Chapter 103: Who is the Champion Swordsman Under the Heavens

Late at night, the moonlight was hazy.

The surroundings of Three Temple Mountain had fallen into a deep slumber, deathly quiet.

The night was chilling, and the sound of the wind was bleak with a touch of coolness.

On the rugged mountain path, a figure staggered forward.

This person was none other than Dai Ling, who had luckily escaped from Vilu Hall.

At this moment, her expression was extremely panicked, her hair disheveled and in a mess, not knowing how far she had run. Perhaps it was because of her injuries, or perhaps she was too tired.

Eventually, Dai Ling leaned against a branch, gasping for air, still cautiously looking back, fearing someone had followed her.

Although Li Fuzhou’s last strike didn’t kill her, with some of the force blocked by the inner armor, Li Fuzhou’s strength was that of a Half-step Master. Even with severe injuries, only able to exert less than twenty percent of his strength, he was still too much for her, a Second Grade, to withstand.

Dai Ling had three broken ribs, especially one that had broken and pierced into her organs. Had it been an ordinary person, they might have died long ago.

Suddenly, dense sweat covered Dai Ling’s forehead.

“Gurgle…”

Blood constantly spilled from the corner of her mouth.

“Uncle Zhang…” Thinking of Zhang Zhixing, who had covered her retreat, Dai Ling’s nose tingled with sourness.

Under the joint hands of that peerless swordsman and Li Fuzhou, it was absolutely impossible for Zhang Zhixing to survive.

Tian Cansou had never married in his life, was reclusive by nature, and had always been grateful for the Five Poison Sect’s past hospitality. He had a deep relationship with Dai Danshu and treated Dai Ling, the daughter of the Five Poison Young Master, as his own.

“I would rather not have this nature’s spiritual energy,” Dai Ling felt the spiritual energy within her, her eyes reddening, and finally, she couldn’t hold back as tears trembled in her eyes.

Zhang Zhixing’s life had been exchanged for a strand of Heaven and Earth Spirit Essence, for the possibility of Dai Ling’s future.

But he had died.

Death meant being forever parted by the yin and yang, never to appear again, never to speak again… Thinking of this, Dai Ling’s heart filled with even more regret.

She hated herself, angry at her own strength for being just Second Grade. If she were of the First Grade Realm, she might have been able to help some.

“Li Fuzhou! And that swordsman!”

Dai Ling’s fingers fiercely embedded into the branches, as if she couldn’t feel any pain at all.

Because physical pain couldn’t compare to the pain inside her heart.

“I must leave this place quickly…” Dai Ling took a deep breath, gritted her teeth.

She wasn’t sure if Li Fuzhou and that swordsman would pursue her again, nor was she clear if there were any Demon Sect experts around.

“Uncle Zhang, I will definitely kill the both of them,” she walked a few steps, paused, then turned and looked back at Three Temple Mountain once more.

Finally, enduring the pain, she knelt down, knocked her head three times towards the direction of Three Temple Mountain, and then hurriedly walked away into the distance.

……

At the South River Branch, in the hall,

Liu Qingshan sat on a chair, holding a teacup, and said lightly, “Tian Liu was struck by a palm from Li Fuzhou. He will need to recover for at least a month.”

The moment An Jing split open the Heaven and Earth Spirit Essence, it split into six strands, several experts fought for it, and Tian Liu was hit by a palm strike from Li Fuzhou.

Li Fuzhou practiced the Heavenly Demon Qi he created, which was formidable, overpowering and extremely tyrannical. The residual Heavenly Demon Qi within the body was very difficult to cleanse.

If it hadn’t been for Liu Qingshan’s timely arrival, Tian Liu might have died at the hands of Li Fuzhou.

Guo Yuchun said with lingering fear, “I didn’t expect this night at Three Temple Mountain to be so perilous. Fortunately, it was all worth it in the end, as our leader also obtained a strand of nature’s spiritual energy.”

The night’s events had taken him by surprise.

Even if he had anticipated Li Fuzhou, and the Xuanyi Guard, he had not accounted for that peerless swordsman.

“With this strand of nature’s spiritual energy, my cultivation can be completely stabilized at the Heavenly Flower Realm, and I might even have the chance to break through to the… cough cough… Half-step Master Realm,” Liu Qingshan coughed violently, then said somberly, “Ling Yuhua and the Blood Spirit Sword also took a strand, Li Fuzhou took one, the swordsman and Tian Cansou, Gan Yue, and Zhang Shuang fought over two more, and the last one should have been taken by Xi Jikui.”

After pondering for a moment, Guo Yuchun said, “Now that the Blood Spirit Sword has obtained this strand of spiritual energy, her strength will likely soar. This is also a good thing for us. She has a heavy say in the Wind and Rain Tower, and she supports the Five Gangs Alliance…”

“Sanhu Gang’s He Yunkai is just a weathervane, only adept at playing it smart; the Five Gangs Alliance is good for him, so he definitely won’t refuse. The Golden Corner Alliance had also agreed in advance. Now only the people from Wangjing Sea are difficult to deal with.”

Liu Qingshan pondered for a long while and said, “No need to worry about Wangjing Sea for now; once I’ve assimilated the spiritual energy and completely cleared obstacles from my path, we’ll talk.”

Haste makes waste, especially with a big issue like the Five Gangs Alliance aiming for control over the world, which was bound to attract attention from various parties. With his current strength, it was not yet time for rash actions.

Furthermore, among the five major gangs, there were individuals of profound strength, and he might not be able to suppress them all.

One needs to be strong themselves to forge ahead; this is the unchanging truth throughout the ages.

Guo Yuchun nodded, then frowned and said, “Based on reliable information, it seems someone is working on rehabilitating Jiang Sanjia, and the Xuanyi Guard’s efforts to capture him are becoming weaker…”

“Seek redress!?”

Liu Qingshan heard this and scoffed, “Rehabilitating him is just a pretense. I bet they want to make use of him.”

Jiang Sanjia was stubborn, proud, and arrogant. In the towering temple halls, he was absolutely an uncompromising purist. Such a person is the least welcome presence in the temple halls.

Guo Yuchun nodded slightly. “The Gang Leader is right. Jiang Sanjia does have some capabilities. Moreover, his senior brother is one of the five great Sword Immortals of our time, so there is naturally some sentimental regard…”

When mentioning ‘senior brother,’ Guo Yuchun’s expression undeniably turned grave.

The Ghost Valley Divine Sword is one of the five great Sword Immortals of this era.

“As for his senior brother, let’s forget about him… cough cough… it’s probably the case that even if Jiang Sanjia dies, he won’t intervene. After all, that person from the Zhenyi Sect is always watching him.”

Liu Qingshan waved his hand dismissively, “I’m actually curious about that swordsman…”

Upon hearing this, Guo Yuchun grew solemn as well. One must know that the unparalleled swordsman had intervened to assist Jiang Sanjia on more than one occasion—his relationship with Jiang Sanjia was absolutely out of the ordinary.

If Jiang Sanjia were vindicated and returned to the temple halls, then the identity of the unparalleled swordsman might also be exposed.

“Gang Leader.”

Guo Yuchun suddenly spoke seriously. “That swordsman was able to make the Evil Suppressing Sword recognize him as its owner. There must be profound mysteries involved. Moreover, his strength is extraordinary. For the greater good, perhaps we should put aside our grudges against him for now and withdraw the order to hunt him down within the Gang…”

Liu Qingshan’s eyebrows tightened, and he slowly stood up, silent for a long while before letting out a sigh, and then said, “Now that Xi Jikui has appeared in Yu State City, we’ll have to watch the clash between Xi Jikui and the Demon Sect.”

“Xi Jikui is no match for Li Fuzhou.”

Guo Yuchun nodded in agreement. “Xi Jikui has both good abilities and strength. But if he faces Li Fuzhou, his chances of winning are slim. If he persists stubbornly, he might even die in Yu State City.”

Guo Yuchun was somewhat familiar with the terror of Li Fuzhou.

“If Xi Jikui dies, wouldn’t that be a good thing?” Liu Qingshan’s mouth turned up slightly at the corners.

….

In the early morning, by the side of Yu State River.

Shops stood in close ranks on both sides as the morning sun cast its radiance on red bricks and green tiles, as well as on the brilliant eaves of lofty pavilions, adding a vibrant vitality to the bustling Yu State City.

“Another fine day.”

As usual, An Jing started his day by putting away wooden boards and opening his clinic.

“Good morning, Doctor An.”

The attendant from the neighboring teahouse called out, “You seem to lack spirit today. Didn’t someone knock on your door for a consultation again last night?”

The teahouse attendants all knew that there were frequently night-time patients knocking on the door, so Doctor An was not only very busy during the day but also tirelessly overworked come night.

“Yes.”

An Jing nodded and sighed. “I only returned home at the hour of Hai last night.”

Time does not necessarily lead to affection, but it is sure to be tiring.

“You really work hard, Doctor An.”

Upon hearing this, the attendant looked at An Jing with solemn respect. “Truly a physician with a compassionate heart.”

After An Jing secured the wooden boards, he took goji berries, black tea, and Lindera aggregate from the medicine scale on the wall cabinet, added them to a teapot according to the prepared ratio.

Although he was a rough man, he paid great attention to these details. After all, he was a doctor, and the precision of the medicinal herbs always had to be well maintained.

“Son-in-law, I’m back.”

Just then, a voice came from outside the door.

The person was none other than Li Fuzhou.

An Jing looked up, greeted him as usual. “Third Master, you’re back.”

This old guy, really good at pretending!

If you’re going to act, then I’ll act too.

“I’m back.”

Li Fuzhou made himself comfortable in a chair, took the freshly brewed teapot poured by An Jing, and took a greedy sniff of the ethereal aroma. “Orchid-like on the tongue, refreshing to the heart, fragrant and pleasingly astringent, nice.”

With a double meaning, An Jing said, “You had a tough night, Third Master?”

“Now I just feel clear and refreshed.”

Li Fuzhou gently blew on the tea before taking a small sip.

His words were actually sincere. With a trace of nature’s spiritual energy absorbed into his body, he was a Half-step Master in cultivation. Although he had not reached the Grandmaster Realm and couldn’t refine nature’s spiritual energy, his speed in assimilating it was still much faster than that of a First Grade Expert.

Even though the trace of spiritual energy had not been fully assimilated yet, his injuries were gradually healing. Once he had completely assimilated it, regaining his full strength was naturally not an issue.

As his injuries fully healed, Li Fuzhou naturally felt much better.

An Jing sneered inwardly and began to ponder secretly. What exactly were Li Fuzhou’s intentions? He wondered if that foolish girl Tan Yun was aware of them.

At the moment, it seemed that Tan Yun’s intelligence, no, her cunning, was far inferior to Li Fuzhou’s. She might be a source of clues.

“Son-in-law, isn’t it time to hand out the wages?”

Li Fuzhou said with a smiling face.

“Here you go.”

An Jing, with a flourish, took out more than a tael of silver from his pocket and thought to himself, “Old timer, are you extorting me? You’re clearly toying with me. One day I’ll make you spew it all out tenfold, a hundredfold.”

Would the Sect Hierarch of the Demon Sect lack the silver for visiting brothels and listening to music? An Jing didn’t believe the Demon Sect could be so destitute.

This was clearly treating me, An Jing, like a monkey being played with.

“Hm?!”

Li Fuzhou started to have his doubts, and while it had been extremely difficult to get silver from An Jing in the past, today he was surprisingly willing.

“I’ve nearly finished negotiating with the hunters. Today I also need to go buy some herbs. I’ll leave the pharmacy in your care for now.”

An Jing called out, picked up his medicine box, and then headed for the door.

“Understood, son-in-law.”

Li Fuzhou watched An Jing leave and then glanced at the tea on the table: “This tea is authentic! Very meticulous! The young doctor does indeed have some decent skills.”

Soon after, Zhao Qingmei walked out from the back hall.

“Sect Hierarch!”

Li Fuzhou quickly stood up and gave Zhao Qingmei a fist salute.

“Did my husband go out?” Zhao Qingmei asked indifferently, nodding her head.

“Son-in-law has left. Here’s the silver.”

Li Fuzhou took out all of the silver he had just received from An Jing.

Zhao Qingmei’s brows rose slightly, “He gave you all of it? Didn’t I say to leave some for him?”

“Son-in-law gave it himself. He was very straightforward today.”

After explaining, Li Fuzhou thought to himself: Young doctor, oh young doctor, you can’t put these bad debts on my head. When I go to brothels and listen to music, I use my own silver. I haven’t dared to touch yours…

“Let it be.”

Zhao Qingmei waved her hand and said, “Tan Yun told me everything went relatively smoothly last night?”

“This matter is a long story. Please sit down, Sect Hierarch.”

Li Fuzhou took a deep breath, then frowned, his expression growing somber.

Zhao Qingmei, observing Li Fuzhou’s demeanor, became even more curious.

Li Fuzhou inhaled deeply and said, “Last night was a gathering of masters. First was the great abbot of Leiyin Temple’s Great Sun Temple, Fa Zhi, who had a profound realization and saw his true nature, raising his fruit position once again. But in the end, he sacrificed himself for the Dharma, ultimately suppressing the pervasive yin evil and turned into a relic.”

Zhao Qingmei’s brows raised slightly, “Monk Fa Zhi?”

The Bodhisattva Fruit Position, she knew very well what it signified. If nothing unexpected happened, Fa Zhi could become a Grandmaster within ten years.

In the Pure Land’s Three Thousand Buddha Countries, only two or three Bodhisattvas had appeared in the last hundred years.

With the world’s top forces vying for power, a Grandmaster could have a significant impact. This event might even shake the entire world.

“It’s a pity that he has already entered parinirvana.”

Li Fuzhou continued, “Extraordinary swordsmen like Ling Yuhua, Liu Qingshan, and Tian Cansou also appeared to compete for the Heaven and Earth Spirit Essence. These individuals were all strong, and in the ensuing chaos, Xuanyi Guard Xi Jikui led two Great Heavenly Gang experts. With all masters vying for power, they all showed their skills.”

“At the crucial moment, that extraordinary swordsman drew the Evil Suppressing Sword.”

Just then, Li Fuzhou looked towards the back hall, only to see Tan Yun holding a little black puppy. Seemingly hearing something important, she hurriedly asked, “Master, did you say that extraordinary swordsman drew the Evil Suppressing Sword?”

“Extraordinary swordsman?”

Zhao Qingmei’s beautiful eyes narrowed slightly; she was very aware of the rumors surrounding the Evil Suppressing Sword.

If before, the title of an extraordinary swordsman was merely a compliment from the ordinary martial world, then the one who drew the Evil Suppressing Sword truly deserved it.

“Yes, that swordsman is truly cunning, despicable.”

Li Fuzhou’s brow furrowed, “After he seized the Heaven and Earth Spirit Essence, he used the incomplete Evil Suppressing Sword and the Essence to battle many experts. Certainly, he was formidable, but taking on ten top masters was too much for him. In a fury, he shattered the Heaven and Earth Spirit Essence, turning it into six wisps of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy. I managed to snatch one wisp, while the others took one each.”

“In the end, the swordsman killed both Great Heavenly Gang warriors of the Xuanyi Guard. I joined forces with him to kill the Five Poison Sect’s Tian Cansou.”

Tan Yun’s heart skipped a beat hearing this, and her large eyes filled with curiosity as she imagined the scene of the swordsman clashing with many top masters.

What a magnificent scene that must have been, battling ten top experts!

Killing two Great Heavenly Gang warriors was a remarkable achievement. If word got out in the martial world, it would undoubtedly cause a huge uproar.

After all, no one in the Great Yan Martial World, no force, had ever dared to openly kill a Xuanyi Guard. This was a blatant challenge to the Xuanyi Guard, a provocation to the Great Yan Emperor.

Having offended the Great Yan Court, there was a good chance this swordsman could be recruited to their Demon Sect.

Thinking of this, Tan Yun bit her lip, her face turning as red as if it would bleed.

Zhao Qingmei, with lips slightly parted, let out a breath, “Why was he able to draw the Evil Suppressing Sword, and what exactly is his identity?”

The strength of that peerless swordsman was surprising, but what she was more concerned about was why the swordsman could pull out the Evil Suppressing Sword.

“I’m not clear on that either, but that swordsman is cunning and strong,”

Li Fuzhou paused, then said, “It seems that swordsman has some grievances with our Demon Sect. When I crossed swords with him yesterday, I could feel the surging murderous aura from his sword.”

Thinking about the swordsman’s attitude towards him, and the ruthlessness of his swordplay, Li Fuzhou felt that the swordsman must have had significant grievances with the Demon Sect, otherwise he wouldn’t have been like that.

“He has grievances with our Demon Sect?”

Zhao Qingmei said indifferently, “That’s not surprising. There are too many people in the Great Yan martial world who have grievances with our Demon Sect.”

Initially, the Demon Sect in Great Yan could command the wind and summon the rain, and countless sects were annihilated by the Demon Sect, causing the entire Great Yan martial world to be full of resentment and anger. Even the top-notch Xuanyi Guards didn’t take them seriously, otherwise they wouldn’t have been attacked by a coalition of many forces.

Tan Yun, who was beside them, didn’t know what she was thinking, and she had already stopped listening to Li Fuzhou’s words that followed.

“Actually, after my exchange with that swordsman, there’s another major matter. That’s what I really wanted to discuss with the Sect Hierarch.”

Li Fuzhou said with a serious face.

“Speak.”

“There appeared a master who is suspected to be a Grandmaster. He snatched away the dried corpse that was gathering Yin energy,”

“A Grandmaster!? Are you sure?”

Zhao Qingmei’s expression tightened upon hearing this.

A Grandmaster-level expert represents the true pinnacle of Jianghu, the top-tier among all masters. In a world where Great Grandmasters have withered, a Grandmaster is an unstoppable force.

Such experts often live secluded in some place, searching for the secrets to break through to the realm of Great Grandmaster, and it’s not that there are no Grandmaster-level experts in the Demon Sect.

The previous leader of the Demon Sect and the present Sect Leader of the Heavenly Sect were both in the Grandmaster Realm. Underneath the Sealing Demon Platform in the Dongluo Desert, there were also several reclusive old monsters from the Demon Sect, their cultivation unknown, but at the very least they were all at the Heavenly Flower Realm, and the Grandmaster Realm was not necessarily beyond reach.

These individuals had essentially departed from the ordinary martial world; to them, the current fighting and conflicts over interests simply didn’t matter. They had little care or regard for such things.

They valued the Grandmaster Realm, they valued the lifespan of three hundred years, they valued what they saw as the Dao.

During the struggles between the Demon Sect and various forces, the experts from the Demon Sect’s Sealing Demon Platform did not show up, and neither did old monsters from the Zhenyi Sect, the Royal Family, or other major sects.

The worldly benefits were like fleeting clouds in their eyes, and they would not make a move unless the very foundation of their sect was threatened.

Tan Yun was also greatly shocked, clearly not expecting that a Grandmaster-level expert would be nearby Yu State City.

“Almost certainly.”

Li Fuzhou took a deep breath and said.

“He took that dried corpse; what exactly is that body?” Zhao Qingmei also had doubts.

Convergence of Yin energy, a dried corpse, a Grandmaster-level expert… What could be the connection between these?

……

Outside Yu State City.

The autumn was crisp, and the gentle sunlight was spilling down.

Shui Zhongyue, just like yesterday, was closely following that young doctor, as he had a lesson from the past in front of him.

Soon, Shui Zhongyue followed An Jing into a secluded mountain forest.

“Following this little doctor every day is truly boring. Could this little doctor be that descendant from the Sealing Demon Platform?” Shui Zhongyue thought to himself as he watched An Jing’s figure from behind.

Ever since Huo Zhongyun lay in bed, the task of protecting this little doctor had fallen to him.

“Whoosh! Whoosh!”

Suddenly, his vision blurred, and a figure appeared in front of him; then, a black and white flow of energy emerged in a peculiar posture.

Shui Zhongyue felt his head grow heavy with dizziness, and he lost all sense of direction.

This man was An Jing, and at this moment, what he was displaying was the Ghost Valley Heart Method.

The Ghost Valley Sect, among the three mystical sects, calculated the secrets of heaven, divined the Dao, and their Heart Method was deeply profound. It not only had the effect of slightly shielding against the secrets of heaven but also could be used to enchant and disrupt the mind.

“What is your name? What is your status?”

An Jing asked indifferently.

Shui Zhongyue’s expression struggled, and then he slowly opened his mouth, “I… am one of the Four Protectors of the Demon Sect’s Human Sect, Shui Zhongyue.”

Indeed, a Demon Sect expert!

An Jing’s eyes narrowed as he spoke solemnly, “Why are you following me? What is your purpose?”

“I… I…”

Shui Zhongyue’s mouth opened and closed, and his expression became extremely pained, as if he was caught in a struggle.

An Jing frowned, it seemed this Demon Sect expert had an extraordinary mind. Perhaps it was also because his own mastery of the Ghost Valley Heart Method had not yet reached a certain level. If Jiang Sanjia were here, perhaps he could have completely enchanted the man.

Continuing the inquiry would only result in two outcomes: either Shui Zhongyue would wake up from the enchanted state, or he would become completely foolish.

Either outcome would alarm the grass and startle the snake, letting Li Fuzhou notice something was amiss.

An Jing twisted his eyebrows and then stretched out his hands. The black and white flow of energy surged out from his fingertips and then imprinted into Shui Zhongyue’s eyes.

In a daze, Shui Zhongyue awoke.

“Hm!?”

Shui Zhongyue hastily scanned his surroundings, looking for the young doctor. Where was she?

He saw a figure in the distance that seemed to be crouching under a tree, apparently searching for something. As he focused his gaze, he realized it was indeed the young doctor.

“Could it be that the young doctor has come to the mountains to search for herbs?”

Shui Zhongyue muttered to himself but didn’t pay it much mind, as his task was to protect the young doctor.

However, to the eyes of a normal person, Shui Zhongyue at this moment was standing on a distant branch, observing none other than a toad.

Having fallen under An Jing’s enchanting technique, he mistook the toad squatting on the ground for An Jing.

The real An Jing was standing atop a large rock not too far away.

“This expert from the Demon Sect has fallen into an enchanted state. He will probably wake up soon. I need to quickly refine this nature’s spiritual energy,” An Jing mused to himself as he sat cross-legged, ready to refine the spiritual energy within him.

Although he had condensed the Earth Flower, it wasn’t completely stabilized due to the hasty efforts of the previous night. His foundation was shaky, and falling realms was not unheard of.

The three flowers of Heaven, Earth, and Man represent the essence, energy, and spirit. With energy diminished, breaching the body’s baseline could risk the Earth Flower shattering—an extremely dangerous state.

An Jing took a deep breath before activating both the Ghost Valley Heart Method and Daluo Heart Method simultaneously.

These two mental methods shared the same origin with many similarities. Using them together proved much more effective than using either alone, the only caveat being it required immensely high aptitude and comprehension.

But for him, this naturally wasn’t a problem.

The spiritual energy of the world entered An Jing, and a faint green glow surged into his body.

An Jing’s mind sank, and he began to immerse himself completely in cultivation.

The spiritual energy, now a faint green stream, poured into An Jing, relentlessly infiltrating every part of his body, whether it was his bones, meridians, or even his pores.

An Jing quickly steadied his mind, aware that the most difficult step of refining was upon him.

As expected, a Qi mechanism ten times more fierce than before suddenly spread throughout his body from his meridians and bones. In that instant, An Jing felt as if thrown into a blazing inferno, the intense flames seemingly determined to reduce his body to ashes without any mercy, releasing an increasingly fiery heat.

A moment later, wisps of white mist seeped from the top of his head, carrying a peculiar fragrance. An Jing clenched his teeth tightly.

The spiritual energy, born of the world itself, could directly enhance a person’s cultivation. As the saying goes, with every gain comes a loss. To fully enjoy the benefits, one must pay a price.

“Whoosh whoosh!”

Just then, the phantom of the Earth Flower emerged behind An Jing.

He could clearly feel, as the burning pain spread throughout his body, a powerful flow of Qi causing the Earth Flower behind him to become more and more solidified.

Once the Earth Flower solidified completely, he would reach the peak of the Earth Flower Realm.

The spiritual energy dissipated bit by bit, integrating into his body, and the faint green light gradually merged into his pale golden bones.

The originally subtle golden glow, bolstered by the spiritual energy, deepened slightly, almost imperceptible unless looked at closely.

The Three Flowers Gathering at the Top and Golden Bone are the marks of a Grandmaster.

In the world, it is rare to see someone who can refine Golden Bones before reaching the Grandmaster Realm, unless they possess exceptional heavenly materials and earthly treasures or practice the most exquisite body refining martial arts of the Heavenly Martial Level.

Such martial arts are extremely precious, with those of the Heavenly Martial Level more the stuff of legends than reality.

Shui Zhongyue was still diligently keeping an eye on that toad.

The rich, surging Qi winded crazily through An Jing’s body like the force of a river spilling over.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

As the air gathered around him, it seemed to transform into streams of fire.

An Jing appeared oblivious to the changes around him.

For two hours, his body was still as stone, his breathing so faint that, had there not been a trace of vitality still wrapping around him, anyone might have mistaken him for a lifeless corpse.

As he sat in stillness resembling a monk’s final serenity, thin green streams of Qi began to seep from his pores, winding around his body like creeping vines.

This was the return to tranquility as described in the Ghost Valley Heart Method.

Accompanying this tranquil state, it seemed as though the entire world merged with his breathing. Each breath he took caused the surrounding air to churn, and as his breathing steadied, the air would quiet down, and the woodlands would once again fall silent.

Under this cycle of breathing, time slipped away like sand through one’s fingers.

In the woodlands, silence prevailed as usual. Occasionally, the sound of air sweeping through broke the hush, but these sounds were so eerie they made the place feel even more desolate.

After an indefinite amount of time, everything calmed down.

Only then did An Jing slowly open his eyes and let out a heavy breath.

“The spiritual energy of heaven and earth has been completely refined, and the Earth Flower has solidified quite a bit.”

After speaking to himself, he looked over to Shui Zhongyue and couldn’t help but be impressed, “This Demon Sect is truly worthy of being an opponent of the Zhenyi Sect. The caliber of their experts is not something ordinary forces can match. Very useful indeed.”

At this moment, Shui Zhongyue was still staring at that toad as if he were a statue, fearful of any slip-up.

…….

In Fuyang Village, within the two thatched cottages,

the houses were nothing more than thatched roofs and simplicity with straw beds and tile stoves, yet a faint fragrance wafted through the air.

On the table, a dish of stir-fried green vegetables, steamed grass carp, and two sets of chopsticks and bowls.

Jiang Sanjia glanced at the dishes on the table and took a seat without any fuss, opposite him was another empty set of chopsticks and bowls.

All of sudden, he broke into laughter at the sight of the empty utensils, then lowered his head, as his smile gradually turned bitter.

Thirty years ago, he was a spirited young man, vibrant and full of life, dreaming of riding the tides of the times to become a playmaker of the world.

He never imagined he would end up in his current state thirty years ago.

Every day, from the moment he opened his eyes to the time he closed them, he was alone.

He always felt an emptiness in his heart.

In the past several days, he had drifted off to his homeland countless times, only to wake up startled from his dreams.

Maybe he took a wrong step, but he also felt it wasn’t a mistake.

What exactly was the mistake?

That left him in the end, without even a single person to talk to.

“No one questions my right or wrong, no one questions my truth or error, no one whispers in my ear, no one hears my couple of words….”

Jiang Sanjia picked up his chopsticks and couldn’t help beating them against the broken bowl, making a clinking and clanking sound.

“Could it be that Sanjia knew I would visit today?”

Just then, a voice came from outside the door.

At the door stood An Jing, clad in a dark cyan robe.

Upon hearing this, a hint of a smile appeared on Jiang Sanjia’s weathered face, “Brother Zhou, why didn’t you bring wine today?”

“I was in such a hurry that I forgot,” An Jing explained, seating himself across from Jiang Sanjia and said with a laugh, “Sanjia, it seems like you anticipated my visit today?”

In Jiang Sanjia’s eyes, An Jing could sense a fleeting trace of desolation.

An Jing wasn’t very familiar with Jiang Sanjia.

It was mostly rumors from Jianghu and a bit of recent interaction; perhaps everyone who wanders Jianghu has a story of their own.

After a long pause, Jiang Sanjia finally spoke, “Brother Zhou, you must have a reason for visiting me today?”

If there was nothing important, Zhou Xianming would certainly not come looking for him.

“Sort of, but let’s not talk about it for now.”

An Jing smiled noncommittally, then inquired, “Sanjia, do you have family or relatives in Yujing City?”

Jiang Sanjia was silent for a long while, took a bite of rice, then said, “They’re all dead.”

Those three short words carried a shiver of desolation.

He did not elaborate, seemingly reluctant to delve into his past.

Everyone has their own secrets, and An Jing was no exception.

“Not true, I have an elder martial brother, he’s not dead yet.”

Suddenly, Jiang Sanjia let out a self-deprecating laugh.

Of the Ghost Valley Sect’s current two great successors, one is the diviner Jiang Sanjia, while the other is the Ghost Valley Divine Sword, Lou Xiangzhen.

An Jing undoubtedly knew of Lou Xiangzhen.

Not only was he the sect leader of the Ghost Valley Sect,

but he was also an old swordsman.

Fifty years earlier, amongst all swordsmen in the world, two unparalleled, supernatural swordsmen, Sword Demon and Sword God, vied for supremacy, with every other swordsman lagging behind, in awe.

It is rare to find even one exceptional swordsman every few hundred years, yet that era saw the rise of two top-tier swordsmen simultaneously.

Both were at the peak of the Fifth Realm and in the prime of their lives, with the potential to break through to the Sixth Realm. Their starkly different swordsmanship styles were both at the pinnacle of the world, thus earning them the titles Sword Demon and Sword God.

Sword Demon’s origins were little known, shrouded in mixed tales on Jianghu, making it hard to distinguish truth from rumor. However, his exploits were well-noted; his Blood Tears Sword, when used to kill and drink blood, would emit a weeping sound, ranking it ninth among the famous swords in the Sword Manual.

However, Sword Demon disappeared from Jianghu decades ago. Some say he died, others say he attained the Sixth Realm and sought the higher, Seventh Realm. Since then, there was no sign of him, leaving only his legend reverberating throughout Jianghu to this day.

As Sword Demon has yet to reveal himself recently, most have come to believe he might have passed away in some unknown place.

After all, those who don’t reach the Grandmaster Realm typically don’t live beyond one hundred twenty to one hundred thirty years. Judging by age, Sword Demon might have reached his life’s limit.

As for the Sword God, he was the sect leader of the Yu Heng Sword Sect, who later secluded himself within the sect. Thirty years ago, the rumor spread that Sword God had failed to break through his shackles and died as a result.

Yet, some believed that was just a clever ruse by the Yu Heng Sword Sect, suspecting that Sword God was still alive, secluded at the top of Yu Heng Peak.

Whether he is still alive remains an unsolved mystery to this day.

And what people found regrettable was that the two of them had never crossed swords in their lifetimes. No one knew whose swordsmanship was stronger or weaker, which couldn’t help but be a matter of regret.

At that time, there were only two types of swordsmen in the world: the first type was that of the Sword Demon and Sword God, the second type was all other swordsmen.

Back then, Lou Xiangzhen, in his thirties, although he had not reached the pinnacle of cultivation, had a sword dao that was quite renowned. Especially at the age of thirty-eight, when he reached the Fifth Realm, he was considered a peerless figure, a leading figure among the younger generation.

After Lou Xiangzhen reached the Fifth Realm, he went to the Yu Heng Sword Sect to challenge the Sword God of the age, an event that caused a sensation. After all, there were many swordsmen who wanted to challenge the Sword God, but one had to defeat the Sword Guard of the Yu Heng Sword Sect to get the chance to challenge the Sword God.

Most swordsmen, let alone challenging the Sword God, could not even defeat the Sword Guard.

Lou Xiangzhen was the only swordsman who defeated the Sword Guard of the Yu Heng Sword Sect at the age of forty.

On the day of the great battle, the Yu Heng Sword Sect and many other sword dao masters gathered to watch, all eager to see the style of the Sword God, given that the Sword God had not made a move for decades.

The title of Sword God was an exception in Jianghu.

However, the battle at that time took everyone by surprise. Lou Xiangzhen, a genius swordsman and the Sect Leader of the Ghost Valley Sect, was defeated by the Sword God in just three moves.

This event caused a stir in Jianghu. After all, Lou Xiangzhen was also a top-notch swordsman, a master of the Heavenly Flower Realm.

How could such a master be defeated by the Sword God in merely three moves without causing surprise?

As time flew by, the era of the two great masters, the Sword Demon and Sword God, had passed.

And new swordsmen emerged in Jianghu. In a Jianghu without the two unmatched Sword Immortals, Lou Xiangzhen became the top swordsman in the world, but he never received the title of the World’s Number One Swordsman.

Perhaps it had been unknown how many years since anyone had claimed that title.

In this world, four exceptionally talented and beautiful swordsmen emerged, and rumors even had it that their aptitude was no less than that of the Sword Demon and Sword God. These four swordsmen, together with Lou Xiangzhen, were known as the top five swordsmen in the world.

At his peak, Lou Xiangzhen encountered the Sword God and Sword Demon, but when the two retired and vanished, a younger generation rose to challenge him.

It was a source of sighs that he never became the number one swordsman in the world throughout his life.

Regardless, he was still a top swordsman who spanned two great eras, a grandmaster renowned across the world.

Over the years, there have been many rumors about the other swordsmen, but those concerning Lou Xiangzhen have diminished significantly.

Word in Jianghu had it that Lou Xiangzhen was pursuing the true sword dao, hence traveling all around and being hard to trace, but in reality, he was afraid of Zhenyi Sect Leader Xiao Qianqiu coming down from the mountain and chose to live in seclusion.

As for the specific reasons, perhaps only Lou Xiangzhen himself knows.

An Jing only knew of Lou Xiangzhen by hearsay and had never met the man. However, from Jiang Sanjia’s words, one could sense that he seemed to harbor some resentment, some indignation.

If all of Jiang Sanjia’s relatives had died, wouldn’t Lou Xiangzhen, as his senior brother, be the closest person to him?

“Lou Xiangzhen is an extremely selfish and self-serving person. Whether he is alive or dead makes no difference. That is his sword dao, and also the reason why he cannot become the world’s number one swordsman,”

Jiang Sanjia gave a cold snort before turning to look at An Jing, “Although Brother Zhou’s swordsmanship is grand and profound, he still falls short of the current top five swordsmen in the world. If he could take it a step further, perhaps he could become the sixth great swordsman.”

An Jing waved his hand dismissively, “These are just empty titles.”

He had no interest in being the world’s sixth swordsman.

An Jing aimed to be the world’s number one swordsman.

Jiang Sanjia put down his bowl and chopsticks and said, “Brother Zhou, if you have something to ask me, just say it directly.”

“Then I won’t beat around the bush.”

An Jing nodded and got straight to the point, “In fact, my main reason for coming here is to ask about Outer Heaven, especially the leader of the Human Sect, Li Fuzhou.”

He had largely learned about the Demon Sect and Li Fuzhou through Zhou Xianming’s storytelling, but compared to Zhou Xianming, Jiang Sanjia should have a deeper understanding.

Jiang Sanjia’s eyebrows lifted slightly, “Li Fuzhou, you say? Speaking of this Li Fuzhou, he indeed is a character. You’ve probably heard of some of his deeds. What you want to find out is the stuff that can’t be heard in the Jianghu, right?”

An Jing nodded, he wanted to understand what kind of person Li Fuzhou truly was.

“Li Fuzhou, his life has been quite complicated, and I don’t know too much, but since Brother Zhou wants to know, I will tell you everything I do know,” Jiang Sanjia said.

Jiang Sanjia poured two cups of tea and continued, “He was an advanced scholar in the third year of Hongwu and, although he didn’t become the top scholar in the final imperial examinations, he did place third. Afterwards, he was taken on as a student by the Grand Secretary Lv Guoyong, an elder who only took in two students in his lifetime; one was Li Fuzhou, and the other is now Zhao Tianyi, the scribe eunuch for the Human Emperor. Both men were once exceptional talents of the Confucian path, yet it’s a pity—one joined the Demon Sect while the other became a eunuch.”

If the Zhenyi Sect is considered the stabilizer of the Great Yan martial world, then Confucianism is one of the pillars of the Great Yan Dynasty. Lv Guoyong’s standing in Confucianism is like that of Xiao Qianqiu, or even deeper than Xiao Qianqiu’s.

Lv Guoyong, a veteran of three dynasties, also served as the Grand Secretary for over sixty years, holding regency power and wielding immense influence. The previous Human Emperor Li Ping was one he had helped rise to power.

In that era, he was an unchallenged figure.

Having been in such a position for many years, it could be said that every piece of land in Great Yan had some connection to his students or had ties to him in countless ways. He was the current role model of Confucianism in the world.

Even the current Human Emperor, known to be the strongest in Great Yan history, had to show him a degree of respect, which illustrated his high status.

An Jing was taken aback upon hearing this, not expecting that the old man had once been a student of Lv Guoyong.

Jiang Sanjia went on, “Originally of Confucian heritage, Li Fuzhou nurtured a vast righteous qi within his inner palace. If one day he had a moment of enlightenment, this vast righteous qi could be absorbed back into his body, greatly assisting his martial arts cultivation. Li Fuzhou, a genius of his time, managed to embody this righteous qi of Confucianism, advancing his cultivation by leaps and bounds with astonishing speed. He caught the eye of the Demon Sect Hierarch Jiang Shang. After integrating the Demon Sect’s Earth Demon Technique, he created a unique combination of Heavenly Demon Righteous Qi that gained him great fame. Following the death of the previous Human Sect Leader at the hands of Xiao Qianqiu, and with the Demon Sect in need of leadership, Li Fuzhou became the Human Sect Leader.”

“After becoming the Human Sect Leader within the Demon Sect, he indeed made substantial contributions to the Sect’s cause. You can find out about these deeds by inquiring within the martial community,” added Jiang Sanjia.

“Oh, and there’s some seldom-heard news about the Demon Sect. Rumor has it that the Sect Hierarch Jiang Shang disappeared without a trace three years ago. Some say he died somewhere within Great Yan, leaving the Demon Sect headless and forced to choose a new leader. The new Hierarch is Jiang Shang’s last disciple, whose origins are unclear but appears to be young and quite capable. This ambitious new leader of the Demon Sect seems eager to regain their former power. From what I’ve seen recently, with the movements of Demon Sect experts, it is likely they are preparing for this very reason.”

An Jing cast a glance at Jiang Sanjia and remarked, “Brother Sanjia, to be aware of the affairs of the Jianghu even from a dungeon, that is quite remarkable.”

After all, Jiang Sanjia had been imprisoned in a dungeon for two years and yet was aware of events from these past years.

Jiang Sanjia let out a light laugh, seemingly without further comment.

An Jing nodded, his mind stirring as he said, “So, does this mean that Li Fuzhou appeared in Great Yan to pave the way for the Sect Hierarch of the Demon Sect?”

Jiang Sanjia slightly nodded in agreement, “This should be the case. When the Demon Sect was expelled from Great Yan, although the experts of the Demon Sect’s Human Sect lay dormant, they suffered heavy losses. Despite some recovery over the years, compared to the Heaven and Earth Net, which was once on par with the Human Emperor, they are likely lacking. Thus, it’s only natural that they would set up these covert networks.”

Spies and covert networks are the eyes and ears; they are, of course, extremely important.

“Thank you, Brother Sanjia, for clearing up my confusion.”

An Jing bowed with his hands clasped, his gratitude genuinely from the heart.

If Jiang Sanjia had not spoken, he truly would have no idea where to get this kind of information about the Jianghu.

Picking up his bowl and chopsticks, Jiang Sanjia said, “No need to be polite. After all, Brother Zhou also has a life-saving grace towards me. If Zhou brother really wants to thank me, just join me for a simple meal.”

Actually, the fact that Jiang Sanjia willingly informed An Jing of this information was not only because of the dungeon rescue in the past.

After all, he had also told An Jing about the Bodhi Bead.

The reason he was helping An Jing was precisely because of what An Jing had said before.

“Then Zhou must not refuse such kindness,” An Jing said with a light chuckle, picking up his chopsticks.

“Hahaha, it has been many years since anyone has tasted my cooking,” Jiang Sanjia said.

“Fortune favors the timely as much as the well-prepared.”

“Brother Zhou always has witty remarks, surely a clever man.”

“No, I am but a simple man,” An Jing demurred.

“A simple man, Brother Zhou jests. I fear if you come here again next time, you may not be able to find me.”

“Why is that?” An Jing asked.

“As soon as the year passes, in five days, I plan to set off for Yujing City,” Jiang Sanjia revealed.

…..

In a quiet courtyard within Yu State City,

Xi Jikui, clad in black, stood before a stone table, his brow tightly furrowed. On the table was a war map.

“Both Minister Zhang and Minister Gan are dead, and their bodies have been brought back. The murderer is that Ghost Swordsman,” said Hong Yuanwu as he bowed with clasped hands.

At this moment, he couldn’t help feeling somewhat relieved. When the Ghost Swordsman had broken into the dungeon, it was he who had been investigating the incident.

Initially, Hong Yuanwu had thought the swordsman was at most at the First Grade Realm, yet to consolidate the Human Flower. Although he was wary, he didn’t feel any fear.

Now, thinking about it carefully, had he encountered the swordsman at that time, he probably couldn’t have escaped a death by the sword.

Xi Jikui’s expression was as calm as still water, and though he didn’t speak, the several Gold Constables in the room felt a heavy oppressive atmosphere.

Zhang Shuang and Gan Yue, how expert were they?

They were both from the Great Heavenly Gang of the Xuanyi Guard, elite experts of the Court. Even if the Xuanyi Guard could replenish its Great Heavenly Gang, they could not endlessly supplement experts of the First Grade Realm.

Now, both these experts had been killed by that swordsman. If someone must bear the responsibility for this, it would undoubtedly fall on Xi Jikui, who was in charge of the operation to encircle and suppress Li Fuzhou.

“Can’t the identity of that swordsman be found out?” Xi Jikui asked, frowning.

“We can’t find out, not even the operatives of the Heaven and Earth Net have been able to detect any clues,” Hong Yuanwu thought for a moment and said, “The only person closely associated with this man is Jiang Sanjia, but so far, none of us have been able to locate him.”

“Jiang Sanjia?!”

Xi Jikui’s heart stirred, and his eyes narrowed into slits.

Lately, the Second Prince’s faction has been preparing to exonerate Jiang Sanjia, seemingly intending to reinstate him. If the swordsman’s identity cannot be found out, it might be possible to gain insights from Jiang Sanjia’s situation.

However, this would have to wait until Jiang Sanjia was exonerated.

“Let’s set aside the matter of the unparalleled swordsman for the moment,”

Xi Jikui decided, saying, “We failed to capture Li Fuzhou this time, allowing him to obtain a strand of Heaven and Earth’s Spiritual Essence, which will inevitably aid in the recovery of his cultivation. Still, taking advantage of this time, we have some chance to bring him down…”

Killing Li Fuzhou would be even more important than the death of the Ghost Swordsman. Should he truly succeed in killing Li Fuzhou, not only would he not bear responsibility, but he might even be credited with a great achievement.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Hong Yuanwu said gravely, “The experts of the Demon Sect’s Human Sect are all skilled at hiding and escaping; it would be extremely difficult to find their whereabouts, especially Li Fuzhou, whose Heavenly Demon Qi is inherently deceptive…”

When they were pursuing Li Fuzhou previously, the four Great Heavenly Gang members clearly brushed past Li Fuzhou without even realizing it, indicating the prowess of this Heavenly Demon Qi.

“It’s difficult to find Li Fuzhou’s whereabouts,” Xi Jikui commented, “but why don’t we change our approach? For instance, we could wait for him to deliver himself to us.”

“Wait for him to deliver himself to us?” Hong Yuanwu sounded somewhat puzzled.

Would a man like Li Fuzhou allow himself to be easily apprehended?

Xi Jikui narrowed his eyes, saying ominously, “We need to lay bait. If the bait is alluring enough, even a cunning fish like Li Fuzhou will bite.”

“Bait?!”

The several Gold Constables, including Hong Yuanwu, looked at each other in bewilderment, unsure of Xi Jikui’s plans.

……..