《Cultivating Immortality, Starting from Childhood Sweethearts》 Chapter 0 Cultivation Realm: Lower Five Realms: Qi Entry/Gathering Realm, Mind Clarity Realm, Furnace Burning/Ignition Realm, Qi Refining Realm, Furnace Foundation Realm. Middle Five Realms: Cave Mansion Realm, Sea Observation Realm, Dragon Gate Realm, Golden Core Realm, Nascent Soul Realm. Upper Five Realms: Jade Purity Realm, Immortal Realm, Ascension Realm, and the two Lost Realms. Martial Realm: The Three Body-Refining Stages: Mud/Clay Embryo Stage, Wooden Fetus Stage, Mercury Stage. The Three Qi-Refining Stages: Heroic Soul Stage, Dominant Spirit Stage, Martial Will/Courage Stage. The Three Spirit-Refining Stages: Golden Body Stage, Far Wandering Stage, Mountain Summit Stage. The Tenth Realm: The Limit/Pinnacle Boundary is divided into three levels: Perfect Body, Flourishing Qi, and Divine Fullness(Headless Road). Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Final Realm: Martial God Realm. Tianji Book Rankings/Lists: 1. Qingyun Ranking: Records the top 100 prodigies under the age of 30. 2. Tianxia/World Ranking: Records the top 100 most powerful individuals in the world. 3. Hongyan/Beauty Ranking: Records the top 100 most beautiful women in the world. Chapter 1 ¡°Wuwuwu, Ming¡¯er, you¡¯re finally awake!¡± ¡°Ming¡¯er, you scared your mother to death!¡± ¡°Ming¡¯er, my dear Ming¡¯er.¡± ¡°If you were gone, your mother wouldn¡¯t want to live anymore!¡± As Xu Ming slowly opened his eyes, he saw a young lady tightly holding him, tears streaming down her face. Xu Ming¡¯s mind was foggy. Wasn¡¯t I hit by a truck? Where am I? Have I been reincarnated? He wanted to ask, ¡°Who are you, madam?¡± but all that came out was, ¡°Ah, ah, ah.¡± Xu Ming moved his limbs and found his body uncoordinated, his hands and feet difficult to control. It was then he realized that he had become¡­a baby. ¡°Come, Ming¡¯er, you must be hungry. Have some milk,¡± the lady said, lifting her clothing and awkwardly guiding the softness to Xu Ming¡¯s mouth. Driven by instinct and hunger, Xu Ming latched on and began to suck eagerly. The lady bit her lip slightly from discomfort but held her composure. Xu Ming blinked and adjusted his force, becoming gentler. Just as he was halfway full, a line of text appeared in his mind: [You have unlocked the talent: Fivefold Nutrient Absorption (0/6000). Nutrient value will awaken at 6000.] [You took a sip of milk, Nutrients +1.] [You took a sip of milk, Nutrients +1.] [¡­] When Xu Ming had filled his stomach, a voice came from outside the door. ¡°Fifth Madam, the young miss is hungry. The First Madam has summoned you.¡± S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The lady glanced at the child in her arms, her teeth biting down on her lower lip. ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll be right there. Let me change first.¡± ¡°Fifth Madam, please hurry; Chunyan will wait for you outside,¡± the maid said softly. ¡°Child, eat as much as you can,¡± the lady whispered, holding Xu Ming¡¯s tiny hand gently. Looking at his mother¡¯s expression, Xu Ming had a bad feeling. He began drinking faster, fearing he wouldn¡¯t have another chance to eat. ¡°Fifth Madam, are you ready? We really need to go now. If Young Master Ming¡¯er eats too much, and you run out of milk¡­¡± The maid outside sounded slightly awkward, clearly aware of what was happening inside. ¡°Alright, alright.¡± Reluctantly, the lady removed Xu Ming¡¯s head from her chest and gently placed him on the bed before hurriedly dressing and leaving. ¡°Chunyan, please look after Ming¡¯er for me. He hasn¡¯t been feeling well today,¡± the lady said politely to the maid. Chunyan nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Fifth Madam. Go ahead. I¡¯ll take good care of the young master.¡± The Fifth Madam turned back to look at her son one last time before reluctantly leaving. As the door closed, Xu Ming saw Chunyan, the maid, walking toward him. She looked at him for a moment, then pinched his little face and sighed. ¡°Young Master, don¡¯t blame your mother for not letting you eat your fill. Both you and your mother are such pitiful people. The First Madam, honestly, how can someone be so cruel¡­¡± Chunyan muttered as she began venting her frustrations. Listening to her ramblings, Xu Ming began piecing together the story of his new life. In this life, he was still called Xu Ming, just like in his previous one. He was born into a wealthy family, but his mother was merely a concubine. In this world, concubines held a status only slightly higher than maids. ¡°Ah-woo,¡± he whimpered softly. Xu Ming kicked his leg forcefully. The next moment, a line of text appeared in his mind: [You successfully kicked your leg. Strength +1. Talent unlocked: Sanctified Physique (0/1000). Awaken with 1,000 strength points.] ¡°This works too?!¡± Xu Ming was stunned. He had thought his golden finger was limited to just one talent. But to his surprise, kicking his leg unlocked another one. Without hesitation, Xu Ming began kicking his legs with all his might. Once. Twice. Three times. Strength +1. Strength +1. Strength +1. Nearby, Chunyan, the maid, was startled when she saw Xu Ming turning red in the face from constant kicking. Could the young master be possessed? Noticing Chunyan¡¯s odd expression, Xu Ming quickly stopped and pretended to be asleep. When Chunyan turned away, he resumed kicking. About half an hour later, Xu Ming¡¯s mother returned. Chunyan considered telling her about the young master¡¯s unusual behavior but decided against it since Xu Ming now appeared perfectly normal. ¡°Ming¡¯er, I¡¯m sorry. You must be starving,¡± his mother said with guilt, kissing Xu Ming gently on the forehead. ¡°Wait a moment, my dear. Mother will drink more water so I can feed you properly.¡± She sat down and began drinking water nonstop, hoping to produce more milk for her child. Xu Ming wasn¡¯t sure if this method would work, but his mother did manage to nurse him again, though the milk was watery. Still, to put her at ease, he drank heartily, gulp after gulp. His mother held his tiny hand with a tender smile on her face. ¡ª Four days passed. Xu Ming spent his time drinking milk and kicking his legs. Other than his mother, the only person he saw was Chunyan. Every time Chunyan came by, it was to summon his mother to feed the young miss. Chunyan would often complain aloud by Xu Ming¡¯s bedside about her daily grievances, assuming he couldn¡¯t understand. From Chunyan¡¯s chatter, Xu Ming gradually pieced together the situation. His family wasn¡¯t just any wealthy household; this was the residence of the Duke of Xu. The Duke of Xu and the Duke of Qin had fought alongside the founding emperor, earning their titles and privileges. At the top of the family hierarchy was the Dowager Duchess, wife of the Duke of Xu, with both families possessing imperial pardons. By Xu Ming¡¯s generation¡ªthe fifth¡ªthe households had become extravagantly decadent. While there were a few capable members, they were in the minority. Xu Ming¡¯s mother, Chen Suya, came from a humble family. She was taken into the household because of her beauty, essentially forced into marriage by the Mr. Xu. The young miss, whom his mother was constantly summoned to feed, was the daughter of the First Madam. She had been born on the same day as Xu Ming, just slightly earlier, making her his elder sister. The First Madam couldn¡¯t produce milk, so Xu Ming¡¯s mother was ordered to serve as her wet nurse. In a large household like this, they could have hired any wet nurse. The fact that his mother was chosen could only mean one thing¡ªshe was being deliberately targeted. Xu Ming looked at his mother lying beside him. He recalled how, after each nursing session, she would return and drink copious amounts of water, trying to produce enough milk for him. His heart ached. Kick! Kick! Once. Twice. Three times! While his mother napped lightly at the bedside, Xu Ming continued kicking his legs diligently under the blanket. When I grow stronger, I¡¯ll make sure my mother lives a good life. Just then, a new voice came from outside the door. ¡°Fifth Madam, the First Madam and Lady Qin from the Qin household have arrived with their daughters.¡± Xu Ming froze mid-kick. Chapter 2 Hearing that the First Madams of both the Xu and Qin households had arrived, Chen Suya was startled. She quickly walked to the door, opened it, and greeted them with a bow. ¡°Your humble servant greets the First Madam and Madam Qin.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± The Xu household¡¯s First Madam, Wang Feng, responded coldly with a slight nod. ¡°There¡¯s no need for such courtesy, Fifth Madam,¡± said Madam Qin with a gentle smile. Compared to Wang Feng¡¯s aloof demeanor, Madam Qin seemed much more approachable. ¡°Since I¡¯ve just finished my confinement period, I decided to bring Qingwan to the Xu household for a little outing,¡± Madam Qin said. ¡°While wandering through the rear courtyard, I heard that the Fifth Madam resides here. Though we haven¡¯t met before, it¡¯s such a rare coincidence that you, I, and Sister Wang all gave birth on the same day. I thought it would be nice to come and see you and the young master. I hope we¡¯re not intruding.¡± ¡°Madam Qin, you¡¯re too kind. It¡¯s an honor for Ming¡¯er to have you and the First Madam visit. Please, both of you, come inside.¡± Chen Suya quickly stepped aside to let them in. ¡°Then we¡¯ll impose,¡± Madam Qin said with a smile, turning to her maids. ¡°Wait outside. The three of us will have a private chat.¡± ¡°Yes, Madam,¡± the maids replied respectfully, retreating and gently closing the door behind them. ¡°Please, First Madam, Madam Qin, have a seat,¡± Chen Suya said, pouring tea for the two ladies. Then, without daring to sit herself, she walked to the bed, picked up Xu Ming, and stood beside the two women. ¡°Suya, take a seat,¡± Madam Qin gestured kindly. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare,¡± Chen Suya replied, holding Xu Ming and lowering her head in deference. ¡°What¡¯s there to fear? You¡¯re part of the Xu household, and I¡¯m from the Qin household. Our families have long been closely tied. We¡¯re not outsiders. If you keep being so formal, I might get upset,¡± Madam Qin said, feigning annoyance. Chen Suya glanced timidly at Wang Feng. ¡°The Madam Qin has asked you to sit. You may do so,¡± Wang Feng said indifferently. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll take the liberty then,¡± Chen Suya said softly, finally sitting down next to Madam Qin after receiving Wang Feng¡¯s approval. She adjusted Xu Ming in her arms, allowing him to get a clear look at the two First Madams. Madam Qin wore a simple white gown that cinched at the waist, accentuating her slender, willow-like figure. Sitting gracefully in her chair, the dress clung slightly to her curves, enhancing her elegance. She had captivating peach blossom eyes, a delicate nose, and lips like a cherry blossom, pursed as if holding a lake of spring water. The combination of her dignified demeanor and stunning beauty was so mesmerizing that even Xu Ming, who had grown numb to modern internet influencers, found himself momentarily dazed. In Madam Qin¡¯s arms was a delicate little girl with porcelain-like skin. Though only a month old, her peach blossom eyes were already beginning to take shape. She gazed at Xu Ming with bright, curious eyes and even reached out to him, babbling joyfully. Turning his attention to Wang Feng, Xu Ming found her less impressive. While she wasn¡¯t unattractive, her sharp chin gave her an air of meanness, and her perpetually sour expression made it seem as though someone owed her a fortune in gold. In Wang Feng¡¯s arms, the eldest Xu daughter was sleeping soundly. Xu Ming felt no resentment toward the little girl who shared his milk. After all, what would a child know? Naturally, she¡¯d eat wherever there was milk. But as for Wang Feng, Xu Ming wished he could use his tiny foot to kick her right in the backside! ¡°Ming¡¯er is so handsome. He¡¯ll surely grow up to be a fine man¡ªwise enough to govern and counsel rulers, and brave enough to defend the borders,¡± Madam Qin said with a smile, her jade-like fingers gently pinching Xu Ming¡¯s cheek. ¡°Sister Qin, you flatter him,¡± Wang Feng interjected with a sly smile. ¡°But you know the laws of the Wu Kingdom¡ªillegitimate sons aren¡¯t allowed to take the imperial exams, so governing and advising rulers is out of the question. As for defending the borders, not everyone can be like the Duke of Xu or the Duke of Qin. And given the dangers of the battlefield, I doubt Sister Chen would be willing to part with him.¡± Her words, though cloaked in civility, were barbed with malice. Chen Suya lowered her head respectfully. ¡°Thank you for Madam Qin¡¯s kind words. However, the First Madam is right. Ming¡¯er, as a child born of a concubine, cannot participate in the imperial examinations. As for defending the nation, I¡¯ve never even considered it. If Ming¡¯er can grow up safe and healthy, that¡¯s all I could ever hope for. Being born into the Xu household, with a life of comfort and plenty, is already a great blessing. In comparison, Miss Qingwan and Miss Xuenuo will surely grow up to be stunning beauties. Who knows, they might even be chosen by prestigious sects, becoming celestial maidens capable of traversing the heavens and captivating the world.¡± ¡°Prestigious sects? Traversing the heavens? Celestial maidens?¡± Xu Ming was momentarily stunned. So this is a high-fantasy martial world? Madam Qin glanced at Wang Feng beside her, then at Chen Suya, and sighed. ¡°Indeed, peace and safety are what matter most. But alas, neither the Xu nor Qin households have produced even a single scholar for generations. As for martial achievements, there hasn¡¯t been a general from either family. Thankfully, we still have our inherited noble titles to protect our wealth and status. The younger generation is lucky to secure minor court positions. Sometimes, I wish Qingwan were born a boy. Then she could join the military, serve the nation, and silence the gossip about our families.¡± Wang Feng smiled faintly. ¡°Sister Qin, what are you saying? Isn¡¯t Second Uncle currently cultivating in the Xuanyu Sword Sect? Once he descends the mountain, he¡¯ll undoubtedly take on a key position in the Ministry of War.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Madam Qin nodded with a forced smile. However, Xu Ming caught a trace of reluctance in her expression. Just then, Wang Feng¡¯s daughter, Xu Xuenuo, woke up and began crying. Chen Suya fed Xu Xuenuo, conveniently ending the conversation. Not long after, the two First Madams departed. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Fortunately, Chen Suya¡¯s milk supply was unusually sufficient that day. Even after feeding the First Madam¡¯s daughter, she was still able to feed Xu Ming until he was full. Lying on the bed with Xu Ming in her arms, Chen Suya gradually fell asleep. Looking at his mother, Xu Ming resumed kicking his legs under the covers. This is a world where cultivation exists. I need to be even more disciplined! It¡¯s decided¡ªI¡¯ll kick 200 times tonight. [Strength +1.] [Strength +1.] [Strength +1.] Xu Ming kicked with such vigor that the bed began to wobble slightly. In her sleep, Chen Suya felt her precious child moving. She opened her eyes groggily and saw him lifting both legs, kicking the thin blanket repeatedly. The blanket fluttered like a handkerchief under his relentless kicks. For a moment, Chen Suya wondered if she was dreaming. She rubbed her eyes and looked again. Her precious baby was lying quietly beside her, breathing steadily, with the blanket neatly covering him. Chen Suya stared at her child in confusion. ¡°Am I so tired that I¡¯m seeing things?¡± Chapter 3 [You have completed 1,000 kicks, successfully awakening Physical Sanctification.] [Physical Sanctification: From now on, every exercise you perform will infinitely enhance your physical strength.] As this line of text appeared in his mind, Xu Ming felt a warm current surging through his body. He decided to test it out and found that not only could he roll over, but he could even attempt to stand. Xu Ming went further, performing two sit-ups! [Sit-ups +1, Abdominal Muscle Strength +1, Vitality +2.] [Sit-ups +1, Abdominal Muscle Strength +1, Vitality +2.] Ecstatic, Xu Ming thought to himself, I¡¯m only a one-month-old baby! Most babies at this age can¡¯t even roll over, but I¡¯m already doing push-ups! Lying on his stomach, Xu Ming did a push-up. [Push-up +1, Arm Muscle Strength +1, Vitality +2.] After completing 50 push-ups and 50 sit-ups, Xu Ming felt his energy reach its limit. His whole body ached, and his stomach growled loudly. ¡°Waaah¡­ waaah¡­¡± Xu Ming cried out, signaling his hunger. Chen Suya, hearing the cries, hurriedly got up and saw her baby opening his mouth and sucking at the air. Realizing he was hungry, she quickly picked him up to nurse. After just a few sips, a new string of words appeared in Xu Ming¡¯s mind: [Nutrition has reached 6,000 points. You have successfully awakened Fivefold Nutrient Absorption.] [Fivefold Nutrient Absorption: All food you consume will have five times the nutritional value.] Xu Ming was momentarily stunned by this new development, but continued nursing. Earlier, he had worried about whether his mother¡¯s milk supply could keep up with his growing appetite. But now, that concern had disappeared entirely. ¡°Burp~¡± Feeling full, Xu Ming let out a satisfied burp. Once his body digested the milk, he planned to resume his disciplined training. Two months later¡­ During these two months, Xu Ming spent every spare moment secretly training. By the age of three months, he could already crawl. Normally, babies this age could only roll over. Chen Suya was stunned to see her baby crawling around. ¡°Is my child developing too quickly?¡± she wondered. But seeing Xu Ming¡¯s rosy, healthy complexion and his evident delight, she could only conclude, ¡°Every baby has a different constitution.¡± Taking advantage of his mother¡¯s inattention, Xu Ming lifted a small rock weighing about five pounds from the yard. Although Xu Ming had no idea how his physical strength measured up in this world, he felt reassured knowing he was still young and had plenty of time to grow. By the fourth month¡­ Xu Ming finally met his so-called father. The man treated him with indifference, only offering a few casual words before leaving. But in the martial kingdom, where a man could have one legal wife, two concubines, and numerous mistresses, such treatment wasn¡¯t surprising. Children born to concubines barely ranked above servants. As the son of a concubine, Xu Ming¡¯s status was naturally low. Not that Xu Ming cared. Each night, once his mother fell asleep, Xu Ming would tirelessly do sit-ups and push-ups. As his vitality and physical strength steadily increased, Xu Ming began to feel like a character in a stacked progression game. By the time Xu Ming turned five months old, his body had already undergone incredible changes. On this day, Madam Zhao Qing, the first wife of the Qin family, visited the Xu household with her daughter. As the mistress of the Xu household, Wang Feng naturally accompanied them. Zhao Qing had heard that Chen Suya was exceptionally skilled at embroidery, so she came this time to learn from her in order to make a small bellyband for her daughter. Chen Suya dared not refuse, and Wang Feng maintained a polite smile as she observed, keeping up the poise befitting the mistress of the Xu household. As for Xu Ming, he was seated on the bed with the Qin family¡¯s eldest daughter, Qin Qingwan, and his half-sister, Xu Xuenuo. Xu Ming crawled back and forth beside the two girls, drawing curious stares from their bright, wide eyes. The livelier of the two, Qin Qingwan, reached out her chubby little hand, trying to grab Xu Ming. Sometimes, Xu Ming let her catch him, and other times he dodged. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. When the adults weren¡¯t paying attention, Xu Ming even showed off by doing a one-handed push-up in front of Qin Qingwan and Xu Xuenuo. Qin Qingwan burst into laughter, giggling uncontrollably. In contrast, Xu Xuenuo, watching Xu Ming crawl around, decided to try crawling herself. Each time she failed, she didn¡¯t cry or fuss but kept trying persistently, showing her strong will. Although both Qin Qingwan and Xu Xuenuo were only five months old, Xu Ming felt he could already discern their personalities. Qin Qingwan would likely grow up to be a gentle and lively young lady, cheerful and outgoing. Xu Xuenuo, on the other hand, would probably be fiercely determined with a strong sense of pride. When Qin Qingwan saw Xu Xuenuo trying to crawl, she didn¡¯t want to be left behind. She wriggled her small body, attempting to crawl as well. However, after just a few movements, Qin Qingwan accidentally slipped toward the edge of the bed. Startled, Xu Ming quickly crawled over and caught her with one hand, pulling her back onto the bed. At the moment she was about to fall, Qin Qingwan had been ready to burst into tears. But after being caught by Xu Ming, she opened her mouth wide, momentarily unsure whether to cry or not. Qin Qingwan stared at Xu Ming in a daze, her eyes sparkling. From the gaze of this five-month-old baby, Xu Ming could actually sense a hint of admiration. ¡°Ah! Ah! Ah!¡± Realizing what had just happened, Qin Qingwan let out a few cheerful shouts before throwing her little arms around Xu Ming and rubbing her tiny head against him affectionately. ¡°It seems Qingwan really likes Ming¡¯er,¡± Zhao Qing said warmly, watching the two children embrace, a gentle smile on her face. ¡°It is Ming¡¯er¡¯s honor to be liked by the young lady,¡± Chen Suya replied softly, bowing her head slightly. ¡°Children are pure at heart, but as they grow, their differences will naturally widen,¡± Wang Feng remarked calmly. Her words carried a subtle implication: a concubine¡¯s son and the eldest daughter of the Qin family might be close in childhood, but their statuses would be worlds apart as they grew older. Zhao Qing, however, gently held Chen Suya¡¯s hand and smiled. ¡°Our Xu and Qin families are closely tied. Not just in childhood¡ªwhen they grow up, they should continue to support each other. Ming¡¯er will surely grow into a fine man who can protect his sisters.¡± Chen Suya responded with a polite smile, not daring to say much. ¡°Ah!¡± Just as the atmosphere turned a bit awkward, Wang Feng suddenly let out a startled cry and quickly stood up. Chen Suya and Zhao Qing turned to look, only to see Xu Ming sitting on the bed, a mischievous arc of pee shooting directly onto Wang Feng. Chapter 4 ¡°You little rascal! How dare you pee on me!¡± Wang Feng shot to her feet, her cheeks blazing red, pointing at Xu Ming, who was proudly sitting on the bed, his ¡°little elephant trunk¡± raised high. Qin Qingwan, sitting beside Xu Ming, froze for a moment, and then started wailing, ¡°Waaah waaah waaah,¡± while clutching tightly onto Xu Ming. The more she cried, the louder she got. Xu Ming, realizing the situation, immediately joined in with a deafening cry of his own, ¡°Waaah waaah waaah,¡± as if competing for attention. On the side, Xu Xuenuo, seeing both Qin Qingwan and Xu Ming crying, felt a wave of emotion welling up within her. Though her lips quivered, the stubborn girl refused to let her tears fall. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°You¡¯re crying?!¡± Wang Feng strode over, raising her hand to smack the brat¡¯s bottom. ¡°Waaah waaah waaah!¡± Terrified by her mother¡¯s furious demeanor, Xu Xuenuo finally broke down, crying out loud. Madam Qin quickly stepped forward to console the three children. As Xu Ming was being soothed, he caught a faint whiff of gardenia from Madam Qin¡¯s presence. Chen Suya, seeing Wang Feng about to strike her son, turned pale. She hurriedly positioned herself in front of Xu Ming, bowing low and clasping her hands together. ¡°Ming¡¯er is young and doesn¡¯t understand. I beg the First Madam to forgive him and not take offense at his actions.¡± Wang Feng¡¯s raised hand froze mid-air. Out of the corner of her eye, she glanced at Zhao Qing, who was busy calming the children. She realized that hitting the child would be inappropriate, but not hitting him left her seething with resentment. If she didn¡¯t punish him, she would have no outlet for her anger after being peed on. But if she did, she would come across as petty for picking on a five-month-old child, especially with Madam Qin present. What would people say about her dignity? As the children gradually stopped crying, Zhao Qing, noticing Wang Feng¡¯s fluctuating expression, stepped forward, her gaze tinged with an almost playful regret. ¡°Fifth Madam, is this the first time Ming¡¯er has peed on someone?¡± Chen Suya, puzzled, looked up to see Zhao Qing¡¯s charming, almond-shaped eyes. ¡°It is,¡± Chen Suya answered, catching onto Zhao Qing¡¯s lead. ¡°This is indeed Ming¡¯er¡¯s first time peeing on an adult.¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t be angry, Sister Wang,¡± Zhao Qing said with a warm smile. ¡°In fact, this shows you¡¯re blessed with great fortune.¡± ¡°Fortunate?¡± Wang Feng¡¯s chest rose and fell dramatically, but as Zhao Qing was the esteemed First Madam of the Qin family, she couldn¡¯t lash out. ¡°Sister Qing, how exactly does this make me fortunate?¡± ¡°You may not know this, Sister Wang, but in my hometown, there¡¯s an old belief¡ªif you¡¯re the first person to be accidentally peed on by a baby boy, it signifies overflowing fortune and a great blessing.¡± Zhao Qing took Wang Feng¡¯s hand gently as she spoke. ¡°Last time, my Qingwan accidentally peed on my personal maid, Xiaoqing, and my husband sulked for days because he thought he deserved that blessing instead.¡± Wang Feng, listening to Zhao Qing¡¯s explanation and looking into her seemingly earnest almond eyes, glanced back at Xu Ming on the bed. Gradually, her expression softened. ¡°I never knew such a belief existed in your hometown. It seems I truly am fortunate,¡± she said, her tone easing. ¡°Indeed you are,¡± Zhao Qing nodded, her smile unwavering. ¡°If Sister Wang wants to enhance this fortune, you can bathe in purple dragon flower water¡ªit¡¯ll bless both your husband and children. I have some at my place; you¡¯re welcome to use it.¡± ¡°That sounds perfect. Let¡¯s go,¡± Wang Feng replied, finally finding a way to diffuse her anger and save face. Zhao Qing gave a polite bow toward Chen Suya. ¡°Fifth Madam, we¡¯ll take our leave for now. I¡¯ll visit again another day to learn from you.¡± ¡°Madam Qin is too kind,¡± Chen Suya said quickly, returning the bow. After Zhao Qing and Wang Feng left with their daughters, Chen Suya let out a long sigh of relief. She rushed to the bed, scooping Xu Ming into her arms. ¡°Ming¡¯er, it¡¯s okay. It¡¯s okay. Mommy will protect you. Don¡¯t be scared.¡± ¡°Awuuu~¡± Xu Ming babbled, nestling into his mother¡¯s embrace. Xu Ming let out a little cry, resting his head on his mother¡¯s shoulder. Chen Suya looked at her son, her heart stirring as if she understood his unspoken thoughts. ¡°Are you saying that you¡¯ll protect Mother in the future?¡± ¡°Awoo~¡± Xu Ming cried out again, his tone firm and resolute. ¡°My good Ming¡¯er,¡± Chen Suya said, gently tapping his nose. She smiled, but soon her tears began to blur her vision. ¡°Then Ming¡¯er must grow up healthy and strong to become a real man, okay?¡± Time passed quickly, and another three months went by. ¡°Ming¡¯er, slow down! Don¡¯t fall!¡± In the Spring Courtyard of the Xu household, eight-month-old Xu Ming was waddling along the pebble path on his short legs, running about with boundless energy. [Running 1 meter: Leg strength +1, Stamina +1.] [Running 1 meter: Leg strength +1, Stamina +1.] Each step Xu Ming took seemed to make him stronger. Typically, a well-developing baby could start walking around the age of one. Xu Ming, being far ahead of the curve, was already jogging at eight months¡ªsurely that wasn¡¯t too extraordinary, was it? After several months of training, Xu Ming could now lift up to 15 pounds with his tiny arms, and faint outlines of abdominal muscles had started to form. As for his running speed¡­ Well, without a stopwatch, it was hard to measure. But Xu Ming estimated he could finish 100 meters in about 50 seconds, give or take. He had also started eating solid foods, which was a blessing given his intense physical activity. Even if his half-sister Xu Xuenuo didn¡¯t compete with him for milk, his mother¡¯s supply still couldn¡¯t keep up with his growing appetite. ¡°Third Young Master, isn¡¯t this courtyard beautiful?¡± ¡°I heard the matriarch plans to merge this courtyard with the Qin family¡¯s next door to make a grand garden in the future.¡± ¡°Forget the garden¡ªwithin two months, both Miss Xu and Miss Qin will celebrate their first birthdays! Preparations will begin tomorrow, and it¡¯ll be a grand event, with officials from all over attending!¡± As Xu Ming ran about in the courtyard, he overheard cheerful chatter from a group of maids in the distance. Amid their conversation, a three-year-old boy walked in Xu Ming¡¯s direction, surrounded by a gaggle of maids fawning over him. Seeing the boy approach, Chen Suya quickly picked up Xu Ming and stepped forward, bowing respectfully. ¡°This humble concubine greets the Third Young Master.¡± ¡°Sister Qiu Ju, who¡¯s she?¡± The three-year-old boy asked clumsily, speaking from the maid¡¯s arms. ¡°This is Fifth Concubine, and the child in her arms is your younger brother,¡± replied Qiu Ju with a smile. ¡°Younger brother? Like Sister Xuenuo?¡± The chubby boy asked curiously. ¡°Yes and no,¡± another maid chimed in with a subtle smile. ¡°It¡¯s the same in some ways, but also a bit different.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± The three-year-old seemed to grasp it vaguely. Suddenly, his eyes lit up as though he¡¯d remembered something. Pointing at Xu Ming, he clapped his hands and shouted with excitement, ¡°I know now! Mother said it before: the children born to concubines are bastards, like the servants and maids!¡± Chapter 5 The voice of the third young master of the Xu household echoed around the group. The faces of several maids showed traces of awkwardness. Although it was true that the Fifth Madam was a concubine and Xu Ming was a son of lesser status, and while it was also true that in the Great Wu Kingdom, the status of a concubine¡¯s son was only slightly higher than that of a servant, it was still unpleasant to hear these things said aloud. Sensing the tension, Chunyan quickly nudged Qiuj¨¹ lightly. Understanding her cue, Qiuj¨¹ gently spoke to the three-year-old third young master Xu Pangda in her arms, ¡°Young Master, the osmanthus flowers in Full Spring Garden have bloomed. They¡¯re so fragrant! Shall we go take a look?¡± ¡°Yes, let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go!¡± Xu Pangda clapped his hands, his nose running as he beamed. After bidding the Fifth Madam, Chen Suya, a polite farewell, Qiuj¨¹ and the other maids swiftly carried the young master away. ¡°Fifth Madam, he¡¯s just a child. Please don¡¯t take his words to heart,¡± Chunyan stayed behind, apologizing to Chen Suya. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Chen Suya shook her head lightly. ¡°He¡¯s so young¡ªhow could he have any malice?¡± Chunyan sighed, her tone carrying a hint of frustration. ¡°The third young master may not have bad intentions, but the First Madam is another story. You¡¯re well aware, Madam, that the eldest young master was born to the Second Madam, Lady Qian. In our Great Wu Kingdom, while there¡¯s a distinction between the status of a primary wife and a concubine, for the past hundred years, any child born to either has been considered legitimate and eligible for inheritance. If the First Madam had managed to bear a second son, it would have been fine, but the second young master was born to Lady Lin. Two years ago, she finally bore the third young master, but as you know, his health isn¡¯t good, and he can¡¯t cultivate. As for pursuing the martial path¡­ even a servant like me knows how grueling that road is. How could the First Madam not understand? And even if he manages to take up the martial path, what¡¯s the use? The eldest young master has exceptional talent in the art of inscriptions and was chosen by the Grand Elder of the Heavenly Seal Sect at just four years old. After the fourth young lady¡¯s full-moon banquet, he¡¯ll leave to study there. The second young master has a Pure Yang constitution and was personally taken as a disciple by the Sect Master of the Flame Sun Sect. How can the third young master compare? The First Madam originally intended to have another son, but it turned out to be a girl instead. And yet, it¡¯s you, Fifth Madam, who bore the young master Ming. It¡¯s infuriating! You¡¯ve done nothing wrong, and yet the First Madam has made you her target, venting her anger on you. She¡¯s nothing but a bully!¡± ¡°Miss Chunyan,¡± Chen Suya quickly pulled at her sleeve. ¡°You mustn¡¯t say such things. Speaking ill of one¡¯s master behind their back¡ªthis could¡­¡± ¡°I know, I know,¡± Chunyan said with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m not foolish. These words are only for you, Fifth Madam. Besides, the old matriarch has called me to her service. Starting tomorrow, I¡¯ll be attending to her.¡± ¡°That¡¯s wonderful! Miss Chunyan, you must serve her well.¡± The old matriarch was now the highest authority in the Xu household since the master had left long ago. Not everyone had the privilege to serve her, and Chen Suya was genuinely happy for Chunyan. ¡°Of course. It¡¯s my great fortune to be able to serve the old matriarch. That said, while the First Madam is detestable, she still has her limits.¡± As Chunyan spoke, she glanced around before leaning in close to Chen Suya and lowering her voice. ¡°Fifth Madam, there¡¯s something you may not know. Two months ago, the Seventh Madam gave birth to a boy.¡± ¡°Madam Sun had a child too?¡± Chen Suya exclaimed with delight. ¡°I¡¯ve been staying in the inner courtyard taking care of Ming¡¯er, so I truly didn¡¯t know. I must visit her!¡± ¡°You can¡¯t! You can¡¯t!¡± Chunyan sighed. ¡°The Seventh Madam has already gone mad.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Chen Suya stared at Chunyan in shock. ¡°It¡¯s like this,¡± Chunyan whispered after another cautious look around. ¡°The Seventh Madam¡¯s son was born with a gleam of spiritual light between his brows¡ªa promising talent for cultivation. But who would have thought¡­ only seven days later, the boy¡­¡± She didn¡¯t finish her sentence, only letting out a heavy sigh. But Chen Suya already understood what she meant. Chunyan continued, ¡°If there wasn¡¯t some hidden hand behind this, then perhaps it was simply a matter of the child¡¯s unfortunate fate. But if a certain Madam intentionally harmed the Seventh Madam¡¯s child¡­¡± Chen Suya¡¯s face instantly turned pale. ¡°Chunyan, mind your words! Don¡¯t speak of such things¡­ how could that even be possible?¡± Chunyan nodded. ¡°I understand. In any case, the Xu household chose to avoid airing its dirty laundry and didn¡¯t spread the matter outside. Even a private investigation yielded no results. Those gossiping servants who spread baseless rumors were all dealt with according to the household rules. The Seventh Madam¡­ truly pitiable now.¡± Chen Suya instinctively tightened her hold on the child in her arms. ¡°Chunyan, whatever you¡¯ve told me today, I¡¯ll pretend I didn¡¯t hear.¡± ¡°I trust you, Madam. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have said anything at all.¡± Chunyan curtsied respectfully. ¡°I¡¯ll take my leave now.¡± ¡°Take care, Chunyan.¡± After Chunyan left, Chen Suya held her son tightly, exhaling deeply. ¡°My dear child, I don¡¯t hope for you to achieve great success, or to ascend to the court, or to soar through the heavens like an immortal. I only want you to be safe and sound.¡± She kissed Xu Ming on the forehead. ¡°Ah-woo!¡± Xu Ming waved his tiny hands happily in response to his mother. However, his mood was far from lighthearted. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Goodness, he thought. I¡¯d originally planned to keep a low profile and, after a couple of years, reveal my astonishing talents. Maybe then, as a concubine¡¯s son, I¡¯d earn some recognition and help my mother gain more standing in the household. But now¡­ if I display any talent, I might be snuffed out before I even have a chance to grow. If the Seventh Madam¡¯s child was really targeted, and he didn¡¯t even have a claim to inheritance as a concubine¡¯s son¡­ that¡¯s truly ruthless. For now, I¡¯d better lay low and wait to assess the situation further. Xu Ming wriggled a bit in his mother¡¯s arms, signaling that he wanted to get down. ¡°You want to walk, Ming¡¯er?¡± Chen Suya asked. Xu Ming nodded. Chen Suya set him down and watched as he wobbled along on his short little legs, his tiny bottom sticking out as he toddled ahead. Is my child a bit too energetic? she wondered. Just as Xu Ming took advantage of his mother¡¯s distraction to lift his legs high a few times, a young maid approached. ¡°Excuse me, is this the Fifth Madam?¡± Chen Suya looked up and curtsied politely. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s me. And you are?¡± The maid returned the courtesy. ¡°I am a maid in the service of Madam Qin. My mistress would like to invite you to visit the Qin household as her guest.¡± Chapter 6 ¡°Would the Fifth Madam happen to be available? Our Madam wishes to invite you to visit the Qin residence,¡± Cai Die, the personal maid of the Eldest Lady of the Qin family, said respectfully, curtsying before Chen Suya. ¡°Since it is an invitation from Madam Qin, how could I decline? My son and I will come right away,¡± Chen Suya responded. ¡°Then please, Fifth Madam and Young Master Ming, follow me,¡± Cai Die said with a slight smile. ¡°Thank you for leading the way.¡± Holding her son Xu Ming, Chen Suya followed Cai Die out of the Xu residence. From the safety of his mother¡¯s embrace, Xu Ming observed the passing scenery. This was his first time leaving the inner courtyard. It was undeniable¡ªbeing the residence of a duke, the Xu estate was enormous. It took a full quarter of an hour just to walk from the rear courtyard to the front. Rock gardens and ornamental stones were artfully arranged, pavilions dotted the paths, and long corridors connected various buildings. The murals along the corridors were lifelike, clearly the work of a master artist. Xu Ming even spotted a large lake filled with vibrant koi fish of all colors, their plump and lively forms a testament to their good care and ample feeding. The Xu estate was like a grand park. Its size was beyond Xu Ming¡¯s ability to estimate. After leaving the Xu residence, it was only a short walk to the Qin residence. The layout of the Qin residence was remarkably similar to that of the Xu residence. When Xu Ming stepped into the Qin estate, he even felt as though he had returned to his own home. This was understandable. Back in the day, Duke Qin and Duke Xu were sworn brothers, having faced life and death together. Their bond was closer than that of blood siblings. Naturally, their estates were designed to resemble each other. The architecture of both estates left Xu Ming with a strong impression¡ªtwo words came to mind: wealth and grandeur. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, upon arriving at the courtyard where Madam Qin resided, Xu Ming noticed a stark difference. The decorations in Madam Qin¡¯s courtyard were modest and unassuming. Instead of rare and exotic blooms, the courtyard was filled with simple, common wildflowers. The courtyard itself was small, just slightly larger than the one Xu Ming and his mother lived in¡ªan arrangement that seemed unbefitting of Madam Qin¡¯s status. ¡°Greetings, Madam Qin,¡± Chen Suya said, bowing upon entering the room under Cai Die¡¯s guidance. The interior was even simpler¡ªjust a table, a bed, and an ordinary dressing table. The paintings on the walls were not works of famous artists but bore Madam Qin¡¯s own signature. ¡°Ya-ya-ya!¡± Not yet a year old, Qin Qingwan clapped her hands excitedly when she saw Xu Ming. In Madam Qin¡¯s arms, her chubby little face, with its rosy cheeks and bright, round eyes, was irresistibly endearing, stirring a maternal instinct to cuddle her. ¡°There¡¯s no need for formalities, Fifth Madam,¡± Zhao Qing said with a warm smile as she stood to return the greeting. She then placed the little girl in her arms down. ¡°Go on, play with your brother Ming.¡± ¡°Awoo~¡± Qin Qingwan landed on her feet and waddled toward Chen Suya like a little duckling. Chen Suya set Xu Ming down as well. As Qin Qingwan toddled forward, her unsteady steps betrayed her. With a plop, she landed on her bottom. Just as she puckered her lips, ready to cry, Xu Ming walked over to her and, with deliberate timing, plopped down beside her in the same manner. ¡°Ahahaha!¡± Seeing Xu Ming ¡°fall¡± too, Qin Qingwan¡¯s impending tears turned into peals of silvery laughter. Zhao Qing, not wanting Chen Suya to feel uneasy, dismissed the servants and invited her to discuss embroidery techniques. Meanwhile, Qin Qingwan and Xu Ming continued playing together on the floor. Over the past few months, Xu Ming had met Qin Qingwan roughly once a month, watching this little girl grow bit by bit. Standing up, Xu Ming helped Qin Qingwan to her feet, patiently guiding her as she took small steps. However, Qin Qingwan was still young; after a few steps, she would inevitably plop back down onto the ground. After several attempts, no matter how much Xu Ming coaxed her, she simply refused to get up, stubbornly sitting on the ground. A hint of frustration crossed her tiny face. Why is it that we¡¯re both eight months old, yet you¡¯re so much more skilled than me? Just as Qin Qingwan scrunched up her nose, ready to cry again, Xu Ming glanced at his mother and Madam Qin, who were talking with their backs to him. He then helped Qin Qingwan to her feet once more. While Qin Qingwan stared at him in confusion, Xu Ming lay down on the ground and patted his tiny hands on his back. Blinking her big, watery eyes, Qin Qingwan seemed to understand his gesture and plopped herself down onto his back. Xu Ming started doing push-ups. One. Two. Three. [Strength +2, Stamina +1, Back Flexibility +1, Arm Strength +1] [Strength +2, Stamina +1, Back Flexibility +1, Arm Strength +1] As strings of data flashed through his mind, Xu Ming sped up his push-ups, feeling a surge of excitement. What began as a whim turned out to be surprisingly effective¡ªcarrying Qin Qingwan while doing push-ups gave even better results. Feeling the gentle rise and fall beneath her, Qin Qingwan clapped her tiny hands with glee, her silver-bell laughter filling the air. Madam Qin, noticing how unusually happy her daughter sounded, turned around to check on her. Xu Ming quickly dropped flat onto the ground, making it look like Qin Qingwan was pinning him down. ¡°Qingwan, how could you sit on your Brother Ming like that? Get down at once,¡± Madam Qin scolded gently as she walked over, picking her daughter up and placing her back on the ground. Hearing her mother¡¯s stern tone, Qin Qingwan¡¯s lips quivered, and she burst into tears, her wails full of grievance. But he told me to sit on him! Seeing this, Xu Ming hurried over to her side, using his sleeve to wipe her tears while coaxing in his childish voice, ¡°Don¡¯t cry, don¡¯t cry.¡± ¡°Pu-ku,¡± Qin Qingwan sniffled, blinking her teary eyes and mimicking his words. Hearing her daughter trying to form words, Madam Qin¡¯s eyes lit up with joy. ¡°Don¡¯t cry,¡± Xu Ming corrected her. ¡°Bu-pu,¡± Qin Qingwan repeated. ¡°Don¡¯t cry,¡± Xu Ming said again. ¡°Bu-ku.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t cry.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t cry.¡± ¡°Mhm,¡± Xu Ming nodded approvingly. ¡°Don¡¯t cry, don¡¯t cry!¡± Qin Qingwan¡¯s tears vanished as she repeated her newfound phrase. Overjoyed, she hugged Xu Ming and planted a wet kiss on his cheek. Watching the two children¡¯s adorable interaction, Zhao Qing and Chen Suya felt their hearts melt. ¡°Chen Jie, please accept this,¡± Zhao Qing said, pressing a jade token into Chen Suya¡¯s hand. [T/N: Jie=Sister] ¡°Madam, I couldn¡¯t possibly¡ª¡± Chen Suya began, trying to refuse. ¡°Please don¡¯t decline, Fifth Sister. It¡¯s merely an access token. In the future, you and Ming¡¯er are always welcome to visit me here,¡± Zhao Qing insisted, gently pushing Chen Suya¡¯s hand back. As she looked at the two children, especially at Xu Ming, a flicker of regret passed through Zhao Qing¡¯s previously cheerful expression. Such a bright and gifted child¡­ why does he have to bear the awkward status of a concubine¡¯s son? Chapter 7 Two months had passed. On this day, the weather was perfect ¡ª clear skies and a gentle breeze. Xu Ming stood in the courtyard with his hands on his hips, gazing up at the sky. ¡°Starting today, I¡¯m officially one year old!¡± In this past year, Xu Ming¡¯s life couldn¡¯t be described as carefree, but it had certainly been uneventful. His so-called ¡°cheap father¡± had only come to visit him and his mother three times in the entire year. Every time, he¡¯d stay for just a little while before leaving. According to the people in the estate, it was because his mother had fallen out of favor. But Xu Ming didn¡¯t care. He and his mother lived a very comfortable life. In a noble family, while life might not be extravagant, it was at least free of worry over basic necessities. Taking advantage of the moment while his mother was using the restroom, Xu Ming quickly got to work. He did 100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, and 100 high knees in the courtyard. Feeling his body grow stronger day by day, Xu Ming couldn¡¯t help but deeply empathize with the ¡°doghead bros¡± online who talked about their own progress. Testing his strength, Xu Ming tried lifting a large rock in the courtyard. He estimated that the stone weighed about 30 pounds. After placing it back down, he gasped for air. ¡°Just turned one, and I can already lift a 30-pound rock. At the very least, I should be the top dog among kids my age on this street shared by the Xu and Qin households.¡± Dusting off his hands, Xu Ming lay down on the grassy ground and began doing Russian twists. [Strength +1, Core Flexibility +1, Core Strength +1] With each twist, Xu Ming felt as though he¡¯d just used a ¡°doghead¡¯s¡± axe to finish off a minion in a video game. ¡°Fifth Madam, the celebration is about to start. You should¡ª¡± Just as Xu Ming was enthusiastically twisting away, Chunyan entered the courtyard. The first thing she saw was a one-year-old lying on the ground, his abdomen curling and twisting so fast it seemed to leave afterimages. Chunyan rubbed her eyes, thinking she must have been mistaken. When she looked again, Xu Ming was lying peacefully on the ground, sound asleep. ¡°Must¡¯ve been my imagination,¡± Chunyan muttered to herself before quickly stepping forward to pick Xu Ming up, brushing the dirt off his back. ¡°Young Master Ming¡¯er, you can¡¯t lie on the grass like this ¡ª it¡¯s dirty!¡± A short while later, Chen Suya came out. After Chunyan mentioned the birthday celebration, she hurried off to inform the other madams. Chen Suya carried Xu Ming to the front courtyard. The expansive courtyard was bustling with activity. Since the birthday celebration was for both the young lady of the Qin family and the young lady of the Xu family, relatives and friends from both households had gathered together. Xu Ming saw many unfamiliar faces. Everyone who entered the estate would first pay respects to the elderly woman seated at the very front. Xu Ming guessed that this old lady must be the highest-ranking member of both the Xu and Qin families ¡ª the sole wife of the late Duke Xu. In the old lady¡¯s lap sat Qin Qingwan and Xu Xuenuo, both giggling happily, making her smile even wider. Four elegantly dressed women stood nearby, serving her attentively. Among them were Lady Wang, the first wife of the Xu family, and Lady Zhao, the first wife of the Qin family. The other two, Xu Ming guessed, were probably his father¡¯s concubines. Each held a baby boy in their arms. When Qin Qingwan, sitting in the old lady¡¯s lap, spotted Xu Ming, her eyes lit up. She waved her arms and legs excitedly, calling out in a tender, childish voice: ¡°Ming gugu! Ming gugu!¡± (Ming Gege, Ming Gege!) [T/N: Gege=Brother] Following Qin Qingwan¡¯s gaze, everyone turned to look at Xu Ming and Chen Suya. Chen Suya carried Xu Ming forward, gently placing him down before bowing to the elderly matriarch. ¡°This humble servant pays her respects to the Old Ancestor, the First Madam, Lady Qin, Lady Qian, and Lady Lin.¡± She tugged lightly at Xu Ming¡¯s hand. ¡°Ming¡¯er, greet the Old Ancestor and the madams.¡± With no choice but to comply, Xu Ming politely said, ¡°Ming¡¯er pays respects to the Old Ancestor and the madams.¡± After all, appearances had to be maintained. ¡°Hahaha! Ming¡¯er is only one year old, yet he speaks so clearly!¡± The Old Ancestor laughed. Lady Qin glanced around, smiling as she walked forward to gently pick up Xu Ming. ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, Old Ancestor? I¡¯m especially fond of Ming¡¯er, and so is Qingwan, isn¡¯t that so, Qingwan?¡± Qin Qingwan nodded vigorously, her childish voice declaring, ¡°I love Ming¡¯er gege the most! The most!¡± ¡°Good, good, good!¡± The Old Ancestor¡¯s smile grew even brighter. ¡°It¡¯s best for a family to live in harmony. Now, take your seats. Today, His Majesty sent over Yulong meat from Xiliang ¡ª you¡¯re in for a treat!¡± ¡°Yes, Old Ancestor.¡± Chen Suya withdrew with Xu Ming and sat at the table designated for the Xu family¡¯s relatives. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Minister Wang of the Ministry of Rites presents a pair of jade Ruyi scepters, wishing the young ladies of the Qin and Xu families a lifetime of good fortune.¡± ¡°General Li Zhongqi presents two snow tiger sculptures to bless the young ladies with protection and prosperity.¡± ¡°Mr. Ai of the Hanlin Academy presents two fire phoenix brushes, wishing the young ladies intelligence and virtue, and the Qin and Xu families a legacy of scholarly achievements.¡± As the gifts were announced one by one, everyone gradually took their seats. Before the feast began, Xu Ming¡¯s father, Xu Zheng, held Xu Xuenuo in his arms, while Qin Ruhai, the head of the Qin family, carried Qin Qingwan. They walked under an arch adorned with a green onion, symbolizing intelligence and health for the children. Next, the Old Ancestor rolled a peeled, boiled egg over the babies¡¯ clothes while chanting, ¡°Roll away misfortune, roll away disaster,¡± signifying a wish for good luck and health. The Old Ancestor then dressed the babies in new clothes and jewelry, symbolizing a fresh start filled with prosperity. Finally, the elders presented Xu Xuenuo and Qin Qingwan with red envelopes, wishing them healthy growth. Both the Xu and Qin families sealed two bottles of wine, to be opened when the children came of age and got married. Of course, none of this included Xu Ming. After a year of observing his surroundings, Xu Ming had come to understand that in the Kingdom of Dawu, the status of an illegitimate child was abysmally low. Once the birthday banquet ended, Chen Suya led Xu Ming to pay respects to the Old Ancestor before leaving. On their way out, Chen Suya requested some leftover food from the banquet. The Old Ancestor, in high spirits, agreed readily and even ordered the kitchen to divide the remaining delicacies into small portions for the ladies of the back courtyard. However, Xu Ming found it puzzling. His mother hadn¡¯t eaten much at the banquet ¡ª did she truly like these dishes? Back in the quieter rear courtyard, which felt more peaceful compared to the lively feast, Xu Ming found himself much more at ease. Chen Suya placed Xu Ming on the bed before stepping out of the room. Xu Ming didn¡¯t think much of it and seized the opportunity to start doing push-ups and sit-ups on the bed. Just as he was getting into the rhythm, the door opened, and he quickly flopped down onto the bed, pretending to sleep. ¡°Ming¡¯er, Mommy has a surprise for you!¡± Chen Suya picked him up and carried him out of the courtyard. Xu Ming saw Chunyan panting heavily as she brought in two unopened jars of wine. On the small stone table in the courtyard, the dishes Chen Suya had requested from the Old Ancestor were neatly arranged. Chen Suya sat down, placing Xu Ming on her lap. ¡°Ming¡¯er, I can¡¯t give you anything better. I could only request these dishes. And Chunyan even managed to get two jars of wine ¡ª one for when you come of age, and one for your wedding.¡± She kissed her child¡¯s forehead. ¡°Ming¡¯er, happy first birthday.¡± Chunyan, too, happily sat down. ¡°Young Master Ming¡¯er, happy birthday!¡± Chapter 8 Watching his mother and Sister Chunyan host a birthday celebration just for him, Xu Ming was deeply moved. He tried hard not to cry, but perhaps due to the uncontrollable emotions of a baby, this grown man in spirit couldn¡¯t hold back and started bawling, ¡°Waaah waaah!¡± Naturally, Chen Suya and Chunyan didn¡¯t think their one-year-old child was crying out of gratitude. They assumed he might be uncomfortable and did their best to soothe him. Xu Ming made up his mind then and there: he had to train hard and make his mother¡¯s life better! While their current life was indeed free from material worries, and the First Madam Wang Feng hadn¡¯t interacted with his mother since his half-sister was weaned, making life relatively peaceful, Xu Ming still wanted to make a name for himself so that his mother could hold her head high. From that day on, every night while his mother was asleep, Xu Ming would secretly climb out of bed and double down on his training. Push-ups, sit-ups, running laps around the room ¡ª he did it all. The moment his mother woke up, he¡¯d immediately flop down onto the floor and pretend to be sleeping. Sometimes, Chen Suya was puzzled as to why her son often ended up sleeping by the door. Could he be sleepwalking at such a young age? To test this theory, she tied a string to Xu Ming¡¯s arm when she slept. But even this didn¡¯t stop him. Xu Ming simply switched to doing planks on the bed. Half a year passed, and by the time Xu Ming turned a year and a half, he could already lift objects weighing 60 pounds. However, Xu Ming still chose not to reveal his abilities. Despite being able to lift 60 pounds, he knew that any decently strong adult could easily overpower him ¡ª and this was a world of martial arts and cultivation, after all. He decided to continue developing his strength in secret until he had the means to protect himself. Through observation, Xu Ming also learned that although illegitimate sons were barred from participating in the civil examinations of the Dawu Kingdom, they were allowed to compete in the martial examinations at the age of fourteen. If he could earn recognition through the martial path, no one would dare look down on him again. Another six months passed. At the age of two, Xu Ming could lift 100 pounds and even felt like he might be developing abs. The idea of a two-year-old having visible abs was so absurd that Xu Ming decided to ease up on his sit-ups for a while. On his second birthday, the Xu and Ning households once again hosted a joint celebration. While it wasn¡¯t as grand as his first birthday, it was still a lively event ¡ª though, once again, it had little to do with Xu Ming. Still, his mother and Chunyan made sure to celebrate with him. His mother gifted him a set of handmade clothes, two identical sets of which were also given to Xu Xuenuo and Qin Qingwan. Sister Chunyan attempted to give Xu Ming a gold bracelet, but his mother politely declined, deeming it too extravagant. The First Madam of the Qin family sent a maid with a scroll of calligraphy and painting to celebrate Xu Ming¡¯s birthday. She apologized for being unable to come in person due to hosting guests. The scroll was the work of a renowned artist, and although Chen Suya tried to refuse it repeatedly, she eventually had to accept. Xu Ming thought highly of Lady Qin. A year ago, on the night of his first birthday, she had also sent a maid with a precious calligraphy brush. The next day, Chunyan felt guilty for not giving Xu Ming anything and decided to gift him a gosling. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Xu Ming couldn¡¯t quite understand her thought process. Perhaps it was inspired by the painting Lady Qin had sent, which featured a goose. The gosling grew up alongside Xu Ming, but unlike Xu Ming, it grew much faster. By the time Xu Ming was two and a half, the goose had grown taller and larger than him in just six months. One day, out of nowhere, the goose began chasing Xu Ming and biting him. The problem? Despite being able to lift 100 pounds with ease, Xu Ming found himself completely outmatched by the goose! What¡¯s more infuriating was that every time the goose defeated Xu Ming, it would climb onto his back, spread its wings wide, and let out a triumphant cry toward the sky, as if announcing its victory. What kind of goose had Sister Chunyan even gifted him? [You fought with the Tianxuan Goose. Agility +20, Strength +20, Combat Experience with Birds +20.] The white goose strutted off with its head held high, huffing smugly. Xu Ming stared blankly as these words popped up in his mind. Tianxuan Goose? What the heck is that? One day, when Chunyan came to visit, Xu Ming toddled over to her, tugging at her skirt with his chubby little hands, and asked in his babyish voice, ¡°Sister Chunyan, what kind of goose did you give me?¡± ¡°What kind of goose?¡± Chunyan blinked, then scooped him up into her arms, letting him rest on her ample bosom. ¡°It¡¯s just a random goose I bought at the market. Why?¡± ¡°Oh, nothing. It just seems to get better looking as it grows (and more arrogant),¡± Xu Ming replied, shaking his head. ¡°Hehe, as long as you like it, little master Ming¡¯er. You¡¯re growing more handsome every day too,¡± Chunyan giggled, kissing his cheek and pinching his soft little face. Xu Ming was now certain¡ªthis Tianxuan Goose was no ordinary bird. Somehow, it must have ended up mixed in with a flock of regular goslings. Chunyan, with her absurdly good luck, had unknowingly bought it¡ªlike a protagonist stumbling upon a priceless treasure at a street market. Regardless of how extraordinary this goose was, Xu Ming set a small goal for himself: within six months, he would defeat this goose. After all, if he kept getting ridden like a horse by this bird, where would his dignity be? [You fought with the Tianxuan Goose. Agility +20, Strength +20, Combat Experience with Birds +20.] [You fought with the Tianxuan Goose. Agility +20, Strength +20, Combat Experience with Birds +20.] [You fought with the Tianxuan Goose. Agility +20, Strength +20, Combat Experience with Birds +20.] Every day after that, whenever his mother wasn¡¯t looking, Xu Ming would challenge the Tianxuan Goose to a fight. Sometimes, he even fought it multiple times a day. Though Xu Ming lost every single time, each battle brought him significant attribute gains. He could feel the gap between him and the goose narrowing day by day. Three months passed in the blink of an eye. One day, while the Tianxuan Goose managed to win again, it was left panting and drenched in sweat. For the first time, it seemed to sense that this human child was growing stronger. How was that possible? The goose realized it couldn¡¯t keep slacking off. If it kept underestimating this tiny human and got defeated one day, wouldn¡¯t it have to become his subordinate? From that day forward, every time Xu Ming was doing push-ups or lifting weights, the Tianxuan Goose could be seen running laps around the courtyard, starting its own disciplined training regimen. Chapter 9 Time flies, and once again, it¡¯s winter. The sky is filled with large, fluttering snowflakes, blanketing the entire courtyard in white. The entire scene looks like a pure, snow-covered wonderland. Two years and ten months old, Xu Ming, wrapped in a tiger-head cotton jacket and matching tiger-head boots, stood at the doorway with his hands on his hips. His face was rosy and glowing with health. Now, Xu Ming¡¯s strength had grown to the point where he could lift objects weighing 200 pounds. As for speed, he had roughly tested himself. In the Xu Manor, he picked a corridor as straight as possible, about 100 meters long. With his short legs, he managed to run it in just under 15 seconds. In terms of endurance, Xu Ming once ran about 5,000 meters until he was finally out of breath¡ªall while his mother wasn¡¯t paying attention. Overall, at two years and nine months old, Xu Ming felt that his physical abilities had far surpassed those of an average adult male. However, in this world of high martial arts cultivation, Xu Ming felt that his current strength was hardly impressive. For one, he still couldn¡¯t even beat that Tianxuan Goose in the courtyard! Amidst the snow, the Tianxuan Goose was strutting around the courtyard, its long neck held high and its wings spread wide, as if patrolling its domain. Noticing Xu Ming, the goose raised its neck even higher and puffed out its chest with its wings, seemingly declaring, ¡°Little one, isn¡¯t your big sister mighty?¡± Seeing the goose¡¯s arrogant posture, Xu Ming tensed up. His fists clenched. Hard. Taking advantage of his mother being away, Xu Ming charged out and once again grappled with the Tianxuan Goose. ¡°Klo-klo-klo!¡± Half an incense stick¡¯s time later, Xu Ming was defeated yet again. The Tianxuan Goose stood triumphantly on Xu Ming¡¯s back, spreading its wings in a display of victory. It even patted Xu Ming¡¯s small head with its wing, as if saying, ¡°Little one, do you submit to your big sister now?¡± Humiliation! Absolute humiliation! Just as Xu Ming prepared to engage in another deathmatch with the goose, his mother¡¯s voice called out from outside the courtyard. The goose instantly leaped off Xu Ming and waddled away, flapping its wings. It was well aware of who the true master of this household was. The difference between one meal and meals for life¡ªit understood perfectly. If it didn¡¯t know better, it might just end up becoming someone¡¯s meal. A moment later, Xu Ming saw his mother entering the courtyard, accompanied by Madam Qin, who was holding Qin Qingwan. Unexpectedly, Lady Wang Feng, the Xu family¡¯s first wife, also arrived, carrying Xu Xuenuo in her arms. ¡°Ming¡¯er, why are you lying in the snow? You¡¯ll catch a cold! Get up quickly.¡± Chen Suya hurried over when she saw her son lying in the snow. She lifted him up and patted the snow off his clothes. She hadn¡¯t expected that in the short time she was out, her son had already woken up and even ended up in the snow. Her Ming¡¯er was wonderful in every way, but he was just a bit too lively. The moment she took her eyes off him, he¡¯d disappear. ¡°Ming-gege~~~¡± Qin Qingwan, upon spotting Xu Ming, wriggled free from her mother¡¯s arms and toddled over on her short little legs, beaming with joy. Nearly three years old now, Qin Qingwan was adorable, with her rosy cheeks and a pair of peach blossom eyes she had clearly inherited from her mother. Provided her looks didn¡¯t stray too far as she grew, she was bound to become a stunning beauty, perhaps even surpassing her mother. Meanwhile, Xu Xuenuo, nestled in her mother¡¯s arms, watched Qin Qingwan toddle over to Xu Ming before coming to a stop in front of him. Her big eyes blinked at him curiously. Then, with a soft ¡°hmph,¡± Xu Xuenuo turned her head away. No one really knew why Qingwan liked Xu Ming so much. ¡°Lady Wang, Sister Chen, let¡¯s leave the three children to play here¡ªit¡¯ll be fine. How about we go to the kitchen and make winter plum cakes?¡± Madam Qin suggested. Chen Suya glanced at the three children. ¡°Of course. Ladies, please follow me.¡± Her courtyard was relatively small, without any ponds or other hazards, so it was quite safe. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Wang Feng also nodded, giving her daughter a quick reminder: ¡°Be good, stay in the courtyard, and don¡¯t wander off.¡± She then set her daughter down, and the three ladies headed toward the small kitchen in the courtyard. Hearing Madam Qin mention ¡°winter plum cakes,¡± Xu Ming roughly understood what was going on. Previously, when Sister Chunyan visited and chatted with his mother, they mentioned that someone important in the family was returning from the frontier. This person apparently had a fondness for winter plum cakes, and since his mother was quite skilled at making desserts, it seemed the cakes were being prepared especially for him. ¡°Ming-gege~ Let¡¯s have a snowball fight!¡± Qingwan grabbed Xu Ming¡¯s hand, her eyes brimming with excitement. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s have a snowball fight,¡± Xu Ming agreed with a nod. ¡°Yay~¡± Qingwan cheered, bouncing happily. ¡°Snowball fight, snowball fight~~~¡± She toddled off on her little legs, crouched down, and formed a small snowball with her hands. ¡°Heave-ho!¡± she called out as she flung it toward Xu Ming. The snowball arced through the air but didn¡¯t hit Xu Ming. Xu Ming also picked up a snowball, carefully controlling his strength, and tossed it back. He deliberately aimed slightly off, letting the snowball graze past Qingwan¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Ehehe~ Ming-gege can¡¯t hit me, can¡¯t hit me~¡± Qingwan laughed gleefully as she continued to diligently make snowballs, throwing them at Xu Ming with all her might. The two of them went back and forth, but neither managed to land a direct hit. Finally, Qingwan threw a particularly well-aimed snowball. Xu Ming thought about it for a moment and decided not to dodge. The snowball hit him squarely in the chest. ¡°I hit him! I hit Ming-gege!¡± Qingwan jumped up and down with joy. Xu Ming retaliated by tossing a snowball that hit Qingwan on the shoulder. The two continued their playful battle, like two clumsy rookies fumbling through a duel. Xu Ming noticed that Qingwan¡¯s throws were getting closer and closer. In the end, Qingwan stopped throwing snowballs altogether and instead tackled Xu Ming, knocking him down into the snow. She giggled as she nuzzled against him. Qingwan seemed to want to kiss Xu Ming on the cheek again, but she suddenly remembered her mother¡¯s words: ¡°Qingwan and Ming-gege are grown up now. Boys and girls shouldn¡¯t casually kiss each other.¡± Her bright eyes dimmed with a hint of disappointment. But soon enough, a sparkle of mischief returned to her gaze. ¡°Ming-gege, can you kiss me?¡± Qingwan asked expectantly. ¡°Why?¡± Xu Ming was momentarily taken aback. Qingwan blinked her wide eyes. ¡°Because Mama won¡¯t let me kiss Ming-gege anymore, but if Ming-gege kisses me, it¡¯s like I kissed you, right?¡± Chapter 10 Looking at Qin Qingwan¡¯s innocent and adorable expression, Xu Ming froze for a moment before smiling and gently ruffling her little head. ¡°Hmph.¡± Qin Qingwan pouted her lips in slight dissatisfaction since Xu Ming didn¡¯t kiss her as she had hoped. But her displeasure was short-lived, as with most children. She soon realized that having her head patted by Xu Ming actually felt quite nice. Like a little kitten, she narrowed her eyes contentedly and nuzzled against Xu Ming¡¯s palm. Noticing Xu Xuenuo standing off to the side, staring blankly at her, Qin Qingwan suddenly felt that she had been too focused on playing with Xu Ming, neglecting Xu Xuenuo and leaving her out. Qin Qingwan shuffled over to Xu Xuenuo, her little feet making soft tap-tap sounds as she walked. ¡°Xuenuo-jie, let¡¯s play snowball fight together~¡± [T/N: Jie=Sister] Xu Xuenuo turned her head away with a small huff. ¡°I¡¯m not that childish.¡± Qin Qingwan blinked her big, bright eyes. ¡°But it¡¯s really fun! Come play with us, Xuenuo-jie. You¡¯ll love snowball fights!¡± Xu Xuenuo refused again, ¡°Snowball fights are for little kids.¡± Tilting her head cutely, Qin Qingwan replied, ¡°But we are little kids.¡± Xu Xuenuo¡¯s cheeks turned slightly red. ¡°I¡¯m not a little kid. I¡¯m already a grown-up.¡± Qin Qingwan bit her finger thoughtfully. ¡°But Mama said, when a child says they¡¯re already grown up, that just proves they¡¯re still a child. Only little kids say they¡¯re grown-ups.¡± ¡°I¡ªI am a grown-up!¡± Xu Xuenuo clenched her tiny fists, her expression showing a hint of frustration. Hearing Xu Xuenuo raise her voice, Qin Qingwan froze on the spot, her little face scrunching up. Tears welled up in her big, glistening peach-blossom eyes. ¡°Wahhh! Xuenuo-jie, I¡¯m sorry! Qingwan didn¡¯t mean anything bad! Please don¡¯t be mad at me! Wahhh!¡± ¡°I¡ªI wasn¡¯t being mean to you! Don¡¯t cry! Only little kids cry over nothing!¡± Xu Xuenuo panicked as large tears rolled down Qin Qingwan¡¯s cheeks. She was completely flustered, unsure of what to do. Qin Qingwan stood there with her head tilted back, crying louder and louder. ¡°But Qingwan is a little kid, wahhh!¡± ¡°Alright, alright! I¡¯ll play snowball fight with you, okay? Will that stop you from crying?¡± Xu Xuenuo finally gave in, utterly defeated. Qin Qingwan¡¯s tears stopped abruptly. Her sparkly eyes still glistened with leftover tears as she sniffled and asked, ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Really.¡± ¡°Yay~!¡± Qin Qingwan jumped up joyfully, grabbing Xu Xuenuo¡¯s hand and dragging her over to Xu Ming. ¡°Ming-gege, the three of us can play snowball fight together now!¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Xu Ming nodded. Naturally, he wouldn¡¯t refuse. Besides, Xu Ming found his half-sister quite amusing. She had a distinct ¡°tsundere¡± personality, always putting up a proud and tough front, yet deep down, she was kind and gentle. ¡°But there are three of us. How do we play snowball fight?¡± Qin Qingwan bit her finger, her little head falling into a small bout of confusion. ¡°How about the two of you team up against me?¡± Xu Ming suggested. ¡°Hmph! This lady never gangs up on someone. How about you both take me on instead?¡± Xu Xuenuo crossed her arms, lifting her proud little chin. ¡°I can handle both of you on my own!¡± Just then, a loud ¡°honk-honk-honk¡± came from the other side of the courtyard. The Tianxuan Goose came waddling over. ¡°Xiaobai, do you want to join the snowball fight too?¡± Qin Qingwan asked. ¡°Xiaobai¡± was the name Qin Qingwan had given the goose. Xu Ming had never objected, so the name stuck. The Tianxuan Goose nodded and nuzzled its head against Qin Qingwan affectionately. Xu Ming twitched slightly at the sight. This arrogant goose, which showed him absolutely no respect as its master, behaved with utmost gentleness toward Qin Qingwan, even letting her ride on its back at times. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Alright, Xiaobai, you team up with Ming-gege, and I¡¯ll team up with Xuenuo-jie,¡± Qin Qingwan declared, assigning teams. ¡°Honk honk!¡± The Tianxuan Goose nodded enthusiastically. ¡°Alright, it¡¯s decided! Let¡¯s start!¡± Qin Qingwan said, pulling Xu Xuenuo and Xu Ming away to create some distance. ¡°Three, two, one¡ªgo!¡± As soon as Qin Qingwan announced the start of the snowball fight, the mischievous goose shoved its wings into the snow, then flung them upward with great force. Snow erupted into the air, scattering in every direction. It wasn¡¯t just Qin Qingwan and Xu Xuenuo who were covered in snow; even its own teammate, Xu Ming, was caught in the flurry. ¡°Damn it, you treacherous goose! You did that on purpose!¡± Xu Ming shouted as he immediately defected, grabbing a snowball and hurling it at the goose. ¡°Xuenuo-jie, let¡¯s team up and take down Xiaobai!¡± Qin Qingwan called out, launching a snowball at the Tianxuan Goose herself. At first, Xu Xuenuo seemed a little hesitant. She casually tossed a snowball in the goose¡¯s direction, her expression reserved. But when the snowball hit its target and exploded in a puff of snow, her eyes lit up with excitement. She picked up another snowball and threw it again, more eagerly this time. Before long, Xu Xuenuo was completely immersed in the game. The Tianxuan Goose hopped around furiously, dodging snowballs while simultaneously using its wings to scoop up snow and hurl it at Xu Ming. Xu Ming soon realized that the goose was only targeting him. Then, out of nowhere, the goose made a bold move. Using its wings, it scooped up a large pile of snow and dumped it all over Xu Ming. ¡°Ha ha ha! Ming-gege turned into a snowman!¡± Qin Qingwan clapped her hands, laughing gleefully at Xu Ming¡¯s snowy appearance. Even Xu Xuenuo couldn¡¯t help but chuckle softly. ¡°Eh? Xuenuo-jie, you¡¯re laughing!¡± Qin Qingwan suddenly noticed, pointing at her with excitement. ¡°I am not,¡± Xu Xuenuo denied, her cheeks flushing red. ¡°You are!¡± Qin Qingwan giggled, grabbing Xu Xuenuo¡¯s small hand. ¡°I saw it with my own eyes!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not!¡± Xu Xuenuo¡¯s face turned an even deeper shade of crimson. The children¡¯s innocent laughter and chatter echoed lightly through the small courtyard. From the kitchen, Madam Qin and Chen Suya watched the three children playing and couldn¡¯t help but smile warmly. ¡°Elder Sister Wang should smile more, just like Xuenuo,¡± Madam Qin said with a gentle grin as she glanced at Wang Feng. ¡°After all, Elder Sister is so beautiful.¡± Wang Feng shook her head faintly. ¡°You jest, Sister. My life isn¡¯t as fortunate as yours.¡± Madam Qin paused briefly, realizing her comment might have touched a sore spot. She quickly changed the subject. ¡°That goose seems to have quite a bit of intelligence.¡± Madam Qin smiled softly, as if she hadn¡¯t heard the previous comment. ¡°All things in this world have spirits. The capital of the Wu Kingdom is a place where the nation¡¯s fortune gathers, and the abundance of spiritual energy here can awaken some creatures to gain a measure of intelligence. It¡¯s only natural.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Wang Feng agreed, glancing at the stove where the winter plum cake was steaming. Her eyes flickered slightly, as though lost in thought. Meanwhile, Madam Qin turned to Chen Suyun, gently taking her hand. ¡°Sister Chen, my second brother is arriving tomorrow. He sent a letter today saying he¡¯ll be bringing a sect elder with him to assess the children¡¯s innate talent. What do you think?¡± Chapter 11 On the bustling Qinglong Street in the imperial capital of Wu Kingdom, pedestrians instinctively made way, their gazes fixed in one direction. ¡°Mother, look at those horses!¡± a young boy in his mother¡¯s arms exclaimed, his eyes sparkling. ¡°Those aren¡¯t horses. They¡¯re called Blood Qilin Beasts, mounts reserved for nobles,¡± the woman said softly. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Nobles? Mother, just how wealthy are they?¡± the boy asked. The woman thought for a moment, then shook her head. ¡°Wealth beyond our reach in this lifetime.¡± On Qinglong Street, the two Blood Qilin Beasts snorted loudly. Their blood-red fur seemed as though it had been stained with fresh blood. A single horn protruded from their foreheads, their hooves bore fiery patterns, and their tails burned with flames that swayed, exuding intense heat. The beasts pulled an enormous carriage. Its golden fabric was embroidered with white tigers, one after another. The coachman, his face marked by a long scar, held the reins firmly. Inside the carriage sat a man and a woman, separated by a considerable distance. The man furrowed his brows, as though burdened with heavy thoughts. The woman wore a light-colored gauze dress, edged with silver thread. A sash of water-lily green silk accentuated her slender waist, while elegant orchids embroidered at her cuffs highlighted her delicate, jade-like fingers. Her long hair cascaded over her shoulders like a waterfall. At her waist hung a fine jade ornament. Her arms, fair and supple, appeared almost boneless, complementing her graceful movements. Her figure was full and alluring, exuding a captivating beauty. A light veil concealed her face, obscuring her full features. Yet from the half-visible visage alone, it was clear her beauty could topple kingdoms. The woman sat with her eyes closed, silent. The man glanced at her, his expression devoid of any untoward thoughts, replaced by reverence. ¡°Master National Preceptor, perhaps we could delay our entry to the palace and visit my humble residence first? It would be an honor to host you.¡± The woman slowly opened her eyes, revealing a pair of enchanting phoenix eyes. They exuded an imperial grace but also carried an inexplicable allure that drew people in. ¡°Wenshan, even if you hadn¡¯t mentioned it, I would have intended to visit your residence.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Zhao Wenshan asked, puzzled. He had only extended the invitation out of politeness, hoping perhaps to recommend someone from his household who might catch the Preceptor¡¯s attention. To his surprise, the Preceptor already had such intentions. The woman, whose Daoist title was Wangxuan, spoke without concealment: ¡°While meditating earlier, I sensed a powerful vortex of fate beneath the capital. Upon astral projection, I traced it to the vicinity of the Xu and Qin mansions. I understand these two houses are closely linked. Could you introduce me? I wish to investigate.¡± Zhao Wenshan¡¯s heart leapt with joy. ¡°Naturally. My sister recently wrote to inform me that the matriarch of the Xu family is hosting disciples at their residence. It would be an honor for the disciples to accompany you, Master Preceptor. If someone from the Xu or Qin families catches your eye, it would be a blessing for both houses.¡± Wangxuan shook her head. ¡°The Dukes of Qin and Xu followed the founding emperor of Wu Kingdom in his conquests. It¡¯s only natural for their descendants to produce talented individuals.¡± ¡°Ah, Master Preceptor, you flatter them too much,¡± Zhao Wenshan sighed. ¡°Indeed, the two dukes once achieved great feats. But over the past two centuries, both the Qin and Xu families have lost themselves in the wealth and splendor of the capital, sinking into decadence. Their glory from that era is all but gone.¡± As he spoke, Zhao Wenshan clenched his fist and struck his thigh heavily. ¡°Now, with the Northern Wastes watching us like tigers eyeing their prey, the Western Desert cults stirring, and the southern thousand demon kingdoms rising, our nation¡¯s challenges grow ever more dire¡­¡± ¡°Even within our great Wu Kingdom¡¯s borders, the various sects are arrogant and overbearing. They outwardly pledge allegiance but hardly regard Wu Kingdom in their eyes. This time, I must speak earnestly with my brother-in-law and the matriarch. If the younger generation of the Xu and Qin families continue down this path, how will they protect themselves when chaos inevitably descends?¡± Listening to Zhao Wenshan¡¯s words, Wangxuan said nothing. She merely closed her eyes again. Before long, the Blood Qilin Beasts stopped at the gates of the Xu household. As Zhao Wenshan alighted from the carriage, a loud voice rang out: ¡°Master Zhao has returned!¡± ¡°Hurry, light the firecrackers! Go inform the matriarch, the masters, and the ladies!¡± The Xu family steward¡¯s commands were swiftly followed, and soon the sound of firecrackers echoed across both the Xu and Qin households. Amid the festive noise, the Blood Qilin Beasts stood motionless, even yawning lazily in boredom. ¡°Hahaha, Wenshan, you¡¯re finally back!¡± Qin Ruhai, the master of the Qin household, warmly approached to welcome his brother-in-law. ¡°Wenshan, it¡¯s been at least ten years since we last met! You¡¯ve grown even more dashing and robust!¡± Xu Zheng, master of the Xu household, also stepped forward with enthusiasm. ¡°Brother-in-law, Brother Xu.¡± Zhao Wenshan bowed respectfully. Despite his mixed feelings about the Xu and Qin families, he still observed the necessary courtesies as a member of their extended family. ¡°Why so formal?¡± Qin Ruhai quickly helped Zhao Wenshan to his feet. ¡°The Dukes of Qin and Xu are still in court and couldn¡¯t personally receive you. You¡¯re not upset, are you?¡± Zhao Wenshan shook his head. ¡°How could I ever be upset with my two uncles?¡± ¡°By the way, Brother-in-law, Brother Xu, we have an esteemed guest with us.¡± After exchanging pleasantries, Zhao Wenshan hastily added. ¡°An esteemed guest?¡± Just as Qin Ruhai and Xu Zheng were expressing their confusion, the curtain of the carriage was lifted, and Wangxuan stepped down. The sight of the veiled woman, ethereal and graceful, with a presence as serene as an orchid and an air as otherworldly as a celestial being, left both men momentarily stunned. ¡°This humble Daoist, Wangxuan, greets Master Qin and Master Xu.¡± Wangxuan descended and bowed politely to the two. Both Qin Ruhai and Xu Zheng held minor ceremonial roles within the Ministry of Rites, so Wangxuan addressed them by their titles. ¡°Elder Wangxuan is the foremost elder of the Tianxuan Sect¡¯s ten elders,¡± Zhao Wenshan introduced, standing to the side. ¡°She has come to Wu Kingdom¡¯s capital at His Majesty¡¯s invitation to assume the role of National Preceptor.¡± Upon hearing Wangxuan¡¯s polite greeting and Zhao Wenshan¡¯s introduction, Qin Ruhai and Xu Zheng finally recovered from their daze. Hastily, they withdrew their gazes and respectfully saluted Wangxuan. ¡°This subordinate greets the National Preceptor!¡± Wangxuan gently shook her head. ¡°Masters, there is no need for such formality. My visit today may trouble you, and I apologize for the inconvenience.¡± ¡°You are too gracious, National Preceptor. It would be an honor for us to assist you in any way,¡± Xu Zheng quickly replied. Wangxuan nodded slightly. ¡°When I entered the capital, I performed an introspective meditation and observed a spiritual phenomenon above the Xu and Qin households. I saw auspicious light transforming into a dragon, a sign of prodigious talent. May I request to meet the children under ten years old in your households? If there is a suitable connection, I would like to take them as disciples and guide them in their cultivation.¡± Chapter 12 ¡°W-what did you just say?¡± Xu Zheng stared at Wangxuan in disbelief, wondering if he had misheard. Wangxuan repeated herself, this time more directly: ¡°I suspect that within the Xu and Qin households, a naturally gifted holy constitution suitable for cultivation may have appeared. I request to see the children under the age of ten in both families. If permitted, I wish to bring them into Tianxuan Sect.¡± ¡°Of course! Absolutely!¡± Qin Ruhai, the first to recover, responded with great joy. ¡°For a child from our families to receive the National Preceptor¡¯s favor¡ªthis is¡­ this is the greatest blessing for the Xu and Qin households!¡± Xu Zheng, now trembling with excitement, stuttered as he spoke. Had it been any lesser sect, Xu Zheng and Qin Ruhai might not have reacted so dramatically. But this was Tianxuan Sect, one of the Four Sacred Lands and Five Great Sects, known throughout the world. The Tianxuan Sect held an exalted position, unaffiliated with any dynasty. Its influence could sway the rise and fall of entire kingdoms. The sect admitted very few disciples, and its selection process was exceedingly rigorous. To even enter Tianxuan Sect as a mere disciple was to command the respect of mid-tier sects, where such individuals would be treated as core heirs. And now, to be chosen personally by Tianxuan Sect¡¯s chief elder to cultivate by her side? Just the thought of it left Xu Zheng and Qin Ruhai gasping in astonishment. Currently, the Xu and Qin households relied on their ancestral connections to secure minor positions for their descendants. Yet whispers about their nepotism often echoed in court. If one of their children became a disciple of the National Preceptor, who would dare speak ill of them then? On the side, Zhao Wenshan observed the joy on his brother-in-law¡¯s and Xu Zheng¡¯s faces, fully aware of their thoughts. His brow furrowed slightly. Indeed, if one of their children were chosen by the National Preceptor, the Xu and Qin families would benefit greatly. But being a disciple of the National Preceptor was no license to act recklessly. The younger generation of the Xu and Qin households was already spoiled and arrogant. Should their behavior escalate further, the emperor might turn a blind eye once or twice out of deference to Tianxuan Sect. But if they went too far, did they truly believe being a ¡°disciple of the National Preceptor¡± was an unassailable shield? In such a case, even Tianxuan Sect might sever ties, cutting off their karma with the families to protect the sect¡¯s reputation. The Xu and Qin households would then suffer devastating consequences. This matter would need to be thoroughly discussed with the matriarch. The family ethos of the Xu and Qin households must be corrected. ¡°Please, National Preceptor, come inside.¡± Xu Zheng and Qin Ruhai quickly invited Wangxuan into the Xu residence. In the guest hall, the matriarch was already waiting for Zhao Wenshan¡¯s return. However, to her surprise, Zhao Wenshan, her grandson, and the Qin family¡¯s young master all followed behind a woman, deliberately maintaining a respectful half-step distance. With her discerning eyes, the matriarch immediately recognized that this woman was no ordinary figure. What mortal woman could possess such an ethereal presence? This must be a cultivator¡ªan immortal. ¡°This humble Daoist, Wangxuan, greets the matriarch,¡± Wangxuan said respectfully, bowing to the elderly woman. ¡°Oh my, what an otherworldly immortal you must be!¡± The matriarch quickly descended from her seat, supported by Chunyan, her maid. ¡°Immortal, please take a seat. What brings you here? Has one of our boys offended you?¡± The matriarch surmised that this woman¡¯s status must be extraordinary to command such deference from her grandson and the Qin family¡¯s young master. She feared that one of their children might have inadvertently provoked her while in the capital. Wangxuan shook her head gently. ¡°This humble Daoist is from Tianxuan Sect. At the invitation of Wuguo, I am here to assume the position of National Preceptor. Upon entering the capital, I observed a convergence of auspicious fortune above the Xu and Qin households¡ªan omen of a holy constitution. I humbly request to see the children under ten in both families.¡± ¡°The Tianxuan Sect?¡± Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The matriarch¡¯s heart trembled, for she was well aware of the sect¡¯s legendary reputation. Suppressing her excitement, she gave her instructions with calm authority: ¡°Chunyan, go and inform the children of both households. Have all those under the age of ten gather in the courtyard.¡± ¡°Yes, Matriarch,¡± Chunyan replied, bowing deeply before hurrying off. ¡ª Xiaochun Courtyard In the kitchen, Chen Suya, Madam Qin, and Wang Feng were busily preparing plum blossom cakes. Out in the courtyard, Qin Qingwan was riding on the back of the Tianxuan Goose. The goose dashed around, flapping its wings and honking noisily while Qin Qingwan laughed gleefully, her laughter ringing out like tinkling bells. Xu Ming ran after them, trying to keep up, while Xu Xuenuo stood off to the side in the snow, silently gazing at the sky. It was hard to tell what thoughts were swirling in her young mind. Xu Ming glanced at his elder sister and couldn¡¯t help but feel she carried a peculiar sadness. Perhaps growing tired from her ride, Qin Qingwan slid off the goose with a soft thud, toddled over to Xu Ming, and tugged on his hand. She then led him over to Xu Xuenuo. ¡°Ming-gege, Xuenuo-jiejie, let¡¯s build a snowman together!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to¡ª¡± Before Xu Xuenuo could finish her refusal, Qin Qingwan¡¯s lips began to quiver, her expression shifting into a clear threat: If Xuenuo-jiejie doesn¡¯t join me, I¡¯ll cry right here. ¡°Fine, fine! Just this once,¡± Xu Xuenuo said with a huff, hopping off her bench with a mix of annoyance and indulgence. The three children, all around three years old, seemed impervious to the cold as they began rolling snow into balls. The Tianxuan Goose waddled along behind them, flapping its wings and occasionally honking, as if supervising their work. Before long, they had stacked two large snowballs. Xu Ming ran to the kitchen, returning with a carrot for the snowman¡¯s nose and two sticks for its arms. The snowman was finished in no time. Not to be left out, the goose kicked the snowman from behind, leaving a clear imprint of its webbed foot as if marking its contribution. Seeing the goose¡¯s action, Qin Qingwan¡¯s round eyes sparkled with mischief. She quickly grabbed Xu Ming and Xu Xuenuo¡¯s hands, pressing them against the snowman¡¯s surface. Finally, she placed her own tiny handprint between theirs. ¡°This snowman is a symbol of our friendship! No matter what happens, whether we¡¯re kids or grown-ups, we¡¯ll always stick together!¡± ¡°Who said I¡¯ll stick with you forever?¡± Xu Xuenuo¡¯s cheeks flushed red, and she quickly pulled her hand away. Xu Ming simply smiled faintly, thinking to himself that the young Miss Qin was truly a little angel. ¡°Xuenuo-jiejie is so cute when she¡¯s shy!¡± Qin Qingwan clapped her hands, giggling in delight. But soon after, she bit her finger thoughtfully and turned to Xu Ming. ¡°By the way, Ming-gege, why don¡¯t you look like Xuenuo-jiejie? Xuenuo-jiejie looks like Uncle Xu, but you don¡¯t.¡± Xu Xuenuo turned to her younger half-brother, her brow furrowing slightly. Now that Qin Qingwan mentioned it, he really didn¡¯t resemble her or their father. Just as the two girls were puzzling over this, Chunyan entered the courtyard. ¡°Young Master, Young Misses, it¡¯s time to stop playing. The Matriarch has summoned you to the main hall for something urgent.¡± Chapter 13 Hearing Chunyan¡¯s voice, Chen Suya, Lady Qin, and Wang Feng came out of the kitchen. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. They knew it must be Lady Qin¡¯s second brother who had returned, and with him came a senior elder from a cultivation sect. ¡°Miss Chunyan, please wait a moment,¡± Chen Suya said as she returned to the kitchen. She carefully packed the plum blossom cakes and brought them out, handing them to Lady Qin and Wang Feng. ¡°I won¡¯t accompany you two, but I¡¯m sure Brother Zhao will love the plum blossom cakes you¡¯ve made,¡± Chen Suya said with a smile. ¡°Sister Chen, why don¡¯t you come with us? That elder could also take a look at Ming¡¯er¡¯s spiritual roots,¡± Lady Qin said, holding Chen Suya¡¯s hand gently. For a child born of a concubine to change their fate, gain respect, and rise in status, entering the path of cultivation was the best way. Even if the chances were slim, what if? ¡°Thank you for your kindness, Lady Qin, but this would trouble Brother Zhao too much,¡± Chen Suya hesitated. Although she hoped the elder could examine her child, if Ming¡¯er had the aptitude for cultivation, he wouldn¡¯t need to stay in the Xu family forever. But the chances were too small, and the favor would be too great. After all, she and Lady Qin weren¡¯t related by blood. How could she trouble her brother? ¡°Fifth Madam, the matriarch has decreed that all children under the age of ten in both households must come,¡± Chunyan added. ¡°So Young Master Ming must attend as well.¡± ¡°Everyone?¡± Wang Feng asked in confusion. ¡°Yes, Madam. Earlier¡ª¡± Chunyan then recounted everything that had transpired in the hall. After listening, Chen Suya and the others exchanged glances. The Grand Elder of Tianxuan Sect had arrived? If one could become the personal disciple of Tianxuan Sect¡¯s Grand Elder, it would bring glory to the family! ¡°Ladies, please hurry. The matriarch is growing impatient,¡± Chunyan urged with a hint of anxiety. Since it was the matriarch¡¯s order, Chen Suya had no choice but to follow. Before long, the three women, carrying their children, arrived at the main hall. Even the Tianxuan Goose had run to the hall¡¯s entrance, its wings flapping against the doorframe as it poked its head inside to join the commotion. Aside from Xu Ming, Xu Xue¡¯nuo, and Qin Qingwan, seven other children were also standing before the hall, including the chubby boy two years older than Xu Xue¡¯nuo. Two children, however, caught Xu Ming¡¯s attention. One was a six-year-old boy standing next to Lady Qian, who showed great talent in talismans. The other was Lady Lin¡¯s son, Xu Shan, also six years old, born with a Pure Yang Physique and already taken as a disciple by the Sect Master of the Flame Sun Sect. Lady Qian and Lady Lin both wore grim expressions. They knew their children couldn¡¯t possibly possess the Innate Sacred Body. If they had, it would¡¯ve been discovered long ago, not now. Their gazes turned to Wang Feng¡¯s son, the chubby boy¡ªXu Pangda. If Xu Pangda had the Innate Sacred Body, the hereditary title of Duke of the Xu family would undoubtedly be his! Even if Xu Pangda later joined Tianxuan Sect, the dukedom would eventually pass to his descendants and never fall into their hands. Standing by her son, Wang Feng clenched her fists tightly. Her gaze was filled with hope as she looked at him. She desperately wished for the Innate Sacred Body to belong to her son! ¡°Thank you, ladies and young masters, for coming.¡± A clear and melodious voice, like the sound of a bubbling spring, echoed through the hall. Xu Ming turned toward the source of the voice and saw a voluptuous and graceful woman entering with the matriarch of the Xu family. The moment everyone in the hall laid eyes on her, they were stunned. No other reason than this: they had never seen such a breathtakingly beautiful woman before. Even though half her face was veiled, her beauty was undeniable. But just those eyes alone were enough to captivate one¡¯s soul. Coupled with the woman¡¯s ethereal and dreamlike aura, the crowd couldn¡¯t help but feel as though they were gazing upon an immortal. Wangxuan¡¯s gaze swept over the children, finally settling on Xu Ming, lingering on him for two extra seconds. Looking into Xu Ming¡¯s eyes, Wangxuan couldn¡¯t help but feel that this little boy seemed more spirited than the others. Could it be him? Wangxuan walked up to Xu Ming. Everyone¡¯s eyes turned to Xu Ming, their hearts pounding in their chests. Chen Suya, in particular, was in a daze, her mind completely blank. Could it be that my Ming¡¯er is the Innate Sacred Body? The crowd watched as Wangxuan¡¯s delicate, fair hand gently rested on Xu Ming¡¯s forehead. A moment later, Wangxuan shook her head, her eyes showing a trace of regret. ¡°What a pity. Despite his lively demeanor, his spiritual veins are severed. There is no hope for him to tread the path of cultivation in this life.¡± Upon hearing Wangxuan¡¯s remark, the Xu family¡¯s ladies all breathed a sigh of relief. With one more child ruled out, the chances of their own child being the Innate Sacred Body increased. Lady Qin looked at Xu Ming with sympathy in her eyes. ¡°No hope for cultivation in this life¡± meant that unless Xu Ming pursued martial arts, his future was bleak. The problem was that with so many siblings, as a child born of a concubine, how much support and resources could Xu Ming possibly receive? And even if he did pursue martial arts, it was ultimately an inferior path compared to cultivation. Unlike the others, Chen Suya wasn¡¯t thinking so far ahead. In the mortal world, only one in a hundred could cultivate, let alone those born with an Innate Sacred Body. She only hoped Ming¡¯er could grow up safely and live a peaceful life. Xu Ming felt a slight disappointment upon hearing that he couldn¡¯t cultivate, but it was just a passing feeling. If he couldn¡¯t cultivate, so be it. He would continue on the path of physical sanctification. After all, he had his cheat, the greatest resource he could ask for. Wangxuan moved on to examine the other children. When it was Wang Feng¡¯s son Xu Pangda¡¯s turn, Wang Feng¡¯s heart was in her throat. But when Wangxuan shook her head again, her heart sank into despair. At last, only Xu Xue¡¯nuo and Qin Qingwan remained. Wangxuan began by examining Qin Qingwan¡¯s spiritual roots. The moment Wangxuan¡¯s jade-like hand touched Qin Qingwan¡¯s forehead, a beam of light shot up from the little girl¡¯s body, piercing through the heavens. The pillar of light merged into the clouds, and above the Xu family estate, the cries of dragons and phoenixes echoed. Apart from the young, confused children, everyone present understood what this meant. The Xu family¡¯s matriarch and elders were overjoyed, their faces filled with excitement as they looked at Qin Qingwan. The two concubine-born ladies of the Xu family finally felt a weight lifted off their shoulders. For them, having the eldest daughter of the Qin family as the Innate Sacred Body was the best possible outcome. Wang Feng¡¯s eyes briefly flickered with disappointment, but in the end, she let out a soft sigh. It seems it was never meant to be. Beneath her veil, Wangxuan¡¯s delicate lips curved into a faint smile. Crouching down, Wangxuan looked at the adorable three-year-old girl before her and asked, ¡°Little one, would you like to become my disciple?¡± Chapter 14 ¡°Disciple?¡± Qin Qingwan tilted her head, looking adorably at the beautiful older sister in front of her. ¡°Big Sister, what¡¯s a disciple?¡± Wangxuan thought for a moment and replied, ¡°A disciple is someone who will live and cultivate with me. You¡¯ll join Tianxuan Sect and walk the path of the Dao.¡± Qin Qingwan asked, ¡°Live with Big Sister? Does that mean I¡¯ll have to leave my mother?¡± Wangxuan nodded. ¡°Yes, you¡¯ll leave your mother. Your life will become very long, far longer than ordinary people. You¡¯ll witness vast changes in the world, and you¡¯ll come to see the fleeting nature of mortal life¡ªwhat seems like a lifetime to others will feel like only a brief moment to you.¡± Qin Qingwan thought carefully and then shook her head. ¡°Big Sister, I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re saying. But I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t want to leave my mother, my brother Ming, or my sister Xuenuo. So I can¡¯t be your disciple.¡± ¡°Qingwan, what are you saying?¡± The family matriarch¡¯s face turned pale with shock, and she hurriedly stood up. ¡°Qingwan, quickly agree to the Master Preceptor¡¯s offer! Do you have any idea how many people dream of such an opportunity?¡± her father, Qin Ruhai, said urgently. Seeing her grandmother and father scolding her, Qin Qingwan¡¯s lips quivered, and large tears welled up in her eyes, threatening to fall. Wangxuan raised her hand, gesturing for them to stop, and placed her palm gently on the little girl¡¯s head. ¡°Qingwan, you¡¯re still very young, so you may not yet understand the significance of cultivation or how special you truly are. ¡°Even though the Xu and Qin families are under the imperial city¡¯s protection, your Innate Sacred Body will draw attention as you grow older. ¡°The Innate Sacred Body is especially suited for dual cultivation and can even help someone break through to the Immortal Realm and ascend. This kind of allure will drive countless people to take risks. ¡°Not only you but also your family could be placed in great danger because of it. ¡°If you join Tianxuan Sect, we¡¯ll ensure your safety and that of your family. When you¡¯ve grown, you¡¯ll be able to protect them yourself.¡± Hearing the older sister¡¯s explanation, Qin Qingwan tightly pressed her lips together, her small fists clenched as she hesitated. She didn¡¯t want her loved ones to be hurt because of her. But at the same time, she didn¡¯t want to leave her mother and family. ¡°Big Sister, do I have to leave with you now?¡± After a long pause, Qin Qingwan raised her head to ask. Wangxuan shook her head. ¡°If you want to leave with me now, you can. Or you can wait until you¡¯re nine years old. But if you agree today, from this moment on, you¡¯ll be considered a member of Tianxuan Sect. The sect will protect you and your family from harm.¡± ¡°Then¡­ can I wait until I¡¯m nine years old before going with you?¡± Qin Qingwan pleaded. ¡°Of course,¡± Wangxuan agreed with a nod, then lightly touched Qin Qingwan¡¯s forehead with her finger. When Wangxuan withdrew her finger, a translucent, white tassel-like floral mark appeared on Qin Qingwan¡¯s forehead. ¡°For the next six years, I¡¯ll remain in the capital, and you must not leave it. If you¡¯re ever in danger, I¡¯ll sense it and come to your aid immediately. When the time comes, I¡¯ll personally come to take you away, and then you can formally become my disciple.¡± ¡°Thank you, Big Sister,¡± Qin Qingwan said, touching her forehead. Although she couldn¡¯t see it, she could feel a pretty little flower adorning her brow. ¡°Big Sister, when it¡¯s time for me to leave with you, can Brother Ming, Sister Xuenuo, and my mother come with me too?¡± Qin Qingwan asked expectantly, holding Xu Ming¡¯s hand in one of hers and Xu Xuenuo¡¯s in the other. Wangxuan shook her head. ¡°That won¡¯t be possible. Only you can enter Tianxuan Sect.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Qin Qingwan lowered her head in disappointment. Wangxuan patted her head gently in consolation and then walked over to Xu Xuenuo. Though she had already found the Innate Sacred Body, there was no harm in checking Xu Xuenuo¡¯s spiritual roots as well. Wangxuan placed her hand on Xu Xuenuo¡¯s head. After a while, she opened her eyes and looked at the young girl. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect it¡­ To encounter someone with an Innate Sword Bone here.¡± ¡°Innate Sword Bone?¡± A flash of joy appeared in Wang Feng¡¯s eyes. Although women couldn¡¯t inherit noble titles, she still had a son. With his sister¡¯s influence, it might not be impossible for his son to inherit the title. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Wangxuan glanced at Wang Feng. Just that one look made Wang Feng shiver uncontrollably, as if her entire being had been completely seen through. Retracting her gaze, Wangxuan explained, ¡°Our Tianxuan Sect cultivates the Dao, not the sword. While some disciples practice the sword, it is only treated as a tool, not their life¡¯s essence. I cannot take her into the Tianxuan Sect. However, I will notify a friend from the Wanjian Sect to come and take a look.¡± ¡°But the Innate Sword Bone is too sharp and incompatible with the nation¡¯s fortune. ¡°The Xu family, as nobles of the Wu Kingdom, bears the weight of the national destiny. If Miss Xu chooses to study the sword, she must leave the Xu family and sever all ties with them.¡± Hearing these words, Wang Feng¡¯s face turned pale again. The members of the Xu household also wore complicated expressions. If what Wangxuan said was true, what difference did it make whether Xu Xuenuo had the Sword Bone or not? Once she left the family and was removed from the Xu family registry, it would be as if she no longer existed to them. ¡°Thank you, National Preceptor,¡± Wang Feng said at last, resigned, casting a somewhat guilty glance at her son. It seemed certain now that her children would not inherit the hereditary marquisate of the Xu household. Wang Xuan took out a book from her robes and handed it to Qin Qingwan. ¡°Qingwan, this book is called the Tianxuan Heart Method. Read it if you wish. Read as much as you can, as many times as you like. There¡¯s no need to force yourself.¡± ¡°Thank you, elder sister,¡± Qin Qingwan said as she took the book. ¡°But elder sister, may I show it to others?¡± Wangxuan nodded. ¡°Of course. Whoever you want to share it with, feel free.¡± Standing up, Wangxuan exchanged a few final pleasantries with the Xu family matriarch before taking her leave. As she was about to depart, Wangxuan glanced at the Tianxuan Goose at the doorway. The goose shuddered and quickly ran off. As the crowd dispersed, Xu Ming returned to his small courtyard. In the kitchen, Chen Suya was preparing some pastries for him. Xu Ming decided to go for a run in the courtyard. While he was running, the Tianxuan Goose suddenly approached him. Xu Ming thought it wanted to fight him. But instead, the goose walked up to him, patted him on the shoulder with its wing, and let out a few ¡°honk honk¡± sounds. ¡°You¡¯re saying you know I can¡¯t cultivate and want to comfort me by saying it¡¯s okay?¡± Xu Ming looked at the goose. Somehow, he felt like he could understand what it was trying to convey. The Tianxuan Goose nodded, then patted its own chest with its wing and let out another series of honks. ¡°You¡¯re saying you¡¯ll have my back from now on?¡± Xu Ming asked. The goose nodded again. Xu Ming¡¯s eyebrow twitched. ¡°Well, thank you very much, then.¡± The goose lifted its long neck proudly and nodded again. ¡°Honk honk honk (You¡¯re my little bro; it¡¯s only right).¡± Chapter 15 ¡°Wenshan, you¡¯ve spent nearly ten years at the borderlands. It¡¯s been hard on you.¡± After seeing off Wangxuan, the matriarch hosted a welcome banquet, though only the heads of the two households and their primary and secondary wives were allowed at the table. ¡°To defend the nation¡¯s borders, hardship is nothing worth mentioning,¡± Zhao Wenshan said with a cupped fist salute. ¡°Haha! I heard that under General Chen¡¯s command, you led a thousand riders to shatter the Northern Wasteland¡¯s army of ten thousand. Who in the court hasn¡¯t praised your accomplishments?¡± Xu Zheng said with a smile. Zhao Wenshan shook his head. ¡°All credit belongs to General Chen. I was merely following orders.¡± ¡°You¡¯re too modest, Wenshan,¡± Qin Ruhai said as he raised a toast to Zhao Wenshan. ¡°And now that you¡¯ve returned to the capital, it just so happens that the position of Deputy Minister of War is vacant¡ª¡± ¡°Brother-in-law,¡± Zhao Wenshan interrupted, ¡°the emperor makes appointments. How can we presume to speculate? I will await the emperor¡¯s orders.¡± ¡°Haha, of course, of course! Let¡¯s drink, then,¡± Qin Ruhai said quickly, realizing he had overstepped. He raised his cup again to smooth over the awkwardness. ¡°Today is truly a joyous occasion,¡± the matriarch said cheerfully. ¡°Wenshan has returned, Qingwan has an Innate Sacred Body, and our Xuenuo possesses the Innate Sword Bone. Truly, heaven smiles upon our Xu and Qin households.¡± Zhao Wenshan¡¯s brows furrowed slightly. After a moment, he stood and bowed to the matriarch. ¡°Matriarch, there is something I wish to say. I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s appropriate.¡± Noticing his serious demeanor, Xu Zheng and the others exchanged glances. The matriarch nodded. ¡°Wenshan, speak freely. We¡¯re all family here. There¡¯s nothing that cannot be said.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll be frank,¡± Zhao Wenshan said, rising to his feet. ¡°Back then, Xu Guogong and Qin Guogong followed the late emperor in conquering the realm and establishing the Wu (Martial) Kingdom. Our nation was founded on martial strength, with every household¡¯s men skilled in the blade. [T/N: Guogong=Duke] ¡°But over the past two centuries, the children of the Xu and Qin households have grown too accustomed to wealth and luxury. They¡¯ve lost the blood and grit of their ancestors. ¡°Even at the borderlands, I hear tales of the disgraceful conduct of our families¡¯ children in the capital. ¡°The Empress Dowager, out of old affection, continues to favor our families. But what will happen if one day the Empress Dowager ascends to the heavens? What future will there be for the Xu and Qin households then?¡± The matriarch¡¯s brows knitted together. ¡°Wenshan, what are you trying to say?¡± Taking a deep breath, Zhao Wenshan replied, ¡°The Wu Kingdom now faces enemies on all sides and threats from within. His Majesty seeks reform, and the nation is in dire need of capable individuals. ¡°Our children of the Xu and Qin households should be studying literature and practicing martial arts, contributing to the nation in its time of need, not wasting their days indulging in debauchery and excess.¡± A heavy silence fell over the table, and the matriarch¡¯s expression darkened. Zhao Wenshan had come dangerously close to outright declaring that the Xu and Qin households had lost their virtue. ¡°Hahaha, Wenshan, you¡¯ve taken this too far,¡± Xu Zheng said with a laugh, pulling Zhao Wenshan to sit back down. ¡°Our households have private academies that educate our children, but passing the imperial exams isn¡¯t something that happens just because we wish it. ¡°As for martial training, you know as well as anyone that not everyone is suited for it. ¡°Besides, Xu Guogong and Qin Guogong fought their entire lives to secure this wealth and status. Wasn¡¯t it all so their descendants could enjoy a life of ease?¡± ¡°Elder Brother Xu¡ª¡± ¡°Wenshan,¡± Xu Zheng interrupted again, pulling Zhao Wenshan closer and cutting him off. ¡°Qingwan is already the personal disciple of the National Preceptor. With her standing, our two households are more secure than ever. You¡¯re worrying too much. Now, drink! Drink!¡± As Xu Zheng raised his voice, calling to the dancers in the courtyard, ¡°Keep playing! Keep dancing!¡± Zhao Wenshan looked around the table at the laughing faces and the extravagantly dressed dancers. His heart grew heavy as he drained his cup in one long gulp. That afternoon, while his mother napped in her room, Xu Ming continued sparring with the Tianxuan Goose in the courtyard. Every punch and kick from Xu Ming stirred up a flurry of wind and snow. But after half a stick of incense, Xu Ming was still pinned to the ground by the Tianxuan Goose. [You fought the Tianxuan Goose: Agility +20, Strength +20, Combat Experience Against Birds +20.] ¡°Get up, get up. I need to go for a run,¡± Xu Ming said, shooing the goose off and brushing snow off his clothes as he stood. The Tianxuan Goose stood with its wings on its hips, head held high. ¡°Honk honk honk (So, do you admit defeat?)¡± ¡°Admit it for now, but not next time,¡± Xu Ming muttered. He still didn¡¯t understand how he could comprehend the goose¡¯s honking, but it felt oddly natural. ¡°I¡¯m off for a run. Let me know when my mother wakes up.¡± ¡°Honk~ (Got it),¡± the goose replied, then waddled back to its nest to rest. Xu Ming started running toward the courtyard gate. Whenever his mother napped, Xu Ming would usually run about 500 meters from Xiaochun Courtyard¡¯s entrance, then run back, repeating the laps. When his mother woke up, the goose would notify him, and he¡¯d return in time to avoid getting scolded. As he was running, Xu Ming suddenly noticed Xu Xuenuo sitting by the lake. She was tossing snowballs at the lake¡¯s surface, her red-tipped nose sniffing as big tears rolled down her cheeks. Xu Ming decided to quietly turn back, but Xu Xuenuo glanced over and caught sight of him. Their eyes met awkwardly. Startled, Xu Xuenuo quickly stood, wiping her tears hastily, her little mouth pouting stubbornly. ¡°I-I wasn¡¯t crying!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t say you were,¡± Xu Ming replied dryly. Xu Xuenuo: ¡°¡­¡± Xu Ming walked over. ¡°Weren¡¯t you supposed to be at the family banquet with your mother?¡± Xu Xuenuo turned her head away. ¡°The banquet¡¯s over. I was just taking a walk.¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯ve walked pretty far,¡± Xu Ming thought to himself. ¡°Want to come sit at Xiaochun Courtyard?¡± Xu Ming offered. ¡°No,¡± Xu Xuenuo huffed. ¡°Alright then.¡± Xu Ming didn¡¯t push her and turned to leave, planning to resume his run. ¡°Xu Ming,¡± Xu Xuenuo called out just as he was about to go. ¡°What is it?¡± he asked. ¡°Aren¡¯t you upset?¡± she asked. ¡°Upset about what?¡± ¡°Your lack of aptitude,¡± Xu Xuenuo said, pouting. ¡°That you can¡¯t cultivate.¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to be upset about? Life isn¡¯t just about cultivation. If anything, it¡¯s you. That elder sister said you¡¯re an incredible Innate Sword Bone, so why are you crying?¡± Xu Ming asked curiously. ¡°I wasn¡¯t crying,¡± Xu Xuenuo muttered, fiddling with her fingers. ¡°Alright, alright, you weren¡¯t crying,¡± Xu Ming said, humoring her. Xu Xuenuo lowered her head, biting her lip. ¡°What¡¯s the point of being an Innate Sword Bone? It doesn¡¯t help my brother get the Duke title, and now I¡¯m being forced to leave the family.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not being kicked out of the family; you¡¯re just being removed from the Xu household registry so you won¡¯t be affected by the Wu Kingdom¡¯s national fortune.¡± Xu Ming paused, rubbing his chin. ¡°Although¡­ yeah, it¡¯s basically the same thing.¡± ¡°You¡ª¡± Xu Xuenuo¡¯s eyes brimmed with tears again, threatening to fall. ¡°Alright, alright, calm down. You¡¯re going to be a great sword immortal in the future. And what does your brother not inheriting the title have to do with you? That¡¯s on him for being useless,¡± Xu Ming said, trying to comfort her. ¡°Of course it matters!¡± Xu Xuenuo wiped her eyes. ¡°If I were stronger, my brother could get the title, and Mother would like me. Now neither my brother nor Mother likes me. Nobody likes me!¡± ¡°Who says nobody likes you?¡± Xu Ming began counting on his fingers. ¡°Look, Madam Qin likes you, Qingwan likes you, my mother likes you, and even the big white goose likes you.¡± Xu Xuenuo blinked at him, her wide eyes unblinking. ¡°What?¡± Xu Ming asked, confused. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She stayed silent, staring at him. ¡°¡­¡± Xu Ming¡¯s brow twitched. ¡°Fine, I like you too.¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± Xu Xuenuo turned her head, wiping away her tears. ¡°Who wants you to like me?¡± Chapter 16 ¡°Ming Gege~~~ Qingwan is here to play with you~~~ Ming Gege~~~¡± Early in the morning, Chen Suya was sitting in the courtyard, holding Xu Ming in her arms as they basked in the sun, when a crisp, bell-like voice rang out. Chen Suya set Xu Ming down and bowed to Lady Qin, who followed closely behind Qin Qingwan. ¡°This humble one greets Lady Qin.¡± ¡°Chen Jie, we¡¯ve known each other for three years now. Why so formal?¡± Lady Qin stepped forward to help Chen Suya up. ¡°I¡¯ve been busy these past few days and haven¡¯t had the chance to visit you and Ming¡¯er. Please forgive me.¡± ¡°Lady Qin, what are you saying? Everyone in the two houses is thrilled that Miss Qin has been accepted as a disciple by the Grand Elder of the Tianxuan Sect.¡± Chen Suya smiled warmly. After all, Qin Qingwan and Xu Xuenuo¡ªone being an Innate Sacred Physique and the other an Innate Sword Bone¡ªhad already drawn the attention of the Wu Kingdom¡¯s court. Both young girls had been summoned to meet the Emperor and later visited the ancestral tomb to offer prayers. They¡¯d only returned yesterday. ¡°Ming Gege, let¡¯s read together!¡± Qin Qingwan cheerfully pulled out a book from her arms and handed it to Xu Ming. Chen Suya glanced at the cover, her expression shifting at the words ¡°Tianxuan Heart Method.¡± ¡°Miss Qin, this isn¡¯t appropriate¡ª¡± Before she could finish, Lady Qin gently pressed her hand down. ¡°What¡¯s inappropriate? The Master Preceptor herself said Qingwan can share it with whomever she wishes. Chen Jie, you don¡¯t need to worry. Let the children play in the courtyard. By the way, I¡¯ve been wanting to make a pair of embroidered shoes for Qingwan and could use your guidance.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Chen Suya still felt it wasn¡¯t entirely proper, but Lady Qin had already taken her arm and ushered her into the house. ¡°Ming Gege, let¡¯s read! Xiaobai can read with us too!¡± Qin Qingwan excitedly pulled Xu Ming to a bench and made him sit. The Tianxuan Goose waddled out of its nest and, with a loud ¡°Honk honk honk,¡± jumped up behind them. ¡°Alright.¡± Xu Ming nodded, not refusing. He knew this sweet little girl was well-intentioned, wanting to help him cultivate by sharing the book. Qin Qingwan opened the Tianxuan Heart Method and began reading. As Xu Ming looked at the words on the page, he rubbed his eyes. How to put it¡­ He recognized the characters individually, but once they formed sentences, they became completely unintelligible. Worse, when he moved to the second character, he forgot the first. ¡°Can you understand this, Qingwan?¡± Xu Ming asked. ¡°Of course!¡± Qin Qingwan nodded enthusiastically. ¡°This one is ¡®mountain,¡¯ this one is ¡®water,¡¯ and this one is¡­¡± Qin Qingwan effortlessly recited the Tianxuan Heart Method aloud. But Xu Ming clearly remembered that Qingwan didn¡¯t even know how to read. To test his theory, Xu Ming wrote the characters ¡°mountain¡± and ¡°water¡± in the snow and pointed at them. ¡°What are these?¡± Qin Qingwan stared at the characters and then shook her head. ¡°Ming Gege, Qingwan doesn¡¯t know.¡± ¡°¡­¡± She could read the characters in the book but couldn¡¯t recognize the same ones written on the ground. Xu Ming couldn¡¯t tell if this book was extraordinary or if it was simply special to Qin Qingwan. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After reading a single line from the Tianxuan Heart Method, several lines of text suddenly appeared in Xu Ming¡¯s mind: [You have read 10 characters from the Tianxuan Heart Method: Dao comprehension +1.] [Reading the complete Tianxuan Heart Method will unlock the achievement Mini Eternal Spirit Root.] [Mini Eternal Spirit Root: A cultivable spirit root that grows in quality as you cultivate. With each session, the root will develop further. Note: Just because it¡¯s small doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s not cute.] ¡°¡­¡± Xu Ming¡¯s eyebrow twitched. What the heck is a ¡®Mini Eternal Spirit Root¡¯? Despite his inner complaints, Xu Ming realized this Eternal Spirit Root might be similar to his Physical Sanctification¡ªboth were growth-type talents. If Physical Sanctification was like a tank stacking HP, then Eternal Spirit Root was like a mage stacking AP. ¡°Ming Gege, is something wrong?¡± Qin Qingwan asked when she noticed Xu Ming lost in thought. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, let¡¯s keep reading.¡± Xu Ming smiled. ¡°Mm-hmm.¡± Qin Qingwan nodded and continued reading aloud from the Tianxuan Heart Method. The Tianxuan Heart Method wasn¡¯t very long, and after about half an hour, the two of them had finished reading it. Xu Ming felt as if something had suddenly sprouted within his body. A warm current surged through him, making him shiver involuntarily. When he closed his eyes and focused his thoughts, Xu Ming could clearly see a small sapling growing within his dantian. Is this a spirit root? From that day forward, Qin Qingwan came to the Xu family residence every day, bringing the Tianxuan Heart Method with her to read with Xu Ming. As for Xu Xuenuo, she couldn¡¯t join them because just looking at the Tianxuan Heart Method made her feel dizzy and nauseous. Even Xu Ming could only read it for half an hour a day before feeling the same symptoms. But Qin Qingwan, on the other hand, remained completely unaffected. It was clear that people¡¯s constitutions could vary greatly. A year passed, and Xu Ming turned four. After some probing, he learned that the Xu family estate had a four-hundred-jin stone pillar, which he could barely lift. As for his Eternal Spirit Root, it remained a small sapling, though it had grown an inch taller compared to when it first appeared. ¡ª One day, the Sect Master of the Wanjian Sect came personally to the Xu family to take in a disciple. Xu Xuenuo formally joined the Wanjian Sect. She had initially wanted to delay her departure, just as Qin Qingwan had done with the Tianxuan Sect, but the Sect Master would not allow it. The training for sword cultivators was different from that of dao cultivators. Sword cultivation required rigorous practice starting at the age of four or five. With no other choice, Xu Xuenuo had to leave with the Sect Master. That day, Qin Qingwan cried loudly, clinging tightly to Xu Xuenuo and refusing to let go. Xu Xuenuo, too, couldn¡¯t hold back her tears and started bawling as well, her cries echoing like the honking of a goose. ¡°Xu Jiejie, you must come back often to visit,¡± Qin Qingwan said between sobs, sniffling as she spoke. ¡°I will.¡± Xu Xuenuo nodded and pulled out a red string adorned with a small jade piece engraved with the characters Qingwan. It was as though she had long anticipated this farewell. ¡°This is for you.¡± ¡°I have a gift for you too, Xu Jiejie.¡± Qin Qingwan handed over a pendant with a carving of¡­ a snake? ¡°This is a dragon I carved. It¡¯s for you.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Xu Xuenuo put the pendant around her neck. The Tianxuan Goose, after some hesitation, painfully plucked a feather from its backside and gave it to Xu Xuenuo. In return, Xu Xuenuo gifted the goose a red string inscribed with the character Goose. The two girls and the goose then turned their gaze toward Xu Ming. Xu Ming blinked, then stepped forward and presented his farewell gift. ¡°This stone bracelet is something I picked and polished by the lake.¡± ¡°It¡¯s so ugly.¡± Xu Xuenuo pouted in disdain but quickly snatched the bracelet and put it on her right hand. ¡°This is for you.¡± Xu Xuenuo handed Xu Ming a red string bracelet engraved with the character Ming. ¡°If anyone bullies you in the future, come to the Wanjian Sect and find me.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Xu Ming chuckled. ¡°But what if I can¡¯t make it to the Wanjian Sect?¡± Xu Xuenuo thought for a moment. ¡°Then every night before you sleep, recite my name once.¡± Xu Ming was puzzled. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Chunyan Jiejie said that if someone recites another person¡¯s name every day and suddenly stops one day, the other person will feel restless.¡± Xu Xuenuo looked at Xu Ming with utmost seriousness. ¡°When that time comes, I will come find you.¡± Chapter 17 Another cycle of seasons passed. Unknowingly, Xu Ming was already five years old. Xu Ming didn¡¯t know how much strength he had now since there wasn¡¯t a suitable point of reference in the Xu household. He had tried to move the thousand-pound stone lion at the Xu Manor¡¯s entrance but couldn¡¯t budge it. In his dantian, the little sapling had grown another two centimeters taller compared to a year ago. As for the level of his spiritual root, Xu Ming had no idea either. However, he felt his aptitude was still poor. But that didn¡¯t bother him much; he figured he had time to grow since he was only five years old. After Xu Xue Nuo left, Xu Ming never saw the Xu Manor¡¯s First Madam, Wang Feng, again. But Xu Ming heard from Chun Yan that during a family banquet, the concubine, Lady Qian, had sat in the seat meant for the First Madam. When Wang Feng arrived, Lady Qian let out a surprised ¡°Oh my, how careless of me to have taken Sister¡¯s seat¡± as she stood up. Though a minor incident, it was clear to anyone with insight that the two concubines, emboldened by their children¡¯s status, were beginning to challenge the First Wife¡¯s authority. As for whether they feared Xu Xue Nuo returning after mastering her skills, they were entirely unbothered. Xu Xue Nuo had already been removed from the family registry and had no ties with the Xu Manor, dedicating herself solely to the way of the sword. Even if she did return, what could she possibly do? S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Would she really draw her sword just because someone ¡°accidentally¡± sat in her mother¡¯s seat? Still, Lady Qian and Lady Lin could only resort to these petty tricks to annoy Wang Feng. They wouldn¡¯t dare take things too far. Honestly, Xu Ming found the system in Wu Country rather bizarre. The children of concubines had the same status as those of the main wife, while the children of mistresses were only slightly above servants. Xu Ming had heard that this wasn¡¯t the case when Wu Country was first established. It had only been this way for the past 150 years, ever since the late emperor implemented this etiquette system, which had continued to this day. As for what happened 150 years ago and why the late emperor established such a system, Xu Ming had no clue. And he didn¡¯t care to find out. Every day, Xu Ming focused on improving himself through both physical and spiritual cultivation. Qin Qing Wan came daily to read half an hour of the Tianxuan Heart Method with him, and Xu Ming spent the rest of his time training whenever he was free. When his mother was around, Xu Ming would walk and jump about. When she wasn¡¯t, he would do push-ups, sit-ups, and lift rocks around the courtyard. Chen Suya suspected her son might have a hyperactivity disorder and even called for a doctor. The doctor concluded that Xu Ming had abundant energy with nowhere to vent it and prescribed a herbal tea to drink daily. It didn¡¯t help at all. Chen Suya figured her child was healthy and never got sick, so she decided to let him be. If he liked being active, so be it. ¡ª ¡°Ming-gege, let¡¯s go to school!¡± One day, Qin Qing Wan ran into the room excitedly and stopped abruptly in front of Xu Ming, looking at him with bright, sparkling eyes. ¡°School?¡± Xu Ming, who was doing push-ups, stood up and clapped the dust off his hands, plucking a small leaf from Qin Qing Wan¡¯s hair. Although she was only five, her jawline was already starting to show, and her almond-shaped eyes were growing more and more like her mother¡¯s, albeit clearer and purer. She was undoubtedly a beauty in the making, one destined to be stunning no matter what. ¡°Yes, yes!¡± Qin Qing Wan nodded vigorously. ¡°Yesterday, Mother told me that I¡¯m old enough to start school. And it just so happens that His Majesty has established a new academy for the children of nobles in the capital. I heard the teacher there is supposed to be really amazing!¡± ¡°Oh, this matter¡­¡± Xu Ming had also overheard his mother and some of the concubines discussing this matter. It seemed that a scholar from the renowned White Deer Academy had returned. White Deer Academy was a highly prestigious institution. Over the 200 years since the founding of Wu Country, only five individuals had ever been admitted, all of whom later became high-ranking officials. This scholar was the sixth. Emperor Wu jokingly asked him what position he wanted. The scholar simply replied, ¡°A school, some children, and the role of a teacher.¡± To everyone¡¯s surprise, the emperor actually agreed and established the Zhixing Academy. The emperor then allocated a total of 45 spots for the children of court officials aged five to seven to attend the school. As for teaching the children of nobles and high-ranking officials, the scholar neither commented nor questioned it. It seemed he truly saw himself as just a teacher and didn¡¯t care who his students were. ¡ª ¡°Ming-gege, let¡¯s go to school together! I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be so much fun!¡± Qin Qingwan tugged Xu Ming¡¯s hand eagerly. For the little girl, ¡°going to school¡± was a novel and exciting experience. If she could try it out with Ming-gege, it would be even more fun! Xu Ming smiled and shook his head. ¡°I probably can¡¯t go.¡± Among the court officials, there were many children. The 45 spots weren¡¯t nearly enough, and quite a few officials had been pulling strings to secure a spot for their children, many without success. As a mere concubine-born child, Xu Ming didn¡¯t have the qualifications to attend. ¡°You can, you can! I told my mother, and she said she¡¯s already spoken with the Preceptor. Ming-gege can definitely go!¡± Qin Qingwan held Xu Ming¡¯s hand tightly and said, ¡°Ming-gege, come to school with me, please.¡± Looking at Qin Qingwan¡¯s expectant little face and those almond-shaped eyes that seemed to say, ¡°If you refuse, I¡¯ll cry right here and now,¡± Xu Ming didn¡¯t know how to respond. ¡°If my mother says I should go, then I¡¯ll go,¡± Xu Ming finally said, tossing the decision to his mother. Whether or not he ended up attending Zhixing Academy, he wouldn¡¯t forget the effort Lady Qin and Qingwan had made for him. ¡°Yay!¡± Qin Qingwan cheered, jumping up in delight. ¡°I¡¯ll go tell Mother now!¡± Not long after, Qin Qingwan dragged her mother to Xiaochun Courtyard to discuss the matter of letting Xu Ming attend Zhixing Academy with her. After much back-and-forth between Lady Qin and Chen Suya, Chen Suya finally gave in, and it was decided that Xu Ming would accompany Qin Qingwan to school three days later. Hearing that Ming-gege would go to school with her, Qin Qingwan was overjoyed. She grabbed Xu Ming¡¯s hand and began spinning in circles around the courtyard, laughing happily. Even the Tianxuan Goose joined in the playful chaos. Watching the two children and the Goose frolicking so cheerfully in the courtyard, Lady Qin¡¯s face softened into a gentle smile. But slowly, her expression grew troubled, and her brows furrowed with worry. ¡°Madam, I observed the stars last night and noted that a fortuitous opportunity will soon arise in the Tianxuan Sect¡¯s territory. It could greatly benefit Qingwan¡¯s cultivation. We might not be able to wait until she turns nine; I¡¯ll likely need to take her away next year,¡± the National Preceptor had told her recently. Thinking of the Preceptor¡¯s words, Lady Qin¡¯s gaze softened with sorrow as she looked at her daughter. It wasn¡¯t just herself¡ªhow heartbroken would Qingwan be when the time came for her to part with Xu Ming? Chapter 18 ¡°Time for school, Ming-gege~ Time for school~~~!¡± Early in the morning, just as dawn broke, Xu Ming had just finished breakfast when he saw Qin Qingwan bouncing in like a little white rabbit. She had an empty little bookcase strapped to her back, and Lady Qin¡¯s personal maid, Cai Die, followed closely behind. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go,¡± Xu Ming said as he hopped off his chair, also carrying a small bookcase on his back. After saying their goodbyes to Xu Ming¡¯s mother, Qin Qingwan grabbed Xu Ming¡¯s hand and happily skipped along as they made their way to Zhixing Academy. The academy wasn¡¯t far¡ªjust one street away from the Xu and Qin manors. When they arrived, Qin Qingwan saw several children about her age, and Xu Ming spotted his half-brother, Xu Pangda. Xu Pangda was still a chubby little boy, his young age already belied by a stout figure. What puzzled Xu Ming was that Xu Pangda had come alone, with no maids or servants accompanying him. He carried a small bookcase on his back, looking rather lonely. Xu Ming and Qin Qingwan entered the classroom. Inside, the desks were arranged in pairs, much like the classrooms on Blue Star. ¡°Ming-gege, here, here~~~!¡± Qin Qingwan pulled Xu Ming to sit in the last row, her bright eyes sparkling as she surveyed everyone in front of her. Xu Pangda entered as well, glancing left and right, unsure where to sit. It seemed he didn¡¯t know anyone. But soon, he noticed Xu Ming and Qin Qingwan in the back row and walked over, taking the seat to Xu Ming¡¯s right. More and more children began to enter the classroom. These children were dressed in fine clothes, and some carried an air of arrogance even at such a young age, like little lords. It was only natural¡ªafter all, they were all born with silver spoons in their mouths. However, many others sat obediently in their seats, some shyly glancing around with curiosity. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. There were even a few lively children who had already begun making friends. The entire classroom buzzed with energy, resembling a lively kindergarten. But before long, the lively atmosphere abruptly quieted, like a turbulent sea suddenly freezing over. A man who looked to be around 27 or 28 years old walked into the classroom. He wore a Confucian-style blue robe, his face adorned with a gentle, refined smile. ¡°Greetings, little ones,¡± the man said, bowing slightly to the children. ¡°From today onward, I will be your teacher. My name is Xiao Mochi.¡± ¡°This is my name.¡± Xiao Mochi pulled out a scroll from his sleeve. As he unfurled it, the snowy white fabric stretched across the wall behind him. Then, from within his sleeve, he retrieved a ruler. When the ruler glided across the white fabric, text began to appear. It was like a magical, cultivation-world version of a blackboard and chalk. ¡°These are your books. Take good care of them,¡± Xiao Mochi said with a wave of his hand. One by one, books floated out from his sleeve, gently landing on each student¡¯s desk. Xu Ming looked at Xiao Mochi¡¯s sleeve, marveling for the first time at a cultivation-world equivalent of a storage ring¡ªor perhaps it was the mystical technique known as Sleeve Universe. The books were six in total: The Analects, The Doctrine of the Mean, The Great Learning, The Book of Songs, The Book of Documents, and The Book of Rites. Compared to the Four Books and Five Classics of Blue Star, these lacked Mencius, The Book of Changes, and The Spring and Autumn Annals. Xu Ming opened The Analects and The Book of Songs to take a look. Many of the contents were strikingly similar, giving him an unexpected sense of familiarity. It was like tasting your hometown¡¯s fried noodles in a foreign land. As he nostalgically flipped through the books, a string of unfamiliar characters appeared in his mind. [You read 100 words of The Analects, +2 Righteous Qi.] [You read 100 words of The Book of Songs, +1 Righteous Qi, +1 Literary Qi.] Xu Ming paused for a moment and opened another book, reading 100 words from each. [You read 100 words of The Doctrine of the Mean, +2 Righteous Qi.] [You read 100 words of The Book of Rites, +1 Righteous Qi, +1 Charisma.] [You read¡­] Every book Xu Ming read granted him two attribute points. Some solely increased Righteous Qi, while others added bonuses like Literary Qi or Charisma in addition to Righteous Qi. ¡°Everyone, please take out The Analects¡ªthis book here. We will now begin our lesson. First, let us read the first page together: The Master said: ¡®To learn and practice what is learned regularly, is this not a joy? To have friends come from afar, is this not a pleasure? To remain unperturbed when others do not understand you, is this not the mark of a gentleman?''¡± Xiao Mo-Chi¡¯s voice was like a gentle spring breeze, calming the young children, who followed along in unison: ¡°The Master said: ¡®To learn and practice what is learned regularly, is this not a joy? To have friends come from afar, is this not a pleasure? To remain unperturbed when others do not understand you, is this not the mark of a gentleman?''¡± ¡°First, let¡¯s understand these words. ¡®The Master said¡¯ means ¡®Confucius said.¡¯ As for Confucius¡­¡± Patiently, Xiao Mo-Chi explained The Analects to the group of five-to-seven-year-olds. To be honest, Xu Ming didn¡¯t think kids this young could truly comprehend much of it. At best, they might catch a vague sense of the meaning. But then again, this was ancient times¡ªthere wasn¡¯t a well-structured educational system like the Blue Ocean Star¡¯s. [You listened to Xiao Mo-Chi¡¯s lecture for 10 minutes, +5 Righteous Qi.] [You listened to Xiao Mo-Chi¡¯s lecture for 10 minutes, +5 Righteous Qi.] Every ten minutes, five points of Righteous Qi flowed in. By the end of the morning, with three thirty-minute sessions and a ten-minute break in between, along with the Righteous Qi gained from reading, Xu Ming had accumulated nearly 100 points. Yet, he didn¡¯t feel any significant changes in his body. ¡°That concludes today¡¯s lesson. You¡¯ve all worked hard. Please review on your own when you return home, and I trust you¡¯ll gain a deeper understanding,¡± Xiao Mo-Chi said. As the teacher announced the end of class, the classroom erupted with excitement. One by one, the children grabbed their books and dashed outside, eager to relieve their brains, which had been abused by knowledge. ¡°Let¡¯s go, class is over.¡± Xu Ming nudged Qin Qingwan on the shoulder. She had been asleep for half an hour. Xiao Mo-Chi was quite tolerant¡ªhe wouldn¡¯t even scold students for sleeping in class. ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Qin Qingwan rubbed her eyes, put her book back into her small bookcase, and clung to Xu Ming¡¯s arm, following him out. Caidie, seeing her young mistress sticking so closely to Xu Ming, felt her heart melt a little. ¡°Ming-gege~~~ School isn¡¯t fun~~~¡± Qin Qingwan hugged Xu Ming¡¯s arm and rested her chin on his shoulder, half-asleep as she spoke. ¡°School isn¡¯t exactly fun,¡± Xu Ming replied, wanting to pat Qin Qingwan¡¯s head but hesitating because Caidie was present. ¡°Qingwan, do you dislike school?¡± Qin Qingwan pouted as she leaned on his shoulder. ¡°I don¡¯t like it. Does Ming-gege like school?¡± Xu Ming thought for a moment. ¡°I guess I do.¡± Qin Qingwan said, ¡°Then Qingwan will like school too.¡± Xu Ming smiled. ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say you didn¡¯t like it?¡± The girl¡¯s eyes sparkled like ripples in the Luo River. ¡°I didn¡¯t like it before, but if Ming-gege likes it, then I¡¯ll try to like it too~¡± Chapter 19 On the first day of school, Qin Qingwan had eagerly come to find Xu Ming early in the morning. On the second day, however, Xu Ming got up early, finished breakfast, and realized that Qin Qingwan hadn¡¯t arrived yet. With no other choice, he took the jade pendant Madam Qin had given him and headed to the Qin residence to look for her. When he arrived at Madam Qin¡¯s courtyard, he saw Qin Qingwan half-asleep, leaning against her mother, who was gently combing her hair. Madam Qin was dressed in a thin inner robe, her long hair cascading loosely down her back, just reaching her waist. Her delicate face glowed softly in the morning sunlight. Sitting upright with her legs together, her posture impeccable, the inner robe clung slightly to her figure, outlining a graceful silhouette. If a certain type of person were to see this, they might have exclaimed, ¡°A true embodiment of Cao Wei elegance!¡± ¡°Qingwan, look who¡¯s here,¡± Madam Qin said with a smile, gently tapping her daughter¡¯s cheek. Since Xu Ming was only five years old, Madam Qin had no reservations around him. Even if he happened to see her in her inner robe, it didn¡¯t matter¡ªwhat could a small child possibly understand? Qin Qingwan blinked her sleepy eyes open and glanced toward the courtyard gate. Her large, bright eyes immediately lit up. ¡°Ming-gege~~~¡± She jumped down from her mother¡¯s lap and ran over to Xu Ming. ¡°Greetings, Madam Qin,¡± Xu Ming said, bowing like a little adult. Then, turning to Qin Qingwan, he added, ¡°Qingwan, it¡¯s time for school.¡± ¡°Oh nooo.¡± At the mention of school, Qin Qingwan¡¯s enthusiasm instantly deflated. Even though she had said yesterday that she would try to like school, it seemed she hadn¡¯t succeeded. In fact, Qin Qingwan was already regretting her decision to attend school. Wouldn¡¯t it be more fun to stay at home playing with Ming-gege and the big white goose in the courtyard? But despite her lack of interest, Qin Qingwan still clung to Xu Ming¡¯s arm and walked with him toward the school, with her maid Caidie following behind them. When they arrived at the school gates, Xu Ming saw many elegantly dressed noblewomen gathered there. A number of children were clinging to their mothers¡¯ legs, wailing, ¡°Mother, I don¡¯t want to go to school! School isn¡¯t fun at all!¡± Yesterday, it had been the servants and maids bringing these young masters to school. Today, it was their mothers instead¡ªlikely because the servants had failed to persuade them. Now, only their mothers could handle the situation. Seeing their children crying so miserably, many of the noblewomen softened, thinking, Maybe they don¡¯t need to attend school after all. They¡¯re only five or six years old¡ªwhat can they possibly learn? But then they recalled their husbands¡¯ stern warnings. Gritting their teeth, the noblewomen reluctantly pushed their children into the school¡¯s front courtyard before turning to leave. As their mothers walked away, the children wailed even louder. But their mothers didn¡¯t look back. Realizing their crying wouldn¡¯t change anything, the children finally understood¡ªthey were on the clock. If they didn¡¯t enter the classroom on time, they¡¯d get a spanking from their fathers. Reluctantly, they turned around and trudged toward the classroom, their spirits thoroughly deflated. ¡°Ming-gege~~~¡± Sitting at her desk, Qin Qingwan tugged on Xu Ming¡¯s sleeve, her bright eyes blinking as she said, ¡°They all cried about going to school, but Qingwan didn¡¯t cry.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Xu Ming nodded absently, taking out his copy of The Analects. He had discovered that ordinary books like The Analects only granted attribute points the first time they were read. In contrast, the Tianxuan Heart Method provided points every time. Seeing Xu Ming¡¯s indifferent reaction, Qin Qingwan pouted, tugging on his sleeve again. ¡°Ming-gege, Qingwan didn¡¯t cry.¡± Xu Ming glanced at her. Qin Qingwan¡¯s sparkling peach blossom eyes were filled with innocent anticipation, as if silently urging, Praise me, praise me~~~! ¡°Qingwan is really amazing,¡± Xu Ming said, patting her little head. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Ehehe~¡± Qin Qingwan, finally satisfied, squinted her eyes with a wide grin, rubbing her small head against Xu Ming¡¯s palm affectionately. While Qin Qingwan was clinging to him, Xu Ming noticed Xu Pangda walking into the classroom. Like yesterday, Pangda silently took the seat by the aisle next to Xu Ming¡¯s and pulled out his books. It seemed that Xu Pangda had also come alone today. The first wife, Madam Wang Feng, had never once brought him to school. His deskmate didn¡¯t talk to him either, making Pangda¡¯s loneliness even more apparent. Even though Xu Pangda had said he was just a ¡°concubine¡¯s son¡± at the age of two, Xu Ming hadn¡¯t paid much attention to it. Their interactions were minimal, and he certainly didn¡¯t hold any grudges. After all, what could a two-year-old really understand? Kids just parrot whatever the adults around them teach them. Xu Pangda noticed Xu Ming looking at him. The chubby boy scratched his head shyly and then flashed a bright, hearty smile at Xu Ming. Xu Ming blinked, slightly taken aback, but nodded in return with a polite smile of his own. Before long, their teacher, Xiao Mo-Chi, entered the classroom. Everyone immediately quieted down and sat properly at their desks. These young nobles behaved so well largely because of their fathers¡¯ stern warnings. They had undoubtedly been repeatedly told not to embarrass themselves or disrespect their teacher. Today, Xiao Mo-Chi continued teaching The Analects, occasionally interspersing it with content from The Book of Songs. It was undeniably dry and tedious. In ancient times, after all, there was no such thing as ¡°fun learning.¡± Still, Xu Ming listened attentively, driven by the promise of attribute points. Qin Qingwan, on the other hand, was nodding off like a little chick pecking at grains. Before long, her small head tilted and rested on Xu Ming¡¯s shoulder as she fell asleep. She wasn¡¯t the only one. Half the class was already asleep. Interestingly, Xiao Mo-Chi had a peculiar method: he would only wake up students who had been asleep for at least 15 minutes, asking them to answer a question. If someone hadn¡¯t reached that threshold, he would let them continue sleeping. What surprised Xu Ming even more was Xu Pangda¡¯s dedication. Despite his obvious drowsiness, Pangda was pinching himself to stay awake and focused. Xu Ming couldn¡¯t help but recall the last time he had pushed himself this hard¡ªit had been quite a while ago. Xiao Mo-Chi also noticed Xu Ming and Xu Pangda, the two most diligent students in the class, and silently made a note of it. ¡°Honk, honk, honk!¡± Midway through the lesson, the sudden sound of a goose honking came from outside the window. The abrupt noise broke the monotony of the classroom, instantly reviving the drowsy students, who all turned their heads to look outside. ¡°Xiao Bai!¡± Qin Qingwan, now awake, lit up with joy at the sight of the Goose outside the window. Xu Ming looked at the goose¡ªno, the Tianxuan Goose¡ªoutside and couldn¡¯t help but feel his eyebrow twitch. What is this dumb goose doing here? ¡°Honk, honk, honk~~! (Little bro, Big Sis is here to see you!)¡± The Tianxuan Goose, pleased to have gotten Xu Ming¡¯s attention, honked a few more times. Inside the classroom, Xiao Mo-Chi watched the unusually intelligent goose. A soft smile tugged at his lips. ¡°Well, now, this is rather interesting,¡± he remarked. Chapter 20 Looking at the dazed goose before him, Xu Ming couldn¡¯t help but massage his temples. How did this silly goose get here? You didn¡¯t come along with me this morning, did you? Or could it be you followed my scent all the way here? And wandering around like this¡­ if someone finds out you¡¯re special and decides to cook you, what then? Even though I still don¡¯t know what kind of breed this Tianxuan Goose is, rare beasts like you must be considered a great delicacy. People would definitely think you¡¯re a powerful tonic! ¡°Is this goose yours?¡± Xiao Mo Chi walked over to Xu Ming and Qin Qingwan, smiling warmly. ¡°Yes, sir! She¡¯s our Xiao Bai. Isn¡¯t she pretty?¡± Qin Qingwan said proudly. When Qin Qingwan first saw Xu Ming raising a goose, she had thought about getting one herself. But none of the other geese she saw were as beautiful as Xiao Bai, so she gave up in the end. After all, her Ming-gege¡¯s big white goose was as good as her own big white goose. ¡°She is very pretty,¡± Xiao Mo Chi nodded. ¡°Sir, I must apologize. Xiao Bai must have been too bored at home alone and somehow managed to find her way here. Please forgive her,¡± Xu Ming leapt from his seat and gave Xiao Mo Chi a respectful bow. Xiao Mo Chi studied Xu Ming and couldn¡¯t shake the impression that he exuded a refreshing grace. Every movement of his seemed to carry a scholarly air. ¡°No need to apologize, Ming¡¯er. In fact, Brother Goose¡¯s presence has brought life to our study hall. He has added quite a bit of color,¡± Xiao Mo Chi said with a smile. ¡°Goose! Goose! Goose!!!¡± The Tianxuan Goose flapped its wings outside the window in protest. Qin Qingwan pouted, ¡°Sir, you¡¯re wrong about one thing¡ªXiao Bai is a girl!¡± ¡°Goose!¡± The Tianxuan Goose nodded emphatically. ¡°My apologies, I misspoke. Allow me to formally apologize to Miss Xiao Bai,¡± Xiao Mo Chi said, bowing solemnly toward the goose. ¡°Goose~ (I forgive you),¡± the Tianxuan Goose spread its wings akimbo and raised her long neck proudly. Xu Ming, however, felt both surprised and puzzled. What surprised him was that this gentleman actually knew his name. But what puzzled him was¡­ As a cultivator, surely Xiao Mo Chi, regardless of his level, should be able to discern a goose¡¯s gender, right? ¡°Dear students, since Miss Xiao Bai has graced us with her presence today, how about we compose a poem in her honor?¡± Xiao Mo Chi suggested, turning to the group. A little girl with twin braids stood up and said, ¡°But sir, isn¡¯t writing poetry something only adults do? We don¡¯t know how to make poems.¡± Xiao Mo Chi shook his head. ¡°The kind of poetry I speak of doesn¡¯t need to follow rhyme or meter. Just say what¡¯s in your heart¡ªevery person has their own poetry. ¡®Fair lady, a gentleman yearns.¡¯ That¡¯s a poem. ¡®The blazing sun above, my sweat flows endlessly.¡¯ That¡¯s also a poem. Adults have their poetry, and children have theirs. Everyone has their own poetry in their heart.¡± Xiao Mo Chi glanced around the room. ¡°Would anyone like to give it a try?¡± His words hung in the air, but no one dared to lift their head. Some students looked eager but hesitated to raise their hands. ¡°Why don¡¯t you give it a try, Pangda?¡± Xiao Mo Chi suggested, his eyes landing on Xu Pangda. ¡°Huh?¡± The chubby boy shot to his feet, his jiggling flesh drawing a wave of laughter from the others. Blushing furiously, Xu Pangda scratched the back of his head. He wanted to refuse but didn¡¯t have the courage to do so. Finally, he looked at the big white goose, then at Xiao Mo Chi, thought for a moment, and recited: ¡°Big white goose, white as snow, One pot won¡¯t hold you, With chili, you¡¯ll taste great though!¡± ¡°Hahaha¡­¡± Xu Pangda¡¯s poem successfully broke the tension, filling the study hall with cheerful laughter. ¡°Goose! Goose! Goose!!!¡± The Tianxuan Goose flapped her wings furiously in protest. The Tianxuan Goose flapped its wings furiously, as if preparing to duel the chubby boy to the death. Xu Pangda hung his head low, his cheeks flushed bright red. Xiao Mo Chi chuckled, ¡°Not bad, Pangda. The fact that you spoke up at all is already quite impressive. Sit down.¡± Xu Pangda timidly took his seat. ¡°Does anyone else want to try composing a poem?¡± Xiao Mo Chi asked again, scanning the room. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But no one responded. ¡°How about¡­¡± Xiao Mo Chi¡¯s gaze shifted in Xu Ming¡¯s direction. Qin Qingwan, thinking the teacher was looking at her, quickly darted behind Xu Ming. ¡°Xu Ming, why don¡¯t you give it a try?¡± Xiao Mo Chi said, addressing him directly. Xu Ming stood up. The Tianxuan Goose let out a few cries of ¡°Goose, goose, goose!¡± as if saying, ¡°Little one, you¡¯d better compose something good. Don¡¯t let me down!¡± Qin Qingwan¡¯s eyes sparkled with expectation as she looked at Xu Ming, eager to see what kind of poem he would create. Whatever it was, it was bound to be better than Xu Pangda¡¯s. Xu Ming thought for a moment, then recited: ¡°Goose, goose, goose, Curved neck singing to the skies. White feathers floating on green waters, Red feet paddling through clear waves.¡± ¡°Goose? (Oh?) Goose, goose, goose! (Well done, little one. That¡¯s a fine poem!)¡± The Tianxuan Goose cried out in delight, clearly pleased. Xiao Mo Chi looked at Xu Ming with a hint of surprise in his eyes. Though the poem was simple and straightforward, it was still remarkable, especially coming from a five-year-old child. As Xu Ming finished reciting, a line of text suddenly appeared in his mind: [You have composed a poem. Haoran Qi +100, Charisma +10.] Xu Ming froze for a moment, stunned that writing a poem could increase his Haoran Qi. Although he still had no idea what Haoran Qi was for, it seemed significant. Meanwhile, the children in the study hall, despite their limited appreciation for poetry, instinctively knew this poem was excellent. A vivid image of a swan on the water surfaced in their minds. Beside Xu Ming, Qin Qingwan looked at him with admiration in her eyes, while even Xu Pangda¡¯s face reflected awe. We¡¯re all kids here, and I¡¯m even two years older than you. So why is your poem so much better than mine? ¡°A very fine poem,¡± Xiao Mo Chi praised. He then asked a few more children if they wanted to try composing, calling on several by name. Afterward, he resumed teaching The Analects. Interestingly, Xiao Mo Chi didn¡¯t ask the Tianxuan Goose to leave but allowed it to stay outside the study hall, listening in on the lesson. When class finally ended at noon, the children spilled out of the study hall like a flood, relieved to be free. Xiao Mo Chi watched as Xu Ming and Qin Qingwan left together, the Tianxuan Goose waddling behind them. Rubbing his fingers thoughtfully, Xiao Mo Chi murmured to himself, ¡°Who would have thought? The Xu family has produced such a talented child. And that goose¡­ it actually ended up at the Xu household. Could it be that the Xu family is destined for a resurgence?¡± Gazing at their departing figures, Xiao Mo Chi quietly wrote down the name Xu Ming on a piece of paper. Chapter 21 At the entrance of the school, many servants had already arrived to pick up their young masters and mistresses. Some children had made new friends over the past two days and were walking out arm in arm. Xu Pangda stepped out of the school, watching his classmates walk away in pairs, arms slung over each other¡¯s shoulders. Then he saw Xu Ming, Qin Qingwan, and the big white goose walking together. A small sense of loneliness welled up in his heart. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He wanted to join Xu Ming and the others to play, but after taking a few steps, he stopped, feeling too shy to catch up. Only when Xu Ming and Qin Qingwan had gone far ahead did Xu Pangda, carrying his small bookcase on his back, silently head in the direction of the Xu residence. ¡°Third Young Master.¡± ¡°Third Young Master is back!¡± When he arrived at the Xu residence, the servants and maids greeted Xu Pangda one after another. Xu Pangda responded with a bright, sunny smile unique to chubby kids, and then headed toward Qingxin Courtyard. Once he had walked a bit further, the servants couldn¡¯t help but start whispering amongst themselves: ¡°I heard that the First Madam¡¯s father was dismissed from office.¡± ¡°I heard it too. Meanwhile, the Second Madam¡¯s elder brother was appointed Minister of Personnel. One more step up, and he¡¯ll be the Grand Chancellor!¡± ¡°The eldest young master is said to have exceptional talent in talisman-making. He joined the Tianzhuan Sect last year, and even the sect leader has praised him.¡± ¡°Honestly, the hereditary noble title should go to the eldest young master.¡± ¡°But the eldest young master is already cultivating. What use would he have for the title?¡± ¡°You fool! The land and resources tied to a noble title greatly benefit a cultivator¡¯s progress! Why else would so many cultivators take up positions in the court?¡± Walking in the distance, Xu Pangda¡¯s ears twitched. Others might think he couldn¡¯t hear them, but in truth, Xu Pangda¡¯s hearing was sharper than most. He lowered his head even further and gripped the straps of his bookcase tightly, quickening his pace toward his courtyard. When he finally reached his own residence, Xu Pangda stopped at the gate and saw his mother sitting on a stone bench in the yard, lost in thought. Xu Pangda swallowed nervously. Though he felt a bit scared, he still walked in and softly called out, ¡°M-Mother, I¡¯m back from school.¡± Wang Feng turned her head to look at her son. Her once bright phoenix eyes, which had captivated all of the capital, were now dull and lifeless. ¡°You¡¯re back.¡± ¡°Yes, Mother, I¡¯m back,¡± Xu Pangda repeated, taking small steps with his chubby legs to approach her. ¡°Go play. Dinner will be a bit later today,¡± Wang Feng said indifferently, withdrawing her gaze as if she had entirely let go of him. ¡°I¡¯m not hungry,¡± Xu Pangda replied. He was about to head into his room when he suddenly stopped. Biting his lip, he seemed to muster great courage before running back to his mother¡¯s side. He tilted his head up nervously, looking at Wang Feng. ¡°Mother, the teacher praised me today.¡± ¡°Mm,¡± Wang Feng responded with a slight nod, but she didn¡¯t even glance at her son. ¡°Then I¡¯ll go back to my room,¡± Xu Pangda said, feeling a sour ache in his nose at the sight of his mother¡¯s demeanor. ¡°Mm,¡± Wang Feng replied again. Xu Pangda stood on tiptoes and poured a cup of water for his mother, placing it on the table. Then, with his head hung low, he went back to his room. Sitting at his small desk, Xu Pangda took out his books. He glanced out the window, longing to go out and play. But with a heavy shake of his head, he slapped his chubby cheeks firmly and took a deep breath. Gathering his focus, he began reviewing the lessons the teacher had taught that day. ¡ª The Wanjian Sect. It was one of the Four Sacred Grounds and Five Great Sects in the world of cultivators. A dreamland for all sword cultivators. The Sect Master of the Wanjian Sect¡ªJiang Luoyu¡ªwas renowned as the number one Sword Immortal in the world. She was also hailed as the strongest female Sword Immortal in history. In her thousand years of cultivation, Jiang Luoyu had never taken a disciple. This was despite countless sword prodigies with innate sword bones or Sword Intent physiques coming to seek her tutelage. Jiang Luoyu had rejected them all. Yet, a year ago, Jiang Luoyu accepted a disciple¡ªa mere four-year-old child. The child¡¯s name quickly spread throughout the sect. Her name was Xu Xue¡¯nuo. At just four years old, Xu Xue¡¯nuo became one of the most senior figures in the Wanjian Sect. Even elders several centuries old had to address her as ¡°Martial Uncle.¡± Strangely, no one cared that Xu Xue¡¯nuo possessed innate sword bones. Such sacred physiques were not uncommon within the sect. Instead, everyone was curious¡ªwhat made this four-year-old Martial Uncle so special that she could become the Sect Master¡¯s first and perhaps only disciple? Many sought to catch a glimpse of this mysterious child. However, since her initiation, Xu Xue¡¯nuo had never left the Sect Master¡¯s Peak. ¡ª Within the forests of the Sect Master¡¯s Peak, a woman clad in the robes of the Wanjian Sect walked across fallen leaves. Her complexion was as fair as snow, her delicate nose beneath crimson lips as though brushed with plum ink. Perhaps due to years of sword training, her figure was tall and slender. Even in her robes, one could faintly discern her lean, toned, and powerful legs. She was breathtakingly beautiful but as cold as ice, making others hesitant to approach. The woman walked to a mountain stream, where a waterfall cascaded from a high cliff, crashing into a clear spring below. At the center of the spring, a young girl with delicate, porcelain-like features sat cross-legged on a rock. The girl shared a striking similarity with the woman¡ªboth had sword-shaped eyebrows exuding an aura of bravery and strength. ¡°Xue¡¯nuo,¡± Jiang Luoyu called softly to the little girl. Xu Xue¡¯nuo slowly opened her eyes, stood up, and performed the Wanjian Sect¡¯s sword salute. ¡°Master.¡± Jiang Luoyu examined the sword energy surrounding Xu Xue¡¯nuo, then nodded in approval. ¡°It¡¯s about time. Come with me.¡± ¡°Yes, Master,¡± Xu Xue¡¯nuo replied, following closely behind. Though she didn¡¯t know where her master was taking her, Jiang Luoyu flicked her sleeve, and moments later, they were flying on a sword, soaring through the clouds. Before a single cup of tea could be finished, Jiang Luoyu brought Xu Xue¡¯nuo to a peculiar mountain peak. What made the peak unusual was its lack of trees; instead, it was covered in countless long swords planted firmly in the ground. The only other notable feature was a large stone stele inscribed with three words: ¡°Mingxin Sword Peak.¡± Xu Xue¡¯nuo furrowed her brows. She felt an overwhelming discomfort, as if the closer she got to this mountain, the more her body was being torn apart by the thousands of swords around her. Yet, she pressed her lips tightly together, clenched her fists, and endured without making a sound. When she finally landed, they stood before a mountain cave. Another stone stele stood at the cave¡¯s entrance, carved with four characters: ¡°Jianxin Dao Ming¡± (¡°The Sword¡¯s Heart Reveals the Way¡±). ¡°Next, you might die.¡± Jiang Luoyu withdrew her gaze from the stele and lowered her head to look at Xu Xue¡¯nuo, speaking slowly but firmly. Chapter 22 ¡°Next, you might die.¡± Jiang Luoyu said, her voice calm and unwavering, as if she were merely stating a simple fact. Xu Xue¡¯nuo¡¯s heart trembled slightly. For a girl just over five years old, the concept of ¡°death¡± was still vague and distant. Yet she understood one thing¡ªwhen a person dies, they are gone forever. Jiang Luoyu explained, ¡°Mingxin Sword Peak is a forbidden ground of the Wanjian Sect. Apart from outer disciples, whether inner disciples, core disciples, or even true heirs, anyone whose path in swordsmanship becomes clouded in confusion and uncertainty may choose to come here to awaken their sword¡¯s heart. ¡°Those who succeed in awakening their sword¡¯s heart can dispel their doubts and firmly establish their resolve. ¡°But for those who fail¡ªat best, they lose their cultivation; at worst, they perish entirely, their Dao coming to an end. ¡°Mingxin Sword Peak has another name: Burial Sword Peak. ¡°This place was once an ordinary mountain, filled with streams and forests. However, the former Sect Master of the Wanjian Sect established a rule: ¡°All who fail here must plant their life-bound flying sword into the peak. ¡°Over the past thousand years, the peak has been filled with countless swords. The sword energy and intent left behind have turned this place into a land of death.¡± Jiang Luoyu placed her hand gently on Xu Xue¡¯nuo¡¯s head. ¡°In the year since you joined the Wanjian Sect, I have only taught you some basic mental techniques, literacy, and a few fundamentals of swordsmanship. ¡°You have not yet truly stepped onto the path of the sword. ¡°You may be wondering¡ªif you haven¡¯t even embarked on the sword¡¯s path, how can you awaken your sword¡¯s heart?¡± Xu Xue¡¯nuo nodded. Jiang Luoyu turned her gaze toward the cave ahead. ¡°That¡¯s because my swordsmanship requires you to awaken your sword¡¯s heart first. ¡°The path of the sword is like a road. Some people lose their way as they walk it, but that¡¯s fine¡ªthey can always return to the road and continue forward. ¡°But my swordsmanship demands that you walk this road unwaveringly from the very beginning. If you lose your way, you will never find it again. ¡°So, Xue¡¯nuo, before you even set foot on the sword¡¯s path, you must understand where your road lies. Once you take that step, there will be no turning back. ¡°However, I will not force you. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°You can choose not to enter. I will arrange for another elder to teach you. With proper guidance, you will still become a fine sword cultivator.¡± Xu Xue¡¯nuo lowered her small head, her brows furrowing in thought. Jiang Luoyu did not rush her. She simply stood quietly by her side, waiting for her decision. ¡°Master, how old were you when you went in?¡± Xu Xue¡¯nuo finally asked, looking up at Jiang Luoyu. Jiang Luoyu thought for a moment. ¡°Four.¡± ¡°¡­,¡± Xu Xue¡¯nuo pressed her thin lips tightly together. After a long pause, she asked again, ¡°If I don¡¯t go in and instead study under another elder, can I become the strongest sword cultivator in the world?¡± Jiang Luoyu considered her question and shook her head. ¡°No, you cannot.¡± Xu Xue¡¯nuo then asked, ¡°If I go in and succeed, learning your swordsmanship¡ªthen what?¡± Jiang Luoyu thought again. ¡°It¡¯s possible.¡± Xu Xue¡¯nuo clenched her fists tightly. When the little girl finally raised her head again, her determination was clear. ¡°Then, Master, I will go in!¡± Jiang Luoyu shook her head once more. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be the best.¡± Xu Xue¡¯nuo¡¯s lips quivered slightly as she replied firmly, ¡°I want to be the best.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Jiang Luoyu asked one last time. ¡°If you fail, you will never see your mother again, nor anyone else you care about.¡± Xu Xue¡¯nuo nodded, her small face pale with nervousness. ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± Jiang Luoyu asked no further questions. She gently placed her slender hand on Xu Xue¡¯nuo¡¯s back and gave her a soft push forward. Before Xu Xue¡¯nuo fully realized what had happened, she was already inside the cave. Behind her came her master¡¯s parting words: ¡°Remember, just keep moving forward.¡± The cave was pitch dark, yet Xu Xue¡¯nuo discovered she could faintly make out her surroundings. Step by step, Xu Xue Nuo walked deeper into the cave. Suddenly, she felt a long sword pierce through her body, and an intense pain surged through her entire being. Lying on the ground, Xu Xue Nuo clutched her abdomen tightly, unable to scream from the agony. When the pain subsided slightly, she slowly crawled up and continued walking forward. Blade after blade of sword energy tore through her body, and with each step, it felt like chunks of her flesh were being carved off. It was hard to imagine how such a young girl could endure all of this. ¡°Mother¡­¡± After walking for what felt like an eternity, Xu Xue Nuo saw her mother. Just as she took a step toward her, her mother stared coldly at the young girl, raising a finger and saying, ¡°Why, why must you be born a daughter?¡± Xu Xue Nuo froze, her entire body turning icy cold. She wanted to say something, but the words wouldn¡¯t come out. ¡°Keep moving forward.¡± Remembering her master¡¯s words, Xu Xue Nuo shut her eyes, covered her ears, and continued walking. But Xu Xue Nuo found that even with her eyes closed and ears covered, she could still see and hear everything happening inside the cave. She kept walking forward, step by step, until she lost her balance and fell into a deep pool of water. Xu Xue Nuo didn¡¯t know how deep the pool was¡ªshe only felt herself sinking endlessly. Struggling to swim upward, she saw her mother blocking her path. Her mother¡¯s words pierced through her body like needles. ¡°An innate sword bone¡­ What a useless innate sword bone.¡± ¡°Sister, why does Mother hate you so much?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the point of learning the sword? What¡¯s the use of being a so-called lofty Sword Immortal? Can you help your brother obtain the hereditary title?¡± ¡°From today onward, you are removed from the family.¡± ¡°Leave.¡± Xu Xue Nuo slowly stopped struggling. It felt like everything about her life had lost its meaning. ¡°So what? Life isn¡¯t just about cultivation. And you¡ªdidn¡¯t that elder sister say you have an incredible innate sword bone? Why are you crying?¡± Just as Xu Xue Nuo was about to completely close her eyes, the voice of a bastard child drifted into her ears. Dazed, the young girl opened her eyes and saw the courtyard¡ªand her past self, crying. ¡°You weren¡¯t driven out of the house. You were removed from the Xu family registry so that you wouldn¡¯t be affected by Wu State¡¯s national fate. I guess that¡¯s about right.¡± ¡°Alright, alright. You¡¯re going to be a great Sword Immortal in the future. And if your brother can¡¯t obtain the title, what does that have to do with you? It¡¯s his own fault for being incompetent.¡± ¡°Who said no one likes you? Lady Qin likes you. Qing Wan likes you. My mother likes you. Even the big white goose likes you.¡± ¡°Fine. I like you too.¡± ¡°Here, take this. If you ever get bullied, come to Wan Jian Sect to find me.¡± ¡°Alright, but what if I can¡¯t make it to Wan Jian Sect?¡± ¡°Then recite my name every night before you sleep.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Sister Chun Yan said that if someone recites another¡¯s name every day and one day stops, that person will feel restless. At that time, I¡¯ll definitely come to find you.¡± ¡°Tsk, just a bastard child¡­ So annoying,¡± Xu Xue Nuo muttered irritably as she sank deeper and deeper, but a faint smile curled at the corners of her lips. ¡°Boom!¡± With a thunderous boom echoing across the Wan Jian Sect, everyone turned to look in the same direction. A pillar of sword energy erupted from the forbidden grounds, soaring into the sky. One after another, longswords emerged from the stone ground of Mingxin Sword Peak, piercing straight through the clouds, connecting heaven and earth. In Tianji City, an old man slowly opened his eyes. Lifting his head, he moved his fingers in calculation, then smiled while shaking his head. In his eyes was a mix of surprise, admiration, and deep emotion. With a wave of his hand, a sheet of white paper flew out, spreading across the world. At that very moment¡ª The Four Sacred Lands, the Five Great Sects, The lands of the Northern Wilderness barbarians, The Kingdom of Ten Thousand Demons in the Southern Desolation, The Western Demon Cult and Buddhist Nation, And the ten great human dynasties of the East¡ª Countless sects and kingdoms, large and small, witnessed the same scene. Even Xu Ming, who was carrying heavy loads while running laps in a courtyard, instinctively lifted his head. Above, a sheet of white paper appeared in the sky, and words began to emerge upon it: [Xu Xue Nuo, five years old, enters the Cave Mansion Realm. Her life-bound flying sword: Qingming. Ranked tenth on the Qingyun List.] Chapter 23 ¡°Wu Dynasty Weekly! Wu Dynasty Weekly! The fourth young lady of the Xu Family¡ªXu Xuenuo, entered the Cave Mansion Realm at the age of five! Unprecedented! Unprecedented!¡± ¡°Xu Xuenuo has forged her sword bones into her life-bound flying sword, naming it¡ªQingming!¡± ¡°In two years, during the Ten Thousand Swords Ceremony held by the Wan Jian Sect, Sect Master Jiang Luoyu has decreed that Xu Xuenuo will preside over the grand event!¡± ¡°The fourth young lady of the Xu Family has become renowned across the lands. The emperor, overjoyed, has declared that for the next year, taxes will be halved!¡± The Wu Kingdom has a weekly record known as the Wu Weekly, which chronicles major events that occurred throughout the week, including worldly happenings. However, after Xu Xuenuo¡¯s name appeared in the Tianji Book of Tianji City, the entire world came to know of the name Xu Xuenuo. Especially in the capital of Wu Kingdom, the political center of one of the Ten Great Human Dynasties, the news caused a frenzy. Everyone¡¯s mind echoed with the same words¡ªFive years old, entering the Cave Mansion Realm. There are thirteen realms in this world of cultivation. If you include the two mythical realms, there are a total of fifteen realms. Lower Five Realms: Qi Entry, Mind Clarity, Furnace Ignition, Qi Refining, Furnace Foundation. Middle Five Realms: Cave Mansion, Sea Observation, Dragon Gate, Golden Core, Nascent Soul. Upper Five Realms: Jade Purity, Immortal, Ascension, and the two Lost Realms. If you possess spiritual roots and cultivate diligently, reaching Furnace Foundation is feasible before the end of your natural lifespan. However, entering the Middle Five Realms is akin to ascending the heavens. The Cave Mansion Realm¡ªthe first of the Middle Five¡ªis also the first great life-or-death threshold for cultivators. Only by reaching the Cave Mansion Realm can you stop eating grain (bigu), walk with the wind, and truly be referred to as a mountain-dweller. Yet, among all cultivators, fewer than one in a hundred can achieve it. Many cultivators perish without ever stepping into that realm. But Xu Xuenuo¡ªat the mere age of five¡ªentered the Cave Mansion Realm. Whether or not she is the last, she is certainly the first. Though Xu Xuenuo was born with innate sword bones, meaning she cannot be influenced by the kingdom¡¯s fortune, and was thus removed from the Xu family registry¡ªpreventing her from holding an official position or even acknowledging her family ties in the future¡ªshe is still, undeniably, a citizen of the Wu Kingdom! In the years to come, the name Xu Xuenuo will always be associated with the Wu Kingdom. This is a source of immense pride. ¡°Brother Ming, did you see the writing in the sky yesterday? Sister Xuenuo is so incredible~~~¡± On the way to school, Qin Qingwan clung to Xu Ming¡¯s arm, happily skipping as she spoke. ¡°She really is amazing,¡± Xu Ming nodded, genuinely happy for Xu Xuenuo. Yesterday, the entire Xu household was buzzing about this. Xu Ming had come to understand just how extraordinary the Cave Mansion Realm was. In just a single year, Xu Xuenuo had skipped five realms and directly entered the Cave Mansion Realm. Not only that, but she was now ranked Top Ten on the Qingyun List! From what Xu Ming overheard during conversations between his mother and Lady Qin, the Qingyun List records only one hundred prodigies under the age of thirty. Besides Xu Xuenuo, the youngest cultivator on the list is the ninth-ranked Mo Wushuang, who is twenty-one years old. This highlights the sheer weight of Xu Xuenuo¡¯s achievement at five years old and ranked tenth on the Qingyun List. Xu Ming felt the need to work harder in his training. Otherwise, when he next met Xu Xueno, he might not even be able to raise his head, and she would have to ¡°protect¡± him instead. ¡°Miss Xu is indeed formidable, but if Miss Qingwan were to embark on the path of cultivation, she wouldn¡¯t fall behind either,¡± said Cai Die, who followed beside them. ¡°Sister Cai Die, can martial artists enter the Qingyun List?¡± Xu Ming asked. ¡°They can, but also cannot,¡± Cai Die replied. ¡°???¡± Xu Ming furrowed his brows, confused. What kind of answer is that? Seeing Xu Ming¡¯s expression, Cai Die smiled gently and explained, ¡°Yesterday, what you saw in the sky, Young Master, was the Tianji Book.¡± The Tianji Book is a treasured artifact passed down through generations in Tianji City. The book is divided into three rankings: 1. Qingyun Ranking: Records the top 100 prodigies under the age of 30. 2. World Ranking: Records the top 100 most powerful individuals in the world. 3. Beauty Ranking: Records the top 100 most beautiful women in the world. Take the Qingyun Ranking as an example. Whenever someone breaks through to a higher realm, the Tianji Book senses it and updates the rankings accordingly. However, martial artists cannot trigger such reactions. Indeed, a martial artist at the Mountain Summit Realm can rival cultivators in the Ascension Realm. Yet, the path of martial arts is ultimately a dead end. No matter how powerful a martial artist becomes, their lifespan is limited to a mere 300 years. Meanwhile, even a cultivator at the Cave Mansion Realm can live up to 500 years. ¡°Then why did Sister Cai Die say it¡¯s possible?¡± Xu Ming asked in confusion. Cai Die smiled, her eyes curving. ¡°While breaking through as a martial artist won¡¯t alert the Tianji Book, if you defeat someone already on the rankings so thoroughly they can¡¯t show their face anymore, how could the book keep their name in that spot? It would have no choice but to replace it with yours.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Xu Ming thought Cai Die made a lot of sense. ¡°Sister Cai Die, what are the cultivation realms for cultivators, then?¡± Xu Ming was about to ask, but Qin Qingwan beat him to it. ¡°There are 15 realms in total for cultivators,¡± Cai Die began. The Lower Five Realms: 1. Qi Entry 2. Mind Clarity 3. Furnace Ignition 4. Qi Refining 5. Furnace Foundation Cultivators in these realms are still considered mortal. They can use basic spells and magical tools, but not much. Their lifespans only extend about 40 to 50 years beyond that of ordinary people. Think of them as skilled wandering Taoists. The Middle Five Realms: 1. Cave Mansion: Only upon reaching this realm can one be considered a true cultivator of the ¡°mountain path,¡± with a lifespan of up to 500 years. 2. Sea Observation: A significant enhancement of spiritual perception. 3. Dragon Gate: After witnessing the vastness of the sea, one can cross the Dragon Gate. 4. Golden Core: Forming a golden core marks a qualitative transformation. 5. Nascent Soul: Known as the Earth Immortal Realm, this is the limit for most cultivators. Those in the Nascent Soul Realm can establish sects and schools. However, there is a saying among cultivators: ¡°Only upon reaching the Nascent Soul Realm can one be considered truly initiated.¡± For those with exceptional talent, the Nascent Soul Realm is merely the beginning. The Upper Five Realms: 1. Jade Purity: There are no more than 300 known cultivators in this realm worldwide, all of whom are either sect leaders or elders of major sects. 2. Immortal Realm: Fewer than 50 known individuals. They are revered as ancient ancestors. 3. Ascension Realm: Only about ten known. The last update to the Ascension Realm rankings occurred 300 years ago when Jiang Luoyu, the sect master of the Wanjian Sect, cleaved the heavens with a single sword to enter this realm. The Lost Two Realms: These realms remain purely mythical. There has been no known appearance of such cultivators, and even their existence is uncertain. As Cai Die explained, Xu Ming silently committed everything to memory. However, he also cast a deeper glance at Cai Die. He wasn¡¯t sure if this was all common knowledge, but it seemed to him that Qin Qingwan¡¯s maidservant knew an awful lot. Unknowingly, Xu Ming and Qin Qingwan had arrived at the gates of the academy. Compared to the chaos of yesterday, where all the young masters and ladies had thrown tantrums to avoid attending, today they were noticeably better behaved. Part of it was getting used to the routine, but the main reason was that they realized crying would achieve nothing. Entering the classroom, Xu Ming overheard many of the children discussing the name ¡°Xu Xue Nuo,¡± with no small amount of admiration in their eyes. Before long, Mr. Xiao entered the class. Today, instead of teaching from the Analects, he switched to the Book of Rites. Of course, to the five, six, and seven-year-olds in the class, it made no difference¡ªit was equally boring. Xu Ming found himself getting drowsy but forced himself to stay awake for the sake of gaining attribute points. Xu Ming glanced at Xu Pangda, seated by the aisle, and noticed him stubbornly fighting off his drowsiness during class. Every now and then, Xu Pangda would pinch himself to stay awake, forcing his spirits up. Xu Ming couldn¡¯t help but feel puzzled. You¡¯re a young master of the Xu family. Even though your family doesn¡¯t hold an inheritable noble title anymore, your life is guaranteed to be one of ease and comfort. Why go to such lengths? Halfway through the class, a man dressed in a python-patterned robe entered the academy. Mr. Xiao told the students to take a break, saying he had something to attend to. The students cheered and rushed out to the courtyard to play. Xu Ming, however, flipped open a new book, The Wu Dynasty¡¯s Code of Law. This book had been purchased for him by Sister Chunyan at his request. To break the law, you must first know it. Though Xu Ming didn¡¯t plan on breaking any laws, knowing the legal system of the Wu Dynasty would give him a clear understanding of what he should and shouldn¡¯t do. [You have read 100 words of The Wu Dynasty¡¯s Code of Law. Spirit +1, Eloquence +1.] Interestingly, The Wu Dynasty¡¯s Code of Law didn¡¯t increase his Hao Ran Qi, but rather other attributes. This piqued Xu Ming¡¯s curiosity. ¡°What if I read The Little Adventures of Liu Bei instead? What would it improve?¡± Unlike the imperceptible effects of Hao Ran Qi, reading The Wu Dynasty¡¯s Code of Law made Xu Ming feel more awake, as if his tongue was becoming more nimble. Could this be the result of improved Spirit and Eloquence attributes? Just as Xu Ming was absorbed in accumulating attribute points, a little girl burst into the classroom shouting, ¡°A fight! There¡¯s a fight outside! Xiong Haizhi, Li San, and the others are fighting Xu Pangda!¡± Xu Ming froze for a moment. Qin Qingwan gently tugged at his sleeve, her voice tinged with worry. ¡°Brother Ming, let¡¯s go take a look.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Xu Ming nodded. Walking into the courtyard, Xu Ming saw Xu Pangda locked in a three-versus-one battle. The other three boys were about the same height as Xu Pangda, but Xu Pangda was, well, round. With a loud yell, Xu Pangda charged into one boy, knocking him to the ground. Then, he turned and grabbed another in a bear hug, pummeling him relentlessly. Meanwhile, the third boy was kicking and punching Xu Pangda from behind, both sides now fully enraged. At that moment, the boy Xu Pangda had knocked down grabbed a rock and prepared to smash it against the back of Xu Pangda¡¯s head. Just as the child was about to succeed, his hand was suddenly frozen mid-air¡ªgripped tightly by Xu Ming. ¡°How dare you meddle in my business! Do you know who my father is?!¡± the boy, Xiong Haizhi, yelled. ¡°Who?¡± Xu Ming asked. ¡°My father is the Minister of War, Xiong Tian!¡± ¡°Oh, your father is the Minister of War?¡± Xu Ming confirmed. ¡°Exactly! Are you scared now?¡± Xiong Haizhi sneered. ¡°And the fathers of those two?¡± Xu Ming asked. ¡°They¡¯re my father¡¯s subordinates¡ªthe Vice Ministers of War!¡± ¡°Oh, all from the Ministry of War. That makes things simple.¡± Xu Ming smiled, visibly relieved, before kicking Xiong Haizhi squarely in the stomach. ¡ª In the Xu family estate, a eunuch with a shrill voice proclaimed: ¡°By imperial decree: Xu Xuenuo of the Wu Kingdom. Entered the Cave Mansion Realm at the age of five. Ranked tenth on the Qingyun Ranking. Her name is renowned across the land. Reward: Ten jars of Osmanthus Brew from the Wine Immortal Valley. End of decree.¡± In the Xu family hall, the Duke of Xu, Xu Shuiya, respectfully accepted the decree with utmost reverence. ¡°Your servant receives the decree with gratitude.¡± ¡°The ten jars of Osmanthus Brew from the Wine Immortal Valley are treasures the Emperor cherishes deeply. He rarely allows himself even a sip, yet he has gifted over half to you, Duke Xu. This shows how pleased His Majesty is,¡± said Eunuch Wei, gesturing delicately with his orchid fingers. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Xu Shuiya smiled and discreetly slipped a few silver notes into Eunuch Wei¡¯s sleeve. ¡°It¡¯s a pity that Xuenuo possesses an innate sword physique and cannot serve the nation.¡± ¡°Indeed, it is regrettable. However, no matter where she goes, Miss Xu is a shining banner of our Wu Kingdom,¡± Eunuch Wei chuckled. ¡°Now that the decree has been delivered, I shall return to report.¡± ¡°Safe travels, Eunuch Wei. Zheng¡¯er, see Eunuch Wei out.¡± Xu Shuiya instructed his son to see Eunuch Wei off. After Eunuch Wei departed and the crowd dispersed, Wang Feng approached Xu Shuiya, offering a respectful bow. ¡°Father, I will return to my courtyard for now.¡± ¡°Alright, go ahead. Wait¡ªI¡¯ll have someone send two jars of wine to you later. These ten jars are all thanks to your good fortune,¡± Xu Shuiya said with a smile. ¡°Father flatters me. I¡¯ll take my leave now,¡± Wang Feng replied politely. She didn¡¯t say much more, turning to leave. As Xu Shuiya watched Wang Feng¡¯s retreating figure, he shook his head, feeling a twinge of pity for his daughter-in-law. She had the fortune to give birth to such a gifted daughter, yet because of Xuenuo¡¯s innate sword physique, her name had to be removed from the family records. Even Wang Feng, her mother, could not openly acknowledge her. In the future, even if Xuenuo returned, she would merely be a guest in the Xu family. As for Xu Pangda, hoping to inherit a hereditary title due to his sister¡¯s talents? That was simply impossible. Hereditary titles were never decided by the head of the family¡ªthey required an imperial decree. If the Emperor so much as entertained the thought of granting the title ¡°because of Xuenuo,¡± it would indirectly tie the Wu Kingdom¡¯s fate to her through the Xu family¡¯s title. If that happened, Xuenuo¡¯s master would likely come personally, sword in hand, to sever the karmic ties. The only exception would be if Xuenuo reached the Immortal Realm, a stage where she would be entirely unaffected by the fortunes or misfortunes of any mortal dynasty. At that point, the Emperor might bestow the title upon Pangda to curry favor with Xuenuo. But the problem was, even someone as gifted as Jiang Luoyu, the sect master of the Wanjian Sect, took 500 years to reach the Immortal Realm! No matter how extraordinary Xuenuo¡¯s talent was, it would still take at least 300 years. For cultivators, 300 years was a fleeting moment. For ordinary people, it was a lifetime long gone, ashes to ashes, dust to dust. Xu Shuiya shook his head, dismissing these thoughts. With his hands clasped behind his back, he decided to take a stroll to Chunfeng Tower. But just as he was about to leave, the Xu family steward rushed toward him in a panic. ¡°Master! Terrible news¡ªthe Minister of War¡¯s son, along with the two Vice Ministers¡¯ sons, had their teeth knocked out by the young master!¡± Chapter 24 Beside the study hall, there was a small room where a group of children stood. On the left side, three of them had bruised and swollen faces. Among them, a boy named Xiong Haizhi stood out¡ªhe had even lost a front tooth, making him whistle slightly whenever he spoke. On the right side, three other children stood. Xu Ming stood straight and calm, Xu Pangda looked nervous, while Qin Qingwan held her head high, her fair chin raised proudly. Her small hand gripped Xu Ming¡¯s sleeve tightly, her expression practically declaring, ¡°Who dares to touch my brother Ming!¡± In front of the children sat Mr. Xiao and a man dressed in a mangpao robe. Xu Ming glanced up at the man in the mangpao, observing him. The man smiled gently, and noticing Xu Ming¡¯s gaze, he nodded at him. If Xu Ming remembered correctly, the Law Codes of the Wu Dynasty stated that the mangpao was a ceremonial robe bestowed by the emperor. Wearing it required a jade belt. Though similar to the emperor¡¯s dragon robe, the mangpao was not officially part of the standard official attire. Instead, it symbolized imperial favor, making it a rare and significant honor. This man clearly held a high status, deeply trusted by the emperor of Wu. ¡°Brother Zihong, forgive me,¡± Xiao Mochi said with a laugh. ¡°It seems your visit today has coincided with some excitement.¡± The man called Su Zihong shook his head. ¡°Our Wu Dynasty is built on martial strength. It¡¯s no surprise that even young ones exchange punches and kicks. On court, we officials often argue until fists fly. The more capable an official is, the more likely they are to resort to physical expression. It just means these young ones are destined to be pillars of our dynasty¡¯s future.¡± ¡°Brother Zihong, you jest.¡± Xiao Mochi smiled helplessly and shook his head before turning to the children. ¡°Alright, little ones, tell me¡ªwhy were you fighting?¡± The room fell silent. Xiao Mochi¡¯s gaze landed on Xu Ming, the student he admired most. ¡°Xu Ming, you first.¡± Xu Ming cupped his hands in a respectful gesture. ¡°Teacher, I¡¯m not sure myself.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not sure?¡± Xiao Mochi asked with a smile. ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one who knocked out Haizhi¡¯s teeth?¡± ¡°Teacher, I admit I struck them,¡± Xu Ming replied, scratching his head. ¡°But it was because my elder brother was being attacked. How could I just stand by and do nothing? As for why it started, I truly don¡¯t know.¡± Xu Ming did feel somewhat wronged. He had been careful with his strength¡ªthey lost teeth likely because they were already due to fall out! ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Qin Qingwan quickly chimed in. ¡°Even though we¡¯re not very close to Xu Pangda, his sister is one of our best friends. When sister Xuenuo¡¯s brother was being bullied, how could we just stand by?¡± ¡°Haizhi,¡± Xiao Mochi prompted, turning to the boy, ¡°tell me, how did this start between you and Pangda¡ª¡± ¡°Who? Who dared lay a hand on my son?¡± ¡°Is there no law in this land?¡± Just as Xiao Mochi was about to question Xiong Haizhi further, three women barged into the room, their voices loud and indignant. Both Xiao Mochi and Su Zihong frowned slightly at the commotion. ¡°Mother, wuuu¡­ Mother, my tooth is gone!¡± ¡°Mother, I got kicked so far!¡± ¡°Mother, I thought I¡¯d never see you again!¡± Seeing their mothers arrive, Xiong Haizhi, Li San, and Wang Wu immediately rushed over, clinging to their mothers¡¯ legs. The three women were distressed at the sight of their children¡¯s bruised faces and dusty clothes, especially Haizhi¡¯s missing tooth. ¡°Don¡¯t worry! Who dared hurt you? Your mother will see justice done!¡± said Madam Xiong, the wife of the Minister of War, as she stroked her son¡¯s face. ¡°It was him!¡± Xiong Haizhi and the other two pointed accusingly at Xu Ming. ¡°It wasn¡¯t Brother Ming! It was me who hit them!¡± Xu Pangda swallowed nervously, his face pale as he stood in front of Xu Ming, his legs trembling uncontrollably. Xu Ming and Qin Qingwan looked at Xu Pangda in surprise, not expecting him to take such responsibility. But seriously, could your legs stop shaking? ¡°They started it¡ª¡± Qin Qingwan was about to step forward and argue, but Xu Ming grabbed her hand and stepped forward himself. ¡°It was me who hit them,¡± he said. ¡°You¡ª¡± Madam Xiong¡¯s chest heaved with anger. ¡°Whose child are you?¡± ¡°From the Xu Household, son of the Fifth Madam,¡± Xu Ming replied calmly. ¡°Xu Household? Fifth Madam?¡± Madam Xiong thought for a moment before sneering. ¡°A mere concubine¡¯s son! Who gave you such audacity?¡± As she spoke, she stepped forward, raising her hand to strike Xu Ming. Su Zihong frowned and was about to intervene, but Xiao Mochi stopped him with a gesture. Just as Madam Xiong¡¯s hand was about to land on Xu Ming¡ªand as Xu Ming prepared to dodge¡ªa slender, fair hand shot out and caught hers in mid-air. Madam Xiong looked up, stunned. Before she could react, Wang Feng raised her other hand and slapped Madam Xiong across the face. ¡°Wang Feng! You¡ªyou dare hit me?!¡± Madam Xiong¡¯s face turned pale with fury. ¡°Of course, I dare,¡± Wang Feng said coldly, standing protectively in front of Xu Ming. Her hands were folded gracefully in front of her, and her gaze was icy as it bore into Madam Xiong. ¡°Such audacity, Madam Xiong, to raise your hand against a child of the Xu Household. Do you think our household is empty of protectors? I¡¯ll have my brother submit a memorial to the emperor and ask how Minister Xiong manages his household! To strike a five-year-old child¡ªwhat fine teachings indeed!¡± ¡°You¡ª¡± Madam Xiong¡¯s face alternated between green and white in anger. Though Wang Feng¡¯s father had been dismissed from office, her elder brother still held a high-ranking position as a Censorate Minister. If her husband were to be targeted by the Censorate¡¯s investigations, it would certainly be an ordeal. ¡°Madam Wang, let us be reasonable here. Our children have been beaten so badly. Shouldn¡¯t you at least give us an explanation?¡± Madam Li stepped forward, trying to defuse the situation and give Madam Xiong a way out. Wang Feng frowned slightly and turned to look at Xu Ming and Xu Pangda behind her, silently asking for an explanation. Xu Ming, too, glanced at Xu Pangda. Xu Ming truly didn¡¯t know why the fight had started. Based on what he had observed over the past few days, Xu Pangda had a soft and gentle temperament, not the type to get into conflicts. But Xu Pangda merely lowered his head, saying nothing. Wang Feng then turned to look at Xiong Haizhi and his two companions. The three boys immediately lowered their heads, looking guilty and too scared to speak. ¡°How about this,¡± Xiao Mochi finally interjected, sensing something was off. The cause of the fight was likely something the children didn¡¯t want to disclose. ¡°It¡¯s already midday, and none of the ladies or children have eaten. Why don¡¯t you all take your children home first? This was my oversight, and I promise to give you all a proper explanation later. Please accept my apologies,¡± Xiao Mochi said as he stood and bowed to the ladies. The sudden gesture startled the three women, who quickly responded, ¡°Sir, there¡¯s no need for this. Since you¡¯ve said so, we¡¯ll trust you to handle it fairly.¡± ¡°Yes, we trust your judgment as well.¡± ¡°This is likely just a small matter between children. We¡¯ll take our leave for now,¡± the others echoed. Although Xiao Mochi held no official position, the women had heard their husbands speak of his high reputation and influence. If they continued to press the issue, it might leave a bad impression. Not to mention, there was still the man in the mangpao quietly observing. No one dared to cause too much trouble in such company. Madam Xiong shot one last glare at Wang Feng and her group before bidding farewell to Xiao Mochi and leaving with her children. Wang Feng let out a quiet sigh of relief. She turned and bowed to Xiao Mochi. ¡°I apologize for troubling you with today¡¯s matter, sir.¡± Xiao Mochi shook his head. ¡°Madam, you needn¡¯t say that. It¡¯s my own oversight. I will personally visit your residences to offer my apologies.¡± ¡°You are too gracious, sir,¡± Wang Feng replied with a nod. ¡°Then I shall take my rebellious son and leave first.¡± Xiao Mochi smiled. ¡°Take care, madam.¡± Wang Feng cast a glance at Xu Pangda, Xu Ming, and Qin Qingwan, signaling for them to follow her. ¡°Xu Ming, why don¡¯t you stay behind for a bit? I have some things I¡¯d like to ask you,¡± Xiao Mochi said just as Xu Ming was about to leave with Wang Feng. Wang Feng turned back, bowing slightly. ¡°Sir, Ming¡¯er is still young. I¡¯m not sure if he¡ª¡± Xiao Mochi chuckled and shook his head. ¡°You¡¯re overthinking it, madam. I simply have a few questions for young friend Xu Ming. There¡¯s no other intent.¡± Wang Feng glanced at Xu Ming, her worry evident. ¡°Auntie, you can take Pangda and Qingwan back first,¡± Xu Ming said. ¡°I know the way home.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Wang Feng nodded. ¡°Your mother doesn¡¯t know about this yet. I won¡¯t tell her for now. You can explain it to her yourself when you get back.¡± Xu Ming nodded. ¡°Thank you, aunt.¡± Qin Qingwan wanted to stay with her brother Ming, but Wang Feng ultimately pulled her away. ¡ª After everyone left, only Xu Ming remained with Xiao Mochi. ¡°Sir,¡± Xu Ming said, bowing respectfully. ¡°Xu Ming,¡± Xiao Mochi began with a smile, ¡°I heard that before you hit Xiong Haizhi and the others, you said, ¡®They¡¯re from the Ministry of War? Then that makes things simple.¡¯ What exactly did you mean by that?¡± ¡°Sir,¡± Xu Ming replied, ¡°according to the Laws of the Wu Kingdom, every official in the Ministry of War earns their position through battlefield merit. Without military achievements, one cannot hold office in the Ministry. ¡°Furthermore, I¡¯ve heard from Madam Qin that all children of Ministry of War officials must practice martial arts. The culture of the Ministry is one of strength and resolve. If a child cries after being beaten, it¡¯s considered their own weakness. ¡°I have great admiration for the Ministry¡¯s forthrightness. I assumed that even if I injured the children of the Minister and his deputies, they wouldn¡¯t hold it against me or trouble my mother. Otherwise, they would become the laughingstock of the court.¡± ¡°Haha!¡± Su Zihong laughed heartily. ¡°You¡¯re quite right. If they dared to make trouble over this, they¡¯d be ridiculed by the civil officials for bullying a child. They can¡¯t afford that disgrace. But you, boy, only five years old¡ªhow are you already so astute?¡± ¡°I just think a little more than most,¡± Xu Ming replied. The more Xiao Mochi looked at Xu Ming, the more he liked him. There was a natural scholarly air about the boy¡ªa quality that would undoubtedly endear him to civil officials on the court. It was a shame, however, that such a remarkable child was born a concubine¡¯s son in the Xu Household. ¡ª Xu Pangda followed his mother back to their courtyard. Wang Feng walked quickly, forcing Xu Pangda to jog every few steps to keep up. He glanced nervously at her profile. Her expression was cold, and his heart sank. He knew he was in for trouble. After they entered the courtyard, Wang Feng shut the gate and turned to him, her icy gaze fixed on her son. ¡°Kneel!¡± Xu Pangda dared not disobey. He put down his small bookcase and knelt before her, bowing his chubby head. Wang Feng picked up a tree branch and struck him across the back. As she hit him, she scolded, ¡°I sent you to study! To learn! And you go picking fights! What were you thinking? Who do you think you can beat? Fighting! Fighting! Fighting!¡± Each lash of the branch landed heavily on Xu Pangda¡¯s small frame. Tears streamed down Wang Feng¡¯s face as she struck him. ¡°Mother, I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± ¡°Mother, I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Mother¡­¡± Xu Pangda sobbed, his tears falling in heavy drops onto the ground. But not once did he beg for mercy. Instead, he kept apologizing over and over to his mother. After seven or eight strikes, Wang Feng wiped her tears away with a heavy hand and demanded, ¡°Tell me! Do you realize your mistake?¡± ¡°Mother, I¡¯m sorry¡­ truly sorry¡­ but Pangda did nothing wrong,¡± Xu Pangda choked out, his voice trembling with sobs. ¡°Nothing wrong? You still say you did nothing wrong?¡± Wang Feng raised the branch again, striking him repeatedly. ¡°Do you know you were wrong?¡± ¡°Pangda did nothing wrong.¡± ¡°Do you know you were wrong?¡± ¡°Pangda did nothing wrong! Waaaah! Pangda did nothing wrong¡­¡± sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°You¡ª!¡± Wang Feng¡¯s chest heaved with fury. She threw the branch to the ground beside him. ¡°How could you say you did nothing wrong?¡± ¡°They can insult Pangda,¡± Xu Pangda said through tears, his voice hoarse, ¡°but they can¡¯t insult Mother! Pangda did nothing wrong. Pangda won¡¯t admit he was wrong.¡± His words came out between sobs, his face streaked with tears and snot, and the welts on his back burned with pain. Wang Feng froze in place, staring blankly at her son. Xu Pangda, wiping his tears and nose with trembling hands, continued in broken, halting sobs: ¡°They said¡­ they said Mother is useless, that even concubines are better than Mother¡­ That Mother will surely¡­ surely be cast out of the Xu household one day. ¡°They said little sister will achieve great things, but that it has nothing to do with Mother. They said Mother deserves it¡­ deserves to be neglected. ¡°It¡¯s all Pangda¡¯s fault. It¡¯s all Pangda¡¯s fault for being so useless. Pangda can¡¯t cultivate. ¡°Pangda¡­ Pangda can¡¯t even study well. The poems I write¡­ everyone laughs at them. ¡°Pangda dozes off in class, and the things the teacher teaches, Pangda doesn¡¯t understand. ¡°It¡¯s all Pangda¡¯s fault for not earning a title, for letting Mother be insulted. ¡°Mother, I¡¯m sorry¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­ I¡¯m so sorry, Mother¡­¡± Wang Feng listened to his explanation, watched her child sob uncontrollably, and felt as though all the strength had been drained from her body. She collapsed heavily onto the ground. No wonder Pangda had refused to explain when Xiao Mochi asked in front of everyone. So that¡¯s what happened. Wang Feng stared at her own hands, then at the child kneeling before her. She thought about how Pangda could not inherit a title, about how she had distanced herself from him because of that. Was it the inheritance she wanted to give Pangda¡­ or her own vanity? ¡°What am I doing?!¡± Wang Feng raised her hand and slapped her own face, again and again. ¡°What am I doing?!¡± ¡°What in the world am I doing?!¡± Chapter 25 Xu Ming returned to the Xiaochun Courtyard of the Xu family residence at a time that wasn¡¯t particularly late¡ªjust about a quarter of an hour later than usual. Chen Suya didn¡¯t ask why Xu Ming came back later than usual. After all, being held back by the teacher, a delayed lesson, or playing around a bit on the way home were all normal occurrences. Xu Ming didn¡¯t intend to explain the situation to his mother, either. If he told her, she would surely worry. Even though it was something that wouldn¡¯t stay hidden for long, he figured that if he could spare his mother a day of worry, he would. After lunch, Qin Qingwan came to find Xu Ming to play. Every time Qin Qingwan tried to bring up the fight at the academy, Xu Ming cut her off. Qin Qingwan¡¯s large, peach-blossom eyes blinked knowingly, and she quickly caught on, dropping the subject. Sitting in the courtyard with Xu Ming, as usual, they began reading the Tianxuan Heart Method. Partway through, Qin Qingwan leaned against Xu Ming¡¯s shoulder and fell asleep. Chen Suya came over, picked Qin Qingwan up, and carried her to the room for a nap together. As for Xu Ming, Chen Suya knew her son never napped. He had always been full of energy, and she was used to it by now. While his mother was napping, Xu Ming resumed his usual sparring session with the big white goose. The Tianxuan Goose won again, but this time, it didn¡¯t press down on Xu Ming to declare its victory. Despite its win, the big white goose was drenched in sweat, realizing it needed to intensify its training. Otherwise, in a few months, it might find itself pinned beneath its ¡°little brother.¡± Xu Ming did 100 push-ups, and the Tianxuan Goose used its wings to do 150. Xu Ming did 100 sit-ups, and the goose clasped its neck with its wings and mimicked him. Xu Ming ignored it. I¡¯m training to earn attribute points¡ªwhat are you working for? ¡°Honk honk honk! (Little brother, someone¡¯s here for you!),¡± the Tianxuan Goose said, flapping its wings to get Xu Ming¡¯s attention. Xu Ming turned to look toward the courtyard gate and saw Xu Pangda poking his round head through the arch. While Xu Ming paused his training, the Tianxuan Goose seized the moment to do a few more high-knees, feeling triumphant that it had widened the gap again. Xu Pangda, startled when he noticed Xu Ming looking at him, turned red, his chubby face full of embarrassment. Still, he gathered his courage and stepped into the courtyard, holding a bundle in his arms. ¡°Third Brother, what¡¯s wrong? Do you need something?¡± Xu Ming asked. Xu Pangda scratched his head with his pudgy hand before placing the bundle on the table and unwrapping it. Inside was a large box of delicate pastries and some loose silver coins. ¡°Well¡­¡± Xu Pangda stammered, his face flushing even redder. ¡°Fifth Brother, thank you for helping me today. This box of pastries was made by my mother. She said it¡¯d be a waste to throw them out, so she asked me to bring them over. And these silver coins¡ªthey¡¯re my savings. I want you to have them.¡± Xu Ming looked at the box of pastries and immediately understood where Xu Xue¡¯nuo¡¯s pride came from¡ªit was clearly inherited from her mother. The pastries looked fresh out of the oven, with condensation still on the box. But more importantly, the loose silver coins amounted to barely thirty taels. It wasn¡¯t that Xu Ming thought it was too little, but for a legitimate son of the main wife, how could he seem so poor? Noticing Xu Ming¡¯s gaze, Xu Pangda¡¯s round face turned even redder. ¡°This really is all I have. My mother doesn¡¯t give me much pocket money¡­¡± ¡°Wait here,¡± Xu Ming said before heading into the kitchen. He came back with some candied fruits and a jug of cold water. ¡°Take your money back. I¡¯ll accept the pastries, though. Let¡¯s eat them together.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Xu Pangda hesitated. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°There¡¯s no ¡®but,''¡± Xu Ming cut Xu Pangda off just as he was about to speak again. ¡°Your sister is very close to us. She once said that if I were bullied, she¡¯d stand up for me. So if someone bullies you, I¡¯ll stand up for you too.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Xu Pangda nodded, his chubby face lighting up a little. ¡°Then I¡¯ll bring you something tasty every day.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Xu Ming replied nonchalantly, pouring a cup of well water for Xu Pangda. He then took a bite of the pastries made by Lady Wang and pushed the box toward Xu Pangda. Xu Pangda gulped audibly, grabbed a piece of pastry, and took a bite. Xu Ming noticed the red marks under Xu Pangda¡¯s sleeve¡ªit looked like he¡¯d been beaten. ¡°Why did you get into a fight with them?¡± Xu Ming asked. Xu Pangda swallowed the pastry in his mouth, drank some water, and hung his head in dejection. ¡°Because they insulted my mother.¡± Hearing his answer, Xu Ming was momentarily stunned before nodding. ¡°In that case, you were right to fight.¡± ¡°But Mother says that a gentleman uses words, not fists, and that fighting is wrong,¡± Xu Pangda muttered, pouting his chubby lips. ¡°For Lady Wang, you were wrong to fight. But for yourself, fighting was the right thing to do,¡± Xu Ming said, taking another bite of the pastry. Xu Pangda looked at Xu Ming in confusion. ¡°I don¡¯t really understand what you mean, Fifth Brother.¡± Xu Ming chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s okay. You¡¯ll understand in time. Here, have a pear.¡± ¡°Thank you, Fifth Brother.¡± Xu Pangda accepted the pear, lowering his head as he cradled it in his hands. ¡°Fifth Brother, you¡¯re amazing. Not only are you great at studying, but you¡¯re also so good at fighting. I¡¯m not like that¡ªI¡¯m bad at everything. Eldest Brother has exceptional talent in the Dao of talismans, Second Brother has a pure yang constitution, and Fourth Sister was born with an innate sword bone. I¡¯m nothing. Compared to Eldest Brother and Second Brother, I don¡¯t even have the qualifications to fight for Mother¡¯s sake to inherit the hereditary title.¡± Xu Ming shook his head. ¡°You¡¯re great too. Just the fact that you can stay awake and pay attention in class is already rare. Besides, there¡¯s more than one path in this world than cultivation. The title of Duke of Xu is indeed prestigious, but who says a title has to be inherited? Why can¡¯t you earn one for yourself? I heard from Lady Qin that the previous prime minister, Zhuge Wen, was dedicated to the people and was granted the title of Marquis of Liyang by the late emperor. General Mo of this dynasty rose from being a mere soldier with no background to becoming a pillar of the nation. They were both ordinary people, unable to cultivate. So why can¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Me? I could become a great official?¡± Xu Pangda asked, pointing to himself incredulously. Xu Ming smiled. ¡°Who says you can¡¯t? When you excel in the imperial examinations and rise to high office, the title you earn, I believe, will hold far more weight in Lady Wang¡¯s heart than the Duke of Xu ever could.¡± Fueled by Xu Ming¡¯s words, Xu Pangda¡¯s imagination ran wild, and his heart swelled with excitement. ¡°Then, Fifth Brother, let¡¯s both take the imperial exams! Let¡¯s become officials together! Let¡¯s both be marquises and prime ministers!¡± Xu Ming shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯ll be possible for me.¡± Xu Pangda froze. ¡°Why not?¡± Xu Ming replied calmly, ¡°Bastards can¡¯t participate in the imperial examinations.¡± Xu Pangda¡¯s confusion deepened. ¡°Why can¡¯t bastards take the imperial exams?¡± ¡°Because of the laws of Wu,¡± Xu Ming explained. ¡°But I¡¯ve heard my mother say, ¡®The laws of Wu are nonsense¡ªeverything can be changed,''¡± Xu Pangda said earnestly. Xu Ming chuckled. ¡°That would require being a very, very high-ranking official to make that happen.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Xu Pangda lowered his head again, gripping the pear in his hand, looking thoughtful. Xu Ming said no more and continued eating the pastries. After a while, Xu Pangda suddenly looked up. ¡°Fifth Brother.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to become a very, very high-ranking official!¡± Chapter 26 The Imperial Capital of the Wu Kingdom. In the very center of the capital, a golden dragon soars through the skies above, weaving tirelessly in and out of the clouds. This dragon is not physical but is entirely formed from the kingdom¡¯s fortune and the essence of its mountains and rivers. Below the dragon lies the Wu Kingdom¡¯s imperial palace. In the Imperial Study, a man dressed in a dragon robe is meticulously reviewing memorials. Behind this middle-aged man stands a dignified and elegant woman. She wears a white strapless dress, its delicate lace edges accentuating her fair, slender legs, tall and graceful, her curves perfectly outlined. Her bare ankles rest lightly on the ground, her pale, tender feet like plump grains of water-filled rice, her soft arches barely grazing the floor, leaving an almost imperceptible misty imprint. A stray lock of hair falls across her face, and she brushes it back with her fingers, her touch leaving a faint trace of fragrance. Her gaze carries the gentle charm of an autumn river, deep and affectionate. Every expression, every movement exudes poise and allure, a blend of youthful delicacy and mature elegance, as if such beauty came naturally to her. Without excessive adornments, her hair is tied in a simple bun, her demeanor refined and understated. A few loose strands cascade down her face, brushing past her ears. Her fair and rosy left ear is faintly adorned with a phoenix-shaped hairpin, gleaming faintly in the shifting light. Her face is calm and composed, wearing a subtle, enigmatic smile. This woman is none other than the empress of the Wu Kingdom, Xiao Ke, ranked 93rd on the Beauty List. ¡ª The emperor, engrossed in his work, heaves a heavy sigh. ¡°Why does His Majesty sigh?¡± Xiao Ke asks softly, her eyes sparkling with gentle curiosity. ¡°How can I not sigh?¡± The emperor sets down the memorial and rubs his temples. ¡°The northern barbarians are constantly harassing our borders, causing incessant skirmishes that leave the people destitute. In the west, the demonic cult is infiltrating and spreading its teachings within our kingdom. They now have footholds everywhere, and no matter how many times we purge them, they seem impossible to eradicate. Though it wouldn¡¯t be so troublesome if that were all. The Buddhist sects in the western regions act as a counterbalance to the demonic cult, and the cult itself remains leaderless and scattered. However, just yesterday, the governor of Xiliang Province reported the emergence of some so-called ¡®Saintess of the Green Lotus¡¯ from the cult. To make matters worse, the various sects within our Wu Kingdom refuse to submit to imperial authority. While they feign compliance on the surface, they completely disregard our rule in reality. And then there¡¯s Qi Kingdom, where a prodigious talent has appeared¡ªa so-called ¡®child prodigy¡¯ who can compose poetry in seven steps, possesses photographic memory, and is said to have a divine gift for literature. Tell me, how can I not worry?¡± The empress chuckles softly as she massages his shoulders. ¡°Your Majesty, you worry too much.¡± ¡°The northern barbarians are no match for General Chen, who has been victorious time and again, striking such fear into their hearts that they flee at the mere mention of his name. As for this ¡®Saintess of the Green Lotus,¡¯ she¡¯s only seven years old and hasn¡¯t even made it onto the Qingyun Rankings. The sects¡¯ rebelliousness is hardly unique to our kingdom¡ªdo you think they obediently follow the laws in other realms? Cultivation sects are the same everywhere. What troubles you also troubles others. And this so-called prodigy from Qi Kingdom? So what? In our Wu Kingdom, the Xu family produced Xu Xue Nuo, who entered the Cave Mansion Realm at the age of five¡ªa feat unprecedented in history, celebrated far and wide. And let¡¯s not forget the Qin family¡¯s Qin Qing Wan, born with an innate divine constitution and personally accepted as a disciple by the National Preceptor herself. Isn¡¯t this clear evidence that heaven favors our Wu Kingdom?¡± The emperor¡¯s furrowed brow relaxes slightly under the empress¡¯s soothing words, though his expression remains somewhat troubled. ¡°You¡¯re right, Ke¡¯er. But consider this¡ªwhile we call the northern savages ¡®barbarians,¡¯ do you know what Qi Kingdom calls us? They also call us barbarians! We pride ourselves on being a martial nation, yet in their eyes, we¡¯re nothing more than sword-swinging brutes. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Take the White Deer Academy as an example. It has a total of three thousand scholars and instructors, but five hundred of them hail from Qi Kingdom. Their literary brilliance overshadows us in the eyes of many.¡± ¡°And as for us? To this day, we¡¯ve produced only three notable literary talents. Our cultural spirit is lacking, and we remain the subject of ridicule. No one respects us.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, you are truly too anxious.¡± Xiao Ke shook her head gently. ¡°Our Wu Kingdom has only existed for 255 years, while Qi Kingdom has stood for over a thousand. It is inevitable that we will rise above them in due time.¡± ¡°I only fear the gap will continue to grow wider.¡± The emperor chuckled bitterly. ¡°Speaking of which, your younger brother refused to take up an official position and instead chose to become a schoolteacher. I wonder how he¡¯s managing his students.¡± Xiao Ke covered her face and laughed softly, her expression one of pride. ¡°Mo Chi, he¡ª¡± Before she could finish, a voice interrupted, ¡°Your Majesty.¡± Eunuch Wei entered the room. ¡°Xiao Mo Chi requests an audience.¡± ¡°Well, speak of the devil!¡± The emperor laughed heartily. ¡°Let him in immediately.¡± ¡°As you command, Your Majesty.¡± Eunuch Wei quickly withdrew, and not long after, Xiao Mo Chi entered the Imperial Study. He cupped his hands and bowed. ¡°Your subject, Xiao Mo Chi, greets Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Still a commoner,¡± the emperor remarked with a wry smile, turning to the empress. ¡°Ke¡¯er, listen to this! Isn¡¯t he the one who gave up an official position just to insist on calling himself a commoner?¡± Xiao Ke smiled faintly but chose not to reply. ¡°Rise,¡± the emperor said, studying Xiao Mo Chi with approval. ¡°So, tell me, what wind has brought our great scholar Xiao to visit today?¡± Straightening, Xiao Mo Chi smiled. ¡°Your Majesty instructed me to report on the progress of the school seven days after its opening. I have come to do so.¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right.¡± The emperor nodded, recalling his earlier decree. ¡°Well then, what insights has our kingdom¡¯s foremost scholar gained after teaching a group of ignorant children for seven days?¡± Xiao Mo Chi answered, ¡°Even the least capable child in the school can now recite five odes from the Book of Songs.¡± The emperor was momentarily speechless. A student of the prestigious White Deer Academy, boasting about teaching children to recite five poems? He found it hard to believe. ¡°And?¡± Xiao Ke, sensing the emperor¡¯s bemusement, prompted further inquiry. ¡°Your Majesty, Your Highness,¡± Xiao Mo Chi continued with a bow, ¡°there are two students who have particularly surprised me.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± The emperor¡¯s interest was piqued. ¡°What pampered young aristocrats could possibly catch your attention? Do tell.¡± ¡°The first is the third son of the Xu family, Xu Pangda,¡± Xiao Mo Chi replied. ¡°Though only five years old, he is exceptionally diligent. His innate talent may not be the highest, but his determination and persistence are truly remarkable.¡± The emperor stroked his chin thoughtfully. ¡°And the other? Is this child the most gifted of your students?¡± Xiao Mo Chi nodded. ¡°Indeed, Your Majesty. Allow me to explain. The other day, a swan accidentally wandered into the school. I asked the children to compose verses about it. This child wrote the following poem.¡± Xiao Mo Chi presented a sheet of white paper. Xiao Ke stepped forward to take it and handed it to the emperor. The emperor unfolded the paper and read aloud, his voice tinged with admiration: ¡°Goose, goose, goose, Arching necks sing to the heavens. White feathers float on green water, Red feet stir the clear waves.¡± As the emperor finished reading, he held his breath for a moment, stunned by the simple yet profound imagery. Beside him, Xiao Ke¡¯s eyes glistened with wonder. Such a poem seemed beyond the capacity of a mere child, yet its innocent charm unmistakably reflected a youthful perspective. The emperor carefully folded the paper, his tone solemn. ¡°Mo Chi, who is this child?¡± Xiao Mo Chi bowed once more. ¡°This child is Xu Ming, the son of the Xu Prefecture Magistrate¡¯s fifth concubine.¡± Chapter 27 ¡°The son of the Xu Prefecture Magistrate¡¯s concubine¡ªthe fifth wife¡¯s child, Xu Ming.¡± Xiao Mo Chi¡¯s voice echoed in the Imperial Study. ¡°The Xu Prefecture? The fifth wife¡¯s child?¡± the emperor repeated, his tone laced with disbelief. ¡°Another one from the Xu family? Just what kind of fortune has blessed them?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± Xiao Mo Chi nodded. The emperor glanced at the poem again, then furrowed his brows, his expression darkening. ¡°He¡¯s a concubine¡¯s son?¡± Such a talented child, yet born of a concubine. It was a cruel reality. One hundred and fifty years ago, the late emperor had established a law: children born to concubines were prohibited from taking the imperial exams and could not inherit family estates. Since then, the status of concubines¡¯ children had fallen drastically, barely above the children of servants. In fact, in some cases, their status was even worse. ¡°What a pity.¡± The emperor closed the sheet of paper with a sigh, his face filled with helplessness. ¡°Your Majesty, I have something to say. I do not know if I should speak.¡± Xiao Mo Chi cupped his hands and bowed. The emperor looked at him and let out a dry laugh. ¡°Even if I forbade you, would you not still say it? Speak your mind. What is it?¡± ¡°I request that the laws of the Wu Kingdom be amended¡ªallowing all children, whether born of concubines or of lower-class origins, the right to take the imperial exams,¡± Xiao Mo Chi declared, his voice resolute as it resonated through the Imperial Study. The empress, standing behind the emperor, was startled by the bold proposal. Her face paled slightly. Xiao Ke hurried to her brother¡¯s side and knelt before the emperor. ¡°Your Majesty, Mo Chi is too idealistic, freshly returned from the White Deer Academy. He doesn¡¯t yet understand the complexities of governance. I beg Your Majesty for forgiveness!¡± The emperor stared silently at Xiao Mo Chi for a long moment, the atmosphere in the study growing tense and oppressive, as if frozen in time. ¡°Mo Chi, I will give you the chance to take back your words,¡± the emperor said, his voice heavy. Xiao Ke tugged at her brother¡¯s sleeve anxiously, but Xiao Mo Chi shook his head. ¡°Since I¡¯ve already spoken, there is no reason to retract it,¡± Xiao Mo Chi said firmly. ¡°In Qi Kingdom, even the children of merchants and courtesans are allowed to take the imperial exams. Their cultural prosperity is renowned throughout the land. Everyone has hope; everyone has the chance to rise. ¡°In fact, two of my closest friends at the White Deer Academy were children of courtesans from Qi Kingdom. Their talents were in no way inferior to my own. The imperial exams are a path to ascendancy. To restrict access to them is to bury the potential of countless individuals.¡± ¡°Silence!¡± Xiao Ke shouted, her voice trembling with urgency. ¡°Mo Chi, do you even understand the weight of what you¡¯re saying?¡± Xiao Mo Chi wanted to argue further but stopped when he saw his sister¡¯s reddened eyes. He could only lower his head and fall silent. ¡°Your Majesty,¡± Xiao Ke said, bowing low. ¡°Mo Chi has clearly been blinded by his idealism. I beg Your Majesty not to take his words to heart. If punishment is necessary, please direct it at me instead.¡± The emperor shook his head. ¡°Stand up. This matter is over. Mo Chi, you are not to bring this up again. I will pretend I didn¡¯t hear it.¡± ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty.¡± Xiao Ke let out a sigh of relief and slowly rose to her feet. Xiao Mo Chi, however, still looked as though he had much more to say. ¡°Mo Chi,¡± the emperor said, waving a hand dismissively. ¡°You must be tired. Go and rest.¡± sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. I take my leave.¡± Xiao Mo Chi bowed and withdrew, knowing that further argument would be futile. Once he was gone, the emperor chuckled and turned to Xiao Ke. ¡°What do you think, Xiao Ke? Is your brother emboldened by your position as empress, thinking he can act without consequence? Or does he believe I favor him too much to punish him?¡± Xiao Ke lowered her head humbly. ¡°Mo Chi is young and impetuous, Your Majesty. Please do not take his actions to heart. However, regardless of his rashness, his intentions are sincere. He truly has the best interests of the Wu Kingdom at heart.¡± ¡°I know.¡± The emperor let out a long sigh. ¡°Otherwise, back when Qi Kingdom offered him the position of Zhongshu Ling (Chancellor), he wouldn¡¯t have declined. I only worry that Mo Chi¡¯s unyielding nature might cause him to break someday. As for the issue of concubines¡¯ children, it seems simple on the surface, but in reality¡­¡± As he spoke, the emperor fell silent, closing his mouth and shaking his head. ¡°Mo Chi being able to command such attention from Your Majesty is his greatest honor,¡± Xiao Ke quickly interjected. ¡°Enough, enough, there¡¯s no need for such pleasantries,¡± the emperor said, sipping his tea before calling out toward the door. ¡°Wei Xun, come in.¡± ¡°Your Majesty,¡± Wei Xun, who had been standing outside, promptly entered the study. ¡°Have Tingfeng Pavilion gather information on Xu Prefecture¡¯s fifth wife¡¯s son¡ªXu Ming,¡± the emperor ordered. Wei Xun, having overheard the entire conversation within, chuckled. ¡°If Your Majesty is so interested in Xu Ming, this old servant has a curious anecdote to share first.¡± ¡°Oh? Let¡¯s hear it,¡± the emperor said with interest. ¡°Your Majesty,¡± Wei Xun began, ¡°this old servant recently heard that at Zhixing Academy, the legitimate son of the Xu family¡ªXu Pangda¡ªgot into a fight with the sons of the Minister of War and his deputy. The reason? They insulted Xu Pangda¡¯s mother. Xu Ming also joined the fray. ¡°However, here¡¯s the interesting part¡ªXu Ming reportedly asked about the fathers¡¯ positions before throwing a punch. When he learned they were from the Ministry of War, that¡¯s when he acted.¡± The emperor raised a brow in surprise. ¡°Following this incident,¡± Wei Xun continued, ¡°Xiao Mo Chi personally questioned Xu Ming about it. Tingfeng Pavilion later provided me with the transcript of their conversation.¡± Wei Xun handed a folded report to the emperor. Tingfeng Pavilion, tasked with monitoring officials and citizens alike, recorded and summarized incidents big and small. Important matters were delivered directly to the emperor. Given that Zhixing Academy was established by one of the emperor¡¯s most trusted individuals, it naturally had its share of informants. As the emperor read the document detailing Xiao Mo Chi¡¯s conversation with Xu Ming, his eyes betrayed growing astonishment. ¡°This child has read the Wu Kingdom¡¯s Legal Code? And he¡¯s only five?¡± ¡°It¡¯s true,¡± Wei Xun replied with a smile. ¡°For a child so young to demonstrate such acumen¡ªhe¡¯s extraordinary. If nurtured properly, his future will know no bounds.¡± The emperor¡¯s fingers traced the edges of the report as he reread Xu Ming¡¯s name. The more he thought about this child, the more he liked him. If such a talent could be raised under my watch from a young age¡­ ¡°Ke¡¯er, in two years, the Qi Kingdom will send an envoy to visit our Wu Kingdom. Do you think they¡¯ll bring that prodigy with the Heaven-Born Literary Talent?¡± the emperor asked. Xiao Ke blinked, momentarily caught off guard by the sudden question. After a moment¡¯s thought, she nodded earnestly. ¡°Most likely, yes. After all, such a talent¡ªone in thousands of years¡ªis something they¡¯ll want to showcase.¡± ¡°In that case,¡± the emperor mused, ¡°what if I had Xu Ming join the reception delegation to welcome Qi Kingdom¡¯s envoys? What do you think?¡± ¡°Your Majesty¡­¡± Xiao Ke hesitated, her expression troubled. ¡°But he¡¯s a concubine¡¯s child.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The emperor clenched the report tightly, his eyes scanning its contents over and over. ¡°Indeed¡­ a concubine¡¯s child,¡± he muttered, almost to himself. ¡°Why does he have to be a concubine¡¯s child?¡± Chapter 28 Several days had passed since the scuffle at the academy. Xiao Mochi had not gone to the Xu family estate or to the residences of the Minister or Vice Minister of War to inquire about the matter. It was as if the incident had never happened, leaving Chen Suya unaware that her son had beaten up the sons of three high-ranking officials. Meanwhile, as punishment for their involvement in the fight, Xu Ming and the others were ordered to copy the first ten pages of The Analects a hundred times. Originally, this had nothing to do with Qin Qingwan. However, she declared, ¡°I want to share in Brother Ming¡¯s hardships,¡± and joined in copying. Actually, Xu Ming wanted to say, ¡°You don¡¯t need to copy a hundred times separately¡ªhelp me with fifty and we¡¯re good.¡± Since then, during lessons, Xu Pangda began tagging along with Xu Ming and Qin Qingwan to and from school. The once-lonely Xu Xiaopang was no longer alone; he had made friends with Xu Ming and Qin Qingwan. Ever since that day when Xu Pangda declared, ¡°I want to become a great, great official,¡± he had been studying even harder. The timid little chubby boy even started seeking out Mr. Xiao after class to ask questions. Not only did this surprise the other students, but even Xu Ming felt conflicted. In martial arts, he had the competitive ¡°curly-haired goose¡± driving him to improve. In academics, he had the diligent Xu Xiaopang as his rival. Truly, no matter the field, there would always be someone pushing the limits. Yet deep down, Xu Ming felt more pride than anything else because Xu Xiaopang¡¯s eyes now sparkled with purpose during class. Every day, Xu Pangda would also spend his pocket money buying snacks for Xu Ming and Qin Qingwan. He often watched Xu Ming eat with a silly grin on his face. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°What are you smiling about?¡± Xu Ming asked. Scratching his nose in embarrassment, Xu Pangda replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ It just makes me happy to see you eating the food I bought.¡± Xu Ming began to worry. Could this kid be some scheming ¡®Zero¡¯? Aside from buying food, Xu Pangda would often bring homemade pastries from his mother to share with Xu Ming. Every time, he claimed, ¡°These are leftovers. It¡¯d be a waste to throw them away, so Mother said I should give them to you.¡± Yet, the pastries were always warm and freshly made. One day, Xu Ming asked about the relationship between Xu Pangda and his mother. Xu Pangda said his mother wasn¡¯t as distant as before. She even asked about his studies occasionally, peeled a pear for him once, and smiled¡ªsomething he hadn¡¯t seen in a long time. Xu Ming simply nodded, thinking that the First Madam had likely let go of the ¡°hereditary title¡± that weighed on her mind. Sometimes, letting go really does make life easier. One day, the boys Xu Ming had beaten up before¡ªXiong Haizhi and his gang¡ªrefused to accept defeat and came looking for another fight. Once again, they ended up flat on the ground, defeated. From then on, those three would steer clear of Xu Ming whenever they saw him. It wasn¡¯t just them. Even other kids at the academy seemed to fear Xu Ming. Xu Ming began to wonder if he had unknowingly become the class bully?! Three months passed without incident. This time, Xu Ming was fully prepared when he challenged the curly-haired goose to another duel in the courtyard. After a fierce battle, Xu Ming finally avoided being pinned under the goose. It was a draw. Another three months went by. Xu Ming fought the Tianxuan Goose once again. This time, he managed to pin the goose under him, clutching its neck and declaring victory. [Congratulations! You have defeated your childhood nemesis, the Tianxuan Goose, and unlocked the achievement: Goose Rider. Strength +100, Agility +100, Avian Combat Experience +500.] Xu Ming sat atop the Tianxuan Goose, basking in the joy of victory and relishing the newfound strength from his stat boost. He had never felt this exhilarated in his entire life! While Xu Ming reveled in his triumph, the defeated goose, Xiao Bai, was utterly crestfallen. It lowered its head and trudged back to its nest, its long neck drooping against the ground and its wings sprawled limply to either side, looking like it had lost all will to live. The Tianxuan Goose simply couldn¡¯t understand. It had been secretly training every morning while Xu Ming was in class¡ªhow could he still have caught up and overtaken it? That day, Xiao Bai was so upset it couldn¡¯t even eat. But its dejection only lasted a day. The very next morning, the Tianxuan Goose resolved to rise stronger than ever and reclaim its title as the boss of Xiaochun Courtyard. From then on, whenever Xu Ming returned home, he would see Xiao Bai running laps around the courtyard with a stone strapped to its back. Xu Ming couldn¡¯t help but wonder if the goose would eventually take on human form. If it did, would it turn into a muscle-bound woman with eight-pack abs and a burly physique? Shaking his head vigorously, Xu Ming banished the absurd image from his mind. Another seven months passed. Unknowingly, Xu Ming had reached his sixth birthday¡ªand so had Qin Qingwan. On this day, both the Qin and Xu households bustled with activity as they celebrated Qin Qingwan¡¯s birthday. That evening, as was their yearly tradition, Lady Qin and Qin Qingwan came to Xiaochun Courtyard to celebrate Xu Ming¡¯s birthday as well. However, there were two unexpected visitors this time: Wang Feng and Xu Pangda. ¡°I was out for a stroll with Pangda and happened to pass by,¡± Lady Wang said, carrying a gift in her hand. ¡°He mentioned it was Xu Ming¡¯s birthday and insisted on stopping by. I didn¡¯t mind, so here we are.¡± Lady Wang¡¯s tone was casual, but both Chen Suya and Lady Qin could see through her pretense. Smiling knowingly, they quickly invited her inside without exposing her awkward pride. To be honest, Xu Ming thought Lady Wang looked far more radiant now than she had five years ago, ever since relinquishing the title of Duke of the State of Xu. Of course, she had always been beautiful¡ªhow else could she have given birth to someone as exquisitely lovely as Xu Xuenuo? During the celebration, Qin Qingwan and Xu Ming exchanged gifts. Even the Tianxuan Goose contributed, plucking one of its own feathers to give as a birthday present. Qin Qingwan and Xu Ming had also prepared a special gift for Xu Xuenuo. Along with everyone else¡¯s offerings¡ªincluding the carefully selected feather from the goose¡ªtheir gift had been packaged and sent to the Wan Jian Sect long in advance. Whether Xu Xuenuo had received it remained unknown. As the hour grew late, Lady Qin and Lady Wang departed, taking Qin Qingwan and Xu Pangda home. Chen Suya escorted them to the gate. The Tianxuan Goose returned to its nest to sleep, and Xu Ming, after washing up, began heading back to his room. But just then, two flying swords streaked across the night sky¡ªone landing in the Qin residence, the other descending into Xiaochun Courtyard. The second sword hovered in front of Xu Ming, a small package tied to it. Xu Ming retrieved the package, and with a sharp whoosh, the sword shot skyward, vanishing into the night. Opening the package, he found a box. Inside was a small peachwood sword, perfectly sized for a six-year-old like him. A note was tucked inside the box. Unfolding the note, Xu Ming read its contents: ¡°A birthday gift for Qingwan. Accidentally made an extra one. If you don¡¯t want it, just throw it away.¡± Xu Ming couldn¡¯t help but smile as he tucked the peachwood sword away. Shaking his head, he muttered, ¡°To think you¡¯re aiming to become a sword immortal, yet still so adorably stubborn.¡± Chapter 29 ¡°Brother Ming~ Brother Ming~~~ Did you get the gift that Sister Xuenuo sent us?¡± Early in the morning, Qin Qingwan came running over, holding a peachwood sword with a delighted expression on her face. Xu Ming, who had been doing push-ups in the courtyard, stood up and dusted himself off. ¡°Yeah, I got it.¡± ¡°Then, Brother Ming, what does this writing mean? I recognize every character, but I can¡¯t make sense of it when they¡¯re together~¡± Qin Qingwan said as she unscrewed the hilt of her peachwood sword, revealing a hidden note inside. Xu Ming was momentarily stunned. So the sword hilt has a hidden compartment? Curious, he retrieved his own peachwood sword and, mimicking her actions, gave the hilt a firm twist. Sure enough, it came apart, and there was a note inside. Comparing the two notes, Xu Ming saw they both contained the same text and a diagram. ¡°This looks like a sword technique,¡± Xu Ming explained. ¡°A sword technique?¡± Qin Qingwan tilted her head in confusion. ¡°Yeah.¡± Xu Ming nodded, then began reading the parchment carefully. To his surprise, he didn¡¯t gain any attribute points from merely reading it. Deciding to experiment, he memorized a few moves and began practicing with the peachwood sword in the courtyard. [You practiced the Bingyang Sword Technique. Sword Qi +3, Sword Intent +3.] ¡°So, it¡¯s called the Bingyang Sword Technique,¡± Xu Ming realized. After practicing just a few moves, he¡¯d already gained three points each in Sword Qi and Sword Intent. It seemed this Bingyang Sword Technique was no ordinary skill. ¡°Brother Ming~ you look so cool when you¡¯re practicing swordplay~~~¡± When Xu Ming paused to catch his breath, Qin Qingwan, clapping excitedly, gazed at him with sparkling eyes. Xu Ming chuckled, reaching out to ruffle her hair. ¡°Even though you¡¯ll be learning Daoist techniques in the future, you should still practice this sword technique. It¡¯s Xuenuo¡¯s heartfelt gift, after all.¡± Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°But Brother Ming~ Sister Cai Die once said that girls who practice swordsmanship won¡¯t grow any bears,¡± Qin Qingwan said with childish innocence. Xu Ming: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Brother Ming, what does ¡®won¡¯t grow bears¡¯ mean?¡± Qin Qingwan asked curiously. ¡°When I asked Sister Cai Die, she always laughed and said I¡¯d understand when I grew up.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Xu Ming¡¯s eyebrow twitched slightly. ¡°I don¡¯t know either. But since your Sister Cai Die said so, you¡¯d better listen to her.¡± ¡°Ohhh~¡± Qin Qingwan nodded obediently. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s head to the academy,¡± Xu Ming said, carefully placing the sword manual back into the hilt. ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go! It¡¯s the last class~~~¡± Qin Qingwan cheered. ¡°Yes, the last class¡­¡± Xu Ming muttered, feeling a twinge of melancholy. A few days earlier, Mr. Xiao had announced that this month¡¯s final lesson would mark the end of his teachings. Xu Ming calculated. Mr. Xiao had been teaching them for nearly a year now. As Xu Ming and Qin Qingwan stepped out of the Xu residence, they saw Xu Pangda already waiting for them at the gate. The three of them walked together to Zhixing Academy. Many of the children¡¯s faces were filled with joy, for to them, today signified the end of lessons¡ªand freedom from school. Once everyone was seated in the classroom, Mr. Xiao entered as usual. The students hurried to take their seats. ¡°Today, we¡¯ll study the Book of Rites. Please turn to page fifty in your textbooks,¡± he said. Mr. Xiao began teaching as though this class were no different from any other. However, Xu Ming noticed that Mr. Xiao¡¯s lecture covered a lot of material¡ªfar more than usual¡ªand was less detailed. Even the break between lessons was unusually short. It felt as if Mr. Xiao was trying to cram as much knowledge as possible into his students before time ran out. As time passed in the classroom, the initial excitement on the children¡¯s faces, brought by the knowledge that this was their final lesson, gradually faded. Slowly, on their young faces, a different kind of emotion emerged¡ªa small, quiet sorrow. This tiny sorrow came from a small yet heartfelt reluctance. By noon, the lesson should have ended, but no one reminded Mr. Xiao. Outside the classroom, several figures had appeared. ¡°Mr. Xiao,¡± called Eunuch Wei, holding an imperial decree in his hands. Beside him, two others carried wooden trays covered with red cloth. Xiao Mochi ignored him and continued teaching. ¡°Mr. Xiao,¡± Eunuch Wei called again, his expression troubled. ¡°The lesson is over.¡± Mr. Xiao glanced at Eunuch Wei, who lowered his head respectfully, not daring to press further. With a small sigh, Mr. Xiao closed his book slowly and turned to the young students he had spent the past year with. A gentle smile spread across his face. ¡°Today is our final class. After this lesson, Zhixing Academy will disband, and you won¡¯t need to wake up early for classes anymore. As for me, I must now face the various murky affairs of the imperial court.¡± Many of the children didn¡¯t understand what ¡°murky affairs of the imperial court¡± meant, but quite a few had already begun to tear up. With a soft smile, Mr. Xiao continued: ¡°All of you come from noble backgrounds. From the moment you were born, you already possessed what most people could only dream of in a lifetime. However, I hope you will not become arrogant because of what you have, but instead remain cautious because of it. Among you are many who are remarkably gifted. Some of you will undoubtedly step onto the stage of the imperial court. Once there, you may find yourselves constrained by circumstances, and your original intentions might waver. One day, you may even stand against me because of differing views or conflicting interests. But I hope that when you oppose me, it is to make the lives of the common people better. I hope it is to prove me wrong.¡± ¡°Teacher¡­ Waaaahhhh, I don¡¯t want you to leave!¡± a young girl suddenly burst into tears. ¡°Teacher, we still want to attend your classes,¡± cried a boy, rubbing his eyes furiously. ¡°Don¡¯t go, Teacher!¡± ¡°Teacher, I¡¯ll ask my father to petition His Majesty so you can keep teaching us, okay?¡± One after another, the children¡¯s sorrowful cries filled the classroom. Even Qin Qingwan, who usually detested lessons, clung to Xu Ming¡¯s shoulder with reddened eyes, holding back tears with all her might. Xiao Mochi chuckled softly, stepping down from the lectern and walking toward Eunuch Wei. Realizing the cue, Eunuch Wei finally reacted, lifting the imperial decree and unrolling it. His high-pitched voice rang through the classroom: ¡°By decree of the Sacred Emperor: Xiao Mochi, scholar of White Deer Academy, renowned for his love of learning and known as a ¡®true gentleman,¡¯ possesses both extensive knowledge and exemplary virtue. For a long time, he has been held in high regard by the imperial court. For a year, Xiao Mochi requested ¡®a school, a group of children, and a chance to teach as a simple instructor.¡¯ His wish has been fulfilled. Now, the time has come. Xiao Mochi is hereby appointed Magistrate of Jingzhao and concurrently Grand Mentor to the Crown Prince. He is granted the title of Marquis of Wenmo, a jade belt, and the privilege of bearing the Xing Tian Plaque, allowing unrestricted access to the imperial palace without prior petition. This decree is final.¡± Xiao Mochi let out a deep breath and bowed. ¡°This humble servant, Xiao Mochi, accepts the decree.¡± Chapter 30 In the courtyard of the schoolhouse, the children each held their books, eager for Mr. Xiao to sign them as a keepsake. Naturally, Xiao Mochi couldn¡¯t refuse and signed his name one after another. Each child bid farewell to Mr. Xiao, and the scene was filled with melancholy. ¡°Mr. Xiao, it¡¯s time to enter the palace and meet the Emperor,¡± Eunuch Wei urged after the time it took for an incense stick to burn, his face showing some difficulty. Xiao Mochi turned to his young students and bowed deeply. The students returned the gesture in kind. Straightening up with a smile, Xiao Mochi turned and walked away. Even after their teacher left, many of the students lingered, eager to have their classmates sign their books too. Xu Ming couldn¡¯t help but feel as though he was witnessing the very first class yearbook. Even the most feared and authoritative figure in the school¡ªthe ¡°class bully¡± Xu Ming¡ªfound himself approached by a few blushing young girls who shyly asked for his signature. ¡°Xu Ming! Just you wait! One day, I¡¯ll beat you!¡± Xiong Haizhi and his two companions stormed over, hands on their hips, and declared to Xu Ming. Xu Ming simply smiled, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll be waiting.¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± Xiong Haizhi and his companions snorted before stomping away, clearly upset. ¡°They say Xiong Haizhi, Li San, and Wu Wei are joining the army next year,¡± Xu Pangda, standing beside Xu Ming, remarked. ¡°Next year? But they¡¯ll only be eight years old!¡± Qin Qingwan, counting her delicate fingers, exclaimed in surprise. ¡°Yes,¡± Xu Pangda nodded. ¡°I heard from my mother that eight is the best age to begin martial training. Children can enter the barracks to strengthen their bodies, and as sons of military officials, it¡¯s even more expected. My mother says that in Wu Nation, we can go to war at fourteen.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Xu Ming watched the backs of Xiong Haizhi and his friends, momentarily silent. The Wu Dynasty, a nation built on martial prowess, had risen to become one of the Ten Great Human Dynasties in just 250 years¡ªnot without reason. ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡± The three of them left the schoolhouse. Outside the courtyard, Cai Die was already waiting for them. When they reached the gates of the Xu family estate and Qin Qingwan was about to follow Xu Ming to Xiaochun Courtyard to play, Cai Die spoke up. ¡°Miss, Madam and the National Preceptor are waiting for you inside. You should head back first.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ alright.¡± Though she looked a little disappointed, Qin Qingwan obediently followed Caidi back. She wasn¡¯t surprised that her National Preceptor master had come to visit since he did so once or twice every month. ¡°Mother, Master!¡± Qin Qingwan cheerfully called out as she entered the courtyard. ¡°Qingwan¡­¡± Madam Qin wiped the corner of her eye before turning around, her gaze soft and red-rimmed as she looked at her daughter. ¡°Qingwan, come here. Your mother and the National Preceptor have something to tell you.¡± Meanwhile, in Xiaochun Courtyard, Chen Suya was busy in the kitchen preparing a meal, while Xu Ming practiced swordsmanship in the courtyard. [Sword Qi +3, Sword Intent +3] [Sword Qi +3, Sword Intent +3] Each time Xu Ming performed a stance, he gained attribute points. As his Sword Qi and Sword Intent gradually increased, Xu Ming felt the peachwood sword becoming even more natural in his grip¡ªa subtle, almost mystical sensation. He even felt as though he could hear the peachwood sword¡¯s ¡°voice.¡± A gust of wind blew, and a leaf floated down, drifting perfectly in front of Xu Ming. Feeling something stir within him, Xu Ming lightly slashed with the peachwood sword. The sword didn¡¯t touch the leaf, yet the leaf split cleanly into two halves. ¡°This is Sword Qi?¡± Xu Ming muttered in astonishment. Compared to the tens of thousands of points of Haoran Qi he had accumulated over the past year¡ªstill utterly useless¡ªthis newfound ability felt far more tangible. Despite having only a few dozen points of Sword Qi, its effects were already this impressive. Xu Ming couldn¡¯t even imagine what it would be like if his Sword Qi and Sword Intent reached tens of thousands of points. After lunch, his mother went to her room for a nap, while Xu Ming continued practicing the Bingyang Sword Technique. Meanwhile, the Tianxuan Goose lay curled up in its nest, asleep. Xu Ming didn¡¯t know if the goose had simply given up on life or what. For the past month, it had been sleeping at least seven to eight hours every day¡ªwhich translated to fourteen or sixteen hours total. Aside from eating, all it did was sleep. It seemed perpetually lethargic and looked utterly exhausted. [T/N: The Author might have miscalculated it.] At first, Xu Ming thought it was sick and had asked Sister Chunyan to invite a veterinarian to take a look. However, even the vet couldn¡¯t figure out what was wrong. In the end, Qin Qingwan, deeply concerned, asked her National Preceptor master to diagnose the goose. The National Preceptor simply smiled faintly and said, ¡°It¡¯s fine. No need to worry about it.¡± After that, Xu Ming stopped paying attention to it. Just as Xu Ming finally completed an entire run of the Bingyang Sword Technique, he suddenly felt his entire body tremble. It was as though a warm current flowed through his meridians, an unbelievably blissful sensation¡ªlike the world¡¯s greatest masseur giving him a full-body spa, but a hundred times more comfortable! When the warm current passed through, Xu Ming snapped back to his senses, only to realize his body was drenched in sweat. His body felt noticeably lighter, and his dantian emitted a soothing warmth. ¡°What just happened?¡± sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Xu Ming closed his eyes and examined his dantian, where he saw a tiny sapling glowing faintly with soft light. [You have stepped into the Qi Gathering Realm.] The moment the words appeared in Xu Ming¡¯s mind, he froze. ¡°Qi Gathering Realm? Did I¡­ finally set foot on the path of cultivation?¡± [T/N: Qi Entry=Qi Gathering Realm.] Xu Ming decided to test the power of the Qi Gathering Realm. He walked over to the Tianxuan Goose¡¯s nest, plucked two of its feathers, and placed them two meters away. He swung his sword, but the feathers remained untouched. Adjusting the distance, Xu Ming continued testing. Finally, when the sword tip was half a meter away, the sword¡¯s Sword Qi managed to slice through the goose feathers. As for his strength, Xu Ming didn¡¯t feel any noticeable increase. His speed didn¡¯t seem to improve much either. ¡°That¡¯s odd,¡± Xu Ming muttered, rubbing his chin. His Sword Qi had clearly improved. Even in the Qi Gathering Realm, shouldn¡¯t there be some increase in strength and speed? Xu Ming guessed that it might have something to do with the Bingyang Sword Technique. The technique could channel spiritual energy, so stepping into the Qi Gathering Realm probably boosted his spiritual energy, indirectly enhancing the sword technique¡¯s power. However, Xu Ming hadn¡¯t learned any other spells or techniques to apply spiritual energy to himself directly. ¡°I need to find some simple techniques to learn¡­¡± Xu Ming thought to himself. As for the Heavenly Mystic Manual? Xu Ming had spent over a year trying to memorize it and still couldn¡¯t retain a single word. It was as if the manual had some mysterious ability that made him forget it immediately after reading. Now the problem was, how could he find some basic spells to learn? ¡°Brother Ming!¡± Just as Xu Ming was racking his brain, Qin Qingwan came running into the courtyard. She stood in front of Xu Ming, her eyes red and swollen, her nose flushed, as though she had just cried her heart out. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Xu Ming asked, gently holding Qin Qingwan¡¯s small hand. ¡°Brother Ming¡­¡± Qin Qingwan¡¯s voice trembled as she looked at him, her nose twitching. ¡°Let¡¯s elope together!¡± Chapter 31 ¡°Elope?¡± Hearing Qin Qingwan utter those words, Xu Ming froze for a moment. Sure, having a cute girl ask to ¡°elope¡± with him was quite flattering, but¡ªyou¡¯re only six years old! ¡°Yes!¡± Qin Qingwan nodded earnestly, her face filled with determination. Xu Ming smiled and rubbed her little head. ¡°But Qingwan, do you even know what elope means?¡± ¡°I do!¡± Qin Qingwan nodded again with confidence. ¡°Eloping is when two people who like each other go somewhere far, far away, to a place where no one can find them. Brother Ming, I¡¯ve saved up a lot of money¡ªenough for us to go somewhere very, very far, where no one will ever find us.¡± Her bright eyes stared at Xu Ming with hopeful anticipation. ¡°Qingwan likes Brother Ming. Don¡¯t you like me, too?¡± Xu Ming gently pinched her slightly chubby cheeks, smiling. ¡°Of course I like Qingwan. But why did you suddenly think about eloping with me?¡± Hearing his question, Qin Qingwan lowered her little head, pouting. ¡°Because Master said she¡¯ll take me back to Tianxuan Sect tomorrow. Qingwan doesn¡¯t want to leave Brother Ming so soon¡­¡± ¡°Tomorrow?¡± Xu Ming was taken aback. This news felt sudden. ¡°I thought you wouldn¡¯t leave until you turned nine?¡± Qin Qingwan kept her head down, her lips trembling. ¡°Master said that soon a great opportunity will appear that will greatly help my cultivation, so she wants to take me back early. She also said she has matters to handle at the sect. Because of my Innate Sacred Physique, many people already know about me. Master said that if she¡¯s not here, no one will be able to protect me. But Qingwan doesn¡¯t want to leave Mother, and I don¡¯t want to leave Brother Ming either¡­¡± Xu Ming chuckled softly. ¡°But Qingwan, if we elope, wouldn¡¯t you still be leaving your mother behind?¡± Qin Qingwan lifted her head and blinked. ¡°Mother won¡¯t elope with us, but Brother Ming would. If I leave with Master, neither Mother nor Brother Ming will be by my side. But if I elope with Brother Ming, at least I¡¯ll still have you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Xu Ming was momentarily stunned. Well, when she put it like that¡­ it almost sounded logical. ¡°Qingwan¡­ I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t elope with you.¡± Xu Ming looked at the little girl in front of him, his expression serious. ¡°Why?¡± Tears had already started to gather in Qin Qingwan¡¯s eyes, as though they would fall at any moment. ¡°Does Brother Ming not like me?¡± ¡°Quite the opposite.¡± Xu Ming shook his head gently. ¡°It¡¯s because I like Qingwan too much that I can¡¯t elope with you.¡± Qin Qingwan tilted her head, her teary eyes brimming with confusion. ¡°Brother Ming, I don¡¯t understand.¡± Xu Ming reached out and gently wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes. ¡°Because I can¡¯t let Qingwan be held back. If even your master says this opportunity is important for your future, it must mean it will play a crucial role in your path of cultivation.¡± Qin Qingwan clutched Xu Ming¡¯s hand tightly. ¡°But to me, Brother Ming is more important than that opportunity.¡± ¡°Thank you, Qingwan. Hearing that makes me very happy.¡± Xu Ming smiled gently. ¡°But Qingwan, I¡¯m more afraid of seeing you get hurt.¡± Xu Ming looked into her clear, peach blossom eyes. ¡°Your master said you possess an incredible Innate Sacred Physique, and many people will want to seize you for themselves. There will be bad people who plot against you. If that happens, I will always stand in front of you to protect you. But what worries me is¡­ even if I give it everything I have, I might not be strong enough to defeat those bad people. I want Qingwan to grow up safe and healthy.¡± Qin Qingwan lowered her head again, her lips tightly pressed together. ¡°Qingwan, you have extraordinary talent¡­¡± ¡°And Qingwan, you¡¯re still so young, very, very young. As you grow up, your views on many things will change. In the future, Qingwan will definitely become a very powerful cultivator, and you¡¯ll grow more and more beautiful. Brother Ming believes that you¡¯ll make it onto the Qingyun Rankings, just like Xue Nuo. Then one day, you¡¯ll reach the Tianxia(World) Rankings, and even the Hongyan(Beauty) Rankings. In everyone¡¯s eyes, you¡¯ll become a goddess, someone high above, unattainable to all.¡± Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°But Brother Ming¡­¡± Qin Qingwan looked up at him, her tearful eyes misty, ¡°Qingwan doesn¡¯t want to change. I don¡¯t want to grow up, and I don¡¯t want to be everyone¡¯s goddess. I just want to be Brother Ming¡¯s Qingwan.¡± Hearing the girl¡¯s pure and sincere words, Xu Ming¡¯s heart softened instantly. ¡°You little fool.¡± Xu Ming curled his finger and gently flicked Qingwan¡¯s delicate, upturned nose. ¡°No matter how Qingwan changes in the future, you¡¯ll always be Brother Ming¡¯s Qingwan. But by then, Qingwan won¡¯t even look at me anymore and will have forgotten all about me.¡± ¡°No, I won¡¯t! I won¡¯t!¡± Qin Qingwan shook her head like a rattle drum. ¡°Qingwan will never forget Brother Ming.¡± Xu Ming smiled. ¡°Really?¡± Qin Qingwan nodded quickly, like a pecking chick. ¡°Really!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe you,¡± Xu Ming teased. ¡°Unless Qingwan proves it to me.¡± Qin Qingwan frowned in confusion. ¡°But Brother Ming, how do I prove it?¡± Xu Ming pretended to think for a moment. ¡°How about this?¡± He walked over to the Tianxuan Goose¡¯s nest, plucked a feather from the sleeping bird, then broke it in half. He handed one half to Qin Qingwan and kept the other half for himself. ¡°When you leave with the National Preceptor to Tianxuan Sect, the next time we meet, you must bring this half of the feather with you. Whoever loses theirs will have forgotten about the other. How does that sound?¡± ¡°Qingwan won¡¯t forget Brother Ming!¡± Qin Qingwan, feeling doubted, pouted slightly but carefully tucked the feather away, keeping it close to her. However, her momentary pout soon faded, replaced by the sadness of impending separation. ¡°Brother Ming, when will we meet again?¡± Xu Ming thought for a moment. ¡°I read in a book once that in Tianxuan Sect, there¡¯s a flower called the Blood Toras. When the Blood Toras blooms for the fifth time, we will definitely meet again.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Qin Qingwan¡¯s eyes shone brightly. ¡°Really.¡± Xu Ming nodded. The Blood Toras flower blooms once every two years¡ªfive blooms would mean ten years. That would be enough time. ¡°Then let¡¯s make a pinky promise.¡± Qin Qingwan extended her fair, delicate little finger. ¡°Pinky promise.¡± Xu Ming reached out his hand, and their little fingers hooked together. Qin Qingwan gently shook Xu Ming¡¯s finger. ¡°Pinky promise, sealed forever, no changes for a hundred years.¡± Xu Ming smiled and repeated, ¡°Pinky promise, sealed forever, no changes for a hundred years.¡± ¡°Brother Ming~¡± Qin Qingwan suddenly called out softly, as if something had just come to mind. ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°How long is a hundred years?¡± ¡°A hundred years? It¡¯s a very, very long time.¡± ¡°Then Brother Ming¡­¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Can a hundred years¡­ last long enough for us to grow old together?¡± Chapter 32 Early the next morning, Wang Xuan resigned from her position as the National Preceptor of Wu to take Qin Qingwan away from the Qin residence. On the day Qin Qingwan left, only Chen Suya, accompanied by Xu Ming, and Wang Feng, accompanied by Xu Pangda, came to see her off. No one else knew that Qin Qingwan was leaving that day¡ªnot even her father. This was the Madam Qin¡¯s decision. If the other members of the Xu and Qin families had known about Qingwan¡¯s departure, they would have organized a grand send-off. At that point, various dignitaries would have come to attend. Madam Qin didn¡¯t want that. Her daughter didn¡¯t need such a lavish farewell. She just wanted to give her daughter more time to say goodbye to her friends. Xu Ming and the others watched as Wang Xuan led Qin Qingwan away from the Xu residence. However, Qingwan had only walked a short distance before suddenly running back. Xu Ming hadn¡¯t even had time to react when Qin Qingwan stopped in front of him, stood on tiptoe, and planted a quick kiss on his cheek. Then, her face flushed red, and she ran off again. Xu Ming stood there, stunned, his hand touching the cheek where she had kissed him. In both his lives, the only person who had kissed him was this little girl. However, Xu Ming understood that Qingwan¡¯s feelings toward him were nothing more than childhood friendship. After all, at such a young age, what did one truly know about romance? As Qingwan grew older and continued cultivating, reaching higher and higher realms, she would meet all kinds of people. Around her would be all kinds of heaven¡¯s chosen talents. How much of this childhood memory would she even remember? How many people truly remember things from before they were six years old? They had promised to meet again in ten years. But ten years later, when they saw each other again, it would likely only be with a polite nod and a smile. By then, this six-year-old girl would have grown into a stunning young woman of sixteen. Xu Ming really wanted to see it¡ªwanted to see just how much she would amaze the world then. When Xu Ming returned to his courtyard, he discovered a copy of Tianxuan Heart Method placed under his pillow. ¡°This silly girl¡­ does she think books like this can just be given away?¡± Gently tracing the book¡¯s cover, Xu Ming shook his head. In his mind, he could already picture that little fool sneaking nervously into his room to leave the book under his pillow. After Qin Qingwan¡¯s departure, Xu Ming¡¯s remaining companions were Tianxuan Goose and Xu Pangda¡ªone goose and one person. Or rather, just one person. Because the goose was still sleeping. Even when they had seen Qin Qingwan off, the goose had barely managed to stay awake. Once that was done, it immediately went back to sleep. A month passed after Qin Qingwan¡¯s departure. Although the Zhixing Academy was closed, Xu Pangda didn¡¯t stop pursuing his studies. Both the Xu and Qin families had their own private schools. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, those private schools were little more than playgrounds for wealthy children. The environment wasn¡¯t conducive to learning, and the teachers were simply biding their time. Therefore, Wang Feng pulled some strings and arranged for Xu Pangda and Xu Ming to attend a well-known private school in the capital called Qingshui Academy. Xu Ming did not refuse Madam Wang¡¯s kindness. Although he couldn¡¯t participate in the imperial examination, reading more books would still be beneficial. Besides, he might even gain insights into the Confucian cultivation methods and put his massive pool of ¡°Haoran Qi¡± attribute points to use. Perhaps Xu Pangda was worried that, with Qingwan gone, Xu Ming would be lonely. So, every day, Xu Pangda brought snacks for Xu Ming. If not that, he would do his schoolwork while sitting in Xu Ming¡¯s courtyard. While Xu Pangda read books, Xu Ming trained. Every day, Xu Ming would spend an hour studying Tianxuan Heart Method, followed by two hours practicing Bingyang Sword Technique. The main issue with the Tianxuan Heart Method was that Xu Ming could only study it for at most one hour before feeling dizzy. As for the Bingyang Sword Technique, if he practiced for more than two hours, Xu Ming would feel as though thousands of needles were piercing his body, forcing him to stop. The rest of the time, Xu Ming read books about this world. In addition to Confucian classics, he also explored books from other schools of thought, each providing different attribute points. For example: Mohist texts on mechanisms and craftsmanship granted ¡°Mechanism Talent¡± attribute points. Agricultural books provided ¡°Poison Resistance¡± points. The only thing Xu Ming found disappointing was that he hadn¡¯t yet found a book from Xiao Liu Bei, so he didn¡¯t know what attribute points it would provide. After reading, Xu Ming would continue exercising his body. The Xu residence had plenty of boxing manuals. After all, Wu Kingdom was built on martial strength¡ªbooks on martial arts could be found even in common households. However, Xu Ming had not formally stepped onto the martial path. The martial artist realm was divided into ten levels: Three Body-Refining Stages: Mud/Clay Embryo Stage, Wooden Fetus Stage, Mercury Stage. Three Qi-Refining Stages: Heroic Soul Stage, Dominant Spirit Stage, Martial Will/Courage Stage. Three Spirit-Refining Stages: Golden Body Stage, Wandering Stage, Mountain Summit Stage. The Tenth Stage: The Limit/Beyond Boundary Stage (divided into three layers). The Clay Embryo Stage was about shaping and strengthening the body¡ªessentially tempering it. However, before the age of eight, the human body was too fragile. Practicing boxing before eight, due to insufficient blood and energy, could lead to an unstable foundation. Even worse, because the meridians of a young body were underdeveloped, it could fail to withstand martial energy, leading to the body exploding. Xu Ming didn¡¯t want to take that risk. Instead, he wanted to find books on cultivation and learn a few simple techniques. When Xu Pangda heard about this, he immediately went to ask his mother for help. On the third day, Xu Pangda happily arrived at Xu Ming¡¯s courtyard carrying a pile of books. However, Xu Ming soon realized that all of these techniques required a minimum cultivation level of the third stage of Qi Cultivation¡ªFurnace Ignition Realm. Even though Xu Ming couldn¡¯t cultivate them, reading still provided attribute points. For instance, for every tenth of a book Xu Ming read, like the one titled Fire Control Technique, he gained +0.5 Fire Affinity points. Since these simple techniques were beyond his reach, Xu Ming¡¯s only path to advancement was still the Bingyang Sword Technique. But something puzzled him. The Bingyang Sword Technique was undoubtedly of a very high grade, so why did it not require a specific cultivation level to practice? Six months later, after a roaring sound coursed through Xu Ming¡¯s body, a warm current flowed within him once more¡ªhe had stepped into the second stage of Qi Cultivation: Mind Clarity Realm. Two months after reaching the Mind Clarity Realm, Xu Ming heard some news. Mr. Xiao, who had been advocating for reforms, had been impeached, but Emperor Wu had suppressed the opposition. Madam Qin mentioned that the court battles were incredibly intense. Xu Ming didn¡¯t pay much attention to it¡ªsuch matters felt far too distant from his life. Another four months passed, and Xu Ming¡¯s seventh birthday arrived. On that day, Wang Feng, Xu Pangda, and Madam Qin came to Xiaochun Courtyard to celebrate his birthday. But on that day, neither Xu Xuenuo nor Qin Qingwan sent him any birthday gifts. Chapter 33 Xu Ming couldn¡¯t help but feel a little worried about not receiving birthday gifts from Qin Qingwan and Xu Xuenuo. However, it wasn¡¯t because he feared they had forgotten him, but rather he worried something might have happened to them. Fortunately, Madam Qin and Wang Feng assured him that Qin Qingwan was fine. She was simply in a critical period of her cultivation and could not have contact with the mortal world for the next nine years. Xu Xuenuo was in a similar situation. After transforming her innate sword bone into her life-bound flying sword, she had to constantly temper it. Xu Xuenuo was now in a secret realm of the Wanjian Sect. As for when she would emerge, it was uncertain. Wang Feng had heard that it would take at least eight years. Nine years for one, eight years for the other¡ªXu Ming figured that by the time they both came out, they would probably have forgotten him. After all, not many people remember events from eight or nine years ago, especially those from childhood. Still, as long as they were safe, that was enough. Taking a deep breath, Xu Ming continued practicing his sword techniques in the courtyard. No matter what, he couldn¡¯t let them widen the gap too much. Unknowingly, another year passed through the changing seasons. Xu Ming was now eight years old. By this time, he could already lift the thousand-pound stone lion at the Xu family¡¯s entrance. He had also reached the third stage of Qi Cultivation¡ªFurnace Ignition Stage. Eagerly, Xu Ming revisited those ¡°long-sealed¡± spell manuals. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. These were the same books Madam Wang had given to Xu Pangda to deliver over a year ago. [You have learned ¡°Fire Control Technique¡±: You can now simply control ordinary flames. Fire Affinity +10.] [You have learned ¡°Cloud Ladder¡±: By stepping on your own feet fast enough, you can ascend to the sky. Agility +20.] [You have learned ¡°Spirit-Powered Body¡±: You can now use spiritual energy to strengthen yourself. Spirit Control +10.] [You have learned¡­] In just a month, Xu Ming had finished all the simple spell manuals Xu Pangda had brought, mastering a total of eleven skills. Every time Xu Ming learned a new spell, he felt the ancient spirit root tree in his dantian grow a bit taller, its leaves becoming lusher. In addition, Xu Ming began visiting the Xu family¡¯s library to explore various boxing manuals. When it came to boxing techniques, quality mattered more than quantity. Xu Ming decided to carefully choose one technique and master it properly. When Wang Feng learned of Xu Ming¡¯s intention, she had Xu Pangda bring him a boxing manual. ¡°Heaven-Cleaving Fist?¡± Xu Ming looked at the worn boxing manual in his hands, stunned. ¡°What a domineering name.¡± ¡°Uh-huh,¡± Xu Pangda nodded, scratching the back of his head. ¡°Mother said this boxing manual was practiced by my third uncle. It¡¯s incomplete, but she said not to underestimate it. Even as a fragment, it¡¯s far superior to the manuals collected by the Xu and Qin families.¡± ¡°This is too precious; I can¡¯t accept it.¡± Xu Ming shook his head. Given what Pangda said, this was practically a Wang family heirloom. Xu Pangda pushed the manual back toward him. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Fifth Brother. Mother said it¡¯s not that precious. Everyone in our Wang family practices it. She also said that boxing techniques depend more on the person using them. Even the best boxing technique can¡¯t beat someone who works harder. If you have questions, Mother said you can ask her anytime.¡± Xu Ming smiled. ¡°Did Auntie really say that?¡± Pangda smiled awkwardly. ¡°Mother said that becoming a martial artist is exhausting and thankless. But if you insist on practicing, she¡¯s willing to grudgingly give you a few pointers.¡± That bit of prideful reluctance¡ªthat¡¯s more like it. ¡°I understand. Please thank Auntie for me.¡± Xu Ming accepted the Heaven-Cleaving Fist manual, quietly making a note to repay the favor. Over the next month, Xu Ming devoted most of his time to practicing Heaven-Cleaving Fist. [You practiced Heaven-Cleaving Fist for fifteen minutes: Vitality +50, Martial Energy +50, Full-Body Strength +20.] Every time he practiced for a quarter of an hour, a string of words would flash through Xu Ming¡¯s mind. The more he practiced the Heaven-Cleaving Fist, the more he felt the surging blood and qi within him. There was a force rampaging through his body, unrestrained. ¡°Ha!¡± Xu Ming shouted, forcefully executing the final move of the Heaven-Cleaving Fist. A gust of wind burst out from his punch. Not far away, a tree shivered as leaves fluttered to the ground. [True Qi flows through your entire body. You have entered the Clay Embryo Realm.] A prompt emerged in Xu Ming¡¯s mind. Closing his eyes, Xu Ming could clearly sense the fusion of spiritual energy and martial True Qi within him. ¡°Does this mean I¡¯m cultivating both body and magic?¡± Xu Ming exhaled deeply. ¡ª Three months later. The Qingshui Academy term was ending, marking the beginning of the Tong Examination (Imperial Scholar Test). Qingshui Academy was set to be one of the examination venues. Xu Pangda had been studying diligently for the past two years, and it turned out that the chubby boy had a natural talent for academics. A talented and hardworking student had naturally become the favorite of the private tutor at Qingshui Academy. In fact, since the Wu Kingdom had no age restrictions for the imperial examinations, the tutor at Qingshui Academy had high hopes for Xu Pangda, encouraging him to take this year¡¯s Tong Examination. In the tutor¡¯s view, although Xu Pangda was only ten years old, becoming a Xiucai (Scholar) was practically guaranteed. He even believed Xu Pangda could aim for the top rank in the examination. ¡°Third Brother, only five days left until the exam¡ªkeep it up!¡± Xu Ming patted Xu Pangda, who was studying in the Xiaochun Courtyard. ¡°Fifth Brother clearly has greater talent than me. If you took the exam, the top spot would undoubtedly be yours,¡± Xu Pangda said regretfully, looking at his younger brother. ¡°If only you were born in the Qi Kingdom¡­¡± At Qingshui Academy, Xu Ming was actually the brightest among the students, often praised by the teachers. But he was only a concubine-born son. ¡°Third Brother, you shouldn¡¯t say such things,¡± Xu Ming said with a smile. ¡°Besides, life isn¡¯t limited to the imperial examinations. If all goes well, I plan to attempt the Martial Examination in two years.¡± Hearing this, Xu Pangda felt even more despondent. Fifth Brother could have been both a brilliant scholar and a skilled warrior, but because of ancestral laws, he could only tread the path of a martial artist. ¡°Fifth Brother, don¡¯t worry! I will work hard and become a high-ranking official!¡± Xu Pangda clenched his fists earnestly. Xu Ming nodded. ¡°Even if you become a high-ranking official, don¡¯t forget your original purpose. Always put the people first and care for the world.¡± Xu Pangda¡¯s cheeks flushed, and he replied sheepishly, ¡°Serving the people and caring for the world is our duty as scholars, but that¡¯s not my true purpose.¡± ¡°What is your true purpose then, Third Brother?¡± Xu Ming asked curiously. Before Xu Pangda could answer, Xu Ming seemed to realize it on his own, laughing as he said, ¡°Oh, right. Your true purpose is to be enfeoffed as a marquis and appointed prime minister.¡± ¡°Not just that,¡± Xu Pangda replied with a genuine grin. ¡°Then what else?¡± Xu Ming was puzzled. Xu Pangda¡¯s smile grew even purer. ¡°To become a high-ranking official, so that I can make you, Fifth Brother, an official too.¡± Chapter 34 Five days later, Xu Pangda was set to take the tongshi exam. Although Wang Feng had dismissed it earlier with, ¡°It¡¯s just a minor exam, nothing worth worrying about,¡± on the actual day, she still accompanied Xu Pangda to the examination hall. Instead of heading back, Wang Feng chose to wait for him at the tea stall in front of the Qingshui Academy, watching the entrance with unwavering patience. When the exam concluded and students began filing out, Wang Feng stood up immediately. Seeing Xu Pangda¡¯s confident expression, she finally let out a breath of relief. However, her face remained cold. ¡°Hurry up and get home for dinner. You¡¯re late.¡± ¡°Yes, Mother,¡± Xu Pangda nodded, quickly following her. ¡°Mother,¡± he said, glancing up at her, ¡°I think I did pretty well.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Wang Feng responded indifferently. Xu Pangda lowered his head, but not for long. A moment later, Wang Feng spoke again, her tone casual, ¡°How well? Do you think you can pass as a xiucai?¡± Xu Pangda¡¯s eyes lit up instantly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mother! Today¡¯s exam questions, I¡­¡± On a quiet street in the capital city, a child spoke excitedly, while his mother listened calmly. ¡ª A month later, the results of the tongshi were announced. Xu Pangda achieved the top rank, securing the title of xiucai at just ten years old. The Xu and Qin households were astonished. Everyone knew that the third young master, Xu Pangda, had been studying, but no one expected him to excel to such a degree¡ªlet alone claim the top spot! Was he a prodigy? Xu Pangda¡¯s success placed enormous pressure on the two concubines of the Xu family. While their sons were gifted in cultivation, the fact that Xu Pangda, at just ten years old, had become the tongshi top scorer made him a rare genius. To make matters worse, the last person to achieve this feat in the capital had gone on to win all three prestigious imperial exams. If Xu Pangda were truly to become a zhuangyuan (imperial top scholar), who could say whom the emperor would favor when granting the hereditary title of Duke Xu? To celebrate, the Xu and Qin households held grand banquets. Xu Xiaopang¡¯s grandfather, Xu Shuiya, and his father, Xu Zheng, were overjoyed. The family matriarch could not stop smiling, repeatedly exclaiming that Xu Pangda must be a reincarnation of the literary star. Yet, amidst the overwhelming praise, Xu Xiaopang remained humble. He knew this achievement wasn¡¯t entirely his own¡ªbecause Fifth Brother hadn¡¯t participated. ¡ª During the banquet, the two concubines had expected Wang Feng to seize the moment to humiliate them for their previous actions. In fact, they were so apprehensive they nearly feigned illness to avoid attending. But to their surprise, Wang Feng said nothing during the feast. She sat quietly in her seat, responding to the guests¡¯ congratulations with nothing more than a faint smile. It was as though her son¡¯s success and the matter of the hereditary dukedom meant nothing to her. That composed aura of a proper first wife left the two concubines feeling even more defeated, more so than any scolding could have. ¡ª Two months later, Xu Ming noticed that the Tianxuan Goose had stopped moving altogether. Alarmed, he worried it might have died. But the goose¡¯s body was still warm, and its heart continued to beat steadily. Its feathers, however, had become fluffier and fluffier. A month after that, its plumage had expanded so much that it resembled a giant ball, making it impossible for Xu Ming to even see its long swan neck. Both Chen Suya and Xu Ming were concerned about the goose and debated whether to call a veterinarian. However, recalling the National Preceptor¡¯s warning¡ª¡±Do not interfere with her¡±¡ªthey decided to leave it be. After all, the goose was still alive. ¡ª Time flew by. Another six months passed. One morning, a resonant honk echoed, waking Xu Ming from his sleep. He stepped out of his room and was greeted by a courtyard littered with feathers. Amidst the snowy goose feathers scattered across the ground stood a swan of unmatched elegance. Its feathers, as white and flawless as blooming white lotuses, gleamed with a silky sheen. Its long neck was slender and graceful, its wings resembling delicate fans crafted from pure snow. This swan, however, was no ordinary creature. The Tianxuan Goose was nearly twice the size of a typical swan. Its eyes were lined with markings resembling feline eyeliner, as if delicately painted with rouge, giving it an almost charming, refined appearance. Staring at it for long enough, one might even find it rather graceful and attractive. Additionally, at the center of its forehead was a touch of vermilion, lending it a subtle, feminine allure. Compared to its previously vacant, dazed expression, the Tianxuan Goose now had eyes brimming with life and intelligence. ¡°Honk honk honk! (Kid, your big sister here is not the same as before!)¡± The Tianxuan Goose let out a series of honks upon seeing Xu Ming. ¡°Honk honk honk! (Come, spar with your big sister!)¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s spar. It¡¯s a good chance to test my progress,¡± Xu Ming replied with a grin, relieved that this so-called ¡°dog-goose¡± hadn¡¯t slept itself into the afterlife. ¡°Hoooonk!¡± The goose cried out and charged at Xu Ming. With a flap of its wings, two wind blades sliced through the air toward him. Xu Ming¡¯s heart skipped a beat. He hadn¡¯t expected this dog-goose to evolve to the point of using magic! Not daring to be careless, he gripped his Peach Blossom Sword tightly and executed his Bingyang Sword Technique, slashing through one wind blade with a swift stroke and shattering the other with a horizontal swing. Xu Ming leaped into the air, his Peach Blossom Sword aiming directly for the goose¡¯s head. Was it his imagination, or did the goose flash him a ridiculous grin? ¡°Honk!¡± The Tianxuan Goose spread its wings and honked loudly. The feathers scattered across the ground converged before it, forming a shield. When Xu Ming¡¯s sword struck the feather shield, the impact sent a jolt through his wrist, making his grip falter slightly. However, the sword energy radiating from Xu Ming¡¯s strike made the Tianxuan Goose¡¯s eyes narrow in caution. It quickly dodged to the side. ¡°Slash!¡± The goose leaped away just in time. The feathers where it had stood were cleanly sliced through, leaving a noticeable crack in the ground. ¡°How did this kid get so strong?¡± the Tianxuan Goose thought, startled. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But before it could process further, Xu Ming had already lunged forward, aiming a punch at it. ¡°Honk~!¡± The goose responded by curling its right wing into a fist and clashing directly with Xu Ming¡¯s blow. ¡ª Fifteen minutes later. ¡°Honk honk honk~! (Little guy, do you admit your big sister¡¯s strength now?)¡± The Tianxuan Goose let out a triumphant honk, pinning Xu Ming to the ground once again. [You battled the Tianxuan Goose (Awakened Talent): Strength +30, Spirit Power +10, Combat Experience +10] While being pinned, a line of text flashed across Xu Ming¡¯s mind. ¡°You¡¯ve awakened your talent?¡± Xu Ming asked, tilting his head back from his position on the ground. ¡°Honk. (No idea.)¡± The goose stood with its wings on its hips, lifting its long neck proudly. ¡°Honk honk! (I just took a long nap and suddenly had a bunch of stuff in my head.)¡± ¡°When do you think you¡¯ll transform into a humanoid form?¡± Xu Ming asked. ¡°Honk. (No clue.)¡± The goose answered decisively. ¡°Alright then.¡± Xu Ming sighed, a bit disappointed. He had been curious about what the dog-goose¡¯s humanoid form would look like. Would it really be an eight-pack abs warrior queen? Just as Xu Ming lay on the ground with the swan towering above him, a sudden flash of light lit up the sky. A Ranking appeared, hovering in the air for all to see. Across the capital city, including Xu Ming and the Tianxuan Goose, people stopped what they were doing to look at the Qingyun Ranking: [Qin Qingwan, native of Wu Kingdom, direct disciple of the Grand Elder of the Tianxuan Sect, age eight, entered the Sixth Realm of Qi Cultivation¡ªObservation Sea Realm. Ranking on the Qingyun Ranking: Ninth.] Chapter 35 At Yun Jian Peak of the Wanjian (Myriad Sword) Sect, a young girl sat cross-legged atop a boulder. Before her floated a crystalline longsword, transparent and gleaming. The blade, three feet long, bore water-like engravings in a tassel pattern. Though simple in design, the sword emanated an extraordinary beauty in its simplicity. The girl¡¯s name was Xu Xue¡¯nuo. The sword was called Qingming. ¡°Clear as pristine water, refined like ancient inscriptions.¡± Many within the Myriad Sword Sect believed the name Qingming symbolized these qualities, perfectly aligning with the sword¡¯s aesthetic and essence. Yet in truth, the name ¡°Qingming¡± had no such profound meaning. It merely stemmed from two names. Qingming¡¯s blade exuded a gentle white light, but the air within twenty meters of the sword was filled with sharp, piercing sword energy, completely contrary to the softness of its glow. Tiny crystalline snowflakes flaked off Qingming¡¯s blade bit by bit, sharpening its edge further, much like a cultivator purging impurities from their body during the body refinement stage. This process was the tempering of the sword. Every sword cultivator needed to temper their life-bound flying sword. For most, these swords were external items refined and fused with their spirit, with tempering focused on deepening the bond between the sword and its wielder. But for Xu Xue¡¯nuo, a rare innate sword-bone cultivator whose sword was an extension of her very being, there was no need to enhance the connection. Her focus lay in tempering the sword itself, akin to sharpening a blade. Suddenly, the sword let out a resonant hum, scattering its sword energy in all directions. Xu Xue¡¯nuo slowly opened her eyes. In the sky above, a blue leaderboard appeared, and with it, a line of text: [Qin Qingwan, native of Wu Kingdom, direct disciple of the Grand Elder of the Tianxuan Sect, eight years old, has entered the Sixth Realm of Qi Cultivation¡ªSea Observation Realm. Ranking on the Qingyun Ranking: Ninth.] Xu Xue¡¯nuo froze momentarily upon seeing the words on the leaderboard, then a faint smile curved her lips. She had long anticipated that once Qin Qingwan embarked on the path of cultivation, she would be no less talented than herself. ¡°Xue¡¯nuo, you¡¯re losing focus.¡± Just as she was feeling a flicker of happiness for her close friend, the voice of the Myriad Sword Sect¡¯s Sect Master resonated from the sky. ¡°Yes, Master,¡± Xu Xue¡¯nuo responded, closing her eyes again and continuing to temper her life-bound sword. Until Qingming was fully tempered, she was forbidden from leaving the peak or having any contact with the outside world, lest external causes and effects dull her sword¡¯s edge. ¡°Master,¡± she suddenly called out again, her eyes opening. ¡°Hmm?¡± The voice from the clouds sounded distant yet seemed to be right beside her. ¡°I wish to ask Master a question,¡± Xu Xue¡¯nuo said, looking toward the sky. ¡°Speak,¡± replied Jiang Luoyu, her voice calm and serene. ¡°Master, is it true that only those with innate spiritual veins can cultivate?¡± Jiang Luoyu answered, ¡°Not so. Spiritual veins are merely pathways that draw the world¡¯s spiritual energy into the body. Those without spiritual veins lack the means to connect with heaven and earth, and thus cannot cultivate. ¡°But through the use of rare treasures, artificial spiritual veins can be created. However, the cost of establishing these veins is exorbitant, and they can never match the innate spiritual veins. Such cultivators find it extremely difficult to achieve greatness, and many cannot even step into the Cave Mansion Realm.¡± Xu Xue¡¯nuo lowered her head, her eyes tinged with disappointment. Jiang Luoyu, noticing her disciple¡¯s demeanor, naturally understood what was on her mind. Back at Mingxin Sword Peak, Jiang Luoyu had glimpsed all of Xu Xue¡¯nuo¡¯s inner illusions, learning about that young boy named Xu Ming. Even Xue¡¯nuo breaking through her bottleneck was all because of that boy. ¡°Xue¡¯nuo, even if you help him establish artificial spiritual veins, it¡¯s futile. He will never step into the Cave Mansion Realm. His entire life, compared to yours, is but a fleeting spring and summer. You and he are destined to be as separate as immortals and mortals.¡± ¡ª To the west of the Tianxuan Sect stood two mountains, their peaks so close that they formed a narrow slit of sky between them. Beyond this Thread of Heaven was a sea of flowers, cradled between the mountains like a hidden paradise. Amid this sea of flowers stood an eight-year-old girl. In the span of two years, the roundness of her chin had begun to taper, hinting at the features of a young maiden. Her skin, even more snow-white and flawless than before, radiated a delicate, natural beauty that was impossible to fault. It was as if she possessed the most perfect skin under the heavens, untouched by any blemish. Compared to her childlike innocence at six, the girl now carried an ethereal air, as though she belonged to a realm beyond the mortal world. Her peach blossom eyes seemed capable of stirring ripples across existence with a mere glance. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Anyone who had seen her wouldn¡¯t doubt that this girl would someday ascend the List of Beauties. They only wondered what rank she might achieve when she grew older¡ªperhaps even unseating the woman who had held the top spot for five hundred years. The girl crouched down carefully, watering the flowers in the patch before her. This flower bed had been her own project. When she first arrived, she had begged her master for seeds to plant. The flowers, a vibrant crimson, were called Blood Toras. Every day, the girl would visit this patch after her cultivation, tending to the Blood Toras and wondering when they might bloom. An entire year passed, and still, the Blood Toras did not bloom. Frowning, the girl had tearfully asked her master, ¡°Did I plant them wrong? Why aren¡¯t they blooming?¡± Her master then revealed that Blood Toras only bloomed once every two years. Hearing this, the girl stood frozen in place for a long time before breaking into sobs. ¡°Two years for one bloom? Five blooms will take ten years! I¡¯ve not even been alive for ten years yet!¡± The girl missed home. She missed her mother, her sister Xue¡¯nuo, her brother Ming, and even the big white goose in his courtyard. But after coming to the sect and learning the truth about her unique constitution, the girl understood she could never return. If she went back, she would bring harm to her mother and brother Ming. Wiping away her tears, she continued caring for the flower bed. During her moments of rest, her favorite pastime was sitting quietly in front of the flower patch, lost in thought. ¡ª Another year passed. One day, the Blood Toras finally bloomed. Overjoyed, the girl exclaimed, ¡°Just four more times, and I can see Brother Ming again!¡± ¡°This is the first time in two years I¡¯ve seen you smile so happily,¡± a voice spoke. Wangxuan, her master, walked into the valley, stopping beside her. ¡°Master!¡± Qin Qingwan ran over to him with a bright smile. ¡°You seem to like Blood Toras a lot,¡± Wangxuan remarked, watching his disciple with a warm smile. ¡°Not really,¡± Qin Qingwan shook her head. ¡°But when the Blood Toras bloom four more times, I¡¯ll get to see Brother Ming again!¡± Wangxuan chuckled lightly. ¡°Eight years from now, you¡¯ll no longer look like a child. Do you think he¡¯ll recognize you?¡± ¡°What if he doesn¡¯t?¡± Qin Qingwan¡¯s peach blossom eyes curved into a crescent as she smiled. ¡°As long as I recognize him, that¡¯s enough.¡± Chapter 36 The Imperial Capital of Wu, Listening Heaven Hall. Apart from the absence of the Emperor, all officials were quietly standing in their designated positions. From time to time, they cast glances at the tall and upright man standing at the forefront. With his eyes closed and a ceremonial tablet in hand, the man stood motionless, resembling a pine tree rooted in the grand hall. This man was Xiao Mochi, a figure currently at the peak of his influence, admired by many yet also feared and attacked by countless officials. ¡°The Emperor has arrived¡ª¡± The sharp voice of a eunuch announced, as the Emperor of Wu, clad in his dragon robe, emerged. ¡°Your subjects greet Your Majesty,¡± the officials chorused, bowing respectfully. In Wu Kingdom, officials never knelt to the emperor, their gestures of respect limited to formal bows. ¡°Rise, my beloved subjects,¡± the Emperor said, raising a hand in a gesture of acknowledgement. ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty,¡± the officials responded in unison, straightening their postures. ¡°Do any of you have matters to report?¡± the Emperor asked with a genial smile. Though outwardly approachable, no one in the court believed the Emperor to be lenient. ¡°Your Majesty, I have a matter to report,¡± Xiao Mochi stepped forward, his voice resounding throughout the hall. ¡°Ah, Minister Xiao,¡± the Emperor addressed him, his warm demeanor concealing an undertone of gravity. ¡°Your Majesty, this humble servant petitions for a reform of our taxation laws,¡± Xiao Mochi declared without preamble, his words causing a visible stir among the officials. All eyes turned toward Xiao Mochi, then toward the Prime Minister, who stood at the forefront of the court. The Emperor, too, glanced at the Prime Minister, his smiling visage turning stern in an instant. ¡°Minister Xiao, do you realize the significance of what you¡¯re proposing?¡± ¡°I do,¡± Xiao Mochi replied, drawing a deep breath. ¡°Your Majesty, the current Two-Tax System was indeed effective in its early implementation, increasing fiscal revenues and, to some extent, alleviating the burden on the people. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, it has now devolved into a distorted mechanism. Greedy officials, beyond the fixed levies, fabricate additional taxes such as the ¡®framework tax¡¯ and ¡®extraneous surcharges,¡¯ extorting the populace and driving them to misery. Moreover, many officials, in pursuit of promotions and higher ranks, impose excessive levies beyond the regular taxes. The crushing weight of these arbitrary and exorbitant taxes has plunged the common people into despair. If we do not amend this system and allow it to continue unchecked, the consequences will be disastrous!¡± ¡°Absurd! It is precisely because of the Two-Tax System that our Wu Kingdom has achieved its current strength. How can it be as deplorable as the Chief Minister claims?¡± one official stood to object. Soon, another official stepped forward, echoing the sentiment: ¡°The Two-Tax System may have its flaws, but tell me, is there any taxation system that is flawless? Under the Two-Tax System, the Zuyongdiao system and miscellaneous levies were abolished. Taxes are based on household income and land acreage¡ªmoney for households, grain for land¡ªcalculated using land data from a century of reclamation. Commerce taxes are levied at one-thirtieth of income for itinerant merchants. Is this all suddenly useless?¡± ¡°Your Majesty! The laws established by our ancestors must not be abolished!¡± One official after another rose to refute Xiao Mochi. Xiao Mochi remained calm, as if he hadn¡¯t heard their objections, his composure as still as water. ¡°Silence!¡± the Emperor commanded, his voice stern. The officials immediately fell silent and lowered their heads. The Emperor turned his gaze to Xiao Mochi. ¡°Minister Xiao, you propose a reform¡ªdo you have a plan for such a reform?¡± Xiao Mochi raised his head and replied, ¡°Your Majesty, I do have some preliminary ideas. First, I propose merging tax and labor levies into a single collection. Taxes on land, labor duties, and other miscellaneous levies in various prefectures should be unified into a single monetary payment, calculated based on land acreage. Second, I propose abolishing the labor levy system. Instead of conscripting labor, the government should hire workers for public duties. Farmers would only need to pay monetary taxes. Third, I suggest simplifying the categories of taxation. Convert previous collections¡ªsuch as summer taxes, autumn levies, corv¨¦e duties, miscellaneous labor, and additional contributions¡ªinto a single consolidated monetary tax.¡± The collection and transportation of taxes and labor duties should shift from the current practice of ¡°collection and delivery by the people¡± to ¡°collection and delivery by the officials.¡± The primary purpose of this reform is to simplify the tax system, streamline tax collection, and make it harder for local officials to engage in corruption, thereby increasing state revenues. Hearing Xiao Mochi¡¯s proposal, many officials could no longer remain composed, their faces turning pale. This Xiao Mochi¡ªever since his entry into the court two years ago¡ªhad never ceased stirring the waters. If it wasn¡¯t military reform, it was the proposal to curtail the power of regional warlords. Previously, Xiao Mochi had even suggested that ¡°anyone, regardless of background, should be allowed to participate in the imperial examinations.¡± Had he forgotten the palace coup from 150 years ago? Now, Xiao Mochi was aiming to reform the tax system. It was clear to everyone that his actions directly infringed on their interests. Who among them did not own thousands, or even tens of thousands, of acres of land, overtly or covertly? If such a tax reform were implemented, how much tax would they have to pay? Sure enough, as soon as Xiao Mochi finished speaking, a series of officials stood up to denounce him. But Xiao Mochi was not without allies. The younger generation of officials, who had entered the bureaucracy more recently, immediately retorted in his defense. In an instant, the court devolved into chaos, with several officials on the verge of rolling up their sleeves and coming to blows. The military officials in court, however, found this spectacle highly amusing. Previously, they were the ones always clashing with the civil officials. Now, the civil officials were fighting among themselves. Ever since Xiao Mochi joined the court, the military officials had been thoroughly entertained by the ongoing drama. That being said, while they enjoyed the show, they couldn¡¯t help but admire Xiao Mochi. This scholar from the White Deer Academy was truly a bold figure. Unlike those pedantic bookworms entrenched in court, he was refreshingly different. Though admittedly, he was a bit too young and lacked sufficient experience. As the argument grew increasingly heated, the Emperor cast another glance at the Prime Minister, but the latter remained silent, seemingly lost in thought. ¡°That¡¯s enough, stop arguing,¡± the Emperor finally intervened, waving his hand as though fatigued. ¡°Minister Xiao, what you¡¯ve raised is a significant matter. I need time to consider it. For now, this issue is set aside. Draft a detailed proposal and submit it to me later.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± Xiao Mochi nodded in acknowledgment. Several officials looked visibly uncomfortable, silently lamenting to themselves. It was clear that the Emperor had been aware of Xiao Mochi¡¯s reform plans all along. He had merely allowed him to bring it up today to gauge their reactions. ¡°Is there any other matter to report?¡± the Emperor continued. The subsequent petitions were nothing out of the ordinary. However, the Minister of Rites stepped forward and said, ¡°Your Majesty, the Qi Kingdom¡¯s delegation is scheduled to arrive in Wu Kingdom next month. It is time to decide who will represent our nation in the reception.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± the Emperor mused for a moment. ¡°Let Minister Xiao handle this matter. Minister Xiao, select the personnel; the reception of the Qi Kingdom¡¯s delegation will be your responsibility.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± Xiao Mochi replied, bowing his head. The officials hesitated, wanting to object, but found themselves unable to. After all, Xiao Mochi was a scholar from the prestigious White Deer Academy. By comparison, they lacked the credentials to oppose him on this matter. Xiao Mochi then spoke, ¡°Your Majesty, I¡¯ve heard that the Qi Kingdom¡¯s delegation will include two exceptionally talented children. For the sake of propriety, our Wu Kingdom should reciprocate in kind. I believe we should also bring two youths of comparable talent to the reception.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± the Emperor¡¯s smile widened. ¡°Do you already have candidates in mind, Minister Xiao?¡± Xiao Mochi nodded. ¡°As it happens, I do.¡± Chapter 37 By the lakeside in spring, there was a small courtyard. An elderly gentleman had rolled up his sleeves and was brewing tea. The fragrant aroma wafted through the yard. Not far away, a small cat lay lazily atop the courtyard wall. It yawned, stretched, and then rested its head on its paws, drifting back to sleep. Before the old man sat a young man. Having finished his morning court session, he had already changed out of his official robes into casual attire. ¡°What did those people in court have to say?¡± the old man asked. The young man smiled wryly. ¡°What else could they say? They act as if it¡¯s costing them their lives.¡± ¡°And His Majesty?¡± The old man picked up the teapot and poured him a cup of tea. The young man quickly received it with both hands. ¡°The matter of reform will be discussed later,¡± Xiao Mochi said slowly. ¡°Mm.¡± The old man nodded. ¡°That¡¯s only to be expected. After 250 years since its founding, Wu Kingdom¡¯s powerful families and officials are so deeply intertwined, it¡¯s hard to tell where one ends and the other begins. Your reform efforts¡­¡± The old man raised his head, his sharp, hawk-like eyes seeming to pierce through to the young man¡¯s soul. ¡°You¡¯re too hasty.¡± Xiao Mochi gently blew on the tea to cool it before taking a sip. ¡°I have no choice but to be hasty,¡± he said. Placing the teacup down, he looked directly into the old man¡¯s eyes. ¡°Master Zhang, Wu Kingdom¡¯s position is dire. The Demon Kingdom, the Northern Barbarians, the Western Magic Sect, the Eastern Qi Kingdom¡ªnone of them are easy opponents. Wu Kingdom has been rotting from within for too long. To cure the illness, we must use strong medicine!¡± The old man took a sip of tea. ¡°But strong medicine may kill the patient.¡± Xiao Mochi lowered his head in silence. The old man sighed and shook his head. ¡°What you¡¯re saying isn¡¯t the real reason. That old scholar from White Deer Academy¡ªwhat exactly did he see?¡± Xiao Mochi caressed the tea cup in his hands without answering. The old man didn¡¯t press further and continued to pour tea at his own pace. ¡°The Great Era is coming,¡± Xiao Mochi finally said after a long pause. The old man¡¯s hand, gripping the teapot, froze for a moment before nodding. ¡°I see.¡± ¡°The last Great Era was 10,000 years ago. The world descended into chaos, and countless lives were lost. Humanity fought back and drove the demon race to the Southern Realm, establishing dominance over these lands. A thousand years of evolution followed, shaping the current order. But do you think the demons of the Southern Realm would simply accept their fate? They¡¯ve never stopped dreaming of reclaiming their former glory, of making humans their slaves once again. Now, as the Great Era approaches, spiritual energy is growing denser, and geniuses will rise in droves. No one can remain untouched. No one can afford not to fight. And with Wu Kingdom bordering the myriad demon kingdoms of the Southern Realm, we will bear the brunt of the conflict. And that¡¯s not even considering the infighting among humans. Do you think the various human dynasties and cultivation sects will coexist peacefully? Each of them schemes and vies for power. For Wu Kingdom to survive, reform is imperative.¡± The old man shook his head. ¡°But you¡¯re taking on too much. Wu Kingdom¡¯s survival doesn¡¯t mean the court nobles won¡¯t survive. If you make it impossible for them to live comfortably, they won¡¯t let you live at all.¡± Xiao Mochi replied resolutely, ¡°I can only strive to give my all, even unto death.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± The old man sighed helplessly. ¡°Too hasty, too direct. Haste leads to error, and rigidity leads to ruin.¡± ¡°Enough.¡± The old man waved his hand. ¡°I still want to live a few more years. Don¡¯t drag this old man into state affairs.¡± Xiao Mochi remained silent and said no more. Confucian scholars cultivated ¡°Righteous Energy,¡± and like ordinary cultivators, their path consisted of 15 realms divided into upper, middle, and lower tiers. If a Confucian scholar chose not to enter the court, their lifespan would rival that of typical Qi cultivators¡ªlong and enduring. If a Confucian scholar enters the court, due to the influence of the nation¡¯s destiny, the flow of their life essence matches that of an ordinary person for every day they serve. For instance, if someone¡¯s lifespan is 100 years, then a scholar in the Immortal Realm serving in the court for 30 years would lose 30% of their life essence. For an ordinary person, 30 years is simply 30 years. But for an Immortal Realm scholar, whose lifespan might span 10,000 years, those 30 years are equivalent to 3,000. Lifespan is immensely precious to cultivators. Perhaps a mere 100 extra years could allow them to break through to the next realm, let alone 3,000 years. This is why many scholars prefer to avoid court politics, choosing instead to immerse themselves in scholarly pursuits. Yet, even so, many Confucian scholars still choose to step into the court, driven by a sense of duty. Most, however, limit their service to around 20 years before stepping away. But this old gentleman had served in the court for a full 50 years. Xiao Mochi knew that if he said too much and drew the old gentleman too deeply into matters, it would affect his chances of enjoying his later years in peace. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°When is Qi Kingdom¡¯s delegation arriving?¡± the old man asked. ¡°In a month,¡± Xiao Mochi replied. ¡°Specifically, in 32 days.¡± ¡°And have you decided on your people for the occasion?¡± the old man asked again. ¡°I have,¡± Xiao Mochi nodded. ¡°In fact, one of the reasons I came today is to borrow two people from you.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± The old man chuckled. ¡°What people do I have here for you to borrow?¡± ¡°You do.¡± Xiao Mochi smiled as well. Now that the conversation had shifted away from court matters, the atmosphere became noticeably lighter. The old man thought for a moment. ¡°Those two youngsters?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Xiao Mochi confirmed. ¡°But one of them is an illegitimate son,¡± the old man pointed out. ¡°This Wu Kingdom is like a cage,¡± Xiao Mochi said. ¡°Something needs to shatter it.¡± The old man closed his eyes, pondering deeply before shaking his head. ¡°This doesn¡¯t seem appropriate.¡± Xiao Mochi smiled faintly. ¡°Master Zhang, if everything were appropriate, the Wu Kingdom wouldn¡¯t be in its current state.¡± ¡ª Qi Kingdom, Yunyi Marquis Manor. In a quiet study, a nine-year-old girl was engrossed in flipping through books of poetry. Her face was as fair as jade, and her bright eyes sparkled like stars, filled with curiosity and intelligence. Her jet-black hair was tied into two playful buns adorned with soft pink ribbons that swayed gently as she moved. Her attire was simple yet elegant¡ªa light pink robe with intricately embroidered lotus flowers on the hem and a green sash tied around her waist, adding a touch of liveliness to her graceful demeanor. Her slender hands cradled the books carefully, as if afraid to tarnish the precious words within. Whenever she came across something particularly delightful, she would let out a soft, clear laugh, her voice crisp and melodious, like a mountain stream tinkling over stones. ¡°Ci¡¯er.¡± A soft voice called from nearby as a young woman, no older than her twenties, stepped into the room. ¡°Mother.¡± Zhu Cici hopped off her chair, her movements graceful and light, like a lotus flower dancing on water. The dignified and elegant woman knelt slightly to meet her daughter¡¯s gaze, smiling warmly. ¡°Ci¡¯er, a month from now, how about going on a trip with Mother?¡± Chapter 38 After Xu Xiaopang achieved the top rank in the provincial examination (Tongshi), the Xu and Qin families had been immersed in joy and celebration. Yet, before they had even fully savored this delight, another piece of good news arrived: Xu Xiaopang had been selected as one of Wu Kingdom¡¯s diplomatic envoys to receive the delegation from Qi Kingdom. The other chosen envoy was the 14-year-old son of the Minister of Rites, a prodigy who had passed the imperial examination (Juren) at the age of 13, making a name for himself in the capital at the time. The Qi Kingdom¡¯s delegation¡¯s visit to Wu Kingdom was a major event, and Xu Xiaopang¡¯s selection as part of the reception team was a significant honor. This achievement would bring great benefits to his future career in the court. Most importantly, the finalized list of envoys would surely pass before the emperor¡¯s eyes, and the name ¡°Xu Pangda¡± would make its way into the imperial view. ¡ª It was on this very day that Xiao Mochi personally visited the Xu residence. For the Xu and Qin families, their feelings about this man¡ªcurrently the most talked-about figure in court¡ªwere complicated. On the one hand, forming ties with Xiao Mochi, a prominent figure close to the emperor, was undoubtedly beneficial. On the other hand, Xiao Mochi had stirred up massive waves with his reform agenda, and the families feared being labeled as part of the ¡°Reformist Faction,¡± thus incurring the ire of the conservatives. In truth, both the Xu and Qin families were staunch conservatives and opposed Xiao Mochi¡¯s reforms. Fortunately, Xiao Mochi¡¯s visit was officially under the pretense of ¡°visiting Xu Pangda.¡± As Xu Pangda was both the provincial examination¡¯s top scorer and a member of the diplomatic envoy, Xiao Mochi coming to check on him and gather information was entirely reasonable. Nevertheless, the two families refrained from publicizing the visit, dared not host a banquet, and even preferred that others remain unaware of Xiao Mochi¡¯s presence at the Xu residence. They couldn¡¯t very well turn him away, so they simply let him visit, treating it as if they didn¡¯t see him. Even when Xiao Mochi entered the rear courtyard of the Xu residence, they paid him no mind. Xiao Mochi was famously principled, and everyone trusted his character implicitly. The Xu family adopted a hands-off attitude: if Xiao Mochi claimed to be ¡°visiting Pangda,¡± he could go wherever he liked within the residence, and they would pretend not to notice. ¡ª However, Xiao Mochi did not visit Lady Wang¡¯s courtyard but instead made his way to Xiaochun Courtyard. ¡°May I trouble Miss Goose to inform him that Xiao Mochi is here to visit? I have some business with Young Friend Xu Ming,¡± Xiao Mochi said, bowing respectfully at the tightly closed gates of Xiaochun Courtyard. By the gates, Tianxuan Goose was in the middle of practicing deep squats. At the greeting, the goose honked twice. ¡°Honk (That rascal Xu Ming¡¯s here. Madam Chen isn¡¯t. Just go in yourself.)¡± ¡°Then I shall intrude.¡± Xiao Mochi pushed the gate open and entered the courtyard. The first thing he saw was Xu Ming practicing martial arts in the yard. The movements were vaguely familiar to Xiao Mochi. They seemed to be from the Heaven-Splitting Fist technique used by the Wang family¡¯s Censor-General. Xu Ming¡¯s mastery was remarkable. The courtyard was filled with the strong presence of martial energy, a hallmark of a true warrior. Judging by the aura Xu Ming exuded, Xiao Mochi could sense that he was on the verge of breaking through to the Wooden Fetus Realm in martial cultivation. Deeply engrossed in his practice, Xu Ming had not noticed anyone entering the courtyard. Only when he finished his routine, exhaled deeply, and withdrew his martial aura did the sound of applause ring out from the direction of the gate. Xu Ming turned, startled to see who it was. ¡°Mr. Xiao?¡± ¡°It has been two years, Young Friend Xu,¡± Xiao Mochi said, bowing politely. Xu Ming quickly returned the gesture, bowing in response. ¡°Student greets Mr. Xiao.¡± ¡°Please, sir, have a seat. I¡¯ll prepare tea for you.¡± Xu Ming straightened up and moved to play host. Xiao Mochi shook his head and got straight to the point: ¡°Young friend, there¡¯s no need for such formalities. I came today because there¡¯s something I¡¯d like to discuss with you.¡± ¡°With me?¡± Xu Ming was puzzled. What could Mister Xiao possibly have to discuss with someone like him? ¡°Yes,¡± Xiao Mochi confirmed, nodding as he stepped closer. ¡°Before long, the Qi Kingdom delegation will arrive in Wu Kingdom. Among their group are two prodigies, one of whom is born with an innate Literary Aura. If their delegation challenges our young scholars to a contest of wit and talent, I¡¯m afraid Pangda and the others might lose badly. Your mentor at Qingshui Academy, Zhang Laoshi, said that if all the young scholars in the land were to take the same exam, you would undoubtedly claim the top spot. Therefore, I hope you can join Wu Kingdom¡¯s diplomatic team for this occasion.¡± Xu Ming blinked. ¡°But sir, I am a shuzi (illegitimate son).¡± In Wu Kingdom, illegitimate children were rarely allowed to step into the limelight. ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Xiao Mochi acknowledged with a small nod. ¡°And for that reason, I can only ask you to participate as a companion scholar, akin to a bookboy. Should Pangda and the others face difficulty, I hope you can step in to assist. Are you practicing martial arts, Xu Ming? If you agree to help, I can provide you with a Blood Spirit Fruit, which will aid your body refinement.¡± Xu Ming fell silent. He knew about the Blood Spirit Fruit. He had once consulted Lady Wang about body refinement for martial practitioners. When warriors reach the Mercury Realm, they must undergo body refinement. Every top-tier martial sect has its own refinement methods, but one universal element is the use of the Blood Spirit Fruit as the primary ingredient. The fruit wasn¡¯t entirely priceless but was undoubtedly expensive. Even for the Xu family, obtaining one required significant resources. Even if they could acquire it, they would never give it to Xu Ming. ¡°Mister Xiao, I am deeply honored by your trust. I shall give it a try,¡± Xu Ming replied after a moment¡¯s thought. ¡°Thank you,¡± Xiao Mochi said, bowing deeply. Seeing Xiao Mochi bow at a full ninety degrees, Xu Ming was startled and hurriedly returned the gesture with the same depth. ¡°Mister Xiao, you¡¯re far too polite.¡± Straightening up, Xiao Mochi looked at Xu Ming with a gentle smile. ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll be counting on you. Five days from now, you¡¯ll join Pangda to begin learning Wu Kingdom¡¯s protocols for hosting foreign guests at the Imperial Academy. I will come to pick you up then.¡± ¡°Thank you for the trouble, sir,¡± Xu Ming said with a nod, expressing no objections. Xiao Mochi gave Xu Ming a long, searching look but said nothing more. After exchanging a few pleasantries, he turned and left. Watching Xiao Mochi¡¯s retreating figure, Xu Ming recalled the deep bow from earlier. For some reason, it felt as though Xiao Mochi carried a hint of guilt toward him. ¡°Maybe I¡¯m overthinking it,¡± Xu Ming muttered, shaking his head. He turned back to resume his martial practice. In any case, he now had the main ingredient for his body refinement in the Mercury Realm. As for the supplementary ingredients¡ªwhile they weren¡¯t cheap, they were within reach. If necessary, he could borrow some funds from Lady Wang and repay her later. ¡ª Leaving the Xu residence, Xiao Mochi stood at the gates, gazing back toward Xiaochun Courtyard. He stared for a long moment before letting out a heavy sigh, shaking his head repeatedly. His eyes were filled with guilt and self-reproach. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Xiao Mochi, Xiao Mochi¡­ To drag a child into this game¡ªhow could you bring yourself to do such a thing?¡± Chapter 39 A few days later, the official list of those responsible for receiving the Qi Kingdom delegation was finalized. Xu Ming¡¯s name was not on the list. However, Xu Pangda, along with the son of the Minister of Rites, was allowed to bring a study attendant each. Having someone familiar around would help ease any nerves. Xu Ming would accompany Xu Pangda as his attendant. As for who the attendants brought by Xu Pangda and the Minister¡¯s son were, no one particularly cared. On the day the list was announced, Xu Pangda and Xu Ming headed together to the Hanlin Academy to learn etiquette. They would need to pass an assessment after their training, and only those deemed qualified could proceed. In Wu Kingdom, which prided itself on martial strength, etiquette tended to be simpler and less intricate. Thus, Xu Ming found the learning process rather easy and passed the academy¡¯s assessment with ease. During this period of studying etiquette, Xu Ming also gained something valuable: a noticeable refinement in his demeanor. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Time passed quickly, and in just over twenty days, the Qi Kingdom delegation arrived at Wu Kingdom¡¯s capital. On the main street of the royal city, the residents of Wu Kingdom curiously gathered to catch a glimpse of this thousand-year-old dynasty¡¯s delegation. Inside one of the carriages in the middle of the procession, a young girl quietly lifted a corner of the curtain. Her large, sparkling eyes blinked as she took in the sights of the foreign capital. For her, this was her first trip abroad. She observed that the attire of Wu Kingdom¡¯s people wasn¡¯t all that different from her own Qi Kingdom¡¯s. The only distinction seemed to be that the people of Wu Kingdom appeared taller, stronger, and most of the men carried blades at their waists. The young girl let the curtain fall back into place and turned to her mother. ¡°Mother, why do so many people in Wu Kingdom carry swords?¡± Lady Zhu gently stroked her daughter¡¯s head. ¡°Because Wu Kingdom esteems martial prowess, and it¡¯s their ancestral tradition that every household¡¯s sons must learn martial arts.¡± ¡°Oh!¡± Zhu Cici nodded earnestly. ¡°I see now. So, this is what the books meant by ¡®a fierce and robust people.''¡± Lady Zhu paused for a moment, then smiled and nodded. ¡°Yes, you could understand it that way.¡± Roughly half an hour later, the Qi Kingdom delegation gradually came to a stop. The welcoming delegation from Wu Kingdom was already waiting at Sifang Pavilion. As the name suggests, Sifang Pavilion was a venue built by Wu Kingdom to host guests from all corners of the world. Outside the pavilion, the Wu Kingdom¡¯s welcoming delegation was assembled in full. Xu Ming stood among them, observing the Qi Kingdom¡¯s procession. The Qi Kingdom¡¯s convoy was highly organized, with ten carriages in total, each drawn by black qilin beasts. These black qilins were national treasures of Qi Kingdom¡ªjet black in color and resembling true qilins in appearance, though they couldn¡¯t compare in terms of combat prowess. However, they were capable of traveling a thousand miles a day without fatigue and were known for their gentle temperament. Crack! Crack! Crack! Firecrackers exploded in front of Sifang Pavilion, and two rows of heavily armored soldiers, members of the infamous Blood Pagoda, pounded the ground rhythmically with their halberds. The sound was heavy and orderly, exuding a menacing aura. As the firecrackers faded, the Blood Pagoda ceased their pounding. Xiao Mochi stepped forward and bowed courteously to the delegation. ¡°Honored guests, you have traveled far to be here. I, Mochi, extend my apologies for any lack of hospitality.¡± Members of the Qi Kingdom delegation began disembarking from their carriages one by one. Xu Ming¡¯s attention was immediately drawn to two young children in the group. These were likely the renowned prodigies of the Qi Kingdom. One of them, a boy about the same age as the Minister of Rites¡¯ son Zhou Liu¡ªaround thirteen or fourteen¡ªcarried himself with a haughty demeanor. Despite his youth, he exuded an air of arrogance, as if declaring that ¡°everyone else is beneath me.¡± The other was a young girl dressed in a pink ruqun (traditional dress). Her bangs curled delicately over her forehead, and her almond-shaped eyes sparkled with curiosity. Her oval-shaped face was adorable, her nose dainty, and her lips the color of vermilion¡ªa classic beauty with an intelligent, lively charm that was unmistakable even at a glance. At the head of the delegation, an elderly man stepped forward, his face adorned with a gentle smile as he returned Xiao Mochi¡¯s bow. ¡°Lord Xiao, there¡¯s no need to apologize. With such a grand reception from your kingdom, we are the ones who feel overwhelmed by your generosity.¡± ¡°Master Fang, please don¡¯t say that,¡± Xiao Mochi quickly stepped forward to help the elder to his feet. ¡°You are a scholar whose works are renowned across the world, a role model for all of us who study literature. No level of courtesy could ever be considered excessive.¡± ¡°Haha, Lord Xiao, you flatter me,¡± Fang Jingchun chuckled, clearly enjoying Xiao Mochi¡¯s praise. Xiao Mochi continued, ¡°We¡¯ve prepared a humble meal to welcome you all and wash away the fatigue of your journey. I hope you won¡¯t find it too plain.¡± ¡°Not at all, not at all,¡± Fang Jingchun replied with a smile. ¡°In fact, this old man is quite hungry.¡± ¡°Please, come inside,¡± Xiao Mochi said, stepping aside to lead the way. The lunch that followed was a simple affair. It consisted mainly of casual chatter among the adults and mutual exchanges of compliments. However, Xu Ming could distinctly sense something beneath the surface. Despite their polite demeanor, many among the Qi Kingdom delegation carried an air of arrogance and superiority. This reminded Xu Ming of something his mentor at the Hanlin Academy (When he was studying etiquettes), Teacher Xiao, had once said: ¡°We see the Northern Wastelands as barbarians; the Qi Kingdom views us in much the same way.¡± After lunch, the Qi Kingdom delegation retired to rest. Xu Ming, along with Xu Pangda, returned home, as there was to be a banquet that evening. Once home, Xu Pangda was visibly tense. It was highly likely that there would be a literary contest during the evening banquet, and he needed to prepare. However, much like a knowledge quiz, last-minute cramming was unlikely to yield any meaningful results¡ªit was more of a psychological comfort than anything else. While much of the capital was abuzz with discussion about the Qi Kingdom delegation, in a secluded courtyard in the eastern part of the city, a man was lounging under the sun. At his feet lay four dogs. Each stood about three feet seven inches tall and looked utterly lazy, their postures exuding an air of indifference. As the man dozed off, a woman dressed in a black robe strode into the courtyard without even bothering to knock. The man slowly opened his eyes and said, ¡°In the Wu Kingdom, trespassing is punishable by law.¡± The black-robed woman rolled her eyes at him. ¡°What? You going to report me to the authorities?¡± The man shook his head, visibly annoyed. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± the woman replied impatiently. ¡°Have you found the princess?¡± ¡°No,¡± the man answered bluntly. ¡°Maybe she¡¯s not even in the city.¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± The woman let out a cold laugh. ¡°The Prime Minister says to stop looking for now. He¡¯ll send someone else to handle it.¡± ¡°So, can I go back now?¡± the man asked, a trace of delight in his voice. ¡°Honestly, I can¡¯t stand human food¡ªthe seasoning is just too overwhelming.¡± ¡°There¡¯s something else you need to do first. After that, you can leave.¡± ¡°And what¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Kill someone.¡± ¡°Who? The Emperor of Wu? Forget it, I can¡¯t beat him,¡± the man replied, shaking his head. ¡°Not him,¡± the woman said. ¡°Xiao Mochi, then? That¡¯s tricky too. That scholar is in a good position, and his cultivation level isn¡¯t low. I¡¯d need to plan carefully and lure him out of the capital first.¡± ¡°Not him either,¡± the woman replied. ¡°Then who?¡± the man asked. ¡°A child.¡± Chapter 40 ¡°Fifth Brother, it¡¯s time for us to leave. Fifth Brother!¡± In the evening, Xu Pangda came to Xiaochun Courtyard to fetch Xu Ming. ¡°Coming,¡± Xu Ming replied. After informing his mother, he stepped out of the courtyard. Outside the Xu residence, a carriage had already been prepared to take them. Inside the carriage, Xu Pangda sat with a copy of the Analects of Confucius in his hands, looking visibly tense. ¡°Third Brother, there¡¯s no need to be so nervous,¡± Xu Ming said. ¡°With so little time, there¡¯s not much you can read anyway.¡± Xu Pangda scratched his head. ¡°You¡¯re not wrong, but I just feel that if I can read a little more, I might make up for the gap between us and them.¡± Xu Ming shook his head. ¡°Reading now will only throw you off balance. Trust yourself, Third Brother¡ªjust do your best.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Xu Pangda nodded, always quick to heed Xu Ming¡¯s advice. But after a moment, Xu Pangda glanced at Xu Ming and couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Fifth Brother, what do you think someone born with a literary aura is like? Could they really be the reincarnation of a star of literature?¡± ¡°Who knows?¡± Xu Ming replied with a shrug. He was also curious to see what this so-called ¡°innate literary aura¡± would look like. Before long, the carriage came to a halt, and under the guidance of attendants, Xu Pangda and Xu Ming entered the Sifang Pavilion. The evening banquet was not a formal seated meal but one where everyone sat on the floor with a small table placed in front of each guest. According to custom, the host had to arrive at the Sifang Pavilion first and then formally invite the guests to join them. When Xu Ming and Xu Pangda arrived, the Wu delegation was already gathered. The attendants were sent to invite the Qi Kingdom delegation to join them. Within half an incense stick¡¯s time, the Qi delegation, already prepared, began to take their seats one by one. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Dishes were brought out by maids and placed before each guest. As a study attendant, Xu Ming was not qualified to sit at the table. Instead, he sat at Xu Pangda¡¯s side. Looking at the sumptuous spread before him, Xu Pangda couldn¡¯t help but salivate. However, knowing that Xu Ming couldn¡¯t eat, Xu Pangda felt it inappropriate to start eating either, so he refrained. During the banquet, the adults conversed about poetry, literary anecdotes, and praised one another¡¯s essays while eating. As the meal progressed, dancers took the stage to liven the atmosphere. The dancers were indeed mesmerizing. Xu Ming couldn¡¯t help but think they were far better than the online short videos of dance performances he had seen in his previous life. After the performance, the conversation turned to future collaborations between Wu and Qi Kingdoms. They discussed sending Wu students to study in Qi, fostering exchange programs between academies, and other ideas for academic and cultural cooperation. When the conversation began to dry up, a scholar from Qi Kingdom suggested playing the Flower Linking Game. The rules of the game were simple yet refined: a starting line of poetry would be selected, containing a specific word or phrase. Each participant, in turn, would recite a line of poetry containing that word or phrase. The line could be part of a longer poem or a standalone verse. The game continued until someone could no longer come up with a suitable line. The person unable to provide a response would lose and be penalized by drinking a cup of wine. Though it was a mere game, elegant and intellectual, everyone present represented their country¡¯s honor and naturally did not want to lose. As the game began, Xu Ming noticed that, aside from Xiao Mochi, the Wu scholars were quickly losing ground. One by one, they were forced to drink cup after cup of wine, their faces growing red¡ªnot just from the alcohol but also from anger and embarrassment. The most infuriating moment came when a scholar from Qi Kingdom, upon his turn, remarked, ¡°I seem to be a bit thirsty. I¡¯ll first drink a cup as self-punishment,¡± before downing the wine in one go and then calmly reciting his line of poetry. His mockery left the Wu scholars utterly humiliated. But the scholars of Wu Kingdom couldn¡¯t afford to lose their temper. Showing anger would only worsen their humiliation. On the Qi delegation¡¯s side, the atmosphere was lighthearted and filled with laughter, while on Wu¡¯s side, everyone seemed on the verge of boiling over. Xu Ming felt as though he could hear an alarm blaring in his head: ¡°Warning. Warning.¡± Seated at the head of the Qi delegation, the elderly Fang Jingchun sipped his wine with a calm demeanor. Yet, he felt something was amiss, though he couldn¡¯t quite put his finger on it. Glancing at Xiao Mochi beside him, Fang Jingchun found the latter meeting his gaze with a faint smile and a small nod, as if to reassure him. Fang Jingchun then looked over at the Wu scholars. Many of them, either consciously or subconsciously, were directing their attention toward a particular spot. In that direction sat a slightly chubby young man, Xu Pangda, the top-ranked student in the most recent child scholars¡¯ exam in the Wu capital. Beside him sat a bookboy. But who would bother paying attention to a bookboy? ¡ª Meanwhile, in the Yangxin Palace, Grand Eunuch Wei hurriedly entered, kneeling beside Emperor Wu. Consort Hua, dressed in a sheer nightgown, was delicately brewing tea for the emperor. ¡°How is the banquet proceeding?¡± Emperor Wu asked calmly. He had been awaiting updates ever since the evening banquet began. ¡°Your Majesty, the Qi delegation seems to be engaging with our representatives quite happily. However¡­¡± Eunuch Wei hesitated, his expression troubled. ¡°Spare me the suspense,¡± the emperor said, lifting his teacup and taking a sip. ¡°Your Majesty, this is a report from the Tingfeng Pavilion,¡± Eunuch Wei replied, quickly presenting the document. The emperor unfolded the report and began reading. It detailed the events of the banquet thus far. The deeper he read, the tighter his brows furrowed. Noticing the shift in the emperor¡¯s mood, Consort Hua grew visibly anxious, afraid she might inadvertently become a target of his displeasure. When he finished reading, Emperor Wu let out a faint chuckle. ¡°Among the Qi delegation, aside from Fang Jingchun and those two prodigies, the rest are relatively obscure figures. None of the truly elite young scholars from Qi¡¯s literary circles have come. ¡°And yet, the young talents Xiao Mochi brought¡ªeach among the most renowned of Wu¡¯s rising generation¡ªare being humiliated to the point of drinking themselves under the table. ¡°Wei Xun, you served under the late emperor and have been by my side for ten years. What do you make of this?¡± Grand Eunuch Wei, sweating profusely, carefully formulated his response: ¡°Your Majesty, something¡­ something doesn¡¯t seem quite right. Even if Wu Kingdom¡¯s literary scene cannot match Qi¡¯s upper echelons, against this group, our scholars should not be faring so poorly.¡± ¡°It¡¯s more than just ¡®not quite right,''¡± Emperor Wu said, rubbing his temples. ¡°What exactly is Xiao Mochi playing at behind my back?¡± Suddenly, as if a thought struck him, the emperor¡¯s gaze sharpened. ¡°Wei Xun, at tonight¡¯s banquet, Xu Pangda and the son of the Minister of Rites both brought bookboys, didn¡¯t they?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± Wei Xun replied, his eyes lighting up as he caught on to the emperor¡¯s implication. ¡°I will immediately verify whether Xu Ming was present at the banquet!¡± Wei Xun scrambled out of the Yangxin Palace, practically tripping over himself in his haste. As the doors swung shut, Emperor Wu sat in silence for a long moment before finally letting out a low chuckle. ¡°Xiao Mochi¡­ Xiao Mochi¡­ you sly fox!¡± Chapter 41 At the banquet, the literary contest between both sides was already leaning towards one-sided dominance. However, seated at the head of the table, Xiao Mochi still appeared calm and composed. The old gentleman from Qi State, named Fang Jingchun, had the distinct feeling that he was being used. It seemed as though the other party had set up a trap, and he had unwittingly walked right into it. Yet what exactly this trap was, Fang Jingchun couldn¡¯t figure out, let alone discern its purpose. ¡°Matching verses using others¡¯ poetry will always lack originality and significance,¡± Xiao Mochi said, just as the atmosphere at the banquet grew increasingly lively. ¡°How about this instead? Today is an excellent occasion¡ªwhy don¡¯t we create some poems of our own? If we produce a masterpiece worthy of being passed down through the ages, tonight¡¯s banquet will truly become a cherished story. But I do have one requirement.¡± As he spoke, Xiao Mochi clapped his hands. A few maids stepped forward, placing wooden plaques, brushes, and ink in front of each person. ¡°My requirement,¡± Xiao Mochi continued with a smile, ¡°is that the poem must include the name of someone from the opposing side.¡± He gestured to the wooden plaques. ¡°Please write your own names on these plaques so that everyone may compose accordingly.¡± ¡°Interesting,¡± Fang Jingchun said with a chuckle, stroking his beard. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll go first.¡± Fang Jingchun took the lead and wrote his name on the wooden plaque. Although he still didn¡¯t understand Xiao Mochi¡¯s intentions, he couldn¡¯t imagine that any real harm could come to them. Qi State and Wu State didn¡¯t exactly have a close relationship, but for now, they were allies. Under such circumstances, it was Wu State that would be most worried about their safety, and it was Wu State that would want to ensure their protection the most. He was determined to see what kind of trick Xiao Mochi could possibly play. Seeing Fang Jingchun take the lead, the others naturally had no objections and followed suit, writing down their names. ¡°To create poetry using the names of others.¡± This rule was, in fact, very clever. By doing this, even if one side crafted something remarkable, since it featured the opponent¡¯s name, it would also, in a way, help elevate the opponent¡¯s reputation¡ªa mutually beneficial outcome. Thus, regardless of who performed better, there would be no awkwardness or risk of someone becoming too humiliated by an obvious disparity. Though it was just a small rule, many people had already begun to look at this scholar named Xiao Mochi with newfound respect. A small detail revealed his brilliance¡ªXiao Mochi, a product of the prestigious White Deer Academy, was truly exceptional. It was worth remembering that the Emperor himself had once tried to invite Xiao Mochi to Qi State. On the other side of the banquet, Xu Xiaopang quietly wrote his name down, his hand still trembling. During the earlier poetry relay, Xu Xiaopang had stumbled several times due to nerves, often failing to recall a line of poetry. Each time, it was Xu Ming who discreetly whispered reminders to him. Otherwise, Xiaopang would have been forced to drink on several occasions. In truth, it was no small feat for Xu Ming either. The poetry in this world was unfamiliar to him, and the verses he remembered from the ¡°Blue Planet¡± couldn¡¯t be used in this setting. So Xu Ming had to search his mind for verses he had learned over the past few years in the academy. Fortunately, over these years, Xu Ming had read extensively to improve various skills and attributes. Once everyone had finished writing their names, they placed the wooden plaques upright in front of them. ¡°Who would like to begin?¡± Xiao Mochi swept his gaze across the room. ¡°When I studied at the White Deer Academy, I was fortunate enough to receive three of my teacher¡¯s calligraphy paintings. If you don¡¯t mind, I would like to offer them as rewards.¡± Hearing Xiao Mochi¡¯s words, the already enthusiastic crowd became even more eager. Everyone knew who Xiao Mochi¡¯s teacher was during his time at the White Deer Academy¡ªthat master¡¯s calligraphy and paintings were famous across the world and priceless. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. For other cultivators, such works were little more than collectibles. However, for scholars, the calligraphy and paintings of that master provided significant support in their studies, making them invaluable treasures for cultivation. ¡°In that case, I will humbly make the first attempt, though it may be unworthy,¡± said a Qi envoy named Wang Huan, standing up and bowing respectfully to Xiao Mochi. ¡°Please,¡± Xiao Mochi gestured politely. Wang Huan stood, glanced at the names on the wooden plaques in front of the Wu delegation, and selected one. After a brief pause, he recited his poem: ¡°Past years¡¯ stories drift with the wind, New lotuses at Southport bloom in sunlight. Frost paints the forest, red leaves fall, Moonlight on clear streams brings white dew tonight. Where do wild geese above the clouds return? Autumn¡¯s beauty at the horizon fills my sight. A song of joy¡ªwho shares my drunken tune? Endless longing carved into poems I write.¡± ¡°Excellent!¡± As Wang Huan finished, a wave of applause erupted across the banquet. Many from the Wu delegation turned to look at a man named Chen Nanshuang, who smiled helplessly, stood up, and bowed toward Wang Huan. ¡°Your talent is admirable, Brother Wang. I am in awe.¡± ¡°You flatter me,¡± Wang Huan replied humbly. ¡°Nanshuang, since Brother Wang has written a poem for you, shouldn¡¯t you return the favor?¡± Xiao Mochi said with a playful smile. Chen Nanshuang closed his eyes for a moment in contemplation. After gathering his thoughts, he slowly began: ¡°The Wang family¡¯s grace flows from heaven¡¯s hand, Songs and laughter fill the joyful halls. Mountains and rivers stretch, woven grand, Sun and moon shine bright across the vast skies¡¯ walls. Jade trees and crystal towers¡ªimmortal land, Golden goblets of fine wine, the heart enthralls. Life¡¯s pleasures come; rejoice while you can, Do not waste such moments when beauty calls.¡± ¡°Wonderful!¡± As Chen Nanshuang¡¯s words fell, cheers resounded from the Wu delegation. Seated at the head, Fang Jingchun nodded in approval, already developing a measure of appreciation for the young man named Chen Nanshuang. However, while Chen Nanshuang was clearly talented, Wang Huan¡¯s poem had the upper hand. The first poem focused more on emotional expression and imagery, evoking a deep and tranquil atmosphere. In contrast, the second poem emphasized a clear theme and lively emotions, creating a grand and celebratory tone. That said, the difficulty differed as well¡ª¡±Chen Nanshuang¡± was certainly a more challenging name to work into a poem compared to ¡°Wang Huan.¡± Even so, the first poem excelled in structure, word choice, and phrasing. In particular, Wang Huan¡¯s closing couplet¡ª¡±A song of joy¡ªwho shares my drunken tune? Endless longing carved into poems I write¡±¡ªbeautifully combined music and poetic sentiment. Who could join him in drunken joy? His unending longing could only be expressed through verse. ¡°Thank you, Brother Chen, for your poem,¡± Wang Huan said with a bow. Following this poetic exchange, the atmosphere between Qi and Wu improved noticeably, though it was clear that the Wu side still felt a little unsettled. After all, anyone could see that the Wu delegation had lost this round. As the two sat down, conversation and laughter resumed, and several more people stood up to compose poems. However, the Wu delegation continued to fall slightly short each time. ¡°Strange, very strange,¡± Fang Jingchun thought. While the atmosphere at the banquet grew increasingly harmonious, Fang Jingchun felt a growing unease. The Wu literary scene might not be exceptional, but it was still one of the top ten human dynasties. Moreover, several scholars from Wu had already made names for themselves in Qi. How could it be possible that not a single one could outperform someone from Qi State? ¡°You adults are certainly enjoying yourselves with poetry,¡± Xiao Mochi said with a smile. ¡°But aren¡¯t there a few younger participants here as well? What¡¯s the matter¡ªare you going to let them sit there eating all evening?¡± Fang Jingchun understood Xiao Mochi¡¯s intent and chuckled. It just so happened that he shared the same idea. ¡°Since you¡¯ve brought it up, Mochi, then Zhong He¡ªwhy don¡¯t you give it a try? The bar isn¡¯t high. Just don¡¯t let others mock us.¡± The young man, exuding an aura of arrogance and disdain for all others¡ªsomeone who seemed to shout, ¡°I alone am worthy; everyone else is trash¡±¡ªstood up and said, ¡°Then allow me, Zhong He, to humbly present my work.¡± Zhong He glanced toward the son of the Minister of Rites and smirked slightly, the kind of smirk that immediately reminded Xu Ming of the phrase ¡°crooked-mouth dragon king.¡± Zhong He stepped out of his seat, hands clasped behind his back, pacing through the center of the banquet hall as if every candlelight in the room was focused solely on him. Then he began his recitation: ¡°Through seas I wander, my spirit soars, With streams and mountains, I roam far and wide. Beneath the moon, clear breezes caress my face, Among the blossoms, fine wine delights my pride. Clouds curl around distant green peaks, Mist lingers where the rivers stretch and glide. Years may pass, but my heart holds no regret, For only poetry can fill the world, far and wide.¡± As Zhong He concluded his poem, everyone paused to savor its meaning. Whether from Qi or Wu, the gathered crowd shared a look of admiration, their eyes saying the same thing¡ª¡±This young man will undoubtedly leave his mark on the literary world.¡± Fang Jingchun, stroking his beard with satisfaction, felt deeply pleased. This visit to Wu was not simply a diplomatic mission. He had another goal: to take these young scholars and officials on a journey to ¡°read ten thousand books and travel ten thousand miles.¡± More importantly, he sought to build their reputations in other kingdoms. That reputation, of course, had to be earned through their own talents. Today, Zhong He had not disappointed him. ¡°Zhou Liu,¡± Xiao Mochi said with a smile, ¡°since he has composed a poem for you, it¡¯s only fitting that you respond in kind.¡± Zhou Liu stood, bowed formally with flawless etiquette, and said, ¡°Indeed, I should.¡± He glanced at Zhong He¡¯s name on the wooden plaque at the empty table, thought for a moment, and began his response: ¡°The temple bell echoes by ancient walls, The river flows, reflecting azure skies. Green trees shade the winding path, Crimson blooms adorn the mountain rise. Winds are light, clouds drift with ease, The stars gleam bright in a moonlit night¡¯s guise. In this tranquil place, I¡¯d seek retreat¡ª Why wonder when I might return, or why?¡± As Zhou Liu finished, the crowd regarded him with a mixture of surprise and admiration. Applause broke out first from the Wu delegation, followed quickly by others. While Zhou Liu¡¯s poem fell slightly short of Zhong He¡¯s in terms of depth and imagery, it was nonetheless an impressive effort. Zhou Liu was one of the leading figures among Wu¡¯s younger generation, the youngest juren (provincial scholar). And Zhong He? Wasn¡¯t he also a leading figure in Qi? Judging from this exchange, the literary talent of the two nations¡¯ rising stars wasn¡¯t as far apart as it initially seemed. Could it be that Wu has produced another Xiao Mochi-like figure? ¡°Pang Da,¡± Xiao Mochi suddenly called, his voice gentle. Xu Pangda quickly stood, bowing respectfully. ¡°Sir?¡± ¡°As the anshou (top scholar) of Wu¡¯s capital examinations, would you compose a poem for Miss Cici?¡± Xiao Mochi said with a smile. At Xiao Mochi¡¯s words, the entire hall turned to look at Xu Pangda, their gazes filled with concern. Writing a poem for Zhu Cici wasn¡¯t the issue. The problem lay in Zhu Cici herself¡ªa natural ¡°literary prodigy¡± whose talent might very well surpass even Zhong He¡¯s. If Zhu Cici were to respond with her own poem, a comparison would be inevitable. Xu Pangda¡¯s effort, no matter how good, would risk becoming like a firefly¡¯s faint glow in the face of the blazing sun. Once the event was recounted later, people would remember Zhu Cici¡¯s brilliance, while Xu Pangda would simply become a background figure¡ªa fleeting mention at best. Xu Pangda¡¯s face betrayed his unease. It wasn¡¯t that he feared being overshadowed or relegated to a mere prop. The truth was, he simply couldn¡¯t write anything. For Xu Pangda, poetry had always been his weakest point. What he excelled at was pianwen (parallel prose), but how could he write a prose piece using her name? Moreover, such a work couldn¡¯t possibly be finished in a short time. Seeing Xu Pangda¡¯s obvious struggle, the crowd grew uncomfortable on his behalf. Xu Ming, sitting to the side, sighed in exasperation. Why did you stand up so quickly the moment Mr. Xiao called your name? How am I supposed to whisper hints to you now? ¡°Sir¡­¡± Xu Pangda began awkwardly. At this moment, the scholar named Chen Nanshuang stood up. ¡°Previously, I visited Master Zhang from Qingshui Academy as a guest. He spoke highly of two promising young friends from the Xu family¡ªone being young Pang Da here, renowned for his talent in pianwen, and the other exceptionally skilled in poetry. I wonder if we might invite this second young friend to join us?¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Fang Jingchun was taken aback. ¡°It¡¯s rare for Zhang Lu, that old rascal, to praise anyone. Xiao Mochi, why didn¡¯t you invite this young talent to the banquet?¡± Xiao Mochi offered a respectful bow and replied, ¡°Sir Fang, due to certain circumstances, he is unable to attend.¡± ¡°What circumstances? What is his status?¡± Fang Jingchun asked, puzzled. Xiao Mochi¡¯s face showed a hint of reluctance as he answered, ¡°He is the son of the Xu family¡¯s fifth concubine.¡± ¡°¡­¡± As soon as Xiao Mochi finished speaking, the entire hall fell into silence. The son of the fifth concubine¡ªa shuzi? In Qi, a concubine¡¯s son might not match a legitimate heir¡¯s status but still enjoyed considerable recognition and even had certain inheritance rights. However, the situation was vastly different in Wu. Here, the status of concubines¡¯ children was extremely low, often relegated to the shadows. ¡°No matter,¡± Fang Jingchun said, shaking his head dismissively. ¡°According to your country¡¯s rules, the Sifang Pavilion is considered guest land, and thus we follow the customs of the guest nation. Xiao Mochi, summon the young man here. It won¡¯t violate Wu¡¯s traditions, and truth be told, I am quite intrigued. If not, this curiosity of mine will leave me restless.¡± Fang Jingchun wasn¡¯t overwhelmingly curious about a mere concubine¡¯s son. However, since Xiao Mochi had brought him up, he had to see him. Otherwise, word might spread that ¡°At the banquet between the two nations, Qi did not secure a full victory because the child praised even by Master Zhang did not appear.¡± If that happened, the entire event would inadvertently elevate the young boy¡¯s reputation, turning Qi into little more than a backdrop for his fame. ¡°Wait a moment¡­¡± Suddenly, Fang Jingchun¡¯s expression froze, his mind racing as if he had pieced something together. Could it be¡­? Surely not. This child¡ª ¡°Since Master Fang has said as much, it would be impolite of me to refuse,¡± Xiao Mochi said with a faint smile. Just as Fang Jingchun felt he might have unraveled the underlying scheme, Xiao Mochi turned toward Xu Pangda¡¯s direction with a calm yet meaningful gaze. ¡°Young friend Xu Ming,¡± Xiao Mochi said gently, ¡°please rise.¡± Chapter 42 Three days before the banquet. A group of young scholars sat in the courtyard. Seated before them was Xiao Mochi, the current leader of the ¡°Reformist Faction¡± and the minister most favored by Emperor Wu. ¡°Do any of you have further questions about what I just said?¡± Xiao Mochi smiled warmly at the young officials who were all members of the court. ¡°If there are no questions, I hope everyone can cooperate.¡± The young scholars exchanged looks, glancing at one another. They were the officials responsible for receiving the Qi delegation in three days¡¯ time. Chen Nanshuang stood up and bowed to Xiao Mochi. ¡°Sir, is this truly necessary?¡± Xiao Mochi smiled faintly. ¡°In my view, it is necessary. The hierarchy within Wu has already solidified¡ªeveryone¡¯s interests are interwoven, yours within mine, and mine within yours. To break this balance, we must identify a breaking point. Any breaking point will do. We must show the court that the world today is not as they perceive it. Rules are meant to be broken. At the banquet, there may be games such as exchanging verses, completing couplets, or composing poetry. I want all of you to lose to the Qi delegation. In the end, I will create an opportunity for him¡ªa chance to shine during the banquet, where he will directly face Qi¡¯s famed natural literary prodigy.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Zhou Liu stood up. ¡°Sir, are you truly so confident in Xu Ming? Admittedly, Xu Ming¡¯s Ode to the Goose was remarkable, and even Master Zhang praised him highly. But, sir, Xu Ming will be facing the natural literary prodigy of Qi!¡± Another scholar rose to speak. ¡°Yes, Sir Xiao. For Xu Ming to succeed, his poem cannot merely be good. At the very least, it must stir a resonance with the Literary Way, even if only faintly.¡± Zhou Liu and the others voiced their deepest concern. All the young officials lowered their heads, their hearts heavy with worry. They did not mind deliberately losing to the Qi envoys during the banquet. Nor did they mind helping to pave the way for a young child to rise, even at the cost of their own reputations. If it meant a better, stronger Wu, they were prepared to sacrifice anything¡ªeven their lives. What did mere reputation matter? But they were afraid. Afraid that Xu Ming could not bear this weight. Afraid that the Wu Kingdom would be humiliated, and all their efforts would be for nothing. Some even entertained the fleeting idea of writing an excellent poem themselves and having Xu Ming recite it. But as soon as the thought arose, they pushed it aside. Such cheating was impossible. The Literary Way¡¯s resonance could not be faked; only the author could inspire it. Furthermore, if such a deceit were discovered by the old, conservative officials, not only would they be disgraced, but they would drag an innocent child into endless trouble. ¡°I cannot guarantee it.¡± As everyone sank into contemplation, Xiao Mochi finally spoke. ¡°This is a gamble. I am gambling on Xu Ming¡¯s potential to astonish everyone. I am gambling on my own judgment. And on the judgment of Master Zhang. If we lose, we will merely be mocked for a time. But if we win¡­¡± Xiao Mochi did not finish his sentence, but everyone understood his meaning. If they won¡ªif Xu Ming truly lived up to the expectations of Xiao Mochi and Master Zhang, if he composed a truly brilliant poem, even if he could not surpass Qi¡¯s natural prodigy, but merely inspired the Literary Way¡¯s resonance¡ªthen this event would set the tone of public discourse. And this very public discourse would become a sharp thorn in the side of the Reformist Faction! If even a son of a concubine could achieve such heights, how many other talented sons of concubines were being overlooked in Wu? How many merchant sons were barred from taking the imperial examination¡ªwere there no geniuses among them? If someone as talented as Xu Ming could not participate in the imperial examination, what right did others have to take part? The examination system must change. And if the examination system changes, then the so-called ¡°ancestral rules¡± will no longer be unshakable iron laws. Only then could the defenses of those stubborn conservatives be torn apart¡ªbit by bit. ¡°If we fail, I expect we¡¯ll all face the Emperor¡¯s questioning,¡± a scholar said with a calm smile, having already accepted the proposal. ¡°Let¡¯s just hope Xu Ming doesn¡¯t lose too terribly to that natural literary prodigy and that Master Zhang¡¯s judgment hasn¡¯t been too misguided,¡± another scholar added with a wry grin. ¡°Who says Xu Ming will definitely lose? What if he wins?¡± Chen Nanshuang dared to voice an improbable dream. ¡°Haha, if Xu Ming wins, I¡¯ll give him my pair of jade lions!¡± the Vice Minister of Rites declared. ¡°If Xu Ming wins, I¡¯ll forfeit my treasured Vermilion Sparrow inkstone.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll bet my Snow-Melt brush.¡± One by one, the scholars began placing wagers. Though they mostly hoped Xu Ming could produce a decent poem, enough to earn recognition from the Literary Way, they couldn¡¯t help but wonder¡ªwhat if? What if Xu Ming truly won? ¡ª ¡°Xu Ming, please rise.¡± Xiao Mochi smiled and extended a hand toward Xu Ming. Everyone turned their gaze to Xu Ming. ¡°Sir,¡± Xu Ming stood up, surprised. He had assumed he was there merely to play a supporting role. Unexpectedly, Xiao Mochi had thrust him directly into the spotlight. ¡°You composed the poem ¡®Ode to the Goose¡¯ at the age of six, and for the past two years, Master Fang has spoken of you with great praise. Xu Ming, could you compose a poem for Miss Zhu?¡± At the mention of someone writing her a poem, Zhu Cici lifted her delicate head. Her pretty apricot-shaped eyes blinked curiously at Xu Ming, her large, watery eyes brimming with expectation. ¡°I shall do my humble best.¡± With Xiao Mochi¡¯s invitation so direct, Xu Ming knew he could not refuse. On the Wu side, all the scholars¡¯ hearts tightened in anticipation. On the Qi side, curiosity bloomed. Who was this child prodigy who had earned such high praise from Master Zhang? After all, Master Zhang¡¯s reputation was well-known even in Qi. Still, no matter what, they believed that this boy, Xu Ming, could never surpass Cici¡ªor even Zhong He, for that matter. ¡°Everyone else has been composing seven-character lines. I am not skilled in that style. Miss Zhu, may I write ci instead?¡± Xu Ming asked, looking into Zhu Cici¡¯s bright eyes. ¡°Mmm.¡± Zhu Cici nodded obediently. ¡°Thank you.¡± Xu Ming smiled slightly, walked over to where Zhu Cici was seated, picked up the name plaque placed before her, and lifted his gaze to meet the little girl¡¯s eyes, as if deep in thought. The room fell silent, every breath held as they awaited the child¡¯s words. ¡°Having endured all the sorrows of parting, I never thought, upon returning, The fallen flowers would lie as they do. Under the blossoms, we gaze without a word, Spring fades beyond the green window, and dusk descends upon the heavens.¡± Xu Ming recited the first stanza, each word echoing clearly across the banquet hall. Several people sat up straight. From just the first stanza, the poem was already exquisite. If the second stanza maintained the same quality¡­ ¡°Let me recount my longing beneath the lamplight¡ª A strand of new joy, entangled with a thousand threads of old sorrow.¡± The second stanza unfolded gracefully, Xu Ming¡¯s words resonating powerfully throughout the hall. Xu Ming continued to recite, and Fang Jingchun, seated at the head of the table, was already in a daze. A sudden and powerful feeling surged within him¡ª Could it be that we are about to witness a timeless masterpiece? Impossible. The boy is only eight¡ª ¡°The most fleeting thing in this mortal world, Is youth leaving the mirror, flowers parting from the trees.¡± As the final line was spoken, Fang Jingchun¡¯s heart gave a heavy thud, and that intense premonition he felt had come true. The minds of everyone present went blank, their ears echoing with the verses of this stunning ci: ¡°Having endured all the sorrows of parting, I never thought, upon returning, The fallen flowers would lie as they do. Under the blossoms, we gaze without a word, Spring fades beyond the green window, and dusk descends upon the heavens. Let me recount my longing beneath the lamplight¡ª A strand of new joy, entangled with a thousand threads of old sorrow. The most fleeting thing in this mortal world, Is youth leaving the mirror, flowers parting from the trees.¡± ¡°The most fleeting thing in this mortal world, Is youth leaving the mirror, flowers parting from the trees¡­¡± One of the scholars whispered the line to himself, but then, as if jolted awake, he suddenly lifted his head. The banquet hall¡¯s doors burst open as gusts of Literary Wind swept into the room, causing the scholars¡¯ azure robes to billow and rustle. ¡°The Wind of the Literary Way¡­¡± Fang Jingchun sat up straight once again, his expression solemn. The Literary Wind enveloped Xu Ming. Xu Ming felt a refreshing clarity in his entire being, as though he had been washed clean, his body lifted weightlessly on a breeze, soaring thousands of miles with blissful freedom. [Your composition ¡°Die Lian Hua: Having Endured All the Sorrows of Parting¡± has stirred the fortunes of the Literary Way: Hao Ran Qi +1000, Charisma +50, Attraction to the Opposite Sex +10.] Looking at the sudden appearance of these attributes in his mind, Xu Ming was bewildered. He could understand the Hao Ran Qi and Charisma¡ª But Attraction to the Opposite Sex? What in the world was that supposed to mean? ¡°Hiss¡­¡± The lingering impact of the poem wasn¡¯t yet over. Xu Ming felt the ancient spiritual root within his dantian grow by two centimeters, its leaves turning even greener. A breeze swirled around the root, gently brushing its leaves, as though nurturing it endlessly. A quarter of an hour later, the Literary Wind in the hall finally subsided. Xu Ming let out a long, slow exhale. ¡°The most fleeting thing in this mortal world, Is youth leaving the mirror, flowers parting from the trees~¡± In front of Xu Ming, the nine-year-old girl Zhu Cici smiled sweetly. ¡°Thank you. That is the most beautiful poem I have ever heard.¡± ¡°As long as Miss Zhu likes it,¡± Xu Ming replied, bowing with the poise of a little adult. ¡°Emmm¡­¡± Zhu Cici tapped her chin with her finger, deep in adorable thought. Finally, she shook her head. ¡°But I can¡¯t come up with a poem as good to return to you. Can I owe you one for now and give it to you later?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Xu Ming smiled, feeling that this little girl¡¯s innocent demeanor exuded a graceful charm. Her gentleness carried a lively beauty that was quite different from the coquettish Qingwan or the proud Xuenuo at such a young age. To Zhu Cici, owing a poem was merely a promise to be fulfilled. But in the eyes of everyone else, this was an admission of defeat. Qi¡¯s natural literary prodigy had been bested by the son of a concubine from Wu. This poem would undoubtedly spread far and wide. Tonight, everyone present had become mere backdrops for this young boy¡¯s brilliance. In the second half of the banquet, no one dared to compose another poem. After hearing, ¡°The most fleeting thing in this mortal world, Is youth leaving the mirror, flowers parting from the trees,¡± no one had the courage to embarrass themselves further. Throughout the remainder of the evening, all eyes were drawn again and again to Xu Ming, seated calmly beside Xu Pangda. His posture remained straight, his expression composed, exuding a scholarly grace as warm and refined as jade. Is this truly just an eight-year-old child? Qi¡¯s scholars had been utterly overshadowed, while Wu¡¯s scholars drank heartily in celebration. By the end of the banquet, nearly everyone left drunk, except for Xu Ming and the other children. ¡°Shall we take a walk?¡± As Xiao Mochi was about to bid farewell to Fang Jingchun, Fang Jingchun spoke up. Xiao Mochi paused for a moment, then nodded gracefully. ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°A thousand miles, the wind so free,¡± Fang Jingchun chanted. In the next moment, a gust of wind swept through, enveloping Xiao Mochi and carrying him away from the courtyard. The moonlight was like water, shimmering softly. The two of them strolled quietly along the shores of Shuiyue Lake in the capital of Wu . Neither Xiao Mochi nor Fang Jingchun spoke, simply walking in silence along the lake. ¡°How did you dare?¡± After a long while, Fang Jingchun, with his hands behind his back, turned to glance at Xiao Mochi. Xiao Mochi smiled faintly and shook his head. ¡°Mochi does not understand what you mean, Sir Fang.¡± S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Stroking his beard, Fang Jingchun smiled. ¡°You let the scholars of your Wu Kingdom lose to ours in the flower game, then lose again in composing poetry, all of it paving the way for young friend Xu Ming. Indeed, that old man Zhang has sharp eyes. But how could you be so sure that he would produce such an excellent poem tonight?¡± Xiao Mochi continued to smile and shook his head. ¡°Xu Ming¡¯s performance actually exceeded my expectations.¡± Fang Jingchun paused and then burst into laughter. ¡°Hahaha, indeed. Xu Ming didn¡¯t even need to write such a great poem¡ªhe only needed not to lose too miserably. Yet, unexpectedly, not only did he avoid disgrace, but the young man created a verse for the ages. ¡®The most fleeting thing in this mortal world, Is youth leaving the mirror, flowers parting from the trees.¡¯ What a marvelous line!¡± Xiao Mochi remained silent. ¡°I hear you¡¯re enacting reforms?¡± Fang Jingchun asked, turning toward Xiao Mochi. Xiao Mochi nodded slightly. Fang Jingchun¡¯s brow furrowed slightly. ¡°After tonight, Xu Ming¡¯s reputation will spread across Wu Kingdom, and that poem will echo throughout the land. You could use this to make a statement, to strike at those entrenched conservatives in the court, to find a breakthrough for your reforms. But Xiao Mochi, have you considered that this child¡ªbarely eight years old¡ªwill be thrust into the eye of the storm because of you?¡± ¡°I am aware,¡± Xiao Mochi replied, his tone steady. Fang Jingchun fixed his gaze on Xiao Mochi. ¡°To involve a child in this game¡ªhow can you bear it? Do you not understand why the status of illegitimate children is so low in your Wu Kingdom? Do you truly not know what happened one hundred and fifty years ago?¡± Xiao Mochi did not avert his gaze. ¡°I will ensure Xu Ming¡¯s safety. And, if all goes as planned, when he grows up, he will become the leader of Wu Kingdom¡¯s literary world.¡± Fang Jingchun shook his head. ¡°Mochi, you are too impatient.¡± Xiao Mochi sighed helplessly. ¡°I only regret that I cannot move faster.¡± Fang Jingchun sighed as well. ¡°You¡­¡± Xiao Mochi stopped in his tracks, turned to face Fang Jingchun, and bowed deeply. ¡°Sir Fang, forgive my boldness, but I have a favor to ask of you.¡± Chapter 43 ¡°At last night¡¯s banquet, during the flower game between the envoys of the two kingdoms, not a single envoy from our Wu Kingdom won. Throughout the feast, the people of Qi were immensely pleased, while our Wu envoys sat in silence, their faces darkened with shame. Seeing the situation take a dire turn, Mr. Xiao proposed composing poems using the names of those present as inspiration. But who could have known? In poetry and prose, not one of our Wu Kingdom¡¯s scholars could best the Qi Kingdom. At that moment, the son of the Fifth Madam of the Xu household¡ªXu Ming¡ªstepped forward. ¡®Having endured the bitterness of partings across the world, Returning now to see the fallen flowers scattered thus. Beneath the blooms, we gaze in speechless sorrow, While the spring outside the green window fades with the sky. I¡¯ll tell my longing under the lamp at night: A new joy, yet tangled with old grievances, endless as threads. The most fleeting thing in this world: Beauty fading from the mirror, like blossoms from the trees.¡¯ The poem concluded, and Xu Ming¡¯s words resonated deeply, stirring the very essence of literature itself. The literary aura billowed through the hall, playfully flickering the candle flames¡ªso effortless, so free. Qi Kingdom¡¯s gifted scholar, Zhu Cici, could only bow in concession. The sons of Wu Kingdom let out a collective breath of pride, raised their cups, and drank deeply, all becoming thoroughly intoxicated.¡± ¡°Bravo!¡± ¡°That felt so satisfying!¡± ¡°What a relief!¡± ¡°What a magnificent poem!!!¡± ¡°I heard this poem was inspired by Xu Ming¡¯s two childhood companions¡ªone, Xu Xue¡¯nuo, who went to Wan Jian Sect, and the other, Qin Qingwan, who went to Tianxuan Sect. It was written out of longing, and it just so happened to use Zhu Cici¡¯s name.¡± ¡°Surely, it must have been written for Qin Qingwan. Word has it they entered school together, inseparable as childhood friends.¡± ¡°Regardless of who it was written for, this poem is truly extraordinary!¡± As the storyteller¡¯s voice fell, the teahouse erupted with applause, and discussions about the poem broke out among the guests. ¡°What a pity he is a son of a concubine¡­¡± a guest said suddenly, his tone filled with regret. His voice was not loud, but many heard it. Quite a few people showed expressions of disappointment and sorrow. ¡°So what if he is a son of a concubine?!¡± A burly man slammed his hand on the table. ¡°A hundred and fifty years ago, in our Wu Kingdom, where was it written that sons of concubines couldn¡¯t take the imperial examinations or enter the court as officials?!¡± ¡°Brother, mind your words,¡± another quickly cautioned. ¡°How can I mind my words now?!¡± Another man stood up, his face flushed with indignation. ¡°In Qi Kingdom, everyone can take the imperial exams, yet here in Wu, we still restrict it by birth? How can we ever surpass Qi this way?! If even someone as talented as Xu Ming cannot take the exams, then who can?!¡± ¡°Exactly!¡± another person rose to his feet. ¡°When the founding emperor established the nation, did he not decree that no one would be punished for speaking their mind? Is it the late emperor¡¯s rule to bar the sons of concubines or common folk from the exams? If the authorities arrest me for saying this, would they not dishonor our ancestors¡¯ principles?!¡± ¡®The most fleeting thing in this world: Beauty fading from the mirror, like blossoms from the trees.¡¯ At Prince Teng¡¯s Manor, a young woman in the bloom of youth held the latest Weekly Gazette in her hands, reading the poem over and over. The more she read, the more she adored it. It was hard to believe that such lines were written by an eight-year-old child. Zhu Cici¡­ Xu Ming¡­ Who was the true literary prodigy here? The woman had also heard that, while the poem was composed using Zhu Cici¡¯s name, it was actually inspired by Xu Ming¡¯s longing for his childhood companion who had gone to Tianxuan Sect. For a child so young to possess such mature sentiments and such a romantic spirit¡­ ¡°I really wish to meet him.¡± ¡°Cuier,¡± she called softly, setting the Weekly Gazette down. ¡°Your Highness?¡± A maidservant, Cuier, entered the room. ¡°Send a visiting card to the Xu household for me. Say I would like to meet young Master Xu Ming.¡± Hearing that her mistress planned to leave the house, Cuier looked at her in astonishment but quickly recovered and nodded. ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± In the Imperial Study. The Emperor of Wu carefully read through the detailed report sent by Tingfeng Pavilion regarding the events of last night¡¯s banquet. Every poem and verse composed was recorded meticulously, and when he reached the final poem, he couldn¡¯t help but lose himself in thought. ¡°This¡­ was truly composed by an eight-year-old child?¡± The Emperor raised his head and looked incredulously at Wei Xun. Eunuch Wei smiled and nodded. ¡°Your Majesty, during last night¡¯s banquet, the literary resonance stirred for a full two ke (half an hour).¡± The Emperor fell silent. The literary resonance does not lie. If the poem had been composed by someone else and simply passed off as Xu Ming¡¯s, the literary fortune would not have responded at all. ¡°This Xiao Mochi¡­¡± The Emperor set down the confidential report and rubbed his forehead in exasperation. ¡°He actually bet right this time. Acting purely on his instincts, he¡¯s left me with a complete mess to clean up!¡± The Emperor could already envision the chaos that would unfold in the court. His head had already been aching enough before this. Now, he almost didn¡¯t want to attend court at all. Wei Xun simply stood there, his expression carrying a sycophantic smile. Although the Emperor seemed visibly irritated, Wei Xun knew well enough that, in reality, the Emperor was quite pleased. The Emperor had always been a supporter of reform, having quietly and overtly aided Xiao Mochi on many occasions. Now that there was finally a breakthrough, no one could be happier than the Emperor himself. ¡°Wei Xun, Xu Ming has restored honor to our Wu Kingdom with a poem for the ages. What do you think should be done?¡± the Emperor asked. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Wei Xun, well aware of the Emperor¡¯s intent, immediately replied, ¡°Your Majesty, he deserves a grand reward.¡± A smile tugged at the Emperor¡¯s lips¡ªhe had been waiting for someone to say that. ¡°Summon the officials. Draft an imperial decree.¡± ¡ª ¡®Having endured the bitterness of partings across the world, Returning now to see the fallen flowers scattered thus. Beneath the blooms, we gaze in speechless sorrow, While the spring outside the green window fades with the sky.¡¯ In a valley filled with seas of flowers, an eight-year-old girl sat on a chair by a Blood Toras flowerbed. She swung her small feet back and forth as she recited the poem that had traveled all the way from her hometown. ¡®I¡¯ll tell my longing under the lamp at night: A new joy, yet tangled with old grievances, endless as threads. The most fleeting thing in this world: Beauty fading from the mirror, like blossoms from the trees.¡¯ As she recited, her peach blossom-like eyes lit up with a sweet smile, as though she had tasted the sweetest candy in the world¡ªone that melted right into her heart. However, as she continued smiling, her delicate brows began to knit slightly, and her small mouth pouted. ¡°This poem clearly speaks of longing, but why does it have another girl¡¯s name in it¡­¡± Qin Qingwan muttered unhappily to herself, reaching out her little hand to tap lightly on the paper where the poem was written. ¡°Ming-gege, could it be that you don¡¯t like Qingwan anymore?¡± ¡°No, no, that¡¯s impossible. Ming-gege promised he would always like Qingwan.¡± ¡°I really wish I could grow up faster. Flowers, flowers, hurry up and bloom¡­¡± Puffing her cheeks in frustration, Qin Qingwan clasped her hands between her knees, staring blankly at the flowerbed before her. For once, the little girl felt a rare melancholy. Chapter 44 Within a courtyard at the Sifang Pavilion in Wudu, Zhu Cici sat upright on a chair, her small figure maintaining perfect posture. Her delicate, fair hands gripped a writing brush as she carefully wrote line after line of graceful characters on the white paper before her. The little girl was only nine years old, yet her calligraphy already hinted at the refinement of a master. After finishing the poem, Zhu Cici carefully held the rice paper with both hands, lifting it toward the warm sunlight. She gazed at the elegant characters she had transcribed, words that had been composed for her¡ªat least in name¡ªby the boy called Xu Ming. Over the past few days, Zhu Cici had heard rumors that Xu Ming¡¯s poem hadn¡¯t been written solely for her. It was said that he had an old childhood friend at the Tianxuan Sect. But Zhu Cici didn¡¯t mind. She didn¡¯t care whether or not the poem had her name in it. She didn¡¯t care whether or not the poem was meant for that girl at the Tianxuan Sect. Zhu Cici simply loved the poem. That was enough for her. ¡°You¡¯ve written this poem dozens of times over the past two days. Do you like it that much?¡± Just as Zhu Cici held the paper up to the sunlight, a voice called from outside the door. ¡°Mother.¡± Zhu Cici set down the paper, jumped off the chair, and walked toward her mother. Folding her hands politely in front of her, she bowed slightly in greeting. ¡°It¡¯s been so long since I¡¯ve seen you so captivated by a poem.¡± Madam Zhu gently stroked her daughter¡¯s head. ¡°Because it¡¯s written so beautifully,¡± Zhu Cici replied with a soft smile. ¡°This poem is simply lovely.¡± ¡°The most fleeting thing in this world: Beauty fading from the mirror, like blossoms from the trees,¡± Madam Zhu recited the final line and nodded in agreement. ¡°It is, indeed, very beautiful.¡± ¡°To think that someone in Wu Kingdom could possess such poetic talent,¡± Madam Zhu sighed with a hint of admiration. ¡°What a pity he is merely a shuzi (child of a concubine).¡± ¡°Mother, what¡¯s wrong with being a shuzi?¡± Zhu Cici asked curiously. ¡°These past few days, I¡¯ve heard so many people lamenting the fact that Xu Ming is a shuzi. What¡¯s the difference between a shuzi and a legitimate heir?¡± ¡°You silly girl.¡± Madam Zhu sat on a chair and pulled Zhu Cici into her lap, holding her gently. ¡°In our Qi Kingdom, there¡¯s indeed little difference between legitimate and illegitimate children. But that¡¯s not the case in Wu Kingdom.¡± ¡°Why is Wu Kingdom different?¡± Zhu Cici pressed on. Madam Zhu patiently began to explain. ¡°This difference stems from an event that happened in Wu Kingdom one hundred and fifty years ago.¡± She continued slowly, recounting the story. ¡°Back then, in the era of Shenwu Emperor, there was little distinction between legitimate heirs and shuzi. Shenwu Emperor had five sons¡ªone born of his empress and the other four born of his consorts. The emperor¡¯s five sons were all extraordinarily talented¡ªcapable of excelling in court affairs or guarding the borders on the battlefield. For an ordinary family, having five such children would be a blessing from heaven. But for the royal family, having five equally capable sons could be a curse. As the sons grew older, they began to compete against one another, both openly and in secret. The imperial court splintered into five factions, and the ministers of the time became more focused on taking sides than on governing the kingdom. Shenwu Emperor himself grew deeply conflicted, unable to decide which son should be named crown prince. If it had only been a struggle for the throne, the situation might still have been manageable. But before Shenwu Emperor passed away, he chose his fifth son¡ªa shuzi¡ªto succeed him. What happened next remains unclear. But before the imperial edict could be publicly announced, the eldest son lured his four brothers into the palace and had them all executed. To eliminate any lingering threats, the eldest prince ordered the complete purging of his brothers¡¯ households. However, it is said that a loyal old servant from the fifth prince¡¯s estate managed to escape, carrying with him the youngest imperial grandson.¡± After that, when Emperor Mingwu ascended the throne, he issued a decree that not only restricted the offspring of merchants and artisans (sanjiao jiuliu), but also greatly diminished the status of shuzi (children of concubines), rendering them little better than servants. Emperor Mingwu ordered that this law remain unalterable for all generations. Perhaps Emperor Mingwu feared that the descendants of the escaped imperial grandson might one day return to challenge the throne, so he sought to eliminate the threat from a legal standpoint once and for all. Now, one hundred and fifty years later, the laws established by Emperor Mingwu have become ironclad. Moreover, the disgraceful act of fratricide by Emperor Mingwu remains an unspoken stain on history. Anyone daring to alter this law would effectively dredge up the past, reopening wounds better left untouched. And beyond that, if the distinction between shuzi and legitimate heirs were erased, what would happen if the descendants of that imperial grandson suddenly reappeared? Zhu Cici thought for a moment before looking up at her mother with a frown. ¡°But Mother, that was one hundred and fifty years ago! Father said that in court, everything depends on connections and power. Even if the imperial grandson¡¯s descendant reappeared, what would it matter? No one would take him seriously. He wouldn¡¯t have any power or influence, and no one would believe he¡¯s truly a royal descendant.¡± ¡°Silly child.¡± Madam Zhu flicked her daughter¡¯s smooth forehead with a finger. ¡°In the capital, there is a Shenlong Token. Only those of true royal blood can activate it, and that alone is proof enough of their lineage. Besides, even if the claim were false, so what? Why would anyone need to believe it? If there¡¯s a powerful force working behind the scenes, even a lie can become the truth. After all, the Shenlong Token isn¡¯t something you can just summon anytime to verify someone¡¯s bloodline.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡± Zhu Cici shook her head in confusion. Madam Zhu smiled faintly and sighed. ¡°You don¡¯t need to understand. The imperial court is full of filth.¡± ¡°Then, Mother, can I go find Xu Ming and play with him?¡± Zhu Cici asked eagerly, her bright eyes full of expectation. ¡°That¡­ should be fine, I suppose.¡± Madam Zhu thought about it for a moment. ¡°However, I can¡¯t interact with him directly. Otherwise, it might look like our Qi Kingdom is trying to poach talent from the Wu Kingdom. But you, on the other hand, can go find him. You¡¯re both children; no one will think much of it. In fact, it might even become a charming tale.¡± ¡°A charming tale?¡± Zhu Cici tilted her head in confusion. Madam Zhu playfully tapped her daughter¡¯s nose. ¡°Nothing. Just your mother rambling. Go ahead now. Take Xiao Ye with you for protection, and head straight to the Xu family¡¯s residence.¡± S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°But Mother, isn¡¯t it unseemly for a young girl to seek out a boy to play with?¡± Zhu Cici asked with some concern. ¡°Do you like him?¡± Madam Zhu teased with a smile. ¡°Yes, I do,¡± Zhu Cici answered without hesitation. ¡°I mean the kind of liking where you want to marry him and spend your life with him,¡± Madam Zhu clarified. Zhu Cici thought carefully for a moment before shaking her head. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s that kind of liking.¡± ¡°Well, there you go. You¡¯re still young; there¡¯s no need to worry about things like propriety yet.¡± ¡°Then, Mother, I¡¯m going now~!¡± With her mother¡¯s permission, Zhu Cici gleefully jumped down from her mother¡¯s lap and ran toward the courtyard exit. ¡°Xiao Ye, we¡¯re heading out~~!¡± her cheerful voice echoed softly in the courtyard. Not long after, a little girl in a flowing ruqun dress happily stepped over the threshold, accompanied by Xiao Ye, and began heading toward the Xu family¡¯s residence. Meanwhile, outside the Sifang Pavilion, at a small tea stall, a middle-aged man holding the leashes of three dogs let out a long sigh. ¡°Not even sparing such young kids¡­ The Prime Minister really isn¡¯t a human being¡­ Wait, we aren¡¯t human beings to begin with.¡± Chapter 45 [You have entered the Qi Refining Realm.] [You have entered the Mercury Realm.] In Xiaochun Courtyard, feeling the changes within his body, Xu Ming let out a long breath. After both the Martial Artist¡¯s True Qi and Spiritual Power coursed through his entire body, Xu Ming opened his eyes and clenched his fists slightly. Ever since he returned from the banquet, Xu Ming had felt a strong urge to break through his current realm. Thus, he continued to practice the Heaven-Cleaving Fist and Bingyang Sword Technique in the courtyard. And today, he broke through both realms simultaneously. Xu Ming wasn¡¯t entirely sure about his current combat strength. Judging by the standards of Qi Refining practitioners, the fact that he hadn¡¯t even entered the Qingyun Ranking suggested that he was still not particularly strong. Xu Ming took off his clothes and applied the Hundred Flower Ointment sent over by the Xu family¡¯s matriarch, then washed himself clean with well water. The name Hundred Flower Ointment might sound effeminate, but in truth, it was highly beneficial for body tempering at lower Martial Artist realms. Before entering the fourth Martial Artist realm, Xu Ming would have to undergo a body tempering process, so he had to prepare well. The fact that the Xu family¡¯s matriarch gifted him something as suitable as Hundred Flower Ointment suggested that she had likely consulted Wang Feng for advice on what to send. Apart from that, Xiaochun Courtyard also contained some spiritual stones, silks, and other rewards granted by the Martial Emperor. Initially, many officials who attended the banquet had come to present gifts to Xu Ming, but all of them were politely declined by Chen Suya. Now, Xu Ming had become a sensation in Wudu. Even though he was a concubine¡¯s son, no servant in the Xu family dared to look down on him. On the contrary, their gazes carried a hint of admiration. Xu Ming had already made a name for himself across the capital. Meanwhile, on the imperial court in the capital, the Reformist faction, using Xu Ming as an example, leveraged the will of the common people to request reforms to the imperial examination system. They demanded that all citizens of Wu Kingdom, regardless of birth¡ªnoble or common¡ªshould be allowed to participate! They also called for restoring the status of concubines¡¯ sons to what it had been 150 years ago, granting them partial inheritance rights. Now, the entire capital knew that political storms were brewing in the court, and with the Reformist faction holding the upper hand, it seemed highly likely that the imperial examination system would indeed be amended. But revising the imperial examination system was merely the beginning. A greater storm loomed on the horizon. When a wolf tears through the scales of a pangolin, it won¡¯t stop at just one piece of meat. Reflecting on the events of the imperial court and recalling how the scholars of Wu Kingdom had been suppressed at the banquet, Xu Ming began to see the bigger picture¡ªhe had likely been drawn into a scheme. As for hating Xiao Mochi, it hadn¡¯t come to that point yet. It was just that scholars¡¯ hearts were truly dark. He needed to be more vigilant in the future. Especially those scholars who dedicated themselves wholly to a particular belief¡ªsuch individuals were the most terrifying. ¡°Come, let¡¯s have a fight.¡± The first thing Xu Ming did after his breakthrough was spar with the courtyard¡¯s ¡®dog-goose¡¯. The Tianxuan Goose Xiao Bai was very obliging, letting out a loud ¡°Honk!¡± before charging straight at Xu Ming. A quarter of an hour later, after Xu Ming and the Tianxuan Goose clashed¡ªa punch against a wing¡ªthey once again distanced themselves, ending in a draw. The Tianxuan Goose panted heavily. It was baffled. How could this kid improve so quickly? It hasn¡¯t even been that long, yet I can¡¯t seem to deal with him anymore! Xu Ming was equally puzzled. Even though both his Martial Artist and Qi Cultivation realms had improved, Xu Ming still couldn¡¯t defeat that ¡®dog-goose¡¯? Just as the Tianxuan Goose was about to charge forward again to assert its dominance as the big sister of the courtyard, it suddenly sensed Chen Suya¡¯s presence approaching. Instantly, it tucked its wings, let out a soft whoosh, and dashed back into its nest. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Xu Ming turned toward the courtyard gate and saw his mother walking in with a smile on her face. Beside her was a little girl who looked as delicate as a porcelain doll. ¡°Mother, Miss Zhu,¡± Xu Ming greeted as he stepped forward. ¡°Forgive me for visiting so abruptly,¡± Zhu Cici said with a slight bow, her manners impeccable. Chen Suya smiled warmly and said, ¡°Ming¡¯er, Cici came here specifically to play with you. Do you have time to accompany her today?¡± Hearing his mother¡¯s words, Xu Ming looked at Zhu Cici. The little girl blinked her eyes expectantly. ¡°Of course,¡± Xu Ming nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll leave little Cici in your care, then,¡± Chen Suya said, ruffling her son¡¯s hair. ¡°A lady from the Ning family invited me over, so I must go attend to it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mother. I¡¯ll take good care of Cici,¡± Xu Ming answered earnestly. Noticing his mother¡¯s somewhat tired expression, Xu Ming couldn¡¯t help but feel guilty. His mother preferred a quiet life. But ever since he rose to fame, many visitors had come to pay respects or invite her to various tea gatherings with noble ladies. Unable to refuse such invitations, his mother had been quite busy lately. Once Chen Suya left, only Zhu Cici, Xu Ming, and Zhu Cici¡¯s maid remained in the courtyard. ¡°How about I show Miss Cici around the Xu estate?¡± Xu Ming suggested. ¡°Every noble family¡¯s residence is more or less the same. How about we go explore Wudu instead?¡± Zhu Cici shook her head with a smile, adding, ¡°Also, I¡¯ll call you Xu Ming and you call me Cici. There¡¯s no need to add ¡®Miss.¡¯ What do you think?¡± Xu Ming was momentarily taken aback, then smiled and nodded. ¡°Alright.¡± There was something about this little girl. While she carried the innocence of her age, she also exuded a maturity beyond her years. She felt somewhat familiar, though not overly so. Perhaps it was because Zhu Cici had read too many books and, being a natural literary prodigy, had awakened to wisdom earlier than others. Xu Ming led Zhu Cici out of the Xu estate and began wandering around Wudu under the protection of Zhu Cici¡¯s maid. Though Xu Ming often trained in his courtyard, as someone born and raised in Wudu, he was still perfectly capable of playing the role of a small tour guide. ¡°This is the largest bookshop in Wudu. It houses books from all the schools of thought, as well as some basic techniques and martial arts manuals.¡± ¡°This tavern is called Drunken Immortal Tavern. The wine brewed here is said to be unparalleled, and the dishes are exceptional¡ªthough the prices are quite impressive as well.¡± ¡°This place is¡ª¡± ¡°I know!¡± Zhu Cici interrupted excitedly, raising her hand. ¡°This is Hundred Flowers Pavilion, the largest brothel in Wudu.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Xu Ming¡¯s brow twitched slightly. ¡°I was going to say that the shop next to Hundred Flowers Pavilion is called Agarwood Pavilion. They sell excellent rouge and cosmetics.¡± Zhu Cici: ¡°¡­¡± The two of them strolled through the bustling streets. Before long, a middle-aged man leading three dogs approached from the other direction, walking toward Xu Ming and Zhu Cici. Xu Ming and the others paid little attention to the man. However, just as he brushed past them, the corners of the man¡¯s lips curled into a slight smirk. ¡°Miss!¡± Suddenly, the maid, Xiao Ye, tensed up and lunged toward Zhu Cici in alarm. Chapter 46 Sensing danger through her spiritual instincts, the maid Xiao Ye immediately grabbed her young mistress¡¯s wrist, then reached for Xu Ming, shielding both children behind her. In the next moment, the bustling pedestrians on the street began to vanish one after another. The lively chatter of the crowd and the vendors¡¯ calls from the shops along the street all fell silent. The entire street became deserted. The only ones left were the middle-aged man and the three dogs he was leading. Xu Ming clenched his fists tightly. He knew they had been trapped within a barrier. Who is this? What do they want? ¡°Who are you?¡± Xiao Ye demanded, her hands producing two sharp daggers. ¡°Just a dog,¡± the middle-aged man smiled faintly. He raised his hand and slammed it downward. A massive, pitch-black dog paw materialized out of nowhere and descended upon the trio. The immense pressure immobilized all three of them, as if they could do nothing but wait for death. But at that moment, a furious roar erupted above the imperial capital, and a golden dragon¡ªthe embodiment of the fortune and might of the nation¡ªlet out a thunderous bellow. Golden dragon qi surged up from the ground, forming a protective dome that enclosed Xu Ming, Zhu Cici, and Xiao Ye at its center. The shadow of the black dog paw touched the dragon qi barrier and instantly disintegrated into black smoke. In the Imperial Library, where Emperor Wu was reviewing memorials, he suddenly looked up. ¡°As expected¡­ Killing someone right under Emperor Wu¡¯s nose is truly no easy feat,¡± the middle-aged man murmured. He then raised his hand and clawed at the sky. Ripples spread through the clouds, layer after layer. In the span of two breaths, dark clouds gathered above the imperial city. From the blackened sky, a colossal black dog¡¯s head emerged, lunging straight toward the golden dragon soaring over the imperial palace. The swirling black clouds didn¡¯t stop. They continued to converge, eventually coalescing into a massive manifestation of the dog-handling man himself. The towering figure smiled faintly as it gazed down upon Wudu. In the imperial palace, Emperor Wu had already stepped out of the Imperial Library, hands clasped behind his back. Black gusts of wind whipped at his imperial robes as he stared coldly at the manifestation forming from the clouds. Throughout Wudu, all the civil and military officials raised their heads. ¡°Greetings to Emperor Wu,¡± the man declared with a bow, his voice booming. ¡°I am Dead Dog of the Southern Realm¡¯s Wanxiang (Myriad Phenomena) Demon Kingdom.¡± Emperor Wu¡¯s golden eyes flared, and golden dragon qi radiated across the entire capital. In the span of a breath, Emperor Wu saw everything that had transpired on Xuanwu Street in the eastern city. Retracting his gaze, Emperor Wu spoke slowly, his voice like rolling thunder, resounding across Wudu: ¡°The demon kingdom of the Southern Realm truly believes Wu Kingdom has no one left to challenge them¡­ To dare attempt murder in my capital. Such audacity!¡± ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t really want to, either,¡± Dead Dog sighed, looking somewhat helpless. ¡°But rest assured, Your Majesty, I¡¯ll finish this quickly.¡± ¡°Then go ahead and try.¡± Emperor Wu stepped forward. From beneath his feet, golden dragon qi spread outward in rippling waves. ¡°ROAR!¡± High above the imperial palace, the golden dragon of mountains and rivers let out a furious bellow and pounced on Dead Dog¡¯s manifestation, tearing it apart with ruthless force. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°ROAR!¡± The golden dragon then turned its gaze toward the empty space in front of the Hundred Flowers Pavilion and dove straight down. On Xuanwu Street, the citizens had no idea what was happening. All they saw was the massive golden dragon charging toward them. The people quickly fled from the street. It wasn¡¯t because they feared the golden dragon might harm them¡ªafter all, the dragon qi would never injure the citizens of Wu Kingdom. Instead, they knew that a cultivator was causing trouble in the city, and they needed to get as far away as possible to avoid being caught in the crossfire. ¡°Sigh¡­¡± Inside the barrier, Dead Dog let out a heavy sigh. ¡°I knew it wouldn¡¯t be easy to kill someone in Wudu. What should I do now¡­¡± Though he complained incessantly, his hands didn¡¯t stop. Dead Dog began to chant an incantation, and black flames ignited across his body. The dark flames surged skyward, forming a pillar of light. Above the imperial palace, Dead Dog¡¯s colossal manifestation reappeared! Black flames gathered in the colossal hands of the Heavenly Law Manifestation, forming a massive fiery blade. With a single swing, the blade slashed toward the golden dragon¡¯s head. The dragon raised its head and unleashed a torrent of golden dragon breath that collided with the edge of the blade! At the same time, ten of Wu Kingdom¡¯s elite forces ¡ª including the Minister of Rites Xiong Wentian, Grand Secretariat Xiao Mochi, Great Pillar of the Nation Mo Peinan, and two imperial consecrators ¡ª rushed toward Xuanwu Street. ¡°It¡¯s over, it¡¯s over. I¡¯m really going to end up a dead dog this time,¡± Dead Dog muttered nervously, sweat beading on his forehead. When he turned his head, Xiao Ye was already closing in with twin daggers aimed at his head. Dead Dog took a step back, the daggers narrowly missing his throat. But Xiao Ye didn¡¯t stop; she pressed forward, her strikes relentless. She knew this man couldn¡¯t afford to split his attention while dealing with the Qi Luck Dragon of the Wu Kingdom. ¡°Ah, I know you¡¯re in a hurry, but so am I,¡± Dead Dog muttered as he dodged Xiao Ye¡¯s attacks, unable to retaliate. He had to finish his mission quickly; he couldn¡¯t hold out for much longer. ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there. I¡¯ve been feeding you for a year; it¡¯s time to work!¡± Dead Dog called out to three large dogs nearby and tossed three pills into their mouths. ¡°Woof!¡± In Xu Ming¡¯s line of sight, the three seemingly harmless dogs began to swell rapidly, their muscles bulging, fangs protruding, and saliva dripping uncontrollably. ¡°Did he feed them steroids or something? How¡¯d they turn into muscle dogs all of a sudden?¡± Xu Ming muttered in disbelief. Sensing danger, Xiao Ye abandoned her attempt to assassinate Dead Dog and turned to protect the young mistress. If she could just buy enough time, the barrier would soon be broken. However, two of the muscle dogs intercepted her, leaving her unable to break free. The third muscle dog charged toward Xu Ming and Zhu Cici! ¡°Miss!¡± Xiao Ye¡¯s face turned pale, her body frozen in despair. In her mind, she could already see her young mistress being torn to shreds. Just as Xiao Ye was consumed by despair, the young boy standing beside the mistress stepped forward and took up a fighting stance. Vigorous martial qi enveloped the boy¡¯s fists, and the sheer intensity of his blood energy sent a chill down Xiao Ye¡¯s spine. ¡°Boom!¡± The boy threw a punch, landing squarely on the muscle dog¡¯s head. The dog was sent flying a meter away. Shaking its head in fury, the muscle dog lunged at Xu Ming again, its original target forgotten. Xu Ming quickly formed a hand seal, launching three fireballs at the muscle dog¡¯s eyes. Taking advantage of its momentary blindness, he stepped forward with explosive speed, his movements resembling a cannonball, and delivered a punch to the dog¡¯s abdomen. The muscle dog spat out saliva from the force of the blow. Without hesitation, Xu Ming leaped onto the muscle dog¡¯s back, raining punches down on its head. His eyes turned bloodshot as he unleashed his full ferocity in this life-and-death struggle. The muscle dog tried to rise, but Xu Ming grabbed its ear and slammed its head into the ground with such force that the street¡¯s stone pavement cracked, leaving a small crater. Standing nearby, Zhu Cici stared blankly at the scene before her. Compared to the muscle dog, the once-gentle and poetic boy who had written her verses now resembled a fledgling beast, wild and terrifying. Chapter 47 Once! Twice! Thrice! Xu Ming grabbed the dog¡¯s head and slammed it into the ground repeatedly. Beneath the dog¡¯s head, a small crater had already formed, with shards of stone flying in all directions. Xiao Ye and the man who called himself Dead Dog stared blankly at the boy. Dead Dog couldn¡¯t believe it. The boy, who looked like he couldn¡¯t even hurt a chicken, had suddenly become the biggest variable in his plan. ¡°Boom!¡± Xu Ming clasped both hands together like a hammer and brought them down heavily on the muscle dog¡¯s head one final time. The dog lay motionless on the ground, no longer breathing. [You have slain a dog (with nascent intelligence, enhanced by the Frenzy Pill). Blood Qi +5, Vitality +5, Combat Experience +5, and gained skill¡ªBlood Qi Frenzy (Beginner).] [Blood Qi Frenzy (Beginner): Activate your Blood Qi for ten seconds. Afterward, you will enter a weakened state.] [Killing beasts enhanced by the Frenzy Pill or those with berserk abilities will upgrade Blood Qi Frenzy.] ¡°Go!¡± While Xu Ming was momentarily dazed by the text appearing in his mind, Dead Dog commanded the remaining muscle dog to attack. The dog charged at Zhu Cici. At this moment, the group¡¯s positions formed a triangle: the middle-aged man stood not far from Xiao Ye, who was locked in battle with one muscle dog. Xu Ming, still catching his breath, was near the dog he had just defeated, and Zhu Cici stood frozen in another direction. Although Xu Ming¡¯s earlier display had deeply shocked Dead Dog, he noticed the boy panting heavily and realized he was unlikely to defend Zhu Cici. But no one expected what happened next. The muscle dog, mid-leap, its jaws about to clamp down on Zhu Cici¡¯s neck, was intercepted before it could reach her. Xu Ming had already dashed in front of her. Blood Qi Frenzy! Under the effects of Blood Qi Frenzy, Xu Ming felt his blood boiling. All pain and exhaustion vanished. His eyes turned blood red as he became a ¡°ten-second real man,¡± exuding a raw and wild energy. It was as though he had opened the Dead Gate of the Eight Inner Gates. Heaven-Opening Fist: First Form¡ªDrumbeat! [T/N: I think I should use Heaven-Opening Fist instead of Cleaving or Splitting.] The Heaven-Opening Fist consisted of five forms, each requiring a martial artist to meet different cultivation and comprehension thresholds. But Xu Ming had long since mastered the first form. Dead Dog watched in horror as a crimson blur tackled his muscle dog to the ground. What followed was a barrage of relentless punches, each one accompanied by the sound of a drumbeat and the sickening crunch of the dog¡¯s skull. Xu Ming¡¯s fists split open, his blood mingling with the splattered remains of the muscle dog¡¯s head. It was impossible to distinguish human blood from dog blood anymore. Despite his shock, Xiao Ye recognized this as their best opportunity. Stepping forward, her Butterfly Shadows technique manifested as she slashed relentlessly at the muscle dog in front of her, focusing entirely on taking it down. With Xu Ming¡¯s final punch and Xiao Ye¡¯s last slash, the remaining two muscle dogs collapsed lifelessly. [You have slain a dog (with nascent intelligence, enhanced by the Frenzy Pill). Blood Qi +5, Vitality +5, Combat Experience +5.] [Blood Qi Frenzy (Beginner) Experience: +0.5%.] As the last line of text disappeared from his mind, the time limit for Blood Qi Frenzy expired. Xu Ming¡¯s body went limp, collapsing onto the lifeless muscle dog beneath him. ¡°Ugh, why is my luck always this awful¡­¡± Dead Dog muttered weakly. The three dogs he had raised were dead, and the golden Qi Luck Dragon outside the barrier was on the verge of collapse. Several Wu Kingdom cultivators had already arrived. The middle-aged man knew his plans were doomed and had no choice but to retreat. Otherwise, he really would end up a dead dog. Stomping his foot, Dead Dog leaped into the air just as the barrier shattered, flying swiftly toward the outskirts of the Wudu (Wu Capital). A colossal Heavenly Law Manifestation of black clouds shielded his retreat. ¡°Since you¡¯ve come all this way, why not stay a little longer for some tea? Leaving in such a hurry would make Wu Kingdom seem ungracious,¡± Xiao Mochi¡¯s calm yet commanding voice echoed. ¡°Mr. Xiao, you¡¯re too kind, but let¡¯s save it for another day.¡± Without even turning his head, Dead Dog bolted toward the horizon with all his might. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Amid the autumn rain, the river sky clears; one wash sweeps away the season¡¯s sorrow.¡± A poetic verse rolled off Xiao Mochi¡¯s tongue. High above the sky, a rift appeared. A curtain of water descended, forming an impenetrable barrier in Dead Dog¡¯s path. ¡°Awrooo!¡± Dead Dog, still frantically flying, howled as his body shifted into its true form. His entire body turned jet black, covered in red molten patterns resembling flowing magma. It radiated a terrifying heat, and his tail split into a hundred fiery branches. [In the southern wilderness live the Fire-Averse Tribe, a people dwelling near the Black Kunlun. They feed on fiery beasts and even flames themselves. Such beasts are called Disaster Hounds.] The Disaster Hound opened its maw and unleashed a torrent of black flames, punching a hole through the watery curtain. Before the barrier could reform, the beast charged through. ¡°Do you really think you can come and go as you please in my Wudu?¡± General Mo, Wu Kingdom¡¯s Great Pillar, arrived just in time, his fist surging with power like a mountain as he struck. Other arriving cultivators of Wu Kingdom, each a formidable fighter, also launched their attacks. Dead Dog did his best to evade, and when he couldn¡¯t, he enveloped himself in flames to withstand the blows. But after several strikes, blood spilled from his mouth. ¡°If you don¡¯t help me, I¡¯m really going to die!¡± Dead Dog yelled desperately toward a distant part of the sky. ¡°Pathetic,¡± a woman¡¯s voice echoed from the heavens, cold and disdainful. A one-legged fiery bird soared into view, flames trailing behind it like a rainstorm of fire. Emperor Wu frowned, raising his hand. The golden Qi Luck Dragon coiled above the city rooftops, devouring the fiery rain as it fell. ¡°You might as well be a dead dog! Wasting a Void-Breaking Pearl like that¡ªjust wait until the Prime Minister punishes you!¡± the fiery bird snapped, its tone laced with irritation. The bird swooped down, clutching Dead Dog in its talons before spitting out a blue pearl. The pearl shattered, tearing open the void. Without hesitation, the bird and the dog escaped into the rift. The void entrance quickly closed behind them. Above Wudu, the black clouds dissipated, leaving the sky as calm as if nothing had happened. ¡°The Wanxiang Demon Kingdom!¡± Emperor Wu growled, his fists clenched tightly, his expression thunderous. ¡°Wei Xun! Draft an edict. Tell that bastard Li Nan to give me an explanation!¡± Wei Xun dropped to his knees, bowing deeply, his head knocking against the floor. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± ¡ª Far away, above a desolate mountain range, a rift tore open. A bird and a dog tumbled out, rolling down to the mountaintop. ¡°You damn dead dog! You useless dead dog!¡± The fiery bird, seething with anger, hopped up and stomped on Dead Dog¡¯s head. Then it jumped off, only to leap back and stomp again¡ªrepeating the process over a dozen times. Dead Dog could only curl up, covering his head with his paws, looking pitiful and aggrieved. ¡°You wasted a Void-Breaking Pearl! And you didn¡¯t even kill the target! How are you going to explain this?!¡± The fiery bird, still perched on Dead Dog¡¯s head, refused to relent, pecking furiously at his back. ¡°Stop yelling, stop yelling. I know you¡¯re angry, but let¡¯s not get ahead of ourselves,¡± Dead Dog pleaded, his tone filled with grievance. ¡°It¡¯s not like I came back empty-handed.¡± ¡°Oh? What did you gain, then?¡± The fiery bird¡¯s temper flared again. Dead Dog grinned slyly. ¡°I found someone even more deserving of death than the Heavenly-born Scholar.¡± Chapter 48 ¡°Your Majesty, this is the testimony from Zhu Cici, daughter of Yunyi Marquis of Qi Kingdom, and her maid Xiao Ye.¡± The day after the Xuanwu Street assassination attempt, in the imperial study, Wei Xun handed over a sheet of paper filled with detailed accounts. Emperor Wu unfolded it, reading carefully. As he read, his expression shifted to one of astonishment. ¡°This Xu Ming¡­ truly continues to surprise me,¡± the emperor muttered with a deep exhale. According to Zhu Cici and her maid¡¯s account, when they were trapped within the barrier, the three dogs raised by the Disaster Hound had attacked. Two restrained the maid, while the third lunged at Zhu Cici, leaving her in what seemed to be a certain death. But in that critical moment, Xu Ming had pummeled one of the dogs to death with his wild fists. Then, despite being weakened, he mustered the strength to kill another dog. Only then was the situation resolved. Had Xu Ming not acted, the consequences would have been unimaginable. If Zhu Cici had died, Xu Ming would have undoubtedly perished as well. Wu Kingdom would have lost not only a poetic prodigy, but Zhu Cici¡¯s death would have created enormous political complications. Even though the culprits were from the Southern Demon Kingdom, the fact that Zhu Cici would have died on Wu soil¡ªespecially as one of the rare Heavenly-born Scholars¡ªwould make it impossible for Wu Kingdom to avoid blame. There might even be conspiracies suggesting that Wu Kingdom colluded with the Demon Kingdom to kill Zhu Cici deliberately. Such accusations would be impossible to clear. In summary, this time Xu Ming had rendered a service far greater than what he achieved at the banquet. ¡°How should I reward him for this?¡± The emperor rubbed his temples. The thought of a young talent, both scholarly and martial, arising within Wu Kingdom pleased him immensely. But Xu Ming¡¯s current status made rewarding him complicated. ¡°Forget it, forget it,¡± the emperor muttered, shaking his head. ¡°Why am I even stressing about this? Xu Ming¡¯s accomplishments will inevitably be noticed by those reformists. This will just give them more ammunition to push their agenda.¡± ¡°Wei Xun,¡± the emperor called. ¡°Your servant is here,¡± Wei Xun immediately knelt. ¡°Xu Ming fainted from exhaustion, correct?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± Wei Xun nodded. ¡°The Xu household reported that a doctor has already seen him, and he was in no serious condition. He likely woke up this morning.¡± ¡°Good.¡± The emperor nodded. ¡°Xu Ming practices martial arts, doesn¡¯t he? Send him some body-strengthening medicinal materials.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± Wei Xun replied promptly before retreating. ¡°Xu Ming¡­¡± The emperor, now alone in the study, stared at the name written on the paper. A complex expression flickered in his eyes. ¡°If only I could have a son like this,¡± he sighed wistfully. ¡°Then I wouldn¡¯t have to deal with those court officials constantly badgering me.¡± As the father of only a single daughter, the emperor exhaled deeply. [T/N: I think I might have translated Crown Prince in a previous chapter. But it should be Crown Princess since the Emperor only has a single daughter and no other child.] ¡°Wait a moment¡­¡± Suddenly, an idea struck him. ¡°What if I let Xu Ming become Hanhan¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°No, no,¡± the emperor quickly shook his head, dismissing the thought. ¡°That¡¯s too hasty. It¡¯s far too soon for such a thing¡ªat least for now.¡± ¡ª In the Xiaochun Courtyard of the Xu Mansion, Xu Ming had already awakened by morning. When he opened his eyes, he found himself surrounded by people. Among them were Elder Fang Jingchun from the Qi delegation, Zhu Cici¡¯s mother, Zhu Cici herself, and her maid Xiao Ye. Both Elder Fang and Madam Zhu expressed their profound gratitude to Xu Ming, emphasizing that the Qi Kingdom would remember this debt forever. Their words were heartfelt. Madam Zhu spoke from the perspective of a mother, while Elder Fang represented the Qi Kingdom¡¯s interests. After all, Qi Kingdom had not seen a Heavenly-born Scholar in a thousand years. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. If anything had happened to Zhu Cici, how could they face their emperor? How could they answer to the people of the Qi Kingdom? This favor was simply too great. Meanwhile, within the Xu household. At the Xu residence, even the old matriarch and Xu Ming¡¯s ¡®cheap father¡¯ Xu Zheng had shown up. Both the old lady and Xu Zheng lavished praise on Xu Ming. However, Xu Ming only responded with polite smiles, treating their compliments as mere background noise. In truth, Xu Ming harbored no fondness for either his grandmother or his so-called father. Madam Qin, Madam Wang, and the others were also present¡ªunsurprisingly so. For Xu Ming, who had been overlooked since birth, this was the first time he felt such enthusiastic attention. It made him slightly uncomfortable. Before long, imperial messengers arrived with gifts from the palace: body-strengthening medicinal materials sent by Emperor Wu himself. These materials were immensely valuable to Xu Ming. Previously, he had even considered asking Madam Wang for help sourcing such resources. But now, the Emperor¡¯s gift was more than enough. Since physicians could detect a martial artist¡¯s realm by observing their internal energy flow, Xu Ming¡¯s true level couldn¡¯t remain hidden after his diagnosis. Upon learning that Xu Ming had reached the Mercury Realm, everyone¡ªaside from Madam Wang¡ªwas utterly astonished. An eight-year-old in the Mercury Realm. While not an unprecedented prodigy, this still marked Xu Ming as exceptionally talented. Madam Wang, however, simply crossed her arms and raised her chin proudly. She had been aware of Xu Ming¡¯s progress all along, as he often sought her guidance. To her, Xu Ming was half a student of hers. Seeing his achievements now was a point of personal pride. Fortunately, unless one was a physician specializing in internal energy, it was impossible to discern Xu Ming¡¯s spiritual cultivation level. Had they known he was already at the Fourth Stage of Qi Cultivation, their reactions would have been even more extreme. On the other hand, Xiao Ye stood silently to the side, her expression complicated and hesitant. Xu Ming¡¯s performance in saving her mistress yesterday went far beyond what a mere Mercury Realm practitioner could achieve. If not for his human form, Xiao Ye might have suspected that Xu Ming was a juvenile version of one of the ancient Ten Great Beasts. Since Xu Ming still required rest to recover from his exhaustion, the physician eventually ushered everyone out. Only Chen Suya, Xu Ming¡¯s mother, remained to care for him. Feeling truly tired, Xu Ming quickly fell asleep. That Blood Qi Frenzy certainly came with heavy side effects. ¡ª Meanwhile, at the Sifang Pavilion, Madam Zhu and Zhu Cici had returned. In her quarters, Madam Zhu was busy writing a letter to inform her husband of the previous day¡¯s events. Xiao Ye stood before her, clearly distracted. ¡°Xiao Ye, what¡¯s the matter? You seem lost in thought. I¡¯ve already told you, what happened yesterday isn¡¯t your fault,¡± Madam Zhu reassured her maid. ¡°Madam¡­ this servant has something to report,¡± Xiao Ye replied, bowing. Madam Zhu looked up from her writing. ¡°What is it?¡± Xiaoye carefully chose her words. ¡°Yesterday, when the officials from the Wu Kingdom questioned me about what happened, I deliberately understated the strength of the three dogs, saying only that Xu Ming managed to kill two of them in close combat.¡± ¡°But, Madam, Xu Ming¡¯s true power far surpasses that of an ordinary Mercury Realm practitioner. This servant even saw him use the Fireball Technique. His cultivation must be at least at the Clarity Realm.¡± Madam Zhu furrowed her brows slightly. ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± Bowing deeply, Xiao Ye continued, ¡°Xu Ming is both a literary and martial prodigy, mastering physical and spiritual cultivation alike. His potential is boundless. The Qi Kingdom must secure him.¡± Chapter 49 In a small courtyard of the Sifang (Four Directions) Pavilion, a little girl in a pink ruqun, with a pink butterfly ribbon adorning her hair, sat on a smooth stone. She propped her hands beneath her, blinking as she gazed at the small pond in front of her. Yet, her eyes didn¡¯t seem to be focused on the koi fish swimming within. The little girl, Zhu Cici, currently had a dilemma. Xu Ming had saved her life, but how should she repay him? She had already asked her mother and Elder Fang. Although they both assured her that the Kingdom of Qi would naturally repay this favor, Zhu Cici still felt this was her personal matter. He had saved her life, and so it was her responsibility to repay him¡ªit had nothing to do with others. Zhu Cici had pored over all the books and classics she had read. In the end, she discovered that for such matters, the only true solution was to offer herself in marriage. ¡°I¡¯m nine years old now, and Xu Ming is eight,¡± she murmured, seriously counting on her slender fingers. ¡°According to Qi¡¯s laws, I need to wait five more years before I can get married.¡± ¡°After marrying, I¡¯ll give Xu Ming children, then stay at home to care for the family.¡± ¡°How many children does Xu Ming want?¡± ¡°I want two. But what if Xu Ming wants more?¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll have to eat a little more. Mother said girls should eat well to grow bigger hips, so they can bear children more easily.¡± ¡°But Xu Ming is from the Kingdom of Wu, and I¡¯m from the Kingdom of Qi. What should we do about that?¡± ¡°Well, as the saying goes, ¡®Marry a rooster, follow the rooster; marry a dog, follow the dog.¡¯ I guess I¡¯ll just have to move to the Kingdom of Wu. But it¡¯ll be inconvenient to visit Father and Mother later.¡± ¡°Speaking of which, what if Father and Mother don¡¯t agree to me offering myself in marriage? Would I have to elope with Xu Ming?¡± As her thoughts wandered, Zhu Cici had already imagined the scene of eloping and living in seclusion with Xu Ming. ¡°Cici!¡± Just as Zhu Cici was picturing her life hiding away in the mountains with Xu Ming, a voice called out behind her. Zhu Cici stood up from the stone, turned around, and hopped down. With a graceful and proper demeanor, she curtsied. ¡°Grandpa Fang.¡± ¡°What are you doing, Cici?¡± Elder Fang walked over and gently patted the little girl¡¯s head. ¡°Nothing, nothing. I was just thinking about some things.¡± Zhu Cici looked up under Elder Fang¡¯s aged hand. Hearing her words, Fang Jingchun paused for a moment. He thought she was still dwelling on the assassination attempt and comforted her, saying, ¡°It¡¯s alright, it¡¯s alright. Something like that won¡¯t happen again.¡± Indeed, it had been his negligence last time. After all, they were in the capital of the Kingdom of Wu, under the Emperor¡¯s protection. Normally, with the blessings of dragon fate, nothing untoward would happen here. Who could have expected the audacity of the Wanxiang Demon Kingdom? They acted as if they had gone mad. Did they not fear retaliation from the Kingdoms of Qi and Wu joining forces? If something had really happened to Cici, Qi would undoubtedly stop at nothing to exact revenge, and Wu would surely send troops in response. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. What on earth was the Wanxiang Demon Kingdom planning? Fang Jingchun couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that the assassination wasn¡¯t as simple as it appeared. ¡°By the way, Cici, prepare yourself. We¡¯ll be leaving the Kingdom of Wu the day after tomorrow,¡± Fang Jingchun said, pulling his thoughts back and speaking to the little girl before him. ¡°Huh? The day after tomorrow? That¡¯s so soon?¡± Zhu Cici was taken aback. ¡°It¡¯s not too soon,¡± Fang Jingchun shook his head. ¡°Our mission to the Kingdom of Wu was never meant to last long. After what happened to you, we suspect they may have other plans in motion. It¡¯s best to leave a little early.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Zhu Cici lowered her head slightly. ¡°Grandpa Fang, can I visit Xu Ming? There¡¯s something I want to tell him.¡± Fang Jingchun considered this for a moment before nodding. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll accompany you.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Zhu Cici nodded, her little heart weighed down by a little burden. When Fang Jingchun brought Zhu Cici to the Xu residence, the matriarch herself came out to greet them. After Fang Jingchun explained their visit, the matriarch of the Xu household couldn¡¯t stop smiling. She quickly instructed a maid to take Zhu Cici to Wang Feng¡¯s courtyard to find Xu Ming. ¡ª ¡°In the Mercury stage of body forging, this is a martial artist¡¯s first major breakthrough in tempering their body. It¡¯s crucial because it lays the foundation for all the cultivation stages that follow. Though the materials for body forging are important, they¡¯re not excessively complicated. Some noble families use dragon blood for body forging, while others use blood spirit fruits. While they believe dragon blood to be superior, the difference is negligible¡ªafter all, the malleability of the Mercury stage is limited. However, every body-forging stage beyond the Mercury becomes significantly more critical. I¡¯ve collected the necessary materials. When you feel ready to break through, come to me, and I¡¯ll prepare the medicinal bath for you.¡± In the courtyard, Lady Wang explained to Xu Ming. ¡°Now, come. Practice your Drumbeat Stance with me.¡± ¡°Yes, Aunt Wang.¡± Xu Ming nodded, assuming a combat stance. A powerful energy radiated from Xu Ming, wrapping around him like a tangible force. Lady Wang furrowed her brows, sensing an unusual intensity from the eight-year-old boy¡ªone that even gave her a faint sense of threat. ¡°Boom!¡± Xu Ming stomped his left foot hard, launching himself like a cannonball. His right fist shot forward, aiming directly at Lady Wang¡¯s chest. Lady Wang shifted her fist into an open palm. Xu Ming¡¯s small fist collided squarely with her palm, the energy between them scattering into shockwaves. She seized his fist and yanked him forward, throwing Xu Ming off balance. As he stumbled, Lady Wang¡¯s fist was already coming toward him. Xu Ming tilted his head just in time to dodge. Turning his back to Lady Wang, he struck out with an elbow aimed at her abdomen. Lady Wang countered with her fist, neutralizing his attack. As she steadied her footing, Xu Ming charged forward again. His fists rained down on her like a storm. Lady Wang didn¡¯t dodge and instead met his blows head-on with her own Drumbeat stance. The air was filled with the resounding echoes of their strikes, growing heavier and more forceful with each exchange. ¡ª Meanwhile, at the courtyard gate, a young girl was quietly watching the scene unfold. Zhu Cici clung to the wall, her long lashes fluttering like butterfly wings as she blinked, observing the sparring match. In truth, she had already arrived while Xu Ming was practicing with Lady Wang. However, she didn¡¯t want to interrupt their training, so she stayed at the gate, waiting patiently. After about fifteen minutes, their final exchange came to an explosive conclusion. Lady Wang stepped back half a meter, while Xu Ming was sent flying across the courtyard, landing a significant distance away. Zhu Cici was startled and quickly ran into the courtyard. Lady Wang was just about to help Xu Ming up, but before she could, a small figure had already dashed to his side. Lying on the ground, Xu Ming opened his eyes to see a pair of bright apricot-colored eyes blinking down at him. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Zhu Cici asked, concern written all over her face. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m fine,¡± Xu Ming replied, pushing himself up with some effort. Zhu Cici hurriedly reached out to support him. ¡°Cici, what are you doing here?¡± Xu Ming asked, surprised. ¡°I¡­ I have something I need to talk to you about,¡± Zhu Cici said, her cheeks turning a soft shade of red. Chapter 50 ¡°Here, have some tea.¡± Back in Xiaochun Courtyard, Xu Ming poured Zhu Cici a cup of tea. ¡°Thank you.¡± Zhu Cici obediently sat on a stone stool, holding the cup Xu Ming handed her. She sipped the tea in small gulps, occasionally lifting her bright eyes to glance at him. In her heart, a trace of nervousness lingered. Zhu Cici didn¡¯t know why her heart started racing the moment she saw Xu Ming today. Just yesterday, she had seen him without feeling this way. What¡¯s more, she noticed something strange: Xu Ming seemed to look even better today than he did yesterday. How could this be? It had only been a day. What could have changed? ¡°Cici, did you come to find me for something?¡± Xu Ming finally asked, noticing how the little girl kept sneaking glances at him as if there were flowers growing on his face. ¡°Mm! Yes, I did.¡± Zhu Cici nodded earnestly, her legs pressed together as her small hands rested on her knees. She sat with a composed grace, but there was a subtle nervousness to her demeanor that only made her appear more endearing. ¡°Miss Cici, you can speak freely,¡± Xu Ming encouraged, seeing her serious expression. He also grew curious, wondering what could be so important. After all, she was just a nine-year-old girl. What pressing matter could she possibly have? ¡°Um¡­¡± Zhu Cici¡¯s hands fidgeted between her knees, rubbing together as though she couldn¡¯t find the words. Finally, she took a deep breath, as if mustering all her courage, and declared, ¡°You¡ªyou saved my life, so I want to repay you!¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Xu Ming froze for a moment at her sudden proclamation, then smiled. ¡°Cici, there¡¯s no need for you to repay me. Back then, I wasn¡¯t just protecting you¡ªI was also protecting myself. Besides, you¡¯re still a child. Even if there¡¯s a debt to repay, it¡¯s not something a little girl like you has to worry about.¡± Zhu Cici pouted. ¡°I¡¯m already nine years old¡ªI¡¯m not that young! And you¡¯re even younger than me!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Xu Ming opened his mouth to retort but realized he couldn¡¯t. She was right¡ªhe was younger than her by a year. ¡°Um, don¡¯t be mad! I wasn¡¯t calling you childish or anything¡ªI just meant¡­ uh¡­¡± Zhu Cici struggled to explain, worried she might have upset him. ¡°It¡¯s fine, I understand. I¡¯m not mad,¡± Xu Ming reassured her with a smile. But his smile only made Zhu Cici¡¯s heart beat faster. Her face flushed as she quietly said, ¡°The sages teach us that even a drop of kindness should be repaid a hundredfold. My mother says she¡¯ll repay the favor, but this is different. You saved my life, so this is my responsibility.¡± ¡°Alright, then,¡± Xu Ming said, relenting when he saw how determined she was. ¡°How does Cici plan to repay me?¡± In Xu Ming¡¯s mind, her idea of repayment was probably something small¡ªmaybe giving him a gift, inviting him to a meal, or asking him to play. After all, she was just a nine-year-old girl. Even if she was precocious, her thoughts couldn¡¯t stray far from a child¡¯s world. ¡°I¡ªI want to marry you! To offer myself as your wife!¡± Zhu Cici lifted her delicate chin and looked Xu Ming directly in the eyes, her expression utterly serious. Xu Ming: ¡°???¡± ¡°Cici, what did you just say?¡± Xu Ming wondered if he had misheard. ¡°I¡¯ve thought about this for a long time,¡± Zhu Cici said earnestly. ¡°Since you saved me, my life is yours. Naturally, my person is yours too. Offering myself in marriage is the best way to repay you!¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡± Xu Ming rubbed his eyes. ¡°Where did you hear that from?¡± Zhu Cici tilted her head cutely. ¡°I read it in books! Whether it¡¯s ancient texts or novels, whenever a man saves a woman, the woman always marries him as a way of repaying him.¡± ¡°That depends on the situation. If he¡¯s good-looking, it¡¯s ¡®I¡¯ll marry you in this lifetime.¡¯ If not, then it¡¯s ¡®I¡¯ll repay you in the next life as a horse or ox,''¡± Xu Ming replied helplessly. Hearing his words, Zhu Cici¡¯s big, watery eyes turned slightly as she seriously looked Xu Ming up and down. ¡°But I think you¡¯re quite good-looking!¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the issue here.¡± For a moment, Xu Ming didn¡¯t know how to deal with this little girl. He never imagined that, across two lifetimes, he would be proposed to by a nine-year-old girl¡ªthough, to be fair, he himself was only eight. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Then what¡¯s the issue?¡± Zhu Cici was confused. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Xu Ming. I¡¯ve already thought it through. When we get married, I¡¯ll be a good wife. I¡¯m thinking of having two kids, but if you want more, that¡¯s fine too¡ªI¡¯ll work hard. I can also move to Wu Kingdom to live with you. If my parents disagree with us being together, we¡¯ll elope. In the coming years, I¡¯ll save up some silver to prepare for our future runaway expenses.¡± Xu Ming was speechless. So, you¡¯ve already planned everything out? ¡°Ci¡­ Cici, sorry, but¡­ actually¡­¡± Xu Ming tried to organize his thoughts. ¡°Actually, I already like someone else.¡± The small hands Zhu Cici had placed on her lap clenched slightly. Her rosy lips pressed together as she asked softly, ¡°Is it that girl named Qingwan?¡± ¡°Uh? Yeah, it is,¡± Xu Ming stammered, unsure how she knew about Qingwan but deciding to use her as an excuse. ¡°That¡¯s fine. It¡¯s normal for men to have three or four wives,¡± Zhu Cici said with a shake of her head. ¡°As the first wife, I won¡¯t oppose you marrying other girls. I¡¯ll even get along well with Qingwan so you won¡¯t have to worry.¡± ¡®Dammit,¡¯ Xu Ming cursed internally. What kind of god-tier little girl is this? ¡°Is this still not okay?¡± Zhu Cici looked at Xu Ming¡¯s silence, her almond-shaped eyes brimming with tears. Shimmering droplets began to fall from the corners of her eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t cry, don¡¯t cry!¡± Xu Ming panicked. He¡¯d always been terrible at handling crying girls. ¡°Fine, fine, I¡¯ll agree, okay?¡± ¡°Really?¡± Zhu Cici wiped away her tears and sniffled. ¡°Really.¡± Xu Ming nodded. Anyway, it¡¯s just a child¡¯s game. She¡¯ll forget about it in a few years. Didn¡¯t I also promise to marry the older sister next door when I was a kid in my last life? ¡°But I have a condition,¡± Xu Ming added. ¡°You can¡¯t tell anyone else about this, or it¡¯ll make things difficult if we really have to elope later.¡± ¡°Mm-hmm,¡± Zhu Cici nodded earnestly. ¡°And also, if you stop liking me in the future, our agreement won¡¯t count anymore¡ªyou won¡¯t have to marry me.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t change my mind!¡± ¡°Alright then.¡± Xu Ming smiled. ¡°That¡¯s settled.¡± ¡°Then, Xu Ming, let¡¯s write a marriage contract,¡± Zhu Cici suggested eagerly. ¡°Okay.¡± Xu Ming brought Zhu Cici into his room. Sitting at his desk, Zhu Cici seriously wrote out what looked like a child¡¯s version of a marriage contract. ¡°One for each of us. You have to keep it safe, okay?¡± After blowing it dry, Zhu Cici carefully handed one copy of the contract to Xu Ming. ¡°When we grow up, you have to come and marry me.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Xu Ming put the completely informal and meaningless ¡®marriage contract¡¯ away with a smile. ¡°When you grow up, I¡¯ll come marry you.¡± Chapter 51 Demon-Suppressing City of Wu Kingdom. A man sat on the city lord¡¯s throne, crafted entirely from skulls. Clad in dark iron-blue armor, the man was burly and broad-shouldered, towering at a height of nearly 15 feet, like a small giant. A scar ran across his face, giving him an intimidating appearance. Grabbing a wine jar, he gulped it down in one go, the sound of ¡°glug-glug-glug¡± filling the room. Wiping his mouth, the man turned his gaze to an imperial decree lying on the table. The more he read, the more troubled he seemed, scratching his head with his calloused hand, a look of confusion written all over his face. His puzzled expression was a stark contrast to his fearsome appearance and massive frame. In front of the man stood a young girl. She was about four feet tall, appearing no older than eight or nine. Her small, pointed face was exquisitely delicate, as if crafted with the utmost care by the heavens. But she was not like ordinary children. Her skin was unnaturally pale¡ªnot the creamy whiteness of snow, but the kind of translucence found in the thinnest layer of white marble, dusted with a fragile coating of snow and sealed in frost. It seemed as if even a slight touch could pierce her unnervingly delicate, paper-thin complexion. Beyond her skin, her hair and even her eyelashes were stark white. She wore a simple outfit stitched from plain white cloth. It resembled a cross between a cheongsam and a long robe, with slits at the thighs. Her bare, snow-white feet rested lightly on the ground. The only color on her body came from her crimson eyes, shining like flawless rubies. ¡°What does it say?¡± the man asked, lowering his head. ¡°Chen Nan, you idiot! You¡¯ve been studying for so long¡ªhow many words can you even read?¡± The girl, named Chen Suier, lifted her tiny foot and gave the man¡¯s iron boot a light kick. ¡°Uh¡­ ¡®Emperor,¡¯ ¡®battle,¡¯ ¡®charge,¡¯ ¡®kill¡¯¡­¡± Chen Nan pointed at the decree, listing the words he could recognize. ¡°Alright, alright, stop reading. You¡¯re hopeless.¡± Chen Suier cut him off. ¡°Oh¡­¡± The massive man lowered his head, looking somewhat aggrieved. Chen Suier glanced at the decree. ¡°The old emperor¡¯s house got pissed on by a dog. That dog came from the Southern Realm¡¯s Wanxiang Demon Kingdom. The emperor feels humiliated, so he¡¯s ordering us to mobilize and teach them a lesson.¡± ¡°Teach them a lesson?¡± Chen Nan froze for a moment, then his massive eyes lit up with excitement. ¡°War?¡± Chen Suier folded the decree and sighed. ¡°Yes, war.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s great! I¡­ I love war!¡± Just as Chen Nan was about to leap to his feet in excitement, he caught sight of the little girl¡¯s crimson eyes staring up at him. Chen Nan immediately deflated, lowering his head in submission. ¡°War, war! All you know is war! People die in wars, don¡¯t you know that?¡± Clearly, Chen Suier wasn¡¯t about to let him off the hook. She raised her small foot and kicked him repeatedly. The giant man clasped his hands together and hung his head, not daring to utter a single word. ¡°That old emperor only knows how to drag us into trouble.¡± Chen Suier spat a tiny, glistening drop of saliva. ¡°Get out of here. Those two women from the Wanjian Sect should¡¯ve arrived by now. Just great, a few quiet days ruined.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Chen Nan extended a massive hand in front of Chen Suier. She leaped gracefully onto his enormous palm. Chen Nan carefully placed her on his shoulder, stood up, and began walking toward the city lord¡¯s residence gates. At nearly 15 feet tall, his enormous physique, combined with the clanking of his iron armor, made each of his steps echo thunderously, as if the ground itself trembled beneath him. On the towering walls of Demon-Suppressing City, Chen Suier sat on Chen Nan¡¯s massive shoulder, one leg crossed over the other, yawning in boredom. Below the city, the ground was littered with the mangled corpses of demons and humans. The crimson soil was soaked in blood, and clusters of manjusaka flowers bloomed from the remains. ¡°Right on time, huh,¡± Chen Suier remarked. About half an hour later, she yawned again, her gaze shifting toward two streaks of sword light piercing the clouds. Flicking the necklace around her neck, the barrier of Demon-Suppressing City opened, allowing the sword light to land atop the city wall. ¡°Master Jiang, it¡¯s been a while,¡± Chen Suier greeted with a smile. Her gaze then shifted to the young girl beside Jiang Luoyu. ¡°This must be the renowned Xu Xuenuo¡ªthe one who surpassed five realms in a single leap to reach Cave Mansion Realm, right?¡± Xu Xuenuo stared at the little girl perched on the giant¡¯s shoulder. The girl appeared shorter and younger than Xu Xuenuo, but her demeanor was sharp and cunning, giving off a sense of maturity that belied her age. ¡°Likewise, Miss Suier,¡± Jiang Luoyu replied with a slight nod. ¡°I¡¯ll have to trouble Demon-Suppressing City with forging my disciple¡¯s sword.¡± ¡°No trouble at all,¡± Chen Suier said, raising one delicate, white finger. ¡°But since it¡¯s for a disciple of the Wanjian Sect, the price will be a bit steeper this time¡ªone Jade Purity Realm demon Core.¡± Jiang Luoyu nodded. ¡°Agreed.¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s settled. You two can rest for now. Tomorrow, we¡¯ll head to the Wanxiang Demon Kingdom for a little¡­ harvest,¡± Chen Suier said with a grin. Jiang Luoyu¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Since when did Demon-Suppressing City start picking fights with the Southern Demon Kingdom unprovoked?¡± Chen Suier shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s not like we want to. Those beasts from the South haven¡¯t caused any trouble for two months now. Look down there¡ªthe corpses are already blooming with manjusaka (red spider lily). ¡°But recently, the emperor lost face. A demon from the Southern Kingdom¡ªa dog¡ªsneaked into the Wu capital to assassinate that child prodigy scholar from Qi Kingdom. The attempt failed, but the dog escaped. The emperor was humiliated and wants to regain his dignity. Naturally, we at Demon-Suppressing City have to clean up the mess. ¡°Oh, by the way,¡± Chen Suier added, her crimson eyes glinting as she turned to Xu Xuenuo, ¡°speaking of the Qi scholar prodigy, the one who saved her is someone from Xu Kingdom¡ªa boy named Xu Ming. You know him, right little girl?¡± Xu Xuenuo bristled slightly at being called ¡°little girl,¡± but her attention was caught at the mention of Xu Ming. ¡°Xu Ming saved someone from the Qi Kingdom?¡± ¡°Yup,¡± Chen Suier nodded. ¡°Apparently, he was escorting a girl named Zhu Cici around Wu Capital when they were ambushed.¡± ¡°Was he hurt?¡± Xu Xuenuo¡¯s heartbeat quickened. ¡°He was injured, but nothing serious. He fainted from exhaustion afterward,¡± Chen Suier replied with a casual shrug. Xu Xuenuo¡¯s hand tightened around the hilt of her sword. ¡°Alright, you two rest well. We¡¯re leaving at dawn tomorrow,¡± Chen Suier said, patting Chen Nan¡¯s head. The giant man turned and carried her down from the wall. Jiang Luoyu brought Xu Xuenuo to a courtyard within Demon-Suppressing City. The courtyard was spotless and tidy, clearly well-maintained. ¡°This is where disciples from the Wanjian Sect stay during their training. Pick a room and rest. Tomorrow morning, you¡¯ll begin the sword-forging process,¡± Jiang Luoyu instructed. ¡°Although you¡¯ve reached the Cave Mansion Realm, demons at the Sea Observation Realm may target you. I will not intervene. On the battlefield, life and death are your responsibility. Be cautious.¡± ¡°Understood, Master,¡± Xu Xuenuo nodded. ¡°Rest well. This is the final step in tempering your life-bound sword. Don¡¯t let your focus slip,¡± Jiang Luoyu reminded before leaving without another word. Xu Xuenuo, long accustomed to her master¡¯s cold demeanor, returned to her room. Sitting cross-legged on the bed, she placed her life-bound sword, Qingming, on her lap and began channeling her energy to attune to it. Yet, no matter how hard she tried, her focus kept wavering. Her thoughts, time and again, returned to a single name¡ªXu Ming. ¡°If you ever get bullied, come to the Wanjian Sect and find me.¡± ¡°Alright, but what if I can¡¯t make it to the Wanjian Sect?¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll come find you.¡± These words, spoken during their parting, echoed endlessly in Xu Xuenuo¡¯s mind. ¡°He seems to have been injured, but not seriously. He fainted from exhaustion in the end.¡± As the voice of the little girl named Chen Suier replayed in Xu Xuenuo¡¯s ears, she slowly opened her eyes. The long sword, Qingming, resting on her lap, began to hum and vibrate incessantly. Xu Xuenuo reached out her hand, placing it firmly on the hilt. With her brows furrowing, she muttered, ¡°I haven¡¯t been gone that long, and you¡¯ve already gotten bullied? Useless!¡± ¡ª Early the next morning, two quarters before dawn, the blaring of horns resounded throughout Demon-Suppressing City. Xu Xuenuo opened her eyes, climbed out of bed, and grasped her sword as she followed her master out of the courtyard and up to the city walls. Focusing her spiritual energy in her eyes, she peered down from the hundred-zhang-tall walls. Below, the Demon-Suppressing Army had formed several massive, impeccably orderly formations. Clad in dark red armor and wielding long sabers, they stood motionless, like stones embedded in the blood-soaked soil, exuding an overwhelming aura of killing intent that reverberated in the cold air. This was the 300,000-strong Dragon-Leopard Cavalry, a force as renowned as Wu Kingdom¡¯s Blood Butchers and Iron Tiger Army. For generations, they had stood as the guardians of Demon-Suppressing City. [T/N: I¡¯ll use Blood Butchers instead of Blood Pagoda from now on.] As the city walls trembled, Chen Suier¡ªseated atop Chen Nan¡¯s shoulder¡ªascended to the top. She held a skewer of candied hawthorn, leisurely eating each piece one by one. When she reached the last one, she tossed the empty bamboo skewer from the wall, yawned, patted Chen Nan on the head, and said casually, ¡°Let¡¯s move.¡± ¡°ROAR!!!¡± Chen Nan tilted his head back and let out a deafening bellow, a sound that seemed to combine the ferocity of a tiger¡¯s roar and the majesty of a dragon¡¯s cry. The 300,000 soldiers mounted their steeds in unison, turned, and charged in the same direction, raising clouds of dust several zhang high. ¡°ROAR!¡± Chen Nan leapt off the city wall, landing heavily on the ground with the impact of a meteor, creating a massive crater. Without pause, he charged forward at a speed that rivaled the Dragon-Leopard Cavalry¡¯s mounts, which carried the bloodline of the mythical lushu deer. Perched on Chen Nan¡¯s shoulder, Chen Suier crossed her legs, her dainty white feet swinging idly as her gaze fixed on the distant outline of Fangya City, a border town of the Wanxiang Demon Kingdom, a hundred li away. ¡ª Meanwhile, in the border cities of several neighboring demon kingdoms adjacent to Wu Kingdom¡¯s Demon-Suppressing City, reports from scouts poured in. Upon hearing that Demon-Suppressing City¡¯s 300,000 Dragon-Leopard Cavalry had been deployed, the rulers of these cities were struck with shock and fear. They hurried to their city walls, using magical artifacts to gaze into the desolate no-man¡¯s land where countless humans and demons had perished. Before long, the rulers collectively sighed in relief. The good news was that the cavalry wasn¡¯t heading for them. The bad news was that all fifteen border cities of the fifteen demon kingdoms had previously signed an alliance pact: if any one city was attacked, the other fourteen were obligated to send reinforcements. Failure to do so would mean risking Demon-Suppressing City breaking through one city and unraveling the entire defensive line connecting the fifteen border cities of the Southern Demon Kingdoms. But judging by the direction of the cavalry¡­ It seemed their target was Fangya City of the Wanxiang Demon Kingdom. The rulers couldn¡¯t help but wonder, What on earth did Fangya City do to provoke Chen Suier? ¡ª In Fangya City, the city lord stood atop the walls, his gaze fixed on the Dragon-Leopard Cavalry thundering toward him. Unlike the other rulers, he knew exactly what was going on. After all, the decision to attempt the assassination of Qi Kingdom¡¯s prodigious scholar in Wu¡¯s capital had come straight from the demon court. Now, they were about to reap the consequences. If it had succeeded, there¡¯d be no more to say. But it failed. Wu Kingdom is a nation built on martial prowess¡ªthey won¡¯t just let this slide with a few curses. For the loss of face that Wu Kingdom has suffered, they¡¯ll demand repayment in blood. ¡°Pass my orders! Open the gates! Prepare for battle!¡± The city lord of Fangya City chose not to employ a defensive strategy. He had little faith in the city¡¯s protective formations. If the defenses were breached, Fangya City would inevitably face a massacre. The only chance was to take the fight to the enemy, holding them off beyond the city walls while waiting for reinforcements from the other fourteen cities. Only by combining forces could they push the invaders back, minimizing his own losses. Even so, the damage to Fangya City would still be immense! Those fourteen cities were unlikely to commit too many troops, leaving Fangya City to bear the brunt of the enemy¡¯s initial and most devastating charge. ¡°Those bastards in the court are all damned fools!¡± The city lord cursed loudly. The gates of Fangya City swung open, and its 100,000-strong demon army marched out to meet the enemy. ¡ª Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As the two armies clashed, Chen Nan pulled the Heaven-Shaking Hammer from his storage pouch. With each swing, his massive weapon turned foes into little more than piles of mangled flesh. The Dragon-Leopard Cavalry rampaged through the army of the Wanxiang Demon Kingdom, their spears piercing through demon warriors like skewers threading candied hawthorn. When the lushu-blooded warhorses beneath the cavalry were felled, the riders immediately abandoned their mounts, drawing dual blades from their belts to continue their assault on foot. Fangya City¡¯s forces managed to endure the first wave of Demon-Suppressing City¡¯s attack, but just as their lines were about to collapse, reinforcements¡ª420,000 troops from the fourteen allied cities¡ªarrived on the battlefield! ¡ª Xu Xuenuo stood amidst the chaos, her sword gripped tightly in her hand. The sight of mangled flesh and the heavy stench of blood overwhelmed her senses, making her stomach churn. When Xu Xuenuo finally drove her blade into the heart of a demon warrior, the sickening sensation transmitted through the hilt made her want to vomit. But she forced herself to steady her mind. The brutal reality of the battlefield was teaching Xu Xuenuo, in the harshest way possible, to accept the carnage of blood and steel. With each demon she slew, their blood stained her Qingming Sword, and the blade¡¯s edge grew sharper, its aura more menacing. ¡ª ¡°Awoooo!¡± A pack of hundreds of dog demons reverted to their original forms and charged into the fray, their howls piercing the cacophony of battle. Xu Xuenuo turned, her gaze locking onto the area where the dog demons had entered the fight. If she remembered correctly, hadn¡¯t that girl Chen Suier said yesterday¡­ The demon that injured Xu Ming¡­ was a dog? Chapter 52 ¡°Roar!¡± ¡°Roar!¡± ¡°Roar, roar, roar!¡± Chen Nan, clad in iron armor and wielding a massive iron hammer, struck the monstrous creatures of the demon race blow after blow. With each swing, blood splattered and bloomed like crimson flowers under his hammer. Boom! Boom! Boom! The earth trembled across the wilderness. Dust surged several meters high as massive stone feet trampled dragon-leopard cavalry into pulp. ¡°Solid as a rock.¡± A towering stone giant, standing ten meters tall, spoke in a deep, resonant voice as it charged toward Chen Nan. Just as it was about to reach him, the stone giant leaped into the air and descended like a falling mountain, its fists clenched tightly, smashing down toward Chen Nan. ¡°Roar!¡± Unfazed, Chen Nan let out a thunderous roar of his own. He swung his iron hammer upward at a forty-five-degree angle. The moment the hammer collided with the giant¡¯s arm, cracks spiderwebbed across the stone limb. The hammer continued its upward trajectory, shattering chunks of stone that rained down to the ground. ¡°Roar!¡± Chen Nan bellowed again, his muscles bulging explosively beneath his armor. The hammer gleamed a blood-red hue as it tore through the giant¡¯s defenses. By the time the hammer reached its zenith, the giant¡¯s arms were completely obliterated. Leaping high, Chen Nan brought the hammer crashing down on the giant¡¯s head. Headless, the stone giant flailed its arms wildly. As Chen Nan landed, he struck the giant¡¯s knee with another devastating blow. The giant lost its balance and toppled to the ground, only to be met with Chen Nan¡¯s earth-shaking strikes. ¡°ROAR!!!¡± Standing atop the mountain of rubble, Chen Nan gripped his iron hammer tightly, his victorious war cry resounding through the heavens and earth. On his shoulder sat Chen Suier, her legs crossed, her fair thighs exposed beneath her skirt. She flicked her long hair, her crimson eyes filled with disdain. Chen Suier looked down at the battlefield, her gaze falling on a little girl whose demeanor seemed utterly out of place amidst the blood-soaked carnage. Tilting her head, she muttered, ¡°That Xu Xue Nuo¡­does she really hate dogs that much?¡± Xu Xue Nuo¡¯s life-bound flying sword arced through the battlefield, piercing the skull of a demon hound and skewering its body. Her Qingming Sword swirled in the air, flipping mid-flight, and pinned a black dog to the ground. A small hand gripped the Qingming Sword. As the sword was drawn, an icy ripple of sword energy burst forth, slicing through the five hounds that had surrounded her, cutting them all cleanly in half. ¡°Woof!¡± A massive three-headed dog lunged at Xu Xue Nuo, its towering two-meter frame raising a paw to crush her. Clang! Xu Xue Nuo raised her long sword and blocked the gigantic paw. The three-headed dog froze in shock. How could a mere eight or nine-year-old girl possess such immense strength? The beast threw its head back and summoned flames, spitting a fiery blast toward Xu Xue Nuo. The flames engulfed her entirely. Yet a breath later, five streaks of sword light sliced through the searing inferno as if it were nothing but a red curtain. ¡°Howl!¡± The three-headed dog yelped in pain as its massive paw, still aiming for Xu Xue Nuo, was instantly severed into three pieces. The girl leapt into the air. In her hand, the Qingming Sword gleamed as if freshly washed, utterly pristine, betraying no sign of having slain a dozen beasts. ¡°Howl!¡± The three-headed dog raised its heads again, merging three streams of fire into one massive column aimed directly at Xu Xue Nuo. ¡°Go,¡± she whispered, forming a sword seal with her fingers. The Qingming Sword hummed and shot forward. Just as the fire pillar neared her, it froze solid in an instant. Clang! The Qingming Sword soared gracefully through the fiery pillar¡¯s end, weaving between the three heads of the three-headed dog like a butterfly in flight. By the time Xu Xue Nuo landed, three severed dog heads thudded to the ground alongside her. ¡°This child cannot be allowed to live.¡± From the city walls, the Lord of Ya City watched Xu Xue Nuo coldly. This girl was nothing like Chen Suier. Chen Suier was simply an eternally petite woman. But this girl, judging by her bone age, was truly no more than eight or nine years old. Yet, she was already at the Cave Mansion Realm. And her mastery within this realm was terrifying¡ªso much so that she could easily slay a demon beast at the Sea Observation Realm! If she were allowed to grow, she would become a massive threat, not just to the Wanxiang Demon Kingdom but to the countless demon nations of the southern territories! ¡°Wait a moment¡­ A girl, using a sword, eight or nine years old, in the Cave Mansion Realm. Could she be¡­¡± ¡°Well, well, little girl, coming to a battlefield so young¡­ You¡¯re bound to die.¡± Just as the Lord of Ya City began to piece together her identity, an old man holding a black lantern appeared behind Xu Xue Nuo. ¡°Elder Huang! Stop! Her protector is¡ª¡± The Lord of Ya City shouted loudly, but it was already too late. The black lantern in the elder¡¯s hand morphed into several serpents of flame, which lunged toward Xu Xue Nuo. In the blink of an eye, however, all the flaming serpents shattered. The elder glanced down in shock, then raised his gaze. High above, a woman sat coldly in the clouds, staring down at him. Boom! In that moment, a Jade Purity Realm elder was effortlessly slain. The woman had only drawn a single sword strike. ¡°Jiang Luoyu!¡± The Lord of Ya City slammed his fist against the city wall, his eyes narrowing dangerously. Meanwhile, the Qingming Sword resumed its flight, cutting through the horde of demon hounds once more. The remaining hounds were petrified. This little girl¡ªwould she ever stop? Why was she so relentlessly targeting them? Could it be she¡¯d been bitten by a dog as a child? Why did she hate them so much? When the Qingming Sword struck down its hundredth demon hound, pieces of iron began to flake off its blade. The engravings on the sword rippled outward, breaking apart and scattering. The sword floated in the air, trembling violently, as if calling out to something. Xu Xue Nuo seemed to sense its plea and ascended toward it. The moment her hand grasped the hilt, waves of sword energy rippled across the battlefield. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In the royal capital of Wu Kingdom, Xu Ming, practicing swordplay in his courtyard, looked up. On the other side of the yard, Xu Pangda, who had been reading, raised his chubby head. ¡°Honk?¡± The Tianxuan Goose let out a ¡°honk¡± and lifted its head to gaze at the sky. High above, a cyan list reappeared¡ª [Xu Xue Nuo: Life-bound sword Qingming has awakened. Achieved Sea Observation Realm at age eight. Ranked 8th on the Qingyun List.] As the Qingyun List faded, Xu Pangda leapt off his chair, rushing to Xu Ming. He shook Xu Ming¡¯s arm excitedly. ¡°Fifth Brother, Fifth Brother! Xue Nuo made it to eighth place! Eighth place!¡± The Tianxuan Goose also honked joyously, hopping around the courtyard. ¡°Yes, eighth place,¡± Xu Ming said with a warm smile, genuinely happy for Xu Xue Nuo. Yet, deep down, he felt a pang of emotion. It seemed like the gap between him and Xue Nuo was only growing wider and wider. ¡°Master Ming¡¯er! Master Ming¡¯er!¡± Just as the courtyard was steeped in celebration, Chun Yan burst in, her excitement barely contained. ¡°Master Ming¡¯er!¡± She knelt in front of Xu Ming, panting heavily. ¡°The laws! The laws of Wu Kingdom! They¡¯ve been revised!¡± Chapter 53 ¡°Good news! Good news! The 300,000 Dragon-Leopard Cavalry of Zhenyao (Demon-Suppressing) City has breached the border city of the Wanxiang Demon Kingdom!¡± ¡°Three hundred thousand Dragon-Leopard Cavalry killed 200,000 enemies! The enemy¡¯s of Yacheng has been razed by over half!¡± ¡°Xu Xue Nuo of Wu Kingdom has sharpened her life-bound flying sword, Qingming, stepped into the Sea Observation realm, and ranks eighth on the Qingyun List!¡± ¡°Zhou Shu! Zhou Shu! The imperial exam system has been reformed! Any individual, regardless of background, can now participate in the exams!¡± ¡°Regardless of class or status¡ªlegitimate or illegitimate¡ªeveryone is eligible to take the exams! Only talent matters!¡± On the streets of Wudu, young ¡°newsboys¡± ran tirelessly, selling copies of Zhou Shu, their faces brimming with pride and excitement. Whether it was teahouses, inns, or even brothels, the news sparked cheers and applause. The Wanxiang Demon Kingdom dared to commit an assassination in Wudu? Naturally, Wu Kingdom would respond with thunderous retaliation! Wu Kingdom doesn¡¯t hold grudges overnight! Do they think the men of Wu Kingdom lack the courage to avenge themselves? Besides the triumph in Zhenyao City, Xu Xue Nuo¡¯s achievement brought shared pride to the people of Wu Kingdom. Qin Qing Wan ranks ninth on the Qing Yun List, and now Xu Xue Nuo has secured the eighth spot! The Qing Yun List includes both humans and demons. In this vast world, Wu Kingdom has claimed two spots in the top ten¡ªhow could this not delight the people? Beyond the victory at Zhenyao City and Xu Xue Nuo¡¯s ranking¡ªboth reasons to down a celebratory drink¡ªwhat captured the most discussion was the reform of the imperial examination system, something closely tied to the people¡¯s lives. For those with lofty aspirations but previously barred from the exams, the reform was undoubtedly the greatest of blessings. But for those who already had the privilege of taking the exams, it brought unease. They could already foresee the massive turnout for next year¡¯s Tongshi. How intense would the competition be? How much harder would it be to stand out in future exams? Officials from the reformist faction on the Wu Kingdom court were drinking with abandon, hardly concerned. ¡°What¡¯s competition to us? If you can¡¯t outdo others, do you have the nerve to complain about it? Wu Kingdom¡¯s scholarly tradition will surely thrive in the future! And besides, your failure isn¡¯t our problem. We¡¯ve already made it to shore!¡± While the reformist officials gathered merrily at a brothel, their leader sat alone, quietly drinking in a different place. On the top floor of Drunken Blossom Tower, a man named Su Zihong approached with a jug of wine in hand. Leaning against the railing stood Xiao Mo Chi, clad in a simple Confucian green robe, holding a wine jug as he gazed at the lively streets of Wudu. ¡°You never did take to brothels,¡± Xiao Mo Chi said with a shake of his head. Su Zihong leaned back against the railing, arms outstretched, turning his head to look at Xiao Mo Chi. ¡°You mean to say you¡¯ve never been to a brothel your whole life?¡± Xiao Mo Chi simply smiled and did not refute the claim. ¡°You, ah¡­¡± Su Zihong sighed. ¡°I heard she got engaged.¡± Xiao Mo Chi¡¯s hand tightened slightly around the wine jug, his breath catching for a moment. But in the end, he merely smiled again, raised the jug, and took a sip. ¡°That¡¯s good for her.¡± ¡°Good my ass!¡± Su Zihong snatched the jug from his hand. ¡°Back at White Deer Academy, wasn¡¯t she already plenty forward with you? She even invited you to Qi Kingdom, didn¡¯t she? And what did you do?¡± ¡°Zihong,¡± Xiao Mo Chi looked up and smiled, ¡°this is my country.¡± ¡°Fine, fine, your country!¡± Su Zihong snapped, frustrated. ¡°But when she wanted to come with you to Wu Kingdom, why did you refuse?¡± ¡°She shouldn¡¯t have to give up everything for me,¡± Xiao Mo Chi replied, his hand gently tracing the wine-red dragon carvings on the railing. ¡°Besides, the path I¡¯ve chosen¡­ it¡¯s not one that ends well.¡± He turned his head, a faint smile curling at his lips. ¡°And, Zihong, do you know why those old fossils in the court are so afraid of me?¡± Su Zihong rolled his eyes. ¡°Because you¡¯re a gentleman of White Deer Academy. Because you¡¯re the Emperor¡¯s favorite.¡± ¡°Not entirely,¡± Xiao Mo Chi shook his head. He continued, ¡°My sister is the current Empress, my father holds the North Desolation in check, and my mother passed away long ago. I live independently, alone. I have no wife, no children, no weaknesses. That¡¯s why they fear me! Because they know¡ª I have nothing to hold me back. I can utterly destroy them, without hesitation or remorse.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Su Zihong pointed a trembling finger at Xiao Mo Chi, but it eventually fell, and he didn¡¯t know what else to say. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Forget it! Forget it! I won¡¯t bother talking to you anymore. Since we were kids, you¡¯ve been unbelievably stubborn! Damn it!¡± Su Zihong cursed loudly and spat over the railing. The spit landed squarely on the head of a passerby below. The man touched his head, looked up angrily, but when he saw the jade belt at Su Zihong¡¯s waist, he could only grumble to himself and walk away. ¡°Then don¡¯t talk about it anymore,¡± Xiao Mo Chi chuckled, reclaiming his wine jug and clinking it against Su Zihong¡¯s. ¡°Today¡¯s a day for celebration, full of good news.¡± Su Zihong turned and leaned on the railing beside Xiao Mo Chi, mimicking his posture. ¡°About that Dead Dog Disaster Hound and the assassination attempt on Zhu Cici a while back¡ªthere¡¯s been some progress.¡± Xiao Mo Chi nodded slightly. ¡°What¡¯s the word?¡± Su Zihong said, ¡°It seems the Wanxiang Demon Kingdom, the White Fox Demon Kingdom, the Heavenly Bird Demon Kingdom, and the Ten-Thousand Serpents Kingdom are trying to summon something. This¡­ thing requires five types of sacred constitutions, and Zhu Cici¡¯s innate literary spirit is one of them.¡± Xiao Mo Chi¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°What kind of entity could they be trying to summon, one that would make the Wanxiang Demon Kingdom risk retaliation from both Wu Kingdom and Qi Kingdom?¡± Su Zihong shook his head. ¡°We don¡¯t know yet. Still investigating.¡± Xiao Mo Chi pondered for a moment. ¡°You said five sacred constitutions. What are the other four?¡± Su Zihong replied, ¡°The Sword Bone of the Innate Sword Constitution, the heart of the Innate Sacred Body, the eyes of the Ten-Thousand Paths Heavy Pupil, and the spirit root of the Eternal Spirit Root. The Ten-Thousand Paths Heavy Pupil is in the Northern Desolation. As for the Innate Sword Constitution and the Innate Sacred Body, we have both in Wu Kingdom.¡± Xiao Mo Chi¡¯s gaze remained fixed on the bustling streets below, his expression calm yet focused. ¡°Draft a letter to the Wanjian Sect and Tianxuan Sect.¡± Su Zihong rolled his eyes. ¡°Xu Xue Nuo is Jiang Luoyu¡¯s personal disciple, and Qin Qing Wan is Wang Xuan¡¯s prot¨¦g¨¦. Who¡¯d dare touch them?¡± Xiao Mo Chi exhaled slowly. ¡°Better safe than sorry. By the way, where is this Eternal Spirit Root?¡± Su Zihong shrugged. ¡°The Eternal Spirit Root hasn¡¯t been seen in ten thousand years. But if it¡¯s part of their ritual, then it must exist. They couldn¡¯t summon something out of thin air. It¡¯s just that the Eternal Spirit Root hasn¡¯t been discovered yet.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Xiao Mo Chi nodded. ¡°There¡¯s one more thing,¡± Su Zihong added. ¡°Can you just say it all at once?¡± Xiao Mo Chi muttered in exasperation. ¡°This is the last one, I swear.¡± Su Zihong leaned closer to Xiao Mo Chi, lowering his voice as they both watched the streets of Wudu. ¡°There¡¯s news from Tianji City. A hundred and fifty years ago, the fifth prince, Prince Shan, had two descendants who survived. They¡¯re in Wu Kingdom.¡± Chapter 54 The excitement over the victory at Zhenyao (Demon-Suppressing) City, Xu Xue Nuo¡¯s breakthrough, and the imperial examination reform gradually subsided. Life in Wu Kingdom returned to its usual rhythm. For most people, nothing in their daily lives had truly changed. Several days earlier, the Qi Kingdom envoy delegation had already returned home. Xu Ming, who had shone brilliantly at the banquet, had also attended the farewell, but this time, not as an attendant¡ªhe went as an official envoy of Wu Kingdom. Of course, during farewells, it was mostly the adults exchanging polite pleasantries such as ¡°Safe travels¡± and ¡°Do visit Qi Kingdom someday.¡± The younger ones didn¡¯t have much of a role to play in these formalities, which left Zhu Cici, standing by her mother¡¯s side, feeling anxious. She desperately wanted to talk to her little sweetheart. Finally, she managed to find an opportunity. Zhu Cici approached Xu Ming to bid him farewell and secretly handed him a pale pink jade pendant. Before Xu Ming could refuse, she bolted away. Holding the jade pendant in his hand, Xu Ming found himself at a loss for words. A token of affection? When he got home, Xu Ming pondered what to do with the pink jade pendant. Perhaps when she grew up, she would forget all about this incident¡ªor worse, it might become an embarrassing memory, something she¡¯d cringe at whenever she thought of it. But still, it was a kind gesture. And since she claimed the pendant had the effect of nurturing a scholarly temperament, Xu Ming decided to keep it, treating it as her way of repaying him for saving her. In the days that followed, Xu Ming continued his rigorous training. Once he¡¯d firmly established his foundation in the Mercury Realm, he went to the courtyard of Lady Wang. Lady Wang prepared a body-refining medicinal bath using her family¡¯s secret recipe. After pouring the medicinal concoction into the water, she instructed Xu Ming to soak in it. This turned out to be the most excruciating bath Xu Ming had ever taken. It felt as if his entire body were submerged in molten lava, every fiber of his flesh on the verge of being torn apart and melted away. Several times, Xu Ming couldn¡¯t help but scream out in agony from within the tub. And no matter how unbearable the pain, the medicinal bath seemed to have a sobering effect, preventing him from losing consciousness. He had to endure it all with complete clarity! Seeing Xu Ming on the verge of giving up, Lady Wang shouted sternly, ¡°Hold on! You mustn¡¯t abandon the Mercury Realm¡¯s body-refining halfway! Otherwise, your martial path will be ruined forever!¡± Gritting his teeth and clenching his fists so tightly that his nails dug into his palms, Xu Ming pushed through. After an entire day and night, the pain finally subsided. Xu Ming was so drained he couldn¡¯t even scream anymore. The once-red liquid in the tub had turned into a muddy sludge, resembling a swamp¡ªdisgusting and foul-smelling. Xu Ming figured this must be what those novels meant when they described ¡°expelling impurities through the pores.¡± Seeing Xu Ming pull through, Wang Feng let out a heavy sigh of relief. Xu Pangda quickly called for the maids to heat up fresh water for Xu Ming to take a proper bath. After thoroughly cleaning himself, Xu Ming stood in front of a mirror and noticed he looked noticeably fairer, and perhaps even more handsome. He threw a punch experimentally. His punching speed and strength had significantly improved compared to before. Moreover, despite his delicate appearance, he could feel that his skin, flesh, and bones had all become much tougher. Previously, Xu Ming had considered whether he should focus exclusively on swordsmanship and set aside martial arts, thinking it might allow him to progress faster. But now, Xu Ming abandoned that idea entirely. Specializing in either swordsmanship or martial arts might indeed lead to quicker progress. However, each had its own strengths. For instance, sword cultivators excelled in offensive power but lacked defense, whereas martial artists were renowned for their unparalleled physical resilience. It was common for most people to focus on only one path¡ªit made sense, given the limitations of energy and time. But he was different. Xu Ming had a cheat-like advantage. Compared to ordinary people, he could progress steadily on both paths, albeit at a slower pace. Still, he believed his journey would be more solid and rewarding. However, Xu Ming began to feel that aimless training in the courtyard wasn¡¯t going to cut it anymore. He wanted to join the military. Though Wu Kingdom didn¡¯t hold much cultural sway on the ¡°international¡± stage, it was a nation founded on martial strength. Every family trained their sons in martial arts. The reason Wu Kingdom stood among the ten great human dynasties was largely due to its unmatched military training. Every young man in Wu Kingdom who joined the army received systematic training. More importantly, for a martial artist, blood and qi were essential to tempering oneself. And the army was where blood and qi thrived most vibrantly. Wu Kingdom¡¯s geography was complex, bordered by various other kingdoms and overrun with beasts and monsters within its borders. Enlisting in the military guaranteed opportunities for real combat¡ªsomething impossible to find in the comfortable, peaceful life of the capital. Only through bloody, flesh-and-bone battles could Xu Ming progress faster. As for his family, Xu Ming wasn¡¯t worried. His mother was well-acquainted with Lady Qin and Lady Wang and would not suffer any mistreatment. Moreover, his mother was known for her quiet, unassuming nature in the Xu household, staying out of trouble. Xu Ming shared his idea with Lady Wang instead of directly telling his mother. He feared his mother might not agree. Hoping to gain her support, Xu Ming asked Lady Wang to help persuade his mother. Lady Wang understood Xu Ming¡¯s intentions. She knew he wanted to use the military¡¯s blood and qi to hone himself and gain more life experience. After all, in a peaceful environment, one could not forge a truly formidable martial artist. Throughout history, which great warrior hadn¡¯t emerged from a sea of blood? ¡°Xu Ming, you don¡¯t have to take this path,¡± Lady Wang said, shaking her head. ¡°With the recent changes to the imperial examination system, your talents and growing reputation would ensure you a promising future as a government official. Why risk your life every day?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, Aunt Wang,¡± Xu Ming replied. ¡°But my ambition doesn¡¯t lie in the court. The scheming and intrigue there aren¡¯t my style. I¡¯d rather be a straightforward warrior¡ªit suits me better.¡± Of course, Xu Ming didn¡¯t share his full thoughts. It wasn¡¯t just that he didn¡¯t want to be an official. While he found the court¡¯s dirty politics tiresome, his goal wasn¡¯t to simply become a warrior either. Martial arts were merely a tool to strengthen himself. Lady Wang stared directly at Xu Ming, her fingers drumming rhythmically on the table as she pondered. After a moment, she spoke seriously, ¡°I can help convince your mother, but you have to promise me one thing.¡± ¡°Anything, Aunt Wang,¡± Xu Ming replied, nodding. ¡°You must participate in next year¡¯s Tongshi and the Xiangshi the year after,¡± Lady Wang said firmly. ¡°Only after you pass the Xiangshi and become a juren will I allow you to join the army.¡± Xu Ming froze for a moment, surprised by her demand. But he quickly understood the good intentions behind his aunt¡¯s seemingly harsh condition. Aunt Wang wanted him to earn the title of juren as a fallback before pursuing his military ambitions. If his path as a warrior didn¡¯t pan out, having the status of a juren, combined with his current reputation, would ensure a way out. The Xu family could pull some strings to secure him a comfortable position. Even if they didn¡¯t, the Wang family could step in and help him land a minor government post. Moreover, as a juren, entering the army would allow him to build his credentials. Later, if he decided to transition to the court, whether as a civil or military official, he¡¯d find it easier to garner support. It was clear Lady Wang had thought this through thoroughly. ¡°I promise, Aunt Wang,¡± Xu Ming said with a nod. ¡°Alright, that¡¯s settled. Don¡¯t mention this to your mother for now; I¡¯ll tell her myself later. Besides, you probably won¡¯t pass the scholar examination anyway,¡± said Wang Feng, waving her hand dismissively. Xu Ming chuckled, recognizing his aunt¡¯s characteristic pride. He knew she was worried that if he told his mother about his plans to leave too soon, it would make her worry. Better to delay the news and soften the blow. Another cycle of seasons passed. On this day, Xu Ming turned nine. For his ninth birthday, Xu Ming received a package. The messenger said it came from the Yunyi Marquis¡¯ residence in the State of Qi. ¡°The Yunyi Marquis?¡± Xu Ming thought for a moment before recalling that this was the title of Zhu Cici¡¯s father. He opened the package to find a bracelet. Dangling from the bracelet were two dice, each embedded with a red bean. ¡°Linglong dice are made of red beans; they speak of love deep to the bone.¡± These poetic lines suddenly surfaced in Xu Ming¡¯s mind. He remembered that this poem existed in this world too, written by a woman named Qi Yun from the State of Qi. ¡°She¡¯s just ten years old, though! How are ancient girls so precocious?¡± Staring at the bracelet, Xu Ming could vividly imagine a ten-year-old girl carefully embedding red beans into the dice and threading them with red silk under the glow of a lamp. Xu Ming put the bracelet on, storing it away on his wrist. He wasn¡¯t surprised that Zhu Cici remembered his birthday. After all, when she wrote that ¡°play marriage contract¡± during the child game, it included their birthdates. Back then, Xu Ming didn¡¯t take it seriously, but now it seemed Zhu Cici had always kept it in mind. Feeling a bit guilty, Xu Ming retrieved the marriage contract. Seeing that Zhu Cici¡¯s birthday was still two months away, he felt relieved. Even though the journey to Qi was long, two months should be enough time to deliver something. For such a literary girl, Xu Ming decided to compose a poem as her birthday gift. But after finishing the poem, Xu Ming realized something felt off. Sending her a poem about longing would only deepen their connection, wouldn¡¯t it? If this continued¡ªexchanging gifts back and forth¡ªthe childhood jest might eventually turn real as they grew older. After some thought, Xu Ming decided not to send the poem. Instead, he wrote a simple letter. In the letter, Xu Ming explained that he was about to join the military and would no longer live at the Xu residence. He told her there was no need to send him birthday gifts in the future. Finally, Xu Ming took advantage of the fact that the Tianxuan Goose was still asleep and plucked a dozen of its feathers to make a shuttlecock. ¡°Fifth Brother, Master Fang is here to see you. He¡¯s in the main hall, probably about the child examination next month,¡± said Xu Xiaopang as he entered the room. ¡°Got it, I¡¯ll head over now,¡± Xu Ming nodded. ¡°Third Brother, can you help me pack this shuttlecock and letter? Please give them to Aunt and ask her to mail them to the Yunyi Marquis¡¯ residence in Qi for Miss Zhu Cici¡¯s birthday gift.¡± ¡°Sure, leave it to me. You should go quickly, Fifth Brother,¡± Xu Pangda nodded earnestly, taking the letter and shuttlecock. After Xu Ming left, Xu Pangda prepared to complete his younger brother¡¯s request promptly. But then he noticed a piece of paper on the desk, with writing on it. Curious, Xu Pangda walked over and unfolded the paper to reveal a poem: ¡°In life, I knew nothing of longing. Only when I learned it, did it torment me so. My body like a drifting cloud, my heart like floating dandelions, My breath faint as thread. A wisp of lingering fragrance remains, Yearning for the graceful beauty beyond my reach. When does longing strike? When lamps half-dim, When the moon shines faintly bright.¡± As he finished reading, Xu Pangda shivered all over. ¡°This poem is so mushy! But it¡¯s really well written.¡± ¡°Fifth Brother said this was a birthday gift for Miss Zhu. Since they¡¯re far apart, and this poem is all about longing, it must have been meant for her. He probably forgot to give it to me.¡± Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Xu Pangda carefully folded the poem and placed it into the envelope, planning to send it along with the shuttlecock. A month later, Xu Ming took part in the child scholar examination (tongshi). Normally, such exams didn¡¯t attract much attention. However, this was the first examination after the recent reforms, so the number of participants was much higher than usual. Even more importantly, Xu Ming was taking part! Everyone was curious to see how a concubine¡¯s son, no longer bound by restrictions, would perform. Crowds gathered outside the examination courtyard, eager to catch a glimpse of Xu Ming. They wanted to see the child prodigy who had composed the famous line ¡°The mortal world cannot keep them; beauty fades from mirrors, flowers leave their trees.¡± ¡°There he is!¡± ¡°Xu Ming!¡± ¡°Xu Ming, the young genius!¡± ¡°Xu Ming, you¡¯re so handsome!¡± ¡°Look this way, darling!¡± ¡°After the exam, come visit your auntie¡¯s house!¡± When Xu Ming stepped down from the Xu family carriage on the day of the exam, people started calling out to him. Though they had never seen him before, they recognized the Xu family¡¯s carriage, and there was only one young boy riding it. Xu Ming hadn¡¯t expected to be so popular. Faced with the crowd¡¯s enthusiasm, he gave a polite bow. Even at his young age, his elegant demeanor and jade-like gentleness made many older sisters and aunties swoon. A month passed after the exam. One day, a man came to the Xu residence, beating a drum and shouting, ¡°Congratulations, Master! Congratulations, Master! The child scholar examination results are out¡ªYoung Master Xu¡­¡± Throughout Wu City, the announcement boards were crowded with people, particularly women. Everyone looked up, and at the top of the list, there was one name: ¡°First place¡ªXu Ming, Xu Mansion.¡± Meanwhile, in the rear courtyard of the Yunyi Marquis¡¯ residence in Qi. A ten-year-old girl was carefully embroidering, stitch by stitch. Her fingers appeared a bit clumsy, but her expression was serious and focused. ¡°Miss! Miss!¡± A maid came running into the courtyard. ¡°Miss, a letter has arrived for you¡ªfrom Wu Kingdom!¡± Chapter 55 ¡°Miss, a letter has arrived for you¡ªfrom Wu Kingdom.¡± As Zhu Cici continued carefully stitching her embroidery, a maid walked into the courtyard. The moment Zhu Cici heard the letter was from Wu Kingdom, her eyes lit up with excitement. She put down the embroidery in her hands, her skirt swaying as her legs moved swiftly. She hurried over and exclaimed, ¡°Quick, give it to me!¡± Zhu Cici opened the package to find a letter and a small shuttlecock. The shuttlecock¡¯s snow-white goose feathers were clean and pristine, as pure as fresh snow. Opening the envelope, she pulled out two sheets of paper. She unfolded the first page and saw it was a letter from Xu Ming. In the letter, Xu Ming explained that he was about to join the military and wouldn¡¯t be able to receive birthday gifts anymore because mail wouldn¡¯t reach him while he was in the army. As for the small shuttlecock, Xu Ming mentioned it was handmade by him. Though it might be a bit rough, he hoped Zhu Cici wouldn¡¯t mind. Zhu Cici then unfolded the second sheet, which turned out to be a poem: ¡°In life, I knew nothing of longing. Only when I learned it, did it torment me so. My body like a drifting cloud, My heart like floating dandelions, My breath faint as thread. A wisp of lingering fragrance remains, Yearning for the graceful beauty beyond my reach. When does longing strike most deeply? When the lamps are half-dim, and the moon half-bright.¡± As she read, a blush crept across Zhu Cici¡¯s cheeks. Her slender fingers gently tightened around the letter, and her long lashes fluttered lightly in the morning sun. The elegant dignity of a young lady, combined with the innocent shyness of a girl her age, radiated naturally from her. ¡°In life, I knew nothing of longing. Only when I learned it, did it torment me so. My body like a drifting cloud, My heart like floating dandelions, My breath faint as thread. A wisp of lingering fragrance remains, Yearning for the graceful beauty beyond my reach. When does longing strike most deeply? When the lamps are half-dim, and the moon half-bright.¡± The poem was simple yet profound, and Zhu Cici instantly understood its meaning. ¡°I never thought¡­ Xu Ming already misses me this much?¡± Zhu Cici murmured, her gaze unfocused. The more she read the poem, the more fondness she felt for it. ¡°Miss, what are you reading? Can I take a look?¡± The maid, Xiaoqiao, blinked expectantly. ¡°No.¡± Zhu Cici turned around and carefully folded the poem and letter, storing them away with care. She then picked up the white-feathered shuttlecock, holding it in her palm and gently toying with it, her expression brimming with joy. Xu Ming had mentioned the shuttlecock was roughly made, but in Zhu Cici¡¯s eyes, it was exquisitely crafted. ¡°Miss, you¡¯re so stingy,¡± Xiaoqiao pouted. ¡°I was the one who risked getting scolded by the master and madam to deliver your package, and now you won¡¯t even let me see.¡± ¡°Not happening.¡± Zhu Cici¡¯s eyes curved into crescents, her elegant demeanor mixed with a playful tone. ¡°I¡¯m just not giving it to you, no matter what.¡± ¡°Miss, please~~~¡± Xiaoqiao, who was seven years older than Zhu Cici, pleaded relentlessly. ¡°Young Master Xu must¡¯ve written you a poem! Let me see it¡ªI really want to read it!¡± The Kingdom of Qi highly valued literature, and whenever a remarkable poem or piece of prose emerged, it would spread widely throughout the country. While Xu Ming was already well-known in Wu Kingdom, what he didn¡¯t know was that in Qi, his line ¡°The mortal world cannot keep them; beauty fades from mirrors, flowers leave their trees¡± had left countless women sighing with melancholy. Many in Qi were eagerly awaiting Xu Ming¡¯s next work, but he hadn¡¯t written anything new recently. ¡°Fine¡­ fine, you can have a look,¡± Zhu Cici said, her cheeks slightly red. She pushed the poem on the desk forward a little. Though Zhu Cici was shy, Xiaoqiao had been with her since childhood. Zhu Cici trusted her completely, so letting her read the poem didn¡¯t feel like a big deal. Not to mention, Xiaoqiao already knew about the correspondence between Zhu Cici and Xu Ming. The only thing Zhu Cici hadn¡¯t shared with her was the childhood marriage agreement. Besides, if anything came up in the future, Xiaoqiao would surely help her¡ªjust like she did this time by delivering the letter. ¡°Wonderful!¡± Xiaoqiao gleefully stepped forward and unfolded the sheet of paper with the poem. As she read, her mouth formed a perfect ¡°O.¡± By the time she finished, Xiaoqiao¡¯s face was also flushed red. ¡°Th-this¡­ Young Master Xu Ming is only nine years old! How can he write something so¡­ mature?¡± Xiaoqiao was astonished, questioning whether a nine-year-old boy could truly write such a poem. But after thinking for a moment, she realized that geniuses always matured early. Moreover, Xu Ming¡¯s eight-year-old work was already brimming with sophistication. In that sense, this poem, ¡°In life, I knew nothing of longing; only when I learned it, did it torment me so,¡± seemed perfectly in line with his nature. Compared to his previous masterpiece, ¡°Beauty fades from mirrors; flowers leave their trees,¡± this poem might be less refined in terms of literary sophistication, but its emotional depth was just as powerful. ¡°Alright, alright, stop reading now,¡± Zhu Cici finally said, feeling increasingly embarrassed as Xiaoqiao¡¯s captivated gaze lingered on the poem. ¡°But, Miss, does this mean I¡¯ll get to read Young Master Xu Ming¡¯s poems every year on your birthday?¡± Xiaoqiao asked, her eyes sparkling with anticipation. If Xu Ming¡¯s ¡°Butterfly Loves Flowers¡± (the title that people later gave his earlier poem) had already won Xiaoqiao¡¯s admiration, this poem, ¡°Longing,¡± had turned her into a full-fledged fangirl. What¡¯s more, she couldn¡¯t get enough of the story between Xu Ming and Zhu Cici. A talented young boy and a beautiful young girl, meeting as children and falling for each other at first sight¡ªwhat a perfect match! S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Now separated by distance, they could only connect through letters and exchange gifts on their birthdays. Such a pure and heartfelt romance. Just imagining the scene of Xu Ming growing up to achieve fame and fortune, coming to Qi State with a grand procession to marry Zhu Cici in a ten-mile red bridal carriage¡­ Xiaoqiao was already melting at the thought. The only problem was Zhu Cici¡¯s special status as someone born with literary talent, which made her a national treasure of Qi Kingdom. Would Qi Kingdom ever agree to let her marry into Wu Kingdom? ¡°What if¡­ Miss elopes with Young Master Xu Ming someday?¡± As Xiaoqiao¡¯s imagination ran wild, she had already started constructing a dramatic storyline straight out of a romance novel. ¡°If that day ever comes, I¡¯ll definitely help Miss elope!¡± Xiaoqiao clenched her fists, secretly vowing to stand by Zhu Cici no matter what. ¡°Unfortunately, I won¡¯t be receiving any more poems in the future,¡± Zhu Cici said, shaking her head. ¡°Why not?¡± Xiaoqiao looked as if her world was crumbling. ¡°Because Xu Ming said he¡¯s going to join the military,¡± Zhu Cici explained with a soft sigh. ¡°The Wu Kingdom military is known for its strict discipline and grueling training. Where would he find the time to write poems? I only hope he remains safe and sound.¡± ¡°What about the gift you¡¯ve been preparing for him?¡± Xiaoqiao asked, glancing at the embroidery on the table. She knew all too well that Zhu Cici had been practicing needlework lately just so she could make a fine piece of clothing for Xu Ming. ¡°I¡¯ll still prepare it,¡± Zhu Cici replied, her eyes curving into a smile. ¡°Every year, I¡¯ll make him a birthday gift. And when he comes to see me one day¡­ I¡¯ll give them all to him at once.¡± Chapter 56 The news of Xu Ming claiming the top spot in the imperial examination spread like wildfire throughout the capital. Compared to the previous time when Xu Pangda achieved the same honor, this time Xu Ming¡¯s accomplishment was truly unparalleled in significance. The number of participants in this year¡¯s tongshi (children¡¯s examination) set a new record in Wu Kingdom¡¯s history. Many of the contenders were already renowned for their talents but had previously been unable to participate in the imperial exams. For Xu Ming to emerge victorious under such circumstances was an extraordinary feat. Fearing potential criticism from the public, the officials overseeing the examination requested that Xu Ming¡¯s answer sheets be published. Emperor Wu readily agreed, ordering Xu Ming¡¯s work to appear in the weekly gazette. Furthermore, he rewarded Xu Ming with a prized Golden Hao Calligraphy Set. The Golden Hao Calligraphy Set had once belonged to the first scholar from Wu Kingdom to enter the prestigious Bailu (White Deer) Academy. While not a rare treasure in itself, its symbolic significance far outweighed its material value. It was clear to everyone that, despite never having met Xu Ming, Emperor Wu held him in exceptional favor. However, due to Xu Ming¡¯s status as the son of a concubine, prior rewards had been measured and restrained. Now that the stigma of his birth had been lifted, the emperor¡¯s reward of the Golden Hao Calligraphy Set was seen as a way to make up for past limitations, leaving little room for dissent. To Xu Ming, the reward carried undertones of imperial favor and an attempt to win his loyalty¡ªan entirely reasonable move. After all, Xu Ming was still young, unaffiliated with any faction, and likely, in the emperor¡¯s eyes, had yet to form a solid worldview. Befriending him now was a low-cost, high-reward strategy. A year later, Xu Ming turned ten. By this point, Xu Ming had spent ten years in this world. Together with Xu Pangda, he participated in the xiangshi (provincial examination). Xu Ming found it surreal to be taking part in the same kind of examination that had famously tormented characters like Fan Jin. Unlike Fan Jin, however, Xu Ming felt confident that he would succeed on his first attempt. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. During this time, Xu Ming had noticed one of the effects of his haoran qi (Righteous Qi): it enabled him to write with divine inspiration, making it easier to absorb the wisdom of ancient texts and even develop the ability to infer and apply knowledge flexibly. Yet Xu Ming suspected the true potential of haoran qi extended far beyond this and simply awaited further discovery. Still, many doubted Xu Ming¡¯s chances of becoming a juren (successful candidate of the provincial examination). Although his talent and child prodigy status were undeniable, countless other prodigies had faltered at this stage. The path to juren was littered with tales of lifelong failure. But when the results of the xiangshi were posted, everyone stood frozen in disbelief before the announcement board. At the very top of the list was a name that shocked the entire capital: ¡°Top Scholar (Jieyuan) ¨C Xu Ming¡± And directly below Xu Ming¡¯s name? Another from the same household: Xu Pangda, Third Son of the Xu Family. The Xu household had claimed both the first and second places in the xiangshi, leaving onlookers questioning their senses. How could the once-decadent Xu family¡ªknown for its indulgence and luxury¡ªsuddenly produce so many geniuses? Furthermore, Xu Ming had become the youngest juren in 250 years of Wu Kingdom history. As Xu Ming and Xu Pangda were playing a leisurely game of Go in their courtyard, they were interrupted by Chunyan rushing in to inform them that an envoy from the palace had arrived with an imperial decree. Only then did they learn that they had passed the examination¡ªand with the top two ranks, no less. This time, Emperor Wu¡¯s rewards for Xu Ming adhered to established protocols, carefully avoiding excessive favor. After all, while breaking tradition once might seem like magnanimity, doing so repeatedly could risk alienating others or be seen as a form of harmful flattery. That day, as Xu Ming celebrated his success, a string of words once again surfaced in his mind: [You emerged victorious amidst thousands of competitors, achieving the title of Jieyuan. Haoran Qi +5000, Literary Qi +2000, Affinity with the Qi of Mountains and Rivers +50. Achievement Unlocked: Xu Ming Becomes a Juren.] [Achievement Unlocked: Xu Ming Becomes a Juren. Effect: When you enter court as an official, the impact of the dynasty¡¯s fate on your lifespan will decrease by 50%.] Staring at the words in his mind, Xu Ming felt a bit surprised. Back when he topped the tongshi, there had been no such reward. Yet now, achieving the title of jieyuan (provincial top scorer) had brought benefits. Then again, the difficulty of the two accomplishments was on entirely different levels. The excitement surrounding Xu Ming¡¯s achievement as jieyuan continued to stir up fervor across the capital. Unlike Qi Kingdom, where examination schedules were more flexible, Wu Kingdom followed a strict timeline: the tongshi was held annually, the xiangshi every three years, and the huishi (metropolitan examination) and dianshi (palace examination) every four years. The year after the xiangshi was when the huishi and dianshi took place, and everyone naturally assumed Xu Ming would participate. After all, Xu Ming had already claimed the title of jieyuan. If he were to compete in the upcoming huishi and dianshi and claim the top spots in both, he would achieve the legendary ¡°triple crown¡± (lian zhong san yuan). Such an accomplishment would make him only the third scholar in Wu Kingdom¡¯s 300-year history to do so¡ªand by far the youngest. But just as officials arrived at the Xu residence to record Xu Ming and Xu Pangda¡¯s profiles in preparation for next year¡¯s huishi, startling news spread: Xu Ming had delayed his registration and would not be participating in the huishi next year. The reason? Xu Ming was joining the military. The news exploded across the capital, leaving everyone doubting their ears. Xu Ming? Joining the military? A jieyuan! Someone with the potential to achieve the triple crown! And he was going to enlist?! Though Wu Kingdom was a martial state, this was utterly unprecedented. Lady Xu, the matriarch of the family, and Xu Zheng both tried persuading Xu Ming to reconsider and focus on the huishi. They gently expressed: ¡°If there¡¯s something troubling you, just tell us. We¡¯ll do everything in our power to resolve it!¡± ¡°Yes, we may have been distant before, but that was then, and this is now.¡± ¡°You are the pride of the Xu family now, and we¡¯ll grant you anything you want!¡± Even Emperor Wu sent Eunuch Wei to the Xu residence in secret to inquire if Xu Ming was facing any difficulties. ¡°If there¡¯s anything bothering you,¡± Eunuch Wei urged, ¡°just say the word. We¡¯ll help you sort it out.¡± ¡°Could you at least get into Qinghua first?¡± (A euphemism for the imperial court¡¯s top ranks.) ¡°No, better yet¡ªcould you at least pass the jinshi (final degree) first?¡± ¡°All of Wu Kingdom¡¯s literary history could hinge on you! You might well become our nation¡¯s literary icon in the years to come!¡± Despite all this, Xu Ming politely but firmly refused. He expressed his unwavering commitment to joining the army and pursuing a dual path of martial and literary cultivation. Xu Ming provided a lofty and noble reason: ¡°Wu Kingdom was built on martial strength. Duke Xu devoted his life to the battlefield, and I wish to follow in his footsteps.¡± He did, however, promise to participate in the next huishi five years later. Eunuch Wei¡¯s expression was complicated as he left, unsure of what to say. In the end, he could only return to report to Emperor Wu. When Emperor Wu heard Eunuch Wei¡¯s report, he felt a mix of regret and admiration¡ªbut admiration ultimately won out. ¡°The emperor truly likes Xu Ming,¡± said Empress Xiao, who stood behind him, gently massaging his shoulders. ¡°How could I not like him?¡± Emperor Wu said with satisfaction as he set down the report. ¡°But this is good too. A man should have courage and ambition. Let him enter the Blood Asura Battalion.¡± [T/N: Blood Asura sounds better than Blood Butchers, right?] Empress Xiao froze for a moment. ¡°Your Majesty, but¡­ what if something happens to Xu Ming?¡± The emperor waved his hand dismissively. ¡°If he¡¯s joining the army, I must give him a stage worthy of his talents. I want him to excel!¡± ¡°If, five years later, he emerges from the Blood Asura Battalion and passes the jinshi¡­¡± The emperor trailed off, rubbing his fingers thoughtfully, but his gaze lingered on the words ¡°Xu Ming¡± in the report. Then I¡¯ll have a reason to betroth the princess to him! Chapter 57 ¡°Xu Ming, receive the decree.¡± ¡°The Holy Emperor commands: Having learned that Xu Ming has temporarily withdrawn from the huishi to enlist in the army, I am deeply gratified. This is how the men of Wu Kingdom should be. I approve of his decision. That is all.¡± In the Xu family¡¯s main hall, Eunuch Wei delivered the imperial edict in his signature sharp, high-pitched voice. ¡°Ming, accepts the decree.¡± Xu Ming straightened his back and respectfully accepted the decree. Those without official titles or ranks also rose from their kneeling positions. ¡°Xu Jieyuan,¡± Eunuch Wei said quietly as he handed over the decree, ¡°His Majesty has instructed me to tell you that entering the Blood Asura Battalion isn¡¯t mandatory. If you wish to join another unit, that¡¯s entirely acceptable.¡± Xu Ming smiled politely and nodded. ¡°I appreciate His Majesty¡¯s concern, and thank you, Eunuch Wei, for relaying his words. I will carefully consider this matter.¡± ¡°Well then, since the decree has been delivered, I shall return to make my report.¡± Wei Xun¡¯s tone was neutral, leaving the decision entirely in Xu Ming¡¯s hands. ¡°I¡¯ll see you off, Eunuch Wei.¡± ¡°Xu Jieyuan, there¡¯s no need to trouble yourself. Such courtesy is unnecessary,¡± Eunuch Wei replied. Despite his words, Xu Ming still escorted Wei Xun to the outer courtyard. After all, offending an influential eunuch close to the emperor was unwise. Even a few disparaging words at the wrong time could lead to endless headaches. As soon as Wei Xun left, the Xu family elders erupted with concern. ¡°Ming¡¯er, you must not join the Blood Asura Battalion!¡± the matriarch urged. Xu Zheng quickly added, ¡°That¡¯s right, my son. The Blood Asura Battalion may be one of Wu Kingdom¡¯s three elite ironclad armies, but it¡¯s not a place for just anyone! Countless recruits don¡¯t even make it to the battlefield¡ªthey die during training! ¡°And the battalion is all about life-and-death missions! If 5,000 new recruits enter each year, it¡¯s uncertain if even 2,000 will survive by the year¡¯s end!¡± Xu Shuiya, now holding the title of Duke Xu, nodded gravely. ¡°Ming¡¯er, your future is limitless. There¡¯s no need to take such a risk.¡± It was clear that the matriarch, Duke Xu, and Xu Ming¡¯s father were all deeply opposed to the idea. Xu Ming, however, was no stranger to the Blood Asura Battalion¡¯s reputation. The battalion was the pinnacle of Wu Kingdom¡¯s military might, equivalent to the elite of all elite special forces. Its soldiers came from two sources: 1. Handpicked talents from other military units. 2. Homegrown recruits, trained from a young age to be ¡°native¡± members of the battalion. For any unit to become a battle-hardened force feared even ¡°internationally,¡± its training regimen was unimaginably harsh. Within the Blood Asura Battalion, recruits were regularly sent on missions designed to push them to the brink of death. If they survived, their strength and willpower would transcend limits. If they didn¡¯t, they simply died. The battalion cared little for individual lives, even if the deceased hailed from noble or royal bloodlines. Yet Xu Ming understood the true concern of the Xu family elders. They weren¡¯t worried about his death¡ªthey were worried about the death of Xu Jieyuan, their shining beacon of hope. ¡°Grandmother, Grandfather, Father,¡± Xu Ming said, bowing respectfully, ¡°His Majesty has entrusted me with this opportunity because he holds expectations for me. How could I possibly disappoint him? ¡°Moreover, the Blood Asura Battalion was co-founded by Duke Xu and Duke Qin alongside the founding emperor. They built a legacy that will last for generations. ¡°As a descendant of Duke Xu, how could I face the court if I don¡¯t even dare enter the very battalion our ancestors helped create?¡± The elders opened their mouths as if to speak but ultimately fell silent. This Xu Ming¡­ So young, and already wielding the weight of righteousness to silence others. ¡°Suya, talk some sense into him,¡± Xu Zheng said, turning to Chen Suya. Xu Ming raised his head and looked at his mother. Chen Suya pressed her lips tightly together, her expression filled with hesitation and worry. For a long moment, she said nothing. Finally, her lips parted, and she spoke softly but firmly: ¡°Mother-in-law, Father-in-law, Husband¡­ I respect Ming¡¯er¡¯s decision.¡± Nightfall, Xiaochun Courtyard. Chen Suya sat in the courtyard, gazing up at the vast night sky. Xu Ming, fresh from the kitchen after his evening bath, noticed his mother sitting on a stone bench in a daze. A pang of guilt rose in his heart. ¡°Mother¡­¡± Xu Ming approached her. Chen Suya snapped out of her thoughts. Looking at her son, she reached out and took his small hand into hers. ¡°Come, let Mother take a good look at you. The next time we meet, it will be five years from now.¡± Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°If Mother doesn¡¯t want me to go, then I won¡¯t,¡± Xu Ming said earnestly. ¡°Silly child,¡± Chen Suya said with a gentle smile, her hand stroking Xu Ming¡¯s cheek. ¡°You¡¯ll have to grow up eventually. A man¡¯s ambitions should stretch beyond the horizon. Do you think you can stay with Mother forever? Besides, our Wu Kingdom¡¯s men are meant to have courage and blood in their veins. ¡°But Ming¡¯er, once you leave, you must take care of yourself. In the Blood Asura Battalion, you¡¯ll be all alone. You must think things through carefully and never act on impulse. Do you understand?¡± Xu Ming nodded solemnly. ¡°I understand, Mother. Please take care of yourself too.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. Lady Wang and Madam Qin have been looking after me well. And ever since you made such a stir in the capital, I¡¯ve gained a certain level of respect. The entire household treats me with great courtesy now.¡± As she spoke, Chen Suya¡¯s expression turned playful, a touch of pride flashing across her face. Xu Ming merely smiled. He knew his mother was putting on this act to ease his mind. But she wasn¡¯t entirely wrong¡ªLady Wang and Madam Qin¡¯s influence ensured she would be well-protected. ¡°Tomorrow morning, you¡¯ll be leaving for the Blood Asura Battalion, won¡¯t you? Go get some rest. Mother will see you off in the morning,¡± Chen Suya said, stroking Xu Ming¡¯s head. Xu Ming wanted to say more but stopped when he saw his mother¡¯s reddened eyes, the tears she held back threatening to fall at any moment. Bowing deeply, he replied, ¡°Yes, Mother.¡± As Xu Ming retreated to his room, Chen Suya watched his door close. Covering her mouth with her hands, she finally let the tears fall, streaming down her face as she whispered, ¡°How did my child¡­ grow up so fast?¡± ¡ª The next morning. Two soldiers in blood-red iron armor rode up to the Xu residence on horseback. Xu Ming bid farewell to his mother and the others. Lady Wang, ever proud and aloof, said, ¡°Don¡¯t make me have to collect your corpse. It¡¯s such a hassle.¡± Xu Xiaopang said nothing but hugged Xu Ming tightly, crying his heart out. To Xiaopang, his fifth brother was his only true friend. The white goose patted Xu Ming on the shoulder with its wing, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about your mom. This goose has got her covered. Big Sis will be waiting for you to return.¡± The goose even thought about giving Xu Ming a delicate feather as a keepsake but decided against it after realizing it had been balding recently. Bowing deeply, Xu Ming bid farewell to everyone and the goose¡ªbefore following the two Blood Asura soldiers into the distance. ¡ª It was unclear how long they traveled before Xu Ming was unceremoniously thrown off the horse by one of the Blood Asura soldiers. Without so much as a backward glance, they turned and rode away. Xu Ming picked himself up, dusted off the dirt on his clothes, and looked ahead. Before him stood a massive military encampment. At the entrance to the camp, an emaciated old man sat lazily. The old man glanced up at Xu Ming, his voice gruff. ¡°Name? Purpose?¡± ¡°Xu Ming, here to join the Army.¡± Chapter 58 At the gate, a gaunt old man used his frayed brush to register Xu Ming¡¯s information. Moments later, a hawk swooped down from the sky, grabbing the piece of paper with Xu Ming¡¯s details and flying into the military camp. Not long after, the gates of the camp opened, and a burly man, as stout and solid as a bear, emerged. The man approached Xu Ming, looking him over from head to toe. Xu Ming¡¯s brow furrowed slightly; the man¡¯s intense, turbulent blood aura and warrior¡¯s true energy instinctively made Xu Ming feel a pang of fear. ¡°You¡¯re Xu Ming?¡± the man asked, his voice booming. ¡°Yes,¡± Xu Ming nodded. The man sized him up again. ¡°Follow me.¡± The man led Xu Ming into the camp as the gates slowly shut behind them. ¡°Ha!¡± ¡°Is that all you¡¯ve got?! Hit harder! Do it again!¡± ¡°Ha!¡± ¡°Chen Wu! Are you a woman or what?! That¡¯s not how you swing a blade! My grandmother could swing better than you!¡± ¡°How much weight is that? Add another thousand pounds of black iron! Now, get running!¡± ¡°Who the hell touched my horse last night?! Step forward! My horse¡¯s legs are shaking so bad it can barely walk!¡± As Xu Ming stepped into the military camp, he saw a vast open space. On this massive training ground were various swords, blades, and other equipment. By Xu Ming¡¯s estimate, roughly a thousand people were training here. The thick smell of blood in the camp stirred Xu Ming¡¯s own blood, making it boil uncontrollably. The overpowering aura of warrior energy even made him feel short of breath, as if experiencing altitude sickness. After taking several deep breaths to adjust the flow of energy in his body, Xu Ming finally felt a bit more at ease. The man glanced at Xu Ming and began explaining: ¡°The Blood Asura Battalions have a total of 100,000 soldiers, spread across ten camps on the outskirts of Wudu. Each camp houses 10,000 men. The camp you¡¯re in is directly across from Wudu¡¯s Azure Dragon Gate and is called the First Battalion. The First, Second, Third, and so on are not ranked by strength¡ªthey¡¯re simply numbered for convenience. Once you join the Blood Asura Battalions, if you¡¯re under 20 years old, you can only return home once every six years unless you have special permission. After you turn 20, you¡¯re allowed to return once a year for up to 30 days to get married or visit your family. If you have children, you¡¯re allowed two trips home per year, each lasting 20 days.¡± S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As he spoke, the man led Xu Ming to a small storage shed, pulled out a random package, and tossed it to him. ¡°My name¡¯s Wang Meng. Starting today, you¡¯re under my command. I don¡¯t care if you¡¯re some sort of provincial top scholar or how much favor you¡¯ve earned with His Majesty. Here in the Blood Asura Battalions, you are a man, not a butt seller! If you want to fuck, you should fuck other people¡¯s butts! Inside that bundle are your clothes. Walk a thousand meters ahead, and you¡¯ll find a tent marked ¡®484.¡¯ That¡¯s where you¡¯ll be staying. Training begins in half an hour!¡± Without waiting for a response, Wang Meng strode off, not wasting another word on Xu Ming. Xu Ming picked up his package and headed in the direction Wang Meng had pointed. Arriving at the tent with a white cloth labeled ¡°484,¡± Xu Ming stepped inside. Inside the tent, eight pairs of eyes turned to stare at him. These eight youths looked to be around thirteen to fifteen years old, each with an impressively strong and concentrated aura of blood energy. As Xu Ming scanned the group, he noticed one face in particular that seemed eerily familiar. Wasn¡¯t this guy Xiong Haizhi? Or could it just be someone who looked like him? After four years, Xu Ming couldn¡¯t quite recognize the person in front of him. He figured that even if the boy was Xiong Haizhi, the other wouldn¡¯t recognize him either¡ªafter all, between the ages of six and ten, a person¡¯s appearance changes the most. Xu Ming noticed a neatly made bed and another piled high with clothes. He headed toward the clean bed. ¡°Hey, kid, that¡¯s not your bed¡ªit¡¯s our leader¡¯s,¡± a slick-haired boy approached, pointing his thumb at a cluttered bed nearby. ¡°That one¡¯s yours.¡± In this era, the boy¡¯s hairstyle was considered quite trendy. Xu Ming glanced at his designated bed and asked, ¡°Are the things on that bed yours?¡± The slick-haired boy chuckled. ¡°Yeah, they¡¯re ours.¡± ¡°Then kindly move them,¡± Xu Ming replied calmly. ¡°Move them?¡± The boy laughed again. ¡°Kid, how about this? You wash our clothes, neatly organize our stuff, and not just for today¡ªour laundry will be your job from now on. Got it?¡± As he spoke, the boy reached out to grab Xu Ming¡¯s head. ¡°Tsk.¡± Xu Ming clicked his tongue. Why does every place have these arrogant types begging to get slapped down? How is this military camp acting like a prison? Even elite troops have bullies? Xu Ming grabbed the boy¡¯s wrist, twisted it, and with a loud crack, dislocated it. Then, he yanked him forward and kicked him, sending him flying three meters away. ¡°Well, well, got some skills, huh?¡± The others stood up. ¡°Come on, boys, let¡¯s give him a warm welcome.¡± A bald boy tossed off his shirt, revealing a chiseled set of eight-pack abs, and launched a whip kick at Xu Ming¡¯s face. Xu Ming raised his arm to block, his stance unshaken. Grabbing the bald boy¡¯s ankle, he yanked it forward and followed through with a punch to the stomach, sending him flying. Unwilling to accept defeat, the bald boy got up and threw a punch at Xu Ming¡¯s face. Unflinching, Xu Ming countered with a punch of his own. ¡°Ah!¡± The sound of bones breaking echoed as the bald boy screamed, clutching his hand. Before he could react further, the world spun, and he found himself face-down on the ground. A sharp pain followed as Xu Ming¡¯s foot struck his stomach, dragging him two meters across the dirt. The bald boy curled up, groaning in agony. ¡°How about you all come at me together?¡± Xu Ming said, glancing at the remaining boys. ¡°Damn it! Let¡¯s take him down!¡± Aside from a boy sitting silently in the corner and the one who resembled Xiong Haizhi, the rest charged at Xu Ming. Twenty breaths later, all of them lay sprawled on the ground, groaning in pain. Xu Ming tossed his bundle onto the cluttered bed, then lay down on the cleanest one. ¡°I¡¯ve decided¡ªthis bed is mine. Let your leader know.¡± The slick-haired boy staggered to his feet, cradling his arm. With a grimace, he snapped it back into place with a loud crack. A thirteen-year-old boy in the corner seemed about to say something to Xu Ming but was silenced by a glare from the slick-haired boy. ¡°Fine, keep lying there. Let¡¯s see how long you last,¡± the boy sneered before returning to his own bed. Xu Ming ignored the comment. He changed into the training uniform of the Blood Battalions, took off his shoes, and leaned back on the bed, closing his eyes to rest as he waited for training to begin in half an hour. As Xu Ming hovered between wakefulness and sleep, he suddenly felt a gust of wind rushing toward him. His eyes snapped open, and his hand shot out, gripping a pale, delicate fist that looked almost feminine. Chapter 59 Smack! The pale, almost feminine fist aimed straight for Xu Ming¡¯s face, but he reached out and caught it mid-strike. Slowly moving the fist out of his line of sight, Xu Ming finally got a clear look at its owner¡ªa delicate-looking boy? The boy wore the training uniform of the Blood Asura Battalions. His frame was slender, and he looked about thirteen years old. His eyes were striking¡ªclassic almond-shaped phoenix eyes. Phoenix eyes were nothing like narrow, squinting eyes. They were widely regarded as one of the most beautiful eye shapes, though rare. Characterized by long, fine eyelid creases, slightly curved inner corners, and gracefully upturned outer edges, their proportion of iris to sclera was perfectly balanced. The outer corners extended naturally, exuding an air of elegance and spirit. Compared to the innocent charm of almond eyes or the allure of peach-blossom eyes, phoenix eyes carried a distinct sense of aloofness. For women, this eye shape lent a classical, ethereal beauty¡ªcaptivating when soft, yet regal and intimidating when cold, like frost. For men, phoenix eyes suggested innate courage, righteousness, and a sharp wit. They could exude tender charm or inspire admiration from women with their natural charisma. But this boy? Xu Ming couldn¡¯t help but feel he looked more like a girl disguised as a boy¡ªor perhaps a man with feminine features. Men with such features weren¡¯t uncommon. On Xu Ming¡¯s previous homeworld, Azure Ocean Star, such individuals often became strikingly beautiful when dressed as women. They were sometimes referred to in the past as ¡°pretty young masters¡± or, more recently, as ¡°femboys.¡± That said, Xu Ming wasn¡¯t particularly interested in such aesthetics. The boy, seemingly surprised by Xu Ming catching his punch, quickly smirked¡ªa smile laced with an almost enchanting charm. Without missing a beat, the boy launched a sidekick at Xu Ming, who raised his arm to block. The sheer force of the kick, however, sent Xu Ming flying off the bed, his shoes scraping against the floor for a meter before he came to a stop. His radius and ulna throbbed faintly in pain. But it wasn¡¯t over. The boy closed the distance in an instant, throwing a straight punch at Xu Ming¡¯s chest. The sheer force of the strike seemed to tear through the air, driven by true martial energy. Xu Ming had no doubt that if this punch landed, his ribs would shatter. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But he didn¡¯t dodge. Instead, he chose to meet it head-on. The clash of their fists sent a shockwave rippling through the room, forcing them both back. The boy¡¯s delicate brows furrowed. How could this kid¡¯s strength be so great? He actually blocked my punch?! As his hand throbbed from the impact, Xu Ming stepped forward and launched a drum-pounding strike. Having just been met with Xu Ming¡¯s resilience, the boy refused to back down. Dodging would mean showing weakness! Their fists clashed again and again, each blow more forceful than the last. The boy quickly realized that Xu Ming¡¯s attacks were growing fiercer with each strike, and his strength was no joke. In a moment of hesitation, Xu Ming spotted an opening. He adjusted his position and aimed a punch at the boy¡¯s chest. Startled, the boy twisted sideways to evade, then hooked Xu Ming¡¯s arm over his shoulder. Stepping into a low stance with a bent back, he executed a clean shoulder throw, slamming Xu Ming into the ground and following up with a punch. Xu Ming, however, grabbed his arm and used his tremendous strength to pull the boy down with him. Taking advantage of the moment, Xu Ming flipped over and pinned the boy beneath him, raising his fist to strike. The boy didn¡¯t flinch. Instead, he countered with an uppercut, aiming to trade blow for blow. ¡°What the hell are you two doing?!¡± Just as their punches were about to land, Wang Meng¡¯s voice boomed through the tent. Both fists stopped an inch from their respective targets, the force of their strikes ruffling each other¡¯s hair. ¡°You¡¯ve got some guts, kid! Just got here and already starting fights? Wu Yanhan, you¡¯re no better! Been in the Blood Asura Battalions for half a year, and this is what you¡¯re doing? Bullying a newcomer? What kind of skill is that? Both of you, get up! What¡¯s this? Got too much energy with nowhere to use it? Fine! Head to the armory, grab 500 pounds of black iron, strap it to your legs, and run 20 miles! No dinner until you¡¯re done! The rest of you, get out there and start training! Damn it all!¡± Wang Meng didn¡¯t bother asking for an explanation. He just barked out curses before stomping off. The rest of the 484 tent scrambled to assemble for training. ¡°Get up!¡± Wu Yanhan said coldly to Xu Ming, his tone almost androgynous. Honestly, if it weren¡¯t for the Blood Asura Battalions¡¯ strict regulations¡ªno women allowed, with thorough background checks on every recruit¡ªXu Ming might¡¯ve suspected that Wu Yanhan was a woman in disguise. Still lying on the ground, Xu Ming glanced at the feminine-looking Wu Yanhan, then stood up. Without sparing Xu Ming another look, Wu Yanhan dusted himself off and walked out of the tent. Not knowing where the armory was, Xu Ming naturally followed. ¡ª [You engaged in a hard-fought battle with Wu Yanhan, ending in a draw. Gained: +10 Strength, +10 Vitality, +5 Fist Force, +5 Fist Technique Insight.] As Xu Ming followed Wu Yanhan toward the armory, this string of notifications flashed across his mind. After reaping such rich rewards from their fight, Xu Ming felt a strange urge to go another round with Wu Yanhan. On a more serious note, Wu Yanhan was the strongest peer Xu Ming had ever encountered. His fists, though small, white, and delicate, packed a surprising amount of power. Even when Xu Ming went all out, he struggled to gain any advantage. With others, Xu Ming had to hold back, fearing he might accidentally kill someone. But Wu Yanhan? He could take a punch. Meanwhile, walking ahead, Wu Yanhan¡¯s face was calm, but his clenched fists trembled faintly. This little brat¡ªhow can he be so strong? Wu Yanhan thought. I¡¯m certain even Coach Wang can¡¯t outmatch me in raw strength. Yet this kid is matching me blow for blow? ¡ª Arriving at a large wooden warehouse, Xu Ming and Wu Yanhan queued up and were each handed a pair of weighted ankle braces. Each brace contained 250 pounds of black iron. Xu Ming couldn¡¯t help but wonder if Wang Meng was insulting him by assigning him ¡°250.¡± Strapping on the weights, the pair headed to the training field. The field resembled a 400-meter track from Xu Ming¡¯s previous life, though slightly larger, with a full lap measuring about 500 meters¡ªroughly one li. Twenty laps would do the trick. At first, Xu Ming ran faster, overtaking Wu Yanhan. Then Wu Yanhan passed Xu Ming, who, in turn, overtook him again. Neither of them was willing to admit defeat, and they pushed themselves harder with every lap. As their speed increased, so did their exhaustion. The black iron weights strapped to their legs felt heavier with every step. ¡ª When lunchtime rolled around, the rest of the Blood Asura Battalions made their way to the mess halls. There were ten mess halls in the First Battalion Camp, each capable of seating 700 soldiers. Inside one of them, Wang Meng sat at a table, wolfing down a feast of three hefty portions of meat, one side of vegetables, and a mountain of rice. Before long, a man sat down across from him. ¡°How¡¯s it going?¡± the man asked as he ate. ¡°Eh, what else? They got into a fight,¡± Wang Meng grumbled through a mouthful of rice. The man paused, then chuckled. ¡°Well, you know what they say¡ªno fight, no friendship. Let them spend more time together. Don¡¯t forget what the Emperor tasked you with.¡± Wang Meng bit into a chicken leg and grunted, ¡°Yeah, yeah. I know.¡± Chapter 60 Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t past mealtime yet. Although there wasn¡¯t much food left, it was still enough to fill their stomachs. That said, Xu Ming and Wu Yanhan almost got into another fight over a drumstick. Luckily, the cafeteria auntie intervened, her knife slicing the drumstick cleanly in half with surgical precision. This was the first time in both his lives that Xu Ming had seen such remarkable knife skills in a cafeteria worker. Clearly, this auntie wasn¡¯t someone to mess with. Judging by her demeanor, even when she ladled out portions, no one would dare complain. Lunch and the midday break combined lasted a total of half an hour. Since Xu Ming had started eating late, by the time he finished his meal, it was already time to resume training. The training regimen was divided into three main categories: 1. Physical Fitness As the name suggests, this involved endurance runs, weightlifting, sprint drills, pulling out tree stumps, and more. Every participant¡¯s performance was recorded on a special Asura Token, and instructors would use the data to tailor the training. They¡¯d enhance your strengths and address your weaknesses. 2. Body Conditioning Also known as ¡°skin toughening and bone refining,¡± this reportedly involved sparring with magical beasts or instructors. The idea was that the more hits you took, the tougher and more resilient you¡¯d become. 3. Martial Techniques All soldiers of the Blood Asura had to practice the Asura Fist. This style was characterized by wide, open moves with a ferocious momentum, making it effective when coordinated in military formations, producing a synergy greater than the sum of its parts. Additionally, you could choose another martial art to study. The camp¡¯s Martial Arts Pavilion offered an open selection of styles collected from across the land by the Wu Kingdom, all of high caliber. Xu Ming, however, decided not to bother with that. He was already satisfied with the Wang family¡¯s Heaven-Opening Fist. Practicing it alongside the Asura Fist would suffice for him. Speaking of the camp, it was massive! If Wu City could be described as a grand metropolis, then its ten military camps were like ten small towns. Even so, the combined size of these camps was equivalent to half the area of Tang Dynasty-era Luoyang. The camps were complete with mountains and rivers, essentially a section of land near Wu City designated for troop garrison, collectively known as the military camp. This made Xu Ming realize just how colossal Wu City must be. Even surrounded by ten such camps, its transportation routes weren¡¯t obstructed in the slightest. This setup undoubtedly gave Wu City a sense of absolute security. Xu Ming thought to himself that if he weren¡¯t in such good physical condition, this training would have already wrecked him. During training, Xu Ming heard the instructor, Wang Meng, calling out names. That¡¯s when he confirmed that the man resembling Xiong Haizhi was indeed Xiong Haizhi. Xu Ming was genuinely surprised to see Xiong Haizhi here. Likewise, Xiong Haizhi was equally shocked to find Xu Ming in the Blood Asura Battalion. Although their relationship back at the Zhixing Academy hadn¡¯t been great, seeing a familiar face still stirred a sense of camaraderie. The slicked-back-haired guy was named Li Han, and the bald one was Yuan Hua. Xu Ming also learned the names of the others in the group. After Xu Ming had bested them all in a fight, they became much more agreeable. Despite being the youngest in their group, Xu Ming was addressed respectfully as ¡°Brother Xu¡± again and again. Everyone, that is, except Wu Yanhan. There was another person who caught Xu Ming¡¯s attention ¡ª someone named Guang Yin. Back when Xu Ming had lain on Wu Yanhan¡¯s bed, Guang Yin had seemed like he wanted to warn him about something. However, a sharp glance from the slicked-back-haired guy and the others had silenced him. Xu Ming guessed that Guang Yin had wanted to warn him about Wu Yanhan¡¯s reputation, which suggested that he wasn¡¯t a bad person. Still, Guang Yin came across as extremely introverted and timid. He didn¡¯t speak a word, ate alone, rested alone, and did everything alone. Xu Ming asked Xiong Haizhi and the others if they¡¯d ever bullied Guang Yin, but they all shook their heads, saying that his weak, chicken-like demeanor didn¡¯t even make him worth bullying. As for why they bullied Xu Ming, it was because they had heard that a newcomer would be joining the 484th camp, and they made a bet. The wager? Whether the newcomer would act like a coward, swallowing his pride, or fight back like a man when bullied. The loser would have to do the winner¡¯s laundry for a month. What they didn¡¯t expect was that everyone would end up brawling. Tempers flared, fists flew, and in the end, they lost. Now, Xu Ming wouldn¡¯t have to do laundry for the next eight months. Since they lost the bet, each of them owed Xu Ming one month of laundry duty. Through Xiong Haizhi and the others, Xu Ming asked about Wu Yanhan. Apparently, Wu Yanhan had joined the Blood Asura a month earlier, making him the second-to-last to join the 484th camp. They were also curious about whether Wu Yanhan was male or female. After all, this guy looked even prettier than most women, with fair, tender skin. On top of that, he always went to the restroom alone, kept everyone at arm¡¯s length, and never bathed in the communal bathhouse. It seemed suspicious, like he was trying to hide a secret. Could he really be a woman? Still, they found it hard to believe. How could a woman possibly sneak into the Blood Asura Battalion? The Blood Asura Battalion was akin to the Emperor¡¯s personal guard, his sharpest blade, loyal only to him. It required absolute purity in one¡¯s family background. Anyone wishing to join the Blood Asura Battalion would have their ancestry traced back eighteen generations. For a woman to infiltrate the Blood Asura Battalion would be nearly impossible¡ªit¡¯d be like slipping right under the Emperor¡¯s nose. So, most of them chalked it up to Wu Yanhan being a loner with a strange personality. After all, there were rumors that Wu Yanhan possessed the Martial God Physique. Though they didn¡¯t know exactly what the Martial God Physique was, it sounded like something for geniuses. And geniuses? Well, it wasn¡¯t unusual for them to act a little odd. By the time training ended and they had dinner, night had already fallen. After an exhausting day, Xu Ming realized he had gained far more attribute points than from his usual training. Back at the barracks, everyone grabbed their clothes and the special Blood Asura Soap and invited Xu Ming to join them for a bath. The soap, officially called Blood Martial Brick, wasn¡¯t ordinary¡ªit could effectively relieve physical fatigue, promote the circulation of inner energy, and enhance physical strength. Because of its use, the Blood Asura barracks never reeked of sweat or grime. Everyone made sure to bathe, as skipping it meant you¡¯d be too sore to move the next day. Plus, Blood Martial Bricks were exclusive to the three elite armies of the Wu Kingdom, strictly prohibited from market circulation. It was a ¡°use it or lose it¡± situation. ¡°Wait a second,¡± Xu Ming called out to them, glancing at Wu Yanhan, who was sitting cross-legged on the bed meditating. He walked over and said, ¡°Do you want to join us? We all live under the same roof¡ªno need to keep things so tense. How about coming for a bath?¡± The moment Xu Ming spoke, Xiong Haizhi and the others gasped audibly. ¡°BOOM!¡± S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A deafening crash followed as Xu Ming was sent flying out of the barracks with a single kick. ¡°Damn it! What¡¯s wrong with men bathing together? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re really a woman!¡± Xu Ming stood up, clutching his aching chest, cursing loudly outside the barracks. Chapter 61 After a month in the Blood Asura Battalion, Xu Ming gradually adapted to its rigorous lifestyle. Day after day, it was nothing but training. Compared to the haphazard, self-directed practice Xu Ming used to do back in his courtyard, the Blood Asura Battalion¡¯s training methods were far more systematic, grounded in what could be called ¡°Martial Science.¡± Instructor Wang Meng might look like a brute, cursing every other sentence and casually dropping expletives, but in truth, he was incredibly meticulous. As the instructor in charge of the 484th camp¡¯s ten soldiers, Wang Meng knew each individual¡¯s physical condition and weaknesses like the back of his hand. Beyond group martial arts drills, Wang Meng designed personalized training plans for everyone, ensuring that by the end of each day, he squeezed out every last ounce of their strength. He pushed them past their limits, over and over again. To be honest, this kind of training was pure torture¡ªso grueling it felt worse than death at times. But every morning, when Xu Ming woke up, he could distinctly feel himself growing stronger, bit by bit. In moments like that, it all seemed worth it. As for the food, at first, Xu Ming thought the Blood Asura Battalion ate ordinary meals. Later, he learned the truth. The rice they ate was all irrigated with spiritual spring water. The meat? It came exclusively from magical beasts. Specifically, a beast called the Red-Furred Pig, which was raised in all ten Blood Asura Battalion camps. Its flesh was particularly effective at replenishing a martial artist¡¯s vital energy while also being filling. Otherwise, considering the enormous appetites of martial artists, just think about how many regular pigs would need to be slaughtered, or how much rice would need to be cooked daily. It wasn¡¯t just a matter of cost but of time and logistics. In addition, Wang Meng would periodically assign specific medicinal herbs to each person based on their physical condition. Some were for internal consumption to regulate their energy, while others were for external application to strengthen their muscles and bones. By now, Xu Ming had a clearer understanding of why the Blood Asura Battalion, unlike the other two elite armies of Wu Kingdom¡ªthe Dragon-Leopard Cavalry and the Iron Tiger Army¡ªalways maintained a fixed number of fewer than 100,000 soldiers. It was simple: they couldn¡¯t afford to support more. These carefully nurtured 100,000 warriors were devastatingly powerful, but the cost of maintaining them was astronomical. Still, the Wu Kingdom wasn¡¯t reluctant to use the Blood Asura Battalion just because each soldier was precious. From what Xu Ming had learned, the Blood Asura Battalion had the highest mission execution rate among all forces. Missions were frequent, and if you died, so be it. Someone else would take your place. If you died, it simply meant you weren¡¯t qualified enough. In about a year, new recruits would face their first major evaluation. Xu Ming had heard that the first camp started with 1,000 recruits, but only 500 would remain after the assessment. The other 500? They¡¯d either transfer to ordinary military units, return home to farm or do business, or take up work as bodyguards¡ªwhatever suited them. ¡ª ¡°Today, I¡¯m going to explain to you what it truly means to be a martial artist,¡± Wang Meng announced. It was Xu Ming¡¯s sixth month in the Blood Asura Battalion. By this time, everyone¡¯s vital energy had reached the peak of the Mercury Stage. Wang Meng began his lesson. ¡°The realms of martial artists¡ªwell, you¡¯ve probably heard about them before. But let me repeat myself anyway. Martial artists have ten realms in total. The Three Body-Refining Stages: Mud/Clay Embryo, Wooden Fetus, Mercury. The Three Qi-Refining Stages: Heroic Soul, Dominant Spirit, Martial Will/Courage. The Three Spirit-Refining Stages: Golden Body, Far Wandering, Mountain Summit. And the Tenth Realm: The Limit/Pinnacle Boundary.¡± As Wang Meng lectured, Xu Ming and the others balanced 1,000-pound bars of black iron on their shoulders, holding a deep horse stance. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Wang Meng paced around them leisurely, continuing: ¡°The Three Body-Refining Stages correspond to the lower five realms of a Qi Cultivator. For those so-called cultivators, if they haven¡¯t reached the Cave Mansion Realm, they¡¯re not considered Mountain People. At best, they¡¯re wandering Daoists, nothing more. The same goes for us martial artists.¡± Noticing someone¡¯s stance slipping, Wang Meng delivered a sharp kick to their backside before carrying on. ¡°The three body-refining stages are something anyone can reach!¡± Wang Meng¡¯s voice boomed as he paced. ¡°In fact, the average constable in Wu Kingdom is at the Wooden Fetus stage, and their captains are typically at the Mercury stage. ¡°So don¡¯t think you¡¯re something special just because you¡¯ve reached the Mercury stage at your young age. Let me tell you this: anyone who gets into the Blood Asura Battalion has reached the Mercury stage by the age of fifteen at the latest!¡± Wang Meng¡¯s tone grew sharper as he continued. ¡°The real test lies in the three qi-refining stages: Heroic Soul, Dominant Spirit, and Martial Will. Countless martial artists spend their whole lives struggling, only to fall short of entering the Heroic Soul stage. ¡°Only by reaching Heroic Soul can you be said to have truly stepped into the path of martial arts. ¡°Forge a Heroic Soul, and your soul becomes indestructible. Ordinary soul-based techniques will be useless against you. ¡°Achieve Dominant Spirit, and even demons, monsters, and ghosts will shrink back in fear. A single roar from you could scatter their very souls. ¡°Form a Martial Will, and with one step forward, the aura of your blood and qi will become so overwhelming that even most cultivators will find their knees trembling before you! ¡°That¡¯s what it means to be a martial artist! At the qi-refining stages, each realm is the equivalent of three realms for an ordinary qi cultivator!¡± Wang Meng paused, seemingly searching for a way to explain it better. ¡°Let me give you an example. ¡°A typical Heroic Soul martial artist versus a typical Cave Mansion qi cultivator¡ªmost of the time, the Heroic Soul wins. ¡°If you face a Sea Observation stage cultivator, it¡¯s roughly a fifty-fifty chance. ¡°But against a Dragon Gate stage cultivator, at a distance of more than ten meters, you¡¯re done for. ¡°However, if you can close that ten-meter gap, most Dragon Gate cultivators are in serious danger of dying. ¡°Of course, that applies to regular dao cultivators. Sword cultivators? They¡¯re a different story. Even if you close the gap, they¡¯ll still be a pain to deal with. But at least they won¡¯t be as annoying as those spell-casting cultivators, always throwing techniques at you from a distance.¡± Wang Meng spat on the ground and carried on. ¡°That said, all of this is relative. Fights depend on countless factors: timing, terrain, the number and quality of your opponent¡¯s treasures, the state of your weapon, and even your mental state at the time. ¡°Remember this! Every realm, every title, is just a human-made label for different stages of cultivation. ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as ¡®one realm higher means invincible.¡¯ It doesn¡¯t work that way! ¡°No matter how much weaker your opponent¡¯s realm is, don¡¯t underestimate them. They might still slit your throat with a single strike. ¡°And no matter how much higher your opponent¡¯s realm is, don¡¯t fear them. You might still crush their skull with one punch! ¡°We martial artists must have unwavering faith in our fists. Once you throw a punch, don¡¯t even think about retreating! ¡°Real power isn¡¯t in the realm¡ªit¡¯s in surviving to the end. The last one standing is the true winner! ¡°Do you understand?¡± ¡°We understand!¡± the group responded weakly. ¡°You call that an answer? Did you eat lunch or not? I asked, do you understand?!¡± ¡°WE UNDERSTAND!¡± ¡°Good. That¡¯s the spirit. Any questions? Speak now, because I¡¯m only teaching this foundational lesson once,¡± Wang Meng barked. ¡°I have a question!¡± Xiong Haizhi shouted. Wang Meng kicked him in the rear. ¡°If you¡¯ve got a question, just spit it out! Quit acting like some delicate maiden!¡± ¡°My father told me that being a martial artist is a dead-end path! Why is that?¡± Xiong Haizhi yelled. The group fell silent. This was the question on everyone¡¯s mind. After all, no one wanted to dedicate their life to something dismissed as a dead-end. ¡°Why?¡± Wang Meng let out a cold laugh. ¡°Because martial artists have short lifespans. That¡¯s why.¡± He clasped his hands behind his back and continued. ¡°Use your pig brains for a second. People with spiritual roots go off to cultivate. Reaching the Cave Mansion stage gives them a lifespan of 500 years. For us martial artists, even at the pinnacle of the Limit stage, we only get 500 years. ¡°Isn¡¯t that a dead end? ¡°If you want a long life, go be a cultivator. ¡°If you don¡¯t have spiritual roots, then shut up and train like a proper martial artist!¡± ¡°So what if life is short? I¡¯ve blasted the heads off countless Dragon Gate Realm Cultivators. They may have lifespans of a thousand years, but what does it matter if they end up dead at my hands?¡± ¡°Coach, how many warriors have reached the Pinnacle Boundary?¡± asked Li Han, the slick-haired man. Wang Meng replied, ¡°As far as we know, there are 20 warriors at the Pinnacle Boundary. Two are from Wu Kingdom, one from each of the ten major dynasties, and the rest¡­ I can¡¯t quite remember where they¡¯re from, but that¡¯s the general number.¡± ¡°Coach, I¡¯ve heard there¡¯s a realm beyond the Pinnacle Boundary?¡± Xu Ming asked. When Xu Ming posed the question, everyone glanced at him, and Wang Meng chuckled. ¡°You¡¯ve got ambition, kid. Already thinking about realms above the Pinnacle Boundary, huh?¡± As he spoke, Wang Meng lifted his gaze, his eyes filled with a hint of yearning. ¡°The Pinnacle Boundary is divided into three levels: Perfect Body, Flourishing Qi, and Divine Fullness. Currently, only five people have reached the third level, and one of them is from Wu Kingdom. Warriors call this realm the Headless Road, because that¡¯s where it ends. But everyone who¡¯s reached the third level of the Pinnacle Boundary has said they felt it wasn¡¯t the end. There¡¯s a path beyond¡ªbut no one has managed to walk it. It¡¯s like the lost realms of Qi Cultivation. However, unlike Qi Cultivation, where the lost realms truly existed in ancient times, no one has ever reached the realms beyond the Pinnacle Boundary. Some have named the final realm beyond the Pinnacle Boundary: the Martial God Realm. To become a Martial God is to transform the body into a world of its own, standing equal to the Great Dao itself.¡± When Wang Meng finished speaking, Xu Ming and the others all turned their eyes toward Wu Yanhan. Wu Yanhan frowned. ¡°I know what you¡¯re all thinking.¡± Wang Meng waved dismissively. ¡°You¡¯ve probably heard about Wu Yanhan¡¯s Martial God Physique. Let me explain: being born with a Martial God Physique doesn¡¯t guarantee you¡¯ll reach the Martial God Realm. The Martial God Physique simply means you have the highest potential to reach that realm. Wu Yanhan, don¡¯t think being a Martial God Physique makes you invincible in martial arts. To date, 121 Martial God Physiques have been recorded in history. The weakest reached the Far Wanderer Realm, the eighth martial stage, and the strongest stopped at the third level of the Pinnacle Boundary¡ªDivine Fullness. Your physique gives you a head start, but others without a Martial God Physique can still reach your level¡ªor surpass you. Focus on steady progress and solid cultivation. That¡¯s what matters most.¡± Listening to Wang Meng¡¯s words, Wu Yanhan shot a cold glance at Xu Ming, who had fought him to a draw, and said, ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°Good, as long as you do.¡± Wang Meng picked up a water bottle from the ground and took a sip. ¡°I¡¯ve heard the Rootless Secret Realm, which opens once every 500 years, will open again in four years. Qi cultivators below the Dragon Gate Realm, as well as Dragon Gate cultivators, can participate. Martial artists at the Heroic Soul Realm are also eligible. Our Blood Asura Battalion gets three slots. Work hard and see if you have what it takes to enter the Rootless Secret Realm. When the time comes, you¡¯ll meet geniuses from all over, and you¡¯ll understand the gap between yourselves and true geniuses. But that¡¯s not something you need to worry about yet. What you should focus on is the assessment in six months. Fail, and you¡¯re out of the Blood Asura Battalion. You brats better train harder if you don¡¯t want to stay weak!¡± Wang Meng smacked the ground with a branch. ¡°Tie the black iron weights from your shoulders to your feet! Run ten miles for me! Whoever comes last¡ªno lunch today!¡± As soon as Wang Meng gave the order, Xu Ming and the others quickly tied the black iron weights to their feet and started running. ¡°These damn brats,¡± Wang Meng muttered. Wang Meng smiled, his eyes sharpening as his gaze fixed on Xu Ming, Wu Yanhan, and another boy. ¡°Will the Headless Road of martial arts finally be paved by one of you three?¡± ¡ª Tianxuan Sect, Wanhua Valley. Wang Xuan passed through the narrow Tianya Line Pass and arrived at a sea of flowers. At the heart of the floral expanse sat a young girl in a sky-blue Tianxuan Sect robe, her legs crossed as she floated mid-air. Between her brows, faint traces of runes representing the evolution of the world¡¯s Great Dao appeared and disappeared, resembling delicate flower markings adorning her forehead. The girl, who had arrived here at the tender age of six, had now grown considerably. Her long hair cascaded down her back, just reaching her slender waist. Gone was the childish innocence of a six-year-old. At ten, her features were refined and exquisite, and her figure, like a sprouting willow tree, hinted at budding maturity. The Dao of Heaven and Earth gathered around her, blending her seamlessly into her surroundings. But the next moment, ripples of disturbance spread from the girl¡¯s body. The condensed Dao dissipated as quickly as it had formed. Witnessing this, Wang Xuan shook his head and sighed softly before calling out in a gentle voice, ¡°Qingwan.¡± At the sound of her master¡¯s voice, Qin Qingwan slowly opened her eyes. It was hard to believe that at just ten years old, her peach blossom-shaped eyes already carried a charm that surpassed many grown women. What kind of beauty would she become as she continued to grow? Qin Qingwan descended from the air, stepping gracefully toward Wang Xuan. A soft breeze carried the scent of flowers, setting the sea of blooms swaying with her every step. ¡°Master,¡± the young girl greeted with a bow as she stood before Wang Xuan. ¡°Qingwan, your heart is unsettled again,¡± Wang Xuan said, gazing at his disciple. ¡°What is troubling you?¡± ¡°Master, the Blood Toras has opened for the second time recently,¡± the girl replied, her eyes curving into a smile. Wang Xuan, of course, was aware of the agreement between his disciple and that boy named Xu Ming. ¡°Qingwan, our lineage practices the Supreme Path of Forgetting Emotion. Harboring thoughts of him will hinder your cultivation. In four years, the Rootless Secret Realm will open. There is something in it that the Tianxuan Sect needs you to retrieve. But at your current level, you are not yet ready.¡± Qin Qingwan blinked, her eyes shimmering. ¡°But Master, you¡¯ve told me before that everyone has their own Dao. Qingwan must walk her own path.¡± Wang Xuan nodded. ¡°That is true.¡± Qin Qingwan continued, ¡°Then why does Master want me to forget my own Dao?¡± Wang Xuan looked into his disciple¡¯s eyes, confused. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°Master wants me to follow the Supreme Path of Forgetting Emotion, but emotion itself is my brother Ming,¡± the girl said with a radiant smile, a smile so dazzling that the sea of flowers seemed to bow their heads in submission. ¡°And Brother Ming is Qingwan¡¯s Dao.¡± Chapter 62 In the forest on a high mountain within the First Military Camp, streaks of sword energy slashed through the surrounding trees, leaving neat marks on their trunks. Every time a leaf floated down from the branches, it would be sliced cleanly in half before it touched the ground. [You practiced the Bingyan Sword Technique for one hour: Sword Qi +30, Sword Intent +15, Bingyan Sword Technique Proficiency +12.] Reading the string of text in his mind, Xu Ming exhaled deeply. Every evening after training, Xu Ming would climb this mountain to practice his swordsmanship alone. His fists were his primary method for growing stronger, but Xu Ming didn¡¯t want to neglect his swordsmanship either. He never intended to stay in the Blood Asura Battalion forever. After a few years, once he had learned everything the Battalion could teach him and could only improve his martial arts on his own, Xu Ming planned to leave. He would then dedicate himself to studying the sword, perhaps by joining a sect or exploring other opportunities. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As for why Xu Ming didn¡¯t join a sect to study swordsmanship first and then come to the Blood Asura Battalion to train in martial arts, the reason was simple: Anyone who had trained in other sects was barred from entering the Blood Asura Battalion. Although there were other respectable martial arts schools in the world, Wu Kingdom¡¯s Blood Asura Battalion was the most renowned in Xu Ming¡¯s eyes. Many martial artists regarded it as the holy land for martial cultivation, and countless warriors dreamed of joining it, only to find the path closed to them. With such a valuable resource at hand, Xu Ming wouldn¡¯t pass it up. Feeling it was getting late, Xu Ming put away his peachwood sword, took a quick bath in a nearby waterfall pool, and then used the Sky Ascension Steps to ¡°fly¡± down the mountain. ¡°When I reach the Cave Mansion Realm and can practice real flight techniques, I¡¯ll finally stop relying on this silly method,¡± Xu Ming thought to himself. ¡°This isn¡¯t flying¡ªit¡¯s more like a hen flapping its wings a couple of times.¡± The only advantage of the Sky Ascension Steps was that it consumed spiritual energy rather than physical strength, so he didn¡¯t break a sweat. Once he reached the bottom of the mountain, Xu Ming switched to a brisk walk. When he passed by the training grounds, he noticed someone practicing punches against a wooden post. Curious, Xu Ming got closer and saw it was his dormitory roommate¡ªGuang Yin. In the nine months since joining the camp, Xu Ming¡¯s first impression of Guang Yin was that he was timid and introverted. This boy, two years older than Xu Ming, always spoke and acted cautiously, as if afraid of making a mistake. One day, a hapless tiger wandered down from the mountain into the camp and was mercilessly toyed with by the soldiers, much like a cat with its prey. Guang Yin, terrified, hid the entire time. And yet, he was a martial artist at the peak of the Mercury Realm! He could have easily taken down the tiger himself. The tiger incident wasn¡¯t even the worst of it. One night, a snake slithered into their tent. Guang Yin screamed and bolted out in panic, startling Xu Ming and the others awake. That unlucky snake ended up as their late-night snack, roasted over the campfire. It tasted pretty good, actually. Even so, Guang Yin spent the next month unable to sleep peacefully. Every time he saw a piece of rope, he thought it was a snake and freaked out. It was like a textbook case of mistaking a bowstring for a snake. To be honest, it wasn¡¯t just Xu Ming¡ªeveryone in the camp was baffled. How could someone so timid join the army? Wu Kingdom didn¡¯t enforce conscription; all enlistment was voluntary. What¡¯s more, how had he managed to get into the Blood Asura Battalion? With such strict selection criteria, how had Guang Yin passed? If Xu Ming and the others hadn¡¯t gone to the bathhouse together and seen that Guang Yin did indeed have ¡°a bird,¡± they might have suspected he was actually a woman. After all, even Wu Yanhan, who looked prettier than most women, seemed more manly than Guang Yin. ¡°It¡¯s so late, and you¡¯re still practicing?¡± Xu Ming walked over and greeted him. Xu Ming only found Guang Yin¡¯s timidness a bit odd, but he didn¡¯t mock him for it. ¡°Ah!¡± Guang Yin was startled and let out a loud cry, shivering as he turned around. Realizing it was Xu Ming, he sighed in relief. ¡°Why are you shouting so loud? You scared me,¡± Xu Ming said helplessly. ¡°I-I thought it was a ghost¡­¡± Guang Yin scratched his head awkwardly. Xu Ming chuckled. ¡°A ghost? What kind of ghost would dare enter the Blood Asura Army camp with such intense blood energy around?¡± Hearing this, Guang Yin felt even more embarrassed. Xu Ming glanced at the training stake beside Guang Yin and changed the subject. ¡°Are you practicing the Asura Fist?¡± The training stakes in the camp were no ordinary wood. The stakes for practicing the Asura Fist were made of Bloodworm Wood, which could absorb blood energy. The Asura Fist, in turn, was extremely effective for enhancing blood energy. Practicing with these stakes not only unlocked one¡¯s potential but also prevented an overflow of blood energy that could lead to deviation and loss of control. ¡°Yeah.¡± Guang Yin nodded. ¡°I couldn¡¯t sleep, so I came out to practice a little.¡± Xu Ming raised an eyebrow. ¡°I thought you usually sleep like a log.¡± Guang Yin stayed silent. Xu Ming shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s better for you to go back and get some rest. We have training early tomorrow morning, and if you affect your performance, it¡¯ll be counterproductive.¡± ¡°You¡­ you go ahead, Brother Xu. I-I¡¯ll practice just a little longer and then head back,¡± Guang Yin said timidly, as if any hint of sternness from Xu Ming would immediately make him give up. Xu Ming looked at Guang Yin thoughtfully. ¡°Are you worried about the selection three months from now?¡± Guang Yin froze for a moment, realizing his thoughts had been seen through, and then he nodded. ¡°I¡¯m not as strong as you and Brother Wu. You guys pick up everything the instructor teaches after just one try, and even Brother Li gets it quickly. I need to practice many, many times just to keep up. Three months from now, half of us will be eliminated, so I¡­ I just want to give it my best shot.¡± Xu Ming sighed. ¡°Guang Yin, have you ever thought that maybe your personality isn¡¯t suited for being a soldier? Even if you pass the selection, you¡¯ll eventually have to carry out all kinds of missions¡ªmissions involving life and death. What will you do then?¡± Xu Ming knew he might be saying something harsh, but he genuinely wanted Guang Yin to think it through. Once he passed the selection, he would truly be living a life where his head was tied to his belt, always at risk. Hearing Xu Ming¡¯s words, Guang Yin¡¯s expression and gaze grew hesitant. To be honest, Xu Ming could already see the seeds of retreat in him. After a long while, Guang Yin looked up and smiled sheepishly. ¡°Brother Xu, I know that. But I still want to try.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Xu Ming looked at Guang Yin, who simply scratched the back of his head awkwardly, his sincerity shining through. ¡°Alright. If that¡¯s your choice, I won¡¯t say any more.¡± Xu Ming walked forward, facing the training stake. ¡°Brother Xu?¡± Guang Yin asked in confusion. ¡°I noticed a couple of your Asura Fist moves earlier. Your force distribution was off. Let me demonstrate for you.¡± Xu Ming rolled up his sleeves. ¡°Brother Xu, there¡¯s really no need to trouble yourself,¡± Guang Yin said, waving his hands. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Watch closely.¡± With that, Xu Ming began executing the moves of the Asura Fist, his strikes landing on the stake one after another. Powerful bursts of blood energy flared out, only to be absorbed by the stake. Guang Yin wanted to say something, but seeing how seriously Xu Ming was teaching him, he could only keep the gratitude in his heart and focus earnestly on observing. From then on, every night after Xu Ming finished his sword training, he would spend half an hour at the training grounds coaching Guang Yin. Day by day, Guang Yin improved noticeably. His progress was significant, and far better than what he had initially believed himself capable of. For some unknown reason, whenever Xu Ming watched Guang Yin throw his punches, he always felt a strange yet indescribable sensation. To repay Xu Ming, Guang Yin would wash his clothes, pour tea, and serve him every day. Although these were small, insignificant tasks, Guang Yin used his own way to repay the favor. Gradually, the others also learned about Xu Ming teaching Guang Yin the Asura Fist, but no one said anything. After all, they shared the same thoughts as Xu Ming: even if Guang Yin passed the assessment, what then? The missions of the Blood Asura Battalion were always life-or-death. With his timid personality, he would be far too easy to get killed. In the blink of an eye, three months passed, and the Blood Asura Battalion¡¯s newcomer assessment began. There were exactly one thousand recruits¡ªnot one more, not one less. Half of them would be eliminated, possibly more, but certainly not fewer. Those eliminated would either return home or be transferred to other military units. If they performed exceptionally well later, they might be promoted back to the Blood Asura Battalion someday. That morning, at the break of dawn, the sound of Wang Meng¡¯s ¡°clang clang clang¡± as he beat the gong startled everyone in Camp 484 out of bed. ¡°You brats, today is the first assessment since you joined the Blood Asura Battalion! It might also be your last! The rules are simple. In a moment, there will be ten assessors, each stationed in one of the ten wooden huts. You¡¯ll draw lots to determine which hut you go to. Once you enter, you¡¯ll spar with the assessor, and they¡¯ll decide whether you pass or fail. That¡¯s it. Now draw your lots!¡± Wang Meng brought out a bamboo tube. Xu Ming and the others each drew a bamboo stick from the tube. Xu Ming drew Hut Five, Wu Yanhan drew Hut Five as well, while Xiong Haizhi and Guang Yin ended up with Hut Three. Li Han and the others were assigned to Hut One and Hut Two. Xu Ming stepped into Hut Five and was surprised to find a female warrior waiting for him. The female warrior crooked her finger at Xu Ming. ¡°Come on, kid, let¡¯s see how well you little ones have been practicing.¡± ¡°Please instruct me, Examiner,¡± Xu Ming said, clasping his fists in salute. The moment Xu Ming straightened up, he lunged forward. The wooden floor beneath his feet shattered instantly, sending a powerful gust of wind rushing toward the female warrior. Her expression flickered with surprise¡ªshe hadn¡¯t expected this kid to be so fast. Xu Ming¡¯s fist barreled toward her face, but she raised her arm to block. The clash of her martial aura and the blood energy of Xu Ming¡¯s Asura Fist rippled outward, scattering the force where they met. Just as she attempted to grab his right fist, Xu Ming¡¯s left leg whipped up in a high kick aimed at her waist. The female warrior hesitated but dodged, only for Xu Ming¡¯s right fist to surge toward her again with incredible force. This time, she didn¡¯t dodge. Instead, she chose to gauge his strength directly. Xu Ming¡¯s punch landed squarely on her ribs with a resounding clang! It sounded as if his fist had struck solid bronze. Without pausing, Xu Ming unleashed another punch, this time aimed at her head. The swift punch grazed the examiner¡¯s head before spinning slightly, as Xu Ming rotated mid-movement and struck with both palms simultaneously. She countered, nearly landing a blow that would have left a mark on Xu Ming¡¯s abdomen as he leapt into the air to evade. ¡°Kid, you¡¯re interesting. Come at me again,¡± the female warrior said with a smile, motioning for him to continue. ¡°Then, Examiner, be ready!¡± Xu Ming sprang forward with a low, skimming dash, closing the distance in an instant and delivering a powerful strike. This was just his first punch. Then came another punch. And another. Although each strike was effortlessly blocked by the female warrior, who remained unshaken, Xu Ming¡¯s fists fell like a torrential downpour¡ªrelentless and fierce. ¡°The Wang Family¡¯s Drum-Beating Style of the Heaven-Opening Fist?¡± The female examiner¡¯s heart stirred with surprise, and then a smirk curled at the corner of her mouth. Interesting. Let¡¯s see how many punches this kid can throw. The Drum-Beating Style of the Heaven-Opening Fist¡ªeach strike grows louder and heavier than the last. By the final blow, either the opponent is dead, or the user collapses from exhaustion. It¡¯s a move of no return. ¡°Boom!¡± Xu Ming no longer knew how many punches he had thrown. With this punch, a faint golden hue radiated from his fist. It carried the full force of thunder and lightning, aimed at the examiner¡¯s chest, as if to shatter her insides. The female examiner initially intended to take the blow head-on, but at the last moment, she dodged. Even she was stunned by her own reaction¡ªit was entirely instinctual. This punch had made her sense danger! Her movements became as light as the wind, dodging Xu Ming¡¯s strikes with the grace of a dragon swimming through water. Her fists fluttered like butterflies dancing among flowers, weaving through his attacks while searching for an opening. ¡°Pa! Pa! Pa!¡± Dense smacks rang out as Xu Ming¡¯s punches met air or grazed her skin, his speed so rapid it was dazzling to the eye. Xu Ming¡¯s fist transformed into a streak of cold light, striking straight for her throat. But the examiner¡¯s body shifted slightly, rippling like water, narrowly evading the fatal blow. ¡°Be careful now.¡± The female examiner sneered, her aura suddenly surging. Each of her punches now felt like a sledgehammer, thudding against Xu Ming¡¯s chest with dull, resounding force. In that instant, her fists cut through the air like sharp swords, bypassing all resistance and landing squarely on Xu Ming¡¯s abdomen. ¡°Thud!¡± Xu Ming flew backward like a broken kite, landing hard on the ground and kicking up a cloud of dust. As he struggled to his feet, the female examiner¡¯s foot lashed out again, slamming into his chest. Xu Ming was sent flying out through the door. A moment later, a wooden plaque tumbled onto his chest. On it, two words were clearly inscribed: ¡°Passed.¡± Back inside the wooden hut, the female examiner flexed her fists, only to realize she couldn¡¯t fully clench them. They were trembling slightly. ¡°This Prince Consort really isn¡¯t simple,¡± she muttered to herself. Chapter 63 [You have passed the formal selection of the Blood Asura Battalion, officially becoming a member of Blood Asura Battalion and earning the achievement ¡°Blood Asura.¡± Battlefield Luck +50.] [You were thoroughly beaten up by Xu Xia, gaining valuable combat experience. Blood Qi +30, Strength +30, Agility +7.] Xu Ming dusted himself off, stood up with the ¡°pass¡± token in hand, and reflected on the trial he had just faced. It was the first time Xu Ming had encountered such a style of boxing. Until now, every form of boxing Xu Ming had seen was the type that was bold and direct¡ªif one punch couldn¡¯t finish you off, the next would, beating you into oblivion. However, the opponent¡¯s boxing style was as elusive as a butterfly, graceful and unpredictable. Xu Ming planned to visit the Boxing Pavilion to find out more about this type of boxing. Although his opponent wasn¡¯t a member of the Blood Asura Battalion¡ªjust an examiner hired from another army¡ªall boxing techniques in the Wu Kingdom were stored in the Blood Asura¡¯s Boxing Pavilion. If nothing unexpected happened, Xu Ming should be able to find it there. Of course, Xu Ming wasn¡¯t planning to cultivate such a ¡°soft fist¡± technique. It didn¡¯t suit his personality or align with his philosophy of ¡°breaking ten thousand methods with one punch.¡± Besides, this boxing style was way too delicate. Xu Ming mainly wanted to study it for reference, hoping that it might inspire his own path in boxing. As Xu Ming spaced out for a few moments, the door to Room Five opened again, and another person was sent flying out. However, unlike Xu Ming, this person wasn¡¯t holding a ¡°pass¡± token. Instead, a voice from the room bellowed: ¡°Too weak! Go home and farm!¡± The failed candidate sighed, stood up, and walked away in dejection. The gazes of those nearby were tinged with sympathy. ¡°Next, Chen Qian!¡± the female examiner in Room Five called out. ¡°Next, Wang Wei!¡± ¡°Next, Xu Can!¡± ¡°Next, Huang Qian!¡± One name after another was shouted, and one person after another was kicked out of the room. If someone passed, a token would be tossed out. If not, they¡¯d endure the harsh tongue of the female examiner. For example¡ª ¡°You¡¯re so weak. How do you look more like a woman than me?¡± ¡°So timid! Why are you even trying to be a warrior? Take off your pants! Let me see if you even have any balls!¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with the Blood Asura Battalion? How could they let someone like you in?¡± Many who had already failed the trial and felt crushed found themselves further humiliated. A few burly men even burst into tears on the spot. Some might even have their martial will shattered permanently, resigning themselves to a life of farming. Over time, however, Xu Ming began to understand the reasoning behind this approach. Those who participated in the trial¡ªeven if they failed¡ªwere considered elite when placed in an ordinary army. If they couldn¡¯t withstand criticism and broke down emotionally, then they lacked the mental resilience to survive on a battlefield and would likely die sooner or later. If that was the case, it was better for them to go back to farming. If nothing else, they could become guards or private security, marry, have children, and live a peaceful and fulfilling life. Xu Ming glanced at Wu Yanhan, who stood not far away. His expression was extremely calm, devoid of the tension others displayed. But of course¡ªif even Wu Yanhan couldn¡¯t pass, then nobody could. Xu Ming himself would probably be in trouble, too. Xu Ming didn¡¯t know when Wu Yanhan would go in, but he was certain that Wu Yanhan would pass. Finding nothing exciting about that, Xu Ming decided to check out the other rooms. The slick-haired Li Han had passed the trial, though his face was covered in bruises¡ªa clear sign that he had taken quite a beating. The bald Yuan Hua also passed. Compared to Li Han, Yuan Hua looked a bit more relaxed, though he was limping slightly. Half an hour later, out of the ten people from Tent 484, three had passed the trial, including Xu Ming, while three others had failed. The three failed roommates walked back with dejected expressions. Li Han and Yuan Hua wanted to go comfort them, but Xu Ming stopped them. At this moment, it was best to let people think quietly. If those who passed the trial went to comfort those who failed, it might only make them feel worse. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Another half hour passed, and finally, Xiong Haizhi and the others emerged from their respective trial rooms. Xiong Haizhi was also sporting a bruised and swollen face, while Guang Yin, much like Yuan Hua, walked with a noticeable limp. However, judging from their smiling faces and the casual way they greeted Xu Ming, it was clear that they had all passed. Xu Ming hadn¡¯t expected Guang Yin to pass. When it came to Guang Yin¡¯s capabilities, no one knew them better than Xu Ming. Over the past month, Xu Ming had been training him personally. In Xu Ming¡¯s opinion, Guang Yin had made significant progress, but passing the trial still seemed like a long shot. What exactly did Guang Yin do in there? Did he¡­ sell his butt to bribe the examiner? ¡°Where are Hu San and the others?¡± a roommate named Lu Ren asked. ¡°They¡­ went back to the barracks,¡± Li Han replied. Seeing Li Han¡¯s hesitant expression, Lu Ren and the others understood the real meaning of ¡°went back to the barracks.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s left from our tent?¡± Xiong Haizhi asked. ¡°It should just be Wu Yanhan,¡± Xu Ming replied. ¡°Do you guys want to go check?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll pass for now. Haizhi and I will take Guang Yin to the medical hall,¡± Li Han said. ¡°Wu Yanhan will definitely pass anyway.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go take a look. See you back at the barracks,¡± Xu Ming nodded. After temporarily parting ways, Xu Ming walked toward Room Five. Outside, only Wu Yanhan remained. Wu Yanhan stood there, straight as a willow tree. To be honest, Xu Ming thought Wu Yanhan increasingly resembled a girl. But his ever-growing strength made it impossible for anyone to seriously associate him with being feminine. When Wu Yanhan noticed Xu Ming¡¯s arrival, he merely glanced at him indifferently without saying a word. ¡°Bang!¡± At that moment, another person was sent flying out of Room Five, crashing to the ground. ¡°Get out of here! Don¡¯t waste my time!¡± The same sharp voice echoed from within. ¡°Last one, Wu Yanhan!¡± Wu Yanhan stepped forward and walked into the room. ¡°Clang!¡± As soon as Wu Yanhan entered, a surge of warrior energy swept through the room, slamming the door shut. Inside the room, Wu Yanhan came to a halt and looked at the female examiner in front of him. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be the one my father sent.¡± The female examiner, named Xu Xia, smirked. ¡°Since it¡¯s you taking the trial, of course it couldn¡¯t be just anyone. But you¡¯d better be careful. I won¡¯t hold back, you know.¡± ¡°You¡¯d better use your full strength.¡± The moment those words fell, Wu Yanhan¡¯s figure vanished from where he stood. By the time Xu Xia reacted, Wu Yanhan¡¯s long leg, as fierce as an iron whip, was already swinging toward her temple. Xu Xia raised her arm to block, forcefully intercepting the strike. Her brows furrowed as a sharp pain shot through her arm. Xu Xia clawed downward, grabbing both Wu Yanhan¡¯s pants leg and ankle. With her other hand, she transformed her palm into a blade, aiming a brutal strike at his knee. If that blow landed, Wu Yanhan¡¯s leg would undoubtedly be crippled on the spot. Wu Yanhan¡¯s brows knit slightly. His left leg shot upward, aiming a kick straight at Xu Xia¡¯s chest. Xu Xia shifted her palm into a fist, punching directly toward the sole of Wu Yanhan¡¯s foot. The impact forced Xu Xia back three steps, while Wu Yanhan twisted in midair, flipping smoothly to land on the ground. Wu Yanhan stepped forward, his fist cutting through the air with a deafening whoosh, aiming for Xu Xia¡¯s vital points. Xu Xia¡¯s figure flickered as she deftly evaded the heavy punch. She extended her right foot in a clever sweep, attempting to trip Wu Yanhan to the ground. Wu Yanhan had anticipated this. He planted his right foot firmly on the ground, spinning mid-air in a half-circle before landing steadily. Following the momentum, he punched forward, his fist whistling through the air, aiming straight for Xu Xia¡¯s face. Xu Xia¡¯s expression remained unchanged as she quickly retreated, her hands transforming into blade-like strikes aimed at Wu Yanhan¡¯s waist. However, Wu Yanhan¡¯s wufu energy had already formed a protective barrier around him. When Xu Xia¡¯s palm strike landed, it was as if she had struck solid iron, producing a heavy clang. Seizing the opportunity, Wu Yanhan stepped forward with immense force, his right fist clenched and surging with a thunderous might aimed straight at Xu Xia. But Xu Xia subtly sidestepped, deftly avoiding the powerful punch. Xu Xia no longer chose to confront Wu Yanhan head-on. Instead, she relied on her nimble footwork to repeatedly evade his attacks, until at last, she struck forward with a punch targeting Wu Yanhan¡¯s chin. Wu Yanhan¡¯s gaze sharpened. He quickly retreated and lifted his right leg, sweeping toward Xu Xia¡¯s knee. Xu Xia remained calm. She bent her right leg, stabilizing her stance, and brought her hands together, projecting forward a solid qi barrier, an impenetrable ¡°Golden Wall of Vajra.¡± Seeing this, Wu Yanhan flipped mid-air to evade her defense, and as his feet landed, his hands transformed into claws, lunging viciously for Xu Xia¡¯s back. Sensing the danger behind her, Xu Xia spun around abruptly. Her fists, like iron hammers, struck at Wu Yanhan¡¯s clawed hands. But Wu Yanhan swiftly retracted his hands, his figure flickering like a phantom as he floated back, narrowly dodging her strikes once more. Their movements were lightning-fast, each attack and defense executed with precision and power. Their figures danced under the glaring noontime sun, weaving through the air like blurs of energy. Seizing an opening, Wu Yanhan clenched his left fist tightly and thrust forward. His blood qi and wufu(martial) energy coalesced into the form of a blood-red tiger. The blood tiger roared ferociously, charging forward to rip Xu Xia apart. ¡°Impressive. You¡¯ve already mastered the seventh style of Asura Fist,¡± Xu Xia said, a smirk tugging at the corner of her lips. Her wufu energy surged upward, coalescing into a towering five-meter-tall version of herself. Heroic Soul Realm¡ªMartial Soul. Xu Xia¡¯s Martial Soul raised a massive fist, shattering the blood tiger in a single strike. Hovering over Wu Yanhan, she looked down at him and shook her head. ¡°You are truly a rare Martial God Physique, yet is this all the strength you have? If so, when I report back to your father, I¡¯m afraid he will be disappointed. It seems you¡¯re not even as promising as that kid, Xu Ming.¡± Wu Yanhan¡¯s eyes narrowed, his expression sharpening dangerously. Around him, his wufu energy surged abruptly, creating a palpable pressure that filled the room. Xu Xia blinked in surprise¡ªhe was angry now. But at which remark? That his father would be disappointed? Or that he was inferior to Xu Ming? It didn¡¯t matter anymore. Wu Yanhan had already launched himself forward, his fist surging with wufu energy. A faint silver armor, resembling dragon scales, formed over his arm. Xu Xia met him head-on with her own punch. Clang! The impact sounded like two massive bronze bells colliding, their combined force dispersing into the wooden structure of the trial room, absorbed by the reinforced walls. Xu Xia¡¯s Martial Soul, acting independently, lashed out with a kick toward Wu Yanhan. Wu Yanhan retaliated with an upward punch. A dragon¡¯s roar echoed through the room as his fist, infused with white dragon qi, collided with the Martial Soul¡¯s foot, fracturing it. But he wasn¡¯t done yet. Wu Yanhan leaped into the air, landing a devastating kick that shattered the Martial Soul¡¯s arm. Another kick obliterated its chest, and a final blow smashed its head into fragments. As Wu Yanhan descended, his heel plummeted straight toward Xu Xia¡¯s head. ¡°That¡¯s more like it,¡± Xu Xia said with a grin, her hand forming a fist as wufu energy gathered and condensed into a solid force around it. ¡°Boom!¡± Outside Room Five, Xu Ming heard a deafening explosion. The door to Room Five shattered once more, but this time, no one was sent flying out. Everyone turned their eyes toward the doorway. A single figure emerged. However, the person who walked out wasn¡¯t Wu Yanhan, but Xu Xia. With her hands clasped behind her back and a calm expression, she walked toward Xu Ming. ¡°He can¡¯t stand up anymore. Take him back to the camp. Pour this medicine into water and let him soak his ankle in time, or his leg might be crippled.¡± As she spoke, Xu Xia patted Xu Ming¡¯s shoulder and tossed a bottle of ointment into his hand before walking off without another word. Xu Ming entered Room Five and saw Wu Yanhan sitting on the ground, his teeth clenched tightly. Sweat beaded on his forehead, and his left leg trembled uncontrollably. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Xu Ming asked, seeing Wu Yanhan in such a miserable state for the first time. ¡°None of your business,¡± Wu Yanhan shot back with a glare, stubborn as always. Xu Ming smiled. ¡°We¡¯ve been eating, living, and training together for a year now. I¡¯m only helping out because of that. You should be grateful.¡± ¡°Hah.¡± Wu Yanhan scoffed and turned his head away. ¡°Can you stand up?¡± Xu Ming looked pointedly at his long leg. ¡°Give me a minute, and I¡¯ll be fine!¡± Wu Yanhan insisted, still refusing to admit weakness. ¡°Do you want me to carry you back?¡± ¡°No need!¡± ¡°You sure? If not, I¡¯ll just leave.¡± Xu Ming asked one last time. ¡°I said no!¡± ¡°Alright, then.¡± Xu Ming nodded and straightened up. Just as Wu Yanhan thought Xu Ming was about to leave, Xu Ming suddenly crouched down. ¡°What are you doing?!¡± Wu Yanhan exclaimed in alarm. Before he could react, Xu Ming¡¯s hands slipped under his armpits and, with a sudden lift, flung him into the air like a baby. As Wu Yanhan was about to hit the ground, Xu Ming turned and caught him securely on his back. ¡°Put me down! Let me down!¡± Wu Yanhan, drained of energy from the trial, weakly pounded his fists against Xu Ming¡¯s back. He made sure to avoid letting his chest touch Xu Ming¡¯s back. ¡°Alright, stop fussing. Are you a man or not?¡± Xu Ming said, exasperated. ¡°Of course I¡¯m a man!¡± Wu Yanhan retorted firmly. ¡°Then stop acting like a little kid. That female examiner gave me this bottle of medicine and told me to soak your ankle, or your leg¡¯s done for.¡± Xu Ming adjusted Wu Yanhan slightly higher on his back for a better grip. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Wu Yanhan pressed his hands against Xu Ming¡¯s shoulders, his lips tightly pursed, cheeks flushed a deep red, as if about to drip blood. After walking a while, Xu Ming suddenly stopped. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Wu Yanhan asked. Xu Ming sniffed the air, then tilted his head to the side. ¡°Bro, you smell kinda nice.¡± Wu Yanhan froze for a moment, then swung a weak punch at Xu Ming. ¡°Get lost!¡± Chapter 64 Xu Ming carried Wu Yanhan into the tent, fetched a bucket of water, poured the bottle of medicine into the bucket, and let him soak his feet. Looking at those tender, fair little feet, Xu Ming thought it was a real pity that Wu Yanhan didn¡¯t just become a little ¡°pretty boy.¡± Before long, Li Han, Xiong Haizhi, and the others returned to the tent. Out of the 484 tent members, a total of seven had passed, while three had failed the assessment. With a 50% elimination rate, having seven out of ten people pass was still a pretty decent result. For the three who were eliminated, they had to decide that very day¡ªwould they join another military unit, or would they leave the Wuguo army system entirely and return home to farm? In the end, one person chose to leave the army, planning to go home and help with work or perhaps become a household guard. The other two opted to transfer to other units, hoping they could one day return to Blood Asura Battalion. Xu Ming didn¡¯t say much about their choices; he could only wish them a bright future. Alcohol was forbidden in the camp. However, Li Han somehow managed to get hold of a jar of wine to send the three off. Once those three left, their beds were vacated, and the entire tent felt noticeably quieter. Including Xu Ming, everyone felt a bit uncomfortable. No matter what, they had lived, eaten, and trained together for a year. Feelings had undeniably grown among them. ¡°Why the hell is it so dead in here?¡± Wang Meng entered the tent, looking at the seven silent men. ¡°Get the hell up! Seven grown men moping around like a bunch of women¡ªwhat is this? They¡¯re still alive and walking! What are you going to do when your comrades actually die one day? Cry and wail like little babies? You should be grateful they¡¯ve left Blood Asura Battalion. Their chances of surviving are much better than you dumb bastards¡¯. Now get out and assemble!¡± After being scolded, Xu Ming and the others felt that Wang Meng¡¯s words made some sense. They were sending people off now, but someday, it might be others sending them off. Adjusting their moods, Xu Ming and the other seven stepped outside the tent. ¡°Starting today, you are officially part of Blood Asura Battalion.¡± Outside the tent, Wang Meng¡¯s gaze swept over Xu Ming and the others. ¡°Blood Asura Battalion isn¡¯t just about being a traditional military force, fighting on the battlefield. You¡¯ll also carry out all kinds of missions to squeeze every last bit of value out of you worthless dogs. Starting tomorrow, you¡¯ll be split into five-person squads. The team lists are out. Xu Ming, Wu Yanhan, Xiong Haizhi, Guang Yin, and Li Han¡ªyou five are now a squad, and I will continue to oversee your training. Lu Ren and Yuan Hua, you¡¯ve been reassigned to Tent 25. Now pack your things and get over there to report!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Lu Ren and Yuan Hua responded loudly. They went back to the tent to pack their belongings, said goodbye to Xu Ming and the others, and ran off toward Tent 25. ¡°The five of you dogs! Welcome to Blood Asura Battalion.¡± Wang Meng looked at Xu Ming¡¯s group. ¡°I don¡¯t have many expectations for you lot¡ªjust hurry up and reach the Heroic Soul stage. Three years from now, there will be a selection in Blood Asura Battalion for three people to enter the Rootless Secret Realm. If anyone hasn¡¯t reached the Heroic Soul stage by then, I¡¯ll kick their asses so hard they won¡¯t sit straight for a week! Do you hear me?¡± ¡°Yes, sir! Instructor!¡± Xu Ming and the others shouted in unison. ¡°Good! That¡¯s the spirit!¡± Wang Meng nodded. ¡°Now, I will assign your group¡¯s first mission. According to a letter from the magistrate of Xinping County in Jiangnan Prefecture, there have been too many magical beasts near the villages surrounding Xinping County lately, and they¡¯ve become extremely aggressive. Your task is to investigate the cause and eliminate these magical beasts. Li Han, you¡¯re fifteen, the oldest among them. This time, you¡¯ll be the team leader. You bastards! Make sure you come back alive! Do you hear me?¡± Xu Ming and the others: ¡°Yes, Instructor!¡± ¡ª ¡°Brother¡­ Brother, Mother said the government announced recently that there are many magical beasts, so we shouldn¡¯t wander too far,¡± said a little girl with a ponytail as she called out to her brother running ahead of her outside Ping¡¯an Village in Xinping County, Jiangnan Prefecture of the Wu Kingdom. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± the boy turned back and waved to his sister. ¡°The government always issues these warnings, don¡¯t they? It¡¯s just to scare people.¡± ¡°But¡­ but I heard that this time, it¡¯s really serious,¡± the little girl said, somewhat anxious. ¡°Alright, alright, are you coming with me or not? If not, I¡¯ll go by myself. You can head back on your own,¡± the boy said impatiently, finding his sister overly nagging. ¡°I¡­¡± Just as she hesitated, her brother had already walked ahead. ¡°Brother¡­ Wait for me¡­ Wait for me! I¡­ I¡¯m scared to go back alone,¡± she exclaimed. The little girl hugged herself, glanced around nervously, and hurried to catch up with her brother. The two siblings kept climbing the mountain as the sun tilted further westward. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°I found it!¡± Two quarters of an hour later, the boy led his sister to a patch of blue flowers. Seeing the beautiful field of flowers, the girl¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Let¡¯s gather as many as we can. Mother loves tea made from these flowers. If we give this to her as a birthday gift, she¡¯ll be so happy,¡± the boy said cheerfully. ¡°Mm-hmm,¡± the little girl nodded. They filled their two bamboo baskets, and as the sun neared the horizon, the boy led his sister back down the mountain. ¡°Roar!¡± Suddenly, a beast¡¯s growl echoed through the forest, startling flocks of birds into flight. The boy noticed what looked like a small pit in the shrubbery next to the flower field. He quickly pushed aside the bushes and pulled his sister into the pit, smearing mud all over themselves. Magical beasts dashed past the boy and girl, seemingly responding to some call, racing madly forward. The girl clung tightly to her brother. When the beast stampede had passed, the girl lifted her head and looked at her brother. ¡°Brother, that seems to be the direction of our village.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that. There are four directions, east, south, west, and north. These beasts just happened to head west,¡± her brother replied, trying to reassure her. ¡°It¡¯s getting late. Let¡¯s head back.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The boy pulled his sister out of the pit and headed toward the village. But as they walked, their expressions grew increasingly grim. On the way back, the path to the village had been flattened by the beasts. Trees were knocked over one after another. As they approached the village, the boy faintly saw firelight and heard the occasional roar of beasts. ¡°Brother¡­¡± the girl whispered, looking at him. ¡°You stay here. I¡¯ll go check it out! Don¡¯t come over, no matter what. Do you hear me?¡± ¡°Brother, I¡­ Brother!¡± Before the little girl could finish speaking, the boy dashed toward the direction of the village. The closer he got to the village, the clearer the roars of beasts became, accompanied by the thick stench of blood in the air. ¡°Mother¡­ Mother!¡± The boy ran faster and faster, his heart pounding. When he finally reached the village entrance, he froze in place, stunned by the scene before him. One grotesque magical beast after another rampaged through the village, tearing apart and devouring the villagers. Severed limbs and corpses littered the ground like discarded trash, and the earth was stained red with blood. At that moment, a towering bear, three meters tall, turned around. Its paws were shaped like tiger claws, and three forked, scorpion-like tails swayed behind it. On the bear¡¯s back stood a man. The bear lumbered step by step toward the boy. Paralyzed by fear, the boy¡¯s legs trembled uncontrollably, rendering him unable to move. Standing before the boy, the man on the bear¡¯s back gazed down at him with lifeless, hollow eyes. ¡°Cough, cough¡­¡± The man coughed a few times, his expression filled with remorse. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ I¡¯m truly sorry.¡± As the man¡¯s voice faded, the magical beast raised its massive paw and brought it down with a powerful strike. When the paw lifted again, the boy had already been reduced to a mangled pile of flesh. The man turned his gaze to the village engulfed in flames. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ I¡¯m truly sorry.¡± Chapter 65 Before every mission, members of the Blood Asura Battalion are given an opportunity to visit their families. This is a rare show of humanity, considering that each mission could very well be their last. For both the member and their family, this visit might be their final farewell. After a year, Xu Ming returned to the Xu Manor. There had been no prior notice of his arrival, so when the steward of the Xu Manor saw Xu Ming at the gates, he immediately went to inform the matriarch and others. The Xu family was well aware of the rules of the Blood Asura Battalion. Xu Ming¡¯s return at this time, even without explanation, made it clear to everyone why he was back. As for the Blood Asura Battalion¡¯s missions, anyone in the Kingdom of Wu knew what they signified. The expressions of those looking at Xu Ming were complicated. If something were to happen to him, they might not even recover his body. However, at this point, as a member of the Blood Asura Battalion, Xu Ming could not refuse his mission. To do so would be to defy the Imperial Order. Any attempts at persuasion from his family would be futile. Returning to his courtyard, Xu Ming realized his mother was not there. According to his aunt, his mother had been granted permission to return to her hometown to pay respects to their ancestors. The white goose had gone with her. Knowing the white goose was there to protect her gave Xu Ming some comfort. By now, the Xu family had also realized the extraordinary nature of the white goose, as it seemed to be on the verge of transforming into a spirit beast. Still, no one harbored any untoward thoughts, such as trying to cook it or giving it away. After all, few were foolish enough to provoke a goose showing signs of sentience. In time, it could very well become a guardian for the Xu family. Besides, since Chen Suya was part of the Xu family and unlikely to leave, the white goose would naturally stay with her. More importantly, the goose, nearing its spiritual awakening, wasn¡¯t worth offending Xu Ming over. It was obvious to everyone that if Xu Ming returned from the Blood Asura Battalion and later passed the imperial exams, his future would be limitless. Someone powerful was clearly determined to groom him. Thus, the Xu family even provided the white goose with cultivation resources to win Xu Ming¡¯s favor. That night, sitting in the empty courtyard, Xu Ming felt a tinge of loneliness. Looking around at the familiar Xiaochun Courtyard where he had lived since birth, Xu Ming couldn¡¯t help but wonder if he would ever return alive. ¡°Fifth Brother.¡± Just as Xu Ming was lost in thought, Xu Pangda poked his head through the courtyard gate, holding a small box¡ªlikely containing ¡®leftover¡¯ pastries from his mother. ¡°Third Brother,¡± Xu Ming greeted with a smile. Xu Pangda walked over and sat beside Xu Ming, placing the box on the table. ¡°Fifth Brother, my mother made another batch of pastries. These are leftovers. Try some.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Xu Ming smiled, opened the box, and took a piece. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°How does it taste?¡± Xu Pangda asked eagerly. ¡°It¡¯s even better than before,¡± Xu Ming replied with a nod. ¡°I thought so too!¡± Xu Pangda said, grinning sheepishly. After a moment of silence, Xu Ming looked at him. ¡°I heard you didn¡¯t take part in the imperial examinations this year?¡± Xu Pangda nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Xu Ming frowned slightly. ¡°Why not?¡± Xu Pangda scratched his head shyly. ¡°I just feel like the exams wouldn¡¯t be complete without you. So, I told Mother I¡¯ll wait four more years. That way, we brothers can take the exams together and both make the honor roll!¡± Xu Ming was momentarily stunned but then nodded with a smile. ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°Fifth Brother,¡± Xu Pangda called out. ¡°Hmm?¡± Xu Ming responded, taking a sip of tea. ¡°They say every mission for the Blood Asura Battalion is a matter of life and death. Is that true?¡± Xu Pangda asked anxiously. ¡°It¡¯s not as exaggerated as that, but it is indeed very dangerous,¡± Xu Ming explained. ¡°Oh¡­¡± Xu Pangda nodded, then took out a talisman from his pocket. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Xu Ming asked curiously. Scratching his head awkwardly, Xu Pangda said, ¡°This is a protective talisman I wore when I was a child. Mother said I had a severe illness back then, and a powerful cultivator drew this talisman to protect me. It doesn¡¯t really serve much purpose now, so I¡¯m giving it to you, Fifth Brother. But you have to promise to return it to me when you come back.¡± Looking at the clumsy, sincere Pangda, Xu Ming smiled. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll definitely return it to you when I come back.¡± ¡ª In a secluded courtyard in the eastern part of Wudu, a man with slicked-back hair pushed open the gate. The moment he stepped in, the dozen or so children in the courtyard all turned to look at him. In an instant, their eyes lit up with joy. ¡°Brother Li!¡± ¡°Brother Li!¡± The children rushed toward Li Han with excitement. ¡°Heh, I¡¯m back,¡± the man said, setting down the bags he carried. ¡°I bought roasted duck for you all¡ªhalf a duck each.¡± ¡°Yay!¡± ¡°Thank you, Brother Li!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s eat!¡± The children each grabbed their portion and sat orderly at the wooden table in the courtyard, eating without any squabbling. ¡°You¡¯re back?¡± From one of the rooms emerged a young woman who looked to be in her early twenties. She wasn¡¯t particularly beautiful, but her face was clean and gentle. Dressed in simple linen clothing with her hair tied in twin braids, she exuded an understated charm. ¡°Sister Ye Ye, I¡¯m back,¡± Li Han greeted her with a grin. Ye Ye walked over and gestured with her hand. ¡°You¡¯ve grown taller¡ªtaller than me now.¡± ¡°The food in the army is good,¡± Li Han said with a silly smile. Then, hurriedly pulling a cloth from his pocket, he unfolded it to reveal a hairpin. ¡°Sister Ye Ye, this is for you.¡± Ye Ye stared at the golden hairpin in surprise. She didn¡¯t refuse it, but neither did she immediately accept it. ¡°This must have been expensive.¡± ¡°Not too much,¡± Li Han said as he opened her hand and placed the hairpin in her palm. ¡°Please take it, Sister Ye Ye. The army pays us well¡ªI couldn¡¯t even spend it all.¡± Ye Ye glanced at him and then nodded. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll take it. But aren¡¯t you supposed to only return every four or five years?¡± ¡°Ah, this time¡­ this time I passed a test in the army, so I got a one-day leave. I have to return tomorrow,¡± Li Han said, lying without hesitation. Ye Ye looked into his eyes for a moment before nodding. ¡°Alright. Since it¡¯s rare for you to be back, I¡¯ll cook something good for you.¡± ¡°Great!¡± Li Han said, wiping his mouth dramatically. ¡°I¡¯ve been craving your spicy chicken, Sister Ye Ye.¡± Ye Ye chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ll make it for you. You sit tight for now.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Li Han played with the children for a while, occasionally glancing at Ye Ye as she busied herself in the kitchen. When no one was watching, he slipped into her room and quietly placed his entire year¡¯s salary under her pillow. After making sure everything was in place, he walked out, watching Ye Ye bustling in the kitchen. Touching the coin tied around his neck with a red string, he grinned foolishly, his large hand clutching it tightly. Chapter 66 Early the next morning, Xu Ming and his four companions gathered at the First Military Camp. Each carried a pack on their back as they began sprinting towards Jiangnan County. After all, even horseback travel wasn¡¯t faster than their running speed. As for the mixed-breed beasts used as mounts, those were reserved for experienced soldiers, not rookies like them. Three days later: ¡°Gentlemen, you¡¯ve finally arrived!¡± ¡°Lord Liu, you¡¯re too kind.¡± sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°This is no mere courtesy; we¡¯ve truly been looking forward to your arrival. Please, have a seat.¡± At the magistrate¡¯s office in Xinping County, the five young warriors from the capital of Wu Kingdom were warmly received by the county magistrate. Among them, Xu Ming was the youngest at eleven years old, while the oldest, Li Han, was just fifteen. For such a youthful ¡°Monster Subjugation Squad,¡± the magistrate showed no surprise. After all, the Blood Asura Battalion often assigned ¡°kids¡± to missions like these. The people of Wu Kingdom had grown accustomed to it. ¡°Lord Liu, could you please provide us with the details?¡± Li Han, as the team leader, asked with a polite smile. The magistrate stroked his beard thoughtfully. ¡°Here¡¯s the situation: spring has arrived, and it¡¯s the mating season for magical beasts, so their activities have become more frequent. Normally, we can manage. The beasts nearby are generally not too strong. ¡°But something unusual has happened. A Thunderstorm Bear has somehow advanced to become a fourth-tier magical beast, becoming the king of the local beasts. It¡¯s been leading others in widespread destruction. Several villages around Xinping County have been attacked, with near-total massacres. Over a thousand people have perished! ¡°Our county is small, and our forces are limited. We have only five hundred men, including constables and soldiers, with the strongest among them being a Martial Artist, Second Stage, Peak Level. ¡°So, we¡¯re hoping your team can slay this beast king. Without it, the other beasts will likely disperse.¡± Li Han nodded confidently, patting his chest. ¡°That won¡¯t be a problem. But Lord Liu, do you know where the beast king is hiding?¡± ¡°Yes, we do,¡± the magistrate replied, nodding. ¡°The Thunderstorm Bear resides in Shunan Mountain. Tomorrow, I¡¯ll personally lead all our county troops to accompany you there.¡± Xu Ming thought for a moment before speaking. ¡°Lord Liu, there¡¯s no need for that. Just provide us with a map of Shunan Mountain. A fourth-tier magical beast has some intelligence, and if too many people approach, it might detect us and retaliate. That would likely lead to more unnecessary casualties. ¡°It would be better for the five of us to slip in quietly and eliminate it.¡± Li Han agreed with Xu Ming¡¯s reasoning. ¡°That makes sense.¡± ¡°Very well, then. I¡¯ll await your triumphant return. In the meantime, a feast has been prepared for your arrival. Let me treat you to a welcoming banquet!¡± Lord Liu enthusiastically invited them to dine. After running non-stop for three days and nights, Xu Ming and his companions were famished. While Wu Yanhan ate delicately with small sips and bites, the other four devoured their meals with unrestrained vigor. Once they¡¯d replenished their strength and enjoyed a good night¡¯s rest, the group set out with a map in hand, heading towards Shunan Mountain. ¡°I¡­ I feel like something¡¯s off,¡± Guang Yin remarked as they traveled. ¡°Oh?¡± Li Han looked at him. ¡°What do you mean, Xiao Yin?¡± Due to his timid nature, Guang Yin had earned the nickname ¡°Xiao Yin¡± from Li Han. Guang Yin hesitated but voiced his doubts. ¡°By right, as a magistrate of the kingdom, Lord Liu is empowered by the dynasty¡¯s Qi Luck and can wield Dynasty Arts. I¡¯ve heard of a magistrate in Ling County who used nothing but an official writ to subdue the local River God¡ªa fourth-tier magical beast. Shouldn¡¯t Lord Liu be capable of handling this situation himself? ¡°Of course, this is just my thought. I could be wrong. I¡¯m just sharing my concern.¡± ¡°Xiao Yin, that¡¯s not something we should question,¡± Xiong Haizhi interjected, offering an explanation. ¡°Normally, a magistrate equipped with their official seal and the dynasty¡¯s arts should indeed be able to subdue a fourth-tier magical beast. However, the issue is, as far as I know, this Lord Liu only assumed office two months ago. For a new official to fully attune themselves to the seal, it takes four months. So, it makes sense that he sought our help,¡± Xiong Haizhi explained. ¡°Oh, I see,¡± Guang Yin quickly nodded. ¡°That makes sense.¡± ¡°But, Xiong Haizhi, you¡¯ve overlooked something.¡± Wu Yanhan, who had been silent the entire time, suddenly spoke in a cold tone. ¡°You know it takes four months for a new official to bond with the seal. But did you know that to address this gap, the court recently implemented a new policy? Whenever a new official is appointed, a Martial Artist of the Heroic Soul Realm is sent to assist with security during this transitional period. ¡°However, the Heroic Soul Realm martial artist assigned to Xinping County had his Martial Spirit damaged after learning that his wife had an affair. He took a half-month leave to recover. And wouldn¡¯t you know it, during that half-month, this incident in Xinping County happened. ¡°It just so happened that the Blood Asura Battalion¡¯s selection process ended recently, and new recruits needed trials. So, we were sent to handle it in his stead.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Xu Ming furrowed his brows. ¡°Isn¡¯t this all a bit too coincidental?¡± ¡°Maybe, but haven¡¯t you heard the saying, ¡®Truth is stranger than fiction¡¯?¡± Li Han draped an arm over Xu Ming¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s not overthink this. The only thing that matters is taking down that Thunderstorm Bear and completing the mission. Everything else is irrelevant.¡± Xu Ming understood that Li Han was trying to keep morale high and prevent overthinking from affecting their performance. He said nothing more but silently harbored his suspicions. Something about this monster subjugation mission didn¡¯t feel right. ¡ª In the imperial palace of the Wu Kingdom, within the Imperial Study: Emperor Wu, as usual, was reviewing memorials to the throne. Eunuch Wei shuffled in on light steps, kneeling in a deep bow. ¡°Your Majesty.¡± The emperor raised his gaze briefly, glanced at Wei Xun, then returned to his memorials. ¡°Rise. What news? Have Xu Ming and his team arrived in Jiangnan County?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± Wei Xun replied respectfully. ¡°However, Your Majesty, there¡¯s something strange about Xinping County in Jiangnan. This mission assigned to Xu Ming and his team¡­ may not go smoothly.¡± ¡°Strange?¡± The emperor looked up. ¡°This is a secret report from the Tingfeng Pavilion,¡± Wei Xun said, stepping forward to present the document. The emperor accepted it, reading through it carefully. As he read, his brows knitted tighter and tighter. ¡°Your Majesty, should we send General Mo to intervene?¡± Wei Xun suggested. ¡°With General Mo¡¯s speed, he could reach Jiangnan in less than an hour.¡± ¡°No need,¡± the emperor shook his head. ¡°A Martial Artist of the Mountain Summit Realm cannot be dispatched lightly. What sect is closest to Jiangnan County?¡± Wei Xun thought for a moment. ¡°The Wanjian Sect.¡± The emperor smiled faintly. ¡°Xu Xue¡¯nuo¡¯s Life-Bound Flying Sword has recently been sharpened. Is it time for her to test the sword?¡± Wei Xun froze for a moment. ¡°Your Majesty, you mean¡­?¡± The emperor set down the report. ¡°Send a flying sword transmission to the Wanjian Sect. Sect Master Jiang would surely be delighted to send her disciples for this task.¡± Chapter 67 ¡°Roar!¡± ¡°Boom!¡± On the slopes of Mount Shunan, a magical beast with the head of a crocodile and the body of a dragon let out an unwilling roar. Before it could finish, a young boy punched it square on the head, slamming its entire skull into the ground. [You have defeated the Crocodragon. Strength +5, Vitality +7, Beast Intimidation +2.] Xu Ming stood atop the beast¡¯s head, straightened his back, and let out a long breath. On the other sides, Li Han and Xiong Haizhi had each taken down a beast as well. In comparison, Guang Yin was trembling uncontrollably behind a tree. ¡°Hey, Xiao Guang, can you tell me how you even made it through the selection process? Don¡¯t tell me you really sold your ass to the examiners,¡± Li Han said, exasperated. Earlier, the group had been ambushed by three magical beasts. When one of the Crocodragons lunged at Guang Yin, he had collapsed to the ground, frozen in fear, completely useless. It was only thanks to Xu Ming, who had thrown Guang Yin out of harm¡¯s way, that he managed to engage the Crocodragon himself. ¡°I¡­ I¡­¡± Guang Yin stammered, his face flushed red with shame. Truthfully, Guang Yin wanted to help. But every time he faced these terrifying beasts, his body would refuse to obey him. ¡°Forget it. Let¡¯s keep moving. It¡¯s not like Guang Yin¡¯s cowardice is anything new,¡± Xu Ming said, pulling out the map. After a glance, he added, ¡°We¡¯re not far from the Thunderstorm Bear¡¯s lair.¡± ¡°Guang Yin, when the fighting starts, just find a safe spot to hide. Don¡¯t expect us to look after you,¡± Xiong Haizhi said with a hint of frustration. He couldn¡¯t help but feel resentful. Normally, Guang Yin¡¯s fearfulness was annoying but tolerable. But in situations like this, every missing combatant meant increased danger for the rest of them. To make matters worse, Guang Yin could easily become a liability. They couldn¡¯t leave him behind either; with the mountain crawling with magical beasts, he¡¯d probably become monster chow before they returned. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s move. Let¡¯s try to get back to Xinp¨ªng County before nightfall,¡± Xu Ming said, cutting Xiong Haizhi off mid-rant. ¡°Complaining now isn¡¯t going to help. Let¡¯s focus on finishing the mission.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Wu Yanhan said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear and striding toward the mountain. The rest of the group followed. As they climbed, they cautiously observed their surroundings. ¡°Wait!¡± Suddenly, Li Han whispered and stretched out his arm to stop Xiong Haizhi. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Xiong Haizhi asked, instantly alert. ¡°Step back,¡± Li Han said seriously. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Xiong Haizhi took a step back. Then, with a gleeful expression that could rival a pervert¡¯s, Li Han crouched down and picked up a single coin from beneath Xiong Haizhi¡¯s foot. He wiped it on his clothes and slipped it into his pouch. ¡°You¡­¡± Xiong Haizhi was speechless and slapped Li Han on the back of his head. ¡°You scared the crap out of me over a single coin!¡± Li Han didn¡¯t get angry. He just chuckled cheerfully. ¡°It¡¯s a coin, man!¡± ¡°May greed be the death of you,¡± Xiong Haizhi muttered with a sigh. What kind of teammates were these? One was cowardly beyond belief. The other was obsessed with money. Xiong Haizhi just couldn¡¯t understand it. The Blood Asura Battalion earned five times the salary of any other military unit in the Wu Kingdom. Their living expenses, training, and resources were all covered by the army. Did Li Han really need the money that badly? Li Han was notoriously stingy¡ªso much so that he¡¯d split a single copper coin into five pieces if he could. Back when they arrived at Xinping County, this guy even refused to order beef with his beef noodles, opting for just the noodles instead. Xiong Haizhi could never understand why he saved so much money. ¡°Everyone, focus. We¡¯re almost there,¡± Xu Ming reminded them. Hearing his words, Xiong Haizhi and Li Han quickly set aside their idle thoughts. By noon, the five of them had arrived at the peach grove marked on the map. If all went as expected, there would be a cave about 500 meters ahead. That¡¯s where the Thunderstorm Bear lived. As they drew closer, the smell of bear dung wafting in on the breeze grew stronger. Magical beasts would often defecate around their territory as a warning to potential intruders. When they reached the clearing in front of the cave, they could hear the heavy snores of the Thunderstorm Bear coming from within. Xu Ming smeared some of the bear dung on himself. The others understood his intentions and followed suit, rubbing the dung onto themselves. Once done, they all turned to Wu Yanhan, who stood still, clearly reluctant. Wu Yanhan¡¯s brows twitched; his disgust was plain to see. ¡°Brother Wu, don¡¯t be squeamish. Come on, we¡¯re all men here. We¡¯ll just wash up somewhere afterward. Even Xiao Yin, who¡¯s the most delicate among us, has already smeared it on,¡± Li Han said. ¡°You¡¯re implying I¡¯m worse than even a delicate guy like him?¡± Wu Yanhan¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°No, no, I didn¡¯t mean that!¡± Li Han quickly took two steps back, fearing a punch might come his way. ¡°Hmph.¡± Wu Yanhan snorted coldly. Though clearly unwilling, he still smeared the dung on himself. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Xu Ming said. ¡°Guang Yin, stay by the cave entrance. Don¡¯t come inside. If the bear wakes up, we can¡¯t protect you.¡± ¡°Ah? Oh, alright¡­¡± Though Guangyin wanted to help, he knew he¡¯d only be a liability inside. The four of them entered the cave. As they went deeper, the sound of the Thunderstorm Bear¡¯s snores grew louder. The cave was littered with the remains of animals and magical beasts, as well as numerous human skulls. Finally, they reached the inner chamber, where a massive bear lay sleeping. Roughly five meters tall, it sprawled across the ground. The group exchanged glances, nodded, and took a deep breath. Then, with a leap, they each used all their strength to strike at the bear¡¯s head. Even though it was a Tier-4 magical beast, they were confident they could kill it with one blow! ¡°Cough, cough¡­ Young friends, this is quite improper.¡± Just as they were about to land their attack, a voice rang out from beneath the bear. To their shock, a man was hidden in the Thunderstorm Bear¡¯s fur! ¡ª At the Thousand Caves Peak of the Wanjian Sect. The sect master, Jiang Luoyu, walked through a curtain of water into a secluded cave. At the very bottom of the cave sat a young girl, motionless on a cold stone. In front of her hovered her life-bound flying sword, Qingming, its edge already sharpened. ¡°Xuenuo,¡± Jiang Luoyu called softly. The girl on the stone slowly opened her eyes. ¡°Master.¡± ¡°Go to Xinping County,¡± Jiang Luoyu said. ¡°Xinping County?¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Jiang Luoyu nodded. ¡°It¡¯s time for you to test your sword.¡± Xu Xuenuo tilted her head slightly. ¡°Who should I test it on?¡± Jiang Luoyu walked forward and gently ruffled Xu Xuenuo¡¯s hair. ¡°Once you¡¯re there, kill whomever you wish.¡± Chapter 68 Xu Ming and the others could never have imagined that there would be a man standing beside a Thunderstorm Bear. What was the relationship between this man and the bear? Just as the man¡¯s words fell, the Thunderstorm Bear opened its eyes. ¡°Roar!¡± Seeing Xu Ming¡¯s group of four, the bear raised its massive paw and swiped at them, as if swatting flies. The four flipped mid-air, narrowly avoiding the Thunderstorm Bear¡¯s attack. ¡°Something¡¯s wrong¡ªretreat!¡± As soon as their feet hit the ground, they sprinted out of the cave. In such a cramped environment, their movements were restricted. Out in the open, they¡¯d have a better chance of victory. Outside the cave, Guang Yin shivered as he heard the bear¡¯s roar from within. His face turned pale. Moments later, he saw Xu Ming and the others rushing out of the cave. ¡°Roar!¡± The Thunderstorm Bear charged out after them, standing upright and letting out a deafening roar. Behind it, the man stepped out, calm and composed. ¡°Cough, cough,¡± the man chuckled softly, looking at the group of five with a smile. ¡°Since you¡¯re here, you might as well stay.¡± He patted the Thunderstorm Bear¡¯s heel. ¡°Go.¡± ¡°Roar!¡± The bear dropped to all fours and charged straight at the five of them. Xu Ming stepped forward, his fist radiating an intense aura as his energy condensed around it. Heaven-Cleaving Fist, Second Style¡ªShake the Mountain! ¡°Boom!¡± Xu Ming¡¯s small fist collided with the bear¡¯s massive paw¡ªa stark contrast in size. Yet, the force of the impact sent the Thunderstorm Bear stumbling back three meters. Xu Ming didn¡¯t come out unscathed, though. He was forced back five meters, his right fist trembling uncontrollably. The man¡¯s expression shifted to one of surprise as he stared at Xu Ming. How could this guy have such immense strength? It wasn¡¯t just the man who was shocked¡ªeven Wu Yanhan and the others were astonished. Xu Ming¡¯s strength seemed¡­ abnormal. Was he really just at the Mercury stage? ¡°Retreat!¡± Xu Ming realized that the five of them taking down this magical beast was already a long shot. Missions like these were typical of Blood Asura Battalion, always pushing them to their limits. But now, with an additional cultivator whose level was unknown, the wisest choice was to withdraw and report back to Wudu. The magical beast attacks on Xinping County didn¡¯t add up. Something was wrong. Xu Ming led the retreat, with the others following closely behind. But there was no way the man would let them leave so easily. Having been pushed back by such a small opponent, the Thunderstorm Bear felt humiliated and charged forward in pursuit. The man clasped his hands together, chanting an incantation, and five ice serpents emerged, snapping at the group. Xu Ming punched one to pieces and kicked another away, saving Guang Yin. ¡°Boom!¡± The Thunderstorm Bear leapt into the air and landed directly in front of them, cutting off their escape. Guang Yin, trembling and falling to the ground in fear, could only sit there helplessly. The other four, however, surged forward. Their martial energy transformed into a blood-red aura that coiled around their arms. Every punch they landed on the Thunderstorm Bear elicited a pained roar from the beast. The bear¡¯s scorpion-like tail lashed out at Xu Ming. He jumped and delivered a flying kick to its jaw, causing the bear to spit out a mouthful of froth, one of its teeth knocked loose. Wu Yanhan followed up, swinging her long leg in a whip-like motion that struck the bear¡¯s ankle, sending it crashing to the ground with a heavy thud. Then Xiong Haizhi and Li Han moved in from either side, their fists imbued with energy that formed blood-red tigers, which lunged and bit at the bear. ¡°Roar!¡± The Thunderstorm Bear let out a deafening roar, releasing arcs of lightning that spread outward from its body. The crimson tigers formed from true energy were instantly dispersed, and Xu Ming and the others had no time to evade. They could only gather their martial energy in front of them to block the lightning head-on. Li Han, Xiong Haizhi, and Guang Yin were sent flying five meters back. Xu Ming and Wu Yanhan, however, braced themselves and pushed forward through the storm of lightning. The two leaped into the air, Xu Ming attacking from the left and Wu Yanhan from the right, both landing powerful kicks to the Thunderstorm Bear¡¯s face. The bear¡¯s head buzzed from the impact, and its eyes spun as if seeing stars. Xu Ming spun in the air and landed on the Thunderstorm Bear¡¯s shoulder, unleashing a devastating punch imbued with the Shake the Mountain technique. ¡°Boom!¡± The bear was slammed to the ground with a thunderous crash. Wu Yanhan joined Xu Ming, and the two began raining punches on the bear¡¯s head with relentless fury. ¡°Such formidable martial artists,¡± the man murmured, coughing a few times. ¡°The martial artists of Wu Kingdom truly aren¡¯t simple¡­ cough, cough.¡± With a wave of his hand, he sent a barrage of ice spikes shooting toward Xu Ming and Wu Yanhan. The two turned simultaneously, each throwing a punch that shattered the incoming ice spikes into pieces. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid,¡± Wu Yanhan said to Xu Ming. ¡°He¡¯s just a cultivator at the Observing Sea realm.¡± Although Xu Ming didn¡¯t know how Wu Yanhan could tell, a cultivator at the Observing Sea realm wasn¡¯t enough to faze him. ¡°I¡¯ll take him down. You hold the bear off,¡± Wu Yanhan said. Without waiting for a response, she charged forward. For a martial artist at the Mercury level, the advantage lay in close combat. If she could close the ten-meter gap between her and the cultivator, his defeat would be inevitable. The man clearly understood this as well. Chanting rapidly, he cast spell after spell at Wu Yanhan. She pressed on, enduring the onslaught with her martial energy. Meanwhile, Xu Ming was keeping the enraged Thunderstorm Bear at bay, dodging its furious swipes while keeping an eye on Wu Yanhan¡¯s progress. Fifteen meters. Fourteen meters. Eleven meters. Ten meters! ¡°Wu Yanhan! Stop!¡± Xu Ming suddenly shouted. Just as Wu Yanhan reached the ten-meter mark, her fist poised to strike and obliterate the man¡¯s head, hundreds of razor-sharp ice threads materialized in front of her. The threads shimmered like deadly blades, so fine yet so lethal that even the slightest touch could slice her to pieces. Wu Yanhan immediately pulled back her strike and planted her heel into the ground, halting just in time. But as she paused, even for a moment, the man pulled out a sword hilt and pointed it at her chest. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°You¡¯re both incredibly talented,¡± he said with a smile, ¡°but I¡¯m afraid this is the end.¡± The sword hilt glowed with a blinding white light, and a blade of ice extended from it, shooting straight for Wu Yanhan¡¯s heart. The ice sword grew larger and larger in Wu Yanhan¡¯s eyes. She could feel death approaching. Just as the blade was about to pierce her, she felt herself jerk to the side and was thrown away. Stunned, Wu Yanhan turned her head and saw Xu Ming had appeared out of nowhere, tackling her to the ground. Wu Yanhan¡¯s heart sank as she noticed the spreading wetness on her clothes¡ªit was blood. Xu Ming¡¯s shoulder had been pierced clean through, leaving a gaping wound. ¡°Roar!¡± The Thunderstorm Bear, enraged beyond reason, charged toward the two of them, determined to crush these pesky insects. Xiong Haizhi and Li Han struggled to their feet, trying desperately to block the bear, but they were swatted away like flies. Both slammed into nearby trees and slumped to the ground, their fates uncertain. ¡°What do I do¡­ what do I do¡­¡± Guang Yin, who had been trembling on the ground and largely ignored, muttered to himself as tears welled up in his eyes. His legs shook uncontrollably as his gaze darted between his fallen comrades and the approaching bear. ¡°Move!¡± he screamed at himself internally. ¡°They¡¯re going to die! Move already!¡± Chapter 69 ¡°Father, Mother, what is a magical beast?¡± Amidst the forest, a young boy raised his head and looked at his parents. The boy¡¯s parents both carried bows and arrows on their backs, gripping spears in their hands. Their clothes, made from animal pelts, marked them as hunters. ¡°Yin¡¯er, a magical beast is just¡­ a magical beast,¡± his mother said with a smile. ¡°Then what¡¯s the difference between magical beasts and ordinary animals?¡± the boy asked, puzzled. Guang Yin¡¯s father reached out and ruffled his son¡¯s hair. ¡°Ordinary animals, like rabbits, foxes, lions, tigers, or wolves, have a chance to gain spiritual awareness if they encounter the right opportunity. Once they do, they can cultivate and eventually become demons. When animals gain spiritual awareness and especially after becoming demons, their intelligence becomes comparable to ours. Some can even further cultivate and take on human form. That¡¯s called shapeshifting. But magical beasts are different. Magical beasts have existed since ancient times and are far stronger than ordinary animals. However, magical beasts cannot cultivate or shapeshift, and their intelligence is very limited. Almost all magical beasts are born with a fixed limit to their potential. Even if they train and grow stronger, they can never surpass that limit.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Guang Yin nodded, half-understanding. ¡°In short, if we encounter a magical beast, we must¡ª¡± Before his father could finish, his expression stiffened, and he instinctively shielded his son. Guang Yin¡¯s mother also stepped in from the other side, protecting him. Both parents slung their spears onto their backs and drew their bows, ready to fire. From the bushes emerged several wolf-like creatures, their bodies covered in armor-like scales resembling a pangolin¡¯s. ¡°Earth-Armored Wolves? How are they here?¡± the mother asked her husband. ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± The man¡¯s forehead was slick with sweat, his expression tense. ¡°Yin¡¯er, run!¡± ¡°Father, Mother¡­¡± Guang Yin stared at them in shock. ¡°Run!¡± The man gave his son a push, just as the Earth-Armored Wolves lunged forward. Guang Yin swallowed hard and turned to flee. Suddenly, one of the wolves sprang out from nowhere, aiming to pounce on him. But his father tackled the wolf, pinning it to the ground and punching it furiously. Another wolf sank its fangs into the man¡¯s shoulder, followed swiftly by a third. ¡°Ah!¡± the man cried out in pain. ¡°Run! Go!¡± he shouted to his son. The next moment, a wolf tore into the man¡¯s throat. ¡ª The Thunderstorm Bear drew closer and closer to Xu Ming and Wu Yanhan. Facing the massive beast, Guang Yin¡¯s eyes trembled, and his legs refused to stop shaking. ¡°Move! You need to move!¡± Guang Yin shouted at himself. But his legs wouldn¡¯t obey. ¡°If you don¡¯t move now, they¡¯ll die! Are you going to just watch again, like before?¡± Guang Yin pounded his thighs in frustration. Panic surged within him, but his legs remained rooted to the spot. The Thunderstorm Bear stood before Xu Ming and Wu Yanhan. Panting heavily, the enormous creature glared at the two humans who had caused it so much trouble. A savage smile played on its beastly face. ¡°Roar!¡± The Thunderstorm Bear let out a deafening roar, as if proclaiming its victory and reaffirming its dominance over the forest. The Thunderstorm Bear opened its jaws wide, ready to bite down on Xu Ming and Wu Yanhan. Just as the bear was about to strike¡ªits saliva already splattering onto Xu Ming and Wu Yanhan¡¯s faces¡ªits head suddenly jerked to the side. The next moment, the massive creature was sent flying backward. Wu Yanhan stared in shock at the boy now standing in front of her and Xu Ming. Did she just imagine it? Did Guang Yin really kick that bear away? Not far away, the man watching furrowed his brows. He hadn¡¯t expected that the timid boy, who had been trembling moments ago, could unleash such explosive power. ¡°Roar!¡± The Thunderstorm Bear got back on its feet and charged at Guang Yin. ¡°Ahhhhhhh!!!¡± Swallowing his fear, Guang Yin let out a loud cry and dashed forward. Despite the trembling in his legs, his speed increased as he ran. Guang Yin kicked aside the bear¡¯s paw as it swiped at him, then landed a punch square on its chest. The Thunderstorm Bear was knocked back a meter, and a small fist-shaped dent appeared on its chest. The qi and blood from the Asura Fist technique swirled around Guang Yin, forming an almost armor-like barrier. Every swipe of the Thunderstorm Bear¡¯s claws was intercepted by the aura emanating from Guang Yin¡¯s body. Seizing every opportunity, Guang Yin struck back with precise punches, his eyes darting constantly to spot the bear¡¯s weaknesses. Gradually, Guang Yin¡¯s eyes turned blood-red, his qi and blood surging uncontrollably. It was as though he had completely succumbed to the technique¡¯s power. ¡°Go help Guang Yin! If you can get me close, I can end this bear with a single punch!¡± At some point, Xu Ming had regained consciousness and was now speaking from where he lay on Wu Yanhan. Wu Yanhan looked deeply into Xu Ming¡¯s eyes. To be honest, she didn¡¯t believe Xu Ming could kill the Thunderstorm Bear with just one punch. But still, she nodded. ¡ª ¡°I¡¯m¡­ out of strength¡­¡± Guang Yin muttered, swallowing hard as he dodged another swipe from the bear. He kicked the bear¡¯s knee, forcing it to kneel, then followed up with another punch. Although it looked like Guang Yin had the upper hand, the power behind his punches was visibly waning. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Guang Yin was using the third form of the Asura Fist¡ªBlood Fury. This technique, inspired by the natural talents of demon-kind, allowed him to temporarily enhance his strength by fully channeling his qi and blood. However, the effect was short-lived, and the power would diminish over time. Afterward, the user would be left severely weakened. Xu Ming noted that Blood Fury was very similar to his own skill¡ªBlood Frenzy. The difference was that while Blood Frenzy had a shorter duration, it delivered more power and did not weaken over time. The Thunderstorm Bear, noticing Guang Yin¡¯s sluggish movements, found an opening and swung its paw toward him. Seeing the bear¡¯s claws coming, Guang Yin knew he should dodge, but with Blood Fury nearing its limit, his body couldn¡¯t respond in time. ¡°Looks like¡­ I¡¯ve done all I can¡­¡± Guang Yin thought, preparing to throw one last punch before accepting his fate. But just as the bear¡¯s claws were about to strike him, Wu Yanhan¡¯s heel smashed into its wrist, forcing its paw to collapse to the ground. ¡°Go for its eyes!¡± Wu Yanhan shouted. Understanding her intent, Guang Yin leaped into the air with the last of his strength, aiming straight for the bear¡¯s eyes. ¡°Roar!¡± The Thunderstorm Bear howled in pain, its head jerking back as both fists struck it hard, leaving it dazed. As the bear prepared to retaliate, its beastly instincts caught a whiff of death in the air. In its fading vision, Xu Ming¡¯s figure appeared reflected in its pupils. Chapter 70 Xu Ming¡¯s small figure appeared in the thunderstorm bear¡¯s line of sight. Xu Ming¡¯s entire body was shrouded in a blood-red aura, his eyes scarlet and fierce. One could even see the raging flow of blood beneath his skin, churning violently. Wu Yanhan stared at Xu Ming in astonishment. ¡°Is this the Blood Fury technique of the Asura Fist?¡± No. This wasn¡¯t Blood Fury! The blood energy generated by Blood Fury couldn¡¯t possibly reach such an extent! If Blood Fury was a technique to push someone beyond their limits, then what Xu Ming had done was forcing himself to the edge¡ªteetering on the brink of self-destruction, as though his body could explode at any moment. ¡°Boom!¡± Xu Ming¡¯s fist slammed into the thunderstorm bear¡¯s brow. The bear¡¯s mouth opened, the angry roar that was about to erupt caught in its throat. Its raised paw hung in the air, only a meter away from Xu Ming. But all of the bear¡¯s movements froze, as if time itself had stopped. In an instant, at the point of Xu Ming¡¯s fist, the thunderstorm bear¡¯s head exploded into a bloody mist that blasted backward. Guang Yin looked on in utter disbelief. What kind of punch was that? A mere Mercury martial artist had just killed a thunderstorm bear¡ªa beast famed for its unparalleled physical toughness?! With precious little time left, Xu Ming took another step backward with his Sky Ascension Step and launched a punch at the man standing nearby. To be honest, Xu Ming couldn¡¯t figure out this man at all. If the man wanted to kill him, he could have easily joined forces with the thunderstorm bear earlier, especially when it had already pinned them down. But instead, the man seemed more interested in watching the show. Yet, if the man didn¡¯t want him dead, why were all his strikes precise, ruthless, and utterly lethal? Not once had he held back. This man was a contradiction from head to toe. But no matter the reason, as long as this man remained alive, Xu Ming and his exhausted comrades wouldn¡¯t leave here alive. ¡°Incredible. Given enough time, you could become terrifyingly powerful. The Wu Kingdom truly produces unparalleled talents. What a pity¡­¡± Looking at Xu Ming, the man let out a regretful sigh. Then, he took out an iron pellet. The iron pellet began to unfold, expanding rapidly until it formed an iron wall. ¡°Clang!¡± Xu Ming¡¯s punch landed squarely on the wall, creating a massive dent but failing to break through. On the other side, Xiong Haizhi, who had been thrown against a tree, regained consciousness. He glanced at the headless thunderstorm bear, then at Xu Ming and the fallen Guang Yin, utterly confused about what had happened. The man waved his hand, and a coffin flew out of his storage pouch. ¡°Not good! Run!¡± Xu Ming¡¯s heart sank. He yanked his fist out of the iron wall and turned to flee. The effects of his blood energy frenzy wore off, and Xu Ming¡¯s legs gave out. He collapsed forward, but Wu Yanhan caught him in time, hoisting him onto her back as she dashed down the mountain. Xiong Haizhi, though unsure of what was going on, quickly grabbed the nearby, barely-breathing Li Han, and also scooped up the fallen Guang Yin before following them. The coffin¡¯s lid creaked open, revealing a corpse inside. The man bit his finger, letting the blood drip onto the corpse¡¯s forehead. The corpse¡¯s eyes snapped open. ¡°Go.¡± The man pointed toward the fleeing Xu Ming and his group. The corpse exhaled a cold breath of yin energy and leaped forward, covering over ten meters in a single bound. It moved swiftly, chasing after them like the wind. ¡°A Hopping Zombie?¡± Wu Yanhan frowned. ¡°Split up!¡± Xiong Haizhi nodded and ran off in a different direction. Zombies are categorized into five levels: White Zombie, Black Zombie, Hopping Zombie, Flying Zombie, and Draugr. Hopping Zombies have copper skin and iron bones. The more powerful they become, the tougher their bodies, to the point where they are impervious to blades and bullets. They are agile, leaping as if they are flying, able to scale walls and trees with ease. They are also unaffected by sunlight or fire. If the group were at full strength, the five of them might still have a chance at taking down this Hopping Zombie. But now, with some of them utterly exhausted and others gravely injured, they were no match for it. The Hopping Zombie glanced left, then right, seemingly unsure which way to pursue. It turned back to look at the man, tilting its head in confusion. The man smiled. ¡°Go after those three.¡± Receiving the order, the Hopping Zombie leaped off in the direction Xiong Haizhi had taken, while the man personally pursued Xu Ming and Wu Yanhan. ¡ª Xinping County. A young girl walked along the street, drawing the attention of every passerby. The girl was strikingly beautiful, clearly destined to grow into a stunning woman. However, her entire demeanor radiated an icy aloofness, warning others to keep their distance. She was dressed in a white sword robe, with a long sword strapped to her back¡ªso long, in fact, that it seemed almost the same height as her. The onlookers were curious about her, but none dared to approach. Even ordinary people knew that there were three types of people one must never provoke: monks, Taoists, and children. The girl stopped in front of the county office, looked up at the gate, and walked straight in. ¡°Little girl, this is the county office. You can¡¯t just enter,¡± one of the guards said, stepping forward to block her path. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Wanjian Sect,¡± the girl replied, raising a jade token. Seeing the emblem of the Wanjian Sect, the guards froze for a moment before hurriedly bowing. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect a Sword Immortal from the Wanjian Sect to visit. Please, Sword Immortal, come inside. I¡¯ll notify the county magistrate immediately,¡± one guard said, leading the girl to the main hall, while the other went to inform the magistrate. Although they had no idea who this girl was within the Wanjian Sect or what her cultivation level might be, it didn¡¯t matter. Everyone from the Wanjian Sect was addressed as Sword Immortal. As for her age? Immortals couldn¡¯t be judged by their appearance. She might look like she was only eleven or twelve, but who¡¯s to say she wasn¡¯t already over a thousand years old? ¡ª Moments later, County Magistrate Liu hurried over, bowing deeply to the girl. ¡°Forgive me for not welcoming you sooner, Sword Immortal,¡± Magistrate Liu said. ¡°May I ask your esteemed name?¡± ¡°Xu Xuenuo,¡± the girl replied coldly. ¡°So it is Miss Xu, the young lady of the Xu family. Your name precedes you,¡± Magistrate Liu said with a smile. ¡°May I ask what brings you to my humble county?¡± ¡°My master sent me to test my sword,¡± Xu Xuenuo said. ¡°Test your sword?¡± Magistrate Liu froze for a moment. Of course, he understood what testing the sword meant. For sword cultivators, the first time their life-bound sword tasted blood¡ªwhether it be from a demon, ghost, or human¡ªit was called testing the sword. ¡°Miss Xu, our Xinping County has been rather peaceful recently. Other than a fourth-rank thunderstorm bear in Shunan Mountain, I don¡¯t believe there¡¯s anything worth testing your sword on,¡± Magistrate Liu explained. ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± Xu Xuenuo replied, shaking her head. ¡°My master told me I could kill whatever I wanted, and I¡¯ve already found my target.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve found it?¡± Magistrate Liu asked, stunned. ¡°Do you mean to say there¡¯s some demon or ghost in Xinping County?¡± ¡°There is.¡± Xu Xuenuo nodded. In the next instant, the Qingming Sword on her back flew out, its tip aimed directly at Magistrate Liu. Chapter 71 Wu Yanhan carried Xu Ming on her back, running relentlessly down the mountain. She could feel the boy¡¯s heavy breathing on her back, occasionally brushing against her cheek. Taking advantage of a brief moment during their escape, she shifted his head slightly to the side. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But after only a few steps, Xu Ming¡¯s head swayed back and leaned against her again. Despite her own considerable injuries and near exhaustion, Wu Yanhan dared not stop. If she stopped, both she and Xu Ming would die! Who knew when the enemy would catch up? However, Wu Yanhan began to realize something unsettling¡ªno matter how far or how fast she ran, it felt as though she couldn¡¯t escape the mountain. There was no doubt now. This mountain was sealed by some kind of formation. The more she thought about it, the worse she felt. It was as if their group had fallen into a carefully orchestrated trap. As she ran, her foot suddenly slipped. In an unguarded moment, she lost her footing and fell hard to the ground. ¡°Ugh!¡± When Wu Yanhan landed, she accidentally landed on Xu Ming, who groaned faintly in his unconscious state. Quickly scrambling to her feet, she checked Xu Ming¡¯s breathing. He was still alive. This guy really was as tough as they came. Hoisting Xu Ming back onto her back, she kept running. Eventually, she came to a junction with four branching paths and chose one at random. Utterly drained, she found a crevice formed by a massive boulder leaning against the cave wall. Placing Xu Ming down, she noticed his pale complexion and the blood still dripping from the wound in his pierced shoulder. Wu Yanhan pried open Xu Ming¡¯s mouth and fed him a blood-staunching pill. Then, she took out a bottle of golden wound powder unique to the Blood Asura Battalion. But when she looked down at herself and Xu Ming, she realized they were both filthy, with not a single clean piece of cloth between them to use for bandaging. ¡°Forget it! This isn¡¯t the time to be fussy!¡± Taking a deep breath, Wu Yanhan looked at Xu Ming¡¯s pale lips, then began removing her own clothes. Underneath her outer garments, her chest was tightly bound with layer upon layer of clean white cloth. Unwinding the bandages around her chest, Wu Yanhan¡¯s cheeks turned slightly red. If Xu Ming were awake to see this, he¡¯d probably exclaim, ¡°Why is Brother¡¯s chest so¡­ exaggerated?¡± Still blushing, Wu Yanhan took off Xu Ming¡¯s tattered clothing, revealing his muscular arms and well-defined eight-pack abs. Using water collected from stalactite drips on the cave floor, she carefully cleaned his wound, sprinkled on the wound powder, and wrapped the injury with the clean white cloth. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out two Blood Asura replenishment pills, giving one to Xu Ming and taking the other herself. Leaning against the rocky crevice, Wu Yanhan, utterly spent, slowly closed her eyes. The Blood Asura replenishment pill could restore up to 70% of a martial artist¡¯s blood vitality within two hours, as long as they were below the Heroic Soul Realm. However, the pill had a side effect¡ªit caused drowsiness. Wu Yanhan was gambling now. Gambling that the enemy wouldn¡¯t find them for a while. But she had no choice. She was too exhausted to keep running. If they caught up, she¡¯d die anyway. Her eyelids grew heavier and heavier until she finally drifted off, leaning against Xu Ming as she fell into a deep sleep. ¡ª Two hours later, Wu Yanhan slowly opened her eyes, finding herself lying atop Xu Ming¡¯s chest. Sitting up, she clenched her fists and felt her strength returning. She was confident now¡ªeven if that man found her, she could put up a fight. Glancing at Xu Ming, she noticed his complexion had also improved, with a faint healthy glow replacing the pallor from before. Hoisting Xu Ming onto her back once more, Wu Yanhan continued forward. Wu Yanhan felt as though she had been walking for about an hour before finally reaching the end of the path. Ahead of her was a sheer cliff, but moonlight shone down from above. Tucking Xu Ming under her arm, she climbed upward with one hand. When she finally reached the top, a clear stream lay before her. It was still within the territory of Shunan Mountain. However, she considered herself fortunate¡ªShunan Mountain was vast, so she had likely evaded her pursuers for the time being. After all, they hadn¡¯t caught up in all this time. Wu Yanhan started a fire, then stripped herself and Xu Ming of their clothes. She washed their garments, which still reeked of bear dung, in the stream before hanging them over the fire to dry. The clothes issued by the Blood Asura Battalion were fire-resistant and would dry in just fifteen minutes. After scanning her surroundings and checking on Xu Ming, who was still unconscious, Wu Yanhan couldn¡¯t ignore the unbearable smell of bear dung on herself. ¡°He¡­ probably won¡¯t wake up, right?¡± Her gaze darted nervously, but she ultimately decided it should be fine. She jumped into the stream to bathe. Under the moonlight, crystalline water cascaded down Wu Yanhan¡¯s body. Her long hair floated in the water as the grime and bear dung were washed away, revealing smooth, snow-white skin that shimmered in the moonlight¡¯s gentle glow. Stripped of the men¡¯s clothing she usually wore, the girl¡¯s delicate features stood out, her long lashes catching droplets of water as they flickered. She exuded a soft, ethereal beauty, like a goddess of the water. Though Wu Yanhan had trained in martial arts for years, her body did not bear the bulk of a man¡¯s musculature. Instead, her frame was graceful and lithe, her abdomen flat and lined with subtle abs. Her chest wasn¡¯t entirely flat either¡ªthere were the beginnings of two gentle curves. As Wu Yanhan bathed comfortably, however, Xu Ming, lying on the shore, slowly opened his eyes. As his vision cleared, he froze. What¡¯s this? A wild beautiful girl in the water?! Wait¡­ why does this girl look so much like Wu Yanhan? Hold on.. This is Wu Yanhan! So, you really are a girl?! And, uh, your figure¡¯s not bad¡­ a little on the smaller side, sure, but not too flat. And she¡¯s not even of age yet. When she grows up, she¡¯ll probably¡ª Before Xu Ming could finish his thoughts, Wu Yanhan¡¯s head turned in his direction. Xu Ming immediately shut his eyes and pretended to be asleep. Wu Yanhan glanced at him, confirmed he was still unconscious, and continued washing herself. Xu Ming dared not open his eyes again. If Wu Yanhan realized he had seen her completely naked, there was a good chance he¡¯d end up dead¡ªif not by the thunderstorm bear earlier, then by her hands now. But¡­ I¡¯m only eleven! I don¡¯t even know anything about this stuff yet! Surely she wouldn¡¯t harm a little kid, right? As Xu Ming¡¯s thoughts spiraled, the sound of water splashing reached his ears. Wu Yanhan climbed ashore, dressed herself in the freshly dried clothes, and walked over to Xu Ming. She changed him into his now-dried clothes as well. Not long after, the aroma of grilled fish wafted through the air. Xu Ming slowly opened his eyes. ¡°You¡¯re awake,¡± Wu Yanhan said, glancing at him. ¡°Yeah,¡± Xu Ming nodded, pretending he had just woken up. But as his eyes fell on the grilled fish skewered over the fire, his expression twisted into a slight frown. It wasn¡¯t that he was being weird, but¡­ these fish had just been swimming in Wu Yanhan¡¯s bathwater. If he ate the fish, wouldn¡¯t that be like drinking her bathwater? Chapter 72 Xu Ming and Wu Yanhan ate grilled fish bite by bite. Both seemed somewhat silent. It wasn¡¯t because Xu Ming had seen Wu Yanhan¡¯s body and was worried she¡¯d notice. Nor was it because Wu Yanhan suspected Xu Ming might have seen something he shouldn¡¯t have. Rather, they were both concerned about Xiong Haizhi and the others. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Could Xiong Haizhi, leading two others, really escape the pursuit of that jiangshi? As Xu Ming regained his composure, another string of text appeared in his mind: [You have slain a Tier-4 magical beast, the Thunderstorm Bear. Vitality +100, Blood Energy +100, Intimidation +5. Blood Rage (Basic) has evolved. You have acquired Blood Rage (Intermediate). Blood Rage (Intermediate): Allows you to exceed your physical limits for one minute, with the side effect of falling into a coma for a day and a night. You have gained a new skill ¡ª Thunder Fist.] [Thunder Fist: Passive skill. When punching, there is a 1% chance of triggering the might of thunder.] Xu Ming hadn¡¯t expected such generous rewards for killing a Tier-4 magical beast. Then again, if his teammates hadn¡¯t weakened the Thunderstorm Bear, if Wu Yanhan and Guang Yin hadn¡¯t kept it occupied, he knew he would have had no chance against it in a one-on-one brawl. His defeat of the Thunderstorm Bear had clearly been over his own limits ¡ª essentially, a kill steal. But a ¡°1% chance to trigger the might of thunder¡±? That seemed¡­ absurdly low. Just as Xu Ming and Wu Yanhan finished eating and stood up to move forward, both their senses sharpened, and they instinctively leapt aside. Two sharp icicles pierced the spot where they had just been standing. ¡°Cough, cough,¡± a man hovered in mid-air, smiling as he said, ¡°You two were not easy to find.¡± The man slowly descended, clasping his hands in a polite gesture. ¡°A day has passed, and I still haven¡¯t learned your names. How rude of me. I am Shen Sheng.¡± ¡°Was it you who attacked the villages around Xinping County with magical beasts?¡± Xu Ming stared directly into Shen Sheng¡¯s eyes. ¡°It was,¡± Shen Sheng nodded calmly. ¡°Shen Sheng¡­¡± Wu Yanhan murmured the name, her gaze lingering on the jade pendant at his waist and his immaculate white scholar¡¯s robe. ¡°You are the Shen Sheng ranked 50th on the Qingyun List?¡± Shen Sheng paused, then smiled and nodded. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect my humble reputation to precede me.¡± ¡°Why did you do this?¡± Wu Yanhan asked, her voice sharp. ¡°From what I know, the ¡®Cold Gentleman¡¯ Shen Sheng is a cultivator who punishes evil and upholds justice, widely respected.¡± Hearing this, Xu Ming also grew curious. It was indeed surprising that a supposedly virtuous Qingyun List prodigy would commit such heinous acts. Shen Sheng simply shook his head. ¡°There¡¯s no need for you two to know. Tonight, both of you will rest here forever. I promise, I¡¯ll make your deaths painless.¡± Though Shen Sheng¡¯s words were arrogant, his tone carried a hint of pity. But the moment his words fell, Wu Yanhan and Xu Ming charged forward without hesitation. They had silently agreed to engage Shen Sheng in battle. Even though Shen Sheng, ranked 50th on the Qingyun List, was undoubtedly extraordinary compared to ordinary Sea Observation Realm cultivators, and even though their own strength was only at 60-70% of its peak, Xu Ming and Wu Yanhan believed that together, they could win. With each step Wu Yanhan took forward, Xu Ming could feel the ground tremble faintly. The indentations under her feet grew deeper with each stride. Xu Ming, a frequent visitor to the martial arts pavilion, had never seen this kind of footwork before. ¡°Smack!¡± Wu Yanhan¡¯s long leg whipped toward Shen Sheng¡¯s head. Her strike shattered Shen Sheng¡¯s head, but unfortunately, what scattered wasn¡¯t blood¡ªit was sparkling shards of ice. The original Shen Sheng had turned into an ice statue. At some point, Shen Sheng appeared behind Wu Yanhan, holding an icy dagger aimed directly at her heart. But before it could connect, Xu Ming¡¯s foot pierced through Shen Sheng¡¯s chest. Regrettably, this was yet another ice clone. High above, Shen Sheng floated in the air, chanting a spell. He pressed his palm downward, and hundreds of icy spikes rained down like a torrential storm. Wu Yanhan threw a punch, channeling her martial qi into a white dragon that dispersed the icy barrage. Xu Ming leaped forward, swiftly trying to close the ten-meter gap between him and Shen Sheng to gain an overwhelming advantage. But Shen Sheng wasn¡¯t a fool. He threw out two iron spheres. Earlier, one of his iron spheres had turned into an iron wall. This time, the two spheres transformed into iron chains, hurtling toward Xu Ming and trying to entangle him. As one chain wrapped around Xu Ming¡¯s right foot, Wu Yanhan sent a gust of fist wind that blasted the chains away. ¡°Just keep moving forward!¡± Wu Yanhan shouted. Xu Ming understood her meaning and focused entirely on advancing, propelling himself forward like a cannonball. One spell after another flew toward him, but Wu Yanhan intercepted and neutralized them all. Her sole objective was to deliver a fearsome Mercury Realm Martial power directly to the face of an Sea Observation Realm opponent! Ten meters. Nine meters. Six meters. Three meters. Two meters. Xu Ming finally reached Shen Sheng. At his feet, his blood energy and martial aura radiated outward, rippling like waves on a lake. ¡°What a powerful Mercury Realm Martial power,¡± Shen Sheng remarked with deep admiration, as though admiring a perfect work of art. ¡°Xu Ming!!! Dodge!!!¡± Just as Xu Ming raised his fist, ready to crush Shen Sheng¡¯s skull, Wu Yanhan screamed out. She dashed toward Xu Ming, but it was already too late. Centered around Shen Sheng, eight flags rose from the ground within a ten-meter radius. The flags formed a barrier that trapped both Shen Sheng and Xu Ming inside. Within the barrier, a thick mist obscured everything happening inside. ¡°Let him go!¡± ¡°Let him go!¡± Wu Yanhan pounded the barrier repeatedly, her fists raining blow after blow, but it was useless. Inside the barrier, Xu Ming stood facing Shen Sheng. ¡°Do you know what it means for a Qi Cultivator to be within ten meters of a martial artist?¡± Xu Ming asked coldly. ¡°I know,¡± Shen Sheng coughed several times, blood seeping from his lips. ¡°But, little friend, I am no longer human.¡± As he finished speaking, Shen Sheng¡¯s body began to swell, growing larger and larger. From his back sprouted a pair of bony wings. Long, sharp horns emerged from his forehead. His hands became claws, his feet transformed into tiger-like talons, and his face contorted into a grotesque, gargoyle-like visage. ¡°Little friend, live on,¡± Shen Sheng whispered. With those final words, the light in his eyes faded into emptiness, and his consciousness completely descended into madness. Chapter 73 Looking at the bizarre monster in front of him, Xu Ming couldn¡¯t help but curse out loud. A perfectly fine human¡ªhow the hell did he turn into some kind of magical beast?! This was absolutely insane! Xu Ming had never heard of a human transforming into a magical beast before. ¡°Roar!¡± The creature that Shen Sheng had become let out a deafening howl, its hands clenched as it raised its head to the sky. Staring at the monster, Xu Ming couldn¡¯t help but feel overwhelmed. To be honest, this situation was downright absurd. Xu Ming realized something¡ªhe rarely fought opponents of the same level. Even when fighting opponents a level above him, Xu Ming always felt it was manageable. But he hadn¡¯t expected his first real mission to be this difficult. Facing a Tier-4 magical beast was one thing. But then, he also had to deal with a Sea Observation Realm cultivator. After finally managing to kill the beast and getting the chance to take down the cultivator, the man turned into a monster whose power was utterly unfathomable. For a mere Mercury Realm Martial Artist like himself to hold his ground against a Sea Observation Realm opponent was already extraordinary. The countless attribute boosts he¡¯d gained through years of training had played a massive role in this. Otherwise, with his average martial aptitude, he¡¯d have been slapped to death by the Tier-4 magical beast in a single hit¡ªno chance of surviving the second. Just look at Xiong Haizhi and Li Han. Both were talented martial artists meticulously trained by the Blood Asura Battalion organization, yet they were as helpless as chicks against the Tier-4 magical beast. The only ones capable of holding their own were Wu Yanhan, with her Martial God Physique, and Guang Yin, whose abilities were still a mystery. Thanks to his attribute boosts, Xu Ming had reached the level of a fourteen-year-old Martial God Physique by the age of eleven¡ªand he would only grow stronger. He might even surpass the Martial God Physique in the future. Xu Ming already felt like he was overpowered. Without these advantages, he couldn¡¯t imagine how many times he¡¯d have died by now. But staring at the monster before him, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder if his ¡°cheats¡± would be enough. The aura emanating from the creature made Xu Ming tremble involuntarily. It felt like an abyssal hand reaching out to drag him down, pulling him into eternal darkness. ¡°You brats, listen up! Martial artists don¡¯t mean mindless brutes! You have to think of every possible way to take down your opponent¡ªdon¡¯t just recklessly charge in! But! If! It ever comes to that day! When you can¡¯t run, when there¡¯s no other way out, when death is staring you in the face, there¡¯s only one thing you need to do¡ª Throw your fists! Keep punching until your last breath! Only your fists can save you!¡± The words of Instructor Wang Meng rang in Xu Ming¡¯s mind. Taking a deep breath, Xu Ming clenched his fists and steadied his stance. He stopped thinking about life or death and focused instead on throwing as many punches as possible¡ªuntil he could no longer lift his arms. In an instant, Shen Sheng vanished from where he stood and reappeared behind Xu Ming, slashing downward at Xu Ming¡¯s head at a 45-degree angle. Xu Ming jumped to dodge, spinning in midair to land a side kick toward Shen Sheng¡¯s head. A loud ¡°crack¡± echoed as Shen Sheng¡¯s head twisted unnaturally to the side, his neck seemingly broken. At first glance, it seemed like Xu Ming had the upper hand. But Shen Sheng¡¯s tail had somehow buried itself underground, only to emerge behind Xu Ming, stabbing toward his back. Though Xu Ming noticed it, he couldn¡¯t dodge in time. The tail left a deep gash along his side, blood splattering everywhere. Gritting his teeth, Xu Ming launched another kick, slamming into Shen Sheng¡¯s chest. The sheer force sent Shen Sheng flying two meters away, his chest caving inward. ¡°Roar!¡± Shen Sheng lay sprawled on the ground, raising his head to emit a furious roar at Xu Ming! Landing on the ground, Xu Ming consumed a blood-staunching pill. Not far away, Shen Sheng grabbed his own head and twisted it back into place with a ¡°crack.¡± The caved-in portion of his chest began to inflate, like a balloon being pumped, gradually returning to its original form. Xu Ming¡¯s black eyes were slowly overtaken by a crimson glow, and a berserk aura of blood energy swirled incessantly around him. Beneath his skin, one could see red mist, as though his blood had transformed from liquid to gas. Blood Frenzy (Intermediate Level) ¡°Boom!¡± Xu Ming stepped forward, his foot smashing the ground and leaving a crater of rubble. ¡°Roarrr!¡± Sensing his life was in imminent danger, the now beastified Shen Sheng let out a deafening roar. But before he could finish, Xu Ming¡¯s fist had already slammed into his skull. Shen Sheng¡¯s tail stinger arced up and struck toward Xu Ming from below. Xu Ming raised his knee and stomped down, crushing it into the dirt like stepping on a snake. With another punch, Xu Ming¡¯s fist crackled with the power of lightning. ¡°Bang!¡± The blow struck Shen Sheng¡¯s chest. Xu Ming¡¯s fist sunk deep into it, lightning coursing through and charring the area black. Yet Shen Sheng acted as if nothing had happened. He raised his head, a black sphere forming in his mouth, reminiscent of a ¡°Black Flash.¡± ¡°Roar!¡± Black light erupted from Shen Sheng¡¯s maw. Xu Ming sidestepped, avoiding it, and grabbed Shen Sheng by the neck, lifting his head upward. With a forceful squeeze, the sound of shattering bones rang out like firecrackers. ¡°Thud!¡± Another punch from Xu Ming sent Shen Sheng flying into the barrier, where he stuck like a slapped bug. As Shen Sheng¡¯s eyes fluttered open, Xu Ming was already upon him, landing a kick squarely on his chest. The entire barrier shook violently. ¡°ROARRRR!!!¡± The monsterized Shen Sheng seemed to be completely enraged now, swiping at Xu Ming with a massive claw. Xu Ming failed to evade in time, blocking with a side punch. This time, it was Xu Ming who was sent flying, slamming into the barrier. Xu Ming and Shen Sheng clashed once more. Though Shen Sheng¡¯s stature and build were much smaller than a Thunderstorm Bear, his strength far surpassed it, and his body¡¯s resilience was on an entirely different level. Every punch Xu Ming landed on Shen Sheng was matched by one of equal force from Shen Sheng. Shen Sheng, now fully berserk, had abandoned the concept of ¡°dodging¡± entirely. Xu Ming, on the other hand, couldn¡¯t afford to dodge! It wasn¡¯t that he lacked the ability to evade, but rather that Blood Frenzy only lasted for one minute. Even if it meant enduring Shen Sheng¡¯s attacks head-on, Xu Ming had to land his punches. In this fleeting minute, if Xu Ming failed to finish Shen Sheng off, he would surely die. ¡°Boom!¡± Xu Ming unleashed another punch, triggering a burst of lightning that numbed one of Shen Sheng¡¯s arms. Spinning his body with the momentum, Xu Ming delivered a powerful kick to Shen Sheng¡¯s chest. The sensation of ribs shattering traveled up Xu Ming¡¯s foot as Shen Sheng was sent flying again. Xu Ming closed the distance once more. ¡°Crack!¡± Suddenly, the ground erupted with hundreds of bone spikes, threatening to skewer Xu Ming like a pincushion. Xu Ming leaped into the air and slammed his fist downward. Only ten seconds remained. Shen Sheng caught the punch, but a sharp spike emerged from his chest, aiming straight for Xu Ming¡¯s heart. Xu Ming shifted his body, narrowly avoiding it. The spike pierced through Xu Ming¡¯s chest, yet Xu Ming still managed to throw one last punch. Another spike pierced through Xu Ming¡¯s thigh, but he still delivered another punch. More and more spikes sprouted from Shen Sheng¡¯s body, turning him into something resembling a porcupine. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Except for vital spots, Xu Ming dodged none of them. He hammered Shen Sheng¡¯s skull with punch after punch, step by step advancing, while Shen Sheng retreated step by step. Every time Shen Sheng tried to flee, Xu Ming yanked him back and delivered another punch. A thoroughly dazed Shen Sheng could only rage helplessly. Xu Ming¡¯s blood-soaked body dripped crimson, making him appear like a man sculpted from blood itself. Yet his punches only grew stronger and more forceful. In the final second of Blood Frenzy, Xu Ming¡¯s martial qi and punching force reached their absolute peak! This was his ultimate blow, the strongest punch he could muster¡ªso powerful it seemed even the heavens favored him. Once again, his fist crackled with the power of lightning. One punch¡ªlife or death! ¡°ROAR!¡± Sensing the scent of death, Shen Sheng unleashed all he had in one final blast of black deathlight. ¡°BOOM!¡± A deafening explosion rippled across Shunan Mountain, scattering the night clouds overhead. In the forest, startled birds took to the sky, magical beasts bolted back to their lairs, rabbits covered their heads with their front legs, and wild pheasants buried their heads in the dirt, their tails sticking up. The violent shockwave of martial qi dispersed, snapping the eight surrounding formation flags clean in half. Wu Yanhan shielded herself with her arms, but the force still flung her ten meters away. When the martial qi finally dissipated, and Wu Yanhan straightened up, a cyan-blue leaderboard appeared in the night sky above. On that leaderboard, lines of text emerged. ¡°Kekekeke¡­¡± On the other side of Shunan Mountain, Xiong Haizhi, Li Han, and Guang Yin were sent flying backward, slamming into a rock wall. Before them, a Hopping Zombie let out a triumphant, sinister laugh. ¡°Damn it! Am I really going to die here?¡± Xiong Haizhi muttered, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth. For most of the day, Xiong Haizhi had been carrying Li Han and Guang Yin while fleeing desperately. Whenever there was a brief reprieve, he would shove blood-replenishing pills into their mouths. Eventually, Li Han and Guang Yin recovered enough to fight, but only barely. Not to mention that all three of them were heavily injured. They fought as they fled, until they reached this dire moment. The Hopping Zombie leaped toward them again, one jump at a time. When it reached Xiong Haizhi, it opened its gaping maw and lunged for his neck. ¡°BOOM!¡± But just as the Zombie was about to bite down, a loud explosion echoed from somewhere far away. The Hopping Zombie suddenly froze. Xiong Haizhi lowered his hands, while Guang Yin and Li Han stared blankly at the undead creature. The Zombie slowly turned its head 180 degrees, looking off into the distance, a trace of sadness in its eyes. Above the sky, a cyan-blue leaderboard appeared. ¡ª In the prefecture of Xin County, Xu Xue¡¯nuo stepped out of the county office, one hand holding a blood-stained longsword and the other gripping a severed head. Just as she was about to head toward Shunan Mountain, Xu Xue¡¯nuo paused and looked up at the horizon. ¡ª In the Wu Dynasty¡¯s imperial palace, the radiant light of the embedded luminous pearls illuminated the imperial study. Before the desk, the emperor of Wu continued reviewing memorials. ¡°Your Majesty,¡± Eunuch Wei entered, kneeling in respect. Cough, cough, cough. The emperor coughed lightly and raised his eyes. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°The Qingyun Leaderboard has changed names,¡± Wei Xun reported. ¡°Changed names? So what?¡± the emperor began dismissively, but his voice abruptly halted mid-sentence. He stood up suddenly. ¡°I must see this for myself!¡± If it were just an ordinary change to the Qingyun Leaderboard, Wei Xun wouldn¡¯t have disturbed him. Stepping out of the imperial study, the Emperor of Wu looked up at the starry sky and gazed at the cyan leaderboard. He read it again and again. ¡°Hahaha!!! Excellent! Excellent! Excellent!¡± The Emperor was overjoyed, repeating the word ¡°excellent¡± three times, his dragon-like demeanor radiating satisfaction. ¡ª At the residence of the Grand Secretary, Xiao Mochi sat alone in his courtyard, sipping wine. Feeling a subtle shift, he raised his head. ¡°Heh, that boy¡­¡± Xiao Mochi chuckled, shaking his head with a smile. ¡°Always full of surprises.¡± ¡ª ¡°Fifth Madam! Fifth Madam! Look at the sky! The sky!¡± At the Xu family¡¯s estate, Chunyan burst into the Xiaochun courtyard without a care for decorum, pounding on Fifth Madam Chen Suya¡¯s door. Chen Suya rose from her bed, threw on a coat, and walked out. ¡°Chunyan, what¡¯s wrong? What about the sky?¡± ¡°Look, look!¡± Chunyan pointed to the sky. Seeing the lines of text in the heavens, Chen Suya¡¯s eyes trembled, a misty layer of tears forming as she covered her mouth tightly with her hand. ¡ª ¡°Mother! Mother! Look at the sky! Fifth Brother is amazing! He¡¯s truly amazing!¡± In the courtyard of the First Madam, the chubby little Xu Pangda hopped around excitedly. ¡°Why are you so giddy? Is it really that impressive?¡± Wang Feng gave her son a light smack on the head. ¡°Go to bed. You still need to get up and study tomorrow.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Xu Pangda took one last longing look at the sky before reluctantly heading inside. ¡°That boy¡­¡± Wang Feng glanced at the text in the sky, a faint but proud smile curling her lips. ¡°Not bad at all.¡± ¡ª ¡°Flowers, flowers, grow quickly~~~¡± ¡°Flowers, flowers, grow quickly~~~~¡± ¡°When you bloom, I¡¯ll be one step closer to seeing Brother Ming~~¡± In the Myriad Flower Valley of the Tianxuan Sect, a young girl carried a watering can, sprinkling water on the Blood Toras before her. As she hummed her cheerful tune, cyan-blue light spilled down from the night sky. The girl looked up, her gaze fixing on the lines of text in the heavens. Thinking she was mistaken, she looked again. And again. The more she looked, the brighter her smile became¡ªa smile so radiant it put the valley¡¯s myriad flowers to shame and dimmed the brilliance of the stars. ¡ª [Xu Ming of the Wu Kingdom, age 11, peak of the Mercury stage, killed Shen Sheng with his fists, ranked 50th on the Qingyun Leaderboard.] ¡ª Meanwhile, in a volcanic cavern bathed in molten firelight, a wall displayed an array of clay figurines. Suddenly, one of the figurines cracked. The man standing before the wall took down the broken figurine, shaking his head. Holding it, he walked to a stone platform suspended above a pool of magma. On the platform was a disheveled woman, her limbs bound by four iron chains. As the man approached, the woman stirred, sensing his presence. Slowly, she opened her eyes, and the shattered clay figurine came into view. ¡°Shen Sheng! Shen Sheng!¡± Her eyes trembled as tears fell in steady drops. ¡°You beasts! I¡¯ll kill you! I¡¯ll kill you all!¡± She screamed at the man, her voice filled with fury and anguish. Struggling against her restraints, the clinking of chains echoed endlessly throughout the cavern. Chapter 74 On a slope of Mount Shunan, a barrier shattered. Amidst the broken array flags, a young boy, covered in blood, lunged forward in a crouched stance. Before him stood an indescribable monster. The boy¡¯s fist pierced through the monster¡¯s chest. Wu Yanhan stared at the scene in disbelief. Where was Shen Sheng? Why was it that what appeared before Xu Ming now was such a creature? Could it be¡­ that Shen Sheng had turned into this monster? ¡°The martial artists of Wu Kingdom are truly extraordinary,¡± the monster¡¯s blood-red eyes gradually faded, giving way to the return of Shen Sheng¡¯s sanity. ¡°I can¡¯t say if the martial artists of Wu Kingdom are extraordinary,¡± Xu Ming responded, withdrawing his bloodstained fist and standing upright, his entire body drenched in blood. Only his pitch-black eyes retained clarity. ¡°But I can say this¡ªWu Kingdom¡¯s Blood Asura Battalion is definitely not a place for humans to stay.¡± Xu Ming looked at Shen Sheng. ¡°Do you have anything else to say?¡± Shen Sheng smiled faintly and shook his head. ¡°I¡¯d like to, but I cannot.¡± He turned his gaze westward. ¡°Though I¡¯m not from Wu Kingdom, I¡¯ve lived here for a long time. In Shuzhou¡¯s Qingyang County, there¡¯s a small village¡ªit¡¯s like a second home to me. If possible, could you bury me there?¡± After saying this, Shen Sheng laughed at himself. ¡°Listen to me. I¡¯ve killed so many people, I deserve death a thousand times over. How dare I ask anything of you? Someone like me deserves to be left unburied.¡± As he spoke, Shen Sheng sighed deeply. ¡°Xu Ming, right? Be careful of everything.¡± With those words, Shen Sheng could no longer stand. He fell straight backward. His eyes, always fixed westward, slowly closed. ¡°I¡¯m truly sorry,¡± Shen Sheng murmured. It felt like he was apologizing to Xu Ming, yet also to the countless lives he had taken. When his hand fell limp, all life left his body. Xu Ming, too, had reached his limit. His vision went black as he collapsed backward. Wu Yanhan hurried forward and caught Xu Ming just in time. The moment she touched him, she felt her arms soaked. His blood had already drenched her sleeves. She didn¡¯t know what kind of fierce battle Xu Ming had endured, but she was certain that if she didn¡¯t stop the bleeding now, he wouldn¡¯t make it. Wu Yanhan shoved her last two hemostatic pills into Xu Ming¡¯s mouth. But for wounds this severe, the pills were like a drop in the ocean. As she hoisted Xu Ming onto her back and prepared to run down the mountain, waves of icy sword energy swept down from the sky. Wu Yanhan¡¯s heart tensed. Martial energy surged through her meridians as she braced herself for an attack. Clang! A translucent, frost-like longsword plunged into the ground before her. Perched atop the sword hilt was a young girl, no older than eleven or twelve. The girl¡¯s icy eyes were as cold as her blade. She tilted her head slightly as she looked at the bloodied, mud-covered boy on Wu Yanhan¡¯s back, a faint sense of familiarity flickering in her gaze. ¡°Wan Jian Sect, Xu Xue Nuo,¡± the girl introduced herself as she noticed Wu Yanhan¡¯s wary stance. ¡°I heard there was a fourth-tier magical beast here?¡± ¡°The fourth-tier beast is already dead,¡± Wu Yanhan replied. ¡°Are you Xu Xue Nuo from Wu Kingdom¡¯s Xu family?¡± ¡°I was,¡± Xu Xue Nuo nodded. ¡°But I¡¯ve been disowned.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re this boy¡¯s sister?¡± Wu Yanhan finally relaxed slightly. She knew Xu Ming was a mere concubine-born son from the Xu family of Wu Kingdom and was aware he had a half-sister in Wan Jian Sect, renowned across the land. ¡°Sister?¡± Xu Xue Nuo¡¯s gaze once again fell on the boy on Wu Yanhan¡¯s back. Her pupils constricted. In an instant, before Wu Yanhan could react, she felt the weight on her back lighten. By the time she turned around, Xu Xuenuo had already taken Xu Ming off her back and laid him on her lap. The young girl¡¯s icy eyes blinked as she gazed at Xu Ming, like someone seeing a long-lost pet from their childhood. Was it just an illusion? To Wu Yanhan, it seemed as though a hint of sorrow flickered in those cold eyes. Xu Xuenuo, staring at the bloodied Xu Ming in her arms, seemed entirely unconcerned about his blood staining her pristine white sword robes. ¡°Who hurt him so badly?¡± Xu Xuenuo lifted her head and looked at Wu Yanhan, her sharp sword aura seemingly tearing apart everything around her. ¡°The one who injured him that badly is already dead,¡± Wu Yanhan shook her head. ¡°Take Xu Ming to the town quickly! There should be a healer-cultivator in Xinping County. His injuries are severe¡ªif he isn¡¯t treated soon, he won¡¯t make it.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Xu Xuenuo replied coldly. The next moment, she bit her fingertip, pressing it firmly onto Xu Ming¡¯s wound. Xu Xuenuo¡¯s brow furrowed slightly as a trace of pain flickered across her pale face. Xu Ming, though unconscious, pressed his lips tightly together, his brows knit in anguish, occasionally letting out faint groans. Seeing Xu Xuenuo¡¯s actions, Wu Yanhan immediately understood what she was doing. This was a technique from Wan Jian Sect. Xu Xuenuo was channeling her sword energy into her blood and injecting it into Xu Ming¡¯s body. Such a technique required unparalleled control over sword energy and spiritual power. Although Xu Xuenuo and Xu Ming were only half-siblings, they shared half of their life essence, making this barely feasible. This method not only replenished Xu Ming¡¯s blood but also allowed the sword energy to seal his wounds. The process would be painful for both Xu Ming and Xu Xuenuo, but it was the most effective approach. Just as Wu Yanhan exhaled a sigh of relief, thinking Xu Ming would be fine, Xu Ming suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood. Xu Xuenuo recoiled as if shocked, hastily withdrawing her hand. ¡°How could this happen?¡± Xu Xuenuo¡¯s eyes filled with confusion. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Wu Yanhan rushed forward, her voice anxious. Xu Xuenuo looked up, disbelief written all over her face. ¡°My blood¡­ it¡¯s incompatible with his.¡± ¡°What??¡± Wu Yanhan froze. ¡°How is that possible? Aren¡¯t you half-siblings? Even with only half the same blood, there shouldn¡¯t be an issue.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ I¡­¡± Xu Xuenuo was equally baffled. That¡¯s impossible. We¡¯re blood-related siblings. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. So why¡­ is this happening? Chapter 75 Xu Xuenuo found herself momentarily unable to process the situation. She was clearly Xu Ming¡¯s elder sister, so why was their blood qi incompatible? Could it be that something went wrong with the ¡°Sword Qi Blood Guidance¡± technique she had used? That didn¡¯t make sense¡ªsuch a simple spell shouldn¡¯t fail. ¡°Could it be that Xu Ming and I aren¡¯t¡­?¡± A bold idea suddenly surfaced in Xu Xuenuo¡¯s mind, startling even herself. If this idea were true, it would mean that she and Xu Ming didn¡¯t share the same father. For a moment, Xu Xuenuo could only imagine her father¡¯s metaphorical head glowing green with betrayal. ¡°No matter! I have to get him to the city immediately!¡± Wu Yanhan urged anxiously. Although it seemed like there might be some disgraceful drama in the Xu family, it wasn¡¯t her concern. After all, in places like the Xu and Qin families, sordid and scandalous events were far from uncommon. ¡°I know!¡± Xu Xuenuo suppressed her emotions, cradled Xu Ming, and soared towards Xinping County. ¡°Tch!¡± Wu Yanhan, who had initially intended to take Xu Ming to Xinping County herself, clicked her tongue in annoyance. Though clearly displeased, she still made her way down the mountain. When they arrived at the county yamen of Xinping, the county magistrate had already been replaced by the assistant magistrate, who was now in charge. The assistant magistrate, who had been sleeping soundly at home, was rudely awakened and informed that the magistrate had been replaced with an imposter. Naturally, he was utterly dumbfounded. Thankfully, the assistant magistrate was quite competent and managed to stabilize the operations of the entire yamen. However, when he saw her¡ªthe infamous ¡°Sword Immortal of Calamity¡±¡ªwalk in, his heart sank again. Though he hadn¡¯t done anything wrong, the sight of this cold-faced young woman carrying a severed head was enough to terrify anyone. Who could guarantee that she wouldn¡¯t suddenly suspect him of being an imposter too and cut him down with her sword? ¡°Go! Quickly fetch the medical cultivator from your yamen!¡± Xu Xuenuo ordered coldly. ¡°Y-yes, Sword Immortal. Please wait a moment,¡± the assistant magistrate stammered, swallowing hard before hastily summoning the resident medical cultivator. Every yamen in Wu Dynasty was assigned a medical cultivator. Their main duties included handling urgent medical emergencies within the yamen, as well as dealing with mentally unstable poison cultivators. Medical cultivators generally didn¡¯t provide medical services to the public. The primary responsibility for healthcare in the county still rested with local physicians. It didn¡¯t take long for the yamen¡¯s medical cultivator to arrive. When he saw the bloodied figure lying on the bed, the cultivator was taken aback. At first glance, he thought the young boy was beyond saving. However, after a more thorough examination, he realized that the boy¡¯s life force was astonishingly strong. Particularly notable was the spiritual root in his dantian, which was working tirelessly to sustain his life. A person with a spiritual root who also practiced martial arts¡ªsuch cases were quite rare. After a night of grueling treatment, during which countless basins of clean water were used, the boy finally pulled through. As dawn broke, the medical cultivator wiped the sweat from his brow and let out a long sigh of relief. Just as he was preparing to rest, three figures¡ªXiong Haizhi and his companions¡ªstaggered into the yamen, supporting each other. Seeing them, the medical cultivator knew he had more work ahead. Xiong Haizhi and the others thought they had suffered enough, but when they saw Xu Ming lying there, wrapped head-to-toe like a mummy, they suddenly felt a strange sense of balance. Of course, this sense of ¡°relief at someone else¡¯s misfortune¡± was entirely predicated on the fact that everyone had survived. If any of them had perished, the mood would have been profoundly somber. On the third day, Jiangnan Commandery sent personnel to investigate the situation. From Lord Liu¡¯s residence, the investigators discovered his corpse¡ªbut his face had been skinned. The crimes of murdering an imperial official and assuming their identity crossed the bottom line of the Wu Dynasty, essentially trampling on the dynasty¡¯s dignity. This matter was swiftly reported to Wudu, the imperial capital. A special investigation team was formed in Wudu, led by a martial artist in the Golden Body Realm, who personally traveled to Jiangnan Commandery to oversee the inquiry. As for Shen Sheng, the fourth-rank magical beast Thunderstorm Bear, and the corpse of the impostor who replaced Lord Liu, they were all transported back to Wudu. ¡ª On the fourth day, Xu Ming still had not regained consciousness. Xu Xuenuo wanted to stay and wait for Xu Ming to wake up, but a flying sword transmission from the Wanjian Sect summoned her back to the sect. Unable to defy her master¡¯s order, Xu Xuenuo had no choice but to leave. ¡ª ¡°Master.¡± Upon returning to the sect, Xu Xuenuo went to Sacred Lord Peak to report. Jiang Luoyu, her master, looked at her and asked, ¡°Did you test your sword?¡± Xu Xuenuo nodded. ¡°I did.¡± ¡°What was the opponent¡¯s cultivation level?¡± Jiang Luoyu inquired. ¡°Mid-stage Dragon Gate Realm,¡± Xu Xuenuo replied. Jiang Luoyu nodded slightly. ¡°Too low.¡± Xu Xuenuo admitted, ¡°Killing him wasn¡¯t difficult.¡± Jiang Luoyu studied her disciple carefully. ¡°Then why do I sense that your sword heart is unsettled?¡± Xu Xuenuo hadn¡¯t expected her master to notice. She bit her lip lightly. ¡°Master, there¡¯s something I don¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°Speak,¡± Jiang Luoyu prompted. ¡°If a sister uses the ¡®Sword Qi Blood Guidance¡¯ technique to transfuse blood and heal her younger brother, but their blood fiercely rejects each other, what could be the reason?¡± Jiang Luoyu met her disciple¡¯s gaze and answered concisely, ¡°It means they have no blood relation whatsoever. They are not truly siblings.¡± ¡ª ¡°Your Majesty, this is the account of the battle at Shunan Mountain involving Xu Ming and his companions.¡± In the imperial study, Wei Xun presented a confidential report. Emperor Wu eagerly unfolded the report and read it thoroughly, his expression turning jubilant. ¡°This Xu Ming! Excellent! Just as I expected from someone I¡¯ve taken an interest in!¡± Wei Xun flattered him with a smile. ¡°According to Xu Ming¡¯s instructor, Wang Meng, Xu Ming¡¯s physical resilience might rival that of a Martial God Physic. If all goes well, his minimum future achievement could very well be the Peak of the Mountain Summit Realm.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± the Emperor nodded in satisfaction. ¡°But Xu Ming is still too young, only eleven. He doesn¡¯t yet understand matters of love and relationships. However, that¡¯s not an issue. Over the next few years, we can address his ties to the Xu family.¡± ¡°The Xu and Qin clans have become too arrogant recently. If Xu Ming were to become a prince-consort, wouldn¡¯t those families flaunt themselves to the heavens? We must find a way to separate Xu Ming from the Xu clan.¡± sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Your Majesty might not need to worry about that,¡± Wei Xun said, grinning obsequiously. ¡°There¡¯s another piece of good news I must report.¡± ¡°You sly dog, stop beating around the bush and spit it out!¡± The Emperor pointed at Wei Xun, laughing and scolding. Wei Xun replied, ¡°Your Majesty, when Xu Ming was gravely injured, Xu Xuenuo happened to arrive and attempted to heal him using the Wanjian Sect¡¯s secret technique, ¡®Sword Qi Blood Guidance.¡¯ However, Xu Ming¡¯s bloodline was incompatible with Xu Xuenuo¡¯s.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± The Emperor immediately rose to his feet. ¡°Could it be¡ª¡± ¡°Either Xu Xuenuo or Xu Ming has no blood relation to the Xu family!¡± Chapter 76 ¡°She¡¯s awake.¡± In a daze, Xu Ming slowly opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was Wu Yanhan sitting by his bedside. ¡°Where am I?¡± Xu Ming tried to sit up, but as soon as he moved, it felt like his entire body was being torn apart. The pain was excruciating. ¡°Don¡¯t move,¡± Wu Yanhan said calmly. ¡°You¡¯re seriously injured. The fact that you¡¯re alive is already a miracle. You¡¯re in the government office of Xinping County.¡± ¡°How long have I been unconscious?¡± Xu Ming asked. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°About three or four days,¡± Wu Yanhan replied. ¡°What about Xiong Haizhi and the others? Are they still alive?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, they¡¯re all alive. No one died. This mission can be considered relatively successful,¡± Wu Yanhan reassured him. Hearing this, Xu Ming finally let out a long sigh of relief. ¡°While you were unconscious, a lot happened,¡± Wu Yanhan began, recounting the events of the past few days. ¡°We were indeed set up. The original Lord Liu was already dead. His body was found in his residence, with his entire face skinned off. The Liu we encountered was an imposter. ¡°The investigators from Wudu suspect that the fake Liu and Shen Sheng were working together. As for those people who died around Xinping County, their souls were completely gone. ¡°Usually, when someone dies, some traces of their soul remain. But these souls were completely stripped away, as if forcibly removed. It¡¯s likely they were used in some unknown ritual. The specifics are still under investigation. ¡°In any case, our mission is complete. As for the rest, it¡¯s not our concern. The people from Wudu will handle it.¡± Xu Ming nodded. ¡°How was the fake Liu discovered?¡± ¡°That, I don¡¯t know. You¡¯d have to ask your sister,¡± Wu Yanhan said coldly. ¡°Your sister is quite capable.¡± ¡°My sister? What sister?¡± Xu Ming was momentarily stunned. ¡°It¡¯s only been a few years, and you¡¯ve already forgotten your own sister? Your sister is Xu Xuenuo from your Xu family. She came to Xinping County and killed the fake Liu. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for her, we¡¯d probably all be dead by now after dragging ourselves back to the county office. In your condition, with no defenses against Liu, who was working with Shen Sheng, killing us would¡¯ve been child¡¯s play.¡± Hearing this, Xu Ming fell silent for a moment before saying, ¡°Xuenuo came, huh? It¡¯s been so long since I¡¯ve seen her. Is she still here?¡± ¡°She¡¯s not here anymore. Your sister returned to her sect. If you want to see her, you¡¯ll have to go to the Wanjian Sect. But it¡¯s not that far from here,¡± Wu Yanhan replied. ¡°Forget it,¡± Xu Ming shook his head. ¡°I won¡¯t disturb her training. She¡¯s trying to reduce her ties with the Xu family, and if I go to see her, it might disrupt her cultivation. As her younger brother, that would make me pretty unworthy.¡± Wu Yanhan¡¯s lips parted slightly, and she almost said, ¡°You and Xu Xuenuo aren¡¯t actually blood-related. Even if you go to see her, it won¡¯t affect any karmic ties.¡± But after a moment¡¯s thought, she decided against it. This was family business¡ªpotentially even a family scandal. It wasn¡¯t her place to bring it up. ¡°Did she get hurt?¡± Xu Ming asked. ¡°Killing the fake Liu couldn¡¯t have been easy for her, right?¡± Wu Yanhan sneered. ¡°I carried you all the way here, and you¡¯re worried about whether she got hurt? What about me?¡± Xu Ming froze for a second before grinning. ¡°Alright, brother, did you get hurt?¡± ¡°No!¡± Wu Yanhan stood up, kicking the edge of Xu Ming¡¯s bed before turning to leave the room. ¡°And neither did she!¡± In a small village near Xinping County, court-appointed cultivators and warriors were investigating the aftermath of the attack. Local county soldiers, following instructions, were handling the corpses, ensuring the dead were given proper burials. As one of the key survivors of the incident and the least injured, Guang Yin naturally accompanied the investigation. Though he couldn¡¯t provide much help, his presence was a gesture of respect toward the Blood Asura squad¡ªa promise that their injuries and sacrifices would not go unaddressed. Guang Yin wandered through the devastated village. The lingering bloodstains on the ground and the sight of decaying, dismembered limbs deepened the furrow in his brow. As he walked, he came across a courtyard. By the entrance sat a small stool, beside which lay an unfinished embroidery piece, the needle and thread still attached. In Guang Yin¡¯s mind, he envisioned a woman sitting by the gate, calmly embroidering as she waited for her family to return. This must have once been a peaceful, harmonious village. But now, it was entirely destroyed. Entering the courtyard, Guang Yin pushed open the door, only to be met with a sudden attack. A kitchen knife swung toward him. He dodged to the side and swiftly countered, slapping the knife out of his attacker¡¯s hand and grabbing their wrist. ¡°Let me go! Let me go!¡± It was a girl with braided hair, barely eleven years old, standing a head shorter than him. ¡°Who are you? What are you doing here?¡± Guang Yin asked. ¡°Who are you? What are you doing here?¡± the girl retorted, her red eyes brimming with tears. ¡°I¡¯m from Wudu,¡± Guang Yin explained, softening his tone. ¡°We¡¯re here to investigate the magical beast attacks on the villages around Xinping County.¡± ¡°I¡¯m from this village! This is my home!¡± As she spoke, tears began streaming uncontrollably down her face. Her legs gave out, and she collapsed onto the ground, as if all her strength had left her. ¡°Why did you come so late? My mother is dead, my brother is dead¡ªeveryone in the village is dead. There¡¯s only me¡­ only me left¡­¡± ¡°Child, where are your parents?¡± Guang Yin asked gently. ¡°My parents were eaten by magical beasts,¡± the girl sobbed. ¡°I ran away by myself¡­ I ran away¡­ Now I¡¯m all alone. I¡¯m all alone¡­¡± Looking at the girl¡¯s despair, Guang Yin saw a reflection of his younger self. A few years ago, he too had been left utterly alone, wandering aimlessly without knowing where to go. Back then, a man had learned of his plight¡ªhis parents killed by magical beasts¡ªand directed him to join the military camp of Wu Kingdom, eventually leading him to the Blood Asura Battalion. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ We came too late.¡± The fourteen-year-old Guang Yin knelt down, his demeanor like that of an older brother. He extended his hand to the girl. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, would you come with me? I¡¯m alone too. My parents were killed by magical beasts two years ago. ¡°But even though we¡¯re both alone¡­ one person plus another person makes two. Isn¡¯t that better than just one?¡± Chapter 77 Half a month after the battle at Mount Shunan. Thanks to meticulous care, Xu Ming had mostly recovered. The bandages had been removed, and he was feeling much more refreshed. Otherwise, these past few days would have been unbearable, even when it came to something as basic as going to the bathroom¡ªit was such a hassle to unwrap the bandages every time. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After the fight with Shen Sheng, Xu Ming not only gained 500 points each in Stamina, Vitality, and Fist Force, but also received an extraordinary reward: the Dao Pattern Eye. [Dao Pattern Eye: Engraved with the patterns of the Great Dao, this ability allows you to copy an opponent¡¯s spells (the complexity of the spells you can replicate depends on your comprehension and cultivation level). You can see the flow of an opponent¡¯s spiritual energy and martial true qi, gain 360-degree vision, and slow down and analyze an enemy¡¯s movements. The Dao Pattern Eye can evolve. Upon evolution, it unlocks new functionalities and unique spells.] Looking at the Dao Pattern Eye, Xu Ming couldn¡¯t help but think of the Sharingan. Could it evolve to the point where he could summon a Susanoo? Or maybe cast a few Amaterasu flames for fun? Honestly, Xu Ming was pretty excited about the possibilities. Xu Ming decided to test out the Dao Pattern Eye. When he activated it, a mysterious rune appeared in his eyes, indescribable yet perfectly harmonious with the natural world, as if the Dao itself had casually sketched it. The Dao Pattern Eye could only last for three minutes. Afterward, Xu Ming was drenched in sweat, his spiritual energy completely drained, and his eyes couldn¡¯t open for a full five minutes as they kept tearing up. Xu Ming realized that to extend the duration of the Dao Pattern Eye, he needed to raise both his Qi Cultivator and Martial Artist levels. Improving his Qi Cultivator level would naturally enhance the quality and quantity of his spiritual energy. Advancing as a Martial Artist would strengthen his body, including the durability of his eyes. It was said that upon reaching the Sea Observation Realm, a Qi Cultivator¡¯s spiritual energy would undergo a qualitative transformation. As for Martial Artists, if they reached the Golden Body Realm, their eyes would be as tough as diamonds. By then, Xu Ming estimated the Dao Pattern Eye could probably last for an hour. Speaking of the Golden Body Realm, Xu Ming suddenly wondered¡ªif a woman reached that stage, what would happen? Would her entire body become¡­ unyielding? Unable to help himself, Xu Ming glanced at Wu Yanhan. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Wu Yanhan immediately felt annoyed, as if Xu Ming¡¯s gaze deserved a punch. ¡°Nothing,¡± Xu Ming quickly turned his head away. Having just recovered, he didn¡¯t want to pick a fight with Wu Yanhan. Three days later, as Xu Ming had mostly healed, the group decided it was time to return to report back to Blood Asura Battalion. However, this time, Guang Yin brought along a little girl. The girl¡¯s name was Hu Tao¡ªa simple, pleasant name that was easy to remember. Although Guang Yin, at only fourteen, had taken in an eleven-year-old girl, none of them objected. Hu Tao¡¯s background was clean, and she could easily find a place in Blood Asura Battalion, perhaps helping out in the canteen. If not, Guang Yin could always buy a courtyard for her in the southern part of the city near the First Army Camp. With Guang Yin¡¯s high salary, he could send money to Hu Tao to support her. She would be able to live independently. Besides, the families of Blood Asura Battalion members were allowed to place a Blood Asura plaque at their doors, deterring troublemakers. Especially in the imperial capital, the heart of the kingdom, safety was practically guaranteed. As long as Hu Tao didn¡¯t starve, living alone wouldn¡¯t be an issue. Because they had to travel on foot and Hu Tao was too slow, the group of five took turns carrying her as they headed toward Wudu. Hu Tao had never ridden a horse before, but she felt that these older brothers running at full speed were even faster than horses. After returning to Wudu, the five of them went to the First Army Camp to report their mission¡¯s success. Each of them earned five military merits. Military merits served as the ¡°universal currency¡± of the Wu Kingdom army. They could be exchanged for silver, spirit stones, pills, weapons, and even noble titles. What¡¯s more, even if you left Blood Asura Battalion, your military merits remained valid. The only restriction was that they couldn¡¯t be transferred to others. Seeing Xu Ming and the others return, Wang Meng was thrilled. He had heard about the events in Xinp¨ªng County and found it incredible that not a single one of the five had died. It was nothing short of a miracle! Xiong Haizhi, Li Han, and Guang Yin all felt that they owed their survival to Xu Ming. If not for Xu Ming taking down Shen Sheng¡ªand that inexplicable incident where the Hopping Zombie had suddenly wandered off¡ªthe three of them would have been drained of their blood and turned into husks. The three offered to use their five military merits to get something for Xu Ming, but he declined. ¡°In moments like that, we¡¯re in it together. What¡¯s this talk of ¡®owing¡¯ anything?¡± Xu Ming said. He firmly believed that if the roles were reversed and he was in danger, they would have risked their lives to save him too. It reminded him of the camaraderie he had seen in his previous life on the Blue Star¡ªbrotherhood forged in battle. However, Guang Yin wasn¡¯t so lucky. Wang Meng gave him a fierce scolding. ¡°Are you out of your mind, thinking about women at your age? You actually brought back an 11-year-old girl! What¡¯s this, planning to take a child bride?¡± Guang Yin was left speechless under Wang Meng¡¯s tirade. In the end, Guang Yin used two of his military merits to secure Hu Tao a job. She started working with the aunties in the canteen, assisting as a little chef. Hu Tao quickly settled into her new role. Her canteen became a popular spot, constantly packed with people. It wasn¡¯t because Hu Tao was especially beautiful¡ªshe could only be described as slightly above average among ordinary people. But in the army, where females were rare, any girl became the group¡¯s treasure. Previously, the ¡°queen¡± of the canteen had been the aunties; now, it was a little girl. Who wouldn¡¯t love that? Xu Ming and his group soon returned to their regular training schedule. While they still undertook missions every two months, they found them laughably easy compared to the first one. Often, Xu Ming would finish the fight with a single punch, or Wu Yanhan with a single kick. Even Guang Yin¡ªwhom they used to think of as the weakest¡ªwas proving himself to be much stronger. For instance, when they faced a Tier 3 magical beast, Xiong Haizhi and Li Han could handle it, but it would take them a full quarter-hour of back-and-forth. Guang Yin, however, could dominate the fight from start to finish, defeating it in half that time. Moreover, Guang Yin¡¯s fighting style was strikingly steady and composed. Compared to Xu Ming¡¯s and Wu Yanhan¡¯s overwhelming, almost unreasonable force, Guang Yin¡¯s techniques carried a calm, methodical precision. It was only then that they realized Guang Yin hadn¡¯t passed the entrance exam by selling his butt to the examiner. This kid was genuinely talented! He¡¯d just been too timid before. Two years passed. It had been three years since Xu Ming joined Blood Asura Battalion. At the age of thirteen, Xu Ming, alongside the sixteen-year-old Wu Yanhan, broke through to the Heroic Soul Realm. This was a cause for celebration. But on that very day, Wang Meng came in with surprising news: ¡°Xu Ming, you¡¯ve been reassigned to the imperial palace. His Majesty himself has given the order. Report in three days!¡± Chapter 78 ¡°Damn, getting our hands on this much wine wasn¡¯t easy,¡± grumbled Xiong Haizhi. ¡°No kidding,¡± Li Han added. ¡°I spent one whole military merit just to get ten jars of Osmanthus Brew from Drunken Immortal Tavern!¡± ¡°Think ten jars are enough? Should I use my merits to get some more?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about the merits,¡± Xiong Haizhi sighed. ¡°If we take too much, Wang Meng won¡¯t be able to turn a blind eye anymore.¡± Late at night in Camp 484, Xiong Haizhi and Li Han cursed under their breath as they carried jar after jar of wine into the tent. Li Han carefully placed the jars down and set up bowls for the wine, while Guangyin took out several meal boxes. Inside were roast duck, beggar¡¯s chicken, braised pork knuckle, and other delicious dishes to pair with the alcohol. As they opened a jar of wine, the fragrant aroma of osmanthus mixed with the rich scent of the food, filling the tent. Li Han wiped his mouth, already salivating. ¡°Where are Xu Ming and Wu Yanhan?¡± Guang Yin shook his head. ¡°No idea.¡± Xiong Haizhi waved dismissively. ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? Wu Yanhan¡¯s probably gone to that mountain spring to bathe again. He never uses the barracks bathhouse. As for Xu Ming, he¡¯s definitely off secretly training, but he should be back soon.¡± Li Han plopped down on a cot. ¡°That kid Xu Ming has so much talent and still works so hard. How¡¯s anyone supposed to keep up?¡± ¡°Come on, let¡¯s not compare ourselves to a genius,¡± Xiong Haizhi chuckled. ¡°Back when I was studying at the Zhixing Academy, that kid beat me up. The three of us were two or three years older than him, and we still couldn¡¯t take him down together.¡± ¡°Couldn¡¯t take who down?¡± Just as they were joking around, Xu Ming and Wu Yanhan walked into the tent together. ¡°Oh, you two came back together?¡± Li Han smirked. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you went off to make some shady deal.¡± Wu Yanhan¡¯s brows furrowed, and she stepped forward, ready to kick him. Li Han scrambled to his feet. ¡°Brother Wu! I¡¯m kidding! I swear I¡¯m kidding! If you kick me, I¡¯ll be begging for my life on my knees!¡± ¡°Alright, alright, quit running your mouth,¡± Xu Ming said, pulling Wu Yanhan back. ¡°What¡¯s with all this food and wine? What are you guys up to?¡± ¡°Heh.¡± Li Han scratched his nose. ¡°We¡¯re sending you off in style! You¡¯re leaving for the palace tomorrow. Of course we need to celebrate properly.¡± sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Saying that, Li Han tossed a jar of wine toward Xu Ming. Xu Ming caught it, sniffed the aroma, and said, ¡°Osmanthus Brew from Drunken Immortal Tavern?¡± Li Han nodded proudly. ¡°You¡¯ve got a sharp nose, Young Master Xu!¡± ¡°But honestly,¡± Xu Ming said, ¡°drinking inside the tent is kind of boring. Let¡¯s move this outside.¡± Xiong Haizhi thought for a moment, then slapped his thigh. ¡°Alright! Let¡¯s take it outside. If we get caught, so be it. Worst case, we get punished tomorrow.¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± Li Han cursed. ¡°Brother Xu¡¯s leaving tomorrow. We¡¯re the ones who¡¯ll get punished!¡± Despite his complaints, he didn¡¯t object and helped carry the table, food, and wine outside. The five of them found a small hill and climbed to its peak. There, under the open sky, they drank and enjoyed the view of the First Army Camp below. The night sky was unusually beautiful, the moon bright and the stars abundant, like a shimmering Milky Way draped across the heavens. ¡°Brother Xu,¡± Li Han said, taking a sip of wine. ¡°I heard you¡¯re going to take part in our country¡¯s civil service exam next year?¡± ¡°Mm,¡± Xu Ming nodded. ¡°I probably will.¡± ¡°You sure about that?¡± Xiong Haizhi teased. ¡°The scholars have been studying for years, burning the midnight oil. I haven¡¯t seen you crack open a single book these past few years.¡± Xu Ming chuckled. ¡°You only asked if I¡¯m going; I never said I¡¯d pass.¡± Guang Yin, face flushed from the wine, took a sip and said earnestly, ¡°Brother Xu, you¡¯re incredible. You¡¯re already a master in martial arts, and now you¡¯re aiming for the civil exams. If you make it to the top, would that make you Wu Kingdom¡¯s first-ever master of both the civil and martial arts?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Xiong Haizhi exclaimed, gulping down his wine. ¡°Damn those civil officials who call us brutes. We martial artists can become scholars too!¡± ¡°Brother Xu, do you think you¡¯ll ever come back to Blood Asura Battalion?¡± Li Han asked, biting into a chicken leg and looking over at Xu Ming. The others turned to look at him as well. ¡°Not sure. I¡¯ll see how things go,¡± Xu Ming replied, taking a sip of his wine. Then he glanced around at them. ¡°What about you guys? What are your plans for the future?¡± Xiong Haizhi chuckled, drinking deeply, his eyes shining with hope for the days to come. ¡°My father¡¯s the Minister of War. Naturally, I plan to make my mark in Blood Asura Battalion, earn my merits through strength, and eventually be granted a noble title or even become a high-ranking official!¡± Li Han grinned. ¡°I probably won¡¯t stick with Blood Asura Battalion forever. Once I rack up enough merits, I¡¯ll trade them for a modest official position, find myself a wife, and raise a bunch of healthy kids.¡± Guang Yin scratched his head awkwardly. ¡°I don¡¯t really know. I¡¯ll probably just stay in the army. It¡¯s not like I¡¯ve got anywhere else to go.¡± After the three finished, all four pairs of eyes turned to Wu Yanhan. Quietly drinking her wine without a word, Wu Yanhan blinked, her beautiful eyes cold and unyielding. ¡°What?¡± she asked. ¡°What about you? What¡¯s your plan for the future?¡± Xu Ming asked. Setting down her wine jar, Wu Yanhan lifted her sleeve to wipe her mouth. ¡°No plan. Blood Asura Battalion doesn¡¯t have much left to teach me. Every day is just training. In a while, I¡¯ll probably leave and wander the world.¡± ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t expect tonight¡¯s farewell to Brother Xu to turn into a farewell for you as well,¡± Li Han said with a sigh. ¡°Ah, but there¡¯s no banquet that doesn¡¯t end. Come on! Let¡¯s drink to it!¡± Li Han raised his wine jar, and the others followed suit. Even Wu Yanhan, cold as she was, raised her jar. With a clink of jars, everyone took a deep swig. ¡°I¡¯ll come back to visit you guys someday,¡± Xu Ming said as he set down his jar. ¡°Until then, don¡¯t go dying on me.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Even if you die, we won¡¯t,¡± Xiong Haizhi said, taking a long drink. ¡°But you better watch yourself. Serving the emperor is no joke.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Xu Ming nodded. The five drank until midnight, finishing off all ten jars of wine before staggering back to the barracks. The wine from Drunken Immortal Tavern was no ordinary brew¡ªit truly left them a bit tipsy. All except Wu Yanhan, who remained as clear-headed as ever. Xiong Haizhi, Li Han, and Guang Yin walked ahead, arms draped over each other for support. Wu Yanhan walked in the middle, while Xu Ming trailed behind. The distance between Xu Ming and Wu Yanhan grew, separating them from the others. ¡°Wu Yanhan.¡± Watching her silhouette against the moonlight, Xu Ming recalled the scene he had witnessed years ago by the riverbank. His voice called out to her. ¡°What is it?¡± Wu Yanhan turned to face him. ¡°Is Wu Yanhan your real name?¡± Xu Ming asked, his tone slightly slurred from the alcohol. Wu Yanhan froze for a moment, clearly not expecting the question. ¡°Uh, if it¡¯s inconvenient to answer, forget it,¡± Xu Ming said, waving his hand and walking forward. ¡°Just pretend I didn¡¯t ask.¡± ¡°Wu Yanh¨¢n.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Wu as in Wuguo (Wu Kingdom), Yan as in smoke, and Han as in cold. That¡¯s my real name.¡± Chapter 79 It was halfway through the morning hours. In the imperial study, Emperor Wu paced back and forth. His expression was one of impatience, resembling an eager old lecher waiting for a peerless beauty to step out of her bath. Earlier, during the morning court session, Eunuch Wei had already noticed the emperor¡¯s restlessness, as if he wished for the proceedings to end as soon as possible. To Eunuch Wei, seeing the emperor in such a state was rare¡ªlast time he had shown such anticipation was when Mr. Xiao returned from the White Deer Academy. However, Eunuch Wei found it understandable. To the emperor, Xu Ming wasn¡¯t just a prodigious talent skilled in both literature and martial arts; more importantly, he was young. Moreover, although the laws of Wu had recently been amended, Xu Ming¡¯s status as a concubine-born son likely meant he had a strained relationship with the Xu family. On top of that, there were rumors suggesting that Xu Ming and Xu Xue¡¯nuo weren¡¯t even blood-related siblings, possibly meaning Xu Ming bore no bloodline connection to the Xu family. This made it all the better! Someone like him, raised by the emperor¡¯s side from a young age, would surely grow to be loyal¡ªa perfect confidant! And that wasn¡¯t all. To this day, the emperor had only fathered a single princess. Due to prior circumstances, having another child seemed nearly impossible. If Xu Ming were to become the imperial son-in-law and have children with the princess, the royal lineage would finally have a stable foundation. ¡°Your Majesty, Xu Ming of the Blood Asura Battalion requests an audience.¡± Finally, a maid entered the study and knelt in salute. ¡°Bring him in! He¡¯s finally here¡ªhe¡¯s kept Us waiting!¡± Emperor Wu exclaimed eagerly. After receiving the maid¡¯s report, the emperor had waited long enough. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± The maid stood, hurriedly left the study, and soon returned with Xu Ming. ¡°Xu Ming of the Blood Asura Battalion greets Your Majesty.¡± Xu Ming cupped his fists in salute. According to Wu Kingdom law, officials, degree holders, and military personnel were not required to kneel before the emperor; a formal salute sufficed. The emperor sized up the young man before him, growing increasingly satisfied with what he saw. For years, the emperor had heard of Xu Ming¡¯s name, but today marked their first meeting. Upon seeing him, Xu Ming truly lived up to his reputation¡ªa man of extraordinary talent. Not only did Xu Ming exude a scholar¡¯s elegance, but he also carried the resilience of a warrior. As the Confucians often said, ¡°One who can ride into battle and kill the enemy, yet also govern the nation upon dismounting¡±¡ªXu Ming was precisely such a person. How fortunate the Xu family was to have produced such a remarkable son! ¡°Rise,¡± the emperor said. Though his earlier expression was brimming with anticipation, he now appeared composed, his face betraying no hint of favoritism. ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty.¡± Xu Ming straightened and stood tall. ¡°Xu Juren, your reputation has spread far and wide,¡± the emperor remarked with a smile. ¡°Especially after you joined the army. Many civil officials have expressed regret, repeatedly submitting memorials to Us, urging you to focus on your studies instead of military pursuits, claiming it to be a waste of talent.¡± Xu Ming smiled faintly. ¡°Our Wu Kingdom was built on martial strength and governed with literary wisdom. While literature must not be neglected, neither should martial arts be abandoned. Ming has chosen to pursue both.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± The emperor¡¯s interest was piqued. ¡°You say literature must not be neglected. Does that mean you¡¯re confident about next year¡¯s metropolitan exams?¡± ¡°Confidence is scarce, but participation is what counts,¡± Xu Ming replied truthfully. ¡°Hahaha, you¡¯re quite the honest one, aren¡¯t you?¡± The emperor laughed heartily. In truth, he held little expectation for Xu Ming¡¯s success in the exams; he knew how grueling the Blood Asura Battalion¡¯s training was, leaving Xu Ming with hardly any time to study. ¡°Very well, you may go for now. Rest well today and return tomorrow. Wei Xun, take Xu Ming to his quarters.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Wei Xun, smiling warmly, stepped forward. ¡°Juren Xu, this way, please.¡± ¡°Ming takes his leave.¡± Xu Ming cupped his fists and retreated. The Imperial Palace of Wu was divided into the Outer Palace and the Inner Palace. The Outer Palace housed the Imperial Guard and locations like the Hall of Listening Seas for morning court and the imperial study. It was accessible to male officials. The Inner Palace, as the name implied, was the harem¡ªwhere the emperor¡¯s family resided. Only women and eunuchs were allowed entry. At this moment, Xu Ming wasn¡¯t entirely sure of his own role. He hadn¡¯t been enlisted into the Imperial Guard, nor was he given any official position. In fact, he didn¡¯t even know why the emperor had summoned him to the palace. Was it because the imperial exams were coming next year, and the emperor wanted him to focus on his studies? Or was it because of his widespread reputation as a poet, and the emperor had finally grown too curious to resist meeting him? ¡°Whatever. Since I¡¯m here, I might as well settle in,¡± Xu Ming muttered to himself, shaking his head to dismiss his overthinking. The emperor¡¯s intentions were hard to fathom, so there was no point dwelling on it. ¡°This will be your residence from now on, Xu Juren,¡± Wei Xun said as he led Xu Ming to a courtyard that appeared to be newly constructed. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Thank you, Eunuch Wei,¡± Xu Ming replied, discreetly slipping a banknote into Wei Xun¡¯s hand. Wei Xun paused for a moment but didn¡¯t refuse. Instead, he tucked the note into his sleeve with a brighter smile. ¡°Xu Juren, just rest well for now. While in the palace, do only what is within your abilities¡ªthat¡¯s all that¡¯s required.¡± Xu Ming froze for a moment before bowing respectfully. ¡°Thank you for the advice, Eunuch Wei.¡± Wei Xun¡¯s words, ¡°do what is within your abilities,¡± carried a deeper implication¡ªThe emperor harbors no ill will toward you. Just behave, and all will be well. ¡°Well then, I won¡¯t disturb your rest any further.¡± ¡°Take care, Eunuch Wei.¡± After turning to leave, Wei Xun walked a few paces away from Xu Ming¡¯s courtyard before stopping and glancing back. He touched the banknote in his sleeve and murmured to himself, ¡°A thirteen-year-old boy¡­ How can he act so mature?¡± ¡ª In the imperial study, Wei Xun returned to the emperor. ¡°How is it? Is Xu Ming satisfied with his residence?¡± the emperor asked. Wei Xun smiled. ¡°Your Majesty, you had that courtyard specially built for Xu Juren. How could he not be satisfied?¡± The emperor stood, clasping his hands behind his back as he paced. ¡°Wei Xun, what do you think about giving Xu Ming a jade token, allowing him free access to the Inner Palace?¡± Hearing this, Wei Xun was startled. ¡°Your Majesty, you greatly value Xu Juren and wish to show your trust and esteem for him. You also wish to match him with the princess. However, I fear this might not be appropriate. While Xu Juren is only thirteen now, he¡¯ll turn fourteen next year. According to the laws of Wu, men and women can marry at fourteen.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right¡ªit is a bit hasty,¡± the emperor said, calming down. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t do well for his reputation.¡± With a sigh, the emperor added, ¡°Forget it. Let¡¯s not talk about this for now. What about my precious daughter? She hasn¡¯t returned yet?¡± Wei Xun hesitated, looking troubled. The emperor frowned. ¡°Speak.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, the princess said she intends to travel the world for a year. She plans to return when the imperial exams take place next year.¡± Chapter 80 Early in the morning, Xu Ming was practicing the Heaven-Opening Fist. Although he was no longer part of the Blood Asura Battalion, the habit of waking early had been ingrained in him. ¡°Xu Juren is certainly self-disciplined,¡± came a voice as Xu Ming finished his set and washed his face. It was Wei Xun, standing in the courtyard. ¡°Eunuch Wei,¡± Xu Ming greeted with a cupped fist. ¡°Xu Juren, His Majesty has summoned you.¡± ¡°Please wait a moment, Eunuch Wei. I¡¯ll take a quick bath and change into fresh clothes before meeting the emperor.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± After a bath, Wei Xun led Xu Ming toward the Inner Palace. ¡°Eunuch Wei, isn¡¯t this the way to the Inner Palace?¡± Xu Ming asked. ¡°Yes, it is.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that¡­ a bit inappropriate?¡± Xu Ming hesitated. Wei Xun chuckled. ¡°If His Majesty calls for you, that makes it the most appropriate. Just follow me, Xu Juren, and don¡¯t keep the emperor waiting.¡± Xu Ming: ¡°¡­¡± As they entered the Inner Palace, Xu Ming felt as if he had stepped into another world. The place was filled with lush gardens, pavilions, artificial lakes, and rockeries. Palace maids bustled about, and apart from them, only eunuchs could be seen. It was a stark contrast to the austere and solemn atmosphere of the Outer Palace. Xu Ming kept his gaze straight ahead, careful not to glance around randomly. He didn¡¯t want to accidentally see something¡ªor someone¡ªhe shouldn¡¯t and invite trouble. ¡°Your Majesty, Xu Juren has arrived,¡± Wei Xun announced after an incense stick¡¯s worth of time as they reached the Hall of Cultivated Tranquility. ¡°Your subject greets His Majesty and Her Majesty, the Empress,¡± Xu Ming said with a cupped fist. The emperor was having breakfast with a woman, palace maids serving them silently. The woman wore a deep red palace dress embroidered with a golden phoenix, its wings poised as if ready to take flight. The tassels on her gown shimmered like a crimson sunset flowing across the jade steps of the palace. Her hair was styled in an elaborate updo adorned with gold pins, exuding an air of unparalleled elegance. Her features were exquisite, as though crafted by the hands of heaven itself. Her brows were like distant mountains, her gaze soft yet alluring, and her eyes sparkled like autumn waters, brimming with hidden tenderness. Her high nose bridge added depth to her face, while her lips, as delicate as peach blossoms, carried an air of reserved charm. When she smiled, it was like spring flowers blooming, radiant and captivating. Her slender fingers, fair as jade, were adorned with a light pink polish, enhancing her graceful demeanor. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Only the Empress of Wu, adorned with a phoenix on her robes, could possess such magnificence. Even in the army, Xu Ming had heard of the Empress¡¯s fame¡ªXiao Ke, hailed as the most beautiful woman in Wu. Despite being an ordinary mortal with no tempered physique, she ranked 93rd on the Beauty Ranking. ¡°No need for such formality. Come, take a seat and eat,¡± the emperor called out to Xu Ming. ¡°This¡­¡± Xu Ming hesitated, unsure of what to do. The emperor chuckled. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Do you suspect that I¡¯ve poisoned the food and intend to harm you? Shall I test it for you first?¡± ¡°Your Majesty, I wouldn¡¯t dare. I¡¯m simply overwhelmed by the honor,¡± Xu Ming replied, looking slightly flustered. ¡°Haha, this is the Inner Palace. There¡¯s no need for such strict decorum here,¡± Xiao Ke said with a soft smile, her voice as melodious as silver bells. ¡°Xu Ming, come and eat.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Since both the emperor and empress had spoken, Xu Ming had no choice but to sit at the table. A palace maid served him a bowl of pearl and jade congee. ¡°Xu Ming, you may not know this, but you¡¯re quite famous in the Inner Palace,¡± the emperor said with a laugh. ¡°That poem you gave to Zhu Cici back then¡ªalmost every concubine and maid here knows it by heart. They often recite it and lament the passage of autumn, even Ke¡¯er.¡± ¡°Your Majesty¡­¡± Xiao Ke chided softly, her tone tinged with playfulness. ¡°I¡¯m not some immortal who can remain forever youthful. Am I not allowed to feel a little wistful about my fading beauty?¡± ¡°Fine, fine,¡± the emperor replied indulgently, his tone filled with affection for the empress. Xu Ming, seated at the side, maintained a polite smile, careful not to interject. After breakfast, the emperor took Xu Ming to the imperial study. While the emperor reviewed memorials, Xu Ming stood quietly by his side. The Emperor occasionally asked Xu Ming¡¯s opinion on certain policies, vented about the petty schemes and infighting among officials, or even directly criticized them. Sometimes, while reading a memorial, the Emperor would lose his temper, throw the document onto the ground, and curse loudly. At such moments, Xu Ming would bow his head in silence while Wei Xun gently coaxed, ¡°Your Majesty, please calm down.¡± Although there was no morning court session today, the Emperor didn¡¯t take a break. From dawn until noon, he worked tirelessly, resembling a workaholic. The Emperor¡¯s reputation among the common people was stellar, and such a reputation was often not something that could be fabricated. After finishing a memorial, the Emperor would hand it to Xu Ming and ask, ¡°Do you think there¡¯s anything wrong with how I¡¯ve handled this?¡± Xu Ming, not daring to say outright, ¡°Your decision is flawed,¡± would always start with, ¡°Your Majesty is wise,¡± before carefully presenting his own opinion. The Emperor wasn¡¯t overly serious about these discussions¡ªhe was merely curious. However, Xu Ming¡¯s insights were often unique and thought-provoking. For example, on a smaller scale, Xu Ming suggested promoting the habit of drinking boiled water during plague seasons. He explained that high temperatures could kill the ¡°source of the plague.¡± On a larger scale, he proposed establishing state-owned enterprises to nationalize the management of grain, salt, and iron. The latter idea, though potentially bolstering state coffers significantly and curbing famine profiteering during crises, was fraught with complications. It would infringe upon the interests of far too many people. Even now, Xiao Mo Chi¡¯s ¡°Single Whip Law¡± was facing relentless impeachment¡ªpursuing such a policy would only stir up more trouble. Change needed to be incremental; trying to swallow too much at once would lead to disaster. At noon, palace maids served lunch in the imperial study. The Emperor invited Xu Ming to dine with him, and Xu Ming, unable to refuse, reluctantly joined. After lunch, the Emperor resumed reviewing memorials without taking even a short rest. ¡°This Xiong Wentian¡ªyou must be familiar with him. He¡¯s the father of Xiong Haizhi and serves as the Minister of War. He¡¯s loyal and steadfast, but far too rigid in his approach and disdainful of civil officials. However, you, with your dual expertise in both civil and military fields, will likely find it easier to work with him. He¡¯s someone worth forging a strong connection with.¡± ¡°This Huang Liu, the Attendant of the Secretariat, is an extremely meticulous and annoying person. He overthinks everything and often gets caught up in trivial details. That said, any task you assign to him will be completed flawlessly, without a single error.¡± ¡°And this Chang Sanqian, the Left Chancellor¡ªonce a promising youth, he¡¯s now a seasoned bureaucrat. His abilities are passable, but he¡¯s greedy and lecherous. A bit of surface-level courtesy will suffice to keep him in check.¡± In the afternoon, as the Emperor continued reviewing memorials, he casually provided Xu Ming with a detailed overview of various officials¡¯ personalities and traits. Xu Ming listened with trepidation, occasionally stealing glances at Wei Xun. Wei Xun merely smiled and nodded in reassurance. It was then that Xu Ming truly realized: the Emperor hadn¡¯t summoned him because of his fame as a ¡°celebrity.¡± The Emperor genuinely intended to groom him as a trusted confidant and a core member of his inner circle! Chapter 81 A countryside manor in Wudu. In the courtyard, a few chickens pecked incessantly at scattered grains of rice. A dog wandered around lazily, lifting its leg to urinate at the edge of the vegetable garden whenever the urge struck. ¡°Old Zhang, your moves these days are getting humbler and humbler. This place doesn¡¯t match your status at all,¡± said a voice, half-joking. An elderly man sat across from a young man, playing a game of chess. The elder was none other than Zhang Lu, one of the most esteemed figures in the Wu Kingdom. The younger man, however, was the controversial ¡°favored minister,¡± Xiao Mo Chi, currently under siege from all sides by the imperial court. The chessboard was carved directly onto the stone table by Zhang Lu himself. The chess pieces were handmade by Xiao Mo Chi in his idle moments. ¡°What status?¡± Zhang Lu chuckled as he placed a white piece on the board. ¡°Just an old commoner with a bit of cultivation to his name. Besides, at my age, what use is a grand estate? I¡¯d get lost wandering through the halls.¡± He then glanced up and asked, ¡°I hear the Emperor¡¯s been scheming to make you Prime Minister lately?¡± Xiao Mo Chi shook his head. ¡°Minister Fang isn¡¯t too keen on the idea.¡± Zhang Lu laughed. ¡°And why do you think that is?¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know,¡± Xiao Mo Chi replied. ¡°But it¡¯s not about power, that much I¡¯m sure.¡± ¡°Hah!¡± Zhang Lu pointed at him and scolded with a laugh, ¡°So, you want to be Prime Minister for the power?¡± Xiao Mo Chi simply smiled without responding. ¡°Your current role as Grand Secretariat doesn¡¯t give you enough authority?¡± Zhang Lu asked, raising a brow. ¡°Not enough,¡± Xiao Mo Chi replied, placing another piece on the board. ¡°Far from it. Even with the Emperor¡¯s support, it¡¯s still a struggle. I used to think it was an exaggeration, but it¡¯s true¡ªan official one rank higher can make all the difference in the world.¡± ¡°Or maybe you just want to crush others beneath you,¡± Zhang Lu retorted with a sidelong glance. Xiao Mo Chi smiled again, offering no rebuttal. ¡°Well, unless you agree to Minister Fang¡¯s condition, he won¡¯t step down for you,¡± Zhang Lu mused, stroking his beard. Xiao Mo Chi shook his head. ¡°I respect Minister Fang, and I share his vision. But the task he has in mind¡ªit¡¯s far more difficult than my reforms. Practically impossible.¡± ¡°Then you¡¯ll just have to endure,¡± Zhang Lu remarked, taking a sip of tea. ¡°At least Fang Ling hasn¡¯t actively come after you yet. That alone should make you grateful.¡± After a pause, Zhang Lu changed the subject. ¡°I heard the Emperor has brought that lad Xu Ming closer into his inner circle?¡± Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Mm,¡± Xiao Mo Chi nodded for the first time. ¡°Xu Ming¡ªtalented in both literature and martial arts, with extraordinary natural gifts, yet only a concubine¡¯s son and still so young. The Emperor has only one daughter. Everyone knows what His Majesty has in mind.¡± ¡°And how are the officials reacting?¡± Zhang Lu asked. ¡°Most are supportive,¡± Xiao Mo Chi replied. ¡°Not surprising. Xu Ming gained fame with his poem Butterfly Love: A Gift to Zhu Ci Ci, winning the admiration of literary officials. He then joined the Blood Asura Battalion, achieving the Heroic Soul Realm at thirteen¡ªa rarity in the world. The military officials adore him. The Emperor may be in his prime, but he can no longer father children. If Xu Ming were to marry the Princess and have children, they¡¯d immediately become potential heirs, securing the dynasty¡¯s future.¡± ¡°If only it were that straightforward,¡± Xiao Mo Chi sighed. ¡°The question is whether Xu Ming would even accept such a marriage if decreed.¡± ¡°And if he does,¡± Zhang Lu added, ¡°both the Xu and Qin family clans won¡¯t have an easy time.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Xiao Mo Chi agreed. ¡°With their ancestral legacies and flourishing talents, the Xu and Qin clans already hold considerable influence in the court. If Xu Ming becomes the Emperor¡¯s son-in-law, and his children are poised to inherit the throne, the clans¡¯ power would become unmatched. The Emperor is surely aware of this. He¡¯ll find a way to weaken the Xu and Qin clans or sever Xu Ming¡¯s ties with them entirely. After all, Xu Ming is only a concubine¡¯s son, and his bond with the Xu family isn¡¯t particularly deep to begin with.¡± Zhang Laoshi took a sip of tea. ¡°Let¡¯s set that aside for now. The Rootless Secret Realm¡ªisn¡¯t it about to open soon?¡± ¡°There¡¯s been an unexpected issue with the Rootless Secret Realm. Its opening has been postponed by two and a half years,¡± Xiao Mo Chi replied. ¡°And according to predictions from Tianji City, this might very well be the last time it opens.¡± ¡°When a secret realm collapses, it often brings the greatest opportunities,¡± Zhang Laoshi said with a smile. ¡°I imagine many dynasties and sects are already eager to take part.¡± ¡°They are,¡± Xiao Mo Chi said, adjusting his sleeves, ¡°but this time, they¡¯ll need to think carefully. ¡°The Rootless Secret Realm is reaching the end of its life, and the laws within it are sure to be in chaos. In the past, protective talismans could be crafted according to the realm¡¯s rules. If someone faced a fatal blow, the talisman would eject them from the realm. But next time will be different. It¡¯ll be real combat¡ªif you die, you die. There won¡¯t be a second chance.¡± ¡°The greater the danger, the greater the chaos, and the greater the opportunities,¡± Zhang Laoshi(Old) remarked with a sigh. ¡°We¡¯re already on the cusp of a great era. The world is about to undergo a massive reshuffling. If you don¡¯t fight for your place, there¡¯s only extinction.¡± After a moment of silence, Zhang Laoshi asked, ¡°By the way, who¡¯s hosting the next imperial examination? Still the Minister of Rites, that young lad Wang?¡± ¡°Minister Wang will unfortunately fall ill in seven months,¡± Xiao Mo Chi replied with a knowing smile. ¡°The Emperor has instructed me to take charge.¡± ¡°Hahaha! The Emperor¡¯s really pulling out all the stops for you,¡± Zhang Laoshi chuckled. ¡°The next imperial examination will be quite the event. It¡¯s a harvest year since the lifting of restrictions on the imperial exams¡ªbound to produce a wealth of talent. And as the host, you¡¯ll be their mentor.¡± ¡°So, Zhang Laoshi, of all the promising candidates making a name for themselves, which ones do you think are worth paying attention to?¡± ¡°The ones worth noting? You already know them¡ªa pair of brothers,¡± Zhang Laoshi said with a glance at Xiao Mo Chi. Xiao Mo Chi paused, then smiled. ¡°True.¡± Zhang Laoshi¡¯s eyes gleamed with rare anticipation. ¡°To be honest, the brothers Xu Ming and Xu Pangda¡ªone is like a dragon who¡¯ll stir the Wu Kingdom and even the entire world into chaos. The other is diligent, like an old ox. Once he becomes an official, he¡¯ll patch up all the messes left behind by people like you.¡± Xiao Mo Chi mused aloud, ¡°Becoming a mender is no easy task.¡± ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s difficult, but that little chubby one can handle it,¡± Zhang Laoshi said, stroking his beard. ¡°By the way, have you heard about this?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Zhu Ci Ci has gone to White Deer Academy. She recently came of age, and the monarchs of Liang and Wei have both proposed marriage to her family, offering her the title of crown princess.¡± ¡°And then?¡± Xiao Mo Chi, intrigued by such a tale, leaned forward slightly. ¡°That young lady laid out a path of fine tea leaves at her doorstep, then placed jasmine stamens on top of the tea leaves,¡± Zhang Laoshi said, stroking his beard. ¡°¡®Tea¡¯ (ming) sounds the same as ¡®Ming,''¡± he added with a knowing smile. Chapter 82 Unknowingly, Xu Ming had already been in the imperial palace for a year. During this time, he stayed by Emperor Wu¡¯s side every day. Apart from attending morning court sessions, Xu Ming would assist Emperor Wu while he reviewed memorials. For all three meals of the day, Xu Ming dined alongside Emperor Wu. When Emperor Wu went hunting, Xu Ming rode on horseback at his side. In their leisure time, Emperor Wu attempted to teach Xu Ming military strategy, but Xu Ming declined, saying, ¡°It¡¯s enough to understand principles and strategies. There¡¯s no need to study ancient military doctrines.¡± When Xu Ming refused, Emperor Wu jokingly berated him, though he didn¡¯t press the matter further. Even when sitting on the dragon carriage, Emperor Wu insisted Xu Ming ride with him. Xu Ming was certain that Emperor Wu intended to groom him as a trusted confidant. However, the greater the favor, the more cautious Xu Ming became. Serving an emperor was like walking on thin ice. One should never trust that an emperor¡¯s favor would remain unwavering. Xu Ming¡¯s careful demeanor did not go unnoticed by Emperor Wu, who grew even more satisfied with him. If Xu Ming had become arrogant from favor, Emperor Wu might not have abandoned him entirely but would likely have taught him a lesson to correct his behavior. Now, Emperor Wu felt relieved of such trouble. The news of Xu Ming¡¯s favor could not be hidden from the court. Some believed that the emperor merely appreciated talent. After all, Xu Ming was both scholarly and skilled in martial arts, young, and impressionable¡ªraising him by the emperor¡¯s side would undoubtedly make him a loyal confidant in the future! Others speculated that Emperor Wu intended to make Xu Ming the consort of the princess. Since the emperor was unable to bear children, Xu Ming and the princess¡¯s offspring could be future heirs to the throne! As for whether they could have heirs? If not on the first attempt, try again. With a 50% chance, seven or eight children later, one would surely be a boy. After all, the emperor was still young and could afford to wait. Raising a grandson as a son¡ªthere¡¯s little difference. Regardless of whether Xu Ming became the princess¡¯s consort, his eventual importance was a foregone conclusion. The emperor was merely waiting for Xu Ming to take the metropolitan and palace exams to see what ranking he could achieve. If Xu Ming performed modestly, he could be polished for a year or two, gaining experience before being heavily utilized. If Xu Ming excelled, the emperor would undoubtedly reward him greatly! Xu Ming¡¯s future would be bright, making him a rising star. In recent days, officials of all ranks had been visiting the Xu family residence or seeking connections through the Qin family to build a relationship with the Xu family. Xu Guogong (Duke), Xu Shuiya, Xu Ming¡¯s father Xu Zheng, and Qin Guogong (Duke), Qin Ruhai, had been riding high, frequently attending banquets and being showered with flattery to the point of arrogance. The Xu family basked in their newfound prestige, with a sense of ¡°when one man ascends, all around him rise too.¡± Even Xu Wang, the sixth young master of the Xu family (born to the second wife, five years younger than Xu Ming, and nine years old), got into a dispute with the third son of the Jingzhao Yin (Chief of the Capital Prefecture). He struck the boy, injuring his head, yet still acted brazenly. Shockingly, the Jingzhao Yin didn¡¯t dare utter a word of protest and even brought his son to apologize. When Wang Feng heard of this incident, she was furious and took up the matriarch¡¯s cane, intending to punish Xu Wang. However, she was stopped by others, and her blows never landed. Even the family matriarch dismissed the matter, saying, ¡°Let it go, let it go. It¡¯s just children squabbling¡ªnothing serious.¡± Wang Feng, enraged, threw down the cane and didn¡¯t leave her quarters for ten days. When Zhao Wenshan heard about this, he was alarmed and hurried to the Xu residence. Speaking plainly to the matriarch and Xu Zheng, he said, ¡°Although Fifth Young Master Xu Ming is talented in both literature and martial arts and favored by the emperor, the treatment he received from the Xu and Qin families before his rise is something the matriarch and Master Xu should not forget! Now that he is being nurtured by the emperor¡­ The Fifth Young Master Xu Ming is destined to receive significant attention from His Majesty in the future. However, our Xu and Qin households are already powerful. Would His Majesty allow someone he has personally nurtured to be burdened by us? Would he permit the Xu and Qin households to rise even further because of Xu Ming, upsetting the balance of power? The recent incident where the Sixth Young Master clashed with the Jingzhao Yin¡¯s third son¡ªbased on my understanding, the Sixth Young Master was clearly at fault. The Jingzhao Yin is known for his upright nature and fearlessness in the face of authority. Like Xiao Mo Chi, he is also a confidant of His Majesty. For him to swallow his pride in this matter¡ªdoes this not strike the matriarch and Master Xu Zheng as odd? Furthermore, our Wu kingdom has strict laws prohibiting private banquets of more than ten officials. Yet Master Xu Zheng hosted a banquet for twenty people at the Chunfeng Tower¡ªan outright violation of the law. Has the Censorate not filed an impeachment? Would His Majesty truly be unaware? This is His Majesty giving our Xu and Qin households one last bit of face while simultaneously preparing a blade¡ªone he will not hesitate to turn against us if necessary. ¡®To destroy a man, first let him go mad.¡¯ Even a five-year-old child understands this principle. Does the matriarch and Master Xu Zheng truly not see this?¡± Hearing Zhao Wenshan¡¯s words, both Xu Zheng and the matriarch were indeed startled. However, they brushed it off, saying things like, ¡®Wenshan, you¡¯re overthinking it. We have imperial decrees of protection,¡¯ and ¡®No matter what, Xu Ming is part of our Xu family. He will always speak on our behalf.¡¯ Looking at their nonchalant expressions, Zhao Wenshan could only sigh heavily and say, ¡°In the end, the bird will flee the forest, leaving behind nothing but desolation.¡± With that, he flicked his sleeves and stormed out. As for this incident, Xu Ming, still within the palace, remained completely unaware. Confined to the palace and interacting only with Emperor Wu, Xu Ming had no idea what the court officials thought of him. Two months before the metropolitan examination, Xu Ming sought an audience with Emperor Wu. ¡°Your Majesty, in two months, I will sit for the metropolitan exam. I humbly request to leave the palace temporarily for two months to focus on my studies.¡± Although Xu Ming held no official position and spent his days following Emperor Wu, it was a significant drain on his time. Xu Ming wasn¡¯t confident enough to skip studying and still rank as a jinshi. Moreover, this upcoming examination had an unprecedented number of candidates since the founding of Wu Kingdom. This request was also a strategic move to avoid suspicion. In ten days, various officials would gather in the imperial study to draft the examination questions alongside Emperor Wu. As a candidate, Xu Ming knew he couldn¡¯t remain in the palace during this time. ¡°Hmm, approved,¡± Emperor Wu nodded. ¡°You should indeed avoid suspicion during this period. There¡¯s a residence in the eastern part of the city¡ªit¡¯s not too large, not too small. I¡¯ll assign two palace maids to assist you. Focus on your studies.¡± ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty.¡± After expressing his gratitude, Xu Ming was personally escorted out of the palace by Wei Xun to the designated residence in the eastern city. True to Emperor Wu¡¯s description, the residence was modest¡ªa simple two-courtyard house. However, its decor was elegant and tasteful. From that point on, Xu Ming devoted more time each day to his studies, reducing the time spent on martial arts practice. While Xu Ming wasn¡¯t overly concerned about achieving high academic honors, he was curious about the potential rewards for ranking as a jinshi, or even within the top tier. Meanwhile, as the metropolitan examination approached, the capital of Wudu grew increasingly lively. Typically, such exams attracted little attention from the common folk. But this time was different. This year¡¯s examination was not only the largest since Wu Kingdom¡¯s founding, but it was also of significant interest to neighboring states such as Qi, Liang, and even the northern tribes of Beimang. There were two key reasons: First, this was the first examination held since the imperial exams were fully opened to all eligible candidates, resulting in unprecedented participation. Second, Xu Ming was taking part. The boy genius who, four years ago, composed the famous couplet ¡°The mirror bids farewell to youthful beauty, as the flowers fade upon the trees¡± and topped the provincial examination at just ten years old¡ªwas he destined to fade into obscurity, or would he once again shine brightly? Everyone eagerly awaited the outcome. Of course, many were skeptical of Xu Ming¡¯s chances. After all, he had spent three to four years in military training¡ªrigorous training as part of Wu Kingdom¡¯s infamous Blood Butchers. How much time could he possibly have devoted to studying? Even for someone as gifted as Xu Ming, passing the metropolitan examination and advancing to the palace exam to earn the title of tong jinshi chushen (entry-level jinshi) would already be a significant achievement. Xu Ming had a vague sense of how the outside world perceived him. He figured they weren¡¯t wrong¡ªafter all, cramming for two months at the last minute didn¡¯t exactly guarantee success. He might not even pass the metropolitan exam. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. All Xu Ming hoped for was to give it his best. That was all. On another note, he wondered how Xu Xiaopang was doing. It had been four years since they last met. At sixteen, Xu Xiaopang was now a young man. Was he still the same as before? What about his mother and the big white goose? His mother, who never sought power or influence, should be fine. But had the big white goose taken human form yet? Would it be a muscular woman if it had? Xu Ming considered visiting the Xu household. However, the thought of dealing with his grandmother and father, not to mention the possibility of being dragged into endless banquets to meet high-ranking officials, made him groan inwardly. ¡°Forget it. Only two months left. I¡¯ll visit after the exams,¡± Xu Ming muttered, shaking his head as he turned back to his books. The metropolitan exam in Wu Kingdom was quite open-ended. There were no cloze tests, memorization drills, or other time-wasting exercises. Instead, the exam covered the four major fields of scholar, agriculture, crafts, and commerce, with twenty essay questions for each field. There were no standard answers¡ªit was all about your insights and opinions. The exam lasted four days. Xu Ming¡¯s reading habits were eclectic, given his photographic memory. He read anything and everything, hoping to pick up some unusual attributes along the way. Still, he hadn¡¯t gotten around to buying Little Liu Bei, so he had no idea what attributes it might grant. ¡°I¡¯ll get it after the exams. For now, I need to stay focused,¡± he decided. Pre-exam distractions were a big no-no. ¡°Xu Gongzi (Young Master),¡± a maid entered the room. These maids were former palace attendants, well-trained and meticulous. ¡°What is it?¡± Xu Ming asked. ¡°There¡¯s a young gentleman outside who claims to be your friend,¡± the maid replied respectfully. ¡°My friend? Got it,¡± Xu Ming said, setting down his book and leaving the room. As he stepped out into the courtyard, he spotted a figure sitting at a nearby wine stall¡ªa ¡°young man¡± dressed in men¡¯s clothing but so strikingly beautiful that he outshone most women. Xu Ming chuckled, walked over, and called to the waiter, ¡°Two jars of red pine wine, two pounds of spiced beef, and a plate of fried peanuts.¡± ¡°Right away, sir!¡± the waiter responded cheerfully. Xu Ming sat across from the ¡°young man,¡± who glanced at him with those sharp, almost predatory eyes. ¡°You¡¯ve grown quite a bit,¡± the ¡®young man¡¯ remarked. ¡°Of course,¡± Xu Ming replied, pouring himself a cup of wine. ¡°At this age, men tend to grow quickly.¡± ¡°Fast enough to marry, perhaps?¡± Wu Yanhan teased, her tone light but with a hint of mischief. ¡°That¡¯s a bit too fast,¡± Xu Ming shook his head. ¡°Too fast?¡± Wu Yanhan¡¯s lips curved into a smile, her bold demeanor tinged with a feminine allure. ¡°Surely, if you make the imperial honor roll this time, you¡¯ll be marrying that girl, Zhu Ci Ci, from Qi Kingdom, won¡¯t you?¡± Cough, cough! Xu Ming choked on his wine. ¡°Why are you bringing her up all of a sudden?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± Wu Yanhan¡¯s gaze lingered on Xu Ming. ¡°Know what?¡± Xu Ming looked puzzled. Wu Yanhan¡¯s phoenix eyes narrowed slightly, scrutinizing Xu Ming for a moment before she shook her head and took a sip of wine. ¡°Nothing.¡± ¡°Strange,¡± Xu Ming muttered, taking a bite of spiced beef. Deep down, though, he felt a little guilty. Could it be that the childhood promise he made with Zhu Ci Ci had been leaked? No, that didn¡¯t make sense. No one would take the innocent words of two children seriously. They were just kids back then¡ªwhat could they possibly understand? ¡°Where have you been this past year?¡± Xu Ming asked, pouring Wu Yanhan a drink. ¡°Traveling,¡± Wu Yanhan replied nonchalantly. ¡°Wandering the Jianghu, challenging a few sects, killing some cultivators.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Xu Ming nodded. ¡°What¡¯s your current level?¡± ¡°Heroic Soul Realm,¡± Wu Yanhan said without hesitation. ¡°Advancing to the Heroic Soul Realm in just a year¡ªno one can match you,¡± Xu Ming said with a genuine smile, feeling happy for his friend. Wu Yanhan shot him a glance. ¡°If you hadn¡¯t gone off to that damned palace, you could¡¯ve matched me.¡± [T/N: Wasn¡¯t he already in the Heroic Soul Realm?] ¡°Not that fast,¡± Xu Ming shook his head. He wasn¡¯t being modest. Despite having his unique ¡°cheat,¡± Xu Ming was a dual cultivator of both body and energy. The further he advanced, the slower his progress became. This was precisely why most cultivators, despite having the option to pursue the path of a martial artist, rarely advanced beyond the Mercury Realm. It required too much time and effort, leaving them spread too thin. ¡°What about you? Planning to return to the Blood Asura Battalion?¡± Xu Ming asked. Even though leaving the Blood Asura Battalion usually meant you couldn¡¯t return, she was clearly an exception, given her connections. ¡°No, I¡¯m heading home,¡± Wu Yanhan said, taking a sip of her wine. ¡°If I don¡¯t go back soon, my Fa¡ªmy father will lose his mind.¡± [T/N: It¡¯s actually the way she was going to address the Emperor (Royal Father) in chinese.] ¡°Fair enough,¡± Xu Ming said with a chuckle. Though she had the Martial God Physic, she was, after all, still a girl. Wu Yanhan blinked and looked at Xu Ming. ¡°Did you know? There¡¯s a rumor in the capital that after the exams, you¡¯ll become the imperial son-in-law of Wu Kingdom.¡± ¡°Huh? What?¡± Xu Ming froze for a moment. He genuinely didn¡¯t know. His understanding of royal affairs was limited¡ªhe never asked about them, and no one had told him anything. Having spent a year in the palace, Xu Ming had been exceptionally cautious, avoiding questions or information he shouldn¡¯t be involved in. He didn¡¯t even know how many children the Emperor had. Speaking of which¡­ did the Emperor have children? Xu Ming had never seen any during his time in the palace. ¡°Who knows?¡± Wu Yanhan said, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. ¡°But if the Emperor decrees a marriage, would you agree or not?¡± Xu Ming thought for a moment. ¡°Is she pretty?¡± Wu Yanhan snorted coldly. ¡°Prettier than that Zhu Ci Ci.¡± Chapter 83 ¡°Unrelated persons, clear the way! Unrelated persons, clear the way!¡± On Xuanwu Street in Wudu, the Blood Asura Battalion members cleared the entire street. Merchants had to pack up, and commoners weren¡¯t allowed to gather and watch the commotion. Today was the day of the Wu Kingdom¡¯s imperial examination. In a side courtyard of the Xu family estate, a sixteen-year-old young man, now fully grown, slowly opened his eyes as he lay on the bed. The young man was tall for his age, standing around 1.72 meters, but he was also quite stout, weighing approximately 160 pounds. He got out of bed and changed into a Confucian-style blue robe. Walking out of his room, he fetched some water, wet a towel to wash his face, and used fine salt to brush his teeth before rinsing his mouth. There were no maids in the young man¡¯s courtyard¡ªhis mother forbade it. Not that he needed them. He glanced at the timepiece in the courtyard. It was almost time. After tidying his robe, he left the courtyard and headed to his mother¡¯s side residence. ¡°Mother,¡± the young man greeted, bowing respectfully. Wang Feng, who had been up for a while, turned to look at her now-grown son and nodded. ¡°How did you sleep last night?¡± Xu Pangda gave a simple, honest smile. ¡°I slept very well.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Wang Feng said coolly as she gestured to the table, where a food box sat. ¡°I couldn¡¯t sleep well last night, so I made some pastries. Take them as your breakfast.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mother.¡± Xu Pangda opened the food box and saw it was filled to the brim with pastries. ¡°Mother, this seems like quite a lot.¡± ¡°Is it?¡± Wang Feng cast a light glance at it. ¡°Take them with you. If you see your younger brother outside the examination hall, let him have some too. Don¡¯t let them go to waste.¡± ¡°But Mother, food isn¡¯t allowed inside the examination hall,¡± Xu Pangda said, feeling a bit troubled. ¡°Then forget it,¡± Wang Feng said softly, lowering her eyes. ¡°You¡¯d better go now. Be prepared early.¡± ¡°Yes, Mother.¡± Xu Pangda stuffed a few pastries into his mouth, drank a couple of cups of warm tea, and rubbed his belly when he was full. ¡°Mother, I¡¯ll take my leave now.¡± ¡°Go,¡± Wang Feng said with a nod. Xu Pangda bowed deeply before turning to leave the courtyard. As Wang Feng watched her son walk farther and farther away, her expression grew distant. Memories of him going to the academy again and again over the past eight years played out repeatedly in her mind. ¡°Pangda.¡± Just as Xu Pangda was about to leave the courtyard, Wang Feng called out softly. ¡°Yes, Mother?¡± Xu Pangda turned back. ¡°It¡¯s alright if you don¡¯t do well on the exam,¡± Wang Feng said calmly. Xu Pangda froze for a moment, then smiled brightly and bowed deeply once more. ¡ª At Wudu¡¯s Qingci Tower, an affordable inn known for subsidizing scholars, a young scholar in a patched blue robe slowly descended the stairs. The scholar¡¯s robe was pieced together with fabrics of different colors, giving it a shabby appearance, but it was immaculately clean. He descended the stairs slowly, placing one foot carefully on each step before moving the other foot to the same step¡ªrepeating the process with a noticeable limp. Following him was a little girl holding a book. She wore plain clothes, her hair braided into a small pigtail. Her freckled face wasn¡¯t particularly pretty, but it wasn¡¯t unpleasant either. The scholar hobbled out of the inn, and the little girl followed him, clutching the book. ¡°Boss, how much for your buns?¡± the scholar asked as he approached a bun stall. The stall owner glanced at the scholar and the little girl. ¡°How many do you need?¡± ¡°Just one¡ª¡± ¡°Two meat buns, wrapped separately, please,¡± the scholar interrupted, smiling kindly as he cut the little girl off. ¡°Two copper coins,¡± the stall owner replied, wrapping each bun in oil paper and handing them over. ¡°Thank you,¡± the scholar said as he took the buns, handing one to the little girl. ¡°It¡¯s alright¡ªeat up.¡± The little girl hesitated for a moment before taking the bun. ¡°Thank you, Brother Yu.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± The scholar, named Yu Ping¡¯an, smiled and gently patted the girl¡¯s head. The duo, one tall and one small, walked toward Xuanwu Street, eating their buns along the way. Each carried a gourd at their waist, one large and one small, filled with water to quench their thirst. ¡°Brother Yu, how many days will your exam take?¡± the braided girl asked. ¡°Four days.¡± ¡°After four days, will you become the top scholar?¡± The girl looked up at Yu Ping¡¯an with excitement. ¡°It¡¯s not that easy,¡± Yu Ping¡¯an replied with a smile. ¡°But Brother Yu is amazing!¡± the little girl pouted. Yu Ping¡¯an ruffled her hair. ¡°I¡¯m just a bookworm.¡± ¡°No, Brother Yu is really amazing!¡± ¡°Alright, alright,¡± Yu Ping¡¯an said, chuckling. ¡ª Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Xu Ming arrived at Xuanwu Street. The street was eerily quiet, with only the Blood Asura guards in their crimson iron armor and the examinees who had come for the imperial exam. Looking at the guards clad in blood-red armor, Xu Ming couldn¡¯t help but feel nostalgic. He wondered if Xiong Haizhi and the others were among them. ¡°Those guys didn¡¯t even come to see me off,¡± Xu Ming muttered with a chuckle. He understood, though. As his comrades-in-arms, they couldn¡¯t come to send him off since he was now an examinee. Any association would raise suspicions of favoritism. Quickening his pace, Xu Ming walked straight ahead. At the end of Xuanwu Street was the Ministry of Rites¡¯ examination hall. One by one, the examinees handed over their jade identification tokens and entered the hall. Not far from the hall, in a nearby teahouse, a man sipped his tea while watching Xu Ming approach the examination gates. Beside the man was a woman. She wore a flowing court dress, as light and ethereal as drifting clouds. The hem was adorned with white cloud patterns delicately outlined in gold thread, and a jade belt cinched her waist. Her cascading hair, as smooth as a waterfall, was loosely gathered with a jade hairpin, with a few strands softly framing her face, adding a touch of charm. Her face was radiant like the morning sun, soft yet dazzling. Her eyebrows exuded elegance and nobility, and her eyes sparkled like stars embedded in a midnight sky¡ªdeep, brilliant, and seemingly capable of perceiving all. A straight nose and lips as delicate as cherry blossoms completed her graceful features, the slight curve of her smile as gentle as spring breezes rippling across a serene lake. Standing beside the man and woman was a eunuch with a constant, polite smile¡ªEunuch Wei Xun. ¡°Did you come back just to watch him take the exam?¡± the man asked with a smile, glancing at his daughter. ¡°It¡¯s just a coincidence,¡± the young woman replied as she casually tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. ¡°With the books he¡¯s read over the years, what could he possibly achieve?¡± ¡°You never know.¡± The man shook his head with a smile, took another sip of tea, and looked toward the examination gates where Xu Ming was registering. ¡°That boy, Xu Ming, is a fine match for you. You¡¯ve spent two or three years together, so you should know his character well. Let me say it again: if you give me a royal grandson, I¡¯ll stop meddling in your affairs. Yanhan, what do you think?¡± Chapter 84 Entering the Ministry of Rites¡¯ Examination Hall, Xu Ming carried his examination badge along with his brush, ink, paper, and inkstone to his designated cubicle. The cubicle was tiny¡ªfive feet long, four feet wide, and eight feet high. Inside, it contained only a desk, a bed, a lamp, and a covered chamber pot. Eating, drinking, sleeping, and relieving oneself all had to be done within this confined space. The only consolation was that the chamber pot had a tightly sealing lid and was regularly emptied by designated staff. With the ringing of the bell, the imperial examination officially began. Test papers were distributed to each examinee in order, and when it came time to collect them, they would be retrieved in reverse order. Only after the next bell rang were the candidates allowed to open their papers and begin reading and writing their answers. The examination comprised four subjects: scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants, with each subject consisting of twenty questions. The exam spanned four full days. During these four days, examinees not only had to craft perfect answers to the questions but also meticulously transcribe their responses onto clean sheets, ensuring not a single character was misspelled and the handwriting was immaculate. The neatness of one¡¯s exam papers greatly influenced the examiner¡¯s first impression. Moreover, for those who succeeded in becoming tribute scholars, their papers would eventually be presented to the emperor himself. Thus, the imperial examination was not merely a test of intellect but also one of endurance and diligence. Of course, for someone like Xu Ming, a martial artist, such physical exertion was hardly worth mentioning. When mealtime arrived, the examination hall provided food to all candidates. The meals were thoroughly inspected by the chief examiner and deputy examiners using spiritual energy, ensuring that nothing illicit had been added. Xu Ming found solace in the fact that the food provided was quite delicious, with a balanced mix of meat and vegetables. However, he couldn¡¯t help but think it still paled in comparison to the meals at Blood Asura Battalion¡¯s place. As night fell, darkness gradually enveloped the examination hall, and the candidates lit their lamps one after another. From a tall building overlooking the hall, Xiao Mochi stood with his hands behind his back, surveying the entire area. Every night, Xiao Mochi would stand there and watch, fearing that a fire might break out somewhere. One morning, his gaze fell on a particular cubicle, and he couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡°This kid still has so much energy?¡± Inside that cubicle, candidate Xu Ming was already awake and practicing his martial arts, while most of the other candidates were still fast asleep. On the first day, most candidates felt that time was abundant and worked at a leisurely pace. By the second day, the majority had settled into their rhythm. On the third day, some began to realize that time was running short and hurried to catch up. By the fourth day, some were sweating nervously, while others casually napped after lunch. As night fell, those who had finished their work waited for the next morning to submit their papers, while those who hadn¡¯t worked tirelessly through the night to complete their transcriptions. Finally, after four days, the bell rang again, signaling the end of the examination. All candidates put down their brushes, regardless of their progress. The sound of that final bell brought a collective sense of relief to everyone present. Xu Ming felt a wave of nostalgia, reminiscent of finishing the college entrance exams in his previous life. But unlike modern exams, where one could rip up their books, fold paper planes to throw off rooftops, or discuss answers with friends before heading home for a celebratory feast, the imperial examination offered no such reprieve. After the exam, all candidates were required to remain in their cubicles, unable to leave. This confinement lasted about ten days. During this time, the examiners would grade the papers, and inspectors would visit each cubicle to ensure no cheating occurred. To be fair, aside from something as severe as leaking the exam questions¡ªa crime punishable by death¡ªminor infractions like smuggling in a few old book excerpts had little impact on the outcome. After all, every single question was an essay question. Most examinees, after finally loosening the taut string of tension, collapsed onto their beds for a deep sleep. Xu Ming, however, continued practicing his martial arts, maintaining his discipline. Of course, there were quite a few candidates who couldn¡¯t sleep at all, haunted by the looming announcement of results in ten days. For those who failed, their next chance would come in four years¡ªbut how many ¡°four years¡± does one have in a lifetime? In the Ministry of Rites¡¯ rear courtyard, the grading of the exam papers was overseen by Xiao Mochi and carried out by a team of 101 officials, with Blood Asura Battalion members guarding the area. Each of the four subjects¡ªscholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants¡ªwas assigned 25 examiners. Each candidate¡¯s paper had to be graded by three different examiners. The grading system was based on scores, and any paper that sparked disagreement among the examiners would be brought to Xiao Ke for the final decision. This year¡¯s imperial examination saw a record-breaking 6,000 candidates, the highest in Wu Kingdom¡¯s history since its founding. However, only 400 candidates would be admitted¡ªmaking for an enormous workload for the examiners. At first, the examiners were patient, taking their time to thoroughly review each paper. But as they progressed, fatigue and frustration began to set in, and their grading pace quickened. If your handwriting was poor, you could be in serious trouble. By the ninth day, the candidates had gone thirteen days without bathing. Flies buzzed around the cubicles, turning them into what could only be described as pigsties. The only difference was that 400 of these ¡°pigs¡± would eventually rise to prominence. In the Ministry of Rites¡¯ rear courtyard, as the last examiner finished grading the final paper, he collapsed into his chair, utterly exhausted. ¡°My lord, there were a total of 6,251 candidates, resulting in 25,004 papers. We have completed grading all of them. Here are the top 600 papers based on total scores across the four subjects. Please review them,¡± said the deputy examiner as he pushed a cart carrying neatly arranged papers. The candidates¡¯ names had already been unsealed. ¡°Mm, well done,¡± Xiao Mochi replied as he began examining the papers one by one. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Starting with the 600th-ranked paper, he worked his way upward, his eyes lighting up as he read. When he reached the top ten, Xiao Mochi flipped through those papers repeatedly, unable to put them down. He was utterly enamored, becoming more and more impressed with each one he read. Each of the top ten papers was extraordinary. Individually, any of them could have won the title of provincial champion in most of the past 250 years of imperial examinations. The essays were nothing short of masterpieces. And now, all these exceptional talents had appeared in the same examination. ¡°A legendary cohort, all arriving at the same time,¡± Xiao Mochi murmured, placing the final paper down and exhaling deeply. ¡°No issues. Publish the results.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± That same morning, the results were announced. One by one, the examiners called out the names of the successful candidates. With each name spoken, another candidate ascended to the rank of tribute scholar. Some burst into joyous laughter; others wept in bitter disappointment. A total of 400 tribute scholars were selected. These scholars were immediately taken for bathing and given new clothes before being ushered into the palace to meet the emperor for the final imperial examination. Dong. Dong. Dong. Three days later, as the tribute scholars emerged from the imperial palace, the Blood Asura Battalion members were already present in the capital city. Before them stood officials holding the golden honor roll, ready to announce the final results. Chapter 85 ¡°Brother Li is back~¡± ¡°Brother Li, Brother Li~~~¡± ¡°Brother Li, what goodies did you bring us this time~?¡± As soon as Li Han stepped into the courtyard, a group of little boys and girls rushed toward him. ¡°Hehe, don¡¯t fight, don¡¯t grab¡ªthere¡¯s enough for everyone. Xiaohua, help me hand these out to the kids. There¡¯s food and clothes for everyone,¡± Li Han said cheerfully. ¡°Yay, new clothes to wear~ Thank you, Brother Li~¡± a little girl jumped up in joy, clapping her hands. ¡°Brother Li, when I grow up, I want to join the army too. I want to be like you and join the Blood Asura to earn lots and lots of money,¡± a little boy ran up with a face full of anticipation. ¡°I want to join the army too.¡± ¡°Me too!¡± With one boy taking the lead, the courtyard quickly filled with similar cries. ¡°You little fools, what¡¯s so great about joining the army? It¡¯s dangerous and exhausting,¡± Li Han said, playfully patting one boy on the head. ¡°Besides, you can¡¯t join the army just for the money. There are plenty of ways to earn money; joining the army isn¡¯t the only one. If everyone in Wu Kingdom¡¯s military joined only for money, the country would be doomed sooner or later. Alright, alright, go pick out your new clothes. Off you go.¡± Driven off by Li Han, the children reluctantly left, a little disheartened. To them, being a soldier meant free food and housing, plus money to send home¡ªit seemed like the perfect job. But once they got their new clothes, their spirits quickly lifted again. ¡°You don¡¯t need to bring so much stuff every time you come back.¡± From the kitchen came a young woman named Ye Ye. Dressed in an apron, the clear-featured girl exuded an air of gentleness, though her single ponytail draped over one shoulder gave off a faint sense of danger. ¡°It¡¯s no trouble at all; the kids are happy,¡± Li Han said with a grin. Ye Ye seemed about to say more but simply shook her head. ¡°Lunch is almost ready. Let¡¯s eat first.¡± Li Han nodded. ¡°Alright.¡± The older children carried out the meal buckets and dishes, serving food to the younger ones. Lunch wasn¡¯t extravagant, but it was far from plain. There was meat, vegetables, and even egg drop soup. After lunch, the younger kids helped wash the dishes, while the older ones left to work or learn a trade. In the afternoon, as the children returned to their small beds for a nap, the courtyard suddenly grew quiet¡ªan unusual stillness. Ye Ye and Li Han sat in the courtyard. Ye Ye glanced at him. ¡°You really don¡¯t need to bring so much back each time. Military achievements aren¡¯t easy to earn, especially for someone like you, a martial practitioner. I¡¯ve heard that the materials for body refinement and your weapons and armor are very expensive. You¡¯ve been using your military merits to exchange for money all these years. Just look at yourself¡ªyour clothes are patched up in so many places.¡± ¡°It¡¯s no big deal, Sister Ye Ye. I don¡¯t spend anything on food or lodging in the Blood Asura Battalion,¡± Li Han said with a hearty laugh. ¡°Besides, the body-refining herbs they provide are more than enough. As for clothes, we mostly wear uniforms in the Blood Asura Battalion and rarely need casual wear.¡± Ye Ye shook her head. ¡°You can¡¯t fool me with that. I may not know much about military life, but how can any army¡ªeven the Blood Asura¡ªprovide everything you need? Especially as your level progresses, the resources you require will only grow more expensive. A lot of it must come from your own military merits, right? As for the family, you don¡¯t need to worry so much. Many of the kids in the courtyard have grown up and can earn their own keep. You¡¯ve reached a point where you should aim higher for yourself. It¡¯s time to start thinking about your own future.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Li Han lowered his head. He wanted to say something, but Ye Ye had already changed the subject: ¡°By the way, today isn¡¯t a holiday or festival. What brings you back?¡± ¡°Hehe¡­¡± Li Han scratched his head, looking rather proud. ¡°One of my brothers is taking the imperial examination. Today is the day the results are posted, so a few of us from the camp decided to come out together.¡± ¡°Someone from the military camp taking the imperial examination? Did he pass as a juren?¡± Ye Ye asked in surprise. ¡°He didn¡¯t just pass as a juren¡­ My brother¡ª¡± ¡°Sister Ye Ye, Brother Li, it¡¯s so lively outside! The results are out! The top scorer has been announced!¡± Just as Li Han was about to introduce his brother, a child ran in excitedly. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Sister Ye Ye, let¡¯s go take a look!¡± Li Han quickly stood up, looking eager. ¡°Alright,¡± Ye Ye replied with a light laugh, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. Li Han noticed the bracelet on Ye Ye¡¯s left wrist and paused for a moment before his smile grew even brighter. ¡ª In the residence of the Minister of War, Xiong Wentian looked at his son. ¡°Haizhi, why are you back today?¡± ¡°Master, what are you saying? Isn¡¯t it normal for Haizhi to come back because he misses us and wants to visit?¡± Lady Xiong said with a smile. ¡°Hmph!¡± Xiong Wentian snorted coldly. ¡°The Blood Asura Battalion has strict regulations, and leaves are rare throughout the year. If you¡¯re leaving the camp for no good reason, do you take this as a joke?¡± ¡°Master, how can you say that? How is this a joke? Our son¡ª¡± ¡°Father, Mother.¡± Xiong Haizhi interrupted his mother. ¡°This time, I left camp because of an important matter. A brother of mine is taking the imperial examination, and today is the day the results are announced. Once we¡¯ve seen the results, I¡¯ll head back.¡± ¡ª In a courtyard in Wudu. Guang Yin and Hu Tao, having been granted a short leave from the Blood Asura Battalion, had temporarily left the military. They purchased a two-wing courtyard¡ªnot too expensive, but not cheap either. After cleaning up, Guang Yin and Hu Tao made the place their home. That morning, Guang Yin woke up early and began pacing back and forth in the courtyard, frequently checking the time. He had never felt time pass so slowly. ¡°Brother Guang! Brother Guang!¡± Just as Guang Yin grew increasingly anxious, Hu Tao rushed into the courtyard. ¡°Brother Guang, the results are out!¡± ¡ª At the Xu residence, two young and elegant women sat together. In front of them stood a large white goose. Compared to four years ago, the goose had grown taller, its neck longer and more graceful. Its snowy feathers glistened, and its eyes were strikingly expressive. It even had long lashes, and upon closer inspection, an almost refined and delicate appearance. Yet despite its elegant looks, the goose flapped noisily around the courtyard, somewhat at odds with its graceful exterior. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Wang Feng asked Chen Suya. ¡°Ming¡¯er will be back today. Why do you look so nervous? Aren¡¯t you happy?¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯m happy to see Ming¡¯er.¡± Chen Suya smiled and shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s just that I haven¡¯t seen Ming¡¯er in four years. These past four years are when children grow the fastest. I don¡¯t even know what he looks like anymore or if he¡¯ll recognize me as his mother. I haven¡¯t been able to do much for him. Ming¡¯er is so outstanding, and I¡¯m afraid of holding him back.¡± Wang Feng smiled gently. ¡°What nonsense are you saying? No matter how much he¡¯s changed, he¡¯s still your child. How could he not recognize his own mother? Besides, letting him pursue his dreams back then was the greatest support you could give him.¡± Chen Suya smiled and nodded. ¡°Thank you, Sister Wang, for your kind words.¡± ¡°You really underestimate yourself,¡± Wang Feng said with a chuckle. ¡°The hardest thing in life is knowing what you should and shouldn¡¯t do. You¡¯ve done well.¡± Wang Feng let out a sigh. ¡°When Xu Ming¡¯s reputation spread across Wu Kingdom and he ranked fiftieth on the Qingyun List, you remained the same as always, quietly embroidering here in Xiaochun Courtyard, neither vying nor scheming, surpassing countless women in grace. But do you know how arrogant the Xu family became when Xu Ming was summoned to the palace and gained favor with His Majesty? The Xu family is bound to bring trouble upon themselves.¡± Chen Suya was startled. ¡°Sister, you mustn¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°Mustn¡¯t say such things?¡± Wang Feng chuckled, her voice calm yet commanding. ¡°I am the mistress of the Xu family. What can¡¯t I say?¡± Chen Suya: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Enough, let¡¯s not dwell on these unpleasant matters.¡± Wang Feng changed the subject. ¡°The results should be out soon. Let¡¯s go take a look.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Chen Suya stood up. Just as the two stepped out of the courtyard, Chunyan came running, panting heavily. ¡°Madam, Fifth Madam, someone from the palace is here!¡± ¡°If someone¡¯s here, they¡¯re here. What¡¯s the fuss about? Are all the men in the Xu family dead? Can¡¯t they handle receiving an imperial decree?¡± Wang Feng said coldly. Chen Suya and Chunyan: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Madam, it¡¯s not an imperial decree. The Minister of Rites has come to congratulate us! Young Master Xu has passed!¡± ¡ª When Xu Ming walked out of the palace, he still hadn¡¯t seen Xu Pangda. It couldn¡¯t be helped. Upon entering the palace, the 400 examinees were split into five batches to enter in turns, and Xu Ming hadn¡¯t seen Xu Pangda in his batch. After his interview, Xu Ming was taken to the Ministry of Rites examination hall. When he exited the hall, he was greeted by a massive crowd, tightly surrounding the area. Finding Xu Pangda in that chaos was impossible. Stewards from various officials and wealthy merchants approached anyone they could, trying to strike up conversations and praise their daughters¡¯ virtues. Since the results hadn¡¯t been posted yet and no one knew who ranked highest, everyone was being relatively reserved. Otherwise, many of these 400 scholars might have been forcibly carried off by eager matchmakers. Xu Ming, like the others, pushed through the crowd and headed toward the nearest bulletin board. ¡°Blood Asura! Blood Asura is here!¡± At the sound of this shout, the crowd parted. An official holding the results list approached the bulletin board, escorted by ten Blood Asura soldiers. Before posting the main results, the list of scores for all 400 examinees was put up first. Everyone immediately ignored the names of the other 399 and looked directly at the top. ¡°Huiyuan¡ªXu Ming.¡± Seeing this name, everyone doubted their eyes. Xu Ming? The Xu Ming who spent three years in the Blood Asura Battalion had topped the provincial exam? For a moment, many were in disbelief, wondering if there had been a mistake in grading or if favoritism had played a role. But soon, those thoughts were dismissed. The exams were anonymous, with names sealed until all four subjects were graded. Moreover, the test papers of all 400 examinees would be made public for scrutiny. The imperial court would never treat the provincial exams as a joke or insult the intelligence of the nation. ¡°Wait, does this mean Xu Ming has now achieved double yuan?¡± someone exclaimed. ¡°If he also tops the palace exam, wouldn¡¯t that mean¡ª¡± ¡°Achieving triple yuan isn¡¯t that simple,¡± another interrupted. ¡°The palace exam is judged by His Majesty, the six ministers, the chancellor, and the Grand Secretary together.¡± ¡°But I¡¯ve heard His Majesty favors Xu Ming,¡± someone else said. ¡°What does that matter?¡± a scholar said with a smile. ¡°During the palace exam, all candidates take a silencing pill, making their voices identical. The policy responses are delivered behind a screen, with examinees identified only by numbers. Even if His Majesty wanted to favor Xu Ming, it would be impossible.¡± ¡°Enough talk¡ªthe main results are being posted!¡± This announcement drew everyone¡¯s attention back to the official, who began putting up the final rankings. The gold list comprised three sections. The official first posted the results for the third class¡ªTong Jinshi, with a total of 202 candidates. Seeing their names on the third class list, many let out sighs of relief, though some couldn¡¯t help but regret. Had they failed this time, might they have had a chance at a higher rank, such as the second class, four years later? Now that they had passed, they could no longer retake the exam. Next came the second class¡ªJinshi, with a total of 194 candidates. ¡°I¡¯m second in the second class! Hahaha! Second place in the second class!¡± a man shouted excitedly. ¡°Who¡¯s second in the second class?!¡± an older man asked sharply. ¡°It¡¯s me!¡± ¡°Bind him up! Tie him up!¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Before the man could react, four or five people rushed over and tied him up with a red sash like a crab before carrying him off. ¡°I¡¯m eighty-third! Hahaha!¡± ¡°Bind him too!¡± ¡°Which one is Wang Chuanlu?¡± ¡°Who¡¯s calling me?¡± ¡°Wang Chuanlu, my master¡¯s daughter is sixteen years old, beautiful, well-read, and virtuous. Please meet her.¡± As soon as the second-class results were posted, matchmaking chaos ensued, with many candidates practically abducted on the spot. The official responsible for posting the results could only shake his head with a smile. Once the commotion died down, he picked up the final results list. At the same time, near every bulletin board across the capital, the crowd fell silent. The first class¡ªJinshi Jidi¡ªcomprised only three candidates. All eyes scanned the list from the bottom to the top: Tanhua¡ªYu Ping¡¯an. Bangyan¡ªXu Pangda. Zhuangyuan¡ªXu Ming. Xu Ming? Zhuangyuan?! Xu Ming was just a teenager, wasn¡¯t he? Fourteen-year-old Xu Ming had truly achieved the triple yuan! ¡ª ¡°Brother Yu, your name¡ª¡± ¡°Shhh.¡± In the crowd, a little girl with braided hair jumped with excitement upon spotting Brother Yu¡¯s name. Before she could finish, the young man gently covered her mouth. Yu Ping¡¯an smiled warmly and patted the little girl¡¯s head. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± As everyone remained in shock, Yu Ping¡¯an glanced at the Zhuangyuan¡¯s name, then quietly limped away, leading the little girl through the crowd. ¡°Brother Yu, why are you the Tanhua?¡± the little girl asked. ¡°Because the Bangyan and Zhuangyuan are more outstanding than I am,¡± Yu Ping¡¯an replied with a smile. ¡°But in my heart, Brother Yu is the best!¡± she pouted. ¡°Mm.¡± Yu Ping¡¯an nodded, pinching her nose lightly. ¡°As long as you think so, then Brother Yu is better than the Zhuangyuan.¡± ¡ª Elsewhere in the crowd, a chubby boy stared at the name ¡°Xu Ming¡± listed as the Zhuangyuan. ¡°Who said you weren¡¯t capable, Third Brother? When you pass the imperial exams and achieve high office, the title you earn will be worth far more to Aunt than the title of ¡®Duke Xu,''¡± he remembered his fifth brother saying to him long ago. The chubby boy smiled contentedly, rubbed his belly, and squeezed through the crowd. ¡ª ¡°Fifth Brother, I didn¡¯t sit for the provincial exam this year. I wanted to wait and take it alongside you.¡± Outside the crowd, Xu Ming gazed at the familiar name beneath his own on the Zhuangyuan list. His third brother¡¯s words from years ago echoed in his ears, and he smiled faintly before turning to leave. ¡°Xu Ming!¡± ¡°Pangda!¡± They hadn¡¯t taken more than a few steps when Xu Ming saw Li Han and his companions waving at him, while Xu Pangda heard his father, Xu Zheng, calling out to him. On the golden viewing platform that year, two young men stood side by side. Their brows bore striking resemblance as they turned to look at each other, sharing a knowing smile. Chapter 86 The streets of Wudu were lined with people on both sides. At the head of the procession was Xu Ming, followed by Xu Pangda, and a step behind him was Yu Ping¡¯an. A total of 400 successful candidates for the imperial examination paraded down the streets, adorned with large red flowers, riding red horses, and dressed in custom-made ceremonial attire from Wudu. This was a tradition of Wudu: once the honor roll was announced, the 400 successful candidates had to parade through half the capital city before entering the imperial palace for a grand banquet. The banquet was personally hosted by Emperor Wu. For many, this might be the only chance in their lifetime to share a meal with the emperor. Seated on the horse decorated with red flowers, Xu Ming noticed women in the crowd tossing flower branches at him. However, Xu Ming didn¡¯t dare catch any of them. In Wudu, if a man caught a woman¡¯s flower branch and placed it in his hair, it signified his acceptance of her as his bride. To be honest, Xu Ming really wanted to head home¡ªhe hadn¡¯t seen his mother in a long time. But this parade and banquet were traditions he couldn¡¯t avoid. ¡°They say there are three great joys in life: a wedding night, seeing your name on the honor roll, and meeting an old friend in a foreign land. I never truly understood that until now. It really does feel like it,¡± Li Han remarked, watching the lively crowd. By Xu Ming¡¯s side were Li Han, Xiong Haizhi, and Guang Yin, all dressed in their Blood Asura Battalion armor. Emperor Wu had been thoughtful, assigning Xu Ming¡¯s former comrades from the Blood Asura Battalion to escort him and the others during the parade after he made the honor roll. ¡°Indeed,¡± Xu Ming replied with a smile, his gaze fixed ahead, seemingly lost in thought. In truth, he was reading the words appearing in his mind: [You have successfully ranked as the provincial champion (huiyuan). Official Fortune +10, Literary Talent +100, Aura of Righteousness +50. When you serve as an official, the influence of territorial fate on you is reduced by 80%.] [ You have successfully ranked as the imperial champion (zhuangyuan). Official Fortune +50, Prestige +20, Literary Maiden Attraction +5, Aura of Righteousness +50. When you serve as an official, you will be completely immune to the influence of territorial fate (Note: If you become emperor, you will still be subject to territorial fate).] [ You have achieved the Triple Crown. Official Fortune +100, Aura of Righteousness +200. You have acquired the special skill: Synergistic Cooperation.] [Synergistic Cooperation: When undertaking a task, your success rate in persuading your superiors increases by 30%, and your subordinates¡¯ enthusiasm for working under you increases by 40%.] As Xu Ming reviewed his newly gained attributes and special abilities, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit surprised. The immunity to territorial fate as long as he didn¡¯t become emperor was particularly notable. Moreover, the ¡°Synergistic Cooperation¡± skill would be incredibly useful in officialdom. Still, he hadn¡¯t decided whether to enter government service or leave Wu Kingdom to explore the vast cultivation world. For now, he wasn¡¯t in a rush. His plan was to participate in the Rootless Secret Realm first. After all, it was thanks to Wu Kingdom¡¯s support that he had the opportunity to secure a spot in the secret realm. ¡°Quack, quack, quack!¡± Xu Ming suddenly heard the honking of a goose. Looking up, he saw his mother standing on the side of the street, smiling warmly at him. Beside her was a large white goose flapping its wings, hopping excitedly, and honking loudly in his direction. Seeing that both his mother and the goose were safe and well, Xu Ming felt a wave of relief wash over him and smiled reassuringly. ¡°Quack!¡± The white goose flapped its wings again and leapt out from the crowd, soaring directly onto Xu Ming¡¯s red horse, causing an uproar among the onlookers. The Blood Asura Battalion members, including Li Han, immediately tensed, their hands instinctively moving toward their weapons. Xu Ming raised a hand to calm them. ¡°It¡¯s fine. This is my friend.¡± ¡°Quack!¡± The Tianxuan Goose raised its proud head high and patted Xu Ming on the shoulder with its wing. ¡°Honk honk honk (Not bad, little brother, you¡¯ve grown so tall).¡± ¡°You¡¯ve grown quite a bit yourself,¡± Xu Ming replied with a smile. ¡°So, it¡¯s been four years now¡ªare you able to take on a human form yet?¡± The Tianxuan Goose rolled its eyes at Xu Ming. ¡°Honk honk honk? (Why are you so obsessed with me transforming?)¡± Xu Ming blinked innocently. ¡°Am I?¡± The goose gave him a firm honk. ¡°Honk (Yes).¡± Xu Ming chuckled. ¡°Alright, then I am.¡± As the 400 successful candidates arrived outside the palace gates, Xu Ming gently patted the goose on its wing. The Tianxuan Goose understood and fluttered down from Xu Ming¡¯s horse. Xu Ming dismounted first, followed by Xu Pangda and Yu Ping¡¯an, and then the other 397 candidates. Under the guidance of palace maids, the group entered the palace one by one to attend the grand banquet. Meanwhile, inside the imperial study, Emperor Wu was carefully reviewing Xu Ming¡¯s examination papers. The more he read, the more impressed he became. In particular, Xu Ming¡¯s answer to the question ¡°What is the significance of vassal kings to Wu Kingdom?¡± struck a chord with the emperor. Many candidates had grasped the emperor¡¯s intention to weaken the power of the vassal kings. However, their proposed solutions were either overly idealistic or too vague. They spoke in grand, sweeping terms, but their methods, if implemented, would likely provoke rebellion from 60% of the vassal kings. Xu Ming, however, had proposed a ¡°Decree of Endowment.¡± The decree stipulated that upon the death of a vassal king, only the eldest legitimate son would inherit the title, while the remaining sons would be granted portions of the vassal state¡¯s lands and become marquises under the governance of local administrators. This would gradually erode the power of the vassal states. In essence: ¡°Divide and diminish.¡± Historically, such a policy would have been impossible to implement, as illegitimate sons once held extremely low status in Wu Kingdom. But with the restoration of their status to what it had been 150 years ago, the conditions for such a policy were now ripe. The brilliance of the decree lay in its double-edged nature: whether the vassal states complied or not, they would face unfavorable outcomes. If they obeyed, their strength would be diminished as their territories were gradually fragmented. If they resisted, internal power struggles would erupt as legitimate and illegitimate heirs fought for dominance. This policy placed the vassal states in an inescapable dilemma. The emperor had not expected such a groundbreaking solution to emerge from an examination. He had assumed that these untested scholars would be incapable of offering practical solutions to such a major issue. Yet here was an answer that directly addressed one of the central government¡¯s most pressing problems. ¡°Thank goodness Xu Ming was born in Wu Kingdom,¡± Emperor Wu said with a deep sigh as he set down the paper. ¡°Had he been born in another country¡­ I shudder to think.¡± Standing nearby, Wei Xun quickly seized the opportunity to flatter, ¡°Your Majesty, to have both Chancellor Xiao and Xu Ming under your rule is surely a sign of divine favor. Wu Kingdom is destined to prosper even further!¡± S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Indeed.¡± The emperor¡¯s lips curled into a satisfied smile. Ordinary flattery wouldn¡¯t even register with him, but this time, the emperor truly believed it. With the combined efforts of Xiao Mochi and Xu Ming, the future of Wu Kingdom seemed brighter than ever. Not to mention, Xu Pangda and Yu Ping¡¯an had also received high praise for their performances. Without Xu Ming¡¯s ¡°Decree of Endowment,¡± it would have been uncertain who would have been the provincial champion. ¡°Prepare a decree,¡± the emperor suddenly said, standing up and clasping his hands behind his back. Wei Xun hesitated, slightly surprised. ¡°A decree, Your Majesty?¡± ¡°Yes, a decree¡ªgranting a marriage.¡± Chapter 87 In the imperial palace, a total of four hundred newly-appointed scholars were seated. The seating arrangement placed the Zhuangyuan (first-ranked scholar) in the first position on the left, followed by the Bangyan (second-ranked scholar) on the far-right, with the Tanhua (third-ranked scholar) sitting beside Xu Ming. The top three scholars of the first rank and the fourth-ranked scholar of the second rank occupied the front row, while the others were seated according to their rankings. At the forefront of the seating area was, naturally, the throne of the Martial Emperor. Xu Ming glanced to the side, casting a look at the Tanhua, Yu Ping¡¯an. Noticing Xu Ming¡¯s gaze, Yu Ping¡¯an returned a gentle smile. Earlier, when entering the palace, Xu Ming had observed that this Tanhua appeared to have some difficulty walking. However, that wasn¡¯t what truly caught Xu Ming¡¯s attention. A physical disability was of little concern; after all, Yu Ping¡¯an would serve as a civil official, not a military one. What intrigued Xu Ming more was the unfathomable aura surrounding Yu Ping¡¯an. Always wearing a gentle smile, Yu Ping¡¯an exuded a calmness that set him apart from the other scholars, whose expressions brimmed with ambition. To him, it seemed as if this event was merely a casual banquet in the capital¡ªa minor episode in which he happened to secure the rank of Tanhua. Such tranquility wasn¡¯t feigned but stemmed from an inner composure, as though he possessed an innate sense of propriety, a steadiness that enabled him to remain unaffected by external joys or sorrows. Yu Ping¡¯an smiled and said, ¡°Before the street procession, I had the honor of reading your exam paper, Zhuangyuan. That proposal for the Tui¡¯en Decree truly impressed me.¡± Xu Ming replied, ¡°Your insights on commerce and your proposals for innovation were equally remarkable, Yu Tanhua. May I ask if your family is in business?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Yu Ping¡¯an nodded. ¡°My family trades in textiles. I am not the legitimate heir, so my opportunity to participate in the exam was largely thanks to you, Zhuangyuan.¡± Xu Ming smiled faintly. ¡°What does this have to do with me? The credit should go to those officials who advocated for reform. Without them, I too would have been unable to participate in the examination.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not entirely true,¡± Yu Ping¡¯an shook his head. ¡°Had you not made such an impression during the Poetry Banquet, providing a solid justification for reform, the public outcry in your favor might never have occurred. Without that momentum, the reform would have been far more challenging to implement.¡± Yu Ping¡¯an glanced around the room. ¡°Among the scholars here today, three-tenths are sons of merchants, courtesans, or other individuals previously barred from the imperial examinations. Every one of them, as well as those who will take part in future exams, owes you a debt of gratitude, Zhuangyuan.¡± Xu Ming sighed softly. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I fear my life in the court won¡¯t be easy.¡± When someone gains significant influence, who feels the most uneasy? Naturally, it is the emperor. Even before entering the court, Xu Ming had already accumulated so many favors. It was inconceivable that the emperor wouldn¡¯t take note. ¡°Not necessarily,¡± Yu Ping¡¯an said with a knowing look. ¡°I have a method that could turn this into an advantage. Not only would His Majesty not distrust you, but he might even support you further.¡± Xu Ming immediately understood what Yu Ping¡¯an was hinting at: marrying the Princess. By doing so, any children born from such a union would become part of the imperial family, effectively neutralizing any perceived threat posed by Xu Ming¡¯s influence. ¡°Yu Tanhua, let¡¯s not jest,¡± Xu Ming replied, swiftly changing the subject. Yu Ping¡¯an merely smiled, saying no more. At that moment, a eunuch¡¯s sharp voice rang out: ¡°His Majesty has arrived!¡± Conversations ceased instantly. All four hundred scholars rose to their feet, bowing deeply. ¡°Your students greet Your Majesty!¡± Emperor Wu walked down the central aisle between the rows of scholars, turning to face them once he reached the front. ¡°Be at ease, gentlemen. Please, be seated.¡± ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty!¡± The four hundred scholars resumed their seats. Many of them discreetly stole glances at the Martial Emperor, not daring to meet his gaze directly yet unable to resist admiring his majestic presence. Among the common folk, Emperor Wu was widely regarded as a wise and virtuous ruler, commanding immense respect. However, Yu Ping¡¯an was different. He calmly observed the Emperor, his gaze steady and composed. Beyond the natural reverence, there was no trace of fear or unease in his eyes. His demeanor exuded openness and sincerity. Before long, palace maids stepped forward with dishes and wine, placing them before each person. Throughout the banquet, the Emperor presented himself as approachable, engaging in lighthearted conversations with the scholars about their families and daily lives, steering clear of court politics. Gradually, the attendees relaxed, growing less tense as they interacted with the emperor. This amiable atmosphere deepened their respect for him and fostered a sense of loyalty, a desire to serve him with utmost dedication. At one point, the Emperor invited the scholars to share their views on the current state of the Wu Kingdom and the ¡°international situation,¡± framing it as a casual discussion without any concern for right or wrong answers. Eager to make an impression, many spoke eloquently, aiming to establish a favorable image before the emperor. Xu Ming and Yu Ping¡¯an, however, remained silent, quietly listening to the discussions without interjecting. The banquet lasted for an entire hour. Afterward, the four hundred scholars departed from the palace. As for official appointments, the assignments would be announced in half a month. Those who were not immediately assigned positions would typically be sent to the Hanlin Academy for further studies. Officially, this was described as ¡°refining their knowledge,¡± but in less flattering terms, it meant ¡°waiting until positions became available.¡± That said, the Hanlin Academy offered decent perks. Each scholar held at least a nominal rank of sixth-grade official, receiving a respectable salary despite having no real authority. When Xu Ming and Xu Pangda returned to the Xu residence, a lively celebration was already underway. Firecrackers crackled noisily, and the occasion was marked with grandeur. Many relatives, friends, and even officials from the imperial court came to offer their congratulations to the Xu and Qin families. Xu Ming and Xu Pangda had no choice but to put on their best manners and entertain the guests. Eventually, when Xu Ming found a moment to himself, he retreated to the courtyard with his mother and the large white goose. Four years had passed, and though his mother had not changed much, Xu Ming had grown from a boy into a young man. In the Wu Kingdom, this was the age when one was expected to start a family and establish a career. Reuniting after four years, Xu Ming and the Tianxuan goose sparred once more. This time, Xu Ming won decisively. The Tianxuan goose, naturally disgruntled, doubled down on its training. Xu Ming chuckled, saying nothing. The goose had indeed grown significantly stronger, but it also seemed to have let itself go a bit. It now looked plump and well-fed, so much so that it might not even fit in a single pot if someone tried to cook it. Xu Ming suddenly felt a pang of concern. What if, upon transforming into its human form, the Tianxuan goose became a 200-pound young woman? The thought unsettled him. Just as Xu Ming was contemplating how to tease the Tianxuan goose into taking its training more seriously, the maid, Chunyan, rushed into the courtyard. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Young Master Xu, a decree! The imperial decree has arrived! Please, come quickly to receive it!¡± Chapter 88 When Xu Ming arrived at the courtyard, all the commoners present knelt to receive the imperial decree, leaving only the officials standing. Wei Xun, who stood at the forefront, noticed Xu Ming¡¯s arrival and chuckled. ¡°Zhuangyuan Lang (Top Scholar), please step forward to receive the decree.¡± Wei Xun¡¯s demeanor toward Xu Ming was notably respectful, even tinged with a hint of flattery. Previously, Wei Xun had maintained a reserved attitude toward Xu Ming, observing from a distance. But now, he was firmly aligned with Xu Ming. After all, Xu Ming¡¯s future son was almost certain to become Wei Xun¡¯s future master¡ªassuming he lived long enough to see that day. ¡°Xu Ming is ready to receive the decree.¡± Xu Ming stepped forward and bowed respectfully. Wei Xun nodded in satisfaction, cleared his throat, and unfolded the golden imperial decree. His sharp, high-pitched voice echoed across the courtyard: sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Imperial Edict: We have heard that in heaven and earth, yin and yang complement each other, and men and women are meant to unite. This is the way of the Great Dao. Today, Our beloved daughter, Princess Zhao Wen, has reached the age of marriage. She is virtuous, graceful, talented, and a source of great pride to Us. We have also heard of Xu Ming of the Xu family, a man of outstanding talent, impeccable virtue, and unparalleled accomplishments in both the literary and martial arts. His poetic renown spreads across the land. After comparing their birth charts and consulting the esteemed master of Tianji City, it has been determined that Xu Ming and Princess Zhao Wen are a match made in heaven. This pleases Us greatly, and We wish to unite them in marriage to demonstrate Our benevolence and secure the foundation of the kingdom. Thus, We hereby decree that Xu Ming of the Xu family shall marry Our beloved daughter, Princess Wu Yanhan. May they be joined in matrimony, live long and harmonious lives, and bring forth prosperous descendants to uphold their family¡¯s honor and contribute to the nation¡¯s glory. When Wei Xun finished reading, all eyes turned to Xu Ming, filled with envy and admiration. Should Xu Ming become the imperial son-in-law, and given that the emperor had only one daughter, it was almost certain that Xu Ming¡¯s future son would ascend the throne. At that time, Xu Ming¡¯s status would be unparalleled, beyond what words like ¡°second only to one, above all others¡± could capture. While many had already anticipated Xu Ming¡¯s appointment as the imperial son-in-law, it was still awe-inspiring to witness it come to fruition. Xu Shuiya, Xu Zheng, and Qin Ruhai were overjoyed. It¡¯s here! The decree has finally arrived! They had long heard rumors of the emperor¡¯s intention to marry the princess to Xu Ming. After all, the princess was no longer young, and the absence of a designated heir was undoubtedly a pressing concern for the emperor. Now, with Xu Ming as the imperial son-in-law and his offspring likely to inherit the throne, the influence of the Xu and Qin families would rise to unimaginable heights. The secondary wives of the Xu family also cast envious glances at Chen Suya. This Chen Suya truly raised an extraordinary son! Even so, they eagerly supported Xu Ming¡¯s rise as the imperial son-in-law, as it might bring additional titles and privileges to the Xu family. However, those with more foresight¡ªsuch as Wang Feng, Madam Qin, and Zhao Wenshan¡ªcouldn¡¯t help but feel a deep sense of unease on behalf of the Xu and Qin families. Did these people truly believe the emperor was some benevolent fool? The emperor would never allow the Xu and Qin families to climb too high. Given the recklessness of most Xu and Qin family members, the best-case scenario was that they¡¯d embarrass the royal family. In the worst case, their arrogance and indulgence could lead to chaos within the court. Now that the imperial decree had been issued, it was almost certain that before Xu Ming and the princess were wed, the Xu and Qin families would face a thorough reckoning! Now, all the Xu and Qin families could hope for was that the Emperor would show leniency, reducing their noble ranks and dispersing their power without annihilating them entirely. Meanwhile, as Xu Ming¡¯s mother, Chen Suya, didn¡¯t appear particularly overjoyed at her son becoming the imperial son-in-law and rising to one of the most exalted positions in the land. Chen Suya looked at Xu Ming with calm eyes filled with concern. Becoming the imperial son-in-law, especially as the spouse of the kingdom¡¯s only princess, with their future child almost certain to ascend the throne, was an unmatched honor. But everything had two sides. If Xu Ming became the imperial son-in-law, he would be tied to the royal family, and life as a royal child was far from easy. Chen Suya would rather Xu Ming marry an ordinary girl and live a simple, happy life. But with the imperial decree issued, her Ming¡¯er no longer had a choice. Refusing the decree would mean defying imperial orders. In Wu Kingdom, apart from emergencies such as ¡°military commands taking precedence over imperial orders,¡± defying an imperial decree was a capital offense. At the banquet, everyone was watching Xu Ming, waiting for him to accept the decree. But Xu Ming remained bent in a bow, silent. In his mind, Wei Xun¡¯s words were still echoing. Who was this princess? Her name was Wu Yanhan? ¡°Didn¡¯t you plan to marry that girl, Zhu Ci Ci, after you made it onto the golden roll?¡± ¡°How did she come up in this conversation?¡± ¡°Oh, nothing. Just so you know, after you took the imperial exams, rumors spread in the capital that you might become the imperial son-in-law of Wu Kingdom.¡± ¡°What? Is that even possible?¡± ¡°Who knows? But if the Emperor bestows a marriage decree, will you accept it?¡± ¡°Well¡­ is she pretty?¡± ¡°She¡¯s prettier than that Zhu Ci Ci.¡± Xu Ming couldn¡¯t help but recall the words Wu Yanhan had spoken to him. He had always known Wu Yanhan wasn¡¯t ordinary and had suspected she might be of royal descent, given her surname ¡°Wu.¡± But he never imagined she was the princess of Wu Kingdom. At most, he thought she was some noble¡¯s child sent to train in the military. After all, who would expect the Emperor to send his only child to the military camp? And not just any princess¡ªWu Kingdom¡¯s sole princess, with the Martial God Physic. Xu Ming smiled faintly and shook his head. Looking back, it seemed his entry into the Blood Asura Battalion and the 484th Camp, and his interactions with Wu Yanhan, had all been orchestrated by the Emperor. Did Xu Ming harbor resentment toward the Emperor for this? Not really. Entrusting his most precious daughter to Xu Ming was the Emperor¡¯s highest form of trust and even akin to handing him half the kingdom. Of course, it wasn¡¯t entirely voluntary on the Emperor¡¯s part. Having only one child left him little choice. But had Wu Yanhan known all this? Did she know she was to be betrothed from the start? Or had she also been observing her ¡°future husband¡± during their time in the camp? ¡°Zhuangyuan Lang, accept the decree.¡± Wei Xun smiled at Xu Ming, who had yet to respond. He could understand Xu Ming¡¯s daze. No matter how talented or mature this Zhuangyuan Lang was for his age, receiving such an honor on the same day as his exam triumph¡ªbeing named imperial son-in-law on the day he topped the golden roll¡ªwas enough to make anyone feel like they were dreaming. Truly, Xu Ming was blessed. To have the two greatest joys in life¡ªacademic success and marriage¡ªcoincide on the same day was extraordinary. ¡°Ming¡¯er, quickly accept the decree.¡± ¡°Ming¡¯er, accept it!¡± Next to Xu Ming, Xu Shuiya and his father were even more anxious than Xu Ming. If they dared to touch the decree, they might¡¯ve already snatched it up and stuffed it into Xu Ming¡¯s hands. Xu Ming took a deep breath, straightened up, and looked at Wei Xun. He then bowed deeply and said, ¡°Your subject begs forgiveness but cannot yet accept this decree.¡± Chapter 89 ¡°Your subject begs forgiveness but cannot yet accept this decree.¡± Xu Ming¡¯s voice wasn¡¯t loud, but it was clear enough to echo throughout the courtyard. In an instant, everyone froze where they stood, staring at Xu Ming in disbelief. Some even thought they must have misheard. Did Xu Ming¡­ reject the emperor¡¯s decree for marriage? No. How could you dare? This is a marriage decree from the emperor! Aren¡¯t you afraid of losing your head? ¡°Ming¡¯er, what nonsense are you saying?¡± The elderly matriarch of the Xu family anxiously struck the ground repeatedly with her cane. ¡°Ming¡¯er, do you even know what you¡¯re doing?¡± Xu Shuiya¡¯s face turned stern. ¡°Ming¡¯er, you¡ªyou¡ª¡± Xu Zheng raised a trembling finger to point at Xu Ming, stammering as he struggled to speak. This event was simply too shocking for them. None of them could have imagined that Xu Ming would reject the imperial decree of marriage. After all, while it was true that very few had ever seen Princess Zhaowen in person due to her life in the palace, did it really matter? Even if she was supposedly hideous, so what? Once the candles are blown out, aren¡¯t all women the same? Besides, the emperor is so handsome, and Princess Zhaowen¡¯s late mother was once the most beautiful woman in Wu Kingdom, ranked as the 30th most beautiful mortal in the renowned Beauty List. How ugly could the princess possibly be with such lineage? Surely not very. And yet you turned her down? ¡°Ming¡¯er¡­¡± Chen Suya, kneeling on the ground to receive the decree, gently tugged at her son¡¯s sleeve, her face full of worry. Chen Suya had always hoped her child would marry someone he truly loved. But this¡ªthis was outright defiance of an imperial decree. If defied, Ming¡¯er could lose his head! ¡°Top Scholar, w-what did you just say?¡± S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Wei Xun, the eunuch delivering the decree, doubted his own ears. Surely not. Even Wei Xun couldn¡¯t fathom a reason for refusal. Under normal circumstances, wouldn¡¯t the top scholar be full of gratitude and bow repeatedly to thank the emperor? How could he refuse? Could it be because of Qin Qingwan? But Qin Qingwan was already a member of the Immortal Sect, destined to live for millennia. What could she possibly have to do with you, the top scholar? To her, you¡¯re nothing more than a fleeting wave in the river of her life. ¡°Lord Eunuch, um, our Ming¡¯er is still young and thoughtless. Please, please, take a seat first. Chunyan, what are you standing there for? Hurry and serve Lord Eunuch some tea!¡± Xu Shuiya was the first to recover, quickly pulling Wei Xun to a seat and trying to smooth things over. As for the others still kneeling on the ground, they hesitated, unsure whether to remain kneeling or to rise now that the top scholar had rejected the imperial decree. Xu Zheng hurried forward, intent on giving his son a stern lecture. Though Xu Zheng had never really cared for Xu Ming¡ªhe had plenty of sons, after all, and why would he pay much attention to a mere illegitimate child?¡ªhe was still Xu Ming¡¯s father, wasn¡¯t he? ¡°Ming¡¯er, listen, you can¡¯t do this! Quickly tell Lord Eunuch you were confused, or you¡¯ll lose your head!¡± Xu Zheng struggled to piece together a coherent reprimand, stammering as he went. He had intended to assert his ¡°fatherly authority.¡± But as he approached Xu Ming, the aura of strength and the imposing presence radiating from the young man made Xu Zheng falter. ¡°Young man, you really ought to reconsider this. For ordinary people, this is the kind of thing they wouldn¡¯t dare dream of!¡± Qin Ruhai, the father of Qin Qingwan, also stepped forward to advise him kindly. In truth, Qin Ruhai believed Xu Ming hadn¡¯t let go of his daughter. If his daughter hadn¡¯t joined the Tianxuan Sect, hadn¡¯t been born with an Innate Sacred Body¡ªthen, given Xu Ming¡¯s current status, Qin Ruhai would have fully supported the marriage. But things are different now. Xu Ming, even though you¡¯re the top scholar, even though you¡¯ve achieved first place in all three imperial examinations, even though your poetic talent is renowned across the land, you are, ultimately, just a mortal. Qingwan may not even visit us a few more times before she severs all ties to the mortal world. As her father, I¡¯ve already resigned myself to treating her as though she¡¯s no longer my daughter. So why are you still holding on so deeply? Zhao Wenshan stepped forward and asked, ¡°Xu Ming, have you truly thought this through? This is defiance of an imperial decree.¡± As the top scholar, Xu Ming wouldn¡¯t be executed for rejecting the marriage decree. After all, the emperor couldn¡¯t justify such an action to the people. Otherwise, if word spread that ¡°the Emperor of Wu executed the top scholar for rejecting a marriage decree,¡± the empire¡¯s reputation would be in tatters. Still, Xu Ming was defying an imperial order, and in front of so many witnesses. I bestowed my only daughter upon you on the day you achieved top honors, and you dared to refuse? Do I, as Emperor, have no dignity? Clearly, the Emperor would need an explanation for this. Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Xu Ming spoke calmly, ¡°I will give His Majesty a proper explanation.¡± Xu Ming bowed respectfully to Wei Xun. ¡°Lord Eunuch, may I trouble you to wait for a moment? I wish to write a memorial to the Emperor.¡± Wei Xun opened his mouth, then slowly closed it, letting out a long sigh. ¡°Of course, I can wait here for the top scholar, but I implore you to think this over carefully.¡± ¡°Thank you, Lord Eunuch.¡± Xu Ming straightened and turned to Zhao Wenshan. ¡°Uncle, do you happen to have any memorial papers on you?¡± The reason Xu Ming asked Zhao Wenshan was not to slight the Xu family but because Xu Zheng and Qin Ruhai held insignificant posts, too low-ranked to carry such papers. They would have to request them from the Ministry of Rites. Although Xu Shuiya, as the Duke of Xu, held a high enough rank, his seniority made it somewhat inappropriate for Xu Ming to request it directly. ¡°I don¡¯t have any with me, but there are some at my residence,¡± Zhao Wenshan replied with a troubled expression, glancing at Xu Shuiya. Xu Shuiya hesitated for a moment before nodding. ¡°I have memorial papers.¡± ¡°Many thanks, my lord.¡± Xu Ming bowed again. With a sigh, Xu Shuiya led Xu Ming to his study. Xu Pangda and Zhao Wenshan followed, while the others, though curious to see what Xu Ming would write, stayed behind to console Wei Xun. ¡°I¡¯ll grind the ink for you, Fifth Brother.¡± Xu Pangda rolled up his sleeves, his chubby hands meticulously working the inkstone. Although Xu Pangda felt it was a pity for his fifth brother to refuse the marriage, he respected Xu Ming¡¯s decision no matter what. ¡°Thank you, Third Brother.¡± Xu Ming nodded, taking up the brush. Zhao Wenshan spread out the paper for him. Back in the courtyard, Xu Zheng and the others hurriedly tried to mollify Wei Xun. ¡°Lord Eunuch, please don¡¯t be angry. Ming¡¯er is still young and ignorant.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Lord Eunuch. Even though he¡¯s the top scholar, Ming¡¯er still has a youthful impulsiveness.¡± ¡°Rest assured, Lord Eunuch, we will talk sense into him.¡± They discreetly tried to slip silver notes into Wei Xun¡¯s hands, but Wei Xun, who might have accepted them under other circumstances, quietly pushed them back this time. ¡°Sigh, this top scholar of ours really is¡­ hmm?¡± Just as Wei Xun was about to grumble, he suddenly stood up in shock. Above the Xu residence, an aura of literary destiny began to coalesce. A gentle breeze, tinged with the essence of scholarly brilliance, swept toward the study. The fragrance of ink and the aura of literary fortune spread outward, filling the air for ten miles. Chapter 90 The fragrance of ink wafted from the Xu residence, spreading across a ten-mile radius around the Xu and Qin noble estates. Everyone in the vicinity caught a whiff of the rich scent of ink. Wei Xun glanced toward the study. He didn¡¯t know what kind of memorial Xu Ming had written, but he was acutely aware that a remarkable piece of literature had been born. Inside the study, Xu Ming laid down his brush. The memorial was completely filled, every inch covered with characters. Xu Shuiya and the other two companions stared at the dense, flowing script on the memorial, utterly stunned. ¡ª ¡°Minister Ming speaks humbly,¡± began the document. ¡°In obedience to the imperial edict, I am honored to be granted the opportunity to marry Princess Zhaowen. Such an honor surpasses my station and is a grace unparalleled in the realm, bestowed by His Majesty¡¯s benevolence. It bathes me in imperial favor and cleanses me with the light of divine virtue. The Grand Chancellor, Lord Xiao, once invited me to a banquet, where I composed a humble verse that, by chance, reached His Majesty¡¯s ears. Since then, I have risen from obscurity to serve His Majesty closely, a blessing beyond what I could ever repay, even with the sacrifice of my life. The princess¡¯s beauty is renowned across the land, her wisdom and virtue second only to the Empress herself.¡± This lengthy preamble served to recount Xu Ming¡¯s past experiences, express his gratitude for His Majesty¡¯s favor, and extol the princess¡¯s beauty and grace. He aimed to make it clear that he held no disdain for Princess Zhaowen; rather, she was truly extraordinary. His refusal was purely due to personal reasons. Then, Xu Ming began to explain his rationale: ¡°Yet, beyond the borders of the Wu Kingdom, the Northern Desert remains restless, and the snowy peaks to the north are shadowed by ominous threats. A myriad of demon nations covet the lands to our north. Among humanity¡¯s literati, many aspire to lead, but the Wu Kingdom views the Northern Wilderness as barbaric and alien. How does the Kingdom of Qi perceive us? I, though untalented, have been fortunate to serve His Majesty and wish to dedicate myself to the state, repaying the kindness of His Majesty¡¯s recognition. From a young age, though weak in body, I harbored no self-pity. Instead, I aspired to guard the borders for my country. In the dead of night, as I listened to the wind and rain, I often dreamed of the clanging of iron horses and the icy rivers of battle. I understand deeply that love between men and women is a natural sentiment, but how could I, in a time of national peril, prioritize personal emotions over concerns for the country?¡± Here, Xu Ming justified his refusal to marry the princess. It wasn¡¯t because he didn¡¯t wish to, but because he had grander aspirations and goals. Until those were achieved, he had no mind for marriage. ¡°At the age of six, I entered the path of learning; by eight, I knew of the plight of the borderlands. I admired the legacy of our forebears and have longed day and night to emulate their valor. Drunkenly inspecting swords, listening to the bugles in the cold wind, dreaming of the eight hundred leagues of banners raised for battle, the songs of fifty strings playing beyond the frontiers, and the autumn muster of troops on the sands. I yearned for the speed of galloping horses and the thunderous twang of bowstrings. I trust in His Majesty¡¯s wisdom to understand my sincerity. I am willing to dedicate my life to the kingdom, setting aside personal feelings. Thus, I implore His Majesty to rescind this decree. Although I lack extraordinary talents, I wish to fulfill my aspirations: to feast upon the flesh of barbarian foes, to quench my thirst with the blood of demons, to expand our territories, and to elevate the Wu Kingdom to the pinnacle of the world. On the battlefield, where life and death are uncertain, how could I selfishly marry the princess, only to leave her a widow? I beg Your Majesty to sympathize with my earnest plea and allow me to pursue my humble ambition. Whether alive, I will serve the kingdom; or dead, I shall repay my loyalty. Thus, I present this memorial, trembling with fear and gratitude.¡± ¡ª In the final section of the memorial, Xu Ming elaborated further on his reasoning. He claimed that his refusal was also for the princess¡¯s sake. Life on the battlefield was unpredictable¡ªdeath could come at any moment. If he were to marry the princess, he would inevitably have to leave her as he marched off to war. Should he perish, the princess would be left alone, a fate he couldn¡¯t bear to impose on her. Throughout this ¡°Memorial of Rejection,¡± Xu Ming adapted elements of Li Mi¡¯s Memorial to Emperor Wen of Jin and Jiang Zeng¡¯s Memorial of Rejection. He interspersed poetic verses, creating a heartfelt, well-reasoned, and eloquent argument. The entire memorial filled a lengthy scroll, with text so densely written that it covered nearly four thousand characters. In his former life on Blue Star, Xu Ming would never have been capable of writing such a masterpiece. However, over the years, the ¡°talent¡± attributes he had gained allowed him to compose this work effortlessly. The memorial was imbued with genuine emotion, logical structure, and sincere persuasion¡ªa true masterpiece to advise his sovereign. With the reward Xu Ming received for topping the imperial examinations¡ªSynergistic Cooperation¡ªhis ability to persuade leaders had increased by 30%. Taking a deep breath, Xu Ming felt that this ¡°Memorial of Rejection¡± should have given the royal family sufficient face and a graceful way out. The matter of declining the marriage proposal ought not to pose much difficulty now. A gust of wind, stirred by the flipping of books, blew through the window, swirling around the words of the memorial. Zhao Wenshan and Xu Pangda were deeply moved. The verse from the memorial, ¡°As a child, though frail and weak, I did not despair. I still aspired to defend the borders of my country. In the dead of night, I heard the wind and rain, dreaming of iron horses and frozen rivers in battle,¡± seemed destined to be enshrined in the annals of poetry. Meanwhile, ¡°With fierce ambition, I¡¯ll feast on barbarian flesh; in jest, I¡¯ll quench my thirst with the blood of demons¡± stirred Zhao Wenshan¡¯s heart with passion. The lines, ¡°Drunkenly inspecting swords, hearing bugles in the cold wind. Banners of eight hundred leagues raised high, fifty strings echoing beyond the frontier, autumn muster on the battlefield. Horses gallop like bolts of lightning, bows twang like crackling thunder,¡± felt like part of an unfinished poem, leaving Zhao Wenshan itching to read the rest. Once the ink on the memorial had dried, Xu Ming carefully rolled it up and stepped out of the study. ¡ª ¡°Thank you for waiting,¡± Xu Ming said as he walked into the courtyard and handed the memorial, now encased in an aura of literary brilliance, to Wei Xun. Glancing at the scroll, Wei Xun respectfully accepted it with both hands. ¡°I shall return to report, then.¡± ¡°Many thanks, Eunuch Wei,¡± Xu Ming replied with a smile. Wei Xun gave Xu Ming a complex look before leading the palace attendants out of the Xu residence. Xu Shuiya, realizing the gravity of the moment, hurried forward to personally escort the group out. ¡ª ¡°Your Majesty,¡± Wei Xun bowed deeply in the Imperial Study. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Did that rascal Xu Ming burst with joy upon learning he was granted a marriage?¡± Emperor Wu asked with a chuckle, his eyes still fixed on the memorials he was reviewing at his desk. ¡°Your Majesty¡­ the top scholar¡­ declined the marriage,¡± Wei Xun said softly. ¡°What?¡± The emperor¡¯s head shot up, his brush jerking in surprise and splattering ink across the memorial in front of him. Sure enough, in Wei Xun¡¯s hands was a document¡ªa formal memorial. The emperor¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°What reason did that rascal give?¡± ¡°Your Majesty, here is the memorial written by the top scholar,¡± Wei Xun said as he stepped forward to present it. ¡°Bring it here.¡± The emperor nodded. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Wei Xun approached and handed over the scroll. Unrolling the document, Emperor Wu began reading to see what exactly Xu Ming had to say. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Standing nervously to the side, Wei Xun braced himself for the emperor¡¯s anger. But to his surprise, the emperor¡¯s lips curled into a faint smile as he read. ¡°What is going on?¡± Wei Xun thought to himself, curious about what was written in the memorial. ¡°Wei Xun,¡± Emperor Wu said as he placed the memorial down and looked up. ¡°Your servant is here,¡± Wei Xun quickly bowed his head. ¡°During tomorrow¡¯s morning court, present this memorial for all the officials to read,¡± the emperor said with a smile. ¡°This rascal¡­ truly leaves one at a loss for words.¡± Chapter 91 ¡°Good morning, Lord Xiao.¡± ¡°Good morning, Lord He.¡± ¡°Congratulations, Lord Xiao!¡± Lord He clasped his hands in a gesture of celebration. ¡°Congratulations? What for?¡± Xiao Mochi responded with a smile. Lord He explained, ¡°Xu Ming and Xu Pangda were both your students, weren¡¯t they? Back in the Zhi Xing Academy, you were the one who enlightened them. Now, one has become the top scholar, and the other the second-ranked. Isn¡¯t that worth celebrating?¡± Xiao Mochi shook his head lightly. ¡°Xu Ming and Xu Pangda have achieved what they have today entirely through their own efforts. My early teachings were hardly significant.¡± Lord He chuckled. ¡°That may be so, but the bond between you runs deep.¡± Xiao Mochi understood the implication in Lord He¡¯s words but maintained his calm smile. ¡°I only hope that they serve as honest officials and remain true to themselves. If we can enjoy a few cups of tea together in the future, that would be the greatest joy.¡± Lord He paused for a moment, then nodded. ¡°Lord Xiao speaks the truth. After you, Lord Xiao.¡± ¡°After you, Lord He.¡± The two entered the palace together. Inside the Hall of Heaven and Earth, the officials gradually gathered. ¡°Did you hear? His Majesty granted a marriage to Xu Ming yesterday.¡± ¡°How could I not? I was at the Xu residence when the top scholar declined the Emperor¡¯s offer with my own eyes.¡± ¡°They say Xu Ming wrote a memorial to the throne that resonated deeply with both civil and martial paths.¡± ¡°I¡¯m also curious about what exactly he wrote in that memorial.¡± ¡°Regardless of its contents, rejecting the royal marriage will undoubtedly offend His Majesty¡¯s honor.¡± The court buzzed with hushed conversations about the events at the Xu residence the previous day. Unsurprisingly, news of the incident had already begun to spread across the capital. If the reasoning in Xu Ming¡¯s memorial lacked justification, it could lead to serious trouble. Listening to the discussions, Xiao Mochi remained composed. Though Xiao Mochi had hoped Xu Ming would marry the princess and strengthen the royal lineage by producing imperial heirs, Xu Ming¡¯s refusal only made Xiao Mochi regard him even more highly. Xu Ming must have his own reasons for refusing. At the very least, it showed he was not the type to compromise for power. ¡°His Majesty arrives!¡± At the sharp call of Eunuch Wei, the officials instantly fell silent. ¡°We humbly welcome Your Majesty!¡± the officials chorused. ¡°Rise, my loyal subjects.¡± Emperor Wu adjusted his sleeves. ¡°Before today¡¯s court session, there is a memorial that I would like all of you to review.¡± ¡ª Meanwhile, Xu Ming had already risen and was practicing his Heaven-Opening Fist in the courtyard. Having grown up, Xu Ming now adhered to the principle of male adults avoiding their mothers and had moved out of the family courtyard to live with Xu Pangda. ¡°Fifth Brother, you¡¯re up early,¡± Xu Pangda said as he stepped out of his room and saw his younger brother practicing in the courtyard. Xu Pangda glanced at the time¡ªit was barely past dawn. ¡°I got used to this in the Blood Asura Battalion.¡± Xu Ming replied as he finished a set of movements. ¡°Why don¡¯t you sleep a bit longer, Third Brother?¡± Xu Pangda laughed heartily. ¡°I¡¯ve long been accustomed to waking up early to read. Don¡¯t mind me, Fifth Brother. Continue with your training.¡± Xu Ming nodded and resumed his practice. Xu Pangda took a book and sat in the courtyard to read, though his gaze frequently drifted toward Xu Ming. After burning a stick of incense, Xu Ming finished his morning routine, took a deep breath to calm the martial energy coursing through him, and noticed Xu Pangda staring. With a smile, he asked, ¡°Third Brother, is something on your mind? You¡¯ve been looking at me this whole time.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing much,¡± Xu Pangda chuckled. ¡°I was just wondering if the reason you gave in your memorial for declining the marriage was really the whole truth?¡± Xu Ming smiled, not hiding anything. ¡°Not entirely.¡± Xu Pangda¡¯s curiosity was instantly piqued, and a hint of gossip gleamed in his eyes. ¡°Could it be that you¡¯re waiting for Qin Qingwan?¡± Xu Ming froze for a moment, then shook his head. ¡°No.¡± ¡°If not Qin Qingwan, then it must be Zhu Cici from Qi Kingdom? Miss Zhu?¡± Xu Pangda continued his guesses. Xu Ming looked puzzled. ¡°Why would you bring up Miss Zhu, Third Brother?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you write a poem titled Longing as a birthday gift for her? I even sent it to her for you,¡± Xu Pangda said matter-of-factly. ¡°You sent that poem, Longing?¡± Xu Ming asked, startled. ¡°Of course,¡± Xu Pangda nodded. ¡°Didn¡¯t you ask me to send something over? I saw the poem on your desk and figured it was meant for her, so I included it.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Xu Ming didn¡¯t know what to say. That poem, Longing¡­ surely it wouldn¡¯t cause any trouble, right? S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Especially with someone like Zhu Cici, a literary prodigy¡ªsuch a poem might leave a significant impression. ¡°You really like Zhu Cici, don¡¯t you, Fifth Brother?¡± Xu Pangda took Xu Ming¡¯s silence as confirmation and exclaimed in surprise, ¡°Fifth Brother, you need to think this through. You and Zhu Cici would face a lot of difficulties.¡± As the top scholar of Wu Kingdom, Xu Ming had earned the Emperor¡¯s favor and was destined to become a leader of the literary circle. It was impossible for him to marry into Qi Kingdom. On the other hand, Zhu Cici, a once-in-a-millennium literary genius, was a prized talent of Qi Kingdom. They would never allow her to marry out. No matter how one looked at it, Xu Ming and Zhu Cici seemed destined for heartbreak. ¡°Third Brother, you¡¯re overthinking it.¡± Xu Ming chuckled. ¡°I don¡¯t have feelings for Zhu Cici.¡± Xu Ming¡¯s decision to decline the marriage had nothing to do with either Qin Qingwan or Zhu Cici. Qingwan had likely forgotten him by now. As for Zhu Cici, it was even more impossible for her to elope with him¡ªsuch a move would have the entire Qi Kingdom hunting him down. While Xu Ming did feel a certain fondness for Wu Yanh¨¢n¡ªthey had spent a lot of time together, and she was indeed beautiful¡ªhe didn¡¯t think he was ready to settle down. In two years, when the Beauty Rankings were updated, Wu Yanh¨¢n would surely make the list. But deep down, Xu Ming knew he wouldn¡¯t stay in Wu Kingdom forever. Wu Kingdom, though one of the ten great human dynasties, still felt too small in the grand scheme of the world. Xu Ming wanted to explore. He wanted to see the immortal sects outside. To witness how warriors from other lands unleashed their power. To visit the thousands of demon kingdoms in the Southern Territories. To face the barbarian tribes of the Northern Desolation. To seek the truth behind the path of immortality. If he became the Princess¡¯s consort, leaving would become nearly impossible. He would have to wait until they had children¡ªspecifically, a son¡ªbefore even considering it. And who knew how many years that would take? Once he had a child, would he even still want to leave? ¡°Third Brother, I actually have my own¡ª¡± ¡°Fifth Young Master! Fifth Young Master!¡± Before Xu Ming could finish his sentence, Chunyan rushed into the courtyard. ¡°Fifth Young Master, quickly, to the front hall! The Princess¡ªthe Princess has arrived!¡± Chapter 92 In the imperial court, everyone held a sheet of paper in their hands. The paper contained the content of Xu Ming¡¯s memorial. After reading through Xu Ming¡¯s eloquent and impassioned several-thousand-word petition, the gathered officials couldn¡¯t help but draw a sharp breath. It was as if the entire hall had grown colder. This document¡ªa ¡°petition to annul the engagement¡±¡ªstirred the hearts of all who read it. A vivid image of someone unwilling to be bound by family obligations, determined to achieve great deeds unencumbered, leapt off the page. ¡°Why am I annulling the engagement? I am doing this for the nation!¡± ¡°How could I abandon the greater good for the sake of a small family? Besides, should something happen to me, what then? Wouldn¡¯t Her Highness the Princess be left widowed?¡± ¡°Let the engagement remain for now. When I conquer the northern wilderness and slay the countless demons, I shall return with a ten-mile-long bridal procession to wed the Princess!¡± Within Xu Ming¡¯s words, one could sense a blend of a scholar¡¯s refinement and a general¡¯s passion¡ªa kind of romanticism unique to those two roles combined. Is this truly the writing of a fourteen-year-old? This is the epitome of a Confucian general! ¡°Lying at night, I hear the winds and rain; In my dreams, I ride my iron steed across frozen rivers.¡± The military officials, upon reading this verse, couldn¡¯t help but clench their fists around the paper. We soldiers may be ineloquent, unable to express our feelings, but this Xu Ming has written exactly what we¡¯ve always wanted to say and do! How magnificent this verse is! It even rekindled the battlefield spirit of many court-appointed military officials. The court may feel stagnant, but how much more invigorating it is to achieve glory on the frontier! ¡°What do you all think? Should this marriage be granted or not?¡± Emperor Wu appeared troubled as he surveyed the court. ¡°Congratulations, Your Majesty! Felicitations, Your Majesty!¡± At this moment, Imperial Censor Wang Changqing stepped forward, bowing to Emperor Wu with an expression of excitement. ¡°Felicitations?¡± Emperor Wu chuckled, a hint of helplessness in his tone. ¡°Wang Aiqing, what joy could there be in this for me?¡± [T/N: Aiqing=Beloved Minister/Trusted Minister. Emperors generally use this term to address their Ministers.] Straightening his posture, Wang Changqing spoke with delight, ¡°Your Majesty¡¯s affection for the top scholar is known throughout the land, as is your regard for his talents. How could the top scholar, a man of great wisdom, fail to discern that complying with Your Majesty¡¯s wishes would ensure a meteoric rise? How could he not know that, despite never meeting the Princess, the Consort Yun, as an ordinary woman, is ranked among the thirty most beautiful in the land? If Consort Yun is such, could the Princess be any less? How could he not understand the honor of marrying the Princess? Yet, he remains unswayed by Your Majesty¡¯s favor or the Princess¡¯s beauty, focusing solely on driving the barbarians from the north and vanquishing demons in the south. To gain such a loyal subject is a blessing for Wu, a blessing for Your Majesty!¡± When Wang Changqing finished, many in the court turned to look at him. This damn Wang Changqing. He criticizes everyone at every turn, biting like a mad dog, yet now he¡¯s the one lavishing praise? But it was obvious to all that while Emperor Wu¡¯s expression appeared troubled, he was inwardly quite pleased. Why? Because Xu Ming¡¯s refusal to marry elevated him to a higher moral plane! It demonstrated that Xu Ming would not be easily swayed by power. And that integrity was precisely what the Emperor valued most in Xu Ming! ¡°Your Majesty, I, too, offer my congratulations!¡± Minister of Personnel Ma An stepped forward and bowed. Emperor Wu turned to him, asking, ¡°Ma Aiqing, what joy is there for me now?¡± ¡°Your servant congratulates Your Majesty on creating a tale of everlasting camaraderie between ruler and subject!¡± Ma An¡¯s voice rang clear through the hall. ¡°Oh?¡± Emperor Wu sat up, feigning curiosity. ¡°How so, Ma Aiqing?¡± Ma An straightened and replied, ¡°In the past, the Liang Emperor invited Chen Mi to serve the court, but Chen Mi wrote a ¡®letter of repentance,¡¯ requesting to care for his aging mother. The Liang Emperor consented, and this became a tale passed down through the ages. Similarly, the Wei Emperor bestowed a title upon General Tang Wei, who then inscribed a ¡®ten-character plea¡¯ on a beam with his sword, expressing his wish to pursue the Way. The Wei Emperor granted his request. Ten years later, when the Wei faced a crisis, Tang Wei wielded his sword and shattered enemy ranks. Your Majesty¡¯s situation is no different¡­ And today, the Top Scholar¡¯s Petition to Annul the Engagement, untainted by the desire for beauty or power, driven purely by a heart devoted to the nation, is a testament to his integrity and righteousness, stirring the very essence of literary and moral virtue! If Your Majesty were to grant this request, then when the Top Scholar achieves his great deeds and earns his rightful glory, returning to marry the Princess, wouldn¡¯t this, too, become a story celebrated through the ages?¡± As Ma An¡¯s words settled, many officials in the court secretly sighed. Damn it! He said exactly what I was going to say! Emperor Wu nodded. ¡°What do my dear ministers think? Should this marriage be granted or not?¡± The Deputy Secretary of the Secretariat immediately stepped forward. ¡°Your Majesty, this petition clearly reveals the Top Scholar¡¯s aspirations. It would be wise for Your Majesty to grant his request.¡± ¡°I second this!¡± ¡°I second this!¡± The civil and military officials all echoed in agreement. The straightforward military officials truly wanted the Emperor to approve Xu Ming¡¯s petition. They didn¡¯t want such a promising young man to be tied down in the capital. But the learned civil officials, well-versed in court dynamics, all understood one thing: The Emperor had already decided to approve Xu Ming¡¯s request. He merely needed a graceful way to do so. How could they not provide him with that opportunity? ¡°Very well!¡± Emperor Wu nodded again. ¡°Since all of you have spoken so, it would indeed appear inappropriate for me to refuse his request. Someone, draft the decree!¡± ¡ª The Main Hall of the Xu Residence The master of the Xu family and his principal wife sat to the side in silence, not daring to utter a word. In the two main seats at the front of the hall sat the elderly matriarch of the Xu family and an extraordinary young woman. The matriarch¡¯s face beamed with joy, her wrinkles bunching together. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The young woman wore a white, floor-length gown embroidered with pink floral patterns. Draped over her arms was a light purple veil of gauzy silk, trailing over a yard in length. Her slender waist was cinched with a purple belt inlaid with jade, and her jet-black hair was tied with a pale lavender ribbon. A few elegant strands fell over her shoulders, making her porcelain-like skin appear even fairer. Her face was free of makeup, yet she radiated a fresh and striking beauty that captivated everyone in the room. How could such a beautiful girl exist in this world? Beside the young woman stood two palace maids¡ªone cradling a long sword, the other holding a jade zither. Wang Feng, observing this noble and exquisite young woman, couldn¡¯t help but sigh, ¡°What a stunning young lady. Why is Ming¡¯er unwilling?¡± Then again, she does seem rather cold. From start to finish, she hadn¡¯t smiled even once. ¡°Matriarch, Your Highness, the Fifth Young Master has arrived,¡± a maid announced as she entered the hall. In an instant, the long sword flew from the palace maid¡¯s arms. Before anyone could react, the icy princess was already gripping the sword, thrusting it toward Xu Ming¡¯s throat. Chapter 93 When Xu Ming had just stepped into the main hall, Xu Pangda hadn¡¯t yet reacted before seeing a cold glint flash past his chubby face. By the time Xu Pangda regained his composure, a long sword was already pointed at the throat of his fifth brother. The sharp tip of the sword hovered barely half an inch away from his brother¡¯s neck. It seemed that with just a slight push forward, blood would surely splatter. Everyone in the main hall was taken aback. Why had this stunningly beautiful princess suddenly drawn her sword without warning? True, Xu Ming¡¯s act of breaking off the engagement did leave her a little humiliated. But still, couldn¡¯t they sit down and discuss it calmly first? On the side, Chen Suya¡¯s face turned pale. She wanted to step forward, but Wang Feng held her wrist, stopping her. Wang Feng shook her head and glanced meaningfully at Chen Suya. Following Wang Feng¡¯s gaze, Chen Suya noticed something peculiar¡ªthere was something off about the way the princess was looking at Xu Ming. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chen Suya, skilled at reading people like Wang Feng, observed that though the princess¡¯s eyes were filled with anger, they didn¡¯t seem to harbor much hatred. ¡°Such speed, precision, and decisiveness¡ªwho would have thought the princess¡¯s swordsmanship is this exceptional,¡± Xu Ming remarked calmly, looking at the girl in front of him with a faint smile. ¡°You¡¯ve disgraced me in front of the entire world. Give me an explanation, or this sword might just pierce through your throat,¡± Wu Yanhan said coldly. Xu Ming glanced around the hall. ¡°I will give the princess an explanation. But may I request that the princess take a walk with me in the courtyard? If my explanation doesn¡¯t satisfy you, you can kill me on the spot, and I will have no complaints.¡± Wu Yanhan¡¯s sharp, phoenix-shaped eyes locked onto Xu Ming¡¯s, as though her gaze was as piercing as her sword, trying to lay him bare. Yet Xu Ming did not shy away from her stare. ¡°Hmph.¡± Wu Yanhan snorted coldly and flicked her sword. The blade traced a perfect arc through the air, landing neatly in the scabbard held by a nearby maid. Without another word, Wu Yanhan strode out the door. Xu Ming cupped his hands in a polite gesture to the others in the hall, then turned and followed her outside. The two walked side by side through the Xu family¡¯s garden. No one else was around. The frosty expression on Wu Yanhan¡¯s face had softened, replaced by a faint smile. ¡°There was no need for you to come here. My letter breaking off the engagement should¡¯ve been enough. His Majesty likely won¡¯t punish me,¡± Xu Ming said to the young woman beside him. To outsiders, it appeared that Wu Yanhan had drawn her sword out of rage at being rejected. But Xu Ming knew her personality all too well. She was worried about him and had come to the Xu residence to ¡°demand justice.¡± Her dramatic display served multiple purposes: First, by acting arrogant and unreasonable, she made others think, ¡°The top scholar was right to break off the engagement¡ªthis princess is terrifying! If they married, wouldn¡¯t he be completely henpecked?¡± This way, public opinion would favor Xu Ming. Second, it gave her father, the emperor, an excuse to de-escalate the situation: ¡°Father, I¡¯ve already made a scene and even threatened Xu Ming with a sword. You can step in to mediate and let the whole engagement matter drop.¡± ¡°Heh,¡± Wu Yanhan chuckled coldly. ¡°I was just worried you¡¯d get yourself killed. Otherwise, how could I repay the favor I owe you?¡± As she spoke, Wu Yanhan glanced at Xu Ming. ¡°When the imperial edict was announced, did you realize that I was the princess of this dynasty?¡± Xu Ming nodded. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect it at first, but I had a faint suspicion. After all, you¡­ are prettier than most women.¡± Wu Yanhan¡¯s smile deepened, a hint of amusement in her eyes. ¡°And when you found out that the person you were breaking off the engagement with was your former ¡®brother-in-arms,¡¯ how did that feel?¡± ¡°It was surprising,¡± Xu Ming admitted. ¡°But when I recalled that His Majesty sent me to Blood Asura Battalion and you turned out to be a ¡®woman disguised as a man,¡¯ it all made sense. This was likely orchestrated by His Majesty.¡± Xu Ming turned the question back to Wu Yanhan: ¡°When Princess entered Blood Asura Battalion, did you know His Majesty¡¯s intentions? Did you know I was to be your fianc¨¦?¡± A flicker of displeasure crossed Wu Yanhan¡¯s eyes. ¡°Call me Yanhan.¡± Xu Ming was momentarily taken aback but then smiled and corrected himself. ¡°Alright, Yanhan. Did you know I was your fianc¨¦?¡± ¡°No,¡± Wu Yanhan replied without hesitation. ¡°I was simply sent to Blood Asura Battalion for training. I had no idea my father had arranged for a fianc¨¦ to be there as well. It wasn¡¯t until after my training, on my return to the capital, that I learned of his intentions.¡± ¡°And when you found out that your former ¡®brother-in-arms¡¯ was to become your fianc¨¦, how did you feel?¡± Xu Ming asked. Wu Yanhan stopped walking, looking at him seriously. ¡°It wasn¡¯t too bad.¡± Xu Ming blinked. ¡°Huh?¡± Wu Yanhan casually tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, her demeanor devoid of any girlish coyness. ¡°If it had been anyone else, I¡¯d have knocked them flat with my fists. But you once saved my life. I told you before, I always repay my debts. So, rather than letting someone else benefit, I figured it might as well be you.¡± Xu Ming was at a loss for words. ¡°But I didn¡¯t expect you to decline the marriage,¡± Wu Yanhan said with a faint smile. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Couldn¡¯t bear to lay hands on your ¡®old comrade¡¯? Or are you still hung up on Qin Qingwan and Zhu Cici?¡± Xu Ming shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s neither of those. I just want to see the world.¡± ¡°See the world?¡± Wu Yanhan echoed. Xu Ming nodded, finally revealing a reason he had never shared with anyone before. ¡°After I enter the Rootless Secret Realm, I plan to leave the Wu Kingdom and explore the wider world. I don¡¯t want to delay your future. Besides, if I were to die out there one day, you¡¯d end up a widow.¡± ¡°How long will you be gone?¡± Wu Yanhan asked. Unbeknownst to Xu Ming, her delicate fists tightened slightly beneath her long sleeves. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe five or six years? Maybe longer,¡± Xu Ming said honestly. ¡°Will you come back?¡± Wu Yanhan¡¯s voice was calm, but her gaze betrayed a subtle tension. ¡°Of course,¡± Xu Ming replied with a nod. ¡°After all, my mother is still in the capital.¡± ¡°If your mother weren¡¯t in the capital, would you not come back?¡± Wu Yanhan felt an inexplicable surge of annoyance. Xu Ming glanced at her, immediately understanding. ¡°You¡¯re still in the capital. I¡¯d definitely come back to see you.¡± ¡°Hmph,¡± Wu Yanhan turned her head away. ¡°Who wants you to come back and see me?¡± Seeing her icy yet somewhat playful demeanor, Xu Ming simply chuckled, choosing not to say more. The two continued walking through the courtyard in silence, yet the atmosphere was far from awkward. ¡°So?¡± Wu Yanhan finally broke the silence after a long while. Xu Ming looked puzzled. ¡°So what?¡± Wu Yanhan turned to face him, stepping back gracefully with her hands clasped before her. ¡°I told you before, Wu Yanhan is far more beautiful than Zhu Cici. Now, do you still think I was lying?¡± Chapter 94 Bailu Academy (White Deer Academy), located in the Bailu Mountain Range. The mountain range spans ten peaks, along with Bailu Town at the foot of the academy, all of which fall under the jurisdiction of Bailu Academy. As for Wei Kingdom, where Bailu Academy is situated, it is a small human kingdom. Its territory is about one-tenth the size of Wu Kingdom, and its military strength is less than one-tenth of Wu Kingdom¡¯s. Compared to the ten major human kingdoms, or even most of the smaller ones, Wei Kingdom is weak. Around 70% of the human kingdoms surpass Wei Kingdom in strength. Yet, despite being surrounded by three of the most powerful human kingdoms, Wei Kingdom has managed to survive without being annexed. This is due to two key reasons. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. First, Wei Kingdom has maintained a neutral stance for the past thousand years, neither aiding nor offending others. Second, and most importantly, is the existence of Bailu Academy. Bailu Academy does not belong to Wei Kingdom. It is independent and not affiliated with any faction. Bailu Academy is simply Bailu Academy. Its history predates all existing human kingdoms. Bailu Academy is the dream of scholars across the land. Those who graduate from it often become renowned Confucian scholars or high-ranking officials in court. These great scholars go on to establish academies, while retired court officials often turn to teaching. As a result, Bailu Academy¡¯s influence extends far and wide, with its alumni spread across the world. Not to mention, the current headmaster of Bailu Academy is one of the ten most respected figures in the world. Thus, as long as Wei Kingdom refrains from stirring trouble, Bailu Academy ensures its peace and stability. Four years ago, a little girl arrived at Bailu Academy. It¡¯s not uncommon for the academy to admit female students, as many human kingdoms have specific quotas allowing royal children to study there. However, these royal children are not considered true students of the academy. They attend primarily for enlightenment, character cultivation, and moral instruction. After a set period, they must return to their kingdoms. But this little girl from four years ago was different. She was a true student, personally admitted by Bailu Academy. Moreover, she became the headmaster¡¯s final disciple. At barely eleven or twelve years old, the girl instantly surpassed most of the academy¡¯s members in seniority. As time passed, the little girl grew up. By the time she reached maidenhood, she had blossomed into a graceful and elegant young woman. Many nobles and royals, representing various kingdoms, were captivated by her innate literary talent and scholarly aura. Royal families and noble houses sought to marry her with extraordinary ceremonies, some even proposing to make her a crown princess. However, she rejected all offers. No one could discern her true thoughts. Then, as she reached marriageable age, the girl finally revealed her heart. One day, envoys from Wei and Liang Kingdoms arrived at Bailu Academy, each seeking to propose marriage on behalf of their crown princes. The girl did not appear. Instead, when the envoys reached her courtyard, they found the ground covered with fragrant tea leaves, adorned with petals of jasmine flowers. Jasmine symbolizes loyalty and devotion¡ªan unwavering heart, laid atop the tea leaves. The word for ¡°tea¡± (Üø) also shares a homophone with ¡°ming¡± (Ãú). In that moment, everyone understood the girl¡¯s intention. Her heart had long been pledged to someone. Though she never explicitly stated it, most could already guess: The ¡°Üø¡± spoke of ¡°Ãú.¡± It was highly likely that the author of the poem ¡°Beauty bids farewell to the mirror, flowers bid farewell to the tree¡±¡ªXu Ming¡ªwas the one Zhu Cici had fallen for. Many were surprised by Zhu Cici¡¯s affection for Xu Ming, but at the same time, they found it reasonable. After all, if someone gifted you such a poem, how could you not be moved? After that, the number of kingdoms proposing marriage to Zhu Cici lessened considerably. However, they didn¡¯t give up entirely. They still hoped their young nobles could get close to her. To many, the idea of Zhu Cici and Xu Ming being together was utterly impossible. Zhu Cici couldn¡¯t marry outside her kingdom. As for Xu Ming, who had achieved the rare feat of topping the imperial examinations in all three levels and had a bright future in Wu Kingdom, he was even less likely to marry into Qi Kingdom. Among those in the academy from Qi Kingdom, the three royal princes were especially persistent. They frequently sent gifts to Zhu Cici, even though she always returned them. Undeterred, they continued their efforts, trying their best to win her favor. Qi Kingdom had yet to determine its crown prince, and these three princes were all vying for the position. To them, Zhu Cici wasn¡¯t just a beautiful and exceptionally talented woman with an innate literary soul. Her father was Marquis Yunyi, Qi Kingdom¡¯s foremost Confucian general. Marrying Zhu Cici meant securing the unwavering support of Marquis Yunyi¡ªa tempting prospect for any of the princes. As for Xu Ming? The princes barely considered him a threat. True, that poem was impressive, but it was a thing of the past. Moreover, the relationship between Xu Ming and Zhu Cici seemed impossible from any perspective. As time passed, they believed that the poem¡¯s influence on Zhu Cici would fade. As she matured, she would eventually realize that her connection with Xu Ming was no more than friendship, and she would let go of the idea. When that time came, it would be their chance. ¡ª ¡°Cici, Cici!¡± Outside a courtyard in Bailu Academy, a young girl called out eagerly. After a moment, a maiden holding a book walked out of the courtyard. She wore a black-and-white brocade dress, embroidered with delicate white plum blossoms at the hem. A white brocade sash encircled her slender waist, accentuating her graceful figure. Her jet-black hair was styled into a simple yet elegant ruyi bun, adorned with nothing but a white jade hairpin shaped like a plum blossom. Though her attire was minimalist, it exuded an air of freshness and sophistication. Her face, lightly dusted with makeup, was framed by a subtle palace-style gown in pale blue, embroidered with cloud-like patterns and flying geese. A freshly picked white plum blossom was slanted in her hair, complemented by a single green jade hairpin adorned with dangling silver tassels and beads. As she walked, the hairpin swayed gently, adding a touch of liveliness to her elegant demeanor. Compared to her childish appearance four or five years ago, the maiden had now blossomed into full beauty. Her flowing black dress hinted at the youthful allure of her figure. Her almond-shaped face carried a natural purity unique to her age. She was poised, gentle, and refined¡ªa young woman who seemed born to embody grace and elegance. She resembled a black lotus¡ªpure and dignified. ¡°What is it, Weiwei?¡± Zhu Cici smiled as she stepped out of the courtyard. ¡°Cici, the teacher is calling us to class,¡± said the girl, Xia Wei, as she took Zhu Cici¡¯s soft, delicate hand. ¡°Class?¡± Zhu Cici blinked in surprise. ¡°Isn¡¯t today a rest day? Why is there a lesson?¡± ¡°I heard the academy has received a remarkable new literary piece. The teacher couldn¡¯t wait and wants to discuss it with us right away.¡± As she spoke, Xia Wei suddenly smirked, glancing at Zhu Cici with a mischievous glint. ¡°Cici, can you guess who wrote this remarkable piece?¡± Chapter 95 ¡°Who made it?¡± Zhu Cici asked curiously. ¡°Well¡­¡± Just as Xia Wei was about to answer, a sly glint flashed in her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not telling you yet. You¡¯ll find out soon enough anyway.¡± ¡°You little brat, leaving a story halfway¡ªyou¡¯re asking to lose your tongue!¡± Zhu Cici reached out to tickle the girl under her arms. ¡°Ahahaha, stop, stop! I won¡¯t say it, I just won¡¯t!¡± Seizing an opportunity, Xia Wei escaped from Zhu Cici¡¯s ¡°clutches¡± and ran toward the academy. ¡°Brat, don¡¯t let me catch you!¡± Zhu Cici laughed as she chased after her. The two girls playfully ran toward the academy, their laughter echoing in the air. As Zhu Cici neared the study hall, she quickly dropped her lively demeanor. With hands neatly folded in front, she became poised and graceful, exuding an air of elegance befitting the scholarly atmosphere. Before the hall, under a willow tree by the inkwell, sat the renowned scholar Wang, an elder of Bailu Academy. Before him were a dozen students, all princes and nobles from the various royal courts of the world. Elder Wang was responsible for teaching these elite scions. Though Zhu Cici was the personal disciple of Bailu Academy¡¯s headmaster, she never let her status exempt her from attending such lessons. In fact, Zhu Cici greatly enjoyed listening to lectures from different teachers. Each teacher had their own unique interpretations of Confucian classics, and Zhu Cici believed that by gathering diverse perspectives, she could deepen her understanding. Every lesson brought her new insights. The young princes and noble heirs by the inkwell brightened upon seeing Zhu Cici. ¡°Girls truly change as they grow,¡± they thought. Every time they went a few days without seeing her, Zhu Cici seemed even more stunning, her figure even more graceful. ¡°Teacher.¡± Zhu Cici and Xia Wei walked to the willow tree and respectfully bowed to Elder Wang. ¡°Hmm,¡± Elder Wang nodded. ¡°Find a spot on the grass to sit. The weather is lovely today, so we¡¯ll have our lesson here instead of in the hall¡ªit¡¯s too stuffy inside.¡± ¡°Yes, Teacher.¡± Zhu Cici and Xia Wei found a place to sit. With great tact, Xia Wei positioned herself between Zhu Cici and a nearby prince, subtly shielding her dearest friend. ¡°Today was supposed to be a day off,¡± Elder Wang began, ¡°but I recently came across an excellent piece of writing. I couldn¡¯t resist calling you all here for an additional lecture. I hope you won¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°You¡¯re too kind, Teacher,¡± the group responded quickly. Elder Wang was the head scholar of Bailu Academy, a figure of immense stature. The only reason he was teaching this group of young nobles was sheer coincidence¡ªit happened to be his turn to instruct worldly royals, and they were fortunate enough to be in his class. Many people would give anything to hear him lecture, and now that he was offering extra lessons, how could anyone complain? Although, truth be told, a few of them weren¡¯t exactly thrilled about the extra class. ¡°May I ask, Teacher, what masterpiece inspired such joy in you?¡± The eldest prince of Qi, seated at the front, eagerly asked, trying to make his presence known. The others also looked at Elder Wang with curiosity. What kind of writing could excite him so much that he couldn¡¯t wait to share it? ¡°Hahaha,¡± Elder Wang chuckled, stroking his beard. ¡°To be precise, it¡¯s a memorial to the throne, written by a minister of the Wu Kingdom for their emperor.¡± ¡°A memorial?¡± The group grew even more intrigued. Memorials from ministers to rulers were rare to begin with, and even fewer had been preserved as timeless classics. To this day, only a handful had achieved such status. ¡°Hmm.¡± Elder Wang nodded slightly. ¡°This person should be no stranger to all of you, as one of his poems is far too famous.¡± His gaze swept across the crowd, pausing briefly on Zhu Cici. ¡°This person is none other than the current top scholar of the Wu Kingdom¡ªXu Ming. The article in question is a memorial he wrote to the emperor, titled Memorial of Rejection of Marriage.¡± ¡°Xu Ming?¡± ¡°Xu Ming became the top scholar?¡± ¡°How old is Xu Ming?¡± ¡°Wait! Wasn¡¯t Xu Ming already the provincial examination champion before?¡± ¡°Did Xu Ming actually achieve the rare feat of being the provincial, metropolitan, and palace examination champion all at once?¡± ¡°I heard Xu Ming joined the Blood Asura Battalion. When did he have time to study?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me the Wu Kingdom¡¯s scholars are so mediocre that even someone like Xu Ming, after wasting four years in the Blood Asura Battalion, could become the top scholar?¡± The crowd erupted into discussion. It wasn¡¯t that they looked down on Xu Ming. Rather, they looked down on the scholars of the Wu Kingdom. For someone like Xu Ming, who had supposedly neglected his studies for years, to become the top scholar¡ªit seemed the Wu Kingdom¡¯s intellectuals must indeed be lacking. Still, every so often, a genius seemed to emerge from the Wu Kingdom. Right now, it was Xu Ming. Before him, it had been Xiao Mochi. On the other hand, Zhu Cici was momentarily stunned upon hearing that Xu Ming had written a widely celebrated piece. She thought she had misheard. Sitting beside her, Xia Wei gently poked Zhu Cici¡¯s waist and covered her mouth with her hand, whispering, ¡°Cici, now you know who it is, right? Turns out it¡¯s your special someone! And he¡¯s written yet another masterpiece!¡± Zhu Cici¡¯s delicate, fair cheeks flushed with a tinge of red. Embarrassed, she swatted Xia Wei¡¯s mischievous hand away. ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense.¡± Xia Wei grinned even more. ¡°What? He¡¯s not your special someone?¡± ¡°You keep talking, and I¡¯ll¡ª¡± Zhu Cici¡¯s voice faltered as her embarrassment deepened. Still, deep down, a ripple of joy spread through her like a bubbling stream. To have written something even Elder Wang praised so highly¡ªwhat an achievement! But then, Zhu Cici quickly caught onto something¡ªMemorial of Rejection of Marriage? ¡°Rejection of marriage?¡± She unconsciously clenched her delicate fists under her sleeves, her soft lips tightening. Could it be that Xu Ming had been betrothed to someone? The same thought occurred to the rest of the group, who, after their initial surprise, started piecing it together. A memorial of rejection? That meant there had to have been a betrothal in the first place. Xu Ming rejected a marriage? Whose marriage did he reject? Noticing their curiosity, Elder Wang smiled and began to explain the context behind the article. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Not long ago, Xu Ming participated in the Wu Kingdom¡¯s metropolitan examination, emerging as the metropolitan examination champion. He then achieved first place in the palace examination, becoming the youngest triple champion in Wu Kingdom¡¯s history. In light of his accomplishments, the Wu Emperor decided to betroth his only daughter, Princess Zhaowen, to Xu Ming. This memorial is Xu Ming¡¯s response to that decree. Take a look for yourselves.¡± With a wave of Elder Wang¡¯s hand, sheets of paper filled with elegant calligraphy floated into everyone¡¯s laps. Curious, the group immediately began reading. The very first sentence left most of them dumbfounded. ¡°Your servant Xu Ming respectfully submits: Humbly receiving your imperial decree to wed me to Princess Zhaowen, such an honor exceeds my station and surpasses any conceivable grace bestowed by the throne¡­¡± At first, they assumed he had rejected the marriage proposal of some noble or princely family¡¯s daughter. But no¡ªhe had rejected a royal marriage to the princess of the Wu Kingdom? If memory served, the Wu Kingdom only had one princess. How could he dare to do this? Chapter 96 Madness! Xu Ming must be crazy! Everyone present knew that Wu Kingdom had only one princess. The current Emperor of Wu was in his prime, and barring any unexpected circumstances, he could easily reign for another three or four decades. During that time, the emperor could raise his grandchildren as heirs, with even his great-grandchildren coming of age by then. In other words, Xu Ming¡¯s child would undoubtedly become the future ruler of Wu Kingdom. This meant Xu Ming¡¯s future status would be that of the ¡°Empress Dowager.¡± No one could comprehend why Xu Ming would reject such an opportunity. ¡°Could it be that the appearance of the Wu Kingdom princess is¡­?¡± A princess from another kingdom raised the question hesitantly. Although she left her sentence unfinished, everyone knew what she was implying. ¡°That¡¯s unlikely,¡± said a prince from Liang Kingdom, shaking his head. ¡°The princess¡¯s mother ranked 30th on the Beauty List, and she was just a mortal. After her, no other mortal has achieved such a high ranking. ¡°As for the Emperor of Wu,¡± he continued, ¡°my mother once mentioned seeing him in his youth. He was known as a strikingly handsome man. With parents like these, how unattractive could their child possibly be?¡± ¡°Then why did Xu Ming¡­?¡± The crowd stared once again at the opening lines of Xu Ming¡¯s letter of rejection, utterly baffled. They all wanted to say Xu Ming was a fool. If it were them, they would have accepted the proposal immediately! Although Wu Kingdom¡¯s literary achievements were not particularly impressive, its military strength was among the top three in the human realms. As they lamented Xu Ming¡¯s seemingly foolish decision to reject the emperor¡¯s marriage proposal, they continued reading. For the Emperor of Wu to bestow his only daughter in marriage, rejecting the proposal required a valid reason¡ªone strong enough to preserve the imperial family¡¯s dignity. Otherwise, where would the emperor¡¯s honor go? Zhu Cici, who was also present, grew increasingly anxious as she read. Could it be? Did Xu Ming mention me in this letter? She thought back to their childhood, when she and Xu Ming had made a private vow of lifelong commitment. She had never forgotten it. Could it be that Xu Ming hadn¡¯t forgotten either? Xu Ming¡­ You¡¯d better not mention me in your letter of rejection! If Xu Ming named her in the letter, it would spell disaster. Rejecting the only princess of Wu Kingdom for a girl from Qi Kingdom would be a direct slap in the emperor¡¯s face. Not only would it leave the emperor without an honorable way out, but it would also be akin to tearing down the very path of reconciliation. No matter how talented Xu Ming was, even as a top scholar, his fate would be grim. Zhu Cici would rather Xu Ming accept the marriage proposal than see him face such peril. One incense stick¡¯s time later, everyone finished reading Xu Ming¡¯s letter of rejection. Initially, they were shocked at Xu Ming¡¯s audacity to reject the princess¡¯s hand in marriage, but as they read further, they began to understand. Xu Ming¡¯s refusal was not born of arrogance or contempt. It was rooted in his desire to serve his country with no distractions, his fear of dying on the battlefield and leaving the princess a widow, and his resolve to avoid any personal entanglements that might weigh on his conscience. The letter, written with heartfelt sincerity and eloquence, even contained a few lines of poetry destined to become timeless classics. This letter of rejection gave the Emperor of Wu ample dignity. By granting Xu Ming¡¯s request, the emperor not only won Xu Ming¡¯s loyalty but also created a tale of mutual respect between sovereign and subject that would be celebrated for generations. Whenever this letter of rejection was discussed in the future, people would not only praise its author but also commend the wisdom of the Emperor of Wu. Meanwhile, the emperor himself was probably delighted. Xu Ming¡¯s rejection indicated he lacked a hunger for power, focusing instead on noble aspirations. Such a virtuous and talented individual was a rare treasure. Having finished the letter, Zhu Cici let out a sigh of relief. Although the Emperor of Wu would not execute the youngest top scholar in Wu Kingdom¡¯s history over this matter and risk ridicule from the world, he would certainly impose some form of punishment. If Xu Ming had mentioned their childhood engagement, it would have been disastrous. Fortunately, this letter of rejection made no mention of her, and its sincerity was moving¡ªeven Zhu Cici herself was deeply touched upon reading it. In fact, given the heartfelt and respectful tone of the letter, it was unlikely the Emperor would punish Xu Ming. Instead, he might even reward him. Zhu Cici believed that, even though Xu Ming didn¡¯t mention her, she still held a place in his heart. It was clear he had chosen another reason to reject the marriage proposal. However, their identities made their relationship awkward. If she wanted to be with Xu Ming, there were many obstacles to overcome, and she needed to start preparing in advance. Speaking of which, Xu Ming¡¯s letter of rejection was truly remarkable. No wonder even Elder Wang praised it so highly. ¡°Everyone¡¯s finished reading, I assume?¡± Elder Wang looked at the students, who had all raised their heads, and stroked his beard with a smile. ¡°Since you¡¯ve all finished, let us begin the lesson. This letter of rejection may not be the most ornate in language, but it is clear, logical, and deeply sincere. Let us examine the first two sentences.¡± Elder Wang began his lecture. Out of respect for him, not a single student dared to be inattentive. Half an hour later, Elder Wang stood up. ¡°That will be all for today. For this letter of rejection, I want you to write your reflections and bring them to me in two days.¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± the students replied in unison, bowing before leaving. As the class ended and people dispersed, several princes invited Zhu Cici to view the blossoming peach trees in the grove behind the mountain. The peach blossoms were in full bloom and quite beautiful. Zhu Cici, however, declined. ¡°Junior Sister Zhu, a guest has arrived and wishes to see you,¡± Elder Wang said after class. Elder Wang, being the eldest disciple of the White Deer Academy¡¯s headmaster, naturally addressed Zhu Cici, the headmaster¡¯s last disciple, as ¡°Junior Sister.¡± ¡°A guest?¡± Zhu Cici asked curiously. Elder Wang smiled. ¡°At the Moon Terrace by the Ink Pool to the east. You may go and see for yourself.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Zhu Cici replied, bowing before heading toward the eastern side of the Ink Pool. About an incense stick¡¯s time later, Zhu Cici reached the Ink Pool corridor. At the center of the pool was a crescent-shaped Moon Terrace, connected to the shore by a long bridge. On the terrace stood a woman. Seeing her, Zhu Cici froze for a moment before her face broke into a warm smile. The young woman walked toward the Moon Terrace, her long legs moving gracefully beneath her ink-black dress. ¡°Big Sister Nan,¡± Zhu Cici greeted, bowing respectfully as she approached the woman, whose name was Nan Wenmo. Nan Wenmo turned around, her lips curling into a smile as she looked at the young woman who had grown into a graceful beauty, slender and elegant like a willow. ¡°Cici, it¡¯s been a long time.¡± sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Zhu Cici nodded. ¡°Four years.¡± Nan Wenmo nodded in return. ¡°Four years ago, I brought you to White Deer Academy. Four years later, can you guess why I¡¯m here now?¡± Zhu Cici¡¯s eyes curved into a smile. ¡°Could it be that Big Sister Nan is here to take me down the mountain?¡± Nan Wenmo shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ve come on behalf of someone to propose marriage.¡± Chapter 97 ¡°I¡¯ve come on someone¡¯s behalf to propose to you.¡± Nan Wenmo looked at the young girl before her with a playful smile. In Nan Wenmo¡¯s eyes, there was a hint of amusement, as if she was curious to see how the girl would react upon hearing that she was there to arrange a marriage proposal for her. Zhu Cici blinked gently, her smile soft and warm. ¡°How rare, Sister Nan, for you to come and propose on someone else¡¯s behalf. Truly surprising. I wonder who could have persuaded you, Sister Nan, to act as a matchmaker?¡± Nan Wenmo¡¯s eyes curved in a smile, her hands clasped behind her back. ¡°Who else could it be? It¡¯s the Xu family of Minghai County in Qi. We can¡¯t afford to disregard the Xu family¡¯s request. They¡¯ve specifically asked me to act as the matchmaker for their eldest son. You must have heard of him¡ªXu Ban.¡± sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Zhu Cici paused for a moment. ¡°I think I¡¯ve heard of him.¡± ¡°Of course, you¡¯ve heard of him,¡± Nan Wenmo chuckled. ¡°Xu Ban is a Heavenly Spirit Root and has been chosen by the Shanhai Sect, the foremost sect in Qi, as the head disciple of its sect master. He¡¯s one year older than you and is now a Sea Observation Realm cultivator, ranked twelfth on the Qingyun List. ¡°In terms of talent, you have a Natural Literary Spirit, while he possesses a Heavenly Spirit Root. Although a Natural Literary Spirit is even rarer than a Heavenly Spirit Root, the difference isn¡¯t significant. ¡°In terms of family background, Uncle is the Yunyi Marquis of Wu, and you are his only daughter. Xu Ban, on the other hand, hails from Qi¡¯s foremost family, with three generations serving as prime ministers. His ancestor was even a sworn brother of Qi¡¯s founding emperor. ¡°In terms of appearance, you¡¯ve grown into a graceful and stunning young lady¡ªso captivating that even I, your Sister Nan, can¡¯t help but feel a little tempted. Xu Ban is exceptionally handsome, known as the most attractive man in Minghai County. It¡¯s said that the line of girls wanting to marry him could circle the entire county. ¡°The two of you are well-matched in every way. So, what do you think? Will you consider it?¡± Zhu Cici shook her head firmly, declining, ¡°Sister Nan, it seems this trip of yours will be in vain.¡± Even though she was refused, Nan Wenmo¡¯s expression remained serene, her smile unwavering. She didn¡¯t appear offended by the rejection, as if she had anticipated this response from the girl in front of her. ¡°Why decline? Is it because of that Xu Ming?¡± Zhu Cici¡¯s cheeks turned slightly red as she nodded shyly, her gaze lowering. Her demeanor carried the pure innocence and bashfulness unique to her age. Nan Wenmo shook her head with a sigh. ¡°I¡¯d rather you refused the Xu family on the grounds of ¡®focusing on your studies¡¯ than because of that Xu Ming.¡± Zhu Cici asked curiously, ¡°Does Sister Nan have a poor opinion of Xu Ming?¡± Nan Wenmo shook her head again. ¡°Not at all. I love the poem and the Letter of Rejection he wrote.¡± ¡°Xu Ming indeed has great talent and is both skilled in literature and martial arts. For many women, he would be an ideal match. But for you, Cici, he¡¯s not suitable.¡± Nan Wenmo reached out and gently stroked Zhu Cici¡¯s hair. ¡°Cici, if you were an ordinary girl from a common family, and if Xu Ming were also an ordinary man, there might still be some possibility. But your status is too high, and you possess a Natural Literary Spirit. ¡°Xu Ming is currently deeply valued by the Wu Emperor. Whether as a scholar or a warrior, everyone praises him highly. ¡°With someone like him, how could the Wu Emperor ever let him go? It¡¯s impossible for you two to end up together.¡± Zhu Cici pouted slightly, her tone carrying a hint of coquettishness. ¡°Sister Nan, there¡¯s no need for you to keep saying this. So many others have told me the same thing. Besides, Sister Nan, when you were studying at the academy, didn¡¯t you also like that Xiao Mochi?¡± ¡°You little rascal, bringing up things I¡¯d rather forget.¡± Nan Wenmo reached out and tapped Zhu Cici¡¯s forehead with her finger. ¡°That¡¯s precisely why your sister regrets it! ¡°Men¡ªugh, there really aren¡¯t many good ones, especially men from Wu Kingdom. They¡¯re famously stubborn, like bulls that refuse to change direction no matter how hard you pull. ¡°If I had another chance, I¡¯d kick that Xiao fellow straight into that ink pool!¡± Zhu Cici¡¯s eyes curved with a smile. ¡°But Sister Nan, you didn¡¯t do that. And a few years ago, when someone came to propose to you, you rejected the marriage. Even when His Majesty arranged it and Uncle locked you up, on the day of the wedding, you ran away. Wasn¡¯t it because of that Mr. Xiao?¡± ¡°I did it for him,¡± Nan Wenmo admitted openly. ¡°I regret falling for that man, but it¡¯s something I can¡¯t undo. I¡¯ve experienced the bitterness of it, and that¡¯s why I don¡¯t want you to follow the same path.¡± ¡°Cici.¡± Nan Wenmo took Zhu Cici¡¯s small hand, looking earnestly into her eyes. ¡°You haven¡¯t spent much time with Xu Ming yet. Your feelings for him are still rooted in those memories from years ago. As a woman, I naturally understand how you feel. ¡°When a talented young man steps into your world and gifts you a timeless poem, it¡¯s hard not to be moved. Over the years, the purity and beauty of those childhood memories have only grown in your heart. But, Cici, much of that beauty is an illusion brought about by the passage of time. ¡°Time can amplify such feelings, but it can also erode them. Especially for someone like you, walking the path of Confucian cultivation to sainthood. You¡¯ve already reached the Cave Mansion Realm. Your lifespan will extend to thousands, even tens of thousands of years. ¡°Xu Ming, however, cannot cultivate. At most, he¡¯ll live two hundred years. To you, he¡¯ll be nothing more than a fleeting wave in the vast sea of your life.¡± Zhu Cici shook her head. ¡°Sister Nan, that¡¯s not how it works. Even if Xu Ming only has a lifespan of two hundred years, so what? Then I¡¯ll stay by his side for those two hundred years. ¡°And when he reincarnates, I¡¯ll find him again in his next life and stay with him once more. The Dragon Queen of the Dragon Palace has already searched for her husband across nine lifetimes. Why can¡¯t I do the same?¡± ¡°You stubborn girl,¡± Nan Wenmo said, momentarily at a loss for words. ¡°Why are you so headstrong?¡± Zhu Cici chuckled softly, her almond-shaped eyes sparkling with charm. ¡°Sister Nan, you¡¯re one to talk. If we¡¯re talking about stubbornness, no one can surpass you.¡± ¡°You cheeky girl, always so sharp-tongued,¡± Nan Wenmo said as she pinched Zhu Cici¡¯s cheek gently. ¡°Fine, fine. If I can¡¯t convince you, so be it. I¡¯ve said everything I needed to say. Acting as a matchmaker and helping my father secure a favor is enough for me. ¡°But, Cici, there¡¯s one last thing I want to tell you.¡± Zhu Cici nodded. ¡°Go ahead, Sister Nan.¡± Nan Wenmo looked at Zhu Cici seriously. ¡°Your feelings for him are one-sided. If, one day, you meet him again and he¡¯s forgotten you, what will you do then?¡± Zhu Cici clasped her hands in front of her, turning to gaze at the still waters of the ink pool. ¡°He won¡¯t forget me. He definitely won¡¯t forget me. Because we promised.¡± Chapter 98 The Zhu family¡¯s young lady, Zhu Cici, had left Yuetan Pavilion, leaving behind Nan Wenmo, who was already considered an ¡°old woman,¡± standing alone by the waterside pavilion. Zhu Cici had invited her elder sister Nan to visit the peach blossom grove, saying the flowers were in bloom. But Nan Wenmo declined with a dismissive, ¡°What¡¯s so special about a few peach blossoms?¡± Watching the younger woman¡¯s departing figure fade into the distance, Nan Wenmo sighed, a hint of worry flickering across her face. Arranging a marriage proposal on behalf of the Xu family was merely to repay her father¡¯s favor. Whether it succeeded or not didn¡¯t matter to Nan Wenmo¡ªin fact, she would much prefer if Cici refused. The Xu family¡¯s eldest son from Minghai County, while seemingly a good match in terms of status, was too calculating for her taste. He gave her the impression of someone similarly insincere. Cici, with her carefree and leisurely personality, likely wouldn¡¯t be well-suited for such a marriage. But more than anything, Nan Wenmo didn¡¯t want this promising younger woman to be weighed down by something as burdensome as ¡°love.¡± ¡°A few ounces of longing, a few ounces of sorrow; flowers fall as old acquaintances part ways,¡± she muttered, shaking her head as she watched the girl disappear into the distance. ¡°What¡¯s the point?¡± Retracting her gaze, Nan Wenmo looked down at the moonlit pavilion and, unbidden, a memory surfaced in her mind: a scruffy scholar, nose buried in a book as he walked, falling clumsily into the water. Her lips curved into a smile, and her long lashes cast shadows over her eyes, which shimmered with an unreadable emotion¡ªpart nostalgia, part self-mockery. ¡°Indeed¡­ what¡¯s the point?¡± With another sigh, she pushed the memory aside, banishing that man from her thoughts. Folding her hands behind her back, she strode purposefully down the mountain. Time to report back: she¡¯d done her best as a matchmaker. As she descended, however, her steps faltered, and she stopped abruptly. Not far ahead, a man was crouched over, vigorously digging for bamboo shoots. His posture and effort were almost comical. Nan Wenmo glanced left, then right, then broke into a grin¡ªthough she didn¡¯t dare laugh out loud. Quietly, she approached the man, positioned herself just right, and delivered a swift kick to his backside. ¡°Ahh!¡± The man yelped as he toppled forward onto the grass, getting a mouthful of dirt. ¡°Who was that? Who¡¯s so heartless as to kick me out of nowhere? Confucius says¡ª¡± The man¡¯s grumbling trailed off abruptly as he turned to see his assailant. ¡°Confucius says what?¡± Nan Wenmo asked, smiling as she looked at him. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Oh, Sister-in-law! Long time no see! What brings you back to the academy?¡± the scholar exclaimed with a sheepish grin. ¡°I came to find a younger relative,¡± Nan Wenmo replied, crossing her arms over her chest. ¡°So, Xiao Liu, you were about to tell me what Confucius says, weren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Confucius says: The best plan for spring is to enjoy bamboo shoots¡ªthey¡¯re the most delicious!¡± the man, whose full name was Lu Xiaoliu, joked with a wide grin. He wiped the dirt off a tender shoot with his scholarly robe. ¡°Sister-in-law, how about taking a few back? These academy bamboo shoots are superb¡ªperfect for stir-frying with some meat!¡± Nan Wenmo ignored the term ¡°sister-in-law,¡± which the man used so casually. ¡°Xiao Liu, you¡¯re supposed to be a ¡®gentleman of the academy.¡¯ But look at you¡ªmud all over, squatting to dig for bamboo shoots. Does this look like the behavior of a gentleman?¡± ¡°Come on now, Sister-in-law, don¡¯t say that.¡± Lu Xiaoliu wiped the mud from his face sheepishly. ¡°Your husband, Brother Xiao, was considered a paragon of virtue here at the academy¡ªalmost became the youngest dean, too. But even he once stole a chicken from the headmaster!¡± ¡°How dare you bring that up!¡± Nan Wenmo, enraged, picked up a stone and hurled it at him (Lu Xiaoliu nimbly dodged). ¡°That idiot got me punished, copying the Book of Rites a hundred times!¡± Lu Xiaoliu looked aggrieved and muttered under his breath, ¡°But wasn¡¯t it you who said you wanted to eat the headmaster¡¯s chicken? Brother Xiao only did it for you, and you ate both drumsticks! I only got the tail end¡­¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Nan Wenmo narrowed her eyes, her voice sharp. ¡°Nothing, nothing at all,¡± Lu Xiaoliu quickly shook his head. Nan Wenmo let out a couple of cold chuckles. ¡°Xiao Mochi left the mountain nearly ten years ago. Why are you still here? Why not return to Yue Kingdom?¡± ¡°Why go back to Yue Kingdom?¡± Lu Xiaoliu spread his hands, a touch of grievance in his tone. ¡°My mother redeemed herself from servitude and is living well now. She flat-out refuses to let me return. She says if I step foot in Yue Kingdom, she¡¯ll beat me out of the house with a cane. Where am I supposed to go then? I thought about going to Wu Kingdom, but your Brother Xiao said I¡¯d just cause him trouble and told me to stay far away from him.¡± As he spoke, Lu Xiaoliu tilted his head back and let out a heavy sigh. ¡°The world is vast, yet there¡¯s nowhere for me to go!¡± Nan Wenmo shot him a glance. ¡°I heard the First Dynasty of the human race¡ªQin Kingdom¡ªextended an invitation to you. Why didn¡¯t you accept it?¡± ¡°Qin Kingdom is too big,¡± Lu Xiaoliu replied, shrugging. ¡°As an outsider working as an official there, wouldn¡¯t the local bureaucrats crush me like a bug?¡± He weighed the bamboo shoot in his hand. ¡°Besides, White Deer Academy is much more comfortable. Joining the bureaucracy in a dynasty would mean getting entangled with the nation¡¯s Qi of Rivers and Mountains, which drains one¡¯s vital essence. Once you step into the bureaucracy, it¡¯s like falling into a deep abyss. If my vital essence gets depleted before I can escape or advance my cultivation to recover, wouldn¡¯t I just drop dead? Look at me now: digging bamboo shoots, fishing, occasionally pretending to read a book¡ªI¡¯ve already been labeled a ¡®gentleman.¡¯ If I just keep muddling through and outlive all those old codgers, won¡¯t I eventually become a revered scholar?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Nan Wenmo opened her mouth as if to argue, but after thinking it over, she realized Lu Xiaoliu wasn¡¯t entirely wrong. She shook her head. ¡°Your Brother Xiao once said your aspirations lay in the court.¡± Lu Xiaoliu wiped the bamboo shoot clean. ¡°Maybe that was true in the past, but now¡­ who knows?¡± ¡°Indecisive, just like a woman,¡± Nan Wenmo snorted, resuming her descent down the mountain. ¡°Fine, keep digging your bamboo shoots.¡± ¡°Sister-in-law,¡± Lu Xiaoliu called after her as she walked further away. ¡°What?¡± Nan Wenmo turned around. Lu Xiaoliu smiled faintly. ¡°Sister-in-law, don¡¯t judge Brother Xiao by his stubbornness or apparent indifference. I heard that when he learned of your engagement, he drank himself unconscious that very night. You know better than anyone how difficult the path Brother Xiao has chosen is. One wrong step, and he¡¯ll plunge into the abyss. To accomplish what he¡¯s pursuing requires immense resolve. He just didn¡¯t want to drag you down with him. Everything Brother Xiao has done¡ªit¡¯s all for the sake of his ideals.¡± ¡°Hah.¡± Nan Wenmo let out a cold laugh and turned to leave, her voice trailing back over her shoulder. ¡°For the sake of his ideals? He didn¡¯t even have the courage to marry me. How could he ever achieve those lofty dreams? Xiao Mochi¡ªjust a coward!¡± Chapter 99 As the woman in front of him walked farther away, leaving behind the words ¡°coward,¡± Lu Xiaoliu scratched the back of his head. He wanted to defend his Brother Xiao, but even he had to admit that Sister-in-law had a point. Still, Lu Xiaoliu felt his Brother Xiao hadn¡¯t done anything wrong either. ¡°Turns out dealing with feelings is harder than studying. Brother Xiao really has it rough¡­¡± He sighed and went back to digging bamboo shoots. After filling half a basket, he decided he had enough and slung the basket over his back, heading home. Back at his courtyard, Lu Xiaoliu untied a piece of cured meat hanging from the eaves, chopped some firewood, lit a fire, and set up the stove. He steamed a small pot of rice as well. Although, at his level of cultivation, he no longer needed to eat, Lu Xiaoliu¡ªlike most cultivators¡ªstill kept the habit. After all, eating was something ingrained over decades. How could it be abandoned overnight? Even if his stomach wasn¡¯t hungry, skipping a meal would leave his heart feeling empty. Soon, the aroma of stir-fried cured meat with bamboo shoots and freshly steamed rice wafted from the courtyard. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Just as Lu Xiaoliu sat down with his bowl of rice, ready to enjoy a delicious lunch, a cough came from outside the courtyard. Lu Xiaoliu shuddered and leaped to his feet. Turning around, he saw the old headmaster standing behind him. Bowing deeply, Lu Xiaoliu¡¯s forehead beaded with cold sweat, his expression somewhat awkward. ¡°Headmaster, what brings you here? What wind blew you in today?¡± White Deer Academy¡¯s headmaster, Qi Zhengju, smiled faintly. ¡°It was the fragrant wind of your cooking that brought me here. You¡¯ve got some nerve, you know that? The year before last, you stole my cured meat. Last year, you filched my eggs. And this year, you¡¯ve gone and dug up my bamboo shoots.¡± His gaze swept over the table laden with food. ¡°Oh, and it seems you¡¯ve cooked it all up, too. What, have you been waiting three years for this one meal?¡± ¡°Not exactly,¡± Lu Xiaoliu chuckled sheepishly. ¡°Just a coincidence, really. Care to join me, Headmaster?¡± Qi Zhengju didn¡¯t respond immediately, instead glancing down at the low wooden gate barring his way. Lu Xiaoliu quickly got the message and rushed over to open it. ¡°Please, Headmaster, come in.¡± ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s more like it,¡± Qi Zhengju said as he walked over and sat at the table. Lu Xiaoliu hurried to serve him a bowl of rice. The headmaster tasted the stir-fried bamboo shoots and cured meat, then tried the spicy scrambled eggs, smacking his lips appreciatively. ¡°Not bad, not bad. You¡¯ve got some skill in the kitchen,¡± he remarked. ¡°You¡¯re too kind, Headmaster. As long as you enjoy it,¡± Lu Xiaoliu replied, no longer standing on ceremony. He sat down beside the headmaster and began eating as well. They ate in silence, not exchanging a single word. Before long, the dishes had been nearly wiped clean, save for one last piece of cured meat. Both their chopsticks landed on it simultaneously. Qi Zhengju glanced at Lu Xiaoliu. Lu Xiaoliu chuckled awkwardly and withdrew his chopsticks. Satisfied, Qi Zhengju took the last piece and ate it. He patted his belly contentedly, sipped his tea, and said, ¡°Do you know why I came to see you today?¡± Lu Xiaoliu looked at him. ¡°You didn¡¯t just come here to eat, did you, Headmaster?¡± ¡°Do you think I¡¯m the kind of man who casually visits students¡¯ homes for a meal?¡± Qi Zhengju rapped Lu Xiaoliu on the head with the back of his chopsticks. Lu Xiaoliu pouted, mumbling, ¡°Well, all the ingredients were yours anyway, so I guess it¡¯s your call¡­¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Qi Zhengju asked. Lu Xiaoliu quickly shook his head. ¡°Nothing, nothing.¡± Qi Zhengju picked up a bamboo toothpick and poked at his teeth. ¡°There¡¯s something I need you to do.¡± ¡°Me?¡± Lu Xiaoliu pointed at himself. ¡°Yes, you.¡± Qi Zhengju shot him a sideways glance. ¡°I need you to make a trip to the Wu Kingdom.¡± ¡°Wu Kingdom? What for?¡± Lu Xiaoliu asked in confusion. ¡°You¡¯ve heard of Xu Ming, haven¡¯t you?¡± Qi Zhengju said. ¡°Of course! That famous genius from the Wu Kingdom. I¡¯ve read one of his poems¡ªit¡¯s remarkable how he could write such timeless verses at such a young age. Truly extraordinary,¡± Lu Xiaoliu said with a nod. ¡°And I heard he recently achieved top honors in three successive exams.¡± Qi Zhengju nodded. ¡°Go see him, evaluate him, and see if he meets our academy¡¯s standards. If he¡¯s suitable and willing, invite him to join the academy.¡± ¡°Is that all?¡± Lu Xiaoliu asked. ¡°And there¡¯s Xiao Mochi,¡± Qi Zhengju added calmly. ¡°Talk to him. Try to persuade him not to throw his life away.¡± Lu Xiaoliu furrowed his brow, stood up, and bowed deeply to the headmaster. ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll take care of it.¡± ¡ª In the capital city of Wu Kingdom, at the Prime Minister¡¯s residence, Xiao Mochi stood outside the study with his hands behind his back. The study door was ajar, and inside, an elderly gentleman was holding a brush, writing a memorial to the emperor. Outside, heavy rain fell in thick drops onto the stone-paved courtyard, creating ripples upon ripples in the water. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The raindrops under the eaves danced like the notes of a zither, big and small beads striking a jade plate, evoking an ancient and timeless melody. The lanterns under the eaves swayed in the rain, casting their light onto the grey tiles and dark bricks. Not far from the study, a bridge emerged and disappeared in the rain¡¯s veil. On it, maids and attendants, holding oil-paper umbrellas, moved briskly. The air carried the earthy scent of damp soil, mingled with the faint fragrance of flowers and the freshness of rainwater. For most scholars, rainy days were a delight. Xiao Mochi was no exception. He enjoyed listening to the rain, letting his mind drift¡ªit was his favorite way to relax. But today, his mind was restless. Still, Xiao Mochi never doubted his decisions. ¡°It¡¯s finished.¡± Prime Minister Fang came out of the study and handed the memorial to Xiao Mochi. ¡°Do you want to take a look?¡± Xiao Mochi shook his head. ¡°There¡¯s no need. Thank you for your trouble, Prime Minister.¡± Fang Ling didn¡¯t press further. He tucked the memorial away, clasped his hands behind his back, and gazed at the rain-soaked courtyard outside the study. ¡°Tomorrow, I¡¯ll submit this memorial and formally request to retire and return to the countryside. Xiao Mochi, don¡¯t forget what you promised me. If you do, I won¡¯t let you off.¡± Xiao Mochi nodded. ¡°Rest assured, Prime Minister. I won¡¯t forget.¡± ¡°No, I think you truly don¡¯t understand yet.¡± Fang Ling sighed, patted Xiao Mochi¡¯s shoulder, and walked back into the study. ¡°Xiao Mochi, although our philosophies often differ, I deeply admire you. So, don¡¯t die.¡± Chapter 100 Under Emperor Wu¡¯s directive, Xu Ming¡¯s resignation from the imperial marriage quickly spread throughout Wudu and even the entire Wu Kingdom. At first, many citizens were shocked to hear that Xu Ming had dared to reject the imperial decree. The emperor was offering his most beloved daughter to you, and yet you refused? Some felt Xu Ming was arrogant, ungrateful, and even overly proud of his talents. Yet others admired Xu Ming for his stance. His refusal of the marriage demonstrated that he was not swayed by power or wealth and embodied the unyielding spirit of a true scholar. To these people, Xu Ming¡¯s image soared. Still, most believed Xu Ming would surely face punishment. But then his letter of resignation was made public. This letter, with its eloquence and heartfelt sincerity, moved many scholars to stand by Xu Ming¡¯s side. After all, what of being an imperial consort? What of having the most powerful father-in-law in the Wu Kingdom? As a man, one should carve out their own achievements, not live as a gilded bird in a cage! The sons of Wu are meant to fight and strive on the battlefield, not cower in comfort behind the scenes. Xu Ming¡¯s letter resonated with many ambitious men who refused to live off others, sparking a shared sense of purpose. If the emperor had chosen to punish Xu Ming, they were even prepared to petition together in his defense. In the end, not only did Emperor Wu refrain from punishing Xu Ming, but he also rewarded him: 100 taels of gold, ten bolts of Shu silk, a rare Ferghana horse from the Northern Wastes, and the title of Wenwu Qing (Minister of Letters and Arms), a fifth-rank position. This title, created specifically for Xu Ming, carried no real authority, serving more as an honorary role. But the inclusion of both ¡°literary¡± (wen) and ¡°martial¡± (wu) in the title was a clear statement¡ªXu Ming had standing in both the civil and military realms. This was unprecedented in the history of Wu. Emperor Wu¡¯s magnanimity won widespread praise among the populace. Many believed that Xu Ming¡¯s letter and the emperor¡¯s understanding of his intent might be recorded in the annals of history as a shining example of mutual respect between sovereign and subject. In truth, Emperor Wu granted Xu Ming this nominal position to prepare him for the upcoming challenge of the Rootless Secret Realm. Had Xu Ming been given a role with real responsibilities, either in civil or military affairs, it would have been a distraction. For now, Xu Ming¡¯s sole focus should be on improving his cultivation. In less than two years, the Rootless Secret Realm would open for the final time¡ªa grand event for the most talented individuals across the land. For Xu Ming, this was not just an extraordinary opportunity but also a matter of national pride. If Xu Ming, representing the Wu Kingdom, were to falter, it would be the kingdom¡¯s reputation that suffered. Xu Ming fully understood Emperor Wu¡¯s intentions. Thus, during his most recent audience with the emperor to express his gratitude, Xu Ming also shared his desire to travel and temper himself in the outside world, promising to return in a year and a half. Emperor Wu readily approved. Xu Ming, having reached the Heroic Spirit Realm, indeed needed to broaden his horizons. Unlike cultivators, warriors could not simply meditate in seclusion to improve their realm. For cultivators, as long as they stayed true to their path and maintained an unshaken heart, their cultivation could progress steadily in isolation. But warriors were different. Warriors honed themselves through countless battles, pushing their limits and gaining insight into their martial path through life-and-death struggles. This was something no renowned teacher could ever provide for Xu Ming. Otherwise, why would every member of the Blood Asura Battalion, aside from their battles, also be given numerous monthly missions, many of which were grueling and life-threatening? This was precisely the reason. Upon learning of Xu Ming¡¯s intention to travel, Chen Suya, his mother, did not say much. As a mother, Chen Suya felt immense pride and joy for her son. She was well aware of her own limitations and often doubted whether Xu Ming was truly her child¡ªhe was simply too extraordinary. But Chen Suya knew the only thing she could do for him was to support his decisions and allow him to soar to great heights. When her son returned, there would always be a home waiting for him in this courtyard in Wudu. His mother would always be there for him. As for Xu Ming¡¯s elder brother, Xu Pangda, who had achieved third place in the imperial examination, Emperor Wu asked him what position he desired. Xu Pangda expressed his wish to leave Wudu and observe life among the common people. Emperor Wu smiled and said, ¡°Very well,¡± assigning Xu Pangda to be the magistrate of Baihe County in Chongyun Prefecture. To ordinary folks, Baihe County was just a simple county. But politically, it carried profound significance. Baihe County had produced three former prime ministers of the Wu Kingdom. Each of their careers had begun in Baihe. Moreover, it was the hometown of the current Prime Minister, Fang Ling. Thus, Emperor Wu¡¯s decision to appoint Xu Pangda as the magistrate of Baihe County was widely interpreted as a signal of his intent to cultivate and promote him. Once Xu Pangda gained sufficient administrative experience and an understanding of the common people¡¯s lives, he would likely serve in other positions for a few years. During this time, Emperor Wu would undoubtedly monitor him closely and test his abilities. If Xu Pangda passed these tests and proved himself a worthy talent, he would be recalled to Wudu. At that point, his rise to prominence would truly begin. In court, many officials marveled at the Xu family¡¯s fortune, wondering what kind of luck they must have had to produce such outstanding sons. While some attributed Emperor Wu¡¯s favor toward Xu Pangda to his younger brother Xu Ming¡¯s influence, those privy to the truth knew better. It was, in fact, a comment made by the esteemed Zhang Laoshi (Old Man) to Xiao Mochi during a casual conversation: ¡°This young man¡¯s future contributions to the Wu Kingdom will rival, if not surpass, yours and mine.¡± This remark, passed along by Tingfeng Pavilion, eventually reached Emperor Wu¡¯s ears. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In the future, when Xu Ming returned to the capital after achieving great merits for the Wu Kingdom, accepting his rewards and marrying the princess, and Xu Pangda was recalled to Wudu to assume a critical post, what kind of storm would these two brothers stir in the court? As for whether their power might grow too great and pose a threat to the throne¡ªperhaps even lead to a coup¡ªEmperor Wu had no such concerns. For one, Zhang Laoshi had vouched for the brothers¡¯ character. Moreover, unless the monarch of the Wu Kingdom were to act recklessly and exhaust the dynasty¡¯s mandate, the nation¡¯s fortune would not shift from the imperial bloodline. And there was also the Azure Dragon Seal, which could only be activated by the royal bloodline. Without its recognition, the kingdom¡¯s defensive power would decrease by at least a quarter. If Emperor Wu were to worry about anything, it would be whether the Xu family and the Qin family might overstep their bounds, forming factions and tarnishing the reputations of Xu Ming and Xu Pangda, all while plunging the court into chaos. However, Emperor Wu had already prepared countermeasures. When the day came to truly entrust Xu Ming and Xu Pangda with significant responsibilities, if their families failed to exercise restraint, they would have to face the consequences of their actions. As for the past camaraderie between the Xu family and the late emperor¡ªthat was in the past. The laws of their ancestors had already been amended under Emperor Wu¡¯s reign. What did the late emperor¡¯s friendship with Duke Xu and Duke Qin count for? Anyone who obstructed the progress of Wu would be swept aside by the current Emperor Wu! And just as the buzz around Xu Ming¡¯s Resignation Letter for the Imperial Marriage had not yet faded, a new announcement from the court quickly stole the spotlight. Prime Minister Fang Ling submitted a memorial to resign from his position, wishing to retire to his hometown and enjoy his remaining years in peace. Xu Ming didn¡¯t know much about this Prime Minister Fang, other than the fact that not long ago, Fang had visited the Xu residence and spoke with him for two hours. Xu Ming knew that Fang Ling was the only prime minister in the history of the Wu Kingdom to hold the position as an ordinary mortal. All previous prime ministers had been Confucian cultivators, and even when they retired, it was usually because they had overdrawn their life force and wished to preserve what remained¡ªperhaps to live for a few hundred more years¡ªor to see if they could break through their current limits and extend their lifespan by millennia. After all, everyone has their personal ambitions, and wanting to live longer is natural and understandable. Of course, there were exceptions¡ªthose too deeply entrenched in court affairs to extricate themselves. But Fang Ling was an ordinary man, free from concerns about the depletion of his life force. Moreover, Fang Ling had an impeccable reputation in the Wu Kingdom, earning the nickname Fang Ironface, a testament to his unyielding integrity. At sixty years old, Fang Ling was certainly advanced in age, but most mortal officials in the Wu Kingdom typically retired at seventy. This meant Fang Ling still had a decade of service left. Thus, his resignation baffled many in Wudu. When Fang Ling first submitted his memorial, Emperor Wu naturally rejected it, urging him to stay. Fang Ling insisted. Emperor Wu refused again. Fang Ling persisted. Emperor Wu rejected once more. After three rounds of resignation and refusal, Emperor Wu finally relented on the fourth. The emperor granted Fang Ling a retirement package of a thousand taels of gold, a hundred maidservants, fifty bolts of fine silk, and a hundred acres of fertile land as a token of appreciation for his service. But Fang Ling declined all of it. Instead, he asked only for a branch from the banyan tree in front of the palace¡¯s main hall, to make a ruler. Emperor Wu did not understand the significance of the request but granted it nonetheless. Three days before Fang Ling¡¯s departure, the Directorate of National Assets arrived to inventory his household belongings. When a prime minister steps down, the prime minister¡¯s residence must be returned to the state, requiring an inventory check. This process also served another purpose¡ªto determine if the official had engaged in corruption during their tenure. Under normal circumstances, for a high-ranking official who voluntarily resigned, even if there were signs of corruption, emperors throughout history would often turn a blind eye. The Directorate of National Assets would likewise be instructed to overlook minor discrepancies. After all, if you were truly corrupt to a damning degree, action would have been taken long ago, and your door would have been broken down by the Directorate. This process was more of a formality¡ªa way to give the official a dignified exit and preserve their legacy. But this time, the director overseeing the inventory was stunned. In Fang Ling¡¯s residence, there were no valuable paintings, no priceless antiques, and no exorbitantly expensive elixirs. In the study, there was only a landscape painting gifted by a friend, a desk, a brush, and an inkstone. In the master bedroom (the lady of the house¡¯s quarters), the jewelry and cosmetics were all of the cheapest kind found in the marketplace, and there were fewer than five sets of clothing. The household staff was maintained at the minimum level required by Wu Kingdom law. With Fang Ling having only one wife and three grandchildren (his two sons had joined sects and left the kingdom), many rooms in the residence were empty, unoccupied, and eerily quiet. The Director of the Directorate of National Assets felt something was off. Regardless of the circumstances, high-ranking officials like this would typically have some ¡°extra income.¡± Thus, the director ordered his team to dig deep and search thoroughly. But all they unearthed was layer upon layer of soil. In the end, finding nothing suspicious, the director had the ground refilled and the floors restored before leaving the prime minister¡¯s residence. When he stepped outside, he saw nothing but an old man, holding the hand of his grandson, smiling kindly like a simple farmer. The director bowed deeply. The old man returned the gesture. ¡ª The day before Fang Ling¡¯s departure, Emperor Wu invited him to the palace for a banquet. The feast had only two attendees: the emperor and Fang Ling. Even the empress, the court ladies, and Wei Xun, the chief eunuch, were all dismissed. ¡°Your servant greets Your Majesty,¡± Fang Ling said, bowing deeply. Emperor Wu hurriedly stepped forward and helped him up. ¡°Prime Minister, there is no need for such formality. Please rise.¡± Fang Ling shook his head lightly. ¡°Your Majesty, I am no longer the prime minister.¡± Emperor Wu¡¯s voice was earnest. ¡°In my heart, you will always be the prime minister of Wu.¡± Fang Ling simply smiled and said nothing more. Emperor Wu guided him to a chair. ¡°Prime Minister, these dishes were personally prepared by the empress. Tonight, we feast to bid you farewell!¡± With that, the emperor raised his cup. ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty,¡± Fang Ling said, raising his own cup and draining it in one gulp. Smacking his lips, he remarked, ¡°This wine is truly excellent.¡± The emperor chuckled. ¡°If you like it, I will have it sent to you every month.¡± Fang Ling set his cup down and said with a smile, ¡°Your servant thanks Your Majesty, but I must decline. A jar of this wine could be exchanged for much grain. Drinking it would make me uneasy.¡± The emperor was momentarily speechless. Fang Ling continued to smile as he looked at the emperor. ¡°Your Majesty, did you summon me here just to share a meal?¡± The emperor poured Fang Ling another cup of wine. ¡°The late emperor said you have the sharpest eye for people and have never been wrong. There¡¯s something I wish to ask your opinion on.¡± ¡°Please, speak freely, Your Majesty.¡± Setting down the wine jug, the emperor looked Fang Ling directly in the eye. ¡°After Xiao Mochi, who should be prime minister?¡± Fang Ling answered without hesitation. ¡°Chen Xuan.¡± ¡°And after Chen Xuan?¡± ¡°Fei Yi.¡± ¡°And after Fei Yi?¡± This time, Fang Ling closed his eyes and thought for a long while before answering, ¡°Xu Pangda.¡± ¡°And after Xu Pangda?¡± Fang Ling thought even longer this time, but eventually shook his head and said nothing. The emperor asked, ¡°What does the Prime Minister think of Xu Ming?¡± Fang Ling smiled. ¡°Last month, I visited the Xu residence and spoke with the top scholar for two hours. I urge Your Majesty to consider carefully.¡± The emperor¡¯s heart skipped a beat. ¡°Do you mean to say Xu Ming lacks talent in governance?¡± Fang Ling shook his head again. ¡°The position of prime minister would be the greatest waste of the top scholar¡¯s talents.¡± Chapter 101 The day before Xu Ming left Wudu, he visited the warehouse of Wudu¡¯s Zhenyun Division. The Zhenyun Division of Wudu could be likened to the Jinyiwei of the Ming Dynasty, an organization directly serving Emperor Wu. Typically, matters were handled through Wei Xun, who could be seen as the equivalent of the director of the Eastern Depot. Not long ago, Xu Ming had gone to the imperial palace to request something from Emperor Wu. Upon hearing Xu Ming¡¯s request, Emperor Wu was puzzled. However, after Xu Ming explained his reasoning, the emperor agreed but only allowed him to take a portion. Accompanied by the deputy director of the Zhenyun Division, Xu Ming entered a small room within the warehouse. The room was permeated by a peculiar odor, emanating from a liquid specifically used to preserve corpses¡ªsomewhat similar to formalin on Xu Ming¡¯s previous world, Blue Star, though not as pungent. At the center of the room stood a large coffin. When opened, it revealed the corpse of a monster, preserved perfectly in a pale blue liquid. A hole was visible where the heart of the corpse should have been. This corpse belonged to Shen Sheng, the man Xu Ming had killed years ago on Mount Shunan. The hole in the chest was the result of a punch Xu Ming had delivered at that time. After reporting to the court, Shen Sheng¡¯s body had been transported back to Wudu for research. Through dissections conducted by medical cultivators, it was discovered that aside from human blood, Shen Sheng¡¯s body also contained the bloodline of a magical beast¡ªStone Ogre Demon. In recent years, not just in the Wuguo (Wu Kingdom) but across various regions of the world, rumors had spread about a cult called the Black God Cult. The cult was said to be using magical beasts to enhance their power and conducting experiments on both cultivators and commoners. The Wuguo had organized multiple campaigns to eradicate the Black God Cult. However, the cult was like a hydra¡ªelusive and never fully extinguished. It always managed to resurface after some time. It was clear that Shen Sheng¡¯s body had been altered. Whether he had been forced into this transformation or had willingly undergone it was unknown, as he was already dead. But Xu Ming believed Shen Sheng had likely been coerced. Moreover, Xu Ming couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that Shen Sheng¡¯s last words to him carried some hidden meaning. It seemed as if Shen Sheng wanted to tell him something but was unable to. Before his death, Shen Sheng had requested Xu Ming to take his ashes back to Qingyang County in Shuzhou. Xu Ming was no saint; he had no intention of fulfilling the wishes of someone who had taken countless innocent lives. However, Shen Sheng¡¯s request was too peculiar. Normally, a criminal with such heinous crimes wouldn¡¯t have the gall to ask a stranger, especially a law enforcer, to take their ashes back to their hometown. This led Xu Ming to suspect that there might be something significant in Qingyang County. Thus, he decided to bring Shen Sheng¡¯s ashes and investigate. Xu Ming explained this reasoning to Emperor Wu during his audience. Emperor Wu believed Xu Ming was overthinking it, but nonetheless granted his permission. The emperor also gave Xu Ming a jade token, allowing him to approach the local magistrate directly if needed. ¡°Lord Wenwu, this is the corpse you requested. It has been well-preserved,¡± the deputy director of the Zhenyun Division said to Xu Ming. ¡°Thank you, Lord Lin,¡± Xu Ming nodded. ¡°I only need a small jar of ashes, nothing more.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± the deputy director replied. He drew a sword, severed one of the corpse¡¯s arms, placed it on an iron platform, and incinerated it with a breath of flame, personally reducing it to ashes. This deputy director, Lord Lin, was a Nascent Soul cultivator. Many cultivators from various sects took up posts in local government offices or the Zhenyun Division. This was usually for training purposes or in exchange for specific rewards. They refrained from engaging in political matters, so it did not affect their lifespan. The deputy director of the Zhenyun Division was one such individual. He did not involve himself in governance; he was merely a hired enforcer. Once he completed his training, he would return to his sect. Before long, the deputy director of the Zhenyun Division finished burning the severed arm into ashes, placed them into a small jar, and handed it to Xu Ming. After expressing his thanks once again, Xu Ming left the Zhenyun Division. The next day, outside Wudu City, Xu Ming bid farewell to his mother and departed the Xu household, accompanied by the Tianxuan Goose and Xu Pangda. Beyond the city gates, Xu Ming met up with Fang Ling and his family. Since Qingyang County¡ªXu Ming¡¯s destination¡ªhappened to be along the way to Baihe County, Xu Ming had been tasked with escorting Xu Pangda and Fang Ling there. As for the Tianxuan Goose, she had expressed a desire to see the outside world. Xu Ming didn¡¯t object and allowed her to tag along. Outside the city gates, Xiong Haizhi, Li Han, Guang Yin, and others came to see Xu Ming off. Even Hu Tao showed up, though Wu Yanhan did not. ¡°Who knows where that rascal Wu Yanhan has gone? We haven¡¯t seen him for ages. If you hear anything about him while you¡¯re out there, check if he¡¯s alive. If he¡¯s dead, at least collect his body,¡± Li Han said to Xu Ming. Li Han and the others didn¡¯t know that Wu Yanhan was actually Princess Wu Yanhan¡ªWu Yanhan in disguise. They assumed their comrade had simply disappeared and were somewhat worried. [T/N: I think her male alias might be Wu Yanhang in English. But since I was using Wu Yanhan from the beginning, I won¡¯t change it now.] Xu Ming smiled and nodded. ¡°Alright.¡± He had no intention of revealing Wu Yanhan¡¯s true identity. They would find out eventually¡ªhe might as well let them be surprised when the time came. ¡°Be careful on the road,¡± Xiong Haizhi cautioned. ¡°Avoid unnecessary trouble, especially with rogue cultivators. Disciples of prestigious sects still have some moral boundaries, but rogue cultivators¡­ they¡¯ll sell even their own wives for a bit of resources.¡± S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not a child,¡± Xu Ming reassured him with a nod. ¡°Big Brother Xu, take care!¡± Guang Yin said nervously. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. Not like I¡¯m going to die.¡± Xu Ming smiled, then glanced at the sky. ¡°Time to go.¡± Xu Ming and Xu Pangda climbed into the carriage. Together, they drove it toward Baihe County. The Tianxuan Goose flapped her wings, flew onto the roof of the carriage, stretched her neck, and let out a few cheerful cries. ¡°Not going to see him off?¡± On the top floor of the towering Stargazing Pavilion in the imperial palace, Emperor Wu stood with his hands behind his back, smiling as he looked at the young girl before him. The girl snorted softly, her expression calm. ¡°What¡¯s there to see him off for? It¡¯s not like he¡¯s going to die.¡± Emperor Wu chuckled. ¡°What if he meets a pretty girl on the road and forgets all about you when he comes back?¡± ¡°Ha.¡± The girl turned, folding her hands in front of her. Her skirt swayed as she descended the staircase below the pavilion. ¡°Well, she¡¯d have to be prettier than me first.¡± Watching his daughter slowly walk away, Emperor Wu stroked his chin and muttered to himself, ¡°Speaking of which, today happens to be the day the Beauty Ranking is updated.¡± Just as Emperor Wu finished speaking, a red scroll suddenly unfurled in the clear, cloudless sky, hanging high for all to see. Chapter 102 The crimson scroll hung high in the sky, visible to all. In Wudu, everyone lifted their heads. They all knew exactly what this crimson list represented. From scholars and poets to common folk in the marketplaces, everyone eagerly awaited the unveiling of this list. Compared to the Tianxia Rankings, which rarely shifted in hundreds or even thousands of years, Compared to the Qingyun Rankings, which celebrated the prodigies of the world, The Beauty Rankings held a unique appeal. After all, few men weren¡¯t captivated by beauty, and few women didn¡¯t enjoy comparisons. Even more so because the Beauty Rankings allowed ordinary mortals to be listed. Perhaps it was this accessibility that brought the rankings closer to the hearts of the common people. At the same time, across the realms of the human dynasties, the demon kingdoms of the Southern Lands, and the many sects large and small, whether human or demon, heads turned skyward. Citizens of every nation, disciples of every sect¡ªeach had their own goddess in mind, and naturally, they hoped to see their goddess make the list. Yet, among the countless billions of beings in the world, only one hundred adult women could claim a spot on the list. As Xu Ming traveled, he too paused to gaze at the crimson scroll in the sky. Even Prime Minister Fang, usually stern and reserved, stepped out of the carriage and sat beside Xu Ming and Xu Pangda, lifting his head to watch. After all, no matter their age, reading this list was a shared joy among men. [100th Place on the Beauty Rankings: Wang Ru] [Third Princess of the Wei Kingdom: A beauty akin to fish sinking and geese falling, her radiance eclipses the moon and shames the flowers. Her gentle smile exudes grace and elegance, evoking spring wherever she stands.] [99th Place on the Beauty Rankings: Chen Nan¡¯er] [Daughter of the Great General of the Qi Kingdom.] The Beauty Rankings revealed names from the bottom up. Each time a name appeared, it sparked a commotion somewhere in the world. Xu Ming didn¡¯t recognize any of the women listed in the bottom fifty. Even the Empress Xiao, once ranked 93rd, had failed to make the list this time. When it came to the top fifty, at 30th place, Xu Ming recognized Elder Wang Xuan of the Tianxuan Sect, who was also Qin Qingwan¡¯s master. Soon, it was time for the top ten! Due to differing tastes, the top ten spots on the Beauty Rankings often stirred the most debate. Each woman in the top ten had a completely distinct charm¡ªsome pure and sweet, others seductive and enchanting. Each represented the pinnacle of their style. However, beauty was subjective. While you might prefer an elegant and mature figure, someone else might favor a youthful and cheerful demeanor. You might admire a sword maiden, while another might adore a princess. Thus, many believed that ranking the top ten was unnecessary, as preferences varied widely. But the Beauty Rankings did have an order. This was because the list was generated by an artifact infused with the Heavenly Dao¡¯s laws, which ranked the women based on the collective preferences of the people. In other words, even if everyone¡¯s tastes differed and you hadn¡¯t met a single woman on the list, the Heavenly Dao knew your aesthetic preferences and cast your vote for you. If the majority favored petite girls at the moment, petite girls ranked higher. If the majority leaned toward mature women, their rankings rose. To be honest, Xu Ming thought the founder of the Beauty Rankings, the old patriarch of Tianji City, was truly a troublemaker. And yet, despite tens of thousands of years of criticism, this ¡°troublesome¡± list remained as captivating as ever, drawing the attention of all. [10th Place on the Beauty Rankings¡ªMo Zhu¡¯er] [Saintess of the Black Lotus Sect in the Western Regions. Born with a wicked and alluring nature, deadly as poison. To behold her is to long for the fatal sweetness, even at the cost of your life.] [9th Place on the Beauty Rankings¡ªBai Bing] [Princess of the Snow Demon Nation in the Southern Realms. Hair as white as snow, skin as cold as ice, her demeanor as frosty and unfathomable as a glacier.] [8th Place on the Beauty Rankings¡ªJiang Luoyu] [Sect Master of the Wanjian Sect. Her presence is like a sword: sharp, unyielding, and with a heart closed for a millennium.] [7th Place on the Beauty Rankings¡ªXu Xuenuo] [Disciple of the Wanjian Sect Master. As icy as her blade, her disposition mirrors her weapon¡¯s frigid elegance.] [6th Place on the Beauty Rankings¡ªNi] [Queen of the Nine-Tails Nation in the Southern Demon Realm. Bewitching and enchanting, she sways all beings with her allure.] [5th Place on the Beauty Rankings¡ªQin Qingwan] [First disciple of Elder Wang Xuan of the Tianxuan Sect. ¡°A girl of the Qin family grows into a stunning beauty; charming, poised, and gentle, her purity and grace true to her name.¡±] [4th Place on the Beauty Rankings¡ªWu Yanhan] [Princess of the Wu Dynasty. ¡°A peerless beauty unnoticed by the world, entrusted to a fool who doesn¡¯t know her worth.¡±] Xu Ming: ¡°¡­¡± Reading the evaluation of Wu Yanhan, Xu Ming¡¯s brow twitched slightly. ¡°A peerless beauty unnoticed by the world, entrusted to a fool who doesn¡¯t know her worth.¡± Wasn¡¯t this a direct jab at him, implying: ¡°You idiot, you don¡¯t appreciate Wu Yanhan¡¯s beauty?¡± Xu Ming couldn¡¯t help but feel that Tianji City seemed to have a personal grudge against him. While the rankings were determined by the Heavenly Dao, the comments? Those were definitely written by the Lord of Tianji City. [3rd Place on the Beauty Rankings¡ªZhu Cici] [Daughter of Yunyi Marquis of the Qi Kingdom and closed-door disciple of the Headmaster of the White Deer Academy. ¡°Most things in this world cannot be held; beauty fades from the mirror as flowers fall from the tree.¡±] [2nd Place on the Beauty Rankings¡ªLong Yueqiao] [Eternal Dragon Empress. Devoted to one man, she is 15,633 years old and has reigned at the top of the rankings for 14,032 years.] When the Eternal Dragon Empress was revealed to have dropped to second place, hearts across the world trembled in shock. The woman who had held the top spot for millennia, The one for whom people said, ¡°As long as the Dragon Empress lives, no one else can claim the throne,¡± Had fallen to second place? Then who was first? [1st Place on the Beauty Rankings¡ªShixin] [Disciple of the Thunderclap Monastery in the Western Regions. ¡°Renunciation, liberation, dissolution, annihilation, surrender¡­ yet, the heart remains unyielding.¡±] ¡°Shixin? A disciple of the Thunderclap Monastery?¡± Prime Minister Fang blinked, doubting his own eyes. ¡°Old Master, what is the Thunderclap Monastery?¡± Xu Ming asked, his curiosity piqued. Shaking his head, the elder replied, ¡°The Thunderclap Monastery is the foremost Buddhist temple in the Western Regions.¡± ¡°???¡± Xu Pangda¡¯s expression was one of disbelief. ¡°The Buddhist sects have women? And one is the top beauty in the rankings?¡± ¡ª At the Thunderclap Monastery in the Western Regions, a young girl in monk¡¯s robes sat quietly in a corner, facing an ancient Bodhi tree. She exuded an aura of serenity, like a tranquil spring untouched by time, growing more ethereal with every passing moment. She resembled a blossoming peach flower in early spring¡ªdelicate yet dignified. Her deep, serene eyes seemed capable of seeing through all the chaos of the world, while faint traces of compassion and tenderness radiated from her unconsciously. Her long lashes, like butterfly wings, trembled lightly, reminiscent of butterflies dancing among flowers. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Slender and graceful like the bamboo of the mountains, her fair, jade-like skin emitted a faint glow. Even clad in simple monk¡¯s robes, her loose sleeves fluttering lightly in the wind, she appeared otherworldly. ¡°Shixin,¡± an elderly monk approached, calling out softly. The girl stood, clasped her hands together, and bowed. ¡°Abbot Grandpa.¡± Looking at the young girl, who was both his disciple and his ¡°granddaughter,¡± the Abbot of the Thunderclap Monastery smiled and said, ¡°Shixin, it is time for you to descend the mountain.¡± Chapter 103 ¡°The top ten of this year¡¯s Beauty Rankings includes three from our Wu Kingdom!¡± ¡°Indeed! Our princess even ranked fourth.¡± ¡°Qin Qingwan from the Qin household and Xu Xue¡¯nuo from the Xu household in the Wu Kingdom not only made the Beauty Rankings but are also in the top ten of the Qingyun Rankings.¡± ¡°Sigh, Xu Xue¡¯nuo and Qin Qingwan are almost in their prime at sixteen or seventeen now, aren¡¯t they? They¡¯ve grown into such graceful beauties; they might just be the fairy-like figures of this new generation.¡± ¡°Our Wu Kingdom can finally hold its head high! Remember last time? Only Empress Xiao from our kingdom made it to the rankings, and she was ranked in the nineties.¡± ¡°If Her Highness¡¯s mother were still here, then¡­¡± ¡°Shh¡­ careful with your words.¡± ¡°By the way, who is this Shi Xin?¡± ¡°No one knows. We¡¯ve never heard of her.¡± ¡°If no one¡¯s heard of her, then she must have just recently come of age. Otherwise, her name would have appeared in the last rankings.¡± ¡°The abbot of Leiming Temple took in a female disciple? Isn¡¯t Leiming Temple strictly for men?¡± ¡°Who knows? But it¡¯s even stranger that Shi Xin ranked first on the Beauty Rankings. Just how stunning is this female monk?¡± ¡°Everyone knows the top ten of the Beauty Rankings shouldn¡¯t really have an order. It¡¯s just common consensus¡ªeach one is unreasonably beautiful in her own way, and preferences vary. But a female monk at number one? Does that mean deep down, I think she¡¯s the most beautiful woman in the world??¡± ¡°Impossible! Even though I¡¯ve never seen the princess, I stand by her!¡± ¡°Me too!¡± ¡°Speaking of which, Xu Ming must regret it now, doesn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°Of course! Not only did the princess make it to the top ten, but she ranked fourth! I can¡¯t even imagine how breathtaking she must be.¡± ¡°No wonder they call him ¡®The Fool.¡¯ Even the City Lord of Tianji City couldn¡¯t stand it.¡± ¡°Hahaha, maybe our princess¡¯s consort is now wallowing in regret.¡± At a tavern at the foot of a mountain, travelers, bodyguards escorting goods, and passersby stopped to drink tea, wine, and eat meals under a makeshift canopy. The Beauty Rankings, released just four days ago, had already been printed by bookstores across the mortal realm. Everyone had a copy, and it became the topic of conversation during meals. As people discussed the Beauty Rankings, a man¡¯s name was brought up for the first time: Xu Ming. Thanks to the widespread popularity of his public renunciation of marriage and the news of Wu Yanhan ranking fourth on the Beauty Rankings, Xu Ming earned a new moniker¡ª¡±The Man Who Didn¡¯t Recognize His Wife¡¯s Beauty.¡± At one table in the tavern, Xu Pangda was trying hard to suppress his laughter, determined not to let it show. Xu Ming, on the other hand, looked visibly awkward. Everywhere they went, Xu Ming would hear the same comment about himself: ¡°The man who didn¡¯t recognize his wife¡¯s beauty.¡± Fang Ling picked up a piece of beef and, smiling, teased Xu Ming, ¡°If you regret it now, I think there¡¯s still time.¡± Xu Ming shook his head. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. I still don¡¯t want to get married so soon.¡± Fang Ling nodded. ¡°It¡¯s good to take your time. Look around more, and maybe you¡¯ll realize that our princess is still the best of them all.¡± Xu Ming: ¡°¡­¡± After spending a few days together, Xu Ming realized that Fang Ling, the Prime Minister, who seemed stern and serious, would occasionally drop some witty comments. It was nice¡ªat least Xu Ming didn¡¯t feel awkward around him. That said, Xu Ming was genuinely curious about that female monk. According to Xu Ming¡¯s understanding, there were no nuns in this world. In other words, all Buddhist disciples were male, and this disciple named Shi Xin was the first-ever female Buddhist disciple. What kind of female monk could possibly be so beautiful as to be crowned the most beautiful in the world? If the Western Regions weren¡¯t so far away, Xu Ming thought he would have made the journey over the past year just to catch a glimpse of her. After eating and drinking their fill, Fang Ling and his family returned to the carriage, while Xu Ming and Xu Pangda continued driving at the front. ¡°Fifth Brother, is it just me, or does Xiao Bai seem unhappy?¡± Xu Pangda glanced at the roof of the carriage. Sitting atop the carriage was Xiao Bai, the Tianxuan Goose, its long neck drooping as if lost in thought. ¡°Oh,¡± Xu Ming replied casually, ¡°That dumb goose is upset about not making it onto the Beauty Rankings. Honestly, this goose has no self-awareness. It hasn¡¯t even taken human form yet. How is a goose supposed to make it onto the Beauty Rankings? Maybe it could try for the Animal Beauty Rankings instead.¡± ¡°Honkkk!!¡± Hearing Xu Ming mock her, Xiao Bai immediately flew down and began pecking at him furiously. ¡°Stop it, stop it! I¡¯m driving here!¡± Xu Ming protested. After a few moments of venting, Xiao Bai grudgingly flew back to the roof, resuming her melancholy mood. Five or six days later, after ten days of traveling, Xu Ming and his group finally arrived at Baihe County. ¡°They¡¯re here! They¡¯re here!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that the emblem of the imperial court on that carriage?¡± ¡°It seems so!¡± ¡°Quick! Start the suona! Beat the drums! Get the dancers ready!¡± Outside Baihe County¡¯s city gates, a welcoming party had already gathered to greet Xu Ming and his group¡ªor more specifically, the new county magistrate and the retiring Prime Minister Fang. When they saw the official emblem on Xu Ming¡¯s carriage, the sound of drums, suonas, and cheers erupted, with even dancers joining the celebration. This immediately reminded Xu Ming of a certain four-character phrase from a movie he had watched in his previous life: ¡°Taking Office in Goose Town.¡± ¡°Wow, this is quite the reception,¡± Fang Ling remarked, pulling aside the curtain of the carriage and sitting beside Xu Ming, a hint of sarcasm in his tone. ¡°Master Fang, is this a custom of Baihe County?¡± Xu Ming asked. Fang Ling¡¯s expression darkened slightly. ¡°I¡¯ve lived in Baihe County for nearly twenty years and governed it for three. I¡¯ve never seen such a custom.¡± Xu Ming pulled on the reins, bringing the carriage to a stop. As they disembarked, Baihe County¡¯s magistrate, Liang Wen, along with several local gentry, approached them. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Greetings to Master Fang and Magistrate Xu,¡± Liang Wen said with a smile, bowing respectfully. The gentry behind him followed suit. Fang Ling, maintaining courtesy, stepped forward and returned the bow. ¡°I am but a commoner now. What merit do I have to deserve such a grand reception from you, Magistrate Liang? When I first took office, I don¡¯t recall anything like this.¡± Liang Wen smiled and explained, ¡°Indeed, there wasn¡¯t, but this time, it¡¯s a double occasion¡ªyour honorable retirement and the arrival of a new magistrate. Naturally, we had to celebrate more extravagantly.¡± He gestured toward the city gates. ¡°Please, everyone, come inside. We¡¯ve prepared a banquet to welcome you and cleanse the dust of your journey.¡± Fang Ling gave a cold laugh and said, ¡°I¡¯ll pass. I need to return to my ancestral home and tidy it up. Young friends, I¡¯ll take my leave.¡± With that, he got back into his carriage and departed, giving neither Magistrate Liang nor the local gentry any face. Despite this slight, no one dared show any displeasure. After all, even as a commoner, Fang Ling¡¯s reputation ensured they had to maintain their smiles. At Baihe County¡¯s most renowned restaurant, Silver Sea Pavilion, Magistrate Liang had prepared a lavish feast, using the opportunity to introduce Xu Ming and Xu Pangda to the local gentry¡ªessentially the area¡¯s most influential figures, or as Xu Ming thought of them, the local big shots. These local gentry appeared polite and respectful, but in reality, if you tried to act against their interests, even as the county magistrate, it would be difficult to take action. In the yamen, you¡¯d essentially be a lone commander with no real support¡ªmany of your subordinates would have already been bribed. The welcoming banquet proceeded harmoniously, with everyone seemingly on good terms. When they realized that Xu Pangda¡¯s companion was none other than Xu Ming, the man who almost became the imperial son-in-law, their attitudes became even more respectful. Though the entire Wu Kingdom knew Xu Ming as ¡°the man with no eye for beauty,¡± no one dared to look down on him. After all, he remained one of Emperor Wu¡¯s most trusted individuals, and he could still marry the princess upon his return. Their future children would undoubtedly be the heirs to the Wu Kingdom¡¯s throne. As such, while many sought to curry favor with Xu Pangda, even more attention was directed toward Xu Ming. However, Xu Ming, while appearing polite, maintained a deliberate distance from everyone. ¡ª After returning to the yamen, Magistrate Liang began handing over duties to Xu Pangda. These included financial records, the granary inventory, and various unresolved cases in Baihe County. On the second morning after Xu Pangda¡¯s arrival, as he was cross-checking financial records, a sudden commotion arose outside the yamen. The sound of drums echoed through the air. Xu Ming, who was sitting with Xu Pangda, looked up, while Magistrate Liang¡¯s expression turned awkward. ¡°Someone! Go outside and see who is beating the drum!¡± Liang ordered hastily. ¡°No need, Lord Liang,¡± Xu Pangda said, standing up. ¡°I¡¯ll take a look myself.¡± ¡°Lord Xu, this is just a minor matter. Likely some troublemakers trying to bother you with trivial issues. Let me handle it for you,¡± Liang said, sweat beginning to form on his forehead. ¡°Even trivial matters are still matters,¡± Xu Ming interjected, setting down his teacup. ¡°Third Brother, let¡¯s go take a look.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Xu Pangda replied. Together with Xu Ming, he walked toward the yamen gate, with Magistrate Liang trailing reluctantly behind. ¡ª ¡°My lord!¡± ¡°The magistrate is here!¡± ¡°Lord Xu, please deliver justice for us!¡± ¡°Please deliver justice!¡± As soon as the crowd outside saw the new magistrate, Xu Pangda, dressed in his official robes, they knelt down and began kowtowing fervently. Seeing their plight, Xu Pangda felt a pang of sorrow, while Xu Ming furrowed his brows. There were twenty-six people kneeling outside the yamen. If it were just a few, it could be dismissed as an isolated issue. But such a large group indicated significant injustices in Baihe County¡ªwrongs that had led these people to place all their hopes on the new magistrate. Magistrate Liang, standing to the side, looked even more uncomfortable. ¡°Everyone, please rise and come inside to speak,¡± Xu Pangda said, stepping forward to help the foremost petitioner up. ¡°I will ensure that justice is served for you all!¡± ¡°Thank you, my lord! Thank you!¡± The woman Xu Pangda helped up immediately knelt again in gratitude. Xu Pangda pressed his lips together tightly. Xu Ming, observing his brother¡¯s expression, knew that this moment was when Xu Pangda truly embraced the role of magistrate. ¡ª Inside the yamen, Xu Pangda questioned each petitioner one by one, while Xu Ming listened quietly nearby. Magistrate Liang initially tried to intervene, but Xu Ming pulled him aside and kept him occupied with tea, leaving Xu Pangda to handle everything on his own. By noon, the crowd began to disperse, but not before each petitioner bowed deeply to Xu Pangda in gratitude. ¡ª ¡°Assistant Magistrate Huang! What is the meaning of this?¡± After everyone left, Xu Pangda picked up the records he had personally written during the inquiries and flung them at Assistant Magistrate Huang. ¡°Please, my lord, calm your anger!¡± Huang quickly knelt down, trembling. ¡°Calm my anger? How can I calm my anger?¡± Xu Pangda roared, his two-hundred-pound frame shaking with fury. ¡°How do you explain this? Aunt Niu¡¯s five mu of fertile land forcibly annexed by the Zhang family!¡­¡± ¡°Sun Dequan¡¯s daughter was humiliated in the streets by a wealthy family! Her brother, trying to seek justice, was beaten to death in broad daylight! Even the Xiao family wouldn¡¯t spare the ransom money meant for a courtesan! Scholar Wang, for ¡®offending¡¯ the Li family, had his leg broken! A scholar! How could the Li family dare to go this far?! And recently, children have been disappearing from Baihe Town¡ªboys and girls alike¡ªand you¡¯ve done nothing to solve it! How could you suppress all these cases?!¡± Xu Pangda slammed his fists on the desk repeatedly, the loud banging making Assistant Magistrate Huang tremble uncontrollably. Magistrate Liang, standing to the side, flushed red with embarrassment. Though Xu Pangda directed his scolding at Assistant Magistrate Huang, everyone in the room knew the real target was Liang Wen, the county magistrate. If not for giving Liang Wen some semblance of face, Xu Pangda would have already pointed at his nose and demanded, ¡°What kind of magistrate are you?¡± Assistant Magistrate Huang gulped nervously and glanced toward Liang Wen. Liang Wen sighed and said, ¡°Assistant Magistrate Huang, you may leave for now. I will explain everything to the two Lords Xu myself.¡± ¡°Yes, Magistrate Liang. Lords Xu, I¡¯ll take my leave.¡± Huang wasted no time in scurrying out. The atmosphere in the yamen¡¯s main hall became increasingly tense with only Xu Ming, Xu Pangda, and Liang Wen remaining. ¡°Magistrate Liang,¡± Xu Ming broke the silence, his tone calm but sharp. ¡°Though this is your county¡¯s matter and technically beyond my purview, as an official of the imperial court, I am duty-bound to assist His Majesty in addressing injustices. Surely, Magistrate Liang, you owe us an explanation?¡± Since Xu Pangda was unwilling to openly confront Liang Wen, Xu Ming stepped in to press the issue. ¡°Ah, my Lords, please calm your anger,¡± Liang Wen said, raising his hands in a gesture of helplessness. ¡°This is truly a matter beyond my control.¡± ¡°Beyond your control?¡± Xu Pangda could no longer contain his fury. ¡°Magistrate Liang, what exactly do you mean by ¡®beyond your control¡¯?!¡± Liang Wen, however, remained composed, even offering a faint smile. ¡°Lord Xu, when I first arrived in Baihe County three years ago, I was much like you¡ªfilled with passion and determination. But Lord Xu¡­ Baihe County is no longer a county of the Wu Kingdom.¡± Xu Pangda laughed in disbelief. ¡°Not a county of the Wu Kingdom? Then whose county is it?!¡± Liang Wen lifted his head, his gaze direct, and answered without hesitation: ¡°It belongs to the gentry.¡± Chapter 104 Liang Wen looked at Xu Ming and Xu Pangda, his expression full of helplessness: ¡°Gentlemen, Baihe County is not like an ordinary place. Indeed, three prime ministers once served here, and even Master Fang¡¯s hometown is in this county. Historically, Baihe County was known for its political clarity. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But things have changed. Over the years, a few families in Baihe County have produced cultivators. These individuals, after training in their sects, returned and leveraged their networks to establish the Four Great Clans of Baihe County. These clans have grown increasingly arrogant, controlling most of the county¡¯s industries. Additionally, these clans maintain numerous gangs to do their bidding. Being far from Wu Capital and just a small county town, Baihe County is a place where imperial authority is thin. Who would even pay attention to this place?¡± Xu Pangda chuckled coldly. ¡°Oh? What¡¯s this, Lord Liang? As an official of the imperial court, are you really afraid of a few small sects? Or has Baihe County suddenly become home to a great sect so powerful that even the Wu Kingdom wouldn¡¯t dare provoke it?¡± ¡°Lord Xu, your words¡­¡± Liang Wen sighed. ¡°It¡¯s not a matter of provoking them or not. If it were simply a case of violence, it might be easier to handle. The real issue is that my hands are tied. Before me, many officials were posted here. The officials may come from outside, but their subordinates are all locals. We all wanted to bring order to this place. But the problem is, our decrees can¡¯t even be implemented. Our subordinates stall and delay. What can we do? If you dismiss the clerks, you¡¯ll have to hire new ones from the same local pool. If you recruit from outside, they won¡¯t be familiar with the local customs, and no one will accept them. To make things worse, the four clans frequently offer bribes. Over time, almost every official who has served here has colluded with them. The county government has long been corrupted to the core. As a result, the four clans have grown bolder and more entrenched, dividing their illicit gains with the county magistrate. Typically, the split is thirty-seventy.¡± ¡°Only thirty percent for them?¡± Xu Pangda asked. Liang Wen chuckled. ¡°Lord Xu, the seventy percent is theirs. We only get thirty percent.¡± Xu Pangda: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It seems Lord Liang has also received quite a few gifts,¡± Xu Ming sneered. Liang Wen didn¡¯t get angry. He simply shook his head. ¡°Whether you believe me or not, I haven¡¯t taken a single coin from the Four Great Clans. As for the cases you are investigating, it¡¯s not that I didn¡¯t want to act. I simply had no way to proceed. Take, for instance, the case where Sun Dequan¡¯s daughter was publicly humiliated by a wealthy family, and her brother, seeking justice, was beaten to death in broad daylight. The perpetrators denied everything, and witnesses all claimed they saw nothing. What could I do?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Xu Pangda was momentarily at a loss for words. ¡°Lord Liang, do the case files still exist?¡± Xu Pangda asked. ¡°They do,¡± Liang Wen nodded. ¡°Though those cases are officially closed, I kept all the files. They¡¯re stored in my residence.¡± ¡°Please bring them to us. Since I am now the magistrate of Baihe County, I cannot stand idly by,¡± Xu Pangda said resolutely. Xu Ming glanced at Liang Wen and smiled. ¡°If we didn¡¯t plan to reopen these cases, what would you have done with those files, Lord Liang?¡± Liang Wen smiled back. ¡°I would have taken them with me to the prefecture. One day, I will see justice served.¡± Five days later, after completing the handover, Liang Wen handed the official seal to Xu Pangda and left Baihe County for the prefecture. In the days that followed, Xu Ming observed Xu Pangda tirelessly managing the county¡¯s affairs. While handling administrative duties, he personally investigated the old cases, determined to uncover the truth and see them reopened. However, things were not going smoothly for Xu Pangda. The others in the county office were well aware of what Xu Pangda intended to do. On the surface, they showed him great respect and seemed to carry out his orders without question. But in reality, they delayed at every turn, using endless excuses to stall. Every day, Xu Pangda worked tirelessly from dawn until late at night, but progress remained painfully slow. Xu Ming, naturally, didn¡¯t just stand by and watch. Originally, he was supposed to leave Baihe County soon to head to Qingyang Prefecture. But seeing Xu Pangda overwhelmed and exhausted, Xu Ming worried the young man might act recklessly in a fit of passion. So, he decided to stay and help. Finally, on the seventh day, Xu Pangda came rushing over, excitedly holding a dossier in his hands. He beamed at Xu Ming and exclaimed, ¡°Fifth Brother, I found a breakthrough!¡± ¡°Oh? What breakthrough?¡± Xu Ming asked. ¡°The Li family! The one who broke a scholar¡¯s leg! After my investigation, it turns out that scholar changed his name. He¡¯s now called¡ªYu Ping¡¯an!¡± Xu Pangda said, his voice brimming with excitement. ¡°Yu Ping¡¯an?¡± Xu Ming was taken aback. If the higher-ups were to learn that Yu Ping¡¯an, the current Imperial Scholar, had once been crippled by someone in Baihe County, the Li family and the other clans wouldn¡¯t need Xu Pangda to deal with them¡ªthey¡¯d be thoroughly eradicated by the court. Some matters, when kept in the dark, are as insignificant as a feather. But once brought to light, they weigh as heavy as a thousand pounds. ¡°Are you planning to report this to the court now?¡± Xu Ming asked. ¡°I can¡¯t help but feel there¡¯s something odd about this.¡± Xu Pangda nodded. ¡°I feel it¡¯s strange too. Logically speaking, such a deep grudge should have been reported by Yu Ping¡¯an to the Emperor. Even without mentioning that the Imperial Scholar was crippled, the fact that a scholar with a degree was assaulted should have been enough to get the Li family executed. Yet, there¡¯s been no reaction from the Emperor. So, I wonder if this is a test from the Emperor, leaving it to me to resolve. Or perhaps Yu Ping¡¯an never reported it, seeing this as a personal humiliation.¡± ¡°So, what do you plan to do, Third Brother?¡± Xu Ming asked. After thinking for a moment, Xu Pangda replied, ¡°I¡¯m not sure if the Li family knows that the scholar they crippled back then is now the Imperial Scholar. If they don¡¯t know, I¡¯ll let them find out. If they want to survive, they¡¯ll have to cooperate with me. Once I¡¯ve used them to deal with the other clans, I¡¯ll turn on them too!¡± Xu Ming shook his head. ¡°But, Third Brother, have you considered this: if the Li family already knows the scholar they crippled is now the Imperial Scholar, why haven¡¯t they fled?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Xu Pangda looked at Xu Ming. ¡°Fifth Brother, what are you implying?¡± ¡°This Li family might not be so simple,¡± Xu Ming said slowly. ¡°They could have someone powerful backing them, someone who won¡¯t allow them to run.¡± Chapter 105 The Li family estate in Baihe County. The estate sprawled across a massive fifteen hectares, its size comparable to that of a duke¡¯s or general¡¯s residence in the Wu Dynasty. Within the estate, artificial hills and streams, elegant gardens, and refined architecture abounded. The Li family even modeled a ¡°Thousand Carp Pond¡± after the famed Xu Manor in the Wu capital. The estate employed over a hundred maids and servants, not even counting the private guards. It was hard to imagine that such a grand estate belonged to a clan in a remote small town. In cities with stricter oversight, such a property¡ªfar exceeding what was permissible¡ªwould have drawn immediate scrutiny. But this was Baihe County, and for the Li family, one of the ¡°Four Local Tyrants,¡± such extravagance was untouchable. In the backyard of the estate, a man sat cross-legged on a large stone. Black spiritual energy surrounded him, flickering like a sinister aura as he practiced his breathing. His skin alternated between light and dark, lending him an eerie, almost demonic appearance. ¡°Hui¡¯er, are you sure we don¡¯t need to leave? That Yu Ping¡¯an is now an Imperial Scholar!¡± Li Chade, the head of the Li family, spoke anxiously. Li Chade had been on edge for months. Ever since the capital¡¯s golden examination roster reached Baihe County and he learned of the crippled scholar who had become an Imperial Scholar, he¡¯d had a sinking feeling. After conducting an investigation, he discovered the horrifying truth: this ¡°crippled scholar¡± was none other than the young man whose leg his family had broken years ago. Since then, Li Chade had been unable to sleep soundly. His son had crippled the legs of an Imperial Scholar! There was no way Yu Ping¡¯an would let this go. A single word to the Emperor, and the entire Li family would be crushed like ants. Li Chade had long planned to flee the country. Over the years, he had amassed a significant fortune and intended to escape to Wei Kingdom, Wu¡¯s greatest rival. Once there, what could the Wu court do to him? But his son remained calm and refused to leave, no matter how much he insisted. ¡°Father, don¡¯t worry. That crippled scholar, now known as Yu Ping¡¯an, won¡¯t come after us,¡± Li Hui said with a smile. ¡°How can you be so sure?¡± Li Chade had heard this countless times from his son but had never received an explanation. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you the reason, Father,¡± Li Hui replied, shaking his head. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°But think about it. If Yu Ping¡¯an wanted revenge, the court would have already sent someone. Why would they wait this long?¡± Li Chade: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Father, what you should worry about isn¡¯t Yu Ping¡¯an. It¡¯s the prefecture sending someone to investigate the disappearance of the boys and girls,¡± Li Hui said calmly. ¡°And whose fault is that? Why do you need so many children?¡± Li Chade snapped. ¡°That¡¯s not something you should ask,¡± Li Hui replied, shaking his head. ¡°But now we¡¯re short ten pairs of boys and girls. Father, you¡¯ll need to prepare those quickly. Don¡¯t you also want to cultivate? Once everything is done, that esteemed figure will help you achieve your wish.¡± Hearing that he too could cultivate, Li Chade¡¯s breathing quickened. ¡°Alright! I¡¯ll trust you on this.¡± Li Chade left the courtyard, while Li Hui resumed his meditation and cultivation. After the time it took for a stick of incense to burn, a fragrant wind swept through the courtyard. Li Hui¡¯s eyes snapped open, a look of fear flashing across his face. ¡°Your humble servant greets the esteemed one,¡± he said, bowing toward a tree in the courtyard. He knelt on the ground, prostrating himself completely in an expression of utmost reverence. ¡°Ding-ling-ling¡­¡± A gust of inky-black wind swept through, carrying with it the crisp, melodious chime of a bell from the tree before Li Hui. Perched on a branch was a young girl. Her eyes, deep and fluid like water, carried a faint chill that seemed to pierce through everything, her arched lips exuding an air of disdain for the world, as if everything was hers to toy with at will. She yawned, delicately covering her mouth with slender fingers, her skin as smooth as jade, a snowy white tinged with a soft pink, so fair it seemed to exude moisture. Her rosy lips parted slightly, a faint smile teasing at their corners. Every movement she made was graceful, as if she were performing a dance. Her long, flowing black hair swayed in the breeze, giving off a subtle fragrance, cascading down to her snow-white ankles, where a silver bell was tied. The bell¡¯s metallic sheen, the ankle¡¯s pristine whiteness, and the delicate flush of her feet formed a harmonious blend, akin to the most exquisite masterpiece of the heavens. Following the line of her delicate legs upward, one would find her slender calves, exposed under a scandalously short black skirt that barely reached her knees¡ªan attire considered utterly indecent by conventional standards. Her figure was not overly voluptuous, but her slender waist accentuated the fullness of her curves. Her forehead was adorned with a luminous butterfly-shaped jewel, faintly glowing, her brows delicately arched. She wore no makeup, yet her natural beauty was breathtaking. Around her neck hung a crystal necklace, emphasizing her graceful collarbone, and her wrists bore white jade bangles that further highlighted her alabaster skin. Her enchanting eyes glimmered, akin to a pale butterfly lost in the shadows, her gaze cold and detached, as though she were an ethereal being untouched by the mortal world. She exuded a dreamlike allure, simultaneously ephemeral and dazzling. ¡°How are things progressing?¡± the girl, who clearly embodied the image of a bewitching femme fatale, asked as she toyed with a strand of her hair, her smile both playful and chilling. ¡°Your Holiness, we¡¯re just short of ten pairs of boys and girls. I assure you, within ten days, I will deliver them to the Black Lotus Sect¡¯s branch,¡± Li Hui responded, his voice trembling. The girl cast him a dispassionate glance, flicking a pill toward him. Li Hui caught it, his face lighting up in delight as he immediately knelt to the ground, fearing she might change her mind. He quickly swallowed the pill. ¡°Thank you, Your Holiness!¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to thank me,¡± she said coldly, her eyes brimming with undisguised disdain. ¡°This is simply the result of your deal with the branch master of Baihe County. I¡¯m merely delivering what you¡¯re owed. Whatever you do is of no concern to me. As for the remaining ten pairs of boys and girls, make haste.¡± She yawned again, her expression betraying a hint of boredom. ¡°However, the reason I¡¯m here today is for something else.¡± ¡°Please, Your Holiness, speak,¡± Li Hui said, looking up. Though her short skirt left her legs exposed, Li Hui dared not gaze upon her improperly. ¡°I heard three people recently arrived in Baihe County,¡± the girl said, reclining lazily on the branch like a black cat basking in the sun. ¡°Yes,¡± Li Hui quickly replied. ¡°A new county magistrate, a retired Prime Minister, and a Wu Dynasty Top Scholar¡ªthe same scholar who almost became the Emperor¡¯s son-in-law.¡± ¡°I want two things,¡± she said. Li Hui¡¯s tone was sincere. ¡°No matter what you desire, I will do everything in my power to obtain it for you.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± she replied, her icy smile sending shivers down his spine. She looked at him with an almost predatory amusement. ¡°I want the heart of that retired Prime Ministet¡­ And the life of the Emperor¡¯s son-in-law.¡± Chapter 106 In a rural villa in Baihe County, Xu Ming stood outside the fence. Inside the courtyard, a woman was scattering bran, while a few chickens pecked eagerly at it. These chickens appeared to be well-raised, probably about one or two years old. Two children, no more than six or seven years old, were crouched in the yard playing with mud. Among them, a little girl with a ponytail spotted Xu Ming, her eyes lighting up instantly. She spread her arms wide and ran toward him, shouting, ¡°Brother Xu! Brother Xu~~~¡± The little boy, seeing Xu Ming as well, happily followed suit. ¡°Brother Xu, why are you here?¡± The two children opened the gate and bounded joyfully toward Xu Ming. Xu Ming patted their heads and said, ¡°Of course, I came to see you.¡± The prime minister¡¯s grandson was named Fang Wan, and his granddaughter Fang Qianqian. Their names were chosen with remarkable casualness¡ªXu Ming even joked that if the prime minister had a third grandson or granddaughter, they might have been named Fang Bai (meaning ¡°Fang Hundred¡±). During previous journeys, Xu Ming often took the siblings along to play, such as hunting game in the wild, which made them adore this elder brother. ¡°Greetings, Top Scholar.¡± Madam Fang, who had just set down the basin of bran, stepped forward and curtsied slightly to Xu Ming. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Junior pays respects to Madam Fang,¡± Xu Ming responded with a formal bow. Though Madam Fang was in her fifties or sixties, she appeared no older than thirty. Her looks were not exceptionally beautiful but of above-average charm. Yet, the grace and maturity shaped by the years lent her a lingering elegance. Initially, Xu Ming thought Madam Fang might be a concubine of the prime minister, only to learn she was his legitimate wife¡ªand the only one at that. Madam Fang smiled. ¡°Is the Top Scholar here to see my husband?¡± Xu Ming nodded. ¡°There are some matters I wish to consult with Elder Fang.¡± ¡°My husband has gone to the fields. If you¡¯re in a hurry, Qianqian can take you there,¡± Madam Fang suggested. ¡°Thank you for the trouble,¡± Xu Ming replied, not declining the offer. ¡°Brother Xu, this way, this way!¡± Fang Qianqian wiped the mud off her hands onto her skirt and happily grabbed Xu Ming¡¯s hand, leading him toward the fields. A quarter of an hour later, Xu Ming saw an old man in the fields. Wearing a straw hat, with his sleeves and pants rolled up, he was planting rice in the paddy. Around him were others also busy with farm work. Perhaps none of them could have imagined that among them was Wu Kingdom¡¯s prime minister. Xu Ming removed his shoes, rolled up his trousers and sleeves, grabbed a bundle of rice seedlings, and stepped into the field to help. Fang Qianqian wanted to join but remembered how her poor planting technique earned her a scolding from her grandfather the day before. Reluctantly, she found a shady spot to squat, observing ants and occasionally looking for tiny frogs. Fang Ling noticed Xu Ming planting seedlings skillfully and said nothing, continuing with his work. Half an hour later, the two sat by the roadside to rest. Fang Ling took a sip of water and handed a gourd to Xu Ming. ¡°Thank you.¡± Xu Ming tilted his head back and drank deeply. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the Top Scholar to know how to farm,¡± Fang Ling remarked with a smile. For a young man born into an aristocratic family, it was surprising he had even seen rice seedlings, let alone knew how to farm. ¡°During my years within the Blood Asura Battalion, there was a mission where I helped an old farmer in a village,¡± Xu Ming replied. In truth, Xu Ming¡¯s farming skills came from his past life¡¯s experiences. ¡°On the contrary, I didn¡¯t expect an elder like you to still work in the fields,¡± Xu Ming said, looking at Fang Ling. ¡°What¡¯s so surprising about that?¡± Fang Ling took a sip of water. ¡°In the past, I juggled studying and farming. Now that I¡¯m back, naturally, I must grow some food to eat.¡± He wiped his mouth and continued, ¡°So, tell me, boy, why are you here? Struggling to deal with the four powerful families of Baihe County?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Xu Ming nodded. ¡°Recently, my third brother found a breakthrough. However¡ª¡± ¡°However, this so-called breakthrough seems like a dead end?¡± Fang Ling interjected. ¡°We discovered that the scholar who had his leg broken in the past is actually the current Imperial Scholar, Yu Ping¡¯an,¡± Xu Ming explained. ¡°I¡¯ve been wondering¡ªwhy hasn¡¯t Yu Ping¡¯an reported this matter to the Emperor? Is it because he¡¯s protecting his reputation, or does the Li family have some leverage over him? I heard you had some interactions with Yu Ping¡¯an in the past?¡± Fang Ling gazed out at the fields. ¡°I¡¯ve spoken with all three of you top-ranked scholars from your examination class. After all, barring any surprises, you¡¯ll be the ones steering Wu Kingdom¡¯s court in the future. I wanted to see what kind of people you are and what kind of characters you possess.¡± Xu Ming asked, ¡°And what¡¯s your impression of Yu Ping¡¯an?¡± Fang Ling chuckled. ¡°After talking to you, I found you to be someone who holds no regard for the monarch. For most people, the king is the supreme authority, but you¡¯re different¡ªyou look down on him. ¡°As for Xu Pangda, after our conversation, I saw him as a mender. When the court is inevitably thrown into chaos by the likes of Xiao Mochi and others, Xu Pangda will be the one to pick up the pieces. He¡¯s capable of restoring order, even in the aftermath of a complete mess. ¡°Yu Ping¡¯an, though, he¡¯s a madman. He gave me the feeling that no matter what he does in the future, it won¡¯t be too extreme. He doesn¡¯t care about his reputation. Whatever he sets his mind to, I feel he¡¯d go through with it, even if it means destroying himself in the process. ¡°But there¡¯s one person who restrains him. That person is also his only weakness. ¡°If what you¡¯ve said is true, and Yu Ping¡¯an really was that scholar who had his leg broken, then the reason the Li family still survives is likely because of the girl by Yu Ping¡¯an¡¯s side.¡± ¡­ Meanwhile, in a courtyard near the Hanlin Academy in the capital, Yu Ping¡¯an, enjoying a day off, sat in the yard teaching a young girl. At first, the girl listened attentively, but as time passed, the lecture became a lullaby. She began to nod off, her head bobbing like a little chick pecking at grains. Eventually, her head drooped, and she couldn¡¯t resist laying it on the table, falling soundly asleep. ¡°This little one,¡± Yu Ping¡¯an chuckled, carefully picking her up and carrying her to the bed in her room. Even as she was lifted, the girl didn¡¯t stir. Looking at her peacefully sleeping form, Yu Ping¡¯an gently tucked her hair behind her ear. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You¡¯ll live a good life. Even if it means owing that Top Scholar another favor, your Brother Yu will make sure of it.¡± Chapter 107 By evening, Xu Ming had finished helping Fang Ling with the farm work. The elder invited Xu Ming to his home for dinner, and Xu Ming, unable to decline, accepted the invitation. Madam Fang slaughtered an old hen and made a pot of soup for Xu Ming, adding wild mushrooms from the mountains, resulting in a rich and savory flavor. She also collected a few fresh eggs from the coop, frying them in lard to make sunny-side-up eggs, which she then stir-fried with chili peppers, creating a dish that was both appetizing and aromatic. Accompanied by a plate of garland chrysanthemum and a dish of braised pork, the dinner was exceptionally sumptuous. After dinner, Fang Ling invited Xu Ming to play chess. As they played, they chatted casually. ¡°Xu Ming,¡± Fang Ling began, ¡°the issue of powerful clans and aristocratic families is the most difficult to address. You know that Wu Kingdom was founded on martial strength. Back then, there were over a dozen forces in this region. The allegiance of aristocratic families was critical. ¡°Every time a faction pledged loyalty, did you have to offer them benefits? And that was how the unchecked power of these families began to take root. ¡°Thankfully, we adopted Qi Kingdom¡¯s imperial examination system, which provided opportunities for the children of commoners and ordinary families. Combined with the reforms of several previous monarchs, the influence of these clans has been significantly curtailed. ¡°However, in many places¡ªespecially in remote towns like this one¡ªthe influence of powerful clans remains overwhelming. On one hand, the court doesn¡¯t pay much attention to these areas. On the other, these small towns are weak in governance, while nearby sects have entrenched themselves for centuries. When a family sends one of its members to become a disciple of a sect, the family uses the sect¡¯s influence to expand its power rapidly. ¡°The sects often tolerate or even encourage this behavior because it benefits them as well. ¡°The four powerful families of Baihe County, for instance, are all supported by four nearby sects. ¡°Does the court want to intervene? Of course. But how? ¡°The local connections in these places are deeply intertwined. Officials, clerks, and constables are all locals. Can you expect them not to accept bribes? Then add a corrupt magistrate into the mix¡ªdo you think the magistrate would refuse bribes? ¡°When the magistrate becomes complicit, the entire county descends into chaos. ¡°In my opinion, compared to feudal lords, the powerful clans and aristocratic families are an even bigger problem for Wu Kingdom. ¡°Feudal lords are like tigers, but the aristocratic families in every locality are like termites. You can¡¯t afford not to deal with tigers, but neither can you ignore the termites. Left unchecked, these termites could undermine the very foundations of Wu Kingdom. ¡°So if Xu Pangda wants to solve these cases, it¡¯s going to be extremely difficult. I doubt you¡¯ll even find any evidence.¡± Xu Ming took a sip of wine and said, ¡°I think so too. That¡¯s why I¡¯ve been considering not bothering with evidence at all.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Fang Ling looked at Xu Ming curiously. Xu Ming didn¡¯t hold back. ¡°Since Yu Ping¡¯an has his concerns, it¡¯s not appropriate for us to report this to the Emperor and make it a big issue. But if we handle these cases the usual way, who knows how many years it¡¯ll take to resolve them? ¡°Before I left the capital, His Majesty gave me a jade token.¡± Xu Ming took out the jade token and placed it on the table. Carved on the token was a sword entwined with a dragon. ¡°His Majesty told me this token has two uses: one, to mobilize the local military, and two, to exercise the right to act first and report later when dealing with officials below the fifth rank or ordinary citizens. ¡°Mobilizing the military isn¡¯t necessary¡ªit would cause too much trouble in the court. But the right to act first and report later should be fine.¡± Fang Ling stared at Xu Ming solemnly. ¡°Xu Ming, have you thought this through?¡± Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Fang Ling understood what Xu Ming intended to do. Since there was no evidence, Xu Ming didn¡¯t plan to look for any. His strategy was simple: eliminate the four powerful clans in Baihe County first. Without their leaders, their influence would crumble, fear would spread, and resistance would diminish. Then Xu Pangda could take over and properly investigate the situation. But Fang Ling had his reservations. He advised, ¡°Xu Ming, you¡¯re just a martial artist at the Heroic Soul Realm. That¡¯s not enough for you to act with impunity in Baihe County. ¡°Even if you manage to find evidence that proves the four clans deserve death, what then? There will still be people in the court who will criticize you. ¡°The more favor you gain from His Majesty, the more dangerous it becomes for you. Many would love to see you fall. ¡°You may not want to marry into the royal family, but others certainly do. Besides, you¡¯d risk offending four sects! ¡°These four clans are the local representatives of their respective sects. Those sects will undoubtedly ensure their disciples remain untouched. Even if you purge the clans, finding solid evidence against their crimes will be nearly impossible. ¡°And according to the laws of Wu Kingdom, if you kill them without just cause, their sects have the right to send cultivators of equal strength to seek revenge against you. They won¡¯t care that you¡¯re the Kingdom¡¯s top scholar.¡± Xu Ming listened to Fang Ling¡¯s words and smiled. ¡°I understand, Senior Fang. That¡¯s exactly why I welcome it. Let them come. I could use the practice.¡± ¡°You¡­ sigh. Forget it,¡± Fang Ling shook his head. ¡°I should¡¯ve known you wouldn¡¯t be the type to play it safe. If you were, you wouldn¡¯t have joined the Blood Asura Battalion nor would you have called off your engagement. ¡°When you can¡¯t hold out any longer, return to the capital. Settle down as the prince-consort. No one would dare touch you then.¡± Xu Ming placed another chess piece on the board. ¡°We¡¯ll see when the time comes.¡± After playing a few more rounds of chess with Fang Ling, Xu Ming bid farewell and left. Walking through the streets of Baihe County, the houses were dark, their lights extinguished for the night. The silence of the evening was broken only by the gentle glow of moonlight casting its silver sheen over the town. As he walked, Xu Ming suddenly felt a subtle shift in his surroundings. His brows furrowed slightly, but he continued onward. It wasn¡¯t long before he turned a corner and came to an abrupt stop. Beneath him was a glowing formation, its lines blood-red as if painted with fresh blood. The formation began to spread, like red ink dissolving in water, pooling into a crimson stain. From the bloody pool, spectral hands began clawing their way toward Xu Ming¡¯s feet. ¡°Heh.¡± Xu Ming sneered and stomped his foot down hard. A surge of martial energy burst forth, shattering the ground within a two-meter radius around him. The cobblestones crumbled under the force, sending a cloud of dust into the air. As the dust cleared, a figure emerged¡ªa man with an effeminate appearance, utterly devoid of masculinity, as if he had cultivated techniques that sapped him of vitality. Looking at the man, Xu Ming smirked. ¡°Let me guess, you¡¯re here to take my life?¡± ¡°Correct.¡± The man, Li Hui, waved his hand, scattering several ghostly talismans into the air. From each talisman, ghastly apparitions emerged, shrieking as they rushed toward Xu Ming. Meanwhile, atop a nearby roof, a girl in a black dress sat with one leg crossed over the other, lightly tapping her jade foot against the tiles. Resting her chin on her hand, she watched the scene below with a faint smile. ¡°This prince-consort-to-be,¡± she mused, ¡°is actually quite handsome. What a pity¡ªhe¡¯s going to die tonight.¡± Chapter 108 Dozens of ghosts emerged from the talisman, surging toward Xu Ming like a scene out of a hundred ghosts night parade. After years of training in the Blood Asura Battalion, Xu Ming had honed his senses to the point where he could discern an opponent¡¯s cultivation level from the quality of their spiritual energy. The opponent¡¯s energy was thin yet immense, indicating they were likely in the Sea Observation Realm. However, there was a faint aura of transformation akin to a carp leaping over the dragon gate, suggesting they were at the late stage of the Sea Observation Realm. Xu Ming stepped forward, his fist smashing out. The violent surge of his blood energy scattered the malevolent spirits, clearing a path before him. He took another step, his foot shattering the stone tiles beneath him. Pressing the attack, Xu Ming rapidly closed the distance between them. The opponent, however, was well aware of the danger of allowing a Soul Condensation Realm martial artist to get close. ¡°Fall!¡± Li Hui shouted, his palm pressing downward. A black sigil descended from the sky, aiming for the crown of Xu Ming¡¯s head. Yet Xu Ming remained indifferent. The martial aura radiating from his body formed a protective shield around him, and the sigil shattered upon contact, like an egg striking a boulder. Li Hui¡¯s brow furrowed slightly. With a sharp motion, he pointed forward, unleashing a beam of deathly energy aimed straight at Xu Ming¡¯s heart. Xu Ming¡¯s pupils began to change, intricate and incomprehensible runes emerging within his jet-black eyes. This was the first time Xu Ming used his Dao Pattern Eyes in combat. After his battle with Shen Sheng, Xu Ming had gained the Dao Pattern Eyes but refrained from using them during missions. At the time, his cultivation was too low, and the eyes consumed excessive physical and spiritual energy. More importantly, acting with others made it hard to conceal this ability. Everyone believed Xu Ming was spiritually crippled, so suddenly displaying spiritual power would raise questions he couldn¡¯t easily answer. Xu Ming had decided to keep it as a trump card, only to be used in life-or-death situations. However, in the years since, Xu Ming and his team had never faced a crisis dire enough to warrant its use¡ªuntil now. As the Dao Pattern Eyes activated, Xu Ming saw the flow of spiritual energy around him with unparalleled clarity. He could clearly discern the opponent¡¯s meridians and the circulation of spiritual energy within their body. The deathly energy beam now seemed painfully slow in his enhanced vision. Xu Ming sidestepped the attack, planting his left foot firmly on the ground and closing the distance in an instant. His punch struck through Li Hui¡¯s chest, piercing his heart. Yet Xu Ming felt no resistance from his strike. Frowning, Xu Ming retreated. ¡°Boom!¡± The figure before him exploded into a flurry of paper scraps. ¡°Are you really just a Heroic Soul Realm martial artist?¡± Li Hui¡¯s voice came from behind Xu Ming. ¡°Of course,¡± Xu Ming replied, spinning on his left foot with a pivot exceeding ninety degrees. His kick struck Li Hui¡¯s head, shattering it. Yet once again, there was no blood¡ªonly paper fragments scattered in the air. In an instant, a dozen paper effigies resembling Li Hui emerged, each wielding a large blade as they charged at Xu Ming. Xu Ming¡¯s eyes focused, quickly identifying a path forward. Any paper effigy that blocked his way was reduced to scraps under his fists. ¡°Oh?¡± A girl sitting cross-legged on a nearby rooftop tilted her head in curiosity. Resting her chin on her pale hand, she lowered her left leg and straightened her slender waist. Her ink-black eyes blinked as she muttered, ¡°Those eyes¡­ interesting.¡± Xu Ming unleashed his technique. ¡°Heaven-Splitting Fist¡ªThunder Strike!¡± S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. With his Dao Pattern Eyes, he easily pinpointed Li Hui¡¯s true body. His fist, crackling with thunderous energy specially designed to counter entities of deathly energy, struck with precision. ¡°Boom!¡± Xu Ming¡¯s fist smashed forward. The opponent couldn¡¯t evade in time and crossed his arms in front of him to block. From Xu Ming¡¯s fist came the sound of bones shattering and flesh tearing. Li Hui was sent flying five meters, crashing to the ground, his arms reduced to a mist of blood. Before Li Hui could scramble to his feet, Xu Ming¡¯s next punch was already descending like a hammer from above. ¡°Damn it! Is this guy really in the Heroic Soul Realm?!¡± Li Hui leapt up, chanting an incantation. White paper flew out from his storage pouch and gathered around his severed arms, reforming into new limbs identical to the originals. Despite the restoration, unease filled Li Hui¡¯s heart. Reluctantly, he bit his finger and smeared blood onto a talisman. ¡°Clang!¡± A ghost general clad in heavy armor appeared in front of Li Hui, blocking Xu Ming¡¯s strike. ¡°Kill him!¡± Li Hui gritted his teeth, his heart aching with loss. Summoning this ghost general had cost him a hundred years of his lifespan! For someone at the Sea Observation Realm like him, a hundred years of life could very well be the key to breaking through to the Dragon Gate Realm. This bastard had to die! The ghost general roared, wielding a massive saber as it leaped toward Xu Ming. Xu Ming showed no intention of dodging. Behind him, martial aura began to coalesce rapidly. A three-meter-tall martial soul manifested behind him¡ªthe defining feature of a Heroic Soul Realm martial artist. Xu Ming¡¯s martial soul blocked the ghost general¡¯s saber with raw aura while his fists struck the ghost general¡¯s chest repeatedly. Each punch was heavier than the last, like the relentless beating of war drums. With the final blow, the ghost general shattered into countless wisps of dark energy, dissipating into the air. ¡°Not good!¡± Li Hui panicked, turning to flee. In his mind, killing a Heroic Soul Realm martial artist should¡¯ve been as easy as flicking a finger. He¡¯d done it before. But he never expected Xu Ming to be this powerful¡ªso powerful that Li Hui couldn¡¯t even comprehend it. No matter. If he couldn¡¯t win, he could still escape. A Heroic Soul Realm martial artist couldn¡¯t even fly¡ªhow could he possibly catch up? Just as this thought crossed his mind, Li Hui¡¯s throat felt tight, and a sweet metallic taste filled his mouth. Blood spurted out as he looked down in shock. A peachwood sword had pierced through his abdomen. His body wavered and fell from the air, tumbling across the ground, leaving a trail of blood over ten meters long. Struggling to rise, Li Hui suddenly felt a crushing weight on his chest. Xu Ming had stepped on him, pinning him to the ground. ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re a sword cultivator!¡± Li Hui gasped, sensing the lingering sword energy wreaking havoc within his body. He was dazed. Wasn¡¯t this top scholar rumored to be spiritually crippled, incapable of cultivation? How could he be a sword cultivator?! ¡°I never said I was just a martial artist.¡± Xu Ming chuckled. His right hand reached out, and the peachwood sword flew back to his grip. With a light flick, Xu Ming sliced away the mask covering Li Hui¡¯s face. ¡°Well, well, so it¡¯s the eldest son of the Li family. Looks like the real thing is even more sinister than your portrait. Tell me, Young Master Li, do you know the punishment for attempting to assassinate a sixth-rank imperial officer?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°Boom!¡± Before Li Hui could finish his sentence, his entire body exploded into a mist of blood. Xu Ming frowned, his expression darkening. ¡°Ding-ling-ling.¡± The crisp, melodic sound of a bell echoed through the air. Xu Ming looked up to see a young girl in a black dress walking toward him, her bare feet brushing the ground as she approached. Chapter 109 From start to finish, Xu Ming had no intention of killing the man who tried to assassinate him. He wanted to capture him alive, hoping to extract information about who was behind the attempt on his life. When Xu Ming realized the man was Li Hui, he felt like he had struck gold. Setting aside the possibility of him being the ¡°future royal son-in-law,¡± his status as a ¡°civil and martial official¡± alone made Li Hui¡¯s actions a direct affront to Wu Nation¡¯s authority. If Xu Ming reported this, regardless of whether Li Hui belonged to a noble family or not, there would be severe consequences. The imperial court couldn¡¯t act recklessly against noble families without a legitimate reason to avoid breaking societal rules. But if a valid reason emerged within those rules, the court would unleash its full might on the offending noble family. However, Xu Ming never expected Li Hui to explode into a cloud of blood mist so suddenly. Xu Ming lifted his gaze, focusing on the girl approaching him step by step. She wore a black dress with a hem so short it didn¡¯t even reach her knees¡ªresembling the hip-hugging pleated skirts from Blue Star. While short skirts were common attire on Blue Star, in this world, they were considered scandalous. Beneath the skirt were long, shapely legs, their pale skin glowing faintly under the soft moonlight. Even in the dim night, their porcelain-like smoothness was striking, hinting at perfection. Her bare feet seemed to hover half an inch above the ground, untouched by dust, with each toe delicately distinct. Her long hair cascaded to her waist, with neatly trimmed bangs in a princess-cut style. Her large, glistening eyes blinked innocently, exuding a silken charm. She was a girl so beautiful it felt almost excessive, but Xu Ming immediately recognized her aura¡ªthis was no ordinary girl; this was a demoness. ¡°Did you kill him?¡± Xu Ming asked. ¡°Eh?¡± The girl blinked, pressing a pale finger to her lips, looking both innocent and playful. ¡°What¡¯s the royal son-in-law saying? Wasn¡¯t it you who killed him?¡± Xu Ming frowned, realizing there was no point in arguing. She clearly intended to frame him, so it was better to extract more useful information instead. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Black Lotus Sect of the Western Region¡ªMo Zhuer,¡± the girl replied, a seductive smile curving her lips. Her expression was wild and unrestrained, as though all the rules of the world were nothing but a joke to her. ¡°Mo Zhuer¡­ I¡¯ve heard of you. The one ranked tenth on the Beauty List?¡± Xu Ming said. Mo Zhuer pouted, her tone coquettish, dripping with mock complaint, ¡°Oh, come on! I¡¯m so beautiful, how am I only ranked tenth?¡± As she spoke, her smile bloomed like a moonlit flower in full bloom. ¡°But tell me, royal son-in-law, do you really think I only deserve to be ranked tenth?¡± Xu Ming¡¯s heart trembled slightly¡ªnot out of lust, but as a natural reaction any man would have. At this moment, Xu Ming understood why it was said that the top ten on the Beauty List were incomparable. In terms of appearance alone, Mo Zhuer wasn¡¯t inferior to Wu Yanhan, who was ranked fourth. However, their styles couldn¡¯t be more different. Mo Zhuer embodied the epitome of the ¡°demoness¡± archetype, a style far less popular than Wu Yanhan¡¯s. That likely explained her tenth-place ranking. That said¡­ why was a Buddhist nun ranked first? Was the world¡¯s preference leaning toward asceticism? ¡°Oh, you¡¯re so mean,¡± Mo Zhuer¡¯s soft voice interrupted his thoughts. ¡°Here I am talking to you, and you¡¯re daydreaming.¡± When Xu Ming snapped back to attention, Mo Zhuer was already standing right in front of him, her delicate hand resting lightly on his chest. ¡°When¡­?¡± Even though Xu Ming had been slightly distracted, he had kept a close eye on her every move. How had she closed the distance without him noticing? ¡°Boom!¡± In the next moment, Xu Ming¡¯s martial aura collided with the girl¡¯s spiritual energy, sending both of them flying ten meters apart. Mo Zhuer steadied herself, her skirt fluttering slightly, while a trace of blood dripped from Xu Ming¡¯s lips. The fabric on Xu Ming¡¯s chest was torn, revealing a small black handprint imprinted on his skin. ¡°My, my~ Big brother is really amazing~~~ You even managed to take that strike of mine~¡± Mo Zhuer¡¯s face was full of mock admiration. Xu Ming didn¡¯t waste words with her. He closed the distance in an instant and threw a punch. His fist hit nothing but air. Mo Zhuer appeared behind him and gently patted him on the shoulder. Boom! What seemed like a casual pat landed with the force of a mountain, creating a massive crater with Xu Ming at its center. Xu Ming reactivated his Dao Pattern Eyes. Since the technique consumed immense physical and spiritual energy, he had deactivated it after ensuring victory over Li Hui. Now, using it again, Xu Ming calculated that he could only maintain it for three minutes at most with his current stamina. The Dao Pattern Eyes pierced through illusions, revealing the truth. Xu Ming quickly realized he was caught in an illusion spell. Every time Mo Zhuer attacked, the illusion would activate, creating a phantom that appeared to strike him. This was the deception revealed by his Dao Pattern Eyes¡ªshe wanted him to think he was being hit. After each attack, Mo Zhuer would dismiss the illusion, leaving him vulnerable to her real strikes. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Xu Ming pretended to be ensnared by her illusion several times, allowing her to land hits on him. But just as she relaxed, thinking victory was within her grasp, Xu Ming ignored the illusory phantom. He passed straight through it and closed the distance to Mo Zhuer, throwing a punch at her chest. A soft sensation spread through Xu Ming¡¯s fist. He felt as though he¡¯d struck a plush mound rather than bone. Mo Zhuer swiftly retreated, her cheeks tinged with a faint blush. ¡°Oh my, big brother royal son-in-law, you¡¯re so naughty, touching my chest like that. If Her Highness the Princess finds out, won¡¯t she be mad at you?¡± Xu Ming¡¯s only response was another punch. He didn¡¯t have time to waste¡ªless than three minutes remained. Once his Dao Pattern Eyes wore off, he¡¯d be drained of energy, leaving himself at the mercy of this demoness. Although Mo Zhuer kept up her playful demeanor, a furrow formed in her mind. Back in the Western Regions, she had killed her share of martial artists and monks, but none of them had bodies as durable as Xu Ming¡¯s. And to top it off, he was also a swordsman! His strange eyes rendered her illusions almost useless. ¡°Big brother, you¡¯re really impatient, aren¡¯t you? It¡¯s getting late, so I¡¯ll head back for now. Let¡¯s play again another day, okay?¡± With a graceful leap, Mo Zhuer dodged Xu Ming¡¯s punch like a butterfly. Her pale toes landed lightly on his shoulder as she vaulted away. When Xu Ming looked up, Mo Zhuer had already disappeared into the night, her voice drifting down from above: ¡°Brother Xu, you touched my chest¡ªyou¡¯ll have to take responsibility for me~¡± Xu Ming frowned and looked at his left hand. The hand he had used to touch her chest was now swollen and tinged with a deep, unnatural black. Chapter 110 Watching the demoness fly away, Xu Ming didn¡¯t give chase. It wasn¡¯t because he was enchanted by her beauty and couldn¡¯t bring himself to kill her. It was simply because he didn¡¯t have enough time. The Dao Pattern Eye had consumed too much of his energy. If he had pursued her and failed to kill her, only to collapse from exhaustion and be killed in turn, it would have been a joke. ¡°Sigh, my cultivation level is still too low,¡± Xu Ming muttered to himself. He deactivated the Dao Pattern Eye, slumping down to one side, panting heavily as beads of sweat rolled down his forehead. If his cultivation had been sufficient, with enough spiritual energy and stamina to activate both the Dao Pattern Eye and Blood Qi Frenzy simultaneously, even if only for a few minutes, the burst of power in those moments would have been unimaginable. He might have been able to take Mo Zhuer by surprise and kill her right then and there. Unfortunately, all of this was nothing more than wishful thinking. Right now, he didn¡¯t have the strength to sustain two high-energy-consuming buffs at the same time. Xu Ming popped a Qi Restoration Pill, regaining a bit of energy, and then headed toward the county office. The Li family was undoubtedly connected to the Western Region Black Lotus Sect. It was likely that Yu Ping¡¯an hadn¡¯t sought revenge against the Li family precisely because of the Black Lotus Sect. The Black Lotus Sect must have some hold over Yu Ping¡¯an. Xu Ming needed to inform Xu Pangda about this and draft several letters to send to Wudu City. As for how Yu Ping¡¯an would react to the letter, Xu Ming had no way of knowing. When he returned to the county office, Xu Ming went straight to Xu Pangda¡¯s study. Though it was late at night, the study was still lit by a flickering candle, its glow casting shadows on the walls. Xu Pangda was still poring over the evidence and records collected over the past few days, determined to bring down the four major families of Baihe County. Xu Ming felt a sense of relief and pride as he observed Xu Pangda¡¯s efforts. Most officials, when they first entered politics, were filled with a genuine desire to serve the people and bring prosperity to their regions, leading them to detest corruption and injustice. However, as time passed, and as they delved deeper into the complexities of bureaucracy, many grew disillusioned. Some were corroded by the lure of power and wealth, gradually losing sight of their original intentions. Yet here was Xu Pangda, nearly a month into his term under such challenging circumstances, and he showed no sign of giving up. That alone was remarkable. After all, his predecessors had all surrendered, opting to lie low. Xu Pangda had every reason to justify doing the same. But he hadn¡¯t. ¡°Fifth Brother, what happened to you?¡± Xu Pangda was startled when he saw Xu Ming. Xu Ming¡¯s chest was exposed through his tattered clothing, blood stained the corner of his mouth, and his face was pale. He looked like someone who had just narrowly escaped death. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Just someone trying to kill me during a late-night stroll,¡± Xu Ming said casually, taking a large gulp of tea before collapsing into a chair. ¡°???¡± Xu Pangda was stunned, wondering if he¡¯d misheard. ¡°Someone tried to kill you? Do they even know who you are?¡± Xu Ming chuckled. ¡°Of course they do. In fact, it¡¯s because they know who I am that they tried to kill me.¡± Xu Pangda stood up, slamming his desk in anger. ¡°This is outrageous! Within the borders of the Wu Kingdom, and in a town no less, someone dares to assassinate a court official?!¡± ¡°The one who tried to kill me was the eldest son of the Li family,¡± Xu Ming said with a tone of regret. ¡°Originally, I wanted to spare him and use him to uproot the entire Li family, along with the other three powerful families in Baihe County. But I was too naive. If they dared to target me, they wouldn¡¯t leave behind any evidence. How could they possibly allow me to capture a living witness? That eldest son of the Li family, just when I was about to capture him, detonated himself into a cloud of blood mist. Not even a shred of fabric was left behind.¡± Xu Pangda frowned deeply. ¡°There must be someone pulling the strings behind the scenes. Otherwise, the Li family wouldn¡¯t dare act so boldly.¡± Xu Ming nodded. ¡°The mastermind is the Black Lotus Sect. I encountered their saintess¡ªshe wanted my life.¡± ¡°The Black Lotus Sect?¡± Xu Pangda was increasingly confused. ¡°Fifth Brother, when did you ever cross paths with the Black Lotus Sect?¡± ¡°I have no idea,¡± Xu Ming replied helplessly, shaking his head. ¡°Could it be from my years in the Blood Asura Battalion, when I killed some of their cult members?¡± ¡°Our Wu Kingdom has always cracked down on the Black Lotus Sect. Plenty of people have killed their cultists, but for them to take you so seriously, even sending their saintess to assassinate you¡ªthat¡¯s likely a first.¡± Xu Pangda studied his younger brother. ¡°But as long as you¡¯re okay, that¡¯s all that matters. Fifth Brother, I think you should return to Wudu as soon as possible. I¡¯m worried the Black Lotus Sect will continue targeting you. This time, they underestimated you. Next time, they might send one of their elders.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not too worried about that,¡± Xu Ming said after a moment¡¯s thought. ¡°I have the jade token His Majesty gave me. If any Golden Core realm cultivator makes a move against me, the Mountain and River Fortune sealed within the token will activate, saving my life and locking onto the attacker. Once I¡¯ve used this life-saving charm, then we¡¯ll see. But I don¡¯t want to slink back to Wudu with my tail between my legs. In any case, this is my problem, so you don¡¯t need to worry, Third Brother.¡± Xu Pangda listened to Xu Ming and wanted to persuade him further but ultimately gave up. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. His Fifth Brother wasn¡¯t the reckless type. Those years of training in Blood Asura had put him through countless life-and-death trials. Xu Pangda trusted his brother¡¯s judgment. ¡°How about you, Third Brother? How are things going with those cases? Any progress today?¡± Xu Ming asked, changing the subject. Xu Pangda shook his head, rubbing his tired eyes. ¡°None. Half of the people accusing the four families in Baihe County have already withdrawn their accusations. As for the ones who haven¡¯t, I still can¡¯t find any evidence to back their claims. There aren¡¯t even any witnesses besides the victims themselves. And the subordinates under me are all paying lip service while secretly undermining my efforts. I honestly feel like grabbing a sword and cutting them all down!¡± Xu Pangda¡¯s reddened eyes reflected his exhaustion from days of toil. ¡°I might have a solution,¡± Xu Ming said with a faint smile. ¡°Oh?¡± Xu Pangda immediately straightened up in his seat. ¡°Once I¡¯ve rested for a few days, I¡¯ll visit the four noble families¡¯ homes one by one, and then¡­¡± Xu Ming laid out the plan he had previously discussed with Fang Ling. At first, Xu Pangda thought his younger brother had come up with a brilliant strategy. But the more he listened, the darker his expression grew. ¡°Absolutely not! No way!¡± Xu Pangda objected firmly. ¡°Fifth Brother, setting aside whether your strength is enough to take on all four noble families, do you realize what kind of backlash you¡¯ll face from the court for such actions?¡± Xu Ming intended to use the special privileges granted by the emperor to take preemptive action against the four families¡ªcutting them down first and presenting evidence later¡ªplunging them into chaos. In theory, this could indeed break the stalemate. The death of the core members of these families would sever their networks of influence, leaving everyone else in a state of panic. Those who had been oppressed by the families might even find the courage to come forward. True, Xu Ming had the emperor¡¯s jade token and the authority to act first and report later. But the problem was that a Sword of Imperial Authority was most powerful when unsheathed sparingly. Drawing it could result in severe backlash against the wielder. The court officials would seize on this as an opportunity to attack Xu Ming. Xu Pangda wouldn¡¯t be surprised if some of them tried to ruin his brother¡¯s reputation. After all, many were vying to become imperial sons-in-law or curry favor with someone who might. ¡°Third Brother, my mind is made up,¡± Xu Ming interrupted. ¡°There¡¯s no need to try and dissuade me. If we keep dragging this out, even if I stay in Baihe County with you until your term ends, we won¡¯t make any progress.¡± ¡°And those commoners truly are pitiful. If I hadn¡¯t seen them, it¡¯d be fine. But now that I have, I feel compelled to act. Cultivators emphasize having a clear conscience, but we martial artists are the same. If I don¡¯t even dare to take action on matters like this, won¡¯t I be hesitant in the future when throwing a punch? How could I possibly progress further on the martial path?¡± Xu Ming¡¯s tone was resolute, exuding a righteous determination. In truth, there was another small reason behind Xu Ming¡¯s decision: he was looking for a way to distance himself from the Wu imperial court¡ªor at least make Emperor Wu reconsider the idea of marrying Wu Yanhan to him. At the moment, Emperor Wu had indeed treated him generously, even promising him his daughter¡¯s hand in marriage. If Xu Ming were to leave Wu Kingdom and roam the world, it would seem ungrateful. So, instead, he thought he might as well take some calculated risks, tarnish his reputation slightly, and let the court officials criticize him. Perhaps he¡¯d even end up as a commoner. Or, at the very least, he could provoke Emperor Wu into reconsidering the marriage. Not marrying Wu Yanhan would be the best outcome. It wasn¡¯t that he disliked Wu Yanhan. Being employed by the court didn¡¯t affect his lifespan, and he could rely on the nation¡¯s resources to gain ample cultivation resources. For Xu Ming, Wu Kingdom was like a great sect. Having such backing always came with benefits. However, if he stayed in Wu Kingdom, the emperor would likely try to arrange another marriage later. Refusing twice would be genuinely disrespectful. The first time, it was to pursue his aspirations. The second time would be an affront to the emperor¡¯s dignity. The truth was simple: he just didn¡¯t want to marry so early. Once he had children, how could he ever be free again? Two words summed it up: fear of marriage. ¡°Fifth Brother¡­ you¡­¡± Seeing Xu Ming¡¯s determined expression, Xu Pangda took a deep breath, stood up, and clasped his hands in a formal bow toward his younger brother. ¡°Fifth Brother, on behalf of the wronged people of Baihe County, I thank you! Rest assured, Fifth Brother! If the court holds you accountable, they¡¯ll have to get through me first! I¡¯ll stake my life on uncovering the crimes of Baihe¡¯s four tyrannical families!¡± Xu Ming froze for a moment as he looked at his elder brother. It seemed Xu Pangda had let his imagination run wild. In his mind, Xu Ming¡¯s image must have transformed into that of a selfless, noble hero¡ªsomeone willing to risk everything for the sake of the people. Perhaps Xu Ming¡¯s fearless determination had even reignited Xu Pangda¡¯s passion, solidifying his resolve to fight for the people no matter the cost. ¡°Third Brother, there¡¯s really no need for this.¡± Xu Ming returned the bow, feeling a bit concerned his brother might do something reckless. ¡°No!¡± Xu Pangda¡¯s gaze was firm. ¡°Fifth Brother, I¡¯ll stand with you, come what may!¡± ¡ª After leaving Baihe County, Mo Zhuer arrived at a mountain peak on the outskirts of the region. She approached a large boulder, took out a jade token, and placed it into a groove beside the rock. The next moment, the boulder split open, revealing the entrance to a cave. Mo Zhuer stepped inside. The flickering flames of torches illuminated the cave in a fiery glow. ¡°Welcome, Saintess!¡± At the far end of the cave, Black Lotus Sect disciples stood on either side, standing guard. Mo Zhuer ignored them, walking straight into her stone chamber. Once the door was closed, she set up a barrier within the room. Then she placed a black stone at the center of a ritual array. Chanting an incantation filled with obscure and unintelligible syllables, she formed intricate hand seals. One by one, black lotus flowers bloomed from the stone. Suddenly, the blossoms scattered, forming the phantom of an elderly man. ¡°Disciple greets Master.¡± Mo Zhuer knelt on one knee, bowing respectfully. The elder¡¯s phantom gazed at her intently. ¡°Did you complete the task?¡± Mo Zhuer raised her head. ¡°The remaining ten pairs of boys and girls will be delivered to the Black Lotus Sect headquarters in three days.¡± The elder shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m asking about.¡± He fixed his gaze on his disciple. ¡°Have you claimed Xu Ming¡¯s life and Fang Ling¡¯s heart?¡± ¡°Master, I was just about to report on that matter,¡± Mo Zhuer replied solemnly. ¡°Oh? Speak.¡± ¡°Xu Ming, though merely a martial artist at the Heroic Soul Realm, possesses an extraordinary physical strength far surpassing the warriors I¡¯ve encountered before. Moreover, he¡¯s a sword cultivator. While his spiritual energy suggests he¡¯s only at the Furnace Foundation Realm, his sword aura is so sharp that even ordinary cultivators at the Cave Mansion Realm would pale in comparison. Additionally, his eyes are peculiar.¡± ¡°Peculiar? In what way?¡± asked the Black Lotus Sect leader. ¡°Xu Ming¡¯s eyes can manifest some sort of intricate and cryptic runes. I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s an issue with his eyes or if it¡¯s some technique unknown to me. Either way, my illusions had no effect on him,¡± Mo Zhuer explained honestly. ¡°¡­¡± The Black Lotus Sect leader¡¯s phantom fell silent, as though pondering deeply. ¡°Interesting. It seems Xu Ming is even more remarkable than we anticipated,¡± he finally said, a faint smile spreading across his face. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? You lack the confidence to kill him?¡± Mo Zhuer lowered her head. ¡°I couldn¡¯t subdue him in a short amount of time. To play it safe, I withdrew and decided to reassess the situation. But given time, I am confident I can kill him.¡± The Black Lotus Sect leader clasped his hands behind his back. ¡°Disciple, I trust you fully. The task of assassinating Xu Ming is yours¡ªdo not disappoint me.¡± ¡°Understood, Master.¡± Mo Zhuer nodded respectfully. Then, after a moment¡¯s hesitation, she added, ¡°But there¡¯s something I don¡¯t understand. Xu Ming is indeed an extraordinary talent, but why must he die?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to understand.¡± The Black Lotus Sect leader¡¯s projection began to dim, and just before it disappeared entirely, his final words echoed throughout the room: ¡°Since someone has paid a hefty price for his life, it¡¯s only fitting we deliver satisfaction.¡± Mo Zhuer lowered her gaze. ¡°As you command.¡± Chapter 111 For three days after being attacked, Xu Ming stayed in the City Lord¡¯s residence to recuperate. Following the death of the eldest young master of the Li family, the Li family remained eerily silent, as if nothing had happened. However, according to Xu Pangda¡¯s investigations, the Li family had been organizing the accounts of their industries in Baihe County over the past two days, likely preparing to leave. During the same three days, another twenty boys and girls went missing in Baihe County¡ªten boys and ten girls, disappearing without a trace as though they had vanished into thin air. Xu Ming suspected this could be the work of the Black Lotus Sect. While recovering, Xu Ming took the opportunity to ask Fang Ling for more information about the Black Lotus Sect. The world is currently divided into four major regions: the Western Territory, the Southern Realm, the Northern Wilderness, and the Eastern Continent. The Western Territory is home to four major demonic sects and three great temples, with the Black Lotus Sect being one of the four demonic sects. Unlike the Eastern Continent, the Western Territory operates differently. There are human dynasties in the Western Territory, but all of them are subordinate to the demonic sects or Buddhist temples. For a human emperor to ascend the throne, the backing of these sects and temples is required. Moreover, they have the power to dethrone emperors at will. In essence, the secular dynasties of the Western Territory exist solely to provide resources for the demonic sects and temples. Thus, the Black Lotus Sect could be considered one of the seven most powerful ¡°nations¡± of the Western Territory. It¡¯s no wonder they dared to make a move against him¡ªclearly, they have no fear of retaliation from the Wu Kingdom. Even if the Wu Kingdom were enraged by Xu Ming¡¯s death, mounting a long-distance campaign to attack the Western Territory would be unrealistic. The fatigue alone from marching such a distance would be overwhelming. Even if both sides were at their peak, a direct confrontation between Wu Kingdom and the Black Lotus Sect would not necessarily result in the cult being at a disadvantage. This only made Xu Ming more perplexed. Why would such a massive sect suddenly target him? Apart from killing a few dozen Black Lotus Sect disciples in the past, he had no other grievances with them. If someone had instigated the Black Lotus Sect to attack him, that person¡¯s status must be extraordinarily high. Otherwise, how could they convince such a powerful sect to act on their behalf? Unable to figure it out, Xu Ming decided to set the matter aside and focus on resolving his current issues. Three days later, Xu Ming had mostly recovered. Apart from a small black handprint on his chest, the bruise from the punch that struck him had faded. Xu Ming was now back in peak condition. He wasn¡¯t sure if the black handprint would have any adverse effects, but for now, his state seemed fine. He figured it was likely just a superficial side effect of the blow. Additionally, after killing Li Hui, a late-stage Sea Observation Realm cultivator, Xu Ming received some attribute rewards: [You have slain a late-stage Sea Observation Realm cultivator¡ªLi Hui. Blood Qi +20, Spiritual Power Concentration +10, Sword Qi +10, Fear Talisman.] [Fear Talisman: By drawing the rune with fresh blood, you can use it to instill fear in your opponent, lowering their will to fight.] The Fear Talisman wasn¡¯t a physical talisman but rather the method to create one. The knowledge of the rune flashed in Xu Ming¡¯s mind for an instant, and he immediately mastered it. He decided to test it secretly on the large white goose in the courtyard. The goose, which had been peacefully napping, suddenly woke up in terror. It glanced around nervously, trembling all over, then wrapped its wings around its head as if mimicking a frightened child thinking, If I hide under the covers, the ghosts can¡¯t see me. But even that didn¡¯t seem to ease its fear. From then on, the goose refused to leave Xu Ming¡¯s side, no matter how much he tried to shoo it away. It even climbed into Xu Ming¡¯s bed to sleep at night, this once dignified Tianxuan Goose reduced to a terrified follower clinging to its newfound sense of security. The next morning, exactly 24 hours later, the Tianxuan Goose was back to normal, once again displaying its fearless ¡°I¡¯m the greatest¡± attitude. Xu Ming felt that the Fear Talisman might be a bit underwhelming. ¡°I¡¯m heading out today to take care of some matters, so you don¡¯t need to come along,¡± Xu Ming said to the goose, Xiaobai. ¡°Honk honk honk! (You brat! You¡¯re leaving me behind again!)¡± Xiaobai spread its wings and looked quite displeased. During their time in Baihe County, this brat had often left it behind while he went out on his own. It felt like nothing more than a lonely, abandoned goose. ¡°I¡¯ve been a bit busy these past few days,¡± Xu Ming said with a smile. ¡°It¡¯ll be over soon¡ªprobably in a few days. Once everything here is settled, I¡¯ll take you to see the world beyond Baihe County. You¡¯ll finally get to broaden your horizons.¡± ¡°Honk? (Everything in Baihe County is resolved?)¡± Xiaobai tilted its head inquisitively. ¡°Almost,¡± Xu Ming nodded. ¡°It¡¯s about to be wrapped up.¡± He stood up and began walking toward the door. As he left, his voice trailed behind him. ¡°Stay in the county office and behave. Don¡¯t run around, alright?¡± ¡°Honk.¡± Watching Xu Ming¡¯s retreating figure, the Tianxuan Goose crouched on the ground, looking a little dejected. It really wanted to go out and explore with Xu Ming, but it understood that Xu Ming and his brother, Xu Pangda, had been incredibly busy these days. Even if it wanted to help, it didn¡¯t know how. ¡°Honk.¡± The goose lifted its head and gazed at the sky, memories of its playful childhood with Xu Ming surfacing in its mind. Back then, Xu Ming had been such a small child, and now he had grown up so much. But as humans grow, so do their worries. If it could transform into human form, wouldn¡¯t it be able to help him better? Yet, when would that day finally come? ¡ª After leaving the county office, Xu Ming didn¡¯t head directly to the residences of the Sun, Huang, Li, or Xiao families. Instead, he made his way to Baihe County¡¯s largest brothel¡ªFengyu Pavilion. ¡°Oh my, what a handsome young man!¡± ¡°Young master, come join us!¡± ¡°Young master, shall I accompany you?¡± As soon as Xu Ming stepped into Fengyu Pavilion, several scantily clad women surrounded him, pressing their ample assets against his arms. Though he couldn¡¯t be described as a peerless beauty, Xu Ming¡¯s looks had matured, and he could certainly be considered a strikingly handsome man. ¡°My, my, you look unfamiliar, young master,¡± the brothel¡¯s madam sauntered over, her voice dripping with charm. ¡°What kind of lady would you prefer? Fengyu Pavilion has them all.¡± Xu Ming smiled and shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m a friend of Young Master Sun. I¡¯m here to see Sun Zhuang.¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re a friend of Young Master Sun! Right this way, I¡¯ll take you to him,¡± the madam said, leading Xu Ming upstairs to a room. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. From inside, the sounds of a woman¡¯s moans and the rhythmic creaking of a bed could be heard. Occasionally, the sharp smack of a hand meeting flesh punctuated the air. ¡°Um¡­ It seems Young Master Sun is a bit¡­ preoccupied right now. Would you like to have a drink and wait for a while?¡± the madam suggested. Xu Ming chuckled. ¡°No need, I¡¯ll wait here. You can go about your business.¡± ¡°Very well, young master.¡± The madam didn¡¯t push further. If he was willing to wait, that was his choice. She did wonder, though¡ªwasn¡¯t he frustrated listening to those sounds outside the door? After the madam left, Xu Ming raised his leg and kicked the door open. Inside, Sun Zhuang jumped in shock, his entire body trembling. ¡°Who are you?! What do you want?!¡± Sun Zhuang hastily pulled up his pants. On the bed, the woman pouted coquettishly, her tone filled with dissatisfaction, as if her needs had been left unmet. After all, Young Master Sun had barely lasted ten breaths before finishing. That said, who was this man? Could he be Sun Zhuang¡¯s enemy? Still, he was undeniably handsome. Xu Ming closed the door behind him, not sparing a glance at the disheveled woman lying on the bed. ¡°Greetings, Young Master Sun. I¡¯d like to borrow something from you.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Sun Zhuang frowned, his expression darkening. Calming himself down, Sun Zhuang thought, I¡¯ll kill him and feed him to the dogs later. How dare he ruin my fun! ¡°I¡¯d like to borrow your head,¡± Xu Ming said calmly. ¡°What? Borrow my head?¡± Sun Zhuang was momentarily stunned before bursting into laughter. ¡°Borrow my head? Such bold words! Do you even know who I am?¡± As Sun Zhuang¡¯s words fell, a bolt of lightning shot toward Xu Ming. Xu Ming dispersed it with a single punch. By the time Xu Ming threw his next punch, he was already in front of Sun Zhuang. ¡°Wai¡ª¡± Before Sun Zhuang could finish speaking, a peachwood sword sliced across his neck. Blood sprayed out, splattering the bed and drenching the brothel woman. ¡°Ahhhhh!!!¡± The woman finally processed what had happened and began screaming hysterically. The piercing screams drew the attention of others in the brothel. Curious onlookers began wondering who was engaging in such extreme play upstairs. But as the crowd turned their attention to the door from which the screams emanated, the door swung open. Xu Ming stepped out, holding a still-dripping severed head. For a moment, everyone thought they were seeing things. But after rubbing their eyes and looking again, they realized they hadn¡¯t been mistaken. The man was indeed holding a human head in his hand. ¡°Ah!¡± ¡°Murder!¡± ¡°Call the authorities! Someone call the authorities!¡± Chaos erupted throughout the brothel. Meanwhile, Xu Ming, as calm as ever, walked down the stairs, holding Sun Zhuang¡¯s head. He exited the building and began walking down the street. The sight of Xu Ming carrying the head caused an uproar on the street as well. ¡°Isn¡¯t that the head of Young Master Sun from the Sun family?¡± ¡°What? He killed Young Master Sun?¡± ¡°How dare he?!¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t Young Master Sun a cultivator of divine power? Is this man even stronger than him?¡± Some people fled in panic, stumbling over themselves. Others, bolder by nature, calmed their nerves upon realizing Xu Ming wasn¡¯t on a killing spree and instead curiously approached to confirm that the head indeed belonged to Sun Zhuang. Step by step, Xu Ming made his way toward the Sun family¡¯s residence. A group of thrill-seekers, unwilling to miss the drama, followed at a distance. Among them, some had already taken shortcuts to warn the Sun family of the impending situation. About a quarter of an hour later, Xu Ming arrived at the Sun family¡¯s gate. By then, a large crowd had gathered outside, eager to witness the spectacle. ¡°Master Sun, something terrible has happened to the young master!¡± The Sun family¡¯s steward, having been informed of the incident, rushed over to report to his master. ¡°What¡¯s happened to Zhuang¡¯er?¡± Inside the main hall, Master Sun was leisurely sipping tea, looking completely at ease. What could possibly have happened to his son? Sun Zhuang was a direct disciple of the Leiwen Sect and a late-stage Cave Mansion Realm cultivator. In Baihe County, he was someone who could walk sideways with impunity. ¡°Master¡­¡± The steward looked as though he were on the verge of tears. ¡°The young master¡­ someone has cut off his head!¡± ¡°What?!¡± Master Sun spat out his tea, his calm demeanor shattered. ¡°What did you just say? What happened to my son?¡± ¡°Master, someone told me they saw someone on the street holding the young master¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Master!¡± The steward hadn¡¯t yet uttered the word ¡°head¡± when a servant stumbled into the hall in a panic. ¡°Master, something terrible has happened! Someone came in holding the young master¡¯s head!¡± ¡°What?!¡± Master Sun shot to his feet, only to feel the world spin around him, forcing him to collapse back into his chair. ¡°Go check! Go see what¡¯s going on!¡± Master Sun forced himself up again. ¡°There¡¯s no need to trouble Master Sun to greet me personally.¡± A man¡¯s voice echoed from outside the door. As the voice fell, so did a severed head, tossed into the hall. The head of Sun Zhuang rolled to a stop at Master Sun¡¯s feet, its lifeless eyes staring directly at him. ¡°Zhuang¡¯er! My son!¡± Master Sun wailed in anguish. ¡°Prince Consort! What did my son ever do to deserve such a cruel fate? Is there no law left in this land?!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Master Sun. You¡¯ll soon join your son. You can discuss the law with him then.¡± Xu Ming drew a piece of white paper from his robes. ¡°Sun Feng of Baihe County, using the influence of his son, a personal disciple of the Leiwen Sect, has committed countless atrocities: oppressing the weak, seizing property, and abusing women. He forcibly took five acres of farmland from the Wang family in East City and drove Chang Hua into prostitution. For nothing more than an argument, Sun Zhuang beat Lin Fei¡¯s son to death¡­¡± Xu Ming listed a total of sixty-three crimes attributed to Sun Feng and his son Sun Zhuang¡ªjust the ones he and Xu Pangda had uncovered during their investigation. In reality, the number was likely far greater. ¡°Do you have anything to say for yourself?¡± Xu Ming rolled up the paper and looked at Sun Feng. ¡°Slander! This is all slander! Xu Ming, do you have any evidence?¡± Sun Feng retorted, though he knew the accusations were true. ¡°You have no proof, do you?¡± ¡°Evidence?¡± Xu Ming unsheathed his Peachwood Sword and began walking toward Sun Feng. ¡°What¡ªwhat are you doing?!¡± Sun Feng backed away frantically, but he soon found himself cornered against the wall, with nowhere to retreat. Xu Ming looked at him calmly. ¡°When I killed your son, did I need evidence?¡± Before Sun Feng could respond, his pupils dilated. In the next moment, his head was severed, rolling lifelessly to one side. Xu Ming turned to the steward of the Sun household. ¡°You must be Steward Sun Shen, correct?¡± ¡°Spare me, my lord! Spare me!¡± Sun Shen fell to his knees before Xu Ming, kowtowing repeatedly. ¡°You¡¯ve committed far too many sins to be spared.¡± With a swift stroke, Xu Ming¡¯s sword claimed another head. Xu Ming spent half an hour in the Sun residence. He summoned a maid and, using the names recorded on the white paper, had her identify the guilty parties one by one. Xu Ming moved through the Sun household, killing each culprit he found. By the time Xu Ming walked out of the Sun estate, his Peachwood Sword was drenched in crimson. Chapter 112 In the courtyard of the Xiao family estate, a man named Xiao Xun was cultivating. As the direct disciple of the Sect Master of the Mountain-Moving Sect, Xiao Xun had reached the early stage of the Sea Observation Realm by the age of thirty. Although his accomplishments paled in comparison to those of disciples from the great sects, Xiao Xun was regarded as a genius within the Mountain-Moving Sect and most other sects in the world. Over the years, Xiao Xun would occasionally return to Baihe County, where he was treated like an emperor. Here, he could indulge in whatever pleasures he desired. If anyone dared to oppose him, he could kill them without consequence. Life in Baihe County was nothing short of blissful freedom for him. The Xiao family also exploited the influence of Xiao Xun¡¯s sect to amass wealth in Baihe County. There was even a saying in the county: ¡°A single dog of the Xiao family is worth more than the people of Baihe County.¡± This stemmed from an incident where someone accidentally kicked the Xiao family¡¯s dog. That person was beaten to death for the offense. ¡ª ¡°Son, son!¡± Xiao Laoye (Old Master), who was over sixty, rushed into the courtyard with a worried expression. ¡°What is it?¡± Xiao Xun¡¯s tone carried a hint of irritation. ¡°Son, something terrible has happened!¡± Xiao Laoye seemed utterly frantic. Xiao Xun frowned. ¡°Father, if something¡¯s wrong, just say it. Don¡¯t be so dramatic.¡± ¡°Son, I just heard that the Imperial Son-in-law has gone mad! He¡¯s massacring the Sun family¡ªkilled the master, the madam, the steward, and even all their sons!¡± Xiao Laoye exclaimed in distress. Xiao Xun paused, slightly surprised. ¡°The Imperial Son-in-law? Which one?¡± Xiao Laoye clapped his hands. ¡°That Imperial Son-in-law! The one we talked about recently¡ªXu Ming, the brother of our county magistrate!¡± Xiao Xun thought for a moment before recalling. Ah, that Xu Ming. Xiao Xun had met Xu Ming once, during a banquet held to welcome the county magistrate. However, Xiao Xun had taken an immediate dislike to Xu Ming. He couldn¡¯t quite put his finger on why, but something about the man felt fundamentally different¡ªalien, even. ¡°Did the Sun family do something to offend Xu Ming?¡± Xiao Xun asked. ¡°Who knows?¡± Xiao Laoye replied, pacing anxiously. Seeing his father¡¯s nervous demeanor, Xiao Xun chuckled. ¡°Father, why are you so worried? The death of the Sun family should be good news for us. Doesn¡¯t this mean we can take over their businesses?¡± ¡°Under normal circumstances, yes, I should be thrilled. I¡¯d even throw a celebration,¡± Xiao Laoye said, slapping his hand. ¡°But the problem is, Xu Ming is coming here next!¡± Xiao Xun: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Father, don¡¯t panic,¡± Xiao Xun said with a faint smile. ¡°I don¡¯t know why Xu Ming¡¯s acting crazy, but if he dares lay a hand on me, I¡¯ll kill him. Even Emperor Wu wouldn¡¯t dare say a word about it. Does Xu Ming really think he can do as he pleases?¡± ¡°But son, he¡¯s an Imperial Son-in-law¡­¡± Xiao Laoye was apprehensive about Xu Ming¡¯s status. ¡°Hah,¡± Xiao Xun chuckled coldly. ¡°First of all, Xu Ming isn¡¯t an Imperial Son-in-law anymore. And even if he were, so what? If he tries to kill me, I have every right to kill him.¡± ¡°But son, are you confident about handling him?¡± Xiao Laoye asked nervously. His son might be fine if he killed Xu Ming¡ªespecially with the sect¡¯s protection¡ªbut what about himself? If things went south, he¡¯d have to pack up and flee. That would take at least half a month to prepare. ¡°Xu Ming is nothing more than an uncouth martial artist,¡± Xiao Xun said with disdain. ¡°Sun Zhuang was only at the Cave Mansion Realm. It¡¯s no surprise he died to Xu Ming. But if Xu Ming thinks I¡¯m as weak as Sun Zhuang, he¡¯s gravely mistaken.¡± ¡°Son, if we can negotiate, let¡¯s try to negotiate. Whatever the issue is, let¡¯s resolve it peacefully,¡± Xiao Laoye urged. ¡°Master! Young Master! Xu Ming has broken in!¡± Just as Xiao Laoye finished speaking, a servant rushed in, panting heavily. ¡°Father, let¡¯s go meet him and see just how this Imperial Son-in-law plans to seek death,¡± Xiao Xun said, eager for Xu Ming to act recklessly. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Currently, Xu Ming was still ranked 30th on the Qingyun Ranking. However, many believed that Xu Ming¡¯s placement was undeserved. Rumors suggested that during the death of Shen Sheng, Xu Ming had only landed the final blow after the man was besieged by others, including intervention from the imperial court of the Wu Kingdom. In essence, Xu Ming had simply claimed credit for someone else¡¯s work. Now, if Xiao Xun could kill Xu Ming, wouldn¡¯t that mean he could ascend to the Qingyun Ranking during his final year at thirty? The thought made Xiao Xun increasingly excited. When Xiao Xun arrived at the front yard, he saw Xu Ming standing by the lake. Around him lay over a dozen of the Xiao family¡¯s servants, groaning in pain. ¡°Imperial Son-in-law? I¡¯m not sure how our Xiao family has offended you¡­¡± Xiao Laoye¡¯s face was full of despair, as if he were about to burst into tears. Xu Ming turned around and pulled out a document from his robes. He began to read aloud: ¡°Xiao Wu, a year ago, raped and murdered Lin Ke, the daughter of the Lin family in the eastern part of Baihe County. Colluded with the Qionglong Gang to violently seize others¡¯ farmland and extorted protection fees from merchants in East Street¡­ Xiao Xun, direct disciple of the Mountain-Moving Sect. Had a conflict with the son of the Qian family in Baihe County, leading to the extermination of the entire Qian household. Coveted the wife of the Yue family¡¯s young master and, in front of Yue himself, forcibly defiled both the wife and the daughter¡­¡± Xu Ming listed their crimes one by one. When he finished, Xu Ming asked, ¡°Do you have anything to say in your defense?¡± ¡°Hah.¡± Xiao Xun sneered. ¡°Empty words. Imperial Son-in-law, no matter what you claim, you need evidence to back it up. Or are you suggesting that just because you say so, it must be true? Is there no law left in the Wu Kingdom?¡± Xu Ming shook his head. ¡°I admit, I haven¡¯t found the evidence yet, but¡­¡± Xu Ming took the jade pendant from his waist and held it up, letting it sway in his hand. ¡°His Majesty bestowed upon me this Water Dragon Pendant, granting me the authority to act first and report later.¡± Xiao Laoye¡¯s heart sank. Panic filled his chest, and he instinctively wanted to kneel and beg for mercy. But Xiao Xun had already stepped forward, looking at Xu Ming with contempt. ¡°So, Imperial Son-in-law, do you think you can kill me?¡± Xu Ming¡¯s face remained calm. ¡°Why don¡¯t you try and see?¡± ¡°Hah!¡± With a cold laugh, Xiao Xun formed a hand seal, and several sharp spikes emerged from the ground. Xu Ming leapt into the air, but the Xiao family servants lying on the ground were impaled, their lives snuffed out instantly. As Xu Ming landed, his toes lightly touched the tip of one of the spikes. He spoke, ¡°The Mountain-Moving Sect is known for its mastery of earth-element techniques. Most of its disciples possess earth-aligned spiritual roots. It¡¯s said that when the sect¡¯s Earth God Technique is cultivated to a certain level, one can move entire mountains. I wonder, Young Master Xiao, how far have you progressed in your training?¡± Xiao Xun let out a cold chuckle. ¡°Far enough to kill you!¡± He formed another hand seal, causing the ground to tremble. A massive earth dragon, made of stone and mud, erupted from the ground. Xiao Laoye, terrified, fled in the opposite direction, fearing the fight would engulf him. ¡°Roar!¡± The earth dragon lunged at Xu Ming, its massive body aiming to crush him into a pulp. Xu Ming stood calmly, watching the crude construct hurtle toward him. Just as the earth dragon was about to collide with him, Xu Ming threw a punch. The contrast between his fist and the dragon¡¯s enormous head was stark, like an egg striking the forehead of an elephant. Yet the dragon froze before Xu Ming. Cracks began to spread from the dragon¡¯s head, running along its entire body. ¡°Boom!¡± The dragon shattered into countless pieces, crumbling into dust at Xu Ming¡¯s feet. With a deafening crash, the earth dragon crumbled into countless fragments, scattering across the ground. ¡°Impossible!¡± Xiao Xun stared blankly at the scene before him. He hadn¡¯t expected to kill Xu Ming in a single move¡ªafter all, Xu Ming was a warrior at the Heroic Soul Realm and deserved some measure of respect. However, Xiao Xun hadn¡¯t anticipated that Xu Ming would so effortlessly dismantle his technique. ¡°Pathetic,¡± Xu Ming remarked, his hands clasped behind his back as he approached Xiao Xun. At such close range, facing a Heroic Soul Realm warrior of Xu Ming¡¯s caliber, Xiao Xun knew his chances of survival were slim. For a fleeting moment, he even believed his end had come. But Xu Ming merely stood there, his hands still behind his back, making no move to attack. Xiao Xun quickly put some distance between them. Once his initial panic subsided, a wave of humiliation washed over him. This Xu Ming was toying with him, treating him like a cat plays with a mouse! ¡°Go ahead, show me everything you¡¯ve got. Don¡¯t hold back,¡± Xu Ming said calmly. Xu Ming had spent most of his past battles fighting magical beasts. Though he had clashed with sect cultivators before, those encounters usually involved him and Wu Yanhan ambushing their foes. His only true head-on fight was with Shen Sheng¡ªa battle that had taken him to the brink of death. Now, Xu Ming wanted to see how much pressure he would feel when dueling a cultivator of similar strength. The answer, apparently, was not much. Humiliated and enraged, Xiao Xun resolved to make this crude martial artist pay. He drew a long spear made of stone and thrust it into the ground. The spear seemed to melt, merging completely with the earth. ¡°Hmm?¡± Xu Ming tilted his head as the stone spear suddenly shot up from where he had been standing moments ago. He sidestepped, but another spear emerged from the ground, aiming for him. Xu Ming leapt into the air, only for dozens of stone spears to shoot toward him, encircling him mid-flight. ¡°Die!¡± Xiao Xun clenched his fist, commanding the spears to converge on Xu Ming. ¡°Boom!¡± An explosion rocked the Xiao estate, sending shards of stone and clouds of dust flying into the air. Xu Ming descended through the debris, aiming a punch directly at Xiao Xun. Xiao Xun quickly summoned a stone shield. ¡°Hm? Not bad¡ªit¡¯s pretty sturdy,¡± Xu Ming remarked as his fist slammed into the shield, leaving only a small dent. Xu Ming stepped back to reassess. However, the shattered fragments of the stone spears began to reassemble themselves, returning to their original form and resuming their relentless pursuit. Every time Xu Ming smashed a spear, it would reform and continue its assault, unending and tireless. Seeing Xu Ming¡¯s increasingly disheveled state, Xiao Xun smirked. This stone spear was something he had found in an ancient ruin and refined into his personal weapon. Once it locked onto a target, it would relentlessly hunt them until they were utterly destroyed. Xu Ming kicked one of the spears aside, only for it to twist mid-air and lunge back at him. Growing bored, Xu Ming decided it was time to end this game. He reached out and grabbed the spear mid-flight. The spear trembled violently in his grip, as if trying to escape, but it couldn¡¯t break free from Xu Ming¡¯s iron hold. ¡°What?!¡± Xiao Xun felt as though he were dreaming. He knew that martial artists possessed incredible physical strength, but to forcibly restrain his stone spear? That would require a grip strength of at least ten thousand pounds! How could this Xu Ming possibly achieve such a feat?! Xu Ming held the stone spear as if it were Xiao Xun¡¯s wife, advancing step by step toward Xiao Xun. [T/N: This sentence is really weird, but it¡¯s as it is.] Suddenly, Xu Ming took a step forward, his speed so fast that he became a blur. In a panic, Xiao Xun summoned his stone shield again. Xu Ming clenched his fist, executing the Mountain-Splitting Punch¡ªthe Mountain-Shaking Form. With a single strike, Xu Ming¡¯s fist shattered through the stone shield. The collision of a martial artist¡¯s essence and the spiritual energy of a broken artifact sent Xiao Xun flying, slamming him to the ground. As Xiao Xun struggled to get up, Xu Ming stepped on his chest. ¡°You¡­ you can¡¯t kill me! I¡¯m the direct disciple of the Sect Master of Mountain-Moving Sect! If you kill me, Mountain-Moving Sect won¡¯t let¡ª¡± Before Xiao Xun could finish the word ¡°you,¡± Xu Ming plunged the stone spear into his heart. As Xiao Xun breathed his last, the spear stopped trembling, becoming as lifeless as its wielder, now embedded in Xiao Xun¡¯s chest. Not far away, Old Master Xiao watched his son¡¯s life fade. Scrambling to his feet, he tried to flee toward the rear courtyard. Xu Ming pulled the spear free and, with a flick of his foot, sent it flying. The spear pierced through the old man¡¯s heart, ending his escape. Xu Ming did not leave the Xiao estate. As he had done at the Sun estate, he began methodically eliminating everyone listed in his records. Before long, news of his actions reached the Zhang and Li families, but by the time they realized what was happening, Xu Ming had already kicked down their doors and bathed their estates in blood. Xu Ming initially considered sparing the head of the Li family to interrogate him about Li Hui¡¯s involvement with the Black Lotus Sect. However, the moment Xu Ming approached him, the man suddenly burst into a pool of blood, leaving no chance for questioning. By the time Xu Ming had finished, the four major families of Baihe County had been purged of every individual guilty of heinous crimes. The sprawling network of influence they had built collapsed entirely. Seizing the moment, Xu Pangda used an iron hand to assert control over the county office. No one dared defy his orders. With the core members of the four families dead, the remaining officials feared the killer might come for them next. Xu Pangda ordered a thorough investigation into the unresolved cases tied to the four families. No one dared drag their feet. With Xu Ming¡¯s reputation as a ruthless enforcer, Xu Pangda managed to completely subdue Baihe County¡¯s bureaucracy. Taking advantage of the situation, Xu Pangda issued a new decree, encouraging the public to report the crimes of the four major families. Those who confessed their own crimes and provided evidence against others were promised leniency and rewards. As Baihe County was thrown into unprecedented upheaval, a man hurriedly penned a letter and sent it straight to the capital, Wudu. Chapter 113 Night fell, and a man dressed in black arrived at the back gate of an official¡¯s residence in Wudu. The man knocked on the gate, but there was no response. He knocked again¡ªtwice¡ªbut still, no one answered. The fourth knock echoed. ¡°What is it?¡± came the voice of an old man from behind the gate. ¡°I just ran into a dog,¡± the man in black replied. ¡°What does a dog have to do with us?¡± the old man retorted. ¡°This dog has bitten many people,¡± the man continued. Click. After confirming the code phrase, the gate slowly creaked open. The man handed a letter from his sleeve to the old man. ¡°A letter from Baihe County. The situation is urgent. Please see that the lord handles it promptly.¡± The old man cast a glance at the man in black, then at the letter. ¡°Understood.¡± Taking the letter, the man in black vanished into the night. Closing the gate, the old man delivered the letter to the study. Inside, an official was busily attending to his duties. ¡°My lord, a letter has arrived from Baihe County,¡± the steward announced, bowing. ¡°Baihe County?¡± The official looked up at his steward, pondering for a moment before nodding. ¡°Ah, I remember¡ªwhere the Xu brothers are stationed?¡± S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± The steward handed over the letter. The official took the letter, opened it, and began to read. As his eyes scanned the contents, his brow furrowed slightly, only to relax with a faint smile. ¡°Those two, Xu Ming and Xu Pangda, are quite something¡ªbold and fearless, just like young bulls.¡± Folding the letter back into its envelope, the official handed it back to the steward. ¡°Deliver this to Wang Can. Tell him to bring it up during court tomorrow.¡± ¡°Tomorrow?¡± The steward hesitated. ¡°But my lord, if the matter is exposed tomorrow, wouldn¡¯t Wang Can¡ª¡± The official waved him off. ¡°I know what you¡¯re about to say. Wang Can has never been particularly loyal. If not for the debt he owes to that person, he wouldn¡¯t even be working for us. It¡¯s better to use him up while he still has value.¡± ¡°As you command, my lord.¡± Meanwhile, in the Diefei Palace within the Wudu Imperial Palace, Grand Eunuch Wei knocked on the door. The Emperor, who had been resting on his couch, opened his eyes in irritation. But soon, the Emperor¡¯s gaze steadied, and he masked his emotions. He understood that Wei Xun wouldn¡¯t disturb him so late unless it was urgent. ¡°Come in,¡± the Emperor said. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± Wei Xun replied as he entered the room, kneeling in respect. ¡°Your Majesty, we¡¯ve received some news from Baihe County through the Tingfeng Pavilion.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± The Emperor frowned. ¡°Bring it here.¡± Baihe County was not the kind of place where the Tingfeng Pavilion¡¯s agents would normally operate. After all, the Wu Kingdom was vast, and it was impossible to station agents everywhere¡ªthey simply didn¡¯t have the manpower. But with Xu Pangda and Xu Ming both stationed there, a few agents had been sent. Not so much for Xu Ming; the focus was on Xu Pangda, who was highly regarded by both Elder Zhang and Prime Minister Fang. The Emperor naturally wanted to assess his capabilities. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Wei Xun rose and handed over the confidential report. After reading it once, the Emperor went through it again, his study falling into a long silence. ¡°These two boys are really headstrong,¡± the Emperor finally said with a sigh, shaking his head. ¡°Reckless.¡± Wei Xun¡¯s eyes flickered, and he quickly added, ¡°But, Your Majesty, Xu Zhuangyuan and Xu Bangyan are both young men. Their vigor and boldness can be a virtue, can it not? They truly act for the nation and its people.¡± ¡°But how can an official like that survive long in the political arena?¡± The Emperor set down the memorial and rubbed his eyes. ¡°Suppress this matter for now. Wait until Xu Pangda gathers evidence of the four powerful clans in Baihe County acting recklessly. I just hope they move quickly. If this comes to light before then, those old foxes in court will impeach them to the point of doubting their existence! And even if they gather the evidence, those people will still find a way to bite them.¡± ¡°Forget it, forget it,¡± the Emperor muttered, a faint smile crossing his face, as if resigned. ¡°This will be a good test of their resilience. Let¡¯s see how they handle the aftermath. If they truly can¡¯t, then punish them. At least they¡¯ll learn a lesson.¡± ¡ª The next morning at court. The Emperor had already put the previous night¡¯s concerns aside. After all, the events in Baihe County had just occurred and wouldn¡¯t reach Wudu for at least seven or eight days. This court session went smoothly, much like any other. If there was a difference, it was that ever since Xiao Mochi became Prime Minister, the Reformist faction had completely dominated the court. With the Emperor¡¯s backing, the Conservative faction¡¯s voice had all but disappeared. In recent days, Conservative officials had either been demoted, reassigned to distant posts, or even ¡°encouraged¡± to retire to their hometowns. They were all on edge, focused solely on self-preservation. Meanwhile, the Reformists were thriving like the midday sun. And to be fair, the Reformists¡¯ policies had been effective, steering the Wu Kingdom in a positive direction. ¡°Do any of you have matters to report? If not, court is adjourned,¡± the Emperor said calmly. ¡°Your Majesty, I have a matter to report,¡± a voice suddenly called out. Just as the Emperor was about to formally end the session, Wang Can, the Vice Censor-in-Chief of the Imperial Censorate, stepped forward. Immediately, all the officials turned to look at Wang Can before quickly averting their gazes. Although Wang Can held a mere fifth-rank position, he was infamous as the most ferocious ¡°hound¡± of the Imperial Censorate. He had impeached nearly everyone in court at some point¡ªeven the Emperor himself hadn¡¯t been spared. As a result, no one took his impeachments seriously, but many found him irritating. Some officials, who were half-asleep, were especially annoyed. They had hoped to end court quickly and catch up on sleep, only for Wang Can to waste everyone¡¯s time again. ¡°What matter does Lord Wang wish to report?¡± the Emperor asked with a faint smile. The Emperor did not have a favorable impression of Wang Can. Who would like a man who had submitted five memorials accusing the Emperor of dozing off in court? Do I fall asleep every session? the Emperor thought bitterly. Wasn¡¯t that one time simply because I stayed up late reviewing documents? But as a Censor, Wang Can had the privilege of speaking freely. The Wu Kingdom prided itself on its tolerance of censors, and no one could be punished simply for their words. So, the Emperor could only endure it, treating Wang Can¡¯s complaints like a dog barking. ¡°Your Majesty, I wish to impeach Xu Ming, the Minister of Civil and Military!¡± Wang Can declared. The moment Wang Can¡¯s words echoed through the hall, several officials who had been nodding off suddenly woke up. Who did Wang Can say he wanted to impeach? The Minister of Civil and Military? Xu Ming? Wait, that can¡¯t be right. What could Xu Ming have possibly done? Isn¡¯t he just holding an honorary title and traveling the world? He hasn¡¯t done anything, has he? Even if Xu Ming had done something, it would have happened outside the court. Wang Can has no grounds to impeach him for that. So why, out of nowhere, is Wang Can targeting Xu Ming? For a moment, many officials perked up, their interest piqued. A sense of anticipation filled the hall, and quite a few even began to feel a newfound fondness for Wang Can. Impeach Xu Ming? Sure, go ahead! Impeach him! Tear him down! If Xu Ming gets into trouble, he won¡¯t be able to become the imperial son-in-law. That means my son might have a chance! Hearing Wang Can¡¯s intention to impeach Xu Ming, the Emperor¡¯s heart skipped a beat, a sense of unease settling in. ¡°Lord Wang, you wish to impeach Xu Ming? For what reason?¡± the Emperor asked. ¡°Your Majesty,¡± Wang Can responded, bowing deeply. ¡°Last night, I received news that Xu Ming caused a bloody massacre in Baihe County. Without any evidence, he slaughtered over half the members of the Zhang, Li, Sun, and Xiao families, leaving rivers of blood in his wake. As the Minister of Civil and Military, how can Xu Ming act so lawlessly, treating the laws of Wu as if they were nothing?¡± The Emperor¡¯s brow furrowed, his voice taking on a stern and commanding tone. ¡°Lord Wang, words have consequences. Do you have any evidence to support your claim?¡± Wang Can bowed deeply again, his tone unwavering. ¡°Your Majesty, send someone to Baihe County to investigate, and the truth will come to light immediately. I am willing to stake my life on this. If I am slandering Xu Ming, I will throw myself headfirst into the pillar of this hall and end my life!¡± The Emperor: ¡°¡­¡± As the Emperor fell silent, murmurs spread across the court. Given Wang Can¡¯s certainty, the officials began to believe the claim might be true. At the front of the hall, Chancellor Xiao Mochi and another senior official, Yu Ping¡¯an, remained calm and impassive. The Emperor tapped his fingers rhythmically on the armrest of the dragon throne, deep in thought. How strange. How did Wang Can learn about Xu Ming¡¯s actions? The Emperor himself had only received the report late last night, delivered at top speed as a confidential dispatch. Yet somehow, Wang Can had received the same information at the same time? This clearly indicated that someone in the court¡ªsomeone with ulterior motives¡ªwas monitoring Xu Pangda and Xu Ming closely. It seemed likely that Xu Ming was the primary target. Whoever it was, they must have immediately seized upon any signs of trouble. After all, even though Xu Ming had declined the role of imperial son-in-law, that didn¡¯t mean others weren¡¯t eager for the position. ¡°Baihe County is over ten thousand li from Wudu,¡± the Emperor asked, his tone calm but probing. ¡°How did Lord Wang come by this information?¡± ¡°Your Majesty,¡± Wang Can replied confidently, without a hint of hesitation, ¡°last night, while reading in my study, I received a letter from a friend residing in Baihe County. In this letter, my friend described the incident in detail. Believing it to be of utmost importance, I bring it to your attention today.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The Emperor knew full well that Wang Can¡¯s excuse was fabricated. Yet there was little he could do to refute it. The fact that Wang Can had prepared such a plausible pretext indicated that his backers had planned thoroughly. The Emperor¡¯s curiosity turned toward discovering the identity of those behind Wang Can. For them to so easily discard Wang Can as a pawn, it suggested they were formidable. While Wang Can¡¯s impeachment of Xu Ming might seem like a minor affair, it ensured that the Emperor would no longer trust Wang Can. It would only be a matter of time before Wang Can was reassigned away from Wudu¡ªor even dismissed entirely. Although the Emperor couldn¡¯t yet pinpoint the mastermind, he suspected it was likely one of the kingdom¡¯s regional princes. ¡°Very well, Lord Wang,¡± the Emperor said at last, ¡°present the details of this matter.¡± ¡°Certainly,¡± Wang Can said, bowing once more. ¡°Four days ago, in Baihe County, Xu Ming visited a brothel¡­¡± Wang Can proceeded to recount how Xu Ming had gone to the brothel, killed the eldest son of the Sun family, carried his head out, and, within a single day, nearly wiped out the four most prominent families of Baihe County. The court fell into murmurs. Officials exchanged glances, whispering among themselves. Although no one openly criticized Xu Ming in front of the Emperor, the murmurs carried words that reached his ears: ¡°How could the top scholar act so bloodthirsty?¡± ¡°Does the top scholar even respect the law?¡± ¡°What could possibly have driven him to such extremes?¡± The Emperor glanced at Wei Xun, the chief eunuch at his side, signaling with his eyes. Wei Xun, understanding immediately, raised his voice in a shrill tone: ¡°SILENCE!¡± In the court, the murmurs of the officials gradually subsided. ¡°Your Majesty, this matter must be thoroughly investigated. How can the laws of our Wu Kingdom be trampled upon like this?¡± ¡°Your Majesty, though we do not know how the four families of Baihe County offended the top scholar, such a bloodthirsty disposition is deeply concerning.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, what wrongdoing could the other members of the four great families of Baihe County have committed? The top scholar is clearly engaging in wanton slaughter!¡± ¡°Your Majesty, our Wu Kingdom has worked so hard to maintain a delicate balance with the various sects, and now the top scholar has unjustly killed the legitimate disciples and personal prot¨¦g¨¦s of these sects! This is not just an affront to those four sects¡ªit will undoubtedly unsettle every sect, large and small!¡± At this point, several officials stepped forward, tactfully criticizing Xu Ming. The Emperor smirked coldly in his heart. These hypocrites¡­ They claim it¡¯s for the good of Wu, but in reality, they¡¯re only looking out for themselves. At that moment, Wei Xun, the chief eunuch, stepped forward again and knelt at the Emperor¡¯s side, his expression filled with fear. ¡°Your Majesty, this servant deserves to die.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± The Emperor looked at Wei Xun, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Why on earth would you deserve to die this time?¡± Not just the Emperor¡ªmany officials in the court were also puzzled, wondering, ¡°What is this conniving eunuch up to now? How could he possibly deserve to die?¡± ¡°Your Majesty,¡± Wei Xun began, trembling, ¡°last night, this servant actually received a confidential report about Baihe County. But seeing that Your Majesty had finally gone to rest after a long day, this servant could not bear to disturb Your Majesty and thought to report it first thing in the morning instead. But then¡­ this servant foolishly forgot. This is an unforgivable offense!¡± As he spoke, Wei Xun kowtowed three times in quick succession, the sound echoing sharply in the hall. ¡°You worthless dog of a eunuch!¡± The Emperor¡¯s voice carried a tone of anger. ¡°How could you forget something so important? Quickly, tell me what happened in Baihe County. Why did Xu Ming kill so many people? Once you¡¯ve explained, I¡¯ll decide how to punish you!¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± Wei Xun replied, his voice trembling. ¡°According to the report,¡± he began cautiously, ¡°when Xu Pangda assumed his position as county magistrate in Baihe County, on the very first day, a crowd of commoners gathered outside the county office, beating the grievance drum to seek justice. Magistrate Xu and Lord Xu Ming both stepped out of the office to address the matter¡­¡± Chapter 114 Wei Xun explained the entire sequence of events to Emperor Wu in detail. In reality, he was explaining it not only to the emperor but also to the civil and military officials present. Wei Xun placed a particular emphasis on how the four prominent families of Baihe County had been tyrannical, leaving the common people bitterly resentful. He subtly suggested that Xu Ming and Xu Pangda¡¯s actions were entirely out of necessity. Otherwise, most of the minor officials in Baihe County had been bribed by these four families. Finding witnesses and evidence was nearly impossible. Solving any case under such circumstances was practically a fantasy. After Wei Xun finished speaking, the voices in the court gradually quieted. Initially, many officials had assumed that Xu Ming, in his youthful impulsiveness, had clashed with the four powerful families and killed them all in a moment of anger. But they hadn¡¯t expected that Xu Ming and Xu Pangda¡¯s actions were not for themselves but for the suffering people of Baihe County. ¡°Minister Wang,¡± Emperor Wu turned to Wang Can, ¡°Xu Ming acted for the people. Moreover, before Xu Ming left, I personally granted him the Water Dragon Token, giving him the authority to act first and report later. How does this violate the laws of Wu Kingdom?¡± Cold sweat broke out on Wang Can¡¯s forehead, but he had no choice but to press on. ¡°Even with the Water Dragon Token, there must still be justification for Xu Ming¡¯s actions.¡± ¡°Justification? Hmph.¡± Emperor Wu let out a cold laugh. ¡°The cries of the people in Baihe County are the justification! Furthermore, Xu Ming and County Magistrate Xu were already in the process of gathering evidence and were planning to report the matter to the capital. How can you assume they had no justification?¡± ¡°If they fail to provide evidence, they will be punished accordingly. But if they do, what will you have to say for yourself, Minister Wang?¡± The tone of Emperor Wu¡¯s voice had clearly turned displeased. ¡°Furthermore, I wish to see more upright officials like them, not those pedantic and corrupt old schemers!¡± ¡°Your Majesty, I am deeply remorseful!¡± Wang Can hurriedly bowed, not daring to lift his head. However, he still stubbornly retorted, ¡°Even so, Your Majesty, the actions of the Top Scholar are still unreasonable. If everyone followed his example, what would happen to the common people? Wouldn¡¯t it create widespread fear and unrest, destabilizing the dynasty? Moreover, among the four prominent families of Baihe County, there are cultivators. While the heads of these families may be guilty, what does that have to do with the other cultivators in their families? If Xu Ming fails to produce evidence proving that these cultivators oppressed the people, how can we explain this to their sects? How can we account for this to the hundreds of sects within Wu Kingdom¡¯s borders?¡± ¡°Minister Wang, your argument is flawed,¡± a voice suddenly interjected. All eyes turned toward the speaker. It was none other than Yu Ping¡¯an, limping as he stepped forward to the center of the hall. ¡°Your Majesty granted the Water Dragon Token to the Top Scholar, giving him the authority to act first and report later. What, Minister Wang¡ªdo you think everyone under heaven holds a Water Dragon Token granted by His Majesty?¡± ¡°Moreover, you demand evidence. There¡¯s no need to wait for the Top Scholar to send his memorial. I can provide evidence on his behalf right now.¡± Yu Ping¡¯an bowed deeply toward Emperor Wu and declared, ¡°Your Majesty, this leg of mine¡ªbroken when I was still a Xiucai¡ªwas because I offended Li Hui, the son of the Li family in Baihe County. He had it broken.¡± Yu Ping¡¯an¡¯s words caused an uproar in the hall. ¡°What does the Li family in Baihe County think they¡¯re doing?¡± ¡°They dared to break a Xiucai¡¯s leg? How could they be so bold?¡± ¡°Does that Li Hui think that being a direct disciple of a sect gives him the right to act so recklessly?¡± ¡°Your Majesty! This matter must not be brushed aside just because Li Hui is dead! His sect must be held accountable!¡± For a moment, the entire court¡ªboth civil and military officials¡ªwas filled with outrage. A Xiucai already holds an official title through the imperial examination, yet someone dared to break his leg? Outrageous! Did these people hold the imperial examination in contempt? Did they have no respect for official titles? This was akin to slapping the face of every scholar and official repeatedly. The military officials, in particular, had long been displeased with the mountain sects. These sects constantly refused to obey the court, either causing trouble or on their way to cause trouble. This incident presented the perfect opportunity to reprimand them. On the other hand, Wang Can was left dumbfounded. He had never expected that the Tanhua Yu Ping¡¯an¡¯s injured leg had been the result of Baihe County¡¯s Li family¡¯s son breaking it. Even Emperor Wu was taken aback, his expression becoming stern. ¡°Minister Yu, recount the events in full detail from start to finish.¡± ¡ª Three days after the court session in the capital, in a small farmhouse in Baihe County: Xu Ming was playing chess with Fang Ling. Two cats lazed on the courtyard wall, yawning contentedly. Fang Ling¡¯s grandchildren, Fang Wan and Fang Qianqian, were chasing chickens in the coop. ¡°How are things progressing?¡± Fang Ling asked casually, placing a black piece on the board. ¡°Not bad.¡± Xu Ming studied the board and placed a white piece. ¡°We¡¯ve gathered a substantial amount of evidence against the four prominent families in Baihe County. After organizing everything, the memorial has already been sent back to the capital.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Fang Ling nodded. ¡°What do you think His Majesty will decide?¡± Xu Ming smiled faintly. ¡°He¡¯ll probably order me to be punished. After all, I wiped out the four families in Baihe County without presenting evidence at the time. But it shouldn¡¯t be too serious¡ªit likely won¡¯t cost me my life.¡± ¡°You brat,¡± Fang Ling shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ve heard some news. A few days ago, word of what you did in Baihe County reached the court, sparking heated discussions.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Xu Ming looked up, his brows furrowing. ¡°How did it get there so quickly?¡± sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Do you even need to ask? There must be spies in Baihe County.¡± Fang Ling rolled his eyes at Xu Ming. ¡°During that court session, Wang Can from the Censorate accused you of reckless slaughter and disregarding the laws of Wu Kingdom. But Wei Xun, that old eunuch, had already received the news and defended you. Then, Yu Ping¡¯an stepped forward and revealed how his leg was broken by the eldest son of the Li family.¡± Xu Ming: ¡°¡­¡± Fang Ling placed another piece on the board. ¡°Someone is watching you. The moment you do something¡ªespecially if it can be interpreted negatively¡ªthe news reaches the capital at lightning speed, and they try to bring you down. This person has considerable influence, at least within the court, and isn¡¯t afraid to spend resources. Just look at this incident in Baihe County¡ªthey immediately had Wang Can step forward to impeach you. That alone speaks volumes. But His Majesty isn¡¯t a fool. How did Wang Can get your news so quickly? Even a fool could deduce that someone fed it to him and urged him to act. After this, Wang Can will likely be reassigned or even forced into retirement. His Majesty is probably already investigating who¡¯s behind Wang Can. But even if he finds out, it might not lead anywhere, because there won¡¯t be any evidence. Most likely, it¡¯s one of the vassal princes in Wu Kingdom. Didn¡¯t you say before that someone wanted you dead? It¡¯s probably one of those princes.¡± Xu Ming chuckled and shook his head. ¡°Because I¡¯m the future son-in-law of the emperor?¡± ¡°Exactly. Because you¡¯re the future Imperial Son-in-law.¡± Fang Ling nodded. ¡°They didn¡¯t expect to completely ruin you through this incident, but they at least hoped to drag you into a storm of criticism. What they didn¡¯t anticipate was Yu Ping¡¯an stepping forward. A Xiucai having his leg broken is an insult to all officials who rose through the imperial examination. And the military officials? They¡¯re undoubtedly furious. They¡¯ve long disliked the cultivators, and this incident only adds fuel to their anger.¡± ¡°Still, this time you killed too many people. His Majesty will definitely scold you verbally,¡± Fang Ling said. ¡°As for the sect behind Li Hui, it will probably be completely crushed. However, can you find evidence of the crimes committed by the eldest sons of the Sun, Xiao, and Zhang families? That will be very difficult. The sects behind them have likely covered up their tracks through various means. If you can¡¯t find evidence but killed them anyway, you¡¯ll have to give them an explanation. According to the rules between the Wu Kingdom court and the cultivation sects, they have the right to seek revenge against you anytime. The only consolation is that those sent to kill you can¡¯t exceed your cultivation level by more than one realm. I advise you to return to the capital. If you continue wandering outside, you¡¯ll face one assassination attempt after another.¡± Xu Ming shook his head. ¡°Thank you for your concern, Mr. Fang, but if I go back now, wouldn¡¯t I be mocked by the world? Wouldn¡¯t I become a coward? As long as they¡¯re only one realm above me, I¡¯m confident I can handle them.¡± ¡°Kid, don¡¯t think you¡¯re invincible. The number of geniuses in this world far exceeds your imagination,¡± Fang Ling said seriously, staring at Xu Ming. Xu Ming only smiled faintly and said nothing further. ¡°Fine, fine. I¡¯ve done my part to advise you. You¡¯re on your own now.¡± Fang Ling shook his head and dropped the subject. ¡°When do you plan to leave Baihe County?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing left for me to do here. I¡¯ll leave tomorrow,¡± Xu Ming replied. ¡°Do you have a destination in mind for your next stop?¡± Fang Ling asked. Xu Ming nodded. ¡°I¡¯m heading to fulfill an old promise. Even though she has probably forgotten me by now, I can¡¯t go back on my word.¡± ¡°White Deer Academy?¡± Fang Ling asked with a teasing smile. Xu Ming looked confused. ¡°Why White Deer Academy?¡± ¡°Oh, not White Deer Academy? Then it must be the Tianxuan Sect.¡± Fang Ling stroked his beard, stood up, and patted Xu Ming on the shoulder. ¡°Well, that¡¯s fine too. Although that Miss Qin probably doesn¡¯t recognize you anymore¡ªor has even forgotten about you¡ªsince you two are worlds apart as mortal and cultivator, it¡¯s still worth going to see her. It¡¯ll help you resolve this lingering attachment. When you return, you can marry our princess properly.¡± Xu Ming smiled helplessly. ¡°I didn¡¯t break off the engagement because of Qingwan.¡± ¡°Sure, sure.¡± Fang Ling clasped his hands behind his back and walked toward his room. ¡°I¡¯m going to rest for a while. I won¡¯t see you off tomorrow. Come visit this old man again when you have time.¡± Xu Ming stood up and bowed deeply to Fang Ling. ¡°Take care, sir.¡± Fang Ling stopped walking, nodded without turning back, and said, ¡°Come back alive.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± After leaving Fang Ling¡¯s countryside retreat, Xu Ming returned to the county office to pack his belongings. He didn¡¯t have much to take with him¡ªjust a small bundle. His ¡®pet¡¯ white goose seemed very happy upon hearing that they would leave tomorrow. ¡°Sir, the county magistrate is looking for you,¡± a young servant came to deliver a message later that evening. ¡°I understand,¡± Xu Ming replied. He tied up his bundle, picked up the white goose, and headed to Xu Pangda¡¯s courtyard. As soon as he stepped inside, the smell of delicious food greeted him. Xu Pangda emerged from the kitchen, carrying a plate of squirrel fish. He grinned and said, ¡°Fifth Brother, come and eat.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Xu Ming sat down at the table. Xu Pangda quickly removed his apron and poured a cup of wine for his younger brother. ¡°Did you cook all this yourself, Third Brother?¡± Xu Ming asked with a smile. ¡°Heh, yeah.¡± Xu Pangda scratched his head sheepishly. ¡°It doesn¡¯t taste great, so forgive me if it¡¯s not up to your standards.¡± Xu Pangda raised his cup. ¡°Third Brother drinks to send off Fifth Brother.¡± ¡°Thank you, Third Brother,¡± Xu Ming replied, clinking his cup with Xu Pangda¡¯s before downing the drink in one gulp. ¡°Fifth Brother, aren¡¯t you going to wait for the imperial edict?¡± Xu Pangda asked. ¡°No need,¡± Xu Ming shook his head. ¡°When the edict arrives, it¡¯ll only be to reprimand me. Since that¡¯s the case, I might as well leave before it gets here.¡± Xu Pangda frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Fifth Brother! I¡¯ll hold the line for you at the court! If they want to come for you, they¡¯ll have to get through me first!¡± ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary.¡± Xu Ming smiled. ¡°Instead, Third Brother, you must be careful in your own career, especially when you eventually get to the capital. Keep your wits about you near His Majesty; serving a ruler is like serving a tiger. The emperor¡¯s intentions are unpredictable.¡± Xu Pangda nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll remember that.¡± ¡°Also, don¡¯t get too close to Mr. Xiao,¡± Xu Ming continued. ¡°His end may not be a good one.¡± Xu Pangda opened his mouth as if to say something but ultimately closed it and nodded silently. ¡°Enough of this, let¡¯s not talk about such matters anymore. Let¡¯s eat and drink.¡± Xu Ming changed the subject with a smile. ¡°Who knows when I¡¯ll get to taste Third Brother¡¯s cooking again after this?¡± Xu Pangda chuckled. ¡°Fifth Brother must be heading to the Tianxuan Sect, right?¡± Xu Ming nodded. ¡°You guessed it, Third Brother.¡± ¡°But, Fifth Brother, what if Qingwan doesn¡¯t recognize you anymore? Wouldn¡¯t that make the trip pointless?¡± Xu Pangda asked, looking at his younger brother with concern. Over the years, Xu Pangda had learned quite a bit about cultivators. Many of them had people they admired in the mortal world, but once they embarked on the path of immortality, those affections often became nothing more than fleeting memories. Not to mention, Fifth Brother and Qin Qingwan had been separated since they were six or eight years old. So many years had passed¡ªhow could she possibly remember him? Xu Ming smiled faintly. ¡°Third Brother, you¡¯re overthinking it. I¡¯m simply fulfilling my promise. If Qingwan has forgotten me, then so be it.¡± Chapter 115 The next morning, Xu Ming, who had already packed his luggage, was ready to leave Baihe County. As Xu Ming and Tian Xuan Goose stepped out of the courtyard, they saw Xu Pangda waiting for them outside. ¡°Third Brother, you¡¯re up so early,¡± Xu Ming said with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m here to see you off, Fifth Brother,¡± Xu Pangda replied, his round belly giving him the air of a good-natured general. His smile was as honest and warm as it had been in their childhood. ¡°I¡¯ll walk you to the city gates.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Xu Ming agreed without hesitation. The two brothers chatted as they made their way toward the county office. After today, Xu Pangda would have to rely on himself to navigate the challenges in Baihe County. Fortunately, after Xu Ming¡¯s decisive actions against the county¡¯s four prominent clans, most of the troublemakers in Baihe County had been dealt with¡ªsome captured, some eliminated, and the rest silenced. As a result, Xu Pangda now held complete control over Baihe County. Moreover, the recent events had firmly established his authority and earned him the respect and admiration of the people. Moving forward, managing the county would be much easier for him. ¡°Fifth Brother, what do you think we should do about the remnants of the four clans?¡± Xu Pangda asked for Xu Ming¡¯s opinion. Back then, while Xu Ming had been ruthless toward the wicked members of the four clans, he had spared the innocent¡ªthe children, those without evidence against them, and those genuinely uninvolved. Xu Ming shook his head. ¡°For the young and innocent, provide them with some silver so they can live decently until they can stand on their own. As for those who might have committed crimes but lack sufficient evidence, you can detain them temporarily. If they¡¯re found innocent after investigation, release them. The wealth seized from the four clans should naturally go to the county office. I trust Third Brother has a plan for its use.¡± Xu Ming believed Xu Pangda wouldn¡¯t embezzle the funds. Instead, he would likely use them to compensate the people oppressed by the four clans over the years, perhaps establish schools, repair roads, or undertake similar efforts for the community. Xu Pangda glanced at his younger brother. ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried that sparing those people might lead them to seek revenge against you in the future?¡± Xu Ming smiled faintly. ¡°If they come seeking revenge, let them come. For now, they¡¯re innocent. But if they decide to pick up a blade against me in the future, they should be ready to face the consequences.¡± Xu Pangda stared at his younger brother for a moment before laughing. ¡°Fair enough.¡± The two brothers exited the county office. As they stepped through the gates, they saw a large group of townsfolk kneeling outside. ¡°Thank you, Lord Wenwuqing (Minister of Letter and Arms), for clearing my name!¡± ¡°Thank you, Lord Wenwuqing. If it weren¡¯t for you, my daughter would not rest in peace!¡± ¡°Thank you, Lord Wenwuqing, for standing up for us!¡± The voices of gratitude echoed outside the county office. Xu Ming turned to Xu Pangda, puzzled. Xu Pangda smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. Ever since that day, you¡¯ve become a hero in the hearts of Baihe County¡¯s people. A few days ago, I merely mentioned that you¡¯d be leaving. I didn¡¯t expect the townsfolk to gather here of their own accord.¡± Xu Ming stepped forward and helped an elderly woman to her feet. ¡°Please, everyone, rise. This is simply what your county magistrate and I should do.¡± ¡°Lord Xu, you¡¯re too modest. Many officials don¡¯t even fulfill their basic duties. Without you, we wouldn¡¯t know what to do,¡± the elderly woman said as she stepped forward. ¡°Today, knowing that you¡¯re leaving, we¡¯ve come to see you off and offer a small token of our gratitude.¡± Seeing the sincerity in the eyes of the people of Baihe County, Xu Ming felt a subtle stir in his heart. He bowed deeply to them. The crowd was startled by his gesture and hastily knelt again, leaving Xu Ming momentarily at a loss for what to do. Firecrackers went off along the streets as Xu Ming and Xu Pangda walked out of Baihe County, surrounded by the grateful townsfolk. Just as they passed through the city gates, they saw two dignified officials galloping toward them on white horses. If Xu Ming wasn¡¯t mistaken, those were White Dragon Horses from Wudu, capable of traveling a thousand miles in a single day and specifically used to deliver imperial decrees. ¡°Whoa!¡± The two officials reined in their horses. They clearly recognized Xu Ming and Xu Pangda¡ªafter all, the portraits of the top three candidates in the imperial examination had been widely circulated in Wudu. However, they seemed surprised by the large crowd of Baihe County residents following behind the two brothers. ¡°Xu Ming, receive the imperial decree!¡± The two officials dismounted and took out the golden imperial edict. ¡°Xu Ming, here to receive the decree.¡± Xu Ming stepped forward, bowing respectfully. The townsfolk behind him were momentarily stunned. An imperial decree? After a moment of confusion, someone in the crowd reminded them of protocol. Those with scholarly titles bent at the waist in respect, while those without knelt to the ground. The official began reading aloud: ¡°By the Emperor¡¯s command: Beloved minister Xu Ming, in a single day, wielding the Water Dragon Token, you slew nearly a hundred members of the Sun, Xiao, Li, and Zhang families in Baihe County, shaking the court. However, I have reviewed your memorial and understand that the four families committed heinous crimes. Your actions were for the welfare of Baihe County¡¯s people. Nonetheless, you mistakenly killed the eldest sons of the Xiao, Zhang, and Sun families, for whom there is no concrete evidence of guilt. The Thunder Mark Sect, Mountain-Moving Sect, and Yin Spring Sect have raised complaints. You are to resolve the matter personally. In the future, I hope you will not act on impulse and will think carefully before taking action. This decree ends.¡± ¡°Your servant, Xu Ming, accepts the decree.¡± Xu Ming straightened and accepted the imperial edict. The decree¡¯s contents were more or less what he had expected. The Emperor was merely going through the motions. The death of Li Hui from the Li family was well-deserved, and the sect behind the Li family would likely face annihilation. As for the sons of the other three families, Xu Ming had indeed failed to gather sufficient evidence. The Emperor¡¯s phrase ¡°resolve the matter personally¡± essentially meant, ¡°If those three sects come after you, you¡¯re on your own.¡± S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, the final line, ¡°I hope you will not act on impulse and will think carefully before taking action,¡± was a clear warning: ¡°Those sects won¡¯t dare to break the rules to kill you, so handle them properly.¡± One of the officials stepped forward and conveyed a message, saying, ¡°Grand Eunuch Wei asked me to pass along a word: this time, you truly acted recklessly.¡± Xu Ming smiled faintly. The so-called ¡°message from Grand Eunuch Wei¡± was really the Emperor¡¯s words, simply delivered under the guise of Wei Xun. ¡°It was indeed a bit impulsive,¡± Xu Ming admitted. He turned to look at the people of Baihe County behind him. ¡°But if I were to do it again, I think I¡¯d still make the same choice.¡± Chapter 116 ¡°Master,¡± In a humble countryside courtyard in Baihe County, a woman approached her husband. On the official records of Wu Kingdom, Lady Fang was already sixty years old. Yet she looked no older than thirty. Although she wasn¡¯t a breathtaking beauty, she had a charm that was undeniably captivating. With the passage of time, her elegance had matured, giving her an aura of timeless allure. ¡°Hmm,¡± Fang Ling responded with a nod, scattering feed for the chickens as he spoke. ¡°Xu Ming has left?¡± ¡°Yes, Master. The top scholar left today. Many of Baihe County¡¯s townsfolk escorted him out of the city for five miles,¡± Lady Fang said with a smile. ¡°The last time the townspeople sent someone off like this, it was for you.¡± ¡°The people are simple at heart. Treat them well, and they¡¯ll lift you up like no other,¡± Fang Ling chuckled. ¡°That young man left in such a hurry¡ªperhaps he was worried about being scolded by the Emperor? Well, it seems the imperial decree didn¡¯t catch up to him after all.¡± ¡°Not quite,¡± Lady Fang replied, stifling a laugh. ¡°As it turns out, the decree arrived just as he was leaving the city. Fortunately, they say the Emperor merely chastised him a bit and didn¡¯t impose any real punishment.¡± ¡°That¡¯s to be expected,¡± Fang Ling said, tossing another handful of millet to the chickens. ¡°It¡¯s mostly because the crimes of those three sect disciples couldn¡¯t be proven. Otherwise, this incident might have been seen as Xu Ming earning merit. Now, with the imperial decree framing it as a conflict among cultivators and unrelated to the court, those three sects will likely pursue Xu Ming for the sake of their reputation. But Xu Ming has great fortune and resilience¡ªhe won¡¯t die. Letting him endure a bit of hardship might even do him good.¡± Fang Ling left unsaid what he suspected: that the Emperor had likely dispatched people to secretly protect Xu Ming. Handing his bowl to his wife, Fang Ling said, ¡°Xuan¡¯er, I¡¯ll go rest for a while. Wake me in half an hour.¡± ¡°Of course, Master,¡± Lady Fang nodded. Fang Ling retreated to his room for a nap, while Lady Fang continued feeding the chickens in the courtyard. Meanwhile, Fang Wan and Fang Qianqian, exhausted from playing with the cats and dogs, had dozed off under the eaves, each clutching a kitten. Lady Fang smiled fondly and carried her grandson and granddaughter back to their room. But just as she gently closed the door to the children¡¯s room, her expression suddenly tensed. At the same time, the window in Fang Ling¡¯s room flew open with a loud bang. A shadowy figure in black appeared at Fang Ling¡¯s bedside, a dagger thrusting straight for his heart. In that split second, a fluffy tail coiled tightly around the intruder¡¯s wrist. Mo Zhuer, dressed in a black gown, turned her head curiously toward the source of the tail. Lady Fang now stood with a pair of white fox ears protruding from her head, her crimson eyes gleaming like translucent rubies. Behind her, three tails swayed elegantly in the air. With a powerful tug, Lady Fang yanked Mo Zhuer toward her, and another tail shot forward like a sharp blade, aiming straight for Mo Zhuer¡¯s heart. The tail pierced through Mo Zhuer¡¯s chest, but a sly smile curled at the corners of Mo Zhuer¡¯s lips. In an instant, Mo Zhuer dissolved into hundreds of black butterflies, scattering in all directions. Lady Fang¡¯s eyes narrowed. She whirled around, her razor-sharp claws slashing toward the space behind her. Clang! The sound of claws clashing with a dagger echoed through the air. Mo Zhuer flipped gracefully, landing steadily on the ground. ¡°Well, well,¡± she said, her tone laced with amusement as she examined Lady Fang. ¡°Who would¡¯ve thought that the wife of Wu Kingdom¡¯s Prime Minister is actually a white fox demon from the Kingdom of Demons? Truly fascinating.¡± Lady Fang didn¡¯t bother responding. The four tails swaying behind her grew longer and sharper, thrusting toward Mo Zhuer once more. Unfortunately, her strike missed again. Mo Zhuer vanished from the room in an instant. Lady Fang flared her nostrils slightly, sensing the surroundings. Once she confirmed that the assassin had left, she finally breathed a sigh of relief. Walking over to her husband¡¯s bedside, she grasped his hand gently. Fang Ling was still deep in slumber, as if no commotion could ever wake him. ¡ª ¡°Honestly, why is everyone so hard to kill these days?¡± Outside the quiet courtyard, Mo Zhuer patted down her black dress, shaking off imaginary dust. ¡°That Xu Ming is already difficult enough to kill,¡± she murmured. ¡°And now this old man has a fox demon by his side? A woman from the Southern Demon Kingdom married to the Prime Minister of Wu Kingdom¡ªhow peculiar.¡± She chuckled lightly, a glint of mischief in her eyes. ¡°If the world were to learn of this, I wonder how they¡¯d react.¡± But then she shrugged dismissively. ¡°Not my problem. Whoever wants to kill Fang Ling can deal with him. My target is Xu Ming. Speaking of which, where has my little prey run off to now?¡± Mo Zhuer pulled out a compass. The needle spun wildly before settling, pointing northward. ¡°Heading in that direction means¡­¡± Mo Zhuer mused, her lips curling into a smile. ¡°Ah, the Tianxuan Sect.¡± ¡ª S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Tianxuan Sect, Deng Tian Mountain. On the towering mountain, outer disciples were undergoing selection trials for the inner sect. Passing these trials meant becoming an inner disciple, a position vastly superior to that of an outer disciple. The benefits and status were worlds apart. This time, the one overseeing the selection was a young woman. Standing gracefully atop the peak, she wore an elegant azure silk blouse paired with a flowing skirt adorned with floral patterns. A sheer blue shawl draped over her shoulders, accentuating her slender frame and delicate complexion. Her skin was smooth as jade, her fragrance subtle yet enchanting. With a gentle sway of her hips and light steps, her movements exuded an ethereal beauty. Her almond-shaped eyes shimmered like rippling spring water, while her peach blossom-shaped pupils radiated charm. The slight upward tilt at the corners of her eyes seemed to capture the essence of all earthly splendor. Her ebony hair cascaded over her shoulders, a single intricate gold hairpin studded with amethyst resting atop her head. A delicate tassel dangled from the pin, brushing lightly against her dark locks. Her rosy lips and fine, jade-like fingers made her beauty almost surreal. She toyed absentmindedly with her hair, her thoughts seemingly elsewhere. ¡°Junior Sister Qingwan, would you like a few Tianxun fruits?¡± a young man approached her, smiling warmly. This was Xia Donghua, the son of the Tianxuan Sect¡¯s leader. Qin Qingwan glanced at him, her eyes curving into a soft smile. ¡°Thank you, Senior Brother, but I¡¯ll have to decline. I¡¯ve been cultivating my spiritual energy lately, so it¡¯s best I avoid such richly infused fruits.¡± ¡°Ah, I see,¡± Xia Donghua replied, stepping beside her. ¡°By the way, Qingwan, I remember you like the Blood Toras flowers, right? Recently, I discovered a field of them on a plain east of the sect. Would you like to visit?¡± ¡°Senior Brother, I¡¯m not particularly fond of Blood Toras,¡± Qin Qingwan said politely, shaking her head with a gentle smile. ¡°You¡¯re not?¡± Xia Donghua blinked, surprised. ¡°But I heard Elder Wangxuan say you take care of the Blood Toras flowerbed in the Valley of a Thousand Blossoms every day.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Qin Qingwan said, her smile deepening. ¡°I don¡¯t especially like Blood Toras flowers¡­ but I do enjoy watching them bloom.¡± Chapter 117 The Ascension Mountain of the Tianxuan Sect, also known as the Dao-Seeking Mountain or Heart-Questioning Mountain, holds great significance. Legend has it that this mountain was carried over from the southern demon territory¡¯s Heavenly Mountain range by the sect¡¯s founding ancestor when the Tianxuan Sect was established. When cultivators set foot on this mountain, the path they have chosen to cultivate is put to the test, and their Dao hearts are repeatedly questioned. The higher one climbs, the firmer their Dao heart is proven to be. Among the younger generation, only Qin Qingwan has ever reached the summit of Ascension Mountain, doing so without a moment¡¯s hesitation. In contrast, the outer disciples participating in the inner sect selection pale in comparison. These outer disciples are chosen through a competition within the outer sect. According to the sect¡¯s rules, reaching halfway up the mountain qualifies them to pass the selection and officially become inner sect disciples. However, Qin Qingwan believes that less than one-tenth of these outer disciples will make it this time. As Elder Chen put it, ¡°This is the worst batch of outer disciples I have ever seen.¡± But then again, he said the same thing last time. As expected, out of the 300 disciples climbing Ascension Mountain, only 25 managed to reach halfway up. The highest climber fell short of the summit by nearly fifty zhang. Regardless, the inner sect trials had finally concluded. Before Xia Donghua and the others could invite Qin Qingwan to visit the neighboring Watching Sea Peak, she hurriedly flew back to her home at the Valley of a Thousand Blossoms. When Qin Qingwan returned, she found her master waiting for her amidst a sea of flowers. ¡°Master,¡± Qin Qingwan stepped forward and bowed, ¡°Why have you come?¡± ¡°There¡¯s something I need to discuss with you,¡± Wang Xuan said slowly. Qin Qingwan tilted her head curiously. ¡°What is it, Master?¡± Wang Xuan extended a hand and ruffled her hair. ¡°Qingwan, you¡¯ve reached the late stage of the Sea Observation realm. I¡¯ve had you suppress your breakthrough into the Dragon Gate realm for two reasons. First, to prepare for the trial in the Rootless Secret Realm. Second, to ensure that when you ¡®leap over the dragon gate,¡¯ it will stand higher. Now, it¡¯s time for you to descend the mountain.¡± ¡°Descend the mountain?¡± Qin Qingwan froze for a moment before her beautiful peach blossom eyes lit up with joy brighter than the sea of flowers around her. ¡°Master, does this mean I can return to Wudu?¡± Wang Xuan shook his head with a hint of helplessness in his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sending you down the mountain, but not to return to Wudu.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Qin Qingwan¡¯s peach blossom eyes dimmed with disappointment. ¡°Then why am I going down the mountain, Master?¡± Wang Xuan looked into her eyes. ¡°Didn¡¯t I just explain? You¡¯ve reached the required cultivation level and have nearly mastered the Tianxuan Heart Method, but your experience of the world is too shallow. This descent is both a training exercise and a mission to retrieve a treasure.¡± ¡°Another treasure hunt?¡± Qin Qingwan felt a bit bored at the thought. She recalled her first task upon joining the Tianxuan Sect years ago¡ªretrieving a treasure. In the end, she acquired a Dao Heart Lotus, which her master had her consume. Yet, she hadn¡¯t noticed any difference since then. ¡°What kind of treasure this time, Master?¡± Qin Qingwan asked. ¡°This time, even I do not know what the treasure is,¡± Wang Xuan replied. ¡°But I have divined that an extraordinary item will emerge in Baiwa City, located in Qingyang County on the border of Wu Kingdom. Baiwa City lies at the boundary between Wu Kingdom and the Southern Demon Kingdom. It¡¯s likely that other sects have also divined this and sent their cultivators there. ¡°This mission will involve the personal disciple of White Crane Peak¡¯s master, the sect leader¡¯s son, and the Sword Peak master¡¯s son accompanying you. You will set off tomorrow. Prepare yourself well and remember to be cautious during this journey.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Qin Qingwan responded with a bow. After assigning the task, Wang Xuan said no more. He spent some time discussing her recent insights into Dao techniques before leaving. Once her master departed, Qin Qingwan began preparing for her journey. Qin Qingwan quickly strode forward, her long legs beneath her dress carrying her to the flower garden in front of the small wooden house. Squatting down beside the patch of blood-red Toras flowers that were still in bud, she gently caressed them and murmured, ¡°Hurry up and bloom, okay? It would be perfect if you waited until I returned to blossom. Once you bloom again, I¡¯ll finally be able to see Brother Ming.¡± As if the Blood Toras flowers understood her words, they swayed gently in the breeze, nodding slightly. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Speaking of which, after all these years, does Brother Ming still remember the promise he made to me? I wonder if he has someone he likes now,¡± she mused, resting her fair chin on her hand and pouting softly. The young girl, nearing the prime of her youth at sixteen, felt a tinge of melancholy. ¡ª ¡°Move faster, you dead dog!¡± ¡°I¡¯m already moving as fast as I can!¡± ¡°Fast? My foot! You take a few steps and then rest. At this pace, it¡¯ll take us half a year to find the princess!¡± ¡°Oh, come on, don¡¯t rush. We¡¯ve already locked onto the princess¡¯s direction. Finding her is only a matter of time. Humans have a saying: ¡®Haste makes waste.''¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± The one-legged fiery bird perched atop the large black dog jabbed it forcefully with its beak. The black dog yelped in pain, baring its teeth, but didn¡¯t retaliate. Feeling wronged, it could only quicken its pace in silence. ¡°Honestly, I really don¡¯t want to go back to Wu Kingdom,¡± the black dog sighed as it trudged forward. ¡°Last time I was there, I almost got killed by the Wu Emperor and turned into dog meat hotpot.¡± ¡°And you still have the nerve to bring that up! Not only did you fail the mission, but you also wasted a Void Shard! When we returned, the prime minister scolded you so harshly it was unbearable!¡± the fiery bird, Bi Fang, snapped in irritation. ¡°Think about it, though. At least we discovered the Eternal Spirit Root, right?¡± The black dog chuckled slyly. ¡°That counts as making up for it, doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°That was pure luck on your part!¡± Bi Fang turned its head away in disdain. ¡°Still, I have to admit, Wu Kingdom really has been blessed in recent years. First, there were the Innate Sacred Physique and the Innate Sword Bone, and now the Eternal Spirit Root.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not surprising,¡± the black dog said with a smirk. ¡°Wu Kingdom borders the Southern Demon Kingdom, and its geographical location is terrible. The Heavenly Dao compensates for such things. Since Wu Kingdom has a bad location, it naturally receives some blessings to balance things out.¡± ¡°Enough of that! We have two main objectives this time!¡± Bi Fang declared, its tone sharp. ¡°First, find the princess and awaken her memories. Second, eliminate that Xu Ming and extract his Eternal Spirit Root!¡± ¡°If we fail this time, dead dog, you know what the consequences will be!¡± Bi Fang fixed the black dog with a piercing gaze. The usually frivolous black dog dropped its playful demeanor, nodding solemnly. ¡°You don¡¯t need to remind me¡ªI already know.¡± Chapter 118 ¡°Boss, five pounds of braised beef, a pot of Green Ant Wine, and a plate of stewed tofu skin.¡± At the foot of Huangqingfeng Mountain in Qingyang County, a man sat down in a small tavern. The man was quite handsome, his refined and scholarly face exuding an air of determination. Yet, his entire being carried the aura of a learned scholar. In simple terms, the man combined the elegance of a scholar with the rugged vitality of a warrior. Whether a woman preferred tough men or refined scholars, he possessed an irresistible charm to both. However, what was unusual was the fact that the man was accompanied by a large white goose. This white goose stayed close by his side and appeared surprisingly intelligent. Strangely enough, despite being a goose, it carried a certain delicate and handsome air. On closer inspection, one could even notice that the goose had long eyelashes! Those lashes were unexpectedly elegant. The more you looked, the more you realized this white goose was oddly good-looking. ¡°Sir, your dishes are ready. Please enjoy. Let me know if you need anything,¡± the waiter said as he placed the food on the table. Just as the goose was about to dig in, the man, Xu Ming, grabbed its wing and smiled at the waiter. ¡°Waiter, this beef doesn¡¯t look very fresh. How about you try a piece first?¡± The waiter paused for a moment before laughing. ¡°Sir, what are you talking about? This beef was slaughtered just this morning. It¡¯s as fresh as it gets.¡± ¡°Fresh just because it¡¯s from this morning? I think you should try it yourself.¡± Xu Ming smiled. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, waiter? Don¡¯t you dare taste your own braised beef?¡± ¡°Sir, you jest. Of course, I dare.¡± ¡°Then go ahead and try it. You¡¯ll see if I¡¯m wrong.¡± Xu Ming handed the waiter a pair of chopsticks. ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll have a taste. But don¡¯t make me pay for it!¡± The waiter smiled as he took the chopsticks, picking up a piece of braised beef and bringing it to his mouth. But just as the waiter was about to take a bite, a flash of cold steel glinted from his sleeve. The waiter pulled out a dagger and lunged it toward Xu Ming¡¯s chest. ¡°Goose! (Fuck!)¡± The white goose flapped its wings in shock, preparing to kick the waiter. But Xu Ming had already struck, delivering a punch straight to the waiter¡¯s chest. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The force of his ¡°Mountain Shattering Strike¡± reduced the waiter to a mist of blood. ¡°Attack!¡± The other ¡°customers¡± in the tavern, realizing their ambush had been discovered, drew their weapons and charged at Xu Ming. Half an incense stick¡¯s time later, the tavern fell into silence. The assassins were utterly annihilated¡ªsome with their spirits shattered, some with their skulls crushed by Xu Ming¡¯s fists. Others had their throats sliced open by the wind blades conjured by the goose¡¯s flapping wings, their blood soaking the dirt floor. ¡°Goose, goose, goose! (What a nuisance! Can¡¯t even enjoy a peaceful meal anymore?)¡± The white goose honked a few times, clearly annoyed. Since leaving Baihe County, Xu Ming and the goose had been ambushed more than ten times in just over half a month! At first, the cultivators from the Thunder Mark Sect and the Mountain-Moving Sect at least had the decency to declare, ¡°I¡¯m here to take your head!¡± But after those cultivators were slaughtered by Xu Ming, they switched tactics to stealth and assassination. Now, they¡¯d even stooped to poisoning attempts. ¡°Those three sects not only failed to regain their dignity but also lost at least forty Sea Observation Realm cultivators to us. They can¡¯t even send their Golden Core elders after us. They must be fuming right now, so resorting to such lowly tricks is only to be expected.¡± Xu Ming washed his hands, then went to the tavern¡¯s kitchen and found some untouched braised beef and wine that hadn¡¯t been poisoned. However, the smell of blood in the place was too overwhelming, so Xu Ming took the Tianxuan Goose and walked some distance ahead before sitting on a rock to enjoy their meal. ¡°Goose, goose, goose! (How did you know they¡¯d poisoned the food?)¡± Tianxuan Goose grabbed a piece of beef with its beak, tossed it into the air, and caught it in its mouth. ¡°I didn¡¯t actually know they¡¯d poisoned the food. I just thought the tables and utensils here looked a bit too new, so I tested him. I didn¡¯t expect it to actually work.¡± Xu Ming took a sip of the wine and had to admit¡ªit tasted pretty good. Tianxuan Goose rolled its eyes at him. ¡°Goose, goose, goose? (Aren¡¯t we supposed to head straight to Tianxuan Sect to meet Qingwan? Why are we taking a detour? Where are we going now?)¡± ¡°No rush. Let¡¯s visit the border town of Qingyang County first, then head to Tianxuan Sect. We¡¯ve got time.¡± Xu Ming let out a satisfied burp and glanced at Tianxuan Goose. ¡°By the way, you¡¯ve been spiritually awakened for a while now, and you¡¯ve long refined the horizontal bone in your throat. Why can¡¯t you speak human language yet?¡± ¡°Goose, goose, goose¡­ (I don¡¯t know either¡­)¡± At the mention of this, Tianxuan Goose visibly drooped, looking dejected. It puzzled itself as well. It had clearly refined its throat¡¯s horizontal bone long ago and should have been able to speak, yet all it could say was ¡°goose, goose, goose.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± Seeing the goose¡¯s downcast look, Xu Ming comforted it. ¡°When we get to Tianxuan Sect, we¡¯ll see if Qingwan can ask her master to help you figure it out.¡± Tianxuan Goose snorted and turned its head. ¡°Goose, goose, goose! (And you think Qingwan will help? She¡¯s probably already forgotten about us!)¡± Xu Ming spread his hands. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, there¡¯s nothing we can do. You¡¯ll just have to keep honking forever.¡± ¡°Goose!¡± Tianxuan Goose was furious. It flew behind Xu Ming and repeatedly smacked the back of his head with its wings. After filling their stomachs, Xu Ming and Tianxuan Goose continued on their way toward the border town in Qingyang County. The town, Baiwa City, sat on the border between the Wu Kingdom and the Southern Demon Kingdom. Though it was technically part of Wu Kingdom¡¯s territory, it was essentially no-man¡¯s land. Qingyang County couldn¡¯t establish an official government there, and the Southern Demon Kingdom didn¡¯t claim control either. Yet, neither side was willing to admit the town belonged to the other, so both had unilaterally included it on their maps. In truth, the town served as a buffer zone between the two powers. Three days later, Xu Ming and Tianxuan Goose arrived at Baiwa City. There were no guards at the city gate. Xu Ming and Tianxuan Goose walked straight in. But the moment Xu Ming stepped into the city, a surge of demonic energy rushed toward him. Yet, the streets were filled with bustling humans going about their lives. Xu Ming closed his eyes, then reopened them, his pupils now glowing with Dao patterns that revealed the truth behind illusions. Scanning the scene before him, his brows furrowed tightly. ¡°What is going on in this city?¡± Chapter 119 The Dao Pattern Eyes surfaced in Xu Ming¡¯s pupils. With the power of the Dao Pattern Eyes, Xu Ming could pierce through all illusions. In this town called Baiwa City, the ¡°people¡± walking along the streets were, in fact, all monsters! Not a single human among them! And these monsters weren¡¯t those that had cultivated to the point of taking human form. Instead, it seemed as though some kind of illusion technique had been used to make others perceive them as human, while in reality, they all retained their beastly appearances. ¡°What is going on here?¡± Xu Ming murmured to himself, his mind swirling with doubts. Could it be that all these monsters were adept at illusion techniques? ¡°Xu Ming, don¡¯t you think these people look a little odd?¡± Tianxuan Goose rubbed its head with a wing. Though it couldn¡¯t see their true forms, its instincts told it something was off about these ¡°people.¡± ¡°They do seem strange,¡± Xu Ming nodded but didn¡¯t reveal the truth of what he saw to Tianxuan Goose. ¡°Let¡¯s leave the city for now,¡± Xu Ming said to the goose. Something wasn¡¯t right here, and Xu Ming decided it was best to leave without alarming anyone, pretending he hadn¡¯t noticed anything unusual. ¡°Goose?¡± Tianxuan Goose cocked its head, confused about why Xu Ming wanted to leave the city right after entering it. Still, it couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that this place wasn¡¯t right. Together, they made their way toward the city gates. But as they walked, they soon realized something was very wrong. The city gates, clearly within sight, somehow remained unreachable no matter how far they walked. No matter how they moved forward, they always ended up back where they started. Tianxuan Goose looked at Xu Ming, its expression tinged with nervousness. ¡°Don¡¯t panic. We¡¯ve likely stumbled into some sort of barrier. This isn¡¯t something our enemies could¡¯ve done. After all, even their sect masters are only at the Nascent Soul Realm. Unless one of them came here personally, they wouldn¡¯t be capable of creating something like this. And since Golden Core Realm cultivators fear the Wu Kingdom Kingdom¡¯s might and wouldn¡¯t dare attack me, let alone a Nascent Soul Realm master, this can¡¯t be their doing. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Since we¡¯re already here, we might as well stay and figure out what¡¯s going on.¡± Xu Ming¡¯s words were meant to reassure Tianxuan Goose, though inwardly, he couldn¡¯t help but remain cautious. He wasn¡¯t particularly worried about the three sects seeking revenge on him, but he was wary of other unknown forces. After all, someone had been powerful enough to send the Black Lotus Sect¡¯s saintess after him. Tianxuan Goose swallowed nervously and nodded in agreement. But just as it turned to follow Xu Ming, it suddenly let out a loud ¡°Goose!¡± The goose darted behind Xu Ming, wrapping its wings tightly around his leg. Peeking out from behind him, it shivered violently. Xu Ming frowned deeply. This time, even without activating the Dao Pattern Eyes, Xu Ming saw what they revealed. Dog demons walked upright, strutting with pride. Cat demons, dressed in human clothes, beckoned customers into brothels. Snake demons slithered through the streets, their tails coiled around fans as they swayed back and forth. A bull demon operated a noodle stall, slicing meat into bowls of noodles¡ªmeat of an origin that one wouldn¡¯t dare guess. These demons clearly possessed a high level of intelligence, yet none had transformed into human form. It was bizarre¡ªtruly bizarre. For anyone with a penchant for anthropomorphic creatures, this place would be paradise. Tianxuan Goose stretched its neck, peeking out from behind Xu Ming. ¡°Xu Ming, did you see that?¡± Xu Ming nodded. ¡°I saw it.¡± Tianxuan Goose gulped. ¡°What the heck is going on here?¡± Xu Ming shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Tianxuan Goose swallowed nervously. ¡°So, what do we do now?¡± Xu Ming chuckled. ¡°What else can we do? We¡¯ll take things as they come. Unless you can find a way out, do you have a better idea?¡± Tianxuan Goose: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go. We¡¯ll find a place to eat. Stop being so jumpy¡ªyou¡¯re a demon too, aren¡¯t you? Look at that chicken demon over there; technically, you could call them your relative.¡± Xu Ming teased. Annoyed, Tianxuan Goose smacked Xu Ming on the back of the head with its wing. ¡°I¡¯m a goose, thank you very much!¡± ¡°Alright, alright, you¡¯re a goose.¡± Xu Ming didn¡¯t argue further and headed deeper into the town. He stopped in front of a tavern. The tavern¡¯s proprietress was a sheep demon. She milked herself, mixed the milk with some other unknown liquids, and served it to her customers. They paid her with ordinary silver coins. ¡°Amitabha. Kind benefactor, would you care to form a virtuous bond?¡± A voice called out from behind Xu Ming. Turning around, he saw a tiger standing upright, dressed in a monk¡¯s robes and holding a monk¡¯s staff. Xu Ming stared at the tiger, then fished a few silver fragments from his pocket and tossed them into the iron alms bowl the tiger held. ¡°Are you a monk?¡± The tiger in the monk¡¯s robes smiled. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I be a monk?¡± ¡°Can demons become monks?¡± Xu Ming pressed, directly pointing out the tiger¡¯s demonic nature. Although this town was bizarre, with demons openly roaming its streets without hostility toward him, Xu Ming suspected this place¡¯s demons were different from those elsewhere. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t demons be monks?¡± The tiger laughed. ¡°A monk wears robes; I wear robes. A monk carries a staff; I carry a staff. A monk abstains from killing; I¡¯ve been a vegetarian for years. A monk recites scriptures; I recite scriptures too. Now tell me, am I a monk or not?¡± Xu Ming blinked, momentarily stunned. The tiger¡­ had a point. ¡°You, human, don¡¯t seem to have much wisdom. You¡¯re not suited to be a monk,¡± the tiger said, shaking his head with a hint of disappointment. Then he sighed and walked off, continuing to seek alms. Xu Ming continued forward. He arrived at a temple, where many demons entered to burn incense and worship ¡°Buddha,¡± mimicking human customs. The difference was, on the main hall¡¯s high platform sat a toad dressed in golden robes, its demeanor solemn and dignified. The enormous toad¡¯s bulging eyes scanned the crowd as demons came and went. ¡°Goose, goose, goose? (What kind of Buddha is this?)¡± Tianxuan Goose was dumbfounded, its worldview thoroughly shaken. ¡°This toad, naturally, is the Toad Buddha,¡± the golden-clad toad said with a laugh. The other demons acted as if they hadn¡¯t heard anything and continued their worship. Xu Ming stepped forward and offered a polite bow. ¡°Sitting in a golden body on a high platform, aren¡¯t you afraid the Buddhist sects will hold you accountable?¡± ¡°Hold me accountable?¡± The golden toad croaked loudly. ¡°People ask me to catch bugs, and I oblige. They ask me to guard against mosquitoes at night, and I send my descendants to help. When they pray for healing, I aid in curing their illnesses. The deeds of Buddha, I perform just the same. In fact, compared to some Buddhas, I¡¯m far more responsive. Now tell me, am I a Buddha, or are they?¡± Chapter 120 Xu Ming thought that the ¡°Toad Buddha¡± made a lot of sense with its words. After replying to Xu Ming, the Toad Buddha closed its eyes again and continued listening to the prayers of other demons. At this moment, Xu Ming was finally certain that this town was not a trap set for him. The thick demonic aura emanating from the Toad Buddha was something Xu Ming had never encountered before, and it carried a hint of Buddhist serenity. If the Toad Buddha intended to harm him, Xu Ming wasn¡¯t even sure he could leave the main hall alive. Moreover, with so many demons around, Xu Ming wouldn¡¯t stand a chance against them all. There was no reason to go through such trouble just to target him. After leaving the temple, Xu Ming encountered a wild chicken perched on a phoenix tree, standing tall and proud. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Xu Ming asked, ¡°What are you doing?¡± The wild chicken replied, ¡°The phoenix rests on the phoenix tree. I¡¯m resting here.¡± Xu Ming asked again, ¡°Are you a phoenix?¡± The wild chicken lifted its head arrogantly and said, ¡°The phoenix is a bird. I am also a bird. The phoenix has wings. I also have wings. Why am I not a phoenix?¡± Xu Ming: ¡°¡­¡± Such incidents were countless in this small town. A snake coiled itself on an eave, spitting and hissing constantly, thinking it was a true dragon. A pack of wolves took over the county office, dressed in magistrate¡¯s robes, claiming to be officials. The wolf magistrate¡¯s subordinates, a group of old dogs, silently patrolled the streets, seemingly serious in their duties. A plump fox wearing silk robes acted like a merchant, engaging in heated arguments over a single copper coin during transactions. This place resembled a human city, yet not a single human was present. However, the atmosphere everywhere bore a distinctly ¡°human¡± flavor. Xu Ming found an inn to stay in. Later, a monkey with a small flower pinned to its head knocked on Xu Ming¡¯s door, asking if Xu Ming needed any special services. When Xu Ming opened the door, the monkey, named ¡°Little Flower,¡± brightened upon seeing him. She immediately stated that Xu Ming was her type and that she would offer him a discount. Xu Ming, however, refused. Still, he gave her some money and invited her in. Naturally, Xu Ming wasn¡¯t interested in any special services. Other than some people from his previous life on Blue Star, no normal person would have tastes that heavy. Xu Ming wanted to ask her about the strange nature of this town. ¡°You want to know about this place, Young Master?¡± Little Flower, holding a handkerchief, looked puzzled by Xu Ming¡¯s question. ¡°This is just how this town is. Is it so strange? On the contrary, you humans show up occasionally and then vanish suddenly.¡± ¡°Vanish suddenly?¡± Xu Ming became more confused. ¡°Yes,¡± Little Flower replied, batting her eyelashes at Xu Ming. ¡°Every now and then, humans come in. But after a short period, maybe three months, or at most a year or two, they suddenly disappear, as if they were never here. ¡°Those people always had the same confused expression as you, claiming they came from the outside world and asking us how to leave. But how would we know? We¡¯ve lived here for generations.¡± Little Flower shrugged helplessly. Xu Ming frowned slightly. ¡°But I did hear my great-grandmother say that when she was young, there used to be many humans here. Over time, they gradually disappeared, leaving only us behind,¡± Little Flower added. ¡°Your great-grandmother? Where is she now?¡± Xu Ming asked. ¡°My great-grandmother passed away over two hundred years ago,¡± Little Flower answered coyly, as if anticipating Xu Ming¡¯s question. ¡°¡­¡± Xu Ming carefully processed what Little Flower had said. First, this place seemed isolated from the world, likely sealed within a boundary that allowed entry but no exit. Secondly, this city was not like this more than two hundred years ago. Back then, it was connected to the outside world. The issue lies in this ¡°more than two hundred years ago.¡± If Baiwa City had been like this two hundred years ago, no matter how remote it might be, Xu Ming would surely have heard about such a place. A city like this would have been extremely famous, attracting numerous cultivators to investigate it. But Xu Ming had never heard of Baiwa City being this way. ¡°Could it be¡­¡± Suddenly, a bold yet reasonable idea formed in Xu Ming¡¯s mind. Could the flow of time in this place be different from that of the outside world? Could it be that Baiwa City only became like this in the past year or two, but for those inside, a couple of years outside translates to over two hundred years here? And honestly, Xu Ming was quite concerned about what Little Flower had said: ¡°Humans vanish within three months at the shortest, a year or two at the longest.¡± Xu Ming didn¡¯t believe for a second that the humans who disappeared had returned to the outside world. If they had made it back, the strange nature of Baiwa City would have surely spread through their stories. Therefore, those who vanished most likely truly disappeared. ¡°Young Master, do you really not need me to serve you? I wouldn¡¯t even charge you,¡± Little Flower said softly, stepping closer as she saw Xu Ming deep in thought. Startled, Xu Ming quickly stood up. ¡°No need, truly. Thank you, Miss Little Flower, for your insights.¡± ¡°Honestly, Young Master, you really are so oblivious to affection,¡± Little Flower sighed as she stood up with an air of grievance. She walked out of the room, muttering with regret, ¡°Such a handsome Young Master, but what a pity. He¡¯s probably going to disappear soon, too.¡± ¡°Goose-goose-goose? (What do we do now?)¡± the Tianxuan Goose asked Xu Ming. ¡°Since ancient times, life has always been accompanied by death, cause by effect, and entry by exit. There must be a way out; we just need to find it,¡± Xu Ming said, his gaze landing on the bag on the table. Inside the bag were the ashes of Shen Sheng. Once again, Xu Ming recalled Shen Sheng¡¯s dying words. Shen Sheng had lived in Baiwa City of Qingyang County for many years and had even entrusted his ashes to Xu Ming, an enemy, hoping they would be returned to the city. This place might have an extraordinary connection to Shen Sheng. Xu Ming¡¯s fingers tapped the table unconsciously as he thought aloud, ¡°Tomorrow, we¡¯ll head to the other side of Baiwa City and see if anyone there recognizes Shen Sheng.¡± At the same time, three men and one woman entered Baiwa City. As soon as they stepped into the city, they all stopped in their tracks. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Wasn¡¯t it just daytime? Why did it suddenly turn dark?¡± asked Xia Donghua, the son of the Sect Master of the Tianxuan Sect, frowning. ¡°There¡¯s a huge demonic aura here,¡± another man commented. The lone woman among them began chanting a spell, sending golden runes flying toward the four directions of the city. After a long while, she opened her eyes, frowned deeply, and shook her head. ¡°We can¡¯t get out.¡± Chapter 121 Early in the morning, Xu Ming and the Tianxuan Goose left the inn and headed in the opposite direction within White Marsh City. ¡°Excuse me, do you know a man named Shen Sheng?¡± ¡°Excuse me, do you know a man named Shen Sheng? He¡¯s about my height and has a build similar to mine.¡± As he walked, Xu Ming asked passersby. After a while, Xu Ming realized how foolish it was to ask like this, so he decided to draw a portrait based on his memory and use it to inquire about Shen Sheng. Xu Ming¡¯s drawing skills were mediocre, and given how long it had been, the sketch resembled Shen Sheng by only about sixty or seventy percent. Still, none of the ¡°people¡± he asked knew who Shen Sheng was. The only one who claimed to know Shen Sheng turned out to be a black widow spider. Its real intent was to lure Xu Ming into its web and do unspeakable things with him. When Xu Ming realized this, he gave the spider a thorough beating. What a joke. Did it think his tastes were that extreme? He didn¡¯t even consider the monkey, let alone a spider. And black widows eat their mates¡ªwho could handle that? After walking for half a day and asking over a hundred ¡°people,¡± Xu Ming found no clues about Shen Sheng. By noon, Xu Ming took the Tianxuan Goose to a noodle stand for lunch. The owner of the stand was a massive lizard, resembling one of the largest lizard species back on Blue Star. What was it called again? Xu Ming couldn¡¯t quite recall. Looking at the chunks of meat in his bowl, Xu Ming felt a bit uneasy. Could it be human flesh? To be sure, he discreetly used his Dao Pattern Eye to peek into the kitchen. It turned out to be genuine beef¡ªmarbled with fat and perfectly legitimate. And to his surprise, the taste was excellent. ¡°Boss, you¡¯re using beef here. Doesn¡¯t the old ox across the street have any objections?¡± Xu Ming asked while settling the bill. Across from the noodle stand was a clothing store run by a yellow ox. ¡°What¡¯s there to object to?¡± The lizard boss rolled his eyes. ¡°Beasts and demons are two entirely different things. Animals that haven¡¯t gained sentience aren¡¯t even the same species as us demons. There¡¯s no way that ox would hold a grudge against me over some brainless beast. ¡°Of course, if you really want to talk about it, sure, the ox selling clothes might not like the fact that I make beef noodles and beef offal soup. But so what? It can¡¯t beat me. ¡°If it really ticks me off, I¡¯ll make soup with its ox whip.¡± Xu Ming: ¡°¡­¡± He hadn¡¯t expected the boss to be this bold. ¡°By the way, you haven¡¯t been in Baiwa City for long, have you?¡± the lizard boss asked. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Xu Ming nodded. ¡°I just arrived yesterday.¡± ¡°No wonder.¡± The lizard boss tapped his pipe and blew out a puff of smoke. ¡°It¡¯s been about fifty years since a human last came in. Kid, you¡¯d better be careful. There are still plenty of demons in Baiwa City who love the taste of human flesh. Don¡¯t end up as someone¡¯s dish.¡± ¡°Thank you for the warning,¡± Xu Ming said with a bow. Then he suddenly realized the boss seemed quite old. ¡°You mentioned it¡¯s been fifty years since anyone came in. If I may ask, how old are you?¡± The lizard boss chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m two hundred years old. Around here, folks give me some respect and call me Lizard Brother Lang.¡± ¡°Do you happen to know a man named Shen Sheng?¡± Xu Ming asked, pulling out his sketch. ¡°He looks roughly like this.¡± Since this lizard boss was two hundred years old, perhaps he might have heard of Shen Sheng. ¡°Let me take a look,¡± Lizard Brother Lang leaned in to examine the sketch. ¡°This guy does look a bit familiar.¡± ¡°Shen Sheng¡­ Shen Sheng, Shen Sheng¡­¡± Lizard Brother Lang muttered the name under his breath. ¡°Oh, I remember now!¡± He tapped his pipe against the counter. ¡°That couple!¡± Xu Ming¡¯s heart leaped with excitement¡ªhe hadn¡¯t expected to actually find a lead. ¡°Lizard Brother Lang, could you tell me more?¡± Xu Ming placed a few silver coins on the table. Without a word, the lizard pocketed the coins. ¡°There¡¯s not much to tell. It must¡¯ve been about a hundred years ago¡­ or maybe longer? Back then, I wasn¡¯t running this beef offal stand. I was working as a bricklayer at a courtyard in the northern part of the city. ¡°At that time, a couple moved in next door to me. The man was as skinny as you, but his wife? She was quite a looker. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°They were looking for a way out of the city, but I figured there was no way they¡¯d find one. Still, they were good people¡ªespecially the wife. She¡¯d often make pastries and share them with the neighbors. ¡°Then, about a year later, they claimed they¡¯d found a way out. Something about setting up a formation on the night of a full moon¡ªI didn¡¯t really understand it. ¡°But before the full moon even came, they disappeared. I don¡¯t know if they actually left or if they just vanished like the others.¡± ¡°Lizard Brother Lang, could you tell me where they lived at the time?¡± Xu Ming asked. At this point, Xu Ming was certain: the flow of time in this place was vastly different from the outside world. Shen Sheng wasn¡¯t even thirty years old, yet Lizard Brother Lang said he had met him over a century ago. The only explanation was that time in Baiwa City moved a hundred times faster than in the outside world. ¡°That¡¯s no problem. Just so you know, though, it¡¯s been over a hundred years. That place has long since been taken over by someone else. But if you want to go, just say you¡¯re a friend of mine, Lizard Brother Lang.¡± Lizard Brother Lang pointed with his pipe. ¡°Keep going straight until you see a big banyan tree. Turn right there, then take the first left. Walk straight for about half a mile, and you¡¯ll find it.¡± Xu Ming clasped his hands in thanks. ¡°Much appreciated.¡± As Xu Ming headed toward the courtyard where Shen Sheng had supposedly lived ¡°a hundred years ago,¡± the city gates of Baiwa City opened to let in waves of new arrivals. Among them were both human cultivators and demons, all dispatched by their sects to complete missions and vie for the mysterious treasure rumored to be in Baiwa City. The city¡¯s residents were baffled. They hadn¡¯t seen any outsiders in fifty years, and now, all of a sudden, so many had arrived. Outside Baiwa City, a black dog and a Bi Fang stood staring at the city walls, looking rather dejected. ¡°Stupid dog! It¡¯s all your fault for being so slow! Xu Ming has already entered the city! Our cultivation levels are too high to follow him in! What now?¡± Bi Fang grumbled, hopping up and down on one foot while stomping on the black dog¡¯s head. ¡°Don¡¯t rush, don¡¯t rush,¡± the black dog replied, its head nodding with each stomp. ¡°They¡¯ll have to come out eventually. But, I have to say¡­¡± The black dog looked at the city encircled by a massive barrier. ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve seen such a large treasure.¡± Chapter 122 ¡°This is Baiwa City?¡± ¡°Why doesn¡¯t it look like what we imagined?¡± ¡°Why is it filled with monsters?¡± S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Junior Brother! What are you doing? Don¡¯t act rashly!¡± On this particular day in Baiwa City, about two or three hundred cultivators entered the city one after another. They had all been sent by their sects on a mission to search for treasure. In their minds, Baiwa City was supposed to be a ¡°no-man¡¯s-land¡± on the frontier. However, to their astonishment, the city turned out to be completely different. The entire place was inhabited by monsters¡ªnone of them had taken human forms, but all of them were intelligent. Even more surprising, these monsters mimicked human behaviors to an uncanny degree. They moved about with such semblance of normalcy that, if not for their appearances, one might mistake them for humans. Sensing that something was amiss, a few sect disciples decided to return to their sects and report this discovery to their masters. Yet, they quickly realized that they were unable to leave. They were trapped in a barrier that isolated them from the outside world¡ªso much so that even their communication swords could not get through. For a moment, Baiwa City buzzed with activity due to the arrival of these hundreds of cultivators. Some of them, already disdainful of the demon race, grew even more agitated when they realized they were trapped. In their frustration, they tried capturing some of the demons to interrogate them. The outcome? Those cultivators were brutally beaten by the city¡¯s residents. Particularly fearsome were the patrol officers¡ªupright walking old dogs. Despite not having taken human forms, these dogs were as powerful as mid-stage Sea Observation Realm cultivators. Many of the sect disciples were either imprisoned or killed on the spot. Some unfortunate ones were even tricked by pig butchers, only to end up being cooked into dishes. In retaliation, some sect disciples killed the pig butchers, but this only escalated tensions. Soon, both the humans and demons in the city grew wary of each other. The newcomers, especially, became exceedingly cautious and refrained from acting recklessly. Fortunately, apart from the strange residents, Baiwa City operated much like any ordinary town. Its atmosphere was unexpectedly normal. Many of the outsiders attempted to subtly inquire about the rumored treasure from the local residents. However, all of their efforts proved fruitless. Before long, they came to understand one crucial fact: This place was isolated from the outside world. Most of the ¡°people¡± here were aware of the world beyond but had never ventured out. As for whether Baiwa City held any treasures, every resident they asked dismissed the notion. Some even rolled their eyes at the outsiders, sarcastically remarking, ¡°If there were truly any treasures, we would¡¯ve taken them for ourselves. Why would we leave them for you outsiders?¡± The cultivators begrudgingly admitted that the locals had a point. While the city was bustling with tension and activity, Xu Ming and the white goose had already arrived at the courtyard mentioned by Brother Lizard Lang. Xu Ming knocked on the courtyard door. Before long, a two-legged fox appeared. This fox was entirely pink, adorned with a flower on its head, dressed in a colorful skirt, and had long, delicate eyelashes. Its appearance was strikingly elegant. ¡°Oh? A human gentleman? How rare, how rare. What brings you here, sir?¡± the pink fox asked with a smile. ¡°Ah, sorry to bother you. I heard this place was once inhabited by a human couple, and I came to take a look. Brother Lizard Lang mentioned it to me,¡± Xu Ming replied, mentioning Brother Lizard¡¯s name. ¡°Oh, Brother Lizard Lang? Of course, you¡¯re welcome. But you should know, sir, I¡¯ve only lived here for two years, and the courtyard has had quite a few owners before me,¡± the pink fox explained. ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± Xu Ming said with a smile. ¡°Then please, come in.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Xu Ming stepped into the courtyard. The yard wasn¡¯t large; it was a modest two-part courtyard. It was impeccably clean, showing how diligent the pink fox was in maintaining it. ¡°Would it be convenient for me to take a look inside the rooms?¡± Xu Ming asked. Though the host was a fox, and a female one at that, it felt somewhat impolite for him to intrude into her private quarters. ¡°Well¡­¡± The pink fox seemed hesitant at first, but seeing how handsome the human man was, she found it hard to refuse. ¡°My rooms are a bit messy, but if you don¡¯t mind, you¡¯re welcome to take a look,¡± she finally nodded. ¡°Thank you,¡± Xu Ming said, bowing politely. Watching Xu Ming¡¯s graceful demeanor, the pink fox couldn¡¯t help but wag her tail slightly. She led Xu Ming to look through two guest rooms. One had been repurposed into a storage room, while the other belonged to her younger sister, who was currently away at work. Finally, the pink fox took Xu Ming to her own bedroom. The room was decorated almost indistinguishably from that of an ordinary human woman. There was a bed, a table with two chairs, and a vanity table holding a bronze mirror and some rouge. To be honest, Xu Ming was quite curious¡ªhow did a fox with a furry face even apply makeup? After spending about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn inspecting the rooms, Xu Ming used his Dao Pattern Eyes to scan for hidden compartments or anomalies. However, he couldn¡¯t find anything unusual. Baiwa City had existed for over a hundred years, and this courtyard had likely changed owners countless times. Xu Ming began to doubt that this place held any useful clues. ¡°Goose? (What¡¯s this?)¡± Just as Xu Ming was about to bid farewell to the pink fox, the Tianxuan Goose walked over to a brick near the base of a doorframe. There was a thin groove etched into it. ¡°This might just be erosion from water,¡± Xu Ming commented. He had already scanned the entire room with his Dao Pattern Eyes and found nothing in the groove. ¡°Honk honk honk (But Xu Ming, I feel like there¡¯s something off about this groove),¡± the goose said. ¡°What¡¯s off about it?¡± Xu Ming asked. The goose rubbed its head, then released a wind blade at the groove. The moment the blade touched it, it vanished into thin air, leaving no trace behind. ¡°Hm?¡± Xu Ming began to pay closer attention. Kneeling down, he directed a small flame of spiritual energy into the groove. The fire was immediately extinguished. It seemed the groove possessed some kind of restrictive enchantment. Xu Ming realized that his Dao Pattern Eyes, which relied on spiritual energy, had not yet fully evolved. If this groove was protected by a minor formation that isolated spiritual energy, it made sense that he couldn¡¯t see inside. Suddenly, a memory of Shen Sheng¡¯s words echoed in his mind: ¡°If you could grant me one last request, please take my ashes back to Qingyang County.¡± Xu Ming untied his bundle and took out a small urn containing Shen Sheng¡¯s ashes. He poured the ashes into the groove, filling it completely. Chapter 123 As Xu Ming carefully poured the ashes into the groove, a peculiar formation appeared around it, spreading outward like a spiderweb. Strange, incomprehensible runes began to flicker on the formation, their light alternating between bright and dim. Moments later, the runes shattered like glass, crumbling into frost-like shards. Meanwhile, the ashes in the groove began to solidify into delicate, snowflake-like shapes. A gust of wind swept through. The barrier on the groove dissipated entirely, and through his Dao Pattern Eyes, Xu Ming saw a box hidden inside. He pressed the switch next to the groove. As the mechanism clicked open, Xu Ming retrieved the box. Examining it closely, Xu Ming noted that it was crafted from phoenix wood¡ªa material renowned for its millennium-long durability and value surpassing gold. Strange engravings adorned the box, forming a small formation that blocked spiritual perception. Opening the box, he found a letter and a rolled-up parchment, both remarkably well-preserved. ¡°Miss, we¡¯ll be taking this item with us. I¡¯d appreciate it if you didn¡¯t mention this to anyone,¡± Xu Ming said to the pink fox without immediately examining the contents. His request for discretion was also, in part, to protect her. The pink fox nodded. ¡°I understand.¡± She was well aware that this item was no ordinary object and had no intention of causing trouble for herself by speaking of it. ¡°Then we¡¯ll take our leave. Please accept this small token of gratitude,¡± Xu Ming said, offering her a gold ingot. The pink fox was startled by the sight of the gold and hurriedly tried to decline. ¡°There¡¯s no need to refuse,¡± Xu Ming reassured her. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for you allowing me in, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to retrieve my friend¡¯s belongings.¡± The pink fox¡¯s eyes sparkled as she glanced at Xu Ming twice. ¡°If the young master truly wishes to repay me, perhaps you could tell me about the world outside someday?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t have the time for now,¡± Xu Ming replied. ¡°But when I do, I¡¯ll be sure to tell you. For now, please accept this as a token of my gratitude.¡± ¡°Very well, then. I¡¯ll accept it as a keepsake from you,¡± the pink fox said with a charming smile that quickened Xu Ming¡¯s heartbeat. In his mind, Xu Ming quickly repeated to himself, ¡°I am not a furry enthusiast. I am not a furry enthusiast.¡± Just as Xu Ming left the pink fox¡¯s courtyard, a sudden, thunderous boom came from the southern part of the city, shaking the very ground. The pink fox¡¯s fur stood on end in fright. ¡°Miss, it¡¯s best if you stay indoors,¡± Xu Ming advised before hurrying toward the source of the commotion with the Tianxuan Goose. When they arrived, the scene was already packed with a crowd of onlookers. It was so congested that Xu Ming even spotted a weasel cracking sunflower seeds while gesturing animatedly. A moment later, he saw more human cultivators flying in from above. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Why are so many human cultivators showing up all of a sudden?¡± Xu Ming wondered. ¡°Excuse me, let me through.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s pushing me? Huh? What a handsome young man,¡± an old eagle remarked in surprise. ¡°Sir, please don¡¯t touch my behind,¡± a cow girl said. ¡°My apologies, it was unintentional,¡± Xu Ming said as he maneuvered through the crowd. Eventually, he managed to make his way to the front, where he saw a rhino pummeling a human cultivator mercilessly. The man was bloodied and bruised, unable to fight back at all. Nearby, another cultivator was being flung around by an elephant using its trunk, tossed from side to side like a ragdoll. His situation was equally dire. Behind the rhino and the elephant stood two cat demons, visibly frightened. ¡°Assaulting animals like these¡ªare these men really that desperate for it?¡± someone muttered in the crowd. ¡°Desperate for it? Even if they were starving, they wouldn¡¯t target two untransformed cats, would they?¡± another replied. ¡°They fell for a honey trap. I happened to hear the explanation earlier. Apparently, two cats wandered into their room, and somehow, they started taking their clothes off. Then, two burly guys burst in,¡± someone in the crowd explained. ¡°So it¡¯s extortion? Should we help them? After all, they¡¯re fellow humans.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going. That rhino and elephant are as strong as late-stage Sea Observation Realm cultivators. Helping would just get me killed,¡± another replied. The human cultivators nearby Xu Ming began chatting among themselves. Listening to their conversation, Xu Ming pieced together the events: those two fellows had indeed fallen for a honey trap. Watching the situation unfold, Xu Ming felt things were going downhill quickly. If this continued, the two cultivators wouldn¡¯t just suffer severe injuries; their cultivation foundations might even be permanently damaged. Judging by their attire, they seemed to be disciples of the White Deer Academy. Xu Ming thought for a moment before stepping forward. It wasn¡¯t because he had some overwhelming sense of justice or a desire to meddle in others¡¯ affairs. Rather, he had a good impression of the White Deer Academy¡ªhis first mentor, Xiao Mochi, had come from there. Moreover, he wanted to understand why so many human cultivators had suddenly appeared in Baiwa City. ¡°Could you both stop, please?¡± Xu Ming asked the rhino and elephant politely, stepping forward. ¡ª ¡°Junior Sister, let¡¯s move faster. Who knows what¡¯s happening over there?¡± Xia Donghua, the Tianxuan Sect leader¡¯s son, said hurriedly. ¡°Instead of joining the commotion, we¡¯d be better off searching for treasures and figuring out how to leave this place,¡± replied Dugu Qiu, son of the Sword Peak master, with a disdainful glance at Xia Donghua. Despite his words, he quickened his pace. ¡°Or it could be that some treasure has appeared, causing a fight,¡± suggested Qi Shang, a direct disciple of the White Crane Peak. The woman walking alongside them remained silent, her face serene and her expression unreadable. Before long, the group reached the scene. Due to the size of the crowd, they couldn¡¯t get close, so they climbed to the third floor of a nearby teahouse. From the railing, they saw two scholars in White Deer Academy robes being beaten mercilessly by a rhino and an elephant. None of the human cultivators in the crowd dared to intervene. They simply watched, relieved that it wasn¡¯t them being attacked. Before the group could figure out what had happened, a young man in a green robe stepped out from the crowd. Bowing politely to the rhino and elephant, he appeared to be trying to mediate. ¡°That man¡­ he¡¯s got guts,¡± Qi Shang remarked. Xia Donghua shook his head. ¡°Regardless of what happened, the rhino and elephant are emanating demonic energy on par with late-stage Sea Observation Realm cultivators. Intervening is reckless.¡± Dugu Qiu squinted. ¡°He¡¯s probably going to throw his life away.¡± ¡°What do you think Qingwan? Qingwan?¡± Xia Donghua turned to address Qin Qingwan. However, Qin Qingwan was clutching the railing, her gaze fixed on the scholar-like man below. Her eyes followed his every movement, unable to look away. Chapter 124 Qin Qingwan¡¯s gaze fixated on the man, her beautiful peach blossom eyes blinking steadily. The more she looked at him, the more familiar he seemed, and the faster her heart raced. On this man, Qin Qingwan caught glimpses of her Ming-gege¡¯s shadow. But she didn¡¯t dare to be certain. It had been almost ten years since she last saw her Ming-gege. When she left, Ming-gege was only six and a half years old. At that time, her Ming-gege wasn¡¯t even as tall as the table in their courtyard. But this man was approximately five feet and two inches tall now. Besides, this man only vaguely resembled Ming-gege. On closer inspection, there were many differences. Ming-gege had a rounder face as a child, while this man¡¯s features were sharp and defined. And finally, would Ming-gege even be here? Wasn¡¯t he supposed to be in Wudu? Qin Qingwan was puzzled. She felt as if she was looking at someone who both was and wasn¡¯t Ming-gege. ¡°Qingwan? Qingwan?¡± Xia Donghua called her name twice. ¡°Hm?¡± Qin Qingwan snapped back to her senses. ¡°Do you know that man?¡± Xia Donghua asked curiously. Qin Qingwan stared at the man dressed in a green robe. ¡°He looks like someone I know, but not quite.¡± ¡°Qingwan, you¡¯d better hope he isn¡¯t someone you know,¡± Qi Shang said with a chuckle. ¡°That guy may seem ¡®heroic,¡¯ but he looks more like a reckless brute. With the way things are now, he can¡¯t even protect himself and still manages to bring unnecessary troub¨C¡± Before Qi Shang could finish saying ¡°trouble,¡± his voice cut off abruptly. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The rhino charged at the man in the green robe. Standing between the rhino and the elephant, Xu Ming hadn¡¯t expected the rhino to be so impulsive. He had only greeted it casually, without saying anything provocative. But the rhino charged directly at him. However, Xu Ming stood his ground, assumed a boxing stance, and threw a punch. His fist struck the rhino¡¯s head, forcing both of them to retreat five meters. ¡°He¡¯s a martial artist?¡± ¡°How does this martial artist have such a powerful physique?¡± ¡°Who is this martial artist?¡± ¡°He managed to knock back a late-stage Sea Observation Realm rhino demon?¡± After Xu Ming repelled the rhino, everyone¡ªhumans and demons alike¡ªbegan to take him more seriously. This martial artist was clearly no ordinary man. Qin Qingwan gripped the wooden railing in front of her, her hands tightening slightly. She didn¡¯t recognize the technique he used, but she knew that her Ming-gege was a martial artist. In her heart, the likelihood of this man being her Ming-gege increased a little. The rhino shook its head. ¡°Kid, not bad.¡± Xu Ming kept one hand behind his back and shielded the two disciples from the White Deer Academy. ¡°No need for such hostility, is there?¡± ¡°Hmph,¡± the elephant snorted coldly. ¡°They harassed my two cousins, and we¡¯re letting it slide. A hundred taels of silver, and we¡¯ll let them go!¡± ¡°Outrageous!¡± One of the White Deer Academy disciples, clutching his chest, struggled to his feet. ¡°Brother Yu Wenxi and I were in our room at the inn, minding our own business, when those two cats barged in. They stripped without a word, and now you¡¯re accusing us of misconduct? Where¡¯s the justice in that?¡± ¡°Exactly!¡± Yu Wenxi, the other disciple, stood up as well. ¡°Even if we starve or jump from the inn, we won¡¯t give you a single coin!¡± ¡°Fine! Then I¡¯ll crush you both and take the money from your corpses!¡± The elephant and the rhino charged at Xu Ming again. Yu Wenxi hurriedly pulled Xu Ming aside. ¡°Brother, this has nothing to do with you. Leave quickly! If you can escape Baiwa City and return to White Deer Academy, tell the dean¡ªI did not harass those female cats!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± added the other disciple, Miao Feng, standing up as well. ¡°I only like human women! Brother, you must clear my name!¡± Xu Ming¡¯s brow twitched slightly. He thought to himself, Are your priorities messed up? Instead of asking me to deliver a message to avenge you, you¡¯re more concerned about proving your preferences? Just as the two White Deer Academy disciples prepared for a desperate fight against the elephant and the rhino, Xu Ming pushed them aside. With a Mountain Shattering Punch, he struck! ¡°Boom!¡± The powerful martial aura, combined with Xu Ming¡¯s tremendous fist strength, landed squarely on the rhino¡¯s head, sending it flying ten meters into the air and crashing through a storefront. ¡°Impressive¡­¡± The elephant lifted its front leg and stomped down toward Xu Ming. Xu Ming launched a punch upward, flipping the elephant onto its back. Without hesitation, he followed with a kick, sending the elephant crashing into the rhino. Both demons lay unconscious. Witnessing this, the two White Deer Academy disciples drew sharp breaths. These weren¡¯t ordinary animals¡ªthey had experienced the raw strength of the rhino and elephant firsthand, and it easily surpassed martial artists of the Heroic Soul Realm. But this man had subdued them with just two punches? There were no fancy techniques in his moves¡ªeverything was a pure clash of raw power. How could this man be so strong? Was he a descendant of an ancient beast? Nearby, the Tianxuan Goose flapped its wings and landed on the unconscious rhino and elephant, proudly stepping on them and lifting its head in triumph, as if to say, That¡¯s what you get for being arrogant! Xu Ming glanced at the two cat demons, who were now paralyzed with fear, sitting on the ground, the floor beneath them soaked. ¡°That goose¡­ Is it Xiaobai?¡± Upon seeing the Tianxuan Goose, Qin Qingwan¡¯s peach blossom eyes immediately lit up. It must be! Even though Xiaobai has grown larger, I remember the flower-shaped birthmark on its forehead. That¡¯s Xiaobai! Qin Qingwan¡¯s gaze shifted from Xiaobai to the man in the green robe. Clutching her chest tightly, her eyes filled with a warmth softer than the spring breeze. If that goose is Xiaobai, then he must be¡­ ¡°Eh? Junior Sister?¡± Before Xia Donghua and the others could react, Qin Qingwan had already jumped over the railing. The crowd on the street had dispersed. Xu Ming, having shown mercy, let the defeated go, while the two White Deer Academy disciples bowed in gratitude. They invited Xu Ming to a meal, and he didn¡¯t refuse, intending to ask them some questions. But just as Xu Ming turned his head, a young woman suddenly appeared in front of him. She wore a light purple dress, hands clasped behind her back, a gentle smile on her face. She leaned forward slightly, looking up at him. Seeing the overly beautiful girl before him, Xu Ming instinctively took a step back. ¡°Miss, you are¡­?¡± Qin Qingwan paused for a moment, then her eyes curved into crescents. ¡°Take a guess~¡± ¡ª In the Tianxuan Sect¡¯s Wanhua (Thousand Flower) Valley, Wang Xuan walked step by step through the sea of flowers. As requested by her disciple, Wang Xuan watered the field of Blood Toras Flowers daily. However, as she approached the young woman¡¯s wooden cabin today, she suddenly stopped. Hundreds of Blood Toras Flowers had bloomed in perfect order, swaying gently in the wind. Chapter 125 Looking at the stunningly beautiful young woman before him, Xu Ming felt utterly confused. He genuinely couldn¡¯t figure out who she was. Who are you? Have we met before? It wasn¡¯t that Xu Ming hadn¡¯t considered the possibility that she might be Qin Qingwan, Zhu Cici, or Xu Xue¡¯nuo. But Xu Xue¡¯nuo was usually cold and aloof¡ªshe would never say something as playful as ¡°guess.¡± As for Zhu Cici or Qin Qingwan¡­ She doesn¡¯t look like either of them. Besides, wasn¡¯t Qin Qingwan supposed to be in seclusion? Xu Ming distinctly remembered Madam Qin saying Qingwan still had about a year left in her retreat. So it was understandable that he didn¡¯t recognize her. Qin Qingwan had changed completely compared to when she was six. Back then, she was a little girl with a hint of baby fat and wasn¡¯t even as tall as a table. But now, the young woman before him stood about 167 centimeters tall. Her figure was slender yet curvaceous in all the right places, her beauty so dazzling it felt almost otherworldly. The saying ¡°a girl changes drastically at eighteen¡± truly wasn¡¯t an exaggeration. Not to mention the difference between a six-year-old child and a young woman in her prime¡ªit was a gap so vast that even her parents might not recognize her. ¡°Miss, have we met before?¡± Xu Ming asked. When he still didn¡¯t recognize her, Qin Qingwan pouted her lips slightly, her expression both playful and adorable. ¡°Honk, honk, honk! (Xu Ming, do you know this beauty?)¡± The white goose waddled over, swaying its hips as it approached the young woman. To be fair, this girl was truly stunning. The goose thought to itself, Will I be this beautiful after I take human form someday? Reflecting briefly, the goose realized this was only the third time it had seen someone so breathtakingly gorgeous. The first was that terrifying woman named Wang Xuan. The second was the princess of Wu Kingdom. And now, this girl¡ªwhose beauty seemed almost excessive¡ªwas the third. But her style was entirely unique. Her allure was so captivating that just one glance felt like she could steal someone¡¯s soul. Yet there was also a hint of cuteness and mischief about her. ¡°I don¡¯t believe we¡¯ve met,¡± Xu Ming shook his head, looking at Qin Qingwan. ¡°Miss, are you sure you haven¡¯t mistaken me for someone else?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t mistaken you for anyone. I¡¯m¡ª¡± Qin Qingwan straightened her waist and was about to reveal her identity. But halfway through her sentence, her peach blossom eyes darted around as if a thought had struck her. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about who I am for now. Are you Xu Ming, the one from Wudu?¡± Qin Qingwan asked with a smile. ¡°I am,¡± Xu Ming nodded, a little surprised that she had gotten it right. ¡°May I know your name, Miss?¡± A sly smile played at the corner of Qin Qingwan¡¯s lips. ¡°My name is He Qingqing. I¡¯m from Tianxuan Sect and a junior sister to Qin Qingwan. Surely you haven¡¯t forgotten who Qin Qingwan is?¡± Qin Qingwan lied about her name, but as she spoke the last sentence, her heart raced nervously. She made a decision! If this guy had forgotten about her, she would definitely be furious! ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be Qingwan¡¯s junior sister. My apologies for the lack of courtesy.¡± Xu Ming cupped his hands in a polite bow. He did know the name ¡°He Qingqing.¡± There was indeed someone by that name in Tianxuan Sect, ranked thirteenth on the Beauty List, and often mentioned by others. ¡°May I ask how you know about me?¡± Xu Ming asked curiously. With her hands clasped behind her back, Qin Qingwan replied, ¡°I¡¯m very close to Senior Sister Qin. She often tells me stories from her childhood and mentioned a friend of hers who had a very intelligent white goose.¡± ¡°I saw that you always have a big white goose with you, so I thought I¡¯d come and ask. Turns out, you really are Young Master Xu,¡± Qin Qingwan said with a smile. ¡°Just now, when I asked you to guess, it was only to tease you a little. I hope you won¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°Not at all,¡± Xu Ming chuckled. ¡°How has Qingwan been doing in the sect?¡± ¡°She¡¯s doing well,¡± Qin Qingwan replied with a nod. ¡°She spends her days either cultivating, sleeping, or tending to flowers. Everything¡¯s great¡ªexcept that she doesn¡¯t have many people to keep her company.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to hear,¡± Xu Ming said, nodding again. Looking at her ¡°Ming-gege¡± and his clueless demeanor, Qin Qingwan felt an urge to bite him. You big idiot! Why didn¡¯t you ask what kind of flowers Qingwan is raising? ¡°Oh, and by the way,¡± she continued, ¡°Qingwan is incredibly beautiful now. There are quite a few people in the sect who admire her.¡± Xu Ming smiled faintly. ¡°That¡¯s to be expected¡ªafter all, she¡¯s ranked in the top ten of the Beauty List.¡± ¡°Huh? Aren¡¯t you worried?¡± Qin Qingwan blinked her peach blossom eyes, her gaze playful. ¡°There are so many people pursuing her, all kinds of men¡ªtaller and more handsome than you. Aren¡¯t you afraid one of them might steal away your childhood friend?¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to worry about?¡± Xu Ming shook his head. ¡°Qingwan and I are just friends.¡± You big blockhead! Big blockhead! Big blockhead! In her heart, Qin Qingwan was already pounding her fists against him, her chest rising and falling in frustration. Who¡¯s ¡®just friends¡¯ with you?! ¡°Junior Sister.¡± Just as Qin Qingwan was about to continue ¡°testing¡± Xu Ming, the three Tianxuan Sect disciples¡ªXia Donghua and the others¡ªapproached. ¡°My senior brothers are calling me. I must go now. Farewell, Young Master Xu.¡± For now, Qin Qingwan wasn¡¯t ready to reveal her true identity. She hadn¡¯t had enough fun teasing him yet. For example: ¡°Have you thought about Senior Sister Qin these past years?¡± Or: ¡°You don¡¯t have a special someone, do you?¡± And perhaps even: ¡°What¡¯s going on between you and that Zhu Cici from Qi Kingdom?¡± ¡°When Emperor Wu offered you a marriage alliance, you refused¡ªwas it because of me or her?¡± ¡°Take care, Miss.¡± Xu Ming bowed politely. ¡°Where might you be staying, Young Master Xu? I¡¯ve heard you¡¯re unparalleled in poetry. If I have free time, may I come visit and chat with you? Perhaps discuss some verses?¡± Before leaving, Qin Qingwan asked Xu Ming about his lodging. ¡°I¡¯m staying at the Tongfu Inn. You¡¯re welcome to visit anytime, Miss,¡± Xu Ming replied. ¡°Alright,¡± Qin Qingwan said with a sweet smile before turning to leave. Watching the young woman walk away with her fellow Tianxuan Sect disciples, Xu Ming couldn¡¯t help but fall into thought, a hint of doubt stirring in his heart. ¡°Junior Sister, do you know that man?¡± Xia Donghua asked Qin Qingwan, feeling a bit uncomfortable. She seemed overly friendly with the man. ¡°He doesn¡¯t know me, so I don¡¯t know him either,¡± Qin Qingwan replied, pouting slightly, as if sulking. She then lifted her fair chin and let out a soft hum. But soon, her face blossomed into a sweet smile. ¡°By the way, starting today, the three of you must call me He Qingqing.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Qi Shang asked, puzzled. ¡°Why is Junior Sister Qin using Junior Sister He¡¯s name?¡± S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A mischievous smile curled Qin Qingwan¡¯s lips as she glanced back, her eyes locking onto the tall, steadfast figure of Xu Ming. Because I want to see how long it takes for that big idiot to recognize me. Chapter 126 ¡°Brother Xu¡¯s reputation truly precedes him. I never imagined we¡¯d have the honor of meeting you here.¡± ¡°That poem of yours, Butterfly Love Flower: A Gift to Zhu Cici, is simply magnificent. It¡¯s hard to believe it was written when you were only eight years old.¡± ¡°And especially your Letter of Rejection to the Marriage Proposal! I¡¯ve read it over and over again¡ªit¡¯s so eloquent, heartfelt, and moving. I must admit, I feel utterly inadequate in comparison.¡± ¡°Today, you¡¯ve even saved our lives. Such a favor, the two of us will never forget!¡± ¡°A toast to you, Brother Xu!¡± ¡°A toast indeed!¡± At a bustling tavern, two scholars from White Deer Academy¡ªMiao Feng and Yuwen Xi¡ªwere treating Xu Ming to a meal. Though both appeared battered and bruised, their scholarly elegance remained undiminished. Their injuries weren¡¯t too severe; after two or three days of rest, they had mostly recovered. ¡°You¡¯re too kind,¡± Xu Ming said, raising his cup in return. ¡°My mentor hailed from your esteemed academy, so I¡¯ve always felt a certain bond with White Deer Academy. Seeing the two of you in distress, how could I stand idly by? Otherwise, I¡¯d have no face to meet my teacher.¡± ¡°May I ask who your teacher is?¡± Yuwen Xi inquired. ¡°Xiao Mochi, Mr. Xiao,¡± Xu Ming replied. ¡°Ah, Mr. Xiao!¡± Miao Feng immediately straightened up. ¡°He¡¯s one of the three people I admire most in our academy.¡± ¡°Is Mr. Xiao so renowned at White Deer Academy?¡± Xu Ming was genuinely surprised. He had always thought Xiao Mochi was just an ordinary scholar at the academy, perhaps with a little recognition but nothing extraordinary. ¡°Of course!¡± Yuwen Xi exclaimed after taking a sip of wine. ¡°Mr. Xiao is famously known as a man of great character and charm. Stories about him still circulate in the academy to this day. If we were to recount them all, we¡¯d be here for an entire day and night.¡± ¡°It seems Mr. Xiao was quite the romantic figure,¡± Xu Ming chuckled. ¡°By the way, what brings the two of you to Baiwa City? And why are so many cultivators gathered here?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Yuwen Xi and Miao Feng exchanged glances before looking back at Xu Ming. ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°Know what?¡± Xu Ming was even more confused. ¡°Baiwa City is about to witness the emergence of a rare treasure,¡± Yuwen Xi explained. ¡°We¡¯re here seeking this opportunity.¡± ¡°A rare treasure?¡± Xu Ming was taken aback. ¡°What kind of treasure?¡± Miao Feng chuckled. ¡°We don¡¯t know either, and likely no one else does. Not long ago, one of the academy¡¯s elders divined that a rare treasure would appear in Baiwa City. He seemed quite concerned about it and sent the two of us here. Judging by the influx of cultivators, most are here for the same reason. ¡°But if Brother Xu didn¡¯t know about the treasure, why have you come to Baiwa City?¡± Xu Ming shook his head and quickly made up an excuse. ¡°I was planning to travel the world before the opening of the Rootless Secret Realm and happened to wander here by accident.¡± Yuwen Xi paused for a moment, then laughed. ¡°I can¡¯t tell if your luck is good or bad, Brother Xu.¡± ¡°If such a treasure is about to emerge and so many people are here, it must be significant. Why are disciples coming instead of sect elders?¡± Xu Ming asked, eager to learn more. Miao Feng smiled. ¡°Brother Xu, since you practice martial arts, you might not be familiar with the cultivation world. In cultivation, everything follows the principle of balance and reciprocity. ¡°The more precious a heavenly treasure, the stronger the guardian beasts around it. That¡¯s not a perfect analogy, but it conveys the idea. ¡°When a treasure appears, the Heavenly Dao sets restrictions around it, limiting the level of cultivators who can approach. This prevents unnecessary destruction and chaos in the surrounding area. ¡°However, the correlation between the treasure¡¯s value and the level restriction has always been a mystery. ¡°Of course, if someone reaches the Ascension Realm, they can ignore most of the Heavenly Dao¡¯s rules. But which Ascension Realm elder would bother making a move for just a few treasures?¡± ¡°And according to our academy¡¯s elder, the highest cultivation realm allowed near this treasure is the Sea Observation Realm,¡± Yuwen Xi added. ¡°Both of us happen to be free and are considered capable in this realm, so we decided to come.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Xu Ming nodded. In truth, he was wondering if Shen Sheng and his wife had also come to Baiwa City in search of this treasure. But if that were the case, wouldn¡¯t cultivators have swarmed in already? Why would it only be happening now? Miao Feng sighed. ¡°But now, instead of finding the treasure, we can¡¯t even leave. I have no idea what¡¯s going on with this Baiwa City.¡± Seeing the forlorn expressions on Miao Feng and Yuwen Xi¡¯s faces, Xu Ming didn¡¯t say much and simply continued sipping his wine. Half an hour later, Miao Feng, Yuwen Xi, and Xu Ming said their goodbyes, exchanging addresses in case they needed each other¡¯s help in the future. After returning to the inn, Xu Ming¡¯s mind was once again greeted with a notification: [You have defeated the Scroll Rhino (late Sea Observation Realm) and the Scroll Elephant (late Sea Observation Realm). Strength +30, Intimidation +20.] ¡°Strength¡± referred to physical power, while ¡°Intimidation¡± allowed him to instill fear in others through his aura. These were fairly ordinary attribute points, so Xu Ming didn¡¯t pay much attention to them. But what did the term ¡°Scroll¡± mean? Curious, Xu Ming opened the box left behind by Shen Sheng and took out the letter inside. The Tianxuan Goose craned its neck to read along with him: S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. **¡±If you are reading this letter, it means I am already dead. I do not know who you are, but if you have found this letter, it means I trusted you in life. When my wife and I first arrived in Baiwa City, it was an ordinary border town. It was mostly populated by humans, though there were a fair number of demons. However, most demons and humans maintained a live-and-let-live relationship. But one day, inexplicably, the blazing sun in the sky fell from the heavens. I thought I would be burned to ashes. When I awoke, I discovered that everything around me was untouched. The only thing that had changed was the appearance of a blood-red moon in the sky. Soon, my wife and I realized that Baiwa City had been sealed within a barrier. We couldn¡¯t leave. Fortunately, my wife is a direct disciple of the Heavenly Array Sect and has considerable knowledge of formations. We began searching for a way to break the barrier while settling down in the city. Until one day¡­¡±** Chapter 127 ¡°Until one day, Strange rays of light began to spread across the entirety of Baiwa City. From that moment on, none of the demons in the city could maintain their human forms, regardless of their cultivation level. Even newly enlightened demons within the city could only remain in their original forms and could not transform. If it had only been this, it wouldn¡¯t have been too bad. The humans and demons in Baiwa City were all focused on finding a way out together. But something happened that no one expected. One day, as I was walking down the street, a beam of light suddenly descended from the sky, enveloping a human cultivator. At first, the cultivator had no idea what was happening. But after just ten breaths of time, they vanished without a trace¡ªand without the slightest sign of pain. No one knew whether this cultivator had escaped Baiwa City or disappeared entirely in the truest sense. After that, the human cultivators in Baiwa City began to vanish daily. Some disappeared while eating, others in their sleep. There was no pattern, no warning. The only common factor was the white light that appeared just before each disappearance. My wife and I redoubled our efforts to study the formations surrounding Baiwa City. Finally, we uncovered a critical truth: Baiwa City is not a formation, but a world. Yet Baiwa City is unlike an ordinary small world. It exists in a state between a small world and a formation. It has its own laws but hasn¡¯t fully developed into a complete world. We discovered that Baiwa City is gradually evolving. Its laws are constantly improving. Perhaps it won¡¯t be long before Baiwa City transforms into an actual small world. So, we decided to refer to it as a ¡®small world¡¯ for now. As we studied the laws of this small world, my wife detected that someone was manipulating Baiwa City. The transformation of Baiwa City into what it is now may very well have been intentional. But to possess the means to create a small world and even establish its laws, one would need to surpass the Ascension Realm. Only someone at a realm beyond Ascension could achieve such a feat. But here¡¯s the problem: does anyone truly exist at those legendary, long-lost realms beyond Ascension? Even if someone had reached such realms, why would they do this? What is their purpose? What do they want from Baiwa City? My wife and I were left with too many unanswered questions. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Thankfully, we had seen Baiwa City before its transformation. My wife, a genius beyond compare, studied the flow of spiritual energy and the geographical features of Baiwa City before and after its transformation. After countless attempts, she finally managed to create a formation. As long as nothing goes wrong, this formation should allow us to leave this place. However, the formation must be activated on a full moon night to work at its full potential. According to my wife¡¯s calculations, the next full moon is exactly one hundred days away. Both of us knew that either of us could vanish before then. As time passed, the number of human cultivators in Baiwa City dwindled until only my wife and I remained. We both understood that if the white light appeared again, it would claim one of us next. To prepare for the worst, I placed a record of everything that happened in Baiwa City, as well as the formation my wife created, into this box. I entrusted a butterfly spirit girl from the neighboring house to fulfill one request: if anything happened to my wife and me, she would cremate us and bury our ashes beneath the banyan tree in our courtyard. The box was to be hidden beneath a floorboard near the doorstep. If, in the future, someone were to enter this secret realm and find what we left behind, perhaps it might help them escape Baiwa City. If the formation we devised succeeds and we manage to leave Baiwa City, then this letter and the formation diagram would no longer be necessary. The butterfly spirit girl will destroy them, as the formation contains many secret techniques from my wife¡¯s sect that cannot be shared. However, we will inform the Wu Kingdom and the Tianxuan Sect about the secret realm so they can investigate its origins. So, the fact that you are now reading this letter means we are no longer here. I hope you can live well and find your way out of this place.¡± The letter ended there. Xu Ming read it twice more to ensure he hadn¡¯t missed any details. ¡°Goose, goose, goose (Xu Ming, I think something¡¯s not right),¡± the Tianxuan Goose said to Xu Ming. ¡°It is indeed odd,¡± Xu Ming nodded. ¡°Tell me your thoughts first.¡± ¡°Goose, goose, goose, goose, goose, goose, goose (Look, if they intended to leave the map for later seekers to help them escape, why would they bury their ashes under the banyan tree and hide the box in a separate location? How much luck would it take for someone to find this?)¡± The Tianxuan Goose found it rather unreasonable. Xu Ming chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s not that simple. First, if Shen Sheng and his wife had left the box lying around casually, it would¡¯ve been lost long ago¡ªlet alone survive for over a hundred years in this world. Second, do you know why so many ruins and ancient tombs are filled with deadly traps, yet also contain treasures and legacies left by their creators? It¡¯s because these setups are meant to screen people. The creators of these ruins or tombs want to find exceptional individuals to inherit their legacy, not someone mediocre. Otherwise, their inheritance would be wasted. And they already stated it, didn¡¯t they? The parchment contains secret techniques that cannot be made public. Not just anyone can be allowed to see it.¡± Xu Ming opened the parchment and examined the formation. ¡°See? The formation they created is indeed extraordinary. While not overly complex, it¡¯s intricate, with countless interlocking details. A single misstep during its construction would cause the entire formation to fail. I¡¯m certain Shen Sheng and his wife must¡¯ve left many clues scattered throughout Baiwa City, along with various tests. Only those skilled in formations, who investigate carefully and pass the trials, would eventually reach their courtyard. If someone can¡¯t even find this box, they likely wouldn¡¯t have the ability to construct the formation successfully.¡± ¡°Goose, goose, goose (Xu Ming, can you construct this formation?)¡± the goose asked. ¡°Absolutely not!¡± Xu Ming replied without hesitation. The goose was speechless. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that.¡± Xu Ming spread his hands. ¡°I¡¯m not omnipotent. I can only understand the formation¡¯s design. Remember, we already knew Shen Sheng¡¯s name, which led us directly to his courtyard. Then, you were lucky enough to notice that inconspicuous groove, and that¡¯s how we found the formation they left behind.¡± ¡°So, what do we do now?¡± the goose asked. ¡°What else can we do? We need to find a few people skilled in formations and see if they can help construct it,¡± Xu Ming replied matter-of-factly. ¡°Besides, haven¡¯t you noticed another odd detail?¡± ¡°What detail?¡± The goose tilted its head. ¡°You¡­¡± Xu Ming sighed. ¡°I met Shen Sheng on Shunan Mountain. By that logic, he and his wife should¡¯ve already left this secret realm. If they managed to escape, their first priority should¡¯ve been to notify the Wu Kingdom or the Tianxuan Sect. But there¡¯s been no word from Wu, and the Tianxuan Sect only arrived today, which means they had no prior knowledge either. If I¡¯m not mistaken, something must have gone wrong when they tried to activate the formation. This incident left them no time to write down the sequence of events.¡± Xu Ming frowned as he stared at the magic array depicted on the parchment. ¡°This place is full of mysteries. What worries me more is what Shen Sheng mentioned¡ªcould this all be the result of someone deliberately manipulating events from behind the scenes? And if so, what is their purpose?¡± The Tianxuan Goose patted Xu Ming on the shoulder. ¡°Goose goose goose? (Xu Ming, could it be that you¡¯re overthinking?)¡± ¡°I certainly hope that¡¯s the case.¡± Xu Ming stood up. ¡°Let¡¯s go. We should find those two disciples from White Deer Academy. I¡¯ve heard that the academy doesn¡¯t just focus on studies¡ªevery scholar there must also learn formation techniques. They¡¯ll surely know more about this than I do.¡± The Tianxuan Goose nodded and followed Xu Ming out of the inn. However, just as Xu Ming stepped out of the inn¡¯s door, a beam of white light descended from the sky, landing somewhere in the northern part of Baiwa City. ¡°A white light¡­¡± Xu Ming¡¯s heart sank as he recalled the contents of the letter he had read earlier. Without hesitation, he flew toward the direction of the light. Inside the inn, a stunningly beautiful young woman was taking out outfit after outfit from her storage ring. The young woman chose a flowing gauzy long dress and pinned her hair up with a hair ornament. ¡°This should look pretty good, right?¡± Qin Qingwan twirled in front of the mirror and nodded in satisfaction. Just as she was about to leave for Tongfu Inn to meet Xu Ming, a beam of light descended from the heavens. ¡°Junior Sister, what¡¯s going on?¡± The sudden beam of white light prompted Xia Donghua and his two companions to step out of the inn as well. ¡°Let¡¯s go take a look,¡± Qin Qingwan said, her brows furrowed as an inexplicable sense of foreboding gripped her heart. She headed toward the direction of the light. At the same time, every cultivator in Baiwa City who witnessed the white light rushed toward its source. Many were filled with excitement, wondering if a rare treasure had appeared. But when they arrived at the source of the light, they realized they were wrong. One after another, the beams of white light fell on human cultivators. These cultivators showed no signs of resistance or pain; in fact, they didn¡¯t even have time to react before they disappeared within ten breaths of time. ¡°No, wait¡­ Save me!¡± ¡°What in the world is this¡­?¡± Some cultivators who arrived at the scene thought they had a chance to seize a treasure, only to find themselves engulfed by the white light as well. The light descended intermittently, without any discernible pattern, continuing for the duration of a single incense stick. Xu Ming frowned deeply as he watched the events unfold before him. By the time the white light ceased, Xu Ming estimated that, in the span of an incense stick, thirty people had vanished without a trace due to the unrelenting beams of light. ¡°What on earth is going on? What kind of sorcery have you used?!¡± ¡°Give me back my junior brother!¡± Some cultivators, having lost their fellow disciples, flew into a rage and drew their weapons, venting their anger on the nearby demon clans. They believed it was the demons¡¯ doing. However, other cultivators quickly stepped in to mediate. The demon clans in Baiwa City were not weak, especially the powerful Old Dog Squad responsible for maintaining order in the city. If a conflict truly broke out, it would undoubtedly end poorly for them. ¡°Everyone, please remain calm and allow me to speak.¡± At that moment, Xia Donghua, the son of the Tianxuan Sect¡¯s leader, stepped into the center of the street. He looked around and bowed respectfully to the crowd. ¡°My name is Xia Donghua, and my father is the leader of Tianxuan Sect.¡± Some cultivators were initially puzzled about who he was, but as soon as he mentioned ¡°Tianxuan Sect leader,¡± most of them immediately took him seriously. This was the Tianxuan Sect, one of the Four Great Sanctuaries and Five Major Sects in the human realm¡ªits status was exceedingly prestigious. ¡°Everyone here has witnessed it¡ªthis Baiwa City is filled with unknowns. That white light just now was clearly targeting human cultivators. We have no idea where the disappeared cultivators have gone, nor do we know when the white light will strike again. However, we must prepare ourselves. Though I may not be highly skilled, I propose establishing an alliance among the cultivators here. We can support each other, share information, and work together to find a way out! If anyone is willing, you can come to the Misty Rain Inn, and we¡¯ll discuss our plans together!¡± As soon as Xia Donghua finished speaking, the surrounding cultivators began to murmur among themselves. ¡°Brother Xia¡¯s idea is brilliant! My Chaotian Sect is willing to ally with the Tianxuan Sect.¡± ¡°Indeed, we should unite instead of remaining scattered like loose sand. My Luohe Sect is willing to join the alliance.¡± ¡°My Qingyu Sect agrees.¡± ¡°I¡¯m in, too.¡± Once the first sect expressed its willingness, other sects quickly followed suit. Firstly, the name of the Tianxuan Sect carried significant weight, not to mention Xia Donghua was the son of its leader. Secondly, in the face of danger, banding together often brought a sense of security. However, in Xu Ming¡¯s view, the prerequisite for this kind of alliance was that everyone would need to be united and trustworthy. Yet, every person here had come for the sake of a rare treasure, each harboring their own motives. Just based on this alone, this alliance was unlikely to amount to much. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Xu Ming said to the big white goose, turning to leave as he prepared to seek out the two disciples from White Deer Academy to discuss the matter. But before Xu Ming could take more than a few steps, a young woman blocked his path. Her long eyelashes fluttered lightly as she spoke, ¡°We meet again~¡± ¡°May I ask what Miss Qingqing needs?¡± Xu Ming asked. Qin Qingwan¡¯s tone was light and cheerful. ¡°Oh, nothing much. I just wanted to invite you to join this alliance. Though, to be honest, I don¡¯t think this alliance will be of much use.¡± Seeing her so candid, Xu Ming couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°If even you think it¡¯s useless, why should I join?¡± ¡°Well, even if the alliance is useless¡­¡± The young woman clasped her hands behind her back, taking a step closer. Her faintly curved lips seemed to encapsulate the beauty of the entire world. ¡°I can protect you~¡± Chapter 128 ¡°What did you just say?¡± Xu Ming looked at the young woman in front of him, momentarily unable to process her words, even wondering if he had misheard. ¡°I said I can protect you,¡± Qin Qingwan replied, her eyes curving into crescents. ¡°You¡¯re a friend of Senior Sister Qin, which makes you my friend too. Isn¡¯t it natural for me to protect you? If something happens to you and I return to the sect, Senior Sister Qin definitely won¡¯t let me off the hook.¡± Xu Ming: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Hey! What¡¯s with that expression?¡± Qin Qingwan put her hands on her hips. ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate me. I¡¯m really strong, you know!¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t underestimating you¡­¡± Xu Ming¡¯s gaze met the young woman¡¯s eyes. Her peach blossom-shaped eyes seemed to speak, as though a field of peach blossoms was blooming, petals dancing in the wind. The longer he looked, the more familiar she felt. ¡°As long as you¡¯re not looking down on me, Xu Gongzi (Young Master), that¡¯s fine. But don¡¯t stare at me like that¡ªit¡¯s making me shy.¡± Qin Qingwan lowered her delicate head, her long, curved eyelashes fluttering gently, like butterflies dancing among flowers. ¡°I appreciate your kindness, Miss, but wouldn¡¯t this cause trouble for you?¡± Xu Ming expressed his willingness to ally with her but also hinted at hesitation. ¡°Of course not!¡± Qin Qingwan, hearing that he didn¡¯t seem entirely opposed, patted Xu Ming¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Here, take this.¡± ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Xu Ming took the jade token from her. ¡°This is a communication artifact used by our Tianxuan Sect. As long as you¡¯re within a hundred miles, you can inject spiritual energy into it and visualize the person you want to contact. It¡¯ll send your message to them. Even if you¡¯re not a cultivator, you can think of me and have your big white goose inject the spiritual energy instead,¡± Qin Qingwan explained cheerfully. ¡°This is too valuable, Miss,¡± Xu Ming said, attempting to return the jade token. But Qin Qingwan pushed the token back into his hand. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. It¡¯s not that valuable. Just keep it.¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s settled. If anything comes up, contact me. And if I reach out to you, you must come quickly, okay~?¡± With that, Qin Qingwan waved at Xu Ming and turned to leave, skipping away. ¡°Goose goose goose? (Xu Ming, does this pretty girl like you?)¡± Tianxuan Goose asked. ¡°No way,¡± Xu Ming shook his head. He knew he was somewhat handsome, comparable to Takeshi Kaneshiro, but in the cultivation world, there were plenty of people even more attractive than him. For someone like her, who was ranked among the top beauties, the number of admirers chasing her must be endless. Surely, some of them had better looks than him. To think that ¡®He Qingqing¡¯ would fall for him at first sight seemed highly improbable. Her friendliness toward him didn¡¯t feel as simple as just being a friend of her Senior Sister Qin either. Speaking of which¡­ Is this person really He Qingqing? ¡°Goose goose goose, goose goose goose! (I don¡¯t think she likes you either. Maybe she¡¯s just naturally friendly.)¡± Tianxuan Goose quipped. Xu Ming may have some good looks, but that young lady was so stunning that, based purely on appearance, Xu Ming was barely worthy of licking her shoes. ¡°Goose goose goose? (But why did you agree to ally with her? That¡¯s not like you.)¡± Tianxuan Goose tilted its head. Xu Ming shook his head. ¡°I have a suspicion.¡± ¡°A suspicion?¡± ¡°Xiao Bai, don¡¯t you think this girl named He Qingqing resembles someone?¡± Xu Ming looked at the goose. ¡°Resembles who?¡± Tianxuan Goose tilted its head again. ¡°She looks like Qingwan,¡± Xu Ming said. ¡°¡­¡± Tianxuan Goose thought for a moment. ¡°That¡¯s impossible, right? Isn¡¯t Qingwan in seclusion? Besides, have you ever even seen what Qingwan looks like as an adult? The last time you saw her, she was only six years old.¡± ¡°That said, if we¡¯re talking about personality, she does seem a bit similar. Both are lively and cheerful. And their eyes¡­ both are beautiful, like gemstones,¡± Tianxuan Goose said thoughtfully. As it spoke, the goose seemed to realize something, lifting its head to look at Xu Ming. ¡°You don¡¯t actually think this He Qingqing is Qingwan, do you?¡± Xu Ming shook his head with a smile. ¡°I never said that, but it¡¯s not impossible either.¡± Retracting his gaze from the young woman, Xu Ming turned and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go find those two scholars from White Deer Academy.¡± ¡°Goose (Alright).¡± The big white goose waddled behind Xu Ming, swaying its tail as they headed toward the Blessing Inn. Upon asking the innkeeper about the two scholars, the innkeeper, hearing that they were Xu Ming¡¯s friends, had no reservations and told him their room number. When Xu Ming finally saw Yu Wenxi and Miao Feng, the two of them still seemed dazed, clearly unaware of what had happened. ¡°Did you two just wake up?¡± Xu Ming asked with a smile, glancing at the time. It was already close to evening. ¡°Forgive us, Brother Xu,¡± Yu Wenxi and Miao Feng said as they cupped their hands. ¡°We took some pills to heal our injuries and fell asleep. It helps the spiritual energy circulate better with rest.¡± ¡°I see.¡± After inquiring about their injuries and explaining the events in the city, Xu Ming set up a barrier to block spiritual sense and sound. Seeing Xu Ming create a barrier, both Yu Wenxi and Miao Feng were momentarily stunned. They hadn¡¯t expected Xu Ming to be a cultivator. Judging by the spiritual energy he used to set up the barrier, it seemed he was at the Furnace Foundation Realm, not yet at the Cave Mansion Realm. ¡°Brother Xu, since you can cultivate, why not walk the path of a cultivator? With your talents, entering White Deer Academy to study and cultivate righteous energy would be a sure thing,¡± Yu Wenxi couldn¡¯t help but ask, his tone filled with regret for Xu Ming. In Yu Wenxi¡¯s view, while Xu Ming¡¯s strength as a martial artist was impressive, martial arts was ultimately a dead end. Even at its peak, it would only grant three to four hundred years of life, far less than a Cave Mansion Realm cultivator. Given Xu Ming¡¯s talent, he could easily walk the path of Confucianism and become a saint. Xu Ming smiled, understanding what Yu Wenxi meant. ¡°Thank you for your concern, Brother Yu, but I still wish to pursue the path of martial arts. Of course, I¡¯ll also walk the path of cultivation.¡± Miao Feng frowned slightly, voicing his concern. ¡°Brother Xu, I know you are extraordinarily gifted, but no one in history has ever successfully pursued both martial arts and cultivation. A person¡¯s energy is limited. Brother Yu and I both feel that the path of Confucianism and sainthood would be best for you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give it a try. If it doesn¡¯t work, I¡¯ll reconsider,¡± Xu Ming said firmly, his resolve evident. Seeing Xu Ming¡¯s stubbornness, Yu Wenxi wanted to say more, but Miao Feng stopped him with a glance and shook his head. Yu Wenxi could only sigh and let it go. Everyone had their own path to walk. Xu Ming wouldn¡¯t listen to reason now, but when he experienced the hardships of balancing both martial arts and cultivation, he would understand how exhausting it could be. ¡°Back to the point,¡± Xu Ming said, changing the subject. ¡°I came to see you two because I need your help with something.¡± Miao Feng nodded. ¡°Whatever Brother Xu needs, if it¡¯s within our power, we¡¯ll do our utmost to assist.¡± Yu Wenxi also nodded in agreement. ¡°Then I won¡¯t hold back.¡± Xu Ming looked at the two of them. ¡°How familiar are you with formations?¡± ¡°Formations?¡± Miao Feng paused, then broke into a bright, confident smile. ¡°To be honest, Brother Xu, while we may lag behind others in many aspects, when it comes to formations, Brother Yu Wenxi and I are considered the second and third best among our peers at White Deer Academy. No one dares to claim the top spot.¡± ¡°That makes things easier.¡± Xu Ming felt a weight lifted from his heart. Confucian scholars were usually humble; for them to speak with such confidence meant they truly believed in their abilities. ¡°There¡¯s an array I¡¯d like the two of you to take a look at.¡± Xu Ming took out a sheepskin scroll from his bag and spread it on the table. Miao Feng and Yu Wenxi both stood up and began examining it intently. The more they studied it, the more serious their expressions became, occasionally exclaiming, ¡°Brilliant!¡± or ¡°Truly ingenious!¡± Seeing them engrossed in decoding the formation, Xu Ming was in no hurry. He simply sat by the side, sipping his tea. After about half an hour, Miao Feng and Yu Wenxi finally looked away from the scroll. They clasped their hands together and bowed slightly. ¡°Apologies for keeping you waiting, Brother Xu. This formation falls into the category of ¡®Breakthrough Arrays.¡¯ It¡¯s a spatial technique, and the laws governing its operation bear a striking resemblance to those of Baiwa City. Could it be that this formation is¡­¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Xu Ming set down his teacup. ¡°This array might help us escape Baiwa City.¡± Miao Feng and Yu Wenxi exchanged a glance. ¡°What do you two think of the array?¡± Xu Ming asked. ¡°Remarkable!¡± Miao Feng gave high praise. ¡°I don¡¯t know who created this formation, but they must be a genius of formations. Their thought process is extraordinary, and their design is meticulous. It¡¯s simply astonishing. Perhaps this formation truly can help us leave Baiwa City.¡± Miao Feng did not ask Xu Ming where the array came from; such questions served no purpose. Everyone had their own secrets. ¡°The creative approach of this array bears some resemblance to the style of the Heavenly Array Sect,¡± Yu Wenxi said thoughtfully, stroking his chin. ¡°Could it be that the creator of this array was a disciple of the Heavenly Array Sect?¡± Xu Ming asked, ¡°The Heavenly Array Sect?¡± Miao Feng¡¯s expression carried a hint of regret. ¡°Brother Xu may not know this, but the Heavenly Array Sect, though only a Nascent Soul-level sect (with its highest cultivator being at the Nascent Soul Realm), was uniquely devoted to the study of formations. The founder of the Heavenly Array Sect was an unparalleled genius. Any cultivator specializing in formations would undoubtedly know their name. Aware of its lack of strength and shallow foundations, the Heavenly Array Sect always adopted a conciliatory approach in its dealings with other sects and factions. But one day, for reasons unknown, the Heavenly Array Sect was annihilated overnight. The sect master of the Heavenly Array Sect detonated the sect¡¯s protective formation. Most of their formation manuals were reduced to ashes, leaving only scattered fragments of the sect¡¯s formation designs circulating in the world, offering glimpses into the sect master¡¯s unparalleled methodology. Many believe that if the Heavenly Array Sect¡¯s master hadn¡¯t been so eager to establish a sect, and instead allied with an existing sect to focus on cultivation, they might have eventually transcended through their mastery of formations and attained the realm of an immortal.¡± ¡°That is truly a great pity.¡± Xu Ming sighed, feeling a tinge of regret for such a remarkable individual. ¡°Can the two of you recreate this formation?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Yu Wenxi hesitated, looking slightly troubled. ¡°To be honest, if it¡¯s just the two of us, we aren¡¯t capable of fully constructing this array. We¡¯d need the help of another person, someone with expertise in formations on par with ours.¡± ¡°Not only that,¡± Miao Feng added, ¡°but this formation master also has to be a woman.¡± Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°A woman?¡± Xu Ming was puzzled. Miao Feng nodded. ¡°This array needs to be activated on a full moon night. We¡¯ll require a woman who is at least at the Sea Observation Realm, possesses exceptionally pure spiritual energy, and can control her energy with meticulous precision.¡± Xu Ming fell silent. ¡°Wait, didn¡¯t Brother Xu just mention that the son of the Tianxuan Sect¡¯s leader has formed an alliance? In that case, why not ask for their help?¡± Yu Wenxi suggested. ¡°This way, we could also help others leave this place together.¡± ¡°No way!¡± Miao Feng immediately rejected Yu Wenxi¡¯s proposal. ¡°If we want to save others, we can build this array first and, when we¡¯re about to leave, use some method to notify the others so they can also escape through the array. But we absolutely cannot hand over this formation to them. The human heart is complex. Who knows what thoughts might arise if this array falls into their hands? Moreover, how would Brother Xu explain the origins of this array? Would they even believe your explanation? At that point, they might even suspect that everything happening in Baiwa City is your doing,¡± Miao Feng said, his voice tinged with caution. Hearing this, Yu Wenxi immediately stood up and cupped his hands in apology. ¡°Brother Xu, my apologies. I didn¡¯t think it through.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Xu Ming said with a dismissive wave of his hand. Xu Ming shared Miao Feng¡¯s perspective. He was no saint and didn¡¯t feel responsible for everyone in the city. If the formation succeeded, he could spread the news across the city when leaving. Whatever happened to Baiwa City after his departure was none of his concern. Rubbing his chin in thought, Xu Ming recalled a potential candidate and asked, ¡°What do Tianxuan Sect cultivators think of formations?¡± Miao Feng chuckled. ¡°The Tianxuan Sect¡¯s proficiency in formations is on par with our White Deer Academy, though the focus differs. That said, they would certainly be capable of helping construct this formation.¡± Xu Ming nodded. ¡°Understood. I know a disciple of the Tianxuan Sect. I¡¯ll discuss this with her. By the way, do either of you know He Qingqing from the Tianxuan Sect?¡± ¡°He Qingqing?¡± Miao Feng paused, then glanced at Yu Wenxi with a knowing smile. ¡°I don¡¯t know her, but this guy surely does. He¡¯s probably been pining for her day and night.¡± ¡°Miao Feng, what nonsense are you talking about?¡± Yu Wenxi scratched his head awkwardly. ¡°White Deer Academy once sent disciples to visit the Tianxuan Sect, and I had the chance to meet her. That¡¯s all. But why are you asking about her, Brother Xu?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Xu Ming replied with a faint smile. ¡°Just that I¡¯ll need your company tomorrow, Brother Yu Wen.¡± Chapter 129 The morning after the burst of white light, the inn where the Tianxuan Sect resided was already packed with people. Yesterday, under the leadership of Xia Donghua, the son of the Tianxuan Sect¡¯s leader, the human cultivators in Baiwa City had formed an alliance. Naturally, Xia Donghua became the leader of this alliance. While Xia Donghua might not have been the strongest among them, his background was undoubtedly the most prominent of all the human cultivators in Baiwa City. Following the formation of the human alliance, the outsider demon cultivators in Baiwa City also banded together. After all, Baiwa City was situated at the border between the Wu Kingdom and the Southern Demon Kingdom, so it wasn¡¯t unusual for demon cultivators to visit in search of treasures. However, the demons from Baiwa City felt no sense of kinship with those from outside. To the residents of Baiwa City, whether human or demon, outsiders were simply outsiders. Inside the inn, Xia Donghua was speaking eloquently, assigning tasks and instructing everyone to gather information. One of his key plans was to lead an assault on the golden toad residing in the temple of Baiwa City. Although the golden toad¡¯s cultivation was incredibly high¡ªlikely in the late Dragon Gate Realm¡ªXia Donghua believed that, with their numbers and the many treasures at their disposal, they might stand a chance. Even if they couldn¡¯t take down the golden toad, they aimed to seize control of the county office. In Xia Donghua¡¯s eyes, these two places held significant strategic value and could serve as a breakthrough point. However, the other cultivators in the alliance were hesitant. Neither the golden toad in the temple nor the jackal and his veteran dog constables in the county office were easy opponents. Even if they succeeded in killing them, at what cost? Heavy casualties were inevitable. It didn¡¯t matter if others died, but what if it was them who perished? As a result, this so-called human alliance meeting made little progress, with most participants merely going through the motions. Sitting on a chair, Qin Qingwan yawned. She took out a jade token, infused it with spiritual energy, and began writing on it. Meanwhile, Xu Ming, who was meditating in the inn, suddenly felt the jade token in his pocket heat up. Still, he ignored it. Xu Ming always meditated for the duration of one incense stick every morning¡ªa practice called ¡°Clearing the Mind.¡± It was crucial for cultivating mental clarity and improving his state of mind. The jade token grew hotter, even beginning to vibrate slightly. When the time was almost up, Xu Ming finally opened his eyes, retrieved the jade token, and saw lines of text appearing: ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you come to the human alliance meeting today?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re still sleeping!¡± ¡°Lazybones, wake up, wake up! The early bird catches the worm!¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you warriors supposed to be the most disciplined?¡± ¡°Are you ignoring me on purpose? If you don¡¯t reply by the count of three, I¡¯m going to get mad!¡± ¡°Three, two¡­¡± ¡°Reply to me! Reply to me! I¡¯m giving you one last chance, or I¡¯ll really be mad!¡± Seeing the words appear on the token, Xu Ming chuckled, infused some spiritual energy into it, and replied, ¡°Apologies, I was meditating earlier and didn¡¯t notice.¡± Just as Xu Ming was about to put the token down after replying, it heated up again, and a response came immediately: ¡°Oh, I see. Sorry, sorry! I thought you were sleeping in. I didn¡¯t disturb you, did I?¡± Xu Ming replied, ¡°No.¡± Qin Qingwan: ¡°That¡¯s good~¡± Qin Qingwan: ¡°Are you planning to come to the alliance meeting?¡± Xu Ming: ¡°Forget it. Even if I go, I won¡¯t be of much use.¡± Xu Ming: ¡°By the way, is Miss He available today?¡± Qin Qingwan¡¯s eyes blinked curiously: ¡°I¡¯m. Why?¡± Xu Ming: ¡°There¡¯s something I¡¯d like to ask for your help with.¡± Qin Qingwan: ¡°Of course, no problem! Should I come to you, or will you come to me?¡± Just as Xu Ming was about to reply, Qin Qingwan sent another message through the jade token. Qin Qingwan: ¡°I¡¯ll come find you right now. Wait for me. It¡¯s decided!¡± Xu Ming: ¡°¡­¡± After getting out of bed, Xu Ming woke the large white goose sleeping on the table. He quickly freshened up, then went downstairs and ordered some food and drinks. He also sent the goose to fetch the two disciples from White Deer Academy. Qin Qingwan arrived at the inn before the White Deer Academy disciples. Upon entering, she immediately spotted Xu Ming and walked over, her long legs moving gracefully beneath her skirt. ¡°So, tell me, what do you need my help with?¡± Qin Qingwan asked with a bright smile, as if she was genuinely happy to be of assistance. ¡°No rush, Miss He. I¡¯m waiting for two friends to arrive. Once they¡¯re here, I¡¯ll explain everything,¡± Xu Ming replied, pouring her a cup of wine. ¡°Alright then.¡± Qin Qingwan pouted slightly. ¡°How mysterious.¡± Xu Ming simply smiled in response to her teasing. Not long after, the white goose returned, bringing Yu Wenxi and Miao Feng to the Tongfu Inn. ¡°Brother Xu.¡± Yu Wenxi and Miao Feng greeted Xu Ming with a respectful bow. When they saw the young woman sitting across from Xu Ming, both paused for a moment. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Who is this lady? How is she so stunning? ¡°Allow me to introduce everyone.¡± Xu Ming stood up and gestured. ¡°These two gentlemen are from White Deer Academy¡ªYu Wenxi and Miao Feng. And this is Miss He Qingqing from the Tianxuan Sect.¡± ¡°Greetings, Miss He,¡± Yu Wenxi and Miao Feng said, bowing politely to Qin Qingwan. ¡°Greetings, fellow Daoists,¡± Qin Qingwan replied with a graceful nod. Miao Feng glanced at Yu Wenxi, his expression clearly saying, Ah, I see now. So this is why you¡¯ve been pining for Miss He Qingqing. She¡¯s absolutely stunning! Yu Wenxi, however, frowned slightly, looking genuinely confused. Wait a minute¡­ You¡¯re supposed to be He Qingqing? I haven¡¯t seen Miss He in a year, but there¡¯s no way she could have changed this much. No offense, but the He Qingqing I remember wasn¡¯t nearly this beautiful! Chapter 130 ¡°Greetings to you both,¡± Qin Qingwan stood up and bowed respectfully. ¡°Greetings, Miss He,¡± Yu Wenxi and Miao Feng returned the gesture simultaneously. As Yu Wenxi looked at the woman before him and heard Xu Ming¡¯s introduction, saying this was He Qingqing, his eyes were filled with disbelief. He had met He Qingqing just last year¡ªhow could Miss He possibly look like this now? Even if she¡¯d undergone some body refinement, it was impossible for her appearance to change this drastically. Moreover, this young lady was clearly more beautiful than the He Qingqing he knew. Yu Wenxi didn¡¯t expose her identity right away, deciding instead to mention it to Brother Xu later. ¡°Take a seat, everyone,¡± Xu Ming said to them, setting up a barrier to prevent divine senses from probing. To outsiders, it appeared as though Xu Ming and the others were simply sitting at the dining table, eating and drinking. But it was all an illusion. As she watched Xu Ming set up the formation, Qin Qingwan¡¯s eyes sparkled with astonishment. Xu Ming¡­ Is he a cultivator too? When did he learn to cultivate? Wasn¡¯t his spiritual root severed? But soon, her astonishment turned into joy. As long as Xu Ming could cultivate, everything would be fine. She would do her best to help him find as many heavenly treasures as possible. Even if she had to force-feed him pills, she was determined to push him to the Nascent Soul Realm. That way, he could have a lifespan of over a thousand years. ¡°Miss He, can I trust you?¡± Xu Ming looked directly into Qin Qingwan¡¯s eyes, his tone gentle. ¡°Of course you can~¡± Qin Qingwan smiled, her eyes curving into crescents. ¡°You can trust me completely, Young Master Xu. I swear on my Dao.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Xu Ming retrieved a scroll made of sheepskin from his bag and handed it to Qin Qingwan. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°What is this?¡± Qin Qingwan accepted the scroll and opened it, revealing a complex and intricate formation. ¡°This formation can help us leave this place,¡± Xu Ming stated directly, without any pretense. Qin Qingwan was momentarily stunned as she heard his words. Her eyes blinked in disbelief. If anyone else had said this, she wouldn¡¯t have believed them. But this was Xu Ming. She looked at the formation on the sheepskin scroll again. The more she examined it, the more she marveled at the genius behind its creation. Perhaps this formation really could help them escape Baiwa City. ¡°I think I now understand why you came to find me,¡± Qin Qingwan smiled as she closed the scroll. ¡°This formation requires three people proficient in formations to operate, and one of them must be a female cultivator to provide the ¡®yin¡¯ energy needed to balance the formation.¡± ¡°I can help you,¡± Qin Qingwan offered straightforwardly. Hearing her agreement, Xu Ming, Yu Wenxi, and Miao Feng all breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Thank you, Miss,¡± Xu Ming said, bowing slightly. ¡°There¡¯s no need to thank me. In fact, I should thank you. Without you, I wouldn¡¯t have known how to leave this place,¡± Qin Qingwan shook her head. ¡°But¡­ can I ask you to let my fellow sect brothers use this formation too?¡± Qin Qingwan explained, ¡°I can¡¯t stand by and do nothing when it comes to my fellow disciples from Tianxuan Sect, no matter what.¡± Xu Ming nodded. ¡°When the formation is complete, and we¡¯re about to leave, you may share the details with whomever you wish, Miss He.¡± Hearing this, Qin Qingwan¡¯s eyes blinked lightly, and then she smiled brightly. ¡°Alright~¡± ¡°Tomorrow, I¡¯ll go buy some things to set up the formation. Why don¡¯t you come with me?¡± Qin Qingwan said with a smile as she looked at Xu Ming. ¡°I don¡¯t see a problem with that,¡± Xu Ming nodded, agreeing to her request. ¡°Then it¡¯s settled~ See you tomorrow~~~¡± Qin Qingwan walked out of the inn with light and cheerful steps. After she left, Miao Feng punched Yu Wenxi in the arm. ¡°No wonder you can¡¯t stop thinking about her. That He Qingqing is truly stunning. But honestly, I think you should give up. She¡¯s out of your league.¡± Yu Wenxi blushed and shook his head. ¡°No, that¡¯s not it. This person isn¡¯t He Qingqing.¡± ¡°What?¡± Miao Feng froze in surprise. Xu Ming frowned and looked at Yu Wenxi. ¡°Brother Yu Wenxi, what do you mean? She¡¯s not He Qingqing?¡± ¡°Definitely not!¡± Yu Wenxi shook his head firmly. ¡°It¡¯s only been a year since I last saw Miss He. Even if my memory was hazy, it wouldn¡¯t be so bad that I couldn¡¯t recognize her. This young lady is far more beautiful than He Qingqing and doesn¡¯t resemble her at all.¡± ¡°She¡¯s not He Qingqing? Then who is she? Is there anyone else in Tianxuan Sect who could be more beautiful than He Qingqing?¡± Miao Feng didn¡¯t finish saying the word ¡°beautiful¡± before his voice abruptly stopped. [T/N: In chinese.] In that moment, the answer became clear to everyone. He Qingqing was ranked thirteenth on the Beauty Rankings. If someone could surpass He Qingqing in grace and beauty, it could only be¡­ ¡°Why would that Fairy Qin lie to Brother Xu and claim to be He Qingqing?¡± Yu Wenxi asked in confusion. ¡°Who knows? Fairy Qin is known for her mischievous and unpredictable nature. She must have her reasons,¡± Miao Feng replied, shaking his head. ¡°Still, I must say, as the fifth-ranked beauty, she truly lives up to her reputation. Coming to Baiwa City and seeing Fairy Qin in person, even without finding any treasures, is already worth the trip.¡± ¡°What do you think, Brother Xu?¡± Yu Wenxi turned to Xu Ming. Beautiful women were always a topic of interest among men, no matter the time or place. Miao Feng also looked at Xu Ming, curious about his opinion of Fairy Qin. He often felt Xu Ming was too mature for his age. ¡°She¡¯s indeed beautiful,¡± Xu Ming smiled, nodding as he glanced in the direction Qin Qingwan had left. ¡°It¡¯s amazing how much someone can change as they grow older.¡± Yu Wenxi was intrigued. ¡°Brother Xu, have you met Fairy Qin before? Oh, of course! You¡¯re from the Xu family, and Fairy Qin is from the Qin family. It makes sense you¡¯d have met. But it seems like Fairy Qin didn¡¯t recognize you.¡± Miao Feng chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t be too upset, Brother Xu. I¡¯ve heard Fairy Qin entered Tianxuan Sect at the age of six. It¡¯s been many years since then. It¡¯s normal if she doesn¡¯t remember.¡± Xu Ming smiled and said, ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± After sharing a few drinks, Xu Ming and Yu Wenxi left to study the details of the formation¡¯s setup. Later that night, Xu Ming returned to his room with the Tianxuan Goose, Xiao Bai. ¡°Xu Ming, Xu Ming! Was that really Qingwan? How did she become so beautiful?¡± Xiao Bai flapped its wings excitedly, hitting Xu Ming on the back of the head. ¡°She is beautiful,¡± Xu Ming chuckled. ¡°But why did Qingwan lie to us and pretend to be He Qingqing?¡± Xiao Bai asked, confused. ¡°Who knows?¡± Xu Ming said, though in his heart, he already knew the answer. That girl¡­ no matter how much she grows, she¡¯s still as clever and mischievous as she was when she was a child. He gazed out the window, a faint smile on his lips. ¡°But honestly¡­ I don¡¯t mind it this way,¡± he murmured. Chapter 131 ¡°This outfit won¡¯t do; it looks a bit too frivolous.¡± ¡°This one isn¡¯t right either; the color is too flashy.¡± ¡°This one doesn¡¯t work either¡ªwhy does it look so old-fashioned?¡± ¡°When did I even buy this dress? It¡¯s way too pink!¡± ¡°This outfit does show off my figure, but¡­ isn¡¯t it a bit too intentional?¡± Inside a room at an inn on East Street of Baiwa City, a young girl had pulled the curtains shut and was pulling out outfit after outfit from her storage pouch, trying them on in front of a water mirror conjured by a spell. Normally, she would just pick a clean outfit and wear it without much thought. But today, she had already spent more than half an hour deliberating, still unable to decide which one to wear. ¡°Forget it, there¡¯s no time left. This one will do.¡± In the end, she settled on a pale red smoke-like flowing gown¡ªthe signature color of Blood Toras. The gown was predominantly red, with a slender sash cinching her waist, perfectly accentuating her graceful figure. Though she was only sixteen years old, her curves rivaled those of women in their twenties. When she matured a bit more, her figure would undoubtedly become even more striking, exuding a natural allure of vitality. Her glossy, jet-black hair was tied back with a red ribbon, lending her a fresh yet elegant air. Few women could pull off an entirely red ensemble, but on her, the outfit exuded a classical beauty. Especially those captivating peach blossom eyes, with their slightly upturned corners resembling a cat¡¯s tail¡ªthis red gown seemed as if it was made just for her. ¡°I¡¯m so beautiful~¡± the girl said to herself, utterly satisfied with the reflection in the mirror. For once, she spoke an honest truth. She put away the rest of the clothes strewn across the bed, pushed open the door, and walked out. Just then, Dugu Qiu, who was passing by, caught sight of Qin Qingwan. His expression froze, and it took him a long moment to snap out of it. Qin Qingwan was already stunning on an ordinary day, the dream girl of countless disciples in Tianxuan Sect. But today, with her extra effort in dressing up, she seemed almost otherworldly. Even Dugu Qiu, who harbored no romantic feelings and lived only for the sword, felt his heart skip a beat. ¡°Good morning, Senior Brother Dugu,¡± Qin Qingwan greeted him with a bright smile, her good mood evident. And when a girl was in a good mood, she seemed even more radiant. ¡°Good morning, Junior Sister. You¡¯re up quite early,¡± Dugu Qiu hurriedly averted his gaze from her face. If he kept looking, he feared his sword heart might waver. ¡°Yes, I have something to take care of,¡± Qin Qingwan nodded. ¡°Senior Brother, I¡¯ll take my leave now.¡± ¡°Be careful out there, Junior Sister,¡± Dugu Qiu said. Qin Qingwan thanked him, then descended the stairs and left the inn. ¡°No wonder Master always says women can slow a swordsman¡¯s draw,¡± Dugu Qiu muttered, shaking his head as he watched her graceful figure disappear through the inn¡¯s doors. He quickly banished the image of her from his mind. Downstairs, Dugu Qiu ordered a simple bowl of plain noodles and began eating breakfast. Like many other cultivators, though he had already reached the stage where he no longer needed to eat, he still maintained the habit of having three meals a day. Otherwise, he always felt like something was missing. Before long, Xia Donghua and another companion came downstairs and sat across from Dugu Qiu. ¡°Eh? Qingwan isn¡¯t coming down for breakfast?¡± Xia Donghua asked. Qin Qingwan always joined them for breakfast, so her absence today surprised him. Dugu Qiu shook his head. ¡°Junior Sister Qin has gone out.¡± ¡°Gone out? What for?¡± Xia Donghua asked. ¡°Who knows?¡± Dugu Qiu shrugged. Then, with a deliberate tone, he added, ¡°But I must say, Junior Sister Qin looked stunning today. Too bad you won¡¯t get to see her, Senior Brother Xia.¡± Xia Donghua: ¡°¡­¡± As Qin Qingwan walked down the street, nearly everyone¡ªwhether human cultivators or demon cultivators¡ªcast their gaze toward her. However, such attention, whether from humans or demons, was nothing new to Qin Qingwan. She had grown accustomed to these stares from a young age. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Arriving at the Tongfu Inn, she approached the innkeeper and asked where Xu Ming was staying. ¡°Third floor, last room down the hallway,¡± the boar demon innkeeper said, staring dumbfoundedly at this stunning beauty. ¡°Miss, you are¡­?¡± ¡°I¡¯m his dao companion~¡± Qin Qingwan playfully stuck out her tongue, then lifted the hem of her skirt and happily ran upstairs. Reaching Xu Ming¡¯s door, just as Qin Qingwan was about to knock, the door swung open. Her fair, delicate hand froze mid-air. Standing there in her red dress, the young girl immediately captured Xu Ming¡¯s full attention. His eyes stayed locked on her, unblinking, for what felt like an eternity. ¡°If you keep staring at me like that, I¡¯ll get shy, you know.¡± Qin Qingwan¡¯s lips curved into a smile as she stood straight before Xu Ming, her slender waist taut, and her chest rising and falling as the red gown hugged her figure. She boldly let him look at her all he wanted. ¡°This dress really does look good on me, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Her heart was both delighted and proud. But soon, a hint of dissatisfaction crept into her thoughts. ¡®This guy is so shameless. Do you stare at every pretty girl like this without blinking?¡¯ Her words snapped Xu Ming out of his daze. He quickly bowed and apologized, ¡°My apologies, Miss He. You look exceptionally beautiful today. Forgive my rudeness.¡± Qin Qingwan clasped her hands behind her back, leaning forward slightly to look up at Xu Ming. ¡°Only ¡®exceptionally beautiful¡¯? Is that all?¡± Xu Ming: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Hahaha¡­¡± Qin Qingwan covered her mouth as she chuckled, her laugh crisp and melodic like silver bells. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll stop teasing you. Let¡¯s go. Accompany me to buy some materials~¡± She spun around and joyfully skipped down the stairs. Xu Ming shook his head with a smile and followed her. Behind him, the white goose let out a loud ¡°Honk!¡± and waddled after them. The white goose, in fact, wanted very much to reveal itself to Qin Qingwan. But seeing Xu Ming pretend not to know her true identity, the goose decided to hold back as well. ¡°What kind of materials do you need, Miss He?¡± Xu Ming asked the girl walking beside him. ¡°Let me think~¡± Qin Qingwan tilted her head, her expression adorably thoughtful. Watching her, Xu Ming could only sigh inwardly. This little troublemaker¡ªshe wanted to buy materials for setting up a formation, but she didn¡¯t even know what she needed. Who does that? ¡°Sweet candied hawthorns! Fresh candied hawthorns~¡± Not far ahead, a crocodile demon carrying a large bundle of sugar-coated hawthorn skewers walked down the street, calling out to attract customers. Qin Qingwan¡¯s eyes lit up instantly. She pointed at the crocodile and exclaimed, ¡°Xu Ming~ I want one of those~¡± Xu Ming blinked in surprise but quickly nodded. ¡°Alright~¡± Chapter 132 Qin Qingwan and a big white goose each held a skewer of candied hawthorn as they walked down the street, eating as they went. Every time Qin Qingwan bit into a hawthorn, her beautiful peach blossom eyes would squint from the sourness, and her fair, slender neck would shrink slightly¡ªjust like when she was a child. It was at moments like these that Xu Ming would find traces of the familiar little girl in this now gracefully grown young woman. ¡°Is it good?¡± Xu Ming asked. ¡°Of course!¡± Qin Qingwan nodded, then held her skewer of candied hawthorn up to his mouth. ¡°Do you want to try?¡± Xu Ming: ¡°¡­¡± This girl¡­ You¡¯ve already eaten it, and now you¡¯re offering it to me? As a man? ¡°Thank you for your kindness, Miss He, but I¡¯m not a big fan of sour things,¡± Xu Ming replied, shaking his head, deliberately ignoring the intimacy in her gesture. ¡°Fine, your loss.¡± Qin Qingwan quickly pulled back the skewer, her cheeks tinged pink. ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to let you eat it anyway~¡± Xu Ming changed the subject. ¡°Miss He, what connection does this candied hawthorn have to the array materials you¡¯re planning to buy?¡± ¡°Everything, of course!¡± Qin Qingwan hummed and raised her chin proudly. ¡°You see, I have this trait¡ªwhen I¡¯m in a good mood, I have better control over my spiritual power, and my thinking becomes clearer. Surely you don¡¯t want me to fail the array because of a bad mood, right, Young Master Xu?¡± Xu Ming: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What? Am I wrong?¡± Qin Qingwan asked. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Xu Ming nodded. From when we were kids, everything you said was always right. ¡°Hmph~~¡± Satisfied by his answer, Qin Qingwan continued walking. ¡°By the way, Young Master Xu, do you know what Senior Sister Qin¡¯s favorite food is?¡± Xu Ming nodded. ¡°If I remember correctly, it¡¯s the candied hawthorn you¡¯re holding.¡± Hearing his accurate response, Qin Qingwan felt a wave of joy but didn¡¯t show it. ¡°Oh, so Senior Sister Qin likes candied hawthorn too.¡± ¡°She sure does,¡± Xu Ming replied with a smile. ¡°When she was little, even though she had cavities, she still insisted on eating candied hawthorn. I used to sneak it to her. Once, Madam Qin caught us. She quickly handed me the skewer and claimed it was mine, but she hadn¡¯t even wiped the hawthorn residue off her lips.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Qin Qingwan¡¯s cheeks flushed as she muttered, ¡°Why do you remember everything from when we were kids so clearly?¡± Xu Ming glanced at the girl beside him. ¡°Because everything someone does can be worth remembering.¡± ¡°Ugh, so corny! I¡¯m going to tell Senior Sister Qin what you said!¡± Qin Qingwan¡¯s face turned even redder as she hurriedly walked ahead to avoid letting Xu Ming see her expression. The big white goose glanced at Xu Ming. Xu Ming looked back at the goose. ¡°What?¡± The big white goose: ¡°Honk (You¡¯re so cheesy, it¡¯s unbearable.)¡± Xu Ming: ¡°¡­¡± What Xu Ming actually meant was, ¡°I don¡¯t have many friends, so everything they do, I remember.¡± But somehow, his words had come out differently. As he debated whether to explain himself to Qin Qingwan, she suddenly came back, tugging on the corner of his robe with one hand while pointing at a pastry shop in the distance with the other. ¡°Young Master Xu, I want to eat that!¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Xu Ming didn¡¯t refuse. As for explaining himself earlier¡­ Forget it. She seemed pretty happy anyway. For the next half hour, Xu Ming accompanied Qin Qingwan as they visited shop after shop, indulging in treats. This wasn¡¯t about buying array materials at all¡ªit was clearly just a food street tour. ¡°You know, when I was a kid, I had a dream,¡± Qin Qingwan said cheerfully. ¡°I wanted to walk down an entire street, eating whatever I wanted, free of anyone¡¯s rules.¡± ¡°That dream should be easy enough to achieve, right?¡± Xu Ming asked. ¡°Not as easy as you¡¯d think~¡± Qin Qingwan replied, her long legs striding forward beneath her flowing dress. ¡°Back then, my family was really strict. I wasn¡¯t allowed to wander too far, and I definitely wasn¡¯t allowed to eat random street food.¡± Xu Ming: ¡°And when you grew up?¡± ¡°When I grew up¡­¡± Qin Qingwan stopped walking and spun around on her left foot, arms outstretched. Her skirt flared slightly, like a blooming blood-red lotus. ¡°I still never went on a food tour.¡± Xu Ming: ¡°Because you were busy cultivating?¡± Qin Qingwan: ¡°That¡¯s part of the reason, but it¡¯s not the main one.¡± Xu Ming: ¡°Then what¡¯s the main reason?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not telling you~¡± Qin Qingwan turned away again, skipping forward with a smile. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Idiot,¡± she thought to herself, sneaking a glance at Xu Ming behind her. ¡°Can¡¯t you guess? It¡¯s because, in my dream, you were there too.¡± ¡ª Bang! Bang! Roar! Roar! Outside the city of Baiwa, deep within the mountain, lay a hollowed-out molten heart cavern. Inside this vast lava cavern, the walls were lined with hundreds, if not thousands, of cages. Each cage contained a bound magical beast, their limbs shackled by heavy chains. The beasts struggled ceaselessly, trying in vain to break free of their restraints. At the center of the cavern stood a massive lava platform connected by eight stone bridges. Below the platform, molten lava formed a churning, seething sea, its heat and fury unrelenting. Beams of light shot out from a magic array in the center. Several cloaked cultivators worked quickly, manipulating the array to extract one after another of the missing cultivators from Baiwa City. These cultivators appeared translucent, as if caught between having physical bodies and being mere souls. One of the cloaked cultivators walked forward, grabbed one of the extracted figures, and tossed them onto the array in the center of the platform. At a signal from the leading cloaked figure, several of the magical beasts in the wall cages were released. The cloaked cultivators dragged one of the beasts to the array. ¡°AAAAAAHHHH!¡± ¡°ROAR!!¡± As the array activated, both the human cultivator and the magical beast let out agonized screams. The translucent human and the beast began to fuse. Their bloodlines intertwined, their bones joined together. Their flesh first disintegrated, then merged. Boom! With a deafening explosion, the human and the beast simultaneously burst into a cloud of blood mist! ¡°Next,¡± the leader of the cloaked cultivators said impassively. The failure of the fusion didn¡¯t bother him. One pair of human and beast after another was thrown into the array. Ten pairs. Twenty pairs. Each attempt ended in failure, leaving only annihilation. The cavern echoed with screams of agony, the sound reverberating endlessly in the oppressive heat. ¡°Monsters! You¡¯ll pay for this! You animals! You¡ª!¡± Across the platform, a woman who had witnessed everything screamed hoarsely, her voice raw, her eyes bloodshot. The lead cultivator walked over to her and grabbed her hair, forcing her to meet his gaze. ¡°Don¡¯t say that,¡± he said coldly. ¡°This array¡ªyou created it.¡± Chapter 133 By noon, the sun was already high in the sky over Baiwa City. Xu Ming raised his head, gazing at the blazing sun above, his expression contemplative. ¡°What¡¯s on your mind?¡± Qin Qingwan asked curiously as she observed his profile. ¡°Nothing much,¡± Xu Ming replied, shaking his head. ¡°I was just wondering¡ªif Baiwa City is its own self-contained world, how would its sun differ from the one outside?¡± ¡°Who knows~ Maybe the sun here is smaller?¡± Qin Qingwan mused thoughtfully. ¡°Alright, enough of that. It¡¯s already midday¡ªlet¡¯s go eat!¡± Xu Ming brought his gaze back to her. ¡°But haven¡¯t you been eating this whole time?¡± Qin Qingwan pouted. ¡°That was just snacks. Now it¡¯s time for a proper meal.¡± Xu Ming: ¡°Is there really a difference?¡± Qin Qingwan: ¡°Of course! Snacks and meals go into completely different stomachs.¡± Xu Ming: ¡°You¡¯re sure this won¡¯t make you gain weight?¡± ¡°Of course not!¡± Qin Qingwan playfully raised her small fist and gave Xu Ming¡¯s shoulder a light tap. ¡°I¡¯m an immortal fairy, you know¡ªimmortal fairies don¡¯t get fat~¡± Xu Ming chuckled. ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve seen someone call themselves an immortal fairy.¡± ¡°So what? Are you saying I¡¯m not pretty?¡± Qin Qingwan¡¯s eyes curved into a smile. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s not talk about this.¡± Qin Qingwan grabbed Xu Ming¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Come on, come on! There¡¯s a restaurant up ahead that looks pretty good¡ªlet¡¯s try it out!¡± Before Xu Ming could protest, she was already pulling him forward. Watching her dragging him along, Xu Ming couldn¡¯t help but think back to their childhood, when Qin Qingwan would tug him along just like this to go play. ¡°Come play, my good sir~¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be shy, sir, have some fun~~~¡± ¡°Sir, don¡¯t go~~~¡± As Qin Qingwan and Xu Ming walked past Baiwa City¡¯s brothel district, they were greeted by the sight of cats, snakes, and lizards standing at the doors, soliciting customers. These animals were in their original forms, not shapeshifted into human appearances. Aside from their ability to stand upright, they bore no resemblance to ¡°people¡± at all. And yet, Xu Ming saw a human man walking out of one of the brothels. He couldn¡¯t help but doubt his eyes. Was this guy that desperate? ¡°Do all men like going to brothels?¡± Qin Qingwan asked, noticing Xu Ming¡¯s gaze. ¡°Miss He, don¡¯t make baseless accusations,¡± Xu Ming hurriedly defended himself. ¡°I¡¯m not interested in animals! (At least, not in unshapeshifted beasts.)¡± Qin Qingwan raised an eyebrow with a sly smile. ¡°So you¡¯re saying you are interested in human brothels?¡± Xu Ming: ¡°¡­¡± Qin Qingwan: ¡°Have you ever been to a brothel?¡± Xu Ming: ¡°I haven¡¯t.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Qin Qingwan stared at him intently. Xu Ming nodded. ¡°Really.¡± Qin Qingwan scrutinized his eyes carefully, as if trying to discern any hint of dishonesty. Finally, she straightened up and lifted her chin proudly. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll believe you for now.¡± ¡°Actually, brothels aren¡¯t that great,¡± Qin Qingwan began, launching into a lecture. ¡°My master said that brothels only corrode a person¡¯s body and mind. They¡¯re of no benefit to the Dao. Only by resisting temptation can we stay true to our path.¡± Xu Ming smiled. ¡°Then what advice would the lady have for me to resist temptation?¡± ¡°Of course I have a way,¡± Qin Qingwan replied smugly. ¡°Oh?¡± Xu Ming¡¯s curiosity was piqued. Qin Qingwan¡¯s lips curled into a sly smile. ¡°The next time you feel like going to a brothel, just think of me. None of them are as beautiful as I am, so why would you still want to go?¡± Xu Ming: ¡°¡­¡± Seeing Xu Ming¡¯s silence, Qin Qingwan pouted. ¡°What¡¯s with that expression? Did I say something wrong?¡± Xu Ming chuckled and shook his head. ¡°No, you didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Hmph, good that you know better.¡± Qin Qingwan turned around, striding forward with her long legs. ¡ª Outside Baiwa City. A one-legged firebird and a black dog lay atop a mountain peak, gazing toward Baiwa City in the distance. From their vantage point, Baiwa City appeared as nothing more than endless walls enclosing barren land. Inside the city, there wasn¡¯t a single sign of life¡ªno buildings, no people, just a desolate wasteland. This meant one thing: Baiwa City had already begun isolating itself from the outside world, forming a small, independent realm. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°What do we do now? We can¡¯t just sit here and wait forever,¡± the firebird, Bi Fang, said, stretching out its wing to pat the black dog. ¡°I don¡¯t know either.¡± The black dog sighed helplessly. ¡°All we can do is wait. But have you noticed something strange?¡± Bi Fang shot the black dog a glare. ¡°You¡¯re talking about someone trying to refine that mystical artifact, right? It¡¯s obvious they haven¡¯t succeeded yet.¡± ¡°Heh heh heh¡­¡± The black dog let out a sly chuckle. ¡°Those people trying to refine the artifact must be nearby. If we intercept them and snatch it for ourselves, wouldn¡¯t that be perfect?¡± Bi Fang blinked. ¡°You know, that actually makes sense.¡± The black dog grinned. ¡°Then let¡¯s move out. We¡¯ll search every inch of the area within a dozen miles.¡± With that, Bi Fang took to the skies, while the black dog activated its supernatural abilities, sniffing through the forest below as they began a thorough search. ¡ª Meanwhile, in the forest. A hopping zombie made its way through the woods, leaping up a mountain slope. If Li Han and his companions were here, they¡¯d immediately recognize this zombie as the one that had chased them for most of the day. After Shen Sheng¡¯s death, the zombie had stopped attacking and vanished without a trace¡ªuntil now. ¡°Rrrgh¡­¡± The zombie growled lowly as it hopped toward a patch of shrubs. It parted the shrubbery to reveal a small formation. The zombie pricked its finger, letting a few drops of green corpse blood fall onto the formation. As the array activated, the zombie disappeared from where it stood. When its vision cleared, the zombie found itself inside a mountain cavern. Taking out a small blue orb from its tattered robes, the jiangshi crushed it, scattering the powder over its body. The powder concealed its aura and rendered its body transparent. Cautiously, it began hopping forward. The molten core cavern was mostly empty, with only a few beasts in the wall-bound cages struggling against their chains and roaring incessantly. The zombie spotted a woman shackled in chains and quickly hopped over to her. ¡°Rrrgh¡­¡± The zombie growled softly. The woman lifted her head. ¡°Xiao Tiao? Is that you?¡± ¡°Rrrgh,¡± the zombie replied, growling again. The woman pressed her lips tightly together. ¡°The Baiwa Scroll is nearly complete. Take the pendant from around my neck and deliver it to the cultivators inside Baiwa City. As for who to give it to¡­ and whether they can succeed¡­ that will be left to fate. Go now!¡± ¡°Rrrgh.¡± The zombie grabbed the pendant hanging from her neck, yanking it free before quickly hopping back toward the cavern exit. Chapter 134 When Xu Ming and Qin Qingwan finished their lunch, it was already 2 PM. Qin Qingwan had originally wanted to spend more time with Xu Ming and then visit White Moon Pool in Baiwa City. She had heard from the locals that, in the evening, the White Moon Pool glows as bright as the moon and is as beautiful as a painting. However, her jade token lit up with a message from her sect senior, Xia Donghua, urging her to return immediately for an important human alliance meeting. Qin Qingwan felt rather unhappy about it. She hadn¡¯t had enough fun yet, but she couldn¡¯t skip the meeting. ¡°Well, it¡¯s fine. There¡¯s plenty of time in the future, and I really do need to go back and prepare the formation,¡± she thought to herself, trying to convince herself to leave. ¡°Xu Ming, I have to go back now.¡± Without even realizing it, she had stopped calling him ¡°Xu Gongzi¡± (Young Master Xu) and was now simply calling him ¡°Xu Ming.¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s part ways here. I¡¯ll leave the formation¡¯s preparations to you,¡± Xu Ming said, cupping his hands in a polite gesture. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Qin Qingwan asked. ¡°Hm?¡± Xu Ming looked at her, confused. ¡°I mean¡­¡± Qin Qingwan took a step closer to him. ¡°You¡¯re just going to leave like this? Aren¡¯t you going to see me off?¡± Xu Ming hesitated. ¡°¡­Shall I escort you back to the inn?¡± ¡°Hmm~ Let¡¯s go.¡± Without any reservation, Qin Qingwan happily took the lead, walking ahead. Watching her cheerful demeanor, Xu Ming couldn¡¯t help but chuckle and shake his head. ¡ª ¡°Junior Sister, you¡¯re finally back. The human alliance meeting is about to begin, and it¡¯s incredibly important this time.¡± Just as Xu Ming escorted Qin Qingwan to the inn where she was staying, a man stepped out. Xu Ming recognized him¡ªit was Xia Donghua, the son of the head of Tianxuan Sect. A classic second-generation cultivator. ¡°And who might this gentleman be?¡± Xia Donghua asked, his gaze falling on Xu Ming with a faint frown, a trace of vigilance rising in his heart. Earlier that morning, he had heard from someone that his junior sister had gone out dressed up beautifully, which was rare. And now, she was returning with a man. What¡¯s more, no matter how outgoing and friendly Qin Qingwan¡¯s personality was, she always maintained a certain distance from men. But with this man, they were standing so close that their shoulders were nearly touching. In Xia Donghua¡¯s memory, this was absolutely unprecedented. ¡°Xu Ming of the Wu Kingdom,¡± Xu Ming said, cupping his hands politely. ¡°Xu Ming¡­¡± Xia Donghua murmured, the name sounding vaguely familiar to him. ¡°Could you be the Xu Ming who wrote Butterfly Loves Flowers and The Resignation Letter?¡± Xia Donghua suddenly remembered. ¡°That¡¯s me,¡± Xu Ming replied, a little surprised at how well-known he was. It made sense for people from White Deer Academy to know him, as he had gained fame through his writings, and White Deer Academy collected outstanding literary works. But for someone from Tianxuan Sect to recognize him was unexpected. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°It¡¯s an honor to meet you, Brother Xu. My name is Xia Donghua, son of Xia Hai, the head of Tianxuan Sect,¡± Xia Donghua said, returning the courtesy. ¡°An honor to meet you too,¡± Xu Ming replied politely, though in truth, he had never heard of Xia Hai before. ¡°Junior Sister, what business do you have with Brother Xu?¡± Xia Donghua asked, still unsure of their relationship. ¡°I had some matters to discuss with Xu Ming today,¡± Qin Qingwan said nonchalantly. She then turned to Xu Ming with a smile. ¡°Alright, you¡¯ve escorted me this far. You can head back now. I¡¯ll come find you tomorrow. And don¡¯t forget to reply to my messages!¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Xu Ming nodded. He then cupped his hands toward Xia Donghua. ¡°Brother Xia, I¡¯ll take my leave now.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you stay a little longer, Xu Gongzi? Our Baiwa City Human Alliance meeting is about to start. Would you like to join us and listen in?¡± Xia Donghua asked. He felt uneasy. It wasn¡¯t just here in Baiwa City¡ªback at Tianxuan Sect, he had tried several times to invite his junior sister to go out with him, only to be rejected every single time. Yet now, his junior sister was taking the initiative to meet another man. ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡± Before Xu Ming could respond, Qin Qingwan answered for him. ¡°Xu Ming, you should head back and rest. If anything comes up, I¡¯ll talk to you about it tomorrow.¡± You are joking, right? If Xu Ming stayed at the inn, what if others greeted him and accidentally revealed her true identity? ¡°I was thinking the same,¡± Xu Ming said with a nod. ¡°If you need my help with anything, just let me know. I¡¯ll assist however I can.¡± Though Xu Ming said this, whether or not he would actually help depended on the situation. Such polite formalities were understood on both sides. ¡°Alright then, safe travels, Brother Xu,¡± Xia Donghua said, though a trace of displeasure lingered in his heart. He felt that Xu Ming wasn¡¯t giving him enough respect. After Xu Ming turned and left, Xia Donghua wanted to get closer to Qin Qingwan, ask where she had gone today, and perhaps probe into her relationship with Xu Ming. However, before he could speak, Qin Qingwan smiled and tactfully created some distance, heading straight into the inn. The entire inn had once again been booked out by human cultivators. Everyone¡¯s expressions were grim. In the past two days, more beams of light had descended upon Baiwa City, and over ten human cultivators had vanished without a trace. No one knew whether they were alive or dead. No one could say if they would be the next to disappear. Qin Qingwan scanned the room briefly before finding an empty seat and sitting down. Even though Xia Donghua was still concerned about Qin Qingwan¡¯s relationship with Xu Ming, he knew there were more pressing matters to address. He stepped to the front of the room, and the low hum of murmurs gradually died down as all eyes turned to him. Xia Donghua addressed the gathering: ¡°I know what¡¯s on everyone¡¯s mind. Over the past two days, more human cultivators have gone missing, and the same is happening to the demon clan. None of us know if we¡¯ll be next. But today, I¡¯ve gathered you all here because I¡¯ve found a way out!¡± As his words fell, everyone¡¯s eyes lit up with hope. Xia Donghua looked around at the crowd and continued: ¡°This afternoon, two cultivators from the Tianyin Sect informed me that Baiwa City¡¯s focal point of spiritual energy is located at the Toad Temple within the city. Moreover, there¡¯s said to be a hidden treasure in the Toad Temple! Even if we set aside the treasure, as long as we break through the Toad Temple and set up a Spirit Stone Void Formation inside, we¡¯ll be able to leave this cursed place! So, if you want to leave this place¡ªor if you¡¯re after the treasure¡ªjoin me tonight!¡± Chapter 135 Back at the inn, Xu Ming sat down and began to meditate, observing himself inwardly. For the past few days, Xu Ming had felt a strange sensation, as if something inside him was about to break free. At noon, he had mentioned this to Qin Qingwan, who had happily told him, ¡°You¡¯re about to break through!¡± However, she advised him not to rush. For cultivators, the Cave Mansion Realm was the first major threshold. If the first breakthrough failed, the consequences could be disastrous: at worst, the soul could scatter, and the body perish; at best, one would forever lose the chance to enter the Cave Mansion Realm, with their cultivation stagnating for life. Qin Qingwan had invited Xu Ming to Tianxuan Sect, offering to help him with his breakthrough. While Xu Ming didn¡¯t refuse, he hadn¡¯t agreed either. He was reluctant to rely on Qin Qingwan for help; otherwise, he¡¯d feel like he was freeloading off her. As the hour of Shen passed its midpoint, Xu Ming slowly opened his eyes, his clothes soaked with sweat. After a bath in the inn¡¯s bathhouse, Xu Ming returned to his room, only to see the jade token Qin Qingwan had given him glowing faintly. Qin Qingwan: ¡°Xu Ming, they¡¯re planning to attack the Toad Temple tonight. What do you think?¡± Toad Temple? A golden toad immediately came to Xu Ming¡¯s mind. Infusing the jade token with spiritual energy, he asked, ¡°Why are they attacking the Toad Temple?¡± Qin Qingwan: ¡°Because two cultivators from Tianyin Sect said it¡¯s Baiwa City¡¯s focal point of spiritual energy. It might even be the city¡¯s exit. Plus, there¡¯s a treasure!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Xu Ming found the Tianyin Sect cultivators¡¯ theory somewhat reasonable. According to the laws of nature, the more powerful the treasure, the more formidable the guardian. That golden toad was the most powerful being in Baiwa City, never leaving the temple even once. So, it wasn¡¯t impossible for Baiwa City¡¯s treasure to be there. However, Xu Ming didn¡¯t believe the temple was the city¡¯s exit. Xu Ming: ¡°Are all the human cultivators going?¡± Qin Qingwan: ¡°Pretty much. And not just the human cultivators¡ªeven the demon cultivators have heard and will probably join in.¡± Xu Ming chuckled and shook his head, replying, ¡°It¡¯s true they want to leave, but their main goal is to seize the treasure.¡± Qin Qingwan: ¡°Exactly. Anyone can see that Baiwa City ended up like this because of that treasure. If that treasure can create its own world, it¡¯s already beyond everyone¡¯s imagination. We cultivators are meant to challenge others and defy the heavens. Getting that treasure would be an extraordinary opportunity.¡± Qin Qingwan: ¡°So? Are you going tonight?¡± S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Xu Ming: ¡°Are you going tonight?¡± Qin Qingwan: ¡°If you go, I¡¯ll go.¡± Xu Ming: ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Big dummy!¡± Qin Qingwan muttered to herself in her room, pouting as she lightly tapped the jade token, as if she were tapping Xu Ming¡¯s forehead. Qin Qingwan: ¡°If you go, of course I have to go protect you. What if something happens to you?¡± Xu Ming chuckled. ¡°You seem pretty confident in your own strength.¡± Qin Qingwan: ¡°Hmph~ Of course! Let me tell you, I¡¯m super strong~¡± Xu Ming: ¡°I¡¯m definitely not going. But can you really skip it? This Human Alliance meeting is led by your Tianxuan Sect, after all.¡± Qin Qingwan: ¡°Don¡¯t bring that up. It just makes me mad. I think attacking that golden toad is completely unreliable¡ªit¡¯s like walking into death. But what can I do? My senior brothers insist on going. Like you said, do you think they just want to leave? No, they¡¯re after Baiwa City¡¯s treasure. And even if the treasure isn¡¯t there, so what? That golden toad¡¯s cassock and the staff next to it have already made some people drool.¡± ¡°Alright then,¡± Xu Ming said, deciding not to say more. ¡°But I¡¯m not going tonight. I¡¯m not interested in that treasure.¡± He was being honest. To Xu Ming, his ¡°cheat ability¡± was already the greatest treasure. That didn¡¯t mean he was entirely indifferent to worldly matters; rather, he believed the risks of going to the Toad Temple for the treasure were far too great. However, if Qingwan decided to go, he¡¯d have to go along to protect her. Qin Qingwan responded quickly, ¡°Then I won¡¯t go either. But tonight definitely won¡¯t be peaceful. I¡¯ll come find you later¡ªmight as well scout for the best spot to set up the formation.¡± Xu Ming replied, ¡°Alright, but there¡¯s no need for you to come over. I¡¯ll grab Yu Wenxi and Miao Feng, and we¡¯ll come to you.¡± ¡°Deal,¡± she said. After putting away the jade token, Xu Ming left the inn to gather Yu Wenxi and Miao Feng. The three men and one goose arrived at the inn where Qin Qingwan was staying, only to find her waiting outside. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± she said, her eyes lighting up when she saw Xu Ming. She walked over cheerfully and took her place beside him. Yu Wenxi and Miao Feng instinctively stepped aside, exchanging a glance filled with unspoken questions. Wasn¡¯t the relationship between Xu Ming and this Qin fairy getting a little¡­ close? ¡°Junior Sister, where are you going?¡± Just as they were about to leave, Xia Donghua emerged from the inn. Qin Qingwan turned back to him, her voice calm but firm. ¡°Where I go shouldn¡¯t concern Senior Brother, should it?¡± Xia Donghua frowned. ¡°But Junior Sister, tonight we¡¯re acting together. If you¡¯re not there, we¡¯ll lose a major force. And if we manage to open a passage to the outside, how will you leave?¡± Qin Qingwan shook her head. ¡°Senior Brother, I never supported this plan in the first place. That golden toad is far more than a simple Peak Dragon Gate Realm beast. You all insist on going, but as for me not being able to leave, that¡¯s my own concern. It has nothing to do with you, does it? If I recall correctly, before leaving Tianxuan Sect, the elders told us that while we¡¯re part of the same sect, when opinions differ, we are free to follow our own hearts. I haven¡¯t misremembered those words, have I?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Xia Donghua was left speechless. ¡°Take care tonight, Senior Brother. I won¡¯t join the commotion,¡± Qin Qingwan said with a soft smile, cutting off any further argument. Without waiting for his response, she grabbed Xu Ming¡¯s arm and walked away. ¡°Are you sure this is okay? Won¡¯t the sect hold you accountable? If it¡¯s because of me, there¡¯s no need to go this far. I can go with you to the Toad Temple,¡± Xu Ming said as they walked. ¡°It¡¯s really fine, trust me. The sect won¡¯t blame me,¡± Qin Qingwan said with a shake of her head. ¡°Let¡¯s stop talking about that. Let¡¯s hurry and find the best place for the formation. What if tonight turns out to be a Blood Moon?¡± ¡°If it really is a Blood Moon tonight¡­ huh?¡± Yu Wenxi¡¯s words trailed off abruptly, his voice suddenly trembling. ¡°Brother Xu! Look! The sky!¡± Chapter 136 ¡°Brother Xu! Look! The sky!¡± Yu Wenxi pointed toward the heavens, his voice trembling slightly. Xu Ming and the others lifted their heads. The citizens of Baiwa City and the human cultivators also began to raise their heads one after another. In the somewhat dim sky above, the white clouds parted, revealing a faintly visible moon hanging in the heavens. However, this moon was different from the usual; it carried a faint red hue. Though the red wasn¡¯t very pronounced yet due to the lingering daylight, as the sky darkened, the moon¡¯s ominous tint grew increasingly apparent. They had no doubt that tonight, the sky would host a crimson moon as red as blood. ¡°Blood Moon!¡± The same two words simultaneously sprang to the minds of Xu Ming and his companions. Xu Ming looked at the three of them and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the Blood Moon to appear today. Can you guys set up that formation in time?¡± Miao Feng stroked his chin thoughtfully. ¡°Brother Yu Wenxi and I studied it for an entire afternoon. While we didn¡¯t fully grasp its intricacies, we should be able to manage the basics.¡± ¡°Xu Ming, that¡¯s the wrong question to ask,¡± Qin Qingwan raised her elegant face, smiling at Xu Ming. ¡°Even if we¡¯re not fully prepared, does it matter? Do we even have a choice right now?¡± sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Xu Ming froze for a moment before nodding with a smile. ¡°You¡¯re right. We have no choice. Let¡¯s get moving. Time is of the essence.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the three responded solemnly. Xu Ming had been wondering when he might encounter the Blood Moon. Unexpectedly, it had arrived today. Now, whether they were prepared or not was irrelevant. Even if they weren¡¯t ready, they had to attempt it tonight. Who knew when the next Blood Moon would appear? For all they knew, the white pillar of light might descend upon them tomorrow, erasing their existence before they even understood how they died. Yu Wenxi took out a tool resembling a dragon-seeking ruler from his storage pouch. As Miao Feng spoke in professional jargon about the formation, Yu Wenxi infused the ruler with spiritual energy. Half an hour later, the sky had grown dark. As expected, the crimson Blood Moon stood out starkly against the night sky. ¡°Here. This is the spot,¡± Yu Wenxi said, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead and stomping firmly on the ground. Miao Feng nodded. ¡°I think this is the place too. What¡¯s your opinion, Miss He?¡± Although everyone knew Qin Qingwan¡¯s true identity, Xu Ming hadn¡¯t brought it up, so both Miao Feng and Yu Wenxi pretended not to know. Qin Qingwan agreed, ¡°It matches my thoughts as well.¡± Yu Wenxi put away the dragon-seeking ruler and glanced at the Blood Moon above. ¡°No time to waste. Let¡¯s begin!¡± Miao Feng bowed to Xu Ming. ¡°Brother Xu, we¡¯ll trouble you to protect us.¡± Xu Ming nodded. ¡°You three focus on your task. Leave everything else to me.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Miao Feng unfurled a sheepskin scroll and tossed it onto the ground, chanting an incantation. The scroll trembled continuously as the formation etched onto it began to manifest. The sheepskin gradually disappeared, replaced by the formation inscribed on the ground. Xu Ming stepped aside as the trio brought out formation flags and started arranging them methodically. The formation harnessed the natural laws of heaven and earth, gathering and circulating spiritual energy. It felt as though the principles of the universe were being broken apart and reshaped to their will. Watching all this, Xu Ming made a mental note to study formations seriously once he left Baiwa City. First, mastering more skills never hurt. Second, a prepared formation master could potentially defeat an opponent an entire realm higher through sheer cunning. Even if he didn¡¯t aim to master it, at the very least, he wanted to ensure he wouldn¡¯t be left helpless when facing formation masters in the future. Just as the formation was being methodically set up, Qin Qingwan suddenly felt a sharp pain in her chest and spat out a mouthful of blood. Meanwhile, in Baiwa City¡ª The human cultivators had already gathered together and were preparing to head toward the Toad Temple. The demonic cultivators who had come from outside the city also got word of the situation and quickly assembled. If the temple truly was the gateway to Baiwa City, then whoever controlled the temple would hold the lifeblood of the entire city. Even if it wasn¡¯t the gateway, the temple was bound to hold treasures. If someone else got there first, they wouldn¡¯t even get the scraps. Thus, outside the temple, roughly 500 human cultivators and 400 demon cultivators stood facing off. The tension was palpable. Neither side had entered the temple yet, but they seemed on the verge of clashing. ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this?¡± Xia Donghua glared at a man in a white robe standing among the demonic cultivators. Xia Donghua knew this demon. He was the third prince of the White Serpent Kingdom, currently ranked seventh on the Qingyun List. ¡°We could ask you the same question. What are all of you doing here at the temple in the middle of the night?¡± the White Serpent Kingdom¡¯s third prince, She Yu, replied with a faint smile. Xia Donghua¡¯s expression grew tense. ¡°Let¡¯s stop beating around the bush. Since you¡¯re here too, let¡¯s agree to a truce. At least until we kill the Golden Toad, we shouldn¡¯t be dragging each other down. What do you think? If we end up slaughtering each other first, forget about seizing any treasures¡ªwe won¡¯t even make it out of Baiwa City alive!¡± Xia Donghua understood that any agreement with the other side would be tenuous at best. But there was no other choice. If he backed down now, the other side would seize the initiative. He also believed they¡¯d have the sense to cooperate. If human and demon cultivators started fighting, both sides would suffer, and they¡¯d all just end up as food for the Golden Toad. The White Serpent Kingdom¡¯s third prince snapped his fan shut with a smile. ¡°I was thinking the same thing.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s move!¡± Xia Donghua led the human cultivators into the temple. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± She Yu said, closing his fan and leading the demonic cultivators toward the temple. ¡°Boom!¡± A loud explosion shattered the night¡¯s silence. The temple gates were blasted open by the combined might of both groups of cultivators. Inside the temple, the monks all opened their eyes. The temple¡¯s guardian warrior monks, armed with long staves, charged forward. ¡°Amitabha. May I ask why all you benefactors are visiting Golden Toad Temple so late at night?¡± The temple¡¯s abbot, a yellow frog, clasped his hands in greeting. Xia Donghua stepped forward. ¡°If you, Abbot, tell us the way out of Baiwa City and hand over your temple¡¯s treasures, we will leave peacefully.¡± The abbot furrowed his brow. ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about, Benefactor.¡± ¡°In that case, there¡¯s nothing more to discuss.¡± Xia Donghua waved his hand. ¡°Attack.¡± ¡ª On the outskirts of Baiwa City, a flying zombie hopped along endlessly. Around the zombie¡¯s neck hung a necklace with a gemstone strung on it. The zombie didn¡¯t know who to give the necklace to. It had only just entered the city, only to find no one around. But as it continued to hop, its nose twitched. The zombie caught a familiar scent in the air. Chapter 137 Standing atop the mountain, Xu Ming looked down from the peak. In the south of Baiwa City, near the direction of the temple, a patch of firelight had appeared. Shortly after, the lights in the homes on the southern side of Baiwa City began to illuminate one by one. It seemed that the humans and demons had officially begun their assault on the Toad Temple. The other residents, hearing the commotion, quickly climbed out of their rooms to join the excitement. As Xu Ming guarded the formation and gazed toward the southern part of Baiwa City, Qin Qingwan suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood, which splattered onto the ground. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Xu Ming was startled. He wanted to step forward but didn¡¯t dare enter the formation, fearing he might disrupt it. Qin Qingwan shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious. I just felt a bit uncomfortable from the formation¡¯s impact.¡± ¡°Brother Xu, the position Miss He is in is the core of the entire formation. We will continue constructing it, but Miss He¡¯s soul will bear the brunt of the impact. Could you think of a way to divert her attention?¡± Yu Wenxi said to Xu Ming. Yu Wenxi himself was drenched in sweat, clearly burdened heavily by the strain of constructing the formation on his spirit and spiritual energy. ¡°Distract her?¡± Xu Ming was confused. Didn¡¯t setting up a formation require complete concentration? Wouldn¡¯t distracting her make things worse? Seeing Xu Ming¡¯s doubts, Miao Feng added, ¡°Yu Wenxi is right. We¡¯ve already completed the initial setup of the formation. Next, Miss He will serve as the core, acting as a medium to connect her spiritual energy with the formation of this world, fully completing it. ¡°I know it might sound contradictory, but at this stage, Miss He needs to maintain her focus on the formation while also slightly diverting her attention. This will help reduce the impact of the Dao resonance on her soul.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Xu Ming didn¡¯t fully grasp the principles they explained, but he trusted that following their instructions would be the right move. ¡°You can distract me with this. No need to talk to me directly.¡± From the center of the formation, Qin Qingwan held up a jade token and waved it at Xu Ming. Xu Ming nodded and took out his own jade token, sending her a message. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Qin Qingwan smiled faintly. ¡°Is this how you distract me? Do you always start conversations with girls by asking how they¡¯re feeling?¡± Xu Ming: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m okay.¡± Qin Qingwan glanced at Xu Ming with a soft smile, speaking as if sharing a secret. ¡°A little dizzy, a little scattered, but other than that, nothing too strange.¡± Xu Ming: ¡°What does it feel like to be impacted by Dao resonance?¡± Qin Qingwan thought for a moment. ¡°It¡¯s hard to describe. It¡¯s like a flood of thoughts suddenly rushing into my mind, and no matter how hard I try, I just can¡¯t control them.¡± Xu Ming: ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°Brother Xu, what do you mean by ¡®oh¡¯?¡± Qin Qingwan pouted. ¡°Is this really how you¡¯re helping me distract myself?¡± ¡°¡­What do you want to talk about?¡± Xu Ming asked. Qin Qingwan thought for a moment. ¡°How about telling me stories from your childhood?¡± ¡°My childhood?¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah! Your childhood. Did you have any close friends growing up?¡± Xu Ming: ¡°I did. A few of them.¡± Qin Qingwan: ¡°Who was your best friend?¡± Xu Ming chuckled inwardly and replied, ¡°One was the eldest daughter of the Qin family¡ªthat would be your Senior Sister Qin. Another was my older sister, and the third was my Third Brother.¡± Qin Qingwan¡¯s round eyes sparkled with curiosity, like a little fish that had finally taken the bait. ¡°I know your sister! She must be Xu Xuenuo, right? The pride of the Wanjian Sect? I¡¯ve heard her talent in swordsmanship is almost unparalleled!¡± Xu Ming: ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Qin Qingwan: ¡°So, who do you think is prettier¡ªQin Qingwan or your sister?¡± Xu Ming wasn¡¯t a fool. Presented with such an obvious ¡°correct¡± answer, failing to choose wisely would be an insult to the person asking. ¡°I think Qingwan is prettier.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Qin Qingwan was momentarily stunned by his answer, her cheeks flushing a soft pink. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Qin Qingwan: ¡°I¡¯ve never met Xu Xuenuo, but why don¡¯t you tell me what makes Senior Sister Qin prettier than her?¡± ¡°¡­¡± That question stumped him. To Xu Ming, their beauty was comparable, just different in style. Xu Xuenuo had always been cool and aloof, while Qin Qingwan was sweet and charming. They were not the same at all. After thinking seriously for a moment, Xu Ming replied, ¡°I think Qin Qingwan is prettier in every way.¡± Qin Qingwan pouted. ¡°Are you just saying that to brush me off? Afraid I¡¯ll tell Senior Sister Qin, and she¡¯ll come after you for it?¡± Xu Ming: ¡°Of course not. Why would I need to brush you off? I¡¯m just speaking from the heart.¡± ¡°Hmph, fine, I¡¯ll let it go.¡± Qin Qingwan smiled mischievously. ¡°Then why don¡¯t you name ten things that make Qin Qingwan special?¡± Xu Ming: ¡°Why are we always talking about Qingwan?¡± Qin Qingwan: ¡°Why not? I¡¯m just trying to keep myself distracted. Besides, why are you avoiding talking about Senior Sister Qin? Do you not like her?¡± Xu Ming chuckled. ¡°Of course I like her. She¡¯s one of the top ten beauties on the Beauty List¡ªhow could I not?¡± Qin Qingwan¡¯s chest rose and fell in frustration. ¡°So, you only like her because of her looks?¡± Xu Ming teased, ¡°Maybe?¡± ¡°Lecherous Man!¡± Qin Qingwan huffed. ¡°Please call it honesty. Thank you,¡± Xu Ming countered. Qin Qingwan¡¯s eyes curved into a sly smile. ¡°An honest lecher.¡± Xu Ming: ¡°¡­¡± Qin Qingwan: ¡°Xu Ming.¡± Xu Ming: ¡°Hm?¡± Qin Qingwan: ¡°If you meet Senior Sister Qin, what¡¯s the first thing you¡¯d say to her?¡± Xu Ming: ¡°I¡¯d say¡ª¡± Boom! Before Xu Ming could send his reply, a loud explosion erupted from the Toad Temple in Baiwa City. A streak of crimson light shot into the sky, piercing through the nighttime clouds. Xu Ming, the others, and the goose all instinctively looked up. The red light transformed into a massive dragon, circling once in the sky before hurtling toward them. ¡°Damn it! What¡¯s happening in Baiwa City?¡± Yu Wenxi, drenched in sweat, felt a sense of foreboding. ¡°This is bad! The formation is resonating with that red light!¡± Miao Feng¡¯s face was grim as the crimson dragon drew closer. ¡°We can¡¯t continue¡ªwe have to leave!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Yu Wenxi and Miao Feng quickly stepped out of the formation. But Qin Qingwan remained seated, completely still. ¡°Miss He, get out of there!¡± Xu Ming shouted. Qin Qingwan turned her head to look at him, her peach blossom eyes trembling slightly. At her feet, two blood-red chains extended from the formation, coiling around her tightly like sacrificial bindings. Chapter 138 The crimson dragon formed from the streak of red light in the sky drew closer and closer to Qin Qingwan. No one knew what this red dragon was or how it had emerged from within Baiwa City. At the center of the formation, Qin Qingwan¡¯s feet were tightly bound by red chains, preventing her from taking even a single step away. ¡°What¡¯s happening here?¡± Xu Ming asked Yu Wenxi and Miao Feng, who stood beside him. ¡°We¡­ we don¡¯t know either,¡± Yu Wenxi replied anxiously, muttering to herself as her mind raced for answers. This formation wasn¡¯t supposed to require a sacrifice, yet judging by the current situation, it was evident that the formation had taken Qin Qingwan as its offering. ¡°Don¡¯t stay here, leave quickly!¡± Qin Qingwan shouted at Xu Ming. ¡°You all go first.¡± Xu Ming understood that he couldn¡¯t blame Yu Wenxi and Miao Feng. Seeing their guilt-stricken and helpless expressions, he realized that they, too, had not anticipated such a situation. There was no reason to fault them. ¡°Brother Xu, you¡­¡± Before Yu Wenxi could finish persuading him, Xu Ming had already stepped forward and entered the formation. ¡°Roar!¡± At the same time, the crimson dragon lunged toward the formation! Xu Ming assumed a fighting stance, intense martial qi swirling violently around him. His blood boiled within his veins as he activated a berserk state fueled by his life essence, surrounding himself in a blood-red aura like a fiery cloak. ¡°Xu Ming! Get out of here! Don¡¯t act recklessly!¡± Qin Qingwan called out anxiously. Although she was touched that Xu Ming stood before her at such a dangerous moment, her emotions were conflicted. After all, you¡¯re supposed to standing before He Qingqing, not Qin Qingwan! Could it be that after such a short time together, you¡¯re willing to risk your life for a woman already? Fortunately, Xu Ming couldn¡¯t read minds. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Otherwise, faced with this kind of ¡°romantic misunderstanding¡± during a life-and-death moment, he might have coughed up blood in frustration. ¡°Honkk!!!¡± A large white goose flapped its wings and flew toward Xu Ming. Being of the demon race, the goose had an innate sense of danger. Its instincts screamed that if Xu Ming faced the crimson dragon head-on, he would undoubtedly be in mortal peril. But the white goose couldn¡¯t leave this big fool behind! As the crimson dragon drew nearer, Yu Wenxi and Miao Feng, filled with inner conflict, exchanged a glance before flying toward Xu Ming. A kindness repaid a hundredfold¡ªlet alone the fact that Xu Ming had saved their lives before. This was far more than just a small favor! However, just as they reached midair, a surge of red spiritual energy erupted, blasting the pair and the goose back to the ground! The formation beneath Qin Qingwan¡¯s feet glowed even brighter, and the crimson dragon seemed to grow more ferocious, as though imbued with life. ¡°Xu Ming!¡± Qin Qingwan desperately tried everything she could think of to protect Xu Ming, but her body, save for her neck, was completely immobilized. She couldn¡¯t even use the magical treasures in her storage pouch. She could only watch helplessly as Xu Ming was about to be consumed by the crimson light. Facing the crimson dragon formed from the light, Xu Ming furrowed his brows, realizing that things were not looking good for him. But he didn¡¯t retreat a single step. Instead, he tightened his stance. Mountain Shaking Fist¡ªShatter the Mountain! With a powerful punch, Xu Ming sent a surge of intense martial qi colliding with the crimson dragon. Xu Ming felt as though his body was on the verge of breaking apart. Both his physical form and spirit were teetering on the edge of collapse! ¡°Howl!¡± At that moment, a hopping zombie darted toward Xu Ming. When it was about ten meters away, the hopping zombie ripped the necklace from its neck and flung it in Xu Ming¡¯s direction. The orb on the necklace pierced through the formation¡¯s barrier and crashed into the crimson light. Just as Xu Ming felt he was about to perish, something crashed directly into him! Instinctively, he reached out to grab it. However, the orb, like a drop of water, dissolved instantly and merged into his body. ¡ª In the Toad Temple, human cultivators and outsider demons clashed fiercely with the monks inside. Though the monks of the Toad Temple were on par in cultivation with the intruders, the combined numbers of the human cultivators and the outsider demons far outmatched the monks. What puzzled everyone was that each time someone¡ªhuman or demon¡ªdied, their body would explode into a cluster of light, completely annihilated in both body and soul, leaving not even a drop of blood behind. Gradually, the numerical advantage of the attackers pushed the monks into a losing position. Half an hour later, as Xia Donghua¡¯s sword pierced through the heart of the Toad Temple¡¯s abbot, the last monk fell. ¡°Amitabha. Benefactors, may you tread carefully on your paths,¡± the abbot said, hands pressed together in prayer, before closing his eyes. As the sword was withdrawn from his chest, the abbot¡¯s body collapsed and scattered into countless points of light. ¡°Move!¡± Xia Donghua commanded gravely. Though many lives had been lost in this assault on the Toad Temple, what did it matter? None of them were his. What worried Xia Donghua was the toll the battle had taken on their strength. With so much energy expended, killing the toad demon they sought would likely prove even more difficult. Xia Donghua and the White Snake Kingdom¡¯s prince, She Yu, each led their groups of humans and demons into the main hall. Inside, candles flickered, their wavering flames casting shadows across the golden toad statue at the hall¡¯s center. The toad, shaped to mimic a meditating Buddha, should have looked grotesquely out of place. Yet under the moonlight and the glow of the candles, it exuded an air of solemn majesty. ¡°Do you understand the law of cause and effect?¡± the five-meter-tall golden toad asked as it opened its eyes and gazed at them. ¡°Hand over the treasure! Surrender the path to the outside world, and I¡¯ll spare your life!¡± Xia Donghua said, pointing his sword at the golden toad. ¡°You want the treasure?¡± The golden toad smiled as it surveyed the crowd. The White Snake Kingdom prince¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°That¡¯s right. Hand it to me, and I¡¯ll protect you. We¡¯re both demons; demons don¡¯t deceive each other.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then I shall give it to you,¡± the golden toad replied. Raising its head, it spat toward the sky, releasing a blood-red demon core from its belly. A fierce wind swept through the temple. From every living resident of Baiwa City, a thread of blood essence rose from their bodies, spiraling around the demon core. The gathered blood essence formed a scarlet dragon that burst out of the temple. Everyone looked up at the crimson dragon of blood essence. The golden toad¡¯s voice echoed in their ears: ¡°This dragon is the treasure you seek. Before dawn, whoever claims it will become the master of Baiwa City.¡± Chapter 139 The crimson dragon shot out of the Toad Temple, streaking across the night sky. Inside the main hall, the golden toad, seated motionless, had closed its eyes, its entire body still as if it had entered eternal meditation. Xia Donghua glanced at the red dragon in the sky, then back at the golden toad statue before him. He shouted, ¡°Don¡¯t be fooled by this creature! If we kill it, all its treasures will be ours! This is just a ploy to make us turn on each other!¡± With that, Xia Donghua drew his sword and leaped forward. His blade, like a cascade of stars falling from the heavens, slashed down upon the golden toad. Clang! The clash of black iron against stone echoed throughout the hall. A ripple of spiritual energy spread from the point of contact between the sword and the statue, slamming into Xia Donghua¡¯s chest and sending him crashing to the ground. As Xia Donghua struggled to his feet, trying to rally the others to attack together, a cultivator had already darted into the sky, grabbing the demon core. The moment the cultivator held the core, red blood energy enveloped him instantly. Before their eyes, the spiritual energy of Baiwa City converged on the cultivator¡¯s body. The very essence and fate of the city poured into him, accompanied by various visions of power and ascension. It left no doubt that this man was becoming the new master of this small world! But just as he was reveling in his newfound strength, another cultivator emerged from the shadows, thrusting a sword into his back. The first cultivator turned around in shock, only to meet a devastating palm strike. A burst of blood sprayed into the air as the first cultivator disintegrated, and the demon core was snatched by the second attacker. Like his predecessor, the new holder of the core began absorbing the city¡¯s spiritual energy and fate. Without hesitation, he turned and ran. He knew that if he could kill to claim the treasure, so could others. While the core was making him the master of this world, he needed to survive until dawn¡ªuntil the first rays of sunlight shone on him. Only then would his dominance be secured. But the others weren¡¯t about to let him escape. Like a pack of rabid wolves, they descended on him. The cultivator desperately evaded their attacks, but was met with a relentless barrage of spells and treasures. ¡°Don¡¯t kill me! Once I become the master of this world, I can lead you all out of here!¡± His cries for mercy fell on deaf ears. Within minutes, he lay bleeding on the ground, pleading for his life. His pleas ended when a sword sliced through his throat. After his death, the demon core¡¯s surface began to peel away, revealing an object beneath it¡ªa treasure orb inscribed with intricate runes. This revelation finally put everyone at ease. After all, how could a mere demon core be considered such a supreme treasure? Let alone something capable of granting dominion over the world¡ªan idea far too absurd to believe. Their suspicions had been right all along. Now it was clear that this orb was the key to this small world. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. For the next half-hour, the orb changed hands repeatedly. Each time someone claimed it, they were hunted down by the others. Eventually, some people stopped chasing the orb altogether. What was the point? Even if they managed to seize it, they didn¡¯t have the strength to keep it. It would only lead to their deaths. Better to wait until the others exhausted themselves fighting over it. Then they could swoop in and reap the rewards. But of course, no one else was foolish either. Everyone was waiting, biding their time. And so, the standoff continued. Yet as they gazed at the glowing orb hovering in the night sky, the desire in their eyes burned ever brighter. This was no ordinary treasure. It was the key to an entire small world! In this world, how many people could lay claim to their own small world? Once you possess such a domain and refine it, everything within it becomes yours. Whether it¡¯s rare treasures or the creatures residing inside, all would serve you. You would become the sovereign of this small world¡ªits Dao Master¡ªand this realm would be your Dao field. A single small world is enough to stir even cultivators of the Immortal Realm, let alone those in the mid-stages of cultivation. In the end, someone could no longer resist and made a move, attempting to seize the treasure orb. Men die for wealth, just as birds die for food. As cultivators, they couldn¡¯t stand idly by and watch this opportunity slip through their fingers. The mere thought of missing such a chance would haunt them for the rest of their lives. Once someone acted, the tenuous calm broke. The others, already teetering on the edge of restraint, also surged forward. Chaos erupted again as everyone scrambled to claim the orb. The slaughter in Baiwa City continued unabated. With each death, the fallen would dissolve into motes of light, merging into the secret realm itself. It was as if every cultivator who perished became nourishment for Baiwa City, thickening its spiritual energy with every death. As the number of casualties grew, the competition for the treasure orb became even more frenzied. Some cultivators began to realize that their minds seemed to be under some kind of influence. The orb appeared to them like a peerless beauty, fresh from her bath, standing alluringly before them. Their throats felt parched; their only desire was to pounce, to catch even a whiff of her, to take a bite¡ªand they would gladly die for it. Even Xia Donghua, though aware that his will was being swayed, found himself unable to suppress his desire. In the end, he too rushed forward to fight for the orb. ¡°Roar!¡± Suddenly, the crimson dragon let out a deafening roar, blasting away the cultivators who had surged forward. Its gaze locked onto a specific direction, and it froze for a moment. The next instant, the dragon surged forward with incredible speed, heading straight for that location. The cultivators¡¯ hearts sank. Fearing the dragon might escape, they quickly gave chase. But the dragon¡¯s speed was far too great. From a distance, they saw the crimson dragon descending upon a mountain peak. There, a blood-red array glowed ominously. At the center of the array stood a woman. ¡°Roar!¡± The dragon¡¯s ferocity intensified, charging straight at her. However, a man in azure robes stepped into the air above the woman, placing himself between her and the oncoming dragon. He faced the dragon without the slightest hint of retreat. No one doubted that this man would be annihilated by the dragon¡¯s charge. The man raised his fists, assuming a battle stance. His martial true energy swirled and coiled around him. The intensity of his blood energy and martial aura was so overwhelming that it sent shivers down the spines of all who watched. This man exuded the oppressive presence of a savage beast. With a single punch, he struck out, meeting the crimson dragon head-on. In an instant, the dragon engulfed him completely. Chapter 140 Xu Ming watched as the blood-formed crimson dragon in front of him closed the distance. To be honest, Xu Ming didn¡¯t think he could stop it. Under the impact of this crimson dragon, he would almost certainly face death. But Xu Ming knew he could not retreat. Because behind him stood Qingwan. He only ¡°might not¡± be able to withstand this crimson dragon, but Qin Qingwan definitely couldn¡¯t. If he faced the crimson dragon head-on, he might survive with a slim chance. But if he took one step back, Qin Qingwan would surely die. Xu Ming threw a punch, his strongest strike at his current level and state. The warrior¡¯s true energy clashed with the blood energy surrounding the crimson dragon like two storms colliding. Xu Ming managed to hold off the crimson dragon for barely a second. But only for a second. Xu Ming was swallowed by the crimson dragon. He felt every inch of his skin being destroyed, as though magma was engulfing his entire body. Even the body-tempering training he¡¯d undergone had never been this painful. It wasn¡¯t just his body¡ªhis soul felt like it was being assaulted by two booming voices shouting ¡°hum¡± and ¡°ha¡± in his ears, shaking it to the verge of disintegration. Xu Ming¡¯s vision began to blur, as if his life was flashing before his eyes. Just as he was on the brink of death, about to be torn apart completely, something happened. A pendant, shaped like a water droplet, suddenly broke through the blood-red dragon aura. Xu Ming instinctively reached out to catch it. But the water droplet pendant sank directly into the palm of his hand, disappearing without a trace. Xu Ming even wondered if he was hallucinating. Yet, the sensations in his body told him it was real. When the water droplet pendant merged into his body, Xu Ming¡¯s gaze turned vacant. He appeared to be looking at the crimson dragon in front of him, but his eyes seemed to see beyond it. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The overwhelming pressure from the crimson dragon transformed into an inexplicable sense of familiarity. The hostility and rejection vanished entirely, replaced by something akin to meeting an old friend. The blood energy, which had felt like magma, now flowed like a gentle spring breeze. Xu Ming¡¯s soul felt as if it were being nourished by the waters of the celestial Jade Pool. His injuries and condition began to heal rapidly. As if guided by instinct, Xu Ming reached out his hand toward the crimson dragon. In the eyes of everyone present, the blood energy surrounding Xu Ming started converging into a blood-red orb. Eventually, all the blood energy condensed into the orb. Like a toad spitting out its treasure, the orb floated in front of Xu Ming, resembling a blood-red moon in the sky. Then, the crimson orb descended into Xu Ming¡¯s palm on its own accord. The formation atop the mountain began to dim, and the chains binding Qin Qingwan vanished. As Xu Ming accepted this inexplicable crimson orb, hundreds of human and demon cultivators flew in, surrounding him. Xu Ming looked at them calmly. In their eyes, Xu Ming saw greed. These people were not here with good intentions. ¡°May I ask what brings you all here?¡± Xu Ming said, his voice calm and unafraid despite being encircled by so many cultivators. After all, Xu Ming had joined the Blood Asura Battalion at the age of eight and experienced life-and-death trials before turning ten. For someone with a history like Xu Ming¡¯s, such a scene was nothing out of the ordinary. Faced with Xu Ming¡¯s composure and unwavering calmness in the midst of danger, many of the cultivators found themselves momentarily at a loss for words. Especially with the righteous aura emanating from him, it made them feel like petty schemers in comparison. ¡°What is Brother Xu doing here, if I may ask?¡± Xia Donghua stepped forward, his gaze briefly sweeping over Qin Qingwan and the others lying on the ground. ¡°What I¡¯m doing here has nothing to do with any of you, does it?¡± Xu Ming replied. ¡°And more importantly, you still haven¡¯t answered my question. Why have you surrounded me in such an aggressive manner?¡± With a snap, She Yu opened his folding fan and began fanning himself leisurely. ¡°Earlier tonight, I went to the Toad Temple and discovered a rare treasure¡ªthe orb in Brother Xu¡¯s hand. I¡¯d appreciate it if you could hand it over to me.¡± Xu Ming weighed the orb in his hand and smiled. ¡°Why should I give it to you? Does this thing belong to you?¡± Xia Donghua quickly interjected, ¡°Xu Ming, we risked our lives to acquire that treasure. You didn¡¯t contribute anything. It has nothing to do with you, so isn¡¯t it wrong for you to just take it for yourself?¡± Xu Ming looked at Xia Donghua as if he were a fool. ¡°I almost died because of this orb just now. And now that it¡¯s in my hands, you¡¯re telling me it has nothing to do with me?¡± Xia Donghua¡¯s tone immediately soured, even carrying a hint of threat. ¡°Young Master Xu, holding onto that item might not bring you any good fortune.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯d like to see what misfortune it could possibly bring,¡± Xu Ming replied, his lips curling into a faint smile, his expression as calm as ever. Xu Ming didn¡¯t know what this blood-red orb was, but judging by how everyone was fighting over it, it certainly wasn¡¯t something ordinary. ¡°Why waste time talking to him?¡± A one-eyed cultivator stepped forward. ¡°This man is definitely suspicious!¡± ¡°Exactly!¡± Another cultivator joined in. ¡°The orb suddenly flew toward him and ended up in his hands¡ªhe must have used some kind of trick!¡± ¡°This man definitely knows some secret about Baiwa City!¡± ¡°Look at the formation on the mountaintop! Its aura is strikingly similar to the blood energy of the orb!¡± ¡°Perhaps this man is the mastermind behind everything!¡± ¡°The missing cultivators¡ªhe might be the one who killed them!¡± ¡°Kill him!¡± More and more people began pointing fingers at Xu Ming, their voices filled with accusation and hostility. In truth, Xia Donghua also knew Xu Ming would never hand over the orb. The others understood as well that the formation alone wasn¡¯t enough to prove Xu Ming was the mastermind behind the events in Baiwa City, let alone that he was responsible for the missing cultivators. At most, Xu Ming had stumbled upon some clues about Baiwa City, constructed the formation, and accidentally caused it to resonate with the orb. After all, everyone had witnessed Xu Ming¡¯s fearless expression when facing the blood-red dragon. And who could have predicted that the toad would spit out a treasure? If Xu Ming had planned all of this, he wouldn¡¯t have exposed himself like this, inviting everyone¡¯s wrath. Still, certain words had to be spoken, even if they were meaningless. First, to see if Xu Ming would back down; second, to justify their intent to seize the treasure. Xia Donghua frowned. ¡°Brother Xu, shouldn¡¯t you provide a proper explanation?¡± ¡°You¡¯re all here to steal the treasure, aren¡¯t you? Everyone knows it, so why bother dressing it up with pretenses?¡± Xu Ming chuckled, standing tall and unwavering. ¡°If you want it, come and take it.¡± Chapter 141 Nine years ago. ¡°Husband, are we really going to settle down here?¡± Walking along the streets of Baiwa City, a delicate-looking woman asked the man beside her. The man, named Shen Sheng, nodded. ¡°This will be the place. It¡¯s situated on the border between the Wu Kingdom and a small demon kingdom in the Southern Realm. It¡¯s an ungoverned city, with no one in control. Here, we can avoid those hunting you, Qiongman.¡± The woman, Zhao Qiongman, lowered her head slightly, her expression full of guilt. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, husband. If it weren¡¯t for me¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say such things,¡± Shen Sheng interrupted her. ¡°What¡¯s done is done. Since we¡¯ve come to a new place, let¡¯s start fresh and live a good life together.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Zhao Qiongman agreed softly. ¡°I¡¯ll follow whatever you decide.¡± Shen Sheng tightened his grip on his wife¡¯s hand. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Now that we¡¯re here, we can finally live in peace. No one will find us.¡± Zhao Qiongman nodded firmly. Shen Sheng found a broker in Baiwa City and purchased a small courtyard, just big enough for two or three people to live in. Having their own home, no longer wandering aimlessly, Zhao Qiongman¡¯s restless heart gradually began to settle. She followed her husband around the city, buying necessities for their new life. With each item they purchased, Zhao Qiongman felt a growing sense of belonging to their little courtyard. Once they had settled in, Zhao Qiongman lived with her husband in Baiwa City. Aside from cultivating, the two would hunt nearby demonic beasts to sell or take on bounty tasks from the city. For cultivators, earning enough for daily expenses was incredibly easy. Shen Sheng and Zhao Qiongman only needed to complete a task or two to cover their costs for two or three months. Though Baiwa City was an ungoverned city, its order was maintained by a delicate balance, with various factions controlling different areas. These factions included both human and demon clans. While the human and demon factions often clashed, it wasn¡¯t unusual for human factions to include demon cultivators or for demon factions to have human members. Given Shen Sheng and Zhao Qiongman¡¯s high cultivation levels, the factions treated them with respect. Not only did they avoid causing trouble for the couple, but they occasionally sent gifts, hoping to recruit them. However, Shen Sheng and Zhao Qiongman chose not to join any faction, unwilling to complicate their peaceful life. As time passed, the couple lived a stable life, almost forgetting the dangers they had fled from. Zhao Qiongman¡¯s once-anxious heart finally found peace. Their neighbors, a family of lizard demons, even laid a clutch of eggs. Zhao Qiongman helped deliver the hatchlings. The lizards named their young rather casually: the first to hatch was called Lizard Dalang, and the second was Lizard Erlang. In Baiwa City, the harmony between humans and demons reached an astonishing level. But one day, Shen Sheng and Zhao Qiongman noticed something strange about the city. The flow of spiritual energy within the city felt different from that outside, and flashes of white light would often streak through the city. The blazing sun in the sky seemed unusually large, as if it might fall at any moment. At night, the moon turned into a blood-red orb, and the demons in the city could no longer maintain their human forms. By the time Shen Sheng and his wife realized that a powerful artifact might have emerged in Baiwa City, the city itself had already formed a massive array, trapping them inside with no means of escape. Left with no other choice, the couple decided to settle down temporarily while searching for a way out. An artifact capable of forming its own boundary was undoubtedly extraordinary¡ªlikely the kind of treasure coveted even by cultivators at the Fifth Realm and above. Although Shen Sheng and Zhao Qiongman had initially wanted to make this place their long-term home, they knew it wouldn¡¯t be long before the presence of the artifact attracted the attention of major factions. When that happened, Baiwa City would become a battleground, filled with chaos and danger. Even worse, their enemies might discover their whereabouts. Reluctantly, they acknowledged that they would have to leave. Adding to their concern, the beams of white light descending from the sky caused cultivators in the city to vanish without a trace. Shen Sheng and Zhao Qiongman couldn¡¯t determine whether those who disappeared had returned to the outside world or perished, their essence becoming nourishment for Baiwa City itself. This sense of uncertainty gave them yet another reason to leave. ¡°Do you think we¡¯ll be able to wait until the blood-red full moon rises?¡± One night, after Zhao Qiongman completed the intricate array she had been working on, she leaned exhaustedly against her husband¡¯s shoulder, gazing at the starry sky. The night sky was dotted with countless stars, forming a breathtakingly beautiful tapestry. Sometimes, Zhao Qiongman would think: if Baiwa City could remain hidden as a secret realm and never be discovered by outsiders, she and her husband could stay here forever. ¡°Who knows?¡± Shen Sheng wrapped an arm around her shoulder, smiling faintly. ¡°Perhaps we¡¯ll vanish tomorrow. Anything¡¯s possible.¡± ¡°Do you think if we disappear, someone will find what we¡¯ve left behind? Will it help them?¡± Zhao Qiongman asked softly. ¡°Who can say?¡± Shen Sheng replied uncertainly. ¡°These things depend on fate. There are relics and tombs left behind by great cultivators that have remained undiscovered for thousands of years.¡± ¡°True, it all comes down to fate,¡± Zhao Qiongman said, turning to smile at her husband. ¡°Meeting you has been my greatest fate and my greatest fortune.¡± Shen Sheng kissed her forehead gently. ¡°The feeling is mutual.¡± After doing everything they could to prepare, the couple resumed their usual lives, waiting patiently for whatever was to come. And one of the hardest things for anyone to do is to learn how to wait. During this idle time, Zhao Qiongman, using her lifetime of knowledge and insights into the rules governing Baiwa City, extracted a fragment of Dao and condensed it into a single drop of rainwater. She wasn¡¯t sure if this creation had any purpose¡ªperhaps it was just meant to serve as a keepsake. Then, one day, the blood moon didn¡¯t appear, but the white light did. The light descended upon Shen Sheng. Zhao Qiongman, however, remained calm and held her husband tightly in her arms. Together, they quietly awaited the unknown. Bathed in the white light, their consciousnesses felt hazy, their minds blank. It was an odd sensation, as if they had been struck unconscious, yet could still sense their own existence. When the white light faded and they regained their senses, they found themselves outside Baiwa City. But before they could feel any joy, they noticed dozens of black-robed cultivators standing nearby. The aura emanating from these individuals was strange¡ªhuman yet not entirely human. The leader, in particular, radiated the powerful spiritual energy of a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator. ¡°Who are you?¡± Shen Sheng and Zhao Qiongman instinctively drew their swords. ¡°We are members of the Black God Sect,¡± the leader said, stepping forward with a sinister smile. He gestured to his subordinates. ¡°Don¡¯t waste time. Capture them!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± One by one, the cultists of the Black God Sect drew closer, like brainwashed puppets. Shen Sheng and Zhao Qiongman fought desperately while trying to escape. Yet, in the end, their efforts proved futile. Surrounded on all sides, they used all their strength but couldn¡¯t break free. ¡°You¡¯ve got quite the talent for formations,¡± said the leading man in a black robe as he stepped forward. ¡°Judging by your skill and understanding of arrays, could it be that you¡¯re a disciple of the Heavenly Array Sect?¡± Zhao Qiongman pressed her lips tightly together and remained silent. The black-robed man stared straight at her. ¡°I¡¯ve always admired the disciples of your Heavenly Array Sect. Our leader often praises your sect master as an unparalleled genius. Coincidentally, I¡¯m in need of a formation master. Serve me, and I¡¯ll reward you generously. What do you say?¡± ¡°Keep dreaming!¡± Shen Sheng stood protectively in front of his wife, glaring fiercely at the man. ¡°Don¡¯t think for a second that we¡¯ll serve you!¡± The leader of the Black God Sect smirked and said to Shen Sheng, ¡°What use is your life, really? You¡¯re not the one we need.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll never serve you either!¡± Zhao Qiongman shouted at the black-robed man. The man tilted his head slightly, staring at her in feigned confusion. ¡°Don¡¯t you want revenge for your Heavenly Array Sect? This world is already rotten¡ªrotten to the core. Join us, fight alongside the Black God Sect, and we¡¯ll overthrow this broken world together!¡± ¡°Madmen! All of you are madmen! Let us go!¡± Zhao Qiongman refused angrily. The black-robed man sighed, looking regretful. ¡°In that case, you leave me no choice.¡± He ordered his men to seize Shen Sheng, dragging him forward and pressing a longsword to his neck. ¡°If you don¡¯t join us, I¡¯ll cut your husband¡¯s flesh piece by piece. Our sect branch has an important mission to accomplish, and I¡¯ll use any means necessary to ensure your cooperation.¡± ¡°Let him go!¡± Zhao Qiongman lunged forward but was immediately restrained by two cultivators at the man¡¯s side. The black-robed man pressed the blade into Shen Sheng¡¯s flesh, slicing it open. Blood dripped down the sword. ¡°I¡¯m waiting for your answer.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°Agh!¡± As Zhao Qiongman hesitated, just beginning to speak, the man¡¯s sword slashed across Shen Sheng again, drawing a scream as a piece of flesh fell to the ground. ¡°Stop!¡± Zhao Qiongman shouted, tears streaming down her face. ¡°Beast! If you¡¯ve got the guts, just kill me already!¡± Shen Sheng gritted his teeth, cold sweat pouring from his forehead in pain. But the black-robed man paid no attention to Shen Sheng, his eyes fixed solely on Zhao Qiongman. ¡°Think carefully before you respond.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°Mm¡ª!¡± Another slash of the sword tore through Shen Sheng¡¯s body. Shen Sheng clenched his fists tightly, enduring the pain in silence. He looked at his wife and shook his head vigorously. ¡°I¡¯ll do it!¡± Just as the black-robed man was about to strike a third time, Zhao Qiongman finally relented. ¡°A wise decision.¡± The man sheathed his sword and fed Shen Sheng two pills. ¡°I¡¯ve given your husband two pills. One will heal his injuries, and the other is a poison. If you ever betray me, I¡¯ll activate the poison.¡± The black-robed man turned away without sparing Zhao Qiongman another glance. He issued orders to his subordinates. ¡°Take them away.¡± The black-robed man led Shen Sheng and Zhao Qiongman deep into a mountain peak. Inside, the entire mountain had been hollowed out, with molten lava flowing below. The surrounding rock walls were teeming with roaring demonic beasts. ¡°What is your view on the concepts of ¡®human,¡¯ ¡®demon,¡¯ and ¡®beast¡¯?¡± the black-robed man asked Zhao Qiongman. Zhao Qiongman responded coldly: ¡°Humans are born with innate spirits. Some can cultivate, while others cannot. Demons are animals that have gained intelligence. All demons can cultivate and even take on human form. Beasts are born as they are, unable to gain intelligence, savage and violent, and incapable of transforming into human form.¡± The black-robed man nodded. ¡°And what do you think of the relationship between mortals and cultivators?¡± Zhao Qiongman replied, ¡°Cultivators are simply mortals who have undergone cultivation. They are one and the same.¡± sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A smirk appeared on the black-robed man¡¯s lips. ¡°Are they really the same?¡± Zhao Qiongman frowned. ¡°What do you mean?¡± The black-robed man, his tone patient, explained: ¡°Exactly what I said. While it¡¯s true that cultivators come from mortals, do cultivators really treat mortals as equals? From what I¡¯ve observed, cultivators see mortals as demons see ordinary animals, or as humans see demonic beasts. To cultivators, mortals are no longer beings of the same level. In fact, mortals are nothing more than tools to them. There are cultivators who perform blood sacrifices using mortals. Some use mortals for breeding; if a child is born ordinary, they abandon them. If a child is born with spiritual roots, they take them for training. Cultivators will destroy entire cities or even nations for their own selfish desires. Never, not once, have cultivators truly cared about the lives of mortals.¡± Zhao Qiongman¡¯s tone turned sharp. ¡°What exactly are you trying to say?¡± ¡°It¡¯s simple.¡± The black-robed man turned around to face Zhao Qiongman and removed the hood of his cloak. Following his lead, the others around him also removed their hoods. Seeing their faces clearly, Shen Sheng and Zhao Qiongman¡¯s eyes widened in shock, their pupils trembling. Some had horns growing from their heads. Some had lizard-like scales covering their cheeks. Some had beast-like pupils. All of them bore features that resembled those of demonic beasts to varying degrees. ¡°We are both ordinary humans and beasts,¡± the black-robed man declared. ¡°Join us! Together, we can change everything in this world! One day, all mortals will rise and trample those so-called celestial beings beneath their feet!¡± Chapter 142 Within the heart of the lava cavern, Shen Sheng and Zhao Qiongman had donned the black robes of the Black God Sect, officially becoming its members. The sect placed little guard over them. After all, they had no way to escape, especially since Zhao Qiongman was tasked with participating in the construction of an important array for the sect¡¯s branch. If Zhao Qiongman dared to slack off or intentionally delay the progress of the array, the Black God Sect¡¯s cultivators would immediately punish Shen Sheng. This left Zhao Qiongman with no room for error or defiance in her daily tasks. During their time in the Black God Sect, Shen Sheng and Zhao Qiongman came to understand the full extent of the sect¡¯s plans. The Black God Sect sought to fuse mortals with demonic beasts. If successful, mortals could gain the strength of demonic beasts and use them as spiritual roots for cultivation. It was somewhat similar to the ¡°spiritual root grafting¡± practiced by the mortal aristocracy. However, ¡°spiritual root grafting¡± came at an immense cost. True spiritual roots that could be grafted were exceedingly rare. The so-called ¡°spiritual roots¡± were not true roots but were instead treasures of heaven and earth capable of absorbing spiritual energy. These treasures were implanted into mortals, serving as makeshift spiritual roots. Moreover, the vast majority of mortals who underwent this grafting had extremely limited cultivation potential. Few ever reached the Cave Mansion Realm, and breaking through to the Golden Core Realm was virtually impossible. Typically, those who underwent spiritual root grafting were feudal lords of the great human dynasties or renowned warriors seeking to extend their lifespans. They didn¡¯t aim to become true cultivators but merely desired to live longer. The wealthier and more powerful someone was, the more they feared death. Only they could afford the luxury of ¡°artificial spiritual roots.¡± But now, the Black God Sect was pushing the boundaries of this world. Unlike treasures of heaven and earth, demonic beasts were abundant and everywhere. If the Black God Sect¡¯s method of fusing humans with demonic beasts¡ªallowing humans to cultivate¡ªproved viable, they would completely upend the existing world order. It was a truly insane idea. Imagine a world where everyone could cultivate. What kind of grand spectacle would that be? But here¡¯s the question: Would it really be a ¡°grand spectacle,¡± or would it be a ¡°grand calamity¡±? When humans and demonic beasts are fused, can humans truly retain their rationality? Would they not succumb to beast-like instincts? Even setting aside the worst-case scenarios, assuming there were no adverse side effects to the fusion and everyone could cultivate, would the world¡¯s resources be sufficient? Cultivation demands an astronomical amount of resources, with higher realms requiring even more. If everyone could cultivate, could the world truly sustain such a burden? Shen Sheng and Zhao Qiongman doubted it would ever reach the point where ¡°everyone could cultivate.¡± In fact, the Black God Sect hadn¡¯t even resolved the first step of their plan. Though Shen Sheng was not directly involved in the experiments with fusing mortals and demonic beasts¡ªhe was kept close to Zhao Qiongman at all times and couldn¡¯t leave her side¡ªZhao Qiongman worked alongside other array masters to refine the fusion arrays. During this time, the couple witnessed the Black God Sect¡¯s horrifying and depraved actions. The sect¡¯s cultivators descended into the mortal world to abduct people. They didn¡¯t just target young men and women; they also seized the elderly, children, and even infants. These mortals, along with captured demonic beasts, were thrown into the arrays, where the sect used the array¡¯s power and the spiritual energy radiating from a treasure in Baiwa City to force a fusion between them. The process of fusion was excruciatingly painful, and the failure rate was alarmingly high. Out of a hundred individuals, at most one might survive the fusion successfully. It was through this that Shen Sheng and Zhao Qiongman finally learned the truth about Baiwa City. Initially, they had believed the treasure causing the strange phenomena in Baiwa City had been brought there by the Black God Sect. The truth is, the extraordinary treasure of Baiwa City does not belong to the Black God Cult. The Black God Cult came to Baiwa City merely because it was an unclaimed land. Baiwa City lies at the border between the Southern Demon Kingdom and the Wu Kingdom, with no governing authority. Unexpectedly, the area itself generated a celestial treasure. This treasure is none other than Baiwa City as a whole. According to the Black God Cult¡¯s calculations, Baiwa City will transform into a secret realm, which will eventually be encapsulated in a medium¡ªa scroll. This phenomenon is not unheard of. Ten thousand years ago, in the desolate wilderness, a region was severed by the Great Dao, becoming a blessed realm contained within a scroll, eventually claimed by an Ascension Realm cultivator. Shen Sheng knew that the Black God Cult¡¯s sub-branch leader had his own ambitions¡ªhe wanted to claim the entire scroll for himself, so he kept it secret from the cult¡¯s headquarters. Otherwise, such a powerful treasure would have warranted the presence of a grandmaster-level cultivator to oversee it. During the formation of the ¡°Baiwa Scroll,¡± it will reject foreign entities, leaving only the ¡°native residents¡± of Baiwa City behind. This explains the appearance of those flashes of white light. Although the Black God Cult¡¯s ultimate goal is to fuse mortals with demonic beasts, the leap is too great. They plan to first identify a common ground between cultivators and demonic beasts, then apply it to mortals¡ªsimilar to how medical cultivators test drugs on animals before using them on humans. The Black God Cult utilized the white light of Baiwa City. They instructed Zhao Qiongman and other formation masters to create a formation that would send cultivators rejected by Baiwa City directly into the Lava Core Cavern. Every day, Zhao Qiongman watched her formation harm one person after another. Her heart was filled with guilt and pain. Shen Sheng knew that he had become leverage for his wife. At times, he even contemplated ending his own life. But even if he died, what good would it do? Would it free his wife from this place? Shen Sheng endured, even pretending to cooperate with the Black God Cult as if he had ¡°come to terms¡± with their plans. He acted as though he wanted to help them achieve their grand ambitions. This gained the approval of the Black God Cult¡¯s sub-branch leader. Shen Sheng rose from being a lowly prisoner to an official steward within the cult. Due to a shortage of manpower, combined with the suppressive poison limiting Shen Sheng¡¯s strength and his apparent loyalty, the sub-branch leader finally gave him the antidote after much consideration. Five days after receiving the antidote, Shen Sheng plotted an escape. Taking advantage of the guards¡¯ laxity, he fled with his wife. Success seemed within reach when the sub-branch leader of the Black God Cult¡ªQi Hui¡ªblocked their path. Shen Sheng and Zhao Qiongman were dragged back to the cavern. ¡°Shen Sheng, I trusted you, and you betrayed me,¡± Qi Hui said, staring at him coldly. ¡°This has nothing to do with my wife. If you must kill someone, kill me. Let her go!¡± Shen Sheng clenched his fists tightly. ¡°Why do you think you¡¯re in any position to bargain with me?¡± Qi Hui asked. ¡°Let my husband leave! I will dedicate myself to the Black God Cult and work wholeheartedly without a trace of disloyalty! I swear on my Dao!¡± Zhao Qiongman stood protectively before her husband. Qi Hui merely laughed. ¡°Negotiation requires leverage. Unfortunately, you two have none.¡± With a wave of his hand, Qi Hui sent Zhao Qiongman flying. As she struggled to rise, she saw Qi Hui gripping her husband¡¯s throat. Qi Hui looked at her coldly. ¡°The formation is complete, and the headquarters has sent additional formation masters. You¡¯ve outlived your usefulness. Were it not for your contributions, you¡¯d have already been thrown into the formation for fusion. This situation is your own doing¡ªyou have no one to blame but yourselves.¡± ¡°What are you trying to do?!¡± Zhao Qiongman shouted. Qi Hui tossed out a magical artifact, binding Zhao Qiongman to a pillar. ¡°What do you think I¡¯m trying to do?¡± Qi Hui sneered before throwing Shen Sheng into the formation. ¡°Bring out the Bloodbat Beast.¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± a Black God Sect disciple replied. The disciple opened a cage, releasing the bound Bloodbat Beast into the formation. ¡°You beast! Let go of my husband! You monster! You beast!¡± Zhao Qiongman struggled desperately, but she could only watch helplessly as her husband was forced to fuse with the demonic beast. Listening to her husband¡¯s agonized screams, Zhao Qiongman¡¯s eyes welled with blood tears. ¡°Well, well, I didn¡¯t expect it to work, and so successfully at that,¡± Qi Hui remarked, clearly impressed, as he observed Shen Sheng lying on the ground. Except for a few beastly features on his back, Shen Sheng appeared mostly human. The ultimate goal of the Black God Sect was not just for every ordinary person to successfully fuse with demonic beasts but to ensure that after the fusion, no trace of the beast remained. Among the hundreds of successful fusions at this branch of the Black God Sect, not a single person had achieved this level of purity. But now, there were two with minimal beastly traits¡ªone of them being Shen Sheng. ¡°If you have the guts, just¡­ kill me!¡± Shen Sheng weakly gasped, glaring at Qi Hui from within the formation. ¡°Why would I kill you?¡± Qi Hui responded coldly. ¡°Our Black God Sect is expanding, and we need to stir up some chaos. You¡¯ll be sent to carry out missions in the Wu Kingdom. Refuse, and I¡¯ll kill your wife instead. The choice is yours.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t agree to it!¡± Zhao Qiongman shouted to her husband. ¡°Husband, I already have too much innocent blood on my hands. I deserve to die. We can¡¯t harm more innocents. Let¡¯s meet again in the next life.¡± Qi Hui didn¡¯t bother stopping her outburst. Instead, he tossed a token onto the ground before Shen Sheng. ¡°If you agree, pick up this token. If not, you both die here and now.¡± Shen Sheng looked at the token on the ground, then at his wife. In the end, he chose to pick up the token. ¡°A wise decision,¡± Qi Hui said with a smirk. Retrieving the artifact binding Zhao Qiongman, he walked away with his hands behind his back, his voice echoing in the cavern. Zhao Qiongman scrambled over and hugged her husband tightly. Not long after, once Shen Sheng had fully adapted to his fused body, he was assigned a mission. The night before his departure, Zhao Qiongman handed him a storage pouch and a palm-sized coffin. ¡°These are my treasures, and I¡¯m giving you Xiaotiao as well. You must take care of yourself,¡± she said softly, looking earnestly at her husband. ¡°The Baiwa Scroll will be complete in seven or eight years. By then, many sects will come to fight for it. The Black God Sect is playing with fire by doing this. Although the escape formation we used last time has been destroyed, they don¡¯t know I set up another one. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Do you remember the law orb I made by extracting the laws of Baiwa City before we left? When you return, and the sects make their move on Baiwa City, we¡¯ll find a way to send the orb into the city. This will not only help the trapped cultivators escape but also earn their gratitude. They might even help us escape in return. But all of this will have to wait until you come back.¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Shen Sheng nodded firmly. ¡°You must take care of yourself.¡± ¡°I will.¡± Zhao Qiongman hugged her husband tightly. ¡°Be careful out there.¡± The next day, Shen Sheng departed. Zhao Qiongman stood silently, watching her husband disappear into the distance. Beside her, Qi Hui stood with his hands clasped behind his back. ¡°You two, honestly¡­ If you had just joined us fully, nothing would have happened. All our sacrifices are for a better world. I really don¡¯t understand why you resist so much.¡± ¡°What you¡¯re doing goes against heaven and morality! It will never end well for you!¡± Zhao Qiongman retorted coldly. ¡°Retribution?¡± Qi Hui chuckled. ¡°My father was the master of a sword estate. One day, a cultivator came to our estate. My father treated him with hospitality, but the man lusted after my mother¡¯s beauty. He assaulted her, and when my father tried to protect her, the cultivator killed him. He burned the entire estate to the ground. Everyone died in the fire except me. Do you know what happened to that cultivator afterward?¡± Qi Hui turned to face her. ¡°Let me tell you. That cultivator later reached the Nascent Soul Realm, founded a sect, and was worshipped as a divine figure by countless cultivators and mortals. Tell me, where is the retribution in that?¡± Zhao Qiongman remained silent. ¡°Let¡¯s go back,¡± Qi Hui said, turning and walking away. ¡°You two¡­ I¡¯d say you¡¯re old acquaintances of mine now. By the way, I know you¡¯re carrying his child. I didn¡¯t tell Shen Sheng about it. But now that Shen Sheng has fused with a demonic beast, who knows if the child you¡¯re carrying is human or beast? By all logic, someone who has fused with a demonic beast should be incapable of reproduction. You two are an exception. I should¡¯ve reported this to the headquarters, but I chose not to. If you decide not to keep the child, that¡¯s your choice. I won¡¯t force you. Consider this my last favor to you both, my ¡®old friends.''¡± Chapter 143 The Lava Heart Cave Zhao Qiongman was waiting for her husband to return. During these days, Zhao Qiongman lived in a constant state of anxiety and fear. She often had dreams¡ªdreams where her husband died out there and never came back. These dreams didn¡¯t happen just once or twice; they recurred many times. With each dream, the ominous premonition in her heart grew stronger and more suffocating. As time passed, Zhao Qiongman¡¯s belly grew larger and larger. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Though the branch master of the Black God Sect, Qi Hui, delivered spiritual fruits and the flesh of magical beasts to Zhao Qiongman daily to nourish her body, and even refrained from making her maintain the protective formation, she felt no relief. Qi Hui even assigned a personal maid to attend to Zhao Qiongman¡¯s daily needs. On the surface, Qi Hui appeared to be a decent man, seemingly possessing some remnants of conscience. But Zhao Qiongman absolutely did not believe he had had a change of heart. She harbored a deep hatred for Qi Hui and felt no gratitude for her current treatment. She knew very well that Qi Hui¡¯s kindness was entirely because the child in her womb held immense value. He wanted to see what would become of her child upon birth. Every time this thought crossed her mind, Zhao Qiongman¡¯s emotions grew more and more conflicted. She didn¡¯t know what kind of fate awaited her child after its birth. It might be a life of endless torment¡ªor worse, the child could be molded into a ruthless demon, slaughtering without remorse. No matter the path, Zhao Qiongman was certain it would be a cruel one, perhaps one that would even threaten the world itself. Yet, she couldn¡¯t bear the thought of losing the child growing inside her. This was the only offspring she and Shen Sheng had ever conceived. After reaching the Cave Mansion Realm as a cultivator, conceiving a child became exceedingly difficult. This was her first child and could very well be her last¡­ As time passed day by day, Zhao Qiongman¡¯s belly grew heavier, and she wrestled with the decision regarding the child. One day, she made up her mind. She didn¡¯t want her child to endure endless suffering or become a ruthless demon. In her room, Zhao Qiongman set up a formation that would let her unborn child pass peacefully, without the slightest pain. She wouldn¡¯t let the child leave this world alone¡ªshe would accompany it. If her husband returned, he would be free of the burden of her and the child. He could start anew¡­ But just as Zhao Qiongman was about to activate the formation, she suddenly felt the child in her womb kick her with great force. The unexpected movement froze Zhao Qiongman in place. For the first time, she truly felt the presence of the small life inside her. ¡°What do I do? What should I do?¡± she cried, her voice trembling. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my child. Mother truly doesn¡¯t know what to do. I¡¯m so sorry¡­¡± Falling to the floor, Zhao Qiongman wept bitterly. Her heart was filled with nothing but despair. Outside the door, Qi Hui, who had been preparing to intervene, turned and left. He knew that after today, Zhao Qiongman would no longer harm the child in her womb. He could now be completely at ease. Four months passed in the blink of an eye. Zhao Qiongman began to feel that something was wrong with her mind. She had an overwhelming urge to attack others, to destroy, to turn everything around her to dust. One day, she finally lost control of her reason and attacked several Black God Sect disciples within the Lava Heart Cave. The incident alarmed Qi Hui. Rushing to the scene, Qi Hui found that Zhao Qiongman had become like a raging magical beast, her eyes a deep, blood-red hue. After stopping Zhao Qiongman, Qi Hui bound her with chains to prevent her from further losing control. He assigned people to feed her daily. Following this incident, Qi Hui ordered her spiritual meridians and apertures to be sealed to avoid her spiritual power spiraling out of control, which could damage her meridians and jeopardize the child¡¯s birth. Eight months had passed since Zhao Qiongman¡¯s pregnancy began. Her belly had grown significantly, and she could sense that the child inside her was ready to meet her soon. To ensure the smooth delivery of the child, Qi Hui captured several midwives and medical cultivators. Zhao Qiongman spent each day in fear and unease, while Qi Hui waited patiently. As Zhao Qiongman suspected, Qi Hui wasn¡¯t sparing her out of friendship or kindness. His true intention was to witness what would be born from a human who had fused with a magical beast and conceived a child with an ordinary woman. At nine months and one week, Zhao Qiongman was struck by excruciating pain. Amniotic fluid flowed steadily from her body. Two medical cultivators and three mortal midwives assisted with the delivery. The labor was agonizingly long, lasting an entire day and night. If she were an ordinary mortal woman, she would have died from complications. Fortunately, as a cultivator, Zhao Qiongman had far greater endurance. Additionally, the medical cultivators used rare treasures to sustain her life. Outside the room, Qi Hui waited for the child¡¯s birth. ¡°Waa¡­ Waa¡­¡± When the first cries rang out, Qi Hui hurried into the room and immediately focused on the child. After the baby was cleaned, Qi Hui examined her closely. It was a little girl¡ªa human, at least in appearance. The only sign of her magical beast lineage was a pair of small horns on her head. That was all. When the little girl stopped crying and slowly opened her eyes, Qi Hui saw they were blood-red, like two rubies. At this moment, Qi Hui realized this girl had the least visible beast traits of any human-beast hybrid he had ever encountered. But then again, she wasn¡¯t a fusion. She was born naturally. The blood of magical beasts flowed through her veins, and she was something entirely unique. The girl looked at Qi Hui. Qi Hui looked back at her. Their gazes locked, and a single thought crossed Qi Hui¡¯s mind: This is the first life ever born in the Baiwa City branch. It might also be the last. He extended his hand, and though the medical cultivators hesitated briefly, they carefully placed the infant into Qi Hui¡¯s arms. As he held the child, Qi Hui was struck by how fragile life could be. It seemed as if even a slight squeeze from him could shatter her. Carrying the girl, Qi Hui walked to Zhao Qiongman¡¯s bedside. Zhao Qiongman, weak beyond measure, looked at her daughter. She reached out and gently caressed the baby¡¯s face, her eyes brimming with tenderness. ¡°Take one last look at her,¡± Qi Hui said. ¡°Give her a name. From today onward, she will belong to the Black God Sect. I will take her and raise her myself.¡± Zhao Qiongman softly stroked her daughter¡¯s cheek. She knew she couldn¡¯t stop him. As a mother, she had no idea what fate awaited her child. ¡°Shengsheng¡­ Shen Shengsheng,¡± Zhao Qiongman murmured. ¡°Sheng¡± sounds like ¡°life.¡± Shengsheng, continuous life, unending echoes¡ªa name to remind, to remember, and to hope. ¡°Very well,¡± Qi Hui said. Qi Hui picked up Shengsheng and turned to leave the room. ¡°Qi Hui!¡± Zhao Qiongman mustered the last of her strength to call out his name. Qi Hui paused. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Please¡­ don¡¯t hurt her. I¡¯m begging you,¡± Zhao Qiongman pleaded. Qi Hui ignored her and carried the child out of the room. After giving birth to Shengsheng, Zhao Qiongman¡¯s mental state did not improve much. The process of carrying Shengsheng had subjected her to irreversible contamination by the magical beast¡¯s bloodline. She frequently fell into fits of madness. To prevent further incidents, Qi Hui kept her restrained with chains. Zhao Qiongman didn¡¯t know if she would ever recover or how she and her husband could escape with their child if he returned. For now, Shengsheng was an irreplaceable treasure to the Black God Sect, and Qi Hui would never allow her to be taken away. Fortunately, Zhao Qiongman was permitted to see her daughter every few days. For her, the only hope left in her bleak existence was ¡°waiting for her husband¡¯s return¡± and ¡°seeing her child.¡± ¡°All I want is to be with my husband and child, to live a simple life together. Is that really so hard?¡± Zhao Qiongman realized, bitterly, just how far removed she was from the simplest form of happiness that mortals took for granted. One day, the life lamp that symbolized her husband¡¯s fate extinguished completely within the Lava Heart Cave. Zhao Qiongman broke down. ¡°You beasts! Beasts! Beasts!¡± she screamed, thrashing and cursing endlessly. She didn¡¯t blame the cultivator who killed her husband. To him, perhaps death was the best form of release. Her hatred was directed entirely at the Black God Sect. It was the Black God Sect that had driven her and her husband to this tragic end. It was the Black God Sect that had separated her and her husband by life and death. It was the Black God Sect that had turned her child into what she was now. It was because of the Black God Sect that she could only see her daughter once every few days and hold her for barely half a moment each time. After Shen Sheng¡¯s death, Qi Hui stopped allowing Zhao Qiongman to hold Shengsheng when he brought her to visit. Who could guarantee that Zhao Qiongman, in her madness, wouldn¡¯t harm herself and take the child with her? Years passed. Qi Hui watched as Shengsheng grew day by day. Compared to ordinary children, Shengsheng displayed far more aggression. At times, she was like a magical beast, instinctively adopting a defensive stance when faced with danger or provocation. Due to the influence of her magical beast bloodline, Shengsheng¡¯s intellectual development was slower than that of mortal children. However, unlike magical beasts¡ªwhose intelligence stagnates at a certain low ceiling¡ªShengsheng¡¯s intellect had no such limits. It grew steadily, albeit at a slower pace. With enough time, she might one day match the intelligence of ordinary people. Qi Hui also discovered that Shengsheng could cultivate like a normal human cultivator while also utilizing certain magical beast abilities. What puzzled Qi Hui most was that Shengsheng¡¯s magical abilities were far superior to those of ordinary Bloodbat Beasts. A Bloodbat Beast, a mere Tier Six magical beast, had power equivalent to a typical Cave Mansion Realm cultivator. It was incapable of breathing fire. Yet Shengsheng could unleash black flames. Searching through ancient texts, Qi Hui eventually uncovered the reason. Magical beasts have the ability to evolve. This evolution was not akin to the bloodline reversion seen in the demon race. For demons, bloodline reversion occurs through cultivation or by inheriting ancient divine beast legacies to purify and refine their own bloodlines. Magical beasts can only evolve by inheriting the remains of other magical beasts, such as hearts or magic cores. Even if their ancestors or parents were powerful beasts, they cannot revert to their ancestral forms purely through their bloodline. At most, they might gain some unique traits and greater strength. While evolution doesn¡¯t increase a magical beast¡¯s intelligence, it significantly enhances their power. The Bloodbat Beast must have acquired some rare opportunity, allowing it to evolve in an unusual way. If not, there is only one other explanation: the Bloodbat Beast¡¯s ancestors carried the bloodline of a powerful magical beast, and that bloodline manifested in Shen Shengsheng, granting her the ability to undergo a bloodline reversion similar to that of the demon race. Based on Qi Hui¡¯s understanding, there are only three types of magical beasts capable of breathing black flames: 1. The Ancient Demon Dragon, now considered extinct¡ªor at least thought to be. After all, the term ¡°ancient¡± would not apply otherwise. Whether they are truly extinct is uncertain; the world is vast, and even ancient divine beasts occasionally reappear. Who can guarantee that the Demon Dragon has vanished forever? 2. The Abyssal World Serpent, of which a few remain, hidden within the secret realms of the world. 3. The Black Flame Butterfly, a rare and enigmatic creature. As Qi Hui watched the little girl crawling on the ground, chasing after a pebble and playing, he contemplated whether to send her back to the Black God Sect. The girl¡¯s value was immense. With her as a bargaining chip, Qi Hui could earn the sect¡¯s coveted Ziwulian herb and attempt to break through to the Jade Purity Realm. Even in the worst-case scenario, he could rise to the position of a steward in the sect¡¯s main headquarters. What would happen to the girl after being sent there? How she would be treated wasn¡¯t his concern. Just as Qi Hui seemed to be firming up his decision, the little girl crawled over to him. ¡°What is it?¡± Qi Hui asked calmly. It didn¡¯t take long for him to remember that this two-year-old child was not like other toddlers. She didn¡¯t understand his words and couldn¡¯t even speak yet. ¡°D-der,¡± the little girl babbled. ¡°Hm?¡± Qi Hui¡¯s attention sharpened. ¡°D-der¡­ daddy,¡± the little girl stammered, stretching out her hands to him, holding a lizard she had caught. ¡°What did you just call me?¡± Qi Hui stared at her intently. ¡°D-daddy?¡± The girl tilted her head, as if even she didn¡¯t understand what she had just said. ¡°I am not your daddy.¡± Qi Hui took the lizard from her small hands. ¡°Your daddy is dead. I am the one who killed him.¡± Chapter 144 ¡°If you want to come, then come together.¡± Xu Ming calmly looked at the cultivators in front of him. Xu Ming knew there was no point in reasoning with them; these people wouldn¡¯t listen. Cultivators, by nature, were far too selfish. Some of them would even betray their friends, brothers, or even their own spouses for the sake of an opportunity. And an opportunity like this¡ªgaining control over a minor secret realm¡ªwas irresistibly tempting even to cultivators in the Fifth Realm, let alone these ones who hadn¡¯t even reached the Dragon Gate Realm. What¡¯s more, once someone became the master of a secret realm, they didn¡¯t need to worry about others taking it from them. The moment you bonded with a secret realm, you could stay hidden within it indefinitely. Unless a Immortal Realm cultivator came along and used their full power to forcibly break the secret realm, no one could force their way in. But normally, no Immortal Realm cultivator would bother doing such a thing. Breaking a secret realm would cause its spiritual energy to leak out, leaving it in ruins and essentially worthless. Given that, why would anyone waste their effort on such a thankless task? As Xu Ming¡¯s words fell, Qin Qingwan, who had regained her mobility, flew to his side without hesitation. Yu Wenxi and Miao Feng also stepped forward to stand with him. ¡°Goose!¡± ¡°Roar!¡± The white goose and the hopping zombie unreservedly aligned themselves with Xu Ming. Xu Ming glanced at the zombie he¡¯d first encountered years ago. Back then, this hopping zombie had chased him relentlessly, nearly leading to the deaths of his teammates. But now, he had to admit that the same zombie had just saved his life. If not for it, he might have already been dead. As for why the hopping zombie had saved him, Xu Ming didn¡¯t believe for a second that it was out of the goodness of its heart. There had to be something it wanted from him. Why it had chosen him, Xu Ming could think of only two possibilities. One, the hopping zombie relied on its innate intuition and deemed him trustworthy. Two, because they were ¡°old acquaintances,¡± Shen Sheng had left some kind of instruction before his death, using a secret technique to tell the zombie to trust him. ¡°Junior Sister! What¡­ what is the meaning of this?¡± Xia Donghua¡¯s emotions were a chaotic swirl as he watched Qin Qingwan stand resolutely beside Xu Ming. ¡°Exactly what it looks like, Senior Brother. I won¡¯t let you harm Xu Ming.¡± Qin Qingwan spoke calmly, even as she pressed closer to Xu Ming¡¯s side. ¡°Junior Sister, I don¡¯t know what Xu Ming has told you, but don¡¯t be deceived by him!¡± Xia Donghua urged. ¡°Look carefully! Xu Ming is consorting with a demon and a hopping zombie. How could such a man be good?¡± Qin Qingwan blinked and turned to Xu Ming. ¡°Xu Ming, are you a good person?¡± Xu Ming was momentarily taken aback. ¡°I¡¯d like to think I¡¯m¡­ more or less a good person.¡± Qin Qingwan turned back, her eyes crinkling with a smile. ¡°He says he¡¯s a good person.¡± Xia Donghua felt a surge of frustration and disbelief. ¡°And you believe him just because he says so?¡± Qin Qingwan nodded earnestly. ¡°Of course I do. Without Xu Ming, I¡¯d be dead by now. He¡¯s my savior. If I can¡¯t trust him, who else should I trust? You, Senior Brother?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Xia Donghua found himself momentarily at a loss for words. ¡°Do the two gentlemen from White Deer Academy also intend to stand on the wrong side of justice?¡± Xia Donghua turned to Yu Wenxi and Miao Feng. Yu Wenxi chuckled. ¡°We know Brother Xu far better than you, Brother Xia. Back when Miao Feng and I were being bullied by the demons of Baiwa City, it was Brother Xu who stepped in to help. That alone puts him far ahead of any of you.¡± ¡°Enough talk. Attack!¡± The Crown Prince of the White Serpent Kingdom, She Yu, had lost all patience. This woman was indeed stunningly beautiful. Xia Donghua¡¯s infatuation with her was understandable. To be honest, even he himself felt the urge to snatch this woman away. But right now, the most important thing wasn¡¯t the woman¡ªit was the treasure Xu Ming possessed! As for the two scholars from White Deer Academy? Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. That was a matter for the humans to handle. What did it have to do with the demon race? The humans might care about the Academy¡¯s reputation, but why should we? Let them die for all I care! At She Yu¡¯s command, the prince¡¯s attendants surged forward. Once the first person charged, the second followed, then the third. More and more cultivators rushed toward Xu Ming. The night was nearly over, and as long as She Yu could obtain the treasure orb, the first rays of sunlight marking dawn would also signify his mastery over this secret realm! ¡°Goose!¡± The Tianxuan Goose flapped its massive wings, unleashing blades of wind. Some of the weaker cultivators didn¡¯t even have time to react before they were slaughtered under its wings! Even those who managed to survive were dumbstruck. How could this goose possess strength comparable to the Sea Observation Realm? That made no sense at all. Typically, any ordinary demon beast that reached the Cave Mansion Realm would gain the ability to transform. That¡¯s why the Cave Mansion Realm was often referred to as the Shapeshifting Realm among demons. But a demon beast at the Sea Observation Realm that hadn¡¯t transformed? That was unheard of. This goose couldn¡¯t be a local, could it? ¡°Confucius said as he watched the river flow: ¡®Time passes like this, never ceasing, day or night.''¡± ¡°In the dead of night, I hear the wind and rain; iron horses charge across frozen rivers in my dreams.¡± Yu Wenxi and Miao Feng recited in unison. As Confucian scholars, their words carried the force of natural law. The classics they invoked transformed into spells¡ªprovided the verses were recognized by the Dao of Heaven. Miao Feng¡¯s choice of verse, in fact, came from a line Xu Ming had composed in The Letter of Marriage Rejection. In an instant, a river of time began flowing beneath Yu Wenxi¡¯s feet, and he appeared as if he had become a sage lamenting the passage of time by a flowing river. The human and demon cultivators charging forward were all ensnared in the river. Each time they broke through its currents, the river would reform anew. And as soon as they shattered it again, a phalanx of iron cavalry forged from spiritual energy charged forth to meet them. Meanwhile, Qin Qingwan formed hand seals, summoning a pair of Yin-Yang fish that orbited around her. With a casual gesture, she called down black-and-white longswords from the heavens. Qin Qingwan showed no mercy. Any cultivator struck by her swords was utterly annihilated¡ªbody and soul. Although she wasn¡¯t a bloodthirsty person, Qin Qingwan understood that mercy toward enemies was cruelty toward oneself. Ironically, the weakest among Xu Ming¡¯s group was the hopping zombie. Yet even the zombie couldn¡¯t be subdued for the time being. Qin Qingwan and the others formed layer upon layer of defenses around Xu Ming. But just as a few managed to break through the lines and finally reach him, they realized¡ªcompared to Qin Qingwan and the rest¡ªXu Ming himself was an absolute monster! Chapter 145 After enduring countless trials and tribulations, many cultivators finally reached Xu Ming. But with a single punch, Xu Ming dispatched each one in an instant. The martial qi emanating from his body was nothing like what one would expect from an ordinary Heroic Soul Realm martial artist. Even approaching him, an invisible pressure made it impossible to stop trembling. The cultivators in Baiwa City and the outsider demon race were no strangers to battle. The weakest among them was at least in the mid-Cave Mansion Realm, and they were all elite disciples from their respective sects, chosen specifically to compete for the treasure. In the past, they could handle others as easily as slaughtering chickens and dogs. Even when facing opponents at higher realms, they often managed to slay them despite the disparity. But now, standing before Xu Ming, they felt like fish on a cutting board, waiting to be butchered. Xia Donghua stared blankly at the scene unfolding before him. Xu Ming advanced step by step, and with each step, a burst of blood mist erupted around him. No matter what techniques or artifacts his opponents used, Xu Ming shattered them all with a single punch. With each foe he defeated, the blood aura surrounding him grew even more terrifying. Even Qin Qingwan and Yu Wenxi, who were already shocked, felt an overwhelming sense of awe. Qin Qingwan had always been confident in her own strength, which was why she had assured Xu Ming, ¡°I¡¯ll protect you.¡± But now, she couldn¡¯t help but question if she could even win against Xu Ming in a direct confrontation. Staring at his back, her peach-blossom eyes glimmered gently, as if she had been transported back to her childhood. Back then, Xu Ming had always been so powerful, always shielding her from harm. By the time Xu Ming finished his rampage, not a single person dared to step forward anymore. When Xu Ming took a step forward, most of them instinctively took a step back. Xu Ming chuckled. ¡°Weren¡¯t you all here to claim the treasure? How are you supposed to do that if you keep retreating?¡± ¡°I will try,¡± said a man in a sword robe, stepping forward. ¡°You¡¯re a disciple of the Wanjian Sect?¡± Xu Ming glanced at the distinctive robe, which felt familiar¡ªsimilar to the one Xu Xuenuo used to wear. The man paused, then bowed with his sword in salute. ¡°Indeed. I am Zhuang Yan of Wanjian Sect¡¯s Minghai Peak.¡± Xu Ming smiled. ¡°How is your sect¡¯s Xu Xuenuo doing these days?¡± Zhuang Yan was briefly taken aback before responding, ¡°Uncle Xu Xuenuo surpasses me by a hundredfold. Even though she has been suppressing her cultivation to participate in the Rootless Secret Realm, she remains the foremost of our younger generation. Some of our senior disciples and stewards cannot compare to her.¡± Xu Ming shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m asking if she¡¯s doing well.¡± Zhuang Yan glanced at Xu Ming, puzzled. But then it struck him¡ªXu Ming was from the Wu Kingdom, just like Xu Xuenuo, and they even shared the same surname. Could they be relatives? Realizing this possible connection, Zhuang Yan suddenly felt a sense of kinship toward Xu Ming. He quickly replied, ¡°Thank you for your concern, Brother Xu. Uncle Xu Xuenuo is doing very well.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to hear,¡± Xu Ming said, taking out a peachwood sword. The sword was short, resembling a child¡¯s toy¡ªand in fact, it was. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The sword had been a birthday gift from Xu Xuenuo to Xu Ming, one he had kept and continued to use ever since. ¡°You¡¯re¡­ a sword cultivator?¡± Zhuang Yan asked, momentarily stunned. ¡°Barely,¡± Xu Ming replied, bowing with the sword. ¡°I humbly ask for your guidance.¡± The moment Xu Ming straightened, an intense sword aura erupted from his body. The surrounding cultivators felt as if their skin was being sliced open by invisible blades, and even breathing felt like needles piercing their throats. ¡°What powerful sword aura!¡± Dugu Qiu of the Tianxuan Sect frowned deeply. The more Dugu Qiu observed Xu Ming, the more he felt like he was facing a monster. Like most others, Dugu Qiu knew of Xu Ming only through his famous poem and the Rejection of Marriage Petition. It was well-known that Xu Ming was a man of extraordinary talent. But beyond that, they knew nothing about him. This was not unusual¡ªcultivators held a natural disdain for martial artists. No matter how talented Xu Ming might be, to them, he was ultimately just a mere mortal. But now, they had no choice but to take him seriously. Xu Ming¡¯s martial prowess was already so overwhelming, and yet he was also a cultivator¡ªa sword cultivator, no less! His sword aura was so sharp and potent that even Dugu Qiu found it rare and unsettling. ¡°Forgive my offense!¡± Zhuang Yan lunged forward with his sword. Though Zhuang Yan indeed coveted the treasure, at this moment, his desire to defeat Xu Ming was even stronger. Xu Ming¡¯s formidable sword aura had awakened Zhuang Yan¡¯s competitive spirit. The clash of their swords was like galaxies colliding, like stars falling from the heavens. To Zhuang Yan¡¯s astonishment, Xu Ming was using the Bingyun Sword Technique¡ªa technique uniquely created by the sect leader of Wanjian Sect, taught only to direct disciples. Could it be that Uncle Xu Xuenuo had taught this technique to Brother Xu? After a hundred exchanges, Zhuang Yan began to feel the strain. Xu Ming hadn¡¯t even used his martial qi¡ªhe was relying solely on his Furnace Foundation Realm strength to compete. And yet, Zhuang Yan was being thoroughly suppressed. What¡¯s more, Xu Ming was wielding an ordinary peachwood sword, while Zhuang Yan¡¯s sword was a second-grade magical weapon. At the 150th exchange, Xu Ming¡¯s sword, now coated in frost, broke through Zhuang Yan¡¯s blade. When Xu Ming stopped, the tip of his sword was already pressed against Zhuang Yan¡¯s throat. ¡°I concede,¡± Zhuang Yan said with a sigh, admitting defeat with absolute sincerity. He looked at Xu Ming and asked, ¡°Brother Xu, have you ever had a teacher in swordsmanship?¡± Xu Ming shook his head. ¡°No.¡± Hearing this, Zhuang Yan¡¯s expression grew even more regretful. ¡°To think that you¡¯ve reached such heights in swordsmanship through self-study¡­ If you were to dedicate yourself to the sword, your future would be limitless.¡± Xu Ming smiled faintly. ¡°Swordsmanship is great, but martial arts aren¡¯t bad either. I¡¯d like to try both paths.¡± Zhuang Yan tried to persuade him further. ¡°Martial arts is ultimately a dead-end road. Why persist? In my opinion, your talent in swordsmanship rivals even that of Uncle Xu Xuenuo. If you¡¯re interested, I could recommend you to Wanjian Sect for further training.¡± Xu Ming politely declined. ¡°Thank you, Brother Zhuang, but I¡¯m not interested in joining any sect. That said, I may visit your sect someday.¡± Seeing Xu Ming¡¯s firm stance, Zhuang Yan did not press further. Bowing slightly, he said, ¡°I won¡¯t make another move tonight. Take care, Brother Xu. I hope that one day, we can share a drink at Wanjian Sect.¡± ¡°Thank you, Brother Zhuang. I look forward to it,¡± Xu Ming replied with a smile. Zhuang Yan said no more and flew down the mountain. After Zhuang Yan¡¯s departure, the crowd¡¯s fear of Xu Ming grew even deeper. A martial artist with unparalleled strength and a sword cultivator capable of defeating a direct disciple of Wanjian Sect¡ª At this moment, Xu Ming stood like a towering mountain, unshakable and insurmountable. ¡°Is there anyone else who wishes to come forward?¡± Xu Ming¡¯s voice echoed across the night sky. Of the hundreds present, not a single person dared to respond. Chapter 146 Xu Ming looked at the crowd, but not a single person dared to respond. Earlier, they had been eager to seize the treasure. Now, they were like turtles retreating into their shells. It only goes to show that, no matter the place, most people are the same¡ªbullying the weak while fearing the strong. But to be honest, if these hundreds of Sea Observation Realm cultivators and demons joined forces to besiege Xu Ming, he felt it would be difficult to handle. It could very well lead to his death. After all, he wasn¡¯t a god. His martial realm was only at the Heroic Soul level, and his cultivation hadn¡¯t even reached the Cave Mansion Realm. If these hundreds of cultivators and demons worked together with some cohesion, they could definitely wear Xu Ming down to death. Fortunately, Qin Qingwan and Yu Wenxi stood by his side. Their strength was formidable, greatly relieving the pressure on Xu Ming and allowing him a moment to catch his breath. Moreover, these hundreds of cultivators and demons were nothing like the Blood Asura Battalion of Wu Kingdom. The Blood Asura Battalion of Wu Kingdom were among the most disciplined forces in the human kingdoms. They would willingly shatter themselves to slay their enemies. But these people were driven by their own selfish desires, each instinctively holding back. Some cultivators with integrity didn¡¯t even participate in the siege. Even if they wanted the treasure, they would challenge Xu Ming one-on-one like Zhuang Yan, disdaining to exploit weakness or rely on numbers to bully a single person. This kind of ¡°alliance¡± was, truthfully, far from formidable. Especially when Xu Ming picked out a few examples and punched them to death in a single blow. The scene was both shocking and exaggerated, scaring them out of their wits. These people valued their lives too much. Seeing Xu Ming kill anyone he faced with one strike, how could they still muster the courage to advance? That said, Xu Ming actually didn¡¯t care much about this so-called artifact. Becoming the ruler of Baiwa City wasn¡¯t something he had ever considered. He had never been fixated on it. All he wanted was to leave this place. In Xu Ming¡¯s view, the most important thing in cultivation was relying on oneself, not external objects. I can break the heavens with a punch, shatter the myriad arts with a single sword¡ªwhat use are treasures to me? However, Xu Ming¡¯s indifference to treasure and opportunities didn¡¯t mean he didn¡¯t desire them. Every cultivator yearned for opportunities; it was natural. But Xu Ming refused to lose his mind over them. If he could acquire them, so be it. But if it meant resorting to despicable tactics, ganging up on someone, or discarding one¡¯s dignity for the sake of treasure, Xu Ming would never do such a thing. ¡°Ribbit~¡± Just as Xu Ming and the cultivators were locked in a standoff, a sudden frog¡¯s croak came from not far away. Everyone turned toward the sound. In the direction of the Toad Temple, a beam of golden light shot straight into the sky. A toad leaped out. In an instant, the golden toad sat high above the clouds, radiating golden light from behind its head. Strangely enough, this toad exuded an air of solemnity and sanctity. Xia Donghua and the others were on high alert. Xu Ming, with his hands behind his back, looked up at the giant toad. It was his first time seeing this toad leave the temple. ¡°It seems the choice has been made,¡± the golden toad said, its palms pressed together. Its cross-shaped pupils glowed faintly as it looked straight at Xu Ming. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, benefactor.¡± Xu Ming clasped his hands together in a respectful gesture and replied with a smile, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you would still remember me.¡± The golden toad chuckled. ¡°Do you wish to become the master of Baiwa City?¡± Xu Ming smiled and said, ¡°I do.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± The golden toad gazed at Xu Ming with interest. ¡°No, you do and don¡¯t. It seems you have little interest in Baiwa City. At the very least, your desire to become its master isn¡¯t as intense as others¡¯.¡± ¡°Where treasures exist, it¡¯s only natural to vie for them. Without competition, how would a cultivator progress? But if one loses their principles and rationality for the sake of treasures, how are they any different from a wild beast?¡± Xu Ming expressed his thoughts. The golden toad smiled again and nodded. ¡°Those are your true feelings, aren¡¯t they?¡± Xu Ming replied, ¡°Since I¡¯ve shared my honest thoughts, shouldn¡¯t you respond with sincerity as well? What is the truth behind the Baiwa Secret Realm? At this point, would you enlighten us?¡± The corners of the golden toad¡¯s mouth lifted. ¡°Your speculations about the Baiwa Secret Realm are mostly correct. Baiwa City was indeed once a border city. However, the ways of the heavens are ever-changing. The Dao and spiritual energy between heaven and earth began converging on Baiwa City, which caused its gradual fragmentation. At that time, an old monk arrived in Baiwa City. He unfurled a painting scroll and cast it over the city. The scroll stretched for dozens of miles, enveloping the entire city. The fragmented city was slowly integrated into the blank scroll. The old monk stayed in Baiwa City for some time. One day, while walking near a small pond, he saw a toad on the verge of death and saved it. Noticing the toad faint spirituality and feeling a sense of destiny, the monk imparted Buddhist teachings to it. Before leaving, the monk entrusted the toad with certain responsibilities. The monk told the frog, ¡®When the Baiwa Scroll is fully formed, people will come to fight for it. Let them compete, and in the end, the destined person will claim it.¡¯ The toad asked, ¡®Who is the destined one?¡¯ The monk laughed and replied, ¡®What kind of foolish question is that? The one who lasts until the end is the destined one.¡¯ Now, the Baiwa Scroll is nearing completion. Those who die within the scroll will become its nourishment. And all of you have the chance to become the destined one. As for the beams of white light descending in the city, I truly do not know their origin. However, I suspect the formation of the Scroll does not permit foreign interference, so it has likely expelled external forces. That said, over the years, I¡¯ve sensed another formation surrounding the Baiwa Scroll. Who set it up, I do not know, nor do I care. This toad only wishes to fulfill the task assigned by the old monk.¡± The toad stretched out its hand, and golden threads descended from the night sky. The threads wove together continuously, forming steps that spiraled upward into the heavens. At the very top of the staircase, there was a wooden platform. On it lay a bound scroll. The golden toad pressed its palms together, and its voice resonated in everyone¡¯s hearts: ¡°At dawn, the one holding the Dharma Pearl may ascend this heavenly staircase. If they retrieve the Scroll, this realm will be theirs to command. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. If they fail to retrieve the Scroll, they will become nourishment for this realm. If no one holding the pearl ascends the staircase, then all shall perish.¡± Chapter 147 In Baiwa City, the night was gradually retreating, replaced by the fiery glow of dawn painting the horizon red. There wasn¡¯t much time left before the sun would rise. As the first rays of sunlight fell upon the person holding the Dharma Pearl, they would earn the chance to ascend the staircase. If they succeeded in passing the trial, they would become the master of the Baiwa Scroll. If they failed, their body and soul would perish, becoming nourishment for Baiwa City. And if no one ascended the Heavenly Staircase with the pearl, everyone would die. As time ticked away, most people glanced at Xu Ming without much intention of vying for the pearl. Not to mention whether they could snatch it from him, even if they did, what then? They would still have to climb the staircase and pass the trial to claim the Baiwa Scroll. Otherwise, they too would perish. ¡°What exactly do you mean by this?¡± Zhuang Yan stepped forward, questioning sternly. ¡°If I remember correctly, you said last night that whoever holds the pearl at sunrise could become the master of Baiwa City. Why does the one who obtains the pearl still need to pass a trial? A monk does not lie, and as a disciple of Buddhism, have you broken this precept?¡± Zhuang Yan voiced a question that was on everyone¡¯s mind, including Xu Ming¡¯s. The golden toad chuckled. ¡°Firstly, this humble monk follows Buddhism but is not bound by precepts. My master instructed me to do what I must, and I obey. Secondly, I have not deceived anyone. As I said last night, the one who holds the Dharma Pearl at sunrise can become the master of Baiwa City. But I said ¡®can.¡¯ If we compare the Baiwa Scroll to a treasure, then the Heavenly Staircase is like the box that contains it. The Dharma Pearl I spat out is akin to the key. What you must do is walk to the box and use the key to unlock it. However, the path to the box will be arduous. Whether you can open it is up to you.¡± She Yu stepped forward and asked, ¡°If the person holding the Dharma Pearl ascends the staircase but fails, apart from their death, what else will happen?¡± Whether the pearl bearer perished was of little concern to She Yu. What he cared about was whether the trial¡¯s failure would affect the secret realm¡ªand whether there would still be an opportunity for him. If the first person failed and a second could take their place, then he could wait for others to die first before considering his own chances. The golden toad glanced at She Yu, understanding his implication, and explained: ¡°Only the one holding the Dharma Pearl can ascend the staircase. Even if they fail, the Dharma Pearl will vanish along with them, and the Baiwa Scroll will be entirely severed from the greater world. As for the rest of you, all outsiders will be trapped here indefinitely. Unless, one day, a powerful figure finds the Baiwa Scroll and destroys it, or the scroll¡¯s lifespan ends, causing it to merge back with the world. Oh, I almost forgot to mention: at sunrise, the person holding the Dharma Pearl must ascend the Heavenly Staircase within half an hour. If they don¡¯t, they will perish along with the pearl.¡± Hearing the golden toad¡¯s words, everyone exchanged uneasy glances, their expressions now tinged with panic. Only the first person could ascend the staircase, and no one knew what trials awaited above. If Xu Ming ascended the staircase and failed, he would die, the Dharma Pearl would disappear, and everyone else would be trapped here forever. For a moment, most of the crowd¡¯s gaze turned to Xu Ming. Their eyes seemed to convey an unspoken message: You¡¯d better succeed; otherwise, you¡¯ll have let us down. Seeing their expressions, Xu Ming smirked. He took out the Dharma Pearl, weighed it in his hand for a moment, and then tossed it gently into the air. Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, the Dharma Pearl floated quietly in mid-air. Someone instinctively took a step forward, wanting to snatch it, but as soon as they moved, their legs froze, their expressions growing complex. Not long ago, they had fought tooth and nail over this pearl, each one desperate to claim it and hide it away. But now, not a single person dared to move forward. They weren¡¯t even concerned about the other cultivators seizing the pearl anymore. What was once a coveted treasure had now turned into a searing hot potato in their eyes. Even if they managed to grab the pearl, so what? Could they climb that staircase? And if they failed, their end would be utter annihilation. If Xu Ming failed, at least they would still be alive, stuck here perhaps, but alive. As long as they lived, there was hope. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Many of them were core disciples of their sects. They believed that if they remained missing for too long, the elders, deacons, or even sect leaders would launch a search for them. The likelihood of being rescued was high¡ªsurely it was just a matter of time. But if they were dead, everything would be over. ¡°Weren¡¯t you all so desperate for this pearl before?¡± Xu Ming¡¯s voice cut through the tense silence. ¡°Well, here it is. If you want it, come take it. You can ascend the Heavenly Staircase.¡± His words stabbed at their hearts like daggers, dripping with mockery. Their faces turned sour, but none dared to speak, let alone approach the pearl. Cultivators, at their core, were deeply afraid of death. As time trickled away, the eastern horizon of Baiwa City began to glow with the first light of dawn. Yet no one moved closer to the pearl. ¡°Heh, you so-called righteous cultivators are nothing but cowards,¡± Xu Ming sneered, his laughter laced with disdain. He strode forward, and in full view of everyone, reached for the Dharma Pearl. ¡°Xu Ming, give me the pearl,¡± a soft voice rang out. Qin Qingwan walked up beside Xu Ming, clutching his sleeve tightly, her eyes brimming with worry. ¡°I want the Baiwa Scroll. Let me go,¡± she pleaded. Xu Ming turned to her, a faint smile on his face. ¡°Do you really want the Baiwa Scroll?¡± Qin Qingwan nodded eagerly. ¡°Yes, I really do!¡± She reached out for the pearl, but Xu Ming was faster, gripping it in his palm. He gently patted Qin Qingwan¡¯s small hand. ¡°Alright, if you really want it, then stay here like a good girl and wait for me to come back.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Qin Qingwan froze. What is this big dummy saying? I¡¯m trying to take your place and climb the staircase! If I succeed, I¡¯ll give you the scroll! Not the other way around! ¡°Xu¡ª!¡± Before she could finish, Xu Ming released her hand, which was still clutching his sleeve, and strode forward. As Xu Ming, holding the pearl, approached the base of the Heavenly Staircase, the first rays of sunlight bathed him in golden light. Without hesitation, he raised his foot and stepped onto the staircase. Chapter 148 As Xu Ming stepped onto the Heavenly Staircase, everyone¡¯s hearts tensed up. Their emotions were complicated¡ªan entanglement of contradictory desires. They didn¡¯t want Xu Ming to ascend the staircase and claim the treasure, yet they also feared that if he failed, they would be trapped here forever. This dual longing and dread filled them with inner conflict. The best outcome, in their eyes, was for Xu Ming to meet some kind of accident while still obtaining the Baiwa Scroll. Then, due to some twist of fate, the scroll would fall into their own hands, granting them dominion over this realm. Of course, they knew such a scenario was nothing but wishful thinking. Step by step, Xu Ming ascended. With every step he took, Xu Ming felt his body growing heavier. At first, it was as if a massive boulder, weighing thousands of pounds, pressed upon him. Gradually, that boulder seemed to transform, increasing from thousands to tens of thousands of pounds, until it felt as though he was carrying an entire mountain. The weight wasn¡¯t just a physical burden¡ªit felt like it bore down on his very soul. In truth, Xu Ming wasn¡¯t mistaken. From the perspective of those watching from below, as Xu Ming ascended the staircase, a massive golden boulder seemed to materialize on his shoulders. No one knew its exact weight, but it was clear that this trial would be anything but light. Xu Ming pressed on, and the golden boulder vanished, replaced by a phantom golden mountain. Everyone saw Xu Ming¡¯s feet sink heavily downward, his shoulders dropping visibly under the increased burden. Xu Ming frowned. When he lifted his foot, it trembled uncontrollably. Every step upward seemed excruciating. In the next instant, thick clouds were pierced by chains that wrapped around Xu Ming¡¯s body, sealing his inner energy and spiritual power. At that moment, Xu Ming was no different from an ordinary man, albeit one whose physical strength exceeded most due to years of martial practice. ¡°Is it heavy?¡± The Golden Toad asked, its face showing not mockery but genuine concern. ¡°Somewhat,¡± Xu Ming replied, forcing his trembling right foot to take another step. As soon as he stepped onto the next level, blood spilled from the corner of his mouth, and he fell to one knee. For the first time, Xu Ming fully understood that the weight pressing on him wasn¡¯t just physical¡ªit was crushing his very soul. The moment he knelt, his spirit trembled, and he was on the verge of being shattered by the mountain¡¯s weight. To the others watching below, the golden mountain on Xu Ming¡¯s shoulders had grown even larger. ¡°Whew¡­¡± Xu Ming exhaled deeply, forcing himself to his feet. He turned to the Golden Toad. ¡°Is the trial of the Heavenly Staircase merely about enduring weight?¡± The Golden Toad chuckled. ¡°Do you know what it is you carry on your shoulders?¡± Xu Ming asked, ¡°What is it?¡± With a wave of its hand, the Golden Toad made the golden mountain on Xu Ming¡¯s shoulders appear even clearer. Those below furrowed their brows as they recognized it. That golden mountain was, in fact, Baiwa City. The sprawling city, spanning fifty miles in each direction, had been condensed into this single golden form. On this mountain, you could see the citizens of Baiwa City strolling down its streets. You could see innkeepers preparing to open their establishments, patrons emerging from brothels, and street vendors selling steamed buns and other morning treats. ¡°Upon your shoulders,¡± the Golden Toad said, ¡°rests every brick and tile of Baiwa City, every blade of grass and tree, every drop of water, every stone, and every living soul within it.¡± The voice of the Golden Toad reverberated across the space. ¡°If you wish to become the master of Baiwa City, you must bear the entirety of its burdens. From this moment on, you will be the ¡¯cause¡¯ of Baiwa City, and the city will form countless ¡®effects¡¯ because of your cause.¡± Xu Ming smiled faintly. ¡°So, is this trial of the Heavenly Staircase nothing more than this? If that¡¯s the case, it doesn¡¯t seem all that difficult.¡± The Golden Toad clasped its hands together. ¡°Amitabha. Benefactor, keep ascending, and you will see.¡± Closing its eyes once more, the Golden Toad fell silent. Xu Ming straightened his back and continued climbing step by step. Though the weight on his shoulders was immense, it was still bearable. If this trial was merely a test of endurance, Xu Ming believed he could make it to the top of the staircase. But he knew deep down that it couldn¡¯t be that simple. Sure enough, as he reached the 333rd step of the 999-step staircase, Xu Ming suddenly felt an incredible lightness. The golden mountain on his shoulders gradually vanished. The chains that had pierced through his body dissolved, and when his spiritual energy and martial qi surged back through him, Xu Ming had never felt so free and powerful. He continued his ascent. Suddenly, Xu Ming stopped. Golden light gathered in front of him, coalescing into the form of a jackal. This jackal seemed familiar¡ªit resembled the one from the Baiwa County Yamen. ¡°Little brother, if you want to keep going, you¡¯ll have to get through me first,¡± the jackal said with a grin. Xu Ming looked up at the Golden Toad. The Golden Toad opened its eyes again and explained, ¡°Next, you will face the spiritual manifestations of four Baiwa City residents. Defeat them, and you may continue your ascent.¡± Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°I see.¡± Xu Ming shifted his gaze back to the jackal before him. ¡°Then forgive me for what comes next.¡± ¡°Little brother, I¡¯m not that easy to beat,¡± the jackal said with a sly smile, beckoning Xu Ming with a paw. Xu Ming chuckled. ¡°Easy or not, I¡¯ll get through.¡± With those words, Xu Ming took a step forward and threw a punch. The jackal raised a claw to block the attack. Fist and claw collided, scattering martial qi through the air. The golden spiritual form of the jackal staggered back several steps under the force of Xu Ming¡¯s strike. The jackal was taken aback, shaking its paw in surprise. How was this man¡¯s strength so overwhelming? Xu Ming advanced up the steps. With each punch he threw, the jackal was forced back one step, and with each step the jackal retreated, Xu Ming ascended another. The onlookers below watched the battle in awe, gaining a newfound respect for Xu Ming¡¯s power. ¡°Boom!¡± Xu Ming¡¯s fist landed squarely on the jackal¡¯s head, shattering its spiritual form. Far below in Baiwa City, the jackal sitting in the county yamen spat out a mouthful of blood. Sensing this, Xu Ming glanced in the jackal¡¯s direction. The jackal wiped the blood from its mouth and bowed deeply toward Xu Ming, as if expressing its submission. Xu Ming withdrew his gaze and continued onward. The second golden manifestation was an old tiger monk whom Xu Ming had encountered before. Compared to the jackal, this tiger was far more powerful, especially in terms of raw strength. Among all the opponents Xu Ming had faced, this tiger was the mightiest¡ªstronger even than the elephant of Baiwa City. Each punch Xu Ming threw at the tiger was met head-on, with the tiger refusing to evade or block differently. The tiger reciprocated in kind, and their exchange of raw, unrestrained blows left the onlookers holding their breath in shock and awe. Finally, Xu Ming employed the Thunderous Drum technique of his Heaven-Splitting Fist, each punch heavier than the last, until his final blow pierced through the tiger¡¯s chest. The third golden manifestation was one Xu Ming also recognized¡ªa wild pheasant from Baiwa City that roosted on the wutong tree and referred to itself as a phoenix. ¡°Pheasant?¡± Xu Ming asked tentatively. ¡°Pheasant? How dare you! I¡¯m called Phoenix! Last time you did the same thing, calling me a pheasant the moment you saw me!¡± The bird huffed, raising its head proudly, with a touch of petulance. ¡°My apologies,¡± Xu Ming said, bowing his head politely. ¡°Hmph! Even if you apologize, I won¡¯t go easy on you!¡± The self-proclaimed phoenix soared into the sky, its body rapidly growing in size. Flames engulfed its entire form, and a sharp, piercing cry rang out¡ªan unmistakable imitation of a phoenix¡¯s call. The phoenix spewed a torrent of flames at Xu Ming. Xu Ming wielded a peachwood sword, enveloping himself in sword qi. Each time the fire reached him, the qi around his body sliced through the flames, dispersing them. Finding an opening, Xu Ming leaped onto the phoenix¡¯s back, raining punch after punch onto its body. The phoenix and Xu Ming tumbled through the skies, locked in a fierce battle. Those watching below couldn¡¯t help but wonder if Xu Ming would be burned to ashes. Qin Qingwan¡¯s gaze remained fixed on Xu Ming, her fists clenched tightly. ¡°Min~!¡± With another sharp cry, the phoenix¡¯s golden form plummeted to the ground, disintegrating into glowing light. When Xu Ming returned to the Heavenly Staircase, he wasn¡¯t in good shape either. His clothes were tattered, and his exposed skin was charred in places. Ignoring his injuries, Xu Ming continued climbing, awaiting the final golden manifestation. ¡°Ribbit.¡± The last golden form was none other than the Golden Toad itself. The Golden Toad blocked Xu Ming¡¯s path, clasped its hands together, and bowed slightly. ¡°Benefactor, please enlighten me.¡± As the Golden Toad took its place as Xu Ming¡¯s final trial, despair spread among the onlookers like wildfire. Even Qin Qingwan¡¯s face turned pale. The Golden Toad¡¯s power was well known¡ªundoubtedly the strongest in Baiwa City. How could Xu Ming possibly defeat it? Xu Ming regarded the toad calmly. ¡°Are you at the Nascent Soul Realm?¡± The Golden Toad shook its head. ¡°Late Golden Core Realm.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Xu Ming nodded. In the next moment, he stepped forward and punched the Golden Toad square in the stomach. But his punch felt as if it had sunk into cotton, its force disappearing without a trace. Suddenly, a shadow loomed overhead. Xu Ming looked up just in time to see the toad¡¯s tongue lashing down at him. He sidestepped swiftly, and the tongue struck the staircase with a crack, leaving a deep fissure. The toad spat out a glob of venom, the corrosive liquid transforming into arrows that shot toward Xu Ming. ¡°Xu Ming!¡± Qin Qingwan screamed. The arrows were too fast¡ªit seemed Xu Ming was doomed. But once again, his strength defied everyone¡¯s expectations. Xu Ming stomped in midair, martial qi exploding beneath his foot, propelling him out of the arrows¡¯ path. As the battle continued, inscriptions of the Dao began to manifest in Xu Ming¡¯s eyes. When the Golden Toad locked gazes with him, its body involuntarily trembled. For a moment, it felt as if Xu Ming¡¯s gaze had penetrated its very being, leaving it entirely exposed. ¡°Ribbit,¡± the Golden Toad croaked nervously. The Golden Toad¡¯s palm descended toward Xu Ming¡¯s head, and fierce winds coiled around Xu Ming¡¯s legs, rooting him in place. But Xu Ming made no effort to dodge. Instead, he activated his Blood Qi Frenzy, causing the blood in his spirit veins to boil violently. Around him, blood energy mingled with martial qi, rippling outward like stones thrown into a lake. ¡°Boom!¡± Heaven-Splitting Fist: Sea-Cleaving Form. Xu Ming launched an upward punch that struck squarely at the center of the Golden Toad¡¯s palm. A flash of pain crossed the toad¡¯s face as one of its arms disintegrated into a shimmering mist. But Xu Ming wasn¡¯t done. With the speed granted by his Blood Qi Frenzy, he appeared behind the Golden Toad in an instant. Straightening his foot, he unleashed a whip kick to the toad¡¯s head, sending it spinning in a full circle. The Golden Toad retaliated by extending its tongue, wrapping it tightly around Xu Ming¡¯s arms and legs. With a powerful tug, it seemed intent on swallowing Xu Ming whole. Yet Xu Ming grabbed hold of the tongue and yanked it with all his might, pulling the massive toad toward him. Another devastating punch struck the Golden Toad square in the abdomen. The force of the blow sent a shockwave through its body, causing it to vomit blood. From the point of impact, cracks began to spread across the Golden Toad¡¯s form like fractures in porcelain. Finally, its body shattered into countless glowing fragments that dispersed into the air. Xu Ming stood still, his hands clasped behind his back, the wind tugging at the tattered remains of his clothing. The spectators stared at Xu Ming¡¯s silhouette in stunned silence, their hearts trembling with awe. They had never seen a martial artist like this before¡ªso overwhelmingly powerful that he seemed to defy all reason. The mere thought of what Xu Ming might achieve if he reached the pinnacle of his path filled them with a mix of dread and wonder. Some even began to question whether the martial path was truly a dead end. Could Xu Ming forge a new horizon for martial artists? Despite his victory, Xu Ming was in a sorry state. His body was covered in burns and claw marks, with blood seeping from open wounds. Every step he took pulled at his injuries, causing fresh blood to drip to the ground. As the shattered remains of the Golden Toad reassembled, its form reappeared, fully intact and unscathed. ¡°Benefactor, proceed. I hope you can overcome the final trial,¡± the Golden Toad said, clasping its hands together in a gesture of respect. Xu Ming nodded and returned the gesture before continuing his ascent, his body battered and exhausted. When only nine steps remained between him and the summit, the skies suddenly darkened. Thick storm clouds gathered, lightning crackled, and fierce winds swept across Baiwa City. Even the air itself seemed to carry the numbing charge of thunder, making it hard for the onlookers to breathe. Xu Ming raised his head, his gaze piercing the heavens. In the sea of storm clouds, a massive shadow slithered back and forth. Its outline hinted at something ancient and awe-inspiring¡ªa creature out of legend. On the mountain, Yu Wenxi stared at the scene above in disbelief. ¡°It couldn¡¯t be¡­ Is that¡­?¡± ¡°Roaaar!¡± A dragon¡¯s roar echoed through the heavens and earth. From the sea of clouds, a colossal dragon head emerged, its eyes locking onto Xu Ming. Chapter 149 Amid the layers of clouds, a massive head emerged. It was a dragon, but not a living creature¡ªthis one was formed entirely of blue lightning. The thunder dragon descended slowly. Its claws tore through the clouds, and its body wove in and out of the sea of clouds. Bolts of lightning crackled around it, and the thunderclouds veiled its form, half-obscuring and half-revealing its majesty. Surrounding the dragon was an aura of pure lightning. Nine Heavens Thunder Tribulation. The name surfaced in Xu Ming¡¯s mind. He had once read about various tribulations in a book. For a cultivator, there were typically five major tribulations to overcome: advancing from the Sea Observation Realm to the Dragon Gate Realm, from the Golden Core Realm to the Nascent Soul Realm, from the Nascent Soul Realm to the Jade Purity Realm, from the Jade Purity Realm to the Immortal Realm, and finally, from the Immortal Realm to the Ascension Realm. Depending on a cultivator¡¯s talent and fortune, each tribulation had nine levels of difficulty. Among them, the Nine Heavens Thunder Tribulation was the most challenging for advancing from the Sea Observation Realm to the Dragon Gate Realm. Countless cultivators had perished under this tribulation, their bodies destroyed and their paths severed. But the problem was¡­ Xu Ming was only in the Furnace Foundation Realm. Even if he were to break through to the Cave Mansion Realm, it shouldn¡¯t trigger a tribulation. ¡°The Heavenly Dao never blocks all paths,¡± a voice echoed in his mind. ¡°You should consider yourself fortunate. Because your realm is merely Furnace Foundation, the final trial of Baiwa City is the Nine Heavens Thunder Tribulation meant for breaking through from Sea Observation to Dragon Gate. Had your realm been higher, you might have faced the Nine Celestial Thunder Tribulation of the Nascent Soul Realm or the Nine Lotus Profound Tribulation of the Jade Purity Realm instead.¡± ¡°Well, I suppose I should thank the Heavenly Dao, then,¡± Xu Ming replied with a faint smile. The Golden Toad wasn¡¯t wrong. The higher his realm, the more difficult the tribulation. At his current Furnace Foundation Realm, Xu Ming truly benefited from his ¡°weaker¡± cultivation. Even so, Xu Ming was well aware of the harsh reality: facing the most challenging Nine Heavens Thunder Tribulation of the Cave Mansion Realm with his ¡°mortal body¡± at the Furnace Foundation Realm was an insurmountable task. Below the Heavenly Staircase, nearly everyone had lost hope for Xu Ming. If nothing unexpected happened, Xu Ming was destined to die here on the Heavenly Staircase. After all, how could a cultivator at the Furnace Foundation Realm possibly survive the most supreme tribulation of the Sea Observation Realm? The crowd, which initially harbored feelings of jealousy and bitterness toward Xu Ming, now felt nothing but relief. At the beginning, watching Xu Ming carry the entire Baiwa City on his back while shattering four golden avatars of Baiwa City¡¯s monstrous guardians, they had felt deeply dissatisfied. Their frustration stemmed from one thought: If he can do it, why can¡¯t I? But as Xu Ming ascended step by step, the crowd grew increasingly uneasy, wishing fervently for his downfall. Now, faced with the Nine Heavens Thunder Tribulation, they knew there was no chance for Xu Ming¡ªand, by extension, no chance for themselves. For if Xu Ming, at the Furnace Foundation Realm, had to face the Nine Heavens Thunder Tribulation, wouldn¡¯t those of them at the Cave Mansion or Sea Observation Realms face the even deadlier Nine Celestial Thunder Tribulation? Crossing multiple realms to endure the harshest tribulations was as close to impossible as one could imagine. ¡°ROAR!¡± The thunder dragon above the sea of lightning let out another deafening roar, scattering winds and filling the air with the stinging static of the tribulation. Even hundreds of meters below, many cultivators trembled in fear, their knees threatening to buckle under the dragon¡¯s overwhelming presence. But there, standing on the Heavenly Staircase just dozens of meters away from the thunder dragon, Xu Ming stood with his hands clasped behind his back. His expression remained calm, neither joyful nor sorrowful. ¡°Are you not afraid?¡± the Golden Toad asked, curiosity evident in its tone. It couldn¡¯t help but wonder¡ªhow could this sixteen-year-old boy possess such composure beyond his years? ¡°Afraid,¡± Xu Ming replied with a slight smile. ¡°But does it help?¡± The Golden Toad froze for a moment, then smirked. ¡°Indeed, it does not.¡± ¡°ROAR!¡± As the Golden Toad¡¯s words fell, the tribulation descended. The thunder dragon exhaled a blast of draconic breath¡ªthis was the first strike of the tribulation. The blue dragon¡¯s breath, resembling fire, engulfed Xu Ming completely. Lightning smoke billowed from Xu Ming¡¯s surroundings, spreading across the sky. Everyone instinctively swallowed hard. The Nine Heavens Thunder Tribulation consisted of nine strikes, but judging by the sheer power of the first one, most of them doubted they could survive even this initial onslaught. As the lightning smoke dissipated, the crowd focused their spiritual energy into their eyes, straining to see Xu Ming atop the Heavenly Staircase, hundreds of meters above. Many assumed they would see nothing, that Xu Ming must have been reduced to ashes by this first strike. But they were disappointed. When the smoke cleared, Xu Ming stood there, his body charred but intact. ¡°He¡¯s alive. He¡¯s alive!¡± Qin Qingwan clenched her fists tightly, her gaze fixed on Xu Ming. ¡°Cough¡­ cough¡­¡± Xu Ming let out a few raspy coughs, faint trails of smoke escaping his mouth. As he moved slightly, his every action crackled with static electricity. Even though Xu Ming had survived, most onlookers believed his journey was over¡ªhis strength was already spent, his resolve nearing its limit. The thunder dragon, however, gave him no time to recover. With a furious roar, it seemed to bellow, Why hasn¡¯t this ant died yet?! The second strike followed immediately. Lightning surged around the thunder dragon, coalescing into an enormous pillar of pure energy. The lightning pillar crashed into Xu Ming. Within the storm, Xu Ming felt every inch of his flesh being torn apart. His soul itself seemed on the verge of being ripped to shreds. In the past, the most excruciating experience Xu Ming had endured was the body-tempering process forced upon him as a child by Madam Wang. Yet this second strike surpassed that pain a hundredfold. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As the second tribulation strike subsided, Xu Ming¡¯s consciousness began to blur. Thoughts of the seven remaining strikes filled him with despair. Watching the man pushed to his limits, the Golden Toad shook its head. It admired Xu Ming greatly, but there was nothing it could do to help him. Xu Ming could rely only on himself now, and he didn¡¯t even have the option to surrender. The third strike descended. The sky above Baiwa City split open, revealing a gaping hole. From this opening, a torrential waterfall of lightning poured down toward Xu Ming. The waterfall, a cascade of liquid lightning, struck Xu Ming the moment it touched him. The weight of it drove him to one knee on the Heavenly Staircase. Xu Ming felt the liquid lightning penetrate every pore, seep into his body, and merge with his blood. If the first two strikes had aimed to destroy him externally, this third strike sought to obliterate him from within. His internal organs, blood vessels¡ªevery part of him felt as though it were being gnawed apart by thousands of ants. For a moment, a thought surfaced in Xu Ming¡¯s mind: Maybe I should just give up. If I die, this pain will end. ¡°No,¡± Xu Ming muttered, shaking his head with a faint smile. Not now. Not yet. There were still people waiting for him below the Heavenly Staircase. Back in Wudu City, his mother awaited his return. The greatest act of filial ingratitude was for a parent with gray hair to bury their child. Xu Ming took a deep breath, though it felt like his lungs might burst. That single breath steadied him, if only a little. He began to gather his martial true energy. To everyone¡¯s astonishment, streams of martial energy coalesced behind Xu Ming, forming a shadowy figure¡ªa martial soul avatar. As Xu Ming slowly rose to his feet, the martial soul avatar behind him stood upright as well. Within the waterfall of thunder, Xu Ming stood tall, facing the heavens directly. The fourth tribulation. The fifth. The sixth, and then the seventh. Against all odds, Xu Ming endured each one. Every time a heavenly strike descended, everyone thought Xu Ming would perish, yet he stubbornly lived on. ¡°Enough¡­ this is enough¡­¡± Qin Qingwan muttered, her eyes misty as she gazed at Xu Ming atop the Heavenly Staircase. Xu Ming¡¯s clothes were completely scorched, clinging to what remained of his battered and bloodied flesh. His body was like parched earth, riddled with cracks. Even the few drops of blood that managed to seep from his wounds carried faint traces of thunder. By now, Xu Ming was sustained by sheer willpower alone. The eighth tribulation descended. Mustering every ounce of his remaining strength, Xu Ming activated Blood Qi Frenzy Mode. This technique could not heal his injuries¡ªit was more like a painkiller, dulling his agony temporarily. But its drawback was clear: if Xu Ming survived the eighth strike, he would be utterly spent, leaving him defenseless against the ninth. In that moment, Xu Ming understood one thing clearly: if he couldn¡¯t endure the eighth tribulation, there would be no point in worrying about the ninth. ¡°Boom!¡± The eighth strike manifested as a massive longsword, forged of pure lightning, hurtling straight for Xu Ming¡¯s head. Shaking, Xu Ming drew his peachwood sword. The phantom of the sword appeared behind him, merging with the soul avatar from his Heroic Soul Realm. Together, Xu Ming and his avatar swung upward. The tip of the lightning sword clashed with the edge of the peachwood blade. Upon contact, the blade of the peachwood sword began to blacken, crack, and splinter. But just then, a gust of wind carrying the scent of ink and the rustle of pages swept over him, and a gentle, righteous aura began to surround Xu Ming. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ Confucian merit!¡± Yu Wenxi and Miao Feng exclaimed in unison, their faces alight with hope. When a scholar creates a literary masterpiece that becomes widely used by disciples of the Confucian path, it accumulates merit. This merit serves as a form of protection for the Confucian disciples. But what puzzled the two was how Xu Ming, who had never joined the Confucian sect or cultivated righteous energy, could possibly summon Confucian merit. Could it be that one of the ancient sages of the Confucian path, who had long since transcended, was moved to intervene? As the righteous aura enveloped Xu Ming, the ink-scented wind surrounded the lightning sword. Slowly, the massive lightning sword dissipated, dissolving into nothingness under the gusts. When the winds finally calmed, Xu Ming glimpsed the faint image of an elderly scholar in the clouds above. He clasped his hands together and bowed deeply. Meanwhile, in the ancestral hall of White Deer Academy, a young woman kneeling in prayer slowly opened her eyes. The hall was lined with statues of Confucian sages, the foremost being that of the First Sage¡ªConfucius himself. ¡°To think that the First Sage would respond to you, little girl,¡± the current headmaster of White Deer Academy remarked, stroking his beard with a sigh. The last time the First Sage had shown his presence was a millennium ago. Since then, despite countless rituals and offerings, the sage had never responded. And yet this girl, troubled by a sense of unease and fearing for Xu Ming¡¯s safety, had knelt in prayer for a single incense stick¡¯s time¡ªand the First Sage had truly intervened. The headmaster couldn¡¯t help but wonder: what kind of ordeal was this Xu Ming facing? The girl ignored her teacher¡¯s musings. She remained kneeling, hands clasped tightly in prayer. In her heart, her unease had not abated. If anything, it had grown stronger. ¡°Xu Ming¡­ please be safe¡­¡± She closed her eyes again, praying with all her heart. ¡°Roar!!!¡± The thunder dragon¡¯s deafening roar echoed across the skies. Perhaps it was because the eighth heavenly tribulation had been blocked by external intervention, but the thunder dragon was clearly enraged, thrashing violently within the clouds. Watching the increasingly agitated dragon, Xu Ming found himself utterly devoid of strength or means. He had barely survived the eighth strike, and only because of the inexplicable assistance of the Confucian Sage. How could he possibly withstand the ninth? Yet even with not an ounce of strength left in his body, Xu Ming forced himself to stand, trembling. He remembered the words his old instructor once told him: ¡°A warrior of the Wu Kingdom never dies lying down.¡± ¡°Roar!!!¡± The enormous thunder dragon disappeared into the roiling clouds, its form hidden amidst the storm. Then, in the blink of an eye, the dragon burst forth, slicing through the sea of clouds as it hurtled straight toward Xu Ming. This ninth tribulation was the thunder dragon itself. Xu Ming raised his head, staring directly at the approaching behemoth. He never closed his eyes, not even once. ¡°Gah!¡± Below the Heavenly Staircase, the Tianxuan Goose sensed Xu Ming¡¯s impending doom. Flapping its wings in panic, it soared upward, determined to reach Xu Ming¡¯s side. Even though the goose didn¡¯t know what it could do upon reaching him, it knew one thing: it had to stay with Xu Ming. But before the goose could even make it halfway, it felt a strong force yanking its wings back. ¡°Honk?¡± Before it could react, someone grabbed hold of its wing, flung it downward, and then tied it up for good measure. The Tianxuan Goose watched in disbelief as a young woman in Daoist robes flew at full speed toward Xu Ming. The Heavenly Staircase did not obstruct Qin Qingwan. Anyone could fly up if they wished¡ªbut only those who walked every step and passed the trials would earn the Baiwa Scroll. Qin Qingwan, however, didn¡¯t care about the scroll. She only wanted to stand by Xu Ming¡¯s side. Xu Ming¡¯s focus remained fixed on the thunder dragon. Just as a series of life-flashing memories rushed through his mind, he suddenly felt his left hand¡ªnumb and lifeless until now¡ªgripped tightly by something warm and soft. He turned his head to see the girl standing beside him. ¡°What are you doing here? Get down!¡± Xu Ming barked. ¡°I won¡¯t go!¡± Qin Qingwan shot back stubbornly. ¡°Why are you so hard-headed? You¡¯ve been like this since we were kids!¡± Xu Ming¡¯s frustration flared. Looking into Xu Ming¡¯s eyes and listening to his scolding, Qin Qingwan was momentarily stunned. Then, her delicate hand gripped his charred, blackened one even tighter. ¡°Yes~¡± Her eyes curved into crescents, her smile blooming like a flower. ¡°I¡¯ve been like this since we were kids~¡± Chapter 150 Xu Ming looked at the girl beside him, her eyes curved into crescents, and his expression wavered slightly. Qin Qingwan¡¯s gaze was filled with unspoken tenderness as she looked at Xu Ming. Xu Ming¡¯s words, ¡°Why are you so stubborn? You¡¯ve been like this since we were kids!¡± made it clear that he had always known Qin Qingwan¡¯s true identity. And Qin Qingwan¡¯s response, ¡°I¡¯ve always been like this since we were kids~,¡± revealed that she no longer intended to hide anything. In truth, Qin Qingwan had been wondering whether Xu Ming truly believed she was ¡°He Qingqing¡± or if he had already realized her real identity. Now, it seemed that this big fool wasn¡¯t actually so foolish after all. He had recognized her. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°If you don¡¯t leave, you¡¯re going to die,¡± Xu Ming sighed. Just standing there was exhausting for him now, let alone throwing Qin Qingwan off the heavenly ladder. If not for the rule that forbade the person undergoing the trial from stepping down, Qin Qingwan might have already considered throwing him off herself. ¡°Everyone dies, you know~¡± Qin Qingwan said lightly. ¡°It¡¯s just a matter of sooner or later. Besides, who says you¡¯re going to die? What if you make it through?¡± Xu Ming smiled and shook his head, feeling the increasingly oppressive force of the thunderstorm above. ¡°That seems a bit unlikely.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not impossible,¡± Qin Qingwan said, her gaze fixed on him. ¡°Open your mouth.¡± ¡°What for?¡± Xu Ming asked. Qin Qingwan pouted. ¡°Just open your mouth.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Though Xu Ming had no idea what Qin Qingwan was up to, he complied and opened his mouth. The moment he did, Qin Qingwan exhaled softly, and a flower emerged from her lips. The flower turned into a streak of light and entered Xu Ming¡¯s mouth. ¡°What did you make me eat?¡± Xu Ming frowned. He wasn¡¯t worried about Qin Qingwan harming him; he was worried she would do something foolish for his sake. Sure enough, the moment the flower entered his dantian, Xu Ming felt his spiritual energy gradually recovering, and even his martial energy was growing stronger. Although his body was still seriously injured, he now had the strength to fight once more. Qin Qingwan blushed slightly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. ¡°That flower is called the Dao Lotus. I got it when I participated in a trial as a child and have nurtured it for eight years. Now, I¡¯m giving it to you.¡± ¡°Take it back immediately!¡± Xu Ming didn¡¯t know what the Dao Lotus was, but the fact that Qin Qingwan had nurtured it for eight years proved its immense value¡ªit was likely tied to her very path of cultivation. ¡°It¡¯s too late now~¡± Qin Qingwan smiled, her eyes bright. ¡°Just accept it. If you want to return it to me someday, you¡¯ll have to stay alive to do it.¡± With that, she raised her hand and pointed to the sky. From the heavens above, a massive thunder dragon was hurtling down, now less than a hundred meters away from Xu Ming. Xu Ming steadied his mind; there was no more time to argue with Qin Qingwan. He clenched his fist and struck out. His martial energy transformed into a giant dragon that clashed head-on with the thunder dragon. ¡°Ugh!¡± Xu Ming spat out a mouthful of blood. The martial dragon he had summoned showed signs of breaking apart. In his dantian, the Dao Lotus spun continuously. Each time it supported Xu Ming¡¯s body, one of its petals would wither away. Xu Ming didn¡¯t want to completely exhaust the Dao Lotus¡ªhe wanted to return it to Qin Qingwan. But he knew that if he held back now and didn¡¯t fully utilize the lotus, he would undoubtedly die, and Qin Qingwan might also meet a tragic end, possibly caught in the aftermath of the tribulation. ¡°Phew¡­¡± Xu Ming exhaled deeply. One by one, the petals of the Dao Lotus in his dantian fell, merging into his blood and flowing through his veins. Until the very end, not even the stem of the Dao Lotus remained. Xu Ming had never felt his body so light, his spiritual energy and martial qi so abundant. He even felt as though something inside him was on the verge of breaking free. ¡°Boom!¡± A surge of spiritual energy erupted from Xu Ming¡¯s body, scattering in all directions. The Dao of the heavens transformed into gentle breezes, sweeping across the entire city of Baiwa. ¡°Cave Mansion Realm¡­¡± Yu Wenxi stared blankly at Xu Ming. He never expected that, in this life-or-death moment, Brother Xu would break through to the Cave Mansion Realm, officially stepping into the world of cultivation. With this breakthrough, Xu Ming naturally had more strength to face the heavenly tribulation. But the question remained: Was just a Cave Mansion Realm cultivator truly enough? On the Heavenly Staircase, Xu Ming could feel the changes in his spiritual energy after stepping into the Cave Mansion Realm. It was an extraordinary sensation. His divine sense had expanded severalfold, and he was far more attuned to the flow of spiritual energy around him. Xu Ming could even sense some of the profound laws of the world¡ªmysterious and unfathomable. If his guess was correct, this was likely the Dao Laws. Not only was his spiritual energy flowing freely, but the martial qi within him was also surging wildly. Xu Ming had an intense urge to unleash all his strength into a single punch¡ªthe strongest punch he had ever thrown in his life. ¡°Roar!¡± From above, the thunder dragon finally broke through the martial dragon formed by Xu Ming¡¯s qi and charged down, intent on devouring him. At that moment, Xu Ming moved instinctively, raising his fist into a stance and punching forward! ¡°Boom!¡± In an instant, the heavens roared louder than ever, and torrential rain poured down. Above Xu Ming¡¯s head, the swirling clouds parted, leaving behind a massive void. ¡°Mountain Shattering Fist¡ªGod-Shaker!¡± Xu Ming¡¯s fist smashed into the head of the massive thunder dragon. A violent gust, imbued with the power of thunder, swept out in all directions. Centered on Xu Ming, a blue thunder ring radiated outward, shattering layer upon layer of white clouds. The entire sky seemed to be cloaked in a faint blue hue. Whether it was the cultivators below the Heavenly Staircase or the common folk of Baiwa City, the blinding brilliance of the thunder left them unable to open their eyes. No one knew how much time had passed before the radiance in the sky dimmed enough for everyone to slowly open their eyes. Xia Donghua and the others quickly looked toward where Xu Ming was standing. At the top of the Heavenly Staircase, Xu Ming stood tall, straight as a blade. Beside him, Qin Qingwan stood quietly, like a virtuous wife, calm and composed. ¡°He¡¯s alive! Brother Xu is alive!¡± ¡°Brother Xu made it!¡± ¡°Goose! Goose! Goose!¡± Yu Wenxi, Miao Feng, and the big white goose were so overcome with emotion that they nearly cried. ¡°Wait, this was the final trial. Now that Brother Xu is still standing, doesn¡¯t that mean¡­¡± As the initial joy faded, a realization dawned on everyone. Xu Ming was truly about to become the ruler of this land! ¡°Wait here. I¡¯ll be back soon,¡± Xu Ming said to Qin Qingwan beside him. Qin Qingwan nodded, reluctantly letting go of Xu Ming¡¯s hand. Under everyone¡¯s watchful eyes, Xu Ming began ascending the steps once more. With each step he took, many people¡¯s hearts grew heavier with unease. Human nature is just like that. Even though they knew that if they had been the ones ascending the Heavenly Staircase, they would likely have perished, watching Xu Ming succeed was still harder for them to bear than death itself. The irony of it all was that if their lives truly were at stake, they would shamelessly fall to their knees and beg for mercy without a second thought. With his final step, Xu Ming confidently reached the highest point of the Heavenly Staircase. At the top stood a platform, and on it rested a scroll. As Xu Ming reached out to take the scroll, the pearl he carried fell from his body and landed on the scroll, merging into it like a single drop of water dissolving into its surface. The moment Xu Ming grasped the scroll, an immense surge of spiritual energy poured into him. The energy wrapped around his body, gradually healing all the injuries he had sustained during the trial and the tribulation. The charred flesh left by the lightning tribulation peeled away, revealing fresh skin and muscle beneath. After half an incense stick¡¯s time, Xu Ming opened his eyes. Except for his tattered clothes, his body had been fully restored, thanks to the Baiwa Scroll. Xu Ming unrolled the scroll, revealing an incredibly long painting. It vividly depicted the lives of the people in Baiwa City, resembling the famous Along the River During the Qingming Festival. Holding the Baiwa Scroll, Xu Ming turned and walked toward Qin Qingwan. ¡°It¡¯s yours,¡± Xu Ming said with a smile, holding out the scroll to her. ¡°Mine?¡± Qin Qingwan stared at the scroll in disbelief. ¡°Mm, it¡¯s for you,¡± Xu Ming nodded. ¡°It¡¯s been eight years since we last saw each other. I didn¡¯t know what to bring you, so I thought I¡¯d give you this. Consider it my way of repaying you for the Dao Lotus. I just hope it¡¯s enough.¡± Qin Qingwan¡¯s eyes curved in delight, but she kept her hands behind her back, making no move to accept the scroll. ¡°It¡¯s enough, but do you even know what you¡¯re giving me?¡± Xu Ming chuckled. ¡°Of course. With the Baiwa Scroll, you¡¯ll have access to any treasures it produces in the future. And if the scroll births a prodigious talent, they can become a great ally for you. ¡°You gave me a Dao Lotus. In return, I give you a world.¡± Qin Qingwan blinked playfully. ¡°You¡¯re giving me a world. Do you think that princess of Wu Kingdom won¡¯t get jealous?¡± Xu Ming: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Pfft!¡± Qin Qingwan let out a light, joyful laugh. ¡°I¡¯m just joking. Fine, I¡¯ll keep it for now. When you want it back, come find me.¡± Without waiting for Xu Ming to remove his ownership mark on the Baiwa Scroll, Qin Qingwan took the scroll and stowed it away. As long as Xu Ming didn¡¯t erase his mark, he would always remain the true master of the Baiwa Scroll. He would retain ultimate authority over everything within it¡ªthe people, the land, even the smallest blade of grass. Qin Qingwan was merely safeguarding it for him. Moreover, Qin Qingwan had her reasons for wanting to keep the scroll safe. Xu Ming¡¯s cultivation was still too low, and many would risk everything to seize such a treasure. But behind Qin Qingwan stood the mighty Tianxuan Sect, and her master, Wangxuan, was someone even the sect leader of Tianxuan showed deference to. No one would dare lay a hand on her. Although Xu Ming had given the Baiwa Scroll to Qin Qingwan, he never intended to take it back. Likewise, though Qin Qingwan accepted the scroll, she never saw it as her own. Just like when they were kids¡ªQin Qingwan would secretly give Xu Ming a drumstick wrapped in oiled paper so he wouldn¡¯t go hungry. Then, later that night, she¡¯d sneak into his room to eat it with him, never once worrying that he might eat it all. Only now, the boy and girl had grown up. The childhood drumstick had turned into a scroll that held an entire world within it. After Xu Ming became the master of the Baiwa Secret Realm, he was intimately familiar with every detail of Baiwa City¡ªits every movement, every blade of grass, every tree. Within Baiwa City, all the citizens had already knelt in the direction where Xu Ming stood. They didn¡¯t know who this person was, but they could sense in their hearts that he was their ¡°Heavenly Lord.¡± If Xu Ming willed the people of Baiwa City to live, they would live. If he willed them to die, they would not survive. Looking at the millions of residents kneeling before him, that intoxicating sense of dominion over heaven and earth began to creep into Xu Ming¡¯s heart. He could feel it¡ªjust a moment of carelessness, and he might be consumed by the immense power he now held. This wasn¡¯t like being an emperor, who still had ministers to keep him in check. He was the absolute ruler of this realm, the one and only sovereign. Whatever he wanted to do, no one could stop him. But in the end, Xu Ming took a deep breath and dispelled those dangerous thoughts. Raising his hand, Xu Ming pointed toward the heavens and declared, ¡°Today, I will set two rules for the Baiwa Secret Realm.¡± His voice reverberated throughout the Baiwa Scroll like the sound of divine law: ¡°First, all the demons of the Baiwa Scroll shall have the right to take human form.¡± As his voice fell, every demon within Baiwa City who had reached the Cave Mansion Realm suddenly transformed into a human form. The demons, seeing their new human shapes, were overjoyed. Having reached the Cave Mansion Realm, they had long felt as though something was missing. Only now did they realize¡ªthe missing piece was the ability to take human form. The human form is the embodiment of innate spiritual perfection. All demons aspire to attain it, for it allows them to cultivate more effectively. ¡°Second, all disciples of the Baiwa Scroll who reach the Dragon Gate Realm may leave the scroll to see the world outside. However, they must not harm others or injure the innocent, or I will not spare them!¡± As Xu Ming¡¯s decree ended, a twisting gate appeared in the sky above Baiwa City. This gate led to the outside world, but only those who had reached the Dragon Gate Realm could pass through it. Having set these two rules, Xu Ming initially intended to open the path to the outside world. But just as he was about to do so, a scene appeared before his eyes. Beyond the original gateway lay a molten cavern, within which an ominous formation was arranged. The walls of the cavern were lined with cages, and within those cages, countless ferocious beasts howled and roared. Chapter 151 After fully taking control of Baiwa City, Xu Ming noticed something peculiar about its exit. The exit of Baiwa City was like a purgatory. According to the golden toad¡¯s earlier explanation, the exit of Baiwa City was connected to a formation that altered its orientation. Xu Ming figured this must be the case. He continued to observe the area around the exit of Baiwa City. He saw a group of black-robed cultivators dragging a man into the area and tossing him into the formation. Then, these black-robed cultivators released a demonic beast from within the rock walls. The beast roared and struggled, but it was eventually forced into the formation along with the man. Xu Ming watched as the black-robed cultivators activated the formation, attempting to fuse the cultivator and the beast. However, the fusion failed. Both the human cultivator and the beast turned into a mist of blood. Seeing this, Xu Ming furrowed his brows. He had a rough idea of what was going on. Xu Ming speculated that the black-robed cultivators were from the Black God Sect and had set up a formation connected to Baiwa City¡¯s exit. When the light of Baiwa City expelled cultivators from within, this formation would intercept and capture them. Perhaps they were also waiting for the maturity of the Baiwa Scroll, planning to harvest it for themselves. There might even be disciples of the Black God Sect currently hidden among the many cultivators in Baiwa City, waiting for a chance to seize this rare treasure. ¡°Roar! Roar!¡± A hopping zombie approached Xu Ming, roaring and gesturing wildly as if trying to communicate something. The zombie looked incredibly anxious, almost as if it was on the verge of speaking. ¡°You¡¯re saying¡­ you want me to help you rescue someone? That person is near Baiwa City¡¯s exit?¡± Xu Ming guessed, recalling the image of a woman he had just seen in his mind. That woman was bound in chains, trapped within the molten core cave. The zombie nodded frantically. It hadn¡¯t expected Xu Ming to understand its meaning so quickly. This was a rare occurrence. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You¡¯ve helped me, so I¡¯ll help you,¡± Xu Ming promised. Although the zombie had once chased him down, Xu Ming had also tried to kill it back then. They were even now. Now that the zombie had saved him, Xu Ming felt obliged to return the favor. Xu Ming¡¯s gaze swept across the hundreds of cultivators in Baiwa City. To be honest, he felt a deep sense of dissatisfaction toward them. Xu Ming had left Wudu to broaden his horizons and see what the cultivators of the outside world were really like. Were they the immortal-like figures he had imagined? But so far, these cultivators seemed extremely self-serving, even more so than ordinary people. To Xu Ming, they were unpleasant to look at. What annoyed him even more was that he had risked his life to obtain the secrets of the Baiwa Secret Realm, yet these people could simply reap the benefits and leave unscathed. This made him feel even more displeased. But what could he do? He couldn¡¯t stop them from leaving. If these cultivators stayed, they¡¯d only pollute the environment of Baiwa City. Killing them was also out of the question. He had already offended three sects, and if he slaughtered these people, he might never be able to leave Wudu again. Even the Wu Kingdom would face tremendous pressure. This left Xu Ming feeling quite disgusted. However, he suddenly thought of a way to make himself feel a bit better. Since they wanted to leave, they had to contribute something in return. With that, Xu Ming waved his hand, moving the original exit to a stream ten miles away. From now on, residents of the Baiwa Secret Realm who reached the Dragon Gate Stage could leave through this new exit. The molten core cave would no longer serve as the exit. Then, Xu Ming created a new exit, which directly connected to the formation in the molten core cave. Everyone could only see Xu Ming wave his sleeve twice, causing a distorted portal to appear in the air. The portal quickly disappeared, only to be replaced by another one. No one knew exactly what Xu Ming had done. Then, with a single thought from Xu Ming, beams of light descended from the sky above Baiwa City, shining on everyone present. ¡°Xu Ming, you¡­¡± Before the crowd could voice their shock or fear, thinking Xu Ming had the audacity to eliminate them, they disappeared on the spot without saying a word. Qin Qingwan blinked at Xu Ming, her eyes full of curiosity. Yu Wenxi, Miao Feng, and the big white goose also stared at Xu Ming in confusion. Xu Ming pinched Qin Qingwan¡¯s cheek and said, ¡°I sent them out. Next, I¡¯ll send you all out. Once you leave, head straight back to your sects. Don¡¯t come near Baiwa City again.¡± Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Why?¡± Qin Qingwan tilted her head. ¡°Don¡¯t ask so many questions. Just do as I say,¡± Xu Ming replied. ¡°What about you?¡± Qin Qingwan pressed further. ¡°This hopping zombie saved me, so I¡¯m going to return the favor and settle a karmic debt,¡± Xu Ming said with a smile. ¡°Once everything is over, I¡¯ll come to Tianxuan Sect to see you.¡± Qin Qingwan tugged at Xu Ming¡¯s sleeve and said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll go with you, and we¡¯ll return to Tianxuan Sect together.¡± ¡°No, you can¡¯t come with me,¡± Xu Ming refused firmly. ¡°You¡¯re definitely planning to do something dangerous behind my back!¡± Qin Qingwan pouted. ¡°I¡¯m going with you!¡± ¡°Be good,¡± Xu Ming said helplessly. ¡°No, I won¡¯t!¡± Qin Qingwan retorted stubbornly. Xu Ming chuckled and said, ¡°Even if you don¡¯t want to listen, you¡¯ll have to.¡± With a single thought, beams of light enveloped Qin Qingwan, Yu Wenxi, Miao Feng, and the Tianxuan Goose. Before they could say anything, they disappeared and were sent to the safe exit. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Xu Ming said to the hopping zombie. The zombie nodded vigorously. As beams of light enveloped Xu Ming and the zombie, they were transported to the molten core cave. When Xu Ming and the zombie arrived, the cave had already descended into chaos. Xia Donghua and the other cultivators, believing Xu Ming intended to eliminate them, had been teleported out of the Baiwa Secret Realm by the light. However, before they could rejoice, they were immediately confronted by a group of black-robed cultivators with hostile expressions. Without saying a word, the black-robed cultivators launched an attack. Naturally, Xia Donghua and the others wouldn¡¯t sit idly by. Caught in a situation where neither side fully understood what was happening, a fierce battle broke out, throwing the entire molten core cave into turmoil. The chaos intensified when disciples from some sects discovered the belongings of their fallen comrades, realizing that these black-robed cultivators had killed their fellow disciples. Their eyes turned red with rage as they sought revenge. Amid the chaos, Xu Ming and the zombie flew straight toward the bound woman. The two landed in front of her. The woman, Zhao Qiongman, slowly opened her eyes. Seeing the zombie and the unfamiliar man before her, Zhao Qiongman gave a relieved smile, her entire demeanor relaxing. Zhao Qiongman knew that Xiao Tiao had succeeded. The Baiwa Scroll must have chosen its owner. Otherwise, Xiao Tiao wouldn¡¯t have followed this man here. She also understood that the formation she had built would no longer harm others or bring more sin. ¡°Do you know Shen Sheng?¡± Xu Ming asked the bound woman. From his perspective, the task Shen Sheng had entrusted to him likely had to do with her. The woman nodded. ¡°I do. He is my husband.¡± Xu Ming: ¡°¡­¡± The woman¡¯s weary eyes looked at Xu Ming. ¡°Young master, do you know my husband?¡± Xu Ming nodded. ¡°I do. Eight years ago, I was the one who killed Shen Sheng.¡± [T/N: Eight? Shouldn¡¯t it be Four or Five?] ¡°¡­¡± Hearing Xu Ming¡¯s words, the woman fell silent, her gaze dropping softly. ¡°Thank you,¡± Zhao Qiongman said after a moment, lifting her head. Xu Ming was puzzled. ¡°I killed your husband, and you¡¯re thanking me?¡± Zhao Qiongman shook her head. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for you, my husband wouldn¡¯t have been freed eight years ago. I¡¯m grateful to you for sparing him from the troubles that followed and for ensuring he didn¡¯t have to violate his conscience any further. At the same time, I must thank you for another reason. If not for you, the formation I built would have continued to harm people.¡± Xu Ming studied the frail woman before him, surprised at how clearly she distinguished right from wrong. ¡°How can I save you?¡± The chains binding Zhao Qiongman¡¯s hands and feet were made of Tianxuan Iron, and all Xu Ming had was a peachwood sword, incapable of breaking them. ¡°You don¡¯t need to save me. Death, for me, would be a form of release. I only hope you can¡ª¡± ¡°Quite a lively scene, isn¡¯t it?¡± Before Zhao Qiongman could finish her sentence, a deep, resonant voice echoed through the cave. The voice carried a spiritual pressure that set off alarm bells in Xu Ming¡¯s mind and those of the others present. They all turned to look at the molten core cave¡¯s entrance, which had been blocked by Black God Sect disciples. A man stepped out. Qi Hui calmly surveyed the chaos within the cave, his gaze lingering on the damaged formation at the center. Even without anyone explaining, Qi Hui understood what had happened. Clearly, the people he¡¯d sent into the Baiwa Secret Realm to seize the treasure had failed. ¡°Master Qi,¡± a cultivator approached him, whispering something before pointing in Xu Ming¡¯s direction. ¡°Oh?¡± Qi Hui looked toward Xu Ming with curiosity. ¡°So it¡¯s you who claimed the Baiwa Secret Realm. I wonder, would you be interested in joining our Black God Sect?¡± Xu Ming chuckled. ¡°Are you dreaming?¡± ¡°What a shame,¡± Qi Hui said with a shake of his head. ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll have to ensure none of you leave this place alive.¡± He waved his hand. ¡°Kill them all. No need to take anyone alive.¡± With Qi Hui¡¯s order, the Black God Sect cultivators stopped holding back. Initially, they had refrained from lethal attacks, as Qi Hui might have wanted to capture these people alive for use as experimental materials. But now that they had clear instructions, they unleashed their full power without hesitation. Qi Hui began walking toward Xu Ming step by step. Sensing the spiritual energy emanating from Qi Hui, Xu Ming¡¯s expression grew serious. This man was likely at the late-stage Golden Core Realm. ¡°That man is Qi Hui, the branch master of the Black God Sect,¡± Zhao Qiongman whispered to Xu Ming. ¡°He had once stepped into the Nascent Soul Realm but was injured in a great battle not long ago. His cultivation has likely fallen to the mid-stage Golden Core Realm.¡± ¡°There should be a Golden Core-level beast in the Baiwa Secret Realm. You can summon it to help you,¡± Zhao Qiongman added. Xu Ming shook his head with a smile. ¡°The Baiwa Scroll isn¡¯t in my possession.¡± ¡°What?¡± Zhao Qiongmang was stunned. ¡°The Baiwa Scroll isn¡¯t with you? Then how do you plan to defeat him? Your cultivation should only be at the Sea Observation Realm, right? Since you were able to enter Baiwa City, you can¡¯t be stronger than that. Hurry and leave! You¡¯re no match for him!¡± Zhao Qiongman shouted urgently at Xu Ming. Crossing two major realms from the Sea Observation Realm to the Golden Core Realm? How could this young man possibly stand a chance against Qi Hui? ¡°Sorry to disappoint you,¡± Xu Ming turned back and smiled at Zhao Qiongman. ¡°Actually, I haven¡¯t even reached the Sea Observation Realm. I¡¯ve only just stepped into the Cave Mansion Realm.¡± Zhao Qiongman: ¡°???¡± As Zhao Qiongman doubted her hearing, a gust of wind brushed past her face. The young man had disappeared from her sight, launching himself straight toward Qi Hui with a punch aimed at his chest. ¡°A martial artist?¡± Both Zhao Qiongman and Qi Hui were equally stunned by this revelation. Caught off guard by the sudden attack, Qi Hui had no choice but to raise his hand to block. Boom! Qi Hui managed to catch the punch with his palm, but the force behind it sent him stumbling ten meters back. When Qi Hui finally steadied himself, he looked at his right hand in shock. His entire arm had been shattered, hanging limp and useless at his side. Xu Ming, however, gave no quarter to his enemy. Now that his body had recovered to peak condition, and with his breakthrough to the Cave Mansion Realm, Xu Ming was brimming with confidence. After unleashing his ¡°Mountain-Shattering Fist,¡± his understanding of martial arts had deepened even further. At this moment, Xu Ming was at his most confident. Even against a Golden Core cultivator, he believed he could kill him with a single punch! Having experienced that devastating blow, Qi Hui quickly realized that Xu Ming was no ordinary martial artist. His strength and physical resilience were nothing short of monstrous. Qi Hui retreated, swallowing a pill. Instantly, his shattered arm regenerated. Forming a hand seal, Qi Hui summoned bone spikes from the ground. Xu Ming leapt into the air, dodging the spikes, and launched another punch toward Qi Hui. This time, a thick bone shield materialized in front of Qi Hui. Bang! Xu Ming¡¯s punch blasted a hole through the shield. Qi Hui took to the skies, bone wings sprouting from his back. With a flap of his wings, he unleashed a torrent of ghostly blue flames toward Xu Ming. Xu Ming grabbed a nearby longsword, its sharp sword energy cleaving through the flames. Emerging unscathed from the ghostly fire, Xu Ming closed the distance and landed another punch squarely on Qi Hui¡¯s chest. The impact sent Qi Hui crashing into the rock wall, embedding him like a nail driven into wood. Boom! Xu Ming followed up with a kick aimed at Qi Hui¡¯s chest, but Qi Hui managed to dodge in the nick of time. Qi Hui raised his hand, conjuring a massive ghostly flame hand that descended upon Xu Ming. Landing gracefully, Xu Ming brushed off the lingering flames on his body and stood up straight. ¡°Well, well, turns out you¡¯re also a sword cultivator,¡± Qi Hui remarked with a sigh. ¡°What a pity. A genius like you is about to die here today.¡± Chapter 152 ¡°Quack, quack, quack? (Where is this?)¡± By the time the big white goose realized what had happened, it had already left the Baiwa Secret Realm and found itself beside a small creek. Qin Qingwan was also looking around. The scenery was picturesque, with clear mountains and flowing water, but there were no landmarks, leaving her clueless about their location or where Xu Ming might be. ¡°Xiao Bai, Xiao Bai, do you have any way to find Xu Ming?¡± Qin Qingwan squatted down and grabbed the big white goose¡¯s wings, shaking them repeatedly. Qin Qingwan felt deeply regretful in her heart. She regretted not leaving some sort of tracking artifact on Xu Ming earlier. That way, no matter where Xu Ming was, she could sense him. Now, Qin Qingwan could only hope for Tianxuan Goose¡¯s help, hoping the two of them had some magical artifact that could help them locate Xu Ming, or that Tianxuan Goose had some innate ability to find him. ¡°Quack, quack, quack. (I know you¡¯re anxious, but let me worry first.),¡± said the big white goose, its tone filled with helplessness. ¡°I have no idea where this is.¡± ¡°Then what do we do?¡± Qin Qingwan¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°Xu Ming must be in grave danger right now.¡± Seeing Qin Qingwan¡¯s pale face, Tianxuan Goose sensed something was off. It suspected that the aftereffects of Qin Qingwan spitting out a lotus flower for Xu Ming earlier were starting to show. In truth, the big white goose did have a way to find Xu Ming. Its sense of smell was extraordinarily sharp¡ªsharper than that of any canine demon. It could even tell which girl Xu Ming had been with just by scent. Although it didn¡¯t know exactly where they were, it could still faintly catch Xu Ming¡¯s scent, which meant he wasn¡¯t far¡ªprobably within twenty miles. But Tianxuan Goose couldn¡¯t let Qin Qingwan know this. Given her current condition, she definitely shouldn¡¯t go to him. If something serious happened, it would be disastrous. ¡°Quack, quack, quack. (Since Xu Ming told us to leave, we shouldn¡¯t cause him more trouble.),¡± the big white goose reasoned. ¡°The priority now is to get reinforcements.¡± ¡°Miss Goose has a point,¡± Yu Wenxi agreed. ¡°Baiwa City is located in Qingyang County of the Wu Kingdom. I¡¯ll head there immediately to seek help from the county governor.¡± Miao Feng nodded. ¡°There¡¯s a ¡®Cliff Academy¡¯ about two hundred miles from here. It¡¯s run by a teacher from our White Deer Academy. I¡¯ll go ask him for assistance.¡± ¡°Alright. Xiao Bai and I will look around and see if we can find Xu Ming,¡± Qin Qingwan said. Despite her anxiety, she maintained her composure. After discussing their plan, they each went their separate ways¡ªYu Wenxi and Miao Feng to gather reinforcements, and Qin Qingwan and the big white goose to search for Xu Ming. As Qin Qingwan walked and tried to deduce Xu Ming¡¯s location, the big white goose glanced at her. ¡°Qingwan, how about we split up to search? It¡¯ll be faster that way.¡± Qin Qingwan considered it and nodded. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s split up.¡± She then affixed a talisman onto the big white goose. ¡°Xiao Bai, wear this talisman. That way, I can track your location. Otherwise, I¡¯m afraid you might get lost too. If you find Xu Ming, just poke a hole in this talisman, and I¡¯ll sense it.¡± Tianxuan Goose nodded. ¡°Alright, sounds good. I¡¯ll head off now.¡± With a few loud quacks, the big white goose flew off in a random direction. Once it was far enough away, it tore the talisman off and casually stuck it onto a tree. Then, using its innate powers and its sharp nose, it sniffed for Xu Ming¡¯s scent and flew off in his direction. On the peak of a mountain, a black dog and a Bifang bird stood, watching a nearby mountain. After relentless searching by the black dog and the Bifang, they determined that the center of the mountain before them must hold some hidden secret. At first, they had combed through the surrounding mountains without finding anything unusual. But not long ago, they sensed a battle erupting atop one of the peaks, with waves of spiritual energy rippling outward. The protective array around that mountain showed signs of loosening, drawing their attention to this particular peak. ¡°Shall we take a look?¡± Bifang hopped on one leg and kicked the black dog beside it. The black dog nodded. ¡°Of course. I want to see what kind of array they¡¯ve set up to evade even our notice.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s go.¡± Bifang flapped its wings and flew toward the mountain peak. The black dog barked, ¡°Woof!¡± and stepped onto a black cloud, following closely behind. ¡ª Within the depths of a magma-filled cavern, one corpse after another fell from above, plunging straight into the lava below. The gathered cultivators from various sects had never seen anything like the strange disciples of the Black God Sect. These figures had an almost beast-like aura, with their bodies bearing distinct signs of demonic beasts. Speculations arose among the cultivators¡ªhad the Black God Sect practiced some bizarre cultivation technique to transform into such creatures? Many of them wanted to escape the cavern, but it was completely sealed by an array. Their only options were to break the formation or kill every one of their adversaries. However, they were at a disadvantage, and to make matters worse, the opposing side had a Golden Core Realm cultivator guarding the area. Some began longing for the relative peace of the Baiwa Secret Realm. At least there, they could live in relative safety. Here, their very lives were at stake. Their only hope now was that Xu Ming could defeat that monstrous opponent. If he failed, all of them would perish in this place. ¡ª On the other side of the magma cavern, Xu Ming stomped hard on the ground, cracking the rocks beneath his feet. He landed a punch squarely on Qi Hui¡¯s chest. Qi Hui, well aware of the dominance of Xu Ming¡¯s martial physique, had anticipated such a move. He quickly chanted an incantation, and his body became encased in layer after layer of bone, forming a grotesque suit of bone armor. Xu Ming¡¯s fist smashed into the bone armor, causing cracks to appear, but they mended almost instantly. Qi Hui drew a bone sword from his back, swinging it down. Xu Ming couldn¡¯t dodge in time and suffered a cut. Grimacing through the pain, Xu Ming retaliated with another punch, aiming for Qi Hui¡¯s bone helmet. Qi Hui, unwilling to risk more, kicked Xu Ming in the chest to create distance between them. Xu Ming used his spiritual energy to staunch the bleeding, then summoned a small fireball to cauterize his wound. Meanwhile, Qi Hui¡¯s bone sword absorbed Xu Ming¡¯s blood drop by drop, turning the once pale blade into a vivid crimson. ¡°Such rich blood energy,¡± Qi Hui remarked in awe. ¡°It¡¯s a rarity in this world. If you entered the White Fox Kingdom, you¡¯d probably be drained dry.¡± ¡°Oh? Should I thank you for the compliment, then?¡± Xu Ming replied with a wry smile. ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± Qi Hui said with a nod, ¡°but that¡¯s assuming you can leave here alive.¡± With that, Qi Hui lunged again, but Xu Ming charged forward as well. Xu Ming hurled an ordinary longsword into the air, controlling it with his spiritual energy to fight. Having reached the Cave Mansion Realm, Xu Ming could maneuver the sword to strike opponents from a distance. Seizing an opening, Xu Ming kicked Qi Hui squarely in the chest, sending him stumbling backward. The airborne sword exploited the opportunity, slashing at Qi Hui relentlessly. Enhanced by Xu Ming¡¯s sword energy, the blade managed to leave several gashes on Qi Hui¡¯s body. However, the prolonged battle caused the sword itself to chip in several places. Xu Ming was beginning to understand why sword cultivators went to such great lengths to find a good sword. If your weapon was on the verge of breaking mid-battle, how could you possibly fight effectively? Stepping into the air once more, Xu Ming¡¯s martial qi exploded outward, shattering the air with every movement. He unleashed punch after punch toward Qi Hui¡¯s head, their attacks sending Xu Ming¡¯s blood and fragments of Qi Hui¡¯s bone armor flying in all directions. The longsword in midair spun in a tight circle before transforming into a streak of white light, piercing fiercely into Qi Hui¡¯s chest. Heaven-Splitting Fist ¨C Breaking Seas. Xu Ming drew his fist back as the surrounding air converged onto it. Layer upon layer of martial qi gathered like surging waves, forming an overwhelming force. ¡°Boom!¡± Xu Ming¡¯s fist smashed forward, shattering the waves of qi and slamming straight into Qi Hui¡¯s head. Qi Hui was sent hurtling like a cannonball, crashing into the ground with immense force. His bone armor shattered completely as he coughed up blood, gasping for air. When Qi Hui opened his eyes again, Xu Ming was already standing over him, sword in hand, poised to drive it into his heart. The longsword was coated in frost that spread across its surface. Yet the blade¡¯s frostiness was interwoven with a fiery red glow, concentrated entirely at the sword¡¯s tip, radiating an immense killing intent. Bingyun Sword Technique ¨C Setting Sun. This was the most powerful strike in the Bingyun Sword Technique. Xu Ming shot forward like a rainbow piercing the sun, transforming into a beam of light that struck Qi Hui¡¯s chest with devastating force. The sword pierced through Qi Hui¡¯s chest, its sword qi tearing through the rock beneath him. The impact cracked the ground beneath Qi Hui, with fissures extending a hundred meters deep. The longsword Xu Ming had picked up was now covered in fractures, having reached its limit. Qi Hui clutched the blade embedded in his chest, looking utterly battered but still managing a smile. ¡°Compared to me, you seem even less human¡ªmore like some ancient beast. What a shame¡­ truly a shame.¡± Qi Hui sighed repeatedly. Alarm bells suddenly rang in Xu Ming¡¯s mind, and he instinctively retreated in an instant. The moment Xu Ming pulled back, the remnants of Qi Hui¡¯s bone armor exploded violently. Qi Hui slowly floated up from the ground, his long hair disheveled. The magma below began to churn violently, bubbling as though it had been stirred by an invisible force. Xu Ming frowned deeply. He could clearly sense the surrounding spiritual energy surging into Qi Hui¡¯s body. Qi Hui¡¯s form began to change. Just like Shen Sheng from a few years ago, Qi Hui¡¯s body started to swell, with flesh and blood peeling away, transforming into a massive, grotesque bird. The monstrous bird was covered in bones. Its wings were entirely skeletal, devoid of any flesh, gleaming with an eerie pallor. Qi Hui opened his mouth wide, devouring not only Black God Sect disciples but also cultivators from various sects. Even the demonic beasts that had been freed due to the broken cages were not spared. Qi Hui¡¯s body grew larger and larger, his form becoming increasingly immense. When his gaze finally locked onto Xu Ming, Xu Ming felt as if his entire being was paralyzed, completely locked in place. The overwhelming spiritual pressure bore down on Xu Ming like a mountain crushing his shoulders. Qi Hui raised his head, and the magma below surged upward like a dragon drawing water, condensing near Qi Hui¡¯s mouth into a concentrated mass. Xu Ming exhaled deeply, his body surging with Blood Qi Frenzy Mode once more. He gathered all of his martial qi into his fists, his back emanating the form of a heroic martial spirit, which mirrored his posture, readying a powerful strike. The wild eruption of Xu Ming¡¯s martial qi, the chaotic spiritual energy, and the searing heat of the magma intertwined into a suffocating mix, leaving all other cultivators struggling to breathe. In front of Xu Ming¡¯s fist, the space itself seemed to shatter, revealing faint glimpses of the void. Meanwhile, the condensed magma by Qi Hui¡¯s mouth grew denser, glowing like a miniature sun. This was destined to be their final clash. Qi Hui couldn¡¯t help but let out a laugh at the thought. He never would have imagined that a mere Cave Mansion Realm cultivator could push him to this point. Qi Hui¡¯s spell and Xu Ming¡¯s punch were unleashed simultaneously. The massive lava bird and the martial qi dragon clashed mid-air, surging toward one another with unstoppable force. But just as the two were about to collide, Qi Hui¡¯s and Xu Ming¡¯s pupils suddenly contracted. In an instant, the lava bird and the martial qi dragon veered off course, redirecting toward the space behind them. ¡°Boom!¡± The lava bird crashed into a one-legged firebird, while Xu Ming¡¯s qi dragon slammed fiercely into the belly of a black dog. Both the black dog and the firebird were sent flying. ¡°Ah, well, your cultivation might not be all that high, but the strength¡¯s impressive, I¡¯ll give you that,¡± said the firebird, flapping its wings nonchalantly, entirely unharmed¡ªnot even losing a single feather. ¡°Well, well. I didn¡¯t expect this,¡± the black dog chuckled. ¡°You two redirected your attacks at the same time? Do you trust each other that much? Weren¡¯t you worried the other might use that moment to strike a fatal blow?¡± Neither Xu Ming nor Qi Hui answered. The truth was, they¡¯d been gambling¡ªgambling that the other would redirect their attack toward the unexpected intruders. They had no choice; even if one of them killed the other, they¡¯d surely die themselves in the aftermath. The black dog glanced around the battlefield. ¡°This place is fascinating. So many cultivators here look neither human nor beast.¡± S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The firebird¡¯s tone was light and casual as it spoke. ¡°Enough with the chatter. Who¡¯s the current master of the Baiwa Secret Realm? Relinquish your ownership of the realm to us, and we¡¯ll let you live. If not, you¡¯ll find yourselves on a very short path to death.¡± Xu Ming frowned as he observed the black dog and the one-legged firebird. While the black dog failed to recognize him, Xu Ming certainly recognized them. This black dog was the same demonic beast that had attempted to assassinate Zhu Cici when he was a child, and the firebird was the one that had rescued it. The black dog squinted at Xu Ming, then sniffed the air. ¡°Kid, why do you look so familiar? Have we met before?¡± Xu Ming smirked. ¡°Who knows?¡± The black dog scratched its chin with a paw. ¡°Alright, then. I can smell the faint scent of a law on you. You must¡¯ve just gotten your hands on the Baiwa Scroll, huh? Hand it over, kid, and I¡¯ll let you leave alive. ¡°As for you,¡± the black dog turned to Qi Hui, ¡°this fusion of human and beast you¡¯ve got going on is pretty interesting. Hand over whatever research or method you¡¯ve used, and you can leave too.¡± ¡°And if I refuse?¡± Xu Ming and Qi Hui spoke at the same time. ¡°Refuse?¡± The black dog grinned, baring its sharp teeth. ¡°Then you¡¯ll die here, simple as that.¡± Chapter 153 Qi Hui was puzzled as to how two cultivators at the Jade Purity Realm could have found their way here. Logically, in such a remote location, it was unlikely to attract even one Jade Purity Realm cultivator, let alone two. Could it be that these two were simply wandering around, stumbled upon the strange phenomenon at Baiwa City, and followed it to this place? If that were the case, it was truly an unfortunate turn of events. Without hesitation, Qi Hui unraveled the formation sealing the Lava Heart Cave. When the other cultivators saw the formation being undone, they were momentarily stunned, all turning to Qi Hui. They couldn¡¯t understand his intentions. Why would he let them leave? Was this some kind of trap? ¡°Go!¡± Qi Hui shouted at the remaining disciples of the Black God Sect. The Black God Sect disciples exchanged glances but ultimately did not defy their branch master¡¯s orders and left the Lava Heart Cave. The cultivators from various sects and factions watched as the Black God Sect disciples fled and naturally didn¡¯t want to wait around either. They rushed out of the cave, fearing the formation would seal them in again. Neither Bi Fang nor the Black Dog paid attention to the fleeing cultivators. After all, what they truly wanted was control over the Baiwa Secret Realm. However, arriving at this Lava Heart Cave, they realized there were additional surprises in store. They were intrigued by these half-human, half-beast cultivators and wanted to understand how they had been created. As for the small fry fleeing for their lives, their survival was of no consequence to them. ¡°Are you really not going to reconsider?¡± The Black Dog glanced at Xu Ming. ¡°Once you¡¯re dead, nothing will matter. Even if you keep that Baiwa Secret Realm, what good will it do? Don¡¯t you humans have a saying? ¡®As long as the green hills remain, there will be no fear of running out of firewood.''¡± Xu Ming chuckled. ¡°I don¡¯t intend to hand it over to you.¡± ¡°Alright then.¡± The Black Dog spread its paws and turned to Qi Hui. ¡°What about you?¡± Qi Hui met the gazes of Bi Fang and the Black Dog and smiled faintly. ¡°I should¡¯ve died long ago. What difference does it make if I die now?¡± With those words, Qi Hui wasted no time, pulling out a seal and slotting it into a groove in the rock wall. In the next moment, the entire Lava Heart Cave began to quake violently. Rocks tumbled from the ceiling, crashing into the magma below and sending waves of molten rock splashing upward. Magical beasts embedded in the cave walls broke free, their roars echoing through the chamber. Qi Hui drew out a formation flag and pointed it at Bi Fang and the Black Dog. As if receiving a command, the magical beasts charged at Bi Fang and the Black Dog without hesitation. Taking advantage of the distraction, Xu Ming leaped into action, aiming a punch directly at the Black Dog. But the Black Dog merely glanced at Xu Ming, and he instantly felt as though his body was about to be crushed under an immense pressure. The overwhelming aura of a Jade Purity Realm cultivator left Xu Ming gasping for air. Even so, Xu Ming forced his punch forward, striking the Black Dog squarely. ¡°No wonder you seemed familiar, little brother. So, it¡¯s you,¡± the Black Dog sneered, recognizing Xu Ming. ¡°Eight years ago, you ruined my plans. You really made my life miserable back then.¡± Xu Ming narrowed his eyes and continued to rain down blows with his Drums technic of the Mountain Shattering Fist, each strike landing squarely on the Black Dog. However, the Black Dog stood motionless, as if Xu Ming¡¯s fists were nothing more than stones striking iron. ¡°Little brother, are you giving me a massage?¡± With a casual swipe of its tail, the Black Dog sent Xu Ming hurtling through the air like a meteor. He crashed heavily into the ground, leaving a massive crater in his wake. Qi Hui, meanwhile, was burning his life essence to temporarily elevate his cultivation back to the Nascent Soul Realm. But the gap between the Nascent Soul Realm and the Jade Purity Realm was more than just a single great realm. The Nascent Soul Realm marked the pinnacle of the middle five realms, while the Jade Purity Realm was the starting point of the upper five realms. The disparity between the two was akin to the gap between the Furnace Foundation Realm and the Cave Mansion Realm¡ªperhaps even greater. Bi Fang let out a piercing cry, and dozens of fiery red threads shot forth, piercing through the magical beasts. These threads then looped back, stabbing through Qi Hui¡¯s body, making him look like a marionette on strings. Qi Hui¡¯s eyes turned bloodshot as he burned his life essence to ignite the red threads impaling him. Channeling his strength, he launched a Lava Cannon straight at Bi Fang. But Bi Fang didn¡¯t even flinch. A fire escape technique manifested in front of him, effortlessly blocking Qi Hui¡¯s strongest attack. As the molten remnants dissipated, Qi Hui summoned a whirlwind of fire, forming a fiery tornado that forced the Black Dog back several meters. Qi Hui tossed a set of keys toward Xu Ming, who had just managed to get back on his feet. Xu Ming stared at the keys now lying beside him and exchanged a glance with Qi Hui. ¡°This guy¡­ wants me to take her with me? What¡¯s going on?¡± Xu Ming felt conflicted about Qi Hui. By all rights, someone like him would typically drag as many others down with him as possible in his final moments. Why would he want Xu Ming to escape with Shen Sheng¡¯s wife? But Xu Ming only hesitated for half a heartbeat. Picking up the keys, he used them to unlock the chains binding Zhao Qiongman¡¯s hands and feet. ¡°Water Pear Pill Pavilion,¡± Qi Hui said, his back to Xu Ming and Zhao Qiongman, before charging forward again. Joining forces with the magical beasts, he worked to stall the Black Dog and Bi Fang. ¡°Let¡¯s go! Hurry!¡± Zhao Qiongman clung tightly to Xu Ming¡¯s hand, her urgency palpable. Seeing her anxious expression, Xu Ming couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that something critical couldn¡¯t be allowed to fall into the wrong hands. ¡°Think you can run? Not a chance,¡± Bi Fang¡¯s voice rang out. With his words, a searing ring of fire spread through the air. Magical beasts plummeted from the skies like fiery rain, crashing into the magma below. When Xu Ming turned back, the Black Dog was already blocking the exit, with Qi Hui pinned beneath its paw. ¡°This is your last chance,¡± Bi Fang said, staring at Xu Ming. ¡°Hand over the Baiwa Secret Realm, and I¡¯ll let you leave alive. I¡¯m not exactly known for my patience.¡± Xu Ming¡¯s gaze hardened as his fingers subconsciously fidgeted. First of all, the Baiwa Scroll wasn¡¯t in his possession, and he couldn¡¯t undo the imprint on the Baiwa Secret Realm even if he wanted to. Secondly, even if he handed it over, could he trust them to let him go? Would they really leave someone alive who might one day come seeking revenge? The Baiwa Scroll was his last card. Without it, death was certain. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Xu Ming¡¯s reasoning was spot on. The Black Dog had already recognized him. Eight years ago, after being forced to flee Wudu in disgrace, the Black Dog had realized Xu Ming was very likely the Eternal Spirit Root that the Prime Minister intended to use. However, due to certain delays and Xu Ming¡¯s presence in Wudu, the Black Dog couldn¡¯t act at the time. But now, capturing Xu Ming was entirely feasible. After all, the ritual would proceed sooner or later. Just as Xu Ming was deliberating how to deal with these two monsters, a childlike yet fierce voice broke through the tension: ¡°Awooo!¡± Startled, Xu Ming turned to see a young girl leaping through the air, sinking her teeth into the Black Dog¡¯s neck. Chapter 154 ¡°This woman is your mother. I am not your father. I am an evil man, and I was the one who caused your father¡¯s death and bound your mother. If your parents had never met me, you would be living a very happy life right now,¡± Qi Hui said coldly as he brought the little girl to stand in front of Zhao Qiongman. Zhao Qiongman shot Qi Hui a venomous glare. ¡°Child, come here. Let your mother hold you,¡± Zhao Qiongman said softly, reaching out her arms toward her daughter. The little girl glanced at Qi Hui, then at Zhao Qiongman. Hesitantly, she began to walk toward her mother. But just as she was about to touch her mother, she suddenly pulled her hand back and ran straight to Qi Hui, clinging tightly to his leg. ¡°You bastard!¡± Seeing her daughter rely on her enemy as if he were her father, Zhao Qiongman¡¯s heart twisted in agony. Qi Hui showed no reaction to Zhao Qiongman¡¯s curses. Without a word, he picked up Shen Shengsheng and left. Every three or four days, Qi Hui would bring the little girl to see her mother. Each visit lasted no more than the time it took for a single incense stick to burn¡ªsometimes even less than that. But for Zhao Qiongman, being able to see her daughter, even briefly, became her sole reason to keep living. What broke Zhao Qiongman¡¯s heart was how her child remained distant from her yet seemed utterly dependent on her enemy. However, she consoled herself with the fact that, whatever Qi Hui¡¯s intentions were, he hadn¡¯t taken her child back to the Black God Sect¡¯s main headquarters, and the little girl had not been harmed. One night, Zhao Qiongman sat on the ground, her hands and feet bound. She dozed off, her head drooping in exhaustion. ¡°Awoo¡­¡± The soft, childlike sound jolted Zhao Qiongman awake. She immediately raised her head, her eyes lighting up with hope as she scanned her surroundings. She saw her daughter cautiously making her way toward her, step by tentative step, as if venturing into an unfamiliar and possibly dangerous world. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Mother won¡¯t hurt you,¡± Zhao Qiongman said gently, extending her arms toward the girl, her gaze never leaving her daughter. The little girl slowly approached, hesitating with every step. She reached out her small hand tentatively, and Zhao Qiongman, swallowing hard, watched as her daughter¡¯s fingers grew closer and closer to hers. Finally, the little girl¡¯s fingertips brushed against her mother¡¯s. Perhaps it was curiosity, or perhaps it was the bond of blood. The girl¡¯s eyes suddenly lit up. Zhao Qiongman, who had longed so desperately to touch her daughter, couldn¡¯t hold back her tears. Her eyes reddened, and tears streamed uncontrollably down her cheeks. ¡°Awoo¡­¡± Seeing the woman in front of her cry, the little girl grew inexplicably flustered. She reached out her small hands and clumsily tried to wipe away her mother¡¯s tears. But the more she wiped, the more Zhao Qiongman¡¯s tears fell. Standing in the shadows some distance away, Qi Hui watched the scene in silence. Without a word, he turned and left. After that night, Shen Shengsheng began sneaking out to visit her mother every evening. She didn¡¯t know why, but she always felt a deep urge to see this woman. There was a strange sense of familiarity and closeness that drew her. Each time Shen Shengsheng visited, Zhao Qiongman would tell her stories about the outside world, teach her to recognize words, or try to get her to speak. However, Shen Shengsheng seemed different from ordinary children. She didn¡¯t seem to understand. Zhao Qiongman wasn¡¯t discouraged. She took her time, patiently teaching her daughter little by little. However, Zhao Qiongman never spoke to Shen Shengsheng about Shen Sheng. She didn¡¯t want her child to bear additional pain. Sometimes, knowing nothing was better than knowing everything. As for Qi Hui, he acted as if he was unaware of Shen Shengsheng sneaking out at night to visit her mother. One day, members of the Black God Sect¡¯s main headquarters unexpectedly came to inspect the Baiwa Branch. Caught off guard, Qi Hui found that Zhao Qiongman and Shen Shengsheng had been discovered. Zhao Qiongman¡¯s presence was easy to explain away¡ªclaiming she was ¡°just a woman captured from outside¡± sufficed, and no one pursued the matter further. But Shen Shengsheng was a different matter. ¡°What¡¯s the story with this little girl?¡± The deacons from the Black God Sect¡¯s headquarters weren¡¯t fools. The moment they saw Shen Shengsheng, they sensed something unusual. Qi Hui cupped his hands in a respectful gesture and replied, ¡°Reporting to the two deacons, this is a little girl I captured from the mortal world and fused with a magical beast.¡± ¡°Unbelievable, and so successful!¡± one deacon exclaimed in astonishment. ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s rare,¡± the other deacon agreed, his excitement evident. ¡°You can feel the beastly nature within her, yet her fusion with human bloodline is seamless. Remarkably, the only visible traits are a pair of horns and slit pupils. By the way, what kind of beast was she fused with?¡± Qi Hui thought for a moment. ¡°Just an ordinary Night Demon Dragon.¡± One of the deacons turned to Qi Hui. ¡°Qi Hui, this girl represents a major achievement. Why haven¡¯t you sent her to the main headquarters?¡± Qi Hui replied, ¡°The fusion was only recently completed. I wanted to observe her condition before sending her to the headquarters.¡± ¡°Fair enough. But there¡¯s no need to observe further. We¡¯ll take her back for a more thorough examination. Who knows, this might lead to a breakthrough,¡± the deacon said, waving dismissively. ¡°Rest assured, we¡¯ll credit your contribution when we return.¡± ¡°Thank you, esteemed stewards,¡± Qi Hui replied, knowing full well that no matter what he said, she would be taken. ¡ª S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. That night, after hosting the two stewards, Qi Hui returned to his courtyard. As soon as he sat down, Shen Shengsheng toddled over and gently patted his knee. Qi Hui looked at the little girl, who wasn¡¯t even as tall as his knee. ¡°Tomorrow, you¡¯ll be taken away.¡± ¡°Awoo?¡± Shen Shengsheng tilted her head, confused. ¡°When you reach the headquarters, you might be fed all kinds of potions. Your skin and flesh could be torn apart. They might keep you locked in a cage, and once you¡¯ve grown, they might use you as a tool for breeding,¡± Qi Hui said bluntly. ¡°Awoo.¡± Shen Shengsheng, not understanding, continued to look at him with wide, innocent eyes. ¡°I have no reason to protect you. It¡¯s better if you go. At least I¡¯ll gain some merit for it.¡± Qi Hui stared into her eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve said it before¡ªI¡¯m not a good person.¡± ¡°Awoo.¡± Shen Shengsheng sat down at his feet, wrapped her small arms around his leg, and rested her head on his knee. Before long, she had fallen asleep. ¡°You really don¡¯t understand anything, do you?¡± Looking down at the little girl, Qi Hui sighed. He gently patted her head and then raised his eyes to the perpetually dark cave above. ¡°Back then, when your mother wanted to take you and leave this world behind, perhaps she was right after all.¡± Chapter 155 ¡°Alright, you can stop here. We¡¯ll take the girl from here,¡± said the two Black God Cult deacons to Qi Hui. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. This time, you¡¯ve done a great deed. If nothing goes wrong, thanks to this little girl, you¡¯ll become a deacon for the main branch. Then we can work together.¡± ¡°Thank you, both of you.¡± Qi Hui bowed respectfully. ¡°Do your best. We have high hopes for you.¡± The two deacons held Shen Shengsheng¡¯s hand and began to lead her away. ¡°Awoo?¡± Shen Shengsheng turned her head to look at Qi Hui, her eyes filled with confusion. She didn¡¯t understand why she was being taken away or why Qi Hui wasn¡¯t following. Qi Hui avoided her gaze. ¡°Take care, both of you.¡± Shen Shengsheng didn¡¯t understand what was happening. Her small hand was gripped tightly by the two strangers as they dragged her along. Even as she was being led away, she kept looking back at Qi Hui. ¡°Awoo!¡± When the two Black God Cult deacons had dragged her about ten meters away, Shen Shengsheng sensed something was wrong. She turned her head and bit down hard on one of the deacon¡¯s hands. ¡°Hiss!¡± The deacon winced in pain and let go of her hand. Shen Shengsheng took the opportunity to run back toward Qi Hui on her short legs. ¡°You little brat!¡± The deacon pulled out a whip and lashed it harshly at Shen Shengsheng. ¡°Awoo!¡± The lash sent Shen Shengsheng curling up on the ground, hugging herself tightly. The whip kept falling relentlessly on her small body. Not far away, Qi Hui frowned deeply. When the deacon raised the whip to strike her again, his wrist was suddenly caught in a firm grip by Qi Hui. ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this?¡± the deacon demanded, glaring at Qi Hui. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve grown attached to this little thing.¡± Qi Hui chuckled. ¡°Not at all. But, dear deacons, she¡¯s quite valuable. If you damage her, it won¡¯t be good.¡± The deacon shook off Qi Hui¡¯s hand. ¡°This isn¡¯t your concern! This little beast needs a few beatings to behave. Don¡¯t worry, your credit won¡¯t be affected¡ªI won¡¯t kill her.¡± With that, the deacon raised his whip again and continued to lash at Shen Shengsheng. One strike. Another strike. Shen Shengsheng cried out and rolled on the ground in pain as her skin split open and bled. She tried to resist, spitting a weak burst of black flame at the deacon. But at her young age, the flame was easily deflected, and her defiance only provoked more vicious blows. As the deacon¡¯s anger grew, he picked up a stone, ready to smash it down on Shen Shengsheng¡¯s head. But his hand froze mid-air. The next moment, he felt the world spin. His vision twisted as his head separated from his neck, hitting the ground, his eyes staring at the dirt. ¡°Qi Hui! You¡ª¡± The other deacon was shocked and started to speak, but before he could finish, Qi Hui closed the distance in an instant and struck. The deacon¡¯s body exploded into a mist of blood. ¡°Awoo?¡± Shen Shengsheng timidly moved her hands away from her head, looking up at Qi Hui with fearful eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s go. We¡¯re heading back,¡± Qi Hui said as he pulled her up and patted the dirt off her clothes. Shen Shengsheng looked around nervously, then nodded quietly. ¡°Mmm.¡± She took Qi Hui¡¯s large hand in her tiny one, and they began walking back toward the cave. Qi Hui staged the scene as if the two deacons had fallen victim to an accident in the wild. He reported the discovery of their bodies to the main branch and vowed to investigate their deaths. The deaths of the two deacons didn¡¯t draw much attention from the main branch. In a demonic sect like the Black God Sect, which was hunted relentlessly by righteous sects, it was all too common for their members to be killed. Even when deacons came to investigate, Qi Hui managed to hide Shen Shengsheng well. ¡°Remember this,¡± Qi Hui said calmly, looking at the little girl in the courtyard before him. ¡°Just because I saved you this time doesn¡¯t mean I won¡¯t harm you. If one day I find it highly profitable to sell you, I won¡¯t hesitate. Do you understand?¡± Shen Shengsheng tilted her head, looking at Qi Hui, then nodded hesitantly as if she understood. ¡°If I die someday,¡± Qi Hui continued, his eyes deep and distant, ¡°you must take your mother and leave here. Go as far as you can. And never forget this: In this world, no one is reliable. Apart from your parents, anyone can betray you. You can only rely on yourself.¡± ¡ª In Xu Ming¡¯s line of sight, a little girl was biting down fiercely on a large black dog. The girl had vertical pupils, reminiscent of the dragons from the Western legends of his previous life on Blue Star. Two black horns protruded from her forehead, standing out sharply against her fair skin. She appeared very young, no more than six or seven years old. However, her adorable, doll-like appearance was starkly contrasted by the ferocity in her eyes¡ªlike a wild beast. The black dog was startled by the unexpected bite. What shocked it even more was the pain. It was no ordinary dog¡ªit was a great demon at the Jade Purity Realm. Even Xu Ming¡¯s full-strength punches were nothing more than tickles to it. Yet, this little girl had managed to hurt it. The black dog used its paw to lift the girl by the back of her collar. She flailed her limbs wildly, baring her teeth, trying to bite it again. ¡°Are you human, demon, or a magical beast?¡± the black dog asked curiously, sniffing at her. It could detect the scents of both humans and magical beasts on her. ¡°Awoo!¡± The girl opened her mouth and let out a growl. ¡°Never mind, let¡¯s take her back and let the Prime Minister examine her,¡± the black dog muttered. Though it couldn¡¯t identify her species, keeping her alive seemed the safer option. Just as it was about to tie the girl up with a rope, the dog suddenly froze. Its paw, holding the girl¡¯s arm, had been cleanly severed. The severed paw and the little girl fell to the ground simultaneously. ¡°Run! Take her and go!¡± Qi Hui shouted, having launched a sneak attack. He blew a gust of wind with his breath, pushing the girl toward Xu Ming. Xu Ming immediately caught her. ¡°I told you already, there¡¯s no escape! Why keep running?¡± A playful voice rang out as Bifang, like a divine bird, flapped its wings and flew toward Xu Ming. ¡°Sir, I¡¯m entrusting my daughter to you,¡± Zhao Qiongman said, pressing a bracelet into Xu Ming¡¯s hand before striking him with her palm, sending him flying against a large rock. The bracelet emitted a glowing light, and runes emerged from it, falling onto the rock. In an instant, the rock disintegrated, revealing a hidden teleportation array beneath it. When Zhao Qiongman first planned their escape, she had prepared two arrays. The first one had been destroyed during a failed attempt. The second was meant for her husband, herself, and their child to flee together. Unfortunately, her husband would never return. Fortunately, her daughter could escape using the teleportation array. Sensing something amiss, both Bifang and the black dog charged toward Xu Ming. Zhao Qiongman and the flying zombie blocked Bifang¡¯s path, while Qi Hui held the black dog back with all his might. Despite his body being pierced through by the black dog again and again, he never let go. ¡°Awoo¡­ awoo¡­¡± The little girl, held tightly in Xu Ming¡¯s arms, struggled desperately to break free and rush forward. The glowing light of the array slowly enveloped her and Xu Ming. Bifang¡¯s flames engulfed Zhao Qiongman and the flying zombie. Before their bodies dissolved into ash at a visible speed, Zhao Qiongman turned to her child with a warm smile. ¡°Be well, my child¡­¡± she said softly, before vanishing into ashes alongside the flying zombie. ¡°Awoo¡­¡± Tears streamed down the little girl¡¯s cheeks as her small arms reached out helplessly toward the fading figure of her mother. ¡°Live on¡­¡± Under the black dog¡¯s paw, Qi Hui grinned as he saw the array about to activate. ¡°Boom!¡± A deafening explosion followed as Qi Hui detonated his own Golden Core. Before the shockwave could reach them, the light of the array enveloped both Xu Ming and the little girl, activating the teleportation. ¡ª An instant later, Xu Ming opened his eyes to find himself standing on a mountainside. Without hesitation, he tucked the little girl under his arm and flew toward Qingyang County¡¯s city. But before he could cover 100 meters, Xu Ming¡¯s instincts flared with danger. He twisted to the side just as a fireball slammed into the spot where he had been a moment ago. Another fireball came straight at his back. This time, unable to dodge, Xu Ming spun around and threw a punch. The fireball exploded upon impact with his fist. The force of the explosion sent Xu Ming plummeting from the sky. When he landed steadily on the ground, Bifang and the black dog had already surrounded him. The black dog shook the dirt off its fur. ¡°Close one, close one. Almost let you get away.¡± Bifang pouted. ¡°This guy looks stubborn. Don¡¯t waste time talking to him¡ªjust break his legs and take him away.¡± ¡°Agreed.¡± The black dog nodded and began to step closer to Xu Ming. Xu Ming knew that if he were captured and taken to the Wanxiang Kingdom, he¡¯d face certain death¡ªjust a matter of how and when. Even the black dog felt it was a shame for such a talented individual to meet such a fate. But, for the demon race, letting a genius like Xu Ming grow unchecked would be an unbearable threat. Xu Ming clenched his fists, wracking his brain for any way to escape. The answer was clear¡ªthere wasn¡¯t one. He had no strength left to throw even a single punch, let alone fight two Jade Purity Realm opponents. His only choice now was to stop resisting, allow himself to be captured, and look for an opportunity later. ¡°Honk!¡± A loud honking sound suddenly echoed through the air. Hearing the familiar sound, Xu Ming¡¯s face fell. Sure enough, a massive Tianxuan Goose dove straight onto the black dog¡¯s head, pecking furiously and flapping its wings wildly. ¡°Stupid goose! Get out of here!¡± Xu Ming shouted anxiously. Xu Ming was in a panic, fearing that the black dog might strike the goose with a single paw and end its life. The black dog did indeed raise its paw, aiming to swat the annoying goose that was flapping and pecking at its head. But before it could act, Bifang jumped into action, delivering a powerful kick that sent the black dog flying far away. ¡°You damn mutt, are you trying to die?¡± The black dog was knocked aside, and Bifang¡¯s single foot bounced up and down, repeatedly stomping on the black dog. The Tianxuan Goose, unsure of what was happening, quickly flew back to Xu Ming¡¯s side. When the black dog had reached out to strike it, the goose had felt its life was in real danger¡ªits life nearly snuffed out. After being thoroughly beaten by Bifang, the black dog climbed back up. It looked at the Tianxuan Goose by Xu Ming¡¯s side with a flash of fear in its eyes. If it had acted earlier, it would have been over. Xu Ming was confused. The black dog and Bifang now looked at Xiao Bai with eyes full of respect. All the previous arrogance had vanished. What happened next left Xu Ming even more puzzled. ¡°Subject¡ªMiao Huo.¡± ¡°Subject¡ªDead Dog.¡± ¡°Greetings, Your Highness, the Princess!¡± Xu Ming and the goose stared at them, utterly confused. ¡°???¡± Xu Ming looked at the goose. The goose stared at Shen Shengsheng. ¡°Honk honk honk? (This little girl is a princess? Where did you pick her up?)¡± the goose asked. ¡°You didn¡¯t kidnap a princess, did you? That would explain why they¡¯re after us!¡± ¡°They¡¯re talking about you!¡± Xu Ming hit the goose¡¯s head with annoyance. ¡°Wait, no¡ªwhat kind of princess are you?¡± ¡°Human! Show some respect to Your Highness!¡± the black dog growled, looking disturbed to see its princess being struck by a human. ¡°Your Highness, we¡¯ve been searching for you everywhere!¡± Bifang transformed into a human form, no longer a single-legged creature, but a normal woman, and bowed respectfully to the goose. ¡°Honk honk honk! (I¡¯m not your princess! You¡¯ve got the wrong goose!)¡± the Tianxuan Goose crossed its wings defiantly. ¡°There¡¯s no mistake,¡± the black dog said, also transforming into a human form, its skin dark as if it had emerged from a coal mine. ¡°Your Highness, if you take this, the seal on your memories will break, and you will regain your memories and come back with us.¡± ¡°Honk! (No way!)¡± The goose refused immediately. ¡°Honk honk honk honk! (Back off! I¡¯m warning you¡ªI¡¯m very powerful, and you won¡¯t harm us!)¡± ¡°Your Highness, you¡¯ve been deceived by this human!¡± Bifang said coldly. ¡°Humans are all untrustworthy.¡± ¡°Honk honk honk! (You¡¯re the untrustworthy ones!)¡± The goose stood protectively in front of Xu Ming. Bifang and the black dog exchanged a look. The black dog turned and bowed deeply. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, Your Highness, I apologize for my rudeness. Please forgive me.¡± ¡°Honk!¡± S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The goose, thinking an attack was imminent, opened its beak to unleash a wind blade. But before it could do so, the black dog pulled a transparent, crystalline pill from its robes and flicked it directly into the goose¡¯s mouth. Chapter 156 ¡°Goose?¡± The Tianxuan Goose gulped down the thing that had been fed to it. Startled, it suspected that the other party had given it poison. The Tianxuan Goose desperately tried to spit it out, but no matter what, it couldn¡¯t. The thing melted as soon as it entered its mouth, dissolving like water into its bloodstream. The Tianxuan Goose felt a fiery sensation all over its body, as if it were about to become a roast goose. Then, it felt as if something inside its body was about to leave. Xiao Bai covered its head with its wings and rolled on the ground frantically, as if something was trying to burst out of its skull. Seeing Xiao Bai in such pain, Xu Ming instinctively stepped forward. However, just as he took a step, Bi Fang spat out a flame, forming a fiery barrier around Xu Ming. ¡°Do not interfere with our Princess,¡± Bi Fang said coldly, though his expression was extremely tense. Watching the big white goose suffer so intensely, the black dog grew anxious and glanced uneasily at Bi Fang. ¡°The Princess won¡¯t be in danger, right? Is that thing really this painful? Are we sure what the Prime Minister gave us is safe? If anything happens to the Princess, we¡¯ll be guilty for all eternity!¡± ¡°Shut up! Don¡¯t jinx it!¡± Bi Fang kicked the black dog and kept his eyes fixed on the Tianxuan Goose, not daring to look away for even a second. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it should be fine. That old turtle wouldn¡¯t dare harm the Princess. After all, the Princess is¡­¡± Bi Fang muttered to herself, more like self-reassurance, but halfway through, she stopped speaking and tightly pressed her lips together, anxiously watching the white goose. Though her words tried to sound confident, Bi Fang was deeply worried. What if that old turtle had truly gone mad? What if it intended to eliminate the last royal bloodline of the Wanxiang Kingdom and pledge allegiance to another power? It wasn¡¯t impossible. Fortunately, after ten breaths, the white goose¡¯s cries began to subside. Not because it had no strength left to cry, but because the pain it endured was visibly lessening. The big white goose lay on the ground, its mind flooded with strange images. The royal palace engulfed in flames. Her mother holding her and fleeing. Imperial guards falling one after another before her eyes. ¡°Live well, my daughter¡­¡± ¡°Mother¡­¡± A woman dressed in imperial robes gently stroked the young girl¡¯s face. Her delicate, white fingers pressed lightly against the girl¡¯s forehead. The young girl¡¯s body shrank rapidly, eventually losing her human form entirely. ¡°I¡­ I am¡­¡± Xiao Bai opened her eyes. Her body grew larger, her feathers lengthened, and her tail fanned out like an empress¡¯s trailing gown. Honghu. Two words suddenly popped into Xu Ming¡¯s mind. Among phoenixes, there were five distinct types. As the saying goes: ¡°Of phoenixes, there are five kinds. The red is the Feng, the blue is the Luan, the yellow is the Yuan Chu, the white is the Honghu, and the purple is the Yuezhu.¡± The blue phoenix is called He, the red phoenix is called Chun, the yellow phoenix is called Yan, the white phoenix is called Su, and the purple phoenix is called Zhuo. All five phoenixes are divine beasts, equal in stature. Xu Ming had seen depictions of the five phoenixes in this world. Their forms were similar, differing only in color. This form¡­ how could she still be the Tianxuan Goose? This is clearly the White Phoenix¡ªHonghu. Seeing their Princess gradually regain her former appearance, Bi Fang let out a sigh of relief, his eyes full of joy. ¡°Min!¡± Xiao Bai stood up, and with a resonant cry, her phoenix song echoed through the skies. In the mountains and forests, white birds scattered and flew low, bowing their heads in submission. ¡°Your servant greets the Princess.¡± Bi Fang and the black dog stepped forward again, kneeling on one knee before Xiao Bai. As past and present memories began to merge, Xiao Bai still felt her mind was slightly hazy, but it was becoming clearer by the moment. ¡°My name isn¡¯t Xiao Bai. My name is Bai Li Bing,¡± she said, lowering her head, her voice now human. This was the first time Xu Ming had ever heard Xiao Bai speak, and her voice was mesmerizing¡ªethereal, with a distant coolness that made her seem unapproachable. Hearing the Princess state her true name, Bi Fang knew she had fully returned. ¡°We have searched for the Princess for ten long years. To find you today is the greatest fortune for our Wanxiang Kingdom,¡± the black dog quickly said, flattering her. ¡°Once we knock out these two humans, we¡¯ll escort the Princess back to the Wanxiang Kingdom.¡± ¡°How is my mother?¡± Bai Li Bing asked, her eyes filled with worry. ¡°Princess,¡± Bi Fang answered respectfully, ¡°the Empress is still missing. We continue to search for her. For now, the Prime Minister has stabilized the court, awaiting your return.¡± Bai Li Bing¡¯s gaze hardened as she fell into deep thought. ¡°Why were you so intent on killing him?¡± After a while, Bai Li Bing raised her head and asked. The black dog replied, ¡°Princess, our Wanxiang Kingdom is preparing for a grand sacrificial ceremony. It requires certain rare constitutions, one of which is the Eternal Spiritual Root. Based on my judgment, this man likely possesses the Eternal Spiritual Root. ¡°As for that little girl, she carries both human and magical beast scents. I was curious and planned to take her back to Wanxiang Kingdom to investigate further.¡± Bai Li Bing¡¯s voice turned cold. ¡°You may not harm this man, nor may you touch that little girl.¡± The black dog¡¯s tone grew anxious. ¡°But Princess, the Eternal Spiritual Root is incredibly rare. If we let it slip away¡ª¡± ¡°I told you not to touch them. Did you not hear me?¡± Bai Li Bing¡¯s tone carried reprimand, and the bloodline pressure emanating from her bore down heavily on the black dog. Even though Bai Li Bing¡¯s cultivation was far below the black dog¡¯s, the suppression from her bloodline caused cold sweat to form on his brow. ¡°Understood, Your Highness,¡± the black dog finally relented, obeying Bai Li Bing¡¯s command. Although the sacrificial ceremony was of great importance, nothing was more crucial than the Princess herself. She was the only remaining royal of Wan Xiang Kingdom. Bai Li Bing¡¯s cold gaze moved away from the black dog. A cool breeze swept through the air, and snow-white feathers drifted down from above. Bai Li Bing transformed into her human form. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The snowy-white phoenix feathers turned into a pure white, phoenix-feathered strapless gown with a flowing skirt that trailed the ground. Her fair shoulders were exposed, resembling a bride in an immaculate wedding dress. A cascade of white hair flowed down her shoulders, ending just above her slender waist. Bai Li Bing turned, her almond-shaped eyes meeting Xu Ming¡¯s gaze. Looking into her eyes, Xu Ming felt a sense of familiarity but also an unfamiliar, distant coldness. Contrary to Xu Ming¡¯s earlier assumptions, Xiao Bai¡¯s human form wasn¡¯t a hulking figure. She was incredibly graceful, her curves soft and elegant, like snow melting into water. Beneath her white lashes, her blue pupils and delicate, upturned nose exuded an exotic charm. ¡°Thank you for taking care of me all these years,¡± Bai Li Bing said softly, her voice directed at Xu Ming. Xu Ming stared directly into the young woman¡¯s eyes. ¡°Are you still that silly goose?¡± Hearing Xu Ming call her silly, Bai Li Bing¡¯s small hands clenched tightly, her brows twitching in annoyance. But unlike before, when she would immediately lash out and hit Xu Ming whenever she felt displeased, Bai Li Bing now carried herself with the dignity befitting the eldest princess of Wan Xiang Kingdom. ¡°Remember this¡ªI am Bai Li Bing, the Eldest Princess of Wan Xiang Kingdom, and a sworn enemy of your human race.¡± ¡°Oh, and¡­¡± Bai Li Bing smiled faintly, placing her hands gracefully in front of her. ¡°Didn¡¯t you always hope I¡¯d take on a human form? Now that I have, what do you think?¡± Xu Ming shook his head with a small smile. ¡°Honestly, I preferred the big white goose you were before.¡± Xu Ming wasn¡¯t trying to flatter her¡ªhe was simply telling the truth. Even though Bai Li Bing¡¯s bloodline was far more noble, being a Honghu¡ªthe White Phoenix¡ªand even though her human form was that of a poised, elegant young woman, no less stunning than Qin Qingwan in both figure and appearance, Xu Ming still wished she could be the Tianxuan Goose she used to be. In fact, Xu Ming would¡¯ve been happier if her human form had turned out to be an ordinary-looking, hulking warrior. ¡°You¡¯re hopeless,¡± Bai Li Bing said coldly, glaring at Xu Ming. ¡°When you return to Wudu, tell Madam that Xiao Bai¡­ won¡¯t be coming back.¡± With that, Bai Li Bing turned to the black dog. ¡°Let¡¯s go. Back to Wan Xiang Kingdom.¡± ¡°As you command, Your Highness.¡± The black dog took out a Void-breaking Stone and opened a distorted void gate, the passage behind it leading directly to the Wan Xiang Kingdom¡¯s royal capital. The black dog couldn¡¯t help but glance longingly at Xu Ming one last time, but a wing slap from Bi Fang sent his head spinning, and he reluctantly followed behind Bai Li Bing. ¡°Do you want to remain Xiao Bai, or do you prefer being Bai Li Bing?¡± Just as Bai Li Bing was about to step into the void gate, Xu Ming asked. The young woman paused briefly before stepping forward. Her jade-like legs disappeared into the gate, and as it began to close, a cool, distant voice drifted back to him. ¡°Bai Li Bing is Bai Li Bing.¡± The girl¡¯s ethereal voice lingered in the air as the void gate vanished, leaving everything calm once more, as if nothing had ever happened. ¡°Cough¡­ cough¡­¡± Xu Ming, who had been holding it in all this time, finally coughed up several mouthfuls of blood. Utterly drained, Xu Ming slumped to the ground, his face pale. He had survived. But Xiao Bai had turned out to be the princess of Wan Xiang Kingdom? ¡°Wan Xiang Kingdom¡­¡± Xu Ming muttered the words softly, as if trying to process their weight. ¡°Awoo¡­¡± While Xu Ming was lost in thought, the little girl who had been standing beside him suddenly scrambled toward the direction of the Heart of the Lava Cave, stumbling as she went. Forcing himself to endure the excruciating pain, Xu Ming stood up, walked over, and picked her up. He dusted off the dirt from her clothes, then tucked the girl under his arm and flew toward the Heart of the Lava Cave. The protective array around the mountain had already been destroyed, making it easy for Xu Ming to find the cave. However, the Heart of the Lava Cave was in ruins, the entire cavern having collapsed. ¡°Awoo¡­ awoo¡­¡± The little girl wriggled out of Xu Ming¡¯s arms and began digging at the rubble with her bare hands. Even when her fingers were scraped raw and blood mixed with the dirt and stones, she didn¡¯t stop. Xu Ming didn¡¯t stop her. Instead, he handed her a peachwood sword. ¡°Use this,¡± he said. The peachwood was harder than stone. Then, Xu Ming picked up a flat rock and started helping her dig. Neither of them knew how long they had been digging. Xu Ming knew deep down they wouldn¡¯t find anything. Her mother and that cultivator were gone¡ªcompletely obliterated, body and soul. Nothing remained. After digging for what seemed like an eternity, the little girl¡¯s movements grew slower and slower, her sweat dripping continuously from her forehead. Eventually, she unearthed a massive black stone. With the peachwood sword Xu Ming had given her, she kept striking it repeatedly. However, even though the sword was made from extraordinary material, it only managed to leave faint marks on the stone¡¯s surface. Frustrated, the little girl tossed the sword aside and snatched the stone Xu Ming was holding, pounding it against the black stone with all her might. ¡°Awoo¡­ Awoo¡­ Awoo¡­¡± When the stone in her hand finally shattered into pieces, its fragments mixed with her blood, the little girl collapsed into tears, sobbing uncontrollably. Deep down, she knew her mother and Qi Hui were gone, yet she couldn¡¯t bring herself to accept it. Xu Ming didn¡¯t understand why the girl was so attached to that Black Divine Cult cultivator, to the point of seeing him as a family figure. That same cultivator was responsible for the death of her father! Even so, Xu Ming refrained from telling her the truth now. He knew that if she learned the reality of it all, she would break down even further. When her cries grew hoarse and she no longer had the strength to wail, slumping weakly against the stone, Xu Ming finally stepped forward and crouched down in front of her. The little girl, her eyes swollen and red from crying, looked at Xu Ming while sniffing back tears. Xu Ming met her gaze directly. ¡°I owe your mother a debt. She entrusted you to me, asking me to take care of you. I¡¯ll do just that.¡± He extended his hand to the little girl. ¡°If you¡¯re willing to trust me.¡± The girl glanced at his outstretched hand, then lifted her gaze back to meet his eyes. She didn¡¯t say a word, didn¡¯t make a sound. She just stared at him, unwavering. Xu Ming held her gaze, his eyes just as steady and patient. ¡°Live¡­ on¡­¡± the girl finally managed to utter, her voice trembling and fragmented. Xu Ming was momentarily stunned, but once he understood her meaning, he nodded with a gentle smile. ¡°Yes. Live on. Together, we¡¯ll keep living.¡± The girl swallowed nervously, her small hand tentatively reaching toward Xu Ming¡¯s fingers. But just as her fingers were about to touch his, she recoiled as if shocked, pulling her hand back. It was as if she were transported back to the day she first met her mother, the hesitation and fear mirrored in her current actions. And just as Zhao Qiongman had patiently waited for her back then, Xu Ming now waited quietly, letting the little girl take her time to reach out. Finally, she placed her small hand into Xu Ming¡¯s palm. Looking up at him with nervous eyes, she waited. Xu Ming closed his hand gently around hers. ¡°My name is Xu Ming. What¡¯s yours? Can you tell me?¡± ¡°Shen¡­ Shen¡­¡± The girl struggled to speak, articulating each syllable with great effort. Xu Ming tilted his head slightly. ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Shen¡­ Sheng¡­¡± she repeated haltingly. ¡°My¡­ name¡­¡± Chapter 157 ¡°Where are you? Where are you?¡± Qin Qingwan muttered to herself while holding the Eight Trigrams Map, trying to deduce Xu Ming¡¯s location as she glanced around anxiously. But no matter how much she calculated, she couldn¡¯t pinpoint where Xu Ming was. Perhaps it was because she had been searching for too long, but she started to worry about Xiao Bai wandering too far from her. So, she used a talisman to track Xiao Bai¡¯s location, planning to reunite with her companion first before continuing the search. To her surprise, Xiao Bai¡¯s position hadn¡¯t changed at all. ¡°Something¡¯s not right,¡± Qin Qingwan muttered, unease creeping into her heart. Logically speaking, Xiao Bai should be moving around while looking for Xu Ming. Could something have happened to her? Could she have run into an enemy? Otherwise, why hadn¡¯t she moved even a little? Panic welled up inside Qin Qingwan as she flew toward Xiao Bai¡¯s location, praying desperately that nothing had happened to her. But when she arrived at the spot indicated by the talisman, she froze in place. The talisman was stuck to a tree. There were no traces of a struggle nearby. Recalling how Xiao Bai had insisted they split up earlier, and now seeing the talisman left behind on the tree, Qin Qingwan felt as if she understood everything. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. If she guessed correctly, Xiao Bai probably knew where Xu Ming was but didn¡¯t want her to get involved in any danger. So, she had intentionally shaken her off and gone ahead alone. ¡°Xiao Bai! Even you¡¯ve learned to lie to me now!¡± Qin Qingwan pouted, feeling both hurt and upset. When they were younger, the two of them¡ªand the goose¡ªalways stuck together when causing trouble, never hiding anything from each other. And now? They were both leaving her behind! ¡°Don¡¯t think you can ditch me!¡± Qin Qingwan pulled out the Eight Trigrams Map, intending to calculate Xiao Bai¡¯s location. Since they hadn¡¯t been apart for long, and the talisman still carried Xiao Bai¡¯s aura, it should be easier to track her compared to Xu Ming. ¡°Qingwan.¡± Just as Qin Qingwan was concentrating on divining Xiao Bai¡¯s whereabouts, a cold voice rang out. She looked up and was instantly overjoyed. ¡°Master!¡± With her master here, everything would be fine. Xu Ming could be saved! Wangxuan descended from the sky, landing gracefully beside her disciple. Her delicate brows furrowed. ¡°What¡¯s happened? Why is your Dao Lotus missing from your body?¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Qin Qingwan froze. ¡°Master, how did you know?¡± Wangxuan replied, ¡°The Dao Lotus in your body was planted there by me. How could I not know? When it disappeared, I feared you were in danger, so I broke through space to come to you.¡± Qin Qingwan: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Master, it¡¯s a long story. But there¡¯s something more urgent right now. Could you help me locate someone? My friend might be in mortal danger!¡± Qin Qingwan grasped her master¡¯s hands, pleading earnestly, ¡°Please, Master.¡± Seeing the urgency in her disciple¡¯s eyes, Wangxuan suppressed her own questions for the moment. She threw a formation diagram onto the ground. ¡°Place something related to the person on this.¡± Qin Qingwan quickly retrieved a painting scroll of Baiwa and placed it on the formation. As she glanced at the scroll, Wangxuan immediately recognized it as a miniature world. She activated the formation, her slender, fair fingers deftly forming intricate hand seals. As an Immortal, Wangxuan could not only deduce the owner¡¯s location with ease but could also use the scroll to glimpse the threads of cause and effect surrounding it. Through the formation, she saw a man standing on a Heavenly Staircase, gazing at a thunder dragon above. She saw her own disciple standing beside the man, feeding her Dao Lotus into his mouth. She saw the man enduring the tribulation, taking the scroll, and giving it to her disciple. And that man¡¯s name was¡ªXu Ming. ¡°How is this possible? Someone with severed spiritual roots¡­ how could he cultivate?¡± A moment later, after understanding the cause and effect, Wangxuan opened her eyes and spoke calmly, ¡°There¡¯s no need to look for him anymore. I just deduced that he survived the ordeal. He¡¯s injured, but his life is not in danger. What¡¯s important now is for you to return to Tianxuan Sect with me immediately. ¡°Your cultivation thus far has been focused on nurturing the Dao Lotus. That Dao Lotus was essentially your foundation. But now that you¡¯ve given it to Xu Ming, your foundation has been damaged. You need to return to Tianxuan Sect to remedy this as soon as possible, or you¡¯ll never reach the Jade Purity Realm in this lifetime!¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Qin Qingwan¡¯s cheeks flushed. ¡°Master, how do you know all this?¡± Wangxuan sighed helplessly. ¡°How could I not know your little schemes? There¡¯s nothing I can¡¯t deduce.¡± Qin Qingwan¡¯s tone grew anxious as she pleaded coquettishly, ¡°Master, please have mercy. Let me just go see Xu Ming for a moment. I¡¯ll feel at ease once I know he¡¯s okay. Then I¡¯ll come back with you, I promise!¡± ¡°Qingwan, stop this nonsense.¡± This time, Wangxuan didn¡¯t give in to her disciple¡¯s wishes. ¡°Do you have any idea what state your body is in right now? Every moment we delay only makes it worse!¡± Hearing her master¡¯s stern tone, Qin Qingwan lowered her head. She knew he was genuinely angry. Her master rarely got angry. Seeing his disciple¡¯s dejected expression, Wangxuan let out a heavy sigh. ¡°You¡­ That Dao Lotus of yours could have become your life-bound artifact. When you reached the Dragon Gate Realm, it could have elevated you even higher. ¡°When you entered the Golden Core Realm, it would have transformed into a Lotus Golden Core, ensuring an unobstructed path in your cultivation until the Jade Purity Realm. ¡°Your cultivation base would have naturally surpassed most people in quality. And even after reaching the Jade Purity Realm, that Dao Lotus would have become a bridge for you to connect with the laws of heaven and earth. ¡°But now, all of that is gone. Tell me, was it worth it?¡± From his deduction through the Baiwa Scroll, Wangxuan had only seen that Xu Ming was undergoing a tribulation to become the master of the Baiwa Secret Realm and that he was on the verge of failure before Qin Qingwan intervened to help him. She didn¡¯t know that if Xu Ming failed, everyone would be trapped inside the scroll, nor that the Black God Sect was using the scroll¡¯s light pillar to capture cultivators, potentially dooming them all. But even if she knew, Wangxuan wouldn¡¯t have cared. Her disciple, born with a natural Dao body, could adapt to the laws of any secret realm or miniature world and would never be expelled. The light pillar of the Baiwa Secret Realm would never fall on her. Even if Xu Ming failed and everyone else became trapped in the scroll, her disciple could connect with the Dao laws upon entering the Dragon Gate Realm and leave the scroll on her own. ¡°Xu Ming is fine,¡± Wangxuan said with a trace of regret in her voice. ¡°Hm?¡± Qin Qingwan looked up at her master with sparkling eyes and said softly, ¡°As long as Xu Ming is okay, it was all worth it.¡± Chapter 158 [You defeated Mo Bai of the Lanshu Sect: Strength +10, Constitution +20.] [You defeated Qin Wen of the Yinquan Sect: Mana +20.] [You defeated¡­] [You defeated Zhuang Yan of the Wanjian Sect: Sword Qi +50, Sword Intent +50, Sword Dao Comprehension +50.] Night had already fallen. Although Xu Ming wanted to hurry to the nearest town and find a safe place to recuperate, the surrounding area was teeming with magical beasts. Moreover, before the collapse of the Lava Heart Cavern, quite a few beasts had likely escaped into the area. In his current condition, even a random fifth-rank magical beast could easily kill him with a single blow. Traveling now was far too risky. So Xu Ming decided to rest in a cave with Shen Shengsheng and set out again in the morning. Sitting on the ground, Xu Ming gnawed on a piece of roasted wild boar while listening to a series of notifications ringing in his head. These were the attribute points awarded by the system after his earlier battles. The system hadn¡¯t given them during the fight, as rewards were only distributed once he was out of combat. [You endured the Nine Heavens Lightning Tribulation: Lightning Affinity +1000, Constitution +500, Dao Comprehension +200. Acquired: Nine Heavens Cloud Thunder Sword (Second-Tier Magical Artifact).] [Nine Heavens Cloud Thunder Sword: With a deafening roar of thunder, you enter the scene, sword in hand. It can¡¯t slash the heavens or the earth, but it can certainly cut down your enemies. Wield this sword, and you¡¯ll be the flashiest guy on the block.] [You obtained the Baiwa Secret Realm and became its master, receiving: ¡°Dao Rain Talisman (Blueprint),¡± 5 Dao Rain Talismans, 1000 catties of Purple Dew Spirit Rice seeds, and 5 portions of Ancient Divine Beast Bloodlines (usable only by native inhabitants of Baiwa Secret Realm).] [Dao Rain Talisman: Each use summons a Dao rain over the Baiwa Secret Realm, enhancing its spiritual energy and increasing its Dao fortune.] [Purple Dew Spirit Rice: Boosts the spiritual energy of demon clans in the Baiwa Secret Realm and aids in their cultivation.] [Ancient Divine Beast Bloodlines: Includes Shengyu, Qilin, Tengshe, Xuanwu, and Chenghuang bloodlines. When used by demon clan cultivators, it purifies their bloodline, aiding in atavism. Note: This only assists in atavism and does not guarantee it. Ultimately, the greatest factor is the cultivator¡¯s own effort.] [You battled Qi Hui of the Black God Sect in a hard-fought duel: Physical Limit +50, Fist Qi +50, Warrior¡¯s True Qi +100, Body Strength +100. Rewarded: Yin-Blood Hairpin.] [Yin-Blood Hairpin: Placed on the forehead, it conceals the presence of a magical beast bloodline. Detected that the host is traveling with Shen Shengsheng, which may attract trouble; therefore, this reward is provided.] [You clashed with Bi Fang and Yan Huo of the Jade Purity Realm: Endurance +100, Fire Resistance +300. Rewarded: Small Qiankun Pouch.] [Small Qiankun Pouch: Market value of 500 mid-grade spirit stones. Though small, it offers a decent 100 cubic meters of storage. This pouch can be sold.] Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [All rewards have been distributed. A friendly reminder from the system: The gap in cultivation realms is too vast. No matter how talented you are, it¡¯s useless. Please stop risking your life unnecessarily.] As the system¡¯s voice faded from his mind, Xu Ming felt his body growing stronger. Though his injuries hadn¡¯t healed much, the improvements in his physical attributes made the pain seem insignificant. It was as if he previously had 1,000 HP and had lost 500 in battle. Now, with his HP increased to 10,000, the same 500 damage felt like a mere scratch. Of course, this was just a metaphor. In reality, Xu Ming estimated his maximum vitality had only increased by about 50%. ¡°Sizzle, sizzle¡­¡± The wild boar meat dripped with oil onto the campfire, producing an enticing crackling sound. Xu Ming sprinkled the meat with salt, cumin, and chili powder. While hunting earlier, he¡¯d also discovered a beehive and harvested some honey, which he now brushed over the roasting meat. The sweet and savory aroma filled the cave, making Shen Shengsheng gulp in anticipation. From birth until now, Shen Shengsheng had never encountered food as fragrant as this. Xu Ming used the Nine Heavens Cloud Thunder Sword to slice the roasted meat, placing it neatly onto lotus leaves. The sword itself might never have imagined that its first task after being forged wasn¡¯t to slay enemies but to serve as a kitchen knife. Speaking of which, the Nine Heavens Cloud Thunder Sword certainly had a grand name and a striking appearance. Its blade shimmered in a deep blue hue, its long and slender body etched with intricate lightning patterns. Yet, despite its impressive looks, it was merely a second-tier magical artifact. Magical artifacts were categorized into nine grades, separated into three tiers. Grades nine to one formed the first tier, above which were Celestial Weapons, and beyond those, Imperial Weapons. It¡¯s worth noting that ¡°Imperial Weapons¡± didn¡¯t refer to the weapons of mortal emperors but rather those wielded by Immortal Emperors. In truth, the so-called ¡°national treasures¡± of mortal empires typically fell into the category of Celestial Weapons. ¡°Just based on looks alone, this Nine Heavens Cloud Thunder Sword could easily pass for a Celestial Weapon, right? Why does it feel like it¡¯s all style and no substance?¡± Xu Ming held the sword horizontally, muttering to himself. Still, a second-tier magical artifact wasn¡¯t too bad. After all, even the core disciple of the Wanjian Sect only used a second-tier flying sword. Consoling himself, Xu Ming continued slicing the roasted meat. ¡°Here, eat up.¡± He handed a lotus leaf piled with about five pounds of roasted meat to Shen Shengsheng. She immediately grabbed the meat with her hands, eating with no thought of elegance or restraint. ¡°Slow down, there¡¯s plenty more if you¡¯re still hungry.¡± Watching Shen Shengsheng devour the meat with oil glistening around her mouth, Xu Ming cut another half-leg of the wild boar and placed it in front of her. Thoughtfully, he also prepared a bamboo tube filled with water, just in case she choked. While Shen Shengsheng feasted, Xu Ming decided to test some of the other rewards he had received from the system. Just like the talismans he had previously been rewarded with, the Dao Rain Talisman¡¯s blueprint was etched clearly into his mind. However, creating this Dao Rain Talisman gave Xu Ming a headache. The materials required were extraordinarily high-grade¡ªthe ink alone had to be made from the essence blood of a flood dragon! The cost of such a requirement was nearly unbearable. It became clear to him just how precious the system¡¯s reward of five single-use Dao Rain Talismans truly was. Xu Ming decided to use one as an experiment. Even though the Bai Wa Scroll was not currently in his possession, the system¡¯s rewards could be used directly through his connection to the Bai Wa Secret Realm. With just a thought, one of the talismans vanished. [You have used a Dao Rain Talisman on the Baiwa Secret Realm. The resulting Dao Rain will last for three days and three nights.] A system notification appeared in his mind. Xu Ming closed his eyes, and his awareness extended into the Baiwa Secret Realm. He could clearly sense a torrential rain falling within the realm, enriching its spiritual energy with every drop. Many cultivators within the secret realm quickly realized this rain was extraordinary. Some rushed to collect it in basins, while others stood out in the fields, welcoming the downpour to cleanse their bodies and souls. Most of the realm¡¯s inhabitants knelt on the ground, offering their gratitude to the Master of the Realm for such a divine blessing. Drawing his consciousness back from the secret realm, Xu Ming turned his attention to the five portions of Ancient Divine Beast Bloodlines stored in his spatial pouch. Now came the real question: Who in the secret realm should receive these bloodlines? Chapter 159 Xu Ming looked at the five strands of divine beast bloodlines in his hand and didn¡¯t know who to give them to for a moment. Perhaps he could hand them over to those demon clans he encountered on the Heavenly Staircase earlier, especially that toad. They seemed to be the strongest beings in the Baiwa Secret Realm. This way, these five strands of divine beast bloodlines could help them reach even greater heights. With that thought in mind, Xu Ming sent the five strands of divine beast bloodlines into the Toad Temple. Inside the temple, a toad holding a hammer and busily hammering away suddenly froze. Putting down the hammer, it turned around and respectfully bowed to the air, saying, ¡°Master.¡± For this toad to address Xu Ming as ¡°Master¡± was entirely reasonable. After all, Xu Ming was the lord of the secret realm, able to control everything within it, from the smallest blade of grass to the fate of any individual. Even if someone left the secret realm, Xu Ming would still exert a natural, innate suppression over them. In other words, as long as Xu Ming willed it within the secret realm, this toad could be destroyed in both body and soul. Of course, Xu Ming couldn¡¯t act recklessly. The heavenly laws had their own constraints, requiring balance. For instance, Xu Ming could make someone the longest-living individual in the secret realm, but he couldn¡¯t grant immortality to everyone. Otherwise, the laws governing the Baiwa Secret Realm would be damaged, leading to its premature collapse. Xu Ming¡¯s consciousness took the form of his own image, floating in the air. He glanced at the golden Buddha statue behind the toad. Interestingly, the golden statue didn¡¯t resemble the toad but rather had the appearance of a scholar. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Xu Ming asked. The toad replied, ¡°I am building a golden statue for you, Master.¡± Xu Ming chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re making a golden statue for me, but what about you?¡± The toad also smiled and said, ¡°Previously, when the Baiwa Secret Realm had no master, I was more powerful than others, so the residents of Baiwa City respected me and built this temple for me. Now that the Baiwa Secret Realm has a true god, how could I continue to claim this honor?¡± Xu Ming shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m just an ordinary person. This temple was originally built to honor someone else, so it should continue to honor that person. There¡¯s no need to change it. I won¡¯t meddle much in the Baiwa Secret Realm. If I take the incense offerings from the people but ignore their wishes, wouldn¡¯t that be wrong?¡± The toad replied, ¡°Master, you¡¯re too modest. As the lord of the Baiwa Secret Realm, it is only natural for you to receive incense offerings. If Master does not mind, I can help respond to the people¡¯s prayers on your behalf.¡± ¡°No need for that,¡± Xu Ming said, unwilling to become the kind of person who enjoyed benefits while letting others shoulder the burdens. ¡°Let everything continue as it was.¡± The toad hesitated but said, ¡°But Master, after the Dao rain you bestowed, the people are deeply grateful and wish to build a temple for you. This is their heartfelt desire.¡± Xu Ming thought for a moment. ¡°There¡¯s no need to build a temple. If they must do something, let them build a small statue for me in some remote area. But make sure they understand: worshiping me will bring no benefit, and they don¡¯t need to bow or offer incense.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the toad replied. Seeing Xu Ming¡¯s firm stance, it didn¡¯t press the matter further. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The toad couldn¡¯t help but feel deeply moved. In the outside world, if someone acquired a secret realm, they would undoubtedly exploit all its resources for personal gain, paying no attention to the well-being of the realm itself. But Master not only refrained from taking anything for himself, he even brought the blessing of Dao rain. ¡°Also, don¡¯t call me ¡®Master¡¯ anymore,¡± Xu Ming said. Xu Ming disliked the term. It made him feel as if the others were mere slaves, and no one was born to be someone else¡¯s servant. The toad blinked and hesitated. ¡°If I don¡¯t call you Master, then¡­?¡± It wasn¡¯t sure what to use instead. It couldn¡¯t just call him by his name, and ¡°Young Master¡± didn¡¯t seem appropriate either¡ªit would suggest they were equals. ¡°How about ¡®Lord¡¯?¡± the toad suggested after some thought. ¡°Anything but ¡®Master¡¯ will do,¡± Xu Ming nodded. ¡°I have five items for you,¡± Xu Ming said as he waved his sleeve. Five small statues of divine beasts appeared in mid-air and descended. The toad reached out and touched them. The moment its hand made contact, it felt an overwhelming pressure coursing through its bloodline. ¡°These five small statues contain divine beast bloodlines,¡± Xu Ming explained. ¡°They are the Shengyu bloodline, the Qilin bloodline, the Tengshe bloodline, the Xuanwu bloodline, and the Chenghuang bloodline. See which one suits you and choose one. As for the remaining four, give them to the demon clan members who stood in front of me on the Heavenly Staircase earlier.¡± ¡°Thank you for your generosity, Lord,¡± the toad replied, ¡°but I follow the path of the ancient Taotie. None of these precious bloodlines are suitable for me, so I won¡¯t take them.¡± ¡°What about the others?¡± Xu Ming asked. ¡°They likely won¡¯t suit them either,¡± the toad replied. ¡°The bird follows the path of the phoenix, which is fire-based, while Shengyu is water-based¡ªunsuitable for her. The tiger follows the ferocious path of the Zh¨¥ngn¨ª, and the wolf follows the path of the G¨§d¨¤n.¡± Xu Ming nodded. ¡°If their paths are incompatible, then place these five bloodlines in five directions of the Baiwa Secret Realm. Let fate decide who obtains them.¡± ¡°As you command, Lord.¡± The toad bowed in acknowledgment. Next, Xu Ming dropped a thousand jin of spirit rice, packed in cloth bags, one after another in front of the toad. ¡°Lord, what is this?¡± The toad felt an overwhelming surge of spiritual energy emanating from the piles of bags. ¡°Open them and see,¡± Xu Ming replied. With permission, the toad stepped forward and opened one of the bags. Inside was dazzling white rice¡ªspirit rice of an exceptionally high grade! ¡°These are spirit rice seeds,¡± Xu Ming explained. ¡°Find a suitable spot in the Baiwa Secret Realm and see if you can plant them. This spirit rice has a high yield and requires less stringent growing conditions than ordinary spirit rice. If it can be cultivated on a large scale, let the people of the Baiwa Secret Realm eat this rice.¡± Xu Ming wasn¡¯t entirely sure how productive this spirit rice would be or how easy it would be to grow. After all, spirit rice typically needed areas rich in spiritual energy and irrigation from spiritual springs. ¡°Yes, Lord. I¡¯ll make the arrangements tomorrow,¡± the toad assured him, though it couldn¡¯t help but marvel at the sheer wealth of its master. It had initially wondered how the Baiwa Secret Realm would sustain Xu Ming. But unexpectedly, it was Xu Ming who was sustaining the secret realm. ¡°That will be all,¡± Xu Ming said, his consciousness within the Baiwa Secret Realm beginning to fade. ¡°Oh, one more thing¡ªwhat¡¯s your name?¡± The toad shook its head. ¡°I have no name, Lord. The monk who saved me always just called me ¡®Toad.''¡± Xu Ming nodded thoughtfully. ¡°You should choose a name. Otherwise, I won¡¯t know how to address you.¡± The toad bowed low. ¡°Then I humbly ask the Lord to bestow a name upon me.¡± Xu Ming looked at the toad for a moment and then said, ¡°Yuan Yu. From now on, that will be your name.¡± ¡°Thank you, Lord,¡± the toad said, deeply moved. Xu Ming¡¯s consciousness faded completely. In the temple, the toad transformed into a chubby man dressed in a green robe. ¡°Yuan Yu,¡± the man murmured softly, savoring the sound. ¡°So this is my name.¡± Chapter 160 Xu Ming¡¯s consciousness exited the Baiwa Secret Realm. When he came back to himself, he found Shen Shengsheng staring at him, her mouth glistening with grease. In front of her lay the remains of a massive pork leg, stripped clean to the bone. Even the tiniest scraps of meat had been gnawed away. ¡°Still not full?¡± Xu Ming asked. Shen Shengsheng nodded. ¡°Wait a bit longer; this one¡¯s still roasting,¡± Xu Ming said. Shen Shengsheng understood and nodded again. Xu Ming glanced at the little girl¡¯s stomach. Even after devouring an entire pork leg, her belly hadn¡¯t so much as bulged. What is her stomach made of? How can she eat so much meat? Xu Ming roasted another pork leg and gave it to Shen Shengsheng. Even if she still wasn¡¯t full, it didn¡¯t matter. The wild boar weighed over 200 jin¡ªplenty of meat to spare, even if some went uneaten. After finishing two pork legs, Shen Shengsheng¡¯s belly finally showed a slight bulge, and she let out a satisfied burp. Xu Ming ate only a small portion for himself. ¡°Come here; I have something for you,¡± Xu Ming said after they had finished eating, motioning for Shen Shengsheng to come over. Shen Shengsheng glanced at him warily before cautiously approaching. Her reaction made Xu Ming want to laugh. If I wanted to harm her, I could¡¯ve just poisoned the food she was so happily devouring earlier. Finally, Shen Shengsheng stood in front of him. Xu Ming reached into his small spatial pouch and pulled out a flower-shaped adornment. It was red, styled like a plum blossom, but it wasn¡¯t an ordinary accessory. Instead, it resembled a temporary tattoo. Xu Ming pressed the flower onto Shen Shengsheng¡¯s forehead, firmly smoothing it down. After patting it a few times and peeling off the backing film, a vivid plum blossom appeared on her brow. Shen Shengsheng rolled her eyes upward, trying to see what Xu Ming had done to her forehead, but she couldn¡¯t see anything. Frustrated, she began rubbing at it with her small hands. ¡°Don¡¯t rub it off,¡± Xu Ming said, catching her hands. ¡°This is something I¡¯ve applied to your forehead to protect you. When you¡¯ve grown strong enough to defend yourself, you can remove it with spiritual power if you don¡¯t like it.¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± Shen Shengsheng nodded hesitantly, not entirely understanding. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Alright, it¡¯s late. Time to sleep,¡± Xu Ming said, closing his eyes to meditate. In truth, Xu Ming still wanted to sleep. Though he had reached the Cave Mansion Realm and no longer needed sleep, it was still the best way to restore physical and spiritual energy. But since he had to keep watch through the night, he could only rely on meditation instead. Shen Shengsheng sat in front of him, observing Xu Ming with his eyes closed and motionless. She glanced left and right, then cautiously extended a hand to poke his knee. Xu Ming ignored her. ¡°Awuuu¡­¡± Perhaps finding herself too bored, Shen Shengsheng wandered to a corner of the cave, curled up, and fell asleep, resembling a small, insecure animal. The night passed uneventfully. By the next morning, Xu Ming opened his eyes, his spiritual and physical energy significantly restored. At least now, if they encountered a magical beast, he wouldn¡¯t be completely helpless. He looked at the little girl curled up in the corner of the cave and walked over, intending to wake her up. As soon as he approached, Shen Shengsheng instinctively curled up tighter, her ears twitching slightly. ¡°Time to wake up,¡± Xu Ming said, patting her shoulder. ¡°Awuu!¡± ¡°Ahh!¡± Xu Ming let out a hiss of pain. Xu Ming remained unguarded, but Shen Shengsheng suddenly turned around and bit into his arm with a feral intensity, her eyes gleaming with a predatory light. Blood dripped steadily from Xu Ming¡¯s arm. As her consciousness gradually cleared, Shen Shengsheng¡¯s gaze softened, her eyes becoming clearer. She blinked, released her grip on Xu Ming¡¯s arm, and took two steps back. Squatting on the ground with her head lowered, her eyes brimmed with guilt. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Xu Ming said simply. He didn¡¯t blame her and stood up, heading toward the cave entrance. Shen Shengsheng hesitated for a moment, glancing around nervously, but ultimately followed him. Looking up at Xu Ming¡¯s arm, she noticed that the wound she had inflicted had already scabbed over. When they reached the foot of the mountain, Xu Ming noticed Shen Shengsheng was drenched in sweat. He stopped under a tree where a stone provided shade and sat down to rest. He handed her a water gourd. Shen Shengsheng took a few sips before passing it back, and Xu Ming drank some himself. As Xu Ming tilted his head back to drink, he felt a wet, ticklish sensation on his arm. Turning to look, he saw Shen Shengsheng leaning over, licking the wound on his arm with her tongue. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Xu Ming asked. ¡°Awuu¡­¡± Shen Shengsheng whimpered apologetically, pointing at his injury. Xu Ming understood. This little girl seemed to be apologizing in her own way, much like a small beast would, by licking his wound. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I don¡¯t blame you,¡± Xu Ming said. ¡°But you¡¯ll need to suppress your beastly instincts a bit. Otherwise, it¡¯ll cause trouble when you walk among humans.¡± ¡°Awuu¡­¡± Shen Shengsheng nodded, lowering her head again. ¡°Have you rested enough? We still have a long way to go,¡± Xu Ming asked. Shen Shengsheng quickly nodded, hopping off the rock and bouncing on her feet a few times as if to show her energy. Xu Ming chuckled, then continued leading her toward a city near Baiwa City. ¡°Brother Xu! Brother Xu!¡± They hadn¡¯t gone far when Xu Ming heard voices calling from the sky. From the sound, it seemed to be Yu Wenxi and Miao Feng. Just as Xu Ming was about to respond, he felt a powerful spiritual sense sweep across the sky, locking onto him. ¡°Grrrrr¡­¡± Standing beside Xu Ming, Shen Shengsheng sensed the immense pressure of the spiritual sense. She bared her teeth and growled lowly, her hair standing on end. ¡°It¡¯s fine; they¡¯re friends,¡± Xu Ming reassured her, patting her shoulder. His calm demeanor soothed Shen Shengsheng, and she stopped growling. ¡°Brother Xu! We finally found you!¡± ¡°Are you alright, Brother Xu?¡± Yu Wenxi and Miao Feng descended from the sky, accompanied by a middle-aged man. ¡°I¡¯m fine. As long as I¡¯m alive, that¡¯s what matters,¡± Xu Ming said with a smile, then glanced at the middle-aged man. ¡°And this is?¡± ¡°This is Lord Wang, the governor of Qingyang County,¡± Yu Wenxi introduced. ¡°Greetings, Lord Wang,¡± Xu Ming said, bowing politely. ¡°Haha, it¡¯s a relief that you¡¯re safe, Scholar Xu. Otherwise, I truly wouldn¡¯t know how to explain it to His Majesty,¡± Wang Jie said, laughing heartily. Seeing Xu Ming alive eased a great burden from Wang Jie¡¯s shoulders. As the future prince-consort of Wu Kingdom, Xu Ming¡¯s safety was of paramount importance. If anything had happened to him in Wang Jie¡¯s jurisdiction, he would surely have faced the emperor¡¯s wrath. ¡°Master Xu, who is this little girl?¡± Wang Jie asked, turning his gaze to Shen Shengsheng. The girl was undoubtedly human¡ªthere wasn¡¯t a trace of demonic energy about her. But why did she have horns growing from her head and dragon-like slit pupils? Chapter 161 Lord Wang Jie looked at the little girl beside Xu Ming, his heart filled with doubt. This little girl gave off a human-like aura, but she had horns on her head and vertical pupils in her eyes. Yet, strangely, there was no trace of demonic energy on her. ¡°I encountered some trouble earlier, and this girl saved me,¡± Xu Ming said, offering the explanation he had already prepared. ¡°Perhaps she¡¯s a half-blood between humans and demons. Her human bloodline seems to be dominant, so her demonic aura is faint.¡± ¡°That¡¯s certainly possible,¡± Wang Jie nodded. If the child was a half-blood of human and demon heritage, and further interbred with humans, it would indeed dilute the demonic aura to near nonexistence. Without dwelling further, Wang Jie summoned a flying boat, which carried Xu Ming and his companions toward the governor of Qingyang County. On the flying boat, through their conversations, Xu Ming learned that Yu Wenxi and the others, realizing the gravity of the situation, had gone to seek reinforcements. They had tried to recruit an elder from a nearby academy, but the elder was unavailable, and his disciples weren¡¯t strong enough to risk their lives for such a cause. Thus, they had no choice but to let it go. Fortunately, the governor of Qingyang County, Wang Jie, had come to their aid. Wang Jie was a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator who had served as an official for the dynasty for five years. Though serving as a government official would deplete one¡¯s life essence, the Wu Kingdom offered generous compensation. Wang Jie¡¯s term was ten years. Once completed, the Wu Kingdom would provide him with resources that could potentially allow him to break through, not only restoring the lost life essence but even leaving him with a surplus¡ªassuming he succeeded in advancing. ¡°Where¡¯s Qingwan? How is she?¡± Knowing Qingwan¡¯s personality, Xu Ming was certain she would be tirelessly searching for him. Yu Wenxi reassured him, ¡°Rest assured, Brother Xu, Miss Qin is safe. She¡¯s been taken away by Daoist Wang Xuan.¡± Miao Feng added, ¡°When we went looking for you, we happened to encounter Daoist Wang Xuan returning with Miss Qin. It was also Daoist Wang Xuan who guided us to your location. Otherwise, we might still be searching aimlessly.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief,¡± Xu Ming said, finally setting aside the last of his worries. That said, the fact that Elder Wang Xuan had arrived so quickly likely meant she had sensed something unusual about Qin Qingwan¡¯s Dao Lotus, confirming its importance to her. She had even placed a spell mark on it for protection. ¡°Zhuangyuan Lang (Top Scholar), I need you to recount the events in Baiwa City and what happened afterward,¡± Wang Jie said to Xu Ming. ¡°I must prepare an urgent memorial to send to Wudu.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Xu Ming agreed, nodding. He truthfully recounted everything that had transpired in the Baiwa Secret Realm and the Lava Heart Cave, including the experiments being conducted by the Black God Sect. Naturally, Xu Ming omitted any mention of Shen Shengsheng. He couldn¡¯t risk exposing her, unsure of what consequences she might face if her identity became known. Wang Jie, though shocked by Xu Ming¡¯s account, couldn¡¯t help but glance at the little girl beside him. He speculated whether she might be the result of some fusion experiment between humans and magical beasts. However, Wang Jie didn¡¯t question it directly, as it was clear Xu Ming was determined to protect her. In the end, Wang Jie instructed a healer to secretly take a drop of Shen Shengsheng¡¯s blood during her diagnosis. Upon examining the blood, Wang Jie discovered it contained both human and demon characteristics but lacked any trace of magical beast corruption. Xu Ming and Shen Shengsheng were assigned to a courtyard within the governor¡¯s residence. Every day, a healer would deliver medicine to Xu Ming to aid his recovery. In the courtyard, as Xu Ming recuperated from his injuries, he reflected on the battles he had experienced in recent days. One thought occupied his mind¡ªhow could he merge his martial qi with his spiritual energy? From an early stage, Xu Ming had realized that the martial qi and spiritual energy within him couldn¡¯t be used simultaneously. For example, when he threw a punch, the power of that punch came from his physical strength and martial qi, but it couldn¡¯t incorporate spiritual energy. Similarly, when he swung his sword infused with spiritual energy, he couldn¡¯t channel martial qi into it. At first, Xu Ming thought this was due to his low cultivation level. However, as his cultivation advanced, he discovered that the higher his realm, the more his martial qi and spiritual energy repelled each other. It now seemed clear why most cultivators didn¡¯t pursue both body cultivation and spiritual cultivation¡ªit wasn¡¯t just because of the immense effort required, but also because the two disciplines didn¡¯t result in a simple 1+1=2 increase in power. Despite this, Xu Ming still aspired to master both disciplines. After all, having an additional skill was akin to having an extra path of survival, and the resilience of a martial cultivator¡¯s body was undeniably advantageous. Meanwhile, Shen Shengsheng shared the same courtyard with Xu Ming. Every day, Shen Shengsheng seemed unsure of what to do with herself, often sitting in the courtyard, lost in thought. She didn¡¯t cultivate, nor did she know how to. Her happiest moments each day were when it was time to eat. Over the past few days, Xu Ming had been trying to teach Shen Shengsheng how to speak. While she occasionally managed to utter a few words, her progress was slow and challenging. Xu Ming also taught her to recognize words. Shen Shengsheng¡¯s intelligence wasn¡¯t a significant issue¡ªshe was just slightly below average compared to others her age, but it wasn¡¯t too bad. The real challenge was her restlessness. Perhaps due to her beastly nature, she found it hard to sit still for long. Six days later, Xu Ming bid farewell to Wang Jie, the governor of Qingyang County. Yu Wenxi and Miao Feng also needed to return to White Deer Academy to report on their mission. ¡°Brother Xu, during your journey across the world, if you ever have time, feel free to visit White Deer Academy as our guest,¡± Yu Wenxi invited him warmly. Xu Ming nodded. ¡°After visiting Tianxuan Sect, I still need to make a trip to the Wanjian Sect. If I have time, I¡¯ll definitely come find you two for a drink.¡± ¡°Haha, I¡¯m afraid someone might not let Brother Xu drink by then,¡± Miao Feng teased with a laugh. Xu Ming frowned. ¡°Hmm?¡± Yu Wenxi froze for a moment. ¡°Brother Xu, you don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°Know what?¡± Xu Ming asked, puzzled. ¡°Well¡­¡± Yu Wenxi began, only for Miao Feng to nudge him in the side with his elbow. Miao Feng quickly bowed. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. We¡¯ll wait for Brother Xu at the academy. Please take care on your journey.¡± ¡°You too,¡± Xu Ming replied, returning the gesture. The four of them parted ways, heading in two different directions¡ªXu Ming toward Tianxuan Sect, while Yu Wenxi and Miao Feng flew back to White Deer Academy. Once they were out of earshot, Yu Wenxi asked Miao Feng, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you let me tell him? The talented girl from our academy has been waiting for Brother Xu for so long.¡± Miao Feng sighed. ¡°Why bring it up? It looks like Brother Xu isn¡¯t aware of Miss Zhu¡¯s feelings. Besides, back in the Baiwa Secret Realm, didn¡¯t you see his relationship with that Miss Qin?¡± ¡°You think Miss Zhu is infatuated with him?¡± Yu Wenxi clicked his tongue. ¡°The third-ranked beauty on the Beauty Rankings, secretly pining for a man but unable to win his heart¡­ If word of this got out, the entire world would be jealous of Brother Xu.¡± Miao Feng chuckled. ¡°The fourth-ranked princess of the Wu Kingdom is also on that list, and Brother Xu turned down her marriage proposal. What do you say to that?¡± S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Yu Wenxi fell silent. What was there to say? Comparing oneself to Xu Ming was simply maddening. The fifth-ranked Qin Qingwan had an ambiguous relationship with Brother Xu, clearly with a story behind it. The fourth-ranked Wu Kingdom princess had her proposal rejected by him. And now, the third-ranked Zhu Cici from White Deer Academy was likely infatuated with him. ¡°You tell me,¡± Yu Wenxi said, sighing with frustration. ¡°I think I look quite similar to Brother Xu. So why doesn¡¯t Miss Qingqing like me?¡± Miao Feng rolled his eyes. ¡°Do you have the guts to face hundreds of both human and demon cultivators alone?¡± Yu Wenxi: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Can you self-learn sword techniques and defeat a core disciple of the Wanjian Sect?¡± Miao Feng continued. Yu Wenxi: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Can you carry an entire city on your back and step onto the Heavenly Staircase one step at a time?¡± Yu Wenxi: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Can you survive the Nine Heavens Lightning Tribulation?¡± Yu Wenxi: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Can you write Butterfly Loves the Flower and The Rejection of Marriage?¡± Yu Wenxi hurriedly waved his hands in surrender. ¡°Alright, alright, stop. I get it. I think it makes perfect sense why Brother Xu is so admired. Let¡¯s just head back already.¡± Five days later, Yu Wenxi and Miao Feng returned to White Deer Academy. The first thing they did upon their return was report to their teacher. After hearing their report, the Jijiu (Sacrificial Wine) of White Deer Academy, Guan Yan, realized the severity of the Black God Sect¡¯s actions and immediately reported it to the academy¡¯s headmaster. How White Deer Academy decided to handle the Black God Sect was now a matter for the institution and no longer involved Yu Wenxi and Miao Feng. The two returned to their shared quarters to rest. White Deer Academy had limited housing. For ¡°Gentlemen of the Academy¡± like Yu Wenxi and Miao Feng, two people shared a room, while ¡°Scholars of the Academy¡± shared rooms with four people. Naturally, noble guests from royalty or aristocracy were given private rooms¡ªthey were, after all, esteemed visitors, and neglecting them would be improper. The next day, while Miao Feng was reading in their room, Yu Wenxi hurriedly walked in. ¡°Stop reading¡ªwe have a guest.¡± ¡°A guest?¡± Miao Feng looked up, puzzled. ¡°Who?¡± Yu Wenxi smirked, looking like he was enjoying the drama. ¡°You¡¯ll see when you get there. But let¡¯s make this clear¡ªif we slip up and Brother Xu blames us, we¡¯ll face it together.¡± Hearing this, Miao Feng immediately guessed who the visitor might be. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Miao Feng said, putting down his book. ¡°As long as we don¡¯t mention Miss Qin, it should be fine.¡± The two went to the courtyard, where they saw a stunning woman dressed in a black gown waiting for them. ¡°Greetings, Senior Brothers,¡± Zhu Cici said, placing her hands gently in front of her and bowing slightly. ¡°Greetings, Martial Uncle Zhu,¡± Yu Wenxi and Miao Feng responded, returning the bow. Zhu Cici was the personal disciple of the academy headmaster, so her seniority was quite high. Thus, Yu Wenxi and Miao Feng were required to address her as ¡°Martial Uncle.¡± However, Zhu Cici had always felt that, having joined White Deer Academy later in life, she didn¡¯t deserve such a title. So she preferred to address most people as ¡°Senior Brother¡± or ¡°Senior Sister,¡± which led to some rather awkward exchanges like this one. ¡°Please, don¡¯t call me ¡®Martial Uncle.¡¯ It feels strange,¡± Zhu Cici said with a smile. ¡°Just call me Cici, like everyone else.¡± Since they didn¡¯t interact much with Zhu Cici and also found the title awkward, Yu Wenxi and Miao Feng nodded in agreement. ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°Please, have a seat, Cici,¡± Miao Feng said, gesturing for her to sit. As Yu Wenxi prepared tea, he asked, ¡°What brings you to see us, Cici?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing much,¡± Zhu Cici replied with a smile. ¡°Teacher asked me to check on you two and see if your injuries require anything for treatment.¡± Yu Wenxi and Miao Feng both knew that Zhu Cici¡¯s inquiry about their injuries was likely just an excuse. Her real purpose was probably to ask about Brother Xu. ¡°Thank you and the headmaster for your concern,¡± Miao Feng said. ¡°We¡¯re fine, really. We owe our safe return entirely to a certain friend.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Zhu Cici¡¯s eyes lit up at the mention, clearly intrigued. She decided to forgo subtlety and asked directly, ¡°May I ask who this benefactor is?¡± Yu Wenxi answered, ¡°Speaking of him, you probably know him, Cici. He¡¯s that talented scholar from the Wu Kingdom, the one who, as a child, dedicated a poem to you¡ªXu Ming.¡± ¡°So it¡¯s him¡­¡± Zhu Cici¡¯s cheeks flushed slightly. ¡°How¡­ how is he?¡± As Zhu Cici asked the question, her bright eyes sparkled with emotion. The joy of hearing her beloved¡¯s name, coupled with the shy eagerness to learn more about him, was almost overflowing from her expressive gaze. Seeing this, both Yu Wenxi and Miao Feng couldn¡¯t help but feel their hearts race. No wonder she was ranked third on the Beauty List. Brother Xu is truly blessed. Yu Wenxi nodded with a smile. ¡°He¡¯s doing very well. Back in the Baiwa Secret Realm, when we were being bullied and everyone else stood by, it was Brother Xu who stepped forward to help us. When we asked him why he helped, he said it was because he had an old acquaintance at White Deer Academy, so naturally, he couldn¡¯t just stand by.¡± ¡°An old acquaintance¡­¡± Zhu Cici murmured softly, lowering her head as she repeated the words. Her delicate face was flushed with joy and shyness, as if she had already assumed she was the ¡°old acquaintance¡± Xu Ming was referring to. Miao Feng, who was standing to the side, sighed inwardly and stomped on Yu Wenxi¡¯s foot, signaling him to stop speaking nonsense. Miao Feng knew Yu Wenxi¡¯s intent¡ªhe was trying to maintain Brother Xu¡¯s image in Zhu Cici¡¯s heart. But making up stories like this? What if something went wrong? After all, back then, Xu Ming had clearly said he helped because of Mr. Xiao. Yu Wenxi shot Miao Feng a helpless glance as if to say, ¡°Could you really bear to see such a devoted girl get hurt?¡± Miao Feng looked again at the girl in front of him and fell silent. Yu Wenxi pressed on. ¡°I¡¯m guessing the ¡®old acquaintance¡¯ Brother Xu mentioned must be you, Cici. If it weren¡¯t for you, we might not have received his help. Right, Miao Feng?¡± ¡°Huh? Uh¡­ yes.¡± Honest Miao Feng nodded, going against his conscience. ¡°There¡¯s no need to say such things, Senior Brothers,¡± Zhu Cici said with a shy smile. ¡°Perhaps the ¡®old acquaintance¡¯ Xu Ming mentioned wasn¡¯t referring to me. Besides, even if there wasn¡¯t any ¡®old acquaintance,¡¯ I believe Xu Ming would still step in to help.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Yu Wenxi nodded. ¡°Brother Xu really is a great person. Otherwise, Miss Qin wouldn¡¯t have¡ªah!¡± Before Yu Wenxi could finish his sentence, Miao Feng stomped on his foot again, this time with even more force. It was only then that Yu Wenxi realized he had said too much. Zhu Cici tilted her head slightly, her curiosity piqued. ¡°Miss Qin wouldn¡¯t have what? Senior Brother, are you referring to Qin Qingwan?¡± Chapter 162 ¡°Senior brother, the Miss Qin you mentioned earlier, are you referring to Qin Qingwan?¡± Zhu Cici looked seriously at Yu Wenxi and Miao Feng, her expression tinged with a trace of nervousness. It was as if she were worried that her long-separated lover had found someone new during her absence. ¡°Well¡­¡± Yu Wenxi glanced at Miao Feng. Miao Feng nodded calmly. ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s Miss Qin. The very same Miss Qin from the Tianxuan Sect. She also went to the Baiwa Secret Realm. The few of us collaborated inside the realm and helped each other to escape. However, it was mostly thanks to Brother Xu.¡± Zhu Cici pressed her lips lightly. ¡°Are their relationship still close?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Miao Feng carefully chose his words. ¡°From what we observed, their relationship does seem close. But that¡¯s only natural¡ªthey grew up together, after all. It¡¯s just the kind of bond between childhood friends.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Zhu Cici said slowly, her expression visibly relaxing. Yu Wenxi glanced at Miao Feng, thinking, You talk about Brother Xu and Miss Qin¡¯s relationship as if they¡¯re just ordinary friends. But where do they look like just ordinary friends? Have you ever seen ¡®ordinary friends¡¯ willing to stand by someone¡¯s side and face death together? Miao Feng returned Yu Wenxi¡¯s gaze, his expression saying, What else could I say? Besides, Miao Feng didn¡¯t think he was entirely wrong. From his perspective, Brother Xu and Miss Qin did look like just friends. Whether they were more than that, how would he know? ¡°Mr. Xu has helped our academy greatly. Haven¡¯t the two senior brothers invited him to our academy for a drink?¡± Zhu Cici asked with a smile. Yu Wenxi replied, ¡°Of course, we have. But Brother Xu said he wanted to continue traveling the world. He promised that if he passed by White Deer Academy and had the time, he would visit. After all, our academy is quite far from the Wu Kingdom.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Miao Feng added. ¡°Brother Xu plans to return to the capital next year to participate in the selection for the Rootless Secret Realm. He likely won¡¯t have much free time.¡± Both Yu Wenxi and Miao Feng knew exactly what Zhu Cici was hinting at. She wanted to ask, When will Xu Ming come to the academy? But how could they say, Brother Xu plans to visit the Tianxuan Sect and the Wanjian Sect, but he probably won¡¯t come to White Deer Academy? That wouldn¡¯t do. ¡°That makes sense. The Rootless Secret Realm will be opening for the last time. There are many opportunities within it¡ªit¡¯s not to be missed,¡± Zhu Cici said with a nod of understanding. Even so, a trace of disappointment flickered in her eyes. ¡°Could I trouble the two senior brothers to describe what Mr. Xu looks like now?¡± Zhu Cici collected herself and smiled. ¡°It¡¯s been years since I last saw him. Mr. Xu once gifted me a poem, and I ought to return the favor. But I fear that when we meet again, I won¡¯t recognize him, which would be most impolite.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Yu Wenxi replied after some thought. He then began to describe seriously, ¡°Brother Xu is tall and lean, five inches taller than me, dressed in a blue robe¡­¡± Yu Wenxi carefully recounted Xu Ming¡¯s appearance, and Zhu Cici listened intently, not missing a single word. After an incense stick¡¯s time, Zhu Cici rose and bowed. ¡°I won¡¯t trouble the two senior brothers any further. If there¡¯s anything you need, please don¡¯t hesitate to ask.¡± Yu Wenxi and Miao Feng quickly stood and returned the bow. ¡°Many thanks.¡± Zhu Cici turned and left the courtyard. As they watched her elegant figure retreat, both Yu Wenxi and Miao Feng breathed a sigh of relief. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Brother Xu¡­ this is as much as we can help you. Back in her room, Zhu Cici took out her brush, ink, and a blank scroll. She closed her eyes and carefully recalled Yu Wenxi and Miao Feng¡¯s detailed description of Xu Ming. After a long time, she finally picked up the brush, rolled up her sleeves, and, with her imagination, began to paint stroke by stroke the image of Xu Ming in her heart. An hour later, Zhu Cici set down her brush. On the scroll before the young lady, a man dressed in a blue robe stood atop a mountain, gazing skyward. His elegance and carefree demeanor were vividly captured. As she gazed at the painting, the girl¡¯s eyes shimmered softly. She murmured as if speaking to herself, ¡°Is this how you look, the way I imagine you?¡± ¡°Cici, Cici!¡± Just as Zhu Cici was lost in thought, staring at the painting, a familiar voice called out from the courtyard. Before she could hide the scroll, Xia Wei pushed the door open and walked right in. ¡°You little rascal, don¡¯t you know how to knock?¡± Zhu Cici quickly turned around and stepped forward to block the painting behind her, shielding it from Xia Wei¡¯s view. ¡°What are you talking about? I¡¯ve never knocked when entering your room before!¡± Xia Wei said cheerfully. ¡°I¡¯ve got good news for you!¡± Zhu Cici asked, ¡°What¡¯s the good news?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Xia Wei¡¯s gaze drifted to the scroll behind Zhu Cici. ¡°Cici, what¡¯s that on your desk?¡± ¡°Nothing much, just a casual landscape painting to pass the time,¡± Zhu Cici replied, her cheeks slightly flushed. She grabbed Xia Wei by the arm and said, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s talk in the courtyard. It¡¯s a bit stuffy in here during summer.¡± ¡°No, no! Something¡¯s off with you. Let me see what you¡¯ve painted!¡± Xia Wei made a move toward the painting. ¡°There¡¯s really nothing to see!¡± Wherever Xia Wei¡¯s eyes darted, Zhu Cici blocked her view. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing, then why are you acting so guilty? Tell me, are you painting some sort of¡­ romantic art?¡± Xia Wei asked teasingly. ¡°How could I¡ªhey! Xia Wei, stop right there!¡± Taking advantage of Zhu Cici¡¯s brief distraction, Xia Wei slipped past her and stood before the scroll. On the scroll was the image of a handsome man. ¡°Hmph, and you said you weren¡¯t daydreaming,¡± Xia Wei said with a mischievous smile. ¡°Who¡¯s this dashing man you¡¯ve painted?¡± Zhu Cici turned her head away. ¡°I¡¯m not telling you.¡± Raising her chin, Xia Wei smirked. ¡°Even if you don¡¯t tell me, I can guess. You¡¯re so devoted¡ªit must be Xu Ming, isn¡¯t it?¡± Caught red-handed, Zhu Cici¡¯s cheeks flushed red. ¡°But wait,¡± Xia Wei said, suddenly puzzled. ¡°Cici, have you even seen what your childhood sweetheart looks like as an adult?¡± ¡°No, I haven¡¯t,¡± Zhu Cici admitted, her cheeks reddening further. ¡°The two Senior Brothers Yu Wenxi and Miao Feng have seen him. I painted this based on their description and my own imagination.¡± ¡°You little dreamer¡­ Just how much did you embellish him? This looks better than Young Master Xu of Wei Kingdom, who¡¯s supposedly the most handsome man in the world! Can Xu Ming really look as good as this?¡± Xia Wei said, exasperated. ¡°For others, I don¡¯t know,¡± Zhu Cici replied, her eyes curving into a smile. ¡°But in my heart, this is how he looks.¡± Chapter 163 The Southern Realm. In the Southern Realm, over ten thousand demon kingdoms coexist, large and small. Some demon kingdoms are no bigger than a single city of the human race, while others rival the size of the ten great human dynasties. In this chaotic land, wars between kingdoms are a daily occurrence. Some demon kingdoms are destroyed, others are annexed, and some are fractured into smaller states. Amid this turbulence, only ten demon kingdoms remain standing firm, resembling the great dynasties of the human race. Among these is a kingdom called Wanxiang. This day, Wanxiang was shaken to its core. The eldest princess, who had disappeared ten years ago¡ªthe sole bloodline of Wanxiang¡¯s former emperor, Princess Bai Li Bing¡ªhad returned. There was no need for blood tests or verification of her identity. The White Phoenix-Honghu bloodline flowing through Bai Li Bing¡¯s veins was the ultimate proof. When Bai Li Bing, escorted by a Black Dog and a Bi Fang, approached the demon capital of Wanxiang, the civil and military officials were already lined up outside the city to welcome her. As she walked forward, her gaze swept over the officials¡ªsome familiar, some strangers. Bai Li Bing showed no trace of fear or hesitation, striding confidently onward. Upon returning to the palace, she bathed under the service of palace maids and changed into the royal attire of the Wanxiang imperial family. When Bai Li Bing stepped into the imperial study, her expression wavered slightly. Ten years ago, in this very room, her father had been sitting here reviewing memorials, while her mother stood by his side, attending to him. When she had free time, she would often come into the palace to visit. But now, her father had perished in the rebellion, all her brothers were dead, and her mother¡¯s fate remained unknown¡ªeither deceased or missing. In this vast palace, she was the only one left. During her journey back to Wanxiang, Bai Li Bing had learned some of the truth. Her bloodline had been sealed by her mother, who then sent her away from Wanxiang. After that, her mother disappeared without a trace. Beyond that, she knew little of what had transpired. The prime minister of Wanxiang and the grand protector had led forces loyal to the imperial family in a struggle against the rebels. After three years, the court succeeded in quelling the rebellion. All the rebel princes and dukes were executed, and peace was restored to Wanxiang. But now, the so-called peace was merely a fa?ade. With all the imperial princes dead and the eldest princess presumed dead by many, there were calls to have a collateral branch of the royal family take the throne. However, the prime minister and the grand protector refused, declaring it too early to pass the throne to a collateral line as the princess might still be found. Despite opposition from many, the officials could not reach a consensus. Each faction had its own candidate for the throne, unable to agree on a single successor. Thus, the throne was left vacant under the pretext of ¡°searching for the princess.¡± In the meantime, national affairs were handled jointly by the prime minister and the cabinet. The rebellion had been suppressed with the support of several dukes and generals, but not out of sheer loyalty to the imperial family. Some were indeed loyal, but many were merely choosing sides, seeking to maximize their gains. After the rebellion, the lands of the defeated rebel dukes were divided and distributed as rewards. As a result, the power of the remaining dukes and lords not only remained intact but grew stronger. Though Wanxiang appeared to be a vast and unified kingdom, it was on the brink of fracturing. If not for the countless demon clans eyeing Wanxiang hungrily, and the proximity of the human Wu Kingdom, which demanded a semblance of unity, the kingdom might have already splintered. Moreover, the Bai royal family¡¯s centuries-old practice of cultivating loyalists served as another stabilizing factor. Otherwise, the dukes and generals might have declared independence long ago. Bai Li Bing sat in her father¡¯s chair, lost in thought. Her heart was filled with a complex mix of emotions, a turmoil she could not easily put into words. She thought of her mother, her father, and that person who often called her ¡°Big Silly Goose.¡± Bai Li Bing knew full well that the wisest choice would have been not to return. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Even if she came back, what could she truly achieve? Could she command the court officials? Could she make the powerful dukes submit to her authority? In the eyes of most, she was nothing more than a puppet, a tool for maintaining the balance of their power. But Bai Li Bing also knew she had no choice but to return. She had come back for those who could never return. For her deceased father, for her fallen brothers, and for her mother, whose fate remained unknown. She had to protect this kingdom, to ensure it didn¡¯t fall into the hands of others. And could she truly stay away? If she didn¡¯t return, it would bring endless trouble to Xu Ming. ¡°Your Highness, it is time to meet the court officials,¡± said Bifang Miao Huo, who had already changed into palace attire and now stood by Bai Li Bing¡¯s side as her personal guard. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Bai Li Bing nodded. In the history of Wanxiang, female rulers were not unheard of. Even though Bai Li Bing was a woman, she could still ascend the throne. However, there was a formal process to follow. ¡°Her Highness, the Princess, has arrived!¡± In the grand Fengming Hall, Bifang¡¯s voice echoed continuously. The officials, who had been waiting, immediately knelt in greeting. ¡°Greetings to Your Highness!¡± Bai Li Bing walked up to the throne on the high platform but, in the end, sat on a chair next to it instead. ¡°Your Highness¡¯s return is a blessing for Wanxiang!¡± proclaimed one official loudly. ¡°Now, more than ever, the kingdom needs Your Highness to preside over its affairs!¡± ¡°Your Highness must safeguard Wanxiang!¡± ¡°Your Highness must safeguard Wanxiang!¡± One after another, the officials knelt and bowed, imploring Bai Li Bing to take charge. On the surface, it appeared as though they were eager for her to ascend the throne. In reality, Bai Li Bing knew they had no choice. Her ascension wasn¡¯t just because she was the princess of Wanxiang¡ªit was the result of a carefully calculated balance of power among the factions. Her gaze swept across the room¡ªPrime Minister Qi Shan, Grand Protector Lin Wu, National Preceptor Guang Chen, the Minister of Personnel, and many others. Feeling the weight of her gaze, some officials grew uneasy. They couldn¡¯t tell what she was thinking, and a few even felt quietly frustrated. Hurry up and decline the throne a few times! they thought. We¡¯ll implore you again, you¡¯ll refuse two or three times, and then it¡¯ll be done. Everyone saves face, and you obediently become the figurehead we need. But. The princess said nothing. Bai Li Bing stood, walked to the throne, and sat upon it without hesitation. She extended her hand and said: ¡°Rise, my loyal subjects.¡± Xu Ming, you always spoke of the filth of court politics. Now, I¡¯ll see it for myself. Chapter 164 Leaving the Qingyang County, Xu Ming took Shen Shengsheng and headed toward Tianxuan Sect. Since time was still relatively abundant¡ªhaving left the imperial capital less than half a year ago and with over a year remaining before he needed to return to Wudu to participate in the selection for the Rootless Secret Realm¡ªXu Ming wasn¡¯t in too much of a hurry. After reaching Tianxuan Sect, his priority was to figure out the consequences of Qingwan losing her Dao Lotus and whether there was any way to remedy it. ¡°Have you heard the news?¡± ¡°Heard what?¡± ¡°About Baiwa City, that border city in Qingyang County.¡± ¡°Baiwa City? What about it?¡± ¡°Baiwa City is now nothing but an open plain. The entire city, along with the mountains spanning dozens of miles around it, has vanished without a trace. It¡¯s like the city never existed at all.¡± ¡°Huh? How did that happen?¡± ¡°I heard it turned into a secret realm, merging into a scroll painting. Now, immortals from various sects are fighting over it.¡± ¡°And who ended up with it?¡± ¡°Our kingdom¡¯s prince consort¡ªXu Ming!¡± ¡°The prince consort? Is he really that powerful?¡± ¡°Exactly! I¡¯ve heard the same. But apparently, his methods weren¡¯t entirely honorable.¡± ¡°Not honorable? How so?¡± ¡°Well, from what I heard, the son of the Tianxuan Sect Master had formed an alliance to fight against a demon from Baiwa City. In the end, our prince consort swooped in and took advantage of the situation.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I heard too. They say he worked with a few others, set up an array, and then claimed the scroll.¡± ¡°Is that what happened? I heard a different story¡ªthat those people tried to besiege the prince consort, and only after he secured the Baiwa Secret Realm did he release them.¡± ¡°I also heard the prince consort tricked Fairy Qin. She was the one who originally obtained the scroll, but he managed to deceive her and take it away.¡± ¡°Fairy Qin? Which Fairy Qin?¡± ¡°Who else could it be? It¡¯s Qin Qingwan from the Qin Family Manor, currently training at Tianxuan Sect.¡± ¡°The prince consort doesn¡¯t seem like the type to do such things.¡± ¡°Who knows?¡± In a corner of a bustling tavern, diners chattered animatedly. Seated at one of the tables were a young man and a little girl. The girl wore a straw hat, its wide brim concealing the pair of small horns on her head. She eyed the sumptuous dishes laid out on the table and reached out to grab a large drumstick with her bare hands. But just as her small hand was about to touch the drumstick, the young man tapped her palm lightly with a pair of chopsticks. ¡°Ow!¡± The little girl withdrew her hand and looked up at him with wide, aggrieved eyes. The young man gestured to the chopsticks placed on the bowl in front of her. ¡°Okay¡­¡± The little girl reluctantly picked up the chopsticks, struggling clumsily to grasp the chicken leg with them. After several failed attempts, she grew frustrated and looked like she was about to pound the table in anger. Finally, she came up with an idea. She stabbed the drumstick with one chopstick, plopped it into her bowl, and began munching on it with gusto. Xu Ming watched Shen Shengsheng¡¯s antics, letting out a soft sigh but refrained from stopping her. Compared to before, Shen Shengsheng had made some progress. Over the past few days, Xu Ming had been teaching her how to talk, read, and use chopsticks. Many things required his patient guidance. Though she learned slowly, there were always small signs of improvement. Xu Ming wanted Shen Shengsheng to understand that she wasn¡¯t just a magical beast but a living, breathing human being. Perhaps the customs and way of life of the human race could gradually tame the beastly instincts ingrained in her bloodline. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Xu Ming picked up his bowl and chopsticks and began eating. The discussions nearby naturally reached his ears. News about the Baiwa Secret Realm had gradually spread, and Xu Ming had offended many people during the events there. Though he had released them from the secret realm, he had left them to face the Black God Sect afterward. Whether Xu Ming had done it intentionally or not, many of them harbored resentment. These cultivators, seeking to save face and vent their frustration, painted Xu Ming as a ¡°schemer¡± in their retellings. However, not everyone from the secret realm was dishonest. Some spoke the truth about what had transpired. Moreover, Wu Kingdom wouldn¡¯t allow its prince consort¡¯s reputation to deteriorate too much, so they naturally worked to control public opinion. As a result, the events at Baiwa City had given rise to mixed narratives. Opinions about Xu Ming were divided¡ªsome praising him, others condemning him. Xu Ming, however, paid no mind to it. Once they¡¯d finished eating, Xu Ming took Shen Shengsheng and left the small town. Just five hundred more miles ahead lay the territory of Tianxuan Sect. As they left the town, Shen Shengsheng tugged lightly at Xu Ming¡¯s sleeve, looking up at him with her wide, blinking eyes. ¡°I know. It¡¯s fine. Don¡¯t worry,¡± Xu Ming said with a nod, pretending not to notice anything amiss as he continued walking forward. When they reached the wilderness, Xu Ming suddenly vanished. ¡°Where did he go?¡± ¡°How did we lose him?¡± A group of cultivators stood where Xu Ming had disappeared, looking around in frustration. ¡°What business do you all have with me?¡± Xu Ming¡¯s voice suddenly came from behind them. Startled, the group turned around hastily. ¡°Since you¡¯ve noticed us, there¡¯s no point hiding it. Hand over the Baiwa scroll, and I¡¯ll spare your life,¡± said the leader of the group. ¡°I suggest you reconsider,¡± Xu Ming said calmly. ¡°Cultivation isn¡¯t easy. Don¡¯t throw your lives away.¡± ¡°Ha!¡± The leader sneered, waving his hand. ¡°Kill him!¡± Xu Ming sighed and shook his head. ¡°Including you lot, I¡¯ve killed about a hundred people in the past few days.¡± As he spoke, he stepped forward. In less than three breaths, the five cultivators were dead, each killed with a single punch. Their bodies exploded into clouds of blood mist, leaving no trace behind. When a cultivator dies, the mark on their storage bag disappears. Xu Ming collected the silver coins and spirit stones from their storage bags, placing them into his own small Qiankun Bag. This task was usually handled by Shen Shengsheng. Every time it came to looting, Shen Shengsheng was incredibly enthusiastic. She carried Xu Ming¡¯s Qiankun Bag, tirelessly picking up everything from the ground¡ªeven the smallest copper coin¡ªwithout missing a thing. She now understood that a single copper coin could buy a steamed bun! ¡°How long are you planning to keep watching? Haven¡¯t you seen enough? If you¡¯re done, come out,¡± Xu Ming called out as Shen Shengsheng was happily looting. ¡°Hehehe.¡± A soft, pleasant laugh echoed through the forest as a barefooted woman in a black dress stepped out from among the trees. Chapter 165 Shen Shengsheng had been happily looting on the ground when she suddenly caught a whiff of an unfamiliar fragrance, its source steadily approaching. The dangerous feeling that came with it made the hair on her head stand on end. When Shen Shengsheng looked up, she saw a woman. Hurriedly, she grabbed the storage bag in front of her, dumped its contents into Xu Ming¡¯s small Qiankun Bag, and scurried to Xu Ming¡¯s side. Clutching his leg tightly with both hands, she bared her teeth at the woman in the black dress not far away. ¡°How did you notice me?¡± Mo Zhuer, barefoot and smiling faintly, looked at Xu Ming. Her tone was teasing, like a mischievous young girl intent on getting under your skin. ¡°I didn¡¯t notice you,¡± Xu Ming replied with a smile. ¡°I was just guessing. Didn¡¯t expect someone really was following me¡ªmuch less that it was you. Miss, you¡¯re quite persistent. Could it be that you¡¯ve fallen for me at first sight?¡± ¡°Of course! From the very first moment Zhuer laid eyes on you, I was completely captivated.¡± Mo Zhuer¡¯s voice was soft and alluring. ¡°Every night, thoughts of you keep me tossing and turning, sleepless. Sometimes¡­ I even have to press my thighs together.¡± Xu Ming: ¡°If you like me that much, why not come back to Wudu with me? I can¡¯t make you my primary wife, but there¡¯s room for you as a concubine.¡± Mo Zhuer: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Oh, how naughty of you~¡± Mo Zhuer waved her hand with a sly smile. ¡°But I do enjoy it~¡± ¡°Heh.¡± Xu Ming sneered coldly. ¡°You¡¯re not interested in the living me¡ªyou prefer the dead me, don¡¯t you?¡± Mo Zhuer blinked, feigning innocence. ¡°What makes you say that, my dear Xu Gongzi (Young Master)?¡± ¡°For the past few days, I¡¯ve been wondering. I¡¯ve only left Qingyang County for less than a month, yet over a hundred people have already tried to kill me. Am I really that easy to recognize? My whereabouts must have been leaked by you, right?¡± ¡°Oh my~ How could you accuse me of such a thing?¡± Mo Zhuer pouted playfully. ¡°Do I look like that kind of person?¡± Xu Ming: ¡°Oh? Wasn¡¯t it you?¡± ¡°I might¡¯ve let slip a little hint,¡± Mo Zhuer admitted with a sly grin. ¡°But mostly, it¡¯s because you¡¯re just so¡­ charming.¡± Her seductive cat-like eyes glimmered as she gazed at him. ¡°And look at you now¡ªsuch a short time has passed, and your strength has grown to such an impressive level. You¡¯re not just invincible among your peers; killing Sea Observation Realm cultivators is like slaughtering chickens for you.¡± ¡°How about I try killing you, then?¡± S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Before his words fully landed, Xu Ming appeared in front of Mo Zhuer and threw a punch. His fist, shrouded in swirling wind and compressed true energy, exploded with force as it neared her abdomen, scattering energy and air in a violent burst. Boom! Mo Zhuer¡¯s figure dissolved into black smoke. ¡°Oh, Xu Gongzi, you¡¯re so impatient!¡± Her teasing voice echoed as her form reappeared on a tree branch. Her long black dress shifted slightly, revealing slender, porcelain-white legs crossed elegantly. ¡°We meet again after so long, and the first thing you do is try to touch my stomach? I wasn¡¯t prepared for that at all.¡± ¡°Then how about you come down, and I¡¯ll spank you instead?¡± Xu Ming quipped with a grin. ¡°Oh my~ Such a naughty Xu Gongzi~ If you spank me, won¡¯t the princess get jealous?¡± Mo Zhuer¡¯s voice grew faint as her figure slowly faded. Her final words echoed through the forest. ¡°But next time, if you can make me happy, I might let you spank more than just that~¡± Silence returned to the forest. Xu Ming clenched his jaw in irritation. He hadn¡¯t expected Mo Zhuer to be so persistent. Still, as long as he remained cautious and avoided falling for any tricks, she wouldn¡¯t pose a threat to him. Once Mo Zhuer was gone, Shen Shengsheng returned to looting with renewed enthusiasm, her small figure bent over as she scoured the ground for treasures. ¡°Awoo~¡± After completely emptying the storage bags of the fallen cultivators, she trotted over to Xu Ming, her little hands outstretched. Resting in her soft, pale palm was Xu Ming¡¯s small Qiankun Bag. ¡°Thank you,¡± Xu Ming said with a slight smile. Xu Ming took the small Qiankun Bag from Shen Shengsheng and then picked up the other storage bags, hanging them from his waist. Since a storage bag couldn¡¯t contain another storage bag, the four or five bags dangling from his side gave him the appearance of an ¡°Eight-Bag Elder.¡± When they reached a small town, Xu Ming found a pawnshop run by a cultivator and sold all the extra storage bags. With some of the money he earned, he bought a newer, better storage bag for Shen Shengsheng. Personally tying it to her waist, he also placed some spirit stones and silver inside for her. ¡°These are your rewards. From now on, we¡¯ll split the profits equally,¡± Xu Ming said with a smile. ¡°Awoo~¡± Shen Shengsheng nodded eagerly, holding the lotus-embroidered storage bag in her hands, her joy evident as she admired it repeatedly. ¡ª Three days later, Xu Ming and Shen Shengsheng arrived at a village. Beyond the village lay a wide river, and after crossing it and traversing a mountain range, they would reach the boundaries of the Tianxuan Sect. But the sky was growing dim. Xu Ming decided to find a household where they could spend the night. ¡°Knock, knock, knock.¡± As the light faded, Xu Ming knocked on the door of a house. ¡°Coming,¡± called a woman¡¯s voice from the courtyard. The gate creaked open, revealing a woman dressed in coarse linen. She looked about twenty-five or twenty-six, with a plain yet delicate beauty. Even without any adornments, she would still be considered one of the prettiest women in the village or the nearby towns. ¡°Madam, my sister and I are passing through and would like to request shelter for the night, if it¡¯s not too much trouble,¡± Xu Ming said politely, fully prepared to be refused. If this house turned them away, they could simply try another. And if no one agreed, they would make do outdoors¡ªnot unsafe, but definitely uncomfortable. The young woman gave Xu Ming a once-over before nodding. ¡°Come in, then.¡± Xu Ming was surprised by how easily they were let in. Bowing in thanks, he said, ¡°Thank you, Madam.¡± ¡ª Huangsha (Yellow Sand) River, Shijia Village. A girl in a black dress stood barefoot on the surface of the wide river, her delicate toes barely disturbing the water. ¡°I have a business proposition. I wonder if the Dragon Lord of Huangsha River would be interested?¡± The girl¡¯s soft, playful voice echoed across the river. A whirlpool formed beneath her feet, and the corners of her lips curled up. With a light ¡°Heave-ho,¡± she dove into the swirling waters. ¡°Holy Maiden of the Black Lotus Sect¡ªMo Zhuer¡ªgreets the Dragon Lord.¡± Bowing slightly, Mo Zhuer faced the man before her. The Dragon Lord of Huangsha River turned around and scrutinized her, his gaze lingering as he said, ¡°They say the Black Lotus Sect¡¯s Holy Maiden is a peerless beauty, ranked tenth on the Beauty List. I¡¯d say you deserve the first spot instead.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare,¡± Mo Zhuer replied with a faint smirk. ¡°The first spot belongs to the Dragon Queen of Beihai (North Sea).¡± ¡°Hahaha.¡± The Dragon Lord chuckled, his eyes roving over her, pausing briefly on the pair of mesmerizing legs beneath her short black dress. His tone carried a hint of predation. ¡°So, what business does the Black Lotus Sect wish to discuss?¡± Lifting her chin, Mo Zhuer met his gaze directly. ¡°I need the Dragon Lord to help me kill someone.¡± Chapter 166 ¡°Kill someone? Who?¡± The Yellow Sand Dragon Lord looked at the enchanting woman before him with confusion. ¡°With such a large organization like the Black Lotus Sect, you still need my help to kill someone?¡± ¡°Ah, well, this is part of the sect¡¯s test for me,¡± Mo Zhuer said with a casual shrug. ¡°I can¡¯t handle it alone, so I have no choice but to ask for help.¡± ¡°Besides,¡± Mo Zhuer smiled, ¡°this person is no ordinary target. He is the son-in-law of the Wu Kingdom, Xu Ming, who is now a renowned figure in the kingdom!¡± The Yellow Sand Dragon Lord, who operated within the Wu Kingdom¡¯s borders, naturally knew about the famous royal son-in-law. ¡°If I kill him, won¡¯t the Wu Kingdom¡¯s court come after me? What kind of reward are you offering that could make it worth the risk? Yourself?¡± Dragons are naturally lustful creatures, and the Yellow Sand Dragon Lord stared directly at Mo Zhuer without a hint of shame. ¡°If Xu Ming dies and I offer myself to you, what harm is there in that?¡± Mo Zhuer¡¯s tone was seductive. ¡°But our Black Lotus Sect can provide you with something far more enticing.¡± ¡°Oh? Let¡¯s hear it.¡± The Yellow Sand Dragon Lord folded his arms behind his back. ¡°This Yellow Sand River of yours, though not small, is far from enough if you wish to achieve enlightenment. In the western regions, there is a vast sea called the Cang Sea, which connects to the Eastern Sea. ¡°While the Eastern Sea has its ruler, the Cang Sea does not. When the time comes, you can cultivate in the Cang Sea as its master. Wouldn¡¯t that be ideal? As for the Wu Kingdom¡¯s fury, what can they do? Would they dare extend their reach to our western territories? ¡°Moreover, I can promise you a vial of true dragon heart blood once the deed is done.¡± Hearing the mention of true dragon heart blood, the Yellow Sand Dragon Lord¡¯s pupils shrank. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. To any flood dragon, true dragon heart blood was the most irresistible treasure imaginable. ¡°Empty words hold no weight. Why should I believe you?¡± The Yellow Sand Dragon Lord fixed his gaze on Mo Zhuer. With a sly smile, Mo Zhuer retrieved a jade bottle from the storage bracelet on her delicate wrist. Inside, a crimson liquid shimmered with a powerful aura. Seeing this, the Yellow Sand Dragon Lord swallowed hard. There was no doubt about it¡ªthis was true dragon heart blood. Watching the dragon¡¯s greedy expression, with drool almost dripping from his mouth, Mo Zhuer chuckled inwardly before quickly putting the vial away. ¡°Well? I wonder if the Yellow Sand Dragon Lord is willing or not?¡± Mo Zhuer¡¯s voice was sweet and seductive. ¡°If you agree, then once it¡¯s done, I might just deliver this heart blood to you while lying on your bed.¡± The Yellow Sand Dragon Lord stared at Mo Zhuer for a long moment before finally speaking slowly. ¡°Where is this Xu Ming now?¡± ¡°If nothing unexpected happens,¡± Mo Zhuer said, ¡°he should currently be in Shijia Village. I¡¯ll be waiting for your good news, Dragon Lord.¡± As rain began to fall, Mo Zhuer¡¯s figure gradually faded from the Yellow Sand Dragon Lord¡¯s sight. When she reappeared, she was already standing on the surface of the Yellow Sand River. Humming a light tune, she stepped ashore and spat into the river. ¡°Bah! That slimy eel dares think I would actually serve him? True dragon heart blood? Once I¡¯ve used him, I¡¯ll be taking his dragon tendons instead!¡± Swaying her hips, Mo Zhuer left, humming as she went. ¡ª ¡°Madam, my surname is Xu, given name Ming. I hail from Wudu, traveling the world with my younger sister. Here is my travel permit for your inspection.¡± Entering the courtyard, Xu Ming handed over his travel document. He needed to prove that he wasn¡¯t some shady wanderer. The young woman examined it briefly before returning it to him. Xu Ming put the document away. ¡°May I ask how I should address you, Madam?¡± ¡°The villagers call me Luo Sanniang,¡± she replied with a smile. ¡°Madam, do you need to inform your husband about this?¡± Xu Ming reminded her. Though she seemed kind, her husband might not approve. Luo Sanniang shook her head. ¡°My husband passed away many years ago. It¡¯s just me and my daughter at home.¡± ¡°My apologies,¡± Xu Ming said sincerely. Luo Sanniang: ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ve long grown used to being a widow.¡± ¡°Madam, perhaps I should look for another place to stay?¡± Xu Ming hesitated. While he didn¡¯t mind, staying at the home of a widowed woman could lead to gossip. If word got out, it might damage her reputation. ¡°No need. You don¡¯t have to worry about that.¡± Luo Sanniang walked ahead. ¡°My reputation has already been dragged through the mud. I don¡¯t care anymore.¡± Xu Ming: ¡°¡­¡± Luo Sanniang prepared a guest room for Xu Ming and Shen Shengsheng. Xu Ming gave her a silver tael, which she accepted without objection. That evening, Xu Ming let her know he would be using the courtyard and, after receiving her permission, fetched some water to take a cold bath outside. Shen Shengsheng also wanted to strip down and bathe but was stopped by Xu Ming. Instead, Xu Ming borrowed a wooden tub from Luo Sanniang, filled it with water, and closed the door so Shen Shengsheng could bathe in private. He instructed her to wash herself properly, put her clothes back on, and come out only when she was decent. Afterward, both Xu Ming and Shen Shengsheng felt refreshed. In the guest room, Xu Ming slept on the floor while Shen Shengsheng took the bed. They lay sprawled in a ¡°´ó¡± shape, their exhaustion from the day washed away. ¡ª At dawn, the rooster crowed, waking Xu Ming and Shen Shengsheng. As they stepped out of the room, the aroma of buns and porridge wafted through the air. In the courtyard, a little girl was crouched down, watching ants with great curiosity. After freshening up, the two sat down for breakfast prepared by Luo Sanniang. Shen Shengsheng loved eating buns because they didn¡¯t require chopsticks. As for the porridge, she simply tilted the bowl and drank it. Xu Ming would eat one bun, and Shen Shengsheng would follow by eating one bun. Xu Ming drank a bowl of porridge, and so did Shen Shengsheng. When Xu Ming put down his bowl and chopsticks, Shen Shengsheng did the same. However, her eyes remained glued to the remaining food on the table¡ªshe clearly wasn¡¯t full. But she had promised Xu Ming that she would only eat as much as he did. ¡°Little girl, are you still hungry? Let me make some more,¡± Luo Sanniang said, feeling sorry for the adorable child who was staring longingly at the food. ¡°No need to trouble yourself, Madam. My sister has already had enough,¡± Xu Ming replied with a smile. He wasn¡¯t about to let Shen Shengsheng eat her fill¡ªif she did, she could easily consume ten pounds of meat in one sitting and wipe out the household¡¯s food supplies. Shen Shengsheng nodded in agreement. She wasn¡¯t full, but it didn¡¯t matter¡ªXu Ming had promised to cook her a special meal later. ¡°Thank you for your hospitality, Madam. Since it¡¯s getting late, we should be on our way.¡± Xu Ming preferred to leave early to avoid being seen and causing any unnecessary trouble for their host. ¡°Safe travels, Sir,¡± Luo Sanniang said without trying to keep them. ¡°There¡¯s no need to see us off.¡± With that, Xu Ming and Shen Shengsheng left the courtyard and continued on their journey. However, Xu Ming couldn¡¯t shake a strange feeling. Normally, villagers would rise at dawn to work in the fields, so why hadn¡¯t they seen a single person? Chapter 167 ¡°Let go of my son! I beg you, please spare my son!¡± ¡°Mother, I don¡¯t want to go. Mother!¡± As Xu Ming walked through the village, sensing the unsettling quietness, the cries of a woman and a young boy caught his attention. Looking ahead, he saw villagers gathered in front of a house. A mother clung desperately to her son¡¯s hand, but amidst the struggle, she was pushed aside, falling to the ground. The woman tried to rush forward again, but her husband held her back tightly. ¡°Let go! Let go! Don¡¯t take my child! Give him back to me!¡± the woman screamed, her hair disheveled and her face soaked with tears. Xu Ming frowned and stepped forward. He never considered himself a hero. There were things beyond his capabilities that he wouldn¡¯t meddle with. But if there was something within his power to address, he wouldn¡¯t turn a blind eye. ¡°May I ask why you¡¯re forcing this mother and child apart?¡± Xu Ming asked as he stepped into the crowd. Hearing his voice, several villagers turned to look at him. Realizing he was an outsider, one of the men snapped, ¡°What¡¯s it to you, outsider? Mind your own business and leave!¡± A burly man shoved Xu Ming, but it was like trying to move a mountain¡ªhe didn¡¯t budge an inch. Instead, Xu Ming effortlessly pushed the man to the ground. Ignoring the startled crowd, Xu Ming swiftly retrieved the young boy and returned him to his mother. The woman hugged her son tightly, whispering, ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay¡­¡± ¡°You, outsider, know nothing!¡± An elderly man stepped forward, his trembling finger pointing at Xu Ming. ¡°We¡¯re taking her child to offer as a sacrifice to the Yellow Sand River Dragon King! Every year, we must give that dragon a pair of children¡ªone boy and one girl. It¡¯s been this way for years! ¡°Ask anyone here¡ªwho hasn¡¯t lost a son or daughter to the dragon? And now it¡¯s the Wang family¡¯s turn. Do they think they¡¯re special and can refuse? How is that fair to the rest of us? ¡°Looking at you, you seem to be some kind of wandering swordsman, right? You so-called warriors always talk about justice, don¡¯t you? If the Wang family¡¯s son isn¡¯t sacrificed, then another family¡¯s child will have to take his place. If no children are offered, the dragon will get angry, and the entire village will die!¡± Xu Ming was silent. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Hearing the elder¡¯s words, he could already piece together what was happening, even without further explanation. The elder turned to the woman behind Xu Ming. ¡°Madam Wang! You¡¯re part of this village. You should¡¯ve prepared for this long ago! We¡¯re all in this together. Does your family think it¡¯s exempt?¡± ¡°I¡­ I¡­¡± Madam Wang bit her lip tightly, tears streaming down her face. Her husband sighed heavily, pried her hand away from their son, and stepped forward. ¡°Village Chief, I apologize. It¡¯s my wife who was being unreasonable.¡± ¡°Hmph, as long as you understand.¡± The elder snorted. ¡°Let¡¯s go! Next, we head to the Luo family!¡± ¡°Mother! Father! Mother!¡± The boy cried as he was taken away. Madam Wang fell to her knees, covering her mouth as she wept. ¡°Luo family¡­¡± Xu Ming repeated the name under his breath, watching the direction they headed. If his guess was correct, Luo Sanniang¡¯s daughter was likely the girl chosen as this year¡¯s sacrifice. He planned to follow and see for himself, but first, he needed to understand the full situation. ¡°Thank you for stepping in, brother, but this is something beyond your ability to interfere with,¡± the man said with a dejected look. After all, who could watch their own child being taken away without grief? Yet, over the years, every family had gone through the same. What made his family any different? ¡°What¡¯s the deal with this Yellow Sand River Dragon King?¡± Xu Ming asked. Only a true dragon would dare to call itself a Dragon King. In such a small place, with such a minor river, how could something so insignificant assume the title of Dragon King? ¡°The Yellow Sand River Dragon King is nothing more than a water serpent,¡± the man explained. ¡°Years ago, it made its way to the Yellow Sand River, where it eventually transformed into a flood dragon and decided to settle down, calling itself the Yellow Sand Dragon Lord. ¡°Twenty years ago, there was a drought. The village chief and others prayed for rain, and the Dragon Lord granted it. In return, he demanded we build a temple in his honor and worship him. Not only that, but on his birthday, we are required to slaughter chickens, cows, and ducks as offerings¡ªand we must also sacrifice a pair of children, a boy and a girl. ¡°After the drought ended, we thought about breaking free from his control. Or at least, we figured we could keep worshiping him with livestock, but sacrificing children was just too much. However, the Dragon Lord refused. He insisted that the sacrifices were non-negotiable, or else he¡¯d flood the entire village.¡± Hearing the man¡¯s account, Xu Ming frowned. Sacrificing children wasn¡¯t exactly a requirement for survival or power for most creatures. Why was this Yellow Sand Dragon Lord so fixated on it? ¡°The Wu Kingdom court has explicitly forbidden private worship of rogue deities. This Yellow Sand Dragon Lord is quite bold. Hasn¡¯t the court done anything about it?¡± Xu Ming asked further. The man sighed heavily, his expression even more despondent. ¡°Sir, how could the court possibly intervene? This village is under the jurisdiction of Huangye County, but the magistrate there is in cahoots with the Dragon Lord. It¡¯s not like we haven¡¯t reported this before, but what good has it done?¡± Xu Ming¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°The magistrate is corrupt¡ªwhat about the prefect?¡± The man let out another heavy sigh. ¡°Ah, sir¡­ This Chenxiang Prefecture is under the governance of Prince Qing, one of the Wu Kingdom¡¯s autonomous feudal lords.¡± Xu Ming remained silent. Now he understood. In the Wu Kingdom, the power of feudal lords was immense. While it wasn¡¯t as extreme as the enfeoffed states of the Zhou Dynasty on Blue Star, it wasn¡¯t far off from the semi-autonomous states of the early Han Dynasty. Feudal lords held both administrative and military power. This was precisely why the central court constantly pushed for the reduction of feudal powers. If Prince Qing¡¯s territories were rife with corruption, any reports from the people would only reach him. Whether or not the prince even cared was another matter entirely. As for leaving the village? The Wu Kingdom strictly regulated the movement of its populace. Their farmland and household registrations were tied to this place. At most, some villagers could move to the county seat if they had relatives to rely on. But for most, leaving would render them refugees. Those who could leave had already done so. The remaining villagers had nowhere else to go. ¡°Do you know the cultivation level of this Dragon Lord?¡± Xu Ming asked. He didn¡¯t expect a villager to know such specifics but decided to ask anyway. The man hesitated, then said, ¡°Last year, the dragon held some kind of banquet, inviting many guests. It seemed to be celebrating reaching some¡­ Core level?¡± ¡°Golden Core Realm?¡± ¡°Yes, yes! That¡¯s it, Golden Core Realm!¡± ¡°I see.¡± Xu Ming nodded. In that case, it wasn¡¯t impossible to kill. Chapter 168 If the opponent were at the Nascent Soul Realm, I¡¯d have to think twice. But since they¡¯re at the Golden Core Realm, it¡¯s not impossible to kill them. Back during the battle in the Lava Heart Cave, Xu Ming fought against a branch leader of the Black God Sect, which gave him a pretty clear understanding of his own strength. Now, with his current Heroic Soul martial Realm and Cave Mansion Realm cultivation levels, defeating opponents of the same rank is almost effortless. Most of them couldn¡¯t last a single exchange against him. Against Sea Observation Realm cultivators, they could put up some resistance, but even then, they wouldn¡¯t last for long. Dragon Gate Realm cultivators were more on par with him in strength, but even then, defeating most of them wasn¡¯t particularly difficult. It was only against Golden Core Realm cultivators that he could say the fight was evenly matched. Frankly, Xu Ming was somewhat startled by his own power. For most cultivators, defeating an opponent two ranks higher is already considered extraordinary, often requiring exceptional talent or rare treasures. Yet here he was, relying solely on a basic inner sect sword technique from the Wanjian Sect and his bare fists, able to defeat enemies three ranks above him without the aid of any treasures. It was absurd, to say the least. Of course, much of this was thanks to the system and the incredibly useful attribute points it provided. It also helped that the power gap between ranks below the Nascent Soul Realm wasn¡¯t as insurmountable as the chasm between Furnace Foundation and Cave Mansion Realms. Once he reached the higher five ranks and faced opponents from those levels, even a single rank difference would likely become a significant challenge. ¡°The Higher Five Ranks.¡± Xu Ming softly repeated the phrase in his heart, a small smile forming on his lips. The Higher Five Ranks¡­ that was still far away for him. He¡¯d deal with it when the time came. ¡ª After Xu Ming bid farewell, he turned to head back, making his way to Luo Sanniang¡¯s residence. Sure enough, when Xu Ming arrived outside Luo Sanniang¡¯s house, he saw a group of burly men from the village banging on the door. ¡°Sanniang! Open the door! Locking it won¡¯t help, Sanniang!¡± The leader of the group looked hesitant, but still pressed forward. One villager muttered, ¡°Sanniang only has one daughter. If her daughter is taken, isn¡¯t that too cruel?¡± Another villager shot him a glare. ¡°Then why don¡¯t you offer up your daughter instead?¡± The first villager immediately shut his mouth, too afraid to speak further. ¡°Sanniang, if you don¡¯t open up, we¡¯re going to break down the door!¡± The burly man knocking on the door issued a final warning. Still, there was no response from within the courtyard. The group exchanged glances and nodded to each other. Bang! The wooden door of Luo Sanniang¡¯s courtyard was kicked open. ¡°Let¡¯s see who dares to lay a hand on my daughter!¡± ¡°Sanniang! Calm down!¡± ¡°Sanniang, put the knife down first!¡± As the crowd rushed into the courtyard, they saw Luo Sanniang standing there with a kitchen knife in her hand, facing them defiantly. Nobody dared to step closer, afraid she might do something drastic. ¡°I know times are tough for everyone, and I understand it¡¯s our family¡¯s turn this year!¡± Luo Sanniang gripped the knife tightly, her voice trembling. ¡°But she¡¯s my only daughter! If you want to take her, you¡¯ll have to step over my dead body first!¡± ¡°Sanniang¡­ you¡­¡± The village chief hesitated, unsure of how to respond. Given her temper, it was clear that she was more than capable of following through on her threat. Just as the standoff between Sanniang and the villagers reached its peak, Xu Ming walked into the courtyard and headed toward Luo Sanniang. Luo Sanniang¡¯s attention shifted to Xu Ming, her eyes blinking in surprise. ¡°This guest already left, didn¡¯t he? Why is he back?¡± Luo Sanniang wondered, her heart filling with doubt. Wary that Xu Ming might be colluding with the villagers, she took two steps back, uncertain about his intentions. Xu Ming walked to the space between the villagers and Luo Sanniang. Turning to face the crowd, he clasped his hands in a polite bow and spoke directly, without any pretense: ¡°If you trust me, I can help you eliminate the Yellow Sand River Dragon King. From then on, you¡¯ll no longer need to sacrifice boys and girls to that so-called dragon king.¡± The moment Xu Ming finished speaking, the crowd fell into stunned silence, as though they hadn¡¯t processed what he¡¯d just said. ¡°What did he say?¡± ¡°He said he can kill that wicked dragon?¡± ¡°How could that be? That¡¯s a dragon we¡¯re talking about!¡± ¡°If he can kill it, great. But if he fails, that dragon will unleash its fury, and our entire village will be wiped out!¡± Before long, everyone began chattering, their doubts about Xu Ming¡¯s claim filling the air. ¡°Quiet!¡± The village chief¡¯s shout silenced the crowd. He stepped forward, his brow furrowed, and looked at Xu Ming. ¡°We appreciate your good intentions, hero,¡± the chief said. ¡°But that Yellow Sand River Dragon King is incredibly powerful. How do you plan to kill it? If you fail, not only would you lose your life in vain, but the dragon king would surely take its anger out on us. At that point, we¡¯ll all be dead.¡± ¡°I understand, and your concerns are valid.¡± Xu Ming nodded calmly. ¡°That¡¯s why this is something you¡¯ll have to think carefully about. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In this world, there¡¯s no such thing as a perfect solution. I will do my best to help you, but you must also bear the associated risks. If you trust me, then cooperate with me¡ªI¡¯ll have a much better chance of succeeding. If you don¡¯t trust me, I won¡¯t intervene, and your village will have to continue as it has. However, Luo Sanniang allowed me to stay for a night, and I consider that a kind of fate. If you want to sacrifice the children of other families, that¡¯s none of my business. But this little girl¡ªyou won¡¯t touch her. I will take Luo Sanniang and her daughter away.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± The village chief was momentarily at a loss for words. How should he describe this warrior? He was willing to risk his life to slay the Yellow Sand River Dragon King, which was undeniably courageous and noble. But at the same time, he was only willing to save Luo Sanniang¡¯s daughter, indifferent to the fate of others. Was this truly ¡°righteousness¡±? Or perhaps, put another way, Xu Ming was only willing to save the people he cared about. As Xu Ming¡¯s words settled, a wave of unease swept through the villagers. This man claimed he could kill the Yellow Sand River Dragon King, which meant he was clearly no ordinary person. If someone like him wanted to protect Luo Sanniang¡¯s daughter, what could they do? In other words, Luo Sanniang¡¯s daughter was untouchable. That much was clear. But that meant they would have to choose another girl from another family to take her place. Yet who would willingly send their own child to die? Xu Ming gazed at the crowd indifferently and said, ¡°I will remain here until noon. If you decide, let me know. If not, once noon passes, I¡¯ll leave with Luo Sanniang and her daughter.¡± Chapter 169 ¡°Thank you for your help, young master.¡± After the villagers of Shijia Village left, Luo Sanniang poured Xu Ming a cup of water and bowed slightly in gratitude. She never imagined that the man she had simply given shelter to would end up saving her and her daughter. ¡°Thank you, young master,¡± the little girl, Yaya, mimicked her mother¡¯s actions, bowing as she expressed her thanks. ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Xu Ming said, shaking his head. ¡°I just couldn¡¯t stand by and watch.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a good man, young master,¡± Luo Sanniang said, smiling at him. Xu Ming chuckled lightly. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t call myself a good man. Didn¡¯t you see their expressions? Because I protected you, they¡¯ll now have to pick another family. The way they looked at me was full of resentment. While I saved your daughter, I¡¯ve also caused harm to someone else.¡± Luo Sanniang shook her head. ¡°Others may think that way, but to me and Yaya, you are a good man.¡± Xu Ming paused for a moment, then smiled. ¡°Fine, if you insist, I¡¯ll reluctantly accept that.¡± ¡°But, young master, you should leave,¡± Luo Sanniang said earnestly. ¡°This is my problem to handle. I let you stay here, and you paid me for the lodging. We¡¯re even. If you really get involved in this matter, it will be extremely dangerous.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Xu Ming replied, taking a sip of tea and glancing toward the courtyard gate. ¡°I need to kill a flood dragon anyway to harvest some of its materials for talisman crafting.¡± ¡°What do you think your village will decide, Sanniang?¡± Xu Ming asked. An hour earlier, after the village chief left with the others, Xu Ming had been waiting for their response. ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Luo Sanniang admitted, shaking her head. ¡°But there are many people in the village who harbor hatred toward that Yellow Sand River Dragon King. After all, so many boys and girls have been sacrificed. If they had the strength, many men would have already gone to fight it.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see.¡± Xu Ming gently swirled the tea in his cup. ¡°If the villagers are still unwilling to defy the dragon, I¡¯ll take you and Yaya to Wudu. With the letter I write, someone from the Xu family will take care of you.¡± ¡°Thank you, young master.¡± Luo Sanniang knelt to the ground in gratitude. Seeing her mother kneeling, Yaya quickly followed suit, dropping to her knees as well. ¡°There¡¯s no need for such formalities,¡± Xu Ming said, hurriedly helping the mother and daughter to their feet. Knock, knock, knock. Just as Luo Sanniang and Yaya stood up, the sound of knocking came from the courtyard gate once more. ¡°Come in,¡± Xu Ming said, knowing that the villagers had made their decision. As his words fell, several burly men entered the courtyard, clasping their fists in respect. ¡°The village chief invites the young master to his home for a discussion.¡± Xu Ming clasped his hands behind his back and took a step forward. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Nearby, Yaya, who had been playing in the dirt, quickly got up. She wiped her dirty hands on her skirt and trotted after Xu Ming with her short legs. Before long, Xu Ming and Yaya arrived at the village chief¡¯s residence. The chief¡¯s home wasn¡¯t much different from the other houses in the village, except the courtyard was slightly larger. ¡°Immortal Master.¡± Unlike his earlier attitude, the village chief now greeted Xu Ming with utmost respect, stepping forward and bowing deeply. ¡°The weather is hot. Please come in and have some tea, Immortal Master,¡± the chief offered. Xu Ming glanced at the village chief, then stepped into the courtyard and sat on a stone stool. The chief closed the gate and respectfully poured Xu Ming a cup of tea before sitting beside him. Xu Ming asked, ¡°Have you made a decision?¡± The chief nodded slowly and replied, ¡°We¡¯ve decided. We will leave the Yellow Sand River Dragon King to the Immortal Master.¡± ¡°And the rest of the villagers agree with this?¡± Xu Ming asked. The village chief forced a smile. ¡°In past years, the children to be sacrificed were already decided well in advance. But this year¡­¡± The chief glanced at Xu Ming and trailed off, leaving the sentence unfinished. Xu Ming didn¡¯t need the village chief to finish his thought; he understood perfectly well what the man meant¡ª We had everything decided, but then you, a meddler, showed up. The village chief sighed and said, ¡°We discussed this for a long time, but no one is willing to take the place of Luo Sanniang¡¯s daughter. Moreover, quite a few of the men in the village are deeply resentful of that Yellow Sand River Dragon King. So¡­ this is a chance.¡± The chief stood up, then deeply bowed to Xu Ming again. ¡°Our Shijia Village will have to trouble you, Immortal Master.¡± Xu Ming looked at the old man in front of him. Instead of avoiding the gesture, he accepted the bow with a calm expression. ¡°I wonder if the village chief could tell me more about this Yellow Sand River Dragon King.¡± The chief straightened up and nodded. ¡°I will tell you everything I know.¡± Xu Ming asked, ¡°Earlier, I heard from that boy¡¯s father that the Yellow Sand River Dragon King is at the Golden Core Realm?¡± The chief confirmed, ¡°Yes, though I don¡¯t fully understand what ¡®Golden Core Realm¡¯ means. But not long ago, the Yellow Sand River Dragon King reached a new level of power. He even held a banquet to celebrate, calling it the ¡®Golden Core Banquet,¡¯ and invited his demon friends. He also demanded we help prepare supplies for it.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Xu Ming said, his confidence growing. If the dragon had only recently broken through to the Golden Core Realm, it likely hadn¡¯t yet consolidated its power. ¡°But why does it insist on having pairs of young boys and girls? Do you have any idea, Chief?¡± Xu Ming asked. This was the part that puzzled him most. For a powerful demon at the Golden Core Realm, acquiring and devouring human children should be easy. It could take as many as it wanted. Yet, it demanded only one pair each year, which seemed oddly specific. The chief shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°When were you planning to conduct the offering?¡± Xu Ming continued. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°The day after tomorrow,¡± the chief replied. ¡°How do you normally perform the offering?¡± ¡°We place a small boat on the river, loaded with sacrifices¡ªchickens, ducks, livestock, and the pair of children. The boat drifts to the center of the Yellow Sand River, where a massive whirlpool appears, dragging everything down into the depths.¡± Xu Ming frowned. ¡°The dragon doesn¡¯t show itself?¡± The chief shook his head again. ¡°It rarely shows up in recent years.¡± Xu Ming rubbed his chin thoughtfully and said in a low voice, ¡°I¡¯m not skilled in water combat, and fighting it in its lair puts me at a great disadvantage. Do you have any way to lure it onto land?¡± ¡°This¡­¡± The chief looked troubled but clenched his fists tightly. ¡°I will try.¡± ¡°I also need time to set up a formation to increase my chances,¡± Xu Ming added. ¡°If the offering is scheduled for the day after tomorrow, there won¡¯t be enough time. You¡¯ll need to find a way to delay the ceremony,¡± he continued. ¡°How long do you need?¡± the chief asked nervously. ¡°Four days,¡± Xu Ming replied firmly, staring straight into the chief¡¯s eyes. ¡°Four days from now, if the dragon isn¡¯t dead, I won¡¯t leave.¡± Chapter 170 To slay the evil flood dragon, it was clear that the cooperation of the people from Shijia Village would be essential. Without their help, the creature would remain hidden underwater, making the task exceedingly difficult. Charging into the dragon¡¯s lair alone would be akin to walking into a death trap. However, involving the villagers would undoubtedly expose them to significant risks. To prevent them from backing out, Xu Ming declared firmly, ¡°I will not leave until the flood dragon is dead,¡± putting their minds at ease. Of course, Xu Ming would still take precautions against the village chief. Trusting him completely would be unwise¡ªif the chief were to betray him and inform the flood dragon, the situation could turn dire. With adequate precautions in place, even if the chief betrayed him, Xu Ming was confident he could retreat unscathed, though he might not be able to slay the flood dragon. A mere Golden Core realm demon wasn¡¯t enough to stop him. Killing the flood dragon wasn¡¯t purely altruistic¡ªit served Xu Ming¡¯s purposes as well. He planned to use the dragon¡¯s heart blood as ink to create Dao Rain Talismans, which would enrich the spiritual energy in the Baiwa Secret Realm and improve the yield of spiritual rice. Dao Rain Talismans were finite, and once he used up his five remaining talismans, he would need to craft more. The flood dragon¡¯s heart blood was indispensable for this purpose. Moreover, the flood dragon¡¯s body was a treasure trove. Its tendons, scales, and demon core were all invaluable. Even its ¡°dragon whip¡± was a prized item, highly sought after by noble families, middle-aged cultivators, and aristocrats for its renowned health benefits. Throughout the ages, such supplements have always been in high demand. The dragon¡¯s flesh was a delicacy for martial artists, enhancing their true qi. Though the dragon¡¯s blood wasn¡¯t as potent as that of a true dragon, it was excellent for body refinement or could fetch a high price if sold to other martial artists. In essence, slaying this flood dragon was as much about self-benefit as it was about aiding the villagers. The village chief agreed to Xu Ming¡¯s plan, pledging to delay the dragon and coax it onto land. The next morning, the village chief led a group of strong men to the banks of the Yellow Sand River, while Xu Ming observed from a distance. The villagers erected an altar, lit incense, and performed a solemn ceremony of worship. The chief then called out loudly, ¡°Honorable Dragon King, we are grateful for your blessings that have brought prosperity to Shijia Village. Today, we were prepared to present offerings to you. However, the pair of children you requested will not reach nine years of age for another four days, which is the age you specified. We beg for your understanding and forgiveness.¡± Swallowing hard, his legs trembling, the chief continued, ¡°Furthermore, in four days, our village wishes to host a grand festival in honor of the Dragon King¡¯s two decades of protection. If possible, we humbly invite the Dragon King to grace Shijia Village with your presence. It would be the ultimate blessing for all the villagers, young and old, to see you in person, a moment we would cherish for a lifetime!¡± The chief¡¯s voice echoed across the Yellow Sand River. After finishing his plea, he fixed his gaze on the river, beads of cold sweat forming on his forehead. He couldn¡¯t tell if his excuses would fool the Dragon King or if it had already sensed the deception. The mere thought of the latter filled him with dread. Time passed slowly as the chief and the villagers waited anxiously by the riverbank. Despite the calm surface of the water, no one dared to move. Suddenly, a loud rumble broke the silence. The Yellow Sand River began to churn violently, forming massive whirlpools. With a loud splash, a column of water shot skyward before crashing back down, sending waves crashing against the shore and drenching everyone present. Suspended in the air above the river was the fearsome flood dragon, coiling and twisting in all its malevolent glory. Xu Ming gazed at the creature with unflinching resolve. Aside from the thunder dragon Xu Ming encountered during his tribulation in the Baiwa Secret Realm, this was his first time seeing a living dragon species in the flesh¡ªeven if it was just a flood dragon. He recalled a line from a book he had read: ¡°A snake transforms into a python in five hundred years, a python into a boa in another five hundred years, a boa into a flood dragon after five hundred more, a flood dragon into a chi in five hundred years, a chi into a qiu in another five hundred, and a qiu into a true dragon after yet another five hundred.¡± The first stage, the snake, is its most vulnerable form¡ªsmall, fragile, limbless, with no ears, born from eggs, and reliant on shedding its skin to grow. It is defenseless against both natural disasters and human threats. At the python stage, its size and strength grow significantly. It becomes a fearsome predator, yet still limbless and vulnerable to external calamities, growing only by shedding its skin. The third stage, the boa, is much like the python but even larger and stronger. Typically living near water, it dominates its territory but remains unable to resist major disasters or human intervention. However, as a master of the wilderness, it holds dominion over its domain. The fourth stage, the flood dragon, is where the transformation becomes profound. A boa must traverse great rivers and waterways to gain the chance of becoming a flood dragon. The river it transforms in becomes its sacred land. Once transformed, a flood dragon typically cultivates in its sacred land for a time before seeking further evolution. While a flood dragon is not yet a true dragon, it is a transitional form. It lacks horns, has a snake-like body, a head resembling a blend of dragon and tiger, a voice like a bull, and the ability to control winds and rains. It can resist human threats but remains vulnerable to natural disasters. To advance further, the flood dragon must enter the sea¡ªa perilous process filled with natural phenomena that ancient people referred to as a heavenly tribulation. Surviving this tribulation, the flood dragon becomes a chi dragon. A chi dragon, typically at the Nascent Soul stage equivalent for cultivators, has four legs and resides in the sea. The chi dragon¡¯s evolution into a qiu dragon represents the emergence of true dragon traits. A qiu dragon gains iconic dragon horns and unparalleled abilities. It can soar into the heavens, dive into the earth, and alter its size at will. Capable of creating clouds and mist, it possesses divine strength and can establish its own domain in the sea, even forming an undersea kingdom with subjects. Finally, the ultimate stage that all dragon species dream of: the true dragon. A true dragon has a scaled body, a long, imposing head, sharp teeth, prominent brow ridges, and a tail that is both powerful and slender. It can carve rivers and redirect waterways with a flick of its tail, ruling over dragonkind. According to Xu Ming¡¯s understanding, there were only four true dragons in the current world, all at the Ascension Realm. One of them was the unparalleled North Sea Dragon Queen, ranked second on the Beauty List. In practice, though, the time needed for a snake to evolve into a python often took mere decades, with gifted individuals taking less than ten years. However, for a flood dragon to ascend to true dragon status, particularly from qiu to true dragon, the process could take thousands of years¡ªand many would never reach that stage in their lifetime. ¡°Your humble servant pays respects to the Dragon King!¡± As the malevolent flood dragon emerged, the Shijia Village chief quickly knelt and kowtowed, followed by the villagers. The Yellow Sand Dragon Lord swept his gaze over the group. ¡°You¡¯ve never held a temple festival before. Why do so this year?¡± ¡°T-To respond to the Dragon King,¡± the chief stammered, trembling. ¡°This year marks the twentieth year of your grace upon Shijia Village. The number twenty is considered significant to us, so we wished to celebrate and honor you, Dragon King.¡± ¡°Is that all?¡± The Yellow Sand Dragon Lord furrowed his brows. The Shijia Village chief stammered, ¡°Yes¡­ that is all.¡± ¡°Look me in the eyes and say it!¡± the dragon commanded coldly, its oppressive aura spreading across the riverbank. Beside Xu Ming, Shen Shengsheng, who had been standing at a distance, sensed the threat and bared her teeth at the Yellow Sand Dragon Lord. Her vertical pupils contracted sharply in defiance. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Xu Ming reassured her, patting her head gently. Shen Shengsheng lifted her head to look at Xu Ming, blinked once, then clung to his leg while continuing to glare and bare her teeth at the distant dragon. By the Yellow Sand River, the Shijia Village chief trembled as he raised his head and met the dragon¡¯s gaze. For an ordinary man to look directly into the eyes of a Golden Core-level flood dragon under such immense pressure was an extraordinary act, and Xu Ming couldn¡¯t help but feel concerned. He worried whether the chief could withstand the pressure and keep from spilling the truth. The chief¡¯s voice wavered as he said, ¡°To¡­ to respond to the Dragon King, this humble servant does have another reason.¡± His voice broke as he dropped heavily to his knees and kowtowed, striking the ground so hard that his forehead split open. ¡°I deserve to die! I deserve to die!¡± ¡°Speak!¡± the Yellow Sand Dragon Lord demanded coldly. ¡°In truth¡­ in truth, this humble servant wishes to request something,¡± the chief said, nearly in tears. ¡°I humbly ask if, in the future, we could use other offerings in place of the children¡­ to forgo the boy and girl sacrifices.¡± The flood dragon¡¯s eyes narrowed sharply. ¡°I have already decreed that the sacrifices must be a boy and a girl. There will be no exceptions! Consider yourself fortunate that I am sparing you this time because of your past service. If you ever dare bring this up again, I will feed your old bones to the fish and shrimp of the Yellow Sand River!¡± ¡°Yes, yes, this humble servant would never dare again! Please forgive me, Dragon King,¡± the chief pleaded, kowtowing repeatedly. ¡°Four days from now, ensure that the celebration is grand and lively. I will invite some friends to attend. Do not disgrace me¡ªdo you understand?¡± The Yellow Sand Dragon Lord seemed eager for the festival, not just to bask in the villagers¡¯ reverence but also to showcase his power and influence to his peers. ¡°Rest assured, Dragon King, I will ensure everything is perfect and to your satisfaction,¡± the chief said quickly. ¡°There is something I wish to ask you,¡± the dragon continued. ¡°Please speak, Dragon King,¡± the chief replied, still prostrated on the ground, not daring to lift his head. ¡°Has a young man come to your village? Around sixteen or seventeen years old, dressed in a blue robe, looking something like this?¡± The Yellow Sand Dragon Lord tossed a painting onto the ground in front of the chief. The chief picked it up and, upon seeing the image, felt his heart skip a beat. Isn¡¯t this the Immortal Master? ¡°Judging by your expression, it seems you have seen him,¡± the dragon said, letting out a cold chuckle. ¡°To¡­ to respond to the Dragon King, this humble servant has indeed seen this young man,¡± the chief began carefully. ¡°Just yesterday, he came to my home, saying it was late and asking for a place to stay the night. This humble servant allowed him to stay.¡± ¡°Oh? Is he still at your house?¡± the dragon¡¯s eyes lit up with excitement. ¡°Yes,¡± the chief nodded. ¡°The young man is still there. He seems to be resting and said he would leave tomorrow. He even gave me a tael of silver.¡± ¡°Good.¡± The dragon nodded before waving his sleeve. A small bottle containing a green liquid fell at the chief¡¯s feet. ¡°Find a way to keep him in the village for a few days. Isn¡¯t your festival in four days? Keep him until then. Pour the contents of this bottle into his tea and make him drink it. If you succeed, I will reward you handsomely.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± the chief replied, trembling as he picked up the bottle and tucked it into his clothes. ¡°Remember! Do not let him leave. If he escapes, I will bury your entire village alongside him!¡± With that final warning, the Yellow Sand Dragon Lord transformed back into his true form and plunged into the river, disappearing beneath the water¡¯s surface. The river gradually returned to calm. Only then did the village chief finally let out a sigh of relief. ¡°Village Chief,¡± one of the burly men stepped forward to help the chief up. ¡°That Immortal¡ª¡± Before the man could finish the words ¡°Immortal Master,¡± the chief shot him a sharp glare, silencing him immediately. ¡°Let¡¯s head back. We must prepare for the Dragon King¡¯s festival without any negligence,¡± the chief said firmly. ¡°Understood, Chief.¡± The burly man nodded. Together with the other villagers, they began gathering their belongings by the riverbank and heading back to the village. From the distant mountaintop, Xu Ming watched the scene unfold, having heard every word. Xu Ming¡¯s lips curled into a faint smirk. He wanted to take this flood dragon¡¯s life, but it seemed the flood dragon also wanted his. The question was, why? They had no grievances between them. Was it because the flood dragon coveted Baiwa¡¯s Secret Realm? Or had someone else pulled the strings¡ªsomeone like Mo Zhuer? Recalling Mo Zhuer¡¯s parting words the last time they met, Xu Ming couldn¡¯t dismiss the possibility. After all, Mo Zhuer was at the Dragon Gate Realm. Previously, she might have had a chance to kill him in a one-on-one fight, but now, the tables had turned. If anything, she would be the one at risk of being slain. Seeking an ally, such as this flood dragon, would make sense. Still, Mo Zhuer remained a tricky opponent. Was there a way to deal with her while also eliminating the flood dragon? As Xu Ming pondered, his fingers brushed his chin thoughtfully while he descended from the mountaintop. When Xu Ming returned to the village, the chief and the others had already arrived. The chief informed Xu Ming that the festival would take place on the village¡¯s largest open area. Xu Ming nodded and instructed the chief to keep others away from the site. Each night thereafter, Xu Ming went to the designated area and began setting up an array. He drew over a dozen Terrifying Mind Talismans, laying them as the foundation for the formation. After finishing this groundwork, Xu Ming sent his consciousness into the Baiwa Secret Realm. ¡°Master,¡± the golden toad, Yuan Yu, greeted Xu Ming with a respectful bow from inside the temple. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Xu Ming acknowledged him with a nod. Looking at the Golden Core-stage toad, he asked, ¡°Yuan Yu, I need your assistance with something. Do you have the time?¡± Chapter 171 ¡°I need your help with something,¡± Xu Ming said slowly, looking at Yuan Yu. ¡°Master, please tell me. As long as it¡¯s something Yuan Yu can do, I will certainly help,¡± Yuan Yu nodded. Seeing the serious look on his master¡¯s face, Yuan Yu knew it must be something important. This was also the first time his master had asked him for help, so Yuan Yu¡¯s expression carried a sense of solemnity. ¡°I noticed you also seem to have something you want to tell me?¡± Xu Ming¡¯s eyes fell on a letter in the palm of this golden-bodied toad. On the envelope, it read: ¡°To the Master.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Yuan Yu scratched his head. ¡°There¡¯s something I¡¯ve wanted to tell you. I¡¯ve written it all down, and I was just about to burn the letter so you could sense the contents through it.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Xu Ming nodded. ¡°There¡¯s no need to burn it now. Just tell me directly. But should you go first, or should I?¡± ¡°You go ahead, Master. If I can¡¯t help you, then I¡¯d have no right to make any requests,¡± Yuan Yu said with a smile. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go first then.¡± Xu Ming clasped his hands behind his back. ¡°Do you know how to set up formations? Or is there anyone in the Baiwa Secret Realm who can?¡± Yuan Yu chuckled. ¡°To be honest, I know a thing or two about formations. But may I ask what kind of formation you wish to set up, Master?¡± ¡°I want to kill a Golden Core realm flood dragon,¡± Xu Ming said bluntly. Yuan Yu froze for a moment. ¡°In that case,¡± Yuan Yu said after a pause, ¡°I do have several formations taught to me by a certain great monk back in the day. They are particularly effective against flood dragons and similar creatures. Moreover, if you don¡¯t mind, Master, I could assist you during the fight.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Xu Ming did not refuse. He released a wisp of his divine sense and sent it into Yuan Yu¡¯s mind. This wisp contained the location of Shijia Village. ¡°How long will it take for you to leave the Baiwa Secret Realm and get here?¡± Yuan Yu carefully sensed the location. ¡°Two days. I¡¯ll be by your side within two days!¡± Xu Ming nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll leave it to you then.¡± ¡°Master, there¡¯s no need to be so polite,¡± Yuan Yu replied. Xu Ming looked at him. ¡°I¡¯ve finished my matter. Now, you can tell me yours.¡± Yuan Yu smiled. ¡°Master, I, along with Coyote, Sparrow, and Tiger, would like to leave the Baiwa Secret Realm. We wish to venture outside, search for opportunities of our own, and see if we can make further progress in our cultivation.¡± ¡°You wish to leave? Then leave. The door to the outside world only requires you to be at the Dragon Gate realm. There¡¯s no need to ask for my permission,¡± Xu Ming said. Yuan Yu shook his head. ¡°Master, the Baiwa Secret Realm, though small, has its own social order. There are good demons and bad demons. While we¡¯re here, the bad demons don¡¯t dare act recklessly. ¡°But once we leave, I fear the realm¡¯s order might descend into chaos. So, before we go, I humbly ask you to appoint a demon to manage the Baiwa Secret Realm.¡± Xu Ming understood what Yuan Yu meant. Once their strongest fighters were gone, it would be like the tiger leaving the mountain, and the monkeys would take over. However, if he were to appoint a capable demon to act as the manager of Baiwa City, that chosen demon would receive the world¡¯s blessing of fortune, and their cultivation might advance by one stage. ¡°Do you have anyone in mind?¡± Xu Ming asked. ¡°I do,¡± Yuan Yu replied. ¡°The one who runs the beef stall¡ªXi Dalang. His strength is at the late Dragon Gate realm. He¡¯s been stuck at this level for years, unable to break through. If you appoint him, Master, the Baiwa Secret Realm will grant him fortune, and he might ascend to the initial stage of the Golden Core realm. ¡°If he leads the old dog constable squad, maintaining the order of Baiwa Secret Realm should be relatively easy.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Xu Ming wasted no time. He reached out and pointed into the air. In the skies above the Baiwa Secret Realm, a sheet of white paper materialized. The citizens of Baiwa Secret Realm all looked up. At his stall, where he was chopping beef, Xi Dalang paused, lifting his head to gaze at the sky. He had a feeling. This sheet of white paper seemed to be directed at him. The next moment, Xu Ming¡¯s commanding voice echoed throughout the Baiwa Secret Realm: ¡°From this day forth, Xi Dalang is appointed as the magistrate of the Baiwa Secret Realm County Office. He will lead the Old Dog Constable Squad to maintain the realm¡¯s order and stability.¡± The diners all turned to look at Xi Dalang, surprised that this man had gained the favor of the Heavenly Master. Xi Dalang was stunned for a moment. Then, he hurriedly stepped forward, knelt down, and ¡°accepted the decree¡±: ¡°This humble citizen shall not fail the mission!¡± The decree transformed into a stream of light and entered Xi Dalang¡¯s body. Xi Dalang felt his body grow warm. The bottleneck in his cultivation, which had held him back for so long, seemed to loosen ever so slightly. Overjoyed, Xi Dalang kowtowed several more times toward the invisible ¡°Heavenly Master.¡± He had a strong sense that if he retreated to cultivate for a few days, no more than five, he would be able to break through into the Golden Core realm! S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After the appointment, Xu Ming withdrew his divine sense from the Baiwa Secret Realm. Using a Dao Rain Talisman, he summoned a gentle rain imbued with Dao energy to bless the land. In the courtyard of the Shijia Village chief¡¯s home, Xu Ming opened his eyes. All he needed to do now was wait for Yuan Yu to arrive. Meanwhile, beside a small creek, a twisted portal of light opened. Out stepped a toad, a coyote, a tiger, and a sparrow. ¡°So this is the outside world?¡± The sparrow transformed into a young woman and looked around curiously. ¡°Doesn¡¯t seem all that different from our Baiwa Secret Realm, does it?¡± The coyote chuckled. ¡°The laws of the greater world are far more complete than those of the Baiwa Secret Realm. In the Baiwa Secret Realm, reaching the Golden Core realm is already the limit. But in this vast world, there are higher realms: Nascent Soul, Jade Purity, Immortal Ascension, and even two legendary stages beyond that.¡± The tiger laughed. ¡°Well, what can we do? Our homeland simply doesn¡¯t have enough resources.¡± ¡°Everyone,¡± Yuan Yu the toad spoke, ¡°this is where we part ways. Please don¡¯t forget what the Master told us. Remember, do not commit evil against humans or kill the innocent.¡± The sparrow rolled her eyes at Yuan Yu. ¡°You chubby toad, we¡¯re not some bloodthirsty monsters. Why would we go around killing people for no reason? Speaking of which, are you sure you don¡¯t need us to help the Master? An extra hand is an extra edge.¡± Yuan Yu shook his head. ¡°The Master is dealing with a wicked flood dragon. With just me assisting him, it should be manageable. Even if we can¡¯t kill it, I can at least ensure the Master¡¯s safety. But if you all come along, I might not be able to protect everyone.¡± The sparrow sighed. ¡°Fine, fine. Then we¡¯re off.¡± Yuan Yu nodded. ¡°Take care, everyone. Don¡¯t get yourselves killed.¡± ¡°Hahaha!¡± The coyote laughed loudly, waving as he walked away. ¡°The Baiwa Secret Realm was too small. Now that we¡¯re out, we¡¯ll become demon kings in our own right, expanding the Master¡¯s territory!¡± Chapter 172 ¡°Immortal Master, someone is here to see you.¡± Xu Ming, who was meditating with his eyes closed in the village chief¡¯s courtyard, heard the voice of the Shijia Village Chief. Slowly opening his eyes, Xu Ming asked, ¡°Who¡¯s looking for me?¡± The village chief replied, ¡°It¡¯s a chubby man, shorter than you by a head. He calls himself Yuan Yu.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Xu Ming hadn¡¯t expected Yuan Yu to arrive so quickly. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°He¡¯s a friend of mine. Let him in,¡± Xu Ming said. ¡°Understood, Immortal Master.¡± The village chief nodded and quickly went out to bring in the plump man. ¡°Yuan Yu greets the Master,¡± a round, middle-aged man respectfully bowed as soon as he saw Xu Ming in the courtyard. ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so formal,¡± Xu Ming said as he stood and helped Yuan Yu to his feet. He sized up this chubby middle-aged man. So this was Yuan Yu¡¯s human form. It was¡­ pretty much what Xu Ming had imagined. Considering Yuan Yu¡¯s original form was already quite plump, this appearance wasn¡¯t too surprising. ¡°Village Chief, I¡¯d like some time to talk privately with my friend,¡± Xu Ming said. The village chief immediately understood. ¡°Of course, Immortal Master. Call me if you need anything.¡± He left and carefully shut the courtyard door behind him. ¡°Come, have a seat,¡± Xu Ming gestured to the spot beside him. Yuan Yu hesitated. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Master. I¡¯ll stand.¡± Xu Ming chuckled. ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so reserved. While I may be the lord of the Baiwa Secret Realm, I¡¯m still just a small cultivator. You don¡¯t need to fear me. Just treat me as a friend.¡± Yuan Yu looked a bit awkward but didn¡¯t want to upset Xu Ming. Reluctantly, he sat down beside him, though only a small part of his large frame touched the stone stool. Xu Ming poured Yuan Yu a cup of tea, and Yuan Yu quickly stood again to take it with both hands. Xu Ming didn¡¯t say much more. He figured Yuan Yu would understand his personality with time. ¡°Near Shijia Village, there¡¯s a Yellow Sand River. In that river lives a wicked flood dragon. A few days ago, I arrived in Shijia Village and stayed one night at the home of a woman named Luo Sanniang¡­¡± Xu Ming got straight to the point, explaining the situation in Shijia Village. When he was done, he asked, ¡°What do you think? Are you confident we can kill that flood dragon?¡± Yuan Yu grinned. ¡°Confidence? Of course! Especially since the flood dragon has just entered the Golden Core realm. Even if I were to face it alone, I¡¯d be able to skin it and pull its tendons.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Xu Ming nodded. ¡°I¡¯m just worried it might have some reinforcements, which could complicate things.¡± Standing up, Xu Ming brushed off his clothes. ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll take you to the clearing near Shijia Village. Familiarize yourself with the terrain. Tonight, we¡¯ll set up the formation. Once it¡¯s done, aside from the flood dragon¡¯s heart blood, you can take whatever you want.¡± ¡°Thank you, Master!¡± Yuan Yu bowed deeply again. Xu Ming led Yuan Yu to the clearing. Yuan Yu measured the area with his steps and used a tree branch to mark the ground, seemingly sketching out a formation. By evening, Xu Ming and Yuan Yu were eating dinner at the village chief¡¯s house. The village chief didn¡¯t ask too many questions about Xu Ming¡¯s friend. In his heart, he felt more at ease. With an extra helper, they¡¯d have a better chance of killing the flood dragon. Yuan Yu couldn¡¯t help but notice the little girl sitting by Xu Ming¡¯s side. The child, Shen Shengsheng, had dragon-like eyes that exuded an invisible pressure. Curious as he was, Yuan Yu decided not to ask. The little girl seemed to trust the Master deeply, and Xu Ming clearly cared for her as well. That night, Xu Ming and Yuan Yu headed to the clearing. Yuan Yu was busy setting up the formation, while Xu Ming watched closely, intending to learn something from the process. Most cultivators had a few secondary professions, like formation masters, alchemists, puppet masters, beast tamers, and so on. These trades often branched out from their primary cultivation techniques. Xu Ming didn¡¯t plan to master every secondary profession. If he could achieve some proficiency in formations and alchemy, that would be enough. Yuan Yu, understanding Xu Ming¡¯s intentions, explained the process as he worked. Even though he doubted the Master could fully grasp it right away, there was no harm in gaining some basic understanding. After two nights of effort, the clearing where the temple fair would take place was layered with formations. Xu Ming had laid down a ¡°Fearful Heart Array,¡± while Yuan Yu added a ¡°Dragon-Trapping Array,¡± a ¡°Heart-Rending Array,¡± and a ¡°Dragon-Slaying Array.¡± To top it off, Yuan Yu set up a ¡°Concealment Array¡± to ensure the formations would remain undetected until it was too late for their target. Xu Ming looked up at the sky. Now, all that was left was to wait for the temple fair to begin. That night, Xu Ming stayed up, sitting in the courtyard and repeatedly simulating the events that might unfold the next day. ¡°Brother Xu, have some water,¡± came a soft, childlike voice beside him. Xu Ming turned to see the little girl¡¯s clear, innocent eyes looking up at him. This was Luo Sanniang¡¯s daughter, Luo Xiaoman. Though the girl was a bit dark-skinned and her face dotted with freckles, unlike Shen Shengsheng¡¯s porcelain-like beauty, she had large, bright eyes full of life, giving her an innate charm. ¡°Thank you,¡± Xu Ming said, taking the bowl and drinking the water in one gulp. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you asleep yet?¡± Xu Ming asked with a gentle smile, ruffling Luo Xiaoman¡¯s hair. ¡°Can¡¯t sleep.¡± Luo Xiaoman sat on a stone stool beside him, her legs pressed together, hands neatly placed on her lap, looking every bit the obedient child. ¡°So young and already having trouble sleeping, huh?¡± Xu Ming chuckled. ¡°When you grow up and have even more worries, how will you handle that?¡± Hearing this, Luo Xiaoman lowered her head. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Xu Ming asked. ¡°Brother Xu, do I even have the chance to grow up?¡± Luo Xiaoman looked up, her large, lively eyes blinking at him. Xu Ming frowned slightly. ¡°Hmm? Why would you say that?¡± Luo Xiaoman hesitated before softly asking, ¡°Brother Xu, am I going to be eaten tomorrow?¡± Her bright, flickering eyes momentarily dimmed Xu Ming¡¯s expression. ¡°You won¡¯t,¡± Xu Ming said with a smile, placing his large hand gently on her head. ¡°Tomorrow, all you need to do is sit quietly. If you get tired, take a nap. When you wake up, everything will be over. After that, you¡¯ll live a safe and healthy life, grow up to be a fine young woman, marry someone you love, raise a family, and live a peaceful, happy life.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Luo Xiaoman¡¯s eyes lit up with hope. ¡°Really,¡± Xu Ming said, tapping her nose lightly with his finger. ¡°If I say it¡¯s true, then it is.¡± Chapter 173 Dawn had just broken. Shijia Village suddenly came alive with activity. The men and women of the village rose early, busily preparing for the ¡°Dragon King Temple Festival.¡± Over the past few days, they had made significant arrangements, leaving only the final touches for the morning. Not long after, a woman arrived at Luo Sanniang¡¯s house, bringing a new outfit for Luo Xiaoman. She helped Luo Xiaoman into the clothes, applied some light makeup, and turned her into a doll-like figure. Soon after, four strong men arrived at the door carrying a small flowered sedan chair. Luo Xiaoman glanced at her mother, then at Xu Ming. Xu Ming smiled and nodded. Luo Xiaoman swallowed hard. Despite her fear, she stepped into the sedan chair. ¡°Lift the sedan!¡± At the call of an old woman, the suona began to play, gongs and drums sounded, and the four men hoisted the sedan chair, carrying it away into the distance. Luo Sanniang stood at the courtyard entrance, her small hands roughened by farmwork gripping the doorframe tightly. Her thin lips were pressed together, and even as her daughter disappeared from sight, she didn¡¯t look away. ¡°She¡¯ll be fine,¡± Xu Ming said gently, standing beside her. Hearing his words, Luo Sanniang came back to her senses and looked at the young man by her side. ¡°I believe you, sir. You are a good person.¡± Xu Ming chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ve said it before, I¡¯m not a good person. A good person wouldn¡¯t save Xiaoman only to let another little girl be sacrificed in her place.¡± Luo Sanniang shook her head. ¡°To my family, sir, you are a good person.¡± ¡°Alright then.¡± Xu Ming brushed off his sleeves. ¡°I¡¯ll be going now.¡± ¡°Please take care of Xiaoman,¡± Luo Sanniang said, bowing deeply to him. Xu Ming didn¡¯t say more. He simply returned her bow before heading off with Yuan Yu toward the festival grounds. Meanwhile, most of the villagers in Shijia Village had also donned new clothes and stepped out of their homes, ready to join the temple festival. Elsewhere, a young boy was dressed in a brand-new outfit and carried away in another sedan chair by strong men. The boy¡¯s sedan chair soon joined Luo Xiaoman¡¯s. Thinking he was about to be sacrificed, the boy sobbed uncontrollably inside the sedan chair, wiping his tears. Luo Xiaoman, seated in the neighboring sedan, could hear his cries clearly. But Luo Xiaoman didn¡¯t cry. ¡°I trust Brother Xu!¡± she muttered, gripping the fabric of her skirt tightly. More and more people joined the procession. Leading the way was the village chief, followed by one representative from each household. Behind them was the band, playing gongs, drums, and suonas, followed by the sedan chairs. At the very end were the villagers of Shijia Village. The procession stretched long and far, as the village was home to over a thousand people. Xu Ming and Yuan Yu didn¡¯t hide themselves but casually walked alongside the procession as though they were there to enjoy the festivities. Before long, the procession stopped in front of a temple in the village. The temple, built twenty years ago, housed a statue of the Yellow Sand River Dragon King. The village chief, several elders, and some young, strong men entered the temple. ¡°Twenty years ago, Shijia Village suffered a severe drought. It was the Dragon King of the Yellow Sand River who brought us rain. To this day, the Dragon King has protected our village for twenty years. Today, we hold this festival to express our gratitude to the Dragon King and to pray for his continued blessings of favorable weather for our village.¡± The chief¡¯s son lit three sticks of incense for each person, handing them to the chief and the others. They bowed three times to the statue at the front, then inserted the incense into the burner. ¡°The Dragon King sure knows how to enjoy himself,¡± Xu Ming remarked with a smirk. Mo Zhuer stepped into the palace of the Yellow Sand Dragon King. At that moment, the Dragon King was leisurely sipping tea while enjoying the dance of several female demons from the Yellow Sand River. These demons wore revealing clothing, their slender waists and curvaceous figures swaying seductively as they moved. In addition to the dancers, the palace was filled with various other demons. At a glance, Mo Zhuer spotted tiger spirits, loach spirits, and snake spirits among them. The demonic energy emanating from these creatures ranged in strength; the most powerful had reached the Dragon Gate Realm, while most were in the Sea Observation Realm. ¡°Well, well, the saintess has arrived,¡± the Yellow Sand Dragon King said with a smile, sitting up as he noticed Mo Zhuer. ¡°Come, let me introduce you all. This is Mo Zhuer, saintess of the Western Black Lotus Sect and one of the top ten beauties on the Beauty List. Tell me, how many centuries has it been since you¡¯ve seen someone this stunning?¡± ¡°Greetings, Lady Mo,¡± the mountain spirits and wild demons all rose and saluted her. ¡°Lady Mo, this is True Lord Jinshan, and this is Daoist Baimei. The rest are all my friends. We¡¯re all on the same side here,¡± the Dragon King said, introducing her. ¡°Zhuer greets you all,¡± Mo Zhuer said with a polite bow. ¡°Lady Mo is too kind.¡± ¡°Lady Mo truly is as beautiful as a celestial maiden.¡± ¡°I have never seen a woman as stunning as Lady Mo.¡± ¡°What man wouldn¡¯t be utterly captivated by Lady Mo?¡± The demons all stared at her with fervent admiration. For these mountain spirits and wild demons, who had lived in seclusion, even the most enticing women they¡¯d encountered were nothing more than cheap imitations compared to the radiant beauty standing before them. Mo Zhuer responded to their flattery with a faint smile, though inside, she felt nothing but disgust. Demons will always be demons, she thought, wild and untamed. The way they look at me is as if they want to strip me bare on the spot. No, not just demons. Men are all the same. ¡°Xu Ming has already appeared in Shijia Village. I wonder when the Dragon Lord plans to take action,¡± Mo Zhuer asked, her smile serene as she looked at the Yellow Sand Dragon King. ¡°No rush, no rush,¡± the Dragon King said, brushing the folds of his robe. ¡°I¡¯m waiting for news as well. Today, we¡¯ll have our answer. When the time comes, we¡¯ll capture Xu Ming together and use his severed head as a wine vessel!¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Mo Zhuer looked at the Dragon King skeptically. ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°When have I ever¡ª¡± Before the Dragon King could finish his sentence, he suddenly froze, the teacup in his hand pausing mid-air. A faint trace of incense-fueled merit reached him. Closing his eyes, the Dragon King could see the villagers¡ªthose decrepit elders¡ªoffering sacrifices and prayers to him. ¡°Hahaha, it¡¯s time!¡± The Dragon King stood up and laughed heartily. ¡°Everyone, Shijia Village is holding a temple festival in my honor. Let¡¯s go join the fun, and while we¡¯re at it, kill a man for Lady Mo.¡± ¡°Well, that sounds fantastic!¡± ¡°To kill someone for Lady Mo? Even if it were a hundred people, I wouldn¡¯t bat an eye.¡± ¡°Speaking of which, the Dragon King truly commands the respect of the people. Not like me, just eating humans all day.¡± ¡°You¡¯re just a tiger spirit who raises vengeful ghosts. The Dragon King, on the other hand, is destined to become a true dragon and rule the seas.¡± The demons flattered the Yellow Sand Dragon King endlessly, each compliment inflating his ego further. With growing confidence, the Dragon King rose to his feet, his eyes gleaming with self-assurance. To him, Xu Ming was as good as dead. ¡°Lady Mo, would you like to accompany me on this trip?¡± the Dragon King asked. Mo Zhuer bowed gracefully, her figure elegant and enchanting. ¡°Since the Dragon King has invited me, Zhuer will naturally accompany you.¡± The Dragon King¡¯s gaze burned with desire as it lingered on Mo Zhuer. ¡°When this is over, don¡¯t forget what you promised me.¡± Mo Zhuer¡¯s eyes were like hooks, full of allure. ¡°But of course~~~¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll be waiting, Lady Mo,¡± the Dragon King said with a sly grin. The Yellow Sand Dragon King licked his lips, barely able to contain his eagerness to savor Mo Zhuer. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± With a wave of his wide sleeves, the Dragon King transformed into a flood dragon and shot out of the Yellow Sand River. The horde of demons followed close behind. ¡°Ugh! Disgusting,¡± Mo Zhuer muttered, rubbing her arms as goosebumps rose all over her skin. ¡ª Meanwhile, the open space in Shijia Village was bustling with activity. There were dragon and lion dances, opera performances, and even singers performing folk tunes. Xu Ming and Yuan Yu mingled among the crowd, enjoying the festivities. By the time the villagers finished their prayers at the Yellow Sand Dragon King¡¯s shrine, it was already 9:30 AM, according to the timekeeping system of Blue Star. By 10:30, the operas and dragon dances had concluded. Now, many villagers were setting up tables, covering them with red cloths. The aroma of food filled the air, signaling the start of the feast. Although the square appeared crowded, there were only about a hundred people present. Most of the villagers had returned home, ready to flee should a fight break out. ¡°Please, take a seat, gentlemen.¡± Luo Sanniang led Xu Ming and Yuan Yu to a table. ¡°Thank you,¡± Xu Ming nodded, brushing his blue robes aside as he sat down calmly. Luo Sanniang¡¯s gaze kept darting toward the shrine. Inside the shrine, Luo Xiaoman and the young boy knelt before the statue of the Yellow Sand Dragon King, waiting for his arrival. ¡°Sanniang, don¡¯t worry. Xiaoman will be fine,¡± Xu Ming reassured the still-beautiful widow. Luo Sanniang smiled faintly. ¡°I trust you, sir.¡± Yuan Yu watched this interaction silently, wondering to himself: Could my master be interested in widows? He dared not ask and kept his thoughts to himself. But he couldn¡¯t help his curiosity. Initially, his master hadn¡¯t asked for his assistance, merely tasked him with setting up a few auxiliary formations. Yet Xu Ming seemed confident enough to take on a Golden Core realm flood dragon alone. Should I admire his confidence or his recklessness? Yuan Yu mused. He was also in the Golden Core realm and had once fought Xu Ming in the Baiwa Secret Realm. But that was different. Back then, his cultivation level had been partially suppressed to match Xu Ming¡¯s, and he hadn¡¯t used his full strength. This time, however, Xu Ming was facing a genuine Golden Core flood dragon. ¡°They¡¯re here.¡± Just as Yuan Yu¡¯s thoughts began to drift, Xu Ming took a sip of tea and spoke calmly. Yuan Yu looked up, startled. In the distance, waves of oppressive demonic energy were surging like a storm, sweeping toward them. His eyes widened, not because of the overwhelming demonic aura, but because his master¡¯s perception was sharper than his own¡ªa rare feat, even for someone in the Golden Core realm. A flood dragon flew through the sky, its massive form casting a shadow over the village. The villagers, seeing it, dropped to their knees and chanted in unison: ¡°Welcome, Dragon King!¡± The flood dragon transformed into human form and descended from the sky. Behind him followed other demons and an exceptionally beautiful woman. When the group landed, the villagers¡¯ gazes were drawn to the woman. She was barefoot, her pale ankles exposed. Her black dress didn¡¯t even reach her knees, revealing her snow-white thighs. They were stunned. Never before had they seen such an enchanting woman. Unbeknownst to them, as the group stepped into the formation, Xu Ming calmly took a sip of wine. Just as Xu Ming set his cup down, Luo Sanniang rolled up her sleeves and poured him another drink. Xu Ming looked at her, slightly surprised. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to pay your respects to this Dragon King?¡± Luo Sanniang shot him a sharp glance. ¡°How could you say such a thing? That wretched flood dragon wants to devour my daughter. Why would I ever bow to him? I wish I could cut him into pieces!¡± Xu Ming paused for a moment, then clasped his hands in apology. ¡°My mistake. You¡¯re absolutely right.¡± The Yellow Sand Dragon King stood amidst the kneeling villagers, his heart brimming with pride. With the other demons and Mo Zhuer watching, he felt an overwhelming sense of superiority. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. To Mo Zhuer, however, his smugness was laughable. A Golden Core realm demon basking in the worship of a mere few hundred villagers and already acting like he¡¯s invincible? Truly pathetic. The Yellow Sand Dragon King¡¯s antics only highlighted his ignorance and lack of experience. In the Southern Demon Kingdom, a Golden Core realm demon would typically rule a small city, not waste time in backwater displays like this. Soon, the Yellow Sand Dragon King noticed a small group not far away, calmly eating and drinking: Xu Ming, Yuan Yu, and Luo Sanniang. They were conspicuous, standing out like sore thumbs amidst the kneeling crowd. ¡°Which one of them is Xu Ming?¡± the Yellow Sand Dragon King asked. ¡°The most handsome man of the two,¡± Mo Zhuer said, extending her delicate finger toward Xu Ming. The Yellow Sand Dragon King scowled at Xu Ming, then let out a cold laugh. ¡°No wonder he could become a prince consort. He does look the part.¡± The other demons exchanged glances, murmuring to themselves. Prince consort? What¡¯s this about? ¡°Well, let¡¯s go pay our respects to the prince consort,¡± the Yellow Sand Dragon King sneered. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t want him complaining we lacked courtesy before he dies.¡± With that, the flood dragon strode toward Xu Ming. Stopping in front of him, the Yellow Sand Dragon King smirked, his tone dripping with mockery. ¡°Who would¡¯ve thought I¡¯d meet the esteemed prince consort in this backwater village? What an honor for someone as lowly as me.¡± Xu Ming calmly took another sip of wine, then set his cup down. His gaze shifted briefly to Mo Zhuer before returning to the flood dragon. ¡°So, you found help to kill me?¡± he asked. Mo Zhuer¡¯s eyes curved into a smile. ¡°I did.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Xu Ming¡¯s lips curled into a faint smirk as his gaze locked onto the Yellow Sand Dragon King. ¡°And do you truly believe that this crawling lizard can kill me?¡± Chapter 174 ¡°You don¡¯t seriously think that a crawling lizard like this could kill me, do you?¡± Xu Ming looked at Mo Zhuer, his expression calm, even tinged with mockery. Faced with Xu Ming¡¯s derision, Mo Zhuer was utterly indifferent. After all, the disdain wasn¡¯t directed at her. Instead, her charming eyes glanced at Yellow Sand Dragon King beside her, silently repeating the word ¡°lizard¡± in her mind. She found it surprisingly fitting. Having been insulted, Yellow Sand Dragon King¡¯s face turned incredibly grim¡ªfar worse than if he¡¯d swallowed something vile. Sensing the tension between the two, Mo Zhuer¡¯s lips curled into a sly smile. This was perfect. She no longer needed to fan the flames; the situation was already combustible enough. ¡°Does the prince consort dare repeat that?¡± Yellow Sand Dragon King stared coldly at Xu Ming, his gaze deadly. To the Yellow Sand Dragon King, Xu Ming was as good as a dead man. The other villagers kneeling on the ground trembled uncontrollably as they listened to the sharp exchange between the dragon king and this immortal master. For most of the villagers, they had no idea that the village chief had already resolved to sever ties with this vile flood dragon, nor did they know that the immortal master was here to eliminate the dragon king. All they knew was that someone claiming to be a righteous hero had stepped in to protect Luo Sanniang¡¯s family, seemingly trying to save her daughter. But the village chief ultimately announced, ¡°We will continue to worship the dragon king, and not only that, we will host a grand temple festival for him. As for the girl to be sacrificed, it will still be Luo Sanniang¡¯s daughter.¡± Thus, most villagers believed that this so-called ¡°hero¡± had chickened out in the face of the dragon king, deciding to stay in the village only to freeload. Who could have expected that today, this hero would directly confront the dragon king? The villagers were so frightened they didn¡¯t dare lift their heads. If this escalated, their own lives might be at risk! Xu Ming glanced at the village chief, still kneeling in the distance. The chief, catching Xu Ming¡¯s gaze, instantly understood his intent. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The village chief quickly got to his feet and patted the shoulder of a nearby man. The man immediately grasped the message and began calling others to leave, ushering them out. Yellow Sand Dragon King didn¡¯t care at all about the villagers¡¯ departure. His face was flushed with humiliation, his eyes fixed solely on Xu Ming. After all, where could these villagers possibly escape to? Xu Ming cast a clear glance at Luo Sanniang, indicating the distant path. His meaning was clear: ¡°Go.¡± Luo Sanniang shook her head. ¡°The children aren¡¯t here,¡± Xu Ming said plainly. Luo Sanniang froze, then looked toward the temple. Her eyes flickered with uncertainty. She bit her lip gently, torn between her desire to stay and her fear of burdening Xu Ming. In the end, she bowed deeply and reluctantly left. ¡°My, my~ Is Young Master Xu clearing the area to avoid collateral damage?¡± Mo Zhuer¡¯s bewitching eyes blinked playfully. ¡°Could it be that Young Master Xu was actually waiting for us to arrive?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Xu Ming replied with a smile, sitting back down. ¡°Now that you¡¯re here, you might as well stay, especially this noisy little lizard.¡± ¡°Courting death!¡± Yellow Sand Dragon King roared, slamming his palm toward Xu Ming¡¯s head. Yuan Yu, who had been standing by Xu Ming¡¯s side, was just about to intervene when Xu Ming preemptively grabbed Yellow Sand Dragon King¡¯s wrist. Yellow Sand Dragon King¡¯s hand couldn¡¯t move an inch further. The creatures accompanying Yellow Sand Dragon King stared in disbelief. Flood dragons were part of the dragon clan, renowned for their immense physical strength and resilience. Yet here was Yellow Sand Dragon King, utterly overpowered. But Yellow Sand Dragon King¡¯s hand couldn¡¯t move an inch further! ¡°Boom!¡± Xu Ming didn¡¯t hold back. Rising to his feet, he kicked Yellow Sand Dragon King square in the chest. The flood dragon was sent flying backward like a kite with its string cut. Seeing the fight break out, Yuan Yu immediately activated the Dragon-Trapping Formation. Flags emerged from the ground, and the surrounding spiritual energy began to flow rhythmically. Threads of energy intertwined to form a cage, enclosing the entire clearing. ¡°Damn it! We¡¯ve fallen into a trap!¡± The other demons were struck with panic. ¡°I¡¯ll handle this myself. You just watch from the side,¡± Xu Ming said to Yuan Yu. Before Yuan Yu could respond, Xu Ming was already charging forward. Thick, robust martial energy surrounded Xu Ming, and his punches carried the force of a mountain, aimed straight at the vile flood dragon. Many of the demons were torn. If they didn¡¯t help Yellow Sand Dragon King, he would surely come after them for revenge later. But if they did help, could they survive this man¡¯s terrifying fists? As for escaping? The formation had already sealed the area. Where could they run in such a short time? While the demons hesitated, Xu Ming¡¯s fist arrived. ¡°Boom!¡± With one punch, a bear demon at the Sea Observation Realm was reduced to a mist of blood. ¡°Assist me in killing him, and I¡¯ll reward you handsomely! Otherwise¡ª¡± Yellow Sand Dragon King ruthlessly killed another demon, silencing the rest. The gathered demons felt their resolve harden. If retreating meant death at the hands of this vile flood dragon, they might as well fight. Besides, Yellow Sand Dragon King was a Golden Core Realm cultivator, and the Black Lotus Sect¡¯s Saintess was present. The odds were in their favor. Their choice was made. The demons surged toward Xu Ming. Wherever Xu Ming¡¯s fists landed, blood sprayed, and bodies exploded. Yellow Sand Dragon King formed hand seals, conjuring a sword of water from his mouth and launching it at Xu Ming. Xu Ming leapt into the air, snatched the water sword, and closed the distance in an instant. When Yellow Sand Dragon King locked eyes with Xu Ming, an uncontrollable shudder ran through his body. Those eyes! They were terrifying, as if they could pierce directly into his soul and lay him bare. What kind of eyes are these? ¡°Boom!¡± Xu Ming spun in mid-air, landing a powerful roundhouse kick to Yellow Sand Dragon King¡¯s head. The flood dragon crashed to the ground like a sandbag. Xu Ming followed up immediately, diving down with both feet, stomping repeatedly on Yellow Sand Dragon King¡¯s abdomen like an eagle striking its prey. Yellow Sand Dragon King finally found an opening, grabbing Xu Ming¡¯s ankle and flinging him outward. As Xu Ming flew through the air, a tiger demon opened its massive jaws, intending to swallow him whole. A martial artist with such rich blood and qi would be an incredible supplement. Perhaps consuming him would allow the tiger demon to break through to the Golden Core Realm. But before Xu Ming could enter the tiger demon¡¯s mouth, a cold flash of light appeared. The tiger demon¡¯s eyes dimmed as its massive head rolled off its neck and onto the ground. Even in death, the tiger demon likely never imagined that this man was also a sword cultivator. ¡°A dual cultivator of body and sword? The prince consort is indeed ambitious,¡± someone remarked grimly. Chapter 175 Normally, no cultivator would choose to pursue both body and sword cultivation. It was simply too much to handle, and the returns were meager at best. Typically, only those who aspired to be pure qi refiners but lacked the talent to advance to the Cave Mansion Realm would reluctantly switch to martial arts as an alternative for gaining strength. However, the martial cultivation of such individuals was usually of very low quality. This was why Yellow Sand Dragon King looked down on Xu Ming with utter disdain. With a cold sneer, Yellow Sand Dragon King struck out, summoning a massive dragon claw apparition that smashed down toward Xu Ming¡¯s head, locking firmly onto his aura. Xu Ming, with his long sword strapped to his back, responded with a single punch. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The dragon claw apparition shattered on impact as Xu Ming closed in on Yellow Sand Dragon King once more. At the same time, Yuan Yu activated the other formations she had prepared. Xu Ming also triggered the Fear Heart Formation. As Xu Ming thrust his sword toward Yellow Sand Dragon King¡¯s heart, a sudden wave of terror surged within the flood dragon. Panicked, Yellow Sand Dragon King dodged to the side. He knew perfectly well he could have intercepted the sword¡ªbut his body instinctively chose to avoid it! Though he dodged, he didn¡¯t escape unscathed. Xu Ming¡¯s sword pierced into Yellow Sand Dragon King¡¯s shoulder. Frost-like, piercingly cold sword energy spread through Yellow Sand Dragon King¡¯s blood vessels. Roaring in anger, Yellow Sand Dragon King exhaled a blast of dragon breath toward Xu Ming, forcing him to withdraw his sword and creating distance between them. Yellow Sand Dragon King¡¯s fury only grew. To think he had been injured by such a lowly cultivator! In his rage, Yellow Sand Dragon King reverted to his true form¡ªa massive flood dragon¡ªand lunged at Xu Ming. Xu Ming channeled his spiritual energy into his sword, unleashing one sword strike after another. The sword energy rained down like a storm. Despite the flood dragon¡¯s attempts to evade, several strikes inevitably landed. Sword scars marred Yellow Sand Dragon King¡¯s scales, leaving him battered and humiliated. ¡°Roar!¡± Yellow Sand Dragon King charged forward, slamming Xu Ming to the ground and pinning him down with a massive dragon claw. The flood dragon raised his head, gathering dragon breath in his mouth. Sensing the danger, Yuan Yu prepared to intervene. But then she felt the sudden, violent surge of Xu Ming¡¯s blood energy, a sensation that reminded her of the time she had fought him in the Baiwa Secret Realm. Back then, she couldn¡¯t discern what technique Xu Ming had used, only that his strength had skyrocketed as if he had become a completely different person. It felt as though, no matter who faced him, he could drag them into mutual destruction. ¡°Boom!¡± Xu Ming threw a punch that struck Yellow Sand Dragon King squarely on the jaw. The flood dragon¡¯s head snapped upward, releasing the gathered dragon breath into the sky. Seizing the moment, Xu Ming gripped his sword tightly and heaved, prying the massive dragon claw off his chest. Flood dragons naturally lacked claws. This one had conjured them for convenience and to make himself seem more like a true dragon. Xu Ming leaped into the air and drove his sword toward the flood dragon¡¯s head. Yellow Sand Dragon King recoiled, narrowly dodging. But a piercing scream followed¡ªthe sword had left a deep gash on the flood dragon¡¯s head, from which dragon blood now flowed. Flipping onto Yellow Sand Dragon King¡¯s back, Xu Ming plunged his sword into the dragon¡¯s body and followed with relentless punches. Each strike thundered like war drums, growing more ferocious with every blow. One by one, the flood dragon¡¯s scales were torn off, as if they were fish scales being scraped away. The dragon¡¯s spine was nearly shattered under the onslaught, and Yellow Sand Dragon King writhed on the ground in agony. While dragonkind was known for its powerful regenerative abilities, the Dragon-Slaying Formation drastically suppressed this capability. The formation also hindered the flow of spiritual energy within the flood dragon, leaving Yellow Sand Dragon King unable to unleash his full strength. Seeing that the situation was turning dire, Mo Zhuer quickly retrieved her magical artifact and rushed forward to intervene. If this continued, Xu Ming might very well beat the flood dragon to death. And whether the flood dragon lived or died¡ªwhat did that have to do with her, anyway? Mo Zhuer knew one thing for certain: Xu Ming had to die. Even more so now that she was trapped within the formation and couldn¡¯t escape. If this wretched flood dragon died, she wasn¡¯t confident she could defeat Xu Ming on her own. But once this battle concluded, if she managed to kill Xu Ming, then dispatching the heavily wounded flood dragon afterward would be a simple task. She could then extract its tendons and bones to sell for a handsome profit. The black silk ribbon in Mo Zhuer¡¯s hand whipped toward Xu Ming, aiming to bind him. Xu Ming frowned. First, he delivered a punch to the flood dragon beneath him, then slashed upward with his sword, slicing the black ribbon apart. Mo Zhuer¡¯s eyes shimmered like blooming flowers, a kaleidoscope of patterns spinning within them as she tried to pull Xu Ming into an illusion. Unfazed, Xu Ming met her gaze with his Dao Pattern Eyes, locking eyes with her directly. ¡°Those eyes again!¡± Mo Zhuer¡¯s frustration surged. She knew her illusions were utterly ineffective against him. Two sharp spikes appeared in her hands, each about half a meter long, with handles capped by round loops at the end. With an eerie, serpentine movement, Mo Zhuer closed the distance in an instant, her spike already thrusting toward Xu Ming¡¯s throat. Xu Ming tilted his body to evade it. The spike grazed past his neck as he released the grip on his sword and slammed a punch into Mo Zhuer¡¯s chest. The soft sensation beneath his fist registered briefly, but there was no room for such thoughts in a life-and-death struggle. This was a fight for survival¡ªthere was no time for distractions. Mo Zhuer dissolved into a black shadow that scattered like smoke. When she reappeared, another spike was already stabbing toward Xu Ming¡¯s neck. Once again, Xu Ming dodged. Grabbing her wrist mid-strike, he pulled her forward and delivered a punch directly to her face. Yet, once more, she dissolved into black mist. She continued appearing and disappearing around Xu Ming, her shadows forming and dissipating while circling him in waves. Xu Ming struck whenever possible, and even managed to land a few more punches on the flood dragon while at it. Suddenly, over a dozen shadow clones of Mo Zhuer appeared, attacking from all directions with spikes aimed at Xu Ming as if trying to turn him into a pincushion. With his Dao Pattern Eyes, Xu Ming saw through the assault. He leaped backward, causing Mo Zhuer¡¯s thrust to land on the flood dragon beneath him instead. Just as she was retracting her spikes, Xu Ming grabbed her hands and used her momentum to drive the spikes deep into Yellow Sand Dragon King¡¯s body. ¡°ROAR!!!¡± The flood dragon let out an anguished howl as the spikes pierced into it. Taking advantage of the moment, Xu Ming delivered a fierce kick to Mo Zhuer¡¯s stomach, sending her flying several meters away. She crashed into the ground, looking utterly disheveled. Xu Ming then turned his attention back to the flood dragon, locating its reverse scale. With a forceful yank, he tore it out. The flood dragon¡¯s body convulsed violently before it crashed to the ground, kicking up clouds of sand and dust. Seizing the opportunity, Xu Ming drew his sword and plunged it into the area where the dragon¡¯s tendons were located. Tightening his grip, he began to cut downward with relentless precision. The flood dragon¡¯s entire back was split open under Xu Ming¡¯s merciless strikes. Reaching into the exposed cavity, Xu Ming grabbed hold of the dragon¡¯s tendon and yanked it out with a single pull. The massive tendon coiled in his hand, writhing like a whip as it snapped through the air with a resounding crack. Chapter 176 ¡°Roar!!!¡± Underneath Xu Ming, the evil flood dragon let out a pained cry. To this malevolent creature, killing its opponent should have been an easy task. It had slain countless Heroic Soul Realm warriors and even more Cave Mansion Realm cultivators. Now, the one it faced was merely a cultivator who was both at the Heroic Soul Realm and Cave Mansion Realm¡ªnothing worth fretting over. Even if the opponent was dual-cultivating in body and spirit, the gap in their cultivation levels was undeniable. Moreover, what difference did it make if the human had set up an array to ambush it? Before absolute power, all schemes were meaningless and futile. But never in its wildest imagination did the Yellow Sand Dragon King expect this Xu Ming to be so strong! His physical body was incredibly tough, his strength immense, and his spiritual energy astonishingly vast. Adding to that, his sword aura was razor-sharp¡ªunlike anything the dragon king had encountered before. This young man¡¯s cultivation realm felt utterly unreal. Or was it that its own early Golden Core stage strength was nothing more than paper-thin? Regret overwhelmed the Yellow Sand Dragon King. It regretted ever agreeing to this endeavor. It should have focused on its growth, biding its time to wander the rivers and seas. Only after evolving into a mighty chi dragon would it have been wise to grow arrogant. But now, it was too late for ¡°what ifs.¡± ¡°Spare me! I¡¯ll do anything¡ªjust spare me!¡± The Yellow Sand Dragon King lay on the ground, barely clinging to life. Its dragon tendons had already been extracted, leaving it completely immobile. Even if Xu Ming spared it, such grave injuries meant it would be forever stuck in the Golden Core stage. It would never progress further. For a cultivator, stagnation was despair. But for the Yellow Sand Dragon King, even a lifetime in the Golden Core stage was better than death. At worst, it could dominate a small river or stream, living a life of minor tyranny. Xu Ming stared directly into the dragon¡¯s eyes. ¡°When you devoured those children and slaughtered those people, did you ever think about sparing their lives? When they begged for mercy, did you show them any?¡± From this flood dragon, Xu Ming could sense an overwhelming, murky demonic aura. A demon¡¯s aura could be either clear or murky. A clear aura indicated that the demon rarely harmed innocents, and if it did kill, it was usually other cultivators, with some justification or cause. But a murky aura meant this demon had killed countless innocent mortals. The clarity or murkiness of its aura wouldn¡¯t affect a demon¡¯s cultivation. However! In the eyes of righteous sects that specialized in subduing demons, they would never let a demon with such a filthy aura go unpunished! Judging by the dense murkiness of this flood dragon¡¯s aura, it had probably slain no less than a thousand innocents! The Yellow Sand Dragon King continued to plead, ¡°Immortal master, I swear I¡¯ll never harm another innocent again! Don¡¯t those monks always say, ¡®Lay down the butcher¡¯s knife, and become a Buddha on the spot¡¯? Please, spare me! I¡¯ll even become your mount and dedicate my life to doing good deeds!¡± Xu Ming chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re not repenting because you realize your wrongs. You¡¯re begging because you realize you¡¯re about to die.¡± ¡°I¡­ I¡­¡± The Yellow Sand Dragon King was at a loss for words. ¡°Let me ask you this. Why did you insist on eating the children from the Shijia Village? And why one boy and one girl every year?¡± Xu Ming voiced the question that puzzled him the most. ¡°If you give me a good answer, I might consider giving you a chance.¡± Though Xu Ming said he might give it a chance, it was just that¡ªa chance. He never promised to let it live. In the end, the flood dragon was destined to die under his sword. ¡°I¡­ I¡­¡± The Yellow Sand Dragon King¡¯s gaze darted around nervously, cold sweat dripping down its face. ¡°Not going to answer, are you?¡± Xu Ming raised his sword, ready to strike. ¡°No, no, Prince Consort! It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to say¡ªit¡¯s that I can¡¯t say!¡± The dragon¡¯s voice trembled, and its eyes were filled with panic. ¡°If I don¡¯t tell you, you¡¯ll kill me. But if I do, I¡¯ll still die!¡± Xu Ming replied coldly, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then you might as well die now.¡± And with that, the sword began to fall. ¡°Prince Consort, I really can¡¯t say. But what I can tell you is this¡ªI never touched those children from the Shijia Village. I didn¡¯t dare harm them. All those children¡­¡± Before the Yellow Sand Dragon King could finish speaking, his eyes suddenly widened in shock. ¡°Not good!¡± Sensing danger, Xu Ming swiftly distanced himself. The moment he moved, the dragon¡¯s head exploded into a mist of blood. Staring at the headless corpse on the ground, Xu Ming frowned deeply. It was clear now: someone had placed a restrictive spell on the flood dragon. The moment he tried to reveal the truth, the spell was triggered, resulting in his death. The dragon hadn¡¯t planned to confess everything; it had only wanted to skirt the truth, hoping for mercy. But even that triggered the restriction, ending its life. ¡°Didn¡¯t dare to eat?¡± Xu Ming replayed the dragon¡¯s words in his mind. What did it mean by ¡°didn¡¯t dare to eat¡±? Could it be that those children had something special about them? With the dragon dead, the remaining creatures were pale with fear. They now had a clear understanding of this man¡¯s terrifying power. Some of the surviving monsters wanted to beg for their lives. But seeing the murky demonic aura radiating from their bodies, Xu Ming showed no mercy. With a punch, he annihilated each one, leaving none alive. ¡°Yuan Yu, could I trouble you to help gather the demon cores from these creatures? Also, collect any usable parts from their bodies. As for their storage pouches, just leave them.¡± Xu Ming turned and spoke to Yuan Yu. Yuan Yu smiled and bowed slightly. ¡°Master, you honor me. It¡¯s merely a small task.¡± With a small knife in hand, Yuan Yu began to work on the corpses of the demons. The demon cores and certain body parts of these creatures were valuable materials that could fetch a good price. Unfortunately, many of the monsters had been blown to bits by Xu Ming, leaving nothing behind. While Yuan Yu busied herself with the corpses, Xu Ming turned his gaze to Mo Zhuer, who stood quietly nearby. Noticing his attention, Mo Zhuer raised her hands high, then stretched them forward as she obediently walked up to him, looking as if she were surrendering. It was as though the thought of escape hadn¡¯t even crossed her mind. Xu Ming chuckled and looked into her eyes. ¡°You¡¯re not planning to run?¡± Mo Zhuer blinked innocently. ¡°Run? Where would I run to? Do you think you can disable the formation and let me leave?¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible,¡± Xu Ming admitted. ¡°Exactly~ Since I can¡¯t escape, and I can¡¯t beat you, why wouldn¡¯t I just surrender?¡± Mo Zhuer said with a playful smile. Xu Ming let out a wry laugh, but the killing intent in his heart didn¡¯t waver. He wasn¡¯t the kind of person who would spare someone just because they were beautiful. If she tried to kill him, she had to pay the price. Still, her calm demeanor made Xu Ming suspect she had another card to play. ¡°You think just because you¡¯re begging, I¡¯ll spare you? Who do you think you are?¡± Xu Ming asked, testing her. ¡°Why, I¡¯m the Holy Maiden of the Black Lotus Sect, of course,¡± Mo Zhuer said matter-of-factly. Xu Ming: ¡°So what? You think that means I won¡¯t kill you?¡± ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t you?¡± Mo Zhuer smiled. ¡°Of course you would. I tried to kill you, so it¡¯s only natural for you to kill me. But,¡± she added, her voice teasing, ¡°I do have a reason you can¡¯t kill me.¡± Xu Ming¡¯s brow furrowed slightly. ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious why the Black Lotus Sect wants you dead?¡± Mo Zhuer continued. ¡°What good would killing me do? They¡¯d just send someone else after you. Instead of that, why not keep me alive? ¡°That way, we can play a little game¡ªI try to kill you, you try to catch me. Wouldn¡¯t that be a lot more fun? I promise I won¡¯t strike a lethal blow,¡± she said with a sly grin. ¡°Heh.¡± Xu Ming let out a cold laugh. ¡°Do you really expect me to trust the oath of a demoness?¡± Gripping his longsword, Xu Ming radiated killing intent as sword energy danced violently around him. Mo Zhuer had no doubt that the next moment would see Xu Ming¡¯s blade slicing through her throat. Clang! A flash of sword light gleamed in Mo Zhuer¡¯s eyes. ¡°Your martial qi and spiritual power must be in chaos by now, right? I¡¯d guess you¡¯re struggling to hold on, aren¡¯t you?¡± The tip of Xu Ming¡¯s sword pressed against Mo Zhuer¡¯s pale, delicate neck, breaking her skin. A bead of crimson blood trickled down, sliding along the blade. Xu Ming stared at her coldly, but Mo Zhuer maintained her calm smile, her gaze locked with his. ¡°Stop pushing yourself¡ªI can see through you.¡± Mo Zhuer gently placed her soft, fair hand on Xu Ming¡¯s shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s not good for a man to act so stubborn, you know~¡± The moment her words fell, blood began to drip from Xu Ming¡¯s mouth, eyes, and ears. ¡°Master! Are you alright?¡± Yuan Yu, who had been keeping an eye on the situation, rushed over in alarm. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Xu Ming waved him off. Mo Zhuer smiled faintly and continued, ¡°I have a way to resolve your problem. In fact, I¡¯m the only one in the world who can help you. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can kill me now¡ªbut then you¡¯ll face a choice later: will you abandon the martial path or give up your cultivation as a spiritualist?¡± ¡°Yuan Yu,¡± Xu Ming called out. ¡°Yes, Master,¡± Yuan Yu responded. ¡°Back in the Baiwa Secret Realm, didn¡¯t you have a rope that could bind someone and seal their cultivation?¡± Xu Ming asked. ¡°I do, Master,¡± Yuan Yu nodded. ¡°Any cultivator below the Golden Core stage will be rendered powerless if bound by it.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Xu Ming said with a nod. ¡°Tie her up for me.¡± ¡°Understood!¡± Without hesitation, Yuan Yu summoned a golden chain-like rope, which swiftly coiled itself around Mo Zhuer, binding her tightly. Mo Zhuer didn¡¯t resist at all. Xu Ming then flicked a pill directly into her mouth. ¡°This pill was a gift to the emperor from the Poison Sect of Wu Kingdom. Once ingested, it causes intense heat, blood surges, and requires a daily antidote to keep the effects at bay. Without the antidote, you¡¯ll dissolve into a pool of blood!¡± After swallowing the pill, Mo Zhuer indeed felt her body heating up, her blood boiling within her veins¡ªjust as Xu Ming had described. ¡°Quite the gentleman, aren¡¯t you, Master Xu?¡± Mo Zhuer said coldly, her composure now replaced by resentment. ¡°Not as much as the Holy Maiden of the Black Lotus Sect,¡± Xu Ming replied, ignoring her sarcasm. ¡°Awoo, awoo!¡± sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. From nearby came the sound of a young girl¡¯s voice. Shen Shengsheng ran toward Xu Ming on her short little legs, her face full of concern. ¡°Awoo.¡± Tugging on Xu Ming¡¯s trousers, the girl tilted her small head up, looking at him worriedly. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Xu Ming patted her head gently, then removed the small storage pouch hanging from his waist and handed it to her. ¡°Go on, we¡¯ve got plenty of spoils this time. It¡¯s all yours.¡± ¡°Awoo!¡± Shen Shengsheng cheered happily, clutching the pouch as she ran off with a joyful bounce to collect the loot. Watching Xu Ming¡¯s gentle demeanor, Mo Zhuer couldn¡¯t help but think back to his earlier frenzy while killing enemies. The stark contrast left her feeling that this man was strangely contradictory. Before long, the noise from the temple area quieted down, and curious villagers began to approach to see what had happened. When they saw the headless body of the flood dragon on the ground, many couldn¡¯t help but break into tears. It wasn¡¯t sorrow for the death of the Yellow Sand Dragon King¡ªit was relief. At last, they were free from his threats and oppression. On this day, Shijia Village held a grand celebration, a true festival at the temple. Ironically, it was still in honor of the Yellow Sand Dragon King¡ªbut this time, to celebrate his death. Xu Ming carefully collected the heart¡¯s blood of the dead flood dragon, while Yuan Yu was instructed to choose anything he wanted as a reward. Yuan Yu initially declined multiple times, insisting that he had done nothing more than set up a few formations. But under Xu Ming¡¯s insistence, Yuan Yu reluctantly chose the dragon gall. Without hesitation, Xu Ming tossed it to him. Yuan Yu then separated the dragon¡¯s meat, blood, scales, and other useful parts, organizing them neatly for Xu Ming¡¯s convenience. Whether Xu Ming wanted to sell or use them later, it would all be easy. Later, Xu Ming had Mo Zhuer lead him to the dragon palace, where they thoroughly looted Yellow Sand Dragon King¡¯s treasure vault, leaving not even a grain of sand behind. ¡°You haven¡¯t noticed, have you? Quite a few villagers are harboring grievances against you,¡± Mo Zhuer remarked with a sly smile, still bound tightly in the room. ¡°You killed Yellow Sand Dragon King and destroyed their ¡®favorable weather.¡¯ To them, all it cost was a pair of children each year to ensure good harvests and prosperity.¡± ¡°Heh.¡± Xu Ming let out a cold laugh. ¡°A mere flood dragon like him¡ªwhat right does he have to command the wind and rain? At most, he could predict some upcoming weather changes. That beast took advantage of the rainy season, claiming credit for the rain that was naturally coming. The reason Shijia Village didn¡¯t experience drought for the past twenty years was pure luck, nothing more. For two decades, there was no drought¡ªnot because of him, but coincidence. Meanwhile, that flood dragon did nothing but bask in offerings, demand a pair of children annually, plunder the village, and enslave its people.¡± Mo Zhuer raised her eyebrows. ¡°You know all this, but the villagers do not.¡± ¡°I explained it to the village chief,¡± Xu Ming replied. ¡°But many of the villagers don¡¯t believe it,¡± Mo Zhuer pointed out. ¡°That¡¯s normal,¡± Xu Ming said indifferently. ¡°People tend to believe only what they already want to believe.¡± Mo Zhuer chuckled. ¡°And you don¡¯t care about that?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Xu Ming said simply, turning to face her. ¡°Then what do you care about?¡± Mo Zhuer asked, stepping closer despite her bindings. Her smile was soft, her voice teasing like a wisp of fragrant breath. She sat down beside him, close enough to feel his warmth. ¡°Enough with your nonsense,¡± Xu Ming said coldly, cutting her off. ¡°Tell me¡ªwhat is your method for resolving the imbalance between my martial qi and spiritual energy?¡± Chapter 177 ¡°Speak, what method do you have to help me regulate the qi and spiritual energy within my body?¡± Xu Ming looked at Mo Zhuer, who was still bound tightly. ¡°If I just tell you, what¡¯s stopping you from killing me afterward to silence me?¡± Mo Zhuer¡¯s charming eyes blinked. Even though her life was hanging by a thread, her tone always seemed light and carefree. ¡°If you tell me, I won¡¯t kill you this time. I promise to let you go. But next time we meet, all bets are off,¡± Xu Ming replied. ¡°Why should I believe you?¡± Mo Zhuer tilted her head playfully. ¡°Then what do you want?¡± Xu Ming asked. ¡°It¡¯s simple~¡± Mo Zhuer¡¯s lips curved into a sly smile. ¡°Just give me the antidote to the poison, untie these ropes, and I¡¯ll tell you the method.¡± ¡°You¡¯re dreaming,¡± Xu Ming frowned. ¡°Well, then there¡¯s no deal. I won¡¯t tell you,¡± Mo Zhuer sighed as if truly regretting the situation. ¡°People like us have been deceived too many times. Trust doesn¡¯t come easy anymore.¡± ¡°You think you have another choice?¡± Xu Ming¡¯s tone grew colder. ¡°Of course~¡± Mo Zhuer¡¯s eyes curved mischievously. ¡°At worst, I die. For cultivators like us, death is always a possibility. Nothing surprising about it.¡± ¡°Or~¡± Mo Zhuer leaned closer to Xu Ming, a faint blush appearing on her cheeks. ¡°Or you could do something¡­ unpleasant to me. If that¡¯s the case, well, I don¡¯t mind. Just be gentle; I¡¯m afraid of pain. But, of course, you¡¯d have to take responsibility afterward.¡± ¡°Afraid of pain, huh?¡± Xu Ming sneered. ¡°Huh?¡± Before Mo Zhuer could react, Xu Ming grabbed a dragon tendon whip¡ªlong since cleaned of blood¡ªand hoisted her up to the ceiling beam. ¡°Sheng Sheng, bring me two candles,¡± Xu Ming ordered, turning to Shen Shengsheng. ¡°Oh!¡± Shen Shengsheng jumped off the bed with a little ¡°thud,¡± her tiny legs moving quickly as she left the room. Moments later, she returned, carrying two large candles. ¡°What are you planning to do!¡± A bad feeling rose in Mo Zhuer¡¯s mind. Xu Ming chuckled coldly. ¡°What do you think I¡¯m going to do?¡± ¡°Sheng Sheng, step outside for a bit,¡± Xu Ming said. What he was about to do was not suitable for children. He couldn¡¯t risk leaving a bad impression on her. ¡°Awoo¡­¡± Shen Shengsheng pouted slightly, not wanting to leave her ¡°big brother.¡± But since he insisted, she obediently left the room. ¡°Have you ever played with candles?¡± Xu Ming asked. Mo Zhuer had never played with them, but she certainly knew what ¡°playing with candles¡± implied. ¡°What are you talking about, sir? I don¡¯t understand.¡± Her heartbeat quickened. ¡°Don¡¯t understand?¡± Xu Ming tilted the candle, letting the melted wax drip. The hot red wax landed drop by drop onto Mo Zhuer¡¯s smooth, snowy white thighs, cooling and solidifying slowly. ¡­ Outside in the courtyard, Shen Shengsheng watched ants crawling along the ground. Growing bored, she turned her attention to the cicadas in the trees. After a while, she opened her mouth wide and¡ª¡±Ah-woo!¡±¡ªdevoured a cicada in one bite. Crunch. Tastes like chicken. Strange sounds occasionally drifted out from the room behind her. Curious, Shen Shengsheng wanted to take a peek but was afraid of upsetting her ¡°big brother.¡± So, she kept herself entertained by watching ants again. Creak. The door to the room opened. Hearing it, Shen Shengsheng quickly ran over with her little legs. Xu Ming patted her on the head. ¡°Keep an eye on her for me. I need to step out for a bit.¡± ¡°Awuu.¡± Shen Shengsheng nodded firmly, patting her small chest as if to say, ¡°Leave it to me.¡± She ran into the room and saw the hateful big sister still half-suspended in the air. However, the big sister¡¯s legs were now marked with patches of red here and there. ¡°Xu Ming!!!¡± Mo Zhuer bit her thin lips tightly, her voice filled with rage. ¡°I will kill you for this humiliation!¡± ¡ª The North Sea. In this boundless expanse of ocean, numerous islands were scattered across the waters. These islands were collectively known as the Ten Thousand Islands Nation. Each island had its own lord, who also served as the ruler of the island¡¯s people. However, all these lords pledged allegiance to one person alone. Beneath the vast expanse of the North Sea lay a massive palace. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Patrolling the palace¡¯s perimeter were serpentine dragons, hornless dragons, and giant whales. They guarded this royal palace, which was ten times larger than the imperial palace of the Wu Kingdom. The palace was divided into an outer palace and an inner palace. The outer palace was filled with shrimp soldiers and crab generals, led by commanding dragons and brimming with elite guards. The inner palace, on the other hand, housed only women¡ªclam maidens and merfolk¡ªwhose laughter and chatter echoed continuously within its walls. At the very center of the palace was a coral garden. Although it was situated deep under the sea, sunlight inexplicably filtered down, illuminating the entire palace as brightly as if it were broad daylight on land. It was nothing short of miraculous. In the garden, a woman sat on a chair, gazing up toward the surface of the sea. She wore a deep sea blue imperial robe, and the sunlight spilling across her exquisite and radiant face made her beauty shine like liquid silver, enhancing her unparalleled elegance. Even though the imperial robe obscured her legs, one could still sense their long, slender, and perfectly proportioned shape from the way the hem of her skirt draped against her thighs. A wave of sea breeze swept through like the wind, causing her waist-length hair to dance gently before it fell back into place. Amber-colored, otherworldly pupils; long, curled lashes; flawless, translucent skin; and a cold, detached gaze that seemed to suggest the affairs of the world were of no concern to her. The scent emanating from her was unique and unforgettable¡ªeternal, pure, and icy. The icy blue star-shaped earrings dangling from her earlobes added to her unapproachable aura, while the silver bracelet on her wrist, adorned with tiny diamonds, reflected sunlight into a dazzling rainbow, adding an extraordinary allure. Noble, elegant, regal, and majestic. These four words found their perfect embodiment in her. It was as if her very existence had given meaning to these words. This woman was one of the only four true dragons in existence and the ruler of the North Sea. For countless millennia, she had held the top spot on the Beauty Rankings. Although a female monk had recently appeared and pushed her to second place, in the hearts of countless people, this woman would forever be the number one. She was Longyue Qiao, the Eternal Dragon Empress of the North Sea. For the past half hour, the Eternal Dragon Empress had not moved a muscle. If not for the occasional blink of her eyes, one might suspect that a master craftsman had poured their life¡¯s work into carving this exquisite statue. ¡°Your Majesty.¡± A clam maiden dressed in palace attire approached the Dragon Empress and bowed respectfully. ¡°A total of 1,100 virgin boys and girls have been delivered.¡± Chapter 178 ¡°Your Majesty, a total of 1,100 virgin boys and girls have been delivered.¡± The soft voice of the palace maid reached the Dragon Empress¡¯s ears. At that moment, the stunning figure resembling a flawless sculpture finally moved. The Dragon Empress slowly rose to her feet. The clam maiden before her was already quite tall, but the Dragon Empress stood a full head taller¡ªapproximately five and a half feet, as tall as Xu Ming himself. Even with the loose imperial robe draped over her, it couldn¡¯t conceal her strikingly graceful figure. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± The Dragon Empress didn¡¯t open her mouth to speak, yet her ethereal voice echoed through the garden. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± The clam maiden nodded, standing up and leading the way. A quarter of an hour later, the Dragon Empress arrived at a palace in the outer court. Inside, 1,100 boys and girls stood obediently, looking around nervously. Their faces were tense with fear, uncertain of what fate awaited them. Next to these children stood shrimp soldiers and crab generals, each armed and vigilant. ¡°Her Majesty arrives.¡± A pleasant, melodious voice rang out in the palace. The children, still unsure of what was happening, saw the weapon-wielding monsters kneel on one knee, facing the entrance. For a moment, the children panicked, unsure whether they should kneel as well. The next second, they saw a woman step inside¡ªsomeone so breathtakingly beautiful that she seemed like a celestial figure straight out of a fairy tale. Even the oldest among the children, no more than nine years old and devoid of any romantic notions, thought to themselves: This big sister is incredibly beautiful. ¡°Greetings, Your Majesty!¡± The kneeling soldiers and generals shouted in unison. The Dragon Empress paid them no mind, her long legs elegantly striding forward as she approached the crowd. Standing before the group of children, she towered over them. The little ones had a second thought: This big sister is so tall! Her amber, slit-pupiled eyes scanned every single boy and girl, one by one, as if searching for something important. But it was clear that the Eternal Dragon Empress hadn¡¯t found what she was looking for. After half an incense stick¡¯s time, the Dragon Empress shook her head gently. Her amber eyes betrayed a trace of disappointment so profound that it made everyone present¡ªthough unconnected to her thoughts¡ªfeel an inexplicable sense of guilt and regret. ¡°Distribute these boys and girls among the islands. Find them good families to raise them,¡± the Dragon Empress instructed the palace maid beside her. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± the maid replied. She was no stranger to this task. In the past, batches of boys and girls would be sent to the various islands of the North Sea, each child placed with a family to be raised properly. Yet, the maids couldn¡¯t help but feel puzzled. Why did their Empress keep summoning so many boys and girls, only to glance at them briefly before sending them away? The Dragon Empress waved her hand, dismissing the maid and the shrimp soldiers. Together, they escorted the children out of the palace. These boys and girls would grow up well, cared for by their new families. But barring any unforeseen circumstances, they would never leave the North Sea. Once the children were gone, the vast palace became eerily empty. The Dragon Empress ascended the steps to the throne at the very front of the hall. She sat upon the dragon throne, her delicate head bowed slightly, her long, slender, fair fingers gripping the armrests. ¡°Why? Why haven¡¯t I found it yet?¡± She murmured to herself, her heart filled with confusion and an overwhelming sense of loss. ¡°Your Majesty,¡± a palace maid entered and knelt before the Dragon Empress. ¡°What is it?¡± The Dragon Empress collected her thoughts and raised her head. ¡°Reporting to Your Majesty, in a fiefdom belonging to Prince Qing of Wu Kingdom, there is a river called the Yellow Sand River. A flood dragon in that river has been loyal to our North Sea Dragon Palace. We have just received word that the flood dragon in the Yellow Sand River is dead,¡± the maid reported directly. ¡°Dead is dead,¡± the Dragon Empress¡¯s voice echoed through the palace. Across the world, many flood dragons pledged loyalty to the dragon kings of the Four Seas. The flood dragon of the Yellow Sand River had been persuaded to submit by the Dragon Empress¡¯s emissaries. Its only obligation was to send a pair of virgin boys and girls to the North Sea each year, in exchange for modest rewards from the Dragon Palace. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Such arrangements were handled by her subordinates. The Dragon Empress had never met this flood dragon and had even forgotten its existence. The flood dragon¡¯s actions were of no concern to the North Sea Dragon Palace. Whether it committed good or evil, the palace would neither interfere nor defend it. Thus, the death of the Yellow Sand River flood dragon was inconsequential. However, the nearby Shijia Village was an important settlement. It would be necessary to either send someone from the palace or persuade another flood dragon to take its place in the Yellow Sand River. ¡°Your Majesty, there is¡­ another matter,¡± the maid hesitated before continuing. ¡°At the exact moment the flood dragon in the Yellow Sand River died, the Nine Dragon Pillar in the Yunsheng Hall displayed strange behavior.¡± The Dragon Empress narrowed her eyes, her tone turning cold. ¡°Why was this not reported sooner?¡± ¡°This servant is guilty! This servant is guilty!¡± The maid banged her head against the floor three times, the sound ringing through the hall. ¡°At first, this servant believed it to be a mere malfunction in the formation. But who could have known¡ªthe anomaly in the Nine Dragon Pillar has not ceased to this day!¡± The Dragon Empress stared at the maid, her intent to kill flickering dangerously in her amber eyes. But as certain words echoed in her mind, her chest rose and fell sharply. She suppressed the murderous intent within her heart. ¡°Half a year¡¯s salary docked. Go to the Ice Cavern and reflect for half a month!¡± As the Dragon Empress¡¯s words fell, the dragon throne at the front of the hall was already empty, yet her voice continued to resonate within the chamber. ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty, for sparing my life! Thank you, Your Majesty, for sparing my life!¡± The maid hurriedly turned and kowtowed three more times toward the door. The Dragon Empress used her technique of shrinking the earth to a single step. Within three breaths, she arrived at a forbidden area within the inner palace. This place was surrounded by layer upon layer of defensive formations. At the heart of the formations stood nine towering pillars. The nine pillars formed a circular pattern, with their centers connected by grooves through which blue liquid flowed. Nine royal palace attendants tasked with guarding the formation immediately prostrated themselves upon seeing the Dragon Empress. ¡°This servant greets Your Majesty!¡± The Dragon Empress waved them off without a word, striding directly to the center of the Nine Dragon Pillars. Her gaze locked onto the southwestern pillar, which was glowing intermittently. She extended a hand, her sleeve brushing against her snow-white wrist. With a light touch of her finger, the pillar burst into a beam of dazzling light, piercing through the depths of the sea, breaking through the surface, and surging straight into the clouds! The North Sea roared, waves towering high. The Dragon Empress closed her eyes as the ocean currents surged. Her imperial robes clung tightly to her graceful figure, highlighting her unmatched beauty. ¡°Crash!¡± Suddenly, the pillar of light vanished. The waves subsided, and calm returned to the North Sea. The Dragon Empress slowly opened her eyes. ¡°Shijia Village,¡± she murmured, her heart repeating the name over and over. Her amber eyes glimmered with uncertainty, and her delicate lips pressed into a tight line. Chapter 179 After Xu Ming killed the Yellow Sand Dragon King, he stayed in Shijia Village for three days. The first reason was that the Yellow Sand Dragon King¡¯s palace was filled with treasures. There were all kinds of jewels, gold, medicinal pills, and formation diagrams. Whether useful or not, the Yellow Sand Dragon King had hoarded them all. Xu Ming only collected what he deemed useful. As for the rest, he didn¡¯t waste it either, ordering Yuan Yu to move everything to the Baiwa Secret Realm. Who knows? Maybe among this ¡°junk,¡± there¡¯s some fragment of a celestial scripture. The second reason was that Xu Ming needed time to recover. When he killed the Yellow Sand Dragon King, it wasn¡¯t a flawless victory¡ªhe sustained significant injuries. He needed to restore 70-80% of his combat power before hitting the road again. Otherwise, if someone ambushed him, all the loot he painstakingly collected would end up as someone else¡¯s prize. During these three days, Xu Ming spent some time every day ¡°playing with candles¡± with Mo Zhuer. However, no matter what, Mo Zhuer refused to reveal the method to resolve the conflict between Xu Ming¡¯s martial qi and spiritual energy. Xu Ming tried negotiating with her. Mo Zhuer demanded her freedom in exchange for the information, claiming she would swear an oath to ensure her sincerity. But oaths, while binding for the honorable, are as light as a feather to a shameless enchantress like her. In response, Xu Ming also offered to swear an oath, promising to let her go as long as her method proved even slightly useful. But Mo Zhuer didn¡¯t trust him either. Thus, the two were locked in mutual suspicion. Xu Ming had no choice but to give her an ultimatum: twenty days to consider. If she still refused to talk after that, he¡¯d deliver her head back to the Black Lotus Sect of the Western Regions. The twenty days weren¡¯t meant to spare her but to torment her. Dying instantly might be painless, but knowing the exact time of one¡¯s death and feeling it approach is a torment few can endure. Xu Ming was curious to see if Mo Zhuer could handle it. ¡ª ¡°Brother Xu, are you leaving?¡± On the day of his departure, Luo Xiaoman approached Xu Ming, clutching the hem of his robe reluctantly. ¡°Yes, Brother Xu has to leave.¡± Xu Ming knelt down and gently patted her head. ¡°From now on, Xiaoman has to be a good girl and listen to your mother, okay?¡± Luo Xiaoman nodded earnestly. ¡°I¡¯ll be good. But Brother Xu, will I ever see you again?¡± ¡°You probably will,¡± Xu Ming replied with a smile. ¡°When you grow up healthy and safe, you¡¯ll get to see Brother Xu again.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Luo Xiaoman¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Really,¡± Xu Ming assured her. ¡°Hmph, men are liars.¡± From the side, Mo Zhuer scoffed. Anyone could tell Xu Ming was just comforting the little girl. Hearing her sarcasm, Xu Ming pulled out a candle from his robe. Mo Zhuer¡¯s face instantly turned pale, and she fell silent. ¡°Oh, by the way, those books I gave you¡ªpractice them at your own pace. There¡¯s no rush. But remember, don¡¯t let anyone else see them, okay?¡± Over the past few days, Xu Ming discovered that Luo Xiaoman actually possessed spiritual veins. While not particularly remarkable, they were good enough for her to join an ordinary sect. So, Xu Ming gave her a few basic cultivation manuals. How far she progressed would depend on her own efforts. ¡°Okay.¡± Luo Xiaoman nodded. ¡°I understand, Brother Xu.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Xu Ming stood up, cupped his hands in a respectful gesture toward Luo Sanniang, and said, ¡°Madam, we¡¯ll take our leave now. If you ever need assistance, you can send a letter to Xu Manor and address it to someone named Xu Pangda. Mention my name, and he should be able to help you.¡± ¡°Thank you, benefactor! Your kindness is something Sanniang can never repay.¡± Luo Sanniang knelt to the ground in gratitude. ¡°There¡¯s no need for such formality, Sanniang.¡± Xu Ming quickly helped her up. ¡°You and Xiaoman, take care of yourselves.¡± Luo Sanniang and Luo Xiaoman escorted Xu Ming out of the courtyard and all the way to the village entrance. The village chief and the villagers had already gathered there to bid him farewell. After leaving Shijia Village, Xu Ming resumed his journey toward the Tianxuan Sect. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Yuan Yu mentioned he wanted to see the outside world and search for clues about the ancient gluttonous beast, Taotie. ¡°Clues about the Taotie? Do you have any leads?¡± Xu Ming asked. Yuan Yu smiled faintly. ¡°An old monk once told me about a place in the southwest called Ashen Valley. It¡¯s said that an ancient Taotie is buried there.¡± ¡°Do you know where Ashen Valley is?¡± Xu Ming turned to Mo Zhuer, who was still bound. ¡°No idea,¡± Mo Zhuer replied promptly. Worried that Xu Ming wouldn¡¯t believe her, she added, ¡°I¡¯ve heard of White Ash Valley in the Western Regions and the Bone Pit in Qi Kingdom, but I¡¯ve never heard of this so-called Ashen Valley.¡± Xu Ming glanced at Mo Zhuer but didn¡¯t press further. ¡°Be careful. I¡¯ll also ask around for information about Ashen Valley. If you can¡¯t find it, you can return to the Baiwa Secret Realm. If I have any news, I¡¯ll leave a note in your temple,¡± Xu Ming said. ¡°Thank you, Master.¡± Yuan Yu seemed deeply moved. ¡°Master, please take care of yourself as well. This woman may be stunningly beautiful, but she¡¯s a cunning enchantress, like poison. If she becomes useless, it¡¯s better to deal with her quickly to avoid future trouble.¡± ¡°Hey! You fat idiot! If you¡¯re going to urge him to kill me, at least do it behind my back! Can¡¯t you show me a little respect?¡± Mo Zhuer snapped. After a few days of Xu Ming¡¯s ¡°candle sessions,¡± Mo Zhuer no longer maintained her coquettish facade. Her true personality had emerged, blunt and unrestrained. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I know what I¡¯m doing,¡± Xu Ming replied with a nod. Since Xu Ming had spoken, Yuan Yu said no more. He simply bowed deeply before turning to leave, setting off to seek his own fortune. ¡°Let¡¯s go too. I¡¯ll take you to meet a beautiful elder sister,¡± Xu Ming said gently, tapping Shen Shengsheng¡¯s nose with his finger. ¡°Yay~¡± Shen Shengsheng nodded happily, grabbing Xu Ming¡¯s hand tightly. Xu Ming held Shen Shengsheng¡¯s small hand in one of his, while the other held the rope tied to Mo Zhuer. Together, they continued on their way to the Tianxuan Sect. Walking beside Xu Ming, Mo Zhuer¡¯s eyes sparkled mischievously as some strange idea brewed in her mind. ¡°Xu Gongzi (Young Master),¡± Mo Zhuer called out in a seductive tone. ¡°What is it?¡± Xu Ming replied coolly. ¡°Tonight¡­¡± Mo Zhuer leaned close to Xu Ming¡¯s ear, her breath warm as her sultry voice brushed against his earlobe. ¡°Shall I serve you tonight?¡± Chapter 180 ¡°Shall I serve you tonight, Young Master Xu?¡± Mo Zhuer said softly, her breath brushing against Xu Ming¡¯s earlobe like a warm breeze. The seductive tone in her voice seemed to stir the most primal instincts deep in Xu Ming¡¯s DNA. ¡°Heh, you¡¯re the one who suggested it,¡± Xu Ming replied with a faint smile, smacking her thigh sharply. The crisp sound echoed, and the sensation was soft and smooth. ¡°Don¡¯t regret it later.¡± Mo Zhuer froze for a moment, nearly grinding her teeth to pieces in her heart. In all her life, no man had ever touched her thigh before¡ªmuch less slapped it! Yet, despite her inner fury, Mo Zhuer kept her charming smile intact. Xu Ming¡¯s agreement meant things were moving in her favor. Her lips curved into a sly grin. ¡°Of course~ It¡¯s this humble one¡¯s idea. Tonight, I¡¯ll make sure to serve Young Master well~ Let you experience the pinnacle of earthly pleasures.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Xu Ming chuckled, but inside, he felt nothing but disdain. How could he not see through her scheming? The two continued their journey, and by evening, Xu Ming untied the rope binding Mo Zhuer. He no longer needed to suppress her spiritual power¡ªif she wasn¡¯t worried about the poison in her body, she could leave anytime. The first thing Mo Zhuer did after regaining her spiritual power was to inspect her body with her inner energy. But to her shock, there were no signs of poisoning at all. Could it be¡­ this man was bluffing? Am I not poisoned at all? A wave of doubt washed over Mo Zhuer. Yet, when she looked at how casually Xu Ming untied her, she hesitated. If she truly weren¡¯t poisoned, would he trust her this much? ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. You shouldn¡¯t be able to detect the poison in your body, right? That¡¯s normal. After all, this is one of Wu Kingdom¡¯s finest creations. Unless you reach the Nascent Soul stage, you¡¯ll never sense it.¡± Xu Ming made a sweeping gesture. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, you can leave now.¡± Mo Zhuer: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What are you saying, Young Master~¡± Mo Zhuer chuckled lightly and stepped closer, resting her delicate hand on his shoulder. ¡°If I left now, wouldn¡¯t I be throwing my life away? Besides, I promised to serve you tonight, didn¡¯t I~?¡± ¡°Heh.¡± Xu Ming let out a short laugh and didn¡¯t say more, walking ahead without looking back. Watching his retreating figure, Mo Zhuer clenched her fists tightly, but she hurried to keep up. As the three walked through the forest, the sky grew darker. After a long day of travel, Shen Shengsheng looked visibly tired. Her little hands clung to Xu Ming¡¯s robe, her head drooping as if she could fall asleep at any moment. Xu Ming made quick work of hunting a deer in the forest and found a cave for shelter. When the fire was lit, the entire cave was illuminated in its warm glow. ¡°You said you¡¯d serve me, didn¡¯t you?¡± Xu Ming turned to Mo Zhuer. Mo Zhuer blinked in surprise but nodded, stepping closer with a sultry smile. ¡°Of course~ What does Young Master wish for this humble one to do?¡± ¡°Skin this deer,¡± Xu Ming instructed. ¡°Then cut the meat, wash it clean, and skewer it with sharpened branches. We¡¯re roasting it tonight.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Mo Zhuer stared at him, wondering if she¡¯d misheard. ¡°What ¡®eh¡¯? Get to work.¡± Xu Ming leaned back against the wall. ¡°Hurry up. We¡¯re hungry.¡± ¡°As you wish, Young Master.¡± Mo Zhuer had no idea if Xu Ming had some peculiar hobby or if he simply wanted to boss her around. But it didn¡¯t matter. The night was still young. This man, after all, was a young man full of vigor and passion. Mo Zhuer refused to believe she couldn¡¯t take him down. As long as he harbored any improper thoughts or tried to touch her¡­ ¡°Heh!¡± A glint of cold light flashed in Mo Zhuer¡¯s eyes. ¡°The humiliation you¡¯ve subjected me to these past days¡ªI¡¯ll repay it tenfold!¡± Following Xu Ming¡¯s instructions, Mo Zhuer skinned the deer, cut the meat, and began roasting it over the fire. But Xu Ming¡¯s voice constantly rang in her ears¡ª ¡°Can¡¯t you move faster?¡± ¡°I told you to skin it, not take the meat along with the skin!¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t clean the fur off this piece of meat!¡± ¡°This branch is too thin! How is this supposed to skewer the meat?¡± ¡°The fire¡¯s dying! Add more wood! Are you useless at everything?¡± ¡°Flip the meat; it¡¯s time to turn it over.¡± ¡°Brush some honey on it.¡± ¡°Are you an idiot? Why so much honey? If you want to drown me in sweetness, just say so!¡± Mo Zhuer clenched her teeth, nearly smashing the deer leg she was holding into Xu Ming¡¯s face. Why am I doing all the work while he just sits there criticizing me? Do you think I¡¯m your servant? She inhaled deeply to suppress her anger. No, I need to endure this. Xu Ming, just wait¡ªif you give me even the slightest chance, you¡¯ll regret it. When the roasted venison was finally ready, Xu Ming placed an entire deer leg in front of Shen Shengsheng. She grabbed it with both hands and started gnawing on it happily. Mo Zhuer also tasted her own cooking. With just one bite, her eyes lit up. I made this? How is it so delicious? Xu Ming, too, sat back, chewing on a deer leg. Though he had reached the Cave Mansion Realm and could survive without food, his identity as a martial artist still required him to replenish his blood energy. Later that night, Xu Ming assigned Mo Zhuer to stand watch while he rested inside the cave. Shen Shengsheng snuggled tightly against him, her small body curled up like a kitten. It seemed that only by clinging to Xu Ming could she feel safe. ¡°Young Master~ Shen Shengsheng is sound asleep now~¡± Mo Zhuer approached Xu Ming, her voice dripping with sweetness, her eyes shimmering as though they could spill spring water. A faint blush adorned her fair cheeks. ¡°And?¡± Xu Ming opened his eyes lazily. ¡°And¡­¡± Mo Zhuer¡¯s gaze turned even more enticing, as though it could melt ice. ¡°Does the Young Master wish to do something¡­ pleasurable with me?¡± As she spoke, she let her robe slip slightly off her shoulders, revealing her smooth, snow-white skin. Xu Ming glanced at her and replied calmly, ¡°I¡¯ve heard that in the Western Regions, there¡¯s a rare and deadly poison. Girls are exposed to it from a young age, and the toxin seeps into their clothing. If anyone harbors ill intentions toward them, they¡¯ll die instantly from the poison. It¡¯s said to be a way to protect their chastity. Am I wrong?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Mo Zhuer¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She hadn¡¯t expected Xu Ming to know so much. Still, she maintained her composure, flashing a coy smile. ¡°What are you talking about, Young Master? I¡¯ve never heard of such a thing.¡± ¡°Never mind, then.¡± Xu Ming closed his eyes again. ¡°Go stand watch. Don¡¯t bother me.¡± S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 181 On the fifth day after Xu Ming left Shijia Village, the temple of the Yellow Sand Dragon King had already been dismantled by the villagers. The village chief initially proposed building a temple in Xu Ming¡¯s honor, but he flatly refused. Incense offerings might aid cultivation, and the merits accumulated from them could even provide a crucial boost during tribulations. However, incense also carried karmic consequences¡ªan invisible bond that could be both beneficial and detrimental. Xu Ming preferred cultivating alone, free from entanglements of karma. This was also why he declined Yuan Yu¡¯s suggestion to establish a temple in the Baiwa Secret Realm. After the death of the Yellow Sand Dragon King, life in Shijia Village returned to normal, though a sense of relief lingered on everyone¡¯s faces. At least they no longer had to live under the Dragon King¡¯s oppressive shadow. Every day, Luo Sanniang continued with her needlework, taking her crafts to the town market to earn a living. In the courtyard, Luo Xiaoman practiced occasionally with the cultivation manual Xu Ming had given her, while also helping her mother with chores. The manual, though basic, focused on guiding spiritual energy, and no matter how she practiced, it was beneficial for her health. Just as the village was beginning to regain its peace, two women arrived at Shijia Village. ¡°Is this the place?¡± asked a woman in a white dress, gazing at the signboard at the village entrance that bore the characters ¡°Shijia Village.¡± ¡°It should be,¡± the woman in the green dress nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s go in and ask around. Let¡¯s settle this quickly. I can¡¯t stand being on land¡ªit¡¯s so dry and nothing like the comfort of the sea.¡± The two women, named Ruo Lan and Ruo Ye, walked into the village. The villagers, going about their routines, couldn¡¯t help but glance curiously at the pair. Such elegant and refined women were clearly out of the ordinary, with a demeanor that even the noble ladies of the county couldn¡¯t match. ¡°Where¡¯s your village chief?¡± Ruo Ye, clad in green, asked a woman washing clothes by the riverbank. ¡°And who might you two be?¡± The woman stood up, wiping her damp hands on her clothes as she respectfully regarded the two strikingly beautiful strangers. ¡°We have some questions to ask,¡± Ruo Lan said, stepping forward and handing over a lustrous, high-grade pearl. The woman¡¯s eyes lit up at the sight of the pearl, but she hesitated to accept it, fearing that such a gift might bring trouble later. She pulled her hand back. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that, young ladies. I¡¯ve just finished washing. Let me take you to him.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Ruo Lan nodded. ¡°Please wait here a moment.¡± The woman placed her laundry in a wooden basin and quickly climbed up the bank. ¡°This way, ladies.¡± ¡°Apologies for the trouble.¡± Ruo Lan and Ruo Ye followed the woman, who led them to the village chief¡¯s courtyard not long after. Standing at the entrance, the woman called out a few times, prompting the chief to step out. ¡°And who might you two be?¡± the chief asked, his expression tinged with unease as he regarded the two graceful women. Considering the Yellow Sand Dragon King had only recently died, could these two possibly be his associates, come to seek revenge? ¡°We have some questions for you,¡± Ruo Ye said coldly. ¡°And if you dare lie¡ª¡± Before finishing her sentence, Ruo Ye extended her hand toward a nearby tree. With a simple clench of her fist, the tree was instantly snapped in half, its trunk crashing to the ground. The village chief¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and cold sweat began to form on his forehead. ¡°Ruo Ye, what are you doing? Don¡¯t be rude!¡± Ruo Lan tugged her younger sister back and bowed slightly to the chief. ¡°My apologies, Village Chief. My sister has a rather impatient temperament. We truly mean no harm and only wish to ask a few questions.¡± ¡°Of course, of course. Please, come inside, ladies.¡± The chief wiped the sweat from his brow. ¡°I will answer everything to the best of my ability.¡± ¡°Thank you for your time.¡± Ruo Lan smiled and led her sister inside. ¡°What is it you wish to ask?¡± The chief poured tea for Ruo Lan and Ruo Ye. ¡°It¡¯s about the flood dragon from the Yellow Sand River. Do you know anything about it?¡± Ruo Lan asked with a calm smile. The chief¡¯s hand trembled slightly, spilling some tea. Ruo Ye chuckled, noticing his reaction. ¡°Sister, it seems the old chief does know something.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous, Village Chief,¡± Ruo Lan reassured him with a gentle smile. ¡°Whether the flood dragon from the Yellow Sand River is dead or alive has nothing to do with us. No one cares about that creature. Just answer our questions honestly.¡± As she spoke, Ruo Lan retrieved a box of pearls from her storage pouch and placed it in front of the chief. ¡°I can¡¯t accept such a valuable gift,¡± the chief said hurriedly, waving his hands. ¡°Please, ask your questions. I will tell you everything I know.¡± Judging by their demeanor, the chief felt certain these two were not here for revenge. ¡°Please recount, in as much detail as possible, the events surrounding the death of the flood dragon from the Yellow Sand River, as well as any visitors who have come to Shijia Village in recent days,¡± Ruo Lan said with a serious and earnest expression. ¡°Indeed, it was an immortal from another village who slew the flood dragon,¡± the chief began. ¡°That immortal stayed with a family in our village for a time¡­¡± The chief recounted every detail with meticulous precision. After half an hour, his account concluded. Without further questions, Ruo Lan and Ruo Ye left the village, leaving the box of pearls behind. ¡°Elder Sister, could this Xu Ming of Wu Kingdom be the person Her Majesty is searching for?¡± Ruo Ye asked as they walked. ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Ruo Lan replied, shaking her head. ¡°There are four possible candidates¡ªtwo men and two women.¡± ¡°Then who do we pursue first?¡± Ruo Ye inquired. ¡°Let¡¯s follow Xu Ming for now,¡± Ruo Lan decided after a moment¡¯s thought. ¡°Understood.¡± Ruo Ye nodded and waved her sleeve toward the sky. Sheets of white paper scattered into the air. With a few hand seals, the papers folded themselves into origami cranes. Ruo Lan then retrieved the pillow Xu Ming had used during his stay in the chief¡¯s house. One by one, the cranes flew to the pillow, sniffed it, and took off in the same direction. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 182 ¡°You¡¯re heading to the Tianxuan Sect?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°What are you going there for?¡± ¡°To meet someone.¡± ¡°Meet someone? A man or a woman?¡± ¡°A woman.¡± ¡°Oh~ I remember now. You told Shen Shengsheng earlier that you¡¯d take her to meet an older sister. That must be the person you¡¯re talking about.¡± ¡°So what if it is?¡± ¡°Nothing, just didn¡¯t expect you¡¯d go out of your way to meet a woman. I thought you were like a stone¡ªunmoved by anything. Is this person your lover?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re talking too much?¡± ¡°Eh? Am I? Doesn¡¯t seem like it.¡± ¡°Shut your mouth. No one will mistake you for a mute.¡± ¡°Oh, come on, Young Master. But I must say, your stern expression is quite handsome~¡± ¡°Hmph, if you like it so much, keep looking. I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t get many more chances. Don¡¯t forget, I only gave you twenty days, and not much time is left.¡± ¡°Oh, Young Master, don¡¯t say that. What if I change my mind by then?¡± Xu Ming continued walking forward as Mo Zhuer chatted beside him. The two appeared to be making casual conversation, chatting about anything and everything, but in truth, they were testing each other. ¡°If you answer a few questions for me, I might let you go if I¡¯m in a good mood,¡± Xu Ming said to Mo Zhuer. ¡°Oh? Is there such a good deal? I¡¯ll answer everything to the best of my ability,¡± Mo Zhuer replied with a playful glint in her eyes. Of course, she didn¡¯t believe that simply answering a few questions would earn her freedom, but if the questions were harmless, she didn¡¯t mind indulging him. ¡°The flood dragon in the Yellow Sand River used to take a pair of children each year¡ªa boy and a girl¡ªbut not for eating. Yet, in its palace, there were no signs of any of those children. What do you make of that?¡± Xu Ming asked, his gaze fixed on Mo Zhuer to see how she would respond. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know. Didn¡¯t you ask the flood dragon yourself? It self-destructed on the spot, didn¡¯t it? Its head was blown clean off¡ªquite terrifying. Since that¡¯s the case, how could it have told me anything?¡± Mo Zhuer replied with a smile, meeting Xu Ming¡¯s gaze. ¡°I see. On that note, your Black Lotus Sect also collects boys and girls. What¡¯s your purpose for that?¡± Xu Ming pressed on. ¡°Why, for sacrifices, of course,¡± Mo Zhuer said matter-of-factly. ¡°We use them to worship an evil god who ensures the Black Lotus Sect¡¯s prosperity and longevity.¡± As she spoke, Mo Zhuer quickly added, ¡°But that¡¯s all the leader¡¯s idea, nothing to do with me. I¡¯m just following orders. Otherwise, I¡¯d be the one to die. Killing me out of anger won¡¯t solve anything, Young Master~¡± ¡°And this evil god you worship¡ªdoes it have a name?¡± Xu Ming asked again. Mo Zhuer shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know that.¡± ¡°Not even you, a Saintess of the Black Lotus Sect, know its name?¡± Xu Ming said skeptically. ¡°Now, now, Young Master, don¡¯t say that,¡± Mo Zhuer replied with a playful laugh. ¡°Although I¡¯m a Saintess, who said there¡¯s only one Saintess in the Black Lotus Sect? There are five Saintesses and five Saints in total. Only one among us can emerge as the leader.¡± ¡°And what happens to the other nine?¡± Xu Ming asked casually. ¡°They all die,¡± Mo Zhuer replied without hesitation. Xu Ming: ¡°¡­¡± Mo Zhuer¡¯s tone was calm, but beneath it was a chilling edge. ¡°The ten of us must eliminate the other nine to claim the leader¡¯s position, by any means necessary. Even if there¡¯s only one left, that¡¯s the rule. If, after a hundred years, there are still two people alive, all of us will die. Then the Black Lotus Sect will select ten new Saints and Saintesses, and the cycle will repeat until there¡¯s only one left.¡± Xu Ming frowned slightly. ¡°Your sect¡¯s system is no different from raising Gu insects.¡± ¡°Who says it¡¯s not?¡± Mo Zhuer spread her hands helplessly. ¡°But the Gu King is always the strongest, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°No way to escape?¡± Xu Ming asked. ¡°None at all~¡± Mo Zhuer smiled. ¡°A strand of our soul is anchored to the Black Lotus Sect. If we try to escape, the sect can track us down anytime, anywhere. We¡¯d be hunted to the ends of the earth, never knowing peace for the rest of our lives.¡± ¡°Quite pitiful,¡± Xu Ming remarked with a sigh. Mo Zhuer¡¯s lips curled into a sly smile. ¡°Could it be that the Young Master is pitying me?¡± Xu Ming nodded. ¡°A life out of one¡¯s control is truly pitiful.¡± S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°¡­¡± Being so blatantly pitied, Mo Zhuer found herself momentarily at a loss for words. I¡¯ve been pitied? For a brief moment, annoyance flickered in her heart. Pity was the most useless of emotions, something she disdained being offered by anyone. Xu Ming didn¡¯t bother himself with whatever thoughts might be running through Mo Zhuer¡¯s mind. Still, he couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that she was lying to him¡ªnot about the Black Lotus Sect¡¯s selection process, as that could easily be verified and wasn¡¯t worth the effort to lie about, but about the issue with the ¡°boys and girls.¡± Although he had no direct evidence, Xu Ming was convinced there was a connection between the Black Lotus Sect¡¯s collection of boys and girls and the Yellow Sand Dragon King¡¯s similar practice. ¡°You seem to be enjoying yourself, Young Master. Can I have my antidote now?¡± Mo Zhuer asked with a grin. Xu Ming replied flatly, ¡°You know nothing worth sharing, so no.¡± Mo Zhuer clenched her fists but maintained her smile. ¡°Understood~¡± Two more days passed, and Xu Ming drew closer to Tianxuan Sect. He was nearing Yan Zhi City. Once past Yan Zhi City and then Xuan Yue City, he would practically be at Tianxuan Sect¡¯s territory. ¡°It¡¯s getting late. Let¡¯s rest for the night and continue tomorrow,¡± Xu Ming said, glancing at the sky. It was already halfway through the Xu hour, and the wilderness outside Yan Zhi City was teeming with magical beasts. To ensure safety, it was best to wait for daylight before traveling further. This time, Xu Ming took out some flood dragon meat to roast. Initially, he had refrained from eating it due to his incomplete recovery and concerns about handling its potent blood energy. But now, he was fully healed, and there was no such worry. Chunks of dragon meat were skewered and roasted over the fire. The aroma was far richer and more enticing than any meat Xu Ming had ever tasted. Shen Shengsheng, unable to contain her hunger, was already drooling. Even Mo Zhuer couldn¡¯t help but swallow a bit of saliva. To avoid wasting such a rare delicacy, Xu Ming took charge of the roasting himself. Once the meat was perfectly cooked, its tantalizing fragrance filled the entire cave. He placed a large portion of dragon meat, wrapped in lotus leaves, in front of Shen Shengsheng before taking a piece for himself. As Mo Zhuer reached out for a piece of dragon meat, Xu Ming slapped her hand lightly. ¡°The dragon meat is for us. You get the venison.¡± Mo Zhuer: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Stingy! As if I¡¯ve never had flood dragon meat before!¡± Mo Zhuer muttered as she picked up a piece of venison, nibbling at it grudgingly. Just as the three were enjoying their meal, both Xu Ming and Mo Zhuer suddenly tensed. Their hands moved in unison, hurling the bamboo skewers they had been holding toward the cave entrance. Chapter 183 Mo Zhu¡¯er and Xu Ming simultaneously hurled the sharpened wooden sticks in their hands. The pointed sticks shot through the dark night like swords, piercing forward with great force. ¡°Why are you two so tense?¡± A moment later, a pair of feminine voices echoed from outside the cave. Two women walked in, each holding the bamboo stakes that Xu Ming and Mo Zhu¡¯er had just thrown. Seeing them, both Xu Ming and Mo Zhu¡¯er frowned. The two women wore long dresses, one in green and the other in white, bearing an eight-to-nine-point resemblance in their facial features. Their figures were identical, making them particularly striking. Although their beauty was not on par with Qin Qingwan or Mo Zhu¡¯er, they were still attractive. Especially as a pair of sisters, their presence exuded a certain captivating charm. A gust of mountain wind swept through, and Xu Ming caught a faint scent of seawater coming from them. ¡°What brings the two of you here?¡± Xu Ming asked cautiously. In this desolate wilderness, two young women suddenly appearing was far from ordinary. There was no doubt they were anything but simple. Perhaps they were even here specifically for him. ¡°May I ask if you are Xu Ming?¡± the woman in green, Ruo Lan, asked, tossing the bamboo stake onto the ground with a smile. Mo Zhu¡¯er glanced at Xu Ming suspiciously, her gaze seemingly questioning: Another admirer of yours here to chase you down? Xu Ming nodded. ¡°That¡¯s me. And you are?¡± ¡°Greetings, Young Master Xu,¡± Ruo Lan said with a slight bow. ¡°Her Majesty would like to invite you to visit. Might I ask if you¡¯d honor us with your presence?¡± ¡°Her Majesty?¡± Xu Ming raised an eyebrow. ¡°Who might your Majesty be?¡± ¡°The Dragon Empress of the North Sea,¡± Ruo Lan replied plainly, without the slightest hesitation. ¡°The Dragon Empress?¡± Xu Ming was even more confused. ¡°I¡¯ve never had any dealings with the North Sea. Why would she invite me?¡± The North Sea was millions of miles away, requiring a transcontinental flying vessel or even rare treasures to traverse the void. He had no ties whatsoever to the Dragon Empress. Why would she suddenly seek him out? ¡°Oh, sister, this Xu Ming is being so long-winded! Let¡¯s just knock him out and take him back. Why waste time talking here?¡± Ruo Ye, the woman in white, said impatiently. She was clearly uncomfortable on land; the dry air was already irritating her skin. She only wanted to return to the ocean as soon as possible. Every second spent here felt like pure torment. ¡°Ruo Ye! If you behave so rudely again, I will have to punish you!¡± Ruo Lan reprimanded her sister sharply. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Ruo Ye opened her mouth as if to retort but ultimately closed it, letting out a dissatisfied huff before turning her head away. ¡°Truth be told, we don¡¯t know why Her Majesty wishes to invite you,¡± Ruo Lan said, smiling at Xu Ming. ¡°We are merely following her orders. However, you can rest assured¡ªHer Majesty is not one to harm the innocent or act as a tyrant. You won¡¯t be in any danger.¡± ¡°It would indeed be an honor to visit the legendary Dragon Empress of the ages,¡± Xu Ming replied, ¡°but I must decline. The North Sea is too far, and I have pressing matters to attend to. Perhaps in the future, I¡¯ll have the opportunity to visit and make amends.¡± Are you kidding me? Xu Ming thought to himself. You say there¡¯s no danger, but why should I believe you? That Dragon Empress has lived for god knows how long¡ªwho knows what kind of temperament she has? I might die in the North Sea without even knowing why. Hearing his refusal, Ruo Lan frowned slightly. ¡°Young Master Xu, this matter is rather urgent. We sincerely hope you can come immediately. Please forgive us for being insistent.¡± ¡°Does the North Sea force its ¡®guests¡¯ to visit when they decline?¡± Xu Ming asked with a faint smile. Ruo Lan nodded calmly. ¡°If necessary, yes.¡± Xu Ming: ¡°¡­¡± Inside the cave, both sides were locked in a tense standoff. In the next instant, Ruo Ye transformed into a streak of light, darting past Ruo Lan, her pearl longsword thrusting toward Xu Ming. ¡°Raaawr!¡± Shen Shengsheng bared her teeth, ready to bite, but was restrained by Xu Ming. Xu Ming stepped forward, sidestepping to intercept the incoming sword. With a slight raise of his left hand, he struck Ruo Ye¡¯s wrist with precise force. Ruo Ye¡¯s wrist throbbed with pain, and she reflexively loosened her grip, causing the longsword to fall from her hand. Xu Ming followed through with a strike to the sword¡¯s hilt, sending the pearl longsword piercing into the cave wall. Seizing the moment, he landed a punch squarely on Ruo Ye¡¯s chest, sending her flying backward. Her embroidered shoes scraped a long mark across the ground before she landed beside her elder sister, Ruo Lan. Ruo Ye, unwilling to admit defeat, tried to charge forward again, but Ruo Lan held her back. ¡°Sister! I was careless, but I will capture him this time!¡± Ruo Ye said coldly, clearly preparing to unleash her full strength. Ruo Lan shook her head and stepped forward. ¡°Young Master, your skills are truly remarkable,¡± Ruo Lan praised. Her younger sister was in the Dragon Gate Realm, yet judging from the martial energy Xu Ming had just displayed, he appeared to be in the Heroic Soul Realm. Even in close combat, her sister¡ªwho walked the path of a sword cultivator and had a strong physique¡ªhad no chance to retaliate against him. Ruo Lan could tell that Xu Ming had held back his punch earlier. Otherwise, if that blow had landed with full force, her sister might not have survived or, at the very least, her cultivation would have been severely damaged. ¡°Not too bad,¡± Xu Ming replied calmly. ¡°How about both of you come at me together? A single Dragon Gate Realm opponent really isn¡¯t enough.¡± ¡°Since the young master insists, we shall oblige,¡± Ruo Lan said with a nod. ¡°But we hope you won¡¯t complain to Her Majesty afterward.¡± The moment her voice faded, nine water pillars emerged seemingly out of nowhere, surging toward Xu Ming. Xu Ming drew the Nine Heavens Thunder Sword and swung it in a single stroke. The sword energy instantly split the water pillars apart. ¡°Is he a sword cultivator as well?¡± Ruo Lan was inwardly astonished. In the next moment, the tip of Xu Ming¡¯s sword emitted a cold glimmer, and the water pillars froze instantly, transforming into icicles that hung from the cave ceiling like jagged spikes. With another slash, Xu Ming sent a wave of sword energy toward Ruo Lan. Frowning, she raised her sleeve to block, dispersing the energy, but her sleeve was left with a long tear. ¡°Such sharp sword energy¡­ Is he truly only in the Cave Mansion Realm?¡± Ruo Lan began to doubt Xu Ming¡¯s apparent cultivation. Based on his martial energy, he was clearly in the Heroic Soul Realm. And from his spiritual energy, his cultivation as a cultivator was at the Cave Mansion Realm. Yet his combat power far exceeded both realms! A cultivator like this was something Ruo Lan had never encountered before. Ruo Lan and Ruo Ye attacked together. Ruoye, a sword cultivator, engaged Xu Ming in close combat, while Ruo Lan unleashed an array of spells to bombard him from a distance. Every strike from Ruo Ye¡¯s pearl longsword was accompanied by rippling blue waves, creating a dazzling display. It was clear she sought revenge for the punch earlier, as Ruo Ye fought with unusual fervor. However, Xu Ming found her behavior somewhat dramatic. Each time she unleashed a sword technique, she would shout its name aloud. ¡°Azure Sea Sword Art¡ªPrelude to Water Melody!¡± With a flourish, Ruo Ye twisted her sword, surrounding it with surging waves. Her slash descended like a tidal storm. Xu Ming, on the other hand, only knew one sword technique¡ªthe Bingyun Sword Art. But the Bingyun Sword Art was a fundamental sword technique. In other words, it lacked distinct named moves, so Xu Ming relied solely on sword energy and intent to fight. Yet now, Xu Ming felt a faint inspiration. The broad and forceful style of the Azure Sea Sword Art seemed quite fitting for him¡ªalmost intriguing. Activating his Dao Pattern Eyes, Xu Ming studied it closely. The Dao Pattern Eyes were not merely capable of observing the flow of spiritual energy and martial qi within an opponent, providing a 360-degree field of vision¡ªthey could also replicate an opponent¡¯s techniques. In an instant, the entire ¡°Water Melody¡± technique of the Azure Sea Sword Art was broken down into slow-motion sequences in Xu Ming¡¯s mind. Before his eyes, it was as though miniature figures were repeatedly demonstrating the move. The ingenuity of the technique, the utilization of sword qi, the depth of sword intent¡ªevery aspect was imprinted into Xu Ming¡¯s mind in that fleeting moment. Xu Ming mirrored the motion, twisting his blade, as waves of sword qi covered the longsword in his hand. ¡°How is this possible?!¡± Both Ruo Lan and Ruo Ye were utterly shocked. Just what kind of person was this Xu Ming? While the Azure Sea Sword Art wasn¡¯t a immortal-grade technique, it was still one of the North Sea Azure Sea Sword Sect¡¯s closely-guarded secrets. But how could Xu Ming possibly know it? Not only that, the way Xu Ming executed the technique seemed even more powerful and majestic than Ruo Ye¡¯s! With a single upward slash, Xu Ming unleashed a towering wave, surging upward to clash against the torrent of sword qi waves from Ruo Ye. Ruo Lan, sensing imminent danger, quickly chanted a spell. Ruo Ye¡¯s pearl longsword was enchanted with her magic, radiating a dazzling light. Ruo Ye¡¯s sword qi surged in strength. ¡°Boom!¡± With a deafening explosion, the two waves of sword qi dissipated within the cave. Both Ruo Lan and Ruo Ye were sent flying backward out of the cave, landing heavily on the ground. Xu Ming, sword in hand, walked out slowly. ¡°You two should leave. As the Minister of Wenwu Qing (Minister of Letters and Arms) of the Wu Kingdom, I cannot arbitrarily leave to visit another country or meet its ruler. If the Dragon Empress truly wishes for my presence, I would ask that she issue an official request to the Wu Kingdom. If my Emperor consents, I will carry out the mission as commanded.¡± Xu Ming refrained from delivering a killing blow. After all, the Ruo Lan and Ruo Ye sisters had shown no murderous intent toward him from the start. They had likely only intended to knock him unconscious and carry him away. If that was the case, there was no need for Xu Ming to go to extremes. Xu Ming wasn¡¯t reckless. Killing their underlings would serve no purpose. On the contrary, it might provoke unnecessary conflict. If he killed them, he¡¯d essentially be slapping the Northern Sea Dragon Empress in the face. If she flew into a rage and sent assassins after him, things would become far more troublesome. By deferring the matter of ¡°traveling to the Northern Sea¡± to the higher-ups of the Wu Kingdom, Xu Ming both expressed that he wasn¡¯t outright refusing the request¡ªonly that it was improper in terms of etiquette¡ªand protected himself. When the time came, if he traveled to the Northern Sea under an official capacity, any harm that befell him would be a matter between nations. He wouldn¡¯t have to worry about ¡°accidents,¡± as the Northern Sea would have to answer to the Wu Kingdom for any wrongdoing. Ruo Lan and Ruo Ye slowly rose from the ground. Ruo Ye, still indignant, wanted to charge forward again, but her elder sister Ruo Lan held her back. ¡°The young master speaks with reason. It seems we were indeed in the wrong,¡± Ruo Lan said with a slight bow. ¡°We will relay your words to Her Majesty. When the time comes, we shall await your arrival in the North Sea.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Xu Ming returned the bow. ¡°Safe travels to you both. I won¡¯t see you off. Or¡­ unless the two of you would like to join me for some roast air beast?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for such trouble, young master. We¡¯ll take our leave.¡± Ruo Lan smiled. ¡°Sister!!!¡± Ruo Ye, still furious, protested. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Without paying further attention to her hot-headed sister, Ruo Lan grabbed her hand and turned to leave. Once they were far away, Ruo Ye angrily shook off her sister¡¯s hand. ¡°Sister! That Xu Ming may be strong, but if we used the life-bound artifact granted to us by Her Majesty, we could absolutely capture him! How could we just let him go like this?¡± Ruo Lan shook her head. ¡°Do you still remember Her Majesty¡¯s instructions before we left the North Sea?¡± Ruo Lan turned her head slightly. ¡°Of course, I haven¡¯t forgotten. Her Majesty instructed us not to offend him or make him feel displeased. If he absolutely refuses to come, only then are we to use that artifact to bring him back.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± A faint smile played on Ruo Lan¡¯s lips. ¡°Truthfully, this Young Master Xu isn¡¯t completely opposed to coming to the Northern Sea. He¡¯s merely wary of us and fears we might mean him harm. Once we return and relay the situation to Her Majesty, she will naturally draft a formal letter inviting Xu Ming to serve as an envoy to the Northern Sea. Faced with such an invitation, the Wu Kingdom has no reason to decline. ¡°Besides, why should we risk our lives to bring him here by force if we can resolve things peacefully? Moreover, didn¡¯t you notice? ¡°That Xu Ming appears to be severely injured. Toward the end of the fight, his martial qi and spiritual energy were like a taut bowstring, as if they might snap at any moment. If he had fought us to the death and something had happened to him, how would we explain that to Her Majesty?¡± Hearing her sister¡¯s analysis, Ruo Ye¡¯s anger began to subside. ¡°Then, Sister, what do we do now?¡± ¡°We leave.¡± Ruo Lan started walking down the mountain. ¡°It¡¯s time for us to serve as envoys to the Wu Kingdom.¡± ¡°Humph!¡± After Ruo Lan and Ruo Ye had left, Xu Ming could no longer hold back. He coughed up a mouthful of blood. Shen Shengsheng yelped in alarm, rushing to Xu Ming¡¯s side and tugging at his clothes. ¡°Awoo! Awoo!¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Xu Ming smiled weakly, patting Shen Shengsheng¡¯s head. ¡°Fine? Really?¡± A voice dripped with sarcasm. Mo Zhuer leaned casually against the cave wall, her tone sharp. ¡°If those two sisters hadn¡¯t held back, and the fight dragged on any longer, the clash between your martial qi and spiritual energy would¡¯ve torn your meridians and spiritual channels apart. You¡¯d have been crippled for life.¡± Xu Ming wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and grinned. ¡°If I had died, Miss Mo wouldn¡¯t have survived either. Besides, I didn¡¯t die, did I? Worst case, I¡¯d have abandoned my martial cultivation or spiritual practice. But if something happened to me, Miss Mo, you¡¯d lose your life.¡± ¡°You¡ª!¡± Mo Zhuer¡¯s chest heaved with fury. Her skirt billowed slightly as she glared at Xu Ming, her tone filled with displeasure. ¡°Follow me inside!¡± Chapter 184 Xu Ming held Shen Shengsheng¡¯s hand and followed Mo Zhuer into the cave. Shen Shengsheng looked at Xu Ming with concern. Xu Ming shook his head and gently patted Shen Shengsheng¡¯s small head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Fine? You¡¯re practically on the brink of death,¡± Mo Zhuer teased, rolling her eyes at him. Xu Ming: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Come, sit down,¡± Mo Zhuer said, smoothing her dress before kneeling on the ground. Sitting on her legs with her back straight, she patted the ground in front of her. Xu Ming looked at Mo Zhuer with some doubt. Mo Zhuer, annoyed, retorted, ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. If you die now, it does me no good. Besides, weren¡¯t you skeptical about whether I could harmonize the spiritual energy and true qi in your body? Let me show you a little of what I can do.¡± Still, Xu Ming hesitated to step forward. Mo Zhuer rolled her eyes at him again. ¡°If you don¡¯t trust me, then suit yourself. But let me warn you, I¡¯m not the one trying to kill you¡ªit¡¯s the entire Black Lotus Sect. It¡¯s likely that you¡¯re already on the hit list of the Black God Sect as well. Do you truly have the confidence to face the assassinations of all those cultivators? And let¡¯s be clear, I¡¯m not helping you out of sheer goodwill. I have a condition.¡± ¡°Speak.¡± Xu Ming looked at her, feeling that this was more like the Mo Zhuer he knew. If she had offered to help him unconditionally, he would have found it unsettling. The woman before him was not someone who would ever strike a losing deal. ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, the other saints and saintessess of the Black Lotus Sect likely already know I¡¯ve fallen into your hands. They¡¯re probably plotting my death as we speak. I can help you heal, but you must protect me.¡± Xu Ming chuckled. ¡°And what if I choose not to protect you?¡± Mo Zhuer¡¯s lips curled into a sly smile, her eyes crescent-shaped as she replied with a calm demeanor, ¡°If that happens, there¡¯s nothing I can do. I¡¯ll just have to trust your verbal promise. Do I have any other options? Besides, if I die, I can guarantee there¡¯s no one else in this world who can solve the spiritual energy and true qi conflict in your body.¡± Xu Ming narrowed his eyes slightly. ¡°You¡¯re that confident? You truly believe no one else in this world can help me but you?¡± Mo Zhuer leaned forward, her hands pressed to the ground, her knees resting on the stone floor, her hips slightly raised, revealing a hint of the snowy white curve of her chest. ¡°I believe I¡¯m the only one in this world who can help you. No one else.¡± Xu Ming: ¡°¡­¡± After thinking it over briefly, Xu Ming said nothing more and sat down in front of Mo Zhuer. ¡°I accept your condition. Let¡¯s begin.¡± Xu Ming was not one to overthink. ¡°At least you¡¯re not completely stupid,¡± Mo Zhuer said with a smirk as she sat up straight again. ¡°Next, I¡¯ll channel spiritual energy into your body. Don¡¯t worry¡ªspiritual energy is the purest force in this world. I don¡¯t have any means of poisoning you through it.¡± ¡°Go ahead and try,¡± Xu Ming said, closing his eyes. Mo Zhuer muttered a few complaints about how ¡°dense and unromantic¡± he was before placing her soft, white hands on Xu Ming¡¯s back. Xu Ming could distinctly feel Mo Zhuer¡¯s spiritual energy entering his spiritual veins and meridians. The previously chaotic martial true qi and spiritual energy in his body began to miraculously calm down under Mo Zhuer¡¯s guidance. Xu Ming gradually realized it wasn¡¯t just Mo Zhuer¡¯s skillful mediation that worked wonders¡ªit was her spiritual energy itself that was exceptionally unique. Her spiritual energy was like a healing spring¡ªwherever it passed, everything gradually calmed. No wonder Mo Zhuer was so confident when she claimed that only she could resolve the conflict between Xu Ming¡¯s spiritual energy and true qi. It was likely due to her unique constitution. ¡°Pfft!¡± After about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Xu Ming spat out a mouthful of blackened blood. Shen Shengsheng, startled, shivered and thought the demoness had harmed her Brother Xu. She opened her mouth, ready to bite Mo Zhuer. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Xu Ming said, extending a hand to stop her. He slowly opened his eyes, feeling much better. Xu Ming circulated his spiritual energy and true qi again and found everything flowing smoothly. Though the issue wasn¡¯t completely resolved, at least nine-tenths of the problem had been handled. ¡°It¡¯s done.¡± Mo Zhuer wiped her forehead. Even though she had only worked on Xu Ming for half the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, she was drenched in sweat. Her dress clung tightly to her figure, her hair stuck to her forehead, and the flush on her cheeks made her even more alluring. ¡°How do you feel? Did I deceive you?¡± Mo Zhuer asked with a smile. ¡°You didn¡¯t,¡± Xu Ming admitted. He now truly believed she had the ability to harmonize the conflict between his spiritual energy and martial true qi. ¡°What I¡¯ve done for you now is only a temporary fix,¡± Mo Zhuer said, looking him directly in the eye. ¡°If you want to know the permanent solution, hand over the antidote first.¡± ¡ª To the north of Yan Zhi City lay a mountain range. At the foot of the tallest peak in the range stood a stone stele. Carved into the stele were the words: ¡°Unite the pleasures of the world, spread the joys of the world.¡± Looking at the inscription, a man stroked his chin and said to the servant beside him, ¡°This should be the place.¡± ¡°Yes, young master,¡± the old servant nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± The man opened his paper fan, fanning himself with an air of elegance. As they walked through the mountain gate, the path on either side was eerily quiet, devoid of people. After walking about 100 meters up, they came across a man and a woman at the entrance, shamelessly indulging in the pleasures of the flesh. In broad daylight, the man had lifted the woman¡¯s skirt, while she leaned against a tree, moaning seductively. The sight was like a spring palace painting come to life, so much so that the servant beside the man couldn¡¯t help but gulp, feeling a fiery heat rise within him. ¡°Pardon me, brother,¡± the man said, ignoring the scene as if he hadn¡¯t seen anything. He cupped his hands in a polite gesture toward the couple. ¡°Could you inform your sect master that I request an audience?¡± The male disciple of the Hehuan Sect glanced at the scholarly man with the fan. ¡°Who are you? Our sect master is not someone you can just meet as you please.¡± ¡°I am Ji Wuming, the Saint Son of the Western Black Lotus Sect,¡± Ji Wuming replied, revealing his identity. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Hearing that this man, Ji Wuming, was a Saint Son of the Black Lotus Sect, the Hehuan Sect male disciple immediately stopped what he was doing, much to the displeasure of the woman beneath him, who pouted. The man quickly pulled up his pants, sizing up this so-called Saint Son of the Black Lotus Sect. ¡°Please, follow me.¡± The Hehuan Sect disciple cupped his hands in a gesture of respect, his demeanor turning serious. He didn¡¯t know if this man was truly a Saint Son of the Black Lotus Sect, but if he was, refusing him entry would only mean his own death. Chapter 185 The male disciple of the Hehuan Sect led Ji Wuming up the mountain. The higher they went, the more inappropriate sights Ji Wuming and his servant witnessed. It was no surprise that this was the Hehuan Sect¡¯s headquarters. Along the riverbanks, in the forests, and even on smooth stones, people were indulging in intimate acts. Some women would be walking, catch the eye of a man, and be immediately pulled aside. The woman might feign resistance for a moment, but soon her belt would be undone. The entire mountain resembled a living depiction of a spring palace. Within the Hehuan Sect, most of the women wore very revealing clothes, their garments diverse in color and style, but they all had one thing in common: convenience. As the Saint Son of the Black Lotus Sect, Ji Wuming had long mastered his desires and had great self-control, so he was able to remain composed. However, his old servant was a different story. The old servant kept wiping the drool from the corner of his mouth, his eyes glued to the women¡¯s pale, exposed thighs and breasts. Had it not been for his young master, the old servant might not have been able to resist lunging at them. Soon, Ji Wuming and his servant were brought into a grand hall. ¡°Please wait here for a moment, I¡¯ll go inform the sect master,¡± said the Hehuan Sect disciple. ¡°Alright,¡± Ji Wuming nodded. The disciple left, and the hall was left with only Ji Wuming and his servant. Ji Wuming sat in a chair, closing his eyes to rest. ¡°Young master, do you think the Hehuan Sect will strike a deal with us?¡± the old servant asked. ¡°Who knows?¡± Ji Wuming opened his paper fan and fanned himself. ¡°Deals that fail usually lack sufficient temptation. I believe Mo Zhuer is extremely tempting, especially for the Hehuan Sect. She¡¯s a priceless treasure, comparable to Qin Qingwan.¡± ¡°Hehehe,¡± the old servant chuckled, ¡°I wonder if, when Mo Zhuer is brought to the Hehuan Sect, I¡¯ll get to have a taste.¡± ¡°You?¡± Ji Wuming glanced at his ugly and disheveled servant. ¡°No offense, but you¡¯d probably be behind the dogs in line.¡± The servant: ¡°¡­¡± At that moment, a voice called out from the front of the hall. ¡°The Saint Son of the Black Lotus Sect has arrived at my Hehuan Sect. What business do you have¡­?¡± Both Ji Wuming and his servant turned their gaze forward. A man wearing a deep V robe, embracing two women, walked in. The man was exceedingly handsome and appeared youthful, though in reality, he was over a thousand years old. This was Cui Renwang, the sect leader of the Hehuan Sect. ¡°Greetings, Sect Master,¡± Ji Wuming folded his fan, stood, and cupped his hands in respect. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Cui Renwang sat back in his seat, looking down at Ji Wuming. ¡°There¡¯s no need for such formalities, Saint Son. What brings you to me?¡± ¡°I wish to propose a deal with you, Sect Master,¡± Ji Wuming said. ¡°Oh?¡± Cui Renwang sat up straight, his interest piqued. ¡°You wish to propose a deal? What kind of deal?¡± Ji Wuming smiled. ¡°Sect Master, have you ever heard of the Luoshen (Luo God) Physique?¡± Cui Renwang¡¯s brow furrowed, and a gleam of interest flashed in his eyes. ¡°The Luoshen Physique, yes. I¡¯ve heard of it. It is said that cultivators with the Luoshen Physique are extremely sensitive to spiritual energy and can even control the energy around them, as well as within others.¡± Ji Wuming smiled further. ¡°Not only that. It is also said that the Luoshen Physique is similar to the Innate Sacred Body, making it an excellent partner for dual cultivation. If one could dual cultivate with a Luoshen Physique, advancing in cultivation would be a simple matter. Moreover, it¡¯s said that the Luoshen Physique is extraordinarily soft, capable of intoxicating one¡¯s senses to the point of bliss, offering the highest pleasure in the world. Many have willingly spent a night with a Luoshen Physique and died without regret.¡± Cui Renwang licked his lips, clearly tempted. A fire seemed to ignite within him. Playing with the two women beside him, Cui Renwang spoke, ¡°Saint Son, you¡¯ve come all the way to my Hehuan Sect to tell me this. Have you discovered a Luoshen Physique?¡± ¡°To be frank, Sect Master, one of the Black Lotus Sect¡¯s Saintesses¡ªMo Zhuer¡ªis precisely a Luoshen Physique.¡± Ji Wuming bowed respectfully. Hearing this, Cui Renwang frowned, visibly surprised. Releasing the women by his side, he descended and began circling around Ji Wuming. ¡°It¡¯s said that the Black Lotus Sect has five Saintesses and five Saint Sons. In the end, only one survives to ascend as the cult leader, while the rest must die. Now it seems, Saint Son, you¡¯re looking to form an alliance with me.¡± ¡°Exactly my intention,¡± Ji Wuming admitted without pretense. ¡°And I believe the Sect Master will find this proposition intriguing.¡± Cui Renwang raised an eyebrow. ¡°Oh? Do tell.¡± Ji Wuming straightened up. ¡°As far as I know, Mo Zhuer is still a virgin. The untouched Luoshen Physique¡ªsurely I don¡¯t need to elaborate on how rare and valuable that is. Currently, Mo Zhuer has fallen into the hands of a man. But rest assured, Sect Master. Women from the Western Regions are exposed to a particular toxin from a young age, applied to their undergarments. If that man has tried anything improper, he¡¯d already have succumbed to the poison. If the Sect Master assists me in killing that man, I¡¯ll help you capture Mo Zhuer. What do you think, Sect Master?¡± Cui Renwang walked slowly, contemplating. After a long pause, he stopped. ¡°It does sound like a good deal. But who is this man? Why do you want him dead?¡± Ji Wuming chuckled. ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m to kill him. It¡¯s a direct order from the sect leader. But as for the man¡¯s identity, I can share it with you. He¡¯s none other than the imperial son-in-law of Wu Kingdom, the top scholar¡ªXu Ming.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Cui Renwang narrowed his eyes. ¡°You¡¯re asking me to make an enemy of the entire Wu Kingdom? That doesn¡¯t seem worth it.¡± Ji Wuming replied with confidence, ¡°If the Sect Master agrees to join forces with me, I guarantee that no one will trace Xu Ming¡¯s death back to you. Furthermore¡­¡± Ji Wuming clapped his hands, and an old servant by his side stepped forward, presenting a small vial. Cui Renwang glanced at it. ¡°And this is?¡± Ji Wuming smiled. ¡°This is a Joyful Elixir, obtained from the abbot of the Joy Temple. Once ingested, not even an immortal, let alone Mo Zhuer, could resist its effects.¡± Chapter 186 [From the Yellow Sand River Dragon King till now, rewards have been fully settled.] [You killed the Flood Dragon of Yellow Sand River¡ªHuangsha Zhenjun (Golden Core Realm): Physique +100, Spiritual Power Quality +100, Martial Qi +100, Sword Qi +100, Dragon Slayer Technique +20.] [You killed the lesser demons who were with the Yellow Sand River Dragon King: estimated Strength +50, Group Combat Ability +20.] [You repelled the North Sea Dragon Palace envoys¡ªRuo Lan and Ruo Ye Sisters: Sword Intent +20, Sword Qi +50, Sea Race Bonus Damage +30.] Just as Xu Ming arrived outside the city of Yan Zhi, the system¡¯s voice echoed in his mind. As the voice faded, a soothing, warm flow surged through Xu Ming¡¯s body. The comfort was so intense that Xu Ming almost let out a soft groan. He could feel it clearly¡ªhe had grown stronger again. Moreover, both his Martial Artist and Qi Cultivator realms were showing signs of breaking through. This was the prelude to advancement! However, Xu Ming quickly suppressed the urge. Now was not the time to let it happen. His current spiritual energy in the Cave Mansion Realm and true qi in the Heroic Soul Realm were already locked in a life-or-death struggle. If he broke through further, and both his spiritual energy and true qi advanced to the next level, it would be disastrous. Xu Ming realized that a choice was inevitable¡ªbetween the path of the Martial Artist and the Qi Cultivator, only one could remain. If not, his spiritual veins and meridians would surely shatter. The only disappointment Xu Ming felt was that the system had not granted him any special rewards this time, aside from the attribute points. He guessed it was because the Yellow Sand River Dragon King was too weak. Although it was at the early stage of the Golden Core Realm, its quality was among the lowest tier of that rank. The system¡¯s rewards had been correspondingly less generous. It could also be because he had faced many Golden Core cultivators already. Only the first encounter with one offered substantial rewards, and subsequent encounters yielded diminishing returns. ¡°Why are you standing here spacing out instead of entering the city, Young Master?¡± Mo Zhuer approached with a gentle smile, breaking Xu Ming¡¯s thoughts. Xu Ming snapped back to reality and casually brushed her off, ¡°Nothing much. Just thought this city felt a bit peculiar. Let¡¯s go.¡± With that, he strode forward. Watching his retreating figure, Mo Zhuer furrowed her brows. A moment ago, she had a strange feeling. She could have sworn that, for a fleeting moment, Xu Ming¡¯s spiritual energy and martial true qi had grown even denser¡ªas if he was about to break through. That couldn¡¯t be possible, right? How old was Xu Ming? Regardless of whether it was his Martial Artist realm or Qi Cultivator realm breaking through, it would be shocking enough. And yet, he could already stand against Golden Core Realm cultivators with his current level. If he did break through¡­ wouldn¡¯t he become truly monstrous?! ¡°No, it must have been my imagination. Definitely a mistake!¡± Mo Zhuer shook her head, reassuring herself. ¡°He hasn¡¯t done anything noteworthy recently. There¡¯s no way one could cultivate just by walking around, right?¡± Still unsettled, she followed Xu Ming. The group entered a city named Yan Zhi City. Yan Zhi (Rouge) City was a neutral city, unaffiliated with any dynasty. It was said to contain every type of rouge and powder in existence, hence its name. Rumor had it that the city was also under the influence of the Hehuan Sect, with many of its enterprises based here. As they stepped into Yan Zhi City, a faint, delicate fragrance of rouge wafted through the air. Xu Ming felt as though he had stepped into a giant box of rouge. Fortunately, the scent wasn¡¯t overwhelming. In ancient times, the fragrance of rouge was generally derived from natural flower powders rather than chemical compounds, unlike the perfumes of the Blue Star, which often smelled unbearably artificial and pungent. ¡°Handsome young master~ Come and play with us~¡± ¡°My lord, this servant has missed you terribly~¡± ¡°Ah, Master Chen, you¡¯re here! Please, come in~¡± ¡°Oh my, young master, you¡¯re so dashing! This humble one can play the flute. Shall I play a tune for you?¡± On either side of the street, scantily clad women tugged at passersby to draw them in. As expected of a city under the Hehuan Sect¡¯s influence. In a single street barely 300 meters long, there were already multiple brothels. It seemed competition in this line of work was particularly fierce in Yan Zhi City. Beyond that, clothing stores were also abundant, and the women here dressed daringly. Every so often, Xu Ming would spot women in half-crop tops or skirts with slits reaching up to their thighs, their every step oozing charm and allure. Even in what seemed like ordinary inns, the ones serving dishes and pouring water weren¡¯t typical waiters but provocatively dressed women. Some diners, stirred by the atmosphere, couldn¡¯t contain themselves. After eating for a bit, they¡¯d rent a room and take a girl upstairs to ¡°discuss life.¡± Truly, this was a city steeped in indulgence and decadence. Xu Ming couldn¡¯t help but think that if it weren¡¯t for his firm resolve, spending just three days here might leave him ten pounds lighter! It was no surprise that most men in this city looked pale and drained. Finding an inn, Xu Ming stepped inside to eat. Because he was accompanied by a ¡°female companion,¡± and Mo Zhuer was exceptionally beautiful, the women in the inn didn¡¯t bother trying to serve him. This left some of the women feeling regretful. After all, it had been ages since they¡¯d seen someone as handsome and full of vitality as Xu Ming. ¡°Should I excuse myself and let the girls here serve our dear imperial son-in-law?¡± Mo Zhuer asked with a sly smile, her gaze fixed on Xu Ming. ¡°No need,¡± Xu Ming replied flatly. ¡°Just sit.¡± ¡°Fair enough~¡± Mo Zhuer propped her chin on her hand, looking quite pleased with herself. ¡°These girls aren¡¯t as pretty as me anyway. Why would our dear imperial son-in-law be interested in them?¡± Xu Ming didn¡¯t bother refuting her narcissism. Mo Zhuer wasn¡¯t wrong. From the moment they entered Yan Zhi City, Xu Ming hadn¡¯t seen anyone who could rival Mo Zhuer¡¯s beauty. Before long, a woman wearing nothing but a belly wrap and loose pants sashayed over with their dishes. ¡°Please enjoy your meal, dear guests. If there¡¯s anything else you need, don¡¯t hesitate to call me.¡± As she spoke, she threw a flirtatious wink at Xu Ming before turning and walking away. ¡°Hmph, shameless hussy,¡± Mo Zhuer muttered irritably as she watched the woman¡¯s exaggerated performance. ¡°You¡¯re not much better,¡± Xu Ming said indifferently, handing a pair of chopsticks and a bowl of rice to Shen Shengsheng. ¡°Not at all~¡± Mo Zhuer retorted playfully. ¡°Just look at how wide their hips are. Who knows how many men they¡¯ve been with? Meanwhile, I¡¯m still pure and untouched. If you don¡¯t believe me, dear imperial son-in-law, you¡¯re welcome to verify tonight~¡± ¡°Quit your nonsense and eat,¡± Xu Ming scolded. ¡°Hmph!¡± Mo Zhuer picked up her chopsticks, pouting slightly. She didn¡¯t bother with this unromantic man anymore and began nibbling at her food. Truthfully, Mo Zhuer¡¯s feelings had grown increasingly complicated over this period. At first, her attempts to seduce Xu Ming were purely strategic¡ªshe wanted to poison him. If he wanted the antidote, he¡¯d have to come to her. Otherwise, they¡¯d both perish. Back then, Xu Ming was balancing two paths¡ªMartial Artist and Qi Cultivator¡ªwhile her life was on the line. The imbalance seemed unfair. But over time, as Xu Ming consistently avoided her traps and didn¡¯t even spare her a second glance, often treating her as a mere servant without a shred of pity, Mo Zhuer began to doubt her own allure. Thus, her attempts to seduce Xu Ming slowly morphed into a personal challenge¡ªshe wanted to prove she still had immense appeal to men! Even to a blockhead like him! But as expected, this blockhead really was a blockhead. The more Mo Zhuer thought about it, the angrier she became. The angrier she got, the more frustrated she felt. In a fit of irritation, she shoved a large spoonful of rice into her mouth, followed by a bite of greens. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Hmm?¡± As the food entered her mouth, Mo Zhuer sensed something was off and turned to look at Xu Ming. Xu Ming, as calm as ever, took a bite of meat. ¡°What are you looking at? Keep eating. Don¡¯t think too much.¡± While speaking, Xu Ming poured tea for Mo Zhuer and Shen Shengsheng. However, as he did so, two pills slipped from his sleeve into the cups, dissolving instantly upon contact with the tea. Mo Zhuer drank the tea without a second thought and continued eating her meal. After finishing their food and paying the bill, the three of them left the inn. ¡°Someone tried to poison us. Was it aimed at you?¡± Xu Ming asked in a low voice. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t put it like that, dear imperial son-in-law,¡± Mo Zhuer replied with a faint smile. ¡°Even if it was aimed at me, it¡¯s still because of you. Think about it¡ªwe¡¯re together now. You¡¯re on the Black Lotus Sect¡¯s kill list, and I¡¯m one of their saintesses. Naturally, plenty of people would want to see us both dead. It¡¯s just a matter of figuring out who¡¯s behind it.¡± Xu Ming fell silent. He entered another inn and placed a small silver ingot on the counter. ¡°One upper room.¡± ¡°Right away.¡± The innkeeper respectfully handed Xu Ming a room key. ¡°It¡¯s on the third floor, left side, the last room at the end of the hallway.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Xu Ming¡¯s gaze swept subtly across the other patrons in the inn before taking the key and heading upstairs. ¡°Seems like quite a few people are following us,¡± Mo Zhuer remarked with a smile. ¡°Do you have any idea who they are?¡± Xu Ming asked. ¡°Not at all,¡± Mo Zhuer replied, shaking her head. ¡°I don¡¯t recognize any of them. But this is Yan Zhi City, and it¡¯s the territory of the Hehuan Sect.¡± ¡°The Hehuan Sect?¡± Xu Ming¡¯s expression subtly shifted upon hearing the name. ¡°What¡¯s this? Could it be that dear imperial son-in-law knows something about the Hehuan Sect?¡± Mo Zhuer teased with a knowing smile. ¡°No, I¡¯ve just heard the name,¡± Xu Ming said, shaking his head. The name Hehuan Sect was all too familiar to him. In nearly every xianxia novel he had read in his past life, there was mention of a Hehuan Sect. Known as the ¡°Number One Sect Across the Realms,¡± the Hehuan Sect certainly had its reputation, though most of the time, it ended up as cannon fodder. ¡°What kind of sect is the Hehuan Sect?¡± Xu Ming asked Mo Zhuer. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ a bit of an odd one,¡± Mo Zhuer said thoughtfully. ¡°The Hehuan Sect has existed in this world for tens of thousands of years, but it remains a relatively weak sect. ¡°To date, records show that the highest cultivation level achieved by a Hehuan Sect leader was only the Jade Purity Realm. Most of the sect leaders were at the Nascent Soul Realm. ¡°For example, the current sect leader, Cui Renwang. ¡°The sect¡¯s guiding principle is ¡®Unite the pleasures of the world, share the joys of life.¡¯ They practice dual cultivation regardless of gender. ¡°Rumor has it that the Hehuan Sect possesses a secret technique¡ªa supreme method that allows one to ascend to the Ascension Realm through dual cultivation.¡± ¡°If their techniques are that powerful, why is it that the highest recorded cultivation level among their leaders is only the Jade Purity Realm?¡± Xu Ming asked, intrigued. A cultivator¡¯s level was largely determined by talent and cultivation methods. Logically speaking, after so many years, the Hehuan Sect should have produced at least one prodigious disciple. Even if it was down to luck, they couldn¡¯t possibly have failed for tens of thousands of years. That left the cultivation techniques as the potential issue. But based on Mo Zhuer¡¯s description, the Hehuan Sect¡¯s techniques didn¡¯t seem lacking. ¡°Dear imperial son-in-law~¡± Mo Zhuer said with a teasing tone. ¡°What I told you were the recorded cultivation levels of past leaders. However, there are rumors that among the unrecorded leaders, at least one reached the Ascension Realm. But that was so long ago, no one knows exactly when it happened.¡± Mo Zhuer chuckled and said, ¡°Nowadays, the people of the Hehuan Sect have completely strayed from their original path. ¡°The current Hehuan Sect is filled with nothing but lust-driven creatures, thinking with their lower halves regardless of gender. ¡°I¡¯d wager they¡¯ve long forgotten what their ancestors envisioned for the original Way of Hehuan. Many of them have already fallen into demonic cultivation. ¡°Male disciples of the Hehuan Sect have turned into vile predators, forcing themselves on women and treating them as nothing more than furnaces for their cultivation. ¡°Likewise, many of the female disciples indulge in unrestrained harvesting, draining their victims dry until they¡¯re little more than withered corpses. ¡°As a result, many cultivators have started classifying the Hehuan Sect as a demonic sect.¡± She sighed, spreading her hands with a look of helplessness. ¡°Still, you can¡¯t deny one thing¡ªwhile the Hehuan Sect lacks top-tier combat strength, their influence is vast. Their brothels are spread all over the world.¡± Mo Zhuer stretched her arms wide, yawning lazily as she sat on the bed. ¡°After all, compared to the dull monotony of traditional cultivation, what could be more enjoyable than indulging in pleasures of the flesh while improving your strength? ¡°As for this situation, I¡¯d bet my competitors have teamed up with the Hehuan Sect to take the both of us out. ¡°Don¡¯t forget, dear imperial son-in-law, you¡¯re also on their hit list~¡± Xu Ming rubbed his chin thoughtfully. ¡°What kind of benefits could your competitors offer to convince an entire sect to act against us?¡± Mo Zhuer¡¯s lips curled into a playful smile, but she said nothing. Xu Ming glanced at her, sensing she might be hiding something. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t look at me like that, my dear~¡± Mo Zhuer feigned embarrassment, waving her hand coyly. ¡°Right now, we¡¯re surely surrounded by members of the Hehuan Sect. If you want to leave, there¡¯s only one way.¡± ¡°What way?¡± Xu Ming asked. Mo Zhuer stepped closer, her warm breath brushing against his face as she leaned in. ¡°By listening to me carefully and doing exactly as I say, of course~¡± Chapter 187 Twilight. Outside the bustling Wangsheng Inn in Yan Zhi City. The disciples of the Hehuan Sect had already gathered together, sitting by the noodle and wine stalls near the inn, occasionally casting glances toward it. ¡°Young Master, why haven¡¯t the Hehuan Sect members made a move yet?¡± The old servant asked Ji Wuming, looking somewhat impatient. Mo Zhu¡¯er was a woman ranked among the top ten beauties, and she was also the esteemed saintess of her sect. If Mo Zhu¡¯er were truly captured, and he could share an intimate moment with her¡ªeven if he were to rank behind the dogs¡ªhe would still be content. ¡°What¡¯s the rush?¡± Ji Wuming yawned and poured himself a cup of wine. ¡°Although the Hehuan Sect is cooperating with us, the person they want to kill is the saintess of the Black Lotus Sect. For the Black Lotus Sect, this would be a disgraceful matter. The Hehuan Sect is merely a minor sect. To maintain its dignity, the Black Lotus Sect will certainly hold them accountable. In the end, the Hehuan Sect will become the sacrificial pawn in the power struggle between the Black Lotus Sect¡¯s saints and saintesses. That leader of the Hehuan Sect, Cui Renwang, isn¡¯t a fool. He understands this layer of consequences, so he has to proceed flawlessly, at least in a way that leaves no trace for the Black Lotus Sect to discover. By the time I speak up for them in the Black Lotus Sect, even if everyone knows the truth, they won¡¯t break the silence. The matter will blow over.¡± ¡°I see,¡± the old servant nodded. ¡°So everything was within your calculations, Young Master.¡± Ji Wuming took out his folding fan, snapping it open with a ¡°pa¡± sound, and fanned himself. ¡°Nothing is ever truly within calculations. I simply think a bit further than others. When you¡¯re in my position, if you don¡¯t think ahead, you¡¯re more likely to die. Anyway, let¡¯s wait until tonight. The Hehuan Sect¡¯s poison seems to be administered in two doses. The second dose will be given tonight, and only then will its full effect take hold.¡± ¡ª ¡°We¡¯re already surrounded.¡± Earlier, Mo Zhu¡¯er had opened the window, leaning on the windowsill to observe the street below for the duration of a stick of incense. She appeared to be casually gazing outside, but in truth, she had already identified the Hehuan Sect disciples among the crowd. From what she saw, roughly seventy people were scattered around the corners outside the inn. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°That¡¯s to be expected,¡± Xu Ming replied, still meditating with his eyes closed, restoring his spiritual power and martial energy. ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, the Hehuan Sect will administer a second dose of poison tonight. When the two doses combine, it will activate, making it hard for anyone to detect until it¡¯s too late. That¡¯s when they¡¯ll make their move.¡± Mo Zhu¡¯er blinked at Xu Ming. ¡°How do you know so much?¡± Xu Ming slowly opened his eyes, glancing at her as if she were a fool. ¡°When you feel like you don¡¯t know enough, you should read more. A lot of things are documented in books.¡± Back in Wu Kingdom, whether at the Xu family estate, the Blood Asura Battalion, or the palace, Xu Ming often read various books. When he was preparing to roam the martial world, he had spent an extended period in Wu Kingdom¡¯s royal library, not just to enhance his abilities but also to avoid being easily tricked. The royal library contained rare texts that documented sect secrets and techniques. They had indeed proven useful. ¡°¡­¡± Seeing Xu Ming¡¯s disdainful gaze, Mo Zhu¡¯er¡¯s chest rose and fell violently. She felt an itch in her foot, tempted to kick him hard. Why was this man so infuriating? ¡°So, what do we do now?¡± Mo Zhu¡¯er steadied her breath, her smile returning. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that as long as I followed your lead, we¡¯d be able to leave safely? Now you¡¯re asking me instead?¡± Xu Ming said calmly. ¡°Well, I was pretty confident in myself before, but seeing how much you know, of course, I¡¯ll leave everything in your capable hands, Young Master~¡± ¡°Don¡¯t. I¡¯m counting on you to lead us out of here. You¡¯ve got this.¡± Xu Ming closed his eyes again. ¡°What does ¡®you¡¯ve got this¡¯ mean?¡± Over the past few days, Mo Zhu¡¯er noticed that Xu Ming occasionally used terms she didn¡¯t understand. ¡°It means to give it your best shot,¡± Xu Ming explained. Mo Zhu¡¯er: ¡°¡­¡± Smack! A sound rang out on the table in front of Xu Ming. Opening his eyes again, he saw Mo Zhu¡¯er slapping two small straw dolls onto the table. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Xu Ming curiously examined the straw dolls on the table. ¡°Hehe~¡± Mo Zhu¡¯er looked pleased with herself. For the first time since meeting Xu Ming, she felt a sense of superiority, and it felt fantastic! ¡°Inject a little spiritual energy into one of these dolls,¡± Mo Zhu¡¯er urged enthusiastically. Xu Ming hesitated for a moment, wondering if Mo Zhu¡¯er might use the doll to curse him once he did. But after reconsidering, he decided it was unlikely. Even a practitioner of the Yin-Yang sect would need someone¡¯s blood essence and birthdate to cast a proper curse. Merely channeling spiritual energy into a straw doll shouldn¡¯t have any such effect. Xu Ming injected a sliver of spiritual energy into one of the dolls, and Mo Zhu¡¯er did the same with the other. Placing the two straw dolls on her smooth, fair thighs, Mo Zhu¡¯er clasped her hands together and began chanting a spell. In the next moment, the two straw dolls started moving. They stood up on Mo Zhu¡¯er¡¯s soft, white thighs and then jumped down, one on each side, landing on the floor. Shen Shengsheng crouched in front of the two straw dolls, poking at them with her finger. The straw dolls gradually grew larger, their shapes slowly changing. Startled, Shen Shengsheng leapt back in alarm. When the transformation finished, the straw dolls had turned into life-sized straw figures that looked exactly like Xu Ming and Mo Zhu¡¯er. ¡°It¡¯s not done yet,¡± Mo Zhu¡¯er said smugly. Walking over, she pulled out a stack of paper from her sleeve¡ªover a hundred sheets of rice paper. She carefully placed the rice paper over every part of the straw figures. Then, pulling out a brush, she infused it with her spiritual energy. The brush moved like a printer, painting rapidly on the straw figures. Finally, when everything was complete, the two straw figures looked exactly like Xu Ming and Mo Zhu¡¯er. Using the same technique, Mo Zhu¡¯er created a straw figure of Shen Shengsheng. Shen Shengsheng stared at the straw figure, which was as tall as she was, poking it here and there with her finger. Mo Zhu¡¯er clapped her hands with a satisfied smile as the three straw figures joined hands and started moving, behaving remarkably human-like. Sitting on the bed with her fair legs crossed, Mo Zhu¡¯er smiled slyly and said, ¡°This is my plan.¡± Chapter 188 In the evening, Xu Ming led Mo Zhu¡¯er and Shen Shengsheng out of the room, heading to the first floor of the inn to openly enjoy dinner. As expected, the food was indeed poisoned. Xu Ming thought that if not for the strange attributes he had gained over the years, which made him more sensitive to toxins, he might not have noticed the anomaly in the dishes. Like most cultivators, it would have been easy for him to fall into the trap. As for why Mo Zhu¡¯er was also able to detect the poison, Xu Ming wasn¡¯t sure. Perhaps she had undergone special training? After all, given her background as a woman of the demonic sect, her vigilance must be at its peak. After finishing their meal, the trio returned to their room. By the middle of the fifth watch, the sky had turned completely dark, and the nightlife of Yan Zhi City was just beginning. Many brothels were only then opening their doors to guests. The streets and alleys were filled with laughter, and as one passed by a brothel, one could even feel the faint vibrations of activity within. Disciples of the Hehuan Sect glanced at the moon and felt it was the right time to act. But just as they were about to make their move, they saw Xu Ming and his companions leave the inn, walking down the street with laughter and chatter. The Hehuan Sect disciples exchanged glances, surprised that the trio had come out. ¡°Notify the sect master immediately, and let¡¯s follow them,¡± ordered a steward of the sect. ¡°Young master, should we follow them?¡± an old servant asked. Ji Wuming sneered. ¡°They were a bit troublesome in the inn, but now that they¡¯ve stepped outside, it¡¯ll be much easier. Let¡¯s go! Follow them!¡± Half a stick of incense after ¡°Xu Ming and his companions¡± left the inn, the real Xu Ming and his group slipped out through a window and headed swiftly in the opposite direction of Yan Zhi City. If not for the city¡¯s no-fly formation, they would have already taken to the skies. ¡°We need to move faster,¡± Mo Zhu¡¯er estimated. ¡°Those three strawmen can hold out for half an hour at most.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it possible you¡¯re being too optimistic? What if they can¡¯t even last that long?¡± Xu Ming glanced at Mo Zhu¡¯er. Mo Zhu¡¯er: ¡°¡­¡± In the eastern part of Yan Zhi City, the ¡°strawman Xu Ming trio¡± continued walking forward in silence. Not a single word escaped their mouths. Ji Wuming and the Hehuan Sect disciples followed closely, having received their orders. At first, Ji Wuming pondered where the trio might be headed and where would be the best place to ambush them. But the longer he followed, the more he felt something was wrong. Why hadn¡¯t they spoken a word? It was as if they were merely walking forward without any awareness. When a man accidentally bumped into ¡°Mo Zhu¡¯er,¡± apologized, and the trio completely ignored him, continuing forward without acknowledgment, Ji Wuming¡¯s unease deepened. ¡°Something¡¯s off!¡± Ji Wuming frowned. The old servant was puzzled. ¡°Young master, what¡¯s off?¡± ¡°These three¡­ there¡¯s something very wrong about them,¡± Ji Wuming said, gripping his fan tightly. ¡°They¡¯re like puppets!¡± With that, Ji Wuming strode forward, and under the watchful eyes of the crowd, he drew his sword and slashed horizontally. The heads of ¡°Xu Ming and his companions¡± fell cleanly from their necks. ¡°Help! Murder!¡± ¡°Someone¡¯s killing people in the street!¡± The onlookers covered their mouths in shock, screaming loudly. But soon, they noticed that not a drop of blood spilled from the severed heads. The three figures collapsed to the ground, their bodies transforming bit by bit until they turned into strawmen covered in white paper. ¡°We¡¯ve been tricked!¡± Gazing at the three strawmen, Ji Wuming gripped his longsword tightly. Meanwhile, Xu Ming and his companions had already exited Yan Zhi City and were flying toward Xuanyue City. As long as they could make it to Xuanyue City, they would essentially be safe. Xuanyue City was directly under the jurisdiction of the Tianxuan Sect, and no one dared to casually kill within its borders. Doing so would be a blatant slap to the face of the Tianxuan Sect. The problem was, Xu Ming and the others weren¡¯t certain if they could reach Xuanyue City safely. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Unsurprisingly, the Hehuan Sect was undoubtedly in a frenzy, desperately searching for them. With their plan exposed, they were determined to eliminate Xu Ming and Mo Zhu¡¯er. Otherwise, with the backing Xu Ming and Mo Zhu¡¯er had, retaliation would spell disaster for the Hehuan Sect. Outside Yan Zhi City, scattered disciples of the Hehuan Sect had already received orders and were relentlessly searching. ¡°Who are you?! Stop right there! Don¡¯t fly any further!¡± Two patrolling Hehuan Sect disciples spotted two unknown figures in the air. ¡°Stop! I said stop! Do you hear me?!¡± Boom! As the two figures approached, one of them, a man carrying a young girl, threw a punch. One of the disciples instantly exploded into a mist of blood. ¡°Something¡¯s wrong! Notify the sect master immediately!¡± one disciple shouted. But before he could act, Xu Ming smashed him into blood mist as well. The last Hehuan Sect disciple was filled with terror as he saw the man rushing toward him. He hastily released a signal flare. Though the final disciple fell to Xu Ming¡¯s punch, the flare had already exploded in the sky. ¡°Let¡¯s move. We need to be faster,¡± Xu Ming said. ¡°Got it,¡± Mo Zhu¡¯er replied seriously, no longer showing her usual playful demeanor. The Hehuan Sect master wasn¡¯t foolish. He had already suspected that Xu Ming¡¯s group might head for Xuanyue City, so he had stationed disciples along the route. Now, the signal flare confirmed his hunch. Cultivators who saw the flare began rushing toward Xu Ming¡¯s direction. Xu Ming and his companions encountered more and more Hehuan Sect disciples, breaking through encirclements time and again. Each of Xu Ming¡¯s punches obliterated a target, body and soul. Mo Zhu¡¯er¡¯s silk ribbon pierced through the bodies of cultivators, while the soft sword at her waist was drawn, striking like a serpent to stab into her opponents¡¯ hearts. Even Shen Shengsheng, who was hooked around Xu Ming¡¯s neck, proved to be a formidable force. Transforming into a cannon, she unleashed black flames at anyone who approached. Mo Zhu¡¯er couldn¡¯t help but feel that this little girl was increasingly extraordinary. ¡°You three might as well stop here.¡± Just as they were less than ten miles from Xuanyue City, a voice filled with authority rang out. A beam of light descended from the sky, and the Hehuan Sect master appeared, blocking Xu Ming and his companions¡¯ path. Chapter 189 ¡°Perhaps you three should stop right there.¡± A middle-aged man stood in front of Xu Ming and his companions. The man was dressed in a loose robe, its deep V-neck revealing his chest and abs. Perhaps he thought he looked dashing in this attire. His gaze swept over Mo Zhuer, who was standing beside Xu Ming, and immediately froze. ¡°It¡¯s said that the Holy Maiden of the Black Lotus Sect is as beautiful as a celestial being. Seeing you today, it¡¯s clear the rumors are true. I¡¯ve seen countless women, but compared to you, they¡¯re all mere powder and rouge.¡± The man, Cui Renwang, licked his lips as if parched, his eyes radiating an unmistakable intent. Looking at the man blocking her path, Mo Zhuer felt a wave of disgust. As much as Xu Ming occasionally tormented her with candle drips or made her roast meat, compared to this man, Xu Ming seemed infinitely better. At the very least, Xu Ming¡¯s gaze never carried that kind of beastly intrusion. ¡°Are you the Sect Master of the Hehuan Sect?¡± Xu Ming asked. Judging from the pressure emanating from this man, Xu Ming estimated he was in the Nascent Soul stage. According to Mo Zhuer, the current Sect Master of the Hehuan Sect was indeed at this level. ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± Cui Renwang clasped his hands and greeted Xu Ming respectfully. ¡°I am Cui Renwang, Sect Master of the Hehuan Sect. It¡¯s an honor to meet the Prince Consort. The rumors of your striking looks are not exaggerated.¡± ¡°What business does Sect Master Cui have with us?¡± Xu Ming asked knowingly. ¡°Oh, nothing much. I just wish to invite you two to my Hehuan Sect for some drinks and to extend my hospitality. Otherwise, people might think we don¡¯t know how to treat our guests.¡± Cui Renwang said with a smile. ¡°Sect Master Cui is too kind, but we¡¯re in a hurry. Maybe next time.¡± Xu Ming replied. ¡°Don¡¯t say ¡®next time.¡¯ Who knows when that will be? This time is perfect.¡± As soon as Cui Renwang finished speaking, the disciples of the Hehuan Sect surrounding Xu Ming took another step closer. Xu Ming scanned his surroundings and said, ¡°So it seems Sect Master intends to forcefully extend your hospitality. If word of this gets out, it won¡¯t reflect well on you.¡± Cui Renwang chuckled. ¡°True, it wouldn¡¯t look good. But tonight, who¡¯s going to know? No one will hear of this.¡± Xu Ming sneered. ¡°The Hehuan Sect truly has a unique way of showing hospitality.¡± Cui Renwang stroked his chin and replied, ¡°Hospitality is what we pride ourselves on.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Before Cui Renwang could react, Xu Ming appeared before him in an instant, delivering a powerful kick. Even though Cui Renwang was in the Nascent Soul stage, his physical toughness was far inferior to Xu Ming¡¯s. Caught off guard, he was sent flying by the kick, crashing to the ground and raising a cloud of dust several meters high. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Xu Ming shouted to Mo Zhuer. Mo Zhuer snapped out of her daze and followed Xu Ming as they broke through the encirclement. But just as they moved, a black cloud in the night sky transformed into a massive hand, reaching down to grab them. Frowning, Mo Zhuer flicked her sleeve, summoning a wind dragon that tore the black hand apart. ¡°Junior Sister, long time no see.¡± A man stepped forward on the black cloud, followed by an old servant. ¡°Heh.¡± Mo Zhuer let out a cold laugh. ¡°I was wondering why the Hehuan Sect would bother causing me trouble. So, this was all Senior Brother¡¯s idea.¡± ¡°Ah, don¡¯t say that,¡± the man, Ji Wuming, said, shaking his head. ¡°I had no idea what was happening. I just arrived, you know.¡± ¡°Attacking me as soon as you arrived? Senior Brother, you¡¯re really impatient,¡± Mo Zhuer said, her eyes narrowing with a faint smile. ¡°Did I attack you just now, Junior Sister? My apologies, my apologies. I must have mistaken you for someone else. In fact, I was just trying to help you,¡± Ji Wuming clasped his hands in apology with a smile. Mo Zhuer said nothing more but secretly whispered to Xu Ming, ¡°This man is one of the Holy Sons of the Black Lotus Sect, Ji Wuming.¡± Hearing this name, Xu Ming¡¯s brow twitched. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder if Ji Wuming had a brother named Ji Wubing (literally: ¡®Ji Without Sickness¡¯). ¡°Prince Consort, you¡¯re rather rude. I invited you to be a guest, but you responded with a kick. Is this how the top scholar of Wu Kingdom behaves?¡± Cui Renwang flew over, dusting himself off. ¡°Over here!¡± Xu Ming wasted no words, pulling Mo Zhuer and heading in another direction to break out. ¡°Go after them! Whoever captures those two will be rewarded with a hundred top-grade spirit stones. The Prince Consort will be given to the female disciples as a cauldron, and the male disciples will get a chance to enjoy Mo Zhuer!¡± At Cui Renwang¡¯s command, all pretense was dropped, and the Hehuan Sect disciples charged toward Xu Ming and his group. The female cultivators of the Hehuan Sect had long coveted Xu Ming¡¯s robust blood energy. ¡°Courting death!¡± S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Hehuan Sect disciples were hardly a threat. After Xu Ming killed a few with his fists, the rest, fearing for their lives, dared not advance further. The real problem was Cui Renwang and Mo Zhuer¡¯s Senior Brother, Ji Wuming. Xu Ming managed to break through the Hehuan Sect¡¯s encirclement, but Cui Renwang and Ji Wuming kept close pursuit, making it impossible for him to shake them off. ¡°Shengsheng, you go ahead! Fly straight to Xuanyue City!¡± Xu Ming shouted to Shen Shengsheng. Shen Shengsheng hugged Xu Ming¡¯s neck tightly, shaking her head. ¡°Be good,¡± Xu Ming said, ruffling her hair. ¡°This isn¡¯t running away. It¡¯s going to Xuanyue City to bring reinforcements. Whether I survive or not depends on you!¡± Shen Shengsheng looked at Xu Ming seriously. Reluctant as she was to leave him, the earnest and resolute look in his eyes told her that his life might indeed depend on her. Clenching her fists, Shen Shengsheng took a deep breath. Black wings burst from her back, tearing through her clothes. She soared toward Xuanyue City with astonishing speed. Cui Renwang tried to intercept her, but Xu Ming¡¯s foot appeared in front of his face. ¡°Boom!¡± Cui Renwang raised his arms to block but was sent flying several meters by the kick. ¡°Do you really think you can hold out until reinforcements from Xuanyue City arrive?¡± Cui Renwang chuckled. ¡°And why would they even help you?¡± ¡°Who knows?¡± Xu Ming tilted his head, his blood energy surging and enveloping his entire body. Dao runes appeared in his eyes once more. Xu Ming closed the distance, throwing a punch the size of a sandbag straight at Cui Renwang¡¯s forehead. Cui Renwang shielded his arms with spiritual energy and forcefully took the blow, though the impact left his palms numb. Using his other hand as a blade, Cui Renwang struck toward Xu Ming¡¯s waist. Xu Ming kicked his chest and used the momentum to pull back, narrowly evading the strike. The wind blade from Cui Renwang¡¯s hand sliced through a small mountain, cutting its peak clean off. Cui Renwang began chanting a spell. Nine illusory women surrounded Xu Ming, laughing seductively with alluring postures. But Xu Ming remained unfazed. He leaped into the air, gripping a longsword, and slashed down at Cui Renwang¡¯s head. Cui Renwang dodged, but the mountain behind him was split in half by Xu Ming¡¯s sword. ¡°What fearsome sword energy,¡± Cui Renwang said with admiration. The power of Xu Ming¡¯s sword energy was far beyond that of an ordinary Cave Mansion stage cultivator. Cui Renwang couldn¡¯t help but feel puzzled. How could Xu Ming, a mere Cave Mansion satge cultivator, hold his own against a Nascent Soul expert like himself? Still, Cui Renwang thought to himself, This is as far as Xu Ming will go. ¡°In the face of absolute power, no matter how much of a genius you are, it¡¯s useless!¡± Cui Renwang said, pulling out his natal artifact, a jade flute. As the flute¡¯s melody filled the air, razor-sharp wind blades surged toward Xu Ming. He punched them apart, but the blades still left several bloody gashes on his fist. Xu Ming frowned, gripping his Nine Heavens Thunder Sword. Sword energy roared like a tidal wave as he slashed, the surging tide rushing toward Cui Renwang. The flute¡¯s melody grew more intense, shattering Xu Ming¡¯s sword energy. Then came the Heaven-Splitting Fist. Xu Ming¡¯s fist, powerful enough to shake mountains, slammed toward Cui Renwang¡¯s chest. Cui Renwang raised his flute horizontally, blocking the blow. Spiritual energy clashed with martial qi, sending both of them flying. Cui Renwang quickly steadied himself, but Xu Ming was thrown over a hundred meters away. He landed heavily, his chest tight and his throat filled with a metallic taste, coughing up a mouthful of blood. ¡°With your level of cultivation, lasting ten moves against me is already a rare feat,¡± Cui Renwang said, marveling at Xu Ming. ¡°If given enough time, I can¡¯t imagine the heights you would reach.¡± Xu Ming chuckled. ¡°Then why not let me go?¡± Cui Renwang tapped the jade flute in his hand and smirked. ¡°You¡¯re dreaming.¡± ¡°Then I guess there¡¯s no other choice.¡± Xu Ming sneered, his martial qi and spiritual energy surging wildly. A late-night breeze swept through the air, swirling toward Xu Ming and enveloping him. Around him, an invisible vortex began to form. Elsewhere, Mo Zhuer kicked Ji Wuming and his old servant aside, her gaze falling on Xu Ming. Her eyes trembled, and she shouted, ¡°Xu Ming! Are you insane?¡± ¡°Miss Mo is right¡ªhave you lost your mind?¡± Cui Renwang said, narrowing his eyes at Xu Ming. ¡°You actually plan to break through to the Heroic Soul Realm and the Sea Observation Realm simultaneously? Even if you succeed, what then? Do you think just stepping into those realms will let you kill me? And forcing a breakthrough like this will destabilize your foundation, making it impossible for you to ever reach the Nascent Soul stage.¡± [T/N: Wasn¡¯t he already at the Heroic Soul Realm?] ¡°So what?¡± Xu Ming smiled faintly. ¡°If I¡¯m going to die here, I might as well take a desperate gamble. Otherwise, what future is there? Do you expect me to just sit here and wait for someone to save me?¡± As Xu Ming spoke, his martial qi and spiritual energy twisted and intertwined, growing increasingly chaotic. Cui Renwang could only stand and watch, not daring to step forward. It wasn¡¯t that he wanted to give Xu Ming time to break through for a fair fight, but the energy swirling around Xu Ming had reached such a terrifying level that even Cui Renwang feared getting seriously injured if he approached recklessly. ¡°Junior Sister seems very concerned about him,¡± Ji Wuming said with a smile, glancing at Mo Zhuer. ¡°Could it be you¡¯ve fallen for him?¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Mo Zhuer snapped, raising her flexible sword and thrusting it toward Ji Wuming like a snake. Ji Wuming dodged gracefully. ¡°Touchy, are we?¡± Ji Wuming fanned himself lazily. ¡°What¡¯s so special about this man that¡¯s captured your heart?¡± Mo Zhuer ignored him, her focus entirely on Xu Ming. To everyone else, forcing a breakthrough to the Sea Observation and Heroic Soul realms with an unstable foundation would only lead to one outcome: damaging the foundation and ruining the path to greater cultivation. But Mo Zhuer knew there was an even worse possibility. Xu Ming¡¯s martial qi and spiritual energy were already at odds, like fire and water. His body was pushed to its limits. And now, he was attempting to ascend to an even higher level in both his martial and spiritual cultivation. Could his body really endure it? Even if Xu Ming didn¡¯t explode on the spot, that would already be a stroke of fortune. It wasn¡¯t that she liked this insufferable man. But if Xu Ming died, her own situation would only grow worse. Besides, it would truly be a shame if Xu Ming died. Though infuriating, men like him were rare in this world. ¡°Handle your senior brother; don¡¯t worry about me,¡± Xu Ming said to Mo Zhuer. ¡°Boom!¡± The next moment, a thunderous explosion echoed as martial qi and spiritual energy burst out from Xu Ming¡¯s body, spreading outward and surging into the sky. Xu Ming exhaled deeply. He clenched his fists, and for the first time, he felt an overwhelming sense of power coursing through his body. He could even feel the strength of his soul¡ªso robust that any wandering spirits or ghosts would likely avoid him entirely. Soul-targeting spells would also struggle to affect him. So this is the Heroic Soul Realm? A soul of unyielding strength. Xu Ming felt as if his entire being had transformed into solid rock. Moreover, he noticed a drastic change in his sea of consciousness: what was once a small lake had expanded into a vast ocean. His divine sense, now embodied as a miniature figure, stood at the shore, gazing at the endless waters. The Sea Observation Realm. Compared to the Cave Mansion Realm, the most significant improvement was the sheer quality of his spiritual energy. Xu Ming meticulously examined every change within his body. Opposite him, Cui Renwang stood frozen, his brows furrowed deeply. If earlier, Cui Renwang was hesitant to approach Xu Ming due to the chaotic energy emanating from his breakthrough, now it was for an entirely different reason. The aura radiating from Xu Ming was terrifying, exuding an oppressive force that made Cui Renwang hesitate. As much as he didn¡¯t want to admit it, a chilling thought surfaced in his mind: Could this man actually kill me? Has there ever been a martial artist who achieved both the Dominant Spirit and Sea Observation Realms simultaneously? ¡°Want to try?¡± Xu Ming looked at Cui Renwang and asked calmly. ¡°Hmm?¡± Before Cui Renwang could process what Xu Ming had said, his figure had already appeared in front of him. ¡°Boom!¡± A single kick landed. It was so fast that Cui Renwang only caught a glimpse of a blur before pain erupted throughout his body. ¡°Crash!¡± Cui Renwang was sent flying, crashing into a nearby mountain and shattering a massive boulder. ¡°This¡­ What the¡­¡± ¡°Master!¡± While Ji Wuming stood in disbelief, questioning whether he was dreaming, Xu Ming had already appeared before him. Xu Ming swung his sword down at Ji Wuming. Ji Wuming barely dodged to the side. The strike, originally meant to cleave Cui Renwang in half, instead severed Ji Wuming¡¯s arm cleanly. Chapter 190 Xu Ming swung his sword down. Although Ji Wuming managed to avoid a fatal blow, his arm was severed on the spot. Ji Wuming let out a scream, retreating quickly to create distance. His eyes narrowed as he glared at the man before him. Meanwhile, his old servant swiftly caught the severed arm as it fell and handed it back to Ji Wuming. Ji Wuming grabbed his arm and reattached it without hesitation. For cultivators who had reached the Cave Mansion realm, reattaching severed limbs was a simple matter as long as the limb remained intact. Mo Zhuer blinked her wide eyes, staring at Xu Ming¡¯s back. For the first time, she felt a sense of security like never before. But soon, Mo Zhuer couldn¡¯t help but laugh bitterly in her heart. The one giving her a sense of safety wasn¡¯t someone from her own sect but a sworn enemy who had always bullied her. ¡°Stay close,¡± Xu Ming said, slightly turning his head toward Mo Zhuer. Before she could respond, Xu Ming charged forward, sword in hand. With a single swing, Ji Wuming and his servant barely dodged in time. The mountain behind them was cleaved in two by Xu Ming¡¯s strike. Ji Wuming knew he couldn¡¯t hold back any longer. This prince-consort of the Wu Kingdom fought like a ferocious beast¡ªcompletely beyond comprehension. ¡°Go!¡± Ji Wuming flung out a scroll. The scroll unfurled, revealing a diagram of a sword. This was a Sword Diagram, an imprint of a master swordsman¡¯s techniques on a medium, usable by anyone as a one-time trump card. From the Sword Diagram emerged a woman. Her disheveled hair framed an empty gaze, and her flowing white robes accentuated her slender figure, as cold and distant as an ice mountain. The illusory woman swung her sword, the strike resembling the pale light of dawn that split the heavens, dividing the world into light and darkness. Xu Ming¡¯s Dao Pattern Eyes attempted to replicate the strike but was clearly outmatched¡ªthe technique exceeded the limits of what his Dao Pattern Eyes could copy. Knowing his swordsmanship wasn¡¯t yet on par with his mastery of fist techniques, Xu Ming sheathed his blade and threw a punch instead. ¡°Heaven-Splitting Fist!¡± The punch unleashed the form of a white dragon of martial intent, colliding with the illusory woman¡¯s strike. ¡°Boom!¡± The clash of true energy and sword aura sent Xu Ming flying backward. Sensing danger, Mo Zhuer hurried to catch him. Xu Ming¡¯s back slammed into her soft chest, and both coughed up blood from the impact. Ji Wuming didn¡¯t fare much better. Xu Ming¡¯s fist aura struck him square in the chest, severely disrupting his spiritual energy. This time, the damage was significant. Seeing an opening, Mo Zhuer brandished her soft sword and lunged toward Ji Wuming, aiming to finish him off. ¡°If I die, who will clean up the mess for Hehuan Sect? Does the Sect Master intend to leave no room for negotiation?¡± Ji Wuming said coldly. Just as Mo Zhuer¡¯s sword tip was about to pierce Ji Wuming¡¯s brow, her blade was suddenly deflected. The figure Xu Ming had knocked away earlier, Cui Renwang, strode toward Ji Wuming step by step, his injuries seemingly gone. ¡°Don¡¯t be in such a hurry, Saint Son. I was just taking a short rest. How could I stand by and do nothing?¡± Cui Renwang chuckled, turning his gaze to Xu Ming. ¡°Since the prince-consort insists, it seems we¡¯ll have to send him to his grave here.¡± ¡°Heh, you¡¯re welcome to try,¡± Xu Ming retorted. In an instant, a flash of cold light streaked through the air as Xu Ming lunged at Cui Renwang, sword in hand. Cui Renwang countered with his jade flute, deflecting Xu Ming¡¯s strike as their figures collided and tumbled into the forest below. Meanwhile, Mo Zhuer¡¯s soft sword coiled around Ji Wuming, and the two resumed their fierce battle. In the forest, Xu Ming planted his stance firmly, thrusting his sword forward. The strike left a mark on Cui Renwang¡¯s chest. In response, Cui Renwang raised his jade flute to his lips, playing a tune that stirred the fallen leaves around them into motion. The fallen leaves gathered behind Cui Renwang, forming long swords that shot toward Xu Ming. Xu Ming swung his blade again and again, shattering several leaf-formed swords. His sword danced in intricate patterns, each flourish gleaming coldly under the moonlight. Step by step, Xu Ming advanced, forcing Cui Renwang to retreat. Xu Ming thrust his sword toward Cui Renwang¡¯s head, but Cui Renwang raised his flute, deflecting the blade. The residual sword energy shot past, obliterating a nearby boulder into dust. Xu Ming twisted his sword with force, slashing toward Cui Renwang¡¯s head. Sparks flew as his sword met Cui Renwang¡¯s flute. Xu Ming followed up with a punch, and Cui Renwang countered with a palm strike of his own. Xu Ming¡¯s fist struck Cui Renwang squarely in the chest, the sound of breaking ribs resonating clearly through the impact. At the same time, Cui Renwang¡¯s palm landed on Xu Ming¡¯s chest. The two were sent flying apart. Blood trickled from the corner of Xu Ming¡¯s mouth as he steadied himself. Just as Xu Ming was about to press forward again, he frowned, sensing a sudden surge of heat spreading through his body. Cui Renwang rubbed his chest, his ribs snapping back into place instantly. ¡°Feeling hot? Thirsty?¡± Cui Renwang asked with a grin, clapping his hands to disperse some powder. ¡°That palm I struck you with is called the Heart-Eating Palm. Normally, when a cultivator is hit by it, their most primal desires are triggered, turning them into a beast in heat. Within moments, their blood boils, and they die. ¡°But you, prince-consort, are truly remarkable. That palm seems to have had no substantial effect on you. Still, it should make you uncomfortable for an hour or two, at least.¡± As he spoke, Cui Renwang¡¯s gaze lowered to Xu Ming¡¯s crotch. His eyebrows furrowed slightly. ¡°The prince-consort is¡­ truly impressive. Enough to make any man envious.¡± With that, Cui Renwang summoned a massive cauldron, its surface adorned with embroidered mandarin ducks. The cauldron¡¯s oppressive aura sent a chill down Xu Ming¡¯s spine. ¡°A¡­ half-immortal weapon?!¡± Without hesitation, Xu Ming turned and fled. The effects of the Heart-Eating Palm were bad enough, stirring his primal instincts, but manageable. He could fight through it if needed. However, with his internal energy already clashing from earlier¡ªhis spiritual energy and martial energy in conflict¡ªthe Heart-Eating Palm only exacerbated the situation. And now, with the addition of a suspected half-immortal weapon, Xu Ming knew retreat was the only option. Above, Mo Zhuer held her ground against Ji Wuming and his servant, showing no signs of defeat. However, she couldn¡¯t focus entirely on the battle, her eyes frequently darting toward the forest below. To her surprise, she saw Xu Ming running, seemingly in distress, toward another direction. ¡°Worry about yourself!¡± Ji Wuming¡¯s voice interrupted her thoughts, as he struck a palm toward her. Mo Zhuer countered with her own palm strike, using the momentum to propel herself toward Xu Ming. ¡°Don¡¯t follow me!¡± Xu Ming shouted as he saw her approaching. ¡°What?¡± Mo Zhuer called back, confused. She then noticed a massive cauldron chasing Xu Ming. As the cauldron¡¯s lid was about to seal him inside, Xu Ming unleashed a sword strike, sending towering waves of sword energy that forced the cauldron to retreat. ¡°Behind you!¡± Xu Ming yelled at Mo Zhuer. She turned just in time to see nine nails flying toward her. Xu Ming activated his martial energy, stepping to her side in an instant. With a single sword sweep, he deflected six of the nails, but three pierced his body¡ªone in his thigh, one in his left shoulder, and one in his right arm. Seeing Xu Ming standing in front of her, Mo Zhuer¡¯s eyes flickered as she stared at him, lost in thought. He saved me? Why would he save me? What reason does he have to save me? ¡°What are you spacing out for? Go!¡± Xu Ming shoved Mo Zhuer forward. ¡°Fly toward Xuanyue City! I¡¯ll hold off this Sect Master of the Hehuan Sect. If I die, you must deliver Sheng Sheng to Qin Qingwan of Tianxuan Sect! Here¡¯s today¡¯s temporary antidote, but the ultimate cure¡ªQin Qingwan has it! Now go!¡± With a sharp turn, Xu Ming charged straight at Ji Wuming. Xu Ming saving Mo Zhuer didn¡¯t mean he had any real feelings for her. To him, if she lived or died, it didn¡¯t matter. What Xu Ming cared about was Shen Shengsheng. Not knowing Mo Zhuer¡¯s true character, Xu Ming lied to her, claiming that Qin Qingwan held the cure. That way, Mo Zhuer would have to bring Shen Shengsheng to Tianxuan Sect! But now, Xu Ming had no choice but to carve a path for Mo Zhuer to escape. In desperation, Ji Wuming activated his Soul-Nailing Pins. Xu Ming felt as though his soul was being torn apart, but he gritted his teeth and held firm. Heaven-Splitting Fist ¨C Mountain Shaker. Xu Ming punched forward. Ji Wuming summoned a tortoiseshell shield, but Xu Ming¡¯s fist went straight through it, piercing Ji Wuming¡¯s heart. ¡°Impossible!¡± Ji Wuming looked down at the fist embedded in his chest, disbelief etched on his face. He couldn¡¯t comprehend it¡ªhow had he died from just a single punch? Falling from the sky, Ji Wuming hit the ground, eyes wide open in shock as his life slipped away. ¡°Young master!¡± Ji Wuming¡¯s elderly servant cried out in anguish. But instead of avenging his master, the old man turned and fled. The massive cauldron came flying toward Xu Ming once more. Xu Ming kicked it away with a powerful strike. Mo Zhuer gave Xu Ming one last glance before turning to fly toward Xuanyue City. Cui Renwang moved to intercept her, but Xu Ming unleashed a wave of sword energy, forcing him back. ¡°Never thought the prince-consort would fancy a demoness from the Western Regions,¡± Cui Renwang mocked. ¡°Ha! That demoness isn¡¯t even worthy of tying my shoes!¡± Xu Ming sneered coldly, his blade and fists attacking in close quarters. Mo Zhuer glanced back twice, biting her lip hard. She knew she should feel liberated. That man, Xu Ming, was surely going to die at Cui Renwang¡¯s hands. If Xu Ming hadn¡¯t lied to her, all she needed to do was bring Shen Shengsheng to Tianxuan Sect, and Qin Qingwan would provide her the cure. In the end, not only would Xu Ming die, completing her mission, but he had also helped her eliminate a competitor. The final victor would be her! Yet Mo Zhuer couldn¡¯t stop herself from looking back toward Xu Ming¡¯s direction. Suddenly, she stomped her foot and turned around, flying back toward the battle. ¡°Mo Zhuer, what are you doing?! Go to Xuanyue City! Let that man die!¡± she cursed herself. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­ you¡¯ve actually fallen for that man?¡± She flew faster and faster. In her mind, memories surfaced of Xu Ming dripping candle wax on her, making her roast meat, and kicking her aside when she tried to seduce him. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Yet during this time, she had never slept so soundly. Every time she faced certain death, he had stood in front of her. Back in the forest, Xu Ming was fending off both the massive cauldron and Cui Renwang. It was clear that Cui Renwang couldn¡¯t fully control the cauldron. He could only use it to divert Xu Ming¡¯s attacks. Otherwise, Xu Ming believed he might already be dead. Meanwhile, Xu Ming, with both his Dao Pattern Eyes and Blood Qi Frenzy activated, could feel his body reaching its limits. He was being completely drained, and at this rate, death was inevitable. Running away wasn¡¯t an option either¡ªthere was no way to shake Cui Renwang off. Once his stamina and spiritual energy were exhausted, he¡¯d be nothing more than prey. ¡°If I¡¯m going to die, I¡¯m taking someone down with me.¡± This thought suddenly surfaced in Xu Ming¡¯s mind. He charged forward, shattering the air as his foot smashed into Cui Renwang¡¯s jade flute, cracking it. Cui Renwang was sent crashing to the ground again. What followed was a relentless storm of sword energy, stabbing toward Cui Renwang with fury. Xu Ming refused to give him any breathing room. At this moment, Xu Ming noticed the massive cauldron hovering in the air had stopped moving. Maybe Cui Renwang was worried it might trap them both. Even better! Xu Ming pressed the attack in close quarters, beating Cui Renwang down with everything he had. Cui Renwang tried multiple times to create distance, but Xu Ming clung to him like a leech. However, Xu Ming¡¯s strength and sword energy were steadily weakening. The clash between his Martial Qi and spiritual energy within his body was intensifying. Blood flowed from Xu Ming¡¯s ears, eyes, and nose. Seeing Xu Ming in this state, Cui Renwang¡¯s lips curled into a grin. He wasn¡¯t in a rush anymore. Looking at him now, Cui Renwang estimated Xu Ming would collapse and die within half an incense stick¡¯s time. But what Cui Renwang didn¡¯t know was that Xu Ming, determined to fight to the death, was entering a mysterious and profound state. Xu Ming felt as though he existed and didn¡¯t exist at the same time, as if he had transcended his physical form and was gazing down upon the world from above. He seemed to merge with his fists, with the sword in his hand. Xu Ming knew he was going to die, but before he did, he wanted to throw one last punch, one final sword strike. He felt that if he didn¡¯t unleash them, he would regret it for the rest of eternity. Suddenly, Xu Ming reached a critical, indescribable threshold. He stopped in his tracks and closed his eyes. Cui Renwang had no idea what Xu Ming was doing, but he swiftly widened the distance between them. ¡°Fall!¡± Under Cui Renwang¡¯s command, the massive cauldron descended toward Xu Ming, completely locking onto his presence. There was no way for Xu Ming to escape. But Xu Ming had no intention of dodging. He punched upward at the cauldron. The force of his punch condensed into the form of a massive dragon, slamming against the cauldron and holding it in place. With another thought, Xu Ming¡¯s body seemed to dissolve into nothingness. His sword transformed into a streak of light, piercing toward Cui Renwang¡¯s chest, with Xu Ming following behind like a trail of smoke. Cui Renwang¡¯s pupils contracted sharply. By the time he realized what had happened, he looked down to see a massive hole in his chest. The sword had left no trace. Xu Ming, now back in physical form, holding his sword, couldn¡¯t even comprehend what had just transpired. ¡°Impossible¡­¡± Cui Renwang¡¯s trembling eyes reflected disbelief. ¡°Ha¡­ Ha¡­ Impossible¡­ How is this possible? I was killed by a mere Sea Observation Realm cultivator? How could this be?!¡± Cui Renwang¡¯s voice grew frenzied, nearly deranged. He reached out toward the massive cauldron, gripping it tightly. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then you¡¯re coming to die with me!¡± Chapter 191 The Sect Master of the Hehuan Sect stretched out his hand and grabbed at the sky. A massive cauldron immediately descended, aiming to crush Xu Ming. Although the Sect Master¡¯s body and soul were gradually dissipating, the command he issued to the Yuanyang Cauldron had already been executed. Even if the Sect Master died, the cauldron would carry out its master¡¯s final orders. Xu Ming raised his head, looking at the descending cauldron. His expression remained calm, unshaken in the slightest. In Xu Ming¡¯s view, he was already destined to die. There was no chance of survival. In fact, he considered himself somewhat lucky¡ªat least he managed to take down the Sect Master of the Hehuan Sect. If there had been cigarettes available, Xu Ming might have sat down on the ground, a bottle of liquor in one hand and a cigarette in the other, waiting peacefully for death. But just as the cauldron was about to crush him, a black figure flashed across his peripheral vision. Immediately afterward, a faint fragrance wafted into Xu Ming¡¯s nose. He shifted his gaze from the sky and looked forward, momentarily stunned. ¡°Why are you back? What are you doing?¡± Xu Ming asked, his tone tinged with confusion. Mo Zhuer blinked her eyes. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m here to help you. What, not touched by my gesture?¡± ¡°The Sect Master of the Hehuan Sect is already dead. What are you helping me with? Get lost!¡± Xu Ming retorted, exasperated. Shouldn¡¯t she be rushing off to deliver Sheng Sheng to the Tianxuan Sect and fetch her antidote? Why on earth had she come back? Was her brain broken? ¡°Get lost?¡± Mo Zhuer looked around. ¡°Are you stupid? Don¡¯t you see that massive cauldron above your head?¡± Clang! Before Xu Ming could finish his sentence, the cauldron descended, trapping both him and Mo Zhuer inside. Inside the cauldron, it wasn¡¯t pitch dark. Instead, a faint light illuminated the space, casting an ethereal glow. Xu Ming finally realized¡ªit was intentional. But what he couldn¡¯t understand was why Mo Zhuer deliberately chose to get trapped with him inside the cauldron. Was she seeking death? ¡°What¡¯s your scheme?¡± Xu Ming asked, puzzled. ¡°What scheme? I came here to save you, obviously,¡± Mo Zhuer replied, annoyed. She felt like her rare moment of kindness was being utterly wasted. ¡°Heh.¡± Xu Ming let out a cold laugh. ¡°You? Save me? If that¡¯s true, then pigs must be flying in this world.¡± Mo Zhuer gritted her teeth. ¡°In your eyes, what kind of person am I?¡± ¡°Cunning. Shameless,¡± Xu Ming answered flatly. Mo Zhuer raised her foot and kicked Xu Ming¡¯s knee. ¡°Hiss¡ª¡± Xu Ming sucked in a cold breath. ¡°Did you come here just to torment me on purpose?¡± Xu Ming asked coldly. ¡°Exactly! I¡¯m here to make sure your death is as miserable as possible!¡± Mo Zhuer snapped. ¡°I want to repay you for all the humiliation I¡¯ve endured these past days!¡± Xu Ming: ¡°¡­¡± Xu Ming didn¡¯t believe a word she said. Something about her felt off, as though she had taken the wrong medicine or something. But he couldn¡¯t pinpoint exactly what it was. Meanwhile, the Yuanyang Cauldron had already begun to activate. Xu Ming could feel every inch of his skin burning. At this rate, it wouldn¡¯t take more than the time it took to burn a stick of incense for him to be reduced to blood and ash by the cauldron. ¡°Do you even know what this cauldron is?¡± Perhaps Mo Zhuer had decided that arguing with him was meaningless, so she brought up a more serious topic. ¡°The Yuanyang (Mandarin Duck) Cauldron?¡± Xu Ming replied casually. Mo Zhuer blinked. ¡°Didn¡¯t you already know?¡± Xu Ming: ¡°I guessed. After all, there¡¯s a pair of mandarin ducks painted on the cauldron.¡± Mo Zhuer: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°This cauldron is indeed called the Yuanyang Cauldron. Its greatest function lies in dual cultivation. If one performs the dual cultivation method inside it, the results are twice as effective with half the effort,¡± Mo Zhuer explained. ¡°Of course, the Yuanyang Cauldron can also be used to kill. All cauldron-based magical artifacts in the world have one primary method of killing¡ªsuppression. The methods of suppression vary, though. The Yuanyang Cauldron¡¯s method is to evoke a person¡¯s most primal desires. In other words, it forcibly pushes a man¡¯s yang energy to its maximum and a woman¡¯s yin energy to hers. If the man and woman inside the cauldron fail to harmonize their yin and yang, the man¡¯s body will explode, leaving him as nothing but a pool of blood, while the woman will turn into an ice sculpture and shatter to pieces.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Xu Ming nodded. No wonder when he and Cui Renwang were standing close together earlier, the cauldron wouldn¡¯t budge¡ªit was probably afraid of locking them together in a situation like this. Wait¡­ Xu Ming realized something and turned to Mo Zhuer. ¡°What you mean is¡­ the only way for us to get out is to¡­¡± ¡°Pah!¡± Mo Zhuer spat a gleaming droplet to the side. ¡°Who wants to do that with you? Do you think I¡¯d let you take advantage of me?¡± Mo Zhuer turned her head and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. ¡°Wait for me to circulate my cultivation technique. I¡¯ll continuously adjust the flow of spiritual energy between us to achieve a balance of yin and yang. It¡¯ll have a similar effect. Half-immortal artifacts like this cauldron have their own will. From what I can tell, Cui Renwang never truly gained the recognition of the Yuanyang Cauldron. He was merely controlling it through a divine soul imprint. Now that he¡¯s dead, the imprint is gradually fading. I estimate it¡¯ll be gone in about half an hour. If we can hold out until then, we¡¯ll be free. But I have one condition¡ªonce we¡¯re out, this Yuanyang Cauldron belongs to me. You¡¯re not allowed to fight me for it.¡± ¡°No problem,¡± Xu Ming agreed. He relied on his fists and his sword. He had no interest in such an artifact. Even if he did take it, he¡¯d only end up selling it to pay off his debts. ¡°Good. Then it¡¯s settled. Sit cross-legged and face me,¡± Mo Zhuer instructed. Xu Ming had no choice but to comply. He sat cross-legged on the ground. Mo Zhuer also crossed her legs and sat down. Then she noticed something¡ªXu Ming seemed to be¡­ pitching a tent. A sly smile crept onto Mo Zhuer¡¯s lips. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re already losing control and want to do something to me?¡± Xu Ming nodded. ¡°Honestly, yes. But just because I want to doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ll do it.¡± S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He had already been affected by the blow from Cui Renwang, which stirred up his primal desires. Now, the cauldron was amplifying those urges. And less than half a meter away sat a stunningly beautiful woman. He could even smell the faint fragrance on her body. Xu Ming felt that managing to hold himself back at this point was a testament to his extraordinary willpower. ¡°Pah! Shameless!¡± Mo Zhuer spat again, her cheeks turning a shade of red. Chapter 192 ¡°Pah! You pervert!¡± Mo Zhuer cursed. ¡°A demoness calling me a pervert?¡± Xu Ming was momentarily stunned. Seriously, what right did this demoness have to call him a pervert? He wasn¡¯t a saint. In this situation, wasn¡¯t it normal to have some thoughts? He hadn¡¯t thrown her to the ground yet, which was already pretty restrained. Besides, didn¡¯t she remember how she¡¯d been flirting with him these past days? Now that was truly shameless. ¡°No excuses,¡± Mo Zhuer said firmly. ¡°Stretch your hand out straight.¡± Xu Ming decided not to argue with her, given that his life depended on her right now. Whether he could survive or not was entirely up to her. He extended his hand, and Mo Zhuer placed her palm against his. The moment their palms touched, both of them shuddered. For Xu Ming, touching the delicate hand of a woman in this state made the tension in his heartstring almost unbearable. For Mo Zhuer, under the influence of the Yuanyang Cauldron, how could she possibly remain unaffected by the primal desire radiating from Xu Ming? She was simply enduring it with all her might. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Mo Zhuer took a deep breath, steadying her mind. She couldn¡¯t let herself lose control here. That would be way too easy for him. Gathering her spiritual energy, she directed it into Xu Ming¡¯s body. Xu Ming didn¡¯t resist. He felt her spiritual energy, cool like ice water, flowing into his veins and calming his blood and spiritual power. At the same time, his own boiling spiritual energy entered Mo Zhuer¡¯s body, warming her icy bloodline. ¡°It¡¯s working¡ªit¡¯s really working!¡± Mo Zhuer realized that as long as she carefully controlled the balance of their energies, harmonizing yin and yang was indeed achievable. They just needed to hold out for one hour. But it required her full focus. She had to remain cautious every single moment. Mo Zhuer¡¯s spiritual energy naturally carried an allure for men, while Xu Ming¡¯s vigorous life force had a similar effect on her current state. Balancing their energies was like walking a tightrope. If anything went wrong and their spiritual energies mixed uncontrollably, it would be no different from locking a male and female beast in heat in the same cage. Rationality would be completely obliterated, and things would spiral out of control. ¡ª ¡°Awoo¡­¡± ¡°Awoo¡­¡± ¡°This way! It should be here!¡± At this critical moment, voices came from outside the cauldron. Mo Zhuer and Xu Ming froze. It was Shen Shengsheng¡¯s voice, followed by the sound of three women talking. As the voices drew closer, panic set in for both Xu Ming and Mo Zhuer. ¡°Damn it!¡± That momentary lapse of focus caused Mo Zhuer to lose control of her spiritual energy. Their energies merged uncontrollably. Xu Ming slowly opened his eyes, which had turned bloodshot. His breathing was hot and heavy, as though his rationality had already been consumed. Mo Zhuer¡¯s body also burned with unbearable heat. Xu Ming leaned closer to Mo Zhuer, who couldn¡¯t stop herself from leaning in as well. Both of them knew they shouldn¡¯t, but no matter how hard they tried, they couldn¡¯t regain control. ¡°Mmph¡­¡± By the time Xu Ming and Mo Zhuer realized what was happening, she was already sitting on his lap, their lips locked together. ¡°No, don¡¯t¡­¡± Mo Zhuer felt a surge of panic in her heart, but her dress was already slipping off. ¡°Xu Gongzi (Young Master), are you in there?¡± ¡°Xu Gongzi?¡± Outside the Yuanyang Cauldron, three female disciples of the Tianxuan Sect called out repeatedly. They could sense the spiritual energy fluctuations inside the cauldron. ¡°Stop asking and open it already! What if Xu Gongzi is inside but just unconscious?¡± One of the female disciples struck the cauldron with her palm, trying to force it open. But the cauldron remained completely unmoved. In contrast, sounds of impact came from within the cauldron, one after another, as if something was forcefully colliding inside. ¡°What should we do?¡± one of the female cultivators asked anxiously. ¡°Could it be that Xu Gongzi is thrashing about in pain inside?¡± ¡°Quick, go back to the sect and ask the elders and ¡®Uncle¡¯ Qin Qingwan to come!¡± another female cultivator suggested urgently. ¡°N-no need,¡± came Mo Zhuer¡¯s faint voice from inside the cauldron. ¡°I¡ªI and¡­ mmh¡­ Xu Ming have already found a way to get out. N-no need to call for help.¡± ¡°Are you sure? Why does your breathing sound so labored, girl?¡± one of the Tianxuan Sect disciples asked with concern. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m fine.¡± Mo Zhuer gritted her teeth, pressing against the Yuanyang Cauldron. ¡°We¡¯re breaking out of the cauldron. It¡¯s just¡­ exhausting. Give us a stick of incense¡­ just one stick of incense, and we¡¯ll be done.¡± ¡°Xu Gongzi? Are you truly alright? Xu Gongzi?¡± Another disciple still seemed uncertain. ¡°We¡¯re fine. Just wait a moment,¡± Xu Ming¡¯s voice came from within. ¡°Although¡­ it might take two sticks of incense.¡± ¡°You¡ª¡± Mo Zhuer started to speak, but quickly bit her tongue. The three female disciples exchanged glances, but ultimately decided to trust Xu Ming¡¯s words. ¡ª Two sticks of incense later, the sounds from within the cauldron gradually ceased. ¡°Boom!¡± Suddenly, there was a loud noise as Xu Ming forcefully blasted the cauldron open. Mo Zhuer recited an incantation and swiftly stored the Yuanyang Cauldron into her pouch. The two of them stood facing each other, both drenched in sweat, clearly having expended significant effort to break free. Looking at the woman in front of him, Xu Ming felt a mix of emotions. What surprised him even more was that after their ¡°joint effort¡± inside the cauldron, the chaotic energy of his martial warrior true qi and spiritual power had inexplicably calmed down. Xu Ming suddenly understood why Mo Zhuer had never shared the ¡°solution¡± to his energy problem¡ªit required dual cultivation! Mo Zhuer¡¯s face was flushed with embarrassment as she stretched out her pale hand toward Xu Ming, her voice cold. ¡°The antidote! Give it to me!¡± ¡°There is no antidote,¡± Xu Ming said slowly. ¡°Don¡¯t be so shameless!¡± Mo Zhuer clenched her delicate fists. ¡°I helped you harmonize your energy! You¡ª¡± ¡°There really is no antidote,¡± Xu Ming interrupted, shaking his head. ¡°The truth is, you were never poisoned.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t poisoned¡­¡± Mo Zhuer stared blankly at Xu Ming. ¡°You¡¯ve been lying to me this whole time?¡± Xu Ming looked directly into her eyes. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Pah! Despicable man!¡± Mo Zhuer spat on the ground, then turned and started to leave. But after taking just one step, she winced in pain, clenching her fists tightly. ¡°By the way¡­¡± Mo Zhuer turned back, a sly smile on her face. ¡°Don¡¯t think one time is enough to solve your problem. Your martial warrior true qi and spiritual power haven¡¯t been fully cured. If you want a permanent solution, come to the Western Region and help me with something!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Xu Ming stared at her. ¡°You planned this all along, didn¡¯t you?¡± Mo Zhuer¡¯s eyes curved into a smile. ¡°Who says I didn¡¯t? But you lied to me first, so what if I calculated against you?¡± With that, Mo Zhuer stopped walking and flew off into the distance. As Xu Ming watched her figure disappear, he held a white handkerchief in his hand. On the handkerchief was a blood-red plum blossom, freshly ¡°painted¡± not long ago. Chapter 193 ¡°Lady Saintess.¡± ¡°Greetings, Lady Saintess.¡± ¡°Have seen Lady Saintess.¡± ¡°Greetings, Lady Saintess.¡± ¡°Oh? I was wondering who it might be. Isn¡¯t this the tenth-ranked beauty on my Beauty List, Lady Saintess herself? What brings you to my humble little city, Lady Saintess?¡± In the City Lord¡¯s Mansion of Luoxing (Falling Star) City, a woman walked out, teasing as she reached out to slap Mo Zhuer¡¯s firm and shapely backside. Mo Zhuer slapped her hand away directly and said sternly, ¡°Stop fooling around. Prepare a room for me. I need to go into seclusion.¡± ¡°Tsk, we haven¡¯t seen each other for three years, and this is how cold you treat me.¡± The woman, named Jiang Ruyan, rolled her eyes at Mo Zhuer but didn¡¯t continue teasing her. ¡°All of you, leave,¡± Jiang Ruyan said to the maids. ¡°Yes,¡± the maids replied and left one by one. ¡°Follow me,¡± Jiang Ruyan said, swaying her hips as she walked to a stone wall. She moved a vase, and a bookshelf slid open, revealing the entrance to a hidden chamber. Jiang Ruyan led Mo Zhuer into the hidden chamber, a stone room furnished like a woman¡¯s boudoir. ¡°This is where I usually cultivate in seclusion. The formations set around it can block all divine sense probes. Even a Nascent Soul cultivator wouldn¡¯t be able to detect anything inside.¡± sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Jiang Ruyan opened a cabinet. ¡°Inside are Qi-replenishing pills, Mind-stabilizing pills, and other elixirs. Take whatever you need. No need to be polite with me, alright~?¡± ¡°Thank you, Sister. You can leave now. I¡¯ll handle everything from here,¡± Mo Zhuer replied with a smile, her cold demeanor from before gone. ¡°Hmph~¡± Jiang Ruyan pouted. ¡°You little thing, we haven¡¯t seen each other in years, and you¡¯re still so heartless. I give you a place to stay, and you immediately chase me out. But fine, I like you this way. Call me if you need anything~¡± Just as Jiang Ruyan was about to leave the room, she turned back, curious. ¡°Hey, by the way, why does it seem like you¡¯re walking funny? Did you hurt your foot? Do you want me to grab some healing salve for you?¡± Mo Zhuer¡¯s cheeks flushed, but she quickly steadied herself and smiled. ¡°No need, thank you!¡± ¡°No need to thank me. We¡¯re close, after all.¡± Jiang Ruyan chuckled twice and shut the stone room¡¯s door behind her. ¡°Could it be that she¡­ No, it shouldn¡¯t be.¡± Jiang Ruyan glanced back at the tightly shut stone room, recalling the peculiar way Mo Zhuer had been walking. A bold thought crossed her mind. ¡°Probably not,¡± Jiang Ruyan shook her head. She was likely overthinking. That girl doesn¡¯t even care for any man. How could she possibly do something like that? Inside the stone chamber, Mo Zhuer sat cross-legged on a prayer mat and took out a Yuan Yang Cauldron from her storage pouch. She drew a short sword and cut her wrist, letting some of her fresh blood drip onto the Yuan Yang Cauldron before beginning to refine it. A half-immortal weapon required a master to bond with it. Mo Zhuer wasn¡¯t sure if she could gain the cauldron¡¯s acknowledgment, but if she succeeded in becoming its master, she would have full control over it. This Yuan Yang Cauldron was a half-immortal weapon! It could effortlessly suppress and kill enemies! Moreover, with her bond to the cauldron, even if she and Xu Ming entered the cauldron together, she could control it to kill Xu Ming without being affected herself or needing to engage in any¡­ intimate acts with him. In addition, a cauldron-type weapon was both offensive and defensive. The cauldron could shield her entirely, blocking enemy attacks. Mo Zhuer¡¯s divine sense gradually connected with the Yuan Yang Cauldron. The two engraved mandarin ducks on the cauldron seemed to come alive, leaving the cauldron and swimming freely inside it. As Mo Zhuer was refining the Yuan Yang Cauldron, memories of everything that had happened between her and Xu Ming inside the cauldron once again surfaced in her mind. She recalled being pressed against the inner wall of the cauldron by Xu Ming, his large, rough, and firm hands roaming across her body. The more she thought about it, the more her focus wavered, her breathing growing uneven. ¡°What am I even thinking!¡± Mo Zhuer took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the uncontrollable memories flooding her mind. Three days passed. Inside the stone chamber, as the pair of mandarin ducks let out a cry, they simultaneously descended from the air, landing at Mo Zhuer¡¯s feet. ¡°Go!¡± Mo Zhuer opened her eyes and pointed at the cauldron. The two mandarin ducks transformed into wisps of green smoke, returning to the walls of the cauldron. The blood Mo Zhuer had dripped onto the cauldron gradually reappeared, forming the image of a bamboo stalk on the cauldron¡¯s surface. The spiritual energy in the stone chamber began to settle. Mo Zhuer exhaled a fragrant breath, wiping the sweat from her forehead. It had been easier than she expected. The Yuan Yang Cauldron had been refined just like that. She had even been prepared to trade it for something else if she couldn¡¯t refine it. Mo Zhuer stood up, gently tapping the cauldron with her finger. The cauldron emitted a crisp sound. The Yuan Yang Cauldron began to shrink continuously until it turned into a shadowy figure, which then entered Mo Zhuer¡¯s sea of consciousness. This was one of the benefits of refining a magical treasure. Once refined, it could be stored in the sea of consciousness instead of being carried in a storage pouch. Mo Zhuer opened the cabinet, consumed two Qi-replenishing pills, and then set up a formation. She retrieved a scroll and placed it at the center of the formation. She formed a hand seal, and after three breaths, a wisp of green smoke rose from the scroll. A middle-aged man¡¯s phantom appeared above the scroll. ¡°Disciple Mo Zhuer pays respect to Master.¡± Mo Zhuer bowed to the phantom of the middle-aged man. The Black Lotus Sect Master gazed calmly at Mo Zhuer. ¡°Ji Wuming is dead. Did you know?¡± Mo Zhuer was stunned. ¡°Such a thing happened? I don¡¯t know who killed the Holy Son of the Black Lotus Sect, but I, Mo Zhuer, will avenge this blood debt!¡± The Black Lotus Sect Master chuckled twice. ¡°It seems you truly don¡¯t know?¡± Mo Zhuer nodded. ¡°Disciple indeed does not know.¡± The Black Lotus Sect Master stared at her for a moment. ¡°If you don¡¯t know, then you don¡¯t know. Ji Wuming is dead; the fact that you¡¯re not drinking a few cups to celebrate is already impressive. And yet, you talk of vengeance.¡± The Black Lotus Sect Master continued, ¡°What about Xu Ming? Is he dead yet?¡± Mo Zhuer shook her head. ¡°Reporting to the Sect Master, Xu Ming is both a body cultivator and a Qi cultivator. His martial cultivation has reached the Heroic Soul Realm, and his Qi cultivation has reached the Sea Observation Realm. Both realms are unusually strong. With my current strength alone, I am no longer capable of killing him.¡± The Black Lotus Sect Master pondered for a moment. ¡°I will send three deacons from the main sect to assist you. It¡¯s not just you¡ªother Holy Sons and Daughters of the Black Lotus Sect have also been tasked with hunting Xu Ming. Don¡¯t let someone else beat you to it.¡± ¡°Understood, Master.¡± Mo Zhuer nodded, her delicate brows furrowing slightly. ¡°What¡¯s this? You don¡¯t seem too willing to kill Xu Ming.¡± The Black Lotus Sect Master¡¯s eyes narrowed. Chapter 194 ¡°What¡¯s this? You don¡¯t seem very willing to kill Xu Ming,¡± the Black Lotus Sect Master said, staring at his disciple. ¡°That¡¯s not true,¡± Mo Zhuer shook her head. ¡°Xu Ming once humiliated me. Luckily, I escaped. The grudge between us is irreconcilable¡ªI¡¯d like nothing more than to tear him apart piece by piece. However, I¡¯m curious about one thing: who exactly wants him dead? Xu Ming is indeed a bit of a genius, but is it really to this extent?¡± ¡°A prominent figure in the Wu Kingdom wants him dead. While Xu Ming may not want to become the prince consort, plenty of others are eager for the position,¡± the Black Lotus Sect Master said slowly. ¡°As for who it is, you neither have the qualifications nor the need to know.¡± The Black Lotus Sect Master fixed his gaze on Mo Zhuer. ¡°If you manage to kill Xu Ming this time, you¡¯ll be one step closer to inheriting the position of Black Lotus Sect Master. Don¡¯t disappoint me.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± As Mo Zhuer finished speaking, the figure of the Black Lotus Sect Master gradually dissipated. Mo Zhuer put away the scroll and the formation, then stepped out of the stone chamber. She walked to a nearby hot spring and began cleaning her body, washing away the traces of blood left behind from her time with Xu Ming in the Yuan Yang Cauldron. After bathing, she changed into a clean short skirt. After several days of rest, her gait had returned to normal, much steadier than before. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re out of seclusion,¡± a voice called. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Hearing the sound of a mechanism opening, Jiang Ruyan set down the document she was holding and turned to smile at Mo Zhuer. ¡°Mm.¡± Mo Zhuer nodded, picking up a cup of tea from Jiang Ruyan¡¯s table and downing it in one gulp. ¡°So, why are you here in my place?¡± Jiang Ruyan poured Mo Zhuer another cup of tea. Mo Zhuer sat down beside her, crossing her long, perfectly proportioned legs to one side. Her posture was captivating, the kind that could turn someone into a willing servant, desperate to trace every curve from heel to thigh and back again. ¡°What else? I was cleaning up a mess at one of the Black Lotus Sect¡¯s branch strongholds, preparing to send some virgin boys and girls to the North Sea Dragon Palace. Then the Sect Master decided I should go kill Xu Ming instead.¡± ¡°Xu Ming? Who¡¯s that?¡± Jiang Ruyan asked. ¡°Who else?¡± Mo Zhuer let out a cold laugh. ¡°The prince consort-to-be of the Wu Kingdom.¡± ¡°Never heard of him,¡± Jiang Ruyan shrugged. ¡°This border city is far from the Wu Kingdom.¡± ¡°Far is good,¡± Mo Zhuer murmured, thoughtfully toying with her teacup. ¡°You seem¡­ different somehow,¡± Jiang Ruyan said, propping her chin on her hand. Her long lashes fluttered as she studied Mo Zhuer. Mo Zhuer¡¯s lips curled into a smile, her usual devil-may-care attitude returning. ¡°Different how?¡± Jiang Ruyan thought for a moment. ¡°You seem to have¡­ more charm now. A woman¡¯s charm.¡± Mo Zhuer froze for a moment, then leaned forward, hooking Jiang Ruyan¡¯s chin with a slender, jade-like finger. ¡°What, was I not womanly enough before?¡± ¡°Not the same, not the same.¡± Jiang Ruyan shook her head. ¡°I can¡¯t quite put my finger on it, but now, you¡¯re even more alluring.¡± ¡°Ha, ha, ha.¡± Mo Zhuer laughed, her voice resembling a cackling hen. She lazily reclined on a chaise, propping her head up with one hand while tilting a cup of tea with the other. A single drop of tea slid down her lips, past her snow-white chin, and fell perfectly onto the chaise without a trace. ¡°You¡¯re so stunning. To me, you should be number one on the Beauty List,¡± Jiang Ruyan praised sincerely. ¡°By the way, aren¡¯t you going to report back to the Sect Master?¡± ¡°I already did,¡± Mo Zhuer said. ¡°The Sect Master told me to stay here and kill Xu Ming. Who knows what that old fool is thinking.¡± ¡°Zhuer¡­ that¡¯s still your father,¡± Jiang Ruyan said helplessly. ¡°Hmph,¡± Mo Zhuer sneered. ¡°After my mother died, I stopped seeing him as my father. He thinks I don¡¯t know anything, but I know perfectly well! My mother died because of him! One day, I¡¯ll kill him and avenge her!¡± ¡°Careful what you say, careful what you say.¡± Jiang Ruyan quickly covered Mo Zhuer¡¯s small mouth. Feeling the softness of Mo Zhuer¡¯s lips against her palm, Jiang Ruyan couldn¡¯t help but marvel¡ªhow tender they were. She almost wished she were a man so she could properly savor them. ¡°Alright, alright, that old fool can¡¯t hear us anyway,¡± Mo Zhuer said, her expression weary. ¡°I have two favors to ask of you.¡± ¡°Killing Xu Ming?¡± Jiang Ruyan guessed. ¡°No, that old fool will send two or three enforcers. I don¡¯t need your help with that,¡± Mo Zhuer shook her head. ¡°Earlier, I worked with someone to fight Hehuan Sect¡¯s Ji Wuming. We killed their Sect Master. Now, the Hehuan Sect must be leaderless. You should send people there immediately to clean them out. While you¡¯re at it, loot the sect and bring me their supreme dual cultivation technique.¡± ¡°Huh? Dual cultivation? Are you planning to walk the path of dual cultivation?¡± Jiang Ruyan asked, surprised. ¡°Just bring it to me. Why ask so many questions?¡± Mo Zhuer rolled her eyes at her. Jiang Ruyan nodded. ¡°Fine, fine. I do love looting anyway. What¡¯s the second favor?¡± ¡°Do you know about Qin Qingwan from the Tianxuan Sect?¡± Mo Zhuer asked. ¡°Of course I do!¡± Jiang Ruyan replied. ¡°She¡¯s the personal disciple of Elder Wang Xuan, said to be his final disciple too. Born with an innate sacred physique, ranked fifth on the Beauty List.¡± Mo Zhuer sneered. ¡°You really know her details by heart, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Why do you sound a little jealous?¡± Jiang Ruyan walked over to Mo Zhuer, caressing her smooth, delicate thigh. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, in my eyes, you¡¯re the most beautiful!¡± ¡°Oh, stop it, you perverted woman!¡± Mo Zhuer slapped Jiang Ruyan¡¯s hand away. ¡°Do you have any detailed information about her?¡± ¡°Not much, but in a month, the Tianxuan Sect will hold a Zixia Festival. They¡¯ve invited sects and city lords from all around. Even representatives from other nations will attend. Though my city is small, it¡¯s right next to the Tianxuan Sect, so I got an invitation too. Do you want to come with me?¡± Jiang Ruyan asked. ¡°Zixia Festival¡­¡± Mo Zhuer thought for a moment, then smiled. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll join in on the fun.¡± ¡°Great! I was dreading going alone anyway,¡± Jiang Ruyan said, delighted. ¡°That¡¯s settled, then. I¡¯m going to take a nap. Call me if you need me,¡± Mo Zhuer said, slapping Jiang Ruyan¡¯s hand off her thigh again before standing up and heading back into the hidden chamber. ¡°Wait, I have a portrait of Qin Qingwan. Do you want it?¡± Jiang Ruyan called after her. ¡°Send it over,¡± Mo Zhuer replied from behind the closing door. Two incense sticks¡¯ worth of time later¡­ A painting lay spread out on the sandalwood table inside the stone chamber. Mo Zhuer studied the woman depicted in the painting, her brows furrowing. ¡°Is she prettier than me?¡± The more she looked, the more annoyed she felt. With a flick of her sleeve, she rolled up the painting and tossed it aside. The girl lay sideways on the bed, her thoughts consumed by a certain man who seemed so eager to meet this woman. The more she thought about it, the more displeased she became. ¡°Hmph! Blind fool!¡± Chapter 195 In Xuanyue City. Xu Ming sat in the courtyard, placing his hand on the stone table. Shen Shengsheng sat beside him, her little head turning left and right. First, she looked at Xu Ming, then at the elderly doctor taking Xu Ming¡¯s pulse. Seeing that neither of them spoke, Shen Shengsheng remained quiet as well, looking very obedient. The healer finally released Xu Ming¡¯s hand and spoke slowly: ¡°Young master¡¯s injuries are quite severe, but thankfully, they haven¡¯t harmed the foundation. However, you¡¯ll need to rest for some time. For the next month or two, it¡¯s best not to engage in any major battles. Additionally, the young master practices both martial arts and cultivation, and both have reached a certain level of attainment. This is quite rare. However, there is a conflict between the martial qi and spiritual energy within your body. Logically, your meridians should¡¯ve been torn apart long ago. But it seems you¡¯ve encountered some sort of opportunity, as the two energies are temporarily at peace.¡± Yuanyang Listening to the doctor¡¯s words, Xu Ming couldn¡¯t help but recall that night in the Yuanyang Cauldron. His expression turned a little awkward as he explained: ¡°A friend of mine helped calm the martial qi and spiritual energy temporarily, but they said it wasn¡¯t a permanent solution. I wonder, do you know of any way to completely resolve this issue?¡± Both his martial arts and cultivation were paths Xu Ming found difficult to abandon. Through countless battles, Xu Ming had come to deeply appreciate the immense advantages of these two paths complementing one another. If he had walked solely the path of a martial artist or a cultivator, he would have been dead long ago. Indeed, Mo Zhuer had temporarily stabilized his energies, but she had not cured the problem. To truly resolve it, he would need to seek her out again. But now that he no longer held any leverage over her, approaching her voluntarily would mean falling under her thumb again. Who knew what that demoness would make him do? Whatever it was, it wouldn¡¯t be anything good. Hearing Xu Ming¡¯s inquiry, the elderly doctor¡¯s expression turned hesitant. ¡°This¡­ I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t know. Perhaps you¡¯ll have to ask your friend. For now, though, you needn¡¯t worry. At least until you attempt to break into the next realm, the martial qi and spiritual energy within your body should remain in harmony. I¡¯ll prescribe a few remedies. If you take them daily for the next two months, it will further aid in calming the energies within you. But young master, you must remember¡ªuntil a solution is found, do not attempt to advance to the next major realm in either martial arts or cultivation. Otherwise, the consequences could be disastrous, beyond even the gods¡¯ ability to save you.¡± ¡°Thank you, sir,¡± Xu Ming replied, sighing inwardly. Could it be that in this entire world, only Mo Zhuer could help him? If that were true, it would be troublesome indeed. After the doctor wrote down a few prescriptions, Xu Ming saw him out. Xu Ming had read some medical texts and had a rudimentary understanding of medicine. The prescriptions were extremely intricate. Both the main and supplementary ingredients were selected with great care, showcasing the doctor¡¯s skill in the field of medicine. However, the required herbs were all quite rare and costly¡ªnot something an ordinary cultivator could easily afford. Fortunately, over his travels, quite a few people had been eager to ¡°deliver treasures¡± to him. For now, his wealth was sufficient. ¡°Are you¡­ okay?¡± After the doctor left, Shen Shengsheng jumped down from her chair and leaned over Xu Ming¡¯s lap. Her large eyes gazed up at him, filled with worry. Xu Ming chuckled and gently ruffled her small head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Oh, okay,¡± Shen Shengsheng replied with a nod, her obedience as endearing as ever. Looking at the little girl, so delicate and perfect as if sculpted from jade, Xu Ming felt a deep sense of guilt in his heart. Since the events at the Lava Heart Cavern, Shen Shengsheng¡¯s mother had entrusted her daughter to Xu Ming. Yet, it seemed like he hadn¡¯t given her even a few days of peace. If he wasn¡¯t being hunted, he was on the run. Shen Shengsheng followed him everywhere, enduring the hardships of eating in the open and sleeping under the stars. Most of the time, they lived in caves, and it was a rare luxury to stay in an inn for a few days when they entered a city. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Xu Ming said, apologizing to Shen Shengsheng. ¡°Hmm?¡± Shen Shengsheng tilted her little head, confusion written all over her face. ¡°Why sorry?¡± She could say a few simple sentences, though not very fluently. ¡°Because I haven¡¯t been able to give you a good life lately. I¡¯ve been dragging you along, running here and there. Are you tired of following me around?¡± Xu Ming asked. Shen Shengsheng, who was leaning on Xu Ming¡¯s lap, shook her head. ¡°Not tired.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Xu Ming pressed. Shen Shengsheng nodded earnestly. Then, as if recalling something, she lowered her head and softly said, ¡°Sorry¡­ I¡­ dragged you down¡­ I no help.¡± Xu Ming smiled and gently tapped the little black horns on her head. ¡°You¡¯ve never blamed me for not giving you a stable life. How could I blame you for being a burden? Besides, you¡¯re not a burden at all¡ªyou¡¯ve helped me a lot.¡± Shen Shengsheng raised her head, looking at Xu Ming seriously. Her questioning eyes seemed to ask, ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Really. You¡¯ve helped me so much,¡± Xu Ming said, pointing at the small storage pouch tied to her waist. ¡°See this? It¡¯s a symbol of our teamwork. You¡¯ve helped me collect a lot of things.¡± Shen Shengsheng froze for a moment, then glanced at the storage pouch on her waist. Her eyes sparkled, and a bright smile spread across her face. Seeing her smile, Xu Ming felt a warm sensation in his chest. He understood that, in this world, she had already regarded him as her only family. And he, too, would treat her as if she were his own little sister. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Shengsheng, when things settle down, I¡¯ll take you home,¡± Xu Ming said gently. ¡°Home?¡± Shen Shengsheng didn¡¯t quite understand. Xu Ming felt a pang of sorrow. ¡°Home is where family is. It¡¯s a place where you can truly relax. I¡¯ll take you to meet my mother.¡± ¡°Mother¡­¡± Shen Shengsheng repeated the word softly, her head lowering slightly. Xu Ming patted her small head. ¡°If you¡¯re okay with it, my mother can be your mother too. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll love you very much.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Shen Shengsheng asked, a little nervously. Xu Ming smiled reassuringly. ¡°Really.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Shen Shengsheng said happily, nuzzling against Xu Ming¡¯s palm. Looking at the little girl before him, Xu Ming thought to himself that when they returned, he would ask Wu Yanhan to help look after her. With Wu Yanhan, the princess, offering protection, there shouldn¡¯t be any major issues. The only concern was whether Shengsheng would be willing to stay by his mother¡¯s side. ¡°Xu Gongzi.¡± As Xu Ming¡¯s thoughts wandered, a female cultivator from Xuanyue City approached, her expression tinged with hesitation. ¡°There¡¯s something I need to discuss with you¡­¡± Chapter 196 ¡°Miss Yue,¡± Xu Ming greeted as he stood and cupped his hands in a polite salute. The woman before him was Yue Lou, an inner disciple of the Tianxuan Sect and one of the people who had come to rescue him. The Tianxuan Sect often sent inner disciples, and even direct disciples, to stations like Xuanyue City. Their duties included maintaining order in the city, as well as serving as a form of training. ¡°How is Young Master Xu feeling?¡± Yue Lou returned the greeting politely. ¡°Thanks to Miss Yue¡¯s help, I¡¯m fine,¡± Xu Ming replied with a smile. ¡°The doctor only advised me to rest and recover.¡± Yue Lou shook her head, looking a little embarrassed. ¡°I didn¡¯t do much. All I did was find you; I didn¡¯t really do anything else.¡± ¡°For Miss Yue to go to the trouble of leading people out of the city to help me, I am already deeply indebted,¡± Xu Ming said with a smile. Though he was genuinely grateful for their assistance, Xu Ming couldn¡¯t help but think that it might have been better if they hadn¡¯t come out of the city at all. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. If they hadn¡¯t intervened, Mo Zhuer wouldn¡¯t have been affected, and the subsequent events between him and Mo Zhuer might never have occurred. Now, just thinking about Mo Zhuer left Xu Ming feeling conflicted. Although that demoness hadn¡¯t asked him to take responsibility¡ªnor would she¡ªit was still his first time in two lifetimes, and the thought left him with complicated emotions. That said, Xu Ming didn¡¯t blame Yue Lou. Her actions had been well-intentioned; it was simply a matter of unfortunate timing. ¡°Actually, there¡¯s something I need to discuss with you,¡± Yue Lou said hesitantly, looking at Xu Ming. ¡°Please, go ahead,¡± Xu Ming replied. Judging from her expression, he suspected it wouldn¡¯t be good news. ¡°It¡¯s like this¡­¡± Yue Lou began, carefully choosing her words. ¡°Before you came to Xuanyue City, ¡®Uncle¡¯ (Shishu) Qin mentioned you to me. She said you were her childhood friend and that if you came to Xuanyue City, we could take you directly to the Tianxuan Sect. But now¡­ there¡¯s a bit of a problem.¡± Xu Ming nodded calmly. ¡°What kind of problem?¡± ¡°Well,¡± Yue Lou explained, ¡°normally, it¡¯s very easy to enter the Tianxuan Sect. Outsiders just need to state their purpose, and they¡¯re allowed to visit without much issue. But right now, the Zixia Grand Ceremony is approaching. You might not be familiar with it, but the Zixia Grand Ceremony is one of the most important events for our sect. It¡¯s essentially a grand founding anniversary. When the sect¡¯s patriarch first achieved enlightenment under the Zixia glow, he established the Tianxuan Sect. Since then, the celebration has been held once every five hundred years. This month, guests from all over the world will be arriving for the event. Because of the ceremony¡¯s importance, security has become extremely tight. Normally, I could¡¯ve asked ¡®Uncle¡¯ Qin to issue a verbal order, and you¡¯d be allowed in without any problems. But ¡®Uncle¡¯ Qin is currently in seclusion, preparing for the ceremony. I approached the disciples in charge of entry management and explained your identity. At first, one of them agreed to issue a pass for you. But then another steward stepped in, took back the pass, and said they couldn¡¯t confirm your identity. To ensure the safety of the ceremony, they said you¡¯d have to wait until ¡®Uncle¡¯ Qin comes out of seclusion. They even said that I, as an inner disciple, don¡¯t have the authority to bring anyone in during the ceremony. Worse, they implied that with so many disciples in the Tianxuan Sect¡ªover ten thousand¡ªwho¡¯s to say there isn¡¯t a traitor among us trying to smuggle someone with ill intent into the sect?¡± The more Yue Lou spoke, the angrier she became. By the end, Xu Ming could even hear her grinding her teeth in frustration. With a heavy thud, she slammed her fist on the stone table. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of such ridiculous nonsense! I¡¯ve been in the Tianxuan Sect for ten years! How am I suddenly a spy? And where did this so-called ¡®new rule¡¯ even come from? It¡¯s not written down anywhere!¡± Xu Ming chuckled. ¡°It may not have been a rule before, but it might be one now. Rules are, after all, made by people. But I don¡¯t think this is about rules. It¡¯s more likely that someone in the Tianxuan Sect holds a grudge against me.¡± Yue Lou raised her head as a thought crossed her mind. She recalled some previous rumors. ¡°Could it be Senior Brother Xia?¡± Xu Ming asked calmly, ¡°The Senior Brother Xia you¡¯re referring to¡ªis it Xia Donghua, the sect master¡¯s son?¡± Yue Lou nodded. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s him.¡± Xu Ming didn¡¯t seem too bothered. ¡°Miss Yue, may I ask how I¡¯m perceived within the Tianxuan Sect? What do most disciples say about me?¡± ¡°This¡­¡± Yue Lou hesitated, her expression awkward. Xu Ming reassured her with a light tone, ¡°You don¡¯t have to hold back, Miss Yue. Knowing will only help me navigate things better when I visit the Tianxuan Sect.¡± Yue Lou took a moment to organize her thoughts, trying her best to be tactful. ¡°The general rumor in the sect is that Young Master Xu, back in the Baiwa Secret Realm, was resourceful and quick-witted. Many say it was thanks to you that they managed to leave the realm safely.¡± Xu Ming chuckled, taking a sip of tea. ¡°I¡¯m afraid the version circulating within the sect paints me as a scheming opportunist who intercepted others¡¯ chances halfway, deliberately opened the gate to the outside world, and even colluded with the demonic cult¡ªessentially leading everyone to their doom. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± Yue Lou fell silent, her expression giving her away. Her lack of denial confirmed Xu Ming¡¯s words. Feeling embarrassed, Yue Lou finally spoke. ¡°I know those rumors aren¡¯t true. ¡®Uncle¡¯ Qin already explained it to me. At the time, no one dared to attempt the trial for fear of dying on the spot. But you, Young Master Xu, stepped onto the Heavenly Staircase against all odds and ultimately found a way out for everyone. If it hadn¡¯t been for you, no one would have made it out alive. As for collusion with the demonic cult¡ªthat¡¯s complete nonsense. Didn¡¯t you fight the branch master of the Black God Sect yourself? And I don¡¯t think these baseless rumors were spread by Senior Brother Xia. They likely originated outside the sect and were merely picked up by some of the disciples here.¡± Xu Ming smiled faintly and didn¡¯t say much. Perhaps the rumors about him circulating within the sect were indeed the handiwork of those envious or resentful of him outside the sect. As for whether Xia Donghua had secretly fueled these rumors¡ªit was hard to say. Even if he had, he would have ensured it was done discreetly to avoid tarnishing his reputation. ¡°Miss Yue, there¡¯s no need to dwell on it. Honestly, I don¡¯t care much about how others perceive me,¡± Xu Ming said with a comforting tone when he noticed Yue Lou struggling to find the right words. ¡°You mentioned earlier that you had something to discuss with me. Could it be that you¡¯re advising me not to enter the Tianxuan Sect for now?¡± ¡°Not at all,¡± Yue Lou said, shaking her head. She fixed her gaze on Xu Ming, her expression serious. ¡°On the contrary, what I wanted to discuss with you is this: if Young Master Xu is willing, I can take you to the Tianxuan Sect tomorrow!¡± Chapter 197 ¡°Tomorrow?¡± Xu Ming was a bit puzzled by Yue Lou¡¯s suggestion. Logically, to avoid trouble, Yue Lou should have waited for Qing Wan to finish her seclusion and let Qing Wan bring him into the Tianxuan Sect herself. But now, Yue Lou was suggesting letting him enter directly? Xu Ming found this hard to understand. Seeing Xu Ming¡¯s confused expression, Yue Lou sighed and decided not to hide it anymore. ¡°Young Master Xu, here¡¯s the situation. This time, the Zixia Grand Ceremony will greatly influence the selection of the Saint Son or Saint Daughter of Tianxuan Sect. Among the Four Great Sacred Grounds, one pair of Saint Son and Saint Daughter is usually selected. But Tianxuan Sect is different¡ªor rather, most sects in the world don¡¯t have the abundance of resources like the Four Great Sacred Grounds. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In Tianxuan Sect, if there¡¯s a Saint Daughter, there won¡¯t be a Saint Son, and vice versa. The main purpose of this is to focus resources on one individual, be it the Saint Son or Saint Daughter, and to prevent factionalism within the sect, which could lead to internal strife.¡± Xu Ming nodded in understanding. ¡°I see. It¡¯s like how a dynasty chooses a crown prince. The only difference is that in the mortal world, the heir must be male, but in the cultivation world, it¡¯s based on ability, regardless of gender.¡± ¡°Exactly, that¡¯s a good analogy!¡± Yue Lou felt enlightened by Xu Ming¡¯s example and appreciated how much simpler it made things. She thought to herself that scholars really were brilliant. Yue Lou then got to the point. ¡°If nothing unexpected happens, this Zixia Grand Ceremony will determine the next Saint Son or Saint Daughter. Among the personal disciples of each peak in Tianxuan Sect, six have the best chances, including Uncle (Shishu) Qin, Senior Brother Xia, and Senior Brother Feng.¡± Xu Ming felt he understood what Yue Lou was getting at and responded, ¡°I think I know what you¡¯re trying to say. To become the Saint Daughter, one must have a solid reputation. I¡¯m a guest personally invited by Qing Wan, but if I were to be turned away at the gate, it would damage her reputation. People might start thinking¡ª¡¯Qin Qing Wan is so weak that she can¡¯t even protect her own guest. How could she lead Tianxuan Sect in the future?¡¯ Moreover, my reputation isn¡¯t great. Qing Wan associating with me might lead some cultivators to criticize her, saying she lacks judgment in choosing her friends. So, you want me to show some strength, to prove to others that I¡¯m not some opportunist or freeloader. Instead, my abilities justify my possession of the Baiwa Secret Realm. After all, in the cultivation world, strength is everything. Without it, unless one has a strong backing, they usually end up reincarnating. But with enough strength, even great Confucian scholars will defend you.¡± Yue Lou stared at Xu Ming, her eyes wide and mouth slightly agape. ¡°What? Did I say something wrong?¡± Xu Ming asked. ¡°Not at all.¡± Yue Lou shook her head. ¡°What you said is exactly what I was thinking. I just didn¡¯t expect you to figure it out so quickly. Are you sure you don¡¯t know mind-reading?¡± Xu Ming chuckled. ¡°I don¡¯t know any mind-reading techniques. It wasn¡¯t that hard to guess. But even though I can accompany you to Tianxuan Sect tomorrow, I don¡¯t want to harm Qing Wan¡¯s reputation. Won¡¯t this cause trouble for you, Yue Lou? Aren¡¯t you worried about being targeted by other disciples in the sect?¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± Yue Lou smiled as well. ¡°Uncle Qin once saved my life during an expedition. My life already belongs to her. Besides, once Uncle Qin becomes the Saint Daughter in the future, wouldn¡¯t she naturally look after me?¡± ¡°Haha, Miss Yue Lou, you really have thought this through. You¡¯ve paved your path wide.¡± Xu Ming praised. ¡°Of course!¡± Yue Lou laughed, understanding that Xu Ming was teasing her. In Xu Ming¡¯s view, Qin Qingwan had a high chance of becoming the Saint Daughter, and Yue Lou had clearly invested in the right person. But in Yue Lou¡¯s heart, while she supported Qin Qingwan unconditionally, she felt that her Shishu (Uncle) still faced considerable challenges in securing the position. ¡°Then I¡¯ll trouble Miss Yue to take me there tomorrow,¡± Xu Ming said. ¡°Please don¡¯t worry, Young Master. I will make all the arrangements for you. I¡¯ll do my best to avoid any conflicts, and it certainly won¡¯t affect your injuries,¡± Yue Lou assured him. ¡°Alright.¡± Xu Ming nodded. In truth, whether or not there would be a fight was not something an inner disciple like Yue Lou could control. But Xu Ming didn¡¯t mind. What could Tianxuan Sect possibly do? Would they really dare to fatally harm the top scholar of the Wu Kingdom? As a gesture of gratitude, Yue Lou went to prepare medicinal herbs for Xu Ming and promised to brew the medicine and personally deliver it to him. Xu Ming didn¡¯t refuse. Accepting goodwill at the right time often puts the other party at ease. ¡°You go ahead and play. I¡¯ll focus on my recovery,¡± Xu Ming said as he patted Shen Shengsheng¡¯s head, who was lying on his lap. ¡°Okay,¡± Shen Shengsheng replied softly. She straightened up and went to the garden to watch the ants. After spending so much time with Shen Shengsheng, Xu Ming had noticed her peculiar little hobby¡ªwatching ants. Closing his eyes, Xu Ming began to rest, adjusting the martial energy and spiritual power within his body. But as soon as he shut his eyes and was about to enter a meditative state, images of him and Mo Zhuer intertwined in the Yuanyang Cauldron suddenly surfaced in his mind. Xu Ming sighed softly. Once you¡¯ve tasted something, it¡¯s hard to forget. For someone like him, brimming with vitality, such memories were especially vivid. And with a woman of Mo Zhuer¡¯s caliber, that initial ecstasy could ruin a man for any other woman. This was why most martial artists were forbidden from losing their virginity before reaching the third stage of martial cultivation. It wasn¡¯t just about the loss of yang energy damaging their foundation¡ªit was because the further one progressed, the more vigorous their vitality became. Once they tasted such pleasures, the longing would only grow stronger. And with one experience, there would be a second. If a martial artist couldn¡¯t control their desires, their yang energy would continuously leak, weakening their foundation. Eventually, they might never step into the Heroic Soul Realm. Fortunately for Xu Ming, he had already entered the Heroic Soul Realm and was no longer bound by such restrictions. Taking a deep breath, Xu Ming cleared his mind of distractions. But just as he was about to meditate again, the system¡¯s voice suddenly echoed in his mind. Looking at the reward the system had provided, Xu Ming froze. What is this? Chapter 198 [Host has slain the Black Lotus Sect¡¯s Saint Son¡ªJi Wuming: Qi and Blood +50, Sword Energy +50, Sword Intent +50.] [Host has slain a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator¡ªCui Renwang: Qi and Blood +150, Sword Energy +150, Sword Intent +150. The host may choose one skill to evolve between ¡°Blood Qi Frenzy¡± and ¡°Dao Pattern Eye.¡±] [Host forced a breakthrough in life-and-death combat, demonstrating commendable courage: awarded Qian Yuan Mirror.] [Qian Yuan Mirror: When this mirror reflects a cultivator, it reveals one of their immediate weaknesses. Usable once per day per cultivator. As long as their health bar is exposed, even a god can be slain!] [Host gained insight into swordsmanship amidst life-and-death combat: awarded White Azure Sharpening Stone.] [White Azure Sharpening Stone: Forged from primordial chaos-era black iron, it can nourish all celestial swords and can be used repeatedly until worn out.] The system¡¯s voice disappeared, and with a single thought, a mirror and a stone appeared in Xu Ming¡¯s hands. The mirror looked no different from an ordinary silver mirror, except for the Taiji Yin-Yang symbol engraved on its frame. As for the sharpening stone, it was roughly 30 centimeters long, 15 centimeters wide, and 15 centimeters tall. Truth be told, Xu Ming felt the system had shortchanged him a bit. How many times could this sharpening stone actually be used? Wasn¡¯t it too small? But when he thought about the fact that it could even sharpen celestial swords, he decided it wasn¡¯t worth complaining. After storing these two priceless treasures, Xu Ming hesitated. Dao Pattern Eye or Blood Qi Frenzy? Which of these two techniques should he evolve? Both were crucial tools for killing enemies and were equally important. After careful consideration, Xu Ming finally chose to evolve Dao Pattern Eye. The main reason for his decision was the memory of his recent battle. Ji Wuming had thrown out a scroll, and from it emerged a woman who executed a single sword strike. Xu Ming had been unable to replicate that technique, and the missed opportunity still bothered him¡ªit felt like losing a fortune. While evolving Dao Pattern Eye didn¡¯t guarantee that he could copy a similar strike in the future, it would at least reduce the number of techniques he might miss out on. As soon as Xu Ming made his decision, a searing pain engulfed his eyes. Xu Ming gritted his teeth, barely suppressing the urge to cry out. After ten breaths, the pain subsided, and Xu Ming opened his eyes. The flow of spiritual energy in the air became significantly clearer to him. As for other changes, they would only become apparent in actual combat. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Xu Ming closed his eyes again, turning his focus inward to examine his body. Thankfully, his foundation was intact. Despite the fierce battle he had endured, he was far from severely injured. However, Xu Ming noticed a subtle instability in his Heroic Soul Realm (Martial Artist) and Sea Observation Realm (Cultivator). Compared to ordinary martial artists and cultivators, his realms were still exceptionally solid. It was no wonder the doctor hadn¡¯t noticed anything unusual. But Xu Ming knew his own body better than anyone else. Compared to the rock-solid foundation he had before, his current state felt shaky. His Sea Observation and Heroic Soul Realms were far from satisfactory. Consolidation. The word suddenly surfaced in Xu Ming¡¯s mind. He had to stabilize and solidify his realms. But his current situation was akin to building a skyscraper on an incomplete foundation. No matter how much he patched it, there would always be flaws. Unless¡­ he tore it all down and rebuilt it from scratch. Destroying his Heroic Soul and Sea Observation Realms and starting over would allow him to create a flawless foundation. But the problem was, this method was incredibly dangerous. A single misstep could result in irreparable damage to his foundation, and he might never advance in those realms again. ¡°One step at a time,¡± Xu Ming murmured to himself. Xu Ming sighed inwardly. He decided to first see how much he could stabilize his realm and explore potential remedies. If all else failed, then he¡¯d address the problem head-on. As for whether he regretted his earlier decision? Definitely not. If he hadn¡¯t forcibly broken through back then, he¡¯d already be dead and wouldn¡¯t even have the chance to try fixing his cultivation base now. ¡ª The Next Morning Xu Ming had just begun absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth when Yue Lou arrived to fetch him. ¡°Xu Gongzi (Young Master), it¡¯s time for us to leave,¡± Yue Lou said. ¡°Mm.¡± Xu Ming nodded and took Shen Shengsheng along with him. They boarded a small boat, sleek and streamlined like a flat canoe, which then took to the skies, heading toward Tianxuan Sect. ¡°There¡¯s no need to be overly tense, Gongzi. If we encounter any unreasonable people, I¡¯ll handle it. You don¡¯t need to engage with them,¡± Yue Lou said, worried that Xu Ming might be nervous, and tried to reassure him. Xu Ming simply smiled and nodded without saying much. If they did encounter unreasonable people, ignoring them likely wouldn¡¯t be enough. He suspected a few fights might be unavoidable. ¡ª One Incense Stick¡¯s Time Later Xu Ming spotted a vast landscape of ethereal mist ahead. Rising from the clouds were towering spirit peaks, where cranes soared, dragons inhaled and exhaled spiritual essence, and azure birds played merrily. Elegant buildings dotted the mountain slopes, blending harmoniously with their surroundings. From a distance, it looked like a paradise. Xu Ming knew they had arrived at Tianxuan Sect. During the Zixia Grand Ceremony, no flying artifacts were permitted to ascend within the sect¡¯s boundaries. All cultivators were required to proceed on foot. Thus, Xu Ming and his group disembarked from their flying boat and began their journey from the mountain¡¯s base. At the sect¡¯s entrance, two male disciples stood guard. ¡°What brings you here, fellow Daoists?¡± one of the disciples asked. Yue Lou retrieved her identification token and replied calmly, ¡°I am Yue Lou, an inner disciple of Yiquan Peak. These two are guests of ¡®Uncle¡¯ (Shishu) Qin, invited to attend the Zixia Grand Ceremony.¡± The two gatekeeping disciples exchanged glances before bowing slightly toward Xu Ming. ¡°Forgive us for asking, but may we know your name, sir? And do you have an invitation letter?¡± Xu Ming shook his head. ¡°My surname is Xu, given name Ming. I hail from Wu Kingdom, Wudu. I do not have an invitation.¡± ¡°Xu Ming¡­¡± The disciples felt the name sounded familiar at first, but a moment later, realization struck. Xu Ming? That Xu Ming?! For an ordinary guest, having an inner disciple vouch for them and providing a name was typically sufficient¡ªan invitation wasn¡¯t strictly necessary. But this wasn¡¯t just any guest. The name Xu Ming made things far more complicated. ¡°What¡¯s this? Are you saying we can¡¯t go in?¡± Yue Lou frowned. ¡°Leaving a guest waiting at the gates¡ªthis is how Tianxuan Sect treats its visitors?¡± ¡°Senior Sister Yue, please understand,¡± one of the disciples said apologetically. ¡°With the Zixia Grand Ceremony underway, we must exercise extra caution. Please wait for a moment while we report this matter.¡± As outer disciples, they didn¡¯t dare offend an inner disciple like Yue Lou. However, they also couldn¡¯t afford to defy orders from above. ¡°You¡ª!¡± Yue Lou looked ready to lose her temper, but Xu Ming stopped her. There was no point in getting angry with these two outer disciples. Xu Ming stepped forward, clasped his hands in greeting, and handed over a jade token. ¡°In that case, I would trouble the two of you to pass along a message. Tell them that Xu Ming, Wen Wu Qing (Minister of Letters and Arms) of the Wu Kingdom, has arrived with his congratulations.¡± Chapter 199 The Hall of Rituals, Tianxuan Sect. An elder rolled up his sleeves and poured tea for the man before him. ¡°This time, at the Zixia Ceremony, Nephew Xia, your support is quite remarkable. Many elders are backing you to become the Saint Son. Among the sect disciples, you¡¯re truly seen as the most deserving.¡± Xia Donghua smiled and shook his head. ¡°What support is there? The one with the highest support should be our Senior Brother Chen from Yunhai Peak. If not him, then it would be Elder Wang Xuan¡¯s disciple, Qin Qingwan. And let¡¯s not forget He Qingqing from Baihe Peak¡ªshe¡¯s quite competitive too.¡± ¡°Hahaha,¡± Elder Xu of the Hall of Rituals chuckled and shook his head. ¡°Although that Chen Yun kid is indeed good, he¡¯s not interested in the position. As for the others, they fall short of you. In the eyes of us old folks, you are the most suitable.¡± Xia Donghua raised his teacup. ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll use this tea as a substitute for wine to thank Elder Xu for your recognition.¡± ¡°No need to be so formal,¡± Elder Xu said, raising his own teacup and drinking it in one go. Stroking his beard, Elder Xu said, ¡°When Nephew Xia becomes the Saint Son, our Hall of Rituals will need to host the ceremony for you. But that Ritual Hall of ours is looking a bit outdated.¡± ¡°That¡¯s no trouble at all,¡± Xia Donghua said, understanding the elder¡¯s implication. ¡°When the time comes, I¡¯ll have the entire Hall of Rituals renovated. After all, ceremony and etiquette are of utmost importance. The Hall of Rituals is the face of our Tianxuan Sect.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll thank you in advance, Nephew¡ªno, thank you, Saint Son.¡± Elder Xu raised his cup once again. ¡°Elder Xu, there¡¯s no need to be so polite,¡± Xia Donghua said with a smile. ¡°Elder Xu, Senior Brother Xia¡ª¡± Just as the two were enjoying their conversation, a disciple entered the hall and bowed to them. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Elder Xu asked cheerfully, clearly in a good mood. ¡°Elder Xu, Senior Brother Xia, Xu Ming of the Wu Kingdom has arrived, claiming to have been invited by Senior Sister Qin to present a gift,¡± the disciple reported, his tone tinged with unease. ¡°Xu Ming?¡± Upon hearing the name, Elder Xu frowned and glanced at Xia Donghua. Xia Donghua remained calm. ¡°We don¡¯t know this Xu Ming. Who¡¯s to say he¡¯s the real one? And besides, Junior Sister Qin is still in seclusion. Without her confirmation, how can we be sure she invited him? Send this so-called Xu Ming away for now. We¡¯ll address it after Junior Sister Qin emerges.¡± Elder Xu nodded. ¡°Do as your Senior Brother Xia said. Dismiss him.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± The disciple hesitated. ¡°What¡¯s there to hesitate about?¡± Elder Xu¡¯s tone turned displeased. ¡°Elder, this Xu Ming handed me this,¡± the disciple said, producing a jade token and handing it over. Elder Xu examined the token. Engraved on it were three characters: Wen Wu Qing. ¡°What does this token mean?¡± Elder Xu asked. The disciple explained, ¡°Elder, Wen Wu Qing (Minister of Letters and Arms) is an official title personally bestowed by the Emperor of the Wu Kingdom. It¡¯s unprecedented, and Xu Ming is the first to hold it. He says he¡¯s here representing Wuguo to present their congratulations.¡± Elder Xu and Xia Donghua: ¡°¡­¡± ¡ª Outside Tianxuan Sect, Yue Lou appeared anxious, while Xu Ming maintained a calm demeanor. ¡°Why do you call Qingwan ¡®Uncle (Shishu),¡¯ but address the sect master¡¯s son as ¡®Senior Brother¡¯?¡± Xu Ming asked, striking up a conversation. Yue Lou rolled her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s all about seniority. Elder Wangxuan is the sect master¡¯s senior sister, and Uncle Qin is Elder Wangxuan¡¯s direct disciple. Of course, we address her as Uncle (Shishu). Though Uncle Qin doesn¡¯t put on airs and often says we can just call her ¡®Senior Sister¡¯ or ¡®Junior Sister,¡¯ in my heart, her status is untouchable. As for Senior Brother Xia, even though he¡¯s the sect master¡¯s son, he¡¯s just the direct disciple of an elder. Naturally, we call him Senior Brother.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Xu Ming nodded, finally understanding. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about that. Are you sure your jade token will really work?¡± Yue Lou asked, her tone laced with doubt as she glanced at Xu Ming. In Yue Lou¡¯s original plan, the gatekeeping outer sect disciples should have been directly subdued with her authority, allowing her to escort Xu Ming inside. By the time the elders of the Hall of Rituals reacted, they would have already made it in. Now that the disciple had gone to report, she expected things to become more complicated. With the elders of the Hall of Rituals explicitly backing that disciple, his confidence would undoubtedly grow. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯ll be fine,¡± Xu Ming reassured her confidently. ¡°If you said you were a guest of Qingwan, they might not care much,¡± Xu Ming explained. ¡°But as an envoy representing the Wu Kingdom, refusing me entry would be an affront to the Wu Kingdom itself. I don¡¯t think the disciples of your sect would dare take such a risk.¡± Yue Lou blinked, momentarily confused by his logic. After giving it some thought, however, she had to admit he made sense. He was right! Wu Kingdom was one of the ten great human dynasties, and Xu Ming held an official position within it. If he were visiting as a Wu Kingdom official, how could they refuse him? Sure enough, within the time it takes to burn two sticks of incense, the gatekeeping disciple came running back, cupping his fists in apology. ¡°Young Master Xu, my earlier conduct was out of line. I was merely following protocol¡ªplease forgive me.¡± Xu Ming wasn¡¯t about to hold a grudge against an outer sect disciple. After all, life was difficult for such individuals in any sect. ¡°So, may I go in now?¡± ¡°Of course! Young Master Xu, please proceed.¡± The disciple quickly stepped aside, clearing the way. Xu Ming nodded and started walking up the mountain path. Yue Lou, still sitting beside him, was somewhat stunned by how smoothly things had gone. ¡°I made so many preparations, but it turns out you didn¡¯t need any of them,¡± she said with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s not over yet,¡± Xu Ming said, shaking his head. ¡°They¡¯ve let me in, but that doesn¡¯t mean they won¡¯t make things difficult for me. At the very least, they¡¯ll want to cause me some trouble.¡± Yue Lou frowned. ¡°But aren¡¯t you here as a Wu Kingdom official? Would they really dare target an official from the Wu Kingdom?¡± Xu Ming glanced at Yue Lou, thinking how loyal she was to Qingwan, yet how strangely na?ve she seemed. ¡°Tianxuan Sect let me in because I¡¯m a Wen Wu Qing, and behind me stands the Wu Kingdom. Behind them stands the Tianxuan Sect. From one official entity to another, they can¡¯t refuse me entry. But any random disciple of Tianxuan Sect could still cause trouble for me. After all, they¡¯re just individual cultivators, and I¡¯m a cultivator too. That makes it a matter of person versus person.¡± Yue Lou blinked, looking confused. ¡°I still don¡¯t get it. That sounds overly complicated.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Xu Ming said with a faint smile. ¡°You don¡¯t need to understand it, Miss Yue Lou.¡± He gestured forward with a slight nod. ¡°Look, speaking of Cao Cao, Cao Cao is here.¡± S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. [T/N: It¡¯s a chinese idiom which means by mentioning trouble, trouble will arrive.] Chapter 200 Yue Lou looked ahead and indeed saw several cultivators flying toward them. (Flying was prohibited around Tianxuan Sect except within its boundaries.) ¡°Who are these people? Do you recognize them?¡± Xu Ming asked. Yue Lou nodded. ¡°Of course. Look at their robes with the flame emblem¡ªthey¡¯re from Liefu Peak. That¡¯s the peak where Senior Brother Xia resides. Many cultivators from there follow his lead.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Xu Ming raised a brow in mild surprise. ¡°Your Senior Brother Xia wants to target me?¡± Would Xia Donghua really be foolish enough to send his own people to deal with him? Yue Lou shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s Senior Brother Xia. While many from Liefu Peak listen to him, these particular cultivators are notorious troublemakers. They often go against him.¡± ¡°Ah, so they¡¯re deliberately targeting me,¡± Xu Ming said with a small smile. If Xia Donghua wanted to use his people to deal with him, such a reckless move would be unlikely. Perhaps someone was trying to frame Xia Donghua to tarnish his reputation. But if these were his direct opponents, then it made sense¡ªit was a black glove situation. Seeing Xu Ming¡¯s smile, Yue Lou felt as though her intelligence had risen slightly just by spending time with him. She quickly pieced things together. Could these people secretly be working for Senior Brother Xia? Was this his way of targeting Xu Ming? Her curiosity shifted. ¡°By the way, who is this Cao Cao you mentioned earlier?¡± ¡°A chancellor I greatly admire,¡± Xu Ming replied casually as he stepped forward, clasping his hands in a polite gesture toward the group blocking his path. ¡°May I ask why you gentlemen are here?¡± ¡°You¡¯re Xu Ming?¡± the leader sneered, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. His demeanor was more rogue than cultivator. ¡°That¡¯s me,¡± Xu Ming replied calmly. ¡°I heard you stole opportunities in the Baiwa Secret Realm, framed others, and even colluded with the heinous Black God Sect!¡± the leader accused, his tone full of menace. Yue Lou quickly stepped forward, standing by Xu Ming¡¯s side. Xu Ming glanced at her and asked, ¡°Does your Tianxuan Sect also produce ruffians like this? It feels rather¡­ dim-witted.¡± Yue Lou flushed with embarrassment. ¡°Young Master Xu, this ruffian is Wang Zhong. Tianxuan Sect has tens of thousands of disciples. With a forest so large, there are bound to be all kinds of birds. You can¡¯t expect everyone to match your intelligence, can you? Surely even in the Wu Kingdom, you¡¯ve met people like this?¡± Xu Ming nodded thoughtfully, conceding her point. Having read novels and watched dramas with foolish antagonists, he knew the reality was sometimes worse. Back in university, he¡¯d seen student council members bossing others around, treating minor responsibilities like grand authority. ¡°First of all, I didn¡¯t steal anyone¡¯s opportunities or frame others. Secondly, I¡¯ve never colluded with the Black God Sect. Lastly, even if I did seize opportunities, so what? Do you think life-and-death struggles are some childish game of pretend?¡± ¡°Xu Ming! Such arrogance! You dare come strutting into Tianxuan Sect after stealing from our disciples and betraying them? Do you think Tianxuan Sect is without people who can put you in your place?!¡± Wang Zhong shouted, his voice loud enough to attract the attention of several passing cultivators. Xu Ming remained composed, his tone measured. ¡°In the Baiwa Secret Realm, disciples from Tianxuan Sect and other sects banded together to attack me, intending to kill me. Is that the so-called dignity of Tianxuan Sect? In the Heavenly Staircase within the secret realm, no one dared proceed. With the help of your sect¡¯s Qin Qingwan, I passed the trial, opened the gate, and allowed everyone to escape. Yet I was ambushed by Black God Sect disciples and accused of collusion. Is this how Tianxuan Sect handles truth and lies? And you¡ªwhat qualifications do you have to question me on behalf of Tianxuan Sect?¡± Wang Zhong¡¯s hair practically stood on end in anger. ¡°The sword in my hand is all the qualification I need!¡± As soon as Wang Zhong finished speaking, he drew his sword and attempted to strike Xu Ming. However, just as Wang Zhong¡¯s sword was halfway drawn, his pupils suddenly constricted. Xu Ming was already standing right in front of him. With a quick move, Xu Ming pressed his palm against Wang Zhong¡¯s hand, forcing the sword back into its sheath. Before Wang Zhong could react, Xu Ming struck his chest with a palm, sending him flying into a rock, which shattered on impact. Wang Zhong spat out a mouthful of blood and collapsed, unconscious. ¡°You dare commit violence in Tianxuan Sect!¡± The other cultivators drew their swords and charged. Xu Ming kicked one after another, sending them all flying. They crashed into each other in a heap like a stack of fallen logs, all of them knocked unconscious. Seeing the motionless figures, Shen Shengsheng¡¯s inner looter instinct was awakened. She stepped forward, ready to raid their storage pouches. But Xu Ming stopped her. ¡°We can¡¯t loot people here. We¡¯re guests, and it wouldn¡¯t look good.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Shen Shengsheng nodded, looking a bit disappointed. Xu Ming patted her head to comfort her, then turned to Yue Lou. ¡°Miss Yue, do you have any artifact that can amplify sound?¡± Yue Lou blinked in surprise. ¡°Young Master Xu, what do you need that for?¡± Xu Ming smiled. ¡°I feel like your sect has a strong bias against me. I want to try to explain myself to your sect.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. Yes, I do have something for that.¡± Yue Lou took out a pill from her storage pouch. ¡°This is called a Sound Amplification Pill. After you take it, concentrate your energy in your dantian, and for the next ten breaths, your voice will be amplified within a radius of fifteen li. It¡¯s often used by Tianxuan Sect¡¯s halls, especially the Disciplinary Hall, to issue announcements.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Xu Ming took the pill and swallowed it in one go. ¡°Cough, cough, cough¡­¡± S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Xu Ming cleared his throat. His clearing of the throat immediately attracted the attention of cultivators within a fifteen-li radius. Yue Lou, also curious, wondered how Xu Ming would explain himself. Just as she eagerly waited, Xu Ming¡¯s voice rang out across the mountains and forests: ¡°Fellow disciples of Tianxuan Sect, I am Xu Ming from the Wu Kingdom. I know that most of you may have a poor impression of me. But that doesn¡¯t matter. In the Baiwa Secret Realm, I, along with a few friends, managed to stand against thousands of human and demon cultivators. Today, dealing with all of you shouldn¡¯t be a problem. Any cultivator below the Nascent Soul Realm is welcome to challenge me anytime. At worst, I¡¯ll just knock you all down again. I hope the disciples of Tianxuan Sect aren¡¯t so fragile.¡± As Xu Ming¡¯s words echoed through the area, Yue Lou was left stunned. What? This is how you¡¯re explaining things? Chapter 201 On Liefu Peak, within a courtyard, Xia Donghua was leisurely brewing tea, appearing completely at ease, as though everything was unfolding exactly as he had planned. At this moment, Xia Donghua was waiting for a piece of news. In his mind, those few individuals couldn¡¯t possibly defeat Xu Ming. Their cultivation was merely at the Sea Observation Realm. Meanwhile, in the Baiwa Secret Realm, Xu Ming killed Sea Observation Realm cultivators as effortlessly as slaughtering chickens. But Xia Donghua didn¡¯t need Xu Ming to be completely defeated. He only needed a spark¡ªjust a single fuse. Most of the disciples of the Tianxuan Sect held the impression of Xu Ming as being despicable, colluding with demonic sects, opportunistic, and a petty man. These impressions stemmed from the rumors spread about Xu Ming by other cultivators outside the sect, as well as from Xia Donghua¡¯s covert manipulations to fan the flames. However, impressions are just that¡ªimpressions. What people think of you stays in their hearts; they won¡¯t confront you openly. This is why someone needs to lay all these cards on the table. They need to expose the ¡°despicable, demon-colluding, and opportunistic¡± Xu Ming. They need to confront him and say, He¡¯s here! I¡¯m going to face him head-on! Once someone openly challenges Xu Ming, others won¡¯t be so willing to pretend to be amicable with him on the surface. As for whether those rumors are true or not¡ªdoes it really matter? It doesn¡¯t. And whether Xu Ming explains himself or not¡ªdoes that matter? It doesn¡¯t. Unless he has irrefutable evidence to prove his innocence, even if there¡¯s no proof that he¡¯s truly a ¡°sinister schemer, an opportunity-stealing demon collaborator,¡± he also doesn¡¯t have evidence proving he isn¡¯t one. When you can¡¯t prove your innocence, I¡¯ll just assume you are that kind of person! People are inherently prone to subjective assumptions. They only believe what they want to believe. No one cares about what you truly are; they care only about what they think you are. And that becomes your reality in their eyes. Just as Xia Donghua was reclining in his chair, leisurely waiting for news, a voice echoed from the sky. ¡°Disciples of the Tianxuan Sect, I am Xu Ming, from the Wu Kingdom. In the Baiwa Secret Realm, I was able to join a few friends in facing thousands of human and demon cultivators. Today, dealing with you all shouldn¡¯t be much of a problem either. Any cultivator below the Nascent Soul Realm is welcome to challenge me. At worst, I¡¯ll just knock you all down again. I hope the disciples of the Tianxuan Sect won¡¯t be so fragile.¡± Hearing Xu Ming¡¯s voice, Xia Donghua immediately sat up straight. His brows furrowed as he clenched the teacup tightly, his mind racing. ¡°What is this Xu Ming trying to do? How does he dare?¡± The more Xia Donghua thought about it, the more he couldn¡¯t figure it out. Under normal circumstances, when someone is suspected or targeted by rumors, they should be doing everything they can to clear their name and extend goodwill. But Xu Ming outright challenged the entire Tianxuan Sect? Did he really not understand where he was? How dare he?! At the same time, the stewards and elders of various peaks and halls all raised their heads, listening to the challenge from the young man from the Wu Kingdom. Unlike the disciples of the Tianxuan Sect, who were influenced by rumors, these stewards and elders paid no heed to such gossip about Xu Ming. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. They knew full well how much one must endure to gain recognition from a secret realm. Did people really think just intercepting someone¡¯s chance could win over a secret realm? Dream on. And even if, hypothetically, Xu Ming did use some underhanded methods to snatch a chance¡ªso what? This is cultivation. It¡¯s a battlefield, not some child¡¯s game. In the face of great opportunities, people would betray even their wives and children, let alone worry about something as trivial as ¡°stealing¡± a chance. ¡°This Xu Ming has quite the nerve,¡± remarked the Peak Lord of Yunhai Peak as he sat atop the mountain. Beside him sat a young man, a massive talisman sword resting across his lap. The man lazily chewed on a blade of grass, his eyes idly following the ebb and flow of the clouds in the sky. ¡°Chen Yun, what do you think?¡± the Peak Lord asked his disciple. ¡°No matter what, I like his personality,¡± Chen Yun said, spitting out the grass. ¡°I¡¯d love to spar with him.¡± The Peak Lord shook his head. ¡°You¡¯re in the Nascent Soul Realm. Bullying someone weaker is disgraceful, even if you win.¡± Chen Yun grinned. ¡°Then I¡¯ll suppress my cultivation to match his. Problem solved.¡± The Peak Lord rapped his disciple on the head. ¡°It¡¯s obvious someone is using Xu Ming to target Qin Qingwan. If you go now, you¡¯ll just be playing into their hands.¡± Chen Yun stood up, slinging his enormous talisman sword over his shoulder. He began stepping down from the peak, each step steady in the air. ¡°No one can use me. I live according to my own will. Otherwise, what¡¯s the point?¡± ¡ª In Wanhua Valley, Wang Xuan looked up at the voice resonating from the sky and shook her head. Glancing briefly at a small house within the sea of flowers, she said nothing more before turning and heading toward Xu Ming¡¯s direction. She was curious. She wanted to see what kind of opportunity that once-helpless boy, unable to cultivate, had encountered to grow into his current self. ¡ª ¡°How arrogant! What does Xu Ming mean by this? Does he think our Tianxuan Sect is empty of people?¡± ¡°When has the Tianxuan Sect ever been mocked like this?¡± ¡°Xu Ming, the so-called Wen Wu Qing of the Wu Kingdom? Does he think we fear the Wu Kingdom?¡± ¡°Does he think his backer is that powerful?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go! Let¡¯s see what this Xu Ming is made of!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± ¡°Count me in!¡± ¡°I¡¯m coming too!¡± Throughout the Tianxuan Sect, countless cultivators were fuming with rage, preparing to confront Xu Ming. They were determined to see for themselves just who this Xu Ming was. ¡ª On one of the mountains of the Tianxuan Sect, Xu Ming strolled leisurely, occasionally pausing to admire the scenery as though on a sightseeing tour. Behind him, Yue Lou followed closely, her expression filled with tension. Yue Lou had originally devised a careful plan, but to her frustration, none of it had proven useful. Instead, Xu Ming was barreling straight down the path to becoming the ¡°public enemy of the Tianxuan Sect.¡± ¡°Miss Yue, why don¡¯t you go attend to something else?¡± Xu Ming suggested, noticing how tense she looked. ¡°I don¡¯t have anything else to do,¡± Yue Lou replied, shaking her head. Her tone carried a hint of exasperation. ¡°If you end up getting beaten half to death, at least I¡¯ll be there to try and stop it.¡± Xu Ming chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best not to get beaten half to death.¡± With his hands clasped behind his back, Xu Ming continued walking. ¡°Xu Gongzi (Young Master),¡± Yue Lou called out. ¡°Hmm?¡± Xu Ming responded. ¡°Have you always been this bold?¡± Yue Lou asked, glancing at him. Xu Ming seriously considered her question for a moment. ¡°Not really. I¡¯d say I¡¯m usually quite cautious.¡± Chapter 202 Hearing Xu Ming describe himself as cautious, Yue Lou rolled her eyes at him. You¡¯ve practically provoked the entire Tianxuan Sect, and you call that cautious? In what way are you cautious? But at this point, Yue Lou knew there was no point in arguing. The entire Tianxuan Sect was now united against Xu Ming. Even those who previously held no opinion about him probably wanted nothing more than to hang him up and give him a beating. ¡°By the way, where are we headed?¡± Xu Ming asked. Ever since they started walking, Xu Ming had been following Yue Lou without knowing their destination. Yue Lou gave him another sidelong glance. ¡°Where else? I¡¯m taking you to Guest Peak. All external visitors are arranged to stay there.¡± ¡°How about taking me to visit Elder Wang Xuan first?¡± Xu Ming suggested. ¡°That¡¯s not possible,¡± Yue Lou replied with a shrug. ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to, but Elder Wang Xuan isn¡¯t someone you can just visit on a whim. Besides, I don¡¯t even know where she is right now.¡± ¡°Fair enough.¡± Xu Ming nodded. ¡°But maybe we shouldn¡¯t head to Guest Peak just yet?¡± Yue Lou was puzzled. ¡°Not to Guest Peak? Then where do you want to go?¡± Xu Ming smiled. ¡°Let¡¯s go to Liefu Peak. I think it¡¯s necessary to pay a visit to your Senior Brother Xia.¡± Yue Lou¡¯s lips twitched as she tried to form a response but ultimately said nothing. Seriously? Are you actually planning to ¡®visit¡¯ Senior Brother Xia, or are you just looking for an opportunity to mock him face-to-face? ¡°Xu Gongzi (Young Master)¡­¡± Yue Lou was beginning to regret bringing him here. ¡°He¡¯s¡­ the Sect Master¡¯s son.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Xu Ming replied matter-of-factly, nodding sincerely. Yue Lou shot him another exasperated glance. ¡°If you know, then why are you deliberately provoking him?¡± Xu Ming looked a little aggrieved. ¡°Miss Yue, that¡¯s not fair. Who said I¡¯m provoking him? I clearly said I just want to visit.¡± Yue Lou: ¡°¡­¡± Before she could retort, three cultivators flew toward them. Yue Lou looked up and saw more cultivators gathering in the sky, surrounding Xu Ming. The mountain path ahead was also filling with people, all of them looking less than friendly. ¡°Are you Xu Ming?¡± One of the cultivators stepped forward. ¡°I am.¡± Xu Ming cupped his fists in a polite gesture. ¡°And you are?¡± ¡°Xietian Peak, Xie Yu!¡± the man announced, drawing a longsword. ¡°Do you dare to spar with me? Don¡¯t worry¡ªI won¡¯t bully you with a higher cultivation level. Whatever your realm is, I¡¯ll match it!¡± ¡°I¡¯m a Martial Cultivator at the Heroic Spirit Stage and a Qi Refiner at the Sea Observation Realm. If you¡¯re in the Golden Core Realm, then fight me at the Golden Core level,¡± Xu Ming said, his gaze sweeping over the gathered cultivators. ¡°In fact, you¡¯re all welcome to attack me together. I don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°Arrogant fool!¡± Xie Yu snorted coldly and performed a hand seal. His sword began to condense droplets of water, which grew denser and brighter. Though the Tianxuan Sect had sword cultivators, most disciples were Daoists, and for Daoists, weapons like swords were primarily tools for channeling and enhancing their techniques. ¡°Go!¡± Xie Yu pointed his sword forward, and thousands of raindrops transformed into flying birds, swooping toward Xu Ming in a torrent. Judging by his spiritual energy, Xie Yu had clearly suppressed his cultivation to the Sea Observation Realm. But even so, a same-realm opponent was nothing in Xu Ming¡¯s eyes. With a single punch, Xu Ming shattered the thousand raindrop birds into mist, scattering them into a gentle rainfall. Xu Ming stepped forward and threw another punch toward Xie Yu¡¯s chest. This time, his punch was slightly slower and weaker¡ªintentionally so. He wanted to give Xie Yu time to react and release his suppressed cultivation, leaving no regrets. Xu Ming couldn¡¯t help but feel that he was being exceptionally considerate. Sure enough, sensing the immense pressure from Xu Ming¡¯s punch, Xie Yu¡¯s Dao Heart sounded alarms. Instinctively, he unleashed his cultivation, breaking free of the restrictions. Xie Yu¡¯s spiritual energy surged, instantly rising to the Dragon Gate Realm! ¡°You¡¯re courting death!¡± Having initially intended to fight fairly at the Sea Observation Realm, Xie Yu now felt humiliated for being forced to unlock his full power. Embarrassed and enraged, he vowed to ensure his victory. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Gathering all his strength, Xie Yu unleashed his strongest move. The water droplets on Xie Yu¡¯s sword coalesced once more, forming a massive water sword over ten meters long. With a roar, Xie Yu swung the colossal blade down at Xu Ming. ¡°Boom!¡± Xu Ming responded with yet another punch. The immense force of his fist shattered the water sword, leaving a massive gap, and continued forward to strike Xie Yu squarely in the chest. Xie Yu spat out a mouthful of blood and was sent flying into the forest below. He was alive. Xu Ming had no intention of killing anyone on the Tianxuan Sect¡¯s grounds. Xie Yu had merely passed out. ¡°Is there anyone else who wishes to step forward?¡± Xu Ming asked calmly, his hands clasped behind his back as he hovered in midair. His arrogant tone made the faces of the Tianxuan Sect disciples burn with shame. ¡°I¡¯ll go!¡± Another disciple stepped forward, this one specializing in talismans. But Xu Ming¡¯s fist shattered all his techniques. After only two moves, the talisman specialist admitted defeat. ¡°Next,¡± Xu Ming said evenly. ¡°Lan Ting of Shuilu Peak, here to challenge you!¡± ¡°Next.¡± ¡°Chun Lei of Jiaoye Peak, here for a duel!¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t all of you come at me at once? I have other things to do,¡± Xu Ming suggested. One by one, the Tianxuan Sect disciples stepped forward, determined to reclaim their sect¡¯s honor. But they were all swiftly defeated by Xu Ming. None lasted more than five moves against him. The disparity was absurd. Standing to the side, Yue Lou watched in growing disbelief. Each victory left her more astonished. This Xu Gongzi is absurdly strong! Crossing realms to defeat opponents is as effortless as drinking water for him. As the matches continued, even Sea Observation Realm disciples stopped stepping up. Only Dragon Gate Realm cultivators dared to fight him now. When Xu Ming finally defeated a senior brother at the Golden Core level, the remaining disciples began to look at him as if he were a monster. Even the earlier mockery and accusations against Xu Ming¡ªclaims that he had ¡°stolen opportunities,¡± ¡°colluded with demonic sects,¡± or was ¡°cunning and deceitful¡±¡ªbegan to sound hollow in their hearts. With strength like this, does he even need underhanded tactics? Even if he took your opportunities in the Baiwa Secret Realm, so what? Could you have stopped him? Finding the one-on-one challenges too tedious, Xu Ming, after defeating another disciple, charged straight into the crowd of Tianxuan Sect disciples. For a moment, they were stunned. Then they realized what was happening. This Xu Ming isn¡¯t just arrogant¡ªhe actually intends to take on all of us at once! Chapter 203 A truly astonishing scene. When Yue Lou finally composed herself, she saw cultivators falling from the sky like dumplings dropping into a pot. At first, the disciples of the Tianxuan Sect took turns fighting Xu Ming in what felt like a relentless series of duels, determined to bring him down. Initially, they thought using such tactics was somewhat dishonorable. But as time went on, these disciples realized that the so-called ¡°dishonorable¡± approach actually gave Xu Ming opportunities to catch his breath. What they never expected was that Xu Ming would abandon his advantage entirely. Finding their slow, drawn-out challenges unbearably tedious, Xu Ming charged straight into the crowd, taking on a hundred opponents single-handedly. The disciples had no choice but to join the fray, and what unfolded next was a scene Yue Lou would never forget. A cultivator at the Sea Observation realm¡ªa warrior barely at the Heroic Soul stage¡ªwas knocking down opponent after opponent, even those far stronger than himself. He moved like a true dragon coursing effortlessly through the vast ocean. The Sea Observation cultivators were utterly helpless under the crushing pressure of Xu Ming¡¯s spiritual energy and his overwhelming strikes, standing there like lambs awaiting slaughter. Even the Dragon Gate realm cultivators couldn¡¯t withstand more than two moves from him. As for those in the Golden Core realm, they could at least manage to put up some resistance, but only just. Even when banding together, they were no match for Xu Ming. To many witnesses, the entire situation felt surreal. This man had effortlessly crossed two major cultivation realms, knocking down Golden Core cultivators as if it were nothing. In little more than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Xu Ming had cleared out a massive swath of cultivators before him. The remaining disciples were too terrified to approach. They understood that stepping forward would only lead to humiliation and defeat. By then, most of the disciples had come to a shocking realization: Xu Ming¡¯s cultivation quality was absurdly high¡ªso much so that it defied belief. Perhaps, just perhaps, this man truly had the ability to emerge victorious from the Baiwa Secret Realm. The earlier rumors about Xu Ming¡ªallegations of conspiracies, collusion with demonic sects¡ªsuddenly seemed far less credible. After all, he had openly admitted that he¡¯d had a few friends helping him at the time. With allies to share the burden, it wasn¡¯t impossible for someone like Xu Ming to dominate the battlefield and become a war god within the secret realm. If the disciples of the Tianxuan Sect had initially regarded Xu Ming with disdain and contempt, that sentiment had now completely changed. Even though many felt humiliated and enraged after being so easily defeated by one man, they couldn¡¯t help but develop a deep respect for Xu Ming. Yue Lou noticed how most of the disciples¡¯ gazes toward Xu Ming had shifted profoundly. Even Yue Lou, no matter how oblivious, now understood Xu Ming¡¯s intentions. She realized why Xu Ming had deliberately provoked the entire Tianxuan Sect. Xu Ming wanted to clear his name. And he didn¡¯t need any tangible evidence to do so. Strength alone was Xu Ming¡¯s best evidence. Cultivators, at their core, were simply creatures that revered power. In the world of cultivation, strength reigned supreme. With sufficient power, even the wrongs you commit can become right. And in Xu Ming¡¯s case, he hadn¡¯t been in the wrong to begin with. Of course, achieving such a feat required overwhelming strength¡ªstrength like Xu Ming¡¯s, which was as terrifying as that of a young, ferocious beast. ¡°Does anyone else wish to challenge me?¡± Xu Ming stood with his hands clasped behind his back. His voice once again reverberated through the air. In stark contrast to the initial indignation and fury of the cultivators, most of them now exchanged glances, hesitant to step forward. Xu Ming chuckled softly. Just as he was about to move ahead to meet the son of the Tianxuan Sect¡¯s sect master, a sudden flash of green light descended from the sky. A long, verdant sword came hurtling down, its tip aimed directly at the crown of Xu Ming¡¯s head! Xu Ming raised his head and, with a calm demeanor, lifted a hand and extended a finger. The green sword stopped dead against Xu Ming¡¯s finger, unable to advance even an inch. The sword¡¯s spiritual energy clashed with the martial qi emanating from Xu Ming¡¯s finger, creating rippling waves of air that spread out violently. Clang! The green sword emitted a sharp resonance as Xu Ming¡¯s martial qi flicked its blade away. The sword spun backward in the air, tracing elegant arcs before finally landing in the hand of a woman dressed in a flowing green gown. Xu Ming looked up. A woman approached, sword in hand, her steps light yet commanding. Many male cultivators¡¯ eyes lit up at the sight of her. Some even displayed expressions of embarrassment, as though they were young men ashamed to have embarrassed themselves in front of their goddess. ¡°And who might you be, young lady?¡± Xu Ming clasped his hands in a polite bow, his eyes carefully studying the woman. Her beauty was undeniably exceptional. Her silky, ink-black hair swayed gently in the night breeze, with a few strands pinned up by a simple jade hairpin, the rest cascading softly over her snow-white shoulders. Beneath sheer, gauzy sleeves, a delicate hand peeked out. Her figure was slender¡ªnot particularly voluptuous¡ªbut exuded a willow-like grace. That said, compared to the likes of Mo Zhuer or Qin Qingwan, women ranked among the top ten on the Beauty List, she seemed to lack something. How to put it? The top ten on the Beauty List each embodied a distinct, extreme style of beauty. While the rankings suggested a hierarchy, personal preference played a significant role¡ªbeauty is subjective, after all. It¡¯s impossible to definitively say who was the most beautiful. One could only say who resonated with their individual tastes more. However, when this young woman was compared to the top ten, the difference was apparent¡ªshe didn¡¯t quite measure up to their level. Of course, that¡¯s only when compared to the world¡¯s ten most beautiful women. In any other setting, this woman would undoubtedly be considered stunning, capable of captivating nations. ¡°Liu Xiang Peak¡ªHe Qingqing,¡± the woman spoke coldly. ¡°He Qingqing¡­¡± The name stirred something in Xu Ming¡¯s memory. ¡°He Qingqing? She¡¯s He Qingqing?¡± It quickly clicked for Xu Ming. Wasn¡¯t that the alias Qin Qingwan had used in the Baiwa Secret Realm? Not only that, but wasn¡¯t this He Qingqing the woman Yu Wenxi had been infatuated with? Well, it seemed Yu Wenxi had decent taste. Still, this He Qingqing appeared rather cold¡ªXu Ming hadn¡¯t expected Yu Wenxi to have a thing for this type. ¡°Miss He, are you here to challenge me?¡± Xu Ming asked. ¡°Indeed.¡± Before Xu Ming could even ready himself, He Qingqing¡¯s sword was already thrusting toward him. Xu Ming tilted his head just slightly, avoiding the blade as it sliced through a lock of hair by his temple. ¡°Hm?¡± Xu Ming sensed that something was off. He immediately extended a finger, flicking it against He Qingqing¡¯s sword. In an instant, Xu Ming¡¯s martial qi exploded, shattering He Qingqing¡¯s long sword. The true energy surged through the blade, sending a burst of green smoke spiraling outward. Xu Ming distanced himself. The green sword was surrounded by the mist, and behind He Qingqing stood another woman, also dressed in a green gown. But this woman¡¯s appearance was completely different from He Qingqing¡¯s. Sword Spirit. The two words sprang to Xu Ming¡¯s mind. Weapons like semi-immortal and immortal-grade swords often produced sword spirits, and even a first-grade immortal sword could have one. Though sword spirits were rare, they weren¡¯t exceptionally uncommon either. Xu Ming was surprised, but only because it was his first time seeing one. However, having a sword spirit didn¡¯t mean that He Qingqing was a sword cultivator. To Xu Ming, it seemed that He Qingqing followed the ¡°Sword Law¡± path, where Daoist techniques were primary, with swordsmanship as a secondary skill. Dao can evolve in myriad ways, and even He Qingqing¡¯s swordplay was rooted in Daoist principles. ¡°Go!¡± He Qingqing didn¡¯t hold back. Her first strike was her strongest. The green sword flew from her hand, thrusting toward Xu Ming. Xu Ming struck with a punch, hitting the sword. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Once again, green smoke billowed from the blade, rising into the air as the sword spirit reappeared. The sword spirit opened her eyes. In that moment, the green mist, like flowing water, began to wrap around Xu Ming¡¯s body. Soon, Xu Ming found his arms and legs bound, and the sword spirit appeared before him, holding the long sword as she slashed down toward him. Everyone watching felt a jolt of excitement. Finally! Was Xu Ming about to be defeated? He Qingqing was indeed impressive! But they had celebrated too soon. From Xu Ming¡¯s storage bag, a cold light shot out. Sharp sword energy and intent rapidly enveloped Xu Ming¡¯s body. The sword spirit¡¯s forehead was pierced by the Nine Heavens Thunder Sword, leaving a large hole. The sword qi from the long blade acted like a scalpel, slicing through the green mist entirely! The Nine Heavens Thunder Sword once again appeared in Xu Ming¡¯s hand. With a single strike, Xu Ming pierced the green sword¡¯s blade. Clang! The green sword trembled, crashing into He Qingqing¡¯s chest. She coughed up a mouthful of blood. ¡°He Shimei (Sister)!¡± several male disciples cried out in worry. Xu Ming¡­ didn¡¯t he have any compassion for the fairer sex? ¡°I concede.¡± He Qingqing wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth with her sleeve, turned, and left without hesitation. Xu Ming watched her retreating figure, pondering whether he had been too harsh. After all, He Qingqing was not only Qin Qingwan¡¯s friend but also the object of Yu Wenxi¡¯s affections. Would Yu Wenxi blame him? Before He Qingqing, some disciples were still eager to challenge Xu Ming. But after He Qingqing¡¯s defeat, no one dared to challenge him anymore. He Qingqing was one of the top young disciples, ranked in the top ten, and even she had been defeated. ¡°Is there anyone else who wishes to challenge me?¡± Xu Ming asked again. The arrogance in his voice felt more painful than if he had actually killed those disciples. But they couldn¡¯t deny that they simply couldn¡¯t defeat Xu Ming! ¡°If only Senior Brother Chen were here!¡± ¡°If Senior Brother Chen were here, he would definitely crush him!¡± Such thoughts emerged in many disciples¡¯ minds, but they all knew it was impossible for Senior Brother Chen to arrive. Not to mention, even with Senior Brother Chen¡¯s cultivation level, if he came, it would be a case of the strong bullying the weak. Furthermore, Senior Brother Chen is currently on a mission in the Northern Wilderness, so he might not even have returned yet. Xu Ming gave one last glance over the crowd and felt certain that no one else would step forward. ¡°Miss Yue, stop daydreaming. Take me to Lie Fu Peak to visit Senior Brother Xia,¡± Xu Ming said as he landed and addressed Yue Lou. ¡°Huh?¡± Yue Lou was momentarily stunned but quickly nodded, ¡°Alright, alright.¡± Yue Lou looked at Xu Ming a few more times. If before, her interactions with him had been casual, now her attitude towards Xu Ming was full of respect. ¡°Don¡¯t rush, don¡¯t rush. If young brother still has time, may I ask for a lesson?¡± A male voice echoed from the horizon. Xu Ming furrowed his brows, his Dao heart constantly warning him. The spiritual pressure was like a mountain, and Xu Ming even felt a little breathless. Turning around, Xu Ming saw a man with stubble carrying a giant sword, stepping through the air with each stride. Every time he took a step, the spiritual energy beneath his feet crackled, as if the spiritual power beneath him was being shattered. ¡°Senior Brother Chen?¡± ¡°Senior Brother Chen is here!¡± ¡°Wait, when did Senior Brother Chen return?¡± ¡°Now that Senior Brother Chen is here, let¡¯s see how Xu Ming remains arrogant!¡± As soon as they saw this man, everyone¡¯s confidence soared. To them, the moment Senior Brother Chen arrived, Xu Ming was already defeated. Xu Ming carefully studied the man. This man was very disheveled. His stubble was unkempt, and his clothes were simple, rough hemp fabric. His pants even had two holes. His hair was casually tied up with a dirty cloth, and a wine gourd hung from his waist. His shoes were torn, with toes visible. Despite his disheveled appearance, Xu Ming¡¯s first impression of him was very favorable. Xu Ming liked people who were so carefree. To him, the knights of the Jianghu (Martial Arts) world should be just like this. Xu Ming turned around, preparing to soar into the air again. If all went as expected, this would be his final battle at the Tianxuan Sect. After this, no one should bother him again. But just as Xu Ming was about to take off, Yue Lou grabbed the corner of his sleeve. ¡°Miss Yue?¡± Xu Ming asked in confusion. Yue Lou shook her head at him, ¡°You¡¯re not thinking of fighting him, are you?¡± Xu Ming replied, ¡°What else should I do?¡± ¡°Absolutely not!¡± Yue Lou shook her head urgently. ¡°You can¡¯t defeat Senior Brother Chen!¡± Xu Ming asked, ¡°Is this Senior Brother Chen really that strong?¡± Yue Lou gave him a speechless look, ¡°You don¡¯t really know who he is, do you?¡± Xu Ming chuckled helplessly, ¡°I really don¡¯t know who this Senior Brother Chen is. I just started traveling recently. How would I know him?¡± ¡°He¡¯s called Chen Yun!¡± Yue Lou reminded him. ¡°Ranked second on the Qingyun List.¡± Chapter 204 ¡°Chen Yun, ranked second on the Qingyun Ranking? So it¡¯s him, huh.¡± When Yue Lou mentioned this name, Xu Ming finally had some impression of it. Yue Lou sighed, ¡°Young Master Xu, you¡¯re finally starting to understand.¡± Xu Ming shook his head, ¡°Not really. I just know of such a person, that¡¯s all. I¡¯ve seen his name on the Qingyun Ranking. After all, he¡¯s practically a regular there.¡± It was normal for Xu Ming not to know much about Chen Yun, as the Qingyun Ranking only displayed names. Information would only be revealed during ranking updates. And Chen Yun¡¯s name was so ordinary and common¡ªwho would¡¯ve thought that the Chen Yun from Tianxuan Sect was the same one from the Qingyun Ranking? Yue Lou gave Xu Ming a sideways glance. ¡°Young Master Xu, let me tell you something. Our Senior Brother Chen started cultivating at the age of five. At six, he reached the Mind Clarity Realm. By seven, he had advanced to the Furnace Ignition Realm, then to the Qi Refining Realm at eight, and to the Furnace Foundation Realm at nine. By the age of ten, he had entered the Cave Mansion Realm. Before reaching the Sea Observation Realm, it was like he was breaking through a new realm every day. Even after entering the Cave Mansion Realm, our Senior Brother Chen¡¯s pace didn¡¯t slow. At fourteen, he reached the Sea Observation Realm. At twenty-one, he entered the Golden Core Realm. By twenty-eight, Senior Brother Chen hit a bottleneck. He ventured alone to the Northern Wastelands for training. There, he killed no fewer than fifteen Golden Core Realm cultivators and even defeated the infamous Demon Blade King, who had long made a name for himself in the Northern Wastelands. It was during that life-and-death battle that Senior Brother Chen broke through his bottleneck and faced the White River Heavenly Tribulation, thus entering the Nascent Soul Realm! The only reason he returned this time was because his Master summoned him to participate in the Zixia Grand Ceremony. Otherwise, he¡¯d still be roaming the outside world.¡± Listening to Yue Lou¡¯s explanation, Xu Ming gained a better understanding of Chen Yun. Breaking through a realm a year¡ªindeed, that was impressive. Although Chen Yun¡¯s speed didn¡¯t quite compare to the likes of Xu Xuenuo and Qin Qingwan, who entered the Cave Mansion Realm as soon as they started cultivating, it was still rare to see such talent in the wider world. However, cultivation speed alone doesn¡¯t tell the whole story. Fast progress in the early stages might indicate talent, but it doesn¡¯t guarantee future success. Many so-called geniuses who advanced quickly early on ended up being ordinary later. But someone like Chen Yun, who entered the Cave Mansion Realm and then reached the Nascent Soul Realm in less than ten years, was truly extraordinary. Especially since Chen Yun broke through to the Nascent Soul Realm in the midst of a life-or-death battle, his cultivation foundation was undoubtedly solid. It must be said that in large sects like Tianxuan Sect, where the forest is vast, there¡¯s always a variety of birds. There are those who act like foolish villains. There are impulsive young hotheads used as pawns. But there are also disciples who can hold up the sect¡¯s reputation. ¡°One more thing!¡± Yue Lou added urgently, fearing Xu Ming might not heed her advice. ¡°It¡¯s rumored that our Senior Brother Chen has little restraint when sparring with others. He often accidentally kills his opponents. That¡¯s why, before any matches, he always signs a life-and-death contract.¡± ¡°Got it, thank you, Miss Yue. I¡¯ve got a general understanding of the situation,¡± Xu Ming replied with a smile. He glanced at Yue Lou¡¯s hand, which was still gripping his sleeve. ¡°But Miss Yue, could you let go of me first?¡± ¡°Just promise me you won¡¯t act recklessly,¡± Yue Lou said, reluctantly releasing his sleeve. ¡°You¡¯ve already proven your strength. No one will question you anymore. There¡¯s no need to spar with Senior Brother Chen. If something happens to you¡­¡± Before she could finish, Xu Ming turned and soared into the sky. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Hey! Young Master Xu! Young Master Xu! I told you not to act recklessly! If something happens to you, how am I supposed to explain this to Uncle (Shishu) Qin?¡± Yue Lou shouted from the ground, feeling utterly exasperated. She thought to herself, It¡¯s over. This Xu Ming is so stubborn, just like an ox. ¡°Junior Xu Ming greets Senior Brother Chen. I have long admired your name.¡± Standing before Chen Yun, Xu Ming clasped his hands respectfully and bowed deeply. Previously, when Xu Ming greeted other disciples of Tianxuan Sect, it was purely out of politeness. But it was different with Chen Yun. Perhaps due to the years Xu Ming spent in the Blood Asura Battalion, he truly admired geniuses who forged their path through life-and-death struggles. The main reason, however, was that Xu Ming sensed a certain chivalrous spirit in Chen Yun¡ªa rugged romanticism unique to the martial world, a sentiment that resonated deeply with him. Especially after leaving Wudu and witnessing so many schemes and petty intrigues in the cultivation world, Xu Ming found this chivalrous spirit even more precious. ¡°Chen Yun, Nascent Soul Realm.¡± Chen Yun spoke slowly, his expression respectful as he looked at Xu Ming. ¡°You¡¯ve got some guts. Not bad.¡± ¡°Not as much as Brother Chen Yun venturing alone into the Northern Wastelands,¡± Xu Ming replied with a smile. ¡°The Northern Wastelands, huh? That place is pretty barren¡ªjust deserts and grasslands, not much else. But the wine¡¯s good, the people are bold, and the women¡­ well, they¡¯re very¡­ open. Quite¡­ refreshing,¡± Chen Yun remarked. Xu Ming and the others: ¡°¡­¡± For a moment, Xu Ming didn¡¯t know how to respond. I was just making small talk, and here you are talking about how ¡°refreshing¡± the women in the Northern Wastelands are? Isn¡¯t that a bit inappropriate? There are so many female cultivators present here, after all! But deep down, Xu Ming quietly made a decision: he would definitely visit the Northern Wastelands someday. Whether the women were ¡°refreshing¡± or not was one thing, but more importantly, he wanted to see the world and experience its diverse customs and landscapes. Chen Yun, on the other hand, didn¡¯t seem to care about the opinions of others. ¡°Your blood and qi are strong, and your martial aura carries a hint of killing intent. Have you trained in the military?¡± Xu Ming nodded. ¡°Yes, I spent a few years in military training.¡± ¡°No wonder.¡± Chen Yun nodded in understanding. ¡°But if you spar with me, blades and swords are merciless. I might not be able to hold back my strength, and you could die. Are you sure you still want to challenge me?¡± Xu Ming chuckled. ¡°Since I¡¯ve come to Tianxuan Sect and had the chance to meet you, how could I leave without sparring with you? Wouldn¡¯t that be a waste of a visit?¡± ¡°Good!¡± Chen Yun¡¯s admiration for Xu Ming deepened. ¡°You¡¯re a real man¡ªmuch better than those flowery cultivators. You¡¯re at the Heroic Soul Realm and Sea Observation Realm, right? Then I¡¯ll suppress my cultivation to the same level as yours.¡± Xu Ming replied calmly, ¡°I¡¯ll leave it to you, Chen Yun.¡± ¡°Hahaha, you¡¯re quite confident.¡± Chen Yun fixed his gaze on Xu Ming. ¡°Alright then, come at me. Let me see the rumored martial prowess of the warriors of the Wu (Martial) Kingdom!¡± ¡°Then forgive me for my offense.¡± As Xu Ming¡¯s words fell, the spiritual energy beneath his feet shattered with a dull explosion. ¡°Boom!¡± No one saw Xu Ming¡¯s punch. By the time they reacted, Xu Ming¡¯s fist was already hurtling toward Chen Yun¡¯s head. Chen Yun unsheathed his massive sword. Fist and blade collided. Spiritual energy and martial aura exploded. Both men retreated seven steps. Xu Ming loosened his fist, clenched it again, and shook it slightly. Chen Yun tightened his grip on his massive sword. Xu Ming¡¯s mind grew more focused. From the spiritual energy Chen Yun displayed earlier, he had indeed suppressed his cultivation to the Sea Observation Realm. But even though Chen Yun, originally at the Golden Core Realm, had suppressed his cultivation to the Sea Observation Realm, it was clearly the peak of Sea Observation, far surpassing an ordinary pinnacle Sea Observation cultivator. After all, Chen Yun had reached much greater heights and possessed a deeper understanding of the Dao. [T/N: You mean Nascent Soul Realm?] Xu Ming had mentally prepared for this, but he hadn¡¯t expected Chen Yun¡¯s Sea Observation Realm to be so overwhelmingly powerful. Chen Yun¡¯s Sea Observation Realm was of an exceptionally high quality¡ªthe strongest he had ever encountered. On the other side, Chen Yun was also intrigued. This man was impressive. Based on that single punch alone, Chen Yun would¡¯ve believed Xu Ming if he¡¯d claimed to be a Golden Body Realm martial artist. Is this really the strength of someone in the Heroic Soul Realm? Chen Yun straightened his posture. ¡°Come on, continue!¡± Xu Ming didn¡¯t waste words. Channeling his spiritual energy, he activated his Cloud-Stepping Technique, rapidly closing the distance, and unleashed a devastating punch with his Heaven-Splitting Fist. Chen Yun raised his massive sword, swinging it down with unrelenting force. Xu Ming¡¯s fists, wrapped in martial energy, clashed directly against the blade. Sword waves from Chen Yun¡¯s strikes rippled outward, impacting various peaks of Tianxuan Sect. The sect¡¯s protective array was forced to activate, absorbing the destructive waves. Boom! Boom! Boom! Xu Ming¡¯s punches thundered through the air, each one heavier than the last. Chen Yun, wielding his giant sword, only grew more ferocious as the battle went on, his every strike brimming with raw power. As Xu Ming¡¯s eyes began to change, Dao patterns appeared in his pupils. He had long wanted to test his newly-evolved Dao Pattern Eyes, and Chen Yun was the perfect opponent! ¡°Hmm?¡± Chen Yun noticed the change in Xu Ming¡¯s eyes, and a wave of unease surged through him. This was an unfamiliar sensation, as though Xu Ming could see through him entirely. When Chen Yun swung his sword, Xu Ming immediately spotted a weak point in the attack. His punch landed precisely three inches below the hilt, sending tremors through the massive sword and causing Chen Yun¡¯s grip to falter, his hands slightly numb from the shock. In that instant, Xu Ming delivered a Mountain-Shaking Punch to Chen Yun¡¯s chest. A defensive array of runes appeared on Chen Yun¡¯s chest, forming a protective shield that blocked the blow. The impact sent Chen Yun flying 30 meters backward. Before Chen Yun could regain his footing, he charged forward again, wielding his massive sword. This time, the sword struck Xu Ming¡¯s shoulder. Xu Ming sidestepped, only to realize that the enormous rune-covered blade was designed to explode. The resulting blast sent Xu Ming flying backward, forcing him to block with his sword against the searing heat wave. But before Xu Ming could steady himself, the massive sword in Chen Yun¡¯s hand dissolved into hundreds of talismans. ¡°What the hell kind of sword is this?¡± Xu Ming muttered, feeling he¡¯d truly broadened his horizons. The talismans swarmed him in an instant. BOOM!!! Another deafening explosion erupted, sending ripples of spiritual energy spreading outward like waves across a lake. When the smoke cleared, Xu Ming emerged from the haze, holding his Nine Heavens Thunder Sword. His body radiated sharp sword energy, his shirt completely torn apart, revealing his muscular chest and abs. The sight caused several female disciples in the audience to blush. Some turned their heads shyly, but their eyes couldn¡¯t resist stealing glances now and then. ¡°Senior Brother Chen, are you a swordsman or a spellcaster?¡± Xu Ming asked. The sword energy was unmistakably real and skillful, yet every strike carried traces of spellwork. Chen Yun laughed and countered with a question of his own. ¡°And what about you, Brother Xu Ming? Are you a swordsman or a martial artist?¡± Xu Ming smirked and didn¡¯t press further. He took a single step forward, holding nothing back. Xu Ming¡¯s blood energy surged wildly, transforming him into a beast-like force. Chen Yun¡¯s heart skipped a beat. He was surprised¡ªsurprised that he actually felt fear. Clang! Xu Ming appeared in front of Chen Yun, his sword striking upward. Chen Yun didn¡¯t dare block directly and dodged instead. The upward sword strike sliced through the clouds, leaving a gaping hole in the sky. Chen Yun quickly formed hand seals, unleashing a thunderous palm strike. Xu Ming met it with his fist. Palm and fist collided, sending waves of spiritual energy and martial aura rippling outward once again. Xu Ming followed up with a kick to Chen Yun¡¯s face. Chen Yun raised his arms to block, but the impact was so powerful that a crack echoed through the air as he was sent hurtling downward like a cannonball. Chen Yun crashed into the ground, raising a cloud of dust several meters high. The dust suddenly parted as a streak of sword light shot toward Xu Ming. Xu Ming casually flicked his long sword, shattering the incoming attack. Realizing that continuing the fight would only deplete his strength further, Xu Ming decided to stop. The activation of his Dao Pattern Eyes and the wild surge of blood energy consumed considerable stamina. Xu Ming had no intention of exhausting himself on someone else¡¯s turf. He raised his longsword high, and sword energy surged like an endless ocean, roaring and crashing. The waves of sword energy expanded and then compressed, again and again. Finally, the sword energy materialized into a tangible wave, defying gravity, surging like a real sea. Xu Ming¡¯s sword energy and sword intent climbed higher and higher, reaching unprecedented peaks. The disciples of Tianxuan Sect hurriedly retreated, afraid of being caught in the crossfire. They could sense it¡ªXu Ming was about to unleash his strongest attack to settle this duel once and for all. At the same time, Chen Yun also ceased holding back. Behind him, an enormous Heaven and Earth Dharma Body materialized. The Dharma Body opened its eyes, wielding a giant sword, and behind it spun a yin-yang Eight Trigrams diagram. Feeling the shift in Chen Yun¡¯s spiritual energy, the disciples of Tianxuan Sect were collectively stunned. ¡°Senior Brother Chen has raised his suppressed cultivation to Dragon Gate Realm!¡± Earlier, Chen Yun had kept his cultivation suppressed at the Sea Observation Realm for this match. But now, he voluntarily increased his level! A duel between Sea Observation Realms was one thing, but now it was Dragon Gate Realm against Xu Ming¡¯s Sea Observation Realm¡ªand with him also being a Heroic Soul Realm martial artist on top of that¡ªthis was an undeniable admission of Xu Ming¡¯s terrifying potential. The disciples had already come to view Xu Ming as a once-in-a-generation prodigy, someone so powerful it was intimidating. But now they realized something even more terrifying: when Xu Ming fought them earlier, he hadn¡¯t even been going all out. Xu Ming¡¯s sword fell. A tidal wave of sword energy surged toward Chen Yun. Chen Yun countered with his massive sword, slashing upward to shatter the wave and split Xu Ming in two. CRASH! The two unleashed their strongest techniques, colliding in a storm of energy that roared through the battlefield. Gale-force winds howled, and the protective array of Tianxuan Sect groaned under the strain. Meanwhile, ten miles away from Tianxuan Sect, six figures appeared. One was an elderly man, clearly a senior, while the other five were young disciples. They wore uniform sword robes with longswords at their waists. On the other side of their belts hung wooden tokens, each engraved with two characters: Wanjian Sect. As they walked, the six abruptly stopped in unison. Almost simultaneously, they looked up toward the direction of Tianxuan Sect. ¡°What razor-sharp sword energy,¡± the elder murmured, stroking his chin thoughtfully. ¡°It¡¯s quite impressive, though it lacks refinement.¡± Turning his head, the elder addressed one of the disciples beside him. ¡°Junior Sister, what do you think?¡± The young woman he addressed responded indifferently, ¡°Ordinary.¡± Chapter 205 ¡°Ordinary.¡± The young girl spoke slowly, her tone cold, as icy as the sword she wore at her waist. Her eyes were cold, as if everything in the world was inconsequential to her. With a single thought, she could sever all ties with the world using the sword in her hand. Or perhaps, it wasn¡¯t just her thoughts¡ªmost sword cultivators shared the belief that all things in existence could be reduced to the edge of a blade. It was precisely this mentality that allowed sword cultivators like her to keep moving forward. Despite the unapproachable aura she exuded, the girl was stunningly beautiful. Her jet-black hair cascaded like a waterfall down her shoulders, reaching her waist in a sleek and smooth flow. Her delicate and refined nose sat perfectly on her face, while the cherry-like lips below were fresh and enticing. Her skin was flawless, almost too delicate to belong to a swordsman, yet the heroic spirit in her brows made her resemble a wild steed¡ªuntamable by anyone. ¡°If Junior Sister says it¡¯s ordinary, then it must be ordinary.¡± Hearing her comment, the elder merely chuckled and said no more. The other four disciples didn¡¯t dare to say anything either. While the sword aura here was rough, it was undeniably vast and overwhelmingly sharp¡ªfar beyond their own capabilities. Of course, they understood that this was only true for them. For the girl before them, whatever she said was the truth. Among the younger generation, no one in the entire world could surpass her. Her name was Xu Xue Nuo. Born with the Innate Sword Bone, she refined it at the age of six, acquiring her life-bound flying sword and stepping into the Dao of cultivation, reaching the Cave Mansion Realm almost immediately. Now, she was the sole disciple of the Sect Master of the Wanjian (Ten Thousand Swords) Sect. All disciples addressed her as ¡°Martial Aunt,¡± and even many elders had to call her ¡°Junior Sister.¡± It was widely accepted that she would be the next Sect Master of the Ten Thousand Swords Sect, a fact few disputed. [T/N: I had only seen Martial Uncle (like in every manhua) , so thought there is no ¡®Martial Aunt¡¯ (Shishu). But from now on I¡¯ll use it instead of ¡®Uncle¡¯ (Shishu) for females since Uncle sounds weird for females.] Two male disciples couldn¡¯t help but glance at their young ¡°Martial Aunt.¡± They couldn¡¯t resist looking at her because she was just too beautiful. However, each glance sent a chill down their spines, forcing them to avert their eyes quickly, as if her sword aura would pierce them if they stared too long. Come to think of it, they had never seen this Martial Aunt smile. In fact, they even wondered if she was capable of smiling. ¡°I wonder which guest from the Tianxuan Sect has arrived,¡± the elder said, stroking his beard as he looked into the distance. ¡°Let us proceed. We must not delay the appointed time.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± The group bowed with the Sword Salute and followed the elder forward. Xu Xue Nuo gazed at the distant, rolling mountain range. In her mind, the figure of a young girl emerged unbidden. It had been nearly eleven years since they last met. How was she now? Was she doing well? Following that, another figure appeared in her memory¡ªa young boy. Thinking of him, Xu Xue Nuo clenched her fists tightly. ¡®You cannot use the Blood Sword Technique. That proves your bloodlines are entirely different. You are not truly siblings.¡¯ Her master¡¯s words from that day echoed in her ears. In the Tianxuan Sect, the spiritual energy dissipated, and the sky returned to calm. Xu Ming and Chen Yun stood face-to-face. Xu Ming¡¯s sword pointed at Chen Yun¡¯s shoulder. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But Chen Yun¡¯s giant sword rested against Xu Ming¡¯s neck. Judging by their positions, it was clear Chen Yun had won. Yet none of the disciples cheered. Looking at the man before him, Chen Yun felt both excitement and regret. He was excited because this younger brother was undoubtedly the strongest peer opponent he had ever faced. In that final exchange of blows, Chen Yun couldn¡¯t help but break through his realm. He knew that the moment he unleashed that sword by surpassing his boundary, he had already lost. But Chen Yun didn¡¯t mind. A loss was a loss¡ªwhat he sought was a battle that left him exhilarated. What a pity. ¡°Where did you get those injuries?¡± Chen Yun asked Xu Ming, dissatisfaction evident in his tone. ¡°I was ambushed by the Hehuan Sect earlier and got hurt,¡± Xu Ming replied calmly. ¡°When you¡¯re healed, let¡¯s fight again. Today¡¯s match didn¡¯t satisfy me.¡± Chen Yun slung his giant sword over his shoulder, stepping into the air and departing. ¡°This duel is your victory.¡± Xu Ming sheathed his sword and looked at his right hand. His palm had been torn by the force of Chen Yun¡¯s earlier strike, and blood dripped steadily from the wound. Recalling that strike, Xu Ming shook his head. Chen Yun claimed defeat because he had used the strength of the Dragon Gate Realm for that final sword. But in Xu Ming¡¯s eyes, he was the one who had truly lost. Had Chen Yun not pulled back at the last moment, Xu Ming would already be dead beneath his blade. In a real fight, there would be no chance to say, ¡°Your realm is higher than mine, so it¡¯s unfair.¡± Such excuses were meaningless. That said, apart from childhood playfights with Xiao Bai¡ªwhere he¡¯d been pinned to the ground¡ªthis was the first time Xu Ming had truly lost to someone of his generation. Even though Chen Yun was more than ten years older, such an age gap meant little in the world of cultivation. Just as Xu Ming was about to turn away, streaks of azure light began converging in the sky above the Tianxuan Sect. The light condensed into a list¡ªa shimmering azure ranking board. ¡ª In the Northern Sea Palace A woman clad in a light blue imperial gown sat upon a crystal throne. The Dragon Empress rested her head on her pale hand, her eyes closed as she slept. A palace maid hurried into the hall, but upon seeing the Dragon Empress reclining on the embroidered couch, the maid froze, momentarily spellbound. The Dragon Empress lay sideways, her dark hair flowing like clouds, her serene slumber unable to conceal the sorrow etched between her brows. The maid¡¯s gaze traced her butterfly-like eyelashes, her lips as red as blooming begonias, and finally landed on the smooth, ivory shoulder peeking out from her slightly disheveled silks. The maid¡¯s breath hitched. The Empress¡¯s skin, as pure and radiant as milk, outshone even the gleaming pearls adorning her pillow. Even as a woman herself, the maid could not help but be mesmerized by her Empress¡¯s beauty each time she saw her. She couldn¡¯t fathom how such a stunning existence could grace the world. What enraged her most was that the ¡®nun¡¯ from the Western Regions ranked first on the Beauty List. What qualifications did that nun have to claim the top spot? The Empress was unparalleled and could not be surpassed! Not daring to disturb her Empress¡¯s rest, the maid stood quietly in the hall, waiting for her to awaken. But the maid didn¡¯t feel bored. If possible, she would be content to gaze at the Empress forever¡ªher beauty was something one could never tire of. Sadly, in the next moment, the Dragon Empress¡¯s lashes fluttered as she slowly opened her eyes. ¡°Your Majesty,¡± the maid quickly knelt. The Empress, her gaze still drowsy and languid, looked at her attendant. Without raising her voice, her words resonated throughout the grand hall. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Your Majesty, a report has arrived from the sisters Ruo Lan and Ruo Ye,¡± the maid answered respectfully. ¡°Speak,¡± the Empress said softly. ¡°Ruo Lan and Ruo Ye are on their way back to the Northern Sea, but they did not bring Xu Ming with them. They reported that Xu Ming is exceedingly powerful but gravely injured. Forcing him to return could pose a threat to his life if not handled carefully. However, Xu Ming said that if Your Majesty were to invite the Kingdom of Wu to send an envoy to the Northern Sea, and if he were chosen as the envoy, he would most certainly come with utmost respect,¡± the maid relayed. The maid conveyed Ruo Lan and Ruo Ye¡¯s words clearly. The Dragon Empress yawned softly, her expression neither particularly angry nor overly eager. She did indeed wish to find him, but whether Xu Ming was truly the one they were searching for remained uncertain. It had been tens of thousands of years, and many times, the array¡¯s guidance had led to someone who ultimately wasn¡¯t the one. Xu Ming was merely another possibility. ¡°Then draft a letter to the Kingdom of Wu,¡± the Dragon Empress said slowly. ¡°It just so happens that the Four Seas Ceremony in the Northern Sea is approaching, and the Kingdom of Wu is eligible to send a congratulatory envoy.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± the maid replied. ¡°If there is nothing else, you may leave,¡± the Dragon Empress said, propping her head once more and closing her eyes. ¡°Your servant takes her leave,¡± the maid said, bowing deeply before retreating, never turning her back on the Empress until she exited the hall. Moments after the maid left, the Dragon Empress opened her eyes once again. She stood and gazed thoughtfully at the palace ceiling, sensing something. A streak of light flashed past, and the palace, now empty, fell silent. Meanwhile, over the boundless sea of the Northern Sea, countless sea creatures¡ªmerfolk, giant whales, sea dragons¡ªemerged from the waters, lifting their heads to gaze at the sky. On the islands scattered across the sea, inhabitants also looked upward. All of a sudden, the Northern Sea came alive with noise and excitement as ordinary people, cultivators, and spiritual beings pointed at the sky, animatedly discussing what they saw. Suddenly, at the center of the Northern Sea, an enormous wave rose and spread outward, forming walls of water over a hundred meters high. Before the countless beings of the Northern Sea could grasp what was happening, an overwhelming dragon¡¯s aura engulfed the entire region. Whether they were sea creatures on the surface or residents of the islands near the sea¡¯s center, all lowered their heads in reverence. The waves calmed. At the very center of the Northern Sea, the Dragon Empress stood barefoot on the water¡¯s surface. She raised her head, her gaze fixed on the azure ranking board in the sky. ¡ª [Wu Kingdom¡¯s Xu Ming: Martial Artist at the Heroic Spirit Realm, Qi Cultivator at the Sea Observation Realm. Within three months, defeated Mo Zhuer, Saintess of the Black Lotus Sect; slew Ji Wuming, Holy Son of the Black Lotus Sect; killed Cui Renwang, Sect Master of the Hehuan Sect; and triumphed over Chen Yun, First Disciple of the Tianxuan Sect. Ranked second on the Qingyun List.] ¡ª ¡°Your Majesty! Your Majesty!¡± In the Wu Kingdom¡¯s imperial capital, Eunuch Wei hurried into the hall, kneeling before the Emperor of Wu. ¡°What is it?¡± the Emperor asked without lifting his head from the memorial he was reading. ¡°Your Majesty! The Qingyun List has been updated!¡± Eunuch Wei exclaimed excitedly. The Emperor put down the memorial. ¡°Updated? That¡¯s no reason to be so agitated. I assume it¡¯s someone from the Wu Kingdom?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty! The individual is¡­ Xu Ming of the Xu Family!¡± ¡°Xu Ming? Wasn¡¯t he ranked twentieth on the Qingyun List already?¡± the Emperor asked calmly. Three months ago, Xu Ming had been ranked twentieth. In such a short time, how much could his rank have improved? ¡°Your Majesty¡­ Xu Ming¡¯s ranking is¡­¡± Eunuch Wei stammered, too excited to form a coherent sentence. The Emperor ignored him and strode out of the study. When he saw the azure ranking board in the sky, he paused briefly, then burst into hearty laughter. ¡°Xu Ming¡­ second on the Qingyun List?! Hahaha! My Wu Kingdom has produced a second-ranked Qingyun List warrior! Hahaha!¡± In the history of the Wu Kingdom, the highest Qingyun List ranking ever achieved was fourth. Never had anyone reached second place! What made it even more remarkable was that this year¡¯s first-ranked individual on the Qingyun List was a once-in-a-millennium genius. Even the City Lord of Tianji City had once remarked, ¡°As long as he is here, unless he ages out of the Qingyun List at thirty, even the greatest first-ranked geniuses throughout history will only stand in second place.¡± In other words, Xu Ming was effectively already the top of the Qingyun List¡ªit¡¯s just that the current first place was absurdly powerful. ¡°Wei Xun!¡± the Emperor of Wu called out loudly. ¡°Your servant is here!¡± ¡°Xu Ming has ranked second on the Qingyun List, bringing glory to the Kingdom of Wu! Bestow upon the Xu Family¡¯s estate ten thousand taels of gold, a thousand bolts of fine silk, a Thunder Cloud Horse, and confer the title of Lady Raising Martial Glory, a second-rank title, upon Xu Ming¡¯s mother!¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± ¡ª On a vast plain in Changping Prefecture, a young woman in armor drove her spear through the heart of a rebel general. With a swift motion, she lifted the rebel leader high like a battle standard and shouted, ¡°Charge!¡± The girl¡¯s crisp, commanding voice echoed across the battlefield. ¡°Charge!¡± ¡°Charge!¡± ¡°Charge!¡± Behind her, the soldiers of Wu Kingdom surged forward, cutting down rebels one after another. Changping Prefecture had been the fiefdom of Prince Xi. However, according to reports from the Tingfeng Pavilion, Prince Xi had been secretly plotting rebellion. When the Emperor of Wu learned of this, he summoned Prince Xi to the capital under the pretense of a spring hunt. Knowing his schemes had been exposed, Prince Xi refused the summons and raised his army in revolt. The Emperor appointed Princess Wu Yanh¨¢n as the Cloud Banner General, with the rank of third-grade, to lead 300,000 troops to quell the rebellion. After seven months of grueling warfare, Prince Xi, finding himself cornered, was forced to make a last stand on the Changhan Plain. After killing the rebel army¡¯s supreme commander, the morale of Prince Xi¡¯s forces collapsed, and they began to retreat in disarray. Wu Yanh¨¢n, dropping the corpse impaled on her spear, charged into the city at the head of her troops and led her personal guards straight into Prince Xi¡¯s palace. When Wu Yanh¨¢n emerged from the palace, kicking the severed head of Prince Xi before her, streams of azure spiritual energy began flowing above her from the heavens. She looked up to see the swirling mist above her transform into a glowing blue ranking board, where a single name stood out prominently: ¡°Xu Ming, Second on the Qingyun List.¡± ¡°This guy¡­ he¡¯s got some skill,¡± Wu Yanh¨¢n murmured, lowering her gaze and continuing forward. ¡°Your Highness!¡± As she exited the palace, a soldier ran toward her, dropping to one knee before the young general. ¡°What is it?¡± Wu Yanh¨¢n asked coldly. ¡°An urgent decree from His Majesty! After capturing Prince Xi¡¯s palace, Your Highness need not return to the capital. Instead, His Majesty commands you to serve as an envoy to the Tianxuan Sect and attend the Zixia Grand Ceremony.¡± Chapter 206 Across the world, unless they were cultivators training in secret realms or small worlds, everyone could see the azure list floating high in the sky. At the Tianxuan Sect, most of the disciples stared at the list hovering above, reading the words displayed on it. Then, they all turned their incredulous gazes toward Xu Ming. Yue Lou was no exception. Yue Lou had brought Xu Ming to Tianxuan Sect to protect Martial Aunt Qin¡¯s reputation from being overshadowed. But she never expected that this Young Master Xu would not only prove his strength but even defeat Senior Brother Chen and rise to the second position on the Qingyun List! This was simply outrageous. She recalled hearing that Martial Aunt Qin had a childhood friend named Xu Xuenuo, who was the only disciple of the Wanjian Sect¡¯s Sect Master. Rumor had it that she was destined to lead the future of the sword path. Good heavens. What could she say? Birds of a feather flock together? Geniuses are always surrounded by other geniuses? ¡°This second place feels a bit undeserved,¡± Xu Ming commented, glancing at his ranking. He shook his head lightly, clearly unimpressed. In truth, he thought to himself, I should have lost that match earlier. It was only because Chen Yun, out of pride, couldn¡¯t accept the fact that he barely managed to beat Xu Ming despite being one realm higher. So, he conceded instead. Hearing Xu Ming¡¯s words, the disciples of Tianxuan Sect all had complex expressions. It was true. If Senior Brother Chen had fought with his full power, Xu Ming might have lost. But then again, Senior Brother Chen barely managed to edge out a victory despite being a whole realm higher¡ªand Xu Ming had even fought while injured. How could there be any doubt about the legitimacy of his second place? Of course, no one thought Xu Ming was being arrogant or ungrateful. It was clear to them that he simply didn¡¯t care about the ranking. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. That said, some couldn¡¯t help but wonder: In a few years, could Xu Ming actually challenge the person in first place on the Qingyun List? But this thought was fleeting. Impossible. Absolutely impossible. The cultivator ranked first on the Qingyun List was invincible¡ªpractically heaven¡¯s chosen. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Xu Ming turned to Yue Lou and spoke calmly. At this point, no one dared to cause him trouble anymore. ¡°Ah? Oh!¡± Yue Lou snapped out of her thoughts, hurriedly summoning a flying vessel. She boarded it with Shen Shengsheng, and then they picked up Xu Ming, heading toward Liefu Peak. Once they reached Liefu Peak, Yue Lou led Xu Ming to visit Xia Donghua. ¡°Young Master Xu, you¡¯re not planning to do something to Senior Brother Xia, are you?¡± Yue Lou asked worriedly. Xu Ming turned his head toward her. ¡°Why would Miss Yue think that?¡± Yue Lou, feeling uneasy, explained, ¡°Because you and Senior Brother Xia had a conflict in the Baiwa Secret Realm. Young Master Xu, please listen to me: no matter what, Senior Brother Xia is still the Sect Master¡¯s son. He hasn¡¯t completely turned against us, so we should at least show him some respect on the surface.¡± Xu Ming nodded with a faint smile. ¡°Thank you for the reminder, Miss Yue. Don¡¯t worry; I know my limits. I won¡¯t act recklessly.¡± ¡°As long as you understand.¡± Yue Lou sighed in relief. Before long, Yue Lou and Xu Ming arrived at Xia Donghua¡¯s residence. By then, a crowd of disciples had already gathered, curious to see the spectacle of Xu Ming confronting Senior Brother Xia. ¡°Ah, Brother Xu! Long time no see! Why didn¡¯t you let me know you were coming? I would¡¯ve come to greet you!¡± Xia Donghua had already been informed of Xu Ming¡¯s visit. Now, seeing Xu Ming, he greeted him warmly, like an old friend he hadn¡¯t seen in years. This shocked Yue Lou and the onlookers. Senior Brother Xia and Young Master Xu are on such good terms? While Yue Lou was still confused, Xu Ming stepped directly into the courtyard. Without saying a word, he lifted his leg and kicked Xia Donghua. With a loud bang, Xia Donghua flew back ten meters, skidding along the ground and leaving a long trail. Yue Lou and the onlookers: ¡°???¡± Xia Donghua scrambled to his feet. Although his heart burned with hatred and a desire to tear Xu Ming apart, he maintained a fa?ade of shock, confusion, and grievance. ¡°Brother Xu, why did you kick me for no reason?¡± ¡°You¡¯re asking me why?¡± Xu Ming walked up and kicked Xia Donghua again. ¡°You and I met in the Baiwa Secret Realm. It was brief, but we could at least be called friends, right? I¡¯ve been the target of so much slander, and you didn¡¯t step up to explain on my behalf? I¡¯ve been harassed by the disciples of Tianxuan Sect, and you just sat here doing nothing?¡± As he spoke, Xu Ming landed another kick. ¡°Ow, ow! Brother Xu, it¡¯s a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding!¡± Xia Donghua quickly cried out. ¡°I¡¯ve been meditating with my eyes closed and wasn¡¯t aware of the situation outside. Besides, I just learned about the rumors regarding you recently! Ever since returning from the Baiwa Secret Realm, I¡¯ve been in seclusion!¡± ¡°Oh? Then how are you planning to repay the fifty high-grade spirit stones you owe me? And what about the time in the Baiwa Secret Realm, when you got blocked at the brothel by the ladies there? It was me who pulled you out of that mess! You promised to give me five first-grade spirit fruits afterward. So, where are they?¡± Xu Ming pressed on. Xia Donghua wanted to scream: When did I ever owe you fifty high-grade spirit stones? And when did I ever go to a brothel in the Baiwa Secret Realm? That place was full of snakes and lizards¡ªnone of them had even taken human form yet! Who in their right mind would go there? But now was not the time to argue. Xia Donghua forced himself to nod and said hurriedly, ¡°I¡¯ve been in seclusion, haven¡¯t I? But I¡¯ve already prepared everything. I was planning to deliver them to you in Wuguo (Wu Kingdom)¡¯s capital, but I didn¡¯t expect you to come here first.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Xu Ming asked. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s true.¡± Xia Donghua nodded furiously. ¡°Have I ever lied to you, Brother Xu?¡± Xu Ming stared into Xia Donghua¡¯s eyes for a moment, then suddenly laughed heartily. He stepped forward, helped Xia Donghua up, and even brushed the footprints off his robes. ¡°My apologies, my apologies! I thought I treated you as a friend, but you stabbed me in the back. Turns out it was all a misunderstanding. I was a bit rude just now. Please forgive me, Brother Xia.¡± Xia Donghua gritted his teeth in rage but kept his face calm and amicable. ¡°Brother Xu, you really need to work on that temper of yours.¡± ¡°True, very true,¡± Xu Ming nodded earnestly. ¡°I¡¯ve been through several matches recently, so I¡¯m a bit tired. There¡¯s plenty of time ahead. I¡¯ll head over to the guest peak to rest first. Brother Xia, you¡¯re welcome to come find me for drinks anytime.¡± ¡°Of course, of course.¡± Xia Donghua bowed politely. ¡°Please rest well, Brother Xu.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯m off. And make sure you send those things to my place soon. I¡¯m broke these days.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Brother Xu.¡± ¡°Farewell.¡± ¡°Take care.¡± Xu Ming turned and left. Once Xu Ming was gone, the other disciples, still confused about the whole exchange, gradually dispersed since there was nothing else to watch. ¡°Xu Ming!¡± When everyone had finally left, Xia Donghua slammed his fist onto the stone table. The table shattered instantly into powder. Chapter 207 ¡°Young Master Xu, here is the key to your courtyard. During the Zixia Grand Ceremony, we apologize for the humble accommodations,¡± said an outer sect disciple responsible for hosting guests as she handed Xu Ming a jade token. ¡°You¡¯re too kind. This residence is already quite impressive,¡± Xu Ming replied, taking the jade token. He wasn¡¯t just being polite; the disciple was truly being modest. The environment on the guest peak of the Tianxuan Sect was exceptional. With the support of a Spirit Gathering Array, the spiritual energy here was abundant. The courtyard was spotless, elegantly designed, and surrounded by bamboo forests and a waterfall nearby. Such an environment would be enough to make rogue cultivators outside fight to the death over it. But of course, this was the Tianxuan Sect. A guest area like this represented the sect¡¯s face. Poor hospitality could leave a bad impression on visitors. ¡°Isn¡¯t it a joy to have friends visit from afar?¡± Such diplomacy was essential in the world of cultivation. It wasn¡¯t all about fighting and killing; relationships and etiquette mattered too. ¡°Please rest well. If you need anything, you can call for me using this jade token,¡± the female disciple said with a polite smile. ¡°Thank you for your trouble,¡± Xu Ming replied, bowing slightly. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After the disciple left, Xu Ming activated the jade token with his spiritual energy. The token glowed and merged with the courtyard, resonating with its protective array, which then opened. Xu Ming entered with Shen Shengsheng and Yue Lou. Inside the courtyard, a pot of tea had already been brewed. Xu Ming poured a cup for Yue Lou, smiling. ¡°Miss Yue, you seem to have a lot of questions for me.¡± Yue Lou nodded. ¡°A lot! Way too many!¡± ¡°Feel free to ask,¡± Xu Ming said, pouring tea for himself and Shen Shengsheng. He took a sip, savoring the tea¡¯s sweetness and the way it replenished his spiritual energy. The tea was so good that he even considered taking a few pounds of it with him. Shen Shengsheng, on the other hand, stuck her tongue into her cup for a tiny lick, only to wrinkle her nose and stick her tongue out in distaste before hurriedly putting the cup down. Clearly, children weren¡¯t fond of tea. ¡°Are you really that close to Senior Brother Xia?¡± Yue Lou asked, recalling the scene earlier when Xu Ming and Xia Donghua had addressed each other as brothers. It had left her completely baffled. ¡°Not at all,¡± Xu Ming answered immediately. ¡°Not only are we not close, but we also have some bad blood between us.¡± Yue Lou was even more confused. ¡°Then what about the things you said to Senior Brother Xia at his courtyard just now?¡± Xu Ming chuckled. ¡°All lies.¡± ¡°All¡­ lies?¡± Yue Lou was stunned. Xu Ming nodded and explained slowly, ¡°As I mentioned earlier, there¡¯s some enmity between Xia Donghua and me¡ªor rather, quite a lot of enmity. Back in the Baiwa Secret Realm, Xia Donghua formed an alliance with disciples from other sects to seize a treasure. Somehow, the treasure flew toward me on its own. ¡°I¡¯m no fool; of course I wouldn¡¯t hand it over. Naturally, a big fight broke out. Xia Donghua and his group were beaten badly by me, and as the leader of the alliance, he ended up being the most humiliated. ¡°On top of that, he seems to have a thing for Qing Wan, but she sided with me during the incident. That made him even more hostile toward me. ¡°As for the fifty high-grade spirit stones and five first-grade spirit fruits I said he owed me¡ªcompletely fabricated.¡± ¡°Then why did you say it?¡± Yue Lou asked, still puzzled. Xu Ming smirked. ¡°To collect compensation, of course.¡± He set down his teacup. ¡°Those disciples from Liefu Peak earlier¡ªMiss Yue mentioned that they didn¡¯t get along with Xia Donghua. But from my perspective, they¡¯re nothing more than Xia Donghua¡¯s dirty gloves. ¡°Precisely because they don¡¯t appear to get along, whatever they do won¡¯t be traced back to Xia Donghua.¡± ¡°So, they must have acted on Xia Donghua¡¯s orders and deliberately came to mess with me. Being antagonized by those people naturally calls for compensation. I can¡¯t let myself be annoyed for nothing, can I? I¡¯ve defeated so many of your Tianxuan Sect disciples and risen to second place on the Qingyun Ranking. With all the attention on me, Xia Donghua undoubtedly knows better than to provoke me directly. At this moment, Xia Donghua would never want to risk stirring up trouble. Instead, he¡¯d want to put on an act of ¡®this has nothing to do with me.¡¯ That¡¯s why he greeted me so warmly. Xia Donghua doesn¡¯t want to burn bridges with me, so he¡¯s forced to play along. If he¡¯s acting, then I¡¯ll act too. As long as I don¡¯t push things too far, whatever I say goes. Xia Donghua will have no choice but to go along with it.¡± Yue Lou thought carefully before speaking, ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you just outright accuse Xia Donghua? Wouldn¡¯t that have been better? You could¡¯ve exposed him as a petty person and crushed his arrogance.¡± Xu Ming looked at Yue Lou as if she were an idiot. ¡°Young Master Xu Ming, I really don¡¯t like that look in your eyes,¡± Yue Lou grumbled, tempted to punch him. ¡°My apologies, my apologies,¡± Xu Ming said with a laugh. ¡°I just spaced out for a moment, no offense intended.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Yue Lou nodded, then added, ¡°But didn¡¯t I keep telling you earlier not to act impulsively?¡± ¡°Yes, you did.¡± ¡°And yet you went ahead and kicked Senior Brother Xia the moment you saw him. Isn¡¯t that impulsive?¡± Xu Ming shook his head. ¡°Not at all. As long as I don¡¯t completely fall out with him, it¡¯s not considered impulsive. Besides, I kicked him, sure, but I also said in his courtyard that I thought he was two-faced, which is why I got angry. But Xia Donghua claimed it was all a misunderstanding. Since it¡¯s a misunderstanding, clearing it up is enough. If I were to take your advice and openly accuse him, exposing him as a petty man, it wouldn¡¯t work out well for me. For starters, we¡¯re on Tianxuan Sect¡¯s territory¡ªhow many people would even believe me? He¡¯s the Sect Master¡¯s son. With the Zixia Grand Ceremony approaching, accusing him would effectively trample your Sect Master¡¯s reputation into the dirt. I¡¯d be smashing it to pieces. That¡¯s not a good look for anyone, especially me. Not to mention, your Sect Master is a peak-level cultivator in the Immortal Realm. So, this approach works perfectly.¡± ¡°You think a lot, don¡¯t you, Young Master Xu?¡± Yue Lou remarked, staring at him. ¡°Doesn¡¯t all that thinking wear you out?¡± Xu Ming sighed. ¡°I have no choice. If I don¡¯t think things through, I might not live to regret it.¡± ¡°Then¡­ do you think Xia Donghua will try to harm you again?¡± Yue Lou asked. ¡°Unlikely. On the contrary, Xia Donghua will likely make every effort to maintain a good relationship with me¡ªat least on the surface,¡± Xu Ming replied. ¡°Alright then.¡± Yue Lou stood up and said, ¡°Rest well, Young Master Xu. If my Martial Aunt Qin comes out of seclusion, I¡¯ll inform you right away.¡± ¡°Thank you, Miss Yue. Take care.¡± After Yue Lou left, Xu Ming indeed planned to take some time to recover. As long as he was on someone else¡¯s turf, true safety didn¡¯t exist. He had to stay in peak condition at all times. But just as Xu Ming was about to head back to his room to rest, he stopped in his tracks. Slowly, he turned around. Outside the courtyard, a veiled woman stood, gazing silently at him. Chapter 208 Xu Ming turned around, and a woman with a light veil over her face was gazing at him. The woman was dressed in pure white. As the breeze swept by, her clothes fluttered, outlining her graceful figure. Her elegant silhouette was like a lotus emerging from water, her beauty ethereal and elusive. Her aura was cold and distant, her face as delicate as a hibiscus flower, her brows like willow leaves, her skin white as snow, her teeth like pearls. Her nose was high and straight, and her posture exuded an air of divinity. She wore silver earrings, and her black hair swayed with the wind, each strand as smooth as the willow branches by the lakeside. Even though her face was concealed by the veil, leaving only her clear eyes and fair forehead visible, Xu Ming could tell from just this small glimpse that she was an exceptionally beautiful woman. Although many years had passed since their last encounter, Xu Ming recognized her instantly. She was, after all, the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, both in his past life and in this one before the age of six. The impact of her beauty back then was simply too overwhelming. In his previous life, not even the most dazzling internet personalities or dancers he had ever seen could compare to her. From a certain perspective, she was his childhood goddess. Even now, more than a decade later, the memory of her beauty remained vivid in his mind. ¡°Junior greets Senior Wangxuan,¡± Xu Ming stepped forward, cupping his hands in a respectful salute. Wangxuan nodded, her gaze falling on the young man before her who had grown into adulthood. ¡°When I first met you, I sensed that you were different¡ªfull of potential and unlike ordinary children. However, it was unfortunate that your spiritual veins were severed at the time, leaving you unable to cultivate. To think that in just ten short years, you have reached the Sea Observation Realm.¡± Xu Ming smiled modestly. ¡°It was merely a stroke of luck and a few fortunate opportunities.¡± Wangxuan neither agreed nor disagreed. She didn¡¯t think Xu Ming was being overly humble. His current accomplishments required extraordinary opportunities, without which he wouldn¡¯t have even embarked on the path of cultivation, let alone achieved the Sea Observation realm at such a young age. ¡°Would Senior Wangxuan like to come in for a while?¡± Xu Ming asked. Wangxuan glanced at him and said nothing, walking directly into the courtyard. She gently adjusted her long skirt before sitting down on a stone bench in the yard. The fabric of her dress hugged her full, rounded figure as she sat upright on the bench, her curves accentuated. It was as if she had stepped out of a manhua, entirely different from Qin Qingwan or Mo Zhuer. Wangxuan had the allure of a mature, graceful woman¡ªa charm that carried a unique, devastating appeal. Xu Ming quickly averted his gaze, lest he appear disrespectful. However, no matter how quickly he looked away, Wangxuan had already noticed. But she didn¡¯t mind. She had long since grown accustomed to men looking at her this way. If she had killed every man who gazed at her with such eyes, she would have lost count of the lives she¡¯d taken. ¡°I¡¯ve already heard everything about your experiences in the Baiwa Secret Realm from Qingwan,¡± Wangxuan said, her calm eyes meeting Xu Ming¡¯s. ¡°You¡¯ve done remarkably well. If it had been me at your age, I would have perished under such tribulation long ago.¡± Xu Ming shook his head. ¡°To receive your praise is an honor, Senior. However, the credit doesn¡¯t belong to me¡ªit belongs to Qingwan. Without her, I wouldn¡¯t have survived that lightning tribulation.¡± He poured tea into a clean cup and offered it to Wangxuan. ¡°In fact, there¡¯s something I¡¯ve been meaning to ask you, Senior.¡± Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Speak freely,¡± Wangxuan replied calmly. Xu Ming hesitated before continuing, ¡°In the Baiwa Secret Realm, Qingwan helped me by spitting out a lotus flower and transferring it into my mouth. I know that lotus flower is incredibly important to her. Yet, no matter how much I¡¯ve asked, Qingwan always brushes it off with a smile, saying it¡¯s nothing significant. ¡°I always feel that Qingwan is hiding something from me. Regarding that lotus flower, I wonder if Senior can shed some light on it?¡± Wangxuan closed her eyes as if deep in thought. After three breaths, she slowly opened her mouth and said, ¡°The lotus Qingwan gave you has a simple name¡ª¡¯Dao Lotus.¡¯ This Dao Lotus is a unique spiritual treasure of our Tianxuan Sect. The Dao Lotus absorbs the essence of the sun and moon and is nourished by the energy of the Dao itself. It takes a thousand years to sprout, a thousand years to bloom, and a thousand years to mature. Ten years ago, the reason I returned with Qingwan in such haste was that the Dao Lotus was about to mature. New disciples of the sect were allowed to participate in trials to compete for it. In the end, Qingwan was the one who claimed it. I planted the Dao Lotus in Qingwan¡¯s body. While cultivating, Qingwan also nurtured the Dao Lotus. Her innate sacred physique is a perfect match for it. With the Dao Lotus, Qingwan could enhance her connection to the Dao, efficiently absorb external spiritual energy, and make future breakthroughs smoother. The quality of her cultivation would also far surpass that of others. Furthermore, when Qingwan reached the Jade Purity Realm, the Dao Lotus would evolve into her life-bound magical treasure. As her strength grew and her understanding of the Dao deepened, this life-bound treasure would continue to evolve. When Qingwan eventually reached the Immortal Realm, this treasure could even ascend to the level of an immortal weapon. You¡¯re a cultivator yourself, so you must understand the unparalleled value of an immortal weapon nurtured by one¡¯s own essence compared to other immortal weapons. However, by giving you the Dao Lotus, Qingwan has damaged her own path to the Dao. Her current closed-door cultivation is precisely to stabilize her realm. If she fails to do so, it may be impossible for her to advance to the Fifth Realm in this lifetime.¡± Xu Ming was silent. Wangxuan looked at him and continued, ¡°I¡¯m telling you this not to blame you. This was Qingwan¡¯s decision, and you bear no responsibility. I have no right to reproach you for it. On the contrary, I¡¯m here to thank you. When you left the Baiwa Secret Realm, you transmitted Qingwan to safety. Otherwise, in her weakened state, had she encountered the Black God Sect again, she likely wouldn¡¯t have survived.¡± ¡°Senior, you overestimate me. It was merely what I should have done,¡± Xu Ming replied, shaking his head. Wangxuan studied him carefully. ¡°So, my visit today is not to hold you accountable. I was simply curious about the person Qingwan holds so dearly in her heart. Now that I¡¯ve seen her childhood companion, it seems he is indeed not too bad.¡± Xu Ming thought for a moment and asked, ¡°Senior, is there any way to remedy this situation?¡± Wangxuan¡¯s gaze grew serious as she replied, ¡°There is a way to fix it, but with your current abilities, you¡¯re still far from capable of achieving it.¡± Chapter 209 ¡°Could you please tell me, Senior?¡± Xu Ming asked earnestly. Whether or not he could achieve it was another matter, but he needed to know the method. After all, he had his cheat-like system, which occasionally provided strange rewards. Who knew? Maybe one of those rewards could help Qingwan. ¡°I don¡¯t mind telling you,¡± Wangxuan replied. This wasn¡¯t exactly a secret, and telling this young man might even help him let go of his unrealistic hopes. ¡°Now that Qingwan has lost the Dao Lotus, it¡¯s as if part of her spiritual veins is missing. However, the years she spent nurturing the Dao Lotus haven¡¯t gone to waste. The void left by the Dao Lotus in her body could potentially be filled with certain rare treasures, though obtaining them would be extremely challenging. The first is the primary treasure. In the Rootless Secret Realm, there¡¯s a tree known as the Blood Bodhi Tree, so named because it resembles a bodhi tree but is entirely crimson. The fruits it bears are called Blood Bodhi Fruits. I assume you¡¯ve heard of them?¡± Xu Ming nodded. ¡°I have. It¡¯s said that Blood Bodhi Fruits are unique to the Rootless Secret Realm. They¡¯re known to unblock spiritual veins, replenish vitality, and even heal injuries to some extent. But I didn¡¯t think they¡¯d be that hard to obtain, right?¡± Wangxuan continued, ¡°You¡¯re correct. Each time the Rootless Secret Realm opens, the Blood Bodhi Tree¡¯s fruits ripen. The tree produces eight fruits each time. For someone like you, securing one of the eight fruits shouldn¡¯t be too difficult, especially if you and Qingwan work together. But this time is different. The Rootless Secret Realm is on the verge of collapsing, and this will be its final opening. The cycle of cause and effect, the workings of the Dao¡ªit is said that as a secret realm collapses, the treasures within it become more abundant and precious. Based on my calculations, this time, there will be nine Blood Bodhi Fruits. One of these nine fruits will be larger than the others and inscribed with Dao runes. This particular fruit, which I call the Master Fruit, contains more essence than the other eight combined. It¡¯s the culmination of the Blood Bodhi Tree¡¯s essence. Your first task is to secure this Master Fruit. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But know that this time, even the top-ranked cultivator on the Qingyun Rankings will participate. As far as I know, he¡¯s been deliberately suppressing his realm for years just to obtain this Master Fruit. You¡¯re strong, that¡¯s true. But defeating that man and taking the Master Fruit from him is nearly impossible. And even if you do manage to obtain the Master Fruit, it won¡¯t be enough. The second item needed is a pearl called the Linglong Pearl, found in the North Sea and guarded by the Abyssal Maw. The Linglong Pearl is relatively easier to handle. After the Zixia Grand Ceremony concludes, I¡¯ll personally visit the North Sea to see if I can retrieve it. But the hardest part will be obtaining a drop of blood essence from the North Sea Dragon Empress.¡± Xu Ming was speechless. If the Master Fruit seemed barely within reach, obtaining the Dragon Empress¡¯s blood essence was an entirely different story. Though losing a drop of blood essence wouldn¡¯t be a significant issue for the Dragon Empress¡ªshe could recover in about ten years¡ªthe problem was, why would she willingly give something so precious to him? Blood essence, after all, had many uses, including curses. ¡°I¡¯ll try,¡± Xu Ming finally said after a long moment of thought, raising his head with determination. He could only promise to try. ¡°You don¡¯t need to concern yourself with the latter two items,¡± Wangxuan said calmly. ¡°You won¡¯t be able to get them. Even obtaining the Master Fruit from the Blood Bodhi Tree is likely beyond your reach.¡± In Wangxuan¡¯s eyes, she wasn¡¯t trying to discourage Xu Ming¡ªshe was merely stating the facts. ¡°That Qingyun Ranking¡¯s number one¡ªhe¡¯s really that strong?¡± Xu Ming asked. ¡°You¡¯ll understand when you meet him.¡± Wangxuan stood up and began walking out of the courtyard. Her voice drifted back faintly from behind her. ¡°If nothing unexpected happens, Qingwan will emerge from seclusion in seven days.¡± ¡°Take care, Senior.¡± Xu Ming stood up and cupped his hands in a respectful bow. ¡ª ¡°Father, you called for me?¡± At the main peak of the Tianxuan Sect, Xia Donghua arrived at the residence of the sect master. Sitting quietly in the courtyard, Xia He, the Tianxuan Sect¡¯s sect master, opened his eyes and said, ¡°You¡¯re here. Come in.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Xia Donghua walked in cautiously, his nerves evident. ¡°That Xu Ming came to see you?¡± Xia He asked. ¡°He did,¡± Xia Donghua nodded, his eyes flashing with a trace of malice. ¡°He¡¯s clever.¡± ¡°Indeed, he¡¯s very clever.¡± Xia He stroked his beard and nodded. ¡°He knows there¡¯s no benefit in openly turning against you, and he also knows it would leave me in an awkward position. So, those two kicks he gave you¡ªpurely to vent his anger, and you couldn¡¯t even retaliate. Then he demanded compensation from you, a perfectly reasonable request, all while pretending to maintain a close, friendly relationship with you. And now you¡¯re forced to treat him respectfully, making it all the more nauseating.¡± Xia He¡¯s tone was calm but laced with disdain. ¡°No wonder he managed to survive the court politics¡ªhe¡¯s as cunning as they come.¡± Xia Donghua gritted his teeth and said viciously, ¡°Father, now that it looks like Xu Ming and I are on good terms, if I were to deal with him now, no one would suspect me!¡± ¡°You fool!¡± The previously calm Xia He suddenly picked up his teacup and hurled it at Xia Donghua, who was so startled he immediately bowed and said, ¡°Father, please calm your anger.¡± ¡°How did I end up with such an idiot for a son?¡± Xia He stood up, hands clasped behind his back, his tone filled with frustration. ¡°Xu Ming is currently ranked second on the Qingyun Ranking, and everyone¡¯s attention is on him. Not to mention, he¡¯s also Qingwan¡¯s childhood friend. Do you think Wangxuan isn¡¯t keeping an eye on him? Do you think Wangxuan isn¡¯t fully aware of what happened in the Baiwa Secret Realm?¡± ¡°Let me tell you, Wangxuan has already seen through the charade between you and Xu Ming. If you dare make a move now, not even I could protect you. Do you really think that just because I¡¯m the sect master, the Tianxuan Sect belongs entirely to me?¡± Xia He¡¯s voice was filled with anger. ¡°Do you know that as soon as Xu Ming arrived at the Guest Peak, Wangxuan showed up right after him? That was a warning. She¡¯s letting you know that Xu Ming is under her protection, and you¡¯re not to act recklessly! Right now, what you need to do is keep playing along. Maintain the appearance of a good relationship with Xu Ming. As for the fifty high-grade spirit stones and the five first-grade spirit fruits he demanded, you are to personally deliver them to him as an apology! Do you understand?¡± ¡°Yes, I understand,¡± Xia Donghua quickly replied. ¡°Good.¡± Xia He let out a deep sigh, as if releasing his frustration. He walked over to his son, patted him on the shoulder, and said earnestly, ¡°I know you¡¯re feeling humiliated and stifled right now, but you have to endure it. Small sacrifices must be made for greater plans. After the Zixia Grand Ceremony is over, I will make them pay. When that time comes, the entire Tianxuan Sect will belong to me, completely and utterly! Do you understand?¡± ¡°Yes, Father!¡± Xia Donghua replied with determination. Chapter 210 ¡°Our guest peak is a bit simple, and the accommodations may not be very comfortable. I hope you all can understand.¡± The outer sect disciple responsible for receiving guests led the group into the courtyard of the guest peak. ¡°You¡¯re too kind. This residence is already very good.¡± The elder at the head of the group smiled. ¡°The Tianxuan Sect still treats its guests as thoughtfully as ever.¡± ¡°Senior, you flatter us. It¡¯s a pleasure to have friends come from afar, as the saying goes. We should be the ones to thank you. Here are your jade tokens. If you need anything, feel free to call on me at any time.¡± The outer sect disciple followed the protocol and handed out the jade tokens to the guests. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Then, I¡¯ll take my leave.¡± The outer sect disciple performed a respectful bow before exiting. The elder from the Wan Jian Sect, along with five disciples, settled into a large courtyard. This courtyard had six or seven rooms, two stories high, much larger than Xu Ming¡¯s single-person courtyard. Such courtyards were typically provided for visiting sects. Each sect received the same accommodations, regardless of strength. There was no preference given to the more powerful sects. As for the single-person courtyards, like Xu Ming¡¯s, they were usually reserved for wandering practitioners. Though the individual courtyards were more private, they were small and their layout and interior had to adhere to specific standards. In short, Tianxuan Sect aimed to make every guest feel that they were treated equally. ¡°That Xu Ming really is impressive.¡± Sitting in the courtyard, a Wan Jian Sect disciple named Luan Ye sighed. ¡°He actually defeated Chen Yun and ranked second on the Qingyun List,¡± said a woman named Liu Cheche, also incredulous. ¡°He¡¯s just a martial artist, but his mastery of both body and sword to such an extent¡ªI¡¯ve never heard of anyone doing that. I¡¯m starting to think I¡¯d like to spar with him,¡± said Ding Zhen, wiping his longsword. ¡°But hey, this Xu Ming¡­ Martial Aunt Xu, if I remember correctly, you¡¯re from Wudu, right? Do you know him?¡± S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The head elder of the Wan Jian Sect, Elder Qi, chuckled. ¡°That Xu Ming is from the Xu family in Wu Kingdom¡¯s Wudu city, and Junior Sister Xu¡¯s younger brother. So, do you think Junior Sister knows him?¡± ¡°Ah?¡± ¡°Xu Ming is Martial Aunt Xu¡¯s younger brother?¡± ¡°No wonder he¡¯s so strong!¡± ¡°With that formidable sword aura, he would easily fit in with the Wan Jian Sect. Why didn¡¯t he join us?¡± Everyone turned to look at Xu Xue Nuo with curiosity. Xu Xue Nuo coldly replied, ¡°When he was young, his spiritual veins were severed and he couldn¡¯t cultivate, so he took the martial path. As for how he started cultivating later, I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± The others finally understood. ¡°Martial Aunt Xu¡¯s younger brother must have encountered some significant opportunity.¡± ¡°Elder Qi, perhaps we should invite Xu Ming to join the Wan Jian Sect?¡± Elder Qi smiled, stroking his beard. ¡°Such matters depend on his own will.¡± As the group continued their conversation, Xu Xue Nuo, holding her longsword, stepped out of the courtyard. Everyone watched her retreating figure with some confusion. Ding Zhen spoke up, ¡°Why do I feel like Martial Aunt Xu has some issues with her younger brother?¡± Luan Ye shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Maybe their sibling relationship isn¡¯t very good?¡± Liu Cheche added, ¡°It just feels like something happened between Martial Aunt Xu and her brother. We should probably avoid bringing him up in front of her in the future.¡± After Xu Xue Nuo left, she was unaware of the conversation taking place behind her. However, in her heart, she didn¡¯t care about what her fellow disciples said. Xu Xue Nuo walked through the forests of the guest peak, her mind still occupied with the fact that she and Xu Ming were not actually siblings. Originally, they were half-siblings, sharing the same father. But now, even that bond was gone¡ªthey no longer shared the same father. Who, then, was the bastard child? Soon, Xu Xue Nuo sighed again. In truth, it no longer mattered who the bastard child was. She had already been disowned by the Xu family and had no ties to them. Now, with Xu Ming having no blood relation to her, what were they to each other? In the past, had Xu Ming appeared here, she would have gone to meet him. But now, even though Xu Ming and Xu Xue Nuo were in the same place, Xu Xue Nuo couldn¡¯t bring herself to meet him. She didn¡¯t know how to face him. She wanted to drink. However, when she pulled out her wine gourd, she found it empty. She strapped the empty wine gourd back to her waist and began walking down the mountain¡ªoff to get some alcohol! ¡ª ¡°Is this Xuan Yue City? It¡¯s quite lively.¡± In Xuan Yue City, two women, one dressed in a black dress and the other in white, walked side by side. Both women were stunningly beautiful, but it was the woman in the black dress who drew the most attention from the crowd. Behind them, a group of maidservants and attendants followed. ¡°Of course,¡± said Jiang Ruyan, the City Lord of Falling Star City, to the beautiful young woman beside her. ¡°Xuan Yue City is so large, it¡¯s almost like half of Zhuang Country.¡± ¡°It¡¯s getting late,¡± Jiang Ruyan continued. ¡°Let¡¯s find an inn to rest for a while, and tomorrow we¡¯ll visit the Tianxuan Sect. How does that sound?¡± Mo Zhuer nodded. ¡°Sounds good.¡± Jiang Ruyan found an inn and booked a room where she and Mo Zhuer would stay together. Mo Zhuer lay on the bed, her graceful figure fully visible. Jiang Ruyan gazed at her, like a lovesick woman, her eyes continuously roaming over Mo Zhuer¡¯s form. ¡°Can you stop looking at me with those perverted eyes?¡± Mo Zhuer shot Jiang Ruyan a cold glance. ¡°What are you talking about~¡± Jiang Ruyan sat on the edge of the bed, reaching out to stroke Mo Zhuer¡¯s long, smooth legs. ¡°Those filthy men look at you with perverted eyes, but my gaze is one of admiration~ Only a few people are worthy of my appreciation.¡± ¡°Get off me,¡± Mo Zhuer slapped Jiang Ruyan¡¯s hand away. ¡°So cold, but I like it~¡± Jiang Ruyan teased, tilting Mo Zhuer¡¯s chin up. ¡°By the way, why did you decide to come to the Tianxuan Sect with me? Are you really so curious about Qin Qingwan? You seem so interested in other women, I¡¯m getting jealous~¡± Mo Zhuer smiled slightly. ¡°I wasn¡¯t curious about Qin Qingwan before, but now¡­ I really do want to meet her.¡± Jiang Ruyan tilted her head. ¡°Why?¡± Mo Zhuer leaned forward slightly, like a fox, her face drawing closer. ¡°Don¡¯t ask girls ¡®why¡¯ so easily. We all have secrets.¡± ¡°I like uncovering those secrets.¡± Jiang Ruyan said, and as she spoke, she was about to playfully wrestle with Mo Zhuer. But just then, there was a knock on the door, and a letter was slid under it. Chapter 211 As she watched the envelope slide through the crack of the door, Mo Zhuer slapped away Jiang Ruyan¡¯s roguish hand. Sitting up from the bed, Mo Zhuer walked to the door and picked up the envelope. On the envelope was the imprint of a black lotus. Mo Zhuer examined it carefully. Indeed, it was the seal of the Black Lotus Sect, something that couldn¡¯t be easily forged. ¡°A new order from the Black Lotus Sect?¡± Jiang Ruyan sashayed over, placing her hands on Mo Zhuer¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Why deliver it at this time?¡± ¡°Who knows? Let¡¯s see.¡± Mo Zhuer turned around, sat down in the chair, and opened the envelope. Since Jiang Ruyan was a member of the Black Lotus Sect herself, acting as a spy in the Central Plains (a term for the heartland of the human race, encompassing the ten great dynasties, sects, and all their territories), there was no need for secrecy. She leaned over Mo Zhuer¡¯s shoulder to read along. But the more they read, the deeper their frowns became. When their eyes landed on the very last word of the letter, the paper spontaneously combusted into black flames and turned to ash. ¡°The Black Lotus Sect¡­ is being quite audacious,¡± Jiang Ruyan remarked, looking at Mo Zhuer. Recalling the plans detailed in the letter, she felt a chill run through her just at the thought. Mo Zhuer shook her head. ¡°The audacious one isn¡¯t the Black Lotus Sect¡ªit¡¯s the Sect Master of the Tianxuan Sect. It seems this Sect Master has no intention of continuing his life in the Central Plains. Someone like him¡­ is truly ruthless.¡± Jiang Ruyan sat down beside Mo Zhuer, her usual playful demeanor gone. ¡°For a cultivator, cultivation is more important than life itself. That Sect Master has been stuck at the Immortal Realm for over a thousand years. For him to take such actions isn¡¯t surprising. To him, the Tianxuan Sect is nothing more than a tool. The question is, what do we do now? This mission¡­ is dangerous.¡± ¡°Even if it¡¯s dangerous, we have to do it. Otherwise, it won¡¯t just be the Tianxuan Sect¡¯s master who has nowhere to run¡ªwe¡¯ll be the ones hunted by both the Western Regions and the Central Plains. The Black Lotus Sect places great importance on this collaboration with the Tianxuan Sect¡¯s master.¡± Mo Zhuer gazed out the window, her lips curling into a faint smile. It was as if, in her vision, the silhouette of a man appeared. ¡°You always say I¡¯m a demon. Then what does this make the so-called righteous sects?¡± ¡°Who are you talking to?¡± Jiang Ruyan asked, smiling as she observed Mo Zhuer¡¯s murmuring to herself. Ever since she¡¯d met Mo Zhuer this time around, she had felt that someone else lingered in her heart. Mo Zhuer¡¯s eyes curved into crescents. ¡°Talking to a fool.¡± ¡ª [System Notification: Host has defeated Tianxuan Sect members Qing Ling, Lin Xiao, Qin Wen, Xiao Yanan, and Xiao Yan. Total defeated: 201. Comprehensive settlement: Blood Qi +500, Sword Qi +400, Sword Intent +500, Endurance +100. Reward unlocked: Passive Ability¡ª¡¯Enemy of Many¡¯ (evolvable).] [Enemy of Many: When facing fewer than 100 enemies, the more enemies present, the stronger the host becomes. When enemy count reaches 99, the effect reaches its peak. Note: ¡®Enemy of Many¡¯ provides reinforcement and a higher survival probability but does not guarantee invincibility. Do not act recklessly.] [Host has defeated Tianxuan Sect¡¯s He Qingqing. Blood Qi +40, Sword Intent +50. Host has achieved the milestone ¡®Flower Destroyer,¡¯ having defeated a significant number of female opponents since birth.] [Flower Destroyer: When engaging in combat against the opposite gender, damage increases by 10%.] [Host faced Tianxuan Sect¡¯s Chen Yun. Opponent conceded. Blood Qi +100, Sword Qi +100, Sword Intent +100.] ¡ª That night, lying on the bed, Xu Ming slowly opened his eyes. Listening to the system¡¯s voice, Xu Ming felt that the rewards this time were quite generous¡ªat least he gained two useful passive abilities. As for the meager rewards from his battle with Chen Yun, that was within Xu Ming¡¯s expectations. Although he technically ¡°won¡± against Chen Yun, it was only because Chen Yun conceded. In reality, Xu Ming felt it was more of a loss. Under such circumstances, he was already surprised the system granted him any rewards at all. Xu Ming sat up, walked out of the courtyard, and let the evening breeze wash over him. Sleep eluded him. It wasn¡¯t the system¡¯s voice that kept him awake. He hadn¡¯t fallen asleep in the first place. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This wasn¡¯t because it was his first day at the Tianxuan Sect and he was unused to the bed. After spending the past six months enduring wind and rain, sleeping on rocks, sand, and dirt, Xu Ming had long since given up the luxury of ¡°getting used to a bed.¡± After all, there were hardly any nights where he even had a bed to sleep on. Instead, Xu Ming felt his Dao heart was somewhat unsettled. It wasn¡¯t due to his injuries; he simply had a lingering sense of unease, as if something ominous was about to happen. ¡°Could it be that I¡¯ve been living on edge for so long that now, when things are finally stable, I¡¯m just overthinking?¡± Xu Ming muttered to himself. He thought it was possible¡ªperhaps he was just being overly sensitive. The Zixia Grand Ceremony was about to begin. Who would dare stir up trouble at the Tianxuan Sect during such a time? Especially when the sect had cultivators from the top five realms standing guard, along with a millennia-old sect-protecting formation. Not to mention, the envoys bringing gifts to the sect were all individuals with no small amount of power. If someone truly dared to cause trouble at a time like this, they wouldn¡¯t just be offending the Tianxuan Sect. They¡¯d be going up against multiple factions, both large and small. For this reason, Xu Ming was certain nothing major would happen at the Tianxuan Sect anytime soon. But just as Xu Ming turned to head back, he instinctively paused and turned back around. He felt as though something was in the distant sky. Activating his Dao Pattern Eye, Xu Ming looked toward the horizon. What he saw was an aurora¡ªradiant and dazzling¡ªstretching across the sky. Xu Ming flew into the air for a better view, and after a moment, he determined that the aurora was emanating from a distant mountain peak. The mountain was brimming with spiritual energy, which radiated outward in waves. Just as Xu Ming was about to use his Dao Pattern Eye to peer deeper into the mountain, his expression froze. Within the mountain, Xu Ming saw an old man. The elder was disheveled, his body riddled with scars. He was bound by chains, with dozens of long spikes piercing through his body, nailing him to the wall. The old man seemed to sense Xu Ming¡¯s gaze. Slowly, he lifted his head, meeting Xu Ming¡¯s eyes from across the vast distance. And then, the old man grinned. In an instant, Xu Ming felt a sharp, stabbing pain in his eyes. He immediately shut them tight as tears streamed uncontrollably down his cheeks. It was a long time before the searing pain in his eyes finally subsided. When Xu Ming opened his eyes again, the Dao Pattern Eye had already deactivated. Staring at the distant mountain peak, Xu Ming felt a chill run down his spine. Beneath that mountain, a person was imprisoned! Chapter 212 ¡°Cock-a-doodle-doo~~~ Cock-a-doodle-doo!¡± Dong¡­ Dong¡­ Dong¡­ At dawn, the sound of a rooster¡¯s crow echoed, followed by a series of bell chimes reverberating throughout the Tianxuan Sect. Inside the room, Xu Ming slowly opened his eyes. His first sensation was the weight pressing heavily on his shoulder. Lowering his head, Xu Ming saw that Shen Shengsheng was sprawled on his shoulder, sound asleep. Since Xu Ming was traveling with just this little girl, they were assigned a single-occupant courtyard, per the Tianxuan Sect¡¯s rules. However, the sect had thoughtfully considered their situation. In the small room, the bed was a bunk bed¡ªShen Shengsheng slept on the top bunk, and Xu Ming took the bottom. This arrangement worked quite well, actually. Being in someone else¡¯s territory, Xu Ming couldn¡¯t fully trust the courtyard¡¯s protective formations. What if something happened while he was asleep? After all, Shengsheng was his only weakness now. With Shen Shengsheng by his side, he could keep a close watch on her. The only issue was that Shengsheng wasn¡¯t the most obedient sleeper. Somehow, in the middle of the night, she had ended up climbing into Xu Ming¡¯s bed. Gently moving her arm off his neck, Xu Ming got up and stepped out of the room. The abundant spiritual energy of the Tianxuan Sect filled the morning air, instantly clearing his mind. Truthfully, since leaving Wudu City, this was the place with the densest spiritual energy Xu Ming had encountered¡ªthere was no comparison. And yet, the Guest Peak wasn¡¯t even the area with the highest spiritual energy concentration in the sect. It was rumored that the Tianxuan Sect¡¯s core disciples and direct disciples had their own exclusive cultivation grounds, where the density of spiritual energy was something Xu Ming couldn¡¯t even imagine. After washing up, Xu Ming sat cross-legged in the courtyard, absorbing the pure morning spiritual energy from heaven and earth. But no matter how much he focused, his mind kept returning to the old man he saw yesterday. ¡°Who was that old man? Why was he imprisoned inside that mountain? And do the disciples of the Tianxuan Sect know about this?¡± These three questions lingered in Xu Ming¡¯s mind, refusing to go away. ¡°Awooo¡­¡± As Xu Ming was lost in thought, Shen Shengsheng emerged from the room. ¡°Awake?¡± Xu Ming smiled, walking over to pat her small head. ¡°Mm!¡± Shen Shengsheng nodded obediently. ¡°Go wash your face and brush your teeth.¡± Xu Ming fetched her a basin of water. Shen Shengsheng took out a cup and the toothbrush Xu Ming had crafted for her from her storage pouch. Dipping it in fine salt, she squatted down and earnestly began brushing her teeth. Afterward, she ran over to Xu Ming, grinning wide to show off her clean, white teeth. ¡°Very good, all clean,¡± Xu Ming nodded approvingly. ¡°Now go wash your face.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± With that, Shen Shengsheng ran back over to the basin to wash up. ¡°Young Master Xu, I¡¯ve brought you breakfast,¡± a voice called out. A female outer disciple entered the courtyard carrying a tray. This was Cui Caihua, an outer disciple who had been with the Tianxuan Sect for five or six years. ¡°Thank you, Miss Cui,¡± Xu Ming expressed his gratitude. ¡°You¡¯re too kind, Young Master,¡± Cui Caihua replied with a smile. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll take my leave.¡± ¡°Wait a moment, Miss Cui,¡± Xu Ming interjected, raising a hand. ¡°Actually, there is something I¡¯d like to ask you.¡± Cui Caihua bowed slightly. ¡°Please, Young Master, feel free to ask. I will answer everything I know.¡± ¡°It¡¯s like this¡­¡± Xu Ming paused briefly, organizing his words. ¡°Yesterday, I had some free time, so I wandered around and came across a mountain. It caught my curiosity.¡± Cui Caihua tilted her head slightly. ¡°Which mountain is the one Young Master is referring to?¡± Xu Ming kept his tone casual. ¡°The mountain is about three hundred zhang high¡ªquite tall¡ªand its shape is peculiar. It looks like a long rectangular seal pressed into the earth. On top of the mountain, there are three large boulders, though the boulders themselves don¡¯t seem particularly special.¡± Hearing this, Cui Caihua immediately understood. ¡°Ah, Young Master must be talking about Sanshi (Three-Stone) Peak.¡± ¡°Sanshi Peak?¡± Xu Ming echoed, intrigued. ¡°Does this mountain have any special significance?¡± Cui Caihua shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know much about it myself. That mountain is one of the sect¡¯s forbidden grounds. Not just us outer disciples, even the inner disciples aren¡¯t allowed to enter. Since ancient times, only the sect master has been permitted to set foot there. ¡°As for what lies within, the common rumor in the sect is that it contains rare heavenly treasures. Other than that, there¡¯s not much known about Sanshi Peak. ¡°Actually, the sect has quite a few forbidden grounds like this. Young Master will get used to it. But I must remind you, Sanshi Peak is heavily fortified with powerful defensive formations. If anyone tries to enter without authorization, the odds of survival are slim to none. Please, Young Master, do avoid getting too close.¡± Xu Ming cupped his hands and bowed. ¡°Thank you for the reminder, Miss Cui. I understand.¡± ¡°Young Master is too polite.¡± Cui Caihua bowed again and turned to leave. However, as Xu Ming stood in the courtyard, reflecting on what she had said, his curiosity only deepened. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He thought to himself, If I really want to know more about this, I might have to ask Elder Wang Xuan. With her seniority, she surely knows more than most. But then another concern arose in Xu Ming¡¯s mind: Even if I ask, will Elder Wang Xuan tell me? And what if I inadvertently discover something I shouldn¡¯t? Would she silence me to protect the secret? ¡°Brother Xu!¡± ¡°Brother Xu, long time no see!¡± As Xu Ming wrestled with these thoughts, two cheerful voices called out from outside the courtyard. Looking up, Xu Ming saw two familiar faces¡ªYu Wenxi and Miao Feng¡ªwalking toward him with broad smiles. ¡°Brother Yu, Brother Miao,¡± Xu Ming greeted, clearly delighted to see them again. The two men entered the courtyard, returning Xu Ming¡¯s bow with their own. Miao Feng grinned. ¡°We thought we had arrived early enough, but it turns out, Brother Xu got here even earlier than us!¡± Yu Wenxi¡¯s expression was one of excitement. ¡°When we were still resting in Xuanyue City, we saw the Qingyun Ranking being updated. We couldn¡¯t believe it when we saw Brother Xu ranked second! It¡¯s truly an honor to know you.¡± Xu Ming shook his head modestly. ¡°To be honest, I actually lost that match. It¡¯s just that Senior Brother Chen felt it was an unworthy victory and conceded instead.¡± Miao Feng chuckled. ¡°No, no, you¡¯re being too humble. A win is a win, and a loss is a loss. Regardless of how it happened, Senior Brother Chen conceded, and you should accept that victory with pride.¡± Xu Ming merely smiled and said no more. Yu Wenxi clapped his hands. ¡°By the way, since it seems like Brother Xu has some free time, how about joining us at the Dao Debate Conference?¡± ¡°Dao Debate Conference?¡± Xu Ming asked, intrigued. Miao Feng explained, ¡°It¡¯s basically a martial arts competition. Since the Zixia Grand Ceremony hasn¡¯t officially started yet, but many guests have already arrived, the Tianxuan Sect organized this conference as a way for everyone to spar and exchange insights. The more victories you accumulate, the better the rewards. ¡°I¡¯ve also heard that even the envoys from the Wanjian Sect are participating.¡± Chapter 213 ¡°The envoy from the Wanjian Sect,¡± Xu Ming¡¯s mind conjured up the image of a strong-willed yet slightly proud young girl. ¡°I wonder if Xu Xuenuo from the Wanjian Sect has come?¡± Xu Ming asked with a smile. If Xu Xuenuo was here, he wouldn¡¯t have to make a special trip to the Wanjian Sect to see her. After all, the Wanjian Sect was quite far away, and if he went there, he wasn¡¯t sure he¡¯d make it back to Wudu City in time for the selection for the Rootless Secret Realm spots. ¡°That, I¡¯m not sure of. We just arrived at the Tianxuan Sect ourselves,¡± Yu Wenxi replied with a smile. ¡°But Brother Xu, you sure appreciate beauty. The first person you mention is Xu Xuenuo, that great beauty.¡± Appreciating beauty¡ªput it another way, that means being a ¡°lecherous person.¡± ¡°What are you saying?¡± Miao Feng gave Yu Wenxi a kick. ¡°Appreciating beauty? What¡¯s Xu Xuenuo¡¯s surname? What¡¯s Brother Xu¡¯s surname? They¡¯re both from the Xu family in the Wu Kingdom. What do you think their relationship is?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Yu Wenxi suddenly realized, looking at Xu Ming in shock. ¡°That Xu Xuenuo is your¡­¡± Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Xu Ming smiled faintly. ¡°Elder sister.¡± ¡°My apologies, my apologies.¡± Yu Wenxi quickly offered an apology. ¡°Brother Xu, please forgive me. I truly didn¡¯t know.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Xu Ming shook his head. ¡°Due to her cultivation, my elder sister has already severed ties with the mortal world. She¡¯s no longer part of the Xu family and doesn¡¯t identify herself as from the Xu family of Wu Kingdom. So, it¡¯s normal for most people outside of Wu Kingdom to not know.¡± Miao Feng chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s just a matter of being removed from the family registry. But at the end of the day, you two siblings still share the same blood. Speaking of which, it¡¯s truly rare for the Xu family in Wu Kingdom to produce two outstanding talents like Brother Xu and Miss Xu.¡± ¡°Then what are we waiting for? Let¡¯s hurry! If Miss Xu has come, wouldn¡¯t that delay your reunion with her?¡± Yu Wenxi urged. ¡°Indeed. Brother Xu, should we head to the Dao Debate Conference and take a look?¡± Miao Feng asked. ¡°Sure,¡± Xu Ming nodded and then called out to Shen Shengsheng, who was playing with a centipede in the courtyard. ¡°Shengsheng, let¡¯s go. We¡¯re heading out to have some fun.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Shen Shengsheng¡¯s eyes lit up immediately upon hearing they were going out. She grabbed the centipede in her hand, popped it into her mouth, and, with her short legs, ran towards Brother Xu with a ¡°pat-pat¡± sound. ¡°Brother Xu, there¡¯s something I¡¯d like to ask you. I wonder if you could clear it up for me.¡± On their way to the Dao Debate Conference, Yu Wenxi hesitated and sidled closer to Xu Ming, looking like a shy young boy. Xu Ming chuckled. ¡°Brother Yu, just ask. There¡¯s no need for such formality between us.¡± Miao Feng teased from the side, ¡°This guy isn¡¯t being formal; he¡¯s just embarrassed. He wants to ask about He Qingqing.¡± ¡°Heh¡­¡± Yu Wenxi scratched his head bashfully. Xu Ming was curious. ¡°I don¡¯t even know Miss He. What could Brother Yu possibly want to ask me about her?¡± ¡°No, no, it¡¯s nothing big.¡± Yu Wenxi quickly waved his hand. ¡°It¡¯s just that¡­ I heard you sparred with Miss He yesterday. What do you think of her strength?¡± Xu Ming thought for a moment. ¡°Miss He is actually quite strong. Although I won in the end, she did give me some trouble.¡± He was being honest. Although He Qingqing hadn¡¯t lasted ten moves against him, her abilities were indeed quite impressive. ¡°Then, Brother Xu, how does Miss He¡¯s strength compare to mine?¡± Yu Wenxi asked, his face reddening. When Xu Ming turned to look at him, Yu Wenxi instinctively straightened his back. By now, how could Xu Ming not understand Yu Wenxi¡¯s meaning? Yu Wenxi was worried that He Qingqing might be stronger than him. If the woman was stronger than the man, he¡¯d feel he couldn¡¯t hold his head high in front of her, let alone pursue her. ¡°I think Brother Yu, your strength is just a bit superior to Miss He¡¯s. Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± To avoid shattering Yu Wenxi¡¯s confidence, Xu Ming told a little lie. In truth, compared to He Qingqing, Yu Wenxi might hold his ground within the first hundred moves, but beyond that, he¡¯d likely be knocked flat. ¡°Hahaha, I see!¡± Yu Wenxi visibly relaxed, even showing a hint of pride. ¡°Well, that¡¯s only natural. After all, I¡¯m a man. Being slightly stronger than Miss He is to be expected.¡± Miao Feng, standing to the side, rolled his eyes. He really wanted to say, We¡¯re all cultivators. What does strength have to do with gender? And didn¡¯t you notice that Brother Xu was hemming and hawing, trying to comfort you? But seeing Yu Wenxi¡¯s smug expression, Miao Feng decided to let it slide. The three of them continued chatting and laughing along the way. After about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, they arrived at the location of the Dao Debate Conference. The conference was being held on a small plain within the Tianxuan Sect. When Xu Ming and his companions arrived, the plain was already packed with people, resembling a bustling marketplace. Everyone was dressed in different styles of clothing, representing their respective sects and kingdoms. The plain was segmented into multiple arenas using various formations and barriers. These ensured that each duel wouldn¡¯t be disturbed, while allowing the spectators outside to observe the battles within. If someone wanted to spar with another, they simply needed to find an empty formation and step inside. All in all, the lively atmosphere filled the small plain. As Xu Ming and his companions landed on the plain, Shen Shengsheng instinctively clung tightly to Xu Ming¡¯s hand, her excellent self-preservation instincts kicking in to ensure she wouldn¡¯t get lost. Xu Ming glanced at a noticeboard nearby, which displayed the rewards: Five consecutive wins: Reward ¨C 10 mid-grade spirit stones. Six consecutive wins: Reward ¨C 20 mid-grade spirit stones. Seven consecutive wins: Reward ¨C 30 mid-grade spirit stones. ¡­ Ten consecutive wins: Reward ¨C 1 high-grade spirit stone. Accumulated 10 wins: Reward ¨C 50 mid-grade spirit stones. Accumulated 20 wins: Reward ¨C 1 high-grade spirit stone. Most wins in a single day: Reward ¨C 10 high-grade spirit stones. Additionally, there were various rewards for defeating opponents of higher cultivation realms. The prizes were diverse¡ªnot overly lavish, but certainly not stingy either. This approach encouraged friendly sparring rather than participants fighting to the death over heavy rewards, preserving the harmony of the event. However, Xu Ming noticed that some cultivators were placing private bets on their matches. Fortunately, the protective formations ensured that anyone sustaining a fatal injury would be ejected, preventing loss of life. As Xu Ming was reading through the list of rewards, he overheard nearby cultivators exclaiming: ¡°Who is that woman? She¡¯s already at fifteen consecutive wins, isn¡¯t she?¡± Chapter 214 ¡°Who is that woman? She¡¯s already at fifteen consecutive wins, isn¡¯t she?¡± ¡°No idea. I¡¯ve never seen such a strong martial artist before.¡± ¡°She feels like she¡¯s carrying an unstoppable aura.¡± ¡°No way I could beat her. Is there really no one who can take her down?¡± ¡°But you have to admit, she¡¯s incredibly beautiful.¡± ¡°I¡¯d say her looks rival those of Martial Aunt Qin.¡± ¡°Senior Dugu is stepping in!¡± ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go watch!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go!¡± Around Xu Ming, voices filled the air as more and more people moved toward a particular direction, drawn by the commotion. ¡°Brother Xu, shall we join the fun?¡± Yu Wenxi asked. Xu Ming nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s go take a look.¡± He was curious as well¡ªjust who was this female martial artist causing such a stir? Meanwhile, elsewhere on the small plain, Mo Zhuer, her face hidden behind a veil, wandered idly. Naturally, Jiang Ruyan was accompanying her. Jiang Ruyan had come to the Tianxuan Sect as the Lord of Falling Star City, bearing gifts of congratulations. The Tianxuan Sect was unaware of her affiliation with the Black Lotus Sect. However, not long ago, the Black Lotus Sect had formally informed the Tianxuan Sect¡¯s master of Jiang Ruyan¡¯s identity. As a result, Jiang Ruyan was afforded certain special privileges during her visit. At the very least, the Tianxuan Sect master would go to great lengths to ensure her identity wasn¡¯t exposed. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Zhuer, do you want to step into the ring and fight a few matches?¡± Jiang Ruyan asked. In her view, if Zhuer participated, she would undoubtedly shock the crowd. Winning fifteen consecutive matches would likely be a trivial matter. As for her identity being revealed? The chances were slim. Even if someone grew suspicious, the Tianxuan Sect master would step in to explain. ¡°No.¡± Mo Zhuer yawned lazily, her eyes darting around. ¡°None of these people are worth my effort.¡± Jiang Ruyan was speechless. ¡°If you¡¯re not competing, then why are you here? To watch the excitement?¡± Mo Zhuer¡¯s eyes curved into a smile. ¡°Exactly. Can¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Fine, fine.¡± Jiang Ruyan shrugged. ¡°If you¡¯re here to watch, then I guess I have no choice but to accompany you.¡± Mo Zhuer didn¡¯t reply, continuing to meander through the crowd until she suddenly stopped, her gaze fixed on a duel within one of the formations. Inside, a woman dressed in a martial artist¡¯s combat uniform sent her opponent flying with a single punch. The woman stood tall and straight, her expression proud, her domineering gaze causing onlookers to involuntarily step back. ¡°Who is that woman?¡± ¡°No idea. She¡¯s already defeated over a dozen people, though.¡± ¡°Can you believe it? Just now, a cultivator at the Dragon Gate Realm couldn¡¯t even take three punches from her!¡± ¡°By the way, she¡¯s stunningly beautiful.¡± ¡°Of course. I¡¯d say she¡¯s even more beautiful than Junior Sister He.¡± ¡°Probably only Martial Aunt Qin can compare.¡± ¡°In that case, she must be on the Beauty Rankings.¡± ¡°A woman on the Beauty Rankings who¡¯s also a martial artist¡­¡± A cultivator¡¯s eyes lit up suddenly. ¡°Could she be Wu Yanhan from Wu Kingdom?¡± ¡°Holy crap, now that you mention it, she might be!¡± ¡°The princess of Wu Kingdom? The one who was rejected in a marriage proposal?¡± ¡°No need to guess¡ªit¡¯s definitely her. Wu Kingdom¡¯s eldest princess just arrived at the Tianxuan Sect today. I even saw the Wu Kingdom delegation.¡± ¡°That Xu Ming guy really doesn¡¯t know how good he had it! A woman with her status, beauty, and figure! And he wanted to annul the engagement?!¡± ¡°Do you think it¡¯s possible that Her Highness the Princess is just too fierce? She¡¯s already sent out cultivators at the Golden Core Realm with a single punch. If you married her, could you handle it?¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to handle? I¡¯d rather let the princess step on me!¡± ¡°Exactly! Even if she¡¯s a tigress, I¡¯d still let myself be devoured by such a beautiful tigress!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Around Mo Zhuer, the sound of conversations echoed one after another. Jiang Ruyan felt disgusted by these men. They were like ¡°puppy dogs¡±! ¡°Puppy dogs.¡± Jiang Ruyan mentally repeated the term she¡¯d just coined, feeling it was the perfect description. Meanwhile, Mo Zhuer was focused entirely on the woman in the arena. Mo Zhuer slightly furrowed her brow, letting out a cold sneer in her heart. ¡°Wu Yanhan, it¡¯s her. Wu Yanhan¡­ she¡¯s not bad looking, and her figure¡¯s decent too. But someone who practices martial arts is definitely as hard as a rock. It¡¯s fine for men to be tough, but how many men would want a woman like that?¡± ¡°Zhuer, what¡¯s wrong? You seem to have some issues with this princess of Wu Kingdom?¡± Jiang Ruyan noticed Mo Zhuer¡¯s expression and curiously asked, sensing some gossip. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I just don¡¯t get how a martial woman, all stiff and rigid, could possibly attract a man¡¯s attention. She¡¯ll probably never get married.¡± Mo Zhuer smiled. Jiang Ruyan shook her head and waved her finger. ¡°No, no, no, Zhuer, you¡¯re mistaken. She practices martial arts, not made of stone. How could she be all stiff and rigid? Let me tell you¡­¡± Jiang Ruyan leaned in close to Mo Zhuer¡¯s ear and whispered, ¡°When a woman practices martial arts, her thighs become more toned and elastic. Those legs are absolutely mesmerizing, and even¡­ down there¡­¡± As she spoke, Jiang Ruyan pointed towards two distant peaks on the plain, where the mountains formed a narrow slit in the sky. Mo Zhuer immediately understood what Jiang Ruyan meant and looked at her with a gaze that could only be described as the look one gives a rogue. ¡°So, now you get it?¡± Jiang Ruyan ignored Mo Zhuer¡¯s disdainful expression and continued, ¡°Martial women are even more captivating than ordinary women. And they¡¯re like wild stallions. Who doesn¡¯t like taming a wild stallion? If you can tame a wild stallion and make it obedient¡­ the sense of conquest and achievement¡­ tsk tsk tsk.¡± Listening to Jiang Ruyan praise Wu Yanhan so extravagantly, Mo Zhuer felt a bit displeased and said, ¡°Seems like you have quite a bit of interest in women.¡± ¡°Of course~¡± Jiang Ruyan proudly put her hands on her hips. ¡°What else would I study? Those filthy, stinky men? Women smell nice, men stink.¡± ¡°Speaking of which,¡± Jiang Ruyan eyed Mo Zhuer curiously, ¡°Zhuer, just tell me, what exactly is your grudge with Wu Yanhan?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing personal. She just irritates me.¡± Before Jiang Ruyan could react, Mo Zhuer leapt into the formation, standing directly in front of Wu Yanhan. ¡°Do you want to spar with me?¡± Wu Yanhan tilted her head and looked at Mo Zhuer. Mo Zhuer smiled at the corner of her mouth. ¡°Just a little competition.¡± Chapter 215 ¡°You want to fight me?¡± Wu Yanhan looked at the woman in front of her and spoke calmly. She didn¡¯t care who her opponent was. She cared even less about the rewards offered by Tianxuan Sect. Wu Yanhan was here simply because she was bored and wanted to find something to do. Besides, she was curious to see what these so-called elites of righteous sects were truly capable of. ¡°Just killing time, let¡¯s spar,¡± Mo Zhuer replied. ¡°Who¡¯s this veiled woman?¡± S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Her eyes are so beautiful.¡± ¡°Wow, that figure! That waist!¡± ¡°I really want to see what she looks like under the veil!¡± ¡°I refuse to believe she could be ugly under that veil!¡± ¡°Place your bets, place your bets! The veiled woman versus Wu Yanhan of the Wu Kingdom¡ªwho will win or lose? Bets are open!¡± Outside the formation where Wu Yanhan stood, it was already quite lively. But as soon as Mo Zhuer entered, the commotion grew louder. Someone even started taking bets on the spot, and many people eagerly placed their wagers. The male cultivators, in particular, had an excited gleam in their eyes. Watching women fight? Nothing could be more entertaining! Standing off to the side, Jiang Ruyan was stunned. In her eyes, it was rare for Zhuer to join in on something like this. But Zhuer had stepped into the formation without hesitation, even saying, ¡°She just irritates me.¡± Zhuer must have some grudge against this Wu Yanhan! But how could Zhuer have a feud with Wu Yanhan? What¡¯s more, Wu Yanhan didn¡¯t seem to recognize Zhuer at all. Inside the formation, Wu Yanhan looked at Mo Zhuer and assumed a fighting stance. ¡°Make your move.¡± ¡°Heh.¡± Mo Zhuer chuckled coldly, wasting no words. Her figure turned into a cloud of black mist, which split into ten identical copies of her. The black mist clones rushed at Wu Yanhan. Wu Yanhan kicked one apart with a single strike, but another clone, armed with a short sword, was already lunging at her. She sidestepped and kicked again, dispersing another clone with the force of her martial energy. Yet another one appeared, its short sword aiming for her. Wu Yanhan grabbed this Mo Zhuer¡¯s wrist, pulled her forward, and punched her square in the chest. But she hit nothing but air. The dispersed black mist continually reformed into new clones of Mo Zhuer. In an instant, all ten clones closed in, each wielding a short sword and striking at Wu Yanhan. ¡°Stop hiding!¡± Wu Yanhan spat coldly. Her right foot stomped down hard. Just as the ten swords were about to pierce her, a surge of powerful martial energy erupted, scattering all of Mo Zhuer¡¯s clones. Behind Wu Yanhan, a manifestation of her martial soul appeared. All the black mist condensed into a single Mo Zhuer. Wu Yanhan thrust a punch forward, the force of her strike twisting the air in a straight line, aiming directly at Mo Zhuer¡¯s chest. Mo Zhuer lightly waved her longsword, dispersing the incoming martial energy. She now stood fifty meters away from Wu Yanhan, a faint, mocking smile on her face. ¡°The esteemed princess truly is terrifying. No wonder that prince consort of yours canceled the engagement back then. If it were me, I¡¯d be scared too,¡± Mo Zhuer said, her tone laced with a hint of sly disdain. Hiss! The onlookers outside the formation collectively sucked in a breath at the veiled woman¡¯s taunt. Wow, what kind of grudge is this? A woman being rejected in marriage is already a massive blow to her dignity, yet here she is, openly having her wounds exposed like this? This is absolutely brutal! Wu Yanhan furrowed her brows, glaring coldly at the woman in front of her. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± Mo Zhuer¡¯s voice turned soft and coquettish. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m just a nobody. My name isn¡¯t worthy of reaching the princess¡¯s ears.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± As the single word fell, Mo Zhuer¡¯s pupils constricted. In less than half a breath¡¯s time¡ªbefore she could even catch sight of Wu Yanhan¡¯s movements¡ªWu Yanhan had already appeared right in front of her! ¡°Roar!¡± Wu Yanhan threw a punch, accompanied by a dragon¡¯s roar. Mo Zhuer took the blow directly, but once again dissolved into black mist and scattered. Reappearing behind Wu Yanhan, Mo Zhuer widened the distance between them. However, blood was already trickling from the corner of her lips. It wasn¡¯t over yet. Wu Yanhan stepped forward again, closing the gap between them. ¡°The Martial God Step?¡± Mo Zhuer recognized the faint white flow of true energy trailing behind Wu Yanhan¡¯s steps. She remembered hearing how a Black Lotus Sect elder had been kicked to death by the Martial God Step. ¡°Is she that woman¡¯s disciple? Or did she inherit that woman¡¯s techniques?¡± Mo Zhuer¡¯s mind was swirling with questions, but she had no time to ponder further. Wu Yanhan was now in front of her. With her left leg planted firmly, her long, toned leg stretched taut as she kicked directly at Mo Zhuer¡¯s head. The sheer force of this kick made every cultivator outside the formation tremble. They all thought the veiled woman was done for. Boom~~~ Just as everyone believed the fight was over, a hollow crashing sound echoed. A large cauldron appeared, blocking Wu Yanhan¡¯s kick. In that split second, a flexible sword shot out from Mo Zhuer¡¯s sleeve. Like a red-scaled serpent, it twisted and coiled toward Wu Yanhan in a deadly attack. Wu Yanhan parried and retreated at the same time. Bang! Seizing the moment, she stomped hard, pinning the flexible sword beneath her foot. However, blood began to drip from her arm. As the two women were locked in a stalemate, evenly matched, the group led by Xu Ming arrived at the scene. ¡°Two women fighting? And that one in the martial outfit¡ªher figure and looks are incredible! Hm, but the veiled female cultivator is also amazing. Even though we can¡¯t see her full face, judging by that half-revealed part, she must be stunning!¡± Yu Wenxi¡¯s eyes lit up with excitement as he watched the two women within the formation. ¡°By the way, who is this female martial artist? Why do her punches and true energy feel on par with Xu Ming¡¯s? And that veiled female cultivator¡ªher techniques seem to come from the Western Regions? She even has a semi-immortal artifact?¡± Miao Feng wasn¡¯t particularly interested in women fighting, but these two piqued his curiosity. From Miao Feng¡¯s perspective, if he were to spar with either of them, he wouldn¡¯t last more than fifty moves. ¡°Brother Xu, who do you think will win?¡± Yu Wenxi asked, turning to his companion. But Xu Ming remained silent for a long while. ¡°Brother Xu? Brother Xu?¡± Yu Wenxi turned his head. ¡°Shh.¡± Xu Ming rubbed the corner of his eye while staring at the two women in the formation. ¡°Don¡¯t disturb me¡ªI¡¯m thinking.¡± Chapter 216 Staring at the two figures in the formation, Xu Ming furrowed his brows, falling into deep thought. He never expected Wu Yanhan to be sent as an envoy to Tianxuan Sect. Even more surprising, Mo Zhuer was here as well. How did Mo Zhuer even sneak in? Tianxuan Sect had repeatedly emphasized how strict the security would be during the Zixia Grand Ceremony. And this is what they call ¡°strict¡±? Just as Xu Ming wondered if he was hallucinating or had seen wrong, Wu Yanhan and Mo Zhuer clashed again. With the protection of the Yuanyang Cauldron, Wu Yanhan¡¯s attacks were completely neutralized. Meanwhile, Mo Zhuer launched attacks without restraint, her flexible sword leaving one mark after another on Wu Yanhan. Watching how skillfully Mo Zhuer controlled the Yuanyang Cauldron, Xu Ming confirmed that she had already refined it. When a cultivator refines a semi-immortal artifact, the improvement to their strength is nothing short of a qualitative leap. Fortunately, given Mo Zhuer¡¯s current cultivation level, even with the Yuanyang Cauldron fully submitting to her, her insufficient spiritual energy made it impossible for her to use it for long periods. Wu Yanhan had clearly noticed this. Instead of engaging Mo Zhuer head-on, she maneuvered around, striking whenever she saw an opening. If the strike landed, great; if not, she¡¯d pull back. Her approach was calculated and clever. Mo Zhuer frowned, visibly frustrated by Wu Yanhan¡¯s persistent, fly-like tactics. Seizing a moment when Mo Zhuer faltered in her control of the Yuanyang Cauldron, Wu Yanhan pulled back to create distance, then threw a powerful punch straight at Mo Zhuer. Mo Zhuer¡¯s lips curled into a smirk. This was the opportunity she had been waiting for. Dark light burst forth behind her, forming tails like those of a nine-tailed fox. These tails shot toward Wu Yanhan, who was already mid-motion and unable to change direction. Even as the dark light streaked toward her, Wu Yanhan¡¯s composure didn¡¯t waver. Her martial soul manifestation enveloped her protectively, while her fist¡¯s energy grew even more ferocious. The spiritual energy in the air twisted violently around her punch, clearly showing that Wu Yanhan intended to trade injuries for a decisive blow. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The punch came too fast. Its energy pressed down on Mo Zhuer like a mountain, leaving her no room to dodge. The onlookers held their breath, watching this final clash with bated anticipation. No matter who won, it was certain that both sides would sustain significant injuries. Though the formation offered some protection, it wasn¡¯t all-encompassing. The formation was designed to prevent fatal injuries or damage to the Dao foundation, activating only when one side¡¯s life was in danger or their Dao was at risk. However, injuries below that threshold would still have to be borne by the participants themselves. After all, activating the formation consumed a significant amount of spirit stones, and maintaining it afterward was costly as well. Even with Tianxuan Sect¡¯s vast resources, such waste wasn¡¯t sustainable. Boom! A deafening explosion erupted as thick smoke and dust rose within the formation. All eyes were wide, fixated on the scene, eager to see who had emerged victorious. ¡°Eh? Where¡¯s Brother Xu?¡± Yu Wenxi, who had been focused entirely on the formation, suddenly realized Xu Ming was nowhere to be seen. When the dust cleared, Yu Wenxi finally spotted him. Xu Ming was standing in the formation. He had one hand gripping Wu Yanhan¡¯s fist, while the martial soul manifestation behind him blocked several streaks of dark light aimed at her. His blue robes fluttered in the wind generated by spiritual energy and martial energy colliding. Though a faint trace of blood seeped from the corner of his lips, Xu Ming appeared otherwise unscathed. ¡°What? He actually blocked the full-force attacks from both of these women at the same time?¡± ¡°Who is this guy?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know? That¡¯s Xu Ming.¡± ¡°Huh? The Xu Ming? The one who defeated Senior Brother Chen and ranks second on the Qingyun List?¡± ¡°So that¡¯s him?¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s him.¡± ¡°But why did he step into the formation?¡± ¡°Why? Isn¡¯t it obvious? Wu Yanhan was annulled from her engagement, and the one who did it was Xu Ming. Technically, Xu Ming is her ex-fianc¨¦! If you see your ex-fianc¨¦e about to get hurt, wouldn¡¯t you step in to help?¡± Outside the formation, the crowd erupted into another round of chatter, marveling at Xu Ming¡¯s strength and equally astonished by the revelation that he was the one who annulled the engagement with Wu Yanhan. Inside the formation, Wu Yanhan stared at Xu Ming standing in front of her, a hint of surprise in her expression. Clearly, she hadn¡¯t expected to see Xu Ming here at Tianxuan Sect, much less standing protectively in front of her. Is he here to help me? Or is he helping that veiled woman? On the other hand, Mo Zhuer¡¯s lips curved slightly when she saw Xu Ming. ¡°Young Master Xu, it¡¯s been a while. What¡¯s this? Are you afraid I¡¯ll harm your little fianc¨¦e, so you¡¯ve come to help her fight me? Isn¡¯t that a bit unfair, Young Master Xu?¡± ¡°You know her?¡± Wu Yanhan asked, her tone carrying a hint of frost. ¡°I do,¡± Xu Ming nodded. ¡°Know me? Oh, it¡¯s much more than that,¡± Mo Zhuer said with a sly smile. ¡°We¡¯ve spent some very pleasant time together, haven¡¯t we, Young Master Xu?¡± Xu Ming: ¡°¡­¡± If it were in the past, before the incident with Mo Zhuer, Xu Ming would have stood firmly on Wu Yanhan¡¯s side. But now, every time he saw Mo Zhuer, the memories of that night at the Yuanyang Cauldron surfaced in his mind, filling his heart with a complicated mix of emotions. ¡°Whose side are you on?¡± Wu Yanhan asked again, her gaze locked onto Xu Ming. ¡°Neither,¡± Xu Ming sighed. ¡°This is just a sparring match; there¡¯s no need for either of you to go so far. Even if there¡¯s no danger to your lives, you¡¯ll both still suffer significant injuries. The Zixia Grand Ceremony is meant to be a joyous occasion. We¡¯re all guests here; there¡¯s no need for things to escalate like this.¡± Xu Ming¡¯s declaration of neutrality might have sounded fair, but to both Wu Yanhan and Mo Zhuer, it only hinted at his complicated feelings for the other, making them both feel a little more unsettled. ¡°Fine, since Young Master Xu says so, I¡¯ll listen to him,¡± Mo Zhuer said first. She put away the Yuanyang Cauldron, and her flexible sword coiled around her slender waist, tying itself into a belt. ¡°Young Master Xu, you¡¯re staying at the Guest Peak, right? I¡¯ll come visit you later. Wait for me~¡± she said as she brushed past Xu Ming, leaving the formation with a playful smile. On the other side, Wu Yanhan lowered her fists but continued to watch Xu Ming out of the corner of her eye. Although it had only been half a year since they last met, Wu Yanhan felt like Xu Ming had grown taller, his features sharper and more resolute than before. ¡°It¡¯s been a while. Want to come sit at my courtyard?¡± Xu Ming asked, turning toward Wu Yanhan. ¡°Hmph! Not going!¡± Wu Yanhan replied, clearly irritated, before turning and walking out of the formation in a huff. Chapter 217 In Xu Ming¡¯s courtyard, Wu Yanhan sat across from him. Shen Shengsheng was over by the flowerbed, crouching down and playing with mud. Although Xu Ming had invited Wu Yanhan to his courtyard earlier, she had briskly refused with a ¡°Not going¡± and left. Yet, when Xu Ming returned, Wu Yanhan had come over on her own. As for Yu Wenxi and Miao Feng, they were tactful enough not to disturb someone else¡¯s private moment, so they went back to their own residences. ¡°Who¡¯s this little girl?¡± Wu Yanhan asked, glancing at Shen Shengsheng. ¡°Your love child with that veiled woman?¡± S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Cough cough cough! Xu Ming choked on air. ¡°What are you even talking about? Shengsheng is almost nine years old.¡± ¡°Heh.¡± Wu Yanhan turned her head away. Xu Ming: ¡°¡­¡± Xu Ming suspected Wu Yanhan was still holding a grudge against him for not helping her earlier. But then again, could Wu Yanhan really be that petty? ¡°She¡¯s Shen Shengsheng, Shen Sheng¡¯s daughter,¡± Xu Ming explained while pouring tea for Wu Yanhan. ¡°Shen Sheng?¡± Wu Yanhan froze for a moment before quickly recalling the mission eight years ago. Shen Sheng was the man who controlled magical beasts but ultimately became one himself. In the end, Xu Ming had been the one to kill him. ¡°This girl is his daughter? Then why is she with you?¡± Wu Yanhan¡¯s confusion deepened. Xu Ming shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s a long story. As for the details of how Shen Shengsheng was born, or the specifics behind it, I don¡¯t know much either. What I do know is that she has magical beast bloodline. Back when I came out of the Baiwa Secret Realm¡­¡± Xu Ming recounted everything that had happened in the Lava Heart Cave to Wu Yanhan without holding anything back. When Wu Yanhan heard that a human could possess a magical beast bloodline, she was utterly astonished. ¡°You¡¯re really telling me all this? Are you sure it¡¯s okay?¡± Wu Yanhan asked. Shen Shengsheng was far too unusual. If any faction learned that a human with a magical beast bloodline existed and could cultivate, they¡¯d undoubtedly fight over her or experiment on her. But Xu Ming had told her everything without reservation. Xu Ming chuckled, sipping his tea. ¡°If I¡¯m telling you all this, it means I trust you. I trust that you won¡¯t share this with anyone else.¡± Wu Yanhan raised an eyebrow. ¡°Since when do you trust me so much?¡± Xu Ming replied matter-of-factly, ¡°After everything we¡¯ve been through, all those life-and-death situations, I¡¯ve long trusted you unconditionally. To put it simply, you¡¯re one of the few people in this world I trust the most.¡± ¡°One of the few?¡± Wu Yanhan sneered. ¡°Let me guess. Among the people you trust the most, there¡¯s also Qin Qingwan from Tianxuan Sect, isn¡¯t there?¡± Xu Ming: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°And besides Qin Qingwan, that veiled woman is someone you trust unconditionally too, right?¡± Wu Yanhan pressed on. Xu Ming¡¯s brow twitched, unsure how to respond for a moment. Why is she bringing up all the most awkward topics? ¡°I don¡¯t trust the veiled woman you mentioned,¡± Xu Ming finally said. ¡°Oh? Then why haven¡¯t you told me her name yet? Isn¡¯t that just you protecting her?¡± Wu Yanhan countered. ¡°What¡¯s there to hide?¡± Xu Ming felt like Wu Yanhan was unusually confrontational today. ¡°The veiled woman you¡¯re talking about is the Saintess of the Black Lotus Sect in the Western Regions. My connection with her is because she tried to kill me. But in the end, due to certain circumstances, we ended up working together against the Hehuan Sect. So, strictly speaking, our relationship is just one of mutual exploitation.¡± ¡°Just that?¡± Wu Yanhan asked skeptically. Xu Ming hesitated, feeling a bit guilty. ¡°That¡¯s all there is to it.¡± Cough cough cough. Xu Ming coughed awkwardly a few times before continuing. ¡°Actually, there¡¯s another reason I¡¯m telling you all this.¡± ¡°Oh? Let¡¯s hear it,¡± Wu Yanhan said, her curiosity piqued. Xu Ming said, ¡°When we return to Wudu, I want to leave Shengsheng at the Xu family estate and ask my mother to help take care of her. I also hope you can lend a hand.¡± Wu Yanhan thought for a moment and then shook her head. ¡°If I didn¡¯t have much going on, I could agree to that. But in the coming years, I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be staying in Wudu.¡± Now it was Xu Ming¡¯s turn to be confused. ¡°Why?¡± Wu Yanhan looked directly into Xu Ming¡¯s eyes. ¡°To suppress rebellions.¡± ¡°Suppress rebellions?¡± Xu Ming asked. Wu Yanhan nodded. ¡°During the half year you¡¯ve been away from the Wu Kingdom, a lot has happened. The biggest event was when the emperor implemented your Tui¡¯en Order.¡± Xu Ming was taken aback. ¡°The Tui¡¯en Order?¡± Wu Yanhan continued, ¡°Your Tui¡¯en Order was a truly brilliant move, especially combined with the current rise in the status of concubine-born sons in the Wu Kingdom. Most vassal kings had no choice but to accept it, dividing their lands among other heirs. However, no one is truly a fool. The reason many vassal kings accepted it is that they weren¡¯t bold enough to rebel, and the Tui¡¯en Order was a gentle approach that didn¡¯t push them too hard. But the ambitious vassal kings in the Wu Kingdom are a different story. They understand that with the Tui¡¯en Order, their vassal states will gradually weaken within a hundred years. If they refuse to implement it, internal conflicts will grow, and concubine-born heirs may side with the imperial court. So these vassal kings, while their territories are still strong and well-armed, are taking their chances and aiming for the emperor¡¯s throne. Currently, there are over twenty rebellions across the Wu Kingdom, big and small. Some vassal kings have formed alliances; others are acting on their own. Many generals from the court have been sent to suppress the uprisings. As the Eldest Princess of the Wu Kingdom, how could I sit idly by in the palace?¡± Xu Ming understood what Emperor Wu intended. War was the best way to build prestige. Sending his daughter to the battlefield was risky, but there would undoubtedly be protectors in the shadows ensuring her safety. If Yanhan could make significant contributions during this rebellion, her reputation in the court would soar. Moreover, as someone with a Martial God Physique, she needed the blood and chaos of the battlefield to refine herself. This rebellion was the perfect opportunity for that. Seeing Xu Ming deep in thought, Wu Yanhan assumed her earlier refusal had upset him. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and softened her tone. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. As long as nothing unexpected happens, the rebellion shouldn¡¯t take too long to suppress. You can stay in Wudu for a while, and I¡¯ll return when it¡¯s over.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Xu Ming replied with a smile. He turned to look at Shen Shengsheng. ¡°There¡¯s no rush. I¡¯ll think it over.¡± ¡°Take your time. If you need anything, just tell me,¡± Wu Yanhan said, meeting his gaze. ¡°But before that, I have a question for you.¡± Xu Ming nodded. ¡°We¡¯re close enough; just ask.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll get straight to the point,¡± Wu Yanhan said. ¡°Did you come to Tianxuan Sect to congratulate them, or because you missed Qin Qingwan?¡± Chapter 218 ¡°Then let me ask you directly¡ªdid you come to Tianxuan Sect to offer congratulations, or because you missed Qin Qingwan?¡± Wu Yanhan stared seriously at Xu Ming. Under Wu Yanhan¡¯s intense gaze, Xu Ming shivered involuntarily. He had a strong feeling that if he didn¡¯t answer this question properly, Wu Yanhan might very well throw a punch at him. And Wu Yanhan¡¯s punches weren¡¯t the kind of playful ¡°little fists¡± one might joke about. A punch from Wu Yanhan might genuinely make someone question their existence. ¡°Qingwan is my friend. She helped me a lot in the Baiwa Secret Realm. She even got injured quite badly because of it. I just wanted to check on her and see if there¡¯s anything I can do to help,¡± Xu Ming explained slowly. ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything, so why are you explaining so much?¡± Wu Yanhan took a sip of tea from the cup on the table. ¡°Even if you¡¯re here because you miss her, it¡¯s none of my business. That¡¯s your freedom.¡± Despite what Wu Yanhan said, she actually felt quite pleased in her heart after hearing Xu Ming¡¯s explanation. Though she suspected Xu Ming might just be lying to her, at least he bothered to offer an explanation. As for whether it was true or not, she didn¡¯t want to dig too deeply into it. Xu Ming, watching Wu Yanhan¡¯s expression, couldn¡¯t help but feel that she seemed a little jealous. But he quickly dismissed the idea. When he stopped her from fighting Mo Zhu¡¯er and remained neutral, it was understandable for Wu Yanhan to feel upset. After all, they were ¡°brothers¡± who had gone through life-and-death situations together, yet he didn¡¯t take her side. That would surely make her uncomfortable. But Qingwan was his childhood friend and had no conflicts of interest with Wu Yanhan. Xu Ming couldn¡¯t figure out any reason for her to feel jealous. ¡®Could it be that Yanhan likes me?¡¯ A bold thought popped into Xu Ming¡¯s mind as he glanced at Wu Yanhan. Noticing his strange gaze, Wu Yanhan blinked at him. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡± Caught off guard, Xu Ming quickly took a sip of tea. ¡°No reason.¡± ¡°You¡¯re so weird.¡± Wu Yanhan stood up. ¡°It¡¯s getting late. I¡¯ll be leaving now. If there¡¯s anything you need, just tell me. By the way, after attending the Zixia Grand Ceremony, do you have any other plans?¡± Xu Ming shook his head. ¡°I was planning to visit the Wanjian Sect, but with the selection for the Rootless Secret Realm starting soon, I probably won¡¯t have time. After the ceremony, I¡¯ll be heading back to Wudu.¡± Wu Yanhan nodded. ¡°Once I finish my diplomatic mission here, I¡¯ll also return to Wudu to report. Why don¡¯t we travel back together?¡± ¡°Did the Wuguo (Wu Kingdom) military accompany you here?¡± Xu Ming asked. Wu Yanhan replied, ¡°It¡¯s just a diplomatic mission to Tianxuan Sect, not an invasion. Why would I bring the army? That said, I do have 2,000 Dragon Leopard Cavalry with me. Why do you ask?¡± ¡°Oh, nothing, just curious. Alright, let¡¯s travel back together then.¡± Xu Ming had only asked to ensure that he wouldn¡¯t bring trouble to Wu Yanhan if they encountered another assassination attempt. But with 2,000 Dragon Leopard Cavalry present, he felt reassured. Although most of the cavalry were only in the Heroic Soul and Dominant Spirit stages, their spears and armor were forged from black iron. Their mounts, Dragon Leopard Horses, carried the bloodlines of Lu Shu, Flood Dragons, and Thunder Leopards, making them incredibly formidable. More importantly, the Dragon Leopard Cavalry could form battle formations, turning them into a lethal weapon on the battlefield. As one of Wuguo¡¯s three elite armies, 2,000 Dragon Leopard Cavalry could make even Nascent Soul cultivators cautious, not to mention Golden Core cultivators. ¡°Alright, it¡¯s settled then.¡± After receiving Xu Ming¡¯s confirmation, Wu Yanhan didn¡¯t waste any more words and left his courtyard. Not long after Wu Yanhan left, Shen Shengsheng, who had been playing with mud, ran up to Xu Ming and held out a figure she had shaped. ¡°This little dog is pretty well-made,¡± Xu Ming praised, looking at the clay sculpture in her hands. Shen Shengsheng shook her head. ¡°Not¡­ a dog.¡± ¡°Not a dog? Then what is it?¡± Xu Ming studied the figure closely. Shen Shengsheng pointed at Xu Ming. Xu Ming pointed at himself in disbelief. ¡°You made me?¡± Shen Shengsheng nodded but lowered her head, looking sadly at the clay figure of Xu Ming in her hands. Seeing the little girl¡¯s dejected expression, Xu Ming quickly changed his tone. ¡°Oh, I was wondering why it looked so familiar. Turns out it¡¯s me! Thank you, I really like it.¡± S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Really?¡± Shen Shengsheng lifted her small head. ¡°Really,¡± Xu Ming said as he took the clay figure. ¡°I never lie to Shengsheng.¡± Shen Shengsheng¡¯s eyes curved into happy crescents, her mood instantly improving. In truth, Shengsheng was quite intelligent. She just had trouble expressing herself verbally. When Wu Yanhan had come to the courtyard, Shengsheng had quietly played by herself, not disturbing Xu Ming and Wu Yanhan. Only after Wu Yanhan left did Shengsheng run over. ¡°Look at you, covered in mud. Go wash your hands,¡± Xu Ming said, rubbing the top of Shengsheng¡¯s head. ¡°Mm!¡± Shengsheng nodded obediently, then ran to the water vat. Standing on tiptoe, she scooped two ladles of water into a wooden basin. She crouched down and carefully washed her little hands. After washing up, Shengsheng ran back to Xu Ming with light steps, holding out her soft, clean hands to him. ¡°Alright,¡± Xu Ming acknowledged with a nod, turning his head as he continued thinking about the issues at Sanshi Peak. But moments later, Shengsheng shifted to stand in front of him again, stretching out her clean hands once more. Seeing her adorable expression, Xu Ming quickly understood what she wanted. Smiling, he reached out and ruffled her hair. ¡°You washed them very clean.¡± ¡°Hehehe.¡± Shengsheng, like a little beast, happily rubbed her head against Xu Ming¡¯s palm. Looking at her well-behaved demeanor, Xu Ming asked, ¡°Shengsheng, what do you think of the big sister from earlier?¡± Shengsheng thought seriously for a moment. ¡°Pretty.¡± Xu Ming chuckled. ¡°She is very pretty, but I wasn¡¯t asking about her looks. I meant, what do you think of her personality?¡± Shengsheng bit her finger as she thought hard again. ¡°Fierce.¡± Xu Ming was momentarily stunned before pinching her little nose. ¡°Yanhan is indeed a bit fierce, but she just looks that way. Deep down, she¡¯s very gentle. Once you spend more time with her, you¡¯ll see.¡± ¡°Mm-hm,¡± Shengsheng nodded, then sat quietly beside Xu Ming. In Shengsheng¡¯s mind, it didn¡¯t really matter what kind of personality that pretty big sister had. All that mattered was that she could stay by Xu Ming¡¯s side. As night fell, an outer disciple delivered dinner. The meal came in a wooden box, designed to be discarded after use. It consisted of five dishes and a soup, all in generous portions. The ingredients used were all either the meat of magical beasts or spiritual vegetables cultivated with spiritual springs, brimming with spiritual energy. Such meals were luxuries that common folk couldn¡¯t afford, and even noble families or high-ranking officials couldn¡¯t eat them every day. Not that they would need to¡ªordinary martial artists couldn¡¯t absorb spiritual energy, and overeating such meals might even cause health issues. After dinner, night had fully descended. Xu Ming took Shengsheng to a nearby stream for a bath. Naturally, he kept his back turned while Shengsheng bathed. Initially, Xu Ming had considered taking her to the women¡¯s bathhouse, where the water was infused with spiritual flowers and herbs, beneficial for the body. However, since Shengsheng still had some beast-like features, it wouldn¡¯t have been appropriate if others saw her. After her bath, Shen Shengsheng let out a loud ¡°Awoo¡± toward Xu Ming in the distance. Hearing this, Xu Ming knew she was done. He led Shen Shengsheng back to the courtyard, where a maid was waiting outside the gate. When she saw Xu Ming return, the maid bowed respectfully. ¡°Chenyao from Lingzhi Peak greets Young Master Xu.¡± Xu Ming nodded in acknowledgment and returned the gesture. ¡°What brings Miss Chenyao here?¡± ¡°The Sect Master sent me to deliver some items, things that Senior Brother Xia promised to give you during the Baiwa Secret Realm expedition,¡± Chenyao replied with a gentle smile, producing a box from her storage ring. ¡°Oh, I see. Please convey my thanks to the Sect Master and Senior Brother Xia. As expected, Senior Brother Xia is a man of his word.¡± Xu Ming accepted the box. ¡°You¡¯re too kind, Young Master Xu. Additionally, the Sect Master asked me to relay a message. If you need anything, please feel free to ask. The Sect Master will ensure your requests are met,¡± Chenyao said softly. ¡°Of course, of course. I won¡¯t hold back,¡± Xu Ming replied with a smile, graciously accepting the gesture. However, within Chenyao¡¯s polite words, Xu Ming discerned a hint of warning. This maid wasn¡¯t here on behalf of Xia Donghua but rather the Sect Master of Tianxuan Sect. The underlying message was clear: ¡°I¡¯m aware of what happened between you and my son. Yes, my son was in the wrong. These items are my apology. But I hope this matter ends here. Please grant me this favor.¡± Whether to accept the favor or not was a matter for another time. But within Tianxuan Sect, Xu Ming had to at least pretend to show respect. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll take my leave. Farewell, Young Master Xu.¡± ¡°Take care, Miss.¡± After a polite bow, Chenyao stepped back and departed. Once she was gone, Xu Ming returned to his courtyard with the box in hand. When he opened it, he was greeted by a rush of rich spiritual energy. Inside, the box was divided into three layers. The first two layers neatly held 50 superior-grade spirit stones, while the third layer contained five Grade-One Spirit Fruits. In the mortal world, gold and silver served as the primary currency. But in the cultivation world, while gold and silver had some purchasing power, the main currency was spirit stones. Spirit stones were divided into three grades: low, medium, and high/superior, with an exchange ratio of 100:1 between each grade. In other words, one superior-grade spirit stone was equivalent to 10,000 low-grade spirit stones. As for the exchange rate between spirit stones and mortal gold or silver, it wasn¡¯t fixed. The rate largely depended on ¡°international circumstances¡± and the relative strength of each mortal dynasty. For a powerful dynasty, one low-grade spirit stone might be worth a single copper coin. For weaker or smaller countries, one low-grade spirit stone could fetch two copper coins, or even ten. Even when not exchanging for legal tender like copper coins, the value of spirit stones against hard currency like silver and gold fluctuated based on the balance of power between the mortal and cultivation worlds. For instance, in a scenario where the mortal world held significant influence over cultivators, one superior-grade spirit stone might be worth 8,000 taels of gold. If the cultivation world overwhelmingly dominated the mortal kingdoms, the value of a superior-grade spirit stone could exceed 10,000 taels of gold. The mortal and cultivation worlds maintained a delicate, mysterious equilibrium. Regardless, when Xu Ming had demanded 50 superior-grade spirit stones from Xia Donghua, it was undoubtedly an outrageous request. Xia must have felt a pang of pain agreeing to it. The five Grade-One Spirit Fruits were also incredibly valuable, with each roughly equivalent to a superior-grade spirit stone. As for whether the Tianxuan Sect Master might have poisoned the spirit fruits? That was out of the question. The higher the grade of a spiritual fruit, the purer its essence. For a Grade-One Spiritual Fruit like these, any contamination¡ªsuch as poison¡ªwould instantly taint its spiritual energy. The fruit¡¯s vibrant clarity would become dull, and the flesh might even begin to rot. However, these five Grade-One Spiritual Fruits were flawless, glistening with a crystalline brilliance, clearly untainted by anything harmful. Shen Shengsheng had her hands on the edge of the table, only half her head peeking above it. Her wide eyes blinked rapidly as she stared at the spiritual fruits on the table, drool trickling down from the corner of her mouth. Seeing her adorable, greedy expression, Xu Ming chuckled. ¡°Do you want one?¡± Shen Shengsheng nodded eagerly, but then quickly shook her head firmly. ¡°It¡¯s fine. If you want it, go ahead and eat one,¡± Xu Ming said, picking up a fruit shaped like an apple and handing it to her. This particular fruit was called a Water Dragon Fruit. Juicy and tender, it had a thin, almost translucent skin through which one could see the flesh inside. Shen Shengsheng reached out to take it but hesitated, pulling her hands back. ¡°You don¡¯t need to be shy. You gave me a clay figure, so I¡¯m giving you a fruit in return,¡± Xu Ming said with a warm smile. After a moment of hesitation, the temptation proved too much. Shen Shengsheng finally took the fruit and began munching on it with loud, crisp bites. When she finished, she let out a satisfied burp, her little belly noticeably full. Xu Ming lifted her onto the table and began carefully adjusting her spiritual energy. Shen Shengsheng¡¯s cultivation level was low, and the spiritual energy contained within a Grade-One Spiritual Fruit was immense. Without proper guidance, it would take her a long time to absorb and process the energy. After about half an hour, Shen Shengsheng let out a contented sigh and flopped backward. Xu Ming caught her, realizing she had fallen asleep. He carried the little girl to her bed, gently tucking her in under a warm blanket. Just as Xu Ming finished smoothing the covers, his hand paused mid-motion. His expression hardened slightly. ¡°Entering someone else¡¯s residence without knocking is hardly polite.¡± Behind him, a young woman in a black dress stood leaning against the doorway. Her alluring smile curved slightly as she replied, ¡°If I knocked, how could I have seen this gentle side of Young Master Xu?¡± Chapter 219 Xu Ming turned around. Mo Zhuer stood with her hands behind her back, her eyes carrying a smile as gentle as water. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the courtyard. Don¡¯t disturb Shengsheng¡¯s sleep.¡± Xu Ming glanced at Mo Zhuer before walking straight out of the room. Mo Zhuer didn¡¯t object. She followed Xu Ming lightly, almost playfully. The two sat on the stone bench in the courtyard. Xu Ming brewed tea while Mo Zhuer rested her chin on her white, delicate palm, gazing at Xu Ming with a faint, teasing smile, as if she were observing something amusing. ¡°How did you sneak in?¡± Xu Ming poured himself a cup of tea, not bothering to spare her a glance. But just as he was about to pick up the cup, Mo Zhuer reached out first, taking it and sipping leisurely. ¡°The Lord of Wangxing (Falling Star) City, Jiang Ruyan, is one of our Black Lotus Sect¡¯s operatives in the Central Plains. She¡¯s also a good friend of mine. Since Wangxing City isn¡¯t far from Tianxuan Sect, she naturally received the invitation to attend. As the city lord, how could she not come? And so, she brought me along,¡± Mo Zhuer explained. Xu Ming frowned. ¡°You¡¯re just casually telling me she¡¯s an operative? Aren¡¯t you afraid I¡¯ll expose her?¡± ¡°Not at all~¡± Mo Zhuer¡¯s tone was lighthearted. ¡°If you reveal her identity, the business between us will fall apart, you know. Besides, unless you¡¯re planning to give up your Martial cultivation or your Qi cultivation, you¡¯ll need my help eventually. Don¡¯t forget¡ªonly I can help you solve your problem.¡± Xu Ming shook his head. ¡°So what? Don¡¯t kid yourself. I won¡¯t do anything that goes against my conscience, even if it means giving up one path.¡± Mo Zhuer rolled her eyes at him. ¡°You¡¯re unbelievable. Everything¡¯s either ¡®conscience¡¯ or ¡®morality¡¯ with you. In your eyes, am I just always killing people or on my way to kill someone?¡± Xu Ming met her gaze directly, his expression clearly saying: Isn¡¯t that the case? ¡°That¡¯s unfair.¡± Mo Zhuer pouted, her lips forming a slight pout. ¡°I¡¯m not a lunatic, okay? The people I kill, I always have a reason for it. Take you, for example¡ªdo we have any enmity? Why would I want to kill you? What would I gain from it? But if I don¡¯t kill you, I¡¯m disobeying sect orders, and then I¡¯ll die. And as for people like Ji Wuming, if I don¡¯t kill them, they¡¯ll kill me. Do you think it¡¯s easy for me?¡± Xu Ming looked at her in silence. ¡°I never said it was easy. Also, why are you telling me all this? Do you really need to explain yourself to me?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Mo Zhuer¡¯s mouth opened slightly, and she froze for a moment. Huh? That¡¯s true. Why am I explaining myself to him? Do I even need to? ¡°I¡¯m explaining because we¡¯ll be working together a lot in the future,¡± Mo Zhuer said as she casually tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, clearly just making up an excuse. ¡°Otherwise, if you keep thinking I¡¯m some kind of bloodthirsty maniac, how are we supposed to cooperate?¡± Xu Ming found her explanation reasonable but still harbored doubts about the ¡°future cooperation¡± she mentioned. ¡°Oh, right!¡± Mo Zhuer suddenly crossed her fair arms on the table. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know who wants you dead?¡± ¡°You¡¯d tell me?¡± Of course, Xu Ming wanted to know who was after his life. To command the Black Lotus Sect, the person must hold a significant position. Mo Zhuer straightened her slender waist, raising her chin smugly. ¡°Beg me, and I¡¯ll tell you.¡± Xu Ming: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Forget it. There¡¯s no need to tell me.¡± Xu Ming appeared indifferent. ¡°You¡¯re so boring,¡± Mo Zhuer muttered with a pout. Mo Zhuer rolled her eyes at Xu Ming. ¡°Fine, this lady will graciously tell you. The person who wants you dead is from your Wuguo (Wu Kingdom), but as for who exactly, I don¡¯t know. However, it seems your Xu family is quite influential. You could investigate it yourself. Start with those nobles, ministers, or high-ranking officials¡ªyou know as well as I do that ordinary people wouldn¡¯t be able to mobilize the Black Lotus Sect.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Xu Ming nodded thoughtfully. ¡°Thank you.¡± Hearing his thanks, Mo Zhuer was momentarily stunned before her lips curled up like a smug cat¡¯s. ¡°So, you actually know how to thank me, huh?¡± Xu Ming ignored her teasing. ¡°I owe you a favor.¡± ¡°Hmph,¡± Mo Zhuer crossed her arms. ¡°I¡¯m not someone who likes to owe others, but I also don¡¯t like others owing me. You¡¯re the first person to owe me a favor. Make sure to pay it back.¡± ¡°What kind of favor, and how much of one? I¡¯ll repay it appropriately, but don¡¯t expect me to do anything against my conscience,¡± Xu Ming said. ¡°There you go again with your ¡®conscience.¡¯ Don¡¯t you know that good people don¡¯t always get good rewards?¡± Mo Zhuer seemed a little annoyed. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Whatever.¡± She waved her hand as if to disperse her unhappiness. ¡°Let¡¯s get to the main topic¡ªlet¡¯s talk about the deal I want to make with you today.¡± ¡°What kind of deal do you want to make with me?¡± Xu Ming asked. ¡°A deal where you won¡¯t lose out, guaranteed.¡± Mo Zhuer¡¯s lips curved into a triumphant smile. ¡°By the way, you could say this deal is me saving your life.¡± ¡°Saving my life?¡± Xu Ming was even more confused. Here I am in Tianxuan Sect, perfectly fine. There¡¯s a protective sect formation outside, and inside, there are many cultivators in the upper five realms. What danger could I possibly face? And how exactly are you saving me? ¡°Specifically, I can¡¯t explain it clearly, and you wouldn¡¯t believe me even if I did. You¡¯d probably suspect I¡¯m trying to set you up,¡± Mo Zhuer said. ¡°How would I know if you don¡¯t explain?¡± Xu Ming found her cryptic attitude annoying. ¡°Alright, fine, I¡¯ll just tell you straight.¡± Mo Zhuer spread her hands in an exasperated yet indulgent manner, even with a hint of playfulness. ¡°The Sect Master of Tianxuan Sect, Xia He, plans to kill all the guests and half of the sect¡¯s disciples.¡± Xu Ming: ¡°¡­¡± Seeing Xu Ming¡¯s expression, Mo Zhuer¡¯s eyes curved as she smiled. ¡°See? I told you. Even if I said it, you wouldn¡¯t believe me. It¡¯s understandable. After all, on one hand, you have Xia He¡ªthe Sect Master of Tianxuan Sect, a cultivator at the peak of the Immortal Realm, renowned in the cultivation world as the ¡®Gentleman of Water,¡¯ a paragon of virtue who is known for doing good deeds. His reputation as a good man is widespread, even among the mundane world. On the other hand, there¡¯s me¡ªa villainess of the Black Lotus Sect, infamous for countless evil deeds, killing without hesitation, and using any means necessary to achieve my goals. And don¡¯t forget, I was trying to kill you before. If it were me, I¡¯d also believe the highly regarded Xia He over the villainous Mo Zhuer who was once after my life.¡± ¡°Evidence.¡± Xu Ming met Mo Zhuer¡¯s gaze and said plainly. Indeed, Xu Ming¡¯s trust in Mo Zhuer was extremely low. In the past, he would have assumed she was scheming something and wouldn¡¯t have even sat with her in the courtyard for tea. However, after spending some time with her, Xu Ming had come to understand her a bit. Especially after that night in the Yuanyang Cauldron, when the barrier of intimacy between them had been broken. That experience had created a subtle trust in Mo Zhuer. Xu Ming was aware that this kind of trust, born from physical intimacy, was irrational and unreliable. Yet, after something like that happens, you can¡¯t help but subconsciously believe that the woman before you wouldn¡¯t harm you. It¡¯s human nature. For Xu Ming to remain so vigilant toward Mo Zhuer now was already a considerable feat of self-restraint. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a location. Go there yourself and see. Afterward, whether or not you want to cooperate with me, you can tell me then.¡± As she spoke, Mo Zhuer poured a cup of tea. Then, with her white, slender finger dipped in tea, she wrote three words on the stone table¡ª San Shi Peak. Seeing the words ¡°San Shi Peak,¡± Xu Ming¡¯s heart couldn¡¯t help but race. ¡°This San Shi Peak is a forbidden area of Tianxuan Sect. The peak is about three hundred zhang high, and at the summit stand three massive stones, hence the name San Shi Peak. Inside the peak lies the greatest secret of Tianxuan Sect. You¡¯ll understand when you go there. Once you¡¯re sure you want to cooperate with me, I¡¯ll tell you all the details.¡± Mo Zhuer looked seriously at Xu Ming. ¡°But you must be careful. After entering San Shi Peak, don¡¯t interfere with anything, and don¡¯t covet any treasures or spiritual resources inside. Otherwise, you¡¯ll die!¡± Xu Ming was silent for a moment. ¡°How do I get in?¡± ¡°It¡¯s simple.¡± Mo Zhuer retrieved a stone from her storage ring. The stone was entirely black, with a thin outer shell. Under sunlight, faint green specks could be seen within, reminiscent of raw jadeite Xu Ming had seen online. ¡°This stone¡ªtake it with you. On the shadowy side of San Shi Peak, there¡¯s a small path covered by bushes and rocks. At the entrance, there are Phoenix Flowers¡ªa large patch of them, easy to identify. This stone is the key. Take it with you and enter that path. One more thing: the brighter the stone becomes, the closer you are to a trap. If it starts glowing, don¡¯t go further. Understand?¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Xu Ming took the stone. For some reason, he couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that Mo Zhuer seemed to care about his safety. Maybe it¡¯s because she¡¯s afraid that if I die, there¡¯ll be no one to cooperate with her? ¡°Why do you know all this?¡± Xu Ming asked. Mo Zhuer yawned. ¡°Originally, I didn¡¯t. The Black Lotus Sect¡¯s headquarters sent a message, asking me to assist Xia He with his plan, and that¡¯s how I found out.¡± ¡°And aren¡¯t you worried that telling me all this will cause problems? Doesn¡¯t this count as betraying the Black Lotus Sect?¡± Xu Ming asked. ¡°I have my reasons.¡± Mo Zhuer smiled seductively. ¡°The Black Lotus Sect wants me to assist the Tianxuan Sect¡¯s Sect Master, but what benefit does that bring me? Yes, I¡¯m the Saintess of the Black Lotus Sect, but first and foremost, I am me¡ªthen I am the Saintess.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Xu Ming had no retort. Though he couldn¡¯t help but wonder¡ªare all Black Lotus Sect members like this? If they are, then the sect must be truly blessed. ¡°There¡¯s another small deal I want to make with you,¡± Mo Zhuer said, moving on to the second matter. ¡°What deal?¡± Xu Ming asked. ¡°Well¡­¡± Mo Zhuer suddenly stood up and turned into a wisp of black smoke, swiftly wrapping around Xu Ming. When her figure reappeared, she was sitting in Xu Ming¡¯s lap, her soft, pale arms wrapped around his neck. ¡°Since coming to Tianxuan Sect, you¡¯ve been through several battles. Your spiritual energy and martial true energy must be clashing again, right?¡± A warm, fragrant breath escaped Mo Zhuer¡¯s soft lips and brushed against Xu Ming¡¯s face. To be fair, after reaching the Dragon Gate Realm and undergoing several body refinements, cultivators didn¡¯t suffer from bad breath. ¡°What do you want?¡± Xu Ming asked coldly. ¡°You¡¯re so cold.¡± Mo Zhuer¡¯s finger traced circles on Xu Ming¡¯s chest. ¡°That night in the Yuanyang Cauldron, you weren¡¯t this indifferent. No matter how much I called out, you wouldn¡¯t stop.¡± Xu Ming: ¡°¡­¡± Was this woman too bold? How could she talk about such things without blushing or flinching? And it was her first time, too. ¡°I wiped out the Hehuan Sect,¡± Mo Zhuer said abruptly, shifting the topic. ¡°Hm?¡± Xu Ming looked at Mo Zhuer, who was still sitting on his lap. ¡°Don¡¯t look so surprised.¡± Mo Zhuer¡¯s enchanting eyes blinked softly, carrying an unexpected trace of innocence. ¡°I¡¯m a very vengeful person. The Hehuan Sect wanted my life, so naturally, I had to take theirs. Not to mention, with their sect master, Cui Renwang, dead, the Hehuan Sect is now leaderless. The remaining elders are fighting among themselves for the position of sect master. This is the perfect opportunity to destroy the Hehuan Sect. Of course, a sect like the Hehuan Sect, which rises again like spring grass after a wildfire, has branches all over the world. It¡¯s impossible to truly wipe them out. Give it a few decades, and they¡¯ll probably emerge again. But that¡¯s not important. This time, my harvest was quite fruitful.¡± Mo Zhuer pulled a book out of her storage bag. Xu Ming glanced at it. The cover had four large characters written on it: The Great Path of Hehuan. ¡°This book, The Great Path of Hehuan, is the secret scripture of the Hehuan Sect,¡± Mo Zhuer patiently explained. ¡°In this world, all paths lead to the Dao. The Confucian sage achieved enlightenment through reading. The Daoist patriarch attained the Dao while dozing on a green ox. The Buddha gained enlightenment through compassion, even feeding his flesh to an eagle. The Mohist master found his path through the art of mechanisms. The Hehuan Sect naturally has its own Hehuan Dao. After all, the matters of Hehuan are as natural as heaven and earth¡ªwhy shouldn¡¯t it lead to enlightenment? But the Hehuan Sect of today is no longer the same as it once was. The current Hehuan Sect is obsessed with desire, having forgotten its true path. But that¡¯s understandable. The Great Path of Hehuan is divided into three volumes: upper, middle, and lower. One volume is in the Western Regions, one in the Central Plains, and one is lost entirely. Without the complete inheritance, the Hehuan Sect inevitably went astray. That said, even just this upper volume is enough to practice.¡± As she spoke, Mo Zhuer straightened herself in Xu Ming¡¯s lap, leaning in close. Her lips brushed against his ear as she whispered, ¡°I want you to help me cultivate it.¡± Chapter 220 ¡°I want you to help me cultivate it.¡± Mo Zhuer¡¯s voice lingered in Xu Ming¡¯s ears, her alluring tone like a soul-eating insect gnawing at his very bones, making one willingly fall under her spell. ¡°I refuse,¡± Xu Ming answered decisively. ¡°Heh heh heh, but your body right now seems to disagree,¡± Mo Zhuer teased, the corner of her mouth curving into a sly smile as she leaned closer against Xu Ming¡¯s chest. In the courtyard stood an iron rod, ready to be used after hanging clothes. It perfectly illustrated Xu Ming¡¯s current state. However, Xu Ming didn¡¯t feel he could entirely blame himself. Any normal man, faced with a woman as enchanting as Mo Zhuer in such close proximity, would inevitably have some kind of reaction¡ªsuch responses were hardwired into human nature. Let alone him¡ªa warrior with blood that ran hotter than most. ¡°Move,¡± Xu Ming said coldly. ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± Mo Zhuer retorted, resting her head on Xu Ming¡¯s shoulder, her actions dripping with calculated charm. ¡°Does Xu Gongzi (Young Master) truly refuse to practice the first chapter of the Great Path of Hehuan with me? Surely you¡¯ve realized by now that my constitution is quite extraordinary.¡± She paused, her tone softening, almost conspiratorial. ¡°Let me be frank. I am of the Luo Shen Physique. There are many descriptions of this unique constitution, but one key point is that it can nourish all things, allowing for an incredibly precise adjustment and soothing of spiritual energy, both mine and others¡¯. Once upon a time, I wouldn¡¯t have considered practicing the Great Path of Hehuan. But now¡­ since Xu Gongzi has already ¡®partaken¡¯ of me once, what harm is there in doing so a second time? If you agree to cultivate this Great Path of Hehuan with me, I can help you regulate your martial energy and spiritual power. Moreover, this practice has significant healing benefits for your injuries. If what I say is true, and the Sect Master of Tianxuan Sect ends up killing everyone, the sect will descend into utter chaos. Given your current injuries, how will you survive? And with your condition, if you still plan to go to Sanshi Peak, you¡¯ll be walking straight to your death.¡± Xu Ming said nothing, his face dark. ¡°So, this is a trade.¡± Mo Zhuer¡¯s voice turned low and seductive, like a succubus whispering temptations into his ear. ¡°You said it yourself, didn¡¯t you? As long as it¡¯s not something atrocious, you¡¯d agree. I¡¯m not asking you to commit any heinous acts. All I¡¯m asking you to do is¡­¡± Trailing off, Mo Zhuer placed her delicate hand on Xu Ming¡¯s shoulder. Xu Ming felt her spiritual energy entering his body. Just as he prepared to resist, the energy flowed like water, seamlessly merging with his own, leaving him utterly unable to expel it. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A dry heat rose in Xu Ming¡¯s throat. His gaze at Mo Zhuer grew increasingly predatory. ¡°Why not just agree? You¡¯ve already crossed that line once¡ªcrossing it again won¡¯t make a difference,¡± a sudden thought surfaced in Xu Ming¡¯s mind. The notion startled him, shocking even himself. ¡°What did you do to me?¡± Xu Ming frowned, his hand clamping tightly around Mo Zhuer¡¯s wrist. The desire for her in his heart surged uncontrollably. ¡°Be gentle~ If you grip too hard, you¡¯ll hurt me,¡± Mo Zhuer cooed, her tone as sweet and teasing as ever, without a trace of fear. ¡°Haven¡¯t I already explained, Gongzi? I possess the Luo Shen Physique and can freely manipulate spiritual energy. What I just did was infuse a trace of spiritual energy imbued with the properties of the Yuanyang Cauldron into your body¡ªjust to help set the mood a little. And really, you can¡¯t entirely blame me. If you didn¡¯t already have certain feelings for me, that strand of spiritual energy wouldn¡¯t have had any effect at all.¡± Xu Ming: ¡°¡­¡± Xu Ming felt his breathing grow heavier, especially with Mo Zhuer sitting on his lap. The softness of her delicate figure and the faint, sweet fragrance emanating from her body eroded his reason bit by bit. At this moment, Xu Ming¡¯s state was eerily similar to how he felt back in the Yuanyang Cauldron. While not as intense as that time, it was still enough to be overwhelming. The key difference now was this: Back in the Yuanyang Cauldron, Xu Ming had exercised immense self-control, refusing to take that step. His willpower had been at its peak then. But now, that line had already been crossed once. With one comes two, and with two comes three. Xu Ming¡¯s mental defenses were no longer as strong as they had been. In his mind, a voice kept gnawing at his resolve: You¡¯ve already done it once before¡ªwhat difference does one more time make? What¡¯s the harm? And it¡¯s mutually beneficial, good for both of you. This is nothing more than a transaction¡ªwhy resist? If what Mo Zhuer says is true, and the Tianxuan Sect Master really does have some sinister plot, you must recover from your injuries. The lingering conflicts between your spiritual energy and martial qi from the sect¡¯s battles need to be resolved quickly. Otherwise, what if you die? What if something happens to Qing Wan? Will you regret it for the rest of your life? ¡°No, that¡¯s not right¡ªthese are just excuses!¡± Xu Ming knew all these were nothing but justifications for his desire to let go. Yet, his rationality was slowly being chipped away by these excuses. Especially after having tasted that forbidden fruit once before, Xu Ming often found his mind wandering back to that night, despite his best efforts to suppress those desires. Now, those suppressed cravings threatened to erupt like a volcano. Mo Zhuer could see that Xu Ming¡¯s mental defenses were on the verge of collapse. But she wasn¡¯t in a hurry. She simply waited, silently biding her time. When Xu Ming¡¯s gaze grew increasingly hazy, Mo Zhuer took his hand and pressed it against her soft, full chest. ¡°Xu Gongzi, there¡¯s no need to hold back. This is merely cultivation¡ªa mutually beneficial transaction between us. Beyond that, we have no other ties. So why hesitate, Gongzi? Wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡± Feeling that the time was right, Mo Zhuer slowly rose from Xu Ming¡¯s lap, gently pulled him to his feet, and led him step by step into the room. Inside, Shen Shengsheng lay sound asleep on the bed, breathing deeply and even drooling slightly in her slumber. Mo Zhuer paid her no mind. She retrieved a few formation flags and placed them around Shen Shengsheng¡¯s bed. The flags formed a barrier that completely isolated the sounds and sights of the outside world. Even if Shen Shengsheng woke up, she would only see an ordinary room. Moreover, if Shen Shengsheng tried to step outside, the barrier would first stop her, then issue a warning, giving Mo Zhuer ample time to react. This formation was meticulously prepared by Mo Zhuer. She took such precautions because she knew Xu Ming cared deeply for the little girl. At the same time, Mo Zhuer herself felt some embarrassment about the situation, so she naturally wanted to ensure privacy and prevent Shen Shengsheng from witnessing anything inappropriate. As Xu Ming¡¯s dazed eyes stared at her, Mo Zhuer blushed faintly. Rising on her tiptoes, she placed her hands on Xu Ming¡¯s shoulders and bit his lips softly. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Mo Zhuer told herself silently, ¡°Xu Ming and I are only cultivating. I don¡¯t have any feelings for him. To me, he¡¯s just a tool¡ªnothing more.¡± At that moment, Xu Ming completely lost his rationality. With a sudden motion, he turned Mo Zhuer around roughly. Meanwhile, back in her courtyard, Wu Yanhan had just finished lunch and was sitting in a daze after taking a bath. Wu Yanhan had gone to the women¡¯s bathhouse at Tianxuan Sect for her bath. Although the baths were separated into private stalls, she still found the arrangement somewhat awkward. She understood, however, that it wasn¡¯t because Tianxuan Sect couldn¡¯t afford to build private bathhouses in each courtyard. Rather, the bathhouses were fed by underground spiritual springs, which were beneficial for cultivation and healing injuries. Now dressed in a light pink palace-style gown, with embroidered cloud-patterned shoes on her feet, Wu Yanhan looked entirely different from the battle-hardened figure in the earlier formation. At this moment, the young woman appeared gentle and poised, exuding an air of scholarly grace and aristocratic refinement. Her serene elegance perfectly matched the idealized image of a princess from an imperial dynasty. No one would imagine that such a ¡°delicate and fragile¡± girl could fight on the battlefield¡ªlet alone that she was a Heroic Soul Realm martial artist capable of crushing someone¡¯s skull with a single punch. ¡°This celebration is dreadfully boring,¡± Wu Yanhan muttered to herself. Back in the palace, her evenings were typically occupied with lessons in embroidery and etiquette. On the battlefield, her nights were spent in meetings, strategizing military deployments for the following day. But here at Tianxuan Sect, the young woman found herself with nothing to do. Even training wasn¡¯t an option; she¡¯d already completed her quota for the day, and overexerting herself would do more harm than good. ¡°Maybe I should go find Xu Ming and see what that guy is up to,¡± Wu Yanhan thought to herself. But then, a hesitation arose in her heart. ¡°Is it appropriate to visit him so late at night? After all, there are differences between men and women.¡± She shook her head, convincing herself, ¡°What¡¯s the harm? With that engagement, I¡¯m already entangled with him. What¡¯s the point of worrying about rumors? Besides, it¡¯s nighttime¡ªwho would see me going to his courtyard anyway?¡± With her mind made up, Wu Yanhan set off for Xu Ming¡¯s residence. An incense stick¡¯s time later, she arrived at his courtyard. The formation protecting Xu Ming¡¯s courtyard wasn¡¯t activated, but there was no sign of him in the yard. She wondered what he could be doing inside. ¡°Someone¡¯s here.¡± Inside the room, Mo Zhuer¡¯s keen ears picked up on the faint sound of footsteps. A sly smile tugged at her lips. At this moment, her entire body was covered in sweat, her chest heaving as though she¡¯d just run a thousand meters. Xu Ming frowned and quickly covered her mouth. By the time Xu Ming regained most of his rationality, they were already halfway through their ¡°cultivation.¡± But it was too late to stop now. It was like driving halfway to a destination¡ªturning back wasn¡¯t an option. Since they were already halfway through, the only choice was to finish what they¡¯d started. ¡°Xu Ming, are you awake?¡± Wu Yanhan¡¯s voice came from the door as she knocked lightly. ¡°Yanhan?¡± Xu Ming¡¯s heart sank, realizing the precariousness of the situation. ¡°Not yet. What¡¯s the matter?¡± Xu Ming tried his best to sound calm. ¡°I was just feeling bored and thought we could discuss martial arts,¡± Wu Yanhan replied. Mo Zhuer pried Xu Ming¡¯s hand off her mouth and bit down on his neck. ¡°Hiss¡ª¡± Xu Ming sucked in a sharp breath as a red mark formed on his neck. Wu Yanhan frowned slightly. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Xu Ming replied quickly. ¡°Then why is your breathing so heavy?¡± ¡°I¡¯m cultivating. My spiritual energy got a bit clogged just now. How about we talk tomorrow? I need some time to meditate and regain focus.¡± ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll talk tomorrow then.¡± Wu Yanhan glanced at the door, a flicker of suspicion crossing her face. Though she felt something was off, she couldn¡¯t barge in and interrupt his cultivation. Shaking her head, she turned and left the courtyard. Once Wu Yanhan was gone, Mo Zhuer gave Xu Ming a playful, reproachful look. Deep down, Mo Zhuer couldn¡¯t help but find the situation amusing. She would¡¯ve loved to see the high-and-mighty princess witness this scene¡ª¡±Your fianc¨¦ is currently helping me with my cultivation.¡± However, considering that doing so might anger Xu Ming, Mo Zhuer decided to give up on the idea. Since she no longer had a choice and had to cultivate with him, she resolved to cherish this arrangement. She had no intention of finding a second cultivation partner. If it weren¡¯t for that mistake on that night in the Yuanyang Cauldron, she would never have even had a first one. After another incense stick¡¯s time, Mo Zhuer straightened her dress and retrieved the formation flags she had placed near Shen Shengsheng. Following their joint cultivation, Xu Ming clearly felt his internal spiritual energy and martial qi had stabilized once more. Not only that, but for reasons he could only attribute to the Great Path of Hehuan, Xu Ming noticed that both his blood vitality and spiritual energy had grown even stronger. The tangible improvement made Xu Ming almost tempted to cultivate with Mo Zhuer again. But he suppressed the urge. At the same time, Xu Ming couldn¡¯t help but acknowledge how terrifying the Great Path of Hehuan really was. It was no mystery why it had so many followers. To enjoy mutual pleasure while also enhancing one¡¯s cultivation¡ªwho wouldn¡¯t be drawn to that? Who wouldn¡¯t succumb to such temptation? ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking, but that¡¯s not an option,¡± Mo Zhuer said, placing a finger against Xu Ming¡¯s lips, her eyes gleaming with the mischief of a sly little cat. ¡°There have been plenty of disciples from the Hehuan Sect who had thoughts just like yours¡ªchasing after indulgence and eventually straying from the path, spiraling further and further into ruin. But don¡¯t worry. As long as you stick with me, I¡¯ll make sure you stay on the right path. So¡­¡± Mo Zhuer leaned in close to Xu Ming, her body brushing against his. ¡°How about coming to the Western Regions with me? I can help you ascend to the Great Path while enjoying boundless pleasures.¡± Chapter 221 ¡°Come to the Western Regions with me, and I can help you ascend to the Great Path while enjoying boundless pleasures.¡± Mo Zhuer¡¯s enchanting eyes seemed like fishhooks, ready to lift Xu Ming out of the sea, knock him unconscious, and devour him. ¡°You must be overthinking,¡± Xu Ming opened the door, as if entering a state of sage-like calm. ¡°I can¡¯t go to the Western Regions with you, and I certainly won¡¯t work for the Black Lotus Sect. If you have nothing else, please leave.¡± In truth, deep inside, Xu Ming still had a lingering urge to dual cultivate with Mo Zhuer. The main reason was that the pleasure he experienced during their last two sessions of cultivation was far too overwhelming, striking directly at the soul. Fortunately, he now felt as pure as a Buddha. So, while the urge was still there, it wasn¡¯t as overpowering. ¡°How heartless you are, my dear,¡± Mo Zhuer pouted slightly, her long legs swaying under her short skirt as she walked out of Xu Ming¡¯s room and left the courtyard. ¡°Oh, by the way, you got one thing wrong,¡± she turned around with a smile. ¡°If you follow me back to the Western Regions, it won¡¯t be about working for me or the Black Lotus Sect¡ªit will be about having the Black Lotus Sect work for us.¡± Xu Ming: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be going now~¡± As her voice faded, Mo Zhuer dissolved into black smoke and disappeared. After she left, Xu Ming exhaled deeply, sat on a stone stool, and took a sip of tea. For some reason, he felt an inexplicable emptiness in his heart after Mo Zhuer¡¯s departure. Images of their cultivation sessions kept replaying in his mind. Xu Ming had heard stories of kings in certain nations becoming so infatuated with a single woman that they neglected their duties for five or six years. When he first heard such tales, Xu Ming thought they were absurd. If it involved many women, he could understand¡ªafter all, variety might keep things interesting. If it was during the honeymoon phase, that too made sense¡ªeverything still felt fresh. But for a king to obsess over a single woman for five or six years and be with her every day? That seemed incomprehensible. Now, however, Xu Ming felt he could understand that kind of devotion. Even though he had only cultivated with Mo Zhuer twice, his desire for her after this last session was even stronger than the first. ¡°What on earth is happening to me?¡± Xu Ming closed his eyes tightly, clenching his fists. Meanwhile, walking along the forest path after leaving Xu Ming¡¯s courtyard, Mo Zhuer hummed a light, cheerful tune. Where there¡¯s a first time, there¡¯s a second. Where there¡¯s a second, there¡¯s a third. As someone blessed with the Luo Shen Physique, the pleasure she could offer a man was beyond comparison to that of ordinary women. ¡°Let¡¯s see. After tasting such exquisite delights, how could you not long for me? With the influence of my Luo Shen Physique and the tie of the Great Path of Hehuan, there¡¯s no way you can resist falling for me,¡± she thought with a sly smile, her steps growing lighter. ¡ª ¡°Xu-gege (Brother), Xu-gege¡­ wake¡­ wake up¡­¡± The next morning, in a half-dazed state, Xu Ming heard Shen Shengsheng¡¯s soft voice. As he slowly opened his eyes, he saw Shen Shengsheng standing beside his bed, blinking at him. ¡°Xu¡­ Xu-gege¡­ la¡­ lazy¡­¡± Shen Shengsheng stuttered slightly, shaking Xu Ming¡¯s arm gently. ¡°My apologies, my apologies,¡± Xu Ming said, rubbing her head affectionately before sitting up. Glancing outside at the sun, he realized it was already 9 a.m. In his past life, waking up at 9 a.m. would¡¯ve been considered early. But in ancient times, waking up at 9 a.m.? That was ridiculous. ¡°Gurgle, gurgle¡­¡± Shen Shengsheng¡¯s small stomach let out two audible growls. Her cheeks flushed as she quickly covered her belly with her hands. Xu Ming couldn¡¯t help but laugh. So this little girl could get embarrassed after all. That was a good thing. This at least indicated that Shen Shengsheng¡¯s beastly instincts were diminishing, and her human nature was beginning to dominate her consciousness. ¡°Did someone bring breakfast over?¡± Xu Ming asked. ¡°Mhm.¡± Shen Shengsheng nodded. ¡°They¡¯ve already¡­ brought it.¡± ¡°Then why haven¡¯t you eaten yet?¡± Xu Ming asked. ¡°Waiting for Xu-gege to eat together,¡± Shen Shengsheng blinked as she looked at Xu Ming. Hearing her words, Xu Ming was momentarily stunned, feeling a slight wave of warmth in his heart. But, to be fair, it wasn¡¯t overwhelming. So, you woke me up because you were too hungry to wait any longer, huh? Even so, Xu Ming found this version of Shen Shengsheng even cuter. ¡°Sorry, sorry. I was a bit worn out yesterday and went to bed late. Next time, if I¡¯m not up early, feel free to eat first,¡± Xu Ming said, pinching Shen Shengsheng¡¯s small nose. Even though she woke him up because she was hungry, another perspective struck him: despite being starving, Shen Shengsheng didn¡¯t go eat alone. Instead, she insisted on waking him so they could eat together. Wasn¡¯t that a form of care in its own way? Xu Ming stepped out of his room to wash up, while Shen Shengsheng stood nearby, holding a towel in her hands, like a considerate little helper. ¡°Time to eat,¡± Xu Ming said, sitting at the stone bench. ¡°Time to eat~ time to eat~¡± Shen Shengsheng cheerfully sat beside him. Interestingly, Shen Shengsheng¡¯s speech always became a bit more fluent during meals, likely because Xu Ming had specifically requested it. The meals delivered by the outer disciples were always plentiful, more than enough for Shen Shengsheng to eat her fill. The disciples didn¡¯t find it odd either¡ªafter all, Xu Ming was a martial artist, and a formidable one at that. It was common knowledge that martial artists had large appetites, and the stronger they were, the more they ate. Xu Ming, unaware of this assumption, would surely argue against it if he found out, calling it a stereotype. After breakfast, the empty food boxes were simply left aside. When the outer disciples delivered lunch later, they would take the empty boxes back with them. With her hunger satisfied, Shen Shengsheng returned to the flower garden, where she continued watching ants and other insects. To her, these tiny creatures seemed endlessly fascinating. So far, Xu Ming hadn¡¯t taught Shen Shengsheng any cultivation techniques. He was worried that she might lose control over her body. If the demonic beast bloodline within her went berserk, it would only cause more trouble. However, seeing her so calm and content now, Xu Ming began to think it might be time to teach her something. Maybe after returning to Wudu. Once they were back, he could try teaching her cultivation techniques. Retracting his gaze from Shen Shengsheng, Xu Ming closed his eyes and focused inward, examining his body. He could clearly sense that the spiritual energy and martial true energy within him had calmed down again, just as they had after the last time with Mo Zhuer in the Yuanyang Cauldron. ¡°Could it be that whenever my spiritual energy and true energy clash, I¡¯ll have to go to her?¡± A disturbing thought crept into Xu Ming¡¯s mind, causing his brow to furrow. ¡°This can¡¯t continue.¡± Xu Ming shook his head, resolving internally. If this went on, he feared he would sink deeper and deeper into dependence. Rather than following Mo Zhuer¡¯s lead just to continue down the path of both martial artist and cultivator, he thought it might be better to abandon one of them altogether. Mo Zhuer had mentioned before that she could help him resolve the issue in one go, without resorting to this ¡°poison to quench thirst¡± approach. When the time came, he would have a serious talk with her. If they couldn¡¯t reach an agreement, he would sever ties decisively to avoid future chaos. With this decision made, Xu Ming felt a sense of clarity. He took a deep breath and resumed his meditation. As he focused inward, he noticed that the spiritual energy and true energy within him had not only calmed down but had also increased compared to the previous day. Even the yang energy in his body had replenished, returning to the same level as before their dual cultivation. The recovery was remarkably swift. Xu Ming found himself once again entertaining the idea of dual cultivating with Mo Zhuer. The feeling was akin to earning millions each month while spending your days gaming and traveling¡ªit was an almost irresistible temptation. But Xu Ming¡¯s willpower immediately crushed the thought. ¡°Dual cultivation, huh,¡± he muttered, shaking his head with a wry smile, his heart full of mixed emotions. Xu Ming prided himself on having strong willpower. After all, he had been through countless challenges growing up, constantly sharpening his resolve. Compared to his peers at the same level, his mental fortitude was undoubtedly exceptional. And yet, even with all that, the desire for dual cultivation still burned so strongly within him. ¡°All things in this world come with a price. Nothing is perfect. The path of dual cultivation may offer the pleasure of enjoyment alongside rapid improvement in cultivation, but it must have its drawbacks or inherent limitations. I must focus on my cultivation, working tirelessly to strengthen myself. That is the only true way forward.¡± With those words, Xu Ming reaffirmed his resolve. Just as Xu Ming opened his eyes, he once again sensed spiritual energy emanating from the distant horizon. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Activating his Dao Pattern Eye, he looked toward the sky. Far away, the horizon was painted with dazzling rays of light. ¡°It¡¯s time I take a look,¡± Xu Ming said, standing up and glancing at Shen Shengsheng playing in the flower garden. ¡°Shengsheng, come here,¡± he called out. ¡°Awoo!¡± Shen Shengsheng brushed the dirt off her hands, washed them in a water jar, and happily ran over to Xu Ming¡¯s side. ¡°Shengsheng, do you remember that big sister?¡± Xu Ming asked with a smile. Shengsheng tilted her little head, as if asking, Which one are you talking about, Xu-gege? ¡°The one¡­¡± Xu Ming thought for a moment. ¡°The one who seemed a bit cold and came by in the afternoon.¡± ¡°Awoo.¡± Shen Shengsheng nodded. Oh, that fierce-looking big sister. ¡°What do you think of her?¡± Xu Ming asked. ¡°Fierce,¡± Shen Shengsheng replied with a single word. ¡°Chest? What about her chest?¡± Xu Ming froze for a second, wondering if Shengsheng was saying the big sister had a large or small chest. ¡°Fierce! She¡¯s fierce!¡± Shengsheng corrected herself, her tone firm. Xu Ming: ¡°¡­¡± Embarrassment washed over him. So Shengsheng was talking about her personality. Damn it. This was all Mo Zhuer¡¯s fault¡ªthese past few days had completely derailed his thoughts. Squatting down, Xu Ming gently rubbed Shengsheng¡¯s little head. ¡°Even though that big sister looks fierce, haven¡¯t I told you before? She¡¯s only fierce on the outside. She¡¯s actually very kind.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Shengsheng nodded slowly. ¡°Shengsheng, Xu-gege has to go out for a bit. But I¡¯m worried about leaving you here alone, so I was thinking, how about staying with that big sister for a while?¡± Xu Ming asked. Hearing his words, Shengsheng lowered her head, clearly reluctant to stay with that big sister. ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ don¡¯t want to¡­ Stay with Xu-gege,¡± she said, lifting her head slightly. ¡°Be good,¡± Xu Ming said softly. ¡°Where Xu-gege is going this time¡­ it¡¯s a bit complicated. If you come with me, I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to take care of you properly. This isn¡¯t about you being a burden to me¡ªShengsheng will always be Xu-gege¡¯s family. It¡¯s precisely because of that that I want to do everything I can to keep you safe. Do you understand?¡± The little girl lowered her head again, her brows furrowing tightly. Seeing her hesitation, Xu Ming knew Shengsheng was conflicted. Xu Ming didn¡¯t press Shengsheng further but patiently waited for her to make her decision. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ll listen to Xu-gege,¡± Shengsheng finally said, clutching the hem of her skirt nervously as she looked up at him. ¡°Good girl.¡± Xu Ming gently pinched her cheek. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Shengsheng. As soon as I¡¯m done, I¡¯ll come pick you up right away.¡± ¡°Awoo.¡± Shengsheng nodded firmly, her trust in him unwavering. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go.¡± Xu Ming held Shengsheng¡¯s small hand as the two left the courtyard, heading toward the area where the envoy from Wu Kingdom was staying. The envoy¡¯s quarters spanned a large area, with Wu Yanhan naturally at its center. Wu Yanhan had an entire courtyard to herself. When Xu Ming arrived at the gate of her courtyard, she was practicing her martial arts inside. Dressed in a fitted training outfit, Wu Yanhan¡¯s graceful yet powerful figure was on full display. Her hair was tied into a high ponytail, which swayed rhythmically with each punch and kick she delivered, making for a captivating sight. Noticing Xu Ming and Shengsheng standing outside the gate, Wu Yanhan finished her practice and stood upright. Her posture was perfectly straight, without the slightest slouch. Her bearing was impeccable. But then again, she was a military woman, after all. ¡°You¡¯re here. Are you going to stand there waiting for me to invite you in?¡± Wu Yanhan¡¯s voice was cold. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to interrupt, so I waited for you to finish your training,¡± Xu Ming replied with a smile, leading Shengsheng inside. Wu Yanhan boiled a pot of water and brewed some tea for Xu Ming. The sight of her pouring tea, her graceful movements exuding elegance, made it hard to believe she was a seasoned warrior. If not for her training outfit and the fine sheen of sweat on her forehead, one might have mistaken her for a genteel lady of leisure. Wu Yanhan poured Xu Ming a cup of tea, then glanced at Shengsheng, who was hiding behind him. Feeling Wu Yanhan¡¯s gaze, Shengsheng clung to Xu Ming¡¯s sleeve and shrank further behind him. Wu Yanhan poured a second cup and handed it to Xu Ming, clearly meant for Shengsheng. ¡°What do you want?¡± she asked bluntly. ¡°Can¡¯t I come to see you without a reason?¡± Xu Ming took a sip of tea. ¡°Your tea is always the best.¡± ¡°Tch.¡± Wu Yanhan dismissed his flattery without a second thought. ¡°You¡¯ve never shown up without a reason since you were eight years old.¡± Xu Ming: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll cut to the chase.¡± Xu Ming put down his teacup. ¡°I need your help taking care of Shengsheng for a while.¡± Wu Yanhan looked at Shengsheng, then back at Xu Ming. ¡°Where are you going that¡¯s so dangerous?¡± Chapter 222 ¡°Where are you going that¡¯s so dangerous?¡± Wu Yanhan¡¯s eyes locked onto Xu Ming, her expression unusually serious. Xu Ming was someone who deeply disliked troubling others unless he had no other choice. Normally, he would never bring Shen Shengsheng over to have someone else take care of her without a good reason. The most likely explanation was that Xu Ming was heading to a dangerous place. A place where he felt he couldn¡¯t ensure Shengsheng¡¯s safety, so he entrusted her to someone he trusted¡ªWu Yanhan. ¡°Da-dangerous¡­¡± Hearing this cold elder sister¡¯s words, Shen Shengsheng was startled. Her small hand gripped the hem of Xu Ming¡¯s clothes even tighter. ¡°There¡¯s nothing dangerous about it. Don¡¯t listen to your sister Yanhan¡¯s nonsense,¡± Xu Ming said, patting Shen Shengsheng on the head. Over the past few days, Xu Ming had noticed that patting Shengsheng¡¯s head was becoming a habit. He even joked to himself that he might rub her hair bald at this rate. But he didn¡¯t entirely blame himself¡ªwhenever Shengsheng accomplished something or wanted a reward, she would run up to him and present her little head, clearly enjoying the gesture. ¡°Shengsheng, don¡¯t worry. Xu-gege (Big Brother) is just going to visit a friend,¡± Xu Ming explained. ¡°But this friend of mine lives far away, and the road is filled with poisonous gases. Those gases don¡¯t bother me, but Shengsheng is still young and it wouldn¡¯t be safe for you. Besides, my friend is a bit of a loner and doesn¡¯t like meeting new people. So, Xu-gege can only let you stay with Sister Yanhan for a while.¡± ¡°P-poison?¡± Shen Shengsheng still seemed skeptical, feeling as though her big brother was making excuses. ¡°It¡¯s true.¡± Xu Ming crouched down, his gaze meeting Shengsheng¡¯s. ¡°When has Xu-gege ever lied to you? Don¡¯t you trust me?¡± ¡°I-I trust¡­¡± Shen Shengsheng nodded heavily. ¡°B-but¡­ come b-back early.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Xu Ming comforted her. ¡°As soon as I¡¯m done, I¡¯ll come back to pick you up. While I¡¯m gone, make sure to listen to Sister Yanhan, okay?¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± Shen Shengsheng nodded her head again. ¡°Hmph,¡± Wu Yanhan muttered under her breath, pouting slightly. ¡°You¡¯re quite skilled at coaxing little girls, aren¡¯t you?¡± Xu Ming looked up. ¡°What did you just say, Yanhan?¡± ¡°Nothing!¡± Wu Yanhan turned her head away. ¡°¡­¡± Xu Ming felt that something seemed off with Yanhan these past two days. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ll leave Shengsheng in your care. That¡¯s not a problem, right?¡± Xu Ming asked, standing up. Wu Yanhan squinted at him. ¡°Taking care of Shengsheng is fine, but are you sure you¡¯ll be okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± Xu Ming assured her. ¡°When have I ever lied to you? If anything, it¡¯s you who hid your identity for so long.¡± ¡°Hmph,¡± Wu Yanhan scoffed, turning away. ¡°You never asked me. Why would I tell you anything unprompted?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Xu Ming admitted she had a point. Back then, everyone thought Wu Yanhan was a bit strange, but no one had asked her directly because they figured it wouldn¡¯t help. Besides, even if he had asked, would she really have told him? Not necessarily. ¡°Come back soon,¡± Wu Yanhan said coldly. ¡°If not, I¡¯ll assume you¡¯re dead.¡± Having faced countless life-and-death missions together during their time in the Blood Asura Battalion, they weren¡¯t strangers to separation. But this time felt different¡ªit carried an undertone of finality. Xu Ming smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll return as soon as I can.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Wu Yanhan suddenly asked, her question seemingly coming out of nowhere. Xu Ming was taken aback. ¡°Why what?¡± Wu Yanhan¡¯s gaze flickered slightly, betraying a hint of guilt. ¡°Why did you leave Shengsheng in my care? Why didn¡¯t you go to that Western Saintess friend of yours? She seems to have a pretty good impression of you.¡± Xu Ming: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I already explain? My relationship with her is purely one of mutual benefit. To call us ¡®friends¡¯ would be a stretch, let alone entrusting Shengsheng to her care. How could I possibly do that?¡± Xu Ming had a sneaking suspicion that Yanhan might still be holding a grudge from yesterday when he didn¡¯t help her deal with Mo Zhuer. ¡°Fine, fine. I was just saying. Why do you look a little guilty, though?¡± She waved it off, her expression softening considerably. ¡°¡­¡± To be fair, Xu Ming did feel a little guilty, but was it that obvious? Did he really wear his heart on his sleeve? ¡°Give me an exact time. How long will you be gone?¡± Wu Yanhan asked. Shengsheng also looked up expectantly, waiting for her big brother¡¯s answer. Waiting without a set time is always the hardest. Xu Ming glanced at Wu Yanhan, then at Shengsheng. Somehow, he felt like a husband being interrogated by his wife and daughter about when he¡¯d return from a trip. ¡°Five days at most,¡± Xu Ming finally said. In truth, Xu Ming wasn¡¯t entirely sure if he could return within five days. But to reassure them, he felt he needed to set a timeline. He resolved to do everything in his power to meet that deadline. ¡°Alright,¡± Wu Yanhan said. ¡°I¡¯ll give you five days. I hope this won¡¯t be the first time you lie to me.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do my best,¡± Xu Ming thought to himself. ¡°I¡¯m heading out now. Shengsheng¡¯s appetite is pretty big, so make sure the Tianxuan Sect disciples deliver extra food for her,¡± Xu Ming reminded her. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Wu Yanhan rolled her eyes. ¡°Do you really think I¡¯d let her go hungry?¡± Xu Ming chuckled. ¡°Fair enough.¡± ¡°Xu-gege is leaving now, Shengsheng. Make sure to stay close to Sister Yanhan and don¡¯t wander off,¡± Xu Ming said, saying his goodbyes and repeating his instructions. Shengsheng nodded reluctantly, her reluctance clear in her expression. Xu Ming stepped back, clasped his hands, and bowed toward Wu Yanhan¡ªa gesture of both farewell and gratitude. Then he turned and flew off into the sky. Wu Yanhan and Shengsheng watched as his figure grew smaller and smaller, eventually disappearing into a tiny black dot on the horizon. Only then did they both slowly withdraw their gazes. The courtyard was now left with just Wu Yanhan and Shengsheng. Shengsheng glanced nervously at the cold elder sister beside her, a slight unease creeping into her heart. Wu Yanhan, for her part, was at a loss. She had never dealt with children before, let alone a unique girl like Shengsheng. Now that she was responsible for her, how was she supposed to take care of her? Shengsheng seemed quite afraid of her. Am I really that scary? ¡°Should I try smiling?¡± Wu Yanhan thought to herself. Facing Shengsheng, Wu Yanhan tried to lift the corners of her lips into a smile. But her forced smile only made Shengsheng take an unconscious step back. Wu Yanhan: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°How old are you?¡± Wu Yanhan crouched down and asked Shengsheng. Shengsheng answered timidly, ¡°B-baite an¡¯ a haf.¡± ¡°Eight and a half?¡± Wu Yanhan confirmed. Shengsheng nodded. ¡°What do you usually do with Xu Ming?¡± Wu Yanhan tried to understand the little girl¡¯s interests. ¡°Look at ahnts,¡± Shengsheng said. ¡°Looking at ants, huh?¡± Wu Yanhan gradually got used to Shengsheng¡¯s pronunciation. ¡°What about Xu Ming? Doesn¡¯t he play with you?¡± Shengsheng replied, ¡°He does¡­ sometimes.¡± ¡°What do you two usually play?¡± Wu Yanhan asked curiously. In her opinion, Xu Ming was a rather boring person. What could he possibly play with Shengsheng? ¡°Look at th-thars,¡± Shengsheng replied. ¡°Looking at stars? Anything else?¡± ¡°Storytelling.¡± ¡°What kind of stories?¡± ¡°Just¡­ just¡­¡± Shengsheng lowered her little head, struggling to find the words. She wanted to share the stories her big brother had told her, but she didn¡¯t know how to explain them. Wu Yanhan noticed Shengsheng frowning, looking troubled, so she changed the subject. ¡°It¡¯s okay. You can tell me slowly in the future,¡± Wu Yanhan said gently. ¡°Do you want to practice martial arts?¡± ¡°Practice¡­ martial arts?¡± Shengsheng blinked her big sparkling eyes. Wu Yanhan nodded. ¡°Yes, like punching and swordsmanship. If you practice well, you can protect yourself and others. If Shengsheng becomes strong, your Xu-gege might even take you along with him, and you could protect him too.¡± Shengsheng¡¯s eyes lit up, and she nodded enthusiastically like a little chick pecking at grain. ¡°Yes! Shengsheng¡­ wants to practice¡­ wants to protect Xu-gege!¡± ¡°Good~¡± Wu Yanhan¡¯s lips curved into a faint smile. Shengsheng stared at the elder sister¡¯s smile, her guard softening significantly. So this big sister¡¯s smile is actually so beautiful¡­ In another part of the sect, a few disciples of the Wanjian Sect were chatting amongst themselves. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t you think Martial Aunt Xu has been a bit gloomy lately?¡± ¡°Yeah, ever since we arrived at Tianxuan Sect, she hasn¡¯t seemed very happy.¡± ¡°No, no, it¡¯s not just since we got here. To be precise, she¡¯s been even more silent since she heard that her younger brother had arrived.¡± ¡°Do you think they don¡¯t get along?¡± ¡°That can¡¯t be it. Martial Aunt Xu was only a kid when she came to Wanjian Sect. Even if there were childhood grudges, who would still hold onto that now?¡± ¡°You¡¯d be surprised. I still remember when a neighbor kid stole my sweets when I was six!¡± ¡°Martial Aunt Xu isn¡¯t as petty as you are.¡± ¡°Alright, alright. Their sibling matters are none of our business to speculate about.¡± ¡°By the way, what¡¯s Martial Aunt Xu doing right now?¡± ¡°No idea. Probably practicing swordsmanship?¡± ¡°She said she was just going to wander around Tianxuan Sect.¡± While the disciples were chatting, Xu Xuenuo stood alone before a waterfall on one of the peaks of Tianxuan Sect. Before her, the waterfall cascaded down like a silver river, its roaring sound echoing through the mountains and forest. In front of the waterfall lay a stone. Xu Xuenuo stood on the stone with her eyes closed, holding a slender, translucent sword in her hand. The sword¡¯s name was Qingming. The sounds of the falling water, flowing streams, and chirping birds filled her ears. Xu Xuenuo attuned herself to her surroundings. Then, in an instant, she opened her eyes, raised her sword horizontally in front of her, and casually swung it forward. The swing seemed slow, but her motion was imperceptible to the eye. In the next moment, the waterfall before her split cleanly in two. It was as if the waterfall were a white curtain, neatly severed by Xu Xuenuo¡¯s strike. The rocky wall behind the water was now clearly visible, yet not a single scratch marred its surface. For a sixteen or seventeen-year-old girl, her mastery of sword energy had reached a level that most sword cultivators couldn¡¯t attain in a lifetime. Xu Xuenuo sheathed her natal flying sword. The waterfall instantly returned to normal, as though nothing had happened. Satisfied with her training for the day, Xu Xuenuo turned and began walking back toward the guest peaks. Suddenly, Xu Xuenuo¡¯s sword began to hum softly, as if resonating with something unseen. Xu Xuenuo pressed her hand against the trembling blade, turned around, and looked up at the distant sky. ¡°Where do you want to go?¡± she asked her sword. The Qingming Sword quivered even more intensely in response. ¡°I understand.¡± Xu Xuenuo realized what her natal sword was trying to convey. Following its guidance, she took off and headed toward an unknown destination. She didn¡¯t know where the Qingming Sword was leading her, but since the sword had first developed sentience, this was the first time it had reacted so strongly. Eventually, the Qingming Sword brought Xu Xuenuo to the base of a towering mountain. The mountain stood tall, over three hundred zhang in height. At its peak, three enormous boulders jutted out, and the entire mountain exuded an overwhelming aura of sword energy. Xu Xuenuo didn¡¯t recognize the place, but through her sword, she could sense a sharp and potent sword essence hidden within the mountain. Surrounding the peak, a protective array shimmered faintly, enclosing the entire area. She descended slowly and landed at the base of the mountain. Standing before it, Xu Xuenuo swung a streak of sword energy toward one of the boulders atop the peak. Before her attack could land, the protective array activated, obliterating her sword energy in an instant. The Qingming Sword quivered even more fervently, as if it were an excited girl yearning for a beautiful dress. ¡°You really want to go in, don¡¯t you?¡± Xu Xuenuo asked. The sword hummed again. ¡°Alright then.¡± Xu Xuenuo smirked, her expression brimming with confidence. ¡°Let¡¯s take a look!¡± With those words, Xu Xuenuo swung her sword downward in a single, unassuming slash. Despite its simplicity, the ferocious sword energy she unleashed was akin to a rampaging tiger, shattering the spiritual energy in the air and tearing toward the protective array around the mountain. The array trembled under her attack, and a small crack appeared in its surface. Though the gap was small, Xu Xuenuo¡¯s movements became ethereal, almost as though she were traversing between two worlds. She took a single step forward and passed effortlessly through the opening. On the other side of the mountain, Xu Ming, who had just discovered a field of vibrant phoenix flowers, suddenly paused and looked up. ¡°Who¡¯s that? Such powerful sword energy¡­¡± Meanwhile, at the main peak of Tianxuan Sect, Sect Master Xia He, who had been meditating in the courtyard, felt the disturbance as the array on the mountain was breached. His eyes snapped open in shock. Chapter 223 Walking through the forest of Sanshi Peak, Xu Xuenuo held her longsword in hand, glancing warily in all directions, her guard fully raised. To Xu Xuenuo, this mountain was far from ordinary¡ªwho knew when a magical beast might suddenly leap out? Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Her life-bound flying sword had only recently developed consciousness and could only express simple intentions. As for why it had led her to this place, Xu Xuenuo was completely clueless. Thankfully, the sword continued to guide her, ensuring she wouldn¡¯t wander aimlessly like a headless fly. Still, Xu Xuenuo couldn¡¯t figure it out. What could possibly resonate with her life-bound sword? As she walked, her vigilance began to waver. Xu Xuenuo noticed that, at first glance, this mountain didn¡¯t seem special¡ªjust like any other ordinary spiritual mountain. But the deeper she ventured, the more she realized something unusual about it. Normally, the spiritual energy on a mountain is distributed evenly. Even in places with higher concentrations of spiritual energy, the difference is typically limited to small areas. This mountain, however, was different. The spiritual energy here was layered. For example, right in front of her was a tree branch. Taking one step forward, Xu Xuenuo felt the spiritual energy become so dense it was almost overwhelming. Taking one step back, the energy was thin and sparse. ¡°Artificial,¡± the word popped into Xu Xuenuo¡¯s mind. Only an array deliberately arranged by someone could cause such a distribution of spiritual energy. The purpose of such an array was usually to nourish and preserve something¡ªor to imprison something. Xu Xuenuo had already realized that she had wandered into one of Tianxuan Sect¡¯s forbidden areas without permission. She knew this the moment her sword pierced through a gap in the array. After all, who would set up an array on a mountain for no reason? What she did was, admittedly, rather impolite. Not just impolite¡ªmore like the behavior of a bandit. But Xu Xuenuo didn¡¯t care. Before arriving at Tianxuan Sect, her master had explicitly instructed her: ¡°In Tianxuan Sect, go wherever you want. You don¡¯t need anyone¡¯s permission, nor do you need to ask anyone.¡± Xu Xuenuo had initially been puzzled by her master¡¯s words. Now it seemed like her master had foreseen something. Could it be that coming to this mountain was all part of her master¡¯s plan? That was the only explanation. After all, cultivators in the Ascension Realm could occasionally glimpse certain unspeakable truths about fate. Otherwise, her master wouldn¡¯t have said those strange things. Xu Xuenuo continued forward, passing through patches of forest and descending a slope under the guidance of her life-bound flying sword, Qingming. The further she went, the denser the spiritual energy became. This level of spiritual energy concentration was highly unusual. Even in the Wanjian Sect, areas with such dense spiritual energy were reserved exclusively for core disciples¡ªand access was both limited in duration and frequency. It had been about an hour since Xu Xuenuo entered Sanshi Peak when she finally stopped. She found herself standing before a cave. Thick wisps of smoke drifted out from the cave¡ªthese weren¡¯t ordinary smoke, but pure, materialized spiritual energy! Xu Xuenuo had never seen spiritual energy so dense that it became tangible. Steeling herself, she entered the cave. She wrapped herself in sword aura for protection and extended her spiritual sense to probe her surroundings. But the dense spiritual energy interfered with her spiritual sense, making it unreliable. After about half a stick of incense¡¯s time inside the cave, Xu Xuenuo suddenly felt her Dao Heart issue a warning. At the same time, her sword began trembling violently, letting out urgent warnings. Without warning, a pair of crimson eyes snapped open in front of her! ¡°Roar!¡± A monstrous creature swung a massive claw at Xu Xuenuo. She reacted just in time, raising her sword to block the strike. The force of the blow sent Xu Xuenuo flying out of the cave. ¡°Roar!¡± Before Xu Xuenuo could steady herself, the monster had already charged out of the cave in pursuit! ¡°This isn¡¯t right¡ªsomething¡¯s very wrong,¡± she muttered to herself. Meanwhile, on another part of Sanshi Peak, Xu Ming walked through the dense forest with a furrowed brow. He had been wandering the mountain for a long time and had finally realized he was lost. Sure, he had the stone Mo Zhuer had given him, but it was only useful for detecting traps, formations, and poisonous miasmas. She had told him to investigate Sanshi Peak, but she didn¡¯t give him a map or any clues about where he should go. ¡°Does she seriously expect me to figure out the way on my own after wandering around for four or five days?¡± Xu Ming was starting to lose hope. To make things worse, flying was forbidden on this mountain. Some kind of natural anti-flight formation blanketed the entire area. ¡°Three days!¡± Xu Ming made up his mind. He¡¯d spend three days here. If he still couldn¡¯t find anything, he¡¯d call it quits and head back. Clutching the stone in his hand, Xu Ming prepared to keep moving. But just then, a loud commotion reached his ears. Looking up, Xu Ming activated his Dao-patterned eyes and gazed toward the source of the noise. He saw spiritual energy so dense it resembled a thick fog, swirling in the air above the area. Alongside it, sharp bursts of sword aura sliced through the atmosphere. The sword aura felt eerily familiar¡ªjust like what he had sensed earlier at the base of Sanshi Peak. ¡°Could someone have forced their way into this place? No, wait¡ªhow would they even do that? Did they break the formation? But the array looks perfectly intact¡­¡± No matter how much Xu Ming pondered, he couldn¡¯t figure it out. After some hesitation, he decided to check it out. Whoever the person was, they were obviously at an unusual location. That beat aimlessly wandering the mountain. With that, Xu Ming started sprinting toward the source of the sword aura. As a martial artist at the Heroic Soul Realm, Xu Ming¡¯s speed was incredible¡ªfaster than a cheetah at full tilt. In less than half the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, he reached the area. Sliding down a slope and crashing through a dense thicket as tall as a man, Xu Ming came to an abrupt halt. His pupils contracted sharply at the sight before him. A young woman, her back to him, was hurtling through the air, crashing directly into him. Xu Ming had no time to dodge. The woman¡¯s back slammed heavily into his chest, and the two of them flew backward, locked together, smashing through seven or eight trees before finally crashing into a massive boulder. Chapter 224 Xu Ming¡¯s entire body was embedded into the rock. The stone bore a human-shaped imprint left by him. In contrast to the hardness of the stone behind Xu Ming, there was the softness of the woman in front of him. As Xu Ming and the woman remained dazed, a monstrous beast charged at them, raising its massive paw and swiping directly toward them. Both Xu Ming and the woman were startled. Before the woman could react, she felt an arm wrap around her waist. The next moment, her vision spun. When her sight steadied again, a man¡¯s face appeared right in front of her. The woman realized what had just happened. She had landed on top of a man, and he had just held her while dodging the beast¡¯s attack, rolling several times on the grass. Xu Ming was also looking at the woman beneath him. The girl seemed no older than sixteen or seventeen. Of course, at that age, one was already considered of marriageable age in the mortal world. She was exceptionally beautiful, no less than Mo Zhuer and the others. However, there was something cold about her demeanor. From her expression alone, she exuded an air of aloofness¡ªlike the sharp chill of a sword. ¡°Roar!¡± The beast stomped down toward Xu Ming and the woman. The two rolled on the grass a few more times before separating. Despite the suggestive proximity of their earlier interaction, neither had the luxury to feel embarrassed in the face of life and death. Almost simultaneously, Xu Ming and the woman, each wielding a longsword, struck at the beast together! It was then that Xu Ming finally got a good look at the creature. The beast was a tiger, but it could stand on two legs. Its head was enormous, resembling a character Xu Ming had seen in a game in his past life¡ªthe Tiger Head Sovereign. However, its tusks were long and curved, akin to elephant tusks. ¡°Roar!¡± With an enraged bellow, the beast unleashed a shockwave of sound, sending both Xu Ming and the woman flying. The two flipped mid-air before landing steadily on their feet. The moment they steadied themselves, they simultaneously stepped forward, charging at the beast again. Both Xu Ming and the woman were agile. Every time they dodged the beast¡¯s attacks, their swords left fresh wounds on its body. The tiger grew increasingly agitated. With a mighty leap, it raised both fists and hammered them toward Xu Ming. Xu Ming could have dodged, but he chose not to. Crimson blood energy coiled around his body, and martial qi condensed around his fists. ¡°Boom!¡± Xu Ming launched a punch, meeting the beast¡¯s strike head-on. The impact created a three-meter-wide crater centered around Xu Ming. The giant tiger froze in shock. How could such a small two-legged creature withstand its strike? The concept was beyond the beast¡¯s comprehension. ¡°Clang!¡± At that exact moment, the woman seized an opportunity, thrusting her sword toward the beast¡¯s heart. She managed to strike, but not completely. The sword penetrated about a fifth of the way before the beast grabbed it with its massive paw, slapping at the woman. Xu Ming quickly stepped in, smashing a fist into the beast¡¯s paw and forcing it away! He followed with another punch, aiming for the tiger¡¯s jaw, but the beast tilted its head back, narrowly dodging the blow. Xu Ming¡¯s fist smashed into the beast¡¯s tusks, shattering one of them completely. The powerful martial qi radiating from Xu Ming¡¯s body left Xu Xuenuo slightly stunned. ¡°This young martial artist is incredibly strong!¡± It was a simple thought that surfaced in Xu Xuenuo¡¯s mind. Over the years, she had fought countless opponents, yet those who could leave her with such an impression were few and far between. Xu Ming leaped up, stepping on the beast¡¯s head and using it as leverage to jump even higher. His eyes gleamed with a fierce light, his fighting spirit fully ignited. With both hands gripping his longsword, he slashed down toward the beast¡¯s head with tremendous force. The sword in Xu Ming¡¯s hand was surrounded by a vast and overwhelming sword energy. The energy solidified into a wave of sword qi, surging like a tidal wave that engulfed the beast¡¯s head entirely. ¡®The Qinghai (Azure Sea) Sword Technique from the North Sea Dragon Palace? Is he from the North Sea? When did people from the North Sea start attending Tianxuan Sect¡¯s ceremonies?¡¯ Xu Xuenuo felt as though she had figured out his identity. But the very next moment, her confidence faltered again. She noticed traces of the Bingyang Sword Technique in his moves! ¡®Wait¡­ is he a disciple of the Wanjian Sect? When did the Wanjian Sect produce such a formidable disciple? Why didn¡¯t I know about this?¡¯ ¡°Miss!¡± Just as Xu Xuenuo was lost in thought, Xu Ming¡¯s loud voice snapped her back to reality. Xu Ming was exasperated. What¡¯s with this girl? How could she zone out in the middle of a fight? At a time like this, who has the luxury to daydream? Fortunately, Xu Xuenuo quickly recovered her composure. Taking advantage of the moment when Xu Ming¡¯s sword qi completely enveloped the beast, Xu Xuenuo focused her mind on her own sword. Step by step, she advanced toward the beast. Xu Ming felt he was witnessing a bizarre sight. The girl¡¯s body appeared slightly translucent, almost ghost-like, yet her presence was undeniably real. As she drew near the beast, she suddenly leaped into the air and passed directly through its chest! When Xu Xuenuo landed, her body gradually became solid again, no longer as ethereal. Meanwhile, the beast¡¯s chest now had a gaping hole, its heart completely shredded into pulp by sword qi! ¡°Boom!¡± The beast collapsed with a thunderous crash, its life extinguished completely. Xu Ming sheathed his sword, his eyes fixed on the girl standing with her back to him. He couldn¡¯t figure out what sword technique she had used. In fact, he wondered whether he could have withstood such a move himself¡ªor whether he would have ended up like the beast. ¡°Huff¡­¡± The girl turned around, exhaling deeply. Fine beads of sweat covered her forehead, and her chest heaved with the effort of her breathing. It was clear that the move had taken a heavy toll on her. ¡°Thank you,¡± she said, her voice steady as she clasped her sword and bowed slightly toward Xu Ming. ¡°You¡¯re too kind,¡± Xu Ming replied with a polite bow of his own. ¡°May I ask for your name, fellow cultivator?¡± Xu Xuenuo inquired. ¡°My surname is Xu, and my given name is Ming,¡± Xu Ming answered. Xu Xuenuo stared at him blankly. ¡°What did you say your name is?¡± ¡°Xu Ming,¡± he repeated. Xu Xuenuo bit her lip, her expression tense. ¡°Are you the Xu Ming from the Wu Kingdom, the one on the Qingyun Rankings?¡± S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°That¡¯s me,¡± Xu Ming nodded. ¡°May I ask for your name, miss?¡± Chapter 225 ¡°May I ask for your name, Miss?¡± Xu Ming clasped his hands and bowed politely. In Xu Ming¡¯s opinion, they were both sneaking around San Shi Peak. They were like grasshoppers tied to the same rope, with no need for unnecessary secrecy. If she betrayed him, he could just as easily betray her. As for whether she would kill him to silence him, Xu Ming admitted that this girl was strong, but she wasn¡¯t beyond his level. If it came to a full fight, he might even win. She wouldn¡¯t be able to take his life. ¡°My name is Jiang Xue,¡± Xu Xuenuo replied, avoiding her real name. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, she didn¡¯t feel like she was lying to Xu Ming. ¡°Jiang¡± was her master¡¯s surname, and ¡°Xue¡± was a character from her given name. When she first joined the Wanjian Sect, her master had suggested changing her name entirely to sever all ties with the mortal world, including her family name. But she had refused. One reason was that she wasn¡¯t ready to completely abandon the name her parents had given her. Another was that she felt that changing her name would somehow make her lose herself. Her master didn¡¯t push her. To her master, swordsmanship was just another path of the Dao. And the Dao¡ªthe path¡ªwas something one had to walk for oneself, to make one¡¯s own choices. If someone else made the choices for you, that path would belong to them, not to you. From the moment she began cultivating, every step of her journey had been her own decision. Her master had never forced her into anything. ¡°Miss Jiang, your swordsmanship is remarkable,¡± Xu Ming complimented her, trying to build rapport. ¡°May I ask which sect you belong to?¡± Although the girl wore a sword robe, its design was plain and could easily be purchased in the mortal world. It bore no insignia or markings to indicate her sect. As for whether her name was real or not, Xu Ming didn¡¯t really care. Even if it was false, so what? If trouble arose, and she managed to escape unscathed, he¡¯d make sure to have a portrait of her drawn and expose her identity. If he had to go down, she¡¯d go down with him. ¡°Thank you,¡± Xu Xuenuo responded coldly, her tone polite but distant. ¡°As for my sect, I¡¯d rather not say. But don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not a disciple of the Tianxuan Sect. Like you, I¡¯ve entered this peak without permission.¡± She turned her head and brushed a lock of hair behind her ear, looking slightly uncomfortable. ¡°Let¡¯s not beat around the bush, Miss.¡± Xu Ming studied the girl, who exuded sword energy from every fiber of her being, as if she herself were a sword. ¡°We¡¯ve both snuck into San Shi Peak. I sensed your sword qi at the base of the mountain. Whatever your purpose is, I won¡¯t pry. But perhaps we can help each other. At the very least, we could agree not to interfere with one another. Let¡¯s act as if we never saw each other and handle our own business. What do you think?¡± Truthfully, Xu Ming was tempted to team up with this girl. Though their interaction had been brief, he felt she wasn¡¯t the kind of person who would stab someone in the back. Of course, this impression might have been influenced by her breathtaking beauty. After all, people are naturally inclined to like those who are attractive. Regardless, this girl was undeniably strong. Who knew what other dangers lay ahead on San Shi Peak? If they worked together and each pursued their own goals, it seemed like a reasonable arrangement. Hearing Xu Ming¡¯s proposal, Xu Xuenuo hesitated for a moment before nodding. ¡°Alright!¡± Xu Ming nodded as well. ¡°Then, may I ask why Miss Jiang came to this place?¡± Xu Xuenuo did not hide anything. ¡°I was practicing my swordsmanship when my life-bound flying sword reacted to something. Following its guidance, I ended up at this mountain. There was a formation protecting it, so I split it open. Although the formation was quite powerful, I was able to create a small crack, which was enough for me to enter. It might sound unbelievable to you, but that¡¯s one of my flying sword¡¯s innate abilities. After entering what you call San Shi Peak, I came across that cave and encountered the beast. Everything that happened after that, you already know. Speaking of which, I should thank you for stepping in to help.¡± Xu Ming replied politely, ¡°You¡¯re too kind, Miss.¡± At this point, Xu Ming¡¯s trust in this ¡°Jiang Xue¡± increased even further. Her explanation had been natural and swift, her expression genuine and innocent. It didn¡¯t seem fabricated in the slightest. If it was all a lie, then her acting skills were truly impeccable. ¡°What about you?¡± Xu Xuenuo asked, her gaze on Xu Ming. ¡°As for me, it¡¯s because of a friend,¡± Xu Ming replied vaguely. ¡°She told me that San Shi Peak held some secrets and gave me something that allowed me to enter. Beyond that, she didn¡¯t tell me much. So I¡¯ve been wandering around like a headless fly until I heard a loud noise in the sky. Thinking something might have happened, I came to investigate. And then, well, you came crashing down on me. The rest, as you said, is history.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Xu Xuenuo nodded, seemingly fully convinced by Xu Ming¡¯s explanation, without the slightest hint of suspicion. Xu Ming glanced at her and smiled. ¡°Why do I feel like you believe everything I say so easily?¡± ¡°I do believe you,¡± Xu Xuenuo replied with a nod. She tilted her head slightly, looking at him. ¡°Or¡­ are you lying to me?¡± The girl¡¯s bluntness left Xu Ming momentarily speechless. ¡°No, I¡¯m not lying. I just feel like you trust me a bit too easily.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Xu Xuenuo pointed to the cave ahead, swiftly changing the subject. ¡°I want to check out what¡¯s in there. Are you coming with me?¡± Xu Ming nodded. ¡°Of course.¡± Xu Xuenuo didn¡¯t waste any words. ¡°Then let¡¯s go.¡± Watching her figure walk toward the cave, Xu Ming couldn¡¯t shake a sense of familiarity. It was a vague feeling he couldn¡¯t quite put into words. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Xu Xuenuo asked when she noticed Xu Ming hadn¡¯t followed her. ¡°Nothing.¡± Xu Ming shook his head. ¡°I just feel like I¡¯ve met you before.¡± Xu Xuenuo¡¯s heart skipped a beat, but her expression remained calm. ¡°How so?¡± Xu Ming smiled. ¡°I can¡¯t remember.¡± ¡°Well, if you can¡¯t remember, then hurry up.¡± Xu Xuenuo turned back around, her long legs striding confidently into the cave. Xu Ming followed her, occasionally glancing at her profile. He tried hard to recall why she seemed so familiar but couldn¡¯t come up with an answer. For some reason, though, she seemed colder than before. Was she¡­ upset? Chapter 226 Xu Ming and Xu Xuenuo walked into the cave together. Just like the first time Xu Xuenuo entered the cave, Xu Ming was amazed at the density of spiritual energy inside. This was also his first time witnessing such a scene. The spiritual energy here was so dense that it had condensed into thick mist. If this was naturally formed, it would undoubtedly be a dreamland, a paradise countless cultivators would yearn for. If it was man-made, the resources and treasures spent to create such a place must be unimaginable. Even without considering whether there might be treasures in the cave, the cave itself was already a priceless treasure. Cultivating here for even a year or half a year would certainly yield twice the results with half the effort. The deeper they went into the cave, the more cautious they became. For whether natural or man-made, places with such dense spiritual energy were likely to harbor some kind of rare heavenly treasure. And where there were heavenly treasures, there were often powerful beasts guarding them. The rarer the treasure, the stronger the guardian beast. Sure enough, Xu Ming and Xu Xuenuo discovered several qilin flowers within the cave. Qilin flowers were second-grade spiritual flowers, guarded by a two-headed blood-scaled serpent. The serpent, though fierce-looking, was about four meters long and as thick as two strong men. It was a creature that could easily kill ordinary cultivators in the Sea Observation or even Dragon Gate realms. But Xu Ming was confident that taking down this serpent wouldn¡¯t be too difficult, especially since he had a skilled sword cultivator by his side. Still, Xu Ming didn¡¯t want to provoke the beast. Who knew if killing it might trigger some trap or attract an even stronger one? Before Xu Ming could stop her, Xu Xuenuo had already struck. The serpent didn¡¯t even have time to react. It merely saw this hairless, upright ¡°ape¡± take a step forward, draw her sword, and in the next moment, its world spun as its head separated from its body. The serpent fell lifelessly to the ground. Xu Xuenuo extracted the serpent¡¯s gallbladder and tossed it to Xu Ming. ¡°This is for you. It should be beneficial for warriors like you,¡± she said. Xu Ming caught the gallbladder and replied, ¡°It is indeed beneficial. But why are you giving it to me?¡± ¡°You¡¯re a warrior, aren¡¯t you?¡± Xu Xuenuo asked. ¡°I am,¡± Xu Ming admitted, ¡°but¡­¡± He hesitated. Yes, I¡¯m a warrior. But what does that have to do with you? You didn¡¯t even hesitate to kill the serpent, and it turns out it was for me? This makes me feel¡­ complicated. Could it be you¡¯ve fallen for me at first sight? No, that doesn¡¯t seem right either¡­ Seeing Xu Ming¡¯s expression, Xu Xuenuo realized her actions might have been a bit odd. A faint blush appeared on her cheeks, but fortunately, the cave was so dim that it was hard to notice. ¡°I just wanted to repay a favor,¡± Xu Xuenuo said. ¡°Back then, you saved me from that beast. I¡¯m not someone who likes to owe others, but I also don¡¯t like others owing me.¡± ¡°Oh, I see,¡± Xu Ming said with a smile. ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll accept it. But there¡¯s no need to be so formal, Miss Jiang. When we killed that beast, we were helping each other. I wasn¡¯t just helping you; I was also helping myself.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what you think. It has nothing to do with me. I have my own principles,¡± Xu Xuenuo replied. She turned away and began harvesting the qilin flowers, dividing them evenly so each of them received half. As they continued deeper into the cave, Xu Ming and Xu Xuenuo encountered more spiritual flowers and herbs. These spiritual plants were of impressive grades, and while the beasts guarding them were formidable, they posed no real threat against the combined strength of Xu Ming and Xu Xuenuo. However, within this cave, there were indeed some man-made formations and traps. Yet, all of them were seen through by the peculiar stone in Xu Ming¡¯s hand. Xu Ming didn¡¯t know what the stone was made of, but he had to admit¡ªit was truly a remarkable item. ¡°How long have we been walking?¡± Xu Xuenuo asked Xu Ming beside her. Xu Ming thought for a moment. ¡°About half an hour.¡± Xu Xuenuo frowned. ¡°Is this cave really that deep?¡± S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The two of them had been moving quickly, yet after walking for half an hour, they still hadn¡¯t reached the cave¡¯s end. Xu Ming rubbed his chin thoughtfully and responded, ¡°Don¡¯t you feel like we¡¯ve been going downward this entire time?¡± Hearing his words, Xu Xuenuo turned around and swung her sword toward the path behind them. The sword energy struck the wall ahead almost instantly. The path they had taken was straight, with no obstacles. Logically, it shouldn¡¯t have hit the wall so quickly, unless¡­ This cave really was slanted downward. Her sword energy had struck a slope. ¡°This cave is a passage?¡± Xu Xuenuo quickly realized. ¡°Exactly,¡± Xu Ming nodded. ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, we¡¯re heading toward the center of this mountain.¡± Xu Xuenuo was silent for a moment. ¡°Overthinking won¡¯t help. Let¡¯s keep moving.¡± After a brief pause, she resumed walking forward. With such courage from the girl, Xu Ming naturally had no reason to retreat. After walking for another half an hour, the two arrived at a space entirely surrounded by a deep blue hue. But ahead of them, the path abruptly ended in a dead end. ¡°No way forward? That can¡¯t be right¡­¡± Xu Xuenuo drew her life-bound flying sword and scanned their surroundings. The flying sword persistently signaled a single message: Keep moving forward. But with no visible path ahead, where could they possibly go? Xu Xuenuo stepped closer to the blue wall and reached out to touch it. At that moment, Xu Ming suddenly felt his palm grow hot. Opening his hand, he saw that the stone given to him by Mo Zhuer was glowing red, like molten lava. ¡°Miss Jiang! Get back!¡± Xu Ming shouted. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Xu Xuenuo turned her head. The instant she turned, the blue wall began to distort violently, transforming into a massive mouth that lunged toward her! In a panic, Xu Ming channeled all his warrior¡¯s energy into his palm, wrapping it around the glowing stone, and hurled it with all his strength at the gaping mouth. ¡°Boom!¡± With a deafening explosion, the stone from Mo Zhuer shattered into pieces! ¡°Roar!!!¡± The blue mouth let out a furious roar. It twisted and collapsed in on itself, creating a powerful vortex that began pulling everything in the cave toward it. ¡°Run!¡± Xu Xuenuo shouted to Xu Ming. ¡°I¡¯d love to!¡± Xu Ming yelled back, desperately clinging to a piece of rock to resist the pull. But eventually, even the rock crumbled. Xu Ming was flung forward, slamming into Xu Xuenuo before both of them were sucked into the vortex. Chapter 227 ¡°Drip, drip.¡± In the depths of an unknown cave within Sanshi Peak, droplets of water fell one by one from the stalactites hanging high above. The stalactites were so far up that the water drops shattered into countless tiny fragments upon hitting the ground. On the cold, damp ground, Xu Xue Nuo¡¯s brows twitched slightly. Her long, curved lashes quivered as she slowly regained consciousness. Despite the hard surface beneath her, it felt oddly like she was lying on something warm and human. As her awareness returned, Xu Xue Nuo suddenly opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was Xu Ming¡¯s face. She quickly realized that she was lying on top of him. Startled, she sat up slightly and nervously checked for Xu Ming¡¯s breathing. Feeling the faint warmth of his breath against her fingertips, she let out a sigh of relief, the weight in her heart finally easing. ¡°Wake up. Hey, Xu Ming, wake up,¡± Xu Xue Nuo said, gently patting his cheeks in an attempt to rouse him. After several moments, Xu Ming¡¯s brow furrowed slightly, and Xu Xue Nuo¡¯s eyes lit up with delight. When Xu Ming slowly opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was a girl looking down at him, her expression filled with pure joy, as if she had narrowly avoided losing him forever. ¡°You¡¯re finally awake! I thought you were dead!¡± Xu Xue Nuo blurted out, her words blunt and inauspicious despite her relief. Xu Ming chuckled faintly. ¡°Dying isn¡¯t that easy. But, Miss Jiang, could you perhaps get off me?¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Only then did Xu Xue Nuo realize she was still lying on top of Xu Ming. Flustered, she quickly scrambled off him. Xu Ming sat up, supporting himself with one hand while shaking his head slightly to clear it. He glanced around at their surroundings. The cave wasn¡¯t pitch black¡ªeverything around them was faintly visible. Yet, oddly enough, the source of the light couldn¡¯t be discerned. ¡°What is this place?¡± Xu Xue Nuo asked, her voice uncertain. It was a question that bordered on rhetorical. ¡°Who knows?¡± Xu Ming replied out of politeness. ¡°What about your life-bound flying sword? Does it sense anything?¡± Xu Xue Nuo had mentioned before that her life-bound flying sword could sense certain presences. It was what had led them to this place in the first place. Shaking her head, she replied, ¡°It¡¯s completely silent. I tried calling for it earlier, but it feels like it¡¯s¡­ asleep or something.¡± Xu Ming frowned thoughtfully, rubbing his chin. Then, standing up, he said, ¡°Let¡¯s move. Since we don¡¯t know where this is, we might as well look around.¡± Xu Xue Nuo nodded and followed closely behind him. The two walked aimlessly forward. The cave was vast, resembling a small plain. It was easy to get lost, though, for Xu Ming and Xu Xue Nuo, being lost didn¡¯t matter since they had no idea where they were heading in the first place. The silence was unnerving. Aside from the occasional sound of water droplets hitting the ground, there was no other noise. The eerie stillness made it easy to imagine something lurking, ready to leap out of the shadows. ¡°Roar!¡± Xu Ming and Xu Xue Nuo froze, unsure how long they had been walking when they suddenly heard a beast¡¯s roar ahead of them. Their hearts trembled. Another roar quickly followed, this one overlapping with the first. The roars were chaotic and disordered, like the sounds of a mixed group of magical beasts. Accompanying the roars were the noises of stones shattering and violent impacts. Exchanging a glance, Xu Ming and Xu Xue Nuo silently reached an unspoken agreement: they would go and investigate. With their swords in hand, the two cautiously advanced step by step toward the source of the commotion. Soon, in the vast area ahead, they saw a giant scorpion covered in sharp spikes battling a massive red dog with three heads. Nearby, a giant serpent with skin like rock was fighting a towering three-meter-tall chicken. A beast that resembled a water buffalo but had the trunk of an elephant was being devoured by a swarm of green ants. Within just ten breaths, the swarm stripped the buffalo, starting with its outer skin, down to its flesh, until nothing was left but a stark white skeleton. All around, bizarre, unnameable magical beasts were locked in relentless combat. If one pair of battling beasts accidentally got too close to another pair, the conflict would escalate, dragging all four into a chaotic melee. In short, the scene ahead was utter pandemonium. Even Xu Ming couldn¡¯t tell what these beasts were fighting over. From what his eyes could see, there were no signs of any heavenly treasures or rare artifacts. If it were just one or two of these beasts, Xu Ming and Xu Xue Nuo were confident they could take them down. But with so many gathered together, they worried that even a minor disturbance might provoke the horde and get them trampled to death. Yet, Xu Ming was reluctant to turn back. A place as abnormal as this surely held some secret, something worth uncovering. Or perhaps, if they managed to cross this beast-filled area, they would find whatever it was the beasts were drawn to. These creatures couldn¡¯t have gathered here without reason. ¡°Hold my hand,¡± Xu Xue Nuo suddenly said to Xu Ming. ¡°What?¡± Xu Ming thought he might have misheard. Xu Xue Nuo shot him a glare. ¡°You want to get through, don¡¯t you? Hold my hand¡ªI have a way.¡± Xu Ming glanced at the girl¡¯s soft, delicate hand, feeling somewhat hesitant. But after a moment¡¯s thought, he reasoned, If she¡¯s not concerned, why should I, as a grown man, hesitate? With that, he extended his hand and grasped hers. Her hand was smooth and supple, though Xu Ming could feel faint calluses in her palm¡ªlikely the result of years of sword practice. Xu Xue Nuo, feeling Xu Ming¡¯s grip, took a deep breath to steady herself. Channeling her spiritual energy into her sword, she swung it forcefully forward. In an instant, violent sword energy surged ahead of them. Xu Ming¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Wait, what? Swinging a sword at this horde of beasts? Isn¡¯t that just asking to get them all to charge at us? This is your so-called plan? Xu Ming already felt a pang of regret for trusting her. But the next moment, he realized he was wrong. The girl¡¯s sword energy wasn¡¯t aimed at the beasts at all. Instead, the energy slashed through the space in front of them, tearing it apart. The sword energy didn¡¯t dissipate; it churned violently, like a trapped storm raging within a sealed bottle. ¡°Boom!¡± The space ahead of Xu Ming shattered into chaos. Xu Xue Nuo grabbed Xu Ming¡¯s hand and stepped forward. Xu Ming felt his body becoming faint and insubstantial, as though he were transitioning into another dimension. It was an inexplicably profound sensation, like stepping into an entirely different realm. Soon, Xu Ming realized his feeling was accurate. They had indeed entered another space. Here, the sky and ground were seamlessly connected, and everything around them was a vast expanse of white. It felt as though nothing existed in this space¡ªpure and pristine, like freshly fallen snow. Sword Domain! The phrase suddenly sprang to Xu Ming¡¯s mind. Sword cultivators possessed life-bound flying swords, each with unique abilities. Some life-bound swords could resonate with plants and flowers. Others could condense ice from sword energy, freezing entire regions for hundreds of miles. It seemed this space was one such manifestation of a life-bound sword¡¯s extraordinary power. Some life-bound swords are like marbles, capable of shattering into hundreds of fragments. Each time the sword cultivator flicks their finger, a piece of the sword would shoot out like a long blade, dealing devastating damage. When a life-bound sword awakens its divine ability, the next step for the cultivator is to deepen their understanding of sword energy, sword intent, and the way of the sword. Gradually, they form their own Sword Domain. A Sword Domain is the culmination of a sword cultivator¡¯s understanding of sword energy, sword intent, and the way of the sword¡ªa complete manifestation of their comprehension of the ¡°sword.¡± Most Sword Domains extend outward, dragging enemies into the cultivator¡¯s domain to engage in battle. This is the most standard use of a Sword Domain. The appearance of a Sword Domain is closely tied to the abilities of the life-bound sword. However! This girl¡¯s Sword Domain was internal! Her Sword Domain had formed an entire small world of its own! This was something Xu Ming had never heard of before. Xu Xue Nuo continued to hold Xu Ming¡¯s hand as they walked forward. Xu Ming felt as though he were drifting between the edges of her Sword Domain and the real world. None of the beasts noticed their presence. At that moment, Xu Ming understood how this girl had managed to enter this place. It was likely by using a similar method. She must have first created a crack in the formation, and with just that gap, she could slip into the rift between two worlds, making herself exist yet not exist. From there, she navigated the formation and entered Sanshi Peak. This wasn¡¯t something that any ordinary sword technique could accomplish. Xu Ming couldn¡¯t think of a single sword technique capable of this. It had to be due to her life-bound sword. The sword she used to kill the black bear earlier must have been an application of her life-bound sword¡¯s divine ability. It seemed her life-bound sword had a talent related to spatial manipulation. And in Xu Ming¡¯s experience of reading countless novels, watching anime, and films in his previous life, any power capable of manipulating space was always ridiculously overpowered! But even that wasn¡¯t the most shocking part for Xu Ming. Normally, a sword cultivator capable of forming their own Sword Domain would need to be at least at the Nascent Soul stage. Yet this girl appeared to only be at the Dragon Gate stage. A cultivator in the Dragon Gate stage manifesting a Sword Domain? What kind of unparalleled genius was this? ¡®Wait a second¡­¡¯ Suddenly, an image of a young girl from Xu Ming¡¯s memories surfaced in his mind. If there were a swordsmanship prodigy, it had to be her. Even though it had been nearly a decade since he last saw her, he often heard stories about her achievements. ¡®Could she be¡­?¡¯ Xu Ming glanced at the girl¡¯s profile, filled with doubt. But he also thought it unlikely. If she truly was Xu Xue Nuo, why wouldn¡¯t she tell him her real name? After so many years apart, wouldn¡¯t it make more sense for her to be excited to see him? Even if she weren¡¯t overjoyed, why would she go so far as to make up a name and deceive him? If she truly was Xue Nuo, Xu Ming couldn¡¯t fathom why she would lie to him. As Xu Ming speculated about her identity, he noticed the girl¡¯s steps becoming increasingly unsteady. Sweat was forming on her forehead, and her breathing grew heavier with every step. What¡¯s more, their bodies could no longer consistently remain in the ethereal, in-between state. Once, they even fully exited the spatial rift and landed directly beneath the massive, fur-covered foot of an elephant-like beast. If not for the girl quickly activating her Sword Domain again, they would have been noticed by the elephant-like beast. Xu Ming guessed that maintaining this technique was draining her stamina and spiritual energy immensely, and bringing him along was doubling the consumption. Not to mention, the area where the beasts were battling was vast. Xu Ming felt like they had walked nearly two miles, yet the chaotic beast battles were still ongoing. ¡°Are you running out of energy? Let go of me and leave this place. I¡¯ll find a way,¡± Xu Ming said to Xu Xue Nuo. ¡°No!¡± Xu Xue Nuo immediately rejected Xu Ming¡¯s suggestion. ¡°If you stay here, those beasts will definitely notice you, and you¡¯ll be dead for sure. Don¡¯t worry about me, I¡¯m fine. I can handle it.¡± ¡°This won¡¯t work, the two of us¡ª¡± ¡°Poof!¡± Before Xu Ming could finish his sentence, Xu Xue Nuo spat out a mouthful of blood. This was the side effect of Xu Xue Nuo overexerting her spiritual energy. She could no longer maintain her Sword Domain. In an instant, the spell that had enveloped them both disappeared completely. Xu Ming and Xu Xue Nuo found themselves right in the middle of the beast horde. A massive wolf, surrounded by black flames, immediately noticed the two intruders and charged toward them. Xu Ming initially planned to kill the fiery wolf with a single sword strike, but fearing the bloodshed might attract more beasts, he knocked the wolf unconscious instead. However, no matter how carefully Xu Ming tried to minimize the noise, the commotion was still significant. More and more beasts began to notice them. Normally, even if beasts noticed an outsider, they wouldn¡¯t rush into battle immediately. They would observe for a while, especially with so many beasts already fighting amongst themselves. But these beasts acted as if they had seen a red flag waved before a bull, all of them charging at Xu Ming without hesitation. Xu Ming could no longer hold back. With a swing of his sword, he cleaved a massive stone snake in half. Then, he swiftly picked up Xu Xue Nuo and began running forward! Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Beast after beast tried to block Xu Ming¡¯s path, but he didn¡¯t linger for a fight. If he could kill, he killed; if he couldn¡¯t, he pushed them back. If that didn¡¯t work, he dodged. The goal was simple: avoid being overwhelmed by the beast tide. Besides, Xu Ming didn¡¯t believe these beasts would chase him forever! But the beasts were too many. The commotion Xu Ming caused attracted even more beasts from ahead, who quickly positioned themselves to intercept him. ¡°Get out of my way!¡± Xu Ming sheathed his sword and threw a massive punch forward. The immense force shattered the beasts in front of him, tearing them to pieces. The scene turned into a brutal bloodbath. Some beasts began devouring the corpses of the ones Xu Ming had killed. But most of the beasts were undeterred. They only wanted to kill Xu Ming! ¡°You¡¯re carrying me. We won¡¯t make it out of here!¡± Xu Xue Nuo weakly said from Xu Ming¡¯s back. ¡°Put me down!¡± Chapter 228 ¡°Put me down,¡± Xu Xuenuo kept patting Xu Ming¡¯s shoulder insistently. She could tell that Xu Ming was struggling to fight off the beasts while carrying her on his back. It was already a challenge for him to escape on his own, let alone while carrying her. Even though there was no guarantee he could make it out alive alone, keeping her on his back meant certain death for both of them. ¡°If I put you down, you¡¯ll die,¡± Xu Ming snapped, his tone firm. There was no way he¡¯d do such a thing. Earlier, if this girl hadn¡¯t pulled him into her sword domain and hidden them in the cracks between worlds, she might¡¯ve been able to escape this beast-infested area on her own. Yet, she chose to take him with her. Even when things went awry¡ªwhen no one expected the beast zone to be this vast¡ªshe didn¡¯t abandon him, not even when she was running out of strength. If she could show such loyalty and righteousness, how could Xu Ming abandon her now? If he left her behind, he¡¯d carry the guilt for a lifetime, and his inner peace and cultivation path would crumble. ¡°But if you don¡¯t put me down, we¡¯ll both die here,¡± Xu Xuenuo said, her voice tinged with urgency. Why can¡¯t he see reason? ¡°Who said that? We¡¯ll both make it out alive,¡± Xu Ming replied resolutely. After that, he said no more, focusing entirely on the beasts lunging at them. Truthfully, Xu Ming didn¡¯t know if they could make it out alive. While the beasts weren¡¯t individually too powerful, there were far too many of them. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. They came at him like waves, enough to drown him with sheer numbers alone. ¡°Min!¡± A strange bird resembling a vulture, but with four pairs of wings, swooped down toward him. ¡°Get lost!¡± Xu Ming kicked its head with all his strength, causing it to explode. Though Xu Ming made it look easy, every attack he unleashed required nearly all his strength. Otherwise, there was no way he could kill these creatures. But how much strength does one person have? How many times can they fight at full power? A black hound seized an opportunity to lunge at him, slashing a long, bloody gash on his arm with its claws. Xu Ming gritted his teeth against the pain and kicked the hound, sending it flying into a nearby rock. The sound of bones breaking echoed. Xu Ming thought that was the end of the hound. But to his shock, the creature got up, shook its head, and split open down the middle¡ªfrom its skull to its belly¡ªrevealing rows upon rows of sharp teeth. Enraged, the hound charged at him again. Xu Ming ignored it and kept running forward. Lying on his back, Xu Xuenuo bit her lip, her expression conflicted as she watched him carry her through the chaos. She wanted to help him, but her spiritual energy was completely depleted. All she could do was swallow a Qi-Recovery Pill, close her eyes, and focus on regaining her strength as quickly as possible. ¡°Damn it!¡± Xu Ming, who had been sprinting nonstop, suddenly skidded to a halt, leaving a long trail of dirt behind him. Feeling the abrupt stop, Xu Xuenuo opened her eyes in confusion and followed Xu Ming¡¯s gaze upward. In front of them stood a massive lion. The beast was six meters tall, its golden fur thick and radiant. Blue flames surrounded its body, and its tail was a live snake, hissing and coiling menacingly. It seemed as though the lion¡¯s tail had a consciousness of its own. From behind the lion, the snake-like tail lifted its head and hissed at Xu Ming and Xu Xuenuo. ¡°ROAR!¡± The snake-tailed lion lunged at the two of them. Xu Ming focused his mind, and Dao patterns appeared in his pupils. When Xu Xuenuo saw the transformation in Xu Ming¡¯s eyes, her heart skipped a beat. She had never seen such a technique before. His eyes seemed to be imbued with the profound essence of the Dao. ¡®Is this the fortuitous opportunity he obtained? Could this pair of eyes be the reason Xu Ming is able to cultivate?¡¯ Xu Xuenuo speculated. Xu Ming charged toward the lion. In his vision, the lion¡¯s movements slowed down, as though time itself had been stretched. He could clearly see the trajectory of its every action. Finding the perfect opening, Xu Ming shifted Xu Xuenuo from his back to his front, cradling her in his arms. ¡°Huh?¡± Before Xu Xuenuo could fully process what had happened, she found herself nestled in Xu Ming¡¯s embrace. From this position, she felt like a little girl being carried. She had never been held like this before. Although Xu Xuenuo knew her emotions were entirely out of place given the life-or-death situation they were in, she couldn¡¯t help but feel a flush of embarrassment and wanted to escape his arms. But she held herself back. If she moved now, it would only hinder Xu Ming. ¡°Hold onto my neck!¡± Xu Ming commanded. ¡°Wha-?¡± Before Xu Xuenuo could even finish saying the word ¡°what,¡± she suddenly felt her body sink as though it were about to be hurled forward. At that moment, even without Xu Ming¡¯s reminder, she instinctively wrapped her arms tightly around his neck. With a swift slide, Xu Ming darted under the snake-tailed lion, sliding between its legs. As he passed beneath the massive beast, Xu Ming drew his sword and slashed, severing its tail with a single, clean stroke. Xu Ming hadn¡¯t done this recklessly, nor was it a ploy to enrage the lion. In his Dao patterned vision, a glowing white spot appeared on the lion¡¯s tail, highlighted as if it were bolded and underlined. Xu Ming trusted his instincts: this must be a newly evolved ability of his Dao pattern eyes, allowing him to detect an opponent¡¯s weak points. The severed tail fell to the ground, twitching a few times before becoming completely still, as though it had died. The snake-tailed lion let out an enraged roar, writhing in pain as it slammed itself into nearby rocks repeatedly. Although they had passed the lion, the beasts behind them continued their relentless pursuit. If anything, they seemed even more frenzied, as though the lion had been their warden, and its injury had unleashed chaos among the ¡°prisoners.¡± Xu Ming¡¯s stamina and spiritual energy were nearing depletion. Just as the pursuing beasts were about to overtake him, a deep, echoing voice rang out from ahead, cutting through the chaos: ¡°These two young ones¡­ are truly remarkable.¡± Chapter 229 ¡°These two young ones¡­ are truly remarkable,¡± A voice emerged from the darkness ahead. Hearing this voice, Xu Ming and Xu Xue¡¯nuo both felt their hearts tremble. A suffocating pressure overcame them, and both spat out blood. Xu Xue¡¯nuo could never have imagined that someone would actually be here. Who was this person? Could they be the guardian of this mountain peak? As for Xu Ming, his mind flashed back to the time when he had used his Dao Pattern Eyes to glimpse an old man bound by chains. Could this person be that very same figure? What realm could this old man possibly be at? Just a simple sentence from him had caused their spiritual energy and martial qi to surge as if facing an overwhelming enemy. ¡°These hideous things are truly annoying!¡± The old man spoke a second sentence. And as the second sentence fell, waves of sword energy swept out from the darkness ahead. These waves of sword energy turned into fierce gales. When the sword-infused gales swept across Xu Ming, he felt as if thousands upon thousands of blades were slicing through his body inch by inch. The sword energy even infiltrated his pores, diving into his blood vessels and spirit veins, relentlessly wreaking havoc within. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Xu Ming felt as if his internal organs were about to be shredded by this sword energy. The excruciating pain made Xu Ming want to scream, but his throat felt as if it were pierced by countless swords. Even taking a deep breath felt like several blades stabbing into his throat. The sharpness of the sword energy was something Xu Ming had never encountered in his life since being reborn into this world. He did not doubt that even in his future years of cultivation, he might never face sword energy as lethal as this again. Soon, however, Xu Ming realized he was mistaken. Because after the sword-energy winds had swept past him and Xu Xue¡¯nuo, they grew even more violent and ferocious! ¡°Roar!¡± ¡°Howl!¡± Behind them, the pursuing beasts let out agonized cries. When Xu Ming and Xu Xue¡¯nuo turned to look, they saw that the pursuing beasts had been sliced into countless pieces by the sword-energy winds. Blood and chunks of flesh covered the ground, and dismembered limbs still twitched faintly. The beast tide that had been overwhelmingly aggressive, threatening to drown Xu Ming and Xu Xue¡¯nuo in its ferocity, now had no chance at all in front of the old man. The remaining beasts, sensing the life-threatening danger, immediately halted their pursuit. As if they had encountered the King of Hell, they fled in terror. The sword-energy winds slowly dissipated. Only then did Xu Ming and Xu Xue¡¯nuo gradually regain their breath. They were both drenched in sweat, their clothes clinging to their backs, and their hair sticking to their foreheads. An unhealthy flush lingered on their faces. The cave returned to its previous tranquility. Aside from the beast corpses and the blood-soaked ground behind them, it was as if nothing had happened. The silence of the cave was restored. Xu Ming and Xu Xue¡¯nuo exchanged glances. Even without speaking, they both knew what the other was asking: Should we continue forward, or turn back? But they quickly realized how foolish this question was. Turn back? Was there any retreat left? Xu Ming and Xu Xue¡¯nuo took a deep breath and simultaneously moved forward into the cave¡¯s depths. Going back meant certain death; moving forward did not necessarily mean death. If the figure ahead had wanted to kill them, they would already have perished at the hands of the beasts moments ago. In fact, one could even say that the person earlier had just saved their lives¡ªa life-saving grace for Xu Ming and Xu Xue¡¯nuo. Of course, neither of them believed the figure was benevolent. The rescue likely served his own motives. As Xu Ming and Xu Xue¡¯nuo ventured deeper, the spiritual energy in the air grew thinner and thinner, starkly contrasting the density outside. Other than the change in spiritual energy concentration, the path ahead seemed no different from where they had come before. Yet, there was one distinct difference: voices. They began to hear voice after voice echoing around them. ¡°These two little ones seem decent,¡± a sharp voice rang out, reminiscent of a eunuch¡¯s tone. ¡°A boy and a girl, a virgin pair. Wait, no, no¡ªthis girl¡¯s a virgin, but the boy isn¡¯t. Hehehe¡­¡± Another voice sounded, tinged with madness. ¡°This young man is quite handsome. I like him. Not being a virgin is even better¡ªat least the first time won¡¯t end too quickly,¡± a sultry voice added. ¡°This young girl has such tender skin. I wonder how she tastes.¡± This was followed by the sound of tongue licking and what seemed to be saliva dripping to the ground. ¡°Now that you mention it, it¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve had meat myself.¡± ¡°The talents of these two brats are truly remarkable. They must be core disciples of one of the Four Sacred Lands or the Five Great Sects. Maybe even a Holy Son and Holy Daughter.¡± ¡°Eh? This boy seems to practice both martial arts and cultivation? Such dense martial qi and vigorous blood essence¡ªtsk tsk. My thighs are already wet.¡± ¡°You old witch, don¡¯t you see they¡¯re Dao companions? They just shared life and death together. How moving! And here you are, thinking of defiling the boy?¡± ¡°So what? I enjoy this kind of situation. Imagine tying up the girl and making her watch as her Dao companion is played with by me¡ªthat would be so thrilling! Ah, I can¡¯t take it anymore. It¡¯s been so long since I¡¯ve tasted a man!¡± ¡°You vile old witch, you deserve to be imprisoned here.¡± ¡°Ha! And what about you, you old dog? Why are you locked up then?¡± ¡°But to be honest, these two are incredibly talented for their age. Such sword qi and intent at their age, especially this girl¡ªshe¡¯s only at the Dragon Gate realm, yet she¡¯s already attained the Sword Domain. Truly a once-in-a-millennium prodigy.¡± In the darkness, one voice after another evaluated Xu Ming and Xu Xue¡¯nuo, openly discussing them as though they were prey. The two, however, simply continued forward. Their hearts were far from calm, but they did not panic. After all, panicking would do no good. The overwhelming auras surrounding them were terrifying¡ªany one of these beings could crush them to death effortlessly. Yet the fact that none of them had made a move suggested some form of restraint. As Xu Ming and Xu Xue¡¯nuo simultaneously took another step forward, the entire cave suddenly lit up. Looking up, they saw that the walls around them were made of layered rock. Embedded in these rock walls were countless cages, each imprisoning a person. At the very front, an old man was bound by chains, hanging alone on the rock wall. The old man raised his head and let out a sinister chuckle. ¡°Well, well, boy, we meet again.¡± Chapter 230 ¡°Well, boy, we meet again,¡± the old man raised his head and grinned. His beard was long, reaching his chest, tangled and filthy, while his hair hung down in disarray, giving him the look of a vagabond. His face was almost completely obscured, leaving only his piercing eyes visible through the gaps in his hair. Those eyes were like those of a hawk, sharp and cutting, as though they could slice straight through your heart with a single glance. You wouldn¡¯t even dare to meet his gaze. The old man was bound against the rocky wall, thick black Xuan-iron chains engraved with dragon patterns and Dao marks coiled tightly around him. Spells cast on the chains caused them to emit a faint black glow. Soul-sealing nails pierced his collarbone, thighs, and near his heart, pinning him firmly in place. Below him was a complex and esoteric formation, radiating a sinister aura. In stark contrast, the other ¡°prisoners¡± in the area were subjected to far less severe restraints. They were either locked in cages or bound by ordinary chains, as though anything more would be a waste of resources. It was clear that whoever had sealed this old man here had been absolutely terrified of him escaping. Just how powerful was this old man? If he was so dangerous that they worried about him breaking free, why not simply kill him? Why leave him alive and risk future complications? Hearing the old man address Xu Ming, Xu Xue¡¯nuo turned to look at him. Xu Ming stepped forward, cupped his hands respectfully, and bowed. ¡°Junior greets Senior.¡± The old man scrutinized Xu Ming closely. ¡°Not bad, not bad. I didn¡¯t get a good look at you last time, but now that I do, I have to say¡ªyou¡¯re quite the promising seedling. Dual cultivation of martial arts and Dao, brave and bold¡­ but you won¡¯t go far, and frankly, you¡¯re foolish.¡± Watching the flow of spiritual energy and martial qi within Xu Ming, the old man quickly reached a conclusion. Such a condition was difficult to resolve. Unless Xu Ming encountered someone with the rare Luo Shen Physique, and even then, healing would come with stringent conditions. It wasn¡¯t as simple as just finding a Luo Shen Physique to resolve the conflict between his martial qi and spiritual energy. But in the old man¡¯s view, it didn¡¯t really matter. It wasn¡¯t that solving the problem wasn¡¯t important; rather, the old man felt it wasn¡¯t worth bothering about. At worst, Xu Ming could abandon the path of the martial artist entirely and focus solely on sword cultivation. That wasn¡¯t such a bad path either. The only pity was that Xu Ming had wasted so much effort, only to end up with nothing more than the strong physique of a martial artist. To be fair, his gains weren¡¯t entirely negligible. He had reached the Heroic Soul stage as a martial artist, and his physical resilience far surpassed that of ordinary sword cultivators or spirit cultivators. Still, for the old man, expending so much effort just to gain a martial artist¡¯s body was hardly worth it. If Xu Ming had focused solely on sword cultivation from the start, his accomplishments now would likely be far greater. That was why the old man called him ¡°foolish.¡± In cultivation, a single misstep could lead to lifelong regret. Wasting so much energy only to pick up a single apple along the way¡ªwhat else could that be but foolishness? Xu Ming, of course, understood what the old man meant by ¡°foolish.¡± Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He chose not to argue, as he could see the reasoning behind the old man¡¯s words. If he didn¡¯t have his ¡°cheat,¡± pursuing both martial and sword cultivation would indeed have been foolish. But he did have a cheat. By walking the martial path, he could acquire many resources through his cheat. If he only pursued the sword path, he would be limited to the resources available to sword cultivators alone. Moreover, many of the rewards from his cheat were related to martial cultivation. If he didn¡¯t pursue this path, wouldn¡¯t it all go to waste? Not to mention, without his dual cultivation of body and Dao, he would have died long ago and wouldn¡¯t be standing here now. ¡°Which sect are you from?¡± the old man asked. ¡°Senior, I¡¯m from the Wu Kingdom,¡± Xu Ming replied respectfully. ¡°The Wu Kingdom?¡± The old man frowned in confusion, pondered for a moment, then looked up and asked the other prisoners, ¡°What kind of backwater place is this Wu Kingdom?¡± ¡°Never heard of it~,¡± the alluring woman answered. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s some newly established dynasty?¡± a burly man suggested. ¡°Definitely not within the last thousand years,¡± yawned a scrawny man who looked like a monkey. ¡°When I got locked up here, I¡¯d never heard of a Wu Kingdom.¡± ¡°Speaking of which, how long have we been locked up here?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been here for 500 years!¡± ¡°You still remember? I¡¯ve long lost count.¡± ¡°Hey, woman, shouldn¡¯t you call me senior? Come on, let me see your chest, and maybe I¡¯ll forgive your disrespect.¡± ¡°Pah!¡± The alluring woman spat. ¡°If you chop off your little thing and toss it over here, I¡¯ll show you my chest!¡± ¡°Shut up if you don¡¯t know anything,¡± the old man¡¯s voice cut through the chatter like a blade. The raucous cave fell silent instantly. ¡°I¡¯ve been locked up here for nearly three thousand years and have never heard of any Wu Kingdom,¡± the old man shook his head. ¡°But to produce someone like you, it seems your Wu Kingdom¡¯s fortunes aren¡¯t too bad.¡± Xu Ming cupped his hands in gratitude. ¡°Senior flatters me.¡± ¡°And you, little girl?¡± The old man turned his sharp gaze to Xu Xue¡¯nuo. ¡°Innate Sword Bone, and at such a young age, you¡¯ve already forged your sword bone into your natal flying sword and even comprehended the Sword Domain. Girl, even in my era, you¡¯d be a rare genius.¡± Xu Ming also looked at Xu Xue¡¯nuo, curious to know which sect she hailed from. ¡°Thank you for the praise, Senior. I come from the Qingyan Sword Sect. I imagine Senior hasn¡¯t heard of it,¡± Xu Xue¡¯nuo replied with a polite bow, holding her sword. ¡°Indeed, I haven¡¯t. The only sect I know of is the Wanjian Sect,¡± the old man said, shaking his head as a trace of nostalgia flashed through his eyes. ¡°I wonder if that old coot is still alive.¡± ¡°May I ask why all of you are imprisoned here?¡± Xu Ming asked, unable to suppress his curiosity about this place. ¡°Hahaha, lost a fight and got captured, that¡¯s all!¡± The old man laughed heartily, his voice carrying a hint of unrestrained boldness. ¡°Three thousand years ago, the Holy Lords of the Four Sacred Lands and the Sect Masters of the Five Great Sects joined forces to besiege me. In the end, I couldn¡¯t win, so they locked me up here. They used these Immortal-Binding Chains to restrain my limbs. They set up this Yin-Yang Formation to seal my spiritual power. And they drove these Soul-Nailing Pins into me to trap my soul.¡± Xu Ming: ¡°¡­¡± The old man chuckled again. ¡°Boy, I know what you¡¯re thinking. You¡¯re wondering¡ªjust what kind of heinous villain would provoke the combined wrath of the Four Sacred Lands and the Five Great Sects, right?¡± Chapter 231 ¡°Kid, I know what you¡¯re thinking. You¡¯re probably wondering what exactly I did to make those sect masters and holy lords come after me. But let me tell you, once you reach our level of cultivation, most of the petty fights and grudges that matter so much to others become insignificant in our eyes. What you call ¡®evil¡¯ is nothing more than child¡¯s play to us. Between me and them, there¡¯s no personal grudge¡ªonly a clash of ideals. That¡¯s it. Different paths, different truths. There¡¯s no way to reconcile that. If I were to tell you the real reasons behind it all, I¡¯m afraid you wouldn¡¯t be able to handle the consequences of knowing. As for them¡­¡± The old man looked up and shouted, his voice echoing: ¡°Since we have guests, why don¡¯t you all introduce yourselves? Otherwise, the juniors might think we¡¯re a bunch of rude old-timers!¡± ¡°Oh, you old man! You¡¯re so inconsiderate. If we start talking about our pasts, won¡¯t we end up scaring these two youngsters?¡± A charming woman, delicately holding her fingers in a poised gesture, said with feigned shyness. ¡°Hahaha! You¡¯re so old and still pretending to be innocent? Fine, if you don¡¯t want to say it, I¡¯ll do it for you,¡± a burly man laughed heartily, taking the liberty to explain her story. ¡°This woman¡¯s name is Zhou Wanfeng. She used to have a dao companion, and the two of them were so in love they made the most devoted couples look like amateurs. But her dao companion ended up cheating on her. She caught him in the act with his mistress. Enraged, she killed the mistress and dug out her dao companion¡¯s heart. Turns out, her dao companion was the son of the sect master of the Yunyu Sect¡ªa big deal. So Zhou Wanfeng ended up being hunted down. Heartbroken, she decided all men were scum and became a wanton seductress. But here¡¯s the twisted part: she didn¡¯t just seduce random men. No, she specifically targeted married men. If they fell for her charms, she¡¯d rip out their hearts. And let me tell you, this woman is stunning¡ªvoluptuous and curvy. Even I feel a bit dazed looking at her, let alone other men. Naturally, she rarely failed to seduce anyone. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As the bodies piled up, the people she offended also grew in number. Eventually, a few old monsters banded together, captured her, and threw her in here.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s twisted? Are you calling me twisted? And who said I¡¯m a wanton woman? My dao companion is dead, so at most, I¡¯m a widow, not some harlot,¡± Zhou Wanfeng snapped back, clearly a little rattled. ¡°Besides, the men I seduced were all unfaithful scoundrels! I was doing society a favor. And before we, uh, did anything, I always asked them if they were willing to sacrifice their hearts for me. They all eagerly nodded and practically tore off their own clothes first. Honestly, it was embarrassing!¡± She smiled sweetly at Xu Ming and said, ¡°Little brother, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not a bad person. And someone as handsome as you? I couldn¡¯t bear to hurt you.¡± The burly man laughed and pointed to himself. ¡°As for the one who ¡®slandered¡¯ her, that¡¯s me, Dao San. My sword skills are decent, but my brain¡¯s a bit slow. I¡¯m a martial fanatic¡ªand a hopeless romantic. Back then, for the sake of a woman, I destroyed an entire kingdom. That kingdom had strong backing, of course, and they came after me. So I killed them, then they sent more, and I killed more. It became a bloodbath until I was finally captured and locked up here.¡± ¡°Hehehe, those two are just fools blinded by love¡ªutterly childish.¡± A skinny old man, gaunt like a skeleton, walked up to the bars of his cage and grinned. ¡°The name¡¯s Zhang Xiao¡¯er. I used to be a server at an inn. I killed some people, sure, but never over love.¡± A chubby man chuckled and added, ¡°Zhang Xiao¡¯er? That guy¡¯s brain is even worse. For some reason, every time he saw someone killing a member of the demon race, he¡¯d snap and go on a killing spree of his own.¡± As they continued talking, the chubby man turned to Zhang Xiao¡¯er and asked, ¡°Zhang Xiao¡¯er, are you human or a demon?¡± Zhang Xiao¡¯er replied matter-of-factly, ¡°Of course, I¡¯m human.¡± ¡°Then why are you so biased toward demons?¡± the chubby man pressed. Zhang Xiao¡¯er chuckled, ¡°Because humans are worse than demons.¡± The chubby man shrugged and turned to Xu Ming, saying, ¡°See? That¡¯s just how he is¡ªlike a lunatic. Oh, by the way, I should introduce myself. My name¡¯s Zhao Can, and I¡¯m a butcher.¡± Zhao Can didn¡¯t elaborate on why he was imprisoned there. ¡°I¡¯m Wang Ming, a spear wielder,¡± said a middle-aged man bound tightly with chains. To Xu Ming and Xu Xue¡¯nuo, Wang Ming seemed the most normal of the group. ¡°I am¡­¡± One by one, the others in the cave introduced themselves. Including the old man at the front, there were a total of fifteen people. Some shared their backgrounds, while others simply stated their names. But they all had one thing in common: each mentioned their ¡°profession,¡± as if intentionally doing so for Xu Ming and Xu Xue¡¯nuo¡¯s benefit. Moreover, judging by the spiritual pressure emanating from them, none of them were ordinary. Xu Ming suspected the weakest among them was at least at the Jade Purity Realm. A single peak with three stone pillars, holding fifteen upper-tier cultivators¡ªit sounded like something out of a wild fantasy. If anyone heard about this, who would believe it? And if what the old man said about his past was true, then his cultivation level might very well be at the Ascension Realm. How many Ascension Realm cultivators even existed in this world? Barely any. What troubled Xu Ming even more was a nagging question: if these upper-tier cultivators were truly evil and guilty of heinous crimes, why weren¡¯t they executed? Why imprison them here instead? It made sense for the old man to remain alive¡ªan Ascension Realm cultivator was nearly impossible to kill. But the others? This wasn¡¯t some fantasy novel where villains could only be sealed and not slain. ¡°Kid, I know you have a lot of questions.¡± The old man grinned at Xu Ming, revealing his blackened and yellow teeth. ¡°You¡¯re wondering why I saved you without any apparent reason. You¡¯re wondering why I¡¯m explaining anything to you when I didn¡¯t have to. You¡¯re wondering about my identity and whether or not my words are true. You¡¯re wondering why those people didn¡¯t kill us and instead chose to trap us here. Kid, this world is far more complicated than you can imagine. But you¡¯re not wrong about one thing¡ªI didn¡¯t save you out of the goodness of my heart. The only reason I saved you was that I wanted to strike a deal with you. What do you think?¡± ¡°What if I refuse to make a deal with you, senior?¡± Xu Ming asked. The old man tilted his head back and stared at the pitch-black cave ceiling, his voice slow and deliberate: ¡°Then you¡¯ll die here, along with her.¡± Chapter 232 ¡°If you refuse, then you two will die here.¡± The old man spoke calmly, as if he were discussing something utterly mundane. Xu Ming had no doubt that this old man could make good on his word. If he could save the two of them, then naturally, he could just as easily kill them. For someone like him, killing the two of them would be as simple as a thought, leaving them no chance to resist. The reason he had saved them was that he saw value, a benefit, in doing so¡ªhe had something to ask of them. But if they refused to cooperate, he would have no reason to keep them alive. Xu Ming¡¯s gaze fixed unwaveringly on the old man. The old man¡¯s eyes did not avoid his; he was waiting for Xu Ming¡¯s answer. To him, Xu Ming¡¯s choice mattered little, even if it was a matter of life and death. Xu Ming recalled something the Prime Minister Xiao of the Wu Kingdom had once said. ¡°The higher a cultivator¡¯s level, the less they let go of desires or see through everything. Rather, their perspective simply broadens. Moreover, since cultivation is about walking one¡¯s chosen path and staying true to one¡¯s Dao Heart, there¡¯s rarely any turning back. Thus, those unafraid of death grow even more fearless, while those who fear it grow ever more terrified.¡± Xu Ming figured this old man must belong to the former category. ¡°Senior, you might as well explain. Since you¡¯ve put it this way, I don¡¯t seem to have much of a choice. If your terms are acceptable¡­¡± Xu Ming said slowly. Refusing meant death; agreeing meant a chance at survival. Was there even a choice to make? That said, if the old man¡¯s conditions were too outrageous¡ªif they crossed a line more important than life itself¡ªXu Ming would rather die than comply. He wasn¡¯t a saint, not even a good person by most measures, but he didn¡¯t want to become the culprit responsible for plunging the world into chaos and misery. ¡°Relax, no need to be so tense. I¡¯m not some vile villain,¡± the old man said with a smile. ¡°The deal I¡¯m proposing at most puts your life at risk. Besides, the two of you might not even qualify to make a deal with me. However, if you succeed, I guarantee the opportunities you¡¯ll gain will be things most cultivators can only dream of.¡± The old man¡¯s words were enticing, but the more enticing they were, the more cautious Xu Ming became. In this world, everything had a price. ¡°Gambler!¡± the old man called out. ¡°Get to work.¡± ¡°On it, old man, on it!¡± A bald man replied enthusiastically. The one addressed as ¡°Gambler¡± immediately picked up a stone and slashed his wrist. Blood flowed freely from his wrist, dripping down to the ground, winding through cracks in the stone, and staining the walls of the cavern red. Finally, the blood pooled between Xu Ming and the old man, continuously gathering and separating. To Xu Ming¡¯s surprise, the blood formed a strange, intricate array. ¡°I didn¡¯t give you a proper introduction to him earlier,¡± the old man said slowly. ¡°This man loves to gamble. He¡¯ll bet on anything¡ªmoney, rare treasures, even lives. If it¡¯s something he can wager, he¡¯ll gamble on it. Gambling is his Dao. Many have gambled with him and lost, and when they tried to renege on their losses, they were all killed¡ªnot by his hands, but by the oath bound to the bets he set.¡± ¡°He¡¯s killed so many people, including disciples from renowned sects. As a lone rogue cultivator with no backing, he¡¯s been relentlessly hunted down. In the end, he was dragged to this place. The array in front of you is the ¡®Gambling Oath.¡¯ This oath carries the binding power of the laws of heaven and earth.¡± ¡°Thanks to the old man for personally introducing me,¡± the Gambler said, cupping his hands in salute from within his cage. ¡°Just as the old man said, this Gambling Oath isn¡¯t witnessed by me but by heaven and earth itself. Although I use blood to create it, which might seem ominous, like some kind of blood curse, it¡¯s actually no different from writing it on paper. To be honest, I prefer black ink on white paper. But since there¡¯s no paper or ink here, blood will do just as well. White paper and black ink can make an oath. Blood can serve as a substitute. You can discuss the terms at your leisure. Once you¡¯ve come to an agreement, drip a drop of your blood into the array, and the oath will take effect. Whoever fails to fulfill it will face the backlash of heaven and earth. Of course, this Gambling Oath doesn¡¯t really apply to the old man here. His cultivation level is so high that ordinary oaths and laws have no binding effect on him. But for you two little ones, the restriction will be absolute.¡± After the Gambler finished speaking, the old man turned his gaze to Xu Ming and asked, ¡°What do you think?¡± Xu Ming clasped his hands and bowed. ¡°Please speak, senior.¡± ¡°Hahaha! Good!¡± The old man let out a hearty laugh. ¡°First, I¡¯ll address one of your doubts¡ªwhy haven¡¯t these people killed us despite imprisoning us here? The reason is simple. There¡¯s an array in this place, but it¡¯s no ordinary, man-made array. Even the world¡¯s greatest formation masters couldn¡¯t create something like this. This array is the masterpiece of the Dao itself. Each mountain within the domain of the Tianxuan Sect is naturally part of this grand array. It¡¯s nearly impossible to find another place like this in the world. Fortunately, the second sect master of Tianxuan Sect was a formation genius. He slightly modified the natural workings of the Dao and turned it into this array. This place, Sanshi Peak, is the core of the mountain range and the focal point of the sect¡¯s protective formation. Centered around Sanshi Peak, the array draws spiritual energy from the outside world while preventing its escape, transforming the entire Tianxuan Sect into a vast blessed land. But the more powerful the array, the more it needs something to anchor it. This array requires cultivators of the upper five realms to stabilize its core. By imprisoning upper-five-realm cultivators here, they serve as mediums to strengthen the array and continuously channel spiritual energy to the sect. Not only that, but the spiritual energy within us is constantly extracted and fed back to the entire Tianxuan Sect. Kid, have you ever heard the saying, ¡®When a whale falls, all life flourishes¡¯? When a giant whale dies, its body becomes nourishment for countless small creatures, fostering the growth of thousands of living beings. Similarly, in the Demon Realm, there is a city called Kunpeng City. That city was formed when a Kunpeng perished. Its skeleton shielded tens of thousands of demon clans, and its flesh and blood allowed them to evolve. This array functions on the same principle. We, the imprisoned cultivators, are that whale. When a cultivator dies, their body becomes nourishment for this world, like falling petals enriching the soil, ensuring more flowers bloom the following year. But only a portion of the spiritual energy dissipates into the soil near the body. And the capacity of any piece of land is extremely limited. When the nearby land can no longer absorb the spiritual energy, the excess dissipates into the world. What the Tianxuan Sect aims to do is to let us die slowly.¡± ¡°The slower our spiritual energy dissipates, the more the Tianxuan Sect can extract from us. Our souls, spiritual energy, and everything else are being slowly dismantled by this array, constantly feeding into the sect. At most, within a thousand years, I will perish completely in this place. These other fellows, though not as strong as I am, entered later and will likely last around the same time.¡± Xu Ming frowned. ¡°Do other sects have similar arrays? Why don¡¯t the Four Great Holy Lands do something like this?¡± S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The old man chuckled. ¡°How do you know the Four Great Holy Lands aren¡¯t doing something like this?¡± Xu Ming was silent. ¡°The Four Great Holy Lands and the Five Major Sects all have similar practices; the only difference lies in their methods. For instance, in the Holy Land of Yaochi, every year, the Saintess of Yaochi must feed the Heavenly Lake Tree with her essence blood to stabilize the spiritual energy of the surrounding land. Similarly, the Wanjian Sect has an ancient immortal sword, rumored to have existed since the chaos of creation. This sword is placed at the core of their protective array. Not only does it stabilize and supply spiritual energy, but it also amplifies the sword qi and intent within the sect while granting blessings from the Dao. Some sects use other methods along these lines. This is why sects often collaborate and trade with one another. The Wanjian Sect is the only one that keeps to itself, but the reason the Four Holy Lands and Five Major Sects have stood unshaken for tens of thousands of years, their names unchanged, lies in these practices. We were captured to serve as nourishment for the Tianxuan Sect. When other sects have their needs, the Tianxuan Sect will return the favor using similar means. But lately, I¡¯ve sensed something unusual. The array at Sanshi Peak has undergone changes. This mountain is no longer just the core of the array; it¡¯s being transformed into a kind of alchemy furnace. If my guess is correct, the current sect master of the Tianxuan Sect has found a way to kill us at some opportune moment, merging our destiny and spiritual energy into the sect. As for why he would do this, my guess is that the sect master is aiming to break through to the next realm.¡± ¡°Break through?¡± Xu Ming asked in confusion. ¡°Exactly,¡± the old man nodded. ¡°If my memory serves me right, the Tianxuan Sect¡¯s Zixia Grand Ceremony should be approaching soon, correct? You¡¯re here to offer your congratulations, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Xu Ming admitted with a nod, not hiding the truth. ¡°Then my guess is correct. If we die, our spiritual energy and destiny will merge with the Tianxuan Sect. Then, the sect master will kill some of his own disciples. These disciples carry the sect¡¯s destiny, which will then fuse with ours. The guests attending the ceremony will certainly be of high status. Many sects send their core disciples to make connections and broaden their horizons. These disciples, too, carry their sect¡¯s destiny. Finally, the sect master will kill some of these guests. The three types of destinies¡ªours, the disciples¡¯, and the guests¡¯¡ªwill merge. This would guarantee a breakthrough, likely taking him from the Immortal Realm to the Ascension Realm. But for him to resort to such a method only proves how far the Tianxuan Sect has fallen. In the past, every sect master of the Tianxuan Sect was at least in the Ascension Realm. And now, they don¡¯t even have a single Ascension Realm cultivator left. How laughable.¡± Hearing the old man¡¯s words, Xu Ming¡¯s heart trembled. Under normal circumstances, he wouldn¡¯t believe such a story. But coming from a powerful Ascension Realm cultivator imprisoned here, there was no reason for him to lie. Moreover, the old man¡¯s words perfectly aligned with what Mo Zhuer had told him earlier. The two accounts matched seamlessly. Xu Ming¡¯s speculation was that the Tianxuan Sect¡¯s Sect Master, Xia He, was collaborating with the Black Lotus Sect from the Western Regions. It was highly likely that the array Xia He used was something he obtained from the Black Lotus Sect, which meant that the Black Lotus Sect naturally knew all of Xia He¡¯s plans and would assist him in carrying them out. As for Xia He being hunted? So what? Once Xia He ascended to the Ascension Realm, who could possibly kill him, aside from cultivators of the same realm? Two Ascension Realm cultivators fighting would only end in mutual destruction. Who would risk their life to fight Xia He? Even if there were such people, so what? If Xia He wanted to leave, no one could stop him. He could even go to the Western Regions and establish a sect right next to the Black Lotus Sect, forming an alliance with them. Xia He was truly playing an excellent game¡ªruthless and calculating. ¡°So now you understand, right?¡± the old man continued, his tone calm. ¡°Our group, I¡¯m afraid, will not survive for much longer.¡± Xu Ming furrowed his brows. ¡°What do you mean, senior?¡± The old man smiled, looking directly at Xu Ming. ¡°Do I really need to explain it further? It¡¯s simple: save us.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Xu Ming wanted to say that this was far from simple. What was his cultivation level compared to theirs? The chains and cages holding them were obviously not ordinary; how could he possibly rescue them? ¡°Don¡¯t rush,¡± the old man said with a faint smile. ¡°When I say you should save us, I¡¯m not referring to right now.¡± The old man smiled again. ¡°With your current strength, you couldn¡¯t even pull a single nail from my body, let alone free us. What we¡¯ll do next is teach you a technique. This technique is something I developed based on the Tianxuan Sect¡¯s protective array. If the current Sect Master of the Tianxuan Sect truly goes ahead with his plans, the Sect¡¯s array will be in a highly unstable state. Using this technique, you might just succeed. There¡¯s also another way: kill the current Sect Master of the Tianxuan Sect.¡± Xu Ming and Xu Xue Nuo: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. I¡¯m not crazy. Right now, you two are too weak, but we have ways to make you stronger. Try it first.¡± Before Xu Ming and Xu Xue Nuo could react, a sword energy coalesced into a small blade and pierced directly into their foreheads. Their vision went black, and they collapsed to the ground. Chapter 233 When the small sword formed from a surge of sword energy pierced into the foreheads of Xu Ming and Xu Xue¡¯nuo, both collapsed to the ground. Xu Ming¡¯s head hit the floor with a thud, while Xu Xue¡¯nuo fared slightly better, falling onto Xu Ming¡¯s shoulder. ¡°That should do,¡± the old man said to the gathered crowd. ¡°Whatever skills you wish to impart to them, now¡¯s the time. If they can handle it, then so be it. If they can¡¯t, it simply means fate has dictated otherwise. It shows that the Dao has denied us even this last chance. We, these old relics, are destined to perish here. The new world has no room for a ship that can carry us forward.¡± ¡°Ah, old man, why so pessimistic? I have a lot of faith in this young man~,¡± Zhou Wanfeng said with a sly smile. ¡°Although I don¡¯t have much to offer, I do have an unnamed meditation technique I found in an ancient ruin. It¡¯s been quite useful, even saving my life multiple times. I¡¯ll pass it on to them.¡± Raindrops fell as Zhou Wanfeng condensed a wisp of spiritual energy, which entered the foreheads of Xu Ming and Xu Xue¡¯nuo. ¡°I¡¯ll take a gamble on them with my Gambling Oath,¡± the gambler chuckled, conjuring another wisp of spiritual energy. ¡°They can learn it if they want, though I doubt they¡¯ll take it far. Still, when the day comes for them to make a pact, they might find it useful.¡± The energy was infused into the duo¡¯s foreheads. ¡°My butcher¡¯s blade technique suits a brute better, but as for the girl, she probably won¡¯t even bother looking at it. After all, what kind of lady would like my coarse, vulgar blade techniques? But whether she likes it or not, she¡¯ll have to learn it,¡± the butcher said with a grin, condensing two wisps of spiritual energy and sending them into the pair¡¯s foreheads. ¡°My Divine Step technique is pretty good. I reckon this boy¡¯s never learned such a top-tier movement technique,¡± the thief said with a smirk, releasing two more wisps of energy into their foreheads. ¡°Combine their swordsmanship with my movement technique¡ªoh, the possibilities!¡± As he spoke, his eyes suddenly lit up. ¡°I wonder what my enemies will think when they see my technique in their hands. Ha! I¡¯d love to see their faces!¡± ¡°My spear technique¡­ I hope it finds a successor,¡± said the lone man among the prisoners who appeared somewhat normal. Bound by chains like the rest, he released two wisps of spear intent, which entered the pair¡¯s foreheads. Within the cave, every prisoner sent forth a wisp of spiritual energy into Xu Ming and Xu Xue¡¯nuo¡¯s foreheads. Though each wisp was small, it was the product of countless centuries of painstaking accumulation, even under the restriction of sealed spiritual energy. Every wisp carried with it a unique technique. ¡°Old man, what will you teach them?¡± Zhou Wanfeng asked teasingly. The carpenter chuckled. ¡°The old man¡¯s never taken an apprentice, has he?¡± Zhang Xiao¡¯er chimed in, ¡°So these two kids are essentially your disciples now?¡± ¡°Get lost! What disciples? I¡¯ve never taken an apprentice and never will. But these two¡­ they do have remarkable swordsmanship talent. Not as good as me, of course, but not bad. I¡¯ll teach them one sword move¡ªjust one. If they can master it¡­ ha!¡± The old man didn¡¯t finish his sentence, instead bursting into hearty laughter. The mood in the cave grew solemn. Everyone present understood what the old man meant. They all knew which sword move he was referring to. Though he adamantly claimed he wouldn¡¯t take disciples, if these two truly mastered that sword move, they¡¯d essentially be his disciples in all but name. Still chuckling, the old man conjured two miniature swords from his forehead. The swords shot into the pair¡¯s foreheads. ¡°Now, let us begin!¡± the old man declared in a deep voice. ¡°Understood!¡± The others quickly steadied themselves, putting aside their distractions and responding in unison. A storm of sword energy swept through the cave, lifting Xu Ming and Xu Xue¡¯nuo into the air. They floated, suspended in midair. The storm of sword energy fragmented into countless invisible threads, each one piercing into the vital Fengling acupoints of the fifteen prisoners, including the old man. Though their spiritual energy had long been sealed, through the guidance of these sword-energy threads, their energy began to trickle slowly into Xu Ming and Xu Xue¡¯nuo¡¯s bodies. Everyone¡¯s gaze was fixed on the two young figures. They all knew that their fate now rested entirely in the hands of these two. At the same time, Xu Ming and Xu Xue¡¯nuo slowly opened their eyes. However, they both quickly realized that it was not their physical bodies that had awakened but their souls. Surrounding them was a field of blood-red earth, littered with countless swords as if it were a graveyard of blades. Above them hung a blood-red sun in the sky. The ground was red, the sun was red, and even the clouds in the sky were red. This oppressive world of crimson exuded an overwhelming sense of desolation and silent foreboding. It felt as though the entire world had descended into an apocalyptic wasteland, enveloping Xu Ming and Xu Xue¡¯nuo in its chilling atmosphere. And then, from the distance, a figure appeared. Xu Ming focused his gaze and saw that it was a woman¡ªa stunningly beautiful woman with alluring features, wearing a purple dress that accentuated her mature figure. At first glance, the woman bore a striking resemblance to Zhou Wanfeng, the woman they had seen in the cave. No, it wasn¡¯t just a resemblance. It was Zhou Wanfeng. Unlike the Zhou Wanfeng in the cave, who had been imprisoned for so long that she looked disheveled and unkempt, her beauty dulled by years of neglect, this Zhou Wanfeng was immaculate, radiating the elegance of her former self. ¡°Do I look good, little brother?¡± Zhou Wanfeng asked, her lips curling into a playful smile, her eyes curving seductively. Zhou Wanfeng¡¯s charm was of the same enchanting nature as Mo Zhuer¡¯s, yet Mo Zhuer¡¯s youth gave her allure a certain innocence amidst the seduction. Zhou Wanfeng, on the other hand, exuded the full bloom of a mature woman¡¯s beauty. ¡°You¡¯re¡­ alright,¡± Xu Ming replied plainly. ¡°What do you mean ¡®alright¡¯?¡± Zhou Wanfeng feigned a pout, throwing him a playful yet flirtatious glance. ¡°Little brother, you really don¡¯t know how to compliment a lady, do you?¡± Xu Ming quickly changed the subject. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why have you appeared in my consciousness, senior?¡± Zhou Wanfeng chuckled lightly and explained, ¡°This is part of the deal we made with you. From now on, each of us will teach you a technique. You must master every single one of them. Only by doing so can we transmit our spiritual energy to you through these techniques.¡± She smiled knowingly before continuing, ¡°The human soul is a mysterious thing. A single day within your consciousness could equal a year¡ªor even two¡ªin the outside world. That¡¯s the nature of a dream that spans a millennium. ¡°Under the old man¡¯s sword energy, a year in your consciousness is equivalent to a day in reality. However, time will still be tight for you. If you fail to master even one of our fifteen techniques, even if it¡¯s your so-called Dao companion who falters¡­¡± Zhou Wanfeng paused, her eyes narrowing with a dangerous glint. ¡°Both of you will face annihilation¡ªbody and soul¡ªand accompany us to the grave.¡± Xu Ming: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What do you mean by transmitting spiritual energy to us?¡± Xu Ming pressed further. ¡°You¡¯ll understand when you make it out alive~,¡± Zhou Wanfeng replied with a sly smile. The moment she finished speaking, Zhou Wanfeng suddenly appeared directly in front of Xu Ming. Before he could react, she reached out and touched a finger to his chest. In that instant, Xu Ming¡¯s entire being was thrown into chaos. His blood felt as though it were boiling, his emotions spiraling out of control. His eyes turned red, not with desire as they had during the incident with the Yuanyang Cauldron, but with pure, overwhelming turmoil. Visions flooded his mind: Mo Zhuer threatening to kill Qin Qingwan. Qin Qingwan catching him and Mo Zhuer in the act during their dual cultivation and demanding to know who this other woman was. Feeling powerless as he watched his mother succumb to old age and illness. Wu Yanhan, obeying the emperor¡¯s decree, marrying someone else, while he was cut down by Wu Kingdom soldiers when he attempted to disrupt the wedding. One bizarre thought after another surged through his mind, overwhelming him. These thoughts were utterly nonsensical, yet they clung to Xu Ming like inner demons, threatening to consume him. Xu Ming¡¯s head felt like it was about to split apart, and he could barely maintain control over himself. But in that critical moment, a technique suddenly appeared in his mind. ¡°Master it, and you¡¯ll live. Fail, and you¡¯ll die,¡± Zhou Wanfeng said with a seductive smile. Xu Ming¡¯s heart trembled as he focused on the technique now etched in his consciousness. His Dao heart told him she wasn¡¯t lying. If he couldn¡¯t master this, these inner demons could very well shatter his mind. Taking a deep breath, Xu Ming began to study the technique in his mind. As he did, he gradually felt the chaos in his consciousness begin to subside. The more he practiced the technique, which was called Tranquil Heart Mantra, the calmer his spirit became, until he found himself in a state of meditation. Watching from the side, Zhou Wanfeng¡¯s eyes widened in surprise as she observed this young man. Based on how he had dealt with the demonic beast earlier, it was clear that Xu Ming was both a martial arts and swordsmanship prodigy. But Tranquil Heart Mantra was a Daoist technique, rooted in an understanding of nature and the Dao itself. Yet he was mastering it this quickly? Was this young man truly one-of-a-kind, or had the arrival of the great era outside brought forth countless geniuses like him? Within his sea of consciousness, after half an incense stick¡¯s worth of time, the turmoil in Xu Ming¡¯s heart completely settled. When Xu Ming opened his eyes again, they were calm, serene¡ªlike a still spring lake, untouched by even the slightest ripple. ¡°Thank you, Senior, for bestowing this technique upon me,¡± Xu Ming said, bowing deeply to express his gratitude. ¡°There¡¯s no need to thank me,¡± Zhou Wanfeng replied with a smile. ¡°The old man said this is your opportunity, and it¡¯s also the price of our deal. But don¡¯t get too cocky just yet. The others¡¯ techniques¡­ won¡¯t be so easy to master.¡± With that, Zhou Wanfeng¡¯s figure slowly faded. Meanwhile, beside Xu Ming, the unconscious Xu Xuenuo was also encountering Zhou Wanfeng in her own mind. In Xu Xuenuo¡¯s sea of consciousness, strange and unsettling scenarios began to unfold: ¡°Xu Ming learns the truth that I¡¯m not his real sister, that we¡¯re not blood-related, and cuts ties with me completely.¡± ¡°My mother had an affair. I¡¯m not a true member of the Xu family. When her betrayal is discovered, I¡¯m cast out of the Xu household.¡± ¡°Xu Ming and Qingwan both call me a ¡®bastard child.''¡± Although Xu Xuenuo knew deep down that such things were highly unlikely¡ªXu Ming and Qingwan would never say such things to her¡ªshe couldn¡¯t stop her mind from spiraling. Even if they didn¡¯t speak those words, wouldn¡¯t they still look at her differently? At that moment, Zhou Wanfeng appeared before Xu Xuenuo. ¡°What a beautiful young lady,¡± Zhou Wanfeng said with a smile. ¡°With such a face, even I must admit I¡¯m outmatched. Though you do seem a bit cold. But hey, there are plenty of people who are into that cold fairy type.¡± ¡°What have you done to me?!¡± Xu Xuenuo demanded, forcibly suppressing the chaos in her mind as she glared at the woman in front of her. ¡°What else? I¡¯m giving you an opportunity,¡± Zhou Wanfeng replied, touching a finger to Xu Xuenuo¡¯s forehead. A technique immediately imprinted itself into her mind. Just like Xu Ming, Xu Xuenuo¡¯s sword heart told her that mastering this technique was the only way to quell the chaos within her. Taking nearly the same amount of time as Xu Ming, Xu Xuenuo finally opened her eyes. Having fully mastered the Tranquil Heart Mantra, her mind was now crystal clear, and the chaotic thoughts from earlier had completely vanished. ¡°You¡¯re a sword cultivator, that¡¯s true,¡± Zhou Wanfeng said, smiling faintly. ¡°But learning something outside your field every now and then might help you refine your swordsmanship even further. ¡°Of course~ I¡¯m no sword cultivator, so feel free to ignore me.¡± And with that, Zhou Wanfeng slowly faded away. In place of Zhou Wanfeng, a chubby man appeared before Xu Ming and Xu Xuenuo. Neither Xu Ming nor Xu Xuenuo knew his name, only that he called himself the ¡°Butcher.¡± The Butcher took out a knife that looked utterly ordinary¡ªno more than a simple kitchen cleaver. He glanced at Xu Ming and Xu Xuenuo and said, ¡°I¡¯ve already told you, I¡¯m a butcher. I kill pigs, cows, whatever needs killing. Men, even dragons¡ªit¡¯s all the same to me. But in my eyes, no matter what it is, if it dies under my blade, it¡¯s no different from a piglet. That¡¯s why the technique I¡¯ve developed is called the Pig-Slaughtering Blade Technique. Use this blade technique to kill me. If you don¡¯t, and I end up cutting down your souls, don¡¯t blame me.¡± The moment the Butcher finished speaking, he lunged forward, wielding his so-called Pig-Slaughtering Blade. Strangely, Xu Ming and Xu Xuenuo each found an identical blade suddenly materializing in their hands. What¡¯s more, they couldn¡¯t use any of their other techniques or skills. The only thing they could rely on was this Pig-Slaughtering Blade Technique. And even as they wielded it, they had no idea how they¡¯d learned it! Inside the cave, the fifteen prisoners watched the unconscious young man and woman lying on the ground. ¡°They have at most a day,¡± the craftsman said. ¡°San Shi Peak is a forbidden zone. I don¡¯t know what means they used to get here, but the current sect master of Tianxuan Sect must have already noticed their presence. They¡¯ll have only one day to accept our inheritance.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wrong,¡± the old man replied, shaking his head. ¡°They don¡¯t even have a day.¡± The old man raised his head to look at the ceiling of the cave, though his eyes reflected not the rocky surface above but the image of a middle-aged cultivator. ¡°He¡¯s already here,¡± the old man said quietly. ¡°Prepare to receive our guest.¡± sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 234 Clang! In the dream, Xu Ming gripped a butcher¡¯s knife and barely blocked the butcher¡¯s heavy strike. The impact sent Xu Ming staggering back ten meters. Before he could steady himself, the butcher¡¯s long blade came slashing down toward him again. Xu Ming rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding the strike, and immediately counterattacked, aiming his butcher¡¯s knife at the butcher¡¯s neck. The butcher stepped back just in time, dodging the blow. Xu Ming seized the opportunity and pressed forward. At that moment, Xu Ming felt a mysterious, indescribable sensation stirring within him. It was as though he had grasped something crucial. A flash of insight struck his mind¡ªhe had suddenly comprehended the essence of the butcher¡¯s knife technique. Leaping into the air, Xu Ming swung the knife down in a powerful arc. This strike seemed ordinary, just a simple downward chop. But in truth, the blade concealed its sharpness, and the spiritual energy within was compressed to its utmost. It was a strike that could cut through anything with unparalleled precision. Now, Xu Ming finally understood what the butcher had meant earlier. Once this technique was mastered, it could indeed slice through anything¡ªbe it human, demon, dragon, or even a god. Clang! This time, it was the butcher¡¯s turn to raise his blade to block. But Xu Ming¡¯s butcher¡¯s knife sliced through the blade as if it were tofu, effortlessly continuing its arc to cut through the butcher entirely. ¡°Well done. Kid, you¡¯re much smarter than my first apprentice. Why couldn¡¯t that idiot learn as quickly as you?¡± The butcher chuckled before his figure dissipated into thin air, leaving only his voice echoing in the void. The butcher¡¯s knife in Xu Ming¡¯s hand vanished as well. Bowing deeply toward where the butcher had disappeared, Xu Ming said, ¡°Thank you, senior, for imparting your knowledge.¡± After the butcher left, a third figure appeared. The newcomer was a wiry man who looked as thin as a monkey. Xu Ming remembered his name¡ªThe Thief. ¡°I¡¯ve got a movement technique called Divine Step Technique. It¡¯s my bread and butter. If you can master it today, that¡¯s your own skill,¡± the thief said with a sly grin. Xu Ming bowed. ¡°May I ask, senior, how do you wish to test me?¡± By now, Xu Ming had a sense of what was happening. Though he still didn¡¯t fully understand what their ultimate goal was, it was clear they were all here to pass down their techniques to him. Likely, Jiang Xue was experiencing the same thing elsewhere. However, the process of imparting these techniques was¡­ unusual. Each one of them insisted on testing him in their own peculiar way. The test was always directly tied to the technique they were teaching. If Xu Ming succeeded, he would fully grasp the technique. If he failed, the price would undoubtedly be his life. ¡°It¡¯s simple,¡± the thief said. ¡°We¡¯ll race. If you can catch up to me within the time it takes for one incense stick to burn, you win. If you can¡¯t¡­¡± The thief gave a sly smile. ¡°I don¡¯t think I need to spell out what happens then, do I?¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Xu Ming nodded, his brows furrowed. ¡°Good. Then let¡¯s begin. Try to keep up, kid. Don¡¯t make me waste my time.¡± As soon as the thief finished speaking, he vanished into thin air. Xu Ming immediately followed. When Xu Ming took to the skies, even he was startled. Just like before, he had somehow instinctively learned the thief¡¯s technique. Xu Ming quickly realized that the thief¡¯s Divine Step Technique was extraordinarily elusive and absurdly fast, allowing him to weave through any terrain effortlessly. This was undoubtedly a immortal-grade movement technique¡ªsomething the thief had likely kept as his most guarded secret. Whether it was the Tranquil Heart Mantra, the butcher¡¯s Pig-Slaughtering Blade Technique, or this Divine Step Technique, every single one of these techniques was exceptional. They weren¡¯t just teaching Xu Ming random skills. They were giving him everything they had, revealing the very core of their expertise. Logically speaking, obtaining the ultimate techniques of fifteen powerful cultivators would be an event of overwhelming joy for any cultivator. Yet, Xu Ming felt little excitement in his heart. First, whether he could successfully learn all fifteen techniques was already a massive question mark. Missing even one would spell his death. Second, the better the techniques these people gave him, the higher the risks of what they expected him to accomplish in return. They clearly wanted him to help free them, but whatever method they had in mind was likely a path of near-certain death. After all, Xu Ming didn¡¯t believe for a second that these people were paragons of virtue. Still, he knew he had no room to contemplate such matters now. His only focus could be on mastering the techniques they had passed down. As Xu Ming and Xu Xue¡¯nuo continued their relentless training within their dream realms, the atmosphere in the cave grew heavier. The fourteen people, excluding the old man, all wore grim expressions. None of them had expected the Sect Master of the Tianxuan Sect to arrive so quickly. If it had been during their prime, this so-called sect master wouldn¡¯t have even been worth considering. At the very least, they could have stopped him from interfering with their plans. But now, their spiritual power was sealed, and after all these years, they had barely managed to gather two wisps of spiritual energy, both of which had been sent into the consciousness of the two juniors as vessels. If the Tianxuan Sect¡¯s sect master discovered these two juniors, they would undoubtedly be killed. And if that happened, any hope of escape for the group would vanish completely. ¡°How are those two kids progressing?¡± the old man asked the others. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°They¡¯re both incredibly talented,¡± the thief replied. ¡°It¡¯s already my turn to test them. Honestly, I¡¯m starting to want to take them as disciples and pass on my legacy.¡± Zhou Wanfeng smiled faintly. ¡°Perhaps heaven hasn¡¯t abandoned us yet. These two may very well be the ones sent by the Dao itself to save us. Of course, that¡¯s assuming they manage to master the old man¡¯s sword technique in the end.¡± The hunter shook his head. ¡°At the very least, they¡¯ll need to survive long enough to reach that point. Right now, that Tianxuan Sect master is heading straight for us. What are we supposed to do to stop him?¡± The old man chuckled. ¡°You worthless fools¡ªwhat could you possibly do? Leave it to me.¡± As he finished speaking, a violent wind of sword energy erupted from the old man¡¯s body, surging upward toward the cave ceiling like a storm. At the same time, Xia He, the Sect Master of the Tianxuan Sect, had already arrived at the entrance to the central cave of Sanshi Peak. As soon as Xia He stepped inside, his eyes fell upon the corpse of the Tigerfang Beast sprawled on the ground, a gaping hole punched through its chest. His brows furrowed deeply. This Tigerfang Beast had been placed here as a guard specifically by him. Its strength was formidable, capable of killing even Golden Core cultivators and battling Golden Body warriors. Yet now, it lay dead. ¡°Useless trash!¡± Xia He kicked the beast¡¯s corpse aside and swiftly flew into the cave. But just as he reached the halfway point, a whirlwind of sword energy, like tens of thousands of flying blades, roared toward him, intent on piercing him through. Chapter 235 Xia He was flying through the cave when his heart suddenly tensed. He sensed danger coming from ahead. In the next moment, a gust of fierce wind swept through, carrying with it sharp sword energy. Xia He couldn¡¯t help but recall the words his master had once spoken to him: ¡°That man¡¯s sword energy is unparalleled in history. As for the future, I doubt anyone will surpass it in the next ten thousand years.¡± ¡°A mere prisoner, nothing more!¡± Xia He snorted coldly, shaking off the fear in his heart. He pulled out four talismans from his sleeve and threw them forward. The four talismans transformed into the Azure Dragon, Vermilion Bird, Black Tortoise, and White Tiger, all standing guard in front of him. ¡°Boom!¡± The four sacred beasts formed by the talismans shattered one after another. With a tremendous impact, Xia He was sent flying out of the cave. He landed, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth as he gazed at the cave, brimming with spiritual energy. Wiping the blood away, a sinister glint appeared in Xia He¡¯s eyes. His voice echoed across the entire Sanshi Peak, seeping into its depths: ¡°An old bastard on the brink of death dares to act so arrogantly?!¡± ¡°Hahaha¡­¡± The elder¡¯s voice rose from within the mountain, laced with mockery. ¡°The mighty have truly fallen, reduced to being ridiculed by the likes of you. But go ahead¡ªtest whether this old man still has the right to be arrogant.¡± ¡°You old bastard!¡± Xia He was thoroughly enraged. But his fury didn¡¯t stem from feeling belittled. He was anxious. Although Xia He didn¡¯t fully understand what was happening¡ªhow someone had entered Sanshi Peak, who they were, or how they had managed to reach the forbidden area beneath the mountain¡ªhe knew one thing for certain: A variable had arisen. He had to eliminate this variable immediately before it grew into a larger problem. If anything went wrong, it wouldn¡¯t just mean failure; it could cost him his life and his path to immortality. Muttering an incantation, Xia He summoned a bronze longsword from his storage bag. This bronze sword was one of the two immortal weapons of the Tianxuan Sect and also the token of its sect master. ¡°Go!¡± The bronze sword flew into the cave, and Xia He followed close behind, reentering its depths. But the elder in the cave had already made his preparations. The wild sword energy in the air condensed, forming one sword after another. Each sword was different¡ªsome short, some serrated, some soft and flexible. It was as if every sword the elder had encountered in his life was gathered there. One by one, these swords turned into streams of light and slashed toward Xia He. Though the sword-formed streams of energy seemed to bounce off harmlessly, they left Xia He¡¯s internal organs trembling in pain. He couldn¡¯t make sense of it. This old man had been imprisoned for thousands of years, his strength eroded by the formation of Sanshi Peak. He was even bound by three layers of seals¡ªhow could his power still be this overwhelming? No wonder, back then, it had taken the combined efforts of the Four Sacred Lords and Five Sect Masters to subdue him. If it were one-on-one, no one could have survived ten moves against him. ¡°Damn it!¡± Xia He thought back to how this elder had once commanded the winds and clouds, shaking the heavens, breaking through realms as effortlessly as drinking water. In contrast, Xia He had struggled immensely just to reach the Ascension Realm, planning and risking his life for every step. Jealousy burned in his chest. Was it because I didn¡¯t work hard enough? No! Some people are simply born for cultivation! How unfair the heavens are! ¡°Break!¡± In a fit of anger, Xia He took a step forward, thrusting the celestial sword in his hand fiercely ahead. The resounding clang of bronze echoed repeatedly through the cave as the oppressive sword energy was completely dispersed. Gripping the flying sword tightly, Xia He continued onward, eventually arriving at the end of the cave¡ªthe very spot where Xu Ming and Xu Xue¡¯nuo had previously reached. His brows furrowed as he gazed at the already destroyed stone wall. The seal guarding the entrance to the forbidden area had been completely obliterated. ¡°Who could it possibly be?!¡± Xia He muttered under his breath, unease growing in his heart. The fact that someone had reached this place meant they knew about its existence. Furthermore, the seal at the entrance couldn¡¯t be broken without a specific magical artifact. Even a cultivator at the Jade Purity Realm would struggle to breach it¡ªyet, somehow, the intruder had succeeded. It had to be an inside job. At the very least, the other party was well aware of his actions. ¡°Could it be that the Black Lotus Sect betrayed me?¡± He speculated, but immediately shook his head. ¡°No, impossible. The Black Lotus Sect has no reason to do that. Collaborating with me is their best option for maximizing benefits. Unless¡­ unless they¡¯re willing to remain suppressed in the Western Region forever, clinging to their measly plot of land for all eternity!¡± Pushing these thoughts aside, Xia He reached the center of the cave within Sanshi Peak. Facing the hordes of magical beasts, Xia He, who had perfected the Immortal Realm, wasn¡¯t at all flustered like Xu Ming and Xu Xue¡¯nuo had been earlier. With his longsword in hand, he simply flew straight ahead. The overwhelming pressure radiating from him made the magical beasts hesitant to act rashly. But just then, another gust of sword wind swept through. The magical beasts, as though provoked, suddenly went berserk and charged at Xia He in a frenzy. ¡°Beasts!¡± Xia He snorted coldly, swinging his sword. The azure spiritual energy rippled outwards like waves on a lake. Every beast touched by the ripples was severed in half, their blood splattering everywhere. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Many of the beasts were once again subdued by the display of power. But another gust of sword wind blew through, further agitating the beasts. They went mad once more, lunging at Xia He with reckless abandon. Xia He¡¯s frown deepened. How many years has it been? Have these beasts already been trained to behave this way? He wasn¡¯t troubled by the beasts¡¯ attacks but instead realized that the opponent¡¯s goal wasn¡¯t to kill him. They merely wanted to stall for time! Ignoring the magical beasts, Xia He surged forward at full speed. Though any beast that stood in his way was instantly slain¡ªmany without even leaving behind a corpse¡ªthe beasts still managed to delay him for nearly two incense sticks of time. Finally breaking free from the beasts¡¯ territory, Xia He had barely taken a step forward when a gust of sword wind coalesced in front of him. A giant sword materialized, stabbing directly at Xia He. Xia He swung his bronze longsword forcefully, the Dao-infused energy it emitted shattering the giant sword into fragments. The sword wind swirled once more, condensing into the form of an elderly man. Hands clasped behind his back, the elder appeared before Xia He. He looked at Xia He and let out a few light chuckles. In his weathered, disdainful eyes was a look of pure contempt. ¡°When did the sect master of the Tianxuan Sect fall to such a pathetic level?¡± Chapter 236 ¡°When did the sect master of the Tianxuan Sect become so pitiful?¡± The elder gazed at the middle-aged man before him, his eyes filled not only with contempt but also with regret¡ªa lament for how far the Tianxuan Sect had fallen. Xia He gritted his teeth, his expression dark and sullen. If the elder was merely belittling him, Xia He might have been able to endure it. But that look of regret, as if saying, ¡°The Tianxuan Sect has truly declined with each generation. You¡¯re not even worth a fraction of your predecessors. How could someone like you be chosen as sect master?¡± That expression completely ignited Xia He¡¯s fury. ¡°You old bastard!¡± Cursing inwardly, Xia He leaped forward, gripping the bronze sword tightly as he swung it down at the elder. Above the elder, a massive manifestation of the bronze sword appeared, radiating an overwhelming presence. The Tianxuan Sect¡¯s bronze sword wasn¡¯t like a traditional immortal weapon¡ªit was born for the Dao, capable of unleashing a person¡¯s Daoist techniques to their fullest potential. Additionally, the bronze sword possessed unique mystical arts of its own. ¡°This sword¡­ brings back memories. Though I didn¡¯t expect that he¡¯s already dead¡ªgone even faster than I will,¡± the elder murmured, glancing up at the enormous bronze sword overhead with a nostalgic expression. Though he hadn¡¯t witnessed the previous sect master¡¯s death, the fact that there was a new one made it clear enough. Shaking his head, the elder raised his hand and pointed upward. Countless swords formed from sword energy converged into a dragon of blades, surging toward the manifestation of the bronze sword. ¡°Roar!¡± The sword-energy dragon clashed with the bronze sword¡¯s image, tearing into it. ¡°Clang!¡± Meanwhile, Xia He¡¯s bronze sword had already descended toward the elder¡¯s forehead. But the elder casually raised two fingers and effortlessly caught it. ¡°Clink.¡± With his other hand, the elder flicked the blade of the bronze sword. A sharp vibration resonated, causing the sword to tremble violently. Xia He¡¯s hands went numb, his grip on the sword nearly failing. Gritting his teeth, Xia He lashed out with a kick to the elder¡¯s head, his foot enveloped in a bronze-like glow. ¡°Boom!¡± The elder countered with a punch, the force of his sword energy clashing with Xia He¡¯s spiritual energy. The impact sent Xia He spinning mid-air, gripping his sword tightly as he crashed to the ground. Xia He stared daggers at the elder, who remained standing like an immovable mountain. This damned old man was using nothing but sword energy to keep him at bay. If this elder were ever released, if his strength were to return to its peak¡ªXia He didn¡¯t dare imagine it. Last time, it had taken the combined strength of the Four Sacred Lands and the Five Great Sects to subdue him. If he escaped again¡­ Could they do it a second time? No! He must not be allowed to escape. Otherwise, Xia He¡¯s fate would be sealed. Standing back up, Xia He drove the bronze sword into the ground in front of him, his hands forming complex incantations. Using the bronze sword as the center, the surrounding rock began to transform into bronze. From the ground, a bronze tiger emerged, radiating ferocity. ¡°Go!¡± Xia He pointed at the elder, and the bronze tiger sprang forward as if summoned, pouncing toward him. The elder responded with a single punch, shattering the bronze tiger into pieces. The sword energy from his punch pierced through the tiger¡¯s remains and smashed a massive crater into the ground. But in the next instant, another bronze tiger emerged from the ground. The elder smashed this one too, only for another to appear. The bronze tigers came one after another, like fish leaping out of the sea, constantly assaulting the elder. Yet the elder didn¡¯t seem hurried. He was acutely aware that in his current state, killing Xia He was nearly impossible. However, if the opponent intended to exhaust his sword energy in this manner, the elder was more than willing to oblige. Yet, it was clear that Xia He didn¡¯t want to continue dragging things out with the elder. In front of Xia He, a massive bronze avatar materialized. The bronze avatar took a step forward, raised its colossal foot, and stomped down toward the elder. ¡°Boom!¡± The bronze avatar flattened the elder under its foot. But Xia He didn¡¯t let his guard down¡ªthere was no way the elder would be defeated so easily. Sure enough, in the next moment, cracks began to spread across the bronze avatar¡¯s surface. ¡°Bang!¡± With a deafening explosion, the bronze avatar shattered, dissolving into countless fragments of spiritual energy that dispersed into the air. Standing amidst the dissipating energy, the elder held a phantom-like immortal sword in his hand. Three thousand years ago, there wasn¡¯t a soul who didn¡¯t recognize this sword. The elder had once carried this very blade into the Southern Demon Kingdom, pierced through the Northern Wastes, and ravaged the Central Plains. Seeing the elder holding that legendary sword, Xia He felt a momentary sense of bewilderment¡ªand even pride. It was a strange, fleeting sense of honor, as if being able to face such an opponent meant he was worthy. But Xia He quickly crushed that ridiculous notion. This wasn¡¯t the actual elder, just a projection formed from his sword energy. And the sword wasn¡¯t real either¡ªit was a blade conjured from his sword intent. In truth, the elder, even with this blade, wasn¡¯t even at 20% of his original strength. To feel honored by this? Laughable! Taking a deep breath, Xia He calmed his mind and pulled out an Eight Trigrams diagram, tossing it into the air. The diagram disintegrated mid-flight, transforming into a vast starry sky that hung above the elder. Countless stars shimmered, forming an intricate and profound killing formation with the elder at its most dangerous point. ¡°The Tianxuan Star Formation,¡± the elder murmured, stroking his beard. ¡°Very well. Let me see how far you can push your sect¡¯s most treasured killing array.¡± ¡ª Meanwhile, deeper in the mountain cave, Zhou Wanfeng asked the prisoners beside her, ¡°How are those two kids doing?¡± A one-eyed man nodded. ¡°Those two brats are incredibly gifted. They¡¯ve already picked up most of my Roving Path technique.¡± ¡°Hahaha! I told you, didn¡¯t I? These two are natural talents. The Four Divine Mechanisms I taught them¡ªthey mastered it in the dream realm in just five hours!¡± ¡°How many techniques are left?¡± Zhang Xiao¡¯er asked. ¡°Four,¡± Wang Mazi replied. ¡°At their current pace, they might not even need a full day to master them all,¡± Qin Feng added. ¡°Not enough.¡± At this point, the butcher shook his head. ¡°So what if they¡¯re once-in-a-millennium prodigies? The old man¡¯s sword technique isn¡¯t something simple. It¡¯s already impressive if they can grasp it at all¡ªhoping they¡¯ll master it in such a short time? Nearly impossible.¡± The room fell silent at the butcher¡¯s words. In the real world, only two hours had passed since Xu Ming and Xu Xuenuo collapsed, but in their spiritual realm, two hundred hours had gone by. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In that time, they had learned eleven techniques, their progress far exceeding expectations. But how long could the old man hold on? If they couldn¡¯t learn his sword technique in time, everything would be for naught. Chapter 237 ¡°Thank you, senior, for imparting your techniques.¡± Xu Ming bowed deeply to an elder whose figure gradually faded into nothingness. Xu Ming had long lost count of how many techniques he had learned here or how much time had passed. All he remembered was that he had been practicing endlessly, tirelessly. The techniques these seniors had passed on to him included sword techniques, mental cultivation methods, staff techniques, body techniques¡ªeverything imaginable. ¡°Your name is Xu Ming, right?¡± Just as Xu Ming had bid farewell to a man who had taught him staff techniques, a man holding a long spear approached him. Xu Ming straightened up and looked at the man. He remembered him¡ªclearly, in fact. It was the man who had once been bound to the stone wall. Among all those seniors, he seemed the most ¡°normal,¡± which made him particularly memorable. ¡°Greetings, senior.¡± Xu Ming bowed in respect. To be honest, this man gave Xu Ming a very scholarly and gentle impression, like a refined scholar. Someone like him didn¡¯t seem like the type who would offend any sect or end up captured and imprisoned here. ¡°Hmm,¡± the man nodded slightly. ¡°My name is Qin Feng. Qin, as in the Qin Kingdom, and Feng, as in wind and snow. I am from the Unrivaled Spear Sect. However, you probably haven¡¯t heard of the Unrivaled Spear Sect. The spear technique I am about to teach you is called the Overlord Spear. It is the ultimate technique of our Unrivaled Spear Sect. Currently, I am the only one who knows the Overlord Spear because all my fellow disciples are dead. If you manage to learn this technique, even if you¡¯re not officially a disciple of the Unrivaled Spear Sect, you could be considered a half-disciple. If you survive and leave this place, I ask only one thing of you: help pass down this technique. Do not let it be lost to time.¡± ¡°I will do my best to honor your request, senior,¡± Xu Ming said solemnly with a nod. Preserving a lineage was a matter of great significance, and Xu Ming couldn¡¯t guarantee success with absolute certainty. He could only promise to do his utmost. ¡°¡®Do my best¡¯ is enough,¡± Qin Feng replied with a nod. ¡°Prepare yourself¡ªI¡¯m going to demonstrate the spear now.¡± As soon as Qin Feng finished speaking, a long spear appeared in Xu Ming¡¯s palm. The spear¡¯s shaft was long and solid, and compared to a sword, it gave Xu Ming a sense of unmatched stability. The saying ¡°The spear is the king of all weapons¡± came to mind. The moment Xu Ming gripped the spear, he felt he was beginning to understand its truth. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Are you ready?¡± Qin Feng asked. Unlike the other seniors, who would attack without warning, Qin Feng seemed intent on reminding Xu Ming again and again, as if afraid that a careless move might kill him. ¡°Please, senior, teach me,¡± Xu Ming said, holding the spear in a salute. As expected, just like before, the entire set of techniques and intricacies of the Overlord Spear appeared in his mind. His task now was to learn, master, and perfect it! ¡°Watch carefully!¡± Qin Feng¡¯s words had barely fallen when Xu Ming felt his heart tremble. Somehow, Qin Feng¡¯s spearhead had already reached his chest. Xu Ming instinctively shifted sideways to dodge, but not fast enough¡ªhis arm was sliced by the spear¡¯s razor-sharp edge, leaving a deep wound. He quickly created distance and glanced at his injured right arm, where blood dripped steadily to the ground. The move had been impossibly fast and flawlessly executed¡ªno excess motion, no wasted effort. The phrase ¡°the ultimate simplicity¡± could not have described it better. ¡°Be careful now,¡± Qin Feng said softly. ¡°Be careful,¡± Qin Feng said once again. In the next moment, Qin Feng lunged forward, his spear aimed straight at Xu Ming¡¯s brow. Clang! Xu Ming deflected Qin Feng¡¯s spear with his own, the clash ringing sharply. Without missing a beat, Xu Ming countered with a thrust of his own. A glimmer of cold light preceded the strike, followed by the spear surging forward like a dragon! The sheer dominance in the intent behind the spear left Xu Ming a little shaken, but as he wielded the Overlord Spear, he began to grasp some personal insights. He noticed a similarity between fist techniques and spear techniques¡ªa thrusting spear was no different from a punch thrown with full force. Furthermore, the philosophy behind the Heaven-Splitting Fist, which emphasized an unstoppable, forward-driving momentum, aligned perfectly with the essence of the Overlord Spear. Clang! Clang! Clang! The spears in Xu Ming¡¯s and Qin Feng¡¯s hands clashed repeatedly, sparks flying with every collision. Each swing of their spears shattered the surrounding rocks, and the ground beneath them was riddled with massive holes left by their spear energy. Neither Xu Ming nor Qin Feng paused for even a moment. Both had entered a state of ¡°no-self,¡± where their minds were free of all distractions. In their eyes, there was only the other¡¯s spear, only one goal: to pierce through the opponent. Neither knew how long they fought. One advantage of this dreamlike realm was the lack of exhaustion, and injuries that weren¡¯t fatal would quickly heal. It allowed them to train and learn at their peak state, which explained how Xu Ming and Xu Xue Nuo had managed to master so many secret techniques in such a short time. But then, as if by instinct, both fighters felt a decisive moment approaching. They thrust their spears forward simultaneously. This strike carried the entirety of their spiritual power, leaving no reserves. Both could clearly sense that even if they managed to kill the other, they would likely perish as well. Yet, despite this realization, neither wavered. Boom! A deafening explosion echoed as a massive crater formed around Xu Ming and Qin Feng. The shockwave sent nearby swords flying, and the swirling dust and debris enveloped them both. As the dust settled, cracks began to appear on the spears in their hands. The cracks spread like a shattered porcelain glaze, creeping outward until¡ª Ping! With a crisp sound, both spears disintegrated. Qin Feng smiled at Xu Ming, his figure gradually fading away. His voice echoed across the dreamlike sky: ¡°Once I¡¯m gone, the Old Master will come to teach you personally. He¡¯s never taken a disciple in his life, so I¡¯m not sure if you two will count as his disciples. But if you manage to learn his sword technique, it will be the greatest opportunity of your lifetime.¡± In reality, Qin Feng slowly opened his eyes. Everyone in the cave turned to look at him. ¡°I¡¯ve finished teaching them,¡± Qin Feng said calmly. ¡°Xu Ming learned faster because of his prior experience with fist techniques. But the girl did well too¡ªshe grasped the essentials quickly.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s left to teach them?¡± Zhou Wanfeng asked. ¡°No one,¡± Wang Mazi shook his head, looking at the elderly man bound to the stone wall. The old man hung his head as if lifeless. Meanwhile, in Xu Ming and Xu Xue Nuo¡¯s consciousness, an old man carrying a sword slowly approached them. Chapter 238 The old man, carrying a long sword, slowly walked toward Xu Ming. He looked just as he had in the cave¡ªunkempt hair, hunched back, resembling an ordinary vagabond. Yet, with the sword in his hand, he exuded an indescribable sense of harmony, as if he was born to wield it. Over the past year of trials, Xu Ming had encountered many sword cultivators, sparred with many, and even killed quite a few. But he had never seen a sword cultivator like this. The old man reminded Xu Ming of the legendary masters in the stories¡ªunruly and disheveled in appearance, yet utterly uncompromising in skill. ¡°You¡¯ve picked up a lot of random sword techniques, haven¡¯t you?¡± the old man said as he studied Xu Ming. ¡°I see the Bingyang Sword Technique from the Wanjian Sect and the Qinghai (Azure Sea) Sword Technique from the Northern Seas. Two completely unrelated styles.¡± He continued, ¡°You¡¯re from the Central Plains, aren¡¯t you? And clearly not a disciple of the Wanjian Sect. How did you manage to learn these two techniques?¡± Xu Ming saluted with his sword. ¡°The Bingyang Sword Technique was taught to me by a friend who is currently training at the Wanjian Sect. As for the Qinghai Sword Technique, I didn¡¯t even know its name until now¡ªI stumbled upon it by chance in some ruins.¡± He intentionally left out the part about his sister teaching him. Even though it wouldn¡¯t matter much if he mentioned it¡ªwhat could this old man do, go to the Wanjian Sect to complain about his sister leaking their techniques? Still, it was better to be cautious and keep that detail to himself. ¡°Hmm,¡± the old man nodded, seeming to accept Xu Ming¡¯s story, though in truth, he didn¡¯t care at all about the explanation. ¡°To think I couldn¡¯t fool you, senior,¡± Xu Ming quickly changed the subject. ¡°Could it be that you¡¯re familiar with both the Northern Seas and the Wanjian Sect?¡± The old man let out a cold chuckle. ¡°Familiar? Hardly. I¡¯ve just had a few fights in both places, that¡¯s all. You sword cultivators are an easy read. Just from how you stand, I can tell what kind of move you¡¯re about to make. Is there any sword technique under the heavens I haven¡¯t seen? And you lot are so rigid. Aside from that kid Jiang Luoyu from 3,000 years ago, every single one of you just practices the same old sword techniques handed down by your ancestors. None of you even think about improving or innovating. You all act like everything passed down is flawless. What a joke. Sword techniques, spells, formations¡ªit doesn¡¯t matter what it is. You need to infuse it with your own understanding. Otherwise, what¡¯s the point of time? Just to let it slip away?¡± The old man¡¯s sharp gaze seemed to pierce through Xu Ming. ¡°And you¡ª¡± he said, his voice cutting like a sword. ¡°You¡¯ve never even undergone proper training in the way of the sword, have you? You haven¡¯t tempered your sword. You haven¡¯t grasped the essence of the sword. You haven¡¯t taken a single proper step down the path of swordsmanship. I don¡¯t understand it. Someone like you, unrefined and untrained, yet your sword aura is so sharp, your sword intent so strong. Are you really more of a genius than I am?¡± Xu Ming: ¡°¡­¡± Not exactly a genius¡ªhis progress had a lot to do with his cheat-like abilities, which occasionally rewarded him with sword aura and intent. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Still, the old man¡¯s words struck a chord. Xu Ming realized he couldn¡¯t keep relying on shortcuts. After leaving this place, he would need to seek out proper training and systematically hone his skills. ¡°Enough,¡± the old man waved dismissively. ¡°Time is short. The sect master of the Tianxuan Sect has arrived. My avatar is holding him off outside the cave, but it won¡¯t last long. Whether you can learn my sword technique will depend on your own fortune.¡± ¡°Please, senior, impart your teachings,¡± Xu Ming said with a respectful bow. The old man studied the young man before him, stroking his beard. ¡°This sword technique of mine was forged through ten thousand years of cultivation. I¡¯ve dueled tens of thousands of sword cultivators, read countless sword manuals, touched innumerable swords, slain countless men, and even felled an uncountable number of dragons. It is the culmination of all my experiences. If this sword is unleashed, it can split the heavens and earth, make the Great Dao tremble, open the Gates of Heaven, and shatter the Abyss of the Underworld.¡± Xu Ming: ¡°¡­¡± He wanted to retort but held back. He wasn¡¯t sure if the old man¡¯s sword technique was truly as formidable as he claimed. If it was, how had this legendary figure ended up imprisoned here by the four holy lands and the five great sects? ¡°You brat, I know exactly what you¡¯re thinking,¡± the old man said with a disapproving glance, his tone carrying the petulance of a stubborn elder. ¡°Back then, I was on the brink of comprehending this sword technique. That¡¯s when those sanctimonious old fools from the holy lands and sects ganged up on me. But being imprisoned here for three thousand years turned out to be a blessing in disguise. I meditated day and night, refining my understanding of the sword path. And now, I¡¯ve perfected it. If those old coots dared to challenge me today, I¡¯d send them running with their tails between their legs!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Xu Ming respected the old man but couldn¡¯t shake his skepticism. ¡°You little punk!¡± the old man snapped, his expression souring further. ¡°If you keep looking at me with that doubt in your eyes, I¡¯ll end you right here!¡± ¡°Forgive me, senior. I meant no offense,¡± Xu Ming quickly replied, though his thoughts betrayed him. Regardless of his doubts, he had to smooth things over and give the old man a way to save face. ¡°Enough,¡± the old man said, waving his hand dismissively. ¡°I don¡¯t care whether you meant offense or not. The bottom line is, if you can¡¯t master this sword technique, you¡¯ll die here.¡± ¡°Catch.¡± The old man tossed his sword to Xu Ming. The moment Xu Ming caught it, his pupils constricted. Countless waves of sword intent surged into his mind! His head throbbed with excruciating pain, and his body wavered, barely able to stay upright. The sword in his hand stabbed into the ground, and his right hand trembled uncontrollably as he gripped it. Sweat poured from his forehead as veins bulged on the back of his hand and across his temples. It felt as though tens of thousands of swords were tearing his mind to shreds. For a moment, Xu Ming even considered ending it all by slamming his head into the ground. ¡°If you can¡¯t endure this, then you¡¯re not worthy of learning this sword technique. Just die here,¡± the old man said, stepping forward to pat Xu Ming on the shoulder. That seemingly casual pat hit Xu Ming like a mountain, forcing him to his knees. Around him, swords materialized, stabbing into the ground one by one. They surrounded him layer upon layer, encasing him completely. It was as if Xu Ming himself had become one of the swords. As if this place was destined to be his grave. Chapter 239 It wasn¡¯t just Xu Ming who caught the sword the old man threw. In Xu Xue Nuo¡¯s spiritual realm, the young girl caught it too. Whether it was Xu Ming or Xu Xue Nuo, the moment they caught the sword from the old man, they felt an endless surge of sword intent flooding into their minds and coursing through their blood. Faced with the sword the old man imparted, their very souls were on the brink of collapse! Xu Ming, having never undergone systematic training in the way of the sword and with little understanding of swordsmanship, couldn¡¯t comprehend what this sword truly represented. But Xu Xue Nuo? Her master was the foremost Sword Immortal of the current age. Having always cultivated by the side of someone standing at the pinnacle of swordsmanship, Xu Xue Nuo understood all too well¡ªthe sword in her hands embodied the old man¡¯s lifelong insights into the way of the sword. One sword to shatter all techniques. One sword to sever all karma. One sword to encompass all possibilities. No matter what kind of sword technique a swordsman practiced, in the end, everything would culminate in one ultimate strike. This strike was the swordsman¡¯s strongest. This strike contained their everything. But how could a single strike that embodied the totality of a Ascension Realm Sword Cultivator¡¯s essence be something Xu Ming and Xu Xue Nuo, mere middle-five realm cultivators, could withstand? They had no choice but to try. There was no turning back. ¡°Was it too much for them after all?¡± The old man watched the two young ones, Xu Ming and Xu Xue Nuo. Their souls were like porcelain¡ªshattered, hastily pieced together, and riddled with cracks, as if they might break apart at any moment. If their souls shattered, their bodies would naturally perish as well. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Sigh.¡± The old man let out a deep sigh, convinced that they wouldn¡¯t make it through this ordeal. Indeed, not everyone could be like him. Yet, just as the old man in their consciousness turned to leave, he suddenly sensed something unusual behind him. In Xu Xue Nuo¡¯s spiritual realm, the old man turned around and looked at the girl whose soul was on the verge of collapse. A flicker of surprise flashed in his eyes. Her soul, which had been on the brink of shattering, was slowly mending itself. Although her expression still showed intense pain, she was clearly moving in a better direction. Her aura grew increasingly stronger. The sword energy and intent swirling around her body continuously absorbed everything he had imparted. ¡°Hah¡­¡± Xu Xue Nuo let out a long exhale, her chest rising and falling heavily. She wiped the cold sweat from her forehead and slowly stood up. Xu Xue Nuo stared straight at the old man. Initially, she had simply thought of him as a powerful swordsman and didn¡¯t feel much reverence. But now, after accepting the sword he had imparted, Xu Xue Nuo felt deep admiration for the old man. She even had a feeling¡ª Even her master would likely lose in a duel against this man at his peak. ¡°Not bad, not bad. As expected of Jiang Luoyu¡¯s disciple.¡± The old man smiled at Xu Xue Nuo, stroking his beard in approval. Xu Xue Nuo was startled. ¡°Elder, you know my master?¡± ¡°How could I not?¡± The old man chuckled. ¡°Years ago, when I dueled your grandmaster, your master was just a young girl of seventeen or eighteen¡ªabout your age¡ªstanding by with a sword in her arms, watching intently. Your master was quite beautiful back then, but her temperament was too cold. She was like a sword herself. Hmm¡­ you¡¯re just like her¡ªcold as a blade. Come to think of it, your grandmaster was pretty cold too. Well, I¡¯ll be damned. You¡¯re all the same in your lineage. If I¡¯m not mistaken, both you and your master probably don¡¯t have Dao companions, do you?¡± Xu Xue Nuo: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It seems so, but you won¡¯t admit it. Both your grandmaster and your master are truly skilled at choosing disciples. You and your master are both exceptionally talented,¡± the old man said as he looked at Xu Xue Nuo. ¡°Speaking of which, how¡¯s that little girl, your master? No, wait, after all these years¡­ is she still doing well?¡± ¡°Thank you for your concern, Elder. My master is doing just fine,¡± Xu Xue Nuo replied, holding her sword and bowing slightly. ¡°Also, I must thank you for not exposing me back then.¡± ¡°Out in the world, it¡¯s perfectly normal to make up a sect when necessary. Back in the day, when I couldn¡¯t beat someone, I¡¯d claim to be from some sect or another,¡± the old man said casually, as if it were no big deal. Xu Xue Nuo: ¡°¡­¡± She hadn¡¯t expected such an awe-inspiring elder to have had moments of shamelessness like that. ¡°Alright, since you¡¯ve managed to withstand my sword intent, it¡¯s time to see if you can execute the strike I passed on to you.¡± The old man pointed at the blood-red sky above them. ¡°Now, take the sword in your hand and split open that sky!¡± ¡°Split open the sky?¡± Xu Ming, who had also endured the old man¡¯s sword intent in his spiritual dream, was still reeling from the ordeal. He had almost reached his limit but managed to pull through, thanks to prior investments in his ¡°will¡± and ¡°spirit.¡± To be honest, Xu Ming felt this was the closest he¡¯d been to death since his life-and-death battle with the Sect Master of the Hehuan Sect. ¡°Yes, split open the sky,¡± the old man said with satisfaction as he looked at Xu Ming. Earlier, he had assumed Xu Ming wouldn¡¯t make it and was ready to leave his consciousness. But unexpectedly, just like the young girl, this boy had managed to endure. To think that this unorthodox path could actually withstand his sword intent¡ªit seemed that the martial path Xu Ming had trained in wasn¡¯t entirely useless after all. ¡°Your boxing technique¡ªif I¡¯m not mistaken¡ªis called Heaven-Splitting Fist, correct?¡± the old man asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Xu Ming nodded. ¡°Elder, your knowledge is truly vast.¡± ¡°No need to flatter me,¡± the old man replied, though he seemed quite pleased. ¡°Five thousand years ago, I fought a Pinnacle Boundary Realm Martial Artist who left a deep impression on me. His technique was also the Heaven-Splitting Fist. But your version of it seems incomplete.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Xu Ming admitted without hesitation. ¡°I learned my Heaven-Splitting Fist from a close friend, who explicitly told me it was an incomplete technique, meant only as a transitional skill.¡± ¡°Hah! The idea of Heaven-Splitting Fist being used as a transitional skill¡­ how ridiculous,¡± the old man chuckled and shook his head. ¡°Go to the Nether River. I¡¯ve heard that the man I fought back then died there. Perhaps you¡¯ll find the complete manual there.¡± ¡°Thank you for the advice, Elder,¡± Xu Ming said, bowing in gratitude. ¡°No need to thank me. If you want to go to the Nether River, you¡¯ll need to survive this first,¡± the old man said calmly. ¡°Truth be told, I¡¯ve never been able to decide on a name for this sword technique of mine. But after seeing your Fist Technique today, I¡¯ve come up with an idea.¡± The old man turned around, holding his longsword before him. Sword energy gathered like a vast ocean, causing the heavens to tremble and the earth to quake. ¡°Watch closely. This strike of mine shall also be called¡ª Heaven-Splitting!¡± Chapter 240 Within the consciousness of Xu Ming and Xu Xue Nuo, the old man stood with his sword held horizontally before him, as sword energy ceaselessly converged onto his blade. The air around him seemed saturated with sword intent, as if anyone who dared to approach even slightly would be shredded to pieces. The old man lightly swung his longsword forward. It looked like a simple, almost casual motion, as if he were merely waving his sword without much effort. But in the next moment, the sky above began to tear apart, bit by bit. Xu Ming felt as though the heavens above him were nothing more than a piece of cloth, and the old man¡¯s sword had just sliced a gash through it. Through that tear, Xu Ming glimpsed what lay beyond: chaos and nothingness. But amidst that chaos and void, Xu Ming vaguely saw something¡ªa palace. ¡°A palace?¡± Xu Ming froze. What was that palace? Could he have seen it wrong? ¡°That¡¯s more or less the gist of it,¡± the old man said as he turned to face Xu Ming. And in the very next moment, the sky behind the old man began to mend itself. The world quaked, and the red clouds that had filled the crimson sky shattered like tufts of cotton, scattering into countless fragments. Even though the strike had ended and the sky had healed, the sword¡¯s power had completely cleared the heavens for a hundred miles, leaving no trace of the red clouds. Xu Ming had never seen such a sword strike before. It perfectly embodied both sword energy and sword intent, clean and decisive, like a stroke from the heavens themselves. This strike deeply shook Xu Ming¡¯s Dao heart. He couldn¡¯t help but question himself. Was he truly suited to the way of the sword? What was the point of continuing his swordsmanship? Could he ever surpass the sword strike that the old man had just demonstrated? ¡°Master it.¡± As Xu Ming was caught in a daze, the old man¡¯s voice snapped him out of his thoughts. ¡°Only by mastering it can you leave here alive and have a chance to free us. Otherwise, you two brats will simply stay here, buried alongside us old relics.¡± S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Xu Ming: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Feeling disheartened after seeing my sword?¡± the old man asked with a smile. ¡°A little,¡± Xu Ming admitted honestly. ¡°Hmph.¡± The old man snorted coldly. ¡°Feeling shaken is normal. But if you start doubting your own swordsmanship because of this, you might as well die here.¡± With that, the old man stopped paying attention to Xu Ming and turned to sit on a nearby stone. Watching the old man sit there, and recalling the sword he had just witnessed, Xu Ming let out a wry laugh at himself. ¡°That¡¯s true. Since I¡¯ve chosen to hold a sword, why doubt the one in my hand?¡± Taking a deep breath, Xu Ming tightened his grip on his longsword. He didn¡¯t immediately attempt the strike. Seeing this, the old man nodded inwardly. If Xu Ming had rushed to replicate the strike right after watching the demonstration, it would only mean the old man had misjudged him. Although the essence of the strike was already imprinted in Xu Ming¡¯s mind, there¡¯s a vast difference between remembering a technique and executing it. This strike would allow for only one attempt. The greater the power of a technique, the higher the risk. Only when Xu Ming felt he had truly grasped the essence of the sword should he swing it. If he succeeded, then he succeeded. If he failed, then he failed. But there was a high chance that if Xu Ming failed, his consciousness would be devoured by the backlash of the strike, obliterating him completely. The old man rested his hands behind his head and slowly drifted into sleep. No one knew whether this boy could pull off that sword strike, nor when he would manage to do so. In Xu Xue Nuo¡¯s consciousness, the old man also lay down casually on the ground, falling asleep as if it were nothing to worry about. He¡¯d wait until the girl grasped the technique before doing anything else. But time was running out for them. ¡ª ¡°Boom!¡± A massive seal came crashing down toward the old man, who was formed entirely from sword energy. The old man held his longsword steady, and with a simple maneuver, deflected the colossal seal as if it were weightless. In the next instant, the old man appeared before Xia He and thrust his sword forward. Xia He didn¡¯t dare face the attack directly, twisting his body to dodge. The rock wall behind him, however, was blasted apart by the sheer force of the sword energy, leaving a gaping hole. Xia He raised his head and opened his mouth wide. A green dragon surged out from Xia He¡¯s mouth, hurtling straight for the old man¡¯s head. ¡°Your breath stinks,¡± the old man muttered in annoyance, swinging his sword once more. The spiritual green dragon was sliced cleanly in half. But the green dragon wasn¡¯t a killing move¡ªat best, it was merely the appetizer for what was to come. As the dragon¡¯s fragmented spiritual energy scattered across the ground, the Tianxuan Star Array was fully activated. One by one, stars lit up above the old man¡¯s head, and the four sacred beasts of the cardinal directions became vividly clear in their respective positions. The Tianxuan Sect, being a Daoist sect focused on understanding the Dao of the heavens and the mysteries of the stars, had refined this array as their magnum opus over countless generations. Each sect leader had contributed to its improvement. However, in Xia He¡¯s generation, the array remained largely unchanged¡ªnot because it was already perfect, but because Xia He lacked the qualifications to alter it. ¡°Descend!¡± Within the array, Xia He was akin to a sage presiding over the heavens. With a wave of his hand, a meteor came crashing down toward the old man. The old man effortlessly split the blazing meteor with a single strike of his sword. Immediately, another beam of light shot from one of the stars above, aimed directly at the old man¡¯s heart. The old man swung his sword again, scattering the starlight. But then came a second beam, a third, a fourth, a fifth¡ªone after another. The starlight from the stars intertwined, forming a vast net that closed in on the old man. ¡°Balance of offense and defense,¡± the old man muttered as he formed a sword seal with his hands. Behind him, countless swords of pure energy materialized, radiating like a halo around a Buddha. ¡°Go!¡± With a single gesture of his sword, the old man sent all the swords of energy hurtling toward the beams of starlight. The clash between sword energy and starlight echoed thunderously throughout the cavern. From beginning to end, the old man¡¯s sole objective was to buy time. But Xia He wasn¡¯t a fool. Realizing that the time was right, Xia He retrieved a crystal vial from his storage pouch. Inside was a viscous, black liquid. Opening the vial, Xia He carefully poured a single drop of the black liquid onto the ground. The droplet, as if alive, began to flow toward the Tianxuan Star Array, merging with it in an instant. The moment the black liquid fused with the array, the old man¡¯s expression darkened. A repulsive, unsettling aura filled the air. And then, the entire Tianxuan Star Array was enveloped by a black, swamp-like quagmire. The ground trembled violently. From within the mire, a pair of eyes slowly opened. Chapter 241 A pair of eyes opened within the depths of the quagmire! In the next moment, the enormous head of a monstrous beast emerged from the swamp. Its head was adorned with sharp teeth, and its body resembled a fortress, covered with blue void-like cracks that radiated an unsettling aura. The beast lunged forward, jaws snapping toward the old man. The old man frowned deeply. He hadn¡¯t expected this! That someone would summon such a creature! ¡°Clang!¡± Several swords of energy materialized, intertwining to form a shield that stood firmly before the old man. The beast bit down ferociously, its eyes blazing with even more savage intensity! From beginning to end, only its head was visible¡ªits true form remained hidden beneath the black, murky swamp. ¡°You actually made a pact with a creature of the Abyss? Do you feel no shame as a member of the human race?¡± the old man said coldly, glaring at the man standing before him. ¡°Shame? What does it matter if I feel shame or not? What good is so-called righteousness for the human race? Can it raise my cultivation level by even a single stage? In this world, nothing else matters¡ªonly power! Once you reach the pinnacle, the entire world bends to your will!¡± As soon as the words fell, the old man pressed his palm down heavily. The beast¡¯s massive head thrashed like a creature gone mad, biting down even harder. Its jaws broke through the shield of sword energy, and in the blink of an eye, the old man was swallowed whole by the monster! The swamp gradually receded, and the Tianxuan Star Array began to dissipate. The scattered sword energy failed to reform the old man¡¯s body and could only coalesce into a sword formation, standing as a final defense in front of Xia He. ¡°Heh. Futile resistance.¡± Xia He chuckled softly and began striding forward step by step. As he approached the sword formation, the swords moved on their own, stabbing toward him in an attempt to block his path. Yet, the yin-yang energy swirling around him deflected every strike with ease. He needed only to keep moving forward. In a hidden cave, the old man slowly raised his head. The moment he opened his eyes, everyone in the cave turned to look at him. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A sense of foreboding washed over them. Though they had hoped the old man could kill the sect master of the Tianxuan Sect, they also knew it was an impossible wish. The sect master, though part of a once-glorious lineage, was still a being at the peak of the Immortal Realm. The old man, on the other hand, had been trapped here for countless years, his spiritual energy sealed. He could only release sword energy, and even that was heavily restricted. If he could truly kill such an opponent in his current state, he would not have been confined here three thousand years ago. ¡°I couldn¡¯t stop him.¡± The old man shook his head. ¡°That man has reached the pinnacle of the Immortal Realm. He wields numerous powerful artifacts. But most importantly, he has forged a pact with an Abyssal beast.¡± ¡°Inhuman.¡± ¡°Even demonic sects wouldn¡¯t stoop this low!¡± ¡°As a sect master of a righteous sect, how could he do such a thing?¡± ¡°Why is this surprising? He already sacrificed the lives of his sect members¡ªthis is just another step.¡± ¡°Truly, the world is full of the unimaginable!¡± ¡°Such a person deserves death!¡± The people in the cave were filled with righteous fury at the revelation of the sect master¡¯s pact with an Abyssal beast. None of them could comprehend how a sect master of a supposedly righteous sect could commit an act so abhorrent. ¡°Enough with the outrage,¡± said Zhou Wanfeng, smiling faintly. ¡°Throughout history, how many people have colluded with the Abyss or demonic cults? Plenty. It¡¯s nothing new. What matters now is what we do next. We can¡¯t let this drag on forever.¡± ¡°It all depends on the fate of those two young ones,¡± the old man said calmly, his gaze fixed on the pair lying unconscious on the ground. ¡°It¡¯s their fate¡ªand ours as well.¡± Within the realm of the dream consciousness. Xu Ming gripped the sword in his hand, carefully attuning himself to the sword intent passed down by the old man. The old man had imparted countless strands of sword intent to him, yet they were constantly dissipating. To a sword cultivator, such sword intent was akin to gold. But even if it were gold, it was more like fine sand¡ªimpossible to hold onto. The grains would inevitably slip through one¡¯s fingers. Xu Ming didn¡¯t expect to fully comprehend all the sword intent imparted to him. It was impossible¡ªthis was the lifelong understanding of a Sword Cultivator at the Ascension Realm. Even though his cheat ability was otherworldly, it couldn¡¯t elevate his talent to such heights. Moreover, Xu Ming didn¡¯t believe in fully comprehending or following someone else¡¯s sword path. The sword intent and sword path of others would always remain theirs. He could learn their techniques, he could learn their intent, but he would never allow himself to fully become someone else. Thus, Xu Ming resolved to grasp whatever he could and focused on capturing the essence of the old man¡¯s Heaven-Splitting Sword. ¡°Hm?¡± In the dream consciousness, the old man seemed to sense something. He slowly opened his eyes, gazing at Xu Ming in the distance. ¡°This kid¡­¡± The old man stroked his beard, the corners of his mouth lifting into a slight smile. The sword energy surrounding Xu Ming became sharper, and the sword intent around him grew increasingly dense. The old man couldn¡¯t tell if Xu Ming had truly grasped the essence of his sword. But he knew one thing: Xu Ming was about to unleash that sword. At the same time, in Xu Xue¡¯nuo¡¯s dream consciousness, the old man there also sat up, looking at the young girl before him. Both Xu Ming and Xu Xue¡¯nuo had entered a state of selflessness. Xu Ming no longer perceived his own existence, nor was he aware of the sword in his hand. It felt as if he had transformed into a wisp of sword energy, melding with the crimson heaven and earth around him. In the minds of Xu Ming and Xu Xue¡¯nuo, an image suddenly appeared. In the image, an old man radiating vitality and spirit stood tall above the heavens, holding an immortal sword in his hand. Before him stood nine cultivators. The nine cultivators stood together, their boundless pressure causing the very sky to tremble incessantly. ¡°Xu Cang, today you won¡¯t escape,¡± declared a silver-haired woman who appeared to be in her thirties. Her golden eyes gleamed like those of a celestial deity. ¡°Hahaha! Escape?¡± Xu Cang burst into wild laughter. ¡°I¡¯ve never intended to escape! I just so happen to have a sword that I¡¯ve yet to test. And you all¡ªare perfect for it!¡± ¡°Courting death!¡± The silver-haired woman let out a furious roar, shaking the earth and triggering volcanic eruptions. As the nine raised their hands, the blazing sun in the heavens began to plummet toward Xu Cang¡¯s head. With the weight of all living beings upon his back, Xu Cang raised his long sword high. ¡°This sword¡­ watch closely!¡± The old man brought his sword down. Boom! In the mountain cave, the ground shook violently, and rocks began to fall incessantly. The moment Xu Cang¡¯s lips curled into a smirk, Xu Ming and Xu Xue¡¯nuo, still in a dreamlike state, slowly rose to their feet, lifting the swords in their hands. Almost simultaneously, they snapped open their eyes and swung their swords toward the old man. The strike was clean and decisive! Chapter 242 Xu Ming and Xu Xue¡¯nuo¡¯s sword energy simultaneously struck the chains binding the old man¡¯s wrists. Although Xu Ming and Xu Xue¡¯nuo were only mid-level cultivators of the Fifth Realms, facing these immortal-grade binding chains was akin to throwing eggs against a boulder¡ªutterly futile. However, over the past three thousand years, the old man had been using his sword energy to wear down his shackles, day by day. Even water, over time, could erode stone. After three thousand years of relentless effort, his sword energy had carved a deep groove into the chains. While they had not yet broken, the chains were severely weakened¡ªdeep fissures marred their surface. If given just another two hundred years, the old man was confident he could sever the chains entirely. But time was not on his side. The sect master of the Tianxuan Sect was no ordinary man. His collusion with Abyssal beasts had driven him to the brink of sacrificing half his sect¡¯s disciples for the sake of his own breakthrough. Two hundred years? The old man didn¡¯t even have one year left. Thus, he needed external help to deliver the final blow to these near-shattered chains. Even though Xu Ming and Xu Xue¡¯nuo were merely cultivators at the Sea Observation and Dragon Gate Realms, their sword energy far surpassed that of their peers. More importantly, if they could execute the old man¡¯s Heaven-Splitting Sword, even a Nascent Soul cultivator would struggle to withstand it. Their strike wasn¡¯t as insignificant as it seemed. If the old man¡¯s chains were a camel, Xu Ming and Xu Xue¡¯nuo¡¯s strike wasn¡¯t just the straw that broke its back¡ªit was a solid iron bar! ¡°Clang!¡± With a resounding crash, guided by the old man¡¯s sword energy, the sword strikes from Xu Ming and Xu Xue¡¯nuo landed perfectly on the fissures of the chains. The grooves deepened further, and the cracks began to spread outward. The old man unleashed his full reserve of sword energy in one explosive burst. ¡°Crack!¡± With a sharp sound, one of the chains shattered entirely. The old man rubbed his wrists, the bones creaking audibly. For over three thousand years, he hadn¡¯t felt such freedom in his movements. Meanwhile, within the dream consciousness of Xu Ming and Xu Xue¡¯nuo, they witnessed the heavens splitting apart before them. Beyond the fissures in the sky, a vast void stretched endlessly. Xu Ming blinked in disbelief. Behind the heavens, there truly was a palace. But just as quickly as the vision appeared, the heavens began to mend, and the fissures closed in the blink of an eye. The old man¡¯s avatar within their dream consciousness also began to fade. In the real world, Xu Ming and Xu Xue¡¯nuo¡¯s eyes gradually regained focus, no longer empty and dazed. Their consciousness returned to their bodies. As their souls fully reconnected with their physical forms, they felt disoriented, as if they had been dreaming for an eternity¡ªan experience akin to traversing millennia in a single slumber. Outside the cave, the sect master of the Tianxuan Sect, Xia He, who had nearly broken through, suddenly felt an overwhelming surge of sword energy. The sword energy was far stronger than before, piercing through the air with an intensity that far exceeded his expectations. The formation of sword energy became almost feral, lashing out at Xia He relentlessly and forcing him to retreat step by step. When Xia He was pushed back a full hundred meters, the sword energy ceased its pursuit. The countless swords merged, forming an impenetrable wall of sword energy that completely sealed the entrance to the cave. No matter what spells or techniques Xia He unleashed, he couldn¡¯t break through the barrier in a short amount of time. Frowning deeply, Xia He realized something was amiss. ¡°That old wretch must¡¯ve undone a significant portion of his bindings,¡± he muttered to himself. ¡°Otherwise, the sword energy wouldn¡¯t be this intense. But how¡­ how did he manage to do it?¡± Inside the cave, Xu Ming and Xu Xue¡¯nuo, hearing the commotion outside, looked at the old man in confusion. Xu Cang chuckled and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. While you two were practicing the techniques I passed down, the sect master arrived. Previously, I would¡¯ve struggled to hold him back. But now that my shackles are broken, there¡¯s no need to worry¡ªhe won¡¯t be getting in.¡± Hearing the old man¡¯s words, Xu Ming and Xu Xue¡¯nuo were a little surprised. They hadn¡¯t expected to alarm the sect master of the Tianxuan Sect so quickly. But upon reflection, Xu Ming felt it made sense. Sanshi (Three Stone) Peak held countless upper-five-realm cultivators and was one of the sect¡¯s highest-level forbidden grounds. There must have been numerous warning formations placed around this area. Xu Ming glanced at ¡°Jiang Xue.¡± In his opinion, it probably wasn¡¯t him who had alerted the sect master. After all, he had entered with the help of a treasure given by Mo Zhu¡¯er, and she definitely wouldn¡¯t harm him¡ªnot right now, when it wouldn¡¯t benefit her. It was far more likely that this girl named Jiang Xue had caused it. By forcefully breaking through the formations on Sanshi Peak, she must have drawn Xia He¡¯s attention. Noticing Xu Ming¡¯s gaze, Xu Xue¡¯nuo turned her head to meet his eyes. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Xu Ming quickly averted his gaze. The old man, Xu Cang, smiled as he looked at Xu Ming and Xu Xue¡¯nuo. ¡°I told you before,¡± he began. ¡°To make a deal with us, the prerequisite is learning one of our techniques. ¡°Now that you¡¯ve learned what we¡¯ve taught, we can have a proper discussion. ¡°We passed these techniques to you for two reasons. ¡°First, to test your ability to endure. ¡°Second, learning our techniques makes your bodies more receptive to our spiritual energy. ¡°Each technique we¡¯ve imparted serves as a sort of primer. ¡°I know you probably don¡¯t fully understand yet. ¡°But remember this¡ªonly after mastering the techniques we¡¯ve taught you can we pass our spiritual energy on to you.¡± Xu Ming: ¡°¡­¡± S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He felt like he was starting to understand a little. Spiritual energy¡­ it was like inner energy in martial arts? Were they planning to pass their ¡°inner energy¡± on to him? ¡°Passing your spiritual energy to us? What does that mean exactly?¡± Xu Xue¡¯nuo asked. Xu Cang smiled faintly. ¡°Exactly what it sounds like.¡± Without further explanation, Xu Cang began forming sword seals with his fingers. Thirty swords made of sword energy appeared in mid-air, splitting into two groups of fifteen. Each group of fifteen swords flew straight into Xu Ming and Xu Xue¡¯nuo¡¯s bodies. But it wasn¡¯t over yet. Another fifteen swords materialized, this time piercing into Xu Cang himself and the other fourteen prisoners. Before Xu Ming and Xu Xue¡¯nuo could react, a sharp, excruciating pain overwhelmed them. It was an agony like their very souls were being torn apart. Endless streams of spiritual energy flowed through the fifteen swords, pouring violently into their bodies. Their bodies felt as if they had turned into balloons, on the verge of bursting into a bloody mist at any moment. Chapter 243 More and more spiritual energy poured into Xu Ming and Xu Xue¡¯nuo¡¯s bodies. Fifteen Upper Five Realm cultivators channeling spiritual energy at once could easily blow a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator into a cloud of blood mist, let alone Xu Ming and Xu Xue¡¯nuo, who were merely Middle Five Realm cultivators. However, in the next moment, this overwhelming spiritual energy began to divert and seek commonalities within itself. The fifteen spells Xu Ming and Xu Xue¡¯nuo had learned were like fifteen separate rooms, gradually storing the incoming spiritual energy. ¡°Within the Cave Mansion Realm lies the essence of the cave itself, filled with infinite mysteries.¡± Previously, Xu Ming had studied the Cave Mansion Realm, but most of his attention had been drawn to statements like ¡°The Cave Mansion Realm is the first major obstacle for cultivators¡± or ¡°The Cave Mansion Realm marks the dividing line between mortals and immortals.¡± But now, Xu Ming felt that he finally understood another layer of meaning behind the Cave Mansion Realm. When a cultivator steps into the Cave Mansion Realm, the heavenly caves within their body are opened. Forty-nine acupoints are transformed into forty-nine cave mansions, serving as reservoirs for spiritual energy. At this stage, a Cave Mansion Realm cultivator¡¯s capacity for spiritual energy far surpasses that of a Furnace Building Realm cultivator. This is why Cave Mansion Realm cultivators can abstain from food and instead sustain themselves by nourishing their bodies with spiritual energy. That is the difference. What Xu Ming didn¡¯t expect, however, was that these cave mansions could also serve this kind of purpose. The fifteen spells acted as guiding lights, drawing the spiritual energy of the fifteen other cultivators into their respective cave mansions within Xu Ming and Xu Xue¡¯nuo. When these cave mansions were filled to capacity, the sword energy from the elder compressed the spiritual energy even further, creating space for more to enter. It was like stuffing a room full of cotton, then compressing it tightly to make room for more. This was why they had been taught these spells¡ªnot out of kindness or goodwill, nor as compensation. The spells were the key, and the sword technique the elder had them learn was the means to unlock the chains. Once the chains were undone, the elder¡¯s sword energy could slightly release the seals on the other fourteen captives, allowing them to transmit their spiritual energy. Everything had to proceed step by step; not a single step could be skipped. Two incense sticks¡¯ worth of time later, the sword energy piercing Xu Ming and Xu Xue¡¯nuo dissipated entirely, along with the sword energy binding the others. The fifteen individuals, including the elder, were drenched in sweat, their faces pale. They had pushed themselves to the limit, transferring as much spiritual energy as possible into Xu Ming and Xu Xue¡¯nuo, perhaps even at the cost of their own lifeforce, until the spiritual energy within the cave mansions of the two could no longer be contained. Xu Ming and Xu Xue¡¯nuo knelt on one knee, panting heavily, drenched in sweat as if they had just been pulled from the depths of the ocean, finally able to breathe. The two focused their divine senses inward, observing the fifteen cave mansions within their bodies. They felt that if they unleashed all the spiritual energy stored in those cave mansions, they could likely ascend to the Upper Five Realms in a short period of time. ¡°It¡¯s enough now.¡± The elder¡¯s lips curled into a grin as he looked at Xu Ming and Xu Xue¡¯nuo. ¡°We¡¯ve now infused your bodies with sufficient spiritual energy. When you release it all, you should be able to ascend to the Jade Purity Realm for about an hour. Your task is simple: on the day of the Zixia Grand Ceremony, seize the Tianxuan Mirror and smash it onto Sanshi Peak. If you can accomplish this, our contract will be fulfilled. Afterward, you won¡¯t need to concern yourselves with anything¡ªnot even whether we live or die. But if you fail, according to the vow, you¡¯ll die a violent death.¡± Xu Xue¡¯nuo frowned. ¡°What if Xu Ming and I release the spiritual energy in our cave mansions now, ascend to the Jade Purity Realm, and kill Xia He, who¡¯s outside this cave?¡± sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After all, Xia He was the instigator. If he were dead, wouldn¡¯t it increase their chances of escaping? The elder chuckled softly. ¡°Heh.¡± The elder sneered coldly. ¡°You two kids really think killing someone at the pinnacle of the Immortal Realm is that easy? Let alone someone wielding an immortal weapon? Though my hands are now free, my spiritual energy is still heavily sealed. Every acupoint is locked down, making it difficult to even cast a single spell. What would I kill him with? Rather than trying to have you kill the Tianxuan Sect Master, it¡¯s better to wait for the Zixia Grand Ceremony. That Sect Master will surely stir up trouble then. When the Tianxuan Sect falls into chaos, your chances of seizing the Tianxuan Mirror and smashing it on Sanshi Peak will be far greater.¡± ¡°Alright, alright. You two kids should leave now,¡± Xu Cang said, waving his hand dismissively. Xu Ming cupped his hands and bowed. ¡°Senior, how should we leave this place?¡± Xu Cang chuckled lightly. ¡°Just go back the way you came.¡± Outside the cave, Xia He was still pondering how to break through the wall of sword energy blocking his way. But at that moment, the wall of sword energy before him suddenly collapsed, sending waves of dirt and debris surging toward him. As his vision was obscured, two blurred figures swiftly darted past him! Xia He¡¯s heart sank, and he tried to give chase, but the elder, now manifested in sword energy, once again blocked his path. Xu Ming and Xu Xue¡¯nuo raced forward at full speed, both using the movement technique they had learned from the ¡°Thief¡±¡ªDivine Steps. The two easily wove through the magical beasts in their path. Before the beasts could even react, the pair had already vanished. Divine Steps was the signature technique of the ¡°Thief,¡± who had stolen countless treasures with this skill, leading to a manhunt by major sects. However, Xu Ming was perplexed. The ¡°Thief¡± was said to be a cultivator at the Jade Purity Realm, and his techniques were among the best in the world. Logically, if he wanted to escape, no one should have been able to catch him. So how had he ended up imprisoned here? Within just one incense stick¡¯s time, Xu Ming and Xu Xue¡¯nuo had fled the cave and reached the ground level of Sanshi Peak. ¡°Thank you for your assistance during this ordeal, young lady,¡± Xu Ming said, bowing toward Xu Xue¡¯nuo. ¡°We helped each other, that¡¯s all,¡± Xu Xue¡¯nuo replied coldly. ¡°I¡¯m heading back now. This place isn¡¯t safe; you should leave quickly too.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Xu Ming nodded. Without saying more, Xu Xue¡¯nuo stepped onto her life-bound flying sword and swiftly left Sanshi Peak. Xu Ming didn¡¯t follow her path. Instead, he chose to retrace his steps, leaving Sanshi Peak the same way he had come. Just as Xu Ming emerged from the narrow path leading out of Sanshi Peak, a barefoot woman in a black dress stood waiting for him, her eyes curving into a smile. ¡°Ah, Young Master Xu has finally come out~ How do you feel?¡± Chapter 244 Xu Ming had just walked out of Sanshi Peak when he saw Mo Zhuer approaching him. Xu Ming frowned slightly and stepped forward. ¡°Young Master Xu has finally come out~ How do you feel?¡± Mo Zhuer smiled as she looked at Xu Ming, her charming eyes so alluring they seemed almost tangible. ¡°How do you know about all of this?¡± Xu Ming asked. ¡°About what?¡± Mo Zhuer tilted her head in confusion, looking somewhat adorably puzzled. ¡°Oh~¡± As if suddenly understanding, Mo Zhuer feigned an expression of enlightenment and said, ¡°You must be talking about those people imprisoned in the cave, right? But how does the young master think I would know about them?¡± Xu Ming: ¡°¡­¡± At that moment, Xu Ming realized that his question might have been a bit foolish. Mo Zhuer, being the Saintess of the Black Lotus Sect, must naturally know the inside story. The Black Lotus Sect had assigned her to cooperate with Xia He, the Sect Master of the Tianxuan Sect. How else would she coordinate with him if she didn¡¯t know the details? ¡°Young Master seems a bit different now.¡± As Xu Ming was lost in thought, Mo Zhuer leaned closer, sniffing around him like a curious cat. ¡°Hmm~ Your sword aura seems sharper than before, your presence more oppressive, and the Dao energy around you is stronger. It seems like you had some good fortune in there, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°What¡¯s your purpose?¡± Xu Ming asked bluntly, ignoring Mo Zhuer¡¯s feline-like curiosity as she sniffed at him. ¡°Here? Are you sure?¡± Mo Zhuer playfully glanced behind Xu Ming. ¡°Just now, I saw Xia He flying toward Sanshi Peak. While I don¡¯t know what happened to you there, if the two of us are discovered near here by Xia He, it¡¯ll be troublesome, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go to my courtyard.¡± Xu Ming gave her a glance before flying off toward his courtyard. ¡°Tch, so cold to me most of the time, yet you¡¯re so forceful during our training sessions,¡± Mo Zhuer muttered, pouting slightly. She had long grown used to Xu Ming¡¯s aloof demeanor. Lightly, she followed behind him. Upon arriving at Xu Ming¡¯s courtyard, he activated the protective formation, isolating it from any external spiritual sense or sound. However, Mo Zhuer still felt uneasy. She inserted formation flags at the four corners of the courtyard, setting up another layer of spiritual sense isolation. ¡°Now can you tell me? What is your purpose?¡± Xu Ming asked, his eyes locking onto hers. ¡°Before I tell you my purpose, why don¡¯t you share what you encountered at Sanshi Peak?¡± Mo Zhuer smiled, though curiosity flickered in her heart. Logically speaking, what kind of fortune could be in that place? Yet Xu Ming came out with his strength clearly enhanced, seemingly close to breaking through the Dragon Gate Realm. ¡°What I encountered¡ªshouldn¡¯t that all be within your plan?¡± Xu Ming questioned. Mo Zhuer playfully glared at him, feigning annoyance. ¡°Look at you, Young Master Xu. How could what you encountered possibly all be part of my plan? I¡¯m not the City Lord of Tianji City. Even if I were, not even he could calculate such fine details, right? ¡°I simply wanted you to meet those old folks imprisoned beneath Sanshi Peak. ¡°Those old folks must have sensed the changes in the formation there and guessed what Xia He is planning. ¡°Once you met them, they would surely tell you what the Sect Master of Tianxuan Sect might do next. They¡¯d probably even beg you to rescue them. ¡°That¡¯s why I said, once you met them, you¡¯d believe what I¡¯ve told you. ¡°And once you walked out of Sanshi Peak, you¡¯d be willing to work with me. ¡°That¡¯s the extent of my plan. ¡°Why? Did you perhaps encounter something else?¡± Xu Ming chuckled, ¡°Are you truly unaware, or just pretending not to know? I almost died in that place.¡± ¡°???¡± Mo Zhuer¡¯s face was filled with confusion. ¡°As long as you followed my instructions and didn¡¯t touch anything, using the stone I gave you as a guide, how could you possibly encounter danger?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Seeing Mo Zhuer¡¯s genuinely puzzled expression, Xu Ming began to think she might truly not know. ¡°When I went to Sanshi Peak, I did follow your method to enter. But then I got lost. At that point, I¡­¡± Xu Ming explained everything that happened at Sanshi Peak to Mo Zhuer, carefully observing her reaction. ¡°That¡¯s how it went. I, along with a sword cultivator named Jiang Yu, learned the techniques taught by those fifteen cultivators. In the end, we left. In exchange, we¡¯re tasked with finding a way to seize the Tianxuan Mirror and smash it into Sanshi Peak.¡± Xu Ming deliberately omitted the detail about the fifteen cave mansions containing vast spiritual power that could push him into the Jade Purity Realm in a short time. After all, this was his trump card¡ªa crucial element of surprise. He still didn¡¯t fully trust Mo Zhuer. ¡°I didn¡¯t know there would be so many beasts in their prison, nor did I expect that Xu Cang would still possess such sharp sword aura despite his condition¡ªsharp enough to compel you to negotiate with him,¡± Mo Zhuer explained hurriedly, her tone anxious, as if afraid Xu Ming might think she had intentionally put him in danger. ¡°I understand,¡± Xu Ming nodded, then stood up. He took a teapot to the courtyard, filled it with water, and placed it on the table. After adding some tea leaves, the small formation embedded in the stone table began heating the pot. Mo Zhuer, now sitting to the side, could only watch as Xu Ming brewed tea slowly, her previously relaxed demeanor noticeably replaced with unease. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I don¡¯t suspect you of using me as a pawn to kill someone. If you wanted me dead, all you¡¯d have to do is leak even a hint to Xia He. He could¡¯ve ambushed me at Sanshi Peak and finished me off there. ¡°I believe that keeping me alive is valuable to you. At least for now, since you want to cooperate with me, we¡¯re in the same boat.¡± Once the tea was ready, Xu Ming rinsed the cups and poured Mo Zhuer a cup. ¡°As long as you understand,¡± Mo Zhuer replied with a faint smile, her crescent-shaped eyes betraying a subtle sense of relief. ¡°So,¡± Xu Ming raised his head, ¡°it¡¯s time for you to tell me what your goal is, isn¡¯t it? The deal between Xia He and your Black Lotus Sect is no trivial matter. Yet, you dare to disrupt his plans. From a certain perspective, isn¡¯t this already a betrayal of your sect? Aren¡¯t you afraid of dying?¡± ¡°Death? Hahaha¡­¡± Mo Zhuer was momentarily stunned, then burst into laughter. ¡°Death is indeed terrifying for us cultivators. Everyone fights so hard, clawing for even the tiniest opportunity. If we die, those treasures we¡¯ve collected will simply fall into someone else¡¯s hands. Isn¡¯t that unbearable? I imagine most cultivators fear death. And yes, I am no exception. ¡°But¡­¡± Mo Zhuer picked up her teacup and took a sip. ¡°What I despise even more than death is having my fate controlled by someone else. ¡°And to take control of one¡¯s fate, you must constantly increase your leverage, always consider your own interests, and be willing to take risks.¡± Setting down her cup, Mo Zhuer fixed her enchanting gaze directly on Xu Ming. ¡°And right now, that¡¯s exactly what I¡¯m doing. ¡°So¡­ ¡°I want the Tianxuan Sect¡¯s dragon vein!¡± Xu Ming: ¡°¡­¡± Although he wasn¡¯t deeply knowledgeable about the intricacies of the cultivation world, he was well aware of what a dragon vein was. Mortal dynasties had dragon veins. The capital of a mortal dynasty was typically built atop the head of a dragon vein, stabilizing the dynasty¡¯s fortune and destiny. If a dragon vein of a mortal dynasty were to encounter problems, the nation¡¯s fortune would plummet. Natural disasters, human calamities¡ªevery conceivable misfortune would follow, and the dynasty would inevitably fall into decline. This is why, when war breaks out between nations, the first thought on most people¡¯s minds is how to disrupt the enemy¡¯s capital. For sects, dragon veins also exist. Most sects are built among mountains, where the peaks connect to form mountain ranges. The spiritual energy flowing through these ranges merges and channels into the sect, creating its dragon vein. Once a sect¡¯s dragon vein is established, it cannot be altered. Similarly, if a sect¡¯s dragon vein were to falter, all the spiritual energy within the sect would dissipate, and the sect¡¯s fortune would rapidly vanish. Two outcomes would await such a sect. One: relocate, seek out a new spiritual land, and start over. Two: dissolve entirely, with everyone going their separate ways. Without the sect¡¯s fortune, protective formations, or surrounding spiritual energy, cultivation would become impossible. Hearing Mo Zhuer¡¯s request, Xu Ming found himself in a difficult position. If Qing Wan weren¡¯t part of the Tianxuan Sect, Xu Ming wouldn¡¯t have hesitated so much. But Qing Wan had been living there since the age of six¡ªnearly eleven years now. She must have a deep attachment to the sect. To her, the Tianxuan Sect was like a second home. If the sect were destroyed, and Xu Ming played a part in its downfall, how would she feel about him? ¡°Xu Ming, I know what you¡¯re hesitating about.¡± Seeing him with his head bowed, frowning, Mo Zhuer clicked her tongue in irritation. She didn¡¯t even bother calling him ¡°Young Master¡± this time. ¡°Is that childhood sweetheart of yours really so important to you? I¡¯m not asking for her life. Wherever she is, she can still cultivate. If the Tianxuan Sect is gone, she can simply join another sect. ¡°And now, you¡¯re hesitating just because of how she might feel? ¡°Have you considered whether you can truly stop Xia He on your own?¡± As she spoke, Mo Zhuer rose from her seat, moving to stand beside Xu Ming. The soft curves of her chest pressed against his back, the elasticity of her figure unmistakable. ¡°Xu Ming, you can¡¯t do it. You need me. Without me, you won¡¯t be able to obtain the Tianxuan Mirror, and you might not even be able to protect that childhood sweetheart of yours.¡± Her cheek brushed against his, and her delicate, fair hands slipped under the collar of his robes, slowly trailing downward. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you really willing to watch your childhood sweetheart die right in front of you?¡± As soon as she finished speaking, Xu Ming firmly grabbed her wandering hands. ¡°Think it over carefully,¡± Mo Zhuer whispered, biting his ear softly. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll give me a satisfactory answer. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°And besides¡­¡± Her tone turned playful. ¡°It¡¯s time for cultivation, isn¡¯t it? You wouldn¡¯t want your spiritual energy and martial qi clashing during a future battle, would you?¡± Mo Zhuer released a faint trace of her spiritual energy. Since she and Xu Ming had dual cultivated twice, their spiritual energies were already connected. Adding to this was the irresistible allure of her Luo Shen Physique, especially for a man like Xu Ming, who had already tasted its pleasures. Xu Ming¡¯s defenses began to crumble, his breathing growing heavier. He was fully aware that Mo Zhuer was influencing him again. But he also realized he was powerless to resist his own desires. Compared to the first and second times, he succumbed even faster this time. It was as if a voice in Xu Ming¡¯s mind kept whispering over and over: ¡°You¡¯ve already done it twice, what difference does a third time make?¡± ¡°Cultivating with her is entirely to better deal with Xia He, not because of your own desires.¡± ¡°You¡¯re doing this for Qing Wan.¡± When the final voice faded, all rationality disappeared completely. Xu Ming grabbed Mo Zhuer by the wrist and yanked her over. Losing her balance, she fell onto his lap. Perhaps it was the simmering frustration Xu Ming had always felt toward her, but now that he had lost control, it seemed he was venting it all at once. The sound of fabric tearing echoed through the courtyard. Shredded pieces of clothing fell to the ground, revealing Mo Zhuer¡¯s snow-white legs. Mo Zhuer bit her lower lip tightly and tilted her head back. For the next half hour, the courtyard was filled with tension. When it was over, Mo Zhuer retrieved a fresh set of clothes from her storage pouch and dressed herself again. Regaining his senses, Xu Ming looked at the mess around him¡ªthe scattered remnants of clothing on the ground, the overturned teacup on the table, the liquid pooled beneath it. He wasn¡¯t even sure if it was tea anymore. Though his spiritual energy and martial qi felt thoroughly refreshed, his head throbbed with discomfort. This time, he had fallen faster and harder. His resistance to Mo Zhuer was growing weaker. This wasn¡¯t just bad¡ªit was dangerous. Xu Ming even began to suspect that, one day, she might completely take control of him. ¡°I¡¯m leaving now~¡± Mo Zhuer said with a smile, her gaze lingering on Xu Ming. ¡°I¡¯m very satisfied with your performance today. Don¡¯t worry¡ªI¡¯ll find the second volume of the Great Path of Hehuan soon. Then, we can ascend the path to greatness together.¡± As she leaned in to kiss him on the cheek, Xu Ming dodged. She didn¡¯t seem to mind, letting out two soft hums of amusement. Gathering up her formation flags, she turned and left the courtyard. It wasn¡¯t until she was out of sight that Mo Zhuer¡¯s composure faltered. Her legs buckled, and she gritted her teeth, leaning against a nearby tree for support. Her cheeks flushed crimson. ¡°Did I make him angry? He was so rough this time¡­¡± Her fingers dug into the tree bark, and she whispered through clenched teeth, ¡°Qin Qing Wan¡­¡± Mo Zhuer¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Hmph! I¡¯d like to see what¡¯s so special about this woman that he can¡¯t stop thinking about her!¡± Chapter 245 [Host killed a Giant Tiger Beast: Qi Force +150, Martial Energy +30, Agility +40.] [Host killed the Nine Sun Mountain Deer, Rock-Skinned Snake, and Skull-Horned Sheep: Blood Energy +80, Beast Battle Experience +60, Sword Qi +60, Sword Intent +50, Speed +60.] [Host learned Divine Step, Overlord Spear, Tranquil Heart Mantra, and Heaven-Splitting Sword. In the midst of life-and-death crises, mastered a total of 15 techniques: Technique Talent +300, Sword Qi +200, Sword Intent +200, and acquired Sword Heart ¨C Clear Heart Sword.] [Clear Heart Sword: When engaging in sword combat, upon entering the Dao, it enhances your Sword Qi and Sword Intent, allowing you to forget yourself and completely immerse in your Sword Domain for the duration of one incense stick (consumes no spiritual energy or stamina).] In the courtyard, Xu Ming, with his eyes closed, was digesting the spiritual energy boost from his recent dual cultivation session with Mo Zhuer. Soon after, as the system¡¯s voice rang out, Xu Ming felt a warm current flow through his body, bringing immense comfort. Xu Ming could clearly feel that his spiritual energy, martial true qi, and various aspects of his cultivation had advanced by a level. He even sensed that his Sea Observation Realm was on the verge of breaking through. However, Xu Ming ultimately restrained himself. Breaking through from the Sea Observation Realm to the Dragon Gate Realm was no simple matter. A cultivator needed to face their first heavenly tribulation. Though Xu Ming had already experienced a tribulation once in the Baiwa Secret Realm, this time would be different. The quality of the tribulation in the Sea Observation Realm would, to a certain extent, determine the quality of one¡¯s Dragon Gate Realm. And the quality of the Dragon Gate Realm would greatly impact one¡¯s future path. Moreover, who knew if this tribulation would turn out to be another bizarre one? Xu Ming had to be fully prepared. He slowly opened his eyes and exhaled deeply. Images of the dual cultivation session with Mo Zhuer an hour earlier involuntarily surfaced in Xu Ming¡¯s mind. Xu Ming had to admit that Mo Zhuer was indeed a born enchantress. Although she was the only one he had ever had such deep interaction with, leaving him with no basis for comparison, Xu Ming felt that there couldn¡¯t be many women in this world who could bring a man such immense satisfaction as she did. ¡°I can¡¯t let this happen again!¡± Shaking his head, Xu Ming murmured to himself. He was sinking deeper and deeper into her allure. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Great Path of Hehuan dual cultivation method was becoming increasingly tempting to him. If this continued, Xu Ming genuinely feared he might become controlled by Mo Zhuer¡ªor worse, reach a point where he couldn¡¯t live without her. In other words, he might develop an addiction. For now, Xu Ming decided it would be best to avoid Mo Zhuer. If they did accidentally come into contact again, he might try using the Tranquil Heart Mantra, which Zhou Wanfeng had taught him. Taking a deep breath, Xu Ming stood up and headed out of the courtyard. He had already spent two days at Sanshi Peak. By now, they shouldn¡¯t be too worried about him. It was a good time to check on how the two of them were getting along. Plus, he needed to share what he had experienced with Wu Yanhan and prepare her for what was to come. ¡ª At the same time, in Wu Yanhan¡¯s courtyard, she and Shen Shengsheng were having a meal together. Watching Shen Shengsheng bury herself in her food, Wu Yanhan had just begun to realize over the past two days how much Shen Shengsheng could eat. Despite her petite stomach and slender figure, Shen Shengsheng¡¯s appetite was nearly double that of Xu Ming¡¯s. ¡°After we finish eating, let¡¯s practice Slow Fist for a while. It¡¯ll help with digestion,¡± Wu Yanhan said to Shen Shengsheng. When Xu Ming had first entrusted Shen Shengsheng to her, Wu Yanhan genuinely had no idea how to handle this little girl. Unexpectedly, Shen Shengsheng had been practicing punches alongside her. Punch training was grueling work, and Wu Yanhan didn¡¯t think Shen Shengsheng could stick with it. She assumed the girl was only tagging along out of curiosity, and once that wore off, she¡¯d give up. But to Wu Yanhan¡¯s surprise, Shen Shengsheng had persevered over the past two days without a single complaint. Not only that, Wu Yanhan noticed Shen Shengsheng had a natural talent for martial arts. She truly was an exceptional prospect for training. Especially with her magical beast bloodline, which made her blood energy naturally dominant and her strength extraordinary. Practicing punches significantly boosted her martial energy. Because of her magical beast lineage, Shen Shengsheng didn¡¯t even need to cultivate like others. Her lifespan was likely to exceed a thousand years. If her bloodline was strong enough, living tens of thousands of years wasn¡¯t out of the question. ¡°A long enough lifespan, perfectly suited for practicing powerful martial techniques. Could it be that this is what a martial artist should truly be like?¡± A strange thought crossed Wu Yanhan¡¯s mind, but she quickly shook her head and chuckled, finding it a little amusing. Shen Shengsheng was just an exception, after all. In this world, all sorts of extraordinary beings existed. It was only natural to encounter the unusual. The path of cultivation had countless variations. Who was to say that martial artists had only one way forward? Everyone had their own martial path. The martial path of humanity wasn¡¯t a dead end¡ªit could always find a way forward. Meanwhile, Shen Shengsheng, sitting nearby, sped up her eating upon hearing about the training. After shoving the last bite into her mouth, she jumped off her little chair, cheeks puffed out as she chewed, a single grain of rice stuck at the corner of her mouth. ¡°All done?¡± Wu Yanhan asked. Shen Shengsheng nodded vigorously, swallowing her food with a loud gulp. ¡°All done!¡± ¡°In such a rush to practice punches, huh?¡± Wu Yanhan smiled faintly. ¡°Punch training!¡± Shen Shengsheng nodded again, her eyes sparkling as she looked at her elder sister figure. She thought Wu Yanhan¡¯s smile was truly beautiful, even though she rarely smiled and had never smiled at Brother Xu. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s begin.¡± With such an eager student, how could Wu Yanhan, as the ¡°master,¡± slack off? ¡°Today, I¡¯ll teach you a technique called Formation-Breaking Fist. When you face cultivators, you¡¯ll often encounter all kinds of formations. That¡¯s where this technique comes in handy. Watch closely¡ªI¡¯ll demonstrate it first.¡± Wu Yanhan steadied her stance, planting her feet firmly and raising her fists into position. As she threw a punch, the protective formation of the courtyard trembled visibly. Shen Shengsheng watched intently, her bright eyes sparkling as she began mimicking the movements. Just as Xu Ming reached the edge of a small hill not far from Wu Yanhan¡¯s courtyard, he felt the force of the punches carried by the wind. Walking to the top of the hill, Xu Ming saw the scene of one tall figure and one small figure practicing punches in the courtyard. He took a step forward but stopped, instead sitting down on a nearby rock. His gaze softened as he simply sat there, quietly watching. This¡­ was nice. Chapter 246 Xu Ming sat on the stone, quietly watching the two of them practice their punches without disturbing them. Wu Yanhan¡¯s punches were precise and powerful, exuding a heroic aura with each strike. Coupled with her graceful figure, her movements blended with the technique in a way that carried a unique beauty. Shen Shengsheng¡¯s punches, on the other hand, were a bit clumsy, but it wasn¡¯t a big deal. After all, she was just starting out and had no prior foundation in martial arts. Even so, Shen Shengsheng was doing her best to mimic Sister Yanhan¡¯s form, trying to achieve the same precision. This mix of clumsiness and effort was oddly endearing. Xu Ming felt he could sit there and watch them all day. As Wu Yanhan turned mid-punch, her gaze happened to fall in Xu Ming¡¯s direction. At the same time, Shen Shengsheng also noticed him. ¡°Brother Xu~!¡± Shen Shengsheng spread her arms wide and happily ran toward Xu Ming. Wu Yanhan stopped her punching stance, brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, and looked at Xu Ming with her usual calm expression. Following Shen Shengsheng, she walked toward him at a leisurely pace. Xu Ming squatted down, opening his arms. Shen Shengsheng immediately dove into his embrace. ¡°Have you been listening to Sister Yanhan these past two days?¡± Xu Ming asked with a smile. ¡°Mm-hmm, I¡¯ve been very good,¡± Shen Shengsheng nodded vigorously. ¡°Is that so? Good girl.¡± Xu Ming gently patted her little head. Shen Shengsheng lifted her head slightly, pressing it against Xu Ming¡¯s palm, her eyes narrowing with joy. ¡°You¡¯re back?¡± Wu Yanhan walked up to Xu Ming. Xu Ming smiled at her. ¡°Sorry for making you worry.¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± Wu Yanhan turned her head to the side. ¡°Whether you¡¯re alive or dead has nothing to do with me. I was just worried Shen Shengsheng would be upset.¡± ¡°Of course, of course,¡± Xu Ming replied with a smile, unfazed by her little display of arrogance. ¡°Would you like to come in and sit?¡± Wu Yanhan asked. ¡°Sure.¡± Xu Ming nodded. ¡°I actually have something to discuss with you.¡± ¡°Then come in.¡± Wu Yanhan turned and walked back into the courtyard. She tidied up the leftover food containers, boiled a pot of water, and brewed tea for Xu Ming. Shen Shengsheng, knowing Brother Xu and Sister Yanhan had something to discuss, didn¡¯t cling to him. Instead, she ran to the flower bed in the courtyard to watch ants. ¡°So, where did you go? You can tell me now, can¡¯t you?¡± Wu Yanhan poured a cup of tea and pushed it toward Xu Ming. Xu Ming: ¡°Sanshi (Three Stone) Peak.¡± Wu Yanhan: ¡°Sanshi Peak?¡± Xu Ming nodded. ¡°It¡¯s within Tianxuan Sect. That mountain has three massive stones at its summit, which is how it got its name. When Mo Zhuer sought me out, she told me the Tianxuan Sect Master, Xia He, was planning to perform a blood sacrifice involving half of the sect¡¯s disciples and all the guests.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Wu Yanhan frowned deeply. ¡°How could that be possible?¡± ¡°At first, I thought the same. It seemed absurd. But Mo Zhuer gave me a stone and told me to go to Sanshi Peak myself. She said that if I went there, I¡¯d understand everything. Given how serious the matter was, I had to see for myself. What if what she said was true?¡± Xu Ming trailed off, shaking his head. ¡°Did you verify it? Is it true or not?¡± Wu Yanhan asked. Xu Ming raised his head, looking directly into Wu Yanhan¡¯s eyes. ¡°If I told you it¡¯s true, would you believe me?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Wu Yanhan answered without hesitation. Xu Ming smiled. ¡°You believe me that easily?¡± Wu Yanhan: ¡°Because it¡¯s you. If you say it, I¡¯ll believe it.¡± Xu Ming: ¡°¡­¡± Wu Yanhan quickly realized that her words seemed ambiguous, almost like confessing her feelings to Xu Ming. She hurried to clarify, ¡°What I meant is, you¡¯re not a fool. On the contrary, back when we went on missions together, you were always the one who thought things through the most. So I trust your judgment.¡± Xu Ming nodded. ¡°Then it¡¯s true. What I¡¯m about to tell you next¡ªdon¡¯t share it with anyone else. When I entered Sanshi Peak¡­¡± Xu Ming recounted everything he experienced at Sanshi Peak in detail, including the astonishing revelation that his body stored a vast amount of spiritual energy, enough to allow him to break through to the Jade Purity Realm in a short time. Listening to Xu Ming, Wu Yanhan found it all unbelievable. If anyone else had told her such things, she wouldn¡¯t have believed it¡ªbecause it was too outlandish. But it was Xu Ming. And when it came to Xu Ming, Wu Yanhan trusted him almost unconditionally. ¡°To think the leader of one of the Five Great Sects would be so deranged! How is this any different from the Demonic Path?¡± Wu Yanhan¡¯s voice was icy, laced with anger, after Xu Ming finished. Xu Ming chuckled. ¡°In this world, there¡¯s only a thin line between becoming a Buddha or a demon. To advance their cultivation, some people are willing to pay any price, sacrifice everything. People like that aren¡¯t uncommon.¡± Wu Yanhan looked at Xu Ming. ¡°Will you become one of those people?¡± Xu Ming: ¡°If I ever do, I hope you¡¯ll kill me with your own hands.¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± Wu Yanhan turned her head. ¡°If that day comes, I¡¯ll just punch you awake!¡± Xu Ming smiled faintly, saying nothing more. ¡°So, what do you want me to do to help you?¡± Wu Yanhan asked. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Help me?¡± Xu Ming was surprised. Wu Yanhan shot him a glare. ¡°You¡¯re planning to seize the Tianxuan Mirror and attack it to the Sanshi Peak, aren¡¯t you?¡± Xu Ming shook his head. ¡°Telling you all this wasn¡¯t to ask for your help. Yanhan, I wanted you to understand how serious this situation is and find a chance to leave. Xia He won¡¯t make his move until the Zixia Grand Ceremony. If you leave now with a reasonable excuse, he won¡¯t stop you. The last thing he wants right now is to raise suspicion. As for Shengsheng, I¡¯m counting on you to take care of her.¡± ¡°You¡¯re underestimating me,¡± Wu Yanhan said, clearly displeased. ¡°Uh?¡± Xu Ming was caught off guard. ¡°You want me to leave because you think I¡¯m a burden, don¡¯t you?¡± Wu Yanhan¡¯s tone turned cold. Xu Ming chuckled and shook his head. ¡°Not at all.¡± ¡°Then what?¡± Wu Yanhan demanded. ¡°It¡¯s because I care about you.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Wu Yanhan froze, a faint blush spreading across her cheeks. ¡°W-what nonsense are you talking about!¡± Wu Yanhan was so flustered she wanted to punch him. How could he say something so cheesy! Xu Ming, oblivious to her embarrassment, sighed and continued, ¡°I¡¯m not a good person. I just want the people I care about to stay safe. That¡¯s why I want you to leave.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Wu Yanhan took a sip of tea, trying to hide the redness on her face. ¡°I¡¯ll arrange for trusted people to take Shengsheng away, but I¡¯m not leaving.¡± Xu Ming sighed in exasperation. ¡°When it comes to a battle between cultivators at the Upper Five Realms, you really won¡¯t be able to help much.¡± ¡°So what?¡± Wu Yanhan smirked. ¡°When we were kids, I stood by your side. Now that we¡¯ve grown up, it¡¯s still the same.¡± Chapter 247 Xu Ming held Shen Shengsheng¡¯s small hand as they walked back to the courtyard. Shengsheng¡¯s little feet hopped with every step, looking utterly adorable. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Seeing Shengsheng¡¯s cheerful expression, Xu Ming couldn¡¯t help but smile. He hoped that Shengsheng would grow up carefree and happy, just like this. However, recalling his earlier conversation with Wu Yanhan, Xu Ming let out a soft sigh. Xu Ming truly wished that Yanhan would leave this place. It wasn¡¯t because Xu Ming looked down on Yanhan or thought of her as a burden. Rather, in the face of upper-five-realm cultivators, middle-five-realm cultivators were utterly insignificant. The gap in power was insurmountable, enough to make one despair. Yanhan¡¯s potential for future achievements was undoubtedly limitless. But for now, Yanhan needed to focus on giving herself more time to grow, instead of stubbornly charging ahead knowing the path was a dead end. Unfortunately, Yanhan was simply too headstrong. Once she set her mind on something, there was no convincing her otherwise. She¡¯d been this way since they were children¡ªalways like this. ¡°Brother Xu, frowning¡­ doesn¡¯t look good,¡± a soft, timid voice pulled Xu Ming out of his thoughts. Shengsheng tugged gently at Xu Ming¡¯s sleeve, looking up at him hesitantly. Xu Ming snapped back to the present and picked Shengsheng up in his arms. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just thinking about something.¡± He shifted the topic with a smile, ¡°What has Sister Yanhan been teaching you lately?¡± ¡°Boxing!¡± Shengsheng said happily. ¡°Boxing, huh,¡± Xu Ming¡¯s lips curled into a smile. ¡°Is it the set of punches you were practicing with Sister Yanhan in the courtyard earlier?¡± The boxing technique Xu Ming had seen in the yard before was a basic form from the Blood Asura style, meant for laying a solid foundation. ¡°No, it¡¯s not that,¡± Shengsheng shook her little head. ¡°It¡¯s not? Then what boxing technique did Sister Yanhan teach you?¡± Xu Ming asked curiously. ¡°She taught me¡­ taught me¡­¡± Shengsheng frowned, her tiny brows knitting together. She couldn¡¯t remember the name of the boxing technique Yanhan had taught her. ¡°Why don¡¯t you show me instead, hmm?¡± Xu Ming suggested with a smile, his curiosity piqued about what Yanhan had taught Shengsheng. ¡°Okay, okay!¡± Shengsheng wriggled in Xu Ming¡¯s arms, and he put her down. She hopped onto the ground, planted her little feet into a horse stance, and began to punch. After just a few moves, Xu Ming immediately recognized it. Shengsheng was practicing none other than the Nine Dragons Azure Cloud Boxing. This boxing technique was the royal boxing style of Wu Kingdom. Only members of the royal family were allowed to practice it. The only exception was if someone had achieved great military merit, in which case they might be rewarded with this technique. Xu Ming was surprised to find that Yanhan had directly taught this to Shengsheng. Yanhan genuinely treated Shengsheng well¡ªshe truly regarded Shengsheng as her own younger sister. Of course, if Yanhan hadn¡¯t been sincerely devoted to Shengsheng, Xu Ming wouldn¡¯t have entrusted Shengsheng to her care. But what surprised Xu Ming even more was that Shengsheng seemed to have an incredible talent for boxing. At first, her moves were not entirely standard, and there was some clumsiness. But soon, Xu Ming noticed Shengsheng entering a mysterious, indescribable state of enlightenment. This kind of state usually required at least a Mercury Realm martial artist to achieve. But Shengsheng hadn¡¯t even formally started as a martial artist yet. Could it be that Shengsheng was truly a genius? ¡°Roar¡ªhoo!¡± After completing a small set of moves, Shengsheng closed her stance, her performance looking impressively proper for her age. ¡°Brother Xu, d-did I do well?¡± Shengsheng asked excitedly, her tiny eyes brimming with anticipation as she awaited her brother¡¯s praise. ¡°Yes, you did wonderfully,¡± Xu Ming crouched down and patted her little head. ¡°Shengsheng is actually very talented. I believe that as long as you keep practicing, you¡¯ll surpass Brother Xu one day.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Shengsheng¡¯s eyes sparkled brightly. ¡°Of course.¡± Xu Ming gently pinched Shengsheng¡¯s nose. ¡°But Shengsheng, why do you want to learn boxing? Practicing boxing is very tough, you know.¡± Shen Shengsheng shook her head and said, ¡°B-because Sister Yanhan said¡­ if I learn boxing well, I can¡­ I can always stay by Brother Xu¡¯s side and protect him.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Hearing Shengsheng¡¯s answer, Xu Ming¡¯s hand froze slightly as he patted her head. A wave of warmth surged through his heart. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Shengsheng. You don¡¯t need to protect me¡ªI¡¯ll protect you,¡± Xu Ming said softly. ¡°No way!¡± Shengsheng crossed her little arms stubbornly, looking defiant. ¡°Shengsheng¡­ Shengsheng wants to protect Brother Xu. Shengsheng wants to always stay by Brother Xu¡¯s side!¡± ¡°Alright then.¡± Xu Ming stood up and took Shengsheng¡¯s hand, continuing their walk. ¡°Once Brother Xu has some free time, I¡¯ll teach Shengsheng how to practice boxing. I look forward to the day Shengsheng can protect me.¡± ¡°Mm-hmm!¡± Shengsheng hopped happily a few times. About the time it took for one incense stick to burn, Xu Ming returned to the courtyard with Shengsheng, only to see a woman standing at the entrance to his residence. ¡°Miss Yue,¡± Xu Ming stepped forward and greeted her with a bow. Seeing Xu Ming, Yue Lou breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Young Master Xu, you¡¯ve finally returned.¡± Xu Ming asked, ¡°What brings Miss Yue here? Is there an urgent matter?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not urgent, but it¡¯s good news.¡± Yue Lou smiled and said, ¡°Martial Aunt Qin has come out of seclusion.¡± ¡ª ¡°Boom!¡± Inside a cave at Sanshi Peak, a loud explosion rang out as Xia He flew out of the cave. Following closely behind Xia He was a whirlwind of sword qi fueled by spiritual power. Xia He turned around and formed a hand seal, driving his bronze longsword into the ground. An Eight Trigrams Formation spread outward from the longsword, quickly dissipating the storm of sword qi. Steadying himself at the cave¡¯s entrance, Xia He glared intently into the depths of the cave. Earlier, he had seen two people fleeing the cave but had no chance to pursue them. Xu Cang¡¯s sword qi had intercepted him directly. It wasn¡¯t until now that Xia He finally emerged from the cave. ¡°Why leave so soon? Won¡¯t you stay and exchange a few more moves with this old man? Weren¡¯t you so eager to meet me before? Why leave in such a hurry now?¡± An elderly voice echoed from within the cave. ¡°Hmph! You old relic, let¡¯s see how smug you are in a few days!¡± Xia He snorted coldly, ignoring the provocation, and turned to leave. Now that Xu Cang¡¯s seal was broken, Xia He had no way of dealing with him. But so what? Xu Cang wasn¡¯t getting off Sanshi Peak either. He would eventually become the stepping stone for Xia He¡¯s ascension to the Ascension Realm. As for the two cultivators who escaped, Xia He would find them, but they weren¡¯t a priority right now. In five days, the Zixia Grand Ceremony would commence. He refused to believe that anything significant could happen in just five days! Five days! Just five more days, and all those old geezers like Xu Cang would be dead! Then, Xia He would ascend to the Ascension Realm. By that time, no one would be able to stop him! Chapter 248 ¡°This is the entrance to the Wanhua (Valley of Ten Thousand Flowers), Young Master Xu. You can head in directly,¡± Yue Lou said as she brought Xu Ming to the valley¡¯s entrance. ¡°Martial Aunt Qin is waiting for you inside.¡± Xu Ming nodded. ¡°Alright, I understand. Thank you, Miss Yue. But aren¡¯t you coming in with me?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need,¡± Yue Lou shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ve already seen Martial Aunt, and she¡¯s doing well. Besides, the moment she woke up, the first thing she asked was whether you¡¯d arrived. She¡¯s been longing to see you. If I went along, wouldn¡¯t I just be interrupting?¡± ¡°But speaking of which,¡± Yue Lou looked at Xu Ming with curiosity, ¡°what exactly is your relationship with our Martial Aunt Qin?¡± Xu Ming smiled. ¡°We¡¯re just childhood friends.¡± S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Just ordinary childhood friends?¡± Yue Lou¡¯s gaze was skeptical as she eyed Xu Ming. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Xu Ming nodded. For now, their relationship truly was no more than childhood friends. ¡°Alright then,¡± Yue Lou replied, a bit disappointed that she hadn¡¯t gotten the answer she wanted. Still, she didn¡¯t believe Xu Ming¡¯s words. What kind of ¡°ordinary childhood friends¡± would risk their life for the other, taking on nearly half the young talents of Tianxuan Sect alone? And what kind of ¡°ordinary childhood friends¡± would ask about the other person the moment they came out of seclusion? But since neither of them was willing to spill the truth, there wasn¡¯t much Yue Lou could do. When she¡¯d asked Qin Qingwan earlier, she had also insisted they were just childhood friends. ¡°Alright, you should go in. The ceremony is approaching, and I still have a lot to take care of.¡± With that, Yue Lou waved her hand and flew off, not saying anything further. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Xu Ming said to Shen Shengsheng beside him with a smile. ¡°Mm-hmm,¡± Shengsheng nodded and followed her elder brother into the narrow passage. The entrance was small, barely wide enough for one person to pass through. But after walking a few dozen steps, while it didn¡¯t open up entirely, it was spacious enough for two people to walk side by side. Before they even reached the end of the passage, a floral fragrance wafted toward them. A bright light appeared before Xu Ming and Shengsheng. ¡°Wow!¡± As the two stepped out of the passage, they were greeted by a sea of flowers covering a small plain. Shengsheng¡¯s eyes lit up with amazement. Being a little girl, Shengsheng naturally loved flowers. And this was an entire sea of them¡ªwho wouldn¡¯t? Reds, whites, yellows¡ªflowers of all kinds bloomed in a dazzling array of colors. The hues blended together, and when the wind blew, the flowers bent and swayed like waves rippling across the field. In the midst of this floral ocean stood a young girl of sixteen or seventeen, tall and graceful. The breeze carried the scent of flowers and scattered petals around her. Her flowing dress clung to her figure, accentuating her elegance. ¡°Big Sister Qingwan!¡± The moment Shengsheng spotted Qingwan, her large eyes lit up, and she opened her arms wide, running toward her. Seeing Shengsheng¡¯s joyful expression, Xu Ming couldn¡¯t help but shake his head. This little girl was perfectly fluent when calling out Qingwan¡¯s name¡ªno hint of her usual stutter. It was clear Shengsheng genuinely adored Qingwan. Hearing the voice, Qin Qingwan turned her head and saw Shengsheng running toward her. A smile spread across Qingwan¡¯s face as she ran forward and scooped Shengsheng up, their faces pressing together. ¡°Shengsheng looks like you¡¯ve grown taller~ and even cuter too~¡± Shengsheng squirmed a little as Qingwan nuzzled her, giggling, ¡°Big Sister Qingwan¡­ is¡­ is even prettier now!¡± ¡°Thank you, Shengsheng~¡± Qin Qingwan planted a light kiss on Shengsheng¡¯s cheek. As Xu Ming walked up to her, he smiled and said, ¡°You¡¯re looking quite well.¡± ¡°Of course I am,¡± Qingwan replied, her eyes curving into crescents as she gazed warmly at him. ¡°Huh?¡± The young girl let out a soft gasp. Xu Ming asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Qin Qingwan gently set Shengsheng down and stepped closer to Xu Ming, hands clasped behind her back. She leaned slightly forward, tilting her head up to study him. ¡°Hmm, it feels like your sword energy has grown even sharper, your sword intent deeper, and your martial aura more robust. ¡°Before, your martial energy and spiritual power felt chaotic, like they were clashing against each other. I wasn¡¯t sure why at the time, so I consulted my master. ¡°Master said it was because you¡¯re practicing dual cultivation of martial and spiritual techniques, and the conflict between the two was causing the imbalance. I¡¯d even planned to help you find a solution. But now it seems you¡¯ve already resolved it?¡± Xu Ming hadn¡¯t expected her to be so observant. ¡°Thank you, but there¡¯s no need. I¡¯ve found a temporary solution myself.¡± Xu Ming decided not to delve deeper into this topic¡ªit wasn¡¯t something he could explain easily. ¡°Really? You don¡¯t need my help anymore?¡± Qingwan asked. ¡°No need,¡± Xu Ming replied, shaking his head. He thought to himself, Even if you wanted to help, this isn¡¯t something you could do for me. ¡°Alright then,¡± Qingwan straightened her back. ¡°But¡­ why do you have a faint scent of a woman on you?¡± Xu Ming¡¯s heart instinctively skipped a beat, and he replied a little too quickly, ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because I just came from Yanhan¡¯s courtyard.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Qin Qingwan narrowed her eyes slightly, her expression unreadable. ¡°Yanhan? You mean Wu Yanhan, the princess of the Wu Kingdom? It seems like your relationship with her is pretty close¡ªyou can visit her courtyard freely and even call her by name.¡± Xu Ming said seriously, ¡°Yanhan and I are open and aboveboard.¡± ¡°¡­¡± As Xu Ming finished speaking, silence hung between them. Standing off to the side, Shengsheng didn¡¯t fully understand what was happening, but her instincts told her she should quietly slip away. Something about the atmosphere between her Brother Xu and Sister Qingwan seemed¡­ off. Three breaths later, Qin Qingwan chuckled softly, her laughter crisp like silver bells. ¡°I was just teasing you. Look how nervous you are.¡± She blinked mischievously. ¡°I believe you. I trust that you and the princess are completely innocent. Otherwise, wouldn¡¯t you have agreed to marry her back then? Besides, I¡¯m actually quite happy.¡± Xu Ming raised an eyebrow. ¡°Happy?¡± Qin Qingwan nodded. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m happy because you got nervous just now. And why would you be nervous unless¡­ I mean something to you?¡± ¡°You little rascal,¡± Xu Ming said, flicking her forehead lightly. ¡°We¡¯ve just met, and you¡¯re already playing tricks on me.¡± ¡°Bleh!¡± Qingwan stuck out her tongue playfully. ¡°Come on, let me show you something nice.¡± Qingwan naturally reached out to take Xu Ming¡¯s hand. Xu Ming tightened his grip on her hand. Qin Qingwan¡¯s cheeks flushed slightly, but she didn¡¯t let go; instead, she gave his hand a gentle squeeze in return. Just then, a flower suddenly uprooted itself from the ground. Using its roots as feet, it scurried over to Qingwan and stopped in front of her. ¡°Qingwan, Qingwan, there¡¯s a visitor!¡± ¡°A visitor?¡± Qingwan turned to the flower. The spirit flower nodded. ¡°Yes, there¡¯s someone at the entrance to the valley. She says her name is Mo Zhuer.¡± Chapter 249 ¡°Mo Zhuer?¡± Hearing the name spoken by this spirit flower, Qin Qingwan froze for a moment. Who is Mo Zhuer? Could she be a disciple of the Tianxuan Sect? But she had never heard of such a person. Or perhaps she was a guest from outside? Qin Qingwan looked at Xu Ming and asked, ¡°Xu Ming, do you know this person?¡± Xu Ming¡¯s mind raced furiously, even though only a breath of time had passed. But to Xu Ming, it felt like an entire century had gone by. ¡°I do,¡± Xu Ming nodded. Although his expression remained calm, his heart was already a raging sea. ¡°Mo Zhuer is the Saintess of the Black Lotus Sect. Previously, she was hunting me down, but for certain reasons, we ended up cooperating to kill a Saint Son of the Black Lotus Sect and the sect leader of the Hehuan Sect.¡± ¡°The Saintess of the Black Lotus Sect?¡± Qin Qingwan blinked, finally recalling something. Indeed, Mo Zhuer was listed on the Beauty Ranking, ranked tenth. Qin Qingwan quickly crouched down, gently patting the little spirit flower¡¯s head. She said to the flower, ¡°You can go now, but remember, you mustn¡¯t tell anyone about what happened here today. Otherwise, I¡¯ll use you to make soup. Understood?¡± ¡°Yes, yes, yes,¡± the spirit flower nodded quickly. ¡°I understand, Qingwan. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t tell anyone¡ªnot even other flowers or plants.¡± With that, the spirit flower pulled up its roots and toddled away. Qin Qingwan stood up, lightly brushing her skirt, her delicate brows slightly furrowed. ¡°Our Tianxuan Sect¡¯s Zixia Grand Ceremony has never invited demonic sect disciples. In fact, whenever we encounter disciples from demonic sects, we kill them without exception. Yet this Saintess of the Black Lotus Sect not only came but openly revealed her name instead of hiding it. This woman is truly intriguing.¡± As she spoke, Qin Qingwan smiled at Xu Ming. ¡°You¡¯ve interacted with her before. What do you think her intentions are?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Xu Ming shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ve only had limited contact with her, and our relationship isn¡¯t good. Whatever interactions we had were purely interest-driven.¡± ¡°I see~¡± Qin Qingwan¡¯s eyes curved slightly, though she couldn¡¯t help but feel Xu Ming was intentionally distancing himself from the matter, as if there was something he didn¡¯t want her to know. ¡°Well, a guest is a guest. Since she came, it wouldn¡¯t be right not to show hospitality.¡± With a flick of her finger, the floating petals in the air began to gather, eventually forming a small dove that flew gracefully toward the entrance of the valley. Outside the valley, Mo Zhuer, dressed in a black dress, was waiting patiently. When she saw a dove formed of flower petals flying toward her, Mo Zhuer lightly tapped it with her finger, and the dove scattered, forming the delicate words ¡°Please come in, Miss¡± in the air. Mo Zhuer stepped forward, entering the narrow passage leading into the valley. When Mo Zhuer arrived at the flower-filled valley, she saw a man and a woman standing at its center. The woman was, of course, the owner of the valley¡ªQin Qingwan. As for the man¡­ Mo Zhuer studied him carefully, and her lips curved upward slightly. She felt her trip here wasn¡¯t in vain¡ªthis was going to be interesting. ¡°Mo Zhuer of the Black Lotus Sect greets Fairy Qin and greets Young Master Xu,¡± Mo Zhuer said as she approached the two, bowing slightly. ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so formal, Miss Mo. Just call me Qingwan,¡± Qin Qingwan replied, returning the bow. ¡°Greetings, Miss Mo,¡± Xu Ming said with a cold, detached tone, deliberately maintaining an air of distance. Mo Zhuer naturally sensed Xu Ming¡¯s deliberate effort to keep his distance, which left her feeling displeased. But she didn¡¯t let it show. Instead, she carefully observed the woman before her. There was no doubt¡ªthis woman, ranked among the top ten on the Beauty Ranking alongside herself, truly lived up to her reputation. Qin Qingwan was stunning. Her beauty was a blend of sweetness and allure, with a touch of elegance and refinement, giving off the impression of a well-bred young lady. Seeing Qin Qingwan and Mo Zhuer standing together, Xu Ming couldn¡¯t help but feel an odd sensation. It was as if his lover had encountered his legitimate wife. But the problem was, Mo Zhuer wasn¡¯t his lover, and Qin Qingwan wasn¡¯t yet his wife. Strictly speaking, even though Qin Qingwan had come into his life first, Mo Zhuer was the one who had shared a deeper connection with him first. To be honest, Xu Ming already felt an urge to leave. But he worried that if he left, Mo Zhuer might say something strange to Qin Qingwan. At least by staying here, he could keep an eye on her. ¡°I¡¯ve long heard of Miss Qin¡¯s illustrious name,¡± Mo Zhuer said politely, her tone consistently courteous. ¡°After arriving at the Tianxuan Sect, I¡¯ve always wanted to visit, but unfortunately, I heard you were in seclusion. Today, by chance, I learned that you had emerged, so I came immediately. If my visit is abrupt, I hope Miss Qin will forgive me.¡± If not for Mo Zhuer¡¯s somewhat ¡°immodest¡± attire¡ªher skirt barely reached her knees, exposing a portion of her thighs, and her feet were bare, showing her delicate ankles¡ªQin Qingwan might not have thought of her as a demoness. Then again, Mo Zhuer¡¯s short skirt was a traditional outfit of the Western Regions, known for their openness. Given that she was from the Western Regions, her appearance was not particularly unusual. ¡°Miss Mo, there¡¯s really no need for such courtesy,¡± Qin Qingwan said with a gentle smile. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She formed a hand seal, channeling her spiritual energy. In the next moment, the flowers and grass on the ground began to grow rapidly, with vines bursting forth from the soil, intertwining and forming shapes. In less than three breaths¡¯ time, the vines and flowers had coalesced into a table and chairs. ¡°Please, have a seat,¡± Qin Qingwan said, gesturing with a graceful hand. She and Mo Zhuer sat across from each other, while Xu Ming casually chose a spot off to the side. From her storage pouch, Qin Qingwan retrieved a tea set, spiritual tea leaves, and a water vessel filled with spiritual spring water. ¡°Speaking of which, I didn¡¯t expect to see Young Master Xu here,¡± Mo Zhuer said, turning her gaze to Xu Ming with a soft smile. Before Xu Ming could respond, Qin Qingwan interjected on his behalf, explaining with a smile, ¡°Xu Ming and I have known each other since childhood. We grew up together. When I came out of seclusion, a senior sister told me that Xu Ming was here, so I immediately asked her to invite him over.¡± ¡°Ah, I see,¡± Mo Zhuer replied with a faint smile, taking a sip of tea. ¡°That reminds me of that night when Young Master Xu told me he was heading to the Tianxuan Sect. I didn¡¯t expect that the person he was coming to see was you, Miss Qin.¡± ¡°That night?¡± Qin Qingwan turned to look at Xu Ming, her smile deepening. ¡°So, Xu Ming, you and Miss Mo spent a night together?¡± Chapter 250 ¡°So, Xu Ming, you even spent a night with Miss Mo?¡± Qin Qingwan smiled at Xu Ming, her expression looking very ¡°kind.¡± Xu Ming tactically took a sip of water. ¡°That night, we were being hunted by the sect leader of the Hehuan Sect and had to hide in a cave for the night.¡± ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Qin Qingwan lightly rolled up her sleeves and poured more tea for Xu Ming and Mo Zhuer. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She then waved toward Shen Shengsheng, who was still admiring the flowers in the distance. ¡°Shengsheng, do you want to join us for tea?¡± Shen Shengsheng glanced at Brother Xu, then at Sister Qingwan and that bad woman. She shook her head firmly. ¡°No¡­ no, Sister Qingwan. I¡¯ll¡­ I¡¯ll go play by myself.¡± With that, she quickly ran off. Shen Shengsheng¡¯s sixth sense told her that Brother Xu¡¯s surroundings were dangerous, and staying there might get her hurt. ¡°Shengsheng really is so well-behaved,¡± Qin Qingwan remarked, propping her chin on her hand as she watched the little girl run off. Her lips curved into a soft smile as she looked at Xu Ming. ¡°Seeing Shengsheng reminds me of when we were kids.¡± Xu Ming simply smiled without commenting. In truth, he really wanted to say, ¡°You weren¡¯t nearly as obedient as Shengsheng when we were kids.¡± ¡°So, how did you meet Shengsheng?¡± Xu Ming asked curiously, deliberately steering the conversation in a different direction. He had met Shengsheng when leaving the Baiwa Secret Realm, long after Qin Qingwan had returned to the sect. Logically speaking, Qin Qingwan shouldn¡¯t have had any prior connection with Shengsheng. In fact, when he had come to see Qin Qingwan this time, he had planned to introduce Shengsheng to her. But when they first met, Shengsheng had immediately opened her arms and ran straight into Qin Qingwan¡¯s embrace. It was clear their relationship was already very good. Qin Qingwan¡¯s cheeks flushed slightly, and a hint of apology appeared in her expression. ¡°That night, when you sent Shengsheng to Xuanyue City to seek help, I was actually staying at the City Lord¡¯s residence. The City Lord of Xuanyue City, Elder Hua, is my master¡¯s junior sister. When the guards brought Shengsheng to the City Lord¡¯s residence, I met her. When I heard Shengsheng say you were in danger and being hunted, I wanted to go help you. But my master had instructed the City Lord not to let me leave Xuanyue City for any reason. Instead, the City Lord asked Senior Sister Yue to go rescue you. Elder Hua¡ªthe City Lord¡ªwas so cautious that she didn¡¯t even tell Senior Sister Yue I was in the city, fearing she might leak the information. All along, Senior Sister thought I was still at the sect.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Xu Ming nodded, understanding. When Shengsheng had brought reinforcements to him back then, he hadn¡¯t thought too much about it. At the time, his mind had been in disarray¡ªparticularly after his intense interaction with Mo Zhuer inside the Yuanyang Cauldron. Since he hadn¡¯t asked, Shengsheng naturally had no reason to mention meeting Qin Qingwan. As for why the Xuanyue City Lord had prevented Qin Qingwan from seeing him, that was understandable. The karmic ties between him and Qin Qingwan ran deep. Moreover, Qin Qingwan¡¯s Dao Lotus had been removed, nearly harming her core. Elder Wangxuan was likely still furious about the situation. It was fortunate Elder Wangxuan hadn¡¯t simply washed her hands of him. ¡°So the reinforcements from Xuanyue City that night were all thanks to Miss Qin,¡± Mo Zhuer interjected with a faint smile. ¡°Miss Qin, you have my gratitude. Both Young Master Xu and I owe you a great debt.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Although Mo Zhuer¡¯s words weren¡¯t wrong, Qin Qingwan couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit uncomfortable. It almost felt as if Mo Zhuer¡¯s relationship with Xu Ming was even closer than her own. As an awkward silence fell over the tea table, Xu Ming¡¯s hand, which was holding his teacup, suddenly froze mid-air. He had clearly felt something under the table¡ªa soft, delicate foot slipping into his pant leg! The foot under the table grew increasingly bold, climbing steadily up Xu Ming¡¯s leg until it reached his thigh. Xu Ming glanced toward Mo Zhuer, who only responded with a playful smile. Her expression seemed to say, ¡°If you resist, I¡¯ll reveal the nature of our relationship. You wouldn¡¯t want your childhood sweetheart to know about the¡­ ¡®intimate exchange¡¯ we¡¯ve shared, would you?¡± ¡°Miss Mo, I assume your visit isn¡¯t purely for social reasons, is it? There must be something specific you wish to discuss,¡± Qin Qingwan asked Mo Zhuer, completely unaware of what was happening under the table. ¡°There is indeed something I¡¯d like to talk about,¡± Mo Zhuer nodded. ¡°In fact, I was worried Miss Qin might not believe me if I brought it up. Fortunately, Young Master Xu is here as well. If Young Master Xu speaks on the matter, I¡¯m sure Miss Qin will trust his words.¡± Qin Qingwan turned her gaze to Xu Ming. Xu Ming set down his teacup. ¡°I think I know why Mo Zhuer has come. Actually, aside from visiting you, Qingwan, I came here today to discuss this very matter with you.¡± As Xu Ming organized his thoughts, he addressed Mo Zhuer, ¡°You can head back now. I¡¯ll explain everything to Qingwan. There¡¯s no need for you to stay.¡± ¡°Alright then. Since that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll leave this to Young Master Xu and Miss Qin. I¡¯ll wait for your reply at your courtyard,¡± Mo Zhuer said with a knowing smile. Mo Zhuer understood she couldn¡¯t push her luck. After all, Xu Ming wasn¡¯t some docile lamb who could be easily manipulated. If she pushed him too far, he might retaliate¡ªand she needed him right now. Standing up, Mo Zhuer gave Qin Qingwan a slight bow. ¡°Miss Qin, I¡¯ll take my leave for now. I look forward to visiting again another day.¡± ¡°Take care, Miss Mo,¡± Qin Qingwan replied without any attempt to keep her. Truthfully, Qin Qingwan didn¡¯t particularly like Mo Zhuer. There was something about her that felt dangerous, as if being around her came with hidden risks. Mo Zhuer nodded and turned to leave. It wasn¡¯t until Mo Zhuer¡¯s figure disappeared entirely that Qin Qingwan visibly relaxed. She looked at Xu Ming with the playful expression of a little girl, her demeanor light and teasing. ¡°So, Xu Ming, what is it you wanted to tell me~?¡± Xu Ming carefully arranged his thoughts before beginning, ¡°Qingwan, what I¡¯m about to say might sound incredibly bizarre and even defy your understanding of the world, but I promise every word is true. Actually, the truth is¡ª¡± Before Xu Ming could finish, Qin Qingwan reached out, her delicate hand gently pressing against his lips to stop him. ¡°Xu Ming, I can tell what you¡¯re about to say is very serious, and I know it must be important. But before we dive into something so serious and heavy, I have something I want to show you first.¡± Chapter 251 Qin Qingwan held Xu Ming¡¯s hand and led him deeper into the sea of flowers. Before long, Xu Ming saw two small wooden cottages nestled closely together. He guessed that this was likely where Qin Qingwan and Wang Xuan lived. As they walked, Qin Qingwan suddenly stopped, turned around with her hands behind her back, and smiled at Xu Ming. ¡°Close your eyes.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Xu Ming responded, puzzled. Qin Qingwan pouted. ¡°Just close your eyes!¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Xu Ming complied and shut his eyes. Qin Qingwan stood on tiptoe and waved her hand in front of him. ¡°Can you see anything?¡± ¡°No,¡± Xu Ming replied. Qin Qingwan held up one finger in front of his face. ¡°How many fingers am I holding up?¡± ¡°I really can¡¯t see.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Still feeling a bit cautious, Qin Qingwan thought for a moment, then tore a strip of fabric from the inner lining of her clothing and tied it around Xu Ming¡¯s eyes. A faint, pleasant fragrance wafted into Xu Ming¡¯s nose, and the cloth still carried a hint of warmth. He couldn¡¯t help but think, Could this fabric have been in direct contact with her skin? ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go~¡± Satisfied with her added measure of ¡°insurance,¡± Qin Qingwan cheerfully continued leading Xu Ming forward. Feeling the softness of Qin Qingwan¡¯s delicate hands, Xu Ming unconsciously tightened his grip. Qin Qingwan adjusted her hand slightly, shifting their grip from a simple hold to fingers interlocked. ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± After walking for less than five breaths of time, Qin Qingwan stopped and spoke to Xu Ming. ¡°Can I take off the blindfold now?¡± Xu Ming asked with a smile, curious about what she was planning. Her antics reminded him of their childhood. Xu Ming recalled a time when she had prepared a surprise birthday gift for him, covering his eyes just like this. ¡°Of course! Let me help you.¡± Standing on tiptoe once more, Qin Qingwan gently removed the cloth covering Xu Ming¡¯s eyes. As he slowly opened them, the first thing he saw was a flower bed beneath him. The flower bed was filled with dozens of Blood Toras flowers, blooming vibrantly. They swayed in the wind, each one full of life and vitality. Qin Qingwan glanced at Xu Ming¡¯s profile and spoke softly, ¡°Do you remember what you said? You told me that when the Blood Toras blooms five times, you would come see me. ?¦¡£Î?B¦¥? ¡°So on my very first day at the Tianxuan Sect, I asked my master for some Blood Toras seeds and planted them in front of my house. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for the day when you would come, so I could gift this entire field of Blood Toras to you. ¡°Well? Do you like it?¡± ¡°I like it,¡± Xu Ming nodded, his emotions complex and indescribable. In this world, aside from his mother, there weren¡¯t many people who treated him with such genuine care. Turning to look at Qin Qingwan, Xu Ming spoke. ¡°Actually, I also have something for you. Last time in the Baiwa Secret Realm, things were too chaotic, and I never got the chance.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Qin Qingwan asked eagerly. ¡°It¡¯s just a little something I made myself,¡± Xu Ming said as he retrieved a wooden box from his storage pouch. Opening the box revealed a Deer Spirit hairpin, carved from golden-threaded Shenlong (Dragon) wood. The hairpin was simple, without any ornaments, decorated only with delicately carved tassel patterns. The most valuable aspect of the hairpin was the material itself, which, though rare, was only worth about ten mid-grade spirit stones. ¡°Did you carve this yourself?¡± Qin Qingwan took the hairpin, looking at it curiously from all angles. ¡°Um, I carved it myself. It¡¯s not very well-made and isn¡¯t valuable. How about this? I¡¯ll make you a better one next time,¡± Xu Ming said, feeling a bit embarrassed, as if the gift wasn¡¯t worthy. He reached out, intending to take the hairpin back and replace it with something nicer for Qingwan. The truth was, the piece of golden dragonwood used for this hairpin was something Xu Ming had stumbled upon during a mission for the Blood Asura Battalion. At the time, he had thought about how he had little to offer Qingwan in terms of valuable gifts. After all, as the personal disciple of the Grand Elder of Tianxuan Sect, she could have anything she wanted. So, he decided that something handcrafted by him might hold a bit more significance. However, he hadn¡¯t anticipated Qingwan gifting him something so meaningful¡ªa flower garden she had tended for ten years. In terms of ¡°significance,¡± his gift now felt inadequate by comparison. ¡°A gift, once given, cannot be taken back,¡± Qin Qingwan said firmly, clutching the hairpin to her chest like it was a precious treasure. ¡°It¡¯s just a hairpin. I¡¯ll give you something better later,¡± Xu Ming said with a smile. ¡°This is already the best,¡± Qingwan replied, pouting slightly. ¡°Anything you give me is the best.¡± Xu Ming: ¡°¡­¡± Seeing the slightly flustered look on Xu Ming¡¯s face, Qingwan chuckled softly and held out her hand. ¡°Put it on for me.¡± ¡°You really don¡¯t mind?¡± Xu Ming asked. ¡°How could I mind something you gave me?¡± Qingwan¡¯s eyes curved into crescent moons as she smiled. Seeing her joyful expression, Xu Ming took the hairpin as she turned around, presenting her back to him. Xu Ming carefully lifted the hairpin and slid it into Qingwan¡¯s hair. ¡°How does it look?¡± Qin Qingwan turned back to face him, playfully stepping back a few paces. ¡°It looks good,¡± Xu Ming nodded. ¡°The hairpin is ordinary, but you make it look beautiful.¡± Qin Qingwan covered her mouth and laughed. ¡°When did our Xu-gege (brother) become so good at flattering girls? Did you use the same sweet words when you were with that princess?¡± ¡°No, I didn¡¯t,¡± Xu Ming replied honestly. ¡°These words¡­ I¡¯ve only said them to you.¡± ¡°Ugh, so cheesy.¡± Qingwan pretended to huff, raising her tiny fist to lightly punch Xu Ming¡¯s chest, though her expression was one of clear delight. As she withdrew her hand, Xu Ming caught her small fist, holding it gently. Qingwan instinctively tugged, but his grip was firm, and eventually, she stopped resisting, letting him hold her hand. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Her head lowered slightly, and a faint blush swept across her cheeks, her shy expression utterly endearing. Though their relationship hadn¡¯t been explicitly confirmed, both knew in their hearts that their feelings were mutual. All that was left was to pierce through the thin layer of ambiguity between them. The two stood close, and the atmosphere grew increasingly intimate. As if guided by some invisible force, Xu Ming slowly leaned down. Feeling him draw closer, Qin Qingwan froze for a moment, her gaze slightly dazed. She hesitated, unsure whether to pull away. If she didn¡¯t, would she seem too forward? But if she did, would Xu Ming feel hurt? ¡®Forget it¡­ I will only ever love him in this lifetime.¡¯ As Xu Ming drew nearer, Qingwan slowly closed her eyes, rising slightly onto her tiptoes and tilting her chin upward. ¡°Ahem!¡± Just as their breaths mingled and they were about to kiss, a woman¡¯s cough echoed from above, filling the entire valley. Qin Qingwan¡¯s face turned bright red as she hurriedly pushed Xu Ming away. Flustered, she turned her gaze skyward, where her master, Wang Xuan, hovered among the clouds, looking down indifferently at the pair standing in the flower fields. ¡°Master, why are you back?¡± Qingwan asked shyly. ¡°I returned to retrieve something,¡± Wang Xuan¡¯s voice reverberated through the air. A jade ruyi flew up from the wooden cabin and disappeared into the clouds. ¡°Mind your decorum.¡± With that final remark, Wang Xuan vanished into the sky. Though it seemed she had left, Qingwan couldn¡¯t be sure her master wasn¡¯t still hiding somewhere among the clouds, watching them. Having regained her composure, Qingwan noticed that the previously intimate atmosphere had completely dissipated. Naturally, she couldn¡¯t act as impulsively as she had earlier. ¡°You¡­ you said you wanted to tell me something. Now¡¯s the time,¡± she said to Xu Ming, her tone still carrying a hint of shyness. ¡°Here?¡± Xu Ming asked. Qingwan rolled her eyes at him, thinking he was about to say something embarrassing. ¡°There¡¯s no one in this valley except my master and me. If she wants to eavesdrop, it won¡¯t matter where we talk.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant,¡± Xu Ming clarified. ¡°It¡¯s just that what I need to say is quite lengthy.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s go inside,¡± Qingwan said, pulling him toward the cabin. Qingwan¡¯s room was simply furnished, containing only a bed, a table, a few chairs, and a landscape painting hanging on the wall. The painting was signed ¡°Wang Xuan.¡± Other than that, there were just a few potted plants on the balcony. It was in this modest little wooden house that the girl had lived for nearly eleven years. ¡°Have a seat, make yourself comfortable,¡± Qin Qingwan said as she sat down on a chair. ¡°You can speak now.¡± Xu Ming nodded, organizing his thoughts before he began. ¡°Qingwan, what¡¯s your impression of Tianxuan Sect?¡± ¡°Tianxuan Sect?¡± Qin Qingwan tilted her head, puzzled by Xu Ming¡¯s sudden question. ¡°It¡¯s okay, I guess. The sect is huge, and there are a lot of disciples. Some of them are nice, but others not so much. I don¡¯t really have a strong opinion. If I had to say, the only person I feel close to is my master. After all, she¡¯s like a second mother to me.¡± ¡°Mm,¡± Xu Ming nodded again. ¡°And what about your impression of the Sect Master?¡± ¡°The Sect Master?¡± Qin Qingwan thought for a moment. ¡°Nothing special, really. I¡¯ve seen him a few times during sect meetings. I don¡¯t have a strong impression¡ªneither good nor bad. Most disciples respect him since he¡¯s the Sect Master, which is normal, but¡­ I don¡¯t particularly like him.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Xu Ming asked. ¡°There¡¯s no specific reason,¡± Qin Qingwan replied. ¡°It¡¯s just a feeling.¡± After a pause, she looked at Xu Ming. ¡°Xu Ming, the thing you want to tell me¡­ does it have something to do with the Sect Master?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Xu Ming said seriously, meeting her eyes. ¡°It has everything to do with the Sect Master.¡± ¡°Qingwan,¡± he continued, his tone grave, ¡°what I¡¯m about to tell you will sound unbelievable, but everything I¡¯m about to say has been verified by me and should be true. The Sect Master of Tianxuan Sect, Xia He, plans to use half of the sect¡¯s disciples and all the guests at the Zixia Grand Ceremony as a blood sacrifice.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Qin Qingwan¡¯s eyes widened in shock, disbelief written all over her face. She even wondered if she had misheard him. ¡°Xu Ming¡­ what did you just say?¡± ¡°When I first arrived at Tianxuan Sect, Mo Zhuer approached me¡­¡± Xu Ming proceeded to explain everything in detail, from the very beginning to the current situation. Because he had already recounted the story to Wu Yanhan earlier, this time he was even more thorough and organized in his explanation. When Xu Ming finished, Qin Qingwan lowered her head, her brows furrowed deeply as she earnestly processed everything he had just told her. Xu Ming didn¡¯t disturb Qin Qingwan as she quietly processed everything, instead standing silently to the side, waiting for her to sort through her thoughts. ¡°I never imagined the Sect Master would turn out to be someone like this!¡± Qin Qingwan finally exclaimed, lifting her head. ¡°Back then, my master warned me that the Sect Master had strayed from the right path, that he was overly obsessed with certain things. At the time, I didn¡¯t understand, but now it¡¯s starting to make sense.¡± She looked at Xu Ming with determination. ¡°Xu Ming, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll help you obtain the Tianxuan Mirror. I won¡¯t let you die!¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.¡± Xu Ming smiled faintly. ¡°I¡¯ll handle the matter of the Tianxuan Mirror. What I¡¯m worried about is you. That¡¯s why I was thinking¡­ should you consider leaving Tianxuan Sect now?¡± ¡°That¡¯s out of the question,¡± Qin Qingwan replied with a gentle smile, shaking her head. ¡°Xu Ming, if you¡¯re here, how could I just leave you behind and go on my own? Besides, don¡¯t underestimate me. I¡¯m quite capable, you know.¡± ¡°It¡¯s settled then,¡± she added firmly, cutting off any further persuasion from Xu Ming. ¡°No matter what you say, I won¡¯t leave you behind and run away by myself. And anyway, I¡¯m a disciple of Tianxuan Sect. If the sect is in trouble, it¡¯s only right that I stay and face it.¡± Xu Ming still wanted to persuade her further, but Qin Qingwan¡¯s attitude was resolute, leaving him no choice but to drop the matter. ¡°Oh, by the way,¡± Qin Qingwan suddenly asked, ¡°can I tell my master about this? I know you¡¯re worried about some things, but don¡¯t worry¡ªmy master would never side with Xia He.¡± ¡°I trust Elder Wang Xuan,¡± Xu Ming nodded. ¡°But there¡¯s one thing I think you and Elder Wang Xuan might not agree with.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Qin Qingwan asked curiously. Xu Ming hesitated for a moment before replying, ¡°Mo Zhuer said she could help us sabotage Xia He¡¯s plan. She claims to hold a key artifact Xia He needs and that only she can help us. But¡­ she has one condition.¡± ¡°What condition?¡± Qin Qingwan pressed. ¡°She wants the Tianxuan Sect¡¯s dragon vein,¡± Xu Ming said gravely. Chapter 252 ¡°She wants the dragon vein of the Tianxuan Sect,¡± Xu Ming said slowly. Hearing Xu Ming¡¯s words, Qin Qingwan was momentarily stunned before her brows furrowed. For Qin Qingwan, the truth was that she didn¡¯t feel much attachment to the Tianxuan Sect. If the sect¡¯s dragon vein was taken, so be it. At worst, the disciples of Tianxuan Sect could just join another sect. The disciples of Tianxuan Sect were all highly talented. Even if they switched to a new sect, they would surely thrive, and many sects would be eager to take them in. If nothing else, they could simply establish a new sect and start afresh. But for her master, things were different. Her master was already 3,700 years old and had spent all those years in the Tianxuan Sect. The bond and affection her master had for the sect were beyond words. Would her master really agree to hand over the dragon vein that the Tianxuan Sect had nurtured for ten thousand years? The chances seemed slim. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Regarding the matter of the dragon vein, I personally don¡¯t feel strongly about it,¡± Qin Qingwan said slowly. ¡°Though I¡¯m a disciple of the Tianxuan Sect, to be more precise, I¡¯m a disciple of the Wanhua (Valley of Ten Thousand Flowers). Most of my time has been spent there, so my feelings toward the Tianxuan Sect are, to be honest, not that deep.¡± She sighed softly, guilt flashing in her eyes as she looked at Xu Ming. ¡°But for my master, it¡¯s a completely different story. ¡°Xu Ming, I¡¯m sorry. I can¡¯t convince my master about this. She has to make this decision herself. ¡°But Xu Ming, don¡¯t worry. I will help you get the Tianxuan Mirror! I promise¡ª¡± Before Qin Qingwan could finish speaking, Xu Ming stood up and gently placed his hand on her head. ¡°Qingwan, you¡¯re overthinking this. You¡¯re putting too much pressure on yourself. ¡°I¡¯ve already told you, I¡¯ll handle the matter of the Tianxuan Mirror on my own. You don¡¯t have to help me. The fact that you, as a disciple of Tianxuan Sect, aren¡¯t blaming me is already enough to make me happy. ¡°What you should do is follow your heart. Do whatever you feel is right. Don¡¯t worry about me. ¡°Of course, from my perspective, I¡¯d prefer if you left this place as soon as possible. ¡°When the Zixia Grand Ceremony becomes a battlefield, it¡¯ll definitely be a war between cultivators at the fifth stage and above. ¡°You have great talent, and your future is limitless, but your current level is still too low. ¡°As for the dragon vein, you can talk to Elder Wangxuan about it. It¡¯s no big deal. ¡°Even if Elder Wangxuan doesn¡¯t cooperate with us, that¡¯s fine. ¡°My concern is whether you¡¯d feel upset if the dragon vein of the Tianxuan Sect is taken. ¡°If it would upset you, then I won¡¯t do it. I don¡¯t want to become your enemy. ¡°But since you said it doesn¡¯t matter to you, I can act without hesitation. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ve said what I needed to say. ¡°I¡¯ll head out now. Think it over carefully. If Elder Wangxuan wants to see me, just call for me at my courtyard.¡± ¡°Mm¡­¡± Qin Qingwan nodded. ¡°When Master returns, I¡¯ll have a good talk with her.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯m leaving,¡± Xu Ming said, withdrawing his hand. ¡°If Elder Wangxuan finds me still here when she returns, I¡¯m afraid her impression of me will only worsen.¡± ??????? ¡°Haha¡­¡± Qin Qingwan chuckled softly, covering her mouth. ¡°Does her impression of you really matter? Is it that important? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re interested in my master?¡± Xu Ming flicked her forehead lightly. ¡°I don¡¯t like your master. But she is the master of someone I like.¡± ¡°You¡­ What nonsense are you saying!¡± Qin Qingwan¡¯s cheeks flushed red as she turned away in embarrassment. Looking at the plain hairpin he had given her, now adorning her hair, Xu Ming¡¯s gaze softened. ¡°Shengsheng, let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Alright¡­¡± Xu Ming and Shengsheng¡¯s voices echoed behind Qin Qingwan. When Qin Qingwan turned around, Xu Ming had already left the Wanhua (Valley of Ten Thousand Flowers) with Shengsheng. By the time Xu Ming returned to his courtyard, Mo Zhuer was already sitting outside, waiting for him. To be honest, every time Xu Ming saw Mo Zhuer, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a little tense. And with the increasingly deep exchanges he¡¯d had with Mo Zhuer, Xu Ming found it harder and harder to discern whether she was an enemy or a friend. ¡°Come in.¡± Xu Ming lifted the array barrier and brought Mo Zhuer into the courtyard. Shengsheng felt a little unhappy in her heart. She had thought she could have some alone time with her Brother Xu, but here came that big sister again. This big sister was always clinging to her Brother Xu! What¡¯s more, this big sister used to hate Brother Xu. Shengsheng remembered her Brother Xu spanking her once! But despite her small displeasure, Shengsheng still ran off to play elsewhere, not wanting to disturb her Brother Xu as he handled serious matters. Sitting on a stone bench in the courtyard, Mo Zhuer smiled faintly. ¡°I wonder how your conversation with the Fairy Qin went?¡± Xu Ming replied honestly, ¡°I told Qingwan everything. She said she¡¯d talk to Elder Wangxuan about it, including the matter of you wanting the Tianxuan Sect¡¯s dragon vein.¡± Mo Zhuer nodded. ¡°That¡¯s as it should be.¡± Xu Ming: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡± Mo Zhuer asked. ¡°I thought you¡¯d be angry, but you¡¯re surprisingly calm,¡± Xu Ming said. Mo Zhuer chuckled. ¡°What¡¯s there to be angry about? I can¡¯t claim the dragon vein on my own anyway. If you told her, then so be it. ¡°Besides, in my plan, I already intended to involve Elder Wangxuan. ¡°Even if you hadn¡¯t said anything, I would have gone to see Elder Wangxuan tomorrow or the day after. ¡°Did you really think that just the two of us could achieve our goal? That would be impossible. ¡°Still, I do have one question.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Xu Ming asked. Mo Zhuer stood up, casually flicking a strand of spiritual energy toward Shengsheng. The energy seeped into Shengsheng¡¯s mind, making her feel drowsy. She leaned against the wall and fell asleep. Only then did Mo Zhuer walk behind Xu Ming. She wrapped her arms around him from behind, her warm breath brushing against his ear as she whispered softly, ¡°Did you really tell Fairy Qin everything?¡± Mo Zhuer¡¯s hand slid to Xu Ming¡¯s chest. ¡°Did you tell her about the nights we¡¯ve spent together?¡± Chapter 253 ¡°Did Young Master Xu tell Miss Qin about the nights we¡¯ve shared together? I suppose not, right? I imagine Young Master Xu wouldn¡¯t dare reveal such things to her¡­¡± Mo Zhuer smiled as she gazed at Xu Ming, her soft, teasing voice brushing against his cheek. Her other hand had already slipped into his chest, and the bone-deep allure of her charm began to invade his body through her spiritual power. Xu Ming silently chanted the Tranquil Heart Mantra. As expected, the mantra effectively blocked Mo Zhuer¡¯s attempts to erode his consciousness. ¡°Oh?¡± Mo Zhuer blinked in mild surprise. ¡°It seems that your recent trip to the Sanshi (Three-Stone) Peak yielded quite the harvest. I wonder who taught you this technique that can resist me so well.¡± ¡°Take your hand away,¡± Xu Ming said coldly. ¡°Do you really want me to remove my hand?¡± Mo Zhuer¡¯s lips curved into a sly smile. ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid I¡¯ll tell Miss Qin about what we¡¯ve done together?¡± Xu Ming closed his eyes and spoke calmly, ¡°If you want to tell her, then go ahead. It¡¯s true that I was in the wrong, and I¡¯ll take full responsibility for the consequences. There¡¯s no need for you to use this to threaten me. ¡°If you think this will make me do whatever you want, then you¡¯re far too naive.¡± Mo Zhuer chuckled softly. ¡°Oh, Young Master Xu, how harsh you are. Do you really think I¡¯m the kind of person who likes to blackmail others? Since you don¡¯t want me to speak of it, I naturally won¡¯t.¡± She pressed her small hand against Xu Ming¡¯s heart, leaning closer with a playful smile. ¡°Besides, the thought of us doing such shameful things in secret, without your childhood sweetheart knowing, does have its¡­ thrill.¡± Xu Ming¡¯s heartbeat quickened violently. In just a moment, the barrier formed by the Tranquil Heart Mantra collapsed completely. The overwhelming allure emanating from Mo Zhuer¡¯s spiritual power surged through Xu Ming¡¯s mind, more intense than ever before. Before he realized it, Xu Ming was losing control. His breathing grew heavier, and his gaze toward Mo Zhuer became filled with aggression. Finally, unable to suppress himself, Xu Ming pulled Mo Zhuer into his arms, his hands roughly tearing at her clothing. In no time, Mo Zhuer found herself pressed against the table, her back to Xu Ming. ¡°Young Master Xu, how rough you are,¡± Mo Zhuer teased, her voice laced with mockery. ¡°Do you treat Miss Qin this way too?¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right¡ªMiss Qin hasn¡¯t let you touch her yet, has she?¡± Even as her hands braced against the table, Mo Zhuer¡¯s sharp tongue never ceased its provocations, continuously taunting Xu Ming. Eventually, however, Mo Zhuer ran out of strength and could only bite her lip tightly to stifle any sound. Half an hour later, the courtyard was a complete mess, with scraps of clothing strewn everywhere. Mo Zhuer stood up, changed into a fresh set of clothes, and with a wave of her hand, cleared the remnants of their garments from the courtyard. ¡°Young Master Xu is getting rougher lately,¡± she remarked, leaning in to kiss Xu Ming¡¯s forehead. ¡°But I like it.¡± With that, Mo Zhuer turned and left. As Xu Ming regained his senses, he adjusted his clothing and sighed heavily once more. He had thought the Tranquil Heart Mantra would be effective, but Mo Zhuer¡¯s soul-devouring charm techniques were clearly a cut above. Yet what puzzled Xu Ming was that this time, during their dual cultivation, it felt as though Mo Zhuer was suppressing some kind of anger within her. At first, Xu Ming had the upper hand, but by the end, it was Mo Zhuer who had taken control. Moreover, her words seemed to circle back to Qingwan every three sentences¡ªwho knows what¡¯s gotten into her. Xu Ming reset the overturned tea table in the courtyard and carried Shengsheng, who had fallen asleep against the wall, into the room. Afterward, he sat in meditation in the courtyard. ??¦­?????¨¨? By evening, Shengsheng woke up from her nap and groggily wandered into the courtyard. Coincidentally, it was mealtime, and a maid from Tianxuan Sect delivered dinner. After finishing her meal, Shengsheng felt even drowsier, which struck her as odd¡ªshe had just woken up, after all. The next morning, Shengsheng still hadn¡¯t woken up. Xu Ming carried her out of the courtyard, where Wu Yanhan and a woman were waiting at the entrance. ¡°This is my personal guard¡ªRen. She¡¯s a martial artist of the Golden Body realm. She¡¯ll escort Shengsheng back to the Wu Kingdom. You can rest assured,¡± Wu Yanhan said to Xu Ming. ¡°Greetings, Wen Wu Qing,¡± Ren said, cupping her fists in salute. Xu Ming returned the gesture. ¡°I¡¯ll leave her in your care.¡± ¡°Wen Wu Qing is too kind,¡± Ren replied. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Shengsheng?¡± Wu Yanhan asked, glancing at the unconscious girl in Xu Ming¡¯s arms. Xu Ming chuckled and shook his head. ¡°If I asked her to leave willingly, she¡¯d never agree. To be honest, you two share quite similar tempers in that regard. So I gave her a Sleeping Pill, one that will let her sleep for seven full days. During this time, she won¡¯t feel hunger or thirst.¡± He gently handed Shengsheng to Ren, who took her into her arms. ¡°I¡¯ll leave her in your capable hands,¡± Xu Ming said as he removed a jade pendant from his waist and placed it in Shengsheng¡¯s grasp. ¡°When she wakes up, she¡¯ll likely be very confused and frightened. Just show her this pendant, and she¡¯ll trust you.¡± ¡°Please rest assured, Wen Wu Qing. I¡¯ll deliver Miss Shengsheng safely to the Xu residence,¡± Ren said solemnly. Xu Ming bowed deeply in gratitude. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Ren turned and departed with Shengsheng in her arms. ¡°Feel better now?¡± Wu Yanhan asked after Shengsheng had been sent off. ¡°Not entirely,¡± Xu Ming replied, fixing his gaze on Wu Yanhan. ¡°As long as you and Qingwan remain here, I still can¡¯t feel at ease.¡± Wu Yanhan turned her head away. ¡°Just worry about your childhood sweetheart.¡± ¡°Speaking of which, the Zixia Grand Ceremony is just a few days away. Is your Qingwan still in seclusion?¡± Wu Yanhan asked curiously. Xu Ming nodded. ¡°She came out of seclusion yesterday. I¡¯ve already told her about everything. Now, we¡¯re just waiting for Elder Wangxuan¡¯s decision.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not afraid Elder Wangxuan might side with Xia He?¡± Wu Yanhan asked. ¡°It¡¯s possible, but not very likely,¡± Xu Ming said with a resigned sigh. ¡°The real issue isn¡¯t whether Elder Wangxuan supports the Tianxuan Sect¡¯s leader but rather how many within the sect are secretly aligned with the sect master. Can Elder Wangxuan even tell who¡¯s loyal and who¡¯s not?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. Identifying such people is indeed no easy task.¡± As Xu Ming and Wu Yanhan discussed, a dignified female voice interrupted them. Both Xu Ming and Wu Yanhan turned toward the sound. Wangxuan was walking toward the courtyard, her hands folded before her, taking steady, deliberate steps. Chapter 254 While Xu Ming and Wu Yanhan were discussing matters in the courtyard, a woman¡¯s voice suddenly drifted in. Turning their heads, they saw a veiled woman entering the courtyard, her hands gracefully folded in front of her. Today, her attire was notably different from usual. She wore a white floor-length gown adorned with pink floral patterns embroidered on the wide hem. Draped over her arms was a long, trailing shawl of smoky purple gauze. Her slender waist was cinched with a purple silk belt inlaid with jade. Her jet-black hair was tied back with a light purple ribbon, a few loose strands falling over her shoulders, setting off her snow-white skin, so fair it seemed almost translucent. What remained unchanged, however, was the light veil covering her face. Xu Ming had heard that Wang Xuan hailed from a tribe located on the border between the Northern Wastelands and the Central Plains. In that tribe, there was a unique tradition: when a girl turned sixteen and came of age, she was required to cover her face with a veil. The veil could only be removed on her wedding day. Otherwise, if her face was seen by another man, the tribe dictated two choices: either kill the man or marry him. Xu Ming didn¡¯t know if anyone had ever seen Wang Xuan¡¯s face, but he did know this: every man who had seen Wang Xuan¡¯s appearance after she turned eighteen¡ªaside from women¡ªwas dead. ¡°Greetings, Senior,¡± Xu Ming rose and clasped his hands in respect. ¡°Wu Yanhan of the Wu Kingdom greets Senior,¡± Wu Yanhan, dressed in a long gown, bowed gracefully, her posture poised and elegant. Xu Ming had always felt Wu Yanhan had two distinct sides. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. When she donned the attire of a warrior, be it a martial robe or armor, she exuded an air of sharp competence, like an untamed wild horse. But when she wore a gown, it was impossible to associate her with the martial arts. She seemed more like a demure noblewoman, the kind who excelled at managing a household and nurturing a family. Wang Xuan glanced at Wu Yanhan. ¡°I have long heard of the esteemed Princess¡¯s reputation. Seeing you today, you are indeed extraordinary. Not only is the Princess blessed with unparalleled beauty, but you also possess the rare and ancient Martial God Physique. The Wu Kingdom is truly fortunate to have you.¡± ¡°Senior flatters me,¡± Wu Yanhan replied modestly. Wang Xuan turned her gaze to Xu Ming. ¡°Last night, after I returned to the Wanhua Valley, Qing Wan told me everything. Today, I have come to discuss the matter with you.¡± Xu Ming nodded. ¡°Please take a seat, Senior.¡± Since Wang Xuan said she had come to discuss, it meant the plan was feasible. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have come to meet him. Wang Xuan took a seat on a stone stool, while Wu Yanhan busied herself brewing tea, her graceful movements and gentle demeanor resembling that of a lady of the house. Wang Xuan glanced at Wu Yanhan and subtly signaled Xu Ming. Xu Ming understood her meaning. ¡°Rest assured, Senior. Yanhan and I share a bond forged in life-and-death situations. Furthermore, I¡¯ve shared everything regarding the Sanshi Peak and Xia He with her.¡± ¡°In that case, I won¡¯t beat around the bush,¡± Wang Xuan said directly, her tone devoid of unnecessary pleasantries. ¡°Mo Zhuer wants the dragon vein of my Tianxuan Sect?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Xu Ming replied just as directly. ¡°The Black Lotus Sect originally collaborated with Xia He, intending to help him reach the Ascension Realm. Xia He would then establish a sect in the Western Regions, forming an alliance between the two sects. Their purpose remains unclear. ??¦­????????¨º? But Mo Zhuer seems to have her own agenda. As you know, the Black Lotus Sect has ten Holy Sons and Daughters, a system akin to raising venomous creatures in a jar. By betraying the Tianxuan Sect in secret and sabotaging Xia He¡¯s plans, Mo Zhuer aims to secure the dragon vein for herself, using it to gain a decisive edge in the competition among the Holy Sons and Daughters.¡± ¡°As expected,¡± Wang Xuan nodded. ¡°Otherwise, I would have suspected this Black Lotus Holy Daughter had ulterior motives.¡± Xu Ming asked, ¡°What do you think, Senior?¡± ¡°Give her the dragon vein,¡± Wang Xuan replied decisively, her tone leaving no room for doubt. It was evident she had thought this through thoroughly. ¡°Senior, have you made up your mind?¡± Wu Yanhan asked from the side. Wu Yanhan wasn¡¯t familiar with Wang Xuan¡¯s personality, but she found it surprising that someone could make such a decisive decision on such a significant matter. If it were her, she would have taken more time to think it over. ¡°There¡¯s no need to think it over,¡± Wang Xuan replied, sitting with her back straight. The long gown she wore clung gracefully to her figure. ¡°If you hadn¡¯t told me all of this, I wouldn¡¯t have known about these events until it was too late. By then, the entire Tianxuan Sect might have been destroyed. Thanks to you, there¡¯s still a chance to salvage the situation. Besides, even if the dragon vein that has nurtured the Tianxuan Sect for millennia is lost, what of it? As long as the disciples of Tianxuan Sect remain, wherever they are becomes the Tianxuan Sect. At worst, we can rebuild the sect from scratch. The disciples of Tianxuan Sect are not the type to cling to the legacy of their ancestors without daring to explore and expand new frontiers.¡± ¡°Senior¡¯s words are truly enlightening,¡± Xu Ming said sincerely. Building a sect from scratch was no small feat, let alone a sect whose fortune had nurtured the land for tens of thousands of years. It was akin to mortals abandoning a mountain of gold left by their ancestors. Yet Elder Wang Xuan was willing to decisively give up this ¡°mountain of gold,¡± prepared to lead her disciples into the cultivation world to start anew. Such determination was something Xu Ming doubted he could muster. Wang Xuan, however, didn¡¯t take Xu Ming¡¯s praise to heart. It was as if she hadn¡¯t heard it at all. ¡°That said, I can only confirm that ten elders are not aligned with Xia He. As for the others, I cannot be sure, nor am I willing to gamble. What I don¡¯t understand is the true intentions of the Holy Daughter of the Black Lotus Sect.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have any ulterior motives¡ªjust a simple plan,¡± another pleasant female voice chimed in. Clad in a black dress, Mo Zhuer walked in gracefully. ¡°It seems quite lively here at Young Master Xu¡¯s place.¡± Mo Zhuer stepped forward and gave a slight bow. ¡°Zhuer greets the senior.¡± She glanced at Wu Yanhan. ¡°Well, if it isn¡¯t the princess of the Wu Kingdom. It¡¯s been quite a while, hasn¡¯t it?¡± Wu Yanhan narrowed her eyes, her displeasure evident. ¡°Not that long¡ªjust a few days.¡± ¡°Since we¡¯re all here, let¡¯s discuss,¡± Wang Xuan said, flicking her fingers toward the four corners of the courtyard. A barrier array was activated, isolating the area from any spiritual sense detection. Xu Ming had set up a similar array before, but it was clear that against Wang Xuan and Mo Zhuer, the strength of his array was insufficient. ¡°Miss Mo,¡± Wang Xuan said, ¡°why don¡¯t you tell us exactly what kind of agreement my junior brother has made with the Black Lotus Sect? Do you have a detailed plan in mind?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Mo Zhuer replied with a faint smirk. ¡°But before that, there¡¯s something I must show you all.¡± As she finished speaking, she retrieved a box from her storage pouch. Opening it, she revealed a beating heart inside. Chapter 255 An hour later, Wang Xuan and the group left. Mo Zhuer had fully explained the situation and her plan to everyone. When they saw the heart and learned exactly what Xia He intended to do, they were all convinced he had completely lost his mind. Even Wang Xuan, who had long believed her junior brother was beyond saving and straying further down the wrong path, found Xia He¡¯s methods utterly inhuman after hearing the details. Nevertheless, Wang Xuan accepted the reality of the situation. She then refined Mo Zhuer¡¯s plan, adjusting and perfecting it step by step. Now, all they could do was wait for the day of the Zixia Grand Ceremony and execute the plan as Mo Zhuer had outlined. Wang Xuan left Xu Ming¡¯s courtyard to inform the ten elders she trusted most about the day¡¯s developments. Wu Yanhan, on the other hand, needed to prepare her three thousand Dragon-Leopard Iron Cavalry. This formidable force would play a crucial role in the coming events. Initially, Mo Zhuer had wanted to stay behind. She had previously advised Xu Ming to exercise restraint and not to be overly engrossed in their dual cultivation. Yet, Mo Zhuer found herself missing Xu Ming whenever they didn¡¯t engage in dual cultivation for a single day. Especially after learning about Qin Qingwan and her importance to Xu Ming, Mo Zhuer felt a deep sense of frustration, like a bottled-up anger that wouldn¡¯t dissipate. Only when she dual-cultivated with Xu Ming could she release that pent-up emotion. In fact, just the thought that Qin Qingwan had never even held Xu Ming¡¯s hand, while she herself had shared countless intimate moments with the man Qin Qingwan loved most, brought Mo Zhuer immense satisfaction. Knowing that Xu Ming had never shared a night with Qin Qingwan but had done so with her countless times made Mo Zhuer feel elated. However, today was clearly not the right time. After discussing serious matters, she too needed to focus on her preparations. This was no time for indulging in cultivation with Xu Ming. Still, Mo Zhuer wasn¡¯t in a rush. The days ahead were long, and what mattered most right now was their cooperation. Once everyone had left, Xu Ming sat quietly in the courtyard, gazing at the clouds as they drifted by. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After the lively discussions earlier, the courtyard now felt eerily silent. Xu Ming found himself unaccustomed to the stillness. ¡°Forget it. I might as well go for a drink,¡± he said, standing up. He decided to visit Miao Feng and Yu Wenxi of the White Deer Academy for some drinks and to subtly urge them to leave. Though Xu Ming didn¡¯t know many people, those he did know needed to be warned. Otherwise, they might lose their lives at Tianxuan Sect for no reason. Xu Ming met with them, and they drank together. But just as Xu Ming was about to tactfully warn them about the potential dangers of the Zixia Grand Ceremony and urge them to leave, he overheard a nearby conversation at the tavern: ???????????¨º? ¡°It¡¯s such a pity about those guys from the Shandao Sect,¡± someone said. ¡°Yeah, it really is. They hadn¡¯t been gone from Tianxuan Sect for long before they disappeared. And when they were finally found, it was their bodies that were discovered.¡± ¡°Have you noticed? Lately, it seems like anyone who leaves the sect ends up in trouble.¡± ¡°Must be the demon sect causing trouble. They¡¯ve probably set up ambushes near Tianxuan Sect.¡± ¡°That makes sense. Didn¡¯t Tianxuan Sect issue a notice? They said it¡¯s best not to leave the sect during the Zixia Grand Ceremony period. After the ceremony in three days, they¡¯ll personally clear out the surrounding area.¡± ¡°These demon sects are really getting more and more brazen!¡± Listening to the chatter, Xu Ming¡¯s grip on his wine cup tightened, and his brow furrowed slightly. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Brother Xu? Something on your mind?¡± Yu Wenxi asked curiously, noticing Xu Ming¡¯s expression. Miao Feng also chimed in, ¡°If there¡¯s something on your mind, Brother Xu, just tell us directly. After all, we¡¯ve been through life and death together.¡± ¡°It¡¯s true, something crossed my mind, but it¡¯s nothing serious. Come, let¡¯s drink,¡± Xu Ming replied, raising his cup and clinking it with theirs. The more he drank, the heavier Xu Ming¡¯s thoughts became. To the others, the disciples leaving Tianxuan Sect were being killed by the demonic sects, but Xu Ming believed otherwise. Those disciples were most likely killed by Xia He. Xia He, suspecting that the two cultivators from Sanshi Peak would take the opportunity to leave, likely acted on a ¡°better safe than sorry¡± principle, killing them all and creating a false barrier of fear. Moreover, Xia He needed a large number of cultivators for his blood sacrifice¡ªthe more, the better. By creating the illusion of danger outside, he could ensure that the disciples remained within the sect. If Xu Ming advised Yu Wenxi and Miao Feng to leave now, they might very well end up as the next victims on their way out. His greatest concern, however, was for Ren, who was escorting Sheng Sheng. He couldn¡¯t help but worry about whether they had run into trouble. After several drinks, Xu Ming was in that space between tipsy and sober. Making an excuse about other matters, he left the tavern. He headed directly to Wu Yanhan¡¯s courtyard. It was as if Wu Yanhan had anticipated his visit¡ªshe was already waiting by the gate. ¡°You reek of alcohol,¡± Wu Yanhan commented with a frown. ¡°I was having drinks with some friends from White Deer Academy,¡± Xu Ming explained, dispersing the alcohol from his body with a flick of spiritual energy. He looked at her and asked, ¡°Were you waiting for someone?¡± ¡°For you,¡± Wu Yanhan replied calmly. Xu Ming chuckled, feeling a sudden sense of relief. ¡°Looks like you already know why I¡¯m here.¡± Wu Yanhan rolled her eyes at him, turning to head back inside the courtyard. ¡°Come in.¡± Xu Ming followed her in. The two of them sat in the courtyard. Wu Yanhan was dressed in a thin nightgown, the fabric appearing light and cool, though it revealed no bare skin whatsoever. ¡°I know what you¡¯re worried about,¡± Wu Yanhan said, her tone even. ¡°You¡¯re afraid something might happen to Ren and Sheng Sheng. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Ren sent me word¡ªthey¡¯ve already arrived in Anyang County of the Wu Kingdom. The county governor has even dispatched a thousand cavalrymen to escort Sheng Sheng home. ¡°However, your concerns aren¡¯t unfounded. They did encounter an assassination attempt along the way. Thankfully, I sent five hundred Dragon-Leopard Iron Cavalry to accompany them. There was even a Far Wandering Realm expert among them. That¡¯s the only reason the attackers failed.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Xu Ming said sincerely. ¡°You know what I hate most about you?¡± Wu Yanhan asked, glaring at him. ¡°What?¡± Xu Ming raised his head to meet her gaze. ¡°It¡¯s that you¡¯re always thanking me out of the blue,¡± she said with a hint of annoyance. ¡°Not to mention, I really like Sheng Sheng too. She¡¯s like a little sister to me. Of course I¡¯ll look out for her.¡± ¡°Tha¡ª¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Just as Xu Ming was about to thank her again, Wu Yanhan shot him a sharp look. ¡°I owe you one,¡± Xu Ming corrected himself, foregoing the words of gratitude. ¡°Is this favor of yours worth much?¡± Wu Yanhan asked, smirking. ¡°Perhaps.¡± Wu Yanhan let out a cold laugh. ¡°Well, never mind your favor¡ªI do have a question I want to ask you.¡± ¡°Go ahead,¡± Xu Ming said. ¡°If, on the day of the Zixia Grand Ceremony, both Qin Qingwan and I are on the brink of death and you can only save one of us, who would you choose?¡± Chapter 256 ¡°If on the day of the Zixia Grand Ceremony, both Qin Qingwan and I were about to die, and you could only save one of us, who would you save?¡± Wu Yanhan stared directly into Xu Ming¡¯s eyes, waiting for his answer. This question inevitably brought Xu Ming back to a fatal one he had been asked in his past life: If both your wife and your mother fell into the water, who would you save? With that scenario, he could deflect with something like, Can¡¯t you swim? But now, it wasn¡¯t so easy. ¡°I would save both of you,¡± Xu Ming said after a moment of thought. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t let either of you come to any harm.¡± He opted for a safe, catch-all answer. ¡°It¡¯s been over six months since we last met, and now you¡¯re talking big like this?¡± Wu Yanhan turned her head slightly, speaking softly. ¡°You¡¯re just a small-time cultivator, that¡¯s all.¡± Xu Ming chuckled. ¡°Not just a cultivator¡ªI¡¯m also a martial artist.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, you¡¯re also a martial artist. But when the time comes, if you truly have to give up one path, which would you choose?¡± Wu Yanhan¡¯s gaze bore into him once more, pressing for an answer. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Xu Ming: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯d give up the martial artist¡¯s path, wouldn¡¯t you?¡± Wu Yanhan smiled, an exceedingly rare sight. Yet in her smile, there seemed to be a trace of sorrow. ¡°To be honest, I hope you would abandon the martial artist¡¯s path. Since you have the ability to cultivate and aren¡¯t lacking in talent, why insist on treading a road that is likely a dead end? Soaring through the skies, traversing the earth, achieving immortality, glimpsing eternal life¡­ Isn¡¯t that the dream of countless people? Xu Ming, I don¡¯t have spiritual roots. I can¡¯t cultivate. I might not even survive this dead-end road I¡¯ve chosen. My life, at most, will last three centuries. Eventually, I¡¯ll grow old. When I¡¯m no longer young and beautiful, Xu Ming, you¡¯ll still look the same as you do now. That¡¯s the greatest difference between the mortal and the immortal.¡± A gentle breeze rustled the courtyard, causing the leaves to whisper as it carried the scent of earth and the faint fragrance lingering on the girl. The wind wove its way through the courtyard, caressing the girl¡¯s slender frame. Her light robe clung closely to her graceful figure. Her hair swayed gently, blending with the night like black waves, yet under the starlight, it shimmered softly. ¡°There is no distinction between immortals and mortals¡ªonly people,¡± Xu Ming said at last, his voice low but resolute. ¡°I won¡¯t abandon the martial artist¡¯s path. I¡¯ll keep moving forward. And if it truly is a dead end, then we¡¯ll forge a way through it.¡± R??????¨°??? ¡°Heh¡­¡± Wu Yanhan chuckled softly, tears glimmering in her eyes. It was the first time Xu Ming had ever seen her laugh so freely, so beautifully. ¡°And why does my path as a martial artist concern you? Why are you sticking by me? Could it be¡­¡± Wu Yanhan reached out and lightly tapped Xu Ming¡¯s forehead with her fingertip, a playful glint¡ªrarely seen¡ªdancing in her expression. ¡°You¡¯re my husband?¡± Xu Ming: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Alright, alright. If I alone tread this path, that¡¯s enough. I don¡¯t need a sword immortal capable of shaking the heavens to walk it with me.¡± Just as Xu Ming was about to speak again, Wu Yanhan raised a finger and gently pressed it against his lips. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say earlier that you owed me a favor? I¡¯ve figured out how you can repay me. A hundred years from now, don¡¯t come to see me.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Xu Ming asked. ¡®Idiot,¡¯ she thought as she looked at his slightly bewildered face. ¡°There¡¯s no why.¡± With that, Wu Yanhan said no more. She turned and walked back into her room. Because¡­ I don¡¯t want you to see what I¡¯ll look like when I¡¯ve grown old. ¡ª- ¡°Father.¡± At the main peak of the Tianxuan Sect, Xia Donghua arrived at Xia He¡¯s courtyard. ¡°How is the task I assigned you?¡± Xia He slowly opened his eyes and looked at his son. Around Xia He swirled layers of blood-colored energy. Among the blood energy, strands of black aura intertwined ominously. ¡°Reporting to Father,¡± Xia Donghua replied respectfully, ¡°I¡¯ve already ordered the entire Tianxuan Sect to be sealed off. I had people disguise themselves as disciples of the Demonic Sect. Anyone who tries to leave the sect will be ambushed and killed. Furthermore, I spread word within the sect, claiming that disciples of the Demonic Sect are lying in wait around the Tianxuan Sect, preparing to cause trouble during the Zixia Grand Ceremony. After the ceremony, we¡¯ll ¡®clear out¡¯ the surrounding area. Now, the majority of cultivators are too afraid to leave the sect.¡± ¡°Very good.¡± Xia He nodded approvingly, satisfied with his son¡¯s methods. ¡°And what about the other matter I asked you to watch for? Has there been any sign of a man and a woman leaving together? What¡¯s happened to those people?¡± Xia Donghua pondered for a moment before responding, ¡°As for any man and woman leaving together, whenever we discovered such pairs, we used soul-searching techniques on them. Afterward, they were all killed¡ªthere are no loose ends. We paid special attention to sword cultivators but haven¡¯t found the particular pair you mentioned.¡± Xia He¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°That means that pair is still within the sect.¡± ¡°Keep investigating! Focus especially on the sword cultivators in the Tianxuan Sect and the disciples of the Wanjian Sect. They are the most suspicious¡ªwatch them closely!¡± Xia He ordered sternly. ¡°Also, don¡¯t neglect Wangxuan. Pay close attention to every move she makes. Our grand plan must not encounter any disruptions!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Xia Donghua nodded firmly. After a brief hesitation, Xia Donghua¡¯s eyes flickered with thought before he spoke again. ¡°Father, there¡¯s one matter I feel I should bring to your attention.¡± Xia He said calmly, ¡°Speak plainly. There¡¯s no need for pretense.¡± Xia Donghua nodded. ¡°The disciples involved in the ambush reported that some individuals from Wuguo (Wu Kingdom) left the Tianxuan Sect. It was a pair of women, one older and one younger, escorted by five hundred Dragon-Leopard Iron Cavalry. They attempted an ambush but failed due to the presence of a martial artist at the Far Wandering Realm who was protecting them.¡± ¡°An older and a younger woman¡­ were they sword cultivators?¡± Xia He asked. ¡°No.¡± Xia Donghua shook his head. ¡°The older woman is the personal guard of Wu Yanhan, Princess of Wuguo. The younger one is a girl, about eight or nine years old, someone close to Xu Ming. According to the men I placed within the sect, Wangxuan visited Xu Ming that very same day. I was wondering¡ªwhy would Xu Ming send this young girl away right before the Zixia Grand Ceremony? And why would she need five hundred cavalry and a Far Wandering Realm martial artist for protection? And how coincidental is it that Wangxuan visited him on the same day? Xu Ming happens to be a sword cultivator as well. Could it be that he knows something?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Xia He stroked his beard thoughtfully, carefully considering the implications. ¡°Summon this Young Master Xu for a drink,¡± he finally said with a faint smile. Chapter 257 There were two days left until the Zixia Grand Ceremony at Tianxuan Sect. Xu Ming was alone in his courtyard, practicing his martial arts. Over the past few days, Wu Yanhan had been busy condensing her martial qi and attempting a breakthrough to the Golden Body Realm. Mo Zhuer had gone off to arrange her plans, Wangxuan was notifying the other elders, and Qin Qingwan was confined to the Wanhua Valley. For Xu Ming, this meant a rare period of peace and quiet. ¡°Impressive technique.¡± But some people simply couldn¡¯t let him enjoy that peace. Outside the courtyard came a voice Xu Ming had no fondness for. Xu Ming stopped his practice, stood up, and looked toward the source of the voice. Walking into the courtyard, clapping as he approached, was Xia Donghua. As always, Xia Donghua looked as punchable as ever. ¡°Greetings, Brother Xu.¡± Xia Donghua gave a polite bow, his demeanor appearing gentle and refined, like that of a true gentleman. But in reality, he was just as hypocritical as his father¡ªa wolf in sheep¡¯s clothing. Xu Ming studied Xia Donghua, his mind running through various possibilities. He suspected Xia Donghua was here to investigate him, likely still uncertain if Xu Ming was the one present at Sanshi Peak. Otherwise, Xia He wouldn¡¯t have sent his son to test the waters¡ªhe¡¯d have just found an opportunity to kill him outright. But Xu Ming was different. His reputation was too well-known to be dealt with so easily. Killing him would cause a stir, especially with his name on the Qingyun List. Not to mention that both Qingwan and Yanhan had taken an interest in him. If something happened to him, Wangxuan and Wuguo (Wu Kingdom) wouldn¡¯t take it lightly. ¡°Brother Xia, have you ever heard this saying?¡± Xu Ming asked slowly, fixing his gaze on Xia Donghua. ¡°Oh? I am all ears,¡± Xia Donghua replied, lowering himself humbly. But even so, he still exuded an air of superiority¡ªlike a man confident he held Xu Ming¡¯s life in his hands. ¡°The weasel paying respect to the chicken¡ªit¡¯s never with good intentions,¡± Xu Ming said bluntly, without bothering to show Xia Donghua any courtesy. After all, there was no point. In just a few days, they¡¯d be at each other¡¯s throats. Why bother saving face now? ¡°¡­¡± Xia Donghua¡¯s brow twitched slightly. Though he badly wanted to crush Xu Ming underfoot and tear him to pieces, he forced himself to remain calm and composed. ¡®Not yet. Just endure him a little longer. He won¡¯t be so arrogant for much longer,¡¯ Xia Donghua told himself, taking a deep breath to steady his emotions. ¡°Brother Xu, there¡¯s no need to be so harsh. True, there was some unpleasantness between us in the past, but doesn¡¯t the saying go, ¡®no fight, no friendship¡¯? I was young and reckless then, but now I have nothing but admiration for you, Brother Xu,¡± Xia Donghua said with a smile. ?¨¤¦­????¦Â¨¨S? Xu Ming glanced at him but showed no intention of inviting him into the courtyard. ¡°I don¡¯t see what there is about me to admire. Just tell me what you want, Brother Xia¡ªI¡¯m not a fan of beating around the bush.¡± ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll be direct.¡± Xia Donghua smiled, keeping his tone polite. ¡°My father, the Sect Master of Tianxuan Sect, learned about the¡­ misunderstandings between us in the Baiwa Secret Realm. He¡¯s asked me to come and apologize on his behalf. Furthermore, my father holds great respect for young talents like you, Brother Xu, and would like to invite you for a drink. Would you honor him with your presence?¡± Xia Donghua¡¯s words were exceptionally courteous. But the more polite Xia Donghua was, the more uneasy Xu Ming felt. ¡°The Sect Master is too kind, but I already have some matters to attend to today, so I¡¯ll have to decline,¡± Xu Ming replied decisively. What a joke. The Sect Master of Tianxuan Sect was an Immortal Realm cultivator and possessed countless magical treasures. He could easily uncover Xu Ming¡¯s secrets. Going to the main peak of Tianxuan Sect could very well mean dying without a trace. But here? Let him try a direct assault. Let¡¯s see how big a commotion I can stir up¡ªand whether he can suppress it. ¡°Brother Xu, even though you may have grievances against me, my father¡¯s invitation is genuinely sincere,¡± Xia Donghua said, though his tone clearly implied: Don¡¯t refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit. ¡°It¡¯s truly an honor to be recognized by the esteemed Sect Master, but I genuinely have pressing matters to attend to. I hope you¡¯ll understand,¡± Xu Ming replied firmly. Xia Donghua stared at Xu Ming intently, his expression betraying his growing frustration. But Xu Ming stared back, unwavering, without the slightest hint of retreat in his eyes. ¡°Why is Junior Nephew Xia here?¡± Just as the tension between the two reached its peak, a voice echoed from above. Both turned their gaze skyward to see Wangxuan descending from the clouds, walking as if on solid ground. ¡°Greetings, Martial Aunt.¡± ¡°Greetings, Senior.¡± Xu Ming and Xia Donghua both bowed in respect. ¡°What brings you here?¡± Wangxuan asked. ¡°Martial Aunt, my father has long admired Brother Xu¡¯s reputation and wished to invite him for a meeting. I also came to personally apologize for the misunderstanding in the Baiwa Secret Realm,¡± Xia Donghua explained. ¡°But I truly have no time these days,¡± Xu Ming added, ¡°though Brother Xia seems particularly insistent.¡± ¡°Xu Ming has indeed been busy lately,¡± Wangxuan said with a nod, siding with Xu Ming without hesitation. ¡°You can tell the Sect Master to arrange it for another day.¡± ¡°What matter does Martial Aunt have with Brother Xu?¡± Xia Donghua asked. Wangxuan¡¯s gaze turned cold, her voice carrying a natural authority: ¡°Since when does what I do require your knowledge?¡± ¡°Forgive me, Martial Aunt. That was out of line,¡± Xia Donghua quickly corrected himself. ¡°In that case, it seems we¡¯ll have to arrange another time.¡± He turned to Xu Ming and bowed slightly. ¡°Brother Xu, I won¡¯t disturb you further. I hope we¡¯ll have the chance to meet properly next time.¡± Xu Ming nodded, choosing not to escalate the situation. ¡°I won¡¯t see you out, then.¡± S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Farewell.¡± As Xia Donghua turned to leave, a flicker of malice passed through his eyes. ¡°It seems Xia He has started to suspect you,¡± Wangxuan said, watching him go. ¡°Indeed,¡± Xu Ming replied. ¡°Fortunately, it¡¯s only suspicion. Xia He still has to weigh his options carefully.¡± Wangxuan turned to Xu Ming. ¡°Come along.¡± ¡°Where to?¡± Xu Ming asked. ¡°As of today, you¡¯ll move to the Wanhua Valley. You¡¯ll live there with Qingwan and me,¡± Wangxuan said matter-of-factly. Chapter 258 Xu Ming once again arrived at Wanhua Valley. However, this time, he wasn¡¯t here to visit; he was here to stay. When Xu Ming stepped into Wanhua Valley, Qin Qingwan was already there, waiting for him. It seemed she had long known about his plan to reside in the valley. ¡°For the next few days, you¡¯ll stay here,¡± Wang Xuan said as she led Xu Ming to a newly built wooden cabin. Inside, there was a table and a bed with neatly folded blankets. It was clear that Wang Xuan¡¯s decision to let Xu Ming stay in Wanhua Valley wasn¡¯t prompted by Xia Donghua¡¯s visit. She must have planned this from the start¡ªotherwise, the cabin wouldn¡¯t have been prepared in advance, complete with furnishings and daily necessities. ¡°Thank you for the trouble, Senior,¡± Xu Ming said, bowing respectfully. However, he couldn¡¯t help but feel uneasy. ¡°Senior, perhaps I should stay outside the valley instead?¡± Wanhua Valley only had two residents¡ªQingwan and Wang Xuan¡ªboth women. Xu Ming worried that his presence might tarnish their reputation. If he stayed just outside the valley, Xia He wouldn¡¯t dare make a move on him, and he could avoid inconveniencing them. ¡°Outside the valley, disciples come and go. If you stayed there, it would only draw more attention. Someone might even call you a creep,¡± Wang Xuan replied calmly. ¡°It¡¯s better if you stay in the valley. Besides, no other disciples will visit Wanhua Valley these few days, so hardly anyone will know. And even if someone does, so what? In Tianxuan Sect, there are few who would dare speak ill of me.¡± Her tone was steady, yet carried an undeniable authority. ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll trouble you,¡± Xu Ming said, no longer pressing the issue. Since Elder Wang Xuan had said so, refusing further would seem unnecessarily stubborn. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Qingwan.¡± Wang Xuan nodded, said no more, and turned to leave the cabin. ¡°My master and I have some matters to attend to. Treat this place as your home,¡± Qin Qingwan said reluctantly. She glanced at Xu Ming, clearly wishing she could stay with him, but ultimately followed her master. Xu Ming guessed that Wang Xuan was likely taking Qingwan to train. After unpacking his belongings, Xu Ming sat in the cabin for a while. Initially, he planned to go out as little as possible to avoid causing trouble. But then he reconsidered¡ªhe wasn¡¯t some improper person. Why should he act guilty? They hadn¡¯t thought much of it; acting overly cautious would make him seem as though he had ulterior motives. With that in mind, Xu Ming stepped out of the cabin and decided to explore Wanhua Valley, curious to see the place where Qingwan had spent all these years. Wanhua Valley was vast. Although surrounded by mountains on all sides, it didn¡¯t feel claustrophobic. Fields of flowers stretched endlessly, blending into the horizon, making the valley feel like a world apart. Wandering aimlessly, Xu Ming felt his heart grow increasingly calm. Before he knew it, he entered a state of enlightenment. A sudden thought crossed his mind¡ªhe wanted to practice swordsmanship. Drawing his Nine Heavens Thunder Sword, Xu Ming began to swing it freely, moving as he felt. Strangely enough, Xu Ming was a sword cultivator, yet he had never received formal training in swordsmanship or studied a complete sword technique. The only techniques he knew were the Bingyang Sword Technique of the Wanjian Sect¡ªwhich was more of a sword art than a sword style¡ªand the Azure Sea Sword Moves he had imitated from the Northern Sea Sect. ?¦¡??????????? Other than that, there was just the sword move taught to him by Xu Cang. ¡°Let the sword follow the heart; let the intent guide the movement.¡± As Xu Ming sheathed his sword, a serene voice, as natural as the flow of nature itself, rang out from nearby. Turning his head, Xu Ming saw Wang Xuan standing not far away. ¡°Senior,¡± Xu Ming said, bowing with his sword. ¡°Your swordsmanship is peculiar¡ªdisjointed, pieced together from various sources, and lacking any system. Who is your master? How could they teach you like this?¡± Wang Xuan asked. Xu Ming chuckled. ¡°Strictly speaking, I don¡¯t have a master. Everything I know is self-taught, save for one sword move taught by an old gentleman.¡± ¡°No wonder,¡± Wang Xuan remarked. Wang Xuan nodded slightly, then extended her fair, delicate hand toward Xu Ming. Xu Ming was momentarily stunned before realizing that Wang Xuan was asking for the sword in his hand. He stepped forward and placed the Nine Heavens Thunder Sword into her hand. ¡°Though I am a Dao cultivator, I know a thing or two about swordsmanship. If you¡¯re willing to listen, I can share my thoughts as a reference,¡± Wang Xuan said, seeking Xu Ming¡¯s opinion. Xu Ming bowed respectfully. ¡°You are too kind, Senior. This junior is honored to listen.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± Wang Xuan gave a simple response and swept her sleeve lightly across the sword. ¡°The so-called Way of the Sword comprises three aspects: sword techniques, sword qi, and sword intent. Mastery of sword techniques can give rise to sword qi; strong sword qi can lead to the formation of sword intent. Most people believe sword intent is the highest realm of the Way of the Sword. They regard it as the essence of swordsmanship itself. Such people often see sword techniques and sword qi merely as stepping stones to sword intent and dismiss them, focusing solely on cultivating sword intent. I wouldn¡¯t say they¡¯re wrong. But in my opinion, that perspective is incomplete. Sword techniques, sword qi, and sword intent are of equal standing¡ªnone is inherently superior to the others. In the past, Wang Xiaoyu broke three thousand golden soldiers with his sword techniques. Jiang Luoyu suppressed the Demon Prison for three hundred years using sword qi. Xu Cang battled four sect masters and five holy lords with his sword intent. These individuals all reached unparalleled heights in their respective aspects of swordsmanship, each becoming a legend in their own right. However, Wang Xiaoyu¡¯s sword qi was weak, and his sword intent fragmented. Jiang Luoyu¡¯s sword intent was decent, but her sword techniques were average. Xu Cang¡¯s sword intent was exceptional, yet he exchanged over a thousand moves with Wang Xiaoyu without either gaining the upper hand. So, is sword intent truly supreme? Even Xu Cang himself wouldn¡¯t dare make such a claim.¡± Xu Ming listened intently, then voiced a question that had been on his mind. ¡°If I may ask, Senior, when I was on Sanshi Peak, Xu Cang told me it was a pity I had not followed a complete sword path. If I were to start anew on the sword path now, would it be too late?¡± ¡°It is too late.¡± Wang Xuan shook her head. ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking. Indeed, every sword sect has its own unique system, known as the sword path. From a young age, their disciples are trained in sword techniques, sword qi, and sword intent, polishing them step by step. Compared to ordinary cultivators, their swordsmanship is far more complete. The sword path leads to the Way of the Sword¡ªbut only for those just beginning their journey. As for you, no matter what you do, you¡¯ve already set foot on your own path, and there¡¯s no turning back. In truth, you¡¯ve already embarked on a sword path. It¡¯s just that your path is yours alone, entirely different from anyone else¡¯s. What you can do now is to keep moving forward. One day, when you¡¯re confident that your chosen path is viable and no longer question yourself, you¡¯ll know you¡¯ve succeeded. To put it simply, when your path can reach the ultimate truth, it can be called the Way of the Sword. Do you understand what I¡¯m saying?¡± Xu Ming thought carefully for a moment, then shook his head. ¡°I only partially understand.¡± Wang Xuan smiled faintly. ¡°That¡¯s how it should be. If you fully understood, you wouldn¡¯t have asked me this question, and I wouldn¡¯t have needed to explain. In any case, from my perspective: Your sword qi is sharp, and your sword intent has already been shaped by Xu Cang¡¯s move¡ªthis is more than enough for now. However, your sword techniques remain incomplete. That is your weak point. I have a sword technique here, discovered in a cave in the Northern Wilderness. It has no name, so I¡¯ve given it one: ¡®Grass Script Sword Art.¡¯ This Grass Script Sword Art is decent enough, and I shall now pass it on to you. I can only demonstrate it once, so watch carefully. If you fail to learn it in one go, it means the Grass Script Sword Art is not fated to be yours.¡± As the words fell, Wang Xuan began to wield the longsword in her hand. Xu Ming¡¯s eyes lit up with the patterns of Dao runes. Although Xu Ming had confidence in his own talent for the Way of the Sword, to be safe, he activated his Dao Pattern Eyes¡ªafter all, he only had one chance. Clad in her white dress, Wang Xuan moved gracefully with the sword, each movement blending the sharpness of the blade with the softness of a woman¡¯s grace. Every thrust, every swing, was precise and flawless. Her posture was powerful yet elegant, and the drifting flower petals in the air made the scene resemble a painting. At this moment, Xu Ming began to understand why some emperors were so fond of watching beautiful women perform sword dances. The contrast between the sword¡¯s fierceness and the woman¡¯s fluid grace created a perfect harmony. Each move of the Grass Script Sword Art imprinted itself in Xu Ming¡¯s eyes. Gradually, Xu Ming¡¯s focus shifted¡ªfrom watching Wang Xuan herself to seeing only the sword. He was entranced. Xu Ming had seen many sword techniques in his life, but none as unique as this! The swordsmanship Wang Xuan displayed was incredibly resilient, as though even in the face of primordial chaos, a single blade of grass could pierce through it. It was as if all things could become a sword. Every sword move seemed to dissolve into nothingness, transcending conventional form. Strangely, Xu Ming could clearly sense the presence of sword qi, but when he tried to grasp it in detail, it vanished without a trace. Wang Xuan finally sheathed her sword and let out a soft breath. Xu Ming¡¯s eyes returned to normal. Wang Xuan asked, ¡°Did you understand what you saw?¡± Xu Ming replied, ¡°I believe I did.¡± Behind her veil, Wang Xuan¡¯s lips curved into a smile¡ªa beauty beyond mortal comprehension, though Xu Ming couldn¡¯t see it. ¡°How much do you remember?¡± Xu Ming tried to recall what he had just witnessed, only to be shocked that he couldn¡¯t remember any of the moves. ¡°Senior, I don¡¯t remember a single bit of the sword technique,¡± he admitted honestly. ¡°Good.¡± Wang Xuan tossed the sword back to Xu Ming. ¡°Wield the sword as you please. Show me.¡± Xu Ming gripped the sword tightly. He truly couldn¡¯t recall the moves, but since Wang Xuan had said so, he followed her instructions. The moment Xu Ming swung his sword freely, a profound sense of familiarity surged through him. As he executed the second move, the third, and the fourth, he realized with astonishment that he was recreating the Grass Script Sword Art! Holding the Nine Heavens Thunder Sword, Xu Ming performed the technique before Wang Xuan. Watching the endless transformations of Xu Ming¡¯s sword moves, with sword qi and intent subtly merging with the earth itself, Wang Xuan¡¯s eyes gleamed with surprise. No wonder he had mastered the sword move Xu Cang taught him. He truly was a genius. An incense stick¡¯s worth of time passed. Just as Xu Ming was about to complete the full Grass Script Sword Art, he felt a sudden resonance in his heart. The sword in his hand trembled uncontrollably. With a single slash, Xu Ming released an invisible wave of sword qi that tore through the protective array and split a distant mountain peak in two. Before Xu Ming could even process the magnitude of what he had just done, Wang Xuan, holding a tree branch as a sword, struck at him. Invisible swords manifested from her strike and flew toward Xu Ming. With a slight shift of his mind, Xu Ming¡¯s longsword began to dance. He didn¡¯t use any sword qi or sword intent, relying solely on the moves of the Grass Script Sword Art. Some of the invisible swords shattered under his defense. Others were deflected. Some were even lightly tapped by Xu Ming¡¯s blade, causing them to reverse direction and fly back toward Wang Xuan. Within three breaths, the grass and flowers around Xu Ming lay in ruins, petals scattering in the air. Yet Xu Ming, without using a trace of spiritual energy, had dismantled every one of Wang Xuan¡¯s moves. Staring at the sword in his hand, Xu Ming was stunned. He couldn¡¯t even comprehend how he had achieved it. This feeling was bizarre yet exhilarating. ¡°This,¡± Wang Xuan said calmly, ¡°is sword technique.¡± Seeing the confusion on Xu Ming¡¯s face, Wang Xuan patiently explained to him: ¡°The key to the Grass Script Sword Art lies in becoming one with nature. How does one achieve this? By forgetting oneself. By forgetting the sword techniques. You saw it. You forgot it. And so, you learned it. Currently, your foundation for sword Dao lies in the Bingyang Sword Technique. Though it is called a sword technique, it is actually only a mental technique because the actual sword moves have long been lost. That mental technique is decent. It serves as a foundation, one that every inner disciple of the Wanjian Sect must learn. You can make use of it. For sword techniques, you now have the Grass Script Sword Art. For sword intent, you have the strike that Xu Cang taught you. This, as of now, is your sword Dao. How you refine it, how you integrate and reconcile these elements, how you discard and adopt new ones, how you proceed forward¡ªall of that will be up to you. I can¡¯t teach you any more beyond this.¡± Xu Ming bowed deeply. ¡°Thank you, Senior, for your teachings.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not my teaching¡ªit¡¯s your fate.¡± Wang Xuan turned to leave. ¡°All things in this world exist within the cycle of cause and effect. For every cause, there is an effect. No one owes anyone anything. Over the next few days, Qing Wan will not be seeing you. It¡¯s not because I forbid her, but because she will be entering seclusion.¡± As Wang Xuan¡¯s voice faded into the distance, her figure vanished from Xu Ming¡¯s sight. That was the last time Xu Ming saw Wang Xuan during those two days. After that, Xu Ming¡¯s meals were delivered by small spirit plants that toddled over to him with food. In those two days, Xu Ming did not catch a single glimpse of Qing Wan. On the third day, Xu Ming was meditating in the sea of flowers when a spiritual flower uprooted itself and ran toward him. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It began slapping Xu Ming¡¯s knee with its tender leaves, shouting, ¡°Young Master Xu! Young Master Xu! Wake up! Wake up! The Zixia Grand Ceremony is about to start! Hurry up and go join it!¡± Chapter 259 ¡°Young Master Xu, Young Master Xu, the Zixia Grand Ceremony is about to begin. You should hurry; if you don¡¯t go now, you¡¯ll be late.¡± A spiritual flower floated over to Xu Ming, calling out to him repeatedly. Over the past few days, it had been these spiritual flowers and grasses bringing him food and even washing his clothes. They were like the maidservants of the Wanhua Valley. After they finished washing his clothes, they even left a faint floral fragrance on them. On the other hand, they also seemed like disciples of the valley. It felt like with another thousand or so years of cultivation, they might actually transform into human forms. ¡°I understand. Thank you for the reminder, Miss Flower,¡± Xu Ming stood up and expressed his gratitude to the spiritual flower. ¡°One more thing,¡± the flower continued. ¡°Wang Xuan asked me to tell you that they¡¯ve already headed to the Zixia Grand Ceremony. You shouldn¡¯t feel too burdened¡ªkeep a calm mindset, do your best, and leave the rest to fate. That¡¯s all.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Xu Ming nodded, striding out of the Wanhua Valley. Just as he stepped out, Xu Ming saw dozens of cultivators flying in the same direction in the sky. Even without anyone leading the way, Xu Ming could tell that this was likely the direction to the Zixia Grand Ceremony. He followed along, flying toward the destination. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Brother Xu!¡± Before he had flown far, a voice called out from not too far away¡ªit was Yu Wenxi. Xu Ming stopped midair and turned to see Yu Wenxi and Miao Feng flying toward him. ¡°Brother Yu, Brother Miao,¡± Xu Ming greeted them with a cupped fist. ¡°We haven¡¯t seen you these past two days, Brother Xu. The two of us wanted to invite you for a drink, but you were nowhere to be found at your courtyard,¡± Yu Wenxi said, his expression tinged with concern. The main reason was that the outer area of the Tianxuan Sect had been rather unsafe lately, with frequent incidents involving cultivators. They had worried that Xu Ming might have ventured into the outer area and encountered some mishap. ¡°My apologies for causing you concern. I went to visit an old acquaintance from the Tianxuan Sect¡ªsomeone I met during my travels. That¡¯s why I wasn¡¯t at my courtyard these past two days,¡± Xu Ming explained with a smile. ¡°I see. As long as you¡¯re safe, Brother Xu,¡± Miao Feng nodded in understanding. ¡°It¡¯s getting late. The Zixia Grand Ceremony is about to start¡ªwe should hurry. I¡¯ve heard that this year¡¯s ceremony will be more grand than usual. We mustn¡¯t miss it,¡± Yu Wenxi said, his eyes brimming with anticipation. ¡°Who are you kidding? You¡¯re not excited about the ceremony itself¡ªyou¡¯re looking forward to seeing Miss He Qingqing perform her sword dance,¡± Miao Feng teased, exposing his friend¡¯s thoughts without hesitation. ¡°You¡­ Don¡¯t slander me!¡± Yu Wenxi retorted, his face turning red with embarrassment, looking quite innocent and pure. ¡°Appreciating beauty is natural for everyone. There¡¯s nothing wrong with it. If you like her, Brother Yu, you should go for it. Besides, you¡¯re both from reputable sects¡ªif you and Miss Qingqing were to end up together, it might even become a tale of romance,¡± Xu Ming chimed in with a laugh. ?????????§°B?? ¡°Brother Xu, even you¡¯re saying this?¡± Yu Wenxi¡¯s face turned even redder. ¡°Alright, enough of this! Let¡¯s stop talking about it and get going.¡± Not wanting to be teased further, Yu Wenxi hurriedly flew ahead. Xu Ming and Miao Feng exchanged a glance, shook their heads with a smile, and followed behind. When the three of them arrived at the venue of the Zixia Grand Ceremony, they couldn¡¯t help but marvel at the sight before them. This place boasted breathtaking scenery, with numerous spiritual pools scattered across a flat and expansive plain. Tables were arranged in an orderly yet natural manner, each adorned with spirit fruits and rare delicacies. Brightly dressed disciples carried wine jars as they queued, and on every table sat a pot of wine. The crystal-clear spiritual springs reflected the image of everyone present. At the very center stood a massive tree, towering over a hundred meters tall. The tree was incredibly thick, likely requiring ten strong men joining hands to encircle it. Its branches were lush, and as the wind swept through, the leaves rustled gently. Xu Ming guessed that this tree was likely the legendary Xuantian Tree. Xuantian Tree¡ªTianxuan Sect. Legend had it that when the founding ancestor of the Tianxuan Sect established the sect, it was because of this spiritual tree, which stabilized the spiritual energy for hundreds of miles around. Using the tree as the center, the sect was built and named ¡°Tianxuan Sect.¡± Over tens of thousands of years, this Xuantian Tree had safeguarded the prosperity of the sect, producing generation after generation of outstanding talents. ¡°Young masters, may I trouble you to show your jade tokens?¡± A maid approached and politely asked the three of them. Xu Ming and his companions took out their jade tokens, which bore their sect names and personal details. After all, seating here was not random¡ªeach sect had its designated place. Soon, the maid led them to their assigned seats. Unfortunately, Xu Ming and Yu Wenxi ended up sitting across from each other, too far apart to continue their conversation. More and more people arrived, descending into their seats under the guidance of the maids. Not long after, Wu Yanhan, dressed in a flowing gown, approached Xu Ming and took a seat beside him. Sensing Wu Yanhan¡¯s presence, Xu Ming smiled and asked, ¡°You broke through?¡± Wu Yanhan nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Xu Ming replied, his gaze fixed ahead, saying no more. To break through a major realm in such a short time¡ªXu Ming thought to himself¡ªonly someone like Wu Yanhan could achieve this. Wu Yanhan¡¯s gaze occasionally drifted toward Xu Ming. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Xu Ming asked. ¡°Is there something strange on my face?¡± Wu Yanhan shook her head. Xu Ming chuckled. ¡°Then why are you staring at me?¡± Wu Yanhan replied, ¡°I feel like you¡¯ve changed. Your sword aura¡ªit¡¯s still sharp, but it used to feel a bit chaotic. Now, it¡¯s much more orderly. It seems you¡¯ve had some kind of fortunate encounter.¡± ¡°Senior Wang Xuan passed down a sword technique to me. That¡¯s probably what made the difference,¡± Xu Ming said honestly. Wu Yanhan nodded slightly and turned her gaze away. She was undoubtedly pleased to see Xu Ming growing stronger. Yet, there was a faint sense of disappointment. She had thought that after reaching the Golden Body Realm, she might surpass him in a short time. But to her surprise, he had grown stronger as well. After the time it took for two incense sticks to burn, most attendees had taken their seats. Now, everyone waited for the Sect Master of the Tianxuan Sect and the other elders to arrive. Chapter 260 The venue for the Zixia Grand Ceremony was called Hundred Springs Plain. As the name suggested, this place was dotted with over a hundred spiritual springs, giving it the name. More and more cultivators arrived at the plain, their faces full of smiles as they chatted casually, their expressions relaxed and carefree. They had no idea what awaited them. To be honest, Xu Ming was also curious¡ªcurious about how these people would react when they discovered the true face of the Tianxuan Sect¡¯s Sect Master. Not long after, Xu Ming noticed disciples of the Tianxuan Sect entering the venue. Among them was Wang Xuan, who brought Qin Qingwan along. They settled about a hundred meters to Xu Ming¡¯s left. Upon spotting Xu Ming, Qin Qingwan raised her hand and stood on her tiptoes to greet him. However, after receiving a glance from Wang Xuan, she quickly put her hand down and resumed her ladylike demeanor. This scene naturally caught the attention of many. Following Qin Qingwan¡¯s line of sight, they soon noticed Xu Ming. Seated beside Xu Ming, Wu Yanhan let out a soft hum, her martial aura seeming to grow stronger. The City Lord of Wangxing (Falling Star) City, Jiang Ruyan, also arrived with a veiled maidservant in tow. Although her face was obscured, Xu Ming immediately recognized her¡ªshe was Mo Zhuer, someone he had interacted with four or five times already. She had merely disguised herself as a maid. ¡°Ah, Brother Xu!¡± A familiar voice called out. Chen Yun walked up to Xu Ming, greeting him warmly. ¡°Brother Chen,¡± Xu Ming replied, standing up and bowing in respect. Even though Xu Ming had fought him just a few days ago, he had great respect for Chen Yun¡¯s character and strength. Chen Yun leaned in slightly, sniffing the air around Xu Ming. ¡°It¡¯s only been a few days, but your sword aura and intent seem sharper and more refined. After this ceremony, do you have time for another sparring session?¡± Xu Ming nodded with a smile. ¡°Of course, I¡¯d be happy to.¡± ¡°Great, that¡¯s the spirit!¡± Chen Yun clapped Xu Ming on the shoulder. ¡°Enjoy the food and drink. I¡¯ll head to my seat now.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Xu Ming replied with a nod. After exchanging greetings, Chen Yun returned to his seat. Dong. Dong. Dong. Just as Chen Yun sat down, the sound of a bell echoed across the plain. The Sect Master of the Tianxuan Sect, Xia He, descended from the sky with his son, landing in the center of the gathering. When the Sect Master took his seat at the head of the venue, everyone rose to their feet, bowing respectfully. ¡°There¡¯s no need for such formality. Please, be seated,¡± the Sect Master said with a smile. ¡°Thank you, Sect Master,¡± everyone replied in unison before returning to their seats. The Sect Master, still smiling, addressed the crowd: ¡°Today marks our once-in-a-millennium Zixia Grand Ceremony. I am deeply grateful for your presence here to honor this occasion. Thirty thousand years ago, our ancestor, the Mystic Taoist (Xuan Dao Ren), came to this place, saw this Xuantiang Tree, and established the Tianxuan Sect. ??????????¦¢¦¥???? For thirty millennia, the Tianxuan Sect has upheld the traditions of the righteous path¡ªvanquishing demons and evil, protecting the people, and guarding the Central Plains without a shred of complacency. Our battle against the demonic path is ingrained in our very blood! I still remember, fifteen thousand years ago, when the demon race launched a massive invasion. The righteous path united to repel their forces, stopping them at the Southern Border and ensuring they did not take a single step into the Central Plains. This victory was a result of our collective efforts, and it is a legacy we must continue to uphold!¡± Xia He raised his wine cup high. ¡°For humanity!¡± The crowd raised their cups in unison. ¡°For humanity!¡± S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. On the Hundred Springs Plain, the Sect Master¡¯s rousing speech had everyone clinking their cups together with him, their spirits high. Xu Ming, not wanting to stand out, raised his cup as well¡ªbut he didn¡¯t drink a drop. Who knew if the wine had been poisoned? After everyone was seated, a group of female disciples from the Tianxuan Sect, each wielding a longsword, stepped onto the Hundred Springs Plain. At their forefront was He Qingqing, who led over a hundred other female disciples in a sword dance. Their movements were graceful and enchanting, captivating the crowd. Many disciples couldn¡¯t take their eyes off them, completely entranced. Xu Ming glanced at He Qingqing for a moment before respectfully averting his gaze. After all, she was someone his brother liked, and staring too long would be inappropriate and somewhat disrespectful. Miao Feng did the same. After a quick look at He Qingqing, he shifted his focus to the other performers. But these women weren¡¯t merely dancing with their swords to enhance the atmosphere. As the sword dance concluded, the hundred female disciples simultaneously pointed their swords forward. Two swirling yin-yang symbols flew from their blades, streaking toward the towering Xuantian Tree. The spiritual springs within the Hundred Springs Plain began to rise, forming streams of water that coiled like dragons in the air, encircling the Xuantian Tree. ¡°Splash!¡± The water dragons cascaded onto the tree¡¯s leaves, drenching them in shimmering droplets that glistened under the sunlight. ¡°Buzz¡­ buzz¡­¡± A strange hum echoed throughout the Hundred Springs Plain. The sound resonated in everyone¡¯s hearts, calming their minds and filling them with tranquility. Xu Ming quickly realized what this was¡ªthe sound of the Dao. Ripples spread across the spiritual springs as the mystical hum continued. When the ripples finally subsided, the Xuantian Tree began to tremble. A phantom figure of a woman slowly emerged from its branches, descending gracefully to the ground. The woman had flowing green hair, a pale green gown, and even her eyelashes were green. Her skin, however, was strikingly fair, as pure as snow. She had a delicate, ethereal beauty and stood barefoot beneath the tree. Xu Ming guessed that this illusory figure must be the tree¡¯s spirit. ¡°This is the guardian spirit of the Tianxuan Sect,¡± Wu Yanhan, seated beside Xu Ming, explained. ¡°It¡¯s not just an ordinary tree spirit. It¡¯s the fusion of the Tianxuan Sect¡¯s great formation and this tree.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Xu Ming nodded, understanding her point. When a sect¡¯s protective formation reaches a high enough grade and has existed for many years, its spiritual energy can naturally coalesce into an illusory spirit. This principle applied to all things. However, since the Xuantian Tree was the formation¡¯s core and was itself an extraordinary entity, the formation spirit and tree spirit had merged into one, resulting in this unique woman. This spirit bore the weight of the Tianxuan Sect¡¯s destiny. Her life meant the Tianxuan Sect thrived. Her death would mean the Tianxuan Sect¡¯s demise. Chapter 261 When the guardian spirit of the Tianxuan Sect appeared, everyone knew that the Zixia Grand Ceremony had now truly begun. The sect master of the Tianxuan Sect, Xia He, brought out the sect¡¯s symbol of authority¡ªthe Xuanzhen Sword. Holding the sword with both hands, he approached the guardian spirit of the Tianxuan Sect with utmost reverence. Standing before the guardian spirit, Xia He bowed deeply, holding the sword in both hands. He said solemnly, ¡°I am Xia He, the sixth-generation sect master of the Tianxuan Sect! I preside over today¡¯s Zixia Grand Ceremony and humbly ask for the divine blessing of the guardian spirit, so that the Tianxuan Sect may prosper and thrive for generations to come!¡± As Xia He¡¯s words fell, the guardian spirit nodded blankly, then waved its massive hand. The sword in Xia He¡¯s hands flew into the air, finally coming to rest on a tree branch above. In the next moment, the trunk of the Xuantian Tree split open, and a mirror floated out from within. This was the Xuantian Mirror. When Xu Ming saw the Xuantian Mirror, his heart suddenly skipped a beat, and his pulse quickened. This is what I¡¯ve been looking for, he thought. But now was not the time. He needed to wait a little longer. The success of Mo Zhuer¡¯s plan was still uncertain. At this thought, Xu Ming glanced in the direction of Mo Zhuer. As soon as Xu Ming looked over, his gaze met Mo Zhuer¡¯s. Mo Zhuer¡¯s eyes curved in a relaxed smile, appearing utterly at ease. Seeing this, Xu Ming felt reassured. It seemed nothing unexpected had happened on Mo Zhuer¡¯s end. The Xuantian Mirror continued to ascend, eventually floating 200 meters above the ground. At such a height, the mirror should have been no more than a speck to the human eye. Yet, everyone could see it clearly. What was even more astonishing was that the Xuantian Mirror reflected the entirety of the Tianxuan Sect. It was as if the entire sect had merged into a single painting within this mystical mirror. Shortly thereafter, a ribbon emerged from the dense foliage of the Xuantian Tree. This was the third immortal artifact of the Tianxuan Sect¡ªthe Red Immortal Ribbon. At that moment, the Xuantian Mirror, the Xuanzhen Sword, and the Red Immortal Ribbon resonated with one another. The three immortal artifacts radiated light, illuminating the entire Tianxuan Sect. The Zixia Grand Ceremony was not merely a symbolic event. It was also an opportunity for the three immortal artifacts to appear and nourish the entire Tianxuan Sect. ¡°Today marks the Zixia Grand Ceremony, as well as the occasion for selecting our sect¡¯s Holy Son or Holy Daughter,¡± Xia He announced, turning to face the crowd. ¡°The position of Holy Son or Holy Daughter is crucial to the future of our sect, shaping its fate for the next millennium, or even longer! The chosen one must be widely accepted, someone who stands out in the hearts of the majority. Today, we will select the Holy Son or Holy Daughter of the Tianxuan Sect, who will carry the sect¡¯s future forward. Everyone here will bear witness to this historic moment. We have five candidates for the position of Holy Son or Holy Daughter. They are Qin Qingwan, He Qingqing, Chen Yun, Dugu Qiu, and Xia Donghua. These five individuals are outstanding among the younger generation of our Tianxuan Sect, representing its finest talents. All disciples should be familiar with their names.¡± ??¦­¨¯¦Â¨§£Ó With a wave of his hand, Xia He caused five jars to float into the air. Each jar bore the name of one of the candidates. ¡°Our method for selecting the Holy Son or Holy Daughter differs from other sects. While other sects rely on trials, our Tianxuan Sect employs a voting system. Everyone has the right to vote, whether they are outer disciples, inner disciples, direct disciples, or even the elders of the various mountain peaks and halls. However, the weight of each vote varies depending on the voter¡¯s status. Now, I ask all of you to activate your identity tokens with your spiritual energy,¡± Xia He¡¯s voice echoed throughout the sect. Even disciples who were not present at the ceremony could hear him. As Xia He finished speaking, murmurs arose across the Tianxuan Sect, from Baiquan (Hundred Springs) Plain to other corners of the sect. It was clear that everyone was discussing who among the five candidates deserved to be chosen. ¡°Has the selection process for the Tianxuan Sect¡¯s Holy Son and Holy Daughter always been like this?¡± Xu Ming asked Wu Yanhan, who was standing beside him. As the eldest princess of the Wu Kingdom, Wu Yanhan had a deep understanding of the various sects. In fact, studying the sects was a compulsory part of her education. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right,¡± Wu Yanhan nodded. ¡°For most sects, the selection of a Holy Son or Holy Daughter usually involves some kind of trial or the recognition of a particular artifact. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, the Tianxuan Sect has always done things differently. The sect¡¯s founding ancestor believed that those with high cultivation levels were not necessarily suited to lead as sect masters. Moreover, individuals with exceptional talent might find their progress hindered by the burdens of managing a sect¡¯s affairs, ultimately affecting their cultivation. The founding ancestor also believed that fairness lies in the hearts of the people. Everyone has their own ideal candidate for sect leadership. Thus, the Tianxuan Sect¡¯s tradition is to identify five exceptionally gifted disciples and then have everyone in the sect cast their votes. Of course, the weight of each vote varies. Generally, the votes of peak lords and hall masters carry more weight than elders, elders more than stewards, and stewards more than direct disciples, and so on down the hierarchy.¡± ¡°It sounds quite reasonable,¡± Xu Ming remarked. ¡°Reasonable, perhaps, but not necessarily right,¡± Wu Yanhan said slowly. ¡°There is conflict wherever people gather. Those aspiring to become the Holy Son or Holy Daughter might choose to craft a facade to win favor. Many disciples might believe they truly understand someone, but in reality, it¡¯s just an act. The fact that someone like Xia He¡ªsomeone who is outwardly virtuous but inwardly vile¡ªmanaged to become sect master speaks volumes about how convincing his act must have been back then.¡± Xu Ming nodded in agreement with Wu Yanhan¡¯s perspective. At that moment, the first ray of light, from an unknown source, flew into the jar bearing the name ¡°He Qingqing.¡± Then came the second, the third, and the fourth rays of light. Streams of light continuously converged, forming a dazzling river of brilliance. This river split into five smaller streams of varying thickness, flowing into the five jars. Although there had been much heated discussion moments earlier, and some appeared hesitant, in reality, most people had already made up their minds about whom to choose. ¡°Even though it doesn¡¯t really matter who the Holy Son or Holy Daughter of the Tianxuan Sect is, who do you think will become the sect¡¯s next leader?¡± Wu Yanhan asked Xu Ming. ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± Xu Ming shrugged. ¡°They¡¯ll choose whoever can provide them with tangible benefits. And conveniently, Xia He happens to be Xia Donghua¡¯s father.¡± Chapter 262 Streams of spiritual light flowed continuously into the five jars. When the final ray of light entered the jars, they began to tremble. Strange carvings resembling irrigation channels adorned the surface of each jar. The light streams pouring into the jars resembled water filling these channels, gradually filling them to the brim. However, some jars¡¯ carvings remained incomplete. Others were not only completely filled but also began to glow brighter and brighter. The carvings on He Qingqing¡¯s jar remained unfilled. The carvings on Dugu Qiu¡¯s jar were only marginally better, nearly indistinguishable from He Qingqing¡¯s. Meanwhile, the jars belonging to Qin Qingwan and Chen Yun were not only filled to capacity but radiated dazzling brilliance. Yet, even these two paled in comparison to Xia Donghua. The jar bearing the name ¡°Xia Donghua¡± shone with such overwhelming light that it completely eclipsed the others. It was as though Xia Donghua was a luminous full moon in a starry night sky, while the other candidates were merely faint stars. Without a doubt, Xia Donghua was the ¡°chosen one.¡± Whether he was genuinely ¡°chosen by the people¡± or not, no one could say for certain. What was clear was that Xia Donghua had decisively outshone all his competitors in this election, securing the title of Holy Son. ¡°Donghua, it seems you have the support of most,¡± Xia He said with a smile, looking at his son. ¡°Your son is humbled,¡± Xia Donghua replied quickly, bowing deeply. ¡°Whether it¡¯s Senior Brother Chen, Junior Sister Qin, Junior Sister He, or Junior Brother Dugu, they are all more outstanding than I am. They are far more qualified to lead the Tianxuan Sect to a new era.¡± ¡°Donghua, you¡¯re being too modest,¡± an elder stepped forward and said. ¡°Indeed, Donghua, excessive modesty can come off as pride,¡± said a hall master. ¡°Since everyone has chosen you, it shows you are the rightful choice. You must shoulder this responsibility well,¡± a peak lord added. ¡°Everyone has witnessed your growth, Donghua. No one doubts your ability to be the Holy Son,¡± another elder chimed in. Xia He nodded in approval, patting his son on the shoulder. ¡°Exactly. Now that you¡¯ve been chosen, you must bear this responsibility. Do not disappoint us or the disciples of the sect.¡± Xia Donghua appeared deeply moved. ¡°Yes, Father! I will give my all for the Tianxuan Sect, sparing no effort! I will not let down the legacy of past sect masters!¡± ¡°Good!¡± Xia He turned to the crowd and formally announced, ¡°Let everyone bear witness! From today onward, Xia Donghua is the Holy Son of the Tianxuan Sect. I ask that you all support and guide him in the days to come.¡± ?a????????????¨¨? ¡°Congratulations to the Holy Son,¡± the crowd responded in unison, giving Xia Donghua a round of applause. Whether Xia Donghua¡¯s ascension as Holy Son was truly the will of the people or whether there were ulterior motives behind it was none of Xu Ming¡¯s concern. After all, he wasn¡¯t a disciple of the Tianxuan Sect. ¡°Thank you, elders and fellow cultivators. If I fall short in any way in the future, I hope you will kindly correct me and guide me,¡± Xia Donghua said, bowing in return. ¡°Now, come with me,¡± Xia He said, addressing his son. ¡°Since you¡¯ve been chosen as Holy Son, it¡¯s time to pay respects to the guardian spirit of the Tianxuan Sect.¡± There was a gleam of hope in Xia He¡¯s eyes as he looked at his son, as though he had pinned all his expectations on him. To be honest, the performance put on by this father and son made Xu Ming feel sick. Like father, like son¡ªthese two embodied the word ¡°hypocrisy¡± to its fullest. ¡°Yes, Father.¡± Xia Donghua followed his father to stand before the guardian spirit of the Tianxuan Sect. The guardian spirit glanced at Xia He, then at Xia Donghua. Its expression seemed to carry a hint of dullness. Xu Ming wasn¡¯t sure if it was just his imagination, but the sect¡¯s guardian spirit seemed¡­ a little slow-witted. ¡°Logically, shouldn¡¯t a guardian spirit like this have intelligence?¡± Xu Ming asked Wu Yanhan. Wu Yanhan gave him a sidelong glance. ¡°Guardian spirits are like people¡ªeveryone has a different personality. How do you know it doesn¡¯t have intelligence? Maybe it just doesn¡¯t feel like talking.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Xu Ming had to admit there was some truth to her words. To the onlookers, the guardian spirit extended a hand and placed it on Xia Donghua¡¯s head. The three treasures of the Tianxuan Sect vibrated, as if they were acknowledging Xia Donghua as the Holy Son. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At that moment, Xia He suddenly looked up, stretched out his hand, and plunged it directly into the guardian spirit¡¯s chest. The guardian spirit stared at Xia He in confusion. The others were equally stunned, unsure of what Xia He was doing. In the next instant, Xia He pulled out the guardian spirit¡¯s heart. The heart was a translucent, radiant green. Green blood began to slowly dribble from the guardian spirit¡¯s mouth. Then, Xia He took out a box from his storage pouch, opened it, and inside was a black heart. Without hesitation, Xia He shoved the black heart into the guardian spirit¡¯s chest. The wound on the guardian spirit¡¯s chest began to heal as it accepted the new heart. ¡°AAAAHHHH!!!¡± The guardian spirit, who had once resembled a queen of the forest, opened her arms and screamed toward the sky. It was as though she was being corrupted. Her hair and dress gradually turned black, and complex, cryptic inscriptions spread across her previously snow-white skin. Xia He¡¯s movements had been incredibly fast¡ªeverything from start to finish took less than half a breath, executed in one fluid motion. ¡°Xia He! What exactly are you doing?!¡± An elder finally reacted. He slammed his hands on the table and rushed toward Xia He. Though the elder didn¡¯t understand why Xia He was doing this or what the black heart was, he knew that if this continued, the guardian spirit¡ªand the entire Tianxuan Sect¡ªwould be in trouble. But just as the elder had taken only a few steps, he froze in place. Looking down, he saw a sword piercing through his body. ¡°Qingwen! You¡­!¡± Even without turning around, the elder knew who had attacked him, just from the inscriptions on the sword. He never expected that one of his most trusted junior disciples would betray him and kill him. Qingwen, the elder¡¯s disciple, slowly approached and coldly spoke, ¡°Uncle Master, times have changed. You old men should step aside.¡± With a flick of his wrist, Qingwen reversed the sword and cleaved upward, slicing the elder cleanly in half. ¡°Kill!¡± With Qingwen¡¯s command, the cultivators who had been lying in wait unsheathed their weapons and began attacking the surrounding guests. Chapter 263 None of the guests could comprehend what had just happened. By the time they regained their senses, the surrounding Tianxuan Sect cultivators had already drawn their weapons and were charging toward them. Chaos erupted instantly. Near Xu Ming, a Tianxuan Sect deacon brandished a massive axe and swung it down at him. Yet before Xu Ming could even rise, the deacon was reduced to a mist of blood with a single punch from Wu Yanhan. The other cultivators who had been about to attack Xu Ming froze in shock, utterly intimidated by Wu Yanhan¡¯s overwhelming power. But before they could recover from their daze, a blade of sword energy swept across their throats. Blood sprayed into the air as their lifeless bodies collapsed to the ground, staining the earth beneath them red. Without even lifting a finger, Xu Ming watched the carnage unfold. Clapping his hands as he stood up, he smiled and asked, ¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to ask¡ªcan you even fight properly dressed like that?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with fighting like this?¡± Wu Yanhan tore at her dress, transforming her ankle-length gown into a short skirt that revealed her snow-white legs and knees. ¡°Are you sure you won¡¯t risk exposure like that?¡± In the midst of life-and-death combat, Xu Ming seemed preoccupied with trivial concerns. Rolling her eyes at him, Wu Yanhan replied, ¡°I¡¯m wearing a pair of artifact leggings beneath my dress!¡± ¡°Well then, let¡¯s take them on together.¡± Xu Ming unsheathed his Nine Heavens Thunder Sword and charged toward Xia He. However, no matter how hard Xu Ming and Wu Yanhan tried, they couldn¡¯t get close to him. A group of cultivators surrounded Xia He, determined to protect him from harm. As Xu Ming rushed forward, wave after wave of deacons attacked him, only to be slain by his blade. The sword energy emanating from Xu Ming¡¯s body shredded any cultivator who dared approach him into fragments. Despite being engaged in battle, Xu Ming found a moment to glance at Wu Yanhan, worried for her safety¡ªbut he soon realized his concern was unnecessary. Now in the Golden Body Realm, Wu Yanhan¡¯s strength had reached an entirely new level. In martial cultivation, there were three major realms: Body Refinement, Qi Refinement, and Spirit Refinement. The Golden Body Realm was the first stage of Spirit Refinement, equivalent to the Nascent Soul Realm for cultivators. Its defining trait was its invincibility¡ªimpenetrable by blades or spells, with a body as tough as diamond. Though Wu Yanhan¡¯s physique still appeared as soft and delicate as any other young woman¡¯s, her Golden Body was unbreakable. In close-quarters combat, she was unstoppable¡ªeach punch she delivered claimed a life. Even a cultivator at the Nascent Soul level would struggle to survive a single blow from her. And Nascent Soul cultivators were powerful enough to establish their own sects. Even a top-tier sect like the Tianxuan Sect couldn¡¯t have many cultivators of that caliber. By this point, Wu Yanhan had undoubtedly ascended into the ranks of the most formidable fighters in the cultivation world. Xu Ming and Wu Yanhan worked together seamlessly. Xu Ming countered the long-range spells from afar, while protecting Wu Yanhan as she engaged in close combat. Any cultivator who came within ten steps of her was as good as dead. ?§¡¦­§°§£?s? Their coordination was flawless, reminding them of their childhood¡ªwhen they used to carry out missions and endure life-or-death trials together as members of the Blood Asura Battalion. Elsewhere, Wang Xuan and Qin Qingwan were also fighting their way toward Xia He. Facing their former sect members, Wang Xuan wielded her whisk, obliterating them with a casual wave of her hand. There was no hesitation¡ªshe showed no mercy as she erased them from existence. ¡°Elder Wangxuan, from today onward, the Tianxuan Sect will cease to exist. Why not join us and ascend to the Great Dao together?¡± The Sword Peak Master of Tianxuan Sect, holding a longsword, stood in Wangxuan¡¯s path. Wangxuan regarded him calmly. ¡°I always thought you wouldn¡¯t turn to Xia He. What has he offered you?¡± The Sword Peak Master shook his head. ¡°What benefit could compare to attaining the Great Dao?¡± A deep melancholy flickered in Li Yi¡¯s eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve been stuck in the Jade Purity Realm for far too long. Even if I can¡¯t reach the Ascension Realm in this lifetime, I at least want to step into the Immortal Realm and catch a glimpse of the view at the mountain¡¯s peak. Cultivators live their lives in pursuit of higher realms¡ªthat is our ultimate goal.¡± Wangxuan shook her head, her gaze filled only with pity. ¡°You are mistaken. Our sect¡¯s founding patriarch once said that the lifelong pursuit of a cultivator is to verify one¡¯s own Dao and one¡¯s heart. The elevation of realms is merely a byproduct of that process. ¡°Besides, do you truly believe following Xia He will lead you to the Immortal Realm? The so-called Great Dao is a path one must walk alone. How can it be entrusted to others? This is the ancestral teaching of our Tianxuan Sect. The very first stone seen by every disciple upon entering the sect is inscribed with these words.¡± ¡°Hahaha!¡± Li Yi laughed heartily. ¡°If there were hope, why would I rely on others? Or does Elder Wangxuan have a way to help me enter the Immortal Realm? Oh, by the way, you still have a disciple¡ªan excellent dual-cultivation vessel. How about handing her over to me?¡± ¡°Pathetic.¡± With a wave of her whisk, Wangxuan summoned the Four Divine Phantoms, transforming the clouds above into colossal divine beasts that charged at Li Yi. ¡°The Four Divine Astral Beasts!¡± Li Yi looked up at the approaching beasts. ¡°It¡¯s said Elder Wangxuan used this technique to slay a demon king in the Southern Territories. Let me see its might for myself!¡± Li Yi swung his sword, slashing the phantoms formed from clouds into pieces. However, the phantoms reformed instantly. The Vermilion Bird among the Four Divine Beasts let out a piercing cry and unleashed a torrent of Vermilion True Flame. Li Yi broke through the flames with a sword strike, thrusting toward Wangxuan¡¯s chest. But just as he closed in, the White Tiger clawed downward, smashing Li Yi into a mountain and shattering it into rubble. At that moment, ten cultivators ascended and surrounded Wangxuan. They didn¡¯t engage her directly but formed a formation, trapping Wangxuan inside. Wangxuan began chanting another incantation. A luminous river of time appeared beneath her feet, threatening to drag her opponents into its current. However, the ten cultivators each pulled out a piece of black jade. The ten pieces radiated dark light, intertwining and forming a cage within a single breath, imprisoning Wangxuan. ¡°Master!¡± Qin Qingwan cried out and rushed to save him. But her movements immediately drew the attention of others. Everyone in the Tianxuan Sect knew Qin Qingwan was an exceptional dual-cultivation vessel. Not to mention, her beauty ranked her in the top ten of the Beauty List! Cultivators were still human¡ªthey were not immune to the allure of beauty. Their desires didn¡¯t disappear; they simply shifted from mundane riches to celestial treasures and enchanting immortals. In this chaotic battle, Qin Qingwan seemed like the ultimate prize. Just as some cultivators moved to seize her, ten others stepped forward to shield her. Meanwhile, beneath the Xuantian Tree, the Tianxuan Sect¡¯s guardian spirit had fallen silent. The guardian spirit knelt on the ground, head bowed, its long hair disheveled. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At the spirit¡¯s center, the soil began to blacken, spreading outward in all directions. The once-clear springs scattered across the plain turned pitch black and murky, resembling pools of ink. ¡°Xia He! What exactly are you trying to do?¡± ¡°Xia He! Aren¡¯t you afraid of being hunted down by all the major sects for such actions?¡± ¡°Have you gone mad, Xia He?!¡± One after another, the guests who had come to offer their congratulations fell into pools of blood. None of them could understand what Xia He was trying to achieve, or why he was doing this. ¡°Mad?¡± Xia He turned around, glanced at the crowd, and let out a cold laugh. ¡°I¡¯m not mad. On the contrary, I¡¯m perfectly sane. In fact, all of you should feel honored¡ªhonored to become the fuel for my breakthrough into the Ascension Realm!¡± ¡°Xia He! You lunatic!¡± Several elders leading their sects charged forward together. But Xia He remained calm, not the least bit flustered. He took the original heart of the Tianxuan Sect¡¯s guardian spirit and swallowed it whole. The immense fortune energy of the sect surged through his body. With a wave of his sleeve, the cultivators charging toward him exploded into clouds of blood mist. Boom! A deafening sound reverberated as the entire Tianxuan Sect trembled violently. The sect¡¯s fortune energy transformed into countless threads, flowing incessantly into Xia He¡¯s body. Unexpectedly, the protective formation of the Tianxuan Sect activated¡ªbut not to repel invaders. Instead, it was slaughtering its own disciples. Yin-Yang fish symbols emerged around the sect, piercing through disciple after disciple. These disciples were reduced to blood mist, which then condensed into dark threads that surged upward, coalescing above the Xuantian Tree. Even the deceased guests were not spared. Their corpses were devoured by the blackened waters, gradually merging into the pitch-black soil. From the depths of the Sanshi Peak, streaks of crimson light shot into the sky, joining the growing blood sphere above the Xuantian Tree. Within the hollow prison of Sanshi Peak, Xu Cang and the others furrowed their brows, sweat pouring from their foreheads. Their blood essence and spiritual energy were being relentlessly drained by the formation. ¡°One incense stick of time.¡± Xu Cang and the others closed their eyes in resignation. Xu Ming had only one incense stick¡¯s worth of time. Once that time passed, they were certain of their deaths. Not only them¡ªwithin that same span, Xia He would likely break through into the Ascension Realm. At that point, no one who dared to resist him would be left alive. Back at the Baiquan (Hundred Springs) Plains, most people had already realized what Xia He was doing. He was using the deaths of Tianxuan Sect disciples and the visiting guests as nourishment to aid his breakthrough into the Ascension Realm. Despair filled the hearts of nearly everyone. From the Baiquan Plains alone, nearly half of the peak masters, hall masters, and deacons had betrayed the sect and joined Xia He. The other half, caught off guard, had been ambushed by their peers. Some were injured, while others had died outright. As for the visiting elders who had come to congratulate the sect, most of them were only at the Nascent Soul Realm. Cultivators of the Upper Five Realms were revered figures, rarely sent to attend celebratory events¡ªeven by the Four Great Sacred Lands. Thus, among those present, Xia He held the highest cultivation. The only other Immortal Realm cultivator, Wangxuan, was now trapped and unable to act. Most people had already accepted their impending deaths. But just as despair took root in their hearts, a flash of sword light streaked through the air before them. The sharp sword aura filled the atmosphere, so potent that even breathing felt like it could draw the aura into their bodies, shredding their organs. All eyes turned to see a young man striding forward, wielding a longsword with unwavering determination. ¡°Courting death!¡± Xia He let out a cold chuckle, extending his hand toward Xu Ming. A massive manifestation of spiritual energy materialized before Xu Ming, as if it intended to crush him into dust. Xu Ming swung his sword, executing the Grass Script Sword Technique, shattering the enormous hand-shaped manifestation. However, the resulting spiritual shockwave blasted Xu Ming backward. He drove his Nine Heavens Thunder Sword into the ground, carving a twenty-meter-long fissure into the earth. ¡°Pfft!¡± Xu Ming spat out a mouthful of blood. ¡°This young man is indeed remarkable,¡± Xia He remarked with a tone of approval. It had been a long time since Xia He had seen such a prodigious talent. ¡°Father, please allow me to deal with this man. I want to kill him with my own hands!¡± Seeing Xu Ming injured, Xia Donghua¡¯s breathing grew ragged. His hatred for Xu Ming burned deeply¡ªa hatred born of repeated humiliations in the past. He could only atone for his wounded pride by taking Xu Ming¡¯s life! Otherwise, his Dao Heart would remain unsteady. And now, Xu Ming was ranked second on the Qingyun List. If Xia Donghua killed him, regardless of the method, as long as Xu Ming died by his hand, Xia Donghua would become the new number two! Hatred and vanity consumed him, leaving him desperate for this moment. ¡°Go ahead, but be careful,¡± Xia He said, nodding and making no effort to stop his son. Xia He knew very well that Xu Ming had become a heart demon for his son. Xia Donghua had to overcome this demon personally. Otherwise, when he faced the Dragon Gate Tribulation to ascend into the Golden Core Realm, the unresolved heart demon could lead to his death and the collapse of his Dao. ¡°Yes!¡± With his father¡¯s permission, Xia Donghua gripped his sword and charged directly at Xu Ming. Once, he had been unable to defeat Xu Ming. But now? Surely that was no longer the case! Today, he would ensure that Xu Ming died with no chance of resurrection! ¡°Xu Ming! Prepare to die!¡± Xia Donghua recited an incantation, transforming into a black dragon. His form melded with his sword, becoming a single entity as he aimed a deadly strike at Xu Ming¡¯s heart. To everyone watching, it was a foregone conclusion. Xu Ming had barely managed to withstand Xia He¡¯s earlier attack¡ªa feat that was already astonishing. Now, wounded and weakened, how could he possibly survive this full-force strike from Xia Donghua? Yet, as Xia Donghua¡¯s sword hurtled toward him, Xu Ming¡¯s lips curled into a faint smile. It was as if¡­ He had been waiting for this very moment. Chapter 264 Four days ago, in Xu Ming¡¯s courtyard, Mo Zhuer took out a box. When the box was opened, it revealed a heart. The heart was pitch-black, as though it had been soaked in ink for millennia and then coated in a thick layer of oil. Yet, the heart appeared to be beating, emanating an ominous aura. ¡°What is this thing?¡± Wu Yanhan asked, visibly displeased by the object. ¡°Is this¡­ a demon heart?¡± Wang Xuan frowned deeply. ¡°Exactly. This is a demon heart. Elder Wang Xuan, you truly are well-informed,¡± Mo Zhuer nodded. ¡°This particular heart was discovered by the previous leader of the Black Lotus Sect during a chance encounter in the Desolate Demon Abyss. Judging by its grade, it should be the heart of a Demon King.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the purpose of this heart? Can it alone allow Xia He to reach the Ascension Realm?¡± Wu Yanhan questioned. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then wouldn¡¯t everyone just go to the Abyss to hunt demons for their hearts?¡± Xu Ming, listening to their conversation, felt completely lost. To be honest, he didn¡¯t really understand what demons were. ¡°That¡¯s certainly not possible,¡± Mo Zhuer shook her head. ¡°If it were just an ordinary demon, its heart would be useless. Even a Demon King¡¯s heart wouldn¡¯t suffice. If it were that simple, every time a Demon King was slain, humanity would gain an Ascension Realm cultivator. Things are never that easy. However, this particular heart is different.¡± Wu Yanhan glanced at Mo Zhuer, her tone still hostile. ¡°How is it different?¡± ¡°This heart serves as a crucial medium¡ªit¡¯s the foundation of everything.¡± Mo Zhuer took a sip of tea before continuing, ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t fully understand what transpired either. But the Black Lotus Sect leader has indeed established some mysterious collaboration with Xia He. Every demon possesses a unique ability. Through the current sect leader¡¯s experiments, it was discovered that this particular demon¡¯s heart holds the power to convert fortune and absorb blood essence. Elder Wang Xuan should be well aware of what I¡¯m referring to. For every cultivator, their cultivation realm is like a series of city gates. A cultivator¡¯s goal is to use various methods to surpass these gates, thereby witnessing the scenery beyond. Some find the key to the gate, some dig tunnels to sneak under it, some fly over it, and others use brute force to break it down. The majority of cultivators follow the first method: discovering their Dao heart, solidifying their path, and waiting for the right opportunity to open the gate. But what Xia He intends to do is the last method¡ªforcefully breaking through the gate. This heart is the battering ram. The fortune of the Tianxuan Sect, along with the blood essence and fortune of its guests and disciples after death, will act as the soldiers wielding this battering ram! Xia He¡¯s task during the Zixia Ceremony is to summon the guardian spirit of Tianxuan Sect. He will then extract the guardian spirit¡¯s heart and replace it with this black heart! Since the Tianxuan Sect¡¯s guardian spirit controls the sect¡¯s fortune, by manipulating this black heart, Xia He will gain control over the guardian spirit. Following this, Xia He will consume the original heart of the guardian spirit, establishing some kind of bond between them. With this bond, he can use fortune and blood essence to forcefully break through the gate blocking his Ascension Realm. Additionally, during this process, Xia He can command the Tianxuan Sect¡¯s defensive formations to kill anyone in his way. Combine that with the sect¡¯s numerous Peak Masters, Elders, and Hall Masters supporting Xia He¡ªwho, as far as I know, account for over half of the sect¡¯s leadership¡ªand the situation becomes an inescapable trap. Their forces far surpass ours.¡± ¡°If there were no way to break this situation, you wouldn¡¯t be sitting here, wasting time telling us all of this,¡± Wu Yanhan interrupted impatiently, glaring at Mo Zhuer. Wu Yanhan had never thought highly of Mo Zhuer, and her dislike deepened as Mo Zhuer continued to toy with them instead of getting to the point. ¡°Your Highness, please remain calm. I am merely laying out the prerequisites,¡± Mo Zhuer said with a calm smile, appearing completely at ease. ¡°As you said, there is no such thing as an unbreakable deadlock in this world¡ªonly solutions that have yet to be discovered.¡± ???????§£¨º? ¡°For example, we could just destroy this heart right now. If we do that, Xia He¡¯s plan won¡¯t be executable, right?¡± Wu Yanhan stared straight at Mo Zhuer. Mo Zhuer sought the fortune of Tianxuan Sect, which was why she was negotiating with them. But if Wu Yanhan destroyed the heart, Xia He¡¯s plan would fail, and Mo Zhuer wouldn¡¯t get the sect¡¯s fortune either. In simple terms, Wu Yanhan considered flipping the table instead of negotiating further. And with Mo Zhuer now here in this courtyard, facing all of them¡ªespecially with Wang Xuan, a powerful Immortal Realm cultivator, present¡ªthere was no way Mo Zhuer could escape. Mo Zhuer smiled brilliantly. ¡°Your Highness, your words are quite intimidating. But, don¡¯t you think others have already considered what you¡¯ve just suggested? This heart has already been enchanted. Should it encounter danger, it will tear through space and automatically seek out Xia He.¡± Wu Yanhan was left speechless. Mo Zhuer calmly closed the box and placed the heart back into her storage pouch. ¡°So, there¡¯s no point in thinking of alternative solutions. The only viable option is to work with me. Today, I will deliver this heart to Xia He, but I will inject certain elements into it. These elements will play a crucial role in breaking the deadlock. Additionally, there¡¯s another key piece¡ªXia Donghua.¡± ¡°Him?¡± Xu Ming asked, surprised. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Mo Zhuer replied in a charming tone, her eyes narrowing with a playful glint. Wu Yanhan noticed Mo Zhuer¡¯s demeanor toward Xu Ming and felt slightly uncomfortable. She couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that this cunning woman might genuinely be interested in Xu Ming. ¡°Although Xia Donghua is someone that Young Master Xu could easily crush with one hand, don¡¯t forget: the Zixia Grand Ceremony has another significant purpose¡ªto select the future Holy Son and Holy Daughter of Tianxuan Sect. Xia Donghua is one of the candidates, and Xia He has already set the stage to ensure that Xia Donghua becomes the Holy Son. The selected Holy Son or Holy Daughter will receive formal acknowledgment from the Tianxuan Sect¡¯s guardian spirit. This acknowledgment involves transferring a portion of the sect¡¯s fortune to the chosen candidate. Xia He plans to strike at the moment when the guardian spirit acknowledges Xia Donghua. At that time, the guardian spirit will be distributing its fortune and will enter a weakened state, making it easier to ambush. Moreover, once Xia Donghua is acknowledged, he will officially become the Holy Son and will serve as a medium for the Tianxuan Sect¡¯s defensive formations. If, at that moment, we kill Xia Donghua, the fortune granted to him by the guardian spirit will be redirected back to the guardian spirit. This sudden influx of fortune might momentarily awaken the guardian spirit from its otherwise chaotic state. Additionally, Xia Donghua¡¯s death will destabilize the sect¡¯s formations, causing a backlash to Xia He himself. At that point, we strike¡ªnot to kill Xia He but to seize the Tianxuan Mirror! Once we acquire the mirror, we can release Xu Cang and the other elders imprisoned within it. The balance of power will shift entirely in our favor!¡± ¡ª At Baiquan (Hundred Springs) Plain. Xu Ming stood, watching Xia Donghua charge toward him, the corners of his mouth curling into a smirk. This was the moment Xu Ming had been waiting for. He knew that once he appeared injured, Xia Donghua would be unable to resist the urge to attack him. This was only natural. Ever since Xu Ming had kicked Xia Donghua away with a single strike, he had become Xia Donghua¡¯s inner demon. The hatred Xia Donghua bore for him was boundless. Xu Ming knew Xia Donghua would stop at nothing to kill him first! Just as Xia Donghua was only twenty meters away from Xu Ming, Xia He¡¯s pupils suddenly shrank, and he shouted at his son, ¡°Donghua! Fall back!¡± But it was too late. The spiritual energy around Xu Ming surged wildly, erupting in an overwhelming force. The outpouring spiritual energy transformed into a violent tornado, and within it, sword energy sliced through the air, cutting into everyone¡¯s skin. On Baiquan Plain, everyone bore wounds of varying severity from Xu Ming¡¯s sword energy. A deep hum echoed through the sky¡ª¡±Weng¡­ Weng¡­ Weng¡­¡± The sound of the Great Dao resonated, and it came from none other than Xu Ming. Sensing danger, Xia Donghua instinctively tried to retreat. Although he didn¡¯t understand how Xu Ming had not only survived his father¡¯s attack but now exuded such a terrifying aura, he knew one thing with certainty: if he didn¡¯t flee now, he would die! However, it was already too late. A long sword pierced through the spiritual tornado, cutting through the storm of energy. Xia Donghua caught a glimpse of a sword shadow flashing before him. When he turned around, Xu Ming, holding a long sword, was already standing behind him. There was no blood on Xu Ming¡¯s sword, but Xia Donghua clutched his neck tightly. ¡°You¡­ you¡­¡± The next moment, Xia Donghua felt the world spinning. His head fell to the ground. Black spring water surged forward, consuming Xia Donghua¡¯s body entirely. ¡°Xu Ming! You¡¯re courting death!¡± Xia He roared in fury. But his anger wasn¡¯t because Xu Ming had killed his son. To Xia He, the death of Xia Donghua was insignificant. As long as Xia He reached the Ascension Realm, he still had plenty of time to have another child. Even if he didn¡¯t, he wasn¡¯t particularly concerned about continuing his bloodline. What enraged him was the timing. Xia Donghua¡¯s death could potentially trigger undesirable changes in his plans. Sure enough, what Xia He feared the most happened. With Xia Donghua¡¯s death, a portion of the fortune bestowed upon him returned to the Tianxuan Sect¡¯s guardian spirit. As a sliver of awareness returned to the guardian spirit, she realized what the current sect master of Tianxuan Sect, Xia He, had done. Using the last vestiges of her clarity, the guardian spirit forcibly reversed the sect¡¯s formations, causing the backlash to strike Xia He. Xia He spat out a mouthful of blood. But he quickly stabilized himself and once again channeled his spells. ¡°AAAHHH!!!¡± The guardian spirit screamed in agony. The black heart within her chest continued to corrode her sanity. She looked around Baiquan Plain, seeing the disciples killing one another, the corpses strewn across the ground, and the sect reduced to chaos. In her eyes, there was a flicker of human sorrow. Turning her gaze toward Xia He, the guardian spirit¡¯s eyes blazed with fury, as though she wished to devour him whole. Just as her remaining sanity was about to fade completely, she thrust her hand into her chest, grabbing hold of the black heart with all her strength. ¡°Not good!¡± Xia He rushed forward in panic. He hadn¡¯t expected the guardian spirit¡¯s will to endure to such an extent. But it was already too late. ¡°BOOM!¡± With a deafening explosion, the guardian spirit self-destructed, unleashing a massive shockwave of spiritual energy that rippled outward like waves on a lake. ¡°Fool! Do you think destroying yourself will change anything?!¡± Xia He coldly stared at the spot where the guardian spirit had been, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth. The black heart still remained. Spreading his arms wide, Xia He shouted, ¡°It¡¯s over! No one can stop me now! You will all become my elixirs!¡± Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Is that so?¡± A calm voice interrupted him. Just as Xia He finished speaking, a voice suddenly rang out beside him. Xia He¡¯s heart tightened, and his first instinct was to shift his body. A longsword slashed past him, and the sword energy it emitted cleaved a distant mountain peak cleanly in half! ¡°Xu Ming! How did you reach the Jade Purity Realm?!¡± Xia He, now at a distance, stared at Xu Ming in disbelief. But before he could process this, another sword strike from Xu Ming came his way. Xu Ming¡¯s Grass Script Sword Technique was precise and lethal¡ªeach strike executed without any unnecessary movement, perfectly efficient. Even though Xia He was at the peak of the Immortal Realm, the sheer intensity of Xu Ming¡¯s sword energy forced him to evade rather than block head-on. Xia He hastily formed an Eight Trigrams Seal, aiming directly at Xu Ming¡¯s head. This technique was designed specifically to counter sword cultivators. If Xu Ming relied on sword energy, the seal would absorb and reflect it back. If Xu Ming didn¡¯t use sword energy, the seal would hit him directly¡ªseverely injuring or even killing him! But Xu Ming didn¡¯t use sword energy at all. With his longsword in hand, his movements were as fluid as a painting. Each clever strike of the Grass Script Sword Technique dismantled Xia He¡¯s Eight Trigrams Seal. In less than a single breath, Xia He¡¯s spell was completely nullified by Xu Ming. At that moment, Xu Ming finally grasped the deeper meaning of the phrase: Sword techniques, sword energy, and sword intent¡ªall three can reach their pinnacle, none inferior to the others. After breaking Xia He¡¯s spell, Xu Ming transformed into a streak of white mist and thrust his sword toward Xia He¡¯s heart. ¡°Clang!¡± Xu Ming¡¯s longsword collided with a barrier resembling a turtle shell. The impact unleashed a surge of sword energy and spiritual power, forcing the two apart. Xu Ming struck again with his sword. ¡°How dare a mere junior¡­!¡± Being driven into such a state of disarray by a younger opponent, Xia He was utterly furious! He raised his right hand high, summoning a ferocious avatar from the Tianxuan Sect¡¯s grand formation. The monstrous figure lunged at Xu Ming with overwhelming force. But at that very moment, Xu Ming suddenly redirected his sword, aiming it straight at the Tianxuan Mirror suspended a hundred meters high in the air! Chapter 265 Xia He was startled¡ªhe hadn¡¯t expected that Xu Ming¡¯s target was actually the Tianxuan Mirror. With a swing of his longsword, a Nine-Headed Sun-Devouring Serpent emerged from behind Xia He¡ªthis was his Fatian Xiangdi (Law of Heaven and Earth). The serpent let out a series of hisses and lunged toward Xu Ming at an incredible speed. Its massive form covered the sky, and in just a moment, it had already closed in on Xu Ming. Xu Ming swung his sword, unleashing the Grass Script Sword Technique, a technique renowned for its devastating power. His sword aura was sharp and ruthless, sending chills down the spines of the many cultivators watching from Baiquan (Hundred Springs) Plains. In their eyes, it was as if they were witnessing the return of that peerless sword cultivator from thousands of years ago¡ªthe one whose very name was avoided in conversation. Back when that sword cultivator roamed the world, all other sword cultivators seemed insignificant in comparison, as if no matter how far they advanced, they could never reach his level. Sword cultivators were powerful¡ªsome were even called Sword Immortals. But that man¡ªhe could only be called Sword God. In an instant, three of the serpent¡¯s heads were severed by Xu Ming¡¯s sword. To everyone watching, Xu Ming¡¯s swordplay seemed utterly simple¡ªjust like an ordinary blade of grass on the roadside. Yet, his seemingly plain sword strikes carried overwhelming power. His every movement was devoid of unnecessary flourish¡ªeverything was solely for one purpose: to kill. Xu Ming did not engage in a direct battle with Xia He¡¯s Fatian Xiangdi. Instead, he merely delayed it, preventing it from approaching him. Xia He grew increasingly anxious. The sheer destructive power of Xu Ming¡¯s sword technique was one thing. But another, even more troubling issue was¡ªXu Ming was too fast. His movement technique was bizarre¡ªeerily similar to that infamous thief who had once shaken the world a thousand years ago. Even Xia He¡¯s Law Manifestation at the Immortal Realm couldn¡¯t keep up with him. Just then, one of the remaining serpent heads let out a piercing hiss toward the sky. Xia He abandoned his attempts to entangle Xu Ming any further. The clouds split open, and a bolt of divine lightning crashed down toward Xu Ming. Xia He knew that a single lightning strike alone would not be enough to stop Xu Ming from reaching the Tianxuan Mirror. To ensure success, two of the remaining six serpent heads unleashed their strongest techniques¡ªone spewed True Flame, while the other summoned Luo River Water. ??????¦¯?§§? Lightning, water, and fire¡ªthree destructive forces, each carrying devastating power, all converged upon Xu Ming. These were the most formidable techniques that Xia He¡¯s Law Manifestation could unleash. This was the highest form of respect he could give to Xu Ming. After all, Xu Ming had continuously surprised everyone¡ªso much so that Xia He felt an overwhelming sense of unease. It was as if his grand plan was destined to fail at Xu Ming¡¯s hands. As long as Xu Ming was alive, Xia He would never know peace. And, just as Xia He had feared¡ªanother unexpected event occurred. However, this time, the one who caused the surprise was not Xu Ming, but Wang Xuan! A massive butterfly, with twelve pairs of wings, streaked through the air at astonishing speed toward Xu Ming. It moved even faster than the lightning descending from the sky. The enormous butterfly spread its wings, enveloping Xu Ming like an impenetrable barrier. A sense of absolute safety washed over Xu Ming. He entrusted his life entirely to the butterfly, focusing solely on reaching the Tianxuan Mirror. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Lightning, fire, and water all crashed into the Neon Cloud Butterfly that shielded Xu Ming. Yet, Xu Ming remained completely unscathed. ¡°Wang Xuan!¡± Xia He turned in shock, roaring in fury. That butterfly¡ªit was Wang Xuan¡¯s Law Manifestation! But she was supposed to be trapped! How had she broken free?! Wang Xuan merely hovered in the air, gazing at Xia He with calm, indifferent eyes. In her gaze, there was nothing but contempt. The ten elders who had been restraining Wang Xuan¡ªthree of them now wielded their swords, striking down their own comrades. Xia He could hardly believe it. He had carefully selected these ten individuals, believing them to be utterly loyal¡ªpeople who would never betray him. Yet, at this critical moment, three of them had chosen to stand with Wang Xuan. And for Wang Xuan, three traitors were more than enough. While the remaining elders struggled to keep Wang Xuan restrained, those three merely had to unsheathe their swords and cut down three of their comrades. With just three swift kills, the number of cultivators binding Wang Xuan was reduced to four. Four was far too few to maintain the formation. Wang Xuan broke free with ease. At the same moment, under the protection of Wang Xuan¡¯s Law Manifestation, Xu Ming finally reached the Tianxuan Mirror. But as he drew closer, the mirror¡¯s divine radiance flared, repelling him. Xu Ming frowned. He hadn¡¯t expected this. Mo Zhuer had only told him to seize the Tianxuan Mirror when the chance arose. He had assumed that as long as he overcame Xia He, the mirror would be his. Never did he anticipate that the Tianxuan Mirror itself would reject him. No one told me about this! ¡°Hahahaha¡­¡± Xia He burst into laughter. ¡°You fools! Did you really think the three immortal weapons of Tianxuan Sect could be taken so easily? I am the sect master! They recognize me and me alone!¡± With a wave of his hand, Xia He turned the Tianxuan Mirror slightly, angling its reflective surface directly at Xu Ming. ¡°Not good!¡± Xu Ming¡¯s heart tensed¡ªsomething felt terribly wrong. Threads of spiritual energy emerged from the mirror, coiling around his limbs and neck, trying to drag him into the mirror. Seeing this, Wu Yanhan and Qin Qingwan, despite knowing they were far weaker in cultivation, instinctively rushed toward Xu Ming without hesitation. ¡°Aiya, aiya¡­ Looks like you all still need me after all.¡± Just as Wu Yanhan and Qin Qingwan were halfway to Xu Ming, a veiled woman in a black maid¡¯s dress suddenly appeared behind him. She pressed herself tightly against him, wrapping her arms around him. Mo Zhuer. Her soft, delicate hands reached for the back of Xu Ming¡¯s right hand. Leaning in close, her lips brushed against his ear, her warm breath sending a shiver through him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry¡­ I will always be by your side. You can trust me completely.¡± As her words fell, Xu Ming felt it. Her spiritual energy was flowing seamlessly into him¡ªcompletely unimpeded, as if his body were an extension of hers. Then, it clicked. He understood. He and Mo Zhuer had cultivated together too many times. Their Daos had already begun to intertwine¡ªalmost as if they were Dao Companions. ¡°Go.¡± Through her veil, Mo Zhuer planted a kiss on Xu Ming¡¯s cheek. Then, as she stepped away, she hurled a mystical bead toward the Tianxuan Mirror. The mirror reacted instantly, unleashing a counterattack that shattered the bead into dust. But the moment the bead disintegrated, its fine powder coated the mirror. In an instant, the energy threads extending from the mirror snapped. Xu Ming wrapped his sword aura around his hand and seized the Tianxuan Mirror. A searing pain shot through him¡ªhis palm felt as though it was burning away. But he gritted his teeth and held on. Then, with all his strength¡ª He hurled the Tianxuan Mirror toward Sanshi Peak. Chapter 266 Even though Xia He had no idea what Xu Ming intended to do with the Tianxuan Mirror, even a fool could tell¡ªthis mirror was the key to breaking the stalemate. Under Xu Ming¡¯s sheer brute force, the Tianxuan Mirror hurtled toward Sanshi Peak. Sanshi Peak¡ªthe place where Xu Cang and the others were imprisoned. Xia He immediately connected the dots. Xu Ming must have been one of the two cultivators he had encountered back at Sanshi Peak. ¡°Seizing the Tianxuan Mirror¡­ throwing it toward Sanshi Peak¡­¡± This had to be Xu Cang and those old bastards¡¯ plan. But so what if Xu Ming succeeded? Did they really think Xu Cang and his people could just break free? Xia He couldn¡¯t comprehend the logic behind it. But even if he didn¡¯t understand¡ªeven if he couldn¡¯t understand¡ªhe had to stop it, no matter what! ¡°Li Yi! Stop the Tianxuan Mirror!¡± Xia He shouted at Li Yi. But Li Yi didn¡¯t need the order. Having lived for thousands of years, he had already seen through the situation. The moment Xu Ming made a move for the mirror, Li Yi had already rushed in to intercept. With a swift incantation, countless sword phantoms appeared behind him. They lined up in front of the Tianxuan Mirror, forming wall after wall of sword aura. The mirror smashed through those barriers, but its momentum slowed significantly. At this rate, it would never reach Sanshi Peak. But at that exact moment¡ª The scorching sun in the sky blazed even hotter. From its fiery mass, a stream of molten lava began to flow. That lava condensed into a barrage of swords, streaking straight toward Li Yi. Li Yi¡¯s heart sank. He immediately condensed his sword aura to protect his heart. But the molten swords still tore through him¡ªpiercing his body and leaving gaping, bloody holes. Gritting his teeth, Li Yi turned his head¡ª And saw her. A young woman, with an elegant figure and breathtaking beauty, walking toward him with a crystal-clear sword in hand. Even the disciples of Wanjian Sect were shocked to see their ¡°Little Martial Aunt¡± standing there. Mere moments ago, she had been fighting alongside them against the enemy. But in the blink of an eye, she¡ªjust like Xu Ming¡ªhad experienced a meteoric rise in cultivation, stepping into the Jade Purity Realm. And in that instant, she had wiped out every single Tianxuan Sect elder and steward around her. Step by step, Xu Xue Nuo ascended into the sky. She twirled her sword, then pointed it toward the ground. Then, she let go. Her sword, Qingming, seemed to fall toward the earth. But just as it passed the level of her feet¡ªit vanished, dissolving bit by bit into the air. Ding¡ª The sound was delicate, like a droplet of water falling into a lake. Ripples spread outward. Now, her hands were empty. But it felt as though countless swords surrounded her. Xu Xue Nuo raised a finger. In an instant, swords made of pure, flowing water materialized and shot toward Li Yi. Li Yi dared not underestimate her. Without hesitation, he released his Sword Domain. His sword sprouted vines, which coiled around his arm, then wrapped further and further until they covered his entire body. The vines formed a living armor, while his sword became completely entangled. And at the hilt of his sword¡ª An eye suddenly snapped open. Li Yi swung his sword downward. A wave of black energy surged forward, shattering Xu Xue Nuo¡¯s water swords on contact. Then, they appeared. Eyes. One after another, eerie, ominous eyes materialized around Xu Xue Nuo. From them, dark sword auras shot forth¡ªintended to pierce her full of holes. But beneath Xu Xue Nuo¡¯s feet¡ª The water flowed upward, like a reverse waterfall, forming a shield around her. The moment the black sword aura struck, it was as if raindrops had fallen upon a still lake¡ªcreating nothing but gentle ripples before fading into nothingness. ???????????¨¨£Ó Xu Xue Nuo stepped forward once more. And with that single step forward, Li Yi was pulled into Xu Xue Nuo¡¯s Sword Domain. Before him, everything was blank¡ªpure white stretching infinitely in all directions. There was no sky, no earth¡ªonly an endless expanse where everything blended into one. Except for one figure. Xu Xue Nuo. She extended a single finger and lightly tapped toward Li Yi. A white sword shadow flashed. Li Yi looked down¡ª And saw a gaping hole where his heart had been. Blood trickled from the corner of his lips. His body turned pale¡ªa frozen white. Then, like snowflakes caught in the wind¡ª He simply dispersed. Not a single trace remained. All who witnessed this scene were left in utter disbelief. From their perspective, they had seen nothing but the Sword Peak Master of Tianxuan Sect standing there, unmoving. Then Xu Xue Nuo pointed¡ª And suddenly, there was a bloody hole in his chest. The next moment, he was gone¡ªbody and soul annihilated. Those who knew Xu Xue Nuo were stunned. How had she, like Xu Ming, suddenly stepped into the Jade Purity Realm? And those who didn¡¯t know her¡ª They wondered: Who is this woman? What kind of supreme existence is she? How could her cultivation be so overwhelmingly superior? The Sword Peak Master had been an old and seasoned Jade Purity expert, an established powerhouse of his realm. Yet before this young woman, it was as if he had zero ability to resist. Was this truly just the Jade Purity Realm? Why did it feel like, compared to her, his cultivation was as fragile as paper? At this moment, Xu Ming finally let out a breath of relief. Jiang Xue had finally made her move¡ª And at just the right time. Xu Xue Nuo mimicked Xu Ming¡¯s actions, wrapping her hand in sword aura and grasping the Tianxuan Mirror. Her brows knitted together. The burning pain seared through her palm, agonizing beyond words. Yet she endured, pushing through the torment¡ª And hurled the mirror toward Sanshi Peak. ¡°Retrieve the Tianxuan Mirror!¡± Xia He commanded. At this moment, the sect¡¯s fate was converging upon the Xuantian Tree¡ª The pill was almost complete! This was the final moment¡ª Success or failure, everything hinged on this! Once he broke through to the Ascension Realm, slaughtering these pests would be nothing more than a flick of the wrist! But this final step¡ª Felt like the farthest one of all. Countless elders, stewards, hall masters, and peak lords lunged toward the mirror, fighting tooth and nail to intercept it. At the same time, the rebellious elders and peak lords of Tianxuan Sect also rushed forward. None of them knew exactly what the mirror meant. But seeing how desperately Xu Ming and Xia He fought for it¡ª They knew. This was the key to breaking the stalemate. A brutal battle erupted around the mirror. Cultivators exploded into blood mist, their bodies and souls utterly erased. The mirror changed hands again and again¡ª Seized, only for its holder to be immediately slain, then taken by another. Xu Ming and Xu Xue Nuo guarded the mirror¡¯s vicinity, their sword auras forming an impenetrable barrier¡ª Any who approached were instantly shredded to dust. Wang Xuan¡¯s Heaven and Earth Law Manifestation clashed relentlessly with Xia He¡¯s own¡ª The two titanic forces colliding again and again. And just as the Tianxuan Mirror neared Sanshi Peak, only two miles away¡ª S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Xia He realized he was out of time. Without hesitation¡ª He soared into the sky¡ª And swallowed the nearly-completed pill in one gulp! Chapter 269 Xu Ming swung his sword. It seemed like an ordinary strike, yet it was excessively sharp¡ªso sharp that it felt as if it could cut through anything. And indeed, his sword cleaved through space itself, exposing the void beyond. ¡°Boom!¡± With a thunderous roar, Xu Ming¡¯s sword sliced the massive palm-shaped Dharma manifestation in the sky cleanly in half, dispersing it entirely into spiritual energy. Holding his longsword, Xu Ming struck again, this time aiming at Xia He. In response, Xia He threw out a semi-immortal-grade Glazed Golden Lotus to block in front of him. This Glazed Golden Lotus was something Xia He had obtained in the Western Regions. It had saved his life multiple times in battles of life and death. Yet now, it was sliced neatly in two by Xu Ming. Even in this critical moment, Xia He was momentarily stunned. A mere Jade Purity Realm cultivator, wielding only a second-grade immortal sword, had actually managed to cut his Glazed Golden Lotus in half? ¡°Could this be his sword domain?¡± Xia He frowned, speculating in his heart. Every swordsman¡¯s sword domain was unique. Xu Ming¡¯s sword domain seemed to concentrate all his sword energy and intent into his blade, merging completely with it. The sword in his hand was like a fire-forged blade of molten rock¡ªbefore it, all things in the world were as fragile as paper. Unlike Xu Xuenuo¡¯s dazzling, all-encompassing swordsmanship that balanced offense and defense, Xu Ming had taken sharpness to the absolute extreme! This was a true ¡°One Sword Breaks Ten Thousand Techniques.¡± Xia He dared not take this strike head-on. Pulling back to widen the distance, Xia He formed a hand seal, and intricate formations began appearing beneath Xu Ming¡¯s feet. The cultivators of the Tianxuan Sect practiced many Daoist arts, but their greatest specialty was formations. One by one, these formations activated. Three Thunder Formation, Miao Fire Formation, Soul-Capturing Bewitching Formation¡ªeach array activated simultaneously. Yet Xu Ming dealt with them all the same way. With just a single sword strike, he shattered each formation one after another. Be it tangible or intangible, everything was as fragile as a cicada¡¯s wings before Xu Ming¡¯s sword domain. As the Tianxuan Mirror neared Sanshi Peak, Xia He knew that time was running out. Without hesitation, Xia He drew a dagger and slashed his own wrist. Fresh blood flowed freely from the wound. However, instead of dripping to the ground, the blood hovered in midair, as if the very air itself was a solid plane. His blood spread outward, forming a complex pattern¡ªa formation drawn from blood! ¡°It¡¯s time for you to come out.¡± ¡°If I die here, how do you expect to achieve your grand ambitions? Will you stay trapped in that abyss forever?¡± Xia He lifted his head and spoke slowly to the vast, empty sky. The moment his words fell, the blood-drawn formation surged toward the heavens. A crack appeared in the sky. From the rift, black sludge began to drip down. Wherever the sludge touched, it corroded and burned the earth. Anything that came into contact with it was instantly reduced to lifeless matter. Then, from within the rift, an eye appeared. ¡°Boom!¡± A pair of massive hands tore at the opening, trying to pry it wider¡ªalmost as if the rift was too small for its body to pass through. The crack in the sky was forcefully ripped larger and larger. And then, from the expanding rift, a colossal minotaur-like monster emerged, its head as massive as a mountain. He glanced around, as if suddenly understanding Xia He¡¯s intent, then reached out his massive hand toward the Tianxuan Mirror. Xu Ming¡¯s brows furrowed¡ªsomething felt terribly wrong. Without hesitation, he used the movement technique taught to him by the Thief and swiftly closed in on the monstrous hand. Xu Ming slashed horizontally with his sword. ¡°Clang!¡± A deafening sound echoed through the sky, like two massive slabs of iron colliding. Xu Ming¡¯s eyes narrowed¡ªit was the heaviest thing he had ever struck. Yet he didn¡¯t think his sword lacked sharpness. It was his own strength that was lacking. Gritting his teeth, Xu Ming tightened his grip on his longsword. Activating Blood Frenzy, he poured every ounce of his strength into this one strike. The veins in his sword-wielding arm burst open, blood splattering as his Nine Heavens Thunder Sword clashed with the demon¡¯s arm, sparks flying in all directions. ?¦Á£Î?¦Â?S ¡°Get lost!¡± With a final, decisive slash, the demon¡¯s thick arm was severed in two! ¡°ROOOOAAAARRR!!!¡± A horrific, agonized howl erupted from the monstrous being. A torrent of green blood gushed from the wound like a waterfall, and the severed arm plummeted toward the ground. The residual sword energy from Xu Ming¡¯s strike spread outward¡ªentire mountain peaks were leveled in its wake! But his Nine Heavens Thunder Sword couldn¡¯t withstand the strain. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It shattered into iron dust, dispersing into the air. Xu Ming¡¯s arms hung limply at his sides¡ªcompletely drained, he couldn¡¯t even lift them anymore. But it didn¡¯t matter. No one could stop the Tianxuan Mirror now. Under the protection of Wangxuan¡¯s Heaven and Earth Law Manifestation, Xia He could only watch helplessly as the Tianxuan Mirror hurtled toward the Sanshi Peak. Even in these final moments, Xia He still couldn¡¯t comprehend¡ªwhy was this mirror so important to them? Could the Tianxuan Mirror really unravel the formation sealing Sanshi Peak? But whether Xia He understood or not no longer mattered. Inside Sanshi Peak, the Thief lifted his head. In the prison, Xu Cang and the others were deathly pale. Time had nearly run out for them¡ªthey were at their limits. Yet at that moment, an indescribable feeling surged through the Thief¡¯s body. His eyes lit up with excitement. ¡°Old man!¡± the Thief called out to Xu Cang. ¡°The Tianxuan Mirror is here!¡± The mere mention of those words ignited hope in everyone¡¯s eyes. ¡°I knew that kid was something special~¡± Zhou Wanfeng chuckled softly. ¡°Once we get out, I¡¯m definitely going to reward him properly.¡± ¡°That brat didn¡¯t let me down after all.¡± Xu Cang smirked. ¡°It¡¯s time. We¡¯ve been locked up for far too long!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go see the world again~¡± The Thief¡¯s voice was brimming with joy. Xu Cang cast him a glance, then pressed his index and middle fingers together and pointed at him. A streak of sword energy shot into the Thief¡¯s body. The Thief spat out blood¡ªbut instead of pain, an ecstatic grin spread across his face. Wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, he twisted his neck, then tilted his head back and spat out a silver ingot. Xu Cang unleashed three more sword beams. Wrapped in sword energy, the silver ingot shot toward the peak, breaking through layers of rock as it ascended! In less than three breaths, the ingot breached the mountain¡¯s summit, hovering above the Sanshi Peak. And at that exact moment¡ª As if suddenly pulled by an unseen force, the Tianxuan Mirror accelerated. It tore free from Wangxuan¡¯s Heaven and Earth Law Manifestation, transforming into a streak of radiant light, and crashed toward the Sanshi Peak! Chapter 271 Above the vast sky, a group of mysterious cultivators suddenly appeared. Inside the Tianxuan Sect, the disciples were utterly bewildered. Judging by the spiritual pressure emanating from these cultivators, their cultivation levels were incredibly high! And they had all emerged from a single mountain peak, seemingly harboring deep grudges against the Tianxuan Sect. Had the Tianxuan Sect been imprisoning these cultivators all along? But when did the sect gain such power? ¡°Wait¡­ Could that man be Tang Long?¡± In Baiquan (Hundred Springs) Plain, an elderly man stared in shock at the elusive figure of one of the cultivators. ¡°Tang Long? Who is Tang Long?¡± a disciple beside him asked. The elder shook his head and said, ¡°Tang Long was a legendary thief from two thousand years ago. From the imperial palaces of the Ten Great Human Dynasties to the Four Sacred Lands and Five Great Sects, there was nothing he didn¡¯t dare to steal. Because of this, Tang Long was hunted down by the Sacred Lands and sects. It was said that he was eventually besieged and killed, his soul utterly annihilated. Everyone thought he had died, yet who could have imagined that he had actually been imprisoned within the Tianxuan Sect?¡± ¡°Senior Brother Qin! Is that you, Senior Brother Qin?¡± An old Nascent Soul cultivator gazed at the spear-wielding Qin Feng, who was fighting fiercely in the sky, his eyes trembling with emotion and even brimming with tears as he called out. Qin Feng glanced down at the old man and asked, ¡°How do you know my name? Who are you?¡± ¡°Senior Brother Qin Feng! I am Lin Jiang!¡± The old man¡¯s eyes blurred with emotion. ¡°Have you forgotten me?¡± ¡°Lin Jiang¡­ Lin Jiang¡­¡± Qin Feng murmured the name repeatedly. It felt so familiar, yet the vast passage of time had clouded his memory. Lin Jiang continued, ¡°Back then, I was an inner disciple of the Peerless Divine Spear Sect. I once sought your guidance on spear techniques. You told me that if I worked hard, I could at least reach the Nascent Soul realm one day.¡± ¡°It¡¯s you¡­¡± Qin Feng finally remembered. ¡°You¡¯re still alive?¡± ¡°Yes, I am alive! Not just me, but fifty other disciples of the Peerless Divine Spear Sect survived as well. After our sect was destroyed, we rebuilt it from the ground up. And now, the sect leader is none other than your younger brother¡ªQin Ling.¡± Qin Feng¡¯s body trembled, and for the first time in ages, his usually calm voice wavered. ¡°Qin Ling¡­ He is still alive?¡± ¡°Yes, Senior Brother.¡± Lin Jiang nodded repeatedly. ¡°Though the Peerless Divine Spear Sect is not as glorious as it once was, we are steadily growing stronger.¡± ????????????? ¡°Good! Good! Good!¡± Qin Feng raised his head and exhaled deeply, as if years of pent-up frustration had suddenly dissipated. ¡°You have rebuilt the sect, yet I have not given you a proper gift. Let me take Xia He¡¯s head as my congratulatory offering to you!¡± With those words, Qin Feng took a step forward, merging with his ordinary-looking spear. Spear energy coiled around him, transforming into a white dragon as he charged toward Xia He. Besides Qin Feng and Tang Long, several other cultivators who had been imprisoned on Sanshi Peak were gradually being recognized. A thousand years ago, they were all figures of immense power. Even though many younger generations no longer knew them, the old-timers certainly did. Xia He watched as Xu Cang and the others charged toward him, knowing that his time had finally come. Yet, there was no trace of panic in his eyes. He had spent years preparing for this moment, calculating countless possibilities. How could he not have left himself with a final trump card? Xia He pulled out a black dagger and looked up at the demonic bull-headed entity hovering above the sky. ¡°I accept your previous offer,¡± he said. ¡°Heh heh heh¡­¡± The bull-headed demon let out a deep, eerie chuckle. ¡°You should have done so sooner. Otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t have had to go through so much trouble.¡± Xia He plunged the black dagger into his own heart. A dark aura began spreading from his chest, engulfing the surroundings. The bull-headed demon withdrew its head into the void. The rift in the sky¡ªclosed. But in the very next moment, a massive hand suddenly emerged from behind Xia He. The enormous hand clenched tightly around him! The black mist from the giant hand seeped into Xia He¡¯s eyes, nose, ears, and mouth. Xu Cang and the others had just approached when an invisible barrier forcefully repelled them. ¡°Damn it! Did this bastard sell even his soul?¡± Xu Cang spat on the ground. ¡°Old man, what¡¯s going on?¡± Zhou Wanfeng walked up beside Xu Cang. Xu Cang frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t know what kind of method Xia He used, but he somehow made a pact with an emperor among the demonic beings. He¡¯s offering up his soul in exchange for their power.¡± Hearing this, Zhou Wanfeng scowled at Xu Cang¡¯s words before spitting as well. ¡°Disgusting!¡± ¡°Boom!¡± A storm of black energy exploded outward, radiating an ominous, demonic aura that forced everyone back. ¡°Don¡¯t disappoint me.¡± A vast, hollow voice echoed from the sky. As the voice faded, the giant hand also slowly disappeared. Xia He¡¯s eyes opened. Black flames engulfed his body, and his eyes were hollow, as if his eyeballs had been dug out. ¡°Tch.¡± Xu Cang clicked his tongue, sensing that things had just gotten much more troublesome. Even so, he was the first to charge forward. Swinging his sword, he slashed down at Xia He¡¯s head. Xia He raised his hand and caught the strike directly. The mountain behind him split in two under the sheer force of Xu Cang¡¯s sword energy, but Xia He himself remained completely unharmed. Xu Cang¡¯s brows furrowed. In the past, how would his opponent have dared to take this attack head-on? His own strength had weakened far too much¡ªhe needed time to recover. ¡°You will all die.¡± Xia He sent Xu Cang flying with a single punch. With just a thought, the Three Great Immortal Weapons of the Tianxuan Sect began orbiting around him. The weapons resonated with each other, tearing a rift in the white clouds and the sky itself. A raging black storm swept through the Tianxuan Sect. ¡°Kill him! He¡¯s summoning the Demon Lord!¡± Xu Cang¡¯s shout rang out as he lunged forward again. Qin Feng and the others didn¡¯t stand idly by either, launching relentless attacks at Xia He. Everyone understood what it meant if the Demon Lord was successfully summoned. A Demon Lord¡¯s power was equivalent to that of an Ascension Realm cultivator. None of them were anywhere near their peak strength. If the Demon Lord descended now, without an Ascension Realm cultivator to hold the line, everything within ten thousand miles would be reduced to nothingness! But the black mist within Xia He¡¯s body had formed a barrier, keeping all of them at least fifty meters away. ¡°Heh heh heh¡­ It¡¯s about time I had some fun.¡± Once more, that vast, hollow voice echoed from the sky. A colossal humanoid creature, clad in black armor, gripped the edges of the sky¡¯s rift with its massive hands and began pulling itself through. ¡°This is bad.¡± Zhou Wanfeng¡¯s brows knitted together as she fixed her gaze on the towering figure. ¡°The time is just about right.¡± S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Just as everyone felt the tide had turned against them¡ª A soft, melodious female voice gently echoed through the air. Chapter 272 ¡°The time is just about right.¡± A soft, melodious female voice drifted through the air. Thump! Thump! Thump! The moment this voice entered Xia He¡¯s ears, his heart pounded violently¡ª As if each beat was about to shatter his chest from the inside! Xia He clutched his heart tightly. His heartbeat grew faster and more intense. A terrible realization dawned on him¡ªhis spiritual energy was spiraling out of control, and the fate he had barely managed to suppress was now surging chaotically through his body once more. The grand formation of the Tianxuan Sect was slipping from his grasp, even beginning to turn against him, ravaging his body from within. ¡°This heart¡­ Something¡¯s wrong with this heart!¡± At last, Xia He understood what was happening. ¡°Mo Zhuer!¡± Xia He roared, his voice filled with fury, as if he wanted to devour her alive. ¡°Right here, Sect Master Xia.¡± Mo Zhuer floated a hundred meters in front of Xia He, smiling at him. ¡°What did you do to this heart?!¡± Xia He¡¯s gaze locked onto her, his eyes burning with rage. Mo Zhuer¡¯s eyes curved into crescents as she spoke with a light, cheerful tone. ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t do much. When I was in the Western Region the Sect Master once rewarded me with a Zhu Xian Flower. The nectar of that flower is quite fascinating. It¡¯s no different from ordinary nectar¡ªexcept that when it comes into contact with blood, it changes within half an hour. And then¡­ it produces a poison so potent that even immortals cannot resist it. That¡¯s all.¡± ¡°You¡­ you plotted against me! What does the Black Lotus Sect gain from this?!¡± Xia He clenched his fists tightly, his anger and agony so overwhelming that his nails dug deep into his palms. ??????????????¨ºs ¡°For the Black Lotus Sect? Nothing much.¡± Mo Zhuer¡¯s smile remained as sweet as ever. ¡°But for me? The benefits are quite significant.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not afraid of the Black Lotus Sect coming after you? This was your sect¡¯s grand plan¡ªcenturies in the making! And now you¡¯ve ruined it!¡± Xia He couldn¡¯t believe it. Mo Zhuer had actually betrayed the Black Lotus Sect? She had sabotaged this scheme, even though it was of paramount importance to her sect? No matter what she gained, could it possibly be worth this? Was she truly unafraid of the entire Black Lotus Sect hunting her down? How could she dare? ¡°No need to trouble yourself worrying about that, Sect Master. I¡¯ll handle it.¡± Mo Zhuer¡¯s eyes remained playful, carefree. ¡°You¡ª!¡± ¡°Pfft!¡± Before Xia He could finish, blood spewed from his mouth. His body swelled grotesquely, like a balloon being inflated beyond its limit. ¡°I can¡¯t die! I can¡¯t die! I¡¯m so close to reaching the Ascension Realm¡ªI can¡¯t die yet! I¡ª¡± Boom! Xia He¡¯s body exploded midair, scattering into a mist of blood. All that remained was the black, demonic heart, hovering alone in the sky. Everyone stared at Xia He¡¯s sudden demise, an overwhelming sense of disbelief washing over them. It felt unreal. Just moments ago, he had been so unstoppable, so domineering¡ª And now, he was simply¡­ gone? ¡°Disgusting thing.¡± Mo Zhuer flicked her finger at the heart. True flames engulfed the black demonic heart, reducing it to ashes in an instant. The reason the demons had been able to descend was entirely due to Xia He using himself as the summoning medium. Now that Xia He was dead, the medium had vanished¡ª And so, the rift in the sky began to shrink, as the laws of this world forcefully rejected the demon¡¯s presence. ¡°What a pathetic waste.¡± The armored humanoid demon sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll grant you all a little more time to cling to your lives. But know this¡ªone day, this world will be ours.¡± The demon¡¯s voice dissipated into the sky. ¡°Whether you descend or not, what does it have to do with me?¡± Mo Zhuer¡¯s expression remained indifferent. These so-called demons were nothing more than another kind of existence, like humans orÑý×å(y¨­uz¨², beast clans). Were they powerful? Then she would simply become stronger. This world had always followed the law of the jungle. Whether the demons descended or not, the strong would still rule over the weak. Although Mo Zhuer loathed Xia He as a person, there was one belief of his that she agreed with¡ªstrength is the only true authority. Xia He was dead. The Demon Lord had failed to descend. However, before his demise, Xia He had managed to summon a considerable number of demons. Wang Xuan and the others were currently engaged in exterminating them. As for the Tianxuan Sect disciples who had sided with Xia He, they knew the battle was lost and that they would inevitably face retribution. Not willing to fight to the death, they frantically fled from the sect. But how could the loyal Tianxuan Sect disciples possibly let these traitors escape? Naturally, they gave chase, cutting them down one by one. Even though Xia He was dead and the overall situation was settled, chaos still reigned. At that moment, Mo Zhuer floated up to the Xuantian Tree and lightly tapped it. Instantly, the ancient tree began to crack apart. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The ground and mountains of Tianxuan Sect trembled violently. The Guardian Spirit was dead. Xia He was dead. The sect¡¯s protective formation had not only lost its master but had also suffered severe damage. This was the perfect moment to extract the Dragon Vein. ¡°ROOOOAR!¡± A deep dragon¡¯s cry echoed through the mountains as Mo Zhuer directly ripped out the Tianxuan Sect¡¯s Dragon Vein. A massive, ethereal dragon of pure fortune surged out from the Xuantian Tree. As the Dragon Vein was stripped away, the once-lush tree rapidly withered, its leaves turning yellow and crumbling into dust. The Dragon Vein coiled around Mo Zhuer, before finally merging into her robes. The black fabric of her dress shimmered, now embroidered with the image of a silver-white dragon. ¡°I¡¯ll be taking your Tianxuan Sect¡¯s Dragon Vein,¡± Mo Zhuer announced to Wang Xuan and the others. Then, her gaze fell upon Xu Ming. ¡°We¡¯ll meet again~¡± With a flick of her fingers, she crushed a Void Shattering Pearl. A tear in space opened behind her, and without hesitation, she stepped into the void. Jiang Ruyan transformed into a wisp of blue smoke and followed after her. The entire process took no more than five breaths. Even if the others wanted to stop them, it was already too late. With Xia He dead and Mo Zhuer gone, Xu Ming¡ªalready exhausted beyond his limits¡ªcould hold on no longer. His body plummeted from the sky. Wu Yanhan and Qin Qingwan both shot forward at the same time, trying to catch him. The two noticed each other mid-air, both frowning slightly¡ªbut neither was willing to back down. ¡°Oh my, even in his sleep, this little boy is so handsome.¡± In the end, however, neither of them caught Xu Ming. Instead, it was Zhou Wanfeng who cradled him in her arms. Smiling at the two stunning beauties, she quipped, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you both agree?¡± Chapter 273 [Ding] [Detected: Host has slain 20 Hundred-Eyed Birds. Corruption Resistance +20, Sanity +20, Strength +50.] [Detected: Host has battled Tianxuan Sect¡¯s Sect Master Xia He, Elder Pipa and others. After system evaluation: Sword Qi +100, Sword Intent +100, Sword Domain Strength +50.] [Detected: Host performed exceptionally well, significantly preventing the extermination of Tianxuan Sect. Reward: 1 Skill Evolution Point. The host may use it to evolve ¡°Dao Pattern Eye¡± or ¡°Blood Frenzy.¡±] The system¡¯s voice gradually faded from Xu Ming¡¯s mind as his consciousness slowly returned. When Xu Ming opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was an unfamiliar ceiling. Who am I? Where am I? What was I doing? A classic three-question existential crisis popped into Xu Ming¡¯s mind. But soon, as his consciousness became clearer, he recalled his battle with Xia He. The last thing he remembered was Xia He dying, bursting into a mist of blood, and Mo Zhuer seizing the Tianxuan Sect¡¯s dragon vein before leaving. Exhausted beyond his limits, Xu Ming had lost consciousness and plummeted from the sky. It seemed like everything was finally over, and he was still alive. ¡°Yo, kid, you¡¯re awake.¡± A hoarse elderly voice reached Xu Ming¡¯s ears. Turning his head, Xu Ming saw an old man with white hair and beard sitting by his bedside, looking every bit like a reclusive immortal. If someone were to imagine the legendary doctor Hua Tuo from the Blue Star, this would be the exact image in Xu Ming¡¯s mind. At first, he didn¡¯t recognize the old man¡ªprobably because the man had bathed, changed into clean clothes, and neatly combed his hair, making him look fresh and tidy. But after taking a closer look, Xu Ming finally remembered¡ªthis was the ¡°doctor¡± who had been trapped in Sanshi Peak. The old man had once introduced himself: his name was ¡°Bu Si Liao¡± (literally ¡°Can¡¯t Die¡±), an odd name but a renowned divine physician. Back in Wudu, Xu Ming had even heard of his legendary reputation. This old man had two strict rules for treating patients: 1. ¡°I won¡¯t treat you unless you¡¯re on the brink of death.¡± 2. ¡°I won¡¯t treat you unless all the top doctors in the world have failed.¡± By all logic, a divine physician of this caliber should be highly respected throughout the cultivation world, with countless people owing him their lives. ????????¦­??§§? Yet, for some reason, he had been imprisoned in Sanshi Peak. He never mentioned why. The world only knew that one day, he had simply vanished. Most people assumed he had gone into seclusion. ¡°Old sir.¡± Xu Ming tried to sit up and bow out of respect for the doctor, but he soon realized that his arms wouldn¡¯t move¡ªthey were wrapped up like a mummy. ¡°Don¡¯t move around,¡± Bu Si Liao stroked his beard. ¡°You really pushed yourself too far. If it weren¡¯t for me treating you in time, even a two-day delay would have left your spiritual veins and blood completely necrotic. No one would¡¯ve been able to save your arms. And at your current cultivation level, regrowing limbs isn¡¯t an option yet.¡± ¡°Many thanks, old sir,¡± Xu Ming expressed his gratitude. ¡°No need to thank me. Without you, we wouldn¡¯t have gotten out either.¡± Bu Si Liao stood up. ¡°Just focus on resting. You should be fine in a month.¡± With that, he stepped out of the room and called out, ¡°Xu Ming is awake! If you want to see him, now¡¯s the time!¡± As soon as his words rang out, Wang Xuan walked in. Seeing Wang Xuan, Xu Ming was momentarily stunned. He had expected Qing Wan or Yan Han to be waiting for him to wake up, but instead, it was Wang Xuan. Noticing Xu Ming¡¯s expression, Wang Xuan immediately guessed what he was thinking. Sitting by Xu Ming¡¯s bedside, Wang Xuan spoke slowly, ¡°Qing Wan and Wu Yan Han both suffered significant injuries. Two days ago, they had been by your bedside the whole time, watching over you. Only after you were out of danger did I make them go back and rest.¡± ¡°Senior, how long was I unconscious?¡± Xu Ming asked. ¡°Four days,¡± Wang Xuan replied. ¡°And what of Tianxuan Sect now?¡± Xu Ming asked again. Wang Xuan took a moment to gather her thoughts, then explained in the simplest terms, ¡°Xia He is dead. Those within Tianxuan Sect who stood with him are either dead or have fled. Additionally, the grand formation of Tianxuan Sect has been completely destroyed. Our sect¡¯s dragon vein has also been taken by Mo Zhuer, but that was part of our deal with her, so it doesn¡¯t really matter. All in all, Tianxuan Sect has now become a place with sparse spiritual energy. Our sect¡¯s millennia-old fortune has completely dissipated. This place is no longer suitable as the foundation of a sect.¡± Xu Ming nodded. ¡°Then, may I ask what senior plans to do?¡± Wang Xuan responded, ¡°A few days ago, I gathered the surviving disciples of Tianxuan Sect for a meeting. I told them they could leave if they wished. Those who chose to stay could follow me in search of a new place to rebuild Tianxuan Sect. The vast majority decided to come with me. These past few days, the peak masters and hall masters have been taking inventory of the remaining spirit stones and artifacts in the sect. In about a month, we will set out.¡± Xu Ming suggested, ¡°Senior, you might consider going to the Wu Kingdom. I believe the Wu Kingdom would provide you with significant support.¡± Wang Xuan shook her head. ¡°We appreciate the Wu Kingdom¡¯s goodwill, but throughout history, sects that entangled themselves too deeply with mortal dynasties rarely met a good end. Besides, after this ordeal, I have realized that our sect has been complacent for far too long. We¡¯ve been standing above others for so long that we¡¯ve forgotten hardship. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. When a sect remains stable for too long, cultivation starts to feel easy. When a sect stands above others for too long, that sense of superiority leads to arrogance and blindness. I have decided to relocate Tianxuan Sect to Jubei City.¡± Xu Ming was taken aback¡ªhe knew that place well. Jubei City, though called a city, was practically a small country in size. It was an unclaimed land, a chaotic domain where all kinds of sects, factions, and ideologies converged. A place of turmoil. ¡°While you were unconscious, this is the situation that unfolded in Tianxuan Sect,¡± Wang Xuan continued. ¡°Rest well. I¡¯ll go inform Qing Wan that you¡¯ve woken up.¡± She stood up and turned to leave. ¡°Oh, one more thing.¡± Just as she was about to step out of the room, she paused. Her voice came from beyond the doorway. ¡°You saved my life. I won¡¯t forget that. I owe you a favor.¡± Chapter 275 ¡°How about I go with you?¡± Zhou Wanfeng smiled at Xu Ming, her eyes curving as her long lashes trembled slightly, exuding a captivating charm that felt like rippling spring water. The allure of Zhou Wanfeng was different from that of Mo Zhuer. Mo Zhuer¡¯s charm still carried a sense of innocence¡ªa strong, youthful flavor. Even when she teased, it felt like the playful banter of a young girl. But Zhou Wanfeng was different. Her mature allure left an immediate impression¡ªdignified seduction. ¡°I¡¯ll be returning to Wu Kingdom sooner or later,¡± Xu Ming said. ¡°With your cultivation level, senior, you could easily become an honored guest in Wu Kingdom. There¡¯s no need to follow me.¡± Zhou Wanfeng chuckled lightly. ¡°The reason I want to follow you isn¡¯t to become some royal enforcer. What¡¯s the appeal in that? It¡¯s just another form of confinement. ¡°I simply find myself with nothing to do after leaving, and I think you¡¯re rather interesting. So I¡¯d like to follow you for a while. ¡°When I find something more entertaining, I¡¯ll leave on my own.¡± As she spoke, Zhou Wanfeng stepped forward and sat beside Xu Ming. She reached out and pulled down her collar slightly, revealing smooth, fair skin. ¡°Besides, if you¡¯d like, I could make you happy every night. Little girls could never compare to my skills~¡± Xu Ming fell silent. He had to admit, her words were tempting for any man. But last time, when he let his lower half do the thinking, he ended up entangled with Mo Zhuer in a mess he still hadn¡¯t sorted out. And Zhou Wanfeng wasn¡¯t just any woman¡ªshe was a killer of a woman. The kind where every man who got on her ride ended up dead. If he let his impulses control him again this time, he might not make it off this ride alive. ¡°I think I¡¯ll pass,¡± Xu Ming declined. ¡°But where you go is your own choice, senior.¡± His unspoken message was clear¡ªI don¡¯t want to get on your ride, and I never intended to make it private property. But if you insist on following, that¡¯s your business. Besides, Yan Han had already sent her personal guards to escort Sheng Sheng away. Now, she only had two thousand Dragon Leopard Iron Cavalry with her. Zhou Wanfeng, a cultivator at the Jade Purity Realm, would undoubtedly make their long journey back to Wu Kingdom safer. ¡°Oh, little gentleman, you¡¯re no fun at all~ I¡¯m offering to make you feel good, and you won¡¯t even take it? Do you know how many men wish for this chance with me?¡± Zhou Wanfeng pouted slightly and playfully flicked Xu Ming¡¯s nose. Xu Ming: ¡°I¡¯m more interested in practicing my martial arts and swordsmanship.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Zhou Wanfeng smirked. ¡°Then why do Wu Yanhan and Qin Qingwan look at you so differently? You¡¯re saying you¡¯re not interested in them?¡± Xu Ming: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Ahaha~¡± Zhou Wanfeng burst into laughter, the sound resembling a goose¡¯s honk. ¡°Men really are all the same¡ªso fickle.¡± ¡°Oh, right. Would you like to hear something interesting?¡± she asked, eyes curving mischievously. ¡°It¡¯s about you~¡± ¡°About me? What is it?¡± Xu Ming asked, curious. Zhou Wanfeng leaned in. ¡°While you were unconscious, I heard quite a few things about you. You remember that girl who came to Sanshi Peak with you? Your sister? That girl, her name is Xu Xue Nuo.¡± ¡°She is¡­ Xu Xue Nuo?¡± Xu Ming interrupted, his expression one of shock. ¡°Eh?¡± Zhou Wanfeng blinked. ¡°Your own sister, and you didn¡¯t know? I thought you two were lovers.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Xu Ming had suspected she might be Xu Xue Nuo, but she had introduced herself as Jiang Xue. Even if she didn¡¯t want to reveal her real name to a stranger, he had already introduced himself back then. Yet she had still chosen to hide her identity. ?£Á??????????? Why would his own sister keep such a thing from him? Thinking back, Xu Ming realized he had actually had a chance to figure it out sooner¡ªduring the Zixia Grand Ceremony. Every sect had an assigned seating area, but at the time, he hadn¡¯t noticed where Xu Xue Nuo had been sitting. Xu Ming and Xia He were locked in an intense battle when Xu Xue Nuo finally appeared. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But thinking about it¡­ Why did Xu Xue Nuo hide her identity? Was it because she didn¡¯t want any ties with the Xu family? That didn¡¯t quite make sense. There was no real need for her to go that far. ¡°Looks like you really didn¡¯t know~ But that¡¯s fine. If you don¡¯t know, then you don¡¯t know. After all, she¡¯s not actually your sister,¡± Zhou Wanfeng said with a playful smile as she observed Xu Ming¡¯s reaction. Xu Ming frowned. ¡°Senior, what do you mean? I don¡¯t quite understand.¡± ¡°It¡¯s exactly what it sounds like~¡± Zhou Wanfeng continued, ¡°After you fell unconscious, Bu Si Liao wanted to use a relative¡¯s blood to heal you, claiming that a family member¡¯s blood could activate the spiritual energy in your body. ¡°But the problem was, where were they supposed to find your family? ¡°Then someone mentioned that Xu Xue Nuo from the Wanjian Sect was your sister. ¡°But guess what? When they asked Xu Xue Nuo, she said her bloodline was completely incompatible with yours. ¡°Bu Si Liao tested it out¡ªand sure enough, she was right. ¡°She has absolutely no blood relation to you. ¡°Now the real question is¡­ which one of your dear parents put a green hat on your so-called father?¡± ¡°¡­¡± As Zhou Wanfeng spoke, Xu Ming¡¯s mind was reeling. Xu Xue Nuo and I aren¡¯t blood-related? Either my mother or Madam Wang must have cheated on my so-called father? ¡°Does anyone else know about this?¡± Xu Ming asked. Zhou Wanfeng yawned and stretched lazily. ¡°Just me, Bu Si Liao, and Xu Cang. No one else. After all, it¡¯s not exactly something to brag about.¡± ¡°But really, does it even matter to you?¡± she added. ¡°Xu Xue Nuo was born with the Innate Sword Bone. She cut ties with your family long ago, was removed from the family records, and hasn¡¯t been your sister for years. ¡°And now, with no blood connection either, she has absolutely nothing to do with you.¡± ¡°You seem to care a lot, though. Makes sense. You¡¯ve only been cultivating for a few years, so you¡¯re still too attached to worldly relationships. But we cultivators¡ªsooner or later, we must sever our ties with the mortal world.¡± She tapped Xu Ming¡¯s forehead lightly, then stood up from the bed, her rounded hips swaying as she did. ¡°I¡¯m heading out for a walk. When you¡¯re ready to leave Tianxuan Sect, let me know~¡± With that, Zhou Wanfeng left his room. Xu Ming remained sitting there, his mind still tangled in the revelation that either he or Xu Xue Nuo was an illegitimate child. To him, it didn¡¯t really matter who the bastard child was. He had no deep attachment to the Xu family. But for Xu Xue Nuo, it was different. That was probably why she didn¡¯t want to face him when they first met. Xu Ming let out a long sigh, sat up, and walked out of the courtyard. He needed to see her. Chapter 276 Tianxuan Sect¡¯s Guest Peak ¨C The Courtyard of the Wanjian Sect During the recent upheaval in Tianxuan Sect, the disciples of the Wanjian Sect had only suffered injuries¡ªnone of them had perished. Now that Tianxuan Sect had stabilized, they hadn¡¯t left immediately but instead stayed behind to help restore order. After all, the previous sect masters of both sects had a good relationship, though their ties had faded somewhat over the past millennium. But now that Tianxuan Sect was more or less back to normal, it was time for the disciples of the Wanjian Sect to leave. At this moment, they were packing up their belongings. The chaos they had just experienced had left a deep impression on them. They had come dangerously close to dying on Baiquan (Hundred Springs) Plain. But no matter what, they had survived. And after witnessing life-and-death struggles firsthand, after seeing the battles between top cultivators, their perspectives had changed. Their understanding of the Dao had deepened. If, before the Zixia Grand Ceremony, they had arrived at Tianxuan Sect with a sense of arrogance¡ªproud to be disciples of the Wanjian Sect¡ªthen now, they had grown much more composed. There is always someone stronger, always a higher sky. This truth was now engraved in their hearts. ¡°Is everyone ready? Let¡¯s go.¡± The elder of the Wanjian Sect spoke to the disciples. ¡°Yes.¡± The disciples nodded, placing the courtyard key on the table before preparing to descend the mountain and return home. But just as they reached the mountainside, a man was making his way up. Both sides came to a halt, and the disciples of the Wanjian Sect turned to look at Xu Xue Nuo. Xu Xue Nuo pressed her lips together slightly, her expression uneasy as she looked at Xu Ming. ¡°Young Master Xu,¡± the elder greeted, bowing with his sword in hand. ¡°Greetings, Senior.¡± Xu Ming returned the bow. ¡°Are you heading back?¡± The elder nodded. ¡°Yes. Now that Tianxuan Sect is stable and preparing to relocate, we no longer have any reason to stay. Besides, with everything that has happened recently, I must return as soon as possible to report to our sect master.¡± ????£Â?? ¡°That¡¯s only natural.¡± Xu Ming nodded before shifting his gaze to Xu Xue Nuo. ¡°I was wondering if Senior could wait a moment¡ªI¡¯d like to have a discussion about swordsmanship with your sect¡¯s Sword Immortal Xu.¡± The elder smiled knowingly. ¡°We¡¯re not in a hurry. But that depends on Xue Nuo¡¯s wishes.¡± He was aware that these two were supposedly older and younger siblings, yet their relationship seemed strained. And Xu Ming¡¯s so-called ¡°discussion on swordsmanship¡± likely had little to do with swordsmanship at all. Xu Xue Nuo didn¡¯t refuse. She gave a respectful bow to the elder. ¡°Please wait for me a moment.¡± S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°It¡¯s fine, take your time,¡± the elder nodded. Xu Xue Nuo walked toward Xu Ming, and he casually picked a direction to stroll in, with Xu Xue Nuo following beside him. The two of them walked through the forest. Neither spoke at first, yet there was no awkwardness in the silence. Both of them simply didn¡¯t know how to begin. ¡°How have things been at the Wanjian Sect?¡± Xu Ming finally broke the silence. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Xu Xue Nuo replied. ¡°I just practice swordsmanship and cultivate every day.¡± Xu Ming glanced at the girl beside him. ¡°Only sword practice?¡± Xu Xue Nuo shot him an exasperated look. ¡°What else would I do in the Wanjian Sect if not practice swordsmanship?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Xu Ming was momentarily speechless, then nodded, ¡°True.¡± The two continued walking forward, with the sun approaching midday, casting dappled shadows through the leaves. Several squirrels leapt about in the trees, and a gentle breeze rustled the treetops, making a pleasant sound. Because the sword intent around Xu Ming and Xu Xue Nuo was so intense, most animals avoided them. Even a white-faced tiger, upon sensing their presence, immediately recognized that these were not people to mess with and quickly scurried away. ¡°You¡¯ve changed quite a bit,¡± Xu Xue Nuo remarked, perhaps sensing that her earlier words had made the atmosphere a little awkward. Xu Ming smiled. ¡°How so?¡± Xu Xue Nuo thought for a moment. ¡°You used to be so small, short, and with baby fat on your face¡­ you¡¯re completely different now.¡± ¡°Well, of course. Back then, I was just a kid. After all these years, there¡¯s bound to be some change,¡± Xu Ming replied. ¡°And not just me¡ªyou¡¯ve changed quite a lot as well.¡± Xu Xue Nuo looked at Xu Ming¡¯s side profile. ¡°I thought so. Otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t have failed to recognize me back then.¡± ¡°But your personality is still the same as before,¡± Xu Ming smiled. ¡°Still a bit cold.¡± Xu Xue Nuo shot him a glare. Xu Ming immediately fell silent. However, the atmosphere between them was no longer as cold as it had been at the start. ¡°I heard about that matter. Zhou Wanfeng told me,¡± Xu Ming casually mentioned. Xu Xue Nuo¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and she lowered her head, instinctively knowing what matter he was referring to. ¡°But honestly, I don¡¯t really care,¡± Xu Ming added. Xu Xue Nuo raised her head again to look at Xu Ming. Xu Ming stopped and turned around, meeting her gaze directly. ¡°I don¡¯t care about the so-called Xu family bloodline. For me, I don¡¯t have much attachment to the Xu family. What matters to me are my mother, your mother, and your brother.¡± He paused, looking at her. ¡°To be honest, I couldn¡¯t care less about the Xu family¡¯s situation. On the contrary, I actually wish I weren¡¯t related to the Xu family by blood. That way, things might be easier for me.¡± Xu Xue Nuo raised an eyebrow. ¡°Why are you telling me all this?¡± Xu Ming replied, ¡°Because even though you seem cold, you actually care a lot about others and about past relationships. I¡¯m worried this might affect your cultivation.¡± He continued, ¡°You can think of it this way¡ªwhat if I actually have no blood connection with the Xu family? Right?¡± Xu Xue Nuo was silent for a moment. ¡°So, stop thinking about it. If you really care, when I get back, we can secretly take our father¡¯s blood and test it, but no matter the result, I don¡¯t think you need to worry about it.¡± Xu Xue Nuo curled her lip. ¡°What¡¯s there to worry about? I¡¯ve already been removed from the family register.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Xu Ming smiled. ¡°I don¡¯t care about my relationship with the Xu family, and you¡¯ve been removed from the family register, so for us, it really doesn¡¯t matter. The Xu family is the Xu family, and we are us.¡± ¡°We are us?¡± Xu Xue Nuo repeated. ¡°What?¡± Xu Ming asked. ¡°Since you say we have nothing to do with the Xu family, then what exactly are the two of us?¡± Xu Xue Nuo questioned, looking at him. Chapter 277 ¡°Then what exactly is our relationship?¡± Xu Xuenuo looked at Xu Ming, her calm eyes waiting for his answer. Silence fell between them. Xu Ming met Xu Xuenuo¡¯s gaze. He understood that the reason she asked this question was mainly to determine her own ¡°position¡±¡ªwhat she truly was to him. A person without roots often struggles to feel secure. And right now, Xu Xuenuo was facing precisely this issue. Since childhood, she had been ¡°disliked¡± by her mother for not being born a boy. Later, she severed ties with the Xu family, becoming like a drifting cotton wisp in the air, unsure of who she truly was¡ªlike a kite, uncertain when its string might snap or where the wind might carry it. Perhaps, deep in her heart, she had always lacked a sense of security. But fortunately, there were still a few strings tethering this kite. These strings were her bloodline, Xu Ming, and Qin Qingwan. Especially Xu Ming. Xu Ming was one of Xu Xuenuo¡¯s only two friends, someone who had been with her since birth¡ªher family. But now, there was a fifty percent chance that she might not actually belong to the Xu family, meaning the string of bloodline could be cut. And if she was of Xu blood, then that would mean Xu Ming was not¡ªmaking them unrelated by blood. So then, what exactly was she and Xu Ming to each other? ¡°Whatever you think we are, that¡¯s what we are,¡± Xu Ming said with a smile. Xu Xuenuo lowered her head slightly. Looking at the complex emotions on the girl¡¯s face, Xu Ming continued, ¡°If you want to be my sister, then you are my sister. Who says siblings must be bound by blood? There are countless sworn brothers in this world who would die for each other, and plenty of blood brothers who turn against one another. So, does blood really matter? If you don¡¯t want to be my sister, then we are simply friends. Our bond is something we built together¡ªno one else has a say in it. So, Xuenuo, it¡¯s entirely up to you. But no matter what, Qingwan and I will never change our stance toward you. If one day, while moving forward, you feel lost and unsure of where you came from¡ªknow that we will always be by your side.¡± Hearing these words, Xu Xuenuo clenched the fabric of her clothes tightly, her eyes wavering, even brimming with a thin mist of tears. ¡°Hmph, you make it sound so nice,¡± she scoffed, turning away so Xu Ming wouldn¡¯t see her losing composure. ¡°You¡¯ve never once called me ¡®sister¡¯ since we were little.¡± Xu Ming: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Well, how about I call you that now?¡± Xu Ming chuckled. ¡°No need.¡± Xu Xuenuo discreetly wiped the corners of her eyes, then started walking back the way she came. ¡°I¡¯m leaving. If you get the chance, come visit the Wanjian Sect. It will benefit your cultivation.¡± ?????????? ¡°Wait, take this.¡± Xu Ming retrieved a small box from his storage pouch and tossed it to her. Xu Xuenuo caught it effortlessly and examined it with her back still facing him. ¡°What is this?¡± Watching her figure, Xu Ming explained, ¡°Just a little something. I originally planned to give it to you and Qingwan when we met¡ªa small gift. Open it and you¡¯ll see. It¡¯s nothing valuable.¡± Xu Xuenuo lifted the lid. Inside was a Deer God hairpin. The material was decent, as Xu Ming had said¡ªnot overly precious. The carving wasn¡¯t the finest craftsmanship, but it was evident that a great deal of care had gone into it. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Did you make this?¡± she asked. ¡°Yeah, I did. But it¡¯s not that great-looking.¡± ¡°It¡¯s pretty ugly.¡± Xu Xuenuo nodded, giving him no face at all. ¡°¡­¡± Xu Ming thought to himself¡ªhis ¡°sister¡± really didn¡¯t know how to comfort people. ¡°Even if it looks bad, you could at least pretend otherwise.¡± ¡°But¡­ I suppose it¡¯s barely passable.¡± Xu Xuenuo spoke again, putting the hairpin away as she walked further and further away. Her voice drifted back to him from the distance¡ª¡±Thank you.¡± Her figure gradually disappeared from Xu Ming¡¯s sight. ¡°Still the same as when we were kids¡ªsharp tongue, soft heart, and just a little tsundere.¡± Watching the direction where she vanished, Xu Ming couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°But¡­ that¡¯s not a bad thing.¡± ¡ª ¡°Little Martial Aunt is back!¡± On a boulder halfway up Guest Peak, a female disciple suddenly stood up, speaking excitedly. At her words, everyone turned their heads. ¡°She¡¯s back.¡± The elder leading the group looked at Xu Xuenuo and smiled. Xu Xuenuo held her sword and gave a respectful salute. ¡°Apologies for keeping Elder and all my senior and junior brothers waiting.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t a long wait.¡± The elder nodded. ¡°Had a good talk?¡± ¡°It¡¯s done.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s set off.¡± The elder led the way forward, with the disciples following behind. Everyone could tell that there seemed to be some kind of conflict between this pair of siblings. It was obvious that their conversation hadn¡¯t been about sword techniques but rather something personal. Yet no one asked. They all pretended not to notice. Still, as they walked, the disciples of the Wanjian Sect couldn¡¯t help but glance at Xu Xuenuo from time to time. It wasn¡¯t because of her striking beauty. Rather, it was the aura around her¡ªher sword energy and sword intent seemed calmer, clearer, as if a pure, crisp spring had emerged from the snow-covered mountains. Refreshing. ¡°Senior Brother Xiao, look, look!¡± A female disciple nudged the man beside her with her elbow, whispering excitedly. ¡°What is it?¡± Senior Brother Xiao was puzzled. ¡°Look at Little Martial Aunt.¡± She tugged at his sleeve. Xiao Shixiong glanced over. And the moment he did, he thought he might be seeing things. He rubbed his eyes and looked again. This time, he no longer thought he was mistaken. He wondered if he was dreaming. The sun was high at midday. On the path down the mountain, a girl walked with her head slightly lowered. No one knew what she was thinking about¡ª But she smiled. A soft, faint smile, like an iceberg slowly melting under the warmth of the sun. Chapter 278 Xu Ming left Guest Peak and headed toward Wanhua Valley. It wouldn¡¯t be long before Tianxuan Sect relocated, and Xu Ming wanted to see Qingwan¡ªotherwise, it would be a long time before they met again. Just as Xu Ming arrived at Wanhua Valley, Qin Qingwan happened to be stepping out. Seeing him flying in mid-air, her eyes lit up, and she waved excitedly. ¡°Over here, over here~¡± Xu Ming smiled and slowly descended. ¡°Are you heading out?¡± he asked. ¡°Yep~ And were you coming to find me?¡± Qin Qingwan hopped in front of him, her voice light and cheerful. ¡°I was,¡± Xu Ming nodded. ¡°But there¡¯s no rush. I can wait until you¡¯re done with your errand.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not in a hurry either.¡± Qin Qingwan¡¯s eyes curved into a smile. ¡°Because the reason I was heading out¡­ was to find you~¡± ¡°¡­¡± Looking at the sweet girl in front of him, Xu Ming felt something stir in his heart, as if the softest part of it had been touched. ¡°Why are you just standing there? Come in!¡± Qin Qingwan took his hand and led him into Wanhua Valley. Compared to the last time Xu Ming visited, the spiritual energy in the valley had significantly thinned. Previously, Wanhua Valley had been a place of abundant spiritual energy¡ªan ideal cultivation ground, even comparable to the sacred training grounds of top-tier sects. But now, it was just an ordinary blessed land, and the spiritual energy continued to drain away. Even the flowers and plants reflected the change. They looked listless, their colors dull¡ªnothing like the vibrant state they had been in when Xu Ming last saw them. In the valley, a large bag sat open. One by one, the spiritual flowers and herbs pulled up their own roots and walked into the bag. Those that couldn¡¯t move on their own were carried by others. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Xu Ming asked. ¡°Because the Tianxuan Sect¡¯s protective formation was destroyed, and the sect¡¯s dragon vein was taken by Mo Zhuer, the spiritual energy here is continuously dissipating. Eventually, it¡¯ll be no different from any ordinary land. ???¦Ï¦Â????? These spiritual flowers and herbs require a high level of spiritual energy to survive. Without it, they¡¯ll wither. This bag is a treasure from my master¡ªa half-immortal-grade artifact. It holds a significant amount of spiritual energy and can nourish them for at least a year. So we¡¯re moving them into the bag until we find a new place to replant them.¡± Qin Qingwan explained. ¡°I see,¡± Xu Ming nodded. ¡°But finding a place like Wanhua Valley won¡¯t be easy, right?¡± ¡°It¡¯ll definitely be difficult.¡± S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Qin Qingwan pouted slightly, squatting down to gently stroke the petals of a nearby flower, as if comforting an old friend. ¡°But we don¡¯t have a choice. If we really can¡¯t find a suitable place, we¡¯ll have to send them to the Jade Pool Sacred Land. I can¡¯t just let them wither away for nothing.¡± Xu Ming fell silent. Then, suddenly, an idea flashed through his mind. ¡°What do you think about Baiwa Secret Realm?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Qin Qingwan blinked. ¡°Baiwa Secret Realm,¡± Xu Ming repeated. ¡°I think it could work. If the spiritual energy inside is sufficient, we could plant the flowers and herbs there. And I can set up a law formation to ensure their safety.¡± Qin Qingwan thought for a moment. ¡°The spiritual energy in Baiwa Secret Realm is indeed dense¡­ it might actually work. But I need to ask my master first.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Xu Ming smiled. ¡°But remember, Baiwa Secret Realm belongs to both of us. If you ever need to use it, you don¡¯t need my permission¡ªjust go in whenever you want.¡± ¡°Mhm~¡± Qin Qingwan didn¡¯t refuse. She simply gave him a bright, sweet smile. ¡°Oh, right. I just ran into some disciples from Wanjian Sect. They said you¡¯re moving soon? But I remember Senior Wangxuan saying there was still about a month left?¡± Xu Ming asked. Qin Qingwan shook her head. ¡°Master said the sooner we leave, the better. Everything in the sect has been sorted out, so we¡¯ll likely depart in ten days.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± A trace of disappointment flickered in Xu Ming¡¯s eyes. ¡°Do you want me to leave?¡± Qin Qingwan asked, looking at him. Xu Ming lifted his head, confused. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Exactly what it sounds like~¡± Qin Qingwan¡¯s eyes curved into a smile. ¡°Master said I¡¯ve already learned everything I need to. There¡¯s nothing more she can teach me. If I want to leave, I can return to Wudu or go somewhere else. It¡¯s all the same.¡± ¡°And you?¡± Xu Ming asked. ¡°Do you want to leave with your master?¡± Qin Qingwan lowered her head, her delicate brows knitting together slightly. ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know.¡± After a long pause, she raised her head and shook it gently. ¡°I don¡¯t want to leave you¡­ but I can¡¯t stop worrying about Master either. Even though my current level of cultivation isn¡¯t much help to her, I can at least assist with some of the sect¡¯s affairs.¡± ¡°Then follow your heart.¡± Xu Ming reached out, gently brushing his fingers through her long hair. Qin Qingwan bit her lip and lowered her head again. Xu Ming knew¡ªafter this moment of hesitation, she would make her decision. ¡°Xu Ming!¡± Qin Qingwan suddenly looked up, her small hands clutching at the hem of his robe. ¡°I still want to leave with Master.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Xu Ming nodded. ¡°No matter what decision you make, I¡¯ll support you.¡± ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m not just leaving because I can¡¯t let go of Master. There¡¯s another, more important reason.¡± A faint blush spread across Qin Qingwan¡¯s cheeks. ¡°Oh? What is it?¡± Xu Ming smiled, watching the girl¡¯s nervous expression. ¡°When we were kids, you were always the one protecting me. Back in school, you got into fights for me more times than I can count. During the Zixia Grand Ceremony, you were the one shielding me again. Every single time, all I could do was watch. I don¡¯t want to just watch anymore. I want to go on this journey with Master¡­ so that one day, I can stand by your side. So that I can be the one to shield you.¡± The more she spoke, the redder her face became. Perhaps by the time she woke up tomorrow morning, she would realize just how embarrassing these words were. Xu Ming chuckled and ruffled her hair. ¡°I¡¯m your big brother Ming. It¡¯s only natural for me to protect you.¡± ¡°But one day, you¡¯ll get tired. One day, you won¡¯t be able to handle everything alone.¡± Qin Qingwan pouted. ¡°When that day comes¡­ when you find yourself overwhelmed, lost in the chaos around you¡­ I want to be there, right beside you. I want to tell the whole world¡ª You have me.¡± Chapter 279 Since Xu Ming arrived at Wanhua Valley, twelve days had passed quickly. On this day, all the cultivators of Tianxuan Sect had already packed their belongings, preparing to leave for Jubei City to find a new home for their sect. A young girl in Wanhua Valley carefully placed all her belongings into her storage ring. Early in the morning, she squatted in front of her house, gazing at a flowerbed of Blood Toras flowers. Now, the entire Wanhua Valley had become bare, with all the spiritual flowers stored inside Wang Xuan¡¯s Ten Thousand Kinds Pouch. What remained were only some ordinary flowers and grasses, scattered across the vast plains. These common plants required little spiritual energy to survive and could thrive anywhere, making this place the best choice to leave them behind. Wang Xuan walked toward her disciple and saw her crouching, her eyes blinking softly as she gazed at the Blood Toras flowerbed. ¡°Qingwan,¡± Wang Xuan called gently. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Master.¡± Upon hearing her master¡¯s voice, Qin Qingwan stood up and walked toward her. ¡°It¡¯s about time. We should get going,¡± Wang Xuan said. Qin Qingwan turned back to glance at the Blood Toras flowers once more before nodding. ¡°Alright, Master.¡± ¡°If you wish to take them with you, that wouldn¡¯t be a problem,¡± Wang Xuan understood her disciple¡¯s feelings. The young girl shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Master. Blood Toras flowers have strong vitality. They can thrive even here. Before, they had to compete with other spiritual flowers and herbs for nutrients, and they always lost. Now that all the other spiritual plants have been taken away, perhaps one day, when we return, this place will have become a sea of Blood Toras flowers.¡± Wang Xuan gently stroked her disciple¡¯s long hair. ¡°Actually, you don¡¯t have to leave with me.¡± ¡°How could I not?¡± Qin Qingwan smiled sweetly, hugging her master¡¯s arm. ¡°I can¡¯t just leave you all alone, Master.¡± A soft warmth flickered in Wang Xuan¡¯s eyes. ¡°The so-called great Dao is inherently a lonely path. I have long been used to being alone.¡± ¡°Master, you always say that the Dao has countless paths. But in my opinion, it¡¯s just that some people choose the path of loneliness. It doesn¡¯t mean that everyone¡¯s Dao must be lonely. If Master doesn¡¯t want to be alone, you don¡¯t have to be. You could always find a Dao companion, couldn¡¯t you?¡± Qin Qingwan blinked playfully as she spoke. ¡°You¡­¡± Wang Xuan shook her head helplessly. ¡°If Master doesn¡¯t want a Dao companion, that¡¯s fine too. Anyway, I will always stay by your side.¡± Qin Qingwan playfully stuck out her tongue. ¡°I¡¯m afraid if Xu Ming calls you over, you¡¯ll run to him without hesitation,¡± Wang Xuan flicked Qin Qingwan¡¯s forehead. ¡°Forget it. Since you¡¯ve already made your choice, I won¡¯t say more. Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Yes, Master!¡± Qin Qingwan responded cheerfully. Wang Xuan suddenly remembered something. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to say goodbye to Xu Ming?¡± Qin Qingwan gently lowered her head. ¡°I¡¯d rather not¡­ Parting is always sad. If I end up crying, it would be embarrassing. I only want him to see me happy.¡± ?¨¢N?¦Â§§? Wang Xuan said no more, only gently patting her head before walking toward the exit of Wanhua Valley. Qin Qingwan followed beside her, her long legs stepping lightly. The two arrived at the foot of Tianxuan Sect¡¯s mountain, where the remaining cultivators had already gathered. ¡°Elder Wang Xuan,¡± the crowd greeted her with a respectful bow. The disciples of Tianxuan Sect had suffered great losses¡ªsome had died, some had fled, and some had scattered. Now, only this small group remained. Wang Xuan nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s go. We¡¯re heading to Jubei City.¡± The disciples of Tianxuan Sect responded in unison, ¡°Yes!¡± On the highest peak of the mountain range outside Tianxuan Sect, a man stood tall at the summit, watching as a total of 1,600 cultivators of Tianxuan Sect flew northward. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to see off your childhood sweetheart?¡± Wu Yanhan walked up to the man¡¯s side. Xu Ming shook his head. ¡°If I went, Qingwan would probably end up crying again. She¡¯d be bawling her eyes out, and then she¡¯d feel embarrassed about it.¡± Wu Yanhan followed Xu Ming¡¯s gaze into the distance. ¡°You really do understand her well.¡± Xu Ming smiled. ¡°We grew up together, after all.¡± Retracting his gaze, Xu Ming turned and began descending the mountain. ¡°Let¡¯s go. It¡¯s time for us to head back.¡± Wudu¡­ It¡¯s been a long time since I last visited. ¡ª ¡®To learn and review what one has learned, is that not a joy?¡¯ ¡®Xue er shi xi zhi, bu yi yue hu.¡¯ ¡®To have friends come from afar, is that not a delight?¡¯ ¡®You peng zi yuan fang lai, bu yi le hu.¡¯ In a courtyard of the Xu family residence in Wu Kingdom, a graceful young woman was teaching a little girl how to read. The child¡¯s speech was still somewhat unclear, but compared to before, she had improved significantly. Even though she still struggled with pronunciation, she had learned dozens of new characters over the past few days. She thought to herself: When Xu Gege (Brother) returns, I¡¯ll show him all the new words I¡¯ve learned. He¡¯ll definitely praise me and pat my head! ¡°Mother, what does this mean?¡± The little girl looked up, blinking her big eyes at the elegant woman beside her. Chen Suya gently stroked the girl¡¯s head. ¡°It means that reviewing what you¡¯ve learned is a joyful thing. And when friends visit from afar, that is also something to be happy about.¡± ¡°Ohhh~¡± The little girl nodded. ¡°Do you understand now?¡± ¡°A little bit¡­¡± Shen Shengsheng blinked. Learning isn¡¯t really that fun¡­ So why does it say it¡¯s joyful? Could it be that since learning gets me praise from Xu Gege, it becomes a happy thing? Well, that does sound pretty nice. ¡°It¡¯s okay. No rush. You¡¯ll understand with time.¡± Chen Suya closed the book. ¡°That¡¯s enough for today. Go play.¡± ¡°Yay~¡± Shen Shengsheng hopped down from her chair and ran outside the courtyard, with a personal guard from the Princess¡¯ residence following closely behind. Ten days ago, Shen Shengsheng had finally been escorted back to the Xu family residence. Because the escort, ¡°Ren,¡± carried a jade token from the Princess¡¯ residence, the Xu family¡ªthough curious about the girl¡¯s identity¡ªdid not dare to ask too many questions once Ren explained their purpose. After delivering Shen Shengsheng to Chen Suya, Ren clarified the situation and informed her that the little girl had been taken in as Xu Ming¡¯s sworn sister during his journey. Although Chen Suya was quite curious about this girl her son had suddenly brought back, since she was Xu Ming¡¯s sworn sister, that made her her own goddaughter. And upon learning that the child was an orphan, Chen Suya felt deep sympathy for her. She took great care of Shen Shengsheng and hoped the little girl would call her ¡°Mother.¡± Shen Shengsheng found this ¡°Auntie¡± to be very kind, and her scent was similar to Xu Gege¡¯s, which made her trust her quickly. Over the next few days, Shen Shengsheng and Chen Suya grew closer and closer. Chen Suya taught her how to read and write and encouraged her to call her ¡°Mother.¡± At first, Shen Shengsheng felt a little shy about it, but once she said it the first time, it quickly became natural. ¡°That boy hasn¡¯t come home yet, but he sent me an adorable goddaughter instead¡­¡± Chen Suya lifted her head and gazed at the sky. Speaking of which, it¡¯s been over a year now¡­ I haven¡¯t seen Ming¡¯er in more than a year. The only place where she could get news of her son was from the Qingyun Ranking that occasionally appeared in the sky. Although Ming¡¯er¡¯s ranking on the Qingyun Ranking was rising higher and higher, and more and more people came to congratulate her, Chen Suya didn¡¯t feel happy at all. Every time Ming¡¯er climbed another rank, it meant he had gone through yet another brutal battle. And with every rise in rank, her worry grew deeper. In a mother¡¯s heart, the achievements and fame of her son were secondary. What mattered most was that he was safe and healthy. ¡°But¡­ Miss Ren said that Ming¡¯er is with Her Highness, so he should be fine, right?¡± Chen Suya withdrew her gaze and sighed softly, trying to comfort herself with that thought. ¡°Madam, it¡¯s time to take your medicine.¡± Just as Chen Suya was lost in thoughts of her son, her maid Chunyan entered the room. Chunyan had originally been the personal maid of the Xu family¡¯s Old matriarch. But as Xu Ming gained more favor from Emperor Wu¡ªespecially after achieving the title of Zhuangyuan (top scholar in the imperial exam) and becoming a household name¡ªthe Xu family wanted to show their goodwill and strengthen their bond with him. So Xu Ming requested Chunyan to be transferred to serve his mother as her personal maid. After all, Xu Ming had watched Chunyan while growing up, and he trusted her character completely. ¡°Thank you.¡± Chen Suya took the bowl of medicine, took a sip, and immediately frowned at the bitterness. But she still drank it all in one go. Chunyan quickly opened a small box, took out a piece of rock sugar, and handed it to her. ¡°Madam, how has your headache been lately? Has it gotten any better?¡± Chunyan asked with concern. Two months ago, Chen Suya had started suffering from headaches. When word of this reached the palace, Emperor Wu personally ordered the imperial physicians to attend to her. Given Xu Ming¡¯s elevated status, no one in the Xu family dared to be negligent¡ªChen Suya¡¯s condition became a matter of utmost importance. But even the imperial physicians couldn¡¯t find the cause. Her pulse was normal in every way. The imperial physicians speculated that it was due to excessive longing for her son¡ªthat she had become lovesick¡ªresulting in persistent headaches. Thus, they prescribed a calming remedy, which Chunyan diligently brewed for her every day. When the medicine proved ineffective over time, they consulted another physician, and eventually, the entire imperial medical team was summoned to devise a new prescription. ¡°I suppose it has eased a little,¡± Chen Suya said with a smile. In truth, she felt no different at all. But she didn¡¯t want Chunyan to worry, nor did she wish to trouble anyone further, so she said it anyway. ¡°Madam, you must take good care of yourself. I heard that after the Zixia Grand Ceremony of Tianxuan Sect, Young Master Xu will return with the Princess. If you don¡¯t look after your health, when the young master returns, he will surely be very worried.¡± Chunyan consoled her. Chen Suya nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will take care of myself.¡± ¡°Then I shall take my leave now.¡± ¡°Go on, go on.¡± Chunyan gave a respectful bow and left with the empty medicine bowl. Chen Suya returned to her room, feeling the need for some proper rest. Sitting in front of her dressing table, she removed the hairpin from her hair, letting her long black hair cascade like a waterfall over her shoulders. Looking at her reflection in the mirror, she wondered if she had aged. When Ming¡¯er comes back¡­ will he still recognize me? ¡°What am I even thinking? It¡¯s only been a year.¡± Chen Suya chuckled and shook her head, feeling like she was overthinking things. ¡°Hehehe¡­ You seem to have been living quite well these past few years.¡± Just as she was about to lie down, a woman¡¯s voice suddenly echoed in her ears. Chen Suya abruptly stood up, scanning the room warily. ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± ¡°Who else could it be? Of course, it¡¯s you~¡± That voice rang out once more. As Chen Suya glanced around, her eyes suddenly fixed on the silver mirror in front of her. In the mirror, her reflection stared back at her. But while the real Chen Suya looked confused, the reflection wore a playful smile. ¡°See?¡± the reflection spoke slowly. ¡°I told you, I am you.¡± ¡ª ¡°Master Xu~ Come catch me~¡± ¡°Master Xu~ I¡¯m here~¡± ¡°Aiya, Master, you¡¯re so naughty~~~¡± ¡°Master, don¡¯t pinch me~¡± ¡°Master, I drew a picture. It¡¯s called ¡®The Sheep Below Has Died¡¯~¡± ¡°Master, come have some fun~¡± ¡ª At night, in Rouge Pavilion, one of the four great brothels of Wudu, the master of the Xu family, Xu Zheng, was blindfolded and stumbling from one courtesan to the next in his lavish room. Each time he pinned one of the girls, his hands roamed freely, indulging in physical pleasure, engaging in deeper exchanges, with sounds filling the air that could not be described. After a short while, Xu Zheng would turn to another girl, continuing to grope and explore. At any given moment, he and Little Xu never stopped, and Xu Zheng even relied on his instincts to guess which girl he was with, creating an atmosphere thick with seduction. But one couldn¡¯t deny, Xu Zheng¡¯s stamina was remarkable. Half an hour later, he lay sprawled on a massive bed, surrounded by four or five women, none of them wearing clothes. A gust of wind blew open the window. The women were deep in sleep, but Xu Zheng slowly stirred awake. ¡°Brother Xu, you certainly know how to enjoy yourself.¡± A man in a blue robe stood at the window, smiling at Xu Zheng. Xu Zheng sat up and chuckled. ¡°Enjoyment is how one lives longer, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Heh.¡± The man in blue tossed a jade pendant toward him. Xu Zheng caught it, his brow furrowing. ¡°Is it really that difficult to let those two mother and son live their lives in peace?¡± The blue-robed man gazed at him. ¡°Let¡¯s not even talk about how His Highness is already second on the Qingyun Ranking.¡± ¡°With their status, peace was never an option.¡± Chapter 280 The Western Region. It is divided into two parts. On the left side of the Western Region lies the land of countless Buddhist kingdoms. On the right side are tens of thousands of demonic cults. It seems as if this division serves as a reminder to others¡ªa single thought can lead to enlightenment or damnation. The numerous demonic cults on the right side of the Western Region revolve around the Four Great Cults (Sects). However, the relationships among these Four Great Cults are far from harmonious. Some have allied with each other, others wage endless wars, and there are even those who form alliances only to betray one another. In the lands ruled by the demonic cults of the Western Region, chaos reigns supreme. The human dynasties there are nothing more than puppets of the various cults. In this place, there is no clear law, no strict rules¡ªeverything is dictated by strength. Here, death is a daily occurrence, and perhaps the least valuable thing in the Western Region¡¯s demonic lands is life itself. Yet, overall, the demonic cults of the Western Region maintain a tenuous balance. Originally, the Black Lotus Sect (Cult) sought to break this balance, intending to absorb and unify all the demonic cults to create an unprecedented sect in the history of the Western Region. And the method the Black Lotus Sect used to disrupt this balance was to leverage the Tianxuan Sect from the Central Plains. However, now that the Tianxuan Sect has fallen, the Black Lotus Sect¡¯s grand vision has completely turned into a mirage. ¡°Greetings, Your Highness, the Holy Maiden.¡± ¡°Greetings, Your Highness, the Holy Maiden.¡± ¡°Greetings, Your Highness, the Holy Maiden.¡± In the headquarters of the Black Lotus Sect, a woman dressed in a black gown walked in. Every disciple of the Black Lotus Sect who saw her bowed with apparent respect. However, what they truly thought in their hearts was something she neither knew nor cared to know. These people were not worth her attention, nor her mental energy. The woman merely nodded indifferently at them, responding briefly, and walked straight to her room. Returning to the familiar confines of her quarters, the woman did not feel any sense of relief. On the contrary, a heavy weight lingered in her heart. She sat down, drank a few cups of water, and her fingers moved incessantly, calculating everything she had done in the Central Plains during this time. Cause and effect. Where there is a cause, there is a result. The more ¡°causes¡± one sows, the more definite the ¡°result¡± becomes. The woman was calculating the results her actions over this period might yield. But no matter how she calculated, she could not escape the shadow of a certain man in her mind. Recalling her interactions with that man, a faint blush crept onto her face. ¡°One day, I¡¯ll make you obediently kneel beneath my skirt. Even if I kick you away, you won¡¯t want to leave!¡± Taking a deep breath, her chest heaving violently, the woman forcibly suppressed the thought of the man in her mind. ¡°Your Highness, the Holy Maiden. The Sect Master requests your presence.¡± A maid¡¯s voice sounded from outside the woman¡¯s room. ¡°So, it has come after all.¡± The woman had long anticipated this moment. As for why the Sect Master was summoning her, she already knew full well. ¡°I understand. You may leave.¡± The woman spoke calmly to the maid outside the door. ¡°As you wish, Your Highness.¡± The maid withdrew. The woman¡¯s pale, delicate, and slender fingers slowly tapped on the table. After a short while, she rose and left her room. The Black Lotus Sect was not one of those damp, dark caverns illuminated only by torches, nor did its disciples scurry about like shadowy rats, living in places devoid of sunlight. ???????????????? In truth, most demonic sects are not much different from ordinary sects. They choose locations rich in spiritual energy and establish their sects there. For example, the Black Lotus Sect is also built along a mountain range. Within the sect¡¯s territory are vast, continuous peaks, each serving as a base for different halls or the cultivation grounds of various elders. Some of these peaks are shrouded in mist, resembling celestial paradises. If one didn¡¯t know better, one might not think they were in a demonic sect at all but rather in the territory of some righteous sect dedicated to ¡°banishing demons and upholding justice.¡± ¡°Well, well, isn¡¯t this Junior Sister Zhu¡¯er? Has our junior sister returned from the Central Plains?¡± A man spotted Mo Zhu¡¯er and flew over to greet her. ¡°Senior Brother Lu, it¡¯s been a long time.¡± Mo Zhu¡¯er smiled. ¡°It truly has been a while,¡± said Lu Chang, the Black Lotus Sect¡¯s Holy Son, smiling back. ¡°It seems Junior Sister Zhu¡¯er has grown even more beautiful, with an added touch of womanly charm.¡± Mo Zhu¡¯er covered her mouth and chuckled. ¡°And Senior Brother Lu has become more¡­ down bad.¡± Lu Chang was puzzled. ¡°Down bad? What does that mean?¡± Mo Zhu¡¯er¡¯s eyes curved into a playful smile. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing. Just a compliment I picked up from a friend~.¡± Lu Chang: ¡°¡­¡± He thought to himself that unless his brain had turned to mush, there was no way she was truly complimenting him. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Junior Sister Zhu¡¯er to have friends,¡± Lu Chang sneered. Mo Zhu¡¯er smiled in return. ¡°Surely Senior Brother Lu isn¡¯t so pitiful as to have none?¡± Lu Chang: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Senior Brother Ji is dead. Did Junior Sister Zhu¡¯er know about this?¡± Lu Chang shifted the topic. Mo Zhu¡¯er nodded. ¡°Of course. When Senior Brother Ji died, it was truly a miserable sight. If Senior Brother Lu dies in the future, I hope it won¡¯t be as pitiful as his death.¡± ¡°Hahaha!¡± Lu Chang, naturally catching the veiled threat in her words, laughed. ¡°Junior Sister Zhu¡¯er need not worry. I have full confidence in my own strength.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to hear,¡± Mo Zhu¡¯er replied with a nod, appearing as though she genuinely cared about Lu Chang. ¡°Something extraordinary happened at the Tianxuan Sect. Have you heard?¡± Lu Chang changed the subject again. ¡°Of course. I was at the Tianxuan Sect at the time. I almost couldn¡¯t get out,¡± Mo Zhu¡¯er replied, her tone tinged with a feigned sense of lingering fear, as if deeply shaken by the experience. Lu Chang couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°Junior Sister Zhu¡¯er, you¡¯re truly amusing. From what I¡¯ve heard, during the chaos at the Tianxuan Sect, you accomplished quite a lot. In fact, it seems the resolution of the internal strife at the Tianxuan Sect had a bit of your handiwork involved.¡± He stared straight into Mo Zhu¡¯er¡¯s eyes, watching for her reaction. ¡°Oh, not at all,¡± Mo Zhu¡¯er said with a calm smile from start to finish. ¡°I¡¯m merely a cultivator at the Dragon Gate realm. What could I possibly achieve? I just happened to take advantage of the situation and managed to pull a small trick on the Tianxuan Sect¡¯s Sevt Master.¡± Most people at the Tianxuan Sect had witnessed what Mo Zhu¡¯er did at the time, so it was inevitable that word would spread. The Black Lotus Sect, with its intelligence network, had likely learned about the majority of what transpired. As one of the Holy Sons of the Black Lotus Sect, Lu Chang would undoubtedly know the details as well. Mo Zhu¡¯er never intended to hide anything in the first place. Though everyone understood the truth, they all played along, avoiding outright confrontation. Lu Chang sneered. ¡°A small advantage, you say? I¡¯d wager it was more than a little. I heard from my master that the Black Lotus Sect¡¯s secret cooperation with the Tianxuan Sect was a strategy several centuries in the making. Yet it seems Junior Sister Zhu¡¯er has used our centuries-long plan as a stepping stone for her own gain, hasn¡¯t she?¡± ¡°Who¡¯s been spreading such nonsense? Let me tear their filthy mouths apart!¡± Mo Zhu¡¯er appeared utterly indignant, as if she had been slandered. ¡°I am loyal to the Black Lotus Sect. Senior Brother Lu mustn¡¯t be deceived by such baseless rumors!¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter whether I am swayed or not,¡± Lu Chang said, staring at Mo Zhu¡¯er. ¡°But whether the hall masters and elders of the Black Lotus Sect will believe these words, that I cannot say.¡± He scrutinized her face, hoping to find some trace of panic. To his disappointment, Mo Zhu¡¯er remained as calm and composed as ever. ¡°I trust that the hall masters and elders of the Black Lotus Sect will surely understand my good intentions,¡± Mo Zhu¡¯er replied with a faint smile. ¡°On the contrary, Senior Brother, concerning yourself with so much is detrimental to your cultivation. When I returned to the Black Lotus Sect, I heard that you were beaten like a dog by the top-ranked beauty on the Beauty List, Shi Xin.¡± Lu Chang¡¯s expression darkened, and with a sudden move, he sent a skeletal hand hurtling toward Mo Zhu¡¯er. But in the next instant, a silver dragon emerged from beside Mo Zhu¡¯er. With a sweep of its tail, the silver dragon shattered the skeletal hand, then lashed out at Lu Chang. Startled, Lu Chang quickly formed seals, chanting the ¡°Raksasa Body Shield Technique.¡± A shattered Asura remnant body appeared in front of him, but the silver dragon¡¯s tail shattered it in an instant. Lu Chang was sent flying dozens of meters away, coughing up blood. ¡°The Tianxuan Sect¡¯s dragon vein is indeed in your hands,¡± Lu Chang said, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth. His eyes were filled with jealousy and shock. He hadn¡¯t expected her to refine it so quickly! The silver dragon roared at Lu Chang, exuding a domineering presence, before coiling protectively around Mo Zhu¡¯er. Mo Zhu¡¯er patted the dragon¡¯s head and smiled. ¡°I never claimed the dragon vein wasn¡¯t with me.¡± ¡°Hah!¡± Lu Chang let out a cold laugh. ¡°You sacrificed the Black Lotus Sect¡¯s grand plan to gain this dragon vein for yourself. Do you really think you can keep it?¡± Mo Zhu¡¯er lightly patted the dragon¡¯s head. The dragon let out a low roar and curled back around her dress. ¡°That¡¯s not something Senior Brother needs to worry about. The Sect Master has summoned me, so please step aside. If I¡¯m late and the Sect Master places blame on me, I¡¯ll have no choice but to shift the responsibility onto you.¡± Lu Chang¡¯s eyes narrowed as he stared at Mo Zhu¡¯er, his gaze cold and intense. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Hmph! I¡¯d like to see how long your arrogance lasts!¡± he spat, then flew off. Watching his retreating figure, Mo Zhu¡¯er sighed and shook her head. ¡°The Black Lotus Sect is really full of trash.¡± She then flew toward the Sect Master¡¯s residence. Half an incense stick¡¯s time later, Mo Zhu¡¯er arrived at a mountain peak covered entirely in bamboo. Deep within the bamboo forest stood a small bamboo house. In the courtyard of the house, a middle-aged man sat in meditation. ¡°Disciple Mo Zhu¡¯er greets the Sect Master.¡± Standing at the entrance to the courtyard, Mo Zhu¡¯er bowed deeply. The Sect Master of the Black Lotus Sect slowly opened his eyes, the black mist around him gradually dissipating. His once vacant gaze became that of a normal person, though it burned with a fury that seemed ready to consume Mo Zhu¡¯er. ¡°I thought you¡¯d flee to some faraway place and never return. But you dare come back? Do you really think I won¡¯t deal with you?¡± ¡°Your disciple would not dare,¡± Mo Zhu¡¯er replied, bowing even lower. ¡°Not dare? Is there anything you wouldn¡¯t dare to do?¡± The Sect Master¡¯s voice echoed through the bamboo forest, stirring up fierce winds. ¡°Collaborating with the Tianxuan Sect was a critical part of the Black Lotus Sect¡¯s grand plan! I sent you to assist Xia He, promising you a share of the credit upon success. And yet, what did you do? You abandoned the Black Lotus Sect¡¯s grand plan for the dragon vein of the Tianxuan Sect! Do you know the severity of your crime? According to our laws, how should such a betrayal be punished?¡± Mo Zhu¡¯er replied immediately, ¡°This disciple is fully aware. According to the Black Lotus Sect¡¯s laws, those who sabotage the sect¡¯s grand plans are deemed traitors. Traitors of the Black Lotus Sect are to suffer a thousand cuts and the agony of having their soul burned by candle flames!¡± The Sect Master¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Then are you willing to accept punishment?¡± Mo Zhu¡¯er straightened slightly. ¡°While it¡¯s true that I disrupted the Black Lotus Sect¡¯s plans, I have never betrayed the Sect. My actions were to minimize our losses in time. This disciple refuses to accept punishment!¡± ¡°Hahaha, you¡¯re saying you did this for the Black Lotus Sect?¡± The Sect Master of the Black Lotus Sect laughed, his anger turning into amusement. ¡°Then tell me, exactly how did you mitigate losses for the Black Lotus Sect?¡± ¡°Reporting to the Sect Master,¡± Mo Zhu¡¯er replied calmly, ¡°that Tianxuan Sect Master, Xia He, never intended to cooperate with us.¡± ¡°Oh? And how do you figure that?¡± the Sect Master asked, narrowing his eyes. Mo Zhu¡¯er continued, ¡°The plan was for Xia He to ascend to the Ascension Realm and relocate near the Black Lotus Sect to work for us. But Xia He intended to burn the bridge after crossing it, planning to head to the Northern Desolation after his ascension.¡± The Sect Master frowned. ¡°How did you come to know this?¡± Mo Zhu¡¯er replied, ¡°One of Xia He¡¯s most trusted confidants told me.¡± ¡°And why would Xia He¡¯s confidant tell you this?¡± the Sect Master questioned, his tone skeptical. ¡°Because he held a personal grudge against Xia He,¡± Mo Zhu¡¯er explained. ¡°And where is this confidant of Xia He now?¡± ¡°Reporting to the SectMaster, he is already dead,¡± Mo Zhu¡¯er said with a slight bow. ¡°Dead?¡± The Sect Master paused for a moment before bursting into laughter. ¡°Hahaha, how convenient. Dead, you say? What a perfect explanation!¡± Mo Zhu¡¯er remained calm and composed. ¡°What this disciple has stated is the absolute truth. That is why I decided to kill Xia He directly, seizing the Tianxuan Sect¡¯s dragon vein to ensure the Black Lotus Sect suffered no further losses. ¡°Moreover, even if Xia He hadn¡¯t betrayed us, his plan was doomed to fail. For reasons unknown to me, Xu Cang and the others from Sanshi Peak were released. Though they weren¡¯t at their peak strength, those ten individuals are all Upper Five Realm cultivators who have dominated the world for years. ¡°At that moment, Xia He¡¯s plan was destined for failure! Had I not killed him and taken the dragon vein, the Tianxuan Sect would have been left with nothing.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The Sect Master of the Black Lotus Sect stared coldly at his disciple. Xia He planning to betray them? Absurd. Xu Cang and the others being released, dooming Xia He to fail? Who could say that with certainty? Moreover, how many people even knew of the hidden location where Xu Cang and the others were imprisoned? And who could have released them so easily? All of this was nothing but lies spun by Mo Zhu¡¯er! Or worse¡ªshe had orchestrated everything behind the scenes! Chapter 281 The Black Lotus Sect Leader¡¯s gaze was fixed on Mo Zhuer. All the excuses Mo Zhuer gave were ultimately inconsequential. Did Xia He want to burn bridges and stop cooperating with the Black Lotus Sect? If she said so, then that was the truth¡ªbecause the man was already dead. Completely gone. Not even his soul remained; he wouldn¡¯t even get the chance to reincarnate. Had Xia He¡¯s power crumbled once Xu Cang and his group emerged? Had Mo Zhuer chosen to cut her losses in time? Perhaps at that moment, Xu Cang did have a considerable advantage. But until the very last step, who could truly say what would happen? Advantage and disadvantage were merely subjective judgments based on the circumstances of the time. And how exactly did Xu Cang escape? That was even more intriguing. The existence of Xu Cang and his group of people was the most classified of secrets among the Four Holy Lands and the Five Great Sects. Only a Holy Lord or Sect Master, upon inheriting their position, would be informed. No one else was supposed to know. So how was their location discovered? Could it really not have been Mo Zhuer who revealed it to someone? Everything she said was just an excuse. And those excuses were full of holes. Yet, despite their flaws, they worked. If people believed them, then they became the truth. If they didn¡¯t, then they were mere sophistry. ¡°Tomorrow, the Black Lotus Sect will hold a tribunal. You can explain all of this to the elders and hall masters then.¡± The Sect Leader waved a hand dismissively. ¡°For now, leave. Think carefully about how you¡¯ll argue your case tomorrow.¡± ¡°Yes, Sect Leader.¡± Mo Zhuer took her leave. As he watched her silhouette disappear from view, the Black Lotus Sect Leader slowly closed his eyes and shook his head. ¡ª ¡°Zhuer! How did it go? Wait! You actually made it back alive?¡± The moment Mo Zhuer stepped into her room, Jiang Ruyan rushed up to her anxiously, grabbing her hand. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I come back alive?¡± Mo Zhuer chuckled, lightly shaking off Jiang Ruyan¡¯s hand before pouring herself a cup of tea. Jiang Ruyan sat down beside her. The fabric of her dress stretched taut over her rounded hips, accentuating a graceful curve. ¡°Well, I suppose it makes sense. No matter what, he¡¯s still your father¡ªhe wouldn¡¯t really do anything to you. No matter what you¡¯ve done, deep down, he still cares for you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s where you¡¯re wrong.¡± Mo Zhuer shook her head. ¡°To him, the only thing that matters is the Black Lotus Sect. The only thing in his heart is his path to power. To me, that man is no different from Xia He¡ªboth are utterly selfish. Otherwise, my mother wouldn¡¯t have died back then.¡± ?a??B¨§S Jiang Ruyan sighed. ¡°Still, he¡¯s your father.¡± Mo Zhuer¡¯s eyes curved into a smile. ¡°I don¡¯t acknowledge such a father.¡± Jiang Ruyan: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s not talk about this.¡± Jiang Ruyan waved a hand. ¡°What about your situation? Are you in the clear?¡± ¡°In the clear?¡± Mo Zhuer let out a soft laugh. ¡°How could that be possible? There¡¯s still a tribunal tomorrow. All those old fossils will be there. Many of them support other Holy Sons and Holy Daughters¡ªthey can¡¯t wait for me to die so their candidates will have one less competitor.¡± ¡°This¡­¡± Jiang Ruyan stood up and began pacing anxiously. ¡°Then you¡¯re still in a dangerous position! I told you, you shouldn¡¯t have come back. We should¡¯ve defected to another sect. Even if the Black Lotus Sect hunted us down, so what? There are plenty of sects that oppose them. Their reach isn¡¯t limitless!¡± Mo Zhuer reached out and tapped Jiang Ruyan¡¯s forehead lightly. ¡°Have you been a city lord for too long? Did you turn foolish? I have my own plans. You don¡¯t need to worry¡ªI won¡¯t be in any danger.¡± Jiang Ruyan frowned. ¡°You¡¯re that confident?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Mo Zhuer gently brushed the sleeve of her robe. ¡°Tell me¡ªBlack Lotus Sect¡¯s plan failed. A failure is a failure. What would they gain by killing me?¡± ¡°This¡­¡± Jiang Ruyan was momentarily speechless. ¡°The Black Lotus Sect gains nothing from killing me.¡± Mo Zhuer¡¯s lips curled into a smile. ¡°The Black Lotus Sect, and in fact most of the demonic sects in the Western Region, are inherently selfish. They care only about immediate benefits. Xia He is dead. The Black Lotus Sect¡¯s plan has failed. That is a fact. Meanwhile, I have obtained the Dragon Vein of Tianxuan Sect, my strength has soared, and my future prospects are limitless. Reaching the Immortal Realm is merely a baseline for me now. That, too, is a fact. Moreover, I have already fully refined the Dragon Vein. If the Black Lotus Sect were to kill me now, the Dragon Vein would be lost as well. Their losses would be even greater¡ªyears of planning would amount to nothing. So tell me, if you were one of the elders of the Black Lotus Sect, what choice would you make?¡± Jiang Ruyan: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Relax.¡± Mo Zhuer yawned, kicking off her delicate shoes before lying sideways on the bed. Her fair, smooth legs intertwined, the stark contrast between her pale skin and the dark hem of her dress making the scene all the more striking. Her hips arched like rolling hills, forming a graceful curve. ¡°Many want me dead, but even more want me alive. I¡¯ve already given the Black Lotus Sect a way out, and they have no choice but to take it. For me, tomorrow is nothing more than a formality.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡± Listening to Mo Zhuer, Jiang Ruyan finally let out a sigh of relief. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°By the way, what about that monk Shi Xin from Leiming Temple? Where is she now?¡± Mo Zhuer asked. ¡°Shi Xin? That nun?¡± Jiang Ruyan blinked. ¡°Why are you interested in her?¡± Mo Zhuer shot her a look. ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? Shi Xin has the potential to become the leader of the entire Buddhist sect.¡± Jiang Ruyan looked at her in disbelief. ¡°That nun?¡± Mo Zhuer nodded with a smile. ¡°Yes, that nun.¡± Jiang Ruyan thought for a moment. ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure, but it seems like she¡¯s been heading toward the Central Plains. By now, she should be somewhere around¡ª¡± ¡ª ¡°Benefactor.¡± In a remote mountain village, a bald woman in a monk¡¯s robe stepped forward, asking for directions. ¡°May I ask where this place is?¡± The old farmer before her was utterly stunned by the sight of the woman. She had red lips, white teeth, and skin as fair as snow. A monk? A female monk? ¡°Could you kindly tell me where I am?¡± The nun asked again, her eyes as clear as a pristine lake. Though still in shock, the old farmer instinctively stammered out a response. ¡°This¡­ is¡­ the border town of the Wu Kingdom¡ªZhulucheng.¡± Chapter 282 As he left Tianxuan Sect, Xu Ming did not feel particularly at ease. It had simply become a habit¡ªremaining vigilant at all times. Even when surrounded by a thousand Dragon-Leopard Iron Cavalry in his sleep, Xu Ming would always keep his guard up. After all, no one ever knew what might happen in the next moment. Especially with Zhou Wanfeng by his side. Zhou Wanfeng was like a wild animal in spring, constantly releasing her hormones throughout the day. Honestly, if she was really that desperate, Xu Ming felt she could just find a right-angled wooden board or even a tree to take care of herself. Zhou Wanfeng was always getting too close to him, deliberately using certain¡­ sensitive areas to tease him. During meals, she would always try to feed him, pouting as she said, ¡°Look at me, I just want to take care of my dear brother~¡± And every time she said that, she would intentionally glance at Wu Yanhan, whose anger visibly built up day after day. But Wu Yanhan wasn¡¯t anything to Xu Ming¡ªshe had no reason to chase Zhou Wanfeng away. One day, Zhou Wanfeng deliberately spilled rice onto her chest. Then, spreading her arms and clutching her bodice, she coyly said, ¡°Little brother Xu, can you help me clean this up?¡± Wu Yanhan was so enraged that she punched a nearby tree in half. Of course, there was no way Xu Ming was going to help Zhou Wanfeng with that. Otherwise, he had a feeling Yanhan¡¯s fist wouldn¡¯t be landing on a tree¡ªit would be landing on him. And it wasn¡¯t just during the day. Every single night, Zhou Wanfeng would slip into Xu Ming¡¯s carriage, wearing nothing but a sheer nightgown. That thin fabric barely concealed anything that wasn¡¯t meant to be seen. But it lingered like a faint mist over her skin, creating a hazy allure. Though Xu Ming had always told himself he wouldn¡¯t ride the bus, he still had to grit his teeth and resist every time, eventually kicking Zhou Wanfeng out of his carriage. But as a hot-blooded warrior, he still found himself struggling to sleep after her teasing. He thought that if he could just share a carriage with Wu Yanhan, maybe Zhou Wanfeng wouldn¡¯t be so brazen. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But that was out of the question. In the eyes of many, he was already the consort prince of Wu Kingdom. But he wasn¡¯t. If he really did share a carriage with Wu Yanhan, what would happen to her reputation? And if things became official, then there would be no way for him to escape. ?????£Î???? Still, Zhou Wanfeng wasn¡¯t entirely useless. Along the way, they had encountered several assassination attempts. But before the Dragon-Leopard Iron Cavalry could even act, Zhou Wanfeng had already taken the assassins¡¯ heads. ¡°Blood Robe Tower~¡± Zhou Wanfeng tossed a badge from the assassin organization at Xu Ming and Wu Yanhan¡¯s feet. ¡°They even hired the Blood Robe Tower¡ªlooks like someone really has their eyes on us. I wonder if they¡¯re after you, little brother Xu, or Her Highness? Or maybe¡­ both?¡± Wu Yanhan¡¯s expression remained cold as she looked at the badge. ¡°Whoever they¡¯re targeting, Blood Robe Tower is digging their own graves.¡± ¡°Oh my, how domineering, Your Highness~ But I should remind you, I¡¯m only here to protect little brother Xu. I have no obligation to protect you.¡± Zhou Wanfeng smiled playfully. ¡°I don¡¯t need your protection.¡± Wu Yanhan shot her a frosty glare before turning to Xu Ming with an annoyed look. ¡°Just keep hiding under her skirt!¡± ¡°I¡ª¡± Before Xu Ming could explain, Wu Yanhan huffed and walked away. ¡°Keh keh keh~¡± Zhou Wanfeng let out a laugh that sounded oddly like a clucking hen. ¡°Looks like Her Highness is jealous~¡± ¡°¡­¡± Xu Ming¡¯s brow twitched. Was Zhou Wanfeng just bored out of her mind after being locked up for hundreds¡ªmaybe thousands¡ªof years? Did she escape just to make herself feel something? As they neared the borders of Wu Kingdom, the assassination attempts grew more frequent. But with the thousand-strong Dragon-Leopard Iron Cavalry and Zhou Wanfeng¡¯s protection, both Xu Ming and Wu Yanhan remained unharmed. When their convoy finally crossed into Wu Kingdom¡¯s territory, Xu Ming felt a slight sense of relief. The assassins had all but disappeared. However, Xu Ming made sure to remember the organization Blood Robe Tower. They had tried to assassinate him before, and now they were coming after him again. Like lingering ghosts, they just wouldn¡¯t let go. A true man never leaves a grudge unsettled. Just you wait! By the time Xu Ming arrived in Jiangnan Commandery, the governor himself came to welcome Wu Yanhan and Xu Ming. Finally, the weight that had been pressing on his heart eased almost completely. This was Jiangnan, the economic heart of Wu Kingdom, where every official¡ªinside and out¡ªwas handpicked by the Emperor himself. Xu Ming truly didn¡¯t believe that anyone could infiltrate a place like this. The governor hosted a grand banquet to welcome the two of them. After spending seven days in Jiangnan, Xu Ming felt his exhaustion completely wash away, and the injuries he had sustained earlier were now fully healed. However, he could sense that his cultivation realm was becoming increasingly difficult to suppress. Once he returned to Wudu (Wu Capital), he would need to find a place to break through into the Dragon Gate Realm and undergo the heavenly tribulation. With their rest completed, Xu Ming and Wu Yanhan were ready to continue their journey. When the governor learned that the Blood Robe Tower had targeted Xu Ming and the princess, he immediately assigned five Nascent Soul Realm experts to accompany them. Additionally, he dispatched twenty thousand Rouge Army soldiers as their escort. Despite the name, the Rouge Army was composed of men, not women. The unit had been founded by a former princess of Wu, a woman of unparalleled beauty who had earned great military achievements. After her passing, the army was named in her honor. Far from being an insult, the name Rouge Army sent chills down the spines of many sects. With such formidable protection, assassins from the Blood Robe Tower would find it nearly impossible to eliminate their targets. The rest of the journey proceeded smoothly. When Xu Ming and Wu Yanhan were just two days away from the capital, news of the top scholar and the princess returning together had already spread throughout the bustling streets of Wu Capital. The Xu and Qin households had begun hanging lanterns and preparing feasts, ready to welcome Xu Ming home. Even within the imperial palace, Emperor Wu¡¯s mood was exceptionally good. This year-long journey of Xu Ming¡¯s had won tremendous honor for Wu Kingdom! ¡°Our son is finally coming home~¡± Meanwhile, in a secluded courtyard of the Xu estate¡­ Chen Suya sat in front of a mirror, her brows tightly furrowed, her pearly teeth biting down on her soft lips. She remained silent, but the reflection in the mirror¡­ spoke on its own. ¡°He is my son¡­¡± Chen Suya¡¯s face was pale. ¡°I am you, and you are me. Naturally, he is my son as well,¡± the reflection in the mirror responded. ¡°Who are you?! Get out of my body!¡± Chen Suya¡¯s chest heaved violently. ¡°That won¡¯t do,¡± the mirror-image¡¯s lips curled into a wicked smile. ¡°I¡¯ve only just woken up. How could I possibly leave now?¡± Then, its grin widened further. ¡°Tell me¡­ do you think he will notice me?¡± Chapter 283 At the gates of the capital of the Wu Kingdom, a group of officials had already lined up to welcome them. Moreover, these officials were of considerable rank, making the reception somewhat beyond the usual protocol for Xu Ming and Wu Yanhan. However, despite the clear breach of decorum, no one said a word¡ªeven the censors, who were usually quick to criticize, remained silent. They had no choice. One was the only princess of the Wu Kingdom, who had just reinstated a vassal prince, led troops in battle, upheld strict military discipline, rewarded and punished justly, and even contributed to the destruction of a rebellious vassal state. The other was the first person in Wu Kingdom¡¯s history to be both a top scholar in civil examination and with military merits, the youngest top scholar ever, who, after a year of traveling, had slain the leader of the Hehuan Sect, defeated Chen Yun, and ranked second on the Qingyun List. Rumors even suggested he had played a significant role in the Hehuan Sect¡¯s internal strife. Wu Yanhan, Xu Ming, and Qin Qingwan¡ªthese three names had become synonymous with the Wu Kingdom. As for Xu Xuenuo¡­ she wasn¡¯t even listed in the family genealogy anymore; she was no longer considered a citizen of the Wu Kingdom. In the beginning, many still associated Xu Xuenuo with Wu Kingdom, but over the years, her presence had faded from the nation¡¯s memory. ¡°They¡¯re here, they¡¯re here!¡± Upon seeing the approaching convoy, the officials who had been standing under the blazing sun straightened their posture, turned toward the convoy¡¯s direction, bowed, and loudly welcomed, ¡°Respectfully greeting Her Highness the Princess and the Wen Wu Qing upon their return to the capital!¡± Inside Xu Ming¡¯s carriage, Zhou Wanfeng lifted the curtain and glanced at the city gates before covering her mouth with a soft chuckle. ¡°Quite the grand reception. When we were in Jiangnan Commandery, I heard about your story. In the past, illegitimate children in the Wu Kingdom had a low status. Did you ever imagine that one day, you, once despised as an unwanted son, would become someone no one dares to ignore?¡± ¡°I never thought about it, nor does it matter to me,¡± Xu Ming replied as he lifted the curtain and stepped down from the carriage. Watching his departing figure, Zhou Wanfeng smiled to herself and murmured, ¡°Indeed¡­ Someone like you could never be restrained by a mere ¡®illegitimate¡¯ status.¡± At this moment, Zhou Wanfeng chose not to disembark. Although she enjoyed teasing Xu Ming, she knew her limits. Her reputation as a ¡°seductress¡± wasn¡¯t exactly good, and she wouldn¡¯t want to tarnish the little scholar¡¯s name. As Xu Ming and Wu Yanhan stepped down from their carriages, they approached the gathered officials and cupped their fists in greeting. ¡°Your gracious welcome is truly overwhelming.¡± ¡°Haha, Minister Xu and Her Highness are being too modest,¡± laughed Xiong Wentian, Minister of Rites. ¡°The two of you have rendered great service to our kingdom, bringing honor to our land. It is our privilege to welcome you back.¡± ¡°Hearing you say that almost makes me hesitate to enter the city,¡± Xu Ming joked. ¡°That won¡¯t do,¡± Xiong Wentian chuckled. ¡°If Minister Xu doesn¡¯t enter, His Majesty might just have my hide for it.¡± Xu Ming looked at Xiong Wentian and couldn¡¯t help but recall an old memory¡ªyears ago, he had clashed with Xiong Wentian¡¯s son, Xiong Haizhi. Later, they ended up joining Blood Asura Battalion together as comrades-in-arms. It was a case of foes turned friends. ¡°I wonder how Haizhi is doing these days? Is he well?¡± Xu Ming asked. Hearing Xu Ming inquire about his son, Xiong Wentian was momentarily taken aback, then deeply moved¡ªhe hadn¡¯t expected Xu Ming to still remember Haizhi. ????§£?? With a smile, Xiong Wentian replied, ¡°Thank you for your concern, Minister Xu. Haizhi is currently serving as a Centurion in Blood Asura¡¯s Fifth Battalion and is doing well.¡± ¡°Good to hear.¡± Xu Ming nodded. ¡°My lords, time is running short. Please, enter the city¡ªwe must not keep His Majesty waiting. He has been expecting you both for quite some time.¡± Xiong Wentian stepped aside and gestured forward. ¡°We appreciate it.¡± After another round of polite exchanges, Xu Ming and Wu Yanhan mounted their horses once more and rode into the imperial city. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Within the capital, the streets were lined with cheering citizens, welcoming their return. The streets on both sides of the road were packed with people, leaving not even an inch of space. Flowers were thrown toward Xu Ming and Wu Yanhan, while excited voices continuously called out, ¡°Your Highness, the Princess!¡± and ¡°Wen Wu Qing (Minister of Civil and Military Affairs)!¡±¡ªespecially the voices of countless women. Women across the world admired talent, and the women of Wu Kingdom were no exception. However, Wu Kingdom also revered martial strength. So, if a man was not only talented but also an exceptional warrior, that was even better. And Xu Ming happened to embody both. He had composed numerous timeless poems and was hailed as the future leader of Wu Kingdom¡¯s literary world. In particular, his poem Butterfly Love had stirred the hearts of countless women. Moreover, he had served in the military¡ªnot just anywhere, but in the elite Blood Asura Battalion. On top of that, he ranked second on the Qingyun List. All of this had cast an almost legendary glow around Xu Ming. Among the noblewomen of the capital, there was even a popular saying: ¡°If I could meet Young Master Xu just once, even death would be worth it.¡± This alone spoke volumes about the kind of fervor Xu Ming commanded among the women of the capital. Now, he rode into the city clad in a simple blue robe, mounted on an armored Ferghana horse. His tall, lean figure and handsome features, combined with the aura of a literary icon and war hero, exuded a refined elegance. Today, countless women had undoubtedly sealed their fates with a single glance¡ª¡±One look at Young Master Xu, and I¡¯ll never love another.¡± Xu Ming felt it would be rude to ignore everyone completely, so he gave a small nod to the women calling his name from the sides of the road. Unfortunately, this only made things worse. Some women became so overwhelmed with excitement that they fainted on the spot. ¡°It seems you¡¯re quite popular among the ladies,¡± Wu Yanhan remarked, shooting him a cold glance, her voice tinged with jealousy. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know,¡± Xu Ming replied helplessly, shaking his head. ¡°It wasn¡¯t like this before. I haven¡¯t been back to Wu Capital in a long time. Besides, I¡¯m not the only one receiving admiration¡ªYour Highness is just as popular.¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± Wu Yanhan turned her head away. She did, in fact, have a large number of admirers. But unlike Xu Ming, who was adored primarily by women, Wu Yanhan attracted both men and women alike. After all, she was breathtakingly beautiful. And when clad in armor, she exuded a valiant, heroic aura¡ªa perfect blend of strength and grace, a true warrior queen. It was impossible not to be captivated by her. As they arrived at the gates of the imperial palace, they dismounted and switched to carriages before proceeding inside. Xu Ming and Wu Yanhan were then led away to bathe and change into formal attire. The palace maids assigned to assist Xu Ming were all strikingly beautiful¡ªclearly handpicked by Emperor Wu himself. As they attended to him, their cheeks flushed, and their eyes held a trace of anticipation, hoping that this famed scholar-warrior might favor them. However, Xu Ming simply dismissed them, saying he could bathe himself. In the end, the disappointed maids could only withdraw, sighing with regret. Once Xu Ming arrived at the open courtyard in front of the imperial study, Wu Yanhan was already there, waiting. She now wore a flowing crimson dress, its long hem trailing gracefully behind her. A delicate silk sash wrapped around her slender waist, accentuating her elegant figure. A single coral hairpin adorned her dark tresses, its deep red hue highlighting her flawless, lotus-like complexion. Her striking phoenix eyes, naturally alluring yet commanding, now shimmered with a regal presence. Her once battle-ready locks had been styled into an intricate courtly bun, decorated with pearls as radiant as snow, twinkling like tiny stars amidst her hair. Gone was the valiant warrior in armor. In her place stood a noble lady of grace and refinement. ¡°You waited long?¡± Xu Ming asked as he approached. Though Wu Yanhan was a princess, she was also a subject of the empire. In formal settings like this, when both were summoned, protocol dictated that she wait until they could enter together. ¡°I just got here myself,¡± she replied, folding her hands in front of her. ¡°Honestly, I thought you¡¯d take a bit longer¡ªat least another incense stick¡¯s time.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Xu Ming frowned slightly. ¡°I never take long to bathe.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Wu Yanhan turned and started toward the imperial study. ¡°Come on.¡± Xu Ming walked beside her as the eunuch, Grand Eunuch Wei, led them into the imperial study. ¡°Minister greets Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Daughter greets Father Emperor.¡± Inside the imperial study, both knelt in salute. ¡°Hahahaha! There¡¯s no need for such formalities,¡± Emperor Wu stepped down from his soft couch, looking at the young man he valued most and the daughter he cherished deeply. ¡°You¡¯ve both had a long journey. Summoning you immediately upon your return¡ªI hope you don¡¯t hold it against me.¡± ¡°Your Majesty speaks too seriously,¡± Xu Ming replied. ¡°I have been traveling for a year. Upon returning to the capital, it is only right for me to report my experiences over the past year to Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Hahaha, good!¡± Emperor Wu patted Xu Ming¡¯s shoulder and turned to Wei Xun. ¡°Prepare seats for the Princess and our esteemed minister.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, of course!¡± Wei Xun hurriedly fetched two golden nanmu chairs and placed them beneath Xu Ming and Wu Yanhan. Xu Ming then began recounting his year of travels to Emperor Wu. Some things he spoke of, while others he left unsaid. Most of what he shared was only a general overview. If he were to go into full detail, he probably wouldn¡¯t make it home today. Besides, Xu Ming saw this more as a formality. For any major events, Emperor Wu was surely already informed¡ªafter all, Tingfeng Pavilion, the most powerful intelligence agency in Wu, was not just for show. And indeed, things were just as Xu Ming expected. Emperor Wu was already well aware of Xu Ming¡¯s experiences through Tingfeng Pavilion. Not to mention, the Emperor had assigned a protector to Xu Ming, who would occasionally send reports back. However, this protector had a rather solitary nature and was not particularly obedient to orders. Some things, she simply wouldn¡¯t disclose. Whether she sent a report or not was entirely up to her mood. Not to mention, after Xu Ming entered the Baiwa Secret Realm and the Tianxuan Sect, even his protector had been unable to follow. Meanwhile, Wu Yanhan also reported her military victories to Emperor Wu. ¡°You both have done exceptionally well!¡± After listening to their reports, Emperor Wu was visibly pleased. ¡°Yanhan, your merit in suppressing the rebellion is one thing, but what¡¯s truly commendable is your ability to lead troops with discipline, rewarding and punishing fairly. On the battlefield, you used reality to deceive illusion, and illusion to mask reality¡ªa rare talent. Even Great Pillar of the Nation, the veteran general, has praised you, saying you possess the aura of the Great Ancestor.¡± ¡°As for your reward, I have thought long and hard¡­¡± Emperor Wu clasped his hands behind his back. ¡°Wei Xun!¡± ¡°Your servant is here!¡± Wei Xun immediately knelt before the Emperor. Emperor Wu¡¯s voice carried a natural authority. ¡°Draft the decree: Princess Wu Yanhan has led the army with skill, winning the hearts of all wherever she marched. She has quelled rebellion and destroyed enemy states. I hereby confer upon her the title of King of Qin!¡± Wei Xun¡¯s heart skipped a beat, but he quickly responded, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± Both Wu Yanhan and Xu Ming furrowed their brows. It was normal to be granted a noble title for quelling a rebellion, but being named King of Qin¡ªthis was not normal. The Wu Kingdom had risen from the land of Qin. Back then, the Great Ancestor of Wu had once named himself King of Qin. Throughout history, every prince of Wu was required to lead troops into battle, and every Crown Prince had, at some point, held the title King of Qin. This title was not just an honorary peerage¡ªit was, in essence, a symbol of the heir apparent. In other words, was Emperor Wu now considering making his daughter the first female ruler in the history of the Central Plains? There was no doubt that once this decree was issued, the imperial court would be thrown into an uproar. After all, never before in human dynastic history had such a precedent been set! ¡°Xu Ming, what do you think of my decision?¡± Emperor Wu turned to him. ¡°Your Majesty¡¯s decision is, of course, the correct one,¡± Xu Ming responded with a respectful bow, his words carefully chosen. ¡°In my humble view, Her Highness the Princess is both virtuous and capable, a woman no less than any man. With her Martial God Physique, she is more than worthy of the title King of Qin.¡± ¡°Hahaha! Well said!¡± Emperor Wu was highly pleased. Having assessed countless people in his life, he could tell that this boy, Xu Ming, genuinely believed Yanhan was suited for the role. His support was sincere. ¡°King of Qin, aren¡¯t you going to quickly express your gratitude?¡± Emperor Wu teased his daughter. Wu Yanhan bowed deeply. ¡°Your daughter thanks Father Emperor.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Emperor Wu nodded in satisfaction before turning his gaze to Xu Ming. ¡°As for you, Xu Ming, you have also brought great honor to Wu, but I haven¡¯t yet decided on your reward. Once I do, the imperial edict will naturally be delivered to the Xu residence.¡± ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty.¡± Xu Ming expressed his gratitude. That said, he honestly didn¡¯t want any rewards. If the Emperor decided to bestow a marriage decree, that would be a real headache for him. ¡°Alright, King of Qin, you may withdraw now. I have some matters to discuss with our esteemed minister.¡± Emperor Wu waved his hand dismissively. Wu Yanhan hesitated, glancing at Xu Ming with concern, her feet unmoving. ¡°What¡¯s this? Are you afraid I¡¯ll eat Xu Ming?¡± Seeing his daughter so worried about another man, Emperor Wu felt a mix of emotions as a father. He couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that his precious cabbage was being taken by a pig¡ªeven though, admittedly, he did have some fondness for this particular pig. ¡°Then your daughter shall take her leave.¡± Wu Yanhan finally retreated and left the imperial study. ¡°Hmm, it seems your relationship is quite close. This is the first time I¡¯ve seen my daughter care about someone this much. She¡¯s never even shown this level of concern for me.¡± Emperor Wu sighed after she left. Xu Ming: ¡°¡­¡± He had no idea how to respond¡ªespecially since he could hear a hint of jealousy in the Emperor¡¯s tone. ¡°Ah, never mind, never mind. A grown daughter cannot be kept at home forever,¡± Emperor Wu waved a hand dismissively and pulled out a letter from his desk. ¡°Take a look at this.¡± ¡°What is this?¡± Xu Ming took the envelope. ¡°An invitation from Beihai (North Sea),¡± Emperor Wu replied. ¡°They have specifically requested you to serve as an envoy to the Beihai Dragon Palace.¡± Chapter 284 ¡°¡­¡± Upon hearing that he was to be sent as an envoy to the Dragon Palace in the North Sea, Xu Ming didn¡¯t know what to say. He hadn¡¯t expected the North Sea to act so quickly. He had only just returned from Tianxuan Sect, yet the North Sea had already sent a letter, requesting him to serve as an envoy to the Dragon Palace. Did the North Sea Dragon Queen really wish to see him that much? But he didn¡¯t even know her. ¡°You and the North Sea¡ªdo you have any connection?¡± Emperor Wu asked curiously. The North Sea had always remained uninvolved in the affairs of the Central Plains. No matter how famous Xu Ming was, his name shouldn¡¯t have spread all the way to the North Sea. At most, the Dragon Queen might have glanced at Xu Ming¡¯s name when checking the Qingyun Ranking. But then again, what difference did that make? The Qingyun Ranking was full of geniuses, and even the one ranked first had never received an invitation from the North Sea Dragon Palace. So, in Emperor Wu¡¯s view, the most likely explanation was that Xu Ming had crossed paths with the North Sea in some way during his recent travels. Otherwise, there was simply no reason why the Dragon Queen would take special notice of him. Xu Ming shook his head with a smile. ¡°Two envoys from the North Sea once invited me as a guest, but I declined at the time. I suppose now that I¡¯ve refused, the North Sea wants me to go under the name of the Wu Kingdom instead. As for any connection between me and the North Sea, I truly have no idea.¡± The Emperor stroked his chin, thinking seriously. He didn¡¯t believe Xu Ming was lying¡ªthere was simply no reason for him to do so. ¡°The North Sea Dragon Queen is thousands of years old and unfathomable. Few truly understand what she is thinking. But you need not worry. The Dragon Queen has a good reputation and is not known to be bloodthirsty. As long as you haven¡¯t committed any heinous crimes, she won¡¯t harm you. Besides, she is inviting you as a guest, not summoning you for punishment.¡± The Emperor looked at Xu Ming. ¡°Would you be willing to serve as my envoy to the North Sea?¡± Xu Ming bowed respectfully. ¡°I will follow Your Majesty¡¯s command.¡± Outwardly, he spoke with deference, but inwardly, he was already cursing the Emperor for his pointless formalities. The North Sea was a behemoth that countless kingdoms dreamed of forming ties with but never could. Now that the North Sea had taken the initiative to invite the Wu Kingdom to the Four Seas Grand Ceremony, how could Emperor Wu possibly refuse? His words were nothing more than a ¡°choice that wasn¡¯t really a choice¡±¡ªa way to make it seem as if he was considering Xu Ming¡¯s feelings. ¡°Hmm.¡± Emperor Wu nodded in satisfaction. This was exactly the response he had been waiting for. If Xu Ming had refused, he would have simply persuaded him until he agreed. After all, the North Sea Dragon Palace¡¯s goodwill was not something to be squandered. If the kingdom ever needed help in the future, the North Sea might be willing to assist. ???o?£Â????? ¡°The Rootless Secret Realm is opening soon. Once that is over, you will depart for the Four Seas Grand Ceremony. Until then, take some time to rest.¡± ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty.¡± After exchanging a few more words, Xu Ming took his leave. The moment he stepped out of the palace gates, a carriage from the Xu family was already waiting, with Steward Wang standing at the entrance. ¡°Young Master Xu,¡± Steward Wang quickly approached upon seeing him. ¡°Steward Wang,¡± Xu Ming greeted with a smile, bowing slightly. ¡°Oh, no, no! I cannot accept such a courtesy! If the Master finds out, he¡¯ll have my old bones beaten to dust!¡± Steward Wang hurriedly dodged the bow. Xu Ming chuckled and straightened up. ¡°You¡¯ve come to fetch me?¡± Steward Wang grinned. ¡°Of course! The Master, Madam, and both the Xu and Qin families are all waiting for you. We should return at once.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Xu Ming nodded, memories of his mother surfacing in his mind. ¡°It¡¯s time to go home.¡± With that, Xu Ming climbed into the carriage. ¡°They¡¯re here! They¡¯re here!¡± Two incense sticks later, a maid among the gathered members of the two families waiting on both sides of the street suddenly shouted, ¡°They¡¯re here! They¡¯re here!¡± Everyone¡¯s eyes turned toward the approaching carriage. ¡°Where are the firecrackers? Light them quickly¡ªXu Ming has returned!¡± An old madam, supported by her maids, saw the Xu family¡¯s carriage slowly approaching and promptly gave the order. ¡°Crackle! Bang! Crackle! Bang!¡± Soon, the sound of firecrackers erupted, continuous and deafening, as smoke drifted through the air. ¡°Hmph! When Young Master Ming was just a boy and hadn¡¯t yet made a name for himself, there was no such grand welcome. Back then, he couldn¡¯t even get enough milk to drink. But now that he¡¯s famous and favored by His Majesty, everyone in both families is eager to curry favor with him,¡± Chunyan muttered under her breath. ¡°Shh! You can¡¯t just say things like that!¡± Chen Suya was startled and quickly hushed her. Chunyan opened her mouth as if to speak but ultimately closed it. Forget it, forget it. Today was a day of celebration¡ªno need to dwell on such matters. Welcoming Young Master Ming was the priority. As the firecracker sounds gradually subsided, Xu Ming finally stepped down from the carriage. The moment he appeared, many young women from both the Xu and Qin families felt their hearts tremble. It wasn¡¯t as if they had never seen Xu Ming before. A year ago, when he had set off on his journey, many had watched him leave. But in just a single year, he seemed to have changed so much. His once youthful features had become more defined and resolute, his eyes now carrying a deep and mature aura. The sword energy emanating from him, coupled with his refined scholarly demeanor, left many of the young women utterly captivated. ¡°Brother Ming~~~!¡± The instant Shen Shengsheng saw him, she squealed and rushed forward. Seeing her dressed in a pink little robe, her hair tied into two small buns, Xu Ming smiled warmly and opened his arms to catch her. ¡°Have you been listening to your mother at home?¡± Xu Ming asked, gently ruffling her soft hair. ¡°Yes!¡± Shen Shengsheng nodded enthusiastically like a little chick pecking at grain. ¡°Shengsheng has been very obedient!¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Xu Ming playfully tapped her nose before setting her down and continuing forward. Ahead of him stood the old madam of the Xu family, his so-called grandfather Xu Shuiya, his so-called father Xu Zheng, and the Qin family¡¯s patriarch, Qin Ruhai. Beside them were his mother, Madam Wang Feng¡ªthe principal wife of the Xu family, Qingwan¡¯s mother Zhao Qing, and further to the side, the various concubines and secondary wives of both the Xu and Qin families. The Qin family¡¯s concubines, seeing the handsome and refined young man Xu Ming had become, couldn¡¯t help but squeeze their legs together. When they glanced at Chen Suya standing beside them, they could only sigh at how blessed she was to have given birth to such an outstanding son. The concubines of the Xu family had even more complicated feelings. None of them had taken Chen Suya seriously in the past. After all, who would care about a mere concubine? But now, this very same woman held sway over the entire Xu family. Her status was likely even higher than Wang Feng, the proper wife. Back when Chen Suya had fallen ill, the entire Xu family had been deeply worried. Even the imperial palace had sent one royal physician after another to tend to her. Ask any woman in either family¡ªbesides the old madam of the Xu family, who else had ever received such treatment? Yet, Xu Ming did not first bow to the old madam, nor did he greet his so-called grandfather or father. Instead, he walked straight to his mother¡¯s side, bowed deeply, and said, ¡°Mother, your son has returned.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Chen Suya¡¯s eyes shimmered as she reached out, gently stroking her son¡¯s hand. Her gaze roamed over him repeatedly, as if fearing that he had lost a piece of himself somewhere. ¡°You¡¯ve grown taller.¡± ¡°Well, it has been a year, after all.¡± Xu Ming chuckled. ¡°Mother, have you been well?¡± ¡°I¡¯m doing just fine.¡± Chen Suya nodded, then softly whispered, ¡°Go greet the old madam now.¡± According to proper etiquette, Xu Ming should have greeted the old madam and the elders first, not his mother. ¡°Alright.¡± Xu Ming nodded. However, instead of greeting the old madam first, he turned to Wang Feng, then to Qin Qingwan¡¯s mother, Zhao Qing, and only afterward did he acknowledge the old madam and the others. Seeing this, the expressions of the Xu family members turned somewhat awkward. Anyone could tell that Xu Ming was greeting people based on how close they were to him. Even so, no one dared to call him out for being impolite. After all, everyone knew how they had treated him in the past. They only started valuing him once he became successful. Otherwise, Xu Ming had merely been a concubine¡¯s son, someone easily suppressed and ignored. The fact that he wasn¡¯t outright cutting ties and settling old scores was already a sign of restraint. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. So, everyone simply pretended as if nothing had happened, all smiles as they welcomed Xu Ming through the gates. The welcoming banquet was extravagant, with many high-ranking officials in attendance. In the past, when these officials came to banquets hosted by the Xu or Qin families, it was mostly out of respect for the Qin family¡¯s noble title, or just for the sake of maintaining connections. But now, things were different. Because of Xu Ming and, to some extent, Xu Pangda¡ªbut mostly because of Xu Ming¡ªthe Xu family¡¯s banquet had become an event that everyone scrambled to attend. Many believed that, with Xu Ming, the Xu family¡¯s future was bound to be as brilliant as the rising sun. If they didn¡¯t plant the tree now, how could they hope to enjoy its shade in the future? To be honest, Xu Ming really disliked such pomp and ceremony, but in a household like his, such extravagance was unavoidable. The banquet finally ended at the Hour of the Dog (around 7-9 PM), and Xu Ming could at last have some peace. He made his way to his mother¡¯s courtyard. Chunyan had already prepared pastries and sobering tea in advance. ¡°This little bit of alcohol is nothing to me,¡± Xu Ming said with a smile. But not wanting to waste Chunyan¡¯s kind gesture, he still drank the tea. ¡°Speaking of which,¡± Xu Ming set the empty teacup back onto the tray in Chunyan¡¯s hands and half-jokingly said, ¡°Sister Chunyan, why haven¡¯t you found someone to marry yet? If you wait any longer, you really might not be able to marry at all.¡± If Xu Ming remembered correctly, Chunyan was around fourteen when he was born. Now that he was seventeen, that would make her thirty-one. In his previous life, a thirty-one-year-old woman would practically be a ¡®battle-hardened warrior¡¯. Let alone in ancient times¡ªwhere, in some extreme cases, women at that age were already grandmothers. Chunyan pouted. ¡°Young Master Ming, you really know how to bring up the most awkward topics! I don¡¯t even want to get married. If I did, I¡¯d have to serve a husband. But whether I serve a husband or serve the madam here in the Xu family, what¡¯s the difference? And if I end up with a husband who gambles or frequents brothels, wouldn¡¯t I be furious all the time? It¡¯s much better to just stay by Madam¡¯s side. Madam, don¡¯t you agree?¡± ¡°Yes, yes.¡± Chen Suya smiled. ¡°I had thought of arranging a match for Chunyan, but she refused no matter what. That¡¯s fine too¡ªif Chunyan left, I wouldn¡¯t even know who to talk to anymore.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Xu Ming was momentarily speechless. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Sister Chunyan to be so insightful.¡± ¡°Hehe~¡± Chunyan chuckled, curtsied to Chen Suya, and then excused herself. ¡°Where¡¯s Xiaobai? Why didn¡¯t she come back with you?¡± Chen Suya finally asked. She had wanted to ask this question for a long time but hadn¡¯t found the right moment. Xu Ming shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s a long story, and it¡¯s not something I can easily explain to you. But don¡¯t worry, Mother¡ªXiaobai is fine, and one day, I¡¯ll bring her back to meet you.¡± ¡°Hmm, as long as Xiaobai is safe, that¡¯s all that matters.¡± Chen Suya nodded, trusting her son¡¯s words. ¡°But, Mother, your complexion doesn¡¯t look too good,¡± Xu Ming observed, noticing that her face seemed a little pale. ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Chen Suya said, slightly flustered, shaking her head. ¡°I¡¯ve just had trouble sleeping these past few days since I found out you were coming home. That¡¯s probably why I look a bit unwell.¡± Xu Ming smiled. ¡°Now that I¡¯m back, I won¡¯t be leaving anytime soon. I¡¯ll be here every day to keep you company, Mother.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Chen Suya gave a gentle smile. But the next moment, a sharp pain suddenly surged in her head. Chen Suya raised a hand to her forehead, massaging it lightly. ¡°Mother, are you alright?¡± Xu Ming asked, his heart filled with concern. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Chen Suya reassured him with a smile, shaking her head. ¡°It seems my migraine is acting up again.¡± ¡°Then you should rest, Mother. Don¡¯t overexert yourself,¡± Xu Ming urged. Chen Suya¡¯s eyes filled with guilt. ¡°But you just got home¡­¡± Xu Ming chuckled. ¡°So what? I¡¯ll be here for a long time. You¡¯ll have plenty of time to see me.¡± Under Xu Ming¡¯s gentle persuasion, Chen Suya finally agreed to return to her room to rest. Just as she stepped into her chambers, Zhou Wanfeng appeared in Xu Ming¡¯s courtyard. She walked up to Xu Ming, her gaze fixed on the direction of Chen Suya¡¯s room. ¡°Your mother¡­ there¡¯s something off about her.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Xu Ming lifted his head, sensing that Zhou Wanfeng had noticed something unusual. ¡°Exactly what I said.¡± Zhou Wanfeng stroked her chin thoughtfully. ¡°I specialize in soul techniques, so I¡¯m very sensitive to the essence of a person¡¯s soul. Your soul feels pure and solid¡ªlike a stone.¡± ¡°But your mother¡¯s soul¡­¡± Zhou Wanfeng turned to look at Xu Ming, speaking slowly. ¡°It¡¯s like two candles, two different flames flickering side by side.¡± Xu Ming¡¯s heart skipped a beat. ¡°Are you saying¡­?¡± Zhou Wanfeng met his gaze. ¡°I fear that your mother¡¯s body¡­ does not house just one soul.¡± Chapter 285 ¡°Two souls?¡± Xu Ming looked at Zhou Wanfeng, utterly puzzled. ¡°Can we talk in private?¡± Zhou Wanfeng smiled at Xu Ming, then gestured toward the room. Xu Ming nodded. This wasn¡¯t something that should be discussed here. ¡°Let¡¯s talk outside the courtyard.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go to your room instead, I¡¯ve never been there before~¡± Zhou Wanfeng teased. Xu Ming: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Relax, Young Master Xu. This is your territory. Do you really think I could overpower you and push you down?¡± If that princess gets jealous and I end up dying in Wudu, what then? I just got out, and I¡¯d rather not die so soon. Since the matter was urgent, Xu Ming let her take some liberties. ¡°Follow me.¡± Xu Ming led Zhou Wanfeng to his courtyard. Since growing up, Xu Ming had always lived with Xu Pangda, but since Xu Pangda was currently away on duty, the courtyard was now Xu Ming¡¯s alone. Zhou Wanfeng stepped into Xu Ming¡¯s room. The place was spotless, with no trace of dust. As for the furnishings, they remained exactly as they were a year ago when Xu Ming had left¡ªcompletely unchanged. This was to ensure Xu Ming wouldn¡¯t feel uncomfortable upon returning. Back when he was just a concubine¡¯s son, Xu Ming had been practically invisible, receiving no attention whatsoever. But now that he had made a name for himself, the Xu family had become exceedingly diligent in their ¡°icing on the cake¡± efforts. They paid attention to every tiny detail, desperate not to offend him. This fit perfectly with Xu Ming¡¯s perception of Wudu¡¯s noble families¡ªquick to apologize when necessary, eager to curry favor if you had value, and completely indifferent if you didn¡¯t. In truth, this wasn¡¯t unique to Wudu. Most aristocrats under heaven behaved this way. Although Xu Ming¡¯s past relationship with the Xu family had been strained, now that they were treating him well, he saw no need to push back. After all, one doesn¡¯t slap a smiling face. He couldn¡¯t very well rise to power and then wipe out the Xu family, could he? ¡°This is your room? It¡¯s so plain. And this courtyard is rather small. Is this really how the Xu family treats their top scholar?¡± Zhou Wanfeng asked. ¡°They offered me a bigger courtyard, but I¡¯m not used to it. I chose this one myself,¡± Xu Ming replied. ¡°Alright, then~¡± Zhou Wanfeng understood his reasoning¡ªXu Ming simply didn¡¯t want to owe the Xu family too much. Without asking for permission, Zhou Wanfeng sat down on Xu Ming¡¯s bed and lightly patted the mattress. ¡°Even your bed is so hard.¡± ¡°I prefer sleeping on a firm bed,¡± Xu Ming said. Zhou Wanfeng pouted. ¡°But if I kneel on it, my knees will turn red.¡± Xu Ming: ¡°¡­¡± He knew exactly what Zhou Wanfeng was implying, but he chose to ignore her. ¡°Now can you tell me? What exactly happened to my mother?¡± Xu Ming asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know the specifics. It wasn¡¯t me who did anything to her. But no matter what, there are only two possibilities.¡± Zhou Wanfeng lay sideways on Xu Ming¡¯s bed, her ruqun draped over her body, accentuating her lush, curvy figure. A phrase Xu Ming had once heard in his past life suddenly popped into his head¡ª ¡°With a woman like this, when she crashes into you, there will be waves.¡± Xu Ming quickly banished the thought, shaking off the memory of that short video. Short videos really do have a negative impact. ¡°Just now, Young Master Xu¡¯s gaze was quite¡­ suggestive~ But I don¡¯t mind at all~ If you¡¯d like, we could take our conversation a step further~¡± As she spoke, Zhou Wanfeng slightly pulled down the collar of her fur coat, revealing a patch of smooth, fair skin. Xu Ming wasn¡¯t so na?ve as to turn away; instead, he maintained a calm expression while looking at her. ¡°I prefer to keep things straightforward. Senior, please get to the point.¡± ?¨¢????¨¯§£¨¨s? ¡°Hmph~¡± Zhou Wanfeng pretended to be hot, lifting the hem of her skirt to her thighs, revealing two round, well-shaped legs. ¡°Young Master really lacks a sense of romance.¡± She yawned and continued, ¡°In a person¡¯s body, there can only be one soul¡ªthis is common knowledge. So, when does the phenomenon of two souls occur? First, when a soul possession attempt fails, leaving two souls fighting for control over the body. This often happens when a cultivator¡¯s body dies, but their soul escapes and tries to take over another body to ¡®reincarnate.¡¯ Second, it¡¯s a natural occurrence¡ªthis happens when something goes wrong during reincarnation and two souls enter the same body. This usually manifests as dual personalities from an early age. Of course, one soul may go dormant for a time, but eventually, the other personality might suddenly awaken, causing the body to exhibit two souls at once. Lastly, someone may choose to seal their own soul.¡± ¡°Seal?¡± Xu Ming frowned. He understood the first two possibilities, but the last one truly confused him. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Zhou Wanfeng smirked, then slipped off her robe, revealing only a red peony-embroidered dudou. Her pale skin was now exposed in large swaths. She was wearing only a pair of red silk underpants below. In the Wu Kingdom, these underpants were known as ¡°triangle pants.¡± Yes, the world actually had ¡°triangle pants.¡± They were introduced from the Western Regions, practical for summer and cooler than other types of clothing. Most women in the Central Plains wore them, made from smooth silk. With just those two garments left on, Zhou Wanfeng laid herself bare before Xu Ming. Any sudden movement, and her dudou wouldn¡¯t be enough to hide her more noteworthy assets. ¡°Come help me massage my shoulders~¡± Zhou Wanfeng beckoned with a playful smile. ¡°I¡¯m exhausted. Only if Young Master helps me relax will I be able to explain things properly~¡± Xu Ming: ¡°¡­¡± For the sake of his mother, Xu Ming had no choice but to approach. Zhou Wanfeng grinned as she lay on the bed, her soft body slightly pressing out of shape. As Xu Ming massaged her shoulders, she resumed speaking, ¡°Some cultivators, in order to hide from being discovered by powerful figures, will seal their soul after going into hiding. It¡¯s similar to locking away their memories, but more thoroughly done. Then, within their new body, a new soul gradually begins to form. This new soul is a later development, a new consciousness that can be understood as a new set of memories. When the original soul decides it no longer needs to stay hidden and wants to resurface, two souls will appear in the same body. There are generally three outcomes: one, the original soul regains control and the newer soul becomes a part of it. Second, the two souls share the same body.¡± Xu Ming frowned. ¡°Isn¡¯t there a chance that the newly formed soul could take control of the body instead?¡± ¡°Impossible.¡± Zhou Wanfeng shook her head. ¡°The strength of the two souls is not on the same level. In my view, this scenario is absolutely impossible.¡± Xu Ming: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Is there a way to figure out which situation my mother is in?¡± Xu Ming asked. ¡°There is a way, but I don¡¯t have it. A ¡®Taoist priest¡¯ might, though,¡± Zhou Wanfeng replied, turning over on the bed. Just as Xu Ming was about to withdraw his hand, Zhou Wanfeng clasped his hands against her chest. ¡°I can help you contact the priest. How about that?¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll trouble you, Senior,¡± Xu Ming said as he quickly pulled his hands away from her grasp and the ¡°focus of her attention,¡± causing Zhou Wanfeng to cast him a coquettish glance. However, Zhou Wanfeng didn¡¯t push her luck. ¡°Give me a message-flying sword. I¡¯ll write a letter to him. Since you saved him from Sanshi Peak, he¡¯ll definitely come to help you. But even if he comes, it¡¯ll take at least a month or two. During this time, Little Brother Xu, you mustn¡¯t let anything slip~¡± ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± Xu Ming said as he walked out of the room. ¡°Little Brother Xu, won¡¯t you stay and sleep with your big sister for a while?¡± Zhou Wanfeng called after him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t harm you. I just want to enjoy some time with you. And you don¡¯t even have to take responsibility. Just treat me like a courtesan from a pleasure house~¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like visiting pleasure houses,¡± Xu Ming replied as he walked out of the room without giving her a second glance. Watching him leave and even thoughtfully close the door behind him, Zhou Wanfeng stretched lazily on the bed, hugging the quilt Xu Ming had once slept in. ¡°Such a na?ve young man, unable to appreciate the charms of an older sister~¡± As she spoke, she buried her face in Xu Ming¡¯s quilt and took a deep breath, her eyes glinting with a strange light. ¡°Even after a year, this quilt still holds traces of his essence. Perhaps he really could help me break through.¡± Xu Ming chose to sleep in Xu Pangda¡¯s room instead. Xu Pangda¡¯s room was cleaned daily, so it was spotless. Even so, Xu Ming felt uneasy, suspecting that Zhou Wanfeng might sneak in during the night. After some thought, he decided to set up a protective array. The night passed uneventfully. The next morning, Xu Ming went to greet his mother. After a night of rest, he noticed that her complexion did seem slightly better, though only marginally so. Xu Ming refrained from asking probing questions like, ¡°How have you been feeling lately?¡± or ¡°Do you feel like there are two voices in your mind?¡± Such questions would only alert her. Instead, he acted as though everything was normal, simply reminding his mother to take care of her health. Later, Xu Ming took Shengsheng to explore Wudu, buying her some candied hawthorn and preserved fruits. He then brought Shengsheng to the Princess¡¯ Residence to see Wu Yanhan. Upon seeing Wu Yanhan, Shengsheng happily rushed toward her, only to be promptly held down to practice boxing. At first, Shengsheng was reluctant. She didn¡¯t mind practicing boxing but wanted to spend more time with Brother Xu, who had just returned. However, when Wu Yanhan told her, ¡°You can¡¯t slack off in your training. If you want to protect your Brother Xu, you need to work hard,¡± Shengsheng immediately perked up. Leaving Shengsheng at the Princess¡¯ Residence to train, Xu Ming went to visit some old friends he hadn¡¯t seen in over a year. He had heard that Li Han and the others were still alive and had even become centurions. The Emperor, knowing Xu Ming would likely visit his friends upon returning, had even granted them leave in advance. If nothing unexpected happened, they should be off-duty today. Arriving at the gate of a courtyard, Xu Ming knocked lightly on the door. Before long, a young woman answered. She was fair and pleasant-looking, not exactly stunning but attractive in a way that could be described as ¡°village belle¡± material. However, for some reason, Xu Ming caught a strange scent in the air. Looking past the door, Xu Ming noticed many children in the courtyard¡ªat least a hundred of them. ¡®Is this some sort of orphanage?¡¯ Xu Ming wondered. ¡°I am Xu Ming, a comrade of Li Han from the Blood Asura Battalion. Apologies for the disturbance. May I ask if Li Han resides here?¡± Xu Ming inquired, wondering if he might have come to the wrong place. ¡°So you¡¯re the top scholar. My apologies for not recognizing you,¡± the woman said with a slight bow. ¡°Li Han has often mentioned your name to me.¡± ¡°And you are¡­?¡± Xu Ming hesitated, unsure of how to address her. Could she be Li Han¡¯s wife? ¡°My name is Ye Ye¡ª¡¯Ye¡¯ as in leaf, and ¡®Ye¡¯ as in night. You could say I¡¯m Li Han¡¯s elder sister,¡± she replied, giving another courteous bow. ¡°Greetings, Sister Ye,¡± Xu Ming responded respectfully. ¡°Li Han is supposed to return home from the army today, but he hasn¡¯t arrived yet. Please, come inside and wait,¡± Ye Ye said, gesturing toward the courtyard. ¡°Then I¡¯ll trouble you.¡± Xu Ming followed her into the courtyard. However, the further he walked, the stronger the strange smell he had noticed earlier became. It was almost¡­ demonic? S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°The longer a demon lives in a place, the stronger their demonic aura becomes,¡± a thought suddenly surfaced in Xu Ming¡¯s mind. ¡°Surely not¡­?¡± Xu Ming¡¯s heart tightened in alarm. But what if it was? To be safe, Xu Ming activated his Dao Pattern Eye. After its most recent evolution, his Dao Pattern Eye had gained the ability to see through disguises, including those of demons. Xu Ming scanned the courtyard carefully, concerned that there might be some hidden demon posing a threat to the people here. His gaze swept across the entire area but revealed nothing unusual. However, when Xu Ming¡¯s gaze landed on Ye Ye, his brows furrowed deeply. Chapter 286 When Xu Ming¡¯s gaze lingered on Ye Ye, he froze in place. He could clearly see traces of demonic energy lingering on her, yet he couldn¡¯t discern her true form. ¡°A Nascent Soul-level demon!¡± This was the conclusion Xu Ming came to in his mind. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After this evolution, his Dao Pattern Eye had gained the ability to perceive the true nature of things¡ªable to see through ghostly illusions or the disguises of demons. For demons at the Golden Core stage or below, Xu Ming was confident that his Dao Pattern Eye could reveal their true forms. But now, all he could see was the demonic energy swirling around Ye Ye¡ªnothing more. This was enough to indicate that her cultivation was at least at the Nascent Soul stage. Ye Ye seemed to sense something and turned her head. By the time she looked at Xu Ming, his Dao Pattern Eye had already deactivated, and everything appeared normal. ¡°Is something wrong, Sister Ye?¡± Xu Ming asked with a polite smile. ¡°Nothing¡­¡± Ye Ye shook her head. ¡°I thought I heard someone knocking at the door, but I must¡¯ve been mistaken.¡± With that, Ye Ye turned back and continued leading Xu Ming into the house. Inside, Ye Ye poured Xu Ming a cup of tea. ¡°The children in the outer courtyard can be noisy at times. If it doesn¡¯t bother you, please wait here for a moment. Li Han should be back shortly.¡± ¡°Thank you, Sister Ye,¡± Xu Ming replied, accepting the tea and taking a sip. ¡°Hmm? This tea feels familiar.¡± Xu Ming glanced at the tea leaves in his cup. Ye Ye nodded. ¡°This is Dragon Leaf Sprout, brought back from the military by Li Han.¡± ¡°No wonder it tastes familiar,¡± Xu Ming said with a smile. ¡°Dragon Leaf Sprout is the standard tea in the Blood Asura Battalion. It boosts vitality, quenches thirst, cools you down, and helps regulate your breathing. We drank several large pots of it every day, to the point where we got used to it. Back then, I thought it was bitter and not very fragrant, but now, after such a long time, it actually tastes quite good.¡± Ye Ye smiled softly and said in a gentle voice, ¡°Dragon Leaf Sprout isn¡¯t cheap. Although it¡¯s sold outside, a single pound costs a fair amount of silver. I¡¯ve told him not to bring anything back, as it could get him into trouble, but Li Han never listens. Every time he brings something back from the army, I¡¯m always on edge. Normally, I don¡¯t dare drink it myself. I only brew it when guests from the army visit.¡± She hesitated briefly before adding, ¡°This tea may be nothing to someone of your standing, but it¡¯s the finest tea we have at home. I hope you won¡¯t mind. And if the army ever investigates this tea, I hope you might help us explain.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have any special standing,¡± Xu Ming said reassuringly. ¡°At most, I¡¯m just Li Han¡¯s brother-in-arms. Besides, plenty of people bring this tea out of the army, so it¡¯s not a big deal. Dragon Leaf Sprout is abundant in our camp, and it¡¯s common for soldiers to take some home. Most of the officers in the army turn a blind eye to it. As long as it¡¯s not too much or being sold for profit, it¡¯s usually fine.¡± Ye Ye simply nodded and remained silent, quietly refilling Xu Ming¡¯s tea. ¡°By the way,¡± Xu Ming asked, ¡°judging from your accent, Sister Ye, you don¡¯t seem to be a native of Wudu, are you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct,¡± Ye Ye replied with a nod. ¡°I¡¯m originally from Baihe Country. I fled to Wuguo (Wu Kingdom) during the wars in Baihe.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Xu Ming had heard of Baihe Country when he was younger. Baihe was a small nation bordering Wuguo. As a buffer state between Wuguo and Weiguo (Wei Kingdom), Baihe had long been peaceful. As long as it avoided provoking either side or aligning with one over the other, it could maintain a relatively stable existence. ?¨¤???????? However, Baihe¡¯s king insisted on causing trouble. Though an emperor, he sought the path of immortality like a cultivator. He even went so far as to make a demonic cult leader his national advisor. From that point on, the king became obsessed with cultivating immortality, neglecting state affairs. The entire nation fell into chaos, overrun by corrupt officials and leaving the people in misery. Five years ago, civil war broke out in Baihe Country, leading to the collapse of the entire nation. Half of it was annexed by Weiguo, while the other half became part of Wuguo. ¡°And those children in the courtyard?¡± Xu Ming asked again. ¡°Most of them are children from Baihe Country, but there are also quite a few orphans from Wudu,¡± Ye Ye explained. ¡°Sister Ye has a truly compassionate heart,¡± Xu Ming remarked. If Ye Ye had no ulterior motives and was genuinely doing good deeds, then she was indeed a kind soul, pure as a Bodhisattva. But Xu Ming feared that this demon might have other plans. ¡°Compassionate? Not at all. I¡¯m simply doing what I can. Besides, I¡¯m not the only one taking care of these children. Some of the children grow up and leave here to make their own way. Some become shop assistants, some tailors, and some cooks. The most accomplished among them would be Li Han, who was selected for the Blood Asura Battalion and even became a Centurion. They often send clothes, food, or money back. When they have time, they return to visit. So, this place isn¡¯t solely dependent on me.¡± Ye Ye smiled as she gazed out the window at the children playing and laughing in the courtyard. Xu Ming nodded silently and continued sipping his tea without saying much. ¡°Sister Ye Ye, I¡¯m back!¡± Before long, a familiar voice rang out from the courtyard. Ye Ye and Xu Ming both stood up and walked out. The man standing there was none other than Li Han. When he saw Ye Ye¡ªand especially Xu Ming beside her¡ªhis eyes lit up. ¡°Brother Ming! What brings you here?¡± Li Han exclaimed in delight. Xu Ming smiled. ¡°I just returned to Wudu yesterday. What¡¯s wrong? Not happy to see me?¡± ¡°How could I not be!¡± Li Han quickly set down the things he was carrying and walked over, gripping Xu Ming¡¯s arms and shoulders with excitement. ¡°Brother Ming, you¡¯ve gotten even stronger! Even though I¡¯ve been in the military this whole time, seeing your name climb higher and higher on the Qingyun Ranking makes me feel so proud!¡± ¡°The Qingyun Ranking isn¡¯t much. My placement on it is nothing but luck,¡± Xu Ming said humbly. ¡°Ah, right! Sister Ye Ye, let me introduce you properly¡ªthis is my good brother, Xu Ming, the one I¡¯ve always mentioned to you!¡± Li Han said with a laugh. ¡°I know,¡± Ye Ye responded with a gentle smile. ¡°Young Master Xu has already introduced himself.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll leave you two to catch up. I¡¯ll go prepare dinner. If Young Master Xu doesn¡¯t mind, please stay and have a meal with us,¡± Ye Ye offered warmly. ¡°I won¡¯t say no to that. Thank you, Sister Ye,¡± Xu Ming replied with a polite bow. ¡°It¡¯s no trouble at all,¡± Ye Ye said with a small bow of her own before heading to the kitchen. ¡°Want to take a walk?¡± Xu Ming suggested. He also wanted to use the opportunity to ask about Ye Ye. ¡°Of course! Let¡¯s grab some wine while we¡¯re out,¡± Li Han said with a grin. ¡°But wait a moment, Brother Ming. Let me distribute these things to the children first.¡± Xu Ming nodded. ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll help you with that.¡± Li Han didn¡¯t refuse, and the two of them began handing out the items Li Han had brought back. Some of the older children came over to help as well. The children in the courtyard were all remarkably well-behaved. The older ones looked after the younger ones, and even the younger ones helped take care of those smaller than them. Everyone contributed in their own way. After they were done, Li Han and Xu Ming headed out for a stroll. They wandered casually along the bustling streets. It was just about evening, and the market stalls and shops were still open. Vendors lined the streets, street performers entertained passersby, and brothel girls called out to potential customers. From a nearby teahouse, the voice of a storyteller carried through the air. The tale being told was about Xu Ming¡¯s adventures over the past year. To be honest, Xu Ming found it strange. He hadn¡¯t brought a camera or anything on his travels. Even if stories had spread, there was no way they could have been so detailed. Clearly, it was three parts truth and seven parts embellishment. However, what the storyteller recounted was ¡°70% true, 30% false.¡± Xu Ming was certain that his deeds had been intentionally spread by Emperor Wu to build his reputation and create a heroic image. ¡°These days, hearing tales of you, Brother Ming, we old comrades can¡¯t help but feel proud,¡± Li Han said with a grin. Xu Ming chuckled. ¡°What do you mean ¡®old comrades¡¯? You¡¯ve just turned twenty.¡± Li Han laughed sheepishly. ¡°We¡¯ve known each other for so many years; doesn¡¯t that make us old comrades?¡± Xu Ming nodded. ¡°True enough.¡± With his hands clasped behind his back, Xu Ming asked, ¡°How have you all been these years?¡± Li Han thought for a moment. ¡°How else could it be? Just the usual. Blood Asura soldiers are always walking the razor¡¯s edge, taking on all sorts of missions. But we¡¯ve been fortunate¡ªmost of us are now Centurions, unlike many from our cohort who are still regular soldiers. We¡¯ve always believed it¡¯s thanks to you and Her Highness the Princess that we¡¯ve come this far.¡± As he spoke, a glimmer of nostalgia flickered in Li Han¡¯s eyes. ¡°Who would¡¯ve thought that among those fighting alongside us, one would turn out to be a princess of the royal court, and another would become a future top scholar, ranked second on the Qingyun Ranking, and Wuguo¡¯s prospective prince consort?¡± ¡°Hey, don¡¯t say that! ¡®Prince consort of Wuguo¡¯ is jumping the gun,¡± Xu Ming quickly interjected. Li Han chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s not too early at all! You and Her Highness are both of age. How could it be too soon? Besides, everyone agrees that the two of you are perfect for each other. Not to mention, you¡¯ve both been through life and death together. You know her character inside out, and she knows yours just as well. If you two don¡¯t end up together, it¡¯d be a real shame.¡± Xu Ming smiled. ¡°You¡¯re teasing me, but what about you? You¡¯re already twenty and still haven¡¯t married. Blood Asura is a place where lives are uncertain. Didn¡¯t you always say you wanted to leave behind descendants? Aren¡¯t you worried you might not get the chance?¡± ¡°Heh¡­¡± Li Han scratched the back of his head sheepishly. ¡°I¡¯d like to, but it¡¯s not up to me if the person I like doesn¡¯t want me.¡± Looking at Li Han¡¯s honest smile, Xu Ming had a guess. ¡°The person you like is Ye Ye.¡± Li Han froze for a moment, surprised that his thoughts had been seen through so quickly. But he didn¡¯t try to deny it and nodded instead. Xu Ming: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What is it? I feel like you have some sort of opinion about Sister Ye,¡± Li Han said, noticing Xu Ming¡¯s complicated expression. ¡°What opinion could I have?¡± Xu Ming shook his head with a smile. ¡°I think Sister Ye is a good person, very suitable for you.¡± ¡°Now you¡¯re just being honest.¡± Li Han playfully punched Xu Ming¡¯s shoulder and wiped his nose. ¡°If things work out, I¡¯ll treat you to a drink.¡± Xu Ming smiled and nodded. ¡°Alright.¡± In the end, Xu Ming didn¡¯t tell Li Han about Ye Ye being a demon. As the evening deepened, Xu Ming and Li Han returned to the courtyard. Dinner was ready by then. The children¡¯s meal was simple but nutritious¡ªtwo dishes and a soup, one meat, one vegetable, and a broth. The fare was decent. However, to welcome Xu Ming, Ye Ye had prepared a separate feast for him and Li Han. The children in the courtyard didn¡¯t complain about Xu Ming having a better meal. They believed guests should be treated well, especially since this guest was Li Han¡¯s friend. After dinner, Xu Ming chatted with Li Han for a while longer. As night fell, Xu Ming decided it was time to leave. After bidding farewell, Li Han walked him two streets before finally turning back. ¡°Sister Ye, let me help you clean up,¡± Li Han said as he returned to the courtyard and joined Ye Ye in the kitchen to wash the dishes. ¡°Has Young Master Xu left?¡± Ye Ye asked. ¡°Yes.¡± Li Han smiled. ¡°I thought Brother Ming would¡¯ve become an immortal being by now, too far removed from people like me. I even worried he might have changed. But it turns out I was overthinking it¡ªhe¡¯s still the same as ever.¡± Ye Ye nodded lightly. ¡°Young Master Xu is indeed a friend worth keeping close.¡± ¡°Of course he is!¡± Li Han said proudly. ¡°We¡¯ve been through life and death together as brothers.¡± Ye Ye only nodded and quietly continued washing the dishes. After a long pause, she finally spoke. ¡°Did Young Master Xu say anything to you?¡± Li Han looked at her curiously. ¡°Say what?¡± Ye Ye shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± She didn¡¯t elaborate, and Li Han didn¡¯t press her further. To him, Ye Ye had always been this way¡ªthere were always things she wanted to say but chose not to. As the night deepened, the children gradually retired to their rooms for rest. Li Han also returned to his bedroom and quickly fell into a deep sleep. After all, he and Xu Ming had agreed to visit their other comrades early the next morning. But Ye Ye, after bathing, didn¡¯t return to her room. Instead, she sat quietly in the courtyard, as if waiting for someone. A gentle breeze rustled through the air. Ye Ye tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and slowly spoke. ¡°I knew you¡¯d return, Young Master Xu.¡± She turned around and bowed slightly. Xu Ming stood there, his longsword pointed at her throat, gleaming faintly under the moonlight. Chapter 287 Xu Ming¡¯s longsword was pointed at Ye Ye¡¯s neck. The blade glimmered faintly under the moonlight. Yet, even with the sword pressed to her throat, Ye Ye¡¯s expression remained calm and composed. She glanced at the sword in Xu Ming¡¯s hand and spoke, ¡°A sword forged by Master Wang from Xifeng Street. Good craftsmanship, but it¡¯s still just a mortal blade. For someone like you, the top scholar, using such a sword seems a bit underwhelming.¡± Xu Ming replied, ¡°I had a better sword before, but it was lost when I killed the Sect Master of Tianxuan Sect, Xia He. I just grabbed this one nearby¡ªdon¡¯t know if it¡¯ll suffice or not.¡± Ye Ye¡¯s lips curved into a faint smile. ¡°Just a mortal blade? Then perhaps it won¡¯t be enough.¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± Xu Ming responded nonchalantly. ¡°But it doesn¡¯t hurt to try. Though, I¡¯d prefer not to use it tonight.¡± Ye Ye lifted her gaze, her expression curious. ¡°I¡¯m a bit intrigued. I¡¯ve concealed my demonic aura very well. Unless one is a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator or a Far Wandering Realm martial artist, it¡¯s nearly impossible to detect me. How did you discover me, sir?¡± Xu Ming casually made up an excuse. ¡°Maybe I¡¯ve just been sensitive to ghosts, demons, and such since I was young. Perhaps it¡¯s innate.¡± That was true¡ªif he were just an ordinary person, he probably wouldn¡¯t have noticed. But over the years, Xu Ming had gained plenty of ¡°perceptiveness¡± attributes, so even the faintest trace of demonic energy didn¡¯t escape his senses. ¡°Are you planning to rid the world of evil, to slay demons and exorcise devils?¡± Ye Ye tilted her head, curiosity glinting in her eyes. ¡°When it comes to ¡®ridding the world of evil,¡¯ it first depends on whether you¡¯ve actually caused any harm,¡± Xu Ming replied as he lowered his sword. ¡°I¡¯m not one to meddle in others¡¯ business. But since I¡¯ve come across this, I can¡¯t ignore it¡ªespecially since Li Han is my brother.¡± Ye Ye looked directly into Xu Ming¡¯s eyes. ¡°You truly regard Li Han as a brother. I¡¯m grateful for that. Li Han, that child, has always been mischievous, constantly getting into fights, with few friends to speak of.¡± ¡°Then, miss, could you explain?¡± Xu Ming asked. Ye Ye responded, ¡°What would the gentleman like me to explain?¡± ¡°What can you tell me?¡± Xu Ming retorted. Ye Ye glanced toward Li Han¡¯s bedroom before turning back to Xu Ming. ¡°Ask whatever you wish, and I shall answer.¡± Xu Ming didn¡¯t hesitate. ¡°Where are you from, miss?¡± ¡°Baihe Country, the Sanxian (Three Immortals) Cave,¡± Ye Ye replied. Xu Ming shook his head. ¡°Forgive my ignorance, but I¡¯ve never heard of such a place.¡± Ye Ye smiled faintly. ¡°Naturally, you wouldn¡¯t have. The Three Immortals Cave was a small sect established by a group of demons in Baihe Country. It¡¯s long since disappeared.¡± ??????????????¨§? Xu Ming asked, ¡°And your cultivation level?¡± Ye Ye replied humbly, ¡°It¡¯s laughable, sir. I¡¯m merely at the Nascent Soul stage.¡± Xu Ming fell silent. He had suspected her cultivation level, but hearing it confirmed still left him at a loss. A Nascent Soul-level demon cultivator could easily establish a sect. Though Xu Ming had defeated enemies above his level many times, facing a Nascent Soul-level demon left him feeling far less confident. Xu Ming remarked, ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, for a demon to cultivate to the Nascent Soul stage is no easy feat. It must have taken far longer than it would for a human.¡± Ye Ye nodded. ¡°That¡¯s true. For humans, a genius can reach the Nascent Soul stage in fifty or sixty years; an average cultivator might take five to six centuries. But for us demons, it takes at least a thousand years.¡± S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Xu Ming chuckled. ¡°Then your lifespan must far exceed that of Baihe Country itself.¡± Ye Ye nodded again. ¡°Indeed. When the Three Immortals Cave existed, Baihe Country hadn¡¯t even been founded yet.¡± Xu Ming furrowed his brows. ¡°With your level of cultivation, your status in the Three Immortals Cave must have been significant. Anywhere you go, you could be revered as an elder. And yet, you¡¯ve come to Wu Kingdom to take in these children. Could it be that you truly pity them?¡± Ye Ye shook her head. ¡°Not at all. I¡¯m not a kind-hearted person. Taking in these children wasn¡¯t some charitable act; I have my own motives.¡± Xu Ming said, ¡°You¡¯re certainly straightforward.¡± Ye Ye replied, ¡°If I claimed it was purely out of goodwill, would you have believed me?¡± ¡°What are your motives, then?¡± Xu Ming asked. A cold glint flashed in Ye Ye¡¯s eyes. ¡°To kill someone.¡± ¡°Who?¡± Xu Ming pressed. ¡°Forgive me, sir, but that¡¯s something I cannot reveal,¡± Ye Ye refused to answer. ¡°Personal revenge?¡± Xu Ming guessed. ¡°Yes, personal revenge,¡± Ye Ye confirmed. ¡°What if I insist on investigating?¡± Xu Ming challenged. Ye Ye smiled faintly. ¡°Whatever you choose to do is your business. Likewise, whatever I do is mine. But I won¡¯t tell you about this matter. Besides, the children in the courtyard are quite endearing.¡± Xu Ming locked eyes with Ye Ye, and she did not shy away from his gaze. ¡°Are you using those children in the courtyard to threaten me?¡± Xu Ming laughed coldly. ¡°Do you think you can manipulate me by holding them over my head?¡± Ye Ye shook her head. ¡°I never said such a thing. Besides, with your sword aura so sharp, it¡¯s clear you¡¯re decisive in your killings. No one would be foolish enough to threaten a sword cultivator. But since Li Han is your sworn brother, I trust you care about him.¡± As her words fell, the sword aura around Xu Ming became as fierce as the wind, slashing at Ye Ye¡¯s body bit by bit. Her clothing tore as though cut by countless blades, revealing pale skin beneath. Fine wounds began to seep blood. ¡°If you seek revenge, then do so. What do these children have to do with it?¡± Xu Ming asked coldly. Ye Ye replied, ¡°That, I cannot say.¡± ¡°Will these children die because of you?¡± Xu Ming pressed. Ye Ye shook her head. ¡°No, they won¡¯t. Though I¡¯ve used them, I¡¯ve never intended to harm them. I took them in for my own purposes, and in return, they survived because of me. It¡¯s a mutually beneficial arrangement.¡± Xu Ming let out a cold laugh. ¡°A mutually beneficial arrangement, indeed.¡± Ye Ye maintained a faint smile, not responding to his ridicule. ¡°Whatever you plan to do, I won¡¯t interfere. Your vengeance is your karma,¡± Xu Ming stated icily. ¡°But if anything happens to Li Han or the children in the courtyard¡ªif you sacrifice others for your revenge and I find out¡ªI will not spare you.¡± Ye Ye bowed slightly. ¡°Thank you for your understanding, sir.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not understanding you,¡± Xu Ming snapped. He sheathed his sword and vanished into the night. Watching the direction he disappeared into, Ye Ye sat back down on her chair, gazing at the stillness of the night. ¡°It¡¯s close¡­ so close¡­¡± she murmured softly. Chapter 288 Early the next morning, Xu Ming went to find Li Han and once again encountered Ye Ye. To his surprise, he even shared breakfast with Ye Ye in the courtyard. Their interaction was no different from the previous evening, as if nothing had happened. Afterward, Xu Ming and Li Han set out to visit Guangyin and the others. When they arrived at Guangyin¡¯s courtyard, the first person they saw was a young girl. She had a fresh and innocent look. Though she was only dressed in simple linen clothes, her appearance was clean and tidy. ¡°Miss, is this Guangyin¡¯s residence?¡± Xu Ming asked with a bow, thinking he might have come to the wrong place. Li Han chuckled and said, ¡°Brother Ming, don¡¯t you recognize her? This is Hutao!¡± ¡°Hutao¡­¡± Xu Ming muttered, the name sounding vaguely familiar. Then it clicked. ¡°You¡¯re Hutao?¡± Years ago, during Xu Ming¡¯s first mission in the Blood Asura Battalion, Guangyin had taken in a young girl. Xu Ming and the others had brought her to Blood Asura, where she worked as a little kitchen maid. After Xu Ming left Blood Asura, he hadn¡¯t seen her again. It had been over three years. He hadn¡¯t expected her to change so much that he didn¡¯t even recognize her. ¡°Yes, Brother Xu. I am Hutao,¡± Hutao said, bowing slightly. Her eyes sparkled with happiness. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, Brother Xu. I¡¯ve always heard stories about you.¡± ¡°To think that the little girl from back then has grown into such a fine young lady,¡± Xu Ming said with a smile, his gaze filled with warmth. The freckles on Hutao¡¯s face were gone, her skin was smooth, and the malnourished thinness from before had disappeared. She had filled out and blossomed into a proper beauty. If her looks were rated, she was comparable to Chunyan from her teenage years¡ªperhaps even a touch more beautiful. ¡°Thank you for the compliment, Brother Xu. Please, come in, both of you,¡± Hutao said, gesturing as she welcomed them into the courtyard. She served tea to Xu Ming and Li Han. Sure enough, Blood Asura had given Li Han some time off, and even Hutao was on leave. If this wasn¡¯t orchestrated by the royal palace to let Xu Ming reconnect with friends and family, it would truly be hard to explain. It had to be said that the Emperor of Wu had a knack for such subtle gestures of goodwill¡ªlow-cost but carefully designed to make you feel valued. It gave you the impression of being under a wise ruler, someone worth your utmost loyalty. Hutao had returned earlier to clean up the courtyard, while Guangyin, now an instructor at Blood Asura, was still training new recruits and wouldn¡¯t return until later that day. Xu Ming and Li Han sat in the courtyard, sipping tea. Li Han gave Xu Ming a sly look, then leaned in to share some gossip in a hushed voice. Over the past year, Guangyin and Hutao¡¯s relationship had progressed rapidly. The main reason? An incident. As Hutao grew into a stunning young woman, she naturally attracted attention in Blood Asura, which was mostly populated by young, single men. Many wanted to marry her, and her food counter was always surrounded by people during meals. One day, someone even proposed to her. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Hutao, however, turned him down, saying she already had someone she liked¡ªGuangyin. The news spread quickly. People began challenging Guangyin to duels, using their fists to ¡°talk.¡± Of course, even if they beat Guangyin, it wouldn¡¯t change Hutao¡¯s feelings. But that was how Blood Asura worked¡ªif you were upset, you could settle it in the training grounds. ?§Ñ??§£§¦? At first, Guangyin was completely baffled, claiming he had no romantic connection with Hutao and only saw her as a younger sister. When Hutao found out, she reportedly cried for three days and nights. This led to even more people challenging Guangyin, accusing him of being ¡°not a man¡± for making such a good girl cry. Guangyin was left feeling conflicted, unsure whether he should accept Hutao¡¯s feelings. If Guangyin truly considered Hutao only as a sister, that wouldn¡¯t be entirely accurate. Guangyin definitely had some feelings for Hutao, even if he wasn¡¯t fully aware of them. But Guangyin was uncertain whether he could provide Hutao with a lifetime of happiness. Especially with the Blood Asura often sending out dangerous missions, where death could come at any time, Guangyin worried that he might die on the job one day. So, he preferred Hutao to marry someone from a stable family. He told Hutao his thoughts. That day, Hutao didn¡¯t respond much, only remaining silent. However, not long after, Hutao ran up to Guangyin and confessed directly: ¡°I¡¯ve figured it out. I still like you. If you die, I¡¯ll be a widow for the rest of my life, and I won¡¯t regret it! Do you really not like me? If you don¡¯t, just say it! I¡¯m only asking you this once!¡± In the end, Guangyin and Hutao got together, though they hadn¡¯t yet married. But it was probably close, it seemed like it would happen soon. After hearing all this, Xu Ming couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit emotional. He hadn¡¯t expected that his old brother would soon be getting married. Before long, Guangyin returned, and everyone caught up. They then went together to find Xiong Haizhi. The group had a meal at a restaurant and reminisced. Since it had been a long time since Xu Ming came back, Guangyin announced something important: next month, he would be going on a mission. After returning, he would marry Hutao. Guangyin hadn¡¯t told Hutao yet, planning to surprise her. Naturally, Xu Ming and the others congratulated him. After all, when a good friend is getting married, everyone is happy for them. However, the way Guangyin said, ¡°After I return from the mission, I¡¯ll marry Hutao,¡± made Xu Ming uneasy. He had a feeling this wasn¡¯t a good omen. Xu Ming felt he should warn the Blood Asura people not to send Guangyin on any dangerous missions during this time. He was an instructor now; teaching would be a good role for him. In the evening, the group dispersed and returned to their homes. Xu Ming arrived back at Xu Manor, took a bath, and sat in the courtyard, meditating. He had given Zhou Wanfeng a message-delivering flying sword, which would probably reach the ¡°Taoist¡± in a few days. During this time, Xu Ming also needed to find a place to break through his cultivation. Afterward, he planned to visit the Rootless Secret Realm. Once he returned from the Rootless Secret Realm, the Taoist would likely have arrived, and Xu Ming could finally address his mother¡¯s soul issue. Even though he had returned home, Xu Ming found it hard to relax. Sighing deeply, Xu Ming ended his meditation and planned to go to bed. But just as he was about to turn and head inside, Xu Ming suddenly spun around and swung his sword. Clang! Sparks flew as his long sword clashed with something. A man wearing a mask was sent flying ten meters by Xu Ming¡¯s strike. As soon as the masked man steadied himself, Xu Ming¡¯s sword was already pointed at his forehead. Chapter 289 ¡°Clang!¡± Xu Ming turned around and struck with his sword. As the blades clashed in the night, sparks burst into the air. His opponent was sent flying several meters backward. By the time the masked man steadied himself, Xu Ming¡¯s sword was already at his brow. The masked man twisted his head, narrowly dodging the strike, and sent a palm strike toward Xu Ming. Xu Ming met it with a punch. Fist and palm collided, and both were thrown backward. Xu Ming narrowed his eyes, studying the man before him. The ordinary iron-forged sword in his hand now had a visible notch in the blade. While this sword was decent for a common weapon, it was still not enough. But against this man, Xu Ming was confident. Even with a mere mortal blade, he could still kill him. The masked man stared intently at Xu Ming. From his eyes, Xu Ming could see excitement. To be honest, Xu Ming found this man¡¯s mentality somewhat twisted¡ªalmost like a masochist. ¡°Young Master Xu, excellent swordsmanship.¡± The masked man¡¯s voice carried a thrill of excitement, though Xu Ming had no idea what he was so worked up about. Xu Ming frowned. ¡°Who are you? How dare you attack the Xu residence at night?¡± The strike earlier had no killing intent. In fact, it felt restrained¡ªalmost as if he was testing Xu Ming. Because of that, Xu Ming had also held back. Otherwise, this man¡¯s head would already be rolling on the ground. But that raised a question. Who was this man? And why was he testing him? ¡°Young Master Xu, have you heard of Prince Shan?¡± the masked man asked. Xu Ming¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°Do you realize what those two words represent?¡± How could he not know? The lowly status of concubine-born sons was largely due to the infamous struggle of the Nine Princes for the throne. And among them, Prince Shan had been the most revered and influential. Back then, Prince Shan commanded the greatest reputation and the strongest forces. Yet, somehow, Prince Chen had managed to seize the throne from him. The result? Prince Shan¡¯s entire lineage was eradicated. Although a century had passed and the event had faded into history, the current Emperor of Wu was a wise and well-loved ruler. The people supported him wholeheartedly. ????????¦¥s? However, the name ¡°Prince Shan¡± remained sensitive¡ªtoo sensitive. ¡°Hahaha! How could anyone from the Wu Kingdom not understand the weight of those words?¡± Beneath the mask, the man¡¯s eyes were as sharp as blades. ¡°This kingdom¡ªthis throne¡ªshould have belonged to Prince Shan! The man sitting on it now is nothing but a usurper!¡± Xu Ming let out a cold chuckle. ¡°Victory makes a king, defeat makes a rebel. He lost. He should have accepted reality.¡± By now, Xu Ming had a pretty good idea of who this man was. Prince Shan was dead. But it was well known that, in life, he had been extraordinarily charismatic. Many of his followers had pledged their lives to him. Especially in Xiliang Province¡ªhis former fief¡ªwhere even after a hundred years, the people still revered him. The famed Xiliang Cavalry he had once commanded had long been disbanded and reassigned across the kingdom¡¯s military forces. But some of them, no doubt, had never truly sworn loyalty to the Wu royal family. That said, so much time had passed. Whatever remnants remained, they were no longer a real threat. And this man before him? He was one of Prince Shan¡¯s loyalists. Frankly, Xu Ming had some respect for them. If Prince Shan were still alive, fighting for his return to the throne might be understandable. But the man was long dead. His body was buried in the ground, probably already reincarnated by now. Yet these people still refused to give up. ¡°A fine saying¡ª¡¯Victory makes a king, defeat makes a rebel¡¯.¡± The masked man exhaled deeply, his gaze burning with intensity. ¡°Yes, we lost. A century ago, we admitted defeat. But we do not accept this outcome. We will take back everything that rightfully belongs to Prince Shan¡¯s lineage!¡± ¡®Madman.¡¯ That was the conclusion Xu Ming reached about the masked man. His state of mind had already crossed into obsession. ¡°So, what exactly do you want from me?¡± Xu Ming asked. ¡°We wish to invite Young Master Xu to join us!¡± The masked man finally revealed his true intentions. ¡°Huh?¡± Xu Ming was momentarily stunned, wondering if he had misheard. ¡°Wait, why on earth would you think I would join you?¡± He was genuinely baffled¡ªso much so that he found the whole situation somewhat amusing. Brother, let¡¯s be real here. I won¡¯t say my life is at its absolute peak, but it¡¯s definitely smooth sailing under clear skies. In the Xu household, I can do whatever I please, and no one dares to say a word against me. In the eyes of the court, I¡¯m the Emperor¡¯s favored minister. Had I not refused the marriage, I would already be the husband of the Emperor¡¯s only daughter. My future children would undoubtedly sit on the throne of Wu. Let¡¯s not even mention that I have zero interest in politics. But even if I did¡ªwhat do you guys have to offer me? What could you possibly give me? The masked man frowned. ¡°I know Young Master Xu is currently favored by Wu Li (the Emperor¡¯s given name), but he is not the one destined by fate. You are both talented in governance and skilled in martial arts¡ªwhy aid a tyrant? Why not join us and build a new empire together?¡± Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Xu Ming sneered. ¡°If the Emperor were a corrupt and incompetent ruler, if the people were starving in the streets, then maybe¡ªmaybe¡ªI¡¯d consider your words. But after traveling across the land for a year, I¡¯ve seen the state of the nation. It may not be as pristine as freshly fallen snow, but it¡¯s still better than most dynasties. The people grumble about the government, sure¡ªbut their praises outweigh their complaints. Barring any unexpected disasters, this Emperor will be remembered in history as a wise ruler. So tell me¡ªwhy should I join you? To throw the Wu Kingdom into chaos? To make its people suffer, lose their homes, and become refugees? All just to fulfill your one-sided obsession and plunge the nation into war?¡± There was one more thing Xu Ming didn¡¯t say out loud. My ¡®best friend¡¯ might very well be the future Empress. The Emperor is already making preparations for her succession. And you want me to betray my ¡®sworn sister¡¯? The masked man sighed deeply, shaking his head. ¡°Hearing you say this, I must admit¡ªI am greatly disappointed.¡± Xu Ming chuckled. ¡°If you came to recruit me, then you¡¯ve miscalculated. On the contrary, if you rebel, I will personally put down the insurrection. In fact, I could capture you right now and send you straight to the palace. But out of respect for your loyalty and devotion, I¡¯ll let you go this time. If we meet again¡ªdon¡¯t blame me for showing no mercy.¡± The masked man gave Xu Ming a long, deep look. Without another word, he turned and vanished into the night. ¡°What a ridiculous situation.¡± Xu Ming watched him disappear, shook his head, and turned back toward his room. Out of nowhere, a Prince Shan loyalist tries to recruit me? Are they insane? ¡­Wait. Something didn¡¯t feel right. If they¡¯re not insane¡ªif they knew there was no way I would join them¡ªthen why did they approach me in the first place? Chapter 290 ¡°Brother Xu, Brother Xu! Wake up, wake up!¡± Early in the morning, just as Xu Ming was sleeping comfortably, he suddenly felt something heavy pressing down on him. Then, he heard a soft, childlike voice. Xu Ming slowly opened his eyes and saw Shengsheng sitting on his stomach, her tiny hands gripping his collar as she shook him vigorously. ¡°Little girls shouldn¡¯t sit on a man¡¯s stomach so casually.¡± Xu Ming reached out and rubbed Shengsheng¡¯s little head. Although she was still young, it was time to start teaching her about propriety. To be honest, she wasn¡¯t that little anymore. In another four or five years, she would be of marriageable age by ancient standards. [T/N: Honestly, the Author really sucks at math, I think.] ¡°Oh¡­¡± Shengsheng nodded but clearly didn¡¯t take it to heart. ¡°But Brother Xu, you have to get up now!¡± Xu Ming chuckled. ¡°Then you have to get off me first. Only then can I get up.¡± ¡°Oh, oh!¡± With a little ¡°heave-ho,¡± Shen Shengsheng jumped off his stomach and ran out of the room. She knew that Brother Xu was about to change clothes, and girls weren¡¯t supposed to watch. Once Xu Ming was dressed and stepped out of his room, he saw Shengsheng walking toward him, carefully carrying a basin of water. ¡°Thank you.¡± Xu Ming smiled as he took the water from her and ruffled her hair again. Shengsheng¡¯s eyes curved into happy slits. She handed him a toothbrush and some salt. After Xu Ming finished brushing his teeth, she promptly handed him a towel, acting just like a little maid. Once he was done freshening up, Xu Ming took Shengsheng along to his mother¡¯s courtyard for breakfast. It was only then that he noticed¡ªShengsheng¡¯s speech had become much clearer and more fluent compared to before. Though surprised, he had somewhat expected it. He had already sensed that as Shengsheng grew older, her progress was accelerating. This was a good thing. His mother also looked noticeably better than she had in recent days, which made Xu Ming feel a little more at ease. What he feared most was that something might happen to her before the ¡°Taoist¡± arrived in the capital. ¡°Mother, I have some matters to attend to at the Princess¡¯s residence over the next few days, so I won¡¯t be home.¡± sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Xu Ming spoke to his mother as they ate. His cultivation was reaching its limit¡ªhe could no longer suppress it. He had to undergo his Heavenly Tribulation soon. If he delayed any longer, he couldn¡¯t even guarantee that lightning wouldn¡¯t suddenly strike him in his sleep one night. As for whether his mother¡¯s soul would be devoured by the other lingering soul during his absence¡ªhe wasn¡¯t too worried about that. Zhou Wanfeng had promised to safeguard his mother¡¯s soul until everything was resolved. At the very least, she wouldn¡¯t let her soul dissipate. Of course, Zhou Wanfeng wasn¡¯t doing this out of sheer kindness. She had made Xu Ming agree to fulfill one request for her. As for what that request was¡ªshe would tell him after his mother was truly safe. She had assured him that it would be something within his abilities and that it wouldn¡¯t harm anyone. For his mother¡¯s sake, Xu Ming agreed. ¡°Mhm, it¡¯s fine. Ming¡¯er, take care of your matters.¡± Chen Suya nodded gently. She understood that although her son had returned, he still had many responsibilities and couldn¡¯t stay at home all the time. As long as she could see him from time to time, she was content. And hearing that he was going to visit that Princess made her even happier. This wasn¡¯t to say that Chen Suya wanted to climb the social ladder by having ties to the royal family. In her eyes, she already had more than enough wealth and status. As long as she could live a peaceful and stable life, that was all she needed. But she did have one wish¡ªshe wanted to hold a grandchild in her arms. While Xu Ming was away, Wu Yanhan often visited the Xu residence. She always carried herself with warmth and humility, never showing the slightest arrogance or haughtiness. ????§¡?§à?¦¥???? To Chen Suya, a girl like that was truly suited for a good, stable life. ¡°Brother Xu, can I come with you too?¡± Shen Shengsheng tugged at Xu Ming¡¯s sleeve, looking up at him expectantly. ¡°Of course you can.¡± Xu Ming nodded. ¡°The princess can continue teaching you martial arts.¡± ¡°Yay~¡± Shengsheng jumped with joy. Finally, she wouldn¡¯t be left behind by Brother Xu¡ªso happy~ After finishing breakfast, Xu Ming and Shengsheng left the Xu residence and made their way to the princess¡¯s manor. At first, the guards at the entrance would still ask for Xu Ming¡¯s identity, going through the motions of announcing his arrival. But now, they didn¡¯t even bother with the pretense. They simply smiled and greeted him with a respectful ¡°Wen Wu Qing (Minister of Literature and Martial Arts),¡± then stepped aside to let him in. It was as if Xu Ming was already the master of the manor. Even the palace maids, upon seeing him, would curtsy and inform him of the princess¡¯s whereabouts, telling him he could go straight to her. Hand in hand with Shengsheng, Xu Ming arrived at the back garden of the princess¡¯s residence. Wu Yanhan was dressed in a light pink palace robe, sitting in a pavilion, brewing tea while reading a book. Around her, the flowers swayed gently in the breeze. The young girl, surrounded by a sea of blossoms, looked like a living painting. ¡°Sister Yanhan~¡± Shengsheng excitedly ran toward Wu Yanhan. Hearing her voice, Wu Yanhan set down her book and stood up with a warm smile. ¡°Shengsheng, what brings you here?¡± She patted the little girl¡¯s head. Shengsheng chirped happily, ¡°Brother Xu brought me here!¡± Wu Yanhan turned to look at Xu Ming. ¡°You never come without a reason. Alright, tell me¡ªwhat is it this time?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not fair.¡± Xu Ming walked up with a grin. ¡°Can¡¯t I just come visit you for a chat?¡± Wu Yanhan rolled her eyes at him, as if saying, ¡°Like I¡¯d believe that nonsense.¡± Xu Ming pretended not to notice her disdain and changed the subject. ¡°I thought you¡¯d be training, but you¡¯re reading instead?¡± Wu Yanhan raised an eyebrow. ¡°You, a brute of a martial artist, became the top scholar. So why can¡¯t I read? Besides, do you think being a princess is easy?¡± ¡°True,¡± Xu Ming nodded. ¡°Being a princess is definitely not easy.¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± Wu Yanhan snorted lightly, then took Shengsheng¡¯s hand and started walking. ¡°Follow me.¡± ¡°Where to?¡± Xu Ming asked. ¡°Where else?¡± Wu Yanhan looked at him like he was an idiot. ¡°You came here to tell me you¡¯re about to break through and need a good place for it, didn¡¯t you? I¡¯m taking you there now.¡± Xu Ming chuckled. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to know me so well.¡± Wu Yanhan turned back slightly, murmuring under her breath, ¡°But you don¡¯t understand me at all.¡± ¡°Huh? What did you say?¡± Xu Ming didn¡¯t catch her words. ¡°Nothing!¡± Wu Yanhan grabbed the book on the table and flung it at him. Chapter 291 Wu Yanhan took Xu Ming out of the Princess¡¯s residence. The two got into a carriage and left Wudu. Xu Ming sat in the swaying carriage, while Shen Shengsheng lay asleep on Wu Yanhan¡¯s lap. Wu Yanhan gently stroked Shen Shengsheng¡¯s head, her expression soft and tender. That gentle demeanor made it hard for Xu Ming to look away for a moment. ¡°Why are you staring at me like that?¡± Wu Yanhan raised her head and glared at Xu Ming playfully. She had actually noticed him watching her for a while, but she hadn¡¯t expected him to be so blatant about it, not even attempting to look away. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Xu Ming was quite frank about it. ¡°I just think you¡¯d definitely make a great mother.¡± ¡°What kind of nonsense is that?¡± Wu Yanhan casually grabbed a pastry and tossed it at Xu Ming. This time, he caught it. Taking a bite, Xu Ming commented, ¡°If you could stop randomly throwing things, that would be even better.¡± Wu Yanhan narrowed her eyes. ¡°Are you teasing me? Do you have a death wish?¡± Xu Ming sighed helplessly. ¡°I¡¯m not teasing you. I¡¯m just stating the truth.¡± ¡°You¡ª!¡± ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t say anything then.¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± Wu Yanhan snorted softly and turned her head away. ¡°By the way, there¡¯s something I wanted to ask you,¡± Xu Ming said. ¡°What is it?¡± Seeing his serious expression, Wu Yanhan knew it must be something important. ¡°It¡¯s about Prince Shan,¡± Xu Ming said. The moment those words left his mouth, Wu Yanhan¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and her brows furrowed. ¡°You dare to even say those two words?¡± Xu Ming shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t have much of a choice.¡± Wu Yanhan narrowed her eyes. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Xu Ming recounted the events of the previous night. ¡°A swordsman snuck into the Xu residence, and judging by his behavior, it seemed more like he was testing me rather than trying to kill me. Then he invited me to join their rebellion.¡± ????£Á??????¨º? Wu Yanhan asked, ¡°And?¡± ¡°I refused, of course.¡± Xu Ming spread his hands. ¡°What kind of joke is that? Why would I go and rebel for no reason? I have no interest in turning against you. I just want to know¡ªwhy are these people still so stubborn? Are they all obsessed or something?¡± Wu Yanhan shook her head. ¡°They¡¯re not obsessed. It¡¯s because Prince Shan¡¯s descendants are still alive. They want to find them and help them claim the throne to repay Prince Shan for his kindness.¡± ¡°Was Prince Shan really that charismatic?¡± Xu Ming didn¡¯t quite understand. ¡°I¡¯ve never met him, so how would I know?¡± Wu Yanhan rolled her eyes at him. ¡°But I¡¯ve heard people say that Prince Shan was incredibly brave, just and fair, undefeated in a hundred battles, and always led the charge himself. He valued talented people and treated them with sincerity. Many who had nowhere else to go ended up serving under him.¡± She sighed. ¡°It¡¯s hard to put his charisma into words, but in my opinion, if nothing unexpected had happened back then, the throne should have been his.¡± ¡°Can you talk about that unexpected event?¡± Xu Ming asked. Wu Yanhan shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to tell you¡ªI simply don¡¯t know. In fact, I even doubt whether my father knows the full truth. But one thing I¡¯m certain of: the crown prince at the time¡ªmy great-grandfather¡ªmust have used some underhanded means.¡± As she spoke, Wu Yanhan smiled faintly and looked at Xu Ming. ¡°But those rebels are really strange, thinking of pulling you into their cause. Do they not know how much favor my father bestows upon you? Whatever they can offer, my father can give you just as well.¡± Xu Ming almost wanted to say, Your father can even give me you, but they can¡¯t. But he figured saying that might get him beaten up, so he decided to keep it to himself. Xu Ming shook his head. ¡°Honestly, whether it¡¯s what your father gives me or what the rebels offer, I don¡¯t really care.¡± Wu Yanhan was curious. ¡°Then what do you care about?¡± Xu Ming answered matter-of-factly, ¡°Obviously, I care about you.¡± ¡°Nonsense.¡± Wu Yanhan stretched out her smooth, fair leg from under her dress and lightly kicked Xu Ming with the small embroidered shoe on her foot. Xu Ming gasped, rubbing his knee. This girl had no sense of restraint¡ªhis knee was definitely bruised. ¡°Serves you right!¡± Wu Yanhan glanced at him rubbing his knee, tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, and turned her head away. A faint, attractive blush crept up her cheeks. Half an hour later, the carriage gradually came to a stop. Wu Yanhan gently woke Shen Shengsheng. The three of them stepped out of the carriage. Before them lay a vast, open plain, surrounded by mountains. However, the placement of these mountains seemed rather deliberate. They formed a natural array, channeling spiritual energy into the plain. ¡°This is a good spot,¡± Xu Ming remarked approvingly. For his tribulation, Xu Ming needed a place rich in spiritual energy. Only with an abundant supply could he absorb energy quickly to heal his injuries. The location also needed to provide some level of protection. This place naturally formed an array that could weaken the power of heavenly tribulation. ¡°Of course.¡± Wu Yanhan folded her hands in front of her. ¡°This place used to belong to a sect, but they moved away.¡± ¡°They voluntarily moved?¡± Xu Ming raised an eyebrow. ¡°That sect was too close to Wudu. My father didn¡¯t like it, so he sent five thousand troops from the Blood Asura and five imperial consecrators here to ask whether they wanted to move or not. In the end, they ¡®voluntarily¡¯ left,¡± Wu Yanhan explained. Xu Ming: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Wait, this place isn¡¯t ready yet.¡± Wu Yanhan quickly stopped him, fearing he might rush into his tribulation. Xu Ming frowned. ¡°What preparation?¡± Wu Yanhan turned around and bowed slightly to the carriage driver. ¡°Grandpa Huang, I¡¯ll have to trouble you.¡± Xu Ming looked at the old carriage driver. The driver grinned, revealing yellowed teeth. ¡°Rest assured, Your Highness.¡± As the rain began to fall, the driver removed his bamboo hat and took several array flags from his storage pouch, planting them around the plain. A lightning warding array gradually took shape. Additionally, he drew an intricate formation in the center of the plain. Xu Ming couldn¡¯t tell what kind of formation it was, but he could faintly sense the presence of lightning energy. Once everything was set up, the driver clapped his hands together and bowed slightly toward Wu Yanhan and Xu Ming. ¡°Your Highness, Prince Consort, everything is ready.¡± ¡°Many thanks, Grandpa Huang.¡± ¡°We appreciate it, Senior.¡± Wu Yanhan and Xu Ming both expressed their gratitude. ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so polite. I, Old Huang, will be waiting outside the mountains. If anything happens, just call for me.¡± Calling himself ¡°Old Huang,¡± the elder left the plain, standing guard outside to protect Xu Ming. ¡°This senior is an imperial consecrator?¡± Xu Ming guessed. He couldn¡¯t discern the old man¡¯s cultivation level, which meant he was likely at the Immortal Realm. Wu Yanhan nodded. ¡°Grandpa Huang has guarded the imperial palace for 150 years.¡± She then took out a small pouch and handed it to Xu Ming. ¡°This is for you.¡± Xu Ming took the pouch¡ªit was a storage bag. ¡°I knew you¡¯d be facing tribulation, so I consulted Grandpa Huang and prepared some things for you. ¡°These Nine-Turn Pills will replenish your spiritual energy. But don¡¯t take too many, or they¡¯ll damage your spiritual veins. Only take one if you¡¯re truly at your limit. ¡°This mirror is called the Lightning Mirror. It can reflect spells and even heavenly lightning, though I¡¯m not sure to what extent. ¡°There¡¯s also a set of clothes inside. Go change into them. It¡¯s called Purple Firmament Robe¡ªit was once my father¡¯s dragon robe, but after it got old, I used it to make this. It carries the fortune of the nation. Since you are the top scholar and an esteemed minister of Wu, the robe¡¯s fortune will recognize you and naturally protect you. ¡°And also¡ª¡± Wu Yanhan introduced each item to Xu Ming one by one. The storage pouch contained at least twenty different magical treasures and elixirs, all carefully prepared to aid Xu Ming in his tribulation. ¡°You really have so little faith in me?¡± Xu Ming looked at Wu Yanhan with a smile. He felt like a student about to take the imperial exam, with his mother fussing over him, making endless preparations. Wu Yanhan rolled her eyes at him. ¡°I¡¯m just afraid you¡¯ll die!¡± Xu Ming chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t die. I still haven¡¯t seen you ascend the throne and put on the dragon robe.¡± ¡°Then make sure you stay alive.¡± Wu Yanhan¡¯s tone was indifferent, but her eyes betrayed her concern. ¡°Come, Shengsheng, let¡¯s wait elsewhere. Your Brother Xu is about to undergo his tribulation.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Although Shen Shengsheng didn¡¯t quite understand what a tribulation was, seeing the serious expression on Sister Yanhan¡¯s face, she instinctively knew it wasn¡¯t a trivial matter. ¡°Good luck, Brother Xu!¡± She clenched her little fists and cheered him on. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Xu Ming ruffled her hair. ¡°With you and Sister Yanhan watching, I won¡¯t embarrass myself. Otherwise, your Sister Yanhan will mock me for a lifetime.¡± ¡°Shengsheng won¡¯t laugh at Brother Xu,¡± the little girl said earnestly. ¡°Shengsheng is the best.¡± Xu Ming playfully pinched her nose. Then, he turned and stepped into the formation that the imperial consecrator had drawn. Wu Yanhan took a deep look at Xu Ming, then pulled Shen Shengsheng along as they moved to a nearby mountain peak to observe his tribulation. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare die¡­¡± Wu Yanhan bit her lip, her delicate fingers unconsciously clenching into a fist. In the open plain, Xu Ming changed into the Purple Firmament Robe, then retrieved a table from his storage pouch. One by one, he took out offerings¡ªchicken, duck, beef, and lamb¡ªplacing them carefully on the table. Finally, he brought out an incense burner. Lighting the incense, Xu Ming bowed three times toward the sky. ¡°With Heaven as my witness, I, Xu Ming, undergo my tribulation here today. May the Dao grant me its guidance.¡± Boom! S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The moment he placed the incense into the burner, thunder rumbled across the heavens. Dark clouds gathered at an alarming rate, and fierce winds swept across the land, carrying the power of the Dao. Shen Shengsheng clung tightly to Wu Yanhan¡¯s leg, her wide eyes filled with worry for her Brother Xu. Boom! A bolt of lightning struck down, obliterating the altar Xu Ming had just set up¡ªleaving not even a trace of ash behind. It was as if Heaven itself was questioning him: Are you certain, boy? Xu Ming cupped his hands in salute toward the sky, releasing his full cultivation. ¡°I humbly seek your guidance, Lord of Heaven!¡± Boom! Boom! The deep blue lightning crackled within the roiling clouds above, surging with terrifying power, as if it sought to reduce everything below to scorched earth. ¡ª At the imperial palace, Emperor Wu stood at the highest pavilion, his gaze fixed on the distant storm clouds. Listening to the faint echoes of thunder rolling across the sky, he knew¡ªXu Ming¡¯s tribulation had begun. ¡°Your Majesty, Minister Xu is blessed with great fortune. This mere Dragon Gate tribulation is nothing to him,¡± Wei Xun, the Grand Eunuch, reassured. ¡°Let¡¯s hope so¡­¡± Emperor Wu sighed. ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t know whether I should be pleased or concerned that Xu Ming is a cultivator.¡± Wei Xun fell silent. He dared not respond to such a statement. Because a cultivator in the imperial court¡ªno matter how loyal¡ªwould never serve for long. Their very lifespan was constantly being consumed. Most cultivators who entered government positions only served for about ten years, rarely exceeding twenty. Their goal wasn¡¯t wealth or power¡ªit was to borrow the empire¡¯s fortune of the land to help them break through their cultivation bottlenecks. If they succeeded, the years they sacrificed in government service would be insignificant. For example, a Sea Observation Realm cultivator could live for 500 years. If he served in court for ten years, he would lose 100 years of lifespan. But if he successfully broke through to the Dragon Gate Realm, he could live up to 800 years. Compared to the additional 300 years he would gain, the 100 years lost in court service would be a trivial price to pay. The Top Scholar would not remain in Wu forever¡ªhe was bound to leave one day. If that weren¡¯t the case, why would His Majesty be laying the groundwork for Princess Yanhan, preparing for her to become the first Empress in the history of the mortal dynasty? Of course, in Wei Xun¡¯s opinion, what His Majesty truly wished for was something else¡ªhe hoped that before Xu Ming left Wu, he would leave behind an heir, preferably several. That way, Princess Yanhan wouldn¡¯t have to take the throne, and His Majesty could focus on grooming his grandchild instead. It would save him a great deal of trouble. Moreover, if Wu had Xu Ming¡¯s descendants, then when Xu Ming eventually ascended to the Great Dao, he would surely watch over his bloodline¡ªand, by extension, Wu itself. If Xu Ming ever reached the Ascension Realm¡­ That would be an enormous safeguard for Wu. ¡ª ¡°What do you think of Xu Ming¡¯s attitude toward Yanhan?¡± Emperor Wu asked. This, Wei Xun could answer without hesitation. ¡°In this old servant¡¯s eyes, the Top Scholar definitely has feelings for the Princess. Anyone with eyes can see it. Not to mention, I¡¯ve heard that ever since he returned to the capital, he has been visiting the Princess¡¯s residence quite frequently.¡± ¡°And what about Yanhan¡¯s attitude toward Xu Ming?¡± the Emperor asked again. But as soon as the words left his mouth, he chuckled to himself. ¡°I must be getting senile,¡± he mused. ¡°If Yanhan didn¡¯t like Xu Ming, with that girl¡¯s temper, she would have turned the world upside down the moment I annulled their betrothal.¡± ¡°But I just don¡¯t understand young people these days.¡± Emperor Wu sighed. ¡°It¡¯s rare enough for two people to fall in love¡­ Even rarer for that love to be mutual¡­ ¡°So why aren¡¯t they together?¡± He stroked his chin thoughtfully. ¡°Do we still have any Spring Breeze Pills left?¡± Wei Xun hesitated. ¡°Your Majesty, you¡¯re not planning to¡ª¡± ¡°After Xu Ming finishes his tribulation, have him and Yanhan come to the palace for a meal.¡± Chapter 292 Above the boundless sky, thunder tribulation raged. Bolts of lightning flickered incessantly within the clouds. Gazing at the impending tribulation, Xu Ming furrowed his brows. He could already tell that this tribulation would not be an easy one. Of course, he had long since prepared himself. Thunder tribulations corresponded to one¡¯s talent. Xu Ming, for one, believed his talent was exceptionally strong¡ªespecially with the system backing him. However, the Heavenly Dao had no knowledge of the system¡¯s existence. From its perspective, he was an unparalleled genius rarely seen throughout the ages. Naturally, such a monstrous talent had to be mercilessly struck down. Beyond the vast plains, an elderly man named Grandpa Huang was acting as Xu Ming¡¯s guardian. Munching on a roasted duck leg, he remarked, ¡°This brat¡¯s tribulation is going to be a tough one.¡± ¡°Boom!¡± With a deafening roar, the Heavenly Dao ceased all hesitation. The first bolt of tribulation lightning came crashing down upon Xu Ming. Yet, Xu Ming did not use any magical artifacts to defend himself. In his eyes, the first bolt should be something he could endure with his own body. ¡°Thud!¡± The lightning struck Xu Ming directly, enveloping him in crackling arcs of electricity. A tingling, numbing pain spread throughout his entire body, making him feel as though he had lost control of himself. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. His spiritual energy and blood circulation seemed to freeze in an instant. However, Xu Ming still believed he could withstand it. At this level of intensity, it was no different from the electric shocks used in internet addiction treatment centers. ¡°Zzzzt.¡± As the first bolt dissipated, residual blue lightning still crackled around Xu Ming¡¯s body. He exhaled deeply, and even his breath carried faint streaks of lightning. Clenching and then relaxing his fists, he found that he was still in decent condition. But before he could fully recover, the second bolt arrived. Compared to the first, this one was more than twice as intense. ¡°Boom!¡± The lightning descended, blasting a massive crater where Xu Ming stood. Even his hair was slightly singed. Still, it remained within his tolerable limits. However, when the third bolt struck, Xu Ming realized that this tribulation would not be so simple. ¡°Boom!¡± The third lightning bolt was no longer just a simple burst of electricity. Instead, it took form¡ªmanifesting as a lightning-forged azure bird. With its wings tucked close to its body, it dove straight down toward him. Xu Ming¡¯s brows knit together. Gripping an ordinary longsword, he formed the Sword Seal and slashed at the azure bird. His blade cut the bird clean in half. Yet, instead of dissipating, the bisected bird split into two, each one diving toward him from opposite sides. The moment they made contact, they exploded. A hemispherical lightning blast engulfed Xu Ming. On a distant mountain peak, Wu Yanhan and Shen Shengsheng, who had been watching from afar, suddenly straightened up, their eyes filled with concern. As the lightning receded, Xu Ming knelt on one knee, sword in hand. His entire body was charred black, and within a hundred-meter radius, not a single blade of grass remained. ?§¡????????????§¦? Under normal circumstances, three bolts of tribulation lightning marked the limit for most disciples in the Sea Observation Realm. The vast majority of them only faced up to three bolts. By convention, once one endured three bolts, they could leap like a carp over the dragon gate, ascending into the Dragon Gate Realm. But clearly, the Great Dao had no intention of letting Xu Ming off so easily. ¡°Yanhan-jiejie (Sister), why does Brother Xu keep getting struck by lightning?¡± Shen Shengsheng tugged at Wu Yanhan¡¯s sleeve, her voice filled with worry. ¡°Because your Brother Xu is undergoing a tribulation. Only by overcoming it can he reach a higher realm.¡± Wu Yanhan stared intently at the small plain before her, eyes filled with deep concern. ¡°This is something every cultivator must go through.¡± ¡°Then¡­ why does Brother Xu have to be struck so many times?¡± Shen Shengsheng¡¯s eyes shimmered with unshed tears, as if she were about to cry. Wu Yanhan clenched her fists tightly, her voice trembling slightly. ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know either.¡± ¡°Cough, cough¡­¡± Xu Ming coughed a few times, black smoke escaping from his mouth. He forced himself to stand as the fourth tribulation thunder gathered ominously above. ¡°Roar!¡± The fourth heavenly thunder took the form of a Thunder Dragon. Xu Ming was no stranger to Thunder Dragons. Back in the Baiwa Secret Realm, when he first experienced a tribulation, he had faced one before. But compared to the one from back then, this Thunder Dragon was different¡ªit was white. ¡°White Emperor Tribulation?!¡± Wu Yanhan¡¯s eyes widened in shock at the sight of the white dragon. Although she was not a cultivator herself, as the eldest princess of one of the Ten Great Human Dynasties, she was highly knowledgeable. She had even heard of many forbidden tales from the cultivation world. The moment this white dragon appeared, she knew exactly what kind of tribulation Xu Ming was facing. ¡°Yanhan-jiejie, what is the White Emperor Tribulation?¡± Hearing the tension in Wu Yanhan¡¯s voice, Shen Shengsheng grew even more anxious. ¡°The White Emperor Tribulation is a rare type of thunder tribulation. Ten thousand years ago, there was a cultivator known as White Emperor. When he ascended from the Sea Observation Realm to the Dragon Gate Realm, he triggered nine tribulation bolts¡ªone of which was a white Thunder Dragon. That was the first recorded instance of such a phenomenon, and so it was named after him.¡± Wu Yanhan exhaled deeply, the air around her tingling with static. ¡°Then¡­ can Brother Xu survive it?¡± Shen Shengsheng asked, her small hands clenching tightly. At this moment, she wished she could take his place and endure the tribulation herself. ¡°He must survive it,¡± Wu Yanhan sighed softly. Otherwise, his body and soul would perish completely, leaving him with no chance¡ªnot even for reincarnation. ¡°Roar!¡± With a thunderous dragon cry, countless lightning spears rained down upon Xu Ming. Thunder tribulations cannot be avoided. They will follow you relentlessly¡ªuntil you face them head-on. Thus, Xu Ming made no effort to dodge. One by one, the lightning spears pierced through his body, as if he were being riddled with bullets. Blood spurted from gaping wounds, and the ground beneath him was punctured with small, smoking craters. By the time the fourth tribulation ended, Xu Ming was a bloodied mess. His Purple Firmament Robe was in tatters, barely clinging to his body. And then¡ªthe fifth tribulation descended. The white dragon in the heavens let out a furious roar, unleashing an endless barrage of lightning bolts upon Xu Ming. But at that moment¡ª The formation array set up earlier by the imperial enshrined elder activated. The power of the lightning bolts was continuously weakened. Compared to the previous tribulations, the strikes now felt more like light taps against Xu Ming¡¯s body. In fact, some of them even felt¡­ a little soothing. However, the formation had limited durability. With each tribulation strike it absorbed, its effectiveness diminished. ¡°Boom!¡± The formation nodes around the area finally shattered, unable to withstand the immense force any longer. Ripples of residual energy swept through the mountains, toppling tree after tree. Even so, the formation had done enough¡ªit had helped Xu Ming withstand an entire tribulation bolt. The sixth tribulation bolt came as the white Thunder Dragon lashed its tail toward Xu Ming. He took the hit head-on, but a large portion of his protective robes was torn apart, leaving them completely useless. The seventh tribulation bolt followed quickly¡ªthe Thunder Dragon, weaving through the clouds, unleashed a breath of lightning toward Xu Ming. This time, Xu Ming didn¡¯t try to endure it directly. He wasn¡¯t an idiot. He had no idea how many more bolts were coming. Moreover, he needed a brief moment to regain his strength. If he kept taking these tribulations back-to-back, he would collapse before it even ended. Xu Ming quickly took out the pill Wu Yanhan had given him and swallowed it in one go. At the same time, he pulled out the Lightning Mirror she had also given him. The white lightning breath slammed into the Lightning Mirror. With a flash, the mirror reflected the attack back toward the Thunder Dragon, causing the two lightning breaths to collide in midair. ¡°Roar!¡± The white dragon, seemingly infuriated, intensified its attack. Xu Ming gritted his teeth, sweat beading on his forehead as he struggled to hold up the Lightning Mirror. He could feel it¡ªthe mirror¡¯s surface was cracking apart under the immense force. ¡°Just a little longer!¡± Xu Ming thought to himself. If the Lightning Mirror could hold out for just a bit more, the pill he had taken would fully take effect. ¡°Ping!¡± Unfortunately, things didn¡¯t go as planned. Before the pill¡¯s effects could reach their peak, the Lightning Mirror shattered under the pressure of the dragon¡¯s breath. The remaining lightning engulfed Xu Ming. Blistering flames and piercing thunder merged together. It felt as though every bone in his body was being placed on a roasting rack, grilled by fire while being electrocuted at the same time. By the time the dragon¡¯s breath faded, Xu Ming¡¯s entire body was charred black, and even the blood flowing from his wounds crackled with residual lightning. And then¡ªthe eighth tribulation bolt arrived. The white Thunder Dragon itself lunged down at Xu Ming. ¡°Huff¡ª¡± Xu Ming exhaled deeply. Though the pill hadn¡¯t fully restored him, it had at least given him a breath of relief. Gripping his longsword, Xu Ming charged forward to meet the dragon head-on. Leaping into the air, he landed on the dragon¡¯s back and drove his sword deep into its spine. He fought as if it were a living beast, unleashing relentless sword strikes that sent violent shockwaves through its massive body. The white dragon thrashed wildly, crashing into mountains, trying to shake him off. It slammed into the ground, smashing through boulders, determined to kill him. But Xu Ming clung on tightly, refusing to let go. When his sword shattered, he used his fists. His Blood Frenzy Mode fully activated, his entire body radiating blood-colored energy that continuously reinforced his punches. Fist after fist rained down like a storm, each blow growing heavier! ¡°BOOM!¡± Xu Ming clenched his fists together and brought them down like a war hammer, smashing the white dragon¡¯s skull. His red martial qi clashed against the dragon¡¯s white lightning, the two forces intertwining. Then, in a single explosive burst, the Thunder Dragon shattered into pieces. Xu Ming crashed back to the ground, coughing up a mouthful of blood. ¡°¡­That had to be the last one, right?¡± He lifted his head. But¡ª The storm clouds still lingered. There was more. ¡°F*ck!¡± Xu Ming cursed out loud. He had known from the start that his tribulation wouldn¡¯t be easy. But this? This was way beyond what he expected. Was it really necessary to go this far for a mere Dragon Gate Realm ascension? The clouds parted¡ª And from the sky, four figures descended: A Thunder Elephant, a Thunder Lion, a Thunder Tiger, and a Thunder Serpent. This was¡ªthe ninth tribulation bolt. By all known records, this was supposed to be the final one. Because as far as anyone knew¡ª No one in history had ever faced more than nine tribulation bolts for a Dragon Gate Realm ascension. This was it¡ªthe last trial! Xu Ming struggled to his feet once more. Though his mind and body were utterly exhausted, he still had just enough strength left for one final battle. As long as he pushed himself to the very limit, taking down these last foes wasn¡¯t impossible. Gripping his longsword, Xu Ming threw himself into battle against the four thunder beasts. If not for his exceptionally high martial cultivation, honed over years of relentless stat upgrades, he would have been dead a hundred times over by now. ¡°Boom!¡± After a brutal exchange¡ª Xu Ming shattered the Thunder Elephant with a single devastating punch. He then used the Grass Script Sword Technique to cut down the Thunder Tiger in one swift slash. Finally, Xu Ming activated his Dao Pattern Eye. After two evolutions, his Dao Pattern Eye wasn¡¯t just capable of seeing through illusions¡ª It could now unleash black flames. According to the system, these flames were called ¡°Chaos Flame¡±, a fire born from the primordial chaos at the dawn of existence. Once ignited, the Chaos Flame would burn its target endlessly until it was reduced to ashes. However, Xu Ming had tested it before¡ª After using it once, his eyes would be so strained that he could barely keep them open. After two uses, his Dao Pattern Eye would become completely unusable. The first time he overused it, he had genuinely thought he had gone blind¡ª It took three whole days before his vision returned. So naturally, he had always avoided using it. But now¡ªthere was no other choice. It was do or die. Xu Ming¡¯s pupils spun rapidly, the Dao patterns within them twisting and reforming into a new, intricate design. The next instant¡ª The Thunder Serpent was engulfed in black flames. The Thunder Lion lunged at Xu Ming, but he rolled aside, narrowly dodging the attack¡ª And then unleashed Chaos Flame upon it as well. ¡°ROOOAR!¡± The agonized howls of the thunder beasts echoed across the plains, reverberating through the surrounding mountains and returning as a ghostly chorus. The two creatures thrashed wildly, rolling across the ground¡ª But no matter what they did, the black flames wouldn¡¯t go out. Even stranger¡ª The fire only burned them. To everything else¡ªthe grass, the rocks, even the air¡ª The Chaos Flame was like a mere illusion, completely intangible. At the same time, blood tears streamed down Xu Ming¡¯s cheeks. His overstrained Dao Pattern Eye had reached its limit. From the mountaintop, Wu Yanhan watched in silence. She had no idea what technique Xu Ming had just used¡ª But it was clear that the cost was immense. He looked utterly drained. Thankfully, after a few moments of agonized struggle, the two remaining thunder beasts were finally reduced to nothingness, their bodies dissolving into pure spiritual energy. Wu Yanhan let out a long breath of relief. It had been dangerously close¡ª But in the end, Xu Ming had made it through. Standing on the scorched battlefield, Xu Ming took a deep breath. Even though he couldn¡¯t see, the silence told him everything he needed to know. The tribulation was over. ¡°Come on,¡± Wu Yanhan said gently. ¡°Let¡¯s go check on your Brothe Xu¡ª¡± But¡ª Before she could finish her sentence¡ª ¡°CRACK!¡± The sky split open once more. A deafening thunderclap roared across the heavens. This was¡ª The TENTH Lightning Tribulation! Chapter 293 ¡°The Tenth Lightning Tribulation?!¡± In the imperial palace, Emperor Wu, gazing into the distant sky, was utterly shocked by the appearance of the tenth lightning tribulation in the heavens. When the ninth bolt of tribulation lightning had descended, Emperor Wu had already felt that Xu Ming was in grave danger, unable to help but worry for him. Yet, he had believed Xu Ming could make it through. Xu Ming¡¯s talent was exceptional, no less than the greatest geniuses recorded throughout history. But what Emperor Wu had never expected was that after the ninth tribulation lightning, a tenth bolt would appear? Had any genius in history ever faced a tenth lightning tribulation? At least, from the records spanning across the ages¡ªthere was none. ¡°Your Majesty, this¡­¡± Eunuch Wei, staring at the rumbling thunder in the sky, felt that the top scholar¡¯s fate was already sealed. The tenth lightning tribulation? Who could have predicted such a thing?! ¡°We shall see what fate has in store for him.¡± Emperor Wu¡¯s gaze remained locked on the spectacle before him, unwavering. Whether Xu Ming could survive this ordeal was now entirely up to him. If he succeeded¡ª Then it would truly be Heaven¡¯s favor upon the Wu Kingdom! He would ensure that Xu Ming and Yan Han bore a descendant! ¡°Damn it!¡± Standing alone on the vast plains, Xu Ming couldn¡¯t help but curse aloud. Though his vision was blinded by the radiance above, his ears rang with the deafening thunderclaps in the heavens. And he could feel it¡ªthe lightning had locked onto his presence. There was no doubt about it. Another tribulation was coming for him. Was the Heavenly Dao making a mistake?! He was only undergoing the Dragon Gate Realm lightning tribulation! A mere Dragon Gate tribulation¡ªwas all of this really necessary?! ¡°BOOM!¡± Another thunderous roar echoed. From within the storm clouds, nine ethereal figures emerged¡ªwomen, each formed entirely of lightning. One held a pipa in her arms, another rested a guqin upon her lap. Each of them carried a different musical instrument, seated gracefully atop the clouds. ???????§£?? Their beauty was beyond words¡ªcomparable to the top ten ranked beauties of the Beauty List. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Yet Xu Ming saw none of this. All he could perceive was the intensifying aura of the tribulation, growing ever stronger. He felt unseen eyes watching him. Their gaze seemed to whisper: ¡°What right do you have to seize the fortune of heaven and earth?¡± Xu Ming took a deep breath, gripping the longsword in his hand. He knew¡ªthe lightning was about to descend. But what cards did he have left to play? All his preparations had been for nine tribulation bolts. Every treasure that Yan Han had given him had been meant to withstand only nine tribulations. And he couldn¡¯t use too many external aids. If he relied too much on outside forces, he might provoke the Heavenly Dao itself. It could deem him unworthy, a coward seeking to defy the tribulation through mere objects¡ª And in response, it would unleash an even fiercer judgment upon him. That would be counterproductive. Otherwise, Yan Han would have simply given him a divine sword. But if she did, she would have had to take something else away in exchange. Everything she had provided him was a carefully calculated decision. ¡°Zheng!¡± A single note of music echoed from the clouds. A moment later, the pipa joined in, followed by the flute¡­ The melody spread across a hundred-mile radius. Even the common folk within the imperial capital turned their heads toward the sky, wondering where this enchanting music had come from. This was a song that no living being had ever heard before. And this song¡ª Was played for Xu Ming alone. ¡°It¡¯s here.¡± Xu Ming¡¯s mind sharpened to a razor¡¯s edge. Amidst the grand symphony of the Dao, a colossal cauldron continuously took shape in the sky, formed entirely of tribulation lightning. It descended toward Xu Ming with unstoppable force. In the mortal realm, there was a saying: ¡°The cauldron is the ruler of all artifacts.¡± For the tenth tribulation to manifest as a lightning-forged cauldron¡ªwas this not the highest honor, or perhaps, the most merciless trial, that Heaven could bestow upon Xu Ming? He was utterly exhausted, drained beyond measure¡ªyet he had to resist. Even though he knew that his death was almost certain. His hands trembled as he gripped his longsword, doubt creeping into his mind. Was there any point in struggling anymore? Could he truly withstand this tenth tribulation when he had already reached his limits? No matter how much he fought back¡ªwould it not all be in vain? But at that moment, a gentle breeze swept through. A faint, familiar fragrance drifted into Xu Ming¡¯s senses. ¡°Step aside,¡± he said, looking at Wu Yanhan, who now stood before him. Dressed in a flowing gown, she faced the descending cauldron head-on. Her gaze was unwavering. ¡°If I step aside¡ªyou¡¯ll die!¡± Xu Ming shook his head in frustration. ¡°You can¡¯t stop a tribulation like this. If you stay away, only one of us dies. If you stand here, both of us will perish.¡± ¡°That¡¯s none of your concern!¡± Wu Yanhan¡¯s voice was as cold as steel. ¡°I will smash that wretched thing to pieces!¡± Golden martial energy erupted from her body, coalescing into a massive dragon that coiled protectively around them. Xu Ming grew anxious. ¡°Why are you doing this? You have the potential to become the world¡¯s first female emperor. You possess the Martial God Physique¡ªyou could reach the pinnacle of the martial path. You have an incredible future ahead of you!¡± ¡°I already told you¡ªthis is none of your concern!¡± Wu Yanhan cut him off, her fists glowing with terrifying force as the cauldron in the sky loomed closer. ¡°I won¡¯t let you die!¡± ¡°BOOM!!!¡± Thunder raged across the heavens, and fierce winds tore through the land. The protective formations of the Wu Kingdom¡¯s imperial capital activated on their own. A golden dragon¡ªembodying the nation¡¯s fortune¡ªrose into the sky, roaring furiously at the tribulation, as if warning it not to come any closer. ¡°Wu Yanhan, MOVE! You can¡¯t stop this!¡± Xu Ming shouted at her. Even in his prime, he wasn¡¯t certain he could survive this tenth tribulation. Yes, Wu Yanhan was an extraordinary martial genius¡ªbut so what? Heavenly tribulations were not something anyone could interfere with. If an outsider disrupted the process, the lightning would only become more ferocious. Even a Upper Five Realm cultivator wouldn¡¯t dare to interfere with a Middle Five Realm cultivator¡¯s tribulation! ¡°Shut up!¡± Wu Yanhan roared in fury. ¡°Why are you so stubborn?!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need you to tell me what to do! What¡¯s the point of that so-called future?!¡± Wu Yanhan clenched her fists, her heart steady and unwavering as she stared down the tribulation. ¡°A future without you¡ªmeans nothing at all.¡± ¡°RUMBLE!!!¡± ¡°What¡­ did you just say?¡± The thunder was deafening¡ªXu Ming wasn¡¯t sure if he had heard her right. ¡°I SAID YOU¡¯RE AN IDIOT!¡± Wu Yanhan¡¯s voice rang loud and clear as she threw a punch. ¡°ROAR!!!¡± The golden dragon of true energy surged toward the descending cauldron. With everything she had, Wu Yanhan struck¡ª The moment her attack landed, her chest tightened, and a mouthful of blood burst from her lips. But even with her full strength¡ª All she managed to do was slightly slow the cauldron¡¯s descent. The oppressive might of the thunder tribulation loomed ever closer. Yet, the closer death came, the calmer Xu Ming¡¯s heart became. Perhaps, when one truly faced the end, peace was all that remained. But he didn¡¯t want her to die with him. There had to be a way¡­ There must be something he could do¡­ His grip on his sword tightened. Countless memories flashed through his mind. Was there still hope? Was there still a chance? ¡°Kid, watch this sword strike carefully.¡± Amidst the Sanshi peaks, within Xu Ming¡¯s sea of consciousness, Xu Cang swung his sword. ¡°Sword techniques, sword energy, sword intent¡ªthere is no hierarchy between them. If you devote yourself fully to any one of them, you can reach the pinnacle.¡± Within the Wanhua Valley, Wang Xuan had once taught Xu Ming the Grass Script Sword Technique. ¡°Senior, why have you returned?¡± After the Zixia Grand Ceremony, Xu Ming lay on his bed, exhausted. Xu Cang, who had only just bid him farewell, had unexpectedly come back. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I just forgot to give you something. Consider it a parting gift from this old man.¡± As he spoke, Xu Cang casually tossed a crumpled piece of paper onto Xu Ming¡¯s chest. ¡°This is¡­?¡± Xu Ming was puzzled. ¡°If you ever find yourself with no way out, unfold it. It might be of some use to you.¡± Xu Cang waved his hand dismissively. ¡°I¡¯m leaving now.¡± Now, standing under the looming judgment of the heavens, Xu Ming reached into his storage pouch and retrieved the very same piece of paper. The moment he unfolded it¡ª Even though his eyes were blind to the world, the three words inscribed upon it in sword energy seared themselves into his perception. ¡°Move forward!¡± Xu Ming couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. Yes. These three words carried no elegance, no profound philosophy¡ª But they were perfectly in line with Xu Cang¡¯s personality. That¡¯s right. Move forward! The Heaven Splitting Fist taught that even when facing certain death, one must still throw a final punch. The Grass Script Sword Technique concluded with the belief that even if your hand is empty, even if all you hold is a single blade of grass¡ªyou must still swing it as your last sword strike. Only by taking that final step¡ªonly by delivering that final blow¡ªcould one ever know the outcome! Xu Ming lifted his head, though his sight was shrouded in darkness. His fingers loosened, and the paper crumbled into dust, its sword energy flowing into the blade in his hand. His spiritual energy was exhausted. His martial energy was depleted. But in his mind¡ªhe still had sword techniques. And in his blade¡ªXu Cang¡¯s sword energy remained. Xu Ming¡¯s thoughts were flooded with images of Xu Cang¡¯s strike, playing over and over again. ¡°Move forward!¡± Xu Ming could almost hear Xu Cang¡¯s voice echoing in his ears. At that moment¡ª As Wu Yanhan struggled to hold back the descending lightning cauldron, she suddenly felt a hand gently clasp hers. Her focus wavered. ¡°What are you doing?¡± A faint flush rose on Wu Yanhan¡¯s cheeks. At a time like this¡ªwhy was this bastard holding her hand?! ¡°I¡¯ll handle this.¡± Still blindfolded by fate, Xu Ming reached out and flicked her forehead with pinpoint precision. ¡°You¡ª¡± Wu Yanhan¡¯s face turned even redder, momentarily forgetting that they were in a life-or-death situation. This was the first time someone had ever teased her like this. Xu Ming smiled. ¡°This is my tribulation. I must face it myself. Hiding behind a girl¡ªwhat kind of man would that make me? If word got out, I¡¯d be laughed at for the rest of my life.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous! You¡¯re already¡ª¡± Wu Yanhan stopped mid-sentence, her lips parting in shock. For the first time, she noticed¡ª Swords. Dozens, no¡ªhundreds of swords, hovering in the air around Xu Ming. None of them were real weapons. Each and every one of them was formed purely from sword energy, suspended in the air like an upside-down curtain of shimmering blades. Xu Ming lifted his ordinary longsword, forged from mere iron. As if answering a call, the countless swords of energy converged, flowing toward his weapon. The humble iron blade trembled violently, as if it would shatter into dust at any moment. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you before that I learned a sword technique at Sanshi Peak?¡± Xu Ming spoke with a smile. ¡°During my battle with Xia He, I never fully unleashed it. But now, let me show you the sword strike I learned on that mountain.¡± His voice was calm, yet resolute. ¡°This sword is called¡ª Heaven-Splitting.¡± As his words fell, Xu Ming swung his sword downward! The massive lightning cauldron that had been plummeting toward him split cleanly in two. Yet, his sword energy did not stop there¡ªit surged forward, slicing toward the nine celestial maidens formed by the tribulation lightning. The melody played by the nine figures grew frantic. One after another, their musical notes transformed into arcs of lightning, desperately trying to block Xu Ming¡¯s sword. But¡ª Nothing could stand before this strike. ¡°Boom!¡± Under Xu Ming¡¯s sword energy, the nine celestial maidens vanished instantly. The sky itself was torn open. Through the rift in the heavens, Wu Yanhan caught a glimpse¡ª A grand, majestic hall. Beasts of divine omen soaring through the air. But it lasted only for a fleeting moment. Wu Yanhan even wondered¡ªwas she hallucinating? How could there be another world beyond the sky? Was it merely a mirage? The rift in the heavens quickly sealed itself. The dark clouds dispersed, and in their place¡ªa pool of lightning appeared in the sky. Wu Yanhan¡¯s brows furrowed. Something was off¡ªthe lightning pool seemed to be tilting. ¡°Your Highness, you must step back.¡± At that moment, Old Huang appeared at the mountain¡¯s peak, his voice solemn. ¡°The top scholar is about to receive the tribulation¡¯s gift. If anyone else enters, they will be seen as trying to steal the will of the heavens¡ªand they will be reduced to ashes.¡± Wu Yanhan hesitated for a moment before calling out to Xu Ming¡ª ¡°Wait for me. I¡¯ll come get you.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Xu Ming had initially hoped that Wu Yanhan could share in the tribulation¡¯s gift. But hearing Old Huang¡¯s warning, he immediately dismissed the thought. ¡°Then let go of my hand first.¡± Wu Yanhan glared at Xu Ming. This bastard¡ªstill taking advantage of her! ¡°Oh, oh! My bad, I didn¡¯t even notice.¡± Xu Ming quickly released her hand. Wu Yanhan, flushed with embarrassment and anger, turned and retreated to a safe distance. Then¡ª The lightning pool poured down. Azure bolts of thunder-infused liquid cascaded like a waterfall, crashing down onto Xu Ming. His already battered body was embedded in a deep crater¡ªone that was soon filled with the divine lightning fluid. He felt it¡ª His very bones, muscles, and flesh were being reborn. His charred skin peeled away, revealing new flesh beneath. All the impurities within his body were expelled, absorbed by the lightning baptism. After two incense sticks¡¯ time¡ª Xu Ming¡¯s eyes shot open. Within them, lightning crackled and surged. ¡ª Western Region¡ªDemonic Sect. Mo Zhuer, who had endured the Black Lotus Sect¡¯s trials, was no longer just a Holy Maiden. She had now ascended to the rank of Elder. Lifting her head, she gazed toward the Central Plains. As she watched, the corners of her lips curled into a knowing smile. ¡ª Western Region¡ªLeiming Temple. A venerable abbot slowly opened his eyes. He looked up at the sky, then turned his gaze to the statue of the Thunder Zen Buddha within the temple. Pressing his palms together, he chanted deeply¡ª ¡°Amitabha.¡± Chapter 294 ¡°Open your mouth.¡± ¡°Your Highness, this doesn¡¯t seem appropriate¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s inappropriate about it? And now you¡¯re getting all coy with me? Hurry up, open your mouth!¡± ¡°Alright¡­ ah.¡± In the Princess¡¯ residence within the capital of Wu Kingdom, Xu Ming lay on the bed wrapped up like a mummy, with only his mouth left uncovered. Wu Yanhan held a bowl of medicine, scooping up a spoonful to feed Xu Ming. To be honest, having a princess of Wu Kingdom personally serve him medicine made Xu Ming feel a bit guilty. He figured he must be the only person in the entire kingdom to enjoy such treatment. But then again, considering he and Wu Yanhan had been through life and death together, this wasn¡¯t a big deal. Plus, since they were in the Princess¡¯ residence with no one else around, there was no need to worry about gossip¡ªnot that anyone would dare speak ill of them anyway. Xu Ming opened his mouth, letting Wu Yanhan feed him the medicine. He didn¡¯t know what exactly was in the bowl, but whatever it was, Xu Ming would drink it without hesitation. He trusted Wu Yanhan not to harm him, just as he trusted his own mother. But still, the medicine was really bitter. Xu Ming felt like his tongue had gone numb. ¡°Shengsheng, wipe your Brother Xu¡¯s mouth,¡± Wu Yanhan said as she stood up with the bowl. ¡°Got it!¡± Shen Shengsheng happily trotted over, holding a handkerchief, and carefully wiped Xu Ming¡¯s mouth as though she were completing some grand project. ¡°Alright, Shengsheng, let your Brother Xu rest well. I¡¯ll take you to practice boxing,¡± Wu Yanhan said as she tidied up the tray. ¡°Okay!¡± Shen Shengsheng nodded eagerly, then turned to Xu Ming and reminded him, ¡°Brother Xu, make sure to rest properly! Shengsheng will come see you again after practicing boxing!¡± Xu Ming chuckled, ¡°Go on, go on.¡± ¡°Mhm!¡± Shen Shengsheng grabbed Xu Ming¡¯s hand, rubbed it gently against her head, then carefully placed it back down before following Sister Yanhan out to practice. As the door closed, leaving Xu Ming alone in the room, a familiar voice echoed in his mind¡ªit was the system. [Congratulations to the host for surviving the Tenfold Lightning Tribulation! Lightning Resistance +500, Physical Self-Healing Ability +100, Spiritual Energy Recovery Rate +100, Martial Qi Recovery Rate +100, Physical Durability +200, Sword Intent Comprehension +100, Spiritual Energy Density +100, Dao Comprehension +50, Skin Toughness¡­] The system continued to list attributes, granting over twenty upgrades in total, with none of the boosts below 50 points. In general, the greater the challenge Xu Ming faced, the more generous the system¡¯s rewards. Clearly, this lightning tribulation had been an immense ordeal. Xu Ming even suspected that if the system were sentient, it probably wouldn¡¯t have expected him to make it through alive! But where there¡¯s great risk, there¡¯s also great reward. Having survived, he was naturally reaping the benefits. After finishing the long list of attribute bonuses, the system wasn¡¯t done yet¡ªit also had tangible rewards for him. [Host has achieved the ¡°Unprecedented Lightning Survivor¡± milestone. Reward: Tenfold Lightning Heart Technique.] [Tenfold Lightning Heart Technique: Can suppress demons, repel evil, slay ghosts, and vanquish wickedness. Once mastered, it allows the wielder to channel the power of heavenly lightning into their sword and martial arts, enhancing their power with added lightning attributes. If an opponent is struck by the lightning ten times, they will enter a state of ¡°Lightning Paralysis,¡± experiencing paralysis for 1 second to 1 minute depending on their cultivation level.] ???¨®????§§s [Detected that the host survived a near-death experience during this tribulation. Reward: Two Thunder Fortune Beads.] [Thunder Fortune Beads: Contain the fortune of the Heavenly Dao. When worn, they provide a certain degree of Heavenly Dao fortune, enhancing cultivation efficiency for both cultivators and martial artists.] As the system¡¯s voice faded, the Tenfold Lightning Heart Technique appeared in Xu Ming¡¯s mind. Xu Ming¡¯s spiritual sense condensed into the form of a small figure, tirelessly practicing the Tenfold Lightning Heart Technique. He quickly felt himself comprehending its content at an astonishing pace. In truth, Xu Ming found the Tenfold Lightning Heart Technique to be an extremely esoteric and challenging method to master. Without the system¡¯s assistance, relying solely on himself to fully grasp it would likely take years. But with the system¡¯s help, it only took the time of two incense sticks burning for Xu Ming to completely master the technique. Unfortunately, with his body covered in injuries, Xu Ming couldn¡¯t immediately test the effects of the technique. It was like obtaining a new item in a game¡ªyou¡¯d naturally want to test its power right away. Otherwise, it felt incomplete. However, he would have to wait. At least another half month of recovery was needed. Even though the lightning tribulation had tempered his body and healed most of his injuries, with his flesh and blood regenerating, his body was still in a recovery state. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have been sent to the Princess¡¯ residence, wrapped up like a mummy. Under those bandages was a special ointment called Black Jade Healing Balm, which had been personally prepared by a healer cultivator invited by the Wu Emperor. It greatly accelerated Xu Ming¡¯s recovery. To be fair, the Wu Emperor treated Xu Ming exceptionally well. The Black Jade Healing Balm required numerous rare spiritual herbs and treasures, many of which were considered invaluable even in the Four Sacred Lands. Creating the balm had likely tapped into the national treasury of Wu Kingdom. The Wu Emperor had truly spared no expense for Xu Ming. Of course, Xu Ming wasn¡¯t naive¡ªhe understood that the emperor¡¯s kindness came with ulterior motives. Having survived the unprecedented Tenfold Lightning Tribulation, Xu Ming¡¯s future was undeniably bright as long as he developed properly. Even though the Wu Emperor likely knew he wouldn¡¯t be able to keep Xu Ming in Wu Kingdom forever, it was only logical to foster a good relationship with him. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After all, no matter how far Xu Ming rose, he was still a native of Wu Kingdom and would always have a connection to his homeland. If he truly grew strong in the future, he could protect Wu Kingdom for thousands of years. While each of the Ten Great Human Dynasties boasted an Ascension Realm cultivator as a protector, these figures were more like nuclear deterrents¡ªrarely mobilized. And even if they were forced to act, who knew how much they¡¯d actually contribute? After all, their relationships with the dynasties were built on mutual benefits, not loyalty. Xu Ming had even heard that these Ascension Realm protectors only agreed to assist their dynasties three times. After that, they were no longer obliged to help. And securing their help for those three instances required a dynasty to provide an astronomical amount of resources. Therefore, no matter how you looked at it, having an Ascension Realm cultivator raised within one¡¯s own dynasty was far more reliable. ¡°Forget it, this works out just fine,¡± Xu Ming muttered to himself, closing his eyes again to nurture his soul. The Wu Emperor had treated him generously. Protecting him, providing him resources¡ªif Xu Ming, as a native of Wu Kingdom, grew strong in the future, it would only be right to repay the favor by protecting the kingdom. And then there was Yanhan. She might very well become the next Empress of Wu Kingdom. Xu Ming would never allow anything to happen to Wu Kingdom¡ªor to her. In other words, he would never let anything happen to Wu Yanhan. Three days passed. Xu Ming remained bedridden. In truth, he could have returned to the Xu Residence to recuperate. But in his current state, if his mother were to see him, she¡¯d probably be so worried she wouldn¡¯t sleep a wink. So Xu Ming simply asked Wu Yanhan to visit the Xu Residence and deliver some good news¡ªtell them he was safe and sound, just in closed-door cultivation, and that he¡¯d return in half a month. During this time, Wu Yanhan and Shengsheng prepared medicine for Xu Ming every single day. Many times, when they came into the room with a bowl of medicine, Xu Ming could smell the faint scent of herbs and charcoal lingering on them. There were even moments when a smudge of ash could be seen on Yanhan¡¯s fair cheeks. Xu Ming was genuinely moved. Setting aside Yanhan¡¯s status as a princess, here was a young woman, expecting nothing in return, caring for him in his weakest moments. She brewed medicine, fed him, and stayed by his bedside throughout. This was devotion¡ªwhat more could one ask for in a wife? If this were on Blue Star, a girl as beautiful and virtuous as Yanhan would be exceedingly rare, if not outright impossible to find. As for Shengsheng, her feelings were simpler¡ªpurely the affection of a little sister for her older brother. On the thirteenth day, the healer cultivator¡ªan expert at the Immortal Realm¡ªreturned to the Princess¡¯ residence to examine Xu Ming. After a thorough check, he declared that Xu Ming could finally remove the bandages. Xu Ming unwrapped the bindings and treated himself to a much-needed bath. Even though he had reached the Dragon Gate Realm, and his body had been further purified by the tempering of Celestial Thunder Essence, Xu Ming still felt uncomfortable with the lingering stickiness of the ointment. He had grown used to regular bathing, and going without for so long, even if he wasn¡¯t technically dirty, made him feel unclean. After bathing, Xu Ming donned fresh clothes and stepped out of the bathroom. Wu Yanhan and Shengsheng were already waiting at the door. ¡°Brother Xu~~~¡± Shengsheng ran up to him excitedly as soon as she saw him. Wu Yanhan¡¯s eyes also lit up when she saw him. Xu Ming scooped Shengsheng into his arms, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. ¡°Brother Xu, you still smell like medicine, but you look even better than before!¡± Xu Ming chuckled, ruffling Shengsheng¡¯s head. ¡°After being marinated in that ointment for over ten days, I guess I¡¯ve absorbed some flavor.¡± ¡°Do I really look better than before?¡± he asked half-jokingly, glancing at Wu Yanhan. Children didn¡¯t lie, so if Shengsheng said he looked better, it must be true. ¡°Just a little,¡± Wu Yanhan huffed, turning her head with a flick of her sleeve. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, her cheeks faintly pink. To be honest, Wu Yanhan hadn¡¯t expected it either, but after surviving the lightning tribulation, Xu Ming did look noticeably better. Of course, it was only a little. ¡°How¡¯s your body feeling?¡± Wu Yanhan asked. Xu Ming nodded. ¡°Not bad, I¡¯m about seventy to eighty percent recovered.¡± He didn¡¯t mention the one lingering issue¡ªafter his breakthrough, the martial qi and spiritual energy within him had begun clashing again. It seemed the problem wasn¡¯t fully resolved. If he wanted a solution, he¡¯d likely need to head to the Western Regions and have a proper discussion with Mo Zhuer about how she planned to help him resolve it completely. If the price was too steep, he might have to abandon one path altogether. ¡°If you¡¯re feeling alright, come to the palace with me,¡± Wu Yanhan said. ¡°The emperor summoned me?¡± Xu Ming asked. Wu Yanhan nodded. ¡°Father knows you¡¯re fine now, and since you¡¯ve just survived the Tenfold Lightning Tribulation, he definitely wants to see you. He¡¯ll probably reward you again.¡± As she spoke, a trace of guilt flashed in her expression. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ news of you surviving the lightning tribulation has spread throughout the capital, and now it¡¯s quickly spreading across the world.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s understandable.¡± Xu Ming didn¡¯t seem to mind at all. Xu Ming naturally understood that the rapid spread of news was no accident¡ªit was the handiwork of the Wu Emperor behind the scenes. The Emperor¡¯s goal was obvious: to use this opportunity to bring glory to Wu Kingdom. Compared to the other nine great human dynasties, Wu Kingdom¡¯s history was far too brief. It desperately needed to establish a reputation on the international stage and solidify its footing. Otherwise, the average citizen would only know that someone had undergone a tribulation that day, causing numerous thunderstrikes, but who would know who it was? Still, even if the Emperor hadn¡¯t spread the news, Xu Ming¡¯s survival of the Tenfold Lightning Tribulation would eventually become common knowledge. The commotion was simply too grand¡ªprobably visible for a thousand miles around. Other dynasties would inevitably investigate and deduce that it was Xu Ming. If someone wanted to kill him and eliminate the threat he posed while still in its cradle, the Emperor¡¯s silence wouldn¡¯t matter. Those people would find out regardless. On the contrary, the Emperor¡¯s high-profile announcement was a bold statement: ¡°Anyone who dares touch Wu Kingdom¡¯s future is an enemy of Wu Kingdom itself.¡± Though Wu Kingdom didn¡¯t have the best reputation¡ªin the eyes of the other dynasties, it was often seen as a ¡°barbarian state¡±¡ªits people were known for their ferocity. If provoked, they wouldn¡¯t waste time talking; they¡¯d fight with everything they had. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go home and visit Aunt Chen first?¡± Wu Yanhan suggested. ¡°I can talk to my father, so there¡¯s no need to rush to the palace.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Xu Ming shook his head. ¡°Since your father summoned me, I should go. Otherwise, he might think I¡¯m disrespecting him. If the court officials criticize me for it later, I could end up being accused of disregarding the monarch.¡± Wu Yanhan chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re already a cultivator, practically a celestial being. Do you really care about that?¡± Xu Ming nodded. ¡°Of course. As long as you¡¯re in Wu Kingdom, I¡¯ll care.¡± ¡°What nonsense are you spouting!¡± Wu Yanhan stepped forward and gave him a light kick before turning away. ¡°If we¡¯re going, then let¡¯s go!¡± ¡°This girl¡­ acting all shy now,¡± Xu Ming muttered with a smile as he followed her. Meanwhile, in the palace, the Wu Emperor had already arranged a feast. Dishes were neatly set on the table, the aroma filling the air. The Emperor sat at the head of the table, waiting for Xu Ming and his daughter to arrive. ¡°Your Majesty.¡± Wei Xun approached the Emperor, carrying several small packets of powdered herbs. ¡°The Spring Breeze Pills have been ground into powder.¡± The Emperor nodded. ¡°Mix them into the wine.¡± Wei Xun replied respectfully, ¡°Understood.¡± Chapter 295 Shen Shengsheng did not follow Xu Ming into the imperial palace. Shengsheng¡¯s bloodline was simply too unique. The formation array set up within the palace was of no lower grade than the guardian arrays of sacred grounds or forbidden lands. Moreover, the palace was the very focal point of Wu Kingdom¡¯s mountain-and-river fortune. Most demons and spirits would be deemed enemies by default. Xu Ming was worried that if Shengsheng took even a single step into the palace, she would be instantly eradicated by the formation. When arriving at the palace in the past, there would always be maids conducting body searches and storing any storage pouches, to prevent sudden assassination attempts during an audience with the emperor. However, this time, there was none of that. There was no need to ask¡ªit was clearly an intentional instruction from the Wu Emperor, meant to convey one thing: ¡°I trust you completely, one hundred percent. Between us, there is no suspicion¡ªonly mutual candor!¡± And to be fair, such an act did indeed earn goodwill. For many hot-blooded youths, it would have inspired thoughts of laying down their lives for the emperor, of ¡°dying for a worthy sovereign!¡± But for Xu Ming, such gestures were only moderately effective. After all, Xu Ming had no intention of ¡°selling himself to the royal family.¡± Moreover, the hierarchical notions of ruler and subject in a feudal society were, in his eyes, of little consequence. The palace maid escorted Xu Ming and Wu Yanhan to the entrance of the Clear Heart Hall. Eunuch Wei was already waiting at the doorway. ¡°Oh my, Your Highness, Minister Xu¡ªthis humble servant has been eagerly awaiting your arrival!¡± Wei Xun quickly stepped forward to greet them. ¡°Eunuch Wei,¡± Xu Ming and Wu Yanhan bowed slightly in greeting. ¡°Oh, oh, there¡¯s no need for such formalities; this humble servant dares not accept,¡± Wei Xun stepped aside, dodging their salutation. ¡°Please, do come in. His Majesty is already waiting.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± The two nodded. Wei Xun opened the doors of the Clear Heart Hall, and after Xu Ming and Wu Yanhan entered, he personally closed them behind them. ¡°Your subject, Xu Ming/Your daughter, Yanhan, greets Your Majesty/Father Emperor.¡± As they entered, their eyes landed on the Wu Emperor seated at the head of the hall. Xu Ming and Wu Yanhan spoke in unison. ¡°Hahaha, no need for such formalities! We¡¯re all family¡ªwhy the need for such courtesy?¡± The Wu Emperor stood up and approached them, helping both Xu Ming and his daughter to their feet. The emperor carefully examined Xu Ming, like a proud elder admiring his accomplished junior. He patted Xu Ming¡¯s shoulder, his tone full of praise: ¡°Excellent, excellent. Xu Ming, you haven¡¯t disappointed me! I had already thought that your martial talent and literary brilliance were remarkable enough. But to think you could cultivate, even becoming a sword cultivator! And not just that¡ªyou even transcended the unprecedented Tenfold Lightning Tribulation! ????£Á???¨§???? I am truly overjoyed! A talent like you is a blessing to our Wu Kingdom¡ªit must be the protection of our ancestors!¡± ¡°Your Majesty flatters me,¡± Xu Ming said humbly, bowing deeply without a hint of arrogance. ¡°The achievements I have today are thanks to Your Majesty¡¯s guidance and support. The fact that I obtained fortuitous encounters during my training and became a sword cultivator is entirely due to Your Majesty¡¯s imperial fortune. Without Your Majesty, how could I have come this far?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Hearing these flattering words, Wu Yanhan felt a shiver run down her spine. Why had she never seen him show such gratitude toward her father before? This was way too fake. To be honest, Wu Yanhan now thought it was a shame that this guy didn¡¯t enter the bureaucracy. Xu Ming¡¯s thick skin, smooth demeanor, and artful flattery made him a perfect candidate for officialdom. ¡°Hahaha, Xu Ming, you¡¯re too modest, too modest!¡± The Wu Emperor laughed heartily, clearly pleased by Xu Ming¡¯s words. The emperor grabbed Xu Ming¡¯s hand with one of his own and his daughter¡¯s hand with the other. ¡°Come, come¡ªdon¡¯t just stand there. Let¡¯s take our seats. It¡¯s already midday, and I¡¯m sure the two of you are hungry. Let¡¯s dine together.¡± ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty.¡± Xu Ming and Wu Yanhan exchanged a few polite words before taking their seats, one on either side of the Wu Emperor. The table was just an ordinary square table¡ªnot particularly large¡ªresembling the kind used by common families for shared meals. It was evident that the Wu Emperor had deliberately chosen this setup to create a sense of intimacy. The smaller the table, the closer it brought everyone together. Under the emperor¡¯s hospitality, Xu Ming and Wu Yanhan ate slowly and thoughtfully. The dishes on the table were all prepared with ingredients rich in spiritual energy. Take, for example, the steamed sea bass. It wasn¡¯t just any ordinary sea bass¡ªit was a Sea Dragon Bass, incredibly rare and valuable. The entire meal spread on this table was easily worth thousands of taels of gold. Yet even with that much gold, one couldn¡¯t necessarily buy such a meal, as the ingredients themselves were extraordinarily scarce. As they ate, the three engaged in casual conversation. Most of the questions came from the Wu Emperor, with Xu Ming and Wu Yanhan responding. The topics mainly revolved around amusing anecdotes from Xu Ming¡¯s travels over the past year¡ªnothing too critical or pressing. As for how Xu Ming had come across the fortuitous opportunity that allowed him to embark on the path of cultivation, the Wu Emperor did not pry. After all, everyone has their secrets, and such opportunities were not something one could casually ask about. The meal itself was harmonious. Xu Ming could tell that the emperor¡¯s main intention was simply to foster a closer bond. The Wu Emperor did, in fact, want to bestow rewards upon Xu Ming. But since Xu Ming hadn¡¯t accomplished any official feats¡ªonly surviving the tribulation¡ªthe emperor decided to hold off for now. With the trip to the Rootless Secret Realm just around the corner, he figured it would be better to wait until Xu Ming returned to confer rewards. After lunch, the Wu Emperor invited Xu Ming and Wu Yanhan to join him for some hunting. Neither of them declined. ¡°How about we make a little competition?¡± the Wu Emperor suggested. ¡°No special techniques or powers¡ªjust the bows in our hands. Let¡¯s see who can bring down the most prey.¡± With the emperor making such a proposal, how could Xu Ming and Wu Yanhan refuse? It was like your boss asking if you wanted to go to karaoke in the evening¡ªcould you really say you had a sore throat? Or if the boss offered you a cigarette, could you reply, ¡°Sorry, it¡¯s not a premium brand, and I¡¯m coughing¡±? And so, Xu Ming and Wu Yanhan mounted their horses, each armed with an ordinary bow and arrows, and set off to hunt. Once Xu Ming and Wu Yanhan had left, the Wu Emperor¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly. He looked around at the empty surroundings and called out, ¡°Come forth.¡± In the next instant, over a dozen veiled figures appeared, encircling the emperor. ¡°Carry out the instructions I gave you earlier,¡± the emperor commanded. ¡°There must be no mistakes.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The group nodded and disappeared from the emperor¡¯s presence in the blink of an eye. ¡°My daughter, ranked among the top ten on the Beauty Rankings and possessing a Martial God physique¡­ Yet I still have to resort to these measures.¡± As he spoke, the Wu Emperor gazed ahead and let out a sigh. ¡°This boy Xu Ming¡­ truly doesn¡¯t know how good he has it.¡± Chapter 296 ¡°Zheng!¡± With the release of Xu Ming¡¯s arrow, the arrowhead pierced through the air, and in the distance, a spotted deer fell to the ground. The arrow had shot straight through the deer¡¯s head, killing it instantly and painlessly. During this hunt, Xu Ming deliberately refrained from using any techniques or spiritual energy. If he had, the quiver of arrows on his back, with each arrow representing a potential prey, would have resulted in a literal mountain of game. Even so, with Xu Ming¡¯s current martial prowess, achieving near-perfect accuracy with every shot wasn¡¯t particularly challenging. Of course, Xu Ming wasn¡¯t a sharpshooter by trade. He could easily pierce through a stone with an arrow, but treating a bow and arrow like a sniper rifle was another matter. Hitting a specific target every single time wasn¡¯t guaranteed. Still, achieving nine hits out of ten was effortless for him. However, Xu Ming intentionally missed a few shots here and there. When the boss proposes a competition, you can¡¯t actually beat them, can you? It¡¯s like when the boss invites you to play cards¡ªyou can¡¯t keep winning every hand and taking their money. Where would that leave their dignity? ¡°Hyah!¡± Xu Ming grabbed the deer with one hand and tossed it into his storage pouch. Then, he continued leisurely hunting. If all went well, he figured he could take these spoils back to the Xiaochun Courtyard for a barbecue tonight. On the other side, Wu Yanhan was also drawing her bow and releasing arrows. Every arrow she shot pierced the sky, and with each one, another prey fell to the ground. Compared to Xu Ming, Wu Yanhan had no such reservations. She saw no need to spare her father¡¯s pride, nor did she want to lose to Xu Ming. Grabbing her prey, she tossed the wild boar into her storage pouch. Though martial artists couldn¡¯t use traditional storage pouches, the craftsmen of the Mo Clan had developed a type of pouch that could be activated with martial energy. ?¦Á¦­?????¨¨¡ì Aside from being extraordinarily expensive, these pouches had no real drawbacks. For someone like Wu Yanhan, a royal princess, ¡°extraordinarily expensive¡± wasn¡¯t even a concern. After storing her prey, she continued forward, intent on hunting something larger. However, she hadn¡¯t ridden more than a few steps when she suddenly felt the world spinning around her. Meanwhile, on the other side of the forest, Xu Ming experienced the same sensation. Both of them quickly realized that the hunting grounds¡¯ formation array had been activated, though neither knew the reason why. As their consciousness wavered, Xu Ming soon found himself standing in a massive underground cavern. The cavern was deep, at least a hundred meters. Xu Ming attempted to fly out but quickly discovered that a no-flight formation had been set up in this place. While he was still puzzled, a shadow appeared at the entrance of the cave. The shadow grew larger and larger until it fell directly into Xu Ming¡¯s arms. ¡°Yanhan?¡± Xu Ming stared at the girl in his arms, his expression full of confusion. Gradually regaining her senses, Wu Yanhan slowly opened her eyes. ¡°Xu Ming?¡± she said, momentarily stunned. Xu Ming chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s me.¡± Wu Yanhan looked around and finally noticed that she was in a cave¡ªand in Xu Ming¡¯s arms, cradled like a bride. ¡°Put me down,¡± she said, lightly punching him in the chest with a clenched fist. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Come on now. If I hadn¡¯t caught you, you¡¯d have crashed straight onto the ground,¡± Xu Ming retorted with a playful tone, setting her down gently. ¡°Where is this place?¡± Wu Yanhan asked, still disoriented. Xu Ming rolled his eyes. ¡°This is the royal hunting ground¡ªyour family¡¯s property. Why are you asking me, an outsider?¡± Wu Yanhan rolled her eyes at Xu Ming. ¡°It¡¯s not like I know every blade of grass and every tree in Wudu. But judging by the situation, this is probably my father¡¯s doing.¡± ¡°Definitely,¡± Xu Ming nodded, agreeing with her assessment. The Emperor had absolute control over Wudu, and that went doubly so for the royal hunting grounds. Without a doubt, the Emperor had activated a formation to send the two of them to this place. But why? Could it be that he thought this would somehow bring him and Yanhan closer together? While Xu Ming and Wu Yanhan were still pondering, thin wisps of white smoke began drifting down from the hundred-meter-high cave opening. The smoke carried a faint, pleasant fragrance. The longer they breathed it in, the stronger the strange restlessness in their hearts grew. As Xu Ming and Wu Yanhan locked eyes, each thought the other seemed inexplicably more attractive¡ªmore alluring¡ªand felt an uncontrollable urge to draw closer. Indeed, they began to move closer, their faces nearly touching, their lips only a hair¡¯s breadth apart. But just before they crossed that final line, Xu Ming¡¯s firm will reasserted itself, and he turned his head away at the last moment. ¡°I think I know what your father is trying to do,¡± Xu Ming said, his tone steady but tinged with exasperation. Wu Yanhan¡¯s cheeks flushed as she brushed a strand of hair behind her ear and nodded slightly. ¡°I¡¯ve figured it out too.¡± A man and a woman, alone in a confined space, with a seductive incense filling the air¡ªit didn¡¯t take a genius to realize that the Emperor was trying to speed things up. ¡°Does your father underestimate our self-control that much?¡± Xu Ming chuckled. ¡°Does he really think this smoke is enough to make us lose ourselves?¡± Wu Yanhan shook her head. ¡°My father never keeps things simple. He always overthinks, planning everything down to the smallest detail.¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying your father might have a backup plan?¡± Xu Ming asked. Wu Yanhan nodded. ¡°Most likely. Otherwise, this wouldn¡¯t feel like his style.¡± ¡°And what might that backup plan¡ª¡± Before Xu Ming could finish his sentence, he suddenly felt a sharp pang in his chest. Clutching his heart, Xu Ming¡¯s breathing grew heavier, his pulse racing, and a wave of scorching heat coursed through his body. It wasn¡¯t just Xu Ming¡ªWu Yanhan was experiencing the exact same symptoms. ¡°That meal¡ªsomething was wrong with it!¡± The realization hit both of them simultaneously. The food or wine they¡¯d consumed earlier must have been laced with something¡ªand not just any substance, but a high-grade aphrodisiac. Their breathing grew hotter and heavier, their senses¡ªsmell, touch, and sight¡ªheightened to an unbearable degree. A parched thirst clawed at their throats, and their bodies burned with an intense heat. Under the influence of the incense, they had already found each other irresistibly alluring. Now, with the drug taking full effect, their rationality began to crumble. ¡°Yanhan, we¡ª¡± Before Xu Ming could finish speaking, Wu Yanhan had already risen on her tiptoes, placed her hands on his shoulders, and lifted her face to kiss him. Chapter 297 Xu Ming actually felt that his willpower was quite strong. Even though the aphrodisiac smoke and the medicinal pill had stirred up the deepest, most primal desires within him, making him want to do what creatures in the animal kingdom often did in spring, he was still able to resist. This was thanks to the enhancement of his willpower after experiencing that tribulation. But for Wu Yanhan, it was a different story. At this moment, Wu Yanhan¡¯s eyes were already hazy, nearly losing all reason. She clung tightly to Xu Ming, her soft lips pressing against his in a deep kiss. That tender sweetness momentarily made Xu Ming lose himself. Xu Ming tried to push Wu Yanhan away, but her strength was too great¡ªshe held onto him tightly. His broad palm rested on her slender waist, and at his touch, Wu Yanhan¡¯s delicate body trembled, as if she was falling even deeper. Initially, Xu Ming¡¯s mind remained clear, but gradually, under the combined effects of the aphrodisiac smoke, the drug from the Wu Emperor, and Wu Yanhan¡¯s direct assault, his resistance weakened. The most crucial factor was¡ªthis time, it was different from before. Back when he was in the Yuanyang Cauldron with Mo Zhuer, he actually harbored feelings of disgust toward her. That aversion had helped him resist more effectively back then, though in the end, he still succumbed. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But now, facing Wu Yanhan, things were different. Xu Ming did have feelings for her. Could he say that he didn¡¯t like Wu Yanhan at all? That would be impossible. However, there was someone else in his heart¡ªQin Qingwan. Although this world allowed polygamy, the monogamous values ingrained in him from his past life hadn¡¯t been so easily shaken. So, when faced with Qin Qingwan and Wu Yanhan, he often felt guilty. Even though it was acceptable to marry both women, would Yanhan and Qingwan be willing to accept such an arrangement? That was another question entirely. In the cultivation world, many Dao couples still remained loyal to just one partner for life. Take Zhou Wanfeng¡¯s Dao companion, for example¡ªdidn¡¯t he cheat on him? And in the end, Zhou Wanfeng cut him down for it. Xu Ming naturally feared such a situation as well. But now, the affection he had for Wu Yanhan had become the perfect catalyst for the aphrodisiac smoke and drug. His awareness was slowly slipping away. Maybe¡­ I should just give in. That single fleeting thought was all it took. In the next instant, Xu Ming completely surrendered to his desires. One by one, their clothes fell to the cave floor. Wu Yanhan leaned against the wall, her slender neck arched. Both of them were martial artists, their stamina nearly limitless. The intense battle lasted for a full hour before the storm finally subsided. By the time Xu Ming and Wu Yanhan regained their senses, some things had already changed forever. ¡°Turn around. I need to get dressed.¡± Wu Yanhan¡¯s face was flushed with embarrassment as she spoke. She knew it wasn¡¯t Xu Ming¡¯s fault, but the realization that they had already¡­ left her heart tangled with conflicting emotions. Especially when she recalled how, in the heat of the moment, she had been the one to take the initiative¡­ The more she thought about it, the harder it became to face Xu Ming. Of course, Wu Yanhan understood that Xu Ming wasn¡¯t to blame. He had done nothing wrong¡ªit had been her choice. If anyone was at fault, it could only be her father. Xu Ming watched as Wu Yanhan turned away to put on her clothes. Things had been too intense earlier, and he hadn¡¯t paid much attention to her body. Only now did he realize¡ªher skin was as fair as snow, impossibly smooth, without the slightest hint of the roughness one might expect from a martial artist. ????????¨¨???? Recalling what had just happened¡­ The girl¡¯s body was not only soft but also full of strength. Compared to Mo Zhuer, the most obvious difference was that Mo Zhuer was like a bundle of cotton¡ªsoft and pliant¡ªwhereas Wu Yanhan was like molten lava, burning with intensity. One was a gentle lamb, the other a wild stallion. It wasn¡¯t until Wu Yanhan finished fastening her belt that Xu Ming finally snapped out of his daze and put on his own clothes. At that moment, the flight-restricting formation inside the cave suddenly disappeared. ¡°The restriction is gone. I¡¯ll take you out.¡± Xu Ming said to Wu Yanhan. ¡°Mm.¡± Wu Yanhan gave a slight nod. Xu Ming scooped her up in his arms and flew toward the cave entrance. The way he carried her was far too intimate¡ªWu Yanhan initially wanted to resist, but then she thought about how they had already done everything. What was the point of resisting now? If she dwelled on such minor things, what difference would it make? After flying out of the cave, Xu Ming quickly headed toward the edge of the hunting grounds. At this point, neither he nor Wu Yanhan had any interest in hunting anymore. ¡°How did the two of you do in the hunt? Where are your horses?¡± Before long, they ran into the Wu Emperor. Looking at the Emperor¡¯s I-don¡¯t-know-anything expression, Xu Ming felt a mix of emotions. Could he really say the Emperor had done anything wrong? Not exactly. Sure, he had set Xu Ming up, but at the end of the day, he had used his own daughter for the scheme. Xu Ming hadn¡¯t needed to lift a finger, yet he had somehow gained the favor of the Emperor¡¯s daughter. And not just any daughter¡ªWu Yanhan was among the top ten beauties in the world, a woman countless men dreamed of worshipping at her feet but never even got the chance. ¡°We were chasing prey, but the terrain was too rough for the horses, so we dismounted to pursue on foot. In the end, we lost them.¡± Xu Ming casually made up an excuse. ¡°No matter. I¡¯ll have someone retrieve them later.¡± The Wu Emperor chuckled. ¡°Come, let¡¯s tally the game and see who won.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Xu Ming and Wu Yanhan responded in unison. Naturally, the Wu Emperor won the hunt. After all, Xu Ming and Wu Yanhan hadn¡¯t spent the latter half of the hunt hunting at all¡ªthey had been far too¡­ preoccupied with other matters. The Emperor was quite pleased with his victory. Not only did he allow Xu Ming and Wu Yanhan to keep the prey they had hunted, but he even rewarded them with some of his own spoils. After leaving the palace, Xu Ming and Wu Yanhan returned to the Princess¡¯s residence together. Inside the carriage, neither of them spoke. A heavy silence filled the air, thick with an undeniable awkwardness. ¡°About what happened today¡ª¡± After some thought, Xu Ming felt the need to bring it up. ¡°What happened today¡­ never happened!¡± Wu Yanhan¡¯s face flushed slightly as she turned away. Xu Ming glanced at her side profile and nodded. ¡°Alright.¡± But even as they said it, both of them knew¡ªhow could something like this never have happened? Chapter 298 ¡°Brother Xu! Sister Yanhan~~~¡± As soon as Xu Ming and Wu Yanhan returned to the Princess¡¯s residence, Shengsheng, who had been waiting for them, ran over excitedly. It looked like this little girl had been waiting for a long time. Xu Ming ruffled Shengsheng¡¯s small head with a smile. ¡°Did you listen to Sister Ren?¡± Shengsheng clung to Xu Ming¡¯s leg, nodding rapidly like a little pecking chick. ¡°Yes, yes! Shengsheng was very obedient!¡± Ren, standing nearby, smiled. ¡°She was indeed very well-behaved, but she kept watching the gate, asking when Your Highness and Lord Wen Wu Qing would return. She must have asked over ten times.¡± Hearing Ren¡¯s complaint, Shengsheng lowered her head, her little face turning red as she fidgeted with her fingers. Xu Ming chuckled and ruffled her hair again. ¡°Looks like Shengsheng really likes me and Sister Yanhan, huh?¡± Shengsheng lifted her head and nodded vigorously. ¡°Shengsheng likes Brother Xu and Sister Yanhan the most~¡± Wu Yanhan smiled and playfully tapped Shengsheng¡¯s nose. ¡°Big Sister likes Shengsheng the most, too. But I need to take a bath first, then I¡¯ll come play with you.¡± Shengsheng nodded. ¡°Okay, Sister Yanhan~¡± As Wu Yanhan walked inside, Shengsheng watched her back, a little puzzled. She felt that something about Sister Yanhan was¡­ different. She just couldn¡¯t figure out what. While Wu Yanhan was bathing, Xu Ming took Shengsheng to practice martial arts in the courtyard. By evening, it was time for Xu Ming to take Shengsheng home. ¡°Not staying for dinner?¡± Wu Yanhan asked. Xu Ming held Shengsheng¡¯s hand. ¡°No, I¡¯ve already imposed for half a month. It¡¯s time to head back.¡± Wu Yanhan nodded. ¡°Alright then. If anything comes up, let me know.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, everything¡¯s fine.¡± Xu Ming smiled. ¡°Besides, you¡¯re not that far from me.¡± After bidding farewell to Wu Yanhan, Xu Ming returned to the Xu residence. Seeing her son back, Chen Suya finally let out a breath of relief. She had suspected something had happened to him. After all, the last message she received was relayed by the Princess¡¯s servants, not Xu Ming himself, which had only made her more uneasy. But she chose not to show her concern, not wanting her son to worry. Xu Ming handed over all the game he had hunted, along with the Emperor¡¯s rewards, to the Xu household, letting them distribute it as they saw fit. However, he kept one spiritually-infused sika deer for himself, roasting it in the courtyard. Eating this particular deer would greatly benefit his body. ¡ª The day passed. After bathing, Xu Ming returned to his room to rest. Lying on the bed, he took out a handkerchief. Embroidered on it was a single blood plum blossom. Inside his storage pouch, there was another identical handkerchief. As he stared at it, lost in thought, he suddenly sensed someone¡¯s presence. In an instant, he stowed the handkerchief away. ¡°Young Master is quite the romantic, huh~¡± Zhou Wanfeng appeared in his room, her curvaceous figure settling directly onto the edge of his bed. ¡°I wonder¡­ who does that handkerchief belong to?¡± She teased. ¡°None of your business.¡± Xu Ming sat up. ¡°Senior Zhou, what brings you here?¡± Zhou Wanfeng pouted dramatically. ¡°Young Master is always so cold. Can¡¯t I come visit you just because?¡± She even let out a few pitiful sobs, pretending to be heartbroken. Xu Ming simply watched her act, remaining silent. ¡°Fine, fine.¡± She waved a hand dismissively. ¡°For someone so utterly lacking in charm, it¡¯s a mystery which woman could possibly put up with you.¡± Then, she pulled out a handkerchief of her own, twirling it between her fingers. ¡°¡®The Taoist¡¯ has sent word.¡± sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Xu Ming¡¯s expression sharpened. ¡°What did he say?¡± Zhou Wanfeng smiled. ¡°The Taoist said that since it was your request, he would naturally come to help. However, he also mentioned that he currently has an urgent matter and truly cannot free himself. But while in Wu Kingdom, he encountered someone¡ªsomeone he believes is even more suitable. So, instead of coming himself, he has arranged for that person to come in his place, and they have agreed.¡± ?????¦­O?B¨§s? Xu Ming frowned slightly. ¡°He met someone? May I ask which immortal master it is?¡± If even the Taoist believed this person was a better fit, it meant their cultivation must be extremely profound. Zhou Wanfeng smirked playfully. ¡°This person is no immortal master~ but rather¡­ a monk.¡± ¡°A monk???¡± Xu Ming was even more puzzled. A Taoist, recommending a monk? ¡°Indeed.¡± Zhou Wanfeng chuckled. ¡°In his letter, the Taoist mentioned that he encountered a young monk¡ªa female one, no less. She has a deeper understanding of soul techniques and is well-versed in the Eight Divine Arts of Leiming Temple. Although her cultivation level isn¡¯t particularly high, in matters of the soul, she is far more suited to help you.¡± Xu Ming¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly. ¡°A female monk¡­ Could she be Leiming Temple¡¯s Shixin?¡± There was only one possible answer. In this world, there were no nuns. Unless he was mistaken, this Shixin was likely the only female monk in existence. Zhou Wanfeng nodded with a smile. ¡°That¡¯s right. The very same Shixin, who ranks first on the Beauty Rankings.¡± Her gaze carried a trace of admiration. ¡°The number one beauty on the list, even surpassing the Dragon Empress herself. Honestly, even as a woman, I¡¯m quite curious. What kind of person must she be to claim such a title?¡± Xu Ming: ¡°¡­¡± He, too, couldn¡¯t help but be curious. The Beauty Rankings were determined by the Dao itself, calculated based on the collective preferences of all beings. Even if one had never seen the person in question, the Dao knew exactly what people found attractive. And yet¡­ A female monk¡ªsomeone who had renounced worldly desires¡ªhad somehow taken the top spot? Xu Ming simply couldn¡¯t wrap his head around it. ¡ª ¡°Shixin, just keep heading straight from here. Once you pass through Yubi County, you¡¯ll reach the capital of Wu.¡± Taoist An Wei stroked his beard as he gave directions to the young, bald-headed girl before him. ¡°Once you arrive, ask around for the Xu family estate. By all accounts, Xu Ming should be quite well-known in the capital.¡± The girl named Shixin nodded. ¡°Then I¡¯ll leave the matters here in your hands, Mister.¡± An Wei laughed heartily. ¡°Hahaha! A trivial matter, not worth mentioning. You¡¯re helping me with something, and I¡¯m helping you¡ªjust mutual assistance.¡± He waved a hand. ¡°Go on, then. Don¡¯t delay my friend¡¯s affairs.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Shixin nodded, then turned and began walking in the direction the Taoist had pointed. Behind her, An Wei turned around, rolling up his sleeves. A sea of thousands of vengeful ghosts hovered in the air, wailing and shrieking as they stared at him with empty, hollow eyes. He grinned. ¡°Alright then¡­ Time to get to work.¡± Chapter 299 The Princess¡¯s Manor. Wu Yanhan was practicing her punches in the courtyard. However, with every punch she threw, her mind was filled with the image of Xu Ming and the events that took place in that cave that day. The more she tried to suppress those thoughts, the more uncontrollably they surged in her mind. It had already been five days since that incident. In these five days, whether awake or asleep, all she could think about was that moment. At first, whenever she recalled it, she only felt a bit shy. But as the days passed and Xu Ming still hadn¡¯t come to see her, irritation began to creep into her heart. Sure, what happened that day wasn¡¯t entirely his fault. Sure, she had also said it would be best if they just forgot about it. But no matter what, you still¡­ did that with me! And yet, in all these days, he hadn¡¯t shown even the slightest reaction. At the very least, shouldn¡¯t he come and see me? Or did he really just take what he wanted and leave me with nothing?! Boom! Wu Yanhan¡¯s punch landed, and the small rockery in front of her was blasted into dust by her fist¡¯s force. The nearby maids were visibly startled¡ªnot because they were surprised by their princess¡¯s strength (after all, they knew she was more than capable of shattering a mere rockery with a single blow), but because it was rare for her to lose control of her strength like this. Still, none of them dared to comment, quickly stepping forward to clear away the debris. ¡°Your Highness.¡± At that moment, Ren stepped into the courtyard and approached Wu Yanhan. ¡°What is it?¡± Wu Yanhan withdrew her stance and asked calmly. ¡°Your Highness, the top scholar and Shengsheng have come to visit.¡± Hearing the words ¡°top scholar¡±, Wu Yanhan¡¯s heart trembled slightly. She had been waiting for Xu Ming to come see her. But now that he was really here, she suddenly found herself hesitating to meet him. ¡°Let them in.¡± She sighed softly, finding her own reaction somewhat ridiculous. That happened. It¡¯s done. And he has nothing to do with me. I was the one who told him to forget it. It was all my idea. Since when did I become so¡­ hesitant and uncertain? ¡°Understood.¡± Ren retreated. ¡°Yanhan-jiejie (Sister)~~~¡± Moments later, Shengsheng¡¯s cheerful voice rang out. She ran toward Wu Yanhan happily, and Wu Yanhan reached out to ruffle her hair. ¡°Practicing your punches?¡± Xu Ming walked up with a smile. Wu Yanhan casually tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. ¡°We¡¯re about to head to the Rootless Secret Realm. I don¡¯t intend to die in there.¡± Xu Ming chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t let you die in there. And even if you do, you¡¯ll have to step over my corpse first.¡± Wu Yanhan shot him a playful glare. ¡°You¡¯re getting better and better at saying these greasy lines.¡± Xu Ming: ¡°¡­¡± Greasy? That wasn¡¯t greasy¡­ was it? ¡°Want to spar?¡± Wu Yanhan asked. ¡°Not a bad idea.¡± Xu Ming nodded. ¡°Then let¡¯s go!¡± As soon as the words left her lips, Wu Yanhan launched a fierce punch straight at Xu Ming¡¯s chest. From the side, Shengsheng could only watch in shock as Xu Ming was ruthlessly beaten by Wu Yanhan¡ªpunched in the chest, kicked in the backside, pinned down and pounded on. ?a£Î?????¨º? It was an absolutely tragic sight. As the scene unfolded, even Shengsheng found herself unable to keep watching¡ªit was just too brutal. But now that she thought about it¡­ Why does it feel like Yanhan-jiejie seems a little angry? Did Xu-gege (Brother) do something to upset her? Xu Ming himself was equally confused. He had assumed this was just a friendly sparring match, but to his surprise, Yanhan was going all out as if she meant real harm. It didn¡¯t take long for Xu Ming to realize that Yanhan seemed to be holding some kind of grudge against him. At first, he had planned to put up a proper defense, but in the end, he simply gave up and let her vent her frustrations. ¡°Hmph! You might as well quit the martial path altogether. You¡¯ve gone completely rusty!¡± After thoroughly beating Xu Ming to her heart¡¯s content, Wu Yanhan lifted her chin proudly. Of course, she knew full well that Xu Ming had been holding back on purpose, letting her win. But even so, this ¡°thoughtfulness¡± of his did ease a part of the frustration in her heart. Xu Ming chuckled. ¡°That won¡¯t do. Martial arts are my foundation¡ªI can¡¯t abandon them. That being said, Your Highness¡­ could you get off me first?¡± It was only then that Wu Yanhan realized she was still straddling Xu Ming in a rather ungraceful position. And the moment she became aware of it, memories of what happened in the cave flooded her mind once more. Her face turned slightly red. ¡°Hmph, like I want to stay sitting on you! I¡¯m going to take a bath!¡± She quickly got up and walked out of the courtyard. Watching her retreating figure, Xu Ming turned to one of the maids standing nearby. ¡°Has your princess been in a bad mood lately?¡± The maid¡¯s name was Qiao. Like Ren, she was one of Wu Yanhan¡¯s most trusted attendants. Qiao smiled gently. ¡°The princess¡¯s thoughts are not so easy to guess~ But yes, she has indeed been rather unhappy lately.¡± Then, after a brief pause, she added, ¡°It started right after she returned from the palace with the Prince Consort.¡± Xu Ming: ¡°¡­¡± Qiao gave a slight bow. ¡°I shall go attend to the princess. Scholar Xu, please make yourself at home. Her Highness has already said you are to treat this place as your own.¡± With that, Qiao left, leaving only Xu Ming and Shengsheng in the courtyard. Xu Ming still couldn¡¯t quite figure out why Yanhan was so angry. Could it really be because I didn¡¯t come to see her sooner? Forget it. After getting to beat me up, she seems to have let go of some of that frustration anyway. Shaking his head, Xu Ming decided not to dwell on it any longer. He took a seat and poured himself some tea. Shengsheng, ever the well-behaved one, sat quietly by his side. Xu Ming reached out to ruffle her hair. ¡°Shengsheng, you must remember this¡ªif you ever have something on your mind, tell me about it. Don¡¯t keep things bottled up inside like Yanhan does. If you don¡¯t say anything, others won¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking. Only by speaking up can problems be solved, understand?¡± ¡°Mhm~¡± Shengsheng nodded earnestly. ¡°I understand, Xu-gege~¡± ¡°Good.¡± Xu Ming smiled and handed her a pastry. ¡°Here, have some snacks.¡± The two of them sat there, drinking tea and eating pastries, making themselves completely at home in the princess¡¯s residence. Before long, Wu Yanhan returned to the courtyard, now dressed in a fresh gown. ¡°Alright, speak. Why did you suddenly come looking for me?¡± She asked. Xu Ming blinked in surprise. ¡°Did you forget? Today is the selection for the Rootless Secret Realm.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Only then did Wu Yanhan remember¡ªtoday was the selection for the Rootless Secret Realm¡¯s entry slots. She had been so preoccupied thinking about Xu Ming these past few days that she had completely forgotten about it. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say something earlier?!¡± She shot him a glare. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°¡­You didn¡¯t ask?¡± Xu Ming spread his hands helplessly. ¡°I was actually wondering why you suddenly decided to go take a bath. You¡¯re just going to get dirty again during the competition.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need your nonsense! Just wait for me!¡± Wu Yanhan stepped into her room and shut the door with a loud bang. Shengsheng tugged at Xu Ming¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Xu-gege, maybe you should say a little less¡­ otherwise, Yanhan-jiejie might beat you up again.¡± Xu Ming: ¡°¡­¡± Shengsheng, trying to be helpful, offered some advice. ¡°Xu-gege, you should praise Yanhan-jiejie! She¡¯s actually really easy to cheer up.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Xu Ming asked. Shengsheng nodded enthusiastically like a little chick pecking at rice. ¡°Really, really!¡± Xu Ming thought about it for a moment. That¡­ actually makes sense. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s give it a shot.¡± When Wu Yanhan finally emerged from her room, she had changed into a martial outfit¡ªsleek, practical, exuding a sharp, valiant aura. Gone was the elegance of the gown she wore earlier. Xu Ming looked at her and remarked, ¡°It¡¯s interesting¡­ You switch between two completely different styles so effortlessly. When you wear palace robes, no one would guess you¡¯re a warrior. But when you wear martial attire, no one would think you¡¯re a princess.¡± Wu Yanhan paused for a moment. ¡°Are you¡­ complimenting me?¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Xu Ming hesitated. ¡°Was that not obvious enough?¡± Wu Yanhan chuckled softly. ¡°Then tell me, which style do you prefer?¡± Xu Ming answered seriously, ¡°I like both. When you wear palace robes, you have an elegant, dignified grace. When you wear martial attire, you have a commanding, heroic presence.¡± Wu Yanhan rolled her eyes. ¡°If you have the energy to say all this useless flattery, you might as well focus on the upcoming selection trial.¡± She turned and walked straight out. Xu Ming glanced at Shengsheng. ¡°I don¡¯t think that worked. Your Yanhan-jiejie still seems pretty upset.¡± Shengsheng blinked and clenched her little fists. ¡°It worked! Yanhan-jiejie is much happier now!¡± Xu Ming was stunned. ¡°Really? Why don¡¯t I feel any difference? Also, how do you even know?¡± Shengsheng scratched her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I just feel it.¡± ¡°Alright then.¡± Xu Ming decided not to dwell on it. Maybe this was just a child¡¯s intuition. Holding Shengsheng¡¯s tiny hand, he walked out. The three of them boarded a carriage and headed toward the Third Battalion of the Blood Asura Army¡ªthe location of the Rootless Secret Realm selection. Like the other great human dynasties, the Wu Kingdom had been allotted ten spots for this expedition. These ten spots were not just for military cultivators but also open to any gifted warriors, rogue cultivators, or other experts within the kingdom. The entry requirements were strict: For cultivators: You must be at least at the Dragon Gate Realm but no higher than the Golden Core Realm. For martial artists: You must be at least at the Martial Courage Realm but no higher than the Golden Body Realm. This selection process was much stricter than previous ones. The biggest reason? This would be the final opening of the Rootless Secret Realm. Due to changes in the Heavenly Laws, the minimum required cultivation level had increased by one stage. Under normal circumstances, the maximum level should have also increased accordingly. However, since this time no one could use life-saving talismans within the secret realm, the dynasties and sects were worried that the power disparity between contestants would be too great. To keep the playing field balanced and avoid unnecessary deaths, they capped the highest allowable cultivation level. A smaller gap in power meant a higher survival rate. As Xu Ming¡¯s group arrived at the Third Battalion of the Blood Asura Army, he expected to see a massive crowd. In fact, he even wondered if the battalion¡¯s grounds could fit all the participants for the selection. However, Xu Ming quickly realized he had overestimated the situation. Although the number of participants in the selection was considerable, it was far less than he had expected. Looking around, Xu Ming roughly estimated that there were only about five thousand people in the camp. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You look a bit puzzled,¡± Wu Yanhan said to Xu Ming. Xu Ming shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. It¡¯s just that there are fewer people here than I thought. I was expecting tens of thousands.¡± Wu Yanhan sighed. ¡°In this world, if one person out of a hundred can cultivate, that¡¯s already impressive. And out of those who can cultivate, if one in a hundred can reach the Cave Mansion Realm, that¡¯s a blessing. Not to mention, after reaching Cave Mansion, they still have to survive the Lightning Tribulations to reach the Dragon Gate Realm. That¡¯s a rare feat. Our Wu Kingdom already has the smallest population among the Ten Great Human Dynasties. For this many cultivators and martial artists to meet the criteria, it¡¯s already impressive. Don¡¯t assume just because you usually interact with people at the Golden Core or Nascent Soul levels that the cultivation realm is common. People like you and me are exceptions.¡± Xu Ming nodded. ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s get our tokens.¡± Wu Yanhan walked directly toward the registration area, with Xu Ming and Shengsheng following. After getting their tokens, the process was straightforward: group matches to determine the final ten participants for the Rootless Secret Realm. Simple and efficient. As Xu Ming and Wu Yanhan completed their registration, a few pairs of eyes were fixed on Xu Ming. ¡°Stop staring.¡± The man in the lead warned. ¡°Is that the current Prince Consort?¡± One man licked his lips and looked away. Another man, with a nose piercing, grinned. ¡°The princess is quite beautiful.¡± Just as the pierced man finished speaking, the leader¡¯s dagger was already embedded in his shoulder. Leaning in close, the leader whispered in his ear, ¡°I told you, the princess is off-limits. Once we enter the Rootless Secret Realm, your only job is to kill Xu Ming. Understand?¡± The pierced man gritted his teeth, sweat forming on his forehead as he forced himself to nod. ¡°Y-yes¡­ understood.¡± Chapter 300 ¡°Group A, Xu Ming wins.¡± ¡°Group B, Wu Yanhan wins.¡± ¡°Group A, Xu Ming wins.¡± Across the hundred arenas in the military camp, the voices of the officials of the Wu Kingdom echoed continuously. As the matches went on, whenever Xu Ming or Wu Yanhan¡¯s names appeared, the officiating officials barely paid attention anymore. Many times, they simply wrote down their names in advance. They didn¡¯t even need to watch¡ªthe top scholar and the princess were bound to win. Xu Ming and Wu Yanhan had each fought ten matches, and not a single opponent lasted more than ten rounds against them. To those in the same realm, the twin stars of the Wu Kingdom were an overwhelming force, a crushing suppression. Even if their opponents were a whole realm above them, it made no difference¡ªit was as if everyone else¡¯s cultivation was nothing more than paper. Some of the officials had presided over selection tournaments before, but this was the first time they had witnessed such terrifying individuals. The selection matches lasted for three full days. For every participant, there was nothing but continuous battles from dawn until dusk, with no time to rest except at night. If someone faced a particularly strong opponent and was drained too much, causing them to lose a match later to someone actually weaker than them, it was simply a matter of bad luck. And luck was a part of strength. When they entered the Rootless Secret Realm, if they were on the brink of death, could they tell their enemy it was just bad luck? Even if they begged the King of Hell himself, he might not care. After three days, Xu Ming and Wu Yanhan successfully secured their places in the Rootless Secret Realm selection, relying purely on their own strength. No one dared to question their abilities. Just four days after the selection ended, the Rootless Secret Realm was set to open¡ªeverything was on a tight schedule. As for the top-ranked woman on the Beauty List, the monk, she was still fifteen days away from reaching Wu Capital. Time flowed differently in the Rootless Secret Realm. One day outside equaled ten days inside. According to Tianji City¡¯s calculations, this cycle of the Rootless Secret Realm would last a maximum of fifty days¡ªonly five days in the outside world. When Xu Ming emerged from the secret realm, he would still have to wait for Shi Xin. On the morning of the secret realm¡¯s opening, Xu Ming woke up early. ¡°Mother.¡± Xu Ming arrived at his mother¡¯s courtyard. The sky had only just begun to brighten, yet she was already waiting for him. He bowed deeply to his mother. Chen Suya turned around, looking at her son. She picked up a package from the table and said, ¡°These are some pastries I made for you, and this is a protective talisman I got from the temple. There are two of them¡ªif Her Highness the Princess doesn¡¯t mind, you can share one with her.¡± ????a?§°B?? Xu Ming took the package and said, ¡°Yes, Mother. Please don¡¯t worry too much. I will return in no more than five days¡ªit¡¯s only a matter of a few days.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Chen Suya¡¯s eyes wavered as if she wanted to say more, but in the end, she simply smiled and gently stroked her son¡¯s face. ¡°Be careful on your journey.¡± ¡°Mother, please take care of yourself in these coming days. The moment I return, I will come see you.¡± Xu Ming bowed deeply once more, slung the package over his back, and turned to leave. Watching her son¡¯s figure gradually disappear, Chen Suya knew¡ªhe was drifting further and further away from her. And that was a good thing. She wanted him to walk his own path. But as a mother, all she could do was watch. She couldn¡¯t help him in the slightest. Just as Xu Ming was leaving, Shengsheng was still fast asleep in bed, snoring away. Naturally, there was no way Shengsheng could follow Xu Ming. In fact, she still thought he was leaving tomorrow. Xu Ming had lied to her on purpose¡ªhe didn¡¯t want to make her sad. Otherwise, every time he left her behind, she would end up crying her heart out. ¡°Hehe, Ming¡¯er, I thought I woke up early today, but it turns out I¡¯m just in time.¡± Just as Xu Ming was about to step out of the courtyard, his so-called father, Xu Zheng, appeared at the gate. It seemed like he had been waiting for him. ¡°Father.¡± Though Xu Ming was reluctant to acknowledge this ¡°cheap father¡± of his¡ªand wasn¡¯t even sure if the man was truly his father¡ªhe still had to show some respect. ¡°Ming¡¯er, you¡¯re heading to the Rootless Secret Realm this time, and I don¡¯t have much to give you. Take this bracelet.¡± Xu Zheng grinned as he removed a beaded bracelet from his wrist and handed it to Xu Ming. ¡°This was a gift from your great-grandfather to me when I was born. It¡¯s been blessed by a master.¡± Xu Ming glanced at the bracelet and didn¡¯t refuse. ¡°Then, thank you, Father.¡± sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°No need to thank me, no need to thank me!¡± Xu Zheng kept grinning. ¡°Do your best in there! Bring back lots of treasures! Your father heard that the Rootless Secret Realm has a kind of fruit called the Golden Horn Fruit. If you can, bring one back for me to try.¡± Xu Ming couldn¡¯t help but laugh inwardly. He knew it¡ªthis father of his never did anything without expecting something in return. The Golden Horn Fruit was a known specialty of the Rootless Secret Realm. It was said to enhance a man¡¯s¡­ capabilities in certain areas. Considering how often his father frequented brothels¡ªhis pale complexion and unsteady gait were proof enough¡ªhe could definitely use something like that. ¡°If I come across one, I¡¯ll bring it back for you.¡± Xu Ming replied casually. The Golden Horn Fruit wasn¡¯t exactly rare in the secret realm. It was like any ordinary wild fruit in the mountains. Most cultivators who entered the realm didn¡¯t care about such low-grade items. They¡¯d rather spend their time gathering spirit fruits, which could be sold for a higher price. That was why the Golden Horn Fruit wasn¡¯t commonly found in markets. ¡°Good, good!¡± Xu Zheng nodded eagerly. Xu Ming said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll be on my way.¡± ¡°Be careful, Ming¡¯er. If you can¡¯t win, just run. Your life is the most important thing.¡± Xu Zheng¡¯s words sounded hollow, more like a perfunctory farewell than genuine concern. Xu Ming didn¡¯t say much. He simply bowed and walked out of the courtyard. As he watched Xu Ming leave, Xu Zheng¡¯s usual playful expression faded. His brows furrowed slightly. He sighed. ¡°Sigh¡­ poor child.¡± Chapter 302 As a wave of dizziness passed, Xu Ming opened his eyes to find himself standing in an open clearing. Taking a deep breath, he could immediately sense the dense spiritual energy in the air¡ªfar richer than that of the outside world. There was no doubt about it¡ªthis place had to be the legendary Rootless Secret Realm. Xu Ming scanned his surroundings. He was alone. Even though he had entered alongside the other nine disciples from the Wu Kingdom, they had all been scattered upon arrival. It seemed the spatial laws of this small world had disrupted their positioning. Yanhan and the others must have been teleported elsewhere as well. ¡°Blood Bodhi Fruit¡­¡± Xu Ming murmured the name. According to Elder Wangxuan, restoring Qingwan¡¯s body required two items¡ªthe Blood Bodhi Fruit and the Linglong Pearl from the Northern Seas. The Linglong Pearl wasn¡¯t urgent. Once he traveled to the Northern Seas in the future, he could negotiate with the Dragon Empress there and find a way to obtain it through some kind of exchange. After all, he had no influence in the Northern Seas, and the entire region was under the Dragon Empress¡¯s dominion. If he tried to steal the pearl, it would be practically impossible. Worse still, such an act might provoke hostility between the Northern Seas and the Wu Kingdom¡ªsomething he absolutely couldn¡¯t afford. So the Linglong Pearl could wait. Right now, the priority was acquiring the Blood Bodhi Fruit¡ªand not just any fruit, but the main fruit of the Bodhi Tree. As for the Golden Horn Fruit that his so-called father had asked him to bring back¡­ He¡¯d just grab a few along the way. To be honest, Xu Ming was a bit worried that if his father ate too many of those, he¡¯d end up overloading himself and literally exploding from the excessive energy. Xu Ming pulled out a map from his storage pouch. The map depicted the entire layout of the Rootless Secret Realm, ensuring he wouldn¡¯t have to wander aimlessly. After all, the Rootless Secret Realm had been explored many times before¡ªits geography was well-documented. Without hesitation, Xu Ming took off, flying straight toward the location of the Blood Bodhi Fruit. He wasn¡¯t the only one. No doubt many other cultivators had entered the realm and were also racing toward the same destination. Whoever arrived first would claim the prize. If he was too slow, there might be nothing left by the time he got there. ¡ª Meanwhile, across various parts of the Rootless Secret Realm, waves of demon cultivators had also begun entering. The first thing they did? They reached into their storage pouches and pulled out a portrait. On that portrait was a precise depiction of Xu Ming¡¯s face. ¡ª As Xu Ming soared above a river, his sharp instincts flared. Danger! Suddenly, several flying swords shot up from below, aiming to strike him down. Xu Ming¡¯s brows furrowed. With a swift motion, he swept his hand through the air, summoning a sword bestowed upon him by the Wu Emperor. Its name¡ªFlame Sparrow. Wu Yanhan had long wanted to gift Xu Ming a proper weapon. But because he had been preparing for his Heavenly Tribulation, he couldn¡¯t carry too many enchanted artifacts at the time. It was only after he successfully endured his tribulation that Wu Yanhan was finally able to place Flame Sparrow into his hands. Although Flame Sparrow wasn¡¯t an immortal-grade weapon, how many people in this world even possessed half-immortal weapons or true immortal artifacts? The Wu Kingdom¡¯s entire treasury had already been emptied of half-immortal weapons¡ªthey had all been granted to warriors who had earned them. The only way to reclaim those weapons was if their owners perished in battle. Otherwise, forcibly taking them back just to gift one to Xu Ming would do more harm than good. The political backlash from the court would be immense. Xu Ming gripped his sword tightly. With a single slash, Flame Sparrow erupted into flames, scattering the incoming swords with a burst of fire. At that moment, a thick, overpowering demonic aura filled the air. ¡°Heh heh heh¡­~¡± Strange, eerie laughter echoed through the sky. In the next instant¡ª A white elephant, a blue lion, and a giant serpent, their towering demon avatars, lunged toward Xu Ming in unison. When demon cultivators reach the Golden Core Realm, they gain the ability to manifest avatars, which are projections of their true forms. Upon advancing to the Jade Purity Realm, their bloodlines begin to evolve, transforming them into ancient mythical beasts. For example, a serpent might evolve into a Ba Snake, or even take a step toward draconic ascension. ¡ª Against these overconfident demon cultivators, Xu Ming wasted no time. He swung his sword twice, unleashing two devastating strikes. He held nothing back¡ªhis sword energy directly shattered their demon avatars. The three demon cultivators spat out blood, their faces contorted with disbelief. Just moments ago, they had been ecstatic upon spotting Xu Ming, believing this was their golden opportunity. If they could claim Xu Ming¡¯s head, they could collect the massive bounty issued by End Mountain. After all, End Mountain had offered a fortune for the deaths of Yang Yang and Xu Ming. But never¡ªnever¡ªdid they imagine that Xu Ming would be this terrifying. Same Dragon Gate Realm, different worlds. While they were also in the Dragon Gate Realm, their cultivation felt as fragile as paper compared to Xu Ming¡¯s. ¡ª Sensing imminent danger, the three demon cultivators turned to flee. But would Xu Ming let them go? Absolutely not. His sharp spiritual sense locked onto their exact positions. With a single sweeping strike, his sword cleaved them in half¡ªbody and soul alike. Their spirits attempted to escape, but Xu Ming preemptively struck, annihilating their very essence, leaving them with no chance of survival. If you¡¯re going to do something, do it cleanly. If he left them alive¡ªwhether through reincarnation or some other means¡ªthey might return for revenge. It was only a pity that he hadn¡¯t brought any corpse-dissolving powder. Otherwise, he would¡¯ve scattered their remains to the wind. ¡ª Xu Ming descended toward their fallen bodies. Landing lightly on the ground, he immediately began looting their storage pouches. Anyone who made it into the Rootless Secret Realm was an elite cultivator, nurtured at great cost by their respective sects or kingdoms. Naturally, they carried valuable treasures. And sure enough¡ª Xu Ming uncovered multiple second-grade artifacts, one first-grade artifact, and sixteen high-grade spirit stones, along with an assortment of mid-grade and low-grade spirit stones. ?????N??¦¥???? These three weren¡¯t from some minor demon kingdom. They were wealthy. But now¡ªall of it belonged to him. And there would be no consequences. The laws of the Rootless Secret Realm were separate from the outside world¡ªlike an isolated island cut off from the mainland. Even if their sects wanted to track their killers, they wouldn¡¯t be able to. ¡ª Xu Ming continued rifling through their belongings when¡ª ¡°Hmm?¡± S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He let out a quiet murmur of confusion. His eyes had landed on a scroll. Unfolding it¡ª Inside was a detailed portrait of himself. Chapter 303 Xu Ming looked at his own portrait and felt that this was more than just a simple ambush. It seemed like the other party had a deeper motive. They didn¡¯t pick him at random¡ªthey had been targeting him from the start. Xu Ming couldn¡¯t understand why. He hadn¡¯t done anything, nor did he have a deep grudge against them. So why were they trying to kill him? He didn¡¯t even know them. Could it be because he had ranked second on the Qingyun Ranking, and the Yao (Demon) Clan wanted to nip him in the bud? The more Xu Ming thought about it, the more this seemed like the only reasonable explanation. He wasn¡¯t unfamiliar with the history of assassinations targeting geniuses on the Qingyun Ranking. This time around, geniuses from the Central Plains dominated the ranking. Out of the top ten, six were from the Central Plains, and both first and second place were taken by them. But there had been similar situations in the past. In previous Qingyun Rankings, geniuses from the Southern Demon Kingdoms had even taken seven of the top ten spots, including the entire top three. That era was known as the darkest period for the geniuses of the Central Plains. Back then, the Central Plains also attempted to assassinate the Southern Demon Kingdom¡¯s top geniuses. But those attempts generally ended in failure. After all, anyone who could rank high on the Qingyun Ranking would have a protector. If someone of the same realm¡ªor at most, one realm higher¡ªcame to challenge them, the protector wouldn¡¯t interfere. After all, geniuses needed to be tempered. If you died at the hands of a peer, even if it was just bad luck, that meant you weren¡¯t qualified to hold a spot on the Qingyun Ranking. Only those who had survived life-and-death trials would have the potential to make it onto the Tianxia (World) Ranking in the future. Otherwise, if a so-called genius grew up sheltered like a flower in a greenhouse, they would be useless. In the future, when the great Dao struggle unfolded, they would die even more miserably. ??????¨°????¨¨???? But an open assassination like this¡ªwhere his portrait had even been distributed¡ªwas rare. Especially when Xu Ming noticed that the three disciples¡¯ clothing didn¡¯t seem to come from the same kingdom. That confirmed something. This wasn¡¯t the work of a single faction. At the very least, the entire Southern Demon Kingdoms had reached a consensus to eliminate him. ¡°This is a bit troublesome¡­¡± Xu Ming stroked his chin, realizing that if he encountered a Yao Clan member, they would likely attack him on sight. He needed to stay on high alert around the Yao Clan¡ªdouble the usual caution! After looting the three Yao Clan members, Xu Ming continued flying toward the Blood Bodhi Fruit. On the way, he stumbled upon some Golden Horn Fruits. He casually picked some¡ªabout twenty or so¡ªnot just for Xu Zheng, but also for the men of the Xu and Qin families. This was no small gift, especially since he was delivering it himself. The recipients would definitely accept it with a smile. Though Xu Ming had little fondness for the Xu family and disliked dealing with such social obligations, his mother still lived there. She might even spend the rest of her life in the Xu family. So, in reality, he was doing this for her¡ªto help her maintain good relations within the family. Meanwhile, elsewhere in the Rootless Secret Realm, three individuals gathered. ¡°Where¡¯s our dear Prince Consort headed?¡± one of the men asked. ¡°Who knows? If not Emerald Dragon Lake, then Bodhi Mountain, or maybe the Golden Sands Desert. Those three places have the most opportunities,¡± replied a scarred man named Wang Mingshan, his tone casual. ¡°Should we split up?¡± ¡°Forget it.¡± At that moment, the man with the nose piercing walked over and said to the group, ¡°Our dear Prince Consort¡¯s cultivation level is no joke. If we split up, we¡¯ll just get picked off by him one by one.¡± The scarred man shot him an annoyed look. ¡°Then what¡¯s your plan?¡± In truth, he didn¡¯t like this guy. The nose-pierced man, named Zeng Rong, smirked. ¡°On my way here, I ran into a few members of the Yao Clan. Seems like our dear Prince Consort has been marked. Every single member of the Southern Demon Kingdoms participating in this trial has one goal¡ªkill him.¡± S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The group fell silent. A man named Bai Zhan frowned. ¡°How did Xu Ming end up offending the Yao Nations?¡± ¡°Who knows?¡± Zeng Rong laughed, clearly enjoying the situation. ¡°Either way, it¡¯s good for us. Who knows, we might not even need to lift a finger¡ªhis head could be rolling on the ground any minute now.¡± Wang Mingshan shook his head. ¡°That would be ideal. Saves us the trouble. But those beasts from the Southern Demon Kingdoms might not be strong enough to take Xu Ming down.¡± ¡°In that case, we should be the ones to send him on his way.¡± Zeng Rong continued, ¡°I saw him flying toward Bodhi Mountain earlier. We should head there now.¡± As he spoke, a sinister glint flashed in his eyes. ¡°When we find him, we can act all friendly with him, get close¡­ then stab him in the back. Wonder how he¡¯ll feel when that happens.¡± ¡°Since we know where he is, we shouldn¡¯t waste any time. Let¡¯s go,¡± said the scarred man, Wang Mingshan. No one objected. They immediately set off toward Bodhi Mountain. Who would¡¯ve thought that the people who once entered the Rootless Secret Realm together would one day turn their blades against a former friend? ¡ª Meanwhile, Shi Xin was making her way toward the imperial capital of the Wu Kingdom. She had already passed Jiangnan County. If all went as expected, she should reach the capital in half a month. But at that moment, a twisted door appeared before her. Shi Xin tilted her head, staring at the strange portal. Then, she reached out and touched it. In that instant, her entire figure vanished. A dizzying sensation overtook her. When she opened his eyes, she found herself falling. ¡°Shit!¡± Right after that, she heard a man curse. Before she could react, she crashed straight into someone, and the two of them plummeted toward the ground. Chapter 304 ¡°Damn it.¡± Xu Ming couldn¡¯t help but curse out loud. He never expected that while flying smoothly, something would suddenly pounce on him from the sky and crash directly into him. His whole body went numb. Fortunately, his martial cultivation was high, and his body was strong enough. Otherwise, he felt like his spine might have been broken by the impact. ¡°Apologies, benefactor.¡± A light and pleasant voice came from above him. ¡°Forget the apology for now. Can you get off me first?¡± Xu Ming lifted his head from the dirt. ¡°Ah? Oh, okay, okay.¡± The woman was momentarily stunned before quickly jumping off him. As soon as she moved away, Xu Ming felt an immediate sense of relief. He got up from the ground, patted himself off, and looked at the woman in front of him. His expression froze for a moment. A¡­ monk? A female monk? In just an instant, Xu Ming realized who she was. There was only one female monk in the world¡ªShi Xin. And the moment he saw her, he finally understood why this woman was ranked number one on the ¡°Beauty List.¡± Even though she was bald¡ªsomething that usually detracted from one¡¯s appearance¡ªShi Xin was different. Baldness removes all adornments from a person¡¯s head, fully exposing their facial features and head shape. Any flaws in the features would be amplified. But Shi Xin had none. Her features were too perfect¡ªdelicate arched brows, almond-shaped eyes that seemed to contain galaxies, a perfectly proportioned nose, and soft, cherry-like lips that looked as if they would burst with sweet juice at the slightest bite. ???????????¨§???? Yet, Xu Ming felt that no words could truly capture her beauty. It was as if she was born to be flawless, her facial proportions in such perfect harmony that even the slightest change would ruin the balance. She was so beautiful that she didn¡¯t seem real¡ªotherworldly, beyond human comprehension. Xu Ming couldn¡¯t even begin to imagine what she would look like with hair. If she was already this breathtaking as a bald monk, wouldn¡¯t she be utterly divine with flowing locks? Perhaps her bald head was the only thing keeping her beauty in check. Although he had never seen the Northern Sea Dragon Empress, who ranked second on the Beauty List, Xu Ming now felt that her placement wasn¡¯t unfair at all. ¡°Benefactor, have we met before?¡± Shi Xin tilted her head slightly, looking at Xu Ming with a gaze that held a hint of familiarity, as if he were an old acquaintance. Xu Ming shook his head. ¡°No, we haven¡¯t met, but I know of you. There¡¯s only one female monk in the world, and she happens to be the number one beauty. Aside from Shi Xin, I can¡¯t think of anyone else you could be.¡± Shi Xin blinked. ¡°May I ask for your name, benefactor?¡± ¡°My surname is Xu, given name Ming.¡± He didn¡¯t see a reason to hide it. Shi Xin felt that the name sounded somewhat familiar. She thought for a moment, then her eyes lit up. ¡°Could it be that you¡¯re the Xu Ming from the Xu family of the Wu Kingdom?¡± ¡°That¡¯s me.¡± Xu Ming smiled. ¡°What a coincidence. Master Shi Xin, weren¡¯t you supposed to come to my family¡¯s estate to help? I didn¡¯t expect to run into you here instead.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to call me ¡®Master,''¡± Shi Xin said. ¡°I¡¯m far from deserving such a title. Just call me Shi Xin.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Xu Ming didn¡¯t argue. Calling someone his own age ¡°Master¡± did feel a bit strange. Shi Xin nodded. ¡°It really is quite the coincidence.¡± ¡°Are you also here for the Rootless Secret Realm?¡± Xu Ming asked. ¡°No, I¡¯m not,¡± Shi Xin shook her head. ¡°I was originally heading to Wudu, but along the way, I encountered a distorted gate. I reached out to touch it, and the next thing I knew, I ended up here. I never expected to crash into you, Benefactor Xu.¡± ¡°Well, there¡¯s nothing to be done now. You¡¯ll have to wait until this Rootless Secret Realm closes before heading to Wudu.¡± Xu Ming sighed inwardly. It wasn¡¯t like she had deliberately abandoned her business to come here seeking fortune¡ªshe had entered by accident. Now, all he could do was hope that in the days Shi Xin was delayed, nothing would happen to his mother. Shi Xin looked puzzled. ¡°I can¡¯t leave right now?¡± Xu Ming shook his head. ¡°No. The time flow inside the Rootless Secret Realm is ten times faster than the outside world. The portal leading out will only appear between thirty to fifty days after the realm opens. However, after this cycle, the Rootless Secret Realm will collapse entirely. The exit may appear slightly earlier or later this time, but generally, it won¡¯t be more than twenty days off.¡± Shi Xin nodded. ¡°I see.¡± As she was pondering this, Xu Ming suddenly thought of something. ¡°Shi Xin, if you don¡¯t mind, you can travel with me. I have a token that¡¯s linked to the Wudu exit. When the portal to the outside world opens, we can leave together and head directly to the Wudu exit. It¡¯ll be much faster than traveling alone.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Shi Xin agreed without hesitation. ¡°Then I shall follow you, Benefactor.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go, then. Our destination is Bodhi Mountain.¡± With that, Xu Ming continued flying toward Bodhi Mountain, and Shi Xin naturally followed. As they neared the mountain, they sensed a restrictive formation preventing flight. They had no choice but to descend at the base and make their way up on foot. Xu Ming and Shi Xin didn¡¯t talk much along the way. Neither seemed inclined to initiate a conversation. They simply walked in silence. But as they advanced, both of them furrowed their brows at the same time. The next moment, over a dozen arrows came whistling toward them. Shi Xin pressed her palms together, forming a golden bell barrier around them. The arrows struck the barrier and were deflected, embedding themselves into the surrounding grass. Wherever the arrows landed, the plants withered instantly. It was obvious¡ªthese arrows were coated in poison. ¡°Kill them!¡± Seven or eight cultivators rushed out from the shadows. Xu Ming initially thought he had been targeted by demon cultivators again. But to his surprise, these seven or eight attackers were all human. Well, great. It wasn¡¯t just demon cultivators who wanted his life¡ªhuman cultivators were also willing to take bounties from the demon world? Xu Ming stepped out from behind Shi Xin and raised his sword. With just a few swift strikes, only three of the attackers remained. Blood and flesh splattered across the ground. Shi Xin closed her eyes and softly recited a Buddhist chant. ¡°Grandmaster, please spare us! We were blinded by greed and made a terrible mistake in targeting you. We¡¯re willing to hand over everything we have¡ªjust please, spare our lives!¡± The three remaining cultivators knelt and repeatedly kowtowed to Xu Ming, pleading for mercy. Xu Ming had assumed they were after him specifically. But from their words, he realized they had been attacking indiscriminately. No doubt, these Dragon Gate Realm cultivators had set up this formation and used their poisoned arrows to kill quite a few people already. Seeing them now, groveling for their lives, Xu Ming remained expressionless. It was clear¡ªhe had no intention of sparing them. If they had set out to kill him, they should have been prepared to be killed themselves. ¡°Benefactor Xu, they have already realized their mistake. Why must you still take their lives?¡± Shi Xin stepped forward, attempting to dissuade him. ¡°Yes, yes, yes!¡± When Xu Ming raised his sword, the three cultivators had already fallen into despair. But as the stunningly beautiful, bald-headed monk walked over, they saw a glimmer of hope reignite within them. ¡°We truly know we were wrong! We swear we will never do such things again. Please, spare our lives! We promise to do good deeds from now on.¡± ¡°Shi Xin, are you trying to save them?¡± Xu Ming turned his head and asked. Shi Xin nodded. ¡°They said they have realized their mistake.¡± ¡°You¡¯re mistaken, Shi Xin.¡± Xu Ming let out a dry laugh. ¡°They haven¡¯t realized their mistake¡ªthey¡¯ve realized they¡¯re about to die.¡± Shi Xin fell silent. Xu Ming continued, ¡°Letting them go is one thing. Killing them doesn¡¯t benefit me much, either. If anything, sparing them might even win me your favor, and when you help me later, you might put in more effort.¡± ¡°But Shi Xin, what if you let them go, and they continue harming others? If that happens, wouldn¡¯t you bear some responsibility for their crimes?¡± ¡°If you release them out of kindness, but they turn around and kill more innocent people, is that really fair to their future victims?¡± ¡°Is that kind of mercy even real mercy?¡± ¡°Besides, they must have already ambushed and killed some cultivators before us. Those poisoned arrows¡ªthey were fired with lethal intent.¡± ¡°If you spare them, what about the grievances of those who have already died?¡± Under Xu Ming¡¯s relentless questioning, Shi Xin lowered her head, as if lost in deep thought. At that moment, the three cultivators realized they were likely doomed. Seeing their last chance, they decided to gamble everything¡ªsuddenly lunging at Xu Ming in a desperate attack. But Xu Ming had been expecting this. A sword light flashed before their eyes. They clutched their throats, but it was useless¡ªtheir heads rolled to the ground. ¡°Amitabha.¡± Shi Xin clasped her hands together and once again softly recited a Buddhist chant. ¡°You¡¯re not going to refuse to help me after this, are you?¡± To be honest, Xu Ming was a little worried. This female monk seemed a bit too compassionate. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. If the people he killed made her uncomfortable, and she decided not to help him anymore¡ªwhat then? ¡°No,¡± Shi Xin shook her head. ¡°Since I have already promised that elder to go to Wudu and assist, I will uphold my word, no matter what happens.¡± Xu Ming still wasn¡¯t fully convinced. He asked again, ¡°Are you sure?¡± Shi Xin nodded. ¡°A monk does not speak falsehoods.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Xu Ming finally relaxed. Honestly, having a sanctimonious companion constantly telling him what he could and couldn¡¯t kill would be suffocating. Of course, if it really came down to it, he¡¯d endure it for his mother¡¯s sake. ¡°But Benefactor Xu, your killing intent is too heavy. You bear too much blood on your hands. This is not good,¡± Shi Xin said seriously. Xu Ming chuckled and kept walking. ¡°I never planned to be some great saint. The people I kill all wanted to kill me first. Since they wanted my life, they should be prepared to lose theirs.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Shi Xin lowered her head, deep in thought. By the time she snapped out of it, Xu Ming had already walked ahead. She quickly caught up. ¡°What you said just now was all just distorted reasoning.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Xu Ming raised an eyebrow. ¡°Then tell me, how exactly is my reasoning flawed?¡± The climb was boring anyway, so he figured he might as well argue with her a bit. Maybe he could even fix this overly compassionate mindset of hers. Otherwise, with how na?ve she was, someone would eventually get the better of her. Hmm¡­ and with her looks, what happened to her might be far worse than just getting tricked. ¡°If one lays down the butcher¡¯s knife, they can immediately become a Buddha,¡± Shi Xin said. ¡°As long as one repents and reforms, the sea of suffering is boundless, but turning back is the shore.¡± Xu Ming sneered. ¡°Hah. Did your master never tell you that the so-called ¡®butcher¡¯s knife¡¯ doesn¡¯t refer to wicked people?¡± ¡°It refers to the three karmic impurities of body, speech, and mind¡ªalong with all delusions, false thoughts, ignorance, misjudgments, and attachments.¡± ¡°If someone could truly rid themselves of all those things, then yes, they could indeed become a Buddha.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Shi Xin stared blankly at Xu Ming, utterly stunned. Xu Ming asked, ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡± ¡°My master never told me these things before.¡± Shi Xin gazed at Xu Ming in astonishment. ¡°Benefactor, you have great wisdom.¡± ¡°¡­¡± This time, Xu Ming was speechless. ¡°That¡¯s all it takes to have ¡®great wisdom¡¯?¡± Wait a minute¡ªdoes Western Buddhism not teach this? Could it be that the Buddhist doctrines in the Western Regions are different from those on Blue Star? ¡°Yes,¡± Shi Xin nodded seriously. ¡°Benefactor possesses great wisdom. Why not enter my Buddhist sect?¡± ¡°Hah?¡± Xu Ming was stunned, wondering if he had misheard. ¡°Just a moment ago, you were saying I was too bloodthirsty, and now you¡¯re inviting me to join your Buddhist sect?¡± Shi Xin shook her head. ¡°Though you have killed, your actions are based on cause and effect. The sea of suffering is vast, but one only needs to turn back.¡± ¡°Forget it.¡± Xu Ming waved his hand dismissively. ¡°I¡¯m not interested in joining your Buddhist sect.¡± ¡°Benefactor truly should consider it.¡± Shi Xin appeared somewhat persistent. Xu Ming chuckled helplessly. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll join¡ªif you can tell me what benefits I¡¯ll get from it.¡± ¡°Benefits¡­¡± Shi Xin was momentarily stunned. She had never considered what benefits one would gain from joining Buddhism. ¡°What benefits does Benefactor seek?¡± she asked. Xu Ming stroked his chin, pretending to think seriously. ¡°Well, since you¡¯re so beautiful, how about this¡ªyou and I dual cultivate, and I¡¯ll agree to join your sect.¡± Shi Xin¡¯s brows immediately furrowed. ¡°Benefactor, lust is a great taboo in Buddhism.¡± ¡°Hahahaha!¡± Xu Ming burst into laughter. ¡°You claim to be willing to sacrifice yourself to bring me into Buddhism, yet you won¡¯t even sacrifice yourself for the cause? If you¡¯re unwilling to ¡®save¡¯ even me, what kind of compassion do you preach?¡±