial arts, poor in literacy." To excel in martial arts, one needs a lot of herbal medicines, meat, and other dietary supplements.


    Yan Shenji, however, is different from the rest.


    He has a unique body constitution known as the Medicine Spirit Body, naturally close to herbs and medicinal nts, enabling him to absorb their medicinal properties well, almost without worrying about any side effects of the herbs.


    He has already consumed life-prolonging elixirs and powerful items like the Centennial Vermilion Fruit, which can increase one¡¯s strength for a hundred years.


    When one¡¯s martial arts reach a superb rank, they basically enter the realm of experts.


    Whether possessing extraordinary physique, exceptional talent, or encountering numerous fortunate events, or even abination of all three¡­ Characters like Martial Saint, Earth Sword Immortal, and others were considered legendary figures in martial arts that ordinary people could never match even after a lifetime of efforts. ?


    And Yan Shenji is the legendary martial artist in the Great Yan Royal Family.


    For the past forty years, seventy percent of the treasures acquired by the royal family were handed over to the Immortal Gate, while the remaining thirty percent mostly ended up in Yan Shenji¡¯s hands.


    Emperor Yonghe watched Yan Shenji chewing ginseng like he would chew a sweet potato, feeling impressed.


    Ordinary martial artists cannot spend money like this. As the saying goes, too much of a good thing can be harmful. No matter how rich someone is, they shouldn¡¯t treat valuable medicine as everyday food.


    Emperor Yonghe said:


    "Everyone will die eventually, even an emperor. But the survival of the Yan family is more important than my own life."


    "So whether I practice martial arts or not isn¡¯t actually that important. What matters is whether our ancestors¡¯ martial arts can advance further."


    "If our ancestors can remain forever young, then they can ensure the eternal glory of the Great Yan ancestral heritage."


    "Then, this world shall belong to my Great Yan. The foundation left by the founding ancestor shall also be passed down for generations toe."


    "The lifespan of mortal emperors is no different from regr people¡¯s; ultimately, they will also die."


    "If immortality was possible, he would naturally want to be an immortal emperor, but that¡¯s not achievable."


    "So, he could only settle for securing the rule of Great Yan and passing it on to future generations."


    Emperor Yonghe was deep in thought, actually waiting for the right moment; although it wasn¡¯t a perfect opportunity, he hoped for Yan Shenji¡¯s martial arts skills to continue improving.


    The longer it took and the more rare treasures found, the greater the power of the ancestors would be.


    If Yan Shenji is not a match now, with a few more decades, or even centuries, there might be hope.


    However, Yan Shenji nced sideways at his words.


    "Is the survival of the Yan family more important than my own survival¡­ Quite ambitious of him."


    Yan Shenji was initially a bit disapproving of Emperor Yonghe being from the royal family, but now he is starting to see him in a different light.


    He lived in the pce for a long time, had a high status, but never interfered in politics, only focusing on martial arts.


    All he heard about was how both Emperor Yonghe and the former emperor had tarnished the glory of the royal family, so he naturally had a bad impression.


    And he actually had some grievances in his heart.


    "Although he has some potential, his vision iscking," Yan Shenji bluntly stated:


    "The two young talents named Wu and Hu who were exceptional martial artists forty to fifty years ago were true gems."


    "But you ended up sending both of them out to the world. Now in the court, there are no outstanding martial arts talents to be found."


    "Hai Wuya can be considered half-decent, but forty years ago he lost interest in martial arts and seemed to have taken a wrong path, ultimately not being of much use."


    "Ahem. Ancestor, I actually came here this time with an important matter," Emperor Yonghe quickly changed the subject.


    At that moment, Emperor Yonghe called for the eunuch behind him and opened the jade box in his hand, revealing the Winter Snow Lotus inside.


    Yan Shenji and the emperors from the past were like one big family, and their dynasties hadsted until now because they supported each other.


    Yan Shenji needed a lot of precious medicinal herbs to extend his lifespan or increase his strength.


    The emperors from the past also needed Yan Shenji¡¯s exceptional martial arts skills ¨C in general, a superb martial artist like him could easily defeat arge army of ordinary soldiers, but it would require a significant number of soldiers.


    Some exceptional martial artists with incredible agility, such as the "Eight-armed Heavenly Dragon" who was famous for his exceptional agility forty years ago, could use techniques like his Heavenly Dragon Eight Steps to move swiftly through the air with eight steps, even if surrounded by arge army, they could escape easily.


    Ordinary soldiers were no match for these exceptional individuals, if they were to sneak into the pce at night, it would bring great shame to the royal family.


    Yan Shenji was like a beacon of light in this regard.


    He seldom needed to take action, but when he did, it was to deal with the most powerful individuals in the mortal realm.


    Of course, this didn¡¯t apply to inhuman beings.


    "Hmm? You¡¯re a thoughtful child." Yan Shenji squinted and praised.


    "With this Winter Snow Lotus, I can now start refining my treasured medicine."


    By practicing martial arts in the usual way, even training in extreme heat in summer and extreme cold in winter, one can only be a basic strong warrior.


    A true strong warrior isn¡¯t just achieved through hard work; diligence is just the foundation and cannot rival the Immortal Gate.


    Members of the Qiao family gamble with their lives, Martial Saints gamble with the lives of others, and the Great Yan royal family gambles with gold; everyone has a bright future.

 Chapter 259:

    Chapter 259:


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    After discussing the matter of rare treasures, Emperor Yonghe tried to change the subject and talk about the important matters in Great Qin City, wanting to hear the opinion of this royal family member with a sharp insight.


    However, as soon as this topic was brought up, Yan Shenji showed clear disinterest andck of enthusiasm.


    Emperor Yonghe also understood the temperament of the old ancestor; he didn¡¯t like politics, only loved martial arts. So, he changed the topic:


    "Speaking of it, the Qiao family member who emerged in Great Qin City is truly remarkable."


    Emperor Yonghe spoke up:


    "The Qiao family is a very mysterious martial arts family, said to have lived for generations on the overseas Hero Ind, only recently emerging, very mysterious indeed."


    "What¡¯s more, this Qiao family seems to have some connection with the Heyang City¡¯s Qiao Family who practice the Long Life Fist, also producing many elders over a hundred years old."


    "Of course, they may just be over a hundred years old, extremely long-lived by worldly standards, considered blessings, butpared to their ancestors, they are nothing.""Qiao family youngsters over a hundred years old?" Upon hearing this, Yan Shenji also became interested:


    "It¡¯s a bit interesting, but not very meaningful."


    Yan Shenji¡¯s longevity is mainly due to his exceptional talent, being a Medicine Spirit Body.


    Although there is no elixir of immortality in this world, there are rare longevity medicines avable.


    It¡¯s actually not that rare. Most of the precious treasures in this world are owned by someone, either controlled by cultivators or upied by demonic beasts.


    The remaining ones can only be obtained by a few lucky chosen ones or powerful figures like mortal emperors.


    Moreover, these life-extending treasures usually only work effectively the first time. When taken for the second or third time, their effects often rapidly decline¡­ Not only life-extending treasures, but also other items like the Centennial Vermilion Fruit that increases strength or the pills refined by cultivators, all follow this rule.


    So, even cultivators cannot forcibly extend their lifespan too much using life-extending treasures; there is usually a limit.


    Yan Shenji is different.


    So far, he has not noticed the declining effects of life-extending treasures¡ªmaybe even the Medicine Spirit Body cannot endlessly consume medicines, but he has not yet reached the limit of his physical condition.


    An ordinary martial artist who only lives to a hundred years actually doesn¡¯t qualify to impress him.


    As a pivotal figure of the royal family, Yan Shenji has rarely made moves in the past century, but the people he has dealt with are usually the most outstanding figures of the time, naturally giving him a broad perspective.


    When Emperor Yonghe just mentioned that members of the Qiao family are long-lived, Yan Shenji didn¡¯t take it seriously.


    But when he talked about Qiao Miao killing King Qin using martial arts to defeat immortals, Yan Shenji became very interested and his eyes lit up.


    "Please bear with it for a while, ancestors." Seeing this, Emperor Yonghe also sighed slightly.


    "I know that the ancestors have a fierce temper, inheriting the legacy of the founding emperor, but this matter concerns the country and society. Please prioritize the overall situation."


    This Yan Shenji was actually a legendary martial artist of his generation.


    Since the founding of the country by the founding emperor three hundred years ago, among the royal family, except for the founding emperor himself, there was only Yan Shenji who had such a superb rank.


    It is said that Yan Shenji was the most beloved grandson of the founding emperor at that time, with a temperament as strong as the founding emperor. He left the imperial pce in a fit of anger when he was young and built a great reputation in the martial arts world.


    It is said that when Yan Shenji was young and exploring the world, he identally obtained the Centennial Vermilion Fruit, gradually discovering his unique physique, and thus creating a legend in the martial arts world.


    At his peak, he was once ranked third on the Tide Listening Building Strength List.


    Although not as mighty as the founding emperor who conquered the Great Yan territory with unmatched bravery, he also gained immense fame in the martial arts world.


    People at the time thought Yan Shenji, as the prince, had inherited the virtues of his ancestors, which was not without reason.


    But when Yan Shenji heard Emperor Yonghe praise him, he just smirked:


    "Don¡¯t tter me, how outstanding was my ancestor really?"


    "If I had a fierce temper and sharp eyes, during the Inhuman War forty years ago, I would have entered the Immortal Gate, how could I still be alive today?"


    Speaking of this, Yan Shenji also sighed:


    "After all, I am getting old, not like before."


    "It¡¯s not that I am old, but my heart is aging."


    "Throughout the ages, how many emperors were ambitious in their youth, but indulged in pleasures in theirter years, losing their integrity?"


    "Time is ruthless, beauty fades, heroes grow old, and decline in old age ismon."


    "Life is like the ebb and flow of the tide, how can one¡¯s heart withstand the erosion of time?"


    Emperor Yonghe remained silent, wanting to speak but unsure.


    This elderly royal ancestor, although old, sometimes rambled on about the past.


    "Our ancestor¡¯s charisma is just as impressive as before, who in this world can match our ancestor?" Emperor Yonghe hastily replied.


    "Living for two hundred years in this Jiu Province, one may not find anyone more long-lived and resilient to the passage of time than our ancestor."


    "People often talk about the rare longevity of the Qiao family, with many centenarians. But they only know of the Qiao family¡¯s fame, unaware of our elderly ancestor still living in the pce."


    Of course, whenparing ages, cultivators are excluded by default.


    "Hey, what¡¯s the point ofparing me with someone in their early hundreds? Isn¡¯t that unfair?" Yan Shenji waved his hand.


    "It¡¯s quite peculiar," Emperor Yonghe remarked.


    "The Qiao family has many martial artists, and they all get stronger as they get older. The older they are, the more powerful they be."


    "But now there is a warrior named Qiao Miao who has died in battle, and Qiao Shuanggui. Both of them are middle-aged with white hair, but they are much stronger than the older members of the Qiao family."


    Yan Shenji didn¡¯t pay much attention at first, but his eyes lit up when he heard this.


    "Oh, it seems like the martial arts skills of the Qiao family members are quite impressive, right?"


    "What does the ancestor mean?" Emperor Yonghe was a bit confused.


    "You don¡¯t understand even this¡­I told you to practice martial arts earlier, why did you neglect so many years?" Yan Shenji waved his hand.


    "Didn¡¯t you say that the Qiao family members from Hero Ind overseas also practice the Long Life Fist?"


    "The Long Life Fist has the effect of staying strong as you get older, but it¡¯s very challenging. It¡¯s not as good for attacking as other martial arts like the Pure Yang Wuji Skill or Vajra Immortal Skill¡­so very few people can master it."


    "In the past three hundred years, I am the only one who has mastered the Long Life Fist."


    "Now it seems like the older Qiao family members didn¡¯t practice Long Life Fist well or maybe their martial arts skills weren¡¯t high enough. Their energy and blood flow couldn¡¯t be controlled anymore, showing their aging signs."


    "As for the Qiao Shuanggui you mentioned?" Yan Shenji pondered for a moment.


    "Since he is stronger than the other elders¡­ This person might actually be younger in age and senioritypared to the previous elderly n members, but his Long Life Fist skills are higher, so his energy and blood haven¡¯t declined much yet."


    "Oh? Is there such a thing?" Emperor Yonghe was surprised.


    He didn¡¯t practice martial arts, so he didn¡¯t understand the secrets of Long Life Fist.


    "Could this Qiao Shuanggui be over a hundred years old? How can an ordinary person live for so long?" Thinking about this, Emperor Yonghe also felt amazed.


    "Indeed, it¡¯s very difficult for ordinary people to live that long. I just said it casually, don¡¯t take it seriously," Yan Shenji said indifferently.


    "It¡¯s more likely that¡­ Qiao Shuanggui is a genius of the Qiao family, so he practiced martial arts for a shorter time but his martial arts skills are higher."


    "After all, martial arts don¡¯t depend on age. Just because someone is older doesn¡¯t mean they have higher martial skills. If martial arts also had to do with seniority, it would be too boring."


    When Yan Shenji heard about Qiao Shuanggui, a middle-aged man mentioned by Emperor Yonghe, he became interested.


    "I have mastered the Long Life Fist to a high level now. Even the hundred-year-old master of the Qiao Family in Heyang City is not as good as me. If I spar with this young man, I should be able to guess his real age."


    "Whether Qiao Shuanggui is a martial arts genius or a hundred-year-old man, it will be clear once we fight."


    "Has the ancestor¡¯s martial arts reached such an unbelievable level?" Emperor Yonghe sensed that Yan Shenji was eager to leave the pce and quickly said, "But it is a turbulent time recently, it is better for the ancestor not to leave the pce."


    "Why are you so boring?" Yan Shenji felt a bit disappointed and waved his hand, saying:


    "I just mentioned it casually, I didn¡¯t really mean to leave the pce¡­ Anyway, when the people from Tide Listening Building publish the new main list, just send it to me for a look."


    "I am quite interested. Is the young man from the Qiao family this time called Qiao Miao or Qiao Shuanggui? With such a big momentum this time, what title can he achieve on the top four main lists of Tide Listening Building?"


    "I have not been in touch with the world for many years, so I am not so familiar with the current situation in the martial arts world."


    Yan Shenji was very interested in martial arts, but not so much in politics.


    Emperor Yonghe tried to change the subject several times, wanting to hear the royal rtive Dinghai Shenzhen¡¯s views on political matters. But Dinghai Shenzhen kept steering the conversation back, leaving Emperor Yonghe no choice but to give up.


    They talked for about half an hour before Emperor Yonghe got up to bid farewell.


    However, he felt a bit helpless inside.


    While the ancestor was indeed a revered figure in the royal family, he was more like a caged dragon.


    Although he also needed Emperor Yonghe to spend resources gathering the elixir of longevity, ultimately it was Emperor Yonghe who needed the ancestor more.


    Despite his old age, he still remembered the ties to the royal family, so he had resided deep in the pce for many years, almost unknown to the outside world.


    The pce maids and eunuchs only vaguely knew of this highly esteemed royal elder in the pce, unaware of his exact age or identity.


    Despite being a legendary martial artist, his seniority made him unassable even by Emperor Yonghe.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    In Zhong Province, there is a town called Anxi.


    The town is not very big, and usually only traders and travelers pass through. People onlye to pay respect to the heroes who died in the Inhuman War forty years ago during the Qingming Festival.


    However, when three hundred old soldiers from the Hundred-mile Desert and the Minister of Rites Hai Wuya from the court held a ceremony to honor the heroes, the town became famous across Zhong Province and became a well-known attraction.


    Anxi Town is not far from Great Qin City. After the establishment of the Great Qin Prefecture, the town was also included in the area of the Great Qin Prefecture, making it a territory under the rule of King Qin.


    Therefore, many refugees from the battle between King Qin and various Dao Sect cultivators, as well as fleeing residents of Great Qin City, passed through this town.


    Among these refugees, there were also a few eyewitnesses who were in the vegetable market of the Great Qin Prefecture.


    With their flight, news of the events happening in Great Qin City spread quickly throughout Zhong Province.


    The old inn in Anxi Town is now full of people.


    The innkeeper put up a sign iming that a member of the Qiao family had stayed there and even helped deliver a letter through the underworld, attracting many customers.


    In the inn¡¯s lobby, Storyteller Jiang Chen, dressed in a long robe, pped his hands and began telling the story of a member of the Qiao family.


    "Today, let me tell you about the deeds of the Qiao family member in the Great Qin City, where they faced King Qin and defeated powerful enemies!"


    Jiang Chen¡¯s storytelling skills were getting better, and soon the audience had filled the inn¡¯s lobby.


    In a corner of the lobby.


    An old man with white hair was yfully holding a cat in his arms, without a care in the world.


    The old man with white hair looked ordinary, but the multicolored cat in his arms was beautiful and eye-catching, with a round face and fluffy fur that seemed to shine softly, drawing attention.


    "Youzy cat, when will you repay my kindness?" Qiao Mu reached out to y with the cat, but lost interest halfway through.


    "Never mind, you¡¯re so fat. If you transform, you might turn into a wild boar! It¡¯s better for you to stay as a cat."


    The multicolored cat in the man¡¯s arms widened its eyes like copper bells and tried to struggle in the air, as if wanting to escape, but where could it run to?


    After releasing the first half of "Human Path Sutra" and reaching a superb level in martial arts, this cat couldn¡¯t escape from Qiao Mu¡¯s hands anymore.


    Especially after practicing the Heavenly Dragon Eight Steps, the current Qiao Mu no longer needs the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method to catch this round but agile little kitty pig.


    Qiao Mu picked up the clear tea on the table and drank it all, casually yed with the cat, listened to the storyteller bragging about himself, telling his glorious deeds, and felt quite content inside.


    Now, he is already 375 years old, and in any dynasty from ancient times to the present, no one is older than him.


    But after waking up from the dream, he stubbornly maintained his small hobbies from his youth:


    ying with the cat, listening to people boasting about himself, and appearing saintly in front of others.


    The more lonely he felt in the dream, the more he enjoyed the simple and rxing life.


    "This is what life is about, always being locked up, what¡¯s the point? It¡¯s not living at all."


    Just then, a person walked into the inn and sat at Qiao Mu¡¯s table, it was Wei En who had also changed his appearance simply.


    "Brother Qiao."


    "Tide Listening Building has released a new issue of the Power Ranking. Your name is also on it. Do you want to take a look?" Wei En said.


    "I never cared much for empty fame. Is there anything interesting to see?"


    "Moreover, wasn¡¯t Martial Saint not on the list before? Without Martial Saint in the rankings, what¡¯s good to look at?" Qiao Mu said with pride.


    Just with two sentences, Wei En intrigued Qiao Mu¡¯s thoughts:


    "That Earth Sword Immortal from the past, actually ranks first in Tide Listening Building¡¯s Skill List. Do you want to see the other three lists?"


    "But now there is no Hero List, only the Power Ranking. Otherwise, Earth Sword Immortal may have a chance to be the number one in the world. It¡¯s just that his life and death are uncertain¡­ Wooden Sword Walker Lu Yanbei insists he¡¯s alive, so he remains on the list."

 Chapter 260 (1)

    Chapter 260 (1)


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    "Since Earth Sword Immortal is there, the Tide Listening Building¡¯s ranking still holds some value." Qiao Mu nodded.


    He took the Tide Listening Building Martial Arts Ranking List from Wei En¡¯s hand and quickly nced at it.


    It¡¯s not just Wei En.


    Anxi Town is filled with many martial artists, many of whom have also obtained thetest Martial Arts Ranking List. They are gathered together discussing it enthusiastically.


    "Top of the Power List, ¡®Demon Spear¡¯ Qing Li."


    "Eighth on the Power List, ¡®Iron Body¡¯ Wu Jingang."


    "Ninth on the Power List, martial artist from the Qiao family, Qiao Shuanggui."


    "Qiao Shuanggui and Qiao Miao are said to be brothers from the Qiao family. They have simr strengths. Qiao Miao fights using the King Qin Golden Body technique, Using Martial Arts to Defeat Immortals. Qiao Shuanggui can also defeat golden core cultivators and then return to Great Qin City to handle his brother¡¯s body, boldly iming he has avenged his brother Qiao Miao."Wait, does Tide Listening Building record even boastful ims like mine?


    Qiao Mu couldn¡¯t handle it anymore.


    But then he also had some doubts.


    "I¡¯m ninth on the Power List? If there are really so many strong people in this world, then how could it be my turn to ¡®Use Martial Arts to Defeat Immortals¡¯?" Qiao Mu was a bit puzzled.


    "Brother Qiao, you are not aware," Wei En exined.


    "This Power List starts from the first, ¡®Demon Spear¡¯ Qing Li, from first to seventh, all are half-demon, not pure humans."


    "Pure humans, in terms of physical strength alone, naturally find it hard to catch up with monstrous beasts, or some half-demons with powerful bloodlines."


    "It¡¯s just that although these half-demons have strong bodies, immense strength, far surpassing ordinary humans, their bodies have some differences from our human race, making it difficult to practice internal skills and cultivate martial arts¡¯ internal strength. In actualbat, the oue is still uncertain."


    Ordinary hunters can kill lions, tigers, and grizzly bears not because the hunters¡¯ strength and sharpness of nails are stronger than wild animals, but because hunters have brains and hands, and know how to use weapons.


    "Can half-demons also enter Tide Listening Building¡¯s Martial Arts Ranking List?" Qiao Mu was still puzzled.


    "This point is indeed somewhat controversial, but Tide Listening Building insists on it," Wei En exined.


    "ording to the Tide Listening Building, these powerful half-demons consider themselves as humans, they also have human bloodlines and practice human martial arts. Why shouldn¡¯t they be on the rankings?"


    "For example, the ¡®Demon Spear¡¯ Qing Li, who is ranked first on the Power List, was raised by the previous superb martial artist ¡®Spear Saint¡¯."


    "If we exclude these half-demons, Brother Qiao is already the second on the Power List among pure humans, second only to Wu Jingang of the Wuji Association."


    Wu Jingang, ranked eighth on the Power List, thirteenth among the seventy-two wise men of the Wuji Association, born with incredible strength, known as the invincible Golden Body.


    This Martial Saint spent forty years finding one of the three thousand martial arts geniuses on the Jiu Provincend, achieving the highest level of aplishment in the path of strength as a disciple of the Martial Saint.


    Wei En exined:


    "Being in the top ten of the Power, Strength, Technique, and Divine rankings is not an area that ordinary martial artists can reach just through hard work. It requires exceptional talent, extraordinary encounters, or unparalleled aptitude."


    "Descendants of powerful demons, fleshly indestructible beings with innate divine strength, children blessed with power surges after eating strange fruits and undergoing transformations¡­ and so on."


    Qiao Mu concluded in his mind that it was all about luck, talent, or intelligence and aptitude.


    Unlike me, Qiao Mu practiced martial arts until he reached a superb level of skill, all thanks to his own hard work.


    What, am I also a talentless person?


    That¡¯s okay then.


    Well, in that case, it seems that being on the list of talentless people at Tide Listening Building is quite prestigious.


    "Okay, whatever you say." Qiao Mu continued reading:


    "Ranked first on the Strength List, current head of the Xue family, Xue Changhe."


    The so-called Xue family, Qiao Mu had heard about it from Tide Listening Building¡¯s Storyteller irvoyance before.


    It is said that this family is unique in constitution, but cursed by cultivators to not live past fifty years old.


    In order for revenge and to continue their lineage, each generation¡¯s head of the family will pass down their power to the next generation before they turn fifty, so their power is inherited through the generations, far beyond what an ordinary martial artist can achieve.


    However, the Xue family¡¯s way of ying depended on special family secrets and their unique bloodline, making it impossible for other martial artists to copy.


    "Second on the Strength List is Qiao Shuanggui from the Qiao family, a martial artist who fights against immortals."


    "First on the Skill List is ¡®Earth Sword Immortal¡¯ Lu Yannan."


    "Forty years ago, ¡®Earth Sword Immortal¡¯ dominated the world with his unparalleled sword skills, reaching the peak of martial arts at the age of thirty, bing the number one martial artist of that time."


    "His proud sword technique, ¡®Heavenly shing Swordsmanship¡¯, is considered unmatched in the world."


    "Although a martial artist, he was named ¡®Earth Sword Immortal¡¯ by the martial artsmunity in an era of cultivators."


    "Reportedly died in the Hundred-mile Desert, his fate remains uncertain, temporarily ranked at the top."


    "¡­¡­"


    "Thirteenth on the Skill List is Qiao Shuanggui."


    "Ranked thirtieth on the Skill List, ¡®Wooden Sword Walker¡¯ Lu Yanbei."


    "Ranked first on the Spiritual Refining List, ¡®Little Martial Saint¡¯ Wu Qiankun."


    "Wu Qiankun is now the leader of the Wuji Association and possesses the aura of a Martial Saint."


    "After the Martial Saint passed away, many rtives of those who died by his hands attempted revenge, including renowned martial arts experts, but they all disappeared eventually, except for Wu Qiankun."


    ¡­¡­¡­.


    The Tide Listening Building is one of the four major rankings of the martial arts world, not based on skill level. The Hero List, ranking martial artists ording to strength, was abolished decades ago.


    The top of the Power List is Qing Li, known as "Demon Spear", the Xue family¡¯s Xue Changhe leads the Strength List, the Earth Sword Immortal is at the top of the Skill List, and "Little Martial Saint" Wu Qiankun tops the Spiritual Refining List. People discussed loudly:


    "These are the strongest martial artists in the modern martial world, excelling in the paths of power, strength, skills, and spirit."


    Some people silently shook their heads andmented on the four top experts without expressing their opinions.


    "These four are very strong."


    "However, characters like Xue Changhe and Demon Spear, although powerful, are difficult to replicate."


    "The ¡®Heavenly shing Swordsmanship¡¯ of Earth Sword Immortal can¡¯t be called a martial art, but rather a skillful technique."


    "Only under the guidance of Martial Saint¡¯s Little Martial Saint Wu Qiankun, or under the Wuji Association he leads, can one master Superb Martial Arts."


    "Martial Saint is revered for his martial prowess, with three thousand disciples and seventy two wise men under his tutge."


    "The number of strong warriors he has personally trained far exceeds the past great sects like Wudang and Shaolin."


    "Huh? In this era, there are still praises for Martial Saint? Are the loyal descendants of Martial Saint here?" Immediately, someone stared:


    "The dominance of the Wuji Association is also built upon the countless bones of the major sects and aristocratic families."


    "Without Martial Saint sweeping through the martial world¡¯s families and sects, plundering martial arts secrets to build an arsenal, the Wuji Association would never have reached its current power level. Unless it¡¯s your family members who died, why boast so confidently?"


    Martial Saint and his Wuji Association havemitted many killings, causing the deaths of many martial artists¡¯ rtives and friends in these teahouses. It¡¯s easy for people to get angry when hearing praises for Martial Saint.


    "Boring. This Martial Arts Ranking List of Tide Listening Building is nothing special. Why should we martial artists care about these false titles?" Qiao Mu shook his head.


    Just as he was about to step out of the teahouse door, he heard a voice behind him:


    "Qiao Shuanggui¡­ Why another member of the Qiao family? Did these Qiao family members just pop out of the rocks and jump to second ce on the Strength List?"


    "Ranked ninth on the Power List, second on the Strength List, thirteenth on the Skill List, and simultaneously appearing on all three lists? As for the Spiritual Refining List¡­ it¡¯s hard to judge the strength of spiritual refining cultivation, so Tide Listening Building only lists the top ten. Otherwise, I suspect this Qiao Shuanggui might have made it to the fourth list as well!"


    Qiao Mu hesitated, pulling back the foot he had just extended out of the inn.


    "Since there¡¯s nothing else to do, it¡¯s fine to listen to others gossip."


    More and more people noticed the sudden appearance of Qiao Shuanggui on the Martial Arts Ranking List, sparking discussions.


    "Not just one Qiao Shuanggui popping out of nowhere, don¡¯t forget about Qiao Miao too. These two people had no reputation before, seeming to suddenly appear out of nowhere."


    "If it weren¡¯t for Qiao Miao¡¯s confirmed death in battle, he might have been a top martial artist!"


    "This seems like more than just a double 1st rank, what is the background of the Qiao family?"


    "Double 1st rank? That¡¯s nothing, they are a double superb rank family!"


    The extraordinary abilities of Qiao family members go beyond just strength and energy, their most powerful skill is lightness technique! Some people were discussing:


    "In my opinion, the lightness technique of Qiao family members is the best in the world, even the ck Winged Bat King is not worthy to shine their shoes."


    Wei En, who was beside Qiao Mu, twitched slightly at the corner of his eye.


    "The best in lightness technique? How do you know?" someone asked.


    "Haven¡¯t you heard? When one Qiao family member dies in battle, the next one can quickly arrive no matter where they are. Isn¡¯t this incredible speed a result of superb lightness technique?"


    "You don¡¯t understand, do you? This is not just lightness technique but teleportation! In an instant, they can cover thousands of miles! I fought alongside a Qiao family member in the past and saw it with my own eyes," a voice suddenly spoke out from the crowd.


    Qiao Mu¡¯s eyes twitched slightly as he heard the discussion. He looked closely and noticed a faint horizontal line on the speaker¡¯s forehead in the crowd ¨C it was Storyteller irvoyance from the Tide Listening Building.


    irvoyance, unaware of Qiao Mu¡¯s gaze, continued speaking non-stop under the gaze of the crowd.


    "A member of the Qiao family once told me in person that family members can follow the connection of bloodlines toe quickly when needed."


    "In an instant, spanning a thousand miles!"


    "This is the Qiao family¡¯s once-in-a-lifetime instant teleportation! Whenever a younger family member encounters danger, the elder Qiao family members will rush to their aid swiftly! It¡¯s an instinct engraved in their bloodline."

 Chapter 260 (2)

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    "Is it really that mysterious?" Others obviously didn¡¯t believe it.


    "The Xue family, ranked first on the Strength List, has inherited talents that can be passed down through generations," Xue Changhe said.


    "Is it true that a member of the Qiao family possesses the rare talent of teleportation once in a lifetime? This is even more unbelievable than the Xue family, isn¡¯t it?"


    "Indeed unbelievable," irvoyance nodded quietly.


    "That¡¯s why I suspect that the Qiao family member is actually from a half-demon lineage, possessing immense physical strength with a touch of demonic power in their bloodline, enabling the one-time teleportation ability in a lifetime!"


    "What a bunch of nonsense¡­ Don¡¯t believe rumors or spread gossip," Qiao Mu raised an eyebrow slightly impressed.


    irvoyance used to be honest when they were together, but who knew they were so talkative behind Qiao Mu¡¯s back.


    Hearing that irvoyance was actually a prominent member of the Fantastic Faction, it seemed like this rumor was crafted convincingly, quite capable of fooling people.He was about to approach and talk, but suddenly felt something in his heart, looking behind him.


    Suddenly, in the sky outside the inn, several streaks of light broke through the sky and flew closer from afar.


    These were several cultivators wearing robes from the Great Dao Sect, all with stern expressions, each standing on flying swords, gourds, and other magical treasures, looking down at the martial artists in the inn.


    "The martial artist from the Qiao family has made a big mistake, using our Immortal Gate and the Great Dao Sect. The Wuji Association is also rebellious."


    "You, storyteller, disregarding the truth, disgraced our Immortal Gate; most likely you are a supporter of the Qiao family."


    "What?" The inn was originally bustling and crowded, but at this moment, it fell silent. Many people quietly made way for the storyteller Jiang Chen in his long robe to appear in front of the cultivators from the Great Dao Sect.


    "Go ahead." The leader, a cultivator at the foundation building stage, chuckled.


    "But it¡¯s a bitte."


    "Serve as a martial arts ve in our Immortal Gate for ten years, and your sins can be repaid."


    The crowd immediately paled with anger.


    "The Immortal Gate and Great Dao Sect have never acted this way before¡­"


    "Because things are different now." The leader of the foundation building cultivators said coldly.


    "If anyone is to me, me the Qiao family member for biting off more than they can chew. If King Qin were here¡­ things would be different."


    If King Qin were here, the Immortal Gate would retreat into the shadows, and the Great Qin Prefecture would be protected from the Inhuman Disaster, bing a sacred ce under the rule of King Qin, the Earthly Immortal Kingdom.


    When King Qin¡¯s incident happened, Great Dao Sect¡¯s reputation was greatly affected, leading to an uncontroble situation.


    Several immortal cultivators tragically died at the hands of mortals, how could Great Dao Sect act as if nothing had happened?


    Whether it¡¯s Wuji Association or members of the Qiao family, whether the Martial Saint faked his death and came back to life or the so-called "South King", they are bound to face retaliation from Immortal Gate and may meet their end! ??


    Not only Wuji Association and Qiao family members, but also gossipy storytellers who dare to publicly spread tales of "Qiao family members Using Martial Arts to Defeat Immortals", Immortal Gate cannot tolerate this!


    Since the news about King Qin has spread, the cultivators of Great Dao Sect can only step forward, and because of the damage to their reputation, they will need to be even more assertive than before to weaken mortals¡¯ resistance and reestablish the authority of immortals.


    If immortals are not strong, if they can easily be defeated by any martial artist, how can they be called immortals, how can they be revered by the world and receive offerings?


    "Spreading false rumors, insulting our Immortal Gate, shall be punished!" The leading cultivator¡¯s eyes shed with a sharp light, and a flying sword whizzed past!


    In that instant.


    Qiao Mu also nced up.


    In the instant the flying sword fell, the void seemed to sh with lightning, an illusionary sword light that was both real and unreal, bursting open from Qiao Mu¡¯s eyes, like a sudden thunderbolt.


    Those several foundation building cultivators were shaken, their minds slightly wavering in midair.


    At the same time, several arrows outside the inn pierced through the air, narrowly grazing past the figures of those foundation building cultivators.


    "Are there still remnants of the Wuji Association?" These foundation building cultivators turned pale, clearly mistaking these almost simultaneous attacks asing from the same group of people.


    "Chase!"


    In the distance, several martial artists were using their light skills to quickly flee across the rooftops. However skilled they were, they couldn¡¯t match the escape speed of the cultivator¡¯s magical light.


    Still within the town, the martial artists were caught up by the cultivators before they could escape.


    In the shadowy corner, Wu Qiankun stepped forward, staring straight at the group of expert builders with a look of eager anticipation on his face.


    "Can a n so simple really catch fish? The cultivators have been too arrogant for too long."

 Chapter 261 (1)

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    "Is that the Little Martial Saint, Wu Qiankun?"


    Qiao Mu gazed towards a corner of Anxi Town, where a martial artist was facing off against several cultivators from the Great Dao Sect.


    Qiao Mu and Wei En were originally at an inn listening to stories when they identally saw a Great Dao Sect cultivator making a move, so they followed them outside.


    Wu Qiankun, a middle-aged man in his thirties or forties, was muscr with a stern look, sharp eyes, and he didn¡¯t hide his appearance with any disguises, showing his true face.


    "Brother Qiao, it¡¯s best not to stare directly at Wu Qiankun," Wei En reminded beside him.


    "Wu Qiankun is ranked first on the Spiritual Refining List and is the most esteemed martial artist closest to being a Martial Saint in the world. The title of Little Martial Saint is well-deserved." Wei En, who had several encounters with Wu Qiankun before, exined to Qiao Mu without looking directly at Wu Qiankun.


    "They say that figures like Wu Qiankun have such strong spiritual instincts that they¡¯ve reached an unbelievable level, like sensing something before it happens, almost like predicting the future."


    "Even a gaze from a distance could alert him, making it very difficult to ambush or spy on him.""One could say¡­he enjoys spying on others, but doesn¡¯t like being spied on."


    Powerful Spirit Refining martial artists can even deceive weaker ones, just like a fakeout move in basketball.


    Qiao Mu nodded slightly, curious to see Wu Qiankun¡¯s skills. He kept an eye on him while focusing on the foundation building cultivators nearby.


    Obviously, the foundation building cultivators also recognized Wu Qiankun.


    Though the cultivators from the Great Dao Sect never respected ordinary martial artists, they still recognized the neer.


    Since they were already causing trouble for the Wuji Association and Qiao family members, it was impossible for them not to recognize Wu Qiankun.


    With a thought, the foundation building cultivators used their magical treasures to swiftly ascend into the sky as beams of light.


    They were not trying to escape, but to create distance since ordinary martial artists couldn¡¯t fly.


    Cultivators can control flying swords, use magical treasures, cast spells, and have a much longer attack range than martial artists. Why engage in closebat with martial artists?


    A few cultivators were floating in the air at a height of about 30 to 40 meters, each chanting spells and summoning lightning to strike down from the sky.


    Even the most skilled earthly martial artists need some support for their acrobatics, they can¡¯t just float up in the air.


    Even the highly trained Spirit Refining martial artists can only project their energy outward for about 10 meters.


    So these cultivators stayed suspended in the sky about 30 to 40 meters above the ground, not too close and not too far away.


    Being too close carried the risk of being attacked by martial artists, while being too far might allow Wu Qiankun to anticipate and dodge their attacks with his spiritual intuition.


    "The same move again?" Wu Qiankun sneered.


    It was clear that these cultivators from the Great Dao Sect were not the first ones he had killed.


    His figure shed continuously, gracefully maneuvering among the roaring thunder as if taking a leisurely stroll.


    Even a top-ranked spiritual refining martial artist couldn¡¯t directly block divine magic, yet relying on sharp intuition, they could dance on the edge of a de and evade attacks in the blink of an eye.


    "When cultivators fly, it¡¯s amon way to bully martial artists," Qiao Mu said.


    "So, how will Wu Qiankun, the current number one on the Spiritual Refining List, deal with it?"


    Qiao Mu was quite curious. It was clear that Wu Qiankun had a specific n to deal with cultivators.


    "Could it be¡­ the Heavenly Dragon Eight Steps?" Qiao Mu guessed.


    The Heavenly Dragon Eight Steps was a superb skill created by the previous superb martial artist, Eight-armed Heavenly Dragon. It was considered an extraordinary skill.


    The "Eight-armed Heavenly Dragon" was actually the best in light-foot skills forty years ago.


    Like other superb martial artists such as "Spear Saint" and "Cow Cleaver Knife," he died in a battle against the Martial Saint thirty years ago.


    So, the Martial Saint possessed this superb light-foot skill as well.


    "Not necessarily," Wei En said calmly.


    "It¡¯s not easy to learn the superb skills of lightness in martial arts. Though there are many martial arts manuals in the Wuji Association, who can master all the ultimate skills?"


    Wei En, who has not yet reached the superb rank, is known as the best in lightness skills, showing his exceptional talent.


    Wu Qiankun stayed calm, dodging attacks while looking up at the cultivators standing on magic treasures. He said slowly,


    "Cultivators have always been arrogant."


    "I wonder if you are aware of the great advances in martial arts in recent decades, surpassing those of the past centuries."


    "Have you ever heard of¡­?" Wu Qiankun suddenly asked.


    "In ancient times, there were extraordinary individuals who could travel by controlling the wind."


    Extraordinary individuals?


    Qiao Mu and Wei En nced at each other.


    Even though it was not very clear what Wu Qiankun wanted to do, it seemed like he had some amazing abilities to move quickly. Like the skillful Heavenly Dragon Eight Steps.


    However, the response to Wu Qiankun was a series of sharp wind desing towards him.


    The cultivators from the Great Dao Sect were not interested in ying games with Wu Qiankun. While he was talking, they quickly cast a few spells, and several wind des narrowly passed by Wu Qiankun¡¯s back.


    This almost hit Wu Qiankun¡¯s body, cutting through his tough clothing on his back, revealing his muscr and defined back.


    Wu Qiankun showed no expression, he was calm and collected, only reciting:


    "In ancient times, there were extraordinary people, soaring through the winds. Holding the sun and moon in their hands, traversing the highest peaks."


    Wu Qiankun crouched slightly, and with a burst of power from within, he shot up into the sky like an arrow released from a bow.


    With that burst of power, his speed was incredibly fast, but he only managed to reach a height of over ten meters in the air.


    Even with the best skills, you still need some force. Wu Qiankun, full of strength, only made a jump of about a dozen meters high. As his figure seemed to freeze, he was about to be an easy target in the air.


    This made those few Foundation Building cultivators even feel a little funny.


    Who doesn¡¯t love a target thates right to your door?


    "Etching Bones Li Fire!" They each used their spells, creating a fierce sea of fire in the air, aiming topletely surround Wu Qiankun who had no support in the air.


    Yet Wu Qiankun still had a calm expression, and even a slight smile on his lips.


    "Now, it¡¯s time for you, inhumans, to pay the price for your arrogance." Wu Qiankun was in the air, eyes wide open:


    "Flesh Changing Skill¡¤Ex-human Transformation!"


    At this moment.


    The blood and flesh on his originally broad and majestic back began to continuously wriggle and change.


    Just like the sharp edges of marble, the back suddenly formed a row of dense round holes.


    Giggle, giggle, giggle, giggle, giggle, giggle!


    Streams of air gushed out from the dense circr holes!


    Originally stagnant in mid-air, Wu Qiankun suddenly leaped upward, leaving a long trail of ck-red energy in the air, rushing towards the three Great Dao Sect cultivators with immense force.


    With just one punch.


    The protective light on the three cultivators shattered with a loud noise, and their bodies were captured by Wu Qiankun¡¯s suddenly erged hand.


    Holding the three cultivators in one hand, Wu Qiankun gradually descended from the sky.


    By the time his feet touched the ground, the three cultivators in his grip had withered awaypletely, like dry branches, devoid of any breath.


    Wu Qiankun opened hisrge hand and ced the withered remains of the three cultivators into the storage bag hanging from his waist.


    The storage bag was originally a magical creation, typically equipped with enchantments of the Immortal Path. Only a few were without these enchantments, and could be used by martial artists.


    As the second person in the Wuji Association, Wu Qiankun naturally possessed such things too.


    "A day of killing surpasses many years of hard cultivation."


    Wu Qiankun took a deep breath, his eyes shining brightly.


    "Taotie Swallowing Heaven Skill" originated from the "Martial Saint Spiritual Technique," and both can be considered as extraordinary skills.


    However, ultimately, these two martial arts, just like the Absorbing Energy Method from a thousand years ago, are considered quick-to-learn dark arts.


    Since they are quick-to-learn dark arts, they naturally have side effects.


    Taotie Swallowing Heaven Skill and Martial Saint Spiritual Technique are both spiritual refining techniques, not only depleting internal strength but also devouring, or rather refining, the enemy¡¯s spirit and willpower.


    A martial artist who achieves spiritual refining will not have weak willpower; they can be described as having willpower as strong as iron.


    Sometimes, Wu Qiankun could defeat a Spirit Refining martial artist, but it doesn¡¯t guarantee he can ovee their mental strength and willpower.


    The martial artists who lost to him were just not as skilled, it doesn¡¯t necessarily mean they were shaken in spirit, not as strong-willed as Wu Qiankun.


    So, using the Martial Saint Spiritual Technique for spiritual refinement, it¡¯s like a sh of wills between two martial artists with unwavering determination.


    Sharpening each other¡¯s resolve, removing weaknesses and fear from their hearts, polishing their determination, forging a sharp de!


    This is the secret of the Martial Saint Spiritual Technique, as well as the essence that surpasses the Absorbing Energy Method from a thousand years ago.


    Achieving superb spiritual refinement with the Martial Saint, the aplishments in the Spiritual Refining Method are unprecedented.


    Although not as good as, Wu Qiankun ranks first in the Tide Listening Building Spiritual Refining List, far surpassing other martial artists outside the Wuji Association.


    However, after Wu Qiankun finished dealing with the corpses, he looked in the direction of Qiao Mu and Wei En from a distance, and said coldly:


    "Had enough?"

 Chapter 261 (2)

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    It had been noticed long ago¡­ Qiao Mu felt a slight surge in his heart, but remained calm on the surface and replied:


    "Not enough, can you show a few more moves?"


    He now understood.


    Flesh Changing Skill was originally created by Martial Saint, and improved by Wu Qizheng.


    However, the Flesh Changing Skill from Wuji Association has now be quite different from the Shape Changing Skill handed to Wu Qizheng.


    "Wei En¡­and Qiao Shuanggui, right?"


    Wu Qiankun narrowed his eyes.


    The several cultivators at the foundation building stage didn¡¯t notice Qiao Mu using Eye Sword Technique at the inn¡¯s entrance just now, but they didn¡¯tice the illusionary sword light that seemed real and ethereal, reminiscent of what Wu Qiankun had seen in Great Qin City.It¡¯s not easy to kill a Qiao family member.


    Wu Qiankun furrowed his brow in concern.


    Since you haven¡¯t seen enough, why note and experience it yourself, how about it?" Wu Qiankun said lightly.


    "Don¡¯t worry, time is running out, I won¡¯t take your life."


    The Qiao family member has caught the attention of the Martial Saint. Wu Qiankun almost angered the Martial Saint with his actionsst time. This time, he happened to discover the whereabouts of the Qiao family member, so it wouldn¡¯t be right to interfere.


    Even though he didn¡¯t have murderous intentions, he was indeed quite interested in the powerful Qiao family member with a superb rank.


    Last time in Great Qin City, he was just a bystander. If he could take action himself, he believed he could uncover the secrets of this powerful Qiao family member.


    As for the time running out, he wasn¡¯t wrong.


    The cultivators of the Immortal Gate all left behind a Life Jade Slip in their sect.


    So as long as the responsible deacon doesn¡¯t ck off, if any cultivator dies, theoretically, other Immortal Gate cultivators should quickly arrive.


    Even though he wasn¡¯t as fast as the Qiao family member¡¯s asional teleportation, this ce is in Anxi Town, not too far from the Great Dao Sect. The Immortal Gate cultivators are already eliminating the Wuji Association, so their actions should be swift.


    If Wu Qiankun stays here, things will get worse.


    It¡¯s not only Martial Saint who hunts cultivators.


    The top leaders of Wuji Association mostly practice the "Martial Saint Spiritual Technique" and then switch to the "Taotie Swallowing Heaven Skill".


    In the forty years of the "Martial Saint Spiritual Technique", it was like a deadlypetition among three thousand disciples, resulting in seventy two wise men with unique skills.


    But that¡¯s not enough.


    The Martial Saint knew that even if he devoured all seventy two wise men, he couldn¡¯t eliminate all the inhumans in the world.


    So forty yearster, the "Taotie Swallowing Heaven Skill" became a hunt where the Martial Saint and his seventy two wise men disciples hunted together.


    Whether the cultivators are prey or hunters depends on their skills.


    "The war between Wuji Association martial artists and inhumans has begun, our main enemy is the inhumans, and the Qiao family members are just fuel for them."


    "Let¡¯s see how much weight the Qiao family member has today."


    Wu Qiankun took a step forward, his whole body starting to change as his muscles and blood began to expand rapidly.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    Dong Province.


    Among the mountains, a building stood tall amidst swirling clouds and mist.


    Elder Qingzhuo sat cross-legged in the building, feeling slightly cautious.


    With a damaged foundation, everything bes unstable.


    This time, following the sect leader¡¯s orders, he went overseas to investigate the background of the Qiao family member, passing through Dong Province, where he coincidentally met an old friend.


    Immortal Changqing of Long Life Gate.


    Long Life Gate is also one of the Nine Immortal Gates, located in Dong Province.


    However, this particr sect is a bit strange, considered an anomaly among the Nine Immortal Gates.


    This Immortal Gate is named after "Long Life," and theoretically, it should be a sect dedicated to pursuing the immortal path of longevity.


    However, many cultivators within this Immortal Gate, including Elder Qingzhuo¡¯s old friend Immortal Changqing, have been known to study mortal martial arts on the side.


    This so-called Long Life Gate can actually be considered the Immortal Gate among the Nine Immortal Gates that delves deepest into the study of mortal martial arts.


    This reputation is not necessarily a good one.


    It¡¯s important to know that cultivators have long but limited lifespans. In the current world where spiritual energy is declining, cultivators need outside assistance to practice, and there isn¡¯t much lifespan to waste.


    Martial arts are not as powerful as immortal arts. In times when the techniques of the Qi refining period are iplete, practicing martial arts can still be beneficial.


    However, if cultivators at the Foundation Building or golden core stages get distracted and focus on other things, in the eyes of other Immortal Gates, they are simply wasting their opportunities for a long life.


    Long Life Gate is one of the special gates among the Nine Immortal Gates.


    "Qingzhuo, I heard that your Great Dao Sect has been dealing with the Wuji Association in the human world recently," Immortal Changqing said with a smile.


    "I invited you here because I have discovered something interesting recently."


    "A few months ago, the Wuji Association in the human world was actively spreading a mysterious martial arts technique."


    Immortal Changqing smiled slightly and casually took out a scroll from his sleeve.


    On the cover of the book were fiverge characters.


    "Xumi Mountain King Sutra"


    Taoist Qingzhuo, feeling a bit puzzled, also calmed down a bit.


    Seeing Immortal Changqing¡¯s solemn expression, he then flipped through the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra" he was holding, skimming through it briefly.


    "What¡¯s wrong with this martial art?"


    Elder Qingzhuo is not well-versed in martial arts, so he doesn¡¯t know the special characteristics of the Xumi Mountain King Sutra.


    This reaction made Immortal Changqing pause for a moment and then exined:


    "Friend Qingzhuo, did you know that hundreds of years ago, our Long Life Gate had another Taoist Changsheng, who created the Long Life Fist technique and passed it on to ordinary people, leading to the establishment of the Qiao Family in Nan Province¡¯s Heyang City."


    "In the path of immortality, the focus is on the soul, while in martial arts, physical strength is crucial. However, no matter how strong the body is, it will eventually weaken with age, which is hard to defy thews of nature."


    "The ¡®Long Life Fist Sutra¡¯ is our attempt to explore martial arts for ordinary people, aiming to find a way tobat the decline of qi and blood in old age. However, it has not been very sessful."


    Taoist Qingzhuo nodded.


    "The body may perish, but the spirit can endure, that is why the path of immortality is the true path of this world, while the path of martial arts is just a side path."


    "That¡¯s right," nodded Immortal Changqing.


    "The decline of spiritual energy is already a major trend."


    "In today¡¯s era, we Nine Immortal Gates cultivators can maintain our cultivation of Nascent Soul Stage and Soul Changing Period with the help of mortal offerings."


    "Fellow cultivators on the Soul Predicting Path often say that a great cmity is approaching, and we cultivators are all travelers struggling in the sea of suffering. What if the spiritual energy continues to decline?" Immortal Changqing said:


    "Therefore, my Long Life Gate seeks a way to achieve longevity even if the spiritual energy dries up, to survive in the age of decline and not be limited to the paths of immortality or martial arts."


    If the Great Dao Sect excels in refining Taoist soldiers, then the Long Life Gate focuses on the dual cultivation of Tao and martial arts.


    However, this dual cultivation of Tao and martial arts is fundamentally different from the practice of ordinary martial artists.


    The cultivators of Long Life Gate study martial arts not forbat prowess, but to endure and remain in the age of decline. It is more urate to call them schrs of martial arts rather than martial artists.


    Ordinary martial artists train to enhance their strength andbat abilities, focusing more on practical fighting skills.


    Long Life Gate cultivators, on the other hand, are unconcerned about the killing power of martial arts. After all, the most powerful martial artists are insignificant in front of the Immortal Gate.


    They are studying martial arts, not justbat skills, but also martial arts philosophy.


    Elder Qingzhuo opened his mouth to speak, but then shook his head.


    "Speak freely, Elder Qingzhuo," said Immortal Changqing.


    "If you intend to discuss these matters with me, I apologize for having other important matters to attend to at my sect. I must leave now," Elder Qingzhuo exined.


    "Please stay, my friend," Immortal Changqing quickly stopped him from leaving.


    These cultivators from the Long Life Gate were seen as outsiders by other Immortal Gates, so whenever they had the chance, they liked to debate their beliefs.


    Catching Elder Qingzhuo this time, however, was indeed for a serious matter.


    Immortal Changqing exined, "This excerpt is from the Xumi Mountain King Sutra of the Wuji Association. It actually explores a different path to eternal vitality, simr to our Long Life Fist Sutra."


    "It is somewhat embarrassing to admit¡­ the mortal who created this Xumi Mountain King Sutra had quite a unique perspective, particrly in addressing the issue of declining vitality. Perhaps, in this aspect, he may even surpass Taoist Changsheng."


    "So after reading this ¡®Xumi Mountain King Sutra,¡¯ I had a thought in my mind: if these two martial arts methods are practiced together, can theybine their strengths and solve the weaknesses in mortalbat skills?"


    "Have you tried it?" Elder Qingzhuo frowned.


    "I have tried, but it didn¡¯t work. They arepletely different," Taoist Changqing said slowly.


    "But not entirely impossible."


    "If in hundreds or thousands of years, generation after generation of martial artists continue to explore this path, there might still be some hope to discover a solution."


    Hearing this, Elder Qingzhuo¡¯s gaze gradually sharpened.


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    At Elder Qingzhuo¡¯s words, his gaze suddenly sharpened.


    Other Nascent Soul Immortals might underestimate martial artists, but he wouldn¡¯t.


    It may be a little embarrassing to say¡­ because Qingzhuo may be the Nascent Soul cultivator who has suffered the most losses at the hands of mortal martial artists in history.


    If he hadn¡¯t been cautious and sent his Nascent Soul Dharma Body out, on that day outside Great Qin City, he might have perished.


    If these things were known by other cultivators, Elder Qingzhuo might have be a disgrace in the Nascent Soul realm, a joke for the Nine Immortal Gates.


    Despite the shame, after being at a disadvantage several times, a person over a thousand years old naturally bes more cautious.


    "Friend Changqing, if hundreds or thousands of yearster, is it really possible for mortals to practice both paths?" Elder Qingzhuo asked.


    If that¡¯s true, then trouble might be on the way.Elder Qingzhuo has experienced the abilities of Qiao family members, Earth Sword Immortal, and Martial Saint, mortal martial artists.


    This is the current top strength of martial artists.


    For the Nine Immortal Gates, it¡¯s enough to surprise them, but only that.


    But if hundreds or thousands of yearster, with improved versions of the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra" and "Long Life Fist Sutra," ordinary martial artists might have a glimmer of hope, threatening the incense industry of the Nine Immortal Gates.


    Immortal Changqing exined, "When I mention hundreds or thousands of years, it¡¯s just a figure of speech."


    "The ¡®Xumi Mountain King Sutra¡¯ is also notplete, so the true path of practicing both martial arts may take more than just thousands of years¡­ but that¡¯s not the main point."


    "In my opinion, there is indeed a slight possibility of practicing both methods."


    Elder Qingzhuo¡¯s expression became more serious as he spoke.


    Taoist Changqing continued, saying:


    "Even though the Wuji Association is just a mortal organization, it is spread throughout Jiu Province."


    "Although their main headquarters are in Zhong Province, I obtained this ¡®Xumi Mountain King Sutra¡¯ from a branch of the Wuji Association in Dong Province, I don¡¯t know who in the Wuji Association created this martial art."


    "This matter may require the help of our friend Qingzhuo."


    "If someone can find the Wuji Association and create the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra", I hope to rmend them to join our Long Life Gate to practice martial arts, so that they can fully show their talents."


    "Of course, if we can¡¯t find this person, we should destroy it as soon as possible to prevent future problems."


    Taoist Changqing has exined the benefits clearly and has also made his request clear.


    Zhong Province is the territory of the Great Dao Sect.


    The Great Dao Sect is subtly leading among the Nine Immortal Gates, upying the prosperous Zhong Province, and has always been powerful.


    It¡¯s fine for disciples with lower cultivation levels, but Immortal Changqing, as a Nascent Soul Elder, if he casually goes deep into Zhong Province to look for a mere mortal martial artist, it¡¯s likely to be seen as having ulterior motives by the Great Dao Sect. ?


    "I understand." Elder Qingzhuo nodded solemnly.


    "I will report this matter to the sect leader immediately."


    Mortals at the Immortal Gate are treated like livestock, as long as they provide offerings.


    In the story, even if there is a tiny chance that the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra" could cause trouble thousands of yearster, the Immortal Gate should destroy it early.


    Thinking about this, Qingzhuo felt a little excited. If this "Xumi Mountain King Sutra" is really as special as Immortal Changqing said, then maybe he could earn some credit and regain some respect from the sect leader.


    "If I truly achieve something, after I investigate the Qiao family matters on the overseas inds, I can return to the sect and ask the sect leader for some healing elixirs for my injuries."


    Elder Qingzhuo was about to stand up but hesitated for a moment. A stone sword flew out from his wide sleeve and into his hand.


    "Friend Qingzhuo?" Immortal Changqing asked, puzzled.


    "Actually, this sword¡­" Elder Qingzhuo held the stone sword in his hand, wanting to speak but then stopping himself.


    This stone sword was actually the transformed form of the Earth Sword Immortal from the past.


    Initially, Elder Qingzhuo had nned to take the just-transformed Earth Sword Immortal back to the sect immediately, seeking help from powerful figures to rebuild its physical body¡­But then, he was in a hurry to heal his injuries and didn¡¯t have time for the Earth Sword Immortal.


    So now, the Earth Sword Immortal remains just a stone sword, perhaps losing the chance to be a person again.


    Just now, Elder Qingzhuo had a thought in his mind as he stood up, wondering whether he should show this stone sword to Immortal Changqing.


    Back in the Hundred-Mile Desert, whether it was a member of the Qiao family or the Earth Sword Immortal alone, they were not his match.


    However, for some reason, when the two of them used the "Heavenly shing Swordsmanship" together, it actually broke through the Immortal Gate formation that covered the sky above the desert ¨C you should know that a martial artist¡¯s inner strength usually extends up to ten meters.


    So when they joined forces and used the "Heavenly shing Swordsmanship" that drained Qiao Mu instantly, the sword energy soared way beyond a hundred meters.


    Elder Qingzhuo couldn¡¯t figure out the reason behind this.


    Because he waspletely clueless about mortal martial arts.


    If the Earth Sword Immortal had spent decades focusing on cultivating immortality and giving up martial arts, that would have been easier to deal with ¨C as a Nascent Soul Immortal over a thousand years old, Elder Qingzhuo had plenty of experience dealing with cultivators.


    No matter how talented the Earth Sword Immortal was, taking that unconventional path to cultivation, without profound techniques, how could he possiblypete with the top elders of the Immortal Gate?


    Elder Qingzhuo realized that his defeat that day was mainly due to his underestimation of mortal martial artists, especially since the former leader of martial arts, Earth Sword Immortal, had once been his subordinate but was defeated by him.


    In the Hundred-Mile Desert, Earth Sword Immortal had been abandoned for thirty years. His strength and internal power had been declining, no longer at their peak. It should have been weaker than in his prime years, but when he transformed into a sword, he unleashed a powerful sword energy.


    Elder Qingzhuo didn¡¯t understand.


    After a conversation with his old friend Immortal Changqing, he felt that¡­ If he handed the stone sword transformed by Earth Sword Immortal to this person, with Long Life Gate¡¯s research on mortal martial arts, perhaps it could help him solve his doubts.


    But when it came to it, he ultimately swallowed his words.


    If this matter were to be brought up, it would also bring up how he was defeated by a mortal and how his foundation was damaged¡­ It would be a blow to his pride.


    "Nothing, I have other matters to attend to, I¡¯ll take my leave." With the stone sword in his hand hidden in his sleeve, Elder Qingzhuo finally got up and left.


    After leaving, he thought for a moment and held a Message Jade Talisman, informing the leader of the Great Dao Sect in Zhong Province about the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra" matter.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    On the edge of Anxi Town.


    Wu Qiankun took steps towards Qiao Mu, his figure getting taller with each step.


    He didn¡¯t leave Qiao Mu with a choice, clearly it was not just a casual encounter.


    But then, Qiao Mu suddenly spoke up:


    "Wait."


    Wu Qiankun kept walking, but his expression turned slightly cold:


    "What is it?"


    "I have already said I will not take your life, do you not even dare to face me in battle?"


    His eyes cold and intimidating, emitting an unseen aura, as if there were invisible des in his eyes.


    This was a technique mastered by Wu Qiankun, called "Mind sher," a formless mental de.


    Anyone who is not as spiritually advanced as him, as a martial artist, may feel a temporary loss of focus due to mental shock.


    When used against martial artists who have not reached spiritual advancement, even a single nce can distract them.


    However, when this sharp gaze fell upon Qiao Mu, it was as if he was unfazed, showing no reaction.


    Are you not afraid of me?


    Your willpower is strong¡­. Wu Qiankun nodded lightly.


    "You don¡¯t even dare to think of killing me, yet you dare to challenge me?" Qiao Mu stretched his muscles and retorted:


    "Cut the chase, stop beating around the bush." Qiao Mu beckoned with his finger:


    "If you dare,e and try to defeat me!"


    Wu Qiankun was initially surprised.


    Afterwards, he didn¡¯t get angry but smiled instead.


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    Who is Wu Qiankun?


    At the top of the Spiritual Refining List is Wu Qiankun, the current leader of the Wuji Association, hailed as one of the martial artists closest to being a Martial Saint and the strongest among the three thousand disciples under Martial Saint.


    Formerly, Wu Qizheng from Nan Province disguised as a Martial Saint, was born with extraordinary qualities. He was able to kill Taoist Qingyang, a foundation building cultivator from Xuantian Sect, despite being besieged by many cultivators.


    Therefore, as the strongest disciple under Martial Saint, Wu Qiankun naturally had to be even stronger.


    After acquiring the Taotie Swallowing Heaven Skill and devouring several inhumans, he had already surpassed his previous self. He believed that in the current martial arts world, there were very few who could stand against him.


    It is not an exaggeration to say that Wu Qiankun is one of the top martial artists at the forefront of martial arts today.


    Of course, excluding Martial Saint.


    Regardless of whether Martial Saint is alive or dead, he would always be excluded from the Tide Listening Building¡¯s Martial Arts Ranking List and any other rankings."I have long heard that members of the Qiao family are fearless and brave, and it¡¯s true."


    Wu Qiankun said faintly,


    "I heard that once in Nan Province, a Qiao family member boldly challenged a Martial Saint, asking if they could defeat our Qiao family members. "


    "So now¡­"


    "It is time for your Qiao family members to sacrifice for the greater good!"


    Just as he finished speaking.


    Air gushed out from the densely packed circr holes on Wu Qiankun¡¯s back again, and his figure instantly streaked across the sky like a shooting star, leaving a fleeting trail of ck and red energy in the air.


    "Flesh Changing Skill¡¤Ex-human Transformation, Star Strike Fist!"


    His fist rapidly expanded and turned red, swelling to nearly half the size of a person in an instant, almost filling Qiao Mu¡¯s field of vision.


    Amid the shing lights, Qiao Mu also made a move.


    "Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, Fourfold Wave."


    Qiao Mu, as usual, started using the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, with his whole body covered in a blood-red aura, forming crimson ripples like ocean waves gathering between his fists.


    With a loud bang, the two exchanged punches, releasing a powerful air flow that swept in all directions.


    Wei En, standing beside Qiao Mu, immediately turned pale. He swiftly flung his cloak behind him, flew backwards for several meters, and barely managed tond steadily on his feet.


    Although he was known for his exceptional agility, Wei En, only at the first level of Spiritual Refining Period in martial arts cultivation, was easily knocked over by the aftermath of their sh.


    After hended, Wei En looked up to see Qiao Mu and Wu Qiankun standing about three to four meters apart, with the ground beneath them cracking like a spider web, dirt and rocks flying, and waves of air swirling around them.


    Both of their faces and expressions showed no signs of victory or defeat, leaving Wei En unable to determine the oue of their exchange.


    "A member of the Qiao family¡­ I see now. I understand," Wu Qiankun suddenly muttered softly.


    He suddenly leaped up, a jet of air bursting from his back, and within a few breaths, he had flown far away.


    It¡¯s uncertain if Wu Qiankun¡¯s Ex-human Transformation can allow him to fly for a long time.


    His mid-air explosion over a short distance was even more powerful than a cultivator¡¯s fleeing light technique, surpassing the concept of lightness skill.


    "Is this the Wuji Association¡¯s development direction for the Flesh Changing Skill?" Qiao Mu pondered, clenching his fists as his skin cracked, and blood seeped from his pores.


    "Brother Qiao?" Wei En was startled by Qiao Mu¡¯s bloody appearance.


    He was a bit annoyed at first, but watching the two suddenly fight, he almost got injured by the aftermath.


    "It¡¯s nothing, just a flesh wound," Qiao Mu said calmly.


    As he spoke, his flesh began to wriggle, pores shrinking, and the cracked skin visibly started to heal at a speedy rate.


    Wei En¡¯ eyes widened at the sight.


    "Are you top martial artists ying with expensive things like this?"


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    Wu Qiankun flew through the sky, feeling a bit out of breath and looking pale, feeling upset without knowing why.


    "I can¡¯t defeat him in a short time. If I want to win against him, it will take a while, and it will be troublesome if he gets the upper hand in the end."


    He just exchanged a punch with Qiao Mu and roughly figured out some of Qiao Mu¡¯s strengths.


    "No need to rush." Wu Qiankun nced back and calmed down. He muttered quietly to himself.


    The Martial Saint of today is not as prominent as the top martial artists from forty years ago.


    When Earth Sword Immortal became the best in the world, the Martial Saint was only ranked eleventh in the world, not yet reaching a superb level.


    And now? Earth Sword Immortal is gone, while the Martial Saint has risen to be the unrivaled leader in the martial arts world.


    So, the oue for now doesn¡¯t matter.


    As long as one¡¯s mindset remains steady, the martial arts spirit remains unaffected. With the highest level of spiritual refining in the Wu Qiankun Spiritual Refining List, a bright future is naturally within reach.


    "Our opponents are inhuman. While Qiao family members are still struggling in their training, I just need to defeat a few inhumans to advance in martial arts."


    "The next time I meet Qiao Shuanggui, he may not be worthy of being my enemy anymore."


    As long as his mental strength holds up, he can continuously progress rapidly through the Taotie Swallowing Heaven Skill.


    Being the top-ranked on the Spiritual Refining List, his expertise in the Spiritual Refining Method far surpasses other martial artists, thus giving him the greatest potential in the Taotie Swallowing Heaven Skill.


    Despite this, a big question lingers in his mind.


    In the brief encounter with Qiao Mu just now, he figured out something.


    "Why hasn¡¯t the superb martial artist Qiao Shuanggui achieved a superb transformation in his internal strength yet?" Wu Qiankun furrowed his brow, puzzled.


    "The transformation of internal strength is considered one of the top Superb Martial Arts. Why hasn¡¯t he reached this level with his incredible strength?"


    "Being a member of the Qiao family, he didn¡¯t take the unconventional path to superb rank by himself¡­ Coming from a martial arts family with more than one superb rank members, didn¡¯t their ancestors inform them about this?"


    Wu Qiankun couldn¡¯t understand it for a moment.


    "Surely they wouldn¡¯t intentionally save up their internal strength without breaking through, waiting for the right time to unleash it all? What¡¯s the reasoning behind this?"


    "Is this a characteristic of the Qiao family¡¯s martial arts, or is it some kind of w?"


    He could only continue to keep this question in his mind.


    Could it be that the Qiao family has been residing on the overseas Hero Ind for generations, causing some differences in their martial artspared to those from Jiu Province?


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    Wu Qiankun swiftly flew far into the sky, then descended rapidly onto a low mountain.


    He stretched his muscles, and his red skin returned to a normal color, calming down the floating blood in his body.


    Trees swayed in the wind in the forest shadows. Zhong Province¡¯s Moon Xuan Envoy, Li Gongde, who had been waiting for a long time, stepped out of the forest to greet Wu Qiankun.


    "Li Gongde, did you bring the Spiritual Meat Pill?" Wu Qiankun asked.


    "Of course, did Grandmaster Qiankun get hurt in the hands of the cultivators from the Great Dao Sect?" Li Gongde took out a small box from his sleeve. Inside the box was a fist-sized ball of meat, trembling slightly.


    ¡­Wu Qiankun looked at him expressionlessly and calmly said:


    "Do I look like I¡¯m injured? It¡¯s just that the ¡®Ex-human Transformation¡¯ has consumed some of my blood and energy."


    Before he finished speaking, tiny round holes on his back started oozing traces of blood, staining his back red."Just a bit of blood and energy loss, it¡¯s not a big deal." Wu Qiankun reached out, grabbed the Spiritual Meat Pill without hesitation, and inserted it directly into the bleeding area on his back, without swallowing.


    As he moved, the flesh on his back wriggled, wrapping the Spiritual Meat Pill inside.


    The Wuji Association, or the Superb Martial Arts mastered by Martial Saints, is mainly based on two points.


    The Martial Saint Spiritual Technique and the Flesh Changing Skill are essential.


    By using the Martial Saint Spiritual Technique to break through the superb level of spiritual refinement, and then using the overly powerful mind to control the transformation of the human body.


    The Ex-human Transformation is abat form developed by Martial Saints.


    The so-called supreme being, in the words of the Martial Saint, represents the ultimate form of a person.


    Although it is said that "humans are the most intelligent creatures," the human body is not as suitable forbat as birds or beasts.


    Birds have wings to soar high in the sky, and beasts have sharp ws and teeth.


    Humans don¡¯t have the sharp eyes of eagles, the keen ears of wolves, the speed of leopards, or the strength of bears.


    Untrained humans, without weapons, would basically be risking their lives if they try to fight bare-handed against wild beasts of simr size and weight.


    The human body is not made for fighting.


    The "Ex-human Transformation" created by the Martial Saint aims for the ultimate human potential.


    It keeps the human form but enhances it for battle, making it perfect forbat.


    Bing extraordinary is not as simple as growing pores.


    The concept of extraordinariness seeks a human body that is perfectly adapted forbat, with every muscle, every inch of skin, and every organ designed for fighting.


    While still appearing human, these beings are fundamentally different from regr people and can be seen as minor superheroes.


    The drawback is a high consumption of physical energy.


    Prolonged use requires supplements like the "Spiritual Meat Pill."


    "Although my ¡®Ex-human Transformation¡¯ is not perfected yet, this time¡­ never mind, I shouldn¡¯t worry too much about the Qiao family member."


    Wu Qiankun stretched his muscles and all his joints crackled.


    Winning or losing is only temporary. The one whoughs in the end is the true hero.


    In the past, Earth Sword Immortal dominated the martial world, overshadowing even the Martial Saint and other superb ranked individuals¡­


    Later on, the Martial Saint relied on the Martial Saint Spiritual Technique and had thestugh, bing the leading figure in the martial arts world.


    And now, Wu Qiankun is practicing the Taotie Swallowing Heaven Skill.


    If we meet Qiao Shuanggui again in the future¡­ No, that¡¯s thinking too small.


    Who cares about some Qiao family member? Wu Qiankun shouldpare himself to a cultivator from the Nine Immortal Gates.


    With this thought, Wu Qiankun opened his eyes and looked at Li Gongde.


    "Anything else?"


    Li Gongde was quiet for a moment, then took out a second Spiritual Meat Pill and gave it to Wu Qiankun to take.


    Controlling his body, Wu Qiankun swallowed the second Spiritual Meat Pill, his face looking better afterwards.


    "If Wu Qizheng were still alive, his Spiritual Meat Pill would be much stronger than these. Why would I need to take two?" Wu Qiankun thought to himself.


    "It¡¯s a pity that he sacrificed himself for a noble cause and died at the Nan Province Xuantian Sect altar."


    Seventy-two wise men each had their own special skills or exceptional talents.


    Wu Qiankun¡¯s talent in the Spiritual Refining Method is the highest, making him the strongest overall, second only to the Martial Saint.


    Wu Qizheng¡¯s talent lies in the "Flesh Changing Skill."


    The Martial Saint¡¯s "Flesh Changing Skill" aims to adjust the body¡¯s flesh and blood, developing a more efficient and suitable form for fighting as a martial artist.


    Wu Qizheng¡¯s "Flesh Changing Skill" focuses more on changes in the body¡¯s flesh and blood, healing injuries. It can be seen as transforming a unique martial art into a special healing technique.


    Besides Wu Qizheng¡¯s exceptional physique, his talent is also remarkable, standing out among the three thousand martial arts geniuses of the past.


    Wu Qiankun took a brief rest, and finally his condition calmed down.


    "Li Gongde, how is the situation of the ambush on the Great Dao Sect cultivators in Zhong Province?" asked Wu Qiankun.


    "The cultivators of the Great Dao Sect have always been arrogant, so the n to ambush and attack them has been sessful in ny percent of cases," said Li Gongde.


    "However¡­ we have also suffered more than half of our forces."


    During these days, many martial artists have been hunting down cultivators, not just Martial Saint and Wu Qiankun.


    The "Taotie Swallowing Heaven Skill" originated from the "Martial Saint Spiritual Technique" and is not difficult to cultivate.


    For the Spirit Refining martial artists and superb martial artists of the Wuji Association, bing a cultivator is like a magical potion that can help them break through, so they bravely take the lead.


    "It is normal for more than half of them to be injured or killed. How could martial artists easily talk about challenging immortals?" Wu Qiankun calmly said.


    "Although there are not many Spirit Refining martial artists, there are even fewer cultivators from the Immortal Gate."


    "It may seem like a lot, but it¡¯s because cultivators have long lifespans, they are the elite of the human race umted over hundreds or even thousands of years in the Jiu Province, like dragons and phoenixes among people."


    "However, if they die and you want to cultivate a new cultivator, it will be difficult and require a long time."


    "An eye for an eye, that¡¯s how we make a living."


    "War always ims lives, doesn¡¯t it?"


    "In today¡¯s war, although it¡¯s not like the battles of ordinary people with thousands of people fighting, the numbers on both sides are not veryrge, but it is indeed a war between martial arts elites and the top Immortal Gate."


    "But there¡¯s still one issue." Li Gongde said with a look of concern:


    "Some cultivators of the Great Dao Sect can perform soul-searching techniques, they can kill and extract memories from people¡¯s souls, without the need for torture, they can forcibly read parts of a mortal¡¯s memories, this will expose the secrets within the Wuji Association."


    Hearing about this issue, Wu Qiankun also found it somewhat tricky.


    Those martial artists who practice the Taotie Swallowing Heaven Skill are seen as a rare threat to the Immortal Gate, as they are unfamiliar enemies.


    But to them, isn¡¯t the Immortal Gate also a challenge worth facing?


    During the forty years when the Martial Saint was dormant, the only cultivators who were openly killed by martial artists were those at the foundation building stage.


    Although the Wuji Association had some actions behind the scenes, theycked understanding and ways to deal with the Immortal Gate¡¯s middle and high-level cultivators.


    For example, the soul-searching technique mentioned by Li Gongde.


    As the strongest martial power in the Jiu Province, the Wuji Association naturally had various means to control their dead soldiers to prevent betrayal and leakage of information.


    Such as: life and death symbols, parent-child gu, poison techniques, and hidden poison pills.


    These methods were sufficient to deal with the martial forces, even if the Wuji Association¡¯s higher-ups fell into enemy hands, Wu Qiankun could ensure that they would not reveal any secrets.


    However, against the Immortal Gate¡¯s soul-searching technique, these means were not very effective.


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    Even the bravest warriors cannot resist cultivators who directly kill and read memories forcefully.


    "This is indeed a bit tricky. I should inform the Martial Saint about this," Wu Qiankun frowned secretly.


    With nearly half of the casualties on the side of the Wuji Association, some martial artists have tragically died and had their memories read during hunting operations, which is bing a problem.


    The initial advantage of martial artists in war is mainly due to theck of information, catching their opponents off guard.


    If the Immortal Gate no longer looks down on the Wuji Association and sees them as a true adversary, then the issue will be serious.


    Just like forty years ago, the Immortal Gate cultivators created a technique called "Etching Bones Li Fire" to counter martial artists.


    Even Qi refining period cultivators cannot withstand the Etching Bones Li Fire unleashed by Spirit Refining martial artists, they can only dodge it with sharp intuition.


    Only superb martial artists like Wu Qiankun, who have undergone a transformation in internal strength, can directly counter the Etching Bones Li Fire with their superb internal strength."We may not have much time left," Wu Qiankun thought to himself.


    "The struggle between the Wuji Association and Immortal Gate may notst much longer."


    ¡­


    In the Imperial Capital, there was the Hai family¡¯s mansion.


    Hai Wuya walked in the backyard of the mansion, leaning on a cane and holding a scroll of the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra," reciting it from time to time.


    In front of him, there were over a hundred white-haired old soldiers: some were meditating with closed eyes, some were practicing martial arts with fists as swift as the wind, and others were practicing sword techniques, creating arcs of light with each sh.


    Hai Wuya¡¯s mansion no longer looked like a high official¡¯s residence; it resembled more of a training ground of a martial arts school.


    The only thing that seemed out of ce was that the "students" at this "martial arts school" were too old.


    Almost every person had gray hair on their temples, with an average age of over sixty, and Hai Wuya himself was already in his seventies or eighties, a generation older than these old soldiers.


    Despite their old age, the white-headed soldiers all had sharp eyes, exuding a sense of determination. Their gaze was not cloudy like ordinary old folks, showing no sign of frailty.


    Hai Wuya leaned on his cane, cleared his throat, and looked at these old soldiers with white hair, feeling deeply moved.


    While paying respects to the spirits of the Hundred Thousand Western Conquering Army in Anxi Town, he had said that if these old warriors still had the spirit to fight against inhuman forces and didn¡¯t wish to retire peacefully, they coulde to Imperial Capital to join him.


    Unexpectedly, over two hundred old soldiers came to seek refuge with him¡­ These white-headed soldiers, after crossing the Hundred-mile Desert, were promoted and rewarded by the court with enough money andnd to livefortably.


    Normally, these veterans, who had fought for forty years on the fierce battleground of Hundred-mile Desert, should have grown tired of warfare and been ready to retire long ago.


    These people were already very old, their vitality declining at this age, making it difficult for them to progress in martial arts.


    But standing before them was Hai Wuya.


    The founder of the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra," who at nearly eighty years old, could still break through in martial arts even while sitting in heavenly prison.


    Although his own martial arts level was not high, with Hai Wuya¡¯s knowledge, it was not an exaggeration to call him a pioneering martial arts master.


    "Since they left the Hundred-mile Desert, in just a few months, twenty old soldiers have reached the 3rd rank of Spiritual Refining Period¡­ Breaking through seemed almost effortless."


    "What theyck is not martial arts determination, but because they are in the Hundred-mile Desert where resources are scarce, theyck the umtion of energy, blood, and internal strength."


    "Once they reach the outside world, it will be a time for their efforts to pay off."


    Hai Wuya estimated that if these veteran soldiers had sufficient meat supplies, they would have already reached the 3rd rank of Spiritual Refining Period.


    And it¡¯s not just these twenty people.


    In Hai Wuya¡¯s eyes, all three hundred veteran soldiers are like seeds for spiritual refining.


    It¡¯s just that the remaining two hundred odd people need more time to slowly cultivate their energy, blood, and internal strength¡­


    "Energy and blood are the foundation for martial artists."


    "When energy and blood are strong internally, internal strength is naturally generated. By reaching the 4th rank of training, with full internal strength in the lower abdomen, one can achieve sess in spiritual refining."


    "umting energy and blood step by step, transforming the human body from sand and stones into mountains, this is the essence of the ¡®Xumi Mountain King Sutra¡¯¡­."


    Hai Wuya was talking when he suddenly heard footsteps behind him.


    As he turned around, he saw Hai Siyuan and the old man of the arsenal, Li Changshi, leading dozens of old soldiers towards him.


    They had spent some time settling the women and children who had left Great Qin City, so they arrived at Imperial Capital only today.


    Li Changshi, who was the younger brother of the former general Li Changge, was the same age as Hai Wuya. It was a warm reunion for them.


    "Father," Hai Siyuan interrupted their conversation, looking serious as he took out a book from his pocket.


    "This is something that Qiao Miao Senior Qiao entrusted to me when I was in Great Qin City. He said to pass it on to you, Father," Hai Siyuan said solemnly, a hint of sadness in his voice.


    "Even though Qiao Miao Elder Lao defeated all the immortals of the Great Dao Sect, he died in Great Qin City," Hai Siyuan added sadly.


    Qiao¡­ Qiao Miao?


    Who is that?


    Hai Wuya couldn¡¯t remember meeting anyone named Qiao Miao before. Even though he guessed Qiao Miao was from the Qiao family, they didn¡¯t have a direct rtionship. So, when Hai Siyuan mentioned it, was it a mistake?


    Was there something important that this stranger, Qiao Miao, an elder from the Qiao family, wanted to give him?


    Hai Wuya took the book from Hai Siyuan¡¯s hand, feeling confused, and nced at the three big words on the cover.


    "Human Path Sutra"


    Hai Wuya was shocked. The staff in his hand fell to the ground with a loud noise, but he didn¡¯t bother to pick it up. Instead, he quickly flipped through the pages of the book, reading it rapidly.


    It took him quite a while to read.


    "Can this really be true? How is this possible?"


    Hai Wuya¡¯s expression kept changing as he read, sometimes frowning, sometimesughing heartily, but the only thing that didn¡¯t change was the tight grip he had on the book.


    "This ¡®Human Path Sutra,¡¯ Elder Lao said, was just recently discovered by a talented ancestor from the Qiao family," Hai Siyuan exined.


    "Deduction?" Hai Wuya immediately guessed what it meant and felt amazed:


    "This is deduced from the ¡®Xumi Mountain King Sutra¡¯? Before Elder Lao left the Imperial Capital for Great Qin City, he discussed with me whether the ¡®Xumi Mountain King Sutra¡¯ and the ¡®Long Life Fist Sutra¡¯ could be practiced together. How is it possible that it has only been a few days? How talented is this ancestor from the Qiao family?"


    His eyes seemed confused and dull, clearly greatly shocked, going beyond his understanding.


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    Despite the night being dark, a singlemp was still lit in the Hai family¡¯s mansion.


    In the light of themp, Hai Wuya held the "Human Path Sutra" in his hand, flipping through it constantly, his thoughts swirling uncontrobly.


    The Human Path Sutra could be said to be his lifelong dream for thetter half of his life.


    He had been studying in the heavenly prison for thirty years, seeking for this "Human Path Sutra," and now he had obtained this martial arts technique that only existed in dreams from a member of the Qiao family.


    It was alreadyte into the night, and as he flipped through the Human Path Sutra, excitement kept him from sleeping.


    What amazed him even more than the Human Path Sutra was the quick appearance of this martial arts technique.


    Last time, when the Qiao family member went to Great Qin City, the coexistence of the Long Life Fist Sutra and Xumi Mountain King Sutra was only an idea in the Qiao family member¡¯s mind.


    How many days has it been since then?"Who is the ancestor of the Qiao family? And what kind of person would give me this iplete Human Path Sutra? Hai Wuya was deeply moved.


    It was known that his Xumi Mountain King Sutra was already iplete. His goal was to spread this Xumi Mountain King Sutra first, let generations of practitioners improve it, and perhaps thousands of yearster, it could achieve his envisioned Human Path Sutra.


    Surprisingly, this thing was not calcted in years, but in days¡­


    He never expected to see the appearance of the Human Path Sutra in his lifetime.


    Instead of being amazed, Hai Wuya felt more startled.


    Hai Wuya was not an ordinary person; he was undoubtedly outstanding.


    At that moment, Hai Wuya deeply felt the difference between people.


    Normally, as a high-ranking official and the founder of the Xumi Mountain King Sutra, Hai Wuya also had the honor of being one of the seventy-two wise men in the Wuji Association¡­ This meant that he was stronger in some aspects than a Martial Saint.


    But this half of the "Human Path Sutra" from the Qiao family confused him.


    The gap between people is sometimes even bigger than the gap between people and dogs.


    Wang Bo, one of the Four Great Poets of Early Tang Dynasty, wrote the masterpiece "Preface to the Tengwang Pavilion" when he was in his twenties, while the majority of schrs throughout history, even after a lifetime of studying, could not produce such a masterpiece worthy of being remembered in history.


    Let alone writing a masterpiece in their twenties, ordinary schrs living over two hundred years could not achieve it¡­


    This is the difference in natural talent and intelligence.


    Now, Hai Wuya felt¡­ as the founder of the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra," even if he lived for hundreds of years, he could not write the other half of the "Human Path Sutra" he held in his hands at the moment.


    After a long time, he looked at the book in his hands, his wrinkled old face showing a slight sickly flush, and sighed:


    In the morning, Hai Siyuan heard his father say, "One can die after learning the way in the morning."


    "Please don¡¯t say such things, Father," Hai Siyuan said as he sat beside his father who was studyingte into the night.


    "It¡¯s better to live a long life and witness the practitioners of the Human Path Sutra grow stronger step by step," Hai Siyuan added.


    "With Father¡¯s profound knowledge, practicing the Human Path Sutra will surely rejuvenate him," Hai Siyuan thought to himself.


    Hai Siyuan was actually quite worried too.


    For the past forty years, while Hai Siyuan was stuck in the Hundred-mile Desert, Hai Wuya was imprisoned in the Heavenly Capital.


    The Heavenly Prison was not a good ce to be, as ordinary people would have their skin rubbed off. Hai Wuya spent a full thirty years there.


    Although his martial arts skills had somewhat improved in hister years, the seeds of illness had already been sown.


    Sending back the Human Path Sutra was also a way for Hai Siyuan to encourage Hai Wuya to practice more and live longer.


    "You are right," Hai Wuya nodded in agreement.


    "Perhaps this Human Path Sutra can bring hope even to those of us like Li Changshi who are no longer able to fight on the battlefield."


    Hai Siyuan, a veteran of his generation in his sixties, was able to maintain his declining vitality using the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra", and even improve against the odds.


    The extent of improvement depends on their individual martial aptitude.


    Geniuses and ordinary people progress differently in practicing the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra".


    Even ordinary martial artists can break through naturally by spending time and effort, unlike other martial arts techniques where people with limited talent may be stuck at a certain level forever.


    The "Human Path Sutra"bines the strengths of two techniques, enhancing both blood flow and energy, making it more effective than the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra".


    "Not bad, but it¡¯s not time to celebrate yet," Hai Wuya coughed lightly, his flushed face gradually calming down, showing his approval.


    "We have yet to see the full potential of the ¡®Human Path Sutra¡¯, or witness a new generation of martial artists mastering it," he said solemnly.


    Nowadays, Hai Wuya is only reading the teachings of the "Human Path Scriptures".


    Theory and practice are not exactly the same thing. Whether this "Human Path Scriptures" can really be cultivated to create powerful experts remains to be seen.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    Imperial Capital, Great Dao Sect temple.


    Elder Qingyi withdrew her hand from the head of a Wuji Association martial artist, ranked 1st, and the magical light of soul-searching spell faded away.


    The purpose of the soul-searching spell is to forcibly read a part of someone else¡¯s memory.


    Once used, it can lead to bing a fool or even the soul dispersing on the spot.


    The more memories read, the greater the risk of the soul dispersing.


    At this moment, the Wuji Association martial artist in Elder Qingyi¡¯s handspletely lost consciousness and passed away.


    But he also got some of the information he wanted.


    "Several months ago, the Minister of Rites Hai Wuya from Great Yan secretly contacted the Wuji Association and offered them the ¡®Xumi Mountain King Sutra¡¯, asking them to spread it as quickly as possible."


    "He is the creator of the ¡®Xumi Mountain King Sutra¡¯ and has a connection with the Wuji Association."


    "Hai Wuya clearly knew the extraordinary nature of this technique, so he intentionally spread this technique¡­ It seems like he is in a hurry?"


    Elder Qingyi pondered silently.


    The importance of this ¡®Xumi Mountain King Sutra¡¯ was also passed on by Qingzhuo.


    At this point, things were basically clear.


    The only issue is that Hai Wuya is not an ordinary person. He is a high-ranking official in the Great Yan Imperial Court, holding the position of Minister of Rites.


    He is not someone who can be easily captured. If the Immortal Gate takes action, it will definitely cause a stir in the mortal world.


    Of course¡­someone with the title of Minister of Rites is not qualified to provoke the Great Dao Sect¡¯s Immortal Gate.


    "We must capture him, but we should also inform the Emperor of Great Yan."


    "This person, as a Minister of Rites, has connections to the Wuji Association and his status is impressive. It¡¯s perfect for showing authority and reestablishing the Immortal Gate¡¯s prestige."


    "Otherwise, any ordinary martial artist would dare to shout the slogan of ¡®Using Martial Arts to Defeat Immortals,¡¯ which is too absurd." Taoist Qingyi thought to himself, his eyes turning cold.


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    Great Yan Pce.


    Emperor Yonghe once again visited the Qianyuan Pce where Yan Shenji lived.


    As usual, Yan Shenji practiced the Long Life Fist in the small garden in front of the pce, his movements were smooth and fluid, repeating in a continuous cycle.


    Unlike other court nobles¡¯ exercise routines, this old man¡¯s fist technique was not restricted to set movements, it had a mysterious rhythm that was pleasing to the eye after watching for a while.


    This time, Emperor Yonghe asked his personal guard Chu Xing to bring thetest Martial Arts Ranking List from the Tide Listening Building, both to fulfill a previous promise and to make sure that the old ancestor Yan Shenji wouldn¡¯t run away from the pce someday.


    "The top of the Power List is all half-demons? Can these half-demons really make it onto our human martial artist¡¯s ranking?" Yan Shenji shook his head silently in disapproval while punching.


    "What is the Tide Listening Building up to? This so-called Power List is not as good as the previous Hero List," he thought to himself.


    Upon hearing this, Emperor Yonghe muttered to himself:"If we exclude all the half-demons, then the first on the Power List would be Wu Jingang from the Wuji Association, followed by Qiao Shuanggui from the Qiao family."


    "Wait¡­if we consider pure-blooded families, then Qiao Shuanggui of the Qiao family could be ranked second in the Strength and Skill List? He might also be a centenarian of the Qiao family¡­"


    Could it be a centenarian of the Qiao family, proficient in Long Life Fist, and ranked second in both Strength and Skill Lists?


    This made Yan Shenji next to him raise an eyebrow, silently remembering the name Qiao Shuanggui in his heart.


    He was originally curious about the Qiao family members and wanted to see their rankings. Unexpectedly, a Qiao family member could rank second in both Strength and Skill Lists, obviously surprising him.


    "Perhaps, this person¡¯s mastery of Long Life Fist is not low. Although it cannotpare to mine, it allows him to break through the superb rank. It seems to be simr to the River Sun Qiao family master who entered the pce a hundred years ago."


    "Using Martial Arts to Defeat Immortals¡­hmm, that title is quite grand. Indeed, he is one of the top talents of this era."


    Yan Shenji casually flipped through the Tide Listening Building Martial Arts Ranking List in his hand, a look of reminiscence in his eyes.


    Those listed in the Martial Arts Ranking List are the top figures in the martial arts world today, the outstanding talents of Jiu Province. This also brought back memories of Yan Shenji¡¯s youth.


    "Back in the day, I also ranked third in the Tide Listening Building Strength List, and my name was on the Hero List as well¡­"


    Yan Shenji talked about his past when he was young.


    When young, Yan Shenji left the pce, hoping to make a name for himself in the world like the first emperor. So he traveled under a fake name, keeping his royal identity a secret.


    Unfortunately, he was betrayed by the powerful Sky Fire Sect, fell off a cliff, and was gravely injured.


    Following a ssic storyline, Yan Shenji consumed rare treasures under the cliff, discovered his Medicine Spirit Body, and returned yearster to defeat the entire Sky Fire Sect. From then on, he became famous in the world under the name of Yan Shenji.


    Emperor Yonghe had grown tired of such typical plots long ago, finding them less interesting than the stories told by the Tide Listening Building storytellers.


    However, in the presence of this ancestor, he listened attentively.


    "Back then, the Strength List was just secondary, the Hero List was what people paid attention to," Yan Shenji reminisced.


    "Two hundred years ago, the top ten on the Tide Listening Building¡¯s Hero List were not all superb rank."


    "During that era, martial artists who could surpass their ranks were few and far between."


    The 9 ranks of martial artists were a set system created by the Great Yan¡¯s founding emperor.


    The martial artists in the world were divided into different levels based on their martial skills, and corresponding officials were appointed to reward them with money, status, and honor for serving the country.


    "Two hundred years ago, there were fewer than five superb ranking martial artists¡­" Emperor Yonghe pondered.


    "Forty years ago, the final issue of the Hero List had ten superb ranking martial artists? The number of superb martial artists seems to be increasing," he mused.


    "What¡¯s so strange about that?" Yan Shenji casually remarked.


    "The martial arts world has always been evolving. If people nowadays are not as good as those in the past, and the number of superb martial artists is fewer than before, why bother fighting against inhuman forces? It¡¯s better to surrender early," he suggested.


    "Two hundred years ago, there were fewer than five superb ranking martial artists, and forty years ago, the number should be 12," Yan Shenji recalled.


    Although he rarely left the pce, he was still quite familiar with the heroes throughout the ages.


    "The top ten of the Hero List, plus a Martial Saint, and Li Changge, who died in the desert but was said to have breakthrough before his death," he added.


    "Even if breaking through the superb rank, one could still be worn down by therge army of Taoist soldiers from the Great Dao Sect cultivators," Yan Shenji felt a sense of regret.


    "Forty years ago, Earth Sword Immortal was the most powerful martial artist in the world, unmatched by anyone," Yan Shenji remarked.


    "His skills were exceptional but not perfect. His energy and internal strength were not deeply umted, highlighting his strengths and weaknesses equally."


    "I once saw him before he reached his peak, thinking he could only achieve a decent rank. Now I realize I underestimated him."


    "Forty years ago, the top three martial artists were Earth Sword Immortal, Spear Saint, and Eight-armed Heavenly Dragon, all extraordinary individuals."


    Emperor Yonghe smiled and said:


    "Even the Eight-armed Heavenly Dragon was just a defeated opponent under the ancestor¡¯smand. If the ancestor had not valued his talent, he would have died long ago."


    The Eight-armed Heavenly Dragon was ranked third at that time, excelling in agility.


    In his prime, the proud and arrogant Eight-armed Heavenly Dragon once sneaked into the imperial pce at night, effortlessly navigating through ten thousand Imperial Guards.


    Then he almost got killed by Yan Shenji on the spot.


    "If I were young, the intruder who spied on the pce would surely have no ce to bury, but I am old after all, so I spared his life," Yan Shenji said.


    "However, talent is talent, but the Eight-armed Heavenly Dragon didn¡¯t live long either, and eventually died at the hands of the Martial Saint."


    Martial Saint¡­ Emperor Yonghe muttered this name, frowning.


    "Ancestor, if what you said is true, two hundred years ago there were less than five superb ranks, forty years ago there were over ten superb ranks, and the number of superb ranks has been slowly increasing¡­ So in Martial Saint¡¯s generation, after he created the so-called new way, wouldn¡¯t the number of superb martial artists be more than in previous generations?" Emperor Yonghe said.


    "So what if there are more? Having many is only natural," Yan Shenji said casually.


    "The younger generation surpasses the older generation, which is the way it should be," Yan Shenji continued.


    Seeing Emperor Yonghe looking worried, the elder of the royal family just smiled and shook his head.


    "Emperor, your perspective is too narrow."


    Yan Shenji calmly threw punches, speaking with great power:


    "In this world, every piece ofnd belongs to the king, every border belongs to his subjects. As the emperor, all the heroes in the realm are at your disposal. The stronger the martial arts world, the stronger Great Yan. A strong citizenry means a strong nation. Isn¡¯t it achievable?"


    Emperor Yonghe listened quietly, unable to speak, but after a long silence, he sighed deeply in his heart.


    This royal ancestor was the grandson of the first emperor of Great Yan. He lived during the prosperous early days of the Great Yan Imperial Court and had a remarkable spirit.


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 Chapter 266 (1)

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    In these years, Yan Shenji didn¡¯t involve himself in politics, instead, he stayed in the pce practicing martial arts. Although he heard about the current decadent situation in Great Yan, he still couldn¡¯t fully understand it as deeply as the Emperor.


    "The rulers of thend are all royal officials, and all the heroes of the world are the subjects of the Great Yan Emperor¡­" Emperor Yonghe murmured these words to himself, feeling deeply moved:


    "No matter how strong the Martial Saint and Wuji Association are, the ancestors still see them as subjects of Great Yan."


    Yan Shenji is the grandson of the founding emperor. From Yan Shenji¡¯s words, Emperor Yonghe could catch a glimpse of the past glory of Great Yan.


    Naturally, this made him somewhat yearn for those times.


    However, Emperor Yonghe knew deep down that the Martial Saint and Wuji Association were ipatible with the Great Yan Imperial Court, and could never coexist.


    The Martial Saint harbored hatred towards the inhumanity and the court. The Wuji Association left behind by the Martial Saint remains a major threat to the Great Yan Imperial Court.


    With these thoughts in mind, he saw Flying Fish Guard Chu Xing, who had been standing guard from afar, approaching quickly with a solemn expression:"Your Majesty."


    "The immortal leader of the Great Dao Sect entered the pce to report an important matter¡­" He lowered his voice as he continued.


    Upon hearing this, Emperor Yonghe was shaken to the core, his face turning pale as he took a step back.


    "But state affairs? If there are state affairs to attend to, then you should go." Yan Shenji continued practicing his martial arts slowly, his expression calm and undisturbed.


    "Yes¡­" Emperor Yonghe stood in a daze for a while, about to take a step away, but then suddenly remembered something and turned to Yan Shenji:


    "Ancestor."


    "Let¡¯s not discuss national affairs." Yan Shenji replied without looking back.


    "But this matter is of great importance, as you are the guiding needle of the royal family¡­" Emperor Yonghe spoke slowly.


    Yan Shenji nced back at Emperor Yonghe, shaking his head silently.


    "Do you know why I left the royal pce more than two hundred years ago and wandered the world as a royal prince?" Yan Shenji asked.


    "The founding emperor of our dynasty, that is, the ancestor¡­" Yan Shenji¡¯s face showed a touch of sadness.


    "He was an unparalleled fierce warrior who built the country through martial arts, considered the best in the world at that time. He had so much energy and always liked to meddle in everything."


    "The other royal family members said I, Yan Shenji, was the most favored because I was the most talented warrior among the princes and grandsons. The ancestor arranged my martial arts training schedule from the age of ten to thirty, nning to personally cultivate a new generation that surpassed him¡­"


    The ancestor was a very controlling patriarch, and the royal grandson Yan Shenji had a stubborn and bad temper, particrly disliking being controlled by elders. Therefore, as a young man, he left the royal pce in anger.


    The ancestor was very controlling, but Yan Shenji was just the opposite.


    For two hundred years, he sat idle in the pce watching generations of emperors rise and fall, never involving himself in political matters, never stepping beyond his boundaries, and had no interest in political affairs. ?


    "The children and grandchildren will have their own blessings. Within the Great Yan royal pce, only one person can make decisions, naturally the emperor, not an old man like me who refuses to die."


    "You say I am like a needle in the sea¡­ haha, if the needle in the sea were used easily, it would have caused chaos in this world of ocean long ago," Yan Shenji self-deprecatingly remarked.


    He has lived for too long.


    With his status and power, there are plenty of opportunities to seize the throne.


    Without Emperor Yonghe in y¡­ in the two hundred years he has lived, there have been several asions of the old emperor¡¯s passing and the new emperor being young and weak.


    If he wants to seize the opportunity to control the emperor and be a regent, it shouldn¡¯t be a problem.


    That¡¯s why he doesn¡¯t interfere in politics and never steps out of line.


    If this matter arises, who will have the final say in the political affairs within the pce, the emperor or Yan Shenji?


    This matter cannote up, the future emperors will make their own decisions, while he only guards the pce, existing as thest resort of the royal family and never acting easily.


    No intervention, no questioning, simply as an elder safeguarding the royal family of Great Yan, enduring through the ages.


    Emperor Yonghe hesitated to speak.


    Seeing Yan Shenji sticking to his own opinion, he finally just walked quickly, apanied by Flying Fish Guard Chu Xing, heading straight to the Imperial Study.


    ¡­¡­¡­..


    In front of the door to the Imperial Study, a Great Dao Sect cultivator was already waiting.


    This Taoist was a middle-aged man with a serious expression,monly known as Dao Ke. He was a disciple under Elder Qingyi, with his cultivation already reached the fifth level of Golden Core.


    Elder Qingyi is an elder in charge of worldly matters at the Great Dao Sect Immortal Gate, and Dao Ke is not only his disciple but also serves as a protector.


    In the current world, a Golden Core cultivator is already a core strength of the Immortal Gate Great Dao Sect, with the next level being the Nascent Soul Immortal, who can be an elder of the Immortal Gate.


    "Dao Ke, as a high-ranking official of our Great Yan, a chief minister, a cornerstone of the court¡­ You said he is a member of the Wuji Association, but without evidence, it¡¯s just empty talk. Do you have any proof?" Emperor Yonghe¡¯s voice was low as he nced at the Human Emperor Sword hanging at his waist.


    With the Human Emperor Sword by his side, he felt a bit more secure, having something to rely on.


    The Human Emperor Sword and Yan Shenji in the deep pce were his secret weapons.


    "Evidence? Are you here to discuss thews of Great Yan with me at Immortal Gate?"


    Dao Ke couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at the mention of evidence.


    The Spirit Refining martial artist from Wuji Association had perished along with his soul, rendering him unable to serve as a witness to identify Hai Wuya.


    But what does that matter? When ites to Immortal Gate¡¯s affairs, are you here to talk to me about earthlyws?


    "Hai Wuya¡¯s identity has been confirmed through our immortal methods, it cannot be false, it¡¯s just that there are no living witnesses." Dao Ke said solemnly.


    "Will the Emperor of Great Yan protect this man? He is a remnant of Wuji Association and thus an enemy of the Great Yan Imperial Court." Dao Ke¡¯s gaze narrowed, exerting pressure.


    Bound by the presence of the Human Emperor Sword, he wouldn¡¯t act excessively, but representing the Great Dao Sect, he couldn¡¯t be weak.


    "Wuji Association is a disorderly group that should be eradicated to prevent future troubles. Moreover, Hai Wuya is no ordinary person; he is one of the seventy-two wise men within Wuji Association."


    "Emperor of Great Yan, you have yet toprehend the true nature of this man. I advise you to consider the bigger picture and think carefully before acting," Dao Ke asked in a serious tone.


    Think carefully before acting.


    Emperor Yonghe fell silent.


    It was time to make a choice and weigh the pros and cons.


    To guarantee the safety of an Hai Wuya, one must withstand the pressure from the Immortal Gate. However, Emperor Yonghe was not fully prepared to break ties with the Immortal Gate and felt he needed more time.


    If he were to give up on Hai Wuya¡­


    Emperor Yonghe instinctively looked up while holding the Human Emperor Sword in his hand, gazing at the wall of the Imperial Study.


    On the wall hung a painting of the founding emperor of the dynasty, above the figure stood the founding emperor who exuded an imposing presence in his dragon robe, holding up the Human Emperor Sword with authority, possessing the regal air of a monarch overlooking the world.


    Perhaps due to Yan Shenji¡¯s words today, he felt a sense of nostalgia for the era of the founding emperor. As he looked at the painting, a thought suddenly crossed his mind:


    If the founding emperor were to be the emperor during the prosperous period of Great Yan and faced with the threat from the Immortal Gate, how would he choose?


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 Chapter 266 (2)

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    Emperor Yonghe shook his head silently and no longer considered such escapist thoughts.


    When he was young, he dreamed of being a powerful and wise emperor who could turn the tide of the country. The first time he held the Human Emperor Sword, he also had ambitions to eliminate the deep-rooted problems in the world, but now¡­


    As for his choice now?


    He simply didn¡¯t want to be thest emperor of the Great Yan Imperial Court, he wanted to continue the royal legacy.


    "I will order Hai Wuya to enter the pce immediately and question him myself." Emperor Yonghe said slowly as he held the Human Emperor Sword:


    "If he is truly a member of the Wuji Association rebels, he shall be put to death."


    Dao Ke was slightly silent, with no expression on his face.


    His initial purpose was just to inform Emperor Yonghe at the pce and then proceed with the arrests.Immortal Gate still needed to follow rules to some extent. If even a high-ranking official like the Minister of Rites could be arrested by Immortal Gate without following proper procedures, it would show ack of respect towards the court.


    Once Emperor Yonghe agreed to the arrest, with the help of the Immortal Gate disciples, the nature of the matter changed as they assisted in capturing the rebels.


    However, Dao Ke didn¡¯t expect Emperor Yonghe to not immediately agree but instead decided to personally investigate the matter.


    As his gaze briefly paused on the Human Emperor Sword at Emperor Yonghe¡¯s waist, he chuckled and said:


    "Well, go ahead and ask then."


    "Don¡¯t forget, since joining the Wuji Association, he hasn¡¯t been your official of Great Yan, but a spy of the rebels lurking in the shadows."


    "Once everything is out in the open, Hai Wuya will not only die but also be exposed to the world."


    Great Dao Sect wants to show their power, and since Hai Wuya is a high-ranking official with a prominent status, and possibly connected to the Wuji Association leadership, he naturally bes a prime target.


    Although Immortal Changqing from Long Life Gate wants to win over Hai Wuya, Elder Qingyi discovered that Hai Wuya had spent thirty years studying in the heavenly prison, and realized that he was unlikely to join the Immortal Gate.


    Therefore, Hai Wuya had no choice but to die.


    As for how Hai Wuya died, whether it was Immortal Gate or the Emperor who killed him, as long as Immortal Gate¡¯s goal of establishing dominance is achieved, it¡¯s fine.


    The Human Emperor Sword is a sword of fortune that has never been stained with the blood of cultivators. No one wants to risk testing the sharpness of the Human Emperor Sword.


    Elder Qingyi doesn¡¯t want it, and Dao Ke doesn¡¯t want it either.


    After speaking, Dao Ke turned and left, leaving Emperor Yonghe alone standing in front of the painting of the founding emperor on the wall, feeling somewhat deste.


    Emperor Yonghe gazed alone at the painting on the wall, with fluctuating thoughts in his mind.


    The Wuji Association is indeed a rebel group.


    Since the Wuji Association¡¯s assassination of Emperor Yonghe in Nan Province, Emperor Yonghe has been well aware:


    If one day the Wuji Association truly obtains the power to defeat the Nine Immortal Gates, then the moment after the Nine Immortal Gates disappear will be when the Great Yan Imperial Court falls. ?


    At that time, the world will change hands, and the royal family will lose power.


    Nowadays, although the Nine Immortal Gates are arrogant, what they want more is the worship from the mortal world. The world ultimately still belongs to the Yan family, and there has been no change.


    Before that, let¡¯s make the people suffer first.


    If we wait for several hundred years, the ancestor Yan Shenji¡¯s cultivation will surely improve, and Emperor Yonghe will also grasp the way to use the Human Emperor Sword.


    Therefore, if Hai Wuya is really a member of the chaotic Wuji Association, how could Emperor Yonghe protect such a person?


    If Hai Wuya is not¡­


    This pce, with Yan Shenji in charge, is actually the safest ce in the entire Zhong Province in Emperor Yonghe¡¯s eyes.


    With this in mind, he immediately ordered Chu Xing to visit the Hai family¡¯s mansion.


    "The Immortal Gate¡¯s words are true, so if Hai Wuya is indeed a member of the chaotic Wuji Association, then he may resist the order¡­ Chu Xing, gather a hundred soldiers and go." Emperor Yonghemanded.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    Hai family¡¯s mansion.


    Hai Wuya was as usual, holding a scripture in one hand and reciting it. But this time, the scripture in his hand had changed from "Xumi Mountain King Sutra" to "Human Path Sutra."


    The two martial arts techniques were somewhat connected, making it not difficult to switch between them. As the founder of the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra," Hai Wuya was more than capable of exining the "Human Path Sutra" to the elderly disciples.


    The reason for exining the Human Path Sutra was to witness strong practitioners of this scripture, rather than just having a theoretical understanding of martial arts.


    Suddenly, the sound of footsteps outside the door caught their attention, and the butler hurriedly ushered Chu Xing in.


    Outside the mansion¡¯s gate, there were over a hundred soldiers in armor.


    These older white-headed soldiers may have been aged, but twenty of them were skilled Spirit Refining martial artists.


    As Chu Xing stepped into Hai family¡¯s mansion, the hundred elderly disciples also sensed something amiss, looking up and meeting his gaze.


    "So many Spirit Refining martial artists?" Chu Xing¡¯s eyes twitched slightly, sensing danger instinctively.


    These old soldiers must be new to spiritual refining, and they look old and tired. It seems their energy is running low, so they probably wouldn¡¯t stand a chance in a real fight against the emperor¡¯s guards.


    But there are too many of them¡­


    Even though they have many soldiers with armor, it¡¯s too much for them to handle twenty Spirit Refining martial artists.


    "Could it be that this Hai Wuya is actually a member of the Wuji Association rebels?" Chu Xing¡¯s eyes widened, and with a wave of his hand, the hundreds of soldiers waiting outside the door immediately rushed in.


    The hundreds of soldiers outside and the white-headed soldiers inside stood facing each other, creating a tense atmosphere.


    Hai Siyuan and the other old soldiers didn¡¯t have many thoughts, they were just feeling a bit confused.


    These white-headed soldiers had been waiting in the desert for forty years, but the reinforcements from Great Yan never arrived, only a few members of the Qiao family iming to be from the Immortal ying Army.


    And now, while sitting in their own home, they were suddenly surrounded by the soldiers of Great Yan?


    The good news was, after waiting for forty years, they finally saw the soldiers of Great Yan arrive.


    The bad news is, are these soldiers from Great Yan enemies?


    Hai Siyuan found it all very absurd.


    "What do you mean by this, Guard Chu?" Hai Wuya handed the "Human Path Sutra" to old man of the arsenal Li Changshi, then walked over with a calm expression.


    "Please forgive me, Lord Hai. I overreacted." Chu Xing saw that the old soldiers didn¡¯t show any hostile intentions, so he took out the decree and began to read it out.


    "Do you mean I have to go to the pce immediately to meet the emperor?"


    Hai Wuya knelt down and listened to the decree, ncing at the many soldiers behind Chu Xing from the corner of his eye, guessing in his heart.


    He stood up to receive the imperial decree, looked up at the sky, only to see the setting sun dyeing the clouds red, signaling dusk approaching.


    He gently patted Hai Siyuan¡¯s shoulder and advised:


    "Don¡¯t be reckless, just going to the pce for an audience with the emperor."


    "If I don¡¯t return tonight, you can go to the outskirts of the city to find Dong Xinglin, Dr. Dong."


    He took onest look at Hai Siyuan and the many elderly soldiers behind him, feeling no fear but only a slight smile, then turned to leave with Chu Xing.


    To learn in the morning and die in the evening is satisfying.


    Having already seen half of the Human Path Sutra and reunited with his son who had been lost in the desert for forty years, what regrets are there even if he dies?


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 Chapter 267 (1)

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    Before the Golden Pce.


    Hai Wuya stood facing Emperor Yonghe.


    One person is the ruler, the other person is the subject.


    However, the atmosphere between the ruler and the subject at this moment was not harmonious, the air felt as cold and hard as iron, making it difficult to breathe.


    The cultivator from the Great Dao Sect, Dao Ke, stood outside the Golden Luang Pce, watching the scene with great interest.


    He found the interactions between the ruler and his officials entertaining, like a y.


    "Hai Wuya," finally said Emperor Yonghe.


    "Someone has used you of joining the rebel Wuji Association long ago, is there any truth to this?"Beside Emperor Yonghe stood Chu Xing and other members of the Flying Fish Guard.


    The Flying Fish Guard were the emperor¡¯s spies, not only gathering information but also skilled in interrogation and torture.


    "Lord Hai, don¡¯t hope for luck, the Great Dao Sect immortal used magic to uncover this matter," cautioned Flying Fish Guard Chu Xing.


    "Lord Hai, speak truthfully, you are getting old, it won¡¯t look good if blood is spilled in the Golden Luang Pce."


    This statement carried both a warning and a reminder.


    Anyone who has read about Hai Wuya¡¯s life knows he studied in a heavenly prison for thirty years, will understand that he is a fearless person, and it is very difficult to make him confess through physical torture.


    Chu Xing doubted that with Hai Wuya¡¯s strong mind, if he had dedicated himself to martial arts from a young age, breaking through the third rank of spiritual refining should have been easy for him.


    So Chu Xing purposely hinted that there were immortal cultivators behind the scenes.


    The methods of immortal cultivators are more sophisticated than those of the Flying Fish Guard.


    Even though Hai Wuya¡¯s mouth is sealed, he can still kill and search for memories forcibly.


    Resistance is futile; resisting will only make the oue worse and bring more pain. Why bother?


    "Not bad," Dao Ke chimed in.


    "Immortal cultivators have extraordinary soul-searching techniques. Strong men can withstand normal torture, but how can they resist immortal techniques? Even if you die, I can still capture your soul and learn the truth from your residual soul."


    "For example, about your creation of the ¡®Xumi Mountain King Sutra¡¯."


    This saying is actually half true and half false.


    Although soul searching is powerful, it puts a heavy burden on mortal souls. Therefore, generally speaking, when there is not enough time to read all of a mortal¡¯s memories, the mortal¡¯s soul would have already scattered.


    If this person has a strong mind and willpower, the effectiveness of soul searching will be somewhat discounted.


    As for capturing the soul after death, it is not always sessful.


    So, if Dao Ke is directly used with soul searching, Hai Wuya will definitely scatter, but how much information can be obtained is unknown.


    The most effective method is to break through this person¡¯s psychological defenses before death, make his mind vulnerable,pletely weaken his willpower, and then use soul searching to explore the memories of mortals to the fullest extent.


    So, when Dao Ke says this, it¡¯s actually a form of intimidation, slightly exaggerated, targeting ordinary people who don¡¯t understand immortal practices.


    After Hai Wuya heard this, his face remained calm, but his gaze shifted between Emperor Yonghe and Dao Ke for a moment before he spoke loudly:


    "Your Majesty."


    "No need to force a confession. I will speak the truth willingly."


    Since he entered the pce with the Flying Fish Guard, he never expected to leave the pce alive.


    "Many decades ago, after the Martial Saint left the court, I became a member of the Wuji Association," Hai Wuya said frankly:


    "However, shortly after that, I was imprisoned in the heavenly prison for speaking out against the former emperor, spending a total of thirty years there, isted from the outside world and the limited knowledge of the Wuji Association."


    "In reality, I had limited contact with the Wuji Association during those thirty years. It was only after my release that I learned about their activities outside."


    "I initially thought our paths diverged and nned to distance myself from the Wuji Association¡­ but I am running out of time."


    "Cooperating with the Wuji Association is the fastest way to spread the ¡®Xumi Mountain King Sutra.¡¯"


    Back at the medical clinic on the outskirts of the Imperial Capital, Hai Wuya received a new version of the ¡®Xumi Mountain King Sutra¡¯ from Qiao Mu. Aware that the previous levels of the practice were wless and with little time left, he made the decision to disseminate the teachings.


    "Really? I don¡¯t believe it," Dao Ke chuckled:


    "Every statement is an excuse. You joined the Wuji Association early on and were among its first members. You also have a close rtionship with Martial Saint in the government field."


    "Even though you are a senior figure in the Wuji Association, you im to barely be involved in its affairs now. Do you want to distance yourselfpletely?"


    The Great Dao Sect has received some of the information from Hai Wuya, but the full picture is still unclear.


    Based on Hai Wuya¡¯s background, it is assumed he may be part of the leadership of the Wuji Association, but the true situation is not yet clear.


    "Are there any high-ranking rebels living in the heavenly prison?" Hai Wuya just shook his head.


    If he is indeed a high-ranking member, how can he give orders while being in the heavenly prison?


    Even the insightful Martial Saint couldn¡¯t have known thirty years ago that Hai Wuya could write the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra," so recruiting Hai Wuya was just a move in the game.


    Emperor Yonghe didn¡¯t expect Hai Wuya to admit so easily. After a moment of shock, he finally became angry, his voice trembling:


    "I thought you were a rare honest court official¡­ Why did you choose to join the rebels and stand with Martial Saint? Don¡¯t you know that Martial Saint has long been involved in bloodshed, and the Wuji Association has brought chaos to Jiu Province?"


    "Your Majesty," Hai Wuya said solemnly:


    "What I just said was not an attempt to escape punishment, and it¡¯s not possible to do so anyway, I just wanted to say¡­"


    "I have never sided with the Martial Saint or the Wuji Association, but I am also not siding with the Great Yan Royal Family."


    In the early stages of the Inhuman War, he also generously offered advice, and like Wang Shanhe and other courtiers at the time, he remonstrated one after another, but ended up sitting alone in a heavenly prison for thirty years.


    In these thirty years, he felt very sad and confused, but eventually he began to understand his love for martial arts.


    Yes, his love for martial arts.


    When he was young, he practiced martial arts, but deep down he just wanted to be a good person and help others.


    As he spent time in the heavenly prison, his martial arts skills began to decline with age, but at this time he started to discover his true feelings.


    Hai Wuya looked up.


    At the end of his life, he no longer followed the rules of being respectful to the emperor, and for the first time, he looked Emperor Yonghe directly in the eyes and said firmly:


    "Immortals see the people as worthless, while kings see the people as livestock."


    "Therefore, I just want to stand on the side of the people of Jiu Province."


    Hai Wuya¡¯s martial arts are all about humanity.


    Whether it¡¯s the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra" or his dream of the "Human Path Sutra," they are not extraordinary skills only meant for those with exceptional talents.


    Drop by drop wears away stone, umting soil forms mountains, even ordinary martial artists as small as specks of dust, without outstanding talent and understanding, can also, through gradual effort and umtion, eventually be towering mountains.


    This is a martial arts technique created for the people of the world.


    His voice echoed in the Golden Pce like a sudden p of thunder in spring.


    Flying Fish Guard Chu Xing quietly lowered his head, focusing on his breath and inner thoughts.


    Emperor Yonghe¡¯s body began to tremble slightly.


    He was angered by this elderly minister who had reached old age.


    "Are you treating me as inhuman¡­You see me as an enemy of the people of the world? Absurd, don¡¯t I want the country to be rich and the people to live a good life in Jiu Province?"


    Emperor Yonghe pointed at Hai Wuya, almost poking him in the nose.


    Hai Wuya said, "The ruler sees the people as worthless, and the people see the ruler as an enemy."


    "You¡­" Emperor Yonghe fell silent and finally just waved his hand.


    The friendship between monarch and minister over the years had dissipated, and the current Hai Wuya naturally acknowledged his status, no longer as a senior official of Great Yan, but as a member of the rebellious Wuji Association.


    Since he is a rebel, why protect him?


    "This man, let the Immortal Gate deal with him." Emperor Yonghe¡¯s expression turned cold as he said calmly:


    "I will announce to the world, exposing the name of the rebel Wuji Association member, Hai Wuya."


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    Dao Ke¡¯s expression changed subtly, staring at Hai Wuya with a mysterious smile.


    "Hai Wuya, you im you are not a high-ranking member of the Wuji Association¡­ but you seem more than just an ordinary person."


    "Whether it¡¯s you or the ¡®Xumi Mountain King Sutra¡¯, neither are ordinary¡­ I suspect you are lying, you are indeed a high-ranking member of the Wuji Association, just speaking in half-truths."


    "Emperor of Great Yan, how about letting this person live a few more days?" Dao Ke smiled faintly.


    "Since he wrote the ¡®Xumi Mountain King Sutra¡¯, he must be an important figure in the Wuji Association."


    "We can show authority, or use him to lure out those rats from the shadows, like the one self-proimed Martial Saint."


    Emperor Yonghe felt a sudden half of his anger disappear.


    ording to Dao Ke, this Martial Saint is still alive?Among the Flying Fish Guard, there were no amazing martial artists, so Emperor Yonghe knew very little about the top martial arts experts in the world.


    "Martial Saint?" Hai Wuya just smiled.


    "You might be underestimating his intelligence. Even if Little Martial Saint Wu Qiankun was captured, do you think he woulde for him?"


    "This is a clear trap. If Martial Saint acts impulsively like this, then he is not a Martial Saint."


    As Hai Wuya mentioned this, he remembered a past event that Hai Siyuan had spoken about before.


    When in Great Qin City, Hai Siyuan, Li Changshi, and other old soldiers were saved by Martial Saint.


    Those elderly soldiers who made it out of the Hundred-mile Desert are thest survivors of Martial Saint.


    To Hai Wuya, they are also thest trace of humanity in Martial Saint.


    But Hai Wuya is not a survivor of the Western Conquering Army.


    "You¡¯re trying to argue again, ready to face death? I don¡¯t believe you." Dao Ke smiled.


    "Whether it¡¯s true or false, we¡¯ll find out soon enough. It¡¯s just a matter of days, I¡¯m patient enough to wait."


    "Emperor, why don¡¯t you announce to the world and see if in these three days, we can lure out the rats from the Wuji Association."


    After speaking, Dao Ke turned to leave.


    "Wait¡­" But Emperor Yonghe couldn¡¯t sit still.


    "Dao Ke, should Hai Wuya be confined to the Taoist temple in the Imperial Capital during these three days?"


    "The Taoist temple? Isn¡¯t this trap too obvious? Would the people from the Wuji Association dare toe?" Dao Ke shook his head.


    "Don¡¯t you have a heavenly prison? It¡¯s only right to ce offenders in the heavenly prison, isn¡¯t it?"


    Emperor Yonghe¡¯s eye twitched slightly.


    At this time, he had believed Dao Ke¡¯s words, seeing Hai Wuya as a possible target for the rebels led by Martial Saint, so Hai Wuya was now in a tricky situation. §²


    Being locked up in the heavenly prison? Can the heavenly prison stop the Martial Saint or the Wuji Association?


    Emperor Yonghe was uncertain.


    The experts guarding the heavenly prison were several first-ranked martial artists in spiritual refining, along with some stationed troops.


    If we were to say which ce in the Imperial Capital is safest and most likely to withstand the Martial Saint¡­ it would likely be the pce with ten thousand Imperial Guards protecting it and the presence of the ancestor Yan Shenji.


    So, before the execution, would Hai Wuya be ced under house arrest in the pce?


    Emperor Yonghe frowned in thought.


    Hai Wuya remained silent.


    In a way, this Great Dao Sect cultivator had indeed guessed correctly.


    He really wanted to die early and didn¡¯t want to wait for several more days.


    This is not because he truly believes that the Martial Saint wille to set a trap and rescue him here.


    He is worried that his son, Hai Siyuan, might act recklessly and confront danger¡­


    When the Flying Fish Guard took him away, he cleverly advised his eldest son to find Dr. Dong, but whether it worked or not is still uncertain¡­


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    In the Imperial Capital, there was a noodle shop by the street.


    Qiao Mu sat at the Eight Immortals table by the shop¡¯s entrance, facing a bowl of longevity noodles, with Wei En sitting opposite him.


    "The most important thing in life is to be happy."


    "Wei En, are you hungry? Do you want me to ask the owner for more food for you?"


    On his birthday, Qiao Mu would eat longevity noodles, it was a small tradition for him.


    Wasn¡¯t it when Qiao Mu first ate noodles in Yan City? He must have been only a few years old then. It feels like a distant memory from a past life¡­ Qiao Mu leaned against the wall, looking rxed.


    "What are Mr. Qiao¡¯s ns foring to Imperial Capital this time?" Wei En asked in a serious tone, while not eating his noodles.


    The Imperial Capital is no ordinary ce, it can be said to be where all the world¡¯s events and talents gather.


    He spected that when Qiao Mu left Great Qin City and came to Imperial Capital, he must have had important matters to attend to.


    "ns? I do have some ideas," Qiao Mu pondered for a while before saying:


    "I know a generous man named Wan, who is always charitable. I n to borrow some money from him, and then take a stroll with my bird¡­"


    "Just a stroll with your bird?" Wei En was surprised.


    "You do make a good point, just walking the bird is a bit limited in scope," Qiao Mu said.


    "Then I can go ask that good man for more money to open a bookstore here in the Imperial Capital."


    "Not selling Confucian ssics, but specializing in strange stories and martial arts legends."


    "Then I¡¯ll pick one or two martial arts manuals, quietly ce them in the bookshelf, with the book covers still looking like strange tales, to see which child gets lucky¡­"


    "I don¡¯thing all day, just sweep the floor, y the role of a janitor, and sometimes casually recite a few martial arts mantras, trying to give off the vibe of a transcendent figure, right?"


    Wei En listened somewhat confusedly as Qiao Mu finished speaking, hesitantly asking:


    "Is Mr. Qiao suggesting to find naturally gifted martial arts prodigies and secretly train them?"


    That¡¯s as far as he could think.


    After all, the Qiao family is so mysterious and powerful, and Qiao Mu in front of him has such high martial arts skills, and is involved in earth-shattering events like assassinating King Qin and using martial arts to conquer immortals, how could hee to the Imperial Capital just to open a small bookstore?


    Maybe there¡¯s more to it?


    "Train geniuses? Wei En, why are you thinking so much about practical things?" Qiao Mu said in a displeased tone.


    "If I open a bookstore, can¡¯t I just have some small goals and enjoy life casually?"


    "Having a bnce is what life is all about."


    "Selling books, taking care of birds, cleaning, and pretending to be a hermit, how pleasant?" Qiao Mu said casually.


    Thest time he left Imperial Capital and went to Great Qin Prefecture, he ended up staying there for over a hundred and sixty years.


    Right now, Qiao Mu just wants to take a break and rx, to recover from his efforts.


    Wei En nodded thoughtfully.


    "What Mr. Qiao meant by having a bnce is¡­ starting with a bookshop as a front, then slowly nning for bigger things?"


    He found it hard to believe that a top martial artist who had just defeated a group of cultivators and forced the number one on the Spiritual Refining List, Wu Qiankun, to retreat, came to Imperial Capital just to retire.


    Qiao Mu was speechless, he realized he couldn¡¯t keep up with Wei En¡¯ thoughts.


    Are you okay? This isn¡¯t a movie scene, did we go to the wrong ce?


    "Stop imagining, I¡¯m not a carefree youth anymore, what¡¯s wrong with growing old?"


    "When you reach my age, you¡¯ll understand that fighting and killing is not really meaningful, the essence of life is finding inner peace." Qiao Mu started acting like an old sage, giving Wei En some inspiration:


    "The highest virtue is like water, benefiting all things without striving, that¡¯s the principle."


    Qiao Mu thought he sounded quite wise.


    Masters, they rarely act easily.


    Walking birds, ying with cats daily, running a bookstore and being like a monk, isn¡¯t this a hermit master?


    While Qiao Mu was teaching Wei En, noise could be heard from the street.


    Looking back, several soldiers were putting up notices on the city wall, attracting arge crowd of people to watch and chat noisily.


    "Minister of Rites Hai Wuya, is actually a member of the Wuji Association rebels¡­"


    "¡­be executed in three days?"


    "Minister Hai is also a rebel? I remember seeing him at the ceremony for the fallen heroes of the Western Conquering Armyst time and he seemed quite righteous, didn¡¯t he?"


    "People are not always what they seem, it appears that Minister Hai joined the Wuji Association rebels decades ago, like a hidden nail within the Great Yan court¡­"


    "Is this really happening?"


    Qiao Mu and his friend were both skilled martial artists, with sharp senses, naturally heard clearly the discussions of these people.


    Qiao Mu remained silent, quietly slurping noodles, finishing three bowls before letting out a satisfied burp and standing up.


    "Why do you make me¡­ make me have to fight and possibly kill you all?"


    Qiao Mu sighed, feeling a bit resigned.


    Unable to bear it any longer, he punched the pce wall!


    "Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Qiao," Wei En observed carefully, sensing something, and said:


    "You just said that water benefits all without contention, the true essence of life is to seek inner peace¡­"


    "Did I ever tell you¡­ water takes many forms," Qiao Mu said.


    Water takes many forms.


    Which means, the ultimate decision belongs to Qiao family member.


    "I am now going to the pce to find inner peace¨C" he said halfway, but then he noticed a familiar figure with white hair among the crowd at the notice board.


    It was Hai Siyuan, standing in the crowd, looking around bewildered, the bustling crowd parting and closing in front of him, he alone remained still like a solitary rock.


    "Dong XinglinDr. Dong¡¯s clinic¡­" Hai Siyuan whispered to himself.


    He was not a young man who acts without thinking, he was already in his sixties.


    And his father Hai Wuya wasn¡¯t either.


    Hai Wuya was never someone who acted recklessly, he specifically requested to meet Dong Xinglin before entering the pce, perhaps he had already foreseen what might happen in the pce and had some clever ideas?


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    Once inside the deep pce, Hai Wuya didn¡¯t return all night.


    Hai Siyuan waited all night, but at daybreak, he saw posters posted by soldiers all over the Imperial Capital.


    These posters covered the walls like snowkes, announcing Hai Wuya¡¯s affiliation with the rebellious Wuji Association, and dering that he would be executed soon.


    Hai Siyuan stood in front of the posters for a while, and then hurried with Qiao Mu, Wei En, and others to Dong Xinglin¡¯s clinic on the outskirts of the city.


    "Mr. Qiao, do you know much about Doctor Dong Xinglin?" Hai Siyuan asked.


    Standing in front of him, Qiao Shuanggui, Hai Siyuan was actually meeting for the first time.


    But he was getting used to it, after a short chat, he felt a bit more familiar.


    If a Qiao family member dies suddenly, sometimes a new older Qiao family member appears, it¡¯s not a big deal.As Hai Wuya is about to be executed, Hai Siyuan is feeling a bit scared, so he asked Qiao Mu a couple of questions.


    In Hai Siyuan¡¯s eyes, Qiao family members are skilled seniors in martial arts, knowing a lot of things is normal.


    "Dong Xinglin¡­ all I know is he¡¯s a famous doctor in the Imperial Capital," Qiao Mu said.


    He had visited Dong Xinglin¡¯s clinic once, and his book "Fragmented Virtual Finger" was also from Dong Xinglin.


    This old renowned doctor may also know martial arts, but he didn¡¯t leave a strong impression on Qiao Mu.


    Qiao Mu asked, "Shouldn¡¯t you ask yourself that question?"


    "Who exactly is Dong Xinglin, why did Hai Wuya mention him before entering the pce? Don¡¯t you have any idea?" Hai Siyuan wondered.


    Hai Siyuan felt helpless.


    Hai Siyuan was not familiar with Dong Xinglin, only knowing that he seemed to be acquainted with Hai Wuya and they had been in contact for several months.


    ording to Hai Wuya, there is no distinction between medicine and martial arts. This Dong Xinglin, a skilled healer, is not only proficient in medicine but also knowledgeable in martial arts.


    So, in order to continue deciphering the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra," he often exchanged ideas with Dong Xinglin, the healer, and came to discuss regrly every few days.


    These few were all experts and moved quickly, arriving at Dong Xinglin¡¯s clinic in no time.


    However, as he entered the clinic and informed Dong Xinglin of Hai Wuya¡¯s final instructions, thetter looked puzzled.


    "Before Elder Hai enters the pce, he said if he doesn¡¯t return, I shoulde find you?"


    Dong Xinglin was more confused than Hai Siyuan and took a long time to sort out his thoughts.


    "What kind of clever n¡­ I¡¯ve never heard of such a thing, nor has the old man ever mentioned it," Dong Xinglin shook his head.


    "I actually don¡¯t know what the old man¡¯s advice means¡­ I¡¯m just a simple doctor, not a martial arts master. What¡¯s the point of himing to me?"


    Dong Xinglin and Hai Siyuan looked at each other, both puzzled, not understanding what Hai Wuya meant at all.


    It was Qiao Mu who spoke up at this moment:


    "In that case, Dr. Dong, why has Hai Wuya beening to your clinic so often in recent months?"


    Dong Xinglin spoke up:


    "Is there a need to ask?"


    "I¡¯m not a martial arts master, but just a doctor. So when the old manes to my clinic, it¡¯s naturally for medical treatment."


    "The old shrimp has spent thirty years in the heavenly prison, and his health has deteriorated. His time is running out."


    "Health deteriorated?"


    Hai Siyuan was shocked.


    He didn¡¯t know about the rtionship between Hai Wuya and the Wuji Association, nor did he realize how serious Hai Wuya¡¯s illness was. It was only now that he understood the meaning behind Hai Wuya¡¯s words "To learn the way in the morning, and die in the evening."


    "What illness does my father have? Can¡¯t you help him, Dr. Dong?" Hai Siyuan asked.


    "It¡¯s not exactly an illness," Dr. Dong sighed.


    "The old shrimp is already old, and spending so long in the heavenly prison has weakened his vital organs."


    Training in martial arts can improve health, but being healthy doesn¡¯t mean you won¡¯t get sick.


    Hai Wuya used to practice martial arts at the Shaolin Temple, focusing on external techniques that relied on energy and blood. Compared to internal martial artists, these external martial artists tend to age faster.


    Some martial artists from outside families may experience health issues past the age of thirty, due to injuries from their earlier years like Sheriff Qian from Heyang City.


    Those who focus on developing inner strength, even if their health declines, can still improve their inner strength through diligent practice.


    Dr. Dong added:


    "The ¡®Xumi Mountain King Sutra¡¯ is not just an ordinary martial art. When he was younger and studying the sutra, he actually fell into a dangerous state a few times, although not deeply, he did suffer internal injuries."


    The ¡®Xumi Mountain King Sutra¡¯ is very different from the martial arts techniques today, despite being in its early stages, it can be considered a revolutionary practice.


    Such a technique in its early stages is very different from modern martial arts, making it easy to fall into dangerous states.


    Later on, Hai Wuya learned to be more cautious and took gradual steps in studying the technique, spending thirty years to develop the initial version of the ¡®Xumi Mountain King Sutra¡¯.


    So when he saw Qiao Mu¡¯s ¡®Human Path Sutra¡¯, he was amazed.


    Even his own master of the ¡®Xumi Mountain King Sutra¡¯ almost died from falling into dangerous states, but Qiao family¡¯s ancestor seemingly achieved what he couldn¡¯t in less than half a month with the ¡®Human Path Sutra¡¯.


    Dr. Dong said, "When Elder Hai came to me, he was trying to heal some hidden pain¡­ but after decades of hidden pain, who can heal that?"


    "All I can do is help him hold on a little longer."


    "After these few months, his life is almost at its limit. Now that he¡¯s away from me, held in soft confinement by the current emperor, I think¡­"


    "I¡¯ll be straightforward, with Elder Hai¡¯s current condition, being held in soft confinement again, he might not even live to see his execution in three days."


    Dr. Dong didn¡¯t finish his words, as he suddenly understood why before Hai Wuya entered the pce, Hai Siyuan came to him.


    Hai Wuya hadn¡¯t been in good terms with Dr. Dong before, and his sudden arrest this time also surprised Hai Wuya.


    So, Hai Wuya¡¯s intentions were actually quite clear.


    Qiao Mu took a closer look at Dr. Dong.


    If what he said was true and Hai Wuya¡¯s condition was so serious, yet this miracle doctor could keep Hai Wuya alive until now, then his reputation is indeed well-deserved, he¡¯s not an ordinary person.


    Qiao Mu spoke solemnly, "Hai Wuya knows he has no way out, that¡¯s why he is now using Dr. Dong¡¯s words to tell you¡­"


    "He is seriously ill, already in his twilight years, so there¡¯s no need to save him."


    "Even if he saved him, it would be in vain."


    As for why Hai Wuya didn¡¯t clearly exin, it seems that he wanted to pretend to have a clever n to prevent Hai Siyuan from objecting and to dy time.


    By the time that night passed, Hai Wuya probably would have died too. Then, finding Dr. Dong would be of no use.


    "So that¡¯s what it means?" After a long silence, Hai Siyuan bid farewell to Dr. Dong and returned to the Hai family¡¯s mansion.


    Qiao Mu also followed behind.


    As soon as they entered the Hai family¡¯s mansion, hundreds of eyes looked their way.


    These people were martial arts practitioners in the Hai family¡¯s mansion. They watched Hai Wuya being captured yesterday, naturally feeling discontent. Therefore, like Hai Siyuan, they waited until now.


    Hai Wuya is the leader of the old soldiers, Hai Siyuan¡¯s biological father. He taught them the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra" and the "Human Path Sutra" and also served as Minister of Rites, honoring the spirits of one hundred thousand heroes at Anxi Pass.


    Even though Hai Wuya is not arade who fought alongside them like Hai Siyuan for many years, they still deeply respect his actions.


    "General Hai, I have gathered information," said Li Changshi.


    "I have a friend in a position of authority in the heavenly prison, who told me¡­ Hai has not been sent to the heavenly prison and most likely has not left the pce, so he might be temporarily confined there."


    "Confined in the pce¡­" Hai Siyuan nodded.


    "This is Mr. Qiao Shuanggui," Hai Siyuan introduced briefly before changing the subject:


    "Mr. Qiao, you came with something to say?"


    While they were meeting Qiao Shuanggui for the first time, members of the Qiao family had rescued them several times and sacrificed their lives, which had helped the old soldiers escape the desert.


    Therefore, even though it was their first meeting with Qiao Shuanggui, they held him in high regard and respected him greatly.


    This is the fame built by the Qiao family member using bodies piled up one by one.


    "What I want to say is¡­" Qiao Mu looked at all the old men in the room.


    Apart from Li Changshi, Hai Siyuan and other old soldiers were all almost over sixty years old, with gray hair and looking very elderly.


    But actually, Qiao Mu was the oldest among them.


    So he confidently relied on his age:


    "You are no longer reckless young men, as adults, you should naturally think carefully, consider all aspects, weigh the pros and cons, this is the way of adult."


    "Today, I am here to weigh the pros and cons for you."


    "Even if you venture into the heavenly prison, break into the pce, or take over thew field after three days, the oue is destined to be total annihtion."


    "Even if you seed, you can¡¯t save Hai Wuya, because he is very ill and doesn¡¯t have much time left."


    "Is this what Hai Wuya chose to see, asking if you¡¯re trying to do the impossible?"


    "This is the Imperial Capital, no longer the Hundred-mile Desert."


    Hai Siyuan and others looked at each other in surprise.


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 Chapter 268 (2)

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    That¡¯s the way it is.


    Adults often weigh the pros and cons and think carefully before acting.


    But when this was said by a member of the Qiao family, it gave them a strange feeling.


    However, thest sentence did touch Hai Siyuan and the others.


    When they were in the Hundred-mile Desert, although the environment was tough, the challenges they faced were rtively straightforward.


    The old soldiers had no other choice, so they had to choose to fight to the death, surrender was not an option, what the inhuman wanted was their spirit, no prisoners would be taken.


    What they were facing now was actually even moreplicated than before. It wasn¡¯t a difficulty that could be solved just by courage.


    "Being brave but not smart is just foolish behavior," Qiao Mu continued earnestly.Let me put it in simpler terms, "I¡¯ll be frank, even if you guys sneak into the heavenly prison or the imperial pce, Hai Wuya won¡¯t live longer. It¡¯s just risking a few lives for nothing."


    "Every choicees with its own consequences and costs."


    Qiao Mu looked directly at Hai Wuya¡¯s eldest son, now General HaiHai Siyuan, and said, "


    "Hai Wuya has made a decision, and I hope you will respect his decision too."


    Hai Siyuan stayed silent for a long time, his face slowly turning sad.


    This is not just a matter of bravery. Hai Wuya is running out of time, and even a fairy can¡¯t save him.


    Hai Siyuan fought for forty years in a lonely city in the desert, without hesitation if it meant saving his own father.


    "I understand," he whispered.


    Being quite old himself, he didn¡¯t shed tears, but only looked sad.


    "Let¡¯s call it quits on this matter then."


    Qiao Mu didn¡¯t say much, he walked out of the Hai family¡¯s mansion alone and found a nearby inn to stay.


    For the rest of the day, he busied himself in his room and kept an eye on the activities around the Hai family¡¯s mansion.


    As the sun set in the west and darkness fell, he didn¡¯t see Hai Siyuan and the other old soldiersing and going, so he had a good idea.


    "Now that Hai Siyuan and the others have weighed the pros and cons, it¡¯s time for me to do the same," Qiao Mu said to himself.


    Like the old soldiers, Qiao Mu was no longer the reckless young man he once was.


    Considering the advantages and disadvantages beforehand is the right thing to do.


    Hai Wuya and Qiao Mu had some connection through many identities, but because Qiao Mu died quickly, their connection wasn¡¯t very deep.


    If we talk about Hai Wuya¡¯s previous "Xumi Mountain King Sutra," even now Qiao Mu has realized that this martial arts technique was the promise fulfilled by the Wuji Association after assassinating Emperor Yonghe in Nan Province.


    Qiao Mu also gave back to Hai Wuya personally.


    There are more advanced versions of the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra," as well as thetest half version of the "Human Path Sutra," and Hai Wuya¡¯s eldest son, who had been trapped in the Hundred-mile Desert for forty years, was rescued.


    Giving apples to me, and I¡¯ll give pearls in return.


    Qiao Mu had done everything he could and didn¡¯t owe anything to Hai Wuya.


    The biggest issue is that Hai Wuya¡¯s time is running out, his life is approaching its end, and whether he goes or not, he¡¯s on a path to death. The best he can do is to give Hai Wuya a morefortable way to die.


    Either be executed or die from old age.


    So, no matter how much is sacrificed, even risking many lives, the reward is very minimal.


    But the cost has always been there.


    Every choicees with a cost.


    And the cost that Qiao Mu has to pay¡­ he estimated it to start at least a hundred years.


    The benefit he can get? The benefit is that Qiao Mu will have at least a hundred years to focus on practicing, great!


    "No matter how you weigh the pros and cons, you cane to one conclusion: it¡¯s a loss."


    Qiao Mu let out a sigh, tucked the fat cat into the shadow under his butt, pushed open the window, and looked out at the vast night.


    In the night of the Imperial Capital, the night market lights were justing on, and you could see the bustling crowd on the long streets of the Imperial Capital, very lively.


    All under heaven is bustling for profit; all under heaven is moring for gain.


    People either seek fame or pursue profit.


    But in this world, there are fools who try to move mountains with their own strength, regardless of the cost or consequences.


    These fools are notcking in intelligence, nor are they too impulsive.


    They do things without caring about sess, making money for themselves, or gaining fame¡­


    They have seen the truth of life and the towering mountains in front of them.


    They know their own weaknesses, fully aware that their path ahead is filled with thorns and bloodshed, destined to be a perilous journey.


    Yet they persist with determination, without hesitation.


    These people are seen as foolish by the wise, and as fools by those chasing fame and fortune.


    In Qiao Mu¡¯s eyes, Hai Wuya is the kind of foolish person who knows something can¡¯t be done but still does it.


    "A figure like Hai Wuya should not meet such an end."


    Qiao Mu leaped forward and disappeared into the night.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    The bright moon hung high in the night sky, casting silvery moonlight on the ground, making the brightly lit Imperial City even more radiant.


    Tonight, there were many more Imperial Guards patrolling the pce than usual.


    Well-equipped Imperial Guards soldiers moved back and forth in the Imperial City, theirnterns flickering like fish in the night.


    Emperor Yonghe watched the bustlingnterns outside the window, feeling uneasy.


    "Your Majesty, ten thousand Imperial Guards are patrolling the pce, and eight hundred Flying Fish Guards are guarding the Imperial Study. The pce has be a fortress, even the skilled Eight-armed Heavenly Dragon couldn¡¯t sneak in." Guard Chu said.


    The Emperor Yonghe remained silent, feeling a bit uneasy with a furrowed brow.


    An army of ten thousand could exhaust even a superb martial artist, as they too can tire out eventually.


    "Will we have a safe night tonight?" thought Emperor Yonghe.


    He didn¡¯t know how Hai Wuya was doing, but after keeping Hai Wuya in the pce, the royal physician checked on him as usual.


    After the examination, they found out that Hai Wuya was very sick and might not survive the next three days.


    "Hai Wuya is very ill. Since he is a high-ranking member of the Wuji Association, the Martial Saint must know about his condition¡­ So the Wuji Association should note tonight."


    "Maybe they will conduct the execution early tomorrow to prevent any trouble¡­"


    As Emperor Yonghe was pacing in the Imperial Study, he suddenly heard noiseing from the distant imperial city.


    The lights that were moving swiftly in the night quickly gathered towards the direction of the noise, forming a stream of lights.


    "Your Majesty, a skilled martial artist has jumped over the pce wall with excellent agility, but was spotted by the patrolling Imperial Guards." A Flying Fish Guard rushed to the front of the Imperial Study and reported while kneeling.


    "The criminals from the Wuji Association actually came? How many are there?"


    "Only one person found so far."


    "Don¡¯t let your guard down, there may still be people hiding in the dark, investigate further and report back."


    After a while, more and more lights gathered towards the noisy sound, forming a glowing river that gradually grewrger.


    "Your Majesty, only one person has invaded the pce, but that person is Qiao Shuanggui, a martial artist from the Qiao family who is well-known for his skills."


    "A Qiao family member? What¡¯s the connection with him¡­" Emperor Yonghe pondered for a moment and then said:


    "Send a Flying Fish Guard to inform that Qiao family member that Hai Wuya is already gravely ill and doesn¡¯t have long to live."


    "¡­."


    "Your Majesty. The Flying Fish Guard who delivered the message was killed by the Qiao family member with a powerful finger technique, and Qiao Shuanggui showed no reaction, as if he had already known about it."


    "He already knew? If he was aware that Hai Wuya was gravely ill, why did he stille to invade the pce? It doesn¡¯t make sense." Emperor Yonghe furrowed his brows, pondering deeply before suddenly realizing:


    "It¡¯s darkest under themp."


    "He didn¡¯te for Hai Wuya at all, he had ulterior motives. He must be an assassin here to kill me! In the past, a Qiao family member has done the same thing."


    No one believed that someone would sacrifice their life for an old man on the verge of death. Many believed he had other ns, a grander goal like assassinating the emperor.


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    The night was getting deeper and deeper.


    The Hai family¡¯s mansion in the Imperial Capital.


    Hai Siyuan still couldn¡¯t sleep tonight. He looked out the window at the dark night, his thoughts all jumbled up.


    Just as he tossed and turned, he heard noises starting to emerge in the night.


    Being the mansion of the Hai family, who held the position of 2nd rank Minister of Rites, its location naturally was close to the inner city near the imperial pce.


    At this moment, the night was already very dark, but he could hear loud noisesing from the direction of the imperial city, indicating that there was a disturbance inside the pce.


    Hai Siyuan was already paying attention to themotion at the imperial city. Now, he stood up and went into the courtyard, concentrating carefully to listen.


    "Assassin¡­""Protect the emperor¡­"


    Faint cries could be heard in the wind, Hai Siyuan¡¯s expression slightly changed as he vaguely realized something.


    This timing was too coincidental.


    Hai Wuya was imprisoned within the pce, a fact not known to everyone.


    The emperor had proimed it to the world, with posters posted all over the Imperial Capital, but it didn¡¯t mention this incident. ording tomon sense, repeat offenders naturally would be imprisoned in the heavenly prison.


    Hai Wuya didn¡¯t receive the news of being imprisoned in the heavenly prison, it was still Li Changshi who obtained the information from the heavenly prison officials.


    This is not a top secret message, but not everyone can know about it. After all, there are many Imperial Guards, and it¡¯s hard to hiderge-scale troop movements from those paying attention.


    The pce assassins?


    If they were really assassins, how could they sneak into the pce under the watchful eyes of the Imperial Guards?


    The timing was too perfect, and suddenly Hai Siyuan had a realization, making himpletely alert.


    "Could it be Qiao Shuanggui? Was all his talk about weighing the pros and cons just for show, with no real intention behind it?" Hai Siyuan was shocked.


    Inside the pce.


    Atop a brightly lit tower, Emperor Yonghe looked down at the river of lights below in the nighttime, feeling slightly relieved.


    With over ten thousand people, they covered the mountains and ins.


    The pce had no mountains or fields, but the river of lights formed by the thousands of Imperial Guards was also magnificent in the darkness of the night.


    "Commander Chu, Qiao Shuanggui has broken through the pce wall and is about to reach the Taihe Gate. His light skills are too good, we can¡¯t keep up¡­"


    "Your Majesty, rest assured, even if he breaks in, he will be like a trapped turtle." Beside Emperor Yonghe, the leader of the Imperial Guards, Chu Tianming, waved his hand.


    "The superb martial artists in this world have surpassed the 9 ranks of martial artists established by the court, and are now a small group standing at the pinnacle of martial arts today. But most of them are arrogant in their strength, just like the Eight-armed Heavenly Dragon who broke into the pce decades ago."


    The leader of the Imperial Guards, Chu Tianming, said in a low voice to his subordinates.


    "A superb rank is still a mortal body, Qiao Shuanggui is so arrogant, he will have to taste bitterness!"


    In fact, he is also a superb martial artist who just broke through a few years ago, achieving the spiritual refining superb rank.


    As the only superb martial artist attached to the Great Yan Royal Family, his breakthrough in martial arts mainly relied on the medicinal resources of the Great Yan Royal Family and the guidance of strong practitioners.


    People in the martial arts world used to say that the Wudang and Shaolin were the holynd of martial arts in the past, the top martial arts schools in the world. But ording to Chu Tianming, the Great Yan Royal Family is the most powerful martial arts force of the previous generation.


    Let¡¯s not talk about the founding emperor of Great Yan from the past, who was the top figure in the country 300 years ago, with a strong background that could rival any prestigious family or sect.


    Just focusing on the wealth and martial arts secrets gathered by the Great Yan Imperial Court over the past 300 years, they are not something that martial arts ns can easilypete with.


    So in Chu Tianming¡¯s eyes, he had actually joined the most powerful martial force of the previous generation.


    However, even so, he had been embarrassed decades ago.


    Decades ago, before he became the leader of the Imperial Guards, he had witnessed the figure of the Eight-armed Heavenly Dragon skillfully using the Heavenly Dragon Eight Steps to move through the enemy troops.


    Chu Tianming had excellent eyesight.


    Even from a far distance, he could see Qiao Shuanggui disying light footwork, which clearly resembled the Heavenly Dragon Eight Steps that had left a deep impression on him decades ago.


    To be fair, Qiao Shuanggui¡¯s light footwork skills were not on par with the Eight-armed Heavenly Dragon.


    However, as a superb rank in terms of strength, Qiao Shuanggui¡¯s physical strength surpassed that of the Eight-armed Heavenly Dragon from the past. When he lightly pushed off the ground with both feet, it was like an arrow piercing through the air.


    Not as agile as the Eight-armed Heavenly Dragon of the past, but more brave and fierce now.


    "So confident, does this mean the Imperial Guards already have tactics to face a superb martial artist?" A voice rang in the ear of the Imperial Guards¡¯ leader, Chu Tianming.


    Suddenly, a white-haired figure appeared in the pavilion, it was the ancestral elder of the royal family, Yan Shenji.


    Assassin Qiao Shuanggui entered the imperial pce, prompting ten thousand Imperial Guards to mobilize.


    With such amotion, Yan Shenji couldn¡¯t be unaware, he was actually quite familiar with the Qiao family member who ranked high on both the Tide Listening Building boards.


    Yan Shenji was curious to see if this Qiao Shuanggui was a martial arts genius or a hundred-year-old master of the Long Life Fist.


    "Another reckless intruder in the imperial pce," Yan Shenji¡¯s gaze was deep and unwavering.


    In his younger days, the assassin wouldn¡¯t have had a chance to enter the Taihe Gate, he would¡¯ve been beaten to death by Yan Shenji.


    But he was old now, even with great skill in the Long Life Fist and a body that never aged, his temperament was different from his youth.


    Many years ago, the Eight-armed Heavenly Dragon entered the imperial pce, but Yan Shenji spared him, showing kindness.


    "In the past two hundred years, there was no such light skill as the Heavenly Dragon Eight Steps that allows one to move swiftly through the air," Yan Shenji said calmly.


    "The Eight-armed Heavenly Dragon of the past was truly a talent worth cherishing. I wonder if Qiao Shuanggui and the martial artists of this generation cane up with something new," he pondered.


    He was an old martial artist from many generations ago, who had not been outside the pce for a long time and was unaware of the development of martial arts in the outside world.


    Seeing the renowned Qiao Shuanggui, he couldn¡¯t help but feel excited.


    "Has the ancestor also arrived?" Emperor Yonghe felt reassured.


    "I have already informed the Great Dao Sect. As long as the Imperial Guards dy for a moment, the immortal from the Great Dao Sect will arrive," he assured.


    "Why would the Great Dao Sect¡¯s inhuman beings be called upon to help when an assassin enters the pce?" Yan Shenji raised an eyebrow.


    Emperor Yonghe didn¡¯t immediately respond, and there was a moment of silence.


    The leader of the Imperial Guards, Chu Tianming, felt a bit nervous.


    The so-called "ancestor" of this royal family is mysterious, appearing and disappearing without a trace, but with a very high status and profound martial arts skills.


    Looking around the entire pce, few people actually knew his true identity, only aware of his high status and prominent position.


    In fact, his breakthrough to the superb rank depended on Yan Shenji¡¯s guidance.


    At this moment, noise came from a distance, breaking the brief silence in the tower.


    In the darkness of the night, the heavy pce gates opened, and a figure stepped out.


    Qiao Mu had initially nned to sneak in secretly, which is why he waited until nightfall to act.


    However, he didn¡¯t expect that inside the pce, there were thousands of Imperial Guards patrolling constantly, leaving no blind spots.


    Even with his speed, he could not escape the watchful eyes of the ten thousand guards.


    So, he could only try another way, choosing to sneak into the pce.


    The pce was very big, covering a vast area, with hundreds of pces inside.


    The Imperial Guards guarding the pce were elite, but Qiao Mu, who had experienced many battles in the past three hundred years, had faced the inhuman Taoist soldiers¡¯ tactics, let alone these Imperial Guards?


    Qiao Mu didn¡¯t know where Hai Wuya was, and he couldn¡¯t search for him. It was like looking for a needle in a haystack.


    Therefore, he nned to first take Emperor Yonghe as a hostage and then find out Hai Wuya¡¯s whereabouts.


    Emperor Yonghe¡¯s location must be in the most heavily guarded area within the pce.


    When Qiao Mu crossed the Taihe Gate and looked ahead, he knew he had found the right ce.


    The view suddenly opened up before him, and right in front was the main hall of the pce, the Golden Luang Hall.


    However, in front of the Golden Luang Hall, a dense crowd of Imperial Guards had gathered, forming a formation awaiting him.


    On the high walls on both sides and the wide square in front of the Golden Pce, there were crowds of people, arrows ready, clearly waiting for a long time.


    "Perfect timing for a surprise attack! Archers, ready!" Commander Chu Tianming shouted loudly, his eyes fierce.


    He himself was a great martial artist and knew exactly how to deal with another great martial artist.


    Even a great martial artist is only human.


    No matter how skilled in martial arts, can one withstand a rain of arrows? No matter how strong one¡¯s internal power, it will run out eventually.


    As for agility? It¡¯s a joke!


    The highest level of agility allows one to move swiftly and lightly, leaving no trace in the snow or crossing a river on a reed.


    But even the most skilled in agility cannot avoid a downpour of raindrops, staying dry in the pouring rain.


    When the number and intensity of arrows rivals a heavy rainstorm in nature, there is simply no escape!


    "When facing many opponents against one, closebat is the key to victory! How many can actually fight at close quarters?" Commander Chu Tianming said in a cold voice.


    "Closebat means sacrificing lives, it¡¯s ast resort."


    "This is our strategy against the superb rank, even if the Eight-armed Heavenly Dragon returned, it would still be peppered with arrows!"


    Chu Tianming himself is at the superb rank, and these tactics of the Imperial Guards were created by him in shame after being defeated by the Eight-armed Heavenly Dragon, out of determination.


    Under the full moon, the sky was filled with rolling dark clouds.


    The dense sound of bows was like thunder and lightning, continuous and deafening, just like a storm.


    Hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands of arrows were repeatedly shot into the sky, like dark clouds momentarily blocking the moonlight, almost darkening the sky.


    The next moment.


    Swish swish swish swish swish swish swish swish swish swish swish swish!


    Many arrows fell from the sky, shining with different colors on top of them.


    The Imperial Guards are elite soldiers who guard the imperial city and protect the emperor. Each soldier is a skilled martial artist with internal strength. As the arrows were shot like a heavy rain, Qiao Mu had no ce to escape.


    Just as the sudden rain was about to fall.


    Qiao Mu reached into his waist storage bag and pulled out the head of King Qin.


    This was not a flesh and blood corpse, but the King Qin Golden Body made of the immortal material zing Essence Gold.


    "King Qin Shield!"


    As the arrows were about to fall, Qiao Mu protected King Qin in front of him.


    His bones crackled as he used the Shape Changing Skill to shrink himself, barely hiding behind King Qin¡¯s broad and thick chest.


    The dense arrows fell on the King Qin Golden Body, making a nging sound and sparkles as they hit. The arrowheads deformed visibly and fell powerless to the ground like a heavy rain.


    When the arrow rain stopped, the floor of Qiao Mu Fang Yuan¡¯s hundred-meter area was filled with arrows, nearly no ce to stand.


    Only King Qin still stood in the middle of the arrow storm, using his broad and strong chest to shield Qiao Mu from the intense barrage of flying arrows.


    "Some people are alive when they are dead; some people are dead while still alive," Qiao Mu¡¯s eyes welled up with tears.


    "He really, I cry to death¡­"


    Yan Shenji, standing with folded arms on the tower observing, eyes twitched slightly.


    "Is this¡­ the martial artist of this generation?" Yan Shenji suddenly felt a bit puzzled.


    "Don¡¯t stop, shoot!" Commander Chu Tianming quickly regained hisposure from astonishment and shouted again.


    The Imperial Guards once again drew their bows, and waves of arrows shot up into the sky.


    However, this time, after testing the hardness of King Qin¡¯s Shield, Qiao Mu didn¡¯t stop moving.


    The golden man made from the zing Essence Gold is very hard. When facing a dense rain of arrows earlier, Qiao Mu didn¡¯t even need to use his inner strength. He only relied on the hardness of the King Qin Shield to block the arrows from the Imperial Guards.


    Now, with both feet stepping forward and holding the King Qin Shield in front of him, he moved like an arrow released from a bow, charging towards the ten thousand Imperial Guards alone.


    With each step he took, the stones beneath his feet cracked and sank, moving swiftly like thunder, bringing a chilling strong wind.


    His agility was not as skilled as the Eight-armed Heavenly Dragon from years ago, but as a superb martial artist, his body was incredibly strong. Even without using agility techniques, just running forward was intimidating, like a fierce wind passing through.


    He waved the King Qin Shield in his hand like the wind, deflecting the arrowsing from all directions.


    His speed was extremely fast, facing the pouring rain of arrows head-on, quickly approaching the formation of Imperial Guards in front of the Golden Pce.


    "Archers, fall back and change formation!" Commander Chu Tianming of the Imperial Guards ordered again.


    "Martial artists are only human, once they form a battle formation, they can be defeated." Confident in his abilities as a superb martial artist, Chu Tianming had personally experienced the power of these Imperial Guards¡¯ tactics.


    Following themander¡¯s orders, the archers who had been continuously firing arrows rapidly split to the sides, creating a gap through which a team of ck-armored soldiers emerged.


    This group of ck-armored soldiers held giant shields made of fine steel. The shields were arranged in an arc shape, forming a shield wall that resembled stackedyers of Luohan statues.


    Following closely behind was a formation of soldiers holding spears. Spears over two meters long protruded through the gaps between the shields, resembling snakes ready to strike, advancing along with the shield wall.


    Behind this group of soldiers, the archers once again raised their bows towards the sky. If the enemy relied on their lightness to leap over the shield wall at this moment, they would be easy targets.


    The densely packed shield wall covered the area like a ck cloud rolling in, creating a suffocating sense of oppression.


    Qiao Mu didn¡¯t slow down at all, showing no hesitation.


    Even though he charged alone against arge group of enemies, there was absolutely no hesitation or doubt.


    This made the Imperial Guards facing Qiao Mu feel uncertain, as if this martial artist charging forward alone was actually the side with the numerical advantage.


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 Chapter 270 (1)

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    Inside the deep pce.


    Hai Wuya listened quietly to the distant sounds of fighting outside the window, feeling doubtful in his heart.


    As the Martial Saint reappeared in the martial world, he had once seen the Martial Saint who had been unseen for decades.


    Therefore, he could conclude that the Martial Saint was not someone who acted rashly. Although he had a rtionship with the Martial Saint, serving as officials at the same court, that was already decades ago.


    But at this moment, listening to the sounds of fighting and yelling in the distance under the night sky, his doubts grew even stronger.


    Could it be that he had misunderstood the Martial Saint?


    While he was pondering, the door of the side hall opened, and several sword-wearing Flying Fish Guards walked in, led by Chu Xing, the emperor¡¯s close guard.


    "Has Your Majesty changed your mind? Do you want to execute me early?" asked Hai Wuya calmly.He looked very calm, having long prepared for death.


    Thinking that his long-deceased eldest son, Hai Siyuan, had returned from the Hundred-mile Desert and had finally seen the "Human Path Sutra" that he had pursued his whole life, he felt that his life had no regrets.


    So when he saw the "Human Path Sutra", he said, "To learn of the Way by day, and to die by night, is enough."


    If there was something he still had on his mind¡­ perhaps it was only seeing the "Human Path Sutra", and not witnessing the flourishing of humanity, martial artists practicing the "Human Path Sutra", the day when martial arts theory became reality.


    "The Emperor has ordered¡­ Lord Hai, pleasee with me." said Flying Fish Guard Chu Xing.


    "Lord Chu, what¡¯s happening outside?" asked Hai Wuya again.


    "Lord Hai, why ask so much? At a time like this, think about your current status." replied Chu Xing casually, but in his mind he remembered amand issued by Emperor Yonghe earlier.


    Emperor Yonghe was a cautious and suspicious person with many thoughts.


    He suspected that the Qiao family member had intentions to harm someone, while also suspecting that the Qiao family member hade for Hai Wuya.


    Qiao Shuanggui bravely entered the battlefield alone, facing thousands of elite Imperial Guards, which Emperor Yonghe found very unusual.


    So he suspected¡­


    "Could this be a secret n by the Qiao family member?" guessed Emperor Yonghe.


    "Although we found one Qiao family member openly, there may be a group of them already inside the pce," he said.


    "People believe that Qiao family member prefer to fight alone, but rumors say there are times when several of them work together."


    He seemed like a lone fighter, but was actually very cunning. He used the stereotype that "Qiao family member always fight alone and never as a group" to his advantage.


    So, Emperor Yonghe decided to secretly send Chu Xing to capture Hai Wuya in the pce, away from the main battle with the support of the Imperial Guards.


    Since most of the Imperial Guards were busy fighting, it was risky to keep Hai Wuya in the pce.


    Emperor Yonghe wanted to move Hai Wuya to a ce not too close but still under the protection of the Imperial Guards.


    He thought that if the enemy broke through the defense, Hai Wuya could help divert their attention.


    As Chu Xing led Hai Wuya out of the courtyard, they saw arrows raining down in front of the pce, and a lone martial artist charging towards arge group of people.


    "That person is¡­" Even though Hai Wuya was already old, he could still see the figure in the distance.


    That must be a member of the Qiao family he remembered, with a resemnce to some of his old acquaintances from the Qiao family.


    However, this Qiao family member looked different from what Hai Wuya remembered.


    Among the Qiao family members that Hai Wuya knew, they were all old men. The youngest one was Qiao Zhong, who had also spent time in the heavenly prison and was already in his sixties.


    As they got older, each sessive Qiao family member appeared more aged, but also stronger. The older they were, the higher their status and strength.


    The Qiao Shuanggui standing in front of him at this moment had the appearance of a middle-aged man, but his imposing presence in front of thousands of Imperial Guards made Hai Wuya feel intimidated.


    Without a close look, just by a nce from afar, Hai Wuya could tell that this middle-aged man had a deeper martial arts skill than any Qiao family member he had seen before.


    "Is this the superb rank strength of the Qiao family?" Hai Wuya recalled hearing his eldest son Hai Siyuan mention the Great Qin City, which now led him to think about this.


    People were curious about how the Qiao family could produce two superb martial artists so quickly. This was different from the mainstream spiritual refining superb rank in the martial arts world, and belonged to a unique path of superb rank.


    When Hai Wuya first heard about this, he had a guess in his mind.


    "Energy and blood are the foundation of martial artists. Could it be that Qiao Shuanggui of the Qiao family has superb strength because he has sessfully practiced the ¡®Human Path Sutra¡¯?"


    In theory, the ¡®Human Path Sutra¡¯ was just created by the ancestor of the Qiao family, so it should be very difficult for members of the Qiao family to reach a high level of mastery in a short period of time¡­


    But the miracles created by members of the Qiao family are more than just this one?


    "If the so-called superb strength of the Qiao family is from the ¡®Human Path Sutra¡¯, then could this be considered a new form of superb martial arts?"


    Hai Wuya¡¯s heart started beating faster subconsciously as he focused on what was happening.


    After the rain of arrows, squads of Imperial Guards formed a shield wall with spears, like a dark flood sweeping in from all directions, creating a suffocating pressure.


    Meanwhile, Qiao Mu was alone.


    Superb strength is also a part of the body.


    Without special training, even a strong man who can tear wood with his hands would have no physical advantage over an ordinary person when facing sharp swords.


    Face thousands alone, charging forward alone.


    With his flesh and blood, he confronted the elite troops of the Imperial Guards forming a strong shield wall.


    Like a rock facing giant waves.


    This is a stark scene, meant to represent heroism and tragedy, reminiscent of courageous heroes in stories.


    However, Qiao Shuanggui remained calm, showing no signs of hesitancy, not like a hero facing death, but more like a confident and victorious general.


    The speed was too swift.


    The air emitted a sharp whistle, just his forward thrust creating a frenzy of wind.


    Holding the King Qin Shield in one hand, he dashed forward, his figure turning into a blur, even the elite Imperial Guards finding it hard to see clearly. A fierce aura shrouded his whole body as he sprinted at high speed, leaving behind delicate threads of energy in the air.


    With a loud noise, everything shook.


    Spears broke and deformed under the fierce attack of King Qin¡¯s Golden Body, followed by the shield wall copsing suddenly.


    The shield wall, forming an arc, bulged out abruptly, creating a gap. Over ten ck-armored soldiers were thrown into the air along with their shields by a tremendous force, flying back dozens of meters.


    Qiao Mu raised King Qin Shield in front of him, disregarding the spears attacking from all directions, charging forward bravely!


    Spears pierced his arm, causing only a slight dent, leaving a faint white mark.


    Qiao Mu spent eighty years practicing the superior skill, Dragon Tiger Vajra Skill, equivalent to a lifetime for an ordinary person.


    Though his skills couldn¡¯t make him impervious to every attack, he surpassed ordinary martial artists.


    He also possessed the imprable King Qin Golden Body.


    Amidst the battle, he didn¡¯t focus onplex techniques but simply raised the King Qin Golden Body and unleashed the Heavenly Dragon Eight Steps, charging forward.


    Wherever he went, the Imperial Guards blocking his way were knocked down and tossed aside by a great force, creating a gap in their formation.


    The supposed "warriors who use martial arts to pursue the Tao" in the form of the Taoist soldier had mental ws, but the King Qin Golden Body, with only its remnants remaining, was an unstoppable force on the battlefield.


    At this moment, Qiao Mu felt like a wild beast charging forward relentlessly.


    Ignoring the spears attacking from the sides, he charged forward with all his might, paying no heed to the consequences.


    The enemy line was easily broken through, and the Imperial Guards were sent flying like raindrops, a spectacr scenepletely different from their expectations.


    He seemed like a monster born for battle, as the powerful Flying Fish Guard hidden among the Imperial Guards struck silently, plunging a sharp spear into Qiao Mu¡¯s side.


    Before they could even celebrate, they watched in amazement as Qiao Mu¡¯s wound visibly writhed and healed at an incredible speed, leaving only a few bloodstains as proof of the real spear attack.


    In the next moment, Qiao Shuanggui, rushing forward, nced to the side, his eyes shing with illusionary sword light.


    Instantly, the skilled Flying Fish Guards felt excruciating pain in their heads, making it almost impossible for them to hold onto their weapons.


    "Is this person or monster?"


    Ten thousand elite Imperial Guards began to show signs of unrest.


    Anyone who can serve the Imperial Guards is among the elite soldiers of Great Yan. Some of them have experienced battles against superb rank opponents, but the sight of Qiao Mu in front of them greatly shocked them.


    "It is rumored that a member of the Qiao family may have the bloodline of a monster, almost half a great monster, so incredibly strong that they are unbeatable."


    Ten thousand people¡¯s siege could not stop this fierce and astonishingly skilled superb martial artist, instead the encircling formation was torn open multiple times.


    Just one person, yet on the battlefield, he moved with unmatched might, as if invincible.


    "Breath and blood are the foundation of a martial artist, and his energy and blood have be so powerful that they surpassed the superb rank limit, even leading the Imperial Guards to mistake him for a naturally powerful monster?" Hai Wuya subconsciously held his breath, trying hard to widen his eyes to see this scene clearly.


    In his view, this was no ordinary battle.


    A member of the Qiao family represents a practitioner of the "Human Path Sutra."


    The Great Yan Royal Family represented the most powerful force in the ancient martial arts world, surpassing all major sects and families, symbolizing the peak of ancient martial arts.


    In Hai Wuya¡¯s view, this was a sh between the cutting-edge new martial arts technique "Human Path Sutra" and ancient martial arts.


    The more fearless Qiao Shuanggui charged through the army as if in a deserted ce, it deeply moved Hai Wuya, almost bringing tears to his eyes.


    "Human Path Sutra, can only be the Human Path Sutra¡­ This can really work, not just staying at theoretical level of martial arts techniques," Hai Wuya murmured.


    The Human Path Sutra he had always dreamed of was a technique that countless practitioners hoped to create through continuous efforts, a miraculous skill passed down by uniting the strengths of many.


    This kind of skill can only be imagined in one¡¯s lifetime. Even if Hai Wuya devoted all his energy, he could not achieve it.


    But now there are people who can master the "Human Path Sutra" to a profound level, breaking through the superb rank of Qi and blood, charging through the enemy like a ghost among ten thousand soldiers.


    "This member of the Qiao family is truly worthy of their reputation, indeed a brave warrior," Yan Shenji stood beside Emperor Yonghe, his hands behind his back, showing some admiration in his eyes.


    The founding emperor of the past was also an unmatched warrior on the battlefield. The imposing figure of such a warrior naturally made Yan Shenji feel admiration.


    "Unfortunately¡­ why are all these brave soldiers on the wrong side?" Yan Shenji muttered to himself.


    He felt a sense of regret, much like when he encountered the top three martial artists in the world decades ago, like the Eight-armed Heavenly Dragon.


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 Chapter 270 (2)

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    This old man, born in the prosperous era of Great Yan, viewed all heroes as tools for the Great Yan Emperor, hence he repeatedly regretted letting enemy go.


    He didn¡¯t see these people as worthy opponents, but merely as Great Yan subjects who had not fully submitted yet.


    "How dare the rebels?!" Chief Commander Chu Tianming of the Imperial Guards couldn¡¯t sit still any longer; how could he continue tomand with such disregard for his authority?


    The Imperial Guards were elite soldiers, but that didn¡¯t mean they had no fears.


    Faced with such a fierce and powerful enemy, even though they still had the strength to fight, they couldn¡¯t help but feel fear and their fighting spirit wavered.


    Chief Commander Chu Tianming could only watch in dismay as the ten thousand Imperial Guards slowly perished while he stayed in the rear.


    So, for him, the only superb-ranked warrior, the current task was to stop Qiao Mu¡¯s momentum, while the other Imperial Guards by his side dyed him, draining his energy and strength.


    He donned his armor, led a group of elite guards, and charged forward with arge spear in hand.But before he could get close, he heard a sharp sounding towards him. The King Qin Golden Body rapidly expanded in his eyes, scattering the formation of Imperial Guards along the way.


    It was Qiao Mu who, using his incredible strength, forcefully hurled the invincible King Qin Golden Body.


    Chu Tianming¡¯s eyes widened in anger, as he dodged to the side and fiercely thrust his spear.


    In just a moment, he felt his hand shaking and bleeding as the tiger¡¯s grip was too strong to resist, almost making him fly backward with the spear in his hand.


    With this throw, a gap of two hundred meters was created among the line of ten thousand Imperial Guards, leaving a trail of blood and fallen armor behind.


    With a loud bang, King Qin Golden Body smashed the steps of Han White Jade Dragon in front of the Golden Dragon Pce into pieces.


    Commander Chu Tianming of the Imperial Guards fell to the ground, feeling a bit dazed.


    "This time underestimated the opponent, these are powerful martial artists¡­ not like the Eight-armed Heavenly Dragon known for agility and spiritual strength."


    Chu Tianming knew that even if the Eight-armed Heavenly Dragon reincarnated, it would perish in battle.


    But Qiao Shuanggui in front of him was different.


    His body was incredibly strong,bined with the intense internal strength from centuries of practicing Pure Yang Wuji Skill. Holding the King Qin Shield, Qiao Mu was a formidable obstacle that seemed unbeatable.


    However, Chu Tianming didn¡¯t know how much energy Qiao Mu had used up. If another twenty thousand Imperial Guards were toe, would that exhaust himpletely?


    "A lone warrior with a spear, breaking through the enemy¡¯s defense? If I hadn¡¯t experienced it myself, how could I have known?"


    "After meticulously nning out a thousand moves, just one misstep, this time it¡¯s me¨C" Chu Tianming muttered to himself.


    Meanwhile, Qiao Mu had already passed by the fallen Chu Tianming without even making a finishing blow, continuing forward without any pause.


    The heavily wounded ten thousand Imperial Guards couldn¡¯t keep up with his charging speed at this moment, they were left behind as he widened his field of vision. ?


    At this moment, there were only a few Imperial Guards and Flying Fish Guard left in front of him. Beyond them stood Emperor Yonghe upon the tower.


    Emperor Yonghe¡¯s face turned slightly green.


    He didn¡¯t practice martial arts himself, and stayed in the deep pce for a long time.


    Since the Inhuman War forty years ago, the Great Yan Imperial Court has enjoyed forty years of peace without any battles. So even Emperor Yonghe felt a little nervous seeing such arge battlefield for the first time.


    "Can we really rely on the Great Dao Sect in times of trouble?" Emperor Yonghe nced at Yan Shenji beside him.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "Ancestor, with this Qiao family member causing trouble in the imperial city¡­" the meaning behind the words was clear.


    Yan Shenji, a crucial figure in the royal family, known as the "Fixed Sea Needle", watched as Qiao Mu broke through the Imperial Guards¡¯ defense, putting Emperor Yonghe¡¯s life in danger.


    It was time for the "Fixed Sea Needle" to make an appearance.


    Yan Shenji, a mysterious figure in the Great Yan Royal Family, rarely got involved in affairs.


    However, whenever he took action, his incredible strength could often turn the tide. For the past two hundred years, he had been a protector of the royal family, known as the "Fixed Sea Needle".


    "Alright then," Yan Shenji nodded calmly.


    He swiftly moved.


    Yan Shenji stood on top of King Qin¡¯s body, standing tall like a spear, with hands on his back, watching Qiao Mu approaching.


    "It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve encountered such a brave young person¡­ But I can¡¯t let you continue recklessly," Yan Shenji calmly said.


    "Your unique weapon is too dangerous, I can¡¯t give it back to you."


    "Now, let me see what your martial arts skills are like." Yan Shenji suppressed the rising fighting spirit in his chest and took the starting position of Long Life Fist.


    After witnessing the bravery of the Qiao family member who just faced thousands of enemies alone, Yan Shenji became quite interested in this young person:


    "Is this person born with a special strength, like me? Or does he have the blood of a half-demon?"


    "Is he a martial arts genius who practices Long Life Fist, or a member of the Qiao family who holds a high position?"


    He lived for too long, so his mastery of Long Life Fist has reached a profound level.


    If he could spar with a Qiao family member who also understands Long Life Fist, he might be able to estimate the other¡¯s actual age to some extent.


    After practicing martial arts for decades, Yan Shenji values talent more than the martial arts prodigy of the Qiao family elderly who are a hundred years old.


    If the actual age is very old, there is no point.


    Having lived in the deep pce for two hundred years, Yan Shenji believed that his mastery of Long Life Fist surpassed that of the centenarian grandmaster who taught him.


    Fourty or a hundred years ago, the Long Life Fist grandmaster, who lived to be a hundred years old, could still discuss martial arts with him, but now he no longer has the opportunity.


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 Chapter 271 (1)

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    The full moon hangs high.


    Like dark ck clouds rolling in gradually, the moonlight couldn¡¯t shine through the thick clouds, gradually being covered by the clusters of clouds, and the light dimmed.


    At this moment.


    The square in front of the Golden Pce was in chaos.


    The formation formed by ten thousand Imperial Guards had been broken through by Qiao Mu alone, falling far behind.


    Thousands of Imperial Guards were killed or injured, and although many seemed to have survived, the formation had been breached, and their fighting spirit was nearly extinguished by the man who was as fierce as a wild beast.


    Apart from a few of the Emperor¡¯s personal Flying Fish Guards, the only one daring to stand in front of Qiao Mu was Yan Shenji.


    "Is this¡­ the Long Life Fist?" Qiao Mu¡¯s gaze fell upon Yan Shenji."Long Life Fist" was the first martial art that Qiao Mu learned, and it is now one of the foundations of his martial arts skills.


    People say that "Long Life Fist" and "Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method" are the two main martial arts practices of the Qiao family members.


    Even though they seek longevity, the Qiao family members often find themselves in dangerous battles, making their family quite peculiar.


    "Are you really going to use the ¡®Long Life Fist¡¯ against me?" Qiao Mu didn¡¯t take it too seriously.


    The Qiao Family in Heyang City has been wiped out, with the only survivor, Qiao Canxue, blinded and unable to practice martial arts. She has chosen the path of immortality instead.


    Nowadays, there are three main lineages of the "Long Life Fist" in the world: The Qiao family members, the lineage of the Martial Saint who stole the "Long Life Fist Sutra," and the Great Yan Royal Family.


    The third lineage belongs to the Great Yan Royal Family.


    The master of the Qiao family from a century ago was the only superb martial artist in the history of the Qiao Family in Heyang City. He lived to over a hundred years old without aging, and his reputation spread from Nan Province to Zhong Province, even catching the attention of the emperor at that time, who invited him to the pce.


    However, the truth is that the master of the Qiao family didn¡¯t actually impress the emperor.


    Throughout history, most of the Great Yan Emperors didn¡¯t focus much on martial arts training like the founding emperor, as they were busy with their responsibilities.


    A hundred years ago, the Great Yan Emperor only scratched the surface of martial arts training.


    The one who truly mastered the essence of the Long Life Fist was the royal ancestor Yan Shenji.


    Yan Shenji¡¯s mastery of the Long Life Fist now surpasses the previous Qiao family¡¯s master and has reached a profound level.


    Yan Shenji¡¯s fist techniques are like continuous rolling waves, reaching higher and higher, demonstrating the essence of the Qiao family¡¯s Long Life Fist, the Ripple Stacking Wave Strength.


    Yan Shenji has umted a deep internal strength over his two hundred years of life,bined with the consumption of precious treasures, his internal strength is vast like the ocean.


    Long Life Fist against Long Life Fist!


    Both sides¡¯ fists are like continuous waves, releasing powerful internal strength that surges out like raging waves.


    Qiao Mu practices the Pure Yang Wuji Skill, with internal strength that is extremely powerful and unstoppable.


    Yan Shenji¡¯s inner martial arts skill, the Imperial Extreme True Skill of the Great Yan Royal Family, shimmered in a mysterious yellow color, rivaling the exceptional skills of the Wudang School, both being top-tier martial arts in the world.


    "Today, I will test your Qiao family descendant¡¯s boxing skills."


    Yan Shenji learned his boxing skills from the former master of the Qiao family, but he was not sure about the difference between the Qiao Family of Heyang City and the Long Life Qiao Family. He believed that Qiao Shuanggui was a descendant of the Qiao Family of Heyang City.


    Therefore, considering himself a senior practitioner of the Long Life Fist, he wanted to see if the Qiao family descendants had inherited their ancestors¡¯ boxing skills, which made sense¡­


    Made sense¡­


    Huh?


    As soon as they began sparring, Yan Shenji felt something different.


    Thinking that he had mastered the Long Life Fist to a high level, he believed that by engaging inbat, he could deduce the true age of the person in front of him, Qiao Shuanggui.


    But this time¡­


    He suddenly began to doubt his skills in Long Life Fist.


    "Qiao Shuanggui, you are not a young person, but a member of the Qiao family who has notpletely declined in vitality!" Yan Shenji frowned and said:


    "You have been practicing this Long Life Fist for over a hundred years, right? Hmm, perhaps not quite¡­"


    "Shouldn¡¯t it be like this? Shouldn¡¯t it?"


    The two of them shed fists on the white jade steps in front of the Golden Luang Pce, their powerful internal strength colliding like two huge waves, causing the steps to shatter in an instant.


    These two individuals both had extremely profound internal strength, surpassing what ordinary martial artists could achieve even after a lifetime of training, far exceeding the so-called "limits of ordinary people."


    The white and yellow internal strength shed like a raging river, creating a swirling vortex that swept in all directions, shattering bricks and ss tiles that flew like arrows shooting out in all directions.


    The Flying Fish Guard and Imperial Guards hurriedly dodged.


    Even the aftermath of their internal strength bursts in their battle could potentially be fatal, as the flying rubble and shattered stones were stronger than the arrows they were shooting, capable of piercing through their armor.


    As Yan Shenji kept hitting, his forehead creased even more.


    As the ancestor of the Great Yan royal family, he had consumed countless treasures, but in reality, his internal strength was as deep as an endless sea, and he had not used his full power for many years.


    What made him uneasy was not the battle situation.


    It was the Qiao family member in front of him.


    Either he was going crazy, or his Long Life Fist skill was not up to par, leading to a serious misjudgment.


    Because, ording to his estimate¡­


    This Qiao Shuanggui was not just an ordinary centenarian!


    His actual age might be around three to four hundred years old?


    Three to four hundred years old, is an unbelievable number for ordinary people.


    Throughout history, there have been many dynasties, but no dynasty that aimed to unify Jiu Province hassted for three hundred years!


    It¡¯s not that there are almost no dynasties thatsted for three hundred years, there are none at all!


    Could it be true that the person before him, Qiao Shuanggui, is even older than the Great Yan Imperial Court, having existed even before the founding of Great Yan and living for three to four hundred years?


    Are there really mortals in this world who can live for so long, aside from him?


    No¡­ Qiao Shuanggui is even older than Yan Shenji, not even belonging to the same generation.


    This doesn¡¯t make sense.


    Unless¡­ he practices immortal cultivation? Or perhaps like Yan Shenji, he possesses a unique talent as a Medicine Spirit Body and has taken many longevity elixirs.


    Yan Shenji naturally leans towards¡­ making a mistake in judgment and being wrong.


    With this in mind, Yan Shenji¡¯s fist posture changed.


    He was filled with great confusion in his heart.


    He was no longer concerned about the oue of the battle, he just wanted to know if the person in front of him, Qiao Shuanggui, was truly another immortal besides himself.


    Then his fist suddenly changed, rising like waves, gathering strength gradually, one wave surpassing the next.


    This was the essence of Qiao family¡¯s Long Life Fist, known for its high level of difficulty, the Ripple Stacking Wave Strength.


    The Ripple Stacking Wave Strength was known for itsplexity and difficulty to learn, a well-known martial art skill beyond the norm.


    Mastering the Stacking Wave Strength required years of dedicated practice.


    Just like Yan Shenji, who had been practicing for two hundred years in the deep pce.


    Of course, within the martial arts world, Long Life Fist was not the only advanced technique, and Stacking Wave Strength was not the only skill that required full exertion of power.


    Judging from one¡¯s proficiency in Stacking Wave Strength, it could also serve as one of the indications of a Qiao family member¡¯s true age.


    Yan Shenji spoke loudly:


    "Among the practitioners of Qiao family¡¯s Long Life Fist, only two people have mastered Stacking Wave Strength up to Triple Wave level."


    "Thete head of the Qiao family."


    "And¡­ as an outsider martial artist like me, Yan Shenji." Yan Shenji pretended to be arrogant, speaking in an old-fashioned manner:


    "Qiao family¡¯s Stacking Wave Strength is known for being difficult to learn, I wonder if the current descendants of Qiao family have mastered the techniques of their ancestors?"


    Despite being an outsider martial artist, he insisted on disying such a posture in front of Qiao family members, in order to draw out their Ripple Stacking Wave Strength.


    "Ripple Stacking Wave Strength, Triple Wave!"


    Yan Shenji¡¯s fist movements were likeyers of waves, reaching the thirdyer, the mysterious yellow internal strength emanating from his palm was like a towering wave that seemed to freeze even the air.


    Faced with this powerful wave of force, Qiao Mu¡¯s punching movements were identical, also using Ripple Stacking Wave Strength.


    Long Life Fist against Long Life Fist, Stacking Wave Strength against Stacking Wave Strength.


    Using the same move isn¡¯t scary, who is weaker will be embarrassed.


    The only difference is, Qiao Mu quietly gave himself a power boost.


    "Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method!"


    Qiao Mu, who is now 375 years old, mastered the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method long ago, dismantling it smoothly like breathing, ready to unleash with just a thought.


    Qiao Mu, who endured until now, had long seen that Yan Shenji¡¯s inner strength was unfathomable, simr to his as a martial artist.


    The moment of victory or defeat is fleeting!


    "Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, Stacking Wave Strength, Fourfold Wave!"


    His skin rapidly cracked, tiny blood droplets seeping from every pore, and the sharp blood-red energy burst forth, intensifying as Qiao Mu¡¯s palm movements grew in strength, like a thousandyered sea wave.


    Yan Shenji¡¯s eyes widened slightly.


    Until this moment, he could already determine¡­.


    This person is not a middle-aged person in their forties or fifties, nor a centenarian from a long-lived tribe, but a three to four-hundred-year-old immortal in the human world!


    However, strangely¡­.


    Despite being an immortal, he was so reckless, using an extremely fierce explosive forbidden technique.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    A loud boom resounded.


    In the moment when the white and yellow energy waves collided.


    The entire Golden Pce shook violently, the surging energy waves picking up debris and rocks, causing the nearby Imperial Guards and Flying Fish Guards to be blown away.


    Amidst the overwhelming force like andslide.


    Yan Shenji dragged his feet back, leaving a long ditch in front of the pce, before finally stopping.


    He stood still, with a strange light in his eyes, looking at his slightly trembling hand, emotions rising within.


    "The Qiao family member lives a long life but dies young¡­" Yan Shenji muttered.


    "Since Qiao Shuanggui has given his all and shown his courage, I can¡¯t hide anymore as an old man who refuses to die¡­"


    At this point, any hesitation or holding back would be disrespectful to the Qiao family member.


    Hesitation?


    Respect for a younger generationes from hesitating.


    But Qiao Shuanggui is even older than him! In fact, he is the younger one!


    Yet, as he was struck back by Qiao Mu¡¯s blow, he felt a myriad of emotions.


    Suddenly, the dark sky lit uppletely.


    Among the rushing dark clouds, a winding purple lightning bolt descended from the sky like a snake, striking Qiao Mu with incredible speed.


    The timing of this lightning strike was extremely precise.


    It happened just as Qiao Mu unleashed the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, his punch at its peak, leaving him defenseless in that moment between old and new power.


    In an instant, a brilliant purple light enveloped Qiao Mu entirely, submerging him within it until he was no longer visible to the onlookers, the brightness reaching its peak.


    As the light faded slightly.


    In the ce where Qiao Mu had stood, there was now only a deep crater and a body charred ck.


    A rainbow shed above in the sky, signaling the arrival of the Great Dao Sect cultivator Dao Ke, who stood in the air looking down, nodding slightly in apparent satisfaction.


    Emperor Yonghe¡¯s eye twitched slightly.


    By now, he knew why the people from the Great Dao Sect werete¡­


    Even Qiao Mu broke through the Imperial Guards¡¯ defense line, almost reaching him; the ancestor had to step in¡­


    They weren¡¯tte at all, they were secretly lurking, waiting for the perfect moment!


    "What era is it, still ying martial artist duels?" Dao Ke shook his head secretly.


    "Some brothers like to watch cricket fighting, but I¡¯m not interested."


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 Chapter 271 (2)

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    Attacking when unprepared, ending the fight quickly and efficiently is the most effective.


    Although Qiao Mu, charred by his thunder technique, was not fully dead, the powerful lightning had severely injured his organs and heart, with his life force flickering like a candle in the wind.


    At that moment, Dao Ke suddenly felt a sharp gaze on him.


    The gaze came from a mortal beneath his feet.


    The mortal was named Yan Shenji. He was said to be from the royal family ancestors, living for two hundred years in the deep pce.


    Dao Ke didn¡¯t take things too seriously. As a fifth-level Golden Core immortal cultivator, he had actually lived for seven or eight hundred years. Although most of his time was spent in cultivation, he was much older than the so-called "royal family ancestor."


    Dao Ke coldly said, "What, ming me for intervening halfway? Did I ruin your one-on-one duel with the martial artist? This is not apetition ring, but an assassin breaking into the pce."


    "Are you prepared to bite the immortal being Lu Dongbin? I did save your life.""Where is Emperor Yonghe? Let hime to see me. A member of the Qiao family should be executed, Hai Wuya is also going to die, and there is no news from the Wuji Association. Today¡¯s events end here."


    The sound of his words echoed in the night sky, spreading far and wide.


    The expression on Hai Wuya¡¯s face in the distance dimmed slightly.


    Over the years, Hai Wuya had seen many martial artists fall to cultivators, so it was nothing new to him.


    But this was the Qiao family¡¯s martial arts from practicing the "Human Path Sutra."


    "Duel? What¡¯s that?" Yan Shenji asked nkly.


    "It¡¯s a fight between enemies on the battlefield, where the winner takes all, and any means to win are justified," exined the other person.


    "You interrupted my fight, but it¡¯s not a big deal," said Yan Shenji.


    "Is that settled then?" asked Dao Ke casually.


    He saw Emperor Yonghe, who was hiding in the distance,ing towards him and Yan Shenji with the Flying Fish Guards.


    "The esteemed Dao Ke from the Great Dao Sect has arrived?" Emperor Yonghe cursed Dao Ke inwardly, but acted friendly in his presence.


    However, Yan Shenji frowned at the scene unfolding before his eyes.


    The dignified Great Yan Emperor was being ordered around by an inhuman?


    No¡­ that¡¯s not the most important thing.


    The Nine Immortal Gates have a powerful presence in Jiu Province, making the Great Yan Imperial Court bow down, which is not a rare urrence.


    Even if Yan Shenji lives a peaceful life, it¡¯s impossible for him not to know the attitude of the Great Yan Imperial Court towards the Nine Immortal Gates today.


    Making him furrow his brow and feel concerned, what truly matters is the role that the Great Dao Sect cultivator Dao Ke can y in this event.


    "Why should the Great Dao Sect¡¯s members interfere in pce matters?"


    Yan Shenji suddenly asked.


    This question was asking about Dao Ke, as well as Emperor Yonghe.


    Emperor Yonghe felt uneasy, thinking, why ask this at all? Isn¡¯t it better to rely on the power of the Immortal Gates to deal with the Qiao family or the Wuji Association?


    Although this elderly royal ancestor usually doesn¡¯t get involved, he inherits the violent temperament of the founder. If this matter is exined in detail to him, he might get angry.


    And Dao Ke just smirked.


    "Do you still hold a grudge despite your victory? Is there a grudge in your heart in the end?"


    He was gathering thunder in his hand, ready to release a palm thunder, but Yan Shenji¡¯s strange look made him pause.


    Yan Shenji was an old man with wrinkles on his face, looking to be around sixty years old. Though old, he still appeared lively and spirited.


    However, at that moment, his facial skin started to change.


    The already shallow wrinkles gradually smoothed out, his slightly stooped figure straightened up, the skin with faint age spots turned rosy, and even his white hair began to turn ck bit by bit.


    At that moment, Yan Shenji had shed all signs of old age, appearingpletely like a young man in his twenties, with thick eyebrows, big eyes, sharp and intense gaze, and broad shoulders.


    Yan Shenji boasted that his Long Life Fist had reached a profound level of mastery, and it was not without reason.


    With the lock of Qi and blood in the Long Life Fist, he could maintain the appearance of an old man with just a thought, or return to his youthful form. These were two different age states.


    And at that moment, Yan Shenji clearly appeared to be in his prime, with his Qi and blood undiminished.


    With such a look and posture, Emperor Yonghe was not only shocked, but also felt a strange sense of familiarity in his heart.


    Before he could figure out the strange feeling in his heart, a loud ng was heard.


    When he looked down, he saw Emperor Yonghe¡¯s Human Emperor Sword at his waist trembling and emitting a faint hum.


    Amidst the continuous trembling, this important national weapon actually unsheathed itself and flew into the hands of Yan Shenji.


    "This¡­" Emperor Yonghe¡¯s heart trembled:


    "Is this a martial artist of the Spiritual Refining Period above, controlling objects with the mind?"


    He didn¡¯t know much about the ways of martial artists, but his intuition told him that the scene in front of him was very unnatural.


    "Emperor," Yan Shenji held the Human Emperor Sword, his eyes calm:


    "Let me give you a lesson today in front of our ancestors."


    He raised the Human Emperor Sword in his hand, pointed it at the Great Dao Sect cultivator standing in the air, and spoke forcefully:


    "Nond under the sky is not ruled by a king, and no shore is without king¡¯s subjects."


    "As citizens of Great Yan, why not kneel?"


    The Human Emperor Sword pointed towards Dao Ke standing in midair. While Dao Ke was still sneering, he noticed a dazzling golden light shing on the Human Emperor Sword.


    Two faint golden chains emerged from the void and tied around his body from behind.


    Dao Ke, who was still sneering in the air, suddenly froze his smile, fell from the sky in an instant, and awkwardlynded on the ground.


    In the moment the illusory golden chains wrapped around him, he felt a powerful force depriving him of his ability to stand in the air, even pressuring him to kneel before the mortal in front of him.


    Dao Ke¡¯s face changed dramatically, his body trembling, and his knees shaking. As a cultivator, he naturally had pride, how could he kneel before a mortal emperor?


    What frightened him more was¡­ this immense mysterious force seemed toe from the Human Emperor Sword, the weapon of the Immortal Gate that even feared the national destiny?


    "Why could the ancestors use the Human Emperor Sword? He has never been an emperor, just a martial artist. Is it because of his royal bloodline?" Emperor Yonghe was puzzled at this moment.


    "Then why am I¡­."


    Emperor Yonghe soon had no time to think, because Yan Shenji said the second sentence.


    "Listen carefully, this is the second lesson."


    Yan Shenji, who had transformed into a young man, looked directly at the fallen cultivator Dao Ke and spoke like thunder:


    "A strong ruler should have a strong army!"


    At this moment, the Human Emperor Sword in Yan Shenji¡¯s hand shone brightly with golden light. With a swift movement, a sword beam mixed with golden light and mysterious yellow energy shed by, slicing apart the purple thunder erupting from Dao Ke¡¯s hand.


    "My cultivation¡­" Dao Ke¡¯s pupils shook violently. At this moment, he felt that all the cultivation he had worked so hard for was being wiped away by Yan Shenji¡¯s sword strike, not just the palm thunder he had released, but also hundreds of years of his cultivation.


    His original cultivation at the fifth level of the Golden Core realm plummeted in an instant, falling back to the level he had just achieved when forming his core.


    The light on Yan Shenji¡¯s sword moved again!


    This time, a bloodline appeared on his forehead, splitting him in half, blood sttering everywhere, flesh and blood muddled together.


    "Did you see that?" Yan Shenji held up the Human Emperor Sword, looking back at Emperor Yonghe.


    The brilliant golden light on his Human Emperor Sword dimmed slightly, showing signs of depletion.


    The sword was already stained with blood, droplets falling to the ground.


    Drip, drop.


    The front of the golden pce fell silent, the sound of blood dripping clearly audible.


    "Did you see that?" Yan Shenji held the sword in hand, saying calmly:


    "You, child, must havecked confidence, which is why the Human Emperor Sword never left its sheath."


    "How can a sword that has never been stained with blood or drawn from its sheath intimidate inhuman?"


    Emperor Yonghe stared nkly at the familiar face of the young man, Yan Shenji. He felt like he had been struck by lightning, with Yan Shenji¡¯s words echoing in his mind¡­


    Your Majesty, those with strong soldiers and horses shall prevail!


    Yan Shenji dared to say this not because of his royal lineage or high seniority, allowing him to speak boldly in front of Emperor Yonghe, the current emperor.


    Instead, it was because¡­


    He was the founding emperor of Great Yan, who once rose from humble beginnings as a martial artist to sweep through Jiu Province, wielding the Human Emperor Sword to overthrow the previous dynasty, conquer thend from horseback, and establish the Great Yan Imperial Court for three centuries!


    The founding emperor of Great Yan!


    This martial legend from three hundred years ago was already invincible in the world, using unparalleled courage to destroy a decaying dynasty and establish the foundation of the Great Yan Imperial Court.


    His portrait still hangs in Emperor Yonghe¡¯s Imperial Study to this day!


    So this young man Yan Shenji¡¯s face made him feel very familiar.


    "Emperor Yonghe, why did you use the name Yan Shenji?" asked Emperor Yonghe with a harsh voice.


    Yan Shenji snorted coldly in response.


    "The sword used by Emperor Yonghe has be the Human Emperor Sword, a national treasure that carries the fate of the country."


    "Even the chamber pot used by Emperor Yonghe is a priceless treasure kept in the pce."


    "If Emperor Yonghe were still alive, would you have worshipped me on the altar?"


    A country cannot have two rulers.


    The influence and reputation of the founding Emperor are immense, he is not only the founding Emperor but also the unrivaled general on the battlefield, the number one in the world three hundred years ago!


    As long as he is still alive, will the current Emperor rule in the pce and in the court, or will this old man still be in charge?


    This matter was not something that "Yan Shenji" could decide on his own, even if he willingly gave up his power, it would only mean losing the title of emperor.


    "Then why Yan Shenji? You¡¯ve mentioned the story of Yan Shenji leaving in anger many times before," Emperor Yonghe couldn¡¯t help but ask again.


    "Nonsense," the founding emperor of Great Yan said impatiently.


    "Haven¡¯t youined several times that the story of falling off a cliff is too clich¨¦, and that it would be better if it was written by the storyteller from Tide Listening Building?"


    "Because I was the one who wrote it, so naturally it¡¯s not as appealing as the storyteller¡¯s version."


    "As for the real Yan Shenji¡­" the founding emperor of Great Yan¡¯s face showed a hint of loneliness and regret:


    "He has long been dead."


    Yan Shenji, among the imperial princes and grandchildren of the founding emperor of Great Yan, had the highest talent in martial arts, and his temperament was most like the founding emperor.


    "Leaving in anger is true," the founding emperor of Great Yan said slowly:


    "The Great Mechanic fell off a cliff many years ago, he was harmed by traitors from the Sky Fire Sect."


    "Before he left the royal pce, he made a vow to make a name for himself in the martial world without relying on his identity as the emperor¡¯s grandson, so he used a false name to roam the martial world."


    "Therefore, it was only many years after his death that I learned he had died at the hands of traitors from the Sky Fire Sect in his first year outside the royal pce."


    "And so¡­ with the name ¡®Yan Shenji,¡¯ I wiped out the Sky Fire Sect from top to bottom, making the name ¡®Yan Shenji¡¯ famous in Jiu Province, and even listed on the Tide Listening Building Hero List."


    "All of these¡­ are stories from many years ago."


    When mentioning Yan Shenji, the founding emperor of Great Yan could not hide his loneliness and regret.


    Despite having a young face, his tone and expression clearly showed that even though his vitality remained, he was no longer a young man.


    The former founding emperor of Great Yan was extremely confident, a controlling patriarch who wanted to oversee everything.


    The real heir, Yan Shenji, left in anger and tragically died on the martial world path, his soul perished.


    After the founding emperor of Great Yan retired, he no longer managed affairs and only focused on martial arts as a pure martial artist.


    "Yan Shenji¡¯s" voice sounded a bit lonely as he looked at Qiao Shuanggui¡¯s body, ck as charcoal in the pit.


    "Who in this world can avoid aging?" he said slowly.


    "Heroes always have a twilight time, and beauties also have days of fading beauty."


    "In ancient times, how many emperors were diligent in their youth to expand their territory, but in theirter years indulged in luxury and pleasure?"


    "Even if the body doesn¡¯t age and the vitality remains, how can an ordinary heart withstand the erosion of time?"


    "As people grow older, they be more afraid of death, this is normal for humans."


    And this is actually the reason why he revealed his true identity as the founding emperor of Great Yan.


    Qiao Shuanggui is the second immortal besides the founding emperor of Great Yan in the world.


    A member of the Qiao family lived a long life but died young, with a strong will to live yet not afraid of death, which truly shook the heart of the founding emperor of Great Yan.


    "Stand up, Qiao Shuanggui," Yan Shenji said in a deep voice, holding a sword.


    "People say that the Qiao family members are fearless and brave, inheriting the spirit of ancient chivalry."


    "Tell me, why did you invade the pce this time, and why did you die?"


    ¡­


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    N?v(el)B\\jnn

 Chapter 272:

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    The night had grown deep.


    The inner city of the Imperial Capital was quiet, with almost every household tightly closed, silent.


    Some residents near the imperial pce could faintly hear themotion inside.


    It¡¯s obvious someone has intruded into the pce, causing arge number of Imperial Guards to respond. The situation is serious.


    Ordinary people wouldn¡¯t dare get involved. If they do, they might bebeled as rebels and face grave consequences.


    However, a few people chose to take action.


    Like Hai Siyuan.


    At this moment, he and Li Changshi are hurrying under the night sky, already arriving beneath the royal pce.Since it is likely that Qiao Shuanggui is the one who intruded the pce to rescue his father Hai Wuya, how could Hai Siyuan just stay home?


    "Be careful," Li Changshi said, holding a small carved Stone City in his hand, cautioning Hai Siyuan.


    "The pce is heavily guarded, with skilled individuals and the Imperial Guards stationed inside. Anyone who invades the pce will face serious consequences, even a superb martial artist like the Eight-armed Heavenly Dragon."


    Li Changshi¡¯s words stopped abruptly.


    As they approached the imperial city, they saw the pce walls copsed, and a human-shaped gap appeared in the thick gates.


    It was silent and deserted around, with only a few Imperial Guards carrying the bodies of fallen soldiers.


    "We are lucky, someone drew the attention of the Imperial Guards away for us," said Li Changshi.


    Sneaking into the pce was a difficult task for them, but now with the pce walls copsed and the guards scattered, it was not difficult for them to enter the imperial city with their skills.


    Li Changshi caressed the Stone City in his hand, feeling emotional.


    This Stone City is a relic left behind by the former Earth Sword Immortal, and it serves no other purpose than being a pocket cave.


    At this moment, in Li Changshi¡¯s hand is the Stone City, where over two hundred old soldiers are inside.


    As long as they can enter the imperial pce, it means that over two hundred old soldiers have also entered the imperial pce.


    ¡­.


    In front of the Golden Pce.


    The white jade dragon steps had crumbled, and two "bodies" were lying at Yan Shenji¡¯s feet.


    One, with charred ck skin, was Qiao Shuanggui.


    The other was a Great Dao Sect cultivator with a split golden core named Dao Ke.


    The bright moon still shone high in the sky, the dark clouds that had covered the sky had cleared slightly, allowing the white moonlight to shine through the clouds onto the two "bodies". ?


    Dark clouds rolled and some pairs of eyes were looking down towards the pce.


    The cultivators of the Great Dao Sect usually didn¡¯t fight alone, this time it was led by the golden core cultivator Dao Ke, but there were other cultivators lurking in the sky with him.


    "Senior Brother Dao Ke, is he dead?" other cultivators couldn¡¯t help whispering.


    "That man who ims to be the emperor of Great Yan is suspicious¡­ no, it¡¯s his sword that¡¯s suspicious."


    "That clearly doesn¡¯t belong to ordinary martial power¡­. Is it the so-called power of fate?" someone whispered.


    "Human Emperor Sword was the personal sword of the founding emperor of Great Yan in the past, revered as a symbol of the nation for nearly three hundred years, hence exhibiting the power of fate¡­"


    "It¡¯s all because of the Xuantian Sect back then, insisting on worshiping gods, conjuring forth the Human Emperor Sword, thereby transforming the elusive dynasty¡¯s fate into tangible national power, possessing the ability to conquer?" The gazes of the cultivators pierced through the clouds andnded on the sword in Yan Shenji¡¯s hand.


    Yan Shenji just taught a lesson to Emperor Yonghe.


    He said, "Under the heavens, there can be nond that is not ruled by a king, and on the edge of thend, there can be no subject who is not a vassal of the king."


    Therefore, as a cultivator of the Great Dao Sect in Great Yan, Dao Ke disyed an arrogant attitude when meeting the emperor, even standing on air without descending from the sky, which was highly disrespectful.


    In front of Yan Shenji, cultivators cannot overstep their bounds, hence losing the ability to fly in the sky, even being oppressed by external forces, their knees almost buckling.


    "This is not martial arts at all." Elder Qingyi also appeared in the clouds.


    He wasn¡¯t originally outside the imperial pce, but upon sensing Dao Ke¡¯s death, he swiftly arrived here using his teleportation technique. At this moment, his gaze was deep, as he decisively said:


    "With the Heavenly Edict in his mouth¡­ this is how the founding emperor of Great Yan, who holds the Human Emperor Sword, demonstrates his imperial power."


    With the Heavenly Edict in his mouth, whatever the emperor says bes thew, deciding the life and death of his subjects with just a word.


    "However, this powerful invisible force, though strong, is not entirely unbeatable."


    "Dao Ke lost the ability to fly in the sky, but he resisted the pressure to kneel before earthly emperors."


    "Moreover, such abilityes at a price, as my spiritual sense detects a slight weakening of the invisible force on that sword, clearly indicating some consumption," a cultivator said.


    This statement brought some relief to the other cultivators.


    As for Yan Shenji¡¯s second lesson¡­ it made Elder Qingyi more wary.


    He noticed that, under that sword, Dao Ke¡¯s cultivation was temporarily regressed by several hundred years, reverting back to the time of just forming a Golden Core.


    Keep in mind that a Dao Ke at the fifthyer of the Golden Core level has umted magical power that is several times that of a newly formed Golden Core cultivator.


    Yan Shenji¡¯s sword weakened Dao Ke¡¯s power by about fifty to sixty percent, leaving his mana pool nearly empty.


    Even though Dao Ke¡¯s cultivation level and techniques were still there, the power of his Dao had greatly diminished, which allowed Yan Shenji to easily cut through his thunder spell with a single sword strike.


    As a Nascent Soul Elder, Elder Qingyi¡¯s knowledge and insight surpassed that of other cultivators, and in his eyes, this signified a terrifying truth:


    In this era, Immortal cultivators need the worship of the people of the Great Yan Imperial Court to advance their cultivation to some extent.


    Yan Shenji, holding the Human Emperor Sword, could directly reduce the Immortal cultivation of a Golden Core cultivator Dao Ke by sacrificing the fortune of a nation with a single sword strike.


    This was a troubling development.


    The Immortal Gate feared Emperor Yonghe, who possessed the Human Emperor Sword, and didn¡¯t want to confront him directly, so they created a King Qin in an attempt to establish the Earthly Immortal Kingdom.


    Now, with the appearance of the founding emperor of Great Yan, the situation became even moreplicated.


    It was clear that the founding emperor of Great Yan, wielding the Human Emperor Sword, was a much more formidable figure than Emperor Yonghe, who also wielded the Human Emperor Sword, and theycked understanding about this individual.


    The only thing they were grateful for was¡­


    "Although the Human Emperor Sword is powerful, it cannot be used casually. Every time it is unsheathed, it consumes the national luck of the Great Yan Imperial Court," a cultivator spoke up.


    "This mortal dynasty has long been in turmoil. Even if the founding emperor were toe back to life, how many more years can it endure?"


    "How many cultivators can the national luck power on this Human Emperor Sword y?"


    After listening, Elder Qingyi nced at the cultivator speaking, only smiling faintly.


    "You see through it so well. How about¡­ you go first?"


    The cultivator was left speechless.


    Cultivators are individuals in the human race with extraordinary talent and spiritual roots. They are usually clever and intelligent, naturally understanding the principle of not being the first bird to stick out their neck.


    Yan Shenji currently holds a hunting spear, with limited bullets. However, who would be willing to be the first bird in this situation?


    Several cultivators were discussing on top of the clouds,pletely unnoticed by the people below.


    However, they asionally nced at Yan Shenji, which subtly caught his attention.


    He looked up to the sky, but all he saw was dark clouds covering the sky, no one in sight, and Yan Shenji¡¯s face turned cold:


    "Dao Ke has died." He pointed to the body of Dao Ke under his feet, saying slowly:


    "If the Great Dao Sect wants to talk, they¡¯d better send someone who speaks humannguage."


    The dark clouds remained motionless, no sound or movement, as if it was only Yan Shenji talking to himself.


    But this gesture caught the eye of Emperor Yonghe behind them, leaving him dreamy and fascinated.


    After recovering from his shock, he btedly felt a burst of joy in his heart.


    What Yan Shenji did just now was very simple.


    One is through words, and the other is through actions.


    Teaching the usage of the Human Emperor Sword.


    Revealing one¡¯s own profound martial arts skills.


    "Ancestor is truly remarkable¡­ My patience and waiting have paid off." Excited, Emperor Yonghe also asked:


    "Since the ancestor is so remarkable, why care about this dying Qiao family member?"


    "My enemies are the Great Yan Royal Family and the Great Yan Imperial Court, they are definitely inhuman¡ª"


    "Shut up." Emperor Yonghe was interrupted by Yan Shenji before he finished speaking.


    Actually, Yan Shenji wasn¡¯t very satisfied with his descendant.


    But after all, this generation¡¯s emperor is a blood rtive many generations apart. What more could he do?


    "Child, do you know when was thest time I saw such a courageous assassin entering the pce with my own eyes?"


    "¡­.Forty-five years ago, during the time when Eight-armed Heavenly Dragon was in the top three of the martial arts world and entered the pce?" Emperor Yonghe asked.


    Yan Shenji shook his head.


    "Was it a hundred years ago when the renowned martial artist Blood Prince entered the pce?"


    Yan Shenji shook his head again and said softly:


    "This happened nearly three hundred years ago."


    Three hundred years?


    Emperor Yonghe was taken aback.


    The Great Yan Imperial Court has been established for over two hundred years, almost three hundred in total.


    The first emperor of the Great Yan Dynasty should be over three hundred years old this year.


    About three hundred years ago, during thete Great Zhou Dynasty, was it in the past when the emperor was young?


    "I was the one who assassinated the emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty in the pce that time, do you understand?"


    The concept of cherishing talents often reflects older individuals seeing a glimpse of their past selves in the young people.


    Yan Shenji said emotionlessly:


    "Qiao Shuanggui is the second immortal martial artist on earth besides me, perhaps even older than me, maybe already three or four hundred years old?"


    Although there are descendants of the founding emperor in this world, it has been many generations apart.


    Qiao Shuanggui, although a stranger, and Yan Shenji are the only two mortal martial artist immortals in the world. They may not be of the same generation, but they have lived in the same era.


    But Qiao family members who live even longer have a willingness to sacrifice themselves?


    This made Yan Shenji feel many different things.


    The second elder? Three or four hundred years old?


    Before Emperor Yonghe could react, he saw the ckened body of Qiao Shuanggui on the ground suddenly open its eyes, cough softly, and slowly get up from the ground.


    "Just a fatal injury, nothing serious."


    The golden core cultivator, Dao Ke, was caught off guard by the sudden attack of his thunder technique, which hit him right in his weak spot and was too fast to evade.


    The thunder technique went straight into his body, almost instantly breaking his heart pulse.


    The key to his survival was not luck, but that he mastered Wu Qizheng¡¯s Shape Changing Skill.


    For ordinary people, it is easier to treat external injuries than internal injuries inside the body.


    The same punch can cause different injuries depending on where itnds.


    Hit on the hand, hit on the groin, or punch through the chest to make your heart beat differently.


    As a martial artist using the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, Qiao Mu has a lot of experience in healing internal injuries using the Shape Changing Skill. There are probably very few people in this world who can match him.


    "Why do I fight, why do I die?" Qiao Mu stood tall, his charred skin quickly wriggling as new flesh grew out, pushing apart the charcoal-like dead skin.


    He stretched his muscles and as time passed, his physical condition gradually improved, but his energy and blood were also consumed as a result.


    "I just think¡­ someone like Hai Wuya shouldn¡¯t die like this, that¡¯s all," Qiao Mu said calmly.


    "Hai Wuya? What does this have to do with him?"


    "You came for Hai Wuya, not for¨C"


    Yan Shenji and Emperor Yonghe both looked puzzled and exchanged a nce.


    Finally, Emperor Yonghe probably exined the situation, and Yan Shenji understood the cause and effect.


    "Hai Wuya?" Yan Shenji frowned.


    "For an old man on the brink of death, with one foot in the grave, to barge into the pce?"


    "I have only heard of someone acting out of love for a woman, never for an old man."


    He turned his head to look at the mess in front of the Golden Luang Pce, feeling it was absurd.


    "The Wuji Association, with a plot to assassinate the Emperor, is naturally a rebellious party and should be executed," Yan Shenji said.


    "As a 2nd rank senior official and Minister of Rites, Hai Wuya secretly colluded with the rebels, using the power of the Wuji Association to covertly spread a martial arts technique called the ¡®Xumi Mountain King Sutra¡¯ in Jiu Province."


    Yan Shenji turned to look at Emperor Yonghe, who remained silent.


    In fact, from the perspective of the Great Yan Emperor, even just conspiring with the rebels through the Wuji Association as a high-ranking official like Hai Wuya was a crime punishable by death. The specifics of his actions would only determine the manner of his execution.


    "Let¡¯s not discuss what crimes Hai Wuyamitted," Yan Shenji stared into Qiao Mu¡¯s eyes and asked again.


    "He is already on his deathbed, there¡¯s no way to extend his life even if you manage to rescue him from the pce¡­ Have you thought it over, Qiao Shuanggui?"


    Young people sometimes act impulsively.


    But as they grow older, when they reach middle age, the impulsiveness fades away, and they start weighing the pros and cons, gaining a broader perspective¡­ This is almost instinctual for every adult.


    Qiao Shuanggui was even older than Yan Shenji, showing that he had surpassed the impulsive age.


    Since weighing the pros and cons, why still enter the imperial pce?n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Qiao Shuanggui at this time was clearly dying, looking much worse than Hai Wuya he was trying to save.


    "Sometimes in this world, there are fools who act recklessly without considering the consequences, trying to move mountains at any cost. You might want to ask Hai Wuya why he, a high-ranking official, would force himself into the heavenly prison for thirty years, leading himself to a dead end like now."


    Qiao Mu said, "Every choicees with a price. He has his price, and I have mine."


    The price for ordinary people entering the imperial pce is death.


    Qiao Mu will not die.


    The price for him is to have a longer and more boring dream than an ordinary person¡¯s lifetime.


    But ordinary people wouldn¡¯t dare to enter the pce.


    After careful consideration and understanding the price he had to pay, he still persisted¡­ This was the martial arts heart he developed after walking out of a dream thatsted for several lifetimes.


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 Chapter 273 (1)

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    "Every choicees with a price¡­"


    Yan Shenji repeated this sentence, his gaze turning deep.


    Hearing this, he already had a rough understanding of the thoughts of the Qiao family member in front of him.


    Most people in this world act for fame and fortune, which is not considered vulgar, but rather human nature.


    After all, who doesn¡¯t want to live a better life, even gaining fame and fortune, and enjoy prosperity and wealth in front of others?


    Yet this Qiao family member in front of us knows there are dangers ahead but still heads towards them.


    Even though he had hardly any breath left at this moment, his words were still very strong.Perhaps Yan Shenji had also grown old¡­ whenever he heard these words, he couldn¡¯t help but think of his youthful days.


    Towards the end of the Great Zhou Dynasty nearly three hundred years ago, even though there was no inhuman interference in politics, the society was still in chaos and the people were struggling to survive.


    During the final years of the dynasty, there were often peasant uprisings. These peasants took up arms not for grand ideals, but simply because they had no choice and wanted to survive in troubled times.


    Peasant soldiers only wanted to survive and have food to eat, while schemers were thinking about seizing power and bing officials¡­ And indeed, there was a small group of people shining with different light.


    Impulsive and impatient young people would rise up only for a matter of pride or a meal.


    This was the majority of the rebels in the past.


    And older, wise middle-aged people mostly wouldn¡¯t get involved in such dangerous things where they challenge the government by risking their lives.


    That¡¯s true for most people, but not for everyone.


    Once in a while, there are some foolish people who know they shouldn¡¯t do something, but still do it, especially in chaotic times.


    Yan Shenji looked at Qiao Mu, then Emperor Yonghe beside him, and then gazed at the ruins in front of the Golden Hall.


    Suddenly, he felt a strange sense of familiarity.


    "This scent is so familiar," he suddenly said.


    Almost three hundred years had passed.


    Once again, he smelled the decay of the end of a dynasty.


    Back then, he was a rebel leader who rose up in arms.


    Now he is the most important person in the Great Yan Royal Family.


    "Is the fate of Great Yaning to an end?" He pushed away this thought from his mind and held up the Human Emperor Sword.


    "Since you have made up your mind, draw your sword."


    The golden light of national fortune on the Human Emperor Sword faded away, transforming into the dark yellow internal strength of the Imperial Extreme True Skill. ?


    The power of national fortune was decreasing bit by bit, which was a heavy burden for the Great Yan Imperial Court. Yan Shenji would not use it lightly, especially against a martial artist.


    "It should have been done long ago." Qiao Mu bent down slightly, grabbed the ankle of the King Qin Golden Body from the shallow pit on the cracked steps, and pulled the King Qin Golden Body out of the ground.


    "Though your Human Emperor Sword is sharp, my King Qin Sword is equally formidable."


    "Do you call this a sword?" Yan Shenji raised the Human Emperor Sword, raising an eyebrow.


    "You said all choicese with a price."


    "If you are ready to sacrifice your life in battle, then it is time for you to pay the price."


    Yan Shenji mastered Long Life Fist to perfection, but only reached Triple Wave in Ripple Stacking Wave Strength.


    Training is different from fighting.


    Ripple Stacking Wave Strength is a technique within Long Life Fist, although it is an extraordinary martial art, there are more beyond Long Life Fist.


    Yan Shenji¡¯s best skill is not Ripple Stacking Wave Strength, but his own creation ¨C Imperial Extreme True Skill.


    The long sword shed through the air with powerful energy like surging waves, engulfing Qiao Mu holding the King Qin Sword.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    On the other side of the Golden Dragon Pce.


    Hai Wuya stood there nkly, somewhat distracted.


    "The reason Qiao Shuanggui entered the imperial pce was because he felt that I shouldn¡¯t die this way?"


    Hai Wuya felt a mix of emotions in his heart.


    Today was the first time he met Qiao Shuanggui, but Qiao Shuanggui¡¯s words and actions felt so natural to him, without any sense of strangeness.


    "The Qiao family has been known for generations for their bravery and chivalrous spirit, truly a remarkable family."


    Hai Wuya sighed.


    Beside him, Flying Fish Guard Chu Xing also felt moved, somewhat absent-minded.


    Suddenly, he felt a tremor in his heart, sensing danger approaching¡ªyet it was already toote.


    A war knife was held against his neck, and before he knew it, a gray-haired elderly man had appeared behind him.


    "Are there really allies of Qiao Shuanggui here?" Chu Xing¡¯s mind raced as he saw Hai Siyuan and Li Changshi appear beside him.


    "Your Majesty didn¡¯t miscalcte this time," Chu Xing thought to himself.


    "Qiao Shuanggui alone has diverted the attention of the Imperial Guards army, while his allies took advantage of the weak guards in other parts of the pce to sneak in,".


    "Luckily, there aren¡¯t many of them, just two¡­"


    Thinking this, Li Changshi¡¯s Stone City slowly spun in his hand, revealing white-haired soldiersing out.


    "Two¡­ over two hundred?!" Chu Xing gave up resisting directly.


    Even if the pce¡¯s defense is weak at the moment, it¡¯s impossible for over two hundred old soldiers to sneak in.


    Li Changshi¡¯s Stone City made it possible, leading Chu Xing and other Flying Fish Guard members to surrender instantly.


    Among the old soldiers are twenty spiritual refining 3rd rank martial artists, while the rest are seasoned veterans with forty years of battle experience, easily a match for Chu Xing and the others.


    "It seeded like this? So easily, even without a fight, they rescued my father?" Hai Siyuan found it hard to believe.


    He had thought it was dangerous to enter the pce, but he and Li Changshi had sneaked in effortlessly.


    "Xiao Hai, it¡¯s not because we¡¯re too strong or lucky," Li Changshi gazed into the distance, watching Qiao Shuanggui fighting Yan Shenji in front of the pce.


    Qiao Shuanggui¡¯s skin was torn, his body ckened like charcoal, clearly having gone through a tough battle.


    Their journey was only easy because someone ahead was drawing most of the enemy¡¯s fire.


    "Why did you alle? I am already a dying man," Hai Wuya said slowly.


    He had been calm, but seeing his eldest son and the rest of the soldiers in danger made him furrow his brows.


    He knew he didn¡¯t have much time left, involving others, even his colleagues and children, would only make things worse.


    "Don¡¯t be angry, Hai," Li Changshi smiled.


    "You have your thoughts, we have our choices, that¡¯s all."


    Hai Siyuan silently nodded.


    In fact, this man Hai Wuya, who was the eldest son, was already in his sixties and had his own opinions long ago.


    Hai Wuya decided not to involve others and instructed Dr. Dong to tell his son not toe to rescue him.


    But Hai Siyuan and the others naturally had their own thoughts as well.


    "Our friend Hai has already been rescued¡­ now where should we go? Should we leave as soon as possible or¡­" Li Changshi and Hai Siyuan exchanged a nce.


    Their secret infiltration into the pce this time was naturally to save the dying Hai Wuya.


    The goal has now been achieved.


    ording tomon sense, they should naturally leave the pce quickly.


    But then, she just quietly left without saying a word?


    Earlier, Qiao Shuanggui was causing amotion, diverting the attention of the Imperial Guards in the pce. Hai Siyuan thought to himself that without Qiao Shuanggui in the lead, they wouldn¡¯t be able to sneak into the pce so easily.


    Leaving aside other things, with ten thousand Imperial Guards setting up a, even the exceptional Qiao Shuanggui was discovered, not to mention them.


    Can these two hundred old soldiers really stand a chance against ten thousand Imperial Guards, plus the remaining skilled experts in the pce?


    Now that everything is settled, they left without a word, watching Qiao Shuanggui fight to the death outside the Golden Luang Hall?


    "Of course we can¡¯t leave," Hai Siyuan said firmly.


    "If we stay, what else can we do?" Li Changshi, who was older and calmer, asked.


    "The abilities of that skilled expert in the pce are truly unpredictable¡­ Qiao Shuanggui is nearly dead, what can we do if we stay? Are we just going to sacrifice our lives here?"


    "Right now, there are two paths in front of us."


    "One option is to leave with Hai Wuya and forget our original purpose."


    "The second choice¡­ risking our lives, even if we survive, we will be considered traitors to Great Yan and will never have peace in the future."n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    As the two talked, they heard impatient voices from the other soldiers behind them.


    "No, General Li, General Hai¡­ time is running out, why are you wasting time here?"


    The thin, old soldier with a slightly white beard interrupted, "We followed you into the pce, we knew what to expect, why the sudden change now?"


    "Why do you think we¡¯re here? Let me be blunt¡­ General Hai is a good man, but we¡¯ve only known him for a few months. I won¡¯t risk my life for him to storm the pce."


    The thin old soldier¡¯s face fell as he said this.


    "I arrived at the Imperial Capital just half a month ago. At first, I thought about taking the reward from the court and retiring¡­"


    "But I can¡¯t fall asleep!" The skinny old soldier¡¯s eyes widened, shining with an unknown light.


    "I have been fighting in the desert against inhuman foes for forty years. After leaving the desert, I finally see the Great Yan that I have yearned for forty years, in such a state¡­"


    "They want me to take silver coins back home, want me to watch my fellow vigers continue to worship gods and immortals, cing inhuman beings on the altar¡­ Didn¡¯t we fight the war forty years ago for nothing? Didn¡¯t our ten thousandrades die in vain?"


    The other old soldiers also fell into silence, feeling sorrowful in their hearts.


    There were quite a few people who shared the same thoughts as the thin old soldier.


    After crossing the desert, many old soldiers took the silver coins and returned to their hometowns.


    They were already tired of warfare, only wishing to spend theirter years in peace¡­ That was their initial thought.


    Yet they couldn¡¯t do it.


    The battles had be ingrained memories in their muscles, the hatred towards inhuman beings deeply rooted in their bones. Having spent most of their lives fighting against inhuman beings, how could they now adapt to an era where the Great Yan Imperial Court was already kneeling before the Nine Immortal Gates?


    They truly couldn¡¯t do it.


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    That¡¯s why, over the past few months, more and more old soldiers have been spontaneously visiting the Imperial Capital to meet Hai Wuya, with the number now reaching over two hundred.


    Practice, practice the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra", practice all martial arts that can make them stronger.


    In the past, a hundred thousand soldiers, after forty years, only three hundred remained.


    Thesest three hundred white-headed soldiers were not the strongest in the past army.


    But they could be considered the most determined three hundred in spirit.


    "Everyone has a scale in their heart."


    "That¡¯s right. Those who are afraid of death have long died in the Hundred-mile Desert.""The Western Conquering Army has no cowards."


    "We were able to leave the desert, relying on the sacrifices of several Qiao family members. Now with Qiao family members fighting ahead, are we going to run away? I can¡¯t do such an inhumane thing."


    These old soldiers, though aged, had been warrades for forty years, very coordinated.


    They soon saw through the poor acting of Hai Siyuan and Li Changshi, which made thetter only able to smile bitterly.


    "In that case, I won¡¯t act anymore¡­" Hai Siyuan looked at the more than two hundred old soldiers in front of him and said:


    "Can I ask you all to entrust your lives to me tonight?"


    "Will you all follow me¡­to do something very dangerous and rebellious."


    Hai Siyuan nced into the distance,nding on Emperor Yonghe who was standing in front of the Golden Pce watching the battle.


    "What are you afraid of?" the white-headed soldiersughed.


    "What are you nning to do?" Hai Wuya frowned deeply.


    He was not a soldier, and didn¡¯t quite understand the thoughts of these old soldiers, but he keenly sensed something was amiss.


    "Father, you have your ideas, and we have our own choices." Hai Siyuan smiled and said:


    "Qiao Shuanggui is in great danger, surrounded by enemies. Even with our strength, we can¡¯t save him. It¡¯s very risky to act recklessly."


    "And thisst hope rests on the shoulders of the Emperor."


    Holding the Emperor hostage.


    This is thest hope in Hai Siyuan¡¯s assessment.


    It¡¯s not just about saving Qiao Shuanggui, it¡¯s also about settling their grievances.


    Thisst hope is actually very slim. Thinking that holding an Emperor hostage can walk out of the pce safely is too naive.


    So when he made this decision, he already had a willingness to sacrifice his life.


    While Hai Siyuan was talking to the old soldiers, Hai Wuya kept looking at his own son¡¯s face.


    Hai Siyuan was still a young man of twenty when he went to war with the army. Forty years passed by, and when they met again, even his own child had be a man in his sixties.


    Despite his old appearance, in Hai Wuya¡¯s heart, he still sees his son as the young soldier from years ago.


    Now, he suddenly realized something.


    "I have my thoughts, he has his choices¡­ My son has long been a capable ¡®General Hai¡¯," Hai Wuya felt proud.


    Although he didn¡¯t want to see his eldest son die in the pce, deep inside, he understood that everyone has their own choices, and he couldn¡¯t change Hai Siyuan¡¯s decision.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    Suddenly, there was a loud noise.


    The Human Emperor Sword shed with the King Qin Sword, creating a sharp sound as the air rubbed against them, sparks flying and dark yellow and blood red auras colliding.


    Qiao Shuanggui¡¯s feet left a long mark as he held the King Qin Golden Body, his hands trembling.


    The Shape Changing Skill could be used for emergency treatment of internal injuries, but it was not a full revival, and at this moment Qiao Mu was in a very weak state, nearing the end of his strength.


    Even the King Qin Golden Body in his hand felt too heavy to hold, it was really weighty.


    When Yan Shenji returned to his youthful appearance, he became even more powerful than before.


    Since turning a hundred, Qiao Mu has been relying on his advanced age and profound skills to deal with enemies. This is the first martial artist Qiao Mu has encountered who can match, or even surpass him, in internal strength.


    "The ancestors are truly the guiding light of my Great Yan Royal Family." Emperor Yonghe couldn¡¯t help but admire as he watched the battle.


    Looking back now, he realized that Yan Shenji had long revealed clues. His demeanor and presence were unmatched by any elderly martial artist who had never been an emperor.


    The most obvious was the phrase the ancestors had mentioned several times:


    A sovereign should be strong and powerful.


    In trantion, it means that a person with a powerful fist should naturally be a sovereign.


    There are only two kinds of people who dare to say this phrase.


    The first type of people are rebels, they don¡¯t respect the king¡¯s authority and want to go against it.


    The second type is the emperor¡­ no, the emperor won¡¯t do.


    Emperor Yonghe didn¡¯t think he could say such things. He inherited the throne from his ancestors. As an emperor, he believed in the divine right of kings and the legitimacy and sacredness of his rule, not just having power.


    The second type of people who dare to speak like this are sessful rebels who became the first emperors of a new kingdom.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    The founding emperor who overthrew the old dynasty and conquered Jiu Province with his strength had the right to say such things.


    Yan Shenji, as an "ancestor of the royal family," repeatedly saying these things in front of Emperor Yonghe was very inappropriate.


    Even if they were royal rtives, speaking such words in front of the emperor was like asking for trouble. Throughout history, there were royal rtives who rebelled against the emperor. Speaking like this showed disrespect towards the emperor and proof of rebellion.


    However, educating future emperors with the mindset of a founding emperor was eptable. This was like advising them that their power came from strength and they needed to improve themselves.


    At that time, Emperor Yonghe didn¡¯t think deeply, thinking only about his ancestor¡¯s high status and pride.


    "It¡¯s strange that I didn¡¯t notice it earlier in the darkness under themp," Emperor Yonghe shook his head with a sigh.


    If only I had known that Yan Shenji was the founding emperor of Great Yan, and had such strong power, then why would he need to be so cautious and hesitant in his actions?


    A powerful royal martial artist called "Yan Shenji" was like a crucial figure for the royal family.


    However, the impact that the founding emperor of Great Yan could have far surpassed just being a crucial figure, it was more like a powerful tool that could disrupt the whole world.


    "If only our ancestors had told me about this earlier, then the Great Yan Imperial Court might not have reached this unfortunate situation¡­"


    While Emperor Yonghe was pondering on how to y the card of the founding emperor of Great Yan with enthusiasm and caution.


    "Your Majesty, be careful!"


    A Flying Fish Guard of the 1st rank Spiritual Refining Period swiftly flew in front of him and deflected an object cutting through the air.


    "There are still assassins? Could there be conspirators?" Emperor Yonghe felt a sudden shock in his heart.


    He looked closely and saw that the object chopped down by the Flying Fish Guard fell in front of the pce and turned out to be a small stone sculpture carved in the shape of an ancient city.


    "What is this thing? How can a hidden weapon look like this?" The top-ranking Flying Fish Guard frowned.


    But at the next moment, a sudden change urred. The Stone City slowly rotated, and one white-headed soldier after another walked out from it, totaling more than two hundred people.


    The first two were Hai Siyuan and Li Changshi, with Hai Wuya also standing among the old soldiers.


    Hai Wuya was not highly skilled in martial arts and unable to join the battle, but it was not appropriate to leave him watching from the side, so he appeared together with them.


    "There¡¯s an assassin!"


    "That person¡­ is Hai Wuya! How did hee out?" The surrounding Flying Fish Guard shouted anxiously.


    "Hai Wuya? What are you nning to do?" Emperor Yonghe was shocked and angry, shouting:


    "Are you really nning to rebel? You are indeed a traitor!"


    He shouted loudly and looked around, feeling a little scared in his heart.


    The ten thousand Imperial Guards were injured and the solution seemed far away.


    Qiao Shuanggui and Yan Shenji were fighting, keeping bystanders at a distance.


    At this moment, Emperor Yonghe had around a hundred Flying Fish Guards by his side.


    Among the Flying Fish Guards, there were many experts in spiritual refining who protected the Emperor closely.


    Before them stood the experienced white-headed soldiers.


    Before Hai Wuya could speak, Hai Siyuan stepped forward and stood in front of his own father, facing Emperor Yonghe in the Golden Luang Pce.


    When they exited the Hundred-mile Desert.


    Hai Siyuan once ascended the Golden Luang Pce with Qiao Shui from the Qiao family, facing Emperor Yonghe and the civil and military officials.


    In one moment, Hai Wuya was a prisoner, and the old soldier who defended the city for forty years had be a traitor.


    "Today¡­ why not y the role of a traitor?"


    Hai Siyuan drew his sword and stepped forward.


    "Your Majesty."


    "We have been Great Yan soldiers all our lives, defending the city for forty years without giving up a single inch. We are loyal to Great Yan and to the Emperor."


    "And what about you, Your Majesty?"


    Hai Siyuan raised his sword and charged forward with over two hundredrades, engaging in a fierce battle with Emperor Yonghe¡¯s Flying Fish Guard.


    They didn¡¯t have much time.


    Qiao Shuanggui was running out of arrows, with thousands of Imperial Guards approaching from behind. If they waited any longer, they would surely die!


    At this moment, every second counts!


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    At the same time.


    "Has Hai Wuya been rescued?" Qiao Mu nced at Hai Wuya and Emperor Yonghe in front of the Golden Pce from the corner of his eye.


    "As long as he doesn¡¯t die in punishment and disgrace, then my goal is aplished."


    Although he didn¡¯t understand why Hai Wuya and Hai Siyuan were here, he didn¡¯t have the energy to think more about it.


    "Qiao Shuanggui, do you really have aplices¡­"


    Yan Shenji¡¯s sword struck the King Qin Golden Body, a powerful force that pushed Qiao Mu back several steps.


    Then, he lifted the Human Emperor Sword and looked towards Emperor Yonghe.


    Emperor Yonghe was attacked by assassins, and the situation was very dangerous.


    The Imperial Guards couldn¡¯t break through the encirclement, and the Flying Fish Guard was also short-staffed.


    If he didn¡¯t make a move, Emperor Yonghe might really fall into the hands of Hai Siyuan and the others.


    However, as the divine needle of the royal family, the founding emperor of Great Yan, he naturally wouldn¡¯t sit idly by while his descendants faced assassination attempts.


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    "What are you going to do?"


    "Traitors and viins, everyone must be punished!"


    "Capture the assassin!"


    In the midst of shouting and cursing, Hai Siyuan led the crowd forward and shed at a Flying Fish Guard in front of Emperor Yonghe.


    The weapons shed, swords and knives shing in the air, making loud sharp sounds. The fierce wind even left a mark on the tall columns of the Golden Pce.


    Hai Siyuan¡¯s attack was blocked and didn¡¯t work.


    His opponent was a highly skilled martial artist ranked first in Spirit Refining.The Imperial Guards were the elite soldiers of the Great Yan.


    The Flying Fish Guard were the eyes and personal guards of the Great Yan Emperor.


    Emperor Yonghe valued his safety highly, so his personal Flying Fish Guards were very strong.


    Even though there were no superb martial artists, Emperor Yonghe was surrounded by a hundred Flying Fish Guards, some of whom were ranked third in Spirit Refining. Reinforcements were also arriving from all directions.


    The old soldiers from the solitary city in the desert, like Hai Siyuan, were not ordinary martial artists anymore.


    The Inhuman War forty years ago was the biggest battle in Great Yan¡¯s history, a fierce battlefield where nearly a hundred thousand people died.


    Hai Siyuan and others persisted for forty years.


    When stranded in the lonely city, the Hundred-mile Desert was a barrennd with scarce water and food.


    It¡¯s hard to cook without rice. Without enough food and medicine, how can one build up strength for training internal strength?


    So during these forty years, the warriors¡¯ martial arts skills improved only slightly. What mainly grew over these forty years were their own spirits, willpower, andbat skills.


    This was also the deliberate result of cultivation by the Great Dao Sect cultivators¡­ After all, the so-called "Hundred-mile Desert" was originally a Sect Secret Realm.


    As they exited the desert, it was a time of reaping the rewards of their past efforts.


    In front was Hai Wuya¡¯s "Xumi Mountain King Sutra," and behind was Qiao Mu¡¯s "Human Path Sutra."


    This gave these soldiers in their sixties the possibility to continue advancing their martial arts skills when their vitality declined in theirter years.


    Besides this, the Great Yan Imperial Court provided these soldiers with retirement funds, and Minister of Rites Hai Wuya¡¯s personal wealth also supported them to progress further.


    Until today.


    Just a few months after leaving the desert, twenty out of the three hundred old soldiers have reached the third rank in Spirit Refining martial arts.


    ording to the Great Yan Imperial Court¡¯s system of the nine ranks of martial artists, a third rank martial artist who joins the court bes a third rank "ÎäÉ¢¹Ù". Although this position doesn¡¯t hold much power, being at the third rankes with a title of a dispersed general. ?


    The title of a general, even if it is merely honorary, is still quite rare.


    Even among the one hundred Flying Fish Guards who protect the emperor at this moment, there are only around twenty-four or twenty-five who have reached the third rank.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "Hold on, the advantage is ours," the leader of the Flying Fish Guards, who just blocked Hai Siyuan¡¯s strike, shouted.


    "This is the imperial pce, as long as we hold on for a little while, reinforcements will arrive."


    "These treacherous rebels are surrounded, there¡¯s no way out for them!"


    As he spoke, the bright sword in his hand glimmered like a fierce wind, shing towards Hai Siyuan¡¯s chest and abdomen.


    Little did Hai Siyuan know, he swung his sword toward his head, uncaring.


    It seemed like they both would be hurt in this fight, testing who would be the first to give in and defend.


    As the top-ranked Flying Fish Guard, he was not about to back down. He practiced the "Fierce Wind Fast Sword" technique, exceling in quick attacks and already having the upper hand.


    Just as he was about to pierce Hai Siyuan¡¯s chest, the enemy¡¯s sword had not yet struck him.


    In the blink of an eye, the Flying Fish Guard sensed danger. Goosebumps appeared all over his skin, but he had exhausted his strength and had no energy left to defend himself.


    Suddenly, two swords were passed to him. One was ced in front of Hai Siyuan, blocking the Flying Fish Guard¡¯s strike.


    The other sword was aimed at the side of the Flying Fish Guard¡¯s waist, wielded by two veteran soldiers who had rushed to help.


    With two swords attacking him, a sh of blood, the top-ranked Flying Fish Guard suffered deep cuts to his waist and neck, copsing to the ground as blood spurted out.


    "Working seamlessly together,rades watching each other¡¯s backs¡­ " The Flying Fish Guard grasped his throat, his eyes wide open in shock.


    "No, this has already gone beyond mere understanding and cooperation."


    He staggered and fell to the ground, ncing around the pce only to see the other veteran soldiers employing simr tactics.


    One person restrained while two or three others cooperated to strike from the side, if one person¡¯s movement was a fraction too slow, it would result in mutual harm and bloodshed on the spot.


    However, the seamless coordination of these veteran soldiers was terrifying, no verbalmands were needed, not even eye contact, yet they could cooperate wlessly and stake their lives on each other¡­


    This has exceeded their understanding of a "seasoned veteran".


    This is like the difference between fighters who rely on physical strength and fighters who rely on intuition and quick reflexes.


    The former dodges attacks based on experience in battles, while thetter can sense danger like a wild animal and avoid it in advance.


    However, even the sharp intuition of a wild animal has its limits. Sometimes, when facing a stronger fighter relying too much on intuition, they may be misled. Spirit Refining martial artists who rely too much on intuition often meet a tragic end.


    Hai Wuya stood in the middle of the battlefield, observing the fighting around him, his eyes filled with surprise.


    "Is this some kind of special martial arts?" he asked.


    "Yes, it¡¯s the ¡®Military Spiritual Technique¡¯ created by Li Changge, our brother," Li Changshi said.


    Both the ¡®Spiritual Technique¡¯ created by Li Changge and the Martial Saint gradually evolved in different directions.


    The original ¡®Spiritual Technique¡¯ was created by Li Changge for his wife Madame Bai, allowing them to sense each other¡¯s location even when apart, not meant forbat.


    The ¡®Military Spiritual Technique¡¯ was created by Li Changge during his time trapped in a lonely city, aimed at enhancing cooperation among soldiers.


    Acting as one, sharing thoughts, every sharp-sensed spiritual refining soldier could serve as eyes and ears for each other, cooperating seamlessly.


    When the two sides shed, the Flying Fish Guards immediately felt ufortable and started to retreat.


    The white-headed soldiers seemed to fight individually but asionally teamed up, making it hard to defend against. Each Flying Fish Guard felt like they were facing attacks from three or four skilled soldiers at once, how could they not be defeated?


    Yan Shenji also witnessed this scene.


    "In the future, martial artists havee up with new and creative things, which is progress in martial arts."


    "But¡­ their strength is still a bitcking."


    There are more Spirit Refining martial artists among the Flying Fish Guard, totaling more than twenty people. Although they do some simple coordination, they mostly fight individually.


    These old soldiers¡¯ martial arts skills on paper are not as good as the Flying Fish Guard, but in life and death battles, they can definitely be considered as masters to these Flying Fish Guard.


    Yan Shenji mentioned the Human Emperor Sword once again.


    If he doesn¡¯t take action soon, his descendant Emperor Yonghe might fall into the hands of these old soldiers.


    Every time he tried to draw his sword to intervene, the barely breathing Qiao Shuanggui would suddenly rise again and tightly entangle him.


    This Qiao family member not only disregarded his own life, but his heavily wounded body also possessed astonishing vitality, with wounds even healing on their own, truly impressing the three-hundred-year-old antique Yan Shenji.


    "But all of this ends here," Yan Shenji said calmly.


    "The emperor¡¯s soldiers are strong and their horses are mighty!"


    "That¡¯s why the prosperity of Great Yan is sure to continue."


    Inside the pce, his fist was the biggest.


    So whether it¡¯s an assassin or a supernatural being, he can serve as a crucial lifeline to ensure the survival of the Great Yan Royal Family.


    "Haha, truly worthy of being the founding emperor of this dynasty, full of courage."


    Qiao Mu burst into loudughter.


    His entire body¡¯s pores were oozing blood, the fresh blood mixing with the burnt ck skin from the lightning strike, creating a terrifying sight.


    However, his eyes were very bright because he had seen the opportunity to turn the tide in the fierce battle just now.


    For a martial artist, Yan Shenji was a quite formidable opponent.


    He was a martial arts genius from an early age, already sweeping through Jiu Province three hundred years ago, unmatched in the world, wielding the Human Emperor Sword to establish the Great Yan Imperial Court.


    Not to mention Yan Shenji, who has lived for over two hundred years.


    Backed by the Great Yan Royal Family for over two hundred years, Yan Shenji has consumed countless precious treasures collected by the Great Yan Imperial Court over the years.


    Among these treasures, the main ones focus on enhancing internal strength and extending lifespan, but there are also some rare fruits that can cleanse the body and change one¡¯s constitution.


    Whether it¡¯s vitality or internal strength, over the long years, with the help of numerous precious treasures, Yan Shenji has reached a level far beyond an ordinary person.


    As a martial arts prodigy who has been training for three hundred years, he is capable of mastering various martial arts to perfection, even reaching a state of perfect mastery.


    As an ancient relic of three hundred years, he belongs to the same category of martial artists as Qiao Mu.


    His vitality, internal strength, and skills have long surpassed those of ordinary people.


    It is only when he appears in the guise of a young man that his true, profound strength is revealed.


    Yan Shenji, a young man in his prime with slightly weaker physical strength, was able to rival Qiao Mu, who is at his peak now.


    This is a wealthy individual who grew up with resources from the mortal kingdom.


    He is not only a founding emperor with extraordinary courage and vision, but also looks like a wless warrior.


    No ws?


    Qiao Muughed loudly, his sharp gaze locking onto Yan Shenji like a de.


    The sh between Spirit Refining martial artists is not just about techniques, but also about their mental strength. Qiao Mu has already noticed a w in the founding emperor of Great Yan¡¯s mind.


    "Yan Shenji, are you really going to confront those experienced soldiers?" Qiao Mu gathered his internal strength, his voice booming like thunder in the pce.


    "As the founding emperor, you have extraordinary courage. You established a great achievement in troubled times, dared to call immortals your subjects, and knelt on the ground to pay respect¡­"


    "Since you are such a hero¡­"


    "So, where were you during the Inhuman War forty years ago?"


    Yan Shenji kept swinging his sword without pausing, but his eyes showed a slight change.


    "There can be many reasons for cowardice," Qiao Mu eximed loudly.


    "It could be a disillusionment with the world, a desire for immortality, a sense of duty for the greater good, or a need to protect future generations and ensure the eternal glory of your royal family¡­"


    "You know the reasons deep in your heart."


    Qiao Mu pointed towards the Golden Pavilion, charging towards Emperor Yonghe¡¯s loyal soldiers including Hai Siyuan:


    "These elderly soldiers, these treacherous rebels who dare to challenge authority, were once the warriors of Great Yan! They defended the city bravely for forty years, always carrying the spirit of Great Yan¡¯s fearless warriors in their hearts!"


    "It was them who went to the battlefield and faced death during the Inhuman War four decades ago, not you!"


    Qiao Mu¡¯s voice was like thunder, resonating throughout the Golden Pavilion, overpowering the sounds of other soldiers fighting and shouting.


    Yan Shenji fell silent and hesitated to swing down the Human Emperor Sword he held up.


    This was indeed a difficult obstacle for him to ovee, a thorn in the heart of the man known as the "Great Yan founding emperor."


    Three hundred years ago, Yan Shenji was a proud hero, unmatched in the world, with unwavering determination.


    Three hundred yearster, Yan Shenji¡¯s martial arts skills and inner strength far surpassed his past self, making his current abilities iparable to those of the past.


    Except for one thing.


    His state of mind.


    The three-hundred-year-old antique was truly no longer young, despite once dominating all, he was now facing the setting sun of his life.


    Even though his power was greater than before, at three hundred years old, with undiminished vitality and an unchanged body, his heart had aged.


    In his youth, he was full of spirit, daring to challenge the heavens and confront kings with his de.


    When you get old, you understand the importance of being kind and cherishing talents, taking care of the overall situation, being patient and strategic, and knowing when to step back.


    Yan Shenji¡¯s weakness is not in martial arts, but in his inner self.


    In the past, he was a rough hero who overthrew the old dynasty.


    Today, he is like a crucial protector of the current dynasty.


    Therefore, when facing cruel politics at the Great Yan Imperial Court and the Nine Immortal Gates¡¯ influence¡­


    Instead of being on the cruel battlefield, he was in the pce as a royal protector. This change affected his state of mind.


    "Qiao Shuanggui¡­ You do have a sharp eye."


    Yan Shenji¡¯s gaze was firm.


    "I am old now, does this answer satisfy you?"


    At this point, he felt a bit envious of the Qiao family member in front of him.


    Yan Shenji believed that he and Qiao Shuanggui were the only two immortals in Jiu Province, living much longer than normal people.


    He used to be the founding emperor of Great Yan, but now his heart has grown old.


    However, this Qiao Shuanggui is even older than him.


    Even after carefully considering the cost, Qiao Shuanggui was willing to make the reckless decision to enter the imperial pce alone.


    Acting on hot-blooded impulse is something young people do, yet this person is older than him and still acts with such determination regardless of the cost.


    Compared to Emperor Yonghe, who was separated by many generations, Yan Shenji felt a stronger sense of mutual understanding with Qiao Shuanggui, who lived in the same era and seemed to never die.


    "As one grows old, one must respect their elders." Qiao Mu, who was 375 years old, picked up the King Qin Sword and said:


    "Yan Shenji, your answer doesn¡¯t actually matter."


    "To judge a person, look at what they do, not what they say¡­ You have lived in the pce for forty years and have already made your choice."


    At this moment, he stood in front of the Golden Lofty Pce, standing between Yan Shenji and over two hundred old soldiers, like a towering wall separating the two.


    The meaning is very clear.


    Hai Siyuan and the other old soldiers would not just watch Qiao Mu die in battle and then leave.


    He is the same.


    If Yan Shenji, holding the Human Emperor Sword, gets involved, none of the old soldiers can stop him.


    This decisive figure truly has the power to turn the tide of battle alone.


    So, it was time for Qiao Mu to die.


    As he faced Yan Shenji¡¯s questioning earlier, Qiao Mu¡¯s momentum kept building up step by step, reaching a peak with each growing force.


    All internal strength in his body burst out. At this moment, his sword was like a condensed source of energy, resembling a crimson sun emitting a dazzling light.


    "This is my final internal strength¡­.Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method!"


    "Magical Sword Fighting!"


    The sword appeared.


    The sword¡¯s blood-red light was as bright as the rising sun, like a rainbow piercing through the sky. For a moment, it seemed as if the dark night sky lit up.


    This was the famous spiritual refining sword technique of Earth Sword Immortal. Only with unwavering belief in one¡¯s invincibility and courage could the brightest edge be revealed.


    "Well done!" Yan Shenji shouted, his eyes wide open.


    "A person like you should allow me to use the proud skill that once dominated all opponents and send you to your glorious end."


    "Four Poles Opening Sky Sword!"


    There were more advanced martial arts techniques beyond Long Life Fist, such as Yan Shenji¡¯s Ripple Stacking Wave Strength, which he had only mastered to Triple Wave. However, he also had his own created Imperial Extreme True Skill.


    Yan Shenji stomped his feet, raising the sword swiftly. The surging dark yellow energy, like a sea, coiled around the sword like a dragon as it pierced through the air.


    With a loud bang, the roof of the Golden Pce copsed and shattered. The strong gusts of air lifted the roof tiles high into the sky.


    High up in the sky above the clouds.


    Taoist Qingyi, who was watching the battle calmly, suddenly frowned. He reached out his hand, and a paper man floated out from his sleeve, taking on his appearance and standing above the clouds.


    In the next moment, Elder Qingyi turned into a rainbow light and soared far away.


    The battle between the two earthly martial artists truly surprised him. Although their released internal strength had a short distance and limited range, it couldn¡¯t pose a threat to him so high above in the sky.


    However, he didn¡¯t forget that Yan Shenji had the Human Emperor Sword, a weapon capable of depleting a nation¡¯s fortune and forcefully stripping the ability of cultivators to fly in the sky.


    In other words, Yan Shenji, holding the Human Emperor Sword, made Elder Qingyi feel somewhat threatened. Elder Qingyi couldn¡¯t act as condescendingly as before.


    Elder Qingyi, as a senior cultivator with Nascent Soul, ran away. Other cultivators, from Golden Core to foundation building, may not fully understand what happened, but they followed suit and left one after another.


    In the sky above the imperial pce, only a few Paper Taoists remained, creating a somewhat deserted scene.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


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 Chapter 274 (2)

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    On the Golden Throne.


    Yan Shenji looked down and saw that his hands were badly injured, with blood and flesh all mangled.


    He slowly sheathed the Human Emperor Sword, looked up through the hole in the pce roof, and gazed at the night sky.


    At this moment, the rolling gray clouds in the night sky had cleared up a bit. Dim moonlight pierced through the clouds and shone down onto the Golden Throne, illuminating the body of Qiao Shuanggui, which was severely wounded.


    The body still stood tall without falling, but it hadpletely lost any signs of life.


    "The second immortal in the mortal realm has finally been in by me," Yan Shenji said, his eyes deep and contemtive.


    When people grow old, they tend to be more sentimental and easily have different thoughts.He has lived for too long, witnessing his old friends passing away, his beloved wife growing old and eventually passing away, and even his sons dying, leaving him the only one still alive.


    Qiao Shuanggui was the second immortal he met in three hundred years, possibly born in the same era but with different beliefs. In the end, one lived while the other died.


    Now that Qiao Shuanggui has also passed away, there are no more immortals in the world.


    In the end, he is the only one walking the path of immortality in this mortal world.


    As for cultivators?


    There is a clear distinction between immortals and mortals. Cultivators don¡¯t see ordinary people as equals, and Yan Shenji naturally doesn¡¯t consider immortals who can live forever as kin.


    Suddenly, a shout interrupted Yan Shenji¡¯s brief moment of distraction.


    "Ancestor¡­" A slightly panicked voice came from afar in the grand hall, echoing through the empty space.


    The person calling him was Emperor Yonghe.


    At that moment, Emperor Yonghe was already being held at knife point by Hai Siyuan, who had sessfully broken through the Flying Fish Guard¡¯s defense line.


    Although Qiao Mu had died in battle, the precious time he bought in front of Yan Shenji allowed the old soldiers to seed.


    However, Hai Siyuan¡¯s face showed not much excitement at that moment, only a hint of confusion and emptiness.


    Another member of the Qiao family died before their eyes.


    Qiao Shuanggui was the one who had the Emperor held captive, but now that Qiao Shuanggui was dead, despite having the Emperor in their grasp, their sess was slipping away.


    Yan Shenji turned his head to look at Emperor Yonghe, with Hai Siyuan standing beside him holding a knife.


    Killing Hai Siyuan and the others was a sure thing, with no one left in the pce to challenge them after Qiao Shuanggui¡¯s death.


    But with his strength, from this distance, restraining Hai Siyuan and the others without harming Emperor Yonghe gave him only a fifty to sixty percent chance of sess.


    Just as he was about to strike with his sword, he started to hesitate in his heart.


    He used his exceptional martial arts skills to block Qiao Shuanggui¡¯s Heavenly shing Swordsmanship.


    But he didn¡¯t respond to the questions Qiao Shuanggui asked before his death.


    In his youth, he once sneaked into the imperial pce with a sword, but he was not alone, many righteous men were with him.


    Some of those righteous men died in the imperial pce, some followed him to the end of the journey, were rewarded with titles, and then turned into dust.


    This situation made him feel a bit nostalgic, as if he were dreaming back to the old days¡­


    "The Great Yan soldiers who defended the border in the past, raised their knives to assassinate the emperor¡­. The decadent atmosphere of thete dynasty is so strong."


    Qiao Shuanggui is dead.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    But his death caused Yan Shenji to feel an unexpected hesitation.


    All the cherishing of talents, all the reluctance, are just older people seeing their own shadows on the younger generation.


    And today is no different.


    The assassin with a knife, the blood-stained pce, the lofty emperor, all appeared just like three hundred years ago.


    "Think carefully, all choicese with consequences," Yan Shenji said instead of making a move.


    "Choose to raise your sword, blood will be shed, chaos will ensue. But I will crown a new ruler¡­ The price of regicide will be the lives of all of you."


    "Choose to lower your sword, leave with Qiao Shuanggui¡¯s body to give him a proper burial, and I will clear your names and ensure your safety."


    Yan Shenji handed over the power of choice to Hai Siyuan.


    Hai Siyuan remained silent.


    The other old soldiers all looked at him, their simple eye contact enough to understand each other¡¯s thoughts.


    Qiao Shuanggui has died, so they no longer have a reason to hold the emperor hostage.


    Now, they are deciding whether to keep the emperor as a hostage or assassinate him.


    "Your Majesty, I have a few questions," suddenly said Hai Siyuan.


    "I am just a simple soldier and don¡¯t understand many things. Today, I only hope Your Majesty can enlighten me."


    "If this enlightenment can be provided, surrendering to capture is not impossible."


    Emperor Yonghe didn¡¯t respond immediately but looked at Yan Shenji, who nodded slightly.


    "He will answer truthfully."


    These few words made Emperor Yonghe¡¯s heart skip a beat, sensing a subtle change in Yan Shenji¡¯s attitude, the ancestor.


    "Your Majesty," Hai Siyuan asked.


    "We have been soldiers of Great Yan all our lives, defending this lonely city for forty years without surrender, not giving up an inch ofnd. We have lived up to the honor of Great Yan and have not disappointed Your Majesty."


    "In the past, Qiao Shui and I once entered this royal pce and asked Your Majesty if you felt any shame¡­ at that time, Your Majesty answered that you felt ashamed in your heart."


    "Today, I want to ask, if Your Majesty had known about the situation of the solitary city in the desert earlier, would you have sent reinforcements and tried to rescue the soldiers and civilians trapped in the desert for forty years like you would for a member of the Qiao family?"


    Hai Siyuan¡¯s voice echoed in the royal pce, lingering for a long time.


    Emperor Yonghe furrowed his brow, exchanged nces with Yan Shenji in the distance, contemted for a moment, and then spoke:


    "Though I feel shame in my heart, I will not send reinforcements."


    Hai Siyuan¡¯s hand tightened slightly on the hilt of his sword, the de cutting Emperor Yonghe¡¯s neck skin, a little blood trickling out.


    Emperor Yonghe¡¯s voice sounded a bit urgent:


    "The enemy is strong, and I am weak. If I send reinforcements to confront Immortal Gate, how many innocent lives will be lost in the conflict?"


    "For the greater good, for the people of the world, I will not send reinforcements. Although I feel guilty, sacrificing the people of the desert is necessary for the cause."


    Hai Siyuan stayed silent, while the other three hundred soldiers¡¯ gaze turned slightly cold.


    These guards who had defended the city for forty years were not afraid of sacrifice, they just wanted to know the reason for it.


    Nobody was willing to be the sacrifice under Emperor Yonghe¡¯s grand n¡­ But the vast difference between mortals and immortals, though Emperor Yonghe¡¯s words were chilling, they seemed to provide a reason.


    Hai Siyuan asked again, "Your Majesty, since you have such far-sighted vision, what have you done in these years?"


    Emperor Yonghe was silent for a moment, then said after careful consideration:


    "In the past forty years of the Inhuman War, I have worried every day, all for the sake of preserving the existence of the dynasty, bncing our strength like walking on thin ice when dealing with the Nine Immortal Gates, to maintain the fragile peace for forty years with great effort."


    Hai Siyuan took two deep breaths, calmed down a bit, and then asked:


    "Your Majesty is indeed thoughtful and ambitious. I just want to ask one more thing¡­"


    "Apart from maintaining the rtionship between immortals and mortals, does Your Majesty have any other countermeasures?"


    When this was mentioned, Emperor Yonghe¡¯s chest also subtly rose:


    "The Human Emperor Sword, which symbolizes the fortune of the dynasty, to make the Immortal Gate wary."


    "Secretly nurturing the long-lived ancestors within the royal family, for the future."


    Yan Shenji squinted slightly.


    He knew deep inside that both the Human Emperor Sword and the founding emperor of Great Yan were unexpected variables beyond Emperor Yonghe¡¯s ns.


    Yan Shenji understood this in his heart as well. He realized that there wasn¡¯t much he could do, except try his best to maintain the existence of the Great Yan Imperial Court and hope that future emperors could turn the situation around.


    Hai Siyuan¡¯s breath quickened slightly as he softly said:


    "For the past forty years, due to the peace maintained by His Majesty, the taxes in Jiu Province have been increasing day by day. If His Majesty truly cares for the people, why burden them so?"


    Though he had only left the desert a few months ago, he could see with his own eyes the current situation of Zhong Province and Great Yan.


    Emperor Yonghe said, "I am well aware of the heavy taxes imposed on the people in recent years, making their lives difficult. However, do I have any other choice? If we were to provoke the Immortal Gate prematurely, it would be disastrous, and Jiu Province would be doomed."


    "I can only temporarily burden the people¡­ I will bear the criticisms from them." Emperor Yonghe spoke solemnly:


    "When the timees, hundreds of yearster, the truth of my actions will be judged by future generations."


    Hai Siyuan waved the sword in his hand absentmindedly.


    By this point in the conversation, he had already understood.


    He felt a chill and said softly,


    "Thank you, Your Majesty, for clearing my confusion, allowing an old soldier like me who only knows battlefields to also find rity."


    "In any case, all the sacrifices Your Majesty has made are for the greater good, necessary sacrifices that will benefit future generations."


    "Can we not judge the Emperor¡¯s actions and decisions until future generations sound the horn of counterattack for hundreds of years?"


    The mistakes Emperor Yonghe is making now are not mistakes but necessary sacrifices for the greater good.


    People today cannot judge him; we have to wait hundreds of years.


    In Emperor Yonghe¡¯s mind, he has a set of exnations that are logical and consistent, supporting his actions up to now.


    He really didn¡¯t lie.


    He truly believes he is not wrong.


    The more the old soldiers are disappointed in him and the people insult him, the more Emperor Yonghe indulges in his own thoughts, as he dares to bear this bad reputation.


    Everything is part of a n.


    Hai Siyuan now feelspletely lost; he starts to doubt whether if he were to kill the Emperor now, would he still believe he is right and remain stuck in his consistent theory.


    If he does this, isn¡¯t he actually doing himself a favor by killing Emperor Yonghe?


    As a seasoned soldier who has fought for half his life, Hai Siyuan didn¡¯t know how to deal with Emperor Yonghe in front of him. He felt invincible, unable to find a weakness, and all his strength went into punching a pile of cotton.


    At this moment, a hoarse voice echoed in the Golden Luang Pce.


    It was Hai Wuya.


    "Your Majesty, I have a word." Hai Wuya, with his cloudy old eyes, stared straight at the king.


    "If Your Majesty truly understands the consequences of being criticized as a bad ruler, if Your Majesty¡¯s actions are really for the greater good.."


    "The Great Yan Imperial Court is currently in a precarious situation."


    "The court is imposing harsh policies and heavy taxes, causing unbearable suffering among the people. Every time there is a natural disaster, there is famine, and many houses in small towns are left empty."


    "Furthermore, Inhuman Disasters are rampant, with inhumane acts happening openly in the bustling streets, leading to numerous casualties among the poption, yet the Great Yanws cannot punish the perpetrators."


    "Up to now, Jiu Province has been facing internal and external troubles, with the people¡¯s discontent rising."


    "Since Your Majesty prioritizes the bigger picture and the well-being of the nation, I ask Your Majesty to sacrifice yourself today to appease the people¡¯s anger." As he said this, Hai Wuya nced at Yan Shenji, who was listening quietly, before continuing:


    "If the court were to have a new monarch¡­ even if they can¡¯tpletely turn things around, it¡¯s unlikely to get worse."


    "In this way, if the people¡¯s grievances can be resolved, the glory of the Great Yan Imperial Court may be restored," Hai Wuya looked directly into Emperor Yonghe¡¯s eyes and asked:


    "I wonder, Your Majesty, if you are willing to sacrifice yourself for the country?"


    Emperor Yonghe opened his mouth, but didn¡¯t speak.


    This was a question that Hai Wuya asked based on his reasoning and consideration of the bigger picture.


    Emperor Yonghe couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of fear, because in response to Hai Wuya¡¯s question, his heartfelt answer was¡­


    He really didn¡¯t want to die.


    He especially didn¡¯t want to be remembered as a weak ruler and die in this pce.


    The thought of life and death was terrifying!


    Emperor Yonghe¡¯s lips quivered, he couldn¡¯t give an answer.


    If he answered truthfully, it would mean his set of reasons had copsed logically.


    If he really dared to bear the evesting fame and have a far-sighted vision as he imed, then he should die in the Golden Luang Temple today because it¡¯s the "necessary sacrifice" he mentioned.


    "I¡­ cannot die yet." Emperor Yonghe finally nced at Yan Shenji, sounding a bit urgent:


    "Ancestor, I just don¡¯t want to be thest emperor¡­"


    Yan Shenji didn¡¯t speak, he just let out a small sigh.


    Through their conversation just now, he had a better understanding of what kind of person his descendant was, which made him couldn¡¯t help but think back to the past when he was conquering the world three hundred years ago.


    In front of Emperor Yonghe, his figure gradually merged with that of the great emperor from three hundred years ago.


    "Pity the blood of heroes in the past, exchanged for the old world today."


    Yan Shenji let out a long sigh, his expression turning cold as he said softly:


    "Don¡¯t listen to what he says, watch what he does¡­ this Qiao Shuanggui¡¯s gaze is sharp, he really hit the mark."


    "Don¡¯t worry, you won¡¯t be thest emperor. There will be a new emperor after you pass away."


    "Every choice has a price, every action has consequences, now it¡¯s time for you to pay for your past mistakes."


    Though he was old, he was not a kind-hearted person.


    Yan Shenji was a crucial figure in the Great Yan Royal Family, but not the sole protector ensuring Emperor Yonghe¡¯s safety.


    Emperor Yonghe¡¯s eyes widened, his pupils trembling with a sense of fear.


    By his side, over two hundred elderly soldiers surrounded him tightly on this pce.


    In front of the pce, thousands of defeated soldiers such as the Flying Fish Guard and the Imperial Guards looked on from afar.


    The end.


    Emperor Yonghe was abandoned by everyone.


    The soldiers who had defended the Great Yan for forty years now raised their swords against this emperor.


    Emperor Yan Shenji also abandoned him, dering to him that he had turned the Great Yan Imperial Court into the same state as it was three hundred years ago.


    Even in his own heart, he no longer had the firm beliefs to support himself.


    The excuses Emperor Yonghe used to justify himself crumbled, leaving him with no more calmness in his heart, only fear of death.


    "Today, Your Majesty, sacrifice yourself for the country!"


    "Please Your Majesty, go see the hundred thousand martyrs who died in the desert!"


    "For the greater good, Your Majesty, go to your death!"


    With a wave of his hand, Hai Siyuan called out, and over two hundred old soldiers rushed forward.


    One knife, two knives¡­


    de after de pierced Emperor Yonghe¡¯s body, and blood gushed out.


    The Golden Pce was where he held court every day. Today, it was crowded as usual, filled with people.


    Alone and abandoned, Emperor Yonghe felt like his heart turned to ashes.


    Emperor Yonghe fell in a pool of blood, slowly losing his breath, killed by the chaotic des of the white-headed soldiers.


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 Chapter 275:

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    Close one eye, open one eye.


    Back in a dream.


    At this moment, Qiao Mu was still in the golden pce, but it was empty except for him.


    "Another time died."


    "This time, killed by the first emperor of Great Yan."


    Qiao Mu took a deep breath, a bit scared to face the Death Assessment, worried about getting into trouble and being imprisoned for too long.


    Qiao Mu wants to die, but Qiao Mu doesn¡¯t want to die.Qiao Mu wants to be strong, but Qiao Mu doesn¡¯t want to practice.


    People are such contradictory creatures.


    "This wave is probably the beginning of a hundred years¡­" Qiao Mu felt very nervous, just like checking exam results after the college entrance examination.


    What finally made him decide not to hesitate anymore was the crisp sound of metal shattering.


    He looked up.


    Under the dark night sky, it seemed that a virtual shadow of a golden chain shattered, turning into faint golden lights and disappearing into the surroundings.


    "Another link of the Long Life Lock chain has broken¡­ This is the third one. Based on the previous pattern, it seems like this time is not just sixty years."


    With a thought, Qiao Mu looked into the Long Life Lock in his mind and indeed saw that there were only two chains swaying gently beneath the lock¡¯s body.


    Current Death Assessment: S (assassinating the emperor, end of eternal harmony)


    Lifespan consumed by death: 300 years (30*10)


    Remaining resurrection chances this week: 1 out of 5


    Current age: 375 years old


    Vitality: 65%


    Skills: Basic


    ¡­¡­..


    Three hundred years.


    In chaotic times, mostmon people don¡¯t live past a century, but three hundred years is almost like five lifetimes for ordinary people.


    Since the establishment of the Great Yan Imperial Court, the reign of the country is also close to three hundred years.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    After dying once in the hands of the founding emperor of Great Yan, Qiao Mu¡¯s age has be almost the same as the founding emperor of Great Yan.


    Before this, his age could barely be considered to be of the same era as Yan Shenji.


    When he woke up from his dream, he realized he had aged twice as much¡­.


    Qiao Mu¡¯s dreamsted as long as a whole dynasty in human history.


    "How interesting¡­ it¡¯s like from the beginning to the end of a dynasty¡­. Wait, what does it mean in the Death Assessment when it talks about assassinating the emperor at the end of eternity?"


    Qiao Mu was a bit confused.


    As a 300-year-old elder who believed in peace and not conflict, how could Qiao Mu ever consider doing such a terrible thing as assassinating the emperor?


    All he wanted to do was to capture the emperor in order to free Hai Wuya, allowing Hai Wuya to pass away without the burden of false usations.


    "Someone managed to assassinate Emperor Yonghe? And now the me is being ced on me?" Qiao Mu was shocked.


    Everyone assumed that the emperor¡¯s assassination was linked to him?


    Wait, even if he¡¯s just idling at the fountain, can he still be the MVP? Are the kills counted as his achievements?


    "The big brother who helped me cheat on the S-level Death Assessment,nded me in jail for three hundred years. I thank his whole family," Qiao Mu gritted his teeth and sighed.


    After calming down, he could mostly guess who was behind the assassination of the Emperor.


    Before and after his death, the only ones in the pce who were enemies of Emperor Yonghe were Hai Wuya and his son, along with two hundred old soldiers.


    So, the answer was still crystal clear¡­


    If Emperor Yonghe died at the hands of the old soldiers, then Qiao Mu couldn¡¯t escape being credited with the assassination of the Emperor.


    After all, he single-handedly broke through the Imperial Guards¡¯ defense, resisted the divine lightning spells with his own body, fought against the mythical warrior for three hundred years with severe injuries, and eventually used hisst bit of strength to stop Yan Shenji.


    Without him, the old soldiers couldn¡¯t have stormed the pce. Even if they did, they wouldn¡¯t stand a chance against the founding emperor of Great Yan.


    Who would believe he wasn¡¯t the main culprit behind the assassination of the Emperor, or wasn¡¯t in cahoots with Hai Wuya and Hai Siyuan?


    The Emperor of Eternal Harmony climbed out of the ground and scolded him nonsense, putting on his hat.


    "Three hundred years¡­ "


    Just the thought of this long time made him almost unable tough.


    Every death, every long dream, was a test, a challenge for him.


    Just because he survived thest dream, doesn¡¯t mean he will safely pass three hundred years this time.


    One regret, one questioning of his own actions, would shatter his martial arts heart.


    This long imprisonment, he would never get used to it, never enjoy it ¨C it¡¯s like getting used to eating poop, who would love it after eating so much?


    This made him think of the first emperor of Great Yan.


    The first emperor of Great Yan was a hero who overthrew the old dynasty in his early years, but after three hundred years, he grew old in heart, this was his only weakness.


    Qiao Mu had a thought in his mind.


    In the golden pce of this dreand, Yan Shenji¡¯s figure appeared again.


    The two stood facing each other in silence.


    Apart from Qiao Mu, the founding emperor of Great Yan was the only mortal immortal in the mortal world.


    He and Qiao Mu were both martial artists of the same kind, who, with the umtion of long years, had cultivated martial arts to a level that most ordinary people could not reach in several lifetimes.


    The biggest difference between them was that Qiao Mu spent the long years in a dream, while Yan Shenji was in the real world.


    Imprisoned in the dream, Qiao Mu had no way out; either he persisted to the end, or his will copsed with regret, pointing to two extremes with no third possibility.


    Whereas Yan Shenji was not like that.


    When tired of practicing martial arts, he could have pce maids massage him, go out to walk his bird and appreciate flowers, or visit brothels. Who would willingly sit alone in a prison cell on the long road of immortality?


    Yan Shenji was like being on a summer vacation, with no one to restrain him. If his will weakened, he became indecisive or soft-hearted. He was also unmatched in the mortal world as the founding emperor and the royal safeguarding needle.


    Qiao Mu kept repeating the same actions for a hundred days before the college entrance exam.


    The existence of the Long Life Lock dream trapped Qiao Mu¡¯s fate, as if a sword of Damocles was hanging over his head, leaving him no retreat, no room forpromise.


    Either toughen up mentally or go mad with regret.


    "Darn it, I also want to be a big spender in the game!"


    Qiao Mu threw a fierce punch at Founding Emperor Yan¡¯s cheek, but thetter gently brushed it aside with his hand.


    As a three-hundred-year-old talent of the Medicine Spirit Body, Founding Emperor Yan had also achieved excellence in the art of strength, building up his blood and energy with various spiritual medicines to a superb level.


    "I have three hundred years to continuously review and study Founding Emperor Yan¡¯s battles, to thoroughly understand him," Qiao Mu muttered to himself.


    "When I wake up, I will give him a little shock from the Qiao family."


    His battle with Founding Emperor Yan was far from over.


    After he finishes his training andes back in full strength after revival, he will once again face the first emperor of Great Yan.


    When the timees, figuring out how to deal with Founding Emperor Yan, as well as how to help Hai Wuya, his son, and over two hundred old soldiers to leave, are all the things Qiao Mu needs to carefully think about.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    Three hundred years is extremely long.


    Qiao Mu practices martial arts every day, sometimes he practices moves, sometimes he reads secret books, and when he gets tired, he imagines the battle with Yan Shenji in his mind and reys it.


    Day after day, year after year.


    He quickly enters a state of mind flow, immersed in the dream of practicing.


    Qiao Mu reads through the "Military Spiritual Technique" in the arsenal of the deserted city repeatedly, spending forty years from beginner to mastery.


    Practicing this "Military Spiritual Technique" mainly involved seeing the old soldiers¡¯bined fighting techniques firsthand and feeling that it was a new direction in martial arts.


    Sadly, Li Changge has passed away, unable to continue developing the extraordinary martial arts techniques to higher levels. From Qiao Mu¡¯s perspective, the Martial Martial Arts ssic and Military Spiritual Technique are truly innovative.


    However, they are only innovative,cking depth.


    They have not reached the groundbreaking level of Hai Wuya¡¯s Xumi Mountain King Sutra.


    Nevertheless, Qiao Mu will take action.


    Despite Li Changge¡¯s death, he can continue Li Changge¡¯s unfinished legacy.


    Even though Qiao Mu is not a martial arts prodigy, as a knowledgeable martial arts expert with three centuries of experience, and plenty of time, it is not impossible for him to continue developing the Military Spiritual Technique.


    Of course, this is not Qiao Mu¡¯s main focus¡­ Developing techniques is just a fun side hobby for him to rx and enjoy.


    Qiao Mu¡¯s primary focus is on practicing advanced light-foot skills like the Heavenly Dragon Eight Steps and martial arts techniques such as the Human Path Sutra.


    Without these light-foot skills, facing a cultivator would be quite challenging.


    After the Heavenly Dragon Eight Steps Fish Leap period,es the final Ascension period, divided into eight steps, which is the Ascension Eight Steps of the martial artist transforming into a dragon through jumping like a fish.


    The superb rank light skill is extremely difficult, ordinary martial artists may only get the secret technique, perhaps they won¡¯t achieve much in their whole life.


    However, Qiao Mu has plenty of time.


    Three hundred years is enough time to practice various martial arts to a deeper level.


    ¡­¡­..


    508 years old.


    Qiao Mu¡¯s "Human Path Sutra" naturally improved, breaking through the eighth level in the dream realm, increasing his energy and blood by arge portion, from 65% to 85%.


    600 years old.


    The superb rank light skill and the Heavenly Dragon Eight Steps have reached the Ascension period, taking three steps towards Ascension.


    The martial arts skill "Pure Yang Wuji Skill" practiced by the disciple of Earth Sword Immortal in Wudang has reached the perfect ninth level.


    He is 650 years old.


    After repeatedly sparring with the legendary Founding Emperor Yan in his heart, Long Life Fist¡¯s Ripple Stacking Wave Strength has reached a higher level, achieving the level of Fivefold Wave.


    The current head of the Qiao family can only reach the level of Triple Wave, while only one hundred-year-old Qiao family master has achieved the level of Fourfold Wave.


    Qiao Mu, who is 650 years old, has reached the pinnacle of expertise in Ripple Stacking Wave Strength that no one can match.


    At the age of 675, it is the final year of his three-hundred-year-long dream.


    "It¡¯s time to wake up."


    In the golden pce of the dream, a lonely voice echoed.


    Despite the grandeur of the golden pce, it was empty with no one around. A man who appeared to be thirty years old with white hair sat alone on the dragon throne, gazing through the hole in the pce roof at the vast starry sky above.


    "Another¡­ three hundred years?"


    In his dreams, Qiao Mu closed his eyes and entered the Long Life Lock, where a message appeared.


    Death Assessment this time: S (assassinate the emperor, end of eternity)


    Lifespan consumed by death: 300 (30*10) years


    Remaining resurrection chances this week: 1 out of 5


    Current age: 675 years old


    Vitality: 90%


    Skills:


    Techniques ¨C Human Path Sutra (half, eighth level) Pure Yang Wuji Skill (ninth level extreme) Military Martial Arts ssic plete)


    Martial Arts ¨C Fragmented Virtual Finger (Perfected) Ripple Stacking Wave Strength (Fivefold Wave)


    Weapons ¨C Shadow Transformation Sword Technique (Perfected) Heavenly shing Swordsmanship (Mastered) Military Martial Arts ssic Weapons Chapter (Grand Mastery)


    Light Body Movement ¨C Shadow Step (Perfected) Heavenly Dragon Eight Steps (Ascend to the sky, three steps)


    Toughness Training ¨C Iron Crotch Skill (Perfected) Golden Bell ShieldIron Cloth Shirt Skill (Perfected) Iron Head Skill (Perfected) Iron Palm (Perfected) Dragon Tiger Vajra Skill (Grand Mastery)


    Powerful Forbidden Techniques ¨C Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method (Perfected) Red Moon Burning Blood Technique (Perfected) Bloodthirsty Skill (Perfected) Blood Sword Technique (Perfected)


    Special Techniques ¨C Eye Sword Technique (Perfected) Shape Changing Skill (Grand Mastery) Martial Saint Spiritual Technique (Skilled) Military Spiritual Technique (Skilled)


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    Inside the magnificent Golden Pce.


    The current emperor¡¯s bodyy in a pool of blood.


    In the past, the bravest soldiers of Great Yan, now hold war des and kill the emperor themselves.


    One hundred meters away, the founding emperor of Great Yan calmly watched with the Human Emperor Sword in his hand, standing by.


    This is a very strange scene, even the storyteller at Tide Listening Building cannote up with such a bizarre story.


    "Hai Wuya¡­ I seem to have misjudged you." Founding Emperor Yan walked step by step towards the old soldiers holding their swords with the Human Emperor Sword in hand.


    "In the past few decades, only two people have made me misjudge: one is Earth Sword Immortal, the other is you."


    "A book called ¡®Xumi Mountain King Sutra¡¯ made the Immortal Gate act, leading to the huge changes we see today."


    "With just a few questions, you have seen through the foolishness of my descendants¡­"


    "If you can live longer, you are surely not ordinary. What a pity."


    Out of guilt towards the white-headed soldiers of Great Yan, Yan Shenji didn¡¯t forcefully intervene, leaving the decision to Hai Siyuan and the other old soldiers, and finally watched Emperor Yonghe pass away.


    He is the ancestor of Great Yan, how could he let the rebels kill the king and leave the pce alive?


    "Every choice has a price, and the price of killing the king is naturally your lives," Yan Shenji said, lowering his eyelids.


    Hai Siyuan and the others showed no change in expression.


    At this point, they no longer fear death.


    "With the emperor dead, it also marks the end of a forty-year bitter solitude in the desert," said Hai Siyuan calmly.


    The former soldiers longed for Great Yan, but when they left the desert, they realized that they were among thest three hundred soldiers of the Great Yan Imperial Court who dared to oppose the Immortal Gate.


    Their inner turmoil was not for others to know.


    Now they had mostly let go of their burdens¡­ Hai Siyuan locked eyes with his father, Hai Wuya, both of themposed and calm, as if they were cut from the same cloth.


    At this moment, he suddenly understood Hai Wuya¡¯s state of mind.


    Knowing that they had reached the end of the road, at the moment of their death, their lifelong wish had been fulfilled¡­ If there was really anything left to regret:


    To die in this pce is not as good as dying in battle against monsters.


    The Immortal Gate and Great Dao Sect were to me for the deaths of thousands of soldiers. But it seemed that Hai Siyuan wouldn¡¯t be able to fulfill this lifelong dream while still alive.


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    "Is the only regret before dying not to die on the battlefield against inhuman?"


    Yan Shenji¡¯s eyes slightly widened.


    His weakness was that forty years ago he chose to hide his abilities, which waspletely different from his younger self.


    He felt somewhat guilty towards these old soldiers.


    "Even at this critical moment, he still remembers the spirit of resistance against inhuman," praised Yan Shenji.


    "Facing death fearlessly, true heroes indeed."


    Holding the Human Emperor Sword, he walked closer step by step to these old soldiers with many scars."Having soldiers like you is a blessing for Great Yan," said someone.


    Hai Siyuan looked calm.


    If this happened decades ago, he would have felt grateful and honored when the immortal martial myth Founding Emperor Yan praised him in person.


    But at this moment, he was as calm as Hai Wuya, and replied:


    "We are no longer soldiers of Great Yan."


    Yan Shenji nodded approvingly without hiding his admiration.


    Unfortunately¡­Hai Wuya and his son, along with these old soldiers, were born in the wrong era.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    If they had met the young Founding Emperor Yan, they might have berades fighting side by side to overthrow the old dynasty.


    However, now they are different, and the other side hasmitted regicide.


    Admiration is one thing, loyalty is another.


    Only young people confuse the two, but the 300-year-old Founding Emperor Yan doesn¡¯t.


    Founding Emperor Yan always supports the Great Yan Imperial Court.


    After living for 300 years, Founding Emperor Yan¡¯s old friends, lovers, and descendants from that era have all turned into bones, leaving only distant blood rtives and the Great Yan Imperial Court he established that still exist in the world.


    The Great Yan Imperial Court he built, along with the descendants of the royal family, are the lifelong obsession of Founding Emperor Yan.


    If one day the royal family is gone and the Great Yan Imperial Court ceases to exist, he will be an immortal lonely ghost in this world of mortals. ??


    "Imperial Guards, Flying Fish Guard, please step back." Yan Shenji waved his hand, allowing the hundreds of soldiers who had surrounded the entire Golden Luang Hall, with over 200 veteran soldiers, to retreat and clear a space.


    With the Human Emperor Sword in his hand, Yan Shenji walked alone towards the front, his footsteps echoing in the Golden Luang Hall.


    "Figures like you should not die at the hands of the chaos. Let me grant you a death," whispered Founding Emperor Yan.


    "With your death today, this matter will end here, and your family will be spared from harm."


    ording to thew, those whomit regicide should be punished severely. This was the stance of Founding Emperor Yan.


    Of course, these old soldiers who joined Hai Wuya basically have no one left, they are now homeless and alone. They might not even know where their families are.


    "The old emperor is quite magnanimous, he¡¯s a worthy opponent."


    Hai Siyuan smiled and drew his sword, leading the group out.


    "Brothers, this is our final battle, charge with me!"


    Two hundred old soldiers charged towards the direction of Founding Emperor Yan at the Golden Pce.


    Even at the brink of death, they weren¡¯t willing to surrender. Even if they couldn¡¯t die on an inhuman battlefield, they would rather die in battle.


    Founding Emperor Yan was indeed a very skilled martial artist.


    Great Qin City had invaded the Qiao family. Qiao Shuanggui was killed by him personally, his body still standing there.


    The golden core cultivators of the Great Dao Sect, under hismand, fell from the sky to the ground, their bodies lying at his feet.


    His very existence is a true martial arts legend, a three-hundred-year-old immortal who shattered people¡¯s understanding of martial artists.


    To die at the hands of such a strong opponent is not a bad ending after all.


    "You have strong fighting spirit, but you are too weak." Yan Shenji gently raised his hand and knocked Hai Siyuan down with a sword, his gaze calm:


    "A leader should be powerful and mighty, having just fighting spirit is not enough."


    "In this world, besides me, the only other immortal, Qiao Shuanggui, has been killed by my own hands. Who else under the heavens is worthy of being my enemy?"


    "Only the Nine Immortal Gates in the heavens¡ª"


    Emperor Yan¡¯s words stopped abruptly halfway.


    Just as his sword was about to be raised, before he could strike the old soldiers, the air slightly distorted like water ripples, and a sharp sword light burst open, creating a sharp sh with his Human Emperor Sword.


    The Emperor Yan suddenly turned his head to look towards the direction of the throne in the Golden Imperial Pce.


    On the dragon throne, there sat a white-haired person who appeared to be around thirty years old, with dark eyes that gazed down quietly.


    The appearance of this white-haired person bore a striking resemnce to Qiao Shuanggui, who had just been killed by Emperor Yan.


    Qiao Shuanggui¡¯s body was still standing there, so it would make sense for people to specte that this person might be Qiao Shuanggui¡¯s twin brother, or have some kind of rtionship as a stand-in or a true identity.


    "Could this be Qiao Shuanggui¡¯s twin brother? I have heard that the Qiao family members are best at lightness skills and have the ability to teleport once in their lifetime, and it seems that the rumors are true."


    Emperor Yan clicked his tongue in amazement.


    As a three-hundred-year-old man, he was often surprised by the new things in the martial world these days.


    This old-fashioned man seemed to be quite unfamiliar with the current martial world, misunderstanding Tide Listening Building¡¯s Storyteller irvoyance as a joke.


    After all, the Qiao family members had already shown extraordinary skills like Shape Changing and Heavenly shing Swordsmanship. Another teleportation ability that he couldn¡¯t understand didn¡¯t seem too unusual.


    "Could this mysterious Qiao family member have the ability to teleport once in their lifetime?" The air in the Golden Pce was empty, and Elder Qingyi was lost in thought.


    "What is this¡­?"


    It may sound unbelievable, but Elder Qingyi indeed didn¡¯t notice how this new Qiao family member quietly infiltrated the pce and appeared on that dragon throne.


    "If my real body was here, I wonder if I could¡¯ve noticed¡­" Elder Qingyi pondered for a moment before continuing to observe the battle.


    "Are you a brother from Qiao Shuanggui¡¯s family?" Founding Emperor Yan nced at Qiao Shuanggui¡¯s body.


    After the death of a Qiao family member, it wasmon for elder blood rtives to seek revenge¡­ This had bemon knowledge in the martial arts world and was considered quite normal.


    But what was not normal was the person standing before Founding Emperor Yan.


    At the moment their eyes met.


    Founding Emperor Yan was already shaken in his heart.


    It is often said, "Eyes are the windows to the soul."


    The eyes of a Spirit Refining martial artist can unleash the Eye Attacking Technique, silently killing others with their gaze.


    The state of mind and character of a martial artist can sometimes be seen through their eyes.


    Founding Emperor Yan originally wanted to determine the actual age of the Qiao family member in front of him through the Long Life Fist technique, but as he locked eyes with the person before him, he already had a realization.


    The Qiao family member before him could not possibly be the twin brother of Qiao Shuanggui, nor could he be a substitute for the same person¡¯s identity.


    The inner cultivation of a martial artist cannot undergo a drastic change in a short period of time, and the current Qiao family member before him is fundamentally different from Qiao Shuanggui. Even without a fight, he can already deduce¡­


    This person and Qiao Shuanggui clearly don¡¯t belong to the same generation; he must be another younger-looking elder from the Qiao family.


    Furthermore, his true age might even surpass that of Qiao Shuanggui¡­ Could he be the third immortal on earth?


    What¡¯s even more important is¡­


    The person didn¡¯t have a sword in hand, and didn¡¯t use any fancy sword skills.


    Just by ncing at the Founding Emperor Yan, an invisible sharp sword light appeared, blocking the attack of Founding Emperor Yan towards the old soldiers.


    "Using eyes as a sword?" Founding Emperor Yan frowned.


    Spirit Refining martial artist using eyes to kill people means putting mental pressure, the so-called "eyes as swords" is more of a metaphor, a description.


    But the Qiao family member in front of him was different.


    His gaze truly turned into substantial and sharp sword light, possessing the power to kill with his eyes.


    "Spiritual refining superb rank,bined with the perfected Eye Attacking Technique, can make the gaze turn from virtual to real, truly using eyes as swords? It¡¯s really unbelievable."


    "Still not speaking? Who are you?" Founding Emperor Yan raised his sword and asked.


    Qiao Mu ignored him, after a few seconds, he came back to his senses and looked at Founding Emperor Yan.


    "My name?"


    It seemed that it had been a long time since he had seen a real person, so his reaction was briefly slow.


    "Long Life Lock, this time I have a slight advantage¡­" Qiao Mu muttered quietly to himself.


    From the age of 375 to 675, the length of this dream was equivalent to over 80% of all the dream time Qiao Mu had experienced since his journey from the past to now.


    As he emerged from the dream, Qiao Shuanggui at 375 years old lookedpletely different.


    He rose slowly from the throne, his gaze cold and piercing.


    "Qiao family, Qiao Jin."


    Now, he didn¡¯t have to worry about arguing or debating anymore, or about whether goodness is like water.


    He looked at many old soldiers standing in the Golden Pce, and his eyes, once hard as iron, softened slightly.


    Two deaths urred in a short time in reality.


    But for Qiao Mu, it was a reunion after a separation of three hundred years.


    "Young man, don¡¯t rush to your death, life is precious." He teased at these white-headed soldiers, saying,


    "Since you have such fighting spirit, why not save it for the future battle against immortals."


    He stood up from the dragon throne, moving as swiftly as a startled swan.


    The old soldiers felt a gust of wind passing by them, making their robes rustle.


    Bang!


    Suddenly, there was a loud explosion in the air in front of them, the old soldiers couldn¡¯t even see the movement clearly, just a blur before their eyes.


    When they looked again.


    The powerful hero who lived for three hundred years, the founding emperor of our dynasty, was grabbed tightly around the waist by Qiao Mu¡¯s giant hand, lifted high off the ground.


    "The Eight-armed Heavenly Dragon¡¯s Heavenly Dragon Eight Steps¡­" The Founding Emperor Yan¡¯s face changed.


    The Heavenly Dragon Eight Steps was known as the best lightness skill in the world, famous for allowing people to leap eight steps through the air, and its speed was unmatched.


    While Qiao Mu¡¯s skill in the Heavenly Dragon Eight Steps was not as good as the Eight-armed Heavenly Dragon that Founding Emperor Yan had fought before, thanks to Qiao Mu¡¯s incredibly strong body, his explosive speed surpassed it.


    Before anyone could react, Qiao Mu had already grabbed Founding Emperor Yan in his hand.


    "The hero of three hundred years in martial arts¡­" Qiao Mu murmured, his deep voice echoing throughout the Golden Pce, and in the hearts of the old soldiers.


    His giant hand holding Founding Emperor Yan expanded, then he threw him down.


    Boom!


    With a loud noise, the ground of the Golden Pce exploded, sending countless fragments of rocks and dust flying.


    Emperor Yan trembled all over, coughed up two mouthfuls of blood, and copsed in the pit.


    The thousands of Imperial Guards who originally surrounded the veteran soldiers all turned pale and unconsciously took a few steps back.


    This ancestral founder of the country has broken throughmon knowledge, a martial arts myth of three hundred years of longevity¡­


    Even the immortal masters from the Great Dao Sect had toe down from the sky in front of him, and Qiao Shuanggui from the Qiao family was also in by him, disying an almost invincible presence in the world.


    Such a character fell into a disadvantage just as Qiao Jin appeared, captured by his giant hand?


    Emperor Yan¡¯s whole body shook, a powerful force like the sea erupted, and he broke free from Qiao Mu¡¯s giant hand in one go, flipping lightly in the air andnding lightly on both feet.


    "This time I was too arrogant¡­."


    Emperor Yan wiped away the blood from the corner of his mouth. Although he realized that Qiao Jin was extraordinary, he still instinctively treated him as a opponent simr to Qiao Shuanggui.


    "With such terrifying physical strength,bined with the speed of the Heavenly Dragon Eight Steps, could this Qiao Jin be an old monster who has lived for many years? Even I suffered a loss."


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    Emperor Yan¡¯s expression turned serious, his physical body had actually reached the level of superb rank during the long years.


    This was mainly due to the precious treasures he consumed.


    Although he also practiced external martial arts, he had not reached the superb rank level.


    He felt Qiao Mu¡¯s hand was like an iron mp just now, he couldn¡¯t break free with his physical strength, so he had to rely on internal strength to escape.


    "Physical strength is not so important, the solid internal strength I have umted over three hundred years is the foundation of my invincibility for three hundred years!" Emperor Yan quickly regained hisposure from the brief astonishment.


    He had consumed many precious treasures.


    Among the many precious treasures, those that canpletely transform a martial artist¡¯s constitution are quite rare.Moremonly found treasures, like the Centennial Vermilion Fruit, can directly increase a martial artist¡¯s internal strength after refining.


    Therefore, Emperor Yan¡¯s umtion of internal strength is even more formidable than his superb rank physical body.


    "I thought Qiao Shuanggui was the only immortal besides me in the world, but I didn¡¯t expect to find you, Qiao Jin."


    Founding Emperor Yan is not as physically strong, but he has an advantage in internal strength if he creates some distance.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    The two people fought like lightning in the Golden Pce, exchanging punches and strikes, sometimes shing and sometimes separating.


    Their fast movements caused strong winds, and each time their fists shed, their internal strength exploded, creating fierce air currents.


    The intense air flows crashed like waves, knocking over the surrounding Imperial Guards.


    "Five hundred¡­ six hundred? How old are you, you strange person?"


    Yan Shenji estimated Qiao Mu¡¯s age by their exchange of punches, using the Long Life Fist technique.


    This conclusion shocked Yan Shenji deeply. He thought he was the oldest immortal at three hundred years, but now there are more than one Qiao Shuanggui, and even Qiao Jin?


    Qiao Shuanggui could barely be considered someone from his era, whereas this Qiao Jin¡­


    The earthly dynasty onlysted three hundred years, and this Qiao Jin before him, ording to his estimation¡­ could he be an ancient figure from the early days of the Great Zhou Dynasty?


    "Don¡¯t rush¡­" Yan Shenji quickly focused his mind during the intense battle, and said with authority:


    "In martial arts, strength doesn¡¯t juste with age."


    This statement is actually quite true.


    In the same three hundred years, the difference between a martial arts prodigy and an ordinary martial artist is like night and day.


    Yan Shenji had been umting internal strength for three hundred years, surpassing even the 675-year-old Qiao Mu.


    "Four-Pole Mountain Palm!"


    Yan Shenji moved as fast as lightning, his palms striking Qiao Mu¡¯s chest and back with a force like a tidal wave.


    This was his mastery of an advanced martial technique that allowed him to strike different areas of the opponent¡¯s body with powerful force and then unleash it all at once.


    The destructive power in that moment was more than four times greater than his usual full-force strike.


    Yan Shenji was skilled in internal strength and had practiced various profound martial arts like Qiao Mu during his three-hundred-year-long life.


    The sound of continuous cracking and snapping filled the air.


    Mysterious yellow energy burst out from various parts of Qiao Mu¡¯s body, tearing his clothes and skin, blood spattering, yet he remained standing.


    "My physical strength may be weaker than yours, but I surpass you in the amount of internal strength."


    Yan Shenji took a deep breath, stood still, and slowly calmed himself down before speaking slowly.


    Due to the intense consumption of internal strength, a visible ring of heat steam emanated from the top of his head, indicating that the outburst just now was no small matter for him.


    "You make sense," Qiao Mu nodded approvingly.


    He tore off his tattered shirt, revealing his muscr upper body, and walked towards Yan Shenji.


    "Martial arts is not about age or who is stronger or has more internal strength, it¡¯s about something else entirely¡­"


    "However."


    "I have a slight doubt about whether your internal strength surpasses mine¡­ Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method!"


    With the perfected Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, one could unleash a massive burst of internal strength five times greater by sacrificing blood, body, and meridians.


    Qiao Mu, who was 675 years old, had umted power for over six hundred years.


    The fivefold burst of the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method could deliver a strikeparable to that of a master with three thousand years of experience in an instant.


    Even the longest-living Founding Emperor Yan only lived to be three hundred years old.


    Despite constantly consuming precious treasures, his internal strength didn¡¯t correspond to his age, it still could not reach the remarkable figure of three thousand years.


    In this moment.


    The white strands of internal strength emanating from the surface turned into intense red, just the outward release of internal strength brought about a fierce red pressure.


    The air suddenlypressed, the violent red energy cracked the ground of the hall underfoot, sending shattered stones and dust swirling into the air.


    "The martial arts myth of three hundred years of immortality?" His body moved like a startled swan, his fist strength like a surging tide:


    "The myth, it shoulde to an end."


    Waves of red energy continued to hit Yan Shenji,yer uponyer, like waves rising higher and higher.


    "Triple¡­ Triple¡­. Fivefold Wave!"


    The blood red energy giant waves, roaring like a mountain and a sea,pletely engulfed Yan Shenji¡¯s figure.


    Although Yan Shenji desperately resisted and unleashed another kind of martial technique beyond limits in that moment, all his efforts, attempts, and shouts, like a lone boat in the huge waves, momentarily resisted but were soon swallowed by the waves.


    Boom!


    Yan Shenji flew through the air, crashing into the pirs and walls of the pce, disappearing from view of the crowd.


    Qiao Mu stood still, blood spraying out in all directions from his body, even bits of flesh scattering with the blood, looking very frightening.


    Without hesitation, he stomped on the ground and followed Yan Shenji¡¯s figure out of the pce.


    As Yan Shenjinded heavily on the white jade dragon-carved steps outside the pce, Qiao Mu¡¯s shadow followed closely.


    "Fragmented Virtual Finger."


    A pale three-foot aura shot out from his fingertip, resembling a long sword made of condensed energy, hovering above Yan Shenji¡¯s throat.


    The Fragmented Virtual Finger was originally a fleeting burst of energy from the fingertip, disappearing quickly like an arrow shot.


    But Qiao Mu had a lot of internal strength, even without using the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, his umted internal strength from six hundred years allowed him to condense a three-foot invisible sword aura.


    In the moonlight, they looked at each other in silence.


    One person stood, one persony down, both covered in blood.


    At this moment.


    The crowd in the Golden Pce hurried over to see the final oue of the battle between the two.


    But this scene left the Imperial Guards frozen in ce.


    Yan Shenji was the founding emperor of the country, unbeatable three hundred years ago, already a martial arts legend.


    They couldn¡¯t even imagine that the founding emperor was still alive in the Great Yan Imperial Pce, surpassing their imagination.


    Figures like the founding emperor were usually seen in portraits in the Imperial Study of the pce, revered by all generations of emperors, worshipped with incense during festivals.


    Tonight¡¯s turmoil was thought to be an assassination attempt on the emperor.


    Unexpectedly, the 300-year-old founding emperor himself was disturbed.


    Even more shocking is that the legendary warrior, once again appearing in the world, ultimately fell at the hands of a mysterious member of the Qiao family who emerged out of nowhere.


    "Has the legend fallen?"


    "Even the reincarnation of the founding emperor couldn¡¯t stop that person¡­."


    Amid cries of astonishment.


    The sword light at Qiao Mu¡¯s fingertips disappeared, as he turned around and stepped away.


    Yan Shenji¡¯s eyes twitched, unable to hold back his hoarse question:


    "Wait."


    "Why not take action?"


    He couldn¡¯t withstand Qiao Mu¡¯s powerful attack, the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Methodbined with Stacking Wave Strength. If it weren¡¯t for Qiao Mu showing mercy, he wouldn¡¯t have just lost a life, he might not even have aplete body left.


    Yan Shenji remembered when Qiao Mu first appeared sitting on the Dragon Throne, with a gaze that seemed to look down upon the world. Suddenly, a thought crossed his mind.


    "Could it be because¡­ he values talent?"


    Thinking of this possibility, he felt a strange bitterness and absurdity in his heart.


    He was a 300-year-old founding emperor.


    In terms of age, everyone in the world was younger than him.


    In terms of status, even the emperors of past generations in the Imperial Capital had to address him as an ancestor.


    In terms of martial arts, he had been unrivaled among mortals three hundred years ago.


    Such a figure naturally viewed martial artists of the mortal world with the condescending perspective of an elder towards neers.


    Personally pointed out the superb martial artist General Chu Tianming of the Imperial Guards, who was the leader of the "Cow Cleaver Knife" forty years ago.


    Because he valued talent, he let escape the top three in the world, Eight-armed Heavenly Dragon¡­


    Such a character, one day unexpectedly spared his life for the reason of "valuing talent"?


    And with Qiao Mu¡¯s current age and strength, he indeed had the qualifications¡­. This made Yan Shenji¡¯s heart surge, almost spitting out old blood.


    "Valuing talent? That¡¯s a limited perspective," Qiao Mu nced at him.


    Yan Shenji never used the Human Emperor Sword until the end.


    Although he lost in this battle, he still had a chance to win.


    "To oppose the Nine Immortal Gates, the martial arts world needs more strong individuals. That¡¯s also a reason."


    Qiao Mu looked down at Yan Shenji, seeing his own journey of bloodshed reflected in his eyes.


    Yan Shenji is a martial artist like Qiao Mu.


    They are both immortal beings in the world, highly skilled in Long Life Fist, and both hexagonal warriors.


    Qiao Mu has always been selective.


    If he chooses to live immortally in the world rather than going through a cycle of constant danger, dreams, and exams, his life could be smoother.


    He could be the second Founding Emperor Yan.


    These are two different paths, living in the world or reincarnating in the sea of blood.


    In the three seconds just now when he looked at Yan Shenji, Qiao Mu was indeed considering whether to kill Founding Emperor Yan.


    By killing Founding Emperor Yan, Qiao Mu could be a more powerful Qiao Ancestor.


    With his strength, he could establish a new dynasty in the chaotic world today, living immortally in the world, bing the Ancestor of the imperial dynasty, practicing martial arts while walking birds and ying with cats in the pce. It would not be a bad thing.


    As long as one ignores the existence of the Nine Immortal Gates, pays tribute like Emperor Yonghe of the Great Yan Imperial Court, and Qiao Mu bides his time for thousands or tens of thousands of years, then he can smash the Nine Immortal Gates with a single punch.


    This is also a choice.


    Furthermore, a member of the Qiao family goes through hell and high water.


    One step back, Emperor Yan Shenji of the dynasty¡¯s founder.


    "You are my mirror." Qiao Mu gazed at his own reflection in the pupil of Founding Emperor Yan, and said slowly:n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Looking at others can help you see your own faults."


    After speaking, he ignored Founding Emperor Yan, his body slowly wriggled, his cracked skin began to heal, and he turned and walked away.


    Leaving Founding Emperor Yan still lying there, looking slightly puzzled.


    He was not foolish, and after a brief moment of confusion, he understood the meaning behind Qiao Mu¡¯s words.


    Look at others as a mirror, like seeing your reflection, to remind and warn yourself:


    Don¡¯t be a reflection in the mirror.


    The silent Founding Emperor Yan slowly sat up and took out a small bottle from his sleeve, swallowing a healing pill.


    He sat in meditation and soon hisplexion improved, no longer on the brink of death as before.


    In fact, he was not without a chance of winning just now¡­ not just because of the Human Emperor Sword.


    As a Medicine Spirit Body, Founding Emperor Yan always carried various high-quality pills on him.


    Qiao Mu has the ability to change shape for healing, he uses healing pills for recovery.


    Qiao Mu has the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, while Yan Shenji also has a pill called the "Three Elements Creation Pill," which can significantly boost his power for a short time.


    A big spender can do whatever they want.


    Only, Qiao Mu used his Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method too decisively, not caring about his own life.


    The chance slipped away quickly, and by the time Yan Shenji wanted to swallow the "Three Elements Creation Pill", it was already toote.


    "He didn¡¯t spare me out of kindness, but saw me as a martial talent tobat the Immortal Gate."


    "He used me, the founding emperor of this dynasty, as a reflection of his disdain, constantly reminding himself."


    Founding Emperor Yan could only stay silent.


    He valued the Great Yan Imperial Court as his lifelong pursuit, but the other side didn¡¯t care, easily giving up the chance to kill him.


    Before Qiao Mu revealed the reason, Founding Emperor Yan regretted losing the opportunity and felt defeated.


    Now, he felt differently.


    "Is this the mindset and magnanimity of someone over six hundred years old?" Founding Emperor Yan sighed slightly.


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 Chapter 277 (1)

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    Three hundred years ago, the founding emperor returned to the world, only to be defeated by a member of the Qiao family!


    This scene shocked both the Imperial Guards and Flying Fish Guard in the pce.


    For veterans like Hai Siyuan, this sight was not only shocking but also a grateful feeling of surviving the ordeal.


    As they charged towards the founding emperor of their dynasty, they were indeed ready to sacrifice their lives.


    Not fearing death doesn¡¯t mean wanting to die.


    If they could survive, that would naturally be a better oue.


    Hai Wuya watched the scene from afar, his cheeks flushed with illness, coughing lightly, his old back bent."Father, are you still holding up?" Hai Siyuan came forward to gently pat Hai Wuya¡¯s back, supporting him to move forward.


    "I¡¯ve been enduring for a long time," Hai Wuya replied with a faint smile.


    Hai Siyuan said in a serious tone,


    "The matter is settled now, Father, hold on a little longer, we can go see Dr. Dong immediately."


    "The miracle doctor has been helping you for months, he must have a way."


    Hai Wuya didn¡¯t say anything else, but he knew in his heart that pushing through until now was almost at his limit.


    Even immortals can¡¯t help, let alone a Dr. Dong?


    Yet he didn¡¯t reject his eldest son¡¯s efforts, but just nodded faintly¡­ The one who wasforted by treating a terminally ill patient was Hai Siyuan, the eldest son in the family.


    If he didn¡¯t do his best and couldn¡¯t get into the pce to save Hai Wuya, he would feel regretful.


    "Time is running out¡­ Let¡¯s go, you can enter Stone City, I¡¯ll take you out of the pce."


    Qiao Mu spoke.


    After reaching the superb rank of spiritual refining, he noticed the cultivator¡¯s gaze above the clouds, but these were just minor details.


    Hai Wuya is in critical condition, it¡¯s important to take him away in time.


    Also, he was quite curious about the divine healer Dong Xinglin who could save Hai Wuya¡¯s life.


    Initially, Qiao Mu learned a finger technique, Fragmented Virtual Finger, from Dong Xinglin.


    This technique belonged to superior martial arts, and now that it has reached perfection, it can even condense a three-foot sword energy on the fingertips when internal strength is at its peak.


    Previously, Hai Wuya imed that medical and martial skills are inseparable, and he had numerous discussions with Dong Xinglin. Now it seems that this matter may not be so simple.


    Father and son Hai Wuya entered Stone City in Li Changshi¡¯s hands one after another. With a sh, Qiao Mu stepped on the pce wall and flew up, openly leaving the pce as the long night approached dawn.


    Thousands of Imperial Guards and Flying Fish Guards watched them leave, and no one tried to stop them.


    Stop them? Are you kidding?


    The unrivaled martial emperor from ancient times couldn¡¯t stop him, what else can they do?


    With Qiao Mu¡¯s departure, all the thousands of eyes fell on the founding emperor who was healing in a pool of blood outside the Golden Dragon Pce.


    Breaking through ten thousand Imperial Guards, assassinating the current emperor, defeating the founding emperor¡­.


    In the end, they could openly leave the pce without anyone daring to stop them.


    At this point, the majesty of the Great Yan Royal Family hadpletely disappeared, even the legendary martial founding emperor had lost his dignity and the halo that surrounded him.


    Facing the gaze of thousands, Founding Emperor Yan remained expressionless while using his techniques to heal.


    He naturally knew what those Imperial Guards and Flying Fish Guards were thinking.


    Founding Emperor Yan looked up at the sky, the night had fallen, the bright moon obscured by clouds, casting a gloomy shadow.


    At this moment, he could be said to be experiencing the darkest time in his life in over two hundred years.


    All his pride, self-respect, and dignity.


    Have all vanished.


    "This taste of bitter defeat." Yan Shenji lowered his eyelids.


    He had been undefeated in the mortal realm two to three hundred years ago, never experiencing a defeat. He had always looked down upon the world¡¯s heroes, observing the rise and fall of the world from his pce, seeing himself as the only immortal in the mortal realm, undefeated for two hundred years.


    Founding Emperor Yan carefully pondered for a moment.


    If time could turn back, to rey the battle just now, as long as he acted decisively, used his precious secret medicine, there would still be a forty percent chance of winning the battle.


    His physical strength was not as good as Qiao Mu¡¯s, and Qiao Mu¡¯s internal strength was also not as good as his.


    If he added the Human Emperor Sword, the chance of winning could reach eighty percent.


    But all these are just being wise after the event.


    In battles between martial artists, it¡¯s not about who has bigger muscles or more internal strength. It¡¯s about showing your skills and whoever performs better is more impressive.


    The chance of victory is only a hair¡¯s breadth away.


    A moment of hesitation can result in a thousand miles of defeat.


    In the eyes of the Founding Emperor Yan, he did suffer a loss, as Qiao Mu was seriously injured.


    However, he also mastered the Shape Changing Skill from Wu Qizheng and the powerful Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, making him more ruthless than other martial artists.


    Hesitation leads to defeat.


    As for being decisive¡­ being decisive may only cost Qiao Mu his life.


    When that timees, Yan Shenji will witness theplete revival of a fully healed Qiao Mu in the third stage. What a celebration!


    "Is this the progress of martial arts today?" Yan Shenji looked up alone.


    At three hundred years old, he was the strongest master of ancient martial arts in the world.


    But he was only the strongest in ancient martial arts.


    Like the music people listen to on their phones andputers, most of it stays in the time of their youth.


    Yan Shenji often praised the advancements in martial arts today, such as the superb ranking light-foot technique Heavenly Dragon Eight Steps, the Earth Sword Immortal, Martial Saint, and the Shape Changing Skill disyed by Qiao Mu.


    But in reality, he has been stuck in the era from nearly three hundred years ago when he was already unbeatable.


    His proudest martial arts skill is the Imperial Extreme True Skill that he created in his prime.


    This is actually a kind of arrogance from an elder.


    While hepliments the progress of martial arts today, deep down he still believes he is the strongest, thinking that the so-called Heavenly Dragon Eight Steps technique ruling over the world cannot escape his grasp.


    He had never truly looked at the current martial arts world, he only looked down on it from an arrogant viewpoint of the older generation.


    Things like the Heavenly Dragon Eight Steps, Flesh Changing Skill¡­ new and interesting as they were, were just superficial tricks.


    And now, this arrogance had been shattered and destroyed by his first defeat in over two hundred years.


    "In each era, new talented people will emerge, recing the old ones."


    "Qiao Jin, who defeated me, is from an ancient dynasty older than mine, but he practices a new technique of today¡­"


    To Yan Shenji, this battle could actually be considered¡­


    A duel between ancient and modern martial arts.


    And he was defeated miserably.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Yan Shenji got up, directing the younger generations of the royal family and the Imperial Guards to regroup and tidy up the aftermath of tonight.


    Instead of caring about who is better at martial arts, Yan Shenji is actually more interested in the state of mind shown by Qiao Jin, who is older than him.


    Suddenly, he had a thought and looked up.


    Between the clouds in the night sky, a white-haired Taoist from the Great Dao Sect named Nascent Soul Elder Qingyi appeared out of thin air.


    "An Elder from the Great Dao Sect, here to joke with me?" Yan Shenji said calmly.


    At this moment, Yan Shenji was experiencing the darkest period of his life in over two hundred years.


    All his glory and honor had turned into stepping stones for the Qiao family after his disastrous defeat.


    "Wins and losses aremon in warfare, I just want to discuss important matters with the old Emperor," Elder Qingyi said.


    "Qiao Jin has not gone far, and there are still some ordinary soldiers around him, these are all his burdens."


    "Burdens?" Founding Emperor Yan raised an eyebrow.


    "Correct," Elder Qingyi exined.


    "That Stone City was actually a treasure created using immortal techniques, but the creator was not skilled, most likely a novice cultivator."


    "For us, destroying that Stone City and its people is not difficult."


    "Furthermore, old emperor, don¡¯t you still have a trick up your sleeve?"


    "How about the two of us work together?" Elder Qingyi suggested.


    "You engage Qiao Jin, and I will assist you with spells. If we both attack together, we have a ny percent chance of killing Qiao Jin."


    Cultivators look down on ordinary martial artists.


    But Founding Emperor Yan is the owner of the Human Emperor Sword, a fact that caught Elder Qingyi¡¯s attention.


    Elder Qingyi had a n in mind. If Founding Emperor Yan agreed, the martial artist would lead the charge, while Elder Qingyi attacked from afar with his powerful spells.


    Regardless of sess or failure, he who is high above the clouds will not have any risks.


    The one with risks is only Founding Emperor Yan, he can simply use his magical powers to escape.


    Cooperation?


    Founding Emperor Yan didn¡¯t immediately agree, his face showed a thoughtful expression as if he was deep in thought.


    After a moment, he suddenly asked:


    "I heard that cultivators on the path to immortality cultivate a pure heart, so they must eliminate impure thoughts and emotions?"


    "Correct," Elder Qingyi nodded.


    "Could it be that your request is¡­ a method of cultivation? If this can eliminate the life of that Qiao Jin, then it may not be impossible."


    "The world is full of suffering, cultivators must not be tainted by worldly matters, naturally they must eliminate impure thoughts and barriers in their hearts¡­"


    Emperor Yan seemed quite interested in this, "Please tell me more."


    Elder Qingyi nced at Emperor Yan, took a moment to think, and then said:


    "Ordinary people are weak, born in this chaotic world. It¡¯s very difficult for an ordinary person to survive, so they have families and ns."


    "Ordinary people rely on their families and ns, forming bonds through blood ties to survive in this chaotic world together."


    "This is the way for ordinary people to survive, but it is only the way for ordinary people."


    Emperor Yan pondered over this.


    "Families and ns are ultimately ces where the weak seek warmth in numbers. True strong individuals don¡¯t need to rely on groups, as one person can cultivate alone," said Elder Qingyi with a deeper meaning.


    "When a person¡¯s inner strength is strong enough, they can ignore society¡¯s moral constraints and address the burdens on themselves."


    "Cultivators speak ofpanionship on the path of cultivation. Companions are fellow cultivators, not spouses or family members. Those who apany each other on the path are truepanions, not simply tied by blood or ethical norms."


    He tried to break through the mystery of Founding Emperor Yan.


    In his opinion, Founding Emperor Yan, who had lived for three hundred years, had somewhat gone astray.


    For three hundred years, with Founding Emperor Yan guiding the younger generations in the imperial pce, not even a superb martial artist was born in the entire royal family.


    The only talented prince died young.


    A person like Founding Emperor Yan, bound by the family, had somewhat hindered him from achieving greater sess.


    Founding Emperor Yan listened quietly and also felt emotional:


    "The world is indeed impure, an ordinary heart cannot withstand the years, beauty always fades, heroes always decline, without the path to immortality, one cannot transcend."


    "No one can be strong all their life, without moments of despair and weakness."


    "Those who never give up, who are always firm, only exist in the fictional stories created by storytellers."


    Elder Qingyi frowned as he listened to Founding Emperor Yan¡¯s sighs, wondering what scene was unfolding before him.


    They were not acquainted with each other, so why was he pouring out his sorrows here?


    However, as Elder Qingyi closely examined the blood-stained robes and the tired and sorrowful expression of Founding Emperor Yan, he had a realization:


    This was more than just a tragic defeat.


    It was clear that this battle had shattered Founding Emperor Yan¡¯s martial aspirations, leading to thiste-night heart-to-heart.


    "But¡­" Founding Emperor Yan sighed again.


    "Common people in the mortal world are constantly struggling against their own weaknesses and fears, stumbling through life," he said.


    Before he could finish his sentence,


    He pointed the Human Emperor Sword towards the sky, as ethereal chains emerged from the void and wrapped around Taoist Qingyi¡¯s back.


    Elder Qingyi had no strength to resist and fell down in a sorry state.


    Founding Emperor Yan¡¯s expression turned cold and stern, as he slowly approached with the Human Emperor Sword in hand.


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 Chapter 277 (2)

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    "Those inhuman creatures are indeed cunning. I am seriously injured and they stay up in the sky, ignoring me. It¡¯s all in vain that I tried to persuade them."


    Founding Emperor Yan¡¯s determination lies within the Great Yan Imperial Court, and with the Great Yan royal family. For Elder Qingyi to give up this determination and abandon the family is like dancing in a danger zone.


    "You want me to join forces with those inhuman creatures to kill the people of Jiu Province? They are underestimating me." Founding Emperor Yan looked at the Human Emperor Sword in his hand and said calmly,


    "If one cannot show mercy, how can they be called a true king?"


    The Human Emperor Sword was the sword he used in his early years.


    Many years ago, when he was young and strong, when he rose up with the Human Emperor Sword in hand to fight alongside various heroes in uprisings, it was before he was known as the founding emperor of Great Yan.


    He once held another title that was renowned in Jiu Province.


    King of the people.Founding Emperor Yan considered all the people in the world as citizens of the Great Yan Imperial Court, believing that a strong popce makes a strong nation. Even if someone surpasses him, he has the confidence to ultimately win in battle.


    As the sword light shed, Elder Qingyi¡¯s entire body split in two, but the two halves turned into thin paper pieces, clearly a paper man.


    The upper body of the paper man kept gazing at Founding Emperor Yan.


    "Old Emperor, I have truly underestimated you."


    "With honor, status, and face all lost, defeated by the enemy, it¡¯s when you rebuild your martial arts spirit?"


    "I must thank you for your guidance: victory and defeat aremon in warfare," Founding Emperor Yan said lightly.


    "Who hasn¡¯t felt fear at times? But life is long."


    Forty years ago, around the time of the Inhuman War, Founding Emperor Yan didn¡¯t take action.


    Thinking himself the only immortal in the human realm, the once invincible man from two hundred years ago witnessed the distinction between immortals and mortals.


    Theplicated emotions were not to be understood by outsiders.


    In his prime, the first emperor of Great Yan would not bow down to the Nine Immortal Gates.


    At over two hundred years old, the royal treasure of Great Yan chose to remain low-key.


    And now, at three hundred years old, Founding Emperor Yan¡­


    He lifted his big foot and thoroughly squashed the half of the paper man.


    Even in old age, the spirit aims for far distances; for a martyr in twilight years, the strong heart persists.


    After more than two hundred years without a single defeat, the first emperor of Great Yan, upon tasting bitter defeat, felt the urge to resist.


    "Qiao Jin sees me as a mirror, why can¡¯t I see him as one?" Founding Emperor Yan said to himself.


    "The immortal¡¯s journey is still long, let¡¯s wait and see."


    The six-hundred-year-old immortal Qiao Jin could set aside his elders¡¯ pride to learn lightness skills from the Eight-armed Heavenly Dragon, swordsmanship from Earth Sword Immortal, and mysterious techniques from Martial Saint.


    Why couldn¡¯t he?


    "Qiao Jin, you have your beliefs, and I have my pride."


    Qiao Mu didn¡¯t care much about the dynasty¡¯s dominance, but in Yan Shenji¡¯s eyes, this was his obsession.


    "With the imperial pce undergoing such drastic changes, and having caused inhuman deaths with my own hands, Immortal Gate and Great Dao Sect will definitely take action¡­"


    "Emperor Yonghe has passed away, now the most urgent matter is to crown a new ruler and stabilize the situation."


    Thinking about this, Yan Shenji started to get a headache again.


    The descendants of Emperor Yonghe? Although the prince had a group, with Emperor Yonghe¡¯s favoritism, the princes he raised were actually not very useful.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    When the sky was getting brighter, Qiao Mu and his group had already arrived at Dong Xinglin¡¯ clinic on the outskirts of the Imperial Capital.


    Inside the clinic.


    "What? Dr. Dong went traveling? Why did he choose this time? He was here yesterday." Hai Siyuan was a bit impatient.


    "When will Dr. Dong return?"


    "The teacher didn¡¯t mention when he would return. But before leaving, he did mention that if General Hai came looking for him, he would give him a gift that might help General Hai for another half day."


    The middle-aged doctor handed a colorful box to Hai Siyuan.


    Hai Siyuan hastily opened the brocade box, and upon seeing what was inside, his eyes widened in shock. He trembled and almost dropped the brocade box from his hand.


    Qiao Mu stared at the embroidery box and saw a small piece of flesh the size of half a fist inside. It seemed to move slightly like a living thing, breathing in and out.


    "Why are you so surprised?" Hai Wuya looked at his son with an unusual expression.


    "Didn¡¯t Dr. Dong tell you about this? Did he not mention his identity?"


    "What are you talking about?" Hai Siyuan was confused.


    "Is his identity rted to the Wuji Association again?" Qiao Mu interrupted.


    "I know about this. It¡¯s a healing medicine from the Wuji Association called the Spiritual Meat Pill, used for treating physical injuries."


    "But I didn¡¯t know it was so miraculous that even someone like you, Hai Wuya, who is critically ill, could be kept alive."


    "The Wuji Association¡¯s Spiritual Meat Pill?" Hai Wuya shook his head.


    "Ordinary Spiritual Meat Pill doesn¡¯t have such incredible uses."


    "But if Mr. Wu Qizheng personally crafted the Spiritual Meat Pill, it might be different."


    Wu Qizheng?


    Qiao Mu picked up the flesh in the embroidery box, carefully weighed and felt it, and came to a conclusion in his heart:


    The original owner of this flesh had extraordinary qi and blood, although not as good as his, it was already equivalent to superb rank in martial artists.


    Of course, even a superb martial artist with strong qi and blood cannot casually separate flesh and blood like Wu Qizheng does.


    "Cutting your own flesh to save someone else¡¯s life? What kind of living Bodhisattva is this?" Qiao Mu muttered.


    This was due to Wu Qizheng¡¯s special physique. Even Qiao Mu, who also practiced the Shape Changing Skill, could not do such a thing.


    "Elder Lao, please keep this matter confidential." Hai Wuya smiled.


    "Mr. Wu Qizheng has secretly left Wuji Association, he might be the only one who fooled the Martial Saint and escaped the seventy-two wise men."


    "I understand."


    "As for this bunch of Spiritual Meat Pills, it¡¯s actually not very useful to me anymore, and I don¡¯t mind losing half a day." Hai Wuya smiled and handed the velvet box to his eldest son.


    Wu Qizheng¡¯s Spiritual Meat Pills don¡¯t mean much to Qiao Mu now.


    After all, Qiao Mu also has Shape Changing Skill, and even though Wu Qizheng is a superb martial artist, his total energy and blood cannotpare to Qiao Mu¡¯s. So, this piece of flesh is not very effective for Qiao Mu.


    But for Hai Siyuan, it is a holy medicine for healing and extending life.


    If used properly, it can save half a life.


    Hai Siyuan understood Hai Wuya¡¯s intention of entrusting him, so naturally he didn¡¯t refuse.


    "Hai Wuya, do you have any wishes left?" asked Qiao Mu.


    Technically speaking, "Qiao Jin" was a stranger from the Qiao family who Hai Wuya was meeting for the first time, not someone he knew well.


    But at this point, Qiao Mu stopped pretending.


    When Hai Wuya heard this, he just smiled lightly and said:


    "I have already had my wishe true."


    His biggest wish was to see the "Human Path Sutra"e out, and now it had happened.


    After seeing the "Human Path Sutra," his second wish was for it not to just be a martial arts theory, but to see strong people practice it to an advanced level.


    So, Qiao Shuanggui and Qiao Jin, two generations of the Qiao family, started entering the royal pce.


    Qiao Jin fought the founding emperor of Great Yan using ancient martial arts against the "Human Path Sutra" martial artist¡¯s techniques.


    He had already seen the result of this battle with his own eyes.


    Now, he only felt that his wish had been fulfilled, and he had no regrets in life.


    "The sky seems to be getting brighter, help me walk outside the clinic, Hai Wuya." Hai Wuya asked his eldest son for support and slowly walked outside the clinic.


    Dong Xinglin¡¯s clinic was located on the outskirts of Imperial Capital, where ordinary people without power or influence lived.


    It was early in the morning, and on the streets outside the clinic, early-risingmoners were already walking in groups, preparing to go to the market.


    Thesemoners lived far away from Imperial Capital.


    The sudden events in the pcest night seemed unrted to their lives, as they went about their day as usual this morning, busy and uneventful.


    Hai Wuya silently watched this scene without speaking, his eyelids gradually getting heavy.


    Hai Siyuan, who was originally standing by his side, couldn¡¯t help but speak up at this moment.


    "Father, have you been suffering all these years?"


    "People in Imperial Capital say your namees from ¡®Learned Hai Wuya¡¯, but your life story seems more like ¡®Suffering Hai Wuya¡¯."


    This had been a question that Hai Siyuan had kept in his heart for a long time.


    Since ancient times, it has been difficult to be both loyal and filial. At the age of twenty, he guarded a lonely city, and only left the desert after reaching middle age.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    And his elderly father¡¯s fate was no better than his own. He entered heavenly prison early and stayed there for a full thirty years.


    Even before his death, he was captured by Emperor Yonghe, almost facing his third time in heavenly prison.


    Hai Siyuan felt somewhat guilty in his heart.


    "Study Hai Wuya? Suffering Hai Wuya?" Hai Wuya continued to smile faintly.


    His life¡­


    In his younger years, he was a schr of the ssics, pursuing the motto "Learn to be a worthy official." However, he failed the imperial examinations for many years.


    Later, he met a young Martial Saint who advised him to go to Shaolin Temple to learn martial arts before pursuing an official career.


    It was a quiteplicated path to bing an official. He had to set aside his schr identity to focus on martial arts training, then join the imperial army after gaining recognition, and finally transition from a military official to a civil official.


    Most people are not good at this.


    But Hai Wuya, after facing many challenges, became a high-ranking official in his middle age, as a Minister of Rites.


    Just as he started enjoying his new position, a war broke out.


    When he entered the heavenly prison, he was a respected official, but when he left, he was an old man with gray hair.


    Until this moment.


    To outsiders, Hai Wuya¡¯s life seemed busy and full of ups and downs. He held a high position, but didn¡¯t get to enjoy it for long.


    That¡¯s why people called him "Sorrowful Hai Wuya."


    "Others may say my life has been tough, but I don¡¯t feel that way," Hai Wuya reminisced.


    "When I was young, I studied the ssics, dreaming of bing an official. Eventually, I reached the rank of Minister."


    "When I was middle-aged, I was in a heavenly prison, and I only wished to create the ¡®Xumi Mountain King Sutra¡¯, andter my wish came true."


    "In my old age, with silver hair on my temples, reuniting with my son, witnessing the appearance of the ¡®Human Path Sutra¡¯, seeing the unparalleled masters who practiced it, surpassing the founding emperor of Great Yan."


    "Everything I have sought in this life has been achieved with my own hands. At this point in life, what more is there to seek? What suffering is there?"


    Hai Siyuan and the others listened silently as the old man talked nonstop, without interrupting.


    His life is full of hardships, but who in this world is not facing challenges?


    Hai Wuya, this is a fact that cannot be changed by wishes or attitudes.


    With a determined heart, he saw no suffering around him, only contentment.


    "Qiao Jin, Elder Lao. Let me ask you again, how far have you cultivated your ¡®Human Path Sutra¡¯?" Hai Wuya asked.


    "The eighth level," Qiao Mu replied.


    He started practicing the ¡®Xumi Mountain King Sutra¡¯ at the age of 60, and at 508 years old, he sessfully advanced to the eighth level of the ¡®Human Path Sutra¡¯.


    "The eighth level?" Hai Wuya muttered to himself.


    "It seems like your physical body and energy have not reached a perfect and undamaged state yet."


    "It seems that ¡®Human Path Sutra¡¯ has even more potential for progress than I initially expected."


    He smiled slightly, watching themon people moving through the streets and alleyways, listening to their greetings and stories.


    "The way of humanity will prevail," Hai Wuya said slowly.


    "With me in the way of humanity, it will naturally prevail," Qiao Mu replied.


    "The Qiao family members are always so spirited, generation after generation¡­" Hai Wuya¡¯s voice grew lower and eventually faded away, his eyelids closing.


    Outside the medical shop in the outskirts of the city, there was a new grave next to the apricot forest.


    A gentle breeze passed by, causing the apricot trees to sway, and the apricot blossoms covered the ground like a sea, emitting a faint fragrance that floated in the wind.


    The tombstone in front of the grave read:


    Here lies the patriarch, Hai Wuya.


    The epitaph reads: Embrace hardship and only through self-transformation.


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 Chapter 278 (1)

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    During the end of the Yonghe era.


    In the final years of the Yonghe era, the powerful martial arts Qiao family¡¯s leaders Qiao Jin and Qiao Shuanggui, along with more than two hundred rebel soldiers, sneaked into the pce and assassinated Emperor Yonghe in the Golden Chamber.


    The next day.


    The young prince, only fourteen years old, became the new emperor with the reign title of "Wuping."


    ¡­¡­¡­


    "From now on, you are Emperor Wuping," said Founding Emperor Yan as he gently patted the young emperor¡¯s head.


    Founding Emperor Yan touched the little emperor¡¯s head and said softly.


    Most of the sons of Emperor Yonghe were not capable enough to be trusted by Founding Emperor Yan.Therefore, Founding Emperor Yan chose the youngest prince, who was only fourteen years old and still a minor.


    It¡¯s hard to say whether it was right or wrong to ce a young teenager on the throne in such turbulent times.


    In Founding Emperor Yan¡¯s view¡­. other princes eithercked talent like Emperor Yonghe or were disinterested in politics, leaving him with few good options.


    If the Great Yan Imperial Court were to have another mediocre emperor, even Founding Emperor Yan himself would likely not be able to sessfully continue the dynasty.


    A young emperor aged fourteen¡­ should be more moldable, right?


    Besides, this young emperor is still a child, with a bit of youthful arrogance.


    He¡¯s not mature enough if he¡¯s any younger, and it¡¯s not easy to nurture him if he¡¯s any older.


    This time, with him personally overseeing, there shouldn¡¯t be any mistakes.


    "Ancestor¡­" The young emperor, who was only fourteen years old, felt nervous instead of excited about being an emperor:


    "Why doesn¡¯t the ancestor be the emperor himself?" he asked, looking up.


    "If you¡¯re counting on the ancestor for everything, why bother with this Great Yan Imperial Court?" Founding Emperor Yan red.


    The young emperor froze, seemingly frightened by Founding Emperor Yan¡¯s re.


    Seeing this, Founding Emperor Yan could only sigh slightly and soften his tone:n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Our ancestors, I am not meant for this era."


    "Furthermore, conqueringnds and protectingnds are two different matters."


    Founding Emperor Yan had a clear understanding of himself.


    Immortal Gate feared not his personal strength, but the Human Emperor Sword by his waist.


    The so-called strongest in the ancient martial arts, if he could reallypete with cultivators, why wait until now?


    Currently, he didn¡¯t exist as the "Founding Emperor of Great Yan," but as the contemporary Great Yan Human Emperor who wielded the Human Emperor Sword.


    Emperors are not suited for battle, for if an emperor dies, the entire dynasty will be in turmoil.


    Therefore, he nned to personally raise an heir.


    "Neitherpletely in charge norpletely out of charge¡­troublesome," mumbled Founding Emperor Yan.


    In theing years, he will temporarily rule as regent until the young emperor is able to govern on his own, then he will let go.


    As long as there are no major mistakes in governance, it will be fine.


    Ultimately, the main force against Immortal Gate is the Great Yan Human Emperor who wields the Human Emperor Sword.


    The first thing the Founding Emperor Yan needs to consider is how to increase his own strength.


    After being defeated by Qiao Mu, he has ordered the Flying Fish Guard to go out and collect martial arts secrets of this era, trying to learn new techniques.


    Martial families and prestigious sects have been eradicated by the Martial Saint over the past few decades. Therefore, the Founding Emperor Yan¡¯s move essentially means dealing with the Wuji Association.


    In addition, he also seeks to collect more precious materials to rapidly increase his power.


    Before the Inhuman War, although the Great Yan Royal Family cultivated a group of Medicine Men, their main focus was on longevity medicine rather than power-increasing medicine.


    Founding Emperor Yan has a very rxed attitude towards growing internal strength ¨C if it¡¯s there, then use it; if not, then so be it.


    After all, he had long been unbeatable, and increasing internal strength further didn¡¯t make much sense, so he sought more for longevity.


    As for the Great Yan Royal Family deliberately seeking elixirs to enhance internal strength, it has only been happening in the past forty years.


    As a Medicine Spirit Body, spending money is the most effective way.


    ¡­¡­¡­


    Great Dao Sect¡¯s sect.


    "The Human Emperor Sword wielded by the Great Yan Imperial Court, where people can live up to three hundred years, can cut down a paper man like you?"


    The leader of Great Dao Sect looked at Elder Qingyi in front of him, deep in thought.


    Elder Qingyi, a Nascent Soul Elder who oversees mundane matters in the Great Dao Sect, including dealings with the Great Yan Imperial Court, falls within Qingyi¡¯s responsibilities.


    "Correct," Elder Qingyi briefly exined.


    In fact, when he spoke with Founding Emperor Yan that day, half of it was to test what Founding Emperor Yan was thinking.


    The Human Emperor Sword is a powerful weapon for the Great Yan Imperial Court, very important.


    It is important to know what kind of person its owner is.


    Elder Qingyi used a paper man to test Founding Emperor Yan, intentionally provoking him with words, and got the information he wanted.


    A clear fact is that Founding Emperor Yan, who wields the Human Emperor Sword, and Emperor Yonghe, who also wields the sword, are two very different opponents.


    Founding Emperor Yan is clearly more dominant and decisive, not the same type of person as Emperor Yonghe.


    "Two swordsmen with very different temperaments?" the sect leader pondered.


    The strength of the swordsmen themselves is not that important, what matters is the sword and the swordsmen¡¯s attitude.


    By using a paper man as a price, Elder Qingyi was able to discover many things, including how Founding Emperor Yan uses the Human Emperor Sword and what kind of person he is, and can be considered to have made a valuable contribution.


    "Apart from that, there is one more thing," Elder Qingyi¡¯s face showed fear for the first time.


    "Even through the technique of the paper man, the Human Emperor Sword managed to injure my real body a thousand miles away¡­ Although the injury is not severe, some of my cultivation was indeed cut off."


    "Couldn¡¯t we deceive the soldiers of destiny using methods like the paper man? It is truly difficult."


    The leader of the Great Dao Sect originally thought that he could continuously transform into the appearance of a cultivator using the paper man to deceive the Founding Emperor Yan and gradually deplete the power of destiny on the Human Emperor Sword. Now it seems that this method is not feasible.


    "This information is very important. You have made a great contribution to the sect, and the sect will naturally not treat you unfairly," said the leader of the Great Dao Sect solemnly.


    With a sweep of his robe, two or three divine symbols of merit flew out andnded in Elder Qingyi¡¯s hands.


    "Quickly recover the lost cultivation. You have always been cautious and steady in your actions, more so than Junior Qingzhuo¡­ Ah, let¡¯s not mention him."


    "In any case, worldly matters will still depend on you to handle. Your swift recovery is crucial."


    "Thank you, Sect Leader," Elder Qingyi nodded and left.


    The nature of this matter is actually different from what Elder Qingzhuo caused in the solitary city in the desert.


    Elder Qingzhuo suffered a great lossst time, and the matter was not resolved, destroying a Sect Secret Realm.


    But Elder Qingyi stayed out of trouble this time, not getting involved personally.


    If it weren¡¯t for the unexpected Human Emperor Sword, Elder Qingyi wouldn¡¯t have been injured at all, at most damaging a paper man.


    He also obtained a lot of information about the Human Emperor Sword and Founding Emperor Yan, which was already a great achievement.


    "Human Emperor Sword, the fortune of the world¡­ Is this the world¡¯s fortune striking back?" frowning, the leader of Great Dao Sect then rxed.


    "It is said that those who gain the fortune cannot live long."


    "Although Founding Emperor Yan didn¡¯t personally be emperor, just served as a regent temporarily, if he thinks he can deceive everyone with such tricks, then he is thinking too simply."


    "When he returns to the world as the Great Yan Human Emperor, it may mean that he won¡¯t live for much longer."


    When ites to exploiting mortal incense, the Nine Immortal Gates are of one mind, so as the sect leader, he would naturally inform the other Immortal Gates of this news.


    A new emperor and a new sword bearer are of great importance and will directly affect the Nine Immortal Gates¡¯ attitude towards mortals.


    "Emperor Yan was fierce in nature, does he only respond to gentle persuasion?" The leader of the Great Dao Sect shook his head, looking like he wanted tough.


    No matter how strong one is, they are ultimately just a mortal. In front of the Immortal Gate, do they still expect to be handled gently?


    If Emperor Yonghe held the Human Emperor Sword, and the n of the Earthly Immortal Kingdom of King Qin was not shattered, then the Nine Immortal Gates could maintain surface harmony with the Great Yan Imperial Court.


    But now¡­ patience might not be present.


    The Nine Immortal Gates may not directly confront Emperor Yan, who wields the Human Emperor Sword, but there are plenty of indirect methods avable.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    Tea house in the Imperial Capital, known as Tianranju.


    Natural Residence is a ce with a background of the Tide Listening Building, so these days the teahouse is doing very well, with many visitors from different cesing to discuss the recent dramatic changes in the pce.


    That night in the pce, there were many different opinions about the dramatic changes.


    The key point is that the founding emperor of Great Yan had a vague attitude, clearly announcing that the Qiao family¡¯s Qiao Jin, Qiao Shuanggui and others were to enter the pce to assassinate, but then promptly retracted the charges that Emperor Yonghe had ced on the Minister of Rites, Hai Wuya, before his death.


    Some say that the Qiao family member who broke into the pce that night was a middle-aged man in his thirties, while others im that the Qiao family member was not in their thirties at that moment, but actually three hundred years old, or even six hundred years old.


    Many people don¡¯t believe in the age of the Qiao family member¡­ even the eyewitnesses of the event are skeptical: They doubt that anyone could urately determine the age of the Qiao family member except for the Founding Emperor Yan.


    "The descendant of the Qiao family, Qiao Shuanggui, boldly attempted to assassinate the confused ruler in the pce and perished? The ruler is so confused, the reclusive thousand-year-old strange figure of the Qiao family is about toe out!"


    "What? Qiao Shuanggui failed, but his men sessfully assassinated the ruler? Is that even possible?!"


    "So, has the Qiao family¡¯s thousand-year-old strange figure emerged?"


    Some people simply don¡¯t believe it, "An ancient strange figure, a six-hundred-year-old strange figure, how could there be immortal beings in the world living for hundreds of years, looking so young? They are all fake, just acting!"


    "I heard that this was decided by the founding emperor himself?"


    "Just because he says he¡¯s the founding emperor, does that make him the real one?" The skeptic didn¡¯t believe at all.


    "All of this is fake! It¡¯s all fake!"


    "The founding emperor is also fake, who in this world lives for hundreds of years! They¡¯re just putting on a show on both sides."


    "In my opinion, the person in the pce who ims to be the founding emperor is actually just pretending, but now he has taken control of the pce!"


    "They are all fake, only I am real¡­ in fact, I am also an immortal!" A customer drinking at the teahouse burped and chuckled, saying:


    "Actually, I am the great founding emperor of the previous dynasty, the Great Zhou, and I lived for over six hundred years."


    "Right now, I just need a little money to recruit soldiers and buy horses. Give me fifty taels, and I¡¯ll appoint you as the General of Soldiers and Horses. Let¡¯s restore the Great Zhou¡­"


    The remarks of this customer were particrly outrageous, causing everyone around to turn pale, and eventually kicked out by the teahouse staff.


    "I have also heard that the Martial Saint has returned?"


    "Hi, what a strange world this is! The founding emperor is still alive today, dead peoplee back to life, and a member of the Qiao family can teleport instantly, while the emperor of the Imperial Capital has died."


    "When a country is about to perish, there will be monsters¡­"


    Storyteller Jiang Chen was in a private room at the teahouse, but he listened closely to the various sounds in the main hall, feeling puzzled.


    Among these various opinions, one word stands out ¨C chaos, chaos, chaos.


    Whether it¡¯s true or not, it¡¯s all quite strange.


    Jiang Chen even doubted if there were other gossipy storytellers from the Tide Listening Building who were adding fuel to the fire.


    But none of this is the main point.


    After the assassination of Emperor Yonghe, Storyteller Jiang Chen¡¯s main focus now is working with other storytellers to create the new Martial Arts Ranking List.


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    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 278 (2)

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    "The Great Yan Human Emperor, Yan Shenji, is the first on the Strength List."


    "The head of the Xue family, Xue Changhe, is the second on the Strength List."


    "As for Qiao family¡¯s Qiao Jin¡­ I need to consider how to rank him more appropriately¡­"


    "The king-yer is Qiao Jin."


    "He ranks fifth on the Power List, third on the Strength List, and first on the Spiritual Refining List!"


    "Qiao Jin¡¯s spiritual refining skills are at a superb level. It is said that his Eye Attacking Technique is stunning, capable of turning illusions into reality, using his eyes to kill!"


    The other storytellers were discussing animatedly, but Jiang Chen seemed a bit distracted.


    "Jiang Chen, what are you daydreaming about?" asked Storyteller iraudience."Just spaced out a little," Jiang Chen replied with a smile.


    "The top four of Tide Listening Building, basically represent the highest achievers in four martial arts disciplines."


    "Spiritual Refining Martial Art ranks first with the Martial Saint, Gluttonous Devourer of Heaven."


    "Earth Sword Immortal is the top in martial skills, turning his body into a sword."


    "Great Yan Human Emperor Yan Shenji excels in energy martial arts."


    "I wonder if the ¡®Demon Spear¡¯ Qing Li, the top in blood energy martial arts, is qualified to stand alongside these three."


    When Jiang Chen said this, the excited storytellers suddenly fell silent and looked at him withplex expressions.


    "Um¡­," Jiang Chen felt uneasy under so many gazes and had to exin:


    "This Martial Saint, Earth Sword Immortal, and Founding Emperor Yan are all extraordinary masters."


    "Those considered extraordinary are invincible in their time, unmatched. They have defeated all opponents in different eras, being the leaders of martial arts in their respective periods, the best in the world."


    "If we were to find someone qualified to stand alongside these three on the Power List, it would undoubtedly be Qiao Jin from the Qiao family."


    "After all, he really defeated the Great Yan Human Emperor, Yan Shenji."


    "In today¡¯s age, he also has the potential topete for the title of the contemporary martial arts leader."


    Jiang Chen continued:


    "This Qiao Jin from the Qiao family defeated the Great Yan Human Emperor, but only ranked fifth on the Power List, the top four ahead of him are all half-demons."


    "Is this a biased view?"


    Jiang Chen didn¡¯t exin further.


    His exnation only made the surrounding storytellers¡¯ looks even more strange.


    Finally, irvoyance nced at him with a smirk, then turned to look at iraudience:


    "iraudience, did you bring Jiang Chen here?"


    "You have been in Tide Listening Building for a while now, it¡¯s time to tell him more things, so we don¡¯t end up in a funny situation."


    "Yes." iraudience nodded, looking at Jiang Chen.


    "Jiang Chen, although your martial arts skills are ordinary, your agility is decent. However, in Tide Listening Building, we don¡¯t engage in fights, so being fast with agility is enough."


    "As a Tide Listening Building storyteller, you are doing well in your role¡­ From today onwards, you are no longer considered an outsider. You need to see the true nature of the building to avoid any embarrassing situations."


    Jiang Chen was surprised at first, then his breathing became slightly faster.


    In reality, Tide Listening Building, a martial arts force, is quite extraordinary.


    In the past, the Martial Saint eliminated major martial arts ns, but missed the exceptionally powerful Tide Listening Building¡­ Initially, Jiang Chen thought this was because Tide Listening Building avoids trouble, doesn¡¯t possess top martial arts techniques, and doesn¡¯t catch the attention of the Martial Saint.


    The longer he stayed in the Tide Listening Building, the more mysterious and extraordinary he felt the power here. Even though he was a storyteller, he only knew a little about it.


    Now, is it finally time for him to uncover the truth about Tide Listening Building?


    ¡­¡­¡­..


    Just as Founding Emperor Yan had predicted.


    After Emperor Yonghe was assassinated, Immortal Gate reacted quickly.


    But the magnitude of Immortal Gate¡¯s reaction surpassed Founding Emperor Yan¡¯s expectations.


    Emperor Wuping ascended the throne in just one month.


    Fires were lit in various ces in Jiu Province, and war reports flew to Zhong Province Imperial Capital like snowkes.


    Apart from Zhong Province, the rest of the eight states had patriots rising up in rebellion against the oppression and heavy taxes of Great Yan, leading to a wave of uprisings engulfing the entire Jiu Province in a short period of time.


    The eight Martial Arts Kings led the rebellion and Jiu Province descended into chaos, making it difficult for the decrees of the Great Yan Emperor to even reach Zhong Province.


    "As Emperor Yonghe¡¯s reign came to an end¡­ Haha, this reign name was indeed spot on," said Founding Emperor Yan, his face stern as he finished reading the war report.


    With Emperor Yonghe¡¯s death, the fragile peace shattered.


    From now on, it would mark the second sh between immortals and mortals after a forty-year interval.


    As he returned to the world as the Great Yan Human Emperor, he naturally prepared himself mentally for the uing battle with cultivators.


    However, the swift actions of the Immortal Gate surprised him¡­ evidently, the extent of chaos and deep-seated grievances in various regions of Jiu Province exceeded his imagination, causing the Great Yan Imperial Court to quickly lose control over the other eight provinces.


    "Child, don¡¯t panic. There are ancestors looking after major matters," Founding Emperor Yanforted the young emperor with a gentle pat on the shoulder.


    Yet, when his gaze fell upon the Human Emperor Sword, his frown deepened.


    The light on the Human Emperor Sword had dimmed by more than half, a stark contrast to its brightness a month ago when he used it to defeat Dao Ke in the pce.


    "But don¡¯t forget, you are the emperor. If the ancestors were to depart, it will be your responsibility to carry on," Founding Emperor Yan spoke with a serious tone.


    The little emperor nodded as if he somewhat understood.


    "Instead, the Great Dao Sect in Zhong Province seems to have softened their attitude," muttered Founding Emperor Yan with a deep frown.


    "Is it because King Qin was killed by a member of the Qiao family? With the chaos in Jiu Province, the Great Dao Sect will surely get involved, but I wonder how they will intervene in the conflict."


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    Among the group of mountains.


    Wu Qiankun held the Tide Listening Building Martial Arts Ranking List in his hand, his expression constantly changing, clearly not in a good mood.


    Ever since his defeat by Qiao Shuanggui before, Wu Qiankun had been diligently hunting down cultivators these days.


    He had tasted the sweetness of the Taotie Swallowing Heaven Skill, but in just over a month, his strength had greatly declined.


    And as a result, during his battles, his title as the first on the Spiritual Refining List was snatched away by Qiao Jin instead?


    Honor is a small matter.


    What bothered him was being overshadowed by a Qiao family member, leaving him with some resentment.


    Little did he know that¡­


    "It¡¯s a pity that Qiao Shuanggui failed to assassinate Emperor Yonghe and died. me his weakness," Wu Qiankun said lightly.


    "It¡¯s somewhat regrettable."


    "If he were still alive, I would have had one more opponent in the world. I could have avenged my past losses against him."


    Suddenly, a teasing voice came from beside them.


    "If Qiao Shuanggui is dead, then let him be. If you¡¯re looking for an opponent, you can go challenge Qiao Jin."


    "If you defeat Qiao Jin, the title of number one on the Spiritual Refining List will still be yours, won¡¯t it?"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Wu Qiankun¡¯s eye twitched slightly.


    The person who spoke was Martial Saint, he couldn¡¯t argue.


    "Qiao Jin and Qiao Shuanggui are from different generations of the Qiao family," Wu Qiankun said.


    "I am confident in battling Qiao Shuanggui, but that Qiao Jin¡­" Wu Qiankun hesitated.


    In his mind, he thought that now all martial artists considered Qiao Jin to be a supreme expert like Martial Saint, Founding Emperor Yan, and Earth Sword Immortal, while he, Wu Qiankun, was known as "Little Martial Saint," shorter than them. It wouldn¡¯t be wise to challenge Qiao Jin.


    But he naturally wouldn¡¯t say this directly, so he changed his words.


    "Qiao Jin has already defeated the three-hundred-year-old Founding Emperor Yan, so his strength must be exceptional."


    "Founding Emperor Yan is a three-hundred-year-old martial arts legend whom I am not confident in defeating, let alone Qiao Jin¡­"


    "The founding emperor of Great Yan¡­" Martial Saint also fell silent for a moment.


    When he was young, he actually met the ancestor of the royal family in the pce.


    However, at that time, his martial arts skills were still low, and he didn¡¯t realize the true strength of Founding Emperor Yan. He only knew that there was a very skilled royal expert in the pce.


    "Founding Emperor Yan is nothing to worry about, he is just a pile of bones in the tomb," Martial Saint shook his head and said.


    "He has been sitting in the pce for three hundred years. During these three hundred years, how many superb warriors has he trained?"


    None of the royal family members are superb warriors.


    The superb warriors from other families, guided by Yan Shenji, include a few scattered ones like "Cow Cleaver Knife" and "Imperial Guards Commander Chu Tianming."


    "This person is an antique from three hundred years ago, stuck in the past glory, long abandoned by this era."


    Since Martial Saint swept through the martial arts world, collecting top martial arts secrets, and establishing the Wuji Association.


    The whole martial arts world is facing internal and external threats. Under the dual pressure from inhuman and Martial Saint, it has entered an era of intensepetition.


    Top martial arts skills like Flesh Changing Skill, Martial Saint Spiritual Technique, and Pure Yang Wuji Skill are even avable to small city leaders like City Lord Guo Yan.


    Backward sects were destroyed, and martial artistscking ambition were consumed.


    Amongst three thousand talented martial disciples, after a bloody selection, less than a hundred survived and were known as the "seventy-two wise men."


    In this era, apart from the martial artists eliminated by the Martial Saint, the number of martial artists of various levels in the martial world is actually higher than in previous times.


    Despite this, with only the existence of the Martial Saint Spiritual Technique and the absence of the Taotie Swallowing Heaven Skill, the number of superb martial artists is estimated to be around thirty to forty by the Wuji Association.


    Although it tripledpared to forty years ago, it is still far from being able to overthrow the Immortal Gate.


    "No matter how strong Founding Emperor Yan is, his strength is limited to himself; he cannot cultivate many superb martial artists. He is far inferior to the transformation I bring to the martial world," said the Martial Saint calmly.


    "Therefore, his martial way is not righteous and has no future; he is merely a humanoid medicine."


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 Chapter 279 (1)

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    In the eyes of the Martial Saint, Founding Emperor Yan was just a humanoid herb.


    The Martial Saint had hoped that after feigning death, the martial artists of this era would bring him some surprises, with new leaders emerging and new superb martial arts appearing.


    However, what he got instead were figures like King Qin, who entered the Dao through martial arts, and Founding Emperor Yan.


    Apart from a mysterious and unpredictable Qiao family member, the Martial Saint¡¯s waiting didn¡¯t result in any good oues.


    In the end, he had to rely on the skill he painstakingly developed called "Taotie Swallowing Heaven Skill."


    Now, he was almost giving up on his fantasies.


    "Gan Kun, send a message to Yan Shenji in the pce," said the Martial Saint.


    "Recently, hasn¡¯t the court¡¯s Flying Fish Guard been investigating our Wuji Association? Do they still want our secrets?""Then, give it to them."


    "Tell him what the so-called amazing inner power transformation method is."


    Wu Qiankun was surprised.


    "Adoptive father, what do you mean? Isn¡¯t this betraying our enemies?"


    "Yan Shenji¡¯s martial arts have no future, they are just a big medicine," said Martial Saint.


    "So why not let this human-shaped big medicine grow a little fatter."


    In fact, in today¡¯s martial arts world, all superb martial artists are considered pioneers on the path above the 1st rank of the Spiritual Refining Period. There is still no clear road ahead, and no superb rank dares to say they have not strayed off course.


    The transformation of internal strength into a superb rank is one of the mainstream Superb Martial Arts discovered in the past few decades, but no one dares to say this path is right.


    The road ahead may be a cliff, a smooth path, or lead to temptation. Who knows?


    "Just that one sentence for Founding Emperor Yan?" Wu Qiankun asked.


    "A true word is worth more than a thousand false ones. If Yan Shenji cannot understand it, then he is not worth the effort. It¡¯s pointless to pay him more attention," said the Martial Saint indifferently.


    "After we finish this task, we should leave Zhong Province," said the Martial Saint in a deep voice.


    "The Nine Immortal Gates value Founding Emperor Yan not only for the sword he wields, but also for other reasons," exined the Martial Saint.


    "If Founding Emperor Yan bes stronger, he can attract the attention of more Immortal Gates, allowing us to act more effectively in the shadows," stated the Martial Saint.


    "With Founding Emperor Yan in Zhong Province and his bncing act with the Great Dao Sect, the situation there is rtively stable," pointed out the Martial Saint.


    "If we draw attention to ourselves, we will have to deal with both Founding Emperor Yan and the Great Dao Sect," warned the Martial Saint.


    "The other eight provinces are in chaos. By walking into such murky waters, we can take advantage of the chaos and benefit ourselves," exined the Martial Saint.


    Martial Saint and the Wuji Association hunt cultivators to enhance their own status.


    The chaos in the other eight provinces is due to the interference of other Immortal Gates. The more active the Immortal Gates be, the easier it is for the Wuji Association to act.


    "Where should we go after leaving Zhong Province?" asked Wu Qiankun.


    Actually, he didn¡¯t need to ask, as he already knew the answer.


    When picking persimmons, it¡¯s better to choose the ripe ones to squeeze. He didn¡¯t really support the Martial Saint¡¯s actions in Zhong Province.


    Within Jiu Province, the most barren area is in the southwest, filled with mountains and sparsely popted. Immortal Gate relies on worshippers, and the Yunxiao Sect in Southwest Province is considered rtively weaker.


    Besides that, the Xuantian Sect in Nan Province has also been weakened due to Emperor Yonghe¡¯s worship incident, making it another good choice.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    Zhong Province, a small town outside the Anxi Pass.


    The former residents of this town were mostly families of soldiers from the Great Yan Western Conquering Army.


    Since the Qiao family sent them letters and led three hundred old soldiers and some elderly from the city, this small town has basically be a gathering ce for the elderly.


    This town has been Hai Siyuan and others¡¯ hiding ce for the past month.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Qiao Mu is currently in a inn in the town, sitting at a table gnawing on a roastedmb leg with the Impermanent Demon Cat lounging on his shoulder.


    The inn¡¯s doors and windows are tightly shut, iming to be closed, but the lobby is packed with old soldiers who havee from different parts of Zhong Province.


    The fat cat is already asleep, with its eyes tightly closed, but still unconsciously clinging to Qiao Mu¡¯s shoulder with all four paws, hanging on like a bear cub, unable to be shaken off no matter what.


    Since the day Qiao Mu crossed over 300 years in his dream and became a peerless master, as soon as the cat emerged from the shadows, it sniffed and immediately rolled its eyes and fell into a deep sleep.


    Before falling asleep, it still made sure to rest on Qiao Mu¡¯s shoulder, closely pressed against his neck, its nose asionally twitching unconsciously.


    However, Qiao Mu didn¡¯t mind, as the fat cat sleeping was a perfect opportunity for him to work his magic on it.


    This one napsted for a month.


    In the span of a month, Qiao Mu had the fat cat wrapped around him like a pearl, to the point where its fur seemed to shine and Qiao Mu used it as a scarf.


    "Don¡¯t say anything, it¡¯s quite warm."


    "The only downside is that this fat cat sometimes drools while sleeping, which is a bit hard to bear."


    "After sleeping for a month, there should be some big changes, right? Could it be to repay a debt?"


    Qiao Mu thought casually, sping his hands together.


    "May the group of Immortal Protectors from the Great Dao Sect bless us, may we not turn into tanks¡­"


    While he was ying with the cat at the table, the inn¡¯s door was pushed open, and a few gray-haired old soldiers walked in, exchanging greetings with Hai Siyuan and others.


    One month after Emperor Wuping ascended the throne, chaos spread throughout thend, causing the Great Yan Imperial Court to lose control over the other eight provinces.


    During this chaotic time in the court, when they were too busy to pay attention to anything else, Qiao Mu and Hai Siyuan spent a month traveling to various parts of Zhong Province, searching for the old soldiers who had once emerged from the isted city.


    More than two hundred old soldiers headed to the Imperial Capital to seek refuge with Hai Wuya, although they were many, they were not all of them.


    In Anxi Town of Zhong Province, the old soldiers who used to be part of a group of three hundred, gathered again to talk about a big change that happened in the imperial city.


    Hai Siyuan and Li Changshi, leading over two hundred old soldiers, now carried the serious crime of killing the emperor.


    Although Emperor Yan showed great restraint and didn¡¯t harm his family, he couldn¡¯t let these rebels who killed the emperor go unpunished.


    Therefore, if the three hundred old soldiers stayed in Zhong Province, they would eventually face an attack from the imperial army once the court regained its strength.


    The battle between the court and the rebels would not change because of Emperor Yan¡¯s personal feelings.


    Those whomit regicide must face death.


    Hai Siyuan and the other two hundred old soldiers were the ones who acted.


    The remaining few dozen old soldiers also needed to be cautious to avoid getting involved.


    All the old soldiers who walked out of the isted city gathered together again.


    "Unexpectedly, after wandering around, we returned to this city," an old soldier watched Li Changshi holding Stone City and sighed.


    "Leaving Zhong Province, traveling with three hundred people is too conspicuous, and most of the time we have to stay in this Stone City," he said.


    "After leaving Zhong Province, do you have a ce to go?" Qiao Mu asked.


    "Yes," Hai Siyuan nodded.


    "My father had a vi in the area near Linhe Mansion in Southwest Province before he passed away. He asked an old friend to buy it to settle these hundreds of people," he exined.


    "Southwest Province is a mountainous region, with a reputation of having a hundred thousand mountains, sparsely popted, which is perfect for us¡­rebels to hide," he continued.


    "Looking back now, most likely he already knew his time was short and left behind a little something," the soldier pondered.


    "So, what about after we go to Southwest Province? Are we going to hide there for the rest of our lives?" Qiao Mu asked again.


    Hai Siyuan hesitated and remained silent in the end.


    Actually, they had no intention of killing the king before entering the Golden Pce.


    The assassination in the pce was not a carefully nned rebellion, but a natural choice due to the changing circumstances.


    Therefore, Hai Siyuan and others didn¡¯t have a clear n on what to do next or their future ns.


    Over the past few days, the veteran soldiers gathered more and more in this small town, but mostly they chatted and worried about the chaotic situation in the entire Jiu Province.


    After assassinating Emperor Yonghe, they felt lost and uncertain about their direction.


    Without their status as officers of Great Yan, they had be wanted criminals by the court. Although Zhong Province seemed vast, they didn¡¯t know where to go.


    With Emperor Yonghe¡¯s death, they felt some relief, but not entirely.


    Everyone knew who was the mastermind behind the almostplete destruction of the once hundred thousand strong army¡­


    As long as the Great Dao Sect exists, the hearts of these three hundred veteran soldiers will always remain in that vast desert. How can they retire peacefully?


    Qiao Mu looked at Hai Siyuan and the others¡¯ reactions and understood roughly.


    After thinking for a moment, he spoke:


    "Have you heard of the Immortal ying Army?"


    Hai Siyuan and the others were first surprised.


    Then all the old soldiers in the inn couldn¡¯t help but look over.


    How could they forget the term Immortal ying Army?


    When they were still in the lonely city, a member of the Qiao family fooled the whole city with a lie about the Immortal ying Army, pretending that reinforcements from the Great Yan wereing, and swept away the decadence of the past.


    "Why did Elder Lao suddenly mention the Immortal ying Army?" Hai Siyuan asked with a bitter smile:


    "The Immortal ying Army was just a lie agreed upon between me and a member of the Qiao family to deceive the entire city."


    "Yes, the Immortal ying Army is indeed a lie," Qiao Mu said solemnly.


    "There has never been an Immortal ying Army in this world. The soldiers of Great Yan lost their will to fight forty years ago. The king surrendered, how could the soldiers still have fighting spirit?"


    The old soldiers smiled bitterly.


    There has never been an Immortal ying Army in this world, only members of the Qiao family.


    It was the members of the Qiao family who entered the desert at the beginning, not the soldiers of Great Yan.


    They had known this for a long time.


    Only Hai Siyuan raised an eyebrow, vaguely realizing something, and looked at Qiao Mu.


    At this moment, Qiao Mu stood up and gazed at the elderly soldiers in the inn.


    "There was no Immortal ying Army in the world before, but from today onwards, there is an Immortal ying Army."


    "Since you¡¯re no longer soldiers of Great Yan, would you dare to join my Immortal ying Army and stand against the Nine Immortal Gates?"


    The old soldiers exchanged nces and in their cloudy eyes, a spark began to flicker.


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 Chapter 279 (2)

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    As more and more Qiao family members sacrificed themselves in battle, they gained unmatched respect in the eyes of these old soldiers.


    If there was a martial artist worthy of leading the "Immortal ying Army" in this world, to them, it was undoubtedly the Qiao family members.


    "Why not? I¡¯ve been fighting with inhuman my whole life, a few more years won¡¯t make a difference," said an old soldier, puffing his beard.


    "Hold on a moment," Qiao Mu raised his hand, silencing the noisy old soldiers around him.


    Taking advantage of the gathered crowd, Qiao Mu prepared to speak openly andy all the ugly truths out in the open.


    At the age of 675, he was far from being young and no longer held onto idealistic notions like "sacrificing oneself to save everyone from death."


    Just like¡­ he couldn¡¯t save Hai Wuya¡¯s life.


    All the effort, three hundred years of time, only extend Hai Wuya¡¯s life by a day and a half, allowing him to die in a different way.Not dying in heavenly prison, not dying in exile, but dying in the morning sunlight, on the bustling streets, surrounded by Hai Siyuan and other old soldiers.


    "To oppose the Immortal Gate is like moving a mountain, not something that can be done overnight." Qiao Mu calmly said:


    "I cannot promise you victory, nor can I promise to save your lives. If you join, many of you will die on the battlefield."


    The old soldiers were slightly stunned.


    They had never heard such a military mobilization, with no grand promises, but instead mentioning dying in battle first.


    "Elder Lao jests. Whichmander can guarantee no casualties in their ranks or always winning battles?" Hai Siyuanughed:


    "Isn¡¯t it just fighting? Who would back down? Cowards would have died in the desert long ago."


    "I¡¯m not afraid of death, only worried about the huge gap between mortals and immortals, dying meaninglessly. Since Elder Lao is leading, why wouldn¡¯t we follow in death?


    "Come,e, bring the wine! Today the Immortal ying Army is established, let¡¯s raise a toast!"


    The innkeeper, who is also a family member of the Western Conquering Army, brought out all the wine from the cer, filling the inn with a fragrant aroma. ???????¨ºs


    The old soldiers were in high spirits and quickly got drunk, embracing each other and singing the military songs of the past.


    Qiao Mu, on the other hand, remained very calm.


    What he was doing today was not just about giving a new direction to the lost old soldiers.


    "Hai Wuya¡¯s kindness is not about a single martial artist¡¯s martial arts skills." Qiao Mu thought to himself.


    "Only when many martial artists practice together, can we see the scene Hai Wuya wants ¨C where all flowers bloom in spring."


    "If I am the only strong one, what¡¯s the point of the ¡®Human Path Sutra¡¯?"


    In fact, Qiao Mu was also preparing for whates after him.


    Nowadays, Qiao Mu can be described as having a strong will, using "gold" as his alias.


    Even though he is strong like iron, he is not indestructible. He can resist swords, but not hydraulic machines.


    The road ahead is bound to be winding. Even at the age of 675, Qiao Mu cannot guarantee that the next time he wakes up from a dream, he will still be clear-headed and rational.


    The Long Life Lock in his heart has a total of five chains, but only thest two remain.


    Based on the current pattern, each time a chain breaks, the length of the dream increases exponentially.


    So what will happen after all the chains have broken?


    Therefore, what he is doing today is lighting a fire.


    By passing on this fire, even if he burns out, he can at least pass on the me to others.


    If one day he also falls into despair and loses hope, there will always be sessors.


    "Drink, drink."


    He drank with the old soldiers, but didn¡¯t feel very drunk.


    Qiao Mu lifted his cup to drink, but suddenly saw a fat cat on his shoulder drooling, with some drool almost dripping into his cup.


    Qiao Mu looked down and noticed a small wet spot on his shoulder.


    "This fat pig¡­" Qiao Mu frowned, then casually wiped the wet spot on his clothes with the fat cat¡¯s chubby cheek.


    Little did he know, with this movement, the Impermanent Demon Cat seemed to be startled awake, with its eyes half open and about to fully awaken.


    As its eyes opened, the cat¡¯s body seemed to slightly swell and change.


    "Hmm? Is it really going to transform to repay the favor?"


    Qiao Mu then stood up and left the table early, going to find an empty room on the second floor of the inn, rubbing his hands and waiting.


    "I hope this pig demon bes prettier, definitely not a tank¡­ Oops, it¡¯s a cat demon¡­"


    In a glow, the fat cat, whose belly almost touched the ground, gradually transformed. Its body grew bigger, and its fur turned into smooth skin.


    In a short time, it had transformed into a graceful young girl.


    The girl looked about fifteen years old, with slightly chubby cheeks, a bit baby-faced. Her smooth golden hair cascaded down her back, and among the hair, two furry cat ears faintly stood up, looking simr to a cat¡¯s form, seeming quite squeezable.


    Qiao Mu was not polite at all.


    He directly walked up and pinched her cheek, then gently touched the cat ears. Feeling the ears twitch in his hand, the sensation was not much different from when she was in a cat form.


    "Not plump at all? These immortals from the Great Dao Sect really take revenge directly. Next time I kill him, I¡¯ll make sure to enjoy it." Qiao Mu expressed his surprise.


    After the fat cat transformed, her face still had a bit of baby fat, a bit chubby, but notpletely round.


    However, when he looked down, he couldn¡¯t hold back his surprise.


    The girl¡¯s belly was bulging high,bined with a face and limbs without extra fat, she looked quite strange.


    Pure thin branches hung withrge fruits.


    However, the position of these fruits seemed a bit odd, at first nce, it looked like she was several months pregnant.


    "Punishment, too much punishment, who taught you to look like this?" Qiao Mu said, holding his head with one hand.


    As soon as the Cat Woman opened her eyes, she moved closer to Qiao Mu, sniffing gently at his neck and kept muttering:


    "Joe¡­ Joe¡­ Joe Joe, Joe Joe¡­ Joe Joe Joe."


    "Can you me me for this too?" Qiao Mu was puzzled for a while before noticing that this capricious creature didn¡¯t seem very clever.


    Even though he sessfully transformed, he had trouble speaking fluently and could only say the word "Joe"?


    Suddenly, Qiao Mu remembered that when he was in the solitary city in the desert, Storyteller irvoyance hade to warn him that if the Impermanent Demon Cat absorbed too much death energy and had too strong a foundation, it would face many obstacles in transforming into a human.


    Qiao Mu originally thought that the obstacles irvoyance mentioned were about iplete transformations, like having multiple cat ears or a cat tail, but now it seems¡­


    "The obstacle is that all the magic essence piled up on the belly, is the belly too big?"


    Qiao Mu was speechless.


    He reached out to stop the capricious girl from rushing towards him, suddenly feeling ufortable getting too close to the humanoid capricious being¡­ after all, the scene was too strange.


    If seen by others, they might think that this six-hundred-year-old senior of the Qiao family had made the speechless, mentally challenged belly too big at fifteen?


    Men in Jiu Province are considered adults at twenty, while women at fifteen. They are of marriageable age.


    Therefore, the cat demon capricious being, who looks around fifteen now, would be considered marriageable age in Jiu Province.


    But in Qiao Mu¡¯s eyes, it was too strange.


    Just then, a knocking sound at the door made Qiao Mu startle.


    "Is Elder Lao feeling drunk so early?" asked Li Changshi as he knocked on the door.


    "Would Elder Lao like some sour plum soup to sober up?"


    Fidgety, even though Qiao Mu hadn¡¯t done anything, when Li Changshi approached the door, he truly felt a guilty conscience.


    "No need, I¡¯m tired, please don¡¯t disturb me."


    Just as Qiao Mu turned to speak to Li Changshi, the capricious maiden suddenly shed by, agilely leaping onto Qiao Mu¡¯s back, all four limbs hanging on top, her round belly resembling a big balloon, nearly causing Qiao Mu to stumble.


    "This fat cat¡­ quickly change back for me!"


    Qiao Mu tore the capricious maiden off his back, annoyed and embarrassed, pressing down on her belly with force.


    Whether the capricious maiden was secretly cooperating or not, when Qiao Mu pressed down with force, her big belly did indeed dete like a balloon, bing t.


    But as the belly copsed, two small hills actually rose on the chest area, looking plump and quite sizable.


    "ying whack-a-mole here?"


    "Never mind, this appearance is quite graceful, not bad like this."


    Comparing looks and figure, what Qiao Mu cared more about was that this fat cat, if turned into a person, seemed not very clever, with wide open eyes full of wisdom.


    Qiao Mu let out a slight sigh.


    Life is tough.


    Going to Southwest Province meant not only carrying on Hai Wuya¡¯s legacy and teaching the old soldiers martial arts, but also teaching this silly cat to speak?


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    At the same time.


    Jiang Chen kept his eyes closed, a ck cloth covering his eyes, being led forward by storyteller iraudience.


    They walked for a while until the ground beneath their feet felt different. It changed from soil to wooden floorboards, making a clear creaking sound as they stepped on them.


    "Alright. You are now inside the Tide Listening Building. "


    Storyteller iraudience took off the ck cloth from Jiang Chen¡¯s face and smiled at him.


    Jiang Chen opened his eyes and looked around, feeling slightly disappointed.


    In front of him was a wooden tower, with its decorations andyout simr to a typical tea or wine house.


    iraudience had made it all mysterious and even blindfolded Jiang Chen, but when he finally saw the Tide Listening Building, it was quite different from what he had imagined.


    Thinking that the Tide Listening Building, the most mysterious force in the martial arts world, would be extraordinary, Jiang Chen was surprised to find it quite ordinary.


    iraudience seemed to understand Jiang Chen¡¯s thoughts and without exining, led him up the stairs.


    "Come with me, the Landlord is waiting for you upstairs."


    "Should I go directly to see the Landlord?" Jiang Chen didn¡¯t think much of it at first, but upon hearing this, he felt a bit nervous.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    The Landlord of the Tide Listening Building was undoubtedly a mysterious figure in the martial arts world.


    In the past, the Martial Saint had wiped out all the Shaolin and Wudang schools, but the Tide Listening Building, with its mysterious and aloof status, was left untouched¡­ Many in the martial arts world spected that perhaps the Tide Listening Building was extraordinary, with experts inside that even the Martial Saint feared.


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 Chapter 280 (1)

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    Jiang Chen looked up and saw that the stairs of the building kept spiraling upwards like a snake, curving and twisting. When Jiang Chen looked up from the first floor, he couldn¡¯t see the end of the stairs.


    "This Tide Listening Building is so tall?" Jiang Chen was surprised.


    When he took off the ck cloth, he found himself inside this building without knowing how tall it was. Just now, when he looked up the stairs, he vaguely felt something was amiss.


    "If the building isn¡¯t built higher, how can we listen to the tides?" iraudience chuckled, her eyes seeming to hold a deeper meaning.


    Does this phrase hint at something more?


    Tall building, there must be some skilled people.


    Nowadays, Jiu Province has turned into a mess, but whether it was the Inhuman War forty years ago or the challenging weather in the past forty years, Tide Listening Building still stands strong.


    No tall building, how to listen to the tide?If Tide Listening Building is just an ordinary martial arts force, it would be impossible for it to remain aloof like this.


    iraudience continued:


    "Don¡¯t ask now, when you meet Landlord Nian Chao Shengter and pass his test, you can ask any questions you want."


    "Do we really need the Landlord to test us personally? Is it that important?" Jiang Chen was surprised.


    Jiang Chen¡¯s skills were average when he joined Tide Listening Building a year or two ago, he has reached the 7th rank only with the guidance of storyteller iraudience.


    The only skills he excelled in were lightness techniques and storytelling.


    The practice of talking, iraudience mastered it well.


    When Jiang Chen heard that the Landlord would personally inspect, he felt nervous because he knew his martial arts skills were average.


    "No need to be nervous. Every official member of the Tide Listening Building has to be inspected by the Landlord," iraudience said with a smile.


    "It¡¯s not a big deal to be inspected," he added.


    "Our Tide Listening Building usually stays out of worldly affairs, just focusing on listening to the tides. So, the level of martial arts skills doesn¡¯t really matter."


    "Just practice some light skills usually, use self-defense tricks to protect yourself."


    "The Landlord is easy to talk to. As long as you match his taste, show cleverness and humor, you can join the Tide Listening Building."


    After speaking, iraudience said no more, just led Jiang Chen step by step up the stairs.


    Interesting¡­ seems like an easy-going person.


    Jiang Chen was deep in thought, following iraudience as they walked forward.


    The other floors they passed through had closed doors that didn¡¯t open for Jiang Chen.


    After walking for a while, Jiang Chen estimated it took about a quarter of an hour to reach the top floor.


    Above the tall building, there were walls on three sides of the pavilion, and on the other side was a wooden railing with intricate carvings of various animals like snakes, bugs, tigers, and leopards. ?¦¡?¨°§£¨§?


    Apart from that, there were no other decorations or furnishings, not even tables and chairs.


    Despite theck of furniture, there were dozens of people gathered there, all sitting on the floor directly, chatting in groups.


    It seemed like a banquet was being held there, with many people having wine jars and cups in front of them, some already with slightly red cheeks from drinking.


    Among these banquet guests, Jiang Chen recognized several storytellers who nodded and greeted him briefly.


    Looking around, many of the guests there were outstanding in appearance and had a unique charm that set them apart at first nce.


    Storyteller irvoyance opened his third eye, his eyes shining with a cold light, chatting andughing with the guests around him.


    "To see a thousand miles, climb one more level."


    "Only by standing in a high enough ce can you see farther. Today, climbing high with colleagues, just to have a distant view."


    Beside him, a white-haired schr nodded, "History is a long river. Only by breaking out of the current era, learning from history, can one turn into a fish leaping out of the river, peeking at the future course of the river."


    A Confucian schr with a high hat held a wine jug in one hand and a brush in the other, quickly writing on the paper posted on the wall. Sometimes dipping the brush in ink, sometimes in wine, the writing was vigorous and powerful, showing a hint of unruly style.


    There was also a burly man nearly two meters tall, bald and scarred on his face, like a sculpture standing in a corner of the crowd. His breathing was inaudible, only asionally scanning the surroundings with cold eyes, as sharp as lightning, emitting a chilling aura, imposing and intimidating.


    They all looked extraordinary.


    But the most extraordinary was the person standing alone leaning on the railing outside the crowd.


    He was a fair-faced schr, looking like he was only in his twenties, with porcin-like fair skin and handsome features, exuding a schrly air.


    He leaned against the railing, gazing at the vast sea of clouds beyond. It seemed like his mind was lost in it. The clouds were beautiful, like a painting, and so was his profile.


    "Landlord, I¡¯ve brought the neer," Shun Feng bowed to the fair-faced schr and said.


    "Neer? Come here," the fair-faced schr beckoned Jiang Chen with a smile.


    Is he the Landlord? Is his name Nian Chao Sheng?


    Jiang Chen thought to himself, suddenly feeling that the seemingly young fair-faced schr before him looked much more imposing.


    Perhaps this is a psychological factor.


    No matter how you look at it, the Tide Listening Building doesn¡¯t seem like an ordinary martial arts force. It exudes a sense of mystery and aloofness.


    The more Jiang Chen thought about it, the more he felt that Landlord Nian Chao Sheng in front of him had an extraordinary air about him, almost otherworldly.


    The schr seemed easy-going, inviting Jiang Chen to stand shoulder to shoulder with him at the railing. He then pointed to the sea of clouds outside and asked:


    "Come, tell me, what did you see?"


    Jiang Chen leaned against the railing and looked ahead.


    In the field of vision, there was originally a vast expanse of cloud and mist.


    With a point from LandlordNian Chao Sheng, the vast sea of clouds seemed to be cleared by an invisible force, revealing clear skies.


    Beneath the original clouds and mist were undting mountains, cities scattered across thend, andkes of various sizes.


    "Is this Tide Listening Building really this tall? It¡¯s taller than the mountains?" Jiang Chen was surprised.


    Generally, such a tall building should be famous far and wide, but he had never heard of it¡­ This was indeed very unusual.


    "Come on, what did you see?" LandlordNian Chao Sheng urged.


    Jiang Chen felt a bit nervous.


    Thinking of iraudience¡¯s reminder before going upstairs, saying that this Landlord likes interesting people¡­ but how can he answer to seem interesting?


    Jiang Chen isn¡¯t anyone special, just a storyteller with low martial arts skills.


    At this critical moment, he felt his mind go nk, unable to remember anything. In the end, he could only dryly reply:


    "I saw several small andrge cities, but they were too far away for me to see clearly which city it was."


    He sounded a bit cautious, still sneaking nces at the fair-faced schr out of the corner of his eye.


    As expected.


    After saying this, the idle chatter of the other storytellers in the building gradually quieted down, and the surrounding area suddenly fell silent. The guests all looked over, smiling ambiguously at him.


    This answer was indeed too ordinary.


    The test from Tide Listening Building¡¯s Landlord seemed to hold great mystery, otherwise, with no eyes, wouldn¡¯t it be hard for him to see how many cities were below?


    Landlord Nian Chao Sheng¡¯s expression remained unchanged, showing no emotions, leaving Jiang Chen unable to detect any feelings from him.


    "So, is this your answer?" Nian Chao Sheng asked calmly, still showing no emotional response.


    Jiang Chen didn¡¯t reply immediately.


    At that moment, his heart beat a bit faster, trying hard toe up with an interesting answer¡­ but he couldn¡¯t think of one at all.


    After all, he was just an ordinary martial artist, feeling nervous in front of thendlord of the Tide Listening Building. Under pressure, he couldn¡¯te up with a good response.


    At this moment, even though he was feeling regretful and ming himself, his mind waspletely nk and he couldn¡¯t think of anything.


    "Apart from the city, are there¡­ severalkes?"


    Jiang Chen knew he had made a mistake as soon as the words left his mouth. The more he tried to exin, the more foolish his answer seemed¡­


    As expected.


    Nian Chao Sheng, the young man with fair skin, chuckled and said:


    "If there is a Buddha in your heart, everything you see is a Buddha; if there are living beings in your heart, everything you see is a living being; if there are obstacles in your heart, everything you see is an obstacle. And you¡­"


    Nian Chao Sheng didn¡¯t continue his words.


    Someone in the crowd spoke up instead:


    "But he has an empty heart, only seeing the surface of things, so he is a person without ambition."


    The crowd murmured and looked towards Jiang Chen with piercing eyes.


    "I see, he is a person without ambition," said the young man with fair skin thoughtfully.


    He turned around to face Jiang Chen directly for the first time, a smile appearing on his face suddenly:


    "Since he is without ambition, then I can rest easy."


    "Come, let¡¯s toast to this friend and congratte him on joining Tide Listening Building."


    "Cheers!" A friendly stranger with a familiar face brought a jug of wine over and handed a full big bowl of wine to Jiang Chen, who waspletely puzzled.


    "What is this¡­" Jiang Chen was utterly confused.


    "Wow, this neer still hasn¡¯te to his senses, truly a great find for my Tide Listening Building," someone praised.


    "Do you know the purpose of my Tide Listening Building?"


    The guests all together answered,


    "Listen to the tides, but don¡¯t make waves."


    Things in the worlde and go like tides, and those who make waves are the outstanding figures at the forefront of the times.


    Tide Listening Building has always stayed away from the mainstream trends, silently observing and listening, never actively participating. That is the purpose of Tide Listening Building.


    Landlord Nian Chao Sheng sat on the ground without caring about his appearance, blending into the crowd, smiling as he exined:


    "Those who think too much and have big ambitions are not suitable for my Tide Listening Building, where we only listen to the tide without causing disruptions."


    "Someone once told me that he looked down from the clouds and saw the ¡®mountains and rivers¡¯, saw the whole world."


    "People with such great ambitions were immediately ushered out by me, to prevent any trouble in the future that could harm my Tide Listening Building."


    "Therefore, we at Tide Listening Building select only ordinary people without grand ambitions!" Nian Chao Sheng said confidently.


    "Landlord is a great talent!"


    "Landlord is amazing!"


    "Haha, brother, you are also useless. I won¡¯t pretend anymore." The drunken artist who had been painting while drinking earlier, now threw away his brush and started drinking heavily, looking like a drunkard with no elegance left.


    "I don¡¯t need to pretend to be elegant either." The goat-bearded schr who had been talking grandly with irvoyance earlier was now ying drinking games with a heavily made-up woman.


    The tall scar-faced man in the crowd took a deep breath, feeling relieved.


    "So you¡¯re just as useless as me, I thought a great neer had arrived. Scared me to death, I couldn¡¯t even breathe properly."


    Jiang Chen: ?


    After a while, he finally realized what had happened, feeling like a light bulb had turned on in his head.


    Unable to resist, he nced sideways at iraudience and saw him smirk, finally understanding what was going on.


    The real test actually started for him when he entered the Tide Listening Building.


    The examiner was not only the Landlord, but also the guide who led him up the stairs, iraudience.


    Phrases like "The Landlord personally tests you" and "Just need to be funny to impress the Landlord" were actually a form of maniption.


    If Jiang Chen was a calcting person, in order to leave a good impression on the Landlord, he would likely have toe up with a unique answer.


    For example, seeing words like "rivers and mountains", "the world", "all living beings"¡­


    This kind of answer, no matter how you look at it, is much better than just seeing a few cities andkes.


    And this is actually a trap.


    "The more cunning and ambitious a person is, the less likely they are liked by thendlord, am I right?" Jiang Chen couldn¡¯t help butugh and cry after understanding this.


    Although bing an official member of the Tide Listening Building, beingbeled as mediocre¡­ doesn¡¯t feel good at all.


    "We at Tide Listening Building specialize in nurturing talents!" Landlord Nian Chao Shengughed:


    "Old Ma, have you finished writing your couplet?"


    The schr who had been drinking and writing just now smiled and nodded, then pulled the paper with the couplet off the wall and held it up at the banquet.


    Upon closer inspection, Jiang Chen saw that the couplet indeed had strong and forceful calligraphy, but the two lines above made him confused.


    "Reach for the sky elsewhere, risk life and limb not to enter this door!"


    "Oh old horse, oh old horse, your writing is excellent!" praised the owner of Tide Listening Building.


    "I will hang this couplet under the signboard of our Tide Listening Building as soon as we get back!"


    "Come,e, let¡¯s all have a drink!"


    "With talents like you all at Tide Listening Building, we will surely thrive!"


    Jiang Chenughed along with everyone, continuously pouring and drinking wine, but feeling even more bewildered inside.


    Who am I, where am I, what am I doing¡­.


    Tide Listening Building truly turned out surprisingly extraordinary, but it was somewhat different from what he had imagined¡­.


    Initially, he was forcibly invited to join by the storyteller iraudience, but as time passed, he got used to the way things were done at Tide Listening Building.


    Looking back, he felt that joining the Tide Listening Building was a major turning point in his life, but now he suddenly had some regrets¡­


    The guests didn¡¯t mind at all and simply sat on the ground drinking without tables or chairs.


    Everyone was in high spirits, and after three rounds of drinks, the smell of alcohol filled the air.


    "Young master." Suddenly, a handsome swordsman next to him patted his shoulder.


    "I feel a bit hot from drinking too much. I¡¯m going to take off this coat outside, hope you don¡¯t mind?"


    Jiang Chen was initially a bit disappointed and not in the mood for drinking. However, upon hearing this, he frowned as he nced at the handsome swordsman next to him.


    He felt something was off in his heart.


    Jiang Chen, also a swordsman from the martial world, didn¡¯t care much about formalities. It was normal for people in the martial world to drink shirtless, so why bother asking him?


    However, looking at the person who asked, who was very handsome, he suddenly thought of the past in Yan City. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder if this person was simr to Childe Guo from Yan City in the past, a man of great charm.


    Thinking about this made Jiang Chen shiver, and he said without expression:


    "If you want to undress, then undress. Why act so coy and ask me?"


    "Good, the neer on the stage is indeed unconventional," the handsome swordsman said as he reached to pull off his own face, peeling off his skin.


    Face¡­ skin?


    Jiang Chen was suddenly shocked and startled, almost sober from his daze.


    Focusing his gaze, he saw a fair and beautiful maiden emerge from beneath the handsome swordsman¡¯s skin.


    She removed the handsome swordsman¡¯s skin from the outside, neatly folding the entire piece like clothing and cing it on the floor nearby.


    Jiang Chen¡¯s eyes widened, and he stood up abruptly;


    "Wha- wha- what is going on here?" he pointed at the beautiful maiden who had just removed the skin, feeling a cold sweat break out.


    "Oh, you¡¯re talking about her." Came the voice of the storyteller iraudience nearby.


    "Although Little Butterfly is a girl, she likes to dress like a boy normally. Don¡¯t stare at her, she has a liking for unusual outfits, and she¡¯s sensitive about it."


    "What the heck does dressing like a boy mean?" Jiang Chen suddenly turned around, about to argue with iraudience.


    Upon turning around, Jiang Chen saw that the appearance of many guests at the feast had subtly changed.


    "Don¡¯t recognize them anymore?" iraudience said.


    "They usually just use a little bit of magic to hide."


    "Since you have climbed this tower, you should be open and let you see our true appearance."


    "Our?"


    Jiang Chen felt a thud in his heart, turned his head to look at the feast in the tower again, and saw many guests stillughing and drinking loudly, but many of them had gradually changed their faces.


    The old horse who was writing couplets just now, now his face has truly elongated, turning into a horse¡¯s head.


    In the corner stood a burly giant over two meters tall, his skin gradually turning into a grayish-white color resembling stone, just like a stone statue.


    Storyteller irvoyance, on the other hand, had not changed much, still looking human-like, except that the third eye on his forehead waspletely open.


    Looking around, most of the guests on this top floor had changed their appearance, losing their human form, taking on various strange and non-human shapes.


    "Actually, after all this time, you must have some guesses in your heart, right?" storyteller iraudience said calmly:


    "Our Tide Listening Building is no longer just a martial arts power, but a ce for half-demons within the human royal dynasty."


    "Initially, Tide Listening Building was indeed a martial arts power, but they provoked too many people, inevitably attracting the covetousness of strong individuals from the human world, on the brink of destruction¡­ until our Landlord intervened, seizing control of Tide Listening Building."


    "Demons? Half-demons?" Jiang Chen finally understood in his heart.


    It turns out that demons and half-demons have always lived among humans, just concealing their true faces.


    Normal people can disguise themselves easily, immortals have illusions, and demons have their own magical abilities.


    At this point, he actually started to calm down slightly.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    He had unknowingly be deeply involved in this demon n¡¯s power struggle, even bing an official member, so getting anxious now wouldn¡¯t help.


    "So, Tide Listening Building stays neutral, always listening to the tides but not creating waves, because the current conflict between immortals and humans in Jiu Province ultimately boils down to internal human struggles, and demons are just watching from the sidelines," Jiang Chen cautiously asked.


    Nine Immortal Gates, although referred to as inhuman, actually share the same origins with humans, originally from the same roots.


    "Your words show ssic bias," Storyteller irvoyance interjected at this moment, shaking his head slightly.


    "When humans refer to demons, it¡¯s actually a human term."


    "Humans are a single race, but demons are not. The so-called demons are actually tens of thousands of different groups of beings."


    "Among these demon kinds, their thoughts are wildly diverse and varied, so you can¡¯t generalize them."


    "Some monsters think that the conflict between the immortals and mortals is just a civil war among humans, so why interfere?"


    "Some monsters believe that humans are also a branch of monsters, just without fur on their faces. In-fighting within the groups is amon urrence."


    "There are others who have no thoughts or attitudes. They believe it is natural for humans to eat monsters and monsters to eat humans. The current mutual ughter among humans is just following thews of nature, so why interfere?"


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 Chapter 280 (2)

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    "Of course, monsters belong to monsters, and we half-demons belong to half-demons," irvoyance said, her expression slightly dimming.


    Half-demons are hybrids of monsters and humans. Different half-demons often have varying degrees of monster characteristics.


    Of course, there are half-demons whose appearance doesn¡¯t show any difference and look just like ordinary people.


    irvoyance is fine; she has an extra eye on her forehead, which can be disguised to conceal the special characteristics of humans. No big problem.


    There are other half-demons with significant differences in appearance from ordinary people. If they are in a human kingdom, they would be seen as monsters; within the monstermunity, they would be considered as anomalies, not belonging on either side.


    Therefore, Tide Listening Building came into existence.


    The power that Landlord Nian Chao Sheng established in this building was mainly made up of half-demons who lived among the human kingdom, providing a ce for them to stay.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    However, the attitudes and positions of these half-demons varied from person to person.Some were friendly towards humans, while others watched from a distance.


    Regardless of their attitudes, once they entered the Tide Listening Building, they had to follow the rules of the building.


    "So, all of you are half-demons?" Jiang Chen looked around carefully, feeling a sigh in his heart.


    This time, he had stepped into the world of monsters¡­


    There were hundreds of people present, most of whom looked drastically different.


    "Not entirely." iraudience pointed at himself.


    As the one who led Jiang Chen into the Tide Listening Building, he was actually a pure human like Jiang Chen, but with exceptional hearing abilities from a young age and special talents. He also trained in martial artster in life, making him one of the few with unique abilities among humans.


    "Xiao Die¡­ you should have noticed, she is a demon who wears human skin on normal days."


    "And Shilei¡­" iraudience pointed to a tall, muscr man with skin like stone crouched in the corner of the crowd:


    "He is a half-stone demon."


    "What is a half-stone demon?" Jiang Chen became more and more confused.


    This so-called stone demon should be a strange monster formed by stones.


    And a half-demon is the offspring of a human and a demon.


    As for the half-stone demon?


    "I advise you not to inquire too deeply into this question." iraudience nced at the two-meter giant who was already heavily drunk, his eyes zed over, then whispered:


    "I heard that a schr caught in a downpour on his way to the exams took shelter in a cave along the road¡­"


    "That stone mountain is his mother¡­"


    Jiang Chen: ¡­


    He felt his brain was not working properly today.


    In short.


    Tide Listening Building is a gathering ce for a group of strange and unique people.


    They don¡¯t have a strong position; if any, it is just neutral.


    "I see, so this is the reason why Tide Listening Building still stands strong." Jiang Chen pondered.


    They don¡¯t fight for power, don¡¯t cause trouble, just quietly listen to the tides of the world.


    Tide Listening Building is not purely a martial arts force.


    However, upon second thought¡­ It is said that in ancient times, the demon tribe used topete fiercely with human cultivators, but it is not the same anymore.


    Whether for human cultivators or human martial artists, demons and demon beasts are considered treasures.


    The former can refine treasures from the bodies of big demons, while thetter¡­ demon beasts have strong vitality, surpassing ordinary human martial artists. They are a great supplement for martial arts cultivation.


    "Jiang Chen." At this moment, iraudience reminded.


    "It¡¯s rare to see the Landlord. If you have any other questions in your mind, feel free to ask them too."


    With this reminder from iraudience, Jiang Chen remembered why he was brought to the main building of the Tide Listening Building by iraudience.


    When revising the Martial Arts Ranking List, he had some doubts about several half-demons dominating the Power List. He questioned the credibility of the Power List, wondering if the top-ranked Demon Spear Qin Li deserved to be on par with Earth Sword Immortal, Founding Emperor Yan, and others.


    Now thinking back¡­ the Power List has almost be a demon-dominated list, which is naturally rted to the power of half-demons at the Tide Listening Building.


    "Could it be that the reason the Martial Saint didn¡¯t destroy the Tide Listening Building was because there were experts in the building that made the Martial Saint wary?" Jiang Chen voiced his inner doubts.


    "Nowadays, in this world, it¡¯s not easy to stay out of trouble," said Landlord Nian Chao Sheng.


    "Without the ability to protect oneself, one doesn¡¯t even have the qualification to seek a peaceful corner to listen to the tides."


    By saying this, Landlord Nian Chao Sheng was indirectly admitting something.


    Jiang Chen couldn¡¯t help but look around.


    These half-demons, though they im to be aimless and ordinary people without ambitions.


    But if they were really useless, how could they survive in today¡¯s chaotic world as half-demons?


    "Could it be that only I am truly ordinary?" Jiang Chen couldn¡¯t help but have this thought.


    "So these half-demons are hanging out here like they own the ce?"


    Perhaps theyck ambition, but they definitely have the ability to protect themselves.


    "Landlord, the ranking of the Tide Listening Building¡¯s Power List is almost equivalent to the Demon List. Is this biased?" Jiang Chen asked again.


    "Is the Demon Spear Qin Li truly on the same level as Earth Sword Immortal and Founding Emperor Yan?"


    "Oh? Are you questioning the Martial Arts Ranking List?" Nian Chao Sheng chuckled.


    "In this world, half-demons who consider themselves human, and train in martial arts like regr people, why can¡¯t they be included in the Power List?"


    "How different is the special physique of humans from those with the bloodline of demons?"


    "Let¡¯s not talk about these trivial matters, let¡¯s have another drink."


    "Today is a day for drinking, let¡¯s get drunk!"


    Nian Chao Sheng raised his cup, leaned against the railing, looked at the waves of clouds outside the railing, and his lips slightly curved upwards.


    It¡¯s windy.


    He turned away from the crowd, his robe swaying with the movement of the clouds.


    "In the present age, there is a great and rare change taking ce."


    "The demon n, hiding between the vast mountains in the southwest and the distant inds overseas, is no longer the main focus of this world. It is the human cultivators who are the rulers of this realm."


    "The Nine Heavens and Ten Earths have long held control over this world, with the tennds already declining, leaving only the Nine Heavenly Immortal Gates standing. How much longer can they stand?"


    "What lies ahead in the future?"


    "The founder of the Great Yan dynasty, who lived for three hundred years, has reappeared, wielding the Human Emperor Sword to intimidate the Immortal Gate."


    "After years ofying low, the Martial Saint finally shows signs of devouring the heavens."


    "Although the Earth Sword Immortal once possessed a moment of soaring sword energy, his physical body has now beenpletely destroyed, leaving uncertainty about whether he will ever draw his sword again."


    "And then there are the Qiao family members, the most mysterious group, who seem to have appeared out of nowhere like stones popping out of a crack." Nian Chao Sheng¡¯s expression seemed quite peculiar as he mentioned this.


    The Tide Listening Building is very mysterious, with storytellers who have special powers like being able to see the future and hear faraway sounds.


    So, the Tide Listening Building has excellent intelligence capabilities, knowing almost everything.


    For example, the secrets in the Hundred-mile Desert were brought back by Storyteller irvoyance after personally visiting the frontlines of battle.


    They know a lot.


    But the more they know, the more they find the Qiao family members strange and unexpected.


    "Not to mention the Qiao family members¡­just think about Founding Emperor Yan, Earth Sword Immortal, and Martial Saint¡­"


    "The coexistence of martial arts leaders from different eras in one lifetime, is this a resurgence of human fate, or the final twilight glow?"


    Nian Chao Sheng raised his ss, not drinking with the many guests behind him, but instead looking at the vast sea of clouds in front of him and the vastnd below the clouds.


    "Those chattering Immortal Gate cultivators from the Southeast Province¡¯s Soul Predicting Path keep talking about a great disaster approaching, could it be rted to this battle between immortals and mortals?"


    "But who rules over this vastnd of blue sky and white clouds?"


    Nian Chao Sheng raised his ss and drank it all in one gulp.


    He was a traveler on earth, delighted by the decline of the Nine Immortal Gates but indifferent to the oue, all he cared about was¡­ whether the process was exciting and interesting.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    Qiao Mu and his group journeyed through the mountains and forests, passing through towering peaks, after many days, they finally saw the boundary marker by the road.


    The boundary marker had the words "Southwest Province" written on it. Once they entered from here, they would be in Southwest Province.


    "Southwest Province? I heard this ce is full of mountains, sparsely popted, and the Immortal Gate that rules over thisnd is called Yunxiao Sect?" Qiao Mu casually asked.


    "Hai Siyuan, do you know anything about this Yunxiao Sect?"


    Although their group didn¡¯t intend to provoke the Immortal Gate, with the chaos in Jiu Province now, they naturally had to be prepared to stand against the Immortal Gate cultivators.


    "Yunxiao Sect, huh?" Li Changshi next to him spoke first:


    "I heard that the name of this Yunxiao Sectes from the meaning of ¡®a feather in the eternal sky¡¯."


    "The current Nine Immortal Gates each have their own strengths, Zhong Province Great Dao Sect excels in the method of refining Taoist soldiers, and among many Taoist methods, ¡®Bean Breaks Through the Sky¡¯ is highly respected."


    "The cultivators from Yunxiao Sect specialize in the Method of Guarding Beasts. I heard that the most outstanding technique is called¡­"


    Qiao Mu pondered: Could the ultimate skill of controlling beasts in the Yunxiao Sect be called¡­ Unscientific Beast Control?


    "The Beast Blood Boils," solemnly dered Li Changshi.


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 Chapter 281:

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    The boundary monument of Southwest Province is not far away.


    Next to a watch post at the edge of the official road.


    A huge tiger with two wings on its back and a body length of three to four meters was snoring under a tree in the shade, snoring thunderously.


    Beside the huge tiger, a thin ck young man of about twenty was holding his nose while scooping up the tiger¡¯s droppings and burying them nearby.


    "Eat more, poop more, they really are a bunch of animals."


    The thin ck young man couldn¡¯t help muttering.


    "Xiao Chen, I advise you not to speak out of turn." Beside him, a middle-aged skinny man was sitting next to the sleeping tiger, grooming its fur. When he heard this, he spoke up to caution him.


    "The flying tiger raised by the leader of Yunxiao Sect is a spiritual beast that understands human emotions.""If he eats you up, where will you seek justice?"


    This outpost is located not far from the boundary marker of Southwest Province, situated near the official road, serving as one of the main entrances to Southwest Province and its neighboring areas.


    Currently, Southwest Province is in chaos, having lost contact with Zhong Province. This simple outpost¡­ though called an outpost, actually consists of only two or three wooden huts, very basic in nature.


    Despite being called an outpost, the skinny young man inside is not a lookout guard but rather a beast ve responsible for cleaning up and feeding the flying tiger.


    The middle-aged man next to him is the same.


    There are no lookout guards within this outpost. The one responsible for scouting out enemies is actually the huge tiger sleeping soundly under the tree.


    "He eats more than us. Can¡¯t Iin a little?" The skinny young man nced at the sky, realizing the sun was high and that the tiger was beginning to awaken, knowing it was about time for a meal.


    He went into the wooden house, quickly carried a big bucket of meat, and started feeding the tiger.


    "Wow, Xiao Chen, you look skinny but are really strong. You can lift this big bucket of meat with one hand?" A skinny middle-aged man next to him praised.


    "What¡¯s the use of being strong? We are just brought here to shovel shit for this beast." The ck, skinny young man clearly had a bad temper.


    "Shoveling shit is not all. We have to take care of these two beasts for everything ¨C grooming, feeding, and even massaging them ording to Professor Xian Chang¡¯s techniques¡­ I have never even had a massage in my life." The skinny middle-aged man said halfway, then suddenly his gaze fell on the bucket of meat in the hands of the ck, skinny young man.


    "Is this yourst bucket of meat? Seems like there is none left in the storage room?" The skinny middle-aged man¡¯s voice suddenly lowered.


    "Yes, there is none left. We won¡¯t have anything to eat tonight, we¡¯ll just have to go hungry." The ck, skinny young man spoke grumpily.@@novelbin@@


    "Not only us going hungry¡­ These beasts are usually fine to deal with, but if they get hungry, they can even eat people." The skinny middle-aged man was starting to break into a cold sweat.


    "It can eat people? Where is the leader of the Yunxiao Sect? Are these beasts raised by them?" The ck, skinny young man was shocked, frowning as he asked.


    The leader of the Yunxiao Sect is like a mysterious dragon, disappearing for a while whenever he goes into seclusion. He is oftente when he returns. The middle-aged man frowned.


    "Thest time he appeared must have been about half a month ago, right? No wonder the meat in the cer has been eaten by that creature."


    The two beast ves looked at each other for a while, their brows furrowing.


    The nearby flying tiger was enjoying the meat in the bucket and didn¡¯t notice the two people¡¯s strange behavior.


    "Should we run and bring along Little Third Brother?" asked the skinny dark-haired youth cautiously.


    "Run? Do you think these tigers are blind? These mysterious tigers are smart, if you really run, you¡¯d end up in their belly," said the skinny middle-aged man shaking his head.


    "You¡¯re new here, you might not have heard Little Third talking about the past¡­ Around ten people were captured to serve these two beasts at this checkpoint before."


    "Three people tried to escape, but they were all swallowed by these beasts."


    "Now in this checkpoint, it¡¯s just you, me, and Little Third, three of us left."


    The skinny dark-haired youth counted and felt something was off. "There were ten in total, three escaped, and now there are three left¡­ shouldn¡¯t there be four left? Uncle Zhang, you¡¯re not counting right."


    "Oh¡­you think I can¡¯t count? It¡¯s probably because you¡¯re forgetful. The other four werete once when the immortal leader visited, there was no meat left in the cer, so they ended up being eaten by those two beasts," the sweaty middle-aged man exined.


    "They ran one or two miles away, but couldn¡¯t escape the beasts¡¯ noses."


    "How was I supposed to know that creature would resort to eating people when it¡¯s starving?"


    "In that case, there¡¯s no way out, staying here will surely lead to death." The thin ck youth named Xiao Chen frowned deeply.


    "Let¡¯s call Little Third Brother and run in three different directions, let¡¯s see who gets lucky and survives¡­ Where is Little Third Brother?


    "He just went to feed the other flying tiger, I remember it was towards the east -"


    At this point, the thin ck youth suddenly made a "shh" gesture. They heard rustling soundsing from the east side of the forest, getting closer, sounding like footsteps.


    "Has Little Third Brother returned?" asked the thin dark young man cautiously.


    No one answered.


    After a moment, a huge ck shadow emerged from the bushes, it was the second winged flying tiger.


    "I thought it was a thief¡­" the thin middle-aged man wiped his sweat but before he could finish his sentence, he was patted on the shoulder by the thin dark young man beside him, who pointed towards the flying tiger.


    Looking closely, they saw that the flying tiger had some blood around its mouth, and there was a small piece of cloth stuck on its ws.


    "Looks like it¡¯s just the two of us this time," the slim young man said in a low voice.


    "Let¡¯s run in opposite directions and see who will be lucky ¡ª"


    Before he finished speaking, the two three-to-four-meter-long flying tigers simultaneously perked up their ears and looked westward together.


    The slim young man looked closely and saw a small wild cat crouching under the eaves of the watchtower to the west, appearing out of nowhere.


    Though it looked like a wild cat, this cat was a bit different from the usual ones, with its belly almost touching the ground.


    In these difficult times, when people hardly have enough to eat, where could such a fat wild cat havee from?


    What was even stranger was that despite being stared at by the two giant tigers, the small wild cat not only didn¡¯t run away but instead took small steps closer.


    Roar!


    Two giant tigers roared at the same time, with wings suddenly spreading behind them, their roars echoing through the mountains and forests, mouths wide open with fierce sounds, causing the surrounding wild grass to cower in fear.


    The wildcat, originally walking carelessly, was startled by the roar of the two giant tigers, stood frozen in ce for a moment, then swiftly turned into a ck shadow and pounced forward, ws pressing directly on the tiger¡¯s nose.


    With a loud bang.


    The giant tiger seemed to have been struck by a heavy blow, its chin hitting the ground, creating a shallow pit with soil sshing all around.


    The chubby cat pressed its paw on top of the tiger¡¯s head, gradually pushing the tiger¡¯s head into the mud bit by bit, until the tiger¡¯s roar abruptly stopped and its limbs twitched beforeing to a halt.


    "What kind of monster is this again?"


    The two young men exchanged a nce, immediately preparing to escape. However, before they could take two steps, they saw the other flying tiger spread its wings and soar high into the sky, pping its wings towards the distance.


    This man-eating flying tiger was surprisingly faster than them in running away? And more decisive?


    At this moment, the wildcat that had pressed down the tiger¡¯s head opened its mouth and made a strange sound, not a meow, but a unique noise:


    "Joe Joe Joe Joe¡­."


    "Is this how cats sound? What kind of creature simr to a cat is this?" The skinny young man was confused.


    In the next moment, there was another loud noise, the ground slightly shook, as if a heavy object hadnded.


    He turned his head to look.


    He saw a white-haired middle-aged man who looked about thirty years old, holding the tail of a huge tiger, dragging the tiger along.


    The huge tiger made a helpless whimpering sound at this moment, its limbs on the groundpletely unable to resist the immense force, only leaving a long scratch on the ground.


    "Joe Joe is here." The stray cat turned its head and called out to the neer.


    The skinny middle-aged man turned around in horror, only then did he realize, this stray cat was not some strange creature simr to a cat with a peculiar sound¡­ it was a big monster that could speak humannguage, right?


    "Ah. Been teaching for so long, but still can¡¯t speak fluently." The white-haired man approached while dragging the huge tiger, and the fat cat then leaped onto his shoulder.


    "A talking monster¡­ and this white-haired, human-shaped monster, encountering two monsters at the same time?" The two dark young men looked at each other, their hearts sinking.


    Just out of the tiger¡¯s den and into the wolf¡¯sir, feeling discouraged.


    "Are you two locals? Perfect timing," Qiao Mu saw the two standing there foolishly and walked towards them.


    Hai Wuya¡¯s purchased mansion, still unsure which corner of Southwest Province it is located in.


    Even though Hai Siyuan had a rough idea of where Linhe City was, finding it would still take some time. Having a guide would definitely help save time.


    As he was walking towards the two of them, he was surprised to see the thin dark young man suddenly kneel down in front of him, saying:


    "Please spare me, my lord. I may not be good to eat with my skinny body, but I am strong and can do the dirty work. I am willing to serve you for generations¡­. No, I mean, I am willing to serve you as a mountain guard."


    Qiao Mu gasped in surprise.


    The customs in Southwest Province are quite different from those in Zhong Province and Nan Province¡­


    ¡­¡­¡­.


    "So, are you both here to serve this giant tiger as beast ves? And everyone else got eaten except for you two?" Hai Siyuan asked with a frown.


    He came out of the Hundred-mile Desert and already knew that the situation in Zhong Province was a mess.


    When they arrived in the Southwest Province, they found that the situation there might not be better than in the Zhong Province¡­


    By seeing a leopard through a tube, you can get an idea of its appearance.


    "Gentlemen, killing that huge tiger might cause trouble," the young man said after clearing up the misunderstanding.


    "This spiritual beast was raised by the leader of the Yunxiao Sect. If it dies without reason, the leaders will likely sense something ande soon," he warned.


    "Hmm," Qiao Mu didn¡¯t take it seriously, but looked at the two people in front of him.


    "So, keeping you here would be a dead end¡­ Do you know where Linhe City is, or Peach Blossom Vi north of Linhe City?"


    The two young men looked at each other, nodded excitedly.


    Linhe City is not difficult to find. It is thergest city in Southwest Province.


    Although they had never heard of Peach Blossom Vi before, following the map to find it was not difficult.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Southwest Province is mountainous. The so-called Peach Blossom Vi, chosen by Hai Wuya as a refuge, is naturally quite remote.


    It is not around the bustling city, but in the mountains to the north outside the city.


    As the saying goes, when the mountains are steep and the water is winding, one might doubt if there is a way; but suddenly there is a vige with bright willows and clear flowers.


    The mountains north of the city seemed densely covered with vegetation and almost impassable. After traversing the winding mountain road, a peach blossom forest suddenly appeared before their eyes.


    In the peach blossom forest, a faint view of a vi surrounded by peach trees could be seen. The vi was surrounded by lush grass and falling petals, making it a delightful and pleasant ce.


    At the entrance of the mansion, you could vaguely see a big, strong man waiting there. When Qiao Mu, Hai Siyuan, and others approached, he picked up two long spears and walked towards them.


    "Don¡¯t worry, Elder Lao," Hai Siyuan saw the appearance of the approaching person from afar and felt relieved in his heart.


    "Father Hai Wuya once instructed that this mansion is usually watched by his old friend¡¯s subordinates. It seems that this big, strong man is¡­"


    Before he could finish speaking, Qiao Mu blurted out:


    "Is this Zhang Kui? Is the old friend of Hai Wuya named Wang Songhe, as you mentioned?"


    Qiao Mu had seen this big, strong man before in Nan Province. He was one of the bandits following Wang Songhe, dark and strong, skilled with two spears. When Qiao Mu was 42 years old, he had briefly practiced with him.


    "Elder Lao knows too?"


    Zhang Kui, the big, strong man, initially thought it was some bandits attacking, but as he approached and heard the conversation clearly, he naturally put down his spears and exchanged greetings.


    "You are Qiao Jin, right? The Qiao Jin who killed Emperor Yonghe?"


    Zhang Kui stared at Qiao Mu for a few moments, then let out a soft sigh.


    "Actually, I know Brother Qiao Sen. Back in Nan Province, I practiced martial arts with him. You look even younger than Qiao Sen did back then."


    As he spoke, Zhang Kui¡¯s face showed a look of reminiscence.


    "In the past, Brother Qiao Sen and I stormed into Yan City together. We fought off over a hundred guards from the Guo family, and we even took down the City Lord Guo Yan. It feels like it was just yesterday."


    Memories of events that never happened started to surface¡­ I remember you were just a background character¡­ Qiao Mu didn¡¯t reveal the truth either.


    "The Qiao family was well-known in Yan City before, but now they are famous throughout the world. Qiao Jin has be an exceptional expert, on par with Martial Saint and Yan Shenji," Zhang Kui said with emotion.


    "The Qiao family continues to do what they did in Yan City, sacrificing everything for generations. It¡¯s just that the world has changed a lot since then."


    It has only been a year or two since the events in Yan City.


    Zhang Kui remained the same as before, but seemed even more skilled than Qiao Mu remembered, like he had moved up a level in martial arts, just slightly.


    In the same time and reality, Qiao Mu became the unparalleled master Qiao Jin after Qiao Sen died.


    "Wang Songhe, I heard he is active in Nan Province, why are you in Southwest Province?" Qiao Mu asked.


    Although these two provinces are close and adjacent, Qiao Mu remembered that Wang Songhe became the lord of Yan City.


    Now that Zhang Kui appeared here, does it mean something has happened on Wang Songhe¡¯s side?


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 Chapter 282:

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    The outpost not far from the boundary marker of Southwest Province.


    A rainbow light appeared in the sky, and a disciple of the Yunxiao Sect frowned as hended.


    The outpost was now deserted, the beast ve had disappeared, and even the two flying tigers he kept there were nowhere to be found.


    Disciples of the Yunxiao Sect are skilled in beast taming, so the sudden death of the two flying tigers naturally caught his attention.


    He carefully inspected the shallow pit on the ground that had been smashed open, as well as the long drag marks from heavy objects that had ttened the green grass¡­


    "It seems that the culprit is a very powerful monster, so strong that even my two flying tigers had no chance to fight back¡­ Hmm, and there are human footprints too? Could it be a shape-shifting monster?"


    The disciple from Yunxiao Sect quickly ascended into the air, getting ready to return to the sect.


    The two flying tigers are fierce beasts to ordinary people, but to him, they were just kept at the border of the Southwest Province as watchdogs for reconnaissance.When alive, the flying tigers could use their keen sense of smell to find ordinary people who crossed into the Southwest Province from the border, and with the power of the two flying tigers, they could easily stop martial artists.


    If the flying tigers died, their battle traces at the time of death could be used to determine who the intruders were.


    After his assessment, the conclusion was already clear:


    "A shape-shifting monster has entered Southwest Province."


    "We need to report this to the sect."


    "I don¡¯t know if the sect protector or the Feather King will step in this time."


    The so-called "great demon" in people¡¯s mouths actually refers to the powerful beings among the demon n, beings that human strength cannot defeat.


    In the way of martial artists, reaching the 4th rank is already the upper limit of internal strength, so even a 1st rank Spirit Refining martial artist has limited advantagepared to a 4th rank martial artist in internal strength.


    However, it is not the same for the demon n.


    During their peak, the demon n was a powerful group that could rival cultivators.


    Although demon beasts also weaken as spiritual energy declines, these great demons are known for their strong physical bodies, far surpassing ordinary people in physical strength.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    "Are you asking about Brother Wang Songhe? He is still serving as the lord of Nan Province," Zhang Kui casually said.


    "Actually, this is the Southwest Province, where my elder brother settled back in the day," Zhang Kui exined.


    Forty years ago, Wang Songhe used to be a high-ranking official in the court during the reign of the former Emperor.


    After resigning from his official position for forty years, Wang Songhe was not only managing a bandit stronghold in Nan Province.


    ording to Zhang Kui, forty years ago, after Wang Songhe resigned and left the Imperial Capital, he arrived in the mountains of Southwest Province.


    If we delve deeper, Southwest Province was actually where Wang Songhe initially turned to banditry.


    The bandits led by Wang Songhe were actually local mountain people of Southwest Province.


    It waster on that Wang Songhe, along with Zhang Kui and others, went to Yan City in Nan Province to seek a new path.


    "Southwest Province isn¡¯t a good ce, it¡¯s full of mountains and there¡¯s not much farnd, but the government¡¯s taxes are still collected without fail," reminisced Zhang Kui.


    "In fact, in the mountain caves of Southwest Province, there are still remnants of my older brother¡¯s former bandit group hiding."


    "With the chaos in Jiu Province now, and theck ofmunication between Nan Province and Southwest Province, along with the uprising of the Feather King, I was sent to trek through mountains and rivers toe here and check on the situation of our former banditrades."


    Zhang Kui was a local from the Southwest Province, familiar with the terrain. Instead of taking the blocked official roads, he crossed mountains and arrived at Peach Blossom Vi.


    "Is Feather King the Martial Arts King who raised the g of rebellion in the Southwest Province? Who is he?" Qiao Mu became interested.


    "I don¡¯t know," Zhang Kui replied honestly.


    "This person is an unmatched fierce warrior on the battlefield, extraordinary in martial arts, mastering all kinds of skills. He is incredibly strong, unmatched by anyone on the battlefield, and no one can decipher his martial arts skills."


    "This person is mysterious, iming to be too beautiful that he wears a mask to cover his face every time he goes to battle. Up to this day, no one knows his true identity."


    What Lanling King¡­


    Wearing a mask on his face? And no one can figure out his martial arts skills?


    Qiao Mu thought carefully and felt that this Feather King¡¯s real identity should be extraordinary, so he deliberately concealed his true identity with a mask, martial arts, and weapons.


    However, this person¡¯s martial arts skills are extremely strong, no one can match him, and no one can push him to reveal his hidden skills.


    "Will it be something simr to King Qin?" Qiao Mu wondered.


    If King Qin from Zhong Province were still alive, with his body that no spear could prate, he could directly withstand the arrows of the Imperial Guards, truly enduring.


    If ced on a battlefield among martial artists, King Qin would definitely be an unrivaled fierce general with unmatched courage and strength.


    Of course, while King Qin¡¯s physical body is strong, as he focused on enlightenment, his mind actually has weaknessespared to the top-notch martial artists of his time.


    Zhang Kui led Qiao Mu and the others towards the mansion, "Since General Hai has arrived, let me quickly show you around this mansion. It has been chaotictely with all the turmoil, I can¡¯t stay away from the stronghold for too long, I must return."


    Peach Blossom Vi is located north of Linhe City, it¡¯s about a dozen miles through the mountain roads. The straight-line distance is not too far, but the rugged andplex mountain paths make it difficult to find.


    The mansion is quiterge, not to mention three hundred old soldiers, even over a thousand people could stay here.


    The old soldiers in Stone City were never idle, even when they were still in Zhong Province, many used the rewards from the court to buynd, food, and other necessities.


    The old soldiers emerged from the solitary city in the desert that had been sealed off, they were ustomed to hardship, and once they had some spare money, they would either buynd or buy food.


    This time, they had to leave Zhong Province, but they didn¡¯t forget about thend. Li Changshi brought thend and soil to Stone City.


    Stone City became a ce for these old soldiers to farm, where an Earth Sword Immortal had crafted a magical treasure.


    Although there was not muchnd around Peach Blossom Vi for farming now, they could still support themselves with the stored food and the fields in Stone City.


    Zhang Kui led Qiao Mu and the others on a simple tour, then quickly wanted to say goodbye. Before leaving, he also reminded them:


    "Elder Lao, General Hai. Although this vige is in the mountains, be careful at night."


    "In these vast mountains, there are not only snakes and insects, but also some thieves and bandits," said mountain bandit Zhang Kui.


    Southwest Province has many mountains and few people. Hai Wuya saw this ce as a safe haven, just like Wang Songhe did in the past.@@novelbin@@


    There are many clever people in the world, not just the two of them.


    "Criminals? Are they hiding from the Great Yan authorities in the mountains?" Hai Siyuan had heard a little about this.


    "I heard that many years ago, the ¡®Spear Saint¡¯ lived in seclusion in the mountains of Southwest Province. Now, the top-ranked martial artist at Tide Listening BuildingPower List, Demon Spear Qin Li, was raised by him in those mountains."


    Fighters often break thew with their martial skills, carrying the weight of many lives on their shoulders is just toomon.


    The famous martial heroes in jianghu are often wanted criminals by the court.


    "Yes, I¡¯m talking about the ¡®Spear Saint¡¯," Zhang Kui nodded repeatedly.


    "What are you talking about? Didn¡¯t the Spear Saint already die at the hands of Martial Saint?" Hai Siyuan shook his head.


    "Although the ¡®Spear Saint¡¯ is dead, this matter did start because of him," Zhang Kui said.


    "It is said that recently, the essence of the ¡®Spear Saint¡¯s¡¯ spear skill, ¡®Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear,¡¯ has emerged, attracting many martial artists who desire it. Therefore, more jianghu guests have gathered here than before."


    "My mountain bandit brothers in the mountains are no match for these jianghu martial artists. Shouldn¡¯t I go back to the mountain stronghold early?"


    Zhang Kui is also skilled in using the spear, naturally cherishing the memory of the former Spear Saint.


    Forty years ago, Spear Saint was only second to Earth Sword Immortal in the world.


    However, fifty years ago, Spear Saint was the top in the world, butter on, Earth Sword Immortal surpassed him and he ended up in second ce.


    When talking about Spear Saint¡¯s past, Zhang Kui felt quite nostalgic:


    "It¡¯s rare for someone from Jiu Province to be the best in using a spear, but he encountered both Earth Sword Immortal and Martial Saint, and couldn¡¯t maintain his reputation."


    Fifty years ago, Spear Saint was the best, but forty years ago, he fell behind Earth Sword Immortal and became second ce.


    And thirty years ago¡­ just like other strongest martial artists, he died at the hands of the Martial Saint who mastered the "Martial Saint Spiritual Technique."


    It had a taste of someone appearing out of nowhere and shining brightly.


    However, Qiao Mu felt doubtful and asked:


    "Since that Demon Spear Qin Li is also a disciple of Spear Saint, known as the number one on the Martial Arts Ranking List Power List."


    "Being known as the top of the Power List may not be as prestigious as being the second best in the world like Spear Saint, but it¡¯s still considered one of the top figures in martial arts. The spear technique in ¡®Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear¡¯ is being fought over now, what¡¯s going on?"


    "Did Qing Li also fail to get the ¡®Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear¡¯?"


    "That¡¯s not it. But Qing Li is a half-demon after all, even though she¡¯s been practicing the spear technique of the Spear Saint, it might be hard to fully learn." Zhang Kui shook his head.


    Half-demons often inherit powerful bodies from their demon lineage, but this makes their body structure and internal pathways different from pure humans.


    So, even if a half-demon looks just like a human, it¡¯s usually difficult for them to develop internal strength using the techniques of pure humans.


    The Spear Saint is a pure human, and his technique "Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear" is focused on using internal strength.


    Although half-demons have strong bodies, without internal strength, they can only perform physical moves, missing the essence.


    For example, Qiao Mu¡¯s "Ripple Stacking Wave Strength" relies on the flowing power of internal strength.


    Demons and half-demonsck internal strength, so even with great strength, they can¡¯t use it effectively.


    "¡¯Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear¡¯?" Qiao Mu felt a bit tempted by the idea.


    In fact, he was practicing the spear before practicing the sword.


    He has plenty of time, while most people rush through their martial arts training, he believes in gradual improvement.


    Since it¡¯s the ancient Spear Saint¡¯s "Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear", just like other martial arts such as "Heavenly Dragon Eight Steps", it holds value for Qiao Mu.


    Even though he thought about it, he didn¡¯t dwell on it too much.


    He understood priorities well, guiding three hundred old soldiers to Peach Blossom Vi for a specific purpose.


    Hai Wuya believed in the importance of teamwork and not relying solely on oneself.


    Qiao Mu¡¯s inner strength was as strong as steel, enduring countless long dreams.


    However, if these dreams were tost for thousands or even tens of thousands of years, what then?


    If dreams are like the school exam that repeats, reality can be seen as summer vacation, which is essential since it¡¯s easy to break.


    If he doesn¡¯t take a break, maybe one day, he might get crushed by the hydraulic press.


    In Qiao Mu¡¯s eyes, these three hundred white-headed soldiers were the torchbearers of the "Human Path Sutra".


    Hai Wuya died, but humanity still has hope.


    If he can¡¯t hold on anymore¡­ Qiao Mu hopes there will be sessors.


    "In this chaotic world, time is running out, and it¡¯s even more important to spread the teachings," Qiao Mu said solemnly.


    "Without waiting for tomorrow, starting from today, I will be here in this mountain manor, teaching the "Human Path Sutra"."


    These words were spoken.


    Zhang Kui, who had just walked out of the manor gates, suddenly stopped in his tracks and turned back stiffly.


    Even though he had never heard of "Human Path Sutra", the old man Qiao Jin from the Qiao family was considered a martial arts master in the entire Jiu Province.


    If Qiao Jin had more life stories, he would have been famous like a mythical kingparable to the founding emperor of Great Yan by the storytellers at Tide Listening Building.


    It was a perfect opportunity for such a martial arts master to teach in the mountains.


    He struggled to walk for a moment.


    "Respected Elder Lao." Zhang Kui quicklyplimented:


    "I once fought alongside Brother Qiao Sen, but I regret not being strong enough to support him. Now, I have a chance to help him."


    "Stop talking. If you want to listen, stay." Qiao Mu interrupted.


    The more practitioners of the Human Path Sutra, the better, especially since Qiao Jin and Zhang Kui had a little friendship.


    "Elder Lao is truly modest and open-minded," praised Zhang Kui.


    "While those people from the Jianghu are fighting over a meaningless treasure, ¡®Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear¡¯, Elder Lao has already openly exined the ¡®Human Path Sutra¡¯ without any bias," said Zhang Kui.


    He wasn¡¯t justplimenting, he truly admired Elder Lao.


    As a former mountain bandit, he felt a bit embarrassed. After some thought, he took out a secret book from his pocket.


    "Even though I¡¯m a mountain bandit, I understand the principle of returning kindness for kindness," said Zhang Kui.


    "This ¡®Xumi Mountain King Sutra¡¯ is an amazing technique. I have advanced in martial arts because of this skill¡­" Zhang Kui was interrupted as he noticed Hai Siyuan and the others¡¯ expressions changing.


    It¡¯s one thing to give something valuable as a gift, but to offer the ¡®Xumi Mountain King Sutra¡¯ to the Qiao family member?


    "It seems that the Wuji Association is quite efficient, as the ¡®Xumi Mountain King Sutra¡¯ is being widely spread," pondered Qiao Mu.


    This is also a good thing.


    Even though the two martial arts are different, by studying the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra," one can seamlessly switch to cultivating the "Human Path Sutra" like Qiao Mu did.


    The first one is the foundation of the second one, and the second is the expansion of the first.


    If the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra" has spread throughout Jiu Province, then Qiao Mu¡¯s "Human Path Sutra" will not be rootless driftweed either.


    "Today, let¡¯s prepare this monster¡¯s meat first, and I will give a sermon tonight." Qiao Mu took out two flying tiger corpses from the storage bag.


    Monster meat is a great supplement for martial artists, so he didn¡¯t waste those two flying tigers. Since he was at the vi now, he also wanted to taste this monster¡¯s meat.


    Mountain bandit Zhang Kui¡¯s eye twitched slightly¡­ this elder of the Qiao family, as soon as he entered Southwest Province, he got involved with the Immortal Gate?


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    "Qi and blood are the foundation of martial arts!"


    In Peach Blossom Vi, Qiao Mu held a roasted meat skewer with bones in one hand, saying so.


    The two flying tigers were huge in size, about three to four meters long each, weighing over a thousand kilograms. At this moment, they were already being roasted on the fire, surrounded by the old soldiers.


    "To improve energy and blood, eating is essential. It¡¯s good to eat meat, nts, and special herbs."


    Before, three hundred old soldiers were stuck in the barren desert, but now they are in the mountains.


    There isn¡¯t much farnd in Southwest Province, but it¡¯s a home to variousnd animals, insects, and fish.


    The Immortal Gate Yunxiao Sect, upying thisnd, focuses on beast taming skills.


    "From now on, you can practice in the mountain vige, hunt wild beasts and monsters in the hundred thousand mountains to train your skills, increase your energy and blood, and advance in the Human Path Sutra."While there are many flying tigers, Qiao Mu¡¯s vige has three hundred martial artists, not enough to share.


    Even though they didn¡¯t get much meat, they had some soup to drink, which helps boost their energy.


    Even the two beast ves who were guarding before got a share.


    The skinny young man is fine, after all, he is young.


    The thin middle-aged man¡¯s face turned red after he finished a bowl of Fei Hu Roast Pork Soup, even his nose started bleeding, showing signs of weakness.


    After drinking a bowl of meat soup, the old soldiers felt warm all over their bodies. Then, they sat quietly to practice cultivation while listening to Qiao Mu exin the "Human Path Sutra".


    These three hundred old soldiers had been practicing the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra" for a while, starting their cultivation back in the Hundred-mile Desert.@@novelbin@@


    The mountain bandit Zhang Kui couldn¡¯t keep up with the pace, often looking perplexed with a ck face.


    "Elder Lao."


    "The way you teach martial arts is different from what I imagined. You don¡¯t focus on internal skills or martial arts techniques, but you talk about how qi and blood are the foundation of martial artists, advocating for eating more and practicing more. What¡¯s the point?"


    Qiao Mu shook his head slightly.


    "Today, the foundation of teaching the ¡®Human Path Sutra¡¯ lies in the unique source that sets this practice apart from traditional ancient martial arts methods."


    "As for techniques, martial skills, internal and external strength, I do understand them. It¡¯s just that they are not as important, and will be discussed at ater time."


    Zhang Kui became even more confused after hearing this.


    "Are martial arts techniques, internal strength, and external strength not important?"


    He wanted to argue, but Qiao Jin, who is now one of the martial arts giants in Jiu Province, is naturally an authority figure.


    Qiao Mu noticed his reaction and silently shook his head.


    Hai Wuya created martial arts like the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra" instead of other martial arts masters on earth, which Qiao Mu thought must have a reason behind it.


    Hai Wuya was not just a martial artist. Although he had a deep understanding of martial arts theory, he stopped at the peak of 4th rank in his martial arts skill, and even declined in hister years.


    Deep down, he was actually a person who valued the pursuit of knowledge through observation and study, that¡¯s why he spent thirty years studying in seclusion and became a respected schr of theories.


    The majority of martial artists in this world are practical thinkers.


    Like the mountain bandit Zhang Kui, who trained in martial arts for physical strength and health, always striving to improve his martial skills and techniques.


    Knowing the fact, but not understanding the reason behind it.


    What exactly are qi and blood, and internal strength? What are the differences between these four paths of power? Knowing these things doesn¡¯t improve their martial arts skills at all, nor does it make their martial techniques stronger.


    Utilitarianism is certainly not wrong, it¡¯s just that martial artists like Zhang Kui, even if they are unparalleled geniuses and martial arts masters, can at most create ancient martial arts like "Pure Yang Wuji Skill."


    Although "Pure Yang Wuji Skill" is powerful and can be considered the top skill in ancient martial arts, the internal strength it cultivates is extremely strong and practical. However, this martial art still remains within the boundaries of ancient methods.


    Hai Wuya, on the other hand, took a different path.


    He spent thirty years reading various medical books in the heavenly prison, which led to the emergence of "Xumi Mountain King Sutra."


    Qi and blood are the foundation of a martial artist.


    Only after fully realizing this point did Hai Wuya spend thirty years exploring a difficult and winding path.


    Qiao Mu did the same.


    Hai Wuya is a schr among martial artists, just like him.


    "Human Path Sutra" is not simply the sum of Xumi Mountain King Sutra and Long Life Fist Sutra.


    During those thirty years in the dream, he, like the young Hai Wuya, immersed himself in books in the solitary city martial library to explore a path thatbines both, rather than relying on trial and error.


    Today, what he teaches to many old soldiers is not martial arts, but the ideas and theories of the Human Path Sutra¡­ It seems a bit too early now.


    "In the future, when you reach the 1st rank of Spiritual Refining Period, perhaps thinking about these questions can help you discover your own path to superb rank."


    Qiao Mu¡¯s words directly shut Zhang Kui up, making his eyes widen.


    Information about Superb Martial Arts?


    This rough and sturdy man not only lost his previous irritability, but also borrowed paper and pen from the old soldiers to quickly jot down Qiao Mu¡¯s speech.


    Although he probably won¡¯t reach the 1st rank of Spiritual Refining Period in his lifetime, he ns to memorize the knowledge about superb rank even if he doesn¡¯t fully understand it, intending to ponder it slowly in the future.


    Holding simr thoughts, it¡¯s not just Zhang Kui alone.


    The two beast ves who were guarding the boundary stone markers before were also mixed in the crowd, tiptoeing and trying hard to listen to Qiao Mu talk about martial arts.


    Although they were confused, they saw it as an opportunity to change their fate.


    As beast ves, since the flying tigers they served have died, they naturally have no way out.


    And Qiao Mu, a humanoid monster-like expert in their eyes, naturally seemed like a lifeline.


    Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, the sun has set.


    Zhang Kui couldn¡¯t bear it any longer, he picked up the small book with messy handwriting and prepared to say goodbye.


    Before leaving, Qiao Mu didn¡¯t forget to ask this local bandit, Zhang Kui, to pay attention to any news about "Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear," to which Zhang Kui readily agreed.


    "If Elder Lao wants to inquire, perhaps he can go for a stroll in Linhe City," Zhang Kui said.


    "Linhe City is the biggest city in the whole Southwest Province, with many people from different ces gathering there."


    "If you want to find out about ¡®Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear,¡¯ you can start here."


    Thinking about this, Zhang Kui also remembered something and smiled, saying:


    "With Elder Lao¡¯s position in the world, it¡¯s best to go directly to the storyteller in Tide Listening Building in the city."


    "If those storytellers know something, they won¡¯t hide it from Elder Lao, especially considering how Tide Listening Building usually operates. They might even encourage Elder Lao."


    Spear Saint, as the former leader in the world of spears, held a high position in the martial world, almost like a martial arts legend.


    The Qiao Jin from the Qiao family bravely confronted Emperor Yonghe in the pce and even fought against the legendary master, Founding Emperor Yan, who lived three hundred years ago.


    If this continues, it won¡¯t be long before Qiao Jin¡¯s name surpasses the once famous Spear Saint.


    With Qiao Jin being a martial arts giant simr in status and reputation to Spear Saint, if he alsopetes for the ¡®Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear¡¯ left by Spear Saint, it would be a challenging situation.


    After all, usually it¡¯s the younger martial artists who are not as strong as Spear Saint whopete for the Spear Saint¡¯s martial arts skills.


    Zhang Kui even wondered if the value of the title "Spear Saint" would greatly increase if news of Qiao Jin intending topete for "Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear" were to be released.


    The storytellers at Tide Listening Building, despite iming to only listen to the tides and not meddle in them, have been involved in stirring things up in recent years.


    Naturally, they are pleased to hear about such things.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    As the sky grew dark, stars appeared all around.


    Qiao Mu sat under a peach blossom tree in the yard, gently scratching the chin of his fat cat, Impermanence, making him close his eyesfortably.


    During the day when he was practicing martial arts, this fat cat would sit next to him, sleeping soundly in cat form, asionally twitching his nose,pletely oblivious.


    Sleeping soundly and sucking up to people at the same time, living incrediblyfortably, this life made Qiao Mu somewhat envious.


    However, at this moment, he actually had a question lingering in his mind.


    After releasing the "Human Path Sutra," he gained a deep understanding of the martial arts¡¯ essence and internal strength.


    So, what about the demonic beasts in the human world?


    ording to legend, these supernatural creatures naturally feed on the essence of the sun and moon, making them the ancient cultivators¡¯ teachers in this aspect.


    The Impermanent Demon Cat feeds on lifeless energy and has shown some mystical abilities early on:


    Such as sensing lifeless energy and hiding within Qiao Mu¡¯s shadow.


    However, it is usuallyzy, either feeding on people or sleeping in the shadows, causing its belly to swell from ingesting lifeless energy.


    These mystical abilities are not learned like the cultivators¡¯ techniques, they are innate instincts from birth.


    Other beings cannot learn them or imitate them.


    Qiao Mu, now a top-notch martial artist in the world of martial arts, had reached the pinnacle with no predecessors to follow.


    Although the demonic beasts had declined with the revival of spiritual energy, they were still not a match for cultivators.


    Even the Yunxiao Sect, among the Nine Immortal Gates, was consideredparatively weak, managing their presence in the sparsely popted Southwest Province.


    Even a skinny camel is bigger than a horse.


    Are there any aspects of the demonic beast that ordinary martial artists can learn from?


    ¡­¡­..


    Linhe City.


    As the name suggests, this mansion city is located beside a big river, standing by the mountains and waters.


    The river is called Sky Piercing River. It is a big river that flows through many provinces. It is said to start at the snowy mountains in Northwest Prefecture and is known as the river that touches the sky.


    From Linhe City, if you follow the river eastward, you can reach Heyang City in Nan Province directly.


    Even the names of these two cities are inspired by the famous Sky Piercing River.


    However, nowadays, with chaos in the country, there are rebels in both Nan Province and Southwest Province. It¡¯s difficult for the Emperor¡¯s orders to be obeyed, let alone crossing both provinces following the Sky Piercing River.


    If it were that simple, mountain bandit Zhang Kui wouldn¡¯t have had such a tough journey.


    At a courtyard in Linhe City at this moment.


    "Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear?" Wu Qiankun, with his hands on his back, listened to the report from Star Xuan Envoy behind him, looking thoughtful.


    "It¡¯s better to be lucky than early. Just arrived in Southwest Province and I heard about the martial arts manual left behind by the Spear Saint. This treasure should rightfully be mine."


    Wu Qiankun came to Southwest Province for the local Immortal Gate Yunxiao Sect.


    But it wouldn¡¯t hurt to obtain some martial arts manuals too.


    Wu Qiankun saw himself as a superb warrior like the Spear Saint, standing at the peak of martial arts in Jiu Province.


    Now, he had mastered the "Taotie Swallowing Heaven Skill" and felt confident that he could defeat Qiao Shuanggui if they crossed paths again.


    Not to mention trying to im the secret techniques left by the Spear Saint, even if the Spear Saint were toe back to life, he wouldn¡¯t be a match for him.


    Wu Qiankun was a renowned martial artist just like the Spear Saint, making it easy for him to navigate the current situation effortlessly.


    Martial artists of his caliber often held themselves in high regard, making it unlikely for them to stoop to his level and steal the Spear Saint¡¯s skills.


    "This is a minor issue. We¡¯ll first get the secret techniques, then take on the Yunxiao Sect. By ambushing them, we can rise step by step." At that moment, Wu Qiankun was yet to realize the gravity of the situation.


    ¡­¡­¡­


    On the second day at Peach Blossom Vi, Qiao Mu, apanied by a cat, ventured alone into the city of Linhe.


    Upon entering the city, he couldn¡¯t help but cover his mouth and nose.


    In the streets of Linhe City, there was a faint smell of manure lingering in the air, reminding Qiao Mu of his days in the outskirts of Yan City.


    Looking closely, there were a few fresh piles of cow and horse manure by the main road in the city, with flies buzzing around.


    "This is supposed to be the first big city? What a strange ce," Qiao Mu thought to himself.


    Suddenly, there was a loud shout from the street.


    "Make way, make way!"


    Several tall and strong men shouted loudly, cracking whips on the cobblestone street, making a crisp sound and pushing aside the crowd blocking the way.


    Pedestrians quickly moved aside, clearing the road on both sides.


    "Seems like there are troublemakers everywhere," Qiao Mu thought of the past in Yan City, looked up indifferently, and then stood still in shock.


    Not a spoiled troublemaker, but several burly men were walking in the middle of the street.


    These strong men were carrying heavy beams on their shoulders, and on the beams sat an exquisite shrine shining with gold and jewels.


    If there were statues of immortals sitting on this shrine, Qiao Mu wouldn¡¯t be surprised.


    Carrying statues around in a parade was amon custom in the Jiu Province, nothing unusual.


    But what was surprising was¡­ lying on that golden shrine was azy fat cat.


    It wasn¡¯t an immortal statue or a beast deity, but a real live fat cat.


    While Qiao Mu was still amazed, the people around had already knelt down in front of the fat cat shrine one after another.


    "This is the holy beast of the Yunxiao Sect, protecting this ce for good weather and calm waters of the Sky Piercing River¡­"


    "Cat Power Immortal, boundless magical powers!"


    The fat cat on the shrine lifted its paw slightly, seeming to respond to the devout worshippers.


    Qiao Mu stood by the road, feeling a little upset at first but thenpletely surprised. He felt out of ce in the crowd, feeling disconnected from this strange world.


    Even more strangely, the Impermanent Demon Cat that had been resting on his shoulder suddenly came to life:


    "Meow meow meow¡­ I want some too."


    The Demon Cat quickly jumped onto Qiao Mu¡¯s head and imitated the Cat Power Immortal by raising its paw and whispering in Qiao Mu¡¯s ear:


    "May the sacred fire shine bright, may the holy light radiate, meow meow meow¡­"


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    Qiao Mu pulled the Demon Cat off his head.


    "You silly cat, you¡¯re quite good at mimicking people," Qiao Mu said, a bit surprised.


    After all, this Impermanent Demon Cat was not an ordinary cat but a powerful demon that could change its form.


    It just looks a bit silly, but it¡¯s not really stupid. It can speak quite quickly like a normal person.


    "But this Cat Power Immortal¡­" Qiao Mu watched as the Cat Power Immortal on the shrine moved away, and then he noticed the crowd on the street standing up again and continuing with their work.


    The grandeur of this Cat Power Immortal¡¯s outing in Linhe City might even rival that of an emperor¡¯s procession, don¡¯t you think?


    "This Southwest Province does seem a bit different from other regions."


    Without looking back, Qiao Mu walked through the crowd and headed straight towards the inn across the street.Tea houses and inns within these small towns have always been bustling ces where all kinds of people gather, including many travelers and adventurers.


    Even though this inn is not owned by the Tide Listening Building, it is well-known locally. Its signature Monkey Wine is said to be worth a fortune and is brewed by a spiritual monkey from the mountains.


    Whether it¡¯s real or fake, no one really cares. After all, the Monkey Wine at this inn is indeed fragrant and famous for it.


    Whether it¡¯s drinking and having fun or chatting over tea and stories, both adventurers and travelers from far and wide love to visit such ces.


    The storyteller from Tide Listening Building often visits ces where dragons and snakes gather.


    Just as Qiao Mu stepped through the doorway of the inn, before the smiling server could greet him, a loud bang echoed through the hall.


    Following the sound, Qiao Mu saw a storyteller in a long white robe vividly telling a tale within the inn.


    This storyteller, whom Qiao Mu found somewhat familiar, had a faint horizontal line on his forehead, not a wrinkle, but a closed third eye.


    It was none other than irvoyance, the storyteller who had entered the Hundred-mile Desert with him.


    "Ah, it¡¯s irvoyance again," Qiao Mu became immediately interested.


    It had been centuries since Qiao Mu had heard someone boast about themselves, and now he was eager for some storytelling.


    He didn¡¯t even have time to ask about the Tide Listening Building storyteller before he found a corner table, ordered some peanuts and a jug of wine, and settled in to listen to his own marvelous story.


    "The Iron-armed Divine Ape was born with immense strength, standing five to six meters tall, like a towering wall. His iron arms were stronger than steel, but he had a fierce temper, smashing walls of ck Mountain City with his fists."


    "Along the way, the city walls copsed, houses fell apart, three streets and two sections of city walls were destroyed in an instant, all because ck Mountain City blocked his path."


    "But unfortunately, on that day, the Feather King was in ck Mountain City."


    "When they met, the city walls cracked open in a fierce battle."


    "The Feather King was unexpectedly a gifted and powerful warrior, fighting evenly with the Iron-armed Divine Ape¡­ The people of ck Mountain City were amazed, wondering if the Feather King was also a powerful demon in disguise."


    "¡­After a fierce battle until the sunset, the Feather King¡¯s spear pierced the Iron-armed Divine Ape¡¯s throat urately, nailing its body under the walls of ck Mountain City."


    "The setting sun was blood red, with crows flying everywhere. The Feather King¡¯s battle robe was dyed red with the monster¡¯s blood, and the corpse of the Iron-armed Divine Apeid like a small mountain on the copsed city walls."


    "Ignoring the thanks from the people in the city, the Feather King muttered to himself, "


    "The beast that destroyed my city, killed my people, must face death."


    "After that, alone with his spear, he left, disappearing into the forest¡­"


    Qiao Mu was eating peanuts, but suddenly he felt that the peanuts in his hand no longer smelled good¡­


    With this irvoyance, it doesn¡¯t fully tell the story of his Qiao family member, it seems that after assassinating the emperor, he has been too low-key?


    Or is this mountain city too remote, and no one has heard of his Qiao family member¡¯s name?


    He felt bored, but the drinkers beside him were listening intently:


    "Good! Someone should have stepped forward long ago."


    "In our vast mountains, it has always been a ce where monsters roam freely, and ordinary people can only rely on strong cities and officials for protection. Otherwise, they have to rely on the immortal elders of the Yunxiao Sect, as well as the spiritual beasts around the elders to protect them."


    "Those mountain people who can¡¯t pay taxes and hide in the mountains end up being food for the monsters."


    "Even though this Feather King has risen up against the court, in these days, he has also saved many mountain people, right? I heard that the Feather King¡¯s rebel army has grown rapidly, it seems that he has truly won the hearts of the people, and many have joined him, right?"


    "But who exactly is this Feather King? Wearing a mask all day, yet having endless power, able to confront monsters?"


    "Maybe the Feather King is also an iplete shape-shifting monster, with a hairy face behind the mask? Is that why he dares not take it off?"@@novelbin@@


    "You guys are really exaggerating things more and more. I heard that Feather King has obtained the ancient spear techniques from the Spear Saint¡¯s legacy called ¡®Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear,¡¯ that¡¯s why he is so powerful."


    In a group of people enjoying drinks, many of them looked towards the Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear.


    Among the customers whose eyes had changed, many of them had visibly bulging temples, clearly skilled martial artists.


    Some of them had a wise look in their eyes, clearly indicating that they were skilled martial artists of high rank.


    Obviously, they had the same intention as Qiao Mu,ing to this tavern to gather information.


    In recent days, there have been two major events that have been popr in the Southwest Province.


    One of them is the Feather King¡¯s uprising against the Great Yan Imperial Court, achieving sessive victories.


    The other is the widely discussed legacy of the Spear Saint among the martial artists.


    Nowadays, some people found these two things rted, which really made them interested.


    "No wonder the Feather King is so brave, turns out he inherited the skills of the Spear Saint secretly. But where did the Feather King get them from?" someone asked.


    "I heard that there are still descendants of the Spear Saint living in this world. Seeing the chaos in Jiu Province and realizing they couldn¡¯t master the Spear Saint¡¯s martial arts themselves, they wanted to pass on the skills to a talented person in Jiu Province to bring stability."


    "This descendant of the Spear Saint is quite kind. Willing to share their family¡¯s martial arts."


    "They really carry on the legacy of the Spear Saint. If the Spear Saint were still alive and saw the current state of Jiu Province, they would likely take action."


    In the past fifty years, there have been a total of three leaders in martial arts.


    Fifty years ago it was the Spear Saint, forty years ago the Earth Sword Immortal, and for thest thirty years, it has been the Martial Saint, dominating the world and unmatched.


    Although the Earth Sword Immortal¡¯s sword skills were amazing, they had a bit of a rebellious nature.


    As for the reputation of the Martial Saint, it is even worse than the Earth Sword Immortal. Many people in the martial world have had conflicts with the Wuji Association.


    Only the famous Spear Saint, admired and respected by everyone, stands out.


    Forty years ago, during the Inhuman War, the Great Yan soldiers were defeated in great numbers.


    At first, people in the martial arts world hoped that the Earth Sword Immortal would be the best, but he disappeared without a trace.


    Later, they turned to the Spear Saint for help, but he didn¡¯t assist either. As a result, the fame of Tide Listening Building¡¯s Hero List declined, and people joked that there were no heroes left in the martial arts world.


    It wasn¡¯t until a year or two ago when the Martial Saint appeared in Nan Province that people found out the truth. The strongest warriors led by the Spear Saint had died in the Martial Saint¡¯s hands thirty years ago, making the Martial Saint the sole hero.


    Since then, the reputation of the Spear Saint in Southwest Province has slowly recovered.


    The Feather King, who was somewhat associated with the Spear Saint, also gained poprity among the people.


    However, some people disdain the Feather King.


    "It¡¯s just rumors. I think the Feather King is nothing but a powerful demon in disguise, not a skilled warrior like the Spear Saint. How could this Feather King be skilled in all eighteen weapons? Don¡¯t exaggerate the Feather King¡¯s abilities byparing him to the Spear Saint."


    "Feather King is a rebel who likes to challenge authority. Are you not afraid of getting caught by the soldiers if you talk about Feather King in this city?"


    "Soldiers? I think the soldiers might be more afraid than us right now. Maybe Feather King wille to attack in a few days."


    Despite hearing many rumors, Qiao Mu remained calm and unbothered, just drinking by himself.


    The reputation of this Feather King does sound impressive.


    But that doesn¡¯t prove anything, it just shows that Feather King is also someone who takes care of their reputation.


    The former King Qin of Zhong Province was a hero who was loved by the people for his martial arts skills and fighting against disasters.


    It wasn¡¯t until he stood in front of Qiao Mu that Qiao Mu realized the true nature of King Qin.


    Who knows if this Feather King is also a skilled martial artist hiding his true nature? No¡­ perhaps Feather King, like King Qin of Zhong Province, is not just a martial artist, but also a master of magic.


    Until Qiao Mu meets Feather King in person, he naturally has some doubts about this rebel leader who proims himself under a noble banner.


    Suddenly, a voice was heard nearby.


    "How did Senior Qiaoe here?"


    Turning around, Storyteller irvoyance had alreadye down from the stage and was looking at Qiao Mu with surprise, the third eye on his forehead now open.


    "Can you recognize me?" Qiao Mu asked in confusion.


    While walking outside, he naturally used his Shape Changing Skill to change his appearance, looking different from the "Qiao Jin" in the Golden Hall.


    irvoyance didn¡¯t look at him, but instead his gaze fell on the Impermanent Demon Cat on the table.


    When Qiao Mu was listening to the story, this demon cat was imitating Qiao Mu by nibbling on peanuts, having almost finished both tes now and his belly looking very round.


    This Impermanent Demon Cat looked no different from an ordinary stray cat.


    It was just that after following Qiao Mu, its belly became rounder, its fur became smoother, shining like a precious gem.


    "This spiritual cat often apanies the Qiao family member, whom I have seen before and wouldn¡¯t mistake," irvoyance smiled slightly.


    So, he didn¡¯t recognize me, but he recognized this fat cat instead?


    "You¡¯vee at the right time, as I have something to inquire about at the Tide Listening Building," said Qiao Mu.


    "Elder Lao has something to ask, I will not refuse. This is not the ce to talk, please Senior Qiao follow me upstairs to exin in detail," irvoyance sincerely said.


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    Ranked first on the Power List, Demon Spear, Qing Li.


    In the martial arts world of Jiu Province today, there are four paths of strength, power, techniques, and divinity, each leading to a peak expert.


    The top in Qi Power Martial Arts is Founding Emperor Yan, the top in Spiritual Refining Martial Arts is Martial Saint, and the top in Skillful Martial Arts is Earth Sword Immortal.


    These three people were once unbeatable martial arts leaders, famous throughout the world, truly deserving their reputation as unparalleled experts.


    However, Qiao Jin, a member of the Qiao family, is now known as the fourth unparalleled expert of the current era, stepping on the past glory of the founding emperor of Great Yan, making a name for himself in the Golden Pce.


    The four of them were grouped together as the "Four Martial Heroes" by a kind person.


    They each represent four different Superb Martial Arts, with the Qiao family member being the most mysterious.


    By the way, Tide Listening Building¡¯s Storyteller irvoyance is the kind person who started this rumor.Now, seeing Qiao Jin standing in front of him, he couldn¡¯t help but feel excited once again.


    The four paths of power and skill, with thest three having world-ss experts.


    And at the top of the Power List, Demon Spear Qin Li has always been the most controversial figure among the top martial artists.


    The martial artists don¡¯t doubt Demon Spear Qin Li¡¯s strength, but they question Qing Li¡¯s identity.


    "As a half-demon, does he have the qualification to be on Tide Listening Building¡¯s Martial Arts Ranking List?"


    "Half-demons have demon blood running through their veins, just like full demons. They are much stronger than regr humans from the moment they are born. Their power is innate, making them powerful beings from birth."


    "We martial artists train hard in summer and winter to master our skills. Why is a half-demon at the top of the Power List?"


    Such remarks aremon among martial artists.


    Especially after the rise of the Qiao family member, some people sided with them, iming that Qiao Jin is now the top pure-blood human on the Power List, and it is fitting for Qiao Jin to be the top, standing alongside the other three top experts.


    Despite thements, the storytellers at Tide Listening Building remain unfazed. The Power List continues to be dominated by half-demons.


    Perhaps this debate can nowe to an end.


    Storyteller irvoyance knows that the recent turmoil involving the Spear Saint heritage is led by Demon Spear Qin Li.


    Qiao Jin is clearly interested in this matter. When two top martial artists meet, there may not be a fight to the death, but there will surely be a test of skills.


    Whether Demon Spear Qin Li deserves to be on the same level as Founding Emperor Yan and Qiao Jin on the Power List will soon be revealed.


    Qiao Mu noticed the change in irvoyance¡¯s expression and asked, "Why do you seem more excited than me when talking about Qing Li, the half-demon?"


    When he spoke, his eyes were fixed on irvoyance¡¯s third eye in the center of her forehead.


    Back when he first met Storyteller irvoyance in the Hundred-mile Desert, he asked about the origin of the three eyes on her forehead. irvoyance vaguely mentioned that this eye came from a powerful monster called the "Triple-eyed Divine Ape."


    At that time, Qiao Mu thought that irvoyance might not be an ordinary person transformed by cultivators using immortal techniques¡­


    Now, as they met again in the Southwest Province, known for its rampant monsters, Qiao Mu realized that irvoyance was not as ordinary as he had thought.


    How could he not understand¡­ irvoyance was deliberately misleading when she spoke before, using ambiguous words on purpose¡­


    He feared that irvoyance might be a half-demon with demon blood flowing in her veins, so saying the eye came from the "Triple-eyed Divine Ape" was not a lie.


    irvoyance chuckled lightly.


    "I¡¯m just curious to see which of you two warriors is stronger, that¡¯s all."


    "To be honest, the storytellers at Tide Listening Building love to discuss and evaluate the strongest martial artists around the world when they drink and chat. They argue about who is stronger among martial artists, and our storytellers get really passionate about it¡­ and that¡¯s how the Tide Listening Building Martial Arts Ranking List was created."


    "If Qiao Jin can truly win against Demon Spear Qin Li, it will be big news for us to enjoy."


    Qiao Mu remained silent.


    "I am old and don¡¯t enjoy fighting," said Qiao Mu calmly.


    "Let¡¯s talk about the Spear Saint¡¯s legacy instead, which is the reason I came here in the first ce."


    "To be honest, Senior Qiao, the location of the ¡®Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear¡¯ is in a mountain vige called Xishan Vige, one hundred miles west of the city."


    Qiao Mu paid attention to the term "mountain vige."


    The mountains were a ce where monsters roamed freely, and ordinary mountain viges without sturdy city walls found it difficult to defend against monster attacks.


    Therefore, mountain viges outside the cities in the Southwest Province either had to fend for themselves, or¡­


    "Xishan Vige used to be the hometown of the Spear Saint, naturally protected by the Spear Saint¡¯s spear," exined irvoyance.


    "The descendants of Spear Saint¡¯s family also lived within that mountain vige."


    "This event of ¡®Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear¡¯ appearing in the world is actually a test. The descendants of Spear Saint see the current chaos in Jiu Province and want to find young martial artists with outstanding talent and potential, who are willing to restore order, to inherit Spear Saint¡¯s legacy."


    "I see, these descendants of Spear Saint seem quite impressive." Qiao Mu nodded.


    "Teaching the ¡®Human Path Sutra¡¯ to my Qiao family has simrities."@@novelbin@@


    However, Qiao Mu found himself a bit puzzled.


    He originally thought that the secret manual would appear in the world and martial arts experts wouldpete for it, with the manual naturally falling into the hands of the strongest.


    Yet, these descendants of Spear Saint were so honorable and selfless that he hesitated to make a move.


    After all, Qiao Jin, as a martial arts pinnacle expert on par with Spear Saint in the past, it would be unseemly to forcefully seize it.


    And as for the young talents¡­ A young talent of six hundred years old, does that count?


    irvoyance said, "In Xishan Vige, there will be apetition in about seven days, inviting heroes from all over the world."


    "On the way to Xishan Vige, you may have a chance to meet Demon Spear Qin Li, who is ranked first on the Power List."


    "Indeed. The Qiao family, as a prominent martial arts n, surely has many talented young people. It seems that this ¡®Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear¡¯ is also in Senior Qiao¡¯s collection."


    Qiao Mu¡¯s gaze unconsciously fell on the Impermanent Demon Cat licking its fur on his shoulder, lost in thought.


    This chubby pig in human form looks like an adult on the outside, but has less intelligence than usual, like a child. Isn¡¯t he a young talent, just appropriately so?


    Since the renowned Spear Saint has taken in Qing Li, who is half-demon.


    So, for the Qiao family to send a transformed demon to participate in thepetition for the secret manual seems quite reasonable, doesn¡¯t it?


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    At the entrance of the vige in the peach blossom forest.


    Qiao Mu found arge stone and ced it at the entrance of the mountain vi. Using his finger as a pen, he secretly used his inner strength to write four big characters on the stone.


    Peach Blossom Vi.


    With chaos prevailing in the world today, where can one find a paradise?


    The mountain vi named Peach Blossom Vi is actually just a temporary ce for seclusion and training.


    The old soldiers need time to practice the Human Path Sutra, as sharpening the knife doesn¡¯t dy the work of chopping wood.


    Simrly, Qiao Mu also needs a short summer break to let his mind rest slightly from the three hundred years of restless dreaming.


    He walked through the vige, watching the elderly soldiers practicing in the morning sunlight, asionally givingments.


    The present Qiao Mu is a martial arts expert who is six hundred years old, with extensive knowledge in martial arts.


    The first emperor of Great Yan had very strong inner power. Even though Earth Sword Immortal was more skilled, when it came to knowledge of martial arts, no one in Jiu Province couldpare to him.


    Ordinary people asked the wise ones questions, but they might not keep up with the wise ones¡¯ thoughts.


    Qiao Mu was a regr martial artist with average talent, and this kind of martial artist often had a deeper understanding of martial arts.


    Qiao Mu was the founder of "Human Path Sutra," and with his guidance, the progress of the three hundred old soldiers in martial arts naturally advanced quickly.


    It could even be said that¡­every old soldier who survived forty years of battles was not mediocre, and they progressed in martial arts faster than Qiao Mu did at the beginning.


    If this had happened when Qiao Mu was younger, he might have actually felt sour.


    After all, his martial arts skills were obtained through years of hard work and persistent practice.


    However, the progress of these old soldiers¡¯ training was faster than his.


    But now, at the age of 675, Qiao Mu felt no bitterness in his heart, only a sense of contentment.


    "There will always be sessors, no need for jealousy. It is only right for theter generation to surpass the previous ones, because the present is better than the past."


    Because he is a pioneer in martial arts, leading the way, clearing obstacles, and building bridges.


    He crossed the river by feeling his way with rocks, building a bridge over the turbulent river ahead to create a path across the river.


    The pioneer walks slowly through the challenges, so that those who follow can move faster.


    Hai Wuya, who read in prison for thirty years, probably thought the same way.


    Thinking about this, Qiao Mu¡¯s gaze fell on a strong young man in the corner of the courtyard, holding a stone lock.


    The stone lock weighs a thousand pounds, but the strong young man lifts it and squats effortlessly, handling it with ease.


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    "Hmm? This person lifts a thousand-pound stone lock so easily, he hasn¡¯t even developed internal strength yet, still in the initial stage of martial arts training?" Qiao Mu¡¯s gaze shifted to the face of this strong young man.


    Most people have a limit of five hundred pounds of strength, but this person¡¯s strength exceeds a thousand pounds, showing he is different from the average martial artist.


    "Innate super strength? Extraordinary talent? Or is it a half-demon physique?"


    This young man is one of the two beast ves who was saved by Qiao Mu when he first entered Southwest Province and faced danger.


    At that time, he was slim and not very outstanding in appearance. But in just seven or eight days, he had grown significantly in size.


    Qiao Mu approached him and asked a few questions. If this person showed potential in martial arts, Qiao Mu would dly offer guidance.


    "Senior Qiao, my name is Chen Heihu¡­" The strong and dark young man nced at Qiao Mu¡¯s expression before continuing:


    "My family used to live in Xishan Vige on the west side of the city.""Xishan Vige? Really?" Qiao Mu narrowed his eyes.


    Without saying much, Qiao Mu simply narrowed his eyes slightly, exuding an invisible pressure like a sharp sword, making the strong and dark young man, Chen Heihu, not dare to deceive him, and he hesitantly said:


    "It¡¯s true."


    "I heard Senior Qiao mention Xishan Vige several times in the mansion in the past few days, so I came here today to wait."


    Chen Heihu, although he was born as a beast ve and may seem rough, he also has a bit of cunning, but it seems that he is not lying.


    "Since you are from Xishan Vige, can you tell me more about this Xishan Vige?"


    "Xishan Vige is not easy to find. The Western Mountain is shrouded in mist all day long, making it difficult for outsiders to locate it," Chen Heihu said.


    "Interestingly, only at noon on the first day of each month, the mist clears and people cane in and out of the mountain vige," he continued.


    Qiao Mu pondered, finding this a bit strange¡­ Could it be that this giant mountain has some mysterious power?


    "The vige chief in the mountain vige has always been held by the Zhao family head, who is also the descendant of the former Spear Saint. The current family head is named Zhao Hu, who is a skilled martial artist."


    "Actually, I¡¯m not originally from Xishan Vige. It¡¯s just that several years ago, I got lost in the fog and was luckily saved by the nicedy in the vige, Sister Li. So, I ended up living in the vige for several years," Chen Heihu exined.


    He stumbled upon Xishan Vige by chance.


    However, being a secluded ce in the mountains and guarded by descendants of the Spear Saint through generations, he naturally wanted to stay there.


    Outside the mountains, there were monsters wandering around, even the town was not a clean ce like Xishan Vige.


    But when Chen Heihu mentioned this, his expression looked a bit unpleasant.


    "Li Jie soon left the mountain vige. She seemed to have fallen ill, herplexion always looked unhealthy. She left me alone in the vige. Later, I found out that her real name was Qing Li, she had made a great reputation in the martial arts world, known as ¡®Demon Spear¡¯."


    "Don¡¯t worry, your sister Li will definitely live a long life," Qiao Mu said casually.


    "Long live sister Li."


    Chen Heihu was confused for a moment, not understanding this joke, paused for a while and continued speaking:


    "I used to think that the vige chief Zhao Hu in Xishan Vige was also a kind and good person."


    "Who knew that shortly after Li Jie left, he changed his attitudepletely, his face always looked unfriendly, soon he even tried to drive me, an outsider, away forcefully."


    "Of course, I was indeed an outsider, but during the years I lived in Xishan Vige, I worked hard on the farm work, I was not azy person," Chen Heihu rambled on:


    "If we wait until the first day of the lunar month, when the fog clears in the mountains, he would let me leave."


    "But he didn¡¯t wait until the first day of the lunar month. It was at the end ofst month, on the thirtieth, that he drove me away."@@novelbin@@


    "So, when I left, I got lost in the fog around Xishan Vige." And with that, Chen Heihu looked even more bitter.


    "Soon after, I encountered the monsters in the mountains one after another, frantically running for my life, narrowly escaping death at the hands of the monsters."


    "Although I didn¡¯t die in the end, I was seen by the immortal of Yunxiao Sect and ended up as a beast ve, feeding and cleaning up after the flying tigers all day."


    That¡¯s why Chen Heihu mistook Qiao Mu for a great demon when they first met.


    It¡¯s true that those days spent alone fleeing from monsters left me with psychological scars.


    "It¡¯s quite interesting. Many people in the Southwest Province praise the descendants of the Spear Saint, but here you are, saying that the Spear Saint¡¯s descendants almost indirectly killed you." Qiao Mu¡¯s gaze fell on Chen Heihu¡¯s face.


    "Senior Qiao, I¡¯m not ming that Zhao Hu¡­ I am indeed an outsider, and they didn¡¯t have a duty to protect me." Chen Heihu muttered in a low voice.


    "I almost died because of it, but I don¡¯t really have any hard feelings in my heart, that wouldn¡¯t be true."


    "Practice well. You¡¯re still a bit weak." Qiao Mu said casually.


    "If you still have hard feelings, next time I take you back to Xishan Vige, you can confront Zhao Hu face to face."


    "This time, let¡¯s skip it."


    The seven days are up, tomorrow Qiao Mu will go to Xishan Vige as promised.


    Storyteller irvoyance had also told Qiao Mu the way to Xishan Vige in advance, so it was not difficult for him to arrive there.


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    Firstly, he had extremely high confidence in Wu Rulong.


    After all, this is the first talented spear user recognized by the Martial Saint in Jiu Province.


    Secondly, he still holds respect for the Spear Saint.


    The group of superb martial artists led by the Spear Saint were the first batch of superb martial artists to die at the hands of the Martial Saint.


    Thirty years ago, they, with a team of nine, fought together until one winner emerged, achieving the unprecedented strength of bing a Martial Saint.


    Apart from the Earth Sword Immortal who fled during the battle, Wu Qiankun holds respect for all the superb martial artists from the same era as the Martial Saint.


    Therefore, although Zhao Hu and the others before him are not very strong and may not catch Wu Qiankun¡¯s attention, he is willing to stand up and speak out to maintain some dignity for the descendants of the Spear Saint.


    "Well said, young people are the pirs of Jiu Province," Qiao Mu coughed lightly and also stepped forward.He didn¡¯t make a move, just his gaze swept over everyone, his eyes instantly piercing.


    In an instant, everyone¡¯s minds were shaken. Although they were just being looked at, it felt like being struck by swords, causing their skin to ache as if cut by des.


    "These are two very scary martial arts experts, are they rted to the former Spear Saint?"


    Although the onlookers were unhappy, they naturally didn¡¯t dare to cause trouble openly.


    "Thank you for helping us¡­may I ask for your names?" Zhao Hu asked.


    "Myst name is Di," Wu Qiankun casually replied, standing to the side and resting with his eyes closed, not engaging in further conversation with Zhao Hu.


    He didn¡¯t want to reveal his true identity, as Martial Saint had killed Zhao Hu¡¯s father.


    If he revealed his name, there might be someone from Xishan Vige who was reckless enough to seek revenge with a sword.


    "Myst name is Zhou, Zhou Mu," Qiao Mu spoke up.


    "Zhou Mu?," Wu Qiankun frowned slightly.


    "In this world, are there skilled people with thest name Zhou like you? Another one popping out from the cracks?"


    "Do you dare to tell the truth, even though you are hiding something?" Wu Qiankun asked coldly.


    "You are just not well-informed." Qiao Mu said seriously.


    "I am Zhou Mu, a member of the royal family of the former Zhou Dynasty."


    "Zhou Dynasty? Your story sounds too far-fetched." Wu Qiankun snorted.


    "Are all members of the Zhou Dynasty surnamed Zhou?"


    Qiao Mu was taken aback this time, realizing that Founding Emperor Yan had embarrassed him.


    It turned out that Founding Emperor Yan, a coarse martial artist without education, directly used his own surname as the name of the country.


    He thought this was amon practice in the world of royal dynasties?


    "This Zhou is not the same as that Zhou, don¡¯t you see how uninformed you are?" Qiao Mu said solemnly.


    "I¡¯m talking about the Jo Dynasty from three thousand years ago, not the Great Zhou Dynasty from three hundred years ago."


    "It makes sense for the royal family of the Jo Dynasty to have the surname Jo, right?"


    Zhao Hu saw the two people were about to argue, so he quickly took out a thin little booklet from his pocket.


    "This is the martial arts experience left by my father¡­"


    It must be said that Zhao Hu¡¯s timing was sharp; as soon as he took out this little booklet, both of their attention shifted, and no more words were exchanged.


    He then turned his head back to the other martial artists in the crowd.


    "Everyone."


    "We need to select a standout martial artist, and the rule is simple, we¡¯ll settle it with fists."


    "On the top of the western mountain behind me was where the Spear Saint used to practice."


    "In Xishan Vige, there will be guardians on the mountain path. The one who passes through three checkpoints, reaches the mountain peak, and emerges victorious inbat shall be the heir of ¡®Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear¡¯."


    "However, all of you are martial arts experts. It would be a shame to see anyone injured in thispetition. This is not a fight to the death. I hope you all show mercy and stop at a certain point."


    Following Zhao Hu, another Xishan Vige viger stepped forward.


    With a family legacy that produced the Spear Saint, this family is certainly powerful, with sturdy martial artists among them.


    "Well then, let it be you, Impermanent Demon. You are chosen," Qiao Mu patted the shoulder of the Impermanent Demon Cat beside him.


    He had briefly learned about themon knowledge of the demon n from Storyteller irvoyance at Tide Listening Building.


    The mighty demons mentioned by many, are actually powerful creatures that even martial artists cannot easily defeat.


    In Jiu Province¡¯s martial arts system, reaching the 1st rank is considered the ultimate achievement.


    The difference between the 1st rank and the superb rank is like the difference between a student with a Ph.D. and a post-doctoral researcher.


    The 1st rank is the highest level recognized by the imperial court, but it doesn¡¯t mean reaching the end of the road.


    The term "great demon" refers to supernatural beings that are much stronger than 1st rank Spirit Refining martial artists.


    Although the demon race, like cultivators, has declined, they were once a powerful group that rivaled cultivators.


    Among mortal martial artists, only a few superb martial artists stand a chance against them.


    That¡¯s why Qiao Mu is confident facing the unpredictable, a demonic cat that feeds on countless dead spirits.


    "I see," responded Qiao Mu confidently, nodding his head and then softly asked:


    "But what does ¡®stop while you¡¯re ahead¡¯ mean?"


    "¡­It means to always have a backup n and not go to extremes, remember this well," Qiao Mu said helplessly, rubbing his temples.


    "Also, remember to speak more politely, the Zhao family is the descendants of the Spear Saint, with a good reputation."


    Even though the beast ve Chen Heihu in the mansion said that Zhao Hu had evil intentions, Qiao Mu naturally wouldn¡¯t believe one-sided words.


    As dawn approached, the travelers were already following the guidance of the Zhao n members, beginning to climb the mountain path ahead.


    Including Qiao Mu, Wu Qiankun, and other few older experts, were regarded as guests by Zhao Hu, following him onto another mountain path, watching the distant battle.


    The crowd gathered, with several Zhao family martial artists standing in front of the mountain path, blocking the approaching travelers.


    "Everyone, this challenge will test your skills with the spear."


    "If any of you can defeat us in spear skills in a one-on-one duel, then you will pass this test."


    The Zhao family martial artist pointed to the side, where various long spears were prepared on the weapon rack.


    "It looks like we will indeed be tested on spear skills¡­" Qiao Mu rubbed his chin, feeling a bit uncertain.


    Although he had taught the Reaper some spear techniques in seven days, how much could one learn in seven days? Just some basic skills, maybe?


    Qiao Mu saw the Grim Reaper picking up two iron spears and holding them.


    Two spears? Qiao Mu had never taught that before, and even he found it a bit strange.


    "Practicing with two spears?" Everyone also noticed this scene and found it strange.


    "Even though using two spears is a form of spear technique, the Spear Saint¡¯s ¡®Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear¡¯ is focused on single spear techniques. Wait, what is she doing?"@@novelbin@@


    Amidst the surprised looks from everyone, the Grim Reaper twisted the iron spear in his hand, bending the steel into a circle that wrapped around her right arm and waist, securing her arm to her waist.


    "Such strength¡­ Wait, what are you doing?" A burly middle-aged man guarding the gate furrowed his brow.


    "Do you think you can defeat me with just one hand? That¡¯s too arrogant."


    "Are you doing this on purpose?"


    The Grim Reaper puffed out her chest innocently and said, "Gotta hold back a bit, can¡¯t go around killing people."


    "So this is called holding back?" The middle-aged gatekeeper¡¯s eye twitched and he took a deep breath.


    If the other person is an ordinary martial artist, he would most likely be provoked by this on purpose.


    But the little girl in front of him had a strange innocence about her, and she was quite pretty too.


    The middle-aged gatekeeper, who believed in the value of appearance, began to rethink if the exnation given by the patriarch was wrong, so he asked gently:


    "Could it be that you misunderstood, little girl?"


    The girl thought for a moment and found some sense in his words.


    So she used her remaining hand to bend another iron spear and tied her legs with the bent steel spear.


    "Like this?" she asked with wide eyes.


    The middle-aged gatekeeper¡¯s forehead vein bulged as he unconsciously took a sharp breath and gritted his teeth.


    Where did you identally? This was clearly on purpose!


    The martial artist in this mountain valley is so simple, he thinks too naively of this girl from outside¡­


    This girl has a human face but a beastly heart!


    At this moment, on another mountain path, Zhao Hu looked at Qiao Mu expressionlessly.


    Qiao Mu had to exin with a smile:


    "Children don¡¯t understand, she was just joking, she didn¡¯t mean it."


    After saying that, they heard the monk call out:


    "Can we start now?"


    "I can¡¯t move my feet right now, can youe over?"


    Wu Qiankun, who had been standing coldly next to them, couldn¡¯t help but speak up with a strained expression on his face.


    "Well, quite polite," he remarked.


    Qiao Mu opened his mouth, unsure of how to exin this time.


    In fact, he eximed in his mind.


    He didn¡¯t know if this little kitten had a bad heart or was just innocently silly.


    Not sure where he learned his pretentious ways, quite the self-made man¡­.


    The middle-aged gatekeeper¡¯s face had turned purple.


    There were many gatekeepers, and many wanderers were trying to pass through at the same time, some of whom were skilled enough to have already defeated the gatekeepers.


    The first skilled wanderer to pass through was a young man with neatly tied back ck hair, who was silent but moved very quickly.


    In a sh, he had defeated the guard and raced like lightning towards the mountain path behind him, his legs almost blurring into a ghostly image leaving a trail of dust behind.


    Obviously, this person is very skilled at light-footed techniques.


    The second one to pass the guard was Wu Rulong, with a simple and straight spear thrust, unexpectedly hitting the guard¡¯s spear tip urately and sending him flying out.


    However, no matter how dazzling and powerful these two people were, they were no match for the sharp tongue of the guard.


    Now almost everyone¡¯s attention was focused on the guard facing off with the guard, even the first two people who rushed through the gate were being ignored.


    This made the guard¡¯s middle-aged man¡¯s face even uglier, growling softly:


    "Well, then I shall witness your skills!"


    He took a step forward, the long spear in his hand like a dragon, thrusting straight towards the stationary guardian.


    The next moment.


    He felt an overwhelming forceing from the spear, and he was knocked over by it. After the ground shook, he found himself lying on the ground.


    "Did¡­ I lose?"


    The middle-aged gatekeeper looked stunned.


    He couldn¡¯t see the girl¡¯s movements clearly, but he knew she was very fast and strong.


    He wasn¡¯t sure about the spear technique because he lost too quickly.


    He stood up somewhat confused, watching the girl straighten the iron spear she had bent in her hand, walking towards the mountain path behind him.


    He was full of regret now.


    Darn it, she tricked him.


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    The cat demon swiftly climbed up the stairs.


    She wasn¡¯t the fastest one to pass through, as there were still two people ahead of her.


    Among them, a young man was the fastest, his feet almost turning into a blur, making it hard to see his leg movements clearly.


    At first nce, it didn¡¯t look like a fast sprint, but more like arge bird gliding close to the ground.


    "Such graceful skills," Zhao Hu couldn¡¯t help but admire.


    "Not only is this person agile, but also incredibly fast. Truly a talented youth."


    Although Zhao Hu was looking for someone to inherit the spear technique from "Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear".


    But if the person was too excellent, passing on the technique wouldn¡¯t be a problem.Qiao Mu was watching the person¡¯s steps, deep in thought.


    Ordinary people couldn¡¯t see clearly this person¡¯s moves, but he could see clearly, and he was familiar with them.


    The opponent¡¯s lightness skill¡­ clearly it was the best lightness skill in the world, Heavenly Dragon Eight Steps.


    He looked like a young man in his twenties, but his skill in Heavenly Dragon Eight Steps lightness was quite high, making Qiao Mu take notice.


    "Could he be from the Wuji Association?" Qiao Mu wondered.


    Heavenly Dragon Eight Steps is a superb level lightness skill, known for its extreme difficulty.


    He had briefly fought with Wu Qiankun before, even Wu Qiankun, the number one person under Martial Saint, had not mastered Heavenly Dragon Eight Steps, but used "Ex-human Transformation" instead.


    This young man with the extremely high lightness skill was obviously not simple.


    At this moment, Impermanent Demon Cat had already reached halfway up the mountain road.


    Standing in front of her was a strong big man over two meters tall, with a leopard head and circr eyes.


    This big man is wide and strong, but he has a noticeable leopard head on top of his head, he is a half-demon from Xishan Vige.


    The famous Spear Saint in the past was known for his kindness and came from the Southwest Province. He even adopted a group of half-demons led by "Qing Li".


    Although Spear Saint has passed away, in Xishan Vige, there are still some half-demons living here besides the Zhao family members.


    "Among Spear Saint¡¯s disciples, there are indeed some powerful and strong half-demons." the big man with a leopard head spoke in a deep voice:


    "His technique ¡®Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear¡¯ requires at least two thousand pounds of strength to perform."


    "So the second test is about physical strength¡ª-"


    Before he could finish speaking, the big man with a leopard head suddenly felt dizzy, and found himself unable to break free from the grip of the Grim Reaper holding his wrists like an iron mp.


    The towering two-meter tall man¡¯s face turned red, his muscles bulging, but he gradually lost to the slender Grim Reaper without being able to resist.


    The tall and imposing half-demon, standing at two meters tall, waspletely powerless against the Grim Reaper holding his hands at this moment.


    He finally sat down heavily, panting on the ground before slowly getting up.


    "Why are you in such a hurry?" the burly man with a leopard-patterned headband asked with wide eyes.


    "I said this is a test of skill, not a test against me."


    The burly man with a leopard-patterned headband gestured towards several huge rocks by the mountain path, shrugging helplessly.


    "In this challenge, all you have to do is lift this massive 2,000-pound rock to pass, I¡¯m not asking you topete with me."


    "Forget it, little girl, you don¡¯t need to lift it, just go up."


    The big man with leopard-like head and ringed eyes felt helpless.


    Two thousand pounds already exceeded the physical limit of a fourth rank martial artist.


    So, those who can lift two thousand pounds of stone either have exceptional talent and have consumed precious treasures, or have mastered top-notch martial arts, gradually building strength through long-term training.


    As a half-demon, he inherited the bloodline of the demon race, naturally possessing much greater strength than this and far exceeding the so-called human physical limits.


    The strength of this little girl is much greater than his, so the oue is already very clear.


    "Is she also a half-demon? Inheriting the bloodline of the demon race? I wonder which powerful demon¡¯s descendant she is, so fierce." The big man with leopard-like head and ringed eyes shook his head.


    Half-demon?


    Zhao Hu looked back at Qiao Mu thoughtfully.


    "The Zhou family is full of hidden talents," he sighed.


    "Although this young girl is strong, as a half-demon, she may not be suitable for mastering the ¡®Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear¡¯ and developing internal strength, right?"


    In this world, most half-demons find it difficult to practice the martial arts techniques of pure-blooded humans due to differences in their body structure and meridians, making it hard to cultivate internal strength.


    Half-demons often have much greater physical strength than ordinary humans, while human martial artists may not be as strong but possess internal strength.


    The martial artist can unleash their internal strength in the air and the force can prate through the body, making it more destructive. However, once the internal strength is depleted, it needs a long time of meditation and rest to recover.


    Body muscle strength gives more endurance and quicker recovery.


    Qiao Mu relied on the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method to multiply his internal strength, overpowering others repeatedly.


    "You¡¯re mistaken, she is not a half-demon," Qiao Mu casually remarked while reading a small booklet in his hand.


    The small booklet in his hand was a thoughtful gift from Zhao Hu, containing the martial arts wisdom of the Spear Saint in hister years.


    It briefly described the life of the Spear Saint, highlighting his mastery with a long spear and a move called ¡®Hundred Birds Facing the Phoenix¡¯, making him unbeatable in his prime. By the age of forty, his spear skills had reached their peak, bing the best in the world.


    However, just two years after bing the best in the world, he encountered the Earth Sword Immortal.


    Defeated by the Earth Sword Immortal¡¯s Heavenly shing Swordsmanship, the Spear Saint didn¡¯t despair but rather saw the Earth Sword Immortal as his strong rival.


    After meditating atop the Western Mountain for ten years, he finally created a new killing move, "Jingwei Fills the Sea," inspired by the Earth Sword Immortal¡¯s technique.


    The Spear Saint¡¯s notes read:


    "Although Earth Sword Immortal may seem unconventional, he is truly a person of high moral character."


    "His Heavenly shing Swordsmanship is about cutting off all retreat, with one sword strike making me invincible, focusing all my energy and spirit into that one sword."


    "And my ultimate move ¡®Jingwei Filling the Sea¡¯ is inspired by the myth of Jingwei filling the sea, representing unwavering determination till death."


    Heavenly shing Swordsmanship is sacrificing all to strike with an unstoppable blow.


    While Jingwei Filling the Sea symbolizes the unwaveringmitment even until death.


    "At the age of forty, I, the old man, was invincible in the mortal realm, undefeated, hailed by martial artists as the Spear Saint, the foremost martial arts master of our time."


    "At forty-two, I suffered a tragic defeat at the hands of Earth Sword Immortal, all the honors of my earlier life turned into stepping stones for Earth Sword Immortal. From then on, I became second to none."


    "At forty-five, during the Inhuman War, I secretly challenged Yunxiao Sect Inhuman Yu Shan, and was soundly defeated and nearly died."


    "Since that day, I realized that human strength can sometimes run out."


    "The cultivators in this world are as vast as the ocean, beyond the reach of mere human effort. No matter how hard one tries in a lifetime, it is impossible to make even a slight impact."


    "I sat alone on the peak of West Mountain for ten years, dedicating all my energy to the exploration of martial arts skills."


    "After ten years, I finally mastered the deadly move ¡®Jingwei Fills the Sea¡¯."


    "Yet in the end, I still could not surpass the peak swordsmanship of Earth Sword Immortal."


    "I remain steadfast in ¡®Jingwei Fills the Sea¡¯ until death. Even though I may not achieve it in this lifetime, I am willing to give my all."


    "I go to this appointment, ready to fight to the death with Martial Saint and other outstanding heroes of our time whom I have not seen in ten years. It seems like a life-and-death situation."


    "I leave behind this book to be given to future generations."


    This martial arts insight is not a secret martial arts manual.


    In the first half, it is the life story of Spear Saint himself.


    In the second half, it is about Spear Saint¡¯s personal exploration and insights into martial arts in hister years.


    Reading the handwriting above, Qiao Mu found himself somewhat admiring Spear Saint.


    This Spear Saint indeed faced challenges in his lifetime.


    Before Earth Sword Immortal and after Martial Saint, Spear Saint unfortunately encountered political interference during his time.


    Despite being a martial arts leader, Spear Saint¡¯s fame and honor were overshadowed by Earth Sword Immortal.


    Due to Spear Saint¡¯s short-lived title as "the best in the world," whichsted only two years, Earth Sword Immortal took over the crown.


    Therefore, in the eyes of the public, the title of martial arts leader for Spear Saint seemed somewhat less credible,cking true value, and he waster only referred to as the second best in the world.


    After bing the best in the world and invincible in his time, Spear Saint faced three devastating defeats.


    Earth Sword Immortal lost once, and inhuman Yu Shan lost twice.


    After sitting still for ten years and figuring out the killing move "Jingwei Fills the Sea," he encountered a Martial Saint who had been practicing Martial Saint Spiritual Technique for ten years.


    Instead of making aeback, he died directly.


    Truly a cause for regret and sighs.


    "If Spear Saint were born in this modern era of martial arts, I believe he would have achieved even greater sess," Qiao Mumented slightly.


    Flipping through the small booklet in his hand, he roughly skimmed through the martial arts insights at the end.


    At this moment, Zhao Hu had already led them to the mountaintop of West Mountain.


    The mountaintop was a rtively t open space, which used to be the training ground of the former Spear Saint.


    On one side of the training ground, there stood arge rock with carved patterns on it.


    Qiao Mu carefully looked at the stone sculpture, which showed a bird carrying a stone and flying towards the ocean.


    "Is this the Jingwei Filling the Sea painting? This Spear Saint, in hister years, humbly learned stone carving skills from the Earth Sword Immortal. It¡¯s not a lie at all."


    Qiao Mu chuckled silently.


    Ultimately, the Spear Saint had a broad heart. Despite being a top martial artist, he could set aside his pride after a crushing defeat and be a student of the Earth Sword Immortal.


    He wasn¡¯t afraid of beingughed at by future generations and even recorded the event.


    Ding ding ding.@@novelbin@@


    At this moment, a member of the Zhao family rang the bronze bell on the mountaintop, diverting Qiao Mu¡¯s attention from the booklet.


    When he turned back, he noticed that Anchang had already passed through three trials and reached the mountaintop.


    Besides her, Wu Rulong and a young man with ck ponytail hair also reached the mountain peak.


    Looking around, everyone had exceptional charm, they were not ordinary people.


    "Now that we are at the mountaintop with three people, it is natural for there to be anotherpetition to see who will obtain the secret technique," Zhao Hu cleared his throat and said.


    So, at the martial arts arena on the mountaintop called Spear Saint, Anchang and Wu Rulong stood facing each other from a distance.


    As for the young man with a ponytail, he stood quietly behind the crowd, waiting without saying a word.


    "It¡¯s up to you now, Ryu," Wu Qiankun¡¯s eyes sharpened.


    In an instant, Wu Rulong moved.


    Swirling around, he pivoted his waist, energeticallypleting the motion of passing the spear to his hand and thrusting it forward.


    The tip of the long spear in his hand shed like a cold star, piercing sharply with a whistling sound as it shot out like a dragon.


    A fierce energy spread with the long spear, creating an explosion in the air, condensing into a dragon-shaped shadow.


    He acted decisively and ruthlessly, aiming straight for the unpredictable throat.


    Before the spear could reach its target, the grand momentum had already caught the attention of the Zhao family elders watching the battle.


    Wu Rulong, recognized as the top talent in spear martial arts by the Martial Saint, thus joined the seventy-two wise men.


    n leader Zhao Hu stroked his short beard and eximed:


    "Although young in age, this spear technique is already perfected."


    "With just one spear thrust, all his strength is focused into a single strike, surpassing a normal full-powered attack. Has he mastered an advanced martial skill at such a young age?"


    His thrust only pierced through a void, creating a loud explosion in the air, with sand and dust swirling.


    The unpredictable opponent had vanished without a trace.


    Wu Rulong stood in ce with his spear, looking somewhat bewildered.


    But in the next moment, a hand suddenly emerged from the shadow under his feet, grabbed his ankle, and pulled hard.


    With a loud bang, Wu Rulong fell forward to the ground, creating a shallow pit in the martial arts arena, covered in dirt and lookingpletely different from his fierce self just a moment ago.


    "This is called sparring¨C" he widened his eyes, trying to say something, but was pulled by a great force, causing him to fall t on the ground with his limbs spread out, hitting his head on the ground. He couldn¡¯t stand up, and the long spear in his hand had slipped away.


    Instantly, the Grim Reaper emerged from the shadow, picked up Wu Rulong¡¯s long spear, forcefully bent it, and tied one of Wu Rulong¡¯s hands behind his back while hey on the ground.


    "Hmm¡­ Is it over now?" Zhao Hu and the rest of the Zhao n members exchanged nces.


    Although the Grim Reaper¡¯s ability to vanish into the shadow was clearly not martial arts, it seemed to be a power of some kind of monster¡­


    But their strengths were clearly quite different; the young girl had only used a few tricks, rendering Wu Rulong almost defenseless.


    Victory is victory, defeat is defeat.


    "There¡¯s one more match left, we can only rely on the young man with the green ponytail," Zhao Hu had now recognized the Grim Reaper¡¯s monstrous identity, furrowing his brow slightly, reluctant to hand over the "Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear."


    Even though all three passed the assessment, it was clear that Wu Rulong was the better choice to inherit the spear skills.


    Among the disciples of Spear Saint, there was a half-demon named Zhao Hu who didn¡¯t care about different races. He just hoped to find a pure-blood human descendant who could develop internal strength¡­


    "Hmm? Where is that young man with good lightness skills and a ponytail we saw earlier?" Zhao Hu looked around but couldn¡¯t spot him in the crowd.


    Meanwhile, Wu Qiankun standing next to him let out a soft sigh.


    "Wu Rulong, you are still weak in the end."


    Wu Rulong, who was being pressed down, tried to say something in response but couldn¡¯t form any words.


    In the Wuji Association, the rule was simple: The strong were respected, and it was a matter of winner takes all, regardless of the means used to achieve victory.


    Wu Qiankun stood up and walked towards Zhao Hu step by step, his expression turning colder by the moment.


    He had initially intended to follow the rules and show some respect to the descendant of Spear Saint.


    But now Wu Rulong¡¯s ns have failed, and he won¡¯t just sit back and let "Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear" slip away.


    "I thought I could give the former Spear Saint some face. Now it seems I was being naive, shouldn¡¯t have wasted my efforts."


    He twisted his neck, joints making cracking sounds like frying beans, his body expanding a bit, even his facial features subtly changing.


    "I¡¯m tired of this game of testing the weak."


    Wu Qiankun¡¯s towering three-meter tall figure stood in front of Zhao Hu, his shadow alonepletely covering Zhao Hu.


    He lowered his eyelids, looking down at the elderly man in front of him:


    "Now, it¡¯s the turn of the strong."


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    When Wu Qiankun took a few steps towards Zhao Hu, his whole body squirmed, and his facial features changed as well.


    His true face was now revealed in front of everyone.


    "It¡¯s Wu Qiankun!"


    "Ranked second on the Spiritual Refining List, the leader of the Wuji Association, Little Martial Saint Wu Qiankun!"


    The martial arts heroes watching the battle all had dramatic changes in their expressions.


    A person¡¯s name casts a shadow.


    The Wuji Association was built upon the blood and bones of an entire generation of martial artists.


    Though Wu Qiankun¡¯s name may not be as famous as that Martial Saint, he still has a fearsome reputation in the martial arts world.People in the martial arts world say that the Wuji Association is even more terrifying than inhuman.


    While inhuman may be more powerful, they have always looked down on martial artists and have a deep contempt for ordinary martial artists. As long as you stay away, you might not lose your life.


    But the Wuji Association was different.


    Whether it was the Martial Saint or Wu Qiankun, they both rose to power because of the "Martial Saint Spiritual Technique", feeding on mortal martial artists for years, hunting down many high-quality martial artists.


    The crowd was in an uproar at this moment.


    Several people had already started using light skills, preparing to escape at the first moment.


    On one side were descendants of the Spear Saint, on the other side was Wu Qiankun, the two sides were in conflict, and they were unwilling to get involved in this mess.


    Among the crowd, there were also people who remained calm.


    "Wu Qiankun? Could it be that he has another purpose, sneaking into Xishan Vige where the descendants of the Spear Saint are based?" Long Shankong, a young man with ck hair, stood in the crowd, deep in thought.


    At this moment, he had untied the ponytail at the back of his head, letting his long hair fall over his shoulders, and tucked a human skin mask into his pocket.


    Long Shankong was one of the three fastest climbers to reach the top of Xishan Mountain.


    He quietly mixed into the crowd while Wu Rulong was busy fighting unpredictably, quickly changing his appearance just like Wu Qiankun also changed his face.


    Long Shankong was not just an ordinary martial artist, he was a top three martial artist from the past, the grandson of the Eight-armed Heavenly Dragon.


    Forty years ago in the martial arts world, the second best was the Spear Saint, and the third was the Eight-armed Heavenly Dragon.


    Apart from the Earth Sword Immortal who was unrivaled with a sword, the Spear Saint and the Eight-armed Heavenly Dragon, who were second and third, had very simr strength.


    If the Spear Saint was the former leader of spear techniques.


    Then the Eight-armed Heavenly Dragon was the best in martial arts in the past martial arts world.


    The fastest fists, the fastest feet, known as the fastest in the world, unmatched by anyone.


    The book "Eight Armed Heavenly Dragon Fist" and the book "Heavenly Dragon Eight Steps" were both top-notch martial arts in the world.


    Decades ago, these two top martial artists also had many exchanges, with the Eight-armed Heavenly Dragon falling short.


    The Eight-armed Heavenly Dragon is a proud character who refuses to be beneath others.


    He admires the Earth Sword Immortal, but he feels challenged by the Spear Saint who is only slightly stronger than him, leading to conflict.


    Today, when Long Shankong rushed over, it was not for the book "Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear."


    After all, he practices top-notch martial arts himself, so why would he need to learn the skills of his grandfather¡¯s lifelong rival, the Spear Saint?


    "Xishan Vige always feels different to me¡­ Surrounded by tens of thousands of mountains and monsters, yet there are no superbly skilled individuals in the vige. How can they keep the ce safe? Relying solely on the reputation of Spear Saint or the lingering mist that never dissipates?"


    Long Shankong stood among the crowd, observing with a cold eye.


    His agility was exceptional, unlike others who were panicking.


    Although he was not in the superb rank and he knew he was not a match for Wu Qiankun, he believed that he could escape unharmed with his skill in the Heavenly Dragon Eight Steps.


    At this moment.


    But suddenly, sharp sounds pierced the air, causing some martial artists to fall as they tried to escape.


    Wu Qiankun let go of a handful of sand, letting the fine yellow grains fall.


    A strand of yellow sandnding in Wu Qiankun¡¯s hand was a deadly hidden weapon.


    "Might makes right, the strong are respected," he said calmly.


    "Since it¡¯s the strong¡¯s turn, the weak should not deceive themselves, giving up any thoughts of escaping," he added.


    These martial artists who came because of "Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear" had varying levels of skills.


    From Wu Qiankun¡¯s current perspective, he naturally looked down on these martial arts experts.


    However, their sheer numbers were significant, with hundreds of martial artists gathered, providing enough support.


    Even if he didn¡¯t need it, he could hand them over to the rest of the Wuji Association.


    Despite their recent killings of many cultivators, many martial artists have also fallen at the hands of cultivators in the past few months.


    Even with the "Taotie Swallowing Heaven Skill," the Wuji Association still needs to recruit new members continuously to continue their fight against the Immortal Gate.


    By showing his ability to kill effortlessly, he immediately frightened all the onlookers, leaving no one daring to act recklessly.


    In front of Wu Qiankun, Zhao Hu lifted his head:


    "Are you Wu Qiankun?" His expression rxed slightly, with not much fear, just a little stiffness.


    "Do you want to take the ¡®Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear¡¯ by force?" Zhao Hu shook his head:


    "Why resort to violence over such a trivial matter?"


    "We are here today to teach outsiders about the ¡®Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear¡¯, but you are going against the flow¡­"


    "Forget it, if you want the secret technique, just follow me."


    Qiao Mu remained silent, simply observing quietly.


    Qiao Mu knew Wu Qiankun¡¯s strength from their past encounters.


    And Zhao Hu seemed to have something to rely on, staying calm andposed.


    So he decided to watch from the sidelines, holding Spear Saint¡¯s notes and reading them with interest.


    Zhao Hu took a step and walked to a corner of the training ground, in front of the Jingwei filling the sea stone carving.


    This stone carving was indeed well done, especially the Jingwei Bird in the center of the picture, holding a twig stone in its mouth, carved in great detail and lifelike.


    "What do you mean by this?" Wu Qiankun frowned.


    "The killer move from ¡®Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear¡¯ is the Jingwei filling the sea."


    "Aren¡¯t you here to see the ¡®Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear¡¯ left behind by Spear Saint?"


    Zhao Hu took a step forward, secretly using internal strength, and fiercely pped the stone carving with his hand.


    With a loud bang, the stone carving suddenly broke into pieces.


    In the painting, the lifelike Jingwei Bird pped its wings and seemed to fly out of the painting towards Wu Qiankun.


    A sharp sound.


    The stone Jingwei Bird had transformed into a woman holding a spear.


    This was a slender woman in blue clothes, with sharp and determined eyes, her long hair tied neatly in a ponytail, disying a rare heroic aura.


    "Power List first, Demon Spear Qin Li?"


    Wu Qiankun raised an eyebrow and stood still.


    On his face, a w mark wound was slowly healing on its own.


    Wu Qiankun reached out his finger and gently touched the wound on his face, then licked a bit of blood off his fingertip.


    "Blood¡­ the taste of being hurt, ever sinceing to this Southwest Province, this is a first."


    "I see, so this is your Zhao family¡¯s strength¡­ quite interesting," Wu Qiankun smirked slightly.


    "The martial artists in Jiu Province who are qualified to be my enemies can be counted on one hand. I hope you have that qualification, otherwise it would be too boring."


    The changes in the situation didn¡¯t make him surprised or angry, instead it sparked some fighting spirit in his heart.


    In the entire Jiu Province, the number of martial artists qualified to be his enemies can be counted on one hand.


    And this Demon Spear Qin Li is definitely not a weak opponent who popped out of nowhere.


    Being a disciple of the Spear Saint and holding the top spot in the Power List rankings of the Tide Listening Building storytellers, dominating over all other half-demons, and known as the strongest half-demon.


    The famous warrior Demon Spear Qin Li was already a master fighter.


    Many people doubt her half-demon identity, thinking she is a powerful outcast, hard to get on the Martial Arts Ranking List, but few question her strength.


    Living in Southwest Province, Demon Spear Qin Li¡¯s reputation is well earned.


    The appearance of Demon Spear Qin Li didn¡¯t frighten Wu Qiankun, instead, it made him rise with battle spirit.


    He thought it was just a fishpond situation, but unexpectedly, a big fish emerged that he had to take seriously¡­


    His carefree attitude quickly changed, Wu Qiankun¡¯s body shivered, and his muscles rapidly transformed once again.


    "Flesh Changing Skill¡¤Ex-human Transformation."


    Wu Qiankun¡¯s back revealed numerous pores, as air jets propelled him forward like a speeding arrow towards Qing Li.


    Ex-human Transformation is abat stance born for battle, not only relying on back pores for agile high-speed movement, but also altering internal body structure, making skin, flesh, bones tougher, and muscles bulging.


    Two figures in the training ground swiftly sparred, fists and spear shadows intertwining.


    In the howling wind, the ground of the martial arts arena kept cracking from the aftermath of their fight, looking very grand.


    Watching from the sidelines, Qiao Mu was slightly surprised.


    This Demon Spear Qin Li, clearly the number one on the Power List, so logically speaking, his physical body should be extremely strong, far beyond ordinary people.


    Yet the Qing Li in front of him at this moment showed nothing, just a long spear making him elusive and imprable.


    This renowned number one on the Power List actually didn¡¯t rely on brute force in his fighting style, but excelled in spear skills, using his remarkable spear techniques to contend with Wu Qiankun.


    Qing Li was clearly at a disadvantage.


    Yet even so, she remained silent since her appearance, relying on the long spear in her hand for support.


    "Is this the descendant of the former second best in the world, Spear Saint?"


    Qiao Mu looked up at Qing Li, amazed, then focused back on the knowledge of the Spear Saint at hand.


    He looked very rxed. While there was a fight going on here, he was leisurely reading a book over there.


    But in reality, Qiao Mu was multitasking, paying attention to the fight here and the small booklet in his hand at the same time.@@novelbin@@


    "Before my eyes, a disciple of Spear Saint is personally demonstrating spear techniques."


    "In my hands, I have thete-in-life insights of Spear Saint on martial arts skills¡­examples and theories are both in front of me, this is a rare opportunity, I should look more."


    After losing to the Heavenly shing Swordsmanship and grasping the lethal move "Jingwei Filling the Sea," Spear Saint had a new understanding of martial arts skills.


    "The so-called martial arts involve maximizing the use of physical strength," wrote Spear Saint in his notes.


    "A martial artist¡¯s training in martial arts skills progresses from shallow to deep, representing the process of gradually increasing the use of physical strength."


    "With each punch and kick, power rises from the ground, gathering strength from the whole body, delivering tenfold power in one strike. The old man calls it ¡®coordinating energy.¡¯ At this stage, it can be considered a slight attainment in martial arts."


    "Further progress would be transcending martial techniques."


    "Ordinary people have weak bodies, not as strong as the demon n, and find it difficult to withstand the magic of immortals, but ordinary people¡¯s bodies also have remarkable hidden potential."


    "One type of advanced martial art is to unlock the body¡¯s hidden potential, mobilizing every muscle, bone, and tendon to unleash over 100% of the body¡¯s strength in a single move."


    Qiao Mu understood that a person can unlock their body¡¯s potential when extremely angry, and then¡­ he forgot what came next.


    From this note, it is clear that the Spear Saint in hister years had indeed reached a masterful level. He was studying the fundamental principles of martial arts, seeking to understand not just the technique but also the reasons behind it.


    Qiao Mu looked up at the martial arts stage on the mountaintop ahead.


    At this moment, the battle between Demon Spear Qin Li and Wu Qiankun had already reached a fierce and intense stage.


    Two figures shed back and forth on the martial arts stage, the force of their shes blowing away the dust and splitting the earth.


    Strangely, the physical strength disyed by Demon Spear Qin Li was not impressive, even less so than Wu Qiankun¡¯s.


    However, every time she thrust her long spear, the air would explode with a terrifying momentum, forcing Wu Qiankun back at times.


    This descendant of Spear Saint has clearly inherited the essence of Spear Saint¡¯s spear art.


    When she disyed the set of martial skills called "Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear," the explosive power was truly amazing. Even to Qiao Mu, each of her attacks seemed to use the extraordinary martial techniques within "Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear," making her offensive moves swift and powerful like raging waves.


    "With someone like Demon Spear Qin Li around, who needs another sessor? Is internal strength really that important?" Qiao Mu pondered.


    As he stands at the peak of martial arts today, equally proficient in spear techniques, he naturally recognized the extraordinary skill of Demon Spear Qin Li.


    Her actual strength was ultimately weaker, not as strong as Wu Qiankun¡¯s.


    As the battle continued, Demon Spear Qin Li eventually fell short, her movements with the long spear starting to slow down.


    "To hold me back for even a moment, you can be proud of yourself," he said.


    With a determined gaze, Wu Qiankun unleashed a burst of fierce energy from behind, moving like lightning to break Qing Li¡¯s long spear with a punch. His iron fist carried through, piercing through the body of Demon Spear Qin Li.


    They stood facing each other, the intense movement suddenly turning into utter stillness.


    "In the human world, one less opponent." Wu Qiankun lowered his fists and looked at the opponent with a hint of sympathy in his eyes.


    "There are no worthy opponents in Jiu Province, making the human world lonely in the end."


    Demon Spear Qin Li abruptly stopped moving, and up to this moment, she didn¡¯t say a word.


    At that moment, her figure vanished like a dewdrop under the scorching sun, with the wound on her waist as the center, her whole body disappearing in the blink of an eye, leaving no trace behind.


    "Hmm?" Only now did Wu Qiankun realize something.


    "Not flesh and blood, not her real body? Is this Demon Spear Qin Li¡¯s magic?"


    Thinking of this, his eyes twitched slightly.


    After fighting for a long time, did he realize he was actually fighting against a clone created by Demon Spear Qin Li¡¯s magic?


    Thinking of this, he blushed.


    Just now, the words he spoke to his opponent with sympathy had now turned into sharp knives stabbing at his heart, making him feel embarrassed.


    Wu Qiankun turned around expressionlessly and looked at the group behind him.


    The group unconsciously took a few steps back, like facing a teacher taking attendance in ss. No one dared to meet his gaze, they all looked down or straight ahead.


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 Chapter 289:

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    A gentle breeze blew.


    The branches of the entire forest on the western mountain swayed gently with the wind, and the leaves rustled.


    However, under Wu Qiankun¡¯s watchful gaze at this moment, the top of the western mountain was eerily silent.


    As the renowned second on the Spiritual Refining List, Wu Qiankun naturally practiced a high-level Eye Attacking Technique.


    As his gaze swept through, all the murmurs disappeared, leaving a dead silence.


    Long Shankong was in the crowd, also bowing his head, not showing his true strength.


    Only the corner of his eye asionally nced at the crowd.


    Although none of the heroes on the scene said anything, they were clearly greatly shocked, sweating on their foreheads, struggling.However, some people were different.


    Led by the vige chief Zhao Hu from Xishan Vige, although their faces were pale as paper, they showed no special expression, just nk stares.


    This was very unusual.


    The descendants of Spear Saint from Xishan Vige were not weak.


    But the temptation of Spear Saint¡¯s "Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear" was too strong, attracting almost all the martial arts heroes from half of Southwest Province here.


    Although these descendants of Spear Saint were strong, they were not yet on par with the heroes of Southwest Province.


    Right now, even the talented fighters from Southwest Province are struggling under Wu Qiankun¡¯s powerful attacks, while Zhao Hu and others seem to be doing even better than them?


    But what caught everyone¡¯s attention the most was a middle-aged martial artist named Zhou Mu, who was still reading by the edge of the crowd.


    This person seemed to be a bookworm who waspletely focused on reading, even though Demon Spear Qin Li and Wu Qiankun had been fighting intensely just now, he never once put down the small booklet in his hands.


    However, Long Shankong didn¡¯t forget that when Zhou Mu first appeared, his presence was no weaker than that of Wu Qiankun.


    "If Zhou Mu is also a strong fighter, maybe I can benefit from this," Long Shankong thought to himself.


    The Long family and the Zhao family were not just enemies, but they were very close to being mortal enemies.


    Even though his purpose for this trip was not solely for the "Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear," this was still a top-notch secret manual. If he could really obtain it, he naturally wouldn¡¯t refuse.


    At this moment.


    After a long silence on the mountaintop of West Mountain, Wu Qiankun suddenly shrugged his shoulders and let out a faint chuckle.


    "So that¡¯s how it is, I almost got tricked by her."


    He calmly said, "Qin Li, the number one on the Power List, is elusive. Instead of fighting me to the end, did she escape using the talents of a half-demon?"


    The demon race is a broad concept, including not only exotic animals and birds but also some naturally born monsters who are inherently stronger than ordinary humans.


    The so-called innate talents of the demon race are instincts hidden in their bloodline, existing from birth, gradually strengthening or awakening as the bloodline revives.


    These innate talents of the demon race cannot be learned throughter training, like how birds can fly and fish can swim, different from the immortal techniques mastered by cultivators through postnatal practice.


    In Wu Qiankun¡¯s words, the abrupt disappearance of Demon Spear Qin Li¡¯s figure clearly indicated an escape.


    The heroes fell silent, no one objected.


    Wu Qiankun nodded in satisfaction, then turned to look at Zhao Hu.


    "Old friend, I wanted to leave some dignity for the descendants of the Spear Saint, but you chose to y tricks behind my back?"


    Wu Qiankun¡¯s gaze was cold:


    "There is an old saying in Jiu Province, ¡®Those who understand the times are wise heroes.¡¯ I see that you are not wise but harbor evil intentions."


    "Do you really think I am naive and foolish enough to be deceived by you all?"


    "I didn¡¯t lie." Zhao Hu remained calm at this moment:


    "Just now, Qing Li personally demonstrated the essence of ¡®Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear¡¯ in front of you. This is much more valuable than a static manual, I wonder how highly you value it."


    As he spoke, Zhao Hu nced at Qiao Mu out of the corner of his eye.


    It was unknown whether it was a coincidence or if this man named Zhou Mu had great insight.


    When Qing Li was practicing spear technique, Zhou Mu happened to be reading the martial arts insights of thete Spear Saint.


    Manuals are static, but having Qing Li face off against martial arts peak experts like Wu Qiankun is a rare urrence.


    Even though he was just watching from the sidelines, he somehow ended up with a great advantage, not knowing if it was intentional or just pure luck.


    "Smooth talker. Where is the manual?" asked Wu Qiankun.


    "Of course, we have the manual," Zhao Hu replied briefly, whispering a few words to a member of the Zhao n behind him. The n member quickly returned with a bound book in hand.


    The cover of the book read "Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear."


    "Actually, Wu Qiankun, you don¡¯t need to fight," said Zhao Hu calmly.


    "Our wish is to find a sessor for ¡®Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear,¡¯ to share Qing Li¡¯s burden," he continued.


    "This is why we spread the message in Qing Li¡¯s name, to attract heroes from Southwest Province," Zhao Hu exined.


    "Too much nonsense, who wants to listen to your long andplicated stories? What does it have to do with me?" Wu Qiankun just sneered.


    "The grievances of the weak, the courage of the weak, just keep moving yourselves."


    "me your weakness, not your ancestors. They had strong warriors like the Spear Saint, but raised you weaklings hiding in the mountains."


    "Come at me!"


    After saying that, he reached out with his big hand.


    However, his hand stopped halfway.


    Because there was another person standing between him and Zhao Hu.


    Qiao Mu finally put away the Spear Saint¡¯s teachings in his arms and nced back at Zhao Hu.


    For some reason, Zhao Hu and the others from Xishan Vige were surprisingly calm. Qiao Mu thought they had more tricks up their sleeves besides the illusion of Qing Li just now.


    But now, it seemed he was mistaken.


    "The ¡®Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear¡¯ left by the Spear Saint doesn¡¯t suit you," Qiao Mu said.


    After reading about Spear Saint¡¯s life, he gained some understanding about Spear Saint.


    This is a person who, despite being defeated by Earth Sword Immortal, sat in meditation for ten years, advanced in martial arts, and created a new move called "Jingwei Filling the Sea".


    However, sometimes human effort has its limits and cannot be changed by human will.


    Even though he emerged from the shadow of a crushing defeat, he didn¡¯t have thestugh, instead he faced an even more devastating failure.


    Defeated by Earth Sword Immortal, then by a cultivator, and finally by a Martial Saint.


    In hister years, he never made aeback, until his final battle where he still remained second to none in the world.


    This actually reflects hister mindset: The mood of "Jingwei Filling the Sea".


    A mantis trying to stop a chariot, it¡¯sughable if one can¡¯t measure their own abilities.


    To onlookers, this seems like a tragic situation of overestimating one¡¯s abilities.


    Making fun of others is easy, but having no regrets about oneself.


    "Wu Qiankun, haven¡¯t you realized? Your mind is troubled and filled with distractions, not as focused as before," Qiao Mu said calmly.


    "Even if the Spear Saint were to be reborn, he might not surpass you now; but if you were to live another life, perhaps your state of mind would not be as strong as the Spear Saint¡¯s," Qiao Mu remarked.


    "Are you qualified to wield the ¡®Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear¡¯ now?" Qiao Mu questioned.


    The voice was like a bell, questioning Wu Qiankun¡¯s inner thoughts.


    Clearly, the mental battle between the two had begun, a sh of minds of Spirit Refining martial artists.


    "Hmm?" Wu Qiankun suddenly looked up, his dark eyes shining like torches in that moment.


    As their gazes met, a crackling sound was heard, causing a ripple in the onlookers on the mountaintop.


    At the meeting of their gaze, it seemed as though an electric spark had emerged, piercing through the air and startling the onlookers.


    Wu Qiankun is the leader of the Wuji Association and has been the top in the Spiritual Refining List for many years. He is highly aplished in Spiritual Refining Method, surpassing all other martial artists.


    But now, he seems to have met his match in the Spiritual Refining Method, as his showdown with the Eye Attacking Technique has reached a stalemate without gaining the upper hand.


    "Eye Sword Technique, strike!"


    Qiao Mu¡¯s eyes gleamed sharp as a sword at that moment, with a sudden sh of sword light!


    Wu Qiankun¡¯s body trembled slightly.


    A long sword mark suddenly appeared on his cheek, extending from his forehead to the center of his brow, the skin torn open.


    Fresh blood flowed from the sword wound, dripping down onto the muddy ground below his feet, the sound barely audible.


    And this faint sound, to the warriors present from the Southwest Province, sounded as loud as a bell.


    Is Wu Qiankun at a disadvantage in the spiritual refining duel?


    So where did this super strong person in front of hime from, popping out of a crack in the rocks?


    "Hahaha¡­. Ha," Wu Qiankun¡¯s shoulders trembled slightly, and at this moment, he seemed to have gone crazy,ughing hysterically towards the sky.


    Fresh blood dripped down his cheeks onto the ground, but he didn¡¯t seem to notice, a sense of uncontroble joy in hisughter.


    "In the martial arts world of Jiu Province today, there are few who can be my match."


    "A strong person like you wouldn¡¯t just suddenly pop out of a crack in the rocks."


    "Isn¡¯t that right, Qiao Jin?"


    Wu Qiankun wiped the blood off his face with his hand, and the wound on his forehead started to shift and change once again.


    Qiao Jin!


    The heroes of Southwest Province were once again stirred, clearly surprised.


    "Is it Qiao Jin who stormed into the Golden Pce, killed Emperor Yonghe, and even gave the founding emperor a beating?"


    "How did such a notorious criminal end up in the mountains of Southwest Province?"


    "It¡¯s no wonder that only Qiao Jin, the top-ranked on the Spiritual Refining List, could go head-to-head with the second-ranked Wu Qiankun in the Eye Attacking Technique."


    It had been over a month since Qiao Mu infiltrated the pce and attempted to assassinate Emperor Yonghe.


    Currently, chaos reigns in Jiu Province. While themon people of Southwest Province may not know much about the Qiao family, the martial artists are well aware of their reputation.


    "Is Wu Qiankun crazy to still beughing?"


    "With such a strong opponent, he might make a mistake too. What¡¯s so funny?"


    "Why can¡¯t Iugh?" Wu Qiankun said seriously.


    "When I was in Zhong Province, I once fought with Qiao Shuanggui. Unfortunately, we didn¡¯t have enough time to determine the oue."


    "Later I heard that Qiao Shuanggui died in the Jinluan Pce, I felt somewhat regretful."


    "Being invincible is the loneliest, losing an opponent means one less, who would have thought today I met you Qiao Jin, how could I not be happy?"


    The heroes present looked at Wu Qiankun with some admiration.


    He scolded the weak without hesitation, yet showed respect to the strong.


    Although he changed his attitude quickly, he still showed the demeanor of a top martial artist.


    "Don¡¯t worry," Qiao Mu said calmly.


    "Today, the oue will be decided."


    "Nochang, bring the spear!" he shouted loudly.


    In the next moment, Nochang exerted his strength, a spear came flying like a sharp arrow.


    Qiao Mu reached out and grabbed the iron spear, feeling a powerful force that almost made him lose his grip.


    "How can this fat pig be so strong? Doesn¡¯t even know how to hold back, trying to kill me?"


    Muttering to himself, he held the spear in hand and stood in the wind.


    Zhao Hu and the others, descendants of Spear Saint, were still watching from behind as the Demon Spear Qin Li had just been scattered by Wu Qiankun.


    Now, he wanted to skillfully master the "Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear" and showcase his spear techniques.


    The first weapon he practiced with was the spear.@@novelbin@@


    His first mastery was in Military Spear Skill.


    Later, after entering the Hundred-mile Desert, he obtained Li Changge¡¯s "Military Martial Arts ssic" from the arsenal, which further borated on the Military Spear Skill for the battlefield.


    And today, he would demonstrate Li Changge¡¯s military spear techniques!


    "Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method!"


    Red energy burst from Qiao Mu¡¯s body, as he held an iron spear that seemed engulfed in intense red energy.


    Wu Qiankun put on a pair of shimmering silver metal gloves that sparkled under the sun, clearly not ordinary.


    Strong winds howled on the mountaintop, as the two stood facing each other.


    The two figures moved simultaneously, transforming into the fierce wind sweeping the mountaintop.


    "Secret Technique: Furious Wind Hundred Breaths Fist!"


    With eyes wide open in anger, Wu Qiankun¡¯s muscles bulged once again, his iron fist turning into countless shadows of punches.


    "Bloody Battle in All Directions!"


    This is a deadly move from Li Changge¡¯s spear technique, a technique that surpasses full force.


    Giggle giggle giggle giggle giggle giggle giggle!


    The spear was thrust out, the blood-red energy surged like a dragon and a snake, the shadows of the spear and fist danced on the mountain top, like a howling wind blowing down trees and grass.


    Swirling vortexes of energy rose up one after another, sweeping outward, causing the Western Mountain beneath their feet to tremble slightly, the shadows of the fist and spear piercing through the mountain walls.


    Zhao Hu¡¯s eyes widened, he wanted to do his best to see clearly this peak martial arts duel.


    He was the son of the former Spear Saint, having witnessed countless times the Spear Saint practicing martial arts in his early years.


    However, the strength disyed by both sides in the current battle had already surpassed his memories of the Spear Saint, leaving him shaken, wanting to clearly see this pinnacle battle of contemporary martial artists¡­


    At this moment, amid the howling wind, a loud roar resounded.


    The two figures who had been engaged in lightning-fastbat somehow found themselves standing still in the wind once more.


    Qiao Mu no longer held the spear in his hand, his whole body turning red, blood seeping from his pores, yet his eyes remained indifferent.


    Wu Qiankun stood facing him with a twisted iron spear piercing through his chest and abdomen,ing out from his back.


    Stter stter stter stter stter stter stter stter!


    Blobs of blood burst from Wu Qiankun¡¯s body, like a fountain gushing out. Although the flesh was rapidly wriggling to stop the bleeding, his face was gradually turning pale from the blood loss.


    What was even more unbearable for him than defeat was the huge shock to his mind.


    This sight was not only hard for Wu Qiankun to ept, but also deeply shook Zhao Hu and others, making it difficult to calm their emotions.


    Even though it was a formidable enemy that even the Spear Saint reborn would have to struggle against, why did this peak battle in Zhao Hu¡¯s eyes end so quickly?


    Is this the martial arts of Jiu Province now¡­ After forty years, such a change?


    Zhao Hu¡¯s heart raced as he felt a sense of danger, while at the same time, Long Shankong¡¯s figure moved swiftly in the wind and was now right behind him.


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 Chapter 290 (1)

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    Qiao Mu and Wu Qiankun¡¯s battle, seen by Zhao Hu and others, was a sh between the top martial artists in Jiu Province today.


    This high-level battle, while not once in a thousand years, was truly a rare sight for the onlookers, as they all tried hard to see clearly the details of the fight between the two.


    Meanwhile, Long Shankong took advantage of the situation.


    Although Zhao Hu felt a vague premonition at the crucial moment, Long Shankong¡¯s punches and kicks were extremely fast, and in a blink of an eye, they were right in front of him.


    "Is he trying to steal ¡®Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear¡¯?"


    Zhao Hu instinctively let go, throwing the manual in his hand towards Qiao Mu.


    The oue between Wu Qiankun and Qiao Mu was clear, and in his view, the manual belonged to a certain Qiao Jin, which was also a good result.


    Unexpectedly, Long Shankong was not attracted to the manual and shifted his focus."Dragon w strength!"


    His five fingers turned into ws, he secretly used his inner power, the sharp energy tore through the air, making a piercing sound,nding on Zhao Hu¡¯s back.


    "While obtaining the Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear is precious, it¡¯s also a lucky thing if you can get it¡­ but you must have fate to get it!" Long Shankong understood this point very well.


    Whether it¡¯s Wu Qiankun or Qiao Jin, they are both top martial arts masters in the Jiu Province today, he had no power to resist them.


    Trying to snatch the secret manual at this moment is asking for trouble!


    Despite his expert lightness skills, his martial arts power was not as strong as the other two, without the necessary skills, he didn¡¯t have confidence to escape from them.


    Therefore.


    From the beginning, his target was not the "Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear".


    It was the son of the former Spear Saint, Zhao Hu, the head of the Zhao family!


    This sudden attack was unexpected, not even Zhao Hu himself expected that Long Shankong wasing for him.


    The powerful blow that had been brewing for a while almost tore Zhao Hu in half.


    In the blink of an eye, the Dragon w forcended on Zhao Hu¡¯s back shoulder, tearing his robe and causing a gash on his skin.


    The wind blew by.


    Qiao Mu swiftly caught the airborne "Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear" and appeared by Zhao Hu¡¯s side.


    "Do you have any grudges between you?" Qiao Mu asked as he stood still.


    Not knowing the history of animosity between the two sides and who was right or wrong, Qiao Mu felt a bit indebted to Zhao Hu for giving him the "Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear."


    Long Shankong felt chills run down his spine, making him nervous.


    If he had actually tried to steal the secret manual just now, he might have been in big trouble by now.


    "Senior Qiao, please wait a moment," Long Shankong took a deep breath and calmly said:


    "My ancestors did have some conflicts with Spear Saint, but that was a long time ago."


    "The people from the Zhao family in Xishan Vige seem a bit suspicious."


    He looked at Zhao Hu.


    Long Shankong tore open Zhao Hu¡¯s robe with a w, leaving only a few torn pieces hanging on his upper body, exposing most of his skin to everyone¡¯s view.


    Long Shankong was not gentle, and his w almost tore Zhao Hu in half.


    Strangely, although the w tore through skin and bones, there was not much blood flowing from Zhao Hu¡¯s body.


    Beneath the torn robe, Zhao Hu¡¯s half-naked upper body was as pale as his face,cking any color of blood.


    Normally, with such a severe injury that almost ripped him in half, he shouldn¡¯t be able to stand steadily.


    However, Zhao Hu stood there as if nothing had happened, his posture barely changed, and the strangest thing was his expression, which remained nk and devoid of emotion.


    "No wonder¡­." Long Shankong said softly.


    "This Zhao Hu, as a top martial artist who focuses on spiritual improvement, is the son of Spear Saint. Even as he ages and bes weaker, he will not decline to such an extent."


    Long Shankong remembered the previous so-called mountain climbing assessment.


    "The essence of being a martial artist is to use fists," said Long Shankong.


    "If we truly want to find a worthy sessor for the Spear Saint, how can we avoid shedding blood?"


    "But your so-called assessment only goes so far, keeping a trick up your sleeve, not really intending to harm anyone."


    "The second stage of the assessment isn¡¯t even apetition, just a simple test of lifting stone weights¡­"


    Long Shankong looked around at the people from Zhao family in Xishan Vige, and said slowly:


    "Perhaps your bodies are simr to this Zhao Hu. Talking about not causing harm inpetition, it might only reveal the truth under life and death struggles, fearing one¡¯s true self being exposed."


    "So¡­ what exactly are you?"


    "Are you really living people?"


    As the words fell, carried by the mountain wind, they spread far on the mountaintop of Xishan.


    The people from the Zhao family who had hurriedly rushed over upon seeing Zhao Hu being attacked suddenly stopped their steps, looking at Long Shankong with a bewildered expression.


    The crowd on the mountaintop, which had been dense, suddenly grew cold, and unexpected chills arose in the hearts of the heroes.


    "Kid, what nonsense are you talking about!" A pale-faced martial artist shouted.


    "How can the dead speak, still stand, walk, and act like normal living people?"


    "Yeah, how could the dead possibly speak?" People whispered and discussed.


    "These people from Xishan Vige have just lived in the mountains for a long time, their skin has turned as pale as women¡¯s."


    In their discussion, the people of Xishan Vige¡¯s faces became paler and paler.


    Originally, they were just sickly pale.


    But now, they looked like corpses that had been dead for days, making people¡¯s hair stand on end at first sight.


    "Yes. How can a dead person stand, let alone speak?" Leopard-Head, a big man with prominent eyes, said and then with a sudden thud, stiffened and fell backwards.


    With this fall, it marked the beginning.


    But the continuous thudding sounds could be heard one after another.


    The Xishan Vige vigers who were originally standing around gradually lost their strength and fell to the ground, already dead.


    In no time, these people were like a field of wheat after a storm had passed, all copsed together, no longer making a sound.


    Suddenly, the whole mountaintop of Xishan was covered in corpses.


    The mountain wind started blowing again. But this time, the wind carried a strange chill, making the travelers in Southwest Province shiver.


    No matter how skilled you are in martial arts, you cannot make a dead person stand up and talk.


    So¡­


    "Is this some kind of mystical technique? Have the people of Xishan Vige dealt with the Immortal Gate Yunxiao Sect before?"


    "Such mysterious skills, it seems only those cultivators can possess them, right?"


    The heroes discussed among themselves.


    Suddenly, a figure soared into the air, releasing waves of energy from its back.


    It was Wu Qiankun.


    Unnoticed by others, he had quietly pulled out the long spear that pierced through his abdomen. Ignoring the bleeding wound, he soared into the air with the "Ex-human Transformation," blood sttering down from above.


    "Wu Qiankun ran away? He¡¯s so fast, is he afraid of being killed by Qiao Jin?" The heroes eximed.


    Wu Qiankun moved too quickly.


    Before the big man with leopard eyes fell down, he had already flown away through Ex-human Transformation, unlike them standing there stupidly in shock.


    "Afraid of that Qiao Jin? You are underestimating Wu Qiankun a bit." Wu Rulong snorted coldly.


    "When the autumn wind blows, the cicada is the first to know. You are underestimating the second on the Spiritual Refining List in spiritual refining intuition."


    "He probably sensed the life-threatening danger, so even¡­" Wu Rulong¡¯s eye twitched as he said this.


    He even ran away this time, without taking even himself? He just fled?


    He hasn¡¯t even boarded the car yet!@@novelbin@@


    "Even Wu Qiankun is in danger of running away? Isn¡¯t that Qiao Jin?" a traveller chuckled.


    "Xishan Vige has existed for many years, not without reason."


    "This mountain vige has always been enveloped in thick fog, making it very difficult toe and go, not just for pedestrians but also for the monsters from the mountains who find it hard toe here."


    "It is because of this, the people of Xishan Vige can live until now¡­"


    The wanderer suddenly felt uneasy as he looked at the countless bodies scattered all over the mountains, sending shivers down his spine.


    "No, howe Zhao Hu is still alive! There must be something suspicious!"


    A person in the crowd shouted out.


    Everyone quickly looked over and saw that Zhao Hu¡¯s skin was as pale as a corpse at this moment.


    At this moment, he was trembling slightly all over, as if he was about to drown, gasping for breath heavily, his hand pressed against his chest.


    It was even difficult for him to stand at this moment, but he still managed to hold on without copsing, his eyes scanning the countless corpses around, filled with sadness.


    The Xishan Vige has about a thousand people from top to bottom.


    And at this moment, only he himself was left.


    "You¡¯re not dead yet¡­ do you have any unfulfilled wishes?" Qiao Mu held the book "Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear" and approached.


    Zhao Hu whispered:


    "If my father, Spear Saint¡¯s martial arts, can be passed on to a member of the Qiao family, I believe he would beforted even in the afterlife."


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    Just now, Qiao Mu had already demonstrated his spear skills in front of them.@@novelbin@@


    His spear skills, while not outstanding, had the demeanor of a master, a perfect and wless military spear technique.


    "I am at the 1st rank of the Spiritual Refining Period. If I were to join the court, I might even have a chance to be a 1st rank general¡­ How could I possibly die?" Zhao Hu gasped heavily, forcing a smile.


    "When did they¡­ when did they die?" Qiao Mu asked, looking at the scattered corpses all around.


    "¡­I can¡¯t remember." Zhao Hu touched his head and said,


    "Maybe it started with the thick fog covering the mountain vige?"


    His body gradually lost strength, shaking continuously, and his breath became weaker, gasping, saying,


    "I¡­I can¡¯t die yet.""Because they are all dead, so I can¡¯t die either¡­"


    "As long as there is one person left, Qing Li still has a home to return to¡­"


    Before he could finish his words, his body lost strength, fell back on the ground, no longer breathing, died with eyes open.


    In a short time.


    The whole Xishan Vige had turned into a ghostly ce, with no more living people, only those outsiders remained.


    The mountain wind brought a chill that went straight to the bones.


    It seemed like the sky had been covered with dark clouds for a while.


    Inside the dark clouds, a bolt of lightning moved like a snake, illuminating the top of the western mountain.


    In that instant, the lightning and fire lit up the whole sky and earth.


    Wu Qiankun, who had ascended into the sky with Ex-human Transformation, had flown far away, but now he waspletely engulfed by the lightning and fire, no longer visible.


    When the lightning faded, people looked up, but Wu Qiankun¡¯s figure was nowhere to be seen.


    Instead, within the heavy leaden clouds, streaks of rainbow light shot out one after another.


    Those were cultivators from Yunxiao Sect, each riding a magical tool, hovering above and looking down on the world below.


    Suddenly, between the many mountains and valleys, shiny green dots appeared. Those were huge monster beasts with towering bodies like small mountains, overwhelming the trees as they approached, surrounding the people on the top of the western mountain.


    "The cruelty of the Yunxiao Sect, and the spiritual beasts they raise?"


    "I was really deceived by that Zhao Hu this time¡­. I was originally going for the ancient book, howe even the cruelty of the Yunxiao Sect appeared?"


    "Could it be a deliberate trap, aiming to capture all of us martial artists in the Southwest Province?" someone angrily thought.


    "The Yunxiao Sect has gone too far, with the recent sweep of cities by the Feather King, even the Immortal Gate has felt the pressure."


    Although the Southwest Province is and where monsters roam, it has also produced strong individuals like the Spear Saint.


    The Spear Saint¡¯s ancient book moved hearts, attracting many martial artists from across the Southwest Province today.


    "Ridiculous," a young Taoist with a bun, deep eyes, and dressed in a white robe descended from the clouds.


    "Mere mortals, dare to set a trap against my Immortal Gate?" the young Taoist said calmly.


    "The so-called martial artists of the Southwest Province, there are only a few martial artists capable of dealing with great monsters. Are they worthy of nning against us?"


    "Is Taoist Child also here?"


    "Senior Yu Shan."


    "Greetings, senior." The other five or six cultivators bowed in respect.


    Among this group of people, it was subtly led by the young Taoist Child, Yu Shan.


    "No need to waste words with mortals, the matters of Xishan Vige concern our Immortal Gate¡¯s ns, let¡¯s act now," said Yu Shan. Just as he was about to give the order, his gaze fell upon the figure in the crowd, the grim reaper.


    The grim reaper seemed unfazed by the lurking demonic beasts around her, her gaze fixated on the bodies thaty scattered across the mountains and fields.


    Then, she took a deep breath.


    A wind rose, invisible tendrils of death energy flew in from all directions, entering her mouth and nose.


    The so-called death energy is something only dying beings possess.


    The people of Xishan Vige are all deceased. Thebined death aura of thousands of deceased people only slightly filled the belly of the grim reaper.


    The ghost wandered around, searching for someone to haunt, until finally setting its sights on Qiao Mu.


    All the deaths of these thousands of peoplebined could not match the amount of death that Qiao Mu caused in one go¡­ and her appetite had long been stretched by Qiao Mu.


    "Jojo, when will you die?" asked Impermanent with wide eyes, looking wise.


    Qiao Mu: ?


    If the fat pig didn¡¯t look so dumb, he would have vented his anger.


    But thinking about it, it makes sense.


    When first meeting the Impermanent Demon Cat in Heyang City, Nan Province, this little cat had a normal understanding of death. It had apanied Mr. Qian in his final moments in prison.


    However, after following Qiao Mu for so long, this little cat¡¯s brain was probably overloaded, making its understanding of death fragmented.


    Seeing this scene from above, Taoist Yu Shan became interested.


    "Wow, this is a unique creature that feeds on death energy, and it even managed to transform into a human?" Taoist Yu Shan¡¯s expression changed from calm to surprised.


    "This powerful monster has killed many creatures to get to this point. It sounds like it¡¯s about to devour its master, the ordinary martial artist doesn¡¯t stand a chance."


    "It should surrender to our Yunxiao Sect and be a good pet." Taoist Yu Shan waved his hand and the beasts in the mountains flooded out.


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    Southwest Province is a barrennd full of mountains.


    Although the name of the Qiao family member has spread to Southwest Province, seeing is believing.


    Beneath the famous reputation is indeed hard to live up to, or perhaps there are no false schrs beneath the famous reputation¡­ one must meet in person to know.


    And today.


    The brave appearance of the Qiao family member fighting bathed in blood has left a deep impression on the heroes in Southwest Province.


    First, Wu Qiankun used the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method against Qiao Jin, then he used it to fight a group of monsters.


    The battle had just begun and it was already very intense. Qiao Jin was covered in blood, like a bloody person.


    "Even someone as strong as Qiao Jin is surrounded. If I go in, won¡¯t it be risking my life¡­" A gray-robed old man in the crowd muttered, thinking for a moment before turning to Li Changshi from Stone City."Brother, earlier we were deceived by that kid with great light skills, and wrongly judged the Qiao family member. It was our mistake."


    "Since the misunderstanding has been cleared, can you let me take shelter in Stone City for a while?"


    "If I can survive today, I will surely repay you in the future."


    Hearing the gray-robed old man¡¯s words, the others nodded in agreement.


    They didn¡¯t know how strong these spiritual beasts and cultivators were before, whether they could escape with their lives¡­ But now, seeing even Long Shankong, who mastered the Heavenly Dragon Eight Steps, unable to escape, they knew they would be risking their lives if they joined the fight.


    So, their only hope for survival rested on the Qiao family member.


    "You¡¯re right, we were indeed deceived by that kid."


    "I apologize to the elders here."


    The people in the jianghu were talking and apologizing, while Long Shankong, who was just saved by Qiao Mu, blushed and stayed quiet.


    Li Changshi looked at the people in the jianghu changing their expressions one by one, furrowing his brow.


    He was an old soldier who hade out of a lonely city, once fighting to the death for the weak and elderly in the city¡­ but these jianghu people in front of him were different.


    In the eyes of the old soldier, these so-called jianghu people were mostlywless troublemakers, and Li Changshi didn¡¯t have a good impression of them.


    "Although I just came out of Stone City and don¡¯t know much about the situation, but¡­"


    Li Changshi was watching as Qiao Mu fought bravely among the group of beasts.


    By now, Qiao Mu was covered in blood, and as the internal injuries from the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method worsened, he also began to have external wounds.


    One tiger can¡¯t defeat a group of wolves, even a superb martial artist is still a human with flesh and blood.


    Some strong men can break bricks and even break cattle bones with their bare hands.


    But that doesn¡¯t mean the strong men can be hit by bricks or cattle bones without getting hurt.


    Getting hit by cattle bones on the hand, head, or groin¡­ who hits it, how much force is used, all lead to different situations.


    The Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method is ultimately a powerful but short-lived technique, if used for a long time, it will lead to death.


    The Shape Changing Skill only helps him recover from injuries over a few days, reducing the long-term effects to a weak period of seven days. It doesn¡¯t mean the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method is a minor skill.


    Even without external injuries, prolonged use can lead to severed meridians, ruptured organs, and death.


    So even someone as strong as Qiao Jin who can tear apart monsters with his bare hands, facing a long battle still poses a risk to his life.


    In fact, Li Changshi is very familiar with this scene.


    He turned his head to look at the group, indifferently saying:


    "Let me be the viin¡­. The Qiao family members are risking their lives in battle, while you all just want to reap the benefits, being sheltered by the Qiao family members?"


    "If you want refuge in Stone City, first draw your sword against the inhumans."


    "We only help those who help themselves, not cowards!"


    With that said, the group of heroes gradually calmed down.


    Being overly friendly to strangers may make others think you have ulterior motives or see you as an easy target.


    Now, with Li Changshi¡¯s words, it actually aligns better with the rules of the martial world.


    "Elder Qiao Jin and this senior are right. We only have a glimmer of hope through fighting to the death." Long Shankong was still the first to speak, his brows furrowed with embarrassment.


    "Since we are just strangers who have met by chance, I, Long Shankong, also don¡¯t have the face to seek shelter from others."


    He was also quiet, took out a pair of Golden Silkworm Gloves from his pocket and rushed out of the crowd.


    "Eight Armed Heavenly Dragon Fist!"


    His punches were very fast, his arms blurred into afterimages when he punched, looking like he had several arms at first nce.


    "Is this the Eight Armed Heavenly Dragon Fist?"


    "He knows the Eight Armed Heavenly Dragon Fist and the Heavenly Dragon Eight Steps, the fastest punches, the fastest kicks. Is he a descendant of the ancient Eight-armed Heavenly Dragon?"


    Amidst the astonishment of the crowd, they began to understand a little.


    "It seems like we have unintentionally be involved in the conspiracy of the Immortal Gate."


    "There¡¯s no way to retreat¡­ but aren¡¯t we all living on borrowed time?"


    "With senior Qiao Jin leading the charge ahead, we do have a chance. We onlyck a bit of courage."


    "Charge, charge, charge!"


    Heroes sessively made their moves, rushing down from the mountaintop and engaging in a fierce battle with the herd of beasts.


    With this charge, blood was immediately shed, limbs and fresh blood flew everywhere, and several weaker martial artists died on the spot, their bodies torn apart by the monsters.


    "They do show some courage, but they are also seeking death." Several disciples of Yunxiao Sect shook their heads.


    "This unnecessary bravery may cause more casualties among the spiritual beasts; should we intervene?" a disciple turned to Taoist Child Yu Shan.


    "You can do as you please." Taoist Yu Shan said lightly, he remained calm.


    He had encountered ordinary martial artists before and knew their capabilities.


    As the Taoist Child of Yunxiao Sect, he had cultivation up to the ninth level of the Golden Core stage.


    If it weren¡¯t for Yunxiao Sect¡¯s weak position,ck of resources, and inability to support more Nascent Soul Elders, he could have already entered the Nascent Soul stage.


    Spear Saint, who was a top fighter known as the second best in the world over thirty years ago, sparred with someone and eventually spared their life.


    In just over thirty years, with only a few times of intense training, can a martial artist from the mortal world really rise to the top?


    Suddenly, there were shes of lightning and fire descending from the sky above,nding on the heads of those martial artists.


    "Are these cultivators seeking immortality, iming superiority without descending from the sky¡­" Qiao Jin looked up towards the sky, gazing at Yu Shan and the others on the horizon.


    Since these martial artists still had fighting spirit, though weakened, there was still hope for them¡­


    If these cultivators won¡¯te down after waiting for so long, then he will have to go up to them.


    He reached into his storage bag and pulled out the King Qin Sword, bending his knees slightly to gather strength, then pushing off forcefully.


    With this step, the hill beneath his feet cracked and sank, propelling his figure like an arrow straight into the sky.


    "Ordinary martial artists cannot fly, yet they dare to take this desperate leap into the sky, simply seeking death," the cultivators of the Yunxiao Sect just sneered.


    They quickly grew taller, then each began to use their magic, with mes and lightning shing again, just like when facing Long Shankong before.


    But this time, they were facing Qiao Mu.


    On the day they left the pce in the Imperial Capital, Qiao Mu had already mastered the Heavenly Dragon Eight Steps to the level of reaching the sky in three steps.


    This meant that if he had a ce to borrow force from, even a cliff of ten thousand meters would be like level ground to him.


    If there was nowhere to borrow force from, he could still step on the empty air and take three steps in midair.


    "Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method ¡¤ Heavenly Dragon Eight Steps!"


    Qiao Mu, who had already leaped into the sky, kicked his feet off the ground again, causing ripples in the air beneath his feet.


    Boom!


    The explosive sound shook the mountains and forests. Qiao Mu¡¯s body was like a blood-red meteor streaking across the sky, heading straight for the clouds.


    Below, Long Shankong heard a noise and looked up with wide eyes.


    What noise?


    Is this their family¡¯s inherited skill? Is this skill called light skill? How can the light skill of flying walls and walking roofs make so much noise?


    The same martial arts, in different hands, lookpletely different.


    As Qiao Mu took his second step in the air, his speed increased significantly once again, dodging the attacks of those few magical techniques in an instant and rushing to the front of those few Yunxiao Sect cultivators in the blink of an eye.


    "Red Moon Burning Blood Technique! Blood Sword Technique! King Qin ughters Six Realms!"


    The blood-colored giant sword swept across the sky, the thick sword light as dark as ink burst open arge circle in the sky.


    Several Yunxiao Sect cultivators were caught off guard; they had never encountered such a troublesome ordinary martial artist before. In a sh, their bodies were already separated, their headless corpses falling down and crashing into the ground.


    Taoist Child Yu Shan, leading the group, summoned arge silver shield of light to block the sword light like blood. He could only save the two cultivators nearest to him in time.


    "Who is this fierce martial artist in the world? Are you not human, but a half-demon in human form?" Yu Shan frowned as the bloodied Qiao Mu showed a viciousness even more terrifying than a monster.


    "Go solve riddles in the underworld?"


    Qiao Mu took another step with his feet, stepping out into thin air for the third time.


    With a loud bang, this time he swung the King Qin Sword, charging towards the leading Yu Shan.


    "You are overestimating yourself, walking the path of death." Yu Shan¡¯s eyes turned cold as he patted his waist, and in the blink of an eye, a crimson giant tiger covered in cloud patterns leaped out.


    "ze Cloud Tiger, devour this mixed-blood half-demon."


    With a roar that shook the heavens, the crimson giant tiger pounced forward.


    Despite having wings on its back, the giant tiger didn¡¯t dodge Qiao Mu¡¯s King Qin Sword, but instead advanced towards him without flinching.


    Hiss!


    In the midst of a fierce roaring wind, the fierce cloud tiger that pounced was cut into two by Qiao Mu with his King Qin Sword!


    However, Qiao Mu frowned, feeling no resistance on his sword, as if he had struck through thin air, or a cloud?


    Upon closer look, the halves of the fierce cloud tiger continued their pouncing motion, swirling with the wind, transforming into a red cloud approaching swiftly.


    In an instant.@@novelbin@@


    A tiger and a man collided in midair, the huge body of the halved fierce cloud tiger ignited into mes, passing through Qiao Mu¡¯s body.


    At the moment of passing through, Qiao Mu felt no physical touch, only as if he had hit a zing me.


    His whole body was engulfed in red mes, falling down into the woods, stirring up a circle of smoke and dust.


    When he stood up again with the King Qin Sword in hand, his entire body was burnt by red mes, especially his right foot which was partially gone, exposing the ankle bone.


    "Many styles of cultivators¡­ will be useful for the next time."


    Qiao Mu took a deep breath, feeling a sharp pain in his lungs, burning and hurting.


    At this moment, a strong meaty smell emitted from him, and a group of monsters around him swarmed towards him.


    With only one foot left, he kept swinging the King Qin Sword in his hand, releasing all his energy, continuously cutting and tearing apart the monsters pouncing on him.


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    Suddenly, a gust of wind behind him, the Grim Reaper transformed into a shadow, had also arrived.


    "Mine, mine, mine¡­"


    She pped away a silver-haired giant wolf, while charging towards the beasts with bared teeth, her golden hair fluttering behind her head, continuously knocking away the monsters biting Qiao Mu.


    Behind her, Li Changshi from Stone City and the heroes from Southwest Province had also arrived.


    Over a hundred martial artists had more than ten casualties, not because of their strong skills, but because Qiao Mu was killing so fast, almost wiping out the hundred monsters nurtured by the Immortal Gate.


    However, at this moment, he was reaching his limit, suffering from internal and external injuries, his movements bing slower.


    When he led his group from the top of West Mountain and rushed to the halfway point of Xishan Vige, there were no more monsters blocking their way, and a clear pathy ahead.


    "Li Changshi," Qiao Mu suddenly turned back and called out to Li Changshi who was following behind, his eyes barely staying open, and his body swaying."Elder Lao?" Li Changshi and the martial artists all thought Qiao Mu was on the brink of death, about to pass on his final words, feeling only sorrow in their hearts.


    "These monsters are all valuable resources, remember to collect them all and don¡¯t waste anything."


    After saying these words, Qiao Mu closed his eyes and took his final breath.


    Li Changshi blinked his eyes.


    He had lost count of how many Qiao family members had died in front of their seasoned warriors, but the gracefulness before death still impressed him.


    He was holding up well, while the other martial artists were speechless.


    Qiao Mu¡¯s falling body was caught by Unchang, her face expressionless as she buried it in his back, tears of emotion uncontrobly streaming down from her mouth.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    This Death Assessment: B- (the evaluation is like food cooked to a perfect level, tender but not burnt, just right. Points deducted for keeping the defense.)


    Life consumed by death: 50 (5*10) years


    Remaining resurrection chances this week: 4 out of 5


    Current age: 675 years old


    Vitality: 90%


    Skills: basic


    "Fifty years? Not bad," Qiao Mu said expressionlessly.


    He vaguely recalled that when he came to this Southwest Province, he actually had thoughts of vacation, nning to take a break after the 300-year grand dream in the pce¡­ And now he¡¯s entered it again?


    "Before I am roasted, can getting an enema increase Death Assessment?"


    Qiao Mu thought carefully for two seconds.


    With a single thought, the surroundings turned into the battlefield of West Mountain just now.


    Standing on a cloud, Qiao Mu watched his past self in his memory standing in midair with the Heavenly Dragon Eight Steps, holding the King Qin Sword and striking towards the fierce cloud tiger.


    The memory of a martial artist in the 2nd rank of the Spiritual Refining Period is already very strong, almost photographic. For Qiao Mu, who has already reached the superb rank, his memory is much stronger.


    With a single thought, the memories from before his death reappeared in his dream.


    He felt a bit curious about this fierce cloud tiger.


    At that moment, it was as if the dream world had hit the slow-motion button. The fierce cloud tiger¡¯s swift attack slowed down three to four times, allowing Qiao Mu to see the details clearly.


    From the King Qin Sword cutting through the fierce cloud tiger¡¯s body, to the fierce cloud tiger transforming into a ming giant tiger passing through his body, and then to Qiao Mu burning all over and falling.


    In Qiao Mu¡¯s mind, this process was just a quick exchange without time to think.


    In his dream, he could rey and reenact that moment over and over.


    "Did it turn into gas? Vaporize? Is this the magical ability of the fierce cloud tiger?"


    The scene continued, freezing at the moment when Qiao Mu¡¯s body was engulfed in mes, falling towards the forest below.


    In the corner of Qiao Mu¡¯s eye, he could faintly see the fierce cloud tiger transforming back to its original form, looking a bit weary.


    "My sword strike wasn¡¯t in vain, it seems it did get some damage, just not deep."


    "A normal sh won¡¯t hurt this tiger demon, so next time I¡¯ll have to try a different approach."


    Without the ability to rey in his dreams, the momentary weariness of the fierce cloud tiger after healing would have been buried in Qiao Mu¡¯s memory.


    But in his dream, Qiao Mu was an extremely bored man.


    He had fifty years of long time to continuously review this battle ande up with ways to deal with the fierce Yunhu.


    He had too much time!


    If he didn¡¯t find more things to do, he would really get bored to the point of feeling sick!


    So before charging towards the beast herd, Qiao Mu took some time out of his busy schedule to speed-read the first half of the book "Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear".


    In addition to learning from Spear Saint¡¯s martial arts experiences, routine practices of "Human Path Sutra" and "Pure Yang Wuji Skill" internal strength training, he still had things to do in these fifty years.@@novelbin@@


    "Oh, there¡¯s one more thing."


    "Studying Li Changge¡¯s books ¡®Military Martial Arts ssic¡¯ and ¡®Military Spiritual Technique¡¯ might be worth it to continue deducing further."


    ¡­¡­¡­.


    "This humanoid half-demon finally died." Yu Shan Dao made a frown in the air, looking down at the Western Mountain battlefield.


    All one hundred spiritual beasts were killed in battle, a loss that even troubled Li Changshi a little as a Taoist Child of the sect.


    In an era of declining spiritual energy, the demonic beasts in the ten thousand mountains were also regressing.


    To be precise, the degeneration of the demonic tribe was more severe than that of the cultivators.


    After all, cultivators had found a way to maintain their cultivation in the era of declining spiritual energy through the Immortal Dao, reaching the peak of the Soul Changing Period.


    As for the demonic tribe¡­ thest Demon King in the ten thousand mountains had died in the chaos of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths internal strife in the Immortal Gate that year.


    In this era, the limit for monster beasts that refine the spiritual energy of the world is decreasing, making it almost impossible for new monster kings to be born.


    "That strange monster cat is quite good, trading a hundred spiritual beasts for this one strange beast would also be a good deal."


    Yu Shan nodded in agreement silently.


    In this world, there are three types of creatures that can absorb the spiritual energy of the heavens and the earth.


    The first type is ancient gods and demons.


    The second type is creatures and monsters, born with the ability to refine the energy of the heavens and earth, and can grow stronger as they refine the energy, leading to atavism.


    The cultivation of monsters is actually a path of atavism.


    The older they are, the stronger they be, and the stronger they be, the closer they are to ancient times.


    As the monsters grow stronger, their bloodline power will continue to revive, eventually leading to the kings of various tribes, and even the ancestors of the races.


    The third type is cultivators.


    The path of immortality is a way to absorb and refine the energy of the heavens and earth through practice after birth, so as the path of immortality flourishes, with more and more types of magic, it naturally suppresses the monsters and bes the ruler of thisnd.


    "But in this era, new monster kings cannot be born anymore¡­ but if it¡¯s a different kind of monster king¡­"


    Yu Shan squinted, his gaze fixed firmly on Uncertainty.


    Among the demon race, there are a few rare creatures known as the abnormalities. They are unusual beings born in extreme environments among the millions of demon species.


    Creatures like the me Serpent born in the magmake at the core of the earth, various poisonous beasts living in the misty swamps of the mountains, and the divine bird born on the sun, Great Sun Golden Crow¡­


    These beings feed on magma, poisonous gases, deathly energies, and even the fiery rays of the sun, making them anomalies among the demon race.


    In eras with thin spiritual energy, even the demons who fed on the spiritual energy of heaven and earth regressed. Not to mention reverting to the ancestors of various races, even demon kings could not be born.


    These abnormalities, however, may not regress.


    They don¡¯t primarily feed on the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, so they are influenced to a lesser extentpared to other demons.


    Of course, whether in ancient times or today, the number of such abnormalities is extremely low.


    And in front of Yu Shan, there was a demon that had cultivated to the extent of transforming into a human¡­


    "Growing by absorbing deathly energies has been extremely challenging."


    "This fierce beast must havemitted countless sins to reach this stage of cultivation. If we can guide it to join our Immortal Gate, it would be a great deed."


    "Senior brother, what is this death aura? I didn¡¯t see anything at all," asked a fellow cultivator beside him.


    "Death aura cannot be seen or touched," Yu Shan exined.


    "The so-called death aura doesn¡¯t refer to the stench emitted by corpses, but rather it indicates signs of imminent death."


    "Fellow cultivators of the Southeast Province Soul Predicting Path often say that when a person¡¯s death is near, they will have a death aura, and their forehead will turn ck."


    "Therefore, the stronger they are, the closer they are to death, and the more tragic and obvious their death signs be."


    "Only living beings show signs of death. When a living person dies, the death qi instantly changes from very strong to very weak."


    "This kind of creature that can smell death qi often appears near dying people. That¡¯s why they are called harbingers of death and messengers of the underworld."


    "The people of Xishan Vige are like walking corpses. They have long been dead, but they are not pure corpses, so they still carry a hint of death qi."


    Yu Shan exined:


    "Only in times of great chaos, where lives are like grass, can powerful demons that feed on death qi be born¡­"


    "The day this demon appears is a sign of great cmity in this world!"


    The other two cultivators looked at the grim reaper and also nodded in agreement.


    "Brother said it right, it¡¯s definitely a bad sign of trouble ahead."


    "In chaotic times, there will be evil creatures, this demon was born because of this, probably causing a lot of harm."


    While chatting, Yu Shan descended slowly from the clouds, ready to wait for the right moment to subdue this powerful demon in disguise.


    Suddenly, the mysterious figure seemed to sense something, turning its head towards a small building at the entrance of Xishan Vige.


    At that moment.


    The wooden door of the small building creaked open, and an old person with white hair walked out.


    The eyes of the grim reaper widened instantly.


    The moment when someone is about to die is when the lifelessness is strongest.


    However, after death, the lifelessness will dissipate quickly.


    Qiao Mu, who constantly transitions between life and death, is like a walking mystery to the grim reaper¡­


    She instantly turned into a blur and dashed over, tears of emotion once again slipping from her mouth. Her eyes filled with water, gradually lost focus, showing wisdom on her face, and a puff of white vapor quickly evaporated from her head.


    "Hmm?" Yu Shan¡¯s downward flight suddenly paused, and he asked in confusion:


    "I can¡¯t see the lifelessness¡­ but judging from the reaction of this mysterious figure, the amount of lifelessness on this white-haired person is very strong, isn¡¯t it?"

 Chapter 293:

    Our Discord Server: .gg/PazjBDkTmW


    In the sky, Yunxiao Sect¡¯s Young Taoist, Yu Shan, looked down at Qiao Mu as he walked out through the door, lost in thought:


    "This person has been close to that demon cat, it¡¯s obvious he¡¯s in danger, I just don¡¯t know¡­if his fate lies in my hands."


    Qiao Mu¡¯s appearance was very mysterious.


    As a ninth-level Golden Core disciple of the Yunxiao Sect, when he arrived, he naturally scanned the entire mountain with his spiritual awareness and found no one else hidden.


    And yet, how could this Qiao family member casually walk out of a house in Xishan Vige like nothing happened?


    Did he manage to evade Taoist Child Yu Shan¡¯s spiritual awareness, or did he quietly appear here on the mountain through some unknown means from the outside world?


    Whatever the oue may be, this person seemed formidable.


    "I remember hearing about a martial arts Qiao family in Zhong Province, where a Qiao family member has a once-in-a-lifetime teleportation ability¡­""Ha, the people in Zhong Province are so ignorant, how can they call this martial arts? This is clearly a talent of the demon race."


    "It seems that the so-called martial arts Qiao family is indeed a half-demon family¡­"


    After Yu Shan guessed the identity of the Qiao family member, he felt more certain.


    His caution stemmed from ack of understanding of the Qiao family member.


    But, being a half-demon¡­


    The Ten Thousand Mountains are only the hunting grounds of the Yunxiao Sect, the former demon king has already been killed in battle, and cultivators are the rulers of thisnd.


    Even among the Nine Immortal Gates, the Yunxiao Sect, which is ranked at the bottom in overall strength, is not something that demons can mess with.


    During the prime of the demons, they were no match for cultivators. Now they fear your half-demon family wearing human skin? What a joke!


    Nevertheless, Taoist Child Yu Shan still didn¡¯t personally take action.


    After all¡­


    The Yunxiao Sect is not afraid of demons, but as a disciple, being too arrogant might lead to trouble with demons.


    "Raging Cloud Tiger, go and find out more about that half-demon mixed breed." Yu Shan whispered.


    "This person¡¯s death is imminent, can¡¯t escape."


    In an instant, the crimson giant tiger pped its wings and dived down again.


    As the saying goes, clouds follow the dragon and wind follows the tiger, this winged giant tiger swooped down, stirring up a storm of dust, flying sand and rolling stones.


    "The monster hase again!"


    The people in the rivers andkes immediately turned pale.


    The martial arts of ordinary people, whetherpared to immortal spells or demon powers, are no match for the unpredictability of thetter two.


    No matter how high martial arts are, they are just punches, kicks, weapons, and light skills.


    Even the legendary master Qiao Jin, who was rumored to have assassinated Emperor Yonghe and defeated Founding Emperor Yan, died at the hands of a demonic beast.


    "Be careful, this monster is very powerful," Long Shankong warned.


    Before Long Shankong could say more, the white-haired man gestured for him to stop speaking.


    "Do you think I, Qiao Pian, don¡¯t recognize this evil creature?" Qiao Mu said calmly.


    A crimson giant tiger swooped down from the sky, stirring up a huge gust of wind.


    As the strong wind blew, the white-haired man walking out of the small building¡¯s robes rustled, with his white hair flying in the wind.


    He lifted his head.


    His gaze was calm, like a tranquil pool, smooth as a mirror, deep and without any ripples.


    In the fierce wind, he saw the crimson tiger¡¯s red fur swaying in the wind, looking like it was on fire.


    Seeing the giant tiger opening its huge mouth, the foul smell spread in the fierce wind.


    Such appearance, such posture¡­.


    He was actually very familiar.


    "Fifty years¡­."


    "Do you know how I lived these fifty years?"


    After a single overturned cart, it took fifty years to constantly review and learn from the experience¡­


    During these long fifty years, he almost counted the number of hairs on the fierce cloud tiger¡¯s head.


    Not to mention the fierce cloud tiger¡¯s posture of spreading its wings and pouncing, as well as its biting actions¡­


    "A Qiao family member won¡¯t fail twice using the same move."


    Fifty yearster, Qiao Mu had already figured out how to deal with this fierce cloud tiger.


    Since this fierce cloud tiger can turn into mist and easily regenerate after being cut in half, then¡­


    Smash it a hundred times, a thousand times, until it¡¯spletely destroyed!


    In the moment when the fierce cloud tiger¡¯s body was misted, Qiao Mu took a deep breath and gathered strength in his fist.


    "Ripple Stacking Wave Strength, Fivefold Wave!"


    With a punch, the energy burst forth.


    A strong energy prated through his body, and as he punched, it was like endless surging waves.


    It wasn¡¯t a strike like before, where he held the King Qin Sword in his hand and cut the giant tiger in half, but rather a force likeyers of waves.@@novelbin@@


    Boom!!!


    The sudden surge of powerful force turned into swirling currents, instantly shattering the body of the fierce cloud tiger.


    With a roar, the fierce cloud tiger¡¯s body once again vaporized and reshaped in mid-air, only looking slightly weakened.


    However, Qiao Mu¡¯s attack was just the beginning.


    A massive amount of internal strength gathered once again on his fist, his eyes widened in anger as he struck out with a fist full of energy.


    "Fivefold Wave! Fivefold Wave! Fivefold Wave! Fivefold Wave! Fivefold Wave! Fivefold Wave! Fivefold Wave¡­.."


    "Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method! Face my Fivefold Wave!"


    Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!


    Next to the small building in Xishan Vige, with Qiao Mu at the center, waves of blood-red energy burst endlessly in all directions.


    The body of the fierce cloud tiger was continuously shattered by waves of powerful force, then reformed repeatedly, and constantly overwhelmed by a massive amount of energy.


    The bloody ripples spread out, the small building in Xishan Vige that Qiao Mu had just walked out of copsed with a loud crash, rubble and debris being sucked into a powerful vortex, instantly torn apart and scattered all around.


    The travelers in the martial world¡¯s eyes widened in fear, using their light skills to escape as quickly as possible, their hearts filled with hidden dread.


    "Can humans really cultivate such deep internal strength?"


    "How many years of cultivation is this? Three hundred years? Five hundred years? One thousand years? Even given a lifetime, I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s impossible to train to such a level¡­"


    "Is he really human? Is there a possibility that the Qiao family member is truly a half-demon?"


    For these martial artists from Southwest Province, reaching superb rank was already a legendary achievement in the martial arts world.


    Today they came for the secret manual left behind by the superb martial artist Spear Saint, only to have the chance to meet Wu Qiankun and Qiao Mu, who are both superb rank.


    The performances of the two Qiao family memberspletely overturned their understanding of the martial world that they had held for half a lifetime¡­


    Could it be that¡­ in this remote and poor Southwest Province, there is such a huge gappared to the martial world of Zhong Province?


    The ground beneath their feet was swept by violent winds, causing all the small stones and debris to be carried away by the gusts.


    After waiting for a long time, the calmness returned once again.


    Only Qiao Mu remained standing in the same spot, with radial marks and grooves left on the ground around him.


    Everything around had been leveled to the ground, the small building was gone, not even a slightlyrger stone could be seen on the ground.


    The fierce cloud tiger¡¯s body waspletely gone, not a single piece of it left, as if it had never existed.


    Meanwhile, Qiao Mu stood there, his arms hanging weakly by his sides, with his skin and flesh exposed, his arm bones unnaturally twisted.


    "Phew¡­ seems like I went a bit overboard."


    Qiao Mu stretched his muscles, his arm bones making crackling noises like popping beans, and his flesh and blood began to move and change once more.


    He lifted his head slightly, discreetly ncing at Yu Shan hovering above.


    Then his face quickly turned pale, big drops of sweat oozing from his forehead.


    "Such a powerful monster, even though I, Qiao Pian, was able to barely win using the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, my strength is almost depleted."


    "But¡­curses, now all my internal strength has beenpletely exhausted, today I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s the end for me here."


    Beside him, Li Changshi¡¯s eye twitched.


    It must be said that having a Qiao family member y this role naturally gives a sense of discord, making him look extremely awkward.


    The character of Qiao family member is so firmly established, it is a stereotype left by generations of Qiao family members to the world.


    To the extent that Qiao Pian now wants to break his character image, even watching from the side feels incredibly embarrassing.


    In the air, Taoist Child Yu Shan watched this poor performance expressionlessly.


    I don¡¯t believe you at all, this rotten old man is very bad¡­


    Even if they used all their inner strength, the Qiao family member still had a strong body and was notpletely defenseless.


    "Half-demons in this world find it hard to practice human martial arts, and very few can cultivate inner strength¡­ It seems that the Qiao family member is among the rare few half-demons who can."


    "Qiao Pian¡¯s death was imminent¡­ Shouldn¡¯t it have been at my hands?" Yu Shan muttered to himself.


    "Forget it, it doesn¡¯t matter."


    "This person¡¯s fate is sealed, even if left alone, they won¡¯t live for many more days. There¡¯s no need toplicate things unnecessarily."


    The Yunxiao Sect specializes in controlling beasts, and Taoist Child Yu Shan¡¯s techniques mostly involve beast maniption. With the death of the fierce cloud tiger and all the spiritual beasts, does he still want to fight the humanoid half-demon?


    With this in mind, Taoist Child Yu Shan hesitated no longer and shot up into the sky like a rainbow.


    "Senior Yu Shan, have you taken care of that strange monster cat that devours life energy?" asked the other cultivator beside him.


    Yu Shan replied indifferently:


    "Although the rare fiendish cat that devours dead energy¡­ Don¡¯t forget, what is our purpose in this journey¡­"


    "The matters of the sect take precedence."


    "This strange demon cat is a dangerous beast, a Qiao family member cannot control it, eventually it will devour its owner."


    "Let him live a few more days for now."


    Yu Shan the Taoist had deep and mysterious eyes.


    As a disciple of Yunxiao Sect¡¯s Taoist Child, the true disciple of the sect leader, his position within the Immortal Gate was only below the sect leader and several elders, and he knew many secrets.


    The tragedy in Xishan Vige this time seemed to only involve a group of ordinary people who had already died, but the matter was actually significant.


    Broadly speaking, it even had intricate connections with the Yunxiao Sect¡¯s overall n for survival.


    "Whether these ordinary people live or die is not a big issue. In fact, it might be even better if they survive."


    "The good show has begun, now let¡¯s see if little Jingwei can handle it," Yu Shan said calmly.


    The Ten Thousand Mountains are the home of many monsters, where all kinds of rare and strange creatures live.


    The reason why the "Demon Spear" Qing Li was able to be first on the Power List of the Tide Listening Building and be called the "strongest half-demon" is because she is extraordinary.


    In the ancient myths passed down by the elders, there is a widely spread legend known as "Jingwei filling the sea".


    The Jingwei Bird is a legendary bird that is far superior to ordinary monsters.


    Qing Li is already thest descendant of the Jingwei Bird in Jiu Province.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    Xishan Vige Ruins.


    Qiao Mu, Long Shankong, and other wanderers were wide-eyed in surprise.


    "My inner strength is depleted and I can¡¯t chase anymore, why aren¡¯t you chasing?" asked Qiao Mu.


    Long Shankong was speechless.


    This problem is like stabbing someone and then asking why they didn¡¯t dodge, is it a matter of dodging?


    The martial artists from the Southwest Province never thought that one day they would have the option to chase and kill the leader of the Yunxiao Sect.


    "Forget it, I misunderstood, I didn¡¯t expect you all to be so weak."


    "As for what to do next¡­" Qiao Mu nced at his bloody arms.


    At the right time, Li Changshi stepped forward and said:


    "Senior Qiao, tens of miles away, north of Linhe Prefecture, there is a Peach Blossom Vi where we gather to practice martial arts."


    "Senior Qiao, your injuries are not light, why note with us to the vi to heal?"


    Qiao Mu thought to himself, "I¡¯m the one who wrote the words ¡®Peach Blossom Vi¡¯ with my own hands, how could I not know¡­" He naturally agreed.


    As for the other guests from the rivers andkes¡­


    Among these several tens of people, in the recent fight with the monsters, each of them was injured to varying degrees, some severe and some light.


    "You are enemies of the local Immortal Gate, facing cultivators, why have you not surrendered immediately, blocking the way for Immortal Gate, there might not be a ce for you in these hundred thousand mountains." Qiao Mu stopped pretending and directly threatened.


    "These hundred thousand mountains are not a peaceful ce." Li Changshi said.


    "With your injuries, even without cultivators intervening, it would be difficult to safely leave this western mountain, if needed, you cane with us to that Peach Blossom Vi."


    Li Changshi¡¯s perception of these surviving guests from the rivers andkes changed somewhat.


    When brave warriors meet on a narrow path, those few who are cowardly and only seek to survive and enter Stone City all died in the fight.


    At the critical moment of life and death, those who have a way out and hesitate often die faster, regardless of their level of skill.


    The remaining few people still had courage in them, even when they had no way to retreat, they dared to fight to the death, which changed Li Changshi and Qiao Mu¡¯s opinions.


    "As for that Wu Rulong¡­" Qiao Mu narrowed his eyes, focusing on Wu Rulong.


    Wu Qiankun ran away, but Wu Rulong was left behind here.


    This young man is just over twenty years old, already in the top rank of Spiritual Refining Period, and now he has be their captive.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    Below the western mountain slope.


    In a lush grasnd, arge burnt bodyy face up on the ground, with closed eyes and no chest movement, seeming to have died a while ago.


    As the sky darkened and night fell, several wild wolves approached in the shadows, ready to feast.


    Just as they reached the burnt body, therge body suddenly extended a hand like lightning and gripped the wild wolf¡¯s throat.


    The wild wolf¡¯s body quickly shriveled up and turned into a dry corpse, while its charred body stretched its muscles and sat up again.


    "The turtle breath technique in the arsenal is really useful, even fooling the Yunxiao Sect leader."


    Being adaptable is important for a husband, although Wu Qiankun is a top martial artist, he doesn¡¯t mind pretending to be dead.


    Just now on the top of the West Mountain, there was a Qiao family member in front and a cultivator behind.


    If he stayed on the mountain top, he would likely be beaten to death by the Qiao family member, so he took a risk¡­


    ying dead is the best escape method.


    If Wu Qiankun doesn¡¯t y dead, those cultivators are sure to single him out, making him an easy target¡­


    On the top of West Mountain, the only martial artists qualified to fight against cultivators are Qiao Mu and Wu Qiankun.


    Wu Qiankun¡¯s decisive act of ying dead shifts the pressure to Qiao Mu, right?


    "In the Qiao family, I just used a small trick and he fell for it," said Wu Qiankun, catching a escaping wild wolf, muttering to himself indifferently.


    "Using all means is not shameful; being adaptable is what makes a good husband."


    "I admit that Qiao Jin was stronger, but now that Qiao Jin is dead, I am the ultimate winner."


    "In this world, it¡¯s all about winner takes all; the losers sleep in their graves, only those who survive to the end can be the king."


    After muttering to himself for a while, Wu Qiankun killed all these wild wolves one by one, devouring their flesh with the Taotie Swallowing Heaven Skill.


    Soon, he shook his shoulders, the ckened dead skin and rotten flesh falling off on its own, revealing a newyer of tender skin.


    "So, where should I go next?"


    Wu Qiankun thought about this, feeling a bit lost.


    The Martial Saint is not in the Southwest Province, but in another ce.


    The mountain cannot hold two tigers, let alone a greedy eater.


    The Martial Saint left the weakest Immortal Gate in the Yunxiao Sect to Wu Qiankun, for Wu Qiankun to improve his skills.


    After being defeated by a member of the Qiao family again, his passion for martial arts started to fade.


    Wu Qiankun can ept being defeated by a cultivator.


    Cultivators from the Nine Immortal Gates have dominated this realm for countless years, monopolizing many resources, so losing to a cultivator is reasonable.


    But the Qiao family member, who is also a mortal martial artist, is different.


    "Why? I have fought countless battles of life and death and fed on former martial artists and cultivators of the Immortal Gate to reach where I am today."


    "Yet the Qiao family member is like cockroaches, kill one and moree, as if they appear out of thin air."


    Wu Qiankun took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing thoughts.


    Although he talked to himself for quite a while, he actually knew what he needed to do now.


    If he couldn¡¯t defeat a member of the Qiao family, if he couldn¡¯t kill one of them with his own hands, then his martial arts heart would be weakened, the Qiao family bing his inner demon.


    After being defeated by Qiao Shuanggui in Zhong Province before, he attacked cultivators multiple times to get to where he was now¡­


    Meeting a Qiao family member again, he suffered an even greater defeat, saved only by a cultivator from the Yunxiao Sect who intervened.


    "Not enough¡­ I need more power¡­"


    Wu Qiankun dropped some dried wolf corpses from his hands, his expression turning indifferent again as he walked out of the mountains.


    Like a voracious monster, as long as his spiritual refining cultivation could control the Taotie Swallowing Heaven Skill, everything in the world could be the nourishment to strengthen himself.


    ..


    PS: This time, we must adjust our schedule. I only slept at five in the morning, totaling three hours. Today, the right side of my chest has been aching faintly for almost half a day.


    In the past week, I could hardly fall asleep before four or five in the morning¡­ I didn¡¯t have that much work, so I think it¡¯s because I stayed up toote. Once I passed a certain time, it became very difficult to fall asleep, messing up my daily routine.


    After a week of this, my heart started hurting on the right side. If I stay upte again, I might truly need to start taking better care of myself¡­ I¡¯m going to start a healthy lifestyle from today! I must be a good example for myself.

 Chapter 294 (1)

    Our Discord Server: .gg/PazjBDkTmW


    Linhe City is over a hundred miles away from a city called Yangmen City.


    Yangmen City is also a big city in the Southwest Province, not as big as Linhe City but still one of the rare big cities in the Southwest Province.


    This capital city was besieged by the Feather King Army for half a month before being conquered. On the day the city fell, the local magistrate killed his wife and children with his sword before taking his own life in sacrifice.


    Inside Yangmen City, in a corner of the inner city, there was a house.


    A chubby middle-aged official struggled to lift a water jar, blocking the entrance of the house tightly and locking all the doors and windows, sweating profusely from his busy work.


    "Father, is it really necessary to be so cautious?" a young woman beside him asked.


    "The Feather King¡¯s army is a powerful group led by a great leader who aims to overthrow the ruling government. I heard they are well-disciplined, especially the Feather King himself, who has a good reputation for defeating dangerous monsters in the vige."


    "You don¡¯t understand. You are still very young and naive, believing everything others say¡­ " The middle-aged clerk wiped his sweat and took out a statue from the drawer in the corner, recing the Yunxiao Sect statue on the family shrine with one from the Featherhood Sect."Dad, why do you have statues of the immortals from the Feather King Army¡¯s Featherhood Sect?" The woman¡¯s voice was filled with surprise.


    "Do you finally realize that this Feather King is the right person to bring order and justice, not our Yunxiao Sect immortals from Southwest Province?"


    "Shut up, be careful what you say!" The middle-aged clerk carefully cleaned the Yunxiao Sect statue and ced it back in the corner drawer before exining:


    "I have nned ahead for the city¡¯s fall, buying statues of the Featherhood Sect immortals in advance, all prepared."


    "When these two groups of immortals fight, discussing their beliefs, can we ordinary people intervene?"


    Just then, footsteps could be heard approaching the door.


    The middle-aged clerk gestured for his daughter to keep quiet, and they both stayed silent, huddling together.


    Knock knock knock, the wooden door was knocked.


    "Is anyone home?" The person outside the door spoke with a clear local ent:


    "We are from the Feather King Army, we won¡¯t harm you. We just want to ask if you have heard of the rumors about Golden Vige."


    The room was quiet.


    The Feather King Army outside the door sighed slightly in frustration and walked away.


    After a while, when there were no more sounds outside the door, the youngdy inside the room breathed a sigh of relief and whispered softly:


    "Father, it¡¯s someone from the Feather King¡­"


    Just as she finished speaking, a coldughter could be heard from outside the door.


    "Indeed there are people."


    At the next moment, a loud bang was heard.


    The locked gate copsed with a bang, and the water tank behind the gate shattered. A burly man entered.


    "This is the Feather King Army¡¯s business, so all unauthorized people should leave!" Before entering, the man shouted loudly.


    No one dared to peek out from the neighbors, all doors and windows were tightly closed, and there was no sound at all.


    "The master has already passed away. How can a mere official like you still be alive?" The man sneered, "In the past, when you were running around collecting taxes as a corrupt official, did you ever think about today?"


    "Sir¡­" The middle-aged official hurriedly smiled.


    "Taxes are collected by the court. I¡¯m just a small official trying to make a living, and I am also just an ordinarymoner¡­"


    Meanwhile, a young woman standing nearby carefully examined the man¡¯s face, then eximed:


    "Are you¡­ Zhao Ergou from the outer city? When did you join the Feather King Army?"


    "Do you recognize me? It¡¯s toote," the big man grinned.


    "In the past, you treated me indifferently¡­ You¡¯re just a corrupt official, all birds of a feather. Today, I will uphold justice!"


    After saying that, he grabbed the young woman with hisrge hand, squeezed hard, and tore her clothes to shreds.


    "You¡­ you¡­ you¡­" The middle-aged clerk trembled and rushed over.


    "Dare to touch my daughter, you¡¯ll have to get through me first!"


    "Ha, such deep father-daughter love! Then I shall enjoy it." The big man sneered, then reached out, pushed the middle-aged clerk down, and straddled him.


    "Today, I¡¯ll see what it feels like to have the tables turned¡­"


    After that, the big man ripped open the pants of the middle-aged clerk:


    "Since you have such deep father-daughter love, today I¡¯ll make you even closer!"


    The animals were running and jumping around.


    A long spear pierced through the wall, urately entering the head of a big man and pinning him against it.


    A young woman wearing a face mask walked in from the door and calmly pulled out the long spear.


    The father and daughter were shaken, and after carefully ncing at the approaching woman, the daughter suddenly eximed:


    "Feather King?"


    The neer didn¡¯t say much, turned and left, but paused briefly before leaving:


    "Although my Feather King Army is disciplined, the ongoing battles in the Southwest Province may attract troublemakers. Be cautious."


    With that, the Feather King walked out the door and disappeared.


    The middle-aged official, whose face turned red, changed into a new pair of pants and muttered cursing words.


    "What a nonsense Feather King¡­"


    "Is this pretending to be a good person now? The ones who burn, kill, and plunder are troublemakers in the military, yet you still strictly follow the rules and have a good reputation."


    Outside the alleyway.


    Feather King and a ck-robed female general beside her stood quietly, listening to theseints.


    It¡¯s not that they are eavesdropping¡­they just have exceptionally sharp hearing, able to pick up on these whisperedints.


    "This little official rescued him and he doesn¡¯t even know how to be grateful¡­" the ck-robed female general frowned.


    "Let him curse," Feather King¡¯s voice was calm, without any ripples:


    "Since I have taken the title of king, I naturally have to bear the responsibility for the actions of my soldiers."


    "Whether it¡¯s unruly soldiers or disasters caused by weapons¡­no matter how you put it, as this so-called Feather King, I cannot escape me."


    "Feather King is truly generous and extraordinary," said the woman in the ck robe with starry eyes.


    The rest of the soldiers around also showed expressions of respect.


    Feather King¡¯s strength far exceeds themon understanding of martial artists by people. After all, she is not purely human.


    As an unprecedentedly powerful top martial artist in Southwest Province, Feather King can even confront the major demons in the area, gaining a prominent reputation.


    Therefore, with her extraordinary skills, Feather King can establish a high prestige in the army solely based on her own strength.


    Not to mention Feather King¡¯s humility and concern for the people, she has repeatedly defeated the major demons that have caused trouble in all directions and saved many vigers from their clutches.


    "I¡¯m tired of hearingpliments." Although Feather King wore a mask, hiding his expression, his voice was always cold and steady:


    "Listening to criticism can help me see things clearly."


    The more humble Feather King acted, the more his soldiers thought of him as wise and calm, like a forever rational saint.


    Instead of speaking insults, the soldiers secretly praised him.


    Feather King waited for a long time without hearing any insults, feeling a bit disappointed.


    "I am a bit tired," he said.


    "Jade Carp," Feather King instructed the woman in ck robes beside him, "If you hear any rumors about Golden Vige, let me know."


    After speaking, Feather King turned and entered the lord¡¯s mansion to rest.


    However, after closing the door, she didn¡¯t rest but stood quietly next to the door, listening carefully to the sounds outside the mansion.


    Her hearing was much better than regr martial artists, her senses sharp, trying to hear if there were any unusual sounds in the army.


    The great Feather King, who almost conquered half of the Southwest Province, was always surrounded by ttery and praise.


    So, after her hints and suggestions, were there any different opinions among the soldiers?


    Feather King listened intently for a while before hearing his subordinates discussing her name.


    "I wish I could be Feather King¡¯s loyalpanion¡­"


    "Brother, that¡¯s not right. Feather King has fought to end beast very in the Southwest Province, so that ordinary people don¡¯t have to serve the Yunxiao Sect¡¯s spiritual beasts. And you want to be called Feather King¡¯s pet dog? That¡¯s just not respectful!"


    "Then let me be Feather King¡¯s loyalpanion."


    "Woof woof woof."


    "Woof woof woof woof woof¡­"


    Feather King twitched at the corner of his eyes in secret, never expecting the whispers behind his back to be like this¡­


    "What are you all barking at?" a woman¡¯s voice scolded at this moment.


    This voice was very familiar to Feather King, it was his deputy, Jade Carp, who always apanied him.


    "The Feather King said, listening only to criticism helps one see clearly, but listening to nonsense leads to confusion. She wants to hear criticism, not your foolishness."


    "Instead of causing trouble here, it would be better to go out and gather information about the Golden Vige."


    "If we can find the famous Golden Vige nearby, our Feather King Army will be better off."


    After being scolded by Jade Carp, several of the rebels around them walked away, and the discussions finally ceased.


    Feeling a slight sense of emotion in her heart, the Feather King thought about Jade Carp, her most trustedpanion who truly understood her thoughts. Jade Carp had already guessed the Feather King¡¯s intentions, which made her quite touched.


    With that in mind, she heard Jade Carp muttering softly outside the mansion:


    "Why does the Feather King always imply that we should insult her openly or secretly? Is she someone who gets excited when insulted?"


    "Ah¡­ I see now, it all makes sense." Jade Carp suddenly understood:@@novelbin@@


    "For the sake of the Feather King, I need to learn some dirty words to insult others from the elders in the city."


    Feather King: ?


    When finally there was no sound outside the mansion, Feather King sighed softly and took off the mask on his face.


    Under the mask, Feather King¡¯s face was as beautiful as jade, with sharp and resolute eyes, exuding a rare heroic aura that was simr to the shadow of Qing Li from Xishan Vige that day.


    In fact, Feather King was not the type of person who got excited by being scolded.


    She just felt empty inside.


    "During these days, I have done many good deeds, entering the mountains to remove the great monsters that gue the vige; conquering many cities, and punishing corrupt officials who exploit the people."


    "I maintain strict discipline in my troops, ensuring that they don¡¯t harm the people, and have established clear rules. Any soldier who breaks the rules, regardless of their past achievements, will be dealt with fairly."


    "The people are grateful to me, the soldiers admire me, and the officials fear me¡­"


    Feather King reached out, clenched her fists, and pressed them against her chest, as if she wanted to hold onto her heart tightly, whispering:


    "The more they respect and admire me, the emptier I feel inside¡­ It¡¯s not worth it."


    "After all, the so-called Feather King who sets things right is just ackey of the Immortal Gate."


    Feather King Army, Featherhood Sect.


    They raised the banner of rebellion against the Great Yan Imperial Court and the Yunxiao Sect, igniting a fierce war in the Southwest Province. Many responded, and within just two months, they had swept through half of the province.


    However, as the leader of the rebellion, Feather King knew the true nature of the Featherhood Sect.


    "The people believed that this was a battle among immortals, a dispute transcending life and death, a struggle to correct the wrongs and resist the harsh rule of Great Yan¡­."


    "But all of this is false, it¡¯s all false."


    Feather King looked at his reflection in the mirror with a nk expression, feeling a hint of fatigue creeping over him.

 Chapter 294 (2)

    Our Discord Server: .gg/PazjBDkTmW


    The Featherhood Sect also worships the same immortals as the Yunxiao Sect, just under a different guise.


    The two sects are fighting each other because Yunxiao Sect wants to weaken the luck of the Great Yan Imperial Court to deal with Founding Emperor Yan, who holds the Human Emperor Sword.


    Also, a war that sweeps through the Southwest Province will inevitably provoke hatred and make both sects rally fanatical followers.


    So, Feather King is well aware of this.


    "There¡¯s no restoring order here. This war is meaningless. It¡¯s just Yunxiao Sect changing its name. Regardless of the oue of the war, Southwest Province will still be the yground of the Immortal Gate."


    And so, Feather King¡¯s mixed thoughts arose.


    She knows the truth but can¡¯t say it. She has to act as a pawn driven by the Immortal Gate, bringing a disaster of war to Southwest Province.


    If Yunxiao Sect is the instigator of the war, then this Feather King must also be considered a ruthless executioner with countless killings.First on the Power List? The strongest half-demon?


    Just a pawn of Immortal Gate and Yunxiao Sect.


    She is an unmatched fierce warrior on the battlefieldpared to ordinary martial artists.


    Compared to Immortal Gate, she is just a pawn without control over her own movements.


    Just then, footsteps and knocking sounds could be heard outside the mansion.


    "Feather King, we have gathered information about Golden Vige," said Jade Carp, a close confidant of Feather King.


    After putting on her helmet again, Qing Li let Jade Carp in, who was holding a map that she spread out on the table.


    The so-called Golden Vige is a long-standing legend within the Hundred Thousand Mountains.


    The human tribes of the Southwest Province mainly gather in cities like Linhe City and Yangmen City, relying on high walls and well-trained soldiers to fight against demons.


    There are actually not many mountain viges like Xishan Vige.


    These mountain viges are either inhabited by people who seek refuge from heavy taxes and live independently in the mountains, or they are like Xishan Vige, with unique divine blessings and protection from strong individuals.


    The so-called Golden Vige is a hidden vige among the ten thousand mountains.


    It is said that this hidden mountain vige in the mountains holds endless amounts of gold. Some say this goldes from thieves hiding from the court, while others im it is rted to tomb robbers from the previous dynasty. There are various rumors, but no consensus.


    The only thing certain is that within this Golden Vige, there is indeed a vast amount of gold.


    And this, is Feather King¡¯s goal.


    War not only costs lives, but also money.


    When the cannons fire, gold bes more precious in turbulent times than in normal times, it¡¯s like a valuable currency.


    Jade Carp pointed to a spot on the map and exined:


    "The location of Golden Vige is in the northwest direction from here, about a hundred miles away."


    "I just learned that within Golden Vige, there is a Gold Transforming Stone that supposedly can turn stone into gold, creating a continuous stream of gold."


    A stone that turns things into gold?


    If it were someone else, they might not believe the far-fetched ssic legend of turning stone into gold.


    But Feather King is different.


    She is a descendant of the Jingwei n, naturally possessing supernatural abilities that ordinary martial artists find unbelievable.


    The so-called Jingwei filling the sea is even more absurd than "turning stones into gold," a widely spread myth.


    Others may not believe in turning stones into gold, but she does.


    "Finally, there is news of Golden Vige," Feather King nodded and said:


    "Although gold is just a material possession, with the chaos in Jiu Province now, if we can find the treasure of Golden Vige, not only could it change the barren situation of Southwest Province, but it could also improve the livelihoods of the people¡­"


    As she said this, Feather King¡¯s words suddenly stopped, her gaze falling on the map on the table:


    "Is the Golden Vige that you mentioned located in this ce?"


    "Yes, it¡¯s situated in the deep mountains dozens of miles to the northwest of Linhe City," Jade Carp said, suddenly recalling something and smiling.


    "I heard that the Feather King¡¯s hometown is around Linhe City, and our next goal with the Feather King Army is to take over Linhe City."


    "Whether we go to Golden Vige first or attack Linhe City first, Feather King will be returning in glory, right?"


    The term "returning in glory" made Feather King fall into a slight silence.


    "Then¡­ let¡¯s go to Golden Vige first," Feather King said.


    "Is Feather King feeling sentimental about returning to his hometown?" Jade Carp asked with a light smile.


    "Does Feather King prefer to first acquire some valuable gems, return in glory with those gems, and bless the elders and neighbors from the past?"


    "Or is Feather King considerate, with the Southwest Province almost within his grasp, maintaining a calm mindset and a strong sense of justice and kindness."


    The words "kindness and evil" were like a small, sharp thorn, causing a slight pain to Feather King.


    "You don¡¯t have topliment me anymore," Feather King said a bit louder.


    "I wasn¡¯tplimenting you¡­" Jade Carp started to speak, but when she saw the cold look in Feather King¡¯s eyes behind the mask, she felt puzzled and had to remain silent.


    "I¡¯m feeling a bit tired today, and I need to prepare for the journey to Golden Vige. You can go ahead," Feather King said calmly.


    After Jade Carp left, Feather King sat alone in the room, quietly staring at the map on the table.


    She gently tapped on the map, focusing on the location of Xishan Vige west of Linhe City, her expressionplex.


    The words "kindness and evil" were quite fitting to describe Spear Saint.


    Spear Saint from decades ago was a rare gentleman in the martial arts world who was true to his words and actions.


    Spear Saint had treated her like his own and raised her.


    So she naturally returned the favor, treating Xishan Vige as her hometown, and raised the banner of Xishan Vige after Spear Saint died, protecting the vige.


    However,ter, Yunxiao Sect took Xishan Vige people as hostages, and she willingly became a pawn of Immortal Gate, bing Feather King.


    The so-called Feather King is a pawn of Immortal Gate who incited a meaningless war in Southwest Province, bing the executioner causing suffering to the people of Southwest Province.


    Qing Li actually chose the safety of her friends and family in Xishan Vige and the lives of the people of a whole province.


    War is not a game.


    After achieving victory, many lives wither, and being Feather King means having to kill.


    In the past two months, quite a few people have died directly or indirectly by her hands.


    While she secretly does good deeds, such as vanquishing demons, saving people, and killing bandits, these actions actually don¡¯t affect the bigger picture, but provide a moment of peace for her conscience.


    "Feather King is not a saintly person who is good or evil, just a hypocrite." She gently touched the location of Xishan Vige on a map made of animal skin, remaining silent for a long time.


    Today she killed a bully, and saved a father and daughter in the city. But this was just a small act of kindness she did to satisfy herself.


    But how many people have died because of this big chaos where she cannot see?


    If Qing Li was just a regr leader of the rebellion, she wouldn¡¯t have to bear this burden.


    But she knew in her heart, and made a clear choice¡­ as a frontliner of the Immortal Gate, she felt guilty.


    Jade Carp said she was homesick, but that¡¯s not quite right.@@novelbin@@


    She wasn¡¯t homesick, but after her hands were stained with blood, she felt too ashamed to face the elders in the vige.


    "One part of the soul left behind in the vige seems to have disappeared¡­ Xishan Vige seems to have undergone some changes¡­"


    "Well, let¡¯s focus on what¡¯s ahead first." Qing Li¡¯s gaze became determined once more:


    "Golden Vige, the philosopher¡¯s stone¡­ I wonder what mystical qualities it holds."


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    Above the clouds.


    Taoist Child Yu Shan and the other two cultivators are flying back to the sect.


    Yu Shan seemed calm, while the other two behind him were somewhat nervous.


    After all¡­ all hundred spiritual beasts were killed in battle, Taoist Child Yu Shan also lost a Thundercloud Tiger. Clearly, it was meant to deal with a group of ordinary people, but in the end, they were not sessful and let that Qiao family member escape.


    With the sect¡¯s matters not resolved and suffering losses, they were naturally uneasy.


    Only the leader, Yu Shan, remained calm, "No need to overthink it, the task is already aplished. Whether those few ordinary martial artists live or die doesn¡¯t matter. What¡¯s important is the Feather King¡¯s situation, and the sect¡¯s affairs have been handled."


    "Senior Brother Yu Shan," a nearby cultivator couldn¡¯t help but ask:


    "Why is the Feather King so important? Our losses have been significant."


    Yu Shan nced at them.


    "Well, since we¡¯re here now, I might as well tell you a little secret."


    "Have you heard of the legend of Jingwei filling the sea?"


    "In ancient times, there was a goddess named Jingwei who drowned in the East Sea."


    "After drowning, her spirit turned into Jingwei Bird. Every day, it carried stones and twigs, vowing to fill the East Sea forever."


    "There is another version of the legend of Jingwei filling the sea."


    "Later on, Jingwei met a seabird and had a child. The female looked like Jingwei, and the male looked like the seabird¡­"


    The two cultivators listened to Yu Shan and werepletely puzzled, not understanding why the Taoist Child suddenly started sharing folk stories.


    "What if I told you that this Jingwei Divine Bird actually exists?" Yu Shan smiled.


    "In ancient tales, the Jingwei Divine Bird is said to be the spirit of the goddess Jingwei after she died. The original Jingwei Bird was determined to fill the Eastern Sea by carrying wood and stones, never stopping until the sea was filled."


    "The Jingwei Bird, formed from her spirit, could even give birth and bring forth new descendants."


    "Do you understand what I¡¯m saying?"


    "The special ability of the Jingwei Divine Bird is that its spirit can turn thoughts into reality after death, even being able to give birth to offspring. Isn¡¯t this a form of reincarnation after death?"


    "If the Eastern Sea is not calm, Jingwei will never stop. In other words, as long as the determination doesn¡¯t fade, the spirit can endure forever."


    "The original Jingwei Bird in the legends lived for tens of thousands of years. It was only after many millennia passed and the ancient Eastern Sea dried up that the original Jingwei Bird died."


    "Isn¡¯t this what cultivators like us seek throughout our lives ¨C a form of immortality?"

 Chapter 295:

    Our Discord Server: .gg/PazjBDkTmW


    Inside Peach Blossom Vi, in a small room.


    Qiao Mu stared at Wu Rulong expressionlessly, his eyes narrowing sharply like des.


    Just by looking at him, Wu Rulong felt a threatening sensation all over his body, with goosebumps appearing on his skin and an invisible de cutting his neck, leaving faint bloodstains.


    "Having strong instincts as a Spirit Refining martial artist may not always be a good thing, right?" Qiao Mu said with a smile.


    When Qiao Mu was in the heavenly prison, the top martial artist Condor Wei En had no way to interrogate him due to Qiao Mu¡¯s fearlessness of death.


    But now, the situation was different.


    As the top-ranked spiritual refining martial artist, Wu Rulong¡¯s intuition was very sharp. At that moment, he felt an intense threat to his life, like a mouse facing a cat. His body reacted strongly, with increased heart rate, constricted blood vessels, and a paleplexion.


    "Just say what you need to ask," Wu Rulong said sternly, with a cold expression."Since your Eye Attacking Technique is so advanced, if I hesitate or try to deceive you for a moment, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll notice it in time."


    "Then let¡¯s begin."


    "Name?"


    "Wu Rulong."


    "Gender?"


    "Can¡¯t you see for yourself?"


    "Are you inviting me to take a look at your¡­"


    "Stop! Man! I¡¯m a man!!!"


    "Age? Martial arts skills?"


    "24 years old, 1st rank."


    "Talent is decent." The top expert of the era, Qiao Mu, sarcastically said, "You¡¯re quite something," and added with an air of superiority:


    "Young man, when I was your age, my martial arts skills¡­ I mean, my martial arts abilities, were nine times stronger than yours."


    However, Wu Rulong didn¡¯t have any problems with hearing this.


    After all, the man in front of him, Qiao Mu, looked to be around thirty years old, but his martial arts abilities had already surpassed Wu Qiankun¡¯s. Clearly, he was also a genius when he was young.


    Wu Rulong lifted his chin slightly and said:


    "The Taotie Swallowing Heaven Skill is a technique that sharpens iron with iron, creating a sharp de. If the spiritual refining abilities are not up to par, it will undoubtedly lead to death, which is why I have reached the 1st rank."


    "Moreover, Earth Sword Immortal is already considered a superb martial artist at my age, ranking high on the Hero List."


    Though Wu Rulong appeared modest, he was actually quite proud, subconsciouslyparing himself to Earth Sword Immortal¡­ Qiao Mu nodded.


    In that era forty years ago, there were only about a dozen superb martial artists in the entire Jiu Province. Once they reached the superb rank, they were at the forefront of the Hero List.


    Strong individuals like Founding Emperor Yan who lived in seclusion and didn¡¯t seek fame were extremely rare.


    Looking at Earth Sword Immortal now through Qiao Mu¡¯s eyes, the once skilled fighter had reached the peak of his abilities in his prime. However, as he got older, he started to decline in both physical health and strength.


    What¡¯s most embarrassing is that in the end, he couldn¡¯t even perform his famous Heavenly shing Swordsmanship anymore, bing weak with age.


    In hister years, although he made some breakthroughs in his mindset, he was unable to recreate his past sesses. He suffered the consequences of his reckless behavior in the earlier years, feeling regretful but unable to change his circumstances, leading to his eventual death.@@novelbin@@


    Despite all this, Earth Sword Immortal remained a renowned martial artist in Jiu Province, even serving as a role model for talented fighters like Wu Rulong.


    "What position do you hold in the Wuji Association?"


    "I am a disciple of the Martial Saint, focusing solely on training andbat. I am ranked fiftieth among the seventy-two wise men and the Martial Saint has recognized me as having the top talent in spear techniques in Jiu Province."


    Qiao Mu watched Wu Rulong quietly, sensing that he was not lying.


    The Martial Saint spent decades identifying three thousand martial arts prodigies, selecting the seventy-two wise men through rigorouspetition. Each of the seventy-two wise men was exceptionally skilled.


    A person like Wu Rulong, with skills like a Martial Saint, identified Jiu Province¡¯s top spear talent.


    "Since there are seventy two wise men, why are they so weak?" asked Qiao Mu.


    Wu Rulong¡¯s eye twitched.


    "Why ask when you already know the answer?" replied Wu Rulong calmly.


    "In the Tide Listening Building¡¯s Martial Arts Ranking List, there is no Hero List ranking from strongest to weakest. There are only four lists based on power, strength, skill, and spirit."


    "Therefore, the seventy two wise men of the Wuji Association are not ranked based on strength, so it¡¯s not meaningful."


    Although there are many disciples under Martial Saint, none can surpass Martial Saint in strength.


    From Martial Saint¡¯s perspective, the ranking of the seventy two wise men is not just about their martial arts skills, but also about the talents of many martial arts geniuses.


    Therefore, even Hai Wuya, who was a peak martial artist in his prime ranking in 4th ce andter declined to 9th ce, was among the seventy two wise men.


    The logic of the Tide Listening Building¡¯s Martial Arts Ranking List is simr.


    Forty years after the Inhuman War, the Hero List lost its meaning.


    Standing under the huge Immortal Gate above his head, trying to be the best in the world seemed quiteughable¡­ Like trying to win a beauty contest in a small circle.


    The Four Lists of Power and Skills rank martial artists based on how far they have explored the four paths of martial arts.


    Although not directly rted to strength, those ranked high on the Four Lists are definitely not weak.


    Whether it¡¯s the Tide Listening Building or the Martial Saint, they share amon understanding of martial arts:


    In today¡¯s Jiu Province, what is needed is not only martial artists with strong abilities, but also pioneers who have made achievements in the exploration of martial arts or talented individuals with great potential.


    In Jiu Province, the strongest martial artist in his lifetime is far from being a match for cultivators. Therefore, the level of martial arts skills seems less important.


    Qiao Mu thought for a moment before asking, "How many superb ranks are there in the Wuji Association?"


    "I don¡¯t deal with internal affairs, so I don¡¯t know the answer to that question," replied Wu Rulong calmly.


    Qiao Mu¡¯s eyes turned cold, Wu Rulong¡¯s neck was cut open, blood gushed out, and he got goosebumps all over his body.


    Wu Rulong added, "Although I don¡¯t know for sure, I think the number is at least two digits, and after the appearance of the Taotie Swallowing Heaven Skill, the number of superb martial artists will definitely increase."


    "Some of the superb martial artists in the entire Jiu Province are Martial Saints, while others are enemies of Martial Saints."


    He thought to himself, if he didn¡¯t fall into Qiao Mu¡¯s hands this time, with his talent and temperament, it would only be a matter of time before he reached the superb rank.


    "You mentioned that the Taotie Swallowing Heaven Skill evolved from the Martial Saint Spiritual Technique, so why can¡¯t I sense Wu Qiankun and you even though I have practiced the Martial Saint Spiritual Technique?" Qiao Mu asked.


    Practitioners of the Martial Saint Spiritual Technique can sense each other.


    However, for some reason, practitioners of the Taotie Swallowing Heaven Skill seem to have lost this intuitive connection.


    "You need to ask the Martial Saint who created the ¡®Taotie Swallowing Heaven Skill¡¯ about this issue," Wu Rulong thought for a moment and said.


    "In my opinion, this may be because¡­ in the eyes of the Martial Saint, it no longer makes sense for practitioners of the Martial Saint Spiritual Technique to continue killing each other."


    "So Martial Saint purposely removed this part. With Martial Saint¡¯s current perspective and strength, a martial artist in the Jianghu who practices the "Martial Saint Spiritual Technique" up to the spiritual refining third rank, probably won¡¯t be of much use to him anymore."


    "He no longer needs to track down weaker Spirit Refining martial artists, and doesn¡¯t rely on the hope of finding martial artists among the neers who can match his skills."


    Qiao Mu suddenly realized.


    As he continued with the interrogation, he kept hitting a wall.


    When it came to more secrets within the Wuji Association, Wu Rulong either imed ignorance or remained silent, even under pressure.


    Qiao Mu felt stuck, like a tiger unable to bite.


    After all, interrogation wasn¡¯t his expertise; Qiao Mu¡¯s expertisey in either killing someone or being killed.


    "Senior Qiao," Hai Siyuan, standing nearby, suggested.


    "Perhaps we could consider bringing in Wei En? He¡¯s the best investigator in the world, especially skilled in interrogation."


    "Isn¡¯t he in the Imperial Capital? Can you reach him?" asked Qiao Mu.


    "It will take some time," Hai Siyuan replied.


    "I can quickly send a message to Wei En¡¯s subordinate in the Southwest Province using carrier pigeons, then have his subordinate send another message¡­"


    Qiao Mu heard this and put his hand to his forehead.


    While the Immortal Gate was cultivating immortality, martial artists were still using carrier pigeons and messengers.


    "Let¡¯s keep Wu Rulong locked up for now. Let the experts decide whether to keep him alive to get more information from him."


    Qiao Mu stood up and walked out, leaving with his hands behind his back.


    At the same time, a voice sounded in Hai Siyuan¡¯s mind behind him:


    "Using carrier pigeons and messengers is too slow."


    "Let me teach you a handy new trick."


    Hai Siyuan was a bit surprised when he realized that Qiao Mu didn¡¯t speak out loud, but his voice appeared directly in his mind¡­


    "This is telepathy¡­.not quite right?"


    "Ibined Li Changge¡¯s ¡®Military Spiritual Technique,¡¯ Martial Saint¡¯s ¡®Martial Saint Spiritual Technique,¡¯ and added a bit of telepathy to make some improvements," Qiao Mu exined.


    In the past fifty years.


    Besides pondering on how to deal with the fierce cloud tiger, reviewing battles, practicing the Human Path Sutra and Pure Yang Wuji Skill, his greatest achievement was deducing the ¡®Military Spiritual Technique¡¯.


    Current Death Assessment: B- (a bit)


    Lifespan consumed by death: 50 (5*10) years


    Remaining resurrections this week: 4/5


    Current age: 725 years old


    Energy level: 92%


    Skills: basic


    Weapon ¨C Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear (intermediate level)


    Strategy ¨C Military Spiritual Technique (advanced level)


    ¡­¡­¡­..


    Knock, knock, knock¡­


    Long Shankong, who was wrapped in bandages all over his body, walked out of the room with a cane, nning to get some fresh air outside.


    However, when he walked into the courtyard outside the room, he was stunned, and almost dropped his cane.


    In front of him, a very strange scene unfolded.


    In the peach blossom forest, a gentle breeze rustled through the branches.


    Qiao Mu sat cross-legged on a small hill, quietly with a mysterious smile on his face.


    Below the hill, there were three hundred old soldiers with white hair, silently facing Qiao Mu, asionally nodding in approval.


    The three hundred people hardly spoke, surrounded by silence, only the sound of rustling leaves could be heard.


    This scene was so strange that Long Shankong couldn¡¯t figure it out at all.


    After a while, Li Changshi among the three hundred old soldiers chuckled softly.


    "This method is truly ingenious, it ispletely different from the ¡®Military Spiritual Technique¡¯ my brother created years ago."


    "Yes."


    "So magical!" The other old soldiers also nodded enthusiastically.


    "Elder Lao¡¯s words are very wise."


    Long Shankong almost thought he was deaf, but upon careful consideration, he realized something was not right.


    "Could it be a secret message? Even if it were a secret message, it wouldn¡¯t be possible to secretlymunicate with three hundred people¡­"


    "Dragon brother, don¡¯t be surprised, this is a special martial art created by a member of the Qiao family, called the ¡®Military Spiritual Technique.¡¯" Some travelers from the rivers andkes approached and exined voluntarily.


    These travelers from the rivers andkes had obviously also experienced the same amazement, and they understood clearly what Long Shankong was thinking after witnessing that scene just now.


    These travelers from the Southwest Province, having survived at the hands of the cultivators from the Yunxiao Sect, could now be considered as fellow sufferers.


    The Southwest Province is a remote and wild ce far from the court, where many peoplee to hide from the pursuit of the authorities, including unruly ouws.


    The people of the rivers andkes here have a more rugged and rebellious spiritpared to those in the Zhong Province and elsewhere, many of them are desperate individuals with clear grievances.


    One moment they were fighting for their lives with swords, the next they were drinking and having a good time. Of course, in the next moment, someone could poison the drinks, and the fight for survival would begin again.


    They were on guard against the Qiao family member before, but now that the Qiao family member has saved their lives, their attitudes naturally changed.


    "It¡¯s just a little trick," Qiao Mu said as he stood up and walked towards the guests from the martial world.


    "The intuition of a Spirit Refining martial artist has great potential, for example¡­"


    Qiao Mu¡¯s gaze fell on Long Shankong¡¯ knee.


    In an instant.


    Long Shankong suddenly felt a chilling sensation and had a gut feeling that Qiao Mu was about to attack him, aiming to break his left knee.


    Before Long Shankong could react, Qiao Mu¡¯s gaze shifted quickly from his waist to his forehead and then to his right arm.


    He¡¯s going for my waist!


    No, he now wants to hit my forehead again¡­ Hmm, and break my right arm?


    In a short time, Long Shankong had broken out in a thinyer of sweat, clearly under immense pressure.


    "Do you understand?" Qiao Mu exined to the people from the martial arts world.


    "The intuition of a Spirit Refining martial artist can actually convey messages."


    "And the ¡®Martial Saint Spiritual Technique¡¯ is a unique martial art that uses intuition to allow practitioners to sense each other¡¯s positions across great distances."


    When Qiao Mu was still a low-level martial artist, he was in Yan City and could faintly sense Wu Qingxin in Heyang City.


    "The ¡®Military Spiritual Technique¡¯ also utilizes spiritual refining intuition, enabling multiple soldiers to sense each other, forming a military formation where a hundred people act as one."


    "Now, we willbine these various martial arts techniques and add a few more details¡­"


    Qiao Mu fell silent, saying no more.


    His voice, however, echoed in the hearts of everyone at the same time:


    The "Military Spiritual Technique" after rebirth was a skill that could rece carrier pigeons, allowing Spirit Refining martial artists tomunicate directly through their minds over long distances.


    Long Shankong and the others were silent, feeling inexplicably shaken.


    Can such a secret technique still be called "martial arts"?


    Qiao Pian¡¯s meticulous attention to detail and extraordinary scope left them speechless. They wondered, even with decades of time, would they be able to figure it out¡­


    "How many years have the Qiao family on the Overseas Hero Ind been leading the martial arts world?" This question shed through everyone¡¯s minds.

 Chapter 296:

    Our Discord Server: .gg/PazjBDkTmW


    In the peach blossom forest.


    Qiao Mu sat cross-legged under a tree, his lips tightly closed, but his voice resounded in everyone¡¯s hearts.


    "This method is derived from the ¡®Military Spiritual Technique¡¯,bined with the ¡®Martial Saint Spiritual Technique¡¯ and techniques like sound transmission, it has already diverged greatly from the original ¡®Military Spiritual Technique¡¯, so it should have a new name."


    "Let¡¯s call it the Spiritual Sound Conducting Technique."


    Next, Qiao Mu didn¡¯t keep any secrets, and taught everyone this technique of transmitting sound across space through intuition.


    This secret technique made Long Shankong and other martial artists in the Southwest Province feel inexplicably shocked, even suspecting that it had gone beyond the current realm of martial arts.


    But Qiao Mu thought differently.


    What he did was actually standing on the shoulders of his predecessors.Li Changge¡¯s "Spiritual Technique" and "Military Spiritual Technique," Martial Saint¡¯s "Martial Saint Spiritual Technique," are all mysterious and innovative modern methods, despite being in early stages of development.


    These talented martial artists are making breakthroughs from scratch.


    Although Qiao Mu¡¯s talent and understanding can¡¯tpare to these martial geniuses, his knowledge in martial arts is outstanding.


    Through years of diligent study and vast knowledge, facing numerous challenges, he slowly advanced in martial arts step by step.


    Though it may seem like a short distance, it actually represents decades of progress.


    Local martial artists like Long Shankong found this mysterious technique miraculous because a member of the Qiao family managed to achieve decades of progress in a single moment.


    What astonished them even more was¡­


    Despite being an incrediblyplex and unbelievable martial arts secret, Qiao Pian didn¡¯t keep it to himself and instead shared this technique with three hundred soldiers.


    Even these strangers, who met by chance, can openly listen by the side.


    "Can a member of the Qiao family really let go of their prejudices? I¡¯m not too sure," Long Shankong still had some doubts in his mind.


    "Is he truly noble, or does he have another motive?"@@novelbin@@


    Others also chimed in:


    "There have only been two or three peak martial arts masters who were able to let go of their prejudices in the past hundred years."


    "Forty years ago, the martial arts world in Jiu Province was filled with prestigious families and strict factions, until the Martial Saint broke down the prejudices and collected the martial arts of all the major families in Jiu Province."


    "If we were to count the second, it would be a member of the Qiao family."


    When not discussing the Martial Saint, Long Shankong, who was always skeptical, had even more doubts in his mind.


    Long Shankong is a descendant of the Eight-armed Heavenly Dragon and naturally holds a deep grudge against the Martial Saint.


    The so-called breaking down of prejudices by the Martial Saint mainly involved breaking down others¡¯ prejudices, relying on collected martial arts to establish a Wuji Association, which then spread the first half of the secret scrolls.


    Are the members of the Qiao family really living so happily?


    Long Shankong felt that he needed to observe further.


    "I want to see if this Qiao Pian is true to himself."


    So he decisively joined the crowd and eagerly began eavesdropping.


    This eavesdropping went on for several days.


    On the first day, Qiao Mu spoke about the "Spiritual Sound Conducting Technique" in the peach blossom forest.


    The three hundred old soldiers and martial arts heroes gained a lot and were full of emotions.


    On the second day, Qiao Mu spoke about "Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear" in the peach blossom forest.


    Long Shankong and the martial arts heroes were initially doubtful, but by sunset, after listening to Qiao Mu talk about martial arts, they were already impressed.


    The doubts that arose yesterday about the Qiao family havepletely disappeared.


    "Ah, if we had known that Senior Qiao was willing to share ¡®Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear¡¯ with everyone, why would we still fight for it?"


    "Forget aboutpeting with the Qiao family for ¡®Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear¡¯, I¡¯m willing to help Senior Qiao even in stealing martial arts techniques!"


    "Having such a master willing to share martial arts skills is a great opportunity."


    "Isn¡¯t it unbelievable¡­ if someone had told you beforehand that if the Qiao family member got ¡®Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear¡¯, they would publicly share martial arts, would you believe it?"


    Everyone couldn¡¯t help but admire, their initial vignce towards the Qiao family member hadpletely vanished, leaving only admiration.


    But this was only the beginning on the second day.


    On the third day, Qiao Mu spoke about the "Human Path Sutra" in the peach blossom forest.


    This had a strong impact on everyone, like a big rock thrown into a pond, immediately shaking their hearts.


    It¡¯s important to know that Hai Wuya had been spreading the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra" for several months already.


    With the intentional spreading by the Wuji Association, this practice had already spread throughout different areas of Jiu Province.


    The Long Life Gate in Dong Province was alerted by this, and even the mountain bandit Zhang Kui in Southwest Province had a copy of the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra," nning to offer it to Qiao Mu¡­


    The spread of the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra" was extensive.


    Even the martial arts figures in Southwest Province had heard of it to some extent, even if they hadn¡¯t practiced it themselves.


    Because of their knowledge of the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra," when Qiao Mu spoke about the "Human Path Sutra," they realized the mysterious nature of the Qiao family member¡­


    "Qi and blood are essential for martial artists," said Qiao Mu.


    "When the Qi and blood are strong inside, internal strength will naturally grow, allowing one to reach the 9th rank of strength training."


    "As one¡¯s Qi and blood weaken in old age, even if the internal strength remains, they may end up like a rootless duckweed, finding it difficult to progress as quickly and skillfully as they did in their youth."


    "A martial artist¡¯s power, skills, technique, and spirit are not separate paths."


    "If you¡¯re weak inside, how can you train internal strength?"


    "If your internal strength hasn¡¯t reached the 4th level, your dantian isn¡¯t full, and you haven¡¯t reached the body¡¯s limits, how can you refine your spirit?"


    "A martial artist¡¯s foundation lies in their internal energy. The ¡®Human Path Sutra¡¯ is a technique focusing on cultivating internal energy¡­"


    Qiao Mu isn¡¯t talking about mysterious secrets, but sharing his understanding of the martial arts basics based on his current perspective.


    The heroes were listening with great interest.


    Qiao Mu¡¯s martial arts foundation is very strong, surpassing ordinary martial artists¡­ This is because his talent and understanding are exceptional, so he spends a long time at each level of martial arts, making his foundation exceptionally solid.


    After umting knowledge for seven centuries, his martial arts expertise is unmatched.


    The Qiao Mu standing before the heroes is truly the best teacher they have ever seen.


    After all, as an ordinary martial artist of 700 years, Qiao Mu had a very strong foundation.


    If you ask the top student for help with a problem, they may give you the answer, but you might struggle to follow their thinking process.


    However, if you ask a hardworking top student who has honed their skills through practice, they can often give a perfect exnation.


    Hardworking top students may not be exceptionally intelligent, but they excel through practice. They have thought deeply about challenging questions and can understand each other¡¯s perspectives.


    Qiao Mu, the unmatched 725-year-old student in Jiu Province, even the principal must address him with respect. Who else has such rich experience?


    Teaching a few new students is like a walk in the park, very easy andfortable.


    This effortless attitude, seen by Long Shankong and others, was truly like that of a master.


    "Qiao Pian¡¯s understanding of martial arts is so amazing that I can¡¯t even keep up!"


    "After practicing martial arts for fifty years, I realized today that I was on the wrong path. Qiao Pian is like a savior to me, I will never forget his kindness in guiding me back on track in this lifetime."


    "I have reached the first level breakthrough in my ¡®Human Path Sutra¡¯!"


    After just three days of martial arts training, these travelers from different schools have all made progress, with some even breaking through in their martial arts overnight, feeling extremely happy.


    On the fourth day.


    The wounds on the heroes¡¯ bodies had already healed quite a bit.


    Some lightly injured wanderers in the rivers andkes have recovered and regained their ability to move, but surprisingly, no one wanted to leave.


    They have all tasted the sweetness and see this Peach Blossom Vi as a rare opportunity in their lifetime. Who would be willing to leave?


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    The morning of the fifth day arrived.


    Qiao Mu, as usual, sat quietly under the peach blossom forest.


    The fat cat, in the form of impermanence, quietly stuck to his feet, purring softly.


    This chubby cat always cuddled up close whenever Qiao Mu practiced martial arts, even sitting directly on Qiao Mu¡¯sp as if it were a VIP seat.


    However, she didn¡¯t really listen, it went in one ear and out the other, even treating it like a luby, falling asleep soundly every time.


    Qiao Mu didn¡¯t mind though, after all, she was just a little kitty despite being able to talk.


    While the martial arts practice hadn¡¯t started yet, Long Shankong arrived early by himself.


    "Long Shankong? What¡¯s up?" Qiao Mu raised his eyes.


    These days, of course, he had also figured out the ins and outs of Long Shankong and the gang.


    Speaking of Long Shankong, he was no ordinary person. As the grandson of the Eight-armed Heavenly Dragon, he was twenty-nine years old this year and had reached the 1st rank of the Spiritual Refining Period like Wu Rulong.


    As top martial artists like the Spear Saint and the Eight-armed Heavenly Dragon, it was entirely possible for them to be the first generation head of a prominent martial arts family, establishing a powerful martial arts lineage.


    "An outstanding martial artist is hard to find and train. But it¡¯s quite normal for some Spirit Refining martial artists to emerge among the younger generations."


    "And Long Shankong is the most talented descendant among the Eight-armed Heavenly Dragon family."


    "Senior Qiao, I, Long Shankong, always repay kindness and grudges." Long Shankong said.


    "After listening to Senior Qiao talk about martial arts for several days in this vi, I feel ashamed for not repaying the favor."


    "So¡­" Long Shankong paused and took out a pair of Golden Silkworm Gloves from his pocket.


    "These are Golden Silkworm Gloves. They are not ordinary items but a unique item woven by monster beasts, they can resist water, fire, and des."


    "This treasure is actually one of the rare treasures from the Great Yan Imperial Pce¡¯s treasury, which my grandfather, the Eight-armed Heavenly Dragon, obtained when he invaded the pce."


    "A treasure from the imperial pce?" Qiao Mu became interested. He took out the King Qin Sword from his storage bag and gestured towards the Golden Silkworm Gloves.


    "Can your invincible Golden Silkworm Gloves block my King Qin Sword?"


    "This¡­ seems impossible," Long Shankong blushed.


    The Golden Silkworm Gloves were magical items woven by monsters and stored in the treasure vault of the Great Yan Pce.


    On the other hand, Qiao Mu¡¯s King Qin Sword was a mystical object crafted by the Immortal Gate Great Dao Sect, andpared to that, the Golden Silkworm Gloves paled inparison.


    "You better keep this thing for yourself then," Qiao Mu lost interest.


    The Golden Silkworm Gloves were a precious treasure for Long Shankong, but for Qiao Mu, they were of little use. He even doubted if he could tear apart the "indestructible" Golden Silkworm Gloves with his bare hands.


    "Um¡­" Long Shankong was feeling a bit conflicted.


    "It¡¯s a pity that I already consumed the unknown elixir Grandpa stole from the pce back then, or else¡­"


    Many years ago, the Eight-armed Heavenly Dragon stole some treasures from the pce, bringing blessings to future generations.


    In fact, this was also due to the mercy of the Founding Emperor Yan, who valued talent and gave the Eight-armed Heavenly Dragon a way out.


    Long Shankong was twenty-nine years old and held the first rank in martial arts. His martial arts skills were even more advanced than Wu Rulong¡¯s, which was also rted to this.


    Long Shankong remembered his family¡¯s ancestral martial art, the "Eight Armed Heavenly Dragon Fist," but hesitated and ultimately didn¡¯t speak about it.


    Unlike the Qiao family members who were open-hearted, he was not willing to consider his family¡¯s martial arts as a way to repay debts of gratitude or favors in martial arts.


    "I am truly ashamed that I have nothing to offer in return," Long Shankong blushed a bit.


    He thought that holding himself to repaying kindness and grievances would bring something worthwhile, but in the end, he couldn¡¯te up with anything decent.


    "I don¡¯t have any other treasures left in my hands, only some ordinary items."


    "Are you talking about gold and silver? I do need those," Qiao Mu nodded.


    The Peach Blossom Vi had hundreds of people, and the daily expenses were quite high.


    Upon hearing this, Long Shankong was delighted, "I have a bag of gold in my hands. Although it can¡¯tpare to Senior Qiao¡¯s kindness¡­ if Senior Qiao is willing to ept it, I would feel much relieved."


    After speaking, he brought a bag of gold and handed it to Qiao Mu.


    The weight was quite heavy, the bag was full. Qiao Mu weighed it and felt that it was a hefty ten catties.


    "Ten catties of gold, one hundred taels, this is indeed a generous gift," he said.


    Qiao Mu nodded silently, opened the bag casually, took a look inside, and then he froze.


    Inside the bag, there was actually not gold at all, but stones of various sizes?


    "Long Shankong?" Qiao Mu raised the bag of stones in his hand, looking puzzled.


    This guy came early in the morning, bbered for a long time, said he wanted to thank him, but in the end, it was all nonsense. Was he intentionally amusing him?


    Long Shankong¡¯s reaction also surprised him.


    He furrowed his brow, stared at Qiao Mu for a while, and then appeared somewhat embarrassed.


    "I didn¡¯t mean that, this was supposed to be a bag of gold."


    Thinking about this, Long Shankong frowned.


    "Could it be that the group of merchants from Linhe City switched the gold with stones when we weren¡¯t looking?"


    Upon careful consideration, Long Shankong found it absurd.


    Who is he? The grandson of the Eight-armed Heavenly Dragon.


    His grandpa, the Eight-armed Heavenly Dragon, could even enter the pce and was known for having the fastest legs and fists in the world¡­ and yet in his generation, someone managed to swap his gold without anyone noticing?


    Those merchants couldn¡¯t possibly be more skilled martial artists than him, right?


    Just at that awkward moment.


    The Impermanent Demon Cat who had been asleep beside them suddenly opened her eyes, swiftly jumped onto Qiao Mu¡¯s shoulder, moved her head closer, and sniffed the bag of stones in Qiao Mu¡¯s hand with great interest.


    "You fatty pig, can stones be eaten too?" Qiao Mu saw Impermanence opening its mouth as if wanting to swallow the stone, and quickly grabbed its back of the neck.


    However, Impermanence only sniffed and licked the stone lightly, saying:


    "Qiao Qiao, there¡¯s a strange aura here."

 Chapter 297:

    Our Discord Server: .gg/PazjBDkTmW


    Impermanence seemed interested in the bag of stones, continuously pawing at it.


    "Strange aura?" Qiao Mu looked at Long Shankong in front of him, deep in thought.


    Long Shankong suddenly became anxious.


    He came here initially with a clear sense of gratitude and obligation, intending to repay any favor with a generous gift¡­ but now, the money had turned into stones. What excuse could he use like "picked up the wrong thing" to cover up his mistake?


    But¡­ a strange aura?


    The creatures in the hundred-thousand mountains are not good things.


    The people in the entire Southwest Province have been constantly suffering from attacks by monster beasts these years¡­.


    If he doesn¡¯t exin more, Qiao Pian might think he is up to no good and is associated with the monsters?"It must be the group of merchants!" Long Shankong said without hesitation.


    Now thinking back, there was indeed something suspicious about the group of merchants he had met before.


    At this point, he dared not hide anything and revealed everything he had encountered when he first arrived in the Southwest Province:


    "I am not a local, Ie from Dong Province, I just came here for another matter."


    "When I first entered the Southwest Province, I once rescued several merchants outside Linhe City from the mouth of a monster wolf¡­¡­"


    "So they gave you some gold as a thank you?" Qiao Mu asked.


    Long Shankong fell silent and said:


    "Later, they told me that in times of chaos like now, silver is useless, and gold is the only reliable currency. They advised me to exchange some gold, which would be more suitable."


    "So I exchanged some of my belongings for ten pounds of gold."


    The descendants of the Eight-armed Heavenly Dragon, while not from a noble family, were wealthier than most ordinary families.


    "Those merchants travel between Linhe City and several viges and towns in the west."


    "I am not foolish, I have indeed checked the gold in their hands, it is real."


    "Not only genuine, but the gold is also quite pure."


    "Those merchants once exined to me that this gold is from the Golden Vige, naturally extraordinary."


    "Golden Vige?" Qiao Mu raised an eyebrow.


    "This is a long-standing legend in the Southwest Province," Long Shankong exined.


    "Some say that hundreds of years ago, there was a notorious pirate named Luo operating on the Sky Piercing River, amassing wealth through robbery. He secretly hid his treasures here and imed to have hidden his riches deep in the mountains¡­"


    "The famous pirate, named Luo? Could you tell me more about him?" Qiao Mu asked.


    "That pirate named Luo, I heard he was a notorious thief active on Sky Piercing River a hundred years ago, very brutal."


    "It is said that every time he defeated a strong enemy, he would cut off the enemy¡¯s ears as a disy of power. This pirate waster known as ¡®Ear-cutting¡¯ Roger by the people, a famous figure a hundred years ago."


    "It¡¯s rumored that among his treasures, there is a Gold Transforming Stone that can turn things into gold!"


    "Do you believe in the Stone that turns things into gold?" Qiao Mu asked casually.


    "I don¡¯t believe it," Long Shankong shrugged.


    "If such a thing really existed, that pirate Luo wouldn¡¯t have ended up captured and killed by the authorities."


    "Even though I don¡¯t believe it, the merchant believed it. He said the gold he gave me came from the Golden Vige inside the big mountain."


    Qiao Mu wasn¡¯t very interested in gold, after all, money isn¡¯t everything. Does he need so much gold, leaving it for others to use?


    But the Impermanent Demon Cat seemed quite interested in the bag of gold in Long Shankong¡¯s hands, reaching out to paw at it from time to time.


    "Do you want to eat this? Is this thing useful to you?" Qiao Mu picked up a pebble.


    The chubby cat snorted twice, grabbing Qiao Mu¡¯s finger and continuing to lick the pebble.


    When Qiao Mu asked this question, he wasn¡¯t asking if the Impermanent Demon Cat liked eating stones.


    The gold from the so-called Golden Vige carried a demonic aura, so it seemed to be rted to demons.


    What Qiao Mu was asking was whether the Impermanent Demon was interested in creatures rted to this so-called Golden Vige.


    And the answer was clear.


    The fat cat was always either eating or sleeping, rarely reacting to anything other than Qiao Mu.


    This is the first time.


    When describing someone as having sharp intuition, themon phrase used is "beast-like intuition."


    This monster cultivates instinctively, and now the unpredictability obviously instinctively sensed that, which is beneficial for her regarding the Golden Vige mutant creatures.


    "It is said that during the most prosperous period of the monster n, they could once contend with cultivators¡­" Qiao Mu looked at the little cat on his shoulder and gently scratched her chin:


    "Who knows, maybe I can turn this fat cat into some kind of supreme monster king?"


    Qiao Mu turned to look at Long Shankong and asked:


    "Can you find the merchant you mentioned earlier?"


    "He is active around Linhe City. Does Senior Qiao n to inquire about this matter personally?" Long Shankong felt a bit nervous.


    "Alright, I am a bit interested in this Golden Vige. Let¡¯s not practice martial arts today," said Qiao Mu.


    He was teaching the old soldiers martial arts and the Human Path Sutra in Peach Blossom Vi, just to fulfill thest wish of his old friend Hai Wuya.


    The old soldiers¡¯ training is going well now, and he already has the Spiritual Sound Conducting Technique tomunicate with Hai Siyuan and others from a distance. So, there¡¯s no need to stay at the estate all day, staring at a group of elderly soldiers.


    "So, shall we go to Linhe City today?" asked Long Shankong.


    However, at that moment, Impermanent Demon Cat shook her head, sniffed the stone in the bag carefully, and looked towards the west.


    "It seems like that group of merchants is not in Linhe City," said Qiao Mu.


    "That¡¯s a possibility," quickly added Long Shankong.


    "I heard that group of merchants travels back and forth between Taotie City in the northwest and Linhe City, they don¡¯t stay in one ce for long."


    ¡­¡­¡­.


    To the west of Peach Blossom Vi, inside a teahouse by the official road.


    The teahouse wasn¡¯t doing too well, with only four or five tables of passing travelers sitting quietly, drinking tea and chatting.


    Although demons roamed in the Southwest Province, with vastnd and sparse poption, mostmon people gathered in various cities, but there were also viges, post stations, and inns outside the cities.


    However, most of these travelers were strong and sharp-eyed, skilled martial artists from the martial world.


    When martial artists gathered, they naturally shared stories and legends of the martial world.


    "Have you heard that Xishan Vige to the west was wiped out overnight?"


    "That used to be the home of the descendants of Spear Saint. Does that mean Spear Saint¡¯s lineage has ended?"


    "Not long ago, I heard that the descendants of Spear Saint were in their prime, looking for a sessor to inherit the ¡®Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear¡¯ left by Spear Saint. Who would have thought¡­ s, things change so quickly."


    "No¡­ it¡¯s actually the same thing." said a tea guest, waving his hand.


    "What does this mean? Are these two things rted?" The others immediately perked up their ears, quite curious.


    "The descendants of the Spear Saint in Xishan Vige passed down ¡®Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear,¡¯ and shortly after, Xishan Vige was massacred. Who would believe that these two things are not connected?"


    "Are you saying that the descendants of the Spear Saint invited trouble by teaching the martial arts skill, attracting martial arts experts, only to have their whole vige ughtered? But why did this happen? Didn¡¯t they share their skills?"


    "Oh, why so many questions¡­ Do you think it¡¯s better to have more martial artists practicing ¡®Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear,¡¯ or fewer?"


    "For such an extraordinary martial art, of course, the more, the better¡­ Why are youughing?"


    "I¡¯mughing because you¡¯re slow to catch on, only seeing the surface." The tea guest chuckled.


    "If this martial art is in someone else¡¯s hands, then naturally, the more people practicing it, the better."


    "But if it¡¯s in our hands, would we want this martial art to be leaked to others?"


    "If I obtained ¡®Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear,¡¯ I¡¯d want to be the only one practicing this skill in the world. Why would I want to teach it to others?"


    "Everyone is practicing amazing martial arts skills, so won¡¯t I lose my advantage?"


    "¡­.This may sound rough, but the logic is correct," another tea guest nodded.


    "One must prioritize oneself, if I obtain the ¡®Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear¡¯, then this spear technique can only be passed down to my future generations, it shouldn¡¯t be leaked out easily."


    As a few tea guests chatted, there were a few snickers from nearby.


    "Don¡¯t even think about it, with such a narrow mindset, you¡¯re destined not to achieve any amazing martial arts skills."


    In a corner of the teahouse, by a table where eight immortals were depicted.


    Qiao Mu quietly sat slurping his noodles there, while Long Shankong smirked beside him.


    Without a Qiao family member present, Long Shankong might not have felt that his actions were wrong.


    In the martial arts world, heroes fight to obtain secret techniques, all for their own benefit.


    Even if it is a worn-out broom, it must be one¡¯s own broom, not to be used by others, let alone the Spear Saint¡¯s secrets?


    After staying at Peach Blossom Vi for a few days and witnessing the scene of three hundred old soldiers practicing, Long Shankong¡¯s opinion slightly changed.


    "People should cherish their own belongings, stick to their own ways¡­ No wonder the martial arts in Jiu Province have been stagnant for so many years. Despite some progress, it¡¯s quite slow," Long Shankong shook his head.


    As the grandson of the Eight-armed Heavenly Dragon, he naturally had a deep enmity with the Wuji Association and had crossed paths with them.


    People from the Wuji Association often say that since the Martial Saint broke the dominance of the prestigious sects, the progress in martial arts in Jiu Province over the past forty years has equaled that of centuries past.


    Initially, Long Shankong thought this was just the Wuji Association boasting and embellishing the Martial Saint¡¯s achievements.


    Now, it seems that may not be untrue.


    For hundreds of years, martial artists have been fighting endlessly, all for the same thing ¨C vying for the position of martial arts leader, striving for legendary martial arts secrets and divine weapons¡­ Essentially, it¡¯s all internal strife, all self-destruction.


    Hundreds or thousands of years of endless conflict, just repeating meaningless battles.


    All the big martial arts families treasure their skills and keep them secret, preferring to let them be lost rather than share them with others¡­ This is the usual state of the martial arts world.


    In this way, even if there are talented masters like the Spear Saint creating martial arts, they will at most establish a martial arts family.


    Among the many martial arts families and big sects, there is always more conflict thanmunication.


    Many martial arts practitioners only think about stealing the secret martial arts manuals of others to enhance their own family¡¯s strength. Who can abandon the feud between families?


    Long Shankong¡¯s Long family was rtively new, only three generations in, so it could only be considered as the foundation of a martial arts family.


    Even though Long Shankong didn¡¯t have the generosity to share his family¡¯s inherited martial arts, he really looked down on the behavior of the tea guests at the next table.


    His eyes were cold, only looking coldly at the two tea guests.


    "Brother, what¡¯s bothering you?" The two tea guests at the next table seemed to find Long Shankong difficult to provoke, so they didn¡¯t get angry, but instead smiled apologetically.


    "My brother here talks big after having too much to drink, it¡¯s all just talk, why take it seriously?"


    "Indeed. No need to cause trouble." Qiao Mu was still chewing noodles, speaking unclearly:


    "Young man, it¡¯s important to get along, why argue?"


    Seeing Qiao Mu speak, Long Shankong naturally said nothing more.


    The two tea guests beside them were quite surprised as they nced at Qiao Mu. He looked young, maybe in his thirties, but spoke like an old man¡­@@novelbin@@


    When Long Shankong quieted down, Qiao Mu spoke in a lower voice, exining:


    "It¡¯s about Xishan Vige, the events from three or four days ago."


    "The vige is usually covered in thick fog, not muchmunication with the outside world. Even though the fog has lifted now, how could the news spread so quickly?"


    "What do you mean by that? Are you saying someone is helping them behind the scenes?" Long Shankong frowned.


    On that day, there were three groups of people in Xishan Vige.


    The vigers of Xishan Vige had all perished, and the martial arts heroes followed Qiao Mu to Peach Blossom Vi to recover from their injuries. They naturally didn¡¯t have time to gossip outside.


    If that¡¯s the case, then only¡­


    "Yunxiao Sect¡¯s scheming has caused trouble. Are we being made scapegoats?"


    Thinking of this, Long Shankong roughly guessed Qiao Mu¡¯s intention to stop him.


    Since Immortal Gate is causing trouble, they naturally have to take the me.


    If they were to stick their necks out, it would be like exposing their identities, indicating that they are the survivors of Xishan Vige¡­ Isn¡¯t that seeking death?


    "Unfairlybeled as the killers of Spear Saint¡¯s descendants¡­"


    Just as he was feeling frustrated, several people stepped into the teahouse.


    The leader was a female warrior in scales armor, followed by several soldiers and a plump middle-aged man with a grimy face.


    "Is it people from the Feather King Army?" whispered the tea customers.


    "Are people from the Feather King Army all here?"


    "It¡¯s only a few dozen miles from Linhe City now. It seems like the Feather King Army might reach Linhe City soon."


    "Although the Feather King has a good reputation, his army is not well-disciplined. Even if he is a military god, he cannot control all his soldiers. I heard that after Yangmen City fell, there was a father and daughter who almost suffered a great tragedy."


    Although the two people were talking face to face, their voices were very low, only Long Shankong¡¯s keen senses could hear them.


    However, this time the ck-robed female general Jade Carp clearly noticed something.


    She just raised her head, nced faintly at the two tea customers in the corner of the teahouse, and thetter¡¯s faces changed slightly. Soon, they began to convulse violently, foaming at the mouth and copsing on the table, causing panic among the people around.


    "Speaking ill of others too much will eventually lead to trouble." Long Shankong muttered.


    "This poison technique seems to be working a bit too quickly."


    He looked casually behind the ck-robed woman and suddenly had a thought.


    The round-faced middle-aged man behind the ck-robed woman was the merchant he was looking for, Luo Cheng.


    Impermanent Demon Cat followed the smell on the bag of stones and led them here.

 Chapter 298:

    Chapter 298:


    Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/PazjBDkTmW


    "Senior Qiao?" Long Shankongmunicated secretly and informed about the merchant Luo Cheng.


    Just as he finished exining on his side, the round-faced merchant Luo Cheng caught sight of Long Shankong¡¯s appearance and showed a look of surprise on his face.


    "Mr. Long, save me¡ª"


    The round-faced merchant was obviously up to no good, shouting for help with his mouth but constantly scanning his surroundings with his eyes, clearly thinking of how to escape in the chaos.


    On the other hand, Jade Carp beside him looked visibly displeased.


    "Are there really aplices?"


    While escorting the merchant Luo Cheng, who fell into an ambush, and vaguely sensing that Qiao Mu and the others were not ordinary people, she didn¡¯t think much about it. A green light burst from her fingertips and flew towards Qiao Mu and the others.


    As a first-ranked Spirit Refining martial artist, Long Shankong¡¯s instincts were naturally sharp.Just as Jade Carp was about to make a move, he raised his hand in front of him. At that moment, his expression suddenly changed.


    The green light that flew out was not the internal strength of a martial artist, but rather a stter of green liquid.


    With a hissing sound, visible white vapor emanated from his arms, and where the green liquid covered them, his hands and arms quickly turned red, then ck, the skin splitting open until only his palms, protected by the Golden Silkworm Gloves, remained unscathed.


    The tea house was in chaos, with everyone fleeing from themotion, even the two tea drinkers who were arguing earlier didn¡¯t care anymore.


    "It¡¯s not the poison skill of a martial artist, but some kind of poisonous hidden weapon?" Long Shankong endured the burning pain in his arms and leaped up.


    "Eight Armed Heavenly Dragon Fist!"


    He waved his fists like the wind, creating multiple shadow punches that engulfed the ck-clothed woman Jade Carp.


    Long Shankong had just unleashed his fist technique when he frowned and stepped back two steps, looking down at his hands.


    After exchanging blows with the ck-clothed woman in a sh, his hands and arms were already ckened and decaying, with skin peeling off and wounds almost revealing bone.


    "How could there be such terrifying poison techniques in this world?" Long Shankong wondered, unsure.


    He had encountered martial artists practicing poisonous techniques before.


    The skill in using poison techniques mainly involves internal power infused with various kinds of poisons, which can enter the opponent¡¯s body duringbat and cause poisoning.


    The ck-clothed woman in front of him didn¡¯t wield invisible energy, but tangible poisonous liquid.


    He had been exposed to it multiple times during the fight, to the point that his hands were nearly crippled.


    At that moment, a voice came from behind him.


    "The young man was restless and didn¡¯t understand the importance of harmony."


    Qiao Mu still sat on the bench and didn¡¯t get up, just put down his bowl and chopsticks.


    On the table in front of him, fat cat impermanence stared wide-eyed at a broken bowl in front of her.@@novelbin@@


    Originally, the fat cat was imitating Qiao Mu slurping noodles, but was caught in the crossfire just now. The noodle bowl in front of the fat cat was chipped, and the table was filled with soup.


    She arched her whole body, her fur standing on end and appearing even more fluffy, like a furry dough, still snarling at the ck-robed woman.


    The ck-robed woman Jade Carp¡¯s expression only changed slightly at this moment, as if she noticed something.


    In the next moment, fat cat impermanence sprang up agilely, defying its body size, turning into a blur in the air. At the same time, ck-robed woman Jade Carp also acted, sttering several green liquid jets from her fingertips.


    In the blink of an eye, the fluid-like body of impermanence seemed to transform into a puddle, continuously changing in the air, miraculously weaving unscathed through the sttered poison, pouncing on Jade Carp, fiercely wing at her.


    It looked like gentle cat punches.


    With every punch thrown, there was a sharp whistling sound passing through.


    Boom boom boom boom boom!


    The woman in the ck robe fell down with a thud, it looked like a fat cat pouncing over and knocking Jade Carp down with its rear.


    As the cat¡¯s punches continued, the ground started to tremble slightly, and the blue stone tiles on the floor of the tea house shattered with a bang.


    Long Shankong stood by, watching the fat cat mercilessly attacking the woman in ck, then looking at his own bruised arms, he suddenly felt a bit disheartened:


    "I can¡¯t evenpare to a cat, I don¡¯t even have the strength of a cat?"


    Feeling a mix of sadness and anger in his heart for a moment, he then kicked down the few soldiers following behind Jade Carp, feeling slightly better.


    The woman in ck robe tried to struggle on the ground, but the Impermanent Demon Cat was already hanging onto her, with a great force suppressing her, there was no way she could break free.


    Before long, the woman in ck robe was already bruised and swollen, raising her hands high and shouting:


    "Stop, stop it. We are both from the same magical n, there must be some misunderstanding¡­"


    "Now you think it¡¯s a misunderstanding? The moment Luo Cheng spoke, you were quick to attack. Aren¡¯t you afraid of us being misunderstood?" Long Shankong coldly chuckled and leaped, kicking a chopstick on the table.


    At that moment, the round-faced merchant Luo Cheng was quietly trying to leave by the wall, when suddenly the chopstick shot out like a sharp arrow, piercing through his palm and pinning him to the teahouse wall.


    In fact, it¡¯s not entirely a misunderstanding.


    After all, Qiao Mu and the others were indeed targeting the merchant Luo Cheng, they just didn¡¯t expect the woman in ck to be so decisive and act first.


    "You are also a magical being? No wonder." Qiao Mu seized the neck of the fat cat whimsy and lifted it up:


    "Just heard someone say you¡¯re from the Feather King Army, does the Feather King Army also have magical creatures? What kind of creature are you?"


    "I am a flying fish, from the poisonous cloud marshes deep in the mountains." Jade Carp replied gloomily.


    She stretched out her slender fingers, and the visible speed transformed her fingernails into a lush green color, like five pieces of sparkling emerald.


    "So it¡¯s actually a powerful monster¡­ Is there a cure?" Long Shankong couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    Dealing with a powerful monster like the Shape-changing Demon was not something his skills as a top martial artist could handle. So he was feeling a little uncertain at the moment.


    He quickly assumed that the Flying Fish Demon, with its venomous attack, was a master of poison techniques to deal with, but things didn¡¯t go as nned, did they?


    "A cure?" The Flying Fish Demon Jade Carp thought for a moment and said:


    "Drinking hot water might help ease the symptoms a bit."


    "¡­." Long Shankong fell silent for a moment and pointed to the two tea drinkers in the corner of the hall, foaming at the mouth.


    "If there¡¯s no cure, just tell me inly. Are you trying to deceive me?"


    "Can those two talkative busybodies even drink hot water?"


    "Of course they can drink! Why couldn¡¯t they?" Jade Carp replied.


    "They didn¡¯t die, just ended up in an unpleasant situation."


    "My Feather King Army also cares about reputation, so we can¡¯t just kill people randomly. We just taught those two busybodies a lesson."


    "Breathing in the poison gas can make you vomit, have diarrhea, pass out, and feel weak."


    "Is this what you call teaching them a lesson?" Qiao Mu looked at the two tea drinkers foaming at the mouth.


    "Of course, nobody will die," Jade Carp said seriously.


    "After all, I¡¯m not a demon or anything like that."


    Before the words finished.


    Suddenly, there were several plop sounds, like pearls falling onto a jade te.


    From the corner of the hall where the two tea drinkers had fainted, a choking stench drifted in with the wind.


    Long Shankong looked closely and his face turned green right away.


    "What Flying Fish Demon, she is clearly a malicious monster, her poison actually makes people lose bowel control¡­"


    At the same moment.


    Behind Flying Fish Demon Jade Carp, a pair of wings spread out. Taking advantage of the distraction caused by suffocating gas, she pped her wings and swiftly flew away like an arrow.


    "Fragmented Virtual Finger."


    Qiao Mu flicked his finger, releasing a crescent-shaped burst of energy. However, although his energy was dense and powerful, it quickly weakened after flying about ten or twenty meters, barely grazing Jade Carp¡¯s back.


    Jade Carp shuddered but managed to stay airborne, pping her wings again and flying away at a faster speed.


    "The martial artist¡¯s internal strength dissipates too quickly when released externally, indeed inconvenient," Qiao Mu said, covering his nose as he walked out of the teahouse with Long Shankong.


    With his fingers formed like a sword, Qiao Mu concentrated invisible energy into a three-foot white energy sword, aiming for the wound on Long Shankong¡¯s arms.


    The rotten and ckened flesh was cut off by his energy sword, revealing fresh red flesh once again.


    This skill was learned by mimicking the Martial Saint encountered in Nan Province.


    In the past, the Martial Saint used the Cow Cleaver Knife to cut the flesh of fellow martial artists, to block the Etching Bones Li Fire.


    Now Qiao Mu used his energy sword to cut off Long Shankong¡¯s flesh, showing a simr skill as the Martial Saint.


    "Unknowingly, I have been able to recreate the martial arts skills disyed by the Martial Saint of the past¡­ but if I want to progress further, where should I go next?"


    At this time, Qiao Mu was already one of the top martial artists in the world.


    However, the past Earth Sword Immortal and Martial Saint were still far ahead in some aspects.


    "The past Earth Sword Immortal used my inner strength to wield the sword to cut through the sky, but the sword energy could roam freely and cut through the Immortal Gate formation¡­"


    "The internal strength of the Martial Saint also seems extraordinary. He once suppressed Wu Qingxin¡¯s Etching Bones Li Fire until it extinguished¡­ How did they do it?"


    Qiao Mu temporarily set aside this question, as it was clearly not something that could be unraveled quickly.


    The issue to be dealt with now was the merchant in front of him, Luo Cheng.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    "Mr. Dragon¡­" Luo Cheng¡¯s face was now full of ttery, with sweat beading on his forehead.


    He originally just wanted to take advantage of the chaos and run away.


    Who would have thought that Qiao Mu could actually defeat the Flying Fish Demon, he didn¡¯t even have a chance to escape.


    "No, please listen to my exnation, these are real gold, not stones!"


    "But these coins weren¡¯t ordinary coins, they were made of gold that flowed out of the Golden Vige."


    "Did I not remind you many times in the past to believe in the legend of Golden Vige?"


    "Believe it and it¡¯s true, don¡¯t believe it and it¡¯s not."


    "It was because Mr. Dragon didn¡¯t believe in his heart enough, his heart was not sincere enough, that these gold pieces turned into stones."


    "Still lying? Do you think I¡¯m blind?" Long Shankong just sneered and threw the bag of rocks at the merchant Luo Cheng¡¯s face.


    But Qiao Mu beside just waved his hand to stop.


    He wasn¡¯t very interested in gold at first, but now he found himself intrigued by the words of the merchant.


    "Does it exist if we believe and not exist if we don¡¯t? If we believe, the gold is real; if we don¡¯t believe, the gold is fake?"


    "It¡¯s almost there," exined the merchant Luo Cheng.


    "Two gentlemen, actually I have heard before that deep in the mountains, there is a treasure hidden by the legendary pirate, it is called the Gold Transforming Stone."


    "Although the touchstone is real and can turn stones touched into gold, turning stones into gold is too magical to happen easily."


    "Turning stones into gold is a long process, not something that happens overnight."


    Long Shankong sneered, "Your story sounds convincing."


    Merchant Luo Cheng said confidently, "For this stone to turn into gold, it takes time and sincere belief."


    "With true sincerity, even stone and gold can part. This is the way."


    "As long as enough people believe this is real gold, and patiently wait, those stones touched by the philosopher¡¯s stone can turn into gold."


    Qiao Mu summarized:


    "So, you¡¯re saying¡­ as long as we hold onto these stones for long enough and believe in the legend of Golden Vige, eventually these stones will turn into gold?"


    "Exactly," Luo Cheng affirmed.


    "I certainly didn¡¯t intend to deceive Mr. Dragon," he added, earnestly.


    "But when I met Mr. Dragon by chance, if I had told him the truth, he wouldn¡¯t have believed me."


    "So I had to keep the true story of the bag of gold in my hand a secret. This way, as long as Mr. Dragon believed in the legend of Golden Vige in his heart, the ten pounds of gold would be real."


    "In this way, Mr. Dragon got ten pounds of gold, I got some treasure, both sides were happy, isn¡¯t it wonderful?"


    Long Shankong made a hissing sound, feeling a bit tangled up by this merchant¡¯s words.


    As he listened, it seemed to make some sense?


    This bag of stones seemed to be more than just a simple trick, if it could really turn into gold, thenpared to the items he used for exchange, it would definitely be a huge profit!


    Qiao Mu nodded repeatedly on the side.


    It had to be said that this person indeed had some twisted and unreasonable logic, quietly shifting the responsibility for turning the gold into stones to his fault, Long Shankong¡¯s.


    "You do make some sense," Qiao Mu slowly said.


    "But I have a question."


    "If you truly believe in the legend of Golden Vige turning stones into gold, then why would you sell these ten pounds of gold cheaply to Long Shankong?"


    Merchant Luo Cheng¡¯s lips stuttered for a moment, unable to speak.


    This question indeed hit the nail on the head. However, he was a sharp-tongued person and coulde up with a decent excuse.


    But when locking eyes with Qiao Mu, Luo Cheng inexplicably felt a strong pressure from his calm eyes.


    A bead of sweat appeared on Merchant Luo Cheng¡¯s forehead, and he stammered:


    "It¡¯s¡­ to make more people believe in the legend of Golden Vige." He exined slowly:


    "As long as enough people believe in the legend, then the gold will always be real."


    "By then, we will naturally have countless gold and make a fortune."


    Qiao Mu heard this and suddenly looked down at the Impermanent Demon Cat perched on his shoulder.


    If there is truly a monster behind Golden Vige¡­.then as the legend of Golden Vige spreads, the increase in the number of people who believe in this rumor, does it signify the gradual strengthening of the Golden Vige monster?


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    P.S: End of book.


    Summary: Reincarnated into a different world, Rode was told that in order to return to Earth, he must perfectly y the role of a viin, epting the fate of being killed by the numerous female leads.


    He also discovered that each female lead had a strange number hovering above their heads, but he didn¡¯t know what it represented.


    It wasn¡¯t until one day when he fiercely defeated a female knight in a public arena and publicly humiliated her, that the number above her head actually increased.


    I understand now, this is the value of hatred!


    So, he began diligently ying the role of an evil viin: confronting the female knight with absolute defense, using actions to shatter her confidence!


    The countess doesn¡¯t like strangers approaching? Then greet her warmly every day!


    A beautiful and arrogant fiancee? Then don¡¯t spoil her!


    Indeed, the numbers are rapidly increasing.


    Just keep swiping.


    Just when he thought he was about to make all the female leads hate him with confidence, they all approached him one after another.


    "Only Rod understands my distress, it is he who makes me understand the true meaning of defense!"


    "Rhode is different from those silly shallow guys."


    "Rode, you never cared about me, your fianc¨¦e!"


    The people of Roda were amazed.


    He suddenly realized that he was actually brushing off kindness?!


    "No, your hobbies are really strange, aren¡¯t they?"

 Chapter 299:

    Chapter 299:


    Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/PazjBDkTmW


    Yangmen City.


    Feather King Qin Li looked at the bruised and swollen ck-robed woman Jade Carp, with a surprised expression on his face.


    "In this Southwest Province, someone actually managed to injure you like this? Is it an outsider who is a superb martial artist, or a monster? How dare they?"


    In the whole Southwest Province, even if we count Qing Li, who is a half-demon, the number of superb martial artists can be counted on the fingers.


    In fact, this is the result of the development of martial arts in recent years. If we go back forty years, there were only about ten superb martial artists in the whole world.


    And whoever dares to challenge the Flying Fish Demon Jade Carp cannot be a local superb martial artist in the Southwest Province, because the local superb martial artists know the consequences of going against Jade Carp.


    Even if winning, still shameful.


    After all¡­ training martial arts is not like training muscles, no matter how strong the martial arts are, the strength of the muscles may not be much stronger than ordinary people.If ites to vomiting and diarrhea, even a superb martial artist may not be able to handle it.


    Jade Carp, a poisonous creature who emerged from the poisonous clouds and swamps among the mountains, breathes out poison with every breath; usually, she must restrain herself to be able to coexist with ordinary people in the same room.


    This Jade Carp may look like a pretty girl, but if she exerts her full strength, there is no city that the Feather King Army cannot break through in front of her.


    Wherever she goes, it¡¯s all vast yellow earth, flowing for miles¡­ Feather King Qin Li has always refused to use such a killing weapon, mainly because he fears the consequences are too devastating.


    "The enemy is not a human being, but a demon from the outside¡­" Jade Carp exined the whole story and continued:


    "But I was prepared, I poisoned the merchant Luo Cheng long ago."


    "Even if separated by thousands of miles, I can track him down through this poison."


    The Feather King¡¯s expression suddenly became a bit strange.


    "Is this poison the kind that causes loss of control?"


    The poison causing loss of bowel control, used as a tracking marker. Does this mean that every time the merchant Luo Cheng walks a distance, he has to leave a mark for her to follow by smelling it?


    "Of course not," Jade Carp said, blushing, and arguing:


    "It¡¯s blood poison. There will be a special smell left at his wound when it bleeds¡­"


    Qin Li, the Feather King, inexplicably breathed a sigh of relief.


    The gold in Golden Vige was what she wanted. Now that even her trusted Jade Carp had been defeated, it was only natural for her to take charge.


    The thought of her having to chase after a scent of feces for miles was too unpleasant¡­


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    In the mountains and forests.


    "Senior Qiao, things havee to this point, I will take my leave first," said Long Shankong with both arms wrapped in bandages.


    "My arms are injured, it is just a burden to apany Senior Qiao, it is better for me to take the first step," he continued.


    Long Shankong was originally just a go-between, only looking for the merchant Luo Cheng, now he can retire with sess.


    He was not very interested in Golden Vige, but quite interested in Peach Blossom Vi.


    It is rare to find a ce like Peach Blossom Vi in the world where many martial artists can exchange their skills without discrimination.


    Since he has seeded here, he is eager to return to the mountains and practice more.


    Qiao Mu also didn¡¯t insist, he just kept pulling the merchant Luo Cheng and headed towards the depths of the Ten Thousand Mountains.


    He originally grabbed Luo Cheng, wanting to find out the details of Golden Vige and the Philosopher¡¯s Stone.


    Unexpectedly, the merchant turned out to be just a middleman and didn¡¯t know where Golden Vige was located. He only revealed that the source of the gold in his possession came from the leader of the Luo family.


    The leader of the Luo family, along with the whole Luo family, lived deep in the mountains in a ce called Taotie City.


    So, the two men and a cat walked on a mountain road, going through twists and turns.


    The rugged mountain road of the vast mountains was difficult to navigate. Many times, they could hardly see the road ahead and had to walk through waist-high grass.


    If the merchant Luo Cheng didn¡¯t guide them, Qiao Mu might not have found where Taotie City was located.


    After trekking through mountains and rivers all day, they finally saw a mountain city ahead, with the situation bing clearer.


    Taotie City was located in a mountain valley surrounded by rugged high mountains and cliffs on three sides. There was only one mountain road in the north for outsiders to pass through, making it hard to find.


    Qiao Mu thought Taotie City, known for the legendary creature, would be extraordinary. Perhaps it was a grand city in the mountains.


    However, when he stood in front of Taotie City, all he saw was a circle of low city walls. The moat had dried up, leaving only parched yellow soil. Some parts of the city walls had copsed, appearing old and weathered with the marks of time.


    "I shouldn¡¯t have expected¡­after all, how could there be a majestic city among the mountains?"


    Qiao Mu murmured.


    When he went into the mountains, he followed the merchant Luo Cheng on the mountain road and had to rely on the memory of the Spirit Refining martial artist to find his way, so he walked more slowly.


    When hees down from the mountain next time, he can use light skills to walk on walls and roofs, and going down the mountain should not be a problem.


    This mountain city clearly isn¡¯t very wealthy.


    The city walls are low and dpidated, most pedestrians are thin with pale faces, and the houses are scattered and dpidated.


    But as you walk along the road further in, the houses gradually be taller and more orderly, and asionally you can see rich people dressed in luxurious clothes with gold and jewels.


    Clearly, although Taotie City is a mountain city, like the other cities in Jiu Province, the inner city and outer city are almost like two different worlds.


    The Luo family that Luo Cheng is taking Qiao Mu to is located in the inner city of Taotie City.


    As the two walked on the road, before reaching the Luo family, they suddenly heard a shout:


    "Luo Cheng, stop!"


    An angry old man with a beard rushed towards them, his finger almost poking Luo Cheng¡¯s nose.@@novelbin@@


    "The ten pieces of gold you traded with me before were clearly stones!"


    "I exchanged with you using real gold and silver!"


    "My son worked in Shanzhen Tower in the city from dawn till dusk for a year, and managed to save up forty pieces of silver, which all went to you."


    "You cheated and the scam reached your father¡¯s ears? Give the money back!"


    "Stop causing trouble here!" Merchant Luo Cheng was not afraid at all, and shouted.


    Just as he said that, he remembered Qiao Mu was still nearby. His face twitched slightly and his voice softened a bit:


    "You are from Taotie City too, not a stranger."


    "I already exined to you when we exchanged gold before." Seeing that people around were attracted by the argument, Luo Cheng deliberately lowered his voice:


    "I have already exined how the gold from Golden Vige can be turned into gold, I didn¡¯t hide anything from you!"


    "Otherwise, can your forty silver coins be exchanged for ten gold coins with me? Is your brain not working properly, or is mine not working properly?"


    "Clearly, it¡¯s because you are insincere that you didn¡¯t turn the gold into real gold yourself, now you¡¯re ming me?"


    The old man with a goatee¡¯s face turned red, and his goatee was trembling slightly. He immediately rolled up his sleeves and was about to catch Luo Cheng.


    By this time, several young and strong men had already walked over from the side of the road, standing in front of the old man like a human wall, and shouted:


    "Old troublemaker, don¡¯t cause trouble here. Do you think our Luo family is easy to bully?"


    "If you lose money in the gold business, then it¡¯s your own responsibility. Now that you¡¯re losing money in business, you want to me our Luo family, how can things be so good?"


    "You don¡¯t want to suffer any loss, don¡¯t want to take any risks, and just want to make big money?"


    "If there really was a risk-free money-making opportunity, why would it be your turn? There are thousands of people in our Luo family!"


    Old Goatbeard was surrounded by several strong men, scolding and unable to argue. No matter how he yelled or pushed, he couldn¡¯t budge. His expression became more and more anxious, until someone finally pushed him, causing the old man to fall t on his face.


    He fell down, rolling on the ground, crying out:


    "That¡¯s my son¡¯s year of wages¡­ He works as a helper at Shanzhen Tower, working from dawn till dark¡­ I had nned to save this money for his future marriage¡­"


    "Stop crying." Luo Cheng was smirking when suddenly his eye twitched and he noticed Qiao Mu next to him, staying silent.


    He clenched his teeth and patted the shoulder of a man in front of him:


    "Ahe, do you have any money on you? Lend me forty taels to pay back this Old Yang."


    "Seriously? Are you ying for real?" the two young men widened their eyes.


    "Hurry, hurry," urged Luo Cheng impatiently, feeling the needle prick on his back.


    "Just consider it a loan from Uncle."


    Several young men nced at each other, pooled together forty silver coins from their pockets, and handed them over.


    Seeing the money, the old man with a goatee wiped away his tears, his whole demeanor changing instantly.


    "Luo Cheng, you¡¯re quite a character," he eximed, snatching the money pouch and running off swiftly, disappearing in a sh.


    "Mr. Qiao¡­" sighed the merchant Luo Cheng.


    "I know you might think I¡¯m trying to make excuses for myself by saying this."


    "But that old man¡­ Old Yang, he¡¯s really not a good person. It¡¯s true that his son works as aborer at Shanzhen Tower, but he himself is a notorious gambler."


    "Who knows if this forty silver coins will ever make it back to his son?"


    "Oh." Qiao Mu responded:


    "He is a pitiful gambler not worthy of sympathy, while you are a deceitful merchant preying on gamblers¡¯ money."


    Merchant Luo Cheng¡¯s eye twitched and he didn¡¯t dare to argue.


    "Seriously, is this person from out of town?" several young men turned around, looking coldly at Qiao Mu.


    "It¡¯s a special guest from afar," Luo Cheng quickly said.


    "Where is our n leader now? I have urgent matters to discuss with him."


    "The n leader? He is at the ancestral hall. It¡¯s quite lively there now. You can still catch up if you hurry."


    Luo Cheng sighed in his heart and hurried with Qiao Mu towards the Luo Family Ancestral Hall.


    The Luo family is a rtivelyrge n in Taotie City, with thousands of n members.


    The ancestral hall is where the family gathers for important discussions and ancestor worship ceremonies. It is only lively when important events happen or during ancestor worship.


    When Luo Cheng arrived at the ancestral hall today, there were already tens or even hundreds of people sitting inside. It was very crowded and lively.


    It wasn¡¯t the day for ancestor worship. The people of the Luo family were discussing something in the ancestral hall, with passionate discussions.


    "Brother, I¡¯ll sell it to you for fifty silver coins instead of the usual ten gold coins, but only because we are kin. I wouldn¡¯t offer this price to a stranger," a big man whispered to another.


    "Is this gold truly real?"


    "¡­It¡¯s close enough."


    "What do you mean ¡®close enough¡¯? Gold is either real or fake."


    "No, based on my experience, I reckon that in three days, this will turn into ten genuine gold coins. Are you interested?"


    "Predicting what will happen in three days? I might as well say I will find one thousand gold coins in three days!"


    "That¡¯s different, this stone of mine, if I hold onto it for three more days, it will turn into real gold."


    "I don¡¯t believe it, let¡¯s wait until it turns into gold."


    "Fool, you don¡¯t know the value¡­ If it really turns into gold in three days, it won¡¯t be worth the same then." The man sneered.


    Qiao Mu furrowed his brows as he listened, and then he eavesdropped on a few other men talking animatedly in another corner:


    "You want to sell it to me for fifty taels of silver? But I remember yesterday¡¯s gold price, it wasn¡¯t this much, it was only thirty taels."


    "Ah, the price of gold changes daily, it goes up and down. If someone buys it, the price can go up, but if no one buys it, the price drops. In my experience, the price of gold will go up in the next few days."


    "I trust you because we are good friends, that¡¯s why I¡¯m willing to make money with you."


    Inside and outside this ancestral hall, most of the Luo family men¡¯s discussions revolved around one word, gold.


    Even as the merchant Luo Cheng just entered the ancestral hall, he quickly had familiar facesing to greet him:


    "Luo Cheng, you¡¯re back? You¡¯re back at the right time," the person whispered.


    "These days, the price of gold in our n keeps changing. Do you think we should team up, with our wealth, we could easily get thousands of gold."


    "Once we have the gold in our hands, we can make a good profit. We will decide the price, won¡¯t we?"


    "Right now, I just need a little more money. Do you want to team up with me?" The person stopped talking halfway when they noticed Qiao Mu standing behind Luo Cheng, and their expression changed suddenly.


    "Luo Cheng?!"


    "This is a sacred ce in our n, how could you let an outsidere in?"


    "This¡­ this is an important guest," Luo Cheng stammered.


    "This guest, I am supposed to take them to see the n leader¡­ don¡¯t ask now, where is the leader?"


    "He¡¯s inside."


    Luo Cheng led Qiao Mu inside and after a few steps, they saw a middle-aged man in the ancestral hall, dressed in gold and jade.


    The man wore a gold bracelet on his wrist, gold rings on his fingers, and a gold chain around his neck, sparkling all over, looking like a newly rich gold mine owner.


    "Don¡¯t rush! Stay calm!" The middle-aged man was obviously the leader of the Luo family. He stood in the hall, speaking with confidence and authority:


    "As the saying goes, with sincerity and dedication, even a stone can be turned into gold."


    "Belief is a powerful force."


    As he spoke, he took off his gold bracelet, bit it with his teeth, then raised it high for everyone to see.


    "Look, this thing looks like gold, tastes like gold, so it must be real gold!"


    "As long as we believe in Golden Vige, and form a strong consensus, then what¡¯s the difference between the gold in Golden Vige and ordinary gold?"


    "What weck now is just time!"


    "Being friends with time is the key to sess."


    The chief¡¯s words touched the hearts of many tribe members, bringing smiles to their faces. He continued:


    "Actually, this is just the first step."


    "Right now, the gold in Golden Vige is known mostly only to us Luo family members. The legend of Golden Vige is limited to Taotie City."


    "But Taotie City is too small. If we have too much gold in our hands, it will lose its value."


    "So, our next step is to break out of Taotie City and head to thergest city in Southwest Province: Linhe City."


    "If the people in the city believe us, we, who possess countless gold, will be the richest family in Linhe City."


    "The next step is to expand our territory and let the whole Southwest Province know the story of Golden Vige."


    The leader of the Luo family squinted his eyes, clenched his fist to his chest, and said in a deep voice:


    "Southwest Province is a barrennd with very little farnd, and the people there are poor¡­ Meanwhile, Zhong Province is a fertilend with rich households. The wealthy people in Zhong Province, like Wan Ronghua, Li Gongde, and others, are said to be very rich."


    "Why are we just mountain people while the people in Zhong Province have fertilend and are rich everywhere?"


    "We have a bit of gold and stone in our hands that we can use to make a lot of gold. Sooner orter, we can exchange goods from the rich people in Zhong Province with it, making the whole of Southwest Province no longer poor. This is a great deed that benefits both the country and the people!"


    The leader of the Luo family was painting a grand blueprint for his family members when suddenly he saw Luo Cheng entering with Qiao Mu.


    "Luo Cheng? Why are you back so early this time¡­ Who is the person behind you?" The n leader frowned.


    At this moment, the surrounding Luo family members also realized that something was wrong.


    Even as an honored guest, one could not enter the inner room of the ancestral hall during a family meeting.


    "n leader," Luo Cheng¡¯s face looked a bit unpleasant.


    "Mr. Qiao is an important person from outside. This time, he came to the mountain specifically to find you and inquire about the source of the gold and stone in Golden Vige."


    At this moment, Luo Cheng stood in front of Qiao Mu, with his back facing Qiao Mu. He was making eye contact with the chief from a hidden angle that Qiao Mu couldn¡¯t see.


    As soon as he spoke, many members of the tribe couldn¡¯t sit still and all stood up.


    "The Philosopher¡¯s Stone and Golden Vige are secrets of our tribe. How could you reveal them to outsiders, Luo Cheng? You¡¯ve made a mistake."


    "Who is this important person from outside¡­ Even if they were a dragon, they would need to behave calmly in Taotie City, let alone in our Luo family shrine."


    Only the chief remained calm, without showing any emotional fluctuations on his face.


    He looked at Luo Cheng and signaled for another tribe member toe closer, whispering softly:


    "Looks like trouble is brewing, we need to handle it within the tribe¡­. Go quickly and invite Master Chen."


    "Master Chen, is it necessary?" This young tribe member was surprised, but also secretly excited:


    "Will we finally see Master Chen in action today?"


    This Master Chen is said to be a prominent figure from Zhong Province, who has made a name for himself there, known as the Thunder Flying Dragon Hand.


    Normally, a person like Master Chen would not stay in a small Taotie City in the Southwest Province¡­ but after the rise of the Luo family, they acquired arge amount of gold, making them much more powerful now. They could offer an irresistible amount of money that even Master Chen couldn¡¯t refuse.


    Normally, only wealthy families like the Wan family in the Imperial Capital could afford to invite such renowned martial arts masters.


    "Please have a seat, Mr. Qiao," the chief said with a smile, looking calm andposed.


    "In fact, I didn¡¯t personally meet the person from the so-called Golden Vige. I have asked someone to bring that person here. If Mr. Qiao wants to know the secret, please be patient for a moment."

 Chapter 300 (1)

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    "Is this¡­ Taotie City?"


    Feather King Qin Li looked at the mountain city in front of her and adjusted her hat.


    The mountain road was rough and difficult to navigate, but as a descendant of the Jingwei Bird n and guided by Jade Carp¡¯s blood poisoning, she had no problems finding it.


    When she was in Yangmen City, she found out the approximate location of the so-called Golden Vige through her subordinates like Jade Carp. In fact, it was referring to this city.


    Even the merchant Luo Cheng didn¡¯t know the exact location of Golden Vige, let alone Jade Carp.


    "It seems like the merchant Luo Cheng has been kidnapped by a superb martial artist," Feather King muttered to himself.


    She moved swiftly like lightning, leaping over the low city walls in a single bound.


    The superb martial artist had sharp instincts, and with the merchant Luo Cheng as a hostage, she decided not to follow too closely to avoid being detected.Now in Taotie City, she no longer needed to be as cautious as before¡­ what would happen if she were to be discovered?


    Demon Spear Qin Li, known as the strongest half-demon, was a descendant of the Jingwei n and a closed-door disciple of the former Spear Saint.


    In terms of heritage and bloodline, among the martial artists in Jiu Province, they were a small group of the most elite, well-known as top martial artists.


    Her renowned title in the martial world was not "the strongest half-demon," "thest Jingwei," or "Spear Saint¡¯s disciple," but Demon Spear.


    Simple on the surface, but full of surprises inside.


    As a disciple of Spear Saint, being able to make a name for herself with the title "Demon Spear" already shows that her spear skills have surpassed those of Spear Saint.


    Therefore, Qing Li is confident that even if the superb martial artist discovers her¡­ it will just take a little extra effort.


    She quickly followed Qiao Mu and the merchant Luo Cheng as they entered the Luo family shrine.


    "Thunder Flying Dragon Hand? A master from Zhong Province?" Demon Spear Qin Li pondered this, not recognizing the name, feeling that living in the remote Southwest Province had limited her knowledge.


    Feather King Qin Li was cautious and decided to continue observing quietly from the side.


    Master Chen had not yet arrived.


    Qiao Mu and the leader of the Luo family began to chat.


    "Mr. Qiao hase from afar to do business with our Luo family in gold?" The leader of the Luo family smiled slightly.


    The ancestral hall is a sacred ce for the n, where meetings and ceremonies are held.


    Not only strangers, even children from the n will be punished if they enter without permission.


    And today they are discussing important matters here?


    Trader Luo Cheng is not foolish, bringing this outsider straight into the ancestral hall, it must be no good.


    A visitor from afar, an unwee visitor¡­.


    "Talking business?" Qiao Mu asked calmly.


    "I¡¯m not interested in your gold business, I just want to know about this so-called Golden Vige and Philosopher¡¯s Stone, where do theye from?"


    The leader of the Luo family¡¯s expression turned serious.


    "You have quite a sense of humor, this gold business has now be the foundation of our Luo n, do you think we will reveal our secrets to you with just a few words?" R????§°?¦¥s?


    "You¡¯re not here to do business, you¡¯re like a lion trying to take over Golden Vige¡¯s business, aren¡¯t you?"


    "Chief, why bother arguing with this outsider? He has no sincerity in doing business." An elderly white-haired tribe member nearby frowned.


    Many men immediately stood up, surrounding Qiao Mu coldly.


    The situation became tense for a moment.


    Only the chief remained calm, his face serious as he raised his hand.


    "Everyone, calm down. Harmony is most important. The visitor is a guest, we must not forget our manners and make a mockery in front of outsiders."


    Just as he finished speaking, a middle-aged man in a long robe and dignified appearance hurriedly walked towards the main gate of the ancestral hall. His eyes were bright and sharp, and the temple on his forehead protruded high, clearly indicating that he was a skilled martial artist who had achieved a certain level of spiritual refinement.


    "Master Chen has arrived."


    "Master Chen."


    "Today I can meet Thunder Flying Dragon Hand!"


    "I heard that with his kung fu skills, if he joins the court, he can be a 2nd rank general, that¡¯s a big deal."


    "It¡¯s only because the n has some moneytely that they can afford to hire this famous martial artist from Zhong Province as a tribute."


    The people in the ancestral hall had clear expressions of joy on their faces.


    Some young men were particrly excited, Master Chen¡¯s martial arts skills were way beyond their imagination, to the point where they couldn¡¯t quite understand.


    Being able to see Master Chen in action today was a rare opportunity for them.


    Master Chen had a strong presence, even though he was a martial artist, he was dressed in a schrly long robe, hands behind his back, walking gracefully.


    He entered the ancestral hall and smiled faintly, saying:


    "Chief Luo, I heard there are some troublemakers from out of town causing problems, am I not toote?"


    Master Chen smiled lightly, his eyes falling on Qiao Mu, his smile faltering slightly as he looked him up and down, with a twitch at the corner of his eye.


    "This outsider¡­" his voice suddenly lowered:


    "Is hisst name Qiao?"


    "Thunder Flying Dragon Hand?" Qiao Mu turned back, giving Master Chen a quick nce over his shoulder:


    "I¡¯ve never heard of such a master in Zhong Province before."


    Master Chen paused in his steps.


    In the instant their eyes met, he instinctively sensed a great feeling of danger.


    Death death death death death death death death death!


    His whole body involuntarily tensed up, getting goosebumps all over, his heart beating faster, and his pupils shrinking slightly.


    Just by locking eyes, he had a strong reaction, like a deer encountering a fierce tiger in the woods, instantly sensing death approaching!


    "Hehe." The leader of the Luo family smiled when he saw Master Chen appear. His previous serious expression disappeared, and heughed, saying:


    "It¡¯s him, Master Chen, why not use your skills to catch this insignificant person?"


    "Of course!"


    Master Chen shouted loudly and swiftly moved like a flying bird, as fast as thunder.


    In the ancestral hall, people only felt a light breeze pass by. Master Chen had already leapt towards Qiao Mu¡­ then without hesitation, rushed towards the leader of the Luo family behind Qiao Mu.


    The leader of the Luo family felt dizzy for a moment. When he realized it, Master Chen was already standing behind him. He firmly held his hands with a joint-lock technique, capturing him tightly like an iron mp, unable to move at all.


    "Master Chen, you?" The leader of the Luo family was shocked and angry.


    The other Luo family members were also stunned, their gazes nkly turning towards them. They werepletely unresponsive.


    Seeing the sudden changes, not only Luo family members but even Qing Li, who was secretly watching from afar, felt surprised.


    However, Master Chenpletely ignored them and spoke seriously to Qiao Mu.


    "The Roth family made their fortune through dishonest means in Taotie City, and I am ashamed to be associated with them."


    "Mr. Qiao, I have captured this petty criminal, what should we do with him?"


    Qiao Mu didn¡¯t answer immediately, instead he nced meaningfully at Master Chen and asked:


    "Do¡­ you know me?"


    Master Chen forced a smile, his expression slightly awkward:


    "Members of the Qiao family are known for their strong sense of justice and their reputation precedes them in the martial arts world of Jiu Province."


    "The people in the mountains of Southwest Province are isted and uninformed, they may not know much about the martial arts world, but I do."


    "Half a year ago when I was in the Imperial Capital of Zhong Province, I met a senior from the Qiao family."


    "Since then, I have admired the Qiao family member from afar and today, meeting Mr. Qiao fulfills a long-standing wish of mine."


    Qiao Mu initially found this person vaguely familiar, but as he listened to him ramble on, he finally recalled a past event in the Imperial Capital.


    "Are you¡­ a follower of Wan Ronghua from the Wan family?" Qiao Mu asked.


    After attaining the 2nd rank of the Spiritual Refining Period, martial artists have excellent memory and can remember things at a nce. They can recall even childhood memories if they try hard.


    Upon hearing this, Master Chen¡¯s expression changed slightly.


    In his view, the current Qiao family member in front of him was different from the assassin who died in Wan Ronghua¡¯s house before.


    The Qiao family member follows the ancient principle of blood vengeance, where if a younger member meets an untimely end, an elder will soon take action.


    If the Qiao family member in front of him recognized him, could it mean¡­ he was once on the Qiao family member¡¯s revenge list?


    "I haven¡¯t been serving the Wan family for a long time," said Master Chen.


    "That¡¯s right, after witnessing the death of a Qiao family member that night, I finally woke up and decided to part ways with the Wan family¡­"


    Master Chen, who is originally from the Southwest Province, has martial arts skills at the 2nd level of the Spiritual Refining Period.


    The idea that he could easily be a general is just a way to tter himself and increase his worth.


    The difference between a general with real power and an honorary general is like night and day.


    In theory, as long as one reaches the 3rd level of the Spiritual Refining martial artists, there is a chance to be an honorary general without real power.


    He joined the Luo family as a servant for one simple reason: They offered him a lot in return.


    "Mr. Qiao, how should we deal with this insignificant person is up to you," Master Chen asked sincerely once again.


    It¡¯s clear that Master Chen is very sincere; he is showing humility in front of the Qiao family member.


    When the Luo family members saw this scene, they felt a huge difference.


    The person from another family that their ancestors used to hire was very arrogant, even the head of the family had to treat him politely.


    Unexpectedly, Master Chenpletely changed his expression in front of this important guest brought by the merchant Luo Cheng.


    Actually, Master Chen was secretly feeling bitter inside.


    They were afraid of the tough ones, and the tough ones were afraid of the reckless ones.


    The Qiao family members were always reckless. The Wan family in the Imperial Capital had also underestimated them in the past and paid a bloody price, changing their family head directly.


    When facing such a vigorous martial artist, any power or money is of little use.


    Once you get involved, it¡¯s like catching a chronic disease, it won¡¯t go away until you die.


    The best way to deal with the Qiao family members is to not provoke them.


    Therefore, Master Chen wisely backed down, having no intention of confronting the Qiao family.


    "I want to ask him about Golden Vige and Point Gold details." Qiao Mu said directly.


    "What¡¯s so difficult about this?" Master Chen chuckled lightly, then reached out and pulled up the fingers of the Luo family leader one by one, saying in a deep voice:


    "Leader Luo, do you know that you¡¯re in big trouble? Hurry up and tell us what you know."


    "Ah¡­." The intense pain in his fingers made the Luo family leader grit his teeth, and he endured the pain to say:


    "Go inside the room, we can talk in detail¡­ This matter is very important, we can¡¯t let too many people know about it."


    After speaking, he also turned to scold the many family members in the ancestral hall, "What are you looking at, all of you, go away."


    The Luo family members looked at each other, watching as Qiao Mu, the leader, and Master Chen entered the room.


    These mountain people were not familiar with the name of the Qiao family member, but the intimidation of Master Chen was quite strong among them.


    Unable to resist, and scolded by the n leader, these people were stuck outside the temple waiting helplessly.


    Far away.


    Feather King Qin Li silently observed this ce, feeling amazed.


    "This superb martial artist turns out to be a member of the Qiao family who attempted to assassinate Emperor Yonghe and fought against the founding emperor?"


    The reputation of the Qiao family member was well-known, and as the top martial artist on the Power List, Qing Li naturally had heard of them.


    "The Qiao family member, well-known for their righteousness, must be inside the room discussing how to deal with the Luo family matter."@@novelbin@@


    Thinking of this, Qing Li felt a sense of shame.


    Compared to the renowned and righteous Qiao family member, Qing Li, as the "Feather King" of the Immortal Gate with blood on her hands, couldn¡¯t help but feel inferior.


    "Perhaps it would be better for the Qiao family member to handle this matter, rather than me stepping in."


    Qing Li had this thought in her mind.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    Inside the ancestral hall.


    Master Chen didn¡¯t look too good, sweating profusely from being so busy.


    Things didn¡¯t go as he expected.


    The leader of the Luo family seemed to have a stubborn personality. Even though faced with Master Chen¡¯s intimidating Eye Attacking Technique, he still held his ground and refused to give in.


    It seemed like he only pretended to give in before, just to save face in front of his people.


    "This matter concerns the survival of our Luo family n. With over a thousand mouths to feed, do you think threats will work?"


    "Master Chen, I never expected you to collude with outsiders and put on such a show¡­ I guess I have invited trouble into my home."


    "I am a person with faith, believing heart is my strength, you can¡¯t force me to submit!"


    No matter how Master Chen threatens and tempts, the leader of the Luo family remains firm.


    Eventually, even Master Chen had no solution.


    "These mountain people have some knowledge, but not much," Master Chen shook his head.


    They are like frogs at the bottom of a well, not showing any fear towards the eagle in the sky. After all, frogs at the bottom of a well have limited knowledge, and even find it hard to understand the existence of an eagle.


    Qiao Mu spoke up, "Since we can¡¯t get him to talk, there¡¯s no need to force him. This world sometimes encounters such stubbornness."


    A fist can solve 99% of problems, and Qiao Mu had always excelled in this.


    However, this time, he unexpectedly faced resistance from the leader of the Luo family in the mountains.

 Chapter 300 (2)

    Chapter 300 (2)


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    It must be said, these people dealing in gold are truly impressive.


    "Does the leader of the Luo family really believe in those stories about Golden Vige?"


    Qiao Mu picked up a piece of gold, squeezed it hard, and marveled at it.


    This thing is not an illusion. Even with his keen eyes, he couldn¡¯t tell the difference between this Golden Vige gold and real gold.


    "Since the clue ends here¡­ Impermanence, can we find the location of the monster behind Golden Vige from these gold pieces?"


    Qiao Mu let the Impermanent Demon Cat sniff carefully, but it was also a failed attempt.


    These gold pieces are filled with too much human aura, even the shape-shifting demon like the Impermanence can only sense the presence of the monster behind them, but cannot locate its position.


    "Since the clue ends here, we¡¯ll have to think of another way with our brains."Qiao Mu thought seriously for two seconds, then suddenly felt his head itching, as if he was about to grow a brain¡­


    "I have an idea."


    "Let¡¯s start by interrogating them, I don¡¯t believe others can keep their mouths shut."


    ¡­¡­¡­..


    Qing Li, who was secretly watching from afar, was surprised to see Qiao Mu rushing out with his fist raised, and started beating up the Luo family members outside the shrine.


    Her eyes widened involuntarily, and she was in shock.


    "He¡¯s such a skilled martial artist, how dare hey hands on ordinary people?"


    At that moment, Qing Li¡¯s positive image of Qiao family member shattered in her mind.


    With the skills and methods of a superb martial artist, there are countless ways to deal with ordinary people.


    Qiao Mu, however, chose the most direct way: using his fists.


    This truly amazed Qing Li andpletely changed her perception of Qiao family member.


    About 15 minutester.


    After Qiao Mu, who had been checked by everyone, returned to the council room feeling refreshed.


    "Although my mood has improved¡­ but those who are involved in the gold business are really impressive, they didn¡¯t reveal anything meaningful."


    This time Qiao Mu was also feeling a bit puzzled.


    All the gold from the Golden Vige was passed down through the hands of the n leader, and the others didn¡¯t have direct contact with the Golden Vige. Even after interrogating them, they were clueless.


    Of course, there were some gains.


    Qiao Mu ced arge bag of Golden Vige gold on the council room table and took out a fist-sized gray stone from the bag.


    This golden-colored stone was somewhat special, it seemed to be made of stone, but it hadplex and hidden patterns on it, not like an ordinary stone.


    Although Qiao Mu didn¡¯t find out where the Golden Vige was located, he sessfully found a gold-pointing stone owned by the Roc n, as well as hundreds of "gold".


    The leader of the Luo family is really tight-lipped, secrets cannot be elicited, and the clues are cut off.


    The philosopher¡¯s stone is in his hand, so how should he investigate?


    Qiao Mu looked at the face of Chief Luo with a pensive expression.


    For Spirit Refining martial artists, fighting is not just about internal strength, physical power, and techniques.


    Each encounter is also a sh of minds and wills.


    That¡¯s why martial artists like Sword Ghost who excel in the Eye Sword Technique often use tactics to attack the opponent¡¯s mind during battles.


    When fists are not effective, they seek out weaknesses in the opponent¡¯s mind, focusing on mental attacks.


    For example, when Qiao Mu faced King Qin, even though his golden body held up, once his mind copsed, he immediately perished.


    Qiao Mu started to have an idea in his mind, picking up a piece of gold and forming it into a sword.


    Invisible energy gathered at the fingertips formed into a short sword shape, cutting through the gold.


    He imitated theplex patterns on the philosopher¡¯s stone and began carving spontaneously on the gold.


    This was Qiao Mu¡¯s first time carving.


    While practicing martial arts in his dreams, Qiao Mu once carved flowers on tofu with an iron spear.


    With his current martial arts skills and muscle control, carving tofu was effortless, so carving gold with Qi sword was natural and easy.


    His hand was very steady, and he carved at a fast pace.


    In just a short while, a pattern of a mythical beast appeared on the piece of gold in his hand.


    "My carving skills seem pretty good¡­ maybe I have a talent for it?" Qiao Mu chuckled to himself.


    Qiao Mu couldn¡¯t help butugh at himself.


    After practicing martial arts for seven hundred years, and realizing his talent for carving, he wondered if he had mistakenly invested his skill points.


    "Mr. Qiao, what are you doing?" asked Master Chen in confusion.


    After questioning for a long time, Qiao Mu started carving gold here?


    Although using the Qi Sword technique was impressive, was it inappropriate for the situation?


    "Have you heard of Taotie Gold?" Qiao Mu confidently asked.


    "Long, long ago, there was an ancient Taotie Demon King living among the mountains."


    "The Taotie Demon King was a ferocious beast that devoured all living beings, able to consume everything but not pass it out."


    "However, after the Taotie Demon King¡¯s death, its body turned into 10081 pieces, scattering among a hundred thousand mountains."


    "Due to absorbing a lot of essence during its lifetime, the fragments of the gluttonous body turn into precious gold after its death, known as the legendary Taotie Gold."@@novelbin@@


    "Mysterious things often stay hidden. The Taotie Gold appears like a regr stone, only when cleaned with the spirit power from people¡¯s hearts, it will show its true form¡­"


    "This Taotie City is actually named after it."


    "But due to its ancient age, the mountain people living here today have already forgotten this ancient legend" Qiao Mu sighed sadly.


    Beside him, the leader of the Luo family frowned tightly:


    Even being a local, he had never heard of this legendary Taotie. How could this martial artist from elsewhere know so much?


    Hold on¡­ Isn¡¯t this Taotie Gold the same one that he just crafted right in front of him? Is he making up stories right in front of him as if it¡¯s true?


    "You don¡¯t understand," Qiao Mu shook his head sadly.


    "There is a Taotie beast in the gold and stones, I just unearthed it through carving."


    "Master Chen," Qiao Mu looked towards him.


    "I¡¯m here. If Mr. Qiao needs anything, just tell me," said Master Chen without shame. As soon as Qiao Mu called out, he quickly came over, bowing.


    "I¡¯ll be straightforward," said Qiao Mu.


    "I have a big project on hand now, just need some starting capital."


    "You¡¯re not young anymore. To slow down the aging process, you need to spend a lot of money on various supplements, both internal and external, right?"


    "Do you want to make a lot of money with me? Do you want financial freedom?" Qiao Mu whispered to Master Chen.


    "¡­.What is financial freedom?" Master Chen looked puzzled.


    "Simply put, you won¡¯t have to work for others to earn money. You¡¯ll have a steady stream of ie that covers all your expenses."


    "The key to financial freedom is passive ie, ie thates in even while you sleep." Qiao Mu confidently described a grand n to Master Chen.


    "Ordinary martial artists withoutnd or family inheritance naturally have to rely on investments."


    "Firstly, we need to understand a concept ofpound interest, where interest earns interest, and money makes more money."


    "You give me 50 coins first, and then I will tell you a good story."

 Chapter 301 (2)

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    The next day.


    "Have you heard? There¡¯s a kind man named Qiao Pian who is giving money to people for picking up stones."


    "As expected of a member of the renowned Qiao family, it turns out he is a great person who gives money to others."


    After a night of brewing, news of a generous person named Qiao Pian spread throughout Taotie City, a small town.


    In a way,mon people care more about a generous person who gives money than about the Qiao family member who is a skilled martial artist in themunity.


    When Qiao Mu appeared again in the open space near the Luo Family Ancestral Hall, the area was already packed with a crowd of people, numbering around a thousand who were waiting there. Even Qiao Mu himself was surprised.


    "Don¡¯t rush, one by one." Qiao Mu instructed his helpers to bring the stones forward and then he carefully picked some less attractive stones to crush into powder.


    "Congrattions, amongst these ten stones of yours, two are Taotie Gold, worth two taels of silver!""Buddy, there is no Taotie Gold in the ten stones you brought, keep trying to find it."


    Crushing stones into sand is actually a way to show off strength.


    Those who didn¡¯t receive money, although feeling resentful, didn¡¯t dare to provoke Qiao Mu.


    Shortly, as time passed, it was already noon.


    Qiao Mu had borrowed five hundred taels of silver from Master Chen, and it was all given away.


    "Mr. Qiao, I¡¯m here again." Old Yang with a goat beard came to Qiao Mu with a sack on his shoulder, grinned at Qiao Mu with yellow teeth.


    He untied the sack on his shoulder, and the stones inside poured out like water, all the size of eggs.


    Old Yang didn¡¯t sleep all night, picked up stones by the river all night, and filled a whole sack.


    Despite not sleeping, he was very lively, without a trace of fatigue, looking energetic.


    "You picked a lot of stones, including many Taotie Gold, but¡­" Qiao Mu shrugged:


    "I have run out of silver, the buying of Taotie Gold stops here."


    "Ah? It ends like this? In just one day?" Old Yang was dumbfounded, but facing Qiao Mu who could easily turn stones into sand, he dared not cause trouble. ?¦¡????¨§S


    Old Yang stood still and suddenly felt discouraged, he didn¡¯t want the bag of stones anymore, and turned around to leave.


    "Wait." But Qiao Mu stopped him.


    "I may have run out of silver, but that doesn¡¯t mean I won¡¯t ept Taotie Gold," said Qiao Mu.


    "I will exchange this bag of stones with something else."


    After speaking, Qiao Mu took out a golden piece from his belt bag, the size of a chicken egg, intricately carved with a mythical beast pattern known as Taotie. It looked quite impressive.


    "This is a transformed Taotie Gold," said Qiao Mu with a gentle smile.


    "Taotie Gold is mystical, but once it attracts energy, it will reveal its true form within a few days."


    "This piece of Taotie Gold is your reward."


    "From now on, exchange one sack of stones for one Taotie Gold. It¡¯s firste, first served, while suppliesst."


    "Gold¡­this is gold!" Old Yang¡¯s eyes widened.


    With ups and downs, from thinking it was free money yesterday to thinking the opportunity was gone today, only to immediately hold a golden egg the size of a chicken egg¡­


    Even though Old Yang was a lifelong gambler, he had never experienced such highs and lows before!


    "From exchanging stones for silver, to exchanging stones for gold!"


    "Are there still such wonderful things in this world?"


    People ran around spreading the news, the crowd bing even more excited and passionate.


    "Yes, of course," Qiao Mu answered loudly.


    "I, Qiao Pian, came to the city to search for the Taotie Gold. I¡¯m not hiding anything from you all, I¡¯m here to get rich."


    "I¡¯m looking for gold to get rich, you all work for me to get rich, let¡¯s make money together, be wealthy together."


    "Folks, opportunities wait for no one. There are a total of 10081 shares of Taotie Gold, the total is limited. In other words, it¡¯s getting harder to find this gold in the hundred thousand mountains."


    "Firste, first served, don¡¯t wait until it expires!"


    The crowd¡¯s discussions gradually heated up, as the things they held turned from silver to gold, how could they not be excited?


    Outside the crowd.


    The leader of the Luo family frowned as he listened to themotion, feeling a sense of unease in his heart.


    He didn¡¯t really know what Qiao Pian was up to, but he had a feeling that Qiao Pian might be trying topete with them in business.


    Clearly, Taotie Gold is the same as Golden Vige gold, just with different packaging.


    The leader of the Luo family, wanting to keep the profits within the family, allowed the tribe to make money first after obtaining the gold, while keeping it a secret from outsiders and only misleading people like Gambler Old Yang who were unaware of the truth.


    But Qiao Pian¡¯s approach was different from theirs. He not only took their gold and Golden Vige gold, but also immediately made a big scene, attracting the attention of over a thousand people in just one day.


    "If this Taotie City¡¯s people¡¯s money is stolen by him, they will surely be cautious in the future. How can we, the Luo family, running a honest business of selling gold, make a living then?" The leader of Luo family furrowed his brows, gradually realizing that something was wrong.


    "Luo Cheng, you reported secretly to the city lord yesterday, what was his reaction?" the n leader asked in a low voice.


    The city lord of Taotie City is certainly no ordinary person.


    Not only was he an official of the court, but also a martial artist of considerable strength.


    Initially, the leader of Luo family, out of fear that the family would attract trouble from the city lord after bing sessful, hired Master Chen following the principle of keeping a low profile.


    "The city lord¡­ after asking Qiao Pian¡¯s name, he didn¡¯t say anything else, as if he didn¡¯t intend to get involved and advised us not to provoke him," the merchant Luo Cheng replied.


    The leader of Luo family felt a sudden jolt in his heart.


    The stronger the martial artist, the more they seemed to respect members of the Qiao family¡­


    It appeared that the background of the Qiao family members was even more terrifying than they had anticipated.


    "There¡¯s no solution to this, let¡¯s just wait and see," sighed the leader of the Luo family.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    On the third day, the fourth day, the fifth day passed¡­


    The gold rush brought by a member of the Qiao family swept through the entire Taotie City like a whirlwind.


    By the sixth day, Qiao Pian¡¯s name had be famous throughout the city, making him a popr figure in Taotie City.


    The stones he purchased had almost filled the rooms of the inn.


    It was also on the early morning of the sixth day.


    Qiao Mu opened the bag filled with stones, only to find that it was now full of gold.


    "The Luo family¡¯s touchstone is indeed effective. In just a few days, there¡¯s been so much real and fake gold added."


    Qiao Mu left the inn and walked outside.


    Since the stone had turned into gold, he decided to get some new toys.


    When he walked to the open area outside the Luo Family Ancestral Hall again, it was packed with people.


    "Master Qiao."


    "Master Qiao is here."


    Many vigers had been waiting there, and they greeted Qiao Mu as he approached.


    "I have something to say today," Qiao Mu said.


    "I didn¡¯t expect the people of Taotie City to be so weing, and to gather so many stones so quickly. My gold has also been distributed."


    The vigers who had carried a sack of stones over looked at each other, their disappointment written all over their faces.


    Also.


    Even with a fortune like Qiao Mu¡¯s, using the method of giving money, it can still be spent clean.


    After the silver was spent, the gold was also gone. Does this mean that Qiao Mu¡¯s acquisition of Taotie Gold will stop here?


    "I¡¯m very sorry," said Qiao Mu.


    "The sacred object of Taotie Gold needs a few days to change from a stone form to gold," said Qiao Mu.


    "The Taotie stones I acquired have not yet transformed into Taotie Gold," Qiao Mu said sadly.


    "If I wait for the transformation to happen naturally, it would dy the acquisition of Taotie stones. So, I came up with a solution."


    Qiao Mu confidently said:


    "Some time ago, didn¡¯t I give you a lot of Taotie Gold?"@@novelbin@@


    "Now that the funding chain is broken¡­ I mean, if you lend me some Taotie Gold first, I¡¯ll return the same amount in three days, plus one percent interest for you."


    "Make one percent interest in three days?" Gambler Old Yang¡¯s heart raced.


    "These days, Master Qiao has helped the vigers earn a lot of money, so I don¡¯t think he¡¯s deceiving us."


    "After all, being able to get those dozens of taels of silver from Luo Cheng¡¯s grandson back then was also thanks to Master Qiao."


    "If I take a step back, even if it¡¯s cheating, the gold I have right now was earned from Master Qiao in these past few days."


    "This is a big gamble," Gambler Old Yang¡¯s heart started beating faster:


    "If we win the gamble, we can earn a 10% interest."


    "If we lose the gamble, we¡¯ll just earn a little less. I¡¯ve earned a lot of money from Master Qiao these past few days, haven¡¯t I?"


    With these thoughts, Gambler Old Yang stepped forward and handed the money bag to Qiao Mu.


    "Master Qiao¡¯s recent actions and behavior, we have all seen, and I trust you!"


    Old Yang held his chest, his heart pounding, his face turning red, feeling a strange excitement.


    Among the crowd, there were many people who thought like Gambler Old Yang.


    With Old Yang leading the way, more and more people gradually approached.


    The crowd became lively and bustling again.


    Beyond the crowd in the distance.


    The leader of the Luo family quietly watched themotion here and finally nodded in admiration:


    "Wow, this guy named Qiao has finally shown his true colors, getting involved in lending."


    "I¡¯m d I warned my fellow n members beforehand not to get involved in this mess."


    However, after he finished speaking, he didn¡¯t hear anyone beside him respond.


    Looking back, the young members of the Luo family were looking intently in Qiao Mu¡¯s direction, almost staring through him:


    "Elder, this deal can really make money, we can earn a 10% interest in three days."


    "Only deals like Taotie Gold can afford such high interest rates, bringing in a lot of profit."


    "If the Qiao family¡¯s business stops for a day, the losses would be huge. No wonder he dared to borrow so much money."


    "If only we had joined forces with that Gambler Old Yang from the start, we would be making a fortune now, wouldn¡¯t we?"


    "After all, this deal is nothing but profitable, at worst just losing some unrealized gains." The young members of the Luo family sounded slightly resentful.


    Implied in their words, it seemed like a veiled me on the leader of the Luo family for not letting them get involved in this business.


    The leader of the Luo family¡¯s eyes widened, couldn¡¯t help but clutch his chest, suddenly feeling a bit dizzy.


    "This is troublesome¡­"


    The leader of the Luo family didn¡¯t want to linger in this ce, quickly left, out of sight out of mind.


    However, when the chief left, Qiao Mu separated from the crowd and walked over here.


    "Luo Cheng?" He looked at the merchant Luo Cheng whom he had briefly met before, and the other Luo family members who were secretly watching.


    "I would like to discuss some business with your Luo family¡­ Let¡¯s talk inside the ancestral hall."


    The merchant Luo Cheng subtly nced in the direction where the Luo family¡¯s leader had left, with many thoughts running through his mind.


    During this time, the chief prohibited them from interacting with Qiao family members or participating in their business, causing them great frustration and impatience.


    Even the young members of the n had grievances.


    Luo Cheng finally nodded.


    "Master Qiao, please."


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.

 Chapter 301 (3)

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    A few days passed.


    When Qiao Mu entered the Luo Family Ancestral Hall again, everything had changed.


    Before, he was a stranger that no one knew.


    Now, he was the famous Master Qiao who stirred up the whole Taotie City.


    "Everyone, when I said I came to talk business before, no one believed me," said Qiao Mu.


    "So, I had to use a little trick."


    Everyone stayed silent.


    Had to say.Being able to quickly be famous impressed Luo Cheng and the other people from the Luo family.


    Qiao Mu smiled and said:


    "In the past few days, I have distributed about a thousand Taotie Gold. This is the total amount held by the mountain people in Taotie City."


    "And as for the remaining¡­ since you are all part of the family, I will be honest and open, no more pretense."


    "There are only 10081 Taotie Gold, but that¡¯s just a lie for outsiders."


    "I have the Philosopher¡¯s Stone with me, so the amount of Taotie Gold depends on how much is needed. However, we must be careful not to distribute too much, as it could cause the gold price to plummet."


    Many Luo family members were taken aback, realizing something.


    These people from the Luo family had obtained the Philosopher¡¯s Stone and only focused on getting more gold as much as possible, without considering the consequences.


    Qiao Mu added further.


    "Actually, in these past few days, I¡¯ve been doing simple things, just promoting Taotie Gold."


    "In a few days, everyone in the whole city knew about Taotie Gold."


    "No one would believe that a powerful martial artist came to this remote vige just to y around with them¡­ It doesn¡¯t make sense."


    "Now, guess how many people in Taotie City believe in the legend of Taotie Gold."


    "How many people have formed a strong and powerful consensus on the existence of Taotie Gold?"


    Merchant Luo Cheng¡¯s heart shook, involuntarily thinking of the leader of the Luo family.


    The phrase "strong and powerful consensus" was amon saying of the chief, but today, Master Qiao embodied it in apletely different way, with even better results and wider spread¡­ ?????£Â¦¥??


    "So, are most of the stones in Master Qiao¡¯s hands turned into Taotie Gold?" pondered merchant Luo Cheng, asking.


    "Indeed. And this is the business I want to discuss with you all today."


    Qiao Mu said:


    "The signboard of Taotie Gold has been established. It is no longer just a piece of gold, but a symbol of the ancient legend of Taotie City!"


    "The more people who know the legend, the more valuable Taotie Gold bes."


    "I am just an outsider. If we can cooperate with local powerful ns like the Luo family, naturally we can make money more efficiently."


    "I understand the principle that many hands make light work. We can all make money together, and only through mutual prosperity can we take the right path! It¡¯s a win-win situation!"


    Many people from the Luo family were enthralled to hear this, especially after witnessing Master Qiao¡¯s recent impressive deeds that left them amazed and full of praise.


    These members of the Luo family were also cunning merchant families who made their fortune in gold. They found Qiao Mu¡¯s approach quite appealing.


    "Master Qiao, please exin further."


    Qiao Mu nodded.


    "Now that Taotie Gold has made a name for itself, the next goods we will be selling externally naturally will be Taotie Gold."


    "As I am a martial artist from another ce, it is not suitable for me to sell the local delicacy of Taotie Gold, which requires the help of the Luo family."


    Merchant Luo Cheng felt intrigued. Before this, he had indeed sold something called "Golden Vige Gold" externally, but now Qiao Mu¡¯s Taotie Gold had a more prominent reputation.


    Qiao Mu proposed a n for the Luo family to handle sales on their behalf, which directly addressed their interests.


    Qiao Mu crossed his hands and began to exin:


    "It is said ¡®Tai Chi gives birth to two elements, two elements give birth to four symbols, four symbols give birth to eight trigrams.¡¯


    "Combining theory of Yin and Yang, I have created a new business model which I call the Yin-Yang Fission Sales Method."


    "The Yin Yang sales method means having customers be sellers for Taotie Gold, spreading the word to create more sales."


    "Here, I divide customers into four levels: Tai Chi, Two Principles, Four Symbols, and Eight Trigrams."


    "Selling Taotie Gold to 2 people makes you a Two Principles level customer, earning you monthly dividends of one or two gold."


    "Selling to 4 people makes you a Four Symbols level customer, earning monthly dividends¡­"


    "The essence of the Yin Yang sales method is that the rtionship between seller and buyer is not distinct, customers can also be sellers under us."


    "What we¡¯re doing is not just making money from customers, but making money together with them, ultimately achieving a win-win situation¡­"


    Merchant Luo Cheng listened to Qiao Mu talk enthusiastically, his eyes widening.


    He wasn¡¯t a novice; he was once a devious merchant who sold "gold" to gamblers¡­


    And Qiao Pian¡¯s new and innovative business model, in his opinion, seemed very promising indeed!


    "Master Qiao, can we consider this first?" Luo Cheng said in a low voice.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Luo Cheng led a few familiar fellow nsmen into the meeting hall, and they began talking all at once.


    "Qiao family member, I¡¯ve heard a bit about them. I heard they are a very powerful martial arts n. The way Qiao Pianmands such respect from the Lord and Master Chen, he must be quite extraordinary." Luo Cheng spoke first.


    "In the presence of the Qiao family member, our usual words in Golden Vige seem a bit outdated."


    "If we can seize this opportunity to connect with the Qiao family, it would be a chance worth taking."


    The other members of the Luo family nodded in agreement, showing signs of interest.


    These past few days, they watched as Qiao Pian stirred up a gold rush that swept through the entire city, while they could only watch with envy¡­


    You see, the gold pieces and "gold" in Qiao Mu¡¯s hands were all taken from them.


    "Master Qiao¡¯s ways have great potential. They are more advanced and effective than our tricks in Golden Vige," someone remarked.


    "If we don¡¯t join, the whole town might be fooled by him. And we can only sit by and watch!"


    Different from the town people in the city.


    The Luo family has known about the existence of the Philosopher¡¯s Stone and the truth about the Taotie Gold.


    They knew it was a scam to cheat people.


    So they were even more envious.


    "We can¡¯t beat him in a fight¡­ It¡¯s better to join than to watch him make money!"


    "If we wait any longer, it will be toote to catch up."


    "Master Qiao is an outsider after all. Once he leaves in a while, all the town people in Taotie City will be cautious. Then how can we, the local business people, continue doing simr businesses?"


    You can only fall for the same trick once. Not many people are foolish enough to fall for it twice in a row.


    After a brief discussion, Luo Cheng and others reached a unanimous conclusion:


    If you can¡¯t beat them, join them!


    Since they were the first to encounter the Yin-Yang Fission sales method, as long as they leave in time, they will not be affected by the scam.


    "Master Qiao wants to coborate with us, to reap the benefits from deceiving themon people. This scam is destined to only benefit a few smart individuals¡­ and it¡¯s clear that we are among those few."


    "So, here¡¯s the question¡­" said the merchant Luo Cheng suddenly:@@novelbin@@


    "Our previous gold was taken by Master Qiao, and he probably won¡¯t ept the ¡®gold¡¯ made from his alchemy, considering he has the Philosopher¡¯s Stone and the powerful Taotie Gold consensus. He can easily create a lot of Taotie Gold."


    "If we want to join in and be a part of this Taotie Gold scheme, then we can only use¡­"


    Silver.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    After an hour passed.


    Qiao Mu stuffed a package full of silver coins into a storage bag, and swaggered out of the ancestral hall.


    The conversation went smoothly, and Qiao Mu sessfully reached a strong consensus with the Luo family¡¯s people.


    "Back then, I fought hard and spent several lives, leading three hundred soldiers across the Hundred-mile Desert to finally receive five thousand taels ofpensation from the court."


    "After just a few days, he visited the Luo family ancestral hall and earned five thousand taels of silver."


    Qiao Mu started to cry.


    At over seven hundred years old, he suddenly realized he might have talents in business and carving, maybe he really chose the wrong skills.


    "Could I really be a business genius?"


    Qiao Mu stroked his chin and walked outside.


    He obtained Taotie Gold from the mountain people of Taotie City, but what he distributed was a bit different.


    He swindled genuine silver from the Luo family¡¯s people who knew the truth.


    Making five thousand taels so easily really shows how profitable the Luo family is. Over the years, they have earned a lot of money in this city through their gold business¡­


    Of course, Qiao Mu didn¡¯t forget the purpose of this trip.


    Making money from the Luo family is just a tactic to attack their hearts, in order to unsettle the Luo family¡¯s leader.


    "In a few days, we will expose a project scandal, take the money, and thene back to force him to talk¡­"


    At this moment, a fat cat emerged from the alley and climbed onto his shoulder.


    "Have you not yet found the source of that speck of gold?" Qiao Mu gently scratched the fat cat¡¯s chin, making the kittyfortably close its eyes and wag its tail in the air.


    The legend of Golden Vige has been around for a long time, so it¡¯s not just the Luo family leader who has encountered the creatures there. That¡¯s why Qiao Mu has been secretly having the fat cat look for other people who have had encounters with them.


    In these few days, the whole Taotie City was turned upside down¡­


    So even if the Luo family¡¯s leader¡¯s line was cut off, it would only take Qiao Mu a few more days.


    Thinking of this, Qiao Mu suddenly stopped in his tracks.


    At the corner of the intersection ahead, a straw-hatted guest with a bamboo cane in hand blocked his way.


    The person wearing the straw hat had a slender and graceful figure, clearly a woman. However, the gaze under the hat was cold and sharp, like a sharp knife.


    "This is a seasoned martial artist who has surely been through numerous battles¡­" this thought shed through Qiao Mu¡¯s mind.


    Qing Li gazed steadily at him, sighing slightly in her heart.


    She carefully watched for a long time in secret, but couldn¡¯t hold back anymore just now.


    She was quite disappointed, and her impression of the Qiao family member greatly decreased.


    The Qiao family thought all its members were very brave and good, but they didn¡¯t expect to get involved with the dishonest Luo family members.


    She couldn¡¯t understand a few days ago, but today she finally understands.


    She had a thought in her mind and simply said:


    "Master Qiao."


    "I heard you are doing lending business. I have a thousand silver coins and I want to make a deal with you."


    Qing Li held the bamboo staff in her hand, her eyes cold but with a hint of disappointment that was hard to hide.


    "But before that, I want to see if Master Qiao has the ability to borrow this thousand silver coins from me."

 Chapter 302 (1)

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    The Qiao family members were famous for valuing honor over life and death.


    They gained a great reputation throughout the Jiu Province martial arts world by defeating many opponents.


    Demon Spear Qin Li became famous early on and has remained at the top of the Power List since Spear Saint¡¯s death.


    The Power List of Tide Listening Building is simr to a list of powerful beings, where it¡¯s very difficult for pure humans to rank high. Only natural power wielders like Wu Jingang canpete with these powerful beings.


    Even though this highly renowned martial arts expert had been famous for a long time, their fame had already been overshadowed by a member of the Qiao family.


    "The Qiao family, known for valuing justice over life and death, has been dishonored by a person named Qiao Pian who deceives ordinary people for money¡­"


    In a small alley, Qing Li looked down with a hint of disappointment and exhaustion in her eyes.


    But when you think about it¡­It¡¯s just that due to the consistent behavior of the Qiao family members through generations, they have left a strong and enduring impression on people.


    The Qiao family is, after all, a lineage, not just an individual.


    Can a prominent and strict family with a glowing reputation ensure that there won¡¯t be any ck sheep in the family?


    And at this moment.


    Qing Li lifted her hat with one hand and held a bamboo stick with the other.


    The end of the bamboo stick was not sharpened, just a regr walking stick.


    However, when ites to martial arts at the level of Demon Spear Qin Li, even a sharpened leaf can be a weapon, so what¡¯s the difference between sharpening and not sharpening a bamboo stick?


    "You came to my door just to lend me a thousand coins?" Qiao Mu ignored the tense atmosphere and felt very touched.


    "I didn¡¯t expect to have such good connections in Taotie City, with fans voluntarilying to lend me money."


    Tears welled up in Qiao Mu¡¯s eyes, then he took out a small notebook from his pocket.


    "Lending money is one thing, but we still need to follow the rules."


    "Don¡¯t rush, register your name first."


    "¡­" Qing Li pondered for a moment, then revealed her real name:


    "Qing Li."


    Keeping her identity hidden and using a fake name was not very meaningful.


    There were only a few superb martial artists in the whole Southwest Province, it was impossible for them to keep appearing out of nowhere like the Qiao family member.


    Demon Spear Qin Li and Feather King are two different identities.


    When she puts on the mask, she bes the Feather King who is controlled by the Immortal Gate.


    When she takes off the mask, she is Qing Li, a disciple of the Spear Saint in the past.


    These two identities are not the same, they are not known by most people, only a few know about Dao Zhen.


    The neer Qiao Mu obviously wasn¡¯t someone who knew what was going on.


    "Qing Li?" Qiao Mu paused for a moment, recalling the deceased vigers of Xishan Vige who were unaware of their own deaths, as well as the Qing Li doppelganger at the peak of Xishan Vige. ???????§§s?


    The former Qing Li had also left a deep impression on Qiao Mu.


    The strength of the doppelganger Qing Li was clearly inferior to Wu Qiankun¡¯s, but she was able to hold her ground for a long time against him with her skilled spear techniques.


    One of them was ranked first on the Power List, and the other was second on the Spiritual Refining List; they were like two sides of the same coin.


    Although she was ultimately defeated by Wu Qiankun, she was after all just a mere doppelganger, so it could be considered an honorable defeat.


    "Demon Spear Qin Li, a half-demon without internal strength, relied solely on her strong physical body and spear techniques to earn the name ¡®Demon Spear¡¯, she is far from ordinary."


    A faint sense of battle intent arose in Qiao Mu¡¯s heart as well.


    This Demon Spear Qin Li wanted to test his skills, and he was also curious to explore the depths of the "strongest half-demon".


    "If you want to challenge me, thene."


    Qiao Mu reached into the storage bag and pulled out a red tassel spear, with a strong white energy swirling around the tip of the spear.


    With a single move, he executed the deadly move from "Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear" called Prairie Fire.


    Although Qiao Mu only skimmed through half of "Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear," after fifty years of practice, he had mastered it to a certain degree.


    A cold glint appeared as a sharp piercing sound echoed through the air, and a fierce energy burst out from the tip of the spear.


    Even before the spear tip arrived, a sharp wind pressure swept over.


    In the blink of an eye, Qing Li, who should have reacted, was briefly distracted and only dodged the long spear when it was close.


    Hiss!


    With a swift move, the spear broke through Qing Li¡¯s hat, revealing a face underneath to Qiao Mu.


    The person under the straw hat had a face as beautiful as jade, but their eyes were sharp and determined, just like the soul split at the top of the West Mountain that day.


    "Where did you learn ¡®Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear¡¯ from?" Qing Li¡¯s eyes were like a drawn sword in an instant, revealing an unmistakable sharpness. Even making eye contact made people shiver.


    Before Qiao Mu could respond, she sighed sadly.


    "I know¡­ You learned it from the Zhao family in Xishan Vige, right?"


    The sharpness in her eyes suddenly disappeared, and there was no longer any fighting spirit.


    Zhao Hu, using her name, spread the news about ¡®Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear¡¯, and she had heard a bit about it.


    However, she was already the Feather King at that time, feeling guilty, and unwilling to face her old friends and family in Xishan Vige.


    Zhao Hu was different from her.


    This son of the Spear Saint, though his martial arts skills were not superb or top-notch, his character was as upright as his father, the Spear Saint.


    Teach "Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear", first, to keep this spear skill alive, second, to find worthy and calm-hearted individuals who are eager to learn.


    Since Qiao Pian has already received "Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear" from Zhao Hu, he has surely gained thetter¡¯s approval.


    In other words, in terms of character and aspirations, he is bound to pass the test.


    "Is Qiao Pian also someone approved by our brother?"


    Qing Li pondered about this.


    She believed in seeing is believing, so after witnessing Qiao Pian cheating in Taotie City, she was disappointed.


    But she had more faith in her brother Zhao Hu¡¯s character.


    "Brother Zhao Hu is upright, always better than me, the Feather King with blood on my hands." Qing Li chuckled self-deprecatingly, but her determination grew stronger.


    Her spear skill was learned from Spear Saint.


    Spear Saint ÊÇÈË×å martial artist£¬ËùÒÔ¡¶Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear¡·ÕâÑùµÄ spear skills ÖУ¬¼ÈÓÐÈâÉíÓÃÁ¦µÄ¼¼ÇÉ£¬Ò²ÓÐÉíÌåÄÚ²¿Á¦Á¿µÄ¼¼ÇÉ.


    Qing Li ËäÈ»ÊÇ Spear Saint µÄµÃÒâѧÉú£¬µ«ÒòΪ×Ô¼ºÊÇ half-demon£¬ËäÈ»ÉíÌåǿ׳£¬µ«Ã»ÓÐÉíÌåÄÚ²¿Á¦Á¿.


    Ò»ÃÅ¡¶Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear¡·Ö»Ñ§ÁËÈâÉíÓÃÁ¦µÄ¼¼ÇÉ£¬Ö»ÄÜËãÊÇѧÁËÒ»°ë.


    ¶ø Qiao Mu ÕâÑùµÄÈË×嶥¼â martial artist£¬È´ÓÐÏ£ÍûÍêÈ«¼Ì³Ð Spear Saint ÁôÏÂÀ´µÄÎ书£¬²¢·¢Ñï¹â´ó¡­


    "¼ÈÈ»ÕâÑù¡­."Ëý»Ó¶¯ÊÖÖеÄÖñÕÈ£¬°ÑËüµ±³ÉÁËÒ»°Ñ³¤Ã¬.


    "Prairie Fire£¡"


    Õâ¸öÕÐʽºÍ Qiao Mu ¸Õ²ÅÒ»Ñù.Ö»ÊÇË«·½Õ¹ÏÖ³öÀ´Ê±£¬ÍþÁ¦È´ÓÖÓÐËù²»Í¬.


    Qiao Mu ֻѧ»áÁË¡¶Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear¡·µÄÒ»²¿·Ö£¬¶ø Qing Li ´ÓС¾Í¿Ì¿àÁ·Ï°ÖÁ½ñ£¬ÔÚ³¤Ã¬¼¼ÒÕÉϳÁ½þÁËÒ»Éú.


    ÔÚÕâһ˲¼ä£¬ËýÊÖÖеij¤Ã¬´Ó¼«¾²µ½¼«¶¯.


    The spear was thrust out, but no strong force was shown.


    But as the spear stabbed out, Qing Li¡¯s whole body surged with energy and blood.


    At that moment, her blood rushed wildly through her body, feeling like she was burning up, and even her bamboo staff in her hand seemed to burst out like hot moltenva with the fast stab, causing sparks to fly as the staff tip rubbed fiercely against the air.


    Calm like a virgin, fierce like a volcano!


    "Prairie Fire." Qiao Mu also tightly gripped the long spear in his hand and thrust out with the same move.


    His thrust caused the spear tip to burst with a surging energy aura, creating a white forceful wind pressure.


    Spear tip against spear tip!


    But then came a loud bang.


    With a sh of forces, Qing Li¡¯s bamboo staff instantly shattered into flying splinters, scattering all over the ground.


    Qing Li took a step back, her hand holding the bamboo staff was bleeding.


    "A member of the Qiao family indeed lives up to its reputation."


    "Having¡¶Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear¡·in your hands, it seems you won¡¯t tarnish the title of the former Spear Saint." Qing Li smirked faintly.


    As a half-demon, shecked internal strength, so she focused on perfecting her physical strength skills, earning her the title of "Demon Spear."


    In terms of physical strength skills alone, this disciple of the Spear Saint had surpassed her master, excelling even more.


    But now, has she disgraced the title of Spear Saint?


    She nced at the wound on her hand, took out a silver note worth a thousand taels from her bosom, and left without saying more.


    Qiao Mu didn¡¯t follow, feeling slightly puzzled.


    This woman, who had just appeared with fierce determination, suddenly shifted her focus for reasons unknown.


    Both sides only used one move in the fight, using Prairie Fire against Prairie Fire.


    Qiao Mu¡¯s spear skills were clearly inferior to Qing Li¡¯s, relying only on physical strength and internal power to break through with force rather than skill.


    Qing Li held a bamboo staff,cking internal strength, the bamboo staff could not withstand her power explosion, and broke with just one strike.@@novelbin@@


    "This woman is strange¡­ She didn¡¯te topete with me, nor does it seem like a mere sparring match." Qiao Mu rubbed his chin, lost in thought.


    "It¡¯s as if¡­ a feeding move?"


    Yes, a feeding move.


    Instead of a Demon Spear Qin Li, training with him felt more like actualbat, giving Qiao Mu a firsthand experience of the power behind the "Prairie Fire" move.


    "What kind ofdy,ing to offer me a feeding move, and then giving me a thousand taels. Could she really be my secret admirer?"


    Qiao Mu pondered, then nced towards the shrine behind him.


    At the corner of the temple wall, several figures quickly withdrew their heads.


    "Something big is happening!" The excited faces of the people from the Luo family turned red, shouting loudly as they ran to spread the news.


    "Demon Spear Qin Li has also joined Master Qiao¡¯s project and just invested one thousand taels of silver!"


    "What? Demon Spear Qin Li too? Is she also involved?"


    Outside the Southwest Province, the reputation of the Qiao family members naturally surpasses that of Demon Spear Qin Li.


    But in the surrounding areas of Linhe Prefecture, the names of Spear Saint and Demon Spear Qin Li are truly famous, well-known figures that everyone in the Southwest Province knows.


    The mountain people in Taotie City may not understand how powerful the Qiao family members are, but the name of Demon Spear Qin Li has startled all of them.


    "Great news! Demon Spear Qin Li just invested one thousand taels, endorsing the Taotie Gold project!"


    "Even such a prominent figure invested, where else can we find such a reliable business opportunity?"


    "Where is Master Qiao? I still want to invest another five hundred taels!"


    Only the merchant Luo Cheng remained sober and loudly interjected:


    "Shh¡­ lower your voices and don¡¯t attract attention!" Luo Cheng said in a serious tone. "We shouldn¡¯t let outsiders outside the ancestral hall hear about it. The Taotie Gold project is a scheme to exploit the ignorant, with early birds benefiting at the expense ofters."


    "If this news leaks out, won¡¯t the people outside rush to invest as well?"


    "Brother Luo Cheng, you always think ahead. No wonder you have been to Taotie City and have seen the world as a seasoned merchant!"


    Inside the ancestral hall, members of the Luo family discussed fervently, their debates bing more intense.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    Another day passed.


    When Qiao Mu visited the Luo family ancestral hall again, Luo Cheng and the others greeted him even more warmly than before.


    Moreover, some even directly take out hundreds or thousands of silver notes and give them to him.


    "What are you doing?" Qiao Mu was shocked.


    "Master Qiao, after thinking carefully, we think this Taotie Gold business is promising. We are nning to invest more," the merchant Luo Cheng said with a smile.


    The people were too eager, surrounding Qiao Mu and trying to give him money one after another, making Qiao Mu feel a bit overwhelmed.


    "Isn¡¯t it strange how people nowadays are so eager to give him money? It¡¯s quite embarrassing," someone remarked.


    "Have you really thought this through? These silver notes are not a small amount," Qiao Mu reminded them.

 Chapter 302 (2)

    Our Discord Server: .gg/PazjBDkTmW


    "Haha, didn¡¯t Master Qiao mention something simr to us before?" Luo Cheng eximed.


    "In a person¡¯s lifetime, how many chances do they have to make a fortune and turn their life around?"


    "When such an opportunity arises, we must seize it! Missing out on such an opportunity would be a great loss," someone else added.


    "Master Qiao, please don¡¯t stop me, I really want to make money with Master Qiao."


    As Qiao Mu listened, his heart gradually grew colder.


    The people from the Luo family are not stupid, they are actually involved in the business of making money through deception.


    They are investing money so actively now because they want to benefit from his new and clever tricks, believing that Master Luo can help them make a lot of profit.


    "In that case, you may do as you wish." Qiao Mu stopped advising and allowed Luo Cheng and the others to put money into his purse.When he left the ancestral hall, he found that there were three thousand silver notes in his arms.


    "Making money can be boring." Qiao Mu left the ancestral hall and, as expected, saw a woman wearing a straw hat at the entrance of an alley once again.


    This time, Qing Li no longer held a bamboo staff in her hand, but a metal-crafted spear.


    "Master Qiao, are you still doing your Taotie Gold lending business? I would like to lend you another one hundred taels." Qing Li¡¯s voice came from under the straw hat.


    Her voice was very cold and distant, showing no intention of getting closer to Qiao Mu, just like the first time they met, only raising the spear in her hand absentmindedly.


    "Today I¡¯ve changed to an iron spear, I havee specifically to test your skills."


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    This went on for several days.


    The appearance of the Demon Spear Qin Li was also very regr, but she seemed to be short on money.


    She gave a thousand coins the first time, then a hundred, andter just gave ten coins at a time.


    Sometimes appearing once a day, sometimes three or four times a day, making Qiao Mu almost think he was engaged in a special profession¡­


    On the third day.


    Qiao Mu sat quietly in the inn, recalling the experiences of sparring with Qing Li several times.


    In his fifty years of dreaming, Qiao Mu also carefully studied the book "Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear" left by Spear Saint and that martial arts knowledge.


    "ording to Spear Saint¡¯s understanding of martial arts, martial arts can actually be divided into two types of techniques."


    "One is physical power techniques, and the other is internal strength control techniques."


    "The former is about using power, while thetter is about using inner strength."


    Before the "Human Path Sutra" was introduced, ancient martial arts were divided into internal and external styles, but top martial artists mostly focused on inner strength. ?¨¢?????¨¨?


    After all, as the body ages and vitality declines, even if one excels in external martial arts, it cannotpare to those born with strong bloodlines like half-demons or pure-blooded demons.


    Qiao Mu was the same.


    He relied mainly on his signature moves, the Ripple Stacking Wave Strength, and the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method.


    The Ripple Stacking Wave Strength is a highly challenging internal strength technique, while the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method sacrifices vital energy and blood in exchange for multiple times the increase in internal strength.


    Qiao Mu also mastered Stacking Wave Strength to the level of Fivefold Wave and had already perfected the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method.


    When ites to the skills of using internal strength, he was one of the very best in the entire Jiu Province.


    Qing Li, being a half-demon, chose a different path, focusing on strengthening her physical body.


    If wepare martial artists¡¯ power techniques to the four sides of a barrel.


    The top martial artists on the list each have their own strengths and weaknesses.


    Qing Li is unique in that she doesn¡¯t possess internal strength.


    However, due to this, she has dedicated her time to mastering the techniques of strengthening her physical body, achieving great sess in this area.


    At the top of the Western Mountain, a weakened soul of Qing Li, who was clearly weaker than Wu Qiankun, was able to engage with him for a long time, showcasing her exceptional spear skills and physical strength techniques.


    "In thepany of three, there must be one I can learn from. If one can master Qing Li¡¯s physical strength techniques, it would be like filling a gap."


    Qiao Mu opened his eyes and looked outside the window.


    At that moment, the chubby cat suddenly jumped in from the window. These days, the chubby cat had beening and going early andte, following Qiao Mu¡¯s orders to search for other people who had contact with the monsters from Golden Vige in Taotie City, and it was not without results.


    It was still early in the dimly lit sky, with a faint white glow in the east. Taotie City was still shrouded in morning mist, with hardly any pedestrians in sight.


    "It¡¯s almost time to hit the road."


    Qiao Mu counted his money. During these days, he had earned a total of tens of thousands of silver coins from the Luo family members and Demon Spear Qin Li.


    For a n in a small mountain city, this was quite arge amount¡­ it also hinted at the wealth of the Luo family.


    Taking advantage of the early morning light, Qiao Mu leaped up and transformed into a wisp of light smoke, disappearing into the alley.


    As he emerged from the alley once again, his face had already changed into apletely unfamiliar one.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    On the first day after Qiao Mu left, the vigers of Taotie City didn¡¯t take it too seriously, but they missed having Master Qiao around.


    Only someone as clever as Luo Cheng, who sent someone to the inn where Qiao Mu was staying to ask about Master Qiao¡¯s whereabouts, discovered that he had already disappeared without a trace.


    The next day, Old Yang and others still held onto hope,forting themselves that Master Qiao had urgent business to attend to and was probably arguing with others on the way.


    On the third day, fourth day¡­


    The news of Master Qiao fleeing with the money hadpletely exploded, sweeping through the whole city of Taotie City, bing the most talked-about topic.


    "Qiao Pian, I curse you to have a terrible death! You will perish within three days, not a whole body left!"


    "I curse you to have your body exposed in the wilderness, eaten by demonic beasts after death! How dare you take away my money! Is this fair to us?"


    Gambler Old Yang broke pots and pans in his own home, fuming with anger and not in a light mood.


    On the other hand, the son of Old Yang¡¯s family, who worked as an assistant at Shanzhen Tower, was much calmer than his gambling father:


    "Dad, calm down. Let me do the math for you. Since Qiao Pian arrived in Taotie City, you¡¯ve earned twenty silver pieces by collecting stones, and some Taotie Gold as well, right?"


    "All this money, I would have to work at the biggest inn in town for half a lifetime to earn it. You¡¯re not at a loss, are you?"


    "Why not at a loss?" Old Yang was still upset:


    "I lent a total of three Taotie Gold to that man named Qiao, that¡¯s real gold! Taotie Gold!"


    "I should have made a big profit, but he ran off halfway through, leaving me with just this little bit. Shouldn¡¯t I curse him for it?"


    Old Yang¡¯s son was speechless, realizing that his own father thought he had earned too little and was cursing someone out¡­


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    The news of Qiao Mu running away naturally reached the ears of the leader of the Luo family, who had been following the matter closely.


    The leader of the Luo family was in a good mood today.


    "The troublesome Qiao family member finally ran away, and his reputation in this city ispletely ruined."


    The leader of the Luo family didn¡¯t have a good way to deal with Qiao Mu, especially since even the city lord advised them not to provoke him. What else could he do?


    "The Qiao family member has already fled, causing chaos in the whole Taotie City. I guess our golden business will be difficult in the future." With this thought, the leader of the Luo family felt frustrated.


    Qiao Mu¡¯s deceitful tactics are like burning bridges, not only running away himself but also blocking the paths of others whoe after him.


    In the following years, the mountain people of Taotie City are all worried about the gold, let alone letting our Luo family meddle in the gold business.


    "Forget it, there is no use dwelling on the past." the leader of the Luo family thought.


    "We need to consider carefully how our Luo family will conduct business in the future and which direction to take."


    "Let¡¯s hold a meeting in the ancestral hall to brainstorm ideas with our n members."


    Half a dayter.


    In the hall of the Luo family¡¯s ancestral shrine, a crowd of people gathered.


    Many of the Luo family¡¯s people, including the merchant Luo Cheng, had expressions like they had just lost their father, their faces turning green.


    "Don¡¯t just stand there." The n chief tapped the ground with a cane, making a crisp sound:


    "The Philosopher¡¯s Stone and gold have been taken away by the Qiao family. We won¡¯t be able to do gold business in the next few years¡­ What kind of business the Luo n should do in the future is a big issue."


    "Luo Cheng, you are a merchant and have seen a lot. You speak first," the n chief said.@@novelbin@@


    However, at this moment, Luo Cheng¡¯s face turned even greener. He hesitated for a while and finally shook his head, saying:


    "n chief, don¡¯t worry about the family business¡­ We don¡¯t have any spare money now."


    "That¡¯s right¡­" Luo Cheng spoke up, and other members of the Luo family also started to speak:


    "It¡¯s all because of the Demon Spear Qin Li, colluding with that despicable Qiao Pian!"


    "I regret trusting that Qing Li; who knew they were in cahoots!"


    "Who would¡¯ve thought Qiao Pian would run away so soon; I hadn¡¯t even had the chance to grow mywork and reach the next level."


    The leader of the Luo family was puzzled.


    "What level? Who is Qing Li?"


    As he listened, he gradually guessed what was happening and suddenly had a bad feeling.


    "You all kept it from me, secretly being swindled by someone named Joe for money?"


    "How can we say swindled¡­" The trader, Luo Cheng, looked a bit embarrassed.


    "It¡¯s just business, we only faced losses. In business, who hasn¡¯t faced losses before?"


    "Logically speaking, Qiao Pian¡¯s business had just started and clearly had potential for profit. I wonder why as soon as it started, he ran away?"


    "What business? What did you discuss with that man named Qiao?" The n leader frowned.


    As Luo Cheng narrated Qiao Mu¡¯s business secrets in detail, the n leader¡¯s eyes widened, and he unconsciously ced a hand over his heart, feeling short of breath.


    "You¡¯ve been chasing geese all day and now you¡¯ve been pecked in the eye by a goose."


    "Greed clouded your judgment, thinking you could easily escape the scam¡­ and falling victim to such an obvious trick¡­"


    "n leader, please calm down. We knew it was a scam," Luo Cheng smiled bitterly. "We just didn¡¯t expect Qiao Pian to run away so quickly."


    "You know nothing!" The n leader¡¯s chest heaved, his eyes bulging round, as he sternly dered:


    "This scam wasn¡¯t meant to deceive themon folks; it was specifically aimed at our Luo family, a case of wolves preying on wolves! Utilizing sophisticated tricks to target our Luo family for deception."


    "During this time, the townspeople either received some silver or Taotie Gold from Qiao Pian, but in reality, they were duped into picking stones and wasting time. Only those experienced in deceit like our Luo family were deliberately approached by Qiao Pian for coboration¡­"


    "What makes you think he approached you, just based on your arrogance?"


    The vige leader stayed out of the situation, but still managed to solve the mystery of the Luo family¡¯s people.


    "It¡¯s over now, saying these things won¡¯t help," the leader sighed.


    "How much did you lose? How much do you still have¡­ What? You lost ten thousand pieces?"


    The leader was speechless for a moment. Ten thousand silver pieces, almost all the money earned by the family through gold business over the years, was almost lost¡­


    He suddenly felt short of breath, and couldn¡¯t help but think back to the day when he first met Qiao Mu in the ancestral hall.


    The leader of the Luo family at that time had strong faith in the legend of Golden Vige.


    The leader at that time said that faith was a powerful force¡­and he truly believed it.


    But now, it seemed that only he truly believed in the gold of Golden Vige within the whole Luo family. The rest were just opportunists, that¡¯s why they were tricked by Qiao Mu.


    In the end, Qiao Mu deceived everyone by creating fake Taotie Gold right under his nose, causing a huge turmoil in the city in just a few days¡­


    This was done intentionally in front of him, using false means to deceive him.


    "A group of fools¡­ greedy like a snake that gulps down an elephant!" The leader of the Luo family threw away his cane and staggered a few steps before his mouth turned sweet, he spat out a mouthful of blood, suddenly feeling dizzy.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    When the leader of the Luo family woke up again, he found himself back in his own home.


    What made his heart beat fast was the fact that there were no other members of his n in his home, only a familiar figure standing by his bed, watching him expressionlessly.

 Chapter 303 (1)

    Chapter 303 (1)


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    "Qiao¡­ Qiao Pian?"


    The leader of the Luo family¡¯s heart pounded, he almost couldn¡¯t catch his breath, and his back broke out in a cold sweat.


    During these days, Qiao Pian had be almost like a nightmare to him. He had worked hard to build the Luo family into a prominent local n, but because of Qiao Pian, he had suddenly returned to his impoverished state of the past.


    "Don¡¯t get too worked up first, it¡¯s not good for your heart." Qiao Mu kindly reached out and ced his hand on the back of the Luo family¡¯s leader, sending a warm energy that made the old patriarch feel all warm inside.


    Chief: ¡­


    Is Qiao Pian afraid of being angered on the spot, so he kindly transfers his inner strength to him? He really, I¡¯m so touched¡­


    "You cheated my people out of ten thousand taels, and you dare toe back?" After the initial shock, the chief¡¯s face turnedpletely dark.


    The money of the vigers is indeed not his.But the Luo family is a family that does business together, the other vigers are penniless, some even owe debts, he alone cannot bear it, it¡¯s impossible to regain the past glory.


    Qiao Mu didn¡¯t respond, just gave him a sharp look, and in an instant, the chief no longer felt warmth, as if he was in an icehouse, every inch of his skin felt like it was being cut by a knife.


    The previous chief was a self-proimed stubborn old man of faith, but as the younger generation in the n were progressively cheated of money, his beliefs also copsed, no longer as stubborn as before.


    "Master Qiao, this visit this time, is it to inquire about the secrets of Golden Vige?" The chief quickly changed his tune,pletely yielding:


    "I can say, but I hope Master Qiao will consider the difficult life of my people and return the ten thousand silver coins."


    Qiao Mu¡¯s face remained the same, and he said calmly:


    "You mean, the owner of Shanzhen Tower, right?"


    Qiao Mu had the habit of not hanging himself on a tree. During these days, he had Impermanent Demon Cat searching the entire city and found more than ten pieces of gold nuggets.


    In Taotie City, there were more people who obtained gold nuggets than just Luo family¡¯s leader. It¡¯s just that this person was clever and turned the gold nuggets into a profitable gold business, making a big profit from it.


    The leader¡¯s face changed dramatically:


    "How did you know¡­ that the gold nuggets in my possession were indeed obtained from the owner of Shanzhen Tower. Most of the gold nuggets in the citye from him." Luo family¡¯s leader¡¯s words hinted at trouble brewing, "And now that you know, why did youe specifically to see me?"


    "Nothing else." Qiao Mu said casually:


    "Just catching up, I recently earned ten thousand silver coins and wanted to share the joy of making money with you."


    "You, you, you¡ª" The leader of the Luo family spat out a mouthful of blood again, feeling dizzy and unconscious once more.


    Qiao Mu ignored the Luo family¡¯s leader, leaped out of the window, and disappeared like a wisp of smoke.


    Qiao Mu didn¡¯t expect any information from the Luo family¡¯s leader.


    This person was a cunning merchant, if he had given information, he might have set a trap.


    Qiao Mu¡¯s "Eye Sword Technique" originated from the Spirit Refining martial artist Sword Ghost. He had cultivated this technique to the level where he could use his eyes as a sword, creating sword light that turned illusions into reality, reaching an incredible realm.


    Dealing with an ordinary person like the Luo family¡¯s leader who had no martial arts training, Qiao Mu felt somewhat constrained.


    His Eye Sword Technique was always used against martial artists, it was too fierce. Like a sharp sword drawn from its sheath, it emanated a sharp edge that could make people¡¯s hearts shatter invisibly, causing devastating harm.


    To control its power and suppress the minds of ordinary people without killing them, Qiao Mucked this experience.


    But Condor Wei En, the number one in the world, was different, this was his specialty.


    After leaving the chief¡¯s house, Qiao Mu didn¡¯t immediately go to Shanzhen Tower, but headed to a bamboo forest on the outskirts of the city.


    In the bamboo forest, a person was standing from a distance, and it was Master Chen who had been waiting here for a long time.


    "Mr. Qiao, you really came?" Master Chen was initially a bit nervous, but seeing Qiao Mu¡¯s furrowed brow, he rxed.


    During these days, Qiao Pian¡¯s name went from being famous throughout the city to being shunned by everyone like a street rat, which made him truly worried.


    After all, he was the first one to invest money and lend five hundred taels to Qiao Mu.


    He thought Qiao Mu would disappear and run away, but didn¡¯t expect him toe specially to meet him.


    Nowadays, those who lend money are in charge, so Qiao Mu¡¯s request for a meeting truly made him uneasy.


    "This is a thousand taels." Qiao Mu didn¡¯t say much, and directly gave Master Chen a thousand-tael silver note.


    "Why is it a thousand taels? The loan was only five hundred taels, right?" Master Chen was puzzled.


    "I will repay the borrowed five hundred taels, and I will give you another five hundred taels as payment for guarding this city and watching over the Luo family," said Qiao Mu.


    Master Chen suddenly felt the one thousand taels banknote in his hand be heavy.


    The Qiao family member was not just a lone martial artist, but a mysterious family with many outstanding martial artists whose skills were unmatched.


    So, dealing with the Qiao family¡¯s money was quite a challenging task¡­


    Qiao Mu said, "Taotie City is just a small city on the mountain. Besides the skilled outsiders, you are already the top martial artist in this city. With you here, the Luo family won¡¯t cause any trouble."


    What about the city lord of this city?


    As a second-ranking martial artist in the Spiritual Refining Period, Master Chen could easily defeat the city lord in a one-on-one duel, but he couldn¡¯t handle an army alone.


    Moreover, why would he want to antagonize the authorities of the Great Yan Imperial Court by picking a fight with the city lord?


    Although the authorities in the Southwest Province had lost contact with the Great Yan Imperial Court and were no match for the Feather King Army, defeating Master Chen as a second-ranking martial artist in the Spiritual Refining Period wouldn¡¯t be difficult.


    After the two people finished talking, Master Chen left.


    Qiao Mu was about to leave the bamboo forest when he saw a figure in blue clothes carrying a spear made of iron bars blocking his way.


    With a shake of Qing Li¡¯s hand, a blurry white object flew towards Qiao Mu. As he caught it, he realized it was a silver coin.


    The weight of the silver coin was only about an ounce. It seemed like Qing Li¡¯s purse was almost empty¡­


    Just then, as Qiao Mu thought about it, the figure in blue clothes brandishing a spear lunged forward with a sharp piercing sound in the air.


    Prairie Fire!


    Qing Li, being a half-demon, had physical strength far beyond an ordinary person. With her high level of skill in spear techniques, the iron bar spear in her hands unleashed tremendous force, like a fierce wildfire.


    Despite being a woman, her fighting style was fierce and explosive, like a volcanic eruption.


    Swinging the long spear around, the air made sharp noises, the tip of the spear separating the airwaves, the ground easily cut open into long trenches. She was extraordinarily fierce.


    However, his opponent was Qiao Mu, who was also good at overpowering others with strength.


    After exchanging blows for dozens of rounds, Qiao Mu¡¯s internal strength surged again.


    "Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, double power."


    The originally strong white energy turned into a blood-red color, doubling in size in an instant, with blood seeping out of the pores of his hands and arms.


    With a burst of physical strength and internal power, Qiao Mu¡¯s long spear pushed aside Qing Li¡¯s spear, the immense force causing her to drop her weapon.


    The long spear rotated several times in the air before embedding itself into the ground at an angle.


    "Why use the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method?" Qing Li asked, sounding puzzled.


    Their fight was not a fight to the death, and both of them understood that. So why resort to such a dangerous and powerful technique?@@novelbin@@


    "The Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method is part of my strength, and I¡¯m not going to hold back," Qiao Mu said confidently.


    The Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, when used at five times the normal power, can be deadly for most people, but for Qiao Mu, it may only result in a week of weakness.


    Using the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method at only twice the power can cause severe damage to the arms, requiring three days of using the Shape Changing Skill to heal.


    Qiao Mu¡¯s body has been strengthened by years of using the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method, making his internal pathways wider and stronger, so a mere two times the normal power is like a drop in the bucket.


    Qing Li felt speechless and turned to leave, but before she did, she nced at Qiao Mu and said:


    "These past few days, I havee to realize that your deceit is just one rogue taking advantage of another."


    "Deceiving the people of the city is just a farce, a lesson for them to be more cautious. By fooling the vigers into picking stones for a few days, they may learn to avoid falling for simr tricks in the future."


    Qiao Mu replied, "If that¡¯s how you see it, so be it. It¡¯s hard to reason with stubborn fools."


    "What if the people of the city are deceived again? Not everyone may be as wise as you think." Qing Li remembered Gambler Old Yang.


    He had a strong gambling habit, and despite his age, it was clear that experience hadn¡¯t increased his wisdom.


    He had been gambling for half of his life, and continued to do so without making any progress.


    "Then give up on helping others and respect their fate," Qiao Mu shrugged.


    Qing Li fell silent for a moment and then continued:


    "If you do this, no one will thank you, they will only bring shame upon the whole city."


    "The Qiao family has been known for valuing righteousness over life and death, but now with someone like you, a fraudster, it tarnishes the reputation of the Qiao family, doesn¡¯t it?"


    "I indeed yed a trick on the entire city, fooled them into going to the riverside to pick up stones, wasted good several days. If they want to scold me a bit, it¡¯s not unreasonable."


    Qiao Mu chuckled and said:


    "What does it matter to me, whether they call me names or praise me?"


    Qiao Mu may seem like a good person on the surface, but he enjoys listening to others praise him.


    If he had to choose between a good reputation and a bad one, he would definitely choose a good reputation.


    But that doesn¡¯t mean he would endure physical pain or spend decades in prison in his dreams, just for the sake of a good reputation.


    He is over seven hundred years old, and he is happy with the fame he has.


    If he had a bad reputation instead of a good one, he wouldn¡¯t care too much either.


    Qing Li fell silent again, and her opinion of Qiao Mu changed slightly as she looked into his eyes.


    "Mr. Qiao is quite carefree, truly admirable."


    At that moment, she didn¡¯t address Qiao Mu as "Master Qiao" as usual.


    These days, Qiao Mu and Demon Spear Qin Li have fought many times, but they have hardly spoken to each other. Today was considered a lot.


    Earlier, she challenged Qiao Mu not because of his character, but because she trusted her foster brother Zhao Hu and thought Qiao Mu was worthy of inheriting theplete "Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear."


    Today, she looked at Qiao Mu with new respect and stopped calling him "Master Qiao".


    However, her attitude remained unchanged, not bing warmer, instead she began to talk seriously about martial arts with Qiao Mu.


    "The essence of Prairie Fire is ¡®heart like a zing fire¡¯."


    "Life is like wild grass, heart is like a zing fire."


    "This is a lethal move my master, Spear Saint,prehended years ago. Without the appropriate mindset, using it would just be empty movements with no actual meaning."


    Qiao Mu felt a stir in his heart and asked:


    "Spiritual refining martial arts?"


    "Correct," Qing Li exined.


    "Once you reach the level of spiritual refining superb rank in martial arts, there is no turning back. Since you have obtained ¡®Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear¡¯, I believe you also understand the intentions of our master¡­"


    "He wanted to record his martial arts experiences with the intention of creating a new Superb Martial Arts for future martial artists. However, he onlypleted part of it, leaving behind "Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear" and a collection of martial arts wisdom in hister years."


    Qing Li used to underestimate Qiao Mu, but after learning the reason behind his dishonesty today, she looked at him with new respect and started thinking differently.


    Passing on skills from one master to another.


    The Spear Saint had already passed away.


    Among the descendants of the Spear Saint, there was only Zhao Hu who held the 1st rank. Although his martial arts skills were good, they were not yet at the highest level.


    The one who truly deserved the title of "Spear Saint sessor" was actually Qing Li, a naturally powerful half-demon.


    Even without internal strength, Qing Li¡¯s proficiency in the "Demon Spear" technique was more than enough to inherit the teachings of the Spear Saint.


    "To my teacher, merging emotions with techniques, uniting body and mind, is the pinnacle of spiritual refining martial arts beyond the superb rank." Qing Li continued:


    "Among them, the best is the "Heavenly shing Swordsmanship" of the Earth Sword Immortal."


    "This kind of spiritual refining martial art is hard to grasp if your state of mind is not there."


    Qiao Mu nodded.

 Chapter 303 (2)

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    Heavenly shing Swordsmanship is the same way. Even Earth Sword Immortal couldn¡¯t perform it when he was not focused.


    This level of spiritual refining martial art demands a higher state of mind and will. Without reaching that point, it can¡¯t fully unleash its power.


    Earth Sword Immortal is the top martial artist, unmatched in this field.


    Though Spear Saint was once ranked second to Earth Sword Immortal, there was quite a gap between them.


    The difference is¡­ Earth Sword Immortal is a genius and can create Heavenly shing Swordsmanship based on instinct.


    Top martial artists like Spear Saint naturally don¡¯t match Earth Sword Immortal in martial arts achievements.


    Though not as skilled, Spear Saint can write martial arts manuals and insights, roughly organizing techniques and martial arts beyond superb rank.


    This, even Earth Sword Immortal wouldn¡¯t be able to do, he is an extraordinary talent.Qing Li said, "After reaching the 1st rank of Spiritual Refining Period, the powerful ¡®spirit¡¯ can already influence external things."


    "So, how tobine this powerful ¡®spirit¡¯ with the martial artist¡¯s ¡®skills¡¯ for use in realbat, was the issue that the teacher pondered in theirter years."


    With that, Qing Li turned away once again.


    Her interactions with Qiao Mu were very simple, either sparring or discussing martial arts, without intending to have any deeper personal connection with Qiao Mu.


    "Wait." Qiao Mu spoke up at this moment, stopping her in her tracks.


    "Since you know that it was the people from Xishan Vige who passed on the ¡®Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear¡¯ to me, don¡¯t you have more questions to ask?"


    From the beast ve Chen Heihu, Qiao Mu learned that Qing Li had left Xishan Vige many years ago and hadn¡¯t returned for a long time.


    So, since she had met Qiao Mu who had been to her hometown, why didn¡¯t she ask a few questions about her hometown?


    This is actually a bit strange.


    "¡­.I don¡¯t want to listen," Qing Li not only refused to listen but walked even faster.


    It wasn¡¯t until she was far away from the bamboo forest that she muttered to herself:@@novelbin@@


    "Xishan Vige is shrouded in thick fog all day long, it¡¯s like a formation of the Immortal Gate."


    "With the formation of the Immortal Gate, how can outside monsters disturb us? So, Xishan Vige is indeed safe."


    "The safety of Xishan Vige actually depends only on me."


    "As long as I am still the Feather King of the Immortal Gate, as long as I am still ackey of the Immortal Gate, Xishan Vige will remain unharmed." ???¨®??§¦?


    Qing Li¡¯s mood was a bit deste as she walked away by herself.


    The soul left in Xishan Vige suddenly disappeared¡­ she seemed to have intentionally or unintentionally forgotten about this matter.


    It¡¯s like a worker waking up to find a missed call on their phone at midnight from their family back home.


    When the worker calls back, the family says there¡¯s nothing wrong, just a mistaken call.


    Despite feeling anxious, the worker dys going back home, afraid to face the truth.


    It¡¯s just fear of going near home.


    The closer to home, the more fearful the heart.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    Shanzhen Tower.


    This is the biggest restaurant in Taotie City, where only rich and wealthy peoplee and go.


    Yang Dabai is a helper in the restaurant, working hard every day from dawn to dusk, earning a living day by day.


    Despite being busy and tired, he has been feeling quite good recently.


    For some reason, in recent years, the boss of Shanzhen Tower has been very generous, increasing wages, and even giving some gold as rewards to good workers and chefs.


    Even Yang Dabai, who works as a server, recently received a Gold Ingot as a reward.


    With the boss being so generous with money, Yang Dabai naturally worked even harder.


    "The guests at that table in the front hall are so strange, they actually brought a cat to dine." In the restaurant kitchen, several chefs are discussing:


    "The focus isn¡¯t on the cat dining, but on how fat that cat is."


    "Its belly is almost touching the table, still eating voraciously, it¡¯s like a bottomless pit, could it be a glutton reincarnated?"


    "Is it really that mysterious?" Yang Dabai carries the dishes out of the kitchen, and takes a nce at that table in the front hall corner.


    Indeed, he sees that the guests at that table have ordered a full spread of dishes, and what¡¯s even more surprising is that the food is split into two portions, one for the people and one for the cat.


    People are easy to handle.


    The cat is really chubby, still eating voraciously, its belly round and almost touching the table, looking like a well-fed Tom cat.


    "Had enough to eat? If so, I¡¯ll find the owner," said Qiao Mu.


    Qiao Mu gently patted the fat cat¡¯s back.


    In recent days, fat cat impermanence has been able to easily sniff out the smell of gold and stones, using it to find people who have had contact with creatures from Golden Vige.


    The boss of Shanzhen Tower was likely the first person to encounter the creatures of Golden Vige.


    Qiao Mu had originally nned to knock on the door directly.


    Later, he heard that the dishes at Shanzhen Tower were a local specialty, so he changed his mind and decided to eat first before confronting the boss.


    "Not enough, more more more¡­" The chubby cat wagged its tail, which pped against Qiao Mu¡¯s palm, and continued eating eagerly.


    Regr cats shouldn¡¯t eat greasy human food, but Wuchang is a spirit, so he doesn¡¯t care about this rule.


    "Almost done?" Qiao Mu gently rubbed the round belly of the chubby cat, making it ripple like water.


    He cleared his throat and pped the table with a loud bang.


    "This food is terrible, it¡¯s like pig slop!"


    "How dare you call this the top restaurant in Taotie City? Where is your boss? Have hime see me!"


    Wuchang angrily nced back at Qiao Mu, ring at him with his eyes while still eating.


    "This is really¡­ like pig slop!"


    Qiao Mu looked around with sharp eyes as if they were a sword.


    It was obvious that Qiao Mu was looking for trouble, but his gaze was too intense for anyone to meet.


    By rights, there¡¯s no need for the boss of Shanzhen Tower to personally deal with troublesome guests.


    But Qiao Mu¡¯s presence was too strong, his gaze too piercing, no one dared to approach him and ask questions.


    After a long time, a well-built middle-aged man with a smile on his face walked over.


    "Sir, is the food at our restaurant not to your liking?"


    After speaking, the boss couldn¡¯t help but nce at the little cat ying nearby.


    "Who are you? Bring your boss here!" Qiao Mu snorted coldly.


    The boss of Shanzhen Tower was the first to engage with Golden Vige, and he was not one to be overly polite.


    "I am the boss." The boss continued to smile:


    "I have been running this restaurant for over twenty years. Do you think it¡¯s fake?"


    When Qiao Mu said that, the fat cat who was still eating lifted its head at the same time, nced at the boss, and even shook its head slightly to deny.


    Things became a bit moreplicated.


    The fat cat, Impermanence, could now smell a hint of something valuable, but the boss didn¡¯t have that smell at all.


    "Why don¡¯t you smell more carefully?" Qiao Mu frowned, picked up Impermanent Demon Cat, and let her sniff the air carefully.


    Unexpectedly, after Impermanence sniffed, she suddenly turned her head and pointed with her furry cat paw towards Yang Dabai, the helper in the front hall.


    "What does this mean? Could it be that the helper who carries trays is the real owner of this restaurant?" Qiao Mu asked in confusion.


    "That¡¯s ridiculous," the fat boss chuckled, appearing friendly and not at all pretentious.


    Qiao Mu stared at the fat boss, feeling a bit impatient, and prepared to act recklessly.


    He took out a sword from his storage bag and ced it across the fat boss¡¯s neck.


    "That¡¯s just right." Qiao Mu¡¯s sharp eyes were like swords, and the long sword in his hand shimmered with a cold light.


    "Someone hired me to kill the boss of Shanzhen Tower. Since you¡¯re the boss, I made easy money."


    "No, no, no¡ª" The chubby boss broke out in a cold sweat. This person¡¯s eyes were too keen, like a ruthless killer who sees death as an everyday thing!


    He didn¡¯t doubt this guest at all. He really dared to do something in broad daylight¡­


    "Sir, please don¡¯t act rashly. I¡¯m not really the boss anymore." The chubby boss trembled as he spoke:


    "Although I opened this restaurant, I couldn¡¯t keep it going due to poor management three years ago."


    "I sold the entire restaurant to someone else. It¡¯s just that the boss didn¡¯t want to show up, so he had me act as the manager in public."


    "What¡¯s going on?!" Because of Qiao Mu suddenly drawing his sword, a crowd had gathered in the lobby, including diners and the restaurant staff.


    Yang Dabai was also in the crowd and suddenly understood.


    This matter waspletely unknown even to him, a helper who had worked in the tavern for several years, let alone others.


    "So the store owner had been reced long ago, no wonder¡­." Yang Dabai muttered.


    "The fat boss turned out to be a shrewd and calcting person, how could he possibly pay generous wages, and even give out gold as rewards¡­."


    "It turns out that the real owner had already been reced, so the changes in wages were obviously the idea of that owner? Truly a kind-hearted person."


    At this point, Yang Dabai thought to himself, then heard Qiao Mu ask again:


    "So who is the real owner of your tavern? What is their name? Where do they live?"


    The fat boss¡¯s voice trembled as he replied:


    "He is called Yang Xiaoqian, a gambler from the outer city¡¯s Fengsha Alley, Old Yang¡¯s youngest son."


    When this name was spoken, many people present shifted their gaze and looked at Yang Dabai.


    Yang Dabai couldn¡¯t help but widen his eyes.


    "Boss, what are you saying?" Yang Dabai eximed.


    "My younger brother has quit his job and been idle at home these years, going out early and returningte every day. How could he be the owner of Shanzhen Tower?"


    "If he¡¯s so rich, how could my family still be living in a ce like Fengsha Alley outside the city?"

 Chapter 303 (3)

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    The fat boss sighed softly at these words.


    "Big White, why do you think that as a mere helper, you could receive a Gold Ingot as a reward?"


    "Those were all requested by your brother Yang Xiaoqian himself. Even though this restaurant is seemingly managed by me, it¡¯s all to hide it from you."


    "That¡¯s quite interesting," Qiao Mu sheathed his long sword and said.


    "Gambler Old Yang is a famous gambler far and wide."


    "His eldest son, Yang Dabai, works diligently as an assistant at Shanzhen Tower."


    "However, the younger son, Yang Xiaoqian, secretly became the behind-the-scenes boss of Shanzhen Tower, keeping his wealth hidden and even deceiving his parents and siblings. It seems like he is unemployed and living with his parents?"


    The leader of the Luo family obtained a gold stone, making the whole Luo family wealthy and forming a prosperous n in the area.However, Yang Xiaoqian, who was the first to receive the gold stone, kept his wealth hidden and indulged in secretive activities?


    "Now, let¡¯s go visit Old Yang family."


    Qiao Mu mmed some silver ingots on the table, picked up the fat cat, and left without anyone daring to stop him.


    He initially thought the owner of Shanzhen Tower was the fat boss, so naturally, he didn¡¯t need to be polite.


    Now it seems that they are just some employees, so there is no need to make things difficult for them.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    Outside the city, Fengsha Alley.


    The Old Yang family was not rich. The husband and wife made a living by selling vegetables, chickens, ducks, and other poultry. They worked hard for their livelihood.


    When Old Yang was young, he didn¡¯t gamble. He was diligent and actually saved up a little money.


    But as he reached middle age, he saw that selling vegetables couldn¡¯t make much money. And without any other special skills, it seemed like this would be his life.


    So, he made a determined decision to enter the gambling scene, hoping to create a better future for his family.


    However, as he continued gambling, he almostpletely lost everything.


    The Old Yang family lived in two small adjacent tile-roofed houses. They were not wealthy, more like living in poverty.


    One bigger tile-roofed house was where Old Yang, his wife, and their eldest son Yang Dabai lived.


    The smaller tile-roofed house was where their youngest son Yang Xiaoqian lived.


    Outside was a small vegetable garden, where several chickens happily ran around. The ground was covered with scattered chicken droppings, and there was a faint smell of it in the air.


    "Would someone who has obtained a little treasure be willing to stay in a ce like this?"


    Qing Li reached out and adjusted her straw hat, looking at Yang Xiaoqian in front of her.


    Yang Xiaoqian was a young man around twenty years old, with a short beard on his chin and slightly messy hair. He seemed a bit rugged,pletely resembling an ordinary mountain dweller without anything special. ????£Â?s?


    "So, you finding me was quite surprising," said Yang Xiaoqian.


    Although Qing Li often helped Qiao Mu feed the animals these days, she never forgot her main purpose foring to Taotie City ¨C to find the gold.


    Her goal was simr to Qiao Mu¡¯s, but a little different.


    Qing Li also had the identity of the Feather King, so she was more urgent.


    Qiao Mu was only looking for monsters in Golden Vige to feed the spirits, so he wasn¡¯t in a rush. He spent several days ying around with the Luo family and their investments.


    Their goals were simr but fundamentally different, which is why Qing Li found Yang Xiaoqian before Qiao Mu did.


    Qing Li didn¡¯t say anything, she simply lifted the wooden bed in the house with her hand.


    With powers far beyond human limits, Qing Li casually lifted the whole bed in front of Yang Xiaoqian¡¯s astonished eyes, revealing a pile of gold bars underneath.


    Not only that, Qing Li also noticed a hiddenpartment on the floor. When she opened it, she found two small boxes inside.


    Inside the two small boxes were stacks of silver, although not arge amount. Each box had a few hundred pieces of silver.


    "With so much gold, why not treat yourself better?" Qing Li asked.


    Yang Xiaoqian frowned, seeming displeased with the question.


    "This is just where I sleep at night. I have my own ways of entertainment when I go out during the day, you need not worry," he replied.


    Qing Li nodded in understanding.


    "That¡¯s even stranger. Even if you don¡¯t show off wealth, it¡¯s not normal to stay in a ce like this for three years."


    "And your parents and siblings are all poor, right? Why not help them a little? After all, you have some treasure."


    This question seemed to anger Yang Xiaoqian, and he interrupted angrily, saying:


    "This is my private matter, why are you inquiring so much about it?"


    "You just want to know about Golden Vige from me, right? I can tell you." After witnessing the woman¡¯s strange power, Yang Xiaoqian willingly revealed the truth:


    "Golden Vige is fake, I made it up to deceive people and make them believe in it."


    "The actual truth is that outside the city, there is an abandoned God of Wealth¡¯s Temple¡­ The Wealth God is apassionate deity who can¡¯t bear to see people suffer."


    "Just go in front of the Wealth God statue, cry and roll on the ground in poverty, and the Wealth God will give you a Gold Transforming Stone."


    Qing Li nodded, but still stood there without moving.


    "I¡¯m curious¡­ Your family lives in a small house, even your brother Yang Dabai lives with your parents under the same roof." she asked.


    "It¡¯s reasonable that you keep your golden stones hidden. It¡¯s wise to keep wealth private."


    "You live with your family under one roof, pretending to be poor for three years, without helping your own parents. Why is that?"


    "Why are you so talkative?" Yang Xiaoqian said angrily.


    "My brother works at Shenzhen Tower as a helper, earned gold as reward, how much does it cost to build a house with that money?"


    "It¡¯s his own choice to be stingy, to save up and sleep in the same room with my parents. It¡¯s his decision, not my business."


    "You like meddling in other people¡¯s business? Didn¡¯t I tell you where the golden stones came from?"


    "Because I¡¯m a hypocrite, I enjoy interfering in others¡¯ family matters." Qing Li said expressionlessly.


    "Tell me quickly, or I¡¯ll punish you."


    After finishing speaking, she raised the iron spear in her hand and ced it across Yang Xiaoqian¡¯s throat.


    The tip of the spear pierced Yang Xiaoqian¡¯s skin, the cold sharp metal causing his mind to go nk, a trickle of blood flowing from the wound.


    "I said¡­ don¡¯t move!" Yang Xiaoqian cursed silently in his heart, but dared not speak a word ofint.


    At that moment, footsteps could be heard outside the house.


    The first to approach was Qiao Mu, with a fat cat on his shoulder and a different expression on his face.


    Following closely behind were the inn worker Yang Dabai, as well as the gambler Old Yang and his wife.


    Qiao Mu had originally intended for Yang Dabai to lead the way to the Old Yang family, but as they passed by the gambling den, they encountered Old Yang and his wife.


    Upon entering, Qiao Mu saw Qing Li threatening Yang Xiaoqian with the spear, surrounded by shining gold and silver treasures in the room, the scene truly dazzling.


    "This¡­" Old Yang and his wife¡¯s eyes widened in shock.


    They looked around at the room filled with gold and silver, then nced at Qing Li holding a long spear¡­


    Qing Li, wearing a hat that obscured her face, emitted an aura that kept people at a distance. Even without speaking, she exuded a subtle sense of authority.


    This kind of person obviously has a high status and position, not someone his own son can afford to provoke.


    And all this gold and silver in the house¡­ Clearly not something their own son owned.


    "So much gold and silver¡­" Mrs. Yang suddenly felt weak in the knees:


    "Xiao Qian, did you steal this noble¡¯s gold and silver, and were forced toe here?"


    "Sir¡­ my son didn¡¯t mean to steal¡­"


    "Mother, be quiet!" Yang Xiaoqian¡¯s face slightly turned red, angrily saying:


    "This gold and silver is rightfully mine, not stolen or snatched, all acquired by me in a legitimate way¡­ anyway, it belongs to me."


    After Yang Xiaoqian spoke up, Yang¡¯s mother almost started crying, holding Old Yang¡¯s hand and almost kneeling down in front of Qing Li.


    "Son, tell the truth now. You didn¡¯t steal or rob¡­ Did you win that money at the gambling house?" Old Yang guessed.


    Yang Xiaoqian¡¯s parents found his words quite distressing.


    Before he could even speak, his parents used him of stealing money and being a gambler.


    With all the gold and silver in the room now exposed to his parents, Yang Xiaoqian realized he couldn¡¯t keep hiding the truth.


    Especially with Qing Li standing nearby, holding a spear and threatening him.


    Feeling frustrated, Yang Xiaoqian coldly said to Qing Li:


    "You are always eager for gossip, here is the truth."


    "Outside Taotie City, there is a God of Wealth¡¯s Temple."


    "After we started to believe in the immortals of Yunxiao Sect, this God of Wealth¡¯s Temple was abandoned and no one visited it."


    "A few years ago, I happened to visit the God of Wealth¡¯s Temple and stopped by to pray for great wealth and fortune¡­ I was surprised to hear the Money God actually speaking."@@novelbin@@


    "The Money God said that while money is a good thing, people¡¯s greed is like an insatiable monster, a bottomless pit."


    "If he were to fulfill my wish and give me endless gold, it might not be a good thing for me¡­"


    "Of course, I didn¡¯t believe his words, so I earnestly asked the Money God to show kindness¡­ and he actually gave me a piece of gold nugget. But he also made me promise: to tell the other poor people in the city about the Money God¡¯s matter and let theme to get a piece of gold nugget too."


    ¡­¡­


    PS: In this book, one or two silver coins = 1000 units of money.


    This setting was actually mentioned in the previous Heyang City section, but I guess everyone forgot¡­ I roughly checked beforehand, and the purchasing power of silver coins varied from a few hundred to several thousand units of money in different dynasties. Sometimes, one or two silver coins even equaled five or six thousand units of money.


    So, when writing about Qiao Mu cheating ten thousand silver coins from the Luo family, it was quite a dilemma.


    If Qiao Mu lied about ten million dors, it wouldn¡¯t be that serious since he is from a mountain tribe, so it¡¯s not very reasonable.


    But if we say Qiao Mu only got a few thousand silver coins, that number is too small and makes him seem petty¡­ that won¡¯t work either.


    Maybe it¡¯s the influence of TV shows or novels, where there are tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of silver coins flying around, making silver coins seem less valuable.

 Chapter 304:

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    Outside Taotie City, there is an abandoned God of Wealth¡¯s Temple.


    This small temple is already in ruins, with the temple gate copsed and the walls bearing the marks of time.


    The wild grass in front of the temple is lush and thick, reaching up to the knees.


    Qiao Mu walked through the temple gate and looked up at the statue of the God of Wealth inside, only to find that the statue was also in a state of disrepair.


    The statue of the God of Wealth holds a Gold Ingot in its hand, but its face is already blurry, and even its head is not intact, with only half of the statue left.


    The big Gold Ingot in the hands looked intact, standing out in the fading broken stone statue¡¯s hand.


    Of course, this Gold Ingot was just a stone statue painted with gold paint.


    "The cities and towns in the Southwest Province have all converted to believe in the Yunxiao Sect¡¯s immortals, so these wild temples have naturally fallen into ruin," Qing Li said.She came to find the Golden Vige, and Qiao Mu had the same goal.


    "ording to Yang Xiaoqian, this god of wealth is a kind god who doesn¡¯t like to see people in need," Qing Li said.


    "As long as you devoutly worship and tell about your financial difficulties, you will receive a response and get some gold from the god¡¯s hand," she added.


    "Should I beg for money, or should I?"


    "Begging for money?" Qiao Mu shrugged. "If this god is truly kind, why did Taotie City have three years of storms and rain?"


    "Is this god good, or have people like Yang Xiaoqian who received gold from him gone astray?"


    Qiao Mu didn¡¯t say much, he took a step forward and punched the head of the statue of the God of Wealth in the air.


    With a loud bang, the head of the statue of the God of Wealth was instantly shattered into pieces by the punch, turning into a pile of dust and rubble.


    But after this punch, a faint voice started echoing in the small temple:


    "Why can¡¯t I be a kind god?"


    "I only gave them money, everything else is their own doing."


    Qiao Mu listened carefully, but couldn¡¯t determine where the voice wasing from, it seemed to be within the temple and the surrounding forest, elusive and untraceable. ?¨¢????§¦?


    "Qiao Pian," the voice pronounced.


    "I thought you were different. Turns out, you are just like everyone else, always ming everything on me." The faint voice echoed around.


    The voice recognized me? Qiao Mu frowned in secret.


    In fact, he had changed his appearance through Shape Changing Skill, now lookingpletely different from Qiao Pian.


    Qing Li could guess his identity, but from the sounds of the Golden Vige creature, did Qiao Mu notice him when he caused trouble in Taotie City?


    "You are not the source of trouble in Taotie City, am I?" Qiao Mu asked without blushing or being out of breath.


    He had only been in this city for about half a month, and although he deceived the Luo family of ten thousand ounces of silver, it was not enough to cause chaos in the whole city.


    "Let me ask you this: Is money a good thing?" a mysterious voice asked.


    "Of course it is."


    Qiao Mu thought to himself, Isn¡¯t that obvious? He wasn¡¯t a foolish person who drank too much chicken soup.


    "So when I bestowed precious stones upon the people of Taotie City, it was with good intentions," the mysterious voice said.


    "It¡¯s just that human desires are insatiable, and everyone falls prey to greed in their hearts."


    "When their greed gets out of control and they can¡¯t control the money I give them, they end up being ruled by money and be ves to greed."


    "So, the source of trouble in Taotie City has never been me, nor some philosopher¡¯s stone."


    "It¡¯s the deep-seated greed in people¡¯s hearts¡­" the voice sighed softly, with a hint of pity in its tone.


    "Misdeeds will bring disasters."


    "If one possesses excessive wealth but their mind cannot match it, they will be consumed by their desires."


    Qiao Mu listened quietly to the voice¡¯s narrative and carefully observed his surroundings, trying to locate the source of the elusive voice.


    "What I have done is merely a game about human nature," the elusive voice continued.


    "I only say to every poor person who enters this temple, pleading with me¡­"


    "If I give you a philosopher¡¯s stone, it will bring you endless gold, boundless wealth."


    "Will your life get better or worse?"


    The vague voice paused slightly and became lower:


    "Everyone."


    "Everyone gave me the same answer."


    "Naturally, it will get better."


    "But in these three years¡­ they were all wrong."


    Yang Xiaoqian, who received a touchstone, hid his money at home, pretending to be an ordinary person and interacting with his family during the day, secretly bing the behind-the-scenes boss of Shanzhen Tower.


    By using a little bit of gold and silver leaked from his fingertips as rewards, he made his adopted brother, who worked for him, cheer happily and vow to serve the restaurant owner wholeheartedly.


    The leader of the Luo family, who received a touchstone, turned the gold produced by the touchstone into a business, revitalizing the entire family, and through merchants like Luo Cheng, spread the legend of Golden Vige to outsiders, attempting to make themon understanding of Golden Vige the consensus of the entire Southwest Province.


    "Among those who obtained the Philosopher¡¯s Stone, none of them livedfortably with a little wealth." The voice murmured softly:


    "Either bing arrogant because of money, or bing greedier day by day¡­.in the end, they will not have a good ending."


    "Money is a good thing. But in this trial, everyone is a loser."


    "You make a smooth point." Qiao Mu said calmly.


    He paced around in this small broken temple, his gaze scanning around, suddenly bing sharp.


    "But¡­"


    Qiao Mu stopped his steps, stomped on the ground, and burst out with the Heavenly Dragon Eight Steps in an instant.


    In a sh, his figure turned into a faint shadow, rushing towards the broken statue¡­ holding the Gold Ingot in his hands.


    "But who the hell do you think you are? Do themon people need you to test them? Do they need you to preach to them? Stop pretending to be some kind of saint or deity!"


    "Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method!"@@novelbin@@


    He clenched his iron fist tightly, and a powerful surge of energy turned into a blood-red light and fiercely hit the Gold Ingot in the hands of the Wealth God.


    Buzzing¡­¡­


    The sound of the iron fist hitting the Gold Ingot was as loud as a bell, echoing through this small rundown temple.


    The strong wind stirred up in all directions, causing the Gold Ingot, painted in gold, to crash against the temple wall, making the already dpidated wall copse with a cloud of dust rising.


    The huge Gold Ingot floated up from the copsed temple wall, suspended in the air, emitting a golden light.


    Clearly, the Gold Ingot in the hands of the Wealth God statue was the so-called Golden Vige monster.


    The Gold Ingot was not made of gold, nor even copper, but just a stone painted with ayer of gold.


    Perhaps it was because of this that when this Gold Ingot statue transformed into a monster, it gained the magical ability to turn things into gold.

 Chapter 305 (1)

    Our Discord Server: .gg/PazjBDkTmW


    A stone-like golden ingot hovered in the air, surrounded by a circle of golden light shining all around.


    Inside this already dpidated temple, the golden light appeared even brighter and holier.


    Qing Li saw this scene, her emotions clearly not very high, showing little interest.


    She hade to seek the treasure of the Golden Vige, but now this scene clearly didn¡¯t meet her expectations.


    "Actually, those words just now¡­"@@novelbin@@


    Qiao Mu nced back at Qing Li with some surprise:


    "You didn¡¯t seriously listen to all of it, did you?"


    Qing Li didn¡¯t answer, just muttered to herself:"I once heard someone say, be careful when someone in front of you speaks high-sounding moral principles."


    "Most likely, people like this have hidden motives, they just use words to decorate."


    "What do you want to say?" asked Qiao Mu.


    Qing Li¡¯s sudden words clearly didn¡¯t discuss the character of the Gold Ingot Demon with him.


    "This Gold Ingot Demon, they say it often gives gold nuggets to poor people, gets involved in changing others¡¯ lives, so, what does it want?"


    "Maybe there really are kind people who help others without any reason, but do you think it looks like one?"


    Qing Li is a local person from Southwest Province, and at the same time she is a half-demon.


    She has actually dealt with many monsters inside these hundred thousand mountains.


    In this world, most monsters are difficult to judge using human morals andws.


    "Are you a different kind of rock monster that feeds on human desires?" Qing Li made a guess.


    "I heard that such different kinds often have the ability to enchant people¡¯s hearts."


    "By using magical rocks to stir up human desires, they obtain endless gold from you, while you feast on their desires and greed to strengthen yourself?"


    In the ancient times when spiritual energy was abundant, the mainstream monsters were those who absorbed the energy of heaven and earth for cultivation. The so-called different kinds were just a few special beings born in unique environments.


    It¡¯s just that the present situation is different now.


    In today¡¯s era, even the cultivators, who were once the rulers of heaven and earth, have declined significantly, relying on the assistance of incense for their practice. They have fallen behind, especiallypared to the Soul Changing Period, not to mention the monsters who were already inferior to cultivators.


    These different kinds born in special environments actually have a higher limit in this era.


    "Everyone just takes what they need." The Gold Ingot Demon didn¡¯t deny it, but just sneered:


    "People¡¯s hearts are deep, why do they still need me to deceive them?"


    "But there are some foolish humans who are not aware of their own foolishness," said Gold Ingot Demon lightly.


    "Qiao Pian, he¡¯s talking about you."


    Gold Ingot Demon let out a deep chuckle, and his voice spread out, "You don¡¯t actually think you are ying demons and protecting the people, do you?" ?¨¢??¨°B¨¨S?


    Just as the deep chuckle began, it abruptly stopped.


    A figure covered in blood soared into the air again, crashing forcefully into the shiny Gold Ingot Demon. With a pair of iron fists, it smashed the giant Gold Ingot, leaving clear cracks and dust in its wake.


    The Gold Ingot Demon cracked open, revealing ayer of golden skin underneath the shattered stone skin, shining with a faint metallic sheen.


    "Are you going to help me transform myself?"


    The Gold Ingot Demon¡¯s stone skin cracked all over his body, making him slightly smaller, but the golden light on his body became even brighter.


    "This is Taotie City, a small mountain city in the midst of a hundred thousand mountains," Gold Ingot Demon floated up again, his voice tinged with annoyance.


    "For three years, the legend of Golden Vige has been spreading for three years."


    "The entire Ten Thousand Mountains are nothing but the backyard of Yunxiao Sect. Do you think you can hide anything from Yunxiao Sect in this city?"


    "I have long been a member of Yunxiao Sect, while you, an outsider, have disturbed the peace of this ce and ruined the ns of many years."


    "You¡¯re already preparing to show off? All bark and no bite, what a waste." Qiao Mu didn¡¯t listen to him, unleashing his full strength and punching the Gold Ingot Demon repeatedly.


    Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!


    With each punch, golden light scattered, creating sounds like ringing bells that echoed through the mountains and forests, spreading far away.


    To Qiao Mu¡¯s slight surprise, the Gold Ingot Demon seemed to have no powerful attack methods, only dodging repeatedly.


    With each hit, cracks appeared on the Gold Ingot Demon¡¯s body, shrinking its form while the golden light grew brighter.


    Soon after being hit several times, the Gold Ingot Demon flew backward like a sharp arrow, heading towards Taotie City below.


    The abandoned temple wasn¡¯t far from Taotie City. Qiao Mu quickly chased and reached the gate area of Taotie City.


    "Who are you? This is the God of Wealth. How dare you disrespect the gods¡­" An old man dressed in gold and jade came out at the gate, pointing at Qiao Mu angrily, trembling with rage.


    "Without the God of Wealth, all the gold in Taotie City is just worthless stones. Can you handle it?"


    But no one paid attention to him.


    A figure surrounded by a blood-red aura stepped on empty space, aiming straight towards the floating Gold Ingot Demon.


    "Ripple Stacking Wave Strength, threeyers, fouryers."


    Powerful energy surged like a storm, erupting with each swing of Qiao Mu¡¯s fists.


    If Qing Li excelled in physical strength as a top martial artist, Qiao Mu was unparalleled in using internal strength techniques. Even the ancient emperor of Great Yan paled inparison to him.


    Yet, thisyered punch, like ovepping waves, required a brief moment to gather strength.


    When Qiao Mu gathered his inner strength and unleashed the Fourfold Wave, the Gold Ingot Demon was struck so heavily that it flew back rapidly like a shooting star, shining like a golden meteor tearing through the sky.


    The ce where the meteor stopped was right behind the Taotie City.


    "Qiao Pian, you are so foolish," the Gold Ingot Demon¡¯sughter echoed in the wind.


    "This is my escape route¡­ and next, it¡¯s my turn."


    . With a loud bang, the Gold Ingot Demonnded inside the Taotie City, powered by the immense strength of that punch.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    Inside the Luo Family Ancestral Hall.


    The leader of the Luo family leaned on a cane and once again gathered the younger members of the family.


    At this moment, in front of the long table in the ancestral hall, there was a table full of shining gold, looking very grand.


    "Chief, are you really going to share these gold coins with us?" eximed Luo Cheng and others.


    "You may take them." The chief cleared his throat and said.


    After feeling the joy of making money shared by Qiao Mu yesterday, he almost couldn¡¯t hold back his excitement.


    But at his age, he had been through all sorts of ups and downs. There¡¯s no obstacle he couldn¡¯t ovee.


    "Qiao Pian has already left, we, the Luo family, will have to carry on as usual."


    The chief was cautious, and secretly hid a lot of gold in a hidden cer in the city.


    Even though the philosopher¡¯s stone was gone, there was still a cer full of gold under his control, enough to revive Mount Dong for their Luo family.


    The chief wasn¡¯t entirely selfless, he couldn¡¯t just give away the family¡¯s silver to the n.


    But this gold was all made from nothing, created by the philosopher¡¯s stone, so he didn¡¯t mind sharing it.


    The gold that appeared would turn back into stones if no one believed in it.


    Members of the Luo family are closely connected. When the n is in trouble, he naturally gives out some gold to reassure the hearts of the n members, hoping to revive Mount Dong.


    "Let¡¯s distribute it all." The n leader waved his hand.


    "In the future, we must be more careful in our gold business and not provoke people like Qiao Pian again."


    The Luo family started in Taotie City, relying on the gold business to deceive greedy spectors like Old Yang.


    Now with enough gold on hand, it seemed that they only needed to redo the path they took three years ago¡­


    The leader of the Luo family was talking to the n members, describing the beautiful vision of Mount Dong¡¯s revival.


    But then there was a loud noise.


    A huge golden ingot broke through the roof of the ancestral hall andnded on the long table, shining brightly.


    "What¡¯s this? Did a Gold Ingot fall from the sky?"


    "Such a big Gold Ingot? How much weight is this?"


    "Unexpected fortune? Chief, this is a sign of good luck!"


    When everyone excitedly discussed.


    That huge Gold Ingot floated up, emitting a deep chuckle.


    "Don¡¯t be silly, good things don¡¯t fall from the sky."


    It¡¯s a demon, are they really going to help people for no reason?


    The Gold Ingot floated up, tilted slightly, as if overlooking the pile of gold on the long table, nodding in satisfaction:


    "Raised for a thousand days, today is finally the right time."

 Chapter 307:

    Our Discord Server: .gg/PazjBDkTmW


    Under the Sun.


    The golden light that filled the city quickly faded away under the sun, disappearingpletely, leaving only the broken thirty-meter stone statue half-kneeling on the ground.


    The crowd on the main street was originally rushing to grab the gold, but they could only watch in heartbreak as the gold slowly turned into stone, disappearing before their eyes.


    The frenzy on their faces gradually faded, and their hatred and malice vanished.


    Only when they looked up at the giant stone statue did a look of indescribable fear appear on their faces.


    With the death of the Gold Ingot Demon, the bewitching magic that clouded their minds dissipated, and they naturally regained their sanity.


    They didn¡¯t lose their memories; everyone remembered vividly the scene that had just taken ce.


    "This monster, it¡¯s a demon¡­. Such a huge demon, the walls of Taotie City could never stop it. If it were allowed to rampage in the city, the entire city would likely be destroyed.""And that fraud Qiao Pian, can he really defeat those kinds of monsters?! Can that fraud be even scarier than the monsters?"


    Many people in the crowd felt a mix of fear and anxiety in their hearts.


    The Gold Ingot Demon¡¯s sorcery amplifies evil thoughts in people¡¯s hearts, stirring up their emotions.@@novelbin@@


    They already harbored hatred towards Qiao Pian in their hearts, it was just magnified by the sorcery.


    But when they calmed down, all their hatred got overshadowed by fear, and they no longer dared to show any on their faces.


    Qiao Pian¡¯s power far surpassed the mountain people of Taotie City¡¯s understanding of martial artists, almost approaching the immortals in their minds from Yunxiao Sect.


    "Qiao Pian, this outsider actually managed to easily defeat that powerful monster?"


    At that moment, the merchant Luo Cheng was sweating profusely, recalling how he had incited the crowd to insult Qiao Pian earlier, regretting his actions deeply¡­


    "I must have been out of my mind, how could I have done such a thing?"


    "No no no¡­ it¡¯s never toote to make up for lost time."


    Luo Cheng was always full of ideas, and after thinking for a moment, he came up with a n and shouted loudly in the crowd:


    "Master Qiao, it was Qiao Pian and Master Qiao who saved us!"


    This sudden shout broke the silence on the street and caught the attention of many people from the Luo family nearby.


    Wow. Is this n member really shameless?


    The people from the Luo family hadn¡¯t forgotten, they remembered clearly how Luo Cheng had insulted Qiao Pian before.


    After some thought, the people from the Luo family understood Luo Cheng¡¯s intentions as a merchant, and they started to echo his words:


    "Thanks to Master Qiao for getting rid of demons and saving our city!"


    "If that huge demon had been allowed to destroy the city earlier, the consequences would have been unimaginable! Today we are lucky to have Master Qiao here." ??§Ñ¦­???§§?


    "Oh, I understand now. Master Qiao¡¯s actions before were actually a trap, purposely spreading rumors about Taotie Gold in the city to lure out the monsters hidden in the deep mountains."


    "Master Qiao is truly wise and farsighted, to have thought of this¡­"


    "Brave, strategic, possessing both wisdom and courage, a true hero!"


    In the blink of an eye, the situation had shifted.


    All of the Luo family¡¯s people were smart and knew how to adapt. They were scolding Qiao Pian earlier, but now they are praising him excessively and constantly changing their opinions.


    "The Luo family¡¯s people are really good at changing their stance with the wind¡­" a young man at the back of the crowd couldn¡¯t help but speak out.


    He had given in before and didn¡¯t dare to speak up for Qiao Pian. Feeling unfair, he couldn¡¯t help but speak out from the heart again.


    Soon, Luo Cheng gave him a sideways nce in the crowd and exined:


    "That¡¯s because we were bewitched by that monster before. It was the monster making us say those things."


    "Yes¡­ That monster really sends shivers down the spine, being able to manipte people¡¯s hearts¡­"


    "Luckily the monster has been defeated!"


    "That beast was really malicious, forcing me to speak ill of Master Qiao. It¡¯s disgusting to think about."


    "We must thank Master Qiao for rescuing us from the clutches of that monster. Being controlled and having our minds twisted was truly unbearable."


    "Among the crowd, there were also smart people who quickly changed the topic and started praising Qiao Pian again."


    Under the kneeling stone statue.


    Qing Li also heard the noisy gossip around her.


    "That young man¡­ is still a bit headstrong and is still thinking about right and wrong." Qing Li shook her head.


    She understood the whole situation clearly.


    "These people were saying mean things about Qiao Pian not because he killed someone, but because they felt intense hatred towards him."


    "Now they are being nice to Qiao Pian not because they understand the truth, but because their fear of him has ovee their previous hatred."


    So, even if Qiao Pian had really killed someone before and crushed the heads of Luo family¡¯s leader, Yang Xiaoqian, and others with his bare hands, these people¡¯s words would not change at all.


    Qing Li sighed and said, "The truth of this matter doesn¡¯t really matter, right and wrong don¡¯t matter."


    "What matters is the emotions."


    When she said this, Qiao Mu nearby looked at her with a hint of surprise.


    "No, why are you taking it seriously and analyzing it now? Are you actually listening to what they¡¯re saying?"


    Qiao Mu also didn¡¯t quite understand at this point.


    Qing Li, when the Gold Ingot Demon was manipting and reasoning in the temple, she listened attentively.


    In Taotie City, the mountain people criticized Qiao Pian harshly, butter changed their attitude¡­ she still listened carefully.


    "Ignore their nonsense¡­ If I take their words seriously, I would disrespect my own brain."


    "Are you tired from thinking about everything?" Qiao Mu shrugged.


    Ignoring whether these people were criticizing orplimenting, he put away the King Qin Sword into the storage bag, stretched his muscles, and prepared to leave.


    His trip to Taotie City was to feed the fat cat and to find something for himself to do.


    Now that this matter is finished, what¡¯s the use of staying in this polluted and materialistic Taotie City?


    At this moment, the fat cat was standing on Qiao Mu¡¯s shoulder, continuously pawing at the Gold Ingot left on the remains of the Golden Giant Demon.


    The remains of the Golden Giant Demon had turned into stones, leaving behind only the Gold Ingot, still shining in golden color.


    "Monster, are you still alive? Stop ying dead," Qiao Mu chuckled.


    "You enjoy testing people¡¯s nature, don¡¯t you? How about I hand you over to the mountain people of Taotie City, one person one vote, let them decide, should you live or die?"


    Gold Ingot showed no reaction, as if lifeless.


    "Actually, you are notpletely lifeless," Qiao Mu continued:


    "Those who have encountered Philosopher¡¯s Stone and Taotie Gold, such as the Luo family¡¯s people, most likely wish for you to live."


    "After all, if you are alive, you can sustain the existence of gold, the gold reserves in their hands will then have meaning." Qiao Mu had witnessed the spectacr scene of gold flying out of thousands of households in Taotie City before.


    Among the people in Taotie City, there were far more who hade into contact with gold than Qiao Mu had anticipated.


    "If you die, the gold in their hands will truly be just worthless pieces of rubble."


    "So, what do you say? Want to bet on thisst chance of survival? Don¡¯t pretend to be dead, nod your head, and I¡¯ll count to ten." Qiao Mu¡¯s lips slightly curled up.


    "One, two, three¡­"


    The Gold Ingot trembled slightly.


    It felt excited¡­


    At the same time, the fat cat suddenly snatched the trembling Gold Ingot and chewed it vigorously twice.


    Snap.


    A faint whimper and a sharp cracking sound came from the cat¡¯s mouth.


    "You greedy pig, always snatching food?" Qiao Mu angrily rubbed the fat cat¡¯s face.


    Just as the Gold Ingot Demon was starting to hope for escape, the fat cat crushed it, ying with its mind and testing its character.


    "But your character isn¡¯t all that great either, as soon as there¡¯s a chance, you can¡¯t resist,"


    Qiao Mu wasn¡¯t worried about the Impermanent Demon Cat that swallowed the Gold Ingot.


    Changeless was a demon. When it stayed at Peach Blossom Vi, it showed a strong interest in the Golden Vige¡¯s gold, which clearly followed its demon instincts.


    Just like a hungry wolf smelling the lingering scent of a goat and longing for it.


    By devouring the leftover demon body of the Gold Ingot Demon, it was naturally beneficial and harmless, but the specific benefits were unknown.


    "Ding, MeowMeow used a pure Gold Ingot and evolved into a Fortune Cat!"


    While ying with the cat, Qiao Mu made strange electronic sounds with his mouth, ignoring the gazes of countless vigers behind him, and left the town on his own.


    However, not long after leaving, a familiar figure appeared on the mountain road in front of him, it was Qing Li.


    "nning to lend me money again?" Qiao Mu asked, looking up.


    "Mr. Qiao was just joking," Qing Li replied politely and seriously.


    From start to finish, she kept a slight distance from Qiao Mu, only providingbat support and not engaging in much conversation.


    So far, the two of them still weren¡¯t getting along well.


    "Mr. Qiao has always been generous and understanding, I can¡¯tpare to him. But there¡¯s still one thing I don¡¯t understand, and I would like to ask for your advice," Qing Li said politely with the manners of a martial artist.


    "Mr. Qiao must know that the mountain people of Taotie City still hate you, they are just too afraid to show it," she said seriously.


    "Even though you killed that wicked golden demon, those mountain people probably won¡¯t be grateful for it. They will still feel like you ruined their good luck by destroying the dream of inheriting a fortune," she exined.


    "Now they praise Mr. Qiao highly and dare not speak ill of him."


    "But if Mr. Qiao leaves, after some time when the mountain people¡¯s fear fades, they will eventually start gossiping and criticizing you."


    "After you leave, they will curse you, nder you, and all the usations wille back and maybe even get worse," she warned.


    "After all the hard work of vanquishing demons, is it worth ending up with a bad reputation in the city?" Qing Li asked sincerely.


    Qiao Mu nced at her and replied slowly.


    "You have lived in the Southwest Province for so many years, you must have had a lot of dealings with monsters. Have you also engaged in monster-ying?"


    Qing Li nodded silently.


    "When you were hunting monsters before, was it to be appreciated by the world, or to gain a reputation as a hero?"


    While speaking, Qiao Mu didn¡¯t stop walking.


    As he uttered thest word, he had already brushed past Qing Li, gradually moving further along the mountain path.


    Qing Li stood silently in ce, not speaking for a long time, just tightly gripping the long spear in her hand, her knuckles turning slightly pale.


    "Is this the renowned Qiao family member from Zhong Province?" Qing Li lowered her eyelids.


    She is also a top martial artist from Jiu Province.


    In terms of bloodline, she is a descendant of the ancient divine bird Jingwei, naturally belonging to the elite among the group of demons.


    In terms of training, she is a closed-door disciple of the Spear Saint.


    When ites to talent and intelligence, she is one of the top geniuses of her time. Through hard work and dedication, she has achieved sess in mastering the skills of using the body¡¯s strength, earning the title of "Demon Spear".


    Despite having such great strength, it was still very difficult for them to move forward.


    The Qiao family members are a mysterious martial arts family with a great reputation in Nan Province and Zhong Province. The burden on the shoulders of Qiao family¡¯s martial artists seems heavier than hers, but why do they move so much more lightly¡­


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    Half a dayter, on the main peak of Yunxiao Sect, on Haiyun Peak.


    A Taoist with white hair, dressed in a white cloud robe, with a solemn expression like a mountain, was sitting cross-legged on a cushion with his eyes closed.


    "Master, we have sent someone to investigate the matter of the Golden Stone Demon in Taotie City."


    Taoist Child Yu Shan of the Yunxiao Sect bowed slightly, respectfully reporting to the Taoist with white hair on the cushion.


    Yu Shan is a Taoist child from the sect, and his master is the sect leader of Yunxiao Sect, who is also known as the Yunxiao Taoist Lord of this generation.


    Within the entire Yunxiao Sect, he is the only Soul Changing Taoist Lord.


    Yunxiao Sect Leader said, "I instructed the Golden Stone Demon to diligently practice in the mountain city until it cultivated a ten-foot golden body, but now as it nearspletion, someone has picked the peach¡­ It¡¯s its own fault forcking in temperament and deserving this cmity."


    "After all, it is a different species with unlimited potential. It is a pity that it died like this¡­ Who killed it? During these days, there have been no other Immortal Gate cultivators entering our realm."


    "It was the martial arts of the Qiao family from Hero Ind overseas, along with Qing Li," Yu Shan replied.


    Many mountain dwellers witnessed the existence of the Demon Spear Qin Li, making it not difficult for the Immortal Gate to investigate.


    Ignoring the former, the sect leader seemed more concerned about Qing Li¡¯s presence.


    "Letting her lead troops into battle, she ends up neglecting her duties all day and ying around with demon-ying tricks¡­ It¡¯s really¡­" Yunxiao Sect Leader¡¯s mouth slightly curved up:


    "It¡¯s truly marvelous."


    The person known as Feather King Qin Li, is vital to the Yunxiao Sect¡¯s grand n.


    Even if responding to other Immortal Gates and controlling Jiu Province to bnce the Human Emperor Sword, establishing the Earthly Immortal Kingdom, the importance of this major sect matter is slightly less than that of Feather King.


    In fact, before the Great Dao Sect of Zhong Province supported King Qin, Yunxiao Sect had already taken control of Demon Spear Qin Li, and Feather King cameter.


    Qing Li came first, then came Feather King.


    "Compared to her, Taotie City¡¯s Golden Stone Demon is nothing," the sect leader said.


    "If she can further improve her state of mind and deepen her determination, then the death of Golden Stone Demon will be worthwhile," they continued.


    "The Sect Leader has great foresight," Taoist Child Yu Shan also seemed to understand.


    "The more Feather King kills, the purer Qing Li bes. Her moral purity only intensifies," they noted.


    The more monsters and demons Feather King ys, the less tolerant she bes towards injustice, cutting down disrespectful children, corrupt officials, and man-eating monsters¡­


    The split between Feather King and Qing Li will only get heavier.


    "In ancient myths, the original Jingwei was not a monster, but a goddess," thought Yunxiao Sect Leader silently.


    "Jingwei Bird is a divine bird born out of obsession, with its endless obsessionsting for eternity."


    "If we can obtain a Jingwei, there may be hope to alleviate the plight of our Yunxiao Sect."

 Chapter 308:

    Chapter 308:


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    Inside Tide Listening Building.


    Landlord Nian Chao Sheng, with a handsome schr appearance, was standing in front of a long table, holding a brush and painting.


    He gently waved the brush tip, flexing his wrist, with a slight smile on his face, seeming to be in good spirits.


    Using ck ink to outline the mountains, delicate lines to depict the contours of the peaks, and light ink to depict the mist between the mountains, making one feel as if they were in a misty mountain.


    He then started painting, using the ink in the inkstone to outline birds, animals, and flowers. His movements were very gentle, as if he was caressing the paper. As time passed, more and more birds and animals appeared in the painting.


    At that moment, sunlight shone in, casting the schr¡¯s silhouette on the table.


    Nian Chao Sheng, with his handsome appearance and good painting skills, presented a picturesque scene.


    Suddenly, there were some hurried footstepsing from the stairs, breaking the peaceful atmosphere in the building."Landlord, today I discovered a big secret."


    Storyteller irvoyance came over excitedly, looking a bit thrilled.


    "Oh? Tell me about it," Nian Chao Sheng asked calmly.


    Without lifting an eyelid, he remained immersed in his painting.


    "I specte that the true identity of the Feather King is likely to be Demon Spear Qin Li, the top-ranked warrior in the Power List!"


    irvoyance guessed:


    "Actually, I determined it from the recent movements of the Feather King¡­."


    "It was also because she went to Taotie City in the Riverbank District a few days ago, that¡¯s when I¡ª-"


    "Oh." Landlord Nian Chao Sheng¡¯s tone remained unchanged:


    "That¡¯s strange."


    irvoyance noticed that Landlord¡¯s interest was not very high, his attentionpletely focused on painting.


    "Landlord, you probably already knew, right?" irvoyance was not very surprised.


    The Tide Listening Building had long been taken over by half-demons, and now it housed a group of people with strange abilities, butcking ambition.


    Characters like irvoyance and iraudience are not ordinary people.


    It was clear that they didn¡¯t use their abilities and talents well. They were not very confident and not very skilled half-demons.


    But Landlord Nian Chao Sheng was different.


    The Landlord of Tide Listening Building could create a safe haven in such chaotic times, amidst the Nine Immortal Gates, the mortal kingdoms, and the Wuji Association. Clearly, he was no ordinary person.


    In such times of chaos,mon people didn¡¯t even have the chance to be mediocre.


    The owner of Tide Listening Building could host a group of half-demons, which was umon.


    So, it was not surprising that the owner of Tide Listening Building, with great abilities, already knew about the truth that "Qing Li is the Feather King".


    "This is a big deal. If this news spreads, the whole Southwest Province will be in an uproar."


    irvoyance, the storyteller, was quite excited.


    He was a key figure in the Fantastic Faction and loved to explore these shocking and strange stories.


    But as soon as he said that.


    Nian Chao Sheng stopped his paintbrush for a moment, looked up expressionless, and nced at him.


    "irvoyance, you¡¯ve gone too far," Nian Chao Sheng said lightly.


    "Do you remember what the purpose of my Tide Listening Building is?"


    "Just listening to the tides, not making waves," irvoyance slowly recalled.


    "This matter is not insignificant, is it rted to the Immortal Gate? Would it be dangerous if I did that?"


    "The gravity of this matter is extraordinary, far beyond your imagination," Nian Chao Sheng nced at him and said.


    "Actually, when you trespassed into the Hundred-mile Desertst time, you had already broken the rules."


    irvoyance¡¯s expression froze.


    He is a half-demon. His father was actually one of the hundred thousand soldiers of the court back then, so he had this obsession.


    However, Nian Chao Sheng showed no sign of anger or me on his face, just calmly said:


    "It¡¯s actually quite normal. Whether it¡¯s a human or a monster, it¡¯s impossible to always be rational and clear-headed. There are times when emotions overpower reason."


    "Not following the rules is not a big deal. Anyway, the only requirement of Tide Listening Building is one thing."


    "If you cause trouble in the future and die because of it, don¡¯t mention the name of Tide Listening Building, so as not to involve the fellow residents in the building."


    irvoyance nodded slowly, "I understand."


    "I¡¯ll be frank with you, think about it yourself," said Nian Chao Sheng.


    "Deal with the consequences of your actions yourself, it¡¯s your own life after all. How you die is not my concern, so don¡¯t expect me to intervene."


    The rules of Tide Listening Building are like this ¨C avoid causing trouble.


    If you break the rules, it¡¯s out of my hands.


    "me me if you want, but it¡¯s your own fate. Don¡¯t expect me to risk myself for you," Nian Chao Sheng said indifferently.


    "I dare not me Landlord," irvoyance said nervously.


    "It¡¯s already a great kindness that Landlord shelters us, the outcasts of our kind. If rules are broken, each person is responsible for their own actions, and any resulting consequences are their own fault."


    "As long as you understand," Nian Chao Sheng said with a slightly less indifferent tone, continuing to paint.


    irvoyance stayed put, quietly observing Landlord painting by the side.


    This painting depicts a scene of mountains, water, birds, and animals.


    The ink-sshed mountains and waters in the painting are just the background. The most striking elements are the peculiar and exotic creatures inhabiting the scene.


    "Is Landlord preparing to paint a hundred beasts picture?"


    In the picture, there are many strange and rare creatures living in the mountains and forests. They all look extraordinary and not like ordinary wild animals.


    In the sky in the painting, there are various kinds of divine birds with different appearances.


    There is the Great Sun Golden Crow in the midst of the red sun, the Kunpeng with wings that cover the sky¡­ and of course, the Jingwei Bird.


    Compared to the extraordinary divine birds like the Three-legged Golden Crow, the phoenix, and the Kunpeng, the Jingwei Bird seems a bit small and less dazzling.


    "Landlord," irvoyance asked again.


    "It would be interesting to make a list of the top ten divine birds, but¡­"


    "Although the Jingwei Bird is also known as a divine bird, who do you think is strongerpared to the phoenix and the Kunpeng?"


    The topic ofparing strengths in the Tide Listening Building was a popr pastime for the storytellers, but today irvoyance¡¯s question¡­


    Nian Chao Sheng nced at him and seemed a bit annoyed.


    irvoyance understood his thoughts, so he began to exin:


    "The so-called divine birds are actually mythical creatures from ancient times."


    "The older and more ancient the demonic creatures are, the more powerful they be. In ancient times, they were known as divine birds and beasts."


    "The Three-legged Golden Crow, phoenix, and roc are all ancient divine birds." said Nian Chao Sheng.


    "Ancient texts mentioned that the roc could soar thousands of miles with one p of its wings, reaching up to ny thousand miles."


    "The Three-legged Golden Crow is an extraordinary bird born under the scorching sun."


    "The phoenix is known as the king of birds, no need to mention."


    "Although the Jingwei Bird is also an ancient mythical creature, it is not known for its great powers and fierceness."


    "In other words¡­"


    "Whypare the talents of Jingwei Bird with Phoenix and Kunpeng when its abilities are not for attacking directly?"


    "Even just with the ability to transform and the persistence of their beliefs, they are worthy to be called divine birds."


    irvoyance heard this and subconsciously reached out to rub the third eye on her forehead:


    "The difference between these supernatural beings is like heaven and earth."


    "If I had the bloodline of this kind of supernatural beast like Jingwei, and gained such abilities¡­"


    "It¡¯s not that simple," Nian Chao Shengughed.


    "Immortality is the eternal pursuit of immortals. If it was easily obtained, why would anyone bother cultivating immortality?"


    "In this world, true immortality doesn¡¯t exist. If it did, would it be your turn to attain it?"


    "The known methods of resurrection in this world don¡¯t truly bring back the dead in theplete sense."


    "Some are undead, some are lost souls." Nian Chao Shengughed and asked:


    "Then take another guess, what would be the cost of such amazing abilities for the Jingwei n?"


    "What would be the cost?" irvoyance¡¯s curiosity was piqued.


    "Ask the Yunxiao Sect, and take your own risk." Nian Chao Sheng shrugged.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    The term "yao" is a quite broad concept.


    Birds and beasts can turn into yao, as well as nts, trees, and rocks.


    The Golden Stone Demon in Taotie City is very unique.


    Originally part of the God of Wealth¡¯s Temple statue, it was a Gold Ingot held by the wealth deity, desired by the local mountain people.


    It¡¯s unclear when this spirit stone, shaped like a gold ingot, gained consciousness and became a rare and unusual stone demon.


    The Golden Stone Demon is a rare breed of monster born from consuming human desires, and it has even been personally instructed by the Yunxiao Sect Leader.


    However, even such a rare monster is no match for the Feather King.


    After all.


    The former only has spiritual intelligence as a stone statue in an abandoned temple.


    Thetter is a mixed-blood descendant of the divine bird Jingwei.


    "The cultivation of monster races is a process of regression to their ancestral roots. This setup may or may not bring back a hint of the grace of the ancient divine bird Jingwei," said the Yunxiao Sect Leader as he waved his sleeves dramatically.@@novelbin@@


    "Taotie City¡¯s Golden Stone Demon was defeated by Qing Li."


    "This matter may not have been a mistake, but we must still make a decision," said the leader of the sect.


    "Yu Shan, send a message to Feather King, urging the Feather King Army to speed up their movement, within three days, capture thergest city of Linhe City in Southwest Province."


    Linhe City is thergest city in Southwest Province, located by the Sky Piercing River.


    If this city falls, it means that most of Southwest Province will be under the control of the Feather King Army.


    By then, they can rely on this city to establish the Southwest Province Earthly Immortal Kingdom¡­


    Of course, what¡¯s even more important is Feather King himself.


    The more empty and active Feather King feels inside, fighting monsters and demons, the more Immortal Gate needs to show support, urging her to lead the army into battle and let the mes of war spread throughout Southwest Province.


    "The Jingwei Bird is a mythical bird born out of strong emotions and thoughts," said the sect leader.


    "These strong emotions and thoughts are what we refer to as obsession."


    "In ancient legends, Jingwei was a goddess who transformed into a bird after drowning, unable to rest in peace, filled with intense hatred."


    When it came to this, the sect leader shook his head slightly.


    "Whether mortal or demon, it is hard for anyone to achieve eternal freedom in life."


    "With attachment in the heart, even if one attains immortality, how can they truly be carefree?"


    "Yu Shan, remember¡­ in this world, only the path of immortals leads to true eternal life."


    "While the matter concerning the Feather King is important for the sect, don¡¯t neglect your path to immortality, aiming to one day break into the Nascent Soul Stage."


    As the master of Taoist Child Yu Shan, the sect leader naturally cared about his journey to immortality.


    However, Yu Shan felt a bitter taste in his heart.


    He had already reached the ninth level of the Golden Core stage, just one step away from the Nascent Soul Stage.


    But this step away, in the world today, is like a huge gap that cannot be crossed just by talent and effort alone.


    Within the whole Yunxiao Sect, there were only around five Nascent Soul Elders.


    The reason there were only five people was simply because the Southwest Province, a ce with few inhabitants and poornd, could not support a sixth Nascent Soul Immortal due tock of resources.


    It wasn¡¯t that Taoist Child Yu Shancked the ability, but without enough resources, advancing to the next level was extremely difficult.


    Therefore, when the sect leader advised him to work hard in his practice and not neglect the path to immortality¡­ it was all just empty words.


    Unless something big happened in the sect ¡ª either one Nascent Soul Elder passed away or the sect expanded, causing a surge in resources¡­


    Otherwise, Yu Shan wouldn¡¯t be able to be a Nascent Soul Elder.


    Yu Shan didn¡¯t take the sect leader¡¯s words to heart, thinking of them as empty promises.


    However, before leaving, Yu Shan remembered one more thing to report:


    "Master, there has been a strange urrence recently."


    "Recently, there have been evil creatures causing trouble in the area around RiverTown. Some small mountain viges and towns have even beenpletely destroyed overnight, with no trace of the inhabitants left."


    "Hmm? Is there some mischievous monster causing trouble in the vast mountains again?" the leader of the group frowned.


    "This kind of strange phenomenon of entire viges and towns perishing is not yet something that needs to be reported to him, the Immortal Sect Leader or the Soul Changing Taoist Lord."


    "But themon people in the Southwest Province are rted to the sess of the Immortal Gate¡¯s incense business, so it is naturally a serious matter."


    "Some disciples have been sent to investigate, but they have found nothing¡­" Yu Shan said.


    "The disciples sent to investigate have found nothing, no trace of the mischievous creature causing trouble, making it difficult to determine what kind of creature it is."


    "Several disciples have gone missing and died in the process, their life talismans shattered, and they couldn¡¯t even send a report in time."


    "Then it¡¯s up to you to investigate." The sect leader obviously didn¡¯t consider this matter too important, as he had many other things to consider.


    "Isn¡¯t Feather King always fond of defeating evil spirits and demons? Let her handle it. Of course, it shouldn¡¯t interfere with her main duties."


    Taoist Child Yu Shan nodded and bowed, then left.


    Yunxiao Sect Leader watched as Taoist Child left, with a hint of helplessness in his eyes.


    How could Taoist Child Yu Shan¡¯s thoughts escape the Sect Leader¡¯s understanding?


    But now, with Yunxiao Sect in turmoil, facing its most dangerous moment since the chaos after Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, there were too many things for him to consider, leaving no room to focus on just one Taoist Child.


    The chaos of Nine Heavens and Ten Earths involved neen Immortal Gates that were fighting.


    Among them, Yunxiao Sect suffered the heaviest losses in that great chaos.


    As a sect dealing with spirit beasts, Yunxiao Sect¡¯s enemies were not only the other 18 Immortal Gates but also the demon ns of ten thousand mountains.


    Even though the unruly demon king was killed during the chaos, Yunxiao Sect suffered heavy losses, not just losing many Nascent Soul cultivators.


    If a Nascent Soul cultivator dies, someone like Yu Shan can take their ce. But if the sect loses its heritage, it cannot be easily recovered in these times¡­

 Chapter 309:

    Our Discord Server: .gg/PazjBDkTmW


    In the peach blossom forest.


    Hundreds of elderly soldiers, with their weapons in hand, were training inbat skills among the trees.


    Even though they were no longer soldiers of Great Yan, years of military training had be instinctive in their blood. Hundreds of people formed battle formations, charging and fighting in an orderly manner, showing great discipline.


    This was a silent army, with no one speaking, but they cooperated seamlessly with each other.


    On the other side, dozens of martial artists sat quietly under the trees, not speaking. The forest was quiet, but their eyes met frequently, some smiled, some pondered, each with different expressions.


    Several meters away, a three-meter-high wild boar, the size of an elephant, had been cut into pieces and was being roasted over the bonfire, filling the air with the scent of meat.


    When Qiao Mu returned to Peach Blossom Vi, this was the scene he encountered.


    "After spending about a month in Taotie City, they have mastered the Spiritual Sound Conducting Technique," Qiao Mu nodded."Is Mr. Qiao back?"


    "Senior Qiao?"


    Several voices could be heard, some near the ears, while others were transmitted through the Spiritual Sound Conducting Technique, directly appearing in Qiao Mu¡¯s mind.


    After half a month, the people at Peach Blossom Vi had slightly improved their martial arts skillspared to before, but the difference was not significant.


    However, they all seemed to be in good spirits, with abundant energy and vitality.


    After all, practicing martial arts takes time and effort.


    Some of them had made progress in their martial arts, with a few breaking through to a higher level, mainly due to their previous umtion of skills.


    "Is this wild boar¡­ a monster?" Qiao Mu nced at it.


    Hai Siyuan handed over a freshly roastedrge piece of meat on a stick, smiling and saying, "Being located amidst the mountains here, unlike therge cities like Linhe City, it¡¯s inevitable to encounter monster attacks."


    "Has this mansion been attacked by the monster?" Qiao Mu asked casually.


    In the mansion, there are currently three hundred white-headed soldiers, and dozens or hundreds of skilled fighters from the Southwest Province.


    Although there are no exceptional martial artists among them, not to mention ordinary monsters, even powerful demons would be defeated.


    "One week ago, a monster did attack, but not this one," Hai Siyuan chuckled.


    "The taste of the wolf demon from a week ago was quite good¡­ After tasting the vor of monsters, many brave individuals have volunteered to go hunting these days."


    These veteran soldiers have all gotten stronger, lookingpletely different from their weak and thin selves in the Hundred-mile Desert.


    The most significant change is seen in Hai Siyuan and Li Changshi.


    Li Changshi, over eighty years old, had half of his face damaged by Etching Bones Li Fire. Due to longstanding injuries from battles, he could no longer go to war in his old age.


    However, at this moment, he looks rejuvenated, with fewer wrinkles on his damaged face.


    "Why does it seem like everyone advances quicker in their practice of the ¡®Human Path Sutra¡¯ than me?" Qiao Mu thought to himself.


    But then he felt at peace with it.


    These old soldiers were not your usual martial artists.


    As for Qiao Mu?


    Ignoring talents, pioneers naturally don¡¯t progress as fast as those whoeter along the path.


    When Hai Wuya spent thirty years studying at heavenly prison, he only managed to return from the 9th rank to the 7th rank¡­


    "Enough chit-chat, now that you¡¯re back. Let¡¯s talk through martial arts first."


    Qiao Mu didn¡¯t say much either, he didn¡¯t even enter the manor, just sat under the peach tree and began discussing martial arts.


    During his trip to Taotie City, he was just getting some food for the fat cat, but ended up meeting Qing Li. Over these days, he gained a new understanding of ¡®Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear¡¯. ????¨¯?¦¥?


    Qing Li wished to learn from her teacher and had no intention of keeping any secrets.


    "In this world of martial arts, there are techniques that rely on physical strength and techniques that focus on inner strength¡­" Qiao Mu started teaching martial arts under a tree.


    Soon, the white-headed soldiers and martial artists from the rivers andkes gathered around.


    Only the fat cat named Impermanence jumped off Qiao Mu¡¯s shoulder. It showed no interest andzily sunbathed under the peach blossom tree.


    With a gentle breeze, the tree branches swayed, and sunlight filtered through the leaves onto the fat cat. Ity therezily, stretching out its paws to groom itself, appearing very rxed.


    For some reason, as Qiao Mu watched the fat cat grooming itself, he suddenly felt a rare sense of peace in his heart¡­


    "Hmm?" He quickly noticed the slight change in his mood and then looked around at the crowd.


    Indeed, he saw others also experiencing a subtle change, with rxed brows, a sense of peace, and a strong spirit.


    For some reason, there seemed to be a subtle force at work, soothing the minds and spirits of those in the peach blossom forest, making them more focused and giving them a sense of calmness.


    Qiao Mu furrowed his brow and then focused his eyes on the chubby cat licking its fur at his feet.


    After some thought, he reached out and stroked the chubby cat a few times, feeling its smooth and silky fur, which surprisingly made him feel rxed and content.


    "You mischievous little sprite, you really know how to charm the heart¡­" Qiao Mu jokingly scolded.


    Initially, he wondered if this chubby cat, who had eaten the Gold Ingot Demon¡¯s demon body, might turn into a lucky cat that brings wealth.


    But now, it seemed to have inherited the Gold Ingot Demon¡¯s ability to charm people¡¯s hearts.


    Thinking back carefully, when Qiao Mu was imprisoned in Nan Province Heyang City, this chubby cat often apanied the dying prisoners and indeed provided somefort to their spirits.


    However, after consuming the Gold Ingot Demon, this ability was enhanced, now subtly influencing arge circle of people around, including Qiao Mu, who was a skilled martial artist.


    The essence of "charming the heart" is to disturb others¡¯ emotions and spirits.


    In the capricious hands, this ability seemed to have a different purpose.


    "In the future, don¡¯t make a fuss about bing a Cat Worshipper." Qiao Mu yfully messed up the fur of a chubby cat by petting it in the opposite direction, then sat beside it watching the cat frantically lick its fur, feeling his mood improve.


    After half an hour, Qiao Mu finished his martial arts practice, but Long Shankong and other martial artists came up.


    "Senior Qiao, we are here to bid farewell," said Long Shankong.


    Earlier, these travelers from the Jianghu were injured in a battle at Xishan Vige, with their initial intention being to treat their injuries at Peach Blossom Vi.


    Who knew that staying there for some time, they were drawn to Qiao Mu¡¯s martial arts teachings under the tree, and their injuries unknowingly healed.


    Although they wanted to stay longer, these travelers all had families, friends, and sects. If they quietly settled in this mountain vi, they might be mistaken for dead and had to eventually leave.


    "It¡¯s up to you to stay or go. I just have one request, a kind of reward for all the martial arts teaching these days, do something for me," said Qiao Mu.


    "If Senior Qiao asks, we will definitely do it," everyone said.


    "In the future, if you make progress in your learning¡­" Qiao Mu began.


    "If the martial arts learned at Peach Blossom Vi are spread to disciples or fellow martial brothers in the sect, it¡¯s better than letting them go to waste," he added.


    Long Shankong and the others were first surprised, then they all felt something stir within their hearts.


    Howe the rules of this Qiao family member are different from the traditional prestigious ns.


    The prestigious ns treasure their martial arts skills and rarely pass them on to outsiders. Even if an outsider disciple learns it asionally, they hardly ever pass on the true essence of it.


    Even if one receives the true essence, they must vow to never disclose the skills, otherwise if everyone in the n mastered them, it would lose its value.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    Half a dayter, in a teahouse in Linhe City.


    Long Shankong and several martial arts experts sat in the teahouse hall, preparing to gather information by eavesdropping on the conversations of the other patrons.


    After staying at Peach Blossom Vi to recuperate for over half a month, Long Shankong¡¯s first priority when the martial artists from the jianghu emerged was to inquire about thetest happenings in the Southwest Province, so as not to fall behind.


    When they arrived at the teahouse, they found the lobby empty, with few customers chatting.


    Moreover, the pedestrians on the street were walking hurriedly, with anxious expressions.


    "Why is everyone looking so anxious? It¡¯s written all over their faces, isn¡¯t it?" said the familiar teahouse owner.


    "The Feather King Army is about to arrive, and in a few days, they will be at our doorstep. Can you me them for being panicked?"


    "But you martial artists have your skills, so there¡¯s no need to be too rmed," the teahouse owner shook his head and said.


    "The Lord of the Manor has issued a recruitment order in the city, enlisting local volunteers to defend the city. Even you martial artists are wee," the teahouse owner added.


    Typically, the court officials had little regard for themon martial world, but this time their attitude had changed.


    "This is quite rare¡­ But, are there really people willing to go?" Long Shankong asked in amazement.


    "How many people are actually going?" another customer in the lobby chimed in.


    "The Feather King Army is much more famous than the royal court here in Linhe City, thergest city in Southwest Province. The taxes are quite high here, not to mention taking care of those divine animals¡­I mean, taking care of those sacred bulls and horses."


    Other tea drinkers also nodded in agreement.


    Even though the Feather King Army has its secrets, it can¡¯t be worse than the Great Yan Imperial Court, right?


    "Are you local martial artists from the martial world?" A tea drinker in the hall examined Long Shankong and the others and asked.


    "Recently, there was a lot of talk about the legacy manual ¡®Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear¡¯ left behind by the Spear Saint. If you are part of the martial world, you must have heard about it too, right?" they inquired.


    "Yes, that¡¯s true," Long Shankong replied.


    "I heard¡­," the tea drinker inquired, "that the descendants of the Spear Saint were all wiped out? They say a group of martial artists raided Xishan Vige, took the ¡®Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear,¡¯ and ughtered everyone, leaving no survivors. Is this true?"


    Long Shankong blinked in surprise and said, "Is that so? Who told you such a thing?"


    "Well, this rumor is spreading everywhere in the city¡­ If it weren¡¯t for the imminent arrival of the Feather King Army, these teahouses and taverns would probably be discussing this non-stop¡­"


    In the past, the Spear Saint was a respected and honorable person. Who would have thought that his descendants would bring trouble upon themselves by inviting danger into their home?" The tea guest sighed.


    Long Shankong and the others didn¡¯t argue, but instead subtly tried to find out where the tea guest had heard the information from.


    When they left the teahouse, they felt heavy-hearted, no longer as carefree and peaceful as they were at the mountain vi.


    "Obviously, someone is spreading rumors," Long Shankong whispered.


    "Compared to a martial artist who inherited the Spear Saint¡¯s teachings and selflessly passed on the Spear Saint¡¯s book ¡®Birds Adoring the Phoenix Spear¡¯ to others¡­ a group of martial artists invading Xishan Vige to steal the secrets, this incident has surely captured the public¡¯s attention."


    As for these people involved rifying the situation?


    Long Shankong didn¡¯t even consider it.


    Regarding the Xishan Vige incident, apart from their group of survivors, there are also cultivators from the Yunxiao Sect.


    It¡¯s clear that a member of the Qiao family wouldn¡¯t spread such rumors, so the source of this rumor is probably¡­


    "Whoever rifies, is like revealing their identity, maybe an Immortal Gate cultivator wille knocking soon." Long Shankong said helplessly:


    "We are being unfairly med, and we can¡¯t argue back¡­"


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    Xishan Vige.


    This mountain vige halfway up the mountain, is now deserted, the whole vige empty.


    Qing Li walked around this mountain vige, holding the Feather King mask in her hand, her face showing little emotion, just walking by herself, neither fast nor slow.


    She walked from one end of the vige to the other, and back, without saying a word, just unconsciously slowing down her pace.


    The mountain wind blew, and the loose wooden door mmed shut, making a loud noise.


    The mountain wind came again, the wooden door slowly creaked open, the creaking sound echoing far in the mountains.


    Qing Li looked at the wooden cabin and felt something strange, she started walking faster without realizing it.


    As she approached the door, a squirrel suddenly ran out of the house in a panic, disappearing into the bushes in the blink of an eye.


    Qing Li looked up and saw a portrait of Spear Saint and an ancestral tablet hanging in the hall of the house. The half-melted candles on both sides were crooked and moldy spots had appeared on the white buns ced in front of them.


    Qing Li remained silent, squeezing the mask in her hand unconsciously until her knuckles turned slightly white.


    She walked up to the ancestral tablet of Spear Saint and threw the Feather King mask to the ground, shattering it with a stomp.


    "At this point, whether I am called ¡®Feather King¡¯ or ¡®Qing Li¡¯, what¡¯s the difference?" she said slowly to the portrait.@@novelbin@@


    "Feather King¡­." a figure appeared at the door behind her, it was her loyal follower, Jade Carp.


    Jade Carp¡¯s expression showed some sympathy. Since Feather King had taken off the mask ande to Xishan Vige, the identity she had been hiding was no longer a secret.


    The reputation of Demon Spear Qin Li was well-known, and so was that of Feather King.


    "It¡¯s time to go," said Feather King slowly. "Within three days, the army must reach Linhe City."


    "And about Qiao Pian¡­ I heard that he lives in a vi near the capital, teaching martial arts."


    "Feather King," Jade Carp sounded a bit anxious.


    "The matter of Xishan Vige seems to beplicated. The Qiao family members have always been honest, it¡¯s unlikely they would wipe out the entire Xishan Vige for a manual."


    "In my opinion, there may be someone else behind this¡­"


    Jade Carp kept analyzing non-stop beside him, and Qing Li didn¡¯t interrupt her, just listened quietly until she finished speaking before speaking:


    "Jade Carp, don¡¯t think I¡¯m too foolish." She turned around and walked down the mountain:


    "It¡¯s time to go to war."

 Chapter 310:

    Chapter 310:


    Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/PazjBDkTmW


    At the foot of the Western Mountain.


    A military camp has already taken shape, with many gs fluttering and soldiersing and going.


    Inside the military camp tent.


    "To the east of this ce is Linhe City by the Sky Piercing River¡­" Qing Li sat at the head of the tent, pointing to a map on the long table.


    "In at most three days, we will be at the gates of the city." Qing Li said solemnly.


    "This battle is crucial. Once we take over Linhe City, the entire Southwest Province will be under the control of my Featherhood Sect."


    Inside the tent, Qing Li¡¯s voice echoed with no other noise.


    Many of her generals seemed distracted, asionally looking up and ncing subtly at Qing Li¡¯s face.This was the first time Feather King had removed his mask in front of them.


    In town, people say that Feather King ims to be so beautiful that just a nce at his face can make soldiers feel moved.


    Feather King didn¡¯t want to rely on his looks, so he wore a mask and instead became known for his courage and martial skills, earning the title of "Feather King."


    Today, when the soldiers saw Feather King¡¯s true face, they couldn¡¯t help but wonder if the rumors were true, which made them a bit distracted.


    Feather King¡¯s appearance is one aspect of him, while his identity is another.


    The name of Spear Saint is well-known in the Southwest Province, and his disciple Demon Spear Qin Li is no ordinary martial artist.


    Seeing the soldiers distracted, Qing Li furrowed her brows slightly, tapped the table twice with her fingers, making crisp sounds.


    "Did you all remember what I just said?" Qing Li asked softly.


    "This battle is crucial. Perhaps through this battle, we canpletely crush the morale of the remaining imperial troops, achieve great sess, and bring an end to the chaos in the entire Southwest Province."


    "So, this will be a tough fight."


    "If this city is breached, all the officials in the court will die," Qing Li said firmly.


    "In the city, the high-ranking officials, wealthy families, and powerful ns will be looted by the soldiers for three days to boost morale."


    "Hmm?"


    "¡¯What does ¡®Feather King¡¯ mean? Why did ¡®Feather King¡¯ change personality after removing the mask?¡¯"


    The generals finally regained their senses and looked up in surprise, their eyes showing astonishment.


    "Allowing soldiers to loot the officials and wealthy families in the city for three days? Is it not a vition of military orders to freely plunder food and money after capturing the city?"


    Throughout history, battles and sieges have always been associated with bloodshed and chaos.


    After capturing a city, the victorious side would often engage in piging or allow their soldiers to indulge in alcohol and loot.


    Even if officially condemned,manders might not be able to fully restrain their soldiers.


    After all, fighting a battle is not like a video game, where you can select a character and everyone fights in the same direction.


    Each soldier has a brain, even with strict rules, some might act impulsively and do harmful things.


    It¡¯s rare to find soldiers who can control themselves and not harm civilians after capturing a city.


    The Feather King¡¯s Army was one of these rare cases.@@novelbin@@


    While there are troublemakers, the Feather King is fair and severe ¨C any troublemakers in the army will face death as punishment.


    After several incidents, some officersined that the Feather King was too strict and upromising.


    This surprised the talented generals.


    Rebels often let their soldiers loot rich households, which is normal.


    If this news gets out, it will surely boost morale greatly.


    But their leader is Feather King, which is unusual.


    This doesn¡¯t match Feather King¡¯s usual style, but as they looked at her cold and distant face, they knew her words were serious.


    "This battle is very important," Qing Li said without further exnation.


    "If there are no objections, please pass on this military order."


    Feather King is highly respected in the military and always has the final say, so no one disagreed.


    Only Jade Carp seemed thoughtful and a bit worried.


    "Sending out this military order is like spilling water."


    "If we rx military discipline today, it will be hard to enforce rules again in the future."


    "Feather King seems different today, what is she thinking?"


    The army was about to march, and one by one the generals walked out of the big tent, leaving only Feather King and Jade Carp inside.


    "Jade Carp, don¡¯t rush to leave," Qing Li said.


    "Some time ago, didn¡¯t you encounter two fighters who stole the merchant Luo Cheng from Taotie City from you?"


    "Tell me honestly¡­did those two people get infected with the blood poison you use for tracking?"


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    After a moment.


    When Jade Carp followed Qing Li¡¯s orders and left the military camp.


    Inside Feather King¡¯s tent, a figure quietly appeared, it was Yu Shan from the Yunxiao Sect, a young Taoist.


    "You handled things quite efficiently, it truly surprised me," Yu Shan nodded with a smile.


    He never mentioned Xishan Vige and felt somewhat satisfied in his heart.


    The Feather King had indeed fallen into the trap carefully woven by the Yunxiao Sect, and things were even smoother than he had expected.


    Originally, Yu Shan was still thinking about how to deal with the Feather King ording to the original n after the death of the mountain people in Xishan Vige¡­


    "Things have been handled well, but¡­ there is another matter. Recently, in the area near Linhe City, several mountain viges and towns have beenpletely wiped out, with no survivors, suspected to be the work of some unknown demonic creature." Yu Shan briefly mentioned the previous events.


    "With the attack on Linhe City approaching, you are now asking me to investigate another matter?" Qing Li asked calmly, without much emotion.


    "The attack on Linhe City, concerning the grand n of the Earthly Immortal Kingdom, is naturally of utmost importance," Yu Shan said.


    "But that city can¡¯t stop you, breaking it is only a matter of time."


    Qing Li thought for a moment, nodded in agreement, and didn¡¯t refuse.


    This reaction was not unexpected by Yu Shan. The current Feather King had long been a carefully cultivated bird in the cage of the Immortal Gate. He knew very well that she would not go against the orders of the Immortal Gate.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    Several miles away, nestled among the mountains, therey a vige known as ck Water Vige.


    ck Water Vigeprised over a thousand households, the residents choosing to live in these remote mountains to avoid oppressive governance and heavy taxes.


    Such viges in the Southwest Province were actually quite scarce.


    Considering the rampant mountain monsters and beasts, small viges without fortified protection risked extinction within a decade or even sooner.


    Today, the distant mountain vige, far from the bustling cities, had finally encountered the long-anticipated catastrophe.


    At this moment.


    The entire ck Water Vige is very quiet, with all the doors and windows tightly closed. Many doors have been forcibly broken open withrge holes, showing obvious signs of strong external forces.


    Bloodstains can be found on the ground every five or six steps, covering the entire vige.


    "Hey! You evil creature!"


    In the vige chief¡¯s courtyard, a strong reprimand suddenly rang out.


    "Clearly a monster, yet living among ordinary vigers for so many years, and even managing to be the vige chief?"


    "How can a small mountain vige with only a thousand people survive in the midst of a hundred thousand mountains? It turns out this mountain vige is actually the territory of this evil creature!"


    "Today, it ends here!"


    A burly man with a tiger-like back and bear waist had his foot pressed on the waist of a robust middle-aged man, rendering him unable to move.


    The middle-aged man kept struggling, and a pair of ck wings, about two meters long, unfurled from his back, with the wings shing like knives towards the burly man in front of him.


    The wings¡¯ strike was swift, producing sharp sounds in the air, leaving a faint trace in the sky.


    However, with a casual move, the burly man grabbed the wings and held them in his hand.


    In the next moment, the middle-aged man being stepped on suddenly felt a huge force pulling him.


    With wings spanning two meters shrinking rapidly before his eyes, the middle-aged man being stepped on lost his strength and copsed to the ground.


    "Although weak and no match for me, you still have courage to challenge me? Admirable bravery,"


    Wu Qiankun lifted his foot and looked down at the Vige Chief of ck Water Vige with crossed arms.


    "Impressive courage must have a reason¡­ Do you have anyst words to say?"


    The Vige Chief had no strength left, lying on the ground gasping for air, unable to even move his body.


    "I am no match for you, that¡¯s for sure," said the Vige Chief with wings on his back, struggling for breath.


    "But I have a three-year-old son at home¡­"


    "Your half-bird demon offspring?" Wu Qiankun nced at a corner of the courtyard where a child cowered in silence.


    "No, he is a child I rescued, a pure human." ck Wing Vige gasped.


    "I am not very familiar with human martial arts, but it seems you are practicing a martial art simr to the Absorbing Energy Method? For someone like you, an ordinary three-year-old human child with no special abilities is just a drop in the ocean."


    "I know I am doomed, so I am willing to share a secret with you, hoping that you will showpassion for this child who is also a pure human¡­"


    "What secret?" Wu Qiankun asked directly without giving a clear answer.


    ck Wing Vige knew they had no room for negotiation and reluctantly spoke up, saying:


    "Although I am a bird demon, I was actually raised by Yunxiao Sect as a ¡®spiritual beast¡¯ for the past few decades. I escapedter and transformed into a human, living in seclusion in these deep mountains¡­"


    "Who cares about your background? Just tell us the secret." Wu Qiankun, who was not very patient, walked towards the child in the corner of the courtyard.


    "Feather King! Feather King is likely Demon Spear Qin Li!" ck Wing Vige shouted.


    Wu Qiankun paused for a moment, then turned back to look at the vige chief with a somewhat mocking expression.


    "You live in the mountains, so you might not know this news¡­ This matter has recently spread in Southwest Province, it¡¯s no longer a secret."


    "There is another secret that you probably don¡¯t know," ck Wing Vige gasped and said:


    "Demon Spear Qin Li is a mixed-blood descendant of the Jingwei n."


    "The descendants of the Jingwei n in this hundred-thousand mountain range, just like me, have long been captured by the Yunxiao Sect and turned into spiritual beasts raised by the Immortal Gate."


    "This is intriguing, please tell me more," Wu Qiankun paused for a moment.


    "Jingwei is a divine bird, not an ordinary demon race. Therefore, the only ones left in this world are the mixed-blood half-demon descendants. There are no pure-blood demon tribe left."


    "Once these mixed-blood descendants fell into the hands of the Yunxiao Sect, what the cultivators desired was to revive the bloodline of these half-demons, master the talents and powers of the Jingwei n, and recreate the glory of the divine bird Jingwei."


    "However, the talents and powers of the Jingwei n seem to be rted to death, and it seems that they can only be mastered at the moment of life and death."


    "The cultivators of the Yunxiao Sect naturally don¡¯t value the lives of half-demons too much, so over the years, the descendants of the Jingwei n have almost died out."


    "Over the years, the Yunxiao Sect has learned how to awaken the special powers of half-demon descendants, and more and more sessful examples have emerged."


    "One day, thete reborn ancestor Jingwei led us, the demon n and half-demons, to escape from the Yunxiao Sect¡­"


    "Who do you think you are? No one wants to hear your boring old stories," Wu Qiankun interrupted with a frown.


    However, the ck Wing Vige didn¡¯t argue back at that moment, as they had no strength to speak, their body withered and weak, clearly on the brink of death.


    As his life neared its end, his eyes were fixed on Wu Qiankun with a pleading look.


    "Don¡¯t worry," Wu Qiankun said softly.


    "Whether it¡¯s a demon, half-demon, or a normal person, I will treat them all equally."


    He picked up the child cowering in the corner, his face expressionless:


    "A child raised by half-demons, should I spare him so he can seek revenge in the future?"


    "Child." He looked into the eyes of the three-year-old child, with a calm gaze.


    "Whether demon or human, I treat them all equally. me yourself for being too weak, with no strength to resist."


    "Thew of the jungle, that is the natural order."


    Just as he was about to act, a sudden warning sign arose in his heart, followed by the sharp sound of wind in his ear.


    A long spear cut through the air, whistling past his shoulder.


    Although it didn¡¯t touch his body, the sharp sound of the wind brushing past him left bloody marks on his face.


    Wu Qiankun looked up again, only to see a familiar figure in front of him, it was Qing Li.


    "Demon Spear, Qing Li?"


    "As a top martial artist from Jiu Province like yourself, are you able toy hands on a three-year-old child?" Qing Li squinted her eyes.


    "To achieve great things, one must not only have exceptional talent, but also extraordinary determination." Wu Qiankun said calmly:


    "Natural abilities, understanding, character, and guidance, are just the basics for the strong ones."


    "To reach even greater heights, these qualities alone are not enough. One must have exceptional determination, beyond what most people have."


    With a sly grin, Wu Qiankun raised his fists and charged towards Qing Li:


    "There are very few who are worthy adversaries to me in this world. As my skills improve and I break through, I will test how much stronger I have be by facing you!"


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    After some time passed.


    Covered in blood, Wu Qiankun¡¯s back showed numerous dense pores, propelling him swiftly through the air with a strong gust of wind.


    "Is this Qing Li rumored to be a descendant of the mythical bird Jingwei?" Wu Qiankun, with a pale face, nced asionally back at her from the corner of his eye:


    "It seems that my Ex-human Transformation is faster than this Jingwei half-demon, she can¡¯t catch up with me in the end."

 Chapter 311:

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    Nightfall, stars twinkling all around.


    It was already night time, but a small town in the mountains was quiet ¨C no smoke from chimneys, no lights, and no voices.


    Only the gentle sound of insects could be heard in the darkness.


    A figure riding on a big paper crane descended from the sky,nding in this silent vige.


    The person wore a ck and grey mask with a moon symbol, draped in a long robe, hiding their figure.


    "Has the Moon Xuan Envoy arrived?" a voice suddenly echoed in the night.


    Following the voice, the Moon Xuan Envoy saw Wu Qiankun standing at the doorway of a wooden house, holding two dried corpses.


    Wu Qiankun still had bloodstains on him, but there were no visible wounds on his body."Moon Xuan Envoy looked around and saw the whole town was silent in the darkness, with no one around."


    "Not only that, even the pets and cattle in the town had died, and there were no sounds of insects chirping in the town."


    "In this forest, the town seemed like an empty ce without any signs of life, with insect chirping and bird calls around, but the town itself waspletely silent."


    Wu Qiankun said calmly:


    "The local people here are all devoted followers of Immortal Gate."


    "Worshiping is the foundation of Immortal Gate. By killing these civilians, they are actually undermining Immortal Gate¡¯s foundation."


    Moon Xuan Envoy remained silent.


    The two of them gazed at each other quietly in the dark night.


    Suddenly, Wu Qiankun smiled and said:


    "The words I said earlier may have some truth, but they were just excuses I made afterwards."


    "The real reason I did this was to make myself stronger!"


    Wu Qiankun said indifferently:


    "Using any means necessary is not a disgrace; being flexible and adaptable is what a husband should do."


    "Laws, moral rules, are only tools to control the weak. If one is already indulging, why stick to thosews and morals?"


    Wu Qiankun has been fighting with several top martial artists from Jiu Provincetely.


    He was first defeated by Qiao Shuanggui, then by Qiao Jin, andter had a tough battle with Qing Li¡¯s clone.


    He was just defeated by Qing Li herself.


    Let¡¯s not mention the Qiao family member for now, let¡¯s talk about Demon Spear Qin Li first.


    Before the Qiao family member rose to fame, Little Martial Saint Wu Qiankun was the original number one on the Spiritual Refining List, along with the other three top martial artists of the time. They were all famous figures. ????¦­??¦¥?


    The top of the Power List was Demon Spear Qin Li, the top of the Strength List was Xue Changhe, the head of the Xue family, the top of the Skill List was Earth Sword Immortal, and the top of the Spiritual Refining List was Wu Qiankun.


    Being famous doesn¡¯t mean having equal strength.


    After all, Southern Murong was also famous with Northern Qiaofeng. Who is stronger and who is weaker can only be known after a fight.


    Wu Qiankun initially thought that both sides¡¯ strength was only slightly different. Even if there was a difference, he believed he would have thestugh.


    After several consecutive defeats, he also pondered deeply on the reasons behind them.@@novelbin@@


    For top warriors, having exceptional aptitude, goodprehension, outstanding character, and relentless effort¡­ these are just the basics.


    What is the specific difference between Qing Li and him?


    In Wu Qiankun¡¯s view, the biggest difference was Qing Li¡¯s divine bird bloodline.


    He wanted to surpass Qing Li and Qiao family member by working hard and training his body, but it was not enough.


    "If he wanted to achieve great things, he needed to have advantages surpassing his peers that belonged only to him," Wu Qiankun said casually.


    "In short: do what capable people can¡¯t do and what others won¡¯t do."


    Wu Qiankun¡¯s gaze fell on the corpses scattered in the silent town:


    "In a world of extremes, one must do extraordinary things."


    This was Wu Qiankun¡¯s corepetitive edge.


    Having more quantities can make up for theck of quality.


    As long as he could still control his spiritual refining cultivation, the Taotie Swallowing Heaven Skill could devour anything.


    Moon Xuan Envoy fell silent once again.


    "These are just little things. I called you here for an important reason," said Wu Qiankun.


    "In remote viges like Southwest Province, they are notmon and hard to find."


    "As the Moon Xuan Envoy of Southwest Province, you naturally know the local situation. Please show me the way."


    "Whether human, demon, or inhuman, all are wee. I have no taboos and treat everyone equally."


    Wu Qiankun¡¯s gaze fell on the Moon Xuan Envoy.


    With night falling, Wu Qiankun¡¯s face was shrouded in shadows, making his expression unclear.


    Perhaps due to a sudden cool breeze, a fineyer of goosebumps appeared on Moon Xuan Envoy.


    "I¡¯ll go check on it right away."


    Moon Xuan Envoy lowered his head, his face under the mask suddenly stiffening.


    Wu Qiankun was the second most important person in the Wuji Association. During Martial Saint¡¯s feigned death, he temporarily took over the leadership of the Wuji Association on behalf of Martial Saint.


    As a subordinate, Moon Xuan Envoy naturally could not voice any objections.


    Wu Qiankun nodded, then turned and left. It seemed like he wanted to search the town to see if there were any hidden enemies.


    Moon Xuan Envoy also turned and left, a sh of light in his hand, revealing an additional Message Jade Talisman.


    The Moon Xuan Envoy of Southwest Province is actually the disciple of Moon Xuan Envoy Li Gongde from Zhong Province; they are of the same lineage.


    Moon Xuan Envoy is in charge of intelligence affairs in a province, using mystical methods formunication.


    After all, the Wuji Association had only risen to power in recent decades. While martial arts continued to advance, many in the martial world still relied on the old method of using carrier pigeons for delivering secret messages.


    The Wuji Association was slightly different, with a few scattered immortal cultivators like Li Gongde who had joined Martial Saint.


    Before long, the Message Jade Talisman shed, revealing Li Gongde¡¯s response on it.


    "This goes against the natural order and causes harm to one¡¯s virtue. Since the emergence of the Taotie Swallowing Heaven Skill, the actions of Wu Qiankun and others have be increasingly dangerous. I will find a way to inform the Martial Saint," replied Li Gongde.


    "However, Wu Qiankun is after all the adopted son of the Martial Saint. I cannot guess what the Martial Saint is thinking or how he will handle this situation," said Li Gongde.


    "Do not be overly confident in facing this matter, prioritize your own safety first¡­"


    While reading this, Moon Xuan Envoy suddenly felt a chill in his heart. He turned around abruptly, only to see Wu Qiankun, who had disappeared and reappeared without him noticing, staring at his back. His gaze inadvertently swept over the Message Jade Talisman in Moon Xuan Envoy¡¯s hand.


    "Aren¡¯t you going to investigate?" Wu Qiankun asked.


    "I will go now, please wait for me, sir," Moon Xuan Envoy hurriedly left.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    As the sun set in the west, the sky was tinged with a touch of blood, the red clouds resembling bloodstains.


    The Sky Piercing River continued to surge relentlessly, with the sound of waves crashing like thunder.


    In the sound of rushing water, a huge army of over ten thousand people has set up camp outside the city.


    The whole Linhe City has been surrounded by the Feather King Army. Even though they haven¡¯t attacked the city yet, the tense atmosphere is thick like a red sunset.


    When Feather King Qin Li returned from the mountains to the military camp, he discovered that the Feather King Army had already arrived at the city gates, on the brink of war.


    "Feather King, the Feather King has returned!"


    "It seems that today we can begin the attack on the city!"


    Many officers were eagerly anticipating the uing battle.


    Linhe City is thergest city in the Southwest Province, located by the Sky Piercing River. Capturing this city holds great significance. They had long been eager to try, especially after the Feather King¡¯s previous order to plunder the city that had been breached, igniting a fire within their hearts.


    "Has Jade Carp not returned yet?" Qing Li scanned the area, not seeing Jade Carp¡¯s figure, and fell silent for a moment.


    The situation of war was no longer something she could control alone.


    Inside the Immortal Gate of Yunxiao Sect, there are powerful Nascent Soul Elders and Soul Changing Taoist Lords. Although Qing Li is incredibly strong and unbeatable in the mortal world, she is not arrogant.


    Even if she dared to challenge the Immortal Gate, it was like trying to stop a rolling cart with her bare hands, a futile sacrifice.


    Whether it¡¯s the Spear Saint, her as the Feather King, or even the descendants of the Jingwei n from the ancient mountains, they all pale inparison to the Immortal Gate, like a vast difference.


    Without the Feather King, the Southwest Province will experience a new ruler from the east and west¡­


    She then spoke:


    "Okay, let¡¯s attack the city."


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    The horns sounded mournfully as the massive army began to attack the city as the sun set.


    gs fluttered in the breeze, soldiers¡¯ armor sparkling in the sunset, and the roar of battle echoing across thend.


    The Feather King Army had been ready to attack the city. They useddders and battering rams to climb or break the walls, and they used bows, arrows, and catapults to fight the defenders on the walls.


    The sound of bowstrings was loud like rain, and the dense rain of arrows shot into the sky like locusts.


    Both sides engaged in fierce fighting on and below the city walls. There was blood and screams everywhere.


    Both sides had martial artists with different levels of skills, but ultimately they were just flesh and blood. In such intense battles, they were not much stronger than ordinary soldiers.


    However, Linhe City was the strongest city in the Southwest Province. The attack by the Feather King Army didn¡¯t go well, with casualties on both sides. By nightfall, the situation remained deadlock.


    "Where is the Feather King¡­ Why isn¡¯t she joining the fight?"


    "In a battle like this, ordinary experts may not make much difference, but the fearless Feather King is different. She has almost no equal on the battlefield."


    "If the Feather King decides to attack the city, are there any experts in Linhe City who can stop her?"


    Despite the officers¡¯ heated discussions, the Feather King remained unmoved.


    She didn¡¯t directly take part in the big battle, but remained silent in the rear of the army ¨C this was actually amon practice for generals, but not for the Feather King.


    Without the Feather King¡¯s Feather King Army, although it wasn¡¯tpletely scattered, it was just a normal rebellion army. They couldn¡¯t easily capture such a big city in a short time. The first attack on the city was unsessful, and they didn¡¯t even reach the city walls.


    As night fell and the fighting calmed down, the soldiers returned to camp to rest, and the Feather King still didn¡¯t make a move.


    The next day, the fighting continued to stalemate, with more and more bodies piling up on the battlefield.


    The Feather King remained silent like a statue, neither joining the battle nor giving orders.


    It was only when Jade Carp left and returned, bringing with her the person she had been waiting for, that the Feather King showed a noticeable change in expression.


    "Are you Long Shankong? Descendant of the Eight-armed Heavenly Dragon?" the Feather King asked, looking at Long Shankong, whose face was turning green and body was poisoned.


    "Yes," Long Shankong replied helplessly.


    He never expected to still have residual blood poison in his body, which allowed Jade Carp, a powerful demon, to track him down.


    Those who can confront the great monster in the monster n are usually cultivators, not ordinary fighters¡­. Even though Long Shankong is at the 1st level of Spiritual Refining Period, he felt inadequate. He was defeated by Jade Carp for the second time and was captured by mistake.


    Qing Li said, "I heard that Qiao Pian lives in the deep mountains within this Riverside Mansion, where he has his own estate."


    "I spare your life, deliver a message for me to Qiao Pian."


    "Just say¡­" Qing Li paused slightly, then slowly continued:


    "Linhe City will fall, the mansion city only has strong walls and an army, but no top martial artist, no one can stop Feather King."


    "If the city falls, the Feather King Army will plunder for three days."


    "I hope Qiao Pian wille out and battle with the Feather King."


    "If he doesn¡¯te, after three days of siege, Feather King will personally attack the city."


    Long Shankong looked at Qing Li¡¯s face, silent for a long time, hesitated to speak for a while, before finally speaking:


    "Demon Spear Qin Li, I have seen your magical clone in Xishan Vige before. You might not know that the real murderer in Xishan Vige is someone else."


    Before he could finish speaking, Qing Li interrupted him with a cold tone.


    "Prisoner, I am not seeking your opinion."


    "Deliver my message, or face death."


    "I can deliver the message for you." Long Shankong quickly nodded in agreement.


    Long Shankong was not foolish. He knew that if he blindly followed the Feather King¡¯s instructions to deliver the message, there would only be one oue.


    By secretly following him, one could trace back to Peach Blossom Vi hidden in the mountains.


    In less than a day, Feather King and her army would be able to surround Peach Blossom Vi, capturing Qiao Pian and the elderly residents of the vige.


    However, he had mastered the Spiritual Sound Conducting Technique, allowing him tomunicate through mystical intuition with a Spirit Refining martial artist, avoiding the need to personally go to Peach Blossom Vi.


    Since Long Shankong knew that it wouldn¡¯t bring any danger or trouble to Qiao Pian, he naturally agreed without being stubborn or causing trouble.


    Before leaving, he took a quick look at Qing Li and said a sentence:


    "Demon Spear Qin Li, I hope you still have your senses and haven¡¯t been clouded by hatred."


    Qing Li didn¡¯t respond, she just silently watched him leave.


    Senses? Of course, she has her senses.


    Jade Carp and Long Shankong both thought she didn¡¯t understand Immortal Gate¡¯s scheme to me her and was seeking revenge on Qiao Pian.


    She isn¡¯t that foolish.


    Being a bit smarter and looking further ahead, what else can she do?


    The people of Xishan Vige were once hostages of the Yunxiao Sect and they hold a leverage on Feather King Qin Li.


    So, did the Yunxiao Sect lose their minds and decide to get rid of the evidence themselves?


    This matter is almost certain, and it seems like the Immortal Gate may have another n.


    Before this, Feather King Qin Li thought he was very important, even resorting to taking a viger hostage. But now, it seems things may not be as he expected.


    Qing Li left therge tent and gazed into the distance at the Sky Piercing River, where the water flowed rapidly with a thunderous sound.


    "Perhaps, Immortal Gate has already decided that after getting their hands dirty, I am now the Feather King," Qing Li said quietly while watching the rushing river.


    "No matter how we fight evil spirits, I can no longer go on living as if nothing happened as ¡®Demon Spear Qin Li¡¯."


    No matter what.


    "Three dayster, when hees out of the mountain, perhaps it will be the end of the Southwest Province turmoil."

 Chapter 312:

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    Dark clouds loomed over thend like a king, pressing down on the city.


    The Feather King Army had not yet begun to attack today, but a dark mist was already filling the city.


    The city walls had not fallen yet, but the ground was littered with broken arrows and blood-stained rubble, remnants of the recent days of war.


    The air was heavy with the lingering smell of blood and gunpowder, making it hard to breathe. asionally, cries and sobs would break the silence, only to be reced quickly by stillness.


    The Lord of the city rode a tall horse, patrolling the area near the city gate, his eyes filled with worry.


    The Lord of Linhe City was a robust middle-aged man named Chen, who was said to have been a skilled martial artist in his younger years.


    However, he had clearly changed from his prime. His eyescked the sharpness of his youth, and even his belly had grown slightly rounder, showing signs of neglect due to years of high position andck of martial practice.


    While Lord Chen encouraged his soldiers as he patrolled the front lines, his own worries outweighed those of the defending troops."I fear we may not be able to hold this city."


    The lord was actually hesitating in his heart.


    Yangmen City was a lesson for him. On the day the city was breached, the lord killed all his family members with his sword and then took his own life¡­. So what should he do now?


    To fight or to surrender, this was a major decision that affected the whole city, and he hadn¡¯t made up his mind yet.


    "Perhaps surrendering might be a good thing," the lord thought to himself.


    "I¡¯ve heard that the Feather King Army is disciplined. After capturing a city, they may not bepletely gentle, but they do enforce strict rules on their soldiers¡­. If I surrender early, maybe I could secure a position in the Feather King Army."


    "But Linhe City is strategically important. If this city falls too, the remaining cities may not have the will to resist, and then the entire Southwest Province will fall into the hands of the Feather King Army, it¡¯s only a matter of time¡­"


    "Maybe¡­. should I hold on for a few more days? I heard that the Feather King is a highly skilled martial artist. Martial artists like him despise cowards who surrender without a fight. If I can make the Feather King Army face obstacles in this city first, maybe I¡¯ll be treated better when I surrender?"


    Lord Chen¡¯s thoughts were in turmoil, he couldn¡¯t make a decision.


    Suddenly.


    "Master, big trouble, the Feather King Army is here!" Suddenly someone came to report at the city gate tower.


    Lord Chen¡¯s face immediately turned pale, "Hmm? How many people havee?"


    He was already thinking about leaving, but as the master of the house, it wouldn¡¯t be right to flee at this moment while he was at the city gate tower. ???????B¨º??


    "About a few hundred people, all archers."


    "Archers?" Lord Chen frowned slightly, feeling a bit more certain in his heart.


    He quickly climbed up the city gate tower and looked down, indeed seeing hundreds of archersing in the distance. However, these archers seemed to be ordinary soldiers, not skilled ones.


    Swish, swish, swish!


    The archers continued to shoot arrows one after another, the arrows flying ntingly into the sky andnding inside the city.


    Due to the distance still being far, about a few hundred steps away, these arrows were obviously weak andcking in force, sporadicallynding inside the city.


    "There is a letter attached to the arrow."


    "Oh? I see, quickly bring it to me." Lord Chen made up his mind.


    These archers were clearly not here to attack the city. Shooting letters with their arrows, the content was easy to guess ¨C it was probably a surrender letter.


    Lord Chen wondered: If the Feather King is asking for surrender, how should I respond? Should I hold on for a few more days, or go with the flow¡­


    While pondering this, his subordinate presented the letter attached to the arrow.


    Lord Chen opened the letter, quickly scanned it, and his face changed drastically.


    This was definitely not the surrender letter he had imagined!


    In the letter, the Feather King introduced herself and revealed that she used to be a disciple of the Spear Saint, named Demon Spear Qin Li, living in Xishan Vige in the territory of Linhe Prefecture.


    Today, Xishan Vige was mercilessly attacked by bandits, with no survivors left in the entire vige.


    The local governor, Lord Chen, couldn¡¯t avoid me. After the city was breached, all the officials and wealthy residents were buried with the vigers of Xishan Vige. The day the city fell was their day to die, and she allowed her soldiers to plunder for three days.


    "This is not a surrender letter, it¡¯s more like a warning not to surrender!"


    Lord Chen cursed silently in his heart.


    "Why has the Feather King changed so much? Wasn¡¯t she known for her moral purity? How could this happen?"


    Lord Chen was shocked and angered, feeling a sense of bitterness in his heart.


    In history, simr examples exist. For instance, a warlord once ughtered a city in revenge for his family¡¯s tragic deaths, burying tens of thousands of people with them.


    It is said that the bodies of tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians piled up like mountains, causing the rivers to run red.


    Therefore, the sudden change in demeanor of the Feather King can be traced back to this¡­


    Deep down, Lord Chen also wondered if the city would indeed fall, and if the Feather King would turn from plundering to mass ughter.


    "Bullying me too much, not giving me a chance to surrender at all, not persuading me to surrender, but telling me to die!"


    Lord Chen, although no longer young, used to be a skilled fighter, with some courage remaining.


    "Master, hundreds of letters have been sent to the city, should we collect these letters to avoid causing chaos among the military and civilians?" a military officer asked.


    "Why collect them?" Lord Chen sneered.


    "Let the wealthy and officials in the city see that we are all in the same boat now, if the city falls, we all die!"


    Lord Chen himself knew¡­ as an official of the Great Yan Imperial Court, his reputation was limited and he didn¡¯t have much support from the people.


    In terms of reputation and poprity, he was far behind the mighty Feather King.


    So before the Feather King attacked the city, the morale of the soldiers and civilians in the city was not very high, and many people even hoped the city would be taken sooner rather thanter.


    Lord Chen had nothing more to say about this, after all, his own thoughts of surrender were shattered¡­ but now all considerations were in vain.


    "The Feather King is acting so arrogantly, let¡¯s help her out by spreading this ¡®surrender letter¡¯ far and wide!" The Lord gritted his teeth and ordered.


    Even though he was filled with anger, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit sad.


    This city, in the end, couldn¡¯t be defended. He couldn¡¯t stop the Feather King; no one could stop the Feather King.


    Though the Feather King was arrogant, what she said was true.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    The "surrender letter" fell in the city like raindrops along with the arrows.


    With the Lord¡¯s intentional assistance, the contents of the letters spread quickly.


    "People often say the Feather King is unmatched in bravery, always at the forefront of every battle, leading the charge. Yet now, after surrounding the city for days, there is still no sign of the Feather King."


    "I didn¡¯t expect¡­ she is doing this on purpose! She doesn¡¯t want to end our lives too quickly; she wants us to experience the hardships of being besieged, and then have her loved ones buried alongside us, right?"


    "The Feather King finally showed his true colors. Seeing the city about to be captured, he stopped pretending to be noble and righteous."


    "Bah, I¡¯ve always said this person is a rebel against the court, pretending to be a demon-yer just for fame. Now that the Southwest Province situation is settled, she¡¯s dropping the act!"


    In the city, there were also several martial artists from the Peach Blossom Vi. After reading the letter, they remembered the events in Xishan Vige, thinking about the Zhao family members who had died long ago.


    "It seems that this Feather King has truly been clouded by hatred."


    "What if¡­ we sneak into Feather King¡¯s camp at night and confront her with the truth? Feather King used to have a good reputation, she should be reasonable." suggested one martial artist.


    Another martial artist shook his head and said, "You are seeking a path to death¡­"


    "If Feather King really was reasonable, why would she give such orders? She is bloodthirsty, wanting the whole city¡¯s elite to die. Even if you reach her tent, will she listen to you?"


    Inside Linhe City, people were fearful but also united against the enemy.


    Despite their anger towards Feather King, from the lord to themon folk, they all knew one fact.@@novelbin@@


    This city can¡¯t stop the Feather King.


    The three-day deadline in the "surrender letter" is definitely the deadline for them.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Outside Linhe City, among the mountains.


    Long Shankong walked on the mountain path, asionally ncing around with the corner of his eye, looking for followers hidden in the dark.


    "Could it be that the Feather King really didn¡¯t send anyone to follow? Am I thinking too much?"


    Long Shankong was slightly surprised, then stopped thinking about it.


    Whether someone is following or not, it doesn¡¯t matter, he won¡¯t go to Peach Blossom Vi anyway.


    When Qiao Mu was still a low-level martial artist, the intuition of the "Martial Saint Spiritual Technique" allowed him to vaguely sense Wu Qingxin in Heyang City when he was still in Yan City.


    Long Shankong is a truly skilled martial artist, much better at sensing things than Qiao Mu was before.


    He secretly used the Spiritual Sound Conducting Technique to send messages from a distance and inform about recent events.


    "But it turns out the Feather King is a trustworthy person, he didn¡¯t send anyone to follow me. I was just being overly cautious," Long Shankong marveled.


    "No one following us?" Qiao Mu asked.


    "That¡¯s right, but just to be safe, I won¡¯t return to Peach Blossom Vi. I¡¯ll take a detour in the mountains and then leave. Mr. Qiao shouldn¡¯t worry," he assured.


    Long Shankong was feeling quite content.


    He considered himself someone who repays kindness and vengeance alike. By not causing trouble for Qiao Mu and even passing on a message, he felt like he was repaying him a little.


    However, at that moment, he felt an intuitive sense that Qiao Mu was rushing towards him¡­


    The Spiritual Sound Conducting Technique originated from Li Changge¡¯s Military Spiritual Technique, which was created for distantmunication between her and her husband. Apart from messaging, it could also be used for sensing directions.


    Zoom!!


    From the sky, a sharp sound of breaking the air echoed loudly.


    Long Shankong looked up in surprise.


    He saw Qiao Mu covered in blood, crashing into the sky, grabbing the neck of a young cultivator, just like a shooting star falling to the ground, kicking up a circle of sand and mud.


    "It¡¯s not your fault," said Qiao Mu calmly.


    "Even though you are a top martial artist, with plenty of experience dealing with martial artists, you haven¡¯t had much experience facing cultivators, right?"


    "They¡¯re actually quite easy to deal with. Cultivators tend to be arrogant, so all you have to do is quietly get close, surprise them by showing that an ordinary martial artist like you can be so fast, and then knock them out with a punch while they¡¯re still processing the shock."


    "See, it¡¯s that simple," said Qiao Mu, throwing the young cultivator to the ground.


    "¡­." Long Shankong was momentarily speechless.


    He just wanted to repay a kindness, but now he owes Qiao Pian his life?


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    One hourter.


    Outside the city, among the mountains, a young Taoist entered a simple cave.


    "Senior Yu Shan."


    "The mortal named Long Shankong didn¡¯t go to the ¡®Peach Blossom Vi¡¯ to deliver the message to Qiao Pian. He just pretended to explore in the mountains and then returned."


    "Oh? Seems like Qiao Pian got lucky." Taoist Child Yu Shan said casually.


    Taoist Child Yu Shan didn¡¯t pay much attention to Qiao Pian, who seemed to be a shape-shifting demon or half-demon, because the existence of Feather King Qin Li was the top priority now.


    After all¡­ the demon kings in the ten thousand mountains were all things of the past, let alone someone like Qiao Pian the half-demon.


    Strengths and weaknesses, can theypare to Immortal Gate?


    The young Taoist turned to leave, but then hesitated and couldn¡¯t help but ask:


    "Senior brother, this Feather King Qin Li, her actions seem somewhat different from before, is there something suspicious about it?"


    "Nonsense. With the whole family and vige exterminated, who wouldn¡¯t be suspicious?" Yu Shan remained calm.


    "Doesn¡¯t Senior Brother Yu Shan worry?" The young Taoist looked concerned.


    "Xishan Vige was the leverage to control Feather King, now that leverage is gone, how will Immortal Gate control Feather King?"


    Taoist Child Yu Shan rolled his eyes, looking somewhat impatient at the young Taoist.


    "Yu Lie, how did you reach the Foundation Building period being so foolish?"


    "Do you think I¡¯m a fool, bringing people to kill those in Xishan Vige, then abandoning the leverage? Actually, I am an insider for Feather King¡¯s side."


    Young Taoist named Yu Lie chuckled.


    "Please exin, senior brother."


    Taoist Child Yu Shan impatiently said, "I never expected that the sect¡¯s n would involve the disciples as well¡­"


    "The uniqueness of Feather King lies only in his Jingwei bloodline, not in his martial arts."


    "Without a Feather King today, we can easily support a king from any direction in the future, even if their strength is slightly inferior, as long as they are stronger than the ordinary martial artists."


    "Why do you think my Yunxiao Sect is holding people from Xishan Vige hostage? Isn¡¯t this tactic too simple and clich¨¦?"


    "Um, isn¡¯t it to hold Feather King hostage?"


    Taoist Child Yu Shan felt like he was talking to a wall, one hand on his forehead.


    "In fact, it¡¯s just to make that Feather King believe that we, the Yunxiao Sect, are holding the people of Xishan Vige hostage, making her think that Xishan Vige is safe."


    "Actually, the ordinary people in those mountain viges have long passed away," said Yu Shan calmly.


    "After a very long time, she will discover the truth."


    "By staining her hands with fresh blood, wearing a mask, acting as ackey for the Immortal Gate, causing warfare in the Southwest Province, and ending up in such a way, how do you think she will feel?"


    The young Taoist priest squinted his eyes, lowered his head in thought, and said,


    "She believed she was making a significant sacrifice, but in reality, everything was already irreversible. Herpromise in the beginning, offering herself to the Immortal Gate, not only didn¡¯t lead to good results, but also made the vigers die more tragically."


    "Therefore, she naturally feels regretful in her heart, and the bitterness within her remains unspoken."


    "You seem to understand quite well," Yu Shan nced slightly higher at the young Taoist priest before him.


    "This is our goal, the so-called Jingwei Bird can actually be seen as the resentful souls harboring obsession and hatred."


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