MTLNOVEL Chapter 128 - 128: Intimidating Everyone by Pretending to be a Grandmaster (10,000-Word Update, Please Subscribe)
Chapter 128: Chapter 128: Intimidating Everyone by Pretending to be a Grandmaster (10,000-Word Update, Please Subscribe)
Late at night, Mazi Lane.
The entire Yu State City was immersed in slumber, embraced by silence.
Those lingering in the pleasure boats and taverns, drunkards with staggering steps, roamed the streets and alleys, not only spewing profanities but also occasionally startled by stray cats darting out.
At the end of the alley, inside a dilapidated house.
The house was peculiarly constructed, with no windows on all sides, save for a door to the east.
At this moment, the interior was pitch black, devoid of any light.
On the ground lay a withered corpse, eerily unhuman. It emitted a faint ghostly glow, which, upon closer inspection, resembled a flickering flame.
Eerie and sinister energy!
The fiendish energy had condensed into a point, so rich and intense that it seemed like a dark flame, clearly no ordinary feat.
This was the very same corpse that had appeared on Three Temple Mountain.
Presently beside the corpse, a figure sat cross-legged.
With no candlelight within the house, the person’s face remained indiscernible, yet one could still sense the sharpness and chill in their eyes.
Both hands extended, robust True Qi swept forth from the palms, and the dense sinister energy gathered once again, compressing.
Subsequently, a thumb-sized sphere formed.
“Sigh…”
He exhaled slowly and then turned his gaze upon the corpse.
Stripped of the fiendish energy, the true appearance of the corpse began to surface.
It was grotesquely shaped with eight limbs and a ferocious visage; white bony spurs sprouted from its back, reminiscent of a deformed spider at a closer glance.
The corpse was bizarre, resembling neither human nor beast.
The man narrowed his eyes and drew the long saber beside him.
Along the blade ran a crimson line, as bright as fresh blood.
“Shh!”
With a sweep of the saber, a ripple of blood-red light emerged, then struck heavily upon the corpse.
“Bang!”
A sharp noise echoed, revealing a faint white mark on the corpse.
“Eh? Such a sturdy body, is this the realm of Jade Bone?”
Seeing this, he couldn’t help but furrow his brows.
In Jianghu, those who cultivated the Heavenly Martial Heart Method and achieved Three Flowers Fusing would see their bones transform, but few knew that Golden Bone was not the strongest essence of bone.
Above Golden Bone was Jade Bone.
However, forging Jade Bone was far more difficult than Golden Bone.
The first condition to forge Jade Bone was to become a Great Grandmaster, a hurdle that to this day stumped ninety-nine percent of all Grandmasters, not to mention ordinary people.
And the second condition required an even more profound Martial Arts Heart Method.
A heart method surpassing the Heavenly Martial Realm is only recorded in history to exist in three forms.
These three supreme heart methods originate from the Mystical Sect, Demon Sect, and Buddhist Sect.
The Mystical Sect’s “Jade Emperor Scripture” had divided into three parts thousands of years ago and to this day, no expert from the Mystical Sect has managed to recombine it. As for the Demon Sect’s “Nine Nether Purgatory Demon Scripture,” it was completely lost when the eighth Sect Hierarch disappeared. Were it not for the prodigious ninth Sect Hierarch who, relying on the Earth Demon Technique and the residual Qi Mechanism left by the eighth Sect Hierarch, created the “Heavenly Demon Technique,” the Demon Sect probably would not have been able to continue its glory.
Only the Buddhist Sect’s “Great Sun Tathagata Zen Scripture” remains intact, held within the Western Pure Land’s Lian Sect’s Zhao Ti Zen Temple.
This allowed the Buddhist Sect to tenuously establish the Three Thousand Buddha Countries.
It’s also because of this “Great Sun Tathagata Zen Scripture” that many with hidden agendas in the world desire to pry into it, considering it seems to be the sole martial art above Heavenly Martial.
Cultivating this martial art, a Half-step Master gains a better chance of reaching the Grandmaster realm, and a Grandmaster has a higher certainty of reaching Great Grandmaster, which serves to show the exceptional might and potency of martial arts beyond Heavenly Martial.
But this has also led to the Buddhist Sect being despised by the world, attracting unwarranted calamities and sparking the massive war to exterminate Buddhism.
Only by fulfilling these two conditions can one refine Jade Bone.
It is said that upon reaching the realm of Jade Bone, one’s corpse will not decompose, and after death, the bones convert into green jade, enduring for thousands of years, even capable of gathering the spiritual energy of heaven and earth.
As to the veracity of this claim, not many know, as not just anyone can behold the remains of a Great Grandmaster.
Within the Grandmaster Realm, eighty percent can refine into Golden Bone, yet in the Great Grandmaster Realm, fewer than fifty percent can forge Jade Bone.
The strange corpse in front of him was undeniably a Jade Bone corpse.
The man took a deep breath, sliding the long saber gently over the corpse as if intending to cleave it in two.
But the resilience of the Jade Bone was too great; even though the blade in his hand was a treasured saber, it couldn’t damage the parched corpse.
After a long while, he exhaled slowly.
“Huh!?”
Even in the darkness, he spotted it, a drop of liquid slowly moving among the dense mass of bones.
Liquid within a mummy?
His heart surged wildly, his voice trembling as he spoke.
“Undying Blood!? It really exists, Undying Blood!”
“Hahaha, all my efforts over these years haven’t been in vain,”
The man laughed aloud, then a glint flashed in his eyes as he whispered to himself, “Once I obtain the Undying Blood, I’ll uncover the mysteries of longevity…”
In the silent room, only his excited gasping could be heard.
….
In the fourteenth year of Xingping, on the second day of the second month.
The night was hazy, moonlight spilling down like a sloping bolt of silk.
In the back courtyard of Jishi Hall, in the bedroom,
An Jing sat cross-legged on the bed, his eyes firmly shut.
After several days of diligent study, he had reviewed all the annotations on the Ghost Valley Heart Method, and practiced it assiduously every day.
As his mind delved deeper, he silently recited the outline of the Ghost Valley Heart Method. The black and white streams of qi began to weave through his body, within his limbs and bones.
The flow of qi was sometimes warm, sometimes chillingly cold.
After two complete circulations, the qi grew thicker.
“Am I about to reach the Second Profound Realm?”
An Jing took a deep breath and continued to circulate the Ghost Valley Heart Method.
At this moment, his surroundings were filled with swirls of white mist, and the Human Flower and Earth Flower on his back occasionally emerged, especially the Earth Flower, which became more solid as the black and white qi stream grew stronger.
Time passed unknowably, and the black and white streams of qi blended together, flowing through his meridians like tiny streams.
This feeling was extremely pleasant, making one unable to resist completely relaxing.
The next moment, An Jing felt his mind clear as if his entire body had become light and airy.
Suddenly, the paper figure in his sleeve clapped continuously.
An Jing choked, his internal qi thrown into disarray, but quickly he calmed his mind and adjusted.
As his qi stabilized, the black and white streams turned into specks of starlight, merging into his limbs and bones, into his blood and marrow.
Even though An Jing had already tempered his bones to perfection, he could still feel his body receiving a slight enhancement.
About the time it took an incense stick to burn, the black and white qi stream gradually dissipated.
Second Profound!
He had cultivated the Ghost Valley Heart Method to the Second Profound Realm.
After another circulation, An Jing slowly opened his eyes and said, “I have never been so diligent before, studying the complete Ghost Valley Heart Method seven or eight times, even the annotations…”
Jiang Sanjia practiced for seven years to reach the First Profound Realm and took twenty-nine years to reach the Second Profound. Although part of the reason was his focus on divination, it nonetheless illustrates the difficulty of cultivating the Heavenly Martial Heart Method.
Especially the final realm; Jiang Sanjia knew that with his abilities, it was impossible to reach the Third Profound. Thus, he seldom delved into the Ghost Valley Heart Method after that, putting all his heart into Ghost Valley Divination.
“On the second day of the second month, it seems like the Demon Sect and Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion are planning to make a move against Liu Qingshan…”
Thinking of this, An Jing got his things in order.
News from Yujing City had already reached Jiangnan Dao, and by now, he knew that Jiang Sanjia’s soul was lost atop Qintian Platform.
According to the reports, Minister Yue Tingchen of the Ministry of Industry had proposed that Jiang Sanjia calculate the nation’s fortune. Grandmaster Zhao Tianyi consented, and the divine calculator was struck by a counteracting fate and died from a lightning strike.
But An Jing knew that Jiang Sanjia’s death was not as simple as it seemed on the surface.
Obviously, it was a forced death.
Jiang Sanjia once said that if he went back, he would inevitably be coerced by Zhao Mengtai. If what he had said was correct, then it surely involved Zhao Mengtai.
However, what puzzled An Jing was why Zhao Mengtai wanted to force Jiang Sanjia to death. Why not seize the Ghost Valley Heart Method from him and then use it to negotiate with the Zhenyi Sect; why insist on the incomplete Daluo Heart Method he had?
However, Jiang Sanjia did not discuss these with him. Jiang Sanjia only advised him to try to reconcile with the Crown Prince’s faction and be wary of Zhao Mengtai.
An Jing was heading to Lijiang City today, intending to muddy the waters and thoroughly disrupt the situation.
Lijiang City was not close to Yu State City, but the speed of the Thousand-year-old Black Boa was extremely fast. If it ran with all its might, it would only take two hours to arrive.
Two hours later, he would probably arrive around the hour of the Rat.
After changing his clothes, An Jing left the room without anyone noticing.
“Aoow…”
Little Black lay at the door of Tan Yun’s room, yawning. He looked listless and lethargic.
These past few days, most of the meals had been delivered from the Wuyang tavern, and during her free time, Tan Yun spent most it holed up in the kitchen cooking, with little Blackie acting like a spoiled member of the palace.
However, there was a difference: Spies in the palace taste meals to check for poison, but little Blackie was there to judge whether the food was edible.
An Jing glanced at Tan Yun’s room, noticing that the lamps were still lit inside. Then, with a swift movement, he lightly leapt onto the roof tiles and peered down through a slender crack.
All he could see was Tan Yun hunched over the table, her head lowered as she keenly and seriously perused a book in front of her.
“So late and still studying a cookbook?”
With furrowed brows, An Jing internally chastised himself, “Have I been too harsh on her lately?”
Although Tan Yun couldn’t cook, she did all the laundry and cleaning, was always on call, and basically never went out.
When An Jing left the house to see patients, she would stay obediently at home, without causing any trouble. Other than being unable to cook, there was nothing at all to fault her for.
“It seems I must not be too harsh on her.”
An Jing took a deep breath, filled with guilt, and then resolved to show more leniency towards this young girl.
For Tan Yun to toil so hard late into the night truly was not easy.
“Swoosh! Swoosh!”
Tan Yun seemed to hear something, her heart leapt, and then she slowly closed the book and stood up, stepping out.
“Creak!”
Little Blackie, seeing Tan Yun, immediately ran over joyfully.
“It seems it was just my imagination.”
Tan Yun looked around, kicked little Blackie aside, and went back in.
Once back in her room, Tan Yun’s eyes appeared misty, her face felt like it was aflame, heart throbbing wildly, and she felt her legs give way with weakness.
“I need to change into a new undergarment again…”
Tan Yun glanced at the comic book on the table, bit her lip and said, “Tan Yun, oh Tan Yun, you can’t continue to indulge like this, you need to pull yourself together…”
With that thought, she got up, changed into a clean set of underwear, and casually hung the damp clothes on a rack, planning to wash them first thing in the morning.
“Phew!”
Finally, Tan Yun blew out the candle, laid down on the bed, and pulled the covers over herself.
As time trickled by, moonlight filtered through the window lattice into the room, where only Tan Yun’s breathing could be heard.
Tan Yun tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep.
Images from the comic book replayed in her mind, and she involuntarily tightened her legs, feeling extremely uncomfortable.
“Maybe I’ll read a little longer… After all, it’s still early…”
Tan Yun wriggled out from under the covers, agile as a nimble cat, then used a tinderbox to light a candle, grabbed the comic book, and dove back under the blanket.
In the faint candlelight, her adorable little face was both excited and agitated.
…..
In Great Yan, East Lin Road, inside a certain inn.
Zhao Qingmei, with one hand propping her head up, reclined on a couch, while the other toyed with a paper doll, her brows knitted in concern.
“Sleeping this early?”
In her eyes, An Jing never slept so early; sometimes, he would even rest only in the middle of the night… but the next day, he would still be full of energy and vigor.
“Could he have gone out for drinks with Han Wenxin?”
“Or did he put the paper doll aside?”
“Or could he have accidentally damaged the paper doll?”
Zhao Qingmei’s eyes narrowed slightly as she murmured to herself, wishfully thinking of being instantly transported to An Jing’s side.
…..
Lijiang City, the Cao Gang Headquarters.
Even deep into the night, the headquarters was still brightly lit, with people bustling along the corridors.
In the shadowy walls, numerous experts lay in concealment, creating an impregnable defense loaded with hidden dangers.
In the quiet study.
Liu Qingshan sat in a chair, the tea before him already cold, but he seemed completely unaware, his eyes fixed on the letter in his hands.
Behind him, Soul Losing Hand Tian Liu stood still as a statue, unmoving as if carved from wood.
“These pirates of Wangjing Sea really have some nerve.”
After a long while, Liu Qingshan laid down the letter, laughing as if in disbelief, “What is Chen Wandou of Wangjing Sea thinking? He actually wants to take the seat of the Gang Leader of the Five Gangs Alliance directly. Otherwise, he refuses to agree to the alliance.”
The letter was indeed from Chen Wandou of Wangjing Sea to Liu Qingshan. The content bluntly demanded the position of the Gang Leader of the Five Gangs Alliance; otherwise, he would not attend the grand meeting of the gangs.
Tian Liu spoke seldom, and like gold were his words, “Conceited.”
“Conceited, he indeed is very conceited.”
Liu Qingshan said faintly, “It is unknown whether these are his own words or the implication of someone else. That’s quite intriguing… cough cough cough…”
Whether Chen Wandou had someone backing him or not, no one knew.
Seeing this, Tian Liu unusually took the initiative to speak, “I think the Gang Leader should rest.”
“Rest?!”
Liu Qingshan shook his head, a sharp light flitting through his eyes, “After death, there’s plenty of time to rest. How can I rest when such a great undertaking is not yet accomplished?”
The Jianghu is ever-changing, and although the Zhenyi Sect remains as stable as Mount Tai, there is now the uncertainty brought by the Demon Sect and the Buddhist sects. At this moment, each force is holding back, adopting a wait-and-see approach, which presents the perfect opportunity for the Five Gangs Alliance.
In the Great Yan Martial World, there are five gangs and seven sects. The five gangs’ strength is somewhat inferior to that of the seven sects, the majority of which have a deep heritage and numerous experts, some even having ancestors who are in hiding and cultivating in secrecy.
Apart from the Wind and Rain Tower, the five gangs only have a history of a hundred years at most. On this basis alone, they fall short considerably.
The five gangs have but one advantage: they are numerous and wealthy.
If the five major gangs could form an alliance and elect a leader who could confront the top forces of the Jianghu such as the Demon Sect, Zhenyi, and the Buddhist sects, then their reputation in Great Yan might not fall short of the Demon Sect and Buddhist sects.
Liu Qingshan has been patiently hiding his abilities for many years, and his cultivation has reached the Heavenly Flower Realm, already considering him a first-rate expert in the world. Naturally, he had more than enough prowess to deal with common forces, but to intimidate the Demon Sect or the Buddhist sects, his strength is still lacking.
And this has always been Liu Qingshan’s concern, hence his urgent desire to obtain the legendary Golden Pill and the spiritual energy of Heaven and Earth.
His cultivation has now reached the peak of the Heavenly Flower Realm, with the Three Flowers showing a glimmer of fusion. If he could achieve the communion of the Three Flowers, he would be at the threshold of the Grandmaster Realm.
Attaining the threshold of the Grandmaster Realm, coupled with the covert support of the Crown Prince, would significantly increase his chances of securing the position of Alliance Hierarch of the Five Gangs.
Tian Liu paused, then said, “But the Gang Leader’s body…”
“I… cough cough cough… I’m well aware of my body’s condition.”
Liu Qingshan waved his hand and said solemnly, “Reaching the threshold of the Grandmaster Realm is what’s most critical right now.”
“This is bad! Run!”
Just then, Liu Qingshan’s brow furrowed intensely, and he hurriedly shouted.
“Bang!”
In the next moment, the hard surface in front of them suddenly shattered, a cold and sharp edge emanating from the broken stones and heading straight for Liu Qingshan.
Liu Qingshan reacted very quickly, his body darted to the side, avoiding the blade light.
“It seems Gang Leader Liu’s cultivation has improved,” came a voice laced with cold mocking from behind the wall.
“Who are you?”
Stabilizing his stance, Liu Qingshan looked over to see a man in black, wearing a mask, with a long knife glinting coldly in the moonlight.
This person was none other than Mo Yan, the Guest Elder of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion.
“The one who’s after your life.”
Mo Yan huffed coldly, his long knife quivering as he charged again.
“Who is it!?”
“Who dares to intrude on the Cao Gang headquarters!”
….
The elite members of the Cao Gang were also drawn by this noise, each rushing over from all directions.
Tian Liu quickly said, “Gang Leader, the intruder means no good. I will hold him back, you go first.”
“No, this person is also a master of the Heavenly Flower Realm; you are no match for him.”
Liu Qingshan’s mind started racing. A master of the Heavenly Flower Realm was not an anonymous person in the Jianghu, and there were not many who had grudges or tangled interests with him, let alone those who would break into the Cao Gang headquarters.
And Mo Yan had already charged over, his long knife slashing horizontally.
What was clearly a single slice felt as if there were four blades descending.
“Shadow Splitting Blade, Mo Yan?”
Recognizing the technique, Liu Qingshan immediately knew who it was. His inner strength surged like a raging river as he slapped a palm towards the blade light.
In the Jianghu, there are few unknown experts. After all, reaching the ranks of top experts, it is quite challenging to imitate the essence of others’ martial arts.
“Boom boom boom boom!”
With a clash of Qi mechanisms, a thunderous explosion resounded.
Subsequently, rings of Qi waves shot out in all directions, pulverizing walls and furniture into dust where they passed.
“Everyone, back off!”
Tian Liu shouted to the approaching members of the Cao Gang.
Not needing Tian Liu to say it, the elite members of the Cao Gang were already aware of the destructive impact and hastily retreated to a safe distance.
“`
“天机阁?” Liu Qingshan took a deep breath, his eyes becoming somewhat profound.
Mo Yan was also a well-known expert on the Jianghu Dragon List. Originally a master from Zhao Country, he fled to the Great Yan Martial World after offending a Grandmaster there.
As soon as he arrived in the Great Yan Martial World, he went to Lingnan Dao and, over some trivial matter, killed several disciples of the Four Symbols Sect, prompting the Sect Leader, Jia Shiwu, to personally hunt him down. His escape showed his strength.
Five years ago, it was rumored that Mo Yan entered the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion and became one of its Tributors, gradually disappearing from the Jianghu.
“Guardian Luo, now is the perfect opportunity. If we delay, things could change,” Mo Yan said firmly, gripping the long saber in his hand, fully aware that Liu Qingshan was not an opponent he could face alone.
“Hahaha, Brother Mo, don’t worry. Today, Liu Qingshan is as good as dead,” a loud laugh sounded, and a graceful figure appeared under the moonlight, her face somewhat aged with no weapon in hand, but a bloody hue shimmered under the moonlight.
“Blood Hand Luo Zixiang?” A chill ran through Liu Qingshan’s heart at the sight of the newcomer.
In the Demon Sect’s Earth Sect, there was an abundance of masters, and Luo Zixiang was one of the best, credited with slaying numerous First Grade experts, earning her the nickname Blood Hand from the people of Jianghu.
“Farewell on your journey, Brother Liu,” Mo Yan laughed maniacally, his long saber creating a fierce wind as he brought it down with the force of splitting mountains.
On closer inspection, the saber light split for a moment, looking as if two giant sabers were falling from the night sky.
The essence of the Shadow Splitting Blade was not in creating illusions but in making those illusions into actual cutting edges.
The two saber lights before Liu Qingshan seemed fewer than the previous four, but they were substantially real and tangible.
Liu Qingshan’s mind sank, and he sent a palm strike forward. Qingyang Palm!
The two saber lights intersected with the Qingyang Palm, the seemingly unstoppable saber force being suppressed in an instant by the palm, with the remaining force continuing toward Mo Yan.
“Boom!” Mo Yan circulated his True Qi in front of his chest and was forced to retreat step by step by the force.
Luo Zixiang, who was about to step forward, was blocked by Tian Liu.
“The Human Flower Realm dares to block me?” said Luo Zixiang indifferently.
“What if you add me to the equation?” Just as Luo Zixiang finished speaking, a roaring voice came from a distance as a radiance shot towards them.
An arrow!
In the moonlight, the arrow seemed to emit a chilling light.
“Ssst!” Luo Zixiang’s expression remained unchanged as she suddenly caught the swift arrow that flew like thunder.
A young man in white, with an air of valor between his brows, walked out, carrying a curved bow with several arrows on his back.
He looked gravely serious; to be able to catch his flying arrow with bare hands, Blood Hand Luo Zixiang truly lived up to her reputation.
Luo Zixiang found the youth somewhat familiar and said, “Gao Yiming, the grandson of the Thousand-Mile Arrow Gao Sheng?”
Thousand-Mile Arrow Gao Sheng.
This man was not from Jianghu but was a master within the Great Yan military and even the head of the Imperial Guards of the current Great Yan Palace.
Gao Sheng became famous in the Great Yan Martial World because of a competition seventeen years ago.
At that time, three highly skilled thieves emerged in the Great Yan Martial World: Wall-Scaling Monkey, Night-Strolling Lone Shadow, and Qian Ji Thief.
Thieves in Jianghu are known by their titles, not their real names, and these three were the top thieves in the Great Yan Martial World.
They all wanted to claim the title of Thief Saint, and so they agreed to a fair competition to see who would succeed, the victor earning the title of Thief Saint.
Not only were their thieving skills exceptional, but their movement techniques and strength were also top-notch, and they had already made significant names for themselves in Jianghu.
Especially the Qian Ji Thief, who once sneaked into the headquarters of the Nu Jing Gang and stole the Gang Leader’s seal. He then blackmailed the Gang Leader for a ransom of one hundred thousand Silver, causing a huge uproar known throughout the lands.
Although, in the end, the Qian Ji Thief only got ten thousand Silver, it still made his name resonate across Jianghu.
All three were not ordinary figures; for them, a common contest had no meaning.
Eventually, they agreed that whoever could sneak into the Imperial Palace, steal the personal innerwear of the current Empress Zuo Linglong, and escape alive could become the new Thief Saint of Jianghu.
Who was Zuo Linglong! She was known as the most beautiful woman in the world, not only for her beauty but also as the legitimate daughter of Zuo Family, the Sect Leader of one of the seven major sects, Youfeng Valley, and sister to the true disciple Zuo Biwen.
It was impossible for her not to have any cultivation.
Moreover, the Imperial Palace was filled with numerous masters, the Forbidden Army, and an Emperor sitting in place. To others, let alone to ordinary Grandmasters, it was a veritable dragon’s den.
“`
All three agreed and then set a time to begin their contest in ten days; only then did they disperse.
But to everyone’s surprise, that wall-scaling monkey pulled a fast one and sneaked into the Imperial Palace that very night, aiming to strike first.
With Second Grade strength, though his movement technique was exceedingly agile, so much so that even some First Grade experts had difficulty tracking him. Once, three members of the Great Heavenly Gang tried to encircle and kill him, only to have him escape, which greatly increased his fame.
He infiltrated the outer perimeter of the Imperial Palace, and everything went very smoothly without encountering any obstacles.
But just as he was about to go deeper into the sleeping quarters, he was discovered by Gao Sheng, then head of the Imperial Guards.
The wall-scaling monkey was both shocked and afraid, knowing he stood no chance against Gao Sheng, and he quickly fled toward the outside of the palace.
His movement technique was extremely fast, and the towering palace walls seemed like flat ground to him. It wasn’t long before he left the Imperial Palace, but to his surprise, Gao Sheng did not give chase.
After leaving the palace, he headed towards the cross streets, preparing to leave Yujing City.
The wall-scaling monkey felt smug, thinking he had left all the guards far behind.
However, when he was feeling pleased with himself, an arrow suddenly shot out from within the palace and pierced through him, with the sturdy shaft deeply embedding itself into the ground, half its length gone.
This incident quickly spread throughout the martial world of Great Yan, and the head of the Imperial Guards earned the nickname of “Thousand-mile Arrow” among those in Jianghu.
Apart from this, Gao Sheng rarely took action, and not many people knew of his true abilities.
After all, he lived within the forbidden confines of the Imperial Guards, where opportunities to take action were scarce.
The next day, upon hearing this news, both the Thousand Mechanism Thief and the Lonely Moon Strider gave up on their plans to infiltrate the Imperial Palace.
……
Gao Yiming did not pay attention to Luo Zixiang and instead looked up calmly, “I didn’t expect the people of the Demon Sect to have forgotten the scars from decades ago and have now appeared in the lands of Great Yan; that’s quite daring.”
Upon hearing this, a cold tide surged in Luo Zixiang’s eyes, “It might be somewhat intimidating if Gao Sheng were the one speaking these words, but you are not qualified, are you?”
After speaking, Luo Zixiang flicked her wrist.
“Whoosh!”
The arrow suddenly turned and charged towards Gao Sheng.
Boom!
The fierce energy roared through the air, almost as if it could pierce through anything in its way.
Such powerful energy!
Gao Yiming was greatly shaken upon seeing this, knowing he could not match this force and quickly leaped away into the distance.
“Bang!”
The arrow struck the ground and instantly the solid ground burst open, while even though Gao Yiming had dodged quickly, he was still grazed by the flying debris, injuring his arm.
Tian Liu, seizing this opportunity, attempted a sneak attack on Luo Zixiang.
Soul Losing Hand!
A palm strike was released, as if a ghostly face appeared in the night sky, sinister and eerie.
“Mere child’s play!”
Luo Zixiang’s gaze was as calm and deep as an abyss as she counterattacked with a palm strike.
“Boom!”
At the moment of impact from their palms, Tian Liu felt a violent energy transmit up his arm, followed by a tremor in all his internal organs.
“Thud thud thud…”
Tian Liu landed on the ground, his footsteps retreating continuously.
Luo Zixiang did not hold back against the two, pushing her Heavenly Flower Realm cultivation to its limit and repelling both the Human Flower and Earth Flower Realm experts.
“Guardian Luo, assist me quickly!”
Meanwhile, Mo Yan was on the verge of defeat and couldn’t help but shout out loudly.
Although they were both in the Heavenly Flower Realm, Liu Qingshan was clearly stronger, and a prolonged battle would surely leave Mo Yan exhausted.
Luo Zixiang stomped her foot and launched a palm strike at Liu Qingshan.
“Bang!”
Both their palms were forceful and tyrannical; upon contact, they immediately produced a deafening sound.
Then Luo Zixiang staggered five steps backward while Liu Qingshan also stepped back three steps.
“Such a formidable Qingyang Palm Seal!”
Luo Zixiang thought to herself.
Liu Qingshan, being the Gang Leader of Cao Gang, was frighteningly powerful, not just in his ability to control people but also in his martial prowess.
“Liu Qingshan, this Cao Gang headquarters will be where you meet your demise!”
Mo Yan said with a cold laugh, as his long blade swept towards him.
“Whoosh whoosh!” “Whoosh whoosh!”
Mo Yan wielded his long saber at a uniquely opportune moment, just as Liu Qingshan’s footing hadn’t fully stabilized yet.
Moreover, this slash was as fast as lightning, aiming straight for Liu Qingshan’s throat.
“Puchi!”
Liu Qingshan couldn’t dodge in time, and his arm was slashed by the blade’s light, instantly spraying fresh blood.
“Quick! Protect the Gang Leader!”
Seeing this, the Cao Gang members all rushed toward Mo Yan.
“Seeking death!”
Mo Yan’s eyes were icy as he swept the long saber through the air.
“Pupupupu!”
Several gang members instantly turned into a mist of blood.
“Attack all together!”
But the surrounding Cao Gang members weren’t intimidated; they fearlessly charged at Mo Yan.
In just a few breaths, the ground was soaked through with blood.
As the Cao Gang members bravely rushed forward, more and more of their companions congregated from all directions.
At that moment, at a high platform in the distance, a figure floated over.
“It’s no wonder that the Cao Gang’s headquarters is much more fortified than Yu State City’s headquarters.”
An Jing watched the valiant Cao Gang members, feeling a sense of admiration in his heart.
But on second thought, it made sense since the Cao Gang had become the number one gang in the world through actual combat.
The surface situation was the collusion between the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion and the Demon Sect in the assassination attempt on Liu Qingshan, but behind it was the struggle between the Second Prince and the Crown Prince.
“This Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion is crafty, revealing their information to the Zhenyi Sect. Even though there are some grievances between the Cao Gang and myself, and the Cao Gang has already revoked my wanted order…”
An Jing pondered secretly.
The Second Prince was on good terms with the Zhenyi Sect, and from the letter left by Jiang Sanjia, it seemed that they held the Crown Prince in high esteem.
Ever since the battle at Three Temple Mountain, the Cao Gang had revoked the bounty on him, clearly knowing his strength and not wanting to make more enemies.
However, he still had a wanted order from the Xuanyi Guard, backed by the powerful information network of the Heaven and Earth Net. With the Deputy Great Commander Xi Yuanjun being a Half-step Master in cultivation and the Great Commander at Grandmaster Realm, if he could resolve his grievances with the Cao Gang and remove the Xuanyi Guard’s order, that would naturally be good.
At this moment, An Jing felt like he was trapped in a quagmire.
To break the situation, there were two options: one was to use overwhelming strength to shatter the status quo, which would allow him to disregard the Xuanyi Guard, Zhenyi Sect, Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion… all on his own.
If he couldn’t overpower them, his other choice was to resolve some of his grievances.
Actually, Jiang Sanjia had a point. His grievances with the Cao Gang could be considered big or small.
By taking action now, not only could he attempt to resolve past grievances, but he could also retaliate against the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion for leaking his identity, avenge Jiang Sanjia’s forced suicide, and mess up Zhao Mengtai’s plans.
But his intervention had to be discerning… Thinking of this, An Jing’s eyes gleamed with a hint of cold light.
The scene at the Cao Gang headquarters below had turned into a sea of blood, yet countless gang members still bravely charged forward.
Seeing this, Mo Yan felt both shocked and infuriated.
He couldn’t understand why these Cao Gang members were charging at him like madmen, knowing that a single swipe could kill several of them, but they still rushed forward regardless.
Liu Qingshan, witnessing this scene, seemed to have flames boiling in his eyes.
His moves became even more ferocious, forcing Luo Zixiang to retreat repeatedly.
“Shoo!”
Just then, an arrow shot through the air, barely missing Luo Zixiang’s temple as it flew past.
It was Gao Yiming.
Luo Zixiang shouted, “Brother Mo, go all out now, Chu Nanying is almost here, and soon we will be like the turtles trapped in a jar…”
Even experts at the Heavenly Flower Realm feared continuous waves of soldiers, for they too could exhaust their Inner Strength.
“Hualala!” “Hualala!”
At the same time, several experts from the Demon Sect’s Earth Sect suddenly appeared all around.
Although they were few in number, each was formidable, and they immediately blocked the advancing Cao Gang experts.
Mo Yan caught his breath and, without any hesitation, joined forces with Luo Zixiang and attacked Liu Qingshan ahead.
The saber moved with an untraceable speed, its momentum like thunder, without the slightest hesitation.
Liu Qingshan, dealing with one man, could dispatch him with ease, but facing the pincer attack, he immediately started to show signs of defeat.
In just a few moves, he barely escaped decapitation by Mo Yan’s blade.
Gao Yiming stood in the distance, cold sweat appearing on his forehead.
At this moment, with three top experts clashing, his vision was somewhat blurred—unable to clearly discern the vital points of Luo Zixiang and Mo Yan, he feared that any mistaken move from his end could instead place Liu Qingshan at a disadvantage.
With a palm strike unleashed, the Qi mechanism inside Luo Zixiang flowed like a rivers and lakes overturning.
The Desire Demon Six Palm!
Boom!
The ferocious handprint carried an unstoppable momentum, like mountains crumbling and oceans capsizing, as it bravely surged forward.
The Qingyang Palm!
Liu Qingshan twisted his wrist, not hesitating for an instant as he met the strike with his own palm.
“Thump!”
Where the palm forces collided, it was as if a storm of Qi mechanisms began surging outwards in all directions.
“A perfect opportunity!”
A cold gleam shot from Mo Yan’s eyes as he drew his long blade.
The blade’s light was too fast to track, seamlessly bridging heaven and earth.
“Gang Leader, be careful!”
Seeing this, Tian Liu’s inner strength surged up as he struck a palm toward the blade light.
“Hiss!”
Being at the Heavenly Flower Realm, how could Tian Liu be a match for Mo Yan? In an instant, his palm force was repelled, and the remaining blade light engulfed him.
“Swoosh!”
An arrow of light struck, weakening the blade light, but Tian Liu still suffered a slash, causing his clothes to rip apart and a visible cut to appear on his chest.
“Bang!”
Liu Qingshan struck out with a palm, and at the same time, Luo Zixiang had already stepped in close, entangling Liu Qingshan.
The three top experts intertwined, with blade light and palm forces whirling about.
“Bang!”
In a flash of lightning, Liu Qingshan’s shoulder was struck by Luo Zixiang’s palm, forcing him to stagger repeatedly backwards.
“Kill him!”
A glint of murderous intent shone in both their eyes as they became eager to strike.
However, at the very next moment, a terrifying sensation rose within both their hearts.
“Huh!?”
Just then, it seemed as though flames erupted in the sky, illuminating the entire night sky.
“What’s happening!?” Mo Yan exclaimed in shock.
“There’s a master!” A tremor went through Luo Zixiang’s soul.
Boom! Boom!
As both were astonished, it appeared from within the flames that a colossal stone pillar descended, its momentum grand and unstoppable, emitting a faint golden light.
All present were startled, seeming to feel an inexplicable oppression emanating from it.
“What on earth is happening?!”
“Could there be another master arriving?”
“Why is there such a strong sense of oppression.”
……
In just the blink of an eye, everyone’s hearts underwent an earth-shattering change.
The sky above the Cao Gang headquarters lit up as if it were daylight.
“A Grandmaster!? Is the person coming a Grandmaster?”
Mo Yan said, astonished.
Behind Cao Gang was actually a Grandmaster; how could this be possible? Even if the Crown Prince tried to mobilize a Grandmaster, it would be extremely difficult, yet one was sent to protect Liu Qingshan!?
Luo Zixiang’s pupils also reflected the blaze of the flames, his entire being frozen in shock.
“A Grandmaster!?”
Liu Qingshan, too, felt that terrifying pressure, shaking to his core.
The next moment, that immense finger of light slammed down heavily!
“Thud!”
The moment the fiery finger of light descended, the world seemingly came to a halt, only to then vibrate intensely.